A rose to public school students throughout the Golden Triangle as they begin the new school year. All area public schools began classes this week. Students in Starkville began classes on Monday and Tuesday while Columbus, Lowndes County and West Point held their first classes on Thursday. Students in Noxubee County returned to class on Friday. Area private schools will not begin classes until the first full week of August. The beginning of the school year carries with it a sense of excitement and optimism as students advance from one grade to another and fall sports programs begin. The first few days of classes are a time for students to become familiar with new classrooms, new settings and new teachers and staff. We encourage parents to begin the school year by taking an active role in their children’s education by establishing a home routine that is conducive to learning, which includes a good night’s rest and daily conversations about the school day. We wish our students, parents, administrators and staff success as the educational process resumes.

A rose to Columbus City Council for its unanimous decision to cover the costs of an upcoming rate hike from Golden Triangle Waste Services, rather than pass the increase to customers. Terms of the city’s five-year contract, which began in 2023, allow the GTWS to raise its rates each year. In May, GTWS informed the council of a 84-cent rate per month increase for the city’s 9,600 residential customers. It’s entirely possible, perhaps even likely, that those rates will continue to increase annually through the end of the contract in 2026. The current rate increase will cost the city roughly $100,000. Rather than pass that increase along to the customers, the city will cover the cost through increased property tax collections expected from higher property values next year. That increase is expected to bring in an additional $159,000. Using that money to cover the cost of the latest garbage collection rate increase will provide some relief for homeowners. By absorbing the cost, at least for the next contract year, customer rates for residential garbage pickup will remain $20.95 per month. At a time when it seems almost everything costs more, the council should be commended for its decision to cover the cost of this rate increase.

A rose to Kristen Campenella, who is leaving her role as Oktibbeha’s County Emergency Management Agency director, ending her almost 25-year career with the agency. Campanella worked her way through the ranks, starting as a 911 calls operator in 2001. She has been the director for the past eight years. During her long association with the county’s EMA operations, she played a big role in establishing protocols and building relationships throughout the county to improve EMA’s service to the community. Most people only think of responses to emergency situations when the crisis is near at hand. But for Campenella preparing for emergencies has been a part of her daily routine for almost a quarter-century. We thank Campenella for the important service she has provided and wish her well as she enters a new chapter in her life and work career.

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