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Tuesday | February 23, 2021

20 years in prison for former city CFO

Former Columbus
Officials describe Rawle’s ber 2018, investigators said.
Chief Financial Though Rawle’s attorney, Daniel
Officer Milton Rawle,
right, sits alongside actions as ‘betrayal’ Waide of Hattiesburg, pointed out that
Rawle took responsibility by entering
his attorney, Daniel
Waide of Hatties- against Columbus the open plea and would work to pay
off what he owed the city, prosecutors
burg, and awaits the
start of his plea and
BY ISABELLE ALTMAN couched the crime as a betrayal of the
sentencing hearing
ialtman@cdispatch.com city, its employees and its taxpayers.
at Lowndes County “I know the court is well aware of
Courthouse Monday. Former chief financial officer for the public interest in this case (and)
Rawle was sen- the city of Columbus Milton Rawle the negative impact this has on the
tenced to 20 years in will spend up to 20 years in the Missis- city’s reputation,” said District Attor-
Mississippi Depart- sippi Department of Corrections after ney Scott Colom, who prosecuted the
ment of Corrections pleading guilty Monday to embezzling case along with Assistant District At-
after he pleaded nearly $290,000 in city funds. torney Collen Hudson.
guilty to embezzling Rawle, 49, was indicted for embez- The maximum sentence for em-
nearly $290,000 in bezzlement of more than $25,000 is
zlement last year after investigators
city funds between 20 years in prison. Presiding Circuit
December 2016 and found he moved $288,893.03 from city
accounts to his own personal accounts Judge Lee Coleman said he “couldn’t
December 2018.
Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff between December 2016 and Decem- See RAWLE, 3A

LEARNING TO SKATE
CMSD board
votes down
year-round
school
Traditional calendar
adopted for 2021-22
school year
BY SLIM SMITH
ssmith@cdispatch.com

Columbus Munic-
ipal School District
adopted a traditional
school calendar for
the 2021-22 school
year after a five-hour
recess board meet-
ing held Friday at the
Labat
Joe Cook Elementary
School auditorium.
Going into Friday’s meeting,
a recommendation by Superin-
tendent Cherie Labat to adopt a
See CMSD, 3A
Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff
Atlas McCullough, 3, excitedly skates on her first pair of roller skates near her home in Columbus Saturday afternoon. Atlas is
the daughter of Khanhly Nguyen and Nick McCullough.

Columbus mayor
City has received almost $1.4 million in hospitalized,
FEMA recovery funds for 2019 tornado released Sunday
Smith will be out of
The new Sim
CLW, CMSD still waiting Scott Com- office all week; Vice
munity Center
on reimbursements is nearing com- Mayor Bill Gavin to help
pletion. The
BY SLIM SMITH
ssmith@cdispatch.com
9,000 square
foot building
handle city business
will include a BY ISABELLE ALTMAN
The city of Colum- senior citizen ialtman@cdispatch.com
bus is close to finishing center. The
its work with the Fed- old commu- Columbus May-
eral Emergency Man- nity center or Robert Smith is
agement Agency after and senior taking a sick week
an EF-3 tornado swept citizen center following an approx-
through the central were housed imately 12-hour visit
part of the city. Today in different to Baptist Memorial
Dillon buildings. Both
marks the two-year an- were destroyed
Hospital-Golden Tri-
niversary of the storm. by the Feb. 23, angle on Sunday.
Smith
“We are basically wrapping up 2019 tornado. A statement Smith
See TORNADO, 6A Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff See SMITH, 3A

INSIDE FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC MEETINGS

Classifieds 6B 1 Which versatile musician of Feb. 24: Columbus Light
Comics 4B Chinese descent, considered the Thursday and Water Board, noon,
Crossword 6B
Dear Abby 4B
greatest living cello player, was
awarded the Medal of Freedom
through Saturday, CLW office
Obituaries 2,5A in 2011? Feb. 25-27 March 1: Lowndes County
Opinions 4A 2 What did researchers at Texas ■ Virtual Magnolia Supervisors, 9 a.m., Court-
A&M University name the first Independent Film house
cloned cat in 2000 — Kitty-Kitty, Festival: The Mag in March 3: Columbus Munic-
Ditto or CC (short for Copy Cat)? Starkville returns with ipal School Board recess
3 Who did the U.S. women’s
WEATHER national soccer team beat to
independent films and
shorts. Visit magnoli-
meeting 11:30 a.m., virtual
win the 2015 FIFA World Cup — meeting

High 71 Low 38
Sunny
Canada, Japan or Sweden?
4 The Crimean Peninsula is lo-
cated on the Caspian Sea. True
afilmfest.com.
March 11: Columbus
Municipal School Board,
Full forecast on 4 p.m., Brandon Central
or False?
page 3A. 5 Which “Transformers” movie Services
introduced the Dinobots? March 12: Lowndes County
School District Board,
Answers, 6B
12:30 p.m., District Office
March 15: Lowndes County
Chris Clark likes relaxing, Supervisors, 9 a.m., Court-
141st Year, No. 294 working and having fun. house

DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471

2A TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Biden mourns 500,000 dead,

balancing nation’s grief and hope
‘This nation will know joy again. And as we do,
we’ll remember each person we’ve lost, the lives
they lived, the loved ones they left behind.’
BY JONATHAN LEMIRE
AND JOSH BOAK
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — With sunset
remarks and a national moment
of silence, President Joe Biden on
Monday confronted head-on the
country’s once-unimaginable loss
— half a million Americans in the
COVID-19 pandemic — as he tried
to strike a balance between mourn-
ing and hope.
Addressing the “grim, heart-
breaking milestone” directly and
publicly, Biden stepped to a lectern
in the White House Cross Hall, un-
hooked his face mask and delivered
an emotion-filled eulogy for more
than 500,000 Americans he said he
felt he knew.
“We often hear people described
as ordinary Americans. There’s no
such thing,” he said Monday eve-
ning. “There’s nothing ordinary
about them. The people we lost
were extraordinary.”
“Just like that,” he added, “so
many of them took their last breath
alone.”
A president whose own life has
been marked by family tragedy,
Biden spoke in deeply personal
terms, referencing his own losses as
he tried to comfort the huge number
of Americans whose lives have been
forever changed by the pandemic.
“I know all too well. I know what
it’s like to not be there when it hap-
pens,” said Biden, who has long ad-
dressed grief more powerfully than
perhaps any other American public
figure. “I know what it’s like when
you are there, holding their hands,
as they look in your eye and they
slip away. That black hole in your
chest, you feel like you’re being
sucked into it.”
The president, who lost his first
wife and baby daughter in a car col-
lision and later an adult son to brain
cancer, leavened the grief with a
message of hope.
“This nation will smile again.
This nation will know sunny days
again. This nation will know joy
again. And as we do, we’ll remem-
ber each person we’ve lost, the lives
they lived, the loved ones they left
behind.”
He said, “We have to resist be-
coming numb to the sorrow. We
have to resist viewing each life as
a statistic or a blur or, on the news.
We must do so to honor the dead.
But, equally important, to care for
the living.”
The president ordered flags on
federal property lowered to half
staff for five days and then led the
moment of communal mourning for
those lost to a virus that often pre-
vents people from gathering to re-
member their loved ones. Monday’s
bleak threshold of 500,000 deaths
was playing out against contradic-
tory crosscurrents: an encouraging
drop in coronavirus cases and wor-
ries about the spread of more conta-
gious variants.
Biden’s management of the pan-
demic will surely define at least the
first year of his presidency, and his
response has showcased the inher-
ent tension between preparing the
nation for dark weeks ahead while
also offering optimism about push-
ing out vaccines that could, eventu-
ally, bring this American tragedy to
a close.

High court won’t halt turnover of Trump’s tax records

Former president’s tax records are
not supposed to become public as part
of prosecutors’ criminal investigation
BY JESSICA GRESKO
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — In
a significant defeat for
former President Don-
ald Trump, the Supreme
Court on Monday de-
clined to step in to halt
the turnover of his tax re-
cords to a New York state
prosecutor.
The court’s action is
the apparent culmination
of a lengthy legal battle
that had already reached
the high court once be-
fore.
Trump’s tax records
are not supposed to be-
come public as part of
prosecutors’ criminal in-
vestigation, but the high
court’s action is a blow to
Trump because he has
long fought on so many
fronts to keep his tax re-
cords shielded from view.
The ongoing investigation
that the records are part
of could also become an
issue for Trump in his life
after the presidency.
In a statement, the
Trump blasted prose-
cutors and said the “Su-
preme Court never should
have let this ‘fishing
expedition’ happen, but
they did.” The Republican
claimed the investigation
is politically motivated by
Democrats in “a totally
Democrat location, New
York City and State.” And
he said he would “fight on”
and that “We will win!”
The Supreme Court
waited months to act in
the case. The last of the
written briefs in the case
was filed Oct. 19. But a
court that includes three
Trump appointees wait-
ed through the election,
Trump’s challenge to his
defeat and a month after
Trump left office before
issuing its order.
The court offered no
explanation for the delay,
and the legal issue before
the justices did not involve
whether Trump was due
any special deference be-
cause he was president.
The court’s order
is a win for Manhattan
District Attorney Cyrus
Vance Jr., who has been
seeking Trump’s tax re-
cords since 2019 as part
of an investigation. Vance,
a Democrat, had subpoe-
naed the records from
the Mazars accounting
firm that has long done
work for Trump and his
businesses. Mazars has
said it would comply with
the subpoena, but Trump
sued to block the records’
release.
Vance’s office had said
it would be free to enforce
the subpoena and obtain
the records in the event
the Supreme Court de-
clined to step in and halt
the records’ turnover, but
it was unclear when that
might happen. In a three-
word statement Monday,
Vance said only: “The
work continues.”
The court’s action Mon-
day wasn’t the only defeat
for Trump, the court also
declined to get involved in
a handful of cases related
to the 2020 election.

Security officials to answer for Jan. 6 failures at Capitol

BY MARY CLARE of the Capitol Police.
JALONICK Much remains un-
The Associated Press known about what hap-
pened before and during
WASHINGTON — the assault, and lawmak-
Congress is set to hear ers are expected to ag-
from former U.S. Capitol gressively question the
security officials for the former officials about
first time about the mas- what went wrong. How
sive law enforcement fail- much did law enforce-
ures on Jan. 6, the day a vi- ment agencies know about
olent mob laid siege to the plans for violence that day,
building and interrupted many of which were pub-
the presidential electoral lic? How did the agencies
count. share that information
Three of the four with each other? And how
scheduled to testify Tues- could the Capitol Police
day before two Senate have been so ill-prepared
committees resigned un- for a violent insurrection
der pressure immediately that was organized online,
after the deadly attack, in plain sight?
including the former head The rioters easily
smashed through securi-
ty barriers on the outside
of the Capitol, engaged
in hand-to-hand combat
with police officers, injur-
ing dozens of them, and
broke through multiple
windows and doors, send-
ing lawmakers fleeing
from the House and Sen-
ate chambers and inter-
rupting the certification
of the 2020 presidential
election. Five people died
as a result of the violence,
including a Capitol Police
officer and a woman who
was shot by police as she
tried to break through the
doors of the House cham-
ber with lawmakers still
inside.
Former Senate Ser-
geant-at-Arms Michael
Stenger and former
House Sergeant-at-Arms
Paul Irving will speak
publicly for the first time
since their resignations at
the hearing, which is part
of a joint investigation by
the Senate Homeland Se-
curity and Governmental
Affairs Committee and
the Senate Rules Commit-
tee. They will be joined
by former Capitol Police
Chief Steven Sund and
Robert Contee, the acting
chief of police for the Met-
ropolitan Police Depart-
ment, who sent additional
officers to the scene after
the rioting began.

COMMERCIAL DISPATCH
OBITUARY POLICY
Obituaries with basic information including
visitation and service times, are provid-
ed free of charge. Extended obituaries
with a photograph, detailed biographical
information and other details families may
wish to include, are available for a fee.
Obituaries must be submitted through
funeral homes unless the deceased’s
body has been donated to science. If the
deceased’s body was donated to science,
the family must provide official proof of
death. Please submit all obituaries on
the form provided by The Commercial
Dispatch. Free notices must be submitted
to the newspaper no later than 3 p.m. the
day prior for publication Tuesday through
Friday; no later than 4 p.m. Saturday for
the Sunday edition; and no later than 7:30
a.m. for the Monday edition. Incomplete
notices must be received no later than
7:30 a.m. for the Monday through Friday
editions. Paid notices must be finalized by
3 p.m. for inclusion the next day Monday
through Thursday; and on Friday by 3 p.m.
for Sunday and Monday publication. For
more information, call 662-328-2471.
AREA OBITUARIES
Frankie Levy
COLUMBUS — Frankie Lu-
cille Levy, 83, died Feb. 19, 2021,
at her residence.
Arrangements are incom-
plete and will be announced by
Carter’s Funeral Services of
Columbus.
Hessie Craddieth
COLUMBUS — Hessie Crad-
dieth, 95, died Feb. 21, 2021, at
her residence.
Arrangements are incom-
plete and will be announced by
Carter’s Funeral Services of
Columbus.
Leonard Glispie Jr.
COLUMBUS — Leonard
Glispie Jr., 65, died Feb. 20,
2021, at Baptist Memorial Hospi-
tal-Golden Triangle.
Arrangements are incom-
plete and will be announced by
Carter’s Funeral Services of
Columbus.
Oscar Williams
COLUMBUS — Oscar Lee
Williams, 91, died Feb. 22, 2021,
at Baptist Memorial Hospi-
tal-Golden Triangle.
Arrangements are incom-
plete and will be announced by
Carter’s Funeral Services of
Columbus.
Robert Macon
COLUMBUS — Robert Ma-
con, 63, died Feb. 21, 2021, at his
residence.
Arrangements are incom-
plete and will be announced by
Carter’s Funeral Services of
Columbus.
See OBITUARIES, 5A
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 3A

