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Tuesday | December 8, 2020

Oktibbeha supes approve pay raises for 6 road employees

The Oktibbeha Coun-
ty supervisors voted
Board unanimously supports potential
unanimously Monday
to extend the coun- state-funded projects in Starkville
ty’s curfew, from
midnight to 4 a.m.,
BY TESS VRBIN deserved a raise.
tvrbin@cdispatch.com Supervisors Orlando
until the board’s
next meeting on Trainer of District 2, Joe Wil-
Ok t ibbeha
Dec. 21. The board liams of District 5 and Board
also voted to raise super v isors
President John Montgomery
six road employees’ approved pay
increases for of District 1 voted for the pay
pay at Road Manag-
er Fred Hal Baggett’s six of the coun- raises while District 4 Super-
suggestion, starting ty’s 37 road visor Bricklee Miller voted
a discussion about employees against them. District 3 Su-
evaluating employ- with a 3-1 vote pervisor Marvell Howard
ees’ performance, at Monday’s Baggett was absent.
since the county Miller said she wanted
does not have an meeting after Road Manag-
evaluation system in er Fred Hal Baggett made to table the proposed raises
place. the suggestion based on job until a future meeting and
Tess Vrbin/Dispatch Staff performances that he said See OKTIBBEHA, 6A

FESTIVAL OF TREES Sanders attends

supes meeting
despite possible
exposure to
COVID
Sanders says he,
Holliman had lunch day
before Holliman tested
positive for virus
BY YUE STELLA YU
syu@cdispatch.com

One member of
the Lowndes County
Board of Supervisors
has tested positive
for COVID-19. An-
other, who told The
Dispatch he may
have been exposed,
attended a public Sanders
meeting in person
anyway.
Tess Vrbin/Dispatch Staff District 3 Super-
Anne Comer, left, of Aberdeen, and Mary Ann Briggs of West Point observe the Christmas trees that West Point citizens and visor John Holliman
businesses created for display, The Festival of Trees, in the Howlin’ Wolf Blues Museum on Monday evening after the tree tested positive for
lighting in the West Point City Park. The display took the place of the city’s annual Christmas parade that was canceled due the virus Saturday
to COVID-19 safety precautions. Organizations that normally would have built a float for the parade contributed decorated and could not attend
Christmas trees to the display, West Point/Clay County Community Growth Alliance director Lisa Klutts said.
the Monday’s su-
pervisors meeting, Holliman
District 1 Supervisor
Harry Sanders told The Dispatch.
Sanders, who had lunch with

LCIDA asks Lowndes supervisors

Holliman on Friday, attended the
Monday meeting in person despite
knowledge of potential exposure to
the coronavirus.

for $750K annually for three years Sanders said he does not think
he posed danger to others by show-
ing up at the meeting. During lunch
with Holliman, Sanders said, both
Supervisors continue to question use of the money that serves as its economic development
arm, was formed under a 1974 state law.
of them kept their masks on and
maintained a social distance of six
BY YUE STELLA YU expenses. The newly-proposed agree- The authority, which primarily main- feet.
syu@cdispatch.com ment came after supervisors expressed tains the Lowndes County Industrial “I thought there was a slight risk
concerns and delayed actions on pre- Park near the Golden Triangle Region- that I might (pose a danger), but I
Following a unan- vious versions asking for permanent al Airport, is governed by seven board didn’t have any symptoms,” he said.
imous vote, Lowndes funding out of the county’s property members, each of whom is appointed “My exposure to John Holliman
County Industrial Devel- tax revenue. by supervisors and serves a four-year was only two days ago and they say
opment Authority (LCI- However, some supervisors — who term. LCIDA pays the Golden Triangle the incubation period is longer than
DA) board members ap- previously showed reluctance on the Development LINK roughly $140,000 that. So I feel like for a short period
proved Monday morning fund allocation — continue to raise per year to manage its daily business, of time … if I social distance myself
a draft agreement to ask questions about the need for the money. LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins previously and wear my mask and everything,
the county for an annual “If you are just dedicating a set told The Dispatch. it’s not putting anybody else in any
Hairston Currently, LCIDA receives funding
funding of $750,000 for amount of $750,000 a year, I think you danger.”
three years. need projects associated with those fig- from the county’s general fund each A person with mild to moderate
The Monday proposal is the latest ures,” supervisors’ president Trip Hair- year for its operational expenses, and COVID-19 symptoms may spread
of LCIDA’s recent attempts to set up a ston said. “Put the project to the dollar.” the county is responsible for paying off the virus for up to 10 days since the
steady cash flow to cover its operational LCIDA, a subsidiary of the county See SUPES, 3A See COVID, 6A

WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC

1 In what city does the Bumbershoot Music & Arts Thursday MEETINGS
Festival happen, with “bumbershoot” being another Today:
■ Zoom Books
word for “umbrella”? Starkville-Oktibbe-
and Authors
2 How long was the fossil of the largest sea-dwell- ha Consolidated
ing crocodile ever found, discovered in 2016 in event: The Friends
School District
Tunisia — 4 feet, 30 feet or 120 feet? of the Starkville
Library will host Board of Trustees
3 What kid-friendly dinner staple did Pizza Hut intro-
meeting, 6 p.m.,
Rex Moody duce as a topping in the U.K. in 2017? Dean James (aka
4 What New York bridge was replaced by the Gover- Miranda James) 401 Greensboro St.
Pre-K, Annunciation Dec. 11: Starkville
nor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in June 2017? for a Books and

53 Low 34
5 What CNN anchor modeled for Calvin Klein, Authors Zoom Board of Aldermen
High interned at the CIA and studied Vietnamese at the event Thursday, work session, 10
Mostly sunny
University of Hanoi? a.m., City Hall
Answers, 6B Dec. 10 at noon.
Full forecast on The event, is Dec. 15: Starkville
page 3A. available to the Board of Aldermen
public and can be meeting, 5:30 p.m.,
INSIDE accessed by regis-
tering at https://
City Hall
Dec. 15: OCH
Classifieds 6B Health 6A bit.ly/2lPqVhW. Regional Medical
Comics 4B Obituaries 5A Registration must Capt. Virginia Rich works for the West Center board of
Crossword 3B Opinions 4A be completed by Point Police Department. She likes to trustees meeting,
Dear Abby 4B Dec. 9. read and is working on writing a memoir. 6 p.m.

DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471

2A TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020
Safe harbor law locks Congress into accepting Biden’s win
By the end of the day, every state is
expected to have made its election
results official, awarding 306 electoral
votes to Biden and 232 to Trump
BY MARK SHERMAN
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — tiated, if only judges were allowed
Happy Safe Harbor Day,
America.
Other than Wiscon-
sin, every state appears
to have met a deadline in
federal law that essential-
ly means Congress has to
accept the electoral votes
that will be cast next week
and sent to the Capitol for
counting on Jan. 6. Those
votes will elect Joe Biden
as the country’s next
president.
It’s called a safe harbor
provision because it’s a
kind of insurance policy
by which a state can lock
in its electoral votes by
finishing up certification
of the results and any
state court legal challeng-
es by a congressionally
imposed deadline, which
this year is Tuesday.
“What federal law re-
quires is that if a state has
completed its post-elec-
tion certification by Dec.
8, Congress is required
to accept those results,”
said Rebecca Green, an
election law professor at
the William & Mary law
Feds passed up chance to lock in more Pfizer vaccine doses
Decision could delay the delivery of a second batch
of doses until manufacturer Pfizer fulfills other contracts
BY ZEKE MILLER
AND JONATHAN LEMIRE
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON —
President Donald Trump
aims to take credit Tues-
day for the speedy devel-
opment of forthcoming
coronavirus vaccines,
even as his administra-
tion is coming under scru-
tiny for failing to lock in a
chance to buy millions of
additional doses of one of
the leading contenders.
That decision could
delay the delivery of a
second batch of doses
until manufacturer Pfizer
fulfills other international
contracts.
The revelation, con-
Lawmakers who met with Giuliani scramble after COVID news
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — virus.
President Donald Trump
said Monday his person-
al attorney Rudy Giuliani
was “doing very well”
after being hospitalized
with the coronavirus
as lawmakers in battle-
ground states that Gi-
uliani visited last week
school in Williamsburg,
Virginia.
The Electoral College
is a creation of the Con-
stitution, but Congress
sets the date for federal
elections and, in the case
of the presidency, deter-
mines when presidential
electors gather in state
capitals to vote.
In 2020, that date is
Dec. 14. But Congress
also set another deadline,
six days before electors
meet, to insulate state
results from being chal-
lenged in Congress.
By the end of the day,
every state is expected
to have made its election
results official, award-
ing 306 electoral votes to
Biden and 232 to Presi-
dent Donald Trump.
The attention paid to
the normally obscure safe
harbor provision is a func-
tion of Trump’s unrelent-
ing efforts to challenge
the legitimacy of the
election. He has refused
to concede, made unsup-
ported claims of fraud
and called on Republican
lawmakers in key states
to appoint electors who
would vote for him even
firmed Monday by peo-
ple familiar with the
matter, came on the eve
of Trump’s plans to host
a White House summit
aimed at celebrating the
expected approval of the
first vaccine later this
week. His administration
is seeking to tamp down
public skepticism over the
vaccine and secure a key
component of the Republi-
can president’s legacy.
The focus was to be on
the administration’s plans
to distribute and admin-
ister the vaccine, but offi-
cials from President-elect
Joe Biden’s transition
team, which will oversee
the bulk of the largest vac-
scrambled to make sure
they did not contract the
The 76-year-old former
New York mayor, hospi-
talized in Washington,
had traveled extensively
to battleground states to
press Trump’s quixotic
effort to get legislators
to overturn his election
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
Trump thought courts were key to winning. Judges disagreed.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS scathing language of repudiation. On Monday, U.S. District Judge
This has been true whether Linda Parker threw out a lawsuit
WASHINGTON — President the judge has been appointed by challenging Michigan’s election
Donald Trump and his allies say a Democrat or a Republican, in- results that had been filed two
their lawsuits aimed at subverting cluding those named by Trump days after the state certified the
the 2020 election and reversing his himself. results for Biden. Parker, appoint-
loss to Joe Biden would be substan- The judicial rulings that have re- ed by President Barack Obama,
jected Trump’s unfounded claims said the case embodied the phrase
to hear the cases. of widespread voter fraud have “This ship has sailed.”
There is a central flaw in the underscored not only the futility of “This lawsuit seems to be less
argument. Judges have heard the the lame-duck president’s brazen about achieving the relief plaintiffs
cases and have been among the attempt to sabotage the people’s seek ... and more about the impact
harshest critics of the legal argu- will but also the role of the courts of their allegations on people’s
ments put forth by Trump’s legal in checking his unprecedented ef- faith in the democratic process
team, often dismissing them with forts to stay in power. and their trust in our government.”
after those states have that,” said Edward Foley, the slate of electors from would need to object in
certified a Biden win. a professor of election law any state that misses the writing and be joined by
But Trump’s argu- at Ohio State University’s Dec. 8 deadline, Foley at least one senator. If
ments have gone nowhere Moritz School of Law. said. that were to happen, both
in court in Arizona, Geor- Judge Stephen Si- Already one member chambers would debate
gia, Michigan, Nevada, manek, appointed to hear of the House of Represen- the objections and vote on
Pennsylvania and Wis- the case, has acknowl- tatives, Rep. Mo Brooks, whether to sustain them.
consin. Most of his cam- edged that the case would R-Ala., has said he will But unless both houses
paign’s lawsuits in state push the state outside the challenge electoral votes agreed to the objections,
courts challenging those electoral vote safe harbor. for Biden on Jan. 6. Brooks they would fail.
Biden victories have Missing the deadline
been dismissed, with the won’t deprive Wisconsin
exception of Wisconsin, of its 10 electoral votes.
where a hearing is sched- Biden electors still will
uled for later this week. meet in Madison on Mon-
Like the others, the day to cast their votes and
lawsuit does not appear there’s no reason to ex-
to have much chance of pect that Congress won’t
succeeding, but because accept them. In any case,
it was filed in accordance Biden would still have
with state law procedures more than the 270 votes
for challenging election he needs even without
results, “it’s looking to Wisconsin’s.
me like Wisconsin is go- But lawmakers in
ing to miss the safe har- Washington could the-
bor deadline because of oretically second-guess
lock in an additional 100
million doses for delivery
in the second quarter of
2021, according to peo-
cination program in the ple who spoke about the
nation’s history once he matter on the condition of
takes office Jan. 20, were anonymity because they
not invited. were not authorized to
Pfizer’s vaccine is ex- discuss it publicly.
pected to be endorsed by Days ahead of the vac-
a panel of Food and Drug cine’s expected approv-
Administration advisers al, the administration is
as soon as this week, with reversing course, but it
delivery of 100 million is not clear that Pfizer,
doses — enough for 50 which has since made
million Americans — ex- commitments to other
pected in coming months. countries, will be able to
Under its contract with meet the latest request on
Pfizer, the Trump admin- the same timeline.
istration committed to The Pfizer vaccine is
buy an initial 100 million one of two on track for
doses, with an option to emergency Food and
purchase as many as five Drug Administration au-
times more. thorization this month,
This summer, the the other coming from
White House opted not to drugmaker Moderna.
loss to Joe Biden and sub- diagnosis continued
vert the November vote. Monday as the Michigan
On numerous occasions, House announced it had
Giuliani met with offi- canceled its voting ses-
cials for hours at a time sion scheduled for Tues-
without wearing a mask, day. Giuliani spoke for
including hearings last hours last week before a
week with state lawmak- Republican-led commit-
ers in Arizona, Georgia tee in Lansing investigat-
and Michigan. ing alleged election irreg-
Fallout from Giuliani’s ularities.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020 3A

