Our View: Clear workplace marijuana laws are needed
Among the charges that Ward 4 city councilman Pierre Beard pleaded guilty to on Tuesday in Gordo was possession of marijuana, which like the other charges is a misdemeanor.
Our View: Faster action on blight is good for neighborhoods
There are neighborhoods where the sound of a lawn mower cranking on a Saturday morning sets off a chain reaction up and down on the street, a kind of unspoken peer pressure dynamic that helps keep neighborhoods tidy, appealing, perhaps even safe.
Our View: The Riverwalk is safe, but there are other lessons to take from Saturday’s murder
In the almost-20 years the Columbus Riverwalk has been open to visitors, the 2.5-mile path along the Tombigbee River is rarely in the news for anything other than being a popular recreational spot for our community.
Our View: Burford commits to Columbus; council is right to support expansion
Over the years, we have grown accustomed to assuming economic development in Lowndes County is confined outside the city limits of Columbus, most of it at or near the county industrial park.
Our View: Oktibbeha County’s new lake project?
It has been observed that history doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes.
Our View: Retaining MSMS graduates should be state-wide initiative
For 36 years, Mississippi School for Math and Science has been a fixture on the campus of Mississippi University for Women.
Our View: A kid like you in a place like this
By next week, all K-12 students in the Golden Triangle will be back in school. Public schools began the 2024-25 school year last week with area private schools beginning classes next week.
Our View: Plymouth Bluff is a treasure of history, recreation. Help celebrate it next week
The story is told of a small-town rube who was finally convinced to travel abroad, specifically a tour of Italy. When he arrived back home he was asked what he thought about the Roman Colosseum. “It’s pretty big,” he said. “But, man, have they let the place go.”
Our View: A show of friendship
All of us have a hierarchy of friends. Some are casual friends, friendships that exist almost exclusively in the workplace or church or club. Another subset of friends are those we socialize with. But the highest order of friendship is reserved for those we invite into our homes.
Locally grown and raised food enriches our palates and our economy
A hundred years ago, all food was locally sourced. There simply weren’t any other options. Mississippi’s climate was well-suited for agriculture, which made for an abundant supply of local food. We fared better than other states in that area.
Our View: Street names are a confusing way to honor folks
The primary purpose of street names is to help identify locations of homes, businesses and other specific locations. That hasn’t always been the case, however.
Our View: The balance between asking and coercion is tricky when panhandlers are concerned
Begging, panhandling, solicitation — whatever term you prefer — is a problem without a solution. At least, that’s what history suggests. It’s a matter that has drawn the attention from ancient philosophers to merchants to charities to modern politicians.
Our View: Common sense needed in professional licensure
One of the clearest indicators of a bad law is when people can’t agree on whom it should apply. That appears to be the case Lowndes County and the city of Columbus are facing after being informed of a Mississippi law that requires those who are paid a fee to plant trees, shrubs – perhaps even grass seed or sod – to have a horticulturist license issued by the state.
Our View: State’s sales tax holiday is good but could be better
According to data provided by the credit card company Capital One, the average family spends close to $1,000 on K-12 back-to-school supplies and almost $1,400 for back-to-college supplies. Those costs have risen more than 40% since 2015.
Our View: Your property taxes could go up 18-20%. Should they?
The Mississippi Department of Revenue adjusts its appraisal manual once a decade or so, which probably doesn’t pique the typical homeowner’s interest.
Our View: Starkville’s persistence benefits drivers on Highway 182
If the city of Starkville had given up its plans to renovate a key section of Highway 182 about 10 months ago, residents would have been disappointed, but would likely not have blamed city officials for its demise.
Our View: MSMS’s location was top topic at luncheon
For years, Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science has been recognized as the preeminent high school in the state and among the very best in the entire nation. Yet there was a time, and not too long ago, that people in Columbus and Lowndes County took MSMS for granted.
Our View: Long term plan for city’s surprise $18 million is essential
It is an act of good faith between government and taxpayers that taxes should never be much higher than is necessary, so when a Dispatch examination of city finances over the past three years revealed that the city has accrued a cash stockpile of almost $18 million it was certain to raise eyebrows.
Our View: The W and MSMS need citizen engagement
Until the 20th Century, nations at war suspended their campaigns during winter for practical reasons.
Aldermen jeopardize massive project over business owner’s complaints
June 19, 2025
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