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Thursday | January 21, 2021

City leaders call ABC corruption claims ‘baseless’

Mayor, council members urge group founders to meet same name), started ABC in
November. The group has been

with them for discussions, possibly run for office
BY TESS VRBIN
tvrbin@cdispatch.com
Bill Gavin was minutes away
from having surgery on Tues-
day when he got a phone call
from a constituent.
“The lady started complain-
ing about streets,” the Ward
6 councilman said. “I said,
‘Ma’am, I can’t talk to you right
now … I’m going to get an oper-
ation.’”
It still took him a few min-
utes to convince her to hang
up the phone, Gavin said. He
used this as an example of city
government being neither easy
to conduct nor closed to the
public, contrary to what Leslie
Sorrell, co-founder of the non-
profit A Better Columbus, told
the Columbus Rotary Club at its
Tuesday meeting.
Sorrell claimed the city is
crime-riddled and in too much
debt, and therefore needs entire-
ly new leadership. She called for
the mayor and council to step
aside in the upcoming election.
The mayor and council mem-
bers, most of whom are running
for re-election, strongly dis-
agree with Sorrell’s statements.
Gavin said government is not
nearly as simple as some citi-
zens might think.
“There’s no magic wand
to wave over the city to fix the
Gavin Sorrell
potholes and make the bank
account stable and solve the
crimes,” he said. “I wish there
was, but there’s not.”
Sorrell and her husband, Will
Sanders (no relation to Lown-
des County Port director of the
directing sharp criticism to the
city’s administration, largely
through social media, alleging
both mismanagement and cor-
ruption.
On Tuesday, Sorrell also
spoke against the presence of
dilapidated buildings in the city,
increased property taxes over
Mayor Robert Smith’s nearly 15
years in office and former city
Chief Financial Officer Milton
Rawle’s indictment for embez-
zlement.
See LEADERS, 3A

PRESIDENTIAL
INAUGURATION
Educators, area legislators support waiving pass Biden takes the
requirements this year for high-stakes testing helm, appeals
MDE wants students to take exams anyway so districts for unity to
can measure effectiveness of virtual learning
BY ISABELLE ALTMAN
take on crises
ialtman@cdispatch.com
‘We have much to do in
M ‘You have some
ississippi legislators are 2018-19 school year. At the begin-
considering a Senate Bill ning of this school year, students this winter of peril, and
that would allow third
graders who fail this school year’s
were going to take the tests and be
scored as normal.
virtual, some hybrid, significant possibilities’
state-required reading assessment
to move on to fourth grade, and
Now Wright and MDE officials
recommend districts still keep the
some in-person President Joe Biden

area educators say they support 2018-19 accountability scores, but learning, so I just BY JONATHAN LEMIRE, ZEKE
MILLER AND ALEXANDRA JAFFE
the move. students still take the exams. That
The bill is based on a recom- way district officials can determine don’t think there was The Associated Press

mendation from state Superinten- how effective virtual and hybrid

dent Carey Wright, who also asked
in a presentation to the Senate
Education Committee earlier this
month that legislators waive pass-
ing requirements for high school
end-of-year assessments during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think this year is a year of
grace,” Wright said in a Missis-
sippi Department
of Education press
release issued after
the presentation.
“I understand that
COVID-19 has
disrupted teaching
and learning this
year, and we want to Wright
make sure we sup-
port teachers, administrators and
students as much as possible.”
So far, legislators have not tak-
en up the matter of the upper-level
exams.
State law requires students at
certain grade levels take “high-
stakes” end-of-year exams —
including the third grade reading
gate and exams in Algebra I, En-
glish II, biology and U.S. history
for high schoolers. Not only do the
results determine grade promotion
or graduation for students, they
also heavily factor into a school
district’s accountability rating,
an A-F grading scale assessed
by MDE each year.
Last year, after the pan-
demic shut down schools
starting in March,
students did not sit
for any exams, and
districts kept
their account-
ability ratings
from the
learning methods have been
during the pandemic.
“Statewide assessments provide
critical data to the department
to identify any learning gaps and
what resources the state needs to
accelerate learning opportunities
for students and professional devel-
opment for teachers,” Wright said.
No ‘fair way’ to score the test
Area superintendents said they
agreed with Wright’s recommen-
dations, especially with school
districts operating with as many
as three learning models simul-
taneously.
Both Lowndes County
and Starkville-Oktibbeha
Consolidated school
districts have some
students attending
See TESTING, 6A
any way they could WA S H I N G T O N
— Joe Biden was
fairly assess students sworn in as the 46th
president of the Unit-
on a graduation test ed States, declaring
that “democracy has
this year, and I think prevailed” and sum-
moning American Biden
they realize that too.’ resilience and unity
Sam Allison, Lowndes County to confront the deep-
School District superintendent ly divided nation’s
historic confluence of
crises.
Denouncing a na-
tional “uncivil war,”
Biden took the oath
Wednesday at a U.S. Harris
Capitol that had been
battered by an insurrectionist siege
just two weeks earlier. Then, taking
his place in the White House Oval
Office, he plunged into a stack of ex-
ecutive actions that began to undo
the heart of his polarizing predeces-
sor ‘s agenda on matters from the
deadly pandemic to climate change.
At the Capitol, with America’s
tradition of peaceful transfers of
power never appearing more frag-
ile, the ceremony unfolded within a
circle of security forces evocative of
a war zone and devoid of crowds be-
cause of the coronavirus pandemic.
Instead, Biden gazed out on a cold
Washington morning dotted with
snow flurries to see over 200,000
American flags planted on the Na-
tional Mall to symbolize those who
could not attend in person.
“The will of the people has been
heard, and the will of the people has
been heeded. We’ve learned again
that democracy is precious and de-
mocracy is fragile. At this hour, my
friends, democracy has prevailed,”
Biden declared in his speech. “This
is America’s day. This is democra-
See INAUGURATION, 6A

INSIDE FIVE QUESTIONS LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC

Business 5B 1 What U.S. holiday has the sec- MEETINGS
Classifieds 6B ond-most greeting card sales? Jan. 29:
Comics 4B 2 What comedian and talk show
host wrote a 2014 book about Starkville Board
Crossword 6B
her African travels called “Ugan- of Aldermen
Dear Abby 4B
Obituaries 5A da Be Kidding Me”? work session,
Opinions 4A 3 Actor Tommy Lee Jones was 10 a.m., may-
roommates at Harvard with what or’s conference
future Vice President of the
U.S.? room
WEATHER 4 What is the name of the Feb. 1:
woman who rides the train in the Oktibbeha
High 60 Low 47
Cloudy, occasional rain
novel “The Girl on the Train” —
Rachel, Emily or Pauline?
5 Name the four colors of the
County Board of
Supervisors, 9
Full forecast on Google logo. a.m., chancery
page 3A. courthouse
Answers, 6B Feb. 2:
Starkville Board
of Aldermen,
5:30 p.m.,
Darius Bradley works at Kroger and enjoys municipal court-
playing PS4. room

DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471

2A THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

‘Just move on’: Republicans

grapple with post-Trump future
‘The party would be much better off if they were to
purge themselves of Donald Trump. But I don’t think
there’s any hope of him completely going away.’
BY STEVE PEOPLES
AP National Political Writer
For the first time in more than a
decade, Republicans are waking up
to a Washington where Democrats
control the White House and Con-
gress, adjusting to an era of dimin-
ished power, deep uncertainty and
internal feuding.
The shift to minority status is
always difficult, prompting debates
over who is to blame for losing the
last election. But the process is
especially intense as Republicans
confront profound questions about
what the party stands for without
Donald Trump in charge.
Over the last four years, the
GOP’s values were inexorably tied
to the whims of a president who
regularly undermined democratic
institutions and traded the party’s
longstanding commitment to fiscal
discipline, strong foreign policy and
the rule of law for a brash and incon-
sistent populism. The party now fac-
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan
es a decision about whether to keep
moving in that direction, as many of
Trump’s most loyal supporters de-
mand, or chart a new course.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan,
one of the few Republican elected
officials who regularly condemned
Trumpism, evoked President Ron-
ald Reagan in calling this moment
“a time for choosing.”
“We have to decide if we’re going
to continue heading down the direc-
tion of Donald Trump or if we’re go-
ing to return to our roots,” Hogan,
a potential 2024 White House con-
tender, said in an interview.
“The party would be much better
off if they were to purge themselves
of Donald Trump,” he added. “But I
don’t think there’s any hope of him
completely going away.”
Whether the party moves on may
come down to what Republicans
like Texas Sen. Ted Cruz do next.
Cruz spent weeks parroting
Trump’s baseless claims of election
fraud, which helped incite the dead-
ly riot at the U.S. Capitol. Republi-
can elections officials in several
battleground states that President
Joe Biden carried have said the
election was fair. Trump’s claims
were roundly rejected in the courts,
including by judges appointed by
Trump.
Cruz acknowledged Biden’s vic-
tory on Wednesday, but he refused
to describe it as legitimate when
pressed.
“He won the election. He is the
president. I just came from his inau-
guration,” Cruz said of Biden in an
interview.
Looking forward, Cruz said
Trump would remain a significant
part of the political conversation, but
that the Republican Party should
move away from divisive “language
and tone and rhetoric” that alien-
ated suburban voters, particularly
women, in recent elections.
“President Trump surely will
continue to make his views known,
and they’ll continue to have a real
impact, but I think the country
going forward wants policies that
work, and I think as a party, we
need to do a better job winning
hearts and minds,” said Cruz, who
is also eyeing a White House run.

Senate confirms Biden 1st Cabinet pick as Democrats control

Avril Haines, a former CIA deputy director, will oversee join a Senate narrowly
split 50-50 between the
agencies making up the nation’s intelligence community parties, but giving Dem-
ocrats the majority with
BY LISA MASCARO dent’s administration. Schumer said in his first Harris able to cast the
AP Congressional Correspondent Haines, a former CIA speech as majority leader. tie-breaking vote.
deputy director, will be- “We have a lengthy agen- Ossoff, a former con-
WASHINGTON — come a core member of da. And we need to get it gressional aide and in-
Three new senators were Biden’s security team, done together.” vestigative journalist, and
sworn into office Wednes- overseeing the agencies Vice President Kamala Warnock, a pastor from
day after President Joe the late Martin Luther
that make up the nation’s Harris drew applause as
Biden’s inauguration, King Jr.’s church in Atlan-
intelligence community. she entered the chamber
securing the majority for ta, won run-off elections
She was confirmed 84-10. to deliver the oath of of-
Democrats in the Senate in Georgia this month,
The new Senate Major- fice to the new Democrat-
and across a unified gov-
ity Leader Chuck Schum- ic senators — Jon Ossoff, defeating two Republi-
ernment to tackle the new
er, D-N.Y., urged col- Raphael Warnock and cans. Padilla was tapped
president’s agenda at a
leagues to turn the spirit Alex Padilla — just hours by California’s governor
time of unprecedented na-
of the new president’s call after taking her own oath to finish the remainder of
tional challenges.
for unity into action. at the Capitol alongside Harris’ term.
In a first vote, the Sen-
ate confirmed Biden’s “President Biden, we Biden.
nominee for Director of heard you loud and clear,” The three Democrats
National Intelligence,
Avril Haines. Senators
worked into the evening
and overcame some Re-
publican opposition to
approve his first Cabinet
member, in what’s tradi-
tionally a show of good
faith on Inauguration Day
to confirm at least some
nominees for a new presi-

New CDC director

takes over
beleaguered
agency amid crisis
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — As the

coronavirus swept across
the globe last year, the
Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention sank
into the shadows, under-
mined by some of its own
mistakes and stifled by
an administration bent on
downplaying the nation’s
suffering.
Now a new CDC direc-
tor is arriving to a mam-
moth task: reasserting the
agency while the pandemic
is in its deadliest phase yet
and the nation’s largest-ev-
er vaccination campaign is
wracked by confusion and
delays.
“I don’t know if the CDC
is broken or just temporar-
ily injured,” but something
must be done to bring it
back to health, said Tim-
othy Westmoreland, a
Georgetown University
law professor focused on
public health.
The task falls to Dr. Ro-
chelle Walensky, 51, an in-
fectious-diseases specialist
at Harvard Medical School
and Massachusetts Gener-
al Hospital, who was sworn
in Wednesday. She takes
the helm at a time when
the virus’s U.S. death toll
has eclipsed 400,000 and
continues to accelerate.

cdispatch.com
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 3A

Trump pardons Mississippi physician convicted of bribery

News release: Dr. Robert S. Corkern’s pardon supported by Sens.
Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith; and former Gov. Phil Bryant
BY EMILY WAGSTER PET TUS
The Associated Press
JACKSON — One of the peo-
ple pardoned during Donald
Trump’s final hours as presi-
dent is a Mississippi physician
who pleaded guilty to a federal
bribery charge in 2012.
Dr. Robert S. Corkern was
the president, secretary and
treasurer of Batesville Hospital
Management, which handled
business operations for the not-
for-profit Tri-Lakes Medical
Center in Batesville.
Federal court records show
that in his January 2012 guilty
plea, Corkern admitted that on
March 28, 2007, he paid $25,000
to the Panola County admin-
istrator as a bribe for the ad-
ministrator’s role in securing a
$400,000 county payment to the
rural hospital eight days earlier.
“Corkern had a financial
interest in Tri-Lakes Medical
Center and benefitted from the
$400,000 transfer,” the records
show.
Corkern was sentenced in
November 2012 to two years’
house confinement and three
years’ post-release supervision.
A White House news release
said Trump’s pardon of Corkern
is supported by Mississippi’s
two Republican U.S. senators,
Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-
Smith; and Republican former
Gov. Phil Bryant.
“This pardon will help Dr.
Corkern practice medicine
in his community, which is in
dire need of more doctors as it
has struggled to keep up with
demand for emergency ser-
vices,” the news release said.
“Dr. Corkern served in the Mis-
sissippi Army National Guard
and has generously provided
his services to low-income pa-
tients.”
The Mississippi Board of
Medical Licensure revoked
Corkern’s license January 2013
“due to felony conviction of
crime of moral turpitude” and
reinstated it in May 2014.
Corkern was working as an
emergency room physician at
Delta Regional Medical Center
in Greenville at the time his li-
cense was revoked.
Another Mississippi resident
pardoned by Trump is David
Lamar Clanton, and the White
House said Wicker supported
this action. Clanton was con-
victed of false statements and
related charges in 1995 and
was sentenced to 10 months
in prison. Court records with
details about the charges were
not available online Wednesday.
Clanton worked on a campaign
for Republican Tate Reeves
when Reeves ran for lieutenant
governor. Reeves was elected
governor in 2019, and Clanton
now works for the state Depart-
ment of Finance and Adminis-
tration.
“Mr. Clanton’s supporters
testify to his contributions to
the community, especially with
respect to issues surrounding
rural healthcare,” the release
said. “Mr. Clanton has been ac-
tive with 4-H Clubs and other
organizations in his communi-
ty.”
Trump also pardoned Joey
Hancock, a Mississippi man
convicted in 2009 of a federal
drug charge, conspiracy to pos-
sess with intent to distribute a
controlled substance. Hancock
was sentenced to two years in
prison. The White House said
Wicker, Hancock’s employer
and pastor were among those
supporting the pardon.
“Following his release from
prison, Mr. Hancock has been a
hard-working employee and ac-
tive in his church and communi-
ty,” the news release said.

