Weather

140th Year, No. 257

Lucy McEwenSecond grade, Annunciation

High 62 Low 56Cloudy, chance p.m. rain

Full forecast on page 3A.

Five Questions1 As of 2017, what is the most popular dog breed in the United States, accord-ing to the American Kennel Club?2 How many gold-plated flags are on the World Series trophy?3 Which country offers its citizens the most time off with 22 paid vacation days and 13 paid holidays — Spain, Sweden or Austria?4 What is the name of Big Bird’s buddy (who couldn’t be seen by grown-ups in episodes before 1985)?5 Which car company did Daimler sell off at a loss in 2007 after paying a whop-ping $37 billion for it in 1998?

Answers, 6B

insideBusiness 5BClassifieds 6BComics 4BCrossword 3B

Dear Abby 4BObituaries 5AOpinions 4A

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Christopher Tuggle spends his time homeschooling his children and is a life coach with the Columbus Spartans.

caLendar

Today■ Exhibit reception: The Columbus Arts Council hosts a free reception from 5:30-7 p.m. for “Worlds Collide: Clay to Play,” an exhibit of ceramics by Stephen Phillips and photogra-phy by Erik Studdard in the main gallery of the Rosenzweig Arts Center, 501 Main St. Artwork by CAFB youth will be in Artist Alley. For more information, columbus-arts.org or 662-328-2787.■ Regional Business After Hours: The Columbus-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce presents a members’ Regional Business After Hours from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Paccar Engine Co., 1000 Paccar Drive, Columbus.

PubLic meetingsJan. 10: Lowndes County School Board regular meeting, 12:30 p.m., Central OfficeJan 13: Colum-bus Municipal School Dis-trict Board of Trustees regular meeting, 6 p.m., Brandon Central ServicesJan 15: Lown-des County Board of Super-visors regular meeting, 9 a.m., Courthouse

business moves With mary

Lofts at Lee available to rent; restaurant, event space there near completionPLus: mexican restaurant opening in downtown columbus; starkville meat shop opening soon

Mary Pollitz

By Slim Smithssmith@cdispatch.com

For 40 years, a section of Colum-bus’ Southside has been recognized as a historic district by the National Register of Histor-ic Places, a largely honorary distinc-tion noted Meredith Massey of the Mississippi Depart-ment of Archives and History.

During it’s Monday meeting, Columbus Historic Preservation

Commission took a step toward adding a designation that will re-quire homeowners in the district to comply with a city ordinance for construction, alterations and additions.

If approved, Southside will become the second of the city’s three national historic districts to be designated as a Local Historic District, a federal program de-signed to preserve the historic in-tegrity of neighborhoods through-out the country.

MDAH officials, including

Southside homeowners seek local historic designationLocal district tag would restrict certain exterior construction, alterations

Tess Vrbin/Dispatch StaffThe long-unused fire tower south of Maben used to be both a means of spotting forest fires and a “place of mischief,” Maben residents said. Now the steps to the hut on top have rotted, but the tower is a source of fond memories for some area natives.

Boggess

By mARy POllitZbiz@cdispatch.com

The re-de-

velopment of the former Lee Mid-dle School property at Military Road and Highway 82 is starting to show tangible results.

More than a year after devel-oper Scott Berry purchased the 15-acre property for a mixed-use project, the Lofts at Lee, a rent-able events venue and restaurant are all near completion.

Berry, who purchased the property in June 2018, said the “finishing touches” are almost complete with the high-end loft apartments — which were converted from the old class-rooms in the historic school. He is accepting lease agreements starting this month with 20 one- and two-bedroom apartments. Lofts at Lee will also have three furnished three-bedroom apart-ments for short-term rentals such as Airbnb.

Over the course of construc-tion, Berry said passersby and familiar folks have walked the halls to reminisce about a part of history from the 1950s school that shuttered in 2011.

By teSS VRBintvrbin@cdispatch.com

David Young remembers climbing the stairs to the top of the fire tower in Dou-

ble Springs, about five miles south of Maben, when he was a teenager to “look around and see what’s up.” Booter Fulgham, however, remembers the tower as a “place of mischief.”

“That’s where you would take your date parking, if you want to call it that,” Fulgham said. “The law would come out a lot of times and run everybody off.”

Teenage shenanigans aside, fire towers were the primary means of pinpointing the exact location of a wildfire before technological advances put them out of use, said

Bill Kitchens, a public outreach for-ester with the Mississippi Forestry Commission.

People stationed in the huts at the top of the towers would watch for smoke, and when two towers spotted the same fire, they gave the exact coordinates to authorities and sent them to put out the fire,

Oktibbeha County fire coordinator Kirk Rosenhan said.

The tower on Maben-Sturgis Road is one of two still standing in Oktibbeha County, and the other is on Highway 12 southwest of Starkville on the way to Longview. The latter is being used as a radio

Area fire towers hold sentimental value long after falling out of use

See Business, 6A

See Fire Towers, 6A

‘(my aunt) had a certain start time, i believe it was 9 or 10 a.m., and she would stay up there until 5 p.m., and then she would go back at night and make a spot check. i went with her several times at night because you could see forever. if there was a fire burning in columbus, you could see it from cliftonville.’

Maben resident Cecil Simmons

See souThside, 6A

This map shows the area in South Columbus under consideration to become a Local Historic District. If approved, a city ordinance would place restrictions on certain exterior construction, renovations and alterations to homes within the district.

The DispaTch • www.cdispatch.com2A Thursday, January 9, 2020

The AssociATed Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Severe storms includ-ing tornadoes are possible from eastern Texas across the Deep South later this week, putting millions of people at risk, forecasters said Wednesday.

More than 9 million peo-ple live in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana where there is an enhanced risk of severe weather on Friday, accord-ing to the Storm Prediction Center.

Winds of up to 70 mph will be possible in parts of Alabama on Saturday, the National Weather Service’s Birmingham office warned.

Similar conditions are expected in Louisiana. “All modes of severe weather appear to be in play with this system, including the threat of tornadoes in addi-tion to large hail and dam-aging winds,” forecasters at the weather service’s Shreveport, Louisiana, of-fice said in a briefing on the incoming storm system.

The threat moves east-ward Saturday, with the potential bull’s-eye cov-ering millions of people across much of Mississippi and Alabama, plus parts of eastern Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle. Storms could reach as far north as the Ohio Valley.

Heavy rains are possible in addition to damaging winds, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Many streams already are at or near flood levels be-cause of earlier storms.

Severe storms, twisters will be possible across the South

By ZeKe MiLLer The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The U.S. and Iran stepped back from the brink of possible war on Wednesday as President Donald Trump signaled he would not retaliate militarily for Iran’s missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. No one was harmed in the strikes, but U.S. forc-es in the region remained on high alert.

Speaking from the White House, Trump seemed intent on deescalat-ing the crisis, which spiraled after he authorized the targeted killing last week of Iran’s top general, Qa-ssem Soleimani. Iran responded overnight with its most direct as-sault on America since the 1979 sei-zure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, firing more than a dozen missiles at two installations in Iraq. The Penta-gon said Wednesday that it believed Iran fired with the intent to kill.

Even so, Trump’s takeaway was that “Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.”

Despite such conciliatory talk,

the region remained on edge, and American troops including a quick-reaction force dispatched over the weekend, were on high alert. Last week Iranian-backed mi-litia besieged the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and Tehran’s proxies in the region remain able to carry out attacks such as the one on Dec. 27 that killed a U.S. contractor and set off the most recent round of hostil-ities.

Hours after Trump spoke, an ‘in-coming’ siren went off in Baghdad’s Green Zone after what seemed to be small rockets “impacted” the diplo-matic area, a Western official said. There were no reports of casualties.

Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned that it was “perhaps too early to tell” if Iran will be satisfied that the missile strikes were sufficient to avenge the Soleimani killing.

US, Iran step back from the brink; region still on edge‘Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned ...’

President Donald Trump

House to vote on restraining Trump’s military actions against IranBy MATTheW dALy And ALAn FrAM The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The House will vote Thursday on a measure limit-ing President Donald Trump’s ability to take military action against Iran as Democratic criticism of the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general inten-sified.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced the planned vote in a one-page statement that said last week’s drone strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani was “provocative and disproportionate.”

The Democratic war powers resolution seems certain to pass over solid Republican opposition. A similar proposal by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., faces an uphill fight in the GOP-run Senate.

Because of a procedural dispute between the two parties, it was un-clear whether Thursday’s vote would be a step toward binding Trump’s hands on Iran or a symbolic gesture of opposition by Democrats.

Republicans say the proposal — a special type of resolution that does not get the president’s signature — does not have the force of law. Dem-ocrats say that under the 1973 War Powers Act, it would be binding if also approved by the Senate. The matter has not been definitively decided by federal courts.

By BArBArA orTUTAy AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook has decided not to limit how political ads can be targeted to specif-ic groups of people, as its main digital-ad rival Goo-gle did in November to fight misinformation. Nei-ther will it ban political ads outright, as Twitter did last October. And it still won’t fact check them, as it’s faced pressure to do.

Instead, it is announc-ing much more limited “transparency features” that aim to give users slightly more control over how many political ads they see and to make its online library of political ads easier to use.

These steps appear unlikely to assuage crit-ics — including some of the company’s rank and

file employees — who say Facebook has too much power and not enough limits when it comes to its effects on elections and democracy itself.

Since last fall, Face-book has insisted that it won’t fact-check political ads, a move that critics say gives politicians license to lie in ads that can’t be easi-ly monitored by outsiders.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly argued that “political speech is import-ant” and that Facebook doesn’t want to interfere with it.

Google, the digital ads leader, is limiting politi-cal-ad targeting to broad categories such as sex, age and postal code.

Facebook again declines to limit political ad targeting

SOLUNAR TABLEThe solunar period indicates peak-feeding times for fish and game.

Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

Thurs. Fri.MajorMinorMajorMinor

—5:40p12:05p7:28a

12:34a6:39p1:03p8:26a

The Commercial Dispatch (USPS 142-320)Published daily except Saturday.

Entered at the post office at Columbus, Mississippi. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, MSPOSTMASTER, Send address changes to:

The Commercial Dispatch, P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703Published by Commercial Dispatch Publishing Company Inc.,

516 Main St., Columbus, MS 39703

Answers to common questions:Phone: 662-328-2424Website: cdispatch.com/helpReport a news tip: news@cdispatch.com

The DispaTch

The DispaTch • www.cdispatch.com ThURSDAy, JAnUARy 9, 2020 3A

City of ColumbusDec. 30, 2019-Jan. 2, 2020■ Deborah T. Owens; 2892 Hwy. 50 E. & 822 Alabama St.; Sign for Orbit Fireworks; Same■ Columbus Redevelopment Authority; 221 4th St. N.; Demolish residence; Columbus Public Works■ Charisse Dennis; 304 Vance St.; Electrical permit; Livingston & Sons■ Freddie Jones; 723 16th St. N.; Electrical permit; Wel-don Electric■ Josh Halverson; 2611 4th Ave. N.; Electrical permit; Weldon Electric■ Steve Ruth; 818 N. McCrary Road; Electrical permit; Weldon Electric■ Earwood Family Properties, LLC; 133 Yorkville Road E. (N.E. Building) Electrical permit; Malone Electric■ Josh Henderson; 602 Plain St.; Electrical and plumbing permit; Same■ Ossie Taylor; 616 Peach St.; Plumbing permit; Sweden-burg Plumbing

area arrestsThe following arrests

were made by the Oktib-beha County Sheriff’s Of-fice:

■ Garrett Butler, 23, was charged with posses-sion of a Schedule I drug and assault on a police of-ficer.

■ Evelyn Rogers, 57, was charged with parole violation.

■ Jessie Carpenter, 39, was charged with aggra-vated assault, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a weapon by a felon.

■ Octavious Hill, 38, was charged with parole violation.

■ Jarquarious Young, 18, was charged with pos-session of a stolen firearm.

■ Kylin Rice, 19, was charged with burglary of a vehicle.

■ Charmarvious Phil-lips, 23, was charged with possession of a stolen fire-arm.

■ Terrence Savage, 37, was charged with a bench warrant.

■ Antrell Holbrook, 36, was charged with a bench warrant.

■ Bralan Logan, 23, was charged with grand

larceny and two counts of credit card fraud.

■ Jonathan Duncan, 54, was charged with third offense DUI.

■ Gelisa Bingham, 30, was charged with felony taking of a motor vehicle.

■ Marquavius Turnip-seed, 21, was charged with burglary of a residence, malicious mischief and do-

mestic violence.■ Christopher McMor-

ris, 28, was charged with a bench warrant and a hold for another agency.

■ George Lucious III, 19, was charged with flee-ing law enforcement and reckless driving.

■ Laci Brown, 24, was charged with possession of a controlled substance.

■ Devontay Jones, 21, was charged with receiv-ing stolen property, tres-passing and disorderly conduct.

■ Angela McCoy, 59, was charged with tres-passing.

RiceYoungHillCarpenterRogersButler

BinghamDuncanLoganHolbrookSavagePhillips

McCoyJonesBrownLucious IIIMcMorrisTurnipseed

By JeFF Amy And StACey PlAiSAnCe The Associated Press

HATTIESBURG — Man-slaughter isn’t supposed to be a death sentence. Nor is bur-glary. Nor is armed robbery, selling cocaine or stealing a vehicle.

But that is what the mothers of three inmates say was ulti-mately given to their sons, all of whom were killed in prison violence last week. As they plan their children’s funerals, they are demanding answers. They

want to know what happened, and why.

All three prisoners were slain by fellow inmates at Mis-sissippi State Penitentiary at Parchman last week. Two other inmates were killed in prisons elsewhere in the state. The out-break of violence has brought national attention to problems that have long plagued Mis-sissippi’s overstretched prison system.

The mothers were told by their sons’ fellow inmates that their deaths were gruesome.

“He was beat. He was stabbed. His chest, stomach. ... He has, well, he had, a lot of bruises and things on him,” says Jeffrie Holliman of Hat-tiesburg, mother of 32-year-old Roosevelt Holliman, who died Jan. 2.

Rotonia Gates, the mother of Walter “Keon” Gates, says she’s been told not to look at the body of her 25-year-old son after he was repeatedly stabbed on Dec. 31. But she says inmates with contraband cellphones sent her graphic pictures and descrip-tions of what happened.

“All the information I’ve got-ten has come from inside,” says Gates, a Southaven resident.

Denorris Howell’s body was

so covered in blood that Sun-flower County Coroner Heather Burton initially announced he had been stabbed on Friday, but later revised that to say he’d suffered a different kind of neck wound.

Relatives of all three inmates say they have few answers from prison officials , and they ques-tion whether guards acted properly.

“They’re not releasing any information,” Rotonia Gates says. “It seems like they’re try-ing to hide something.”

The Mississippi Department of Corrections has provided few answers to repeated questions from The Associated Press about the cause and manner of

the prisoners’ deaths and how the department has responded.

“I have no information to add to your story or stories,” spokeswoman Grace Simmons Fisher said in an email Wednes-day. “Thank you for asking.”

Advocacy groups have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate. They have criti-cized state lawmakers and offi-cials for writing laws that they say have resulted in Mississippi having the third-highest incar-ceration rate in the U.S.

Prison officials themselves say they have only had enough money to fill half of available guard posts, and they say the pay is far too low. The starting salary for guards is $25,650.

Mississippi moms question state as they bury slain inmates‘they’re not releasing any information. it seems like they’re trying to hide something.’

Rotonia Gates, mother of slain inmate Walter “Keon” Gates

buiLding Permits

diSPAtCh StAFF RePORt

A “freak accident” claimed the life of a 42-year-old Caledonia man Wednesday, Lown-

des County Coroner Greg Merchant said.

Todd Waldrop was struck by a tree he had cut down in north Lown-des County, which then

pinned him under about two feet of water, accord-ing to a text message Merchant sent to media members this morning.

Waldrop’s wife and

a friend found his body Wednesday night after they went looking for him because he had not re-turned home from hunt-ing, Merchant said.

Caledonia man dies after being pinned under water by felled tree

Get promoted? Win an award? Send us your business brief.news@cdispatch.com subject: Business brief

4A Thursday, January 9, 2020

OpinionPETER BIRNEY IMES Editor/PublisherBIRNEY IMES III Editor/Publisher 1998-2018BIRNEY IMES JR. Editor/Publisher 1947-2003BIRNEY IMES SR. Editor/Publisher 1922-1947

ZACK PLAIR, Managing EditorBETH PROFFITT Advertising DirectorMICHAEL FLOYD Circulation/Production ManagerMARY ANN HARDY ControllerDispatch

the

Letters to the editor

sLimantics

Election challenge will tell us Legislature’s true intentEvery January

when the 174 members

of the Mississippi Legislature con-vene in Jackson, there is much talk of bi-partisan cooperation and a desire to represent all Mississippians.

But actions speak louder than words. Usually, any evidence of those noble ideas fly out the window in about a week’s time as the legislators scurry, rat-like, to their tribal holes and proceed, with only the rarest exceptions, along ideological and party lines.

For the eternal optimists, there’s always at least some slim chance that “this year will be different.”

