Win $2,700! Play CASHWORDS, See page 5A ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI CDISPATCH.COM 50 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY MONDAY | JANUARY 5, 2015 City council to consider CMSD board position Since the school district holds Local Realtor applies first to fill vacancy after Lewis’ departure several leases with CLRA, spec- BY ZACK PlaiR a year of his five-year appoint- replacement by the end of Feb- ulation arose whether Lewis’ [email protected] ment. Mayor Robert Smith said ruary. hire as executive director would the council is expected to accept The council appointed Lewis constitute a conflict of interest. Columbus real estate agent Lewis’ resignation during its to the five-person CMSD board Smith told The Dispatch last Stephen Jones has submitted the regular meeting at 5 p.m. Tues- in February. He resigned that month that he didn’t see why first application to fill a vacant day at City Hall. From there, the post in December after accept- there would be a conflict. Still, Lewis gave his letter of resigna- seat on the Columbus Municipal city will advertise the vacancy ing the executive director’s po- Jones Smith School District board. and accept applications for 30 sition with the Columbus-Lown- tion to CMSD board president Jones seeks to replace Greg days after the initial advertise- des Recreation Authority. Lewis gram director before being pro- Angela Verdell on Dec. 17. Lewis, who resigned effective ment. Smith said he expects has worked for CLRA for more moted to executive director in “I hate to see him step down,” Dec. 31 after serving less than the council will appoint Lewis’ than 20 years, serving as pro- October. See BOARD, 3A Golden GAME TIME Triangle avoids storm’s wrath About 3,000 left without power in Starkville, Sturgis BY CARL SMITH [email protected] A line of thunderstorms knocked down trees and knocked offline a portion of Ok- tibbeha County’s power grid Saturday af- ternoon, leaving an estimated 3,000 people without electricity for a few hours. No injuries or significant damage was reported, but downed lines in Starkville left about 2,000 people in the dark Saturday, Starkville Electric Department General Manager Terry Kemp said. Almost 1,000 4-County Electric Power Association cus- tomers in Sturgis were also affected. Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff Looking at Mississippi as a whole, Satur- From left, Brentsyn McCoy, 12, Tavon Macon, 13, and Quay Tate, 11, play video games at the Columbus-Lowndes Pub- day’s high winds and heavy rains led to no lic Library on Dec. 29. Brentsyn is the son of Georgia McCoy, Tavon is the son of Catina Blevins and Thomas Macon, injuries. and Quay is the son of Marilyn Brooks and Christopher Walton, all of Columbus. The boys say they come to the library often to play their favorite football video game, Madden 25. “Thankfully, in all of this, there are no in- juries reported anywhere,” said Greg Flynn of Mississippi’s Emergency Management Agency. Tornado and flood watches and warnings were issued throughout much of Saturday Area escapes holidays with no highway deaths in the state and in Louisiana. There were at least two confirmed tornadoes reported by the National Weather Service in Mississippi. State adds two fatal wrecks to unusually deadly Dec. lisions on state highways, according Flynn said his agency received reports of to MHP Public Affairs Officer Criss several homes severely damaged in Jasper BY ZACK PlaiR Patrol released to The Dispatch on Turnipseed. However, the Golden County, along with homes damaged in Lau- [email protected] Friday. Triangle did have five total traffic col- derdale and Covington counties. There also For the time period beginning at lisions during that timeframe, includ- were scattered reports of power outages Christmas and New Year’s Day 6 p.m. New Year’s Eve and running ing two that were alcohol related, and around Mississippi and Louisiana. passed without any fatalities on Gold- throughout New Year’s Day, Troop three injuries. Emergency sirens sounded shortly after en Triangle roadways, according to G — which includes the Golden Tri- Statewide, MHP reported 70 traf- See STORMS, 3A numbers the Mississippi Highway angle — reported no fatal traffic col- See DEATHS, 3A In search of a Boston jury to try marathon bombing suspect Perhaps the most closely watched federal death penalty case since the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing In this 2013 file BY DENISE LAVOIE His defenders bank on the story photo, medi- AP Legal Affairs Writer of a difficult childhood in a former cal workers aid Soviet republic and his radicaliza- injured people at BOSTON — His tion at the hands of an