CAFB identifies student pilot Water woes linger

killed in Montgomery crash
Air Force is investigating the cause of Friday crash
DISPATCH STAFF REPORT
Columbus Air Force Base offi-
cials have identified the student pi-
lot killed in a plane crash Friday in
Montgomery, Alabama.
Renshi Uesaki, 25, died after the
T-38C Talon he and instructor pilot
Scot Ames, 24, were flying from
CAFB crashed at about 5:30 p.m.
outside Dannelly Field in Mont-
gomery, according to a CAFB press
release. Uesaki was a student pilot
from the Japan Air Self Defense
Force, and was one of about 15 Jap-
anese students currently in under-
graduate pilot training at the base.
Ames was also killed in the
crash.
The Air Force is investigating
the cause.
CAFB Wing Commander Col.
Seth Graham said it is common for
pilots to fly cross-country training
missions and night missions over
the weekend. The pilots, he said,
were on the first leg of a “two-leg”
journey, though he did not have the
final destination at a press confer-
ence held on base Saturday.
“In the near future, Columbus
AFB will have a remembrance at
the base to take an opportunity
to grieve together and with the
families of those that were lost,”
Graham said in a press release is-
sued Monday. “In the long term, we
will find ways to ensure their legacy
lives on at Columbus.”
in Mississippi and
Louisiana after freeze
MEMA is working to determine if
the state has met its $4.5 million
damages threshold to request a
federal disaster declaration
BY LEAH WILLINGHAM AND MELINDA DESLAT TE
The Associated Press
JACKSON — Rising temperatures have melt-
ed the snow and ice in Mississippi and Louisiana,
but tens of thousands of people still had little or
no water service Monday, some waiting a week
for restoration since the outages began during an
extended freeze.
A City Council member in Jackson, Mississip-

CMSD
Continued from Page 1A
modified school year
that would have reduced
summer break and create
three-week intercession
periods in the fall and
spring appeared to have
the support of the board.
Instead, the board vot-
ed down the proposal by a
3-2 margin after members
listened to comments
from the audience, many
of them teachers, during
the marathon session.
Most of those who spoke
urged the board to reject
the modified calendar,
under which the 2021-22
school year would have
started on July 15 and
ended on June 8, 2022.
Board members
Yvonne Cox and Telisa
Young, along with board
president Jason Spears,
voted against the mod-
ified calendar motion
while Fredrick Sparks
and Josie Shumake sup-
ported it.
The board then voted
unanimously to approve
a traditional school calen-
dar that would start class-
es on Aug. 6 and end the
year May 24, 2022.
Labat, who has been
advocating for the change
in the school calendar
since November, was
clearly disappointed in
the change of momentum
to reject the modified
calendar, while acknowl-
edging the concerns of
the critics of the modified
calendar.
“Just from listening to
the people who came up,
I sense their frustration,”
Labat said shortly before
the board’s vote. “But I
think the frustration is
about more than about
the calendar. COVID has
taken a toll on your teach-
ers and there’s a tremen-
dous amount of stress.
One thing that resonated
with me is that in a time of
uncertainty, people want
certainty. I think that (the
modified calendar pro-
posal) is viewed as an at-
tempt to take away some-
thing that is normal.”
Even so, Labat said,
adopting a modified
schedule is an effective
way to close learning
gaps that have plagued
the district for years.
“Do we want to focus
on issues with students
being three grade levels
behind? I do,” said Labat,
who said the two interces-
sion periods would allow
teachers to more regular-
ly mitigate learning gaps
rather than rely on sum-
mer school sessions.
“I don’t want to be on
the back end in trying to
mitigate those learning
gaps by waiting until the
summer,” she said. “As a
superintendent, I know
that learning loss is real.
Students getting a more
balanced schedule and in-
struction throughout the
year will help close the
pi, said Monday that it’s time for the city to seek
state and federal help.
“This is an institutional failure,” said De’Kei-
ther Stamps, who is also a state representative.
achievement gap.” He said he spent about $5,000 to install a tank on
Spears said he felt the his truck so could distribute water to homebound
board still supports the residents.
idea of a modified sched- Stamps told The Associated Press that he visit-
ule despite Friday’s vote. ed a 70-year-old woman last week without heat or
He can see it coming up water who hadn’t left her bed in two days.
again for the 2022-23 “This really broke the backs of a lot of commu-
school year. nities,” he said of the storm. “We need door-to-
“I think myself and door check-ins with our elderly.”
everybody on the board Jackson is under boil-water advisory, and city
favors (the workers are delivering drinking water to older
modified and homebound residents. Water for flushing toi-
s chedu le). lets was available for pickup at two local schools,
But as we and people waited in long lines Monday to fill
listened to buckets and bowls.
so many Mississippi Emergency Management Agency
people who has supplied 131,000 bottles of water to people
raised valid statewide and is working to determine if the state
q u e s t i o n s Spears has met its $4.5 million damages threshold to re-
that we real- quest a federal disaster declaration.
ly didn’t have concrete an- Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said
swers to, we said, ‘Maybe he has had trouble reaching Gov. Tate Reeves.
we should give this a little The Democratic mayor said he has tried calling
more time for Dr. Labat the Republican governor’s personal number with-
and her staff to address out getting a response. Lumumba said he usually
some of those questions,” communicates with Reeves’ chief of staff, who left
Spears said. “I could see the state for a family emergency.
us going to a modified Reeves spokeswoman Bailey Martin said the
schedule for the 22-23 governor has no unanswered calls from the may-
school year with a more or.
detailed plan.” “This is false,” Martin said. “The governor
has been leading the state’s response to this cri-
sis, and he was the one who directed that water

Rawle
Continued from Page 1A
imagine” imposing less
than the maximum sen-
tence, given the amount
of taxpayer funds Rawle
admitted to taking.
“This is the worst case
of embezzlement I’ve ever
seen since I was put on the
bench,” Coleman said.
City Chief Operations
Officer Da-
vid Arm-
strong testi-
fied during
the sentenc-
ing hearing,
calling Raw-
le a “con art-
ist” whose Armstrong
fellow city
employees totally relied on
him.
“This has affected me
emotionally greatly,” Arm-
strong said. “This has af-
fected the mayor emotion-
ally greatly.”
Mayor Robert Smith
had planned to attend the
hearing, Colom said, but
is spending the week at
home recovering after a
visit to Baptist Memorial
Hospital-Golden Triangle
on Sunday. However, Co-
lom said Smith sent a state-
ment saying he felt “violat-
ed” by Rawle’s actions.
Waide declined to com-
ment on Rawle’s behalf fol-
lowing the sentencing.
Since embezzlement is
a non-violent offense, Raw-
le will be eligible for parole
after five years.
Rawle was hired as
CFO in 2013 and resigned
in February 2019 after a
16-workday suspension for
failing to alert city council
members of the city’s steep
deficit until November
2018. The city operated at a
deficit exceeding $800,000
in both Fiscal Years 2017
and 2018, plunging its gen-
eral fund balance to $2.3
million.
Following Rawle’s res-
ignation, Wanda Holley, a
certified public accountant
with the Watkins, Ward
and Stafford firm, found
several discrepancies in
the city’s FY 2018 audit re-
port and turned it over to
the State Auditor’s Office
for investigation.
Coleman also directed
Rawle to pay $108,388.20
in restitution. The rest of
the money, $180,504.83,
has been paid in surety
bonds.
‘Should we have
had a clue?’
During his testimony,
Armstrong said he and
other city employees first
became suspicious of
Rawle when the normally
cash-strapped CFO be-
gan buying breakfast for
his fellow employees and
bought a “really nice” new
truck. When asked how he
got the money for the pur-
chase, Armstrong said,
Rawle replied a relative
had left him some money
and said, “I don’t want any-
body to think I’m stealing
money or anything.”
“When he said that, I
think that’s when I start-
ed trusting my instincts,”
Armstrong said.
However, Armstrong
be delivered to Jackson residents via his agency,
MEMA. We have been in consistent contact with
the mayor’s office and other local leaders.”
said, no one in the city gov- It wasn’t until the city
ernment had any proof. hired Holley to go over
He said people have said the 2018 audit that she
city employees should had the opportunity to
have caught Rawle earlier, obtain bank statements
and compared their criti- and find the discrepan-
cisms to “armchair quar- cies that led her to alert
terbacking.” the State Auditor’s Office.
It wasn’t until after Armstrong said the
Rawle served his 16-work- damage Rawle did to the
day suspension in 2019 city was about more than
that Smith told him to re- embezzlement.
sign or he would be fired, “He just put us in a re-
Armstrong said. ally really bad financial
After Rawle’s resigna- (situation) and I’m not
tion, the city hired CPA just talking about steal-
Mike Crowder as a con- ing the money,” he said.
sultant to handle finan- “... He wasn’t doing his
cials until the city could job.”
hire another CFO. How- Conflict disclosure:
ever, Armstrong said, Managing Editor Zack
Rawle had left the CFO’s Plair took part in editing
office in such a “mess”
this article. He is currently
that Crowder “spent most
involved in legal proceed-
of his time trying to keep
ings with the city of Colum-
the ship afloat” and didn’t
have the chance to locate
bus.
the discrepancies Holley
would find later.
Armstrong said he
thought Rawle intention-
ally made a mess of the of-
fice — saying at one point
that it looked like a torna-
do went through it — so
that no one would find out
about the embezzlement.
“Our finances were so
screwed up and we didn’t
have a clue,” Armstrong
said. “Should we have had
a clue? Maybe.”
Additionally, Arm-
strong said, Rawle la-
belled his unauthorized
transfers as “payroll” and
other labels that appeared
to be city business, some-
thing else Armstrong said
made Rawle hard to catch.

Smith
Continued from Page 1A
released Monday did not department to give people a (chance SOLUNAR TABLE
The solunar period indicates

say why he was admitted head meet- to) call and let us know peak-feeding times for fish and game.
Tue. Wed.
to the hospital but said ing first what they need,” he said. Major
Minor
9:44p
3:40p
10:38p
4:40p
he did not stay overnight. thing Mon- “(Smith’s administrative Major 10:11a 11:05a
Minor 6:31a
City officials said doctors day morn- assistant) Joyce (Dough- 5:40a
Courtesy of Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
ran some tests and told ing and will ty) will be there. She’ll

Smith to stay home and
rest.
Vice Mayor and Ward
6 Councilman Bill Gavin
confirmed he spoke to
Smith on Sunday and is
taking over some of his
duties for the week.
Gavin said he oversaw a
The Dispatch
spend every take those calls and then
morning I’ll go in and try and take
this week Gavin care of them best I can.”
in the con- Gavin said when he’s The Commercial Dispatch (USPS 142-320)
Published daily except Saturday. Answers to common questions:
ference room at City Hall not at City Hall, he will Entered at the post office at Columbus, Mississippi.
to handle any city busi- work from his office at Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, MS Phone: 662-328-2424
POSTMASTER, Send address changes to:
ness the mayor normally home, and that anyone The Commercial Dispatch, P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703 Website: cdispatch.com/help
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516 Main St., Columbus, MS 39703
“The reason for that is call him at 662-574-0295.
Opinion
4A TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 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

LOCAL VOICES
Understanding gender bias early
W
hile most Ms. Thomas attests tively as boys. In this bias, likely to be less committed more adults are informed
every Kin- to the fact that her girls’ performance is typically to their work, a bias nowhere about intrinsic biases that can
dergart- aunt asked her if underestimated and boys’ is associated with fathers who impact girls in classrooms and
ener starts school she planned to play overestimated. One example work. eventually women in the world,
with the same, basketball. “No,” of this bias was evidenced There is also affinity bias. the more likely they are to help
basic curricula, it she offered. “They when orchestra auditions were This is a difficult scenario, in diminish these situations in a
doesn’t take long don’t have a girls’ amended to “blind” auditions particular, as it seeks to per- proactive manner. By advocat-
before the options team.” “Well,” said where the judges couldn’t see petuate itself. In brief, people ing for all students to follow
diverge. Many of her aunt, “I guess the applicants. The odds of tend to choose those most like their dreams, rather those play
these options are you’ll just have to females being selected past themselves for any number of out on an athletic field, in a
based on gender. go out for the boys’ the first round increased a full opportunities. As girls ma- STEM career, at a board meet-
For example, flyers team.” Role mod- 50%. ture and find themselves in ing, or even some combination
for ballet class Angela Farmer els like this afford Attribution bias is similar the world of work, it is often of those, students of both
are most likely to young women and to performance bias, separate difficult to secure positions genders and all ethnicities will
be given only to men the opportu- only as females are typically where males have dominated begin to recognize a some-
the girls while little league nity to recognize that gender seen as less competent; there- the landscape and are more what amended declaration of
football applications go home should never be a limiting fac- fore, they are more likely to be likely to perpetuate the lineage independence where “We hold
with the boys. While this, in tor when it comes to following blamed and less likely to be with people most like them- these truths to be self-evident,
most cases, offers parents the one’s goals. given credit than men. This of- selves. Finally, there is double that all people are created
traditional comforts afforded According to Sheryl Sand- ten plays out in the classroom discrimination. This is perhaps equal, that they are endowed
by stereotypical roles, it is berg, author of “Lean In for where girls are more likely to the most complex type of by their Creator with certain
important to recognize that not Graduates” and current Chief be talked over and interrupted gender bias as it is not limited unalienable Rights, that among
every child chooses the typical Operating Officer for Face- than their boy counterparts. only to one’s gender. It may be these are Life, Liberty, and the
path. book, there are six, specific There is also likeability bias. an issue of one’s gender as well pursuit of Happiness.”
For example, without access forms of bias to be recognized. In this situation, girls are more as her heritage, her skin color, Dr. Angela Farmer is a life-
to her passion for sports, Mis- There is performance bias, at- likely to be called “bossy” or and/or her sexual orientation. long educator, an author, and a
sissippi’s own Sarah Thomas tribution bias, likeability bias, “too aggressive” in situations Research shows that females syndicated columnist. She serves
would never have been able to maternal bias, affinity bias, where boys are applauded with minority representation Mississippi State University as
follow her dream to become and double discrimination for their leadership skills. As in any of these categories face an Assistant Clinical Professor
not only a football official, bias. Performance bias where they grow up these same girls compounded challenges in of Honors Education for the
but the very first female to one may imagine that girls often face maternal bias. This school and eventually in the Shackouls Honors College where
officiate the Super Bowl! In may not be able to perform comes along with the incorrect workplace. she can be reached at afarmer@
an interview offered by CBS, tasks as efficiently or effec- assumption that mothers are The good news is that the honors.msstate.edu.

