ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI C DISPATCH.COM FREE! MONDAY | AUGUST 27, 2018 Repairs, enhancements top list of parks goals men meeting, Ward 1 Alderman with the new funding. Discussion for improvements continues as city Ben Carver said some of his con- “We’ve got drainage issues considers big spending bump for parks dept stituents weren’t sure what the at the soccer fields and some big increase in spending would piping issues that’s upwards of BY ALEX HOLLOWAY The city is considering a be going toward. $50,000, as an example,” Logan [email protected] millage increase to help fund “That’s where I’m getting a said. “The Travis Outlaw (Cen- a $21.77 million Fiscal Year lot of questions,” Carver said. ter’s) roof is probably $40,000. Starkville’s parks and recre- 2018-19 budget, which includes “That’s almost half a million dol- Those are just rough estimates, ation department is looking at $836,000 in new spending com- lars.” but those some of the things a range of improvements across pared to the current fiscal year. Carver Logan Parks and Recreation Manag- that could be coming.” its facilities, should aldermen Almost half of that spending, its recreation facilities up to par er Gerry Logan, speaking at the In an interview with The Dis- approve a proposed budget with or $440,000, is expected to go with neighboring communities. meeting, pointed to two projects patch, Logan said he’s keeping a significant increase in parks to the parks department as the But during a budget hearing at the Sportsplex as examples of a list of projects that need to spending. city continues its push to bring at last week’s Board of Alder- what might would be addressed See GOALS, 6A BACK TO SCHOOL Area jobless numbers drop in July E mployment in Mississippi at its highest rate in decade BY SLIM SMITH [email protected] Unemployment rates fell in three of four area counties in July, according to the monthly labor re- port released by the Mississippi Department of Employment Secu- rity as summer jobs ended and stu- dents begin leaving the workforce. Only in Clay County did July’s unemployment rate exceed that of June — by 0.3 percent. All four counties’ jobless rates were well below the rates a year ago. With students entering and leav- ing the workforce at various times of the year, the 12-month moving average is probably a better indica- tor of unemployment in the Gold- en Triangle. Oktibbeha County’s Slim Smith/Dispatch Staff 12-month unemployment rate is 4.5 Transfer students Terrance Thomas and Antavious Belgrade, both from Macon, chat with Sabrina Brandon and Jordyn Mays percent, followed by Lowndes (5.0 Thursday morning on the campus of Mississippi University for Women. Thursday was the first day of classes at The W Mays percent) Clay (6.2 percent) and and Brandon spent part of their day handing out water and Popsicles as part for their sorority, Delta Sigma Theta. “We’re just Noxubee (7 percent). saying hello to students and welcoming them back to campus,” Mays said. Statewide data also shows con- tinuing positive trends. For the fourth month in a row, the Civilian Labor Force, com- posed of everyone who has a job or is looking for a job, increased by 3,400 in July to 1,284,900. Over Columbus YMCA collecting the year, the Civilian Labor Force rose by 5,000. Since July 2017, the number of unemployed Mississip- undergarments for disaster victims pians fell by 4,200, and the number of working Mississippians rose in July by 2,900 to 1,223,800, which is in Septem- arise, such as a house fire or ‘Show You Care With Underwear’ the highest number of Mississippi- ber. The Y is some other personal disas- campaign will run through September seeking dona- ters. ans with jobs in more than 10 years tions of new, Donations can be (June 2008). BY SLIM SMITH ter people send all kinds of packaged un- dropped off at any of the Y’s See UNEMPLOYMENT, 6A [email protected] clothing and a lot of times dergarments Lowndes County locations it’s gently-used clothing,” of all sizes in downtown Columbus, UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS When disaster strikes said Stephanie Gibson of — underwear, Caledonia and New Hope. July June July and donations begin pour- Gibson County the Frank P. Phillips YMCA socks, bras The Undercover Project 2018 2018 2017 ing in, relief workers know in Columbus. “But nobody and undershirts. began in Columbus as the they’ll get plenty of the usu- The underwear will be Y’s response to Hurricane Lowndes 5.8% 6.2% 6.5% sends underwear and, to be al staples — bottled water, distributed through the Y’s Katrina and is now a na- Oktibbeha 5.7% 6.5% 6.2% honest, nobody