Supes
Continued from Page 1A
all LCIDA’s debts. In Fis-
cal Year 2021, LCIDA re-
quested $1.3 million from
the county but was bud-
geted to receive $285,000.
The annual allocation,
however, is not enough
for LCIDA to build up a
healthy reserve or build
up infrastructure be-
fore industries move in,
LCIDA board president
Thomas Lee previously
told The Dispatch. LCI-
DA now has $3 million
in the bank, $1.3 million
of which cannot be spent
as required by the Rural
Development Authority,
which lends LCIDA mon-
ey.
To receive more rev-
enue, LCIDA first asked
the county in November
to permanently designate
a mill’s value — however
much revenue one mill
generates — each year to
fund the authority. Mills
are used to calculate
property taxes, and one
mill equals $1 of proper-
ty tax levied on $1,000
worth of assessed value.
Lowndes’ mill value this
year is $750,000, accord-
ing to the county’s Fiscal
Year 2021 budget.
Following supervi-
sors’ concerns that the
contract would outlive
their terms, District 5
Supervisor Leroy Brooks
last week proposed add-
ing a three-year limit to
the agreement, which he
withdrew later pending
clarification from LCIDA
whether and why they
need the money.
On Monday, four of
the seven LCIDA board
members, including Lee
the world to change hors- unforeseen happens, they appointment to allow for
es in the middle of the don’t have to come to the more time to interview
stream,” he said. “We’ll board for the money.” the candidates.
fund LCIDA through District 4 Supervisor One of them is former
the normal budget pro- Jeff Smith could not be Lowndes County Admin-
cedure, normal budget reached for comment. istrator Ralph Billingsley,
practices that Lowndes District 3 Supervisor John who served in that role
County has participated Holliman did not attend for almost 13 years before
in for the last 20 years.” the meeting after he test- retiring in September. He
Hairston said commit- ed positive for COVID-19 said he applied because
ting $750,000 each year on Saturday, Sanders told he would like to apply his
may not be a good use of The Dispatch. financial knowledge to
taxpayer money. If LCI- the county’s economic de-
DA is trying to build up a velopment.
reserve, he said, he would
Appointments “With my extensive
In other business, su- financial experience and
like to see an upper limit.
pervisors reappointed everything, and having
“It’s important to know
Adam Charles Holmes worked in the county ad-
how much is enough as
as the District 4 appoin- ministration for almost 13
Courtesy image/Golden Triangle Development LINK far as the reserve,” he
The map highlights the land owned by the Lowndes tee on the LCIDA board, years,” he said, “I think I
said.
County Industrial Development Authority, which is a whose term will now end could bring a wealth of ex-
Lee said it’s impossi-
county subsidiary that holds land for industrial devel- in 2024. perience and knowledge
ble to predict how much
opment, builds infrastructure and maintains industry
they need in the bank, Greg Rader, who to that board.”
equipment. LCIDA owns almost 5,000 acres of land served as an at-large Kyle McConnell, presi-
surrounding the Golden Triangle Regional Airport. because it varies case-
by-case. The $1.7 million member on the board, did dent of McConnell Broth-
available in the bank not seek reappointment. ers Transfer and Storage
and Frank Lockhart ing to wait until we go to
a meeting to get it fixed. can be easily spent, he His term expired Nov. 30, in Columbus, also applied
— District 2 appointee
and vice president of It could cost hundreds of said. Painting each of and two applicants have for the position. He could
the board — attended a thousands of dollars,” he the three elevated water applied for his position. not be reached by press
special-call meeting and said. tanks, for example, would Supervisors tabled the time.
agreed unanimously they cost roughly $300,000 to
need the funds for future Concerns remain $400,000, he said.
economic development. The proposed agree- “You never know,” he
Lockhart proposed to ask ment, which merely said. “I think we’ll have to
the county for an annual changed the request for be comfortable with the
funding of $750,000 for one mill to a fixed figure $750,000 right now. If we
three years, which was — which is the equivalent need more, we’ll go back
unanimously approved. of a mill’s value this year to the supervisors and re-
Lockhart could not be — did not change a lot quest more.”
reached for comment by of hearts among supervi- Brooks, who has sup-
press time. sors. ported LCIDA’s proposals
Lee said the amount District 1 Supervisor for designated funding,
is a good figure. The au- Harry Sanders said he said he will vote in favor
thority needs the money, will remain a firm “No” of any agreement LCIDA
he said, so that when an on the matter if the agree- brings back to the super-
emergency arises, the au- ment comes to a vote. The visors.
thority can spend money county should not enter “Operating the Indus-
for repairs out of its own into a contract with its trial Park can be a very
pocket, instead of waiting own subsidiary, he said, expensive proposition,”
for supervisors to meet and he does not think he said. “... I have no prob-
and approve funds. LCIDA really needs the lem with them getting the
“If we have a line go funds. money even if they don’t
out, Severstal ain’t go- “There’s no reason in spend it all. If something

What is LCIDA?
BY YUE STELLA YU
syu@cdispatch.com
Created under a 1974
state law, Lowndes Coun-
ty Industrial Develop-
ment Authority (LCIDA)
was formed as a Lowndes
County subsidiary that
oversees economic devel-
opment efforts.
LCIDA is responsible
for land purchases for in-
dustrial expansion, main-
tenance and infrastruc-
ture building primarily
at the Lowndes County
Industrial Park near the
Golden Triangle Region-
al Airport. It receives
annual funding from the
county just like other de-
partments. The county is
LCIDA’s primary funding
source and it is also re-
sponsible for all of LCI-
DA’s debts.
The first industry
whose way was paved by
the organization was Wey-
erhauser, which began
construction of its Colum-
bus mill in the 1970s, said
LCIDA board president
Thomas Lee.
“It was nothing but
wasted land,” Lee said of
the time before Weyer-
hauser. “People were out
there rabbit hunting.”
LCIDA now owns al-
most 5,000 acres of land
surrounding the Golden
Triangle Regional Air-
port, according to a fact
sheet from the Golden
Triangle Development
LINK, which LCIDA
hires to manage its daily
business. The average
annual budget for opera-
tions is about $2.5 million,
according to an email
from the LINK Tuesday
morning.
The site has attracted
more than 20 industries
over the years, including
Steel Dynamics Inc., PAC-
CAR, Stark Aerospace,
Airbus and Lexicon.
LCIDA is also respon-
sible for maintaining
industry assets on the
site, including four wells,
two pressure filter water
treatment plants, three
elevated water tanks, 26.5
miles of water lines, nine
wastewater lift stations,
6.84 miles of sewer mains,
a biological wastewater
treatment facility and
generators, according to
the LINK’s fact sheet.
The authority is gov-
erned by seven board
members, including one
from each supervisors’
district and two at-large
members, who can live
anywhere in the county.
All members are supervi-
sor appointees and each
LCIDA board
members
■ Thomas Lee-President
■ Frank Lockhart-Vice
President
■ Karl Williams-Secretary
■ Ronnie West
■ Adam Charles Holmes
■ Pete Perkins
■ Greg Rader (whose term
expired Nov. 30)
serves two-year terms.
The board members do
not receive any stipend.
Before the LINK took
over the management of
LCIDA in 2003, Charleigh
Ford was the one who
helped manage LCIDA’s
business, Lee said. Now,
the LINK is responsible
for recruiting industries
and negotiating deals
with them, whereas LCI-
DA holds the land and
takes care of infrastruc-
ture and maintenance.
LCIDA’s governing
body, as well as its rela-
tionship with the LINK,
is similar to the Oktib-
beha County Economic
Development Authori-
ty (OCEDA), said Lynn
Spruill, Starkville May-
or and president of the
OCEDA board. The board
consists of five supervisor
appointees and the may-
ors of Sturgis, Maben and
Starkville. OCEDA owns
the North Star Industri-
al Park and the building
that houses the Greater
Starkville Development
Partnership, she said.
“It is essentially an or-
ganization that works for
Oktibbeha County and
works through the LINK
for the industrial recruit-
ment side of it,” Spruill
said.
However, unlike LCI-
DA, OCEDA does not
receive any county fund-
ing, she said. Instead, the
authority collects rent
from industries located
at the industrial park
and receives 15 percent
of the 2-percent food and
beverage tax revenue in
Starkville. In Fiscal Year
2019, for example, the tax
generated $323,414 for
OCEDA — the bulk of its
annual budget of roughly
$400,000, she said.

4-County to provide Wi-Fi

hotspot for public at central office
DISPATCH STAFF REPORT about the progress we’ve made, but we
know that there are many folks out there
Officials at 4-County Electric Power who still don’t have access to fast, reliable
Association announced the company will internet. That’s why we’ve set up this free
provide free short-term internet access for hotspot.”
visitors to the cooperative’s central office. Clark said 4-County hopes to extend
The company will allow anyone need- the free access to other areas as well. SOLUNAR TABLE
The solunar period indicates
ing internet access for school, work or “We’ll have access at our Starkville of- peak-feeding times for fish and game.
Tues. Wed.
other uses to access its hotspot from its fice and we’ve already identified locations Major 7:16p 8:06p
2:41a
Minor 1:34a
parking lot at 5265 South Frontage Road, in the areas where we are putting up fiber. Major 7:41a 8:31a
which is located just east of the Highway We hope they will help members who Minor 2:37p 3:11p
Courtesy of Mississippi Department

793 (airport) exit. need immediate access to broadband and

of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

The decision comes after 4-County an-
nounced its plans to provide broad-band
service to its 48,000-plus customers in
September.
“Since we made the decision to provide
broadband to our members, I’ve heard
from so many thankful people,” 4-County
CEO Brian Clark said in a press release
issued Monday. “We are very excited
who can’t get FASTnet service yet,” Clark
said.
4-County’s FASTnet internet service
is rolling out with three pilot projects in
western Clay, northeastern Choctaw and
northern Noxubee counties, and the co-op
hopes to build out to the rest of the mem-
bership when those projects are complet-
ed.
The Dispatch
The Commercial Dispatch (USPS 142-320)
Published daily except Saturday. Answers to common questions:
Entered at the post office at Columbus, Mississippi.
Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, MS Phone: 662-328-2424
POSTMASTER, Send address changes to:
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Published by Commercial Dispatch Publishing Company Inc., Report a news tip: news@cdispatch.com
516 Main St., Columbus, MS 39703
Opinion
4A TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020
PETER BIRNEY IMES Editor/Publisher
BIRNEY IMES III Editor/Publisher 1998-2018
BIRNEY IMES JR. Editor/Publisher 1947-2003

Dispatch
The
BIRNEY IMES SR. Editor/Publisher 1922-1947

ZACK PLAIR, Managing Editor

BETH PROFFITT Advertising Director
MICHAEL FLOYD Circulation/Production Manager
MARY ANN HARDY Controller

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Points out paper’s failure
to acknowledge Pearl Harbor
I have just finished looking through Monday’s
Commercial Dispatch and found absolutely no
mention of Pearl Harbor Day, none.
My apologies if, after three times through the
paper, I have overlooked it.
And if not, please note my total dismay, dis-
appointment and displeasure in the Dispatch’s
seeming lack of patriotism.
We should never forget the more than 16 million
men and women who served in our military during
the ensuing WWII. More than 400,000 died; more
than 2,000 on Dec. 7th. We in this great country
breathe freely on a daily basis while we stand on
the shoulders of these giants among men. We
should never forget them!
Shame on you Peter Imes and Zack Plair.
Warren Nybo
Columbus

More thoughts on ‘suitcase’ video

Thanks to James Hodges for his thorough
response yesterday to Stan Boden’s letter printed
December 4. Mr. Hodges covered pretty much all
the bases, but I’ll add a couple of points that I don’t
think he mentioned.
First, despite all the excitement this video has
apparently caused for some, the story seems to
have disappeared from the news cycle since, with-
out ever being covered by any major news source
aside from Fox – and even they’ve dropped it since
Friday as far as I can tell.
Perhaps more telling is the fact that, in keep-
ing with all their other legal actions which have
thus far been presented without any supporting
evidence, if this video was the bombshell Mr.
Boden hoped, the Trump legal team would surely
have used it. But, as with all of the other evidence
Rudy Giuliani and others discuss at length at their
“hearings,” this video is not brought up in court.
Why? Because lawyers can lose their license for
making fraudulent claims in that setting; there is
no penalty for doing the same in a hotel conference
room, however.
Until I read Mr. Boden’s letter, though, I was
unaware of the existence of this video so, thanks
to him, I found it and watched it. I don’t know how
anybody viewing it could be convinced that it was
unequivocal evidence of ballot tampering. Unless
they just really, really wanted to. From the video I
saw posted by an Atlanta TV news outlet it would
have been impossible to that these ballots were
being counted after all the other poll workers had
been told to go home or to distinguish the source
of the ballots to be ‘suitcases’ of illegal ballots as
Mr. Boden claimed or as regular ballot containers
as Mr. Hodges did.
Putting aside the fact that this video has been
since debunked by a variety of sources including
the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, I would
hope that people would require a little more solid
“evidence” than that before making up their minds
what it shows.
Frankly, I find it astonishing how many fellow
citizens believe that the sort of massive conspir-
acy they appear to suspect could succeed. When
20 people have a hard time keeping information
secure, what chance would a scheme requiring
thousands to do so, spread over at least a handful
of states, if not more? And why not make the vote
margin a little bigger and more convincing than
12,000 votes if you’re going to go to all that trouble?
Not to mention have a Democrat or two more find
their way into the Senate.
Without a runoff that is.
Paul Mack
Columbus
THE NATION
Will Democrats ever drop identity politics?
T
he days right little or not at all. Barack Obama becoming
after an elec- Yet Rep. Karen the first black president was a
tion are an ideal Bass, chair of the Con- big deal. Nothing against Cori
time for political par- gressional Black Cau- Bush, but how big a deal is her
ties to work on fixing cus, is now calling on becoming the first black Missouri
bad habits. For Demo- California Gov. Gavin congresswoman, as many media
crats, that would mean Newsom to fill Vice felt obliged to put in their leads?
kicking the increasing- President-elect Kamala The New York Times had a
ly dated custom of de- Harris’ soon-to-be-va- twofer — actually, two of them —
claring race, ethnicity cant Senate seat with when Ritchie Torres and Mon-
and gender factors a black woman. Bass daire Jones, both from New York,
in filling leadership says she’s available, by were elected as the “1st Gay Black
positions. Demands Froma Harrop the way. Members of Congress.” Torres
on President-elect Joe Note that her also considers himself Latino, so
Biden to put these considerations demand comes one month after that makes three identities.
front and center show a failure to voters in the very Democratic Lest we forget, an openly
understand how politically poison- state of California rejected a plan gay man named Barney Frank
ous identity politics have become. to restore affirmative action in spent 32 years representing a
Happily, Biden is choosing public hiring. demographically mixed district
people who are highly qualified A problem with succumbing to in Massachusetts. A gay man in
for the job. But unhappily, and the pressure is it’s never enough. Congress is not really news. That
no small irony, focusing on their Much fuss was made over Biden’s Torres was a highly effective
identity only subtracts attention naming what The Washington member of the New York City
from their impressive careers. Post described as the “first Council should have been reason
Biden’s pick to head the Hispanic American” to head the enough to support him.
Treasury, Janet Yellen, is a Department of Homeland Securi- Biden has pledged to name the
world-renowned economist. She’s ty. That would be the very capable first black woman to the Supreme
already been chair of the Federal Alejandro Mayorkas. Court, if and when he can fill a
Reserve, for heaven’s sake. And “Latino advocates,” Bloomberg vacancy. I have no problem with
so, why open news stories with a News says, were then pushing a qualified black female Supreme
proclamation that, if confirmed, Biden to name New Mexico Gov. Court justice. The problem is the
Yellen will become “the first fe- Michelle Lujan Grisham as health pledge.
male Treasury secretary”? Is she and human services secretary. Biden told CNN that he under-
now a diversity hire? Though angry when those efforts stands it’s the advocacy groups’
No one elected the identity pro- seemed to fail, the activists now “job to push me.” The Democratic
fessionals now pressuring Biden. seem pleased that Biden has Party would do itself a big favor
And it’s unclear whether mem- named another Latino, Xavier by pushing back on the diversity
bers of the groups they profess to Becerra, to that prominent post. fixation. It’s good for neither the
represent want their services. For You have to feel for Becerra. A party nor the talented people it
example, a Washington Post/Ip- graduate of Stanford Law School burdens with unnecessary labels.
sos poll asked African Americans and California attorney gener- Froma Harrop, a syndicated
early this year whether a white al, he could have competed for columnist, writes for the Provi-
presidential candidate’s pick of a the job with anyone. Now many dence (Rhode Island) Journal. Her
black vice president would excite think he was named to lead HHS e-mail address is fharrop@gmail.
them. Some 73 percent responded because of his coloration. com.

