ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI CDISPATCH.COM 50 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 1, 2017 Police investigate robbery in Walmart Chief: No comment on woman approached him and asked about a video game, according to a press release whether incident is believed from CPD. Then another man asked the victim for money. As the victim took out Columbus his wallet, the man attacked him. police are to be random violent act searching During the attack, the victim apparent- for three BY ISABELLE ALTMAN ly dropped his wallet only to have a second suspects, [email protected] woman pick it up, take money from it and two pictured then throw it back on the floor. here in still Investigators with ONLINE The incident lasted more than a minute frames from Columbus Police De- ■ VIDEO: Watch before the suspects released the victim and surveillance partment are looking for the surveillance left the store, the press release said. The video, who three suspects accused video at cdis- suspects separated momentarily before are accused patch.com of robbing of robbing a shopper in at least two of them left together, accord- a Walmart Walmart Thursday. ing to what the victim told police. Investi- shopper The victim was shopping in the elec- gators now believe the first woman asked Thursday. tronics section just after 9 p.m. when a See ROBBERY, 6A Courtesy photos VIEW FROM THE TOP Harvey brings little more than wind, rain to area Despite warnings of tornadoes, floods, Golden Triangle sees no major damage BY SLIM SMITH [email protected]. A long day of threatening weath- er paced with little damage, according to emergency man- agement directors in Lowndes and Oktib- beha counties. Lawrence “There’s not much to report,” said Cin- dy Lawrence, Direc- tor for the Lowndes Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff County Emergency Aking Henry, 3, rides on his dad’s shoulders, Marquize Henry, while taking a walk near 14th Avenue North in Columbus Thurs- Management Agen- day morning. “I’m just hanging out with my son, walking to the store for a snack,” Henry said. cy. “There were a couple of trees down here and there, but Campanella there no reports of injuries or property damage and no flooding.” Man in custody for Sprint Mart robbery Lowndes County was briefly un- der a tornado warning — from 3:57 DISPATCH STAFF REPORT Highway 69. his car as he fled the scene. There were p.m. until 4:30 p.m. — and was un- Lt. Brent Swan, head of investigations no injuries related to the incident. der a tornado watch from 11:15 a.m. Columbus Police Department has a with the CPD, said a man robbed a clerk The man, identified only as a black until 8 p.m. man in custody in connection to an ear- at the store at approximately 1:30 a.m. to- male, is being interrogated by the CPD “It was pretty uneventful,” Law- ly-morning armed robbery at the Sprint day and fled in an automobile. Police ap- and charges are expected to be filed lat- rence said. Mart located at Yorkville Road and prehended the suspect after he crashed er today. See WEATHER, 6A Officials, firearms instructor disagree on local crime trend Local fire- arms instruc- Doyle warns public to prepare for worst; Center preparedness is key in an tor Wayne area seeing marked increases in Doyle, left, DA, law enforcement urge calmer approach violent incidents — specifically visits with home invasions. He also claimed Ben Upton BY ALEX HOLLOWAY from the public. the public had less than the full after speak- [email protected] Wayne Doyle, Lowndes Coun- picture of how rampant such ing during ty District 3 Volunteer Fire De- crimes had become. Thursday’s Officials are at odds with a partment chief and owner of the “If you knew what happened Exchange Columbus businessman’s claims in Columbus that you didn’t hear Club meeting IFP tactical firearms training at Lion Hills that random violent crime is on center on Gardner Boulevard, about, you’d probably move,” Center. the rise and local police and me- told Columbus Exchange Club Doyle said. Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff dia are hiding that information members Thursday at Lion Hills See CRIME TREND, 6A WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LABOR DAY CLOSINGS PUBLIC 1 Which country pledged its sup- The following businesses will be MEETINGS Today closed in observance of Labor Day, Sept. 5: Cale- port Britain in World War I with the ■ Black Prairie Blues Festival: West Point’s phrase, “To the last man and the last Monday, Sept. 4. donia Board of 22nd annual blues fest features Big George Brock, shilling.”