MISSISSIPPI VOICES
The state’s credit score
W
hen I first told
Mississippi that
protecting our
credit rating would be one
of my top priorities, we had
no idea what was about to
happen to our economy. We
didn’t expect a global pan-
demic at that time, nor did
we anticipate that so many
Mississippians would find
themselves out of work as
David McRae
commerce ground to a vir-
tual halt. Especially in this
economic environment, I was incredibly proud to
be able to keep my promise to you: We maintained a
strong double-A rating across the board in 2020.
A credit rating is the state government’s equiv-
alent of your credit score. As is true when getting
a car loan or securing a mortgage, the higher your
score, the more access you’ll have to capital and
lower interest rates.
Even a few points on your personal credit score
can save you hundreds on a car or thousands on
a home. For the state government, a strong credit
rating saves taxpayers millions. That’s why it was
so important we protect Mississippi’s standing,
especially during these trying times. THE NATION
The process wasn’t easy, but we were able to
prove to credit rating agencies that because of our
strong budgetary controls and responsibly man-
aged rainy-day fund, Mississippi could pay our bills
How American science returned
now and into the future.
In the report from Fitch Ratings (one of the
three big credit rating agencies), it was noted that
to astonish us all
F
Mississippi has “strong control over spending and rench news other two, provides tists have pressed on past years
maintenance of reserves” regarding operating per- cameras were in protection with just of disrespect. And we now see
formance. Also noted by Fitch is that “Mississippi California last one shot. astonishing results in fields beyond
has strong financial resilience that should allow it week to capture Ameri- President Joe Biden vaccine development.
to absorb the immediate budgetary effects of the ca’s spectacular drive to has his critics on the Just last week, the country that
economic downturn, based on its strong budgetary mass-vaccinate against left and right, but few put humans on the moon landed
controls, a $556M rainy-day fund, and access to COVID-19. What were would question his an extraordinary robot named
CARES Act funds for additional spending related to the visuals? An amuse- seriousness about Perseverance on Mars. The rover
the pandemic.” ment park with cars getting people vacci- will dig up the planet’s rocks and
Weeks after securing an AA/Stable rating from lined up, their passen- nated. And to contain perhaps help answer the question
Standard and Poor’s, a Aa2/Secure rating from gers waiting for a jab. infections while the everyone asks — whether there is,
Moody’s Investors Service, and an AA/Stable rat- “Armies” of volun- vaccination campaign was or could be life on Mars.
ing from Fitch Ratings, Governor Tate Reeves and teers are helping, the Froma Harrop ramps up, he’s brought The very same week, news
I refinanced some of the state’s debt. The deal we French reporter says as back to center stage arrived that our scientists have
struck saved taxpayers $36 million. attendants in protective Dr. Anthony Fauci. cloned a black-footed ferret using
As State Treasurer, I have a responsibility to do gear direct the snaking traffic. America’s top infectious disease the frozen cells of an animal dead
more with every taxpayer dollar spent, regardless Aerial pictures show cars lined up expert is pounding the message for 33 years. What they did was
of the economic environment in which we find at vaccination stations, “by day” that even as case numbers fall, revive a species thought to be ex-
ourselves. While the world doesn’t look the same as and “by night.” Americans must continue to pro- tinct. The possibilities amaze.
it did when I was sworn into office in January 2020, The reporter interviews people tect themselves. Recall “Jurassic Park,” the 1993
I am incredibly proud that the promises made back in their cars. “Not very long” is Was former President Donald Spielberg film in which scientists
then have been kept today. how a firefighter describes the Trump useless as coronavirus come across dinosaur DNA and
Mississippi Treasurer David McRae is the 55th wait. “I’m super impressed,” a driv- death and illness skyrocketed? Not use it to bring prehistoric monsters
Treasurer for the State of Mississippi. In this role, he er says of the organization. Waving entirely. He did mock people who back to life. That story will remain
helps manage the state’s cash flow, oversees College her arms, the reporter exclaims wore masks, push phony cures and on the science fiction shelf because
Savings Mississippi, and has returned more than $20 that Americans are administering waste several desperate months there’s no usable dinosaur DNA,
million in unclaimed money to Mississippians. 1.49 million doses a day. insisting that the pandemic wasn’t but similar idea as the ferret.
After four dark years of a White real. Half a million Americans Over in COVID-plagued Eu-
House denigrating science and didn’t have to die. rope, meanwhile, the vaccination
clowning through a public health That is not to say, however, that project is a mess. While the U.S.
disaster, America is again the land his administration did nothing. has administered 19 doses per 100
Voice of the People of “how to” to the world. And it’s Last spring, it launched Operation people, France has done only 5.5.
We encourage you to share your opinion with readers
not just the logistics of getting Warp Speed, which has spent Italy and Germany have dispensed
of The Dispatch.
Submit your letter to The Dispatch by: shots in arms. It’s the far more something north of $12 billion 5.8 and 6.1, respectively.
E-mail: voice@cdispatch.com awesome job of creating vaccines helping companies develop, make Lots of complaints here about
Mail: P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703 in record time. and distribute vaccines. the difficulty of getting the vac-
In person: 516 Main St., Columbus, or 101 S. Lafay- New York-based Pfizer part- Asked whether Trump’s refusal cine. But compared with most oth-
ette St., No. 16, Starkville. nered with German company to concede the election made it er countries, America is showing
All letters must be signed by the author and must BioNTech to produce the first harder to transition Warp Speed that when it comes to meeting a
include town of residence and a telephone number vaccine in wide use. Moderna of to the Biden team, the program’s challenge, we still have the know-
for verification purposes. We request the tone of your Cambridge, Massachusetts, fol- scientific director, Moncef Slaoui, how.
letters be constructive and respectful and the length lowed soon after with the second. told Science magazine: “For sure. Froma Harrop, a syndicated
be limited to 450 words. We reserve the right to edit
Johnson & Johnson, headquartered It was at least very, very unfortu- columnist, writes for the Providence
letters for clarity, grammar and length. While commen-
tary on national issues is always welcome, we limit in New Jersey, is about to distrib- nate, to use a polite word.” (Rhode Island) Journal. Her e-mail
candidate endorsements to one per letter-writer. ute a third vaccine that, unlike the Fortunately, America’s scien- address is fharrop@gmail.com.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 5A

Obituaries
Continued from Page 2A

Charles Pennington of Hamilton and Chiq- John Hollis Billie Pirrung Terry Johnson, Esker ra Clarke of Northport,
TUPELO — Charles uita Griffin of Amory; ARLINGTON, Tenn. STARKVILLE — Jay Johnson, Troy L. Alabama; and two
Alan Pennington, 51, siblings, Nancy Bell — John Paul “Red” Hol- Billie Dale Pirrung, 73, Johnson, Dorothy L. grandchildren.
died Feb. 19, 2021, at Franklin of Oxford, Car- lis, died Feb. 17, 2021, died Feb. 20, 2021. Smith, Lula Karon Pallbearers will be
his residence. rie Thomas of Colum- at Methodist North A private memorial Thomas Smith and Mark Bonner, Ronnie
Funeral services will bus, Missouri, Mary Lil- Hospital in Memphis, service will be held Rammie M. John- Dudley, Daniel “Shep”
be at 2 p.m. Saturday, at lie Miller of Fort Wayne, Tennessee. at a later date. Welch son; sister, Charlotte Gibson, Matthew
Tisdale-Lann Memorial Indiana, Rendia Doulas A memorial ser- Funeral Home of Wilson; and grandchil- Patrick, Shane Patrick
Chapel, with Bobby of Pensacola, Florida vice will be at 2 p.m. Starkville is in charge dren. and Mitch Clark.
Cleveland officiating. and Sarah Miller of Co- Saturday, at Chandler of arrangements. Memorials may
Burial will follow in lumbia, Missouri; and Funeral Home. Burial Mrs. Pirrung was Austin Patrick be made to Pleasant
Pleasant Grove Ceme- one grandchild. will follow at Furnace born July 6, 1947, in GORDO, Ala. — Ridge Cemetery Fund,
tery. Visitation will be Hill Cemetery. Chan- Houston, to the late Austin “Butch” Pat- P.O. Box 126, Millport,
one hour prior to ser- Carolyn Sanders dler Funeral Home of John Presley Walls and rick, 74, died Feb. 21, AL, 35576 or Hannah
vices. Tisdale-Lann Me- ABERDEEN — Car- Vernon, Alabama is Geneva Doss Walls 2021, at his residence. Church, 7677 Hwy 159,
morial Funeral Home of olyn Sue Hill Sanders, in charge of arrange- McCafferty. She was a Funeral services Gordo, AL, 35466.
Aberdeen is in charge 77, died Feb. 20, 2021, at ments. graduate of Starkville will be at 2 p.m.
of arrangements. her son’s residence. Mr. Hollis was born High School and Wednesday, at Dowdle
Mr. Pennington was Funeral services will May 13, 1934, in Lamar attended Emmanuel Funeral Home, with
born July 26, 1969, be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, County, Alabama, to Baptist Church. Byron Fair officiating.
in Aberdeen, to the at Tisdale-Lann Memo- the late Forney Lewis In addition to her Burial will follow at
late William Kendol rial Funeral Home, with and Annie Grace Gra- parents, she was Pleasant Ridge Cem-
Pennington and Betty Bob Secrist officiating. ham Hollis. preceded in death by etery near Fernbank,
Sue Vice Pennington. A private burial will In addition to his par- her stepfather, Richard Alabama. Visitation
He attended Hamilton follow at New Hope ents, he was preceded McCafferty. will be one hour prior
School and was for- (Coontail) Cemetery. in death by his siblings, She is survived by to services at the
merly employed with Visitation will be from James Lewis Hollis, her children, Michael funeral home. Dow-
Cooper Tire. noon-1:45 p.m. prior to Doris Ann Taylor and Pirrung of Starkville dle Funeral Home of
In addition to his services at the funeral Lou Ella Knight. and Michele Pirrung Millport, Alabama is
parents, he was preced- home. Tisdale Lann-Me- He is survived by of Lenoir City, Ten- in charge of arrange-
ed in death by his son, morial Funeral Home of his wife, Stella Hollis; nessee; siblings, John ments. Ethelyne Strait
Amory is in charge of Mr. Patrick was Visitation:
Christopher Penning- daughter, Kay Peters- Walls, Diane Walls Tuesday, Feb. 23 • 10-11 AM
ton. arrangements. en; and siblings, Mary Keller, Renee Freebury born Aug. 15, 1946, 2nd Ave N Location
He is survived by Mrs. Sanders was in Lamar County, Graveside Services:
Bennett of Sulligent, and Sheila Cline; and Tuesday, Feb. 23 • 11 AM
his daughter, Breanna born March 10, 1943, Alabama and Clara Piel three grandchildren. Alabama, to the late Memorial Gardens
Pennington of Myrtle; in Aberdeen, to the Matthew “Mack” and Burial
of Odessa, Texas. Memorial Gardens
siblings, Michael Pen- late Herman Harold Annie Ruth Mordecai
nington and Melinda and Hazel Mae Lewis
Mattie Woods Patrick. He was a grad-
2nd Ave. N. Location
Margaret Nightingale SULLIGENT, Ala.
uate of Millport High
Fields both of Tupelo; hill. She was formerly
WEST POINT — — Mattie R. Woods, Elise Jackson
and one grandchild. employed as owner of a School and a veteran Graveside Services:
Margaret Schmidt 91, died Feb.19, 2021, Wednesday, Feb. 24 • 11 AM
Pallbearers will be flower business and was of the United States
Nightingale, 79, died at her residence. Egger Cemetery
Samuel Fields, Jonah a member of New Hope Army and National 2nd Ave N. Location
Feb. 19, 2021, at Wind- Private funeral Guard. He was for-
Fields, Lester Welch, Christian Church.
sor Care Center in services will be at 11
Marvin Welch, Ricky In addition to her
Columbus. a.m. Wednesday, at
merly employed with Henry Vaughn
Honeycutt, Steve West, parents, she was pre- Centurylink Phone Incomplete
Funeral services are the chapel of Chandler Company and was a 2nd Ave. N. Location
Jeffrey House and Na- ceded in death by her
today, at West Point Funeral Home, with member of Hannah
than Bailey. children, Mike Sanders
Mennonite Church, Murry R. Johnson United Methodist
and Vince Sanders.
with Mark Koehn, Mac officiating. Burial will Church.
Willie Griffin She is survived by
Schrock and Charles follow at New Church In addition to his
WEST POINT — her children, Marty
Koehn officiating. Buri- Cemetery. There will parents, he was pre-
Willie B. Griffin, 74, Sanders, Brandon Sand-
al will follow in West be no visitation. Chan- ceded in death by his
died Feb. 15, 2021, at ers and Shane Sanders memorialgunterpeel.com
Point Memorial Gar- dler Funeral Home of siblings, Jay Lee, Billy
Oktibbeha County Hos- all of Aberdeen; brother,
dens. Robinson Funeral Vernon is in charge of Paul, Charles and in-
pital in Starkville. Herman Hill of Hernan-
do; and seven grandchil- Home of West Point is arrangements. fant brother Jimmy.
Graveside services in charge of arrange- Mrs. Woods was
will be at 11 a.m. dren. He is survived by
Pallbearers will be ments. born June 17, 1929, in his wife, Annie Zoe
Wednesday, at Union
Star Memorial Gar- Marty Sanders, Bran- Mrs. Nightingale Sumiton, Alabama, Patrick; daughter, Visit us
was born Aug. 10, 1941, to the late James R.
dens Cemetery, with don Sanders, Shane Cindy Patrick Shelton; on the web at
in Cement, Oklahoma, and Mary C. Russell.
Israel Lee officiating. Sanders, Daniel Sand-
to the late Ben and Elda She attended school
siblings, Mike Patrick cdispatch.com
Visitation will be from ers, Greg White and of Millport and Barba-
Brian Poss. Schmidt. She attend- in Dora, Alabama and
10:30-11 a.m. prior to ed Freeman Country was a member of New
services Wednesday, at School. She was for- Jerusalem Church of
the cemetery. Carter’s Darren Woldridge merly employed as a God in Christ.
Mortuary Services of ALICEVILLE, Ala. homemaker. In addition to her
West Point is in charge — Darren Woldridge, In addition to her parents, she was
of arrangements. 59, passed away. parents, she was pre- preceded in death by
Mrs. Griffin was A home-going cele- ceded in death by one her son, James Woods;
born Dec. 14, 1946, bration will be at 1 p.m. brother. four brothers; three
in West Point, to the Saturday, at Lavender’s She is survived by sisters; two grand-
late Willie B. Mitchell Funeral Service. Burial her husband, Kenneth; children; and two
and Katie Bell Griffin will follow at Magnolia and siblings, Edward great-grandchildren.
Miller. Memorial Gardens Schmidt, of Mound- She is survived by
In addition to his Cemetery. Visitation ridge, Kansas, Clyde her children, Patrick
parents, he was preced- will be from 3:30-5 p.m. Schmidt of Cement, H. Woods, Rector
ed in death by an infant Friday, at the funer- Oklahoma and David Johnson Jr., Bob Jow

