INSIDE TODAY: Progress Magazine, sample ballots and a voter’s guide to ballot initiatives

Established 1879 | Columbus, Mississippi

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Sunday | October 25, 2020

Some locals concerned about

in-person voting amid pandemic
This year —
the first year Safety measures planned to curb virus spread at
he’s qualified
to vote polling places; mask mandates will not be enforced
absentee
in a BY YUE STELLA YU close to other people.”
presidential syu@cdispatch.com This year — the first year he’s qual-
election ified to vote absentee in the Nov. 3
because Eric Krieger is worried about waiting election because of his disabilities —
of his to cast his ballot in long lines. Krieger cast his vote at Lowndes County
disabilities Due to his back problem, the long- Courthouse on Monday morning. The
— Krieger time Columbus resident said he cannot
cast his vote process, he said, went smoothly.
at Lowndes stand up straight for too long. Having But with Election Day right around
County diabetes, Krieger is also among many the corner, many other local residents do
Courthouse Americans who are particularly suscep- not enjoy the same option. With Missis-
on Monday tible to infections during the COVID-19 sippi being the only state where in-per-
morning. The pandemic. son voting is the sole option available to
process, he “I’m immunocompromised,” he said. all voters, most citizens have to line up in
said, went
smoothly. “(Voting absentee) is the way I could get person amid a deadly pandemic.
Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff it done quickly without having to be too See VOTING, 2A

Building on WAITING ON THE PARADE

increased
arrests and
seizures, joint
drug task force
to continue
BY ISABELLE ALTMAN
ialtman@cdispatch.com

On Oct. 2, agents with

the Columbus-Lowndes
joint narcotics task force
executed a search warrant
on a 10th Avenue South
residence and recovered
approximately 20 pounds
— or $46,000 worth — of
marijuana alone.
It was the culmination Hawkins
of eight months’ worth of
investigation and one of the more memora-
ble recent seizures by the task force, a part-
nership between Lowndes County Sheriff’s
Office and Columbus Police Department
that started in 2007, Sheriff Eddie Hawkins
said.
The partnership in recent years has led
to increased cooperation between the two
departments, and Hawkins said the team
has been seizing increasing numbers of
narcotics over the last two months as the Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff
members of the task force — all of them ei- Mason Merrill, 5, Kolin Brooks, 6, and Luci Merrill, 4, all of Starkville, play with a tablet on the grass alongside Yellow-
ther new hires or transfers since Hawkins jacket Drive while waiting for the Starkville High School homecoming parade to pass by them Thursday night. Mason
See TASK FORCE, 3A and Luci are the children of Katie Olsen and Adam Merrill, and Kolin is the son of Roger and Tiffany Brooks.

Witnesses describe deception, push for ‘obedience’ from Second Baptist pastor
day of a civil trial against Stone now-disbanded building com-
Civil trial over church construction will and Head Deacon Terry Miller. mittee, backed up claims that
continue next week in Oktibbeha Circuit Court Hairston and the board of
trustees filed suit in late 2015,
Charles Ware, a spokesman
and adviser for the board, made
BY TESS VRBIN said the church had secured a alleging Stone and Miller ne- on the stand Tuesday. They de-
tvrbin@cdispatch.com bank loan to build a new sanc- gotiated a May 2013 contract scribed a culture of intimida-
tuary. He found out this was not with Long Beach-based TCM tion in which Stone would char-
Before September 2015, true when a loan officer from Construction to build a new acterize anyone who disagreed
Bennie Hairston trusted Rev. Renasant Bank contacted him Stone Crowther sanctuary without the board’s with him as a traitor to God and
Joseph Stone. about steps the church need- approval and withheld money the church and vilify them from
As chairman of the Second ed to take in order to receive a money had started going out,” collected through church offer- the pulpit.
Baptist Church Board of Trust- loan. Hairston said on the witness ings from the trustees. “One of his sermons was
ees, Hairston believed Stone, “That shocked me, because stand in Oktibbeha County Cir- Current and former trust- (about) running the devils out,
the church pastor, when Stone we’d started moving dirt (and) cuit Court on Friday, the fourth ees, as well as members of the See TRIAL, 8A

WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR INSIDE TODAY

Calen Conwill
Fourth grade, Heritage
1 Which basketball player’s silhouette ap-
pears on the NBA logo?
Monday through Saturday, ALSO ...
2 How many days did it take Pony Express Oct. 26-31 BALLOTS,
riders to travel the 2,000 miles from St. ■ Radio drama: MSU’s Shack-
Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California
— 5, 10 or 15?
3 Which music festival was founded in 1991
ouls Honors College presents “A
Halloween Feast with Seneca’s EXPLAINED
Oedipus” online at honors.ms- ■ See sample bal-
by Jane’s Addiction front man Perry Farrell? state.edu and broadcast at vary-
4 Which decade of the 20th century was lots from Lowndes,
ing times on MSU’s radio station Oktibbeha, Clay and
nicknamed “roaring”?

69 Low 57 5 What big-haired R&B singer of “I’m Every 91.1 FM and EMCC’s 92.7. Noxubee for the Nov.
High Woman” sang the theme song for “Reading 3 general election
Mostly cloudy Rainbow,” which had a 26-year run? Thursday, Oct. 29 and analysis for all of
this year’s statewide
Full forecast on Answers, 5B ■ Loaves & Fishes: This Com-
page 3A. munity Soup Kitchen fundraiser ballot initiatives
features pork loin take-out meals, inside today’s news-
paper.
INSIDE $15 or two for $25, from First
United Methodist Church Family
Classifieds 4,5B Lifestyles 9,10A Life Center, 602 College St. City
Comics 9,10B Obituaries 5A limits delivery available. Tickets Fall Progress magazine, inserted in
Crossword 4B Opinions 6A at Columbus Arts Council, FUMC, today’s newspaper, will include updates
141st Year, No. 193 Dear Abby 3B Sports 1B other churches. 662-425-6408. from around the region.

DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471

2A SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020
Voting
Continued from Page 1A
Several voters have
told The Dispatch via
Facebook that they are
not afraid to vote in per-
son and plan to do so on
Election Day, though none
of them responded to The
Dispatch’s requests for
further comment. Other
residents, though pledg-
ing to vote in person Nov.
3, said they fear voting at
polling stations with big
crowds will increase their
risk of exposure to the vi-
rus.
Even before the pan-
demic, Mississippi was
one of the states with the
most restrictions for vot-
ing in person or by mail
prior to Election Day. Un-
der regular circumstanc-
es, only voters who are
over the age of 65, have a
permanent or temporary
disability, work on Elec-
tion Day or are out of town
can vote absentee in per-
son or by mail, according
to the Mississippi Secre-
tary of State’s website.
In light of the pandem-
ic, the state Legislature
voted earlier this year to
expand absentee voting
and allow those in quaran-
tine under a doctor’s order
or taking care of someone
under physician-ordered
quarantine to vote absen-
tee by mail. Mississippi
Secretary of State Michael
Watson issued a new order
this week to allow curb-
side or open-air voting —
which is voting outside the
polling station building
— for voters who display
COVID-19 symptoms,
such as coughing, vomit-
ing, headaches, fever, sore
throat, congestion or loss
of taste or smell.
Safety measures
in place, no mask
mandates
In light of the pandem-
ic, circuit clerks around
the Golden Triangle said
they are doing their best
to offer in-person voters
the protection they need
against the virus spread.
In all three counties,
plexiglass barriers will
be set up at each polling
station, circuit clerks said.
Voters will also receive
stylus pens to use on vot-
ing machines, a meth-
od that does not require
physical contact between
voters and the machines.
Poll workers will be in-
serting voter IDs into the
machines and removing
them. Signs will also be
in place to encourage a
six-foot social distance
between voters, and hand
sanitizers, masks and
gloves will be available.
Poll workers will instruct
voters to briefly pull their
masks down for identifica-
tion purposes.
Kim Brown Hood, cir-
cuit clerk of Clay County,
said poll workers will also
try to keep voters moving
in one direction to mini-
mize contact.
Despite local mask
mandates, officials said
they cannot enforce the
mandate at polling sta-
tions due
to the risk
of disen-
franchis-
ing voters.
Requir ing
mask-wear-
ing during a
federal elec- Hood
tion, they
said, would
be infring-
ing upon cit-
izens’ right
to vote.
“This is
a federal
e l e c t i o n , Barksdale
and there is
no federal
law requir-
ing the vot-
ers to wear
a mask,”
Lowndes
County Cir-
cuit Clerk Elmore
T e r e s a
Barksdale said.
“We cannot require
them to,” Hood agreed.
“Because that’s blocking
their right to vote.”
When asked if they are
concerned about a poten-
tial spike in the number
of COVID-19 cases, all of-
ficials said they think the
safety measures in place
will be enough.
“I don’t know what else
they can do to make it
(safer),” Oktibbeha Coun-
ty Election Deputy Clerk
Sheryl Elmore said. “I
have full confidence in
what the county and the
state have done and the
federal government has
let us have through grant
money and CARES (Act)
money to make them as
safe as we possibly can.”
‘I’m trying to stay away’
Fearful of the health
risks of in-person voting
this year, some residents
say the state’s expansion is
far from enough.
Vanessa Edwards
Young, a 58-year-old West
Point resident and breast
cancer survivor, said she is
frustrated her cancer histo-
ry does not qualify her for
absentee voting. She has
been cancer free since De-
cember 2016 and is doing
well health-wise, she said,
but long lines at polling sta-
tions may take away from
that.
“‘My immune system is
compromised,’” Young re-
members telling the Clay
County Circuit Clerk’s of-
fice earlier this week when
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
she hoped to vote absentee. in Mississippi.
“(The staff) told me that “I feel like the way we
that was not a good excuse. currently have our system
… I’m not trying to get sick set up, it is not conducive to
or catch anything, period. having the most amount of
I’m trying to stay away from people vote,” Pineda said.
all of that.” “I do feel like we should ex-
Garrett Street shared pand early voting, and I do
the same concern as Young. think that by doing that, it
The 38-year-old Starkville would include populations
resident said he and his that typically have a lower
family have been extra cau- turnout.”
tious since March. As Elec- Street said he hopes
tion Day nears, however, he Election Day could be des-
said he feels as if forced to ignated as a civic holiday
risk his health just so he so people are encouraged
can perform his civic duty. to vote without worrying
“It is so insulting and about missing work.
frightening in some ways, “(The solution is) per-
and belittling to us, to say, haps expanding absentee
‘Well done, you, on hav- voting, expanding early
ing spent the past several voting for individuals who
months doing everything express the need for it,”
that you thought you should he said. “Perhaps making
to be safe. Now just vio- Election Day a civic holi-
late all of that so that you day so that nobody has to
can come take part and do work, so they wouldn’t have
your civic duty,’” he told to lose income to be able to
The Dispatch. “... Why is it vote.”
so difficult to do this bare
minimum level of efforts to
bring peace of mind to peo-
ple around you who might
be frightened? Why would
you not do that? It doesn’t
hurt anyone.”
Kayla Pineda, who has
lived in Starkville for nine
years, said she will vote
in person to show her two
daughters — 2-year-old
Korabell and 10-month-old
Kendall — the importance
of actively participating in
democracy.
“I want (Korabell) to re-
alize that we are intentional-
ly doing this,” Pineda said.
“… I want her to realize
that voting means that you
are doing something to in-
tentionally have your voice
heard.”
However, she said she
is concerned about those
who do not wear masks and
afraid for poll workers who
have to expose themselves
to voters all day.
“I am very nervous about
the cleaning of these things
in between participants,”
Pineda said. “Because they
can’t (enforce the mask
mandate), I fear that there
will be people who don’t
wear masks. They are
putting these poll work-
ers at risk because they
are remaining in contact
with many people through-
out the day and they are
handling things back and
forth.”
Pineda, Street and
Young all said they hope
access to absentee voting
could be further expanded

Task force
Continued from Page 1A
became sheriff earlier
this year — have gained
more investigative and
narcotics experience.
The idea behind the
task force was to create a
team of officers from both
LCSO and CPD to focus
on county-wide drug is-
sues and narcotics inves-
tigations without having
to worry about jurisdic-
tional issues between the
two agencies.
“The same consumers
the sheriff’s department
was dealing with (were)
the same consumers we
were dealing with in the
city as well, so it made
sense for us to come to-
gether and work togeth-
er on these cases,” CPD
Chief Fred Shelton said.
Hawkins agreed.
“Drug dealers don’t
know boundaries, so
they’ll sell drugs in the
city but live in the coun-
ty or vice versa,” he said.
“Having county-wide
jurisdiction gives them
the opportunity to work
investigations that bleed
over from city to county
and so forth.”
The status of the task
force has fluctuated with
leadership of the two agen-
cies — it was temporarily
disbanded in 2012 over a
member-appointment dis-
pute between then-Sher-
iff Mike Arledge and CPD
Chief Selvain McQueen
only to be reinstated in
2017 under CPD Chief
Oscar Lewis with LCSO
Capt. Archie Williams as
commander — and Haw-
kins and Shelton both
said they wanted to revisit
the agreement this year,
since neither had been in
charge of their respective
departments when the
task force was reinstated
in 2017.
“I was new coming in,
he was new coming in and
(task force commander
LCSO Capt.) Brian (Turn-
er) was new coming in,”
Shelton said. “Let’s all
get together, see what we
had and see how we could
make it better, and that’s
what we did.”
The city council unan-
imously approved the
agreement at its meeting
Tuesday, and Hawkins
said county supervisors
are set to take up the mat-
ter at their Nov. 2 meet-
ing.
Despite the new agree-
ment between Hawkins
AROUND THE STATE
Inmate dies in hospital
at Mississippi’s
Parchman prison
JACKSON — An in-
mate at the Mississippi
State Penitentiary died
has died in the prison’s
Send in your church event!
Email editorialassistant@cdispatch.com
Subject: Religious brief
Shelton Turner
and Shelton, not much
changed regarding the
setup of the task force,
which will be run by Haw-
kins with Turner, a veter-
an of Mississippi Bureau
of Narcotics, as the team’s
commander. Under Turn-
er will be four LCSO
deputies employed by
the county and four CPD
officers employed by the
city. Shelton said Turner
will appoint officers to the
task force.
Though Hawkins will
deputize the agents and
they will all answer to
Hawkins and Turner, the
officers will be paid by
their respective depart-
ments. If any CPD offi-
cers require disciplinary
action, it will be Shel-
ton and the city council
who choose the penalty,
though Hawkins may give
a recommendation.
Not including Turner,
the task force currently
has six members, only
two of whom are from
CPD due to the depart-
ment’s low staffing num-
bers. Shelton said eight
officers are currently
training at the police
academy in Pearl and that
once they graduate and
can join CPD full time,
Turner will appoint the
remaining two task force
members. Shelton and
Hawkins both said they
hope to have the task
force at full staff by the
end of the year.
“These guys have been
interviewed and hand-
picked, and they are so
motivated,” Turner said.
“And that makes my job
so much easier.”
‘Hand in hand
with other crimes’
Since Turner was
named commander of the
task force on Feb. 10, the
task force has investigat-
ed 203 active cases and
made 178 drug and vice
arrests, which include
“anything from gambling
to prostitution,” Turner
said.
The task force has
also seized two pounds
of methamphetamine, six
hospital, and an autopsy
will be done.
The state Department
of Corrections said in a
news release Friday that
Anthony Bell, 64, was
pronounced dead Thurs-
day.
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
ounces of cocaine, eight
dosage units of fentanyl,
18 grams of heroin, 28
pounds of marijuana and
more than 3,000 dosage
units of ecstasy, though
the last of those is more
like methamphetamine
in pill form than tradition-
al ecstasy, Turner said.
“As far as previous
years, we are doubling
numbers in arrests,”
he said. “Seizures have
definitely (gone) up,
marijuana has (gone) up,
methamphetamine and
especially ecstasy. And
also the heroin. So we are
being more aggressive
on the streets.”
Hawkins, Shelton and
Turner said they have
several goals for the task
force, from working with
state and federal agen-
cies on more complex
narcotics cases to, in
Turner’s case, expanding
community education
and awareness about lo-
cal drug issues to prevent
addiction from occurring
in the first place.
Shelton said one of his
goals is to end the “open-
air” drug market in the
city, meaning he wants
officers to crack down
on drug dealers who sell
products on street cor-
ners or other public plac-
es.
“I have noticed that
since the drug task force
is out there, we’re getting
a reduced number of calls
about open-air drug ac-
tivity, which means that
since there’s more of a
presence, it’s driving the
drug deals off the streets
and off the corners to a
certain extent,” Shelton
said.
Hawkins said he be-
lieves the task force will
go beyond narcotics and
help solve violent and
property crimes, espe-
cially within the city lim-
its.
“If you look at what’s
happening in the city, we
have a lot of violent crimes
that are taking place and
of course a lot of that is
associated with drug use
and drug dealing going
on in the city,” Hawkins
said. “If we hope to target
some of these individuals
that are involved in some
of this drug dealing, then
it will curb some of the
violent crime and some of
the shootings that we see
going on here in the city.
Bell was serving a 20-
year sentence for a 2012
sexual battery conviction
in DeSoto County.
At least 88 inmates
have died in Mississippi
prisons since late Decem-
ber. Several died during
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 3A
Courtesy photo
Agents with the Columbus-Lowndes County joint narcotics task force seized 20
pounds of marijuana earlier this month at a 10th Avenue South residence as part of
an eight-month narcotics investigation in Columbus. The task force is a partnership
between Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Police Department. Sheriff
Eddie Hawkins and CPD Chief Fred Shelton said they hope the force will be at full
strength by 2021, with four sheriff’s deputies and four police officers all under the
command of LCSO Capt. Brian Turner.
We hope to target some this information, it can go think it’s going to work,”
of these hot areas and try a long way in enforcing he said. “I think the citi-
to suppress some of that. the drug laws and solv- zens of Lowndes County
“Drugs go hand in ing some of the problems and the citizens of Co-
hand with other crimes, that we’re seeing on the lumbus are going to be
because people that are streets.” satisfied with the way
committing these oth- Shelton agreed. we’re dealing with the
er crimes — stealing, “I think it’s going to drug problem in Colum-
breaking in places, prop- be a great partnership. I bus.”
erty thefts — all this is
supporting their habits,
so we can work together
with the investigators to
solve the drug problems
that we have in the coun-
ty,” he added.
While the task force’s
focus will be narcotics,
the agreement specifies
members can investigate
other crimes as well.
Hawkins said they can
rely on confidential infor-
mants to provide informa-
tion to investigators on
crimes such as murder
or burglary that, at first
glance, don’t appear to be
related to drugs.
He said his depart-
ment has already learned
that many cases can be
solved if members of vari-
ous divisions, from patrol
to criminal investigation
to narcotics, make a point
to communicate with
each other. He said the
same premise will work
in a partnership between
LCSO and CPD.
“We’ve been able to
solve a lot of crime by
just simply sitting down
at the table and commu-
nicating,” he said. “We
do that with the city and
the county and sharing
outbursts of violence in
late December and early
January. The U.S. Justice
Department announced
in February that it is in-
vestigating the state’s
prison system.
SOURCE: AP
SOLUNAR TABLE
The solunar period indicates
peak-feeding times for fish and game.
Sun. Mon.
Major 8:17p 9:05p
Minor 4:04p 4:38p
Major 8:42a 9:28a
Minor 2:10a 3:09a
Courtesy of Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
The Dispatch
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Published daily except Saturday. Answers to common questions:
Entered at the post office at Columbus, Mississippi.
Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, MS Phone: 662-328-2424
POSTMASTER, Send address changes to:
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Published by Commercial Dispatch Publishing Company Inc.,
516 Main St., Columbus, MS 39703
Report a news tip: news@cdispatch.com
4A SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Trump votes in Fla. before rallies; Biden focuses on Pa.