Leaders
Continued from Page 1A
Smith ad-
dressed Sor-
rell’s claims
in a written
st atement
he sent to
The Dis-
patch on
Wednesday, Smith
in which he said no one
from ABC has talked to
him or Chief Operating
Officer David Armstrong
about their concerns.
“They have not visited,
called, emailed or texted
me or David with any sug-
gestions,” Smith wrote.
“I have a complete open-
door policy and have not
heard from anyone with A
Better Columbus.”
‘Negativity doesn’t
make Columbus better’
So far, six candidates
have qualified to run
for city offices this year,
and five are incumbents.
Smith, Gavin and coun-
cil members Ethel Taylor
Stewart of Ward 1, Joseph
Mickens of Ward 2 and
Stephen Jones of Ward 5
are all running for re-elec-
tion.
Pat Fisher Douglas,
a retired educator from
Lowndes County School
District, is running for the
Ward 4 seat. She previous-
ly ran in a special election
for the same seat in 2019
but lost to current Coun-
cilman Pierre Beard.
Beard has not yet qual-
ified to run for re-election,
and Ward 3 Councilman
Charlie Box said in De-
cember that he will not
run.
Smith, Mickens and
Box all told The Dispatch
they believe Sorrell, Sand-
ers, or both should run for
office if they feel so strong-
ly about making changes
to the city’s government.
“Ever y-
body can try
to (say) how
you should
do this and
how you
should do
that, but it’s
one thing Mickens
to be in that
seat yourself,” Mickens
said.
Jones and Mickens
acknowledged everyone
is entitled to their own
opinion and Sorrell has
the right to speak public-
ly about her concerns for
the city. Gavin said dia-
logue between ABC and
the city could be a good
thing, if the group were
willing to sit down with
the mayor and council for
a constructive discussion.
“If they truly want to
make Co-
l u m b u s
better, then
take away
all the nega-
tive and let’s
see what
we can do
t o g e t h e r, ” Jones
Jones said.
“... Any negativity doesn’t
make Columbus better. It
only makes it worse so no-
body wants to move here,
and as a Realtor (with
Re/Max in Columbus), I
know.”
Sorrell also claimed
the reason ABC does not
disclose its donors, de-
spite demanding trans-
parency from the city,
is because donors have
told her they fear retribu-
tion from the city if their
contributions to ABC are
made public.
Officials say this state-
ment is completely un-
founded. Smith called it
“baseless,” and Mickens
said no one in city govern-
ment would “stoop that
low.”
“If (Sorrell) knows
s omet h i ng
where peo-
ple have
done that,
she needs
to say who
it is and we
need to do
s omet h i ng Box
about that,”
Box said.
Beard told The Dis-
patch he has contributed
to ABC.
“Nobody’s going to
attack any-
body for do-
nating, and
I would love
for them to
say that I
donated, be-
cause I did,”
he said. Beard
Bea rd
was present at Tuesday’s
Rotary Club meeting and
agreed to have a con-
versation with Sorrell to
address some of her con-
cerns. He said this morn-
ing that they have not yet
scheduled a meeting, and
he too hopes for construc-
tive dialogue.
“There are a lot of dif-
ferent things going on
in Columbus that I per-
sonally see firsthand,
and you’ve got a lot of
people who want to point
the blame,” Beard said.
“They have excuses, but
they don’t have solutions.”
Stewart did not re-
spond to requests for
comment.
‘The jury is still out’
The citizen who called
Gavin on Tuesday is far
from the only one with
complaints about Colum-
bus’ streets, Gavin said.
He and other leaders said
the roads badly needed to plaint about dilapidated “certainly question the in-
be redone after more than buildings, Smith and tegrity of anyone willing
a decade. council members empha- to throw out such an accu-
Columbus issued $6.5 sized that the city’s pro- sation” without evidence.
million in general obliga- cess of approving a dem- “I welcome practical
tion bonds in July 2020 to olition has several steps solutions from anyone
fund road maintenance. outlined in state law, so it willing to offer them;
The bond must be paid does not happen quickly.
however, I reject defama-
off in no more than 15 ABC has repeatedly
tory insults and baseless
years. As of March 2020, suggested city leaders
might be engaging in ille- criticism based upon false
the city had accumulated
gal activity, but Sorrell ad- data and admitted specu-
$36.4 million of debt and
carried roughly $14 mil- mitted Tuesday that some lation,” Smith wrote. “As
lion of debt in street pav- of this claim was born of for whether the group will
ing alone, The Dispatch speculation. Smith said make ‘Columbus Better,’ I
previously reported. he did not know what guess I would say the jury
Sorrell insisted Tues- Sorrell meant and would is still out on that.”
day that road mainte-
nance money should
come from the city’s gen-
eral fund, but city leaders
say the general fund does
not have that kind of mon-
ey, and borrowing is stan-
dard practice.
“Some (cities) are in
a little better shape than
others, but I bet 90 per-
cent of them have bor-
rowed money for infra-
structure,” Box said.
The other option be-
sides borrowing was rais-
ing taxes, Box and Gavin
both said, and Sorrell
claimed Tuesday that tax-
es are already too high.
While tax millage has
increased seven times in
13 years, it has only gone
up incrementally, and the
city even reduced millage
in 2017, Smith said in his
statement. Tax increases
climb along with wages
and insurance, and they
are necessary to fund in-
frastructure and public
safety, he said.
“As Mayor and the
owner of multiple prop-
erties within the City, I
don’t like ad valorem tax
increases, but as the costs Send in your church event!
of doing business go up, Email editorialassistant@cdispatch.com
so do our taxes,” Smith
said.
Subject: Religious brief
As for Sorrell’s com-

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Opinion
4A THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021
PETER BIRNEY IMES Editor/Publisher
BIRNEY IMES III Editor/Publisher 1998-2018
BIRNEY IMES JR. Editor/Publisher 1947-2003

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

ZACK PLAIR, Managing Editor

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

OUR VIEW
More than a possibility
B
y their very nature,
Presidential Inaugura-
tions are historically
significant, continuing a tradi-
tion of a peaceful transition of
power unknown to the world
when that transfer was first
completed in 1797.
On March 4 of that year,
John Adams was sworn in as
the nation’s second president at
a time when it wasn’t entirely
clear that a president would
ever be required to relinquish
office.
Over the years, history has
proven that some inaugura-
tions are more meaningful
than others - Abraham Lincoln
in 1861, Franklin D. Roosevelt
in 1933, John F. Kennedy in
1963.
Even when our nation faced
its greatest challenges - wheth-
er domestic or foreign, the
tradition of a peaceful transfer
power has continued.
In future generations,
Wednesday’s Inauguration will
be remembered for two things:
First, it endured the greatest
challenge of the transfer of
power since Lincoln’ first in-
auguration. Two weeks before
Joe Biden was inaugurated as
our 46th President, insurrec-
tionists stormed the Capitol in
a bid to overturn the election
and keep Donald Trump in
office.
But Wednesday’s inaugura-
tion will have an historical sig-
nificance of a far more positive
and inspiring dimension, too.
On that day, Kamala Harris
was sworn in as Vice Pres-
ident, the highest elected
position ever to be held by a
woman in our country.
Harris’ elevation to that
position must be viewed in
context to fully appreciate its
significance.
The story began in 1848
when a group of women met in
Seneca Falls, New York, estab-
lishing the country’s Suffrage
Movement.
It took 71 years for that
dream to be realized, when
the 19th Amendment to the
Constitution provided women
the right to vote.
As for the vice presidency,
two women had legitimate
chances to attain the office
— Democrat Geraldine Ford
in 1984 and Republican Sarah
Palin in 2008.
We note, too, that Hillary
Clinton became the first wom-
an nominated by a major party
for the Presidency, losing the
Electoral College vote despite
winning the popular vote by
some three million votes in
2016.
It is against that historical
backdrop that we view Harris’
ascension to the second high-
est office in the land.
Before Wednesday, it was
only “possible” for a woman
to rise to such a position. On
Wednesday, that became a
reality. A new generation of
girls knows a woman can be
vice president because it has
been done.
It is a practical reality.
It is our hope that future
generations of women will be
inspired to serve — whether
it be in local, state or even
national office — by what hap-
pened Wednesday.
Someday, perhaps in the
near future, our nation will
take the next step. We will
have a woman president, too.

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE CARTOONIST VIEW

Additional information on
vaccine appointments
The Dispatch published my
January 19 letter commending
the large-scale vaccination site
now in place at Fairview Baptist
Church. In it, unfortunately, I
failed to mention two potentially
important aspects of this site —
1) that you don’t even have to get
out of your car (probably one of
the reasons why it is so efficient)
and 2) that it is free of charge.
Anyone interested in making
an appointment to get vaccinat-
ed should go to the following
website to arrange one: https://
covidvaccine.umc.edu/. Scroll
down just a bit ad you should see
a blue button that will move you
into the sign-up process. It takes
several steps to get to the pages
where you select day and time
for Lowndes County/Fairview
Baptist but mornings seem the
best time to move through the
procedure rapidly.
I was just able to set up my
appointment for my second
vaccination to complete the
vaccination process. To say that
I am happy about it is putting it
mildly. I want to sing the praises
— again - of the Mississippi State
Department of Health, the Lown-
des County division of same,
Fairview Baptist Church, and the
Mississippi National Guard that
are making it happen — nurs-
es from the latter are the ones
MISSISSIPPI VOICES
administering the vaccinations
on site, even!
These are most welcome de-
Online freedom of speech needs to go back to the future
O
velopments in a week when the ne of the top pri- financial ruin. except for “material that the provider
number of deaths in our country orities of the new Duels were often tragic, or user considers to be obscene, lewd,
surpassed 400,000. I should note federal government but they were an effective lascivious, filthy, excessively violent,
that this depressing number was will be to address the issue method of preventing libel harassing, or otherwise objectionable.”
reached on the exact date pro- of free speech in the age of and slander. As a result, The Internet platform gets to decide
jected by IHME when I checked the Internet. people were often exceed- what is “obscene, excessively violent,
back on Dec. 7, 2020; IHME is Free speech, and free ingly polite in their commu- harassing” etc. Twitter, acting on its
now projecting now that we will press, were established nications, even when they own, has decided President Trump’s
hit 500,000 in less than a month, in the United States with vehemently disagreed. tweets are “violent.” He’s been banned.
on February 18th. Frightening, the adoption of the Bill of Wow! What a change Both President Trump and Presi-
but we are on the right track now Rights in 1791. It is part of compared to today, where dent Biden have called for the repeal of
with the vaccine and maintaining the First Amendment. civility has been thrown Section 230.
social distancing and mask-wear- In addition, the constitu- Wyatt Emmerich into the ditch. Search The CEOs of Google, Facebook and
ing. tions of most states include YouTube and listen to the Twitter argue that repeal of Section 230
Paul Mack a provision protecting free 1960 Presidential debates would seriously damage, if not destroy,
Columbus speech. between Richard Nixon and John Ken- their business models. They are using
Section 13 of Mississippi’s state nedy. Notice how polite they were to their enormous power and money to
Finds relief in inauguration constitution reads: “The freedom of one another. Now compare that to the stop the repeal.
After a long four years of speech and of the press shall be held Trump-Biden debates of 2020. We are So what is to be done? If we elim-
sacred; and in all prosecutions for libel going backwards as a nation. inate Section 230, the Internet plat-
rhetoric, what a peaceful, calm,
the truth may be given in evidence, Today, we live in an Internet world forms will have to eliminate a huge
breezy atmosphere in Washing-
and the jury shall determine the law of instant communication and com- amount of content to avoid lawsuits.
ton DC, we observed during the
and the facts under the direction of the plete access. Any person can make They will have to hire armies of editors
new President’s inauguration.
court; and if it shall appear to the jury a post that can go viral and be read to review posts.
What an uncivil war we wit-
that the matter charged as libelous is around the world. This is a far different Freedom to rant without conse-
nessed during Hitler’s regime in
true, and was published with good mo- environment than the one in which our quence will be curtailed. But if we don’t
Nazi
tives and for justifiable ends, the party original press and speech laws evolved. repeal it, Internet platforms will be-
Germany, and ironically, we shall be acquitted.” In 1996, the Internet was a baby. come the new censors of our age. They
have seen similar reflection In summary, our government Google, Facebook and Twitter did not will wield unimaginable power over our
of that regime for a number of guarantees the freedom to say or print exist. Congress wanted to encourage speech and thought. This is especially
hours on January 6 in our capital. whatever you so desire, if what you say the new Internet technology, so they scary given that Google, Facebook and
I am sure people realized, or print is not slanderous or libelous. gave Internet platforms immunity Twitter are de facto monopolies.
decency in life is very important. That is a big, big if. Your freedom from slander and libel lawsuits. For the It’s just a matter of time before the
January 6 may be called a dark of speech and freedom of press has first time in history, a new publishing U.S. Supreme Court weighs in with a
day in our democracy, but on a always been subject to our laws of platform was exempt from defamation groundbreaking decision. It may trump
happier note, it is being restored slander and libel. lawsuits. The exemption is in Section Congress as it did on abortion.
on January 20. So what is slander and libel? They 230 of the Communications and Decen- These are not easy decisions. The
Jiben Roy are really the same thing. It’s just that cy Act of 1996. And here we are. future of our culture and society is on
Columbus slander relates to speech and libel If you ever wondered why websites the line. Allowing publishers freedom
relates to print. Truth is an ultimate de- can be totally fake and still exist, that’s but holding them accountable to libel
A letter to the editor is an fense to libel and slander. You can’t say why. If you’ve ever wondered why and slander has worked for hundreds
excellent way to participate in your or write something really bad about people can be slandered anonymously, of years. Congressional tinkering in
community. We request the tone someone unless it is true and provable their lives ruined, without any way the form of Section 230 has been an
of your letters be constructive and in a court of law. to fight back, it’s Section 230. If you abysmal failure, leading to riots and
respectful and the length be limited Back in the old days, defamation wonder why crazy rumors can be per- violence in the streets and obscenely
to 450 words. We reserve the right was handled through duels. You had petuated and spread on Facebook and powerful private media monopolies.
to edit letters for clarity, grammar to be very careful about saying some- Twitter, that’s why. If you wonder why It’s time to go back to the future.
and length. Letters may be emailed thing bad about somebody or they the world seems to have gone crazy, it’s Wyatt Emmerich is the editor and
to voice@cdispatch.com or mailed could possibly challenge you to a duel. Section 230. publisher of The Northside Sun, a
to The Dispatch, Attn: Letters to If you refused to accept a challenge Section 230 provided lawsuit immu- weekly newspaper in Jackson. He can be
the Editor, PO Box 511, Columbus, to a duel, your reputation was perma- nity only if it allowed all citizens access reached by e-mail at wyatt@northside-
MS 39703-0511. nently damaged, which often meant to its platform without editing content, sun.com.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 5A