We’ve already seen evi-dence to the contrary, unfortu-nately. House Speaker Phillip Gunn pronounced Wednesday

that any bill to expand Medicaid would be “dead on arrival” in the House, even though Medicaid expan-sion was widely supported during the 2019 election campaigns, even by Republican candi-dates.

Most Mississip-pians understand

the economic benefits repre-sented by Medicaid expan-sion, especially its role in securing the financial future of the state’s rural hospitals. To put it in medical terms, our rural hospitals are in critical condition.

That one man gets to make the decision is not the way our government should work. To that, Gunn says, in so many words, “tough.”

That aside, another sign of just how tribal our Legislature

will be this year will be re-vealed in how it deals with an election dispute over who will represent District 40, which is located in DeSoto County.

In the November election, Democrat Hester Jackson McCray defeated incumbent Republican Ashley Henleyby 14 votes but Henley chal-lenged the results, claiming voter irregularities. The state Constitution gives the two chambers the authority to resolve any election disputes.

To settle the matter, Gunn chose an even mix of Republi-cans and Democrats to serve on a committee that will deter-mine who will be seated.

I’m kidding, of course. The Republican Speaker chose four Republicans and one Democrat for the committee.

Among those selected were Starkville Republican Rob Roberson who promised the process would be even-hand-ed, fair and transparent.

We’ll see.Roberson said he expected

the committee to render its de-cision in three to four weeks, which is not a good sign.

It ought to take one phone call and one question: Did the Secretary of State’s office cer-tify the results on the District 40 election?

It did? OK. Case closed. Welcome to the Legislature, Ms. McCray.

But as it is with a trial, the longer the jury is out, the bet-ter it is for the accused.

There is something about District 40 folks should know. It is among the most conser-vative districts in the state and also the fastest growing, thanks to “white flight” from nearby Memphis.

In 2015, Henley routed McCray for the House seat by almost a 3-to-1 margin. That McCray, who is black, would wipe out that voter deficit to win a narrow victory suggests

that District 40 voters were unhappy with Henley’s perfor-mance.

Henley’s dramatic decline in support in District 40, as evidenced by the certified results of the election, confirm the will of the people.

Now, we’ll see the will of the Legislature.

Seating Henley would mean nothing in terms of the balance of power in the House, where Republicans have a comfortable super-majority.

It would also be terrible optics for a Legislature whose pledges of “even-handed, fair and transparent” still ring through the Capitol.

Is this the year the Leg-islature makes good on its promises of bi-partisan efforts to benefit all Mississippians?

I’ll be sure to let you know.Slim Smith is a columnist

and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is ssmith@cdispatch.com.

Voice of the peopleRemembering Ann Palmer

Monday, you had a beautiful announcement of a “life well lived” of Mrs. Ann Palmer in your pages. She was 102 years old and was well known for her many good deeds. But I knew her for her great work for the Tennessee Williams Tribute before her death. She saw the first play in Memphis — in a garden — by the literary giant born in Columbus and still celebrated by a tribute each year. And, she married her beloved Ed who was an actor in the play!

She was a great lady who loved the arts, and Columbus will miss her. I know I will!

Brenda CaradineColumbus

Responds to McLaughlin letterI also ignored the women. Marga-

ret Thatcher invaded the Falklands. Indira Gandhi crushed Pakistan in 1971. Golda Meir won the Yom Kippur war. Going back farther, Boudica tried to drive the Romans out of Britain. Since the United States has not had a woman President, I can only wonder what Hillary might have done.

I did not mention World War II, which was thrust upon us, nor the anti-Communist frenzy which led us into Korea and Vietnam and Cuba, but not because there were Democrats in the White House for these events. I ignored them because they were ei-ther existential threats or we thought they were.

I included highways and Grenada and Panama and a once-defeated Iraq because they were not.

Except for highways, they were taking candies from babies. The washing of the spears, as it were.

Neville Chamberlain has been a handy symbol since his dangerous misjudgments. He led a country devastated by an unimaginably brutal war only twenty years before, and his need not to repeat that led him to ignore his national intelligence reports on Adolph Hitler and choose appeasement.

Unfortunately, people who favor military solutions have, over the years since, equated diplomacy with appeasement. That is simplification worthy of President Trump himself.

Bill GillmoreColumbus

A letter to the editor is an excellent way to participate in your community. We request the tone of your letters be constructive and respectful and the length be limited to 450 words. We wel-come all letters emailed to voice@cdis-patch.com or mailed to The Dispatch, Attn: Letters to the Editor, PO Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703-0511.

race in america

The Great Recession: ‘reparations’ gone badSome of the Democrat-

ic candidates for presi-dent support studying

reparations to blacks to compensate for slavery. But in many ways, America has made reparations to blacks. What are race-based preferences if not a form of compensation for historical wrongs? Many cities have “set-aside” programs that award government con-tracts to minority contrac-tors. President Lyndon Johnson pushed his Great Society programs to “end poverty and racial injustice.”

But few think of the federal gov-ernment’s housing policy, particularly the Community Reinvestment Act, or the CRA, as a form of reparations. But that is exactly what it was and still is. In many ways, the so-called Great Re-cession of the late 2000s was a prod-uct of affirmative action and a form of reparations gone bad. Really bad.

In 1999, almost a decade before the Great Recession, the libertarian Cato Institute issued a warning about the CRA, which President Jimmy Carter signed in 1977. The CRA was based on the assumption that racist lenders denied mortgages to credit-worthy would-be borrowers, particularly minority applicants. The act initially merely sought data on banking prac-tices to encourage lenders to practice fairness in granting mortgages.

But President Bill Clinton, in 1995, added teeth to the CRA. Economists Stephen Moore and Lawrence Kudlow explained: “Under Clinton’s Housing and Urban Development (HUD) secre-tary, Andrew Cuomo, Community Reinvestment Act regulators gave banks higher ratings for home loans made in ‘credit-deprived’ areas. Banks were effectively rewarded for throw-ing out sound underwriting standards

and writing loans to those who were at high risk of defaulting. If banks didn’t comply with these rules, regulators reined in their ability to expand lending and deposits.

“These new HUD rules lowered down payments from the traditional 20 per-cent to 3 percent by 1995 and zero down-payments by 2000. What’s more, in the Clinton push to issue home loans to lower

income borrowers, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac made a common practice to virtually end credit documentation, low credit scores were disregarded, and income and job history was also thrown aside. The phrase ‘subprime’ became commonplace. What an un-derstatement.”

But is it true that banks were dis-criminating against minority borrow-ers?

CATO, in 1999, said despite widespread accusations and lawsuits alleging discriminatory lending, the facts show otherwise. CATO said: “Re-searchers using the best available data find very little discernible home-mort-gage lending discrimination based on area, race, sex or ethnic origin. ...

“Other well-structured studies also found no evidence of redlining or un-warranted geographic discrimination. Thus, the claim that lenders redlined or were biased in making loans for the purchase of homes in central cities is not supported. Nor did the studies find that financial institutions dis-criminated against actual or potential borrowers on the basis of the racial or ethnic composition of neighborhoods.”

What caused this narrative that racist banks refused would-be minori-ty borrowers?

Enter lawyers like then private citizen and attorney Barack Obama.

In 1995, Obama, representing 186 blacks, filed a class action mortgage discrimination lawsuit against Citi-bank. The case was settled, and his clients got mortgages. But, according to the Daily Caller in 2012, just 19 of Obamas 186 clients still had their homes. About half had gone bankrupt and/or had their homes in foreclo-sure.

Incredibly, at least two of his for-mer clients now believe banks should be prevented from lending to people who otherwise cannot afford their homes. One client said: “If you see some people don’t make enough mon-ey to afford the mortgage, why should you give them a loan? There should be some type of regulation against giving people loans they can’t afford.”

Lending standards became so lax that virtually anyone who could fog up a mirror got a home. Then along came the recession, and a lot of people lost homes that they would not have bought in the first place but for lax lending standards. The result? Ac-cording to the Federal Reserve, from 2010 to 2013, white household median net worth — a household’s assets minus its liabilities — increased 2.4%. But black net worth fell from $16,600 to $11,000, a four-year drop of 34%. As another of Obama’s former clients put it, “(Banks) were too eager to lend money to many who didn’t qualify.”

In 1999, the Cato policy paper on the CRA made the following recom-mendation: “The Clinton administra-tion wants an even stricter CRA. But more than two decades of its oper-ation suggest that repealing rather than tightening the act would be the economically and socially responsible thing to do.”

Too bad nobody listened.Larry Elder is a best-selling author

and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host. To find out more about Larry Elder, visit www.LarryElder.com.

Our View: Local EditorialsLocal editorials appearing in this space represent the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board: Peter Imes, editor and publisher; Zack Plair, managing editor; Slim Smith and senior newsroom staff. To inquire about a meeting with the board, please contact Peter Imes at 662-328-2424, or e-mail voice@cdispatch.com.

Slim Smith

Larry Elder

The DispaTch • www.cdispatch.com Thursday, January 9, 2020 5A

James M. ReevesVisitation:

Friday, Jan. 10 • 1-2 PM2nd Ave. North Location

Services:Friday, Jan. 10 • 2 PM

2nd Ave. North LocationBurial

Vaughn CemeterySteens, MS

Ann I. PalmerVisitation:

Saturday, Jan. 11 • 10-11 AMThe Earlene Robertson Room of

St. Paul’s Episcopal ChurchMemorial Service:

Saturday, Jan. 11 • 11 AMSt. Paul’s Episcopal Church

College St. Location

Theo BurnsIncomplete

2nd Ave. North Location

Kuydgalyn McCluskyIncomplete

2nd Ave. North Location

Pat WaldropIncomplete

2nd Ave. North Location

memorialgunterpeel.com

Flossie HowardFlossie “Lucy” Howard, age 94, of Columbus, MS,

died January 7, 2020, at Aliceville Manor Nursing Home.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM on Thursday, January 9, 2020, at Skelton Funeral Home Chapel, with Bro. Steve Strickland officiating. Burial will follow in Tabernacle Cemetery in Ethelsville, AL, with Skelton Funeral Home of Reform directing. Visitation will be one hour prior and immediately following the service at the funeral home.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Howard; her parents; and ten siblings.

Survivors include her daughter, Martha Hildreth and husband, Jimmy; sister, Odell Herron; two grandchildren, Chris Hildreth (Kristy) and Kevin Hildreth (Jennifer); and three great-grandchildren, Abby Williams, Max Williams and Kati Hildreth.

Mrs. Howard was born November 30, 1925, in Carrollton, Alabama, to the late James F. McCool and Mary Pritchett McCool. She was a retired employee of Beneke Corporation in Columbus, MS.

Pallbearers will be Chris Hildreth, Kevin Hildreth, Max Williams, Butch Hildreth, Wayne Hildreth and Rob Finley.

Honorary Pallbearers are her Two Rivers neighbors and Aliceville Manor Nursing Home.

Paid Obituary - Skelton Funeral Home

Compliments ofLowndes Funeral Home

www.lowndesfuneralhome.net

Joyce FraserJoyce Lorene McBurney Fraser,

86, of Columbus, MS, passed away Friday, January 3, 2020, at her residence.

Visitation will be Thursday, January 9, 2020, from 6:00-8:00 PM at Lowndes Funeral Home. A funeral service will be Friday, January 10, 2020, at 11:00 AM at Lowndes Funeral Home Chapel, with Bro. Glenn Miller officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Gardens, Columbus, MS.

Mrs. Fraser was born March 3, 1933, in Ontario, Canada, to the late John William and Catherine Forbes McBurney. She loved spending time with her friends and family. Mrs. Fraser enjoyed crossword puzzles, playing solitaire, needlework, crocheting, reading books and watching hummingbirds. She held several jobs during her lifetime, including bank teller, secretary, and a homemaker for many years and helped do anything that needed to be done around the farm.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, William “Bill” Fraser; siblings, Audrey Garner, Alex McBurney, Marie McIntosh, Donna Vigar and Ruth Johnson; and son-in-law, Michael Lawson.

Mrs. Fraser is survived by her sons, Glenn (Donna) Fraser of Clanton, AL, Raymond (Chhorvy) Fraser of Cerritos, CA, Keith (Meredith) Fraser of Columbus, MS, and Terry (Kim) Fraser of Aliceville, AL; daughter, Sherri Lawson of Embro, Ontario; grandchildren, Elizabeth (Brad) Yates, Wesley Fraser, Whitney Brackin, Catherine (Donald) Saxon, Lauren (Sage) Nelson, Jordan (Adam) Matheson, Audrey Fraser, Jared “Bubba” Lawson, Monika Fraser, Elizabeth Fraser and Jayden Fraser; 9 great-grandchildren; sister, Margaret (Bill) Armstrong; brother, Doug (Elsie) McBurney; and dearest friend, Faye Gentry.

Pallbearers will be Wesley Fraser, Jared Lawson, Brad Yates, Donald Saxon, Sage Nelson, David Plant and Adam Matheson.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Steve Kesler, Hank Williams, Mark Freeman and Randall Turner.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or at stjude.org.

James M. ReevesJames M. Reeves passed away

on January 8, 2020, at the age of 91. James was born on July 3, 1928, in Pickensville, AL, to the late Morris M. Reeves and Annie Bonds Reeves, and the family relocated 9 months later to Co-lumbus. James graduated from Lee High School, where he partic-ipated in football, baseball, and basketball. Following graduation, James attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College on a football scholarship, transferring after his freshman year to Mississippi State University. During this time, James played semi-pro baseball with the Columbus Red Birds.

When the Korean War escalated, James joined the Army for a two-year tour and was assigned to the medical detachment 932 F. A. 31st Division Artil-lery unit. While in the military, he completed Army Leadership School at Fort Jackson, SC and medical training at Fort Sam Houston Medical Center in Houston, TX.

Following military service, James reenrolled at Mississippi State University and married Juanita Parra on August 29, 1952. James graduated from Mississippi State University in 1953, with a busi-ness degree, and immediately started his career as a purchasing manager with Mitchell Engineering Company in Columbus. During his career, James completed the requirements as a Certified Purchas-ing Manager and was a member of the National Association of Purchasing Managers, where he was named Purchasing Man of the Year. James retired from Ceco Building Systems, formerly Mitchell Engi-neering Company in 1993, as Vice President of Pur-chasing after 41 years.

Juanita and James were married for 28 years, un-til she passed away from cancer on September 17, 1980. Subsequently, James met and married Edith Repult Harris from Tupelo, MS in 1988. Edith and James traveled extensively during their lives to-gether and enjoyed attending sporting events at Mississippi State University. James and Edith were married for 28 years, until she passed away from cancer on December 25, 2016.

James is preceded in death by his sister, Ann Tate and is survived by his sister, Martha Sue Mims (Joe) and brother, William E. Reeves (Betty).

Services will be held at Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home, Second Avenue North location, in Columbus, at 2:00 PM Friday, January 10, 2020, with Dr. Shawn Parker officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at 1:00 PM. Internment will be Vaughn Cemetery in Steens, MS. Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home & Crematory, Second Av-enue North location, has been entrusted with the arrangements.

Sign the online guest book at www.memorialgunterpeel.com

716 Second Avenue North • Columbus, MS

COMMERCIAL DISPATCH OBITUARY POLICYObituaries 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.

Elizabeth StilesSTARKVILLE —

Elizabeth C. Stiles, 90, died Jan. 8, 2020, at her residence.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced Lowndes Funeral Home of Co-lumbus.

Minnie HillALICEVILLE, Ala.

— Minnie Dunner Hill, 72, died Jan. 7, 2020, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Home Going Cele-bration services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Pine Grove Baptist Church in Carrollton, with the Rev. Carlos Calhoun officiating. Burial will follow at New Ceme-tery. Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. Saturday at Lavender’s Funeral Service. Lavender’s Funeral Service of Aliceville is in charge of arrangements.

Robert HughesNOXUBEE — Rob-

ert Earl Hughes, 79, died Jan. 8, 2020.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be

announced by Carter’s Funeral Service of Macon.

Pat WaldropCOLUMBUS — Pat

Waldrop, 42, died Jan. 8, 2020, in Columbus.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Memori-al Gunter Peel Funeral Home and Crematory, Second Avenue North location.

Kuydgalyn McCluskyCOLUMBUS — Kuy-

dgalyn McClusky, 54, died Jan. 8, 2020, at North Mississippi Med-ical Center in Tupelo.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Memori-al Gunter Peel Funeral Home and Crematory, Second Avenue North location.

Minnie ArmourCOLUMBUS — Min-

nie Starnes Armour, 74, died Jan. 8, 2020, at Baptist Memorial Hos-pital-Golden Triangle.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Lown-des Funeral Home of Columbus.

Samuel EavesLOUISVILLE —

Samuel Thomas Eaves, 31, died Dec. 30, 2019, at his residence.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Butler Pentecostal Church in Shuqualak. Burial will follow at Butler Cemetery. Visitation is from 6-8 p.m. Saturday at Cockrell Funeral Home. Cockrell Funer-al Home of Macon is in charge of arrange-ments.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Chil-dren’s Research Hospi-tal, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

AreA obituAries

By SARAH SKIDMORE SELL AP Personal Finance Writer

2019 was another tough year for the IRS, ac-cording to a new federal report.