ing a term that has been used da, stopped at an early voting likely do so in person on Elec-
The president last year switched his official to described a Rose Garden polling site set up at a public tion Day, Nov. 3., as Delaware
event in late September where library. The president last year doesn’t offer early voting.
residence from New York to his private club Trump announced his Supreme switched his official residence Trump, who has made unsub-
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Court nominee. More than from New York to his private stantiated claims of massive
the country. two dozen people linked to the Florida club, complaining that fraud about mail-in voting, gave
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. Democrat Joe Biden, press- White House have contracted New York politicians had treat- another plug to in-person vot-
— President Donald Trump ing the case that Trump doesn’t COVID-19 since that gathering. ed him badly. ing.
said he voted Saturday “for a deserve a second term because Biden, with some help from Greeted at the polling site by Rallies were planned for
guy named Trump” and called of his handling of the pandem- rock legend Jon Bon Jovi, was a crowd of cheering supporters, Lumberton, North Carolina,
it an “honor” to cast his own ic, told a drive-in rally outside courting voters in hotly contest- Trump could have mailed in Circleville, Ohio, and Wauke-
ballot in his adopted home state Philadelphia that he didn’t “like ed pockets of Pennsylvania that his ballot, but opted to vote in sha, Wisconsin, and the presi-
of Florida before he jetted off to the idea of all this distance but could prove key to deciding the person. He wore a mask inside, dent promises to go full throt-
campaign in three battleground it’s necessary” for public health outcome of the race in the state. following local rules in place to tle over the final 10 days of the
states, where large crowds reasons. Trump, who spent the night mitigate the spread of the coro- campaign even as the number
awaited even as coronavirus “We don’t want to become at his Mar-a-Lago resort after navirus. of new daily coronavirus cases
cases are surging to records in superspreaders,” he said, us- campaigning Friday in Flori- Biden hasn’t voted and is continues to climb.

California utility may
cut power
to 1 million people
SAN FRANCISCO —
Pacific Gas & Electric may
cut power to over 1 million
people on Sunday to pre-
vent the chance of spark-
ing wildfires as extreme
fire weather returns to
the region, the utility an-
nounced Friday.
The nation’s largest util-
ity said it could black out
customers in 38 counties
— including most of the
San Francisco Bay Area —
as weather forecasts called
for a return of bone-dry,
gusty weather that carries
the threat of downing or
fouling power lines or oth-
er equipment that in recent
years have been blamed
for igniting massive and
deadly blazes in central
and Northern California.
The safety shutoffs
were expected to begin as
early as Sunday morning
and last into Tuesday, af-
fecting 466,000 homes and
businesses, or more than
1 million residents assum-
ing between two and three
people per home or busi-
ness customer.
Cuts are predicted to
encompass parts of the
Sacramento Valley, the
northern and central Si-
erra Nevada, upper eleva-
tions of the San Francisco
Bay Area, the Santa Cruz
Mountains, the Central
Coast and portions of
southern Kern County.
The projected shutoffs
included 19,000 customers
in parts of Butte County,
where a 2018 blaze ignited
by PG&E equipment de-
stroyed much of the town
of Paradise and killed 85
people.
Forecasts call for the
“the driest humidity levels
and the strongest winds of
the wildfire season thus
far,” a PG&E statement
said.
The National Weather
Service issued red flag
warnings for many areas,
predicting winds of 35
mph (56 kph) or higher
in San Francisco and low-
er elevations and up to 70
mph (113 kph) in some
mountains. The concern
is that any spark could be
blown into flames sweep-
ing through tinder-dry
brush and forestland.
“On a scale of 1 to 10,
this event is a 9,” Craig
Clements, director of San
Jose State University’s
Fire Weather Lab, told the
Bay Area News Group.
“Historically our biggest
fires are in October. We
are in a critical period.”
The National Weather
Service said the condi-
tions could equal those
during devastating fires
in California’s wind coun-
try in 2017 and last year’s
Kincade Fire.
SOURCE: AP
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 5A

US sets coronavirus infection record; deaths near 224,000

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOISE, Idaho — The
U.S. coronavirus case-
load has reached record
heights with more than
83,000 infections report-
ed in a single day, the
latest ominous sign of
the disease’s grip on the
nation, as states from
Connecticut to the Rocky
Mountain West reel un-
der the surge.
The U.S. death toll,
meanwhile, has grown to
223,995, according to the
COVID-19 Dashboard
published by Johns Hop-
kins University. The total
U.S. caseload reported
on the site Friday was
83,757, topping the 77,362
cases reported on July 16.
The impact is being
felt in every section of
the country — a lock-
down starting Friday at
the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s
reservation in South Da-
kota, a plea by a Florida
health official for a halt to
children’s birthday par-
ties, dire warnings from
Utah’s governor, and an
increasingly desperate
situation at a hospital in
northern Idaho, which is
running out of space for
patients and considering
airlifts to Seattle or Port-
land, Oregon.
“We’ve essentially
shut down an entire floor
of our hospital. We’ve had
to double rooms. We’ve
bought more hospital
beds,” said Dr. Robert
Scoggins, a pulmonol-
ogist at the Kootenai
Health hospital in Coeur
d’Alene. “Our hospital is
not built for a pandemic.”
In the southern Ida-
ho city of Twin Falls,
St. Luke’s Magic Valley
Medical Center said it
would no longer accept
children because it is
overwhelmed with coro-
navirus patients. Except
for newborns, all under
age 18 will be sent 128
miles (206 kilometers)
away in Boise.
Among those in north-
ern Idaho joining Scog-
gins at a meeting of Ida-
ho’s Panhandle Health
District was board mem-
ber Walk Kirby.
“People are dying,
they’re going to keep
dying and catching this
stuff,” Kirby said. “How
many people won’t wear
a mask? The same people
that won’t get vaccinated
for it.”
Utah’s Gov. Gary Her-
bert proclaimed Friday to
be “a record day for Utah
— but not a good one” as
COVID-19 cases reached
an all-time high for the
state.
“Up until now, our hos-
pitals have been able to
provide good care to all
COVID and non-COVID
patients who need it,” he
said. “But today we stand
on the brink. If Utahans
do not take serious steps
to limit group gatherings
and wear masks, our
healthcare providers will
not have the ability to
provide quality care for
everyone who needs it.”
By public health order,
masks are required in 21
counties, said Herbert,
urging Utah residents
to wear one whenever
they are around someone
outside their immediate
household.

COMMERCIAL DISPATCH
OBITUARY POLICY
Obituaries with basic informa-
tion including visitation and
service times, are provided
free of charge. Extended
obituaries with a photograph,
detailed biographical informa-
tion and other details families
may wish to include, are avail-
able for a fee. Obituaries must
be submitted through funeral
homes unless the deceased’s
body has been donated to
science. If the deceased’s
body was donated to science,
the family must provide official
proof of death. Please submit
all obituaries on the form pro-
vided by The Commercial Dis-
patch. Free notices must be
submitted to the newspaper
no later than 3 p.m. the day
prior for publication Tuesday
through Friday; no later than 4
p.m. Saturday for the Sunday
edition; and no later than 7:30
a.m. for the Monday edition.
Incomplete notices must be re-
ceived no later than 7:30 a.m.
for the Monday through Friday
editions. Paid notices must be
finalized by 3 p.m. for inclusion
the next day Monday through
Thursday; and on Friday by 3
p.m. for Sunday and Monday
publication. For more informa-
tion, call 662-328-2471.
Ocie Salter
STARKVILLE —
Ocie Salter, 77, died
Oct . 22, 2020, at her
residence.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Carter’s
Funeral Services of
Columbus.
AREA OBITUARIES
al Gardens with the
Reverend Chris Craven
officiating. Burial will
follow at Memorial
Gardens in West Point.
Calvert Funeral Home
of West Point is entrust-
ed with arrangements.
Mr. Stafford was
born April 16, 1937,
to the late Ruth Inez
Stewart and James
Oscar Stafford. He was
formerly employed as a
store owner and was of
the Baptist faith. Tom-
my was a veteran of the
United States Marines.
In addition to his
parents, he was preced-
ed in death by his wife,
Ida Frances Stafford;
son, Tom Stafford; and
adopted daughter, Cin-
dy Moore.
He is survived by
his daughters, Connie
Johns and Angie Woo-
ten, both of West Point;
sisters, Evelyn Wallace
of Tupelo and Ruthie
Weathers of West Point;
brother, Lee Stafford
of West Point; seven
grandchildren and nine
great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be
Thomas Gable, Jacob
Wooten, Josh Elliott,
Seth Robinson, Chris
Boyette and Rodney
White.
Memorials may be
made to Mississippi
State Veterans Affairs
Graveside services
are 3 p.m. today at Odd-
fellows Rest Cemetery
with Pat Birkholtz and
Robert Earl Fowlkes
officiating. Visitation is
today from 1-2:40 p.m.
at Tisdale-Lann Memo-
rial Funeral Home in
Aberdeen.
Mr. Dickens was
born May 26, 1943, in
Dixon Springs, Tennes-
see, to the late James
W. Dickens and Isabel
Thomas Dickens. He
was a graduate of Car-
thage High School in
Carthage, Tennessee,
and graduated from
Southern Academy and
Clinical Technology in
Nashville, Tennessee.
He was valedictorian
of his graduating class
in college and had
degrees in Lab Techni-
cian and Radiography.
Paul worked with Dr.
Murphree, Dr. Cogh-
lan, Dr. Turnage, Dr.
Washington, Dr. Parker
and retired working
with Dr. Yoe.
In addition to his
parents, he was preced-
ed in death by his wife,
Barbara Roberts.
He is survived by his
daughter, Jan Pound-
ers of Becker; sons,
Jay Dickens of Lackey
Community, Bill Lem-
mons of Petal Commu-
nity and Bob Lemmons
Marcus Wright will
serve as the eulogist.
Visitation is Friday,
Pct/ 30, 2020, from
1-6 p.m. at Lavender’s
Funeral Service in
Aliceville.
Sam Nash Jr.
CLEVELAND —
Sam F. Nash Jr., 77,
died Oct. 23, 2020, at
Baptist Medical Center
in Jackson.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Carter’s
Funeral Services of
Columbus.
Jerry Lockett
COLUMBUS ­— Jer-
ry L. Lockett, 49 died
Oct. 24, 2020, at Bap-
tist Memorial Hospi-
tal-Golden Triangle.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced at a later
date by Carter’s Funer-
al Services of Colum-
bus.
Clifton Davis
COLUMBUS — Clif-
ton Jermaine Davis, 41,
died Oct. 24, 2020 at his
residence.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced at later date
by Carter’s Funeral
Services of Columbus.

Katherine Norris
COLUMBUS ­—
Mary Katherine “K. K.”
Norris, 50, died Oct. 23,
2020, in Starkville.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Memori-
al Gunter Peel Funeral
Home & Crematory,
College Street location.
Thomas Stafford
WEST POINT — ­ Columbus.
Thomas Gene “Tom-
my” Stafford, 83, died
Oct. 23, 2020, at North
Mississippi Medical
Center-Tupelo.
Services are 2 p.m.
Monday at Memori-
Jerry Jeff Walker, Texas
singer and songwriter,
dies at 78
Jerry Jeff Walker, a
Texas country singer and
songwriter who wrote the
pop song “Mr. Bojangles,”
has died at age 78.
Walker died Friday of
cancer, family spokesman
John T. Davis told The As-
sociated Press.
“He had battled throat
cancer for many years,
and some other health
issues,” Davis said Satur-
day.
Walker emerged from
New York’s Greenwich
Village folk scene in
the 1960s and he was a
founding member of the
band Circus Maximus.
He moved to Texas in the
1970s and in 1972 scored
a hit with his version of
the Guy Clark song “L.A.
Freeway.”
Walker and the Lost
Gonzo Band in 1973 re-
corded an album live in
Texas called “Viva Terlin-
gua” that became a classic
of the country-rock scene.
Walker had since released
Board, P.O. Box 5947,
Pearl, MS 39202.
Robert Reagh
MILLPORT, Ala.
­— Robert David Reagh,
72, died Oct. 24, 2020,
at Baptist Memorial
Hospital-Golden Trian-
gle.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Lown-
des Funeral Home in
Paul Dickens
ABERDEEN — Paul
James Dickens, 77, died
Oct. 23, 2020, at North
Mississippi Medical
Center-Amory.
more than 30 albums.
In 1986, he formed
independent music label
Tried & True Music and
released albums under it.
Walker was diagnosed
with throat cancer in
2017, undergoing chemo-
therapy and radiation, he
told the Austin American
Statesman in 2018.
“I guess I took my sing-
ing for granted, and now I
don’t,” he told the newspa-
per.
In 2017, it was an-
nounced that Walker
had donated more than
100 boxes of his music
archives to The Wittliff
Collections at Texas
State University, includ-
of Aberdeen; sister,
Linda Lankford of Diffi-
cult, Tennessee; seven
grandchildren and four
great-grandchildren.
Patricia Jackson
ALICEVILLE — ­ Pa-
tricia “Tricia” Jackson,
63, died Oct. 22, 2020,
at DCH Regional Medi-
cal Center in Tuscaloo-
sa, Alabama.
A home-going cele-
bration service will be
held 1 p.m. Saturday,
Oct. 31, 2020, at Mt.
Hebron Baptist Church
in Aliceville, Alabama.
Burial will be at Mt. He-
bron Church Cemetery
in Aliceville. The Rev.
ing tapes, photographs,
hand-written lyrics and
artifacts.
Walker’s survivors in-
clude his wife, Susan, son,
Django, and daughter,
Jessie Jane.
SOURCE: AP
Robert Duncan
Robert Battle Duncan, 74,
of Columbus, MS passed away
Thursday, October 22, 2020,
at Baptist Memorial Hospital–
Golden Triangle, Columbus,
MS.
A graveside service was
Saturday, October 24, 2020, at
10:00 AM at Egger Cemetery
with military honors, Bro.
Charlie Whitney officiating and Lowndes
Funeral Home directing.
Mr. Duncan was born on October 23, 1945,
Lisa Heath in Columbus, MS to the late Carl Pickett and
Memorial Services: Luvie Maude Hopper Duncan. He was a member
Friday, Oct. 30 • 11 AM
Calvary Baptist Church of McBee Baptist Church where he taught
Burial Sunday School and was a member and speaker
Houston City Cemetery
College St. Locaiton for Gideon’s International. Mr. Duncan was a
retired veteran of the United States military with
40 years of service. He retired in 2015 from the
United States Postal Service. Mr. Duncan was a
president, steward, and member of the American
Postal Workers Union #2070. He was a former
Lions Club member and board member of the
Columbus Members Credit Union for 19 years.
memorialgunterpeel.com Mr. Duncan enjoyed woodworking and loved
watching his grandchildren play ball.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Duncan was
preceded in death by his brothers, Carl Gene
Duncan and Jimmy Owen Duncan.
Mr. Duncan is survived by his wife of 54 years,
Nelda Jacobs Duncan, Columbus, MS; daughter,
Amanda Baty, Aberdeen, MS; son, Michael
(Karen) Duncan, Caledonia, MS; grandchildren,
Angel (Scott) Hoeckendorf and Isabel Baty;
great-grandchild, Kade Hoeckendorf.
Pallbearers were Sherman Faris, Robbie
Jacob, Chad Baty, Jeremy Townley, Greg Jacobs
and Scott Hoeckendorf.
Honorary pallbearers were the 2nd 114th
Mississippi National Guard, Present and former
members of American Postal Workers Union
#2070.
Memorials may be sent to the American
Cancer Society, 1380 Livingston Lane, Jackson,
MS 39213, American Diabetes, 200 Office
Park Drive, Ste 303, Birmingham, AL 35223 or
Gideons International, P.O. Box 2174, Columbus,
MS 39704.
Compliments of
Lowndes Funeral Home
www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
cdispatch.com
Opinion
6A SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020
PETER BIRNEY IMES Editor/Publisher
BIRNEY IMES III Editor/Publisher 1998-2018
BIRNEY IMES JR. Editor/Publisher 1947-2003

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

ZACK PLAIR, Managing Editor

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

PARTIAL TO HOME
Unexpected splendor along Officers Lake Road
H
ow do you
write 600
words
about a bend in the
road? What if that
road, in the shape
of a backwards
“S,” snakes around
a slough made
gorgeous with a
profusion of yellow
wildflowers? Birney Imes
The other day,
on the way to meet
a friend for lunch in West
Point, I took my customary
route: Waverly Ferry Road,
which becomes Officers Lake
Road to Highway 50.
There on the left, not far
from Hwy. 50, that lovely, but
nameless slough was newly
resplendent with yellow wild-
flowers.
The effect was startling.
The passing motorist is
confronted with a Occasionally the two are
scene that could be confused. The cypress has a
the October page red-tinted bark, needles and a
in a Sierra Club fluted trunk. The tupelo, from
calendar. whence our neighbor to the
Except it’s in north got its name — the trees
Lowndes County. were abundant there in the
Later that early days, so the story goes
afternoon, around — have a silver-colored bark,
5, the landscape leaves instead of needles and
had taken on a are loved by honeybees.
different character. And so it was, a day later,
The golden light of like the en-plein-air painters
late afternoon had of 19th century France, who
transformed the slough into took their easels, paints and
something otherworldly. The palettes out in nature to paint,
scene was so alive it seemed I sat at the edge of the slough,
to vibrate. my canvas a small laptop
While I suppose you might computer, trying to paint with
call this a cypress slough — words the scene in front of
the russet-colored trees with me.
their accompanying knees are I sat on the soft, leaf-cov-
abundant here — there are ered ground under a mature
plenty of water tupelo, another sweet gum showing the first
“water tree” that inhabits our signs of its autumnal reds.
Southern landscape. A three-foot baby cypress tick-
led my neck.
A monarch butterfly
danced by; a slight breeze
caressed the yellow flowers;
off in the distance a solitary
crow cawed. I felt immersed in
the natural world.
The plant ID app on my
phone came up with 21 possi-
bilities for the yellow flowers.
The most plausible choice
seemed to be coreopsis
(tickseed), that or a sunflower
of some sort. Not knowing
makes them no less beautiful.
I closed the laptop, put it
away and began walking along
the edge of the slough. In
places the ground was mushy.
Soon I came to a leaf-covered
path leading toward the center
of the slough. It appeared ne-
gotiable, so I ventured in. The
mud sucked at and threatened
to overtop my ankle-high
rubber boots.
Soon I stood on solid
ground in a dense stand of
tupelo and cypress. The trees
towered overhead creating a
cathedral effect.
Perhaps the words trickled
down from the tall trees, but
at that moment it occurred to
me, that Nature is the temple
in which we are meant to
worship.
On the walk back to the
truck, my attention was
divided between the occasion-
al passing vehicles and the
changing views of the slough.
The world may be in turmoil,
but nature calmly and delib-
erately persists, sometimes
vivid, other times subtle.
To experience the vivid,
take a drive out Officers Lake
Road.
Birney Imes (birney@
cdispatch.com) is the former
publisher of The Dispatch.

