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Friday | February 5, 2021

Supe proposes $15/hour wage for Lowndes employees

Plan would raise lowest-earners’ pay incrementally through 2023
BY TESS VRBIN
tvrbin@cdispatch.com
During a discussion about
road maintenance at Monday’s
Lowndes County supervisors
meeting, District 5 Supervisor
Leroy Brooks mentioned dis-
parities in wages between some
road department employees.
This is a countywide issue re-
gardless of department, he told
The Dispatch on Thursday.
In response, Brooks put to-
gether a proposal, which he pre-
sented to county department
heads this morning, to incre-
mentally raise wages so that ev-
ery county employee makes at
least $15 per hour by 2023, the
end of the supervisors’ current
term. He said he hopes the su-
pervisors can support and pass
his plan in the near future.
“I think everyone recognizes
that we have such a pay dispar-
ity that the longer we go, the
worse it’s going to get,” Brooks
told The Dispatch.
Roughly 70 of the county’s
346 full-time employees cur-
rently make less than $15 per
hour, County Administrator Jay
Fisher said. The lowest salary
for a full-time county employee
is currently $11.50 per hour. Un-
der Brooks’ proposal, that per-
son’s wages would rise to $12
per hour this year, $13.50 per
hour in 2022 and $15 per hour
in 2023.
The formula would be a 50-
cent increase in hourly pay this
year and half of the remaining
difference between that and
$15 each year for the next two
years, Brooks said. This for-
mula would apply to employees
who have been with the county
between one and four years. Brooks Fisher
Brooks also is proposing a Fisher, who is responsible for
75-cent increase in hourly pay preparing the annual budget,
for employees who have been acknowledged the county has
with the county less than a year, not had “a comprehensive strat-
and a potential 25-cent increase egy for how people are compen-
for employees that already sated.” He took over the county
make $15 per hour. See WAGES, 6A

‘MAKE A BIG SPLASH’ Coburn enters

Columbus
mayoral race
Tommy Jackson
running for Ward 1
councilman again
BY TESS VRBIN
tvrbin@cdispatch.com

Montrell Coburn
will again challenge
incumbent Robert
Smith in the mayor’s
race.
Coburn, an in-
dependent, is guar-
anteed a spot in the Coburn
general election on
June 8 and will not be
on the ballot for the
primaries in April.
His entry makes for
a three-person race
between him, fellow
independent Keith
Gaskin and Smith, a Jackson
Democrat who has
held the mayoral office since 2006.
Coburn did not respond to a re-
quest for comment by press time.
Smith easily defeated Coburn in
the 2017 election, with 3,023 votes to
Coburn’s 703.
Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff Additionally, Democrat Tommy
D. Diallo, 5, Alaysia Diallo, 8, and Aavianna Bella Dzakah, 2, puddle jump at Lee Park in Columbus Sunday afternoon. “Make “TJ” Jackson will face incumbent
a big splash. It’s fun,” said Alaysia. Their mother is Jeronica Leonard. See CANDIDATES, 6A

Animal shelters trying to bounce back from ‘crazy’ 2020

Lowndes County
Humane Society Adoptions, fundraising hoping we will get close to normal and
start up some of those events again. I
Director Karen
Johnwick told mem- fall during pandemic think that’s something all shelters are
looking forward to.”
bers of the Colum-
bus Exchange Club
BY SLIM SMITH In the first months of the pandemic,
Thursday that while
ssmith@cdispatch.com both traffic and donations at LCHS fell
many of the events sharply, the first by necessity, the sec-
the shelter relies on It’s been almost a year since ond by the shelter’s lack of exposure.
for fundraising were COVID-19 arrived in the Golden Trian- “On the fundraising side, we were
canceled during the gle, a year Lowndes County Humane not able to do our St. Patrick’s Day
past year because Society Director Karen Johnwick Paw-ty with Zachary’s, which always
of the pandemic, described as a journey from “crazy” brought in a lot of donations and
the main programs to “normal” during her appearance awareness,” Johnwick said. “We also
have continued. Thursday’s Columbus Exchange Club weren’t able to do a lot of other events
“2020 was a tough luncheon at Lion Hills Center. outside the shelter, which not only re-
year, but we’re
hopeful that we’ll “For us, like it was for most nonprof- ally hurt with donations, but hurt us in
be able to get back its, 2020 was a tough year,” Johnwick terms of being in the eye. So our dona-
to normal later this said. “The lack of fundraisers and off- tions were way off. We were forced to
year,” she said. site adoptions and other events really focus more on the basics.”
Slim Smith/Dispatch Staff made it a crazy year. So this year, we’re See JOHNWICK, 6A

INSIDE FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC MEETINGS

Classifieds 7,8B 1 What reality TV show had an Feb. 8: Columbus Municipal
Comics 4B “Impossible” competition in Today School Board Trustees,
Crossword 8B 2015 that had a finale featuring ■ Early James in concert: 8:30 a.m., Brandon Central
Dear Abby 4B cow’s feet, cow’s tongue and Early James and The Latest Services
Obituaries 5,7A beef jerky soda? perform at 7 p.m. at the
Feb. 12: Lowndes County
Opinions 4A 2 What southern hemisphere Columbus Arts Council’s Om-
Religion 5B country is the home of the Siding School District Board,
nova Theater, 501 Main St.
Springs Observatory, where the 12:30 p.m., District Office
Tickets: $15 members/$20
oldest known star was discov- Feb. 16: Lowndes County
non-members ($20 day of
ered in 2014?
WEATHER 3 What 2014 Grammy win- show). Doors open 6:30 p.m.
Supervisors, 9 a.m., Court-
house
ner was born Ella Marija Lani Get tickets at columbus-arts.

53 Low 30
Yelich-O’Connor in New Zealand?
High 4 What award did Iranian mathe-
Partly cloudy
Full forecast on
matician Maryam Mirzakhani win
in 2014, becoming the first wom-
page 3A. an ever to do so — Fields Medal,
Nobel Prize or Wolf Prize?
5 What 2015 film starring Cate
Blanchett and Rooney Mara is
based on the 1952 novel “The
Price of Salt”?
141st Year, No. 280 Answers, 8B
org or 662-328-2787.
Thursday through
Saturday, Feb. 25-27
■ Virtual Magnolia Inde-
pendent Film Festival: The
Mag in Starkville returns
with independent films and
shorts. Visit magnoliafilm-
fest.com.
Feb. 16: Columbus City
Council, 5 p.m., virtual
meeting, facebook.com/
CityofColumbusMS/
March 1: Lowndes County
Supervisors, 9 a.m., Court-
house
March 11: Columbus
Municipal School Board,
Brenton Taylor, 3, likes to 4 p.m., Brandon Central
paint and color. Services

DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471

2A FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Trump rejects Dems’ request

to testify at impeachment trial
The former president’s lawyers denounced House
Democrats’ request as a ‘public relations stunt’
BY ERIC TUCKER, MARY CLARE
JALONICK AND JILL COLVIN
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — House Dem-
ocrats asked Donald Trump to tes-
tify under oath for his Senate im-
peachment trial, challenging him
to respond to their charge that he
incited a violent mob to storm the
Capitol. A Trump adviser said the
former president won’t testify.
Although Democrats might not
have the power to force Trump’s
testimony, the request from House
impeachment managers is part of
their overall effort to put the violent
events of Jan. 6 on the record for
history and hold him accountable
for his words. Democrats will look
to use his refusal to testify against
him as they argue that the ex-pres-
ident has avoided responsibility for
his actions.
Hours after the Democrats’
Thursday request was revealed,
Trump adviser Jason Miller dis-
missed the trial as “an unconsti-
tutional proceeding” and said the
former president would not testify.
Separately, Trump’s lawyers de-
nounced the request as a “public
relations stunt.”
The impeachment trial starts
Feb. 9. Trump, the first president
to be impeached twice, is charged
with inciting an insurrection on
Jan. 6, when a mob of his support-
ers broke into the Capitol to inter-
rupt the electoral vote count. Five
people died. Before the riot, Trump
had told his supporters to “fight like
hell” to overturn his election defeat.
Democrats have said a trial is
necessary to provide a final mea-
sure of accountability for the at-
tack. If Trump is convicted, the
Senate could hold a second vote to
disqualify him from seeking office
again.

Divided House kicks Greene off both her committees

Eleven Republicans joined 219 Democrats in backing
Georgia representative’s ejection from her committees
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — A
fiercely divided House
has tossed Rep. Marjorie
Taylor Greene off both
her committees, an un-
precedented punishment
that Democrats said she’d
earned by spreading hate-
ful and violent conspiracy
theories.
Underscoring the polit-
ical vise her inflammatory
commentary has clamped
her party into, nearly all Re-
publicans voted against the
Democratic move Thurs-
day but none defended her
lengthy history of outra-
geous social media posts.
Yet in a riveting mo-
ment, the freshman Re-
publican from a deep-red
corner of Georgia took to
the House floor on her own
behalf. She offered a mix-
ture of backpedaling and
finger-pointing as she wore
a dark mask emblazoned
with the words “FREE
SPEECH.”
The chamber’s near
party-line 230-199 vote was
the latest instance of con-
spiracy theories becoming
pitched political battle-
fields, an increasingly fa-
miliar occurrence during
Donald Trump’s presiden-
cy. He faces a Senate trial
next week for his House
impeachment for inciting
insurrection after a mob he
fueled with his false narra-
tive of a stolen election at-
tacked the Capitol.
Thursday’s fight also
underscored the uproar
and political complexities
that Greene — a master of
provoking Democrats, pro-
moting herself and raising
campaign money — has
prompted since becoming
a House candidate last year.
Eleven Republicans
joined 219 Democrats in
backing Greene’s ejec-
tion from her committees,
while 199 GOP lawmakers
voted “no.”
Addressing her col-
leagues, Greene tried to
dissociate herself from her
“words of the past.” Contra-
dicting past social media
posts, she said she believes
the 9/11 attacks and mass
school shootings were real
and no longer believes QA-
non conspiracy theories,
which include lies about
Democratic-run pedophile
rings.
But she didn’t explicitly
apologize for supportive
online remarks she’s made
on other subjects, as when
she mulled about House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi be-
ing assassinated or the
possibility of Jewish-con-
trolled space rays causing
wildfires. And she por-
trayed herself as the victim
of unscrupulous “big media
companies.”

Voting company sues Fox, Giuliani over election fraud claims

BY JOSHUA GOODMAN
The Associated Press
MIAMI — A voting
technology company is
suing Fox News, three of
its hosts and two former
lawyers for former Pres-
ident Donald Trump —
Rudy Giuliani and Sidney
Powell — for $2.7 billion,
charging that the defen-
dants conspired to spread
false claims that the com-
pany helped “steal” the
U.S. presidential election.
The 285-page com-
plaint filed Thursday in
New York state court by
Florida-based Smartmat-
ic USA is one of the larg-
est libel suits ever under-
taken. On Jan. 25, a rival
election-technology com-
pany — Dominion Voting
Systems, which was also
ensnared in Trump’s base-
less effort to overturn the
election — sued Giuliani
and Powell for $1.3 billion.
Unlike Dominion,
whose technology was
used in 24 states, Smart-
matic’s participation in
the 2020 election was re-
stricted to Los Angeles
County, which votes heav-
ily Democratic.
Smartmatic’s limited
role notwithstanding, Fox
aired at least 13 reports
falsely stating or implying
the company had stolen
the 2020 vote in cahoots
with Venezuela’s socialist
government, according
to the complaint. This
alleged “disinformation
campaign” continued
even after then-Attorney
General William Barr said
the Department of Justice
could find no evidence of
widespread voter fraud.
For instance, a Dec. 10
segment by Lou Dobbs
accused Smartmatic and
its CEO, Antonio Mugica,
of working to flip votes
through a non-existent
backdoor in its voting soft-
ware to carry out a “mas-
sive cyber Pearl Harbor,”
the complaint alleged.
“Defendants’ story was
a lie,” the complaint stat-
ed. “But, it was a story
that sold.”

Biden, at prayer breakfast, calls out ‘political extremism’

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Washington tradition
that asks political com-
WASHINGTON — batants to set aside their
President Joe Biden on differences for one morn-
Thursday called for a ing.
confrontation of the “po- The breakfast has
litical extremism” that sparked controversy in
inspired the U.S. Capitol the past, particularly
riot and appealed for col- when President Donald
lective strength during Trump used last year’s
such turbulent times in installment to slam his
remarks at the Nation- political opponents and
al Prayer Breakfast, a question their faith.
Some liberals have
viewed the event warily
because of the conser-
vative faith-based group
that is behind it.
Still, Biden cam-
paigned for the White
House as someone who
could unify Americans,
and the breakfast gave
the nation’s second Cath-
olic president a chance
to talk about his vision of
faith as a force for good.
“For so many in our na-
tion, this is a dark, dark
time,” Biden told those
watching the event. “So
where do we turn? Faith.”
Sen. Chris Coons,
D-Del., said the event is
“an inclusive and posi-
tive” one that “recogniz-
es the teachings of Je-
sus but is not limited to
Christianity.”
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 3A

Bill would allow offenders to expunge multiple felonies

HB 122 would allow people to expunge two
felonies from their record after 10 years and
expunge three felonies after 15 years
BY LEAH WILLINGHAM
The Associated Press/Report
for America
JACKSON — Mississippi law-
makers are considering a pro-
posal that would give nonviolent
offenders a chance to get more
felony convictions wiped from
their record.
House Bill 122 would allow
people to expunge two felonies
from their record after 10 years
and expunge three felonies after
15 years.
The change would not apply
to habitual offenders or anyone
convicted of a violent crime. The
time clock for eligibility would
start only after a person has
completed all terms and condi-
tions of their sentence.
Republican Rep. Jansen Owen
of Poplarville, the bill’s spon-
sor, said Thursday that passing
the legislation would show that
Mississippians have “a forgiving
spirit.”
“This targets those people
who went through a span of
their life where they made a lot
of wrong decisions, somebody in
their 20s who got a drug convic-
tion at 22, 24, 27 and now they’re
50 and they go to church and
they want a job and they want
their kids to not see that they
have this mark on them,” he said.
The legislation is similar to a
bill vetoed last year by Republi-
can Gov. Tate Reeves that would
have allowed people to expunge
three felonies after only five
years. Reeves said then he felt
the proposal was “well-inten-
tioned” but “would threaten pub-
lic safety.”
Owen said Thursday he
hopes House Bill 122 address-
es some of governor’s concerns
by increasing the time a person
must wait to clear their record of
multiple convictions.
Right now, a person can get
one felony expunged five years
after completing all terms and
conditions of their sentence.
Republican Rep. Bill Kinkade
of Byhalia said he believes the
current law is more than suffi-
cient. He said the new proposal
still goes too far.
“What you’re suggesting to
us today is we’re going to look
at expungement as a do-over,
as you have multiple opportu-
nities,” Kinkade said. “I don’t
believe that was the idea behind
expungement to start with.”
“Expungement is there for
an individual to get his life back
on track, for him to pay for his
past sins,” he said. “What you’re
saying is that we can commit a
crime and then another one and
have it expunged again and then
expunged again.”
Owen said all decisions about
expungement would be made
at the discretion of a judge. The
court can deny an offender’s pe-
tition if it is not convinced the
person applying has been reha-
bilitated.
Democratic Rep. John Hines
of Greenville said he supports
the legislation, which could help
curtail recidivism.
“People actually end up fall-
ing through the cracks because
they can’t be gainfully employed
because of these felonies being
on their record,” he said.
The bill passed the House 80
to 39 on Thursday and will now
move on to the Senate for more
work.

NEW WALKING PATH AT PARTNERSHIP SCHOOL

Tess Vrbin/Dispatch Staff

Peyton Hardin, right, and Omini Parks, both teachers at Partnership Middle School in Starkville, jog on the new
walking path surrounding the school on Thursday afternoon as part of PMS’ grant-funded health and wellness
initiative. Teachers and staff walked a mile around the school, or two and a half laps on the path, and later took a
series of fitness tests, including flexibility and blood pressure, said Brandi Burton, the grants and innovative strat-
egies specialist for the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. The $900,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield
grant also funded outdoor gardens and mobile kitchens for PMS.

