Established 1879 | Columbus, Mississippi

CDISPATCH.COM 75 ¢ Newsstand | 40 ¢ Home Delivery

Friday | March 12, 2021

Majority of CMSD students lag behind grade level

More than half of middle school students
are two grade levels or more behind
BY SLIM SMITH
ssmith@cdispatch.com
Sixty-four percent of Colum-
bus Middle School students are
two or more grade levels behind
in reading and 53 percent of
those students are two or more
grade levels behind in math, ac-
cording to the district’s mid-year
assessment presented Thursday
to the school board.
Those grim numbers were
presented during a marathon
board meeting as one by one,
school principals gave status re-
ports of their schools, painting a
portrait of an already-struggling
school district badly affected by
COVID-19 limitations on in-per-
son instruction.
Currently, 2,405 students at-
tend in-person classes two days
a week, while another 856 are in-
structed entirely virtually.
Outgoing board president Ja-
son Spears said COVID-19 has
been a challenge for students.
Labat Spears
“Children need to be in the
classroom to have the best op-
portunity to learn,” Spears said.
“The pandemic has exacerbated
the problem for those students
who were struggling even before
it hit. And even students who are
doing well have found not being
INSIDE
n OUR VIEW: Our school crisis is a
hind in the subject areas as-
sessed.
community crisis. Page 6A The math assessment was
jarring. Only 13 percent of mid-
dle school students are at grade
in class makes things more diffi-
level, including just 11 percent of
cult.”
eighth graders.
The mid-year data Superin-
In reading, just 18 percent of
tendent Cherie Labat shared an
middle school students are at
hour into what turned out to be a
grade level, and no school has
6 1/2-hour meeting presented a
more than 37 percent of its stu-
disturbing story.
dents reading at their current
Students from kindergarten
grade levels.
through eighth grade are falling
Labat said that district-wide,
behind, many perilously behind.
more than one in three students
At all five elementary schools (36 percent) are two or more
and the middle school, the over- grade levels behind, numbers
whelming majority of students
are at least one grade level be- See CMSD, 3A

CMSD board
‘A silent giant’ taps Cox as
president,
After 19 years coaching Yellow Jackets, Carter replacing Spears
will leave Starkville as a ‘legend’ Telisa Young voted in
as vice president
BY SLIM SMITH
ssmith@cdispatch.com

In the closing min-

utes of a 6 1/2-hour
Columbus Munici-
pal School District
board meeting on
Thursday, members
unanimously voted to
change officers.
Yvonne Cox was Cox
tapped as the new board president,
replacing Jason Spears in that role.
Cox is serving her first term on
the board, after the city council ap-
pointed her in February 2018.
Telisa Young, appointed in
March 2018, will serve as board
vice president. She replaces Fred-
rick Sparks in that role. Josie Shu-
make, who was sworn in for a sec-
ond five-year term at the beginning
of the meeting, will continue as
board secretary.
See COX, 8A

COVID-19 numbers
Chris Todd/Dispatch file photo
Starkville boys basketball coach Greg Carter is leaving the program after 19 years in charge of the Yellow Jackets.
This week, Carter accepted a position as the new athletic director for the Hattiesburg Public School District.
vastly improving
BY THEO DEROSA I’m re-energized,” Carter told The director who checks all the boxes:
throughout
tderosa@cdispatch.com Dispatch on Wednesday. academic achievement, athletic
Golden Triangle
E
After 19 seasons coaching bas- success and leadership.
very year as the ketball at Starkville and four state “He’s just a silent giant,” former
Starkville High
School boys
championships, Carter accepted Starkville High Principal Sean Mc- Only 103 new cases
a job as athletic director for the Donnall said, “and just a good guy.”
basketball team ends
the regular season
Hattiesburg Public School District. As a teacher and coach from reported since Feb. 27
He was confirmed Tuesday night at 2001 to 2007, assistant principal
and heads into the a district board meeting. from 2007 to 2016 and principal BY ISABELLE ALTMAN
playoffs, Yellow Jack- “To be in an athletic department from 2016 to 2020, McDonnall got ialtman@cdispatch.com
ets head coach Greg with the tradition Hattiesburg has, a front-row seat to Carter’s coach-
Carter A year after the COVID-19 pan-
Carter feels like an the coaches that they have in place ing career. But behind the scenes,
entirely new season is beginning. now, it was a great opportunity,” McDonnall saw Carter evolve, too. demic began, cases of the virus are
Now, as Carter leaves behind Carter said. Carter started out as Starkville’s significantly decreasing across the
the school where he has coached Players, parents and adminis- in-school detention instructor — a state and the Golden Triangle. Just
for nearly two decades, the same trators who interacted with Carter position held by prior Jackets bas- more than 100 confirmed new cas-
feeling has begun to dawn on him. during his time shaping the Yellow ketball coaches — before starting es total have been reported in the
“Once I start thinking about this Jackets’ program said Hattiesburg to teach physical education in 2006. four-county area since Feb. 27.
new opportunity, it’s almost like is getting in Carter an athletic See CARTER, 8A Lowndes County still leads the
Golden Triangle in COVID num-
bers with 6,082 total cases and 141
See COVID NUMBERS, 8A

INSIDE FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR COMING SUNDAY DAYLIGHT

Classifieds 8B 1 The author of “Crime and
Thursday, The Spring SAVING
Comics 5B Punishment” was Czech. True or
Crossword 6B false? March 25
edition of
Progress
TIME
Dear Abby 5B 2 What wearable Google device ■ Candidate forum: magazine ■ Don’t forget
Obituaries 4A was released in 2013, but sold documents to set your
Hear Columbus mu-
Opinions 6A poorly because people suspect- life inside clocks forward
Religion 6B ed its users might be secretly nicipal candidates at
a hospital this weekend
recording them? the 2021 Candidate
during the for Daylight
3 Pancetta, lardons and pro- Forum at the Lyceum at
sciutto are all derived from the pandemic, Saving Time.
WEATHER meat of what animal?
Lee (former Lee High
School). The event is features
4 Which country has only one three inspired
High 77 Low 56
Mostly cloudy
time zone — Russia, Australia
or China?
5 What actor in “The King’s
co-sponsored by The
Dispatch and WCBI and
will follow a Q&A format
people and
much more.
Find it in
Full forecast on
page 3A.
Speech” also starred in “Bridget
Jones’s Diary”?
with a moderator. COVID
precautions will be
Sunday’s PUBLIC
Answers, 8B
taken for a limited live
paper. MEETINGS
audience and the event March 15:
will be livestreamed Lowndes Coun-
online by WCBI. Reserve ty Supervisors,
free tickets online at 9 a.m., Court-
141st Year, No. 309 cdispatch.com/forum house

DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471

2A FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Biden aims for quicker shots,

‘independence from this virus’
President pledged in his first prime-time address
to make all adults eligible for vaccines by May 1
BY ZEKE MILLER
AND JONATHAN LEMIRE
The Associated Press
WA S H I N G T O N
— One year after the
nation was brought
to a near-standstill
by the coronavirus,
President Joe Biden
pledged in his first
prime-time address
Biden
to make all adults
eligible for vaccines by May 1 and
raised the possibility of beginning
to “mark our independence from
this virus” by the Fourth of July. He
offered Americans fresh hope and
appealed anew for their help.
Speaking in the White House
East Room Thursday night, Biden
honored the “collective suffering”
of Americans over the past year in
his 24-minute address and then of-
fered them a vision for a return to a
modicum of normalcy this summer.
“We are bound together by the
loss and the pain of the days that
have gone by,” he said. “We are also
bound together by the hope and the
possibilities in the days in front of
us.”
He predicted Americans could
safely gather at least in small groups
for July Fourth to “make this Inde-
pendence Day truly special.”
But he also cautioned that this
was a “goal” and attaining it de-
pends on people’s cooperation in
following public health guidelines
and rolling up their sleeves to get
vaccinated as soon as eligible. Only
that, he said, can bring about an end
to a pandemic that has killed more
than 530,000 Americans and dis-
rupted the lives of countless more.
“While it was different for every-
one, we all lost something,” Biden
said of the sacrifices of the year-
long-and-counting pandemic.
The speech came just hours
after Biden signed into law a $1.9
trillion relief package that he said
will help defeat the virus, nurse the
economy back to health and deliver
direct aid to Americans struggling
to make ends meet.
Some cash distributions could
begin arriving in the bank accounts
of Americans this weekend.
“This historic legislation is about
rebuilding the backbone of this
country,” Biden said as he signed
the bill in the Oval Office.
Most noticeable to many Amer-
icans are provisions providing up
to $1,400 in direct payments and
extending $300 weekly emergency
unemployment benefits into early
September. Also included are ex-
panded tax credits over the next
year for children, child care and
family leave — some of them cred-
its that Democrats have signaled
they’d like to make permanent —
plus spending for renters, food pro-
grams and people’s utility bills.
In his Thursday night address,
Biden said that as vaccine supplies
continue to increase, he will di-
rect states and territories to make
all adults eligible for vaccination
by May 1. The U.S. is expecting
to have enough doses for those
255 million adults by the end of
that month, but Biden warned the
process of actually administering
those doses would take time, even
as his administration looks to instill
confidence in the safety of the vac-
cines to overcome hesitance.

Biden’s $1.9T rescue signed, agenda now a slog in Congress

Legislation to expand voting rights,
raise the minimum wage and Biden’s
infrastructure package are all on
deck this spring and into summer
BY LISA MASCARO
AP Congressional Correspondent
WASHINGTON —
Tough as it was for Dem-
ocrats, passing President
Joe Biden’s sweeping $1.9
trillion COVID-19 rescue
package into law was the
easy part.
Now, they are hun-
kering down to push the
next priorities in Biden’s
agenda forward past what,
so far, has been a wall of
entrenched Republican
opposition in the so-very-
split Congress. It’s likely
to be a long slog.
Popular legislation
to expand voting rights,
raise the minimum wage
to $15 an hour and devel-
even considering chang-
ing historic filibuster rules
to overcome opponents
and speed the bills along.
“It will take time to put
all the pieces together,”
said Sen. Debbie Staben-
ow, D-Mich., a member of
op the president’s “Build party leadership.
Back Better” infrastruc- Biden’s signing of the
ture package are all on American Rescue Plan on
deck this spring and into Thursday marks a mile-
summer. But unlike the stone for his administra-
relatively quick passage tion and for Democrats
of the American Rescue who have command of the
Plan, halfway through House, Senate and White
the president’s first 100 House for the first time in
days, sending the next a decade. From party lead-
measures to Biden’s desk ers to rank-and-file law-
is expected to take many makers, the Democrats
months. Democrats are are buoyed by what they
can accomplish when they
hold together, as a united
front, against the GOP op-
position to Biden’s agenda.
But the weeks and months
ahead will prove more po-
litically challenging.
Democrats face mount-
ing pressure from within
their centrist ranks to try
harder to win support from
Republicans, especially on
the coming infrastructure
bill — a multitrillion-dollar
investment in roads, bridg-
es, ports and broadband
that could be even bigger
than the just-signed coro-
navirus rescue package.

Pace of spending
for pandemic
aid? Try $43,000
every second
BY JOSH BOAK
The Associated Press

BALTIMORE — To
pay out his coronavirus
relief package, President
Joe Biden must spend an
average of $3.7 billion ev-
ery day for the rest of this
year. That’s $43,000 every
second of every day until
midnight chimes on 2022.
For the amount of
time that readers took to
reach this sentence, Biden
needs to disburse nearly
$800,000 to stay on track.
That’s according to
Congressional Budget Of-
fice estimates, and even
then, the Biden admin-
istration would still have
plenty of the $1.9 trillion
to spend in later years as a
vaccinated country battles
back to economic health.
The president signed
the aid package into law
Thursday without a com-
prehensive plan in place to
distribute all of the funds,
which will be a core focus
of the administration in
coming weeks.
The level of spend-
ing is a testament to the
complexity of addressing
a disease that seeped so
widely across the nation
in less than a year, and the
economic pain that it has
wrought.

cdispatch.com
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 3A

Mississippi gov signs bill limiting transgender athletes

More than 20 states proposing restrictions
on athletics or gender-confirming health
care for transgender minors this year
BY EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
The Associated Press
JACKSON
— Mississippi
Republican Gov.
Tate Reeves
signed a bill
Thursday to ban
transgender ath-
letes from com-
Reeves
peting on girls or
women’s sports teams.
Mississippi is the first state
this year to enact such a ban,
after a federal court blocked an
Idaho law last year. Mississippi’s
Senate Bill 2536 is set to become
law July 1, although a legal chal-
lenge is possible.
More than 20 states are pro-
posing restrictions on athletics
or gender-confirming health
care for transgender minors this
year. Conservative lawmakers
are responding to an executive
order by Democratic President
Joe Biden that bans discrimi-
nation based on gender identity
in school sports and elsewhere.
Biden signed it Jan. 20, the day
he took office.
“But for the fact that Pres-
ident Biden as one of his first
initiatives sat down and signed
an executive order — which, in
my opinion, encourages trans-
genderism amongst our young
people — but for that fact, we
wouldn’t be here today,” Reeves
said during a ceremony in the
Mississippi Capitol, where he
was joined by legislators who
supported the bill.
Alphonso David, president
of the LGBTQ civil rights or-
ganization Human Rights
Campaign, said in a statement
Thursday that the Mississippi
law could lead to more bullying
of transgender people.
“This law is a solution in
search of a problem, and legis-
lators in Mississippi have not
provided any examples of Mis-
sissippi transgender athletes
gaming the system for a com-
petitive advantage because none
exist,” David said.
Reeves has three daughters
who play sports and he said
March 4 on Twitter that Missis-
sippi’s bill would “protect young
girls from being forced to com-
pete with biological males for
athletic opportunities.”
Chase Strangio, a transgen-
der-rights attorney with the
national ACLU, said the Mis-
sissippi bill “is very vague and
seemingly unenforceable.”
“Unfortunately, there is al-
ready rampant discrimination
against trans youth in Missis-
sippi, which means people are
already driven out of sport,” Str-
angio said.
Alliance Defending Freedom
is a conservative group defend-
ing the Idaho law and represent-
ing three cisgender girls in a
Connecticut lawsuit that seeks
to prevent transgender athletes
from competing in girls sports.
In a statement Thursday, Alli-
ance Defending Freedom attor-
ney Christiana Holcomb praised
the Mississippi law.
“When we ignore science
and biological reality, female
athletes lose medals, podium
spots, public recognition, and
opportunities to compete,” Hol-
comb said.
The Mississippi Senate
passed the bill Feb. 11, and the
House passed it March 3. The
votes were largely along party
lines, with most Republicans
supporting the bill and most
Democrats either opposing it or
refraining from voting.
Republican legislators who
pushed the bill gave no evidence
of any transgender athletes com-
peting in Mississippi schools or
universities.
“The coaches have told me
that this is an imminent prob-
lem in Mississippi, and that’s
basically all the details that they
were willing to give me,” Repub-
lican Sen. Angela Hill of Pica-
yune said in response to ques-
tions Thursday. “I can’t tell you
that they don’t know any exam-
ples. I believe they do know ex-
amples. I think that they wanted
to leave it in general terms. But
they told me that this is an ur-
gent matter.”
Supporters of bills such as
the one in Mississippi argue that
transgender girls, because they
were born male, are naturally
stronger, faster and bigger than
those born female. Opponents
say such proposals violate not
only Title IX of federal educa-
tion law prohibiting sex discrim-
ination, but also rulings by the
U.S. Supreme Court and 11th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

CMSD Water restored, but

Continued from Page 1A
that Labat said threaten to at each school to help stu-
most of Jackson still
increase the drop-outs (10
students dropped out as
dents close the learning
gap. She said the district
CMSD Mid-Year Assessment, K-8 under boil notice
of the end of January) and also will take a hard look at
decrease the graduation how it provides instruction. Math Residents have been boiling water
rate, which was 74 percent “We need great class-
in 2020. room instruction,” she School
on grade
level
1 grade
level behind
2 or more
grade levels to cook, clean and brush their
“This is significant to said. “That means we have behind
our graduation rate be- to work to retain teachers CMS 13 34 53
teeth since a winter storm passed
cause as students go to and make sure we have
high school, the age that high-quality teaching from
Fairview 20 64 16 through the region Feb. 15
they are able to drop out is bell to bell. We have to be Franklin 17 64 19
BY LEAH WILLINGHAM
17,” Labat said. “You have evaluating instruction con- Joe Cook 18 58 24 The Associated Press/Report for America
to look at graduation rates sistently. There should be Sale 25 58 17
as a four-year process, and no surprises when we look Stokes-Beard 14 59 27 JACKSON — Most people in Mississippi’s capi-
that means we really have at the data. For principals, tal now have running water, more than three weeks
to work this summer to teaching is a lot like coach- after the majority of taps in the city of 161,000
get those middle school ing. You have the Xs and Reading went dry during a winter storm. Still, officials said
students who are two and Os, but if it doesn’t work, 2 or more Thursday that thousands will likely remain under
three grade levels behind you have to look at what School
on grade 1 grade
grade levels a boil-notice into next week.
back on track. To mitigate happened and ask, ‘Why level level behind
behind “Based off of what we’re seeing right now,
the situation, we have to did this happen?’ Then checking fire hydrants, checking pressure, we do
CMS 18 18 64
talk to those students so you have to go back and believe that the connections on the city service
that they don’t give up. have those discussions Fairview 35 49 16
right now should have water,” Public Works Direc-
We’re going to wrap our with teachers. That has Franklin 37 45 18
tor Charles Williams said during a briefing.
arms around them and try to be a priority. We need Joe Cook 36 46 18 Williams said there still might be isolated pock-
to get them across the fin- professional development, Sale 36 46 18 ets of Jackson with low water pressure because of
ish line.” but that professional devel- elevation and distance from the water treatment
Stokes-Beard 28 46 26
Labat said the district opment has to be received facilities. Overall, however, he said he’s feeling op-
is using interventionists and implemented.” Note: Numbers represent percentages.
timistic.
Residents have been boiling water to cook,
clean and brush their teeth since a winter storm
passed through the region Feb. 15 and froze ma-
chinery at one of Jackson’s water treatment plants.