OUR VIEW ASK RUFUS

Roses and thorns Three Ghosts

I
A rose to all of our elec-
tion officials as the Nov. 3
election approaches. For
weeks now, those in charge
of conducting our elections
have been working long
hours­— training poll workers, distributing
absentee ballots, handling new or updated
voter registration and putting together
safeguards that will protect voters as they
go to the polls. As the only state that doesn’t
allow early voting, the efforts to make sure
our polling places are safe is of paramount
importance. That involves additional train-
ing for poll workers, too. The heavy volume
on voter registrations and absentee voting
(absentee voting has already surpassed the
total absentee vote from 2016) means it’s
been an extremely busy time for our circuit
clerk offices, whose work will continue
through Nov. 3.
A rose to Starkville High
School’s administration for
safely salvaging one ele-
ment of tradition even as the
school works to beat back a
COVID-19 outbreak. With
the school’s football team under quaran-
tine for two weeks, Friday’s Homecoming
game, along with the Homecoming dance,
were canceled as a safety precaution. There
were 11 cases of the virus district-wide as
of Thursday — the highest number of cases
in one week since the school year began.
Despite that, the school did manage to
continue with one Homecoming tradition:
its parade, which was staged Thursday
along Yellow Jacket Drive and featured the
familiar procession of cheerleaders, band
members and floats. Since March, students
have had to forfeit many of the things that
make the school year memorable, so it’s a
boost to the morale when some events —
those that can be held safely — continue.
We applaud everyone who helped make the
parade a success.
A rose to the staff of
the Local History Depart-
ment (LHD) at the Colum-
bus-Lowndes Public Library
System (CLPL) which has
spent the last few months
creating over 5,000 digital images relating
to local history. The digital collections are
available on the Mississippi Digital Library
(MDL) and can be utilized by teachers,
students, researchers, genealogists and
the general-public. Due to in-person access
restrictions resulting from the COVID-19
pandemic, the LHD turned to digitizing
portions of their records currently stored in
the Billups-Garth Archives. Archivist Mona
Vance-Ali said, “This is a huge leap forward
for what the library archives now offer on-
line. People from all over the world can now
access these records.” We applaud the hard
work of everyone involved in this effort to
preserve our local history.
Our View: Local Editorials
Local editorials appearing in this space represent
the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board:
Peter Imes, editor and publisher; Zack Plair, man-
aging editor; Slim Smith and senior newsroom
staff. To inquire about a meeting with the board,
please contact Peter Imes at 662-328-2424, or
e-mail voice@cdispatch.com.
have always enjoyed
a good ghost story at
Halloween. Three of my
favorite ghost stories actu-
ally have a factual basis.
The oldest recorded
ghost story in the area is of
the haunting of the Mili-
tary Road (Highway 12)
crossing of Black Creek
four miles northeast of
Columbus. In 1851, Jo-
seph Cobb wrote a book
titled “Mississippi Scenes” Rufus Ward
which contained the story
“The Legend of Black Creek.” It is the account of a
traveler on Military Road going to Columbus and
his frightening late night experience attempting to
cross Black Creek.
“It is a forbidding spot, shaded by huge willows
and swamp-oaks, whose thick foliage imparts an
aspect of gloom and terror sufficiently ominous to
put a suspicious or superstitious soul on his guard,
independent even of the ghostly associations con-
nected with its history.”
There was a story told by an old army veteran
Courtesy photo
of how, “Old Hickory, having arrived on the banks Halloween is a time for ghost stories. The best ones
... rashly ordered two young dragoons (mounted are those that are based on real events and have a
soldiers) to try the depth of the ford, and how both very eerie element of truth within them.
of them were swept away by the swift current, and
never seen more.”
Other stories told of a Choctaw who was going to
Cobb told other accounts of persons being mur-
lead some men to the mine being found dead on a
dered there or drowning while crossing the creek
trail leading from Plymouth. The story goes that the
when it flooded. He told of the horrible murder of
spirit of the murdered Choctaw haunts the woods
a man there and how, on the anniversary of that
around old Plymouth.
evil deed, “…anyone with the misfortune to be at
Black Creek would first hear the sound of horses’
nnn
hooves and a man whistling,” followed by a gunshot
with a pistol flash lighting the scene where a “rider
The Tombigbee, as it flows past Columbus, is
dropped from his horse, a man rushed out and rifled
awash with ghost stories. Last week I told the eerie
him in a trice, and then, mounting a huge black
story of the steamboat W.H. Gardner. There is also
horse, which stood a little way off, breathing fire and
the Eliza Battle, which burned and sank on a freez-
flames from his nostrils, both vanished in a whirl-
ing flooded Tombigbee river during an ice storm in
wind which happened to meet them just at the top of
the hill.” 1858. Ghostly figures are reportedly seen walking to
the river bank by the west end of the old bridge, only
On other occasions travelers “beheld two men
to disappear into thin air.
on horseback, with plumes in their caps, and great
One of the strangest stories is that of the steamer
crooked swords dangling at their sides, rearing and
James T. Staples.
plunging through the air about the height that the
creek usually rises to in high flood, whilst a great In 1908, Norman Staples constructed the most
white figure darted up suddenly, with a shriek, out palatial boat built on the Tombigbee since the Civil
of the dark pool, and then fell back heavily again, as War, and he named the boat the James T. Staples,
if pulled down with a dead weight.” after his father. The steamboat was his pride and joy.
Is there a historical basis for Cobb’s “Legend of But by late 1912, Norman Staples was having
Black Creek”? Not far north of Black Creek on a hill severe financial problems, and he lost the steamboat
overlooking Howard Creek, I recall seeing the grave to creditors. Staples could not accept the loss of the
of a U.S. soldier who died there during the construc- boat and, in early January 1913, took his own life
tion of the Military Road. How he died is not record- with a shotgun. The boat’s new owners directed her
ed, but he might have drowned crossing a flooded captain to proceed up the river from Mobile on the
Black Creek, his story surviving as a ghost story. same day as Staples’ funeral. The captain declined
and quit. After several unusual occurrences con-
nnn cerning the steamer, including Staples’ ghost being
reported on board, most of the crew also quit.
A lost silver mine often forms the basis for a good With a new captain and crew, the Staples steamed
ghost story. In the 1930s, both James Prowell and out from the Mobile Wharf and headed up the
R.C. Cox of Lowndes County were asked for family Tombigbee. Norman Staples had just been buried
stories about the old Plymouth Bluff settlement on at Bladon Springs Cemetery near the river, when
the Tombigbee. Both wrote letters that are at the the James T. Staples reached the place on the river
Mississippi Department of Archives and History, closest to its former owner’s grave. At this point,
telling of a lost Choctaw Indian silver mine. its boilers exploded, sinking the boat. Twenty-six
Cox, the descendant of an early settler at Plym- people, including its new captain, were killed. The
outh, related an old family account that around 1830, survivors were rescued by the John Quill, a Colum-
Plymouth housed a silversmith. The silversmith bus-Mobile packet boat.
obtained his silver from Choctaws who would be Unlike most ghost stories, the unusual circum-
gone for three days and return with silver, silver ore stances surrounding the Staples’ loss were picked
or lead. up by news media, including the Jan. 13, 1913, Co-
Prowell wrote that his grandfather had moved lumbus Commercial, which had a front-page account
into the area in 1828 and settled at Plymouth in of the loss. The article actually commented on the
1830. He also mentioned a silver mine and said, “At strange circumstances surrounding the disaster.
While many ghost stories are simply stories,
frequent intervals the Indians would leave Plymouth
and, after being away about a week, would return some have a very eerie element of truth within them.
with silver. … It was said there was a silver mine Those are the stories that really leave you pondering
near the village, location of which was known only to what you have just heard.
the Indians.” Rufus Ward is a local historian.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 7A

Religion
God sees it all
G
od is Sover- scheme all manner man looks at the outward ap- us. “The Lord will watch over Him. “For mine eyes are upon
eign, and He of evil against us, pearance, but the Lord looks your coming and going both all their ways: they are not hid
sees every- God sees it and He at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) now and forevermore.” (Psalm from my face, neither is their
thing about us. will not allow them NK JV 121:8) NIV iniquity hid from mine eyes.”
He sees the good to do us any harm. God doesn’t miss a move we Whatever we do for some- (Jeremiah 16:17) K JV
things as well as “The Lord will make. He sees every step we one, we shouldn’t talk about it So be encouraged today
the bad. “The eyes keep you from all make, every minute of every with anyone else. We should and always remember: God
of the Lord are in harm he will watch day. So when we start going do it from our hearts and God sees it all. “For he views the
every place, behold- over your life.” in the wrong direction, He’s will see it and give it back to
ends of the earth and sees ev-
ing the evil and the (Psalm 121:7) NIV right there to direct us in the us. “Give your gifts in private,
erything under the heavens.”
good.” (Proverbs So many times right way we should go. “For and your Father, who sees
15:3) K JV (Job 28:24) NIV
Sherry Ivy we look at a per- his eyes are upon the ways everything, will reward you.”
When we cry out son’s outer appear- of man, and he sees all his (Matthew 6:4) NLT Minister Sherry Ivy is a Min-
to God in prayer, ance and consider steps.” (Job 34:21) K JV Some people think they ister of The New Providence
God sees our tears and He them to be a good person or As we go on our daily can hide from God when they M. B. Church (Healing & Yoke
hears our prayer. “The eyes of a friend, only to find out later, journey, there are times when do something wrong. God is Destroying Ministry) in Macon
the Lord are upon the righ- we made the worst mistake we feel like we are coming always watching us, and He Mississippi, under the lead-
teous, and his ears are open ever. God does not see man as and going by ourselves. sees every thing we do. That’s ership of her husband, Pastor
unto their cry.” (Psalm 34:15) we see them because He looks However, we are never alone why we should be very careful Willie J. Ivy Sr. You can contact
K JV at the heart. “For the Lord because the eyes of the Lord and make sure that we are her via email at minsivy@
Even when people plot and does not see as man sees; for are constantly watching over doing things that will please yahoo.com

For our complete church directory listing, visit us online at www.cdispatch.com/religion

Due to local restrictions, churches likely have modified service types and hours. Please contact a church before attending a service.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is F eatured C hurch

“There is Liberty”
Ke nne th Mo ntg o m ery www.memorialgunterpeel.com
Proudly serving our community 716 Second Ave. N. • Columbus, MS • 662-328-4432
for over 30 years 903 College St. • Columbus, MS • 662-328-2354

2500 Military Road Suite 1

Columbus, MS
662-328-7500 WEST REALTY COMPANY
westrealtycompany.com
Don West, Broker/Owner

ST. JAMES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH — 722 Military Rd. Breakfast 9:10 a.m., Sunday
School 9:40 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Adult/Children Bible Study Wednesday 6 p.m. Rev. Dwight
Prowell, Pastor.

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• RECYCLING SINCE 1956 •
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your church information, call 328-2424 or email changes to tinap@cdispatch.com
8A SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Trial
Continued from Page 1A
(saying) we have a bunch
of devils in here and we’ve
got to run them out,” Hair-
ston said.
Stone’s invocations of
religious loyalty to pro-
mote the building project
also happened in one-on-
one conversations, ac-
cording to a 2013 email
to Linda Cornelious, who
chaired the board of trust-
ees from 2006 to 2015.
“Some people believe
it’s their jobs to look out
for the best interests of
the church, but that’s
God’s job,” Stone wrote in
the email Cornelious read
during her testimony. “He
doesn’t need our help. He
needs our willful obedi-
ence.”
The trustees went on
to pay TCM’s owner, Don-
ald Crowther, more than
$454,000 for the work he
was supposed to do, but
all that was ever complet-
ed was preliminary dirt
work, and the project has
not been touched since
2015. The building permit
expired in October 2017,
and Crowther was initial-
ly included as a defendant
in the 2015 suit.
A second civil lawsuit,
filed solely against TCM
in 2018, settled Oct. 14 for
$280,000, and as a result,
Crowther is no longer
a defendant in the case
against Stone and Miller.
Crowther, who is
scheduled to be sen-
tenced for criminal fraud
on Nov. 2 after he pleaded
in July to preparing and
submitting false invoices
of checks paid to the con-
tractors, testified Thurs-
day and Friday that Stone
was his main source of in-
teraction with the church.
He said this was standard
operating procedure in
previous church construc-
tion projects.
“At the small Black
churches we’d work on,
the pastor always took the
lead and he’d take it back
to the committees,” he
said.
who had admitted to the
church that he made the
payment without a signed
contract in place, accord-
ing to Ware’s testimony.
Crowther said he had
disagreed with Rogers’ as-
sessment and instead de-
ferred to Stone’s assertion
that the contract was valid.
The trustees, on the
other hand, wanted the
$50,000 back, but Corne-
lious and Townsend-Clark
both said they were ostra-
cized within the church
for standing up to its lead-
ership.
Cornelious and
Townsend-Clark both re-
signed from the board in
January 2015 after they
found out Stone was plan-
ning to propose a vote to
remove them at an upcom-
ing church meeting for
their alleged disloyalty to
him.
“(Second Baptist) is
where I thought my eulo-
gy would be,” Cornelious
said. “But we were being
talked about like we’re
not the good stewards we
think we are.”
with an office in Colum-
bus, which had initially
been hired to design the
sanctuary.
“We were trying to
come up with ways to
beat this thing down into
the budget … and you’ve
got to make substantive
changes,” Pryor testified
Wednesday. “You can’t
just change little things.”
Second Baptist and
Tess Vrbin/Dispatch Staff PryorMorrow had a “mu-
Bennie Hairston, left, chairman of the Second Baptist tual parting of ways” in
Church Board of Trustees, testifies during a civil trial
February 2013 because
Friday in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court. Also pictured
they could not agree on
are Judge Jim Kitchens, center, and prosecuting attor-
ney Lindsay Roberts, right, of Jackson-based Carson how to design the sanctu-
Law Group. Hairston and the board of trustees sued ary both safely and with
Second Baptist pastor Joseph Stone and head deacon financial prudence in
Terry Miller in 2015, alleging that they negotiated a con- mind, Pryor said.
struction contract to build a new sanctuary without the Stone pushed for de-
board’s approval. sign plans that violated
building codes, such as
Disputes over design, But Stone was present
a wood frame instead of
at every building commit-
project authority tee meeting for the sanc-
a steel frame, and Pry-
Rogers claimed in his or said he refused to go
tuary project, and his pro-
emails to Crowther that along with it.
posed designs became
Stone and Miller did not “(For) every rule in
more elaborate even as
have the authority to deal that building code, some-
the church’s budget for
with the church’s busi- one has been hurt or
the project was shrink-
ness dealings. Cornelious someone has lost their
ing, said Roger Pryor,
testified that previous pas- life, so building codes are
tors had not been involved founding director of serious and need to be
in the church’s business PryorMorrow, an archi- followed,” Pryor said.
and legal matters. tectural engineering firm Hairston and Ware
both said Stone created a
cult-like following within
the church. However, Wil-
liam Starks, the Colum-
bus-based attorney repre-
senting Stone and Miller,
asked both Hairston and
Ware if they were simply
upset they did not get
their way throughout the
years of debate about the
building project.
Starks asked Hairston
if Ware had developed
his own cult on their side
of the debate, and Hair-
ston said no. He cited a
statement from the late
Rep. John Lewis of Geor-
gia, an icon of the civil
rights movement, that
those who see something
wrong must speak up and
do something about it.
“That’s what we’ve
been doing,” Hairston
said. “We’re not quitters.
If we don’t protect the
church, who will?”
The trial will contin-
ue next week with more
testimony from Hairston
and later from Stone and
Miller, as well as other
witnesses.