Burdened with years of budget cuts and a re-cent increase in workload to implement a new tax law, the IRS struggled to deliver on its mission in the past fiscal year. The annual report from the

Office of Taxpayer Advo-cate found that in the 2019 fiscal year, among other problems, the IRS was late in sending legitimate refunds to many taxpay-ers and failed to answer the majority of phone calls from taxpayers. The agency also failed to collect billions in unpaid taxes.

The Taxpayer Advo-cate’s role — while inside the IRS — is to ensure sure taxpayer rights are

being fairly represented. Among those duties is an annual report to Con-gress, which lists the most serious problems facing taxpayers. The re-port is often critical of the agency, and this year’s edition released Wednes-day was no exception

The Advocate’s report found that the IRS is one of the lowest performing federal agencies in terms of customer service. The agency answered only 29 percent of the 100 mil-lion telephone calls it got during the 2019 fiscal year.

That’s a problem not just for those wanting help filing taxes, but also those with more serious

issues. People facing en-forcement action — such as wage garnishment, bank levies or more — were not always able to reach the IRS to make them aware of hardships, which could potentially free them from those lev-ies.

The IRS has increased the online tools and assis-tance it provides to tax-payers. At the same time, other forms of live sup-port, such as Taxpayer Assistance Centers,have dwindled, so some people still find it difficult to get the help they need.

The primary prob-lem is that IRS has been struggling with a massive shortage of funding and

an increased workload. Its budget has been re-duced by about 20 percent since 2010, after adjust-ing for inflation. And the number of full-time em-ployees has declined by about 22 percent during that time. Meanwhile it had to manage a sweep-ing overhaul of federal tax law. The agency’s future looks challenging too: A recent report from the IRS estimates that about

31 percent of its remain-ing workforce will retire within the next 5 years.

“The biggest issue the IRS faces in on the resources, being just un-derfunded for a long time. That shows up in custom-er service...audits, the IT system is way out of date,” said Mark Mazur, direc-tor of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. “On all fronts they are under-re-sourced.”

Underfunded IRS struggles to send refunds, answer callsoffice of taxpayer Advocate: Agency answered only 29 percent of the 100 million telephone calls it got during the 2019 fiscal year

By MIKE STOBBE AP Medical Writer

NEW YORK — Re-searchers on Wednesday reported the largest-ever one-year decline in the U.S. cancer death rate, a drop they credited to advances in lung-tumor treatments.

The overall cancer

death rate has been fall-ing about 1.5 percent a year since 1991. It fell 2.2 percent from 2016 to 2017, according to the new American Cancer Society report. That’s the largest drop ever seen in nation-al cancer statistics going back to 1930, said Rebec-ca Siegel, the lead author.

“It’s absolutely driven by lung cancer,” which ac-counts for about a quarter of all cancer deaths, she said. Take lung cancer out of the mix, and the 2017 rate drop is 1.4 percent, she added.

Government research-ers previously reported a slightly lower drop in the cancer death rate for the same period. But the Can-cer Society calculates the death rate differently, and on Wednesday said the decline was larger — and record-setting.

Most lung cancer cas-es are tied to smoking, and decades of declining smoking rates led to fall-ing rates of lung cancer illnesses and deaths.

But the drop in deaths seems to have been accel-erated by recent lung can-cer treatment advances, Siegel said.

Experts mainly credit advances in treatment. Topping the list are re-finements in surgery, bet-ter diagnostic scanning, and more precise use of radiation.

Cancer group finds biggest one-year drop in U.S. death rateDecline in deaths seems to have been accelerated by recent lung cancer treatment advances

The DispaTch • www.cdispatch.com6A ThURSDAy, JAnUARy 9, 2020

Businesscontinued from Page 1a

“If you were a gradu-ate of this school and you walk this hallway, you’ll know you went to school here,” Berry said.

When Berry pur-chased the lot, he voiced commitments to rede-veloping the area for Columbus. With the lofts project almost done, the auditorium has been ren-ovated and revitalized for a rentable venue. In fact, the venue has already reserved its first event: a wedding in March. Berry said he is taking reservations and depos-its starting this week for any event after the March wedding. The new space could be rented for corporate events, meet-ings, weddings and even concerts.

“The lighting in there, wow. It just has excellent natural light,” Berry said. “It’s got a lot of flexibility too. You could have up to 1,000 people.”

With construction continuing throughout the development, Berry added a restaurant, with

which he is partnering with Paul Lavender to operate, should open by late March in the school’s former cafeteria. Though still battling between names, Berry said the high-end restaurant will add another dining option for Columbus residents.

“It’s going to be an upscale steak and sea-food restaurant,” he said. “We’re finishing up the interior, but the kitchen is actually the old cafe-teria’s kitchen and the dining area will be where you ate when you went to school.”

Downtown Columbus is booming with restau-rant news as a new Mex-ican restaurant prepares to open on Main Street.

La Campana Mexican Restaurant is slated to open at 400 Main St. by the end of February.

Columbus developer Chris Chain owns the building, which formerly housed Old 82 Restau-rant and Front Door, Back Door.

A representative from

Chris Chain’s office con-firmed the new restau-rant opening on Main and said the restaurant will be managed by the same owners who operate Starkville’s Casa Bravo.

A representative from La Casa Bravo could not be reached by press time today.

With these chapters coming to fruition, classroom-lofts, auditori-um-turned-hip-venue and cafeteria-now-restaurant, Berry’s next project lies with the old gymnasium with no clear-cut conclu-sion.

“That’s the next thing I’m tackling,” Berry said. “We’re going to clean it up first.”

Carnivores and meat lovers get ready to pig out, or rather beef up, your menu with a new hormone-free butcher shop in Starkville.

Welcome Home Beef, a business owned by the Sanders family, is slated to open by the end of this month at 329 University

Drive. Co-owner Will Sanders said the butcher shop plans to open Mon-day through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Partnered with local cat-tle farmers in the south and a family-owned farm in Glenville, Nebraska, Welcome Home offers customers “unbelievably tender and tasty” beef products.

“We buy southern cat-tle around here and give them to another family farm in Nebraska where they aren’t fed any hor-mones and are on all-nat-ural non GMO feed and they process it,” Sanders said. “We’re really excit-ed to bring this quality beef to Starkville.”

Keep up to date on the Sanders Family and Wel-come Home Beef with their Facebook page. A new shipment of fresh meat will be delivered Jan. 20 with roasts, ham-burger meat and steaks. If you don’t stay tuned with Starkville’s newest shop on the block, it might be a missed-steak.

Southsidecontinued from Page 1a

Massey, attended Mon-day’s meeting in an ad-visory capacity and will serve as a liaison between the city and federal of-ficials who administer the program, which has designated 2,300 neigh-borhoods throughout the country and 55 in Missis-sippi.

The Downtown His-toric District earned the Local Historic District (LHD) status in 1996.

Although recognized on the National Regis-try since 1980, some residents in the area, including commission members, say it’s time for Southside to apply for LHD status.

“It’s been 24 years since downtown became a Local Historic Dis-trict and we feel it’s time Southside made the move as well,” said commission member Joe Boggess, who owns the historic Whitehall property. “The designation we have now does not do anything to protect properties from inappropriate alterations or construction that are incompatible with the history and character of the area. With the (LHD), anyone in the district who seeks a building permit would be required would have to take their plans to

the Historic Commission to make sure it’s compati-ble with the requirements laid out of the city’s LHD ordinance.”

On Monday, the com-mission voted to take the next step in the process, asking the city to apply for a grant to conduct a new survey of the district.

Columbus federal pro-grams director George Irby will ask the city coun-cil to apply for the grant at the council’s next meet-ing on Jan. 21.

The grant is a 50/50 match. Massey said MDAH will hire a firm to conduct a survey to deter-mine the total number of buildings in the district.

“The going rate is $32 per building,” Massey said.

Boggess estimated there are 300 to 400 build-ings (the survey does not include outbuildings such as detached garag-es, workshops or sheds), which would mean a total cost of between $9,600 and $12,800.

Monday’s meeting drew a crowd of about 75. Most, but not all, support-ed applying for the LHD designation.

The Southside district runs from the Mississip-pi University for Women campus to First Street

and from College Street to Seventh Avenue.

City building inspec-tor Kenneth Wiegel said that while the city council will act on Irby’s request to pursue the grant, that does not commit the city to approve the LHD des-ignation. Wiegel said he expects the city to hold at least one public hearing after the survey is com-pleted and the Historic Commission makes an official request for LHD designation.

“Citizens will have the opportunity to have their say on this,” Wiegel said.

Boggess said he under-stands some homeowners may fear the LHD desig-nation will make renova-tions more difficult and, perhaps, more costly.

“We understand that,” he said. “But it’s import-ant to remember that these requirements would affect only the parts of he homes that are visible from the street. It’s not as though every change

someone wants to do will be affected by the LHD designation. The idea is that moving to this desig-nation will protect proper-ty values. That’s a good thing for every property owner.”

Massey said LHDs have been careful not to make requirements oner-ous for property owners.

“What people do on the interior or in the areas of the homes that aren’t in view from the street really doesn’t fall under this,” she said. “We have 55 LHDs in the state and the response has been fa-vorable. In some instanc-es, the designation makes property owners eligible for tax credits. The desig-nations have been well-re-ceived. We think it’s a good program.”

Commission chairman Barbara Bigelow said the commission is working closely with MDAH as it proceeds.

“We were glad that representatives from the Mississippi Department of History and Archives were able to join us to answer questions and ad-vise use as we move for-ward,” Bigelow said. “I was also glad to see the interest from the commu-nity would be affected by this.”

Wiegel Bigelow

Fire towerscontinued from Page 1a

tower, and the former “has just been sit-ting there,” Rosenhan said.

South-ern Lown-des County once had a fire tower on the aptly named Fire Tower Road near Crawford before an area family of Columbus bought, disassembled and moved the tower further north, across Highway 45 Alternate from Artesia for private use.

There was another tower a few miles away, just south of the Nox-ubee County line near Cliftonville. Maben resident Cecil Simmons grew up in nearby Deerbrook, and he said his aunt climbed up the tower every day from November to March to watch for fires.

“She had a certain start time, I believe it was 9 or 10 a.m., and she would stay up there until 5 p.m., and then she would go back at night and make a spot check,” Simmons said. “I went with her several times at night because you could see forever. If there was

a fire burning in Colum-bus, you could see it from Cliftonville.”

Simmons’ aunt manned the tower during peak fire season, which is typically from October to mid-April, Kitchens said. October is the driest month of the year and usually the time of the first killing frost, and March tends to have high winds that make it easier for fires to spread, he said.

“That’s our typical fire season, unless we go into a drought situation in the summer, when vege-tation may look green but doesn’t have a lot of moisture in it, so we can have large fires that time of the year (as well),” Kitchens said.

In times of lower fire danger, people would climb the towers twice a day to check for fires but would not have to stay up there all day, he said.

‘They stick out like a sore thumb’

MFC still owns many of the fire towers throughout the state, Kitchens said. Some of the ones that have been sold were taken down, and others have been used as radio towers

like the one in Double Springs.

Anyone interested in purchasing a fire tower can contact the property and fleet management division of MFC, he said.

Rosenhan said he has been trying for years to convince MFC to donate the Double Springs fire tower to the county. The tower needs some repair work, and he has received requests from private entities to turn it into a microwave tower, but “I can’t spend money on it because we don’t own it,” he said.

Kitchens estimates that MFC started “phas-ing out” fire towers as a tool in the late 1980s. Nowadays, most wildfires are detected by airplanes and by citizens calling MFC’s wildfire reporting hotline, 1-833-MFC-FIRE, he said.

Even so, Simmons and Wayne Dewberry, a fellow Maben resident, remember when the towers were still vital to locating fires.

“They had the best technology in that day,” Simmons said. “They had coordinates, and they could see a blaze and report it to somebody in Jackson. It was all part of

the state network of fire towers.”

Dewberry said he climbed the Double Springs tower many times when he was younger and the steps were still intact.

“It’s in pretty bad shape now,” Dewberry said. “A lot of the steps have fallen out and rot-ted.”

Kitchens said MFC removed the stairs from some towers statewide to keep people from climb-ing them.

Not all of Simmons’ memories of the tower were positive. He thinks it was 1965, he said, when a cropduster airplane flew into the Cliftonville tower and crashed to the ground, killing the pilot. Luckily, no one else was on the plane or the tower, he said.

Then and now, fire tow-ers serve as landmarks in the Golden Triangle region, Simmons said.

“In my day, if you were giving somebody directions and they were anywhere near the fire tower, that was always a reference point,” he said. “If they’re still standing, they probably (still) are, because they stick out like a sore thumb.”

Rosenhan

SECTION

BSPORTS LINE662-241-5000Sports

THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2020

BY BEN PORTNOYbportnoy@cdispatch.com

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State head coaching search has been a whirlwind.

Just a day after Patriots special teams coordinator Joe Judge seemed primed to take over at his alma mater, he was named the head coach of the New York Giants.

With MSU now miss-ing on one of their top candidates, it’s back to the drawing board to a degree in Starkville. That said, here are a few po-tential options to replace recently fired Joe Moor-head:

Steve Sarkisian — Ala-bama offensive coordi-nator

While it may not have been the first name that came to mind at the be-ginning of MSU’s head coaching search, Steve Sarkisian has quickly ris-en to the top of potential candidates.

A source close to the situation told The Dis-patch on Wednesday nothing is imminent with Sarkisian’s hiring, but he could be in the mix.

A seven-year head coaching veteran who spent the past season as the offensive coordinator for Nick Saban at Ala-bama, he compiled a 46-35 record between stops at Washington and Uni-versity of Southern Cali-fornia.

Success aside, Sark-isian comes with some baggage. He was fired at USC due to a handful of alcohol-related incidents — issues that were later

found to have occurred during his time at Wash-ington.

Beyond the off the field problems, Sarkisian would offer a compelling addition to an Egg Bowl rivalry that already fea-tures fiery Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin.

Sarkisian was Kiffin’s replacement in Los An-geles after the former was famously left on the tarmac when he was oust-ed as head coach at USC. Sarkisian also took over as the Alabama offensive coordinator when Kif-fin left his post with the Crimson Tide to become the head coach at Florida Atlantic.

Mike Leach — Washing-ton State head coach

There’s perhaps no greater wild card in col-lege football than Mike Leach.

As outspoken as coach-es come, he’s earned a reputation for his brash-ness — something that could bode well for a blue collar program like MSU.

While Leach doesn’t have any obvious ties to MSU or the state of Mis-sissippi, he reportedly interviewed for the head coaching vacancy with Athletic Director John Cohen in recent days. A source with immediate

knowledge of the situ-ation also told The Dis-patch Wednesday he was “not off the table” as a po-tential candidate.

And while Leach’s personality would drive most athletic directors insane, there’s a method to the madness. Running a wide-open air raid of-fense known for its gau-dy passing numbers, he’s compiled a 139-90 record in 18 years between stops at Washington State and Texas Tech.

Say what you will about Leach, but he’s won ev-erywhere he’s been — no-tably at places that lack the glitz and glam of their Power Five Conference

competitors.

Todd Grantham — Flor-ida defensive coordi-nator

After guiding MSU to one of its best defenses in school history, Todd Grantham would enjoy a homecoming of sorts should he land the job.

Grantham — who has spent the past two sea-sons on Dan Mullen’s staff at Florida — was also an assistant under Mullen during the 2017 season — his last in Starkville. A longtime assistant coach in college and the NFL, he worked as the associ-ate head coach and defen-

sive coordinator at Geor-gia between 2010 and 2013 before a three year stop at Louisville.

There’s some ques-tion as to how Grantham would handle running his own program, but his fa-miliarity with MSU would give him insight into the school and team no other coach on this list has.

Billy Napier — Louisiana head coach

It ain’t over till it’s over — at least that’s been MSU’s approach to Lou-isiana head coach Billy Napier. After publicly de-nying his candidacy for the job, Cohen has report-edly made another run at the former Alabama and Clemson assistant this week.

Napier’s name has long been linked to the MSU opening but the interest hasn’t been there thus far.

Following an 11-3 sea-son this year, his name also figures to be in the running at Baylor given Matt Rhule’s departure to the NFL.

Should Napier look to make a jump, it’s likely he’d do it at Baylor rath-er than try and compete in the ever-powerful SEC West.

It isn’t totally out of the question Cohen can convince Napier to take on the job, but it’d be far fetched at this point.

Other names to watchBill Clark — UAB head

coachSkip Holtz — Louisi-

ana Tech head coachTroy Calhoun — Air

Force head coach

AN updATEd LOOk AT MSu’S hEAd COAChING CANdIdATESMISSISSIppI STATE FOOTBALL

BY GARRICK HODGEghodge@cdispatch.com

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The bad news contin-ued for the Mississippi State men’s basketball team Wednesday.

A few days after suf-fering a 12-point loss in its Southeastern Confer-ence opener to Auburn, the Bulldogs endured their second straight dou-ble-digit defeat, dropping a 90-69 contest to Ala-bama in Tuscaloosa.

If there’s somewhat of a silver lining for MSU, a good portion of its fan-base has been distracted by any and every football coaching search rumor to even notice the 0-2 start in SEC play. That doesn’t make the results count any less, though.

A team that started the season with NCAA tournament aspirations is quickly facing dire cir-cumstances with a road matchup against confer-ence heavyweight LSU looming and the Bull-dogs’ NET and KenPom.com rankings continuing to fall.