Mississippi legislators argue over medical marijuana rules
The Mississippi Senate also revived
the possibility of a 7 percent sales
tax on medical marijuana products
BY LEAH WILLINGHAM
AND EMILY WAGSTER
PET TUS
The Associated Press
JACKSON — Missis-
sippi legislators wrangled
Wednesday over regula-
tions for medical marijua-
na, with the House killing
one bill and the Senate
reviving the issue hours
later by wedging it into a
separate bill.
Voters in November
approved Initiative 65,
which authorizes a medi-
cal marijuana program. It
got on the ballot through
citizens’ petitions.
The constitutional
amendment requires the
state Health Department
to create a program so
that marijuana can be
available later this year to
people with “debilitating”
medical conditions. The
long list includes cancer,
epilepsy and sickle cell
anemia.
The Mississippi Su-
preme Court is set to
hear arguments April 14
in a lawsuit that seeks to
block the medical mari-
juana program. A mayor
is arguing that the state’s
initiative process is faulty.
Senate Bill 2765, the
Mississippi Medical Can-
nabis Act, was written
medical marijuana pro-
gram. The bill’s sponsor,
Republican Sen. Kevin
Blackwell of Olive Branch
called it a failsafe in case
the Supreme Court rules
that Initiative 65 was not
properly on the ballot.
However, some law-
makers said Blackwell’s
proposal was too dif-
ferent from what voters
approved, and House
members made several
changes before killing the
bill Wednesday.
Republican Rep. Joel
Bomgar of Madison was
one of the financial back-
ers of Initiative 65. He
said enacting any medi-
cal marijuana regulations
different than what voters
approved would mean be-
traying those who voted
for and against Initiative
65.
“This is a no-win situ-
ation and we are playing
games with the voters,”
Bomgar said. “Ultimately,
we need to make this en-
tire thing go away.”
House Ways and
Means Committee Chair-
man Trey Lamar said he
changed the Senate bill to
try to make it almost iden-
tical to Initiative 65. But he
said he had to make some
“stylistic” adjustments at
Jackson on Wednesday received preliminary
clearance to lift the boil-water notice on its 16,000
well water connections. The city has around 43,000
legislative attorneys.
Lamar could see that
Senate’s vote later was
“unexpected.”
surface water connections still under advisory.
The city has begun testing the water, and Wil-
there wasn’t enough sup-
port in the House for even
“I’m not surprised, liams said officials hope to have samples they can
sadly,” Rice said. “Truly, give the state Health Department by the end of the
the changed version. La- I wish that they would weekend. The quality of those samples will deter-
mar also said he respects have had this energy to mine whether the boil advisory can be lifted.
voters’ wishes. have a medical marijuana For Jackson, getting water pressure back and
“It is my opinion that
program in the state five the boil advisory lifted are only the first steps to
this is the end of the road,” years ago, or 10 years ago addressing deeper issues with the water system.
Lamar said, to applause in and not just trying to do a Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said the crisis
the House chamber. “The power grab. I think that it
has been caused in part by decades of neglect of
will of this body does not is not a genuine attempt aging infrastructure. Parts of Jackson’s water sys-
want to move this matter to create a safety net for tem are a century old, he said.
forward, and I’m going to Mississippians but an at- A major factor affecting the city’s ability to up-
respect that.” tempt to once again have date its system has been a rapidly declining tax
Later in the day, sena-
power.” base due to “white flight.”
tors amended House Bill
119 to add Blackwell’s pro-
posal. The House bill orig-
inally was written about a
cannabis-derived oil that
is used as medicine.
The Senate also re-
vived the possibility of a 7
percent sales tax on med-
ical marijuana products.
Senators had argued ex-
tensively about the issue
last month. Wednesday
was a deadline day, and
senators amended and
passed House Bill 119
without rehashing their
earlier debate.
The Senate move
means that legislators
can continue arguing over
medical marijuana reg-
ulations during the final
weeks of their session,
which is scheduled to end
in early April.
Jessica Rice, executive
director of the Mississip-
pi Cannabis Trade Asso-
ciation, had praised the SOLUNAR TABLE
House move to kill the The solunar period indicates
peak-feeding times for fish and game.

to create an alternative the recommendation of Senate bill. She said the Major
Fri.
12:34a
Sat.
1:17a
Minor 7:43a 8:13a

99.49%
Major 12:56p 1:39p
Minor 7:13p —
of our customers Courtesy of Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

receive their paper on time.

(Believe us. We track these things.)

If you are unhappy with your delivery

The Dispatch
The Commercial Dispatch (USPS 142-320)
please let us know. Our goal is 100% Published daily except Saturday. Answers to common questions:

The Dispatch
customer satisfaction. Entered at the post office at Columbus, Mississippi.
Phone: 662-328-2424
Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, MS
POSTMASTER, Send address changes to:
Website: cdispatch.com/help
Call customer support at: The Commercial Dispatch, P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703
662-328-2424
Published by Commercial Dispatch Publishing Company Inc.,
516 Main St., Columbus, MS 39703
Report a news tip: news@cdispatch.com
4A FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

COMMERCIAL DISPATCH
OBITUARY POLICY
Obituaries with basic informa-
tion including visitation and
service times, are provided
free of charge. Extended obit-
uaries with a photograph, de-
tailed 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 newspa-
per no later than 3 p.m. the
day prior for publication Tues-
day 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.
Lynda Wiggins
MILLPORT, Ala. —
Lynda Reed Wiggins,
AREA OBITUARIES
born June 6, 1950, in of Columbus; children, of Kennedy, Alabama, technician with Boeing Allison and the late
Macon, to the late Hat- Kishina Shirley of Lois Robinson and Industries and was a Lellon “Beddie” Haw-
tie B. Brooks and John Columbus and Jeremy Freelon Campbell both member of Westville kins. He attended Sul-
Brooks. Garner of Lithonia, of Millport; half-sis- Church of Christ. ligent Schools and was
In addition to her Georgia; siblings, ter, Barbara Parker; formerly employed as a
parents, she was pre- Joann Hall of Monroe, 18 grandchildren; 34 building contractor.
ceded in death by her Georgia, Willie Sand- great-grandchildren;
Ricky Hawkins In addition to his
SULLIGENT, Ala. —
son, Timothy Bernard ers Jr., Ricky Sanders, and 41 great-grandchil- father, he was preceded
Ricky Allan Hawkins,
Brooks; and siblings, Freddie B. Sanders all dren. in death by his brother,
55, died March 10,
Porter Richard Brooks of Dayton, Ohio, Bobby Pallbearers will be Johnny Wayne Hawkins
2021, at his residence.
and Hattie Bell Brooks. Lee Sanders of Tupelo, Ernest Campbell, De- and Dwayne Hawkins.
Funeral services are
She is survived by Bobbie Jean Clark of St. wayne Leonard, Lloyd In addition to his
her children, Lonnie at 2 p.m. today, at Otts
Louis, Missouri, Albert Jones, Micah Hall, mother, he is survived
Brooks of Crawford, Richard Robertson, Funeral Home Chapel,
Earl Jones, Julius Sand- by his children, Kelly
Eddie Brooks of Ann David Foster, Joshua with William Kirkman
ers both of Columbus, Hall of Columbus,
Harbor, Michigan Knopp and Trey Shultz. officiating. Visitation
Vickie Jordan of Stone Kayla Spears of De-
and Anthony Brooks Mountain, Georgia, is one hour prior to
services. Otts Funeral troit, Alabama, Kendra
of Conway, Arkansas; Vickie Sanders of Me- Jerry Murphy Home of Sulligent, Bolton and Michelle
siblings, Gracie Brooks ridian, R.B. Pippins of HAMILTON — Jer- Vice both of Sulligent;
of Crawford, Mattie Memphis, Tennessee, Alabama is in charge of
ry Franklin Murphy, arrangements. sister, Cindy Hawkins
Stevenson of Mem- Willie Pippins of Ma- 69, died March 9, 2021, of Sulligent; and six
phis, Tennessee, Sallie con, Marcus Sanders Mr. Hawkins was
at the Care Center of grandchildren.
Brooks of Flint, Michi- and Michael Sanders born Jan. 1, 1966, Mo-
Aberdeen. See OBITUARIES, 5A
gan and John Brooks of both of Pascagoula; and line, Illinois, to Bonnie
Funeral services
Columbus; six grand- 10 grandchildren. are at 1 p.m. at Tis-
children; and three dale-Lann Memorial
great-grandchildren. Nancy Imes Chapel, with Robert
COLUMBUS — Earl Fowlkes officiat-
Virginia Wyatt Nancy McClanahan ing. Burial will follow
NOXUBEE COUN- Imes, 92, died March at Morrison Cemetery
TY — Virginia Ann 11, 2021, at her resi- in Hatley. Visitation
Wyatt, dence. is from 12:30-1 p.m.
64, died Arrangements are prior to services, at
March 2, incomplete and will be the funeral home.
2021, at announced by Memori- Tisdale-Lann Memo-
Baptist al Gunter Peel Funeral rial Funeral Home of
Memorial Home and Crematory, Aberdeen is in charge
Hospi- Second Avenue North of arrangements.

72, died March 8, 2021.
A private graveside
service will be held at a
later date. Dowdle Fu-
neral Home of Millport
is in charge of arrange-
ments.
Mrs. Wiggins was
born March 18, 1948, in
Maben, to the late Ev-
erett and Mary Reed.
She is survived by
her husband, Charles
Joseph “Joe” Wiggins;
daughter, Hye Hudson;
and four grandchildren.
Marilyn Gregory
COLUMBUS —
Marilyn Hill Gregory,
52, died
March 5,
2021, at the
University
Hospital in
Jackson.
Grave-
side ser-
vices will Gregory
be at noon
Saturday, at Memorial
Gardens. Visitation is
from 3-6 p.m. today,
at Lee-Sykes Funer-
al Home. Lee-Sykes
Funeral Home of Co-
lumbus is in charge of
Michael Kliment
tal-Golden location. Mr. Murphy was
Triangle. Wyatt born June 16, 1951,
Grave- Minnie Campbell in Amory, to Johnny
side services will be MILLPORT, Ala. — Franklin Murphy and Michael Vern Kliment, 40,
at 11 a.m. Saturday, at Minnie Mae Campbell, Johnnie Gray Lindsey of Columbus, MS passed away
Oddfellows Cemetery, 101, died March 10, Murphy. He was a Saturday, March 6, 2021.
with Montrell Rucker 2021, at her daughter’s veteran of the Army A visitation will be held on
officiating. Visitation is residence. National Guard. He was Sunday, March 14, 2021, from
from 2-6 p.m. today, at Funeral services will formerly employed as a 12:00-2:00 PM at Lowndes
Carter’s Funeral Ser- be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Funeral Home. A graveside
vices. Carter’s Funeral at Dowdle Funeral service will follow at 2:30 at
Services of Macon is Home, with Terry Eastview Cemetery with Pastor
in charge of arrange- Robinson and Joshua Matt Moehring officiating
ments. Knopp officiating. Buri- and Lowndes Funeral Home
Mrs. Wyatt was born al will follow at Higdon directing.
March 25, 1956, in Cemetery in Kennedy, Mr. Kliment was born on April 16, 1980, in
Noxubee County, to the Alabama. Binghamton, NY to Gary F. Kliment and the
late Johnnie Cotton and Visitation will be one late Barbara Walley Kliment. Mr. Kliment
Bessie Cotton. She was hour prior to services worked at Airbus as an Aircraft Mechanic and
formerly employed with at the funeral home. enjoyed working with his coworkers. He loved
Primeline Catfish Com- Dowdle Funeral Home his motorcycles, working in his garage, and
pany and was a member of Millport is in charge spending time with his family.
of Mount Olive MBC. of arrangements. Mr. Kliment is survived by his wife, Tonya
In addition to her Mrs. Campbell was Helen Willis Baswell Kliment of Columbus, MS; sons, Kane
parents, she was born April 7, 1919, to Graveside Services: Stanford and Konnor Kliment; daughter, Kelsey
preceded in death by Saturday, March 13 • 1 PM
the late George Alfred Blaylock Cemetery
Stanford; father, Gary F. Kliment; and his sister,
her siblings, Johnnie and Bertha Cordelia College St. Location Eneth Davenport.
Cotton, Robert Cotton, Parker. She was former- Pallbearers will be Kane Stanford, Jesse
Thomas Cotton, Ernest Nancy Imes Boeltz, Tom Fairbanks, Josh Marcantel, Patrick
ly employed as a home- Incomplete
Cotton, Mary Taylor maker and a member of Adams, Terry Teer, Mike Traweek and Elijah
2nd Ave. N. Location
and Josie Yates. Higdon Church of God. Baswell.
She is survived by Memorials may be made to Boy Scouts of
In addition to her par- Kathy Smith
her husband, Charlie ents, she was preceded Private Memorial Services: America or American Legion Riders Post #69.
Wyatt Sr.; children, in death by her hus- Held at a Later Date. Compliments of
Yolanda Wyatt Bush, band, Noah; children,
2nd Ave. N. Location
Lowndes Funeral Home
Tameka Wyatt, Charlie www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
Minnie Lee Robertson Gwendolyn Jourdan
Wyatt Jr., and Annie and Rosa Dean; sib-
McCleod all of Macon; Incomplete

arrangements.
Mrs. Gregory was
born March 24, 1968,
to the late Annie Ruth
Edwards Smith. She
was formerly employed
as the owner and
director of Jingle Bell
Daycare and Preschool.
She was a member of
Ifocus Ministries.
lings, Ida Campbell,
brother, Evans Cotton Icie Campbell, Avalee
of Macon; 11 grand- Richards, Loventris
children; and four Parker, Lester, Lyndsy,
great-grandchildren.
Willburn, Gyvus, Roy
Pallbearers will be
and Albert Parker.
her nephews.
She is survived by
memorialgunterpeel.com
her children, Geraldine
Johnny Garner Foster, Aline Madden,
COLUMBUS — Franklin Campbell all
Johnny B. Garner,
Donald Janssen
College St. Location
Donald Clarence Janssen, 76,
of Columbus, MS passed away
Saturday, March 6, 2021, at
Baptist Memorial Hospital-GT.
A visitation will be Sunday,
March 14, 2021 from 1:00-
2:00 PM at Lowndes Funeral
Home Chapel, Columbus, MS.

In addition to her
mother, she was pre-
ceded in death by her
brother, Levell Hill;
step-brother, Charlie
Smith Jr.; and step-fa-
ther, Charlie Smith.
She is survived by
her children, Men-
deril Cohen, Erion
Gregory, Teriyaki
Brooks and Eriyannah
Gregory; siblings,
Tracy McBride, Frieda
Pippin and Randy Hill;
step-siblings, Ruth
Smith, Minnie Gate-
wood, Joseph Smith
and William Smith; and
one grandchild.
Evelyn Brooks
COLUMBUS — Ev-
elyn Brooks, 70, died
March 2,
2021, at her
residence.
Grave-
side
services
will be at
11 a.m. Sat-
urday, at Brooks
St. James
M.B. Church Ceme-
tery, with Michael Love
officiating. Visitation is
from 2-6 p.m. today, at
Carter’s Funeral Ser-
vices. Carter’s Funeral
Services of Columbus
is in charge of arrange-
ments.
Mrs. Brooks was
Bobby Parker
65, died Memorial service will follow
March 4, at 2:00 PM with Rev. Gene
2021, at Bramlett officiating and Lowndes Funeral Home
Baptist Bobby Lee Parker, 61, of Columbus, MS passed directing.
Memorial away Monday, March 8, 2021, at his residence. Mr. Janssen was born on July 25, 1944, in
Hospi- A memorial service will be Saturday, March Adrian, MN to the late Tena Dammer Janssen
tal-Golden 13, 2021, at 1:00 PM at Lowndes Funeral Home and Clarence Janssen. Don worked in the meat
Triangle. Chapel with Dr. Breck Ladd officiating and industry a long time starting at the young age of
Funeral Garner Lowndes Funeral Home directing. 19 at Armour in Worthington, MN on the ham
services Mr. Parker was born on August 1, 1959, in bone line, and over the years he worked his way
will be at 2 p.m. Satur- Crockett, TX to the late Wanda Marie Daniels up into management and across the United States
day, at United Chris- Parker and Bobby Lee Parker. He was a member working for serval different meatpacking plants
tian Baptist Church, of Fairview Baptist Church. Mr. Parker worked at that eventually landed in him in Mississippi.
with Steven L. James Severstal as a Crane Operator for many years. He Those companies included Wilson Foods in
officiating. Visitation enjoyed hunting, fishing, training dogs, and being Oklahoma, Lauriston Foods in Iowa, John Morrel
is from 2-6 p.m. today, outdoors. Mr. Parker was a member of AKC and Foods in South Dakota and Kansas, Bryan Foods
at Carter’s Funeral HRC dog training. He owned his own trucking in Mississippi, and Smithfield and Gwaltney
Home. Carter’s Funeral and heavy equipment business. Mr. Parker was a Foods in Virginia. He served in the National
Home of Columbus is true East Texan Cowboy in Mississippi and loved Guard. He loved to golf, fish, coon, and go deer
in charge of arrange- Texas A & M football. hunting. He loved to go camping and most
ments. In addition to his parents, Mr. Parker is recently was a member of the Good Sam Club. He
Mr. Garner was born preceded in death by his sister, Tonya Parker. was a MS State fan, a Christian, and had served
Feb. 10, 1956, in Alicev- Mr. Parker is survived by his wife, Barbara Guy on the board of trustees at Covenant Methodist
ille, Alabama, to Willie Parker of Columbus, MS; sons, Steven (Heather) Church. He loved his family and was very proud
J. Sanders and Sarah Parker, Wesley (Crystal) Parker, Wesley Kinard of his three grandchildren.
G. Bridges. He was a and Chris (Savannah) Kinard; grandchildren, In addition to his parents, Mr. Janssen is
graduate of S.D. Lee Hunter Parker, Alivia Parker, Rylee Parker, Reid preceded in death by his sister, Carol Schnepf.
High School and was Parker, Aubree Parker, Marlie Kinard, Landon Mr. Janssen is survived by his wife, Phyllis
formerly employed as a Kinard and Carrie Kinard; brother, Charles Heidebrink Janssen of Columbus, MS; daughter,
line loader with Baldor Holmes; and two nephews, Michael Hauser and Pam(Billy) Scott of West Point, MS; son, David
Electric Company. He Matthew Hauser. (Rebecca) Janssen of Columbus, MS; brothers,
was a member of Unit- Honorary pallbearers will be Herman Moore, Arnold Janssen and Marvin (Marlene) Janssen
ed Christian Baptist Michael House, Kye Van Someren, Jason Kuhn, both of GA; grandchildren, Morgan Scott, Dylan
Church. Darrell Ming, Chris Crawley, Richard Crawley, Scott and Elizabeth Janssen.
He was preceded Stan Rector, Bro. Walter Lowery, Guy Wilcox, Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Jason
in death by his son, Quinten Wheat, Cecil Hill, Bob Regions and Dunn, Dr. John Whitecar, Rufus Beason, Allen
Pachino Tyberous Gar- Staff of Legacy Hospice. Heidebrink, Howard Ferguson, Jerry Wiertzema
ner; and siblings, Ray Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s and L.C. McGee.
Pippins, James Pippins Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, Memorials may be made to Covenant United
and Charles Pippins. TN 38105. Methodist Church P.O. Box 9552 Columbus, MS
In addition to his 39705.
parents, he was pre- Compliments of Compliments of
ceded in death by his Lowndes Funeral Home Lowndes Funeral Home
wife, Brenda Garner www.lowndesfuneralhome.net www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 5A

