Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
This is a sample copy of The Dispatch's section A.
Citation preview
PREP PLAYER OF THE WEEK:Caledonia’s Jessica Comerbounding back from injury
Sports, Page 1B
TERMINATED:Schwarzenegger,
Shriver splitPeople, Page 2A
MAIN DISPATCH LINE 328-2424 ! NEWS TIPS 328-2471
WWW.CDISPATCH.COM " COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI " 132ND YEAR, NO. 51 " 50 CENTS
THE COMMERCIAL DISPATCHTUESDAY, MAY 10, 2011
Five QuestionsWeather1 What does the E stand for inESRB, the software ratingsboard that determines an appro-priate age for video games?2 What keyboardist leads thelate-night CBS Orchestra?3 What title does SarahFerguson's divorce agreementprohibit her from beingaddressed as?4 What 73-year-old actorbecame head of the NationalRifle Association in 1998?5 What “emerald beverage” didHiroshi Maeda use to flavor theice cream he hoped to hookAmericans on?
Answers, 6B
CalendarThursdayGirlchoir concert:The ColumbusGirlchoir presents its annualspring concert at 7:30 p.m. inthe Artz Fellowship Hall of FirstUnited Methodist Church inColumbus. The concert is freeand open to the public.
SaturdayFarmers’ Market GrandOpening: Enjoy the freshestlocal produce, crafts, plants,children’s activity and live musicat the grand opening of theHitching Lot Farmers’ Market atSecond Street and SecondAvenue North, Columbus, from7-10 a.m. New hours begin May14: Monday evenings 5-7 p.m.,
Thursday mornings 6-10 a.m.,and Saturday mornings 7-10a.m. For more information, con-tact Main Street Columbus, 662-328-6305.
SundayC-town Cares: The ColumbusPolice Department, ColumbusFire and Rescue, Station 7 andothers present a benefit concertfor victims of the Smithville tor-nado at the Riverwalk, 1 p.m.-until. An admission charge willapply; monetary and non-perish-able donations will be accepted.Performers include Big JoeShelton, Cold 20, Fading Point,Fast Scarlett, Juke JointGypsies, Two Jazzy and more.
Jerry Clark III, BrightBeginnings Pre-K
Tonight: Mainly clear, low 65
Tomorrow: Sunshine andpatchy clouds, high 90
More weather, 2A
Local Folks
Shane Darrell is a firefighter forColumbus Fire and Rescue.
Kelly Tippett/Dispatch StaffTina Sweeten, pictured at the Rosenzweig Arts Center at 501 Main St., has been selected as the newexecutive director of the Columbus Arts Council.
BY CARMEN K. [email protected]
Columbus High School has anew principal, the ColumbusMunicipal School District boardof trustees announced duringMonday night’s regular meetingat the Columbus MunicipalComplex.
West Point High School asso-ciate principal Scott Hallmarkwill replace current CHS princi-pal Craig Shannon, whoresigned from his post in Marchin order to return to the centraloffice and continue his duties asspecial assistant to the superin-tendent.
Hallmark, who holds seven
years administrative experienceand five years experience in theclassroom, has been lauded forhis work in raising math testscores — specifically in Algebra— from 18 percent to 80 percentat West Point.
He was selected by an eight-member committee comprisedof Columbus High School teach-
ers, parents, community mem-bers, and the CMSD centraloffice staff.
“He is a strong leader, andwe’re very fortunate to have thisgentleman come to our district,”CMSD board president GlennLautzenhiser said Tuesdaymorning. “He’s a knowledge-able, strong leader with success
in his background, and we wel-come him.”
Hallmark, who was not pres-ent last night, was invited to for-mally introduce himself to theboard and the public at the nextschool board meeting.
This morning, he saidthough he loves West Point and
BY RYAN [email protected]
Hope CommunityChurch served up a steam-ing cup of controversyMonday when it asked theColumbus PlanningCommission to let it movedowntown and set up a cof-fee shop.
The church, which iscurrently on Highway 45North near the RiverhillChevron, hopes to reno-
vate the old Varsity movietheater at 401 Main St.,across from the GilmerInn, by December toaccommodate thechurch’s 150 or so mem-bers as well as a dona-tions-driven coffee shop.
“We’ve thought about itand we want to embed our-selves in this downtowncommunity,” said PastorBo Jeffares.
To become the first
BY JAN [email protected]
Tina Sweeten has hit theground running. The newexecutive director of the
Columbus Arts Council is immers-ing herself in the operations of thenonprofit agency that brings visualand performing arts, concerts,classes and exhibits to theFriendly City and surroundingareas. Following an extensivesearch, the Arts Council Board ofDirectors announced Monday theselection of Sweeten to serve as itsnew executive director, effectiveimmediately.
Sweeten brings more than 18years experience in supervisionand management of budgets,staff and volunteers, strategicplanning and program develop-ment to her new position.
Arts Council Board President
Elizabeth Johnson has served asinterim director during thesearch.
“Tina’s background made heran ideal fit,” Johnson said.“Working with volunteer organi-zations has been a top priority in
her life, and we look forward tohaving her leadership and visionas we continue to serve the com-munity through arts educationand programming.”
“I’m very excited to beginworking with the board of theColumbus Arts Council as we col-laborate to bring more programs,funding opportunities and eventsto the organization,” saidSweeten, who is busy this weekgetting acquainted with her newoffice and programs at theRosenzweig Arts Center in down-town Columbus.
The incoming director mostrecently served as field supervi-sor of the Early ChildhoodInstitute at Mississippi StateUniversity. She holds a Master ofArts degree in nonprofit manage-ment from Hamline University inSt. Paul, Minn., and a Bachelor of
Sweeten takes helm at Columbus Arts Council
Veteran volunteer, fundraisertapped to lead arts agency
BY RYAN [email protected]
The man who was shotmultiple times in a fire-fight with LowndesCounty deputies died atthe hospital Monday.Meanwhile, five deputieshave been placed onadministrative leave withpay pending an investiga-tion.
John Rogers
Montgomery, who was inhis mid-30s and lived at249 Askew Road inLowndes County, openedfire on deputies Mondaymorning as they weresearching for him.
Montgomery, who hadthreatened family mem-bers the previous day andevaded capture, had beenoff of his paranoid schizo-phrenia medication since
West Point educator named new Columbus High principal
Church’s plan tooccupy downtowntheater challenged
Man shot in firefight withLowndes deputies dies
Provided ImageAn architect’s rendering shows Hope CommunityChurch’s proposed renovations to the abandoned down-town movie theater across from the Gilmer Inn.
See CHURCH, 6A
See ARTS, 6A See FIREFIGHT, 6A
See PRINCIPAL, 6A
“I’m very excited tobegin working with theboard of the ColumbusArts Council as we collab-orate to bring more pro-grams, funding opportu-nities and events to theorganization.”
Tina Sweeten
TRIPOLI, LIBYANATO warplanesstruck Tripoli earlytoday in the heaviestbombing of the Libyancapital in weeks, hoursafter an uptick in fightingbetween rebels andMoammar Gadhafi’sforces on a long dead-locked front line in thecountry’s east. NATOstruck at least four sitesin Tripoli, setting offcrackling explosions thatthundered through thecity overnight. Onestrike hit a building thatlocal residents said wasused by a military intelli-gence agency. Anothertargeted a governmentbuilding that officialssaid was sometimes usedby parliament members.It was not immediatelyclear what the other twostrikes hit, but one ofthem sent plumes ofsmoke over Tripoli.Libyan officials wouldnot say what that strikehit but the smokeappeared to come fromthe sprawling compoundhousing members ofGadhafi’s family.Between explosions, anaircraft dropped burningflares. Some residentsresponded by raking thesky with gunfire andbeeping their horns. TheTripoli bombing camejust hours after heavyfighting was reportedMonday on the easternfront, south of Ajdabiya,a rebel-held town about90 miles south ofBenghazi, the rebel
headquarters in the east.
