A rose to those who have served our nation in the military as we celebrate Veterans Day on Monday. There are more than 16 million veterans in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Of that total, 188,000 are in Mississippi (6.8% of the adult population) while Lowndes County, home to Columbus Air Force Base, ranks sixth among the state’s 82 counties with an estimated 4,061 veterans, making up 9.35% of the county’s adult population. Columbus, Starkville, West Point and Caledonia are hosting events this weekend to honor those who have served our nation in such an important role. In Columbus, a parade celebrating veterans returns after a one-year hiatus, beginning at 10 a.m. from the Municipal Complex to the county courthouse. The parade will be followed by a wreath laying ceremony at the WWI monument at the courthouse. In Starkville planned road work on Main Street prevented its regular Veterans Day parade downtown. Instead, there will be a special celebration Saturday in the Travis Outlaw Center at the Starkville Sportsplex, beginning at 9 a.m..West Point will hold a Veterans Day Program at 11 a.m. Caledonia will host a parade on Monday. Line up will begin at Ola J. Pickett park at 10 a.m., with the parade starting at 11 a.m. We urge all citizens to take the weekend as an opportunity to thank a veteran and wish them a Happy Veterans Day.

A rose to the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation upon the conclusion of a $300,000 renovation project at the Tennessee Williams Home and Welcome Center. Officials held a grand re-opening celebration Monday, highlighted by a performance by the Golden Triangle Singers. The facility is now open for the first time since renovation work started in April. The building was the first home of the great playwright, born in Columbus in 1911 and is listed on multiple history registries. Since being relocated to Main Street, the facility has become a city landmark and one of the first places tourists stop upon visiting the city’s historic buildings and sights. We applaud efforts to keep this important facility in good repairs and ready to welcome visitors to Columbus far into the future.

A rose to the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors, which unanimously agreed to grant Airbus Helicopters a 10-year ad valorem tax abatement for the company’s $3.5 million expansion, which includes adding a 6-acre solar farm, which will provide 75% of the facility’s electrical needs. It will be located at the Airbus facility on Airport Road and is expected to go live in April 2025. The tax exemption is estimated to save the company about $12,000 a year for 10 years. Airbus will still pay roughly $14,000 per year in taxes to the Lowndes County School District, she said. Since opening next to the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in 2003, the Columbus facility has become the second largest helicopter manufacturer in the country, with more than 300 employees, 70 of which were hired over the last nine months. The company provides helicopters to a range of customers, like the U.S. Army, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and hospitals.

A rose to East Mississippi Community College head football coach Buddy Stephens, who was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Monday. Stephens was named head coach of the Lions after the 2007 season and has a 148-28 record at the helm since the 2008 season, a winning percentage of .841. On his watch, the team has won five NJCAA national championships, nine Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference state titles and 11 MACCC North Division titles. In 2024, The Lions finished the regular season 5-4 with a 4-2 conference record, winning four of their last five games to get above .500 after a slow start to the year. With the strong finish, the Lions have finished above .500 in 16 of Stephens’ 17 seasons in charge. Stephens’ record rivals that of any coach in any level of football, making EMCC a powerhouse in community college football. We congratulate Stephens on this much-deserved honor.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.