Lowndes County Aims to Be Certified with Education Nonprofit
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI CDISPATCH.COM 75 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY FRIDAY | MAY 24, 2019 Lowndes County aims CVB: Pilgrimage brought up to 10,000 to be certified visitors, $600K in economic impact with education nonprofit Program will focus on educating parents on early education opportunities in the community BY MARY POLLITZ [email protected] The Lowndes County Community Foundation’s educa- tional task force is working to prepare students for kinder- garten starting at birth. Since education Spears was a top concern county-wide during a community conversation LCF hosted with area stakeholders in March 2018, the task force sub- Dispatch file photo mitted an application to Excel by Kathy Novotny informs guests about the history of her home, Temple Heights, during the 2018 Columbus Pilgrimage 5, a community-based certification in this Dispatch file photo. Novotny and other antebellum homeowners are concerned that they don’t have enough group aiming to prepare Mississippi communication with the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau in the months leading up to Pilgrimage. children, from birth to age 5, for suc- cess in education. Lowndes County is now considered a candidate com- munity for the program. Some homeowners ask for more communication Jason Spears, Columbus Munic- ipal School District board president and chair for the education task with CVB before next year’s Pilgrimage force, said the process of moving from candidate to certified is now BY AMANDA LIEN visitors for the past four years. start,” Novotny said. “We aren’t real- underway. [email protected] They enjoy showing guests ly told anything until we’re asked (to Spears said by going through around their homes, which were participate in home tours) and given Gaines Gaskin and the process of certification, the task two of 12 antebellum houses on this the contract to sign.” Kathy Novotny both force will work to ensure parents year’s tour. With the help of volun- Additionally, Novotny told The know the resources available for love participating in teers, they dress in period attire, Dispatch she feels that a decline children before kindergarten. For Pilgrimage. tell stories of the homes’ history and in volunteer participation is taking example, if a child is diagnosed with Both women past residents, and do their best to away from Pilgrimage’s success. autism, Spears said parents need opened their historic provide an immersive experience. Both she and Gaskin sometimes to know about existing support and Columbus homes be- But Novotny said the months had to close rooms of their homes resources the county already has to tween March 28 and Gaskin leading up to Pilgrimage lack the during tours because there weren’t offer to help with the child’s develop- April 6 for the 79th same appeal, due to what she and enough docents (volunteers in peri- ment. year of the annual tradition. Gaskin say is poor communication od attire who help with tours). The first thing to do is figure out Gaskin has hosted antebellum between homeowners and the Co- “You feel like (visitors are) not why parents don’t know about those home tours at Errolton on Third Av- lumbus-Lowndes Convention and getting their money’s worth when resources, he said. enue South, both with her family as a Visitors Bureau, a shortage of vol- that happens,” Gaskin said. “And “From the candidate phase we little girl and a homeowner with her unteers and a lack of promotional it’s a shame because we love show- are in now, that’s where we start to husband, Keith. On the other side of material. ing our homes. We want to tell that do a thorough analysis to figure out town, Novotny has opened Temple “This year, we were told a month history.” which gaps exist and why they ex- Heights on Ninth Street North to in advance when Pilgrimage would See PILGriMAGE, 6A ist,” Spears said. “It’s to give us a full spectrum of what the groundwork See EXCEL BY 5, 3A CANDIDATE FORUM: Liber- ‘Vote Yes’ group misses campaign tarian Senate candidate Dan- ny Bedwell, left, finance reporting deadline speaks with Lowndes Coun- Gregory: Group is seeking clarity on whether ty Chancery Clerk candidate report was supposed to be submitted Cindy Egger Goode after a BY AleX HolloWay to replace former alderman candidate fo- [email protected] Patrick Miller, who resigned rum hosted by last month for a job on the the Libertarian STARKVILLE — A rep- coast, and the citywide referen- Party of Lown- resentative for Vote Yes for dum on a 1-percent increase to des County at Starkville Parks says the group the Hyatt Place is seeking input on whether it its restaurant and hotel/motel in Columbus needs to submit a