Former presidents, first ladies

urge Americans to get shots
‘These vaccines will protect you and those you love
from this dangerous and deadly disease’
BY ZEKE MILLER
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Four former
presidents are urging Americans to
get vaccinated as soon as COVID-19
doses are available to them, as part
of a campaign to overcome hesitan-
cy about the shots.
Two public service announce-
ments from the Ad Council and
the business-supported COVID
Collaborative feature Presidents
Barack Obama, George W. Bush,
Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter as
well as first ladies Michelle Obama,
Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, and
Rosalynn Carter. All of them have
received doses of the COVID-19
vaccines.
In a 60-second spot, the former
presidents say what they’re most
looking forward to once the pan-
demic ends.
Clinton, 74, says he wants to “go
back to work and I want to be able
Former President George W. Bush
to move around.” Obama, 59, says
he wants to be able to visit with
his mother-in-law, “to hug her, and
see her on her birthday.” Bush, 74,
talks about “going to opening day in
Texas Rangers stadium with a full
stadium.”
Carter, 96, says he got vaccinat-
ed to help end the pandemic “as
soon as possible.”
The video features photos of
the former presidents and their
spouses with syringes in their up-
per arms as they urge Americans
to “roll up your sleeve and do your
part” by getting vaccinated.
A separate 30-second ad was
filmed hours after President Joe
Biden’s inauguration at Arling-
ton National Cemetery. It features
Bush, Obama and Clinton encour-
aging vaccinations.
“The science is clear,” Bush
says. “These vaccines will protect
you and those you love from this
dangerous and deadly disease.”
Obama calls them, the “first step to
ending the pandemic and moving
our country forward.”
Former President Donald Trump
and his wife, Melania, do not appear
in the campaign. Trump was still in
office when the ex-presidents’ proj-
ect began in December, according
to the Ad Council, and he did not
attend President Joe Biden’s inau-
guration on Jan. 20, when Obama,
Bush and Clinton gathered togeth-
er in person to film. A Trump ad-
viser revealed last week that the
Trumps were vaccinated in private
before leaving the White House on
Inauguration Day.
The ad campaign comes as U.S.
supply of the coronavirus vaccines
continues to ramp up and as pub-
lic health experts worry that some
Americans may choose not to get
vaccinated, which would slow the
country’s path toward “herd immu-
nity” to the virus.
The “It’s Up to You” campaign
encourages Americans to visit
www.GetVaccineAnswers.org to
get the facts about the vaccines.
The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention is also involved in
the education initiative.

Obituaries
Continued from Page 4A

Larry Conley tery. Visitation is from Gwendolyn Jourdan Pascagoula, Stanley

STARKVILLE — noon-6 p.m. today, at COLUMBUS — Baker of Birmingham,
Larry Conley, 63, died West Memorial Funeral Gwendolyn D. Jourdan, Alabama, Gloria Shelly,
March 3, 2021. Home. West Memo- 62, died March 11, Dianne Harris both
Graveside services rial Funeral Home of 2021, at her residence. of Columbus, Marva
will be at 11 a.m. Starkville is in charge Arrangements are Williamson of Stone
Saturday, at Sessums of arrangements. incomplete and will be Mountain, Georgia and
Community Cemetery. She is survived by announced by Memori- Lisa Baker of Marietta,
Visitation is from 2-6 her children, Cap Riley al Gunter Peel Funeral Georgia; step-children,
p.m. today, at West Me- III, Deundra Riley, Home and Crematory, Steve Poston of Mad-
morial Funeral Home. Willie B. Riley, Charles College Street location. ison, Shelia Harden
West Memorial Funeral Riley, LaDonna Riley of Morrow, Georgia,
all of Starkville, James Barbara Dorsey of Ma-
Home of Starkville is
Earl Riley of Chats-
Martha Baker bleton, Georgia and La-
in charge of arrange- COLUMBUS —
ments. worth, Georgia, Angie verne Billups of Senoia,
Martha Lou Baker, Georgia; 18 grandchil-
He is survived by Riley and Mary Ann 91, died
Riley of Meridian; and dren; 31 great-grand-
his children, LeKisha March 5,
siblings, Arthur Davis children; and four
Bush, Ursula Conley, 2021, at
and Betty Elliot. great-great-grandchil-
Antolin Mikel Conley Vineyard dren.
and Bryton Conley; Court
siblings, Marilyn Ellis, Tia Boyd Nursing
Myra Rush, Randy STARKVILLE — Tia Home.
Conley Sr., Roy Conley, Marie Boyd, 21, died Graveside
Walter Conley, T.J. March 5, 2021. services Baker
Conley, Carl Lucious Graveside services will be at
and Jackie Hurst. will be at 2 p.m. Sat- 11 a.m. Saturday, at
urday, at Chapel Hill Union Cemetery. Lee-
Jerline Harmon Cemetery. Visitation is Sykes Funeral Home of
MATHISTON — from 4-6 p.m. today, at Columbus is in charge
Jerline C. Harmon, 76, West Memorial Funeral of arrangements.
died March 5, 2021, in Home. West Memo- Mrs. Baker was
Tupelo. rial Funeral Home of born April 14, 1929, in
Graveside services Starkville is in charge Columbus, to the late
will be at 2 p.m. Satur- of arrangements. Jacob B. Baker and
day, at Spring Valley She is survived by Emma Lou Jones. She
Cemetery. Visitation is her parents, Rita Boyd attended Clay Coun-
from 4-6 p.m. today, at ty Schools and Mary
and Willie Collier;
Travelers Rest. West Holmes Junior Col-
and siblings, Rikecia
Memorial Funeral lege. She was formerly
Mims, Jameshia Boyd,
employed with Shelton
Home of Starkville is Crystal Anthony,
Cleaners and as an
in charge of arrange- Tiffany Boyd, Lashaun
educator with Lowndes
ments. Nash, Courtney Boyd,
County Headstart. She
She is survived by Jaylin Boyd and Koby was a member of Mt.
her husband, Tommie Boyd. Zion Missionary Baptist
Harmon; daughter,
Church.
Jessica Harmon; and Mary Cole In addition to her
sister, Fannie Yates. COLUMBUS — parents, she was pre-
Mary Ann Cole, 87, ceded in death by her
Clarice Riley died March 11, 2021, children, Wille Cooper,
STARKVILLE — at Trinity Health Care Alvin Poston and Har-
Clarice Riley, 68, died Center. old Baker; and seven
Feb. 28, 2021. Arrangements are siblings.
Graveside services incomplete and will be She is survived by
will be at 11 a.m. announced by Lown- her children, Thomas
Saturday, at East Sand des Funeral Home of Dowson of San Antonio,
Creek Church Ceme- Columbus. Texas, David Baker of

Defying rules, anti-vaccine

accounts thrive on social media
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
With vaccination against COVID-19
in full swing, social platforms like Face-
book, Instagram and Twitter say they’ve
stepped up their fight against misinfor-
mation that aims to undermine trust in
the vaccines. But problems abound.
For years, the same platforms have
allowed anti-vaccination propaganda to
flourish, making it difficult to stamp out
such sentiments now. And their efforts
to weed out other types of COVID-19
misinformation — often with fact-
checks, informational labels and other
restrained measures, has been woefully
slow.
Twitter, for instance, announced this
month that it will remove dangerous
falsehoods about vaccines, much the
same way it’s done for other COVID-re-
lated conspiracy theories and misin-
formation. But since April 2020, it has
removed a grand total of 8,400 tweets
spreading COVID-related misinforma-
tion — a tiny fraction of the avalanche
of pandemic-related falsehoods tweeted
out daily by popular users with millions
of followers, critics say.
“While they fail to take action, lives
are being lost,” said Imran Ahmed,
CEO of the Center for Countering Dig-
ital Hate, a watchdog group. In Decem-
ber, the nonprofit found that 59 million
accounts across social platforms follow
peddlers of anti-vax propaganda —
many of whom are immensely popular
superspreaders of misinformation.

If you don’t read The Dispatch, how are you gonna know?
Opinion
6A FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021
PETER BIRNEY IMES Editor/Publisher
BIRNEY IMES III Editor/Publisher 1998-2018
BIRNEY IMES JR. Editor/Publisher 1947-2003

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

ZACK PLAIR, Managing Editor

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

OUR VIEW
Our school crisis is a community crisis
In times of crisis, it is important not
to panic, but instead focus energy on a
clear-eyed view of the circumstances
with an emphasis on solutions.
Today the city of Columbus faces
perhaps the greatest challenge in its
history.
In the same year the city celebrat-
ed 200 years in public education - the
founding of Franklin Academy in 1821,
the state’s first public school — data
shared during Thursday’s school board
meeting shows a free-fall in academic
achievement in K-12 education.
The district’s mid-year assessment
of reading and math scores for K-8
students show one in three students is
two or more grade levels behind in at
least one of these core subjects. At Co-
lumbus Middle School, more than half
of the students are two or more grade
levels behind at a pivotal point in their
education. Barring a herculean achieve-
ment in getting those students back
on track, the dropout rate is certain to
spike while graduation rates will fall
precipitously.
Dismiss it as panic if you like, but
those numbers constitute a state of
emergency that goes beyond the school
district and reaches every corner of our
city.
A student entering ninth grade who
is performing at a 6th or 7th grade
level faces a monumental challenge in
completing high school. Today, a young
person without at least a high school
education faces a grim future, one likely
to be dominated by poverty and all its
associated ills, including crime, some-
thing that affects us all.
The quality of life in our city cannot
be separated from the viability of our
public schools. When our schools fail, it
damages our city’s ability to attract new
businesses and jobs, depresses home
values, threatens public safety and does
grievous harm to our collective psyche.
Even those whose children have nev-
er set foot in a Columbus public school
have a real vested interest in the state of
our public school system.
The tendency to ascribe blame in
this crisis is a natural one and useful to
a point. Knowing “how we got here” is
important in finding the way forward.
It would be easy if we could point a
finger at one person or one factor and
say, “Ah, there’s the problem.” But in
this case, so narrowly defining the prob-
lem will only exacerbate it.
We continue to have confidence in
Cherie Labat as superintendent. She
has proven herself competent since
her arrival. The board would do well to
support her recommendations.
Over the last decade our school
district has struggled along with a “D”
rating and a series of changes in lead-
ership — four superintendents during
that span.
When COVID-19 arrived last
spring, it presented grave challenges
to a school system struggling to make
progress. The lack of in-school instruc-
tion — 2,405 CMSD students attend
class two days a week and another
856 attend virtual classes only — has
been particularly damaging for a large
number of students, who often lack the
home environment required to keep up,
something not uncommon in all schools
during virtual learning.
When CMSD voted against moving
to a modified calendar of the 2021-22
school year, something administrators
believed would help student retain
what they had learned by shortening
the summer break while creating
“real-time” intervention periods in
both the fall and spring semesters for
students who had fallen behind, it must
be regarded as a missed opportunity for
immediate action.
While this editorial is based on the
numbers from one district, we suspect
the move to virtual learning has result-
ed in most students falling behind.
As noted, this crisis does not belong
exclusively to the school district. It is
one that affects us all.
We call upon every elected official,
every business, every citizen to stand
ready to help the district find solutions.

OTHER EDITORS

Child benefit in Biden’s

relief package will have
major impact on child
poverty
Unlike government programs that create a large
bureaucratic structure to administer them, the child
allowance that is part of President Biden’s $1.9 stimu-
lus plan has a simple premise: It will send checks di-
rectly to families. With that, the administration hopes
to put a big dent in the nation’s rate of child poverty.
The program is approved for just one year, but
Democratic lawmakers hope it catches on and they
can extend it. The full impact will not be fully evident
after 12 months, but in a city like Buffalo — which
in 2019 had the nation’s second-highest childhood
poverty rate — the effects should be profound.
Under the legislation, families will receive up to
$3,600 annually for each child under age 6 and as
COVID-19’s big fat non-surprise
much as $3,000 for those up to 17. The payments start “A Covid Mystery” regional disparities in never gets mentioned.
to phase out for individual parents earning more than proclaimed a New COVID-19 mortality In the United States, corona-
$75,000 and couples making $150,000. York Times newsletter. represent the greatest virus mortality rates by ethnicity
In addition to helping families escape the indig- “Why has the death conundrum of the map onto obesity rates pretty
nities of deprivation, putting spending money into toll been relatively pandemic.” closely. According to the Centers
households here could result in businesses such as low across much of This seems odd for Disease Control, the obesity
grocers, banks and retail stores following the money Africa and Asia?” Like because just last rate among African American
and moving into previously underserved neighbor- a know-it-all kid in 7th week, the World adults is 49.6%, followed by His-
hoods. grade, I thought: “Call Obesity Federation panics (44.8), whites (42.2) and
Estimates for the cost of the plan range from $110 on me! I know this!” issued a report Asians (17.4). The death rate from
billion to $120 billion, or around 6% of the total stim- and clicked on the showing that there is COVID-19 so far, according to
ulus package. That money is an investment with the item. But to my sur- a clear link between APM Research Lab, has indige-
potential for a very handsome return, and not just for Mona Charen
prise, the account that excess body weight, nous Americans with the highest
the lower- and middle-class families getting a hand followed completely especially obesity and rate (they were not included in
up. failed to mention what I thought COVID-19 mortality. Overweight the CDC data), but AfricanA-
The National Academy of Sciences estimates that was the obvious answer. was more predictive of severe mericans were second highest,
childhood poverty costs the United States between David Leonhardt’s piece notes COVID-19 illness than any factor followed by whites and Hispanics
$800 billion and $1.1 trillion annually. Limited life- the fact that, against all expec- with the exception of age. They (with nearly identical rates), with
time earnings and more health problems, homeless- tations dating from the early found that in countries where less Asians significantly behind.
ness and child neglect are among the factors. stages of this pandemic, poorer than half the adult population was I am no epidemiologist, but I
According to the Center on Poverty and Social countries of Africa and Asia have classified as overweight, the risk do detect some tip-toeing around
Policy at Columbia University, the legislation will suffered only a small fraction of of death from the coronavirus was a delicate subject. No one wants
reduce the number of children living in poverty by the death rates from the corona- about one-tenth the level found in to suggest that people are to
45%, slashing the childhood poverty rate for the year virus that wealthier nations have nations where more than half are blame for their illness. And
to less than 7%. experienced. In the U.S., we’ve overweight or obese. certainly grandma’s death from
Helping families survive times of need, particu- had 1,580 deaths per million People who are overweight or COVID-19 is no less of tragedy
larly after a full year of a pandemic, will enable more inhabitants. Italy has had 1,651, obese are more likely to get se- because she needed to lose a few
parents to join the workforce. Despite fears from whereas Egypt has had 109, and verely ill and to die of COVID-19 pounds.
conservative opponents that the child allowance will Nigeria 10. even after controlling for fac- But the rush to condemn the
discourage adults from wanting to work, there is Leonhardt lists some potential tors such as sex, ethnicity and American medical system as
evidence to the contrary. causes for this unexpected result. income. severely racist, which character-
Jane Waldfogel, a Columbia University profes- Could it be that poorer countries In his New Yorker piece puz- ized a lot of the early analysis of
sor, told The New York Times that a family benefits have younger populations? They zling about international dispari- these data about racial dispari-
program started by British Prime Minister Tony Blair do. But that doesn’t quite account ties, Murkerjee raises the exam- ties, may have been overwrought.
in 1999 led to increased employment among single for the disparity. ples of Mexico and India, noting It doesn’t mean there is no racism
mothers. With his plan, Britain’s childhood poverty Another potential cause of that they are quite close in age in the medical system. There are
rate was eventually cut in half. the differential: It’s possible that distribution, yet India’s death rate troubling studies, for example,
The pandemic caused many parents, in many people in Africa and Asia have is only about one-tenth of Mexi- about African Americans being
cases women, to leave their jobs to care for family had exposure to similar patho- co’s. He continues: “So perhaps prescribed less pain medication
members. Many will use their federal payments to be gens in the past and that their other populational features are than other patients. And God
able to afford child care, better transportation options immune systems were primed for significant. Take, for instance, the knows, a nation that conducted
and other basics that allow them to return to work. COVID-19. structure of an individual family the Tuskegee experiment cannot
The family payments are not enough to live on by Some countries’ leaders re- and its living arrangements: who expect African Americans to be
themselves. sponded better than others to the cohabitates with whom?” trusting for a few more genera-
Other rich countries, including Canada, Denmark, pandemic. But that doesn’t solve But wait, do we need to ask tions. But the idea that rampant
Finland, Norway and Sweden, also give families cash the puzzle either, writes Leon- that? The World Obesity Federa- racism among doctors and nurs-
payments to subsidize the costs of raising children. hardt, since many of the nations tion provides country-by-country es, many of whom are non-white,
Poverty and many of its side effects — susceptibil- with low death tolls have had breakdowns of overweight and could account for the disparity
ity to drug addiction and crime, food insecurity — do government responses that have obesity. According to their data, in deaths from the coronavirus
not stop at the city limits. Residents of rural towns been as weak and scattershot as the percentage of India’s adult seemed dubious.
face many of the same issues and will receive the countries with higher mortality. population categorized as obese So before the next pandemic
same income boost to help keep their families going. Leonhardt closes by conclud- is 3.9. In Mexico, it’s 28.9. strikes, we need to take steps to
And the size of the check isn’t affected by who you ing that multiple factors must be This brings us back to David prepare. We should have learned
voted for in November. a work. That is almost certainly Leonhardt’s point about the poor by now to stockpile PPE, syringes
Most parents want a hand up more than a hand- right, and yet, there is one factor and minorities in America being and so forth. And we need better
out. There is dignity in being able to hold a job and he failed to take into account. hardest hit by the pandemic. This coordination at all levels of gov-
put food on the table rather than relying on food Pulitzer prize-winning writ- is true, and many factors may be ernment. But Americans can also
banks or free school lunches, as important as those er and cancer specialist Sid- at work, including people’s living take responsibility for their own
are. Biden’s anti-poverty program will allow more dhartha Mukherjee addresses situations, the necessity of report- health by shedding those extra
parents to enter or remain in the workforce, helping the same subject in the New ing to in-person jobs instead of pounds.
our region’s economy to get back on its feet after the Yorker, concluding that, “For working from home and limited Mona Charen is a Senior Fel-
beating it has taken from Covid-19. many statisticians, virologists, access to medical care. But over- low at the Ethics and Public Policy
The Buffalo (NY) News (March 10) and public-health experts, the weight is also a factor that almost Center.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 7A

