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EditorsNote

by Joseph B. St. John

Editor-in-Chief

FROM THE EDITOR

CMSD: Its Time to Collect

EDITORIAL
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J.B. ST. JOHN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

February 29, 2012

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Education. It has been a topic of great debate for the past several weeks, or ever since the community found out that the City of Columbus was going to cut 69 jobs from its work force. e unfortunate problem is that no one ever says anything about education until there is trouble and, in the case of the Columbus Municipal School District (CMSD), it's a huge dilemma. No one likes to see a person lose their job. It is a personal trauma, and treating people like numbers is never the popular thing to do. However, the financial reality is that the CMSD is overdrawn. e checks have been written and now it's time for the bill collectors to collect. Understandably, it had to be a shock to many that a school district that could build a reportedly 22 million dollar school, a few years ago, is now on the brink of having the Federal Government take over its day-to-day operations. And, boys and girls, if that happens, don't expect the GOVERNMENT to come into town and play nice. ey will slash every program, every event and everything they can get their hands on, and that includes jobs. Interim Superintendent Martha Liddell has explained that on numerous occasions, and many people now understand her concerns. Individuals are going to lose their jobs. It can be now, while the school district is still in control, or it can be later, when the Feds are in town. However, it is also understandable that teachers, students and parents are concerned about these developments. Everyone loved the "What a Wonderful World" feel-good story Del Phillips told. But, now we know that the CMSD has been dipping into the reserves for almost a decade and the school district has now entered a "fullblown" financial crisis.

Even now, you have media outlets and citizens acting like they are stunned that this is happening. How can this be? Where did all the money go? e simple fact is that there never was much money and what little the school district had, was spent like sailors on the town. And, when the money was gone? No Del was in sight. is faux surprise by some media and the Mayor is stunning and should be looked at as the smoke screen that it is. Just once, while looking over Market Street from their penthouse view, do you think Del and Robert looked at each other and said, "Isnt it great to spend money you don't have and run your organization into the ground?" at's right! Our city will soon be having this same concern. e City of Columbus has been dipping into its reserves for years, and its only a matter of time before these checks are due and the city is le in a bind. at is what the summit with Joe Max Higgins was about, on February 7. e City needs cash and they need it now. But, all they received that day was a public spanking from Joe Max. And, why not? Joe is in the "catbird seat. It is time to call the Mayor and your City Councilman and ask them the tough question, "How much money is le in our reserves and where did we spend the $700,000 that was given to the city from the county, each year." We can all be sure that it's not the roads. is issue of e Real Story is going to focus on education. We will address student character-building, Charter Schools and much more, including finances. But, the most important part of the story is to hear from you, the reader. Give us your two-cents worth and your voice will

be heard. We will publish the "best of the best" comments in our next edition. So, open up and let your opinion be known!!!! We are waiting for your comments. If you do not stand up for what you believe, others will be glad to Fiddle, While Columbus Burns! Mr. MoJo Rising Reader Comments
Raider commented on At Week's End for February 24, 2012

Last summer, as the school board was putting together a budget, the CC and the mayor was trying to have a meeting with them to discuss their budget. As I remember it, the school board refused to meet with the CC and mayor on multiple occasions but had plenty of time to meet with other folks. As the stories were being written, it appeared clear to me that the school board and Del Philips had been playing fast and loose with the budget numbers and selectively releasing the info they wanted to release. As the CC became more frustrated, it was pointed out to them that they had no control over the school board and they needed to butt out of their business. During that period, there were a few people that tried to call out Del Phillips and the school board. But, most of the public seemed to be on the side of the school board because everyone was mad at the CC for making the decision to fire St. John. I know certain people want to make Robert Smith one of the scapegoats here but, I believe it would be more appropriate to blame the "autonomous" school board. e school board are the folks who failed to do their job when Del Philips was here. Now that we are in crisis mode, why are we trying to blame someone else. e blame should fall squarely on their shoulders of the school for not doing their jobs over the years. Why is no one calling for members of the school board to step down? Why haven't any school board members voluntarily resigned? Do the members and their supporters really believe that they have done a good job?

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Co-Op Road Situation Not Resolved

Construction work began on the Cocials did tell Real Story personnel that they will be widening the road area, near the railroad tracks and behind Bethel Church, by about 20 feet, to give the citizens more access to their neighborhood. ere will be no new work done on Co-

CINDY LYNCH Op/Bethel Road area, last week. City oclynch@realstorypublishing.com

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When questioned about the project by e Real Story, Dennis Gartman, who, along with local Attorney Hal McClanahan, has opposed the closing of Co-Op Road, stated, "Bill Brigham (District 2 Supervisor) is trying to help the citizens below the tracks. Everyone is trying to say it is (former District 2 Supervisor) Frank Ferguson's fault and he admitted he made a mistake, but the real people at fault are (Board of Supervisors President) Harry Sanders and Roger Bell (of Genesee and Wyoming/C & G Railroads)." It should be noted that Frank Ferguson only spoke with one person in the neighborhood about closing Co-Op Road, rather than the entire community; this has been a sore spot with many in the community, as well as other Supervisors. Even though there is new road work in the area, it appears that this situation is not resolved. Stand by for more! MoJo

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Cal-City Grocery Update

e future of the Cal-City Grocery may still be up in the air
e Real Story (TRS) has learned that there will be an appeal of the vote taken February 11, 2012, which denied the re-instatement of the grocerys grandfather status. All of the parties involved are hoping for the appeal to be heard at the March 6, 2012 Town Hall Meeting, in Caledonia. Last week's edition of TRS reported: e vote was three-to-two, with only Aldermen Quinn Parham and Mike Savage voting yes to continue the grandfather clause for Cal-City. Shortly aer the meeting, the vote was met with shock, as many individuals close to the situation advised that Alderman Bill Darnell had changed his mind, aer supporting the CalCity request in private session. is reversal of fortune by Mr. Darnell switched the entire complexity of the situation. Below are comments made to TRS, on our website, from citizens who are involved in the process:
Reader Comments Je Conwill Says: February 13, 2012 at 1:14 pm Valerie already was told, back in, I believe, October, that if the store stayed closed for about a weekend, that it would lose its grandfather status. She was told that by Je Smith. I don't agree with it, myself, and know the previous owners well, as they tried to work with her to prevent this, but she claimed that the board couldn't do it. Well, they did it. e previous owner (aka lease holder) had buyers lined up to buy the store out, but Valerie refused to sign a new lease with them. Ask her why not. She claimed that to construction issues was one reason why it was not opened up. HmmI drive by there 3-5 times a day, and the only thing I have seen done is someone cut a tree down and le it at the side of the parking lot. e previous owner (aka lease holder) spent lots of money cleaning, painting, and repairing the property, and had it looking nice. I don't drink, but the sale of cold beer in Caledonia doesn't bother me, ether. To each their own. I can say that I have never been blocked by a truck delivering to the store, and I drive by it 3-5 times a day. Also, I wouldn't let my kids just walk down the side of the street there, anyway. I listened to what was said in the board meeting in October, and what they told her is what they did. I don't agree with it, but it's not like they just up and did it without her knowledge but the Board here does as it pleases or until the Mayor gets mad and files ethics violations on them. I do know how screwed up the Caledonia Mayor and Board are, but Valerie knew all about this and did nothing, until it was too late. Why cry now? She knew what was coming and did nothing to prevent it Valerie Says: February 13, 2012 at 9:23 pm Je, I am Valerie Riley one of the two sisters that now own Cal-City Grocery, due to the passing of my father, Bill Pearrow. Since you were at the meeting in October and didn't hear or know the whole story, let me enlighten you on it! First, I hope you have never had to bury a parent. My father owned and operated CalCity Grocery from 1973 until 2010. In August of 2010 the former lease-holder signed a 5-year lease with my father. One month later, my father passed away, so my two sisters and I inherited the store. As with any death, there is a grieving process and legal matters that have to be taken care of. In October 2011, I approached the Board with concerns about the grandfather clause that pertained to the Cal-City Grocery. My concerns were What are the guidelines for the clause; not a time frame! Je Smith stated that, because Mr. Pearrow had passed away, Cal-City Grocery NO LONGER holds a grandfather clause. I explained that Bill Pearrow was NOT grandfathered; CALCITY GROCERY was and, as long as it remained Cal-City, it would NEVER lose its beer license. en, Je Smith came back and retracted his statement and said if it closes VOLUNTARILY for 24 hours, it could lose its license. Brenda Willis came back and said NO ..We have to give them reasonable time, 24 hours is not enough. So Je.. NO time frame was given! Now, the law does not state a time anywhere in the grandfather clause law! If they would have addressed the issues that I had, we would not be here today, talking about this! So, they didn't do their JOB! I did mind.and was told at the meeting not to worry, that they would take care of this however they needed to for us! Now, about the signing of the lease - we didn't need the former lease-holder to find a renter for us. e only reason they were looking for someone to lease from us, is to get rid of their equipment (Without the store, they didn't need the equipment; this would be quick fix for them.) at would be like me renting from you and not wanting to pay you, so I find someone to lease it to. Ok, now what if you don't want that renter? Do you still lease to them, to help

FROM THE EDITOR

Sta Photo

February 29, 2012

The status of Cal-City Grocery will be appealed at the Caledonia Town Hall.

the renter that doesn't want to pay? Yes, the former lease-holder had several people that wanted to lease the property, but it was the potential new lease-holder that chose not to..NOT MINE! When they realized that the lease=holder was not completely honest with them, they backed out! On November 7, the former leaseholder locked the doors of Cal-City Grocery and put a note on the door that anyone who entered before November 22nd would be prosecuted. About the renovation, Je - it takes time to re-open a business, when everything wall-to-wall is taken! e inside has been painted, the floors have been resurfaced and painted, and the bathrooms have been remodeled. But, you know that is why you never judge a book by its cover, cause you never know what it is about until you read it. I feel that is what you have done to me. But, rest assured that Cal-City Grocery will come back! To the Aldermen, you are elected to vote on the law,

not your convictions! If anyone has concerns or questions please feel free to inbox me. anks, Valerie Riley Je doty Says: February 13, 2012 at 10:57 pm WOW! Now, Mr. Conwill, thats a mumbled mouth full! You should be more informed on the law, before you mumble! Truth is, right will prevail, and wrong will be served. Misleading people about the law is against the law. One cannot be both the judge and jury! Beer will be sold at Cal-City Grocery, and no nonsense will be tolerated! A city ordinance cannot override a state statute. Seems there is a lot of ignorance in this situation, and yours is the least of it!

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Letter to the Editor:

Mojo, First of all, kudos to you and your sta for reporting the real story. Second, kudos to Hatcher and Ward for using their backbones and standing up for what they believe in! Finally, will the REAL LEADERS of Columbus PLEASE STAND UP?! And to the wannabes: sit down! (e.g., Mayor Smith, Council persons, and Judge Clinkscales.) If Chief McQueen does actually refuse to promote because "he doesn't like the individual," does he really believe that he is not discriminating and that this will not cause an exhaustion of time and money because of lawsuits? I think it's high time that we, the people, remind the wannabes that they are "elected", and then we should begin cleaning house and start from scratch. And to the current Chief.... Well, let's just call it what it is. It's time to go...out with the old and in with the new (when we get a new mayor!)!! Sincerely, Donna Hankee

LETTER TO THE EDITOR COMMUNITY

Columbus, MS Facebook Watch Meet & Greet

Members of e Columbus, MS Facebook Watch Group turned out Tuesday, February 21st, at the Columbus Fairgrounds, to meet and get to know one another. In attendance were City and County law enforcement ocers, along with Lowndes County Sherri Mike Aldridge and Columbus Police Chief Selvain McQueen. Mac Martin was one of the groups administrators who spoke about the need to look around and take in all of our surroundings, when we are out and about. He went on to say that you should always keep your head up and look at the people you pass, in the eye. Martin explained that we need to keep our cell phones in our hands, and not in our purse or pocket. He urged us to be ready for anything. e Facebook Watch group is a great way for residents in Columbus to watch out for one another and stay involved in their community, to ensure that we look crime in the face. Christy Tracey ctracey@realstorypublishing.com
Sheri Mike Arledge Christy is a wife and mother of four children and she wants to capture Columbus one photo at a time. Mac Martin

Chief Selvain McQueen

Richard Dease was in the United States Air Force and served in the Vietnam War.