Mississippi looks to create loan repayment for teachers

Senators on Thursday also passed a bill that would ease
the process for people who are licensed to teach in
other states to become licensed to teach in Mississippi
BY EMILY WAGSTER
PET TUS
The Associated Press
JACKSON — Missis-
sippi could create a pro-
gram for the state to pay
off some college loans
for people who become
teachers.
A bill that passed the
Senate on Thursday
would create a three-year
loan repayment program.
After a person completes
one year of teaching, the
state would pay a certain
amount of the money the
person borrowed for col-
lege. The state would pay
more after the second
year and more after the
third year.
People who teach in ar-
eas deemed to have criti-
cal needs would receive
higher payments.
Senate Bill 2305
passed by a wide margin.
It will go to the House for
more work.
Democratic Sen. Da-
vid Blount of Jackson said
Mississippi has several
programs intended to
help fund college educa-
tion for people who intend
to become teachers.
“All of them are well-in-
tentioned, but none of
them had been funded in
recent years,” Blount said
Thursday.
Some of the existing
programs are “loan for-
giveness” plans, with
people receiving money
during college if they
pledge to become teach-
ers. Blount said those can
end with some people de-
faulting on loans and the
state becoming a collec-
tion agency.
“People’s plans change,
maybe they choose not to
go into the teaching pro-
fession, maybe they move
to another state, maybe
they teach for a year and
decide they don’t want to
teach anymore,” Blount
said.
With the new propos-
al, the state would make
payments after a person
works as a teacher. In
areas with critical needs
shortage in Mississippi.
The Senate last month
passed a bill to increase
teacher salaries, and that
awaits consideration in
the House.
for teachers, payment Senators on Thurs-
amounts would be $4,500 day also passed Senate
after the first year, $5,500 Bill 2267, which would
after the second year and ease the process for peo-
$6,500 after the third
ple who are licensed to
year. In other areas, pay- teach in other states to
ment amounts would be
become licensed to teach
$2,500 after the first year, in Mississippi. The per-
$3,500 after the second
son would have to under-
year and $4,500 after the
go a background check.
third year.
The bill also goes to the
Critical-needs areas
have high numbers of House.
people teaching subjects
in which they are not cer-
tified.
The loan repayment
program would be named
in honor of the late Dem-
ocratic former Gov. Wil-
liam Winter, who pushed
legislators to enact the
Education Reform Act of
1982, and the late Tupelo
businessman Jack Reed,
a friend of Winter who
served on the first state
Board of Education and
who ran unsuccessfully
for governor as a Republi-
can in 1987.
Loan repayment is one
of several proposals to
try to deal with a teacher

CORRECTION
■ In Thursday’s edition, The Dispatch misreported the size of Starkville’s cur-
rent annexation proposal. The city is attempting to annex 2.3 miles, which will ring SOLUNAR TABLE
the city’s total square mileage area to 27.9. We regret the error. The solunar period indicates
peak-feeding times for fish and game.
Fri. Sat.
Major 7:14p 8:11p
The Commercial Dispatch strives to report the news accurately. When we print an Minor 2:41a 3:51a

The Dispatch
Major 7:41a 8:40a
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email news@cdispatch.com.
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Opinion
4A FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021
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

CPA consultant provides details on
the uncovering of unreconciled city
accounts
My name is Mike Crowder, CPA, and
I would like to comment on the article
printed in The Commercial Dispatch
on February 3, regarding the City of
Columbus.
I was hired by the City of Columbus
in early January 2019, as a consultant
to assist the city during the required
suspension of the CFO, Mr. Rawle.
According to my engagement letter, my
responsibilities would consist of tem-
porary comptrollership activities. My
involvement lasted until April 24, 2019.
I would like to respond to some of
the “alternative facts” that were present-
ed in the newspaper article.
Regarding the bank reconciliations
mentioned, the article stated: “‘The
auditors paused the audit so that the
city could reconcile its bank account,
but the accountant hired by the city to
do so left before finishing the job, so the
auditors had to do so while restarting
the audit,’ Holley said.”
I was never assigned to re-reconcile
the prior fraudulent bank reconcilia-
tions; in fact, I was the one who discov-
ered that the banks were not recon-
ciled and reported this to everyone
involved-the Mayor, COO, city attorney,
auditors, finance committee and later
to the council. After this discovery, I
was able to obtain a beginning point
on the bank reconciliations so the city
could move forward, while disclosing to
everyone that the prior fraudulent rec-
onciliations (that apparently went back
several months and years) would be left
to the permanent CFO to correct. My
job during this short engagement was
to keep the city’s finances moving along
on a daily basis and to correct errors/
omissions as I found them.
The facts and timeline that occurred
regarding the bank reconciliation fiasco
were as follows:
I discovered during the very first
month of my engagement (January
2019) that there were problems with the
bank reconciliations, including fraud-
ulent entries that were being made, in
order to give the appearance of being
reconciled. After discovering this prob-
lem, I notified both Mayor Robert Smith
and COO David Armstrong, and we
subsequently had meetings on January
31, 2019 and again on February 14, 2019
to discuss. At the February meeting, I
requested we call the auditors to alert
them regarding the bank reconciliation
problems, as the city had a responsibili-
ty to do so. It was my understanding at
the time that the auditors were almost
finished with the audit for FY 2018,
so they needed to be notified as soon
as possible. A second meeting was
scheduled on February 19, 2019 for that
purpose. Mr. Rawle was aware of the
problems that I had discovered with the
bank reconciliations and between the
two meetings, he resigned. I vividly
recall that, during this meeting, the
auditor (Wanda Holley) indicated Mr.
Rawle telephoned her the night before
the February 19 meeting and disclosed
to her that he had not properly recon-
ciled the bank accounts.
The meeting was held on February
19, 2019 with Mayor Smith, COO David
Armstrong, the city attorney, the audi-
tor Wanda Holley, and me present.
Because of my discovery of the
fraudulent bank reconciliations and
the trail that I left regarding this
problem the embezzlement was later
revealed. The key to the discovery
of the embezzlement was fraudulent
bank reconciliation. I believe that, had
Mr. Rawle not been suspended in early
2019, necessitating another accountant
to assist during his suspension period,
the embezzlement and fraudulent bank
reconciliation activity might still be
occurring.
I wanted to emphasize that I was not
hired to re-reconcile the prior fraudu-
lent bank reconciliations, so I did not
“leave before finishing the job.” Rath-
er, I was the one who discovered the
fraudulent reconciliations that led to the
embezzlement case.
Mike Crowder
Macon, Georgia
Candidate states the central role
God plays in her life
First I repent, as a Christian I have
not fulfilled the purpose of God in my
life.
COVID-19 has caused me to exam-
ine my heart, not my head! An evange-
list of 42 years, I know the word of God,
quote the word of God, study the word
of God in my head, but my heart was
not where God wanted it to be: walking
in obedience to God and not man.
I’ve had time to re-evaluate my prior-
ities: #1 God; #2 family; #3 church and
#4 community.
I put my children first at one time
before putting God first. I said I love
you, God! But when it came to money,
I put my children, grandchildren and
great-grands first. My pockets had
holes in them.
After a heart attack, I repented and
started going to the bank and next
place was my church home to pay my
tithes and offering.
The floodgates opened! You, me, no
one can beat God giving: New percep-
tions, new attitude, new way of living
(exercising, eating, health.
I challenge all of us: Seek the Lord
first. Before you get out of bed, before
your feet hit the floor, before you use
the bathroom, before you brush your
teeth, before you shower and before
your first cup of coffee.
God wants to be first!
Is Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
etc the first thing you look at? A Bible
is on your phone! This technology can
become an enemy or a blessing: You
decide!
Let’s stop the craziness and get it
right!
Ask the Lord to order your steps
daily.
Let’s humble ourselves, pray and
seek God’s face and turn from our
wicked ways: all lying, gossiping, back
biting, prejudice, stealing, embezzling,
favoritism, not showing up for work
having to punch your clock card and
you get paid (stealing taxpayer funds),
covering up for embezzlers, drug
selling, drug using, neglecting children,
church doors locked when they need to
be opened, God’s people going to casi-
nos, grocery store, work and not going
to church: You decide. It’s your choice.
The consequences will be delivered!
Vengeance is the Lord! We all have
or perhaps are guilty!
Columbus, Lowndes countians,
we will become a city and county that
God’s will be done on Earth as it is in
Heaven! I’m awake! Wake up!
Get a relationship with God, daily
and I promise you, He will wake you
up, take the scales off our eyes and
we all will say, “I once were blind but
now I see! God be with you! Gold bless
Columbus!
Pat Douglas
Columbus
Editor’s note: Douglas is a candidate
for Columbus City Council. The Dispatch
allows each candidate to write one letter
to the editor per election.
A call for the support of community
colleges
The late Governor William Winter
asserted, “The only road out of poverty
runs past the schoolhouse door.” We
Mississippians have long battled the
devastating effects of a largely impov-
erished and uneducated populace. Var-
ious statistics concerning health and
well-being, infant mortality, lack of jobs
and the unemployed, or our educational
system demonstrate the depth of our
state’s predicament.
As a community college instructor,
I have witnessed our state’s struggles
firsthand for over two decades. Fortu-
nately, I have also seen many Mississip-
pi residents seek amelioration through
one of our state’s fifteen community
colleges by obtaining their GED, enroll-
ing in an academic transfer program, or
completing a Career/Technical pro-
gram or vocational training to enter the
job market more quickly. Mississippi
needs its community colleges to be able
to continue to serve its people.
Currently, our community colleges
receive less than 7 percent of every dol-
lar of Mississippi’s educational budget.
Less than a dime! Simply put, our com-
munity colleges need greater funding
so that we can function at the highest
level. While we have been touted as the
“best bang for the buck,” those bangs
could lessen without adequate funding.
As Mississippians emerge from COVID,
our community colleges are poised to
lead in our state’s preparedness to move
forward.
I would like to take the liberty to re-
vamp Gov. Winter’s words and propose
that the path to economic recovery and
betterment in our state flows through
our community colleges.
I support community colleges, and
you should too.
Marilyn Y. Ford
Columbus,
President, Mississippi Faculty
Association for Community Colleges
Concerned about actions against
House member
I am not sure the Democrats made
the right move in stripping Marjorie
Taylor Greene of her committee assign-
ments yesterday. As much as it is easy
to find video evidence to discredit a
number of the claims she made on the
House floor yesterday in her apology
that was not really an apology, it still
opens the door to future abuse of this
precedent. Unfortunately, in this case,
it is hard to separate holding a sitting
member of Congress accountable after
they’ve called for the assassination of
a former President and a House leader
from the free speech guaranteed by
the Constitution. There is something
missing here and, in my opinion, we are
in dangerous territory until there is ei-
ther legislation or bipartisan procedural
rules for the House that can handle a
case like this without giving power to
the majority party that they should not
have and should not need.
Paul Mack
Columbus
Believes Reeves’ criticism of vaccine
plan is hypocritical
Under the plan developed by Joe
Biden’s administration, around 10
percent of Mississippi’s total weekly
vaccine allocation will go to federal
pharmacy partners.
Our Republican governor said he
wonders how successful the program
will be in a rural state like Mississippi.
He further states, in Issaquena
County, there aren’t a lot of these phar-
macy partners, if any. To even mention
Issaquena County, with a population
of 1,400, seems to be a takeaway from
what Biden is trying to accomplish.
Reeves states: And I will tell you,
that I am somewhat concerned about
those efforts.
Something else that Reeves and the
Republicans have been concerned about
is the expansion of Medicaid, part of
Obamacare. The people who need it the
most could have had it for years.
But no, the cost is not worth it.
Biden signed an executive order
directing the HealthCare.gov insurance
markets to take new applications for
subsidized benefits, something Donald
Trump’s administration had refused to
do.
Biden will be our friend, if you will
let him.
James Hodges
Steens

Ideological imperialism is leading to a bad end

W
hen it was
learned in
2016 that
Russia may have
hacked the emails
of John Podesta
and the DNC, and
passed the fruits on
to WikiLeaks to aid
candidate Donald
Trump, mighty was
the outrage of the
American establish- Patrick Buchanan
ment.
If Russia’s security services
filched those emails, and a troll
farm in Saint Petersburg sent
tweets and texts to stir up ran-
cor in our politics, it was said,
this was an attack on American
democracy and its most sacred
of rituals — the elections by
which we chose our leaders.
Some called it an “act of war.” onment of dissident Alexei Na-
Others compared it to Pearl
Harbor.
Almost all agreed it was
intolerable interference in the
internal affairs of the United
States which called forth both
condemnation and retribution.
Yet, when it comes to
interfering in the affairs of
other nations, how sinless, how
blameless, are we Americans?
During the Cold War, the
United States regularly dumped survive and grow...
over regimes we believed
imperiled our cause — Iran in
1953, Guatemala in 1954, the
Congo in the 1960s. After the
Cold War, the United States
was a major mover
in the “color revolu-
tions” that changed
regimes in Ukraine
and Georgia.
According to
Victoria Nuland,
then of the State De-
partment, now back
again, $5 billion was
pumped in to effect
the overthrow of
the democratically
elected pro-Russian
regime in Kiev and its replace-
ment by a pro-American one.
This was the triggering event
that caused Vladimir Putin to
annex Crimea to secure his
country’s Black Sea naval base
at Sevastopol.
Consider the reaction in this
capital to the arrest and impris-
valny, following his return from
Germany, where he had been
treated for chemical poisoning,
allegedly by Putin’s security
services.
In an editorial, “Nothing But
a Poisoner,” The Washington
Post thundered:
“Western governments
should be doing what they can
to help this unprecedented chal-
lenge to Mr. Putin’s autocracy
“Mr. Putin has dedicated
himself to exploiting the weak-
nesses in democratic systems.
Now is the time to return the
favor.”
Where did we Americans acquire the right to
intervene in the internal affairs of nations ...
that do not threaten or attack us?
Consider what the Post is
calling for here:
The U.S. and NATO nations
should openly side with protest-
ers in Russia’s cities whose goal
is the overthrow of Putin and of
the internationally recognized
government of Russia.
How, one wonders, would
Americans react if Putin openly
urged worldwide support for
the “Stop the Steal” mob that
invaded the U.S. Capitol to
overturn the results of the Nov.
3 election?
Though Americans are
divided over racial, cultural,
social and moral issues, liberal
interventionists still talk of our
“universal values” that repre-
sent the future toward which all
nations should aspire. Among
these are the values of democ-
racy as practiced in the United
States.
These are the standards by
which other nations are to be
judged. And nations that do not
conform to these standards are
candidates for U.S. interfer-
ence in their affairs. Ours is an
ideological imperialism of a rare
order.
Where did we Americans
acquire the right to intervene
in the internal affairs of nations
— be they autocracies, monar-
chies or republics — that do not
threaten or attack us?
When we have intervened in
these nations militarily, disaster
has most often been the result.
It was partly because the re-
gimes of Libya, Syria, Iraq and
Yemen did not comport to our
ideas of good governance that
we went in militarily to change
them. Result: millions of dead,
wounded and displaced Arabs
and Muslims all across the Mid-
dle East. A historic calamity.
When the Arab Spring arose,
we embraced it. The democratic
revolution was here! And what
happened in the largest Arab
nation that responded as we
insisted, Egypt?
An ally of 30 years, President
Hosni Mubarak, was ousted.
The Muslim Brotherhood
was voted into power. It was
replaced a year later by a new
general, Abdel Fattah el-Sis-
si, a man more ruthless than
Mubarak.
This week, the generals in
Myanmar (Burma) ousted the
civilian leadership of the coun-
try and assumed full power.
President Joe Biden reacted
reflexively, calling it a “direct as-
sault on the country’s transition
to democracy.”
“In a democracy,” said Biden,
“force should never seek to
override the will of the people or
attempt to erase the outcome of
a credible election.”
Derek Mitchell of the
National Democratic Institute,
a subsidiary of the National
Endowment for Democracy,
explained: “Democracy is one of
the pillars of the Biden Adminis-
tration’s foreign policy agenda.
They recognize they have to
address this pretty seriously.
The question is what to do.”
Actually, the larger question,
the basic question is why the in-
ternal affairs of Burma, a nation
10,000 miles from the United
States, are the business of the
United States.
The post-Cold War world,
where America stood in moral
judgment of the democracy cre-
dentials of all other nations, and
acted against those that did not
sufficiently conform, is coming
to an end.
And if we do not give up this
ideological imperialism, that
end, especially where Russia
and China are concerned, could
come sudden and soon.
Patrick J. Buchanan, a
nationally syndicated columnist,
was a senior advisor to presidents
Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and
Ronald Reagan. His website is
http://buchanan.org/blog.