Job openings rise, layoffs fall

as pandemic economy mends
Layoffs fell to just under 1.7
million in January, the same
pace of job cuts occurring
before the pandemic
BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON — Companies post-
ed more open jobs in January while
layoffs decreased as the economy heals
slowly from the pandemic.
There were 6.9 million jobs available
on the last day in January, up from 6.7
million in December, the Labor Depart-
ment said Thursday. That suggests em-
ployers are getting ready to hire in the
coming months.
Hiring actually began to pick up in
February, according to last Friday’s jobs
report, which showed that employers
added 379,000 jobs, the most since Oc-
tober, while the unemployment rate fell
to 6.2 percent, from 6.3 percent. While
the economy still has 9.5 million fewer
jobs than before the pandemic, Febru-
ary’s job gain was much higher than
January’s and came after a sharp job
loss in December, suggesting the econ-
omy, after stalling out late last year, is
mending.
Thursday’s report tracks gross job
gains and losses, while last week’s fig-
ure is a net change in total jobs. The data
released Thursday also showed that lay-
offs fell to just under 1.7 million in Jan-
uary, the same pace of job cuts that was
occurring before the pandemic.
Those data contrast with the number
of people seeking unemployment bene-
fits, which fell last week but remain at
a very elevated level of 712,000, accord-
ing to a separate report Thursday. That
suggests an unusually high number of
Americans are still losing jobs. The fig-
ures may vary for several reasons. The
government has broadened the eligibil-
ity for unemployment benefits during
the pandemic, for example by allowing
those who have refused to take jobs
they felt were unsafe to claim aid.
Many recipients of unemployment
aid also report having to apply multiple
times to get through overwhelmed state
systems, potentially lifting the number
of jobless claims.
Other measures of the job market
also show that employers are increas-
ingly looking to hire.
According to a survey by Manpower-
Group, an employment agency, nearly
one-quarter of companies surveyed said
they plan to add workers in the April-
June quarter. That’s the most since the
pandemic began. And one-third expect
to return to their pre-pandemic hiring
levels by July, while more than half ex-
pect to do so by the end of the year.
Hiring in the second quarter will be
led by leisure and hospitality compa-
nies, ManpowerGroup’s survey found.

6 chosen for Chauvin trial jury

so far; murder charge added
Judge expects opening statements
for former officer’s trial on March 29
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS — A
man who said he has a
“very negative” impres-
sion of Derek Chauvin
nevertheless became the
sixth juror selected for the
former Minneapolis police
officer’s trial in George
Floyd’s death.
The man, who told at-
torneys he could set that
aside and consider the ev-
idence in the case, was the
only juror chosen Thurs-
day in a day most notable
for the judge restoring
a third-degree murder
charge against Chauvin.
When jury selection re-
sumes Friday for a fourth
day, the panel seated so
far will include five men
and one woman. Three
of those seated are white,
one is multiracial, one is
Hispanic, and one is Black,
according to Hennepin
County Judge Peter Cahill.
Cahill’s restoration of
the third-degree murder
charge came at the start of
Thursday’s proceedings,
handing prosecutors one
more option for a convic-
tion if they choose. Chau-
vin, failed to get appellate
courts to block the charge.
Cahill had earlier rejected
it as not warranted by the
circumstances of Floyd’s
death, but an appellate
court ruling in an unrelat-
ed case established new
grounds.
Cahill told potential ju-
rors after the ruling that
he still expects opening
statements on March 29.
Floyd was declared
dead on May 25 after Chau-
vin, who is white, pressed
his knee against the Black
man’s neck for about nine
minutes. Floyd’s death
sparked sometimes vio-
lent protests in Minneapo-
lis and beyond, leading to
a nationwide reckoning on
race.
The sole juror picked
Thursday described him-
self as an outgoing, fami-
ly-oriented soccer fan for
whom the prospect of the
trial is “kind of exciting.”
The man said he’s also
a fan of true crime pod-
casts and TV shows. He
acknowledged under ques-
tioning from defense at-
torney Eric Nelson that he
had a “very negative” im-
pression of Chauvin. The
man wrote on his question-
naire that he had seen the
widely viewed bystander
video of Floyd “desper-
ately screaming that he
couldn’t breathe” even as
other officers stood by and
bystanders shouted that
Chauvin was killing him.
Yet asked whether he
could set his opinions
aside and stick to the evi-
dence presented in court,
he replied: “I’m willing to
see all the evidence and ev-
erything, hear witnesses.”
Several other candi-
dates were dismissed, in-
cluding a woman who said
she “can’t unsee the video”
of Chauvin pinning Floyd,
and a man who said he has
doubts about Black Lives
Matter and the way the
group pursues its goals.

Resignation demands grow for New York governor

BY MARINA VILLENEUVE
The Associated Press
ALBANY, N.Y. —
New York Gov. Andrew
Cuomo’s grip on power
appeared increasingly
threatened Thursday as
a majority of state legisla-
tors called for his resigna-
tion, Democrats launched
an impeachment investi-
gation and police in the
state capital said they
stood ready to investigate
a groping allegation.
The firestorm around
the Democrat grew a day
after the Times Union
of Albany reported that
an unidentified aide had
claimed Cuomo reached
under her shirt and fon-
dled her at his official res-
idence late last year.
The woman hasn’t filed
a criminal complaint, but
a lawyer for the governor
said Thursday that the
state had reported the al-
legation to the Albany Po-
lice Department after the
woman involved declined
to do so herself.
“In this case the per-
son is represented by
counsel and when counsel
confirmed the client did
not want to make a report,
the state notified the po-
lice department and gave
them the attorney’s infor-
mation,” said Beth Gar-
vey, the governor’s acting
counsel.
An Albany Police De-
partment spokesperson,
Steve Smith, didn’t im-
mediately return a mes-
sage from The Associated
Press, but told The New
York Times police had
reached out to a represen-
tative for the woman.

Uber, Lyft team up on database to expose abusive drivers

BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE
AP Business Writer
SAN RAMON, Calif.
— Uber and Lyft have
teamed up to create a da-
tabase of drivers ousted
from their ride-hailing
services for complaints
about sexual assault and
other crimes that have
raised passenger-safety
concerns for years.
The clearinghouse un-
veiled Thursday will ini-
tially list drivers expelled
by the ride-hailing rivals
in the U.S. But it will also
be open to other compa-
nies that deploy workers
to perform services such
as delivering groceries
or take-out orders from
restaurants
The new safeguard,
dubbed the “sharing
safety program,” will be
overseen by HireRight, a
specialist in background
checks. The use of a third
party is aimed at address-
ing potential legal con-
cerns about companies,
including competitors
such as Uber and Lyft,
having access to informa-
tion to each other’s per-
sonnel matters.
“Lyft and Uber are
competitors in a whole lot
of ways, but on this issue
of safety, we completely
agree that folks should be
safe no matter what plat-
form they choose,” Tony
West, Uber’s chief legal
officer, told The Associat-
ed Press.
8A FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021
Carter
Continued from Page 1A
McDonnall was Car-
ter’s mentor as the coach
pursued his master’s in
administration and super-
vision, an achievement
Carter pursued with the
same passion he showed
on the court. In 2017, Car-
ter received the degree
through the University of
Phoenix.
“I think he approached
that like he did every-
thing else: ‘This is my
goal; I’m going to get it,’”
McDonnall said.
‘A winner and a leader’
Donte Powers, who
played for Carter at
Starkville before going
on to East Mississippi
Community College and
now Sam Houston State,
said Carter will bring
that same spirit to his
new position in Hatties-
burg.
“They’re bringing a
winner and a leader —
somebody who can come
in expecting to win,” Pow-
ers said. “They’re getting
a really good person at
heart, as well.”
Powers said he and his
teammates could always
come by Carter’s office
and chat about anything,
whether it was basketball,
school or life. He said the
connection the Jackets’
coach forged with his
players helped him gain
their trust and made it
easier to implement what
Carter hoped to run on
the court.
Clearly, that paid off.
Starkville had just one
state championship in
school history — in 1961
— before Carter took
over beginning with the
2002-03 season. He led
the Jackets to champion-
ships in 2010, 2015, 2019
and 2020 in spite of the
constant roster turnover
they faced nearly every
year.
“When you hear
Coach Greg Carter, you
think of the G.O.A.T.,”
said Eric Green, whose
three sons have all
played under Carter at
Starkville. “They don’t
rebuild. They reload.”
Green’s sons Tyler
Talley and Eric Green
shared the court as the
Jackets won the MHSAA
Class 6A championship
in 2019. Talley graduat-
ed that spring, but his
younger brother was a
big part of the team that
went back to back the fol-
lowing season. On Satur-
day, Eric led the Jackets
in scoring in a 56-51 loss
to Clinton in the state
championship in what
Cox
Continued from Page 1A
Spears, appointed to
the board in March 2012,
served as president from
2013-14 and again from
2017 until Thursday eve-
ning. He led the board
through the process of
terminating former su-
perintendent Philip Hick-
man and hiring current
COVID numbers
Continued from Page 1A
deaths since the pandem-
ic began in March 2020,
according to the most
recent data from the Mis-
sissippi State Department
of Health. There were 61
new cases and four new
deaths reported since Feb.
27. Data from MSDH’s
website also indicates the
test positivity rate has
been steadily declining
over the last month, from
13.1 percent on Feb. 6 to
7.7 percent on Feb. 27.
There have also been
15,759 doses of COVID-19
vaccine — including both
first and second doses —
administered to Lowndes
County residents as of
Starkville boys basketball coach Greg Carter patrols the sidelines during Saturday’s
game against Clinton at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. The Yellow Jackets
lost 56-51 in what turned out to be Carter’s final game coaching the team after 19
seasons.
turned out to be Carter’s
final game coaching the
Jackets.
“That was history,”
the elder Green said. “He
played basketball for a
legend.”
Stability and direction
Carter expressed
regret that his tenure in
Starkville couldn’t end
with a three-peat and a
fifth state title under his
leadership. Heading into
the contest at the Missis-
sippi Coliseum in Jack-
son, he wasn’t even sure
he would be leaving: He
had received the job offer
from Hattiesburg but did
not accept until Monday.
In doing so, he closed
the book on a transforma-
tion of the Yellow Jackets’
program. When the
Forest native and hall of
fame player at Mississippi
State came to Starkville
after seven years assist-
ing with the Bulldogs
and a year at Brandon, he
took over a team whose
previous two coaches
spent just two years each
at the school.
“It needed some sta-
bility and some positive
direction, and I think
that’s what I brought to
the table,” Carter said.
He hopes to bring
more to Hattiesburg, say-
ing he wants to stay in his
new position for a while
and intends to put down
roots in the community.
Carter noted that build-
ing relationships with
local business leaders,
school administrators,
teachers and other area
figures was paramount
at Starkville and hopes
to bring the same to the
Tigers’ athletics teams,
superintendent Cherie
Labat.
“I feel really good about
this transition,” Spears
said. “I think my time
as board president saw
some really good things,
working with the trustees
to bring in Dr. Labat and
putting the district in a
Thursday at 8 a.m., ac-
cording to MSDH’s web-
site.
In Oktibbeha County,
there have been 39 new
cases reported since Feb.
27 for a total of 4,448, ac-
cording to MSDH. There
have been 96 deaths total,
only three in the last two
weeks. The test positivity
rate also dropped from 13
percent on Feb. 6 to 9.2
percent on Feb. 27.
There were 13,801
doses of vaccine adminis-
tered to Oktibbeha Coun-
ty residents as of Thurs-
day morning.
Clay County saw the
lowest number of new
Send in your church event!
Email editorialassistant@cdispatch.com
Subject: Religious brief
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
mentioning that his goal
is to compete for the MH-
SAA Class 5A all-sports
award every year.
“Especially in
Starkville, being as
diverse as we are, I think
that’s huge — that rela-
tionship with the com-
munity as well as players
and parents,” McDonnall
said. “That’s huge, espe-
cially in a big program
like his.”
A quiet and soft-spo-
ken man with a great
sense of humor and an
unparalleled ability to
create a rapport with his
players, Carter ran a tight
ship on his team, main-
tained high expectations
and made sure to hold his
athletes accountable.
“We never had any
issues with basketball
players because all you
had to do was go talk to
Coach Carter,” McDon-
nall said.
After nearly two de-
cades working alongside
Carter, McDonnall said
the coach will be sorely
missed in Starkville.
“He’s been excellent
to work with the last 19
years,” McDonnall said.
“I’m happy that he’s de-
cided to make this move
in his life.”
‘You don’t get another
Coach Carter’
Hattiesburg Superin-
tendent Robert Williams
called Carter a “proven
winner” who will instill
a title-winning mentality
in the athletes in the
district’s 23 sports.
“I’m not saying that we
will win a championship
in every sport, but we
want to make sure we
will have a championship
very good financial posi-
tion. I think the transition
will be very smooth and
that Trustee Cox will con-
tinue to momentum. She
understands that we all
rely on each other to keep
things going in the right
direction.”
At 10:30 p.m. Thursday,
cases with only four cases
and three deaths reported
since Feb. 27, bringing the
case total to 1,795 and the
death toll to 53 since the
pandemic began. The test
positivity rate has plum-
meted from 13.3 percent
on Feb. 6 to 1.1 percent on
Feb. 27.
Clay County residents
have received 4,755 doses
of the vaccine.
Noxubee County has a
total of 1,237 cases and 31
deaths through the pan-
demic, with an increase
of nine cases and two
deaths since Feb. 27. The
test positivity rate in the
county has dropped from
Jeremy L. Miller/Dispatch file photo
mindset for our students
not only on the field but
also off the field,” Wil-
liams told The Dispatch.
He said hiring Carter
strengthens the trifecta
the district is aiming to
hit: excellence in athlet-
ics, arts and activities.
With strong band and
forensics programs,
Hattiesburg can achieve
success in all three areas.
“I can’t count the
number of texts that I
received today saying
‘home run hire,’ ‘great
hire,’” Williams said
Wednesday.
Starkville athletic di-
rector Greg Owen knows
keeping Starkville’s bas-
ketball program at that
same high level without
Carter in the fold won’t
be easy. Owen joked
that Carter was such a
respected presence on
the sidelines that referees
would occasionally defer
to the Jackets’ coach on
whether to call fouls.
Now, Carter will bring
his leadership, gravi-
tas and knowledge to
Hattiesburg as Starkville
searches for his replace-
ment. While Carter
recommended his former
assistant Qu’Varius
Howard, who led Kemper
County to the Class 3A
semifinals in his first
year leading the Wild-
cats, everyone knows
finding a coach who can
immediately bring to the
Jackets’ program what
Carter brought won’t be
easy.
“You don’t get another
Coach Carter,” Owen
said. “You may get anoth-
er head coach, but you’re
not going to find another
Coach Carter.”
after a motion and second
to adjourn, Spears, seated
at the center of the board
table, turned to Cox at the
far end.
“I want my seat back,”
Spears said. “I tell you,
I’ve been ready to move
out of this location for a
long time.”
6.7 percent Feb. 6 to 2 per-
cent on Feb. 27, though it
has fluctuated more than
the other counties, with
the rate increasing to 9.5
percent in mid-February.
There have been 2,586
doses of vaccine adminis-
tered to Noxubee County
residents.
Nearly 680 new cases
were reported throughout
the state on Wednesday,
and Mississippi sits at a
total of 299,124 cases and
6,864 deaths. There have
been 823,691 doses of
one of the COVID-19 vac-
cines administered, and
302,524 Mississippians
fully vaccinated.
Sports
PREP SOFTBALL
Insurance pays off for New Hope in road win at Caledonia
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
CALEDONIA — The
New Hope High School
softball team knew what it
was up against.
With her team lead-
ing 8-4 headed into the
fifth inning of Thursday’s
road game at rival Caledo-
nia, Trojans coach Casey
Finch Halford issued a re-
minder that New Hope’s
advantage might not be
enough.
“Four’s not going to do
it,” she warned.
Her players heard her,
pushing across an addi-
tional three runs in the
top of the seventh after
Caledonia cut the lead
in half in the sixth. The
Coleman’s
FTs with 1.8
seconds left
lift Texas
over Tech
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo.
— Texas and Texas Tech
played nearly 40 minutes
to a near-standstill be-
fore Longhorns guard
Courtney Ramey looked
at backcourt mate Matt
Coleman III and deliv-
ered a simple message.
“Yo, Matt,” Ramey
said, “it’s time to go.”
Coleman responded
with a finishing kick that
has the Longhorns play-
ing in the Big 12 Tourna-
ment semifinals.
The senior guard’s
basket got his team
within a point with less
than a minute to go, then
Coleman made the go-
ahead free throws with
1.8 seconds left, allowing
the No. 13 Longhorns to
squeak out a 67-66 win
over the No. 20 Red Raid-
ers in the quarterfinal
round Thursday night.
“Any time you play
Tech, you know it’s going
to be a grind game, both
ways,” said Coleman, who
finished with a game-
high 19 points. “The most
aggressive team usually
wins.”
Jase Febres finished
with 15 points, Andrew
Jones added 11, and Jer-
icho Sims and Kai Jones
had 10 apiece for the
Longhorns (18-7), who
advanced to play No. 11
Kansas — the tourna-
ment’s second seed — in
the semifinals Friday
night.
“We could have
cracked,” Febres said.
“We could have folded
plenty of times out there,
got discouraged, but our
coach continues to instill
confidence in us and we
just feed off that.”
The sixth-seeded Red
Raiders led 66-61 before
baskets by Kai Jones and
Coleman got third-seed-
ed Texas within a point
with less than a minute
to go. Texas Tech had a
chance to push the lead
back out, but Terrence
Shannon Jr. was stripped
on his drive to the basket
by Brock Cunningham,
giving the Longhorns a
chance for the winning
basket.
Andrew Jones missed
the first try on a drive
to the rim, and the loose
ball on the rebound went
to Coleman, who passed
right back to Jones for a
3-pointer that bounced off
the iron and out of bounds
with 16.3 seconds left.
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021
B
SECTION
Trojans were glad they have lost 9-8.”
listened when Caledonia But after losing four
scored three more times of their first five games,
in its final at-bat and including Tuesday’s 7-3
brought the tying run to home game against Cale-
the plate before all was donia, the Trojans showed
said and done. they had matured enough
Had New Hope not not to pack it in when
gotten that needed in- they broke a 3-3 tie with
surance, Finch Halford’s five runs in the top of the
team would have headed fourth.
home with a heartbreak- Sophomore Madys-
ing one-run loss. Instead, on McBrayer, who had
the Trojans (2-4) earned the go-ahead hit in the
a split with the Cavs (4-3) inning, said Thursday’s
by virtue of an 11-9 win. win proved New Hope’s
“I told you when it was offense is finally coming
8-4 that four wouldn’t do together.
it,” Finch Halford told “It meant a lot because
her players as the team we’ve not been on a roll
huddled in the left-field lately,” she said. “Our bats
Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff
grass postgame. “If you’d have not been alive, but New Hope sophomore Madyson McBrayer takes a swing in the seventh inning of
have stopped doing it and tonight we came alive, so Thursday’s softball game at Caledonia. McBrayer had the go-ahead hit in the fourth
laid down then, you would See PREPS, 4B inning as the Trojans beat the Cavaliers 11-9.
NO. 9 MISSISSIPPI STATE 74, NO. 8 KENTUCKY 73
At last: Bulldogs snap 15-game skid to
Kentucky, win SEC tournament contest
Mississippi State athletics
Abdul Ado slams home a dunk in the first half of Mississippi State’s SEC tournament game Thursday in Nashville. The Bulldogs beat Ken-
tucky 74-73, snapping a 15-game losing streak to the Wildcats.
BY GARRICK HODGE second half. a go-ahead attempt with 2 sec- and the latter saving his team
ghodge@cdispatch.com Then came the Kentucky onds left. with a team-high 21 points.
run. “There was a pit in my stom- “I just want to show people
Every Mississippi State bas- Wildcats guard Dontaie Al- ach,” Howland said after look- that I can be tough out there,
ketball fan on the planet had len, a nonfactor in almost any ing up at Allen’s game-winning I can be mentally tough at the
seen this movie play out a time game this season that didn’t attempt. end of the games,” Molinar said
or two. Presented with any come against the Bulldogs, Call it the answer to the
chance to beat Kentucky over of his late-game heroics.
couldn’t miss. Somehow, he prayers Howland later admitted
the past 12 years, the tale always Kentucky ends its season at
matched a career-high 23 saying as the shot was released.
begins with an energetic MSU 9-16. John Calipari, who lost to
points. His other 23-point outing Call it luck. Whatever you name
team racing out to a large lead. the Bulldogs on Thursday for
came against — you guessed it it, a would-be dagger clanked
Which, of course, withers away the first time since taking over
— MSU on Jan. 2 in Kentucky’s harmlessly off the rim.
and ends in disappointment. five-point double overtime win. Senior center Abdul Ado the Wildcats program, will like-
It played out this way in Jan- “Dontaie Allen has some- grabbed the rebound, extend- ly face the most tumultuous off-
uary. It felt destined to do so thing to do with Mississippi ing his Bulldog career at least season he’s endured in recent
again Thursday in Nashville State,” MSU coach Ben How- one more day and forcing Ken- memory.
during the teams’ first round land said. “I don’t know what it tucky to almost certainly miss “Our teams physically have
SEC tournament meeting. Until is. Whenever we play against the NCAA tournament for the always been roughhouse tough,”
it didn’t. Kentucky, he gets to be the best first time since 2013. Calipari said. “This team wasn’t
Downing Kentucky 74-73 to player on the court.” “This is great,” Ado said. “I that way … My teams historical-
survive its first game of post- The Bulldogs’ 15-point lead can’t put it into words how much ly played like if they lost, they
season play, MSU tore up the was erased by a Wildcat 3-point it means to me. I was just telling were going to the electric chair.
familiar script despite its best barrage and turned into a five- Deivon (Smith) that this is the This team did not.”
inclinations to repeat it. point deficit in the closing min- first time I’ve beaten them since But none of that is Howland’s
The first 20 minutes saw the utes. I’ve been here.” concern. What is a quandary for
Bulldogs overpower an over- Deja vu all over again. Somehow, someway, Mis- the Bulldogs is somehow mak-
whelmed Wildcats frontcourt Except, somehow, the ending sissippi State exorcised its well ing it past Friday’s quarterfinal
in the paint and on the boards changed. publicized demons, snapping a matchup with No. 1 seed Ala-
(wait, what year is it again?) Sophomore guard Iverson 15-game losing streak against bama. Both previous contests
with 26 of MSU’s first 30 points Molinar showcased the matu- the biggest boogeyman the
against the SEC champs this
coming inside. Despite deploy- rity of a cold-blooded senior in program has known over the
ing a roster with all the length winter were tightly contested,
the game’s final two minutes, last decade-plus. The victory
and recruiting prowess in the knocking down two contested was the Bulldogs’ first over the single-digit MSU losses. By
world, the Wildcats had no an- 3-pointers off screens and sink- Wildcats since 2009 and contin- their standards, the Bulldogs
swer to the Bulldogs’ bully ball ing two crucial free throws with ued a streak of four consecutive have already pulled off one mir-
as MSU took a 14-point halftime his team trailing by one with opening-round SEC tournament acle in this SEC tournament.
lead — tying a Kentucky record seven seconds remaining. Inex- wins for MSU. They’ll try to make it two in Fri-
for largest halftime deficit at plicably, on the ensuing defen- Both Ado and Molinar were day’s 11 a.m. contest.
the SEC tournament. The lead sive possession, the Bulldogs critical in snapping the skid, the “We’ve got to be able to de-
eventually grew to as many as left the hot hand, Allen, open for former dominating the first half fend our tails off to give our-
15 in the opening minutes of the a clean look beyond the arc in with a season-high 14 points, selves a chance,” Howland said.
2B FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Cole — and his dad — looking forward to return of fans