February 29, 2012

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Ocers from both the City and the County attended the event.
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Porkchop, a 4-week-old miniature pot-bellied pig, enjoys a romp in the sun this past Sunday. Pork Chop is owned by Kenneth and Aimee Shaw of Columbus.

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CMSD: A State of Emergency

Talking to Interim Superintendent Dr. Martha Liddell on Friday, February 24, 2012, she appeared calm in the wake of meetings, controversy and bomb threats. Her demeanor was upbeat, despite the fact that she has been tackling one of the greatest challenges to face the Columbus Municipal School District (CMSD) in 40 years. She is a woman who understands the financial crisis that looms over her and the district, and is well aware that every solution has the possibility to open her up to criticism. Every since the CMSD announced that they would be having a reduction in sta, on February 7, she has braced herself for the onslaught of opinion that places her in the role of the "BAD GUY." Undeterred by the "mania that accompanies any such announcement, Dr. Liddell has sounded more like a business professional than an educator, when discussing the looming crisis; something that has rued more than a few feathers in the school district. During her speech at the February 16th Exchange Club meeting, Dr. Liddell expressed herself in the spirit of a tough-talking business executive and destroyed any chance of being perceived as a frightened interim department head. She did not shy away from the harsh topics at hand and oered no apologies for what she told the audience. She never "crawfished" on any of her beliefs; Friday's interview was no dierent. Confronted with emergency RIFS, picketers at the last School Board meeting, and a budget that could lead the CMSD to the humiliating possibility of being taken over by the State government, she forged ahead with her plans for correcting the problem. "Having another agency coming in and taking over the finances of the district must be avoided at all cost" she expressed. "If you go under 7% percent of your (financial) reserves, the State can come in and demand a reduction plan to correct the problem. If you don't have a reduction plan in place aer they make the request, they can come in and make the corrections themselves." Dr. Liddell made it clear that the CMSD is in an urgent predicament. "We are in an emergency situation, make no mistake about that. Our stang budget is 30% out of proportion. We are in the position to be under 7% of our reserve level and that is a problem" Even with the possibility of reducing school sta by 69 people, by releasing personnel who have two years or less of service, Dr. Liddell remains optimistic. "We have talked to Todd Ivey, Bureau Manager of the Oce of Financial Services with the Mississippi Department of Education. We feel that, by mid-April, we will be able to re-evaluate our budget and bring 35 or 40 of our released employees back." e problem, however, is more complicated than just waiting for the State to rescue the school system. Action has to be taken immediately. Dr. Liddell goes on to explain, "e employees we have to RIF must be o the payroll by April 15 or they count on next year's budget. at is the law. For principals it is March 1, if they are not going to be oered a contract." In all discussions, it is apparent that Dr. Liddell doesn't want anyone to lose their job. It is apparent that it pains her that people are going to be out of jobs, but she stays the course when addressing the issues. And, though they may not be popular stances, she is firm in her convictions. When discussing the future of the CMSD, she is blunt and to the point. "In the future, we have to be smart and ecient. We have to have the courage to look at our problems and not walk away from them. We first looked over this budget in June and knew we had to do something. Over the last eight months, we took the time to look over each and every line-item and it was apparent that we were out of proportion in our personnel budget." When pressed about the future, Dr. Liddell is direct about her concerns regarding recent history, "is situation did not occur from May 2011 to February 2012. For four or five years, the expenditures have exceeded our revenue." However, she never places blame or fault. She is aware that it is her problem to fix. "We have to run the school system like a business. We cannot tax the people of Columbus any more. In these tough financial times, that is not an option. We have to act courageously and make the hard decisions to fix the problems we are facing. We are in an emergency situation." During the crisis, the Columbus Municipal School District Board has taken its share of hits. School Board President Glenn Lautzenhiser has felt the pressure. However, he stands firm in his conviction. When asked about the current emergency, he stated, "is has been a very dicult process. A great deal of time and eort has been put into looking at the financial condition of the CMSD." His calm demeanor squarely in place, he sums up the cold hard facts about the crisis in the school system. "Seventy-six-percent of our budget is in personnel. If you're going to make the tough cuts, you have to make them there. Over the last few years, revenue has been down. We have not been fully funded from the State. (In Columbus) millage has dropped from 213,000 to 205,000, and is expected to drop even lower in the

EDUCATION

February 29, 2012

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Dr. Martha Liddell and School Board President Glenn Lautzenhiser at the meeting.

years to come. We have already used 1.7 million dollars (out of the reserves) to balance this year's budget. We can no longer do this, and we need to make the adjustments." Mr. Lautzenhiser reiterates that it is important that the expenditures and the revenues of the school district match. And, it was imperative that this had to be done immediately. Echoing Dr. Liddell's words, he went on to explain, We want to give a quality education to every child to be successful, but we must protect the financial integrity of the district." e last several months have been a trying period for the School Board. However, Mr. Lautzenhiser remains steadfast in his beliefs. When questioned about the School Board not meeting with the Mayor and City Council about the school's budget, before the 2011-2012 school year, he stated, e budget is the responsibility of the School Superintendent, the management team and the School Board." In closing, Dr. Liddell worries about the future of the CMSD. In a memo sent last week to school personnel (the full text is printed in this issue) she

Sta Photo

Dr. Liddell speaks.

stated," Recent Charter School legislation that has been proposed, includes a provision that states that high-performing and Star school districts have the ability to authorize or deny charters entering the system. In order for Columbus Schools to have this opportunity as well, we have to be committed to the mission of our district, which is 'to provide a quality education for every child." Earlier during this interview, she had stated, It's not a matter of if, but when, the Charter Schools are approved. If we are not ready for that change, the district will be le behind." Let's hope they are ready. Joseph B. St. John A/K/A Mr. MoJo Rising

ALWAYS THE TRUTH...NO COMPROMISE

EDUCATION

CMSDContinues SuperintendentSearch
e Columbus School Board contracted with the Mississippi School Boards Association (MSBA) to conduct a search for the Superintendent of the Columbus School District. A meeting was held with the professional sta and the stakeholders in the Columbus School District on September 13, 2011, to give them the opportunity to participate in determining the criteria to be used in the employment process for the superintendent. Surveys were distributed to the stakeholders on September 13, 2011. e members of the Board were surveyed to determine the qualities the Superintendent should possess. A discussion of the criteria for the superintendent was held, aer which the Board agreed on the criteria which was used for the screening and reporting process. A brochure about the Columbus superintendent vacancy was prepared. MSBA made the application and brochure available on-line. Copies of the brochure were distributed to four hundred eighty-nine (489) school districts, Col-

February 29, 2012

Editors Note: is update on the search to fill the vacant position of Superintendent of Columbus Municipal Schools was released by Glenn Lautzenhiser, President of the School Board, on Wednesday, February 22, 2012.
leges/Universities Schools of Education and Administrator Preparation Programs. A memorandum from Dr. Mike Waldrop, MSBA Executive Director, was mailed to education leaders and to the public relations/community relations professionals, requesting that the announcement concerning the vacancy be posted, and requesting assistance in publicizing the vacancy, recommending the vacancy to potential candidates, and/or personally applying for the position, if interested. Information about the vacancy was published in the Mississippi School Boards Association's E-News. Advertise-

ments were placed on-line, with the American Association of School Superintendents (AASA), Education Week (Ed Week), and the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) Contact was also made with some of the representatives of the National Association of Superintendent Searches. e deadline for submitting applications was January 31, 2012. All completed applications received, and which were postmarked on or before January 31, 2012, were accepted and processed. ere were ten applicants for the Columbus superintendent; one withdrew on February 10, to take another superintendent position. Among the applicants are: one superintendent, one interim superintendent, three former superintendents, one school principal, two consultants, and a director of pupil services. Seven of the applicants have a doctorate degree. ere are four applicants from Mississippi and one each from Indiana, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

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ANSWERS TO THE CROSSWORD PUZZLE BELOW WILL BE PUBLISHED IN OUR MARCH 7, 2012 ISSUE

CROSSWORD
Across
1: Unhappy 4: Cows ospring 8: Pinup Hayworth 12: Sense of self 13: Water jug 14: Upsets 15: Religious sister 16: Compelled 17: Tolstoy et al. 18: Dancers harnessmate 20: Visit 22: Discontinue 23: Annoy 27: Act the hostess 30: Ex-soldier 31: Stick in the ____ 32: Take it easy 33: Confused noise 34: Thin rope 35: McMahon and others 36: The Raven poet 37: Cautious 38: Less distant 40: Gift of ____ 41: Inept actor 42: Actor Welles et al. 46: The Gift of the ____ 49: Director Kazan 51: Ascot, e.g. 52: Actor Alda 53: Landlords demand 54: All ___ ___ days work (2 wds.) 55: Farm sight 56: Loses tautness 57: Become firm

02.29.2012
11: Mules cousin 19: Shoe part 21: Patronize a diner 24: Los Angeles problem 25: Bait 26: Whirlpool 27: ____ plaid 28: Went by bus 29: Movie lioness 30: Strive 33: Roof windows 34: Hacks 36: Garden vegetable 37: Forty ____ 39: Afr. animal 40: Auctioneers word 43: Singer Redding 44: Three squared 45: Pants part 46: Mothers, informally 47: The Greatest boxer 48: Guys companion 50: Grassy area

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Down
1: E-mail command 2: Water, in Madrid 3: Rickles and Knotts 4: Ingredient of mortar 5: Academy _____ 6: Served as guide 7: Perk up 8: Annoys 9: Fury 10: Boxing result (abbr.)