Ethelyne Strait
daughter, Kathy Lavone al home. Lavender’s Schmidt of Chickasha, Johnson, Jerry John-
Martin; and brother, Funeral Service of Oklahoma. son, Jimmy Johnson,
Johnnie George Miller. Aliceville, Alabama is

Lorine Sanders
He is survived by his in charge of arrange- On February 19, 2021, Ethelyne W. Strait
children, Tyrone Griffin ments. passed away while surrounded by her loved ones.
She was 90 years old at the time she was called

Elise Jackson
Elise Mary Davis Jackson, age 85, of
Columbus, MS, passed away February 21, 2021,
at Sanctuary Hospice in Tupelo, MS.
Graveside services will be Wednesday,
February 24, 2021, at 11 AM at Egger Cemetery
in Caledonia, MS, with Rev. Mel Howton
officiating. Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home
& Crematory 716 2nd Ave. North location is in
charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Jackson was born June 2, 1935, in
Morgan City, LA, to the late Adam and Elda
Mary Comeaux Davis. In addition to her parents,
she was preceded in death by her husband, Clyde
Jackson.
Survivors include her sons, Adam Jackson
of Columbus, MS and Clyde Jackson and his
fiancé Rhonda of Columbus, MS; brother, Urban
Davis of Pearland, TX; and grandchildren, Emily
Jackson, Sarah Jackson and Mattie Jackson, all of
Columbus, MS.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis,
TN, 38105.
Sign the online guest book at
www.memorialgunterpeel.com
716 Second Avenue North • Columbus, MS
Lorine Wilson Sanders,
age 82, passed away Friday,
February 19, 2021, at her
residence in Steens.
A graveside service was held
Sunday February 21, 2021, at
2:00 PM at Lone Oak Church
of Christ Cemetery in Steens,
with Minister Keith Wilson
officiating.
Mrs. Sanders was born on May 20, 1938, in
Kennedy, Alabama, to the late Jack and Jessie
Malone Wilson. She was a graduate of Kennedy
High School. After traveling the world with
her late husband Adrian, they settled in the
Lone Oak Community where they were active
members of the Lone Oak Church of Christ. Mrs.
Sanders worked for the Lowndes County Co-Op
for many years until her retirement. She enjoyed
spending time with her grandchildren, reading,
cooking, and working in her yard. In addition to
her husband Adrian, and her parents, she was
preceded in death by her brothers Bill and Lee
Wilson and an infant granddaughter.
Survivors include her sons, Ricky Sanders
(Vonda), Steens, MS, Randy Sanders (Lori) and
Madison, MS; grandchildren, Angelia Collins
(Steven), Steens, MS, Madeline Crabtree (Cole),
Dunlap, TN and Taylor Sanders, Madison, MS;
great-grandchildren, Lacey Collins, Olivia
Collins and Ellis Crabtree.
Serving as Pallbearers were Steven Collins,
Taylor Sanders, Keith Mitchell, Brent Mitchell,
Phillip Rickman and Mike Unruh
Serving as Honorary Pallbearers were Cole
Crabtree, Keith Wilson, Ken Wilson, Ryan
Unruh, Spencer Unruh, Brad Mitchell, Blake
Enloe and her wonderful team of caregivers.
home.
A native of Louisville, MS, she was preceded
in death by her parents, Walter and Ida White;
brothers, Jim White and Walter Earl White;
sisters, Dale Robertson, Sally Puckett and
Earnestine Cockrell. Mrs. Strait was one of 11
children born to the White family. She was also
preceded in death by her husband, James A.
Strait, with whom she had two children, Kathy
Hutchinson and Gary Strait (Amy) of Columbus.
She was Granny to her three grandchildren,
Robert Upton, Christine Wright (Mike)
and Travis Strait (Trista); as well as eight
great grandchildren, and three great great
grandchildren.
She had a lifelong passion for children and
enjoyed her time working in several daycare
centers. She was an active member of her church
and sang in the choir at McBee Baptist Church
late into life. She was also an avid reader and
held time with family in the highest regard. Her
loving, selfless attitude has left an example for
many to emulate and she will forever be missed.
Visitation for Mrs. Strait will be Tuesday,
February 23, 2021, at the 2nd Ave N Location
of Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home &
Crematory from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. A
graveside service will follow at Memorial
Gardens of Columbus with Bro. Jim Ray and Bro.
Mike Dalton officiating.
Pallbearers will be Tommy Ferguson, Rodney
Cockrell, Richie White, Eric Bullard, Greg Duke,
and Kenny White. Nephews and the men of
McBee Baptist Church are honorary pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that
memorials be made in her name to St. Jude
Children’s Hospital or any children’s foundation
of your choice.

Send in your church event!

Email editorialassistant@cdispatch.com
Subject: Religious brief
Sign the online guest book at
www.memorialgunterpeel.com
College Street • Columbus, MS
Sign the online guest book at
www.memorialgunterpeel.com
716 Second Avenue North • Columbus, MS
6A TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Health HEALTH TIP

n A walk around the block is better than no walk at all: When it comes to a healthy lifestyle, doing
just a little bit is better than doing nothing at all. If you want to go on a walk but don’t have time for your
usual hour-long walk, take a short walk around the block. A 5-minute walk is better than no walk at all!
Source: https://fourwellness.co

Health tips from Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen

Is this your year commentary people of all can always exceed your goals). 5. Keep workouts varied and
in The Lancet chronological To determine walking equiv- flexible so you avoid injury and
for reconditioning? suggests 2021 ages. So here’s alents for cycling, swimming, don’t get bored.
There’s air conditioning, become the your five-step etc., Google “Earlham Activity Once you do that — apol-
hair conditioning and, lately, year of re- reconditioning Conversion Chart.” ogies to singer-songwriter
err-conditioning. A new study conditioning. plan. 2. Increase your exercise in- Mickey Newbury — it will blow
in the journal Obesity found Echoing our 1. Set a tensity using interval training. your mind when you “see what
that in the past year, folks have POV, it says, monthly walk- (See DoctorOZ.com, “9 HIIT condition your condition” has
become even more sedentary “many of the ing goal. For Exercises to Get Fit.” become!
(in prepandemic years, 60 changes previ- example, walk 3. Adopt a strength-build- Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of
percent of Americans were ously blamed 3,000 steps ing routine two to three days “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike
inactive). Both intensity of and on disease or daily in month weekly. See DoctorOz.com, “10 Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness
time spent doing exercise has ageing are Drs. Oz and Roizen one; add 1,000 Strength Training Moves for Officer and Chair of Wellness
decreased, and almost 28 per- in fact due to steps monthly, Beginners.” Institute at Cleveland Clinic.
cent of the study’s participants inactivity and a up to 10,000 4. Stretch 20 minutes daily. To live your healthiest, tune
fessed up to gaining weight. loss of fitness.” Clearly, this a day in month 10. That gives Go to health.clevelandclinic. into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit
As a remedy, a recent past year has prematurely aged time to build endurance (you org; search for “stretching.” www.sharecare.com.

Tornado
Continued from Page 1A
all the projects from the
storm,” said Joe Dillon,
who has served as the
city’s FEMA manager.
“The work has been com-
pleted, with the exception
of the permanent repairs
on Plymouth Road and a
few punch-list type items
at Sim Scott (Communi-
ty Center). The FEMA
payments have been paid
for everything except the
clean-up at the amphithe-
ater and Riverwalk and
the Plymouth Road re-
pairs.”
The city will receive
a total of $89,640 from
FEMA for the clean-up
of silt and debris at the
Amphitheater/Riverwalk
that was flooded during
the storm and ensuing
rains. Those funds will
be remitted when the
city provides a clean wa-
ter certification for the
clean-up.
“Basically, what Dispatch file photo
FEMA is wanting from us The Sim Scott Community Center was reduced to rubble when an EF-3 Tornado
is proof that we didn’t put swept through the area on Feb. 23, 2019. A new center, built on the same location,
anything we cleaned up is nearing completion, paid for by a combination of insurance and FEMA funding.
back into the (Tombigbee
River),” Dillon said. “We Dillon said. “They don’t “I would say the city provided funds after a
used it as infill for some want to pay for a repair has very little cost over- storm.”
of the low areas around that won’t hold if it should all,” Dillion said, “We’ve Between the city and
the Riverwalk. They just happen again.” been careful in how the Columbus Light and Wa-
want us to provide certi- When those two recovery has been done ter, FEMA will send a lit-
fication of that, which we payments are made, to make sure everything tle more than $2 million
are doing.” FEMA will have provid- was done by FEMA for the recovery, but the
A payment of $39,097 ed $1,438,337 to the city guidelines. Their rules total amount will be larg-
for repairs to a 10-foot in disaster reimburse- are very stringent, but er after it funds its share
section of Plymouth ments. they’re very fair, too.” of the recovery project for
Road that was washed The biggest FEMA Columbus Light and the Columbus Municipal
out during the storm will funds went to debris re- Water In- School District property
be provided after FEMA moval. Dillon said FEMA terim Man- at the Hunt building.
approves an engineering provided 75 percent of ager Mike Plans for rebuilding
study for the permanent those costs with MEMA Bernsen and renovations at the
repairs. covering 12.5 percent. said he is school are still in process
The washed-out por- The city covers the re- awaiting for a project estimated to
tion of the road was re- maining 12. 5 percent, $600,000 cost between $10 million
paired temporarily in With the total debris cost from FEMA and $12 million.
March 2019, and perma- of $753,623, the city’s for damage Bernsen “At this point, we don’t
nent repairs will be made cost will be $93,202. to the utili- know how much FEMA
once FEMA approves the Dillon said the other ty company’s equipment. will provide,” CMSD
required engineering projects aren’t to cost the “That was the number Board President Jason
study. city much because they (FEMA) gave us, but we Spears said. “We’re still
“What FEMA wants in were covered by insur- haven’t received it yet,” working on the plans
that case is to make sure ance policies. Bernsen said. “It usually and want to be sure what
that when the permanent Damages at Sim Scott takes a couple of years to things are covered by our
repairs are made, they’ll Park totaled $1,036,438, get the payment. That’s insurance. FEMA funds
be able to handle another most of it covered by the what happened back in come after the insurance Cheap thrills.
situation like the one we city’s insurance policy, 2014 when we had anoth- payments, so we really Go for a walk.
had during the storm,” Dillon said. er situation where FEMA don’t know that number.”
Sports
PREP BASKETBALL
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021
B
SECTION

Starkville comes back to beat Horn Lake in MHSAA Class 6A first-round

BY THEO DEROSA and ultimately held on “They’re beasts on
tderosa@cdispatch.com for a 57-56 win to ad- the boards,” Williams
vance to Wednesday’s said. “We’ve had that all
STARK VILLE — second-round game at year long, but to see it
Horn Lake junior Tori Madison Central. in tight games like this
Johnson held her fol- For the Jackets’ … When we need it in
low-through for a few five senior starters, crunch time, they’ll go
extra seconds after her Starkville coach Kristie get it.”
straightaway 3-pointer Williams said, living to But for all of
put the Eagles ahead of play another day was all Starkville’s advantages
Starkville 24-13 early in they needed. inside, it was the Jack-
the second quarter of “They didn’t want this ets’ defense that made
Monday’s MHSA A Class to be their last game,” the biggest difference.
6A first-round playoff she said. After falling down 33-
game. Forwards Sukkima 23 at halftime following
From then on, it was Suell and Brayland Fer- a 3 by Horn Lake’s In-
the Yellow Jackets’ turn guson were instrumen- diya Bowen, Starkville
to celebrate. tal in making sure it scored 13 of the next
Starkville began its wouldn’t be. Suell had 16 points in the game,
comeback effort then a career-high 23 points, keeping the Eagles to
and there, outscored and both players were just seven points in the Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff
Horn Lake 44-32 after Starkville senior Brayland Ferguson (20) attempts a putback layup during the second
strong on the offensive third quarter.
Johnson made her shot quarter of Monday’s MHSAA Class 6A first-round playoff game against Horn Lake.
glass. See STARKVILLE, 3B The Yellow Jackets beat the Eagles 57-56 to advance.