COMMERCIAL DISPATCH
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Fredderick Harrison
COLUMBUS — Rev.
Fredderick Harrison,
59, died
Jan. 28,
2021, at
Baptist
Memorial
Hospi-
tal-Golden
Triangle.
Harrison
Funeral
services
will be at 11 a.m. Sat-
urday, at Providence
M.B. Church, with the
Rev. Gilbert Ander-
son officiating. Burial
will follow at Stallion
Cemetery. Visitation is
from noon-2 p.m. today,
at Brown Ridge M.B.
Church in Crawford
and from 3-6 p.m. at
Carter’s Funeral Ser-
vices. Carter’s Funeral
Services of Columbus
is in charge of arrange-
ments.
Mr. Harrison was
born Sept. 17, 1961, in
Columbus, to Ozella
Harrison and the late
Rev. Leroy Harrison.
He was formerly em-
ployed as a carpenter
and pastor of Brown
Ridge M.B. Church. He
was a member of Provi-
dence M.B. Church.
In addition to his
father, he was pre-
ceded in death by his
siblings, Patricia Jones,
Guy Richards
Graveside Services:
Saturday, Feb. 6 • 2 PM
Friendship Cemetery
Burial
Friendship Cemetery
2nd Ave. N. Location
Jimmy Simmons
Graveside Services:
Saturday, Feb. 6 • 1 PM
Friendship Cemetery
Burial
Friendship Cemetery
2nd Ave. N. Location
Sharon Beatty
Visitation:
Sunday, Feb.7 • 1-1:45 PM
2nd Ave. N. Location
Graveside Services:
Sunday, Feb. 7 • 2 PM
Memorial Gardens
Burial
Memorial Gardens
2nd Ave. N. Location
Dianne Holmes
Graveside Services:
Friday, Feb. 5 • 2 PM
Canton City Cemetery
Burial
Canton City Cemetery
College St. Location
memorialgunterpeel.com
cdispatch.com
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 5A
AREA OBITUARIES
Linda Easter and Leroy parents, he was pre- He is survived by ta, Georgia, Candice West Point is in charge
Harrison Jr. ceded in death by his his wife, Eula p. Blair; Blevins Davenport of of arrangements.
In addition to his brother, Tommie James children, Brenda Hop- Gulf Shores, Alabama; Ms. Calhoun was
mother, he is survived Chandler. kins, Shavon Hopkins, and three grandchil- born Dec. 23, 1956, in
by his wife, Margaret He is survived by Theaster Hopkins, dren. West Point, to the late
Harrison; children, his daughter, Latarsia Santee Hopkins all Eugene Pittman and
Cynthia Cunningham, Burton of Dallas, Tex- of Brooksville and Diane Calhoun Estella Calhoun.
Montiga Watt, Freder- as; siblings, Barbara Quentez Hodges of WEST POINT — Di- In addition to her
ick Harrison Jr., Willie Malone, Rosie Sims, Columbus; brother, parents, she was
ane Calhoun, 64, died
Ousley, Xavier Harri- Ann Brooks, Jesse Jackie Lee Howard of Jan. 24, 2021, at North preceded in death by
son all of Columbus, Johnson, McArthur Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Mississippi Medical her son, Christopher
Adrianne Harrison of Chandler Sr., Jessie three grandchildren; Center-West Point. Calhoun.
Lawrenceville, Geor- Doss, Isaiah Doss all of and three great-grand- Graveside services She is survived by
gia, and Penesha Jo- Brooksville, Emma Pet- children. will be at 11 a.m. Satur- her daughter, Rosmes-
seph of Tampa, Florida; ty, Charlie Doss, Jim- day, at Strong Hill M.B. sie Calhoun; siblings,
siblings, Elnora Paul of my Doss all of Tupelo, Peggy Brackett Church Cemetery, with Willie Calhoun, Jasper
Houston, Texas, Vanes- Eddie Chandler, Robert COLUMBUS — Peg- Cedric N. Dean offici- Pittman, Johnny Pitt-
sa Anderson of Kansas Chandler, Christopher gy Ann Brackett, 47, ating. Visitation will man, Jeffery Pittman,
City, Missouri, Larry Chandler, Bobby Davis, died Jan. be from 10:30-11 a.m. Theodore Spraggins
Harrison of Dayton, Vickie Williams, Nicole 28, 2021, prior to services at and Jennifer Lampton;
Ohio, Cynthia Ceburn David, Twanna Jackson at North the cemetery. Carter’s and one grandchild.
of Houston, Texas, Rev. all of Columbus, Tony MS Medi- Mortuary Services of See OBITUARIES, 7A
Chandler and Otis
Alfonso Latham, Willie cal Center
John Paulk
Petty, Shlanda Ball, Doss both of Califor- in Tupelo.
Jeffery Richardson all nia; and five grandchil- Grave-
of Columbus, Rev. J.W. dren. side
Leech of Florida and 14 services Brackett
John I. Paulk, 92, formerly of Starkville, MS
grandchildren. Erlene Alford will be passed away on February 2, 2021, in Decatur,
Pallbearers will be ACKERMAN — at 2 p.m. Saturday, at GA. John was born July 27, 1928, to Frederick
Cecil Watt, Isaac Watt, Erlene Alford, 90, died New Baptist Temple Domont Paulk and Lucy Mae Paulk in Buford
Leroy Watt, Kerry Feb. 4, 2021, at her Memorial Gardens, Station, TN. He graduated from the United States
Harrison and Hiwatha residence. with Kenny Gardner Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD in 1952 before
Harrison. Arrangements are officiating. Visitation joining the United States Air Force where he
incomplete and will be is from 2-6 p.m. today, served both stateside and overseas for 4-years.
Tommie Chandler announced by Lown- at Carter’s Funeral Ser- Upon leaving military service, John entered
NOXUBEE COUN- des Funeral Home of vices. Carter’s Funeral the private sector, joining DuPont De Nemours,
TY — Tommie James Columbus. Services of Columbus Inc. as an engineer before obtaining his PhD
“Hooper” is in charge of arrange- in Nuclear Engineering from North Carolina
Chandler, Wren Blair ments. State and entering academia. John retired from
62, died NOXUBEE COUN- Mrs. Brackett was Mississippi State University with 30-years of
Feb. 1, TY — Wren Blair, 80, born Feb. 4, 1973, in service in 1993 as Associate Dean of Engineering.
2021, at died Jan. Columbus, to Alice He was a devoted Mississippi State Bulldog fan
University 27, 2021, Faye Scott and the late and avid golfer in his spare time.
Medical at Baptist Tommy Lee Blevins. John was preceded in death by his parents;
Center in Chandler Memorial She was a graduate older brother, Fred Paulk; older sister, June Paulk
Jackson. Hospi- S.D. Lee High School. Adair; and his wife, Mary Alice Thomas Paulk.
tal-Golden She was formerly
Grave- He is survived by his son, John I. Paulk, Jr.,
side services will be at Triangle. employed as a CNA and his wife Tammy; his son, Thomas M. Paulk
3 p.m. Saturday, at Mt. Grave- with Aurora Nursing and his husband Alan Hale; four grandchildren;
Blair and Rehab and Wind-
Carmel MBC Cem- side six great-grandchildren; and his younger sister,
etery, with the Rev. services sor Place. She was a Mary Anne Paulk Weems.
Oscar Davis officiating. will be at 11 a.m. Sat- member of Columbus A private visitation for family will be held on
Visitation is from 2-6 urday, at Pilgrim Rest Christian Center. Friday, February 5th at Welch Funeral Home
p.m. today, at Carter’s Cemetery, with Sam- In addition to her from 12:30 to 1:30 PM followed by a graveside
Funeral Services. Car- mie Lyons officiating. mother, she is survived service at 2:00 PM for friends at Memorial
ter’s Funeral Services Visitation is from 2-6 by her fiance, James Garden Park on Oktoc Road.
of Macon is in charge p.m. today, at Carter’s Colvin; daughter, Ebo- In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations
of arrangements. Funeral Services. Car- ny Brackett of Colum- to be made to the Oktibbeha County Humane
Mr. Chandler was ter’s Funeral Services bus; siblings, Lamar Society at www.ochsms.org.
born July 14, 1958, in of Macon is in charge Scott, Meyisha Scott You can leave the family a condolence at: www.
Noxubee County, to of arrangements. both of Jonesboro, Ar- welchfuneralhomes.com.
the late Tommie L. Mr. Blair was born kansas, Candace Scott
Chandler and Cora Feb. 24, 1940, in Noxu- of Columbus, Christo- Paid Obituary - Welch Funeral Home
L. Harris. He was a bee County, to the late pher Blevins of Atlan-
member of Mt. Carmel Zolar Edward Howard.
MBC. He was a member of
In addition to his Pilgrim Rest MBC.
Virginia Sellers
Virginia Lee Sellers, 85, of
Gosnell, passed away Tuesday,
January 26, 2021, at Flo and
Phil Jones Hospice House in
Jonesboro.
Virginia was born in Reform,
Alabama to Rufus and Clara
Leavell Swedenburg and was
a lifelong member of Gosnell
Baptist Church. She was a
hairdresser for 47 years. Virginia worked at
Burls Beauty Shop until its closing and then went
on to work at Sherry’s Styling Salon until her
retirement. Virginia was a member of the Cotton
Classic car club and enjoyed riding or driving
around in her 1957 Ford Fairlane convertible.
She loved to go shopping, talking on the phone
and had a love for animals.
She was preceded in death by her husband,
Bill Sellers, Jr.; sisters, Bessie Kemp and Zeta
Peralto; and sister-in-law, Viola Johnson.
Virginia leaves her children, Ricky Sellers and
his wife Carol of Van Buren, Arkansas, Debbie
Jones of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Kathy Sellers
and Melinda Bass of Jonesboro, Sandra Burch of
Gosnell and Lisa Holifield and her husband J.C.
of Gosnell; grandchildren, Michael Kaulfurst,
Amanda Kaulfurst Freeman, Dana Kaulfurst,
Chad Sellers, J.J. Cooper, Bill Holifield and Jenny
Holifield; seven great-grandchildren; brother
and sisters-in-law, Billy Joe “B.J.” and Pat Sellers
of Blytheville, Jimmy and Millie Sellers of
Jonesboro, Willene Ziebell of Rockford, Illinois
and Susan and Harold Perrin of Jonesboro; and
her cat, Blue.
Funeral services were Friday, January 29th at
2:00 PM in the Cobb Funeral Home Chapel with
Dr. Eddie Clemons and Dr. Max Briley officiating.
Burial followed in Dogwood Cemetery. The
family received friends Thursday evening from
4-7 PM at Cobb Funeral Home.
Condolences may be expressed to the family
at www.cobbfuneralhome.com.
Paid Obituary - Cobb Funeral Home
6A FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Democratic challengers file in Ward 2, 5 races

Buckley challenges
Sistrunk; Evans
to run against Beatty
BY ZACK PLAIR
zplair@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — Two Demo-
crats qualified Thursday to chal-
lenge incumbents in primaries
for separate wards.
Jimmy Joe Buckley is run-
ning for Ward 2 alderman, while
Joe Evans filed to run in Ward 5.
Buckley will attempt to unseat
Sandra Sistrunk, while Evans is
challenging first-term alderman
Hamp Beatty.
Buckley, 62, is a retired elec-
trician and veteran of the U.S.
Army and Mississippi National
Guard. He served in 1991 in Op-
eration Desert Storm and retired
from the military with the rank
of staff sergeant.
He is a
Starkville native
and son of one of
the first female
officers hired at
Starkville Police
Department. He
volunteers with Buckley
Habitat for Hu-
manity and has assisted with
projects for the Oktibbeha Coun-
ty Humane Society.
As alderman, Buckley said
he will strongly support law en-
forcement, first responders and
continued improvement of parks
and recreation opportunities.
He told The Dispatch he
wanted to remove restrictions
on businesses that are “stifling”
economic development. He be-
lieves the actions taken during
the COVID-19 pandemic have
made that worse, “sometimes
unnecessarily,” referring to the
temporary shutdown of non-es-
sential businesses last spring.
“We need to make our city a
friendlier place for businesses to
come and establish themselves,”
Buckley said. “Currently, I don’t
think the city is focusing on the
kinds of things that will make
that impact.”
A particular “pet-peeve” for
Buckley is “depleted” commer-
cial properties in highly visible
areas like Highway 12 and 182.
He is also concerned about the
aesthetics of downtown.
“We want to market our-
selves as ‘Starkvegas,’ but when
we have rundown commercial
properties that ought to be made
to be cleaned up, that’s not very
‘Starkvegas.’”
Downtown, he said, partic-
ularly Main Street, needs to be
resurfaced and restriped.
“I bet downtown Maben looks
twice as good as ours,” he said.
Joe Evans runs in Ward 5
Joe Evans, 50, teaches vocal
music privately and plays local
gigs professional-
ly. He volunteers
with programs
at Mississippi
State Universi-
ty, including the
annual Summer
Scholars theater
camp. Evans
He said he’s
thought about running for of-
fice since he was a newspaper
reporter covering city govern-
ment 15 years ago.
Evans holds bachelor’s de-
grees in educational psychol-
ogy and musical education, as
well as a master’s in counseling,
all from MSU.
As an alderman, Evans said
he would seek to find ways pol-
icy can best balance between
economic growth and pre-
serving the “quintessentially
Starkvillian” way of life.
“I’ve seen the board for
years struggle with the basic
question, ‘What is the nature
of Starkville?’” Evans said. “It’s
about trying to meet the needs
of all Starkvillians, whether
they be college students or peo-
ple who have lived here 40 or 60
years.”
Part of that effort, he said, is
not becoming “entrenched” as a
city or “inflexible” with policies
in a way that would deter oppor-
tunity.
“We need to look at our or-
dinances in how they will affect
us in six months, as well as the
impact they will have long-
term,” he said.
The qualifying deadline is 5
p.m. today. Party primaries are
April 6 and the general election
is set for June 8.

Wages
Continued from Page 1A
administrator position
Oct. 1 after Ralph Billing-
sley’s retirement, and he
said he observed how his
predecessor put together
the county’s FY 2021 bud-
get.
Revenue and expenses
play a role in the county’s
capacity to increase wag-
es, Fisher said.
“The supervisors ab-
solutely could do it tomor-
row, but it would come at
a cost, and that cost would
be offset by cuts in other
areas,” Fisher said.
Brooks had discussed
his proposal with Billing-
sley and continued those
conversations with Fish-
er, so the FY 2021 budget
included some money set
aside for potential chang-
es in the county’s salary
structure, Fisher said.
District 2 Supervi-
sor and Board President
Trip Hairston said he has
seen disparities in coun-
ty employees’ wages that
should be corrected, but
it’s “too early” for him to
take a stance on Brooks’
proposal and wants to fig-
ure out how it would affect
the county’s overall bud-
get first.
“I know
L eroy’s
done a lot
of work on
that and I’m
certainly
willing to
look at it,
but at some Hairston
point we’re going to have
to look at it together as
a group (and) ask hard
questions to the adminis-
trator and the chief finan-
cial officer,” Hairston said.
District 3 Supervisor
and Board Vice Presi-
dent John Holliman, who
attended this morning’s
meeting, said Monday that
he would support wage in-
creases if the county bud-
get can sustain them. He
could not be reached for
comment Thursday.
Brooks said he is open
to other suggestions for
wage increases as long as
the idea is on the supervi-
sors’ radar.
“If the board doesn’t
like my proposal, they
have the option of throw-
ing it in the trash can
and coming up with
something else, but there
needs to be some discus-
sion about pay,” he said.

Johnwick
Continued from Page 1A
Fortunately, some reve-
nue streams continued.
“Dr. Blanton at Animal
Clinic of Columbus real-
ly helped us with some of
their fundraiser events
in their clinic,” Johnwick
said. “I think we got about
$1,000 from those events,
which was a big help.”
An even bigger shot-
in-the-arm came in Oc-
tober when 100+ Women
Who Care Columbus
chose LCHS for its Impact
Award, bringing in $14,500
of badly-needed funding.
“That was a big, big
thing for us,” Johnwick
said.” It was wonderful
that they chose us.”
Operationally, John-
wick said the primary
work of the LCHS contin-
ued, although some chang-
es were made because of
the COVID.
“We never stopped our
adoption program,” she
said. “We just had to do the
adoptions outside on our
front patio. We were also
able to continue our work
with the program that
sends pets to the north-
ern states, where there’s
a great demand, thanks to
our partnership with the
Oktibbeha County shelter,
which runs that program.
We were also able to con-
tinue our spay-neuter pro-
gram.”
The LCHS is now open
for people to tour the facil-
ity and see the animals in
their enclosures.
Sarah Akins, director
for the Oktibbeha Coun- come in, which hopefully
ty Humane Society de- we’ll be able to do before
scribed her experience too long. It’s been a diffi-
with COVID-19 in much cult year, but we’re hopeful Get promoted? Win an award?
the same terms as John- that it won’t be too long Send us your business brief.
wick.
“We are still doing what
before we can get back to news@cdispatch.com subject: Business brief
normal.”
we do, but doing it a lot
differently,” Akins said.
“We are still doing adop-
tions by appointment only,
and we’ve had to cancel
some of our programs and
events. We have two main
fundraisers each year, one
we had to cancel and an-
other we had to do.”
Like Johnwick, Akins
said operations continue,
however.
“Our donations are
down, but we’re still work-
ing,” Akins said. “What I
do miss is having people

Candidates
Continued from Page 1A
Ward 1 Councilwoman Ethel Taylor Stew-
art in the April 6 primary. The winner of
the primary will go on to face indepen-
dent candidate Kallie Phillips in June.
Jackson previously ran for the coun-
cil seat in the 2019 special election after
Stewart’s brother, Gene Taylor, died in
August 2019 after holding the seat for
more than three terms. Nine candidates
ran for the seat, and Jackson placed
fourth while Stewart went on to win in a
runoff election.
Jackson has lived in Ward 1 for three
decades and has worked for the Colum-
bus Municipal School District, in main-
tenance and food service positions, for
about 20 years, according to previous
Dispatch reporting.
He also could not be reached for com-
ment by press time.

SMITHSONIAN EXHIBIT TO OPEN AT EMCC

Courtesy photo
The Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street traveling exhibition titled
“Crossroads: Change in Rural America” is open to the public at no charge in the
Tubb-May Library on East Mississippi Community College’s Scooba campus. The
exhibition will be on display Feb. 8 to March 12. It will be open Monday through
Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays from
3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Obituaries
Continued from Page 5A
Subrena Harvill
COLUMBUS —
Subrena Ann Burton
Harvill, 63,
died Jan.
26, 2021,
at Baptist
Memorial
Hospi-
tal-Golden
Triangle.
Funeral
Harvill
services
will be at 11 a.m. Sat-
urday, at Fourth Street
M.B. Church, with Jim-
my Rice officiating. Vis-
itation is from 2-6 p.m.
today, at Carter’s Funer-
al Services. Carter’s
Funeral Services of
Columbus is in charge
of arrangements.
Mrs. Harvill was
born Dec. 1, 1957, in
Columbus, to the late
Charlie Burton and Bar-
bara Brown. She was
formerly employed at a
CNA for Trinity Health-
care and was a member
of Fourth Street M.B.
Church.
She is survived by
her husband, Bobby
Harvill; children,
LaKiva Burtin of Villa
Rica, Georgia, Jonial
Burton, Brodrick Bur-
ton, Rhodesia Burton,
Tacarra Burton, Tame-
kia Humler, Frank
Humler Jr., Sharonica
Washington, Cassandra
Howard all of Columbus
and Michelle Strong
of Reform, Alabama;
siblings, Charlene Jack-
son, Jeffrey Windham
both of Tuscaloosa,
Alabama, James Wind-
ham, Larry Richardson,
Terry Burton all of Re-
form, Alabama, Jessica
Burton of Atlanta, Geor-
gia and Stanley Colvin
of Las Vegas, Nevada;
16 grandchildren; and
three great-grandchil-
dren.
Pallbearers will be
Trey Burton, Jachai
Burton, Caleb Robin-
son, Baylock Burton,
Cantrell Lucious and
Eddie Bluitt.
Ezell Mason
MACON — Ezell
Mason, 66, died Jan. 27,
2021, at his
residence.
Grave-
side ser-
vices will
be at 1 p.m.
Saturday,
at Mt. Car-
Mason
mel Ceme-
tery. Visita-
tion is from noon-5 p.m.
today, at Lee-Sykes
Funeral Home. Lee-
Sykes Funeral Home of
Macon is in charge of
arrangements.
Mr. Mason was born
May 17, 1954, in Macon,
to the late Mary Mal-
lard Mason and Earnest
Senate approves
budget bill as Harris
casts tie-breaker vote
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON —
The Senate early Friday
approved a budget that
would allow fast-track
passage of President Joe
Biden’s $1.9 trillion coro-
navirus relief plan without
support from Republicans.
Vice President Kamala
Harris was in the chair to
cast the tie-breaking vote,
her first.
Democrats in the cham-
ber applauded after Harris
announced the 51-50 vote
at around 5:30 a.m. The ac-
tion came after a grueling
all-night session, where
senators voted on amend-
ments that could define
the contours of the eventu-
al COVID-19 aid bill.
The budget now re-
turns to the House, where
it will have to be approved
again due to the changes
made by the Senate.
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 7A
Mason Sr. He attend- Ridge Baptist Church. Curry of Crossville ford all of Las Vegas, children; and two
ed Noxubee County In addition to her Community; siblings, Nevada; 27 grandchil- great-great-grandchil-
Schools and was parents, she was Vadus Beard of Bir- dren; 31 great-grand- dren.
previously employed as preceded in death by mingham, Alabama,
a truck driver and with her husband, Frank J.T. Beard, Claire Small-
Jones Logistics. He was Ellington; five brothers; wood both of Fernbank
a member of Mt. Carm- six sisters; and one Community and Galia
el M.B. Church. great-grandchild. Rainwater of Millport,
In addition to his par- She is survived by Alabama; 14 grandchil-
ents, he was preceded her children, Deborah dren; 46 great-grand-
in death by his siblings, Ellington of Starkville, children; and one great-
Earnest Mason Jr., Pete Gary Ellington of great-grandchild.
Mason, Felix Mason Kosciusko, Claudette Pallbearers will be
and Julius Mason; and Ray, Frances Reedy Davey Perkins, James
son Anthony Ezell both of Sturgis and Perkins, Frankie Go-
“Bighack” Brown. Kim Edwards ob forth, Josh Newman,
He is survived by Duncan; 10 grandchil- Patrick Thompson and
his wife, Edna Ruth dren; 14 great-grand- Matt Bambach.
Mason; children, Mary children; and six
Mason Foote of New great-great-grandchil- Cora Thomas
Albany, Tonya Lewis dren. West Point — Cora
and Thelma “Nikki” Lee Kelly Thomas, 87,
Shaw both of Macon; Emmett Perry died Jan. 25, 2021, at
siblings, Hattie Sledge, MACON — Emmett North Mississippi Med-
Mattie Mason, Jimmie Perry, 74, died Jan. 26, ical Center-West Point.
Mason all of Macon 2021. Graveside services
and Florence Harlan of Lee-Sykes Funeral will be at 3 p.m. Satur-
Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Home of Macon is in day, at Mt. Zion Whites
and 10 grandchildren. charge of arrange- M.B. Church Cemetery,
ments. with Erusia Culpepper
Robbie Keye Mr. Perry was born officiating. Visitation
COLUMBUS — Rob- March 27, 1946, to the will be from 2:30-3
bie Ayreese Anthony late Eddie L. Perry and p.m. prior to service at
Chandler Bertha T. Perry. He was the cemetery. Carter’s
Keye, 76, a member of Woodlawn Mortuary Services of
died Feb. 1, C.M.C. Church. West Point is in charge
2021. He is survived by his of arrangements.
Funeral children, David Cun- Mrs. Thomas was
services ningham and James Ivy born April 6, 1933, in
will be both of Macon; siblings, West Point, to the late
at 6 a.m. Willie Perry of Ham- Ben Kelly Jr. and Lula
Saturday, Keye mond, Indiana, Sammy Young Williams.
at Hairston Perry, Eddie Perry, Li- She is survived by
and Hairston Funeral onel Perry, Betty Perry her children, Ernest
Home. Hairston and and Bernice P. Sanders Thomas, Willy Thom-
Hairston Funeral all of Macon; and four as, Alvanell doss, Lou
Home of Columbus is grandchildren. Ann Golden, Deborah
Humphries all of West
in charge of arrange-
Point, Robert Thom-
ments. Nell Taylor as, Dennis Thomas,
Mrs. Keye was CROSSVILLE COM- Janice Cromwell, Hallie
born Sept. 12, 1944, in MUNITY, Ala. — Gra- Anderson all of Las
Blytheville, Arkansas, cie Nell Beard Taylor, Vegas, Nevada, Orlando
to Robert Anthony and 80, died Feb. 3, 2021, at Thomas of Salisbury,
Omelia Marie Hender- her residence. Maryland and Fannie
son Anthony. She was Funeral services Flowers of Muskegon,
formerly employed with are at 1 p.m. today, in Michigan; siblings,
the Columbus Air Force the chapel of Chandler Andrew Kelly, Ben T.
Base Commissary. Funeral Home, with Kelly both of Aberdeen,
She is survived by James Godsey officiat- Ted Kelly, Bennie Cole-
her children, Tietti ing. Burial will follow man, Minnie Jacobs
Onette Chandler-Wise at Christian Chapel. and Josephine Lang-
and Tamelia Dorcus Visitation is from
Keye both of Columbus; 12:30-1 p.m. prior to
brother, Robert Brad- services at the funeral
dock of Columbus; and home. Chandler Funer-
two grandchildren. al Home of Vernon is
in charge of arrange-
Vergie Ellington ments.
STARKVILLE — Mrs. Taylor was born
Vergie Mae Roach June 28, 1940, in Mill-
Ellington, 98, died Feb. port, Alabama, to the
3, 2021, at Carrington late Dupree and Erdie
Nursing Center in Miller Beard. She was
Starkville. formerly employed as
Graveside services an LPN.
will be at 2 p.m. Sat- In addition to her
urday, at Memorial parents, she was pre-
Garden Park Cemetery, ceded in death by her
with Michael Sanders husbands, Bobby Craw-
and Junior Davis offi- ford and Billy Taylor;
ciating. Welch Funeral daughter, Rebecca Per-
Home of Starkville is kins; and siblings, Ellis
in charge of arrange- Beard, Amos Beard,
ments. James Beard and J.B.
Mrs. Ellington was Beard.
born Jan. 8, 1923, in She is survived by
Oktibbeha County, to her children, Tommy
the late Lillie Hunt and Taylor of Kennedy,
Jim Roach. She was a Alabama, Judy Flynn
member of Pleasant of West Point and Janet
cdispatch.com
8A FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Unemployment claims fall to 779,000 but job cuts grind on