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gerrit Cole is looking for-
ward to having his father at Yan-
kee Stadium on opening day to
watch him pitch in person in pin-
stripes for the first time.
Mark Cole grew up a Yan-
kees fan in Syracuse, New York,
but his son’s first season after
signing a $324 million, nine-
year contract was played in emp-
ty ballparks because of the novel
coronavirus pandemic.
New York expects some seats
will be allowed to be filled when
it hosts Toronto for its April 1
opener.
“My dad’s been itching to get
to Yankee Stadium to watch a
game,” Cole said Thursday af-
ter striking out five over three
innings while allowing one run
and three hits in a 6-1 win over
Philadelphia.
“If they don’t let us in for an
opening day. I’m going to put
the radio on outside the gate and
just sit there and listen,” Cole re-
called his father telling him.
“I think we could probably
get you in,” the pitcher remem-
bered responding. “And then, of
course, now it’s it for sure it’ll be
able to happen, and he gets to
see it. So he’s excited, and it’ll be
honestly easier on everybody’s
family now that we got some ac-
cess.”
Aaron Hicks led off the game
with a home run off Aaron Nola
and added an RBI double in the
fifth. Nola gave up two runs and
four hits in four innings.
Bryce Harper went 0 for 3
and is hitless in nine at-bats.
Jonathan Loaisiga pitched
three hitless innings.
Short trips
Atlanta manager Brian Snit-
ker is a fan of the baseball’s pod
scheduling for spring training
this year. In fact, he’d like to see
the format stick.
The Braves are playing only
teams on Florida’s West Coast
in spring training. The reduced
travel time means the team has
had more time at its North Port,
Florida facility.
“I’ve loved it, quite honestly,”
Snitker said. “I don’t know if it’s
a possibility to keep it going.
We’ve kind of just changed our
routine to just doing all our work
here and that’s worked our per-
fectly.”
Snitker said the Braves’ lon-
gest drive for a game has been
only about 70 minutes.
“Guys can sleep in a little bit,”
he said. “We don’t have to get
started quite so early because
we can hit into later in the morn-
ing.”
Mets 1, Astros 0
New York ace Jacob deGrom
reached 102 mph with his fast-
ball while carving up Houston,
striking out seven over three
perfect innings. The two-time
Cy Young Award winner is yet
to allow a run in five innings this
spring. With a lineup full of mi-
nor leaguers, Houston had just
one hit and struck out 17 times.
Pete Alonso homered for the
Mets, and Houston starter Zack
Greinke struck out four and
pitched two-hit ball over three
scoreless innings.
Blue Jays 10, Tigers 6 (7)
George Springer led off with
a home run after missing two
games due to left abdominal
tightness, and Vladimir Guer-
rero Jr. hit a three-run homer
in the first off Michael Fulmer.
Fulmer gave up seven runs
and five hits — three of them
homers — and two walks in
two innings.
Kody Clemens, the son of
former MLB pitcher Roger Cle-
mens, had a two-run triple for
Detroit.
Pirates 7, Orioles 5
Félix Hernández allowing
three runs — two earned —
and three hits in two innings in
his first spring training start of
the Orioles. Todd Frazier hit an
RBI double in the first and An-
thony Alford a two-run homer
in the second.
Nationals 1, Marlins 1 (9)
Patrick Corbin allowed two
hits in three scoreless innings.
Miami’s Sandy Alcantara pitch-
ing 3 1/3 scoreless innings
with five walks and four strike-
outs.
Red Sox 5, Twins 4 (8)
Marwin González hit solo
homer in the first off Matt
Shoemaker and a three-run
drive in the fourth against
Devin Smeltzer. Eduardo Ro-
dríguez allowed one run and
four hits in four innings with
six strikeouts.
Twins prospect Alex Kirill-
off homered.
Braves 2, Rays 0
Tyler Glasnow struck out
seven and allowed one hit in
four scoreless innings.
Kyle Wright allowed two
hits in four four shutout in-
nings, and Ronald Acuña Jr.
hit a solo homer.
Cubs 8, Rockies 6
Joc Pederson went 3 for 3
with a pair of home runs off
Dereck Rodriguez and is bat-
ting .529 with five homers and
a 1.471 slugging percentage.
Kris Bryant hit a two-run dou-
ble. Kyle Hendricks struck out
five in three innings but gave
up four runs and seven hits.
Athletics 6, Rangers 0 (7)
Jesús Luzardo struck out
five in four hitless innings, and
relievers finished a one-hit-
ter. Andy Ibáñez singled with
two outs in the seventh. Seth
Brown homered. Rangers
starter Taylor Hearn retired
all seven batters.
Padres 5, Indians 4
AL Cy Young Award winner
Shane Bieber struck out five
in three innings and allowed
one hit. Bobby Bradley dou-
bled twice and is batting .400
as he tries to earn the Indians
first base job. Eric Hosmer hit
a two-run homer.
Royals 4, Brewers 2 (7)
Salvador Pérez hit his third
homer. Mike Minor struck out
five in three innings, allowing
two runs an a hit. Milwaukee’s
Josh Lindblom struck out six
over three innings and Freddy
Peralta struck out seven in 2
2/3 innings.
Angels 5, Giants 4 (7)
Mike Trout hit his first ho-
mer. Griffin Canning retired
the side in the first on 12 pitch-
es, was relieved in the second
after giving up a three-run tri-
ple by Will Wilson, then came
back and could not retire a
batter in the third. Albert Pu-
jols singled and doubled, and
Dexter Fowler homered.
Mariners 4, Dodgers 4 (7)
Corey Seager homered for
a second straight game for
Los Angeles, backing an ef-
fectively wild effort from Trev-
or Bauer. The Dodgers’ big
free agent acquisition, Bauer
walked four and struck out
four while pitching one-run
ball over 3 1/3 innings. Tony
Gonsolin added three perfect
innings in relief, striking out
five. Jake Fraley homered and
doubled for Seattle.
Reds 7, White Sox 4
Nick Castellanos and Mike
Moustakas each homered and
had two hits for Cincinnati,
and Eugenio Suarez also had
two hits. Tyler Mahle pitched
two scoreless innings, allow-
ing a hit and striking out three
for the Reds. Eloy Jiménez
homered and tripled for Chica-
go, but starter Reynaldo López
allowed five runs in three in-
nings.

Bieber, Alonso among 8 whose contracts renewed
NEW YORK — AL Cy Young Award winner Shane
Bieber of the Cleveland Indians was among eight play-
ers whose contracts were unilaterally renewed by their
team before Thursday’s deadline for all players on 40-
man rosters to have deals for the 2021 season.
Bieber will receive a $679,700 salary while in the
major leagues and $311,600 in the unlikely event he is
optioned to the minors.
Bieber was an All-Star in 2019 and led the major
leagues during last year’s shortened season in wins
(eight), ERA (1.63) and strikeouts (122). Unless he
reaches a long-term deal, he is likely to be eligible for
salary arbitration next winter.
Those renewed include New York Mets first base-
man Pete Alonso, the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year,
who gets a salary of $676,775 in the major leagues and
$326,261 in the minors.
Alonso was an All-Star in 2019, when he hit a rookie
record 53 home runs, batted .260 and had 120 RBIs. He
hit .231 with 16 homers and 35 RBIs last year.
Mets outfielder Jeff McNeil was renewed at a salary
of $642,251 in the majors and $308,838 in the minors.
He batted .311 with four homers and 23 RBIs last year
after hitting .318 with 23 homers and 75 RBIs in 2019.
Alonso and McNeil also are likely to be eligible for ar-
bitration next winter.
Mets lefty David Peterson agreed to a one-year con-
tract with a salary of $585,750 in the major leagues.
Seattle outfielder Kyle Lewis, the reigning AL Rook-
ie of the Year, was renewed for $625,000 in the majors
and $282,750 in the minors. Lewis won’t be eligible for
arbitration until after the 2022 season at the earliest.
Others renewed were Arizona right-hander Zac
Gallen ($607,500/$287,500), Los Angeles Dodgers
outfielder Andrew Toles ($583,500/$93,000), Atlanta
pitcher Ian Anderson ($575,500/$142,978) and Oak-
land catcher Sean Murphy ($575,500/$281,750).
Toles was placed on the restricted list in March 2019
and was briefly at extended spring training that year
but did not play. He was arrested last June on a misde-
meanor trespassing charge in Key West, Florida.
SOURCE: AP

Have you checked the

Classifieds?
EmploymEnt
BUSInESS
REntalS
REal EStatE
GaRaGE SalES
mERchandISE
VEhIclES
commUnIty
SERVIcES
lEGalS
ads.cdispatch.com
662-328-2424