Nevertheless, junior point guard Nick Weath-erspoon preached pa-tience after the blowout

loss, referring to the Bull-dogs starting 0-2 in SEC play last season, yet put-ting together an impres-sive run down the stretch.

“We’ve been here be-fore,” Weatherspoon said. “A lot of these guys, we’ve been here before. All we can do is try to go and beat LSU Saturday and continue to get better.”

Both MSU’s offense and defense could use some of Weatherspoon’s suggested improve-ments. On the defensive end, MSU is allowing an average of 85 points in conference play. Offen-sively, the Bulldogs have

yet to surpass the 40-per-cent shooting mark in an SEC contest.

“We’ve got to grow,” MSU coach Ben Howland said. “I think for a couple of our guys, it’s our first true (SEC) road game. For Iverson (Molinar) and D.J. (Stewart Jr.), who I thought both got pretty significant minutes, they got their opportunities that are going to continue to come to them. We’ll be better next time.”

With Alabama’s win, that marked the seventh straight time in the se-ries the home team has earned the victory. It was

also the first conference win for first-year Alabama coach Nate Oats.

“I thought our defen-sive effort in the second half was as good as it has been all year,” Oats said.

The Crimson Tide’s John Petty Jr. and Kira Lewis Jr. wore MSU on the defensive end, as the dynamic guard duo scored 18 and 17 points, respectively. James Bold-en (11 points), Galin Smith (11) and Jaden Shackleford (10) were the other Alabama players in double figures.

“I give them credit, Lewis and Petty were ter-rific, as they have been all year long,” Howland said. “They run a style where Lewis is really able to penetrate and create so much by his quick-ness and speed. It makes it very difficult because they spread you out so wide.”

At the halftime, Ala-bama found itself ahead 42-34. The Crimson Tide shot 45.5 percent from the floor and held MSU to 38.2 percent in the half.

Shortly out of the break, the Crimson Tide opened a 15-point lead after Petty Jr. juked pre-

MISSISSIPPI STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

MSu defense disappears in loss to Alabama

Marvin Gentry/USA TODAY Sports Alabama guard Jaylen Forbes charges Mississippi State guard Nick Weatherspoon on Wednesday at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

See HOOPS, 3B

PREP GIRLS SOCCER

Columbus gears up with key district stretch loomingBY THEO DEROsAtderosa@cdispatch.com

Rubi Marquez knew it was time.

The sophomore mid-fielder is one of the three captains on the Colum-bus girls soccer team, but she had never addressed her teammates before.

But after Tuesday’s 8-0 home loss to Grena-da, Marquez felt she had to say something. She held her fellow Falcons accountable for the poor attitude they showed and the energy they lacked.

“She spoke up and talked about how we need to keep our heads up and bounce back from it and our energy just wasn’t where it needed to be,” Columbus coach Daniel Meador said Wednesday. “She just took it upon her-self to try to make a nega-tive a positive.”

For the Falcons, Mar-quez’s speech touched on important themes. The regular season is flying by for Columbus, which now has a 1-2 district re-cord and sits third in its four-team district includ-

ing Grenada, New Hope and West Point. The Fal-cons must pass either the Trojans or the Chargers to qualify for the play-offs, and they’ve got one game left against each district opponent. That slate starts today when Columbus travels to Gre-nada looking to make up for Tuesday’s loss.

Marquez knows the Falcons (6-8-1) will fol-low up on the things she pointed out in their final district games.

“We will be more pre-pared as a team,” she said. “We will come with great energy. I think it will be fine.”

With Marquez’s emer-gence — she played sparingly as a freshman — and six seniors on the squad, Columbus has renewed its hopes of staying competitive in its district.

The Falcons had struggled to qualify for the playoffs in a Class 6A district featuring Ox-ford and Tupelo, but the move down to Class 5A

See SOCCER, 3B

Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY SportsAs outspoken as coaches come, Washington State coach Mike Leach has earned a reputation for his brashness — something that could bode well for a blue-collar program like MSU.

TodayPrep Girls Soccer

Caledonia at Starkville, 5:30 p.m.Columbus at Grenada, 5:30 p.m.Mississippi School for Math and Sci-ence at Philadelphia, 5:30 p.m.

Prep Boys SoccerCaledonia at Starkville, 7 p.m.Magnolia Heights at Starkville Acade-my, 5:30 p.m.Columbus at Grenada, 7 p.m.Mississippi School for Math and Sci-ence at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Prep Girls BasketballChoctaw County at Starkville Academy, 6 p.m.Calhoun Academy at Columbus Chris-tian Academy, 6 p.m.

Prep Boys BasketballChoctaw County at Starkville Academy, 7:30 p.m.Calhoun Academy at Columbus Chris-tian Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Women’s College BasketballMississippi State at Missouri, 6 p.m.Tennessee at Ole Miss, 7 p.m.UTEP at Southern Miss, 6 p.m.Holmes Community College at East Mis-sissippi Community College, 5:30 p.m.

Men’s College BasketballHolmes Community College at East Mis-sissippi Community College, 7:30 p.m.

TodayAUTO RACING

5 p.m. — Dakar Rally 2020: Stage 5, Al-’Ula to Ha’il, Saudi Arabia (taped), NBCSN

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)5 p.m. — Drexel at Towson, CBSSN6 p.m. — Memphis at Wichita State, ESPN26 p.m. — Louisiana Tech at Texas (San Antonio), ESPNU6 p.m. — Purdue at Michigan, FS17 p.m. — Hofstra at Northeastern, CBSSN8 p.m. — Arizona at Oregon, ESPN8 p.m. — Minnesota at Michigan State, ESPN28 p.m. — Murray State at Jacksonville State, ESPNU 8 p.m. — Washington at Stanford, FS19:30 p.m. — Washington State at California, PAC-12N10 p.m. — Brigham Young at St. Mary’s, ESPN210 p.m. — Arizona State at Oregon State, ESPNU

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)10 a.m. — Quinnipiac at Rider, ESPNU4 p.m. — Austin Peay at Tennessee Tech, ESPNU5 p.m. — Duke at Virginia, ACCN5 p.m. — Michigan at Ohio State, BTN6 p.m. — Baylor at Connecticut, ESPN6 p.m. — Mississippi State at Missouri, SECN7 p.m. — Louisville at Miami, ACCN7 p.m. — Maryland at Iowa, BTN8 p.m. — Louisiana State at Texas A&M, SECN

GOLF6 p.m. — PGA Tour: The Sony Open, First Round, Honolulu, GOLF

NBA BASKETBALL6 p.m. — Boston at Philadelphia, TNT8:30 p.m. — Houston at Oklahoma City, TNT

NHL HOCKEY7:30 p.m. — Nashville at Chicago, NBCSN

CALENDAR

oN ThE AiR

bRiEfLyPrep BasketballWest Lowndes girls top Class 1A in new poll

The West Lowndes girls basketball team was ranked first in Class 1A in this week’s Impact Sports MHSAA poll, released Monday.

The Panthers (11-0) were ranked ahead of Hickory Flat, Pine Grove, Tupelo Christian Prep and Simmons in the Class 1A poll.

West Lowndes will host Nanih Waiya on Friday.In other polls:The Heritage Academy boys (11-6) was ranked

second in Class 4A of the new Impact Sports MAIS poll, which was also released Monday.

Starkville Academy (10-4) came in fifth in the rankings.

Simpson Academy topped the Patriots by finishing in first place. Brookhaven Academy was ranked third, and Pillow Academy was fourth.

New Hope (13-1) was ranked third in the Class 5A boys poll. Center Hill and Saltillo landed ahead of the Trojans; Hattiesburg was fourth, and Forest Hill was fifth.

The Trojans will visit West Point on Friday.The Columbus girls (11-3) were ranked fourth

in the Class 5A poll behind Brookhaven, Cleveland Central and Lafayette. Holmes County Central rounded out the top five.

The Falcons will travel to Grenada today, as their game scheduled for Friday was moved up.

Impact Sports will have a group of coaches ranking the top five boys and girls teams in public and private classifications throughout the year.

Highlights, video clips and scores can be sent to Billy Thomas of Impact Sports by at BillyThomas0565@gmail.com or by text at 662-549-3918.

The full poll can be viewed on Impact Sports’ website, maximpactsports.com.

West Lowndes boys take down McAdamsJataquist Brown scored 19 points to lead the West

Lowndes boys basketball team to an 88-42 home win over McAdams on Tuesday.

Darrell Brooks added 18 points, and Jherquaveus Sanders and Decamby Willis each scored 13. Kelvin Wilburn scored nine, and Fredrick Rice scored eight.

The Panthers will host Nanih Waiya on Friday.

Prep SoccerTuesday’s scores

Caledonia girls 7, West Point 0Caledonia boys 8, West Point 0Grenada girls 8, Columbus 0Oxford girls 9, Starkville 2Oxford boys 5, Starkville 1

SOURCE: From Special Reports

The DispaTch • www.cdispatch.com2B Thursday, January 9, 2020

Pro FootballNFL Playoff Glance

Wild-card PlayoffsSaturday, Jan. 4

Houston 22, Buffalo 19, OTTennessee 20, New England 13

Sunday, Jan. 5Minnesota 26, New Orleans 20, OTSeattle 17, Philadelphia 9

Divisional PlayoffsSaturday, Jan. 11

Minnesota at San Francisco, 3:35 p.m. (NBC)Tennessee at Baltimore, 7:15 p.m (CBS)

Sunday, Jan. 12Houston at Kansas City, 2:05 p.m. (CBS)Seattle at Green Bay, 5:40 p.m. (FOX)

Conference ChampionshipsSunday, Jan. 19

AFC, 2:05 p.m. (CBS)NFC, 5:40 p.m. (FOX)

Pro BowlSunday, Jan. 26At Orlando, Fla.

AFC vs. NFC, 2 p.m. (ESPN)Super Bowl

Sunday, Feb. 2At Miami Gardens, Fla.

NFC champion vs. AFC champion, 5:30 p.m. (FOX)

College FootballBowl Glance

Friday, Dec. 20Bahamas BowlNassauBuffalo 31, Charlotte 9Frisco (Texas) BowlKent State 51, Utah State 41

Saturday, Dec. 21Celebration BowlAt AtlantaNC A&T 64, Alcorn State 44New Mexico BowlAlbuquerqueSan Diego State 48, Central Michigan 11Cure BowlOrlando, Fla.Liberty 23, Georgia Southern 16Boca Raton (Fla.) BowlFAU 52, SMU 28Camellia BowlMontgomery, Ala.Arkansas State 34, FIU 26New Orleans BowlAppalachian State 31, UAB 17Las Vegas BowlWashington 38, Boise State 7

Monday, Dec. 23Gasparilla BowlAt Tampa, Fla.UCF 48, Marshall 25

Tuesday, Dec. 24Hawaii BowlHonoluluHawaii 38, BYU 34

Thursday, Dec. 26Independence BowlShreveport, La.Louisiana Tech 14, Miami 0Quick Lane BowlDetroitPittsburgh 34, Eastern Michigan 30

Friday, Dec. 27Military BowlAnnapolis, Md.North Carolina 55, Temple 13Pinstripe BowlNew YorkMichigan State 27, Wake Forest 21Texas BowlHoustonTexas A&M 24, Oklahoma State 21Holiday Bowl

San DiegoIowa 49, Southern Cal 24Cheez-It BowlPhoenixAir Force 31, Washington State 21

Saturday, Dec. 28Camping World BowlOrlando, Fla.Notre Dame 33, Iowa State 9Cotton Bowl ClassicArlington, TexasPenn State 53, Memphis 39Peach BowlAtlantaCFP Semifinal: LSU 63, Oklahoma 28Fiesta BowlGlendale, Ariz.CFP Semifinal: Clemson 29, Ohio State 23

Monday, Dec. 30SERVPRO First Responder BowlDallasWestern Kentucky 23, Western Michigan 20Music City BowlNashville, Tenn.Louisville 38, Mississippi State 28Redbox BowlSanta Clara, Calif.California 35, Illinois 20Orange BowlMiami Gardens, Fla.Florida 36, Virginia 28

Tuesday, Dec. 31Belk BowlCharlotte, N.C.Kentucky 37, Virginia Tech 30Sun BowlEl Paso, TexasArizona State 20, Florida State 14Liberty BowlMemphis, Tenn.Navy 20, Kansas State 17Alamo BowlSan AntonioTexas 38, Utah 10Arizona BowlTucson, Ariz.Wyoming 38, Georgia State 17

Wednesday, Jan. 1Citrus BowlOrlando, Fla.Alabama 35, Michigan 16Outback BowlTampa, Fla.Minnesota 31, Auburn 24Rose BowlPasadena, Calif.Oregon 28, Wisconsin 27Sugar BowlNew OrleansGeorgia 26, Baylor 14

Thursday, Jan. 2Birmingham (Ala.) BowlCincinnati 38, Boston College 6Gator BowlJacksonville, Fla.Tennessee 23, Indiana 22

Friday, Jan. 3Famous Idaho Potato BowlBoiseOhio 30, Nevada 21

Saturday, Jan. 4Armed Forces BowlFort Worth, TexasTulane 30, Southern Miss 13

Monday, Jan. 6Lendingtree BowlMobile, Ala.Louisiana-Lafayette 27, Miami (Ohio) 17

Monday, Jan. 13College Football ChampionshipNew OrleansClemson (14-0) vs. LSU (14-0), 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Saturday, Jan. 18East-West Shrine ClassicAt St. Petersburg, Fla.East vs. West, 2 p.m. (NFL)NFLPA Collegiate BowlAt Pasadena, Calif.American vs. National, 4 p.m. (FS1)

Saturday, Jan. 25Senior BowlAt Mobile, Ala.North vs. South, 1:30 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 26Hula BowlAt HonoluluEast vs. West, 9:30 p.m.

Pro BasketballNBA Glance

EASTERN CONFERENCEAtlantic Division

W L Pct GBBoston 25 10 .714 —Toronto 25 13 .658 1½Philadelphia 24 14 .632 2½Brooklyn 16 20 .444 9½New York 10 28 .263 16½

Southeast Division W L Pct GBMiami 27 10 .730 —Orlando 18 20 .474 9½Charlotte 15 25 .375 13½Washington 12 25 .324 15Atlanta 8 30 .211 19½

Central Division W L Pct GBMilwaukee 33 6 .846 —Indiana 23 15 .605 9½Detroit 14 24 .368 18½Chicago 13 25 .342 19½Cleveland 10 27 .270 22

WESTERN CONFERENCESouthwest Division

W L Pct GBHouston 25 11 .694 —Dallas 23 14 .622 2½San Antonio 16 20 .444 9Memphis 16 22 .421 10New Orleans 13 25 .342 13

Northwest Division W L Pct GBDenver 26 11 .703 —Utah 25 12 .676 1Oklahoma City 21 16 .568 5Portland 16 22 .421 10½Minnesota 14 22 .389 11½

Pacific Division W L Pct GBL.A. Lakers 30 7 .811 —L.A. Clippers 26 12 .684 4½Sacramento 15 23 .395 15½Phoenix 14 23 .378 16Golden State 9 30 .231 22

Tuesday’s GamesDetroit 115, Cleveland 113Portland 101, Toronto 99Oklahoma City 111, Brooklyn 103, OTMemphis 119, Minnesota 112Sacramento 114, Phoenix 103L.A. Lakers 117, New York 87

Wednesday’s GamesMiami 122, Indiana 108San Antonio 129, Boston 114Toronto 112, Charlotte 110, OTOrlando 123, Washington 89Denver 107, Dallas 106Houston 122, Atlanta 115New Orleans 123, Chicago 108Utah 128, New York 104Milwaukee 107, Golden State 98

Today’s GamesBoston at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.Cleveland at Detroit, 6 p.m.Portland at Minnesota, 7 p.m.Houston at Oklahoma City, 8:30 p.m.

Friday’s GamesAtlanta at Washington, 6 p.m.New Orleans at New York, 6:15 p.m.Miami at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.Indiana at Chicago, 7 p.m.San Antonio at Memphis, 7 p.m.Charlotte at Utah, 8 p.m.Orlando at Phoenix, 8 p.m.L.A. Lakers at Dallas, 8:45 p.m.Milwaukee at Sacramento, 9 p.m.

Golden State at L.A. Clippers, 9:30 p.m.Saturday’s Games

Minnesota at Houston, 4 p.m.Chicago at Detroit, 6 p.m.New Orleans at Boston, 6 p.m.L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.Philadelphia at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.Cleveland at Denver, 8 p.m.Milwaukee at Portland, 9 p.m.

