Established 1879 | Columbus, Mississippi

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Sunday | September 27, 2020

‘Legacy’ of pine plantations falls short of projections

While COVID, other factors boost lumber Bobby
Watkins
prices, timber prices remain flat for decades expects to
have his 100
acres of pine
BY SLIM SMITH plaining, though. cleared in a
ssmith@cdispatch.com Timber generally refers to few weeks.
unprocessed wood, most often Although the
For the uninitiated, it might standing trees, while lumber is final harvest
be assumed the terms “timber” usually thought of as wood that will produce
and “lumber” are interchange- has been cut to standard sizes only about a
able, different words to describe and sold commercially for con- Molpus Measells quarter of the
the same segment of the forestry struction use. revenue pro-
industry. said. “I’ve had trees and the ex- jected when
Right now, Watkins and Col-
Folks in the timber business, penses that go with that for 32 he planted
son are in the middle of clear-cut- the trees
men like Bobby Watkins of Aber- ting their remaining Southern years. Loggers will have those
32 years
deen and Dwight Colson of Cale- yellow pine, the wood used most trees and expenses for a day. The ago, he said
donia, probably wish that were often in the construction indus- sawmill will have them for a few he doesn’t
true right now. Russell Adams of try, marking the end of a 30-year days. The lumberyard will have regret his
Shuqualak, who is on the lumber investment for both men. them a week or so. The contrac- decision.
side of the industry, isn’t com- “Think of it this way,” Watkins See TIMBER, 3A Courtesy photo

RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE LCSD lets

students switch
from virtual
to in-person
learning mid-
semester
Administrators originally
told parents students
could not change learning
methods until January
BY ISABELLE ALTMAN
ialtman@cdispatch.com

Roughly 20 percent of
students who originally
signed up for virtual learn-
ing at Lowndes County
School District will be back
in their classrooms by Oct.
12, Superintendent Sam Al-
lison said Friday.
Though principals are Allison
still counting the number
of students whose parents opted to switch
learning methods mid-semester, Allison
Chris Parent/LSU Athletics
True to form, Mike Leach’s air raid offense took full effect Saturday at LSU, as K.J. Costello and the Bulldogs came said a “rough estimate” is about 200.
out firing. Costello had a school-record and Southeastern Conference-record 623 passing yards on a school-record “It’s not the easiest thing for us to
60 passing attempts. Mississippi State took down No. 6 LSU, the defending national champions, 44-34. See more regroup and decide, but we want to do
coverage on page 1B. See LCSD, 8A

Blackjack, Poor House roads receive state funding for construction

Construction
along Blackjack Blackjack receives funds to the project.
“We had put up some cash to do that,
Road started this
year after Oktib- $500,000 and Poor House but now we can take that and reallocate it
to do some other projects throughout the
beha County ob-
tained the neces- receives $1 million in bonds county,” said District 2 Supervisor Orlan-
do Trainer, whose district includes part of
sary easements
after much delay.
BY TESS VRBIN the Blackjack Road project area.
tvrbin@cdispatch.com The state Legislature passed a bill in
A Friday vote from
the board of su- July that included the 2020 Oktibbeha
pervisors accept- The long-delayed Blackjack Road re- County Road Improvement Fund, setting
ed $500,000 in pair project will receive its final portion aside $1 million in bonds for construction
bond money from of funding from the state after the Oktib- on West Poor House Road and $500,000
the state to com- beha County supervisors unanimously for Blackjack Road.
plete the project, voted to accept $500,000 in general ob- Work on the long-awaited Blackjack
and the board can ligation bonds at a special-call meeting Road project finally started this year af-
reallocate county Friday. ter the county received all the necessary
money it previous- The rebuilding and expanding a por- easements from Blackjack Road property
ly set aside for it, tion of Blackjack Road from Bardwell owners in late 2019. The county resorted
District 2 Super-
visor Orlando
Street west to Stone Boulevard has been to “quick take” legal action, similar to
Trainer said. in progress for several years, and the su- eminent domain, which would allow the
Tess Vrbin/Dispatch Staff pervisors had planned to direct county See ROADS, 8A

WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR INSIDE TODAY PUBLIC

Addison Boyd
Fourth grade, Heritage
1 Which player ranked second on the Saturday MEETINGS
“Sports Illustrated” Top 100 List of Oct. 2:
■ Art in the Park: The Starkville Board
NBA players in 2015?
2 What is the capital of the African Starkville Area Arts Coun- of Aldermen
country of Djibouti? cil presents this creative work session,
3 What “House” actor released a event for kids 9-noon at 10 a.m., City
rhythm and blues album called “Let J.L. King Memorial Park, Hall
Them Talk”? 400 N. Long St., Starkville. Oct. 5: Oktibbe-
4 What is the name of the U.K.’s na- Free art boxes for children
ha County Board
tional security intelligence agency? in Oktibbeha County.

83 Low 64 5 Which of these artists did not live at of Supervisors

meeting, Chan-
High the Yellow House in Arles, France —
A few showers Van Gogh, Gauguin or Monet? Oct. 8 cery Court-
house, 9 a.m.
Full forecast on ■ New date for Art
Answers, 5B Oct. 6:
page 3A. Walk: The Downtown
Starkville Board
Art Walk in Columbus
of Aldermen
scheduled for Thursday
INSIDE has been rescheduled for
meeting, 5:30
p.m., City Hall
Classifieds 5B Lifestyles 9A Oct. 8, 5:30-7:30 p.m.,
Comics 9,10B Obituaries 5A due to inclement weather
Crossword 5B Opinions 6A forecasts. 662-328-6305, Find out who was voted Best of
Dear Abby 8B Sports 1B 662-328-2787. the Triangle in today’s paper.

DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471

2A SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020
Trump taps ‘eminently qualified’
Barrett for Supreme Court
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — would have six Catholics
President Donald Trump
nominated Judge Amy
Coney Barrett to the Su-
preme Court on Saturday,
capping a dramatic re-
shaping of the federal judi-
ciary that will resonate for
a generation and that he Barrett
hopes will provide a need-
ed boost to his reelection effort.
Barrett, a former clerk to the late Jus-
tice Antonin Scalia, said she was “truly
humbled” by the nomination and quickly
aligned herself with Scalia’s conserva-
tive approach to the law, saying his “judi-
cial philosophy is mine, too.”
Barrett, 48, was joined in the Rose
Garden by her husband and seven chil-
dren. If confirmed by the Senate, she
would fill the seat vacated by liberal icon
Ruth Bader Ginsberg. It would be the
sharpest ideological swing since Clar-
ence Thomas replaced Justice Thurgood
Marshall nearly three decades ago.
She would be the sixth justice on the
nine-member court to be appointed by
a Republican president, and the third of
Trump’s first term in office.
Trump hailed Barrett as “a woman
of remarkable intellect and character,”
saying he had studied her record closely
before making the pick.
Republican senators are lining up for
a swift confirmation of Barrett ahead of
the Nov. 3 election, as they aim to lock in
conservative gains in the federal judicia-
ry before a potential transition of power.
Trump, meanwhile, is hoping the nomi-
nation will galvanize his supporters as
he looks to fend off Democrat Joe Biden.
For Trump, whose 2016 victory
hinged in large part on reluctant support
from white evangelicals on the promise
of filling Scalia’s seat with a conserva-
tive, the latest nomination in some ways
brings his first term full circle. Even
before Ginsburg’s death, Trump was
running on having confirmed in excess
of 200 federal judges, fulfilling a genera-
tional aim of conservative legal activists.
Trump joked that the confirmation
process ahead “should be easy” and
“extremely noncontroversial,” though
it is likely to be anything but. No court
nominee has been considered so close to
a presidential election before, with early
voting already underway. He encouraged
legislators to take up her nomination
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
If Barrett joins, Supreme Court
Roman Catholics account for a bit
more than 20 percent of the U.S. pop-
ulation, yet they are on track to hold
six of the Supreme Court’s nine seats
now that President Donald Trump
has nominated Amy Coney Barrett
to fill its vacancy.
It’s a striking development given
that the high court, for most of its
history, was almost entirely populat-
ed by white male Protestants. Cath-
olic academics and political analysts
offer several explanations for the
turnaround — related to Catholics’
educational traditions, their interest
in the law, and — in the case of Cath-
olic conservatives — an outlook that
has appealed to recent Republican
presidents filling judicial vacancies.
Barrett, a favorite of conservative
activists for her views on abortion
and other issues, will likely be an
ideological opposite of liberal icon
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Jewish
justice whose recent death created
the vacancy.
Margaret McGuinness, a profes-
sor of religion at La Salle University
in Philadelphia, noted that Sonia So-
tomayor is the only current Catholic
justice appointed by a Democrat. The
others — Chief Justice John Roberts,
Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and
Brett Kavanaugh and likely Barrett
— were appointed by Republicans.
“They were appointed because
they were conservative, not because
they were Catholic,” said McGuin-
ness. She said Republicans sought
nominees who’d be part of an effort
to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade
decision, which established a nation-
wide right to abortion.
SOURCE: AP
swiftly and asked Democrats to “refrain
from personal and partisan attacks.”
In 2016, Republicans blocked Pres-
ident Barack Obama’s nomination of
Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court
to fill the election-year vacancy, saying
voters should have a say in the lifetime
appointment. Senate Republicans say
they will move ahead this time, arguing
the circumstances are different now that
the White House and Senate are con-
trolled by the same party.

Timber
Continued from Page 1A
tor or carpenter will have
them a week. A home-
owner will have them for
50 years or so. The invest-
ment I made 32 years ago
became an economic mul-
tiplier.”
In a few weeks, Wat-
kins will have finished
clearing 100 acres of pine
on land once farmed by
his grandfather in Aber-
deen. Colson, meanwhile,
will have cleared 169
acres of pine that is part
of his farming operations
in Caledonia.
Both men expect to
make a profit from the
trees they planted about
30 years ago, but neither
will reap the bonanza cur-
rent lumber prices might
suggest.
Lumber prices have
soared — reaching an
all-time high of $984.80
per 1,000 board feet on
Sept. 14 before falling to
$578 as of Friday (still
27 percent higher than
five years ago). But tim-
ber prices — what people
like Watkins and Colson
are paid for their trees —
have remained flat over
the past 10 years.
In 2018, a Wall Street
Journal story focusing on
people who planted trees
in the 1980s and 1990s as
retirement investments
pronounced the strategy
a failure.
Watkins and Colson
say that’s an overstate-
ment.
Watkins, who has de-
grees in animal sciences,
agronomy and entomolo-
gy from Mississippi State
and spent 30 years in cor-
porate America in agricul-
tural chemical research,
said when he planted his
trees in 1989, the projec-
tions showed $400,000 in
future revenue. Today, he
expects $100,000 in reve-
nue when the last of those
trees is harvested.
It’s the same story for
Colson, who comes from
a long line of Caledonia
farmers.
“The projection back
then was I could expect
$3,500 per acre,” said Col-
son. “Today, it looks like
that number is going to be
Police seek suspects in drug store burglaries
DISPATCH STAFF REPORT
Columbus police are
seeking two suspects
from a pair of Friday
morning drug store bur-
glaries.
Robert’s Apothecary
on Fifth Street was bur-
glarized at approximate-
ly 4:30 a.m., according
to a police department
press release. Less than
an hour later, Southern
Drugs on Main Street
was burglarized by
suspects matching the
same description.
It appears the sus-
pects gained entrance
to both businesses
by throwing a brick
through a glass window
TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is Sunday, Sept.
27, the 271st day of 2020.
There are 95 days left in
the year.
Today’s Highlight
in History:
On September 27,
1964, the government
publicly released the
report of the Warren
Commission, which con-
cluded that Lee Harvey
Oswald had acted alone in
assassinating President
John F. Kennedy.
On this date:
In 1939, Warsaw,
Poland, surrendered after
weeks of resistance to
invading forces from Nazi
Germany and the Soviet
Union during World War
II.
SOURCE: AP
closer to $2,000 per acre.”
Timber vs. lumber
Why the disconnect
between farmers’ profits
and surging lumber pric-
es?
Few people are in a
position to better under-
stand that than Dick Mol-
pus.
The Molpus family has
been in the “tree busi-
ness” since 1905, when
Dick’s’ grandfather be-
gan growing, harvesting
and producing pine in
Neshoba County. Today,
Molpus Woodlands Group
is in the timber business,
acquiring and managing
more than 4 million acres
of woodland since its in-
ception for its investor
clients.
But when he was a
kid, Molpus’ family still
operated sawmills and
brought the finished
product to the lumber
market. Back then, the
Molpus family’s focus was
on housing starts, which
remain the primary driv-
er for lumber prices.
“I was the only 10-year-
old in Neshoba County
who could quote you the
housing starts numbers
for the month,” said Mol-
pus, 68.
To understand what’s
happening today, Molpus
goes back to the 1960s,
when a new harvesting
technique emerged.
Prior to then, a typical
pine stand was harvested
twice — younger trees
cut for pulpwood, which
at the time was producing
$20 to $25 per acre (today
it’s $2.50 per acre) and
older trees for building
materials, which is called
sawtimber.
“At that time, some-
thing called chip-n-saw
came along, which was a
mid-size cut that could be
used for smaller products
like two-by-fours,” Mol-
pus said. “That meant you
have three cuts instead of
just two. That made tree
farming more profitable.”
In the 1980s, experts
began recommending
converting marginal
farmland into pine for-
at each location. They
took “specific drugs”
and left each store with-
in two minutes, the press
release says.
One suspect was
wearing a black sweat-
Tell your child a bedtime story.
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
ests, igniting a boom in
timber production that
still has an impact today.
Another factor was
what was happening on
the lumber side of the
equation.
“In the ’70s, there were
probably 3,500 sawmills
in Mississippi,” Molpus
said. “I don’t know the ex-
act numbers, but I think
there are about 20 today.
We know what happens
when you get that few
people competing in a
glutted market. They can
control the prices.
“The price of the logs
coming from the land-
owners is about what it
was two years ago, which
was already seriously de-
pressed,” he added. As a
rule, Molpus said it costs
between $125 to $350 to
plant 600 trees on one
acre, depending on the
land’s condition.
Events shape the
industry
On the lumber side,
two major factors came
into play — the Great
Recession of 2008 and
COVID-19.
Mark Measells, a se-
nior associate at the Mis-
sissippi State University
Extension Service, said
the recession produced
something of a Darwin ef-
fect on the sawmill indus-
try — one that would also
have negative implica-
tions for timber growers.
“A lot of the sawmills
that didn’t survive were
older, family-owned saw-
mills,” Measells said.
“When the recession hit,
they couldn’t survive.
They were older opera-
tors with old equipment.”
Since then, sawmill
operations have become
far more sophisticated in
their technology.
“Sawmills now are
much more efficient,”
Measells said. “If you hav-
en’t been to a sawmill, it’s
pretty impressive. They
have computer-based la-
sers that can measure a
log and calculate exactly
how many two-by-fours,
two-by-sixes, two-by-12s
or whatever product it is
Courtesy photo
shirt with the letter “M”
on it and words that
“might be Mississippi,”
the release says. That
same suspect also wore
large black flip-flops and
leather work gloves. One
you’re making with the
least amount of waste.
That means they don’t
need as many trees to
produce the same amount
of product they did years
ago.”
What that has meant is
another factor contribut-
ing to the over-supply of
timber, Measells said.
“In the 1990s, timber
prices were about dou-
ble what they are now,”
Measells said. “Landown-
ers during and after the
recession started holding
off cutting their timber in
hopes that prices were go-
ing to go back up. That’s
called banking on the
stump, and it’s led to an-
other increase in the sup-
ply of trees that are out
there.”
COVID-19 had some-
thing of a yo-yo effect on
lumber prices.
It created a negative
impact initially as hous-
ing starts fell by 30 per-
cent in April.
But good news quickly
followed. First, housing
starts rebounded much
faster than projections.
Then another dynamic,
unaccounted for by fore-
casters, emerged.
“In March, every-
body was in quarantine,
and they started looking
around at their crappy
houses and thinking,
‘Maybe it’s time for a re-
model,’” Molpus said.
“The remodel was a
surprise,” said Adams,
who as a procurement
agent negotiates sales
suspect is tall and thin,
and both wore masks
and gloves, Police Chief
Fred Shelton said.
CPD provided sur-
veillance video from the
burglaries.
Anyone with infor-
mation on the incidents
should call Golden Tri-
angle Crimestoppers at
800-530-7151.
The Commercial Dispatch (USPS 142-320)
Published daily except Saturday.
Entered at the post office at Columbus, Mississippi.
Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, MS
POSTMASTER, Send address changes to:
The Commercial Dispatch, P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703
Published by Commercial Dispatch Publishing Company Inc.,
516 Main St., Columbus, MS 39703
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020
Courtesy of Mississippi State University Extension Service
with landowners for
Shuqualak Lumber Com-
pany. “I know at the store
I go to, you couldn’t hard-
ly get in the door in April.”
As demand for lumber
exceeded supply, lumber
prices soared.
Adams said that boom
has been a much-needed
boost to sawmills.
“Where are the profits
going? Some of it is com-
ing back to the sawmills,”
Adams said. “Things
were so depressed from
2008, 2009 and 2010 that
sawmills couldn’t do the
things they needed to do.
So now we’re finally able
to do some upgrades that
should have been done
back then. We’re generat-
ing capital that allows us
to do those things, even
with general maintenance
that should have been
done 10 years ago.”
More than an
investment
Even though their in-
vestments in timber ar-
en’t going to produce the
windfalls they had hoped
for 30 years ago, both
Watkins and Colson said
The Dispatch
Answers to common questions:
Phone: 662-328-2424
Website: cdispatch.com/help
Report a news tip: news@cdispatch.com
3A
they don’t regret their de-
cisions.
“It’s not just about the
business side for me,”
Watkins said. “I make my
living doing something
else. For me, trees are
relaxing. They are recre-
ation, a place for me and
my family to go and en-
joy.”
Colson takes a more
practical view.
“About a third of the
land that we had been
planting crops on was
marginal,” Colson said.
“We looked at it as a mat-
ter of planting pine there
as being the best use of
the land.”
Perhaps the greatest
testament to the growing
timber is this: Watkins is
69 years old. Colson is 73.
Once their land is
cleared, they’ll plant trees
again, beginning a new
30-year-cycle.
“I won’t be here to see
the end of it, of course,”
Colson said.
“It’s something for my
children and grandchil-
dren,” Watkins said.
It’s not just a business.
It’s a legacy.
SOLUNAR TABLE
The solunar period indicates
peak-feeding times for fish and game.
Sun. Mon.
Major 9:33p 10:24p
Minor 5:29p 6:06p
Major
Minor
9:59a
3:21a
10:48a
4:21a
Courtesy of Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
4A SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Tiny airborne particles may