Joiner, Ole Miss beat South Carolina in SEC tournament
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NASHVILLE, Tenn.
— Jarkel Joiner scored
18 points, Romello White
had 17, seven rebounds
and three blocks, and
Mississippi beat South
Carolina 76-59 on Thurs-
day night in the second
round of the SEC Tourna-
ment.
The sixth-seeded Reb-
els (16-10) play No. 3 seed
LSU in the quarterfinals
Friday. The Tigers beat
Ole Miss 75-61 on Jan. 9.
and had a game that was
originally scheduled for
Feb 28 at LSU canceled
by issues concerning the
coronavirus pandemic.
Jalyn McCreary
scored 15 points, Wildens
Leveque added 14 and AJ
Lawson scored 12 for No.
11 seed South Carolina
(6-15). Keyshawn Bryant
and Jermaine Couisnard
did not play for undis-
closed reasons. The duo
combined to average
more than 24 points this
season, including 14.4 by
Bryant.
Luis Rodriguez hit a
3-pointer to spark a 14-2
run to close the first
half and give the Reb-
els a 15 point lead. After
Rodriguez made 1-of-2
free throws, Joiner sand-
wiched a layup and a
jumper around two foul
shots to make it 37-24.
T.J. Moss made two free
throws — South Caroli-
na’s first points in nearly
four minutes — before
Joiner went 4 of 4 from
the foul line in the final 47
seconds to make it 41-26
at halftime.
Devontae Shuler had
15 points and five assists
and KJ Buffen added
eight points and nine re-
bounds for the Rebels.
Shuler is a native of Irmo,
South Carolina, about
10 miles from the Game-
cocks’ campus.
The Gamecocks
scored eight of the first 10
second-half points to trim
their deficit to nine points
Duke pulls out of ACC tournament; NCAA tourney streak ends
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GREENSBORO, N.C.
— Duke arrived at the
Atlantic Coast Confer-
ence tournament hoping
to make an unprece-
dented run to extend its
long NCAA tournament
streak.
Instead, the Blue Dev-
ils abruptly had to pull
out of the tournament
and end its season due to
a positive COVID-19 test
and the resulting quaran-
tining and contact trac-
ing.
The ACC announced
that the Blue Devils’ quar-
terfinal game against
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Ole Miss and South Carolina players scramble after a loose ball during Thursday’s SEC tournament game at
Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The Rebels beat the Gamecocks 76-59 to advance to the quarterfinals.
but White answered with within the final five min-
a layup and Ole Miss led utes.
by double figures the rest Xavier Pinson added
of the way. 17, Kobe Brown had 16
points for Missouri and
No. 7 Missouri 73, Tilmon finished with 10.
No. 10 Georgia 70 No. 10 seed Geor-
gia (14-12) lost its third
Dru Smith made two straight. The Bulldogs
free throws with 15.2 sec- trailed 69-67 with 19.8
onds left, and the Missou- seconds remaining when
ri Tigers held off Georgia Toumani Camara went to
73-70 Thursday night to the free throw line and
advance to the Southeast- missed both attempts.
ern Conference Tourna- Smith hit his free
ment quarterfinals. throws, then Pinson add-
Seventh-seeded Mis- ed two more for the final
souri (16-8) will play margin.
eighth-ranked Arkansas Sahvir Wheeler led
on Friday night. Georgia with 14 points,
The Tigers led 62-50 Camara finished with 13
and nearly blew that lead and K.D. Johnson had 12.
after failing to make a Pinson beat the buzzer
field goal after Jeremiah with a 3-pointer to trim
Tilmon’s layup with 6:24 Missouri’s deficit to 33-
remaining. They missed 32 after a first half where
their final six shots but both teams went through
made all nine free throws scoring droughts longer
No. 15 Florida State for “Since last March
Thursday night was can- when the pandemic start-
celed. And athletics di- ed, we have listened to
rector Kevin White said our medical experts and
Duke’s season is over, always put safety at the
ending the Blue Devils’ forefront of any determi-
streak of 24 consecutive nations regarding com-
NCAA appearances that petition,” White said. “As
began in 1996. a result, this will end our
In a statement, White 2020-21 season. We wish
said the positive test for every team still play-
someone within the pro- ing college basketball
gram came after Wednes- good health and the very
day’s win against Lou- best during the next few
isville, the Blue Devils’ weeks.”
second win in as many The Blue Devils (13-
days in Greensboro. Be- 11, 9-9 ACC) failed to
fore this, there had been live up to their lofty stan-
no positive tests all sea- dards, but coach Mike
son for a player or coach, Krzyzewski said he loved
he said. this young team and was
than five minutes. Geor-
gia led by as much as
33-27 after making six
straight shots before Pin-
son’s shot.
Big picture
Georgia: The Bull-
dogs were the only SEC
team not to miss a game
due to COVID or weath-
er issues. But they cost
themselves in this game
going 10 of 16 at the free
throw line. They only
had one more turnover
than Missouri but were
outscored 19-9 off those
mistakes.
Missouri: The Tigers
needed this victory to
burnish their seeding re-
sume after being one of
only nine teams with sev-
en Quad 1 victories. Now
they are a win away from
playing in the semifinals
of this tournament for the
honored to coach it.
“We have not asked
more of any team in our
history, and they deserve
enormous credit for han-
dling everything like the
outstanding young men
they are,” Krzyzewski
said in a statement. “I feel
deeply for our players,
who have done a terrific
job all season in taking
care of each other and the
team.
“I am extremely proud
of their collective atti-
tudes and effort, which
could not have been
stronger.”
With Duke withdraw-
ing, the Seminoles ad-
SEC pool photo
first time, which would
be a bigger boost for the
NCAA tournament.
No. 5 Florida 69, No. 12
Vanderbilt 63 Big picture
Tre Mann scored 22 Florida:
points, and Florida held
off Vanderbilt 69-63
Thursday to advance to
the Southeastern Confer-
ence tournament quarter-
finals.
The fifth-seeded Ga-
tors (14-8) snapped a two-
game skid coming into
the tournament, and they
will play No. 4 seed Ten-
nessee on Friday for the
second game between the
teams in six days.
Noah Locke scored 13
points for Florida, and
Tyree Appleby added 12
off the bench.
Vanderbilt (9-16) lost
to Florida for the third
vanced to the ACC tour-
nament semifinals to play
North Carolina.
“I just think that pre-
paring yourself for the
unexpected is what we’ve
been trying to do all year
long,” FSU coach Leon-
ard Hamilton said. “It’s
unfortunate that we won’t
be able to play this game
today. But we have to deal
with it in a mature way
and just be glad that no
one’s put at risk.”
Additionally, Louis-
ville released a statement
Thursday saying its tests
came back negative fol-
lowing the Duke game
and didn’t anticipate any
FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 3B
time this season and sixth
straight in this series.
Scotty Pippen Jr. led
the Commodores with 23
points, making all 10 free
throws. D.J. Harvey and
Trey Thomas each had 12
points.
The Commodores,
who won only three
league games in the reg-
ular season, had their
chances for a second SEC
win within 24 hours.
Pippen pulled Vander-
bilt within 64-63 with a
pair of free throws with
1:40 left. But Mann hit
a jumper with 53 sec-
onds to go, and Thomas
missed a 3 for Vandy with
31 seconds remaining as
the Gators held on.
Florida appeared
ready to cruise to a sixth
straight win in this series
up 34-22 at halftime after
the Gators scored the fi-
nal eight of the half.
Thomas keyed an 11-0
spurt with three consecu-
tive 3s for Vanderbilt, the
last giving the Commo-
dores their first lead since
the opening minutes at
55-54 with 8:39 remain-
ing.
Appleby put Florida
ahead to stay with two
free throws with 7:13 left
at 58-57.
The SEC’s
best shooting team made
this game closer than it
needed to be. The Ga-
tors went cold from the
floor in the second half,
missing five straight and
going more than five min-
utes without a field goal.
They did hold Vanderbilt
without a field goal the fi-
nal 4:05.
Vanderbilt: The Com-
modores missed Dylan
Disu, the SEC’s lead-
ing rebounder. He aver-
aged 9.2 rebounds per
game before having sea-
son-ending knee surgery
on Feb. 26. They were out-
scored 34-18 in the paint
and outrebounded 38-29.
concerns with contact
tracing.
With Duke’s season
over, this will mark the
first time since 1976 that
both the Blue Devils and
another basketball blueb-
lood — Kentucky — won’t
be in the NCAAs.
Duke hadn’t missed
the NCAA tournament
since the 1994-95 sea-
son when Krzyzewski
stepped away from coach-
ing following complica-
tions from back surgery.
Assistant Pete Gaudet
took over, with that team
finishing 13-18 a year af-
ter Duke had played in
the NCAA title game.
4B FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021
BRIEFLY
Prep Football
Six local players make NEMFCA ASG roster
Six area high school football players cracked
the roster for the 2021 Northeast Mississippi Football
Coaches Association All-Star Game.
The contest will be held at 6 p.m. May 19 at
Northeast Mississippi Community College.
All six seniors, representing three area schools,
will be part of the South team, coached by a staff led by
Tupelo Christian Prep coach Shaune Holiday.
From Columbus High School, defensive back
Kelbe Stewart and wide receiver/kick returner Lance
McGee made the team. New Hope linebacker Hayden
Harris is also on the roster. Starkville High School is
sending three players — defensive back Blake Williams,
defensive lineman DeAnthony Dickerson and long
snapper Mark Coblentz — to the game.
The game is held annually to showcase talent in
Northeast Mississippi and serves as a way for college
scouts to have a chance to see area players perform.
SOURCE: Dispatch Staff Report
CALENDAR
Today
College Baseball
Eastern Michigan at Mississippi State,
6 p.m.
Prep Softball
North River Christian Academy (Ala.) at
Pickens Academy (Ala.), 6 p.m.
West Lowndes at Columbus, 6:30 p.m.
Eupora at West Point, 6:30 p.m.
Prep Baseball
Starkville Academy at Madison-Ridge-
land Academy, 2 p.m.
Heritage Academy vs. Buckhorn (Ala.)
at Northeast Mississippi Community
College, 5:30 p.m.
Caledonia at East Webster, 6 p.m.
North River Christian Academy (Ala.) at
Pickens Academy (Ala.), 6 p.m.
Starkville at West Point, 7 p.m.
Saturday
College Softball
Mississippi State at Ole Miss, 5 p.m.
College Baseball
Eastern Michigan at Mississippi State,
2 p.m.
Prep Softball
Nettleton at New Hope, 11 a.m.
West Point vs. Nettleton at New Hope,
12:45 p.m.
West Point at New Hope, 2:30 p.m.
Prep Baseball
DeSoto Central at Starkville, TBA
American Christian Academy (Ala.) at
Starkville, TBA
New Hope at Calhoun City, Noon
Heritage Academy at Booneville, 12:30
p.m.
Caledonia at Oak Hill Academy, 1 p.m.
ON THE AIR
Today
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)
11 a.m. — Southeastern Tournament:
Mississippi State vs. Alabama, Quarter-
final, Nashville, Tenn., ESPN
1 p.m. — Southeastern Tournament:
Florida vs. Tennessee, Quarterfinal,
Nashville, Tenn., ESPN
6 p.m. — Southeastern Tournament:
Missouri vs. Arkansas, Quarterfinal,
Nashville, Tenn., SECN
8 p.m. — Southeastern Tournament:
Ole Miss vs. LSU, Quarterfinal, Nash-
ville, Tenn., SECN
Saturday
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)
10 a.m. — America East Tournament:
UMass Lowell vs. Hartford, Champion-
ship, ESPN2
Noon — Big Ten Tournament: TBD,
Semifinal, Indianapolis, CBS
Noon — Southeastern Tournament:
TBD, Semifinal, Nashville, Tenn., ESPN
Noon — Mid-Eastern Athletic Tourna-
ment: TBD, Championship, Norfolk, Va.,
ESPN2
2 p.m. — American Athletic Tourna-
ment: TBD, Semifinal, Fort Worth,
Texas, ESPN2
2:30 p.m. — Big Ten Tournament: TBD,
Semifinal, Indianapolis, CBS
2:30 p.m. — Southeastern Tourna-
ment: TBD, Semifinal, Nashville, Tenn.,
ESPN
3 p.m. — Metro Atlantic Tournament:
TBD, Championship, Atlantic City, N.J.,
ESPNU
4:30 p.m. — American Athletic Tour-
nament: TBD, Semifinal, Fort Worth,
Texas, ESPN2
5 p.m. — Mountain West Tournament:
TBD, Championship, Las Vegas, CBS
5 p.m. — Big 12 Tournament: TBD,
Championship, Kansas City, Mo., ESPN
5 p.m. — Southwestern Athletic Tourna-
ment: TBD, Championship, Birmingham,
Ala., ESPNU
5:30 p.m. — Big East Tournament:
TBD, Championship, New York, FOX
6:30 p.m. — Mid-American Tourna-
ment: TBD, Championship, Cleveland,
ESPN2
7 p.m. — Big Sky Tournament: TBD,
Championship, Boise, Idaho, ESPNU
7:30 p.m. — Atlantic Coast Tourna-
ment: TBD, Championship, Greensboro,
N.C., ESPN
8 p.m. — Conference USA Tournament:
TBD, Championship, Frisco, Texas,
CBSSN
8:30 p.m. — Southland Tournament:
TBD, Championship, Katy, Texas,
ESPN2
9 p.m. — Western Athletic Tournament:
TBD, Championship, Las Vegas, ESPNU
9:30 p.m. — Pac-12 Tournament: TBD,
Championship, Las Vegas, ESPN
10:30 p.m. — Big West Tournament:
TBD, Championship, Las Vegas, ESPN2
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
Preps
Continued from Page 1B
we’re proud.” ery Johnston and infielder Zakiya Neal. West Point 9, Philadelphia 0
With the bases loaded and one out in Neal filled in for senior shortstop Jada WEST POINT — West Point shut out
the fourth, McBrayer laced a hard ground Glasgow, who hurt her elbow on a throw- Philadelphia 9-0 in Thursday’s home
ball into left field bringing home two runs. ing error in the fourth inning and had to game.
When a snap throw from the catcher to leave a game. John Austin Ricks, Cole Ellis and Jor-
third base bounced away at the end of the “‘In the past,’” Finch told his players dan Fitzpatrick each had two hits for the
play, a third runner broke for the plate and after the contest. “‘We had to pull teeth to Green Wave. Ricks and JD Tumey had
scored when the return toss to home plate get you to fight.’” two RBIs apiece.
was dropped.
“This team is scrappy,” he added. Ellis had seven strikeouts in 4.1 in-
“I haven’t been hitting lately, so that’s “This team will fight you tooth and nail no nings as West Point held the Tornadoes to
a really big moment for me,” McBrayer matter what the score is.” two hits in the game.
said. “It just feels good to get the runs in But on Thursday, so did New Hope. West Point will host Starkville on Fri-
and just put us on top.”
The Trojans rebounded from Tuesday’s day.
The Trojans’ five-run fourth featured loss and took a big step for a team that lost
three errors, which were a considerable six of nine starters from last season. Starkville Academy 6, Lamar School 5
part of Caledonia’s struggles, coach Andy “Our kids are just finding some con- STARKVILLE — A high-scoring fifth
Finch said. But while miscues on defense fidence at the plate now, and they’re inning helped Starkville Academy beat
and occasional poor at-bats cost the Cava- stringing on hits when it matters,” Finch Lamar School on Thursday in Starkville.
liers, they remained competitive.
“We didn’t play our best game tonight,
Halford said. “They’re doing a lot of little
things better each time we play.”
After the Raiders put up three runs in
the top of the fifth to take a 3-2 lead, the
and we were still right there,” Finch said. Volunteers (7-3) responded with three of
“I love the way the girls competed every
inning.”
Other scores their own in the bottom of the frame to
Prep Softball reclaim the advantage.
Caledonia rebounded from a 3-0 defi- Starkville Academy added a run in the
cit by pushing three runs across in the Meridian 17, Columbus 0
Amory def. West Point sixth, and Lamar got two back in the sev-
bottom of the third. After New Hope re-
enth but failed to tie the game.
claimed the lead in the fourth, the Cavs
Prep Baseball Ayden Alsobrooks led the Vols with
scored on an error in the bottom of the
Winston Academy 15, Heritage Acade- three hits, and Colby Allen drove in two
inning. In the sixth, a bloop single and a
my 5, six innings runs.
fielder’s choice plated two more runs to
LOUISVILLE — An 11-run sixth in- Drew Williams had seven strikeouts
make it an 8-6 game.
ning cost the Heritage Academy baseball in 4.1 innings pitched for the Vols. Por-
“They were down from the get-go, but
team in Thursday’s 15-5 run-rule loss to ter Skelton had four strikeouts in two in-
they competed and battled back every in-
ning,” Finch said. “They never did quit on Winston Academy in six innings. nings.
us, and that’s what we want to see.” Mississippi State commit Aiden Fanch- Starkville Academy will play at Madi-
But New Hope wouldn’t give in to the er ended the game with a grand slam in son-Ridgeland Academy at 2 p.m. Friday
Caledonia comeback effort. In the top of the sixth as Winston put up 11 in the in- in Madison.
the seventh, sophomore shortstop Kens- ning.
ley Woolbright plated a run with a single Caleb Hall and Rhett Ketchum each Choctaw County 10, Oak Hill Academy
to left, and freshman catcher Zoe Good- had two hits for Heritage Academy. 0, five innings
man scored two with a base hit to right. Jack Ketchum struck out six in four in- WEST POINT — Oak Hill Academy
The Trojans’ lead was back to five. nings for the Patriots (12-2). was run-ruled 10-0 by Choctaw County
“We’re not really the team to lay down Heritage Academy will play Buckhorn on Thursday in West Point.
against people, so that really just showed (Alabama) at 5:30 p.m.. Friday at North- The Chargers scored eight runs in the
how we play,” McBrayer said. east Mississippi Community College. top of the fifth to gain some separation,
The extra tallies left the Trojans as and the game ended when the Raiders
the team celebrating when Caledonia New Hope 12, Houston 5 couldn’t respond in their half of the in-
sophomore Lauren Brown grounded to NEW HOPE — A seven-run third ning.
first to end the contest. Brown stood in inning led New Hope to a 12-5 win over Choctaw County scored two runs in
as the potential tying run in an 11-9 game Houston in Thursday’s home game. the third on an error.
after senior Aimee George reached on a The Trojans broke a 1-1 tie and took an Oak Hill will host Hatley High School
throwing error that brought in two runs, 8-1 lead into the fourth inning. New Hope at 6 p.m. Friday
but McBrayer scooped up her ground ball scored four more runs in the sixth to get
and stepped on first base to cap the game. some insurance. Columbus Christian Academy 15, Re-
Still, Finch praised the resilience of a New Hope will play Monday at gents School of Oxford 0
Caledonia team playing three eighth-grad- Starkville. West Lowndes at Columbus — suspend-
ers — pitcher Ava Arnold, outfielder Av- ed, darkness
NFL
Saints cut cornerback Janoris Jenkins in latest salary dump
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS “I have a tremendous amount of respect for many years. With Mitchell, his dura-
for both Eric and Mitchell,” Veach said in bility and toughness is remarkable and he
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans a statement. ”With Eric, obviously he was certainly left his mark on our team. These
Saints have released starting cornerback
the very first player we drafted when we decisions are never easy, especially with
Janoris Jenkins in yet another roster
moved aimed at helping the club get be- got to Kansas City, and we were able to guys like these, but both of these players
low this season’s $182.5 million NFL sala- watch him grow into a solid tackle for us will forever be a part of our history.”
ry cap for the 2021 season.
Saints general manager Mickey Loom-
is announced Jenkins’ release on Thurs-
day, one day after New Orleans informed
receiver Emmanuel Sanders and line-
backer Kwon Alexander that they would
be cut.
Those were the latest among more
than a handful of prominent veterans to
be released, including tight ends Jared
Cook and Josh Hill, and punter Thomas
Morstead.
The Saints also have yet to retain the
services of defensive end Trey Hendrick-
son, the club’s 2020 sacks leader, who is
due to become a free agent next week.
Cutting Jenkins will lower New Orle-
ans’ salary-cap figure by about $7 million.
The Saints still needed to eliminate about
$25 million in payroll by the time the new
league year starts on Wednesday.
Jenkins started all 13 games in which
he played in 2020, tying for the team high
in interceptions with three. He made 54
solo or assisted tackles and was credited
with 12 passes defensed.
Chiefs cut starting OTs Fisher,
Schwartz to save cap space
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas
City Chiefs released starting offensive
tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz
Reliable
on Thursday as they sought to squeeze
under the salary cap.
Those moves will provide another
obstacle in their quest to upgrade an of-
fensive line ransacked by the Tampa Bay
information
Buccaneers in the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs were more than $22 mil-
lion over the cap of $182.5 million that
was set Wednesday. The release of Fisher
when we
and Schwartz saves about $18.3 million,
leaving them able to restructure other
contracts — and potentially extend play-
ers — and create enough financial wiggle
need it most. 
room to maneuver in free agency.
Fisher and Schwartz were instrumen-
tal in helping the Chiefs beat the San
Francisco 49ers for their first Super Bowl
title in 50 years. They also played a big
part in helping them return to the big
game, though both ultimately missed it
with injuries. Protect freedom of the press.
Fisher tore his Achilles tendon in the
AFC title game and Schwartz missed half freespeech.center
the season with a back injury.
Both of them underwent surgery and
while general manager Brett Veach said
recently that they could be back by the
start of the season, the cost of keeping
them on the roster coupled with the un-
certainty of their recovery made them
natural cuts.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Bubble watch: Boise State loses again; Syracuse, Michigan State also fall
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Now the wait begins
for Boise State.
Syracuse and Michi-
gan State, too.
All three of those
teams lost in their confer-
ence tournaments Thurs-
day, and while each has
reasons to think it will be
selected for the NCA A
Tournament, that’s now
out of their hands.
Michigan State seems
to be in the best shape of
those teams after notch-
ing big victories over
Illinois, Ohio State and
Michigan toward the end
of the regular season,
but Tom Izzo’s team was
Comics & Puzzles
DILBERT
ZITS
GARFIELD
CANDORVILLE
BABY BLUES
BEETLE BAILEY
MALLARD FILLMORE
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
bounced from the Big and watching us play, we Tournament. They’ll face
Ten Tournament in a 68- should be in the tour- Georgetown, which beat
57 loss to Maryland. The nament. I mean, I don’t top-seeded Villanova.
Spartans are seeking want to discuss it really In the Mountain West,
their 23rd straight NCA A and look through every- Colorado State and Utah
Tournament appearance. thing, but we’ve got a re- State succeeded where
Syracuse had a chance ally good team, I think.” Boise State failed. Those
to take some of the stress Boise State dropped two teams advanced to
out of Selection Sunday
its fourth game in a row, the semifinals of that
with a win over top-seed- bowing out of the Moun- tournament and have a
ed Virginia in the ACC tain West Tournament
chance to keep padding
Tournament, but the with an 89-82 loss to Ne- their resumes at a time
Cavaliers prevailed 72-
vada. when several other bub-
69 on Reece Beekman’s
ble teams can’t.
3-pointer at the buzzer.
“We should be in the On the rise
tournament,” Syracuse Seton Hall’s outlook Hanging in there
coach Jim Boeheim said. suddenly looks consider- Drake can’t feel too
“Whether we get in the ably better. The Pirates bad about what’s hap-
tournament or not, you outlasted St. John’s 77-69 pened in the past couple
never know. But just in overtime to reach the days. The Bulldogs have
looking at the profile semifinals of the Big East been idle since losing to
Dear Abby
D
EAR ABBY:
I recently
got into a
huge fight with
my boyfriend,
which caused
us to break up
and me to move
two hours away
to stay with
my mom. We
have a beautiful
6-month-old
daughter, and I
still love him very
much. He has
begged me to
move back and Dear Abby
has shown me he
still has feelings
for me.
Because of past abuse
from family and previous part-
ners, I find it very hard to trust. best interest of your child.
I would love to go back, but I
keep being told that it would be
a mistake. I want to be a family
again, but I don’t want the peo-
ple who tell me it’s a mistake
to be mad at me. Must I give
in and stay away or follow my
heart and go back? — MIXED
UP IN MISSOURI
DEAR MIXED UP: I wish
you had disclosed more about
the fight that caused you to
move away and take the baby.
It must have been a doozy.
Was he cheating? Physically or
emotionally abusive? If it was
any of those, I don’t think it is
advisable to reconcile.
Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (March
12). Your creativity soars high.
This year, you’ll follow a wild
idea to full realization. The
golden question is this: Which
one? You have so many! The
criteria your idea must meet to
be successful: It helps others,
is needed and doesn’t exist in
the world already, and there’s
a clear vision to the first dollar
you’ll make to sustain it. Libra
and Leo adore you. Your lucky
numbers are: 8, 18, 44, 17
and 30.
ARIES (March 21-April
19). People only take risks in
hopes of achieving goals they
think are possible. You’ll paint
a picture of your vision with
well-chosen words and provide
FAMILY CIRCUS
Loyola Chicago in the ti-
tle game of the Missouri
Valley Tournament, but
there have been enough
struggles elsewhere on
the bubble that Drake
can still hold out plenty of
hope for an at-large bid.
The Bulldogs will want
to root for as little chaos
as possible in the major
conferences — Creighton
winning the Big East’s
automatic bid would help,
for example. Right now
the Big 12 has held most-
ly to form, but teams like
Georgetown and Ore-
gon State loom as poten-
tial problems for bubble
teams if either wins a sur-
prising automatic bid in
Why are
“people” advising
you not to go
back with him?
Are their reasons
valid? If they ar-
en’t, perhaps you
should worry less
about pleasing
them and more
about accepting
responsibility for
your own choices.
Should you
follow your heart?
Yes, if it leads
you and this man
to a licensed
couples coun-
selor for help in
resolving your problems before
they get out of hand again, and
deciding what would be in the
DEAR ABBY: My husband
and I just got married. We
have only one problem: his
ex-girlfriend. She used to be
my best friend, but we fell out
years ago.
She hadn’t contacted him
in a long time, but since she
found out we got married, she
has been texting him begging
to meet up. She messaged me
once asking for all of us to get
together, but she messages
him to meet her alone and
“talk.” He ignores her and
shows me the messages.
Should I step in and tell her
to back off or ignore her as he
the inspiration others need to
move forward.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20).
Are glamour and authenticity at
odds? Of course. Don’t let that
stop you from moving forward
with both at the same time. The
best things in life are mixed
bags.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21).
Both sides of the argument
can’t be right, but there is a
rightness in each stance. It will
bring you good fortune to look
for it. Do it quietly, gingerly and
with great respect.
CANCER (June 22-July 22).
If you don’t have an “elevator
pitch,” then this is the perfect
time to come up with one. It’s
not for the influential people
FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 5B
the Big East or Pac-12.
Meanwhile, the Big
Ten and Southeastern
Conference are both only
at the quarterfinal stage,
so a longshot winner in
one of those tournaments
could also take a spot
away from a bubble team.
Game to watch
Colorado State faces
Utah State in a Moun-
tain West semifinal. On
Thursday, Colorado State
was one of the last at-large
teams projected to make
the field at bracketmatrix.
com, and Utah State was
one of the first teams out.
is doing? I trust and love my
husband, but she’s becoming
a pest and starting to annoy
me and him. — TROUBLED IN
TENNESSEE
DEAR TROUBLED: Because
silence hasn’t successfully
conveyed the message that
you and your husband aren’t
interested in renewing the rela-
tionship, HE should be the one
to tell her — in plain English.
If he doesn’t do that, then you
should.
DEAR ABBY: Last year was
a tough one for me and my
family. In addition to the COVID
mess, I lost my best friend of
30 years, and one of my sis-
ters-in-law lost her best friend
of 50 years.
We were talking about each
of our losses recently, and she
mentioned that she has no
pictures of her and her friend
together. I said the same about
my friend. Right then I decided
that no matter how bad my
hair, makeup, etc. looked, I
wouldn’t shy away from having
my photo taken. Sometimes we
don’t realize how much a can-
did snapshot can mean until it
is too late. Do you agree? —
MOMENT IN TIME IN TEXAS
DEAR MOMENT: Yes, as
a matter of fact, I do. I have
been guilty of photo-dodging,
and I am sure many others
have been, too. After reading
your letter, I am resolving to do
better in the future. Thank you!
you might meet; rather, it’s your
clarity of purpose.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22).
You’re efficient and impres-
sively productive, appearing to
balance many things at once,
when really you are balancing
one thing at a time, giving your
full attention to each, however
briefly.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
Too-good-to-be-true almost
always is, but sometimes the
karma of one situation pays
for the karma of another. Be a
little open-minded on the matter
today.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct.
23). People fear their vulner-
ability and imagine far worse
outcomes than would typically
occur. Opening yourself to vul-
nerability is the most admirable,
attractive and relaxing response
to the day’s challenges.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).
Others don’t know what they
want, so how are you supposed
to? You’ll either have to help
them find out what they want
or create a new appetite from
scratch.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.
21). The sky is a masterpiece
we take for granted because
it’s always over us. But you
won’t make that mistake today.
You’ll choose your moments for
appreciating the sky outside as
well as a reflective appreciation
of the sky inside you.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). You’re influential. Maybe
you won’t detect it, but you can
be certain that people believe
something different after
they’ve interacted with you than
what they believed before they
encountered you.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). It’s all about thinking
ahead today. You’ll anticipate
potential pitfalls and either
avoid them or, if they are
unavoidable, deal with them as
quickly as possible.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). The foundation of friend-
ship is important, and you’ll lay
it well. It takes several more
months and years to build the
rest, especially the shelter that
you can live inside that will
weather the storms of life. Be
patient and keep building.
Be forthright
SOLUTION:
6B FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Forgive and Live
Pat Douglas invites the
public (limit 10) to Forgive and
Live: A Christian Study In the
Word of God from 5:30-6:30
p.m. March 16 and March 26
at YMCA’s Board Room down-
town Columbus, 602 2nd Ave.
North. For more info contact
662-251-5899.
RELIGIOUS BRIEFS
only. We accept transcripts
and your life experience also
can also be used for degree
granting purposes. For further
information feel free to call
662-425-8443
Fellowship Dinner,
Youth Service
Pleasant Ridge Faith Cen-
ter, 923 Ridge Road, hosts a
Circle in Starkville. Millions
have found help, healing, and
support for hurts, habits, and
hang-ups using our popular
Biblical 12 step program.
Recovery Room
New Life Assembly, 4474
New Hope Road (near Dollar
General) hosts Recovery
Room, at 6:30 p.m. each Sun-
Call Marie Nabors, 662-549-
4322 or 662-329-1234, for
prayer requests.
Prayer Ministry
New Beginning Everlasting
Outreach Ministry invites the
public to call in with their
prayer requests at 662-327-
9843.