High total shows that a sizable number of
people keep losing jobs to the viral pandemic
BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON — The
number of Americans seeking
unemployment benefits de-
clined to 779,000 last week, a
still-historically high total that
shows that a sizable number of
people keep losing jobs to the
viral pandemic.
Last week’s total, the third
straight, declined from 812,000
the previous week, the Labor
Department said Thursday.
It left the weekly figure at its
lowest point in two months but
nevertheless elevated: Before
the virus erupted in the United
States in March, weekly appli-
cations for jobless aid had nev-
er topped 700,000, even during
the Great Recession.
Thursday’s report reflects
a U.S. job market that is still
suffering from the pandemic,
with hiring having weakened
for six straight months. It is a
key reason why President Joe
Biden is pushing Congress to
enact a $1.9 trillion economic
rescue program, on top of a
$900 billion federal aid pack-
age that was approved late last
year.
The decline in applications
for unemployment aid over the
past few weeks suggests that
layoffs have eased slightly as
several states have loosened
restrictions on restaurants,
bars and other service firms,
causing these businesses to
retain workers.
And the pace of new con-
firmed viral infections is slow-
ing, a trend that has lowered
hospitalizations across the
country. Average daily report-
ed cases have fallen 30 per-
cent in the past week to about
140,000 — one-half the peak
level of a month ago.
Even so, the persistence
of elevated layoffs remains a
cause for concern, economists
say.
“Total initial claims fell, but
the magnitude is still a huge
problem,” said AnnElizabeth
Konkel, an economist for In-
deed.com, the job postings
website. “We continue to see
the effect of the coronavirus
on the labor market. At no
point has it let up.”

Biden strikes tough tone on Russia in diplomatic push

‘... The days of the United States rolling over in the face discouraged by Trump’s
policies and tone.
of Russia’s aggressive actions — interfering with our “America is back. Diplo-
macy is back,” Biden told
election, cyber attacks, poisoning its citizens— are over’ State Department staff
before delivering his for-
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ald Trump, who avoided in what White House offi- eign policy speech. “You
direct confrontation and cials called a tense first ex- are the center of all that I
WASHINGTON — often sought to downplay change. “We will not hes- intend to do. You are the
President Joe Biden the Russian leader’s ma- itate to raise the cost on heart of it. We’re going to
says the days of the U.S. lign actions. Russia and defend our vital rebuild our alliances”
“rolling over” to Russian Navalny, an anti-cor- interests and our people.” With Biden’s most pub-
President Vladimir Putin ruption campaigner and Biden’s comments on lic diplomatic effort of his
are gone as he called for Putin’s most determined Russia came as he asserted young presidency, White
the immediate release of political foe, was arrest- a broad reset of American House officials said he
Russian opposition leader ed Jan. 17 upon returning foreign policy, including was hoping to send an
Alexei Navalny.
from a five-month conva- reversing Trump’s order to unambiguous signal to
During his first visit to
lescence in Germany from withdraw U.S. troops sta- the world that the United
the State Department as
a nerve agent poisoning, tioned in Germany, ending States is ready to resume
president on Thursday,
Biden issued his strongest which he has blamed on support for Saudi Arabia’s its role as a global leader
condemnation of Putin as the Kremlin. military offensive in Ye- after four years in which
large protests have broken “I made it clear to Pres- men and promising to sup- Trump pressed an “Amer-
out throughout Russia fol- ident Putin, in a manner port LBGTQ rights as a ica First” agenda.
lowing the jailing of Naval- very different from my cornerstone of diplomacy. He offered a list of issues
ny. Thousands of protest- predecessor, that the days Using the visit to out- where he said he would re-
ers have been arrested. of the United States rolling line how his foreign poli- verse Trump’s policies or
The new American over in the face of Rus- cy would differ from that forge different priorities,
president was also seek- sia’s aggressive actions of his predecessor, Biden including scrapping the
— interfering with our called for a return to the former president’s plan to
ing to make clear to the
world that he’s making a election, cyber attacks, “grounding wire of our withdraw about 9,500 of
Visit us
dramatic turn away from poisoning its citizens— global power.” He sought the roughly 34,500 U.S. on the web at
Putin following the presi- are over,” said Biden, who to buck up the diplomatic troops stationed in Germa- cdispatch.com
dency of Republican Don- last week spoke to Putin corps, many of whom were ny.

Does wearing two masks provide more protection?

Doctor: One mask should be
enough for most situations,
as long as it fits well
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Does wearing two masks provide more
protection?
It depends, but it’s possible that dou-
bling up could help in some situations.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention recommends wearing a
cloth mask made with two or more lay-
ers, and ensuring it covers your nose and
mouth. The agency says it should fit snug-
ly so there aren’t any gaps at the sides of
your face.
Wearing just one mask should be
enough for most situations, as long as it
fits well and isn’t loose, said Dr. David
Hamer, an infectious disease expert at
Boston University.
“Starting out with a good mask to be-
gin with is going to be key,” Hamer said.
Still, some people might want extra
protection if they’re at risk for severe
illness if infected or will be in situations
where they expect to be around others for
extended periods, such as on a plane.
One option in scenarios when you want
extra protection is to wear a cloth mask
as well as a regular surgical mask, said
Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease
expert at the University of California, San
Francisco.
Gandhi said that combination — with
either mask on top — could help achieve
a similar effect as the N95 mask. She
recommended the added protection for
people who will be indoors in areas where
transmission rates are high — which
could reflect the circulation of more con-
tagious variants.
Another option Gandhi and a colleague
recommend for situations where you want
“maximum” protection: A two-layer cloth
mask that has a filter material in between.
With single cloth masks for everyday
use, Gandhi noted it’s important that
they’re made of tightly woven material
and have at least two layers, which creates
“an obstacle course” that makes it hard-
er for virus-carrying particles to break
through.
Sports MISSISSIPPI STATE FOOTBALL
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021
B
SECTION

'WHO IS THIS BRUCE ARIANS GUY?'

Reflecting on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach’s early days at MSU
BY BEN PORTNOY
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — Landing
in Blacksburg, Virginia, in the
winter between 1977 and 1978,
Mississippi State assistant
coach Rockey Felker sat puz-
zled.
Arriving just a few miles
from Virginia Tech’s campus,
snow had begun to fall in the
mountainous part of the South’s
northernmost state. Head
coach Bob Tyler and Felker ini-
tially headed to Blacksburg in
hopes of landing former Hokies
head coach Jimmy Sharpe for
MSU’s 1978 staff.
But there was more reason
for the trip than Sharpe. It was
in Blacksburg and through con-
versations in coaching circles
that Tyler had become smitten
with a hotshot former Virginia
Tech quarterback who’d spent
the bulk of the previous three
years on the Hokies’ staff as a
graduate assistant.
“(I thought), ‘Who is this
Bruce Arians guy?’” Felker
said. “I guess, in my mind, I
didn’t know a lot about him.”
Before Arians spent 28 years
in the NFL with eight different
franchises, before he teamed
with Tom Brady to lead the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a
Super Bowl appearance in their
home stadium Sunday, he was a
strapping 25-year-old, sporting
a youthful grin and a handlebar
mustache, who landed his first
major coaching job in northeast
Mississippi.
Arians got his coaching start
at Virginia Tech, but it was in
Starkville that the offensive
mastermind made his most pro-
lific early marks.
“He was an exceptional
coach, and I would’ve bet every-
thing he was going to rise up in
the coaching profession,” Tyler,
now in his late 80s, said. “And of
course he has done that, and, of
all things, here he is in the Su-
per Bowl.”
nnn
Hired to coach receivers at
MSU among other varying of-
After a three-year spell at Virginia Tech, Bruce Arians helped revolutionize the Mississippi State
offense during the 1978 season — his first of three in Starkville. Arians would later return to MSU
between 1993 and 1995 as the offensive coordinator under Jackie Sherrill.
fensive responsibilities, Arians
wasn’t exactly a down-home
Southerner like the bulk of the
staff.
Despite spending sev-
en-plus years in Blacksburg,
Arians’ New Jersey roots shone
through in his accent. His play-
ers latched onto his unique
wordsmithing, ensuring by the
end of his three-year tenure in
Starkville he’d adopted “y’all”
and “fixin’ to” into his verbiage.
But the playful flak Arians
Photo courtesy of Mississippi State Athletics
caught from his players over his
unique voice offered a look at
the deeper difference between
him and the military-esque
coaches of decades past. He
was a players’ coach in an era
where those leading programs
instilled fear and toughness
rather than empathy and under-
standing.
Granted, Arians — fast-
talking and gruff in words from
time to time — wasn’t com-
pletely above the coaching fray.
Future NFL receiver Mardye
McDole quipped that Arians
said “son of a b—” in his gener-
al direction so much, he started
responding to it as if it was his
name.
“I would look around ’cause I
thought he was talking to me,”
McDole said, his laugh increas-
ing with every word.
Arians was a meticulous stu-
dent of the game in his early
days. McDole, who became the
first player in school history to
record more than 1,000 receiv-
ing yards in a season, is quick
to note Arians taught him to
watch film. Every Monday, the
pair met to comb through op-
ponent game tape. Arians had
already spent hours breaking
down every possible twitch or
misstep an opposing corner
might take before relaying it to
McDole.
Once on the practice field,
Arians simplified the coach-
ing process. He taught route
running in progressions. On
a slant — McDole’s route of
choice — he broke the timing
for a pass into a three-window
system: First, when the out-
side linebacker stepped down
toward the line of scrimmage;
second, if the middle linebacker
over-pursued into the box; and
third, when the receiver had
cleared all three linebackers
and neared the opposite side-
line.
“He corrected your mis-
takes,” McDole explained, “and
it was in a way that nobody else
had done it before.”
nnn
Years before K.J. Costello’s
magical 623-yard passing per-
formance in Baton Rouge this
past fall, it was Arians and a
walk-on kicker-turned-quarter-
back who set the Southeastern
See ARIANS, 3B

PREP BOYS BASKETBALL NFL

Volunteers advance, Patriots fall in Goodell: Many lessons

MAIS 2-4A tourney semifinals league learned in 2020
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com