Late Paleontologist Jack Kaye Honored for Science, Activism

AREA NEWS

A tribute to Dr. Jack Kaye, an internationally-renowned paleontologist and respected and beloved member of the Columbus community, was held on Sunday, February 19, at the Plymouth Blu Center. Dr. Kaye died in January, at the age of 91. e keynote speaker was George Phillips, Paleontology Curator at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Sciences in Jackson, who presented a slide show on Dr. Kayes work and life entitled Prehistoric Life in the Black Belt: A Tribute to Dr. Jack Kaye. Over 75 people attended, many of whom shared their remembrances of him. His widow, Pat, was in attendance. e Golden Triangle area is an important part of the Black Belt, a large prairie that extends in a long swath from Tennessee through Mississippi and Alabama to Georgia. Fossils have been found in the Black Belt, in the Columbus area, from the age of the dinosaurs, 65 million years ago, to the Ice Age or the Pleistocene, the era 65,000-10,000 years ago, which was studied by Dr. Kaye. anks to the work of Dr. Kaye, Mr. Phillips, and others, experts have been able to identify over 80 dierent species of the Ice Age that roamed in the vicinity of Columbus - mastodons, mammoths, saber-tooth tigers, and giant sloths, among others. Dr. Kaye, known for his sense of humor as well as his erudition and expertise in the field of paleontology, was once accosted by a farmer while he was walking near Columbus. e farmer confronted him and accused him of casing his property, prior to returning to rustle the farmers cattle. Dr. Kaye waited a moment before replying, and then said, Im not aer your cattle. Im aer your elephants, and went on to befriend the farmer and relate stories of the great mastodons and mammoths elephant-like creatures who roamed the prairie in the Ice Age. Dr. Kayes long biography includes study at VMI, Vanderbilt, MSU, and

February 29, 2012

Brent Funderburk, Professor at MSU; George Phillips, Mississippi Museum of Natural History; and Mike Lowery, Columbus Library Local History

Courtesy Photo

Courtesy Photo

Ed Phillips, George Phillips, Pat Kaye, Joey Phillips, and Sid Caradine

LSU for undergraduate and graduate studies; a tour with the USAF in WWII; writer of numerous articles in prestigious academic journals; and stints as a businessman and teacher. He was remembered by many in the audience, who knew him as a kind, convivial, generous, and supportive friend and educator. One of the lesser-known but very

important aspects of his long life was his social activism. In 1926, the State of Mississippi outlawed the teaching of evolution, a law which was on the books until repealed in 1970, thanks, in large part, to the insistent and persistent eorts of Dr. Kaye while at MSU. e tribute at the Plymouth Blu Center, now a part of the Mississippi

University for Women and a center for popularizing the history, archeology, and paleontology of the region, was an acknowledgement of the personal and professional qualities of a remarkable man. Most of those attending knew Dr. Kaye, and it was clear that he would be sorely missed. e Real Story Sta Report

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EDUCATION

Youre No Odysseus, Mr. Smith

Last month, the United States showed a bit of its former pride and glory. e power of this country has always been in the momentary unities throughout history, the periods in time when we, as a nation, banded together against tyranny and oppressive regimes. By this time, I don't really believe I need to overstate exactly how I feel about this sort of thing. But, in the meantime, we stand vigilant. I, unlike so many other folks, don't really have a short-term memory, when it comes to this stu. Also, I don't typically have the patience for repeat oenders. Aer all, fool me twice, shame on me. Last month, the country showed a little bit of that beauty that made this country great when a multitude of U.S. citizens and companies banded together to oppose oppressive legislation. Together, we opposed and stopped the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and halted the Protect IP Act (PIPA) from being passed by Congress. One by one, many of SOPA and PIPA's supporters began to avoid the bills like the plague. America had won the battle. But the war against the internet still rages, as members of Congress attempt to destroy the fundamental characteristics of what is the Internet, and what makes it great: the freedom of expression. With the recent failure of SOPA, author Sen. Lamar Smith (TX), like Dylan omas' famous poem pleads, has decided to not go gently into that good night, and to rage against the dying of [his] light. His latest assault on the foundations of the Internet is another bill, HR 1981, termed the Protect Children From Internet Pornographers Act (PCFIPA). It is a Trojan horse designed to appear as a humanitarian law, but in fact is just another piece of legislation designed to dismantle the internet and oppress the freedom of expression and the spread of communication in its natural environment. But this bill wasn't written yesterday. It wasn't written a week ago or last month. In fact, PCFIPA was written last year and released in October passing the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 19-10. As of January, the bill had 39 supporters. Whats this bill doing now? It's been put on the calendar for 2012. According to Ongo.com, the bill will rewrite U.S. Code Chapter 18, Section 2703, requiring Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to "store your IP address for at least 12 months, along with any highly-sensitive personal information, such as credit card data." In doing so, it also provides civil protection for ISPs who experience a loss of data storage due to the new requirements. e unfortunate side eect of this requirement is that not only does it treat everyone using the Internet as if they are a sex oender, but it allows government authorities to charge and apprehend individuals, with a subpoena, as sex oenders. It requires no police agency to require a warrant to access your personal information from these ISPs. Once more, this is allowed under the vaguest of circumstances. As Rep. James Sensenbrenner (WI) stated, "It poses numerous risks that well outweigh any benefits, and I'm not convinced it will contribute, in a significant way, to protecting children." And who has to pay for this sort of surveillance and data collecting? Internet users. As the ISPs incur additional costs for data storage, those costs will be transferred directly to the price of Internet service by the ISPs. In a report released in October 2011, it was estimated that the costs of implementing such a bill would be "minimal" to government institutions. But the cost of putting this bill into place would be placed most heavily upon the ISPs, causing them to assume the burden of 200 million dollars in upgrades and additions for such things as servers, physical space to house the new machines, and time spent by the employees of the ISPs implementing and purchasing the new equipment, as well as the time spent coordinating the new volumes of data. In a down economy, now is not the time to impose mandatory cost increases on American businesses, many of which are small businesses. Lamar Smith seems to be determined to destroy the Internet. Unlike the brave hero Odysseus, Smith's Trojan horse will not save the day, but will otherwise provide a means to doom it. e Protect Children From Internet Pornography Act provides the tools for any semblance of online privacy to be obliterated. e proposed bill does little, if anything, for children to be protected from pornography. Strangely, the bill protects the members and aliations of government institutions who wish to abuse

by Invino Veritas

this bill. ere's even a mention of the data usage for the purpose of thwarting terrorism in the bill. Really, Mr. Smith? To make matters worse, it has become terribly evident that individuals and organizations with ideas like those of Lamar Smith want to provide these tools to questionable authorities, so that they may spy on the American people, and to apprehend and create circumstances indicative of a police state. We must stand vigilant against the bubbling tyranny in our midst. We must struggle against the boiling seas of oppression. We must put our petty dierences aside, and unite against the common enemy of the people. We must help to restore the individuality of the states, and veer it away from the control by a single central government. How can we do that? We can stand together in voice, if not by physical contribution. For more information regarding this bill, visit the following websites: HR 1981 Bill Summary and Status: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ bdquery/z?d112:h.r.1981: Protecting Children From Internet Pornography Act of 2011 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protecting_Children_fro m_Internet_Pornographers_Act_of_2011 e Electronic Frontier Foundation's petition to oppose HR 1981: https://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/o/9042/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8175 SignOn.org's petition to oppose HR 1981: http://signon.org/sign/stop-ptfipa-hr-1981
Attempting to make sense of his universe, Invino Veritas bubbles outward from the chaos, sometimes submitting to its infinite whirl, and other times raging against its disregard for its own elements. His writings incorporate multiple styles and energies which can be found on his own blog of random things at http://musingsfortheinsane.blogspot.com/.

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VoucherPrograms-eBestPublicSchoolAlternative
ere are three important alternatives to public primary school education being tried in the country: 1) Educational Management Organizations (EMO); 2) Charter Schools; Ron Parlato and 3) Voucher Programs. EMOs are private companies which contract with local school boards to run individual schools or entire school districts. Charter schools are publically-financed, State-chartered institutions which operate independently from local school boards. Voucher programs oer a fixed amount of money to go towards the tuition at any private school of the familys choice. Educational Management Organizations is for-profit system has the following advantages, cited from Trends and Best Practices for Educational Management Organizations by WestEd, a non-profit educational research organization. Access to Capital for Research and Development For-profit companies have the financing to make systemic changes in education, from curriculum reform, new technology, and advanced, modern training. ey can bring money and organization to the table in the form of venture capital, from the sale of stock, or from philanthropy. Money can be used to fund research and development (R&D) to develop compelling curriculum systems, professional development, renewable technologies, and accessible, comprehensive information systems. Incentives to Invest in R&D Public-sector investment in education R&D, although dicult to estimate, is about .03 percent of its overall budget, while for-profit firms oen spend on average 100 times that percentage. Without R&D, public education cannot hope to understand or improve its practices. Eciencies and Eectiveness Resulting From Scale Most public districts are either too small to aord the kinds of administrative support they need or so large that they become bogged down by their own bureaucracy. Private companies can apply their management skills and experience to adjust to scale to build the most appropriate support systems necessary for whatever size operation. Curricular, Instructional, and Programmatic Diversity Because each EMO seeks to distinguish itself through its unique brand, the collection of multiple EMOs brings diversity to school districts and can oer distinctive instructional programs, employee contracts, and school facilities. Internal Control e largest dierence between school districts and EMOs is in personnel practices, professional development, and managerial practices. EMOs have notable latitude in hiring, compensation, and deployment of teaching and support sta. ey also have the ability to utilize merit-based pay, paying more to teachers with specialized knowl edge and opening up more career options to eective teachers. Incentives to Improve Student Performance To assure a profit, EMOs must have satisfied customers; and to achieve this they have focused not only on student academic performance, but parental satisfaction, and financial management.

ALWAYS THE TRUTH...NO COMPROMISE

Charter Schools
Charter schools are based on three principles: 1) Accountability; 2) Choice; 3) Autonomy. Once chartered by the state, schools are directly accountable to it; and will be closed if they do not perform. e boards of charter schools are free to determine their curricula,

ANSWERS FROM THE FEB. 22, 2012 CROSSWORD PUZZLE

See VOUCHER Pg. 9

VOUCHER cont. from pg. 8

teachers, and educational programs, but all must be approved by the state. Parents can select the charter school which best suits them; teachers can choose the educational environment in which they are most comfortable; and school boards have the right to apply their educational vision. As can be seen, the dierences between EMOs and Charter Schools are few. Most charter schools are missionoriented, while EMOs and other forprofit institutions are market-oriented. is market orientation increases eciency and accountability.

Basic Ed, Part I: Quit Overspending, Get Out of the Way, and Let Teachers Teach!
I love it when people ask me, John, whats wrong with schools and education today? And they oen do. It gives me a chance to share thoughts and observations about how and why we got where we are. You may already know where Im going with this. If youre among the baby boomers, you John Dorroh probably remember a time when going to school was uncomplicated, and perhaps fun. e typical school year ran from early September until the end of May. Most of us remember that the first day of school took place the Friday before Labor Day. It lasted a half-day, if that long, and gave the students a chance to meet their teachers and get their supply lists. e first full day of school occurred on the Tuesday aer Labor Day Monday. It was an easy, logical way to transition into a new school year. e whole state seemed to use this system and everyone liked it. However, school administrators began moving up the starting dates aer the Legislature began to mandate that more school days be added to the calendar. Accountability raises its ugly head I was hired for my first teaching job by Cecil Vaughan, Principal of New Hope High School in January, of 1976. Dr. Paul Rogers, one of our counselors, told us, Teachers, let me tell you that the new buzz word thats going to aect you like no other single topic is accountability. He was oh-so right! One of the national studies that came out of California, at that time, concluded that the reason that Johnny cant read is that the teacher cant teach. Hmmm. Sounded too simplistic. How could a classroom teacher be held accountable for circumstances beyond her control, such as the fact that many children live in singleparent households in which that parent has to work late into the evening? Or, that parents sometimes live lifestyles that are not appropriate models for impressionable children? Or that, oen, students are tested with questions that contain vocabulary that the student doesnt know? e list goes on. Like an avalanche, states started lengthening the school year, thinking, erroneously, that longer school years would equate to more learning. Unfortunately, pay did not necessarily increase, and teachers in many states, Mississippi for example, actually regressed in pay. In Mississippi the typical report-toschool day for teachers (sta developmentthats another story) is as early as August 1! More programs ere must have been a Program Wizard living in the state Departments of Education because suddenly, starting in the early 1980s, teachers were inundated with new programs that were created to save the children. I recall Accountability and Instructional Management, drug education, career education, curriculum mapping, project-based learning, holistic scoring, portfolio assessment, No Child Le Behind, and scores of others. Each year, in July, I began dreading the return to school, mainly because I didnt want to see what new program(s) had been created by the Wizards to save the kids. It got worse each year, becoming more important for teachers to comply with the Wizard than to teach content and how to read, write, think, and solve problems. Accountability was lucrative for testing companies. School and district report cards were plastered across the front pages of newspapers all over the country. Textbook companies wanted a piece of the pie, too, and started aligning state standards to their books, touting, Look at us! Our books have 49 resource sections. Suddenly education, somewhat like sports, was a money-making endeavor. And guess who suered? Guess who still suers? You may be saying, Well, whats wrong with accountability? Is it a bad idea to ask teachers to conduct their classes with the success of their students in mind? No, not at all. But, as I previously stated, there are so many factors beyond the control of the classroom teacher, factors that are so oen ignored by administrators. Under the gun to make their districts shine, they demand results, at all costs. Its all about the tests, and all about keeping their schools names o of the failing list. Students become robots, and teachers feel themselves as trainers of test-takers. e joy level disappears and students become pawn-like, disconnected, and uninterested. Something smells like dead fish In response to the original questions, Whats the state of education and how did we get where we are today? here is my opinion, based on 30 years of classroom experience, working with administrators, serving on a multitude of committees, dealing with the public in general, AND having worked as an educational consultant in at least 10 states. e state of education is not good. It stinks! I have heard that schools are barometers of a society what it values, where its been, where its headed, its general health. Look at Columbine, Pearl and countless others. Get a copy of the nations report card and see what you think. Is it too big a problem to fix, and if not, what do we do to fix it? And what will be the long-term effects of the latest round of budget cuts and teacher layos?
See BASIC ED Pg. 10

