Church leaders in Columbus concerned about reopening too soon
Roughly a dozen church leaders who sit on a city-formed committee on reopening Columbus expressed reluctance to open their doors too soon amid the COVID-19 pandemic at a meeting with city leaders Monday.
Columbus barbershops, salons and gyms can reopen Monday with restrictions
Columbus Mayor Robert Smith agreed Saturday to permit the city’s barbershops, salons, gyms and fitness centers — previously ordered closed due to the coronavirus pandemic — to reopen at 8 a.m. Monday as long as they adhere to sanitation protocols and social distancing guidelines.
Parks, restaurants in Columbus allowed to reopen with restrictions
Restaurants and parks in Columbus will be allowed to reopen with restrictions beginning Thursday at 8 a.m. following Gov. Tate Reeves’ executive order Monday, Mayor Robert Smith announced at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
City forms committee to plan for adjustment to ‘new normal’
The city of Columbus is forming a committee this week to discuss plans to adjust to a “new normal” under the COVID-19 pandemic, said Mayor Robert Smith in a Sunday letter to The Dispatch.
CMSD will not form budget advisory committee
Columbus Municipal School District’s board of trustees has opted not to create a budget advisory committee.
House votes to create committee for campaign finance study
A divided Mississippi House voted Monday to study campaign finance laws rather than change them this year, but the proposal will get more scrutiny when it returns to the Senate.
Howard wants to form Oktibbeha race relations group
District 3 Supervisor Marvell Howard wants fellow board members to consider establishing an Oktibbeha County race relations committee charged with working with various community groups to help continue promoting equality.
Ricky Ball shooting: City creates CPD oversight board
Columbus councilmen and the mayor voted Tuesday to create a permanent oversight board for the Columbus Police Department.
CPD review committee talks arrest numbers
African Americans accounted for nearly 90 percent of arrests in a six-month period for Columbus Police Department’s special operations group.
Police review committee: Harsher penalties needed for body camera violations
The special operations group review committee on Wednesday agreed on a number of recommendations — mainly harsher penalties for police officers who violate department policy — that will be presented to the Columbus City Council next week.
Our View: Committee’s recommendations worthy of support
When a committee was selected to review Columbus Police Department policies and procedures in the wake of the officer-involved shooting death of Ricky Ball on Oct. 16, there were likely some in the community who viewed this more as an attempt by the city to polish its tarnished image than a effort to produce meaningful changes.
Committee plans to review CPD actions
The city of Columbus has officially launched a review of the Columbus Police Department’s special operations group.
Council to review police task force
The Columbus City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to create a new committee to review six months of action by Columbus Police Department’s Special Operations Group.
Hickman named to MDE Steering Committee
Columbus Municipal School District superintendent Dr. Philip Hickman has been named to a statewide board that aims to make educators more effective.
Starkville-Oktibbeha bi-racial committee approved
The Starkville-Oktibbeha County School District Board of Trustees has appointed members of an eight-member biracial advisory committee to provide input on the district’s desegregation plan.
Supervisors appoint LINK committee members
Lowndes County supervisors appointed three members to the Golden Triangle Development LINK Executive Committee during their meeting Monday.
Perkins to sanitation employees: Get to work or face termination
Ward 6 Alderman Roy A. Perkins gave a stern warning for Starkville Sanitation and Environmental Services employees: If you do not work a full eight hours per day, you will lose your job.
Alderman Walker censored at budget meeting
Ward 4 Alderman Jason Walker left Thursday’s preliminary sanitation budgetary session after Board Attorney Chris Latimer, via a phone call to city representatives, said he could only observe, not participate in financial discussions.
Legislature approves negotiated school merger bill
Both chambers of the Miss. Legislature Tuesday passed a conference report for SB 2818, a bill that ensures technical amendments sought by the Commission on Starkville School District Structure for 2015’s state-mandated unification.
Second committee forms for merger legislation
State legislators formed a second conference committee last week to negotiate minor and technical amendments to Starkville-Oktibbeha County school merger provisions currently moving through the state capitol.