The questionable
contract
Hairston testified that
Stone asked him in July
2015 to co-sign a notice to
proceed with the building
project. Hairston agreed,
and construction workers
broke ground, only to stop
within the same month.
When Stone brought
Hairston the notice to pro-
ceed, he also asked him to
sign a second document
without telling him what it
was, Hairston said. Stone
covered the top of the page
with the notice to proceed
so Hairston could only see
the signature lines. Hair-
ston trusted Stone, so he
signed it, he said.
The second page was
actually a change order
that transferred all respon-
sibility for the contract to
Hairston, he said.
“If things just went
south, it would have been
all on me,” he said.
Both Crowther and
Hairston said they be-
lieved the building con-
tract must have been valid
if Stone had a notice to
proceed. However, the va-
lidity of the contract was
in question. Starkville at-
torney Russ Rogers was
the church’s go-to lawyer
for advice and signatures
if necessary, and he had
examined the contract
and determined it was in-
valid, according to a Feb-
ruary 2014 email he sent
to Crowther.
The contract had only
been signed by one trust-
ee, Barbara Patrick. Ware
and Cornelious said the
church’s bylaws required
signatures from all the
trustees on a building con-
tract.
Cornelious and for-
mer trustee Christinia
Townsend-Clark both tes-
tified that Stone told the
trustees he modified the
signature page because he
was concerned the project
would not move forward
otherwise.
Rogers said in a lat-
er email that Crowther
should fully refund the
$50,000 down payment he
had received from Stone,
Lifestyles
One night, to help all year
Loaves & Fishes adapts fundraising to carry on its mission
The Loaves & Fishes Community Soup Kitchen in Columbus was a bustle of activity Monday as volunteers from
First United Methodist Church heated then bagged lunches for no-contact distribution to the public. From left are
Anne Russell Bradley, Julia Autrey, Joan Rhett and Fred Kinder. Sherrie Sheffield also assisted in food preparation.
Tickets for the Loaves & Fishes takeout dinner fundraiser Oct. 29 are on sale now at area churches, the Colum-
bus Arts Council and Military Hardware.
BY JAN SWOOPE
jswoope@cdispatch.com
M
onday’s sun shone bright
outside the Loaves &
Fishes Community Soup
Kitchen in Columbus. Even before
the door officially opened, a long
line of people had formed, patiently
waiting on the sidewalk outside. At
11:30 a.m., meal distribution began.
That has a different look in these
days of COVID-19. The ecumeni-
cal ministry that provides midday
meals to those who need them no
longer can invite guests to sit, eat
and converse inside at tables. Since
March, bagged grab-and-go meals
are being given out from a table set
up in the doorway by volunteers in
masks. Overall, food insecurities
have increased as the pandemic has
stressed the job market. The virus
heightening the community’s need
for Loaves & Fishes’ ministry is
also thwarting its ability to hold its
traditional sole annual fundraiser.
In years past, that has entailed a
night of auctions, music and dining
to raise needed monies to help
keep the doors open. Even though
a volunteer network of churches
and even some businesses provide,
prepare and serve meals three to
four days each week, other expens-
es exist.
“Our fundraiser helps us keep
the lights on, pay the
utilities, covers re-
pairs,” said volunteer
Lee Burdine Monday
during a brief pause
in distributing more
than 200 sacked
lunches. Commu-
nity donations also Burdine
help cover supplies
including disposable
utensils and more. In fact, the shift
to bagged meals has added costs,
Tune in to a Halloween ‘feast’ with Seneca’s Oedipus
A Chorus of The-
bans rehearse
for Shackouls
Honors College’s
upcoming radio
drama “A Hallow-
een Feast with
Seneca’s Oedi-
pus.” From left
are Shackhouls
Honors College
students Mad-
elyn Sykes of
Southaven, Zoe
Nunn of Mem-
phis, Tennessee,
Meg McDougal
of Gulfport and
Peyton Ander-
son of Houston,
Texas.
Lee Burdine, left, and Floyd Pruden stage grab-and-go sack lunches at the
Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen Monday. Bagged meals have had to substi-
tute for sit-down hot lunches during the months of pandemic.
said Loaves & Fishes co-president
Ann Sparkman.
“It’s really more expensive to
do these lunches
than when we served
in-house,” she
remarked. “We’re
trying to supple-
ment the volunteer
groups if they need
help. We’re furnish-
ing materials they Sparkman
normally wouldn’t
use, like (condiment) packets and
takeout boxes. Those are additional
expenses for us now.”
Committed to keeping the doors
open during a pandemic which
stresses many families’ incomes,
the soup kitchen committee adjust-
ed not only their budget but also
their protocols.
“Everyone has to wear a mask,
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 n 9A
Jan Swoope/Dispatch Staff
Jan Swoope/Dispatch Staff
and we wipe down and spray every-
thing that has been used,” Spark-
man said. “There is no contact
between (guests) and servers. We
have tables that keep them at least
6 feet apart, and we have a limited
number of people that can be in the
kitchen helping.”
Adjusting to 2020
While a festive event in a crowd-
ed venue isn’t possi-
ble this year, Loaves
& Fishes has come
up with an alternative
for its seventh annual
fundraiser — a pork
loin takeout dinner
set for Thursday, Oct.
29 from 5-7 p.m. Kinder
“It’s takeout only,
and these will be generous por-
See LOAVES & FISHES, 10A
BY JAN SWOOPE
jswoope@cdispatch.com
D
uring this week of thrills
and chills, the Mississippi
State University Shackouls
Honors College will present a
radio drama fit for All Hallows’
Eve. The first-of-its-kind project,
“A Halloween Feast with Seneca’s
Oedipus,” will be released to
listeners beginning Monday and
through Oct. 31 on the honors
college website, honors.msstate.
edu. It will also be broadcast on
MSU’s radio station 91.1 FM
at 7 p.m. Thursday and 9 p.m.
Saturday, and on East Mississippi
Community College’s radio sta-
tion 92.7 at 3 p.m. Thursday.
Courtesy photo The Honors College tradition-
LIFESTYLES EDITOR
Jan Swoope: 328-2471
Thanksgiving
florals, sweet
potatoes are
next Quick
Bites topics
BY JAN SWOOPE
jswoope@cdispatch.com
N
ovember Quick Bites pro-
grams offered through the
Mississippi State University
Extension Service will please the
eyes and taste buds. Each month,
the free interactive video sessions
explore a wide range of topics on
designated Thursdays from noon
to 1 p.m. Typically, programs are
offered in county Extension offices
for those who sign up. Due to
COVID-19 safety measures, they
are currently also being offered via
Zoom on your personal computer.
Sessions will also be held in Bost
409 on the MSU campus.
Although programs are free,
registration is needed. After regis-
tering, participants will receive a
confirmation email containing in-
formation about joining the meet-
ing. To inquire about attending in
person at your county’s Extension
office instead, contact the appro-
priate office. (In Lowndes County,
662-328-2111; Oktibbeha County,
662-323-5916; Clay County, 662-
494-5371.)
Programs offered in November
include:
See QUICK BITES, 10A
First ever
‘UNITY’
project to be
held at The W
Interactive campus/
public art initiative
begins Tuesday
MUW UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
M
ississippi University for
Women’s Diversity, Eq-
uity & Inclusion Council
invites The W campus community
to participate in its first ever W
UNITY Project Tuesday, Oct. 27
through Thursday, Oct. 29.
W President Nora Miller said,
“The W UNITY Project is the first
campus project promoted by the
newly appointed Diversity, Equity
& Inclusion Council. I commend
their work in developing an
opportunity for faculty, staff and
students to come together and be
unified as a campus. Our identities
are who make us who we are, and
this is an opportunity to celebrate
individuality while also recogniz-
ing that together ‘We are The W.’”
The interactive public art proj-
ect, known as UNITY, is based
on the work of Nancy Belmont.
Belmont’s project was selected
See UNITY PROJECT, 10A
ally presents an annual “Classical
Week” play, plus related events,
every September, but COVID-19
sidelined this year’s plans. To
continue with a classical “theatri-
cal” activity for the fall semester,
however, Donna Clevinger, pro-
fessor and senior faculty fellow at
the honors college and play direc-
tor, decided to produce Roman
playwright Seneca’s Oedipus as
a radio drama, harkening to the
age of popular radio dramas of
the 20th century.
Ancient Greek and Roman
playwrights used the story of
Oedipus to teach and thrill
their audiences. It contains
ingredients of a horror story,
See RADIO DRAMA, 10A
10A SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Loaves & Fishes

Continued from Page 9A
tions,” said Fred Kinder,
who co-chairs the event
with Burdine and Anne
Russell Bradley.
Tickets for dinners of
pork loin, potato salad,
coleslaw, baked beans,
cornbread and dessert
are $15 each, or two
dinners for $25. Pickup
will be at the drive-
through portico of the
First United Methodist
Church building at 602
College St.
Tickets should be pur-
chased in advance; a limit
of 400 will be sold and
sales are already brisk,
Kinder said. Tickets are
available at First Unit-
ed Methodist Church,
Annunciation Catho-
lic Church, St. Paul’s
Episcopal Church, the
Columbus Arts Council
and Military Hardware.
For anyone unable to
purchase in person,
tickets may be reserved
by calling 662-425-6408.
The committee cannot
guarantee any tickets will
be available on the day of
event.
All food will be
prepared on-site in the
large FUMC kitchen,
and safety guidelines are
emphasized.
“This is no- or low-con-
tact pickup,” Kinder said.
“You can even pop your
truck and we can put
the dinners there if you
want.”
City limits delivery
A decided perk of
advance ticket purchase
is that patrons who live
in the city limits may
request delivery, thanks
to the recruitment of sev-
eral Heritage Academy
students.
“We’ve gotten some of
the junior class involved,”
said HA Director of De-
velopment Cheryl Maner.
“Some will help box up
food, some, if needed,
will be driving their ve-
Maner Bradley
hicles with a runner and
going to various homes in
the city limits to deliver
food.”
The project not only
helps Loaves & Fishes;
it also helps students
earn community service
hours. That’s been hard-
er this year because so
many volunteer opportu-
nities have been inter-
rupted by the pandemic, days and Thursdays are
noted Maner. Any tips to currently the days teams
delivery teams will bene- are most needed.
fit junior class projects. Community support is
essential to the mission.
You can help “We do one fundraiser
Supporting Thurs- each year, and therefore
day’s fundraiser is one the fundraiser we do is
way to be part of Loaves of utmost importance for
& Fishes. Another is to us to be able to maintain
volunteer to help provide Loaves & Fishes,” Brad-
meals. Serving times ley said. “Without the
are 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on funds raised we would
designated days at 223 have a much more diffi-
22nd St. N. cult time providing food
Churches, clubs and for those who need it.”
commercial businesses A slogan on fliers for
are invited to inquire Thursday’s takeout event
about specifics by con- sums it up: “Eat with us
tacting Carol Perkerson tonight so others may eat
at 662-386-2206. Tues- with us all year.”

UNITY project
Continued from Page 9A
for its potential to draw
attention, encourage
engagement and give
representation to every
member of The W com-
munity.
Thirty-two posts will
stand in a circle near
Bryan Green Gazebo,
all but one representing
a different social role or
identity, personal trait or
worldview. The 32nd pole
will be a blank slate, and
participants will be able
to write in an additional
identifier they feel is
important to their sense
of self. Each person will
select the poles that
represent the various
aspects of their identity
and will string blue yarn
from one to the other,
creating a crisscrossing
pattern. Highlighting
the multiple identities
that intersect to make
each person unique, the
project demonstrates
how each layer of an
individual’s identity con-
nects them to a different
subset of the community
in such a way that all of
the subsets are ultimate-
ly connected to form a
larger whole.
Volunteers from the
DE&I Council will be on
hand to answer questions
and ensure compliance
with public safety guide-
lines.
How to participate
Anyone can par-
ticipate, but different
segments of the commu-
nity are encouraged to
take part in one of three
waves.
The Council asks
students to participate
Tuesday, Oct. 27; faculty,
staff and other campus
personnel Wednesday,
Oct. 28; and alumni and
community members
Thursday, Oct. 29. The
completed exhibit will be
displayed throughout the
day Friday, Oct. 30, but
those who were unable
to participate on the ear-
lier days will also be wel-
come to take part in the competence. Faculty Senate, Staff
project that day. Times The Council includes Council and the Student
for the noted dates will representatives from Government Associa-
be 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-6 various departments, tion.
p.m. If you would like to
participate in the UNITY
Project virtually, email
unityproject@muw.edu
and a member of the
Council will be in touch
to allow you to do so.
In the event of rain, the
project will remain open
until Friday.
Miller established
the Diversity, Equity &
Inclusion Council this
fall to promote equity, di-
versity and inclusion on
campus through increas-
ing self-awareness and
facilitating intercultural

Radio drama
Continued from Page 9A
said Clevinger, with the
appearance of a ghost,
animal sacrifice and hu-
man disfigurement, along
with incest and impale-
ments. It is also a timely
play, she added: King
Oedipus and his city of
Thebes is besieged with a
plague as the play begins,
reminiscent of our own
continuing struggles with
the novel coronavirus.
Eighteen honors stu-
dents serve as cast mem-
bers and production staff.
They represent a cross
section of campus majors
including Engineering,
Business, Animal and
Dairy Science, Computer
Science and Education.
Chloe Abernathy of
Gordo, Alabama, a junior,
said, “The cast and crew
put in an enormous effort
to create a production that
would be safe for viewers
during the challenging
fall 2020 semester, and
they did so with smiles
and joyful spirits so that
a show could go on. This
production has taught me
what it means to be a part
of the Bulldog Family.”
Zoe Nunn, a student
from Memphis, Tennes-
see, remarked, “I love
that we are bringing
classic plays to life in new
ways for others today
because it continues to
keep people interested in
these stories. ... I met so
many new people that I
never would not have met
on campus otherwise.”
The radio drama has
been a special experi-
ence, Clevinger noted.
“With past produc-
tions, there were many
elements to consider
besides the sounds
of a character’s voice.
The staging, character Wade Leonard, honors
movements, costumes college Outreach and
and props are vital to the Student Services coor-
annual outdoor produc- dinator; Don Vaughan,
tion,” she said. “Now, with professor at East Missis-
only the student’s voice, sippi Community College;
sounds effects and origi-
and MSU’s MaxxSouth
nal music composed and
performed by cast and Broadband Digital Media
production staff members Center for the use of the
to convey all that is not facility.
seen, this ‘Halloween
feast’ has been a learning
as well as a rewarding
experience.
“I am so very proud
of these students, their
commitment and sacrifice
to this first-ever project.
It has been a wonder-
ful treat for the honors
college.”
Clevinger extend-
ed thanks to all who
provided personal and
professional support for
the radio drama project.
Particular thanks go to

Quick Bites
Continued from Page 9A
n Nov. 5 — “Dress-
ing the Table” with
Lynette McDougald,
instructor in MSU’s Plant
& Soil Sciences, presents
ideas for special center-
pieces. It takes a look at
what’s outside once the
frost falls, the availability
on the cut flower mar-
ket and new trending
bleached products. The
Zoom registration link
is https://msstateexten-
sion.zoom.us/meeting/
register/tJYvcOygpjM-
vE9RqfPpZiZfpDV2om-
Wr9RBG7.
n Nov. 12 — “Mis-
sissippi Sweet Potatoes:
The Super Food” brings
Extension Associate
Sylvia Clark with in-
formation on the many
ways sweet potatoes can
be used in appetizers,
salads, main dishes or
desserts. The Zoom
registration link is
https://msstateexten-
sion.zoom.us/meeting/
reg- ister/tJIvdOuupzsi-
HdfbxblcEn-WM-
b4LURo8w1ko.
County offices may
sign up via the Zoom
link if they plan to host
a program within their
office area according to
the current face-to-face
numbers and meeting
space guidelines.
Or, counties may
make the registration
link available to their
clients for the individual
client to view the pro-
grams from their person-
al computers. Individuals
will register for each
program and will receive
the program link auto-
matically upon registra-
tion completion.

CALENDAR
Info: christiancommunityin-
prayer@gmail.com.

Monday through
Saturday, Oct. 26-31
Radio drama — MSU’s
Shackouls Honors College
presents “A Halloween Feast
with Seneca’s Oedipus” online
at honors.msstate.edu and
broadcast at varying times on
MSU’s radio station 91.1 FM
and EMCC’s 92.7.
Thursday, Oct. 29
Loaves & Fishes — This
Community Soup Kitchen
fundraiser features pork loin
take-out meals, $15 or two
for $25, from First United
Methodist Church Family Life
Center, 602 College St. City
limits delivery available. Tick-
ets at Columbus Arts Council,
FUMC, other churches. 662-
425-6408.
National Day of Prayer
observance — This
Columbus virtual community
prayer service at 6 p.m. on
Facebook and YouTube is
presented by the nondenomi-
national Christian Community
in Prayer Committee. Praise
and Worship features Bobby
Sanderson, Keashun Hendrix,
Jessica Horton and Josh Tilly.
Friday, Oct. 30
“War of the Worlds”
reading — Starkville
Community Theatre reads this
classic at 6 p.m., Fire Station
Park in Starkville, at Lampkin
and Russell Streets.
Saturday, Oct. 31
Fall Fun Drive-Thru —
Bring the kids to pick up treats
at this Columbus Recreation
Department drive-thru event at
Propst Park in Columbus from
6-8 p.m. Enter the park at
2535 Main St. via the Highway
182 entrance across from
Columbus Insurance Group/
Palmer Home Thrift Store.
662-327-4935, 662-251-4076.