THE PRESIDENT

What Biden’s first 100 days might look like

T
he
Biden-Har-
ris adminis-
tration will confront
“a pandemic, an
economic crisis,
calls for racial
justice and climate
change. The team
being assembled
will meet these
challenges on Day
One.” Patrick Buchanan
So declares the
transition team of Joe Biden,
to echo what he’s defined as
the lead items on his presi-
dential agenda. And if this
is his agenda, then how our
presumed 46th president will
proceed suggests itself.
The COVID-19 pandemic
is now close to its apex, with a
million new cases and a death
toll in excess of 10,000 each
week. We appear to be near
the crest of the “second wave.” Warp Speed but to the new
Biden’s emphasis, as he has president.
signaled, will be on slowing
down the spread of the virus
by universal masking and
locking up and shutting down
sectors of the American econ-
omy.
Yet, even as the worst of
the pandemic appears direct-
ly ahead in December and
January, the last six weeks of
Donald Trump’s
presidency, the
light at the end
of the tunnel may
be sighted within
Biden’s first 100
days.
The Pfizer and
Moderna vaccines,
which have proven
90-95% effective
against the virus,
begin to come on
line this month.
By the end of Biden’s first 100
days, May 1, the beneficial
effect of scores of millions
of vaccinations should be
visible to all, and the pandemic
should be seen as irretrievably
receding.
At least, that is the hope
and expectation. And the
media would naturally attri-
bute the new dawn not to the
triumph of Trump’s Operation
Biden’s response to the
economic crisis caused by
the COVID-19 pandemic will
almost surely be along the
lines of what Congress is now
debating, contingent upon
whether Mitch McConnell is
prepared to accept what comes
over from the House.
A trillion-dollar package
seems baked in the cake, as
the country would not long tol-
erate congressional inaction if
the pandemic were still raging
through the population as it is
today.
As for racial inequality,
the pandemic has exposed,
deepened and widened it. The
surge in shootings and kill-
ings in major cities during the
pandemic is hitting the Black
communities hardest.
The decline in test scores
at schools where kids have
been kept away from formal
classes since March is most
pronounced among minorities.
Black and Hispanic workers in
service industries are a dispro-
portionate share of the victims
of the pandemic.
If half a century of social
progress after the civil rights
revolution of the ‘60s and
eight years of the first Black
president have failed to reduce
racial disparities in income,
wealth, employment and incar-
cerations, does anyone believe
Joe Biden has the solution?
As for climate change, John
Kerry, the new climate czar,
will begin his tenure after a
year of the deepest reductions
in carbon emissions in record-
ed history.
By Dec. 31, U.S. carbon
emissions will have fallen 9%
from the end of 2019. Emis-
sions from cars and aircraft
fell 4% in 2020, from power
2.8%, and from industry .6%.
On the flip side, forest fires
reduced the 9% cut in carbon
emissions by fully one-third.
Yet, it is in foreign policy
where the traps appear.
The drawdown in U.S.
troops in Afghanistan, to 2,500
by Jan. 15, will leave us with
the smallest contingent since
the U.S. plunged into that
country to remake it more in
our image in 2001.
And the troop drawdown
comes at a time when the Tal-
iban control the largest swath
of Afghan territory since
being overthrow 19 years ago.
The possibility of a collapse in
Kabul, chaos ensuing and the
country disintegrating early in
a Biden presidency cannot be
ruled out.
Would Biden be willing to
preside over an American de-
feat similar to that in Vietnam
in 1975?
But the truly formidable
challenge for a President
Biden will be China, which is
not the China of 2016 that Vice
President Biden recalls.
While the U.S. refuses to
recognize China’s claims to
disputed islets in the East and
the South China Seas and has
committed itself to defend
the Japanese and Philippine
claims, Beijing has not backed
away from its claims and, in-
deed, has grown increasingly
bellicose in making them.
The U.S. has also been
thickening ties to Taiwan.
Yet, what many Americans
see as a democratic island of
25 million whose defense is a
moral obligation and strate-
gic necessity, China sees as
a breakaway province, and
signals in every way that it
would fight a war rather than
let Taiwan go.
These issues are likely to
be decided in this decade. And
it is hard to see how the U.S.,
7,000 miles away, with a slowly
shrinking share of the world’s
economic and military power,
would prevail indefinitely over
a China that has the advantag-
es of proximity and population,
and whose power is steadily
rising in relative terms to that
of the United States.
Patrick J. Buchanan, a na-
tionally syndicated columnist,
was a senior advisor to presi-
dents Richard Nixon, Gerald
Ford and Ronald Reagan. His
website is http://buchanan.org/
blog.

COMMERCIAL DISPATCH
OBITUARY POLICY
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tion including visitation and
service times, are provided
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Charles White
SULLIGENT, Ala.
— Charles Anderson
White, 78, died Dec. 3,
2020, at North Missis-
sippi Medical Center
of Tupelo. Funeral
services were at 2 p.m.
Monday, at Otts Funer-
al Home Chapel, with
Mitch Nethery and Tod
Ward officiating. Burial
followed in Crews
Cemetery. Visitation
was one hour prior to
services. Otts Funeral
Home of Sulligent was
in charge of arrange-
ments.
Mr. White was born
May 23, 1942, in Sulli-
gent, Alabama, to the
late Johnnie Anderson
White and Mary Alice
Merchant. He was a
graduate of Sulligent
High School and was
formerly employed
as a supervisor and
purchasing agent with
Hyster.
In addition to his
parents, he was pre-
ceded in death by his
brother, Dan White.
He is survived by his
wife, Joyce Garrison
White.
Robert Long Jr.
STARKVILLE —
Robert Raymond Long
Jr., 83, died Dec. 6,
2020, at his residence.
Graveside services
are at 11 a.m. today, in
Chuck Yeager, 1st to break sound barrier, dies at 97
NASA Administrator: Yeager’s death
is ‘a tremendous loss to our nation’
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Retired Air Force Brig.
Gen. Charles “Chuck”
Yeager, the World War
II fighter pilot ace and
quintessential test pi-
lot who showed he had
the “right stuff” when in
1947 he became the first
person to fly faster than
sound, has died. He was
97.
Yeager died Monday,
his wife, Victoria Yeager,
said on his Twitter ac-
count. “It is w/ profound
sorrow, I must tell you
that my life love Gener-
al Chuck Yeager passed
just before 9pm ET. An
incredible life well lived,
America’s greatest Pilot,
& a legacy of strength,
adventure, & patriotism
will be remembered for-
ever.”
Yeager’s death is “a
tremendous loss to our
nation,” NASA Admin-
istrator Jim Bridenstine
said in a statement.
“Gen. Yeager’s pio-
neering and innovative
spirit advanced America’s
abilities in the sky and set
our nation’s dreams soar-
Enon Cemetery of Ack-
erman. Welch Funeral
Home of Starkville is
in charge of arrange-
ments.
Mr. Long was born
to the late Robert R.
Long Sr. and Elizabeth
Reed Long. He was a
veteran of the U.S. Air
Force and was formerly
employed as owner of
numerous restaurants.
In addition to his
parents, he was pre-
ceded in death by his
step-mother, Mary
Apple Long.
He is survived by
his wife, Sue Vaugh
Long; son, Bobby Long
of Murrieta, Califor-
nia; step-children,
Melissa Goodman of
East Helena, Montana,
Renee Bowen of Deca-
tur, Angie Pickens of
Madden; Greg Bowen
of Starkville and Jason
Bowen of Brandon; five
step-sisters; and 13
grandchildren.
Willie Washington Jr.
NOXUBEE COUN-
TY — Willie C. Wash-
ington Jr., 46, died Dec.
4, 2020, in Georgia.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Carter’s
Funeral Services of
Macon.
Flora Dobbs
HAMILTON — Flo-
ra Dobbs, 87, died Dec.
1, 2020, at her resi-
dence.
Funeral services will
be at 1:30 p.m. Sunday,
at Hamilton United
Methodist Church, with
Roger McGrew officiat-
ing. Burial will follow in
Friendship Cemetery.
Visitation will be from
1 - 1:30 p.m prior to ser-
vices. Tisdale-Lann Me-
morial Funeral Home of
Aberdeen is in charge
of arrangements.
Mrs. Dobbs was
born Aug. 8, 1933, in
Lowndes County, to the
late Rufus Willard and
Bessie Walters Rye.
She attended Caledonia
school and was a grad-
uate of Hamilton High
School and Mississippi
State College for Wom-
en. She was formerly
employed as a regis-
tered dietitian with
Lamar County Hospital
and as a dietetic consul-
tant. She was a member
of United Methodist
Church.
In addition to her
parents, she was pre-
ing into the jet age and
the space age. He said,
‘You don’t concentrate
on risks. You concentrate
on results. No risk is too
great to prevent the nec-
essary job from getting
done,’” Bridenstine said.
“In an age of me-
dia-made heroes, he is
the real deal,” Edwards
Air Force Base historian
Jim Young said in August
2006 at the unveiling of a
bronze statue of Yeager.
He was “the most righ-
teous of all those with
the right stuff,” said Maj.
Gen. Curtis Bedke, com-
mander of the Air Force
Flight Test Center at Ed-
wards.
Yeager, from a small
town in the hills of West
Virginia, flew for more
than 60 years, including
piloting an X-15 to near
1,000 mph (1,609 kph) at
Edwards in October 2002
at age 79.
“Living to a ripe old
age is not an end in itself.
The trick is to enjoy the
years remaining,” he said
in “Yeager: An Autobiog-
raphy.”
“I haven’t yet done ev-
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020 5A
AREA OBITUARIES
ceded in death by her Starkville is in charge Eden Brown Services. Lavender’s
husband, Sid; and one of arrangements. Funeral Service of
STARKVILLE —
grandchild. Mrs. Ford was born Infant Eden Brown, Aliceville is in charge
She is survived by in 1928, in Indianola, four months, died Dec. of arrangements.
her children, Robert to the late Fred Vernon 2, 2020, in Nashville,
Dobbs, Patsy Coo- Griffith and Mary Lu- Tennessee. Hattie Lewis
per, Janet Welch and cille Caston Griffith. Graveside services STARKVILLE —
Christy Dobbs all of She had three broth- are at 11 a.m. today, in Hattie Pearl Young
Hamilton; nine grand- ers, Bobby Preston Zion Hill Cemetery of Lewis, 76, died Nov.
children; and four Griffith, Lester Gorman Macon. 21, 2020, Berkley, of
great-grandchildren. Griffith and William He is survived by his California.
Pallbearers will be Edley Griffith. parents, Arti Brown Graveside ser-
Danny Dobbs, Benny She is survived by Sr. and Alexus Brown; vices will be at 11
Dobbs, Scott Dobbs, her daughter, Lynda F. and siblings, Ay’dan, a.m. Wednesday, in
Adam Dobbs, Payton Graham of Starkville; Sha’kiya, Addylan and Sessums Community
Dobbs and Tommy and two grandchildren. Arti Jr. Cemetery. Visitation is
Sanders. from 1-6 p.m. today, at
John Moore
Douglas McCoy West Memorial Funeral
Regina Williams CRAWFORD —
CARROLLTON, Ala. Home. West Memo-
CALEDONIA — John “Jack” Moore, 75,
— Douglas Ray “Doug” rial Funeral Home of
Regina Williams, 53, died Dec. 5, 2020, at
McCoy, 67, died Dec. 2, Starkville is in charge
died Dec. 7, 2020, at Windsor Place.
2020, at DCH Regional of arrangements.
Baptist Memorial Hos- Arrangements are
Medical Center of Tus- She is survived by
pital-Golden Triangle. incomplete and will be
caloosa, Alabama. her daughter, Yolanda
Arrangements are announced by Carter’s Renee Lewis; siblings,
Graveside services
incomplete and will be Funeral Services of Betty Sanders, Julia
will be at 11 a.m.
announced by Carter’s Columbus. Sutton, John Young Jr.,
Thursday, in Magnolia
Funeral Services of John A. Young, Tommy
Gardens Cemetery of
Columbus. Frank Hodges Young, Walter Young,
Aliceville, Alabama.
WEST POINT — Lavender’s Funeral Robert Young, Joe
Thomas Hughes Frank B. Hodges, 82, Service of Aliceville is Young, William Young,
KENNEDY, Ala. — died Dec. 6, 2020, at his in charge of arrange- Melvin Young, Charles
Thomas W. Hughes, 76, Young and Larry
died Dec. 6, 2020, at his
residence. ments.
Young; and four grand-
Funeral services will
residence. children.
A private family
be at 11 a.m. Thurs- Clara Howard
day, at Calvary Baptist PANOLA, Ala. —
graveside service will Church, with James
Clara Ruthie Smith
be Thursday, in Mt. Towery officiating. Howard, 65, died Nov.
Tabor Baptist Church Burial will follow at 28, 2020, at her resi-
Cemetery of Palmetto, 3 p.m. in Lakewood dence.
Alabama. Dowdle Fu- South Cemetery of Ter- Graveside services
neral Home of Millport, ry. Visitation will be one will be at 2 p.m. Sat-
Alabama is in charge of hour prior to services urday, in Greater New
arrangements. at the church. Calvert
Mr. Hughes was Funeral Home of West
Salem A.M.E. Zion
Cemetery. Visitation
born Feb. 6, 1944, in Re- Point is in charge of will be from 3-5 p.m.
form, Alabama, to the
arrangements. Friday, at Lavender’s
late Walter Garon and Mr. Hodges was Funeral Service. Laven-
For a Mae Hughes. He born Nov. 5, 1938, in der’s Funeral Service
was formerly employed Terry, to the late Ruth of Aliceville, Alabama
as a preacher and with Earlene Hodges and is in charge of arrange-
Golden Flake Snake Roy Hegman Hodges. ments.
Foods. He was a veteran of
In addition to his par- Charlie Upton
the U.S. Navy. He was Ricky Green Incomplete
ents, he was preceded formerly employed as
COLUMBUS — 2nd Ave. N. Location
in death by his siblings, a carpenter and was
Ricky Green, 57, died
Geneva McDaniel, a member of Calvary
Dec. 4, 2020, at North
Betty Sue Brazeal, Baptist Church.
Mississippi Medical
Alexander Hughes and In addition to his
E.J. Hughes. Center of Tupelo.
parents, he was preced- Graveside services
He is survived by ed in death by an infant
will be at 2 p.m. Thurs-
his wife, Mary Angelyn daughter, Wanda Hodg- day, in Community
Hughes; children, Risa es; son, Keith Hodges; Cluster Cemetery of
Rast and Sonya Steger; and siblings, Joy Lynn Aliceville, Alabama. memorialgunterpeel.com
sister, Evelyn Shelton; Abney and Roy Hodges. Visitation will be from
and two grandchildren. He is survived by 1-5 p.m. Wednesday,
Memorials may be his wife, Mary Hodges; at Lavender’s Funeral
made to Hospice of daughter, Cindy Hall of
Northwest Alabama, West Point; sister, Pam
P.O. Box 1216, Winfield, Pace of Terry; three
AL 35594. grandchildren; and four
great-grandchildren.
Irma Ford Memorials may be
STARKVILLE — made to St. Jude Chil-
Irma “Amy” Lois Ford, dren’s Research Hospi-
92, died Dec. 6, 2020. tal, 501 St. Jude Place,
Graveside ser- Memphis, TN 38105 or
vices will be at 1 p.m. PSP & CBD Foun-
Wednesday, in Me- dation, 7961 Falling
morial Garden Park. Creek Road, Bedford,
Welch Funeral Home of VA 24523.
Joyce Knight
Joyce Marie Knight, 66,
of Steens, MS passed away
Sunday, December 6, 2020, at
Trinity Health Care, Columbus,
erything, but by the time
I’m finished, I won’t have
ger, then a 24-year-old
captain, pushed an or-
MS.
A graveside ser vice will
missed much,” he wrote.
“If I auger in (crash) to-
ange, bullet-shaped Bell
X-1 rocket plane past 660
be Wednesday, December
9, 2020, at 2:00 PM at
morrow, it won’t be with a mph to break the sound Woodlawn Cemeter y, Steens,
frown on my face. I’ve had barrier, at the time a MS with L owndes Funeral
a ball.” daunting aviation mile- Home directing.
On Oct. 14, 1947, Yea- stone. Mrs. Knight was born on June 29, 1954, in
Fort Hood, TX to Laura Boman Mason and John
E. Mason, Sr. She was involved with Church
activities, playing word games on her phone, and
enjoyed shopping. Mrs. Knight loved watching
her grandchildren play ball and spending time
with her family. She worked at Belk and the
cleaners for many years.
Mrs. Knight is preceded in death by her
husband, Howard Franklin Knight; and sister,
Linda Burns.
Mrs. Knight is survived by her daughters,
Robin Peacock of Steens, MS and Cynthia
(Brandon) Farley; grandchildren, Chais Knight,
Tres (Deanna) Peacock, Dylan Peacock, Seth
Peacock, Jasmine Farley, Zachary Farley and
Skylar Farley; great-grandchildren, Luke
Knight, Aria Peacock, Adelaide Peacock, Mason
Peacock and Deklan Knight; mother, Laura
Boman Mason; father, John E. Mason, Sr.; sisters,
Brenda Junkin, Loretta Harper, Rebecca Both,
Imogene Towery, Frances (Patrick) Perrigin
and Judy Lane; brothers, John Mason and David
Mason.
Honorary pallbearers will be Chais Knight,
Tres Peacock, Dylan Peacock, Seth Peacock and
Zachary Farley.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis,
TN 38105.
Compliments of
Lowndes Funeral Home
www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
6A TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Health
HEALTH TIP
n Make half your plate veggies: A simple hack for
healthy eating (and portion control) is to make half your
plate veggies at each meal. The veggies pack in essential
vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients important for
health and longevity.
Source: www.fourwellness.co

