ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI C DISPATCH.COM FREE! MONDAY | JANUARY 8, 2018 MUW’s Jim Borsig to step down in June President says he is ‘refocusing’ not retiring Borisg has been MUW’s pres- Mississippi Uni- ident since 2012 after leaving versity for Women the Institute of Higher Learn- President Jim Bor- DISPATCH STAFF REPorT Nissan Auditorium on MUW’s ing as associate commissioner sig announced his campus today. for external relations and public intention to leave Jim Borsig announced today “It’s been a great honor to policy. In February 2015, he an- the university at he is stepping down as Missis- serve this university as presi- nounced he was leaving MUW the 2018 convo- sippi University for Women’s dent,” Borsig said. to lead IHL’s Board of Trustees cation this morn- president. Borsig did not give a reason only to change his mind in April. ing. Borsig said he will step down in Borsig will leave MUW in for leaving the university, but During Borsig’s tenure, he June, six and a half years after said he is “refocusing” not retir- June but plans to reintroduced athletics to the stay in Columbus taking the position. He made ing. He plans to stay in Colum- university and has been widely and work in the his announcement at the 2018 bus and take a more prominent praised for his leadership at the nonprofit sector. faculty and staff convocation at role in the nonprofit sector. school. Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff Bill introduced to THE CHALLENGES OF HOMELESSNESS split MLK, Robert E. Lee holidays Columbus Representative Karriem: Change ‘long overdue’ BY SLIM SMITH [email protected] A Columbus legislator has filed a bill that would designate sepa- rate days to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. and Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Rep. Kabir Karriem (D-Colum- bus) has filed HB-371 to observe Robert E. Lee’s birthday on the fourth Monday of January. Mis- Karriem sissippi and Alabama’s state holi- days observing Lee’s birthday are observed on the third Monday of January, the federal holiday passed in 1987 as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “Both men had impacts on our history, and Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff I think it’s time to separate the holiday so that Maria sits in her new apartment on Tuesday. Formerly a homeless mother with four children, she got help King can be observed for the Civil Rights icon through Golden Triangle Regional Homeless Coalition. he is,” Karriem said. “I think this change in long overdue.” Mississippi and Alabama are the only states that continue to observe both Lee’s birthday (a A little help goes a long way state holiday) on the same day as Martin Luther King Day. Mississippi established Robert E. Lee Day as a state holiday in 1910. C ommunity organizations push to help the homeless as temps decrease In March, Arkansas changed its state holiday honoring Lee to October. Meanwhile, Virgin- Editor’s Note: Maria, the subject “We went through a lot in two “At about 11 o’clock at night, I ians honor Virginia natives Lee and fellow Con- of the story, requested her last name years. A whole lot,” Maria said. said ‘Ms. Buckhalter, please find federate general Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson not be used. “And I have my kids. If I’m in the me somewhere to go. I’ve got to on the Friday before the MLK Jr. Day. Florida cold, that’s fine, but not those have somewhere, or I’m gonna celebrates Lee on his birthday (Jan. 19). BDY IN IA YARBOROUGH four.” lose my mind. I can be on the Karriem said he hopes his bill, which would [email protected] When Maria received a call street cold, but [my kids] can’t,’” create a free-standing holiday to honor Lee, will from an unknown number in Maria recalled Tuesday, as her have the bi-partisan support it needs to move wo years ago, now 32-year- December, she first thought it voice cracked with emotion. through the legislature. old Maria was living in a was a telemarketer. She had been Kirkley called to offer Ma- “That’s why I wrote the bill like this,” Kar- Tcar with her three kids. conned out of money before and ria help through the homeless riem said. “I don’t want this to be divisive, even When her car no longer worked, was prepared to coalition’s “supportive housing LSee BIL , 3A she dropped it at a repair shop, hang up. program.” Through the program, where the vehicle has sat ever “Something told Kirkley said, the coalition pays to since. She and her kids hopped me to change my house a participant for an average from an aunt’s house to a cousin’s attitude,” Maria of six to nine months until that house to a cousin’s mom’s house said. person — or a family, in Maria’s CHIEF SHELTON to a