PAKTIKA, AFGHANISTANA hundred or so tur-baned, beardedAfghans packed theplastic mats outside thefort, staring skeptically atAfghan officials on amakeshift outdoor stage.The officials were mak-ing the case for settingup a local police force.Off to the side, watchingsilently, were the U.S.special operations troopswho had made the meet-ing possible by flying inthe officials and disarm-ing the villagers beforethey entered the com-pound. If all went well,the Americans wouldlater be training theneighborhood-watch-likepolice force to protectthe villagers from theTaliban, and hasteningthe handover of securityresponsibility to theAfghans. The AssociatedPress got a rare glimpseat the ground level ofthis U.S. special opera-tions mission — onevastly different from thedaring raid to kill Osamabin Laden in Pakistan.The U.S. commander inAfghanistan, Gen. DavidPetraeus, creditsincreased use of specialoperations with helpingblunt Taliban momen-tum, largely by takingout militant leaders.
TOKYOAbout 100 evacueeswere allowed into theexclusion zone aroundJapan’s troubledFukushima Dai-ichinuclear plant Tuesdayfor a brief visit to gatherbelonging from theirhomes. The excursionmarked the first time thegovernment has felt con-fident enough in the safe-ty of the area to sanctioneven short trips there.Residents have beenpushing hard for weeksfor permission to checkup on their homes. Theevacuees — just a frac-tion of the tens of thou-sands forced to flee whenthe plant started leakingradiation after the March11 earthquake and tsuna-mi — boarded charteredgovernment buses forthe two-hour visit. Theywere provided with pro-tective suits, goggles andface masks to wear whilein the zone, and wereissued plastic bags to puttheir belongings in. Theywere also given dosime-ters to monitor radiationlevels and walkie-talkies.All were to be screenedfor radiation contamina-
tion after leaving the 12-mile zone.
WASHINGTONOn a clear Septemberafternoon, a tractor-trailer truck crested asmall rise on a stretch ofinterstate highway inOklahoma. Plainly visiblein the distance weremore than a dozen carsand trucks that hadstopped while a fender-bender was beingcleared. Instead of slow-ing, the 40,000-poundtruck barreled ahead atnearly 70 mph, plowinginto the traffic. It rodeover three cars, draggingthem under its wheels,and smashed othersbefore finally halting.Ten people were killed.Investigators said laterthe 76-year-old truckerhad slept only about fivehours the previous night.He’d been on the roadalmost 10 hours. TheNational TransportationSafety Board begins atwo-day forum today tohear from federal regula-tors, safety experts, andthe truck and bus indus-tries about what is beingdone to prevent deadlyaccidents like 2009 crashnear Miami, Okla., andwhy past safety recom-mendations — some ofthem decades old —haven’t been enacted.“There has been a lot ofprogress — the datadoes show that fatalitieshave come down — butthere is still a lot of workthat needs to be done,”NTSB member RobertSumwalt said.
WASHINGTONChina is using high-level meetings to urgethe United States toallow more technologyexports into the boomingChinese economy as away of balancing trade.The United States, mean-while, has criticized the
communist-led nation’slatest crackdown ondemocracy advocates,arguing that long-termstability depends onrespecting human rights.Both sides issued famil-iar grievances at the U.S.-China Strategic andEconomic Dialogue,which began inWashington on Monday,but they took pains tostress a generally posi-tive track in relationsbetween the two econom-ic superpowers. StateCouncilor Dai Bingguosaid common interestsbetween the world’s twolargest economies nowmake them “inseparable”and destined to growmore interdependent.The annual two-dayround of talks bringstogether leaders on eco-nomics, foreign policyand security. The meet-ings, involving scores ofofficials, wrap upTuesday with news con-ferences.
CARACAS, VENEZUELAColombia’s extraditionof alleged cocaine king-pin Walid Makled hasVenezuelans asking aboutthe huge payments heclaims to have made toclose associates ofPresident Hugo Chavezand opposition leaders aredemanding answers. Theallegations, lingeringdoubts and inquiries aboutmillions of dollars in pay-ments purportedly madeto government officialsand military officers hasprompted the independentmedia to nickname him“Venezuela’s DeepThroat.” Opposition lead-ers are asking if Chavezwas aware of alleged dirtydealings, how Makledamassed a fortune esti-mated at roughly $1 bil-lion in a decade, if investi-gators will try to answerthe questions and whetherany officials will ever go totrial.
AROUND THE NATION, WORLD
Tuesday
Rodrigo Abd/APA new recruit loyal to the Libyan rebel fighters shouts slogans during training in Benghazi, Libya, Monday.
A Thousand Words
SAY WHAT?“I am not where I need to be, but I am getting back.”
Caledonia High School distance runner Jessica Comer. Story, 1B
THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com2A TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2011
Report a missing paper?! 662-328-2424 ext. 100! Toll-free 877-328-2430
Buy a classified ad?! 662-328-2424 ext. 133
Buy a display ad?! 662-328-2424
Report a news tip?! 662-328-2471! [email protected]
E-mail a letter?! [email protected]
Report a sports game score?! 662-241-5000
Submit a calendar item?! Go to www.cdispatch.com/community
Submit a birth, wedding oranniversary announcement?! Download forms at www.cdis-patch.com/lifestyles
Office hours: ! 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri.
Main line: ! 662-328-2424
HOW DO I ...
PRINT NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTIONS
ONLINE AND E-EDITION SUBSCRIPTIONS
CONTACTING THE DISPATCH
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
Physical address: 516 Main St., Columbus, MS 39701
Mailing address: P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703-0511
Starkville Bureau: 101 S. Lafayette St. #16, Starkville, MS 39759
Call to subscribe and for customer serviceCirculation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 662-328-2424 ext. 100
Toll free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-328-2430Miss your paper? Operators are on duty until 7 p.m. weekdays and6 a.m. until 9 a.m. Sundays.
Subscription rates** Mail subscription ratesEZ Pay* $10.50 EZ Pay* $18.001 month $12.00 1 month $20.003 months $34.00 3 months $58.006 months $66.00 6 months $110.0012 months $126.00Sunday only $ 7.00**Rates apply to home delivery only.* EZ Pay is the automatic processing of your credit card each month.
The Commercial Dispatch (USPS 142-320)Published daily except Saturday. Entered at the post office at Columbus, Mississippi.
Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, MSPOSTMASTER, Send address changes to:
The Commercial Dispatch, P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703Published by Commercial Dispatch Publishing Company Inc.,
516 Main St., Columbus, MS 39703
To subscribe, simply visit cdispatch.com and start reading stories.You will be prompted to subscribe.Online customer service e-mail: [email protected] customer service phone: 866-717-7377Monthly rate: $7.95Annual rate: $79.50Monthly subscription rate for print subscribers: $1.95
110s100s90s80s70s60s50s40s30s20s10s0s-0-10s
Showers T-Storms Rain Flurries Snow IceStationaryCold Warm
HighLow
Five-Day forecast for the Golden Triangle
Almanac Data National Weather
Lake Levels
River Stages
Sun and MoonSolunar table
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W
Weather(W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, i-ice, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms,r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow
Yesterday 7 a.m. 24-hr.Lake Capacity yest. change
The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be !shing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times.