Biden puts forth virus strategy, requires mask use to travel

President Joe Biden expected to sign 10
pandemic-related executive orders today
BY RICARDO
ALONSO-ZALDIVAR
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — As the
U.S. enters “what may well be
the toughest and deadliest peri-
od of the virus,” President Joe
Biden is putting forth a nation-
al COVID-19 strategy to ramp
up vaccinations and testing,
reopen schools and businesses
and increase the use of masks
— including a requirement that
they be worn for travel.
Biden also will address ineq-
uities in hard-hit minority com-
munities as he signs 10 pan-
demic-related executive orders
on Thursday, his second day in
office.
“We need to ask average
Americans to do their part,”
said Jeff Zients, the White
House official directing the na-
tional response. “Defeating the
virus requires a coordinated na-
tionwide effort.”
But Biden officials say
they’re hampered by lack of
cooperation from the Trump
administration during the tran-
sition. They say they don’t have
a complete understanding of
their predecessors’ actions on
vaccine distribution.
They’re also depending on
Congress to provide $1.9 tril-
lion for economic relief and
COVID-19 response. And they
face a litany of complaints from
states that say they are not get-
ting enough vaccine even as
they are being asked to vacci-
nate more categories of people.
Biden acknowledged the
urgency of the mission in his
inaugural address. “We are
entering what may well be the
toughest and deadliest period
of the virus,” he said before ask-
ing Americans to join him in a
moment of silence in memory
of the more than 400,000 people
in the U.S. who have died from
COVID-19.
Biden’s top medical adviser
on COVID-19, Dr. Anthony Fau-
ci, also announced renewed U.S.
support for the World Health
Organization after it faced blis-
tering criticism from the Trump
administration, laying out new
commitments to tackle the
coronavirus and other global
health issues. Fauci said early
Thursday that the U.S. will join
the U.N. health agency’s efforts
to bring vaccines, therapeutics
and diagnostics to people in
need, whether in rich or poor
countries and will resume full
funding and staffing support
for WHO.
The U.S. mask order for trav-
el being implemented by Biden
will apply to airports and planes,
ships, intercity buses, trains
and public transportation. Trav-
elers from abroad must furnish
a negative COVID-19 test be-
fore departing for the U.S. and
quarantine upon arrival. Biden
has already mandated masks on
federal property.
Although airlines, Amtrak
and other transport providers
now require masks, Biden’s or-
der makes it a federal mandate,
leaving little wiggle room for
passengers tempted to argue
about their rights.

States report vaccine shortages and cancel appointments

Both the government and the
drugmakers have said there are large
quantities of vaccine in the pipeline
BY MICHAEL HILL
AND JENNIFER PELTZ
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — The
push to inoculate Ameri-
cans against the coronavi-
rus is hitting a roadblock:
A number of states are re-
porting they are running
out of vaccine, and tens of
thousands of people who
managed to get appoint-
ments for a first dose are
seeing them canceled.
Karen Stachowiak, a
first-grade teacher in the
Buffalo area, spent almost
five hours on the state hot
line and website to land an
appointment for Wednes-
day, only to be told it was
canceled. The Erie Coun-
ty Health Department said
it scratched vaccinations
for over 8,000 people in
the past few days because
of inadequate supply.
“It’s stressful because
I was so close. And my
other friends that are
teachers, they were able
to book appointments for
last Saturday,” Stachowi-
ak said. “So many people
are getting theirs in, and
then it’s like, ‘Nope, I’ve
got to wait.’”
The reason for the ap-
parent mismatch between
supply and demand in the
U.S. was unclear, but last
week the Health and Hu-
man Services Department
suggested that states had
unrealistic expectations
for how much vaccine was
reach people 65 and older,
along with certain others.
on the way. More than 400,000 deaths
in the U.S. have been
In any case, new ship-
ments go out every week, blamed on the virus.
and both the government
and the drugmakers have
said there are large quan-
tities in the pipeline.
The shortages are com-
ing as states dramatically
ramp up their vaccination
drives, at the federal gov-
ernment’s direction, to

COMMERCIAL DISPATCH
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tailed biographical information
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officiating. Burial will
follow in Nebo Baptist
Cemetery in Ackerman.
Visitation will be one
hour prior to services at
the church. Welch Fu-
neral Home is in charge
of arrangements.
Mrs. Thompson was
born to the late Charlie
and Ruth Bell William-
son. She was formerly
employed as a home-
maker and was a mem-
ber of Double Springs
Methodist Church.
In addition to her
parents, she was pre-
ceded in death by her
husband, J.R. McKib-
ben; and son, Charlie
McKibben.
She is survived by
her husband, John E.
Thompson III; children,
Elizabeth Franks of
Sturgis, Rose Newman
of Maben and Jurney
McKibben III of Mill-
port, Alabama; siblings,
Frank Williamson
AREA OBITUARIES
officiating.
Carter’s
Funeral
Services
of Colum-
bus is in
charge of
arrange- Smith-
ments.
Perkins
Mrs.
Perkins was born May
2, 1957, in Columbus,
to the late Hattie Lee
Brown and Roosevelt
Smith Sr. In addition
to her parents, she was
preceded in death by
her brother, Robert
Earl Smith.
She is survived
by her son, Romika
Perkins; and siblings,
Roosevelt Smith Jr.,
Jerome Brown both of
Jackson, Gracie Lee
Lanier and Ruth Brown
both of Columbus.
Shirlean
Jones-Hargrove
COLUMBUS —
follow in the church pital-Golden Triangle.
cemetery. Visitation is Arrangements are Bobby Garner
Graveside Services:
from 2-6 p.m. today, at incomplete and will be Saturday, Jan. 23 • 11 AM
Carter’s Funeral Ser- Friendship Cemetery
announced by Lown- Burial
vices. Carter’s Funeral des Funeral Home of Friendship Cemetery
Services of Columbus Columbus. 2nd Ave. N. Location
is in charge of arrange-
ments. Cathy Black
Mrs. Jones-Hargrove STEENS — Cathy
was born May 15, 1965,
Black, 63, died Jan. 21,
in Pickens County, Al-
2021, at her residence.
abama, to R.W. Strong
Arrangements are
and Ruthie Jones.
incomplete and will be memorialgunterpeel.com
She was a graduate of
Noxubee County High announced by Lown-
School, East Mississip- des Funeral Home of
pi Community College Columbus.
and Mississippi State
University. She was
formerly employed as a
secretary with Robin-
son Janitorial and was
a member of Christian
Hill M.B. Church.
In addition to her
parents, she is survived
by her husband, Jerome
Hargrove; children,
Shanita Jones Cunning-
ham of Villa Rica, Geor-
gia, Jamarcus Jones of