LOUISVILLE — All
season long, it’s been
“next man up” for the
Starkville Academy boys
basketball team.
Turns out that applies
to coaches, too.
With head coach Bill
Ball out with COVID-19,
assistant Braxton Eu-
banks stepped in to guide
the Volunteers to a 59-46
win over Lamar School in
Thursday’s MAIS Class
4A, District 2 tournament
semifinal in Louisville,
sending Starkville Acad-
emy on to Saturday’s
championship game
against Leake Academy.
“You never know when
you’re going to be called
on,” Eubanks said.
For Eubanks, that mo-
ment came last Thurs-
day when Ball tested
positive for the virus.
The Vols didn’t play their
scheduled game Friday,
making sure the disease
hadn’t spread through-
out the team. It hadn’t,
and Thursday’s game re-
mained on — but Ball’s
status was uncertain.
“It was always a ques-
Hallberg with getting
up the court quickly and
looking for a quick buck-
will carry forward
et. Hallberg took the ball
coast to coast and laid it
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS and the NFLPA saying
in with tenths of a second our relationship has never
TAMPA, Fla. — The been stronger. I interpret
remaining, a big basket to
many lessons learned from that as a trust that has
put Starkville Academy
2020 will be needed as the been built here that will
up 11-4 at the end of the
NFL moves forward, Com- take us forward and will
period.
missioner Roger Goodell be the long-lasting legacy
“That really helped
us go into the second noted Thursday in his of this season.”
quarter with intensity,” annual state of the league That legacy, on the pos-
junior Jarius Jordan said. news conference ahead of itive side, includes some-
“We started off slow, but the Super Bowl. thing the other major
we came into the second Held before both sports leagues and organi-
Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff
quarter and picked it up a in-person and virtual audi- zations couldn't manage:
Surrounded by three Leake Academy defenders,
Starkville Academy senior Jawon Yarbrough (21) still little bit.” ences and staged outside playing a full season, unin-
made this fourth-quarter layup in Thursday's MAIS Jordan had nine of of the arena that is home terrupted, with the cham-
Class 4A, District 2 semifinal at Winston Academy. his team-high 16 points to the NHL's Tampa Bay pionship game on time
Yarbrough had 14 points as the Vols won, 59-46. in the period as the Vols Lightning, Goodell said despite COVID-19 issues.
outscored the Raiders developments ranging “This was an extraor-
tion if he was going to balanced showing in
18-12 in the second, tak- from dealing with the dinary collective effort,”
be back for this game,” which Starkville Acad-
ing a 13-point lead into coronavirus pandemic to Goodell said. “There’s so
Eubanks said. “I was pre- emy scored 29 points in
halftime. The junior said minority coaching hires many people that had to
pared and ready.” the first half and 30 in the to scheduling to the NFL's
Starkville Academy just work together to get this
Ultimately, Ball didn’t second. working relationship with done. There were doubt-
kept attacking, pushing
make the trip to host site “We played fantasti- the players' union all will ers, people that didn’t
the pace past what Lamar
Winston Academy. That cally on offense — got carry forward as major believe we could do it, we
could handle.
left Eubanks — currently out and ran a lot in transi- “They really couldn’t topics. had a lot of unknowns our-
a student at Mississippi tion,” Eubanks said. keep up with us on the “I don’t know when nor- selves. We believed that
State — to coach his first On one key play at run, so that’s what we mal will occur again or if staying on schedule and
non-junior high contest at the end of the first quar- kept doing,” Jordan said. normal will occur again,” working to try to get 256
Starkville Academy in a ter, the Vols showed a But after halftime, he said. “I know we have games done as we try to
big spot. perfect example of that it was the Raiders’ turn learned to work in a very say, ’avoid the asterisk,' I
And the Volunteers philosophy. Inbound- to get on a roll. With a difficult environment, and think we were able to do
delivered for him with ing with 5.1 seconds to 21-point third quarter, we will do it again. That that.”
a big offensive night go, Starkville Academy Lamar outdid its scoring is one of the things we But the negative part
against the Raiders, a tasked sophomore Cy See PREPS, 3B learned ... hearing clubs See NFL, 3B
2B FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Balanced Ohio State rallies past Iowa in top-10 matchup
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
IOWA CITY, Iowa —
No. 7 Ohio State spent part
of its time before its game
at No. 8 Iowa stuck in the
snow.
A blizzard that shut
down several highways in
the state hit as the Buck-
eyes were heading to the
arena for a late-morning
shootaround, and when
the team left to head back
to its hotel, the bus couldn’t
get up the hill outside of
the arena.
“We had to call the plow
people to come in and plow
for us,” Ohio State guard
Duane Washington Jr.
said. “It was just kind of
a wrench in the road that
was going to make us go
even harder.”
The Buckeyes found
themselves stuck offen-
sively for a stretch in the
second half against the
Hawkeyes. But they found
another gear, rallying from
an 11-point deficit to beat
Iowa 89-85 on Thursday
night.
Washington, E.J. Lid-
dell, and Kyle Young each
had 16 points as the Buck-
eyes (15-4, 9-4 Big Ten)
moved into a tie for second
place in the Big Ten with
Illinois, one game behind
Michigan.
The Buckeyes scored
38 points in the final 14:29,
but it was that 45-minute
wait in the snow that Wash-
ington said might have
made the difference.
“We talked about who
the top 10 shooting guards
were in the NBA,” Wash-
ington said. “And it was a
great conversation. I think
Minus fanfare, small college football getting underway
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PARKLAND, Wash.
— At some point each
week since athletes re-
turned to campus, Pacific
Lutheran football coach
Brant McAdams has
donned the full uniform of
personal protective equip-
ment — gown, gloves,
mask and face shield.
There was never a
chapter in any of the books
on becoming a small col-
lege football coach that
addressed administering
COVID-19 tests in the
midst of a pandemic. Now
it’s something he’s doing
weekly to give his players
the chance at a season.
“We’ve all joked around
at some point, like, if they
tell me to wear a funny hat
and dress weird and hop
on one leg, and that’s what
we got to do to be able to
give these kids this expe-
rience, that’s what we’ll
do,” McAdams said.
For all the attention
lavished on the Power 5
conferences as they tried
to take the field last fall,
it won’t be the only col-
Check downs? More like checkmate as Chiefs take what’s given
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
The casual football fan is
likely to describe the Kan-
sas City Chiefs offense
this way: a go-for-broke,
throw-it-deep highlight
reel built around a quar-
terback with record-set-
ting arm strength and
wide receivers boasting
Olympic-caliber speed.
They wouldn’t be en-
tirely wrong.
They wouldn’t be en-
tirely right, either.
One of the biggest
differences in the Chiefs
from the past two years,
when Patrick Mahomes
was asserting himself as
the best quarterback of
his generation, and this
season, when he has a
chance in the Super Bowl
to beat the Buccaneers’
Tom Brady — the best of
any generation — is the
way Mahomes has es-
chewed high-risk throws
Ohio State guard CJ Walker, middle, passes as Iowa forward Patrick McCaffery, left, and Iowa guard Joe
Toussaint (1) defend Thursday’s game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
we built up that animosity
for the game.”
“They had a good time
with it,” Ohio State coach
Chris Holtmann said.
“Duane leads the charge
there in the back of the bus
with those kinds of discus-
sions.
“I think, maybe, this
group has a really special
way about them. Perhaps
in some ways that galva-
nized us.”
The Buckeyes need-
ed something when Iowa
went up 61-50, and they re-
sponded with a 17-5 run to
take the lead.
“With good teams, as
good of a team as Iowa is,
lege football being played
during the 2020-21 school
year.
The next wave arrives
Saturday when a handful
of NCAA Division III and
NAIA programs begin
some form of delayed sea-
son. McAdams’ team will
be one of those in action,
making the 20-minute
drive to face rival Puget
Sound in one of nine
games scheduled at the
Division III level.
“We felt like we were
installing for no oppo-
nent for nine months,”
Puget Sound coach Jeff
Thomas said. “So now
to be able to be in a posi-
tion where we’re getting
ready to play a different
opponent, or purposeful
practice, where we’re not
just talking about social
distancing, but now lead-
ing to football-specific
techniques, it’s been nice
to finally have some sem-
blance of normal.”
Two conferences at the
NAIA level — the Mid-
South and Mid-States
Football Association —
will have some teams be-
for high-percentage ones.
He’ll pass on dou-
ble-coverage on Tyreek
Hill streaking downfield
for an open running back
ambling into the flat. Or
the tight window to tight
end Travis Kelce in the
middle of the field for the
wide-open wide receiver
on the edge.
Some might call all
those dink-and-dunk
throws “check downs.”
Given the Chiefs are
playing for a second
straight Super Bowl tile
Sunday? They probably
prefer “checkmate.”
“It’s a fine line,” ex-
plained Mahomes, who
led all quarterbacks this
season in producing yards
after his receivers caught
the ball. “You want to be-
lieve you can make every
single play, but you don’t
want a play that turns bad
because you’re trying
to do too much. That’s
something I’ve tried to do
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
you know they’re going
to make runs, you know
they’re going to score and
get stops,” Young said.
“For us, it was just sticking
with it, not getting discour-
aged. We always say, ‘Don’t
flinch.’”
“We knew they were
going to make some runs,”
Holtmann said. “We had to
be able to weather some
runs, and find a way to
score ourselves. I think
if you can’t score against
them, you’re not going
to beat them. Our guys
played with great poise,
particularly when we were
down, and for that I’m the
most proud.”
ginning play Saturday as
well. Teams in 11 other
Division III leagues and
three NAIA leagues in-
tend to play in the spring.
Division II has four
conferences set to play
with another handful
of schools scheduling
games. FCS programs
will begin as early as next
week with the division’s
championship schedule
set to conclude in mid-
May.
Getting to this point
for the smaller schools,
for whom exposure and
TV revenues aren’t a fac-
tor, has been an exercise
in flexibility and persever-
ance.
“I’m dizzy a lot of
times, trying to remem-
ber all these pieces and
how they intersect and
connect,” Puget Sound
athletic director Amy
Hackett said. “We work
through all these differ-
ent agencies to pull it to-
gether and I think we’ve
done a fairly good job.
We knew we were going
to have hiccups along the
way.”
my entire career, take it to
the very limit but never go
past it.”
Mahomes had the low-
est check-down rate in the
NFL in 2018, his first year
as a starter, which led to
some record-setting pass-
ing numbers but also a
career-high 12 intercep-
tions. But as his check-
down rate increased ev-
er-so-slightly the past two
seasons, those other num-
bers also balanced out.
Mahomes still threw
for 4,740 yards with 38
touchdowns in just 15 reg-
ular-season games this
season, but his percent-
age of what the Chiefs
consider “poor throws”
dropped from 18.3 to 17.6.
The average intended
air yardage for Mahomes
fell from 9.1 as a rookie to
8.8 last season to 8.4 this
season, when his passer
rating increased by more
than five points.
“That’s what makes
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen via USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State held Iowa to
one field goal over the final
4:16. The Buckeyes were
the ones with the big shots.
Justin Ahrens had three
3-pointers in a span of two
minutes late in the game
after going scoreless to
that point, his last one com-
ing at the 2:39 mark to put
Ohio State up 88-81.
“I think at that point, we
weren’t as active in our de-
fensive slides,” Iowa coach
Fran McCaffery said.
“Give them credit, they
made their shots.”
The Buckeyes held
Iowa’s Luka Garza, the
nation’s leading scorer at
26.5 points per game, to 16
As with the big pro-
grams that played in the
fall, testing, distancing
and protective equipment
have topped the priori-
ty list for trying to pull
off a season. In the case
of Pacific Lutheran and
Puget Sound, athletic
departments are partner-
ing with the university to
fund the testing.
All athletes are being
tested three days per
week at Pacific Lutheran
using nasal antigen tests
but, because of staffing
limitations, all coaches
and athletic staff were
trained and are required
to administer the tests.
Imagine Nick Saban
or Dabo Sweeney taking
time away from game
planning to throw on PPE
and process tests and the
gulf between the power
programs and what the
small schools are trying
to accomplish becomes
obvious.
“I think it’s important
for our coaches to un-
derstand some of what it
takes to be able to have
their athletes being able
him so special,” Chiefs
quarterbacks coach Mike
Kafka said. “Sometimes
those guys on defense
do a good job, too. I think
Pat’s gotten better at un-
derstanding where his an-
swers are.”
Kelce shattered just
about every NFL record
for a tight end this sea-
son, including yardage
with 1,229, but his aver-
age target depth was just
9.0 yards — barely within
the top 100. Hill had 1,276
yards receiving in the reg-
ular season but had a tar-
get depth of 12.9, which
ranked 34th overall.
In fact, no Chiefs were
among the NFL’s top 25
pass-catchers in average
depth of target.
“That starts with Pat
getting the ball out of
his hand and allowing us
to get upfield and make
those moves,” Chiefs
wide receiver Sammy
Watkins said.
points. Garza had five sec-
ond-half points, making 2
of 8 shots.
“They put him in such
great spots, and move him
around,” Holtmann said.
“We mixed up our coverag-
es. He had to have a body
on him, because he’s the
most difficult matchup in
the country.”
Jack Nunge and Jordan
Bohannon each scored
18 points for Iowa (13-5,
7-4). Joe Wieskamp had 17
points and 10 rebounds.
Justice Sueing had 12
points and 11 rebounds for
the Buckeyes.
The game featured 18
lead changes and five ties.
to practice and compete,”
Pacific Lutheran inter-
im athletic director Jen
Thomas said. “And I think
it’s good for the athletes
to see their coaches and
other coaches coming
together to be able to do
this.”
A few miles away,
Puget Sound is using
self-administered saliva
tests along with twice dai-
ly attestation screenings.
Despite their efforts,
the programs haven’t
been able to keep the
coronavirus away com-
pletely. A pair of Puget
Sound players tested posi-
tive in early January after
returning from Christ-
mas break, but both were
discovered during a re-
quired quarantine before
practices began.
At Pacific Lutheran, se-
nior tight end Ryan Flood
was one who had a late
start to January practices
after contracting COVID
over the holidays.
“Pretty much my
whole family got it. My
grandparents got it. It’s
scary,” Flood said. “But
“If you watch the sea-
son, Travis is the No. 1
guy in the league catch-
ing the ball and splitting
guys and running 30 or 40
yards, because we don’t
have those deep shots.
We’ve been doing a great
job of catching the ball,
running upfield and mak-
ing those plays. That’s the
next step this team has
taken.”
Not that the Chiefs
ever gave up on taking
deep shots, and the Buc-
caneers are painfully
aware of what can happen
when you let your guard
down. Hill dominated
them for 203 yards receiv-
ing in the first quarter
alone in Week 12, and he
finished with 13 catches
for 269 yards and touch-
down receptions of 75, 44
and 20 yards in a 27-24
victory.
It’s just that most de-
fenses have steadfastly
refused to allow Kansas
Fredrick out
Iowa guard CJ Fredrick,
who has started 16 games
this season, missed the
game with a lower leg in-
jury. Fredrick sat out the
Jan. 29 game at Illinois,
but started and played 11
minutes in Tuesday’s 84-78
win over Michigan State.
Fredrick, who averages
8.7 points per game, is
shooting 50% (26 of 52) on
3-pointers this season.
Long time ago
This game was the sec-
ond time in the series that
both teams were ranked in
the top 10. The first was on
Feb. 18, 1961, when No. 1
Ohio State defeated No. 9
Iowa 62-61.
Game of runs
Iowa had a 10-0 scoring
run in the first half. It was
the 20th time this season
the Hawkeyes have scored
10 or more consecutive
points in a game.
Big picture
The Buckeyes add-
ed to their resume with
their fifth win in six tries
against teams in the AP
Top 25, and it was their
fourth consecutive road
win over a top-15 team.
The Hawkeyes, who are
in the middle of a stretch
of four games in eight
days, dropped two games
behind Big Ten-leading
Michigan.
Up next
Ohio State: At Mary-
land on Monday.
Iowa: At Indiana on
Sunday.
it kind of got to the point
where it is what it is. You
got to stay quarantined.
You got to get through it.
You got to just take care of
yourself. But it was tough
for a little while.”
School athletics offi-
cials are fully aware one
infection could mean
the four-game Division
III schedule could be re-
duced. Because of the
uncertainty, Hackett said
Puget Sound will honor
its seniors during Satur-
day’s game rather than
wait for its final scheduled
game on March 6 against
Whitworth.
Players and coaches
will have tremendous
appreciation for getting
at least one more game
when the teams line up
this weekend.
“Especially for me as a
senior, I wasn’t planning
on coming back for a fifth
year,” Puget Sound line-
backer Zachary Meyer
said. “So just having that
opportunity to get a last
little bit of football is like
a dream.”
City to complete them.
That’s a big reason
Mahomes was among
the least-blitzed quarter-
backs in the league this
season. Defensive coordi-
nators would rather drop
an extra player (or two)
into coverage, allow their
cornerbacks and safeties
some extra cushion on
those speedy wide receiv-
ers, and give up a short
completion and play the
next down than give up
six points all at once.
“They play fast, but
they understand football.
They’re not just a track
team out there,” Bucca-
neers defensive coordi-
nator Todd Bowles said.
“They can beat you ver-
tically and horizontally.
They keep you off bal-
ance. They understand
what they need to do to
win. I don’t worry about
the opposition. They do
what they do and do it bet-
ter than anybody else.”
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 3B

BRIEFLY Preps
Continued from Page 1B
College Basketball
EMCC men, women beat Coahoma in the entirety of the first half, Academy 60
The East Mississippi Community College men’s getting to the rim too easily for The Columbus Christian
and women’s basketball teams both beat Coahoma Starkville Academy’s liking. Academy girls came up just
Community College on Thursday night. Still, the Raiders never got short in Thursday’s District
The Lions men picked up a 75-72 decision in
Clarksdale, while the women won 65-45 in Scooba. within seven points as a com- 2-2A championship game
Jakorie Smith had a double-double with 16 points bination of missed shots and against host Newton County
and 10 rebounds as the EMCC men improved to 3-1. continued offense from the Academy.
Blake Butler had 16 points, Nick Walker had nine points Vols kept the game from get- Faith Yeates had 18 points
and eight rebounds, and Makeem Roberts had eight
ting too close. to lead the Rams. Cayden
points.
For the women’s team, which returned to action Eubanks promised to shore Harding had 14, and CC De-
Thursday after missing its past two games because of up Starkville Academy’s de- Vos had eight.
COVID-19, West Point product Ja’Mia Hollings posted fending by Saturday’s title Columbus Christian awaits
a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. its assignment for the north
Shakira Wilson made four 3-pointers and finished with
game against Leake. But even
12 points, and Sierra Jackson had nine points. if the Vols play a game like state tournament, which the
The EMCC women (2-0) will play at Holmes Com- they did Thursday, it won’t be Rams will host next week.
munity College at 6 p.m. Monday. The Lions men will easy for the Rebels to surpass
host Southwest Mississippi Community College at 2 them. Kemper Academy boys 51,
p.m. Saturday at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum in Scooba.
“We want to play on defense Columbus Christian Academy
first, but when they’re playing 39
College Volleyball good on offense, we’re hard to Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff The Columbus Christian
MSU drops spring opener to South Carolina beat,” Eubanks said. Heritage Academy sophomore Mack Howard (12) drives to the boys finished in fourth place
The Mississippi State volleyball team was defeat- basket against Leake Academy seniors Clay Kemp (23) and Gar- in the district tournament with
ed in straight sets in Thursday’s spring-season opener
While Thursday’s win isn’t
the one Starkville Academy rett Dunn (35) during the first quarter of Thursday's MAIS Class a 51-39 loss to Kemper Acad-
at South Carolina. 4A, District 2 semifinal at Winston Academy in Louisville.
Set scores were 25-18, 25-17 and 25-19. wanted — the Vols have their emy.
Right-side hitter Gabby Waden had 11 kills to lead sights set on the state cham- cold from the field. Shot after quite close until Leake’s Hen- The Rams took the lead into
Mississippi State (2-7, 2-7 Southeastern Conference) pionship, Jordan said — the shot clanked off the rim as ry Dabbs banked in a crucial the fourth quarter but couldn’t
in her hometown of Columbia, South Carolina. Logan hold it.
Brown and Lauren Myrick had eight apiece. team will be plenty prepared Heritage Academy managed third-quarter 3-pointer.
Mississippi State will face the Gamecocks again to face Leake at 7:30 p.m. Sat- just five points in the third “You can’t do anything Joe Michael Edwards
at 6 p.m. Friday. urday. quarter, which ended with about the bank,” Whiteside scored 14 points for Columbus
Take it from their new Leake staked to a 41-30 lead. said. “The fact that he got the Christian, and Tyler Looney
Prep Basketball coach. “The thing about it is, we’ve open look there was us out of had eight.
Columbus girls handle Grenada “They’re ready to roll,” Eu- got some kids that can score,” position.”
The Columbus High School girls basketball team banks said. Whiteside said. “Tonight, we It was just one instance of Newton County Academy
returned to action with a 62-33 home win over Grenada didn’t have anybody who could poor play that cost the Pats on boys def. Hebron Christian, dis-
in Thursday’s rescheduled game. trict tournament championship
DJ Jackson led the Falcons with 17 points, while Leake Academy boys 60, score. Nobody shot it well to- Thursday night. In another,
night. Hopefully, that’s the Leake’s Whitt Welch missed
Charity Yeates and China Stewart had 10 apiece.
Columbus will play Friday at New Hope.
Heritage Academy 42 only problem. If it is, we can a corner 3-pointer, sprinted Class 3A, District 2 — at
The timeout was supposed Oak Hill Academy
fix it and hopefully get ready after the rebound and put the
to help. Oak Hill Academy girls 31,
Other scores to make a run.” ball back up and in before
After Heritage Academy se- Winona Christian 26
Noxubee County girls 52, West Point 49 The Patriots, who are al- any Heritage Academy player
WEST POINT — The Noxubee County girls nior Jonathan Peal got a short The Oak Hill Academy
ready assured a spot in the could touch it.
picked up a 52-49 road win Thursday at West Point. runner to drop in the third girls beat Winona Christian
Na’Kaiyla “Tootie” Lockett had 17 points to lead Class 4A north state tourna- “When they shoot it, they
quarter of Thursday’s dis- School 31-26 on Thursday to
the Tigers and added nine rebounds, two assists, three ment, will play Lamar in the go get it,” Whiteside said. “I
trict semifinal against Leake make Saturday’s District 2-3A
steals and a block. Jakeia Walker was solid all around third-place contest at 4:30 p.m. don’t know how well they shot
with nine points, eight rebounds and four steals. Academy, Patriots coach Russ tournament final.
Saturday. Meanwhile, Leake it tonight, but they killed us on
Aaliyah Brandy had six points, five rebounds, two Whiteside promptly signaled The Raiders trailed 15-11
advanced to face Starkville the offensive boards.”
steals and an assist for Noxubee County, and Makevia for time. With Heritage Acad- at halftime but outscored the
Walker had six points, seven rebounds and a pair of Academy in the championship Ultimately, though, the
emy trailing 36-29, Whiteside Stars 20-11 in the second half.
steals. game later that night. game came down to the Pats’
Shadiamin Wilkerson had six points, Zachariah hoped the Pats could build Carley Wooten and Sara
Rebels coach Phil Shepard inability to score in the sec-
Averett had four points and two rebounds, and Kirsten on Peal’s make when play re- Nash led Oak Hill with nine
said it’s been several years ond half. By the time Heritage
Barnett had two points, eight rebounds and four blocks. sumed. points apiece, and Mary Beth
The Tigers will play Friday at Choctaw County. since his team has made it this Academy takes the court Sat-
Instead, Leake senior point Briggs had seven. Allie Comer
Noxubee County boys 64, West Point 56 far. urday, Whiteside knows that
guard Clay Kemp drove to the had four, and McKenzie Mid-
Neshoba Central boys 48, Noxubee County 47,
“We’re excited to get to go will have to change.
Tuesday basket for a layup. On the en- dleton had two.
and know we’ll play a quality “It’s been a problem all
suing possession, Heritage The Raiders face Central
SOURCE: From Special Reports team on Saturday,” Shepard year: We’ve just not scored
Academy turned the ball right Holmes Christian at 3:30 p.m.
said. “We’re just looking for- well in all four quarters,” he
back over to the Rebels. Saturday for the district cham-
said. “There’s only been a cou-
CALENDAR The sequence summed ward to it.”
Thursday, he praised his ple of games that we have.” pionship.
up the Patriots’ 60-42 loss to
Today Leake on Thursday night — a team’s improvement over the Oak Hill Academy boys 61,
Prep Girls Basketball game in which Heritage Acad- course of the season. On Jan. Other MAIS district Winona Christian 53
Columbus at New Hope, 6 p.m. emy (16-5) simply couldn’t get 7, Heritage Academy beat tournament scores The Oak Hill boys also beat
West Lowndes at Noxapater, 6 p.m. going. Leake by 29 points in Colum- Class 4A, District 2 — at Winona Christian on Thurs-
Prep Boys Basketball “It’s just one of those games bus, and the Patriots grabbed Winston Academy day in West Point to punch
Columbus at New Hope, 7:30 p.m. that’s really frustrating,” Wh- a two-point win Jan. 19 in Mad- Leake Academy girls 58, their ticket to the tournament
West Lowndes at Noxapater, 7:30 p.m. iteside said. “You don’t feel den. Starkville Academy 21, district final.
Prep Boys Soccer like you did anything good at Shepard said the second tournament semifinal The Raiders will play Car-
Starkville Academy at Lamar School, all.” game — not the more comfort- roll Academy at 5 p.m. Satur-
5:30 p.m. The Patriots jogged into able wins each team posted Class 2A, District 2 — at day.
their locker room at halftime — is a sign that the two teams Newton County Academy Oak Hill will play at Kirk
Saturday trailing by just one point, 26- are evenly matched. Really, Newton County Academy Academy in the north state
Men’s College Basketball 25, but they proceeded to go he said, Thursday’s game was girls 63, Columbus Christian tournament next week.