Temperature
Precipitation
Tombigbee
Yesterday Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr.River stage yest. change
MonterreyMonterrey99/7399/73
ChihuahuaChihuahua86/5586/55
Los AngelesLos Angeles72/5672/56
WashingtonWashington76/5676/56
New YorkNew York68/5268/52
MiamiMiami89/7489/74
AtlantaAtlanta92/6792/67
DetroitDetroit76/5576/55
HoustonHouston87/7387/73
Kansas CityKansas City86/6386/63
ChicagoChicago84/6184/61
MinneapolisMinneapolis84/6684/66
El PasoEl Paso78/5978/59
DenverDenver56/3956/39
BillingsBillings64/3964/39
San FranciscoSan Francisco58/4858/48
SeattleSeattle64/4464/44
TorontoToronto63/4663/46
MontrealMontreal65/4465/44
WinnipegWinnipeg68/4168/41
Monterrey99/73
Chihuahua86/55
Los Angeles72/56
Washington76/56
New York68/52
Miami89/74
Atlanta92/67
Detroit76/55
Houston87/73
Kansas City86/63
Chicago84/61
Minneapolis84/66
El Paso78/59
Denver56/39
Billings64/39
San Francisco58/48
Seattle64/44
Toronto63/46
Montreal65/44
Winnipeg68/41
Columbus Monday
High/low .................................... 89°/62°Normal high/low ......................... 81°/58°
Monday ........................................... 0.00”Month to date ................................. 0.65”Normal month to date ...................... 1.32”Year to date .................................. 24.05”Normal year to date ....................... 23.37”
Wednesday Thursday
Atlanta 92 67 s 88 65 pcBoston 57 47 pc 64 50 pcChicago 84 61 t 80 60 tDallas 86 67 t 85 65 tHonolulu 87 74 sh 87 74 pcJacksonville 92 67 t 88 67 tMemphis 90 70 pc 85 63 t
90°
64°
Wednesday
Sunshine and patchy clouds
85°
62°
Thursday
Clouds and sun; warm and humid
84°
55°
Friday
Some sun, a t-storm possible
77°
53°
Saturday
Showers and t-storms possible
Aberdeen Dam 188’ 163.09’ +0.12’Stennis Dam 166’ 137.03’ +0.12’Bevill Dam 136’ 136.27’ -0.09’
Amory 20’ 12.02’ -0.39’Bigbee 14’ 7.09’ -0.79’Columbus 15’ 6.49’ -0.32’Fulton 20’ 11.10’ -1.05’Tupelo 21’ 2.35’ -0.45’
New
June 1
Last
May 24
Full
May 17
First
May 10
Sunrise ..... 5:57 a.m.Sunset ...... 7:43 p.m.Moonrise . 12:28 p.m.Moonset .... 1:11 a.m.
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2011
Major ..... 7:33 a.m.Minor ..... 1:20 a.m.Major ..... 7:58 p.m.Minor ..... 1:45 p.m.
Major ..... 8:20 a.m.Minor ..... 2:07 a.m.Major ..... 8:45 p.m.Minor ..... 2:32 p.m.
WednesdayTuesday
Wednesday Thursday
Nashville 90 67 pc 86 63 pcOrlando 93 69 t 91 67 tPhiladelphia 73 52 s 74 54 sPhoenix 86 67 s 92 73 sRaleigh 78 58 pc 76 59 pcSalt Lake City 61 45 s 71 49 sSeattle 64 44 r 61 43 pc
Tonight
Mainly clear
65°
SNAP JUDGMENT: ONLINE POLL
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
Yes, (26) 23%
No. (37) 33%
My garden is down the produce aisle. (48) 43%
Have you planted a garden yet?
MORE POLLS: Vote online at cdispatch.com.
It was a storybook mar-riage in 1986 on aspring weekend onCape Cod that united aprincess of an Americanpolitical dynasty, MariaShriver, and the gap-toothed muscle-cladmovie star famousenough to be known byone name, Arnold. FormerCalifornia Gov. ArnoldSchwarzenegger and Shriverannounced their separationlate Monday, cleaving a some-times-turbulent 25-year rela-tionship after “a time of greatpersonal and professional tran-sition for each of us,” the cou-ple said in a joint statement.The breakup comes about fourmonths after Schwarzenegger
ended a bumpy, two-term run as Californiagovernor, a job his wifenever wanted him topursue.
Al Pacino is telling anew mob family story,joining John Travoltafor the crime saga
“Gotti: Three Generations.”Pacino will play Gambino crimefamily underboss NeilDellacroce, an associate andmentor to John Gotti Sr.(Travolta), says the film’s pro-ducer, Fiore Films. “Gotti”reunites Pacino with BarryLevinson, who directed theactor in his role as Dr. JackKevorkian in last year’s TVmovie “You Don’t Know Jack.”
Shriver
Junji Kurokawa/APA woman offers prayers outside her house overlookingan area destroyed by the march 11 earthquake andtsunami in Kesennuma, northeastern Japan, today.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHILADELPHIA —Authorities say 15 cabinswere destroyed and sevenothers were damaged byfire Monday morning onthe Neshoba CountyFairgrounds in east centralMississippi.
Most cabins usually areoccupied only during theweeklong fair each sum-mer. The NeshobaDemocrat newspaperreports four firefighterswere treated for heatexhaustion. The state fire
marshal is investigatingwhat started the blaze in
the “new” section of the fair-grounds. Fairview
Volunteer Fire Departmentwas dispatched at 8:43 a.m.
TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2011 3A
ONLINE CRIME NEWSSee a gallery of local mug shots, crime trends and
other law and order news at cdispatch.com/crime.
ONLINE SUBSCRIPTIONSFor less than $1 per month print subscribers can receive unlimitedaccess to story comments, extra photos, newspaper archives andmuch more by purchasing an online subscription. Non-subscriberscan purchase online access for less than $7 per month. Go to www.cdispatch.com/subscribe.
Ways to reach The DispatchLetters to the Editor
[email protected] DispatchAttn: Letters to the EditorP.O. Box 511Columbus, MS 39703
Birth/Engagement/Wedding/Anniversary Announcements
Download forms atwww.cdispatch.com/lifestyles
Submit events to our free online community calendar
www.cdispatch.com/community
News About TownNon-profits and civic clubs may submit free News About Town (NATS) announcements.
[email protected]: NATS
Subscribewww.cdispatch.com/subscribe
662.328.2433
News Tips & Story SuggestionsSee news? We’d like to know about it.
662.328.2427
www.cdispatch.com/tips
Classifi ed AdvertisementsSell your items with our affordable classified options.
www.cdispatch.com/classifi eds
662.328.2427
Retail AdvertisementsCall to speak with one of our advertising executives about your needs
662.328.2427
Follow us onlinewww.facebook.com/TheDispatch
@cdispatch
the ExpertTake advantage of this opportunity to establish yourself as the expert in
your field in the community.
Q:Why are fares more expensive out of the smaller airports?
Smaller regional jets cannot hold as many passengers but their overall costs are still similar to the larger jets. Therefore, airlines must charge more to cover the increased cost per passenger. However,
the overall cost of travel from regional airports is often less when you take into consideration all the costs associated with your trip. The cost of driving to the larger city, higher parking rates, as well as the additional time are all factors that increase the total cost of the trip. The airlines have arranged the schedules so you can fly out of the hometown regional airport and still reach international destinations through their major hubs. The bottom line is that in many cases you can still get the convenience of the hometown airport for comparable overall costs of flying from a larger airport.
A:
the Expert on Air Travel
www.gtra.comMike Hainsey, A.A.E.
Executive Director
© The Dispatch
Example Ad:(Actual size 3.236”x5”)
662-328-2427Call today!
Your ad will consist of a custom header designed to refl ect your area of expertise, followed by your photo, company logo and the question and answer that you provide.
Only one expert per area will be allowed to run at a time, and experts can run in The Dispatch for as long as they like.
Ads will run the last Thursday of each month for only $80. This is a 40% savings off a regular ad of
the same size.