EDUCATION

February 29, 2012

Voucher Programs

Voucher programs allocate public funds for private education. A family which opts out of the public school system receives a voucher for a given amount ($6-12,000) for private school tuition, usually for a religious institution whose fees fall within that range. Leaving the public school system, whether the traditional system, charter school program, or EMO program, frees the family from oen bureaucratically-tangled, inecient, and politically-influenced systems. Opting for private education, a family can choose the curriculum, teachers, and environment which suit them. ey might select a highly-competitive academic school or a religious school which integrates faith into the curriculum. Both charter schools and EMO-run schools are contracted by the state and will always be beholden to political pressures. ey may not be able to freely select courses on evolution or economic theory or choose the teachers they want. If charter schools exist within a unionized school district, performance will be as poor as in public schools dominated by narrow, union interests. Charter schools are required to accept all students on a first-come, first-served basis, so intellectual ability and academic performance are compromised. Although some charter schools prefer to select responsible, engaged parents, these eager families may still have under-qualified children, thus creating an academically mixed student body. Private schools can be uniform in their selection process. Under the voucher system, parents can select the school which has the right balance of educational opportunities and facilities, whether in the arts, sports, or academics. In addition to distinct educational advantages, voucher programs cost the taxpayer far less than either traditional schooling or charter/EMO education. Recent estimates have put the average per-student spending in large metropolitan areas at near $27,000. School systems have long been repositories for political jobs, a patronage system which has limited innovation and increased costs everywhere, and both charter and EMO schools will necessarily fall within those systems. In conclusion both charter schools and for-profit EMO schools oer a step forward on the path to privatization of education. ey have forged alliances with the public sector, which provides them a certain autonomy and freedom from outside interference; but as mentioned above, this autonomy is partial and imperfect. Voucher programs, in addition to providing families with real choice, are excellent ways to unveil the retrograde influence of teachers unions, and to oer an education free from special interests.
Ron Parlato rparlato@realstorypublishing.com Ron Parlato is a writer living in Washington, DC. He has close ties with Columbus which he visits frequently. His writings on literature, politics and culture, travel, and cooking can be found on his own blog, uncleguidosfacts.com.

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10

EDUCATION

From the Citizen is a column that will appear, periodically, in the print edition of e Real Story, and will feature commentary from members of the community, and from both ends of the political spectrum. Individuals who are interested in submitting commentary for this column should write to stjohnjb@realstorypublishing.com.

Character Counts
Character education is important in Mississippis public schoolson the surface. While most states require that their public schools implement some sort of character education program, in Mississippi it is encouraged. Character Education can be defined as a program that teaches students how to develop and grow into moral, civic, non-bullying, healthy, critical, and successful people. Most character education programs have developed a set of virtues (characteristics) to mold their program around (e.g. honesty, stewardship, kindness, generosity, courage, freedom, justice, equality, and respect). Although there are hundreds of cost-eective programs in existence, most of these programs are dicult to implement without extensive training for teachers. With teachers already having so many demands on their time, adding a character education program would be dicult. In light of the fact that schools are getting beaten down by budget-cutting each year, it is unrealistic to think that they would be motivated to implement a character education program, when it is not mandated. If I were a principal, I would be more worried about ensuring that my students were achieving the highest possible test scores, so that I could secure funding for the next school year to make sure I and all of my teachers still have jobs. is kind of pressure to perform is a double-edged sword, and sometimes keeps a few important things out of the picture. On one hand, I think we can all agree that character education is important for our childrens growth. While we can develop our kids minds and teach them how to read, write, and add/subtract (some of whom dont get what they need to achieve in those areas), if students dont believe in themselves, then knowledge can only go so far. Knowledge without some sort of internal power behind it leaves students unmotivated, unsure, and distracted and we all know what a bunch of distracted children in one classroom can do to a teacher! And, with bullying being such a big issue and written policies that are inconsistently implemented, our students oen don't feel safe to learn. Bullying is an article in and of itself, but it's fair to say that with a decent character education program in place, bullying would decrease. No one person is to blame for the way our system has turned out, but I think it is important to ask all the tough questions. But, where in the world is there time for a character education program (an eective one, that is) in the school day? Teachers really can't take on any more responsibility. At least, I dont think they can. So then, what is the solution to successfully incorporate a character education program? Having words posted around the school like Courage and Honesty is not enough. Students need to understand what the words mean, and how to use them in their lives. For instance, if a child is rewarded for being courageous, explain to that child why they were courageous. Or, if a child gets caught cheating on their test and doesnt deny it, then thank them for their honesty and go on with the desired consequence for cheating. To give students an opportunity to figure out who they are, how to get along with others, and what it really means to believe in who they are, would be invaluable. Pointing out the

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See CHARACTER Pg. 16

BASIC ED cont. from pg. 9

How did we get in this situation? 1. Overspending/overpaying. Just as the housing market came crashing down a few years ago, the rents due in many school settings. Most districts have too

many high-paying positions, administrators who contribute very little to the good of the big picture. Since teachers are the ones working with the students, cut the fat in the central oce. Eliminate the flu. And stop buying expensive canned programs that generally dont work. eres nothing more wasteful and in-

sulting to teachers than paying a motivational speaker $3,000 on the first day of school to try to empower teachers, when the speaker himself hasnt graced the inside of a classroom since he was a student. 2. Accountability (or the lack of) for some administrators and parents. When I worked at East Coweta High School, near Newnan, Georgia, parents were required to sit in their childs classrooms when the child was sent to the oce for misbehaving. at was the condition for the student to be readmitted into the class. My administrators caught flack at first, but we all soon realized that it only took one child per class, for this FREE program to work. As for administrators, I despised it when principals punished the entire faculty for the actions of one or two teachers. ese same principals scolded us for doing that very thing to our students. 3. Not letting teachers teach.
SEE SUDOKU ANSWERS ON PAGE 19

Good teachers know how to teach. For the most part, its in their blood. ey learn some methodology and content in college, but they instinctively know how to teach. Its the administrators job to intervene for the incompetent teacher. Ideally, the principal, the bad teacher, and at least one other school sta member should collaboratively design an improvement plan. If, aer an agreed-upon period of time the teacher hasnt improved, then hit the trail. Adios. Go find another line of work. (More next week.)
jdorroh@realstorypublishing.com John Dorroh is a Columbus resident who presently works and lives parttime in the St. Louis area. He works as an educational consultant, traveling in the Midwest and Southeast. He writes short stories, essays, and cheesy poetry about people he has met along the way.

ALWAYS THE TRUTH...NO COMPROMISE

Community Newspapers: The Heartbeat of American Journalism

Special to the Real Story milestones - this is the stu that the local news beat is made of. It is the sort of focus that big-city papers have increasingly lacked both the time and the inclination to provide. is single-minded dedication to meeting the needs of their audience has set the community papers apart from their big-city brethren. Majormetropolitan newspaper circulations began declining when they lost touch with readers and advertisers, long before the advent of the Internet. Today, the concentration on consumer demand distinguishes the community newspaper product from that of advocacy journalists and hyper-localists. e faddists are motivated by ideological or topical considerations extrinsic to their relationship with their customers. e bond between the community papers and their readers is organic. University of North Carolina journalism instructor and textbook author Jock Lauterer summed up this relationship neatly: "Community journalism... is the heartbeat of American journalism, journalism in its natural state." at heart beats today as robustly as it did in 1953 when the little Tabor City (NC) Tribune won a Pulitzer Prize for its expose of local Ku Klux Klan activities. It was the first Pulitzer award ever made to a weekly newspaper. e category "community newspapers" includes small daily newspapers, whose skeletal structure mimics that of the major-metro papers but which cover little or no metropolitan, state, national or world news. e term is also broad enough to encompass weekly papers that specialize even more narrowly and are oen distributed free in street racks, stores, malls or shopping centers. Among the popular weekly forms are shoppers which publish copious retail advertising by groceries and auto dealerships - and alternatives, which feature antiestablishment editorial and lifestyle content. A good example of this mix is Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. (CNHI), which used private capital to grow via acquisitions beginning in 1997. Today, it boasts some 90 small daily newspapers and over 200 smaller weeklies in 22 states. Corporate ownership has arisen to challenge sole proprietorships and partnerships for dominance in the industry. When successful, this has allowed each paper to retain its individuality while enabling the parent enterprise to enjoy economies of scale and scope. Still, neither corporate ownership nor large size inoculates community newspapers against adversity. American Community Newspapers, Inc. reached well over 1 million households in Texas, Minnesota and Virginia when it was forced into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2010. It emerged from reorganization in the hands of its creditors. From Mankato, MN to Plano, TX; from Vienna, VA to Harrisonville, MO to Walnut Creek, CA, community newspapers stand as testament to the continuing vitality of print journalism. Reports of the death of newspapers may be premature; they are surely exaggerated. Bradley J. Furnish, Chief Economist Phone: (816) 518-0550 Night line: (816) 518-0550

11

CONSUMER CORNER

Localism is trending today in the realms of food and finance. e institution of the local community newspaper is also popular, but it wasn't blogged into being - it was born long before videos started going viral. Major-metropolitan newspapers may be a slowly dying breed, but community newspapers prove that American journalism is alive, well and living in the rural areas, small towns and suburbs of our land. e word "newspaper" may conjure mental images of a big pressroom, delivery trucks and eight-column banner headlines, but 97% of U.S. papers have a paid circulation of less than 50,000. eir combined circulations, though, exceed 109 million - more than 3 times the aggregate total of the big daily newspapers. ese are the community newspapers. ey are staed by professional journalists, but their news coverage is locally-oriented. High-school sports and academics, zoning issues, petty crime, neighborhood events, clubs, services, organizations, festivities and

February 29, 2012

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If you have a local business or establishment you would like us to consider for review, please e-mail us at: consumercorner@realstorypublishing.com.

by Mo & No-Mo

You will get our honest opinion of the business, their personal customer service, and the services oered. We strive for fair, unbiased reporting, so we hope to hear from you.