MSU Mississippi State Baseball

softball No. 7 Mississippi State outlasts No. 3 Texas Tech in
bounces
back with final day of State Farm College Baseball Showdown
pair of
wins
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com

STARK VILLE —
Mississippi State soft-
ball coach Samantha
Ricketts knows soph-
omore pitcher Aspen
Wesley has always been
a winner.
Before Wesley even
joined the Bulldogs,
she came in as a four-
time Mississippi Ga-
torade High School
Player of the Year at
Neshoba Central. In her
time with the Rockets,
she won an astounding
five MHSA A Class 5A
championships.
So when Wesley
made her first appear-
ance of the 2021 season
Monday for Mississippi
State, it only stood to
See SOFTBALL, 2B

New Hope
girls fall to
Cleveland Mississippi State athletics
Mississippi State freshman pitcher Jackson Fristoe earned the first start of his career as the Bulldogs had five of their “better arms”
Central in missing this weekend, according to head coach Chris Lemonis. Fristoe didn’t allow a hit and notched four strikeouts in three innings
pitched.

first round of BY BEN PORTNOY

playoffs
BY GARRICK HODGE
ghodge@cdispatch.com
NEW HOPE — mal life changed as we know
Missed free throws and
turnovers resulted in
the New Hope girls bas-
ketball team’s season
coming to an end Mon-
day night.
In the first round of
the MHSA A Class 5A
playoffs, the Trojans
went 6 of 13 from the
charity stripe in a 46 -32
defeat at home.
“That’s what we
talked about before the
game,” New Hope coach
Nick Christy said. “We
probably knew we were
going to get some free
throws, because they’re
an aggressive team. We
knew we couldn’t turn
the basketball over.
They didn’t do anything
out of the ordinary from
what we saw on film, we
just had some execution
errors.”
With the win, Cleve-
land Central (10 -5) ad-
vances to face Saltillo at
See NEW HOPE, 3B
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
Before a once-in-a-genera-
tion global pandemic, before
sports were brought to an
abrupt halt and before nor-
it, Mississippi State and Tex-
as Tech met for a two-game
set in Biloxi on March 10 and
11. Those days, fans flooded
MGM Park under the lumi-
nescent glow of the Beau Ri-
vage Resort & Casino on the
banks of the Gulf of Mexico
to see the Bulldogs sweep the
Red Raiders in emphatic fash-
ion.
On March 12, the entire
2020 college baseball season
was canceled.
“We really didn’t get a
chance for the 2020 Bull-
dogs to have their hugs and
say their goodbyes,” MSU
pitching coach Scott Foxhall
told The Dispatch in April.
“There’s going to be a lot of
guys back in our program, but
it’ll never be the same thing
as the 2020 team.”
Three hundred and for-
ty-eight days later, No. 7 MSU
(2-1) and No. 3 Texas Tech
(0 -3) met on the final day of
competition at the State Farm
College Baseball Showdown
in Arlington, as the Bulldogs
earned their third-straight
win over the Red Raiders with
an 11-5 victory at Globe Life
Field.
With a mix of faces new
and old, MSU’s win Monday
represented its first complete
weekend of baseball in al-
most a year and symbolized
a slow-progressing return to
normalcy in the sports world.
The Bulldogs were down
five of its “better arms” ac-
cording to head coach Chris
Lemonis, including scheduled
Monday starter Eric Ceran-
tola. MSU also lost planned
Sunday starter Will Bednar
to some soreness in his neck.
In their places, a fresh-faced
Bulldog bullpen guided MSU
through its third contest of
the weekend.
Electric freshman right-
hander Jackson Fristoe re-
ceived the first start of his ca-
reer Monday against the Red
Raiders. Control issues and a
pitch count that climbed to 62
in just three innings of work
limited Fristoe’s outing, but
a rifled fastball that sat in the
low-to-mid-90s and a dazzling
breaking-ball offered glimps-
es of the brilliance that had
scouts drooling at his poten-
tial ahead of last year’s MLB
draft.
Lefty Cameron Tullar out
of Wabash Valley College (Illi-
nois) was MSU’s first man out
of the pen, though he slogged
through a 1.1 inning outing in
which he allowed four runs on
three hits and walked three.
Second-year freshman K.C.
Hunt also received his first
nod of the young season after
seventh-year senior Carlisle
Koestler ate up the fifth, sixth
and seventh innings.
“It let us learn a little bit
more than we would in a nor-
mal weekend,” Lemonis said
of relying on his less proven
arms Monday. “Seeing some
guys and seeing some guys in
some different situations.”
While a slew of newcom-
ers littered MSU’s pitching
charts, familiar faces paced
the MSU offense.
For the third time in as
many days, fourth-year junior
Rowdey Jordan and third-year
sophomore Luke Hancock
looked the part of dynamic
bats at the top and bottom of
the Bulldog order. Jordan,
who recorded six RBIs on the
weekend, smoked a two-run
single into right field to give
MSU an early 3-1 lead. The
Alabama native then recorded
his third RBI of the game with
a ninth inning triple down the
third base line.
After Tullar’s debut, Han-
cock reminded onlookers of
the pop he flashed against No.
9 Texas Saturday, sending a
first pitch offering from Chase
Hampton 15 rows deep into
the right field bleachers to put
MSU ahead in 5-4 in Monday’s
see-sawing contest. Hancock
then followed Jordan’s lead in
the ninth inning, recording an
RBI single as MSU notched
five runs in the final frame.
“I think it just shows we’re
a bunch of hard-nosed, gritty
players who love playing the
game each and every day,”
Hancock said.
For MSU, Saturday marked
an afternoon that as recently
as four or five days ago felt
like it may never come. With
winter weather coating the
southern United States and
that, as of Thursday, had left
an estimated 350,000 people
in the Dallas-Fort Worth area
without power, Lemonis en-
dured nearly 100 phone calls
over the past week to sort
out the dizzying logistics of
getting his squad to the Lone
Star State.
With commercial flights
stalled out of Memphis and
Jackson to varying degrees,
See MSU, 3B
2B TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021
Softball
Continued from Page 1B
reason that she’d continue
her winning ways. Wesley
pitched five shutout in-
nings, striking out eight,
as the No. 22 Bulldogs
(5-1) beat Missouri State
5-0 on Monday afternoon
as part of The Snowman
(Alex Wilcox Memorial)
Tournament at Nusz Park.
“For her to just go out
there and be Aspen, that’s
what she’s done her entire
life,” Ricketts said.
Wesley used her top-
notch spin and movement
and her tricky change-up
to baffle the Bears (3-1)
all afternoon. She didn’t
allow a hit until Missouri
State’s Madison Hunsaker
led off the fourth inning
with a double, and she left
five Bears stranded in the
fourth and fifth innings
combined.
Wesley said she came
in nervous for her first ap-
pearance, but the butter-
flies soon faded away.
“I just told myself that
I’ve been working up to
this point and so I just
have to believe in myself,”
she said. “I knew that my
teammates had my back,
so I felt much better.”
The Bulldogs’ offense
backed her with a solid
showing, scoring three
runs in the third inning
and adding two in the fifth.
Juniors Anna Kate Segars
and Chloe Malau’ulu, se-
nior Carter Spexarth and
redshirt senior Montana
Davidson all had two hits
in the contest.
Davidson, who deliv-
ered a fifth-inning run
with a bloop single, said
the team renewed its focus
after Sunday night’s 6-5
extra-inning loss to South-
ern Illinois.
“I think it was just more
just staying within our
plans and being ready to
hit the pitch that we are
looking for, and I think we
did a better job executing
that today than we did in
the last game,” she said.
Mississippi State also
Mississippi State senior Mia Davidson emerged from a brief slump with a two-run home run to center field in the
first inning Monday against Mississippi Valley State. The Bulldogs beat Missouri State 5-0 before run-ruling the
Devilettes 10-1 in Starkville.
cleaned up its defense, re-
maining error free in both
its win over the Bears
and a subsequent victory
over Mississippi Valley
State. After seven errors
between Sunday’s games
against Stephen F. Austin
and SIU, it was a welcome
change.
While the Bulldogs
shuffled their outfield
Monday, moving Segars
to center field from left,
Ricketts said the team’s
defense took a step up all
around the diamond.
“We just talked about
playing catch and taking
care of the softball at both
ends,” Ricketts said.
Combined with a per-
formance from Wesley that
was right in line with her
recent practice showings,
it was enough for a victory
for Mississippi State.
“She didn’t try to do
too much,” Ricketts said.
“She just pitched her game
and what we’ve been see-
ing from her the last few
weeks, so it was nice to get
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
her out there and just let
her get some confidence
going forward for us.”
Mississippi State 10,
Mississippi Valley State 1,
five innings
Another thing Ricketts
and the Bulldogs stressed
after Sunday night’s loss
was getting more energy
from the Mississippi State
dugout throughout each
contest, not just late in
games when the Bulldogs’
bats finally get going.
That wasn’t the case
Monday.
“I thought the dugout
was awesome,” Ricketts
said after Mississippi State
closed out the tournament
with a 10-1 run-rule win
over Mississippi Valley
State (0-3). “They were
locked in; they were fo-
cused; they were loud and
having fun, which is when
we play our best.”
The enthusiasm from
the third-base dugout
helped the Bulldogs put up
all 10 of their runs in the
Laura Parsley/Mississippi State athletics
first three innings to beat
the Devilettes: two in the
first, two in the second and
a six spot in the third.
And for some of the
same Mississippi State
players leading the charge
from the bench, it led to a
chance to see the field for
the first time this season
— or, in freshman Addison
Purvis’ case, in her college
career.
Purvis, who flied out to
deep center as a pinch-hit-
ter in the fourth inning
against Valley, was one
of four Bulldogs who
made their season debuts
Monday. Wesley started
against Missouri State,
Kiki Edwards pinch-hit for
Christian Quinn against
the Bears, and Celeste Sol-
iz spelled Jackie McKenna
at catcher against the Dev-
ilettes. Edwards grounded
out to third in her lone plate
appearance, while Soliz
drew a walk in her own
turn.
“They’ve all been want-
ing it,” senior Mia David-
son said. “They’ve all been
cheering, doing their role.
It showed they all had con-
fidence and were ready
to go, and it’s just a great
thing seeing them at the
plate.”
Davidson scored Ma-
lau’ulu with a two-run
home run to center field
in the first inning against
Valley, breaking a bit of a
slump for one of the most
talented players in the
Southeastern Conference.
Her batting average sat at
.125 after an 0-for-3 out-
ing against the Bears but
rebounded to .211 after a
2-for-3 game against the
Devilettes.
“It was very relieving to
do it,” Davidson said of her
first-inning blast. “I think
I’ve been putting too much
pressure on myself, so I
just told myself to relax
and see the ball. Finally it
happened, which is good.
The team had my back the
whole time, so I wasn’t real-
ly too worried.”
Sophomore Brylie St.
Clair went 2 for 3 with a
two-run single against
Valley, another strong per-
formance out of the lower
part of the Bulldogs’ order.
Montana Davidson, who
typically hits seventh, is
the team’s leading hitter
with 8 hits in 17 at-bats so
far, and St. Clair provides
Mississippi State with a
second leadoff hitter of
sorts, Ricketts said.
“To have production out
of (Nos.) 7, 8 and 9 down
there is huge,” Ricketts
said. “The faster we get
back to the big bats at the
top is always going to be
clutch for us, and they had
a lot of good RBIs as well in
both games.”
Bulldogs play for Wilcox
Mississippi State re-
ceived two surprise vis-
itors to Nusz Park on
Monday: the grandpar-
ents of Wilcox, who died
of ovarian cancer in June
2018 after spending her
freshman season with the
Bulldogs and for whom
the Snowman tournament
was renamed in 2019. Her
grandparents drove up
from Alabama to Starkville
to take in both games.
“To see her family and
their big hearts and how
they still love us and this
program and the girls and
want to be here and sup-
port us was really special
for us as well today,” Rick-
etts said.
The coach said the
team’s hearts are always
with Wilcox and that her
memory reassures them
no matter what they’re go-
ing through on the field, it’s
only a game.
“I think it’s just a good
reminder for the girls that,
‘Hey, yeah, we lost a game
last night, but it’s just soft-
ball,’” Ricketts said. “We
know this is a game, we’re
having fun, we love it, and
we’re playing for those
who can’t anymore who
we’re representing, like
Alex.”

