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Sunday | January 17, 2021

Higgins
Bang for the buck proposes
Starkville museum owner starts GoFundMe county take
to raise $150K for field cannon on debt for
industrial park
projects
LINK head asks supes
to approve new funding
plan for LCIDA by March
BY TESS VRBIN
tvrbin@cdispatch.com

The Golden Tri-

angle Development
LINK will draw up
a contract for the
Lowndes County su-
pervisors to review
and possibly approve
by March 1, LINK
CEO Joe Max Hig-
Zack Plair/Dispatch Staff gins said at Friday’s Higgins
Duffy Neubauer inspects a replica Confederate Brennan 6-pounder cannon at his Starkville Civil War Arsenal on board meeting, in or-
Thursday. Opened to the public as a museum in 2009, the arsenal includes models of every type of carriage, and der to settle months
almost every type of heavy artillery, used in the Civil War. Neubauer started a GoFundMe earlier this month to of debate over wheth-
purchase a 24-pound Howitzer to add to the museum. He’s trying to raise $150,000. er and how much to
fund the Lowndes
BY ZACK PLAIR County Industrial
zplair@cdispatch.com Development Au-
thority.

A
n addition to the Starkville
Civil War Arsenal building
sits virtually empty, with
only construction materials scat-
tered throughout the space that is
scheduled to be finished this week.
Duffy Neubauer, the arsenal’s
owner and curator, already has the
large new room filled in his mind.
He’s acquired four fiberglass
mannequin horses he plans to hook
to a limber wagon carrying a can-
non. Neubauer has five of the latter
to choose from — three American
Civil War-era cannons most likely
used in battle and true-to-specs rep-
licas of two others — sitting idle in
other parts of his four-room arsenal.
The new exhibit, he believes,
will “really give you the feel of what
these carriages are all about.”
“Without the horses to pull
them,” Neubauer added, pointing
toward the cannons and carriages
in an adjacent room, “all this stuff
would be nothing but yard orna-
ments.”
But to make Neubauer’s develop-
ing addition complete to his liking,
Higgins present-
ed the board with
options for LCIDA Hairston
funding in hopes of
allowing several capital projects in
the county to go forward, including
issuing debt to cover those projects.
“I’m not asking y’all to approve
this today,” he said. “… I am implor-
ing you that on March 1, there will be
a document in front of y’all that you’ve
looked at and purposely understand
and (will) approve. When you do that,
we’ll take it back to LCIDA and they’ll
approve it, and we’ll quit drying our
dirty laundry in the court of public
Zack Plair/Dispatch Staff
Duffy Neubauer built a replica of a Civil War-era wagon, using government opinion.”
LCIDA is a county-appointed
specifications for the time period, that is displayed in his arsenal and
museum. He stamped it with the logo of his great-great-uncle’s Wisconsin board that is responsible for land
business, which produced those wagons for the U.S. Army during the war. purchases for industrial expansion,
“For me to build one is just an old family tradition,” Neubauer said. maintenance and infrastructure
building primarily at the Golden Tri-
there’s something specific he wants long shot.”
angle Industrial Park near the Gold-
that he doesn’t have — at least not Acquiring a 24-pound field How-
en Triangle Regional Airport.
yet. itzer (meaning it shoots a 24-pound
LCIDA pays the LINK, which has
“I would love to hook it to a How- projectile) would make Neubauer’s a separate contract with the county to
itzer,” said Neubauer, 67, a retired arsenal the only place in the world lead overall industrial development
facilities manager at Humphrey where visitors could see models of efforts, about $140,000 per year to
Coliseum on the Mississippi State every type of heavy artillery gun manage its day-to-day operations.
University campus. “I know it’s a See CANNON, 6A The county is LCIDA’s primary
funding source every year, and it is
See FUNDING, 3A

Starkville police getting new body, vehicle cameras in $621K contract

connection in the vehicles.
New system will automatically activate cameras and save footage, Cameras will automatically
rather than relying on officers to manually do it activate during a pursuit, when
an officer’s gun is unholstered
BY ZACK PLAIR da, meaning it could pass Tues- listed goals of the city’s 2-mill or if an officer is down, among
zplair@cdispatch.com day without discussion. Ward property tax increase approved other times. Also, the system
2 Alderman Sandra Sistrunk, in September. will capture two minutes of
Starkville aldermen on Tues-
who chairs the city’s budget Equipment would include “pre-event” recording that can
day plan to approve a $621,600
contract for a new police depart- committee, said the city would 60 body worn cameras and 40 be reviewed. The system comes
pay for the camera system vehicle cameras, along with
Ballard Spruill
ment body and vehicle camera with unlimited iCloud storage
system. through a multi-year financ- sensors that would automati- Officer Brandon Lovelady said. and recordings are automatical-
During Friday’s work ses- ing or lease purchase agree- cally activate the cameras in All cameras are GPS capable, ly saved and uploaded.
sion at City Hall, aldermen ment. The city budgeted about certain situations without the he said, and they would replace Police Chief Mark Ballard
placed the contract with Select $200,000 this fiscal year toward officers having to do it them- the aging manual camera sys- told aldermen the system would
Utility Inc. on its consent agen- the camera upgrades, one of the selves, SPD Public Information tem and offer better internet See SPD, 3A

INSIDE FIVE QUESTIONS LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC

Church 6B Obituaries 5A 1 If your child’s school curriculum MEETINGS
Classifieds 5B Opinions 4A is called STEM, what does that
Comics 7,8B Lifestyles 7A stand for? Jan. 19: Columbus
Crossword 3B 2 What golfing term describes City Council, 5 p.m.,
Dear Abby 4B completing a hole in one over Municipal Complex,
par? facebook.com/CityofCo-
3 What Texas city has become
lumbusMS/
famous for home renovations by
Chip and Joanna Gaines in the TV Feb. 1: Lowndes County
WEATHER show “Fixer Upper”? Board of Supervisors,
4 Which chocolate bar is adver- 9 a.m. Courthouse,

High 54 Low 29
Partly cloudy
tised with the slogan “You’re not
you when you’re hungry”?
5 Who was the first African Amer-
facebook.com/Lown-
desCountyMississippi/
Feb. 3: Columbus Mu-
Full forecast on ican woman to become Attorney
page 3A. General of the United States, nicipal School District
receiving the title in 2015? review meeting (virtual),
11:30 a.m., columbusci-
Answers, 5B tyschools.org.
Feb. 12: Lowndes Coun-
ty School District Board,
Ja Ellis enjoys cooking new recipes 12:30 p.m., District
141st Year, No. 263 she finds on Pinterest. Office

DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471

2A SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Zack Plair/Dispatch Staff

SIGN INSTALLED AT THE REX: Workers with Mitchell Signs begin installing a new Rex Theatre sign Friday at the
building on Main Street. Developer Mark Castleberry is completing a historic renovation of the old movie theatre
building and used a photograph of the old neon sign to replicate its new version. Final interior touches for the
renovation should be completed soon, Castleberry said. In February, Vibe’s headquarters will move into the first
floor and part of the second floor space, while the Masonic Lodge will continue to use space on the second floor.

Joanne Rogers, widow of TV’s

famed Mister Rogers, dies at 92
Rogers died Thursday;
no cause of death was given
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Joanne Rogers, an accomplished
concert pianist who celebrated and pro-
tected the legacy of her husband, the be-
loved children’s TV host Mister Rogers,
has died in Pittsburgh. She was 92.
Rogers died Thursday, according
to the Fred Rogers Center. No cause of
death was given. The center called her “a
joyful and tender-hearted spirit, whose
heart and wisdom have guided our work
in service of Fred’s enduring legacy.”
Joanne and Fred Rogers were married
for more than 50 years, spanning the
launch and end of the low-key, low-tech
“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” which
presented Fred Rogers as one adult in a
busy world who always had time to listen
to children. His pull as America’s favor-
ite neighbor never seemed to wane be-
fore his death in 2003.
“I can’t think of a time when we’ve
needed him so much,” Joanne Rogers
told The Associated Press in 2018. “I
think his work is just as timely now as it
was when it came out, frankly.”
An ordained Presbyterian minister,
Fred Rogers produced the pioneering
show at Pittsburgh public television sta-
tion WQED beginning in 1966, going na-
tional two years later. He composed his
own songs for the show.
It offered a soft haven for kids, in
sharp contrast to the louder, more an-
imated competition. The final episode
of what his widow called “a comfortable
lap” aired in August 2001.
PBS stations around the country still
air “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” and
some can be found on the PBS Kids vid-
eo app. There are DVD collections on
Amazon and episodes stream on Ama-
zon Prime.
The city of Pittsburgh, where the
show was produced, tweeted that Joanne
Rogers was one of Pittsburgh’s “greatest
neighbors.” It said the couple “forever
changed our city.” Other tributes came
from such varied fans as tennis star Bil-
lie Jean King to designer Kenneth Cole.
Fred Rogers’ effect on popular cul-
ture was profound: Eddie Murphy paro-
died him on “Saturday Night Live” in the
1980s and one of Rogers’ trademark zip-
up sweaters hangs in the Smithsonian’s
National Museum of American History.
He’s had a category dedicated to him on
“Jeopardy.”
2018, the 50th anniversary of when
Rogers first appeared on TV screens,
prompted a PBS special, a new postage
stamp, the feature-length documentary
“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” and, a
year later, the Tom Hanks-led biopic “A
Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”
Born Sara Joanne Byrd in 1928, Jo-
anne Rogers met her future husband at
Rollins College in Florida. After Fred
Rogers’ death, she helped develop the
Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning
and Children’s Media at St. Vincent Col-
lege in his hometown of Latrobe, Penn-
sylvania.
“Joanne and Fred were Pennsylvania
treasures committed to improving our
communities and the lives of our chil-
dren. We will never forget their legacy of
kindness,” Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf
said in a statement.
She is survived by two sons, James
Byrd Rogers and John Rogers.

TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is Sunday, Jan.
17, the 17th day of 2021.
There are 348 days left in
the year.
Today’s Highlight in
History:
On Jan. 17, 1996,
Sheik Omar Abdel-Rah-
man and nine followers
were handed long prison
sentences for plotting to
blow up New York-area
landmarks.
On this date:
In 1806, Thomas
Jefferson’s daughter,
Martha, gave birth to
James Madison Ran-
dolph, the first child born
in the White House.
In 1916, the Pro-
fessional Golfers’ As-
sociation of America
had its beginnings as
department store mag-
nate Rodman Wanamaker
hosted a luncheon of pro
and amateur golfers in
New York City. (The PGA
of America was formally
established on April 10,
1916.)
In 1944, during
World War II, Allied
forces launched the first
of four battles for Mon-
te Cassino in Italy; the
Allies were ultimately
successful.
SOURCE: AP
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 3A

Guard troops pour into Washington as states answer the call

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — By the
busload and planeload, Na-
tional Guard troops were
pouring into the nation’s cap-
ital on Saturday, as governors
answered the urgent pleas
of U.S. defense officials for
more troops to help safeguard
Washington even as they keep
anxious eyes on possible vi-
olent protests in their own
states.
Military leaders spent
chunks of Thursday evening
and Friday calling states in
an unprecedented appeal for
more National Guard troops
to help lock down much of the
city in the days before Presi-
dent-elect Joe Biden’s inau-
guration. In dribs and drabs,
governors responded, some
agreeing to send an extra doz-
en, 100 or even 1,000, while
others said no.
The calls reflect fears that
violent extremist groups are
targeting the city in the wake
of the deadly insurrection at
the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The
threats range from armed in-
surgents to possible attempts
to plant explosive devices at
so-called soft targets. But as
Washington begins to resem-
ble an armed camp, with more
than 25,000 Guard due in the
city by early next week, con-
cerns about violence at state
capitals has grown.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown
said she turned down the fed-
eral request to send at least
100 more National Guard
troops to D.C. “I didn’t think
that we could safely fill that
commitment,” Brown said.
Oregon has already agreed
to send 30 to Washington,
but state leaders are worried
about violence at the state
capitol in Salem.
Others agreed, setting off
a dizzying torrent of military
flights and convoys into the
region.
“The peaceful transfer of
power is a central tenet of
American democracy, and
Connecticut stands ready to
aid in the protection of our
country.” said Connecticut
State capitols boarded up,
fenced off, patrolled by
troops
A double row of chain-link
fencing circles the Arizona
State Capitol. Windows on the
Illinois and Ohio statehouses
have been boarded up. Nation-
al Guard troops in camouflage
and flak jackets and heavily
armed state troopers were sta-
tioned at state capitals across
the U.S. in advance of protests
planned for Sunday.
With the FBI warning of
potential for violence at all
state capitols, the ornate halls
of government and symbols of
democracy looked more like
heavily guarded U.S. embas-
Gov. Ned Lamont, who had
initially approved sending 100
Guard and on Friday agreed
to send 200 more.
All told, more than 130 U.S.
Air Guard flights in the past
72 hours have carried at least
7,000 Guard troops to Joint
Base Andrews in Maryland,
sies in war-torn countries.
Governors have declared
states of emergency, closed
capitols to the public and
called up troops ahead of Pres-
ident-elect Joe Biden’s inaugu-
ration next week.
They are trying to avoid a
repeat of the mob rioting that
occurred Jan. 6, when sup-
porters of outgoing President
Donald Trump stormed the
U.S. Capitol, leaving a Capitol
Police officer and four others
dead.
Details were vague, but
demonstrations were expect-
ed at state capitols beginning
Sunday and leading up to
Biden taking the oath of the
office Wednesday.
according to U.S. officials,
who spoke on condition of an-
onymity to discuss internal
numbers. Thousands more
are in buses and military
trucks, thundering up high-
ways toward Washington.
Army Gen. Dan Hokanson,
chief of the National Guard
Signs of ramped-up secu-
rity were in abundance from
Atlanta to Sacramento, Cali-
fornia, throughout the week.
SWAT officers stood guard
at the Georgia State Capitol.
A bomb-detecting dog sniffed
its way through the capitol in
Jackson, Mississippi. State
troopers were poised on the
roof of the Ohio Statehouse
in Columbus. Sections of
temporary fencing that encir-
cled many state capitols were
locked together in Sacramen-
to with handcuffs.
National Guard troops pa-
trolled the California Capitol
and streets of downtown Sac-
ramento on Saturday.
SOURCE: AP
Bureau, called adjutants gen-
eral around the country, and
others, such as Army Secre-
tary Ryan McCarthy, called
governors to seek help. McCa-
rthy praised the states, say-
ing defense and military offi-
cials are keenly aware of the
threats they also are facing.