pose a big coronavirus problem
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — At a University of
Maryland lab, people infected with the
new coronavirus take turns sitting in a
chair and putting their faces into the big
end of a large cone. They recite the al-
phabet and sing or just sit quietly for a
half hour. Sometimes they cough.
The cone sucks up everything that
comes out of their mouths and noses.
It’s part of a device called “Gesundheit
II” that is helping scientists study a big
question: Just how does the virus that
causes COVID-19 spread from one per-
son to another?
It clearly hitchhikes on small liquid
particles sprayed out by an infected per-
son. People expel particles while cough-
ing, sneezing, singing, shouting, talking
and even breathing. But the drops come
in a wide range of sizes, and scientists
are trying to pin down how risky the var-
ious kinds are.
The answer affects what we should
all be doing to avoid getting sick. That’s
why it was thrust into headlines a few
days ago when a U.S. health agency ap-
peared to have shifted its position on the
issue, but later said it had published new
language in error.
The recommendation to stay at least 6
feet (2 meters) apart — some authorities
cite about half that distance — is based
on the idea that larger particles fall to
the ground before they can travel very
far. They are like the droplets in a spritz
of a window cleaner, and they can infect
somebody by landing on their nose,
mouth or eyes, or maybe being inhaled.
But some scientists are now focusing
on tinier particles, the ones that spread
more like cigarette smoke. Those are
carried by wisps of air and even upward
drafts caused by the warmth of our bod-
ies. They can linger in the air for min-
utes to hours, spreading throughout a
room and build up if ventilation is poor.
The potential risk comes from inhal-
ing them. Measles can spread this way,
but the new coronavirus is far less conta-
gious than that.
For these particles, called aerosols, “6
feet is not a magic distance,’’ says Linsey
Marr, a leading researcher who is study-
ing them at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.
But she says it’s still important to keep
one’s distance from others, “the farther
the better,” because aerosols are most
concentrated near a source and pose a
bigger risk at close range.
Public health agencies have generally
focused on the larger particles for coro-
navirus. That prompted more than 200
other scientists to publish a plea in July
to pay attention to the potential risk from
aerosols. The World Health Organiza-
tion, which had long dismissed a danger
from aerosols except in the case of cer-
tain medical procedures, later said that
aerosol transmission of the coronavirus
can’t be ruled out in cases of infection
within crowded and poorly ventilated in-
door spaces.

AROUND THE WORLD

Scores arrested
in protest against
Belarus’ president
KYIV, Ukraine —
Hundreds of women call-
ing for the authoritarian
president to step down
protested in Belarus’ cap-
ital on Saturday, continu-
ing the large demonstra-
tions that have rocked
the country since early
August.
Police blocked off the
center of Minsk and ar-
rested more than 80 dem-
onstrators, according to
the Viasna human rights
organization. Some of
those arrested were
chased down by police
in building courtyards
where they were trying to
take refuge, Viasna said.
Protests, by far the
largest and most per-
sistent in Belarus since
independence from the
Soviet Union in 1991, be-
gan Aug. 9 after an elec-
tion that officials said
gave President Alexander
Lukashenko a sixth term
in office.
Opponents and some
poll workers say the re-
sults, in which Lukashen-
ko was tallied with 80%
support, were manipulat-
ed.
Despite wide-scale de-
tentions of demonstrators
and the arrest of many
prominent opposition
figures, the protests hav-
en’t shown signs of abat-
ing. Lukashenko further
angered opponents this
week by taking the oath
of office for a new term in
an unexpected ceremony.
Protesters on Satur-
day carried placards de-
nouncing him as “the se-
cret president.”
SOURCE: AP
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 5A

AREA OBITUARIES
in Winchester, Ken- Mary Hellen Delivo- in Lamar County, Ala-
Nell Lyon
LeKishanna Rambus tucky, to the late Harry rias; parents, George bama, to the late Clevis
Nell Parker Baine Lyon, 84, of Starkville, MS
WEST POINT — went to be with her Lord and Savior Wednesday,
LeKishanna Rambus, McCord Scrivener and Peter Delivorias and Edgeworth and Ollie
September 23, 2020 following a brief illness.
41, died Sept. 18, 2020, Mary Eliza Martin Pauline Phillips Delivo- Vaudeen Poore. She
She is preceded in death by her parents Harvey
at her residence. Scrivener. She was a rias Hudson. was a 1953 graduate of
and Sara Baine, her husband Lester Love Lyon, a
A graveside service member of First Bap- He is survived by his Hamilton High School
brother Harvey Baine III and sisters Becky Rigby
will be held at 11 a.m. tist Church. son, Bradley Delivorias and worked at Detroit
and Trisha Moore
Tuesday, at Pool’s Me- In addition to her of Starkville; sister, Slacks and as a child- She is survived by her four children: Leslie
morial Gardens, with parents, she was pre- Judi Delivorias Beck of care provider. She was Ertel (Mark) of Jacksonville, Fla., Parker Lyon
the Rev. James Richard- ceded in death by her McLean, Virginia; and a member of Detroit (Nancy) of Naples, Fla., Sara Love Brown (Brett)
son officiating. Burial husband, Leon Clayton two grandsons. Church of Christ. of Columbus, Miss. and Paul Lyon (Lane) of
will follow. Visitation McWilliams Jr.; sister, In addition to her Greenwood, Miss.; 12 grandchildren: Elliot
will be from 10:30-11 Sue Scrivener Johnson; Betty McCracken parents, she was (Brittany) and Evan Ertel, Lawson (Sarah) &
a.m. prior to services at and brother, Harry DETROIT, Ala. — ­ preceded in death by Amanda Lyon, Lyon Brown (Shelby), Hunter
the cemetery. Carter’s McCord Scrivener Jr. Betty Jo McCracken, her husband, Wilford Brown (Alayne), Lauren Mills (Peter) and
Mortuary Services of She is survived by 85, died Sept. 24, 2020, Eugene McCracken; Walker Brown; Gaston (fiancé Katy), Callie Lane,
West Point is in charge her sons, Leon Clayton at North Mississippi and one grandson. Smith and Julia Love Lyon. 1 Great Grandchild:
of arrangements. “Clay” McWilliams III, Medical Center-Tupelo. She is survived by Levi Lawson Lyon. Her grandsons will serve as
Ms. Rambus was John Gordon McWil- Services are 2 her daughter, Ka- pallbearers.
born Oct. 14, 1978, in liams, and Harry p.m. today at Detroit trina Kell of Detroit, She was born and raised and lived most of her
West Point, to the late Thomas McWilliams; Church of Christ Alabama; two grand- life in Tchula, MS. Many also knew her as “Bargo”.
Press Adams Jr. and daughter, Cathy Ann with Ricky McGee daughters, one special Nell Parker was a strong Christian woman and a
Dinah Rambus. She McWilliams Kerr; five and Rodney Devorick grandson and six lifelong devout Presbyterian church member. She
was formerly employed grandchildren; and officiating. Burial will great-grandchildren. had a servant’s heart and was a faithful friend to
as a cashier with Dollar seven great-grandchil- follow at Wesley Chap- Pallbearers are so many. Family was very important to her and
Tree. dren. el Cemetery. Visitation Gatson Hollis, Xavier she was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.
In addition to her Memorials may be was Saturday at Otts Chaney, Casey Hollis, Following the death of her beloved husband
parents, she was pre- made to the Lottie Funeral Home in Sulli- Scott Collier, Mark Lester, she moved to Starkville in 1997. The next
ceded in death by her Moon Foundation at gent, Alabama. Collier, Raun Collier, 23 years of her life were filled with special care
brother, Robert Adams. First Baptist Church, Ms. McCracken was Caleb Collier and Rick and loving support for her grandchildren. She
She is survived by 106 E. Lampkin St., born on April 26, 1935, Strawbridge. loved watching them play sports at every level.
her son, De’Marquez Starkville, MS 39739. She also valued living close to many of them
Haughton; daughter, while they attended Mississippi State University.
Di’Nah Haughton; Martha Fortner Her spirited nature, laugh and smile earned
brothers, Kelvin COLUMBUS —Mar- her lots of new friends young and old. She often
Rambus and Richard tha Ann Fortner, 81, hosted times filled with playing games. Her
Adams; and sisters, Ki- died Sept. 26, 2020, at hospitality led college students who were friends
ara Rambus and Brenda Baptist Memorial Hos- of her grandchildren to consider her a second
Sykes. pital-Golden Triangle. Grandmother. Nell spent numerous years as an
Arrangements are avid MSU Bulldog fan, most notably attending
incomplete and will be baseball games at Dudy Noble Field. Her display
LaShonda Washington announced by Memori-
WEST POINT — of love and support for family and friends will be
al Gunter Peel Funeral a cherished memory for years to come.
LaShonda Pleshette
Home and Crematory, Friends and family are welcome to attend
Washington, 43, died
Second Avenue North the visitation and graveside service on Monday,
Sept. 20, 2020, at her
location. September 28 beginning at 10:30 AM at Pinecrest
residence.
A graveside service Cemetery in Tchula, Mississippi.
will be held at 11 a.m. Louise Hill Memorials can be made to: Pinecrest
Monday, at West Point Louise Hill, 86, Cemetery % Bruce Edwards P.O. Box 417 Tchula,
Memorial Gardens, died Sept. 26, 2020, Ms. 39169 or Tchula Presbyterian Church or
with the Rev. Randy at North Mississippi Grace Presbyterian Church-Starkville.
L. Conley Jr. officiat- Medical Center. Southern Funeral Home in Lexington is in
ing. Burial will follow. Arrangements are charge of the arrangements.
Visitation will be from incomplete and will be Paid Obituary - Southern Funeral Home
10:30-11 a.m. prior to announced by Lown-
services at the ceme- des Funeral Home of

Oscar Burris, Jr.

tery. Carter’s Mortuary Columbus.
Services of West Point
is in charge of arrange- Philip Delivorias Thomas Oscar Burris, Jr., a native of Colum-
ments. STARKVILLE ­—
bus, MS, and a long time resident of Jackson died
Ms. Washington Philip Delivorias, 74,
on September 23, 2020, at age 98, two weeks shy
was born July 6, 1977, died Sept. 24, 202, at
of his 99th birthday. Graveside services will
in Clay County, to his residence.
be Saturday, September 26, 2020, at 2:00 PM at
Charles E. Washington A family graveside
Friendship Cemetery in Columbus, MS, with
and Joyce L. Washing- service will be held
Rev. Todd Matocha officiating. A memorial ser-
ton. She was formerly 11 a.m. Wednesday at
vice will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2020, at
employed in the retail Memorial Garden Park
10:00 AM at First Presbyterian Church of Jack-
industry. Cemetery in Starkville
son, MS. Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home
In addition to her with the Rev. Jim Ge-
& Crematory 903 College St. location of Colum-
parents, she is survived nesse officiating.
bus, MS, is in charge of arrangements.
by her son, Kelten Cha- Mr. Delivorias
Oscar graduated from Lee High School in
var Washington; daugh- was an instructor for
Columbus and later from Vanderbilt University
ters, Kailee A’Yanna the Mississippi Law
where he was a member of the track, cross-coun-
Washington, Kinsley Enforcement Academy
try and wrestling teams. He later received a
Jordyn Washington and later retired from
law degree from the University of Virginia and
Edwards, and Kharlii Galloway, Chandler,
a Master in Business from Harvard. He would
Kaimana Glover; and McKinney Insurance
gladly with minimal encouragement, after a few
brother, Parren Chavar in Starkville. He was a

Washington. member of First Unit-
ed Methodist Church
Mijah-Dior Carter in Starkville.
COLUMBUS —
Baby Mijah-Dior Alvi- in death by his wife,
ana Carter, 4 months,
died Sept. 12, 2020, in
Jackson.
A graveside service
was held at 1 p.m.
Saturday,
at Union
Cemetery.
Burial will
follow.
Hair-
ston and
Hairston Carter
Funeral
Home of Columbus is
in charge of arrange-
ments.
Baby Carter was
born April 20, 2020,
in Columbus, to Alys-
sa Smith and Virgil
Carter.
In addition to her
parents, she is sur-
vived by her siblings,
Rodriquez Morris and
Joyia Baldwin.
Ann McWilliams
STARKVILLE —
Ann Scrivener McWil-
liams, 97, died Sept. 23,
2020.
A memorial service
will be held at 3 p.m.
today, at First Baptist
Church. A family burial
will be held at 2 p.m.
prior to services at
Oddfellows Cemetery.
Welch Funeral Home of
Starkville is in charge
of arrangements.
Mrs. McWilliams
was born Sept. 6, 1923,
He was preceded
Donnie Parker
Visitation
Sunday, Sept. 27 • 12-1:30 PM
Memorial Gunter &
Peel Funeral Home,
College Street Location
Graveside Services:
Sunday, Sept. 27 • 2:30 PM
Love Joy Church Cemetery
College St. Location
memorialgunterpeel.com
Debra Morgan
Debra “Debbie” Wolfe
Morgan passed away on
September 24, 2020 at the
age of 63. She was a devoted
mother of five and a much
beloved grandmother of eight
grandchildren. She was a
nurturer of both beautiful
flowers and of bright young
minds, having worked in
childcare for most of her career. Debbie loved
to tend her garden, especially with her mother,
Frances. Her loss leaves a tremendous void,
but her presence in so many lives has left an
indelible legacy, living on in her children and her
grandchildren whom she loved with her entire
heart.
She is preceded in death by her father, Charles
Eldon Wolfe. She is survived by her mother,
Frances Wolfe; her husband James S Morgan II;
her children, Brad English, Stacey McDonald,
James S Morgan III, Dr. Timothy Morgan, D.O.,
and Lauren Hollis; her grandchildren, Madeline,
Carami, Peyton, Connor McDonald, Harper
Morgan, Rowdy Morgan, Adalynn Hollis, and
Charleigh Grace Hollis.
Visitation is scheduled for Sunday, September
27, 2020 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at New Horizons
Christian Fellowship Church, with the memorial
service immediately following for family and
close friends.
You can leave the family a condolence at: www.
welchfuneralhomes.com.
Paid Obituary - Welch Funeral Home
glasses of wine, execute the Harvard cheer. He
proudly served in the U. S. Navy in WWII as an
officer on a destroyer escort in both the Atlantic
and Pacific theaters.
Oscar also served as an officer with the Lamar
Life Insurance Company in Jackson for most of
his professional life and also served on the Board
of Directors of Irby Construction Company and
the Stuart C. Irby Companies for over 30 years.
Oscar was a member of the First Presbyterian
Church of Jackson and served as a deacon for
over 25 years.
He was a long time runner which he truly en-
joyed and was a member of the Mississippi Senior
Olympics Hall of Fame and at one time held sev-
en Senior Gold Medals for different age groups.
He was an active and hugely successful member
of the Mississippi Track Club and participated in
numerous races throughout the southeast. In
the opinion of the esteem members of the Poco-
hontas Drinking, Debating and Trotting Society
of which he was a founding member, Oscar was
without equal in so many ways, a genteel man
with which all were honored to share his compa-
ny. He was kind, generous, modest and a joy to
be around.
Oscar was predeceased by his wife, Cleo Por-
ter Burris, step-son, Daniel James “Danny” Hen-
ley, and his beloved sister, Virginia Burris Boyd
Bonner, his niece, Virginia Montague “Monty”
Boyd Hatcher, and his great niece, Emily Eliz-
abeth Swanner. He is survived by his nephew,
William “Craddock” Boyd, Jr. and his nieces,
Mary Thomas “Tee” Pittman (Terre), Rebecca
Stuart “Becky” Boyd, and great nieces and neph-
ews, William Craddock “Bill” Boyd, III, Keylon
Thomas “Key” Pittman (Camille), Coby Terrell
Pittman, Campton Stuart Pittman, Mary Virgin-
ia “Jenny” Carroll (Blake), and Forrest Chandler
Hatcher.
Sign the online guest book at
www.memorialgunterpeel.com
716 Second Avenue North • Columbus, MS
cdispatch.com
Opinion
6A SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020
PETER BIRNEY IMES Editor/Publisher
BIRNEY IMES III Editor/Publisher 1998-2018
BIRNEY IMES JR. Editor/Publisher 1947-2003