Arians
Mississippi State at South Carolina,
2:30 p.m.
Prep Girls Basketball
Columbus at West Point, 11 a.m. Continued from Page 1B
Starkville Academy vs. East Rankin
Academy, district tournament third- Conference ablaze with his
place game, Winston Academy, 3 p.m. pass-heavy approach to the
Central Holmes Christian at Oak Hill 1978 season.
Academy, district tournament final, Under center for the aerial
3:30 p.m. renaissance that season was
transfer Dave Marler. Marler,
Prep Boys Basketball who played quarterback and
Carroll Academy at Oak Hill Academy, kicked at Mississippi College
district tournament final, 5 p.m. for two years before walking
Heritage Academy vs. Lamar School, on at MSU as a kicker, spent
district tournament third-place game, his first season in Starkville as
Winston Academy, 4:30 p.m. a full-time special teamer. But
Starkville Academy vs. Leake Acade- Breck Tyler, Bob’s son, who
my, district tournament final, Winston held kicks for Marler and also
Academy, 7:30 p.m. played receiver, nagged his fa-
ther that the team’s best arm
ON THE AIR resided on the special teams
field.
Continuing to push his
Saturday father on moving Marler to
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) quarterback during a spring
11 a.m. — Seton Hall at UConn, FOX scrimmage, Arians overheard
11 a.m. — Alabama at Missouri, ESPN Breck’s insistence. He agreed.
11 a.m. — Iowa State at Oklahoma, Turning to Marler, Arians of-
ESPN2 fered him the nod.
1 p.m. — Kansas at West Virginia, CBS “OK, kid, let’s see what you
1 p.m. — Florida at LSU, ESPN got,” Arians said. “Go in and
2 p.m. — Texas at Oklahoma State, play quarterback.”
ABC Marler led the No. 2 offense
2:30 p.m. — Mississippi State at South on an 80-yard scoring drive
Carolina, SECN against the Bulldogs’ No. 1
3 p.m. — Washington at Oregon, CBS defense. A 75-yard touchdown
3 p.m. — Pittsburgh at Virginia, ESPN procession followed the next
3 p.m. — Ole Miss at Auburn, ESPN2 possession. Arians looked at
5 p.m. — North Carolina at Duke, ESPN Tyler with glee.
5 p.m. — UCF at Tulsa, ESPN2 “They put Marler at quar-
5 p.m. — Vanderbilt at Georgia, SECN terback because the defense
was kicking the s--- out of
us,” Arians told The Dispatch
in October. “And he takes
us right down the field and
scored a touchdown and it's
like, ‘He's our guy.’”
Facing a Bear Bryant-led
Alabama team that hadn’t lost
more than three games in a
season in almost a decade that
fall, Arians added a wrinkle in
MSU’s offense the week of the
game. Rather than line up un-
der center and succumb to the
Crimson Tide’s advantages in
the trenches, he instituted a
shotgun formation in which
Marler lined up seven or eight
yards off the line of scrim-
mage.
Running through pregame
kicking warmups, Marler tore
his thigh muscle. After a tape
job and an injection helped
him start the game, he was
sacked and forced back to the
locker room on the first series
of the day. More tape and an-
other shot followed. Riddled
with pain, Marler soldiered
through, completing 28 of 46
passes for 429 yards — the
most passing yardage ever
surrendered by an Alabama
team at the time.
“(It was) kind of just like
drawing plays up on the side-
lines,” Felker joked. “... We
weren't prepared to run shot-
gun the whole game like we
ended up doing.”
Though the Bulldogs fell
short against the Crimson
Tide, losing 31-14 after pull-
ing within a score early in
the third quarter, they cap-
tured lightning in a bottle.
McDole, who finished the af-
ternoon with nine receptions
for 168 yards, concluded the
campaign with 1,035 yards, a
number that remains atop the
school’s single-season receiv-
ing charts.
Marler would finish the
1978 campaign fourth in the
nation in passing (2,422 yards),
fifth in yards per attempt (8.4)
and 10th in completions (163).
His 2,422 yards that year also
still sit as the fifth-best mark
in program history.
“I had talent,” Marler
said. “(Arians) taught me the
skills.”
nnn
Following the 1978 season,
Tyler resigned from his post
and was replaced with former
Texas A&M coach Emory
Bellard. Bellard, an architect
of the wing-T formation, kept
Arians on staff given his time
as a veer option quarterback at
Virginia Tech.
Arians would spend anoth-
er two seasons in Starkville
before Bryant hired him as Al-
abama’s running backs coach
after the 1980 season. (He
would return to MSU as Jackie
Sherrill’s offensive coordina-
tor between 1993 and 1995.)
Always one to put players first,
Arians called receiver Danny
Knight, who he’d recruited
the previous year, over to his
house to inform him personal-
ly of the change.
Forty years later, after
Knight retired from a long-
time career as a probation of-
ficer last spring, Arians called
to congratulate him.
“I'm just glad I know the
man,” Knight said. “I'm just
happy for him and proud of
him.”
Sunday, Arians, Brady and
the Buccaneers take on the
Kansas City Chiefs with a shot
at delivering the franchise its
first Super Bowl victory since
2002. Nearly 43 years on from
his flight from Blacksburg to
Starkville, Arians isn’t the ba-
by-faced, mustachioed coordi-
nator he once was. But today,
everyone knows that Bruce
Arians guy.

NFL
7 p.m. — Tennessee at Kentucky, ESPN
7 p.m. — Arizona at Colorado, FS1
NBA BASKETBALL
7:30 p.m. — Golden State at Dallas, Continued from Page 1B
ABC
NFL FOOTBALL of the legacy, one that has plagued a expect going forward.” national games next season. There’s
8 p.m. — NFL Honors: From Tampa, league made up of 70% minority play- Goodell noted three A frican-Amer- no timeline for when the league has to
Fla., CBS ers, has been the head coach hiring cy- ican general managers were hired in decide whether to go ahead with inter-
cle. Goodell said the league is not satis- 2020 and early 2021, with more diversi- national games in 2021, however.
Sunday fied with only two minorities hired for ty also seen among coordinators, some- “We hope to get to be there,” he said.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) seven head coach openings: The New thing the NFL can build on. Asked if a “We’re planning for it. We’ll make that
11 a.m. — Iowa at Indiana, FOX York Jets hired Robert Saleh, the first hiring freeze on head coaches until af-
decision whenever we have enough in-
9 p.m. — California at Stanford, FS1 NFL coach who is known to be Muslim ter the Super Bowl would be discussed,
formation to do so.”
NFL FOOTBALL and the son of Lebanese immigrants, Goodell said everything that could en-
and Houston hired David Culley, mak- hance diversity would be explored. NFL Players Association President
5:30 p.m. — Super Bowl LV: Kansas JC Tretter of the Cleveland Browns
City vs. Tampa Bay, Tampa, Fla., CBS ing him only the league’s third Black The offseason structure for the
current head coach. league is so uncertain that Goodell pre- has suggested there is no need for re-
NHL HOCKEY
“We had two minority coaches hired ferred not to be specific about training quired minicamps and other workouts
11 a.m. — Philadelphia at Washington,
and it was not what we expected,” the camps and preseason games, though at team facilities, given how the NFL
NBC
commissioner said, “and not what we he did say the NFL plans to hold inter- got through 2020 without them.
4B FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

NBA

LeBron’s triple-double powers Lakers past Nuggets

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — LeBron
James is not happy about the
NBA’s decision to hold an All-
Star game amid a compressed
regular season and a global
pandemic.
The Los Angeles Lakers su-
perstar also knows there’s no
chance his presence won’t be
required in Atlanta next month
— particularly not after his lat-
est spectacular performance in
a career that just keeps hitting
new heights.
James had 27 points, 10 re-
bounds and 10 assists, Dennis
Schröder added 21 points and
the Lakers roared away in the
second half for a 114-93 victo-
ry over the Denver Nuggets on
Thursday night.
James moved into third place
on the NBA’s career field goals
list while recording his 96th ca-
reer triple-double and his sec-
ond of the season, helping the
Lakers open a five-game home-
stand with their 11th win in 14
games. Los Angeles finished on
a 46-18 run, thoroughly clamp-
ing down on defense and crank-
ing up its transition offense to
win this rematch of the Western
Conference finals in the bubble.
Although James stacked
big numbers on another score-
sheet, he was more impressed
by his team’s effort on the other
end against high-powered Den-
ver.
“We hang our hats on our
defense,” James said. “We’re
the No. 1 defensive team in the
league, and we want to continue
that.”
Talen Horton-Tucker scored
12 of his 17 points during that
inspired second-half effort by
the defending NBA champions,
who returned from a strong sev-
en-game road trip and improved
their surprisingly unimpressive
home record to 5-4. Several
Lakers said their superb sec-
ond half was inspired by an
aggressive halftime talking-to
from coach Frank Vogel.
“When we put our minds to it,
this team can do great things,”
Vogel said. “We were able to ba-
sically double their scoring in
the second half, 68-35. We did it
against a great opponent. It was
a heck of a second half for us.”
The Lakers took control
with a 19-0 run spanning the
final two quarters propelled
by James and Horton-Tucker,
who drove impressively into
the paint to make four straight
shots along with two steals and
a block.
Jamal Murray scored 20
points and Monte Morris add-
ed 16 for the Nuggets, who
struggled down the stretch of
just their second loss in eight
games.
Nikola Jokic managed just
13 points and 10 rebounds after
getting 47 points and 12 boards
Sunday in the Nuggets’ most re-
cent outing against Utah.
“Offensively, we just didn’t
move the ball enough,” Murray
said. “They just ran us in that
second half — layups, dunks.”
Denver took a 12-point lead
into halftime with a 29-16 re-
bounding edge, but the Lakers
closed the third quarter with a
15-0 run.
Tip-ins
Nuggets: Gary Harris sat
out after straining his left ad-
ductor muscle last weekend. ...
Denver hadn’t played since last
weekend because its scheduled
game with Detroit on Monday
was scrapped.
Lakers: Their 21-point mar-
gin of victory was the biggest in
franchise history after trailing
by double digits at halftime,
surpassing a 20-point win at
Phoenix on Christmas in 1968.
... Anthony Davis had 13 points
and nine rebounds.

Comics & Puzzles

DILBERT
Dear Abby
D
EAR ABBY:
My sister
“Darby” and
I are in our 20s
and confused
about the rela-
tionship she is
in. She’s 23 and
has been dating
a 22-year-old
man. They fight
a lot because
ZITS he can’t stop
talking about her
ex-boyfriend. He
says he visual-
izes her having Dear Abby
sex with him,
and is frustrated
with himself for not being able
to get the images out of his
head. Is there a name for this
particular problem, and how
can Darby work with it? —
SUPPORTIVE SIS IN THE WEST
DEAR SIS: Yes, actually,
GARFIELD there are two names for
this “condition.” They are
obsession and jealousy, and
both are signs of potential
control issues. Stay close to
your sister and be there for
her, because this young man’s
behavior is a red flag.
Darby and her boyfriend
are both adults. I assume
neither came to the relation-
ship wrapped in cellophane.
His fixation should not be hers
(or yours) to fix. Because he
can’t get the images out of
CANDORVILLE his head, he should schedule
a few sessions why she’s doing these things?
with a licensed Could she be fearful that the
psychotherapist, packages she’s ordering could
since his prob- be stolen from her porch?
lem will continue Does her daughter need
the longer he more help academically than
is in the dating she is able to provide? The
world. answers to those questions
DEAR ABBY: could be enlightening. After
I moved in with you get those answers, there
my boyfriend will be time to make a rational
six years ago. (rather than emotional) deci-
A year ago, his sion about the status of the
adult daughter relationship you have with her
decided she father.
would have all DEAR ABBY: I am a
her internet 52-year-old single, straight
purchases sent male. For some reason, only
to his home. men seem to be attracted
Abby, these packages arrive to me. If I sit at a table in a
every day, all week long. I’m restaurant or bar, a man will
tired of it. I think she’s a come over and sit next to me.
spend-aholic. If I go to the park, a man will
I told him at the beginning sit next to me on the bench.
of our relationship that I would Walking down the street, ran-
never come between him dom men approach me. It’s
and his daughter. But it has terrible. I’m straight! Please
become a bit much. She calls help! — UNIQUE PROBLEM IN
him for every little thing. Now CALIFORNIA
she has started asking him to DEAR UNIQUE PROBLEM:
help with his granddaughter’s Because you’re not meeting
homework. I have two adult women, try to put yourself
children of my own and grand- in situations where you will
children. Am I overreacting? meet them. Because you are
I’m ready to move out and on. consistently approached by
— OVER IT AND OUT men and you’re not interest-
DEAR OVER IT: Before ed, consider asking them if
moving out and on, discuss they have a female relative
this with your boyfriend of six who’s single. And when you
years. His daughter seems to encounter a woman you think
be unusually dependent for you can click with, speak up
an adult. Is there a reason and introduce yourself.

Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Feb.
5). Your genius is in realizing
what’s worth working on. Subtle
tweaks of thought, tone and be-
havior will add up to blessings
of magnitude. You will master
a skill and be impressed how
much this actually changes
your circumstances. Good news
in the family realm kicks off a
series of celebrations and pur-
BABY BLUES chases. Scorpio and Sagittarius
adore you. Your lucky numbers
are: 5, 28, 1, 19 and 40.
ARIES (March 21-April 19).
If you accidentally turn right
when you meant to turn left,
then do it twice more. Suddenly,
you’ll be headed in the intended
direction. Bonus: You know
BEETLE BAILEY
MALLARD FILLMORE
FAMILY CIRCUS
more scenery than you other-
wise would have.
TAURUS (April 20-May
20). One of the biggest things
you miss about being in large
groups is the unpredictable
sights and encounters that
happen when a cross-section
of people gather. You’ll get a
version of that today.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21).
You are more important to the
action than you think. Your
contribution may not seem
quantifiable, but it’s definitely
real. There will be a different
outcome because you were
there.
CANCER (June 22-July 22).
It’s not like you were planning
on losing it over a wonderful
development, but whatever “it”
is, say goodbye! Don’t worry, all
reason will be restored in time.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Soc-
rates delivered words pertinent
to your day when he said: “True
knowledge exists in knowing
that you know nothing. And in
knowing that you know nothing,
that makes you the smartest
of all.”
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
The first step in accepting re-
sponsibility is to recognize there
is one. You’re usually the first
to do it. Today, you’ll pick up the
ball that you didn’t even drop.
Don’t hold it. Pitch it right back
into the game.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).
Do not assume that people
are acting out because of what
they know or feel to be true.
Behaviors unfold for various rea-
sons — including and especially
group identity.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).
You aspire to understand how
a thing works, but you’ll always
have a special appreciation for
the fun that comes out of these
early moments of learning in
which you have no idea what
you’re doing.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.
21). It’s not so hard for you to
think of today’s interesting bit of
trouble in a variety of ways. It’s
like you’re scrubbing a toolbar
of photo filters to find the one
that gives the most appealing
look to the thing.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). What do child stars and
baby brothers and prodigies
from all walks of life have in
common with you today? You all
know how embarrassing it can
be to grow up in front of people.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). This is a game, and you’re
a player. Today, it will require
you to accept and abide by
rules that are very different
from those existing outside the
confines of the game.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). There’s an implied statute
of limitations on a lot of the bad
things that happen to people.
Compassionate supporters like
you are willing to listen right up
to the point in which it’s health-
ier to offer a tougher version
of love.