SPD
Continued from Page 1A
provide the “transparency
and accountability people
want from public safety.”
“This is just the next
phase in the evolution of
the body camera,” Ballard
told The Dispatch after
the work session. “It takes
one more task away from
the officer to where they
can fully engage in their
responsibilities without
having to worry about,
‘Did I turn my camera on?
Is it working properly? Is
the battery OK?’
“You can train and
train as an officer, and
you’re still not always go-
ing to remember to turn
your camera on first, es-
pecially under duress,” he
added.
The new system also
will include equipment
that will allow a senior
officer at headquarters to
see another officer’s cam-
era feed in real time and
issue the officer instruc-
tions.
Select Utility’s bid
wasn’t the lowest, but Bal-
lard told aldermen it is the
“best bid” because it is
“turnkey.”
Lower bids included
monthly fees for various
services, Lovelady said.
The Security Utility bid
covers equipment service
and replacement for five
years, and the only extra
monthly fee will be cellu-
lar service for the camera
SIM cards.
Once the contract
is signed, the cameras
should be delivered with-
in 90 days, officials said.
“This is a major step
for us,” Mayor Lynn
Spruill told The Dispatch.
“One of the reasons we
are willing to spend this
kind of money on this is
because protection and
accountability are incred-
ibly important. This (sys-
tem) protects the city, our
officers and our citizens.”
Ballard also presented
aldermen Friday with the
new look for the Code En-
forcement Division.
Last year, the city
moved code enforcement
from Community Devel-
opment to the police de-
partment’s purview. SPD
hired Justin Maynard and
Sarah Perez as dedicated
code enforcement offi-
cers.
Their uniforms will be
polo shirts bearing the
city’s emblem and khaki
pants, rather than a po-
lice uniform, what Ballard
called a “softer look.”
“I think it’s important
these guys look more like
building inspectors (than
police officers),” Ballard
told the board.
The city is launching
a web page to better edu-
cate citizens on building
codes and will soon ded-
icate a phone number for
code enforcement com-
plaints, rather than hav-
ing those routed through
911.
In other business
during Friday’s work ses-
sion, Starkville Utilities
Department Director Ter-
ry Kemp updated alder-
men on projects finishing
up early this year, as well
as future infrastructure
plans.
A sewer project in
Green Oaks that will af-
fect 250 homes will be-
gin in February, with an
estimated completion
date in September, Kemp
said. After Green Oaks
is finished, workers will
improve sewer infrastruc-
ture in the Rolling Hills
subdivision.
SUD is completing a
new southwest substa-
tion that should be online
next month. Meanwhile,
a wastewater treatment
biosolid project continues
that Kemp said will even-
tually phase out use of the
city’s lagoon.

Funding
Continued from Page 1A
also responsible for all of
LCIDA’s debts. General
fund revenue usually cov-
ers LCIDA’s operational
expenses. For Fiscal Year
2021, however, LCIDA
asked for $1.3 million but
was only budgeted for
$285,000.
The allocation is not
enough for LCIDA to
build up a healthy re-
serve or build up infra-
structure before indus-
tries move in, LCIDA
board president Thom-
as Lee previously told
The Dispatch. LCIDA
now has $3 million in
the bank, $1.3 million of
which cannot be spent
as required by the Rural
Development Authority,
which lends LCIDA mon-
ey.
Higgins and Lee both
said Friday that LCIDA
needs to accrue nearly
$2.6 million in debt ser-
vice reserves by the end
of 2024.
The supervisors have
disagreed for the past
few months over whether
LCIDA needs Lowndes
County taxpayers’ mon-
ey. Supervisor Harry
Sanders of District 1 has
said he will continually
oppose the county enter-
ing into a contract with
its own subsidiary, and
Leroy Brooks of District
5 and Board President
Trip Hairston of District
2 have also said they
want to be sure that LCI-
DA needs the funding.
LCIDA first asked the
county in November to
permanently designate
a mill’s value — however
much a mill generates
— from the county to
cover its operational ex-
penses. Mills are used to
calculate property taxes,
and one mill equals $1 of
property tax levied on
$1,000 worth of assessed
value. Lowndes’ mill val-
ue this year is $750,000.
LCIDA funding options
In addition to the
pledged $285,000, the
county could either fund
up to $2.235 million
worth of capital improve-
ment projects individually
over the next three fiscal
years, or it could cover
them with a $2.3 million
bond issue, Higgins said.
Those projects are a
$620,000 water rehabil-
itation plant, a $500,000
water line replacement in
the southwestern part of
the county, and clearing
and grubbing the Infini-
ty Megasite for $615,000.
Funding one project per
fiscal year, while also pro-
viding an annual $200,000
for LCIDA’s emergency
fund, would leave LCIDA
with operational short-
falls between $800,000
and $950,000 each year.
Higgins said the coun-
ty should also consider
preparing a plot of land
for a “speculative build-
ing,” or an empty building
with the goal of attract-
ing a new business to an
existing structure, for
$500,000.
The bond issue would
require annual payments
of $270,000, and three
fiscal years’ worth of
funding LCIDA’s opera-
tional shortfall would cost 89-acre plot of land for
$330,000, bringing the $840,000 in July 2018.
county’s total cost up to Short said he believes
$600,000 per year. a water park should gen-
Hairston told The Dis- erate some income for
patch after the meeting the county. He also said
that a bond issue is “bet- the original plan for 15
ter for the overall budget” fields has been reduced
to complete “necessary” to eight, but it should still
capital improvement proj-
be enough to support lo-
ects.
cal sports leagues and
He and Brooks agreed
host tournaments.
to meet with the LINK
to iron out any more con- “The layout of the ball
fields and the water park
cerns they might have
about Higgins’ sugges- can really give us a better
tions. ability to utilize the prop-
Brooks said he hopes erty,” Short said.
the supervisors can come The board unanimous-
to a quick resolution once ly voted to allow Short to
they have a contract in create conceptual draw-
front of them. ings for the complex.
“Let’s go ahead and
vote it up or down so we
can talk about the real
deal out there,” Brooks
said. “That’s my senti-
ment and I might be the
only one that has it, but
we’ve beat this one to
death.”
Other business
Later in the meeting,
the board unanimously
approved a sewer line
extension at the Golden
Triangle Industrial Park,
in preparation for an au-
tomotive company to po-
tentially make its home
there.
During a special-call
work session after the
meeting, County Rec-
reation Manager Roger
Short updated the board
on plans for a sports com-
plex on North Frontage
Road, just east of Tay-
lor Thurston Road. The
county purchased the SOLUNAR TABLE
The solunar period indicates
peak-feeding times for fish and game.
Sun. Mon.
Major 4:43a 5:25a
Minor 11:42a 12:11p
Major 5:05p 5:46p
Minor 10:35p —
Courtesy of Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

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Opinion
4A SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021
PETER BIRNEY IMES Editor/Publisher
BIRNEY IMES III Editor/Publisher 1998-2018
BIRNEY IMES JR. Editor/Publisher 1947-2003

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

ZACK PLAIR, Managing Editor

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

POSSUMHAW
What comes in January
“What I know for sure snow pictures, as if everyone ries-winter and summer. Then further
is that when you declutter was besotted with this gift separated into keep, discard, or donate.
­— whether it’s your home, of nature. I determined to If any item falls into the undecided cat-
your head, or your heart hold onto this serene feeling egory, I put it in another area for time
­— it is astounding what will as long as possible. I treated to ponder. The procedure continued
flow into that space that will myself to another cup of cof- through every category. Personal pref-
enrich you, your life, and your fee and took more pictures. erence dictates whether you declutter
family.” The day’s plan included all at once or spread the process out
— Peter Walsh, one commitment away from over a period of time.
author of “Let it Go.” home but that commitment Decluttering can apply to any area of
was canceled due to unsafe the home. Worthwhile Magazine in an

A
week ago, we all awak- driving conditions. I had a article “Keep calm and clear the clut-
ened to a beautiful Shannon Bardwell list of “to-dos” that seem ter” reports 25% of people with two car
blanket of white. I to grow longer rather than garages don’t have room to park a car
found myself giddy and mesmerized by shorter. One was to join the “Clutter inside. 9.5% of all U.S. households rent a
the “new fallen snow.” I sat in bed drink- free January” movement. I love declut- self-storage unit.
ing hot coffee, and watching through tering. I love the space it creates. I love The home I grew up in had a “Mom
the bedside window as the snowflakes simplifying my life. It’s not a “one and motto” that said, “If you are not using
continued to fall. The snow, the season, done” thing. There are a multitude of reevaluating spring wear is a chance to it. There’s someone who can.” A wise
the new year, it all seemed so fresh, so books and YouTubes with recommen- dream of better things to come. young friend suggested ridding your-
beautiful, so clean, so quiet, so filled dations and ideas for storage, sorting, Last fall I evaluated my coat closet self of anything you haven’t worn. I
with possibilities. My heart leaped with and “how to” arrangements. Personally, that had somehow overexpanded. I nar- asked, “But what if you love it?” She
joy. I had no urge to go out into the snow unless I run into a situation needing rowed it down to a raincoat, an everyday replied, “I figure if I haven’t worn it then
but to observe its beauty was enough. immediate attention I like to declutter warm coat, a dress coat, and warm I don’t really love it.”
By the time I was on my third cup of and rearrange seasonally. Being it’s jacket. The rest of the coats were split Columns by Shannon Bardwell of Co-
java, I stepped outside and snapped January and many of us are homebound between donations and consignments. lumbus appear in The Dispatch weekly.
photographs to record the wonder. more so than usual, January is the per- Next was exercise clothing. First, I Email reaches her at msdeltachild@msn.
Quickly my phone was inundated with fect month to get started. It’s possible separated the items into two catego- com.

OUR VIEW

Roses and thorns

A rose to the nonprofit
Community Recovery of
Lowndes County (CRLC)
which celebrated the
completion of its first major
project this week. CRLC,
with partners United Methodist Committee
on Relief and Mennonite Disaster Services,
celebrated the completion of a house On
Seventh Avenue North that was rebuilt
after the February 2019 tornado, which
ripped through portions of the city. CRLC
is currently working on two other rebuilds
after having assisted in smaller repairs
in the area. CRLC is funded through the
United Way of Lowndes County as well as a
$200,000 grant from MEMA. The group is
still seeking donations to help fund the com-
pletion of the two rebuilds. We urge folks to
donate to this worthy community project.

A rose to the Starkville

Unity Park Commission for
its selection of two new hon-
orees. Plaques bearing the
names of George W. Evans
and Fenton Peters will be
permanently displayed at the park, although
COVID-19 will prevent the usual ceremony.
Both Evans and Peters were barrier-break-
ers in the city’s history. Evans is believed
to have held the first integrated Boy Scout
event in 1942, a campout, while Peters
served as Starkville High School’s first
black principal in 1970. Both men endured
the criticism that often comes when barriers
are broken, but calmed the unrest through
their personal dignity, character and sense
of fairness. In doing so, they became heroes
in the community for both black and white
citizens.
A rose to a group of
Columbus High graduates
who have chosen to devote a
“day of service” at Franklin
Academy ahead of its Feb.12
bicentennial. Lloyd Perrigen
and Vince Britton, who both work for TVA,
and Stephen Little, the school district’s
maintenance director, will make electrical
repairs at the state’s first public school.
While the district has set aside funds for
other repairs at the historic school, that
work won’t be done until after the bicenten-
nial celebration. We applaud these men for
volunteering their expertise for this special
occasion.
Our View: Local Editorials
Local editorials appearing in this space repre-
sent the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial
board: Peter Imes, editor and publisher; Zack
Plair, managing 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.
Voice of the People
We encourage you to share your opinion with
readers of The Dispatch.
Submit your letter to The Dispatch by:
E-mail: voice@cdispatch.com
Mail: P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703
In person: 516 Main St., Columbus, or 101 S.
Lafayette St., No. 16, Starkville.
All letters must be signed by the author and
must include town of residence and a telephone
number for verification purposes. We request
the tone of your letters be constructive and
respectful and the length be limited to 450
words. We reserve the right to edit letters for
clarity, grammar and length. While commentary
on national issues is always welcome, we limit
candidate endorsements to one per letter-writer.
Trump always had a whiff of fascism
T
hrongs of self-styled
conservatives and
Republicans have
now reached the thunder-
ous realization that Donald
Trump is not just a harm-
less clown. Former White
House Chief of Staff Mick
Mulvaney acknowledged to
Chuck Todd that Trump’s
rhetoric was incendiary,
but insisted that this kind
of incitement was par for Mona Charen
the course in politics,
and he was shocked that people took
Trump literally.
It seems we have an entire party
stocked with Captain Renaults.
While it’s good to see some lines
being drawn at long last, it may be
too late. As with the response to the
coronavirus, timing is everything.
Republicans had many, many chances
to curtail the spread and isolate the
superspreader, but they kept saying
there was nothing to Trumpism, or it
would simply go away, or it was all a
hoax perpetrated by the left to install
socialism.
I like a conversion as much as the
next person, but sorry, there was
always a whiff of fascism about Trump. Heavily armed protesters showed up
Don’t tell us you’re just discovering
it now. His fascination with strength
instead of values, his promises to
commit war crimes, his twisted admi-
ration of strong men, his avalanche
of lies, his ignorance of and contempt
for law, his targeting of minority
groups, his stoking of grievance and
victimhood. It was all there. Yes, it was attempt on her life.
interspersed with humor and enter-
tainment. Think that means it can’t
be dangerous? Have you ever seen
a Hugo Chavez or Rodrigo Duterte
speech?
Didn’t Republicans see him encour- the one, it was our people that helped
aging violence among his followers at
rallies in 2016? Don’t they remember
the thuggish threats his people issued
during the 2016 campaign?
In April 2016, Trump and Ted
Cruz were still battling for delegates.
Trump’s recently pardoned con-
sigliere, Roger Stone, alleged (falsely) When rioting broke out after the
at the time that he had proof Cruz’s
victories were all based
on “massive voter fraud.”
Threatening “days of rage”
in Cleveland, Stone contin-
ued: “We’re going to have
protests, demonstrations.
We will disclose the hotels
and the room numbers of
those delegates who are
directly involved in the
steal.”
Stone didn’t even bother
to clothe his threats of
physical violence in humor.
Trump was always clear about
his attraction to political violence.
Speaking of Clinton, he warned that if
elected, she could curtail gun rights.
“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing
you can do, folks.” The crowd booed.
He then added: “Although the Second
Amendment people -- maybe there is, I
don’t know.”
That became a tick. He would
invoke the Second Amendment as a
code for encouraging his supporters
to resort to violence. “LIBERATE VIR-
GINIA,” he tweeted in 2020, “and save
your great 2nd amendment. It’s under
siege.” “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!”
Trump screamed from his keyboard.
at the Michigan Statehouse.
Even after some members of that
mob were arrested for plotting to kid-
nap and possibly assassinate the gov-
ernor and blow up the capital, Trump
continued his incitement against Gov.
Gretchen Whitmer. Appearing at a
rally in Michigan, he joked about the
Let that sink in. The FBI had
arrested a group of domestic terror-
ists who were planning an attack on a
sitting governor, and the president of
the United States made light of it: “I’m
her out with her problem. I mean, we’ll
have to see if it’s a problem. Right?
People are entitled to say maybe it was
a problem, maybe it wasn’t.”
Did Mick Mulvaney & Co. miss
that? Did they not notice when Trump
loyalists cheered on vigilantism?
George Floyd killing, Trump lapdog
Rep. Matt Gaetz tweeted, “Now that
we clearly see Antifa as terrorists, can
we hunt them down like we do those in
the Middle East?”
Perhaps today’s “aware” Republi-
cans were otherwise engaged when
Trump and his gang made Kyle
Rittenhouse a hero, and offered a Re-
publican Convention speaking slot to
the gun-brandishing lawyers from St.
Louis? What did they make of Trump’s
tweet, “When the looting starts, the
shooting starts”?
Even his famous boast about the
loyalty of his followers was revealing.
He said he could “shoot someone on
Fifth Avenue and not lose any follow-
ers.” As we now see, he might gain
some.
Since Republicans said hardly a
word, one must conclude that they
were not alarmed when Trump phoned
the Georgia secretary of state and
instructed him to “find” 11,780 votes --
in other words to steal the election he
was accusing his opponents of steal-
ing. As historian Timothy Snyder put
it, “Post truth is pre-fascist.”
Republicans who are drawing a
line now and saying that they never
imagined Trump’s personal militias
would smash cops’ heads with fire ex-
tinguishers and defecate in the halls of
the Capitol must also answer this ques-
tion: What else do you expect when
you falsely allege a stolen election?
Faith in elections is the sine qua non of
a functioning democracy. If elections
are not free and fair, what alternative
is there to violence?
Now Mulvaney and Nikki Haley
and Lindsey Graham and Mitch Mc-
Connell and many others are finding
a line they think is too far. Inciting a
mob to invade the Capitol in order to
stop the certification of the election
is the one thing, the only thing, that
got their attention. Good for them.
But while they and nearly the entire
Republican Party and its opinion-shap-
ing satellites were averting their eyes,
cooperating and enabling, the Trump
virus spread. It’s now an epidemic, and
there is no vaccine on the horizon.
Mona Charen is a Senior Fellow at
the Ethics and Public Policy Center.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 5A