College BasketballWednesday’s Scores

EASTAmerican U. 68, Army 60Binghamton 79, UMBC 75Boston U. 84, Lehigh 67Colgate 92, Loyola (Md.) 70Duquesne 78, Saint Joseph’s 60Georgetown 87, St. John’s 66Hartford 80, Mass.-Lowell 68Lafayette 82, Holy Cross 64Marist 70, Fairfield 58Navy 60, Bucknell 56New Hampshire 57, Maine 51Rhode Island 69, Davidson 58Stony Brook 81, Vermont 77UConn 67, Tulane 61UMass 77, La Salle 69

SOUTHAlabama 90, Mississippi St. 69Auburn 83, Vanderbilt 79Campbell 64, UNC-Asheville 62Duke 73, Georgia Tech 64ETSU 64, UNC-Greensboro 57Florida St. 78, Wake Forest 68Furman 73, Chattanooga 66LSU 79, Arkansas 77Longwood 74, Charleston Southern 56NC State 73, Notre Dame 68New Orleans 86, Cent. Arkansas 78Pittsburgh 73, North Carolina 65Radford 67, Gardner-Webb 64SC-Upstate 83, Hampton 73St. Bonaventure 61, George Mason 49W. Carolina 97, VMI 85Winthrop 79, High Point 57Wofford 67, Samford 62

MIDWESTBradley 72, Evansville 52Cincinnati 75, Tulsa 44Fort Wayne 77, W. Illinois 69Illinois 71, Wisconsin 70Indiana 66, Northwestern 62Kansas 79, Iowa St. 53Nebraska-Omaha 66, North Dakota 62Saint Louis 63, George Washington 58Seton Hall 83, Xavier 71

SOUTHWESTMcNeese St. 88, Abilene Christian 84Nicholls 61, Lamar 52Northwestern St. 72, Incarnate Word 66Oklahoma 72, Texas 62SMU 81, UCF 74Sam Houston St. 67, SE Louisiana 62Texas A&M-CC 73, Stephen F. Austin 72

FAR WESTBoise St. 73, UNLV 66CS Northridge 95, Long Beach St. 77California Baptist 83, CS Bakersfield 75S. Dakota St. 80, Denver 68San Diego St. 72, Wyoming 52San Jose St. 70, Nevada 68UC Santa Barbara 63, Cal Poly 45

TransactionsWednesday’s moves

BASEBALLAmerican LeagueDETROIT TIGERS — Acquired C Eric Haase from Cleveland for cash considerations. Designated RHP Dario Agrazal for assignment.National LeagueMILWAUKEE BREWERS — Extended the con-tract of Craig Counsell through the 2023 season.WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Agreed to terms

with INF Asdrúbal Cabrera and 1B Eric Thames on one-year contracts.Frontier LeagueFLORENCE FREEDOM — Signed OF Isaac Be-nard to a contract extension.LAKE ERIE CRUSHERS — Signed LHP Lars Liquori.NEW JERSEY JACKALS — Signed LHP Antho-ny Auletta to a contract extension. Signed RHP Brendan Butler, RHP Kevin Long, and RHP Hemly Suero.NEW YORK BOULDERS — Signed RHP Tim Pon-to to a contract extension.SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MINERS — Signed RHP Junior Harding.SUSSEX COUNTY MINERS — Signed OF Blake Adams, C Austin Biggar and INF Adam Sasser.

BASKETBALLNational Basketball AssociationNBA — Fined Golden State coach Steve Kerr $25,000 for verbally abusing a game official and failing to leave the court in a timely manner fol-lowing an ejection during a Jan. 6 game against Sacramento. Fined New York Knicks F/C Bobby Portis $25,000 for recklessly making contact above the shoulders of an airborne shooter during a Jan. 7 game.MIAMI HEAT — Signed G Gabe Vincent. Waived G Daryl Macon.

FOOTBALLNational Football LeagueLOS ANGELES RAMS — Announced the resigna-tion of special teams coordinator John Fassel to take the same position with Dallas.NEW YORK GIANTS — Named Joe Judge coach.Canadian Football LeagueEDMONTON ESKIMOS — Extended the contract of DB Brian Walker.

HOCKEYNational Hockey LeagueARIZONA COYOTES — Recalled F Barrett Hay-ton.CALGARY FLAMES — Agreed to terms with D Rasmus Andersson on a six-year contract ex-tension.

SOCCERMajor League SoccerD.C. UNITED — Re-signed G Earl Edwards Jr., through the 2020 season.LOS ANGELES FC — Signed D Tristan Blackmon to a three-year contract extension through the 2022 season, with a club option for 2023.MEMPHIS 901 FC — Named Tim Howard sporting director.National Women’s Soccer LeagueHOUSTON DASH — Acquired F Katie Stengel and the 22nd overall draft pick from Utah Royals FC for Houston’s natural second-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 NWSL College Drafts.SKY BLUE FC — Acquired F Margaret “Midge” Purce and the natural 2021 first round draft pick from Portland Thorns FC for MF Raquel “Rocky” Rodriguez.

COLLEGEBIG 12 CONFERENCE — Fined West Virginia coach Bob Huggins $10,000 for referring to an officiating crew as “three blind mice” after a Jan. 4 loss at Kansas.ALBANY (NY) — Named Vic Cegles as deputy athletic director and Leslie Moore as associate athletic director for facilities, scheduling and game operations.EAST CAROLINA — Announced the retirement of defensive line coach Jeff Hanson.GEORGIA — QB Jake Fromm announced he will enter the NFL draft.MINNESOTA — S Antoine Winfield Jr. announced he will enter the NFL draft.OREGON STATE — Signed football coach Jon-athan Smith to a three-year contract extension through the 2025 season.PITTSBURGH — Agreed to terms with men’s bas-ketball coach Jeff Capel on a two-year contract extension through the 2026-27 season.SAN DIEGO STATE — Announced the retirement of Rocky Long football coach. Promoted defensive line coach Brady Hoke to football coach.WISCONSIN — C Tyler Biadasz announced he will enter the NFL draft.

NFL

Heisman reunion: 5 winners suit up for Ravens-Titans matchupThe AssociATed Press

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The top prize for individual excellence in college football is the Heisman Trophy. For the first time in the Su-per Bowl era, five win-ners of that prestigious keepsake are expected to suit up in the same game, each in pursuit of the NFL’s most cov-eted team award — the Vince Lombardi Tro-phy.

Baltimore will bring three Heisman winners (Lamar Jackson, Mark Ingram, Robert Grif-fin III) into Saturday night’s playoff game against Tennessee, which has a pair of play-ers (Marcus Mariota, Derrick Henry) who accepted the trophy presented annually to the most outstanding performer in college football.

“Five? I didn’t even think about that,” said Jackson, who won the 2016 Heisman with Lou-isville. “It’s going to be

incredible.”For all he accom-

plished at Louisville during that amazing season three years ago, Jackson would gladly trade his statue for the opportunity to hoist the trophy in Miami on Feb. 2.

“That’s the trophy I want,” Jackson said. “That’s the best trophy you can get playing football. That’s what I want, that’s what the team wants, that’s what we’re going to get.”

Jackson hopes to receive help from In-gram (Alabama, 2009) and backup quarter-back Robert Griffin III (Baylor, 2011). Griffin will start on the bench against the Titans and Ingram is question-able with a calf injury, but earlier this season all three were in the backfield for what was dubbed “ The Heisman Package.”

Could we see it again this weekend?

“It could resurface, but that’s not my deci-

sion,” Griffin said. “I know we’re focused on beating the Tennes-see Titans, and if the Heisman package is part of that, that’s what we’re going to do.”

Griffin chuckled when asked the signif-icance of having Bal-timore’s Heisman trio being joined at the sta-dium by Mariota (Ore-gon, 2014) and Henry (Alabama, 2015).

“I wouldn’t say we’re getting dressed and go-ing out on the field and saying, ‘Oh man, there’s five Heisman Trophy winners out there.’ But it is a cool aspect of the game,” Griffin said. “Maybe we’ll get a pic-ture after the game, but I know that’s not what we’re thinking about right now.”

The Titans benched Mariota in mid-October after the offense man-aged only one touch-down in a 10-quarter span and was coming off a shutout loss in Denver. Since being re-placed by Ryan Tanne-

hill, Mariota has been playing the role of the opposing quarterback on the scout team, this week doing his best imi-tation of Jackson for the Tennessee defense.

Mariota has played in each of the past two games, however, throw-ing a 24-yard pass to A.J. Brown in the reg-ular-season finale win in Houston and a 4-yard toss to Dion Lewis in last week’s playoff win over New England. Mariota will hit the free-agent market in March.

Henry and Ingram both surpassed 1,000 yards rushing this year. The former Crimson Tide stars won’t neces-sarily have to seek each other before Saturday’s game because they just recently spoke.

“I talked to Mark the other day, and we were just catching up,” Hen-ry said.

Winning the Heisman Trophy au-tomatically makes the recipient part of a very

special club. That’s why the modern football world has never before seen five Heisman win-ners in uniform at the same NFL game.

“There are only so few of us, and every year there’s only one more,” Griffin said. “So this game, it’s some-thing that you’ll reflect on later in life and think, ‘That was a re-ally cool moment.’ But when you’re in the mo-ment, it’s not as if we’re all walking around with HEISMAN on the back of our shirt or carrying our Heisman Trophies.”

Like Jackson, Grif-fin wasn’t even aware he was on the brink of sharing in a historic moment.

“If no one told me there were five Heisman Trophy winners in the game, it wouldn’t click for me,’’ RG3 said. “But yeah, now that people have been saying it, I’m honored to be part of that.”

Metcalf’s breakout day another step for Seahawks rookieThe AssociATed Press

RENTON, Wash. — Amid an avalanche of attention following the best game of his career to date, DK Metcalf al-lowed himself a little bit of reflection.

What would have happened if he hadn’t unexpected slid out of the first round of the NFL draft last April? What if all the hype that surrounded his perfor-mance at the NFL com-bine had led to hearing his name called on the first night of the draft and not a day later when the Seattle Seahawks swooped into grab the wide receiver with the 64th overall pick.

“It was a perfect sit-uation for me,” Metcalf said on Wednesday. “At the moment I was mad, but after every-thing was said and done looking back at it I’m just happy that I land-ed here. Great quar-terback. Great offense. Great team. Great or-ganization. We’re in the playoffs still playing while a lot of teams are at home.”

Metcalf is hoping he has a few more weeks before giving full reflec-tion on his rookie sea-son. He may have a sig-nificant role in whether than happens or not when Seattle travels to Green Bay on Sunday in the NFC playoffs with the winner advancing to the conference cham-pionship game.

He played a major part in Seattle getting to this point. Metcalf set an NFL postseason record among rookies with 160 yards receiv-ing on seven catches and a touchdown in last week’s 17-9 win over Philadelphia to open the postseason. His 53-yard touchdown catch in the third quar-ter gave Seattle a 17-6 lead, and his 36-yard catch on the final drive clinched the victory.

His performance drew attention and ac-colades from all over, even a shout out from LeBron James on social media. It was a break-out game because of the stage and the im-portance. But it wasn’t

an outlier based on how the second half of the season has gone.

“It was cool, but like I said it’s time to focus in,” Metcalf said of the attention. “Can’t harp on just that one mo-ment.”

Metcalf was the star of the NFL combine last year, but his draft slide was a running headline until the Seahawks fi-nally took him off the board late in the second round. He was criti-cized for his route-run-ning skills shown in college at Mississippi and some evaluators be-lieved his ceiling would be as a big target who could only run straight down the field.

“When he came in, I was pretty confident he was able to do a lot of things that a lot of peo-ple weren’t giving him credit for,” Seattle wide receivers coach Nate Carroll said.

Metcalf’s season turned in Week 9 when he had six catches for 123 yards against Tampa Bay. Up to that point, Metcalf had 23

receptions, four touch-downs and was averag-ing about 17 yards per catch. It was solid, but not spectacular num-bers from the rookie.

In the nine games that followed — includ-ing that Week 9 win over the Bucs — Met-calf has 42 receptions for 658 yards while his responsibilities with-in Seattle’s offensive scheme have expanded. While the game against the Eagles was the best of his young career, Metcalf had been build-ing toward that kind of performance for weeks.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Metcalf had disappointment from the Seahawks’ earlier meeting against the Eagles — which also finished 17-9 — and wanted a chance to atone for the previous game.

“He didn’t play the game he wanted to play last time we were there,” Pete Carroll said. “It was important to him to put that to rest. He was very com-petitive about it.”

Metcalf knows as his numbers increase so will the attention he receives from oppo-nents. He was shut out by Arizona in Week 16 when Metcalf had his only game of the sea-son without a catch. He doesn’t know how Green Bay will defend him this week.

Nate Carroll said one of the balances Metcalf had to learn as the year progressed has been letting Metcalf use his physical advantages of size and power to his benefit.

“He wants to run through everybody, which I love that part of him, and we all do and it gets us all going,” Nate Carroll said. “But at the same time, you’ve got to make sure that the ball safety is paramount. That’s the next evolu-tion right there is just understanding when to and when not to. I think that’s been the coolest thing is just seeing him be able to just feel com-fortable about there and just play fast every chance he gets.”

The DispaTch • www.cdispatch.com Thursday, January 9, 2020 3B

SudokuSudoku is a num-ber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty spaces so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s answer

ACROSS1 Folded food5 Brawl11 Pressing need12 Rest13 Pharmacy unit14 1867 pur-chase15 Cruel17 Termite’s cousin18 Hymn singers22 Batter of verse24 Good judg-ment25 Anjou answer26 Slugger Williams27 When ex-pected30 Arson yield32 Boat’s back33 Runner on snow34 Babe’s bed38 Seasoned sausage41 Falafel holder42 First game43 Computer symbol44 Staircase posts45 Addition

column

DOWN1 Waiting rewards2 Opera piece3 Quite aloof4 Like some chats5 Greek group6 Keepsakes7 Cochise’s people8 Trig function, for short9 Inquire10 Sailing site16 Pig’s place19 In a precari-

ous position20 “Got it”21 Some wines22 Dove calls23 Pop’s sister28 Polished29 Tooth layer30 Wagon puller31 “Never mind!”35 Knights’ titles36 School near Windsor37 Works leather38 Pop’s boy39 Orangutan, e.g.40 Detective Archer

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Sudoku YESTERDAY’S ANSWER

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty spaces so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level increases from Monday to Sunday.

Log cabinWHATZIT ANSWER

season All-SEC first team selection Reggie Perry out of his socks on the pe-rimeter with a stepback 3-pointer. That put MSU in a gigantic hole, facing a 51-36 deficit.

“He’s capable of mak-ing tough shots,” Oats said of Petty Jr. “What may be bad shots for oth-er guys may not be so bad

for him.” The Bulldogs trimmed

the deficit to six points with 12 minutes remain-ing, but Perry picked up his fourth foul of the game, halting their mo-mentum. After sitting for a brief period, Perry fouled out with 6:56 re-maining with his team down 12 points. He fin-

ished with 14 points and five rebounds. Alabama ran away with the contest after that.

Weatherspoon led MSU with a team-high 20 points, while Robert Woodard II chipped in 14 points and nine rebounds. The Bulldogs shot 37.7 percent from the floor and allowed the Crimson Tide

to shoot 49.1 percent. “We need to figure

it out on transition de-fense,” Woodard II said. “We’ve been giving up too many open 3s. It’s just about getting tough out there.”

MSU is back in action at 7 p.m. Saturday in a road matchup against LSU.

HoopsContinued from Page 1B

has helped them become more competitive.

Meador, who was an assistant for the past two years under coach James Rush, took over the head coaching job this season. Rush’s daughter Maya scored “95 percent” of the Falcons’ goals last year, Meador estimated, and when Maya graduated, her father resigned.

But even with the de-parture, Marquez said, the Falcons haven’t strug-gled much to score.

“It’s difficult, but I think us as a team have been scoring more,” Mar-quez said. “I think more individuals have been able to get chances to score more.”

Senior Destiny McCoy has taken on a big role in her first year ever playing soccer, recruited to the team by head cheerlead-ing coach and soccer as-sistant Marissa Hackler. McCoy has consistently

been one of the team’s top goal scorers.

“(Hackler) brought her out here and said she’s got a good attitude and she’s got a good work ethic and she’s just kept her head up and kept trying and learn-ing,” Meador said. “What I’m most proud of is her attitude and her energy when she gets out there. She’s no quit. She never gets tired, and she’s ready to keep playing. She’s been a big contribution.”

McCoy started slow and caught stride midsea-son, allowing Marquez and her teammates to see her talent on display for the first time.

“We didn’t expect her to progress so much,” Marquez said. “We didn’t see that, ‘Wow, she really is good,’ until Coach put her in.”

Meador also coaxed senior softball star C’Asia Grayer into taking over at goalkeeper after the

departure of Rachel La-fayette, and Grayer has delivered.

“I just put the idea in her head about playing goalkeeper, and she’s just a real good athlete,” Meador said. “She’s just been phenomenal taking up space in between the goal. She’s unseasoned because it’s her first time to ever play goalkeeper, but she’s been just able to keep a lot of shots out of the net that your jaw just drops. It’s like, ‘How did she get to it?’”

The Falcons run a 4-4-2 formation — Marquez plays an attacking mid-field role, with Alexus Gil-lian in a defensive mid po-sition — and it took a hit when defender Krishua-na Jethrow sprained her knee Dec. 17 at Nettleton.

“We’ve missed her a ton,” Meador said. “It hasn’t really been the same without her filling that spot on defense.”

Jethrow has begun the rehab process, and the team hopes to get a key piece back by the end of the season. For now, though, the Falcons must forge on without her.

Their home stretch be-gins with tonight’s match at Grenada, rescheduled from Saturday due to inclement weather. The Falcons host New Hope on Tuesday and travel to West Point next Thursday to conclude their district slate.

Meador knows it’s a tough road ahead, but he thinks Columbus still has the talent to be com-petitive in its region. The Falcons will have to show it tonight.