publication. For more informa-
tion, call 662-328-2471.
Margaret Thompson
STARKVILLE —
Margaret E. William-
son McKibben Thomp-
son, 58, died Jan. 19,
2021, at North Missis-
sippi Medical Center of
Eupora.
Funeral services
will be at 1 p.m. Satur-
day, at Double Springs
Methodist Church, with
the Rev. Brad Winfield
Some COVID-19 mutations may dampen vaccine effectiveness
Recent variants of the virus that
emerged in the U.K., South Africa and
Brazil seem to spread more easily
BY MARILYNN
MARCHIONE
AP Chief Medical Writer
Scientists are report-
ing troubling signs that
some recent mutations
of the virus that causes
COVID-19 may modest-
ly curb the effectiveness
of two current vaccines,
although they stress that
the shots still protect
against the disease.
Researchers expressed
concern Wednesday about
the preliminary findings,
in large part because they
suggest that future mu-
tations could undermine
vaccines. The research
tested coronaviruses from
of Maben, Billy Wil-
liamson of Mathiston
and Joel Williamson
of Eupora; and seven
grandchildren.
Mary Smith-Perkins
VICKSBURG —
Mary Alice Smith-Per-
kins, 63, died Jan. 18,
2021, at her residence.
Graveside services
will be at 11 a.m.
Friday, at Sandfield
Cemetery, with the
Rev. Clarence E. Smith
the United Kingdom,
South Africa and Brazil,
and was led by Rocke-
feller University in New
York with scientists from
the National Institutes of
Health and elsewhere.
A different, more lim-
ited study out Wednesday
gave encouraging news
about one vaccine’s pro-
tection against some of
the mutations.
One way vaccines work
is to prompt the immune
system to make antibod-
ies that block the virus
from infecting cells. The
Rockefeller researchers
got blood samples from 20
people who had received
either the Moderna or
Shirlean Jones-Har-
grove, 55,
Jan. 16,
2021, in
Tuscaloo-
sa, Ala-
bama.
Funeral
services
will be Jones-
at noon Hargrove
Friday,
at Christian Hill M.B.
Church of Brooksville,
with Bobby Bowen
officiating. Burial will
Pfizer vaccine and tested
their antibodies against
various virus mutations in
the lab.
With some, the anti-
bodies didn’t work as well
against the virus — activ-
ity was one-to-threefold
less, depending on the
mutation, said the study
leader, Rockefeller’s Dr.
Michel Nussenzweig.
“It’s a small difference
but it is definitely a dif-
ference,” he said. The
antibody response is “not
as good” at blocking the
virus.
Earlier research estab-
lished that the two vac-
cines are about 95 percent
effective in preventing
COVID-19 illness.
The latest findings
were posted late Tues-
day on an online website
for researchers and have
not yet been published
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
and Destiny Jones of
Marietta, Georgia; and
five grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be
Darick Jones, Donnell
Jones, Marvin Cockrell,
Donald Bush, Kenneth
Averhart and Antjawan
Jones.
Murry Bobbitt
COLUMBUS —
Murry Neon Bobbitt,
70, died Jan. 21, 2021, at
Baptist Memorial Hos-
in a journal or reviewed
by other scientists. Nus-
senzweig is paid by the
Howard Hughes Medical
Institute, which also sup-
ports science coverage
at The Associated Press.
The university has ap-
plied for a patent related
to his work.
The coronavirus has
been growing more ge-
netically diverse, and sci-
entists say the high rate of
new cases is the main rea-
son. Each new infection
gives the virus a chance to
mutate as it makes copies
of itself.
Recent variants, or
versions of the virus that
emerged in the U.K.,
South Africa and Brazil
seem to spread more eas-
ily and scientists say that
will lead to more cases,
deaths and hospitaliza-
tions.
Sherry Wells
Sherry “Dutter” Wells, 69, of
Steens, MS passed away Friday,
January 15, 2021, at Baptist
Memorial Hospital-GT.
A memorial service will be
held Saturday, February 6,
2021, at 1:00 PM at Woodland
Baptist Church.
Mrs. Wells was born on
February 5, 1951, in Columbus,
MS to the late Doris Sides Wright and Sid
Wright. She worked in Home Health for 40 years
and retired from Kindred Home Health as a
supervisor. Mrs. Wells loved hummingbirds,
cooking, baking, traveling to the Smokey
Mountains. She enjoyed spending time with
her family especially grandchildren and great-
grandchildren, and she loved spending time
with her dogs, Zoey and Gigi. Mrs. Wells was the
eldest of seven children and known by “Dutter”
to her siblings, she was the “boss” of the family,
loved by everyone that knew her, and will be
truly missed.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Wells is
preceded in death by her sister, Emma McKay;
and brothers, Johnny “Pooh Bear” Wright and
Sid Wright.
Mrs. Wells is survived by her husband, James
“Chad” Wells of Steens, MS; sons, Joe (MariChu)
Casmus and Jamie (Amanda) Wells; daughter,
Jennifer Wells; grandchildren, Nicholas Wells,
Meghan Wells, Britney Casmus, Breanna Wells
and Brandon Casmus; great-grandchild, Aspyn
Rushing; brothers, Billy (Ann) Wright and Neil
Wright; sister, Mary (Shawn) Miller; sister-
in-law, Judy Wright; and brother-in-law, Neal
(Nancy) Wells.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis,
TN 38105 or to LeBonheur Children’s Medical
Center P.O. Box 41817 Memphis, TN 38174-181.
The family would like to say a special thanks to
Baptist Memorial Hospital-GT 5th floor and CCU
nurses and Dr. Williams, Dr. Wade, Dr. Bonetti.
Compliments of
Lowndes Funeral Home
www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
6A THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021
Testing
Continued from Page 1A
virtual classes and some
attending in-person class-
es. Columbus Municipal
School District has a
virtual model where stu-
dents attend online only
and a “hybrid” model
with students splitting
time between in-person
and online learning.
All three districts
offered students multiple
opportunities to change
their learning model
throughout the year.
“There would really be
no fair way
to (score
the exams)
because ev-
ery school
is having
school
different-
ly,” LCSD
Allison
Superin-
tendent Sam Allison
told The Dispatch. “So
it would really be hard
to have a standard there
where you really haven’t
had (a standard way of
learning). It’s always dif-
ferent, but you have some
virtual, some hybrid,
some in-person learning,
so I just don’t think there
was any way they could
fairly assess students
on a graduation test this
year, and I think they
realize that too.”
SOCSD Superin-
tendent Eddie Peasant
echoed Allison’s con-
cerns.
“The assessments are
not going to change,” he
said. “However, ... we’re
at a disadvantage, obvi-
Inauguration
Continued from Page 1A
cy’s day. A day of history
and hope, of renewal and
resolve.”
History was made at
his side, as Kamala Harris
became the first woman
to be vice president. The
former U.S. senator from
California is also the first
Black person and the first
person of South Asian de-
scent elected to the vice
presidency and the high-
est-ranking woman ever
to serve in the U.S. gov-
ernment.
Biden never mentioned
his predecessor, who de-
fied tradition and left town
ahead of the ceremony,
but his speech was an
implicit rebuke of Donald
Trump. The new president
denounced “lies told for
power and for profit” and
was blunt about the chal-
lenges ahead.
Central among them:
the surging virus that
has claimed more than
400,000 lives in the United
States, as well as econom-
ic strains and a national
reckoning over race.
“We have much to do
in this winter of peril, and
significant possibilities.
Much to repair, much to
restore, much to heal,
much to build and much
to gain,” Biden said. “Few
people in our nation’s his-
tory have been more chal-
lenged, or found a time
ously, be-
cause of the
pandemic
and because
of students’
different
methods
of learning
throughout Peasant
this time and the loss of
time we had (last year),
some of our students
adjusting to virtual situa-
tions. So yes, I’m in favor
of those being waived for
this year.”
Jason Spears, president
of CMSD’s Board of Trust-
ees, said he likes the idea
of waiving the passing
requirements, provided
there is some effort on the
part of state and districts
to ensure students who
do fail have opportunities
to get extra help and
catch up. He called it a
“double-edged sword” to
balance treating students
fairly and ensure they are
prepared for academic
work in the future.
“They’re trying not to
harm the
students
and say,
‘Well, you’re
going to
have to
repeat third
grade be-
cause you’re Spears
not reading
at this level,’” he said. “I
believe there needs to be
additional follow-through
to ensure ... some type
of system in place (to)
say, ‘This is how you
need to repair what may
more challenging or diffi-
cult than the time we’re in
now.”
Biden was eager to go
big early, with an ambi-
tious first 100 days includ-
ing a push to speed up the
distribution of COVID-19
vaccinations to anxious
Americans and pass a $1.9
trillion economic relief
package. It included a blitz
of executive orders on
matters that don’t require
congressional approval —
a mix of substantive and
symbolic steps to unwind
the Trump years. His ac-
tions included re-entry
into the Paris Climate Ac-
cords and a mandate for
wearing masks on federal
property.
“There’s no time to
start like today,” a masked
Biden said. in the Oval
Office. Then he swore in
hundreds of aides — vir-
tually — telling them,
“You’re my possibilities.”
The absence of Biden’s
predecessor from the in-
augural ceremony under-
scored the national rift to
be healed.
But a bipartisan trio of
former presidents — Bill
Clinton, George W. Bush
and Barack Obama —
were there to witness the
transfer of power. Trump,
awaiting his second im-
peachment trial, was at
his Florida resort by the
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
have been caused by (the
pandemic’s disruptions)
in the students’ academic
progress.’”
Opinions of legislators
As currently written,
the Senate bill states that
students who do fail the
reading gate would be
promoted to fourth grade
but also “shall be given
… remedial instruction,”
through an individualized
reading plan.
Some legislators are
divided over that partic-
ular aspect of the bill.
Sen. Angela Turner-Ford
(D-West Point), who has
authored bills in the past
to do away with passing
requirements for assess-
ments in typical school
years, said she is against
enforcing remediation.
She said she hadn’t
yet had the opportunity
to look at the Senate bill,
but agrees with Wright’s
recommendation that
students be promoted no
matter their score.
“I do not support the
idea of re-
mediation,”
she said. “...
I’m not sure
what the
measuring
tool would
be — is it
remediation Turner-Ford
for each
student, or would it be
applied according to some
other standard? I think we
should just dispense with
the requirement alto-
time the swearing-in took
place.
Biden, in his third run
for the presidency, staked
his candidacy less on any
distinctive political ideol-
ogy than on galvanizing
a broad coalition of voters
around the notion that
Trump posed an existen-
tial threat to American
democracy. Four years
after Trump’s “American
Carnage” speech painted
a dark portrait of national
decay, Biden warned that
the fabric of the nation’s
democracy was tearing
but could be repaired.
“I know the forces that
divide us are deep and
they are real. But I also
know they are not new.
Our history has been
a constant struggle be-
tween the American ide-
al that we are all created
equal and the harsh, ugly
reality that racism, nativ-
ism, fear, demonization
have long torn us apart,”
Biden said. “This is our
historic moment of crisis
and challenge, and unity
is the path forward and we
must meet this moment as
the United States of Amer-
ica.”
Swearing the oath with
his hand on a five-inch-
thick Bible that has been
in his family for 128 years,
Biden came to office with
a well of empathy and re-
gether and just let these has spent a lot of money to from Dr.
students progress onto ensure students could still Wright and
the next grade.” go to school virtually. the state de-
Rep. Cheikh Taylor “You know, we’re partment of
(D-Starkville), however, spending all education,
aligned more with Spears
and said there should be a
this money
on the virtu-
I feel sure
I would
balance between allow- al teaching support it,”
ing leeway for students and every- Rep. Wright
Wright
whose learning has been thing, so said.
disrupted and ensuring it’s kind of Karriem said waiving
the state doesn’t lower its ‘damned if the requirements is “long
standards. you do and Younger overdue.”
“We’re going to need a damned “Especially during
little flexi- if you don’t,’ pardon the COVID, I
bility to get language,” he said. think it’s an
this right,” Other representatives, excellent
Taylor said. including first-term leg- idea, and
“These islator Rep. Lynn Wright I think
things don’t (R-Columbus), who is a everything
happen in
former LCSD superin- needs to be
a vacuum. tendent, and Rep. Kabir reassessed
... We have Taylor
Karriem (D-Columbus) where Karriem
to maintain said they would support we are,
that, although we want
the idea if it made it to the because I don’t think
the best for our students,
House. children are doing too
trust me, before their “What I would have well with virtual learning
high school career is up,
to do is have to listen to either,” he said. “I think
they’re going to have to all information that is it’s long overdue. I would
have mastered some in-
brought forward on it, but accept her recommenda-
formation and have to dig if it’s a recommendation tion.”
a little deeper, but those
are just going to have to
be some things that we
address as we go along.”
Sen. Chuck Younger
(R-Columbus) talked to
The Dispatch about the
issue last week before the
bill was written and said
that generally, he likes the
idea of waiving the pass-
ing requirements for all
high-stakes tests for this
year. However, he said, he
doesn’t know if everyone
in the Senate Education
Committee would agree
and pointed out the state
and federal government
solve born by personal
tragedy as well as a depth
of experience forged from
more than four decades in
Washington. At age 78, he
is the oldest president in-
augurated.
Both he, Harris and
their spouses walked the
last short part of the route
to the White House after
an abridged parade. Biden
then strode into the Oval
Office, a room he knew
well as vice president, for
the first time as command-
er in chief.
At the Capitol earlier,
Biden, like all those in
attendance, wore a face
mask except when speak-
ing. Tens of thousands
of National Guard troops
were on the streets to
provide security precisely
two weeks after a violent
mob of Trump supporters,
incited by the Republican
president, stormed the
building in an attempt to
prevent the certification of
Biden’s victory.
“Here we stand, just
days after a riotous mob
thought they could use
violence to silence the will
of the people,” Biden said.
“To stop the work of our
democracy. To drive us
from this sacred ground.
It did not happen. It will
never happen. Not today,
not tomorrow. Not ever.
Not ever.”
Sports
MISSISSIPPI STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021
B
SECTION

Why Dawgs’ defense has to improve in crucial SEC stretch

BY BEN PORTNOY
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — Mis-
sissippi State women’s
basketball is on the prec-
ipice of history, but not in
a good way.
Having dropped back-
to-back games against
Alabama and No. 8 Tex-
as A&M over the past
week, MSU has lost two
games in a row for the
first time since dropping
contests to Kentucky and
Tennessee over a three-
day stretch during the
2016-17 campaign. As
impressive, the Bulldogs
haven’t lost three straight
games since the 2013-14
season — Vic Schaefer’s
second year at the helm in
Starkville.
With No. 5 South Caro-
lina heading to town next
week, that streak may be
snapped sooner than lat-
er.
“We have to continue
to do the tough things —
rebound the basketball,”
head coach Nikki McCra-
yp-Penson said following
Sunday’s loss to Texas
A&M. “We have to con-
tinue to get stops when
we need to. The offense,
that’s going to come here
and there, but the defen-
sive end is really where it
starts for me.”
Sitting at 8-4 and 3-3
in Southeastern Confer-
ence play, MSU still has
plenty of season ahead
of it. But with the im-
pending game against
South Carolina followed
by meetings with No. 15
Arkansas and No. 25 Ten-
nessee, the Bulldogs are
sitting in a precarious
spot.
Perhaps the most ob-
vious change to be made
in MSU’s game is its
defense. In their three
SEC wins to date, the
Bulldogs have allowed
just 58 points per game,
compared to 82.3 points
per game in its three
conference losses. Mc-
Cray-Penson’s squad has
also surrendered a 45.3 Photo by Tony Walsh
percent shooting clip to Nikki McCray-Penson knows her defense has to be better as the Bulldogs prepare to
See DEFENSE, 3B take on South Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee in their next three games.

Rivers, 39, MISSISSIPPI STATE SOFTBALL

retires from
NFL after
17 seasons
In control: How Emily Williams became a
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

INDIANAPOLIS —
When Philip Rivers first
‘lethal weapon’ in the circle for Bulldogs
started tossing footballs
as a high-school ball boy,
he heaved them any way
he could. The throwing
motion stuck — and suc-
cess soon followed.
Rivers used that
strange, shot put-like
style to land a college
scholarship, become a
first-round draft pick and
eventually string togeth-
er one of the greatest
17-year careers in NFL
history. On Wednesday,
the 39-year-old Indianap-
olis Colts quarterback an-
nounced his retirement.
“Every year, Jan. 20
is a special and emotion-
al day,” Rivers said in a
statement posted on the
team’s website. “It is St.
Sebastian’s Feast day, the
day I played in the AFC
championship without
an ACL, and now the day
that after 17 seasons, I’m
announcing my retire-

See RIVERS, 3B

KC’s Henne Gabby Zgunda/MSU Athletics

goes from Mississippi State pitcher Emily Williams delivers during a March 7 game against Southeast Missouri State on March 7 at Nusz Park.
Williams tossed a complete-game one-hitter with nine strikeouts, one of her best games in a breakout 2020 season. She could be poised
for even more success this spring.
backup QB BY THEO DEROSA pares for another stellar spring She and Johnson also re- She increased her focus and her

to playoff tderosa@cdispatch.com

Emily Williams has always

in Starkville.
“She’s a huge piece of our
worked how often Williams
threw each offering and mea-
work ethic in the weight room,
and she began to grow more

stage been unhittable.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chad Henne came
off the bench cold in the
heat of a tense playoff
game and delivered the
game-sealing plays for
Kansas City in his most
consequential perfor-
mance in a win since
2013.
Henne became just
the latest understudy
quarterback to deliver a
memorable performance
in the postseason when
he relieved an injured
Patrick Mahomes and
closed out a 22-17 win
over Cleveland on Sun-
day that sent the defend-
ing champion Chiefs into
the AFC championship
game.
If Mahomes remains
in concussion protocol
and can’t start this Sun-
day against the Buffalo
Bills, Henne will get the
nod as he tries to follow
in the footsteps of other
playoff fill-ins at quarter-
back.
The most recent suc-
See BACKUPS, 3B
Even as a freshman pitcher
at Mississippi State, the Car-
rollton, Georgia, product took
the team by storm. In the first
couple weeks of her first fall
camp in 2017, Williams blew
Bulldogs batters away time and
time again.
“We couldn’t touch her,” Mis-
sissippi State coach Samantha
Ricketts recalled. “The hitters
could not touch a ball off of her.
It took us a minute to get adjust-
ed because that’s just how natu-
rally gifted she was.”
In her three years to date
with the Bulldogs, Williams
used those intrinsic talents to
play different roles. She was a
nonconference assassin in 2018
and established herself as the
team’s No. 1 starter in an up-
and-down 2019 campaign.
But it took more than phys-
ical gifts for the skilled right-
hander to break out in 2020,
posting a 0.46 ERA — good for
third in the country — in the
shortened season.
Thanks to a new approach
put in place by Ricketts and
pitching coach Joshua Johnson,
Williams found a confidence in
herself and her ability that she’d
never had before. It’s another
tool in the senior’s ever-grow-
ing arsenal as Williams pre-
success — to our team, to our
pitching staff, just in general
— and to have her for another
season is really exciting for us,”
Ricketts said.
‘A confident calm’
Each time the Bulldogs’ hit-
ters take live batting practice
against Williams, Ricketts sits
in the Nusz Park stands, direct-
ly behind home plate.
From that vantage point, she
has a front-row seat to Williams’
pitching artistry.
“I swear she’s invented a new
pitch every day,” Ricketts said.
“It’s just really not fair.”
Currently, Williams throws
an offspeed rise ball and a fast-
ball in addition to a traditional
rise ball. But it was only after
adjustments to the last pitch
that everything at her disposal
began to get significantly more
effective.
Williams said she worked
with Johnson on throwing her
rise ball predominantly for a
strike. Previously, she typical-
ly threw it for a ball, hoping its
movement would induce swings
and misses. Now, she was at-
tacking the zone with renewed
vigor.
“I had focused on it before,
but we just thought about it dif-
ferently,” Williams said.
sured the proportion of her
pitches that found the strike
zone in practice. The changes
helped Williams almost com-
pletely eradicate a control prob-
lem that plagued her in 2019.
That year, she finished with
148 walks to just 156 strike-
outs in 171.2 innings, including
tough games: 14 walks in an
extra-inning game at Alabama,
12 at Tennessee, 12 at Florida.
Ricketts said the free passes
typically stemmed from the in-
tense movement on Williams’
pitches.
“It might have started as a
strike, but when it’s breaking
six to eight inches vertical, hori-
zontal, whatever it might be, it’s
hard to keep that on the plate,”
Ricketts said.
Still, the Bulldogs embraced
Williams’ occasional erraticity.
They knew what was to come.
“It was, ‘OK, E-Dub’s gonna
walk a couple, but then she’s
going to strike out the side,’”
Ricketts recalled. “We didn’t al-
low it to put a lot of pressure on
us when she would walk a hitter
in a big situation because you
knew she had such good stuff
that she could easily sit down
the next two who were follow-
ing.”
As Williams’ control im-
proved, so did her confidence.
talkative and more comfortable
speaking out in practices and
team meetings.
“She’s always been a calm
presence (in the circle), but now
it’s a very confident calm — just
kind of a lethal weapon that
we’ve got out there,” Ricketts
said.
‘I am this good’
This spring, that weapon was
on full display.
Williams’ strikeout numbers
ratcheted up significantly as
she fanned 75 hitters in 45.2 in-
nings, an average of 11.5 strike-
outs per seven innings — No. 7
in the nation. She issued only
21 walks, cutting down on free
passes by nearly half.
It was a sign that Williams
had mastered hitting every
quadrant of the strike zone with
her mix of pitches — at varying
speeds.
“She might come inside with
the rise ball, and then she’s go-
ing to throw the same location,
but it’s going to be 10 miles per
hour slower,” Ricketts said. “
… She doesn’t have to throw
balls. Her balls move so much
through the zone, she can really
attack a little bit more than she
was previously.”
Instead of just trying to
See WILLIAMS, 3B
2B THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

