A rose to all the mothers, moms and mamas on this Mother’s Day weekend. Regardless of the term, mothers occupy a special role in our lives. There may be nothing sadder than the absence of a mother, for all the roles she plays and the devotion and unconditional love with which she does it. Motivational speaker Cheryl Lacey Donovan probably describes it best: “Mother is a verb. It’s something you do. Not just who you are.” It is a job, certainly, but far more than that. She was the first to look upon your tiny form with immeasurable love and carried you in her arms and then in her heart for all the days to follow. For all of the immeasurable, sometimes unnoticed, things she does, we wish our mothers a very special Mother’s Day.
A rose to the helpers after Thursday’s severe storm in Columbus. Beloved children’s television host Mr. Rogers remembered how his mother soothed him in times of trouble. “Look for the helpers,” she said. Early Thursday evening, Columbus was pounded with a severe thunderstorm which damaged homes and knocked out power. But almost immediately, the helpers were on the spot in the form not only of those who are expected to respond – utility workers, police and fire personnel and other first-responders – but also private citizens. Even before the rain subsided, the whir of chainsaws echoed through the affected areas, the soundtrack of neighbor helping neighbor. This response is not new, of course. Through the years an army of good neighbors respond in these circumstances. Even so, we are always amazed at these responses. In times like these, no one can say that Columbus does not take care of its own. And that’s what community is all about.
A thorn to Columbus city government for another embarrassing display of on-the-fly policy-making born of poor communication, petty politics, lack of planning and small-mindedness. During Tuesday’s meeting, the city council voted to pay vice mayor Joseph Mickens an extra $200 per day for serving as the acting mayor while mayor Keith Gaskin was in New York for an urban planning workshop/seminar. After first recusing himself from the vote, Mickens proved to be the deciding vote in approving the interim pay. Gaskin, reached in New York, said he had his cellphone with him and was prepared to handle any duties that might emerge, save for presiding over the council meeting. It is reasonable to expect that the city would have a clearly-defined policy about under what circumstances the vice mayor should actually serve as mayor and what the compensation should be. All policy matters warrant research, discussion and thoughtful action. Too often, the city instead makes policy by the seat of its pants. That’s no way to run city government.
A rose to the Junior Auxiliary of Columbus, which claimed six national awards – including The Award of Excellence – acknowledging its excellence in all areas of Junior Auxiliary work, during the organization’s annual conference in May. In addition to its overall award, the Columbus chapter won awards for its educational program, mentorship program, feeding program, fitness program and administrative efficiency, all of which are focused on serving children in Columbus and Lowndes County. This year, the chapter turned in over 11,000 hours of service to these children through these innovative programs. We congratulate the Junior Auxiliary of Columbus for all their great work.
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.