campaign taxes were due on Thursday. Thursday night. Ward 5 candidates Hamp Beat- Ten candidates finance report after missing ty, Kayla Gilmore and John Mi- spoke to at- Thursday’s filing deadline for a tendees about May 30 special election. chael VanHorn submitted their their platforms. Campaign finance reports reports to the city clerk’s office. Amanda Lien/Dispatch Staff for the Ward 5 special election See FINANCE REPORT, 6A WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR COMING SUNDAY PUBLIC 1 Who earned an Oscar nomination for her MEETINGS Sunday June 3: Lown- portrayal of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo? ■ Northside Charity Boil: 2 What can result when a tiny object gets des County stuck in the mantle of a shelled mollusk, This fundraiser for the most often an oyster? Golden Triangle Homeless Supervisors, 9 Coalition is hosted by Colin 3 What racehorse won the 2006 Kentucky a.m., County Derby, but shattered its leg at the Preak- and Desiree Krieger from Courthouse Brandon Doumit ness and ultimately had to be put down? 1-7 p.m. at 803 Fifth Ave. 4 What sticky dish did Harvard’s most N., Columbus. Water slide, June 4: Colum- Fifth grade, Annunciation famous theatrical society take its name live music, food, raffle. Get bus City Council from? advance raffle tickets at High Low 5 Who is Spicoli’s nemesis in “Fast Times 662tix.com. 662-329-7653. regular meeting, 92 69 at Ridgemont High”? Sunny 5 p.m., Munic- Full forecast on Answers, 6B ipal Complex page 2A. NO PAPER MONDAY Courtroom June 17: Lown- INSIDE ■ The offices of The Dispatch will be closed des County Classifieds6B Obituaries 2,3,5A Monday for Memorial Supervisors, 9 Comics 4B Opinions 4A Day. Normal operations Don’t miss The Dispatch special section Salute a.m., County Crossword 6B Religion 5B will resume Tuesday. 140TH YEAR, NO. 64 Dear Abby 4B to Industry in Sunday’s newspaper. Courthouse DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “There are more evangelicals in the U.S. today than 10 years ago, yet there are less Southern Baptists.” Miss. officer charged in killing Ed Stetzer, a professor at Wheaton College, on declining member- is fired, judge leaves the case Friday ship of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. Story, 5B. The ASSOCiated PreSS that prosecutors and de- fense lawyers might agree AREA OBITUARIES OXFORD — A Missis- next week on “reasonable” sippi city has fired a police bail for Kinne. COMMERCIAL DISPATCH Johnson Sr., Lynell Dava Wright Mr. Porter was born officer charged in the kill- OBITUARY POLICY Scales, Marilynn March 13, 1935, to the “There is no justice Obituaries with basic infor- WEBSTER, Tx. — ing of a woman with whom Baltimore, Chanta late Pervy Porter and for black people,” Bessie mation including visitation Dava LaTricia Wright, he was romantically in- Clayton said. and service times, are pro- Woodson, Santrice 47, died May 11, 2019, Hattie Mae Aldridge volved. She also said that vided free of charge. Extend- Bell, Sanita Taylor, at her resi- Porter. He was formerly In a related develop- Circuit Judge Andrew ed obituaries with a photo- Ronald Henderson dence. employed with Arvin ment, a judge who pre- Howorth, who is white, graph, detailed biographical and Derrick Scales. Ser- Manufacturing. sided over the officer’s information and other details had laughed during vices In addition to his first court appearance families may wish to include, Kinne’s court appearance, L.Q. Lawston will be at parents, he was pre- has stepped away from and that was a sign of dis- are available for a fee. ceded in death by Obituaries must be submit- STARKVILLE — 11 a.m. the case after the victim’s respect to her slain daugh- ted through funeral homes L.Q. Lawston, 86, his brothers, Clayton mother said the judge was Saturday ter. unless the deceased’s body died May 18, 2019, in Porter, Curtis Porter, disrespectful. “This judge has got to at Greater has been donated to sci- Starkville. Mt. Zion Wright Cleon Porter and Junior An Oxford Police De- go,” Bessie Clayton said. ence. If the deceased’s body Services will be Porter; and sister, Mer- partment spokesman con- Church During the court ap- was donated to science, at 11 a.m. Saturday le Porter Keating. firmed Thursday to the the family must provide in Columbus, with the pearance, Howorth sought at Blackjack M.B. He is survived by his Oxford Eagle that city to present written charges official proof of death. Rev. Doran Johnson Church in Starkville. sisters, Francis Parker aldermen met in closed to Kinne’s defense attor- Please submit all obituaries officiating. Burial will Burial will follow at and Alice Hudgins. session Tuesday night and ney and then realized he on the form provided by The follow at Union Ceme- Commercial Dispatch.