A rose to the Starkville Board of Aldermen for installing bollards in the areas of the city where special events are most often staged.
While at first, we didn’t know a bollard from a collard, we see the wisdom on the move and are familiar with bollards (Mississippi State has been using them for years now) even though we didn’t know them by name. Bollards are metal posts that can be quickly and easily erected and removed to block off streets and direct traffic flow. City officials say that in addition to improving traffic and pedestrian flow, it will free up police, who must often use patrol cars to block off those areas, for other purposes.
A thorn to Rep. Gary Chism (R, Columbus) for his improper conduct during the debate of the county’s 2-percent restaurant tax.
As city and county leaders debated the measures to be included in their joint resolution to the Legislature to extend the tax, Chism has been outspoken in saying which provisions he will or will not support as a member of the legislative committee that presents these bills.
That is outside of Chism’s proper role. The details of the resolution are an expression of the will of the people of Lowndes County, as expressed through their elected representatives, the city council and county supervisors. Chism’s involvement should be limited to making sure the resolution adheres to state requirements and any effort on his part to dictate the terms of the resolution is improper.
It is Chism’s job to advocate for the resolution, not to formulate it.
A rose to Renee Sanders, volunteers coordinator for United Way of Lowndes County, for her efforts in organizing a Volunteer Response Center for the county.
The VRC will coordinate non-affiliated volunteers who arrive after natural disasters. The VRC provide a place for the volunteers to report, sign up and be directed to areas of need based on their skills. Until now, people who show up to help after emergencies have little direction, which means they are not always used to maximum benefit. Sanders is calling for volunteers to man the VRC on a 24/7 basis after a major disasters. For more information, visit [email protected] or call Sanders at 328-0943.
A rose to all of our football champions.
Last week, the Golden Triangle saw two of its high schools claim state titles with another finishing as runner-up, while East Mississippi claimed its fourth national championship. West Point smothered Hattiesburg, 41-15, for its second straight Class 5-A state title, winning its 28th consecutive game in the process.
Meanwhile, Noxubee County claimed the state 4-A title in dramatic fashion, twice rallying from 14-point deficits in a hard-fought 41-35 victory over then-unbeaten East Central.
It’s the Tigers fifth straight title. Starkville High School came up a bit short in the 6-A final, losing 21-17 to an unbeaten Pearl.
Then, on Sunday, top-ranked EMCC defeated No. 2 Arizona Western College, 31-28, to claim the national championship, a victory the Lions dedicated to teammate Tyrone Clemons, who died in a car accident two weeks before the championship game.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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