COCONUT SALON:
Observation:
We keep hearing that a new guard is in town and we can trust him. However, I have heard, through the underground grapevine that the , patrolmen now have a 15-ticket-per-month quota that they must meet, to stay out of trouble. Is this the way a new Chief creates a feeling of trust between the Police Department and the citizens? I think not!!! is is just another way to sabotage the morale of the Police Department. Enough is enough!!
For those of us who have hard-to-manage hair, hard-tocut hair, maybe hair the texture of straw - having a good hairdresser and stylist is extremely important. Once you find somebody that can meet all of your cosmetological needs, it is important to keep them. You stay with them for years; they become a member Mayor Robert Smith and Coconut Salon owner Consquella Townsel shake hands at the grand opening of her business Saturday. of your family. Losing your cosmetologist can be traumatizing. Having gone through just such a change, I am to chat with the person in the chair next to you, but pleased to let you know that I have found a place that you don't want to bump elbows with them. is is just meets all my needs at one of the newest salons in our the way things are set up at Coconut's. It's roomy and rustic. town - Coconut Salon & Spa. Consquella Townsel and Stephanie Gayle are there Friends can be wonderful resources when you are in to meet your every cosmetological need, with knowlneed, and praise from a friend helped me to give this new salon a try. With hair full of cowlicks and waves, edge and a love of people. With their pleasing persona haircut, for me, can be a trial. If I don't get a good alities, you can only find warmth and friendliness here, haircut, my hair will stick up in all the wrong places with an overriding knowledge of coloring, perms, and it takes the strength of cement to make it lay down. manicures and haircuts or styling. When you add the If I get a good haircut, even aer a night of sleeping, tanning bed and other benefits of the spa section, you my hair falls into place and will look like it has just can only find happiness and joy with one visit to Cobeen combed when I get out of bed. I got the best hair- conut Salon & Spa , located at 3445 Hwy. 50 E. ey cut that I have ever received, at Coconut Salon & Spa. have just celebrated their grand opening, so run by and give them a try. You won't be disappointed. As you walk in, you are instantly comfortable with your surroundings. It is nice to sit in the styling chair and be close enough

Observation:
I want to take a moment to thank all of our readers who have called the paper, to give comments on local establishments. We have kept them all and I will be devoting one Consumer Corner, each month, to the readers comments. If you would like your name added to your comment, you can let us know and we will do so, or you can remain anonymous. So, call or write if you have had a good experience or a bad experience, and let us know.

ALWAYS THE TRUTH...NO COMPROMISE

14

AREA NEWS

These walls are talking ...

Hear them all, during the 72nd Annual Columbus Spring Pilgrimage, March 26 April 7, 2012. Thirteen captivating days of historic home tours, via an authentic double-decker bus, candlelight re-enactments at Friendship Cemetery, dining, boutique shopping, and walking tours Columbus, Mississippi is a cultural crossroads to be savored by all. Stroll from room to room at Temple Heights and hear ladies in 19th century dress relate the events of their daily lives. The riveting tale of the origins of our nation's Memorial Day celebration can be heard at Twelve Gables. After his escape from a Union prison, sixteenyear -old Bud Harris hid in the attic of Whitehall, where his mother baked a pumpkin pie for an ailing Yankee soldier. Amazing Amzi Love is still occupied by descendants of the original builder. Elaborate Rococo-style furnishings and the stunning wallpaper and floor coverings of Rosedale are truly mesmerizing. Other unsurpassed architectural marvels include Bryn Bella, Baskerville Manor, and White Arches. Lush gardens and a profusion of flowers greet visitors to Rosewood Manor. The interior decor is awash in a palette of colors that echoes the rich hues of one of the largest collections of fine porcelain in the world. Magnificent Waverley Mansion is a step back into the era of the immensely wealthy cotton planter. This is living history at its finest; all are private homes, not museums. By night, the evening's entertainment is equally dramatic. Candlelights flicker along the pathways of Friendship Cemetery, as Tales of the Crypt unfold. Actors portray the lives of those interred within, providing glimpses into the city's intriguing past. Other special events during Pilgrimage include: The Opening Block Party, Noon Tunes, Artisans Alley & Living History, Pilgrimage 10K Race, Church Tours, and the Mayor's Unity Picnic. Columbus is a vibrant destination city. Come for the weekend; come for the week. Charm-

and do they ever have stories to tell!

ing Bed and Breakfast establishments offer delightful accommodations. A thriving Main Street corridor has block after block of shops and boutiques, with a diverse selection of antiques, jewelry, gifts, clothing, and one-of-a-kind accessories. Enjoy outstanding restaurants, with a full range from casual to fine dining. See the sights via open carriage rides, self-guided walking tours, or from the top of a double-decker bus straight from the streets of London. The red double-decker makes the rounds, picking up and dropping off visitors at each of the homes on the National Register of Historic Places. Don't forget to stop by the Tennessee Williams Welcome Center. The 1875 gabled Victorian Welcome Center holds a revered place in Columbus' rich past. It is the first home of renowned playwright Tennessee Williams and has been recently restored, with historical detail and style. Special to e Real Story
Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau

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A Quiet Night with the Columbus City Council - Sort of

e February 21, 2012 meeting of the Columbus City Council was uncharacteristically quiet, until the second-to-last item in the agenda. Aer the usual fairly routine and banal procedural activities, decisions regarding overgrown lots, and a presentation in recognition of a former long-time city employee, a mild controversy erupted. In a discussion regarding the hiring of a consultant to look at redistricting in the wards, Councilman Charlie Box suggested that the Council members or their representatives should have an opportunity to weigh in on the evaluation of the wards, stating is is the most important decision that we will make. Aer further back-and-forth on this issue, a motion was made, indicating that the Council members or their representatives would have an opportunity to speak with the consultant on the matter of redistricting. is motion passed, by a 4-2 vote. Something that went, seemingly, unnoticed during a discussion and subsequent vote on the matter of a residency requirement for board appointees, was the thorny issue of how this might impact the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau (CCVB) Board. e residency issue came up during the discussion about a couple of candidates for an expiring term on

What never came up was the question of how this would aect the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors appointees to the CCVB
the City Planning Commission. e two candidates were Wythe Rhett, a local real estate executive and Philip Long, the current seat holder. e suggestion was made that all members of the Planning Commission should reside within the city limits, in light of the fact that their decisions impact city residents. It was also pointed out that, of the two candidates, only Mr. Rhett actually lives within the city limits.

Aer further conversation, a motion was made that all board appointees, with the exception of appointees to the Columbus Municipal School District (CMSD) Board, must reside within the city limits. (e CMSD Board was exempted from this requirement, because their members are only required to reside within the school district.) e residency motion passed, unanimously. What never came up was the question of how this would aect the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors appointees to the CCVB. e conversation, as well as the subsequent motion, was vague on whether this applies to ALL CCVB board appointments, or just those made by the City. e potential response from the Board of Supervisors would be both predictable and understandable. It is likely that the Supervisors would view this as an unwelcome (and possibly illegal) intrusion into their purview. Well have to wait to see how this plays out. e Real Story Sta Report

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Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Sells Art in Trash

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance is the first visually stunning Marvel comic book movie. In the film, Nicolas Cage plays a hero trying to get rid of his demonic powers he basically doesnt want his head to become a flaming skull. Several scenes separate Spirit of Vengeance from X-Men, Spiderman, Hulk, Iron Man, or and others, but the first great visual comes aer Cage gives a frenzied and hilarious interrogation. Cages internal struggle is showcased on a blindingly fast bike ride as he screams and his head twitches and changes shape. is sequence, alone, demonstrates a creativity that no other Marvel film has, and other visuals in Spirit of Vengeance, such as a boy re-energizing Cage by breathing fire into his mouth, rival its audacity. Directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor forget superhero movie conventions and give the Ghost Rider character its own cinematic energy. Neveldine/Taylor originally shook things up with two action masterpieces, Crank and Crank 2: High Voltage. ese films ran at breakneck speed, as they dared to be more extreme than any action movie, all the while commenting on the ridiculousness of a hero who can never be sense of fun is epitomized by the pissing-fire inside-joke between Cage and the boy he must save. For all its silliness and talk of demons, Spirit of Vengeance is more respectable than or or X-Men: First Class from a cultural standpoint. Idris Elba was the only black character in or, but he played a mythological doorman, a new spin on the old butler stereotype, as critic Armond White pointed out. In Spirit of Vengeance, Elba is an ass-kicking priest who oers Cage a chance at spiritual redemption. Even though Elba dies like Darwin (the only black character in X-Men: First Class), Elbas death is memorably defiant, unlike Darwins And there goes the black guy demise. Whereas the Iron Man films, or and Captain America may serve as advertisements for the Avengers movie, Spirit of Vengeance is a trash can filled with art. It neither promises a sequel nor cares about the original Ghost Rider film. Neveldine/Taylor and Cage reject the pretensions of Marvels movie line and oer a fun cinematic experience.
jpressgrove@realstorypublishing.com Jed Pressgrove is a technical writer and masters student in sociology at Mississippi State University.

15

OPINION & AWARDS

February 29, 2012

Nicolas Cage goes nuts, again, in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.

Press Photo

stopped. Similarly, Spirit of Vengeance is always moving. Neveldine/Taylor use brisk animated sequences to get you up to speed on the good guy, the bad guy, and the source of the good guys power. In contrast, other Marvel superhero movies waste scene aer scene on origins and backstory. Undoubtedly, youll notice the acting in Spirit of Vengeance is over the top.

If Cages involvement isnt a clear warning, Christopher Lamberts role should be. Even Ciarn Hinds hams it up as Roarke, A.K.A. the Devil. But what else should we expect? With lines like So youre the devils baby mama, were supposed to laugh and not take obvious fantasy seriously. Neveldine/ Taylor doesnt pretend this material demands grave attention. is honest

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SaleInternationalStudiesMagnetSchooltoReceiveGovernorsAward
one that our entire school takes great pride in knowing we have built an exceptional program and relationship with MUW, said Nancy Bragg, Sale Principal. We share a common goal to expand the students learning experiences outside the walls of their elementary school by bringing them to the university campus for the enrichment experiences. Principal Nancy Bragg and International Baccalaureate Coordinator Kay Ellis have long had ideas about what learning should involve for the elementary students under their charge. From the initial CMSD Photo meeting in July, 2009, the viJemeya Orr and Kayle Fenton learn with an MUW teacher candidate. sion grew into reality when the 1st Sale Kids N College added. Both the elementary students and the univergroup of 85 students came to the MUW campus in sity teacher candidates have been the beneficiaries, the fall of 2009. Now, 3 years later, a group of Sale El- but the experience has been a shared one among ementary kindergarten through 5th grade students Sale students, faculty, administrators, parents, and just returned to the MUW campus for the sixth con- among the MUW faculty in departments and colsecutive semester of the partnership enrichment ex- leges throughout the campus, the administration, perience. During the 3 years of partnership, some and the undergraduate teacher education candidates. experiences have been continued and strengthened, See AWARD Pg. 16 while every semester, new experiences have been

Mississippi Association of Partners in Education recently released the recipients of the 2012 Governors Awards. e Mississippi Association of Partners in Education (MAPE) will recognize Mississippis top school-community partnerships during the Governors Awards luncheon on Wednesday, March 21 at the Jackson Hilton. Partnerships provide resources and funding for many innovative programs that would not exist without a community support network, said Debbie Anglin, MAPE president and director of communications for the Pascagoula School District. In the face of mounting budget cuts in public education, partnerships continue providing the resources that schools need to oer creative, highquality learning opportunities that benefit students, teachers, parents and communities. Sale Elementary and Mississippi University for Women College of Education & Human Sciences will be awarded the Governors University Partnership Award. is distinguished award recognizes the innovative partnership between two outstanding educational entities, MUW College of Education and Human Sciences and Sale International Studies Magnet School. ey have partnered together for the Kids N College Program which has provided unique learning experiences every semester since 2009. We are honored to receive the 2012 Governors Award with Mississippi University for Women College of Education. Our partnership with MUW is