SEC roundup: Georgia stuns Kentucky with Horne’s go-ahead layup

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATHENS, Ga. — An-
drew Garcia scored 16
points, P.J. Horne a made
a go-ahead layup with 1.3
seconds left, and Georgia
snapped a 14-game losing
streak against Kentucky
with a 63-62 victory on
Wednesday night.
After a timeout with
3.6 seconds left, Horne
got past his defender
for an inbounds pass in
the lane, bobbled it and
curled in a layup. A heave
by Keion Brooks Jr. did
not hit the rim as time
expired.
It was Georgia’s first
win in the series since
March 7, 2013 when Ken-
tavious Caldwell-Pope,
now with the Los Angeles
Lakers, scored 24 points
and grabbed 10 rebounds
in a 72-62 victory.
K.D. Johnson and
Sahvir Wheeler added
10 points points each for
Georgia (9-4, 2-4 South-
eastern Conference).
Horne finished with eight
points, and his game win-
ner gave the Bulldogs
their first lead since 49-
47, coming with about
10 minutes left. Wheeler
had seven of the Bull-
dogs’ 12 assists.
Brandon Boston Jr.
scored 12 of his 18 points
in the first half for Ken-
tucky (4-9, 3-3). Brooks
and Isaiah Jackson had
12 points apiece.
Georgia, which has
one of the nation’s most
balanced offensives with
Georgia’s P.J. Horne (24) had the game-winning layup in
the final seconds Wednesday against Kentucky.
seven players averaging
9.5 points, had seven
players score at least six
against Kentucky.
The Wildcats entered
averaging 15.2 turnovers
and committed 17 while
Photo by Tony Walsh
shooting just 1 of 13 from
3 against the Bulldogs.
Their 14-game winning
streak against Georgia
in SEC play was second
to its 15-game win streak
against Mississippi State.
Arkansas 75, Auburn 73
FAY E T T E V I L L E ,
Ark. — Desi Sills scored
14 of his 22 points in the
second half to help Arkan-
sas rally from a 12-point
halftime deficit, and then
hold on to beat Auburn
75-73 on Wednesday
night.
Sills scored four
straight points during an
18-10 run to give Arkan-
sas a 74-66 lead, its largest
of the game coming with
2:40 to play. The Razor-
backs trailed the entire
first half and by 10 points
early in the second.
Auburn’s Sharife Coo-
per answered with con-
secutive layups as part of
a 7-0 surge that pulled the
Tigers to 74-73 with 1:03
remaining. Moses Moody
added a free throw for Ar-
kansas with two seconds
left and Allen Flanigan
missed a 3-pointer to end
it.
Sills was 7-of-12 shoot-
ing and made 8 of 10 free
throws. Jalen Tate added
14 points for Arkansas
(11-4, 3-4 Southeastern
Conference). Justin Smith
and Davonte Davis had
10 points apiece. Smith’s
dunk stretched the Razor-
backs’ lead to 62-56 with
about seven minutes left.
Moody, a freshman
who is one of four players
in the SEC ranked among
the top 15 in scoring and
rebounding, was held
to five points on 2-of-9
shooting and had five re-
bounds.

Coach: Louisville women ready for challenges of being No. 1

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
Louisville coach Jeff Walz
and the Cardinals players
are embracing the chal-
lenges that come with
their lofty new status as
the team to beat in wom-
en’s college basketball.
The Cardinals (12-0,
5-0 Atlantic Coast Confer-
ence) have been a team-
to-beat for a while under
Walz. They believe the
cohesion that has carried
them to an unbeaten start
to the season through
pandemic-related pauses
and postponements has
them prepared to be No.
1.
“I really don’t expect
much to change,” said the
14th-year coach, whose
team began the season
No. 5 and spent the past
six weeks at No. 2 before
moving up in Monday’s
Associated Press Top 25.
“We have some very
talented players, there’s
no question about it.
(But) we’re not just going
to step on the floor and
just overwhelm you and
work its way back. So,
I don’t think anything’s
going to change. I’d be
shocked if it did.”
Not surprisingly, Lou-
isville’s catalyst is senior
guard Dana Evans, a
preseason AP All-Amer-
ican and ACC player of
the year averaging 19.4
points and 4.4 assists per
game. But many others
have stepped up to not
only fill voids left by the
departures of three oth-
er starters, but provide
depth on both ends of the
floor.
Forwards Olivia Co-
chran and Hailey Van
Lith, both freshmen, each
average at least 12 points
and are 1-2 on the team in
rebounding with six-plus
per game. Junior guard
Kianna Smith, a perim-
eter threat who scored
600 points in two season
at Cal, is averaging 13.3
points after sitting out
last season per NCA A
transfer rules.
Louisville has shot
better than 50% from the
field the past two games
with five players scoring
in double figures both
times.
“I feel like anyone that
comes on the floor can
score and can make a play
and that just makes the
game fun,” Smith said.
“It’s so much fun to see
my teammates be suc-
cessful and also be happy
for me when I succeed.”
The Cardinals collec-
tively put points on the
scoreboard by finding
open teammates when
Evans has a rare off night.
The Cardinals had 22 as-
sists on 32 baskets in Sun-
day’s 84-56 home rout of
Florida State, including
eight assists by Evans.
“We all know we can
score at three different
levels,” Evans said, “but
finding each other and
getting each other open
shots is what’s most im-
portant. And if we can
continue to do that and
move the ball the way we
did, it’s going to be hard
to guard us.”
Walz warned there
will be games where the
shots don’t fall as often
and that teams will have
extra motivation now that
the Cardinals sit atop the
rankings.
Louisville will host
No. 23 Syracuse (7-1, 4-1)
Thursday night, and Feb-
ruary features a home
matchup against unbeat-
en and second-ranked
North Carolina State.
Walz is trying to keep
Louisville’s No. 1 ranking
in perspective but wants
the Cardinals to appreci-
ate the program’s ascent
to its lofty perch.
While the view may be
a little different for the
Cardinals, winning is not
new for Louisville.
The Cardinals have
reached two NCA A cham-
pionship games, three Fi-
nal Fours and produced a
series of All-Americans
under Walz. But this is a
first for the program.
“It’s a credit to what
these young women have
done this year,” Walz said.
“Especially with every-
thing that’s gone on, the
focus that they’ve been
able to maintain. But I
think it is also a credit
to all of our players for
what we’ve been able to
establish here. It’s a great
honor, there’s no question
about that.”

Watson scores 29 to lead Providence past No. 11 Creighton

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OMAHA, Neb. — Nate
Watson let himself down with
his performance the first time
Providence played Creighton
this season.
The big man was better than
ever Wednesday night, scoring
a career-high 29 points to lead
the Friars past the 11th-ranked
Bluejays 74-70.
Providence (8-6, 4-4 Big
East) won for the first time
in four games and avenged a
crushing loss to the Bluejays
three weeks ago.
“I feel there was urgency,”
Watson said. “Creighton is a
really good team. They didn’t
really have the size in there. I
most definitely was aggressive.
I stayed up last night watching
film of the first game versus
Creighton. I didn’t like the way
I played. I was 4 for 11, missing
too many shots.”
The 6-foot-10, 260-pound
Watson outweighs Creigh-
ton’s 6-7 Christian Bishop by
40 pounds and 7-footer Ryan
Kalkbrenner by 25, and Watson
dominated all night. With the
Friars playing through him,
Watson went 12 for 19 from the
field and got Bishop and Kalk-
brenner into early foul trouble.
“I continue to say he’s truly
one of the best, if not the best,
post scorers in America,” Fri-
ars coach Ed Cooley said.
Creighton (10-4, 6-3) lost its
second straight after one of its
worst offensive games of the
season.
The Friars built an early
17-point lead before Creighton
battled back to 39-34 at half-
time. The Bluejays fell behind
by double digits again in the
second half and then made late
runs that fell short.
“It goes without saying the
start of the game was the dif-
ference,” Creighton coach Greg
McDermott said. “Some blown
coverages defensively allowed
Nate Watson to get rolling, and
then as he got rolling, obvious-
ly the foul trouble added up on
us.”
The Bluejays were within
two points four times in the fi-
nal six minutes, the last two oc-
casions in the last 57 seconds.
Mitch Ballock snaked inside
for his only basket, but David
Duke banked in a contested
3-pointer from the left wing on
the Friars’ next possession to
make it 70-65.
“He didn’t call that,” Watson
said, laughing. “It was a lucky
shot.”
The teams traded free
throws before Marcus Zega-
rowski banked in a one-handed
3 of his own with 5.6 seconds
left. Duke put the game out of
reach with two free throws at
the end.
Freshman guard Alyn Breed
had a season-high 15 points,
Duke added 12 and Jimmy
Nichols Jr. scored 10 for the Fri-
ars, who were playing the third
of four straight road games.
Damien Jefferson scored a
career-best 26 points for the
Bluejays. Zegarowski, who
missed the previous two games
with a left hamstring injury, had
17 points and Bishop added 12.
Creighton shot a season-low
17.4% (4 of 23) on 3-pointers
and missed eight of its 24 free
throws.
Providence lost 67-65 to the
Bluejays on Jan. 2 after making
up a big deficit with a late 17-4
run. Creighton won when Bish-
op dunked with less than a sec-
ond left.
The Friars, who hadn’t won
anywhere since Dec. 30, won for
the sixth time in seven games
against Top 25 opponents.
“Happy for Friar-town,”
Cooley said. “We’ve got anoth-
er monster game coming up
against a top-five team in Vil-
lanova. We’ll enjoy today for
about five minutes and we’ll
start preparing for Villanova
tonight.”
Big picture
Providence: The Friars
were without point guard Jar-
ed Bynum (groin) for the third
straight game and avoided their
longest losing streak since
2012-13.
Creighton: The Bluejays
live and die by the 3-pointer,
and they’re struggling mighti-
ly right now. They’re shooting
21.7% (10 of 46) from long dis-
tance in their last two games.
Breed on rise
Breed started for the third
straight time with Bynum out
of the lineup. He’s taken the
off-guard role while Duke has
moved to the point. Breed to-
taled two points the last two
games. Against the Bluejays he
made both his 3s and finished 4
for 5 from the field.
“I’m not scared or afraid of
big teams, none of that,” Breed
said. “When you go out there
and play hard, none of that mat-
ters. My teammates and coach-
es give me confidence, so it
works out.”
Up next
Providence visits No. 3 Villa-
nova on Saturday.
Creighton hosts No. 23 Con-
necticut on Saturday. The Blue-
jays won 76-74 in overtime at
UConn on Dec. 20.