influential the finish line of accusers brandish a the 2013 Boston older brother who could have pres- Marathon following confession scribbled sured him into participating in the an explosion in inside a boat during deadly attack. Boston. Jury selec- an intensive man- Jury selection for the trial of Dz- tion for bombing hunt and a video they hokhar Tsarnaev, accused in the suspect Dzhokhar say shows him plac- Boston Marathon attacks, begins Tsarnaev’s trial is ing a backpack with a Tsarnaev today. Those chosen from a pool scheduled to begin today in federal bomb a few feet from of about 1,200 will decide whether court in Boston. a little boy who died when it explod- Tsarnaev planned and carried out AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File ed seconds later. See BOSTON, 3A WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC MEETINGS 1 Which country has an English ver- Jan. 6: Columbus City Thursday, Jan. 8 Council, Municipal Complex, sion of its national anthem beginning: ■ Exhibit opening: Come as “We’ll sing a song, a soldier’s song”? 5 p.m. you are to the opening of “12 Bar 2 What rock star is credited as a Jan. 6: Starkville Board of Bridge: Rhythm in Portrait,” an ex- co-writer and backing singer for David Aldermen: 5:30 p.m. at the Bowie’s “Fame”? hibit of musician portraits by visu- 3 What was the original Dutch name al and jazz artist Chad Anderson. City Hall courtroom. Jan. 12: Columbus Munic- Tre´ Mosley of New York City? A free reception at the Rosenzweig 4 What barbecue snack gave Micky Arts Center, 501 Main St., is from ipal School District Board Third grade, Cook Mouse his first spoken words? 5:30-7 p.m. For more information, meeting, Brandon Central 5 What natural phenomena can be Office, 6 p.m. High Low spherical, doughnut-shaped of like contact the CAC, 662-328-2787. 44 28 size? Jan. 13: Columbus Housing Mostly sunny Authority, CHA Office, noon Full forecast on Friday, Jan. 9 Answers, 6B Jan. 26: Columbus-Lown- page 2A. ■ Backyard astronomy: Bring along telescopes, binoculars and des Convention & Visitors chairs for star-gazing at 7 p.m. at Bureau Board meeting, CVB the Plymouth Bluff Center, 2200 Office, 4 p.m. INSIDE Old West Point Road, Columbus, March 9: Columbus Munic- with David Teske of Rainwater Ob- ipal School District Board Classifieds5B Obituaries 5A servatory. For more information, meeting, Brandon Central 135TH YEAR, NO. 253 Comics 4B Opinions 4A contact the center, 662-241-6214. Cory Conner lives in Columbus. Office, 6 p.m. DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “It was an ugly win, but we will take a bunch more of them just like it.” Mississippi State women’s basketball coach Vic Tupelo plans city-wide events Schaefer, whose 17th-ranked team beat Missou- celebrate Elvis’ birthday Monday ri 53-47 on Sunday to go to 17-0. Story, 1B. ‘It was time to step up our game as it relates to Tupelo and Elvis’ birthday’ A THOUSAND WORDS THE ASSOCIatED PRESS throughout the day with a sing-along version of TUPELO — On Thurs- the film “Jailhouse Rock” day, Tupelo launches a at Link Centre and a the- birthday celebration fit for atrical production, aptly the king of rock and roll. named “Graceland” at Tu- Seven organizations pelo Community Theatre’s will participate in a city- Off Broadway location. wide event schedule, cul- “In years that end in minating with an Elvis five or zero, we always Presley-themed concert get bigger crowds,” said from the North Mississippi CVB spokeswoman Jen- Symphony Orchestra and nie Bradford Curlee. “We Richard Marx. wanted to build in more “It was time to step up things for people to see and our game as it relates to experience around town.” Tupelo and Elvis’ birth- The schedule for Friday day,” said Tupelo Conven- is packed, starting with an tion and Visitors Bureau exhibit at CVB, topped off executive director Neal McCoy. with free banana pudding. “We wanted to see what “Elvis’ first appearance we could involve and in- was on WELO on Missis- corporate from our com- sippi Slim’s radio show, munity to help celebrate broadcast from the court- Elvis’ birthday. We feel it’s house,” McCoy said. “So, a pretty good reflection of we’re going to do a Mis- what our community has to sissippi Slim exhibit here offer, and hopefully things in the lobby, with the local Elvis would be proud of food trucks here and free banana pudding.” Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff today,” McCoy told the Ernest Manor, of Macon, left, watches Columbus local Richard Flemming dump a basket of fried catfish into a Northeast Mississippi Dai- In addition, the Gum- tray Dec. 29 at the Miller Marine warehouse. Many more fillets were fried for the annual Giant Neighborhood ly Journal.