New Chief Talks Goals, Crime Rate Police Ask Residents Ees at the Meeting
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI C DISPATCH.COM 50 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 26, 2016 New chief talks goals, crime rate Police ask residents ees at the meeting. “My main goal here is to reduce to come forward the crime rate,” he said. “Bottom line.” Oscar Lewis, with violent crime He also promised to hire more the new officers and make sure all the po- police chief information lice are doing what they need to do for Columbus, to stop crime and have the training is greeted by Buddy and BY ISABELLE ALTMAN necessary to communicate and Julie Park- [email protected] work with the public. er during a Lewis told Southside residents Southside/ Newly instated Columbus police that when he first became chief Downtown chief Oscar Lewis made one of his in Waynesboro about two years Neighbor- first public appearances Thursday ago, the city had just seen sever- hood Watch evening at a neighborhood watch al high profile murders. People in Group meet program for Southside at the Trot- the city lived in fear and did not and greet at the Trotter ter Convention Center. feel as though they could count Convention Lewis spoke about what he on law enforcement. Now crime Center on wanted to achieve as head of the in Waynesboro has decreased Thursday. Columbus Police Department and dramatically, he said, adding that Mark Wilson/Dispatch Staff answered questions from attend- See LEWIS, 3A City introduces MATH NIGHT energy makeover program Program aims to reduce energy usage in 125 Northside homes BY ALEX HOLLOWAY [email protected] Columbus formally introduced its Extreme Energy Makeover program to a handful of home- owners at a meeting at Sims Scott Park Thursday evening. About 20 people showed up to learn about the program, which aims to reduce energy usage by 25 percent in 125 eligible Northside homes. The city and Columbus Light and Water have partnered with energy firm CLEAResult after re- ceiving a $1.6 million grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority. The program seeks to reduce electricity usage by addressing air leaks, poor weather sealing, insulation, heating and cooling upgrades, duct seals and other issues. Ben Polichnowski, a presenter for CLEARe- sult, told the attendees that the program begins with an inspection of the home to determine if it qualifies for the program and, if so, what improve- ments are possible. The program is completely free to homeowners. Mark Wilson/Dispatch Staff Most of the improvements focus on improving Caleb Billups, 6, reaches for a playing card as Gabrielle Shepherd, 7, hides behind a 10 of spades during “Math temperature control and reducing air leaks, he Night” at Franklin Academy in Columbus on Thursday evening. Caleb’s mother Pamela Shepherd, right, and her said, because that’s where people spend the most cousin Roshell Shepherd, mother of Gabrielle, brought their first graders to attend an open house at the school See ENERGY, 3A and to help them solve math problems in fun ways. Karriem, Colom, Lowndes NAACP discuss criminal justice Packed municipal complex hosts lively discussion on Jack- son-based race, expungement of criminal records lawyer Latrice Westbrooks, BY SAM LUVISI though she said she was only a user second from [email protected] who was wrongfully charged — there left, waits as was no way for her to be granted an ex- a volunteer Forty-six year-old Yolancer Nixon pungement. instructs got some disappointing news after “Now, I’m right back to where I those who look to fill out she came early to a Lowndes County started,” said Nixon, who said she’s NAACP meeting in Columbus Thurs- expungement been drug-free since leaving prison 10 papers, prior day hoping to find assistance in re- years ago after serving five years of an to speaking moving a 1999 drug conviction from originally 12-year-long sentence. during “Prom- her criminal record. She was just one in a large crowd ises Unmet” After the Columbus resident was that packed the Columbus Municipal at the Colum- passed between a few people and city Complex auditorium for about three bus Munici- buildings, she said she eventually hours Thursday evening for “Prom- pal Complex ises Unmet,” a discussion hosted by Thursday learned that because her charge was evening. for drug sales and not possession — See NAACP, 8A Sam Luvisi/Dispatch Staff WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC 1 What was the name of Ray Liotta’s MEETINGS Today through Sunday Feb. 29: Lowndes character in “Goodfellas”? ■ “Charlie Brown”: Mississippi Univer- 2 What was Babe Ruth’s first name? County Supervi- sity for Women’s Department of Theatre 3 Who won the 1929 Nobel Prize sors, Courthouse, in Literature for his novel, “Budden- presents “You’re a Good Man, Charlie brooks”? Brown” in Cromwell Theatre at the corner 9 a.m. 4 What mountain is nicknamed Sav- of 10th Street and Sixth Avenue South. March 1: Colum- Anquarius Outlaw age Mountain? Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Friday through Sat- bus City Council, 5 Who was the first president to live in First grade, West Lowndes urday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Admission is Municipal Com- the White House? plex, 5 p.m. $10; $5 for students of all ages. Advance Answers, 8B tickets available weekdays from 9 a.m.-1 March 7: High 56 Low 31 p.m. at Cromwell’s Office of Communica- Lowndes County Sunny tion. For information, call 662-329-7354. Supervisors, Full forecast on Courthouse, 9 page 2A. Saturday a.m. ■ Symphony concert: The Starkville/ March 14: Co- MSU Symphony Orchestra presents a free lumbus Municipal concert titled “Fauré’s Finest” at 7:30 School District INSIDE p.m. in Lee Hall on the MSU campus. The Board of Trustees, Classifieds 7B Obituaries 4A program features three of French compos- Brett Thomas is a student at Brandon Central 136TH YEAR, NO. 299 Comics 5B Opinions 6A er Gabriel Fauré’s greatest works. Mississippi State University. Offices, 6 p.m. DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2016 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “We just didn’t answer the bell the first weekend. I think they’ve made some pretty good adjustments this week, and I UCLA: Movies make more money think they’re chomping at the bit to get right back out there.” Mississippi State baseball coach John Cohen, talking about when half the cast is white Friday his starting pitchers. Story, 1B. In previous years, movies did better at the box office if two or three of the COLUMBUS CHRISTIAN TOURS THE DISPATCH top eight billed actors were non-white BY RYAN NAKASHIMA and calculating the median AP Business Writer global haul of each level of diversity. LOS ANGELES — The best performers, Movies make more mon- with a median ticket rev- ey when exactly half their enue of $122.2 million, casts are non-white, ac- turned out to be movies cording to an annual analy- in which half the main sis released Thursday that cast was non-white. That’s shows an increasing de- more than double the $52.6 mand for diversity in film. million median haul for In previous years, mov- films with no non-white ac- ies did better at the box tors in the top eight. Films office if two or three of where more than half the the top eight billed actors principal actors were non- were non-white. In 2014, white also did worse, with four of eight was the magic a median of $52.4 million. number, ticket sales show. Casts with non-whites “These aren’t mo- in four of the eight top mentary glitches. It’s the roles also provided the handwriting on the wall,” best return on investment, and it points to how pro- delivering ticket sales that foundly out of touch the were 3.4 times the films’ motion picture academy is budgets, on average. when giving Oscars only The study points to to white actors, said Dar- “Lucy,” a science-fiction nell Hunt, who directs the film with Morgan Free- Ralph J. Bunche Center for man, Min-sik Choi and African American Studies Amr Waked in prominent Dispatch Staff photo Ms. Stacy Dewberry’s class from Columbus Christian Academy recently toured The Dispatch. To schedule your at the University of Califor- roles alongside Scarlett group’s tour, call 662-328-2471. nia, Los Angeles. Johansson, grossing $444 The Bunche Center has million worldwide accord- taken a close look at each ing to IMDb.com; and year’s top-grossing films “Annie,” with Jamie Foxx since 2011, grouping each cast as Daddy Warbucks CAMPAIGN 2016 movie according to how and Quvenzhane Wallis as many non-white actors the orphan, with Cameron hold the top eight roles, Diaz in a supporting role. GOP rivals barrel toward Super CONTACTING THE DISPATCH Tuesday after wild debate Office hours: Main line: n 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri n 662-328-2424 Rubio and Cruz HOW DO I ... Email a letter to the editor? n [email protected] engaged in a Analysis: Rubio finally makes a move on Report a missing paper? n 662-328-2424 ext. 100 Report a sports score? tag-team attack n Toll-free 877-328-2430 n 662-241-5000 Trump — but is it too late? n Operators are on duty until Submit a calendar item? intended to take BY JULIE PACE Rubio accused Trump of shifting 6 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 6:30 - n Go to www.cdispatch.com/ AP White House Correspondent his position on deportation and staffing 9:30 a.m.