“We still have the big ones in front of us and have everything in our hands,” he said. “We can still achieve it if we can turn this around after yes-terday’s game.”

SoccerContinued from Page 1B

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

LSu’s Burrow, Jefferson lead Ap all-bowl teamTHE AssOCIATED PREss

Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson were easy se-lections for The Associat-ed Press All-Bowl Team after they connected for four first-half touchdowns in LSU’s College Football Playoff semifinal blowout of Oklahoma.

Selecting the rest of the team wasn’t nearly as simple.

Although the season won’t end until LSU faces Clemson in the champion-ship game Monday night in New Orleans, all the postseason games with “bowl” in the title have been played. So why wait?

Because some defens-es run a 4-3 scheme, some run a 3-4 and others use the nickel as their base defense, AP included four linemen, four linebackers and five defensive backs in picking the honorees. There are also 13 players on offense, since we in-clude an all-purpose play-er and a third running back.

There were far more receivers than tight ends worthy of consideration, so we left out the tight end position and went with three receivers instead. Maybe next year.

OffenseQuarterbackJoe Burrow, LSU

(Peach): The Heisman Trophy winner tied a bowl record by throwing seven touchdown passes in the top-ranked Tigers’ 63-28 victory over No. 4 Okla-homa — all in the first half Burrow went 29 of 39 for 394 yards passing. He also had a touchdown run.

Running backJourney Brown, Penn

State (Cotton): Brown rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 carries in the 13th-ranked Nittany Lions’ 53-39 tri-umph over No. 15 Mem-phis. He scored from 32 and 56 yards away.

Lamical Perine, Flor-ida (Orange): Perine ran for 138 yards and caught five passes for 43 yards in the ninth-ranked Gators’ 36-28 victory over No. 24 Virginia. Perine had two touchdown runs and one touchdown catch.

Xazavian Valladay, Wy-

oming (Arizona): Valla-day rushed for 204 yards and one touchdown on 26 carries as Wyoming beat Georgia State 38-17. He also caught three passes for 91 yards, including a 63-yard score.

Wide receiverJustin Jefferson, LSU

(Peach): Jefferson caught four of Burrow’s seven touchdown passes. Jeffer-son ended up with 14 re-ceptions for 227 yards.

Jerry Jeudy, Alabama (Citrus): Jeudy caught an 85-yard touchdown pass on No. 9 Alabama’s first play from scrimmage and finished with six recep-tions for 204 yards in a 35-16 victory over No. 17 Michigan.

Tyler Johnson, Minne-sota (Outback): Johnson had 12 receptions for 202 yards and two touch-downs as No. 16 Minneso-ta defeated No. 9 Auburn 31-24.

LineTremayne Anchrum

and Jackson Carman, Clemson (Fiesta): Clem-son’s two offensive tack-les helped limit Heisman Trophy finalist Chase Young in the third-ranked Tigers’ 29-23 victory over No. 2 Ohio State in the other CFP semifinal.

Samuel Cosmi, Texas (Alamo): Cosmi anchored a line that helped Texas rush for 231 yards against a 12th-ranked Utah team that had been leading the nation in run defense. Utah also ranked third in total defense, but Texas gained 438 total yards in its 38-10 victory.

Charlie Heck, North Carolina (Military): North Carolina’s left tack-le led a line that allowed no sacks against Temple, which had 39 during the regular season. North Carolina gained 534 yards in a 55-13 blowout.

Ford Higgins, Navy (Liberty): Navy’s center helped pave the way for quarterback Malcolm Perry’s 213-yard rush-ing performance as the 21st-ranked Midshipmen edged Kansas State, 20-17. Navy controlled the ball for 36½ minutes against a Kansas State team that was ranked fourth in time of posses-sion.

James Hudson, Cincin-nati (Birmingham): The Michigan transfer made his Cincinnati debut as a starting left tackle and helped the 23rd-ranked Bearcats gain 343 yards in a 38-6 rout of Boston College.

All-purposeLynn Bowden Jr., Ken-

tucky (Belk): The receiv-er - turned-quar terback rushed for 233 yards and two scores and threw a game-winning touch-down pass with 15 sec-onds remaining in Ken-tucky’s 37-30 victory over Virginia Tech.

defenseLineA.J. Epenesa, Iowa

(Holiday): The Associ-ated Press All-America second-team defensive end collected 2 ½ sacks and forced a fumble as the 19th-ranked Hawkeyes defeated No. 22 Southern California, 49-24.

Malcolm Koonce, Buf-falo (Bahamas): Koonce had two of Buffalo’s five sacks in a 31-9 rout of Charlotte. He also forced a fumble and had five tackles.

Jesse Lemonier, Lib-erty (Cure): Lemonier had eight tackles and re-corded two sacks to im-prove his two-year career sack total to 20½. He was named the game’s most valuable player after Lib-erty’s 23-16 victory over Georgia Southern.

Kenny Willekes, Mich-igan State (Pistripe): Willekes made nine tack-les, forced a fumble and delivered 1½ sacks in Michigan State’s 27-21 tri-umph over Wake Forest.

LinebackerJoseph Ossai, Texas

(Alamo): Ossai posted nine tackles — six for loss — and three sacks against Utah.

Jeremiah Owusu-Kora-moah, Notre Dame (Camping World): Techni-cally listed as a rover, Ow-usu-Koramoah recorded nine tackles — four for loss — and three sacks in the 14th-ranked Fighting Irish’s 33-9 victory over Iowa State. He also forced and recovered a fumble.

Micah Parsons, Penn State (Cotton): Parsons

had seven solo tackles, seven assists, three tack-les for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and two pass breakups against Memphis.

Rashad Smith, Florida Atlantic (Boca Raton): Smith scored on a 34-yard fumble return and also had a 22-yard intercep-tion return as well as 11 tackles in FAU’s 52-28 tri-umph over SMU.

secondaryKhoury Bethley, Ha-

waii (Hawaii): Bethley made 10 solo tackles - one for loss - and picked off two passes in a 38-34 vic-tory over BYU. His sec-ond interception clinched the game with 25 seconds left.

Brady Breeze, Oregon (Rose): Breeze scored on a 31-yard fumble return and also forced a fumble to set up No. 7 Oregon’s go-ahead touchdown in a 28-27 victory over No. 11 Wisconsin. He had 11 tackles and a pass break-up.

Antwan Collier and Richie Grant, Central Florida (Gasparilla): Grant had 10 tackles in a 48-25 win over Marshall and opened the scoring with a 39-yard intercep-tion return. Collier had a 34-yard interception re-turn, two fumble recover-ies and six tackles.

Richard LeCounte, Georgia (Sugar): Le-Counte picked off two passes in the fifth-ranked Bulldogs’ 26-14 victory over No. 8 Baylor.

Elijah Molden, Wash-ington (Las Vegas): Molden had a 31-yard in-terception return, forced a fumble and made nine tackles in Washington’s 38-7 victory over No. 18 Boise State.

Special teamsKickerRiley Patterson, Mem-

phis (Cotton): Patterson made all six of his field-goal attempts, connect-ing from 37, 41, 42, 44, 48 and 51 yards away. His accuracy gave him a slight edge over WKU’s Cory Munson, who made a game-winning 52-yard-er in the First Responder Bowl but missed a 29-yard attempt earlier.

The DispaTch • www.cdispatch.com4B Thursday, January 9, 2020

Comics & PuzzlesDear AbbyDILBERT

ZITS

GARFIELD

CANDORVILLE

BABY BLUES

BEETLE BAILEY

MALLARD FILLMORE

HoroscopesTODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan.

9). You’re so adept at making your own luck that it will prob-ably catch you off guard when you don’t have to. Fortunate surprises will happen while you’re relaxing. Next month, you’ll raise your financial status by simply asking for what’s fair. You’ll help family and take on new responsibilities, creating wins for the whole group. Leo and Libra adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 3, 33, 37 and 41.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). A project frustrates. It’s because you’re looking at the minor aspects when what you need is a broad perspective. Get away from your work for a while, and then you’ll come back

with an idea.TAURUS (April 20-May 20).

People will try to rush you along. Unless you’re merging onto a freeway or traffic circle, there is no reason to let anyone else’s sense of timing influence your impeccable flow.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Sales! That’s where your talent lies today. Whether it’s selling something as simple as a social plan to your friends or as com-plicated as a hot property to a testy buyer, you’ll be a winner.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). There’s no offering in the entire world that is right for everyone. You’ll objectively figure out why what you’re doing is right for certain people and not others so you can broaden or narrow

your appeal according to your goals.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Lov-ing a person for their potential isn’t really love because it’s a rejection of who the person is right now. One way to tell love from its imposters is that love is always happening in the present.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). People who mean well aren’t always helpful, and people who are careless or ill-intended don’t always hurt. Take the feelings out of your choice. The thing to consider strongly now is ability. Who can, and is likely to, deliver?

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Yours will be the action that starts others moving. The most beneficial direction will be one that’s tidy, clean and simple. Tie loose ends and resolve clutter, and loved ones will follow your lead.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). People can feel how much you appreciate them, even when you don’t make a big fuss about it. Public praise isn’t always appropriate, but when it is, all who witness your genuineness and enthusiasm will be motivat-ed by it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You are a role model to people, only you don’t usually notice this, as you’re not overly obsessed with what others are gleaning from your interactions. You’ll notice today though, in the flattery of copycats.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Decisions don’t have to make sense to be good. When you feel you are being guided, it’s a pretty big deal. Have the guts to follow through on your intuition, and you’ll look back with a grateful heart.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Rally behind your people. Right now, they crave your support. In fact, saying nothing will be taken as a slight. Return all emails. You have the power to uplift.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You are trading dysfunc-tional patterns for routines and habits that better support your well-being. The changes them-selves are so small, they are barely perceptible to the outside world right now. Just wait.

SOLUTION:Lost for words

FAMILY CIRCUS

DEAR ABBY: We need advice

about how to re-spond to friends and family who poke fun or show disdain because of our healthy lifestyle. We are in our 60s. We rarely eat out, and when we do, we avoid fast food. We cook most of our meals with an emphasis on veg-etables, fruits, fish and chicken. We exercise regularly and have occasional treats. We have no chronic illnesses and aren’t on any medications.

For some reason, our food choices rub people the wrong way. If we are asked why we are in good health, we answer, “Over the years, we’ve learned not to consume foods or beverages that make us feel bad.” If we’re invited out to eat and order the baked salm-on with broccoli instead of the burger and fries, we hear, “Your diet is so BORING.” We usually laugh and shrug it off, but we don’t think our diet is boring. We simply enjoy being healthy and know that food

is “medicine.” Should we con-tinue to keep our mouths shut? — HEALTHY LIVING

DEAR HEALTHY: YEP! Your friends and family react the way they do be-cause seeing you eat the way you do makes them feel self-con-scious about their own food choices. Con-tinue laughing and shrugging to

age 100. The others may not be as fortunate as you.

DEAR ABBY: My girlfriend recently discovered that I am still talking to another girl I used to date. I’ll call her Kyra.

Kyra and I had agreed we would remain strictly friends, and the breakup was before I started dating my current girlfriend, “Jan.” Jan is devas-tated by this, and I can some-what understand why. She got cheated on multiple times in her last relationship.

Do you think I was cross-ing a boundary by wanting to maintain the friendship with Kyra? Or should I have dropped it when I started dating Jan? I’m asking you

because everyone I talk to agrees with me, and everyone Jan talks to agrees with her. I assume it’s because people agree with whoever is telling the story. You are unbiased, and your opinion would be greatly appreciated. — DOING THE RIGHT THING IN UTAH

DEAR DOING: There’s nothing wrong with remaining friends after a breakup. Jan is insecure because her last boyfriend cheated on her, and who can blame her? However, that is her problem, and you shouldn’t make it yours. Your mistake was not telling Jan when you first started dating that you are still in touch with Kyra — and that she’s a platonic friend, nothing more. Jan does not have the right to control your friendships, and you shouldn’t let it happen.

DEAR ABBY: How do you cut off a person who talks constantly without a break? By the time there’s a lull in her speech, I have forgotten what I wanted to add to the conversation. — WORD IN EDGEWISE IN PENNSYLVANIA

DEAR WORD: I have en-countered compulsive talkers like her. They are exhaust-ing. Remember, she has to breathe SOMETIME. The minute she starts to inhale, start talkin’!

Dear Abby

PREP FOOTBALL

Game of regions: Contentious school merger spawns championThe AssociATed Press

LINEVILLE, Ala. — Fans are encouraged to come on the field before the football games at Central High School of Clay County and form two lines, creating a path from the back of the end zone toward midfield.

From there, the Vol-unteers make a grand en-trance, bursting through a red and blue banner that is wider than the goal posts and taller than the crossbar. A puff of smoke is added for effect as the band plays “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

The team has helped bond two communities

that were once fierce rivals, then reluctant partners and now proud supporters of a two-time Class 5A state champion. It has taken the better part of a decade to get used to.

“A lot of folks, the only time they’re on this cam-pus is at a football game,” said Tommy Wood, the public address announcer for Clay Central’s football games, on a chilly Novem-ber night as he prepared for the Volunteers’ first playoff game. “Whether you’re from Lineville or you’re from Ashland, and you came right here and had an opportunity to sit by folks who you never sat

with at a game before.“I think that is the one

common thread that has really bound this togeth-er. To me, that’s kind of the thing that’s solidified this entire merger.”

Small-town football is thriving in this east Alabama county, popu-lation 14,000 and home to Mount Cheaha, the highest point in the state. While overall participa-tion in high school foot-ball has been on the de-cline in the U.S., the trend has not been as dramatic in the Deep South and Alabama seems to have bucked it altogether.

According to the Na-tional Federation of State

High School Associa-tions, the number of par-ticipants in Alabama high school football in 2018-19 increased by nearly 1,000 from the total recorded in 2014-15. The number of participants dropped in the other 10 states that are home to Southeastern Conference schools over that same period.

Alabama is also pro-ducing more major col-lege football players than ever before.

In 2018, Alabama was the listed home state for 3.3% of FBS players, ac-cording to the NCAA, eighth among the 50 states. In 2008, 2.8% of FBS players came from

Alabama, ninth national-ly, and in 2013, it was 2.5% and ranked 11th.

Comparing 2008 to 2018, Alabama’s number of FBS players passed Michigan, Illinois and Pennsylvania, the small-est of which (Michigan) has twice as many people. Maybe not coincidentally, the University of Alabama won five national cham-pionships over that span and played for another. Auburn also won a na-tional championship and played for another.

Clay Central has been a modest contributor: There were three scholar-ship players on FBS ros-ters this season who went

to Clay Central, including North Carolina defensive back D.J. Ford.

It wasn’t that long ago the football tradition around here seemed to be in danger. In 2012, Clay County High School in Ashland and Lineville High School in the neigh-boring town were merged in brand new buildings.

Pooled resources and upgraded facilities were touted as benefits, but the trepidation was real. The Clay County-Lineville ri-valry, after all, had come to define the towns and their residents.

The football games epitomized the rivalry, but it ran even deeper.

The DispaTch • www.cdispatch.com Thursday, January 9, 2020 5B

Business

By STACEy PLAISANCE The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — With a brass band playing and a parade of work-ers sporting Mardi Gras beads, a huge component of a new rocket system was wheeled slowly from a New Orleans spacecraft factory on Wednesday to a barge that will float it up the Mississippi River for testing.

The recently completed “core stage” of NASA’s Space Launch Sys-tem, which dwarfed the hundreds of NASA and Boeing employees, was to be taken to the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, about 50 miles north-east of New Orleans. Space Launch System rockets are expected to even-

tually take astronauts to the moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program.

The core stage — which mea-sures 212 feet from end to end and more than 27 feet in diameter — was transported like a giant Carnival float from the Michoud Assembly Center in eastern New Orleans to the barge as workers took pictures.

It will undergo tests at Stennis ahead of the first Artemis launch, currently planned for 2021, said Tony Castilleja, a systems engineer with the Boeing Space Team.

The SLS core stage, with four huge engines, is the largest rocket stage NASA has assembled since the Apollo stages that first powered crewed missions to the Moon.

It will be used for Artemis I, a test-flight without a crew.

Artemis II is to send up a crewed spacecraft. The third mission, Arte-mis III, would put a man and woman on the south pole of the moon, with an eye toward a continued presence that would lead eventually to a trip to Mars.

Terry Teal, a NASA employee for 30 years, was among the first sent from Houston to New Orleans to begin work on the SLS rocket eight years ago. He brought his wife and stepdaughter to witness the roll-out. He said it’s an exciting time for those who worked on the rocket and the family members who supported them.

The core stage is the spine of the SLS rocket. Its four RS-25 en-gines will produce 2 million pounds of thrust. The liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank hold 733,000 gallons of propellant.

Moon river: Rocket part ferried on the mighty MississippiLargest rocket stage NASA has assembled since the Apollo missions will undergo testing at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi

By JOSH BOAK AP Economics Writer

BALTIMORE — U.S. companies added 202,000 jobs in December, led by robust hiring in construc-tion, trade, transportation and utilities, according to a private survey.

Payroll processor ADP said Wednesday that the bulk of the hiring was among smaller and mid-sized businesses with fewer than 500 employees. Hiring in November was also revised upward to 124,000, a sign that the job market was stronger than

past surveys initially sug-gested.