Health tips from Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen

Hot topic: Chili peppers Cleveland Clinic’s levels of polyphe-
Heart, Vascular & nols.
protect your health Thoracic Institute Don’t hesitate to
A man in Canada recently set looked at data from chop up a pepper
his third mark recognized by 4,729 studies that for tonight’s dinner
the Guinness World Records for included roughly — but reports from
speed eating his way through 246 570,000 people and the Environmental
grams of ghost peppers, which found regularly Working Group
are ranked as the world’s hottest eating chili pep- suggest some
chili pepper. Afterward, he told pers reduced the hot peppers may
a television station he felt ‘great risk of death from contain potentially
about winning the title,’ because cardiovascular toxic insecticides
it puts him one step closer to his disease by as much Drs. Oz and Roizen that can harm the
goal: ‘Collect as many Guinness as 26 percent and central nervous
Records for eating hot peppers as of cancer-related system. So spice
I can.’ deaths by 23 percent. up your life, but wash peppers
According to some research, Chili peppers contain capsaicin, well, and buy organic or grow your
this pepper champion may be ex- a chemical compound that, despite own when you can.
tending the time he has to achieve its red-hot nature, has a cooling, Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The
his fiery ambition. A new study, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen,
presented initially at the American anticancer and blood-glucose-reg- M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and
Heart Association’s Scientific Ses- ulating effect. Some research also Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleve-
sions 2020, suggests that people suggests that when eaten regular- land Clinic. To live your healthiest,
who regularly eat chili peppers ly, chili peppers can aid in weight tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit
may live longer. Researchers from loss, possibly due to their high www.sharecare.com.

Oktibbeha
Continued from Page 1A
task County Administra-
tor Emily Garrard with
compiling data on every
road employee’s wages
and how long they have
worked for the county.
The six employees
who received raises were
not all making the same
amount of money before
the vote, and they all re-
ceived different amounts
of additional pay.
Miller told The Dis-
patch she
believes
the coun-
ty should
have a sys-
tem in place
for perfor-
mance eval-
uations for Miller
its employ-
ees in order to determine
when they deserve a raise.
She also said she thought
Baggett’s justifications for
the proposed increases,
such as employees’ good
attendance records and
dedication to their jobs,
were insufficient.
“To me, that’s some-
body that’s doing their
job,” Miller said. “That’s
not a performance in-
crease.”
Montgomery said he
did not have a problem
with tabling the motion
but supported the raises
and would have supported
more than the ones Bag-
gett proposed.
In August, the board
authorized a study of the
county’s salaries and
payment plans from the
Stennis Institute of Gov-
ernment and Community
Development, a service
and research organization
at Mississippi State Uni-
versity that works with lo-
cal governments to make
them more efficient. The
study should be complete
in early 2021.
About 30 percent of the
road department’s annual
budget is employee sal-
aries, Garrard said. The
board has voted annually
to raise road employee
salaries by 3 percent for
the past several years.
Garrard said the board
should be
cautious
when con-
sidering
raises for
county em-
ployees as a
whole. The
county has Garrard
about 175
employees.
“At some point, ev-
erybody in the county is
going to be making way
too much money and the
county can’t afford it,” she
said.
The county has a poli-
cy that department heads
must submit recommen-
dations for individual pay
raises on or before July 1
each year, according to
county documents.
Miller said granting
performance-based raises
without a system in place
to measure performance
could open the door to
legal action against the
county from employees
who do not get raises but
feel they are outperform-
ing employees who do.
Montgomery is a lawyer
and said he does not see
this as an issue.
“(Their) boss came to
us as a board to ask for
raises for those people,”
he said. “I don’t see any
room for a lawsuit.”
Montgomery said he
does not
have a prob-
lem with
the idea of a
countywide
employee
evaluat ion
system.
T r a i n e r Montgomery
told The
Dispatch he thinks eval-
uations are necessary in
addition to trusting de-
partment heads’ assess- The supervisors also
ment of their employees’ voted unanimously to ex-
performances. tend the county’s curfew,
“I think we need to from midnight to 4 a.m.,
look at the performance until the next meeting on
base (and) be sure to pay Dec. 21.
competitive salaries,” he The board did not vote
said. to renew the protective
face mask requirement,
County support in place since the previous
for city projects meeting on Nov. 16, but
Later, the supervisors Oktibbeha County is one
voted unanimously in sup- of the counties under Mis-
port of Starkville’s efforts sissippi Gov. Tate Reeves’
to secure state funding mask mandate assigned
for two potential projects to individual counties in
that the board of alder- which COVID-19 corona-
men decided to pursue in virus cases are continuing
October. to spike. Reeves added
The aldermen start- Oktibbeha to the list of 54
ed discussing potential counties on Dec. 1.
projects at the encourage-
ment of State Rep. Rob
Roberson (R-Starkville),
who is also the attorney
for the county supervi-
sors. They agreed to ask
for funding to build a new
library, since the current
one is about 60 years old,
and to extend both Hospi-
tal Road and Stark Road
to create easier access
to both Highway 25 and
OCH Regional Medical
Center.
Both projects are un-
der the city’s jurisdiction.
The county contributes to
the library’s funding, but
the city owns the land and
the building and therefore
has the authority over
both.
Starkville Mayor Lynn
Spruill said
the library
project,
the city’s
preferred
e n d e a v o r,
would be a
service to
the entire Spruill
county.
“This would be some-
thing that would service
all our residents who don’t
have access to the inter-
net and computers,” she
said.

COVID
Continued from Page 1A
beginning of the symp-
toms, but some people
may not display symp-
toms at all, according to
the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
(CDC). The incubation
period, which represents
the time between expo-
sure and development of
symptoms, ranges from
two to 14 days, according
to the CDC.
Supervisors who at-
tended the Monday meet-
ing all wore masks, with
President Trip Hairston,
Jeff Smith of District 4
and Sanders sitting at the
table with supervisors’
attorney Tim Hudson and
Chancery Clerk Cindy
Goode. District 5 Supervi-
sor Leroy Brooks sat in a
corner of the boardroom.
Sanders said his wife,
Norma Sanders, had a
fever Sunday morning
but tested negative for
the coronavirus. She has
been instructed to stay
at home and take anoth-
er test Thursday to make
sure the Sunday test was
not a false negative.
“I’m sticking at home
until Thursday anyway
until she gets retested,”
he said. “I took my tem-
perature. Didn’t have any.
I feel fine.”
Sanders said he will
only seek a test if he dis-
plays signs of COVID-19,
such as headache, fever or
diarrhea.
“I don’t see any reason
to go get tested if I don’t
show any symptoms,” he
said.
According to a series
of policies supervisors
unanimously approved in
August, county employ-
ees must report to their
supervisors if they de-
velop symptoms or have
been exposed to positive
COVID-19 patients. They
must then receive a test,
self-quarantine for at
least 14 days and remain
symptom-free for at least
72 hours before coming
back to work, The Dis-
patch reported. The CDC
recommends a 14-day
quarantine but said a 10-
day quarantine is also ac-
ceptable, according to its
website.
Holliman did not re-
spond to a Dispatch inqui-
ry about his health condi-
tions.
Sports
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020
B
SECTION