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

ZACK PLAIR, Managing Editor

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

PARTIAL TO HOME
A deadly silence
W
ere he
Catholic,
chances
are Jimmy Carter,
who turns 96 later
this week, would
be destined for
sainthood. Since
his 1980 defeat by
Ronald Reagan in
his bid for a second
term as president,
Carter, with his Birney Imes
wife Rosalyn, has
devoted himself to humanitari-
an causes.
Through the Atlanta-based
Carter Center, he has worked
to ensure fair elections in
fledgling democracies and
established food programs and rageous Mississippi newspaper
developed health initiatives in
third-world countries. For his
efforts he received the 2002
Nobel Peace Prize.
The Carters, too, have been
high-profile advocates for Hab- disciples in Mark: ”A prophet
itat for Humanity, the world’s
largest non-profit of builder for
housing for the poor.
Yet a recent piece in the
Wall Street Journal by Jona-
than Alter titled “When Jimmy
Carter Was Silent on Civil
Rights” illustrates how rare
and difficult it was for even the
most enlightened white South-
erners — especially those
with businesses or
political aspirations
— to advocate for
integration and ra-
cial equality in the
1950s and 60s.
Here in Missis-
sippi, such activities
by whites were a
surefire way to have
a cross burned in
your yard, or worse.
Local white voices
for racial justice
were few during that time.
An excellent paper avail-
able online by University of
Southern Mississippi commu-
nications prof David Davies
recounts the stories of five cou-
editors who challenged the
often violent racism prevalent
throughout the state.
Those few were the “proph-
ets” Jesus spoke about to his
is without honor only in his
hometown, among his rela-
tives, and in his own house-
hold.”
Three won Pulitzer Prizes
for editorial writing: Hodding
Carter Jr. of the Greenville Del-
ta Democrat-Times (1946), Ira
B. Harkey, Jr., of the Pascagou-
la Chronicle (1963) and Hazel
Brannon Smith of the Lexing-
ton Advertiser (1964).
J. Oliver Emmerich Jr. of
the McComb Enterprise-Jour-
nal and P.D. East of the Petal
Paper also took courageous
stands during those horrific
times.
It wasn’t until he became
governor of Georgia in 1971
did Carter become a vocal pro-
ponent for racial justice.
As Alter’s article notes,
Carter’s father was a white su-
premacist, his mother a nurse,
who took her young son to
black churches and with her to
the homes of black sharecrop-
pers, who she treated for free.
Most of Carter’s childhood
playmates were black.
At the Naval Academy, Car-
ter defended a black cadet from
hazing and later, as a naval
officer, refused to attend social
functions where his black ship-
mates were not invited.
Carter’s father was appalled
by his son’s liberal stand on
race, and, as Alter notes, their
relationship grew distant.
When Earl Carter died in
1953, Jimmy returned to Plains
to take over the peanut busi-
ness and assume his father’s
place on the county school
board. In doing so, he assumed
his father’s attitude toward
race, at least outwardly.
To have done different
would have been detrimental to
the family business and nulli-
fied any political aspirations he
might have had.
Jimmy Carter became the
person Martin Luther King Jr.
was referring to in his Letter
from the Birmingham Jail: “the
Negro’s great stumbling block
in the stride toward freedom
is not” the Ku Klux Klan, “but
the white moderate, who is
more devoted to ‘order’ than to
justice; who prefers a negative
peace which is the absence
of tension to a positive peace
which is the presence of justice
…”
As a Georgia state senator
representing a deeply conser-
vative district, Carter hewed
to the status quo. Had he done
otherwise, “it would have been
the end of my political career,”
he told Alter.
“Pay no intention to what
I say,” Carter told civil rights
lawyer Vernon Jordan during
his 1970 campaign for gover-
nor — Carter had lost a 1966
bid for governor to segrega-
tionist Lester Maddox — “just
watch what I do (as governor).”
On the last day of his cam-
paign, Carter asked his pilot,
David Rabhan, a wealthy lib-
eral, how he might repay him
for his support and for flying
him around the state. Rabhan,
whose friendship with Carter
is speculated to be the reason
he would later spend 11 years
in an Iranian prison without
being charged, picked up a
flight map, the nearest scrap of
paper, and wrote with a pencil,
“The time for racial discrimi-
nation is over.”
Carter used the line verba-
tim in his inaugural speech.
Several of his former senate
colleagues walked out in
protest. Soon Carter was on
the cover of Time magazine
and gonzo journalist Hunter
Thompson was urging him to
run for president.
Alter’s piece in the WSJ, the
source for much of this col-
umn, was adapted from a book
he is writing on Carter. He
ends the WSJ article with the
following paragraph.
Mr. Carter has never ad-
mitted to spending the second
half of his life atoning for the
failures of his first. But this
year, after the killing of George
Floyd, he said that he had
learned in his travels around
the world that “silence can be
as deadly as violence.”
Birney Imes (birney@
cdispatch.com) is the former
publisher of The Dispatch.

OUR VIEW

Roses and thorns

A rose to the Colum-
bus Arts Council, with its
partners The Columbus
Exchange Club, Junior
Auxiliary and private donors,
for providing $10,000 in art
supplies, enough to provide crayons, colored
pencils, scissors, glue and more to every
elementary student at in the Columbus Mu-
nicipal School District as well as the students
at West Lowndes Elementary in Lowndes
County School District. At a time when
COVID-19 has us uncertain about sharing
supplies at school, access to art supplies was
a concern. The CAC and its partners stepped
up for the children in a big, big way. For CAC
Director Jan Miller, the campaign represents
a way to continue its work and mission. “Our
goal has always been to provide art and
music to our community,” Miller said. “Now
we’re just doing it in a different way.”

A rose to candidates Lynn

Wright, David Chism, Bart
Williams and Joyce Meek
Yates, all of whom have
advanced to runoff elections
for seats in the Mississippi
Legislature after Tuesday’s special elections.
Wright, who narrowly missed out on winning
It’s not about principles
“Those are my princi- presidency and Senate are nothing as much as Supreme Court
ples, and if you don’t like held by different parties. nominations. And both sides have in-
them, I have others.” But why does the party flicted and suffered wounds. But this
— Groucho Marx composition of the Senate is beyond hypocrisy. Republicans sat
matter, as a principle? on President Obama’s nomination of

the House District 37 outright, now meets
second-place finisher Chism in the runoff.
In the District 15 Senate election, Williams
leads the way with Yates finishing second.
Both runoffs will be held Oct. 13. We also
congratulate the other candidates who did
not advance —­­­ Vicky Rose in District 37 and
Bricklee Miller and Levon Murphy Jr. in
District 15 —
­ for their efforts. We encourage
voters in these districts to go to the polls on
Oct. 13 to choose who will represent them in
Jackson.
A rose to high school stu-
dents Amy Zhang (MSMS),
Christian Dunne and April
Guo-Yue (Starkville High
School) and Zion Johnson
(Columbus High School)
who have been chosen to represent students’
views by the State Board of Education.
Zhang and her alternate, Dunne, are on the
board as non-voting members while Guo-
Yue and Johnson will be a part of the board’s
student advisory committee. We congratu-
late these students for the service they will
perform on behalf of their fellow students.
A rose to a student-led
campaign at Columbus High
School to register all stu-
dents of voting age to vote
before the Oct. 5 deadline.
The student group, with the
support of the Lowndes County NAACP,
held a three-week voter registration drive
at the school in a bid to register the 125 stu-
dents who will be 18 by the Nov. 3 election.
We encourage all high schools to make a
similar effort. Not only is voting a right, it is
a civic responsibility. The earlier our young
people engage in our government through
the election process, the more likely it is they
will continue to play their roles —
­ as voters,
and perhaps someday, candidates as well.
S
enator Mitch Mc- McConnell seems to be Merrick Garland for the better part of
Connell, seeking saying that because Re- a year. To reverse themselves now is
a new fig leaf to publicans gained Senate not just to be hypocrites but to make
disguise the spectacle of seats in 2018, the people fools of those who accepted their
hypocrisy that Republicans have given them a popular explanation four years ago. There are
are presenting regarding mandate to do the presi- times — or there ought to be — when
the “advice and consent” dent’s bidding. you’ve boxed yourself in. Sauce for the
clause, is sputtering that Mona Charen Is that the new princi- goose is sauce for the gander. If not,
there really is a principle ple? Because if so, it’s a you invite chaos. If no one’s word can
involved and there is no inconsistency. flimsy one. be trusted, not even a little bit, every-
In order to reach that conclusion, you It’s true that the Republicans thing comes down to force.
must contort yourself into a pretzel, so gained two Senate seats in 2018, but Republicans object that they are
limber up. it’s also true that they lost one in 2017, only doing what Democrats would
McConnell argues that people mis- in Alabama. Are they basing their surely do if the shoe were on the other
construe the principles he enunciated mandate on a net gain of one? That’s foot. While that might be true, it’s a
in 2016. It wasn’t that a Supreme Court the vox populi? It’s a stretch to distill guess. The shoe is where it is, and the
vacancy should not be filled in the popular mandates out of Senate races responsibility falls on Republicans not
final year of a president’s term. No, as when only one-third of the body is to blow up the process.
he explained in 2019 when asked what up for reelection every two years. If Republicans are choosing to set
he would do in the event of a 2020 we’re talking about the voice of the fire to their credibility and push the
vacancy, “I’d also remind everybody people being dispositive, what about polarization accelerator to the floor
... (that) the Senate is of the same the other 2018 races? What about the just when the nation most needs to
party as the president of the United 41 House seats and the 350 legislative back away from shattering provoca-
States. And in that situation we would seats the Democrats flipped? That tions.
confirm.” suggests something about the national Republicans are sensitive to the
The McConnell of 2019 should mood, no? demands of their constituents, some
talk to the McConnell of 2016. Justice There’s another problem with of whom are eager to seize the mo-
Antonin Scalia died on Feb. 13, 2016. McConnell’s logic. How long does the ment. But wise Republicans should
Here’s what McConnell and Chuck mandate last? In February and March pause to consider that Democrats
Grassley wrote five days later: “Rarely of 2016, he stressed again and again have constituents, too, and they will
does a Supreme Court vacancy occur that the voice of the people that mat- be outraged and radicalized by a
in the final year of a presidential term, tered was the upcoming one — the preelection confirmation. What would
and the Senate has not confirmed a November 2016 election. There was it gain Republicans if they achieve a
nominee to fill a vacancy arising in no mention of the mandate that dated six-vote majority on the Court only to
such circumstances for the better part back to 2014 or to 2012. And in 2016, see the Democrats expand the size of
of a century.” Nothing there about the the November election was seven the Court as payback?
Senate and the presidency being held months away, not six weeks. The Supreme Court remains one of
by different parties. McConnell waxed This is sophistry. There never was the last institutions in American life
eloquent about the need for the voice a principle, and there isn’t now. We to enjoy credibility with the American
of the American people to be heard in are spiraling down to a position where people: 58% approve of the way the
the process. “How often does some- there are no rules, and that is a peril- Court is handling its job, compared
one from Ashland, Ky., or Zearing, ous place for the nation. with 21% who approve of Congress,
Iowa, get to have such impact?” Both Democrats and Republicans and 45% who trust mass media.
In 2020, McConnell pivoted to (I have drunk deeply from the cup of Mona Charen is a Senior Fellow at
paraphrase) Oh, well, only when the hypocrisy on all subjects and on the Ethics and Public Policy Center.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 7A

ASK RUFUS

A timeline of Columbus history

I
have been occurred at that Thomas Cheadle
asked sev- Cotton Gin built the house. He was
eral times Port on the employed by Chickasaw
lately about Tombigbee, Agent William Cocke as
Columbus’ near present a carpenter at the agency
bicentennial day Amory, until Sept. 2, 1817. His
next year and after the leaving the agency just
get the strang- location of a happens to coincide with
est looks when government the time that the future
I say “that was cotton gin site of Columbus was
last year.” there for the selected as the Military
Then in Chickasaw Road Tombigbee cross-
July’s Insight Indians. ing.
supplement to Rufus Ward n 1810: n 1818: Several
the Dispatch, John Pitch- families settled in the
the article on the histo- lynn, U.S. interpreter area now included within
ry of Columbus begins and sometimes acting the present day Colum-
by telling of a nearby agent for the Choctaw bus city limits and built
1791 trading post whose Nation, moved from his log homes. Cotton Gin
proprietor looked like a Noxubee River residence, Port became the county
possum. There is no re- near present day Macon, seat of Marion County, Courtesy photo
cord or evidence of such to Plymouth Bluff and Alabama. By mid-June, Shown are artifacts of Columbus’ beginnings — ­ a broken plate and tea cup from the
a trading post existing established his residence William Cocke, the early 1820s found at one of Columbus’ oldest house sites. They are resting on what
in 1791. However, the there. Chickasaw Indian Agent is said be the first book printed in Alabama, “The Alabama Justice of the Peace,”
proprietor of a circa 1820 n 1813: With the from 1816-17, was living printed at Cahawba, when it was the Capital of Alabama. The book belonged to
establishment in Colum- beginning of the Creek with his family at a new William Moore the first mayor of Columbus.
bus did have a long, point- Indian War and under residence on the Tom- House, to Columbus.” that “a considerable popu- additional trips to Colum-
ed nose resulting in his threat of attack, Pitch- bigbee River, which may In late August several lation on the waters of bus, and on the last trip,
Chickasaw and Choctaw lynn fortified his resi- have been the Thomas Alabama newspapers re- the Tombigbee formerly was the first steamboat
customers calling him dence with a palisaded house. The Cedars was ported the survey of the attached to Alabama fall to reach Cotton Gin Port
“Opossum” and referring blockhouse. His small probably built as a one- state line was progress- within the limits of this (near Amory).
to Columbus as Opossum fort became known as room log house with a ing and it was feared that state.” That area included n 1825: William
Town or Opossum’s town. Fort Smith. The fort loft at a spring beside Mississippi might wind both Columbus and Cot- Cocke, the president of
There are several becomes an important the Military Road about up with “a considerable ton Gin Port. On Feb. 9, the Franklin Academy
other errors about the U.S. military meeting, two miles north of the portion of the best land Monroe County, Missis- Board of Trustees, cor-
history of Columbus in supply and assembly original town limits. in Marion County.” The sippi, was created and on responded with Thomas
the article. Much of the point during the Creek n 1819: In June, 1820 Census showed Co- Feb. 10 the Town of Co- Jefferson, an old friend
confusion stems from the Indian War phase of the several families arrived lumbus with a population lumbus, Mississippi, was from Virginia, about
fact that prior to the com- War of 1812. at the site that is now of 107 persons, including chartered by the Legis- education and Franklin
pletion of the survey of n 1814: A flat boat downtown Columbus and 83 free white, 23 slave lature. The legislative Academy. He mentioned
the Mississippi-Alabama built at Pitchlynn’s in built houses. Silas McBee and one free black. Of act also provided for the that there were “upwards
state line in late 1820, it March for the transpor- suggested the new town the 83 whites, 51 were establishment of Franklin of 60” scholars attending
was believed Columbus tation of government sup- be named Columbus. It males 18 or older. The Academy, the first public the school.
was in Alabama, and the plies is the first reference was mistakenly believed first industry was a tan school in Mississippi. In By the mid-1820s,
first official recognition to a flat boat being built that the new town was yard located in the area Columbus, a 20-by-30 Columbus was rapidly
of the town was by the Al- on the upper Tombigbee. in Alabama. The survey of the Hitching Lot and foot frame schoolhouse expanding. After the
abama legislature. What In October, Gen. Coffee of the state line still had
soccer complex. The first was built to house the Choctaw Treaty of
occurred in February led 3,000 Tennessee Mili- not been completed and
cemetery — the “Tombig- new school. On March Dancing Rabbit Creek
1821 was the Town of Co- tia down the St. Stephens a proposed amendment
bee Graveyard” — was 25, doctors Henderson in 1830, and the opening
lumbus, Alabama, being Trace (Highway 45 from to the congressional act
established on the north and Barry of Columbus of the Choctaw Home-
charted as the Town of Columbus to Mobile creating the State of Al-
Columbus, Mississippi. closely follows its route) side of the present-day successfully performed a land to Euro-American
abama would have made
Last year I published to reinforce Andrew Jack- the Tombigbee River the city block, on which kidney or gall stone oper- settlement, Columbus
a timeline of the early his- son prior to the Battle of state line. The county Riverview is situated. ation on “Tishee Mingo”, became a boomtown. In
tory of Columbus based New Orleans. One of his seat of Marion County, Under the auspices of a Chickasaw Chief. 1830, the town banned
on research over the last scouts was David Crock- Alabama, moved to the the American Board for n 1822: William any further construction
30 years by the late Sam ett. Coffee stopped on House of Henry Greer, Foreign Missions and the Moore was the first of log homes within the
Kaye, Carolyn Kaye, Oct. 14 to be resupplied at present day Columbus Presbyterian and Con- recorded mayor of the town limits. Columbus
Gary Lancaster and me. at Pitchlynn’s. His scouts, Air Force Base. gregationalist Churches, Town of Columbus. was rapidly changing
A lot of people apparently including Crockett, had The first official the Mayhew Choctaw n 1823: In March, from a frontier village to
missed it. Here is the missed their rendezvous reference to the “Town Mission was founded. the Cotton Plant was the a growing commercial
timeline of what is known with Coffee and were of Columbus” was in a n 1821: On Jan. 3, first steamboat to arrive center.
of early Columbus and its traveling a week behind Dec. 6, 1819, Alabama Mississippi Gov. George at Columbus. By May Rufus Ward is a local
beginnings. the Tennessee troops legislative act. The first Poindexter announced 1824, she had made five historian.
The earliest evidence they were to be scouting frame house was built by
of Native American for. Gideon Lincecum. Silas
people being in the n 1815: A cannon McBee was elected as
Columbus area are small at Fort Smith explod- Marion County’s first
spear points that have ed upon being fired to representative in the
been found, which are celebrate the news of Alabama Legislature and
more than 11,000 years peace with England. William Cocke’s stepson,
old. However, it was not Pitchlynn declared, “Well Bartlett Sims, was the
until after the breakup of we have no further use first sheriff of Marion
the Mississippian culture for her — she has served County. By the fall of
about 600 years ago that us through the war, and 1819, at least 16 families
the Indian Nations that bursted in telling us the had settled in the new
we know began to form. news of peace.” town.
n 1540: In Decem- n 1816: The Choctaw n 1819/1820: Ac-
ber, Spanish explorer Treaty of 1816 opened cording to Keeler’s 1848
Hernando de Soto and settlement to the country history of Columbus,
his expedition crossed east of the Tombigbee Spirus Roach “occupied
the Tombigbee River River and south of the and kept entertain-
in the Columbus area mouth of Tibbee Creek. ment” in the house built
and made their winter This included the site by Thomas Thomas.
camp less than a day’s that became Columbus. Because of the “pecu-
march to the west at the n 1817: The Mis- liarities” of Roach’s long
Indian village of Chica- sissippi Territory was pointed nose, local Indi-
ca, which was probably divided into the State ans who traded at Roach’s
in the Starkville/West of Mississippi and the establishment called the
Point area. There, they Alabama Territory, but town “Opossum Town.”
had the first known pork the description of the William Cocke built a
barbecue in what is now Mississippi-Alabama large two-story log house
Mississippi. state line was not sur- about where the Tennes-
n 1736: In May, a veyed and rather vague. see Williams house now
French force on its way Euro-American settlers, sits.
to attack the British including Silas McBee, n 1820: The Military
allied Chickasaw Indians begin drifting into the Road was completed
(at present day Tupelo) area. Andrew Jackson’s and the rapid growth of
camped for three days at Military Road survey Columbus, which had
Plymouth Bluff/Octibea was completed, and begun during the sum-
(present west bank of the construction began. The mer of 1819, is evident in
Stennis Lock and Dam road’s Tombigbee Ferry post office records. On
and mouth of Tibbee became a prime location Feb. 29, the congressio-
Creek). and the future site of nal committee on post
n 1737: The French Columbus. In the fall, a offices and post roads
reported the Chickasaw small log house was built was directed to look at
had a fort at Octibea. on the Tombigbee bluff establishing a post route
n 1771: British sur- just north of the present in Alabama “... from
veyor Bernard Romans intersection of College Tuscaloosa to Columbus,
canoed the Tombigbee Street and Third Street in Marion County, by the
River and camped at the South. courthouse.”
mouth of the Luxapalila. The earliest written The Columbus post
He commented on the account of the found- office was established
beauty of Plymouth Bluff ing of Columbus was on March 6. On May 13,
and wrote that “if placed by Oscar Keeler in President James Monroe
near any town of note, 1848. Keeler said the signed into law an act to
I do not doubt would be first house was built by create new postal routes
much used as a walk.” Thomas Thomas, who in America. The first
n 1801: The first Eu- had been run out of mentioned for Alabama
ro-American settlement the Chickasaw Nation. was: “From Tuscaloosa,
in northeast Mississippi Another possibility is by Marion County Court