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16

AWARD cont. from pg. 15

Dr. Sue Jolly-Smith, MUW Dean of Education, shared that one of the most significant results has been something not fully anticipated or easily quantified: the feeling of ownership and pride that both groups feel for the other entity. is ownership makes this a true partnership and one worthy of recognition. e Sale Elementary students have endeared themselves to the MUW College of Education and Human Sciences faculty and administrators who have watched them grow during the years. e Sale students feel a sense of ownership when they pass by the MUW Clock Tower, and can point with pride to a place that has become theirs. e bonds between elementary students and teacher candidates have been immediate and strong, teaching all of them much about what matters between teachers and students, adds Dr. Jolly-Smith. is highly successful partnership has been a major part of the improved accountability rating for Sale. Sale has improved their QDI level and accountability rating every year of this partnership, currently reaching their highest rating to date, High Performing. Mississippi University for Women College of Education and Human Sciences and Sale International Studies Magnet School together created a truly remarkable working partnership because of their passion for excellence, adds Dr. Liddell, CMSD Interim Superintendent, is partnership has enhanced the lives and education of Sale students and MUW teacher candidates. I congratulate them both on receiving the Governors Award and for their strong belief in children.
Special to e Real Story Columbus Municipal School District

February 29, 2012

SAFETY TIPS

CHARACTER cont. from pg. 12

positive values amidst the mistakes is a good way to reinforce the behavior that the program is designed to ingrain. I havent been to all of the public schools in Mississippi, but from the ones I have visited, character education is on the back burner, because funding is on the forefront. On the other hand, to keep a school functioning, the bills have to get paid. Who can blame the schools for feeling so much pressure to achieve the required test scores? I know I dont. It takes an entire community of people that are willing to cooperate and be open to possibilities to make our public schools work these days. Perhaps that is the way it should be. Our public school system is antiquated and needs to be modified in order to catch up with the times. Technology is transforming our world, so we must reallocate funds to fit todays student. Maybe a character education program could be developed in the form of a video game. en there would be no pressure on the teacher to learn new material, and it can be utilized during the day, when students have breaks. Education is a tricky subject because there are so many factors to consider, and there is no singular solution. Character Education programs are one of those factors that oen get neglected. Building community and relationships are going to become key components for success with our schools, down the road. Saying we focus on the kids first and, then, really focusing on money first isnt going to get the job done. We have to rein in our fear and let faith drive the bus. Focusing on our students and their needs for full development must come first. And then, all of us adults have to work together to get along and invest in our future community, which sometimes involves breaking down our own barriers of fear and change. All in all, our system needs a re-boot. I like to think that things will get better soon for our leaders of tomorrow. But, it may take a while. In the meantime, lets keep it simple be being kind to one another. e students are watching us and modeling is the greatest teacher. Meagan M. O'Nan Meagan is the award-winning author of Creating Your Heaven on Earth, avid blogger, poet, and supporter of the underdog. Visit her website at: Meaganonan.org

Senior Safety Tips

From the National Crime Prevention Council
Many legitimate companies and charities solicit consumers by phone and consider it an eective way to raise money or increase company business. Unfortunately, others are simply up to no good. We at the National Crime Prevention Council believe seniors can prevent telemarketing fraud by being educated consumers. According to the FTC, nearly 25 million Americans are victims of consumer fraud each year. Senior citizens continue to be a rapidly increasing segment of the population, and that makes them a prime target for con artists and thieves. Americans who are 65 or older represent about 13 percent of our countrys population, and their population will only continue to grow as the Baby Boomer generation begins to enter that age range. Studies have shown that senior citizens are more at risk of being targeted by telemarketing scams than other age groups, and fraudulent telemarketers direct anywhere from 56 to 80 percent of their calls at older Americans. ese con artists believe that senior citizens are vulnerable and more susceptible to their tricks. However, NCPC is helping many seniors to be shrewd and savvy citizens by keeping these tips in mind: Oers too good to be true, usually are. Ask to receive the unbelievable deal or the amazing prize oer in writing, so you can read it carefully before making a commitment. Never give out your personal information over the phone or Internet unless you have initiated the contact. Legitimate business callers will never ask you for this information over the phone. If a caller asks you to pay for an oer in advance or asks for your credit card number or Social Security number, tell the person you dont give out personal information over the telephone. Remember that legitimate telemarketers wont be turned o if you use these techniques. ey will appreciate dealing with an educated consumer. Its not rude its shrewd!

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17

ABOUT TOWN

February 29, 2012

Alexis McKerry
White, Dorty McGee, Pictured L-R: Edward White, Winnie H. Gallop Lois Gallop, and William

Wayne Wh ite and Fred Wh

itcar

Photos from the

CPD War Museum

by Christy Tracey ursday, February 23rd

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Mr. Mims WWI un

iform

William H Gallop points to and his wife Lois a photo of when he first met.

Mrs. Halloway

Tom Hardy and Dan W hite

Paul and Robert Mims stand next to the uniform their father wore in WWII.

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18

EDUCATION

Charter Schools
A charter school is an independent public school that operates autonomously of the district board of education. In eect, a charter school is a one-school public school district. A group of people educators, parents, community leaders, educational entrepreneurs or others write the charter plan, describing the school's guiding principles, governance structure, and applicable accountability measures. If the state approves the charter, it funds the charter on a per-pupil basis. In most cases, charter schools operate under a clear agreement between the state and the school: increased autonomy in exchange for increased accountability. Because they are schools of choice, they are held to the highest level of accountability consumer demand. Charter Schools operate on three basic principles, which is how they dier from traditional public schools: Accountability: Charter schools are held accountable for how well they educate children in a safe and responsible environment, not for compliance with district and state regulations. ey are judged on how well they meet the student achievement goals established by their charter, and how well they manage the fiscal and operational responsibilities entrusted to them. Charter schools must operate lawfully and responsibly, with the highest regard for equity and excellence. If they fail to deliver, they are closed. Choice: Parents, teachers, community groups, organizations, or individuals interested in creating additional educational opportunities for children can start charter schools. Local and state school boards, colleges and universities, and other community agencies can sponsor them. Students choose to attend, and teachers choose to teach at charter schools. Autonomy: Charter schools are freed from the traditional bureaucracy and regulations that some feel divert a school's energy and resources toward compliance rather than excellence. Instead of jumping through procedural hoops and over paperwork hurdles, educators can focus on setting and reaching high academic standards for their students. Parents, community leaders, businesses, teachers, school districts, educational entrepreneurs, and municipalities can submit a charter school proposal to their state's charter authorizing entity. When a public school district is a failing district, it is favorable for a community to ease restrictions for charter school licenses. By law, charter schools must have a fair and open admission process, conducting outreach and recruitment to all segments of the community they serve. ey are public schools and therefore cannot "choose" which students attend. Like other public schools, charter schools are nonsectarian and nondiscriminatory in admission and employment practices. Charter school students are admitted on a first-come, first served basis, or by lottery when applicants exceed available slots. No tuition may be charged. e chartering process varies from state to state, depending on the state's charter law. In California, for example, there are three types of authorizers: the governing board of the school districts, county boards of education, or the state board. In Pennsylvania, individuals or groups seeking to establish a charter public school must apply to the local school board of the district in which the school will be located. Generally, there are four types of entities allowed to authorize charter schools: the local school board, state universities, community colleges, and the state board of education. Charter schools are public schools and like district public schools, they are funded according to enrollment (also called average daily attendance, or ADA), and receive funding from the District and the state according to the number of students attending. However, in a number of states, they do not receive the full equivalent of their district counterparts: Minnesota charters only receive the state portion (about 75% of a district school's total per-pupil allocation); charters in New Jersey and Colorado also receive less than 100% of the per-pupil funding. In other states, charters must negotiate their funding in their charter contract, oen below the level of funding of their district counterparts, and then make up the dierence through grants and donations. In addition, and unlike traditional district schools, most charter schools do not receive funding to cover the cost of securing a facility. Conversion schools (charter schools that were once public or private schools) begin with established capital, namely the school and its facilities. A few states provide capital funding to start-up schools, and some start-up schools are able to take over available unused district space, but most must rely on other, independent means. Recent federal legislation provides funding to help charters with startup costs, but the task remains imposing. Charter schools are public schools. When a child leaves for a charter school, the money follows that child. Proponents say this benefits the public school system by instilling a sense of accountability into the system regarding its services to the student and parents and its fiscal obligations. If a charter school doesn't live up to the terms of its charter, it can be closed. Proponents cite this as proof of charter schools' accountability. Poor academic performance can be a factor, as can financial and management issues. Only 47, or 1.5%, of all charter schools in operation last year were closed. According to the 2004 National Charter School Directory put out by the Center for Education Reform, there are 2,996 charter schools operating for the 2003-2004 school year, serving 741,949 children, in 37 states and the District of Columbia. Included are the 309 schools that opened their doors this past fall and the 63 new schools already approved to open next year. is summary has been prepared using material directly copied from a PowerPoint presentation developed by Dr. Linder G. Howze, one of the nations foremost experts on charter schools. For more information, please contact her at: Linder G. Howze, Ph.D. S.O.U.P. Educational Services lghowze@hotmail.com

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February 29, 2012

19

CULTURE

Where to Get Your Culture

Most of the time, it is fairly easy to locate a source for whatever product or service you need or want. You simply Google it or, if you are of a certain generation or just not tech-savvy (can anyone say Ted Kaczynski?), you turn to the telephone directory. Finding sources of cultural enrichment can, sometimes, be more challenging. is arises partly out of the fact that providers of cultural experiences are oen non-profit organizations, which dont have the budget to undertake major marketing campaigns. Another possible cause is that some events dont have a home, a venue at which they are regularly presented. Well, we will attempt to resolve this information deficit, here and now. ere are a number of obvious sources of culture in our community. e most well-known would have to be the Columbus Arts Council and its Rosenzweig Arts Center, which is located at 501 Main Street, in Columbus. ey have a newly-redesigned website, which can be found at www.columbus-arts.org, or you can call 662.328-ARTS (2787). ey host art exhibits, concerts, plays, and artrelated classes. A relative newcomer on the arts scene, but one that is making a big splash, is Random Acts of Culture. is is an arts organization that organizes a wide variety of cultural events, such as open mic nights, art exhibits, and art-related classes and workshops. For example, they have partnered with Renee Reedy Studio (101 5th Street South; below Caf on Main) to host a series of monthly art exhibits, known collectively as Art in Columbus. You can learn more by visiting www.randomactsofculture.biz or by calling 662.368.8181. e Department of Art and Design at Mississippi University for Women (MUW) presents art exhibits at the Eugenia Summer Gallery (Learn more: www.muwart anddesign.com), while the Universitys Department of Music and eatre presents plays throughout the year (More info: web2.muw. edu/index.php/en/main-music-theatre). Main Street Columbus hosts a number of events, most notably Market Street Festival. eir Sounds of Summer concert series is also very popular. Visit www. columbusmainstreet.com for more information. e Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau sponsors several events, including Spring Pilgrimage and Catfish in the Alley, the latter of which is scheduled for this Friday, March 2nd. Details on their events can be found at www.columbusms.info. Almost every month on the calendar features one or more exciting festival. An excellent example is the Tennessee Williams Tribute & Tour of Victorian Homes, which honors Americas greatest playwright and native son, and is held in September of each year. For a schedule of this years Tribute, visit www.muw.edu/tennesseewilliams. e aforementioned examples are just some of the opportunities that we have available to us. So, armed with this knowledge, there is no excuse for not going out and enjoying a cultural event. e Real Story Sta Report

February 29, 2012

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Get out and get your culture on!