7th Anniversary
Celebration
Concord Independent
Methodist Church, 1235 Con-
cord Road, hosts a drive-by
celebration for Pastor Robert
fellowship dinner and youth
service every third Sunday.
Gospel Book Club
Friendship M.B. Church,
1102 12th Ave. S., invites the
public to join its Community
day. Find help, healing, and
support for any hurt, habit, or
hang-up using our Christ-cen-
tered 12 steps.
Prayer for Youth
Every second and third
Prayer Service
Church of the Eternal
Word, 106 22nd St. S., Co-
lumbus, holds prayer service
Thursday nights 5-6 p.m.
Sudoku
Contact Marie Nabors, 662- YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
549-4322. Church service

L. Hamilton Sr. and Sister Dor-
othy Hamilton’s 7th Anniver-
sary, from noon-1 p.m. March
14. The public is invited.
Sudoku
times: Sunday school 10 a.m.;
Gospel Book Club from 6-7 Saturday, Pleasant Ridge Faith
Sunday worship 11:15 a.m.;
Sudoku is a number- Yesterday’s answer
p.m., on the fourth Friday of Center hosts a prayer for the placing puzzle based on
each month, to study and youth from 2-3 p.m. Tuesday Bible study 7 p.m. Sudoku
a 9x9 gridis witha several
num- 2 5 8 3 7 1 4 9 6
For information, call Pastor ber-placing
share views of the Holy Bible. given numbers.puzzleThe object 1 3 9 2 4 6 7 8 5

2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

District Elder Lou Nabors, based onthe a 9x9
Southern Gospel
Open to all ages and ethnic- Prayer, Free Coffee is to place
grid
numbers 7 6 4 8 9 5 2 1 3
1 to 9with
in theseveral
ities. For more information, 662-329-1234.
Mount Zion Missionary empty spaces 5 2 6 9 3 7 8 4 1
The “New Revivers” Quar- call Barbara Mattison or Lillian Baptist Church, 2221 14th
given
so that numbers.
each row, eachThe 8 7 3 6 1 4 9 5 2
tet from Columbus will sing Murray, 662-570-5595. Ave. N., hosts free coffee and Fitness object
column and each 3x3 the
is to place box 4 9 1 5 8 2 3 6 7
at “New Covenant” Baptist Transformations numbers
contains the1same to 9 number
in
a prayer community outreach 9 4 7 1 6 3 5 2 8
Church on Hwy 50 E. at 10 Grief Support Group The Transformational the empty spaces so
service from 8-9 a.m. every only once. The difficulty 6 8 2 7 5 9 1 3 4
a.m. March 7. The public is The Oil of Joy for Grief Church, 2301 Jess Lyons that each row, each
fifth Saturday. For information, level increases from
welcome. and Mourning offers a grief Road, hosts boxing lessons column and each 3 1 5 4 2 8 6 7 9
contact Jesse Slater, 662- Monday
3x3 boxtocontains
Sunday. Difficulty Level 3/11

support group at 6 p.m. every 328-4979. Mondays and Wednesday from

Mississippi State
School Ministry
Mississippi State School
of Ministry will be taking ap-
plications for enrollment into
their online degree granting
program. Earn your Certifica-
tion, Associates, Bachelor,
Master and Doctoral Degree in
Religious Studies. We are an
accreditation School of Minis-
try authorized through State
of Mississippi and Federal
Government. Our degrees are
for ecclesiastical purposes
second Thursday of the month
at United Christian Baptist
Church, 232 Yorkville Road
East. “Making your grieving
journey easier.” For more in-
formation, call 662-327-0604
or e-mail unitedchristian@
cableone.net.
Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery, the
nation’s largest Christian re-
covery program, meets Tues-
days at 6:00 p.m. at Mead-
owview Church, 300 Linden
Radio Program
Apostles Patrick Perkins
invites the public to tune in to
WTWG, radio 1050 AM for Per-
fecting the Saints Broadcast,
Wednesdays 8:30 a.m.
Women Prayer,
Worship Service
Church of the Eternal
Word, 106 22nd St. S., holds
a prayer and worship service
every Thursday from 5-6 p.m.
5-7 p.m., weight-loss boot the same number only once. The difficulty level
increases from Monday to Sunday.
camp Tuesdays and Thursdays
5-7 p.m. and both on Satur-
days 9-11 a.m.
Youth Fellowship
The Transformational
Church, 2301 Jess Lyons
Road, hosts Youth Fellowship
from 7-8:30 p.m. every Tues-
day. Games, prayer, service,
food, and more. Transporta-
tion available. For information,
call Iris Roberson, 662-295-
7456.

