ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI CDISPATCH.COM 50 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY TUESDAY | MAY 22, 2018 Trio gets 40 years for ‘Competition for a good cause’ pizza delivery robberies Men responsible for armed robberies of Papa John’s, Domino’s drivers DisPatCH StaFF REPOrt Three Columbus men pleaded guilty Monday in Lown- des County Circuit Court in connection to robbing local piz- za delivery drivers at gunpoint in 2016. Jeremy Rashad Knight Knight, 18, received a 20-year sentence in the Mississippi De- partment of Correc- tions for his guilty Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff plea to armed rob- Kamryn Ross, 11, examines the inside of a fire engine with Columbus Fire and Rescue firefighter Harrison Branch bery, with 10 years at Fire Station 1 earlier this month. CFR firefighters won a Buffalo Wild Wings wing-eating competition against Co- to serve and 10 sus- lumbus Police Department officers to raise money for the Columbus branch of the Boys and Girls Club on April 18. pended, District At- Poe torney Scott Colom said. Knight also Friendly rivalry between Columbus police, will serve five years post-release supervi- sion. fire departments builds camaraderie Casimir Markario Poe, 17, will serve 20 BY ISABELLE ALTMAN years for conspira- [email protected] cy to commit armed Hill robbery, while 19-year-old Tone olumbus Fire Lamar Hill was sentenced to 10 and Rescue’s years for being an accessory to Cbrand new tro- armed robbery after the fact, Co- phy stands proudly in lom said. A fourth suspect, a ju- Fire Station 1, where venile who was 12 at the time of it commemorates the the incidents, is being processed quick actions of three through Lowndes County Youth firefighters — and one child from the Colom Court. Boys and Girls Club All four suspects were arrested — who dispensed of in December 2016 after at least a plate of 50 chicken three altercations with pizza de- wings in less than six livery workers in successive days, minutes. starting with an attempted rob- The real excite- Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff bery of a Domino’s driver on East ment for the firefight- Members of the Columbus branch of the Boys and Girls Club and firefight- Manor Drive on Dec. 3. ers who received the ers from Columbus Fire and Rescue pose with CFR’s new Buffalo Wild The next day, the suspects trophy from Buffalo Shelton Wings wing-eating trophy outside Fire Station 1 earlier this month. From robbed a Papa John’s driver at gun- left, Brittany Turner, firefighter Harrison Branch, Jamarion Moody, 14, Wild Wings Co- point on 18th Avenue North, tak- firefighter Joe Besant, Buffalo Wild Wings manager Vincent Epps; from top lumbus location general manager ing a pizza, the driver’s cell phone left Peyton Sykes, 9, Kayla Spann, 12, Kamryn Ross, 11. Moody’s parents Vincent Epps was that the three and $38 cash. On Dec. 5, they held are Robena and Jonathan Moody. Sykes’ mother is Nicki Sykes. Spann’s police officers competing against up another Domino’s driver at gun- parents are Christina and Justin Spann. Ross’ mother is Tamika Ross. them only ate about 46 wings. point on Forrest Lane, taking a piz- “It was close, but it came out nation of the fire department that agreed. za and $25 cash. to the ones who really wanted it really put us ahead of the police The two teams were the main No one was injured in any of the more, and that was us,” Firefighter department.” attraction at Buffalo Wild Wings’ altercations. Harrison Branch said, speaking on “And our appetites,” fellow Fire- fundraiser for the Boys and Girls All suspects but Hill were under behalf of his fellow firefighters who fighter Joe Besant added. Club on April 18. Epps said each 18 at the time of their arrests. How- ate the wings. “It was the determi- “Yes, we were hungrier,” Branch ever, Mississippi law allows sus- See RIVALRY, 6A pects 13 and older to be charged as adults for armed robbery. Friends and family of the late Gabriel “Super Gabe” Check warns Oktibbeha County ‘not big Valentine stand around a new bench that was dedicat- ed in his honor at Sudduth enough’ for two ambulance services Elementary School. Attend- BY AleX HOllOWAY Starkville alder- ees sang and rang cowbells [email protected] men’s decision in memory of the Starkville to contract with third grader who lost his Oktibbeha County supervisors life to a battle with epider- Ruston, Louisi- molysis bullosa last June. are bracing for the impact of two ana-based Pafford From left are, A.J. Richey, ambulance services operating in EMS, a private com- 10, son of Katy and Mike the county following a grave warn- pany, for ambulance Richey; Stacy Weems; Tyreq ing Monday morning from Rural calls in the city lim- Check Hendrix, 10, son