Beamer Ball 2: Shane Beamer takes over at South Carolina

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS replace fired Will Mus- mer long-time Virgin- regulations — for a chat. using phones and video The landscape has
champ, laid out his vi- ia Tech coach Frank He’ll quickly head chats to connect with changed since Beamer
COLUMBIA, S.C. — sion in turning around Beamer. “You absolute- back to Oklahoma to potential assistants, cur- left a decade ago — both
Shane Beamer was an South Carolina, which ly can. We have every- finish the season as as- rent recruits and Game- positive and negative.
assistant at South Car- has gone 6 -16 the past thing you need to win at sistant head coach and cocks.
olina in 2010 when the two years and 5-15 in the a high, high, high level.” tight ends coach with Beamer said he has Beamer’s new office
Gamecocks made their SEC. Beamer arrived the Sooners. learned something is in a $50 million, two-
only appearance in the Beamer at South Carolina on “It’ll be chaotic, but from everywhere he’s year old operations facil-
Southeastern Confer- thanked Sunday, meeting with I’m surrounded by a coached from his time ity that is one of the best
ence title game. Muschamp players and the Game- great group of people at Mississippi State in college football. How-
Things didn’t go well for his ded- cocks staff. Several in this facility here and with Sylvester Croom, ever, just up the road is
that day; South Carolina ication to former players, some we’ll get it done,” he the SEC’s first Black a national championship
lost to eventual national South Car- he coached including said. head football coach, to program in Clemson,
champion Auburn 56 -17. olina over receiver Moe Brown, Athletic director Ray Steve Spurrier for four South Carolina’s bitter
At his introduction the past Beamer and others (Outback Tanner declined to dis- seasons with the Game- rival.
Monday as South Caro- five sea- Bowl MVP Ryan Brewer cuss Beamer’s contract cocks from 2007-10 and Beamer, as Spurrier’s
lina’s new head coach, sons, then and quarterback Perry length or salary. He said five seasons with his recruiting coordinator,
Beamer vowed that pledged to bring consis- Orth) stopped by Mon- the Board of Trustees dad at Virginia Tech. set the table for South
South Carolina would tency to the Gamecocks. day morning. Beamer will review the deal at its “I haven’t sat in that Carolina’s landmark five
return to Atlanta “and “People say you can’t came outside — South next meeting Dec. 15. (head coaching) chair, straight victories in the
this time we’ll finish the win at South Caroli- Carolina’s operations Beamer said he’ll jug- but I know what it’s like rivalry from 2009-13.
job.” na,” said Beamer, the center is locked down gle his current and new from people who have,” Since then, Clemson has
Beamer, named to 43-year-old son of for- because of COVID-19 job the next two weeks, he said. See BEAMER, 3B

PREP ROUNDUP MISSISSIPPI STATE FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

New Hope
comes back
to take
MSU’s bowl game chances, the 2021
down
Kosciusko in
recruiting class and KJ Costello’s future
overtime
DISPATCH STAFF

KOSCIUSKO — The
New Hope High School
boys basketball team
erased a 13-point half-
time deficit to beat Kos-
ciusko 75 -69 in over-
time in Monday’s road
game.
The Trojans trailed
37-24 at the half but
went into overtime tied
67-67. They allowed
just two points to the
Whippets in the extra
period.
LJ Hackman scored
23 points to lead the
Trojans. Ty Crowell had
18, Eric Caldwell had
14, and Jorden Edwards
had 14.
New Hope’s next
game is at 7 p.m. Sat-
urday against Corinth
See PREP, 3B

Washington
ends
Pittsburgh’s
perfect Justin Ford/USA TODAY Sports
Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Will Rogers (2) and head coach Mike Leach (R) look on from the sideline during the first half
season against the Mississippi Rebels on Nov. 28 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PIT TSBURGH — Year’s Six, that would leave
The Pittsburgh Steel-
ers spent three months
shaking off whatever
2020 threw at them.
Schedule changes. In-
juries to a handful of
impact players. The
ever-present threat of
COVID-19.
Through the cha-
os, they kept winning.
Sometimes pretty.
Sometimes ugly. Some-
times a little of both
in the same game.
Through it all, they in-
sisted they were well
aware of their flaws.
pointing out time and
again the only thing
perfect about them was
their record.
So much for that.
Pittsburgh’s bid for
an unbeaten season is
over. Washington’s —
yes, Washington’s —
quest for an unlikely di-
vision title may just be
starting.
Alex Smith threw for
296 yards and a touch-
down, Dustin Hopkins
kicked a tiebreaking
See STEELERS, 3B
BY BEN PORTNOY
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — Mike
Leach is rearing for a postsea-
son appearance.
While bowl selections
among Southeastern Confer-
ence teams likely won’t be
settled for another two weeks,
Leach told reporters Monday
that he’d be in favor of par-
ticipating, regardless of what
MSU’s final record reads.
“I want to play as many
games as we can,” he said. “I
mean, we got a young team,
and the more practice, the
more work we get, the better
the way I look at it.”
Given the uncertainty
brought on by the COVID-19
pandemic, there is no win
threshold required to be eligi-
ble for a bowl game this season.
Under normal circumstances,
schools need to win six games
to qualify for a bowl. Through
eight games in 2020’s 10-game
conference-only schedule,
MSU has a 2-6 overall record.
At present, the SEC had
tie-ins with seven bowl games
not including the College Foot-
ball Playoff, the New Year’s
Six games and the Las Vegas
Bowl, which has been can-
celed. Assuming that some
iteration of Alabama and Flori-
da ends up in the CFP and New
seven spots remaining for the
rest of the conference.
Should the SEC tables re-
main as they are through the
final two weeks of the season,
MSU’s postseason fate would
likely come down to which of
the Bulldogs, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Arkansas and LSU
the remaining bowl games
would want. It’s also conceiv-
able Texas A&M or Georgia
could end up in a New Year’s
Six bowl as well, thus open-
ing another potential spot for
MSU down the line.
The Bulldogs can improve
their postseason stock over
the final two weeks with home
games against Auburn and
Missouri still left on the led-
ger.
“I think we’ve been gener-
ally positive the whole time,”
Leach said in reference to
MSU’s recent run of near miss-
es against No. 12 Georgia and
Ole Miss. “I think that, yes, we
have had reduced numbers,
but I don’t think that’s really
diminished our desire to play.
It’s diminished some of our ad-
vantage, perhaps, but not our
desire to play and improve our
skills.”
Mike Leach and managing
the recruiting trail as the
Early Signing Period draws
nearer
MSU has seen four players
in its 2021 class decommit for
varying reasons over the past
month. Now less than 14 days
shy of the Early Signing Peri-
od which runs from Dec. 16
through Dec. 18, it’s expected
Leach and his staff could add
as many as six or seven more
prospects to the Bulldogs’
current 19-player haul.
Monday, Leach addressed
the 2021 recruiting class and
where it stacks up of late.
“This class has been more
of a comprehensive effort
with everybody involved,”
he said in comparison to the
2020 class. “And it does kind
of vary as far as researching
and calling recruits. it’s not as
productive a time, as I’d like to
see, but it is the type of thing
where all of a sudden, OK,
everybody’s off this week, al-
right, call all your recruits. So
it hasn’t been a lack of time;
it’s been a lack of contact and
hands-on, show somebody
around type of deal.”
While the Bulldogs have
seen an influx of departures,
Leach attributed some of
the varying changes to the
difficulties in scouting play-
ers this year. Because of the
COVID-19 pandemic, coach-
es have been limited in their
ability to hit the road and re-
cruit in addition to attending
games in person. Players are
also being forced to commit
to schools without having
seen them due to the NCA A’s
ongoing recruiting dead peri-
od.
“They always say, ‘Well
I’m going to stand on the ta-
ble for this…’” Leach said in
reference to meetings among
recruiting staffers and talent
evaluators. “ I’ve never really
seen that stand on the table.
Most of the coaches I know
would break the damn table
if they stood on the table. ...
Next time we get into that,
I’m going to make the guy
stand on the table. I’m going
to make sure it’s an old table
and he has to stand on it.”
As of Monday, MSU’s class
ranks No. 35 nationally and
No. 10 in the SEC according
to the 247Sports Composite
Rankings after reaching as
high as No. 22 ahead of the
most recent wave of decom-
mitments.
See MSU, 3B
2B TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Allen throws for 4 TDs, Bills beat 49ers 34-24 in Arizona

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Josh Allen
threw for 375 yards, tied a career high
with four touchdown passes and the
Buffalo Bills stayed in sole possession of
first place in the AFC East with a 34-24
victory over the San Francisco 49ers on
Monday night.
Buffalo (9-3) moved a step closer to
winning its division for the first time
since 1995 thanks to a nearly flawless
performance from Allen. The 24-year-
old quarterback was stellar against the
49ers, completing 32 of 40 passes with
no interceptions.
He threw touchdown passes to Cole
Beasley, Dawson Knox, Isaiah McKen-
zie and Gabriel Davis as the Bills built
a 17-7 halftime lead and controlled the
majority of the second half.
The Bills are one game ahead of the
Miami Dolphins with four games left for
both teams.
San Francisco (5-7) lost in its first
game at its adopted home in Arizona.
The 49ers will be based in Glendale for
at least the next three weeks after Santa
Clara County issued strict new coronavi-
rus protocols that forced the team to find
a temporary new home.
It was Allen’s fourth game of the sea-
son with at least 300 yards passing and
three touchdowns, which set a franchise
record. Jim Kelly did it three times in
1991 and Drew Bledsoe three times in
2002.
The Bills had a much more pleasant
trip to the desert than three weeks ago,
when they lost a 32-30 heartbreaker to
the Arizona Cardinals. That was the
game when DeAndre Hopkins made
a stunning catch over three Buffalo
defenders with 2 seconds left for the
game-winning score.
San Francisco has had several recent
injuries at its slot cornerback position
and struggled to cover Beasley, who had
a career-high 130 yards receiving on
nine catches.
State Farm Stadium — which is home
to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals
— was dressed up to make the 49ers feel
slightly more at home. There were San
Francisco banners hanging on the walls
along the sidelines and the videoboard
showed Niners highlights and flashed
messages like “Faithful to the Bay.”
The teams traded goal-line stands in
the first quarter.
The Bills opened the game with a
74-yard drive that was stopped at the
Niners 1 after Allen’s fourth-down pass
fell incomplete. San Francisco respond-
ed with a 97-yard drive that ended at
the Buffalo 2 when Jeff Wilson Jr. was
stuffed for no gain on fourth down.
It was just the second game since
2000 that featured two turnovers on
downs to start a game.
But San Francisco got the ball back
one play later on a fumble by Allen and
the 49ers took advantage. Nick Mullens
hit Brandon Aiyuk in the middle of the
end zone for a 2-yard touchdown.
It was all Buffalo for the rest of the
first half and much of the game. Allen
hit Beasley for a 5-yard touchdown and
later found tight end Knox for a 4-yard
score as the Bills pushed ahead 17-7 by
halftime.
Mullens finished 26-of-39 passing for
316 yards, three touchdowns and two in-
terceptions.
Prime-time success
The Bills got a rare prime-time win.
They’re now 8-22 in prime-time games
since 2000, and 2-8 on Monday night,
with their one victory coming against
the Jets in November 2014, when the
game was moved back a day and played
in Detroit after a major snowstorm
snarled much of Buffalo.
It was their first win in an official
“Monday Night Football” game since
beating Miami 23-18 in 1999.
Allen’s homecoming, sort of
Allen had a big game against the
49ers, which is the team he rooted for
while growing up in Firebaugh, Cali-
fornia. The town is about a 3-hour drive
from San Francisco, and Allen went to
games as a kid with his family. This was
the first time he had played against San
Francisco.
Injuries
Bills: Beasley left in the first quarter
and was evaluated for a head injury but
quickly returned. ... RB Devin Single-
tary (knee) left in the first quarter but
returned. ... Safety Jaquan Johnson was
hurt on a punt return in the fourth quar-
ter and limped off the field with help.
49ers: DT D.J. Jones (ankle) left in
the first half and didn’t return.
Up next
The Bills host the Pittsburgh Steelers
on Sunday night.
The 49ers stay in Arizona and they’ll
host Washington on Sunday.

Former NFL player Urschel sells virtue of math to youngsters

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
John Urschel has
found that a master’s
degree in mathematics,
his stature as an accom-
plished author and his
pending doctorate from
the Massachusetts Insti-
tute of Technology isn’t
necessarily enough to
sell young students on
the benefit of crunching
numbers.
What really makes
him interesting to most
kids is that he’s a former
NFL player who opted
to immerse himself in
math.
“In the broader con-
text, it helps because it
makes me more believ-
able. It shows I have an
interest in doing other
things,” Urschel said.
“Often, a mathematician
is too abstract for young
people.”
Urschel recently drew
700 participants world-
wide for an event staged
by the National Museum
of Mathematics (Mo-
Math) called Bending
the Arc. Urschel is a
member of the board of
trustees at MoMath and
serves as the organiza-
tion’s ambassador by ex-
tolling the virtues of the
subject to children of all
backgrounds, particular-
ly African-Americans.
“My job in some sense
is to teach and encourage
young people in math,
which is very close to
my heart,” Urschel said.
“Math for its own sake is
a pretty reasonable pur-
suit because no matter
what field you go into,
you really need to able to
think reasonably to some
degree.”
His vast education
and independent study
of mathematic equations
enable Urschel to speak
expertly about calcula-
tion and intuitive think-
ing. Throw in the fact
that he played three sea-
sons as an offensive line-
man with the Baltimore
Ravens, and you’ve got
a combination that’s as
sound as 1+1=2.
“John has a lure be-
cause he was a profes-
sional football player, and
we really honor that in
this country,” said Cindy
Lawrence, CEO and ex-
ecutive director of Mo-
Math. “People are very
excited to meet someone
who played profession-
al football. So that’s the
hook. And then we com-
plete that with someone
who is enthusiastic and
eloquent and speaks won-
derfully about the bene-
fits of math.”
Now 29, Urschel
starred at Penn State be-
fore being selected by the
Ravens in the fifth round
of the 2014 NFL draft.
He played 40 games with
Baltimore, starting 13,
and enjoyed just about ev-
ery minute of it.
And then, in July 2017,
Urschel abruptly retired
and turned his full atten-
tion toward his studies at
MIT.
“I have amazing mem-
ories of playing in the
NFL. There’s nothing
more special than to play
a sport at a high level,” he
said. “Three years was
the perfect time. I have
a pension, I’m vested, I
really got the experience.
“I’m glad I decided to
go into the NFL instead
of going straight to a
Ph.D., which I was think-
ing about. I’m glad I got
out when I did because
I have a lot of things in
math that I want to do. I
want to prove myself as a
mathematician.”
The potential for con-
cussions and a study that
showed the prevalence
of chronic traumatic en-
cephalopathy (CTE) in
deceased players also
were factors in his exit
from the football.
“The cost of an NFL
season on your body, not
just your head, was defi-
nitely something I had about the museum and
to think about,” Urschel encouraging people of all
said. backgrounds to engage
Urschel wrote a book in mathematics and con-
called “Mind and Matter: sider a career in math,”
A Life in Math and Foot- Lawrence said. “From
ball” that was published the day I first met him,
last year. He got it done I was impressed by his
while studying at MIT friendliness, his intelli-
and remains on course to gence, his enthusiasm.”
graduate this spring. Those qualities, along
“My job is going to be with his past, enabled Ur-
a professor at some math
schel to make a lasting
department or comput-
impression on a group
er science department
of middle school kids
where my primary re-
sponsibility will be to during one of his initial
perform research, and I visits to the museum.
hope be able to teach the “John talked about
values and importance playing professional foot-
of broader sciences,” he ball, which many of them
said. thought would be a great
Urschel will always career at first,” Lawrence
be welcomed at the New recalled. “And by the end
York City-based National of John’s 10-minute talk,
Museum of Mathemat- he had them convinced
ics. they all wanted to go to
“He’s very passionate school to study math.”