COMMERCIAL DISPATCH
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AREA OBITUARIES
Kennedy, Alabama, and of the Marine Corps are 3 p.m. Monday at She was preceded in er, Maudine Fowler
was a graduate at Ken- League. Greenwood Cemetery death by father, James of West Point; sisters,
nedy High School. In addition to his in West Point. Calvert Fowler. Cathy and Joseph
She was preceded parent he was preceded Funeral Home in West She is survived by Kelley, both of Oklaho-
in death by her father, in death by his sisters, Point is honored to her daughters, April ma, and Linda Fowler
John Thomas Rushing; Dorothy Kimbhal and assist the family with and Austin Gardner of Blue Springs; and
mother, Faustine Park- Catherine Stoddard; the services. of Chattanooga and father of her children,
er Rushing; brothers, brothers, Leroy Price Ms. Kinsey was a
Rickey and Randy Lauren Kinsey of Mark Kinsey of Lafay-
and Billy Price. dedicated registered
Rushing. Ocala, Florida; moth- ette, Tennessee.
He is survived by nurse with Hamilton
She is survived by his wife, Ann Sansing Health Care System
her daughters, Trisha, Price of Quincy; daugh- and recently worked at
Tisha, Tiffany and ters, Melissa Walden Wood Dale Health Care
Cheryl Shackelford; of Amory, Stacy Woods and Quinton Memorial.
son, Corey Shackelford; of Amory and Victoria Amy gave her life fight-
sister, Linda Byars; Zappa of Quincy; sis- ing on the front line of
brothers, Bill and Bob
ters, Judy Malone Coln the COVID crisis.
Rushing; and 13 grand- of Nashville and Melba
children. Garner of Tupelo; nine
Pallbearers are grandchildren, five
Earlie Poe, Mark great-grandchildren
Brown, Phillip Rushing, and was anticipating
Stanley Rushing, Scott his sixth great-grand-
Rushing, Steve Rogers child in July.

than 7:30 a.m. for the Monday
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Monday through Thursday; and
on Friday by 3 p.m. for Sunday
and Monday publication. For
more information, call 662-
328-2471.
John Boatman
STARKVILLE
­ John Boatman, 82,
— Sherry Wells
died Jan. 16, 2021, at
OCH Regional Medical
Center.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Carter’s
Funeral Services of
Columbus.
Thelma Hoskins-Agnew
DALLAS — ­ Thelma
and Rodney Gayles. Pallbearers will be
David Woods, Dylan
Ronald Bates Woods, Jared Walden-
COLUMBUS ­— Ron- Leavell, Cody Caldwell,
ald Bates, 67, died Jan. Tyler Walden and
16, 2021, in Windsor Dustin Jones.
Place.
Arrangements are Amy Kinsey
incomplete and will be
COHUT TA, Ga. —
announced by Lown- Amy Fowler Kinsey,
des Funeral Home in
59, died Jan. 13, 2021,
Columbus.
at Hamilton Medical
Center in Dalton,
Georgia.
COLUMBUS ­—
A funeral service
Sherry Wells, 69, died was held Saturday at
Jan. 15, 2021, at Bap-
the Pleasant Grove
tist Memorial Hospi- Chapel of Julian Pee-
tal-Golden Triangle.
ples Funeral Home
Arrangements are in Dalton with Mike
incomplete and will be
Dykes officiating. The
announced by Lowndes funeral service can be
Funeral Home. viewed on the website
at julianpeeples.com.
Bobby Price Graveside services
AMORY — ­ Bob-
Bobby Garner
Robert John “Bobby” Garner III, age 75, died
Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at his residence in
Columbus.
Graveside services will be held Saturday,
Ann Allen January 23, 2021, at 11:00 AM at Friendship
Graveside Services:
Sunday, Jan. 17 • 3:30 PM Cemetery, with Father Jason Shelby officiating.
Friendship Cemetery social distancing is required and masks are
Burial
Friendship Cemetery mandantory.
College St. Location Mr. Garner was born on June 5, 1945, in West
Point, MS to the late Robert Ivy Garner and
Bobby Garner Frances Schooley Garner. He attended St. Paul’s
Graveside Services:
Episcopal Church and was a sales representative
Saturday, Jan. 23 • 11 AM
Friendship Cemetery for Jackson-Newell Paper Company for 14 years.
Burial
Friendship Cemetery In 1969, he graduated from Mississippi State
2nd Ave. N. Location University, where the threw the javelin for the
MSU track team and participated in the Army
ROTC. Mr. Garner enjoyed history and art and
was fond of Cuban cigars.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded
memorialgunterpeel.com in death by his sister, Frances Eugenia Garner
Knight; and his grandson, Gregory Miller
Puckett.
Survivors include his wife, Marilyn Miller
Garner Columbus MS; step-son, Gregory Puckett.

Hoskins-Agnew, 63,
died Jan. 15, 2021, in
Duncanville, Texas.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Carter’s
Funeral Services of
Columbus.
Rachael Shackelford
COALING, Ala.
­ Rachael Rushing
— the Lann Cemetery.
Shackelford, 60, died
Jan. 15, 2021.
There will be a
private family viewing
Tuesday and a grave-
side service for family
and friends at Meadow
Branch Cemetery at 2
p.m. with Robert Par-
rish officiating. Dow-
dle Funeral Home in
Ann Allen
by Wayne Price, 73, (Raquel), Gulf Shores, AL; brother, Sterling
died Jan. 15, 2021, at Garner-Martinez, Marietta, GA; cousin, Dorothy
NMMC-Gilmore in Durrett Reed, Montgomery, AL; grandchildren,
Ann Allen, 82, of Columbus, MS, died on
Amory. Stacey Puckett, Ricky Puckett and Davie Ann
January 14, 2021, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-
Services are 2 p.m. Sellers; and four great-grandchildren.
Golden Triangle. A graveside service will be
today at Cleveland-Mof- Serving as honorary pallbearers will be
fett Funeral Home in held Sunday, January 17, 2021, at 3:30 PM at
Friendship Cemetery in Columbus with the Frank Potera, Lee Sanders, Matt Hannon, Paul
Amory with Bryan Swain, Dr. Gerry Jeffcoat, Wayne Richards, Jerry
Richardson and John Reverends Jimmy Criddle, Anne Russell Bradley,
Gentry, David Sanders and Brock Reynolds.
Walden officiating. Aislinn Kopp, and Dr. Joe McKeever officiating.
In lieu of flowers memorial may be made
Burial will follow at Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home and
Crematory will be handling the arrangements. to Oktibbeha County Humane Society, 510
Ann was born on January 31, 1938, in Industrial Park Road, Starkville, MS 39759 or the
Visitation was Saturday
Hattiesburg, MS, to the late Loa Lemuel and Ruth charity of your choice.
at the funeral home.
Mr. Price was born Colmer White. She graduated from Petal High
Sept. 28, 1947, in School. Ann was baptized, raised, and married
Aberdeen to the late at Main Street Baptist Church in Hattiesburg.
Bill Price and Eva While a freshman at USM, Ann met James Allen
Price Harden. He was at the Baptist Student Union where they both
served on the student council. Two years later, Sign the online guest book at
a proud veteran of
they were married. After Ann completed her www.memorialgunterpeel.com
the Alabama Nation-
home economics degree, the couple moved to 716 Second Avenue North • Columbus, MS
al Guard and United
States Marine Corps. Indiana, where she earned a masters degrees
in clothing and textiles at Indiana University.

Millport, Alabama, are
entrusted with arrange-
ments.
Ms. Shackelford
was born Feb. 10, 1960,
in Fayette, Alabama.
Rachael was raised in
Nina Southerland
He was an active mem-
ber of the First Baptist During their time in Indiana, Ann came to love
Church in Gattman and Indianapolis 500 racing. Her cousin lived across
earned a Bible degree the street from the raceway, and they became
Nina Jean Southerland age
from North Mississippi regular attenders.
80 died January 12, 2021, at
Baptist Bible Institute. Ann and James moved to Columbus in 1965,
Baptist Memorial Hospital,
Bobby was a member where she began teaching home economics
Columbus. Services will be
at MUW. Eventually, because of her desire to
announced at a later date.
help people who were experiencing life crises,
Nina was born on March 14,
she started working at Contact Helpline, where
1939 in Columbus MS to the late
she eventually became director. In 2014, Ann
Amos H. and Ruth Alexander.
finally retired as an administrator at Community
Mrs. Southerland was a member
Counseling Services.
of First Baptist Church where
The community of faith was very important to
she was a pre-school Sunday School Teacher
Ann. She was a longtime member of First Baptist
for many years, and was a volunteer with Kids
Church of Columbus where she sang in the choir,
Growing in Christ and the Coleman Community
played handbells, and directed children’s choirs.
Center. She was a retired employee of Franklin
In 2002, when James became the organist at
School, before working at Franklin, she managed
First United Methodist Church of Columbus,
Angel Playland, Children’s Country, and Kiddie
she continued her active serving role in the
Korner Day care centers. She was affectionally
Chancel Choir and with the handbells. She also
known as Ms Nana.
loved volunteering at the front desk in the church
In addition to her parents, she was preceded
office. Ann was a regular at Sunday afternoon
in death by her son, Andrew Southerland and her
Vespers, where she would sing every hymn from
brother Wade Alexander.
memory.
Survivors include her husband, Tommy
Ann was an avid reader, but she truly enjoyed
Southerland; children, Paul Southerland (Dawn),
working with her hands-sewing, needlepoint,
Lynda Reich, Ruthie Moss (Bill); sisters, Penny
cake baking, and decorating. Ann made many
Cochran and Sharon Alexander Langley;
of her beloved daughter Elizabeth’s clothes. Her
brother, Robert Alexander (Jo); grandchildren,
decorated cakes were gifts for birthdays and
Wil Southerland (Blair), Allie Southerland,
other special occasions, but it is her pound cakes
TJ Reich (April) Ethan Reich Courtney), Alex
that will especially be missed by family and
McCafferty (Daniel), Audrey Arinder (Brad)
friends alike.
and Anna Bailey (Koby); great-grandchildren,
Ann tried never to miss the events of her
Wilson and Walker Southerland, Addison and
family’s lives. She was always present when
Madilyn Reich, Harper McCafferty, Barrett
Elizabeth was singing and James was playing.
Arinder, Hayes Bailey; and a host of nieces and
She was a familiar face at grandsons Jacob and
nephews.
Jonathan’s school and sporting events. She
Serving as Honorary Pallbearers will be
learned score keeping and kept stats for all of the
Harry Sanders, Joe Cook, Larry Melton, Buddy
boys’ baseball games and because of Mark, had a
Godfrey, Donnie Brown, Buddy Baker and
deepened interest in airplanes and aviation.
Jimmy Holloway.
Ann is survived by James, her husband of 61
In lieu of flowers memorial may be made to:
years; daughter, Elizabeth Allen Swartz and her
First Baptist Church P O Box 829 Columbus MS
husband, Mark; grandsons, Jacob Allen Swartz
39703.
and Jonathan Mark Swartz; brother, Edward
Direct any remembrances aka “Nana stories”
White and his wife Barbara; nephew, Ron White,
that you would like to share with the family to
and; niece, Michele White Green.
ruthiemoss2372@yahoo.com

Sign the online guest book at Sign the online guest book at
www.memorialgunterpeel.com www.memorialgunterpeel.com
College Street • Columbus, MS 716 Second Avenue North • Columbus, MS
6A SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

ASK RUFUS

‘No River for Steamboats’

