BROWNING ON BUSINESS Inside, See page 4A ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI C DISPATCH.COM 50 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY THURSDAY | MAY 21, 2015 Steel Dynamics making $100 Juneteenth million expansion in Lowndes organizers may cancel festival Columbus council denies beer sales at Sim Scott BY ZACK PLAIR [email protected] Columbus June- teenth organizers wanting to sell beer at the annual event are claiming they are victims of pure-grain politics. The 19th June- Brooks teenth festival is set for June 19-20 at Sim Scott Park. The city council Tuesday de- nied event chairper- son Cindy Lawrence’s request to sell beer within the park’s boundaries during Karriem the festival. Because of that, event orga- Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff nizers are expected Joe Max Higgins, the CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK, explains the specifics of $100 million planned expan- sion at Steel Dynamics to Lowndes County supervisors this morning. Steel Dynamics says the expansion will create 40 jobs. to meet this evening and decide whether to cancel the festival. we knew that this project Lawrence told The Expansion will create 40 high-paying jobs would mean positive rein- Dispatch that in past vestment for decades to years nearly 40 per- Lawrence BY ANDREW HAZZARD The county will also serve as the come, and it has proven cent of the festival’s [email protected] agency through which additional grants true.” revenue came from beer sales. She and loans will be executed, including a said Mitchell Distributing provides Steel Dynamics is undertaking a $1.95 million MDA grant that will pay the beer to sell, along with a gener- $100 million expansion at its Lowndes Specifics of plan for road projects associated with the ex- The company’s ex- ous donation to the festival. What County facility, a move company offi- Millett pansion. The county will also apply for pansion involves adding beer the festival does not sell is re- cials say will add 40 new positions. $850,000 worth of grants to help pay for painting and Galvalume turned to the distributor. The announcement was made today sewage and water expansion to the site capabilities at the plant. Galvalume is an Lawrence said when the festival at the 1,400-acre plant in the Golden Tri- and railroad improvements. zinc/aluminum coating that is more cor- first started selling beer, organiz- angle Industrial Park. Gov. Phil Bryant Steel Dynamics Inc., which is based rosion-resistant than traditional galva- ers set up the booth outside of park was in attendance. in Indiana, purchased the steel mill nized steel. Adding paint to steel that can grounds on private property, but At a meeting this morning, the Lown- from Severstal North America eight be molded and impressed upon without sales lagged. The city council later des County Board of Supervisors voted months ago. fading or cracking adds value. It’s most passed an ordinance allowing beer unanimously to help the project. The “We knew when Steel Dynamics popular use is for roofing. sales at Sim Scott Park and the Riv- county will apply for a $1 million MDA gained control of the Columbus facil- The 40 jobs the expansion is creating erwalk, and she said the council has rail loan from the Mississippi Develop- ity, that we would be in great hands,” will pay in the $80,000 per year range, approved requests to sell beer at the ment Authority that will help pay for a Harry Sanders, president of the Lown- according to Golden Triangle Develop- park during prior Juneteenth festi- 2,000-foot railway extension to the site. des County Board of Supervisors, said. ment LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins. vals, including the last three events. The loan will be paid back over 10 years. “When this plant was planned in 2004, See STEEL DYNAMICS, 8A See JUNETEENTH, 8A Florida bikers stop in Columbus on cross-country trip tic bikers. They biked to and from work Couple: Trip to California when they lived in Connecticut, and have taken bike trips in Europe, Austra- could last up to two years lia and Vietnam. BY ISABELLE ALTMAN They departed from their home in [email protected] Stuart, Florida, on Apr. 26. This is their longest trip yet. John Trahan On Wednesday, John Trahan and Lau- “It’s all becoming a blur,” Elsenboss and Laura ra Elsenboss stopped by Coffee House said. Elsenboss on 5th while on a two-year bike trip Three weeks. Three states. 