PARCHMAN Corrections officialswere ready today forthe scheduled execu-tion of death rowinmate Benny JoeStevens. Stevens was todeath in 1999 for thedeaths of four people,including two children,at a mobile home inrural Marion County.Barring any last minutereprieve by the U.S.Supreme Court,Stevens was scheduledto be executed shortlyafter 6 p.m. at the statepenitentiary inParchman.Stevens, now 52, hadbeen placed in a hold-ing cell adjacent to thelethal injection room atthe penitentiary atParchman. The prisonwas put on routinelockdown Monday.Two more executionsare scheduled for thismonth: Rodney Gray’son May 17 and RobertSimon Jr.’s on May 24.
BILOXIBiloxi police havearrested a manaccused of having pic-tures of childreninvolved in sexuallyexplicit conduct. TheSun Herald reports 27-year-old MichaelWilliam Rogers wasarrested Monday after-noon on a charge ofsexual exploitation ofchildren. DetectiveSteve Schlicht sayspolice received a com-plaint and searchedRogers’ home. Schlichtsays evidence collectedduring the search sub-stantiated the com-plaint and Rogers wastaken into custody. Hesays detectives seizedindecent pictures andalso found digital pho-tos on his cell phone.Rogers is being held atthe Harrison Countyjail on $50,000 bond setby Justice Court JudgeAlbert Fountain. It wasnot immediately knownwhether Rogers has anattorney.
GULFPORTThe Mississippi
Highway Patrolwants to hear fromanyone who witnessedan accident involving aman who apparentlyfell from the back of apickup truck earlySunday morning andwas killed. SpokesmanJohnny Poulos tellsThe Sun Herald that31-year-old Adam Kingof Denham Springs,La., was alone in theback of a westboundpickup while his broth-er and a friend rode inthe cab. Poulos saysKing came out of theback of the pickup onInterstate 10 nearGulfport and wasstruck by more thanone vehicle. Authoritieswere called at 3:15 a.m.The Harrison Countycoroner said King diedat the scene. TheMississippi Bureau ofInvestigation is review-ing the case.
D’IBERVILLEThe MississippiBureau ofInvestigation hasarrested a manaccused of leaving thescene of a fatal motor-cycle wreck on March20 and abandoning amaroon pickup truck atthe scene. HighwayPatrol Master Sgt.Johnny Poulos tellsThe Sun Herald that41-year-old WillieCharles Cruso IV ofPascagoula was arrest-ed Monday on a chargeof leaving the scene ofan accident causing adeath.Cruso is being held atthe Harrison Countyjail on $100,000 bondset by Justice CourtJudge Bruce Strong.Investigators say 22-year-old Sara DellingerWhite of Saucier wasriding a motorcycledriven by her husbandwhen they were struckon Mississippi 67 nearD’Iberville. White diedat the scene and herhusband was seriouslyinjured. It was notimmediately knownwhether Cruso has anattorney.
From wire reports
More than dozen cabins burn on Neshoba County Fairgrounds
AROUND THE STATE
Ryan Poe/Dispatch StaffColumbus police officer Kelvin Lee calls in more details about the early morning one-vehicle wreck in a drainageditch on Ridge Road near the Columbus Country Club that left 20-year-old Mary Pruitt with moderate injuries.
BY RYAN [email protected]
A 20-year-old woman suf-fered facial cuts and possi-bly a fracture today whenher white sedan careenedinto a drainage ditch.
Mary Pruitt, of LowndesCounty, was southbound onRidge Road at CrestwoodDrive near the ColumbusCountry Club when sheapparently lost control ofher older-model Geo Prismat about 7:15 a.m.
Her car went off theright-hand shoulder of theroad and plowed into theditch embankment, whereshe was assisted by para-medics, Columbus firefight-ers and police officers.
She was taken in stablecondition to BaptistMemorial Hospital–GoldenTriangle.
Information aboutwhether she was wearingher seat belt or whether shehad insurance was notimmediately available.
Ryan Poe/Dispatch StaffColumbus firefighters and paramedics prepare 20-year-old Lowndes County resident Mary Pruitt for her ambu-lance ride to Baptist Memorial Hospital–GoldenTriangle.
Woman hurt in one-carwreck near country club
Opinion THEDISPATCH
4A TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2011
OUR VIEW
FROM OUR WEBSITE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The messages below are excerpts fromreader comments posted at the end of on-linereports at www.cdispatch.com.
Columbus police overtime: A volunteersystem, spread thin - 5/7/2011
egh: The overtime probably is verymuch deserved. Divide the yearly pay by52 weeks and deduct 30 percent for taxes;their net weekly take home pay is povertylevel.
Who is the city of Columbus' highestpaid employee? - 5/7/2011
rangle: How much overtime was handedout covering the Market Street Festivalthis weekend?
Liddell named interim Columbusschool superintendent - 5/6/2011
life long educator: What a great choiceto fill the shoes of Dr. Del Phillips. Del dida great job during his tenure and I thinkthat Dr. Liddell is the natural choice tokeep the momentum going. Columbus ismoving to the top fast.
gdc10: I agree. She has the skills anddemeanor to provide the continuity theCity needs to sustain the gains we receivedfrom the things Dr. Phillips started. Also,she has proven herself time and again withher diligence in bringing much neededrevenue to the district. She has ensuredthat the children have things to do afterschool and in the summer with ALL thegrants she has been responsible for theDistrict winning. She is a jewel and we arefortunate to have her. We need to keep her.
colomsw: I also agree. In my experi-ences with Dr. Liddell, she has been veryimpressive. She has a sincere heart forhelping young people succeed. And mostimportantly, she seems very committed toworking on the social issues that impacteducation. Since I've been home, I've onlyheard great things about her work in ourdistrict. I feel very optimistic about ourfuture underneath her leadership.
dr. carr: The CMSD school board hasmade an excellent selection in choosingDr. Liddell as interim superintendent. Hervision, intense enthusiasm for excellence,love for children, ability to work coopera-tively in diverse settings coupled with thesuccess she has demonstrated in the edu-cation industry makes her the ideal personto lead the Columbus School District andcarry forth its mission. Given the opportu-nity, I'm confident she will carry CMSD togreat and new heights. Congratulations tothe school board for making an extraordi-nary choice.
School district handled Coueymatter properly
The recent decision of theStarkville School District Board ofTrustees to direct SuperintendentJudy Couey to take administrativeleave and her subsequent resignationdue to health reasons has createdquite the debate about the board’srelease of information following anexecutive session about her depar-ture.
According to the AttorneyGeneral, a school board’s legal obli-gation with respect to what happensin an executive session is as follows:
A board, such as a school board,may take official action inexecutive session. Further, a boardhas no legal obligation under the lawto report actions taken in executivesession other than through its min-utes which must be recorded withina period of time not to exceed 30days after the meeting was recessedor adjourned.
Thus a school board may, but hasno legal obligation to, publicly reportits action immediately upon exitingexecutive session. In any case, suchaction must be reflected in its min-utes, which must be timely recorded.Op. Atty. Gen. No. 2004-0315,
Yes, the board did vote to directSuperintendent Couey to take admin-istrative leave immediately during aspecial called board meeting on April20.
Yes, the board did vote to acceptCouey’s resignation and authorizedme, as the board president, to signany necessary agreements/docu-ments to carry it out.
The reason for Couey’s resigna-tion, according to her letter, was herdesire and need to concentrate onher health.
This information was released tothe media and public and approved inthe board’s minutes in accordancewith the law.
The school board did agree to an$80,000 financial settlement withCouey, which was agreed upon in acontract available through a publicrecords request. The personnel mat-ter is confidential to the extent whichthe law allows it to be. Members ofthe media and the public are entitled
to a copy of the document, but theschool board cannot answer ques-tions about the document.