I
t began in the
late fall of 1854
and extended
through the sum-
mer of 1856. Before
it was over several
Tombigbee steam-
boats sank, and
one caught fire and
burned.
Hundreds of
thousands of bales
of cotton were Rufus Ward
stacked along
the banks of the Tombigbee,
unable to be shipped to Mobile, there in 1818, and never before
Alabama, where they could be
sold. In Columbus, construc-
tion that had just started on St.
Paul’s Episcopal Church had
to halt. The U.S. mail service
to Montgomery, Alabama,
stopped for a while, and a
prominent Columbus resident
committed a murder in Mobile.
It all happened during the
worst drought the South had
experienced since 1809.
The 1855 Lowndes County
plantation journal of John Bil-
lups provides a firsthand view
of how bad the situation was:
“Scarcely in memory of the
oldest citizen of the county has
there occasioned such a spring
– No river for Steamboats
during winter or spring; the first were still stacked on the banks
steamboat of the season arrived
at Columbus the 10th day April
at which time I happened in Co-
lumbus and saw it — This has
not been the case since the year
1809, at least so say many of
the oldest citizens of the county.
Great difficulty in getting cotton
— none shipped until some time
in April, then by Flat boats,
almost entirely, only three steam- were unable to reach water
boats having come up as high as
Columbus, and they carried ...
very light loads in consequence
of low stage of water — Did not
succeed in getting off any of my
own cotton until some time in
June, then by Flat
Boats to Demopolis,
and then by Steam
Boat to Mobile.”
Billups’ account
of shipping prob-
lems is a story also
told in newspapers
from across the
country. The Mo-
bile News reported
from Tuscaloosa on
March 6, 1855, that
Capt. George C— had moved
had water navigation failed
during a January and Febru-
ary. That it had simply rained
in Columbus on April 6, 1855,
and that the Tombigbee had a
two-foot rise was newsworthy
enough to make the New Orle-
ans Times Picayune.
A New York merchant on
a business trip to Columbus
wrote that on April 12 two
steamboats arrived in Colum-
bus, but as the river was again
falling, they left without a full
load. He estimated that 300,000
bales of cotton were along the
Tombigbee and Warrior rivers
in need of transportation to
Mobile. An article in the June
7, 1855, New York Mercury told
how 140,000 bales of cotton
of the Tombigbee awaiting
transportation.
It was a time of strange-
ness. In Columbus, the city
needed a new well in late 1854
and well-borers were hired to
bore it. When the first borer
was unable to reach water, the
city hired others. In the end
three different well-borers
until 1857. For several weeks in
1855 steamboats were unable
to ascend the Alabama River,
cutting off most mail service
to Montgomery. In November
1855, Thomas G. Banks of
“Scarcely in memory of the oldest citizen of the county has there
occasioned such a spring – No river for Steamboats during winter
or spring.” — John Billups, April 1855
Columbus was having a drink
in the bar of the Battle House
Hotel. Banks saw William
Trone, with whom he was
slightly acquainted, and asked
if he would have a drink. When
Trone politely declined, Banks
pulled out a pistol, shooting
Trone and killing him. Then in
1856, a 5 1/2-foot long shark
was caught in the Warrior
River below Tuscaloosa near
Eutaw, Alabama.
In 1854 construction started
on St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
(It’s still on College Street), but
many of its members who were
farmers were unable to pay
their pledges in early 1855 and
construction had to stop. They
could not ship their cotton
and corn to market in Mobile,
bringing hard times and little
money. Construction resumed,
but at a slow pace, in 1856.
Aberdeen also felt the
effects of the drought. The rule
of thumb for steamboats was
that six feet were needed on
the Columbus river gage for
a steamboat to make it there.
However, 12 feet were required
on the Columbus gage for a
Courtesy photo
boat to make it to Aberdeen. In
the spring of 1855, a newspaper
article from Aberdeen circulat-
ed across the country. It report-
ed that the drought was so
bad a bushel in Aberdeen was
only a peck, and that a 5-pound
bucket of soap only weighed
four pounds.
Transporting cotton to Mo-
bile was the bread and butter
of the Tombigbee steamboats.
Even in the low water of 1855,
the boats tried to navigate
the river. In April 1855 the
Eliza Battle was carrying
goods from Mobile for Blair’s
Drug Store in Columbus. The
Battle’s pilot found the river
too low and had to deposit her
cargo at a warehouse at New
Port Landing about 60 miles
below Columbus. That night
the warehouse caught fire and
burned.
Then on Nov. 20, 1855,
the Eliza Battle was carrying
cotton from the upper Tombig-
bee to Mobile when she ran
aground on Croom’s Bar just
below Black Bluff. In order to
lighten her load a number of
cotton bales were transferred
to the steamer Jenny Belle.
The Eliza Battle then contin-
ued on to Mobile. However,
the Belle then ran aground.
She then transferred the Eliza
Battle’s cotton to the steamer
Sallie Spann. As the Sallie
Spann proceeded to Mobile,
she caught fire and burned.
The disastrous weather of
1855 continued into 1856. The
July 30 Columbus Democrat
reported, “there had been no
rain to do any good for the
last eight or nine weeks.” The
corn crop was “blasted” not
only by the drought but also
by armyworms and cutworms.
The wheat crop “was mostly a
failure.” There was still hope,
though, the cotton crop that
had also suffered might with
favorable weather be nearly
average.
In the fall of 1856, the weath-
er began to change. There was
a frost on Sept. 23 and rains be-
gan to return. Then starting on
Dec. 23, heavy, almost record,
rains fell. It was said to be the
most rain “since December
1847 — the year of the great
freshet.” It was the 1847 flood
that washed away the nearby
river towns of Nashville, West
Port and Colbert. The Colum-
bus Democrat reported on Dec.
26 that the Tombigbee would
be flooding within two or three
days. However, it followed that
warning by adding, “Of course,
we shall soon have a plenty of
boats up from Mobile.” The
great drought was over.
Thanks to Carolyn Kaye
for helping with research and
transcribing newspapers. Of
course, all this just raises the
question of who did John Bil-
lups know that had been in the
Columbus area in 1809 and was
living in Columbus in 1855.
Rufus Ward is a local histo-
rian.

Cannon
Continued from Page 1A
used, by both sides, in the Civil War.
The arsenal, which he opened to the
public as a free museum in 2009, already
displays every type of field artillery car-
riage used in the war.
From 1841-63, only 69 field Howit-
zers were manufactured, Neubauer said.
Only 36 survive. He’s found a private col-
lector who is willing to sell him one —
for $150,000.
That’s more than Neubauer can spare
of his own resources, so he spent much
of the last 10 months trying to find a
donor, primarily approaching well-to-
dos at Mississippi State University who
have an appreciation for history and his
museum. These prospective patrons
found the price tag too steep, causing
Neubauer to almost give up. But then a
friend suggested he start a GoFundMe
to crowdsource the effort.
“(My friend) told me, ‘You’ve been
looking for one person to give you
$150,000. It might be easier to find
150,000 people who will give you $1,’”
Neubauer recalled.
Since launching the page Jan. 6, he’s
raised only $425 from five donors. But
he’s hopeful that time and exposure
to his effort will generate more inter-
est, and he will land what would be the
“crown jewel” of his 45 years of collect-
ing.
‘If only they could talk’
At 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 2009 — the
same time, month and day the first shot
was fired in 1861 to start the Civil War
— Neubauer officially opened his arse-
nal for public viewing.
No one else was there with him at the
time, he admitted, laughing. But a fair
share of visitors who have come through
and signed the guestbook, where the
opening date is printed, appreciate the
symbolism.
“I had collected all this stuff, and
I thought, ‘What good is it if you don’t
share it?’” Neubauer said.
He has hosted visitors from 40 states
and six foreign countries, treating them
either to a generic tour of all the artifacts
or one of 11 tailored programs focusing
on a specific area of the Civil War, rang-
ing from ammunition and sighting a can-
non to the roles of artificers and artillery
buglers. When a tour group arrives, he
greets them in full character dress —
maybe a Union or Confederate soldier, a
blacksmith or an ambulance driver.
Tours are by appointment only, by
calling the number listed on the arse-
nal’s website. He doesn’t publish the mu-
seum’s physical address.
“Before COVID, I was doing four
to five tours a month on average,” said
Neubauer, who stopped giving tours
last spring after the pandemic made it
to Mississippi but hopes to restart them
this spring. “During Christmastime,
I might do four or five a day. One year,
A photo of Duffy Neubauer’s great-great-grandfather, Capt. Leonard Jaerhrling, is
displayed inside the visitor’s center of the Starkville Civil War Arsenal. Jaerhrling
fought on the Union side during the war.
ON THE WEB
n For more information about The
Starkville Civil War Arsenal: Visit
www.starkvillecivilwararsenal.com.
I was up here on Christmas Day for a
tour.”
His “hands-on” tours feature his three
original guns — an 1861 Parrott gun,
an 1862 U.S. 3-inch rifle cannon and an
1863 Revere Copper Napoleon cannon,
one of 500 ever made — along with two
replicas. He either built the carriages
— ranging from an ambulance, battery
wagon and traveling forge to a six-mule
wagon and funeral caisson — or had
them built elsewhere. All are exactly to
government specifications according to
contracts and drawings he has obtained
from the period.
“This is all about storytelling,” he
said. “When you come through here,
you see a gun that may have been used
at the Battle of Bull Run and another
that could have been fired at Gettys-
burg. When you’re touching these guns,
you think, ‘If only they could talk.’”
Groups with the U.S. Grant Associ-
ation hosted by the Grant Presidential
Library at Mississippi State have made
several pilgrimages to the arsenal. Rel-
atives of Grant, himself, have even vis-
ited.
“People just love the programs,” said
John Marszalek, executive director for
the Grant Library. “Duffy is first rate,
and I think it’s incredible what he’s do-
ing. If there’s anyone who knows more
about Civil War artillery than he does, I
want to meet them.”
Neubauer said he especially sees
himself in the young people who come
through the museum.
“I love to see their eyes light up when
they see all the stuff,” he said. “I guess
Zack Plair/Dispatch Staff
Zack Plair/Dispatch Staff
An authentic Confederate Reed 3-inch
rifle cannon shell, left, and a U.S. 3-inch
Schenkl shell, third from left, are part of
the collection at the Starkville Civil War
Arsenal. Lying to the right of each are
exact replicas of the shell Duffy Neubau-
er cast himself.
one of my goals is, when some of these
kids grow up and get their master’s or
PhD in history, and someone asks them
how they became interested in all this,
they’ll say, ‘We went out to this old man’s
shed in Mississippi, and that was the
spark.’”
‘A wonderful life’
The spark, for Neubauer, came from
several places.
The Watertown, Wisconsin, native
lost his first toy cannon during a move
when he was 3 years old. He saved his
pennies and bought another one, then
his dream became one day owning a
cannon he could shoot. Then two. Then
three. And so on.
His great-great-grandfather, Capt.
Leonard Jaerhrling, served with the
Union in the Civil War, piquing Neubau-
er’s interest in that history from an early
age. The covers and photo spreads in
magazines he saw during the centennial
of the war “cemented it,” he said.
He started collecting operational
model cannons in 1982 and bought his
first original cannon — the 1861 Parrott
— from a private collector in 1988. But
his favorite “cannon acquisition story”
unfolded about 20 years ago when he
scored the 1863 Revere Copper Napo-
leon through good old-fashioned horse
trading.
He first donated to a VFW hut in
Monroe, Wisconsin, in exchange for its
World War I-era cannon stationed out
front. He traded that to the U.S. Army
for an M60 tank that he then turned
around and traded to a private collector
for the Revere.
Neubauer earned degrees in educa-
tion, not history, from The University of
Wisconsin-LaCrosse and came to MSU
as the assistant track coach in 1979.
Today, he lectures all over the state,
attends Civil War reenactments at major
battlefields and shoots his cannons in
competitions.
“Every gun here has been shot,” he
said. “One hit a target at Fort Sill at 1,700
yards.”
His funeral caisson replica, built in
Kosciusko, has participated in re-inter-
ments all over the country, including
a sailor from the Hunley submarine
in Charleston, South Carolina, and an
unknown U.S. soldier from the Mexi-
can-American War whose coffin washed
up in Biloxi after Hurricane Katrina.
“I don’t hunt or fish, play cards or
golf,” Neubauer said. “Every spare nick-
el I could get, I’ve put into this collec-
tion. … I’ve had a wonderful life.”
A one-of-a-kind box
As many artifacts as are on display
in Neubauer’s museum, his newest find
was still sitting in the back of his maroon
van Thursday afternoon.
A family who owned a limber chest
for — you guessed it — a 24-pound field
Howitzer reached out to Neubauer to
see if he could use it in his museum.
The chest is where soldiers would
have carried the ammunition for the
gun. A man from the donor’s family
apparently found it by the banks of the
Tennessee River in 1910 and used it as
a toolbox for decades before passing it
down to relatives. In the family’s search
for the best home for the box, they came
across Neubauer’s museum.
Neubauer, at first, did not believe it
was real. After he got it in-hand and re-
alized it was, he did some calling around
of his own — to places like Shiloh, oth-
er museums and private collectors. It’s
quite possible, he discovered, the Howit-
zer chest is the only surviving one of its
kind, giving him another rare and “neat”
story to tell his visitors.
“Now, it would be great to have the
Howitzer to go with it,” he said.
Lifestyles LIFESTYLES EDITOR
Jan Swoope: 328-2471
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 n 7A

MLK Day in the year of COVID

Observances adapt to honor life of Martin Luther King Jr.
Courtesy photo
Britney Thrasher, a 2016 graduate
of East Mississippi Community
College’s Emergency Medical
Technician program, has been
named 2020 EMT Life Saver of the
Year by Pafford Emergency Medical
Services.

EMCC alumna
named ‘EMT
Life Saver
of the Year’
EAST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY
COLLEGE

E
ast Mississippi Community
College alumna Britney
Thrasher has been named
a recipient of the 2020 EMT Life
Saver of the Year award by Pafford
Emergency Medical Services, her
employer.
Thrasher, a 2016 graduate of
EMCC’s Emergency Medical Tech-
nician program, was presented the Courtesy photo
award in December. Volunteers work on a project at the J.L. King Center in Starkville during the 2020 Mississippi State University
“I was kind of at a loss for words Maroon Volunteer Center Martin Luther King Day of Service. The COVID-19 pandemic is changing how the Golden
when my boss told me,” Thrasher Triangle will observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day tomorrow, but service to community is still an emphasis.
said. “I had never been awarded
anything like that before.” BY JAN SWOOPE noon. Non-perishable food items for food pantries can
Thrasher works on a Pafford jswoope@cdispatch.com be dropped off at the chapel located at 218 MLK Drive.

ambulance crew stationed at the
Starkville Fire Department. On
May 19, 2020, she was among
multiple emergency responders
who worked to free two men from
a collapsed trench at the Valentine
townhouses in Starkville.
The men were laying pipe about
10 to 12 feet deep when the trench
collapsed on them, according to
media reports.
“We were assisting the para-
medics and the fire departments,”
Thrasher said.
Emergency responders worked
hours to free the two men, both of
whom died — one on scene and
the other while en route to North
Mississippi Medical Center in
Tupelo via an Air Care helicopter,
according to media reports.
Thrasher’s co-worker, Joey
Faulkner, who was also part of
the rescue effort, was awarded
Pafford’s 2020 Paramedic Life
Saver award. Pafford employs more
than 900 full-time and part-time
workers and operates 120 ambu-
lances, three helicopters and three
fixed-wing aircrafts across multiple
states, according to the agency’s
website.
Thrasher was a student at Choc-
taw County High School when she
See THRASHER, 8A
I
n typical times, Martin Luther King Jr. Day would
find Anna Jones circulating among a crowd gath-
ered in West Point for a procession. When blessed
with good weather, the march can draw up to 300
participants, Jones said. Together, they walk down
East Half Mile Street, to Mary Holmes College. There,
an audience sometimes topping 700 packs the gym to
hear a keynote speaker and to honor the late King, who
advocated for nonviolent activism in the civil rights
movement and for service to community. In this year
of unrelenting pandemic, however, the capacity rooms,
the big breakfasts, health fairs, performances and
processions usually seen in the Golden Triangle have
been subdued by COVID-19.
“We’ve been doing this since 1989, and this is the
first year we’re not marching,” said Jones
about the West Point events she helps
organize with the MLK Committee at
Davidson Chapel. “We normally have the
community march and then a program,
singing and dancing and choir groups,
but this year it’s not possible because
of COVID. Everybody is just being very
cautious.” Jones
The global pandemic is changing
the way area counties will mark Martin
Luther King Jr. Day tomorrow. It has not dampened
determination. Volunteer service, always a part of
local observances, is being emphasized. In West Point,
for example, the MLK Committee is hosting a drive-
through food donation drive Monday from 9 a.m. to
Adjustments in Columbus
United Way of Lowndes and Noxubee plans a three-
part approach. Errolyn Gray is director of the volun-
teer center.
“Usually every year there are organizations that
partner to do a citywide observance,
with a breakfast, a speaker and a service
project,” said Gray. “Because of COVID,
we won’t be having the breakfast or
speaker, but we are doing three projects
instead.”
One is a drive-through distribution
of PPE (personal protection equipment)
and sanitizing products to pre-registered Gray
childcare facilities. Gray studied statis-
tics on the need for these supplies.
“We looked at averages of PPE day care centers
were going through in a day,” she said. “On a state lev-
el, on average, it was over 500 pairs of gloves a day. ...
We always want to be responsive to what the commu-
nity needs, and that’s something we need now.” The
distribution will take place at the Columbus Soccer
Complex from noon-2 p.m. Monday.
Secondly, United Way of Lowndes and Noxubee will
conclude a food pantry restock project that has been
underway since Dec. 8. Donated foods will go to four
local pantries, Salvation Army, Wesley United Meth-
odist Church, Helping Hands and Columbus Air Force
Base.
See MLK DAY, 8A

WORTH THE DRIVE Mortyakova

Tennessee Williams exhibit to open at Meridian’s MAX elected to
Columbus-born
playwright featured
poems and essays, with the
bulk of his success realized
between the mid-1940s and
international
beginning Feb. 6
early 1960s. Despite his
success, he struggled with board
alcohol and drug abuse as MUW UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
SPECIAL TO THE DISPATCH well as depression. He used

J
writing and then painting ulia Mortyakova,
MERIDIAN — as coping mechanisms.