■ For more Lifestyles content, including Felder Rushing and Southern Gardening
please visit cdispatch.com.
Sports HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020
B
SECTION

WEST POINT BOUNCES BACK WITH ROUT OF COLUMBUS

BY GARRICK HODGE
ghodge@cdispatch.com
WEST POINT — West
Point isn’t used to losing
two games in a row.
The Green Wave have
established a champion-
ship pedigree football
program, and after back-
to-back defeats at the
hands of Lake Cormorant
and Grenada, were deter-
mined to right the ship.
Coach Chris Chamb-
less said he saw a different
intensity level in practice
all week, and it showed
in a 23-point first quarter
against Golden Triangle
rival Columbus on Friday.
West Point (5-3) scored
the first 37 points of the
contest and went on to a
comfortable 47-14 victory
over Columbus (1-7) at
Hamblin Stadium.
“We had a great week
of practice,” Chambless
said. “Our seniors did a
good job of refocusing
and letting last week roll
off the back. We played
well today.”
After forcing a three-
and-out on the Falcons’
opening series, Green
Wave quarterback Corbin
Kelley connected on a 32-
yard swing pass to JaKo-
be Pate on fourth-and-5
for the game’s first touch-
down.
On the ensuing defen-
sive possession, Freder-
ick McMillian blocked a
Columbus punt that went
West Point running back JaKobe Pate (21) prepares to pass the ball to his teammate, Cameron Young (2), for a
touchdown during Friday’s game in West Point. The Green Wave beat Columbus 47-14.
into the end zone for a
safety.
“We work extremely
hard on special teams ev-
ery day,” Chambless said.
“We put a lot of focus on
that, and our guys really
want to perform well in all
aspects of the game.”
West Point quickly
took advantage of the free
kick, cashing in another
touchdown drive cour-
tesy of a 5-yard scamper
from running back Cam-
eron Young.
“It feels good to get
back on a roll, but that’s
the West Point way,”
Young said. “We had
to come back and work
harder; that’s what we did
all week.”
After forcing another
punt, West Point bust-
ed out its bag of tricks,
tossing what appeared to
be a sweep play to Pate.
Instead, halfway to the
sideline, Pate planted his
feet, cocked his arm and
found a wide-open Shawn
Melton for a 35-yard
touchdown pass to give
his team a 23-0 lead.
Meanwhile, things
went from bad to worse on
the Columbus side after
the Falcons fumbled the
ensuing kickoff, giving
the Green Wave another
prime scoring chance.
“(Playing West Point
is) a challenge because of
the simple fact that we’re
still rebuilding,” Colum-
bus coach Joshua Pul-
phus said. “No excuses,
but those guys know what
it takes to win, from the
lifting during the season
to film preparation. They
let two games slip, so we
knew they were going to
Garrick Hodge/Dispatch Staff
be ready for blood. But we
just didn’t match their in-
tensity starting the game
off. That’s why the game
got out of hand so fast. We
have to be able to come
out and play Columbus
football from the begin-
ning to the end.”
In addition to running
for 48 yards, Pate caught
two touchdowns and
threw for two, with one
passing touchdown go-
ing to his backfield mate,
Young.
“We feed off each oth-
er a lot,” said Young, who
finished with 57 rushing
yards. “Me and JaKobe,
the fullbacks, the quarter-
back, all of us. We couldn’t
do anything without the
offensive line either.”
Columbus quarterback
Ethan Conner got the Fal-
cons on the board with
a 3-yard touchdown run
before halftime, but CHS
stared at a 44-7 deficit en-
tering the break.
“Coach Chambless
is the standard and has
been here for 15-plus
years and has a program
established,” Pulphus
said. “They went through
slumps as well, they didn’t
just start out winning
state championships.
They had to struggle and
build their culture. That’s
why even after a loss like
tonight, I’m proud of my
boys because they came
out here and fought still.”
West Point is back in
action against New Hope
next week, while Colum-
bus faces Lafayette on the
road.
West Point 47, Columbus 14
C 0 7 0 7 — 14
WP 23 21 3 0 — 47
First quarter
WP — JaKobe Pate 32 pass from Corbin Kelley (Alex
Harper kick)
WP — safety
WP — Cameron Young 5 run (Harper kick)
WP — Shawn Melton 35 pass from Pate (Harper kick)
Second quarter
WP — Young 3 pass from Pate (Harper kick)
WP — Montavious Edwards 11 run (Harper kick)
C — Ethan Conner 3 run (Darion Mosley kick)
WP — Pate 20 pass from Kelley (Harper kick)
Third quarter
WP — Harper 27 FG
Fourth quarter
C — Michael Mosley 28 pass from Conner (D. Mos-
ley kick)

Special teams woes doom Lockdown defense, balanced offense lead

New Hope against Lafayette Noxubee County over Choctaw County
BY BEN PORTNOY
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
NEW HOPE — As
lightning strikes danced
in the nearby sky and fog
crept across Trojan Field
pregame, the ominous,
Halloween-ish scene
ahead of kickoff Friday
night carried into New
Hope’s ghastly 57-20 loss
to Lafayette (6-2) eight
days shy of All Hallows’
Eve.
In a contest short
on continuity and long
on mistakes, a slew of
special teams mishaps
doomed New Hope (2-6)
against the No. 4-ranked
team in MHSAA Class
5A.
“I feel our attitude
is good; our effort is
good,” New Hope head
coach Wade Tackett said.
“We’ve just got to stop
making those self-inflict-
ed mistakes.”
After Lafayette
notched touchdown
drives of 74 and 18 yards,
the latter courtesy of a
Trojan fumble, an errant
snap by the New Hope
punt team was booted out
of the end zone for a safe-
ty less than a minute into
the second quarter.
After Lafayette soph-
omore running back
Jayden Reed scored the
first of his two first-half
touchdowns on a 5-yard
run, the Trojans offense
promptly went three and
out and lined up for its
third punt of the night.
Bursting past the outer
portion of the New Hope
punt team, Lafayette out-
side linebacker D’Cam-
ron Lipsey blocked the
kick as it spiraled out of
bounds at the Trojan 14-
yard line. Three plays lat-
er, Reed bowled through
the New Hope defensive
front for his second score
of the night, this time of
the 8-yard variety.
“He’s really good be-
tween the tackles,” Lafay-
ette head coach Michael
Fair said. “He’s patient —
all big backs aren’t usual-
ly like that. But he’s just
a sophomore, and I think
he just gets better with
every touch.”
The Trojans showed
brief signs of life coming
out of halftime. Junior
quarterback Ty Crowell
dashed through a gaggle
of Lafayette defenders,
bounced off another and
scampered down the
sideline for a 60-yard
score to cut the Commo-
dore lead to 14 points.
Violently shooing the
Trojans away from strik-
ing distance, Reed busted
through a seam for a 46
yard gain before Jagger
Stovall punched it in from
five yards out to push
Lafayette’s lead back to
three scores.
The final nail in New
Hope’s proverbial coffin
came as another low snap
rolled toward the New
Hope end zone before be-
ing kicked out the back
for the night’s second
safety. A fumble on the
Trojans’ next offensive
series was then prompt-
ly delivered 68 yards to
the end zone by Trikyus
Woodall.
As the fourth quar-
ter began, only the New
Hope cheerleaders could
muster enough excite-
ment to hold up four fin-
gers in the air as the en-
ergy along the Trojans’
sideline had been de-
flated quicker than a pin
through a balloon.
To the side of the New
Hope bench, one player
even called out to a slew
of adults along the fence
at Trojan Field to orga-
nize his ride home.
“Hey, let me ride with
you,” he said. “This game
is over.”
Lafayette mercilessly
notched the final punch
in a game filled with
Commodore haymakers
See NEW HOPE, 3B
BY THEO DEROSA and the Chargers’ power-
tderosa@cdispatch.com ful offense.
“We won the line of
MACON — Tylan Car- scrimmage,” Young said.
ter never had a chance. The Tigers achieved
As the Choctaw Coun-
precisely what their
ty quarterback dropped
coach hoped before the
back in the first minute of
season, as Young noted
the fourth quarter on Fri-
that Travorus Hatcher
day at Noxubee County,
and the majority of the
he saw a sight not many
Noxubee County defen-
signal-callers hope to
encounter: The Tigers’ sive line were returning
entire defensive line, for their senior seasons.
unblocked and running Last year’s D-line was
straight at him. Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff part of the team that beat
Carter, with nowhere Noxubee County running back Bobby Shanklin (3) runs Choctaw County to make
for a big gain on the first play of the Tigers’ second the Class 3A champion-
to run, did the only thing drive Friday against Choctaw County in Macon.
he could do: He took the ship game, and Young
knew he would need a
hit. The sack — credited seed in MHSAA Class certainly played his own
to four different defend- 3A, Region 4. big role for the Tigers strong performance from
ers — brought up fourth “They stepped up (5-1), helping them put up the unit Friday to achieve
and long, and the Char- when we needed them a 14-0 halftime lead and that goal — or better.
gers punted the ball away. to,” senior running back build on it in the second “If we’re going to win
Such was life Friday for Bobby Shanklin said. half. But Noxubee Coun- this game and we’re go-
Choctaw County as Nox- Shanklin — Noxubee ty was able to deliver pre- ing to get back to the state
ubee County’s defense County’s “offensive lead- cisely where it counted, championship, it’s going
flexed its dominance in a er,” according to head shutting down Carter, to start with the guys in
29-0 win to clinch the top coach Teddy Young — playmaker Quez McNeal See TIGERS, 3B
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Nix finds Williams for game winner as Auburn tops Ole Miss
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS the Auburn 29-yard line spectively. ing situations and had a
in the final 10 seconds. Corral had touchdown kickoff return touchdown
Auburn quarterback Auburn forced an incom- runs of 5 and 10 yards by Bigsby wiped out on a
Bo Nix directed two plete pass and preserved and was 16 of 27 for 154 holding penalty.
fourth-quarter touch- the win on a game-end- yards passing, including Ole Miss: The Rebels
down drives, capped by a ing Ole Miss infraction as a 6-yard touchdown pass rolled up 444 yards but
42-yard touchdown pass quarterback Matt Corral to Elijah Moore. Jerrion finished 4 of 6 in the red
to Seth Williams with advanced past the line of Ealy had a 5-yard touch- zone, including a turn-
1:11 left, to lift the Tigers scrimmage before throw- down run to give Ole Miss over and an unsuccessful
to a 35-28 comeback win ing a desperation pass a 28-27 lead with 5:43 fake field goal attempt.
over Ole Miss on Satur- that would have counted left, setting up Auburn’s Sam Williams had 11
day. as a Jordyn Peters inter- game-winning drive. tackles, including a sack
Auburn (3-2 South- ception without the pen- and three tackles for loss,
eastern) rallied from a alty. The takeaway but the defense could not
28-27 deficit on its final Tank Bigsby had Auburn: After two preserve a late lead. The
offensive series, cover- touchdown runs of 4 and failed attempts, the Ti- remaining schedule ap-
ing 80 yards in six plays. 18 yards and finished gers won a road game. pears to lighten up a bit,
Williams, finishing with with 129 yards on 24 car- as four of the remaining
The Tigers won with
eight catches for 134 five opponents have los-
ries as the Tigers finished fourth quarter heroics
ing records.
yards, caught Nix’s pass with a turnover-free 462 for the third time this
in front of the Auburn yards of total offense. Nix season, this time on the
sideline, twisted away finished 23 of 30 passing strength of the Nix-Wil- Up next
from two tacklers and for 238 yards, with the liams combination and Auburn: The Tigers
turned up the sideline to biggest plays reserved for a 4 for 4 performance in host LSU on Saturday.
easily race for the deci- Williams. Shaun Shivers the red zone. The special Ole Miss: The Rebels
sive touchdown. and Nix had touchdown teams struggled with a visit winless Vanderbilt
Ole Miss (1-4) reached runs of 1 and 4 yards, re- pair of bad snaps in kick- on Saturday.
2B SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

PREP FOOTBALL ROUNDUP

Caledonia clinches playoff spot with home win over South Pontotoc
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
CALEDONIA — The
Caledonia High School
football team clinched a
playoff spot with a 28-7
home win over South Pon-
totoc on Friday.
Darrius Triplett ran for
a 10-yard score for Cale-
donia (3-4) and caught a
69-yard touchdown pass
from Daniel Wilburn.
Ethan Ramirez had a
1-yard touchdown run,
and Curtavis Johnson ran
for a 6-yard score.
Triplett finished with
111 rushing yards on sev-
en carries, and Johnson
added 78 yards on 16 at-
tempts.
Brandon Chrest had a
41-yard run, and Kewon
Wyatt caught a 22-yard
pass from Zack Gorum.
Loren Cox had an in-
terception for Caledonia.
Caledonia finishes its
regular season at Itawam-
ba Agricultural next Fri-
day in Fulton.
Heritage Academy 35,
Washington School 6
GREENVILLE — Her-
itage Academy clinched
MAIS Class 5A, District 1
and wrapped up its regu-
lar season with a 35-6 win
at Washington School on
Friday in Greenville.
Mack Howard threw
two touchdown passes to
Trey Naugher and one to
Sam Hannon, while Bra-
den Davidson ran for two
scores for the Patriots (7-
2).
Heritage Academy will
be the No. 2 seed in the
Class 5A playoffs and will
receive a first-round bye.
Calhoun Academy 44,
Columbus Christian
Academy 32
CALHOUN
— Columbus Christian
CITY
Academy finished its
regular season with a 44-
32 road loss to Calhoun
Academy on Friday.
Luke Phillips, filling in
at quarterback for Drake
Shaw (broken wrist),
threw touchdown passes
of 10 and 29 yards to Ty-
ler Looney in the second
quarter for the Rams (1-
9).
Lahndon Townley re-
covered a fumble on the
first play of the game and
rushed for two scores in
the second half, including
an 18-yard score in the
third quarter. He finished
with 51 rushing yards and
had a team-leading 10
tackles.
Kemp led the team
with 126 rushing yards
and had a 41-yard touch-
down and a two-point
conversion in the second
quarter.
Phillips had 71 passing
yards, all to Looney. Loo-
ney added six tackles, and
Logan Bandre had five.
Columbus Christian
will face Humphreys
Academy in the first
round of the MAIS Class
2A playoffs next Friday in
Belzoni.
Winona Christian 61,
Oak Hill Academy 30
WEST POINT — Oak
Hill Academy lost its
regular-season finale to
Winona Christian School
in Friday’s home game,
61-30.
Cameron Dill had four
touchdown passes for the
Raiders in the losing ef-
fort.
Oak Hill awaits its as-
signment in the MAIS
Class 3A playoffs.
Humphreys Aca. 34,
Hebron Christian 12
PHEBA — He-
bron Christian School
wrapped up its regular
season with a 34-12 loss
to Humphreys Academy
in Friday’s home game.
The Eagles had two
touchdowns called back
on penalties and missed
a chance to score at the
very end of the first half,
as the clock expired after
a Hebron player was tack-
led at the 2-yard line.
Doug Loden led the
way for Hebron with 18
carries for 56 yards, in-
cluding a 2-yard touch-
down run, and three
catches for 48 yards, in-
cluding a 21-yard touch-
down catch from Dash
Turman. He also had a
team-leading 16 tackles
and recovered two fum-
bles.
Dylan DuPont had 12
carries for 91 yards and
made five tackles for He-
bron (3-7). Jon Garrett
Lowe made three catches
for 56 yards and had four
tackles.
Turman finished 6 of
20 passing for 104 yards,
including his touchdown
pass to Loden. He ex-
celled on defense with
three interceptions, a
forced fumble, a fumble
recovery and three tack-
les.
Jackson Langley added
six tackles, and Bradley
Scott had three.
Hebron will face Delta
Streets Academy in the
first round of the MAIS
Class 2A playoffs next Fri-
day.
Aliceville (Ala.) 39,
Winston Co. (Ala.) 38
ALICEVILLE, Ala. —
Aliceville High School
(Alabama) held off a late
Winston County (Ala-
bama) comeback for a 39-
38 home win Friday.
Aliceville took a 32-
18 lead into the fourth
quarter, scored first and
watched Winston County
roar back. Winston Coun-
ty scored a touchdown
with a minute and 32 sec-
onds left, but the go-ahead
two-point conversion at-
tempt failed.
Tyjarian Williams
was 16 of 24 passing for
233 yards and five touch-
downs for Aliceville (6-
3). He threw touchdown
passes of 2 and 5 yards to
TyQuan Simon, 44 yards
to Landon Ball, 7 yards to
Jeremiah Brewer and 10
yards to Thomas Barnes.
Williams also ran for an
11-yard touchdown to
open the scoring and was
the team’s leading rush-
er for nine carries for 75
yards.
Winston County’s Wil-
liam Evans had a massive
game with 30 rushes for
283 yards and five touch-
downs, including a 79-
yard scoring run that gave
Winston County a chance
to take the lead late in the
fourth quarter.
Ball had four catches
for 102 yards, and Jamar-
ree Linder had four grabs
for 70 yards.
Aliceville’s next game
is at home against Linden
next Friday.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Fields, No. 5 Ohio State run

away from Huskers in opener
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBUS, Ohio —
Justin Fields completed 20
of 21 passes for two touch-
downs and ran for an-
other, Master Teague III
rushed for a pair of scores
and Ohio State rolled over
Nebraska 52-17 Saturday
on the opening day of the
Big Ten’s pandemic-de-
layed season.
Fields, a Heisman Tro-
phy finalist last season,
completed his first 12
passes and threw for 276
yards. He ran for another
52 — including a stun-
ning 17-yard third-quar-
ter touchdown scramble
around the left side that
saw him spin past a de-
fender into the end zone.
The Ohio State defense
took most of the first half
to figure out a way to con-
tain quarterback Adrian
Martinez, who marched
the Huskers down for a
touchdown in the opening
2 minutes of the game.
Nebraska (0-1, 0-1 Big
Ten) tied the score at 14
in the second quarter, but
an Ohio State (1-0, 1-0 Big
Ten) field goal, a defensive
stop and Teague’s second
TD run gave the Buck-
eyes a 24-14 lead at the
half. Then came Fields’
nifty touchdown run and
a 55-yard scoop and score
by Buckeyes cornerback
Sevyn Banks, and Ohio
State had it under control.
The takeaway
Nebraska: Effective
against the Ohio State
defense to start the game,
the Huskers couldn’t keep
up in the second half. But
Martinez showed flashes
of his excellent freshman
season in 2018, rushing
for 77 yards and a touch-
down.
Ohio State: Once
they knocked the rust off
early, Fields made good
decisions and Buckeyes
receivers were terrific.
The defense gave up some
chunk plays that kept Ne-
braska in the game early.
Poll implications
Now that voters have
finally gotten a look at the
stacked Buckeyes, there
could be some more love
on the way.
Social justice
Ohio State players
wore “Equality” helmet
stickers and a special-
ly designed pre-game
t-shirt. Stickers on Ne-
braska helmets paid trib-
ute to George Flippin, the
first African American
football player for the Uni-
versity of Nebraska.
‘Weird’ atmosphere lantic Coast Conference
Ohio State athletic game and put away pesky
Syracuse 47-21 on Satur-
director Gene Smith pre-
day.
dicted a “weird” atmo-
The Tigers opened 6-0
sphere in Ohio Stadium,
for the sixth straight sea-
and he wasn’t kidding.
son, but it took a late burst
Because of coronavirus
restrictions, there were to get it done — just like
just 1,344 people in the usual against Syracuse (1-
105,000-capacity venue, 5, 1-4).
counting staff and me-
dia. Family and friends of
players and coaches were
spread out in the lower
deck. Even with 4,700
cutouts the place looked
empty. No cheerleaders,
no marching band and no
“script Ohio,” which has
been tradition at home
games for 84 years. It is
believed to be the small-
est crowd to watch an
Ohio State game since
sometime before 1910.
Up next
Nebraska: Hosts No.
14 Wisconsin.
Ohio State: Faces No.
8 Penn State on the road.
No. 1 Clemson 47,
Syracuse 21
CLEMSON, S.C. —
Trevor Lawrence threw
two touchdown passes
and Travis Etienne ran
for three scores as No.
1 Clemson shook off a
sluggish performance to
win their 27th straight At-
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 3B