A bird in the hand

SOLUTION:

Sitting on billions, Catholic dioceses amassed taxpayer aid
Overall, nation’s nearly 200 dioceses
and other Catholic institutions
received at least $3 billion through
the Paycheck Protection Program
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
When the coronavirus
forced churches to close
their doors and give up
Sunday collections, the
Roman Catholic Diocese
of Charlotte turned to
the federal government’s
signature small business
relief program for more
than $8 million.
The diocese’s head-
quarters, churches and
schools landed the help
even though they had
roughly $100 million of
their own cash and short-
term investments avail-
able last spring, financial
records show. When the
cash catastrophe church
leaders feared didn’t ma-
terialize, those assets
topped $110 million by the
summer.
“I am gratified to re-
RELIGIOUS BRIEFS
Mississippi State
School Ministry
Mississippi State School
of Ministry will be taking ap-
plications for enrollment into
their online degree granting
program. Earn your Certifica-
tion, Associates, Bachelor,
Master and Doctoral Degree
in Religious Studies. We are
an accreditation School of
Ministry authorized through
State of Mississippi and Fed-
eral Government. Our degrees
are for ecclesiastical purpos-
es only. We accept transcripts
and your life experience also
can also be used for degree
granting purposes. For further
information feel free to call
662-425-8443
Fellowship Dinner,
Youth Service
Pleasant Ridge Faith Cen-
ter, 923 Ridge Road, hosts a
fellowship dinner and youth
service every third Sunday.
Gospel Book Club
Friendship M.B. Church,
1102 12th Ave. S., invites the
public to join its Community
Gospel Book Club from 6-7
p.m., on the fourth Friday of
each month, to study and
share views of the Holy Bible.
Open to all ages and ethnic-
ities. For more information,
call Barbara Mattison or
Lillian Murray, 662-570-5595.
Grief Support Group
The Oil of Joy for Grief
and Mourning offers a grief
support group at 6 p.m.
every second Thursday of the
month at United Christian
Baptist Church, 232 Yorkville
Road East. “Making your
grieving journey easier.” For
more information, call 662-
327-0604 or e-mail united-
christian@cableone.net.
Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery, the
nation’s largest Christian
port the overall good
financial health of the di-
ocese despite the many
difficulties presented by
the Covid-19 pandemic,”
Bishop Peter Jugis wrote
in the diocese’s audited
financial report released
last fall.
As the pandemic began
to unfold, scores of Cath-
olic dioceses across the
U.S. received aid through
the Paycheck Protection
Program while sitting on
well over $10 billion in
cash, short-term invest-
ments or other available
funds, an Associated
Press investigation has
found. And despite the
broad economic down-
turn, these assets have
grown in many dioceses.
Yet even with that fi-
nancial safety net, the
112 dioceses that shared
recovery program, meets
Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. at
Meadowview Church, 300
Linden Circle in Starkville.
Millions have found help,
healing, and support for
hurts, habits, and hang-ups
using our popular Biblical 12
step program.
Recovery Room
New Life Assembly, 4474
New Hope Road (near Dollar
General) hosts Recovery
Room, at 6:30 p.m. each Sun-
day. Find help, healing, and
support for any hurt, habit, or
hang-up using our Christ-cen-
tered 12 steps.
Prayer for Youth
Every second and third
Saturday, Pleasant Ridge
Faith Center hosts a prayer
for the youth from 2-3 p.m.
Prayer, Free Coffee
Mount Zion Missionary
Baptist Church, 2221 14th
Ave. N., hosts free coffee and
a prayer community outreach
service from 8-9 a.m. every
fifth Saturday. For informa-
tion, contact Jesse Slater,
662-328-4979.
Radio Program
Apostles Patrick Perkins
invites the public to tune in
to WTWG, radio 1050 AM for
Perfecting the Saints Broad-
cast, Wednesdays 8:30 a.m.
Women Prayer, Wor-
ship Service
Church of the Eternal
Word, 106 22nd St. S., holds
a prayer and worship service
every Thursday from 5-6 p.m.
Call Marie Nabors, 662-549-
4322 or 662-329-1234, for
prayer requests.
Prayer Ministry
New Beginning Everlasting
Outreach Ministry invites the
public to call in with their
prayer requests at 662-327-
9843.
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 5B
their financial statements,
along with the churches
ceived at least $3 billion.
That makes the Roman
news organizations. The
agency for months had
Program last month with
a new infusion of nearly
and schools they oversee,
collected at least $1.5 bil-
Catholic Church perhaps
the biggest beneficiary
shared only partial infor-
mation, making a more
$300 billion. In making
the announcement, the
lion in taxpayer-backed
aid. A majority of these
of the paycheck program,
according to AP’s analy-
precise analysis impossi-
ble.
agency’s administrator at
the time, Jovita Carranza,
dioceses reported enough sis of data the U.S. Small Already one of the hailed the program for
money on hand to cover at Business Administration largest federal aid efforts serving “as an economic
least six months of operat- released following a pub- ever, the SBA reopened lifeline to millions of small
ing expenses, even with- lic-records lawsuit by the Paycheck Protection businesses.”
out any new income.
The financial resourc-
es of several dioceses ri-
valed or exceeded those
available to publicly trad-
ed companies like Shake
Shack and Ruth’s Chris
Steak House, whose ear-
ly participation in the
program triggered out-
rage. Federal officials re-
sponded by emphasizing
the money was intended
for those who lacked the
cushion that cash and
other liquidity provide.
Shake Shack and Ruth’s
Chris joined many corpo-
rations in returning the
funds.
Overall, the nation’s
nearly 200 dioceses,
where bishops and car-
dinals govern, and other
Catholic institutions re-
Prayer Service
Church of the Eternal Word,
Reliable
106 22nd St. S., Columbus,
holds prayer service Thurs-
day nights 5-6 p.m. Contact
Marie Nabors, 662-549-4322.
Church service times: Sunday
information
school 10 a.m.; Sunday wor-
ship 11:15 a.m.; Tuesday Bible
study 7 p.m. For information,
call Pastor District Elder Lou
when we
Nabors, 662-329-1234.
Fitness
Transformations
need it most. 
The Transformational
Church, 2301 Jess Lyons
Road, hosts boxing lessons
Mondays and Wednesday from
5-7 p.m., weight-loss boot
camp Tuesdays and Thursdays
Protect freedom of the press.
5-7 p.m. and both on Satur-
days 9-11 a.m.
freespeech.center
Youth Fellowship
The Transformational
Church, 2301 Jess Lyons
Road, hosts Youth Fellowship
from 7-8:30 p.m. every Tues-
day. Games, prayer, service,
food, and more. Transportation
available. For information, call
Iris Roberson, 662-295-7456.
6B FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
 made in the payment of rent James Mason Woodard, de-

Classifieds
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF and FRIENDLY CITY MINI-WARE- ceased, and Any Unknown NOTICE TO DEFENDANTS
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS- HOUSES pursuant to said Parties In Interest
SIPPI

DOMINIQUE BROOKS COM-

ADS APPEAR IN THE COMMERCIAL DISPATCH,
Leases is authorized to sell the
personal property to satisfy the
past due and any other
You have been made a Defend-
You have been made a defend- ant in the suit filed in this
ant in the Petition for Adjudica- Court by GEORGE A. WILLIAMS,
PLAINANT

VERSUS
THE STARKVILLE DISPATCH AND ONLINE
charges owed to it by the fol-
lowing tenants.
tion of Heirs-at-Law[Doc. No.
12] filed by the Administratrix,
III, seeking to open the Estate
of Julia M. Williams, Deceased.
Kayleigh B. Woodard, on Janu- There are no Defendants other
NOW THEREFORE, notice is ary 6, 2021, seeking to de- than you in this action.
GARREN ADULTE RESPONDENT hereby given that FRIENDLY To place ads starting at only $12,
termine the heirs-at-law of
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES will of- James Mason Woodard, de- You are summoned to appear
CAUSE NO.: 20-494-RPF
tion to the highest bidder for
call 662-328-2424 or visit ads.cdispatch.com
fer for sale, and will sell at auc- ceased. Other than you, the and defend against the Com-
only other interested parties in plaint or Petition filed against
SUMMONS cash all personal property in this action are Kayleigh B. you in this action at 9:00 a.m.
storage units leased by the fol- Woodard; J.M.W. Jr., a minor O'CLOCK on the 4th day of
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI lowing tenants THE
at DISPATCH
FRIENDLY n CDISPATCH.COM
child with the date of n
birth FRIDAY,
of FEBRUARY
March, 2021, in 5,the
2021 n 7B
courtroom
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES 4504 xx/xx/2019; C.V.W., a minor of the Oktibbeha County Chan-
TO: GARREN ADULTE Highway 69 South, Columbus, child with a date of birth of cery Courthouse at 101 E.
Wherever he may be found MS. Auctions will begin at 8:30 xx/xx/2009; and M.T.W., a Main Street, Starkville, Missis-
A.M. on the 5th day March, minor child with a date of birth sippi, and in case of your fail-
Legal Notices Legal Notices Legal Notices
NOTICE TO DEFENDANT Legal
A.D. Notices
2021 at 308 Shoney Legal
of Notices
xx/xx/2006. LegaltoNotices
ure appear and defend, a

LEGALS
CALL US: 662-328-2424
Legal Notices
The following vehicle has been
abandoned at
Auto Mart LLC
1009 Gardner Blvd
Columbus, MS 39702
2010 Audi A4
VIN# WAUAFAFL1AN023895
This vehicle will be put up for
sale on the 11th day of Febru-
ary at 10am at Auto Mart LLC,
1009 Gardner Blvd, Columbus,
MS 39702.
Publish: 2/5 & 2/10/2021
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
COUNTY OF LOWNDES
NOTICE OF SALE
WHEREAS, the following ten-
ants entered into leases with
FRIENDLY CITY MINI-WARE-
HOUSES for storage space in
which to store personal prop-
erty and
WHEREAS, default has been
made in the payment of rent
and FRIENDLY CITY MINI-WARE- bus, MS; 4504 Highway 69
HOUSES pursuant to said
Leases is authorized to sell the tions are with reserve and
personal property to satisfy the therefore all units can be with-
past due and any other
charges owed to it by the fol-
lowing tenants.
NOW THEREFORE, notice is
hereby given that FRIENDLY
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES will of-
fer for sale, and will sell at auc-
tion to the highest bidder for
cash all personal property in
storage units leased by the fol-
lowing tenants at FRIENDLY
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES 903
Alabama St. Columbus, MS.
Auctions will begin at 8:30
A.M. on the 5th day of March,
A.D. 2021 at 308 Shoney
Drive, Columbus, MS and will
continue to all FRIENDLY CITY
MINI-WAREHOUSE locations in
the following sequence: 903
Alabama Street, Columbus,
MS; 44 Beatty Road, Colum-
bus, MS; 4504 Highway 69
South, Columbus, MS. All auc-
tions are with reserve and
therefore all units can be with-
drawn from the sale at any
time by the auctioneer/man-
ager.
Title to the personal property to
be sold is believed to be good,
but at such sale, FRIENDLY
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES will
convey only such title as is ves-
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
COUNTY OF LOWNDES
NOTICE OF SALE
WHEREAS, the following ten-
ants entered into leases with
FRIENDLY CITY MINI-WARE-
HOUSES for storage space in
which to store personal prop-
erty and
WHEREAS, default has been
made in the payment of rent
and FRIENDLY CITY MINI-WARE-
HOUSES pursuant to said
Leases is authorized to sell the
personal property to satisfy the
past due and any other
charges owed to it by the fol-
lowing tenants.
NOW THEREFORE, notice is
hereby given that FRIENDLY
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES will of-
fer for sale, and will sell at auc-
tion to the highest bidder for
cash all personal property in
storage units leased by the fol-
lowing tenants at FRIENDLY
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES 44
Beatty Road, Columbus, MS.
Auctions will begin at 8:30
A.M. on the 5th day of March,
A.D. 2021 at 308 Shoney
Drive, Columbus, MS and will
continue to all FRIENDLY CITY
MINI-WAREHOUSE locations in
the following sequence: 903
Alabama Street, Columbus,
MS; 44 Beatty Road, Colum-
South, Columbus, MS. All auc-
drawn from the sale at any
time by the auctioneer/man-
ager.
Title to the personal property to
be sold is believed to be good,
but at such sale, FRIENDLY
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES will
convey only such title as is ves-
ted in it pursuant to its lease
with the following and its al-
lowed under Mississippi Code
Annotated Section 85-7-121 et
seq (Supp 1988).
Terry Brown - B40, B48
Chris Herring - B27
WITNESS MY SIGNATURE on
this the 4th day of February,
A.D. 2021.
FRIENDLY CITY
MINI-WAREHOUSES
By: C.H.L.
Publish: 2/5, 2/12 &
2/19/2021
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
SIPPI
IN THE SPECIAL COURT OF EM- THE PETITION WHICH IS AT-
INENT DOMAIN
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
SIPPI
COLUMBUS REDEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY PLAINTIFF
VS.
WILLIE JAMES WEBBER, ET AL. ney for the Plaintiff, whose
DEFENDANTS
NO. 2021-0001-ED2
SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION
TO: UNKNOWN HEIRS-AT-LAW
AND DEVISEES OF JAMES
WEBBER, DECEASED, AND
MARY ALICE WEBBER, DE-
CEASED, AND ALL OTHER PER- Plaintiff.
SONS OR ENTITIES HAVING A
LEGAL OR EQUITABLE IN-
TEREST IN REAL PROPERTY
LOCATED AT 517 NORTH 4TH
STREET IN COLUMBUS, MS,
BEING LOT 4, BLOCK 23 OF
FISHERMENS ADDITION,
NORTH OF MAIN
You have been made Defend-
ants in a lawsuit filed in this
Court by the Columbus Re-
development Authority to con-
demn by eminent domain cer-
tain real property located at
517 North 4th Street, Colum-
bus, Mississippi, and being Lot DEPUTY CLERK
4 of Block 23, Fishermens Ad-
dition, North of Main. The prop- PUBLISH: 1/29, 2/5 &
erty is necessary to renew and 2/12/2021
redevelopment blighted condi-
tions in accordance with the
Urban Renewal Plan (Burns
Bottom) of the City of Colum-
bus, Mississippi.
You are summoned to appear
and defend against the
Amended Complaint or petition ants entered into leases with
filed against you in this action FRIENDLY CITY MINI-WARE-
at 9:30 o’clock a. m. on the
4th day of May, 2021, in the
second floor County Court
courtroom of the Lowndes
County Courthouse in Colum-
bus, Mississippi, and in case
of your failure to appear and
defend, a judgment will be
entered against you for the
money or other things deman-
ded in the Amended Complaint past due and any other
or petition.
You are hereby further given
notice that not less than ten
(10) days prior to the date of
the trial on May 4, 2021, you
are required to file the State-
ment of Values pursuant to
Miss. Code Ann. §11-27-7,
which shall be treated as
pleadings in this action. The
date of the filing of the
Amended Complaint herein is
the 25th day of January, 2021,
and the name and address of
the attorney for the Plaintiff is
Martha Bost Stegall, P. O. Box Drive, Columbus, MS and will
Drive, Columbus, MS and will judgment will be entered
continue to all FRIENDLY CITY You are summoned to appear against you for the money or
TACHED TO THIS SUMMONS IS MINI-WAREHOUSE locations in and represent your interests other things demanded in the
IMPORTANT AND YOU MUST the following sequence: 903 against said Petition before the Complaint or Petition.
TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO Alabama Street,
MS; 44 Beatty Road, Colum-
Columbus, Honorable Rodney
Chancellor of the 14th Chan-
P. Faver,
You are not required to file an
PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS.
bus, MS; 4504 Highway 69 cery District at 9:00 a.m. on answer other pleading, but you
You are required to mail or South, Columbus, MS. All auc- the 18th day of March 2021, may do so if you desire.
hand-deliver a copy of a writ- tions are with reserve and at the Lowndes County Court-
ten response to the Complaint therefore all units can be with- house in Columbus, Missis- Issued under my hand and the
to C. MARTY HAUG, the attor- drawn from the sale at any sippi, and in case of your fail- seal of said Court, this 19th
time by the auctioneer/man- ure to appear your interest in day of January, 2021.
mailing address is 212 N. Jack- ager. this matter will not be con-
son Street, Starkville, MS sidered. Cindy Goode, Chancery Clerk
39759. Your response must be Title to the personal property to Lowndes County, Mississippi
mailed or delivered within thirty be sold is believed to be good, You are not required to file an Post Office Box 684
(30) days from the date of de- but at such sale, FRIENDLY answer or other pleading, but Columbus, Mississippi 39703
livery of this summons and CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES will you may do so if you desire.
complaint or a judgment by de- convey only such title as is ves- BY: Shantrell W. Granderson,
fault will be entered against ted in it pursuant to its lease Issued under my hand and the D.C.
you for the money or other with the following and its al- seal of said Court, this the
things demanded in the lowed under Mississippi Code 19th day of January 2021. Issue at the request of:
Annotated Section 85-7-121 et Warren L. Conway
seq (Supp 1988). CINDY E. GOODE, CHANCERY 1600 24th Avenue, Suite B
You must also file the original CLERK Gulfport, Mississippi 39501
of your response with the Clerk Brett Johnson - H46 LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS- (228) 863-3183 – Telephone
of this Court within a reason- SIPPI (228) 863-3379 – Facsimile
able time afterward. Tristen Johnson - H8 MSB No.: 6480
(SEAL)
Issued under my hand and the Angela Johnstone - H7 BY: /s/ Shantrell W. Grander- PUBLISH: 1/22, 1/29 &
seal of said Court, this the son, D.C. 2/5/2021
25th day of January, 2021. WITNESS MY SIGNATURE on
this the 4th day of February, PUBLISH: 1/22, 1/29 & STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
/s/ CINDY E. GOODE A.D. 2020. 2/5/2021 COUNTY OF LOWNDES
CHANCERY CLERK
of Lowndes County, MS FRIENDLY CITY IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF NOTICE OF SALE
MINI-WAREHOUSES LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
By: /s/SHANTRELL W. By: C.H.L. SIPPI WHEREAS, the following ten-
GRANDERSON ants entered into leases with
Publish: 2/5, 2/12 & IN THE MATTER OF THE ES- FRIENDLY CITY MINI-WARE-
2/19/2021 TATE OF JULIA M. WILLIAMS, HOUSES for storage space in
DECEASED which to store personal prop-
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF erty and
GEORGE A. WILLIAMS, III PETI-
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI SIPPI TIONER WHEREAS, default has been
COUNTY OF LOWNDES made in the payment of rent
CAUSE NO. 2020-0251
IN THE MATTER OF THE ES- and FRIENDLY CITY MINI-WARE-
NOTICE OF SALE TATE OF JAMES MASON WOOD- HOUSES pursuant to said
RULE 81 SUMMONS
ARD, DECEASED Leases is authorized to sell the
(Summons by Publication) personal property to satisfy the
WHEREAS, the following ten-
CAUSE NO.: 2020-0225-RPF past due and any other
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI charges owed to it by the fol-
HOUSES for storage space in SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION COUNTY OF HARRISON lowing tenants.
which to store personal prop-
erty and THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI TO: THE KNOWN AND UN- NOW THEREFORE, notice is
KNOWN HEIRS AT LAW OF JU- hereby given that FRIENDLY
WHEREAS, default has been TO: All Unknown Heirs-at-Law of LIA M. WILLIAMS, DECEASED CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES will of-
made in the payment of rent James Mason Woodard, de- fer for sale, and will sell at auc-
NOTICE TO DEFENDANTS
and FRIENDLY CITY MINI-WARE- ceased, and Any Unknown tion to the highest bidder for
HOUSES pursuant to said Parties In Interest cash all personal property in
You have been made a Defend- storage units leased by the fol-
Leases is authorized to sell the
personal property to satisfy the You have been made a defend- ant in the suit filed in this lowing tenants at FRIENDLY
ant in the Petition for Adjudica- Court by GEORGE A. WILLIAMS, CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES 308
charges owed to it by the fol- tion of Heirs-at-Law[Doc. No. III, seeking to open the Estate Shoney Drive Columbus, MS,
of Julia M. Williams, Deceased. at 8:30 am on the 5th day of
lowing tenants. 12] filed by the Administratrix,
Kayleigh B. Woodard, on Janu- There are no Defendants other March, A.D. 2021 and will con-
NOW THEREFORE, notice is ary 6, 2021, seeking to de- than you in this action. tinue to all FRIENDLY CITY
hereby given that FRIENDLY termine the heirs-at-law of MINI-WAREHOUSE locations in
You are summoned to appear
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES will of- James Mason Woodard, de- the following sequence: 903
and defend against the Com-
fer for sale, and will sell at auc- ceased. Other than you, the Alabama Street, Columbus,
plaint or Petition filed against
tion to the highest bidder for only other interested parties in MS; 44 Beatty Road, Colum-
you in this action at 9:00 a.m.
cash all personal property in this action are Kayleigh B. bus, MS; 4504 Highway 69
O'CLOCK on the 4th day of
storage units leased by the fol- Woodard; J.M.W. Jr., a minor South, Columbus, MS. All auc-
March, 2021, in the courtroom tions are with reserve and
lowing tenants at FRIENDLY child with the date of birth of
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES 4504 xx/xx/2019; C.V.W., a minor of the Oktibbeha County Chan- therefore all units can be with-
cery Courthouse at 101 E.
Highway 69 South, Columbus, child with a date of birth of drawn from the sale at any
Main Street, Starkville, Missis- time by the auctioneer/man-
MS. Auctions will begin at 8:30 xx/xx/2009; and M.T.W., a
A.M. on the 5th day March, minor child with a date of birth sippi, and in case of your fail- ager.
A.D. 2021 at 308 Shoney of xx/xx/2006. ure to appear and defend, a
judgment will be entered Title to the personal property to
against you for the money or be sold is believed to be good,
continue to all FRIENDLY CITY You are summoned to appear