T
he MAX is always
proud to support
Mississippians and
the arts, and will do both
with a new special exhibi-
tion, Tennessee Williams:
The Painter and the Play-
wright, which opens Feb. 6.
Williams, one of the
greatest playwrights of the
20th century, was also a
painter. While he used his
plays to explore the dynam-
ics of the American South
and his tumultuous up-
bringing, Williams turned
to painting to express other
professor and
Cori Convertito, PhD, chair of The
Curator of the Key West W Department of
Art & Historical Society, Music, was recently
created The Painter and elected to the board
Courtesy photo
the Playwright because of the International
The MAX — Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience —
she wanted to show that Alliance for Women
in Meridian will host an exhibit exploring Tennessee Wil-
Williams was multifaceted. in Music (IAWM). Mortyakova
liams’ writing and artworks Feb. 6-April 11.
“The intention of this ex- Mortyakova started serving in the
private thoughts. “There’s with other childhood hibition is to showcase the new position January 2021.
a fragility to his paintings years spent in Clarksdale, playwright in a more de- “I am extremely honored to
or a shyness. We are al- Williams as an adult lived veloped narrative using his represent and serve the music
lowed in, to gain a glimpse in New Orleans, New York paintings as the catalyst,” profession on an international
into Williams’ innermost and Key West, Florida. He said Convertito, “revealing level and to continue to advocate
thoughts and struggles,” is closely associated with his more personal side; the and provide opportunities for past,
said Stacey Wilson, Curator the literary heritage of side that found comfort in present and future women musi-
of Exhibitions at The MAX. the latter. He wrote plays, Key West’s carefree life- cians,” said Mortyakova.
A native of Columbus, short stories, screenplays, See EXHIBIT, 8A See MORTYAKOVA, 8A
8A SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

MLK Day
Continued from Page 7A
“We’re also doing a ‘Pay it
Forward’ (initiative). We’re
asking people to take a picture
at any kind of service they do
(on MLK Day) and post it to
#payitforward and #MLK Day,”
said Gray. “We’re so isolated
right now, and this is kind of
a way for us to feel connected,
all doing something on the
same day.”
Changes for Starkville events
The Mill in Starkville is tra-
ditionally the scene of a large
unity breakfast, complete with
speaker, followed by hundreds
of volunteers dispersed to local
nonprofit agencies such as
Starkville Parks and Recre-
ation, Boys & Girls Club, Sally
Kate Winters and Habitat for
Humanity. It’s part of Missis-
sippi State University’s MLK
Days of Service.
The 27th annual breakfast
this year will be a virtual event
featuring a keynote by former
Mississippi Supreme Court
Justice Reuben Anderson. It
will broadcast Monday at 8
a.m. on MSTV and livestream
at mstv.msstate.edu. It is
expected to re-air at 11 a.m., 2
p.m, 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
At 10 a.m., volunteers who
have signed up will undertake
projects at agencies, but unlike
years past, there will be no
day-of signup or transportation
to service sites. Volunteers will
report directly to their desig-
nated agency. Days of Service
will take place Monday, Tues-
day and Wednesday.
“MLK Day of Service is
a way to honor the legacy
and teachings by engaging
in community activities that
address social problems,” said
Jordan Laster of the MSU
Office of Student Leadership
and Maroon Volunteer Cen-
ter. “Mobilizing people from
different experiences brings
us together; it can instill unity
and solidarity while building
stronger communities.”
All efforts are made to
follow Centers for Disease
Control guidelines and MSU
recommendations to prevent
spread of the coronavirus,
Laster noted.
Unity Park honorees
In recent years, Unity Park
in downtown Starkville has
been a place of celebration
on Martin Luther King Jr.
Day. Not only is the work of
King honored, but citizens of
Oktibbeha County who have
contributed to civil rights and
unity are as well. Because of
pandemic restrictions, a public
ceremony isn’t possible, but
two late Starkville citizens are
being honored and their names
added to a permanent plaque -
George W. Evans (1899-1980)
and Fenton Peters (1935-2014).
Evans was well known as
an entrepreneur, civic leader,
businessman and boy scout
organizer, shared Jeanne
Marszalek of the Unity Park
Committee. After attending
Tuskegee Institute in Alabama,
he later organized the first
local African-American Boy
Scout troop and spent much
of his life encouraging young
men to be disciplined and to
develop a strong work ethic.
Peters is remembered
for his work in education,
first as a teacher and then
administrator, helping lead
Oktibbeha County schools
through integration. He also
served as choir director of his
church choir and served on the
Starkville Symphony Board,
the Oktibbeha County Hospital
Medical Center Board of Trust-
ees and the Cadence Bank
Board. He committed himself
to service to his county.
“These people are honored
because they
have made a big
difference to
this community,”
said Marszalek.
“They spent their
lives trying to
help other people Marszalek
have better lives
and achieve their
potential.”
Now more than ever
While the pandemic may al-
ter plans for MLK Day 2021, it
also makes it more imperative
than ever to ask, as King did,
what are we doing for others,
Gray expressed.
“The populations we try
to serve in outreach projects
are still there, no matter what,
and this has only deepened
that need,” she said. “COVID
doesn’t give us a reason not to
do anything for our communi-
ty; it’s a reason to do it more.”

Mortyakova
Continued from Page 7A
As a concert pianist,
Mortyakova has dedicated
her career to sharing the
music of women compos-
ers with the public. She
often performs concerts
where the entire program
is comprised of works by
women. Mortyakova said
she was excited to run for
a board position at IAWM
because of the opportu-
nity to engage with the
larger world committed
to advancing activities of
women in music.
She is also the founder
and artistic director of
The W’s annual Interna-
tional Music by Women
Festival, an event ded-
icated to highlighting
contributions of women
composers to classical
music. Celebrating its
fifth year, the 2021 festival
will be held virtually,
March 1-31.
In addition to serving
on the IAWM Board,
Mortyakova is also the
chair of the IAWM Mem-
bership Committee. In
her new role, she hopes
to strengthen and grow
the IAWM membership
through new activities and
initiatives.
The IAWM fosters and
encourages the activities
of women in music. A
connective and informa-
tive global organization,
IAWM increases opportu-
nity and visibility for wom-
en in music. Welcoming to
members of all genders,
this forward-thinking
advocacy alliance helps
reshape the music indus-
try’s landscape for greater
equity and inclusion in the
21st century.
More information
about IAWM can be found
on their website iawm.
org/.

Exhibit
Continued from Page 7A
style. He moved with relative anonymity
around the island despite his interna-
tional fame. That, plus the relative ac-
ceptance of the homosexual community
on the island, made this an attractive
place for Williams to live and work.”
The exhibition is sponsored by The
Community Foundation of East Missis-
sippi. The foundation strongly favors
collaboration among nonprofits and oth-
er entities, and is a longtime supporter
of The MAX.
“We really just want to build rela-
tionships and be involved with what’s
important to our community, to see
our community thrive and grow,” said
CFEM Executive Director Leigh Thom-
as. “The fact that Tennessee Williams
is a native Mississippian is not lost on
me. The people of Mississippi are our
greatest asset, and the talent that we
have should not go unsung.”
The exhibit will run through April
11 and attendance is free with regular
museum admission. The MAX is open
Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
and on Sunday from 1-5 p.m. The muse-
um is located at 2155 Front St.
The MAX, Mississippi Arts + En-
tertainment Experience, explores the
state’s creative legacies in one immer-
sive attraction. Discover the Mississippi
roots of some of the world’s arts and
entertainment icons including Elvis
Presley, Oprah Winfrey, B.B. King,
Faith Hill, Sela Ward, Eudora Welty and
Jim Henson.

Thrasher
Continued from Page 7A
first began thinking about
a career in medicine. Her
brother was injured in a
wreck that left one person
dead. A friend of Thrash-
er was also seriously
injured in the wreck.
“Seeing all the first
responders there check-
ing on my friend and my
brother just kind of stuck
with me,” Thrasher said.
After high school, she
enrolled at EMCC with
plans to become a nurse.
Thrasher later decided
to enroll in the EMT
program, which she said
better suited her.
“For one thing, you ar-
en’t doing the same thing
every day,” she said.
In addition to her du-
ties as an EMT, Thrasher
also serves as a field
training officer for Paf-
ford, working with new
EMT hires to familiarize
them with the job.
Thrasher resides in
Choctaw County near
Mathiston with her hus-
band Kyle and her 2-year-
old daughter, Kylie,
who is already showing
interest in her mother’s
chosen field.
“Kylie is obsessed with
ambulances, fire trucks
and helicopters — any-
thing that has to do with
momma,” Thrasher said.

■ For more Lifestyles content, including Felder Rushing, Southern Gardening

and School News, go to cdispatch.com.

If you don’t read The Dispatch, how are you gonna know?
Sports
PREP BASKETBALL
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021
B
SECTION

Balanced scoring leads New Hope boys over Columbus

BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
Eric Caldwell didn’t
even have to look.
With under a minute
left in the second quarter
of Friday’s game at Co-
lumbus High School, the
New Hope High School
senior slashed through
the right side of the Fal-
cons’ defense and deliv-
ered a no-look pass to a
waiting Carson Latham
on the inside, resulting in
an easy layup.
The basket pushed the
Trojans’ lead to 10 points
— it was 12 before the half
— and 16 minutes of bas-
ketball later, New Hope
(11-2) had claimed a 60-39
road win over Columbus
in Caldwell’s first game
on his old home floor
since transferring from
Columbus High after last
season.
“It kind of did feel
weird, but I got the but-
terflies out,” the senior
said of stepping into the
Falcons’ gym as a visiting
player for the first time.
Any nerves Caldwell
had early on didn’t show
as he led the Trojans
with five points in the
first quarter. The senior
finished with 10, part of
another equitable scoring
effort from New Hope:
Jorden Edwards led the
way with 15 points, Caleb
Parr had 11, and LJ Hack-
man matched Caldwell’s
total.
“When you’ve got
multiple weapons who
can attack and share the
basketball and guys who
shoot it, it’s always nice,”
New Hope coach Drew
McBrayer said. “For us
to be what we need to be
come playoff time, we’re
going to have to have that
balanced scoring.”
The Trojans are cer-
tainly rounding into form
with less than a month
to go before the MHSAA
Class 5A, Region 2 district
tournament and the post-
season begin. Columbus,
meanwhile, has struggled
Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff
to an 0-2 start in district New Hope senior Jorden Edwards (1) is defended by Columbus junior Willie Young (2)
See PREPS, 4B during the second quarter of Friday’s game in Columbus. The Trojans won 60-39.

Rodgers, MISSISSIPPI STATE 72, FLORIDA 69

Packers beat
Rams to
reach NFC
Smith carries Bulldogs to narrow victory
title game
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

GREEN BAY, Wis.

— Don’t tell Aaron Rod-
gers the lack of capacity
crowds in a pandemic will
limit the Green Bay Pack-
ers’ home-field advan-
tage in the NFC champi-
onship game.
He’s been waiting too
long for this moment to
have any such negative
thoughts.
Rodgers threw two
touchdown passes and
also ran for a score as
the top-seeded Green
Bay Packers beat the Los
Angeles Rams 32-18 in
an NFC divisional playoff
game Saturday. He will
play a conference cham-
pionship game at home
for the first time in his
Hall of Fame-caliber ca-
reer.
“I’m definitely a little
emotional, just thinking
about what we’ve been
through,” said Rodgers,
who went 23 of 36 for 296
See PACKERS, 4B Courtesy of Mississippi State Athletics
Mississippi State forward Tolu Smith had a career-high 27 points and 14 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season Saturday. The
Bulldogs beat Florida 72-69 at Humphrey Coliseum.