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8A SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

AROUND THE STATE

Attorney: No law violation by
professor in ‘scholar strike’
JACKSON— The state auditor has
no justification to accuse a University of
Mississippi professor of engaging in an
illegal work stoppage by participating in
a nationwide “scholar strike” to bring at-
tention to racism and injustice, says an
attorney representing the professor.
The attorney, Rob McDuff, said in
a statement Friday that sociology pro-
fessor James Thomas was not trying to
change his work conditions or increase
his pay — two elements required to de-
fine participation in a strike. Mississippi
law bans public employees from striking.
“His actions clearly did not violate
this law,” McDuff said. “Unfortunately,
the auditor, in this letter and in many
public statements, interviews and social
media posts about Professor Thomas
since, has failed even to mention this
particular provision of the law. Instead,
without justification, he has continued
to claim that Professor Thomas’s actions
were illegal.”
Auditor Shad White, a Republican,
sent a letter Sept. 14 to University of Mis-
sissippi Chancellor Glenn Boyce, say-
ing Thomas participated in a Sept. 8-9
work stoppage. The nationwide “scholar
strike” involved professors and others
halting their classes and other duties.
White’s letter said Mississippi law
bans strikes or any other “concerted
work stoppage.” White told Boyce that
the university should recover money it
paid Thomas for those days of work and
should go to court to try to remove him
from his job. Thomas was granted ten-
ure in 2019, which gives him additional
job security.
In a recent interview with the Clarion
Ledger, White said his office sent two
agents to Thomas’ home but Thomas
wasn’t interested in talking. White said
he began pursuing the case after seeing
Twitter posts from Thomas about the
scholar strike. White said he also found
an email Thomas sent to his students
about the strike that “was circulating on
the internet.”
McDuff said Friday that Thomas is
teaching classes online because of the
coronavirus pandemic. McDuff said the
professor prepares lectures and reading
assignments and allows students to work
at their own pace each week, including
the week that included the “scholar
strike.”
“Professor Thomas met his responsi-
bilities as a teacher that week just as he
does every week,” McDuff said.
A university spokesperson has said
Ole Miss does not comment on person-
nel matters.
White was appointed state auditor in
July 2018 by then-Gov. Phil Bryant, a
Republican. After Brett Kavanaugh was
confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court in
October 2018, Thomas came under broad
criticism by conservatives after the pro-
fessor said on Twitter that people should
disrupt U.S. senators’ meals. “They don’t
deserve your civility,” Thomas wrote.
Bryant, at the time, criticized Thom-
as. “There is no place in a civilized so-
ciety, and particularly on a college cam-
pus, for urging individuals to harass
anyone,” Bryant wrote on Twitter.
Mississippi prison system announces
2 more deaths of inmates
JACKSON — The Mississippi De-
partment of Corrections on Friday an-
nounced the deaths of two inmates, say-
ing that one of them will be buried at a
prison because the department could not
find his relatives.
Charles William Morris, 72, died Sept.
14 at the Merit Health Central hospital
in Jackson. He will be buried at Central
Mississippi Correctional Facility, where
he had been serving his sentence.
Morris was serving life plus 25 years
for murder and rape convictions. He was
sentenced Nov. 7, 2002, after being con-
victed of killing and raping a homeowner
whose body was found in a shallow grave
several days after she went missing in
Harrison County. The Mississippi Court
of Appeals upheld his conviction in 2004.
Danny Kaye Watts, 66, died Thursday
at the hospital of the Mississippi State
Penitentiary at Parchman, where he had
been since Sept. 17. Watts was serving 20
years. He was sentenced Dec. 2, 2008, for
unlawful touching of a child and sexual
battery in Pike County.
Autopsies were set for Watts and Mor-
ris.
Watts was at least the 79th inmate
to die in Mississippi prisons since late
December. Several inmates died during
outbursts of violence in late December
and early January. The U.S. Justice De-
partment announced in February that
it is investigating the state’s prison sys-
tem.
Flag photo temporarily missing
on some Mississippi ballots
PASCAGOULA — Absentee ballots
in at least one Mississippi county do not
include a picture of the proposed new
state flag with a magnolia, even though
the flag picture is required.
Until the right type of ballot arrives in
coastal Jackson County, the circuit clerk
is posting a photo of the flag in each of
the 12 booths that are set up for in-per-
son absentee voting, the Sun Herald re-
ported.
The county’s election commission
chairman, Danny Glaskox, says the bal-
lots are being printed in the capital city
of Jackson, which is about 180 miles
from Pascagoula. He said he hopes they
will arrive by Monday.
Mississippi legislators voted in late
June to retire the last state flag in the
U.S. that included the Confederate bat-
tle emblem. The change was made un-
der pressure amid widespread protests
over the killing of Black people by police
officers in the U.S.
SOURCE: AP

LCSD
Continued from Page 1A
what’s best for kids, and
we know that they need
to be in the classroom,
those that are having is-
sues,” Allison said.
At the start of the
school year, LCSD ad-
ministrators gave par-
ents the option between
virtual and in-person
learning. Because of
the planning involved in
scheduling the two learn-
ing methods, administra-
tors initially told parents
they had to stick with
their choice through the
first semester, Allison
said, which ends Jan. 19.
However, within a few
weeks, Allison said, par-
ents were calling with
concerns about virtual
learning.
Allison said the rea-
sons parents gave for
wanting to switch back
to in-person learning
ranged from a change
of circumstances in em-
ployment or internet ac-
cess to simply realizing
virtual learning wouldn’t
work for their children as
well as they had hoped.
“I think parents
thought their child was
going to wake up and
open the computer and
our teacher was going to
be standing there wait-
ing on them, just like
you turn on the TV,” New
Hope High School Prin-
cipal Matt Smith said.
“But it wasn’t that way.
It’s just impossible. El-
ementary had teachers
designated solely to the
virtual students, but we
couldn’t do that at the
high school.”
But even having teach- es are coordinating to and remove everything cluding social distanc- know what next semes-
ers designated solely make sure their students we can from the rooms ing, frequent hand-wash- ter will look like in terms
to virtual classes didn’t all return on the same and put them as far apart ing and wearing masks. of how many students
help all the students at day, but that they will not as we can. That’s our big- While they’ve had some will be virtual and how
West Lowndes Elemen- return later than Oct. 12. gest concern is just the students and staff mem- many will be in person,
tary School, Principal “The downside obvi- … social distance of our bers quarantine, he said, but administrators will
Robert Sanders said. ously is that it increases students.” they all were found to start planning for that in
“(Parents) were more the number of students Allison said he feels have contracted the vi- December.
and less seeking more in the room, so it be- the students and teach- rus outside of school and “We want people to be
consistency, more face- comes near impossi- ers have been doing well avoided spreading it to healthy,” he said. “That’s
to-face time with teach- ble (to) safely social following the rules set others in the school dis- the biggest thing, and we
ers,” he said. “Basically distance,” Smith said. in place to prevent the trict. want our schools to be
they wanted to make “We’ll do the best we can spread of COVID-19, in- He added he doesn’t open.”
sure their children had a
solid foundation to move
forward.”
There were enough
calls that administrators
gave parents two days
last week to contact their
children’s principals and
tell them they wanted to
switch back to in-person
learning, Allison said.
The deadline to do that
was Thursday.
“I just think Mr. Alli-
son did the right thing by
allowing parents that op-
portunity to opt back in
at this time, rather than
at the end of the semes-
ter,” Sanders said.
Sanders said between
25 and 30 students out of
more than 80 who origi-
nally chose virtual learn-
ing will be coming back
to campus, likely before
Oct. 12. He said the stu-
dents should have the
same teacher as when
they were being instruct-
ed virtually.
At New Hope High
School, 51 students opt-
ed to come back to cam-
pus, out of 188 who start-
ed as virtual students,
Smith said.
He said the principals
of the New Hope campus-

Roads
Continued from Page 1A
county to obtain the need-
ed right-of-way through
the courts.
The supervisors unan-
imously awarded an $8
million contract in Feb-
ruary to Columbus-based
Burns Dirt Construction
to complete the project.
Burns was not the lowest
bidder, but the super-
visors were concerned
about a pending lawsuit
related to Site Masters
Construction, which is
based in Alabama but has
an office in Clay County.
The county has re-
ceived bond money for
road repairs from the
state in the past, including
for Longview Road, which
are also underway, said
county board attorney
Rob Roberson, who also
represents part of Oktib-
beha County in the state
House of Representatives.
Construction crews
replaced the base of a sec-
tion of Poor House Road
in fall 2019 in order to
prepare it for the repaving
included in the four-year
road repair plan super-
visors approved in June.
The road is in districts 4
and 5, and District 4 Su-
pervisor Bricklee Miller
initially invested her en-
tire allocation of $537,000
in the project. That money
is now available for other
projects in the district,
she said.
Miller said she appre-
ciates that the state bond
money does not require
taxing Oktibbeha County
citizens.
“We’re very excited
to see this project move
forward,” she said. “Not
only can we look forward
to getting the plans very
soon from (the county en-
gineer) and bidding them
out, but the project will
start next year.”
She said she also looks
forward to the county
installing a stoplight at
the intersection of Poor
House Road and Old
Highway 25, the site of
recent car accidents that
resulted in injuries.
Lifestyles
Columbus High School 11th-grader Taymond Hughes works via the internet with ceramics instructor Jackie
Shows, right, Thursday as he makes a pinch pot at home out of ceramic clay. Hughes is taking all his school
courses virtually this semester. “It looked cool, and I wanted to try something different,” said the first-time ceram-
ics student. “I’m enjoying that I know how to do it and making different projects. I’m actually making it, not just
seeing it.” Hughes is the son of Michelle Hughes.
Teaching hands-on skills in a hands-off world
BY JAN SWOOPE
jswoope@cdispatch.com
L
ike teachers everywhere,
Jackie Shows spent the sum-
mer nervously wondering
what fall semester would look like
and how to prepare for it.
“Last spring was very difficult, I
think, for every teacher and every
student,” said the fifth-year Colum-
bus High School ceramics instruc-
tor. Thrown abruptly into teaching
online by the global pandemic in
March, educators had to rapidly
adjust.
Most core educational courses
are text-based, but ceramics is
a 3D art, a tactile learning ex-
perience. Shows knew she had
to MacGyver her way through
teaching hands-on skills without
the ability to be hands-on at all.
Her strategy then involved virtual
discussions on art and pottery, plus
IN THE GARDEN WITH FELDER
A nighttime showstopper
G
oldenrod is bloom-
ing, and with
early autumn colors
hinting at the darkness to
come it won’t be long before
Daylight Saving Time ends
and we’re left to reminisce
on a porch swing or by the
garden fire.
And I’m remembering
what hardcore gardeners
did during long, non-aircon-
Felder Rushing
ditioned evenings before
television and the internet
made self-entertainment
easier. Mostly we sat outside and
murmured quietly, usually about the
weather and how the sweet fragrance
of evening-flowering four o’clocks pow- though the flowers look very similar.
ered over the smell of a coming rain.
And we made up stories. My favor-
ite is a Victorian parlor game, a story
about a wedding in which everything
is a flower. Here’s part of it; if you’d
like a copy of the whole thing, shoot
me an email via my blog:
“Blackeyed Susan married Sweet
William after he aster. There was a big
crowd — phlox — to witness the bride
given away by poppy as the groom’s
mother whispered to him ‘forget me
not.’ Jack in the pulpit officiated. Their unison: “I am serious, and stop calling
new home will be on Cape Jasmine
where they will live in sweet peas,
hopefully with baby’s breath. Here’s
Shakira Brooks
sculpture-building projects using
items students could find around
the house. Play-Doh was a next-
best option when clay couldn’t be
had, but few families were eager
to get out in stores to buy it during
hoping their passionflower
doesn’t end up as touch me
not!”
We also waited impa-
tiently for Granny’s potted
night-blooming cereus to
slowly open its nocturnal
fantasy flowers. Eudora
Welty did the same thing.
A classic passalong
plant, the thornless tropical
cactus has been shared
endlessly between garden
clubbers and their friends;
its perfumed evening blossom, big as
my hand, opens only at night and is
wilted by morning.
Actually it isn’t a true cereus,
The real deal is a tall, candle-like,
sun-loving cactus; the cascading kinds
we call night=blooming cereus, includ-
ing the rick-rack or zig-zag cactus,
are named Epiphyllum because, like
Spanish moss and bromeliads, they’re
epiphytes, meaning they naturally live
on rainfall in trees with very little soil.
Pardon my corniness, but this
conjures a paraphrased line from the
comedic movie “Airplane” — “Surely
you aren’t Cereus.” Now respond, in
me Shirley!”
Anyway, for over 40 years I have
grown “queen of the night” from cut-
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 n 9A
Courtesy photo
the health emergency. Spring was
challenging, but challenges lead to
innovation.
“It gave me my desire to try
even harder in the fall,” Shows
said. “I just turned that into this
year I’m going to do this, and I
was going to make it work. ... I’ve
been a mother for a long time and
a teacher for a long time, and there
are times you just put on the brave
face.”
Shows currently teaches Ceram-
ics I and Ceramics II to students
enrolled in the hybrid schedule
— attending in-person classes two
days each week — plus a signifi-
cant number of students taking all
their classes online, or virtually.
“My hybrid students work
hands-on in my classroom, and
when they’re not at school I have
them study and prepare,” said
Shows. “They only get two class
See CERAMICS, 10A
tings from my great-grandmother, who
every summer made us sit up until
hers flowered. As the huge, breathtak-
ingly fragrant flowers unfold for just a
few spectacular hours they are truly a
cause for celebration.
Not that the plants themselves
are much to look at; unkempt comes
to mind. Unlike smaller, compact
“Christmas cactus,” most are scraggly
masses of long, narrow, flat, sword-
like stems with rounded “teeth” along
wavy edges. The leaves, which are
actually stems, are easy to cut into
sections and root. Most already have
aerial rootlets growing from their
midribs. They often bloom the first
summer.
Unlike parasitic mistletoe, orchid
cacti get all their nourishment from
rain, bird drippings and decomposed
leaves caught in tree cavities where
their roots grow for support, which is
why the cold-sensitive shade plants
are so easy to grow for years in small
pots and brought indoors in the winter
with little water or fertilizer.
While most folks settle for having a
piece of the common white-flowering
form, several internet sites offer root-
ed cuttings of pink, yellow, red, orange
or lavender cultivars with names like
Moon Goddess, Black Knight, Texas
Flame, Sugar Plum Fairy, Peach Mad-
ness and Flamingo Dancer. There are
LIFESTYLES EDITOR
Jan Swoope: 328-2471
QUICK BITES
Designs for fall, ag
scholarships and
slow cooker meals
BY JAN SWOOPE
jswoope@cdispatch.com
D
ecorating with fall colors, ag schol-
arships and seasonal slow cooker
meals headline Quick Bites pro-
grams offered by the Mississippi State Uni-
versity Extension Service in October. The
interactive video conferences are provided
free to those who sign up to watch at coun-
ty Extension offices, or via Zoom. These
programs inspired by fall foliage, cooler
temperatures and a time of holiday con-
nections with family and friends are held
from noon-1 p.m. on designed Thursdays
each month. In-person attendance capacity
at county Extension offices is guided by
current COVID-19 health guidelines.
Interested individuals need to register
for each program and will receive the pro-
gram link automatically after registering.
n Oct. 8 — “The Colors of Fall”
features Lynette McDougald of MSU’s
Plant & Soil Sciences on creating fall floral
designs inspired by the colors and events
of the season. Register in advance for
this meeting at https://msstateextension.
zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpf-2urD-
MiHN0Vt4DfnvN8kXWKejhjy6-r. After
registering, you will receive a confirma-
tion email containing information about
joining the meeting.
n Oct. 22 — In “The Mississippi
Women for Agriculture Scholarship
Program,” president Sandra Alesich talks
about how the organization supports
women pursuing agricultural and ag-re-
leated degrees and how to apply. Register
in advance at https://msstateextension.
zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMuceyvq-
TIvHdIZ0mNc3dNX2QlAbMBnf801.
After registering, you will receive a confir-
mation email containing information about
joining the meeting.
n Oct. 29 — Rankin County Exten-
sion Agent Natasha Haynes presents
“Easy Slow Cooker Meals You Can Prep in
30 Minute or Less.” Just dump in ingredi-
ents and a few hours later, enjoy a great
meal. Register in advance for this meeting
at https://msstateextension.zoom.us/
meeting/register/tJMtc-GurTopGNEbOa-
JhkwesAc7M8FqBW3lL. You will receive
confirmation email containing information
about joining the session.
County Extension offices may sign up
via the Zoom registration link if they plan
to host a program within their office area
according to the current face-to-face num-
bers and meeting space guidelines.
Or, counties may make the registration
link available to their clients for the indi-
vidual client to view the programs from
their personal computers.
For more information, contact the
appropriate county Extension office. In
Lowndes County, 662-328-2111; Oktibbeha
County, 662-323-5916; Clay County, 662-
494-5371.
Felder Rushing/Courtesy photo
Night-blooming cereus is a good reason
to keep late watch in the garden.
even Epiphyllum societies.
I bet you can easily find a
night-blooming cereus cutting; trust
me, there are folks near you who have
it and will share as many cuttings as
you’d like. And when yours blooms,
create lasting memories by hosting a
Queen of the Night party.
Felder Rushing is a Mississippi au-
thor, columnist, and host of the “Gestalt
Gardener” on MPB Think Radio. Email
gardening questions to rushingfelder@
yahoo.com.
10A SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