? ■ All local banks Aldermen, 6 Victor Wainwright and the Old Memphis Kings begin- 2 Which sport for two or four players ■ U.S. Postal Service p.m., Town Hall ning at about 6 p.m. at Mary Holmes College (gates uses a surface measuring 2.75x1.525 ■ Lowndes County Clerk’s office Sept. 5: meters? open 5:30 p.m.) Tickets to the indoor concert are ■ All Columbus Municipal Schools Columbus City 3 In Star Trek what is Captain James $20 in advance at blackprairiebluesfestival.com, Luke Correnti ■ All Lowndes County Schools Council, 5 p.m. T. Kirk’s middle name? the Growth Alliance (West Point), the Columbus Kindergarten, Annunciation 4 Which martial art was created in the ■ Mayor’s office and city depart- City Hall Arts Council or Jack Forbus Insurance (Starkville); 1930s by Morihei Ueshiba? ments Sept.8: Lown- $25 at the door. Barbecue, T-shirts, CDs (but not 5 When Germany was divided, was ■ Columbus Light and Water des County High 81 Low 68 alcohol) will available for purchase. Small coolers Berlin in the East or West sector? ■ 4-County Electric School District Chance of rain allowed. Visit the website for information. Full forecast on Answers, 7B ■ The Golden Triangle Development board, 11 a.m., page 2A. Link District Office Saturday ■ Columbus-Lowndes Public Library Sept. 11: ■ Prairie Arts Festival: West Point’s 39th annual ■ Special notice: Golden Triangle Columbus INSIDE Prairie Arts Festival from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. features Waste Services will run regular routes Municipal Classifieds7B Obituaries 5A hundreds of fine arts, crafts and food vendors. ■ The Dispatch will not publish an School District Comics 5B Opinions 4A Highlights also include live music, a classic car edition. Offices will be closed and board, 6 p.m., Crossword 6B Religion 6B show, Kid’s Town and more. Visit prairieartsfestival. the paper will resume operations Brandon Central 138TH YEAR, NO. 148 Dear Abby 5B org or call 662-494-5121. Tuesday. Services DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2017 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “This morning, I woke up and felt like a kid on Christmas morning. This is the greatest game ever, and I had fun playing it tonight.” East Mississippi Community College quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr., Public mourns Princess Diana who threw four touchdowns Thursday night in a 47-34 victory against on 20th anniversary of death Friday Jones County Junior College. Story, 1B. ‘She touched all “She touched all walks of life. Diana always put a walks of life’ smile on the face and that’s A THOUSAND WORDS something for people.” BY DANICA KIRKA The weeks leading up The Associated Press to the anniversary have been filled with television LONDON — Kathy documentaries and news- Martin joined the stream paper stories reflecting of visitors laying tributes to on the princess and her Princess Diana outside the contributions to the coun- gates of Kensington Palace try and to the monarchy. on Thursday, just as she Diana’s sons, Princes Wil- did 20 years ago. liam and Harry, added to The 55-year-old Diana the buildup with a series devotee vividly remembers of heart-wrenching inter- Aug. 31, 1997. She was views in which they talked wakened by an early morn- about their mother’s love ing phone call from family and the pain of her death. in Australia telling her the On Thursday though, princess had died in a Paris it was the public’s turn to car accident, then raced to recall “The People’s Prin- the palace with her daugh- cess.” Fans like Martin ter and was among the first gathered at the palace to to leave a floral tribute. mark the two decades since Throngs of people began Diana’s death triggered a arriving 10 minutes later, flood of grief across Britain adding cards, teddy bears and beyond. Her admirers and mountains of flowers. began paying tribute to Martin returns to Kens- the princess before dawn, ington Palace, where Di- placing candles shaped in ana once lived, every year the letter “D’’ at the palace on the anniversary of her gates. death, on Christmas and on “We had never met the princess’ birthday. On her and been nowhere Thursday, she brought pic- near her, but I think she ture collages, poems and touched so many people a Victorian spongecake because of who she was, Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff decorated with Diana’s the way she conducted her- City worker Lydell Evans takes care of overgrown grass around the Riverwalk on Tuesday. picture, which she shared self in the context of where with other royal fans. she was living and who “She was just the beau- she became,” said Mara tiful, warming, caring hu- Klemich, 55, a well-wisher manitarian,” Martin said. from Sydney. CONTACTING THE DISPATCH As floodwaters recede, Houston Office hours: Main line: n 8 a.m.-5 p.m.