Couey had three years remainingon her contract, the value of which is$390,000. The board agreed to a set-tlement because parties with compet-ing claims often negotiate a resolu-tion rather than pursuing actionwhich would result in a costly andprotracted legal battle.
WCBI was the first media outlet torequest the document, and the SSDcomplied with their request withinthe hour.
The minutes of all the board’smeetings are already approved andposted on the SSD’s website, with theexception of the minutes from May 3.As Board president and spokesper-son, I informed the reporter from theStarkville Daily News that a studentmatter and a matter of pending litiga-tion from a previously filed federalcourt case were the only items dis-cussed in that executive session. Ialso told the only reporter presentthat Couey was never even men-tioned.
While the school board certainlyunderstands the interest and atten-tion surrounding Couey’s resigna-tion, the school board is extremelysensitive to details regarding person-nel as the law is clearly written toprotect the privacy of employees, notthe school board.
Like the boards of other govern-mental entities, the school board isrepresented by legal counsel and hasbeen advised every step of the wayby two attorneys who specialize inschool law and advise multiple schoolboards and school districts.
The Mississippi EthicsCommission has even found that theschool board is in compliance withthe open meetings law after a com-plaint was filed alleging the boardviolated it. The school board con-ducts its meetings following thesame laws and practices of otherMississippi school districts. Themembers of the board also receivehours of training yearly from theMississippi School BoardsAssociation about how to be effectiveschool board members while also incompliance with all of the laws of thisstate.
Unlike governmental entities suchas municipalities, in addition to themore obvious governing functions ofthe school board, the board alsooperates as a judicial body whenhearing appeals from students andtheir parents and district employees.
All of the board’s decisions andactions are within the law.
Pickett Wilson Starkville
The writer is president of the SSDBoard of Trustees.
Appreciates encouragementI am writing to express my appre-
ciation to The Commercial Dispatchand Frank Phillips YMCA for spon-soring the Possum Town Mile-A-DayMarathon that started on May1st. There were a lot of walkers andrunners at the Riverwalk a week ago,and I would encourage everyone tochallenge themselves and commit towalking or running 26.2 miles dur-ing the month of May. The Y has alist of great walking and runningtrails in the area, such as theRiverwalk, Lake Lowndes andPlymouth Bluff. I believe people canstill sign up and walk a little morethan a mile a day and complete theMarathon.
Again, I want to thank those atThe Y and The Commercial Dispatchfor encouraging us to exercise andbecome healthier.
Al Moody Columbus
Drop for donationsJust wanted to drop a note and let
everyone know about a semi trailerset up in front of Southern FamilyMarket in east Columbus takingdonations for the tornado victims.This trailer has been in place sinceWednesday, thanks in part to SteviePyle, Gerald Banks and myself.Richard Doughty donated the trailer,Southern Family donated the space.The T-Shirt Shop donated the ban-ners on the trailer, and several volun-teers are manning the trailer. Itwould be nice to have some coverageabout this, as I believe this is theonly one in east Columbus.
David L. PerryColumbus
What’s the impact of theMarket Street festival eachyear?
The final tally isn’t in.Amber Murphree-Brislin,Director of Columbus MainStreet, estimated that thecity’s ultimate downtownstreet party on Friday andSaturday drew up to 40,000festivalgoers. A survey teamfrom Mississippi StateUniversity is getting morescientific — the group polledattendees and measured the
crowd Saturday, and isexpected to calculate its datain the coming weeks.
So we’re working on thescientific impact. But wehave a gauge on the less sci-entific, emotional impact too.
We saw the laughing chil-dren, playing in the bouncehouses, dunking a willingvictim in a dunking booth,and even spraying ColumbusFire and Rescue fire hosesin the kids’ play area. Wesaw babies in strollers
pushed by proud parents,catching up with neighborsand friends. We even talkedto some people millingaround the food booths andcrafts tables, who said theydidn’t live in Columbus any-more, but use the festival asan excuse to return home, atleast one weekend a year.
We saw downtown comealive with the smells of foodand sounds of music in theair. The sun was shining, theweather perfect.
We saw a crowd — what-ever the number turns outto be — enjoying downtownColumbus. Folks have com-mented on the Friday nightmusical crowd being largeand lively. Saturday night,the music relocated to theRiverwalk — a more inti-mate and comfortablevenue. The relocation hadthe added benefit of allowingthe festival on Main andMarket streets to breakdown quickly. Traffic was
flowing again before the sunwent down. Kudos to theorganizers and members ofthe city street departmentfor this welcome wrinkle inthe festivities.
Laughter, friendship,reconnecting with familyand old friends — and aparty atmosphere. Those areemotional, intangible bene-fits of the festival. They’rethe hardest to measure, butalso the ones we value themost.
BIRNEY IMES SR. Editor/Publisher 1922-1947BIRNEY IMES JR. Editor/Publisher 1947-2003BIRNEY IMES III Editor/Publisher
PETER IMES Operations ManagerCURTIS DAVIS Production ManagerSTEVE MULLEN Managing EditorTERRI COLLUMS Business ManagerBETH PROFFITT Ad DirectorMICHAEL FLOYD Circulation Manager
Our View: Local EditorialsLocal editorials appearing in this space representthe opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Theboard is composed of: Birney Imes, editor and pub-lisher; Steve Mullen, managing editor and seniornewsroom staff. To inquire about a meeting with theboard, please contact Steve at 662-328-2471, or e-mail [email protected].
Voice of the PeopleWe encourage you to share your opinion with read-ers of The Dispatch.Submit your letter to The Dispatch by:E-mail: [email protected]: P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703In person: 516 Main St., Columbus, or 101 S.Lafayette St., No. 16, Starkville.All letters must be signed by the author and mustinclude a telephone number for verification purposes.Letters should be no more than 500 words, andguest columns should be 500-700 words. Wereserve the right to edit submitted information.
A picture-perfect Market Street Festival
Birney Imes/Dispatch Staff Tenesha Washington, 11, works on a newspaper project in The Dispatch tent at Saturday's Market Street Fest.
Tenesha attends Columbus Middle School.
Voice of the people
Readers comment
OBITUARY POLICY: Obituarieswith basic information includ-ing relatives, visitation andservice times, are providedfree of charge. Extended obitu-aries with a photograph,detailed biographical informa-tion and other details familiesmay wish to include, are avail-able for a fee. Obituaries mustbe submitted through funeralhomes. Please submit all obit-uaries on the form provided bythe Commercial Dispatch.Free notices must be submit-ted to the newspaper no laterthan 3 p.m. the day prior forpublication Tuesday throughFriday; no later than 4 p.m.Saturday for the Sunday edi-tion; and no later than 7:30a.m. for the Monday edition.Incomplete notices must bereceived no later than 7:30a.m. for the Monday throughFriday editions. Paid noticesmust be received by 3 p.m. forinclusion the next day; and onFriday for Sunday or Mondaypublication. For more informa-tion, call 662-328-2471.
Jack KempTUPELO — Jack
Kemp Jr., 61, died May4, 2011, at NorthMississippi MedicalCenter.
Services areWednesday at 1 p.m. atPeter’s Rock COGICwith the Rev. QuincyPattersonofficiating.Burial willfollow atRest HavenCemetery.Visitation istoday fromnoon until 6p.m. at West MemorialFuneral Home.
Mr. Kemp was bornin Oktibbeha County tothe late Mary AliceRieves Kemp and JackKemp Sr. He was alaborer.
In addition to his par-ents, he was precededin death by his daugh-ter, Jackie Scott; andbrother, J.D. Kemp.