1050 left their home in Stu- across the U.S. miles. Two flat tires. And it’s only the beginning. art, Florida, The retired, married couple hopes on Apr. 26 the trip will take them to Tennessee, for a two- west into Missouri, north through Iowa On the road year bike trip and the Dakotas, south down the east- Trahan and Elsenboss camped for across the ern side of the Rocky Mountains, then two nights at Pickensville Campground country. They stopped in across to San Diego. On Wednesday on the Tenn-Tom Waterway earlier this Columbus on they were in Columbus. week. While enjoying drinks in the Wednesday. Trahan and Elsenboss are enthusias- See TRIP, 3A Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC MEETINGS 1 What country’s famine inspired Today, May 21 June 1: Lowndes Supervi- “Live Aid”? sors, Courthouse, 9 a.m. ■ West Point Farmers’ Market: 2 Which country was former Prime June 2: Columbus City The West Point Farmers’ Market Minister Tony Blair born in? Council, Municipal Complex, holds its grand opening for the sea- 3 What name is usually given to 5 p.m. hideously deformed Quasimodo who son and operates Thursdays 4-7 June 9: Columbus Municipal features in a French novel first pub- p.m. at the Mossy Oak Pavilion on lished in 1831? School District Board meet- Brylee Jo Maxey Highway 45 Alternate in West Point. 4 What C-word is an alternative name ing, Brandon Central Office, Third grade, New Hope for a butterfly’s pupa? Saturday, May 23 6 p.m. 5 What two-letter abbreviation do ■ Veterans Memorial Walk/Run: June 15: Lowndes Supervi- High Low weather watchers use when dis- 74 51 cussing a cumulonimbus cloud or The third annual walk/run present- sors, Courthouse, 9 a.m. Mostly sunny thunderhead? ed by the Richard E. Holmes II Me- June 16: Columbus City Full forecast on morial Foundation is in memory of Council, Municipal Complex, page 2A. Answers, 8B Lt. Col. Melvin Rogers of Starkville. 5 p.m. It begins at 8 a.m. (registration 7 July 7: Columbus City a.m., $15) at the Columbus Soccer Council, Municipal Complex, Complex. Tyson Lee will speak. 5 p.m. INSIDE For information, contact Judie G. Al Alexander lives in Colum- July 21: Columbus City Classifieds7B Obituaries 5A Holmes at grandholmes@yahoo. bus. He works as an audiolo- Council, Municipal Complex, 136TH YEAR, NO. 61 Comics 6B Opinions 6A com or call 662- 889-0180. gist and knifemaker. 5 p.m. DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com DID YOU HEAR? SAY WHAT? “I thought our guys played really hard. Texas A&M is a good ball club with an outstanding offense.” 2016 prospect Rand Paul in new Alabama head coach Mitch Gaspard on losing to book: GOP willing to change Thursday Texas A&M 4-3 on Wednesday. Story, 1B. ‘My party has let the bond it once enjoyed with minorities fray to the point that it is near beyond repair’ BY STEVE PEOPLES his political brand as he The Associated Press embarks on his 2016 cam- paign for president. More WASH- than a decade has passed INGTON — since the Republican Par- Republican ty last won a presidential presidential contest, due in part to the candidate GOP’s struggle with mi- Rand Paul nority voters, a growing reaches out segment of the population in his most that has overwhelmingly direct way Paul favored Democrats in re- yet to Afri- cent years. can Americans in a new book that highlights his The new book, a copy libertarian policies on of which was obtained government surveillance, by The Associated Press, the economy and criminal comes as Paul plays a justice reform. starring role in the de- “My party has let the bate over government bond it once enjoyed surveillance. He spent with minorities fray to hours on the Senate floor the point that it is near Thursday protesting the planned extension of the AP Photo/Seth Wenig beyond repair,” the Ken- People gather under the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, Wednesday. After 33 years and 6,028 tucky senator writes in Patriot Act, which in- broadcasts of his late-night show, David Letterman is retiring. “Taking a Stand: Moving cludes a provision allow- Beyond Partisan Politics ing the National Security to Unite America,” set Agency to collect bulk re- to be released later this cords of phone calls made by Americans. 33 years and 6,028 shows: David month. He continued, “My Republican Par- Many Republicans ty, the Republican Par- support the surveillance ty I hope to lead to the program, including Ari- Letterman signs off as late-night host White House, is willing to zona Sen. John McCain, change.” whose description of Paul Paul, 52, has made as a “wacko bird” is fea- BY DAVID BAUDER reaching out to racial mi- tured prominently on the AP Television Writer norities a centerpiece of book’s back cover. NEW YORK — David Letterman ended his 33-year career as a late- night television host Wednesday, CONTACTING THE DISPATCH ushered into retirement by four presidents who declared “our long Office hours: Main line: national nightmare is over” and say- n 8 a.m.-5 p.m.