SEC releases BY GARRICK HODGE

2021 softball
schedule
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
The Mississippi State
softball team never even
got to start last year’s
Southeastern Confer-
ence schedule.
But as of Friday, the
Bulldogs know who
they’ll be up against for
their 2021 conference
slate. The SEC released
its 24-game conference
schedule Friday morn-
ing, featuring eight week-
end series for each team.
While Mississippi
State’s nonconference
schedule has yet to be
announced, the news
marked a step toward a
long-awaited return to
play for the Bulldogs,
who went 25-3 last year
before the COVID-19
pandemic shut down ev-
eryone’s season.
“We are thrilled to be
making strides towards
getting back on the field
after a long hiatus,” head
coach Samantha Ricketts
said in a news release
from Mississippi State.
“The leadership and col-
laboration from Commis-
sioner (Greg) Sankey,
the SEC office, and each
institution has been tre-
See SOFTBALL, 4B
ghodge@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — Tolu Smith
wasn’t going to let Mississippi
State lose.
The 6-foot-10 forward car-
ried the Bulldogs to a 72-69
victory against Florida with a
career-high 27 points and 14 re-
bounds Saturday at Humphrey
Coliseum.
“I was playing with confi-
dence and playing as hard as I
can,” Smith said. “This was a
must-win for us, so I just want to
thank my teammates for getting
me the ball.”
The Western Kentucky
transfer was efficient as ever,
converting 11 of 13 shots and
recording three blocks.
“(Tolu) really played the best
game of his young career,” MSU
coach Ben Howland said. “I’m
just so happy for him and proud
of him.”
And the Bulldogs needed ev-
ery ounce of Smith’s production.
An 11-point MSU lead with
1:36 left vanished into a one-pos-
session game with 15 seconds
left thanks to a combination of
fouls, missed free throws and
turnovers down the stretch.
Florida point guard Tre Mann
had a chance to send the con-
test into overtime but, realizing
he couldn’t get a clean shot off
with the clock ticking down,
tried to draw a foul beyond the
arc from a defending Jalen John-
son. Johnson, who had to quick-
ly set his feet in transition after
D.J. Stewart missed what would
have been a game-sealing layup,
kept his ground and his arms
in the air, resulting in Mann’s
game-tying attempt harmlessly
catching nothing but air.
“He stayed down and made
sure he didn’t foul,” Howland
said. “That was a huge play.”
It was the third straight win
for MSU (9-5, 4-2 SEC) over
Florida (6-4, 3-3), and one that
was sorely needed after falling
in a one-point home contest to
Texas A&M on Wednesday.
“The last game we played
left a bad taste in our mouths,”
senior center Abdul Ado said.
“One thing I think we have to
work on is to close out games.
We’re a little bit shaky when it
comes to closing out games; we
have to do a way better job.”
Ado took advantage of every
opportunity he had in the post,
scoring 11 points on a perfect
5-of-5 shooting effort in addi-
tion to grabbing nine rebounds.
But earlier Friday afternoon,
the 6-foot-11 senior didn’t know
if he’d be able to participate in
Saturday’s contest — or any in
the near future.
Howland said Ado missed
Friday’s practice after he woke
up feeling fatigued and with a
sore throat. Ado, having already
tested negative Thursday as
part of the Southeastern Confer-
ence protocols, went to the MSU
student health center for anoth-
er COVID-19 test, in addition to
getting tested for the flu, mono
and strep.
“Honestly when I went to
the student health center, I was
praying for the test to come back
negative,” Ado said. “I wanted to
win. I wanted to be around my
teammates.”
Ado received negative results
on all of his tests, clearing him
for action against the Gators.
But he still felt under the weath-
er, as Howland said his elite post
defender had a “normal virus.”
“I wasn’t feeling like myself,”
Ado said. “At halftime, I was in
the locker room with a jacket
on. I feel pretty good right now
though because of the win.”
Ado’s near double-double
gave the Bulldogs a much-need-
ed lift.
“I’m just so proud of his
toughness,” Howland said.
“What a winner and a warrior
Abdul is.” Purely looking at the
rebounding margin, it might
puzzle some the game was as
close as it was with the Bull-
dogs holding a 47-26 edge on
the glass. But the Bulldogs were
their own worst enemy after
they committed 15 turnovers
and shot 13 of 24 from the free
throw line.
While MSU committed the
same amount of turnovers it did
in its loss Wednesday to Texas
A&M, it handled a full-court
press much more effectively, es-
pecially in the first half.
“We went back to the draw-
ing board,” Smith said. “Coach
emphasized we needed to be
more aggressive when facing
the press. Our guards did a
great job breaking the press and
seeing the open guys.”
Even though the Bulldogs
dominated in the post with an
absurd rebound margin com-
bined with Smith’s and Ado’s
scoring output, Florida forward
Collin Castleton was a thorn in
MSU’s side down low. Twelve
of Castleton’s 17 blocks on the
season have come in the last
two games, after the Florida
forward notched six blocks in
back-to-back games against Ole
Miss and MSU. Castleton was
the first SEC player with at least
six blocked shots in back-to-
back games since LSU’s Jordan
Mickey in January 2015.
“He’s a human flyswatter,”
Howland said of Castleton.
At halftime, MSU narrowly
led Florida 32-39 before open-
ing the second half on a 8-0 run
to extend the advantage to dou-
ble figures.
In addition to Ado and
Smith’s scoring efforts, Stewart
chipped in 11 points and Iverson
Molinar added 13 to give MSU
four players in double figures.
In his postgame press confer-
ence, Howland stressed the im-
portance of distributed scoring,
citing the Bulldogs’ 7-1 record
in which four players reached
double-digit point totals.
MSU closes out its three-
game homestand against rival
Ole Miss at 8 p.m. Tuesday in
Starkville.
Dawg notes
Howland said freshman for-
ward Cameron Matthews brief-
ly left the team Friday to attend
his grandfather’s funeral but
wanted to make it back in time
to play today. The sixth-year
MSU coach also offered his con-
dolences to his young defensive
star. In 15 minutes of action
Saturday, Matthews grabbed
four rebounds and scored two
points.
2B SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
No. 23 Minnesota hands No. 7 Michigan first loss in romp
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS — win by 19-plus points in
When two of the Big Ten’s
best and tallest players
faced off just last week,
Michigan’s Hunter Dick-
inson made his 7-foot-1
mark on a decisive win
over Minnesota.
Liam Robbins and his
teammates stepped up in
a big way to avoid the re-
peat.
Robbins had 22 points
and eight rebounds in 22
minutes to lead No. 23
Minnesota to a 75-57 vic-
tory on Saturday, handing
No. 7 Michigan its first
loss while holding Dick-
inson to a season-low nine
points.
“We challenged Liam:
‘You’re a junior. He’s a
freshman. He’s a real-
ly good freshman, but
you’ve got to act like the
junior in this one,’” Min-
nesota coach Richard
Pitino said.
Marcus Carr scored
17 points and Gabe
Kalscheur added 10 points
for the Gophers (11-4,
4-4 Big Ten), who played
their seventh straight
game against an team
ranked in the Associated
Press poll. According to
Minnesota’s research,
this was the most consec-
utive Top 25 opponents
for any NCAA team since
St. John’s faced eight in a
row in 2011.
Back in their hap-
py place after decisive
defeats last week at
Michigan and Iowa, the
Gophers limited the Wol-
verines — the best shoot-
ing team in the confer-
ence — to a season-low
score while forcing them
into a season-high 20
turnovers.
“We were embar-
rassed about what hap-
pened in Ann Arbor, and
we were going to make
Georgia beats Ole Miss
for first SEC win of
season
OXFORD — Tye Fa-
gan scored 19 points,
Shavir Wheeler added 18
points and nine assists
and Georgia held off Mis-
sissippi 78-74 on Saturday
to win its first conference
game of the season and
snap a four-game losing
streak.
Ole Miss (6-6, 1-4
Southeastern Confer-
ence) led almost the en-
tire first half despite go-
ing 1 of 13 from the arc
and had a one-point lead
EAGLES SEND OFF SENIORS
The Hebron Christian School basketball teams sent off their eight seniors in Fri-
day’s home varsity games against Columbus Christian Academy in Pheba. From the
boys teams, Dash Turman, Doug Loden, Jon Garrett Lowe, Chase Collum, Jackson
Langley and Braeden Triplett were honored. From the girls team, Paityn Fulgham
and Julie Moore were honored.
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
Minnesota center Liam Robbins (0) celebrates after scoring during the second half against the Michigan Wolver-
ines on Saturday at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
sure that didn’t happen on the dominator, the center-
our home court,” said the piece,” said Isaiah Livers,
7-foot Robbins, who made who had 11 points for the
three 3-pointers in the Wolverines. “Hunter’s a
second half and helped smart kid, though. Like
hound Dickinson — who everybody else on this
has already won the Big team, he’s resilient.”
Ten’s freshman of the Chaundee Brown Jr.
week award five times — scored 14 points for the
into five turnovers with Wolverines (11-1, 6-1),
only five shot attempts. who played without se-
Eric Curry chipped nior guard Eli Brooks due
in while Robbins was out to a foot injury from a re-
with first-half foul trou- cent practice.
ble and finished with six Their half-court flow
points and three steals constantly disrupted, the
to fluster Dickinson, who Wolverines never led.
had 28 points on 12-for-15 Third-leading scorer
shooting in the last game Franz Wagner went score-
against the Gophers. less in the first half. The
“He’s probably never Gophers had a 13-4 edge
been in that frustration in fast-break points, 23-9
spot. He’s always been in scoring off turnovers.
after Romello White’s after being given NCAA
basket in the opening clearance, followed his
seconds of the second 21-point debut against
half. But Fagan scored 13 Auburn with 14 points
points in a 24-8 run that against the Rebels, in-
left the Bulldogs (8-4, cluding four 3-pointers on
1-4) ahead 53-38 with 12 five attempts. Toumani
minutes remaining. Camara added 13 points.
Devonte Shuler led a
The Bulldogs shot 75% in
9-0 run with seven points
the second half and 59%
that got the Rebels with-
for the game.
in one with 1:27 to go but
Wheeler made four free Shuler had four
throws over the next min- 3-pointers and scored 24
ute and another by Justin points with eight assists
Kier provided the final and Jarkel Joiner added a
margin with five seconds career-high 22 points.
left. Ole Miss has lost three
K.D. Johnson, playing straight.
in only his second game SOURCE: AP
Courtesy of Rease Gairhan
Brown swished a cor-
ner 3-pointer to make it
41-35 with 13:58 left, but
Robbins and the Gophers
immediately took over af-
ter that without letting up.
“That was supposed to
be our run,” Livers said.
“They had a great game
plan. They were pre-
pared.”
Carr and company
kept attacking the basket
off the dribble down the
stretch, the most sound
strategy for a team that
entered the weekend sec-
ond in the country in free
throw attempts.
“Guys, I don’t know
how smart I am,” Pitino
told his team prior to the
game, “but if you’re dead
Harrison Barden/USA TODAY Sports
last in 3s, you should not
be first in attempts.”
Saturday, in the barn
The Gophers didn’t
play a single Saturday
home game in 2019-20.
This season, with no fans
able to buy tickets due to
COVID-19 restrictions,
five of their 10 conference
home games are on Satur-
days.
Minnesota’s four loss-
es have come by an aver-
age margin of 20 points,
all to Big Ten teams
ranked in the top 14 of
the latest poll and all away
from home.
Big picture
Michigan: Fresh from
their 77-54 thrashing of
No. 9 Wisconsin, a third
as many matchups with
ranked foes, the Wolver-
ines have been playing
like a Final Four team. At
some point in this load-
ed league, a setback was
bound to happen.
“This loss right here is
a loss that we’re going to
learn from,” coach Juwan
Howard said.
Minnesota: Through
the thick of their
front-loaded conference
schedule, the Gophers
have stacked up so many
quality wins that simply
landing an at-large NCAA
Tournament bid would be
a letdown.
No. 2 Baylor 68,
No. 15 Texas Tech 60
LUBBOCK, Texas —
Second-ranked Baylor
knows there will be more
games like this, instead
of all those double-digit
wins. The Bears got the
job done on the road.
Davion Mitchell had
19 points, Jared Butler fi-
nally scored late, and the
Bears stayed undefeated
when they overcame No.
15 Texas Tech 68-60 on
Saturday in their closest
game this season.
“It’s definitely a good
thing. It will build con-
fidence,” guard Adam
Flagler said.
Butler, the preseason
AP All-American com-
ing off a season-high 28
points in the last game,
was 0-for-9 shooting with
six turnovers before hit-
ting consecutive 3-point-
ers for the Bears (12-0,
5-0 Big 12) in the final five
minutes.
“One thing about Jared
Butler … when the game
is on the line, his game
goes to another level,”
coach Scott Drew said.
“His two 3s were huge.”
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 3B

PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

Heritage Academy falls to Bayou Academy in overtime

BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
The Heritage Academy
boys took Bayou Academy
to overtime in Saturday’s
home game but couldn’t
come away with a win.
The Patriots fell 52-50
after Whit Altmyer sent
the game to overtime with
a layup with 26.7 seconds
to go. Altmyer was fouled
but missed the free throw,
and the Colts couldn’t
score on their final pos-
session.
But Bayou Academy
grabbed the overtime win
Nenah Young had seven.
Noxubee County will
play at New Hope on Tues-
day.
West Lowndes will
host Noxapater on Tues-
day.
West Lowndes 70, Ethel
41, Friday
The West Lowndes
girls picked up a 70-41
home win over Ethel on
Friday in Columbus.
Tydajasha Hood scored
23 points for the Panthers,
and Averi Sanders had 14.
Noxubee County 49,
Academy (Ala.) 12, Friday
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.
— The Pickens Academy
(Alabama) girls picked up
a 51-12 road win at North
River Christian Academy
(Alabama) on Friday.
Kate Wilkins had 26
points, including 14 in the
first quarter, to lead the
Pirates.
Audrey Fondren, Lily
Lowery and Baylee Jaynes
each added six points.
Pickens will play at
Heritage Christian Acad-
emy (Ala.) on Tuesday in
Birmingham.
us Washington had five
points and five rebounds.
Grenada 59, West Point
41, Friday
GRENADA — The
West Point boys lost Fri-
day’s road game at Grena-
da, 59-41.
DJ Willis led the Green
Wave with 11 points, and
Rodricuz Collins had 10.
Elijah Young had six
Sudoku
points for the Green YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
Wave. Tallie Webber and
Steven Moore had four
each. Sudoku
Sudoku is a number-
placing puzzle based on
Yesterday’s answer
Sudoku
a 9x9 gridis witha several
num- 7 8 5 3 4 9 6 1 2
Starkville Academy 67, ber-placing
given numbers.puzzleThe object 4 3 1 2 6 7 5 8 9

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

in Columbus anyway. Houston 46, Friday Pontotoc 76, Caledonia Leake Academy 32, Friday based onthe
is to place a 9x9
numbers 9 2 6 8 1 5 3 4 7
Sam Hannon finished MACON — Lockett 14, Friday STARKVILLE — The grid
1 to 9with
in theseveral
empty spaces 1 4 7 6 9 8 2 3 5
with 15 points to lead hit the game-winning Grenada 42, West Point Starkville Academy boys given
so that numbers.
each row, eachThe 3 6 2 4 5 1 9 7 8
Heritage Academy. Mack 3-pointer as the Noxu- 35, Friday beat Leake Academy 67- object
column and each 3x3 the
is to place box
Howard had 12, and Alt- bee County girls held off 32 in Friday’s home game. 8 5 9 7 2 3 4 6 1
numbers
contains the1same to 9 number
in
myer had 10. Houston 49-46 in Friday’s Prep Boys Basket- Jawon Yarbrough and 5 9 3 1 7 6 8 2 4
the empty spaces so
The Heritage Academy home game. ball Jarius Jordan scored 14 only once. The difficulty 2 1 8 9 3 4 7 5 6
that each row, each
girls also suffered a home The freshman finished Heritage Academy 62, points each for the Vols. level increases from
column and each 6 7 4 5 8 2 1 9 3
loss to Bayou Academy on Monday
with 33 points to lead the East Rankin Academy 44, 3x3 boxtocontains
Sunday. Difficulty Level 1/15

