A rose to all who participated in Thursday’s public hearing on Columbus annexation. The city has initiated plans to annex two areas south and east of the current city limits. By law, public hearings are required, but there is no guarantee on how productive they will be. Much of that relies on how the meetings are conducted. In this respect, the mayor, city council and annexation consultants along with about 60 citizens, including both those who live in the proposed annexation areas and those who do not, deserve praise. Annexation is often an emotionally-charged topic, which means public hearings can quickly devolve into shouting matches. That is not what happened Thursday. Citizens and officials shared the ideas, exchanged information and made their points in a calm measure. Mayor Keith Gaskin made sure all opinions were heard and welcomed. We do not know the ultimate fate of annexation, but forums such as these ensure all views have the opportunity to be heard.

A rose to all the stakeholders as the long and sometimes contentious process of choosing a new name for Mississippi University for Women nears an end. Friday, the final results of a survey on three finalist names were presented to MUW President Nora Miller, who will unveil the final choice for the name on Tuesday. The state legislature will consider a proposal making the name change official at some point after that. We are fully aware the final choice will not please everyone, but we urge all stakeholders to keep in mind that while preferences for a name vary, the one unifying factor is that all want what is best for the university. It’s important to remember those with opposing views are not enemies, but friends who share that common interest. Tuesday is bound to be an emotional day, but the prevailing motion should be a shared love for the university.

A rose to United Way of Lowndes and Noxubee, which is expanding its services to meet the needs of those who had previously relied on the Starkville-based United Way of North Central Mississippi, which ceased operations in 2021. Under the leadership of director Renee Sanders, nonprofits in Oktibbeha, Winston, Webster and Choctaw counties fall under UW of Lowndes and Noxubee’s umbrella. Five new organizations – including some in the old Starkville-based United Way organization – will now be supported by Sanders’ organization, bringing the total number of agencies under its umbrella to 20. We urge those who supported the old United Way in Starkville to support this combined effort. For citizens who want to help meet needs in their communities, but don’t have a particular preference, United Way is a great way to get involved. We commend the expanded United Way for filling a void in helping people throughout the greater Golden Triangle region.

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