He is survived by hisdaughters, RochelleHarris and JackieHarris, both ofStarkville; stepdaughter,Travonda Santiago ofStarkville; son, ChrisKemp of Gulfport; step-son, Watress Harris ofStarkville; sisters,Elzena Randle ofDismoor, Ill., PaulineKemp, Maggie Bell,Beatrice Stewart, RoseKemp, Sally Campbell,and Letha Harris, all ofStarkville; brothers,Leroy Kemp, RogerRidley, Andrew, Frank,
and Jessie Kemp, all ofStarkville; and sixgrandchildren.
James MitchemABERDEEN —
James Alfred Mitchem,66, died May 8, 2011, atNorth MississippiMedical Center inTupelo.
Services are Tuesdayat 11 a.m. at Tisdale-Lann Memorial Chapelin Aberdeen withRobert Earl Fowlkesand Johnnie Cherryofficiating. Burial willfollow in OaklawnMemorial Gardens.
Mr. Mitchem wasborn Jan 30, 1945, tothe late Samuel AlfredMitchem and LaffonBrown Mitchem Pettryin Noma, W.Va. He wasa road constructionworker for D. B.Johnson in Iuka.
In addition to his par-ents, he was precededin death by his brother,Danny Mitchem; andsister, Farlina Mitchem.
He is survived by hisdaughters, MadrinGriggs of Okolona, andHazel Reynolds ofHouston; son, ChadMitchem of Houston;sisters, Edith McQullenof Ila, Ga., BarbaraLewis of Bluefield, Va.,Wima Redden ofAberdeen, MaryGorbutt of Amory,Deborah Davis ofAberdeen, KathyKarusa of Aberdeen,and Sara Mitchem ofBoone, W.Va.; brothers,Douglas Mitchem ofAberdeen, DaleMitchem of Aberdeen,David Mitchem ofNettleton, and WoodieMitchem of Hatley; 10grandchildren, and sixgreat-grandchildren.
Pallbearers are J. T.Naron, Marrvin Griggs,Jr., Chris Mitchem,Donnie Stacy, DouglasDavis, and Scott Carter.
John MontgomeryCOLUMBUS — John
Rogers Montgomery,46, died May 9, 2011, atBaptist MemorialHospital–GoldenTriangle.
Arrangements areincomplete and will beannounced by Gunterand Peel FuneralHome.
Barbara KoehlerCOLUMBUS —
Barbara Warren"Bobbie" Koehler, 61,died May 9, 2011, at herresidence.
Arrangements areincomplete and will beannounced by Gunterand Peel FuneralHome.
Corinne BrownBRUCE — Corinne
Mitchell Brown, 84,died May 7, 2011, at herresidence.
Services wereSunday at 4 p.m. atParker MemorialFuneral Home Chapelwith the Rev. JoeBarnett officiating.Burial will follow atMemory MemorialGarden in Bruce.Parker MemorialFuneral Home in Bruceis in charge of services.
Mrs. Brown wasborn Jan. 22, 1927, inQuitman County to thelate Henry Tutor andGalada Dickey Mitchell.She was a homemakerand member of CalvaryBaptist Church.
In addition to herparents, she was pre-ceded in death by herhusband, WilliamFreddie Brown; daugh-ter, Hilda Hughes; sis-ters, Clarsia, Clara,Charlene, Christeen,and Cathalene; andbrothers, Clarence,Claron, Clinton, andCharlie.
She is survived byher daughter, DonnaStrickland of Millport,Ala.; son, Glen Brownof Horn Lake; sisters,Clyde Bray of Mickey,Tenn., Cloise Austin ofBruce, Clela Mae Smithof Myrthle; five grand-children, and sevengreat grandchildren.
Pallbearers areCharles Bennett,Michael Brown, AllenGregory, ScottieHughes, DewayneYoung, and MarkYoung.
John SandersWEST POINT—
John Ruble Sanders, 85,died May 8, 2011, at hisresidence.
Services areWednesday at 2 p.m. atCalvert Funeral HomeChapel with the Rev.Eddie Brock officiating.
Burial will follow inMemorial GardenCemetery West Pointwith full military hon-ors. Calvert FuneralHome of West Point isin charge of arrange-ments. Visitation istoday from 5-8 p.m. atthe funeral home.
Mr. Sanders wasborn Oct. 1, 1925, inChickasaw County tothe late Daisy ClarkSanders and FrankSanders. He was asupervisor for Babcockand Wilcox Companyand a member ofTrinity Baptist Church.He was a veteran of theU.S. Army serving dur-ing World War II, and aPurple Heart recipient.He was a member ofthe Disabled AmericanVeterans.
In addition to his par-ents, he was precededin death by his sons,Steven Russell Sandersand Johnny Sanders;three sisters, and twobrothers.
He is survived by hiswife, Ruby EnglishSanders of West Point;daughter, Pat Davis ofWest Point; sons, GarySanders of Sulligent,Ala., and Mike Sandersof West Point; sister,Elmer SandersCarpenter of WestPoint; four grandchil-dren and four great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers are GrantDavis, Will Sweatt, JackDanovsky, TommySimmons, Billy Shirley,Jerald Andrews, andSonny Wills.
Memorials may bemade to LeBonheurChildrens MedicalCenter, 50 DunlapStreet, Memphis, TN38103 or to St. JudeChildren's ResearchHospital, 501 St. JudePlace, Memphis, TN38105-1942.
Willie PopeCOLUMBUS —
Willie B. Pope, 86, diedMay 9, 2011, at BaptistMemorialHospital–GoldenTriangle.
Arrangements areincomplete and will beannounced by Carter’sFuneral Services inColumbus.
Linda EastmanSULLIGENT —
Linda Eastman, 68, diedMay 8, 2011, at her resi-dence.
Services are today at11 a.m. at Union ChapelBaptist Church withIsrael Price and TommySpruiell officiating.Burial will follow atWebb Cemetery. OttsFuneral Home inSulligent is in charge ofarrangements.Visitation is one hourprior to the service atthe church.
Ms. Eastman wasborn Aug. 10, 1942, inLamar County, Ala., tothe late Clifton andMary Lou SeabornEastman. She was amember of UnionChapel Freewill BaptistChurch.
In addition to herparents, she was pre-ceded in death by hergrandparents, Alvin andGrody Eastman and Kitand Margaret Seaborn.
She is survived byher sister, Mavis Eggerof Sulligent, Ala.
Pallbearers are JohnJohnson, David andDillon Barnes, KevinMcDaniel, BillyEastman and RogerRye.
Jody JonesMILLPORT, Ala. —
Jody “Buttercup” Jones,84, died May 3, 2011, inCollege Park, Ga.
Services areWednesday at 1 p.m. atHolly Grove BaptistChurch with the Rev.O.L. Morgan officiating.Burial will follow atHolly Grove Cemeteryin Millport, Ala.Visitation is one hourprior to the service atthe church. Dowdle
Funeral Home is incharge of arrange-ments.
Mr. Jones was bornJune 30, 1926, inPickens County to thelate Rich Jones and EllaWeir. He was a retiredtruck driver.
He is survived by hisdaughters, Eloise Jonesand Josette Roach, bothof Perth Amboy, N.J.,and GeraldingCulbreath ofDavenport, Iowa; sons,Norris Jones of Atlanta,Ga., Alfred, Lewis,Lashawn, and KennethJones, all of PerthAmboy; sister, MaryPeterson of PerthAmboy; 30 grandchil-dren; 56 great-grand-children; and threegreat-great-grandchil-dren.
THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2011 5A
Compliments ofLowndes Funeral Home
www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
Bennie Joyce SmithBennie Smith, 79 of
Columbus, MS passed away,Friday, May 6, 2011 at BaptistMemorial Hospital – GoldenTriangle, Columbus, MS.
Visitation for Mrs. Smithwas Saturday, May 7, 2011from 6 – 8 PM at LowndesFuneral Home, Columbus,MS. Funeral Services for Mrs.