CALENDAR
Monday, Sept. 28
Virtual Hazard Lecture Series — The Hazard Lec-
ture Series in Columbus presents “Music with The Beethoven
Celebration Trio,” a virtual program at 7 p.m. commemorating
Beethoven’s 250th birthday. Musicians Laura Sandifer (violin),
Fayth Williams (cello) and Sophie Wang (piano) perform.
Watch at facebook.com/heritageacademypatriots.
Thursday, Oct. 1
Exhibit reception — The Columbus Arts Council hosts a
free reception from 5:30-7 p.m. opening an exhibit by Payton
Trim and Jenny Vega at the CAC Rosenzweig Arts Center, 501
Main St. Face masks and social distancing required. 662-328-
2787 or columbus-arts.org.
Sunday, Oct. 4
Oktoberfest Online — The Episcopal Church of the
Transitions:
Resurrection in Starkville hosts this virtual event to benefit
the J.L. King Center, Casserole Kitchen and ECR Discretion-
ary Fund from 6-9 p.m. at event.gives/ecr. Online auctions,
bratwurst/homemade pretzels meals to go, live music,
T-shirts.
Thursday, Oct. 8
Downtown Art Walk — Columbus’ rescheduled Down-
town Art Walk from 5:30-7:30 p.m. features multiple artists
in and outside participating businesses (bring cash or check
for art), live music, promotions and a decorated face mask
contest. Main Street Columbus, 662-328-6305, or Columbus
Arts Council, 662-328-2787.
Tuesday, Oct. 13
Jazz at Renasant Plaza — The Starkville-MSU Sym-
phony Jazz Orchestra presents live music outdoors at 6 p.m.
at Renasant Plaza, 500 E. Lampkin St., Starkville. Free.

Riley Gentry Todd and Katherine Anne Berry

Berry/Todd
Wallace and Sharon Berry of Starkville an-
nounce the engagement of their daughter, Kather-
ine Anne Berry, to Riley Gentry Todd, the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Todd of Philadelphia.
Courtesy photo
The bride-elect is the granddaughter of the late
JA PROVISIONALS: Junior Auxiliary of Columbus welcomes its 2020-2021 class of new Provisional Members. Wayne and Ozelle Thompson of Pheba.
In front, from left, are Jennifer Sims, Katie Windham and Jenni Browning. In center are Ashley Hughes, Rebecca She is a graduate of Starkville High School and
Studdard, Casey Wells, Shannon Bowen, Anna Hudson, Amy Sumrall, Alika Logan and Joni Frye. In back are Mississippi State University.
Lindsey Beck, Pinkie Edwards, Ashleigh Guyton and Jules Heintz. She is currently employed with Mitchell Dental
Clinic in Flowood.
The prospective groom is the grandson of the

Ceramics
Continued from Page 9A
Helpers from the Columbus Arts Council and Columbus
High School load one of two kilns Wednesday donated
by the arts council to the high school’s arts program.
periods this semester a
week instead of being
with me every day for five
days, so we have to make
it and we have to work.”
Hybrid-schedule
students may have less
studio time with their
instructor per week, but
class sizes are smaller
this fall, allowing for more
one-on-one interaction in
person.
Virtual students don’t
have the face-to-face
instruction, but they
do have the option of
increased online studio
time if they desire, able to
join any video classroom.
With all students,
the instructor teaches
hand-building techniques
including pinch pottery,
coil building and slab
building.
But what about clay?
On any school day
afternoon, it’s not unusual
to see a car ease up to
Show’s “clay cart” outside
Columbus High. The cart
is one of the instructor’s
solutions to a pandemic
problem.
“I roll it out every after-
noon from 3:15 to 4 p.m.
and students can swing
by to pick up clay or drop
off pieces to be fired in
the kiln,” Shows ex-
plained. “They message
they need clay that day,
or that they need to drop
off, and they don’t have to
come in the building.”
“She gives us enough
clay to last a week, and
then we go back for
more,” said ninth-grad-
er Shakira Brooks. “I
just turned in an open-
mouthed monster and
a leaf dish to be fired.”
Brooks takes ceramics
virtually. She’s a first-time
student but already proud
of what she’s learned.
“I put (my finished
pieces) on display around
the house,” she said. “It
feels good actually; I see
the accomplishments.”
late Jimmy and Ganell Todd, and the late James L.
“Hap” and Dorothy Gentry.
He is a graduate of Neshoba Central High
School and Mississippi State University.
He is currently employed with the United
COVID-19, as we can.” States Postal Service.
we are With additional kilns Vows will be exchanged at 5 p.m. Oct. 10, 2020,
working and hopes for eventually at the Rubye Yates House Venue in Philadelphia.
hard at the adding pottery wheels
Columbus to CHS ceramics, Shows
Arts Coun- is optimistic about stu-
cil to assist dent opportunities. And,
the schools though no one wanted
in any way Miller it, the pandemic has ■ For more Lifestyles content
we can. answered one question: including MSU’s “Farm to Classroom”
(The pandemic) has not Yes, hands-on skills
been easy for any of us, can be taught even in a initiative and Southern Gardening visit
but we have increased hands-off world. the Lifestyles link at cdispatch.com.
our outreach to the (See more photos at
Courtesy photo
schools; we’ll continue cdispatch.com Lifestyles
to help our art teachers link.)
Hand proverbs
Like all Shows’ stu-
dents, Brooks has been
researching proverbs
for a new project — spe-
cifically proverbs that
contain the word “hand.”
Students are also de-
signing a hand sculpture
inspired by and contain-
ing the selected proverb.
“They’re designing
whether the fingers will
be together or apart,
whether they will do
one hand or two,” said
Shows about some of the
decisions students need
to make.
“I’ve chosen my
proverb,” said Brooks.
“I’m doing one hand and
I’m using ‘Don’t bite the
hand that feeds you.’”
The hand project
illustrates how Shows
incorporates other fields
into her lessons.
“I try to teach them
a little bit of chemistry;
they’re learning the
chain reaction when
(clay) goes from dirt
to glass,” she said.
“I’m also incorporating
English, like the prov-
erbs, or Shakespeare or
paintings.”
Donation of kilns
Two kilns donated to
Columbus High School
this past week by the
Columbus Arts Council
are cause for celebra-
tion.
“We are so grateful.
I’m super excited,” said
Shows. “It’s going to
allow me to fire more
frequently, and larger
pieces also, and we’ll be
able to glaze students’
pottery. That means
we can actually make
a usable plate or coffee
mug.”
The kilns, surplus
to arts council needs,
were transported to the
school Wednesday.
Arts Council Ex-
ecutive Director Jan
Miller remarked, “With
Sports MISSISSIPPI STATE 44, NO. 6 LSU 34
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020
B
SECTION

Bulldogs shock sixth-ranked Tigers in Baton Rouge
BY BEN PORTNOY
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
BATON ROUGE — A
pirate sailed into the bay-
ou Saturday and left with
more than treasure.
In the first game of the
Mike Leach era, Missis-
sippi State navigated its
air raid offense to a deci-
sive 44-34 victory over de-
fending national champi-
on and No. 6-ranked LSU
in Baton Rouge.
If Leach was the cap-
tain Saturday, senior
quarterback K.J. Costello
was the first mate. Costel-
lo, a Stanford graduate
transfer, provided aerial
acrobatics seen by a se-
lect few signal-callers in
program or conference
history in southeastern
Louisiana. He finished
with 623 yards on the day,
breaking Dak Prescott’s
single-game record and
a 27-year-old SEC mark.
His 60 attempts also stand
as the most in an MSU
history long on rushing
stars, but shorter on sig-
nal-caller success.
“It ranks pretty high
when you consider it’s at
LSU and playing the de-
fending national champi-
ons,” Leach said of where
Costello’s day sat among
those throughout his 18-
year head coaching ca-
reer.
Costello, who noted
in recently he spent his
summer watching pre-
viously dynamic air raid
quarterbacks Graham
Harrell, Anthony Gordon
SWASHBUCKLED!
Mississippi State quarterback K.J. Costello drops back for a throw during Saturday’s game at LSU. With 623
passing yards, Costello smashed Dak Prescott’s school record of 508 yards, set in 2015.
and Gardner Minshew II,
looked the part of the next
great product of a system
that’s terrorized defenses
from Division III to South-
eastern Conference levels
since its invention in the
mid-1980s — passing
for 292 yards on 21-of-36
passing in the first half
alone, a higher mark than
any MSU quarterback
reached in 2019.
But for all the passes
aired out Saturday there
was a prescient patience
Chris Parent/LSU Athletics
in Leach’s play-calling ta Payton and Kylin Hill
and division of the re- each eclipsed the century
ceptions from Costello. mark in Baton Rouge.
Between 2017 and 2019, Mitchell provided the
MSU had two receivers opening act. Racing past
go over 100 yards in a an LSU defender down
game. The senior trio of the right sideline, he cor-
Osiris Mitchell, JaVon- ralled the last of his five
first half receptions for a
43-yard score that gifted
MSU a 17-14 lead at the
half in a version of Death
Valley that felt more be-
fitting of a funeral than
the coronation of a past
national championship
team.
Payton proved a pill out
of the slot and in motion.
Moving from all corners of
Mike Leach’s wide-open
sets, the Nashville native
sprung loose on back-to-
back wheel routes to set
up a go-ahead field goal
midway through the third
quarter as LSU briefly
showed signs of life in an
otherwise anemic outing
from Joe Burrow replace-
ment Myles Brennan.
Following a 37-yard
dime from Brennan to
Terrace Marshall, MSU’s
ensuing play saw Costel-
lo loft a swing pass to
Hill streaking toward the
Bulldog sideline. Out-
pacing the LSU second-
ary, the Columbus native
burst into the end zone for
a 75-yard score.
“I cramped up a little
bit and I went into the
tent and I came back out
and he had like 300-some-
thing, 400-something
(yards),” sophomore line-
backer Aaron Brule said
of Costello.
On a day in which
the Bulldogs wore the
same maroon-topped,
white-bottomed uniform
combination they donned
when Prescott carried
See GAME, 8B

In game surrounded by uncertainty, MSU defense assures its place

BY BEN PORTNOY
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
BATON ROUGE —
Mississippi State’s awe-in-
spiring win over No. 6
LSU Saturday boasted
plenty of numbers that’d
force a statistician into
early retirement.
Starting quarterback
K.J. Costello threw for
more yards — 623 — than
any player in MSU or
Southeastern Conference
history. His 60 attempts
were also a school record.
Seniors Kylin Hill, JaVon-
ta Payton and Osirus
Mitchell all corralled over
100 yards receiving, de-
spite only two players in
the past three years hav-
ing eclipsed that mark.
But for all the offen-
sive fireworks that were
scattered across the stat
sheet Saturday evening, it
was the MSU defense that
proved the most pleas-
ant surprise for Bulldog
staffers and maroon and
white-clad onlookers.
With Joe Burrow
guiding a century-de-
fining offense a season
ago, LSU passed for over
6,000 yards and scored
48.4 points per game. As
impressive, the Tigers
converted on a tick under
50 percent of third down
conversions. What a dif-
ference a year makes.
In Saturday’s ane-
mic display from Bur- made Brennan uncom-
row replacement Myles fortable, smoking the
Brennan, LSU finished Mississippi native on a
5 of 17 on third downs, third-and-4 at the MSU
though not entirely out of 48. Leaping from the pile
their own doing. Arnett, he offered a swaggy flex
who led the nation’s No. that the ever-confident
5-ranked defense at San Burrow might’ve sport-
Diego State, brough per- ed had his eligibility not
sistent pressure from the been exhausted last fall.
edge in the form of Copi- Following Wheat’s
ah-Lincoln Community captivating crunching
College imports Tyrus hit, Davis forced a rushed
Wheat and Jordan Davis. pass from Brennan as
It was Wheat who first the Tigers drove toward
MSU territory in Satur-
day’s back and forth af-
fair. Finally connecting
with Brennan’s right arm
in the third quarter, he
forced a throw toward
a wide-open Racey Mc-
Math to come up short
— falling into the hands
of sophomore cornerback
Esaias Furdge.
“Our defensive line
does a good job of that,”
Leach said of his de-
See DEFENSE, 8B