Breakdancing gets Olympic

status to debut at Paris in 2024
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GENEVA — Break-
dancing became an official
Olympic sport on Monday.
The International Olym-
pic Committee’s pursuit
of urban events to lure
a younger audience saw
street dance battles offi-
cially added to the medal
events program at the 2024
Paris Games.
Also confirmed for Par-
is by the IOC executive
board were skateboarding,
sport climbing, and surf-
ing.
Those three sports will
make their Olympic debuts
at the Tokyo Games which
were postponed because of
the coronavirus pandemic
by one year to open on July
23, 2021.
Alongside the additions,
the IOC made subtrac-
tions: The slate of 329 med-
al events in Paris is 10 few-
er than in Tokyo, including
four lost from weightlift-
ing, and the athlete quota
in 2024 of 10,500 is around
600 less than next year.
Two sports with trou-
bled governing bodies —
boxing and weightlifting
— saw the biggest cuts
to the number of athletes
they can have in Paris.
Weightlifting should
have 120 athletes in Paris,
which is less than half of
its total at the 2016 Rio de
Janeiro Games. The sport
could be dropped entirely
due to its historic doping
problems and IOC con-
cerns over the pace and
depth of reform at the In-
ternational Weightlifting
Federation.
The IOC stressed its
future priorities for Paris,
and beyond to the 2028
Los Angeles Games, by
claiming it will hit a long-
term target of equal partic-
ipation by men and women
athletes, and more urban-
ized events.
With Paris organizers
needing time to prepare
their project, the IOC kept
to its pre-pandemic sched-
ule to confirm the 2024
sports lineup this month
even before some are test-
ed in Tokyo.
Breakdancing will be
called breaking at the
Olympics, as it was in the
1970s by hip-hop pioneers
in the United States.
It was proposed by Par-
is organizers almost two
years ago after positive
trials at the 2018 Youth
Olympics in Buenos Aires.
Breaking passed further
stages of approval in 2019
from separate decisions
by the IOC board and full
membership.
In Paris, breaking has
been given a prestige
downtown venue, joining
sport climbing and 3-on-
3 basketball at Place de le
Concorde.
Surfing will be held
more than 15,000 kilome-
ters (9,000 miles) away
in the Pacific Ocean off
the beaches of Tahiti, as
the IOC already agreed in
March.
Among the 28 estab-
lished Summer Games
sports, a total of 41 addi-
tional events were pro-
posed to Monday’s meet-
ing.
All increases were re-
jected, including ocean
rowing and parkour, and
changes were allowed
only at the expense of
existing events being
dropped. Two extreme
canoe slalom events will
replace canoe sprint
events, and the men’s
50-kilometer race walk
will be replaced by a
mixed gender team
event.
The IOC said “limit-
ing the overall number of
events is a key element in
curbing the growth of the
Olympic program as well
as additional costs.”
In other IOC business,
Bach confirmed the more
than 11,000 competitors
at the Tokyo Olympics
should not stay in the offi-
cial athlete village for the
entire games, to help lim-
it the risk of COVID-19
infections.
Teams will be advised
of a policy that athletes
should arrive at their ac-
commodation no more
than five days before the
start of their competition
and have left two days af-
ter it ends.
Boxing is on the To-
kyo program despite its
governing body, known
as AIBA, being derecog-
nized by the IOC last
year.
A seven-candidate
presidential election is
being held this weekend
and Bach said AIBA was
“well aware” of the Olym-
pic body’s concerns about
some of the contenders,
which he did not identify.
The IOC was skeptical
last year about an offer to
clear AIBA’s $16 million
debts, if the sport’s Olym-
pic status was retained,
by Russian boxing offi-
cial Umar Kremlev who
is now a candidate.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020 3B

Stanford replaces South Carolina atop women’s AP Top 25

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Coach Tara
VanDerveer and Stanford are
the new No. 1 in The Associated
Press women’s basketball poll.
The Cardinal ascended to the
top spot Monday after previous
No. 1 South Carolina lost at home
to then-No. 8 North Carolina
State. Stanford received 24 of the
30 first-place votes from a nation-
al media panel.
The Cardinal moved up to No.
1 at nearly the same time last
year and held on to that spot for
three weeks, the team’s first ap-
Louisville moved up three
spots to No. 2 — matching the
highest ranking in school histo-
ry — and received two first-place
votes. UConn, which has yet to
play a game because the Huskies
were on pause due to coronavirus
concerns, stayed at No. 3, also re-
ceiving two first-place votes.
The Wolfpack, who got the oth-
er two first-place ballots, jumped
four places to No. 4 after the 54-
46 victory over the Gamecocks.
South Carolina fell to fifth.
Arizona, Baylor, Oregon, Ken-
tucky and Texas A&M round out
the top 10. No. 6 is the highest
The Cardinal had to shift their
Pac-12 opener over the weekend
to Las Vegas due to Santa Clara
County’s ban on sporting events
and practices for three weeks.
They were supposed to play
Washington State on Tuesday in
Las Vegas, but the Cougars don’t
have enough scholarship players
available due to coronavirus pro-
tocols.
The next game listed on the
Cardinal’s schedule is Friday
against UC Davis at home, then a
game at Cal on Sunday.
“The pandemic, the situation
we’re in, it really makes you ap- Sudoku YESTERDAY’S ANSWER

Sudoku
pearance there in seven years. ranking in Arizona’s history. preciate each game,” VanDerveer
VanDerveer downplayed the VanDerveer is poised to make said. “Each game is so precious,
Sudoku is a number- Yesterday’s answer
placing puzzle based on
significance of her team moving history of her own: With her next and we’re so excited to be play- Sudoku
a 9x9 gridis witha several
num- 4 6 5 3 9 2 1 7 8
to No. 1 in Week 3 of the season. victory, she will tie Pat Summitt’s ing. We’re here in Vegas, we don’t ber-placing
given numbers.puzzleThe object 1 7 9 8 4 5 3 6 2

2020 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

“Rankings are important in all-time record of 1,098 wins. know what our schedule is. We’re based onthe
is to place a 9x9
numbers 2 3 8 7 6 1 9 5 4
March,” she said. “Let’s hope Where and when that might hap- working the phones, trying to get grid
1 to 9with
in theseveral
empty spaces 8 9 3 5 2 7 6 4 1
we’re playing in March.” pen, however, is still up in the air. games.” given
so that numbers.
each row, eachThe 5 2 6 1 3 4 8 9 7
object
column and each 3x3 the
is to place box
numbers 7 4 1 6 8 9 2 3 5
contains the1same to 9 number
in
6 5 4 9 1 8 7 2 3
the empty spaces so

Steelers
only once. The difficulty 9 8 7 2 5 3 4 1 6
that each row, each
level increases from
column and each 3 1 2 4 7 6 5 8 9
Monday
3x3 boxtocontains
Sunday. Difficulty Level 12/07

Continued from Page 1B

the same number only once. The difficulty level
45 -yard field goal with Pittsburgh since 1991. Heinz Field three times. kinds of distractions, increases from Monday to Sunday.
2:04 remaining, and Washington won the Pittsburgh coach changes of this, that and
Washington rallied for Super Bowl that sea- Mike Tomlin insisted the other. At the end of
a 23-17 victory on Mon- son. The club’s expec- his club would not use the day, we’ve got to go
day in one of the biggest tations this year are the disruption as an ex- play good football.”
surprises of the NFL far more modest. Yet a cuse. But the weight of For the first time in
season. day after the New York what the Steelers have a long time, the Steel-
“We’ve been down Giants won at Seattle, been dealing with, com- ers didn’t. At least not
for such a long time and Washington (5 -7) kept bined with second-half enough of it.
we’re trying to rebuild pace while giving the injuries to inside line- Still, even after Smith
ourselves and build up,” lowly NFC East its sec- backer Robert Spillane hit Logan Thomas for
first-year coach Ron Ri- ond marquee victory in and cornerback Joe Ha- a 15 -yard touchdown
vera said. “This is some- 25ish hours. den, made for a tough pass to tie the game
thing we can build off “We’re on a roll,” said day. at 17, the Steelers had
of.” defensive end Montez Roethlisberger a chance. They drove
The Steelers (11- Sweat, who knocked passed for 305 yards into field goal range but
1) missed a chance to down three Roethlis- and two touchdowns,
rather than have fill-in
clinch a playoff berth berger passes. “This but was picked off by
Matthew Wright — pro-
and dropped into a tie is the kind of football Jon Bostic — a former
moted from the practice
with defending Super we’ve been wanting to Steeler — with 1:59 re-
squad due to an injury
Bowl champion Kansas play since Game 1.” maining. Hopkins add-
City for the best record ed another 45 -yard field to Chris Boswell — at-
in the AFC with four It’s the kind of foot- goal and Pittsburgh’s tempt a 45 -yard field
weeks remaining. They ball the Steelers had last-gasp drive ended goal into the open end at
squandered a 14-point played since Game 1. with the ball near mid- Heinz, the Steelers went
lead. The best start in the field and Washington’s for it. Roethlisberger’s
“It stinks,” Pitts- franchise’s 87-year his- players sprinting off in heave to rookie running
burgh quarterback Ben tory came to an abrupt celebration while the back Anthony McFar-
Roethlisberger said. halt on a rare Monday Steelers trudged to the land Jr. fell incomplete
“Been a while since we late afternoon game. locker room. and Smith calmly drove
lost a game. It’s not a The NFL pushed the “We’re getting to that Washington 45 yards in
good feeling.” contest back a day as point of the season when nine plays to set up the
The Steelers were part of the fallout from you’ve got to be sharp winning score.
10 -point favorites while a COVID-19 outbreak in all areas, your whole “I didn’t feel good
facing a team that hadn’t in Baltimore that forced team, both sides of the about putting that
won three straight since the league to postpone ball,” Roethlisberger (kick) on him,” Tomlin
2018 and hadn’t won in the Ravens’ visit to said. “There can be all said of Wright.

Beamer
Continued from Page 1B
won six in a row along er said he talks football Bob Caslen said Beam- than later. He refer-
with national titles in with his father all the er stood out as he, Tan- enced his father, Frank, ACROSS
2016 and 2018. time and will continue ner and senior athletic going 2-8-1 in his sixth 1 Gorillas and
“They’re on a good to do so during his time. administrator Chance season at Virginia Tech, gibbons
run,” Beamer said of He’s proud to carry Miller conducted candi- something that could 5 Degrade
the rival. “When I was the family’s “Beamer date interviews. never happen these 10 Casual eatery
here before, we were on Ball” imprint. “To me “He has the character days. 12 Road work
a pretty dang good run that means, attacking, that will bring this pro- “I didn’t present an markers
ourselves.” scoring on offense, de- gram to a championship eight-year plan, five- 13 Very quickly
South Carolina ath- fense and special teams level,” Caslen said. year plan” to Tanner, 15 Wilder’s “—
letic director Ray Tan- and I hope to bring that” Beamer understands Beamer said. “You can’t Town”
ner asked Beamer if his to South Carolina, he he likely won’t get any think long term. Every 16 Golf peg
father would come with said. cushion if things don’t day, you have to move it 17 Cool — cu-
the deal. Shane Beam- University President change sooner rather forward.” cumber
18 Athens rival

MSU 20 Waiter’s aid

21 Some agents
22 Turns left
Continued from Page 1B
23 “Tomorrow” 43 Whirlpool 19 Rancher’s
Shrine Bowl is nor- back in Starkville next downs. Following the musical DOWN rope
KJ Costello’s future mally reserved for col- year, Leach said, “I L SU game, the former 25 Group of 1 Spanish 20 Letter before
at Mississippi State lege seniors who are think that’s still in the Cardinal performed to actors farewell iota
remains murky preparing for the NFL works. Not sure yet.” mixed results and was 28 Paid for a 2 Locker art 24 Deep-seated
Monday, the East- draft. Given the usual In his first game at twice pulled in favor of hand 3 Snare 25 Beach robe
West Shrine Bowl an- criterion, Costello’s se- MSU after a four year ca- freshman backup Will 31 China setting 4 Put in stitches 26 Crumbly
nounced MSU quarter- 32 Rascals 5 Dull pain Italian cheese
lection would presume reer at Stanford, Costel- Rogers.
back K J Costello had 34 Shark feature 6 Big snake 27 Fabled sailor
received an honorary in- that he will not be us- lo broke a three-decade Costello has not ap-
ing his extra year of el- old SEC passing record peared in a game since 35 Brewed 7 Turkey’s 29 Conjured up
vite to the event, though beverage
igibility afforded by the as he torched defend- leaving an Oct. 31 con- capital 30 Protect
the game will not be 36 One — kind
NCA A this year. Asked ing national champion test against No. 1 Al- 8 Playground 33 Impudent
held due to the ongoing 37 Betting limit
COVID-19 pandemic. if he had any indication L SU for 623 passing abama with an undis- sight 35 Addition
40 Once more 9 Emerson column
The East-West Costello would not be yards and five touch- closed injury.
41 Makes works 38 Tell tales

