SOCSD invites parents to discuss potential move to year-round school
Officials with Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District plan to hold two meetings with parents next week to discuss modifying the 2021-22 calendar to year-round school.
Supervisors meetings to be hosted online
The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors’ meetings will soon be available online for the public to view after supervisors authorized the purchase of a camera to record them.
Public invited to Parks planning meetings
Starkville officials are asking residents to attend a three-day set of meetings designed to gather public input for its park system’s master planning efforts.
Columbus leaders meet with citizens
A packed house of Columbus residents Monday at Sim Scott Park Community Center heard city leaders’ plans for crime prevention and reduction.
Still no arrest following shooting in Columbus park
A week after a shooting at Sim Scott Park that left four people injured, Columbus police still have not arrested any suspects.
City leaders step up efforts to reduce crime
Columbus officials are stepping up efforts to deter crime citywide in the wake of a shooting at Sim Scott Park on Friday that injured four people.
CMSD, LCSD hold meetings for parents, public
Local school districts are hosting a series of public meetings in the coming weeks to discuss their futures.
Lowndes Co. bond info meeting tonight canceled
The meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight at New Hope Elementary School, has been canceled for bad weather.
City appeals Ethics Commission final order
The city of Columbus has filed an appeal of the Mississippi Ethics Commission’s final order that states the mayor and council violated parts of the state’s Open Meetings Act earlier this year.
Ethics Commission upholds newspaper’s position on complaint
The Mississippi Ethics Commission issued a final order Friday stating that meetings the Columbus mayor and city council held earlier this year violated three sections of the state’s Open Meetings Act.
Mayor, council violated open meetings laws
The Mississippi Ethics Commission has issued a preliminary report stating that meetings of the Columbus mayor and city council that took place this year violated three sections of the state’s Open Meetings Act.
New citizen input policy passes
City councilmen approved a new policy Tuesday requiring residents fill out a form six days in advance of a council meeting if they want to speak at council meetings.
City looks to tighten policy on public comments
A committee formed Monday to develop the new citizen input policy at council meetings. The draft they proposed will be considered for approval during tonight’s 5 p.m. meeting at the Columbus Municipal Complex.
Court ruling favors prayer at council meeting
A narrowly divided Supreme Court upheld decidedly Christian prayers at the start of local council meetings on Monday, declaring them in line with long national traditions though the country has grown more religiously diverse.
Clay supes resume night meetings after suspending them
After voting Monday to suspend night meetings until October, Clay County supervisors voted Thursday to go ahead and hold one night meeting a month for the next four months.
Clay Co. supes to try night meetings
For the next five months, Clay County supervisors will hold their last board meetings of the month in the afternoon instead of in the morning.
Clay supes shoot down night meetings
Clay County supervisors entertained the possibility of meeting in the afternoon twice a year, but a motion to enact the policy failed to get a majority vote and was subsequently withdrawn.
Starkville compromises on its cell phone policy
A significant clash between the public and aldermen was avoided Tuesday when the board passed a compromise from Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard that ensures residents may bring cellphones to public meetings if they pledge to avoid distractions.
Showdown brewing over proposed cellphone ban
At least three Starkville officials have come out against a proposed board resolution that would ban public use of cellphones or smartphones, tablets and laptops during city meetings.
The resolution is listed on Tuesday’s consent agenda. Items on the consent agenda are available for passage without board discussion, but it is likely at least one alderman will push it to the regular agenda, opening the floor for serious discussions on the resolution’s merit.
Aldermen could ban smartphones during meetings
Starkville aldermen are expected to discuss a resolution Tuesday that would ban public attendees from using cell phones, tablets and laptops during board meetings effective Dec. 3.