wants some- nonperishable foods and crisis response program, tional program operating Clay 7.8 % 7.5 % 8.6% clothing. one else’s underwear. It’s “The Undercover Project.” in YMCA’s throughout the Noxubee 8.0% 8.6% 9.3% But there is one needed like using somebody else’s Gibson said the Y’s crisis country, Gibson said. item that is almost always in toothbrush.” team not only responds to “We don’t work through *MS 4.8% 4.7% 5.1% short supply: In anticipation of the next big disasters such as hur- other agencies, although *US 3.9% 4.0% 4.3% Underwear. such crisis, the Y is holding a ricanes and the Smithville we would certainly be open *seasonally-adjusted rate “I don’t know why it is, month-long “Show You Care tornado, but responds to to that,” Gibson said. “It’s Source: Miss. Department but when there’s a disas- With Underwear” campaign individual needs that might something we do ourselves.” of Employment Security WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS C ALENDAR LOCAO L F LKS PUB LIC 1 What device can be implanted in MEETINGS Wednesday Aug. 28: OCH the chest to regulate abnormal heart ■ Book signing: Bill Darnell will talk about rhythms? Regional Medical his book “One Light City” and sign copies from 2 What martial art uses bamboo Center Board of swords for combat instructions? 2-3:30 p.m. at the Caledonia Public Library on 3 What two countries border Lake Main Street in Caledonia. Light refreshments Trustees, 4 p.m., Titicaca? will be served. OCH Ben Sherertz 4 French singer Jordy Lemoine had a ■ Get Swept Up: Volunteers can sign up now Sept. 11: No. 1 single in France at what age — Kindergarten, Annunciation to “fix up, spruce up, clean up” outdoor areas of Starkville-Oktibbe- 4, 6, 9 or 12? ha Consolidated 5 Where was British air traveler Rich- Starkville before the Bulldogs’ first home game. School District High Low ard Reid hiding explosives on Dec. 22, Register at getsweptup.com. For more informa- 92 72 2001? tion, contact The Partnership, 662-323-3322. School Board Mostly sunny meeting, 6 p.m., Full forecast on Answers, 6B Greensboro Center page 2A. Thursday ■ Dancer/actress Nicole Marquez: The W’s Oct. 8: Gordy Honors College Fall Forum Series opens Starkville-Oktibbe- INSIDE with a talk by dancer/actress Nicole Marquez, ha Consolidated Classifieds6B Education 6A author of “Falling Isn’t Failure,” at 6 p.m. in Nis- School District Comics 5B Obituaries 5A san Auditorium on campus. Free to the public. School Board Crossword 4B Opinions 4A Email [email protected], call 662-241-6850, or Richard Berryman loves to meeting, 6 p.m., Dear Abby 5B visit muw.edu/honors/forum. build furniture. Greensboro Center DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2018 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “We needed to win pretty bad. We’ve had a lot of races that haven’t gone in our favor.” Neil Simon, Broadway’s Timothy Culp, who won the Mississippi State Champi- onship Challenge Series feature Saturday at Magnolia master of comedy, dies at 91 Monday Motor Speedway. Story, 1B. Playwright died Harvey Fierstein, who tweeted that Simon “could early Sunday write a joke that would make you laugh, define Services for McCain set of complications the character, the situation, and even the world’s prob- from pneumonia lems.” for Phoenix, Washington, Annapolis Matthew Broderick, BY MARK KENNEDY who in 1983 made his Private burial service AP Entertainment Writer Broadway debut in Simon’s “Brighton Beach Mem- next Sunday will Replacing McCain in the Senate NEW YORK — Play- oirs” and his movie debut wright Neil Simon, a mas- conclude nearly a week ter of comedy whose laugh- in Simon’s “Max Dugan Re- is political balancing act filled hits such as “The Odd turns,” added: “I owe him a of events honoring the Couple,” “Barefoot in the career. The theater has lost THE ASSOCiated PRESS Park” and his “Brighton a brilliantly funny, unthink- Navy aviator, prisoner Beach” trilogy dominated ably wonderful writer. And PHOENIX — Sen. John McCain’s death in office has handed Arizo- Broadway for decades, has even after all this time, I of war, congressman, na’s governor an empty Senate seat to give out — and a difficult political died. He was 91. feel I have lost a mentor, a puzzle to solve before he does. Simon died early Sun- father figure, a deep influ- longtime senator and Arizona law requires only that Gov. Doug Ducey name a replace- day of complications from ence in my life and work.” ment who is a member of McCain’s Republican party and who will fill pneumonia at New York For seven months in presidential contender the seat until the next general election in 2020.