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Rutgers snaps Big Ten skid, beats Michigan State

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS bled the ball away on his Rutgers led 28-13 after Mark Dantonio, the win- State looked disorganized quarter. UNC ran for 326
team’s first offensive play. two quarters. Michigan ningest coach in school on some key plays. yards and finished with
EAST LANSING, Rutgers (1-0) didn’t State lost another fumble history, retired this off- 578 overall, bouncing
Mich. — Isaih Pache- capitalize on that turn- near midfield on its first season. Up next back from an upset loss at
co ran for two first-half over, but the Scarlet possession of the third. Dantonio was on hand Rutgers: The Scarlet Florida State to beat the
touchdowns, and Rutgers Knights quickly forced Rutgers lost two fum- for Saturday’s game, but Knights return home to Wolfpack (4-2, 4-2) by a
snapped a 21-game Big another. Rocky Lombardi bles in its own territory it’s clear his former team face Indiana on Saturday. lopsided margin for the
Ten losing streak Satur- was sacked and fumbled, in the third quarter. Lom- has a lot of work to do. Michigan State: The second straight season.
day, beating Michigan giving Rutgers the ball at bardi threw a 30-yard Michigan State’s streak of Spartans have a lot of im- Williams had three
State 38-27 in coach Greg the Michigan State 1. A touchdown pass to Jalen 21 straight wins in home proving to do heading into touchdowns in last year’s
Schiano’s first game back touchdown run by Johnny Nailor to make it 28-20, openers came to an end, next weekend’s matchup 41-10 win, then had a pair
with the Scarlet Knights. Langan made it 14-0. but the Spartans didn’t and that may be the least — on the road against ri- of short TD runs as UNC
Michigan State has a Reed scored on a 50- capitalize on the second of the Spartans’ concerns
val Michigan. ran off 21 straight points
new coach too, and Mel yard catch-and-run on of those takeaways, get- at the moment.
after leading just 17-7 at
Tucker’s debut was forget- fourth down to make it ting stopped on fourth
table from the start. The 14-7, but the Spartans down from the Rutgers The takeaway No. 14 North Carolina halftime. He punctuat-
ed another big rivalry
Spartans (0-1) turned weren’t done turning the 21. Rutgers: The Scar- 48, No. 23 N.C. State 21 performance by blowing
the ball over seven times ball over. An interception The Scarlet Knights let Knights had plenty CHAPEL HILL, N.C.
— four in the first half — — Javonte Williams ran through a huge hole up
in Michigan State territo- drove the other way for a of help from Michigan
and never led against a for 160 yards and three front then cutting past
ry led to a 24-yard touch- field goal that gave them State’s sloppiness, but for
Rutgers team that hadn’t down run by Rutgers an 11-point lead. Another touchdowns to help No. multiple defenders to the
a program that hasn’t won
won a conference game quarterback Noah Vedral. Michigan State fumble — 14 North Carolina beat pylon for a 27-yard score
much recently, this victo-
since Nov. 4, 2017 against Reed’s second fumble a muffed punt with 6:57 No. 23 North Carolina that made it 45-14 with
ry should be quite a confi-
Maryland. of the half gave the Scar- left — essentially sealed dence boost. State 48-21 in Saturday’s 14:11 left.
The Scarlet Knights let Knights the ball again, the game, although the Michigan State: The renewal of the longtime Sam Howell threw for
scored 14 points total but Vedral threw an inter- teams traded late touch- Spartans were mediocre state rivalry. 252 yards and a TD for
through their first five ception. Michigan State’s downs after that and Lom- for the previous two sea- Michael Carter ran the Tar Heels, while Dy-
Big Ten games last year. Shakur Brown ran it back bardi threw an intercep- sons and changed coach- for 106 yards and a score ami Brown had 105 yards
It took them 8:03 to reach for a touchdown, but that tion in the final minute. es in February. Then the of his own for the Tar on a career-best seven
that mark Saturday. Pa- was called back for a pen- Schiano is back for a pandemic limited what Heels (4-1, 4-1 Atlantic catches.
checo strolled in from alty and the Spartans set- second stint as the Rut- they could do in the Coast Conference), who The Wolfpack had lit-
12 yards out to cap the tled for a field goal. gers coach after spending offseason. A slow start used a run-through-and- tle go right offensively
game’s opening drive, Pacheco scored on a 11 seasons there from wasn’t much of a sur- over-tacklers ground in the first game without
then Michigan State re- 3-yard run in the final 2001-11. Tucker took prise, and even beyond all game that helped them injured starting quarter-
ceiver Jayden Reed fum- minute of the half, and over Michigan State after the turnovers, Michigan take control in the third back Devin Leary.

New Hope Tigers NFL

Continued from Page 1B Continued from Page 1B Antonio Brown agrees to
when sophomore Townes
Hogue rushed 21 yards
the trenches,” Young told
the Tigers.
for a 48-yard score, John-
son’s second of the game.
wanted it, and we really
wanted it, too,” Chandler one-year deal with Bucs
into the end zone for the They backed that Hatcher took the ball said. “So we had a little
night’s closing score af- statement up Friday by in on a 1-yard run in the chip on our shoulder, and
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Brown is reuniting
ter the play was set up by with the 43-year-old quar-
virtually shutting down second quarter, showing they did, also.” TAMPA, Fla. — Sus-
a dynamic 80-yard kick- terback after playing one
Choctaw County’s run- a promisingly symmet- The Chargers’ chip is pended receiver Antonio
off return by Mississippi game with Brady during
ning game. The only of- rical offense that the Ti- sure to only grow bigger, Brown has agreed to re-
State commit Brendan a brief stint with the Patri-
fensive success the Char- gers haven’t always had, especially if they meet turn to the NFL with the
Toles. ots in September 2019.
gers found Friday was Young said. up with the Tigers in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers In 131 regular-season
“I should’ve scored on
that last one,” Toles said on sideline passing plays “We’ve been clicking playoffs. But if they do, on a one-year deal, ac- games — all but one with
through an ear-to-ear from Carter to McNeal, this year,” the coach said. the game will be in Ma- cording to a person with Pittsburgh — Brown has
grin. “I just saw a huge but after the dynamic “We’ve been better offen- con, as Noxubee County knowledge of the move. 841 career receptions
hole, so I just took off.” wideout was shaken up sively because we’ve got earned home-field advan- The person spoke to for 11,263 yards and 75
While Friday night’s after a hard hit from balance — we can throw tage in the Class 3A play- The Associated Press on touchdowns. He had 104
horror-filled contest had safety Zack Andrews and the ball and run the ball.” offs Friday. condition of anonymity catches for 1,297 yards
its momentary glimps- the Tigers’ defense tight- The Tigers were able With next week’s Saturday because the and a league-leading 15
es of positivity, Tackett ened up, the big plays to limit turnovers, too. home game against Ab- contract had not been TDs in 2018, his last year
noted postgame the time stopped coming. A third-quarter intercep- completed. with the Steelers.
erdeen canceled because
has come for his young “We just had to wake tion thrown by Rupert The addition of the vol-
the Bulldogs are in quar- The 32-year-old’s
squad to mature beyond atile seven-time Pro Bowl
up,” Shanklin said. “We was Noxubee County’s antine due to COVID-19, streak with six consecu-
poor snaps and slews of selection bolsters an al-
were just sleeping in the only giveaway of the the Tigers now have a tive seasons with at least
fumbles. ready formidable arsenal
first half. We had to go night, a far better per- week off prior to opening 100 catches and 1,000
“We play some really of playmakers for Tom
talk to each other and formance than last year’s the postseason at home. yards receiving came to
good teams, especial- Brady.
pick each other up and regular-season game in As always, there will be a screeching halt when
ly in this district,” he Brown, who’s nearing
play as a team.” Ackerman where the Ti- things to improve. he forced his way out of
said. “Our out-of-dis- the end of an eight-game
While Noxubee Coun- gers couldn’t stop cough- Young said he’ll eval- suspension for violating Pittsburgh and then al-
trict schedule is really most immediately fell
good too, really tough. ty’s halftime improve- ing up the ball. The turn- uate game film to see the league’s personal con-
ments didn’t exactly overs led to a 28-18 loss duct penalty, is eligible to out of favor in Oakland,
You can’t make those where the Tigers fell
show on the scoreboard and cost Noxubee Coun- return in Week 9, when which acquired him in a
mistakes against those short Friday. He’ll chal-
— the Tigers outscored ty a chance at the district the first-place Bucs (4-2) trade in March 2019.
teams. We’re still a young lenge his defense to do
the Chargers 15-0 in the title. host the NFC South rival The impending sign-
team, but shoot, this is even better — if that’s at
second half compared But when the two New Orleans Saints. ing comes more than six
Week 8. We’ve got to all possible.
grow up at some point Brown, 32, is the lat- months after coach Bruce
to 14-0 in the first — the teams met up in Acker- “Tonight, we showed
and stop making those est high-profile addi- Arians declared adding
home team showed re- man again in the north glimpses,” Young said.
mistakes.” tion around Brady, who Brown to a group of tal-
newed effort and energy state championship “We’ve still got a lot of signed with Tampa Bay ented young receivers,
in completing the shut- game, Noxubee Coun- work to do.”
Lafayette 57, New Hope 20 in free agency this year including Pro Bowl se-
L 13 15 16 13 — 57 out. ty won 33-14 to end the lections Mike Evans and
after a historic 20-season
NH 7 0 7 7 — 20 Late in the third quar- Chargers’ season and Noxubee County 29, Chris Godwin, was “not
First quarter run in New England that
L — Tyrus Carmichael-Williams 51 run (Andrew ter, they stuffed a run send the Tigers to Hat- Choctaw County 0 gonna happen.”
Pugh kick) included nine Super Bowl
NH — Ty Crowell 2 run (Cole Crawford kick)
L — Kylen Vaughn 6 pass from Carmichael-Williams
play for a safety, and tiesburg to play for a title. CC 0 0 0 0 — 0
appearances and six ti- But with injuries to
NC 6 8 9 6 — 29
(kick failed)
Second quarter
quarterback Chrishaad The two games left First quarter
tles. Evans, Godwin and Scot-
NC — Macardi Johnson 15 pass from Chrishaad
L — safety
L — Jayden Reed 5 run (Pugh kick)
Rupert found Anthony both teams with a lot of Rupert (kick failed), clock 5:13 Tight end Rob Gron- ty Miller limiting the
L — Reed 8 run (Pugh kick)
Third quarter
Little Jr. for a 23-yard motivation headed into Second quarter
NC — Travorus Hatcher 1 run (Damian Verdell run), kowski and running amount of time Brady has
NH — Crowell 60 run (Crawford kick) touchdown on the en- Friday’s game, Noxubee clock 0:52
backs Leonard Fournette had to work with his top
L — Jagger Stovall 5 run (Pugh kick) Third quarter
L — safety suing possession. A few County senior defensive NC — safety, clock 2:19 and LeSean McCoy have receivers in practice and
L — Trikyus Woodall 68 fumble return (Pugh kick) NC — Anthony Little Jr. 23 pass from Rupert (Jakel-
Fourth quarter minutes into the fourth lineman Ma’teo Chan- vius Spann kick), clock 0:46 also joined Brady in Tam- games, adding Brown
L — Benton Linzy 34 pass from William Dabney
(Pugh kick) quarter, Rupert connect- dler said. Fourth quarter pa Bay, which hasn’t made provides Brady with an-
NH — Zion Reed 2 run (kick failed) NC — Macardi Johnson 48 pass from Rupert (kick
L — Townes Hogue 21 run (kick failed) ed with Macardi Johnson “I know they really failed), clock 8:28 the playoffs since 2007. other proven playmaker.

Dear Abby

D
EAR ABBY: My older sister,
“Olive,” moved to the West
Coast three years ago. My
parents, my two older siblings and
I live on the East Coast. During this
past year, Olive has grown more
and more distant from us. She
always has an excuse when we try
to set up a group Facetime or even
a phone call. This has happened
dozens of times now.
Most recently, our extended
family set up a Zoom call with
about 30 of us. Everyone was able
to make at least a portion of it, Dear Abby
including all my cousins and aunts
and uncles. Olive, however, said she
will “be there next time” because she needed to
do some mulching around her house and wanted
to start limiting her screen time.
My parents, siblings and I have
each talked with her directly about
how blowing us off is hurtful and
painful, yet she continues to do it.
At this point, everyone is fed up,
especially Mom, who got hung up on
twice while trying to address these
problems with Olive. What else can
we do? We cannot seem to get
through. — FED-UP BROTHER
DEAR BROTHER: Do you know
why your sister moved to the West
Coast? Was it job-related, or could
it have been that she needed space
and didn’t feel she could have it
if she lived geographically closer?
Because her withdrawal has become increasingly
overt over the past year, it’s important that some-
one understand what is driving it.
A relative other than your mother (who got
hung up on twice) who is close to Olive should
give her a call and, in as gentle a manner as
possible, explain the family is worried about her
and ask if anything is wrong that any of you can
help with. She may be having a difficult time
emotionally, or she may simply be craving some
space. But you won’t know until someone can get
a straight answer.
DEAR ABBY: My husband’s sister is morbidly
obese, and we are very concerned about her
health. We know her weight is a delicate topic, but
if she were drowning in a lake instead of in fat, we
would try to throw her the same kind of lifeline.
We feel compelled to express our concern
about her health. We know that how this is
approached can make a big difference. We both
feel she would benefit by seeing a counselor to
confront life issues that may have caused her
overeating. Can you please suggest a way to
phrase it? We love her and want her to live a long
and healthy life. — SCARED FOR SISTER-IN-LAW
DEAR SCARED: Your sister-in-law is well aware
that she is dangerously heavy, so this is a subject
you can address only once without causing a rift
in the family. The message might be accepted
better if it came from her brother, and it should be
phrased something like this:
“I hope you know how much I love you. My wife
and I are deeply concerned about your weight be-
cause we’re afraid we might lose you. If there are
issues that have caused this, would you consider
talking to a counselor about them? If your doctor
can’t refer you to someone qualified, we can ask
ours for some names. And if what I have said is
hurtful, I sincerely apologize and hope you will
forgive me. I won’t bring up the subject again.”

Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Oct. 25).
You know what you want, and this is
no small statement. The clarity and
confidence you bring to endeavors has
everything to do with your being certain
of your heart’s desire. The seas will
part to herald your crossing. Relation-
ships will fall into alignment as you
create momentum toward your aim. You
are unstoppable. Taurus and Capricorn
adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8,
31, 5, 41 and 17.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’re
so qualified to contribute to the group,
if not to lead it, and yet you tend to be
quietly respectful, listening to all. If
you hold back too much, then you’ll be
depriving the group of one of its finest
contributors.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). A
fierce urge to procrastinate will set
in, but productivity can still win out if
you’re ruthless enough. Do the dreaded
thing first. Don’t give yourself choices
or time to think about it. Just do it.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Who
gives your life meaning? You do. Some
events just happen and some you
create deliberately. Either way, the one
who decides what they mean is always
you.
CANCER (June 22-July 22).
“One size fits all,” says the tag. Even
so, sometimes one size fits none.
In today’s case, a healthy dose of
skepticism will keep you from believing
generic advice which is wrong -- for not
just for you but for everyone.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). A situ-
ation has drifted into the realm of
dysfunction and delusion, but it’s not
too late to steer it back to the land of
usefulness and facts. Start by sharing
your honest observations about what’s
going on right now.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Though
you’re standing side by side with some-
one, you both took very different paths
to get to that place. Learning another
person’s path will be a highlight of your
day.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You find
deep gratification in paying it forward
and will especially enjoy seeing your
efforts have done a true service to
others while knowing there will also be
benefits you will never see.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Every-
thing and anything worth having take
time, effort and training. Your superstar
move today will be to let admired ones
know that you appreciate the amount
of work that went into what they built.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21).
The product is important but so is the
presentation. If you don’t show it to the
world in a way that lets it be seen in
the right light, then you’re not making
good on your work investment.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19).
Though you often know what you want,
today you’ll be surprised to learn that
you have aims you’ve kept a secret
from yourself. You had your reasons,
but now things have changed.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You
have a tight, focused lens on your work
and will see the details that matter and
the flaws, too. Healthy criticism keeps
you turning out a good product, but
don’t cross the line into meanness. Be
nice to yourself.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The
spotlight is also a target. The price of
being in the center of attention is cour-
age. Because no matter who you are,
you’ll be vulnerable to a lot of different
kinds of attention. It’s worth it if your
purpose is strong enough.
Classifieds
Ads appear in The Commercial Dispatch,
The Starkville Dispatch and Online
To place ads starting at only $12,
call 662-328-2424 or visit ads.cdispatch.com
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 n 4B

Medical / Dental General Help Wanted Apts For Rent: West Apts For Rent: Other

VIP
THE COMMERCIAL The Military Square
DISPATCH seeks a motiv- Apartments are now

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COLEMAN
RENTALS
Ads starting at $25 327-8555 TOWNHOUSES & APARTMENTS
Sudoku YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
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Apts For Rent: North
Apts For Rent: Other 2 BEDROOMS Sudoku is a number- Yesterday’s answer
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FOX RUN APARTMENTS 3 BEDROOMS Sudoku 3 6 1 5 9 2 4 7 8
1 & 2 BR near hospital. a 9x9 gridis witha several
num-
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given numbers.puzzleThe object 5 4 2 8 1 7 6 9 3

© The Dispatch
$595−$645 monthly.