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott stepping down at end of June

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pac-12 Commissioner Larry
Scott is stepping down at the
end of June, ending an 11-year
tenure in which the conference
landed a transformational bil-
lion dollar television deal but
struggled to keep up with some
of its Power Five peers when it
came to revenue and exposure.
The Pac-12 announced
Wednesday night that the
56-year-old Scott and universi-
ty presidents who make up the
league’s executive committee
mutually agreed that he would
not seek a new contract.
“It’s been quite the amazing
journey,” Scott told AP. “There’s
a lot of change going on in col-
lege sports. There’s been a lot
of change in our conference.
I’m ready for the next chapter.”
Scott’s current deal was set
to expire June 2022, but instead
he will finish out this academic
year to assist with the transition
to his successor.
Scott said the decision came
together quickly after a routine
meeting with the Pac-12’s exec-
utive committee last week.
“There’s never a perfect
time, but this felt pretty good,”
Scott said.
Scott came to the Pac-12 in
2009 with no experience as a
college sports administrator
after two decades working in
professional tennis, including a
stint as the chairman and CEO
of the Women’s Tennis Associa-
tion. He replaced Tom Hansen
in 2009.
“We appreciate Larry’s pio-
neering efforts in growing the
conference by adding new com-
petitive university programs
and accelerating the Pac-12 to
television network parity with
the other conferences,” Univer-
sity of Oregon President Mi-
chael Schill said in a statement.
“At one point, our television
agreement was the most lucra-
tive in the nation and the debut
of the Pac-12 Network helped
deliver our championship brand
to US and global markets on tra-
ditional and digital platforms.
That said, the intercollegiate
athletics marketplace doesn’t
remain static and now is a good
time to bring in a new leader
who will help us develop our
go-forward strategy.”
Under Scott, the Pac-10 be-
came the Pac-12 by adding
Colorado and Utah in 2011 and
created a football championship
game. The additions helped the
conference secure a 12-year $3
billion media rights deal with
Fox and ESPN that set the stan-
dard in the college sports mar-
ket at the time.
That move came after Scott
made a bold attempt to raid the
Big 12, at first trying to woo
Texas and five other schools
to create a 16-team conference
and then again circling back on
Texas and Oklahoma.
Scott’s grandest plans never
came to fruition. The additions
did help the conference secure
a 12-year, $3 billion media
rights deal with Fox and ESPN.
The contract set the standard
in the college sports market in
2011 and brought Pac-12 foot-
ball unprecedented national
TV exposure. The Pac-12 also
agreed to equal revenue shar-
ing for the first time under the
new deal.
Those contract are up in
2024 and negotiating the next
media rights deals will be a top
priority of the next Pac-12 com-
missioner.
Scott’s other daring move
has not panned out as well. The
Pac-12 Network, launched in
2012, followed the lead of Big
Ten Network but never could
replicate it as a money-maker
for its members.
The Pac-12 chose not to
partner with an existing cable
network the way the Big Ten
did with Fox and the Southeast-
ern Conference later did with
ESPN.
Scott hoped that by the con-
ference having full ownership
of the network, it would even-
tually position the schools to
cash in big on a changing me-
dia landscape, less dependent
on traditional TV networks.
That never panned out.
While Pac-12 revenues have
steadily risen in recent years
— the conference distribut-
ed more than $32 million per
school after the 2018-19 aca-
demic year — its members still
lag behind the Big Ten ($55 mil-
lion per school) and SEC ($45
million per school).
Scott has also been criti-
cized for moving the Pac-12 of-
fices out of Walnut Creek, Cali-
fornia, to San Francisco, which
drove up operating costs. He is
currently the highest paid con-
ference commissioner at $5.4
million for 2019-20, according
to USA Today.
At the time, though, the
move to San Francisco fell in
line with the Pac-12 presidents’
charge to Scott: Modernize a
conference that had fallen way
behind its peers in major col-
lege sports.
The Pac-12’s highest profile
sports, football and men’s bas-
ketball, have failed to produce
national champions during
Scott’s tenure, and some of his
long-term plans failed to satisfy
the short-term needs of admin-
istrators within the conference.
The conference took off in
the first few years of Scott’s
tenure and he was lauded as a
visionary. The road got bumpy
after that for Scott, and his time
in the Pac-12 will come to end
after the most difficult year of
college sports trying to play
through the pandemic.
“This year was tougher than
any that we’ve had,” Scott said.
“But it also made you step back
and reflect on what’s most im-
portant in your life.”
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 3B

Rivers
Continued from Page 1B
ment from the National
Football League. Thank
you God for allowing me
to live out my childhood
dream of playing quar-
terback in the NFL. I am
grateful to the Chargers
for 16 seasons, and the
Colts for the 17th season.”
Rivers was one of a
kind.
Between his trade-
mark throwing style and
his penchant for trash-
talking without cussing,
he carved out his own
niche in the NFL.
There’s no doubt Riv-
ers could sling it.
When he threw for
401 yards and five touch-
downs in his second col-
lege game, then-Indiana
Hoosiers coach and fu-
ture NFL head coach Cam
Cameron proclaimed that
the North Carolina State
freshman had a future in
the NFL.
Rivers didn’t just play
in the league — he creat-
ed a legacy few achieve.
“We kind of think it
started at 5, 6, 7, 8 years
old, throwing a regula-
tion-size football,” Rivers
said before the season
opener, explaining how
he developed his style. “I
couldn’t hold it, grip it,
palm it, so I had to kind
of lay it in my hand a lit-
tle bit. You’re not strong
enough to throw it, you
push it. Then as you get
bigger and stronger, you
change it a little bit. But
I think the actual motion
kind of stays with what’s
most comfortable and
muscle memory and how
you get used to throwing
it.”
After being selected
fourth overall in the 2004
draft, he was immediately
traded from the New York
Giants to the San Diego
Chargers for Eli Man-
ning. Rivers spent the
next two seasons backing
up Drew Brees in San Di-
ego before taking over as
the starter when Brees
left in free agency.
In the 2006 season
opener, Rivers made his
starting debut — and
then the next 251 in a row
including the playoffs.
Nothing kept him out —
not the awkward mechan-
ics, not the critics who
thought he should retire
after his final season with
the Chargers, not even
the torn anterior cruci-
ate ligament he suffered
against the Colts follow-
ing the 2007 playoffs.
His 240 consecutive
regular-season starts was
the second-longest streak
since 1970, trailing only
Brett Favre (297), and it
was one of the few stats
Rivers cherished.
“It’s certainly import-
ant to me and I’m thank-
ful that I’ve been healthy
enough to be out there,”
Rivers said in November.
“I do think there is some-
thing about that availabil-
ity, being there each and
every week.”
He was more than just
dependable, too.
Rivers won 134 career
games — No. 2 among
quarterbacks without a
Super Bowl ring — and
was eighth all-time. Only
Tom Brady (230), two-
time Super Bowl champs
Peyton Manning (186)
and Ben Roethlisberger
(156), Brees (172) and
Hall of Famers Favre
(186), John Elway (148)
and Dan Marino (147)
won more regular-season
games than Rivers.
He also finished his
career ranked fifth in
career completions
(5,277), yards passing
(63,440) and touchdown
passes (421), and as the
Chargers’ franchise re-
cord-holder in every ma-
jor passing category.
Age didn’t slow him
down, either.
Despite struggling in
2019, Rivers rebounded
when he was reunited
with coach Frank Reich in
Indianapolis. After throw-
ing five interceptions and
four TD passes in his first
five Colts games, Rivers
finished with 22 TD pass-
es and six interceptions
over the last 12.
Rivers, an eight-time
Pro Bowler, had the sec-
ond-highest completion
percentage of his career
(68%) in 2020 while lead-
ing the Colts to an 11-5
mark and their second
playoff appearance since
2015. And he did it despite
playing the final seven
with an injured toe on his
right foot.
His teammates were
upset they couldn’t help
him go out by clearing
the most glaring omis-
sion from his otherwise
remarkable resume — a
championship.
“The ultimate goal is
a Super Bowl and you’ve
got a guy playing for 17
years,” two-time All-Pro
linebacker Darius Leon-
ard said after a 27-24 loss
wild-card round loss at
Buffalo. “Adam Vinat-
ieri played 23 years and
he has some Super Bowl
rings, but Philip doesn’t
have any. So you’ve got to
continue to work and for
us not to give him one this
year, it sucks.”
Leonard was hoping
Rivers would return.
Reich and Colts gener-
al manager Chris Ballard
both said they wanted
him back, too.
But last week, Ballard
said he wanted to take
some time to evaluate the
season and possible off-
season acquisitions and
urged Rivers to take time
to determine if he would
be all-in for 2021.
Rivers finally decided
it was time to leave.
He already has a day
gig lined up, becoming
the head coach of St.
Michael Catholic High
School in Fairhope, Ala-
bama, where he hopes to
coach his sons just like
his father coached him.
And where those chil-
dren may perfect the mo-
tion Rivers made famous.
“My son never did
throw a big ball like I did
at that age and he throws
it the exact same way,”
Rivers said. “He throws it
the same way and anytime
I try to tell him, he says,
‘Dad, you throw it that way.’
So I’ve left him alone also.”

Backups
Continued from Page 1B

cess story came three
years ago, when Nick
Foles replaced an injured
Carson Wentz in Decem-
ber and led the Philadel-
phia Eagles on a magical
postseason run that cul-
minated in their only Su-
per Bowl title.
Jeff Hostetler blazed
a similar path in 1990
with the New York Giants
when he took over for an
injured Phil Simms late in
the season and also won
the championship.
“Everyone had jumped
off the bandwagon,”
Hostetler recalled three
years ago when Foles was
making his run. “We were
completely shot as a team.
That was the outside look-
ing in. Inside where we
were at, we just rallied the
wagons. It was us versus
the world. We just rallied
around each other and it
showed.”
There are others as
well, including Earl Mor-
rall keeping the 1972 Dol-
phins perfect long enough
for starter Bob Griese to
finish the job in the Super
Bowl, and Frank Reich
staging the epic playoff
comeback against Hous-
ton 28 years ago while Jim
Kelly was out injured.
Here’s a look at some
of the most memorable
playoff performances by
backup quarterbacks:
Tom Matte
The Baltimore run-
ning back was thrust into
emergency quarterback
duty late in the 1965 sea-
son after Johnny Unitas
and Gary Cuozzo went
down with injuries. Matte
started the season finale
against the Rams, rushing
for 99 yards and throwing
two incompletions. He
got the nod again the fol-
lowing week in a playoff
game against Green Bay
with a limited number of
plays on a wrist band. He
went 5 for 12 for 40 yards
and ran for 57 more in a
13-10 loss to the Packers.
Earl Morrall
Morrall was in his 17th
season as an NFL jour-
neyman, who had lost to
Joe Namath and the Jets
in Super Bowl III and was
a backup on a champion
in Baltimore two years
later. He joined the Dol-
phins in 1972 as Griese’s
backup on a $100 waiver
claim that proved to be a
bargain when Griese got
hurt in Week 5. Morrall
started the next 11 games
for the NFL’s only perfect
team, leading playoff wins
over Cleveland and Pitts-
burgh when he threw a
TD pass to Larry Cson-
ka in the AFC title game.
Griese returned for the
Super Bowl and complet-
ed the 17-0 season.
Jeff Hostetler
Hostetler had started
just two games in almost
seven full seasons for the
Giants when Simms in-
jured his foot in Week 14.
After starting that season
with 10 straight wins,
the Giants lost three out
of four and were mostly
written off as a contend-
er when Simms got hurt.
But Hostetler managed
to lead the Giants to two
wins to end the regular
season, a lopsided play-
off opener over Chicago,
then upsets over two-time
defending champion San
Francisco in the NFC title
game (15-13 on five field
goals) and Buffalo (20-
19) in the Super Bowl. He
threw three TD passes
with no interceptions in
the playoff run.
Frank Reich
Two years after losing
to Hostetler, the Bills re-
lied on a backup to make
it to their third consecu-
tive Super Bowl. Starter
Jim Kelly injured his knee
in the regular-season
finale, forcing Reich to
take over in the playoffs.
He led an epic comeback
from a 35-3 deficit to beat
Houston in the wild-card
round and then Pitts-
burgh in the next round,
throwing six TD passes
with only one INT in the
wins. Kelly returned to
the AFC title game and
started the Super Bowl
before getting hurt again
in the 52-17 loss to Dallas,
which Reich finished.
Nick Foles
Reich was an assis-
tant in Philadelphia 25
years later when Wentz
went down with a knee
injury that looked like it
would derail the Eagles
season. Foles stepped in
and didn’t do much in the
final three regular sea-
son games and the play-
off opener over Atlanta.
But he put together one
of the greatest two-game
stretches in postseason
history to deliver the Ea-
gles a title. He threw for
725 yards and six touch-
downs in wins over Min-
nesota in the NFC title
game and New England
in the Super Bowl. He
also caught a TD pass in
the win against the Patri-
ots on a trick play known
as the “Philly Special.”
Mahomes practices,
remains in concussion
protocol
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
Chiefs quarterback Pat-
rick Mahomes remained
in the NFL’s concussion
protocol Wednesday but
practiced in a limited ca-
pacity, raising hopes that
the reigning Super Bowl
MVP can play in Sunday’s
AFC title game.
The Chiefs typically
breeze through their mid-
week practice with little
contact before ramping
things up with their lon-
gest workout Thursday,
and coach Andy Reid said
afterward that fit perfect-
ly with what Mahomes
was able to do.
“He looked good,” Reid
said. “He’s in the protocol
so there’s only certain
things he can do, but he
took all the snaps and he
feels good. So, I mean,
we’re just going to follow
this protocol as close as
we possibly can.”
There are five steps
in the league’s return-to-
play protocol: rest until
signs and symptoms re-
turn to baseline clearance
to begin cardio; stretch-
ing and balance training
with medical oversight;
an increase in exercises
that includes monitored
strength training; the re-
sumption of non-contact
football activities; and fi-
nally, the player is cleared
by team physicians and
passes an independent
neurological exam, at
which point he is cleared
to practice and play.
Reid didn’t specify
which step Mahomes was
in Wednesday, but the
work he described coin-
cides with the fourth step.
If all goes well, that could
mean the Chiefs’ quarter-
back is cleared to partici-
pate more fully in practice
Thursday or Friday.
“He’s done well up to
this point and they just
progress you through the
day,” Reid said, “so today
was limited work and no
contact, I think was the
schedule for today. And
that’s kind of what we’re
doing on Wednesday, so it
fit perfectly with that.”
Mahomes was hurt
in the third quarter of
last Sunday’s 22-17 vic-
tory over the Cleveland
Browns when he was
tackled around the neck
while keeping the ball
on a quarterback option.
His head did not appear
to strike the ground hard
— if at all — and that led
to reports that he had
tweaked a nerve that runs
up the neck.
The return of Ma-
homes was only the start
of the positive injury news
for Kansas City.
Defensive back
Bashaud Breeland, who
also left the Browns game
with a concussion, got in
some limited work as the
Chiefs moved practice
from outdoors inside be-
cause of gusty winds.
The availability of
their No. 1 cornerback is
important with Bills quar-
terback Josh Allen riding
a hot streak and All-Pro
wide receiver Stefon
Diggs coming to town.
Running back Clyde
Edwards-Helaire and
wide receiver Sammy
Watkins also practiced
Wednesday, which means
the Chiefs could have a
full complement of play-
makers regardless of
their quarterback for the
first time in weeks.
Edwards-Helaire, who
was fourth among rook-
ies with 1,100 yards from
scrimmage this season,
sustained a high-ankle
sprain in Week 15 against
New Orleans and missed
the final two games of
the regular season. He
returned to practice last
Wednesday but was held
out the next two days,
and he was inactive for
the Chiefs’ playoff game
against Cleveland.
Watkins hurt his calf
muscle in Week 15 against
Atlanta. He sat out the
regular-season finale and
did not practice last week,
joining Edwards-Helaire
on the inactive list.
“It’ll be good to have
both of those guys back,”
Chiefs wide receiver
Mecole Hardman said.
“Hopefully they can play
with us and take the
necessary steps to be
fully healthy or healthy
enough to get some pro-
duction from them.”