Saturday, falling 41-31.
Lucy Sharp had 12
points for the Patriots,
and Chloe Boyd had 10.
Taylor Wheeler added six
points, and Kaicey Chit-
mon had three.
Heritage Academy is
back in action Tuesday at
Leake Academy in Mad-
den.
Other scores
Prep Girls Basket-
ball
East Rankin Academy
51, Heritage Academy 37,
Friday
PELAHATCHIE — Cavaliers with 22 points.
The Heritage Academy
girls lost to East Rankin
Academy on the road Fri-
day, 51-37.
Sharp had 24 points to
lead the Patriots. Boyd
had five, and Wheeler had
three.
Starkville 76, South Pa-
nola 51, Friday
STARKVILLE — Ama-
ya Ford scored 30 points
as the Starkville girls beat
South Panola 76-51 on Fri-
day in Starkville.
Jada Odneal added 21
points for the Yellow Jack-
ets.
Starkville will play
Tuesday at West Point.
Noxubee County 43,
West Lowndes 33
MACON — The Nox-
ubee County girls picked
up a 43-33 home win over
West Lowndes on Satur-
day in Macon.
Na’Kaiyla “Tootie”
Lockett led the Tigers
with 27 points and add-
ed 10 rebounds and four
steals.
Jakeia Walker had 10
points, six rebounds and
five assists.
For West Lowndes,
Tydajasha Hood led the
way with 12 points. Averi
Sanders had nine, and
PREP SOCCER ROUNDUP
Tigers. Shadiamin Wilk-
erson and Aaliyah Brandy
added six points apiece.
Leake Academy 51,
Starkville Academy 32,
Friday
STARKVILLE — The
Starkville Academy girls
lost 51-32 to powerhouse
Leake Academy in Fri-
day’s home game.
Fallon Parker scored
12 points for the Volun-
teers.
Starkville Academy
will play at Winston Acad-
emy on Tuesday.
Columbus Christian
Academy 59, Hebron
Christian 38, Friday
PHEBA — The Colum-
bus Christian Academy
girls beat Hebron Chris-
tian School 59-38 in Fri-
day’s rivalry game.
Faith Yeates led Co-
lumbus Christian with 14
points. Taylor Tipton had
13, and Audrey Foreman
had 12.
For Hebron, Elisha
Carter scored 14 points,
and Amber Wedel had 13.
Columbus Christian
will play Monday at Win-
ona Christian.
Hebron will host Kem-
per Academy on Tuesday.
Central Holmes Chris-
tian 75, Oak Hill Academy
43, Friday
WEST POINT — The
Oak Hill Academy girls
lost Friday’s home game
to Central Holmes Chris-
tian, 75-43.
Carley Wooten led the
Raiders with 14 points.
Morgan Dabbs scored
12, and Allie Comer had
eight.
Oak Hill’s next game is
Tuesday at home against
Carroll Academy.
Pickens Academy (Ala.)
51, North River Christian
Friday
PELAHATCHIE — Academy
The Heritage Academy
boys earned a 62-44 road
win at East Rankin Acad-
emy on Friday.
Jack Ketchum led the
Patriots with 15 points.
Whit Altmyer had 14, and
Drew Huskison had 11.
Pontotoc 90, Caledonia
46, Friday
PONTOTOC — The
Caledonia boys lost to
Pontotoc 90-46 in Friday’s
road game.
Jarvis Leigh led the
Jeremy Emerson and Is-
sac Grady had six apiece,
Tylen Simpson had five,
Ja’von Hopkins had four,
and Jeremiah Dumas had
three.
Caledonia’s next
game is Tuesday at home
against Shannon.
Starkville 110, South
Panola 41
STARKVILLE — The
Starkville boys had an
offensive explosion in
Friday’s 110-41 home win
over South Panola.
NyJal Johnson scored
21 points to lead the Yel-
low Jackets. Conner Rog-
ers had 17, Jarmarvious
Phillips had 16, and Kylan
Baggett had 15.
Starkville will face
Clinton at the Rumble in
the South — MLK Clas-
sic at 3:30 p.m. Monday at
Mississippi College.
West Lowndes 88, Ethel
51, Friday
The West Lowndes
boys routed Ethel 88-51 in
Friday’s home game.
Fred Rice Jr. had 21
points and 18 rebounds,
and Decamby Willis
had 21 points and 10 re-
bounds. Jaylon Sherrod
had 13 points and four
rebounds, and Taddari-
Columbus Christian the same number only once. The difficulty level
41, Hebron increases from Monday to Sunday.
Christian 40, Friday
PHEBA — The Colum-
bus Christian boys edged
Hebron Christian 41-40
on Friday in Pheba.
Joe Michael Edwards
had 19 points for the
Rams. Tyler Looney had
11, and Drake Shaw had
eight.
Dash Turman led He-
bron with 18 points.
Noxubee County 56,
Houston 54, Friday
MACON — Like the
Noxubee County girls
team, the Tigers’ boys
team got some late he-
roics to edge Houston at
home Friday.
Rafeal Harris had the
game-winning shot at the
buzzer as Noxubee Coun-
ty beat the Hilltoppers 56-
54 in Macon.
Pickens Academy (Ala.)
50, North River Christian
Academy (Ala.) 47, Friday
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.
— A clutch play from
Hayden Dyer led the Pick-
ens Academy (Alabama)
boys to a 50-47 win over
North River Christian
Academy (Alabama) in
Friday’s game in Tusca-
loosa.
With the Pirates trail-
ing 47-44 and 11.8 sec-
onds to go, Dyer knocked
down a 3-pointer and was ACROSS
fouled. He completed the 1 Commercial
four-point play to put Pick- award
ens in the lead.
5 Iron
Rafe Brown added two
10 Incurred, as
free throws with 0.3 sec-
onds to go to seal the win. debt
Brown led the Pirates 12 Enticed
with 20 points. 13 Jockey
Dyer scored 16 points, Arcaro
and Drake Lowery added 14 Corundum,
13. for one
15 Saloon quaff
Oak Hill Academy 37, 16 Author Tan
Central Holmes Christian 18 Draw
28, Friday 19 Threaten
21 Tea time
22 Use force on
24 Happen DOWN wildly
25 Lacking 1 White shade 21 Cab costs

New Hope boys, girls rout Columbus courage

29 Blacken
30 Follows
2 Soup servers
3 Paragraph
start
23 Naval officers
25 Riddle
question
BY THEO DEROSA Perrigin was the only Tro- 0, Friday the lone goal for the Yel- 32 Very popular 4 Arles assent 26 Relishes
tderosa@cdispatch.com jan with two goals. Trey Germantown 2, low Jackets. 33 Early hour 5 Stratagem 27 Land west of
Parnell, Jose Castillo, Starkville 0, Friday 34 Flock father 6 King, in Latin the Urals
The New Hope High Brant Smith, Cole Craw- Starkville Academy 8, 35 Moved 7 Book worker 28 Make numb
School boys and girls soc- ford and Christian Juarez Prep Boys Soccer Magnolia Heights 0, Fri- carefully 8 Salt base 29 Tawdry
cer teams picked up road each had one. New Hope 4, Grenada day 37 Mary’s TV pal 9 Snide expres- 31 Stylish
wins at Columbus High New Hope will play 0, Friday STARKVILLE — An- 39 Tickle sion 33 Lofty poems
School on Saturday. Tuesday at West Point. NEW HOPE — The drew Pollan had a hat 40 “Great!” 11 Showy bird 36 Jargon suffix
The Trojans girls beat New Hope boys beat Gre- trick as the Starkville 41 Singing voice, 17 “The Ameri- 38 Wheel part
the Falcons 7-1, while the Other scores nada 4-0 in Friday’s home Academy boys beat Mag- in slang can Language”
New Hope boys won their Prep Girls Soccer match. nolia Heights 8-0 in Fri- 42 Crooked writer
match 7-0. New Hope 2, Grenada Trey Parnell had all day’s home match.
For the girls, Nicole
20 Cheering
0, Friday four goals for the Trojans. Newt Thomas added
Padron led New Hope NEW HOPE — The two goals for the Vols.
with two goals. Chelsea New Hope girls beat Gre- Germantown 2, Grant Smith, Wilkes
Teague, Allie Sanford, Re- nada 2-0 in Friday’s home Starkville 1, Friday Stubbs and Hayden Par-
nee Dye, Anne Claire Na- match. STARKVILLE — The ish had one apiece.
bors and Angel Vaughn Bree Younger had both Starkville boys lost Fri- Starkville Academy
Harrison had one goal goals for the Trojans. day’s home match to Ger- plays Mag Heights again
each. mantown, 2-1. Tuesday in Senatobia.
For the boys, Caden Mooreville 1, Caledonia Dominique Bush had

Southern Miss beats
Middle Tennessee
HAT TIESBURG — Dishman added 12 points.
New Hope product Tyler
Stevenson and Tae Har-
dy each had 18 points as
Southern Miss beat Mid-
dle Tennessee 64-59 on
Saturday.
LaDavius Draine add-
ed 12 points for the Gold-
en Eagles (7-6, 3-3 Con-
ference USA).
Jalen Jordan had 14
points for the Blue Raid-
ers (3-7, 1-3). DeAndre
Jo’Vontae Millner-Criss
had 10 points.
The Golden Eagles im-
prove to 2-0 against the
Blue Raiders for the sea-
son. Southern Miss de-
feated Middle Tennessee
84-54 on Friday.
MUW men open season
with pair of losses to
Campbellsville–Somerset
The Mississippi Uni-
versity for Women men’s
basketball team lost its
first two games Friday
and Saturday against
Campbellsville Universi-
ty–Somerset (Kentucky)
in Columbus.
The Owls (0-2) fell 73-
61 to the Tigers on Satur-
day as Austin Taylor led
The W with seven points.
On Friday, MUW lost
90-76 as Brien Kimmons
had 20 points for the
Owls. Quintiyus Causey
added 14 points for The
W.
MUW will play at Bel-
haven University at 7:30
p.m. Feb. 1 in Jackson.
SOURCE: From
Special Reports
4B SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Softball
Continued from Page 1B
mendous in the collective
effort to return to com-
petition this year. We are
looking forward to provid-
ing our student athletes
the championship expe-
rience that comes along
with competing in the
Southeastern Conference
and are ready to start the
season.”
Mississippi State will
begin its “second season”
-- the SEC slate -- March
12 at Ole Miss in Oxford.
The Bulldogs will return
home to host Florida for
the first time since 2018
the following week.
MSU will alternate
home and road series for
the entirety of its confer-
ence schedule. The Bull-
dogs will travel to Arkan-
sas, Missouri and South
Carolina while hosting
Tennessee, Texas A&M
and Georgia. Their series
against the Razorbacks,
Gamecocks and fellow
Bulldogs will be the first
meetings between the
two teams since 2018.
All game times for
Mississippi State’s 24
SEC contests have yet to
be announced. Addition- May 15 in Tuscaloosa, Al- April 9-11: vs. Tennes-
ally, each of the confer- abama. see
ence’s teams will play one
April 16-18: at Missou-
series -- to be determined Mississippi State’s
-- that runs from Saturday ri
through Monday rather 2021 SEC schedule April 23-25: vs. Texas
than Friday through Sun- March 12-14: at Ole A&M
day. The Monday night Miss
April 30-May 2: at
game will be broadcast on March 19-21: vs. Flor-
ida South Carolina
the SEC Network.
The SEC tournament March 26-28: at Arkan- May 7-May 9: vs.
will run from May 12 to sas Georgia

Packers
Continued from Page 1B
yards. “It got me emo-
tional with the crowd out
there today.”
Rodgers threw a game appearances.
1-yard touchdown pass
to Davante Adams and a
game-clinching 58-yarder
to Allen Lazard with 6:52
left. Rodgers also had a
1-yard touchdown run, the
first by a Packers quarter-
back in a playoff game at
Lambeau Field since Bart
Starr’s winning sneak in
the Ice Bowl against Dal-
las on Dec. 31, 1967.
The Packers (14-3)
reached the NFC cham-
pionship game for the
fourth time in seven sea-
sons as they chase their
first Super Bowl berth in
a decade. It will be their
first NFC title contest
at Lambeau Field since
hosting for the 2007 sea-
son, when they fell to the
New York Giants 23-20 in
overtime.
Green Bay won the
Super Bowl for the 2010
season as the NFC’s No.
6 seed, and has lost at
Seattle, Atlanta and San
Francisco in its last three
conference championship
Saturday’s game
showed what a home-
field edge can mean. The
Packers played in front of
8,456 fans – a crowd that
included paying specta-
tors for the first time all
season – but that small
crowd made plenty of
noise as the Packers built
an early lead amid snow
flurries.
Rodgers said it felt
like there were 50,000
fans. Running back Aar-
on Jones said it seemed
more like 80,000, while
Lazard added that “it felt
like 90,000 honestly.”
That crowd chanted
“M! V! P!” during the
closing minutes to salute
Rodgers.
“It’s hard to really put
into words how special
that feeling is, but you
can feel it,” Rodgers said.
“It’s so palpable. You can
feel the energy in the sta-
dium. It’s just different.
It’s different playing in
front of a crowd. It’s a lit-
tle more special and obvi-
ously more sweet.”
Rodgers helped Green
Bay’s potent offense over-
power the Rams’ vaunted
defense for much of the
day. The Packers didn’t
allow any sacks despite
playing without injured
All-Pro left tackle David
Bakhtiari, while Green
Bay sacked Jared Goff
four times.
Jones ran for 99 yards
and a touchdown on just
14 carries, including a
60-yard burst to open
the second half. Rodgers
called the Packers’ offen-
sive linemen “the star of
the game tonight.”
“Definitely not happy,”
Rams defensive tackle
Michael Brockers said. “A
lot of the guys feel like it’s
on them. ‘I messed up, or
I failed you.’ Everybody
had their hand in it. We
just weren’t clicking on all
cylinders.”
Goff was 21 of 27 for
174 yards and a touch-
down less than three
weeks after undergoing
thumb surgery, and Cam
Akers rushed for 90 yards
and a touchdown.
The Packers scored on
each of their first five se-
ries and led 25-10 early in
the third quarter.
After the Rams (11-7)
finally forced a punt mid-
way through the third
quarter, they capitalized
with Akers’ 7-yard touch-
down run on a direct
snap. They cut it to 25-18
with a nifty 2-point con-
version: Van Jefferson
caught a pass from Goff
and lateraled to Akers,
who strolled into the left
corner of the end zone.
The Rams forced an-
other punt and got the
ball at their 6, but Kenny
Clark’s sack stalled the
drive.
“I really thought that
was going to be our
chance to get back and
potentially go drive and
score and tie the football
game up, and you never
know what happens from
there,” Rams coach Sean
McVay said.
Green Bay’s A.J. Dillon
fumbled on the ensuing
series, but Rodgers recov-
ered at the Packers 31 and
advanced 3 yards. Three
plays later, Rodgers hit
Lazard, who caught the
ball around the Rams 25
and raced into the end
zone.
“We were definitely
feeling a little bit of pres-
sure,” Lazard admitted.
”I think it’s more so just
our expectation is to go
out and score every single
drive because we know
that the only people that
are stopping us is us.”
Donald limited
DT Aaron Donald
played one week after a
rib injury knocked him
out of a 30-20 playoff vic-
tory at Seattle, but the
unanimous All-Pro selec-
tion clearly wasn’t himself
and had just one assist.
“This guy is the epito-
me of a warrior,” McVay
said. “I love him. The plan
going in was seeing how
he feels.”
Cameras showed Don-
ald in tears on the Rams’
sideline after the Packers
wrapped up the game.
Injury report
The Rams played
without leading receiver
Cooper Kupp (knee) and
usual starting left guard
David Edwards (ankle).
For Green Bay, Dillon
injured his quadriceps
when he fumbled.
Up next
The Rams’ season is
over.
The Packers host ei-
ther the New Orleans
Saints or Tampa Bay
Buccaneers on Jan. 24.