friend’s. On the other end case — is able to get back on his Maria realizes that had family of the line was Mar- or her feet. members not taken her in, she tha Kirkley, a mem- Kirkley After having so many doors might be on the street. And after ber of St. Paul’s closed in her face, Maria would having a fourth child last year, Episcopal Church finally have a door of her own to she couldn’t stand to have her lit- in Columbus and open. tle ones — now ages 13, 10, seven vice president of and three months — brace freez- the Golden Triangle ing temperatures come winter. Regional Homeless Dropping temps, remaining She was angry, stressed, broke Coalition. need and depressed, she said, when Glenda Buckhal- Helping the homeless, Buck- she couldn’t find a stable living ter, director of Co- Buckhalter halter said, is just as important environment. She held a few lumbus’ Communi- when temperatures drop, and Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff service industry jobs, but nothing ty Outreach Center, had referred with no homeless shelters in Columbus Mayor Robert Smith swears in newly lasted. She had just gotten out of Maria to the coalition after Maria the Golden Triangle, non-profit appointed Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton at an abusive relationship and was called Buckhalter late one night organizations like the GTR Home- a ceremony at Municipal Complex this morning. close to giving up. begging for help. See HOMELESS, 6A Shelton served as interim chief after the retire- ment last month of former chief Oscar Lewis. WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS C ALENDAR LOCAO L F LKS PUB LIC 1 What specialized performance Women hosts this statewide MEETINGS Thursday, Jan. 11 festival for community the- device did Michael Jackson co-cre- ■ Jan. 9: Planning ate and patent —a harness, shoes, Preserving Family Pho- ater and high school theater tographs: The Columbus and Zoning Com- pants or gloves? productions, many of which Lowndes Public Library mission, 5:30 p.m., 2 In 1985, baseball organist Wilbur are open to the public. K-12 Snapp was ejected for playing what hosts this workshop with City Hall students may attend free song? Kim Du Boise from 9 a.m.- Jan. 9: Theatre for Youth Festival 3 What African country is the set- noon at the library, 314 Sev- Starkville-Oktibbe- Eryianna McPherson ting for the No. 1 Ladies Detective performances Jan. 12 at enth St. N. Bring up to three ha Consolidated First grade, Caledonia Agency series? Cook Elementary School family photos, negatives or School District 4 Who appeared on “Hogan’s He- (contact Sherri Marengo at roes” and was the original host of films for evaluation. Free; Board, 6 p.m., redheadactingup@yahoo. High 50 Low 43 “Family Feud”? limited seating. Register Greensboro Center com). Community theater Cloud with a shower in places 5 What 2008 presidential candi- at 662-329-5300 or email Jan. 12: Board date could not state how many Full forecast on [email protected] productions Jan. 12-13 at of Aldermen work houses he owned when questioned MUW are open to the public. page 2A. by reporters? by Jan. 5. session, 1 p.m., Answers, 6B Tickets at the door are $25 City Hall for all 15 productions, $15 Jan. 15: Board of Thursday through for all productions on one Supervisors, 5:30 INSIDE Sunday, Jan. 11-14 day, and $5 for a block of Bonnie Pongetti is an p.m., Oktibbeha Classifieds6B Dear Abby 5B ■ Mississippi Theatre plays. See full schedule at RN at Baptist Memorial County Courthouse Comics 5B Obituaries 5A Festival and Convention: mta-online.org or call 601- Hospital and lives in Crossword 4B Opinions 4A Mississippi University for 201-9564. Starkville. DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2018 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com DID YOU HEAR? Oprah, ‘Three Billboards’ triumph at black-draped Globes Monday BY JAKE COYLE “A new day is on the AP Film Writer horizon!” promised Win- frey, who noted she was With a red carpet the first black woman to A THOUSAND WORDS dyed black by actresses be given the honor. dressed in a color-coor- With a cutting stare, dinated statement, the presenter Natalie Port- Golden Globes were man followed Winfrey’s transformed into an A-list speech by introducing, expression of female as she said, “the all-male” empowerment in the nominees for best direc- post-Harvey Weinstein tor. era. Oprah Winfrey led The movie that many the charge. believe speaks most di- “For too long women rectly to the current have not been heard or moment — “Three Bill- believed if they dared to boards Outside Ebbing, speak their truth to the Missouri,” about a moth- power of those men,” said er avenging the rape and Winfrey, accepting the murder of her daughter Cecil B.