of Brittani Fire Services training officer Aus- its. The move would and Terrell Hendrix; Isabel Maclemore and Gabe’s older tin Check. relegate OCH Regional Medical sister, Alex Baldwin. Check, speaking at the super- Center’s ambulance service to re- Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff visors’ recess meeting, roasted See EMS SERVICE, 6A WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC 1 What specific laundry challenge did MEETINGS Today May 23: Wisk detergent begin tackling in the ■ Camp Rising Sun Celebrity Wait Night: 1970s? CMSD Board of Bulldog coaches Joe Moorhead and Vic Schae- 2 Real grenadine, the red syrup Trustees special fer are slated to join local “celebrity waiters” that gives a Shirley Temple its color, meeting, 8:30 to benefit Camp Rising Sun at Mugshots in comes from what fruit? a.m., Brandon 3 What island used to be called Columbus, 1737 Highway 45 North. All tips Central Services Formosa? and donations from 5:30-9 p.m. help fund Vinny Raona June 4: Lown- 4 What ‘90s sitcom starred John this annual camp for children who have been First grade, Caledonia Lithgow as an extraterrestrial high des County diagnosed with cancer. commander posing as a suburban Supervisors, 9 High Low dad? a.m., County 84 67 5 What pioneer televangelist and faith Partly sunny Saturday Courthouse healer passed away in 2009, at age ■ Special Needs-Special Spirit Run/Walk: June 5: City Full forecast on of 91? This run/walk at the Columbus Riverwalk Council, 5:30 page 2A. Answers, 6B provides family support, community education, p.m., Municipal activities, advocacy and referral services to Complex children and adults with developmental disabil- June 18: INSIDE ities and their families. Entry is $10, or $25 for Lowndes County Classifieds6B Dear Abby 5B a family or group. For more information, contact Supervisors, 9 Comics 5B Obituaries 5A Robin Tate, 662-436-4212; Rice Glover, 662- Bill Laws likes fishing for a.m., County 139TH YEAR, NO. 62 Crossword 4B Opinions 4A 549-7306; or Norma Jones, 662-352-3184. bass and playing tennis. Courthouse DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2018 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com DID YOU HEAR? SAY WHAT? “It’s the best two out of three to go to the NBA Finals. Doesn’t get better than that.” AP: McDonald’s workers Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens after his team lost to file sex harassment claims Tuesday the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. Story, 1B. Complaints: When the women reported the harassment, they were A THOUSAND WORDS ignored or mocked, and in some cases suffered retaliation BY DAVID CRARY en’s Law Center to provide AP National Writer attorneys for women who cannot afford to bring cas- NEW YORK — En- es on their own. ergized by the #MeToo The complaints, filed movement, two national with the U.S. Equal Em- advocacy groups are team- ployment Opportunity ing up to lodge sexual Commission, are being an- harassment complaints nounced on Tuesday, two against McDonald’s on days ahead of the compa- behalf of 10 women who ny’s annual shareholder have worked at the fast meeting in Oak Brook, food restaurant in nine cit- Illinois. ies. Responding to the The workers — one of claims, McDonald’s them a 15-year-old from spokeswoman Terri Hick- St. Louis — alleged grop- ey said there is “no place ing, propositions for sex, for harassment and dis- indecent exposure and crimination of any kind” in lewd comments by su- the workplace. pervisors. According to “McDonald’s Corpora- their complaints, when tion takes allegations of the women reported the sexual harassment very harassment, they were ig- seriously and are con- nored or mocked, and in fident our independent some cases suffered retal- franchisees who own and iation. operate approximately The legal effort was or- 90 percent of our 14,000 ganized by Fight for $15, U.S. restaurants will do which campaigns to raise the same,” Hickey said by pay for low-wage workers. email. The legal costs are being Fight for $15 said the Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff covered by the TIMES restaurants named in the Elijah Sample, 6, jumps into the air after successfully completing a practice play with the rest of the Starkville Steelers football team at Mississippi State University’s practice field Monday. The team is practicing to get UP Legal Defense Fund, complaints are run by ready for its first game in August. Elijah is the son of Monique Shields and Red Belk of Starkville. which was launched in Jan- franchisees, not directly uary by the National Wom- by McDonald’s. CONTACTING THE DISPATCH Office hours: Main line: n 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri n 662-328-2424 Mass school shootings mostly HOW DO I ..