Smith were Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 1:00 PM inthe Lowndes Funeral Home Chapel, with Bro.Kenny Gardner officiating and Bro. JamesGardner assisting. Interment was in MemorialGardens, Columbus, MS with Lowndes FuneralHome, Columbus, MS directing.
Mrs. Smith was born October 13, 1931 tothe late Garland Usery & Amelia Lucinda CatonPiper in Bessie, AL. She moved to Columbus in1964 from Snowtown, AL. She was a member ofthe Church of God. Mrs. Smith worked as acashier at Paul’s Drive In for 7 years. Sheenjoyed cooking, taking care of her family, lis-tening to her family play and sing, watchingwrestling and talking on the phone. In additionto her parents she is preceded in death by herhusband – General Howard Smith and son – JeffSmith.
Mrs. Smith is survived by her daughter – JoySmith, Dacula, GA, son - Leslie Smith,Columbus, MS and daughter in law – BeckySmith, Columbus, MS, Sisters – Bonnie Hilton,Columbus, MS & Mary Conner, Columbus, MSand grandsons – Donald E. Smith and Lucas A.Smith.
Pallbearers were Larry Wallace, MichaelAbles, Buddy Clardy, Joe Young, KennethMontgomery and Steve Bivens. HonoraryPallbearers were Dr. Joe Hillman, Dr. DoyleSumrall, Jeff Britt, Dr. Jerry Turner, Dr. MattWade, Dr. Brad Brown, Wally Alford, Bo Jarrettand Denny Rutherford.
Memorials may be made to AmericanDiabetes Association 200 Office Park Drive,Birmingham, AL 35223 or American HeartAssociation P.O. Box 16808, Jackson, MS39236.
Compliments ofLowndes Funeral Home
www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
Shirley L. RobinsonShirley Lynn Sudduth Robinson, 61 of
Steens, MS passed away Monday, May 9, 2011 ather residence.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, May 10,2011 from 6 – 8 PM at Lowndes Funeral Home,Columbus, MS. Funeral Services will be heldWednesday, May 11, 2011 at 10 AM in theLowndes Funeral Home Chapel with MichaelShelton officiating. Interment will be inFriendship Cemetery, Lamar Co., AL withLowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS direct-ing.
Mrs. Robinson was born September 30, 1949in Steens, MS to the late Frank and Edna AllenSudduth. She was a lifetime resident of LowndesCo., MS and retired in 1991 as a bookkeeperwith Ned Hardin Appliance having 20 years ofservice. Mrs. Robinson also had a home ownedbusiness “Bits of Country” for 32 years. Shedesigned and handmade ladies and children’sclothing. Mrs. Robinson enjoyed reading,sewing and spending time with her grandchil-dren. In addition to her parents, she is precededin death by her husband. James Coy Shackelford,Jr.
Mrs. Robinson is survived by her husband,Danny R. Robinson, Steens, MS; daughter,Kristal L. Shackelford, Steens, MS; sisters, Pat(Barry) Shackelford, Gulf Shores, Al; Carolyn(Jimmy) Godfrey, Millport, AL; Doris (Johnny)Delmas, Pascagoula, MS; Kay Hafford,Columbus, MS; brothers, Jerry Wayne (Sharon)Sudduth, Millport, AL; Billy Sudduth, Millport,AL; Timmy Sudduth, Millport, AL; granddaugh-ters, Amber Brasfield, Skylar Roberts and greatgranddaughter, Jazlyn Correll.
Pallbearers will be Ralph Robinson, WilliamBrasfield, Kenny Robinson, Stewart Robinson,Todd Ables, Jamie Sudduth and Jerry Gordon.Honorary pallbearers will be Dean McDill, Dr.Cameron Huxford, Shane Darrell, Bubba Pullenand Gordon Koenigsberger.
Memorials may be made to the AmericanLung Association, 353 North Mart Plaza,Jackson, MS 39206.
A Funeral Should BeA Celebration of Life
Let Us Show You How
When Caring Counts...
1131 Lehmberg Rd. • Columbus • 662-328-1808www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
FUNERAL HOME& CREMATORY
Compliments ofLowndes Funeral Home
www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
Shaden W. WhittenShaden Wilson Whitten, 80
of Columbus, MS passed awayWednesday, May 4, 2011 atBaptist Memorial Hospital – GT,Columbus, MS.
Visitation was held Friday,May 6, 2011 from 6 – 8 PM atLowndes Funeral Home,Columbus, MS. FuneralServices were held Saturday,
May 7, 2011 at 11 AM at Fairview BaptistChurch with Bro. Mickey Dalrymple officiating,Bro. Sammy Crawford and Bro. Tommy Gillonassisting. Interment was in Mt. VernonCemetery, Columbus, MS with Lowndes FuneralHome, Columbus, MS directing.
Mr. Whitten was born January 24, 1931 inEthelsville, AL to the late Clarence and AliceBrownlee Whitten. He retired in 1986 as a fire-man for the City of Columbus with 20 years ofservice. Mr. Whitten also worked at TrinityPlace for 17 1/2 years and retired in 2008. Hewas a veteran of the Korean War having servedin the United States Army. Mr. Whitten was amember of Fairview Baptist Church, Columbus,MS. In addition to his parents, Mr. Whitten ispreceded in death by his sisters – LouiseBradshaw and Corrine Jaynes and brothers –Carter Whitten, Troy Whitten, Calvin Whitten,James Whitten and Dewitt Whitten.
Mr. Whitten is survived by his wife – MaeWhitten, Columbus, MS; son – Michael Whitten,Columbus, MS; brothers – Clarence Whitten, Jr.,Ethelsville, AL, Virgil Whitten, Gordo, AL,Benny Whitten, Millport, AL, Earnest Whitten,Millport, AL; sisters – Mary Powell, Reform,AL, Blanche Taylor, Ethelsville, AL; and numer-ous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were Benny Whitten, ByronWhitten, Earnest Whitten, Terry Whitten, RickyPlatt, Ryan Ferdinandsen, Bud Lambert andGreg Weeks. Honorary pallbearers wereColumbus Fire Department Current and RetiredMembers, Trinity Place Staff and Residents andJames Oliver’s Sunday School Class.
Memorials may be made to Trinity Place,300 Airline Road, Columbus, MS 39702 orFairview Baptist Church Haiti Missions, 127Airline Road, Columbus, MS 39702.
SERVING YOU SINCE 1893
Memorial andGunter &PeelMeM moriallMeM morial anll nllMeM morialMeM morialll anll anllFuneral Homes
“Someone to Count onWhen Caring Counts”
Continue To Make UsContinue To Make UsYour LeadingYour Leading
Funeral Service ProvidersFuneral Service Providers
~~~~~~~~~
memorialfuneral.net • 662-328-4432gunterandpeel.com • 662-328-2354
Our Dedicated, Caring,Our Dedicated, Caring,Professional Staff &Professional Staff &
Affordable Funeral ServicesAffordable Funeral Services
Dexter FranciscoVisitation:
Tues., May 10, 2011 11-am -1pmGunter and Peel Funeral Home
Services:Tue., May 10, 2011 @ 1 pm
Gunter and Peel ChapelBurial:
Friendship Cemeterywww.gunterandpeel.com
John Montgomery-Incomplete-
www.gunterandpeel.com
Barbara Koehler-Incomplete-
www.gunterandpeel.com
AREA OBITUARIES
Kemp
PrincipalContinued from Page 1A
will miss the people as wellas the family-friendly envi-ronment, he was particu-larly drawn to CMSD’sinnovation and successwith the InternationalBaccalaureate and magnetschools programs.
“West Point is a wonder-ful community and a greatschool district,” he said.“Always you have trepida-tions, but I’m excited aboutthe challenge I will have.Columbus is a great schooldistrict, and it will be agreat opportunity for me toplay an integral role intheir success.”