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20

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Orpheus Descending Succeeds

Orpheus Descending, a play by Tennessee Williams, was performed in Columbus on February 23rd, 24th, and 25th by e Provincetown Tennessee Williams Ron Parlato eatre Festival and the Infinite eatre Company of New York, which arranged a grant to produce the plays here in Columbus, Oxford, and Jackson, before playing in New York City. e opening here in Columbus, sponsored by the Tennessee Williams Tribute, is the plays Mississippi premiere. e TWT, Mississippi University for Women, and the Columbus Arts Council have a long-standing relationship with Provincetown, having produced other plays with them, in Columbus, over the past six years. Orpheus Descending has been part of the Provincetown September festival for the last two years, to standing-room audiences. e play was held at the Artz Performance/Conference Center of the First United Methodist Church, and will be performed at churches in Jackson and Oxford. David Kaplan, the Curator and Co-Founder of the Provincetown eatre Festival, was the inspiration behind the decision to produce the play in venues with religious associations. Kaplan conceived the production as a morality play to be performed in a house of worship. e imagery in the text comes not only from the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, but from Willliams own upbringing as a Christian in Mississippi. Orpheus Descending is a powerful story of characters who, like the other characters in Williams plays, want to be free from the social ties that bind them. Val is a wanderer who wants to find his soul and settle down when he does. Lady wants to be purified from the telltale grime of the past and find a new and more independent life. Williams was a master at understanding the complex nature of people and their relationships, within the society in which they live. Moreover, Williams was a lyric poet who considered himself a poet first and foremost; the language of his plays, like no other American playwright, is musical, painterly and, at times, operatic. Orpheus Descending is no dierent. Aer a successful run on Broadway in 1957, Orpheus Descending became the groundbreaking film, "e Fugitive Kind" starring two of Williams favorite actors, Marlon Brando and Anna Magnani. e timeless myth of a poet-musician who travels to the underworld (and returns to tell about it) inspired Williams for decades. e play, as performed here in Columbus, was an innovative and powerful dramatic production in the hands of Director Nick Potenzieri. Although the performance was staged in a traditional setting a proscenium on which much of the action takes place Potenzieri used the entire auditorium; and the eect of actors using aisles, wings, and audience chairs, oen running, whispering in corners, and confronting the on-stage scene gave a dynamism and energy to the entire production. e principal actors omas Beaudoin (Val), Irene Glezos (Lady Torrance), and Beth Bartley (Carol Cutrere) all found the right level of intensity, passion, and reserve. e

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central relationship, that of the wanderer Val and the abused, lonely, and desirous Lady, was played with subtlety and intensity. Bartley, as Carol Cutrere, had all the wild, almost irrational intensity that Williams intended, modulating her performance from a shrill high intensity to a cajoling and sexy intimacy. Brooke Tibbs was excellent in portraying Vee Talbot, leaving the audience to wonder as Williams intended about the nature of her visions. Each of the supporting actors lent strength and dramatic context, and the large ensemble cast, in the hands of the Director, worked well together. e deliberately cluttered set accurately but stylistically recreated a Photo by Josh Andrus Delta country store. Beth Bartley in Orpheus Descending e costumes were simple in design, but were the Provincetown Tennessee Williams evocative of the nature of each charac- eater Festival, where he has directed ter. All in all, it was an excellent per- three world-premiere Williams plays: formance by a highly-trained e Parade, Green Eyes, and e professional team, many of whom have Enemy: Time; as well as a production of extensive theatre, television, and film Streetcar from New Zealand. As Assoexperience. ciate Director of e Shakespeare eAer the performances, representa- atre Company in Washington, D.C., he tives of the First United Methodist directed As You Like It at the Kennedy Church moderated informal discus- Center. e Provincetown Festival is a sions between audience and cast, oer- non-profit organization whose mission ing a unique opportunity to hear is to present performances that honor community reactions and cast re- Williams as a playwright of enduring sponse. Rev. Tony Proctor moderated and international relevance and signifion ursday evening, and David Ka- cance, and hundreds of artists in plan oered an insightful, historical, dozens of companies have come to Provincetown to perform works by and and theatrical commentary. inspired by Williams. Nick Potenzieris (Director) credits include Williams' Orpheus Descending e Tennessee Williams Tribute and and e Hotel Plays at Provincetown Tour of Victorian Homes Volunteer Tennessee Williams eater Festival. Committee produces the annual TenHe also served as Artistic Director of nessee Williams Tribute (TWT) to cele Infinite eatre, in New York City, ebrate the life and literary work of the for productions of A Doll's House by playwright and poet. Brenda Caradine, Henrik Ibsen; e Bear, e Swan Song the driving force behind bringing Orand e Proposal By Anton Chekhov; pheus to Columbus, is the Chair of the and Talk to Me Like e Rain and Let Committee. She has provided the viMe Listen by Tennessee Williams. sion, dedication, and energy to turn the e Infinite eatre, a non-profit or- TWT into a world-class event, which ganization based in New York City, was attracts artists, scholars, and theatrecreated in 2006 as a place where artists goers, earning it a national and intercould develop and produce their own national reputation and making projects and put the theatrical experi- Columbus an even more important ence directly in the hands of the artists and attractive destination. who created it. e Infinite eater has e entire cast and production crew interpreted the works of Chekhov, stayed with Columbus families, giving Ibsen and Tennessee Williams. e In- them the opportunity to learn more finite eatres Orpheus Descending about our community and the place of premiered as the centerpiece of the Tennessee Williams birth. 2010 Provincetown Festivals theme A welcoming reception was held for Under the Influence, along with Or- the cast and production crew at the pheus in the Galleries (responses by home of James B. Borsig, the new Pressculptors and painters to the Orpheus ident of the Mississippi University for myth) and eight other productions. Women. Jef Hall-Flavin (Producer/Company Ron Parlato Manager) is the Executive Director of rparlato@realstorypublishing.com

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February 29, 2012

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Ron Parlato is a writer living in Washington, DC. He has close ties with Columbus which he visits frequently. His writings on literature, politics and culture, travel, and cooking can be found on his own blog, uncleguidosfacts.com.

SportsTalk

by Jeremiah Short

21

SPORTS

Is Just Enough, Good Enough Anymore?

e Bulldogs were once a tournament lock, but they are now a bubble NCAA tournament team, aer a loss to Alabama. e more I think about this season; I cant help feeling Ive seen this movie before: a Stansbury-led team that is blessed with talent, underwhelms and disappoints. Im not the only one who feels this way. e fan base has long clamored for change, but this year the vitriol has reached an all-time high. ere are Stansbury supporters, who cite the 14year coachs winning record. His supporters always question whether Mississippi State can get a coach that is better than Stansbury. Stansbury has always done just enough to not get fired. e question becomes, though, is just enough, good enough anymore? e Mississippi State main athletic programs - football, baseball, and track and field - all seem to be moving toward a championship level. e basketball program is the only program at a standstill. e basketball program just cant take that next step. e dierence between the other main sports and basketball is - coaching. ere is no denying Stansbury is the winningest coach in school history. But, perhaps, that is more of an indictment on the program, rather than a testimonial for Stansbury. ere are factors in Stansburys favor, but several work against him. One of those factors is the constant drama surrounding the basketball program. e issues date back seven years, to when Gary Ervin, Mississippi States with his program, prior to the start of then-starting point guard transferred this season. e aforementioned Sidto Arkansas aer a rumored ri with ney missed an overseas exhibition trip, freshmen Walter Sharpe, Charles and Stansbury was nationally criticized for allowing him to miss it. PaRhodes, and Jerrell Houston. Sharpe and Houston were dismissed rade All-American D.J. Gardner also the next season, a couple of games into was dismissed, aer a series of profane the SEC schedule. It was the first in a tweets voicing his displeasure with string of key players leaving the Bull- how he was being treated. dog program. Richard Delk and RegiAnother 2011 signee, Shawn Long, nald Delk were starters from 2005 to transferred from the program to get 2007, but transferred in 2007. Ben closer to home. Stansbury had already Hansbrough, one of their replace- lost 40 percent of his 2011 recruiting ments in the starting line-up, trans- class, half-way through the season. It ferred aer the next season. Another key contributor, Romero Osby, transferred two years later. Players transfer at the college level, but the way it has happened at Mississippi State is what is troubling. It just makes me wonder about the stability, or should I say, inCourtesy Photo stability, of the basRenardo Sidney & Elgin Bailey ketball program. e most recent evidence of problems was just another episode in the saga in the basketball program was the fight that is Mississippi State basketball. in the stands between Renardo Sidney During his tenure, Stansbury has also and Elgin Bailey, during the 2010-2011 had problems developing talent. He season. e incident put a black eye on has always been touted as a great rethe program. Bailey ultimately trans- cruiter, but Mississippi State hasnt ferred to another school and Sidney re- produced one first-round pick during mained on the team. his tenureand only four overall dra Stansbury continued to have trouble See STANSBURY Pg. 22

February 8, 2012

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Courtesy Photo

Rick Stansbury

I started o this basketball season asking if Rick Stansbury should be on the hot seat. e Bulldogs answered the challenge, going 13-2 in non-conference playincluding victories over West Virginia, Texas A&M, and Arizona. e Bulldogs were expected to be top contenders for the SEC Championship, heading into conference play, but the Bulldogs sputtered out of the gate, losing to Arkansas and then were upset by in-state rival Ole Miss. e Bulldogs recovered and were able to put together two solid-back-toback wins, against Alabama and Tennessee. ey also had a solid road win against Vanderbilt and then won convincingly against Ole Miss, a few games later. e Bulldogs seemed ready to get on a roll aer the Ole Miss victory, but they proceeded to go on a five game slide, with three of the losses coming against LSU, Georgia, and Auburn - teams not projected to make the field of 68 in March.