SERVICE DIRECTORY
IN THE MATTER OF THE ES- 7120, Tupelo, Mississippi other things demanded in the but at such sale, FRIENDLY
ted in it pursuant to its lease TATE OF DOROTHY HODGES, 38802. Other than the State- MINI-WAREHOUSE locations in and represent your interests
with the following and its al- DECEASED ment of Values you are not re- the following sequence: 903 against said Petition before the Complaint or Petition. CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES will
Honorable Rodney P. Faver, convey only such title as is ves-
lowed under Mississippi Code quired to file an Answer or oth- Alabama Street, Columbus, You are not required to file an ted in it pursuant to its lease
Annotated Section 85-7-121 et CAUSE NO.2020-0244F er pleading but you may do so MS; 44 Beatty Road, Colum- Chancellor of the 14th Chan-
bus, MS; 4504 Highway 69 cery District at 9:00 a.m. on answer other pleading, but you with the following and its al-
seq (Supp 1988). if you desire. may do so if you desire.
South, Columbus, MS. All auc- the 18th day of March 2021, lowed under Mississippi Code
at the Lowndes County Court- Annotated Section 85-7-121 et
LaShana C. Scott - E372 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Issued under my hand and the tions are with reserve and Issued under my hand and the seq (Supp 1988).
seal of said Court, this 2nd day therefore all units can be with- house in Columbus, Missis-
Patricia Wilson - E360 Letters of Testamentary having of February, 2021. PROMOTE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS STARTING AT ONLY $25
drawn from the sale at any sippi, and in case of your fail- seal of said
day of January, 2021.
Court, this 19th
Sharon Little - N276
been granted and issued to the time by the auctioneer/man- ure to appear your interest in
Britany Stegall - E72 undersigned upon the Estate of ager. this matter will not be con-
TERESA BARKSDALE, CLERK General Services General
sidered. Services General Services
Cindy Goode, Chancery Clerk Painting &Bailey
Tammy Papering- N227
Dorothy Hodges, deceased, by SPECIAL COURT OF EMINENT Lowndes County, Mississippi
Jonathan Durrah - E353 the Chancery Court of Lowndes DOMAIN, Title to the personal property to
be A sold
& Tis TREE
believed to be good, You
SERVICES are not required
NEWELL’S PLUMBING to file an Post Office
& WORK WANTED: Licensed Box 684 Dantez Fisher
SULLIVAN’S - N215 PAINT
County, Mississippi on the LOWNDES COUNTY, MS Columbus,
Britney Sand - E203 22nd day of January, 2021. but Bucket
at such sale,
truckFRIENDLY
& stump answer or other pleading,
HANDYMAN SERVICE but & Bonded.Mississippi Carpentry,39703 minor SERVICE
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES you may do so if you desire. Susan Mackay - N11, N62
This is to give notice to all per- BY: Ann Marie Langford, D.C. removal. Free est.will Licensed with over 20 yrs electrical, minor plumbing, Special Prices.
Shelby Barnhill - E19 sons having claims against convey only such
Serving title as is ves- experience. Lowest rates in BY:
Columbus
Shantrell W. Granderson,
insulation, painting, demo− Anna Interior & Exterior Painting.
Issued D.C. Cantrell - N110
said estate to probate and re- Publish: 2/5/21, 2/12/21 and ted in it pursuant
since 1987.toSenior
its lease the under
area, my hand and the lition, gutters cleaned,
Guaranteed. 662−435−6528
Robert Wright - E82 gister same with the Chancery 2/19/21 with the following and its al- seal of said Court, this the
citizen disc. Call
lowed under Mississippi Code Alvin @ 662−242−5005.
19th day of January 2021.
pressure
Issue at thewashing,
request land−
of: Kitty Davis - N64, N65
Clerk of Lowndes County, Mis- 242−0324/241−4447 Warren L. Conway
scaping, cleanup work.
WITNESS MY SIGNATURE on sissippi within 90 days from Annotated Section 85-7-121 et Sitting With The Sick / Elderly
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF "We’ll
seq (Supp go1988).
out on a limb for CINDY E. GOODE, CHANCERY 1600 24th Avenue, Suite B
662−242−3608. Hiyoshida McGee - N141
this the 4th day of February, the date of the first publication Gulfport, Mississippi 39501
A.D. 2021. LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS- you!" CLERK
of this notice. A failure to pro-
bate and register this claim will
SIPPI Brett Johnson - H46 BANKRUPTCY
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
SIPPI
Lawn Care
(228) / Landscaping
863-3183
(228) 863-3379 – Facsimile
– Telephone ILashea
am a Atiana
Caregiver Stagat
elderly seeking a daytime
for- N161
the
FRIENDLY CITY
MINI-WAREHOUSES
forever bar the same. DOMINIQUE BROOKS COM- Tristen Johnson - H8
HANDYMAN−CERTIFIED IN CHAPTER 7 MSBJESSE No.: 6480 & BEVERLY’S Hank Johnson
position. Very- N132
loving &
By: C.H.L. This the 27th day of January,
PLAINANT
MAINTENANCE (SEAL)BANKRUPTCY LAWN SERVICE caring, light housekeeping
PUBLISH: 1/22, 1/29 &
2021. Angela Johnstone - H7
Electrical, woodwork,
BY: /s/$545 Shantrell
plus FilingW. Grander-
Fee Fall Cleanup, Tree Cutting, offered. Call or N34
2/5/2021
Onterrio Lowery - leave msg,
Publish: 2/5, 2/12 & VERSUS son, D.C. 662−570−8175.
Landscaping, Sodding &
2/19/2021 /s/ LINDA LEWIS GARREN ADULTE RESPONDENT this
plumbing, decks,
WITNESS MY SIGNATURE on
drywall, painting,
roofing, CHAPTER 13
concrete, PUBLISH: 1/22, 1/29 & Bush Hogging
Jakala Brown - N246
LINDA LEWIS, EXECUTRIX the 4th day of February, BANKRUPTCY
A.D. work, hauling, moving. 2/5/2021
yard2020. 662−356−6525 WITNESS MY SIGNATURE on
CAUSE NO.: 20-494-RPF All Attorney Fees Through The Plan this the 4th day of February,
PUBLISH: 1/29, 2/5 & All credit cards accepted. Painting & Papering
2/12/2021 SUMMONS
FRIENDLY
PaymentCITY
MINI-WAREHOUSES
plans. Will trade Jim Arnold, Attorney A.D. 2021.
All notices must be for almost anything.
By: C.H.L. 662-324-1666 QUALITY PAINTING FRIENDLY CITY
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI 662−386−3658. MINI-WAREHOUSES
emailed to Publish: 2/5, 2/12 &
104 South Lafayette Street, Starkville Ext/Int Painting
By: C.H.L.
classifieds@ Sell idle items TO: GARREN ADULTE 2/19/2021 Please visit our website: Sheet Rock Hang, Finish &
Wherever he may be found jimharnold.com Repair. Pressure Washing. Publish: Got 2/5, leaky 2/12pipes?
&
cdispatch.com. with a quick action Are you a painter? Saturday morning appointments
Free Estimates. Ask for 2/19/2021
Find a plumber in the
classified ad. NOTICE TO DEFENDANT Advertise here! available for Starkville Office.
specials! Larry
662−242−4932.
Webber,
classifieds.
THE PETITION WHICH IS AT-

Just a click away!

TACHED TO THIS SUMMONS IS
IMPORTANT AND YOU MUST
TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO
PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS.

You are required to mail or

hand-deliver a copy of a writ-
ten response to the Complaint
to C. MARTY HAUG, the attor-
ney for the Plaintiff, whose
mailing address is 212 N. Jack-
son Street, Starkville, MS
39759. Your response must be
mailed or delivered within thirty
(30) days from the date of de-
livery of this summons and

The best place for personalized

complaint or a judgment by de-
fault will be entered against
you for the money or other
things demanded in the

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Plaintiff.

You must also file the original

of your response with the Clerk
of this Court within a reason-
able time afterward.

Issued under my hand and the

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seal of said Court, this the
25th day of January, 2021.

/s/ CINDY E. GOODE

CHANCERY CLERK
of Lowndes County, MS

By: /s/SHANTRELL W.
GRANDERSON
DEPUTY CLERK

PUBLISH: 1/29, 2/5 &

2/12/2021 CUSTOMIZE YOUR AD:
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therefore all units can be with-
8B FRIDAY,
drawn from theFEBRUARY
sale at any 5, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
time by the auctioneer/man-
ager.
Legal Notices Medical / Dental
Title to the personal property to
be sold is believed to be good, Too much
STUFF?
but at such sale, FRIENDLY
CITY MINI-WAREHOUSES will
ON THE WEB
convey only such title as is ves-
ted in it pursuant to its lease Visit www.cdispatch.com
for a printable copy of
with the following and its al-
lowed under Mississippi Code
Annotated Section 85-7-121 et
seq (Supp 1988). these puzzles.
Sharon Little - N276

Tammy Bailey - N227

Dantez Fisher - N215

Susan Mackay - N11, N62

Anna Cantrell - N110

Kitty Davis - N64, N65

Hiyoshida McGee - N141

Lashea Atiana Stagat - N161

Hank Johnson - N132 Start your

Onterrio Lowery - N34 de-cluttering by
Jakala Brown - N246 placing a garage
WITNESS MY SIGNATURE on
this the 4th day of February, sale ad today!
A.D. 2021.

FRIENDLY CITY
MINI-WAREHOUSES Apts For Rent: Other Ads starting at...
RENTALS
By: C.H.L.

Publish: 2/5, 2/12 &

2/19/2021
COLEMAN 1 day $10 Sudoku YESTERDAY’S ANSWER

3 day $18
ADS STARTING AT $25 RENTALS

IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF

TOWNHOUSES & APARTMENTS

1 BEDROOM
Sudoku
Sudoku is a number-
placing puzzle based on
Yesterday’s answer

6 day $34
Apts For Rent: North
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
Sudoku
a 9x9 gridis witha several
num- 1 7 4 8 5 2 9 3 6
SIPPI
2 BEDROOMS ber-placing
given numbers.puzzleThe object 5 9 6 1 7 3 8 4 2

2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

2−3BR/1BA DUPLEX,
IN THE MATTER OF THE ES- Apt B, newly renovated with 3 BEDROOMS based onthe
is to place a 9x9
numbers 3 8 2 9 4 6 1 5 7
TATE OF TAMMY W. LIEBLING, bonus room. HUD Price includes 4 lines of text; grid
1 to 9with
in theseveral
DECEASED
LEASE, empty spaces 6 1 3 7 9 5 4 2 8
© The Dispatch

accepted. 662−425−6954.
$1/line after base cost. given
ALLISON P. WOOLBRIGHT, AD- DEPOSIT so thatnumbers.
each row, each The 8 2 7 6 1 4 3 9 5
MINISTRATOR object
column and each 3x3 the
is to place box
AND numbers 9 4 5 2 3 8 6 7 1
contains the1same to 9 number
in
KENNETH G. WOOLBRIGHT PE- FOX RUN APARTMENTS
CREDIT CHECK the empty spaces so 7 5 9 3 8 1 2 6 4
MERCHANDISE
TITIONERS 1 & 2 BR near hospital.
only once. The difficulty 4 6 8 5 2 9 7 1 3
CAUSE NO: 2018-0111-F
$595−$645 monthly. that each row, each
Military discount, pet area,
662-329-2323 level increases from
column and each
Monday
2 3 1 4 6 7 5 8 9
boxtocontains
Sunday.
AND ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN pet friendly, and furnished
HEIRS-AT-LAW OF TAMMY W. corporate apts. ADS STARTING AT $12 3x3 Difficulty Level 2/04

LIEBLING, DECEASED DEFEND-
ANTS
SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
TO: ANY AND ALL UNKNOWS
HEIRS AT LAW OF TAMMY W.
LIEBLING, DECEASED
NOTICE
24−HOUR PROFESSIONAL
GYM. ON SITE SECURITY.
ON SITE MAINTENANCE.
ON SITE MANAGEMENT.
24−HOUR CAMERA
SURVEILLANCE. Benji &
Ashleigh, 662−386−4446.
Apts For Rent: West
2411 HWY 45 N the same number only once. The difficulty level
COLUMBUS, MS Sporting Goods increases from Monday to Sunday.
Houses For Rent: North ED SANDERS GUNSMITH
Open for season!
COLONIAL TOWNHOUSES. Tue−Fri: 9−5 & Sat: 9−12
2 & 3 bedroom w/ 2−3 Over 50 years experience!
bath townhouses. $650 to Repairs, cleaning, refin−
ishing, scopes mounted &
$750. 662−549−9555.
Ask for Glenn or text. zeroed, handmade knives.

VIP
Located: Hwy 45 Alt, North
You have been made a Defend-
Mobile Homes for Rent of West Point, turn right on
Yokahama Blvd, 8mi & turn

ant in the Complaint filed in
this Court by Allison P. Wool-
bright as Administrator and
Kenneth G. Woolbright seeking
to determine the heirs-at-law of
Tammy W. Liebling, Deceased.
Your are summoned to appear
and defend against said Com-
plaint at 9:00 o’clock A.M. on
the 15th day of March, A.D.
2021 in the Courtroom of the
Lowndes County Courthouse at
Columbus, Mississippi, and in
case of your failure to appear
and defend, a judgment will be
entered granting the relief
sought in the Complaint for
money or other things.
You are not required to file an
answer or other pleading, but
you may do so if you desire.
Issued under my hand and seal
of said Court this the 1st day
of February A.D. 2021.
Rentals
3BR/2BA MH in New Hope. left on Darracott Rd, will
$650 dep + $650/mo. see sign, 2.5mi ahead
No pets, quiet area. Leave shop on left.
Apartments & Houses voicemail with full name & 662−494−6218.
1 Bedrooms
message, 205−712−6697.
2 Bedroooms
COMMUNITY
RENT A CAMPER!
3 Bedrooms
CHEAPER THAN A MOTEL!
Utilities & cable included,
from $145/wk − $535/mo
Furnished & Unfurnished Columbus & County School ADS STARTING AT $12
locations. 662−242−3803
1, 2, & 3 Baths or 601−940−1397. Pets
Lease, Deposit Mobile Home Spaces
& Credit Check Boxer/Lab Puppies
For Rent: 2 males and 2 females
viceinvestments.com $400. 662−361−4081
327-8555
Offices 4−Private +
Reception Area with
5,700sqft warehouse,
paved parking. Please text
Apts For Rent: Other Your Name & Email for
more details. $1,800/mo
It’s a classified

CINDY E. GOODE CHANCERY

to rent. 720−635−5696.
rule-of-thumb:
We tell readers
CLERK OF LOWNDES COUNTY,
MS

BY: /s/ Tina Fisher

DEPUTY CLERK
REAL ESTATE what they need
ADS STARTING AT $25
PUBLISH: 2/5, 2/12 &
2/19/2021
to know to buy
Farms & Timberland
what they need.
EMPLOYMENT 203 ACRES
PRIME TIMBERLAND

CALL US: 662-328-2424

$270,000
Exc deer, turkey hunting
Five Questions:
Good Investment
(615)719−8329
General Help Wanted

THE COMMERCIAL Houses For Sale: New Hope 1 “Chopped” ACROSS

DISPATCH seeks a motiv- 1 Ocean regions
ated, contracted carrier for Storage House converted
6 Ship poles
the Caledonia area. Excel- into a small house.
lent opportunity to earn
money for college. Must
Plumbing and Electrical
already installed. 2 Australia 11 Dominant
12 Partners of
have good transportation, Small kitchenette and
valid driver's license & in- bathroom. $6,000. radii
surance. Delivers on 678−368−0631 13 European
Sunday morning and Mon-
Fri afternoons. Apply at The
Lots & Acreage 3 Lorde fashion center
14 Craze
Commercial Dispatch, 516
Main Street in Columbus.
1.75 ACRE LOTS: Good/ 15 Purposes
Bad Credit Options. Good
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4 Fields
credit as low as 20% down,
$499/mo. Eaton Land, 18 Smoke
source
Medal
662−361−7711.
You’ll find the best deals
when you advertise 20 Opposed
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NEW HOPE AREA:
+/− 1 acre. Open land with 22 French friend
cdispatch.com water & electricity nearby. 23 Like pigtails
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5 “Carol”
$17,900. Call or text, 26 Plotting group
662−435−0401.
28 Enterprise 3 Words on a 21 Newborn’s
doc dollar’s back need
29 Try to equal 4 Aspect 23 Scheme
31 Low die roll 5 Reasonable 24 Really long
32 Trig function 6 Bottom-line times
33 Army dinner figure 25 Colors
34 Check mate? 7 Credit card, 27 Cave raider of
36 Sink problem informally story
38 Sound-re- 8 Words on a 30 Poet Hughes
lated dollar’s back 33 Heat setting
40 Bother 9 Foray 34 Sax great
43 Antilles resort 10 Neptune’s Getz
44 Buggy riders domain 35 Matador’s foe
45 Wanderer 16 Mineo of 37 Paper pack
46 Rapper Elliott movies 39 Young fellow
DOWN 18 Watch part 41 Braying beast
1 Block up 19 Mosque 42 Belonging to
2 Yale supporter figure thee