Beth Moore, famed Bible teacher quits Southern Baptists

BY BOB SMIETANA made some evangelical that honored 20 years of once wrote about Trump,
Religion News Service power brokers uneasy, be- partnership between the riffing on a passage from
cause of their belief only Southern Baptist pub- the New Testament Book
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — men should be allowed to lishing house and Moore. of Ephesians.
For nearly three decades, preach. “And when all is said and Because of her op-
Beth Moore has been the But Moore was above done, the impact of Beth position to Trump and
very model of a modern reproach, supporting Moore can only be mea- her outspokenness in
Southern Baptist. Southern Baptist teach- sured in eternity’s grasp.” confronting sexism and
She loves Jesus and the ing that limits the office Then along came Don-
Bible and has dedicated nationalism in the evan-
of pastor to men alone ald Trump. gelical world, Moore has
her life to teaching oth- and cheerleading for the Moore’s criticism of the
ers why they need both been labeled as “liberal”
missions and evangelistic 45th president’s abusive
of them in their lives. Mil- and “woke” and even as
work that the denomina- behavior toward women
lions of evangelical Chris- tion holds dear. and her advocacy for sex- being a heretic for daring
tian women have read her “She has been a stal- ual abuse victims turned to give a message during
Bible studies and flocked wart for the Word of God, her from a beloved icon to a Sunday morning church
to hear her speak at sta- never compromising,” for- a pariah in the denomina- service.
dium-style events where mer Lifeway Christian Re- tion she loved all her life. Finally, Moore had had
Moore delves deeply into sources President Thom “Wake up, Sleepers, to enough. She told Religion
biblical passages. Rainer said in 2015, what women have dealt News Service in an inter-
Moore’s outsize influ- during a celebration at the with all along in environ- view March 5 that she
ence and role in teaching Tennessee Performing ments of gross entitle- is “no longer a Southern
the Bible have always Arts Center in Nashville ment & power,” Moore Baptist.” ACROSS
1 Supports
6 Grating sounds
11 One of the
Barrymores
12 Paintball cry
13 Avignon’s
river
14 Fancy wrap
15 Cut off
16 Do well
18 Little devil
19 Blasting stuff
20 Sewing aid
21 Diamond of
music
23 Beer holder
25 “Street 44 “Skyfall” 17 Hosp. work-
Dreams” rapper singer ers
27 Hold title to 45 Creates 22 Place down
28 Libya neigh- 46 Actions 24 Ram’s mate
bor DOWN 26 Small pianos
30 Quiche base 1 European 28 Moon of
33 Rickety boat capital Jupiter
34 McKellen of 2 Relaxed 29 Wee bit
“X-Men” 3 Cusp of elimi- 31 Jimmy’s
36 Match part nation predecessor
37 Magic setting 4 Writer Follett 32 Modes
39 Be a snoop 5 Sacked out 33 Clan symbol
40 “A Confeder- 6 Tuscan dish 35 Wanderer
acy of Dunces” 7 Quantities: 38 Tissue
writer Abbr. additive
41 Fable ending 8 Mall outing 42 Exalted poem
43 Florida 9 Load, as a van
attraction 10 Exacting
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 7B

Classifieds
LEGALS
Call us: 662-328-2424
Legal Notices
The following vehicle has been
abandoned at
Auto Mart LLC
1009 Gardner Blvd
Columbus, MS 39702
2002 Ford SLT
VIN# 1FMCU04162KA39621
This vehicle will be put up for
sale on the 18th day of March
at 10am at Auto Mart LLC,
1009 Gardner Blvd., Colum-
bus, MS 39702.
Publish: 3/12 & 3/17/2021
The following vehicle has been
abandoned at Shelton's Tow-
ing, Inc., 1024 Gardner Blvd.,
Columbus, MS 39702.
2006 Nissan Altima
Vin# 1N4AL11D46N330275
This vehicle will be put up for
sale on the 20th day of March
2021 at 10am at Shelton's
Towing, Inc., 1024 Gardner
Blvd., Columbus, MS 39702.
PUBLISH: 2/26, 3/5 &
3/12/2021
The following vehicles have
been abandoned at Louisville
Wrecker Service, 346 Tuck
Wilkes Road, Noxapater, MS.
2016 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
VIN#1GC4K1E8XGF272885
IF THIS VEHICLE IS NOT
CLAIMED, IT WILL BE PUT UP
FOR PUBLIC SALE ON THE
22ND DAY OF MARCH, 2021 at
10:00 A.M. AT LOUISVILLE
WRECKER SERVICE, 346 TUCK
WILKES ROAD, NOXAPATER,
MS.
PUBLISH: 2/26, 3/5 &
3/12/21
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
SIPPI
IN THE MATTER OF THE ES-
TATE OF BETTIE BROOKS
YOUNG, DECEASED
CAUSE NO.: 2021-0010-PDE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
COUNTY OF LOWNDES
Letters Testamentary have
been granted and issued to the Columbus, MS, 39705.
undersigned upon the Estate of
Bettie Brooks Young, de-
ceased, by the Chancery Court or delivered not later than thirty
of Lowndes County, Missis-
sippi, on the 11th day of Febru- March, 2021, which is the date
ary 2021. This is to give no-
tice to all persons having
claims against said estate to
Probate and Register same
with the Chancery Clerk of
Lowndes County, Mississippi,
within ninety (90) days from the
first publication date of this No- You must also file the original
tice to Creditors. A failure to so of your Response with the
Probate and Register said
claim will forever bar the same. reasonable time afterward.
This the 11th day of February
2021.
/s/ Sarah B. White, Co-Execut-
or
/s/ Bobby Young, Co-Executor
PUBLISH: 3/12, 3/19 &
3/26/2021
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
CAUSE NO.: 2021-0038
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
LOWNDES COUNTY
Letters Testamentary have
been granted and issued to the
undersigned upon the estate of
NELLIE G. MCCRORY, de-
ceased, by the Chancery Court
of Lowndes County, Missis-
sippi, on the 1st day of March,
A.D., 2021. This is to give no-
tice to all persons having
claims against said estate to
Probate and Register same
with the Chancery Clerk of
Lowndes County, Mississippi,
within ninety (90) days from
this date. A failure to so Pro-
bate and Register said claim
will forever bar the same.
This the 3rd day of March,
2021.
/s/ Michael D. McCrory
MICHAEL D. MCCRORY
PUBLISH: 3/5, 3/12 &
3/19/2021
Just a click away!
Legal Notices
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
SIPPI
IN RE: MATTER OF THE ES-
TATE AND THE LAST WILL AND
TESTAMENT OF ESTELLE BUR-
GESS GORE, DECEASED
JAMES T. GORE, EXECUTOR
CAUSE NO. 2021-0024-S
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Letters Testamentary were is-
sued to me as Executor of the
Last Will and Testament of Es-
telle Burgess Gore, deceased,
by the Chancery Court of
Lowndes County, Mississippi
on the 5th day of March, 2021.
Notice is hereby given to all
persons having claims against
the Estate of Estelle Burgess
Gore to have the same pro-
bated and registered by the
Chancery Clerk of Lowndes
County, Mississippi within
ninety (90) days after the date
of the first publication of this
Notice, or they will be forever
barred.
WITNESS MY SIGNATURE, this
the 8th day of March, 2021.
s/JAMES T. GORE
JAMES T. GORE,
EXECUTOR
Publish: 3/12/2021,
3/19/2021 and 3/26/2021
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
SIPPI
MALCOME JAMES HARGROVE
PLAINTIFF
VS.
VICKI LASHON HARGROVE DE-
FENDANT
CAUSE NO. 2020-0481-RPF
SUMMONS
(By Publication)
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
TO: VICKI LASHON HARGROVE
Whose whereabouts are un-
known after diligent search and
inquiry
You have been made a Defend-
ant in the suit filed in this
Court by MALCOME JAMES
HARGROVE, Plaintiff, seeking
divorce.
You are required to mail or
hand deliver a written re-
sponse to the Complaint filed
in this action to Lisa L. Meggs,
Attorney for Plaintiff, whose ad-
dress is 92 Windsong Cove,
Your response must be mailed
days after the 12th day of
of the first publication of this
summons. If your response is
not so mailed or delivered,
judgment by default will be
entered against you for the re-
lief demanded in the petition.
Clerk of this Court within a
Issued under my hand and seal
of said Court, this 28th day of
December, 2020.
ads.cdispatch.com
Lowndes County Chancery
Clerk
(SEAL)
Medical
BY: Tina/ Dental
Fisher, D.C.
PUBLISH: 3/12, 3/19 &
3/26/2021
The best place for personalized
advertising in your community.
sponse to the Complaint filed
in this action to Lisa L. Meggs,
Attorney for Plaintiff, whose ad-
dress is 92 Windsong Cove,
Columbus, MS, 39705.
Your response must be mailed
or delivered not later than thirty
days after the 12th day of
March, 2021, which is the date
of the first publication of this
summons. If your response is
not so mailed or delivered,
judgment by default will be
entered against you for the re-
lief demanded in the petition.
You must also file the original
of your Response with the
Clerk of this Court within a
reasonable time afterward.
Legal Notices
Issued under my hand and seal
of said Court, this 28th day of The Golden Triangle Plan-
December, 2020.
Lowndes County Chancery
Clerk
(SEAL)
BY: Tina Fisher, D.C.
PUBLISH: 3/12, 3/19 &
3/26/2021
Employment
Call us: 662-328-2424
General Help Wanted
PERSONAL CARE: Full or
part-time position available
at small personal care
home in Columbus, MS.
Must pass background
check & health screening.
Call Collegeview Personal
Care 662-327-9463.
DEPENDABLE CAREGIVER
needed for a senior in
Columbus area. MUST
HAVE EXPERIENCE IN
SENIOR CARE. Must have
references, reliable trans-
portation, background
check, Covid test & vac-
cine. 630-698-6049.
HELP NEEDED: Looking for
someone with a good work
ethic, a reliable source of
transportation and a posit-
ive attitude. Must be able
to work off of a ladder and
walk on a roof. Bonuses
for production output.
$12/hr. 662-574-0062.
LEGAL SECRETARY needed
for local firm. Must be able
to work dual screen
computer. Email resume
with references to:
job117@cdispatch.com
FOX RUN APARTMENTS
1 & 2 BR near hospital.
THE COMMERCIAL $595−$645 monthly.
DISPATCH Military discount, pet area,
is seeking a part time pet friendly, and furnished
employee for approxim- corporate apts.
ately 2-3 hours of work per 24−HOUR PROFESSIONAL
day. Driving required.
GYM. ON SITE SECURITY.
Must have reliable trans- ON SITE MAINTENANCE.
portation, valid driver's ON SITE MANAGEMENT.
license & auto insurance. 24−HOUR CAMERA
$9 per hour plus mileage. SURVEILLANCE. Benji &
Apply at our office at 516 Ashleigh, 662−386−4446.
Main Street in Columbus
or via email to Mike Floyd
at mfloyd@cdispatch.com
ROSES DAY SPA
Licensed Nail Tech needed
for pedicures, manicures &
shellacs. Good pay. 662-
327-7718, ask for Logan.
THE COMMERCIAL
DISPATCH
seeks a motivated,
contracted carrier for the
Caledonia area. Excellent
opportunity to earn money
for college. Must have
good transportation, valid
driver's license & insur-
ance. Delivers on Sunday
morning and Mon-Fri after-
noons. Apply at The Com-
mercial Dispatch, 516
Main Street in Columbus.
No phone calls please.
ads.cdispatch.com
CUSTOMIZE YOUR AD:
Featured ads $5 Sponsored ads $3
Premium placement
on classifieds home page.
Highlight $3
Highlight your ad
with a dash of color.
Ads appear in The Commercial Dispatch,
The Starkville Dispatch and Online
Medical / Dental
ning and Development Dis-
trict is accepting applica-
tions for part-time person-
al care attendants to work
in the Golden Triangle area.
Applicants must have a val-
id driver’s license, reliable
transportation and liability
insurance on vehicle. Male
and female applicants
needed. Contact Minnie
Lindsey at the Golden Tri-
angle Planning and Devel-
opment District, 106 Miley
Drive, P. O. Box 828, Stark-
ville, MS 39760. No tele-
phone calls please.
Transportation
CLASS A CDL DRIVER with
Truck & Lowboy/Dump
Trailer experience to load,
haul, & unload heavy
construction equipment/
material. Overnight travel
required. Only qualified
applicants with clean MVR,
current medical examiner’s
certificate and no
accidents need apply.
Email resume to chastity@
sitemastersms.com
HEAVY EQUIPMENT
OPERATORS needed for
local project. Must be able
to maintain & operate
dozers and excavators.
Email resume to: chastity@
sitemastersms.com
Rentals
Ads starting at $25
Apts For Rent: North
You’ll find the best deals
when you advertise
and shop here!
ads.cdispatch.com
Service Directory
Promote your small business starting at only $25
Building & Remodeling
HOME REPAIRS &
MAINTENANCE
Work wanted. Carpentry,
concrete, electrical &
plumbing, shingle & metal
roofing, fascia & soffit
repairs, pressure washing
& mobile home repairs.
No Job Too Small.
662−549−7031.
General Services
A & T TREE SERVICES
Bucket truck & stump
removal. Free est.
Serving Columbus
since 1987. Senior
citizen disc. Call Alvin @
242−0324/241−4447
"We’ll go out on a limb
for you!"
Are you a painter?
Advertise here!
Preferred placement in search
results and highlighted online.
Graphic $10.50
Enhance your ad with
an attention getter.
To place ads starting at only $12,
call 662-328-2424 or visit ads.cdispatch.com
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 n 8B
Apts For Rent: West Mobile Homes for Rent Bargain Column
VIP
RENT A CAMPER! FISHING POLES: Rhino
CHEAPER THAN A MOTEL! titanium, 6’6" med heavy
Rentals
Utilities & cable included, rods with Zebco 733 reel.
from $150/wk − $555/mo Used 2 times lightly, paid
Columbus & County School $50ea. Ready to fish with!
Apartments & Houses locations. 662−242−3803 $80. 662−329−1793.
or 601−940−1397.
1 Bedrooms Burial Plots
2 Bedroooms
Real Estate
2 BURIAL PLOTS
3 Bedrooms
Located in Veteran location
@ Memorial Gardens of
Columbus, MS. Must have
Furnished & Unfurnished Ads starting at $25 cash, $7500. A savings of
1, 2, & 3 Baths
$1500. Plots include burial
Farms & Timberland vaults and can be
Lease, Deposit exchanged for any spot
& Credit Check 203 ACRES
other than a veteran.
Call 662−386−4080 or
viceinvestments.com PRIME TIMBERLAND 662−386−4081.
327-8555
$270,000
Exc deer, turkey hunting Sporting Goods
Good Investment
Apts For Rent: Other (615)719−8329 ED SANDERS GUNSMITH
Open for season!
Tue−Fri: 9−5 & Sat: 9−12
LAMAR COUNTY, AL: 63 Over 50 years experience!
ACRES on County Road 34. Repairs, cleaning, refin−
Exc hunting, some timber, ishing, scopes mounted &
zeroed, handmade knives.
power & county water.
$1,150 per acre. 205−712 Located: Hwy 45 Alt, North
−5606 or 205−799−9846. of West Point, turn right on
Yokahama Blvd, 8mi & turn
Lots & Acreage left on Darracott Rd, will
see sign, 2.5mi ahead
1.75 ACRE LOTS: Good/ shop on left.
662−494−6218.
Bad Credit Options. Good
credit as low as 20% down,
$499/mo. Eaton Land,
662−361−7711.
Vehicles
NEW HOPE AREA:
+/− 1 acre. Open land with Ads starting at $12
water & electricity nearby.
$17,900. Call or text,
Motorcycles & ATVs
662−435−0401.
’05 HONDA REBEL 250
Black, red & grey. Actual
Garage Sales
COLEMAN miles, 1,432. $1200.
662−364−0120.
RENTALS
TOWNHOUSES & APARTMENTS
Two free signs
1 BEDROOM
2 BEDROOMS Garage Sales: New Hope Community
3 BEDROOMS HUGE SALE: 98 Bowling Ads starting at $12
Green Cir. Saturday, 3/13,
LEASE,
© The Dispatch
from 7AM to 2PM. Pets
DEPOSIT Lots and Lots of items.
AND Garage Sales: Other
REGISTERED DACHSHUND
puppies for sale.
CREDIT CHECK Ready to go now!
MOVING SALE @ 548 Point Call 205−596−3264.
662-329-2323
Harbor Dr, West Point. Lots
Five Questions:
of hunting & fishing items.
2411 HWY 45 N
Merchandise
COLUMBUS, MS
Houses For Rent: North
1 False
Ads starting at $12
2 Google Glass
COLONIAL TOWNHOUSES.
2 & 3 bedroom w/ 2−3 Bargain Column
bath townhouses. $650 to
$750. 662−549−9555.
3 Pig
CRAFTSMAS WEED EATER,
Ask for Glenn or text.
gas power, used little, runs
Mobile Homes for Rent great. $70. 662−329−
1793.
4 China
3BR/2BA MH in New Hope.
$650 dep + $650/mo. LAWNMOWER. 20 inch cut
No pets, quiet area. Leave basic mower, runs good,
5 Colin Firth
voicemail with full name & briggs engine. $65.
message, 205−712−6697. 662−329−1793.
General Services General Services Painting & Papering
DUMP TRUCK HAULING. WORK WANTED: QUALITY PAINTING
Slag − $400 Licensed & Bonded. Ext/Int Painting
Clay Gravel − $250 TILL SMALL GARDENS. Sheet Rock Hang, Finish &
Millie for Driveways − $375 Carpentry, minor electrical, Repair. Pressure Washing.
Available for hauling any minor plumbing, insulation, Free Estimates. Ask for
materials. Filling in painting, demolition, specials! Larry Webber,
swimming pools. gutters cleaned, pressure 662−242−4932.
Columbus. Call Walter, washing, landscaping, &
662−251−8664. cleanup work. Painting & Papering
662−242−3608.
BANKRUPTCY Lawn Care / Landscaping
SULLIVAN’S PAINT
SERVICE
CHAPTER 7 Special Prices.
BANKRUPTCY JESSE & BEVERLY’S Interior & Exterior Painting.
$545 plus Filing Fee LAWN SERVICE 662−435−6528
Spring Cleanup, Tree
CHAPTER 13
Cutting, Landscaping,
BANKRUPTCY Sodding & Bush Hogging
All Attorney Fees Through The Plan 662−356−6525
Jim Arnold, Attorney
662-324-1666
104 South Lafayette Street, Starkville LIST YOUR
Please visit our website: BUSINESS HERE!
jimharnold.com Ads starting at $25
Saturday morning appointments
Grow your business.
ads.cdispatch.com
available for Starkville Office.
ADS STARTING AT
$12