A rose to the Happy Irby Shop and Wrap event, a Christmas tradition that dates back to 1958 when CAFB Officers Club bartender George “Happy” Irby used his tip money to provide clothing for underprivileged children. That collaboration between CAFB volunteers and Irby’s son, George, continued Wednesday with CAFB personnel and other volunteers helping wrap gifts of clothing for 250 area children. Wednesday, the gifts were delivered to eight schools in Lowndes County for distribution. While there are many great events to provide toys for children each Christmas, the Happy Irby Christmas Fund meets more practical needs — much-needed clothing items.
It’s nice to reflect that this wonderful program began with a simple act of kindness performed by one man. It is a reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can evolve into something big.

A rose to TVA, for its plans to build a gas-powered turbine engine plant in Caledonia. TVA is seeking public comments on the two-year project that would be located on a 63-acre property on Caldwell Road, south of Caledonia. The facility would use the power generated by the facility to augment power provided from three solar farms being built in Lowndes County during times of extended low sunlight. The plant would create 15 to 30 jobs, but the primary benefit would be providing a stable supply of energy. Lowndes County industry is one of TVA’s biggest customers, so producing a steady supply of energy close to home is an added bonus. Origis Energy announced in 2020 that it would build two 200 megawatt solar farms in Lowndes near the Golden Triangle Regional Airport, which are both slated to come online next year. The company also announced in 2021 it would build a third solar farm in Clay County on 2,000 acres near the Yokohama Tire plant. That farm is still on track for completion in early 2025.

A rose to the East Mississippi Community College Lions, whose bid for an unprecedented sixth national championship ended with a thud Wednesday, losing to top—ranked Iowa Western, 61-14, in a game where nothing seemed to go right for EMCC. The lop-sided loss in the title game played in Little Rock was the first time EMCC has lost in a national title game, having gone 5 for 5 in those contests before this week. While EMCC’s loss — its first loss in any championship game, state or national — certainly ends the season on a sour note, it doesn’t take away from the run the Lions went on to get to the championship game. From a 2-2 start to an eight-game winning streak and three-straight wins over top-10 opponents, this group has undoubtedly left its mark on this program. We expect the Lions to use the disappointment of coming up a win short of the national title to be a strong motivator during the 2024 season. History certainly suggests as much.

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