COMMENTARY
Ole Miss falls
Hodge: Mississippi State plays spoiler to LSU banner to Florida in
celebration as Dawgs create special day of their own Kiffin’s debut
BATON ROUGE, La. —Saturday was a football game scheduled, but the four that happened today,” Costello told re- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
supposed to be LSU’s day. security guards chasing him made darn porters via a Zoom press conference.
It was supposed to be a celebration of sure to let him know. So is the college football world, K.J. OXFORD — Kyle Pitts gives Florida
a historic college football season in 2019 In what equated to around 20 percent If someone blindly looked at the box an almost unfair advantage.
and the start of the Tigers’ national title capacity, 21,124 fans saw LSU raise its score and only saw that MSU ran for The star tight end caught four of Kyle
defense. 2019 championship banner, which let a nine yards on 16 attempts, you’d think Trask’s six touchdown passes and No. 5
Instead, the day belonged to quarter- small but vocal crowd showcase its pres- the Bulldogs lost 72-0. But these aren’t Florida spoiled the head coaching debut
back K.J. Costello, Mike Leach, and the ence in pregame ceremonies. your father’s Bulldogs. of Mississippi’s Lane Kiffin with a 51-35
rest of the Missis- Those fans left unhappy as they They’re now coached by a self-pro- victory Saturday.
sippi State Bull- watched Costello shred a LSU defense claimed swashbuckling pirate: Leach, Trask completed 30 of 42 passes for
dogs. that was without standout defensive who opened his MSU tenure by calling 416 yards including touchdown passes of
Hours before back Derek Stingley Jr. for 623 yards and five straight pass plays and eventually 1, 16, 71 and 17 yards to Pitts. The star
the Bulldogs five touchdowns en route to LSU’s first let Costello throw the pigskin 60 times. tight end had 170 yards receiving on
stunned No. 6 defeat since 2018. Because who needs Which is unbelievable, considering eight catches.
LSU with a 44-34 game reps to iron out kinks in a com- MSU never attempted more than 30 last Trask directed four consecutive
upset, the scene pletely new system, right? In his first season when Joe Moorhead coached the touchdown drives that spanned the sec-
outside Tiger game with MSU since transferring from Bulldogs. ond and third quarters to build a 41-14
Stadium in Baton Stanford, Costello broke a single-game I’m not sure what the restaurant ca-
lead for the Gators (1-0 Southeastern
Rouge was eerie. record for the most passing yards in a pacity in Starkville is limited to these
Because of Conference).
Southeastern Conference game, flying days, but clearly one will offer the new
safety protocols Garrick Hodge Trask modestly chose to deflect the
by Georgia’s Eric Zeier (544 yards). He charismatic, fan-favorite coach all the
caused by the on- crawfish he can eat this week after de- attention to 6-foot-6, 240-pound Pitts,
also surpassed the Mississippi State
going pandemic, single-game passing record, which was livering a top-10 upset in his debut. who consistently found seams in the Ole
fans weren’t allowed to tailgate, some- held by some dude named Dak Prescott Equally as impressive offensively was Miss secondary.
thing that would seem unfathomable to in 2015 (508 yards). It’s pretty incredi- three Bulldog players finishing with at “He is a matchup nightmare for de-
Tiger fans 12 months ago. Baton Rouge ble to say, but Costello could have been least 100 receiving yards, only the sec- fenses,” Trask said. “He’s too big for cor-
security was hellbent on keeping the much better, considering he committed ond time in program history such an nerbacks and too fast for linebackers so
streets surrounding Tiger Stadium three turnovers, including throwing a occurrence has happened. Leading the it gives defenses lots of trouble and that’s
confined to fans with tickets only, unbe- pick-six for the first LSU score of the team was wideout Osirus Mitchell with what you like to see.”
knownst to a jogger who blissfully ran day. Most MSU fans are going to forget 183 yards and two touchdowns, who After an unusual offseason, filled with
past the cage of LSU’s live mascot, Mike about that in victory, though. might as well have given the Bulldogs’ uncertainty because of the pandemic,
the Tiger. He had no idea there was even “I’m speechless about everything See HODGE, 8B just playing was a victory.
2B SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020
Falcons offense kicks into gear in win over rival Trojans
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
Bryson Lanier knew it
was time.
With the Columbus
High School football team
leading 3-0 and into New
Hope territory early in the
second quarter Friday,
the junior was ready for
his team to unleash the
clever play the Falcons
had practiced all week.
On the key fourth
down, Columbus snapped
the ball to quarterback
Ethan Conner, who hand-
ed it to Tawonn Troop
just before Conner broke
to the right side, Lanier
threw a block and Troop
took off down the middle,
making his way down to
the New Hope 1-yard line.
“That had been in the
playbook for a while, but
we were just waiting for
the right time to use it,”
Columbus coach Joshua
Pulphus said.
Conner punched in a
1-yard score on the next
play, completing a key
drive that gave Columbus
the cushion it needed.
The Falcons (1-3) picked
up their first win of the
season, a 23-7 home vic-
tory over the rival Trojans
(1-3) to get Columbus off
to a 1-0 start in MHSAA
Class 5A, Region 1 play.
“This is how you get
to the playoffs,” Pulphus
said. “These games mat-
ter. So anytime you start
off 1-0 in division, you put
yourself that much clos-
er to the goal in mind.
… Anytime you can beat
your crosstown rival in a
game, that’s even sweet-
er.”
Columbus achieved its
win with another stand-
out performance from its
defense and its offense’s
best game of the season
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Carroll, Tulane run for 7
TDs, beat Southern Miss
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HAT TIESBURG — scored on runs of 2 and
Cameron Carroll scored
a career-high three of
Tulane’s seven rushing
touchdowns and added
a 16-yard TD reception,
and the Green Wave beat
Southern Miss 66-24 on
Saturday.
Carroll finished with a
career-best 163 yards on
15 carries. Freshman Mi-
chael Pratt came off the
bench and finished 8-of-
18 passing for 142 yards
and two touchdowns and
added seven carries for 40
yards, including a 1-yard
touchdown for Tulane (2-
1).
Southern Miss jumped
to a 14-0 lead fewer than
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: COLUMBUS 23, NEW HOPE 7
Columbus running back Jakailyn Lewis is tackled on a fourth-down run in the fourth quarter of Friday’s home
game against New Hope. Lewis moved the chains for the Falcons, who went on to win 23-7.
to date.
Conner added a 14-
yard touchdown pass to
Michael Williams late in
the second quarter, and
Michael Mosley tacked
on a 4-yard scoring run
in the fourth quarter.
The Falcons scored more
points Friday than they
had in the first three
games of the season com-
bined.
“It’s good to see us get
first downs and continue
to put drives together,”
Pulphus said. “We were
excited and happy about
that.”
Where the Falcons’ of-
fense shined, its defense
was just as stingy, partic-
ularly early on. Columbus
foiled New Hope on drive
after drive in the first half,
arresting the Trojans’ mo-
mentum with sacks and
five minutes into the
game but Tyjae Spears
15 yards to tie it early
in the second quarter.
After Jack Abraham hit
Naricuss Driver for a 61-
yard touchdown to put
the Golden Eagles back
in front, Pratt hit Carroll
to make it 21-all and then
Merek Glover’s 41-yard
field goal with 1:41 left in
the first half gave Tulane
the lead for good.
Abraham completed 23
of 38 passes for 299 yards
and two touchdowns
with one interception
for Southern Miss (0-3).
He connected with West
Point and East Mississip-
pi Community College
product Jason Brownlee
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
taking advantage of sever-
al self-inflicted New Hope
fumbles that pushed the
Trojans back.
“That’s a really good
defensive ball team over
there,” New Hope coach
Wade Tackett said. “Cred-
it to coach Pulphus and
what they’ve done. But we
still have a long, long dis-
trict schedule ahead of us,
and we’re going to have to
figure out a way to gener-
ate some points.”
Trailing 16-0 at half-
time, the Trojans turned
to the passing game in
the second half and found
considerable success.
Quarterback Zac Butler
continually found open
receivers downfield — of-
ten because of blown as-
signments by Columbus,
Pulphus said — and New
Hope moved the ball well.
for an 88-yard touchdown
that made it 14-0 with
10:31 left in the first quar-
ter.
Keon Howard, a trans-
fer from Southern Miss,
started the game at quar-
terback for the Green
Wave but was replaced by
Pratt in the first quarter.
Howard was 1-of-3 pass-
ing for zero yards.
Carroll scored on a 30-
yard run with 41 seconds
left in the first half before
he raced untouched off
left tackle for a 52-yard
touchdown on the second
play from scrimmage in
the third quarter to make
it 38-21.
The Green Wave fin-
ished with 572 total yards,
including 430 rushing.
With 5 minutes, 20
seconds to go in the third
quarter, the Trojans got
their first score of the day
as Butler found Dearies
Smith from 8 yards out.
Smith appeared to fumble
right around the goal line,
but he was credited with
New Hope’s first touch-
down, and Cole Crawford
knocked the extra point
through.
Columbus fumbled the
ensuing kickoff, giving
New Hope a gift at the Fal-
cons’ 29-yard line. But the
Trojans couldn’t convert,
going short of the sticks
on fourth down and giv-
ing the ball right back.
“When the defense
gives us those gifts and
the special teams gives
the offense a gift, we’ve
got to capitalize and
put some points on the
Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff
board,” Tackett said.
Tackett, whose team
beat Aberdeen 13-12 on
Sept. 18 for its first win of
the season, said his inex-
perienced offense — with
only a couple seniors on
that side of the ball — is
still figuring things out.
“We feel like that’s
something we can grow
on with this season,” he
said.
Pulphus credited the
Trojans’ offensive perfor-
mance in the second half,
particularly against a de-
fense as talented as the
Falcons’. Columbus has
allowed just 10.5 points
per game through its first
four contests.
“We knew they were
going to make some pass-
es, make some runs,” Pul-
phus said. “We just want-
ed to be able to sustain it.”
Columbus did. Defen-
sive lineman Isaiah Har-
ris had three sacks, line-
backer Steve Cattledge
played a big role again,
and defensive back Jaylen
Harrison picked off two
passes late in the game.
While Columbus’ of-
fense and defense were
mostly solid Friday, Pul-
phus pointed out that the
Falcons’ special teams
still need to improve.
While Darion Mosley
knocked through a 41-
yard field goal in the first
quarter, Lanier fumbled
a punt early before recov-
ering it, Michael Mosley
muffed a punt and handed
the Trojans the football
in the third quarter, and
a fumbled kickoff after
New Hope’s touchdown
gave the Trojans a shot to
get within a point.
“That’s been the thing
that we kind of take pride
in,” Pulphus said of Co-
lumbus’ special teams.
“We just weren’t clean like
we needed to be, so that’s
something where we defi-
nitely need to go back to
the drawing board and
make sure we get it clean
for next week.”
The Falcons’ next
game is at Center Hill
(3-1) on Oct. 2 in Olive
Branch. Now that Colum-
bus has its first win, Lani-
er said, its second should
be soon to follow.
“When we start going,
ain’t no stopping,” Lanier
said. “We’ve got to take
care of business.”
Columbus 23, New Hope 7
NH 0 0 7 0 — 7
C 3 13 0 7 — 23
First quarter
C — Darion Mosley 41 FG
Second quarter
C — Ethan Conner 1 run (kick failed)
C — Michael Williams 14 pass from Conner (D. Mos-
ley kick)
Third quarter
NH — Dearies Smith 8 pass from Zac Butler (Cole
Crawford kick)
Fourth quarter
C — Michael Mosley 4 run (D. Mosley kick)
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 3B

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: WEST POINT 21, LAFAYETTE 15

Green Wave survive late Commodores rally
BY GARRICK HODGE
ghodge@cdispatch.com
WEST POINT — West
Point football coach Chris
Chambless took a deep
sigh of relief as the clock
hit zeros Friday night.
After the Green Wave
raced out to a 21-0 lead
in its district opener, La-
fayette responded with 15
unanswered points, keep-
ing the home West Point
crowd on its toes. Never-
theless, the Green Wave
(3-1) killed the final few
minutes of the clock in
the fourth quarter, hang-
ing on for a 21-15 victory
over Lafayette (2-2).
“They chipped away
at it,” Chambless said.
“They made some plays,
and we did as well. It was
a nip and tuck game. It
was kind of a sloppy game
on both sides, but we were
able to dig deep and come
up on top, which is always
a great team win.”
With the win, the
Green Wave have won 35
straight Region 1-5A con-
tests dating back to 2015.
It’s the fifth victory over
Lafayette in three years,
with all five wins being
one-possession games.
While tension was
high on both sides for four
quarters, turnovers were
the difference for West
Point, as the Green Wave
recovered three fumbles,
two of which turned into
West Point running back Cameron Young (2) runs with the ball in open space Friday against Lafayette.
touchdowns. West Point
defensive back Chris
Dean recovered two of
the fumbles for his team.
“It’s great any time you
can get a turnover and
capitalize on it,” Cham-
bless said. “We work on
that in practice and were
able to do some of that to-
night.”
The Green Wave took
a 14-0 lead into halftime
after a 2-yard touchdown
run by Cameron Young in
the first quarter and a 14-
yard touchdown scamper
by Chris Ivy with 34 sec-
onds left in the second.
“I just knew I had to get
that ball in there for the
team,” Ivy said of scoring
his rushing touchdown.
West Point scored its
Garrick Hodge/Dispatch Staff
third unanswered touch- down,” said Ivy, who fin-
down in the third quarter ished 63 rushing yards on
when Ivy took a shotgun nine carries.
snap and connected with Lafayette refused to
Trey Ryland for a 46-yard give up, however. West
touchdown pass to put his Point’s lead was reduced
team up 21-0. Ryland had to six after Trikyus Wood-
three receptions for 92 all punched in two rush-
yards Friday. ing touchdowns in the
“It was a pop pass; I second half, leaving the
threw it and didn’t know Green Wave clinging to a
if he was going to get on one possession lead with
3:15 remaining.
Lafayette’s ensuing on-
side kick attempt failed,
but the Commodores still
had three timeouts re-
maining. On third-and-9,
West Point called perhaps
its most innovative play
of the game with a fake
handoff bootleg run from
Corbin Kelley that gave
the Green Wave a first
down and the ability to
run out the clock.
“On that bootleg, it was
a planned play we have,”
Chambless said. “They
were sneaking in all
night, and we were able to
get around that. We had a
little speed that time.”
JaKobe Pate led West
Point in rushing with 80
yards on 16 carries, while
Young tallied 67 yards on
17 attempts.
West Point is back in
action against Saltillo in a
road matchup next week.
“I’m proud of the fight
our defense had,” Cham-
bless said. “Even though
they gave up plays, they
picked their heads up and
made the next one, that’s
what we preach to those
guys.”
West Point 21, Lafayette 15
L 0 0 8 7 — 15
WP 7 7 7 0 — 21
First quarter
WP –– Cameron Young 2 run (Alex Harper kick)
Second quarter
WP –– Chris Ivy 14 run (Harper kick)
Third quarter
WP –– Trey Ryland 46 pass from Ivy (Harper kick)
L –– Trikyus Woodall 2 run (Woodall run)
Fourth quarter
L –– Woodall 1 run (Andrew Pugh kick)

‘THE GREATEST FEELING’

Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff

Columbus senior DJ Jackson and her teammates show off their MHSAA Class 5A
championship rings during halftime of Friday’s football game against New Hope.
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
Yvonne Hairston has
waited a long time for this.
In March — at the end
of Hairston’s 13th year as
the head girls basketball
coach at Columbus High
School — the Falcons won
an MHSAA championship
for the first time ever.
“To wait 12 years to
get it, it’s a great thing
to finally get it,” Hairston
said. “So many coaches
have been coaching a
lot longer than me and
have never won it, so it’s
a feeling that I think, be-
ing a high school coach,
is something that you al-
ways want.”
She and the Falcons
showed their excitement
at halftime of Friday’s
football game between
Columbus and New Hope,
when Columbus’ coaches,
managers and players at
long last received their
Class 5A championship
rings.
“It was the greatest
feeling,” Hairston said.
“We’re just taking it all
in and just being excited
about it. … It’s still kind of
surreal for us.”
The Falcons had to wait
more than six months to
receive the honor after
beating Brookhaven 55-
51 on March 6 in Oxford
for the state title. The
COVID-19 pandemic
delayed things, and the
rings were slow getting
in.
Since the team couldn’t
hold a parade, Columbus
decided to hold the ring
ceremony at the first
home football game of the
season. The Falcons were
cheered loudly by the 25
percent capacity crowd,
the cheers perhaps exac-
erbated by the fact that
the football team was up
16-0 and ended up beating
New Hope 23-7 — a “win-
win situation,” according
to Hairston.
Hairston said the team
also picked a Friday eve-
ning for its ceremony
so its graduated seniors
could attend. Team MVP
Aniya Saddler plays bas-
ketball at Mississippi Gulf
Coast Community Col-
lege, Nitirah Barry plays
at Northeast Mississippi
Community College, and
Sercora Tate plays for
Judson University. (The
Falcons’ other senior,
Bri Smith, is in nursing
school at East Mississippi
Community College.)
“They had to break
away from their practic-
es and stuff, and I really
appreciate their college
coaches for letting them
come down to celebrate
with us,” Hairston said.
The Falcons’ champi-
onship was the first state
title in girls basketball in
school history, and Hair-
ston said it instills a sense
of pride in the Columbus
community.
“We’ve got some great
kids,” Hairston said.
Those great kids, led
by senior DJ Jackson,
have their sights set on re-
peating as Class 5A cham-
pions, but it won’t be easy,
Hairston said.
“Of course, we would
love to do that, but there’s
a whole lot of other
schools out there that feel
the same way,” Hairston
said.
She said it will be
hard to “pinpoint” things
this year for Columbus.
Because of the pandem-
ic, the Falcons won’t be
able to bring everybody
back, but their work eth-
ic should be able to carry
them through.
“We’re just getting in
there and working hard
every day, and (we’ll)
hopefully take one game
at a time and do what we
need to do to win and be
successful,” Hairston
said.

