A rose to Main Street Columbus staff and volunteers for what many spectators believe was the best Columbus Christmas Parade in years. Tuesday’s parade attracted a record 80 entries. Intricate floats, walking groups, well-lit vehicles and musical performances took the event up a notch, very much in keeping with this year’s parade theme, “A Merry Musical Christmas.” Bands from Columbus High School, New Hope High School, West Lowndes High School and East Mississippi Community College kept the parade festive all along the parade route. Mississippi School for Math and Science musical director Dawn Barham, turned her role as the parade’s grand marshal into a performance by MSMS singers and musicians, all of whom rode on a float with her. Collectively, the efforts made this year’s event a parade to remember. Well done!
A rose to “Columbus Sings Messiah,” which returns for the 22nd year and has established itself as a unique and eagerly awaited part of our Christmas celebration. Founder James Allen said the group’s annual presentation of the “Messiah” will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Annunciation Catholic Church. The presentation will include roughly an hour of selections from the iconic piece, breathing life into a beloved tradition. Columbus Sings Messiah is a group of singers from all over the region that has gathered annually to perform Handel’s masterpiece since 2001, missing two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Phillip Stockton, associate director of choral studies at Mississippi State University, will be conducting the choir during this year’s presentation for his third year. Although it is a free event, tickets are required. Tickets are available at Annunciation Catholic Church, First Methodist Church, the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Tennessee Williams Home and Welcome Center. Each year, this event draws a crowd of 600 music lovers, which is a testament to just how much Columbus loves Columbus Sings Messiah.
A rose to Anna Beth Robertson, who became the first female firefighter in Starkville to rise to the rank of sergeant. Robertson joined the Starkville Fire Department four years ago, a job she pursued after a chance encounter with SFD training officer Brian Arnett while working out at a gym. Arnett invited Robertson to join SFD firefighters during their workouts. She was quickly hooked, joining the SFD in 2020 and moving steadily up the ranks. Robertson is not the first female firefighter in Starkville, but she now outranks any of the other women who have served as firefighters in the city. We applaud Robertson her historic promotion. We have a feeling it won’t be her last.
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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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