That 70s Show: Loss by loss, a unique era of baseball fades
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS against the past year’s
backdrop — of pandem-
The affection engulfs ic-inflected grief, of
Clint Hurdle’s voice as baseball withering and
he appraises the list of coming back smaller, of
those recently gone — a truncated season and
childhood idols who be- crowdless stands — it
came teammates and op- feels unremitting. Just
ponents, teammates and part of it:
opponents who became Watson. Washing-
acquaintances, acquain- ton. Gibson. McDan-
tances who became dear iel. Morgan. Al Kaline.
friends. Lou Brock. Don Sutton.
The 1970s memories Hank Aaron. Dick Al-
surface fast for the man len. Jay Johnstone. Phil
who has spent his entire Niekro. Tom Seaver. Biff
adult life in baseball, as Pocoroba. Billy Coniglia-
player and manager. Bob ro. Tommy Lasorda. And
Watson, whom he first now, three weeks ago,
met while serving as a from COVID-19 compli-
batboy for the Class-A cations: Grant Jackson,
Cocoa Astros. Claudell who won the final Major
Washington: “We used League Baseball game
to just laugh.” Bob Gib- of the decade as the
son, as nice off the field 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates
as he was menacing on took the World Series.
it. Lindy McDaniel’s big Theirs were the
windup. The distinc- names etched on the
tive way Joe Morgan Topps cards. The names
pumped his elbow at bat: that crackled from plas-
“I watched him as a kid. tic, fruit-colored transis-
I used to try to re-create tor radios. The names
the chicken wing for hit- that shouted from the
ting.” pages of Baseball Digest
All are members of and hometown newspa-
a list disquieting in its pers at a moment in the
length — those from the game’s history that can
ranks of 1970s baseball seem like yesterday but,
rosters who have died in propelled by the past
the past year alone. year’s losses, is starting
The list: Perhaps it’s its inexorable fade.
no longer than any oth- “Every one of these
er list of those who were guys, there’s a memo-
dying at other moments ry,” says Hurdle, now
in baseball’s history. But 63. “We all learn lessons
MSU
Continued from Page 1B
MSU had to get cre- Ole Miss, and arrived in
ative. The Bulldogs, Texas on Friday.
instead, boarded a char- Lemonis said he
tered flight from Bir- didn’t get a final go-
mingham in conjunction ahead on the trip until
with in-state rival and late Thursday night.
fellow College Baseball “It was fine,” he
Showdown participant quipped of flying with
Starkville
Continued from Page 1B
“We were able to set- ultimately, the Eagles
tle down, and we took were fouled down three
it to them defensively,” points with 3.4 seconds
Williams said. “That’s to go.
what it took. Defense Horn Lake made
won this game for us to- both free throws, and
night.” surprisingly, the Eagles
It helped the Jack- didn’t foul Suell when
ets close things out in Starkville threw the ball
the final minutes. After in to her. She dribbled
Starkville went up by out the final seconds
a point, strong defense untouched on the wing
on the Eagles’ ensuing near her own basket,
inbounds pass result- victory on her mind.
ed in a five-second call “Yes,” she thought,
against Horn Lake. The “we got the dub!”
Jackets’ Amaya Ford It was an uncertain
banked in a short jump- win after emotions and
er with 2:48 to go in the nerves hurt Starkville
game, and Suell did the early. Ford, a Louisi-
same 32 seconds later ana-Monroe signee,
to give Starkville a six- picked up two uncharac-
point lead. teristic fouls in the first
And even when the few minutes and sat on
Jackets went cold from the bench for most of
the free-throw line the second quarter. She
trying to close out the started the third quarter
game, their post play- on the court and scored
ers saved the day. Suell all nine of her points af-
snagged a Starkville ter halftime.
miss in the final min- “She was able to re-
ute to deny Horn Lake group, watch the game
a chance to tie inside some and then see, ‘OK,
the final minute, and now I know what I need
New Hope
Continued from Page 1B
New Hope’s Taylor Brownlee (20) drives to the basket Monday during a MHSAA
Class 5A first round playoff girls basketball game in New Hope.
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
different ways. And the
one I keep learning — it
seems like every week
now — is take nothing
for granted.”
“I like to say, ‘Hey, I
grew up in the greatest
era of baseball,’” Gary
Matthews, who played
in the big leagues from
1972 to 1987, is saying
one recent day. He is just
back from the funeral of
his friend, Henry Aaron,
in Atlanta — one of the
most towering baseball
losses of the past year.
“When I was fac-
ing J.R. Richard in the
Dome, or even Nolan
Ryan, I was like, ‘OK,
don’t let this guy hit
you in the head.’ I’m
defeated already,” Mat-
thews says. “A good day
against those guys was
two strikeouts and two
walks.”
Pete Rose, one of the
decade’s most storied
players, agrees. “You
wanna know the truth?
I faced 19 Hall of Fame
pitchers in the 1970s
and 1980s,” he says. “I
don’t know if guys to-
day are facing 19 Hall of
Fame pitchers.”
Rose tells of road
trips in the early 1970s
in which he’d face Sut-
ton in Los Angeles,
then go north to San
Francisco to oppose
Gaylord Perry and Juan
the Rebels. “We walked
in. They walked in. The
only bad part is we have
to wait for their game
to be over, but it’s a lot
better knowing that we
won.”
As the mid-after-
to do once the second
half comes,’” Williams
said.
The Jackets will need
to make similar prepa-
rations for Wednesday’s
game at Madison Cen-
tral, coached by Tam-
eika Brown, a friend of
Williams’. The Jackets
and Jaguars haven’t
matched up in a few
years, but Williams
knows what to expect: a
full-court press, a half-
court trap and “all that
you would expect this
time of year.”
“The team that exe-
cutes best, handles the
ball better, rebounds
better will be the one
that wins,” Williams
said.
She and her play-
ers expect that to be
Starkville. Though Mon-
day’s game is likely to be
the team’s last game on
their home floor, if the
Jackets keep winning,
they could end up right
back there in Friday’s
quarterfinal round.
Garrick Hodge/Dispatch Staff
Marichal, then swing
back to St. Louis to con-
front Gibson and Steve
Carlton.
Legends all — and
part of a unique epoch.
In the 1970s, baseball
opened up and let its
hair down.
Color television’s
spread meant that when
a game was aired, sud-
denly it felt more like
being at the ballpark.
I nca ndescent ,st retchy
uniforms followed, fea-
turing hues fresh from
psychedelic album cov-
ers and bubble-gum
wrappers. Bright yel-
lows. Solid blacks. Deep
blues offset by vibrant
reds. Shorts, in one
fleeting case. In Hous-
ton, an entire spectrum
of oranges festooned ev-
ery player from chest to
navel.
It was an era of the
downright idiosyncratic
— orange baseballs and
orange-striped catch-
er’s mitts and synthet-
ic fields, Reggie! bars
and stick-on Stargell
stars and mustache
upon carefully cultivat-
ed mustache (talkin’ to
you, Rollie Fingers and
Sparky Lyle).
It was an era of sub-
stantive change, too.
The designated hitter
took root. The reserve
clause ended, free
noon sunlight creeped
through the towering
windows well over the
left-field wall at Globe
Life Park, MSU cele-
brated its third win over
Texas Tech in as many
tries.
“If we keep going
on, then we can bring it
back home,” Suell said.
With the fight Suell
and Starkville’s seniors
showed Monday, it’s not
out of the question.
“I can’t say enough
about the class of ’21,”
Williams said.
Other scores
Girls Basketball
Class 3A playoffs, first
round: Noxubee County
59, Alcorn Central 47
MACON — The Nox-
ubee County girls beat
Alcorn Central 59-47 to
advance to the second
round of the Class 3A
playoffs.
Na’Kaiyla “Too-
tie” Lockett scored 22
points, grabbed seven
rebounds and record-
ed five steals to lead
the top-seeded Tigers.
Jakeia Walker had a big
game with 18 points,
nine rebounds and two
steals, and Aaliyah
Brandy had six points,
four rebounds and two
6 p.m. Wednesday. New
Hope ends its season at
10-8.
“The season has been
like no other,” Christy
said. “From everything
from COVID, to the un-
certainty of it all … This
season has definitely
been one I want to forget
because of the challeng-
es that came with it, but
I’m very grateful for the
girls. They adapted and
realized they had to roll
with the punches so I’m
very appreciative of how
they handled adversity.”
Cleveland Central
took the lead early and
never trailed in the con-
test, racing out to a 21-14
lead at halftime. With 4
minutes remaining in the
contest, the Trojans nar-
rowed the deficit to six
points after junior Taylor
Brownlee converted a
layup inside, but Cleve-
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 3B
agency began and the World. For many, this
players’ union found its second career wasn’t a
voice, setting the table choice; baseball’s pay
for the high salaries of then created a standard
today. The number of of living very different
players of color grew as from today’s.
they finally stepped into “The younger people
a full-on spotlight, albe- who are into this era,
it one still pocked with they kind of marvel at
ugly obstacles. how MLB players from
And though games the 70s, they look like
unfolded in some of the they could have been
most impersonal stadi- your math teacher or
ums ever, baseball was the guy working down
still — perhaps for a fi- at the auto-parts shop,”
nal time — being played says Dan Epstein, au-
at human scale. Small thor of “Big Hair and
ball remained the rule; Plastic Grass: A Funky
home runs and strike- Ride Through Base-
outs, though growing, ball and America in the
weren’t yet the entire Swinging ’70s.”
point. “They weren’t these
“If you stuck a DVD perfect physical speci-
in of a game from the mens,” he says. “These
1970s, I think a 15 -year- were guys you might
old would be very sur- see playing softball in
prised,” says Cait Mur- the park somewhere.”
phy, who chronicled There’s a contradic-
one early 20th-century tion there, though. At
season in “Crazy ’08: the same time 1970s
How a Cast of Cranks, players felt more ac-
Rogues, Boneheads, cessible, they felt less
and Magnates Creat- so, too. There was no
ed the Greatest Year in MLB.tv offering every
Baseball History.” game live, with perma-
The players of the nent HD playback. You
1970s, too, felt more couldn’t see your favor-
accessible, less mem- ite DH’s late-night Taco
bers of another breed. Bell run or watch a rival
They’d come home and catcher dance on Insta-
manage a supermarket gram. Players didn’t get
or open a beer distrib- into real-time back-and-
utor or sell insurance. forths with fans — for
Pocoroba owned a busi- better and worse — on
ness called Sausage Twitter.
The last time these Arlington having rather
teams parted ways, the emphatically announced
Bulldogs and Red Raid- that the Bulldogs look
ers headed off for their
every bit the part of a
respective homes stung
by the end of a season national title contender
that never was. One preseason prognostica-
year later, MSU leaves tors pegged them as.
steals. GREENSBORO, Ala.
Noxubee County will — Lane Lowery pitched
host North Panola at 6 five shutout innings as
p.m. Wednesday. the Pickens Academy
(Alabama) baseball
Prep Baseball
Caledonia 19, Colum- team opened its season
bus 3, four innings with a 10 -0 road win
CALEDONIA — The over Southern Academy
Caledonia baseball team (Alabama) on Monday.
run-ruled Columbus Lowery struck out
19-3 in four innings on seven, allowing one hit
Monday.
and two walks. Hayden
Jacob Humbers and
Loren Cox each went Dyer walked one and
2 for 2 with two RBIs struck out one in a
for the Cavaliers (2-0). scoreless sixth inning.
Jaden Glasgow had a At the plate, Cole
two-run double. Gibson went 4 for 4 and
Josh Pitts pitched drove in two runs. Will
three innings for Cale-
Noland was 2 of 3 with
donia, allowing just one
hit and no earned runs two RBIs, and Sawyer
and striking out eight. Perrigin was 1 of 4 with
Caledonia will host one RBI.
Fayette (Alabama) at 6 Aidan Johnson and