Chris Chambless: Building His Own Legacy

chance to be an assistant baseball coach at Caledonia; I know they had a good baseball program. I wanted to see what I could do with football, when I was there. We won a couple of games and were close, in a couple of them. It was a struggling program, said Chambless. Chambless only spent one season at Caledonia, though, before accepting the defensive coordinator position at West Point, in 1999. He discussed leaving Caledonia aer one season and how tough it was to depart. ey were hungry to win and I had some good younger players coming up. e future was bright. I felt like I had a good opportunity to come over here and got a chance to hire a couple of those guys, over here. One of them, Roger Burton, is o as a head coach right now, Chambless said. I knew Dennis Allen from Starkville. When he got the head job, he wanted me to come over here with him. He spent seven years under Allen. e Green Wave won the two aforementioned state titles. Chambless then got his chance to take over the program in 2006. He was now the head honcho. One of the toughest jobs as a head coach is dealing with personalities of players. ats all coaching is about sometimes. e Jimmys and Joes. When you have good players, the only thing that is important is getting them on and o the bus, said Chambless. Its tough at a larger school. You have a lot of different personalities - players and coaches. One thing you have to realize - you cant keep everyone happy. Once you accept that - you have to prioritize things. Keep the program first, and push academics. We are trying to do things the right way; put academics first and athletics second. Chambless didnt win a state title in his first three years at West Point, but he finally broke through in 2009. He spoke about whether it was dierent winning a title as a head coach. e feeling is the same, to tell you the truth. e stress level on a coach is a little bit higher, I feel like. My stress level as a defensive coordinator wasnt as See CHAMBLESS Pg. 22

Chris Chambless

Courtesy Photo

e West Point Green Wave football program has a storied history in the state of Mississippi. e legacy began with legendary coach William T. Bubba Davis, who won three state championships in 1984, 1987, and 1988. ey went nearly 15 years before the next state championship, in 2002 coached by Dennis Allen. Allen won another one, in 2005, and then le West Point High School. Allens defensive coordinator, Chris Chambless, took over the program and has never looked back. He has compiled a 67-14 record at West Point (an 82.7 winning percentage) and two state championshipsback to back titles in 2009 and 2010. I had a chance to speak with Chambless and discuss his start in coaching, the pressures of coaching at a powerhouse, and his relationship with Coach Davis. Chambless didnt start out at West Point. He was an assistant coach at Sturgis High School for one year, before accepting a head coaching position at Caledonia High School. A buddy of mine, that I went to school with, coached the basketball team, and told me that the head job came open in football. I also had a

ALWAYS THE TRUTH...NO COMPROMISE

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SPORTS

Jay Bradley: More an Just a DJ

to earn a golf scholarship, but realized that playing golf wasnt his path. He preferred to teach the sport rather than participate in it. He attended Mississippi State, briefly, majoring in Professional Golf Management. Bradley eventually got involved with GTR Productions along with Rick Welch and Blake Williamson in 2001. We started with Cheers. One of our buddies bought the bar. He said that if we helped him get it up and running we could be partners. So, we helped him for a whole summer. We remodeled Cheers and got it up and running. We managed that until 2003; then we went our separate ways. I went and worked at the Mississippi Golf Association for a while and he went to Ricks. I eventually started DJing. I was a bartender before that, said Bradley. Aer the short stint with the Mississippi Golf Association, Bradley returned and worked at Ricks Bar and Grill. He spoke about his time working at Ricks Bar and Grill. I had a great time at Ricks; we had a lot of great shows. Blake was the bar manager and was taking care of entertainment on a daily basis. Someone approached Rick, one day, about opening something out in the county. Rick didnt really want anybody else to open it up, because he knew it would be successful. So, he asked me and Blake to come on board to run it for him, Bradley said. e restaurant that Bradley helped open was Cowbells, which has become a staple of the late-night scene in Starkville. Bradley talked about the early growing pains of the restaurant. We opened initially to be a sports restaurant. [We] Opened up and learned. I guess we learned that we werent as mentally prepared to handle the restaurant part as we thought. We were bar guys and we should have known that, from the beginning, said Bradley. We had some struggles that first year, then, the second year, the Sheri gave us a hard time about our being able to be open late. He called us a bar, in all the newspapers. We decided to live up to what he said, and we built a stage - we built another bar. We turned it into a bar, per the sheri s request. e decision to build a stage at Cowbells was a proverbial game-changer for the restaurant. We opened on August 11th of 2008 and we were touch-and-go for a while there. en, we built the stage and everything started looking up. Weve done fairly well, since then. We have a great staour sta is unbelievable, said Bradley. We built the stage in August of 09. Ever since then, weve been on a slow progression up. During that time period, Bradley was approached by Chad omas, the Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing about DJing the football games. He instantly improved the intensity at football games. I just try to do what the coaches and players want, pre-game. Whatever gets them pumped up. e players dont know who I am, actually. ey proba-

February 29, 2012

bly couldnt point me out in a crowd. I try to play what they want to hear, Bradley said, talking about the music he plays.

It was most evident the first year of the Dan Mullen area. e Bulldogs were about to face Florida, but the teams couldnt wait until kicko. ey met midfield, and almost came to blows. Bradley, thinking quick on his feet, played the appropriate song for the moment, Never Scared.

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Its on one of my quick plays and, when I saw that going on, it was either going to be Never Scared or Neva Eva. So, I played Never Scared, said Bradley.

Courtesy Photo

Jay Bradley

e game day atmosphere at Mississippi State football games, the past few years has made Saturdays at Davis Wade an event - instead of just another game. One person who deserves some credit for that excitement is Jay Bradley. He took over as the DJ for football games, back in 2008, and has continued in that capacity since. Bradley isnt just a DJ for football games. He wears many hats throughout the week, before rocking the stadium on Saturdays. Bradley is the part-owner of Cowbells, co-host of Bully Barkline, and DJs at Ricks Bar and Grill from time to time. Bradley has traveled a long road, before he became such a success. e former amateur golfer talked with me about how he became a self-made man. Bradley originally was a burgeoning young golfer and had an opportunity

Bradley rocks the stadium, now, but he started to rock the airwaves, beginning in 2010. He became the co-host of a weekly Mississippi State radio program, Bully Barkline. e Executive Producer, Jon Rawl, approached me about wanting us to do some advertising. I had a little bit of radio experience prior to that. I just enjoy it and wanted to get into it. I throw my two cents out there and its pretty fun, said Bradley, on starting to host Bully Barkline. Bradley is a man that certainly has to wear several hats. ere is one thing for sure; he is more than a DJ.

Jeremiah Short covers Mississippi State University football and basketball. Follow him on Twitter, @JeremiahShort26; join his Facebook blog, Real Story Sports: J.Shorts Blog, or e-mail JShort@realstorypublishing.com.

STANSBURY cont. from pg. 21

choices: Derek Zimmerman, Lawrence Roberts, Mario Austin, and Jarvis Varnado. I think this has contributed to the inconsistency in the basketball program. Players have rarely reached their peak under Stansburys tutelage. e constant drama and lack of tal-

ent development have both led to Mississippi States program failing to reach expectations the past seven seasons. Stansbury has won several SEC West banners, but the Bulldogs have only made the tournament twice in six years - and are in danger of missing another, aer the latest nose dive. In that time span, Stansbury has had talent: Jamont Gordon, Jarvis Varnado, Dee Bost, Renardo Sidney and Charles Rhodes.

Some other coaches have made the tournament with less talent. Ive always heard that some of these players have been the problemtaking the blame away from Stansbury. I cite a Bill Parcells quote in response to that claim: Its never your fault but youre always there, said Parcells referring to one of his players always in trouble. Players always seem to get the blame for the problems in the program, but Stansbury is the one constant.

I ask everyone, again: is just enough, good enough anymore?

Jeremiah Short covers Mississippi State University football and basketball. Follow him on Twitter, @JeremiahShort26; join his Facebook blog, Real Story Sports: J.Shorts Blog, or e-mail JShort@realstorypublishing.com.

CHAMBLESS cont. from pg. 21

high, because I focused on one part. I didnt have to deal with the problems Coach Allen had to deal with. All I had to deal with was my main part and my main focus. I had to deal with the overall picture. e gratification is a little bit higher. e feeling is the same for everybody. e Green Wave repeated the next yeareven aer losing Curtis Virges and local legend Michael Carr. Chambless discussed adjusting his game plan without Carr and Virges. Its all about adjusting. Were a run physical football team and thats what we are going to do. We might get the ball to people in dierent ways. Michael Carr was the receiver; we handed it o to him a whole lot. We threw a whole lot of short passes to him, and let him do something with it. e next year, we had a big physical back that we could give it to 30 or 40 times, if we needed to do it. He could run just as hard in the fourth quarter as the first quarter. You just adjust to who you have, Chambless said. e Green Wave had a less-than-stellar record, by their standards, last season, finishing 8-5. When coaches have a down year at a program like West Point, there will be community pressure. Chambless talked about dealing with that pressure. Oh I love it. Id rather have community pressure than not have community pressure. When youre at a place with See CHAMBLESS Pg. 23

ALWAYS THE TRUTH...NO COMPROMISE

CHAMBLESS cont. from pg. 22

to your mom, dad, grandma, uncle, and everybody. I tell them not to argue about playing time, thats for the coaches to do. Im not going to tell my assistant coach who to play. e Green Wave is truly all about the team concept, but there are stars on every team that have college futures. ey sometimes may need to play a position that benefits their college future better, but may not always best for their high school team. Weve been fortunate to have guys that realize that our main focus here is our team. ey put team first. It is spread from day one in the seventh grade. Were big on the no I in team philosophy. Our guys are big on not getting jealous. Justin Cox - we knew he was going to be a defensive back in college, but we needed him at quarterback. He did that very unselfishly. Now hes doing a great job as a safety at East Mississippi [Community College], said Chambless. Chambless, while dealing with all the dierent issues, has continued a tradition that Coaches Davis and Allen built - winning at a high level. Coach Davis is still a staple around the West Point program, although he le nearly 20 years ago. I talked to him, this morning. Were in the process of trying to get a field house, academic centerthings of that nature. I have always been friends with Coach Davis. I almost went to work with him, a couple of times. I knew he had been around building a couple of field houses in the past. I was talking to him about that. His presence is always felt at West Point. It doesnt bother me one bit. We have a great relationship and he has a great relationship with the fans. Its welcomed, said Chambless on Coach Davis. Davis is a legend in West Point, but Chris Chambless is well on is way to building his own legacy. He isnt content on winning two state championships and is looking to continue the excellence of West Point football. Were steadily improving. ats out main focus everyday - to hit the weights and go outside and run. We dont ever want to get to a spot where we are just maintaining.
Jeremiah Short covers Mississippi State University football and basketball. Follow him on Twitter, @JeremiahShort26; join his Facebook blog, Real Story Sports: J.Shorts Blog, or e-mail JShort@realstorypublishing.com.

23

SPORTS & ABOUT TOWN

a lot of community pressure, its not just on me; its on the players, the administration, and on everything. I love going to Wal-Mart. Everybody wants to talk about West Point footballthats what we do. You do get disgruntled fans, but most fans are pleasant. ey are behind you 100 percent. ey may not agree with everything you do, but theyre on your side. Id rather have a West Point fan on my side than anyone else, said Chambless.

When we went to Daytona Beach, Florida for a game, we had more fans there than the home team. ats special and means a lot. [It] means a lot to our players as well.

In addition to community pressure, coaches sometimes have to deal with those same people complaining about playing time for their kids.

February 29, 2012

Im going tell you the honest truth. Here, that isnt a problem. I know its a problem at other places. Weve had players in the past whose parents have done a lot for the program. eir kids didnt see the field a whole lot. ey know that we are going to play the guys we feel that we can win with. We dont cut anybodythey cut themselves. We dont have a lot of parents complaining about playing time. One thing I tell players from day one; my door is open

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Patriot Guard Riders Honor SFC Sutton

In 2005, in Mulvane, Kanas, a group was formed to honor and protect soldiers who were killed in the line of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, from protesters. at group is called the Patriot Guard Riders (PGR). Since the organizations inception, their membership has grown to over 200,000, and is still expanding. e group not only attends funerals; they greet soldiers that are returning home from active duty, and they assist families with travel expenses that they normally couldnt aord. PGR members travel hundreds of miles to lineup their motorcycles in such a way as to shield the mourners from the presence of the protestors. On the very cold and rainy morning of Saturday, February 18th, PGR members gathered at the Kmart in Columbus. eir mission was to travel to Tupelo to honor Sgt. 1st Class Billy

A. Sutton, who died Feb. 7 in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. Aer arriving at the departure point, I spoke to Susan Snapp, who has been a member of PGR since September 2011. Susan related to me that she has a personal reason for being a member of the Patriot Guard Riders - her son, Specialist Ian Bailey, is currently deployed in Afghanistan and is serving with the 288th SAPPER Squadron. I later learned that the group was able to accomplish their mission to bring SFC Billy A. Sutton home. ank you for serving and protecting our country. May you rest in peace. Christy Tracey ctracey@realstorypublishing.com
Christy is a wife and mother of four children and she wants to capture Columbus one photo at a time.

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24

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February 29, 2012