Defense
Continued from Page 1B
SEC opponents in losses this
year and, most notably, a 39.2
percent mark from 3-point
range.
Take MSU’s overtime loss
to Kentucky as the preeminent
example. While the Wildcats,
and, more specifically, SEC
Player of the Year front-runner
Rhyne Howard, have made a
living off torching opposing de-
fenses, the Bulldogs had their
chances. Leading by as many
as six points, MSU allowed
Kentucky back into the game
through its failure to guard be-
yond the arc. In response, Ken-
tucky drained 14 of 28 3-point
attempts, including 7 of 13 in
the second half and overtime.
“They were a well-oiled
machine in that fourth quar-
ter and they knew where they
wanted to get this ball and who
they wanted to get this ball,”
McCray-Penson said following
the overtime defeat. “We’re not
there yet.”
If the Bulldogs are, in fact,
looking for stoppers, Xaria
Wiggins’ recent return to the
roster should help some. After
missing the first six games of
the season due to a blood clot
in her right lung and sitting
for the latter half of the win at
Florida and subsequent victory
over Ole Miss following a col-
lision against the Gators, Wig-
gins played 18 and 22 minutes
against Alabama and Texas
A&M last week.
On the first possession of
her first game back against
Kentucky, the former four-star
recruit forced Howard into a
travel at the top of the key be-
fore draining a 3-pointer from
the wing four possessions lat-
er.
Briefly playing alongside
sophomore Rickea Jackson
and junior Jessika Carter at
the forward slots, the group
gave MSU some much-needed
length in marginally defending
the Wildcats’ scorching effort
from behind the 3-point line.
“That group talked the
most,” McCray-Penson said at
the time. “They made mistakes
but they made up for their mis-
takes with talking.”
MSU became a consistent
winner in Schaefer’s eight
years at the helm. During that
span, the Bulldogs failed to
reach 20 wins just once: 2012-
13, Schaefer’s first season in
Starkville. McCray-Penson
isn’t quite at a breaking point,
but lackluster defensive efforts
against South Carolina, Arkan-
sas and Tennessee could send
MSU’s 2020-21 season into a
spiral quicker than preseason
prognosticators saw coming.
“We’re good enough,” she
said after the Kentucky loss.
“We’ve just got to grow up.”

Williams
Continued from Page 1B
throw a good pitch every
time, Williams said, she
was able to keep the ball
low in the zone to induce
softer contact and trust
the fielders around her to
make plays. She led the
nation in hits per seven
innings at just 2.30.
“I didn’t give up a
bunch of hard contact
or anything,” she said.
“Now, I feel a lot of confi-
dence in the defense and
other pitchers.”
The latter wasn’t al-
ways the case. In 2019,
when she made 26 starts
as a sophomore, Williams
felt the strain of carrying
the Bulldogs’ pitching
staff.
“It felt like it was most-
ly on me,” she admitted.
But with the addition of
Troy transfer Annie Willis
and strong performances
from Grace Fagan, Alyssa
Loza and others, Williams
could share the load.
“Last year, it was
spread out a lot more, and
there’s confidence in ev-
erybody on the staff,” she
said.
The confidence the
Bulldogs had in her led
to some new roles for Wil-
liams, too. She started
just four games — posting
complete-game shutouts
in three of them — and
earned saves in five.
“She had a lot of pres-
sure situations for us in
2020 and really excelled
during that,” Ricketts
said.
The success Williams
experienced last spring
— though tempered by
the pain of the season’s
mid-March cancella-
tion — will set her up for
even more good things to
come in 2021 and beyond,
Ricketts said. With the
extra year of eligibility
afforded spring-sport ath-
letes by the NCAA, she’ll
have two more years in
Starkville to continue to
make her mark.
“I think she’s now
starting to buy into that
confidence and the, ‘Hey,
yes, I am this good,’”
Ricketts said. “It’s been
fun to watch that growth
come from her, and to
continue to see what she
can do now with another
two seasons is really fun
for us to think about.”
Ricketts said she al-
ready has an idea of what
to expect when Williams
steps into the circle this
spring.
After all, she’s seen it
before.
“It’s not fun when it’s
our hitters facing her all
fall like we did this year,
but it’s going to be a lot of
fun this spring when she’s
finally throwing against
another team,” Ricketts
said.
4B THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021
NBA
Irving returns, but new-look Nets beaten by Cavs in 2 OTs
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CLEVELAND — Ky-
rie Irving needed some
time. The new-look Nets
will require some as well.
Irving returned from
his personal “pause” and
scored 37 points in his
first game with Kevin
Durant and James Hard-
en but Brooklyn’s “Big
3” couldn’t keep up with
Cleveland’s Collin Sex-
ton, who scored 42 and
led the Cavaliers to a 147-
135 double-overtime win
on Wednesday night.
Sexton made four
3-pointers — most of
them over Irving — and
scored 15 points in the
second OT. He dropped
two 3s and fed Taurean
Comics & Puzzles
DILBERT
ZITS
GARFIELD
CANDORVILLE
BABY BLUES
BEETLE BAILEY
MALLARD FILLMORE
Prince for another in a
dizzying, 55-second span
as Cleveland put it away.
“He played out of his
mind,” said Cavs forward
Cedi Osman, who scored
25. “It was amazing.”
While it was tough
to lose, Irving was im-
pressed by Sexton, who
looked a lot like Irving on
one of his scoring tears.
‘”Two overtimes for
my first game back?” said
Irving, who played his
first game since Jan. 5.
”You gotta love NBA ball,
though. I was smiling
when Collin Sexton was
making those shots.”
Durant scored 38
points and Harden added
21 as Brooklyn’s trio of su-
perstars combined for 96
FAMILY CIRCUS
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
points in their first game
together. But it wasn’t
enough to outlast Sexton,
who missed Cleveland’s
last five games with a
sprained ankle.
The Cavs threw some
exotic defenses at the
Nets, who only got Irving
back at practice on Tues-
day and haven’t had time
to work on much.
“Look, this is the first
night,” Brooklyn coach
Steve Nash said. “We
seemed a little lost at
times. We were a little flat
and disjointed at times.”
As Sexton knocked
down one big shot after
another in the second OT,
players on Cleveland’s
bench tackled each oth-
er in delight. Prince, ac-
quired in the four-team
deal that brought Harden
to Brooklyn, scored 17 in
his Cavs debut and Larry
Nance Jr. had 15.
Sexton will forever be
linked to Irving. He was
selected by Cleveland
with the draft pick the
Cavs got from Boston in
the 2017 trade for Irving.
Like Irving, Sexton
wears No. 2, and like Ir-
ving, he makes big shots.
“I definitely accepted
the challenge,” Sexton
said. “I knew it wasn’t go-
ing to be easy — because
it’s Kyrie.”
Irving had missed
Brooklyn’s last seven
games, leaving on Jan. 7
to address some issues
he didn’t specify while
Dear Abby
D
EAR ABBY:
My col-
leagues and
I were recently
notified that
our company
is closing next
month. My work
partner and I
have collaborated
closely for four
years, and he’s
an expert at the
software I need
to know to get a
job in my field.
When I asked Dear Abby
if he would give
me a couple of
lessons via Zoom, I was think-
ing it’d be about a three-hour
commitment for him. But he
was enthusiastic and designed
a 20-plus-hour curriculum for
me.
He keeps saying he doesn’t
want me to pay him, but I
want to find an appropriate
way to express my gratitude.
What would be an appropri-
ate amount to compensate
him without getting too steep
(which is why I didn’t do the
full-price software training in
the first place. It was $2K)?
Thanks for any advice. —
THANKFUL IN ILLINOIS
DEAR THANKFUL: If you
know of any interests, hobbies,
a sport, etc. your partner has
outside the workplace, consid-
er going online to see if you
Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan.
21). Various enchantments
include love and an enthralling
area of study which intensifies
under the guidance of a stellar
teacher. A new position is per-
fect for you, so do not hesitate
to apply to, or more likely to cre-
ate, this role. In general, people
will respond to your confidence
and will go along with your lead-
ership. Cancer and Capricorn
adore you. Your lucky numbers
are: 4, 30, 12, 28 and 5.
ARIES (March 21-April
19). New talent can favorably
influence events, but only if
given the stage. It requires that
speaking with reporters
Tuesday. Irving only said
he needed space to work
through some issues to
find balance in his life.
While he was away, the
Nets rocked the league by
pulling off the blockbust-
er deal for Harden, whose
arrival has made Brook-
lyn a contender to unseat
Milwaukee in the Eastern
Conference and a legit
NBA title threat.
Before the game, Nash
admitted being “curious”
about how his trio of su-
perstars would align.
“But I’m not in a hur-
ry,” he said, stressing it
may take time for Durant,
Irving and Harden to fig-
ure things out.
The Nets are indeed a
can find some-
thing connected
to that activity
he would enjoy
that’s within your
budget.
DEAR ABBY:
Every year on
Facebook’s “Na-
tional Daughter’s
Day,” my daugh-
ter’s mother-in-
law professes her
love, respect and
admiration for
her own daugh-
ter, but never ac-
knowledges her
daughter-in-law
(my daughter). Yet on “National
Son’s Day,” she posts glowing
tributes not only to her sons,
but also to her son-in-law.
We all live within miles of
each other, and this recurring
slight makes it difficult to act
like everything is fine when,
in truth, this is hurtful to my
daughter and to our family.
Should I address this issue
with the mother-in-law or
continue to bite my tongue? —
DISMISSED IN TEXAS
DEAR DISMISSED: If you
are smart, rather than address
the issue with your daughter’s
mother-in-law, who either has
the emotional intelligence of
an oyster or really doesn’t care
for your daughter, mention it to
your son-in-law and point out
to him that being slighted is
the old guard make room. If it
happens, then it will be because
you created enough safety and
ego-stroking to allow for it.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20).
It will be tempting to ask others
to solve problems that are best
handled by you. Ask questions
like, “What would be easier/
simpler/cheaper?” You’ll turn
issues into nonissues.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21).
Talented salespeople make
things happen. You are such a
person when you really believe
in a thing. Today, you’ll get a
chance to apply this talent, and
you’ll promote your interest with
work in progress. There
were moments of sloppi-
ness, miscommunication
and even confusion as
Brooklyn’s players tried
to find some cohesion in
just Harden’s third game.
“We’ll have good
nights, great nights,” Ir-
ving said. “I’m excited for
what’s to come.”
The Nets overcame
a 13-point deficit in the
fourth quarter and tied it
at 113-all on Irving’s put-
back with 1:10 left. In the
first OT, after Durant’s
free throws put the Nets
up 127-124, Sexton hit a
3-pointer from up top over
Irving with 1.2 seconds
left. Durant’s last chance,
a contested 3-pointer at
the horn, was short.
hurtful. There may be a better
result if HE brings it up to his
mother.
DEAR ABBY: I battle with
a double chin, and I loathe it.
My chin hides itself only if I am
under 126 pounds. Anything
over that and it’s there. I’m not
overweight, but my double chin
makes me feel that way.
I have read that dermal
fillers in the chin can discreetly
get rid of this issue. The prob-
lem? My husband. He’s against
any type of plastic surgery. He
doesn’t like my double chin
either, but he wants me to only
get rid of it “naturally.” Normal-
ly I would agree. I have been
exercising (running four times
a week) without success. I
don’t feel comfortable looking
this way.
I think I deserve this
shortcut. Should I get the
filler without my husband’s
blessing, or should I continue
this struggle? — TAKING IT ON
THE CHIN
DEAR TAKING IT: You are
an adult, and it’s your body.
You do not need permission
to do something that will help
you feel better about yourself.
If your husband is against any
type of plastic surgery (and by
the way, fillers do not qualify
as plastic surgery), HE should
forgo having it when his frown
lines begin to look like tractor
furrows and he develops a
wattle.
ease.
CANCER (June 22-July 22).
You don’t need to improve; you
just want to. Your motivation to
make healthy choices is great-
est when you approve of and
enjoy yourself just as you are.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It will
take many interests and people
swirling around you at once to
keep you from getting bored. By
the end of the day, you’ll have
opened and closed many loops.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
For years, people have told you
that you were good at some-
thing. Your talent is so inherent
that you don’t even think of it
as anything special, though
today you’ll understand that it
really is.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).
The efforts you make to tune
your senses to the moment and
stick mentally and emotionally
with what’s happening in the
present, will keep you happier,
even when said “moment” isn’t
particularly remarkable.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).
You’ll be interacting in a group
and figuring out where you fit in.
It takes some jostling, so don’t
expect to get it immediately. Ev-
eryone else will have to adjust,
too, which is part of it.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.
21). Being overly serious is not
only boring, it’s also an ineffec-
tive way to go through the day.
You avoid anything that feels
forced or grave. Answers could
come to you in a fit of laughter.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). Now you’re far enough
away from a past incident that
you understand how it could be
seen as “a learning experience”
or possibly even as “funny.”
Though, perhaps, not by you,
not quite yet. In time!
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). In your sleep, you process
life, grow your brain, become
wiser and heal. That doesn’t
mean your dreams make a lick
of sense. Don’t overthink it.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). You’ll field innocent
questions, although that’s not
the norm today. It’s more likely
that the line of questioning
follows an agenda that will be
readily understood if you think it
through a few times.
Semi-detached
SOLUTION:

Business
How the Joe Biden presidency could impact your money
Moody’s Analytics economists
expect the Biden administration
will dedicate increased funding for Reversing Trump
enhancements to ‘social safety nets’ taxHigher
BY HAL M. BUNDRICK OF
NERDWALLET
As you take a closer
look at your financial
footing amid the head-
winds of a pandemic,
it’s an excellent time to
examine the possible im-
pact of a Joe Biden presi-
dency on money matters.
The balance of Con-
gress has shifted follow-
ing the Georgia runoffs,
providing possible mo-
mentum for President
Biden’s agenda.
A new COVID check,
taxes, health care — it’s
all on the line. Here’s
how.
A short fuse
on another round
of stimulus checks
Look for another
round of pandemic re-
lief shortly after Biden’s
inauguration, says Ber-
nard Yaros Jr., an econ-
omist with Moody’s An-
alytics.
“In February, we ex-
pect that there’s going to
be a COVID-specific re-
lief package,” Yaros says.
That measure will likely
once again extend unem-
ployment insurance ben-
efits, with enough sup-
port for another round of
checks issued to Ameri-
cans, “whether it’s 2K or
slightly lower,” he says.
Small businesses are
likely to receive more
grants and forgivable
loans, as well.
“And we’re also think-
ing, you would probably
get some additional fund-
ing for rental assistance,”
Yaros adds.
BUILDING PERMITS
City of Columbus
Jan. 11-15, 2021
■ Tommie and Willie Mae Fra-
zier; 2621 6th Avenue North;
demolish residence; same
■ Grand View Investments
LLC; 2240-A Military Road;
signs for Benjamin F. Edwards;
Mid-South Signs
■ Eldrick Hill; 2516 12th Ave-
nue North; renovate fire dam-
age; Sammie Hill Construction
■ Wayne and Ashley Chitman;
118 5th Street North; electri-
cal; Easley Refrigeration and
Electric
■ TG Comer Jr; 580 Law
Shoals Road; electrical; Easley
Refrigeration and Electric
■ Richard Fant; 1103 Water-
works Road; electrical; Easley
Refrigeration and Electric
■ Columbus-Lowndes County
Airport; 368 Fabritek Drive;
electrical; Easley Refrigeration
and Electric
■ Anthony Holcombe; 604
20th Avenue North; electri-
cal; Easley Refrigeration and
Electric
■ Tim Younger; 606 Dublin
Drive; electrical; Easley Refrig-
eration and Electric
■ Colonial Impact Fund II LLC;
716 Spruce Street; electri-
cal; Easley Refrigeration and
Electric
■ Glenn Baldwin; 270 Chubby
Drive; electrical; Easley Refrig-
eration and Electric
■ Columbus Gardens LP;
1011 4th Street South, Apt
D23; electrical; Easley Refrig-
eration and Electric
■ Sammie B Gunnels; 103
Curtis Road; electrical; Easley
Refrigeration and Electric
■ Brickyard Properties Ltd;
140 Brickerton Street; electri-
Get promoted? Win an award?
Send us your business brief.
subject: Business brief
ocrats and Republicans Revising
doesn’t constitute filibus-
ter-proof power. retirement plans
Joe Biden also has
some ideas to reshape
employer-sponsored re-
cuts
taxes are ex-
tirement plans.
Moving from relief
to stimulus
With Democrats gain-
ing two seats in the Sen-
ate from the Georgia
runoffs, there is now a
greater possibility of mov-
ing from “relief” to “stim-
ulus” mode in late 2021.
“That’s because now
that the Democrats have
a simple majority in the
Senate. They can pass
changes to the tax code
as well as implement
changes in spending,”
Yaros says.
Moody’s Analytics
economists expect the
Biden administration will
dedicate increased fund-
ing for enhancements to
“social safety nets,” possi-
bly including:
■ Expanding eligibili-
ty for Medicare.
■ Retooling Obama-
care into Bidencare.
■ Rolling out paid sick
leave protections.
■ Offering universal
pre-K for 3- and 4-year-
olds.
■ Providing some kind
of student debt forgive-
ness.
But on these initia-
tives, Democrats will
“have to pick and choose,”
Yaros says.
“Among the more
moderate Democrats,
they’re not going to want
to increase the deficit too
much. That’s obviously
going to be a limiting fac-
tor,” he adds.
And while Vice Presi-
dent Kamala Harris holds
the deciding vote in the
event of a Senate tie, the
50-50 split between Dem-
cal; Easley Refrigeration and
Electric
■ Ralph and Kathryn Dollar;
510 4th Street South; electri-
cal; Easley Refrigeration and
Electric
■ Kevin and Cynthia McCrary;
236 Hunters Hollow; electri-
cal; Easley Refrigeration and
Electric
■ Greg Houston; 410 17th
Street South; electrical; Easley
Refrigeration and Electric
■ Freddie Jones; 820 13th
Street North; electrical; Wel-
don Electric
■ Emily Johnson; 617 1st
Street South; electrical; Wel-
don Electric
■ Harold and Jane Knoop; 810
Cypress Street; electrical; A&H
Electrical and Refrigeration
LLC
■ Larry W Billups; 189 Jimbo
Road; electrical; same
■ Patrick W and Jo Ann Daugh-
tery; 245 Alabama Street;
mechanical; Lennox NAS
■ Emmitt J Ellis; 803 18th
Street North; mechanical;
Thomas Refrigeration
■ Richard L Moore; 915 18th
Street North; mechanical;
Thomas Refrigeration
■ Columbus Community Hous-
ing; 912 11th Avenue South;
plumbing; R & D Plumbing
■ Rodd and Jennifer Core;
1009 4th Avenue South;
plumbing; R & D Plumbing
■ Federal National Mort-
gage Association; 113 13th
Street North; plumbing; R & D
Plumbing
■ Byron and Melinda Johnson;
115 Juanita Street; plumbing;
R & D Plumbing
■ Baptist Missionary Associa-
tion of MS; 219 Maple Street;
plumbing; R & D Plumbing
news@cdispatch.com
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 5B
one in a 37 percent tax
bracket is able to deduct
make retirement saving
easier for the U.S. work-
the full amount of a retire- force.
ment plan contribution; “Employers who don’t
so $37 for every $100 pre- offer retirement plans
tax contribution. That’s a would be required to al-
greater tax benefit than low employees to make
One of those propos- someone in a lower tax contributions to individ-
pected to partially fund
the widening of these so-
als is to equalize the tax bracket, such as 20 per- ual retirement accounts,
benefit of contributing to
cial safety nets.
a retirement plan so that
cent, who would receive
a $20 deduction for each
IR As,” Hall says. “Contri-
butions to the IR As would
Yaros says Biden is
likely to succeed in re- “higher-income earners $100 pre-tax contribution. come directly from pay-
versing Trump’s tax cuts, aren’t getting more of The idea proposed by checks.”
raising the corporate in- the benefit than the low- the Biden administration With the shift of bal-
come tax rate to 28 per- er-income workers, that is to offer a tax credit to ance in Congress, Hall
cent, increasing the tax it’s standard across the low- and moderate-in- says such changes may
rate for taxable incomes board,” says Anne Tyler come workers, resulting be more likely. Plus,
of more than $400,000 Hall, founder and princi- in an equal tax benefit. “some of these provisions
and eliminating some tax pal of Hall Benefits Law. Democrats are also have bipartisan support,”
breaks for those making For example, some- pushing for employers to she adds.
more than $1 million.
But the tax hikes may
be smaller than widely
anticipated, says Michael
Zezas, head of U.S. public
policy research at Mor-
gan Stanley.
“In a Senate where
Democrats have the slim-
mest majority possible,
any one Democratic sena-
tor effectively has a veto.
And when it comes to tax-
es, we expect many of the
Biden administration’s
proposed taxes won’t pass
muster with Democratic
moderates,” Zezas says in
an analysis.
“We estimate about
$500 billion of tax increas-
es are possible, obviously
a smaller number than
another potential COVID
stimulus round, and also
smaller than the $1 tril-
lion-plus spending now
in play for each of health
care and infrastructure,”
Zezas added.
Even if Biden can
swing the tax hikes, they
aren’t expected to kick in
until 2024, Yaros says, “to
make sure that there’s no
fiscal drag, at all, on the
economy in these next
couple of years when
we’re still digging our-
selves out of the pandem-
ic.”
■ Pettys Rental House LLC;
1627 6tj Avenue South; plumb-
ing; R & D Plumbing
■ CNE Properties LLC; 302
21st Street North; plumbing;
Klutts Plumbing
■ College Investment Prop-
erties LLC; 822 2nd Avenue
North; plumbing; Klutts
Plumbing
Lowndes County
Jan. 19, 2021
■ George and Anna Couch;
96 Lexington Lane; construct
pool; owner
■ Hal Kerstetter; 1100
Caldwell Road; construct pool;
owner
■ Todd Pits; 111 Cherrywood
Drive; construct storage/shop;
owner
■ Jaron Andrews; Beersheba
Road; construct s/f residence;
owner
LOCAL GAS PRICES
Source: gasbuddy.com
COLUMBUS
2.02 MURPHY USA
1913-A US-45 N
2.03 SPIRIT
97 Alabama St.
2.04 LOVE’S
525 Tuscaloosa Rd.
STARKVILLE
1.99 WALMART
105 Market St.
1.99 MURPHY USA
1012 MS-12
2.03 SPRINT MART
308 Hwy. 12 E
Classifieds
Ads appear in The Commercial Dispatch,
The Starkville Dispatch and Online
To place ads starting at only $12,
call 662-328-2424 or visit ads.cdispatch.com
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 n 6B

Apts For Rent: Other General Merchandise

LEGALS Real Estate Too much

COLEMAN
STUFF?
CRAFTSMAN POWER
TOOLS: Sander, router,
Call us: 662-328-2424 RENTALS Ads starting at $25
bench press, saber saw.
TOWNHOUSES & APARTMENTS 662−368−6779.

Legal Notices 1 BEDROOM Farms & Timberland

2 BEDROOMS ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR
and carrier for car/truck,
3 BEDROOMS 203 ACRES
$350. 662−368−6779.
PRIME TIMBERLAND
LEASE, $270,000
© The Dispatch

Exc deer, turkey hunting Sporting Goods

DEPOSIT Good Investment
AND (615)719−8329
ED SANDERS GUNSMITH
CREDIT CHECK Open for season!
Tue−Fri: 9−5 & Sat: 9−12
Houses For Sale: East
662-329-2323
Over 50 years experience!
Repairs, cleaning, refin−
FSBO: 4BR/2BA. New roof, ishing, scopes mounted &
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Sudoku
backyard, driveway leads Located: Hwy 45 Alt, North
COLUMBUS, MS YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
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662−889−1443. Yokahama Blvd, 8mi & turn

de-cluttering by Sudoku
Sudoku is a number- Yesterday’s answer
Houses For Rent: North left on Darracott Rd, will
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placing puzzle based on
placing a garage Sudoku
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3BR/1.5BA, clean, modern
662−494−6218. a 9x9 gridis a several
with num- 5 4 2 1 7 6 9 3 8
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2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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numbers 9 3 6 5 8 2 4 7 1
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1 to 9with
in theseveral
Vehicles 1 2 9 3 4 7 6 8 5
$800+dep. 574−8559 empty spaces
662−361−7711.
given
so thatnumbers.
each row, eachThe 8 7 3 6 5 9 1 4 2
Houses For Rent: Caledonia Ads starting at... object
column and each 3x3 the
is to place box
numbers 6 5 4 8 2 1 7 9 3
Ads starting at $12 contains the1same
to 9 number
in
LOTS FOR SALE. Over 3
3BR/1.5BA, small house acre lot in prestigious
for small family. NO DOGS. Callaway Estates. Only 2
1 day $10 the empty spaces so
only once. The difficulty
that each row, each
2
4
8
9
7
5
4
2
1
6
3
8
5
3
6
1
9
7
Campers & RVs
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NO HUD. Caledonia School lots available. Restrictive level increases from
Dist. 8155 Hwy 12 near covenants apply. $35,000. column and each 3 6 1 7 9 5 8 2 4
Old Country Store. Call Long & Long Real Monday
3x3 boxtocontains
Sunday. Difficulty Level 1/20

6 day $34 the same number only once. The difficulty level
Available 1/5/21. $775/ Estate, 662−328−0770
mo + $775 dep. 662−245 for plat and restrictions.
−1191 or 662−549−9298. increases from Monday to Sunday.

Mobile Homes for Rent Price includes 4 lines of text;

3BR/2BA MH in New Hope. Merchandise $1/line after base cost.
$650 dep + $650/mo.
No pets, quiet area. Leave Ads starting at $12 2003 Coachman 31ft 5th
voicemail with full name &
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Five Questions:
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1 Valentine’s
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RENT A CAMPER! Appliances: New in box for patio. Will consider all
CHEAPER THAN A MOTEL! Electrolux front load washer serious offers, no financing
Utilities & cable included,
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oven two years old $300.
Day
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or 601−940−1397. 662−435−7232
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3 Al Gore
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4 Rachel
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Your Name & Email for Farm Equipment & Supplies

(Watson)
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ACROSS
1 Obtains
5 Cavalry
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Rentals 10 Accepted
truth
Ads starting at $25 12 Dancer
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Apts For Rent: North 13 Sunday
reading
FOX RUN APARTMENTS
1 & 2 BR near hospital. 14 Buoyant
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Whether you’re buying or selling a home, 15 Flamenco

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Service Directory
24−HOUR CAMERA
SURVEILLANCE. Benji & 21 Good pair 43 Door sign answer
Ashleigh, 662−386−4446. 23 Homer’s 44 Wanders 19 Spot to jot
neighbor 45 Title papers 22 Alike
Apts For Rent: West 24 Take cover 46 Unites 24 Katniss Ever-
26 Wading bird DOWN deen, e.g.

VIP Promote your small business starting at only $25 28 Brood 1 West African 25 Establish
watcher nation 27 Autonomous

Rentals Air Cond & Heating General Services General Services Lawn Care / Landscaping 29 Japanese
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2 Banish
3 Himalayan
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28 Gave clues
Apartments & Houses RAPID TEMP
Heating & cooling.
GRAVEL, $360 PER LOAD.
Local delivery, 14 yd truck. BANKRUPTCY JESSE & BEVERLY’S
LAWN SERVICE 31 Treasury land 30 First número
CHAPTER 7 4 Costa del — 33 Make baskets
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Mobile Home Pads & BANKRUPTCY
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2 Bedroooms Free estimates. Driveways. Concrete work. $545 plus Filing Fee Bush Hogging
36 “That was makeup 35 Lock
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Call 602−736−4880.
CHAPTER 13 over the line” 6 Diva’s piece 37 Rep on the
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& Credit Check 662−242−5005. 104 South Lafayette Street, Starkville
Please visit our website: 662−435−6528
viceinvestments.com WORK WANTED: Licensed jimharnold.com Sitting With The Sick / Elderly
327-8555 & Bonded. Carpentry, minor
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Call for more info!
662−722−1758

General Services

A & T TREE SERVICES

Bucket truck & stump
removal. Free est.
Serving Columbus
since 1987. Senior
citizen disc. Call Alvin @
242−0324/241−4447
"We’ll go out on a limb for
you!"