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

Military discount, pet area,
DEPOSIT based onthe
is to place a 9x9
numbers 8 9 7 6 3 4 1 2 5
pet friendly, and furnished
grid
1 to 9with
in theseveral
empty spaces 1 5 6 2 8 3 7 4 9
corporate apts. AND given
24−HOUR PROFESSIONAL
CREDIT CHECK so thatnumbers.
each row, eachThe 4 2 3 9 7 6 8 5 1
General Help Wanted GYM. ON SITE SECURITY. object
column and each 3x3 the
is to place box
numbers 7 8 9 4 5 1 3 6 2
contains the1same to 9 number
in
ON SITE MAINTENANCE.
Employment OFFICE MANAGER needed ON SITE MANAGEMENT.
24−HOUR CAMERA
662-329-2323 the empty spaces so
only once. The difficulty
9 7 4 1 2 8 5 3 6
for local Construction com- that each row, each 2 3 8 7 6 5 9 1 4
pany. Job includes man-
SURVEILLANCE. Benji & 2411 HWY 45 N level increases from
column and each 6 1 5 3 4 9 2 8 7
Call us: 662-328-2424 aging Pay Roll, QuickBooks,
Ashleigh, 662−386−4446.
Monday
Spreadsheets, Accounts COLUMBUS, MS 3x3 boxtocontains
Sunday. Difficulty Level 10/23

General Help Wanted Payable & Receivable, Pur-
chasing & Social Media.
Single position in small
business with nice atmo-
sphere. Mail resume to
Blind Box 677 c/o The
Commercial Dispatch
PO Box 511
Columbus MS 39703.
Apts For Rent: South the same number only once. The difficulty level
Houses For Rent: East increases from Monday to Sunday.
Downtown Loft: Very nice 1
bdrm loft, wood floors, tall 3BR/1BA, stove, refrig−
ceilings, above a downtown erator, fresh paint & hard−
business. Great location. wood floors. Available
Call before 9:00 p.m. 11/1. $600/mo + $500
$650. 662−364−1610 dep. No HUD, no pets.
662−295−3022.

Large 2−bedrm apartment.

Read local. Recently renovated, very
nice, includes washer / One call will bring you results.
dryer, lots of closets, great
cdispatch.com location. Must see inside. 662-328-2424
$850. 662−364−1610

Service Directory
Promote your small business starting at only $25
Carpet & Flooring General Services General Services Painting & Papering

A & T TREE SERVICES QUALITY PAINTING.

Fall Special: 4 Rms $99
It’s a classified
Bucket truck & stump Ext/Int Painting.
removal. Free est. Sheet Rock Hang, Finish &
Serving Columbus Repair. Pressure Washing.
since 1987. Senior Free Estimates. Ask for
citizen disc. Call Alvin @ specials! Larry Webber,
242−0324/241−4447 662−242−4932.
"We’ll go out on a limb for
you!" SULLIVAN’S PAINT
SERVICE
Special Prices.
1 Room − $50 WORK WANTED: Licensed
& Bonded. Carpentry, minor Interior & Exterior Painting.
2 Room − $70
3 Rooms − $90 electrical, minor plumbing,
insulation, painting, demo−
662−435−6528

rule-of-thumb:
Carpet−Rugs−Tile−Cars Plumbing
DAVID’S CARPET & lition, gutters cleaned,
UPHOLSTERY pressure washing, land−
We tell readers CLEANING
Call for more info!
scaping, cleanup work.
662−242−3608. ACME, INC.
Stan McCown
Lawn Care / Landscaping
what they need 662−722−1758 "We fix leaks."
Natural gas & water.
JESSE & BEVERLY’S
to know to buy Got leaky pipes?
Don’t have time
to cut your lawn?
LAWN SERVICE
Mowing, cleanup, tree
662−386−2915

what they need. Find a plumber

in the classifieds.
Find help here!
cutting, landscaping,
sodding & bush hogging. Are you a painter?
662−356−6525 Advertise here!
ACROSS

Whether you’re buying

1 Tag info
5 Cook’s spice
10 Poppy yield
12 Ridiculous

or selling we’ve got

13 Singer Nellie
14 Civil wrongs
15 Furious
feeling

what you’re looking for.

16 Calendar box
18 Model buy
19 River crafts
21 Sparklers
22 Denude
24 Provinces

Make classifieds 25 White mam-

mal
29 Earth neigh- DOWN 25 Holiday event

your first stop. bor

30 Gambler’s
secret
1 Amusing
2 Met shows
3 Hushed
26 Grove growth
27 Barbarian
leader
32 Important age 4 Soaking spot 28 “John Wick”
33 Field worker 5 Mayor’s star
34 Kickoff aid domain 29 Poet’s con-
35 Passionate 6 Dos preceder cern
dance 7 Chit 31 Convenes
37 Full of energy 8 Not too late 33 Noted seam-
39 Periphery 9 High homes stress
40 Apartment 11 Amber wine 36 Salon stuff
sign 17 Malign 38 High hit
41 Reacts to a 20 Grueling tests
punch 21 Nebula
42 Choir mem- makeup
ber 23 Some pudgi-
ness

Place your ad today

to get fast results.
ads.cdisaptch.com
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
Houses For Sale: Other
Auctions
Real Estate
Ads starting at $25
Farms & Timberland
LAMAR CO. AL, 197 Acres.
Good timber. Good hunting.
Road frontage. South of
Millport. $1,325/ac. 205−
799−9846 or 205−695−
2248.
Houses For Sale: East
3BR/2BA in 55+
community of Plantation
Pointe. For more info call
after 5pm, 662−251−
7664.
Houses For Sale: Southside
1512 WASHINGTON AVE
3BR/1.5BA, living room w/
gas log−heat, dining room,
front/back porch, natural
gas heat, window units−
cooling, storage bldg &
carport. 1,230 sq ft.
Call 662−425−9451.
Houses For Sale: Other
FSBO: 4BR/4.5BA
10,000+sqft, situated on
13 ac in South Lowndes Co
@ 627 Canfield Rd. New
Hope school district. 50x
100 shop, in ground pool
w/pool house & 1.5 acre
stock pond. Ideal place for
mini farm! $675,000.
662−327−3477
Lots & Acreage
1.75 ACRE LOTS Good/
Bad Credit Options. Good
Finding a
credit as low as 20% down,
$499/mo. Eaton Land,
662−361−7711.
new home
PICKENS COUNTY, AL
starts with
180 acres in Liberty
Community. Good hunting
& road systems. $850/ac.
The Dispatch
Other tracts available. Call
205−799−9846 or 205−
695−2248.
classifieds.
Take down that “for
rent” sign and get
fast results with an
easy classified ad.
Place your
ad today at
ads.cdispatch.com
or call 328-2424
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 5B
Pets
Garage Sales Merchandise Big Puppies For Sale:
Two large breed Standard
Poodle cross, 12 wk old
Two free signs Ads starting at $12 puppies for sale. Wormed,
vaccinated, vet checked
Estate Sales Firewood / Fuel and very healthy. They have
long white curly hair with
BIG SALE: Oct 30−31. FIREWOOD FOR SALE. tan and gray spots around
Fri 9−6, Sat 8−4. Oil paint Various lengths. the face and ears. 1 male,
−ings, glassware, chalk 662−295−2274. 1 female, very smart with
ware, furn, h/h items, gentle temperament and
clothing, many quilts & General Merchandise lots of energy. Located in
collectibles. 10469 Hwy 12 Crawford, MS. $350.
E, across from Cedar Hill. 626−590−2584
Mobile Home Frames
2 Mobile Home Frames for
$500 Each. 30 Free Lost & Found Pets
Concrete Blocks w/ Each
Frame RED LAB with white spot
on his chest & MS State
MASSIVE 5 DAY 2 Electric Tongue Jacks collar. Lost from Magnolia
ESTATE SALE $150 Each Cir near Longhorns. Call
185 Reeves Dr., For More Info. Contact 662−328−2725.
Columbus − turn across Jessie Brooks @
the street from Toyota. 662−272−8711
OCT 22−26
THUR 10−2, FRI 9−3,
SAT 9−3, SUN 1−4, ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIDES
MON 1−4 Leather chaps, genuine
This is a massive buffalo, XL, new. $40.
estate with a large Motorcycle riding boots,
home and large shop. waterproof/insulated, worn
There will be everything very little, size 10. $70.
from fine furniture to One piece rain suit by
ratchet sets! This Gear, L, new. $35.
home has fine pieces For sale locally.
from Henredon and 501−545−7750. You’ll find the best deals
other high end makers.
There is Waterford
when you advertise
Sporting Goods and shop here!
crystal, Lenox china,
sterling flatware, ED SANDERS GUNSMITH
beautiful rugs, brass Open for season! ads.cdispatch.com
accessories, oriental Tue−Fri: 9−5 & Sat: 9−12
pieces, and so much Over 50 years experience!
more. This is the finest Repairs, cleaning, refin−
of the finest. Tons of
kitchen pieces including
ishing, scopes mounted &
zeroed, handmade knives.
Five Questions:
cookware and dishes. Located: Hwy 45 Alt, North
Washer and Dryer,
1 Jerry West
of West Point, turn right on
several dining rooms Yokahama Blvd, 8mi & turn
sets, leather furniture, left on Darracott Rd, will
fine lamps, and so
see sign, 2.5mi ahead
much more! Bedroom shop on left.
Suits of Every size.
2 10
662−494−6218.
Books, Records, 8
tracks, tons of MSU
items, and SO MUCH
Community
MORE. The shop is the
best we have had lately.
3 Lollapa-
TOOLS, TOOLS, and
MORE TOOLS! This
Ads starting at $12
looza
house is packed.
We do pre sales!
For more info, call Travel & Entertainment
662−321−1261
or visit us on Facebook.
4 1920s
www.facebook.com/ PUBLIC CATFISH POND
milltownenterpises 130 Hillcrest Dr
Catfish contest Oct. 1−
31. $200 for most
weight. $100 for Big
5 Chaka
PLACE YOUR Fish. 2 drawings for
$50 valued prizes. Call
AD ONLINE 662−386−8591 for
Khan
details.
ads.cdispatch.com
Looking for goods
or services?
Find it in the
classifieds!
6B SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 7B

Analysis: Statewide ballot issues

BY SLIM SMITH
ssmith@cdispatch.com
When Mississippi voters go
to the polls on Nov. 3, they will
cast votes for President, U.S.
Senator, all four U.S. House
of Representatives and three
Mississippi Supreme Court
justices.
In addition to those elect-
ed officials, Mississippians
will decide whether to amend
the state constitution through
three ballot initiatives — al-
lowing the legal use of medi-
cal marijuana, adopting a new
state flag and providing for a
runoff election to determine
statewide offices if no candi-
date earns a majority of the
votes in the general election.
In an effort to help voters
better understand each of
these issues, we have gath-
ered information, including
the arguments for and against
these measures where they
exist. Claims that could not be
substantiated by either those
supporting or opposing the
measures are not included.
BALLOT
MEASURE NO. 1
Medical marijuana
Of the three initiatives, this
is the most hotly-contested. It
is also the most complicated,
since the measure has two
competing initiatives and is
presented in two parts.
The first decision voters
will face is whether to vote for
“either” or “neither” of the two
medical marijuana proposals
— the citizen-sponsored Ini-
tiative 65 or its alternative, Ini-
tiative 65A, which was put on
the ballot by the Legislature.
If a voter believes medical
marijuana should be legal-
ized, the voter should select
“either” and proceed to the
second part of the ballot ques-
tion where voters can choose
between 65 and 65A.
If a voter is opposed to med-
ical marijuana, the voter can
choose “neither” on the first
question and disregard the
second question.
To become law, either initia-
tive requires 60 percent of the
total votes cast, which is the
requirement for amending the
state constitution.
Initiative 65
Initiative 65 made it onto
the ballot through a provision
that allows citizens to petition
to change the state consti-
tution. Under 65, a medical
marijuana program would be
established allowing those
suffering from 22 qualifying
medical conditions to pur-
chase medical marijuana at
privately-owned dispensaries.
Only those with a state-issued
medical marijuana card could
purchase marijuana through
prescriptions written by a
medical doctor. The program
would be administered by the
Mississippi State Department
of Health, which would issue
licenses to cultivators and dis-
pensaries, as well as the ID
cards needed by patients.
All revenue from licensing,
members cards and a 7-per-
cent fee on sales would be re-
tained by MSDH specifically
for the medical marijuana pro-
gram.
The program would begin
operation in August.
Proponents of 65 say their
proposal is the only reliable
means of legalizing medical
marijuana in the state, noting
that the Legislature’s compet-
ing measure was presented
only after citizens success-
fully placed medical marijua-
na on the ballot. Prior to this
year, more than 20 medical
marijuana bills died in the
Legislature.
Opponents say 65 would not
allow for legislative oversight
and that because the program
is detailed in the constitution-
al amendment, major changes
could only be made through
further amending the consti-
tution.
Opponents note that cities
and municipalities would not
be permitted to create their
own zoning requirements for
locations of dispensaries nor
would they be able to limit
the number of dispensaries in
their communities. Under 65,
dispensaries are not allowed
within 500 feet of a church or
school, which is generally the
same requirement of pharma-
cies. 65 does not place any
stipulation on the number of
dispensaries.
Opponents point out that
none of the revenue produced
by the sale of medical mari-
juana would go to the state’s
general fund. Sales tax is not
charged on prescription med-
ication.
Initiative 65A
Initiative 65A was placed
on the ballot by a vote of the
See BALLOT ISSUES, 8B