Contacting the Sports Department

If you need to report game scores or statistics, you can call us at 662-327-2424 ext. 126. If you need to reach sports editor Garrick Hodge, email him at ghodge@cdis-
patch.com. If you need to reach sports writer Ben Portnoy, email him at bportnoy@cdispatch.com or sports writer Theo DeRosa, email him at tderosa@cdispatch.com.

Game Coverage / Results

High school football coaches who don’t speak to a reporter from The Dispatch are asked to email information to the sports department from their games. The Dispatch
will include its prep football coverage in Sunday’s edition, so we will contact coaches Friday night or Saturday to get details. Coaches, please let us know what is the best
time for us to contact you.
4B SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020
West Lowndes rolls to massive win Starkville Academy, Oak
West Lowndes’ Jaquavious Tate runs the football during Friday’s home game against Vardaman in Columbus.
BY BEN PORTNOY
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
School may be back
in session, but Vardaman
(1-3) failed its test Friday
night as West Lowndes
(3-2) rolled to a 41-0 vic-
tory.
In a first half that saw
the Panthers notch 35
points, it was quarterback
Melvin Crawford Jr. who
led the aerial assault. Con-
necting for touchdown
passes of 62, 33, 20 and
14 yards, Crawford also
earned rushing scores of
eight and 23 yards on the
night.
“We saw poise,” West
Lowndes head coach
Anthony King said. “We
want him to have poise;
we’re going to give him
time. We need him to hit
his guys, and he did it to-
night.”
The Panthers first
score of the night came
on one of Crawford’s and
Marquez Shelton’s three
scoring connections —
the initial one coming
Hill Academy softball fall
in MAIS regional play
from 14 yards out.
Following a short
punt by the Rams, Craw-
ford was intercepted on
the goal line before the
Vardaman defender was
stripped and possession
returned to the Panthers
inside the five-yard-line.
A sack, a penalty and
two plays later, Crawford
scampered into the end
zone on a 23-yard option
keeper to the right side-
line.
With the first half clock
ticking down inside a min-
ute, the Panthers took
over with another short
field inside Vardaman
territory. Narrowly miss-
ing a streaking Decamby
Willis on the first play of
the possession, Crawford
found him on the ensuing
snap for a 33-yard touch-
down with less than 20
seconds remaining in the
second quarter.
“He had a one-on-one
matchup on the outside
with a smaller defender,”
Crawford explained. “I
knew if I put it right there
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
he would catch it, and he
was able to catch it.”
Defensively, longtime
Louisville coach M.C.
Miller rather emphatical-
ly guided the Panthers to
a swarming performance.
Miller — who spurned re-
tirement in order to coach
alongside King — barked
orders left and right, re-
directing and ordering
around the West Lown-
des defense as Vardaman
crossed midfield just
twice in Friday’s domi-
nant first half.
“They don’t have any
choice,” King quipped
of how his squad has re-
sponded to Miller’s pres-
ence. “He’s a no-nonsense
coach. He’s going to be
in your face; he’ll be on
you; he’s going to call you
when you’re wrong and so
they’re just going to have
to do it right or they’re go-
ing to be on the sideline.”
Shelton offered the
most prolific defensive
play of the night as he
skied over a Rams re-
ceiver for a pick near the
Vols, Raiders each lose twice in
double-elimination tournament
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
At least two local MAIS softball teams were elimi-
nated in MAIS regional play Saturday.
Starkville Academy, the No. 4 seed in Class 4A,
District 2, lost 10-0 to Magnolia Heights on Saturday
morning at Bear Pen Park in Cleveland. The Volun-
teers were eliminated with an 8-2 loss to Winston
Academy.
Oak Hill Academy, the No. 4 seed in Class 3A, Dis-
trict 2, was downed 12-0 by Marshall Academy on
Saturday morning at Trussell Park in Batesville. The
Raiders then lost to Lee Academy 10-2 and were elim-
inated.
Hebron Christian, the No. 3 seed in Class 2A, Dis-
trict 2, played host Tunica Academy in its first game.
Results from the contest were not available.
Ben Portnoy/Dispatch Staff The top four teams from each regional bracket ad-
vance to the class tournaments, which will be played
Oct. 3 and Oct. 5.
West Lowndes 20-yard
line. Returning the inter-
ception deep into Rams
territory, a block in the
back brought the line of
scrimmage back to the
Panther 38 yard line. One
play later, Shelton beat his
defender down the right
sideline for a 62-yard
score.
“It was the perfect
game,” King said. “We
needed a win, and we
needed an impressive
win, and guys came out
and pretty much executed
everything.”
West Lowndes 41, Vardaman 0
V0000—0
WL 14 21 6 0 — 41
First quarter
WL — Marquez Shelton 14 pass from Melvin Craw-
ford Jr. (kick failed)
WL — Crawford 23 run (two-point conversion good)
Second quarter
WL — Shelton 62 pass from Crawford Jr. (kick failed)
WL — Crawford 8 run (two-point conversion good)
WL — Decamby Willis 33 pass from Crawford (Jaqua-
vious Tate kick)
Third quarter
WL — Cordarius McGee 20 pass from Crawford (kick
failed)
For a roundup of Fri-
day’s high school football
action, please see cdis-
patch.com/sports
Classifieds
Ads appear in The Commercial Dispatch,
The Starkville Dispatch and Online
To place ads starting at only $12,
call 662-328-2424 or visit ads.cdispatch.com
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 n 5B

Medical / Dental Houses For Rent: Starkville Lots & Acreage

3BR/1BA house in the

country. 20 mins from
1.75 ACRE LOTS
Good/Bad Credit Options.
Vehicles
MSU. No HUD. $500/mo + Good credit as low as 20%
dep. 662−549−0144. down, $499/mo. Eaton Ads starting at $12
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Houses For Rent: Other Campers & RVs
PICKENS COUNTY, AL
3BR/2.5BA, CUSTOM− 180 acres in Liberty
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Garage Sales 2007 45 Luxury Newmar
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miles. Sale price $34,500,
Mobile Homes for Rent Everything works properly
Two free signs
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25+ tables & food booths! Sudoku
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Utilities & cable included, Lost & Found Items grid
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in theseveral
empty spaces 7 8 9 3 2 4 5 6 1
Apts For Rent: Other
from $145/wk − $535/mo
Columbus & County School Merchandise DIAMOND PENDANT lost
given
so thatnumbers.
object
each row, each
column and each 3x3 the
is to place
The
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4
3
6
5
1
2
9
6
7
8
5
1
8
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2
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9
Employment
9/14 around 10:30a at
locations. 662−242−7653 numbers
contains the1sameto 9 number
in
BE NEAR IT ALL IN
or 205−442−2011. Ads starting at $12 East Col. Post Office or
11a at MUW cafeteria. the empty spaces so 9 4 7 8 5 2 3 1 6
only once. The difficulty 5 2 6 4 1 3 9 7 8
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN Reward if found. that each row, each
Call us: 662-328-2424 COLUMBUS. Burial Plots level increases from
2 SPACIOUS RV/MOBILE HOME SITE Call 662−574−2292 or column and each 1 3 8 7 6 9 4 5 2
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CONDOMINIUMS NOW 3 BURIAL PLOTS
Accounting / Finance AVAILABLE − 2BR 2BA near CAFB, Caledonia Friendship Cemetery, South the same number only once. The difficulty level
schools. 601−940−1397. Travel & Entertainment
WANTED: BOOKKEEPER.
& 1BR 1 1/2 BA RENT
FROM $1000−$1350
West corner. $1,500 total. increases from Monday to Sunday.
Experience necessary. Call 662−574−5420.
PER MO. LEASE &
Call for details, DEP IS REQD., BLDG. PUBLIC CATFISH POND

662-574-4221
General Help Wanted
CONSTRUCTION LABORERS
Local residential contract-
or looking for laborers. Ex-
perience preferred. Com-
petitive wages. Serious in-
quiries only. Call 662-549-
1278 for more information.
RETAIL STORE needs entry
level employee. Part time,
flexible hours, ideal for loc-
al college student. Mail let-
ter of introduction to
Blind Box 676 c/o The
Commercial Dispatch
P.0. Box 511
Columbus, MS 39703.
Real Estate
Firewood / Fuel @ 130 Hillcrest Drive.
SECURITY @
ENTRANCE, PRIV Open Tues−Sat, 7a−5p
PARKING, GRANITE FIREWOOD FOR SALE. 662−386−8591
Various lengths. Call for pricing.
COUNTER TOPS, Ads starting at $25 662−295−2274.
BEAUTIFUL FLOORING,
SS APPLIANCES,
WASHER/DRYER, Farms & Timberland Furniture Pets
WATER AND SEWER
INCLUDED. BURGESS FARM FOR 55 IN Samsung TV $250, Akc German Shepard
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sealed bids for the right to mattress $300. All in good very smart and great with
purchase 470 +/− acres of condition. Call 662−275− kids, with papers and 1st
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COLEMAN
shots, available Oct 1st,
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located on Highway 388,
required, $250! $500.
RENTALS Brooksville, MS up to & not SPOOL CABINET, cane 662−341−0862
TOWNHOUSES & APARTMENTS later than Friday, October bottom chairs, old set of
9, 2020 10:00a.m. The china, antique table lamps,
1 BEDROOM parcels are 153−18− pewter, amber glass,
2 BEDROOMS 001.00, 40 acres & 153−
18−001.01, 431.60
collector plates & more. Five Questions:
3 BEDROOMS acres. The bids will be
Call 662−312−6207.
opened at 10:00 a.m. at
LEASE,
1 Kevin Durant
© The Dispatch

Licensed Cosmetologist the office of Ricky Walker,

Needed! No booth rent. No
clientele needed. For more
info, call or text 662-312-
8727 or email
haircuts123@yahoo.com
Manufacturing
Maintenance Technician
needed for local manufac-
turer. Electrical back-
ground w/ mechanical ex-
perience preferred. Quali-
fied applicants should be
familiar w/ hydraulics,
heavy machinery & PLC’s,
have good problem solving
skills & be flexible to work
extra hours or weekends as
needed. Email resume to
job111@cdispatch.com
DEPOSIT Attorney−at−Law, 2962
Jefferson Street, Macon,
AND MS. After all bids are
CREDIT CHECK opened, the top 3 bidders
will have the opportunity to 2 Djibouti
662-329-2323 make a second bid. The
right to reject any & all bids
3 Hugh Laurie
is reserved. Accepted bid
2411 HWY 45 N must be approved by
Probate Court. Send all
COLUMBUS, MS bids to Ricky Walker, You’ll find the best deals
4 MI5
Attorney−at−Law, P.O. Box
Commercial Property For Rent 427, Macon, MS 39341. when you advertise
For more information call and shop here!
8000 SQ ft. dock height Judy or Stan Miller,
ads.cdispatch.com
5 Monet
warehouse w/ office 601−260−7712 or
space. $2000/month. 662−418−8266.
Call Bud Phillips
662−549−2302 Houses For Sale: Other
Houses For Rent: North

508 19TH STREET NORTH:

Rentals
4BR/2BA, brick house,
central heat & air, single
carport. Available now,
$775/mth. Deposit, credit
Ads starting at $25 check, references. ACROSS
Call Long & Long,
662−328−0770. 1 Steamed
Apts For Rent: North
5 Account
FOX RUN APARTMENTS contents
1 & 2 BR near hospital. 10 Streetcars
$595−$645 monthly. 12 Some mes-
Military discount, pet area,
pet friendly, and furnished sages
corporate apts. 13 Accept with-
24−HOUR PROFESSIONAL out question
GYM. ON SITE SECURITY.
ON SITE MAINTENANCE. 14 Too trusting
ON SITE MANAGEMENT. 15 Court worker:
24−HOUR CAMERA Abbr.
SURVEILLANCE. Benji &
Ashleigh, 662−386−4446. 16 Mag. workers
18 Tell tales
Apts For Rent: West 19 Crumble to
dust
VIP 21 Mint product

Rentals
22 Not built to 41 Hang loosely 20 Michelangelo
order 42 D.C. team work
Apartments & Houses 24 Turns sud- DOWN 21 Hacienda
denly 1 Iron output houses
1 Bedrooms 25 Milking pro 2 Stump figure 23 Nearsighted
2 Bedroooms 29 Tough spot 3 Crib toy toon
3 Bedrooms 30 Spring 4 Outback bird 25 Shovel user
holiday 5 Marshy areas 26 Soft wool
Furnished & Unfurnished 32 Nest find 6 Thurman of 27 Napoli’s
1, 2, & 3 Baths 33 Food additive film nation
Lease, Deposit 34 Hoopla 7 Executed 28 Subtract
35 Old market perfectly 29 Chin warmer
& Credit Check
37 Prepare for 8 Angelic 31 Boxing ring

Service Directory
viceinvestments.com a bodybuilding 9 Cold weather border
327-8555 contest 11 Highway 33 Lion’s pride
39 Showed over scofflaw 36 Grammys
Apts For Rent: Other 40 Kept in 17 Sign of the category
reserve unmoved 38 Roadhouse
Promote your small business starting at only $25
Carpet & Flooring General Services General Services Painting & Papering

A & T TREE SERVICES QUALITY PAINTING.

Bucket truck & stump
removal. Free est.
Serving Columbus
since 1987. Senior
citizen disc. Call Alvin @
242−0324/241−4447
"We’ll go out on a limb for
you!"
DAVID’S CARPET & WORK WANTED: Licensed
UPHOLSTERY & Bonded. Carpentry, minor
CLEANING electrical, minor plumbing,
Fall Special: 4 Rms $99 insulation, painting, demo−
1 Room − $50 lition, gutters cleaned,
2 Room − $70 pressure washing, land−
3 Rooms − $90 scaping, cleanup work.
Carpet−Rugs−Tile−Cars 662−242−3608.
Call for more info!
662−722−1758
Got leaky pipes?
Have a rental property? Find a plumber in the
List it here for fast results.
Read local. classifieds.
ads.cdispatch.com cdispatch.com
Ext/Int Painting.
Sheet Rock Hang, Finish &
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Free Estimates. Ask for
specials! Larry Webber,
662−242−4932.
SULLIVAN’S PAINT
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662−435−6528
Tree Services
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Work from a bucket truck.
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Call Jimmy Prescott for free
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6B SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 7B

Religion
Jesus has given you power put it to use
A
s believers, Lately, the devil devil and put the power that when he comes, we can put So be encouraged today
we have has been stirring Jesus has given us to use. the power Jesus has given us and always remember: The
been given up a lot of trouble We have to let him know that to use, and we won’t give into power that Jesus has given to
power by Jesus in our home, on enough is enough! No longer his temptations. “Watch and us is greater than the power
Himself over the our job and even in will we allow you to steal pray, that ye enter not into of the devil. Therefore, let us
devil. We no longer the church. This from us, kill our confidence temptation: the spirit indeed put it to use. “Ye are of God,
have to let the dev- is something that and destroy our character is willing, but the flesh is little children, and have over-
il do as he pleases we do not have with your lies! “The thief weak.”(Matthew 26:41)KJV come them: because greater
in our lives. All to tolerate. Just does not come except to The devil wants us to feel is he that is in you, than he
we have to do is surrender to God steal, and to kill, and to de- powerless in the face of the that is in the world.”(1 John
put the power and put the power stroy. I have come that they problems we encounter, but 4:4)KJV
Jesus has given us Sherry Ivy He has given us to may have life, and that they we don’t have to be defeated Minister Sherry Ivy is a
to use. “Behold, use, and the devil may have it more abundant- by them. We have to put the Minister of The New Provi-
I give unto you will leave us alone. ly”(John 10:10)NKJV power Jesus has Given us to dence M. B. Church (Healing
power to tread on serpents “Submit yourselves therefore In our times of weakness use. Then we can claim our & Yoke Destroying Ministry)
and scorpions, and over all to God. Resist the devil, and or times when we are most victory we have in Jesus. “But in Macon Mississippi, under
the power of the enemy: and he will flee from you.”(James vulnerable, the devil will thanks be to God, who gives the leadership of her husband,
nothing shall by any means 4:7)KJV come to tempt us to sin. us the victory through our Pastor Willie J. Ivy Sr. You
hurt you.” At some point in our lives, That’s why we have to stay Lord Jesus Christ.”( 1 Corin- can contact her via email at
(Luke 10:19)KJV we have to get mad with the worded up and prayed up; so thians 15:57)KJV minsivy@yahoo.com.