Construction firms add-ed 37,000 jobs in Decem-ber. The trade, transpor-tation and utilities sector added a combined 78,000. Health care and social assistance accounted for 46,000 new jobs.

Still, not every industry is hiring. Manufacturers shed 7,000 workers. Lei-sure and hospitality lost 21,000 jobs last month.

It typically takes rough-ly 100,000 or so new jobs a month to absorb popula-tion growth and keep the

unemployment rate from rising.

Friday’s government employment report is ex-pected to show an increase of 155,000 jobs with the un-employment rate holding at 3.5 percent. ADP’s fig-ures don’t include govern-ment hiring and frequently diverge from the govern-ment’s official report.

But Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Panthe-on Macroeconomics, said the ADP figure was solid enough that the govern-ment report might show gains of 190,000.

Survey: Companies added 202K jobs in December

THE ASSOCIATEd PrESS

BEIRUT — Lebanese prosecutors have issued a travel ban for fugitive ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn, following an Inter-pol-issued notice, a judi-cial official said Thursday.

Lebanon last week re-ceived an Interpol-issued wanted notice, which is a non-binding request to law enforcement agencies worldwide that they locate and provisionally arrest a fugitive. Ghosn arrived in Lebanon on Dec. 30 after being smuggled out of Ja-pan.

Lebanon issues travel ban for fugitive ex-Nissan chief Ghosn

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legalS

Legal Notices

SUBSTITUTED TRUSTEE'S NO-TICE OF SALE

WHEREAS, on February 27,2013, Jared R. Rivers, an un-married man executed a cer-tain deed of trust to DeniseMcLaurin, Trustee for the bene-fit of Regions Bank d/b/a Re-gions Mortgage which deed oftrust is of record in the officeof the Chancery Clerk ofLowndes County, State of Mis-sissippi in Book 2013 at Page6387; and

WHEREAS, Regions Bank dbaRegions Mortgage has hereto-fore substituted Shapiro &Brown, LLC as Trustee by in-strument dated December 17,2019 and recorded in theaforesaid Chancery Clerk's Of-fice in Book 2019 at Page27149; and

WHEREAS, default having beenmade in the terms and condi-tions of said deed of trust andthe entire debt secured therebyhaving been declared to be dueand payable in accordance withthe terms of said deed of trust,Regions Bank dba RegionsMortgage, the legal holder ofsaid indebtedness, having re-quested the undersigned Sub-stituted Trustee to execute thetrust and sell said land andproperty in accordance with theterms of said deed of trust andfor the purpose of raising thesums due thereunder, togeth-er with attorney's fees,trustee's fees and expense ofsale.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Shapiro &Brown, LLC, Substituted Trust-ee in said deed of trust, will onFebruary 6, 2020 offer for saleat public outcry and sell withinlegal hours (being between thehours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00p.m.), at the Southeast Door ofthe County Courthouse ofLowndes County, located at505 2nd Avenue North, Colum-bus, MS 39701, to the highestand best bidder for cash or cer-tified funds the following de-scribed property situated inLowndes County, State of Mis-sissippi, to-wit:

Lot 32 of Westwood Subdivi-sion, Second Extension, a sub-division of the City of Colum-bus as shown by a plat ofsame recorded in Plat Book 2,Page 85, in the office of theChancery Clerk of LowndesCounty, Mississippi; SUBJECT,HOWEVER to those restrictivecovenants and conditions con-tained in an instrument ex-ecuted by McBryde & Shelton,Inc., dated April 15, 1964 andrecorded in Deed Book 351 atPage 191 in the office of theChancery Clerk of LowndesCounty, Mississippi.

I WILL CONVEY only such titleas vested in me as Substi-tuted Trustee.

WITNESS MY SIGNATURE onthis 6th day of January, 2020.

Shapiro & Brown, LLCSUBSTITUTED TRUSTEE

Shapiro & Brown, LLC1080 River Oaks Drive, SuiteB-202Flowood, MS 39232(601) 981-9299

615 N Browder StreetColumbus, MS 3970219-025342

Publication Dates: January 9,16, 23 and 30, 2020

IN THE CHANCERY COURT OFLOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-SIPPI

BRUCE WAYNE BRADLEYPLAINTIFF

VERSUS

REBECCA FAYE MORRISTHOMPSONDEFENDANT

CAUSE NO: 2015-0194-S

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION

TO REBECCA FAYE MORRISTHOMPSON an adult non-resid-ent citizen of the State of Mis-sissippi or not to be foundtherein on diligent inquiry andthe Post Office and physical ad-dresses are unknown. Youhave been made parties in theComplaint for Child Custodyand Other Relief filed in theCourt by Bruce Wayne Bradley.You are summoned to appearin this cause at 9:00 o'clockA.M. on the 19th day of Febru-ary, A.D., 2020 in the Chan-cery Courthouse in Columbus,Lowndes County, Mississippi,and in the case of your failureto appear and defend this mat-ter will be forced to default allrights.

You are required to mail orhand deliver a copy of a writ-ten ANSWER either admittingor denying each allegation inthe Complaint to Charles Eas-ley, Jr., Attorney whose ad-dress is Post Office Box 1472,Columbus, MS 39703-1472.

YOUR ANSWER MUST BEMAILED OR DELIVERED NOLATER THAN THIRTY (30) DAYSFROM THE DATE OF FIRST PUB-LICATION. IF YOUR ANSWER ISNOT MAILED OR DELIVEREDAND YOU APPEAR AT SAIDTIME, A JUDGMENT MAY BEENTERED AGAINST YOU FORTHE MONEY OR OTHER RELIEFDEMANDED IN THE COM-PLAINT FOR DIVORCE ANDOTHER RELIEF.

GIVEN UNDER MY HAND ANDOFFICIAL SEAL OF said Court ofLowndes County, Columbus,Mississippi, this 18th day ofDecember, 2019.

Lisa Younger NeeseChancery Clerk of LowndesCounty, Mississippi(SEAL)

BY: Tina Fisher

PUBLISH: 12/26/19, 1/2/20,& 1/9/20

Legal Notices

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Sealed bids will be received atColumbus Light & Water De-partment located at 420 4thAvenue South, Columbus, Mis-sissippi, 39701 until 2:00 p.m.on Thursday, February 13,2020 for:

Columbus Light & Water Con-trol RoomColumbus Light & Water De-partment(Columbus, Mississippi)

PryorMorrow Project Number:2019105

Bid documents are being madeavailable via original papercopy or electronically. Planhold-ers are required to log-in or re-gister for an account atwww.pryor-morrowplans.com toview and order Bid Documents.All planholders are required tohave a valid email address forregistration. Bid documents arenon-refundable and must bepurchased through the website.Electronic bids are not re-quired; however, a submissionof an electronic bid in lieu of asealed bid shall be submittedat www.pryor-morrowplans.com.Questions regarding website re-gistration, online orders elec-tronic bidding please contactPlan House Printing at (662)407-0193.

Bid preparation will be in ac-cordance with Section 00200 –Instructions to Bidders, boundin the Project Manual.

BID GUARANTEE: Proposalsshall be submitted with Propos-al Security in the form of Certi-fied Check or acceptable BidBond in an amount equal to atleast five percent (5%) of thebase bid; such security is to beforfeited as liquidated dam-ages, not penalty, by any bid-der who fails to carry out theterms of the proposal. The BidBond, if used, shall be payableto the Owner. Bonds on theproject must be received on orbefore the period scheduled forthe project and no bid may bewithdrawn after the scheduledclosing time for the project.Bids must be firm for a periodof forty-five (45) days after thescheduled time of opening.

PERFORMANCE-PAYMENTBOND: A 100% Performance-Payment Bond issued by asurety company authorized todo business in the State ofMississippi will be requiredwithin ten (10) days after thesuccessful bidder has been no-tified of the award of the con-tract to him.

CERTIFICATE OF RESPONSIBIL-ITY: All bids submitted by aprime or subcontractor for pub-lic works or public projectswhere said bid is in excess offifty thousand dollars($50,000) to perform con-tracts enumerated in Section31-3-21, Mississippi Code of1972, shall contain on the out-side or exterior of the envel-ope or container of such bidthe contractor’s current certific-ate number. No bid shall beopened or considered unlesssuch contractor’s current certi-ficate number appears on theoutside or exterior of said en-velope or container or unlessthere appears a statement onthe outside or exterior of suchenvelope or container to the ef-fect that the bid enclosedtherewith does not exceed fiftythousand dollars ($50,000).When bids are submitted elec-tronically, the requirement forincluding a certificate of re-sponsibility, or a statementthat the bid enclosed does notexceed Fifty Thousand Dollars($50,000.00), on the exteriorof the bid envelope shall bedeemed in compliance by in-cluding the same informationas an attachment with the elec-tronic bid submittal.

The Owner reserves the right toreject any or all bids and towaive irregularities.

Publish:Thursday, January 9, 2020Thursday, January 16, 2020

IN THE CHANCERY COURT OFLOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-SIPPI

IN THE MATTER OF THE ES-TATE OF CLAUDESTER W.STEPHENSON, DECEASED

CAUSE NO. 2019-0249

AMANDA BUTLER, EXECUTRIX

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Letters Testamentary havebeen granted and issued toAMANDA BUTLER, Executrix ofthe Estate of CLAUDESTER W.STEPHENSON, deceased, bythe Chancery Court of LowndesCounty, Mississippi, on the16th day of December, 2019.This is to give notice to all per-sons having claims againstsaid estate to Probate and Re-gister same with the ChanceryClerk of Lowndes County, Mis-sissippi, within ninety (90) daysfrom this date. A failure to soProbate and Register saidclaim will forever bar the same.

THIS the 19th day of Decem-ber, 2019.

/s/ Amanda ButlerAMANDA BUTLER, Executrix

PUBLISH: 12/26/19, 1/2/20,& 1/9/20

SUBSTITUTED TRUSTEE'S NO-TICE OF SALE

WHEREAS, on May 3, 2012,Sarah Ann W. Andrews, asingle woman executed a cer-tain deed of trust to Real Es-tate Closing Services Inc.,Trustee for the benefit of Mort-gage Electronic RegistrationSystems, Inc. as nominee forGMFS, LLC, its successors andassigns which deed of trust isof record in the office of theChancery Clerk of LowndesCounty, State of Mississippi inBook 2012 at Page 10387;and

WHEREAS, GMFS LLC hasheretofore substituted Shapiro& Brown, LLC as Trustee by in-strument dated November 29,2019 and recorded in theaforesaid Chancery Clerk's Of-fice in Book 2019 at Page26333; and

WHEREAS, default having beenmade in the terms and condi-tions of said deed of trust andthe entire debt secured therebyhaving been declared to be dueand payable in accordance withthe terms of said deed of trust,GMFS LLC, the legal holder ofsaid indebtedness, having re-quested the undersigned Sub-stituted Trustee to execute thetrust and sell said land andproperty in accordance with theterms of said deed of trust andfor the purpose of raising thesums due thereunder, togeth-er with attorney's fees,trustee's fees and expense ofsale.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Shapiro &Brown, LLC, Substituted Trust-ee in said deed of trust, will onJanuary 16, 2020 offer for saleat public outcry and sell withinlegal hours (being between thehours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00p.m.), at the Southeast Door ofthe County Courthouse ofLowndes County, located at505 2nd Avenue North, Colum-bus, MS 39701, to the highestand best bidder for cash or cer-tified funds the following de-scribed property situated inLowndes County, State of Mis-sissippi, to-wit:

Lot No. Thirty (30) of GREEN-ACRES SUBDIVISION, SECONDEXTENSION, a subdivision ac-cording to a map or plat there-of which is on file and of re-cord in the office of ChanceryClerk of Lowndes County, Mis-sissippi in Plat Book 2 at Page80, reference to which ishereby made in aid of and as apart of this description.

I WILL CONVEY only such titleas vested in me as Substi-tuted Trustee.

WITNESS MY SIGNATURE onthis 18th day of December,2019.

Shapiro & Brown, LLCSUBSTITUTED TRUSTEE

Shapiro & Brown, LLC1080 River Oaks Drive, SuiteB-202Flowood, MS 39232(601) 981-9299

403 25Th Ave NColumbus, MS 3970519-024392

Publication Dates: December26, January 2 and 9, 2020

Legal Notices

SUBSTITUTED TRUSTEE'S NO-TICE OF SALE

WHEREAS, on May 3, 2012,Sarah Ann W. Andrews, asingle woman executed a cer-tain deed of trust to Real Es-tate Closing Services Inc.,Trustee for the benefit of Mort-gage Electronic RegistrationSystems, Inc. as nominee forGMFS, LLC, its successors andassigns which deed of trust isof record in the office of theChancery Clerk of LowndesCounty, State of Mississippi inBook 2012 at Page 10387;and

WHEREAS, GMFS LLC hasheretofore substituted Shapiro& Brown, LLC as Trustee by in-strument dated November 29,2019 and recorded in theaforesaid Chancery Clerk's Of-fice in Book 2019 at Page26333; and

WHEREAS, default having beenmade in the terms and condi-tions of said deed of trust andthe entire debt secured therebyhaving been declared to be dueand payable in accordance withthe terms of said deed of trust,GMFS LLC, the legal holder ofsaid indebtedness, having re-quested the undersigned Sub-stituted Trustee to execute thetrust and sell said land andproperty in accordance with theterms of said deed of trust andfor the purpose of raising thesums due thereunder, togeth-er with attorney's fees,trustee's fees and expense ofsale.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Shapiro &Brown, LLC, Substituted Trust-ee in said deed of trust, will onJanuary 16, 2020 offer for saleat public outcry and sell withinlegal hours (being between thehours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00p.m.), at the Southeast Door ofthe County Courthouse ofLowndes County, located at505 2nd Avenue North, Colum-bus, MS 39701, to the highestand best bidder for cash or cer-tified funds the following de-scribed property situated inLowndes County, State of Mis-sissippi, to-wit:

Lot No. Thirty (30) of GREEN-ACRES SUBDIVISION, SECONDEXTENSION, a subdivision ac-cording to a map or plat there-of which is on file and of re-cord in the office of ChanceryClerk of Lowndes County, Mis-sissippi in Plat Book 2 at Page80, reference to which ishereby made in aid of and as apart of this description.

I WILL CONVEY only such titleas vested in me as Substi-tuted Trustee.

WITNESS MY SIGNATURE onthis 18th day of December,2019.

Shapiro & Brown, LLCSUBSTITUTED TRUSTEE

Shapiro & Brown, LLC1080 River Oaks Drive, SuiteB-202Flowood, MS 39232(601) 981-9299

403 25Th Ave NColumbus, MS 3970519-024392

Publication Dates: December26, January 2 and 9, 2020

IN THE CHANCERY COURT OFLOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-SIPPI

Cause No:19-cv-00227

THE GROVE AT COLUMBUS,LLC PLAINTIFF

Vs.

CITY OF COLUMBUS, MISSIS-SIPPI; ROBERT WILLIS; HELENWILLIS; MCBRYDE INC.; WAR-DELL MCGEE; TERRI MCGEE;SAMUEL WILSON; VANESSAWILSON; COLUMBUSLOWNDES HABITAT FOR HU-MANITY; DAVID PLUMB;PAMELA PLUMB; KATHERINELAMB; GREEN TREE LTD.;RICKEY L. MCGILL; HILBERTWILLIAMS; LISA MIMS; DON-ALD CLARDY; REBECCACLARDY; MAYE WEATHERS; JU-LIA POTTER; SUSAN W. PAYNE;SHIRLEY BOWLES; ALL PER-SONS OR ENTITIES CLAIMINGEQUITABLE OR LEGAL IN-TEREST IN THE SUBJECT PROP-ERTY, BEING 74.85 ACRES INSECTION 18 TOWNSHIP 18 SRANGE 17 W; THE WORLD DE-FENDANTS

SUMMONS

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI

TO: CITY OF COLUMBUS, MIS-SISSIPPI; ROBERT WILLIS;HELEN WILLIS; MCBRYDE INC.;WARDELL MCGEE; TERRIMCGEE; SAMUEL WILSON;VANESSA WILSON; COLUM-BUS LOWNDES HABITAT FORHUMANITY; DAVID PLUMB;PAMELA PLUMB; KATHERINELAMB; GREEN TREE LTD.;RICKEY L. MCGILL; HILBERTWILLIAMS; LISA MIMS; DON-ALD CLARDY; REBECCACLARDY; MAYE WEATHERS; JU-LIA POTTER; SUSAN W. PAYNE;SHIRLEY BOWLES; ALL PER-SONS OR ENTITIES CLAIMINGEQUITABLE OR LEGAL IN-TEREST IN THE SUBJECT PROP-ERTY, BEING 74.85 ACRES INSECTION 18 TOWNSHIP 18 SRANGE 17 W; THE WORLD DE-FENDANTS

All persons, having or claimingany interest, legal or equitablein the following described landsituated in Lowndes County,Mississippi, to-wit:

COMMENCING AT AN EXIST-ING RAILROAD SPIKE AT THENORTHWEST CORNER OF SEC-TION 18, TOWNSHIP 18 SOUTHRANGE 17 WEST, LOWNDESCOUNTY MISSISSIPPI; THENCESOUTH 88° 27’ EAST 3982.50FEET; THENCE SOUTH 01° 21’EAST 1301.01 FEET TO AN EX-ISTING PIPE AT THE PURPOR-TED NORTHEAST CORNER OFTHE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OFTHE NORTHEAST QUARTER,THE POINT OF BEGINNING OFTHE PROPERTY HEREIN TO BEDESCRIBED; THENCE SOUTH1° 21’ EAST 668.67 FEET TOAN EXISTING 12 INCH OAKTREE; THENCE NORTH 88° 37’WEST 1335.61 FEET TO AN EX-ISTING FENCE POST; THENCESOUTH 1° 25’ EAST 655.34FEET TO AN EXISTING PIPE;THENCE NORTH 88° 46’ WEST1319.71 FEET TO AN EXIST-ING IRON PIN; THENCE NORTH1° 26’ WEST 661.92 FEET TOAN EXISTING IRON PIN;THENCE NORTH 88° 50’ WEST1277.96 FEET TO AN EXIST-ING PIPE ON THE EAST ROW OFLEHMBERG ROAD (PAVED 40’ROW); THENCE NORTH 01° 24’WEST ALONG THE EAST ROW413.08 FEET TO A ½” REBAR;THENCE SOUTH 88° 41’ EAST883.07 FEET TO A ½” REBAR;THENCE NORTH 00° 49’ EASTALONG A FENCE 253.10 FEETTO A FENCE CORNER; THENCESOUTH 88° 41’ EAST 3041.36FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGIN-NING, CONTAINING 74.85ACRES AND BEING IN AND APART OF THE SOUTH HALF OFTHE NORTHWEST QUARTERAND THE SOUTHWESTQUARTER OF THE NORTHEASTQUARTER OF SECTION 18,TOWNSHIP 18 SOUTH, RANGE17 WEST, LOWNDES COUNTY,MISSISSIPPI.