Area General Election Sample Ballots

LOWNDES COUNTY OKTIBBEHA COUNTY
(Composite ballot for the Nov. 3 general election. (Composite ballot for the Nov. 3 general election.
Actual listings will vary by districts and precincts.) Actual listings will vary by districts and precincts.)
FOR UNITED STATES PRESIDENT FOR SCHOOL BOARD 5 FOR UNITED STATES PRESIDENT FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 5
(Vote for one) COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT FIVE (Vote for one) COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER
O Presidential Electors for Joseph Democrat (Vote for one) O Presidential Electors for Joseph Democrat (Vote for one)
R. Biden Jr. for President and O Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ Givens Gray Nonpartisan R. Biden Jr. for President and O Ernest Rogers, Jr. Independent
Kamala D. Harris for Vice President O _________________________________ Kamala D. Harris for Vice President O _________________________________
O Presidential Electors for Donald J. Republican Write-in O Presidential Electors for Donald J. Republican Write-in
Trump for President and Michael STATEWIDE Trump for President and Michael STATEWIDE
R. Pence for Vice President BALLOT MEASURE 1 R. Pence for Vice President BALLOT MEASURE 1
O Presidential Electors for Don American INITIATED BY PETITION AND O Presidential Electors for Don American INITIATED BY PETITION AND
Blankenship for President and Constitution Blankenship for President and Constitution
William Mohr for Vice President
ALTERNATIVE BY LEGISLATURE William Mohr for Vice President
ALTERNATIVE BY LEGISLATURE
Initiative Measure No. 65, Should Mississippi allow Initiative Measure No. 65, Should Mississippi allow
O Presidential Electors for Brian American O Presidential Electors for Brian American
qualified patients with debilitating medical conditions, qualified patients with debilitating medical conditions,
Carroll for President and Amar Solidarity Carroll for President and Amar Solidarity
as certified by Mississippi licensed physicians, to use as certified by Mississippi licensed physicians, to use
Patel for Vice President Patel for Vice President
medical marijuana? medical marijuana?
O Presidential Electors for Phil Independent O Presidential Electors for Phil Independent
Legislative Budget Office Fiscal Analysis for Initiative 65: Legislative Budget Office Fiscal Analysis for Initiative 65:
Collins for President and Bill Collins for President and Bill
Parker for Vice President The overall cost to Mississippi for the first year Parker for Vice President The overall cost to Mississippi for the first year
is estimated to be $11,068,150. The anticipated is estimated to be $11,068,150. The anticipated
O Presidential Electors for Howie Green O Presidential Electors for Howie Green
expenses for the first year to implement a medical expenses for the first year to implement a medical
Hawkins for President and Angela Hawkins for President and Angela
marijuana program is $24,068,150 (Plants – seeds to marijuana program is $24,068,150 (Plants – seeds to
Nicole Walker for Vice President Nicole Walker for Vice President
Sale: $5,000,000; Licensing, Monitoring, Inspection: Sale: $5,000,000; Licensing, Monitoring, Inspection:
O Presidential Electors for Jo Libertarian $16,220,150; and Cost to Collect Revenue: $2,848,000). O Presidential Electors for Jo Libertarian $16,220,150; and Cost to Collect Revenue: $2,848,000).
Jorgensen for President and Jeremy The anticipated revenue is $13,000,000 (User ID Cards: Jorgensen for President and Jeremy The anticipated revenue is $13,000,000 (User ID Cards:
‘Spike’ Cohen for Vice President $2,500,000; Commercial Licenses: $500,000 and sales ‘Spike’ Cohen for Vice President $2,500,000; Commercial Licenses: $500,000 and sales
O Presidential Electors for Brock Independent fee at 7 percent: $10,000,000). O Presidential Electors for Brock Independent fee at 7 percent: $10,000,000).
Pierce for President and Karla The anticipated expenses for years following the first Pierce for President and Karla The anticipated expenses for years following the first
Ballard for Vice President for a medical marijuana program is $15,338,000 (Plants Ballard for Vice President for a medical marijuana program is $15,338,000 (Plants
O Presidential Electors for Kanye Independent – seeds to Sale: $5,000,000; Licensing, Monitoring, O Presidential Electors for Kanye Independent – seeds to Sale: $5,000,000; Licensing, Monitoring,
West for President and Michelle Inspection: $8,756,000; and Cost to Collect Revenue: West for President and Michelle Inspection: $8,756,000; and Cost to Collect Revenue:
Tidball for Vice President $1,582,000). The anticipated revenue is $26,000,000 Tidball for Vice President $1,582,000). The anticipated revenue is $26,000,000
O _________________________________ (User ID Cards: $5,000,000; Commercial Licenses: O _________________________________ (User ID Cards: $5,000,000; Commercial Licenses:
Write-in $1,000,000 and sales fee at 7 percent: $20,000,000). Write-in $1,000,000 and sales fee at 7 percent: $20,000,000).
The overall annual revenue is anticipated to be The overall annual revenue is anticipated to be
FOR UNITED STATES SENATE FOR UNITED STATES SENATE
(Vote for one) $10,662,000, all of which must be used to support the (Vote for one) $10,662,000, all of which must be used to support the
O Mike Espy Democrat state marijuana program. O Mike Espy Democrat state marijuana program.
O Cindy Hyde-Smith Republican Alternative Measure No. 65 A, Shall Mississippi establish O Cindy Hyde-Smith Republican Alternative Measure No. 65 A, Shall Mississippi establish
O Jimmy L. Edwards Libertarian a program to allow the medical use of marijuana products O Jimmy L. Edwards Libertarian a program to allow the medical use of marijuana products
O _________________________________ by qualified persons with debilitating medical conditions? O _________________________________ by qualified persons with debilitating medical conditions?
Write-in Legislative Budget Office Fiscal Analysis for Initiative Write-in Legislative Budget Office Fiscal Analysis for Initiative
FOR U.S. HOUSE OF REP. 01 65A: FOR U.S. HOUSE OF REP. 01 65A:
1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT The cost or revenue impact associated with this initiative 1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT The cost or revenue impact associated with this initiative
(Vote for one) is undeterminable. (Vote for one) is undeterminable.
O Antonia Eliason Democrat VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF EITHER, OR O Antonia Eliason Democrat VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF EITHER, OR
O Trent Kelly Republican O Trent Kelly Republican
O _________________________________ AGAINST BOTH O _________________________________ AGAINST BOTH
Write-in O FOR APPROVAL OF EITHER Initiative Measure No. Write-in O FOR APPROVAL OF EITHER Initiative Measure No.
65 OR Alternative Measure No. 65A 65 OR Alternative Measure No. 65A
NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL ELECTION FOR U.S. HOUSE OF REP. 03
O AGAINST BOTH Initiative Measure No. 65 and O AGAINST BOTH Initiative Measure No. 65 and
FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE Alternative Measure No. 65A 3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Alternative Measure No. 65A
SUPREME COURT DISTRICT 3 (NORTHERN) (Vote for one)
AND VOTE FOR ONE O Dorothy Dot Benford Democrat AND VOTE FOR ONE
Position 3 O FOR Initiative Measure No. 65 O Michael Guest Republican O FOR Initiative Measure No. 65
(Vote for one) O FOR Initiative Measure No. 65A O _________________________________ O FOR Initiative Measure No. 65A
O Josiah Dennis Coleman Nonpartisan Write-in
O Percy L. Lynchard Nonpartisan
STATEWIDE STATEWIDE
BALLOT MEASURE 2 NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL ELECTION BALLOT MEASURE 2
O _________________________________
Write-in HOUSE CONCURRENT FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE HOUSE CONCURRENT
FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 1 RESOLUTION NO. 47 SUPREME COURT DISTRICT 3 (NORTHERN) RESOLUTION NO. 47
DISTRICT ONE This amendment provides that to be elected Governor, Position 3 This amendment provides that to be elected Governor,
(Vote for one) or to any other statewide office, a candidate must receive (Vote for one) or to any other statewide office, a candidate must receive
O Donna Egger Republican a majority of the votes in the general election. If no O Josiah Dennis Coleman Nonpartisan a majority of the votes in the general election. If no
O _________________________________ candidate receives a majority of the votes, then a runoff O Percy L. Lynchard Nonpartisan candidate receives a majority of the votes, then a runoff
Write-in election shall be held as provided by general law. The O _________________________________ election shall be held as provided by general law. The
requirement of receiving the most votes in a majority Write-in requirement of receiving the most votes in a majority
FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 2
of Mississippi House of Representative’s districts is FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 1 of Mississippi House of Representative’s districts is
DISTRICT TWO removed. removed.
COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER
(Vote for one) VOTE FOR ONE VOTE FOR ONE
O Jean Bigelow Republican (Vote for one)
O YES O Greg Fulgham Republican O YES
O _________________________________
Write-in O NO O _________________________________ O NO
FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 3 STATEWIDE Write-in STATEWIDE
BALLOT MEASURE 3 FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 2 BALLOT MEASURE 3
DISTRICT THREE
HOUSE BILL 1796 - FLAG REFERENDUM COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER HOUSE BILL 1796 - FLAG REFERENDUM
(Vote for one)
O Shelby R. Stratton Republican Please vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on whether the following design (Vote for one) Please vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on whether the following design
O _________________________________ shall be the official Mississippi State Flag O Sissy Smitherman Nonpartisan shall be the official Mississippi State Flag
Write-in O _________________________________
Write-in
FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 4
FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 3
DISTRICT FOUR
COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER
(Vote for one)
O Sherry Ann Guyton Democrat (Vote for one)
O _________________________________ O Myles Carpenter Republican
Write-in O _________________________________
Write-in
FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 5
FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 4
DISTRICT FIVE
O YES COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER O YES
(Vote for one)
O Frances O. Stewart Democrat O NO (Vote for one) O NO
O Tiffany Turner Democrat O Joe Baker Republican
O _________________________________ O Anastasia Elder Nonpartisan
Write-in O _________________________________
Write-in
8B SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Ballot issues
Continued from Page 7B

Legislature in March.
Unlike 65, the Leg-
islature’s proposed
amendment is a broad
framework that allows
the Legislature to craft
almost every aspect of
the program. Aside from
a stipulation that allows
only terminally ill pa-
tients to smoke marijua-
na, the amendment does
not stipulate what types
of medical conditions or
illnesses would qualify
for medical marijuana.
It does not provide cost
estimates, nor does it say
who would administer
the program or when the
program would be imple-
mented.
Proponents said the
lack of details in the
amendment is an asset
because it allows the
Legislature to debate,
discuss and carefully
craft the program. Be-
cause the details are
determined through
legislation and not con-
stitutional amendment,
changes can be imple-
mented swiftly. They say
legislative control could
produce general revenue
funds for any income not
needed to run the pro-
gram.
Opponents say the
lack of details in 65A ex-
pose it as a cynical effort
to confuse voters and di-
lute support for medical
marijuana. With a 60 per-
cent threshold needed to
make medical marijuana
legal, having two com-
peting ballot proposals
makes it difficult for ei-
ther to pass.
Opponents also note
that under 65A, the
amendment would only
allow the Legislature
the authority to create
a medical marijuana
program, but would not
mandate it do so. Given
the Legislature’s record
of opposition to medical
marijuana bills in the
past, 65A opponents say
it is doubtful the Legis-
lature would ever act on
its authority to create a
medical marijuana pro-
gram.
Of note, since marijua-
na remains a Federally
scheduled drug, medical
marijuana is not covered
by private insurance,
Medicaid or Medicare.
BALLOT
INITIATIVE 2
Statewide elections
This initiative estab-
lishes a runoff election
in any statewide elec- it difficult for Black citi- from more than 1,500
tion where no candidate zens to attain statewide flag submissions to be
receives a majority of office. placed before voters on
the statewide vote. the ballot. The Legis-
Currently, in Mis- lature dictated that all
sissippi, a candidate is BALLOT designs must include
required to win the pop- the words, “In God We
ular vote and the high- INITIATIVE 3 Trust.”
est number of votes in Aside from personal
a majority of the state’s State flag preference, the biggest
122 House districts (the This initiative gives obstacle for the new de-
electoral vote). If no can- voters the opportunity sign comes from those
didate secures majori- to make the “In God We who wanted to retain the
ties of both the popular Trust” flag the official old flag. In the event the
and the electoral vote, state flag. initiative does not pass,
the Mississippi House In August, the Legis- there is a grass-roots
of Representatives con- lature removed the state effort to put the old flag
siders the two highest flag, which featured a (with its Confederate
vote-getters and votes Confederate image in its imagery) on the ballot as
to choose the winner. canton, and established a constitutional amend-
There appears to be a commission to select ment in the future.
little opposition to this
change. It is widely ac-
cepted that the current
law was a hold-over VOTING RESOURCES
from the Jim Crow days, n Information about elections in Mississippi, including
one of a series of mea- a polling place locator, can be found on the Secretary of
sures designed to make State’s website at https://www.sos.ms.gov/vote.

Area General Election Sample Ballots

(Composite ballot for the Nov. 3 general election.
Actual listings will vary by districts and precincts.)
FOR UNITED STATES PRESIDENT
(Vote for one)
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS FOR
O Joseph R. Biden Jr.
for President and
Kamala D. Harris
for Vice President
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS FOR
O Donald J. Trump
for President and
Michael R. Pence
for Vice President
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS FOR
O Don Blakenship
for President and
William Mohr
for Vice President
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS FOR
O Brian Carroll
for President and
Amar Patel
for Vice President
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS FOR
O Phil Collins
for President and
Bill Parker
for Vice President
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS FOR
O Howie Hawkins
for President and
Angela Nicole Walker
for Vice President
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS FOR
O Jo Jorgensen
for President and
Jeremy ‘Spike’ Cohen
for Vice President
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS FOR
O Brock Pierce
for President and
Karla Ballard
for Vice President
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS FOR
O Kanye West Independent
for President and
Michelle Tidball
for Vice President
O _________________________________
Write-in
FOR UNITED STATES SENATE
(Vote for one)
O Mike Espy
O Cindy Hyde-Smith
O Jimmy L. Edwards
O _________________________________
Write-in
FOR U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
(Vote for one)
O Antonia Eliason Democrat
O Trent Kelly Republican
O _________________________________
Write-in
NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL ELECTION
FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE
DISTRICT 3 (NORTHERN) Position 3
(Vote for one)
O Josiah Dennis Coleman Nonpartisan
O Percy L. Lynchard Nonpartisan
O _________________________________
Write-in
FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 1
DISTRICT ONE
CLAY COUNTY NOXUBEE COUNTY
(Composite ballot for the Nov. 3 general election.
Actual listings will vary by districts and precincts.)
BALLOT MEASURE 1 O Presidential Electors for Joseph Democrat FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 05
INITIATED BY PETITION AND R. Biden Jr. for President and DISTRICT 05
Kamala D. Harris for Vice President
ALTERNATIVE BY LEGISLATURE (Vote for one)
Democrat O Presidential Electors for Donald J. Republican O John D. Bankhead Democrat
Initiative Measure No. 65, Should Mississippi allow Trump for President and Michael
O _________________________________
qualified patients with debilitating medical conditions, R. Pence for Vice President
Write-in
as certified by Mississippi licensed physicians, to use
O Presidential Electors for Don American
medical marijuana? STATEWIDE
Blankenship for President and Constitution
Legislative Budget Office Fiscal Analysis for Initiative BALLOT MEASURE 1
Republican William Mohr for Vice President
65: INITIATED BY PETITION AND
O Presidential Electors for Brian American
The overall cost to Mississippi for the first year Carroll for President and Amar Solidarity ALTERNATIVE BY LEGISLATURE
is estimated to be $11,068,150. The anticipated Patel for Vice President Initiative Measure No. 65, Should Mississippi allow
expenses for the first year to implement a medical qualified patients with debilitating medical conditions,
O Presidential Electors for Phil Independent
marijuana program is $24,068,150 (Plants – seeds to as certified by Mississippi licensed physicians, to use
American Collins for President and Bill
Sale: $5,000,000; Licensing, Monitoring, Inspection: medical marijuana?
Constitution Parker for Vice President
$16,220,150; and Cost to Collect Revenue: $2,848,000).
Legislative Budget Office Fiscal Analysis for Initiative 65:
The anticipated revenue is $13,000,000 (User ID Cards: O Presidential Electors for Howie Green
The overall cost to Mississippi for the first year
$2,500,000; Commercial Licenses: $500,000 and sales Hawkins for President and Angela
fee at 7 percent: $10,000,000). Nicole Walker for Vice President is estimated to be $11,068,150. The anticipated
American expenses for the first year to implement a medical
The anticipated expenses for years following the first O Presidential Electors for Jo Libertarian
Solidarity marijuana program is $24,068,150 (Plants – seeds to
for a medical marijuana program is $15,338,000 (Plants Jorgensen for President and Jeremy
Sale: $5,000,000; Licensing, Monitoring, Inspection:
– seeds to Sale: $5,000,000; Licensing, Monitoring, ‘Spike’ Cohen for Vice President
$16,220,150; and Cost to Collect Revenue: $2,848,000).
Inspection: $8,756,000; and Cost to Collect Revenue: O Presidential Electors for Brock Independent
$1,582,000). The anticipated revenue is $26,000,000 The anticipated revenue is $13,000,000 (User ID Cards:
Pierce for President and Karla $2,500,000; Commercial Licenses: $500,000 and sales
Independent (User ID Cards: $5,000,000; Commercial Licenses: Ballard for Vice President fee at 7 percent: $10,000,000).
$1,000,000 and sales fee at 7 percent: $20,000,000).
O Presidential Electors for Kanye Independent The anticipated expenses for years following the first
The overall annual revenue is anticipated to be
West for President and Michelle for a medical marijuana program is $15,338,000 (Plants
$10,662,000, all of which must be used to support the
Tidball for Vice President – seeds to Sale: $5,000,000; Licensing, Monitoring,
state marijuana program.
O _________________________________ Inspection: $8,756,000; and Cost to Collect Revenue:
Green Alternative Measure No. 65 A, Shall Mississippi
Write-in $1,582,000). The anticipated revenue is $26,000,000
establish a program to allow the medical use of
marijuana products by qualified persons with debilitating FOR UNITED STATES SENATE (User ID Cards: $5,000,000; Commercial Licenses:
medical conditions?
(Vote for one) $1,000,000 and sales fee at 7 percent: $20,000,000).
O Mike Espy Democrat The overall annual revenue is anticipated to be
Legislative Budget Office Fiscal Analysis for Initiative O Cindy Hyde-Smith Republican $10,662,000, all of which must be used to support the
Libertarian 65A: O Jimmy L. Edwards Libertarian state marijuana program.
The cost or revenue impact associated with this initiative O _________________________________ Alternative Measure No. 65 A, Shall Mississippi establish
is undeterminable. Write-in a program to allow the medical use of marijuana products
VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF EITHER, OR FOR U.S. HOUSE OF REP. 03 by qualified persons with debilitating medical conditions?
Independent AGAINST BOTH 3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Legislative Budget Office Fiscal Analysis for Initiative
O FOR APPROVAL OF EITHER Initiative Measure (Vote for one) 65A:
No. 65 OR Alternative Measure No. 65A O Dorothy Dot Benford Democrat
The cost or revenue impact associated with this initiative
O AGAINST BOTH Initiative Measure No. 65 and O Michael Guest Republican
is undeterminable.
Alternative Measure No. 65A O _________________________________
Write-in VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF EITHER, OR
AND VOTE FOR ONE AGAINST BOTH
O FOR Initiative Measure No. 65
NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL ELECTION
FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE O FOR APPROVAL OF EITHER Initiative Measure No.
O FOR Initiative Measure No. 65A 65 OR Alternative Measure No. 65A
BALLOT MEASURE 2 SUPREME COURT DISTRICT 1 (CENTRAL) O AGAINST BOTH Initiative Measure No. 65 and
Position 1
HOUSE CONCURRENT Alternative Measure No. 65A
(Vote for one)
RESOLUTION NO. 47 AND VOTE FOR ONE
O Kenny Griffis Nonpartisan
This amendment provides that to be elected Governor, O FOR Initiative Measure No. 65
O Latrice Westbrooks Nonpartisan
Democrat or to any other statewide office, a candidate must receive O _________________________________ O FOR Initiative Measure No. 65A
Republican a majority of the votes in the general election. If no Write-in STATEWIDE
Libertarian candidate receives a majority of the votes, then a runoff BALLOT MEASURE 2
election shall be held as provided by general law. The
NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL ELECTION
HOUSE CONCURRENT
requirement of receiving the most votes in a majority FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE
of Mississippi House of Representative’s districts is SUPREME COURT DISTRICT 1 (CENTRAL) RESOLUTION NO. 47
removed. Position 2 This amendment provides that to be elected Governor,
VOTE FOR ONE (Vote for one) or to any other statewide office, a candidate must receive
O YES O Leslie D. King a majority of the votes in the general election. If no
Nonpartisan
O _________________________________ candidate receives a majority of the votes, then a runoff
O NO
election shall be held as provided by general law. The
BALLOT MEASURE 3 Write-in
requirement of receiving the most votes in a majority
HOUSE BILL 1796 - FLAG REFERENDUM SPECIAL ELECTION of Mississippi House of Representative’s districts is
Please vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on whether the following design FOR SUPERVISOR 03 removed.
shall be the official Mississippi State Flag DISTRICT 03 VOTE FOR ONE
(Vote for one) O YES
O Anthony Belgrave O NO
O Ira Lee McCloud
O STATEWIDE
Timothy McNeese
O La-Velle Patterson-Rice BALLOT MEASURE 3
O _________________________________ HOUSE BILL 1796 - FLAG REFERENDUM
Write-in Please vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on whether the following design
FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 01 shall be the official Mississippi State Flag

(Vote for one) DISTRICT 01

O Linda Ivy Democrat (Vote for one)
O _________________________________ O YES O Sylvester Tate Democrat
Write-in O NO O _________________________________
Write-in
FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 02
DISTRICT 02

Your vote matters.

(Vote for one)
O Teretha Rena Conner Democrat
O _________________________________
O YES
Write-in
O NO
FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONER 04

Polls open until 7 p.m.

DISTRICT 04
(Vote for one)
O Willie Matt Smith-Miller Nonpartisan
O _________________________________
Write-in
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 9B

SSunday
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10B SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

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