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

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

Where the Spirit of the Lord is F eatured C hurch

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

2500 Military Road Suite 1

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

BEERSHEBA CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH — 1736 Beersheba Rd., New Hope

Community. Rev. Tim Lee, Pastor. Sunday Worship 10 a.m., Church School 11:15 a.m., Wed.
Mid Week 6 p.m. 662-327-9615

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

www.hydrovaconline.com 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
8B SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Bulldog Bullets: Costello, Bulldogs pull off miracle in Baton Rouge

BY GARRICK HODGE
ghodge@cdispatch.com
BATON ROUGE, La.
— Most Mississippi State
fans didn’t even know if
they’d even see their team
play football in 2020.
Most Bulldog faithful I
talked to in the early days
of August didn’t care if
they lost their opener 56-
0, so long as they got to
play. They certainly didn’t
expect to be leading de-
fending national champi-
on Louisiana State by 10
points in the fourth quar-
ter. Or for new quarter-
back K.J. Costello to set a
single-game school record
by throwing for roughly a
billion yards.*
*That number is unoffi-
cial last I checked*
This year has sucked,
to put it mildly, for so many
people. I can only imagine
the exhilaration MSU fans
felt watching the new look
Bulldogs going into Baton
Rouge and upsetting de-
fending national champion
and No. 6 LSU, 44-34.
Welcome to Starkville,
Mike Leach. After this
win, I bet any restaurant in
town will offer the self-pro-
claimed pirate all the craw-
fish he can eat this week.
This is a hell of a way
to kick it off, but for the
second year in a row, The
Commercial Dispatch will
bring you an instant reac-
tion blog of Mississippi
State football games post-
ed immediately after the
final gun filled with short
observations and commen-
tary. A little shameless
company promotion, but
we got much more coming
tonight, including gamers,
sidebars and a column lat-
er.
There’s a TON to get
into here, so let’s get right
to it.
To the Bulldog Bullets:
n There were a lot of
big offensive plays, OK?
I’m probably not going to
get to all of them.
n The story of the day
is obviously Costello. The
first time the guy ever
suits up in maroon and he
breaks Dak Prescott’s sin-
gle-game passing record
(508 yards in 2015) with
nine minutes to spare.
Then, he goes and breaks
the all-time record for most
passing yards ever in an
SEC game, passing Geor-
gia’s Eric Zeier (544) after
throwing for 623 yards and
five touchdowns. That’s
also the first time any play-
er at Tiger Stadium has
thrown for more than 500
yards. It’s hard to fathom
how that kind of perfor-
mance would leave any-
thing to criticize, but three
turnovers (especially two
late) show that there’s still
some progress to be made.
— Sixty passes, 16
running plays for Mis-
sissippi State. The game
took about four hours.
Welcome to the Leach era,
folks. Gonna be a tough
few years for the “run the
damn ball” crowd.
n Three MSU play-
ers went over 100 yards
receiving (by the third
quarter): Osirus Mitch-
ell (183), Kylin Hill (158)
and JaVonta Payton (122).
These ain’t your father’s
Bulldogs.
n Only the third time
ever in 100-plus meetings
against LSU that MSU has
scored 40-plus points. Sat-
urday, 1980 and 1983.
n The front seven of the
defense looked downright
impressive at times. MSU
had an effective pass rush,
accumulating seven sacks
Saturday. On the flipside,
that youthful secondary
definitely played like an
inexperienced unit later in
the second half.
n Don’t want to take
anything away from MSU,
but you could tell the LSU
secondary wasn’t the same
without Derek Stingley,
who had to miss this con-
test to an illness not relat-
ed to COVID-19.
n Rough start for the
offensive line the first two
drives. The first drive
ended in a three-and-out
following K.J. Costello
getting sacked, then the
Bulldogs had to settle for a
field goal following anoth-
er third-down sack on the
second series. That’s not
even mentioning a holding
penalty that almost pre-
vented the field goal in the
first place. That unit seems
to be a work in progress.
n Speaking of that
sack, the flag on the face-
mask call was picked up,
but Costello was clearly
hit in the head. *Shoulder
shrug*
n MSU offensive line-
man Kwatrivous Johnson
officially has a catch in the
box score, and no one can
ever take that away from
him, damn it!
n At the end of the
first quarter, MSU led 3-0.
That’s the first time LSU
didn’t score in a quarter
since the third quarter of
the Alabama game last
year, which was seven (!)
games ago.
n A botched snap from
Cole Smith destroyed any
chance of a scoring drive
early in the second quar-
ter. Just an unfortunate
play.
n First four LSU drives:
36 total yards, four punts.
Joe Burrow ain’t in Baton
Rouge anymore.
n While the stats look
good, Saturday wasn’t all
sunshine and rainbows
for Costello. When your
defense is having that kind
of success early, then you
throw a pick-six to Jabril
Cox for LSU’s first score of
the day, that’s a backbreak-
er.
n No Mississippi State
quarterback had more
than 30 attempts in a game
last year. Costello had
more than 30 attempts in
the first half.
n Speaking of Costello,
the guy almost had 292
passing yards in one half
alone. The season-high
from last year was when
Garrett Shrader threw for
238 yards against LSU.
n MSU led LSU 17-14
at halftime. That’s the first
time the Tigers trailed at
halftime at home since
2018.
n Erroll Thompson
coming through in the
clutch finishing off a crit-
ical goal-line stand on the
opening LSU series of the
third quarter to limit the
Tigers to a field goal. He
played like a senior.
n I don’t know if LSU
quarterback Myles Bren-
nan was hit on that throw
leading to an interception
late in the third quarter,
but he had a receiver open
for an easy touchdown if
he made a good throw.
Instead, it goes down as
an interception by Esaias
Furdge.
n Official attendance
said 21,124 fans were at Ti-
ger Stadium. That’s a lot of
people, obviously, but the
atmosphere clearly wasn’t
the same.
n You take the good
with the bad in the air raid.
The good: it’s effective in
putting up points! The bad:
it doesn’t take much time
off the clock when leading
by multiple possessions.
n Two back-to-back aw-
ful offensive possessions
resulting in turnovers for
the Bulldogs after going
up 10 in the fourth quarter
is not the formula for an
upset.
n I think Mississip-
pi State was fortunate
it wasn’t three straight
drives with a turnover af-
ter the officials overturned
a presumed Costello fum-
ble. Considering the Bull-
dogs took a 37-34 lead on
a field goal with 7:27 left, it
was a big swing of events.
n What a day for MSU.
Who knows exactly how
many fans will be allowed
into Davis Wade Stadium
next week for the Bull-
dogs’ home opener against
Arkansas, but those that
are let in will be foaming
at the mouth for next week
after all the momentum
this game will bring.

Game
Continued from Page 1B
MSU to a victory in Baton Rouge during
the storied 2014 season — videos of which
the coaches played throughout the Leo
Seal Jr. Football Complex this week —
there was little precedent to what unfold-
ed at Tiger Stadium on Saturday.
In previous stops at Texas Tech and
Washington State, Leach-coached teams
had been outscored 68-49 in conference
openers against Texas A&M (then mem-
bers of the Big 12) and Colorado. Satur-
day, MSU outgained LSU 303 to 146 in the
first half and 632 to 425 overall.
This isn’t to say Saturday’s perfor-
mance was perfect. There were remind-
ers of days filled with close calls and
near-upsets. Costello fumbled twice and
tossed two nearly debilitating intercep-
tions as LSU came back from a 10-point
deficit early in the fourth quarter to tie the
contest with 9:37 remaining.
But unlike those harrowing memories,
MSU went for the jugular and found the
kill shot. Costello capped off his historic
day with a 34-yard touchdown pass — his
fifth of the day — to Osirus Mitchell on
third-and-9 with under four minutes left to
push the Bulldogs’ final margin to 10.
“It’s a vertical,” Costello said of the
route he threw. “Everyone in the coun-
try runs verticals, but when you’ve just
thrown three or four or six passes in a row
leading up to that play, that defensive back
ran around the field quite a bit. He’s not
playing the same way he was on that first
play. We were willing to attack him.”
Stepping toward the menacing Bayou
Bengal eye on the 50-yard line at Tiger
Stadium where a year ago Burrow an-
nounced himself to the nation, Costello
spread his arms and peered toward his
quirky coach as if to say “Look at us.”
“I’m speechless about everything that
happened today,” he said. “I mean, if you
told me a year ago today I’d be sitting here,
it’s just crazy. A year ago I couldn’t even
throw the football. I was battling back.”
Saturday was supposed to be a corona-
tion of the Tigers as 2019 national champi-
ons. Instead, it was Costello who walked
into the Louisiana night with the crown.

Defense
Continued from Page 1B
fense’s persistent pursuit
of the quarterback. “Mis-
sissippi State has had
good defensive linemen
over time, and then when
Zach does that pressure
stuff and Mississippi
State broke in a huge por-
tion of that with Joe Lee
Dunn. Sometimes old
ways are best.”
MSU’s pressure Sat-
urday was endless. Ar-
nett brought linebackers.
He brought safeties. He
brought everyone. The
Bulldogs concluded the
contest with seven sacks
— four of which came in
the fourth quarter.
Saturday’s game was
back and forth in nature,
the kind of game past
MSU teams have wilt-
ed in under pressure. A
season ago, the Bulldogs
held tough as the Bur-
row-led Tigers mustered
just 413 yards of offense
compared to their normal
568-yard output and still
fell by 17 points.
The 2020 MSU de-
fense doesn’t have NFL
second-round pick Willie
Gay Jr., longtime safe-
ty Jaquarius Landrews,
starting defensive tackle
Lee Autry or one-time
East Mississippi Com-
munity College prospect
Chauncey Rivers. Instead
it boasts names like Lon-
dyn Craft, Shawn Preston
Jr. and Fred Peters.
There are returners,
sure. Senior linebacker
Erroll Thompson and
senior defensive end
Marquiss Spencer have
played as many SEC
snaps as anyone on the
roster. But on a two-
deep that boasted 12 un-
derclassmen, this year
looked like it’d be a defen-
sive rebuild.
Arnett has been blunt
since he arrived at MSU.
He’s no-nonsense yet
frank in his approach. In
media sessions through-
out camp, he conceded
the defense wasn’t where
it needed to be. Thir-
ty-four points Saturday
night aside, MSU held
an offense that, albeit
boasted ample new faces,
were world-beaters a sea-
son ago at bay. The Bull-
dogs may not be where
Arnett wants them, but
if they reach that poten-
tial, Leach’s squad gets a
whole lot scarier.
“I love to lead, but I fol-
low those guys that have
been here the longest,”
sophomore linebacker
Aaron Brule said post-
game. “Everybody is just
coaching us up real well
and guys are not playing
scared or anything like
that. Everybody feels like
they belong right here.”
Hodge
Continued from Page 1B
famous summer workout
“Leach Beach” a five-star
review in his postgame
session. The senior wide-
out said LSU defensive
backs told MSU players
they were tired late in
the contest, which led to
mockery from Bulldog
players. After all, Costello
only said his teammates
were part of the best-con-
ditioned team he’s ever
been on a few days ago.
Lost in Costello’s he-
roics was the debut of de-
fensive coordinator Zach
Arnett’s 3-3-5 defense,
maligned by pundits for
its youthful secondary
in the preseason, that
was picked up by a front
seven that racked up sev-
en sacks and forced two
turnovers.
The win was therapeu-
tic for those who played in
it, but I can only imagine
it caused as much jubila-
tion to Bulldog fans who
watched it.
If you asked most
knowledgeable people in
college football circles in
early August, most doubt-
ed college football would
even be played in 2020.
This year has sucked, to
put it mildly, for so many
people in the Mississippi
area, which had been hit
hard with COVID-19 cas-
es throughout the sum-
mer. Loved ones have
been lost. Hospitaliza-
tions were far too many.
So any MSU fan that
wants to spend the rest of
the day celebrating like
the Bulldogs just won the
national championship
gets a pass from me.
And well, it is only one
game, so this could just
be a prisoner of the mo-
ment-type take, but per-
haps Mississippi State’s
season outlook changes
with this victory. The
most optimistic prognos-
ticator had MSU falling in
Baton Rouge to open the
season. Is 6-4 possible?
Or 7-3? Who knows, but
this is your day to dream,
Bulldog fans.
When was the last
time a home opener was
as highly anticipated
as next week’s kickoff
at Davis Wade Stadium
against Arkansas will be?
We’ll wait to see if this is
a turning point in Missis-
sippi State’s football pro-
gram or just an isolated
incident of Leach catch-
ing a team napping, as he
did so many times in his
tenure at Texas Tech and
Washington State.
But this is your day to
dream, Bulldog fans, so I
won’t stop you.

Dear Abby

D
EAR ABBY: I got married to a DEAR HOPELESS: I wish you
wonderful guy 14 years ago, had mentioned why this “wonder-
but after a year of marriage, ful guy’s” son hates you. Could it
our children (his 10-year-old and be he blames you for the failure
my 12- and 13-year-olds) couldn’t of his parents’ marriage, or was
stand one another and caused it something else? That this man
a lot of problems. I was broken- has allowed his son to dictate how
the two of you will spend your lives
hearted when he gave me divorce
is very sad. Unless you can accept
papers. I moved out but contin-
living with the status quo (which
ued to date him without our kids
has to be painful), the answer to
around.
your question is: Move on.
Seven years ago, after his son DEAR ABBY: In 2014, I loaned
moved out, I moved back in, but a family friend $5,000. At the
he won’t ask me to remarry him.
time, and ever since, I never asked
My kids get along fine with him, the reason for the loan. Over time
but his son hates me and refuses Dear Abby we lost touch. However, we recent-
to come to any holiday or birthday ly reconnected and decided to go
celebration that I host. on a road/camping trip throughout the West.
Should I move out and move on? I feel like I Three days in, we both realized it was a poor
have wasted 14 years of my life. — HOPELESS idea to travel together for an extended period
IN OHIO of time. He has now become quite nasty and
speaks ill of me. Should I write and request
payment of the loan or let it go? — OUT OF
POCKET IN VEGAS
DEAR OUT OF POCKET: If you had the
forethought to put IN WRITING the fact you were
lending this person money, you have a prayer
of having the loan repaid. If you didn’t, you can
try writing to this family (former) friend, but
legally it won’t be worth the paper your letter is
written on. If that’s the case, consider this an
expensive lesson.
P.S. Because no effort was made over the
last six years to repay your generosity, your
road trip was doomed before it started.
DEAR ABBY: I have a very good friend I’ve
known for 18 years. Without fail, every time
we’re on the phone and she gets another call,
she’ll say, “Oh, let me call you right back,” but
she never does. Sometimes days will go by until
I call her or she calls me, and then she acts like
nothing happened.
We could be in the middle of a conversation
but she doesn’t call back. Or, she’ll call me
while she’s driving somewhere and end the call
when she has arrived at her destination, if she
hasn’t already hung up to take another call.
Is she a true friend? What should I say or
do? After years of feeling unimportant in her
life, it has really started to get to me lately. —
NOT FINISHED IN THE EAST
DEAR NOT FINISHED: Your longtime friend
is inconsiderate. Rather than wait endlessly,
call HER back the same day. And when you do,
tell her exactly how her lack of concern for your
feelings has made you feel. Do not, however,
expect her to like it, because inconsiderate peo-
ple rarely do when it is pointed out to them.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren,
also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was found-
ed 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 (Sept. 27).
Being right, important and powerful
is an ego inflator. But being free is
a soul inflator. You’d rather have
the kind of levity that comes with
freedom, and this becomes a guiding
principle of your year. You’ll find fulfill-
ment in fascinating work and people
who give you the room to be yourself.
Aries and Virgo adore you. Your lucky
numbers are: 18, 9, 6, 22 and 43.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). To
be in touch with reality but not bound
to it — that is the existential sweet
spot you’ll hit today. You’ll be a player
on the stage, pretending while never
losing sight of the fact that this is
only a role.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The
question of the day: If you knew that
everything you gave a person would
be passed forward to someone else,
would it change your offerings? And
if so, how?
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). There
are good surprises and bad surpris-
es, and yet you’d really prefer no
surprises today. You’d rather people
do as you do — which is to say, set
up an expectation and then deliver
on it!
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ll
have the sensation of many feelings
happening at once, and the loudest
ones get through. Life gets more in-
teresting once you handle those loud
feelings and settle into the nuances.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’re
a fixer, but not everyone’s a fixer.
There’s an art to figuring out which
problems to get into. Whatever you
take on, it will touch you, mold you
and ultimately define you. So, what
here is really yours?
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You
can’t un-ring a bell. Someone close
to you will be unable to resist the
impulse, even though ringing that bell
is essentially “crying wolf” with the
shake of a wrist. It’s unhelpful, as
there’s no emergency.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). People
feel different things in different
places. You are a place, too — a
roaming place with its own emotional
atmosphere. Everywhere you go, you
carry your weather with you.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). In
the digital world, you learn aspects of
a person’s being that are, essential-
ly, abstract. There are many digital
options, and yet, realistically, there
is no substitute for sharing a vicinity
with another person.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21).
There’s no perfect option. Each has
benefits and pitfalls. Not knowing
a pitfall keeps you in fear. So when
you stumble into the pit, appreciate
what’s happened. It’s better to know.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19).
You’ve a stellar memory these days,
but keeping records is still very im-
portant. Writing, taking pictures and
more helps you keep things straight
and frees your mental energy for
more important things.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18).
Do not underestimate the power
of context, which is largely about
environment. It is easier to behave
well in an environment that holds no
temptations.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You
are beginning to see yourself as a
new person. You will become who you
are in your mind’s eye. Be daring. Try
new visions. You can always change
your mind later.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 9B

SSunday
unday CComics
omics
10B SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Puzzles