He holds a master’sdegree in EducationalLeadership from DeltaState University inCleveland, Miss. and is
married with two children.He and his family are con-sidering relocating fromWest Point to Columbus inorder to be more involvedin the community.
In other news, theboard announced a publictea and reception for for-mer superintendent Dr.Del Phillips, whoresigned last month inorder to accept a positionas director of schools forthe Sumner CountySchool District inGallatin, Tenn.
Last night’s meetingwas Phillips’ last at thehelm; new interim superin-tendent Dr. Martha Liddellwill lead her first regularmeeting June 13 at 6:30p.m. at the Columbus
Municipal Complex. Lautzenhiser said he
hopes the community willtake the opportunity toattend Phillips’ farewellreception, which be heldMay 23, 2011 from 4 p.m.to 6 p.m. at ColumbusMiddle School.
“We hope a large num-ber of people can come outand thank him for his fouryears of service over thepast four years,”Lautzenhiser said.
Other upcoming datesto mark on the calendarinclude Class Night at theColumbus High Schoolgym on May 19, 2011 andCHS graduation cere-monies, which will be heldat Mississippi State at 9a.m.
THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com6A TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2011
EZ-Pay plan requires a Visa or Mastercard that will be billed monthly.
Sign up forEZ-Pay today!
Compare the cost:Newspaper EZ-PayRack Price Subscription Price
February $15.00 $10.50March $16.50 $10.50April $16.50 $10.50
Save $16.50in just 3 months
with EZ-Pay!Only 40¢ per day including Sunday!
Plus with EZ-Pay, your newspaper is delivered to your home every day hassle free! No driving to pick up the paper, no remembering to mail your payment.
662.328.2424
BY HOLBROOK MOHRAssociated Press
YAZOO CITY —Mississippi residents arepreparing for expectedflooding from theMississippi River and someof its tributaries as a swellof high water pushes pastMemphis, Tenn., andsouthward along the state’swestern border.
People in many low-lying areas in Mississippihave already evacuatedtheir homes. Floating casi-nos along the MississippiRiver have closed. Farmersand merchants in the Deltasay they hope their liveli-hoods will survive.
John Hines has owned astore in rural Yazoo Countyfor about 25 years, winningover locals with sweet tea,double cheeseburgers andfriendly conversation. The73-year-old had recentlydecided to sell the place.Now comes the threat offlooding.
“We expect the water toget this high,” he saidMonday, holding his handabout 5 feet above the floor.
His store is an extension
of him. His trophy deerhang on the walls. An aerialphoto of his deer camphangs in the office, next toa picture of him and two
grandkids after a goodday’s hunting.
Gov. Haley Barbour,who lives just up the road,stops by from time to time,
Hines said.“We finally decided to
sell this store, but it ain’tgoing to be worth diddlysquat if it gets flooded,”Hines said. “We’d have toget it back up and runningagain before we could sellit.”
He just doesn’t know ifit’s worth the time andenergy to rebuild HinesGrocery at this point in hislife. But he’s not ready toabandon the place and anearby house yet, either.
“I’m going to try andhang out. But the problemis it’s going to cut me offfrom the highway androads,” he said. “I’ll have toget around on a boat.”
His reason for staying?“Those people that come inboats to steal stuff don’tleave much tracks, dothey?“.
Go west on Mississippi 3and run into Satartia. That’swhere 77-year-old RossNesbit has been removingthe furniture from his
home and giving peoplerides in a boat on the flood-ed Yazoo River. He stoppedthe boat under a bridgeMonday evening.
“Usually, we’d be float-ing down the river. See howwe’re just sitting here? Theriver is starting to back up,”he said.
Widespread flooding isexpected along the YazooRiver, a tributary of themuch larger Mississippi.When the Mississippi isfull, the Yazoo backs up andfloods these fertile farm-lands.
“These houses are notunderwater yet, but theywill be,” Nesbit said. “It’snever come across thatroad,” he said, referring thestreet that runs betweenhis house and the river.“They say this time it’sgoing to. I believe them.“
The flatlands of theMississippi Delta stretchabout 200 miles fromVicksburg up toMemphis.
Miss. readies for expected river flood
ChurchContinued from Page 1A
church in the immediatedowntown area, the citywould have to issue a permitto allow a non-business intothe community commercialdistrict. That could set aprecedent, making it hard tosay “no” to the next churchthat asks, some commission-ers said.
Further complicating theissue, Jeffares said the churchwould pay property taxes andsales taxes on donations forcoffee even though they’reexempted from them becauseof their nonprofit status.
After hearing argumentsfrom the church and businessowners, commissioners votedunanimously to table therequest until next month’smeeting while they collectmore information.
Setbacks like the oneMonday could cause prob-lems for the church, whoselease ends in December.
Jeffares said the church,which meets regularly just onSunday mornings, wants to bedowntown as soon as possibleto reach people who have hadbad experiences with tradi-tional churches — people, hesaid, like some staying at theGilmer Inn.
Although the project wouldfill a vacant space and con-tribute to city coffers, down-town property owner ChrisChain said he was worried thechurch would take more thanit gave.
Not only would a down-town church fill a space thatcould be used by anotherbusiness, but it would add to
the parking headache down-town, he said.
“I’m not against the churchat all, but I don’t want to inter-fere with the business we’redoing downtown,” he said,recommending that thechurch move to a residentialdistrict instead.
While the church is wait-ing for the next commissionmeeting, it will likely explainits project to the Main StreetAssociation and may gobefore the HistoricPreservation Commission.
Looking over the designschematics of the proposedfacade for the church, CityEngineer and CommissionerKevin Stafford said he doubt-ed the proposal would passthe Historic PreservationCommission unscathed.
ArtsContinued from Page 1A
Arts degree from WesternWashington University.She also holds anAdvanced Graduate StudyCertificate in organization-al psychology fromCapella University inMinneapolis, Minn., and iscurrently working towardher Ph.D. in sociology atMSU.
In addition, Sweeten,who currently resides inStarkville, holds aGraduate DiversityCertificate from MSU andmaintains professional cer-tification as a volunteeradministrator. She alsoearned certification fromHamline University in out-
comes and performancemanagement.
Experienced in grant-writing, Sweeten currentlyserves on the boards ofdirectors of the Center forPolicy, Planning andPerformance, the MSUPresident’s Commissionfor the Status of Women,and Clay County Day CareCenter.
“Tina also has a lot ofexperience working withprograms focusing onyouth and senior servicesand with programs forpeople with mental andphysical disabilities,”Johnson added.
Longtime CAC board
member Ralph Nullserved on the search com-mittee.
“We’re delighted tohave as our new directorsuch a well-qualified andenthusiastic leader to helpthe Arts Council move for-ward in its mission andservice,” he remarked.“Her years of experienceand education has madeher uniquely qualified..”
“I’m honored and veryhappy to accept this chal-lenge,” said Sweeten.“And I appreciate theboard’s trust and confi-dence in me to overseethe continuing legacy ofthe Arts Council.”
FirefightContinued from Page 1A
December, according toSheriff Butch Howard.
The five deputies,including Chief DeputyGreg Wright, who were
searching forMontgomery on Mondayreturned fire, hitting himat least twice in the upperside and right hip.
Those deputies will beon leave until theMississippi Bureau ofInvestigation concludes itsinvestigation.
Provided ImageAn architecht’s rendering shows the proposed interior of the old VarsityTheater, which the Hope Community Church has proposed renovating andoccupying. The building is owned by Malco.
Rogelio V. Solis/APOne resident of Satartia has encircled his home with barriers designed to keep riverdebris from damaging his house frame Monday. The backflow of flood waters fromthe Mississippi River now mix with those of the Yazoo River to threaten residents ofthis small rural community.
