A rose of remembrance on this Memorial Day weekend to all those who died in military service to our nation. For that reason, of the three holidays set aside to honor our military – Armed Forces Day, Veterans Day and Memorial Day –  Memorial Day is the most solemn. Amid the activities on the long holiday weekend, we urge everyone to take some time to reflect on the sacrifice made on our behalf to preserve our nation. An estimated 1,354,664 members of our military have died in 10 recognized wars and dozens of other conflicts. The loss we feel cannot be reduced to mere numbers. Each death represents a personal loss to family and friends and a collective loss for the nation. We are pleased to note that Columbus, Starkville and West Point have organized public events  to bring the community together to celebrate the memory of those fallen soldiers.

A rose to Charla Laney as she takes over the role of permanent Executive Director of the Starkville Area Arts Council. Laney was chosen for the post after SAAC’s interim director, Juliette Reid, announced in March that she was moving to North Carolina. Reid had held the position since last September following the resignation of Mary Switzer. A native of Saltillo, Laney has been an active participant in the Starkville arts scene since arriving to attend Mississippi State, where she graduated with a degree in anthropology in 2020. Before accepting the position at the arts council, she previously served as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer and Public Relations Coordinator with Starkville Habitat for Humanity. Laney also serves as coordinator for the Starkville Community Market. Laney’s familiarity with SAAC and the community should provide a seamless transition. We wish her great success.

A rose to Bobby Harper of Columbus, who was named as one of CREATE Foundation’s recipients of The Jack Reed Sr. Northeast Mississippi Community Leadership Award. The award, which is supported by an endowment at CREATE, recognizes an individual who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in helping improve the quality of life in his or her community. Harper has been a long-term banking and community leader in the Golden Triangle area. He has served various regional banks for more than 50 years. He has also served as a board member of numerous community organizations, including the CREATE Foundation, the Golden Triangle Development LINK, the Golden Triangle Regional Airport, the Lowndes Community Foundation, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority and the YMCA. Given his long years of service, Harper was an obvious choice for this honor. We congratulate Bobby and thank him for what he has meant to our community.

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