A rose to everyone who helped, for now, preserve the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science on the MUW campus. This week’s announcement from Mississippi State University and Starkville schools — an agreement to build a new high school on university-owned land — confirmed that the project will not include relocating MSMS. That acknowledgement appears to put to rest, at least for the moment, the push to uproot MSMS from Columbus. As part of the memorandum of understanding, officials floated the idea of a specialty school focused on engineering or cybersecurity. If it comes to fruition, it would follow the model of the Partnership Middle School — another MSU/Starkville collaboration — which has by all accounts been a success. That makes us hopeful about what the new high school could become for Starkville.
Still, much remains unsettled:
■ MSMS facilities in Columbus are in dire need of capital improvements.
■ A transfer of MUW land to MSMS would help solidify its future here.
■ Ultimately, the legislature holds the final say — and lawmakers could always change direction.
For now, let’s allow ourselves a moment of relief. Columbus, MUW, Starkville, MSU and MSMS all share in this step forward. But vigilance remains necessary, because this “victory” may not be the final word.

A rose to Dr. Raymond Barranco, a sociology professor at Mississippi State and occasional contributor to The Dispatch’s Opinion Page, for his efforts to serve the Columbus/Lowndes community through his new nonprofit, Circles of Compassion. In short, his website offers a directory of services for those in need. Its mission is to promote compassionate responses to issues and needs that emerge in the community by supporting organizations that provide assistance to those in need as well as providing direct assistance when needed. Circle of Compassions was founded to support the efforts of Help Columbus, a collaborative network of nonprofits, business and community members through streamlining access to resources, information and support services in an effort to create a more efficient and coordinated response to local needs. By fostering cooperation and sharing resources among groups who serve those in need, the positive results are magnified. To learn more about Circles of Compassion, visit cocms.org.

A rose to Loaves and Fishes of Lowndes County as it prepares for its annual fundraiser. The soup kitchen’s 12th annual fundraiser is set for Thursday evening at First Methodist Church on College Street. Takeout plates, featuring pork loin with sides and dessert, will be available for pickup from 5 to 6 p.m. or 6 to 7 p.m. with the purchase of a $20 ticket. The money raised sustains the organization’s daily meal service for the poor. Loaves and Fishes serves lunch six days a week, providing between 250 and 350 meals a day. This past August alone, more than 7,400 meals were served, according to the Loaves and Fishes Facebook page. With rising food and utility costs, the need for additional funding has grown. A rotation of 46 churches and local organizations take turns volunteering and often provide the food for daily meals. In addition to food purchases, the fundraiser covers costs such as water bottles, lunch sacks, styrofoam plates, utensils, kitchen equipment and utilities. We urge everyone to treat yourself with a pork loin meal while supporting this worthy cause.

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