Prep
smooth 11 Corrupt 39 Broad st.
42 Network 14 Eel look-
points alikes
Continued from Page 1B
in the BIGG Classic in 18 at Starkville Chris- New Hope girls soc- PKs for New Hope.
Biggersville. tian. cer team beat Pontotoc Parnell had the Tro-
1- 0 in Monday’s road jans’ goal in regulation
Other scores Prep Boys match. as the match headed to
Prep Girls Basketball Reagan Presley had penalties in a 1-1 tie.
Columbus Christian the lone goal for the
Basketball
Academy 75, Amory Trojans.
Columbus Christian Starkville Academy 5,
Christian Academy 72 New Hope’s next
Academy 76, Amory Byhalia 0
S TEENS — The Co- match is Saturday at
Christian Academy 9 BY H A LI A — Brody
lumbus Christian boys Grenada.
S TEENS — The Co- edged A mory Christian Pierce had a hat trick as
lumbus Christian Acad- Academy 75 -72 on Mon- Prep Boys Soccer the Starkville Academy
emy girls routed A mo- day in Steens. New Hope 1, Pontotoc boys team beat Byhalia
ry Christian Academy Joe Michael Edwards 1 (New Hope wins on 5 - 0 in Monday’s road
76 -9 in Monday’s home had 22 points, Tyler penalty kicks) match.
game. Looney had 14 and Ja- PONTOTOC — The
Morgan Whitten A ndrew Pollan and
cob Minga had 13 for New Hope boys team
scored 22 points for the Isaac Lepard each add-
the Rams. beat Pontotoc on penal-
Rams. CC DeVos had ty kicks on Monday in ed goals for the Volun-
17, and Faith Yeates had Prep Girls Soccer Pontotoc. teers.
nine. New Hope 1, Pontotoc Trey Parnell, Chris- Starkville Acade-
Columbus Chris- 0 tian Juarez and Caden my hosts East Rankin
tian’s next game is Dec. PONTOTOC — The Perrigin all made their Academy on Tuesday.
4B TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020
Jets fire Gregg Williams after call on defense costs 1st win
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Adam
Gase thought through the
final agonizing moments
of the New York Jets’ stun-
ning loss and tried to not
make a rash decision.
The coach got a little
bit of sleep before he head-
ed to the team’s facility
Monday morning — with
the same conclusion he
had Sunday night: defen-
sive coordinator Gregg
Williams had to go.
“I just felt like that was
the best thing for our team
moving forward,” Gase
said during a conference
call. “Organizationally,
we had a discussion this
morning and we felt like
this was the best move to
make.”
Comics & Puzzles
DILBERT
ZITS
GARFIELD
CANDORVILLE
BABY BLUES
BEETLE BAILEY
MALLARD FILLMORE
Williams was fired after
he inexplicably called for
an all-out blitz against Las
Vegas on Sunday with the
Jets seconds away from
their first victory. Derek
Carr heaved a perfectly
placed 46-yard touchdown
pass to Henry Ruggs III —
who was in man-to-man, or
Cover Zero, coverage with
rookie cornerback Lamar
Jackson — with 5 seconds
left to lift the Raiders to a
31-28 win.
The decision was high-
ly criticized by fans, media
and even his own players.
It left the Jets players, who
only moments earlier were
celebrating what appeared
to be a win, in shock on
the sideline.
The team announced
it had “parted ways” with
FAMILY CIRCUS
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
Williams and assistant
head coach/inside line-
backers coach Frank Bush
would serve as the interim
defensive coordinator.
“I obviously wasn’t
happy about that call,” a
somber-sounding Gase
said. “That was a heart-
breaking way for our guys
to lose a game. For that to
happen in that situation,
it’s just ... we can’t have
that happen.”
Gase said he spoke with
CEO Christopher John-
son, general manager Joe
Douglas and team presi-
dent Hymie Elhai about
what he thought should be
done — and they agreed it
was right to move on. Gase
then told Williams about
the decision during a near-
ly hour-long discussion.
“Obviously, he wasn’t
happy,” Gase said. “But,
that’s our profession.”
Team captain Marcus
Maye took an uncharac-
teristic swipe at Williams
after the game, saying
that the defense should
have been in a better call
in that situation. Gase in-
sisted Maye’s comments
didn’t play a role in his de-
cision.
Gase was surprised to
hear the play call by Wil-
liams, and acknowledged
he has authority to over-
rule the defensive coordi-
nator — but did not.
“I wish I would’ve,”
Gase said. “Sometimes
during a game, you’re
talking through a bunch of
situations and that comes
up. I wish I would’ve called
Dear Abby
D
EAR ABBY:
Because
my husband
and I work, I take
our 6-month-old
to a sitter several
times a week. I
understand little
ones tend to be
mean some-
times — hitting,
biting and pushing
— but in this
case, it’s a little
different.
My sitter cares
for her 3-year-old Dear Abby
granddaughter as
well as her clients’
children, and her granddaugh-
ter pushes the littler ones. I
have seen her push a 1-year-old
down. I have never observed
any of the other children do it,
only the granddaughter.
I wouldn’t be so worried if
my daughter were 2 and could
defend herself, but she’s only
6 months old. She is crawling,
sitting up and standing already,
and I’m gravely worried the
girl will harm my infant. I don’t
want my baby ending up with
a head injury. What can I do to
try to resolve this? — DEEPLY
CONCERNED IN THE SOUTH
DEAR DEEPLY CONCERNED:
Talk to the sitter about your
concerns. Ask if it is possible
to keep the older girl separate
Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Dec.
8). A different kind of life is
shaping up for you in 2021 and
an agreement will change to
better fit new circumstances. It
will be so exciting to be asked
to do the very thing you enjoy
most. Your talent sings and
grows. Family needs something
new from you, and you’ll love
what you have to learn in order
to provide it. Aquarius and
Taurus adore you. Your lucky
numbers are: 3, 38, 17, 1 and
49.
ARIES (March 21-April 19).
Good news! Elaborate problems
will not need elaborate solu-
tions. Simple solutions applied
repeatedly to multiple layers
will do. Amazing progress will
be made with one effective
measure repeated hundreds of
timeout, but I didn’t.”
The 62-year-old Wil-
liams had been the Jets’
defensive coordinator the
past two seasons under
Gase. The two had a mi-
nor clash earlier this sea-
son when Williams said
the Jets’ scoring average
on defense wasn’t just all
on his unit — implying
Gase’s struggling offense
was also to blame.
Defensive tackle Quin-
nen Williams seemed to
take exception to the de-
fensive coordinator’s fir-
ing, using five facepalm
emojis in a quote tweet of
ESPN’s tweet announcing
the move.
Williams has had sev-
eral stops through the
NFL during a 30-year
career, including with
from the younger
ones, however,
the only way to be
absolutely certain
your little one is
safe would be to
change babysit-
ters.
DEAR ABBY: I
made a friend on
Facebook. “Drew”
and I texted
through Messen-
ger, and I went to
ride four-wheelers
with him one
day. We hit it off
great. We started
dating, and he
moved in with me
for a few months.
In the beginning, Drew
didn’t mention he was working
only part time. After he told
me he had been moved to part
time, I told him he needed to
tell his boss he needed full
time or a different job. I wrote
a comment to that effect on
their page, and his boss texted
me back saying Drew can work
as much as he wants! He also
said Drew hasn’t worked full
time since he started working
there.
Well, Drew got mad at
me and left. I still love him. I
thought he was my soul mate.
Should I keep wishing we could
get back together? — FEELING
LIFELESS
times.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20).
You don’t expect people to read
your mind, but it would be nice if
they would at least tune into the
tone you’re using or retain a few
words of what you say. Oblivious
people may just need to be
awakened.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21).
Your identity is not a cultural
narrative. You may enact as-
pects of a type; try them on as
one would a costume. They’re
not your real clothes. No single
person entirely fits a stereotype,
though many fill out aspects
of it.
CANCER (June 22-July 22).
Who doesn’t love a bouncy ball?
You smack it on the ground,
and then you’re never quite sure
what kind of chase will come
New Orleans, where he
was suspended a year by
the league in 2012 for his
role in the Saints’ bounty
scandal.
The no-nonsense Wil-
liams has made a career
of being an aggressive
play caller on defense,
but the Jets have strug-
gled this year while
ranking 29th in total de-
fense and 30th in scoring
defense. Williams had
to deal with star safety
Jamal Adams being trad-
ed to Seattle during the
summer, linebacker C.J.
Mosley opting out be-
cause of COVID-19 con-
cerns, and linebacker Av-
ery Williamson dealt to
Pittsburgh in the middle
of the season.
DEAR FEELING LIFELESS:
No! In a sense, you were taken
for a ride, and I’m not talking
about four-wheelers. Your next
soul mate should be someone
who is completely honest and,
preferably, fully employed. Drew
is neither.
DEAR ABBY: I have been
remarried for four years to a
wonderful man who treats me
like a queen. However, he and
my 18-year-old daughter dislike
each other, which causes a
huge amount of stress and con-
flict. They fight, and I’m stuck
in the middle. I don’t know
what I can do to resolve this
problem. I love them both with
all my heart! — DESPERATE
FOR PEACE
DEAR DESPERATE: I wish
you had mentioned why your
husband dislikes your daughter
and vice versa. Is he overbear-
ing and trying to parent her?
That is YOUR job, not his.
Your daughter is no longer
14. At 18, she is now con-
sidered to be an adult, and
because the “combatants” are
both adults, they should act
like it, be civil and refrain from
turning their disagreements
into open warfare. Your mistake
has been allowing yourself
to be placed in the middle. A
better solution would be to
get family counseling if your
daughter plans to continue to
live with you.
next. The equivalent of a bouncy
ball will be hiding inside one of
your tasks of the day.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22).
Being first on the scene will
give you multiple advantages.
For starters, the silence before
the action will be magical. Then
it’s like the opening credits roll
of a movie, rich in foreshadow-
ing with plenty of clues about
what’s to come.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
The things that go right don’t
have nearly the scientific value
as the ones that go wrong.
That’s where the excitement,
fun and learning come from.
There’s nothing that cannot be
embraced in this whole day.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).
You can own the day and still
move through negative emo-
tions. Negativity isn’t a bane
to overcome; rather, it’s part of
life to process and use. Shade
gives the picture dimension.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).
It will be impossible to dedicate
yourself to solving a problem
without accidentally solving
something for yourself in the
process. Everything you give will
also be a gift to you.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-
Dec. 21). Loving people can
still harbor secret blame for
one another for less-than-ideal
outcomes. Though it’s true
that some of the problems are
no fault of your own; it doesn’t
change what needs to be done
about it now.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). If you knew that your whole
purpose in an endeavor was to
lay a launching pad for the next
person’s rocket, would you still
put in the work? Of course, you
would, just as your predecessor
did for you.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). You see what’s around you
and glimpses of something a
little farther — enough to tease
you into journeying on. Pack
fortifications. The distance is
more distant than it looks.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). If it feels like you’re stuck
in a spot, then it’s only because
you are. The good thing is that
you noticed. Also, there are
about ten easy ways to get out
of this and hundreds of more
hard ways. You’re one phone
call away from freedom.
Sit-down strike
SOLUTION:
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020 5B