Preps
Continued from Page 1B
play, but coach Phillip
Morris was optimistic
about a turnaround.
“We’ve got a lot of time
until that district tourna-
ment,” he said. “We’ve
just got to find our way.”
The Falcons were a
ways from it Friday in
part due to a roster that
remains in flux. Ma-
lik Moore is now under
COVID-19 quarantine,
Ethan Conner just re-
turned from it, and star
Blake Burnett is not cur-
rently with the team.
Despite that, Colum-
bus hung around for near-
ly a half by executing its
two main keys: limiting
turnovers and stopping
a good-shooting New
Hope team from making
3-pointers.
But the Trojans
couldn’t be held in check
forever. A few minutes
after the Falcons, led by
junior Tre Dismuke with
six points, made a small
run to tie the game at 12-
12 going into the second
quarter, McBrayer issued
his players a directive.
“Stretch the lead out
and come in (to half-
time),” Caldwell recalled.
“We’re going to take them
out before they can get
their rhythm going.”
New Hope forced the
Falcons into a zone de-
fense — man-to-man is
Morris’ preferred scheme
— and scored seven
straight points to push
the score to 24-16 and
added six more after a
Columbus bucket. By the
half, it was 30-18, Trojans.
Columbus never threat-
ened again.
“That’s what killed it,”
Morris said. “It hurt us.”
McBrayer credited his
team’s play all around,
particularly in areas that
often go unnoticed on a
high-flying, high-scoring
Trojans team.
“I thought we did a
pretty good job on the
defensive end,” he said.
“I thought we did a pret-
ty good job of rebounding
the basketball, too.”
New Hope won for the
sixth straight game since
losing to Starkville, which
scored a whopping 110
points in Friday’s rout of
South Panola. McBrayer
said the Trojans have only
improved at sharing the
basketball despite limit-
ed time on the floor, and
they’re excited for what’s
to come.
“I feel like the more
we play with each other,
we’re going to continue
to gel and get even better,
so I look forward to that,”
Caldwell said.
Columbus girls 39, New
Hope 25
Myra King is used to
her Columbus teammates
going crazy whenever
someone makes a big shot
in practice.
On Friday night
against New Hope, the
junior guard got a chance
to relive that feeling in a
much more important sit-
uation.
Twice in quick suc-
cession during the third
quarter, King buried
critical 3-pointers from
the left corner — right in
front of her bench. Both
times, the Falcons’ re-
serves erupted in cheers
directly behind her.
“In the game, with ev-
erybody out there, it just
makes you feel great,” she
said.
Pair that reception
with the role King played
in helping the Falcons pull
away from the Trojans en
route to a 39-25 win that
avenged Columbus’ loss
to New Hope in last year’s
district championship.
“We let that one slip
last year, but I’m glad we
could get it back,” senior
guard DJ Jackson said.
The Falcons came into
Friday’s game more than
motivated to improve to
2-0 in district play and
help smooth over the 35-
34 upset loss to the Tro-
jans last year in Grenada,
a defeat that cost Colum-
bus a first-round bye in
the MHSAA Class 5A
playoffs. While the Fal-
cons went on to win their
first-ever state champion-
ship, the contest lingered
in their minds.
“They remember that
last year they beat us,
and we wanted to make
sure that they didn’t beat
us this year,” Columbus
coach Yvonne Hairston
said.
Trying to do just that,
the Falcons got in their
heads a little too much,
leading to an excess of
turnovers early on. Their
lead was just five points
after the first quarter and
nine at the half.
“I think we were a little
anxious,” Hairston said.
“We wanted to play really
good. We wanted to play
really hard.”
But Columbus quickly
made amends. To start
the third quarter, Jackson
made a 3, MaKhya Weath-
erspoon sank a midrange
shot, Charity Yeates split
a pair of free throws, and
King hit her first 3 of the
night.
“We’ve been working
on that shot, and she was
able to stick a couple of
them out there,” Hairston
said of King, who finished
with eight points. “She’s
been in the gym working
extra hard to make sure
that she’s finishing and
make sure that she’s help-
ing DJ out to be able to
shoot the ball.”
With King’s triple, the
score had gone from 19-10
to 28-10 in less than three
minutes. New Hope never
got much closer until the
closing minutes.
“The difference to-
night was they made
runs, and we never really
made a run,” New Hope
coach Nick Christy said.
“We were just chipping
away, and they would run
out there and get five in a
row.”
Christy said the Tro-
jans’ defense was im-
proved from a 40-34 loss
to Grenada on Tuesday
but acknowledged his
team has work to do on
the offensive end to com-
pete in games like Fri-
day’s low-scoring contest.
“Clearly, we want to
shoot the ball a lot bet-
ter than we did tonight,”
Christy said. “It makes
you work even harder on
defense when it feels like
there’s a lid on the rim,
because you’ve almost got
to be perfect on defense if
you can’t put it in.”
But New Hope wasn’t
perfect — neither was
Columbus, for that mat-
ter. Both Hairston and
Jackson pointed out that
the Falcons didn’t play at
their best Friday.
Part of that, they ac-
knowledged, is due to an
unusual schedule thanks
to the COVID-19 pandem-
ic. Friday’s game was just
the Falcons’ second con-
test in more than a month.
“It is tough because
we have to build our team
chemistry again,” Jack-
son said. “We have to get
our wind back under us.
We have to rebuild as a
team.
“But we find a way to
get it done.”

Dear Abby

D
EAR ABBY: My brother, who
lives 1,000 miles away, is
thinking of moving back
to our hometown to be around
family and “start over.” I love him.
He’s not a bad person, but he
was a terrible father. He is now
a widower, and he suffers from
depression.
The problem is, some of his
children and adult grandchildren
plan to move with him. The
“children” and their children are
felons, ex-cons, drug addicts, al-
coholics and thieves. My brother
is none of those things.
I am willing to welcome him,
but my husband and I want
nothing to do with his kids or
grandkids. I don’t trust them to be in my house. in your home. Say it kindly but firmly, and do not
There’s no way we will welcome them into our
family or do whatever it is they
expect of us to start a new life. I
don’t think it is our responsibility.
My children (their cousins) want
nothing to do with them, either.
How do I handle this? — STAND-
ING FIRM IN IOWA
DEAR STANDING: Before your
brother makes the move to your
community, ASK him what his
plans are regarding making a new
start. While you’re at it, inquire
about what his children and
grandchildren intend to do after
they arrive. Listen carefully to what
your brother has to say, then tell
Dear Abby him that, because of their criminal
history, you and your husband
cannot comfortably entertain them
allow yourself to be drawn into a debate about
it. From your description of them, it shouldn’t
come as a surprise.
DEAR ABBY: My husband of 21 years was
diagnosed with pancreatic cancer three years
ago. Our children are now adults. We had a
fabulous life, lots of laughter, lots of travel, lots
of friends. Then everything came to a screech-
ing halt, and the past seems a dream. I try to
remain optimistic, but his doctors have given us
more bad news. Today he is not in pain, and his
naps have slowed down. I work full-time, but he
had to retire.
With COVID, it’s hard to go anywhere with
him. How do I stop feeling guilty if after work
I want to go to a friend’s house for an hour or
two, or to dinner at an outdoor restaurant? Or
a drive to clear my head? I know I’ll soon be
wishing I could sit on the couch and watch TV
with him again, but lately, I just need to carve
out a small slice of time for me. — GUILTY IN
MASSACHUSETTS
DEAR GUILTY: Do not beat yourself up
for being human. When a beloved spouse is
terminally ill, it is extremely stressful for both
the patient and the caregiver. This is why it
is important for your own health to allow time
for yourself. How much time can vary from
individual to individual, but it must be enough
to rejuvenate.
Your husband needs you, but he also needs
you to be your best self so you can provide
physical and emotional support during this
important final chapter. If you were to talk about
this with him, I am sure he would tell you that I
am right. If you let your conscience guide you,
you won’t go wrong, and you will have fewer
regrets.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren,
also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded
by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear
Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440,
Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 17).
Happiness isn’t found so much as
created. This will be a year of making
things. Some of those “things” are
relationships. You used to think
bonds grew naturally, but now you’ll
take a more active role, seeing
relationships as opportunities for
delight, fun, mystery, drama and
meaningful belonging. Virgo and
Libra adore you. Your lucky numbers
are: 1, 30, 36, 16 and 25.
ARIES (March 21-April 19).
As you swing toward bliss, you’re
well aware of the nature of pendu-
lums. Don’t worry, there’s no fire in
heaven’s opposite, only stagnation,
which you’ve already proven you can
handle.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Of all
the assets you could leverage, the
ones most worth dealing in are the
assets that others lack. Note what’s
being exchanged, and pay even more
attention to what’s missing that you
could readily offer.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You
didn’t set out to imbue a detail with
significance, but it’s happened. The
meaningless symbol is now mean-
ingful, despite all intentions, and
should be treated as such to avoid
communicating the wrong message.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). The
venture itself matters far less than
the way it feels to be in an environ-
ment and engage with the group.
The thrills and connections that
come with an activity are what will
keep you coming back for more.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The
formerly agreed-upon deal has fallen
prey to what project managers call
“scope creep.” Adjustments made
now will avoid resentments formed
later.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You
enjoy embellishments as much as
the next person, but the truth really
matters to you today. You prefer to
tell it, seek it and accept it. As a
result, you’ll get about as much truth
as you want.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The
game changes. What used to be a
key element will take a supporting
role, and then gradually fade back
until it’s a relic. Someday, it will
become cool again. But for now,
forge ahead.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You
can contain your feelings however
you choose to, but it will be a lot
easier to do it after you’ve already
gotten to know their shape, size and
intensity. This is best done by feeling
them.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.
21). Should you hop on the bus or
stay on the curb? If you hop on the
bus, then you’ll learn new tools, get
frustrated, feel out of place and,
ultimately, go places.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19).
The focus is on compensation,
remuneration, justice, payback or
possibly revenge. In the case of that
last one, a stylish and in-your-face
version of success will be most
effective.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18).
While you can definitely appreci-
ate subtle, poetic value, there’s
something to be said for a good,
old-fashioned, easily measured
indicator that you’re getting more of
what you want. Today’s numbers will
please you.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20).
Your senses take in much more than
your mind will let into your con-
sciousness, and appropriately so.
The overwhelmed are not effective.
Ask your mind to let in more, and
you’ll eliminate a blind spot.
Classifieds
EMPLOYMENT
CALL US: 662-328-2424
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Religion
Whatever God did before, He can do it again
W
hatever us the way to go again. All we have to do is can rest assured God deliv- thou hast healed me.” (Psalm
God has before, and He can confess our sins to Him. “If ered us out of trouble before, 30:2) K JV
done in do it again. “ I will we confess our sins, he is and He can do it again. “He So be encouraged to-
our lives before, He instruct thee and faithful and just to forgive shall call upon me, and I will day and always remember:
can do it again if teach thee in the us our sins, and to cleanse us answer him: I will be with Whatever God did before, He
we ask Him to do it. way which thou from all unrighteousness.” (1 him in trouble; I will deliver has the power to do it again.
“If ye shall ask any shalt go: I will John 1:9) K JV him, and honour him.” (Psalm “Summon your power, God;
thing in my name, guide thee with Are you going through a 91:15) K JV show us your strength, our
I will do it.” (John mine eye.” (Psalm difficult situation right now? When we receive devastat-
God, as you have done be-
14:14) 32:8) K JV If so, you can have peace ing news from our doctor con-
fore.” (Psalm 68:28) NIV
We may be in Oftentimes, knowing that God worked out cerning our health, we can’t
the midst of mak- Minister Sherry Ivy is a
Sherry Ivy we find ourselves your situation for good before, give up or lose hope. We have
ing a life changing asking God to and He can do it again. “And to look back over our lives Minister of The New Provi-
decision, such as forgive us for the we know that in all things God and remember all the times dence M. B. Church (Healing
our job moving us to another same sins over and over again. works for the good of those God has healed us in the past. & Yoke Destroying Ministry)
state, whether to get married That’s when the devil will who love him, who have been That’s when our faith will kick in Macon Mississippi, under
and to whom, or what college come in and try to make us called according to his pur- in and we will start speaking the leadership of her husband,
we should attend. In moments think, if we sin again, God pose.” (Romans 8:28) NIV God healed me before, and He Pastor Willie J. Ivy Sr. You
such as these, we have to won’t forgive us. God forgave No matter what kind of can do it again. “O Lord my can contact her via email at
remember God instructed us before, and He can do it trouble we’re faced with, we God, I cried unto thee, and minsivy@yahoo.com

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

Churches likely have modified service types and hours. Please contact a church before attending a service due to changing COVID restrictions.

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

 RIENDSHIP BAPTIST — 125 Yorkville Rd. W. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and 6
F
p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. John Gainer, Pastor. 662-328-6024 or 662-328-3183

If you would like your church to be the featured church of the week,
submit a photo by emailing it to community@cdispatch.com.
Photos should be horizontal and high quality.
• RECYCLING SINCE 1956 •
Specializing in industrial accounts The Dispatch will publish photos at no charge as space permits.
662-328-8176 973 Island Rd. 1-800-759-8570

R Free Estimates
LER OO 1721 Hwy 45 N
EE FIN Licensed
& Insured Columbus, MS
W H INC. G ®

COMMERCIAL 662.848.0919
“A Family Business Since 1946” RESIDENTIAL Monday-Saturday 10am-8pm
662-328-3625 • 662-328-7612 In Style. In Reach. Sunday 1pm-5pm

Support Our Community Churches When Caring Counts... SHELTON’S TOWING, INC. TRINITY PLACE
by advertising here.
Call Beth, Mary Jane,
Since 1960 RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
or Luther to
24 Hour Towing Offering independent living apartments, personal
care/assisted living suites, and a skilled nursing home
schedule your ad. FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY 1024 Gardner Blvd. 300 Airline Road • Columbus, MS • 327-6716
328-2424 1131 Lehmberg Rd., Columbus • 662-328-1808 328-8277 “Our Bottom Line Is People”

Hunting • Fishing
Northeast Exterminating Working Or Stepping Out — We Have A Complete
Line Of Clothing For You And Your Family
If it Jimmy Linley • Richard Linley
LLC
Oktibbeha County Co-Op
crawls, Columbus
Check Out Our Boot & Cap Section
662-323-1742
call... 662-329-9992 201 Pollard Rd., Starkville

BRISLIN, INC. Insurance Services:

Young
Sales • Service • Installation Shelton Cleaners Personal
Auto Insurance Agency
Residential • Commercial • Industrial Home GEORGE F. YOUNG
Since 1956 3189 Hwy 45 N. • 328-5421 Commercial Office-662.570.1688
www.brislininc.com Final Expense Cell-662.251.3563
1702 6th St. N. • 328-5361 gfyoung08@gmail.com
4051 Military Road • 662-328-5814 1205 Gardner Blvd.,Columbus, MS

APAC-MISSISSIPPI, INC.
Michael Bogue & Employees
Lake Norris Rd. 328-6555

INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, INC The McBryde Family

Hwy. 45 Alt. N., West Point n 662-494-4344
www.hydrovaconline.com Hwy. 182, Starkville n 662-546-4201 1120 Gardner Blvd. • 328-5776

Jarrett’s Towing This ad space can be yours

Wrecker Service for only $10 per week.
5209 N. Hwy 182 E. • Columbus, MS 39702
329-2447 We unlock Telephone: 662-327-1467 Call today 328-2424
If no answer 251-2448 cars P.O. Box 1278 • 1616 7th Ave. S., Columbus, MS 39703 to schedule your ad.

If you need to change your church’s online listing or would like to add
your church information, call 328-2424 or email changes to tinap@cdispatch.com
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 7B

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8B SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

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