You have been made Defend-ants in the suit filed in thisCourt by The Grove at Colum-bus, LLC seeking to quiet andconfirm title to real property inLowndes County, Mississippi.

You are required to mail orhand deliver a written re-sponse to the Complaint filedagainst you in this cause toCory M. Williamson, Haymansand Company, PLLC, Attorneyfor the Plaintiff, whose ad-dress is 299 S. 9th Street, Ox-ford, Mississippi 38655.

YOUR RESPONSE MUST BEMAILED OR DELIVERED NOTLATER THAN THIRTY DAYSAFTER THE 26th DAY OFDECEMBER, 2020, WHICH ISTHE DATE OF FIRST PUBLICA-TION OF THIS SUMMONS. IFYOUR RESPONSE IS NOT SOMAILED OR DELIVERED, AJUDGEMENT BY DEFAULT WILLBE ENTERED AGAINST YOUFOR THE MONEY OR OTHERRELIEF DEMANDED IN THE PE-TITION.

You must also file the originalof your Response with theClerk of this Court within areasonable time afterward.

Issued under my hand and sealof said Court, this the 20th dayof December, 2019.

Lisa Younger NeeseLowndes County ChanceryClerkBy: Tina Fisher, D.C.

Please Publish:December 26, 2019January 2, 2020January 9, 2020

Legal Notices

IN THE CHANCERY COURT OFLOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-SIPPI

Cause No:19-cv-00227

THE GROVE AT COLUMBUS,LLC PLAINTIFF

Vs.

CITY OF COLUMBUS, MISSIS-SIPPI; ROBERT WILLIS; HELENWILLIS; MCBRYDE INC.; WAR-DELL MCGEE; TERRI MCGEE;SAMUEL WILSON; VANESSAWILSON; COLUMBUSLOWNDES HABITAT FOR HU-MANITY; DAVID PLUMB;PAMELA PLUMB; KATHERINELAMB; GREEN TREE LTD.;RICKEY L. MCGILL; HILBERTWILLIAMS; LISA MIMS; DON-ALD CLARDY; REBECCACLARDY; MAYE WEATHERS; JU-LIA POTTER; SUSAN W. PAYNE;SHIRLEY BOWLES; ALL PER-SONS OR ENTITIES CLAIMINGEQUITABLE OR LEGAL IN-TEREST IN THE SUBJECT PROP-ERTY, BEING 74.85 ACRES INSECTION 18 TOWNSHIP 18 SRANGE 17 W; THE WORLD DE-FENDANTS

SUMMONS

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI

TO: CITY OF COLUMBUS, MIS-SISSIPPI; ROBERT WILLIS;HELEN WILLIS; MCBRYDE INC.;WARDELL MCGEE; TERRIMCGEE; SAMUEL WILSON;VANESSA WILSON; COLUM-BUS LOWNDES HABITAT FORHUMANITY; DAVID PLUMB;PAMELA PLUMB; KATHERINELAMB; GREEN TREE LTD.;RICKEY L. MCGILL; HILBERTWILLIAMS; LISA MIMS; DON-ALD CLARDY; REBECCACLARDY; MAYE WEATHERS; JU-LIA POTTER; SUSAN W. PAYNE;SHIRLEY BOWLES; ALL PER-SONS OR ENTITIES CLAIMINGEQUITABLE OR LEGAL IN-TEREST IN THE SUBJECT PROP-ERTY, BEING 74.85 ACRES INSECTION 18 TOWNSHIP 18 SRANGE 17 W; THE WORLD DE-FENDANTS

All persons, having or claimingany interest, legal or equitablein the following described landsituated in Lowndes County,Mississippi, to-wit:

COMMENCING AT AN EXIST-ING RAILROAD SPIKE AT THENORTHWEST CORNER OF SEC-TION 18, TOWNSHIP 18 SOUTHRANGE 17 WEST, LOWNDESCOUNTY MISSISSIPPI; THENCESOUTH 88° 27’ EAST 3982.50FEET; THENCE SOUTH 01° 21’EAST 1301.01 FEET TO AN EX-ISTING PIPE AT THE PURPOR-TED NORTHEAST CORNER OFTHE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OFTHE NORTHEAST QUARTER,THE POINT OF BEGINNING OFTHE PROPERTY HEREIN TO BEDESCRIBED; THENCE SOUTH1° 21’ EAST 668.67 FEET TOAN EXISTING 12 INCH OAKTREE; THENCE NORTH 88° 37’WEST 1335.61 FEET TO AN EX-ISTING FENCE POST; THENCESOUTH 1° 25’ EAST 655.34FEET TO AN EXISTING PIPE;THENCE NORTH 88° 46’ WEST1319.71 FEET TO AN EXIST-ING IRON PIN; THENCE NORTH1° 26’ WEST 661.92 FEET TOAN EXISTING IRON PIN;THENCE NORTH 88° 50’ WEST1277.96 FEET TO AN EXIST-ING PIPE ON THE EAST ROW OFLEHMBERG ROAD (PAVED 40’ROW); THENCE NORTH 01° 24’WEST ALONG THE EAST ROW413.08 FEET TO A ½” REBAR;THENCE SOUTH 88° 41’ EAST883.07 FEET TO A ½” REBAR;THENCE NORTH 00° 49’ EASTALONG A FENCE 253.10 FEETTO A FENCE CORNER; THENCESOUTH 88° 41’ EAST 3041.36FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGIN-NING, CONTAINING 74.85ACRES AND BEING IN AND APART OF THE SOUTH HALF OFTHE NORTHWEST QUARTERAND THE SOUTHWESTQUARTER OF THE NORTHEASTQUARTER OF SECTION 18,TOWNSHIP 18 SOUTH, RANGE17 WEST, LOWNDES COUNTY,MISSISSIPPI.

You have been made Defend-ants in the suit filed in thisCourt by The Grove at Colum-bus, LLC seeking to quiet andconfirm title to real property inLowndes County, Mississippi.

You are required to mail orhand deliver a written re-sponse to the Complaint filedagainst you in this cause toCory M. Williamson, Haymansand Company, PLLC, Attorneyfor the Plaintiff, whose ad-dress is 299 S. 9th Street, Ox-ford, Mississippi 38655.

YOUR RESPONSE MUST BEMAILED OR DELIVERED NOTLATER THAN THIRTY DAYSAFTER THE 26th DAY OFDECEMBER, 2020, WHICH ISTHE DATE OF FIRST PUBLICA-TION OF THIS SUMMONS. IFYOUR RESPONSE IS NOT SOMAILED OR DELIVERED, AJUDGEMENT BY DEFAULT WILLBE ENTERED AGAINST YOUFOR THE MONEY OR OTHERRELIEF DEMANDED IN THE PE-TITION.

You must also file the originalof your Response with theClerk of this Court within areasonable time afterward.

Issued under my hand and sealof said Court, this the 20th dayof December, 2019.

Lisa Younger NeeseLowndes County ChanceryClerkBy: Tina Fisher, D.C.

Please Publish:December 26, 2019January 2, 2020January 9, 2020

emPloymentcall uS: 662-328-2424

Customer Service

FRONT DESK RETAILRECEPTIONIST NEEDED.M-F 7:45-5:00Every other Sat 7:30-12:00Must have valid driverslicense. Good customerservice skills a must.Email resume tolcrt@cableone.net

LOCAL COMPANY lookingfor receptionist/secretary.Previous experiencehelpful but not necessary.Computer skills a must.Email resume to:job106@cdispatch.com ORmail to: Blind Box 673, c/oThe Commercial Dispatch,PO Box 511,Columbus, MS 39703.

General Help Wanted

GARDEN CENTEREMPLOYMENT:Sales experience, basicknowledge of plants &landscape maintenance.Submit work experience/history & 3 references to:Blind Box 672 c/oThe Commercial DispatchPO Box 511Columbus, MS 39703

GENERAL LABORERneeded. Valid driver's li-cense, transportation & ex-perience required. Will trainon the job if needed. CallJesse & Beverly's LawnService at 662-356-6525.

THE COMMERCIAL DIS-PATCH seeks a motivated,contracted carrier for theBrooksville & Macon area.Excellent opportunity toearn money for college.Must have good transporta-tion, valid driver's license& insurance. Delivers onSunday morning and Mon.-Fri. afternoons. Apply atThe Commercial Dispatch,516 Main Street in Colum-bus. No phone callsplease.

Restaurant / Hotel

rentalSaDS Starting at $25

Apts For Rent: North

Large 1 Bedroom, upstairsapartment for rent. $450/month and $450 deposit.Water, Sewer, and Trashincluded. No Pets. NoSmoking. Located betweenColumbus and CAFB.$450.00. 205−243−3653.

1BR/1BA DUPLEX APT.

1015 11th Ave. N. $300/mo. Water furnished. CallDoris, 662−630−0208,

FOX RUN APARTMENTS

1 & 2 BR near hospital.$595−$645 monthly.Military discount, pet area,pet friendly, and furnishedcorporate apts.24−HOUR PROFESSIONALGYM. ON SITE SECURITY.ON SITE MAINTENANCE.ON SITE MANAGEMENT.24−HOUR CAMERASURVEILLANCE. Benji &Ashleigh, 662−386−4446.

STUDIO APARTMENT FOR

RENT. Hwy. 45 betweenColumbus & CAFB.No pets. No smoking.$400 rent & $400 deposit.662−328−2340.

Apts For Rent: West

VIPRentals

Apartments & Houses

viceinvestments.com327-8555

1 Bedrooms2 Bedroooms3 Bedrooms

1, 2, & 3 BathsLease, Deposit& Credit Check

Furnished & Unfurnished

Apts For Rent: Other

1ST MONTH − RENT FREE!1−2 BR Apt: $350−395

1−2BR TwnHome:$625−650

Lease, Dep, Credit Check.Coleman Realty662−329−2323

SEVERAL 2 & 3 BR UNITS

AVAILABLE. Variouslocations−$435.00 & up.NO HUD. Call Long & Long@ 662−328−0770.

Apts For Rent: Other

COLEMANRENTALS

TOWNHOUSES & APARTMENTS

1 BEDROOM2 BEDROOMS3 BEDROOMS

LEASE,DEPOSIT

ANDCREDIT CHECK

662-329-23232411 HWY 45 N

COLUMBUS, MS

© Th

e Disp

atch

Commercial Property For Rent

RESTAURANT SPACE

AVAILABLE. 1200 sq. ft.$1100/mo. Seriousinquiries only. 662−328−8655 or 662−574−7879.

Houses For Rent: North

3BR/1.5BA. Single garage,nice neighborhood, 3 min.from CAFB. 1058 S.Perkins Rd. $780/mo.504−813−1200.

Houses For Rent: East

2BR/1BA. Gas heat &stove. Convenient toshopping. 133 King St.$525/mo. Call 662−352−4776.

3 OR 4BR/1.5BA. Newlyrenovated, w/d hookup, allstainless steel appliancesincluded, fenced backyard.Call 662−425−6954.

4BR/2.5BA BRICK HOME

located on large lot w/ 2car garage. Fresh paint &tile floors in kitchen &bathrooms. Located at495 Emerald Dr. $1,200/mo + dep. Available 2/1.770−658−7726.

Mobile Homes for Rent

1909 ROBERSON ST. 3BR/2BA, $650/mo + $650dep. No smoking. No pets.No HUD. 662−549−3328.

2BR MOBILE HOME $400mo./$400 dep. In betweenWest Point & Columbus onHwy. 50. 662−275−0666.

2BR/2BA. All appliancesincluded. CH/A, waterfurnished. $450 mo. +$300 dep. Must havereferences. 662−356−6413 or 662−251−5003.

3BR/2BA Trailer, NewHope school dist. $500/mo & $500 dep. No pets,no drugs, no partying. Callb/w 10a−7p. 662−386−4292. NO TEXT MGS.

New Hope Mobile HomePark 2 prime lots open− BRING YOUR HOME!Andrews Mobile HomePark has 2 primemobile home/RV lotsfor rent in quiet heart ofNew Hope. Roll yournew home right in.Availability limited, soact fast and be a part ofour friendly establishedcommunity! Application& references required.Lot 1 − small lotbetween greatneighbors, ideal for long−term RV. We willprepare electric pole.$175/month includeswater and sewer. Firstmonth free with 6month lease anddeposit.Lot 6 − oversized lotideal for 16 x 80 ordouble wide, $185/month includes waterand sewer. We willprepare site. Firstmonth free withminimum 12 monthlease. Please call Pam,601−310−3528.

Office Spaces For Rent

OFFICE SPACE FOR

LEASE. 1112 Main St.,Ste. 5. 3700 sq. ft.Plenty of private parking.662−327−9559.

real eStateaDS Starting at $25

Commercial Property For Sale

SENSATION ADULT

STORE/SMOKE SHOP

For Sale. 662−549−4760.

Houses For Sale: North

FSBO: 3BR/2BA, 3304 5thSt N. Fenced back yard w/sm shop. Great neighbor−hood. $110,000. 662−356−4764 or 901−848−0051.

Houses For Sale: Caledonia

FSBO: 3BR/2BA ON 2.5

ACRES. 1600 sqft.Completely remodeled.$178,000. 662−386−7113.

Lots & Acreage

1 ACRE OF LAND on SandRd. Has a mobile home w/water, lights, septic tank &elevated. 662−241−7384.

WINTER SPECIAL. 1.75acre lots. Good/bad credit.10% down, as low as$299/mo. Eaton Land.662−361−7711.

garage SaleS two free SignS

Estate Sales

2212 NEW HOPE RD.

Indoor Garage Sale. Rain orshine. All day Fri., Sat. &

Sun. Lots of shoes,clothes, purses, tables,dishes, jewelry, etc.901−293−7608.

INSIDE ESTATE/MOVING

SALE

446 Merry Valley Dr.Columbus, MS

Sat., Jan. 11; 7a−untilFurniture, TVs, bass boat,

lamps, etc.Everything Must Go!

Rain or Shine!

Garage Sales: North

INSIDE SALE! Fri: 9−6 @310 24th Ave N. DR tablew/ 6 chairs, armoire, pics,linens, dishes, accessories& womens scrubs.

merchanDiSeaDS Starting at $12

Firewood / Fuel

FIREWOOD FOR SALE.

Various lengths.662−295−2274.

General Merchandise

WANTED FREON R12.

We pay CA$H.R12 R500 R11.Convenient.

Certified professionals.refrigerantfinders.com/ad

312−291−9169

Sporting Goods

ED SANDERS GUNSMITH

OPEN FOR SEASON!

9−5: Tues−Fri &9−12: Sat.

Over 50 years experience!Repairs, cleaning,refinishing, scopesmounted & zeroed,handmade knives.

Located: Hwy 45 Alt, Northof West Point, turn right onYokahama Blvd, 8mi & turnleft on Darracott Rd, see

sign, 2.5mi ahead, shop onleft. 662−494−6218.

communityaDS Starting at $12

Good Things To Eat

THE TOMATO HOUSE

Vine−ripened hydroponictomatoes & more! Availablenow! 16132 Hwy 45 N,Macon, next to Noxubee CoHigh School. 662−352−1270 or 662−425−9116.

Pets

AKC GERMAN SHEPHERD

PUPPIES. Exc. ped. Blk/red. Vet checked, w/s,wormed. Ready to go! 662−213−4609.

LINEBACK DUN MARE

HORSE. 6 yrs. old. $200.Call 662−242−0703.

Five Questions:

1 Labrador retriever

2 30

3 Austria

4 Snuffleupagus

5 Chrysler

Read local.cdispatch.com