p.m. Tuesday. Clayton Lee each went 2
Columbus will host of 3 and drove in a run,
Lake Cormorant on Fri-
and Dyer was 3 of 4 with
day.
an RBI.
Pickens Academy Pickens will host Pa-
(Ala.) 10, Southern trician Academy (Ala-
Academy (Ala.) 0 bama) on Thursday.
land Central scored the be missed.”
next seven points to ce- While not wanting
ment the victory. to make excuses for the
Brownlee led New result, Christy said the
Hope with 14 points, changes to the playoff
while Madyson McBray- schedule added to the
er scored nine. Taylor stress of pregame prepa-
Rash led Cleveland Cen- ration. Originally sched-
tral with 18 points, while uled to be played early
Zadaja Russell chipped last week, the contest
in 10. Ashleigh McKin- had to be pushed back
ney added nine. nearly a full week be-
Monday marked the cause of the recent win-
end of the high school ter storm that made trav-
careers of New Hope se- el incredibly difficult.
niors Anna Prince and “You went from think-
Reed McGlothin, both ing you’re going to play
of whom were three-year and getting ready, to
starters. pushing it to Tuesday,
“They came up then Wednesday,” Chris-
through the system ty said. “Then we think
playing in our middle we’re going to play Sat-
school and played a lot of urday, but they’re on the
minutes,” Christy said. other side of the state, so
“It’s going to be some it moves to Monday. We
big shoes for our under- only had a couple days
classmen to fill on the of practice, so I guess it
offensive and defensive was the icing on the cake
ends. They’ll definitely to the 2020 season.”
4B TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021
Mariners CEO Mather resigns after derogatory remarks surface
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
In one 45-minute con-
versation, Kevin Mather
undermined the Seattle
Mariners far beyond being
the organization with the
longest playoff drought in
baseball.
He took insensitive
shots at a former All-Star
from Japan and a top pros-
pect from the Dominican
Republic for their English
skills. He admitted to the
team possibly manipulating
service time for some of its
top prospects.
All this from a top execu-
tive who once was accused
of harassing a female em-
ployee and kept his job de-
spite a settlement.
The latest transgres-
sion by Mather ended up
Comics & Puzzles
DILBERT
ZITS
GARFIELD
CANDORVILLE
BABY BLUES
BEETLE BAILEY
MALLARD FILLMORE
costing him his position as
president and CEO of the
Mariners. Mather resigned
on Monday after video sur-
faced over the weekend of
him expressing his views
of the club’s organizational
strategy and making insen-
sitive remarks about play-
ers during a recent online
event.
Mariners Chairman
John Stanton announced
the decision and said Ma-
ther resigned before a deci-
sion had to be made wheth-
er he’d be fired.
But the choice seemed
predetermined as the
firestorm over Mather’s
comments raged since they
were first posted to Twitter
on Sunday — which is how
Stanton first learned of their
existence. There’s been
FAMILY CIRCUS
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
no determination whether
Mather will receive a sever-
ance or what will happen to
his small ownership stake
in the franchise.
“There were a number
of comments made by Kev-
in that, as I’ve said, didn’t
reflect the Mariners, don’t
reflect what I believe, what
our ownership believes,
and were inappropriate,”
Stanton said. “Those com-
ments included some of the
things that have been refer-
enced with respect to our
players, and in particular
the importance of diversity
and inclusion in our organi-
zation.”
Mather, with the team
since 1996 and promoted
to CEO and team presi-
dent in 2017, apologized
late Sunday after his com-
ments from Feb. 5 made to
the Bellevue, Washington,
Breakfast Rotary Club were
posted online. They were
revealing and unfiltered.
They were also a stain to a
franchise that hasn’t seen
the postseason since 2001,
has seen fan interest dwin-
dle significantly during a
two-decade swoon, and are
in the midst of a rebuild.
Mather’s most inflam-
matory comments were
references to top prospect
Julio Rodriguez and for-
mer star pitcher Hisashi
Iwakuma and their grasp
of English. Mather said Ro-
driguez, a 20-year-old from
the Dominican Republic,
didn’t have “tremendous,”
English.
Mather also complained
about the cost associated
Dear Abby
D
EAR ABBY:
My husband
and I suf-
fered a miscar-
riage five months
ago, in the 12th
week. I’m still not
doing well. I have
put on a facade
to get by, but I’m
just starting to re-
alize how deeply
this is affecting
my life.
I used to be
a happy, friendly
person. Always Dear Abby
a smile on my
face and laughter
to be shared and hugs for
my loved ones. Since the
miscarriage, I put on a fake
smile and try to be who I once
was, but I can’t keep doing it.
Every day there is a moment
from that day or the aftermath
that floods my mind. I’m angry,
bitter, mad at the unfairness,
and I no longer have compas-
sion or sympathy for others.
This isn’t me. I don’t want
to be this way. My happiness
has been replaced with tears
and sadness. The hopefulness
is replaced by emptiness. I’m
very lost, and I don’t know how
to get out of this funk.
I no longer want to try to
get pregnant again because
the fear of the physical and
emotional pain of another
miscarriage has me paralyzed.
Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Feb.
23). The superficial goals
get met, but they are not the
ones that are important to
you anymore. You go deeper
and ask, “What else?” The
question starts a process of
creativity and outreach. You’ll
move through feelings and
relationships, receptive to the
great gifts coming your way. You
resonate with vitality. Aries and
Virgo adore you. Your lucky num-
bers are: 5, 24, 22, 1 and 15.
ARIES (March 21-April 19).
You’re attracted to people and
things for a reason, though
sometimes not a good one,
or at least not good enough
to warrant further action. True
with having an interpreter
for Iwakuma, a former All-
Star who pitched a no-hitter
for the Mariners and is a
current special assistant for
the club.
“Wonderful human be-
ing — his English was ter-
rible. He wanted to get back
into the game, he came to
us, we quite frankly want
him as our Asian scout/in-
terpreter, what’s going on
with the Japanese league.
He’s coming to spring train-
ing,” Mather said. “And
I’m going to say, I’m tired
of paying his interpreter.
When he was a player, we’d
pay Iwakuma ‘X,’ but we’d
also have to pay $75,000 a
year to have an interpret-
er with him. His English
suddenly got better. His
English got better when we
Any advice
you might give
would be greatly
appreciated.
— BROKEN IN
MISSOURI
DEAR BRO-
KEN: Please
accept my sym-
pathy for the loss
of your child.
Your depression
and the fear you
have about an-
other pregnancy
are not unusual
after a tragedy
like the one you
have experi-
enced. You are grieving, and
the emotions you are feeling
are to be expected.
Please schedule an ap-
pointment with your OB/GYN
and tell your doctor about all
of these feelings, because the
doctor can refer you to some-
one who can help you work
through this. It will take time,
but I assure you it is doable.
DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend
and I have been together for
close to a year now. In the be-
ginning, we were crazy about
each other and everything was
great.
Our hometowns are two
hours apart so, to make it
work, he bought us a house
right in between. It was an
hour each way to our parents’
houses. I thought it was the
wisdom is knowing what’s worth
pursuing.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20).
You will work up a lot of energy
and put it into the thing you de-
sire. Is it industriousness, man-
ifestation or magic? Whatever
you call it, it’s a recipe that’s
bringing you what you want.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21).
Don’t forget about the power of
anticipation. The more a person
waits for something, the more
he or she wants it. Attention is
an investment. A very effective
way to hold attention is in the
style of a dangling carrot.
CANCER (June 22-July 22).
You could give them what they
want straight away. Then they
told him that.”
Stanton said he had talk-
ed several times Sunday
and Monday with Commis-
sioner Rob Manfred and
MLB released a statement
condemning Mather’s com-
ments.
“We condemn Kevin
Mather’s offensive and dis-
respectful comments about
several players. We are
proud of the international
players who have made
baseball better through
their outstanding exam-
ples of courage and deter-
mination, and our global
game is far better because
of their contributions. His
misguided remarks do not
represent the values of our
game and have no place in
our sport,” MLB said.
perfect compromise. But now
he’s telling me he isn’t happy
here in our new town, and he
needs to sell the house and
move back home.
He says he still wants to
be with me and that we are
going to make it work, but
I can’t help but be scared
that this is gonna be the end
of our relationship. Should I
tough it out and see if we can
actually make it work? Or do I
call it quits and let go because
maybe it is just not meant to
be? — MIXED UP IN MASSA-
CHUSETTS
DEAR MIXED UP: You left
out one important fact in your
letter to me. WHY does your
boyfriend need to sell the
house you share and move
back home? Is he so closely
tied to his parents that being
an hour away is too far? Is it
work-related? Is he dissatis-
fied with your relationship?
Ask him these questions
because the answers will tell
you what you can expect. My
advice is to let things play out
a bit more before making any
decision other than to put the
house on the market.
Dear Abby is written by
Abigail Van Buren, also known
as Jeanne Phillips, and was
founded by her mother, Pauline
Phillips. Contact Dear Abby
at www.DearAbby.com or P.O.
Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA
90069.
will expect that every time. This
kind of stability builds trust.
Sometimes trust is what’s
needed; other times, surprise is
the key element.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). No
one is born knowing how to
handle this world and get along
with people. All of the behaviors
have to be learned. Your open
mind and forgiving heart will
keep you perpetually learning.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
There are those who think that
only a fool responds to prob-
lems without critical thought.
What you know is that some-
times, relying on your unthinking
response is the wisest move
you can make.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).
There’s such a thing as too
much structure. Uptight scenes
could use a playful, disruptive
force. Your childlike impulses
may surprise them at first but
will prove to be a force for good.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov.
21). Your social instincts are
on point. You know when to get
serious and when to lighten the
mood, take a risk and go for the
laugh. Deep connections can be
(and often are) made out of a
string of lighthearted moments.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.
21). Whatever you are going
through, you know that others
are in the same boat. And still,
others are in a sinking ship,
envying your boat or seeing it as
their rescue.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). You are part of the brew,
the magic element that makes it
sing, in fact. So, the success-
es of the group are also your
successes, and you will do well
to celebrate with all the pride of
ownership.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). Your patience will be
tested, if not your temper, but
you’ve much more self-control
than the forces that bear.
People see how well you handle
yourself, and you’ll rise in the
esteem of a key player.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). You’ve a talent for sharing
just the right and necessary
thing. You’ll teach someone
a skill or value that maybe
doesn’t seem like a big deal to
you, though it has life-changing
potential.
Herd immunity
SOLUTION:
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 5B