Classifieds
LEGALS
Call us: 662-328-2424
Legal Notices
The following vehicles have
been abandoned at
Auto Mart LLC
1009 Gardner Blvd
Columbus, MS 39702
or
Jim’s Towing and Recovery LLC
1020 ½ Gardner Blvd
Columbus, MS 39702
2008 Chev Impala
VIN #2G1WC583389157593
2010 Chev Malibu
VIN #1G1ZC5EB4AF142882
If not claimed they will be sold
on December 16th, 2020, at
10 AM at 1020 ½ Gardner
Blvd., Columbus, MS by Auto
Mart LLC or Jim’s Towing and
Recovery LLC. They will be sold
for monies owed for the tow
bill, storage fees, and all other
expenses incurred to process
the claims.
Witnessed this the 3rd day of
December, 2020.
Auto Mart LLC
Jim’s Towing and Recovery LLC
Publish: 12/08 and
12/15/2020
ABANDONED VEHICLES
2015 KIA SOUL
VIN# KNDJN2A26F7114134
2014 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE together with all improvements
VIN# 1C4RJEBGXEC453785
IF NOT CLAIMED, THESE
VEHICLES WILL BE PUT UP FOR tached to said land:
PUBLIC SALE ON THE 19TH
DAY OF DECEMBER 2020 AT
10:00 A.M. AT ALLEN'S AUTO
SERVICE & TOWING, 1423
GARDNER BLVD., COLUMBUS, Quarter of Section 3, Township
MS.
PUBLISH: 11/24, 12/1 &
12/8/2020
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
SIPPI
IN THE MATTER OF THE ES-
TATE OF ELIZABETH B. PROF-
FITT, DECEASED
JOHN CAMPBELL PROFFITT, EX- 05 minutes East along the said
ECUTOR
NO. 2020-0227-RPF
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Letters Testamentary have
been granted and issued to
John Campbell Proffitt, Execut- iron pipe and being the point of
or of the Estate of Elizabeth B. beginning of the herein de-
Proffitt, deceased, by the Chan- scribed tract of land; thence
cery Court of Lowndes County, continue North 25 degrees 30
Mississippi, on the 19th day of minutes East along the said
November 2020. This is to give west side a distance of 102.79
notice to all persons having
claims against said estate to
Probate and Register same
with the Chancery Clerk of
Lowndes County, Mississippi,
within ninety (90) days from the distance of 102.62 feet to an
date of first publication of this iron pipe; thence South 60 de-
Notice. A failure to so Probate
and Register said claim will
forever bar the same.
THIS the 19th day of Novem-
ber 2020.
John Campbell Proffitt, Execut- South, Range 17 West,
or
OF COUNSEL:
John W. Crowell, MSB 7906
Crowell Gillis & Cooper, PLLC
Post Office Box 1827
Columbus, MS 39703
PHONE: (662) 243-7443
FAX: (662) 328-6890
jcrowell@cgclawpllc.com
PUBLISH: 11/24, 12/1 &
12/8/2020
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
SIPPI
IN THE MATTER OF THE ES-
TATE OF VIOLA NEAL, DE-
CEASED
CAUSE NO: 2018-0245
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
LOWNDES COUNTY
Letters Testamentary have
been granted and issued to the
undersigned upon the Estate of
Viola Neal, deceased, by the
Chancery Court of Lowndes
County, Mississippi, on the
16th day of November, A. D.,
2018. This is to give notice to
all persons having claims
against said estate to Probate
and Register same with the
Chancery Clerk of Lowndes
County, Mississippi, within
ninety (90) days from the first
publication date of this Notice
to Creditors. A failure to so Pro-
bate and Register said claim
will forever bar the same.
This is the 19th day of Novem-
ber, 2020.
/s/CURTIS NEAL, EXECUTOR
Steven R. McEwen
McEwen Law Firm
P. O. Box 709
Columbus, MS 39703
PUBLISH: 11/24, 12/1 &
12/8/2020
Buy. Sell. Discover.
Legal Notices
TRUSTEE'S NOTICE OF SALE
WHEREAS, on September 27,
2019, Jeremy Iria Brownlee, a
single man, executed a Deed
of Trust to Christopher D.
Hemphill, Trustee, for the bene-
fit of Joseph Carl Froshour,
which Deed of Trust is recor-
ded on September 30, 2019,
in Mort. Book 2019 at pages
20552-20557 in the office of
the Chancery Clerk of Lowndes
County; and
WHEREAS, default having been
made in the terms and condi-
tions of said Deed of Trust and
the entire debt secured
thereby, having been declared
to be due and payable in ac-
cordance with the terms of said
Deed of Trust, and the legal
holder of said indebtedness,
Joseph Carl Froshour, having
requested the undersigned
Trustee to execute the trust
and sell said land and property
in accordance with the terms of
said Deed of Trust and for the
purpose and satisfying the
sums due thereunder, togeth-
er with attorney's fees,
trustee's fees and expense of
sale.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Christoph-
er D. Hemphill, Trustee of said
Deed of Trust will on the 23rd
day of December 2020 offer for
sale at public outcry for cash to
the highest bidder, and sell
within legal hours (being
between the hours of 11:00
a.m. and 4:00 p.m.) at the
south east front door of the
Lowndes County Courthouse at
505 2nd Avenue North, Colum-
bus, County of Lowndes, State
of Mississippi, the following de-
scribed property situated in
Lowndes County, Mississippi,
and appurtenances now erec-
ted on, and all fixtures of any
kind, or description now at-
Commencing at the Southeast
corner of the Southwest
Quarter of the Southwest
20 South, Range 17 West,
Lowndes County, Mississippi;
thence North a distance of 533
feet; thence West a distance of
100 feet to a point on the
West Side of a paved county
road known as Spurlock Road,
said point being 20 feet from
centerline; thence Northeast-
erly along the said West side of
Spurlock Road a distance of
388 feet; thence North 23 de-
grees 27 minutes East along
the said West a distance of 75
feet; thence North 22 degrees
West side a distance of 200
feet to an iron pipe; thence
North 24 degrees 19 minutes
East along the West side a dis-
tance of 210.69 feet; thence
North 25 degrees 30 minutes
East along the said West side
a distance of 94.76 feet to an
feet, to an iron pipe; thence
North 60 degrees 20 minutes
West a distance of 423.48 feet
to an iron pipe; thence South
27 degrees 05 minutes West a
grees 20 minutes East a dis-
tance of 426.32 feet to the
point of beginning and contain-
ing 1.0 acres, more or less,
and being located and situ-
ated in the Southwest Quarter
of Section 3, Township 20
Lowndes County, Mississippi.
Including the following manu-
factured home: 1999 Legend
16x82 Mobile Home, Serial No. the place and stead of the
HL11075AL.
1999 Legend 16x82 Mobile
Home, Serial No. HL11075AL. 2019, in Mort. Book 2019 at
I WILL CONVEY only such title
as is vested in me as Trustee. Lowndes County, Mississippi;
Witness my signature this the
24th day of November 2020.
/s/ Christopher D. Hemphill
Christopher D. Hemphill, Trust- Trust in the place and stead of
ee (MSB #9367)
Dunn & Hemphill, P.A.
214 5th Street South
Columbus, MS 39701
chemphill@marketstreetlaw.co stituted Trustee, Charles E.
m Yow, II, Esq., by instrument
Telephone: (662) 327-4211
Facsimile: (662) 328-3468
Posted: 11/30/20
Publish: 12/1/20, 12/8/20,
12/15/20, 12/22/20
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
SIPPI
IN THE MATTER OF THE ES-
TATE OF JEROME WILLIAM LA-
VOIE, DECEASED
JOLINE MANSEAU PETITIONER
NO: 20-0228F
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Letters Testamentary having
been issued on the 2nd day of fying the sums due thereunder,
September, 2020, by the Chan- together with attorney's fees,
cery Court of Lowndes County, Substitute Trustee's fees and
Mississippi, to the under-
signed upon the Estate of
Jerome William Lavoie, De-
ceased, notice is hereby given er D. Hemphill, Substituted
to all persons having claims
against said Estate to present will on the 23rd day of Decem-
the same to the Clerk of said
Court for probate and registra- lic outcry for cash to the
tion according to law within
ninety (90) days from the first legal hours (being between the
publication of this notice; oth- hours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00
erwise, said claim will be
forever barred.
WITNESS MY SIGNATURE, this ue North, Columbus, County of
the 24th day of November,
2020.
/S/ JOLINE MANSEAU
JOLINE MANSEAU, ADMINIS-
TRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF
JEROME WILLIAM LAVOIE, DE-
CEASED
CODY W. GIBSON, MSB
#103967
SCOTT MULLENNIX
MSB#104859
405 TOMBIGBEE STREET
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI 39201 17 West, Lowndes County, Mis-
TELEPHONE: 601-948-9840;
FACSIMILE: 601-487-5341
On the web: ads.cdispatch.com • Or call: 662-328-2424
EMAIL:
cwgibsonlaw@gmail.com
PUBLISH: 12/1, 12/8 &
12/15/2020
VOIE, DECEASED
JOLINE MANSEAU PETITIONER
NO: 20-0228F
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Letters Testamentary having
been issued on the 2nd day of fying the sums due thereunder,
September, 2020, by the Chan- together with attorney's fees,
cery Court of Lowndes County, Substitute Trustee's fees and
Mississippi, to the under-
signed upon the Estate of
Jerome William Lavoie, De-
ceased, notice is hereby given er D. Hemphill, Substituted
to all persons having claims
against said Estate to present will on the 23rd day of Decem-
the same to the Clerk of said
Court for probate and registra- lic outcry for cash to the
tion according to law within
Legal Notices
ninety (90) days from the first
publication of this notice; oth- hours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00
erwise, said claim will be
forever barred.
WITNESS MY SIGNATURE, this ue North, Columbus, County of
the 24th day of November,
2020.
/S/ JOLINE MANSEAU
JOLINE MANSEAU, ADMINIS-
TRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF
JEROME WILLIAM LAVOIE, DE-
CEASED
CODY W. GIBSON, MSB
#103967
SCOTT MULLENNIX
MSB#104859
405 TOMBIGBEE STREET
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI 39201 17 West, Lowndes County, Mis-
TELEPHONE: 601-948-9840;
FACSIMILE: 601-487-5341
EMAIL:
cwgibsonlaw@gmail.com
PUBLISH: 12/1, 12/8 &
12/15/2020
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
TATE REEVES GOVERNOR
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Chris Wells, Interim Executive
Director
December 1, 2020
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given that the way of a public road known as
Mississippi Environmental
Quality Permit Board will hold a degrees 09 minutes West
public meeting on Tuesday, at
9:00 a.m. on January 12, 2021 said Crowe Road and along a
in the Mississippi Department
of Environmental Quality, 515
Amite Street, Jackson, Missis-
sippi 39201.
Consideration will be given to
the following surface mining
bond release application (s) :
Valley Gravel Company, Al 099,
Permit No. P97-039t Lowndes
County, Mississippi
The applicant seeks the re-
lease of 90% of the perform-
ance bond posted to cover the Columbus, MS 39701
reclamation of 7 acres of sur-
face mined land located in Sec- m
tion 29, Township 18N, Range Telephone: (662) 327-4211
18E, Lowndes County, Missis-
sippi .
All comments must be re-
ceived by the Office of Geology Publish: 12/1/20, 12/8/20,
no later than January 1, 2021, 12/15/20, 12/22/20
in order to forward a copy of
the comments to the operator
and to incorporate the com-
ments into the hearing records
as required by law.
For further information, write
the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality, Office of
Geology, P. O. Box 2279, Jack-
son, Mississippi 39225, or call
(601) 961-5527.
Sincerely,
James Matheny
Division Director
Mining and Reclamation Divi-
sion
PUBLISH: 12/8/2020
SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE'S NO-
TICE OF SALE
WHEREAS, on November 5,
2015, Troy Anderson, ex-
ecuted a Deed of Trust to J.
Douglas Dalrymple, Trustee, for
the benefit of Lawrence P.
Walker, which Deed of Trust is
recorded on November 9,
2015, in Mort. Book 2015 at
pages 24522-24526, in the of-
fice of the Chancery Clerk of
Lowndes County, Mississippi;
and
WHEREAS, Charles E. Yow, II,
Esq., was duly substituted as
Trustee in said Deed of Trust in
Trustee, J. Douglas Dalrymple,
by instrument dated May 15,
2019, and recorded on June 3,
pages 10488-10489, in the of-
fice of the Chancery Clerk of
and
WHEREAS, Christopher D.
Hemphill, was duly substituted
as Trustee in said Deed of
Trustee, J. Douglas Dalrymple,
and in said Correction and Ap-
pointment of Substitute Trust-
ee in place and stead of Sub-
dated November 16, 2020,
and recorded on November 20,
2020, in Mort. Book 2020 at
pages 30954-30956, in the of-
fice of the Chancery Clerk of
Lowndes County, Mississippi;
and
WHEREAS, default having been
made in the terms and condi-
tions of said Deed of Trust and
the entire debt secured
thereby, having been declared
to be due and payable in ac-
cordance with the terms of said
Deed of Trust, and the legal
holder of said indebtedness,
Lawrence P. Walker, having re-
quested the undersigned Sub-
stituted Trustee to execute the
trust and sell said land and
property in accordance with the
terms of said Deed of Trust
and for the purpose and satis-
expense of sale.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Christoph-
Trustee of said Deed of Trust
ber 2020 offer for sale at pub-
highest bidder, and sell within
p.m.) at the south east front
door of the Lowndes County
Courthouse at 505 2nd Aven-
Lowndes, State of Mississippi,
the following described prop-
erty situated in Lowndes
County, Mississippi, together
with all improvements and ap-
purtenances now erected on,
and all fixtures of any kind, or
description now attached to
said land:
5.14 acres, more or less, lying
in the Southwest Quarter of the
In the Classifieds section.
Northwest Quarter of Section
6, Township 19 South, Range
sissippi, described as follows:
Commencing at the Northwest
corner of the Southwest
Quarter of the Northwest
Quarter of Section 6; run
thence South for 16 feet; run
thence East for 22 feet to an
existing fence corner, as the
Deed of Trust, and the legal
holder of said indebtedness,
Lawrence P. Walker, having re-
Ads appear in The Commercial Dispatch,
quested the undersigned Sub-
stituted Trustee to execute the
trust and sell said land and
terms of said Deed of Trust
and for the purpose and satis-
The Starkville Dispatch and Online
property in accordance with the
expense of sale.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Christoph-
Trustee of said Deed of Trust
ber 2020 offer for sale at pub-
highest bidder, and sell within
Legal Notices
legal hours (being between the
p.m.) at the south east front
door of the Lowndes County
Courthouse at 505 2nd Aven-
Lowndes, State of Mississippi,
the following described prop-
erty situated in Lowndes
County, Mississippi, together
with all improvements and ap-
purtenances now erected on,
and all fixtures of any kind, or
description now attached to
said land:
5.14 acres, more or less, lying
in the Southwest Quarter of the
Northwest Quarter of Section
6, Township 19 South, Range
sissippi, described as follows:
Commencing at the Northwest
corner of the Southwest
Quarter of the Northwest
Quarter of Section 6; run
thence South for 16 feet; run
thence East for 22 feet to an
existing fence corner, as the
POINT OF BEGINNING; thence
South 87 degrees 00 minutes
East along a fence and the
South right-of-way of a public
road known as Oswalt Road for
415 feet; thence South 00 de-
grees 09 minutes East for 540
feet; thence North 87 degrees
00 minutes West parallel with
the South right-of-way of afore-
mentioned Oswalt Road for
415 feet to the East right-of-
Crowe Road; thence North 00
along the East right-of-way of
fence for 540 feet to the POINT
OF BEGINNING.
I WILL CONVEY only such title
as is vested in me as Substi-
tuted Trustee.
Witness my signature this the
24th day of November 2020.
/s/ Christopher D. Hemphill
Christopher D. Hemphill, Sub-
stituted Trustee (MSB #9367)
Dunn & Hemphill, P.A.
214 5th Street South
chemphill@marketstreetlaw.co
Facsimile: (662) 328-3468
Posted: 11/30/20
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