Classifieds
WHEREAS, default having been
made in the terms and condi-
tions of said deed of trust and
the entire debt secured thereby
Legal Notices
having
LEGALS
and payable in accordance with
the terms of said deed of trust,
U.S. Bank Trust, N.A., as Trust-
ee for LSF10 Master Participa-
CALL US: 662-328-2424 tion Trust, the legal holder of
said indebtedness, having re-
quested the undersigned Sub-
Legal Notices stituted Trustee to execute the
trust and sell said land and
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF property in accordance with the
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS- terms of said deed of trust and
SIPPI for the purpose of raising the
sums due thereunder, togeth-
er with attorney's fees,
IN THE MATTER OF THE ES-
TATE OF LISA HARPOLE HEATH, trustee's fees and expense of
DECEASED sale.
VICKI ROSE HARPOLE COX, AD-
MINISTRATOR
NO. 2020-0212-PDE
RULE 81 SUMMONS BY PUB-
LICATION
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
TO: THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF
LISA HARPOLE HEATH, DE-
CEASED
NOTICE TO DEFENDANT(S)
You have been made a Defend-
ant in the suit filed in this
Court by Vicki Rose Harpole
Cox, Petitioner, seeking to de-
termine the heirs-at-law of Lisa
Harpole Heath, Deceased. You
are hereby summoned to ap-
pear and defend against the
Petition for Determination of
Heirs of Lisa Harpole Heath
filed in this action at 9:30
o’clock a.m. on the 11th day of
March, 2021, in the Chancery
Courtroom of the Oktibbeha
County Chancery Building in
Starkville, Mississippi, and in
case of your failure to appear
and defend, a judgment or or-
der may be entered against you
granting the relief requested in
the Petition.
You are not required to file an
answer or other pleading, but
you may do so if you desire.
Issued under my hand and the
seal of said Court, this the 4th
day of February, 2021.
LOWNDES COUNTY CHAN-
CERY CLERK, MISSISSIPPI
BY: /s/ Shantrell W. Grander-
son
D. C.
PUBLISH: 2/9, 2/16 &
2/23/2021
SUBSTITUTED TRUSTEE'S NO-
TICE OF SALE
WHEREAS, on January 17,
2002, Therman Cunningham
and Rodie Cunningham ex-
ecuted a certain deed of trust
to Debera Bridges, Trustee for
the benefit of Travelers Bank &
Trust, FSB which deed of trust
is of record in the office of the
Chancery Clerk of Lowndes
County, State of Mississippi in
Book 1411 at Page 6; and
WHEREAS, U.S. Bank Trust,
N.A., as Trustee for LSF10
Master Participation Trust has
heretofore substituted Shapiro
& Brown, LLC as Trustee by in-
strument dated December 30,
2020 and recorded in the
aforesaid Chancery Clerk's Of-
fice in Book 2021 Page 1024;
and
WHEREAS, default having been
made in the terms and condi-
tions of said deed of trust and
the entire debt secured thereby
having been declared to be due
and payable in accordance with
the terms of said deed of trust,
U.S. Bank
General Help Trust,
Wanted N.A., as Trust-
ee for LSF10 Master Participa-
tion Trust, the legal holder of
said indebtedness, having re-
quested the undersigned Sub-
stituted Trustee to execute the
trust and sell said land and
property in accordance with the
terms of said deed of trust and
for the purpose of raising the
sums due thereunder, togeth-
er with attorney's fees,
trustee's fees and expense of
sale.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Shapiro &
Brown, LLC, Substituted Trust-
ee in said deed of trust, will on
March 2, 2021 offer for sale at
public outcry and sell within
legal hours (being between the
hours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00
p.m.), at the Southeast Door of
the County Courthouse of
Lowndes County, located at
505 2nd Avenue North, Colum-
bus, MS 39701, to the highest
and best bidder for cash or cer-
tified funds the following de-
scribed property situated in
Lowndes County, State of Mis-
sissippi, to-wit:
The following described tract or
parcel of land, lying, being and
situated in the County of
Lowndes and State of Missis-
sippi, and more particularly de-
scribed as follows, to wit:
Commencing at the Southeast
corner of the SW 'A of the NW
'A of Section 25, Township 19
South, Range 18 West,
Lowndes County, Mississippi;
thence run South 86 degrees
00 minutes West a distance of
20 feet to the West right-of-way
line of the county road; thence
run North 4 degrees 00
minutes West along said road
right-of-way a distance of 895.5
feet to the POINT OF BEGIN-
NING; thence run South 86 de-
SERVICE DIRECTORY
grees 00 minutes West a dis-
tance of 210 feet to a stake;
thence run North 04 degrees
00 minutes West a distance of
210 feet to a stake; thence run
North 86 degrees 00 minutes
East a distance of 210 feet to
a stake on the West right-of-
PROMOTE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS STARTING AT ONLY $25
way line of the county road;
thence run South 04 degrees
00 minutes East a distance of
210 feet
General back to the Point of
Services
Beginning; containing 1 acre
more or less and lying in the
SWA'A&ofTthe
Section
Bucket
TREENW SERVICES
25, truck
1/4 of said
Township 19
& stump
South, Range 18
removal. West,
Free est.
Lowndes County,
Serving Mississippi
Columbus
since 1987. Senior
Indexing
citizenInstructions: SW 1/4
disc. Call Alvin @
NW 1/4 Section 25, Township
242−0324/241−4447
19 South, Range 18 West.
"We’ll go out on a limb for
By Fee Simple you!"
Deed from Luev-
ina Williams, Lucille Williams,
Rodie Williams Cunningham,
GRAVEL, $360 PER LOAD.
Earnest
ams, Aex
Williams,14
Local delivery,
Williams,
Helen Willi-
yd truck.
Brenda Wil-
Backhoe
Mobile
& Dozer
Home
work.
liams and Gloria Williams, as
Pads &
set forth in Deed Book 590,
Driveways.
Page 526, DatedConcrete work.
07/03/1978
662−497−1388
and recorded 07/06/1978,
Lowndes County Records,
Stateads.cdispatch.com
of Mississippi
I WILL CONVEY only such title
as vested in me as Substi-
Trust, FSB which deed of trust
is of record in the office of the
Chancery Clerk of Lowndes
County, State of Mississippi in
Book 1411 at Page 6; and
WHEREAS, U.S. Bank Trust,
N.A., as Trustee for LSF10
Master Participation Trust has
heretofore substituted Shapiro
& Brown, LLC as Trustee by in-
strument dated December 30,
2020 and recorded in the
aforesaid Chancery Clerk's Of-
fice in Book 2021 Page 1024;
and
been declared to be due
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Shapiro &
Brown, LLC, Substituted Trust-
ee in said deed of trust, will on
March 2, 2021 offer for sale at
public outcry and sell within
legal hours (being between the
hours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00
p.m.), at the Southeast Door of
the County Courthouse of
Lowndes County, located at
505 2nd Avenue North, Colum-
bus, MS 39701, to the highest
and best bidder for cash or cer-
tified funds the following de-
scribed property situated in
Lowndes County, State of Mis-
sissippi, to-wit:
The following described tract or
parcel of land, lying, being and
situated in the County of
Lowndes and State of Missis-
sippi, and more particularly de-
scribed as follows, to wit:
Commencing at the Southeast
corner of the SW 'A of the NW
'A of Section 25, Township 19
South, Range 18 West,
Lowndes County, Mississippi;
thence run South 86 degrees
00 minutes West a distance of
20 feet to the West right-of-way
line of the county road; thence
run North 4 degrees 00
minutes West along said road
right-of-way a distance of 895.5
feet to the POINT OF BEGIN-
NING; thence run South 86 de-
grees 00 minutes West a dis-
tance of 210 feet to a stake;
thence run North 04 degrees
00 minutes West a distance of
210 feet to a stake; thence run
North 86 degrees 00 minutes
East a distance of 210 feet to
a stake on the West right-of-
way line of the county road;
thence run South 04 degrees
00 minutes East a distance of
210 feet back to the Point of
Beginning; containing 1 acre
more or less and lying in the
SW 'A of the NW 1/4 of said
Section 25, Township 19
South, Range 18 West,
Lowndes County, Mississippi
Indexing Instructions: SW 1/4
NW 1/4 Section 25, Township
19 South, Range 18 West.
By Fee Simple Deed from Luev-
ina Williams, Lucille Williams,
Rodie Williams Cunningham,
Earnest Williams, Helen Willi-
ams, Aex Williams, Brenda Wil-
liams and Gloria Williams, as
set forth in Deed Book 590,
Page 526, Dated 07/03/1978
and recorded 07/06/1978,
Lowndes County Records,
State of Mississippi
I WILL CONVEY only such title
as vested in me as Substi-
tuted Trustee.
WITNESS MY SIGNATURE on
this 14th day of January, 2021. answer or other pleading, but
Tania Pineda, Officer
Shapiro & Brown, LLC
SUBSTITUTED TRUSTEE
LOGS Legal Group LLP
1080 River Oaks Drive, Suite
B-202
Flowood, MS 39232
(601) 981-9299
758 Hairston Bend Road
Columbus, MS 39701
18-021895
Publication Dates:
February 9, February 16 and
February 23, 2021
General Services
HANDYMAN−CERTIFIED IN
MAINTENANCE
Electrical, woodwork,
plumbing, decks, roofing,
drywall, painting, concrete,
yard work, hauling, moving.
All credit cards accepted.
Payment plans. Will trade
for almost anything.
662−386−3658.
WORK WANTED: Licensed
& Bonded. Carpentry, minor
electrical, minor plumbing,
insulation, painting, demo−
lition, gutters cleaned,
pressure washing, land−
scaping, cleanup work.
662−242−3608.
Rodie Williams Cunningham,
Earnest Williams, Helen Willi-
ams, Aex Williams, Brenda Wil-
liams and Gloria Williams, as
set forth in Deed Book 590,
Page 526, Dated 07/03/1978
ADS APPEAR IN THE COMMERCIAL DISPATCH,
and recorded 07/06/1978,
Lowndes County Records,
State of Mississippi
THE STARKVILLE DISPATCH AND ONLINE
I WILL CONVEY only such title
as vested in me as Substi-
To place ads starting at only $12,
tuted Trustee. call 662-328-2424 or visit ads.cdispatch.com
WITNESS MY SIGNATURE on
this 14th day of January, 2021. THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 n 6B
Tania Pineda, Officer
Shapiro & Brown, LLC
SUBSTITUTED TRUSTEE
Legal Notices
LOGS Legal Group LLP General Help Wanted Mobile Homes for Rent
1080 River Oaks Drive, Suite
B-202 LEGAL SECRETARY needed 4BR/2BA MH, on private 1
Flowood, MS 39232 for local firm. Must be able acre setting with covered
(601) 981-9299
to work dual screen back porch. Caledonia
758 Hairston Bend Road computer. Mail resume school dist. Credit check
Columbus, MS 39701 with references to: required. Call 662−251−
18-021895 Blind Box 679 c/o The 3205 & leave message.
Commercial Dispatch
Publication Dates: PO Box 511 RENT A CAMPER!
February 9, February 16 and Columbus MS 39703 CHEAPER THAN A MOTEL!
February 23, 2021
Utilities & cable included,
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NOTICE TO CREDITORS
DISPATCH seeks a motiv- Columbus & County School
CAUSE NO.: 2021-0030-JNS ated, contracted carrier for locations. 662−242−3803
the Caledonia area. Excel- or 601−940−1397.
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
lent opportunity to earn
LOWNDES COUNTY money for college. Must
REAL ESTATE
Letters Testamentary have have good transportation,
been granted and issued to the valid driver's license & in-
undersigned upon the estate of surance. Delivers on
CHARLIE WILLIAM UPTON, de- Sunday morning and Mon-
ADS STARTING AT $25
Sudoku
ceased, by the Chancery Court Fri afternoons. Apply at The
of Lowndes County, Missis-
YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
Commercial Dispatch, 516
sippi, on the 12th day of Febru- Main Street in Columbus. Farms & Timberland
Sudoku
Yesterday’s answer
ary, A.D., 2021. This is to give Sudoku is a number-
notice to all persons having No phone calls please.
claims against said estate to placing puzzle based on
Probate and Register same 203 ACRES
Sudoku
a 9x9 gridis a several
with num- 3 6 5 4 7 1 9 8 2
RENTALS
with the Chancery Clerk of PRIME TIMBERLAND
ber-placing
given numbers.puzzle
The object 2 4 8 9 3 5 1 6 7
2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Lowndes County, Mississippi, $270,000
within ninety (90) days from Exc deer, turkey hunting based onthe
is to place a 9x9
numbers 1 9 7 2 6 8 3 4 5
this date. A failure to so Pro- Good Investment grid
1 to 9with
in theseveral
empty spaces 4 7 3 8 1 2 6 5 9
bate and Register said claim ADS STARTING AT $25 (615)719−8329
given
will forever bar the same. so thatnumbers. The 9 5 1 7 4 6 2 3 8
each row, each
object
column is andtoeach
place
3x3 the
box 6 8 2 3 5 9 4 7 1
This the 12th day of February, Houses For Sale: New Hope
2021. Apts For Rent: North numbers
contains the1sameto 9 number
in
the empty spaces so 7 2 6 1 8 4 5 9 3
Storage House converted only once. The difficulty 5 3 9 6 2 7 8 1 4
/s/ Terry Lee Upton 2−3BR/1BA DUPLEX, into a small house. that each row, each
TERRY LEE UPTON Apt B, newly renovated with level increases from
bonus room. HUD
Plumbing and Electrical column and each 8 1 4 5 9 3 7 2 6
/s/ Dewayne Upton accepted. 662−425−6954.
already installed. Monday
3x3 boxtocontains
Sunday. Difficulty Level 2/22
DEWAYNE UPTON Small kitchenette and
bathroom. $6,000. the same number only once. The difficulty level
PUBLISH: 2/23, 3/2 & 802 17TH ST. N. 678−368−0631 increases from Monday to Sunday.
3/9/2021 2 bed/ 1 bath, all electric,
Lots & Acreage
ceramic tiled bath, carpet,
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF appliances. $475/Mth.
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS- Credit check. Call Long & 1.75 ACRE LOTS: Good/
SIPPI Bad Credit Options. Good
Long @ 662−328−0770.
credit as low as 20% down,
IN THE MATTER OF THE ES- Apts For Rent: West $499/mo. Eaton Land,
TATE OF LARRY B. MAXEY, DE-
662−361−7711.
CEASED
VIP
LINDA B. MAXEY, ADMINIS- Restricted residential lot,
Rentals
TRATOR very nice, over 3 acres with
some trees. Callaway
NO. 2021-0008-PDE Estates off Taylor Thurston
RULE 81 SUMMONS BY PUB- Apartments & Houses Road. $35,000. Call Long
LICATION & Long, 662−386−2023.
1 Bedrooms
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
2 Bedroooms
MERCHANDISE
3 Bedrooms
TO: THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF
LARRY B. MAXEY, DECEASED
NOTICE TO DEFENDANT(S) Furnished & Unfurnished ADS STARTING AT $12
You have been made a Defend-
ant in the suit filed in this
1, 2, & 3 Baths
Burial Plots
Court by Linda B. Maxey, Peti- Lease, Deposit
tioner, seeking to determine
the heirs-at-law of Larry B. & Credit Check 4 PLOTS @ FRIENDSHIP
CEMETERY: Lot #78,
Maxey, Deceased. You are viceinvestments.com
327-8555
hereby summoned to appear grave spaces 1, 2, 3 & 4.
and defend against the Peti- Will sell separately.
tion for Determination of Heirs Call for more info,
of Larry B. Maxey filed in this 870−265−1533.
action at 9:30 o’clock a.m. on Apts For Rent: Other
the 20th day of April, 2021, in Sporting Goods
the Chancery Courtroom of the
Lowndes County Courthouse, in ED SANDERS GUNSMITH
Columbus, Mississippi, and in
case of your failure to appear Open for season!
Tue−Fri: 9−5 & Sat: 9−12
and defend, a judgment or or-
der may be entered against you Over 50 years experience!
granting the relief requested in Repairs, cleaning, refin−
the Petition. ishing, scopes mounted &
zeroed, handmade knives.
You are not required to file an Located: Hwy 45 Alt, North
of West Point, turn right on
you may do so if you desire.
Yokahama Blvd, 8mi & turn
left on Darracott Rd, will
Issued under my hand and the
seal of said Court, this the see sign, 2.5mi ahead
18th day of February, 2021. shop on left.
662−494−6218.
CHANCERY CLERK, LOWNDES
COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI
COMMUNITY
BY: /s/ Shantrell W. Grander-
son
D. C.
ACROSS
PUBLISH: 2/23, 3/2 & ADS STARTING AT $12 1 Like Superman
3/9/2021
Lost & Found Items 6 Windshield
COLEMAN clearer
EMPLOYMENT RENTALS
TOWNHOUSES & APARTMENTS
Missing M&O RR Fireplace
Mantle. A $200 Ransom
will be paid for recovery of
11 Make a
speech
12 Singer Lena
CALL US: 662-328-2424 1 BEDROOM Fireplace mantle pried from
13 They get
wall of Crawford’s M&O RR
2 BEDROOMS Section House. No spots out
General Help Wanted 3 BEDROOMS questions will be asked 15 Long, long
and the "law" is NOT
GROUND MAINTENANCE LEASE, involved. 662−769−1889. time
© The Dispatch
LABORER Job opening in 16 Building wing
Columbus & Dennis, MS DEPOSIT Pets
17 Second
and Pickensville, AL, for AND Boxer/Lab Puppies person
Grounds Maintenance
Laborer, to work on Tenn- CREDIT CHECK 2 males and 2 females 18 Honey
$400. 662−361−4081
Tom Waterway Project. This 20 Total
662-329-2323
position will be respons- 21 Agreeable
ible for the cleaning of facil- REGISTERED DACHSHUND
answer
ities, maintaining parks,
picnic grounds, play-
2411 HWY 45 N puppies for sale.
Ready to go now! 22 Carryall 41 Body pump 9 In transit
grounds & wildlife areas. COLUMBUS, MS Call 205−596−3264. 23 Gives a hoot 42 “In the Seven 10 Begins anew
Must be 18 years or older, Lost & Found Pets 26 Trees with Woods” poet 14 Yale students
pass drug screen, & have Houses For Rent: North 43 Peruvian 19 Looks over
valid driver's license with a needles
good driving record. EOE. COLONIAL TOWNHOUSES.
FOUND: Small white dog
27 Beame and peaks 22 Even, as a
Send resume’ or apply @ 2 & 3 bedroom w/ 2−3
found in the New Hope
Burrows DOWN score
area near Mac Davis Road.
following: bath townhouses. $650 to Email yarbrosc@yahoo.com 28 Game cube 1 Message 23 Seed for rye
Columbus or Pickensville: $750. 662−549−9555. systems 24 Ike’s boyhood
R & D Maintenance Ser- Ask for Glenn or text.
or call 662−240−8580 29 Convoy
vices, Inc. member 2 Quiver item home
3600 W Plymouth Rd Mobile Homes for Rent Five Question: 30 Biting, as 3 Golfer Stewart 25 Yacht contest
Columbus, MS 39701
humor 4 Series-ending 26 Voracious fish
Dennis: 3BR/2BA MH in New Hope. abbr. 28 TV explorer
1 Yo-Yo Ma 34 Chicken —
R & D Maintenance Ser- $650 dep + $650/mo.
vices, Inc. No pets, quiet area. Leave king 5 Edits out 30 Pinochle
53 Lock & Dam Road voicemail with full name &
35 Historic time 6 Marine mam- scores
Dennis, MS 38838 message, 205−712−6697. mal 31 In the lead
2 CC
36 Garden tool
37 Party poopers 7 Charged 32 — Dame
Buy, sell, trade, or rent. 40 Paid for a particle 33 Lab activity
3 Japan
8 Makes a victim 38 Track act
hand
of 39 Boxer Norton
4 False
5 “Transformers:
Age of Extinction”
General Services Lawn Care / Landscaping
BANKRUPTCY JESSE & BEVERLY’S
LAWN SERVICE
CHAPTER 7 Fall Cleanup, Tree Cutting,
BANKRUPTCY Landscaping, Sodding &
$545 plus Filing Fee Bush Hogging
662−356−6525
CHAPTER 13
BANKRUPTCY Painting & Papering
All Attorney Fees Through The Plan
Jim Arnold, Attorney SULLIVAN’S PAINT
SERVICE In 2014, The Dispatch
662-324-1666 Special Prices.
Interior & Exterior Painting.
started Lowndes County
104 South Lafayette Street, Starkville
Please visit our website:
662−435−6528 Imagination Library, a
jimharnold.com non-profit that promotes
Saturday morning appointments If you don’t advertise
available for Starkville Office. your business, early childhood literacy.
how are they gonna know?