CPD Officer Suspended for Second Time in a Year
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ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI CDISPATCH.COM 50 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY WEDNESDAY | JUNE 6, 2018 CPD officer suspended for second time in a year it, one of which uses a racial was wrong and expected some Booth made inappropriate gesture at acquaintance slur and one of which implies a consequences. Our argument BY ISABELLE ALTMAN cilmen voted unanimously to an acquaintance former police officer is gay. was the inconsistency in the [email protected] suspend Officer Jared Booth of Booth and a CPD Chief Fred Shelton rec- way these disciplinary mea- for 28 working days for conduct spouse of another ommended Booth receive a 35- sures are imposed. We didn’t A patrolman with Columbus unbecoming of a police officer CPD officer, the day suspension on Tuesday. Co- think the facts of the case mer- Police Department has been and put him on six-month pro- source said. lumbus attorney Mark Jackson, ited the punishment being rec- suspended for 28 days without ommended. We were able to get bation. In June 2017, Booth who is representing Booth, said pay for the second time in a According to a city source Booth was sus- he thinks even the 28-day sus- it reduced a little bit, but right year. with knowledge of the situation, pended for 28 days without pay pension is too strong a penalty. now, I think Jared is going to On Tuesday morning during Booth made a sexual gesture to for violating the social media “We weren’t arguing the take a couple of days to think it a special call meeting of the an employee in a retail store policy for Facebook three posts, facts of the incident,” Jackson through, so I can’t say if there Columbus City Council, coun- in October. The employee was one of which is sexually explic- said. “Jared knows what he did See SUSPENSION, 3A FUEL FLUCTUATIONS Wicker faces winner of Dem runoff in Mississippi Senate race Local results mostly match state BY EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS The Associated Press JACKSON — Sen. Roger Wicker of Mis- sissippi easily won a Republican primary Tuesday, months af- ter being endorsed by President Donald Trump and the same Wicker day Trump tweeted that the legislator “has my total sup- port!” Wicker served Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff nearly 13 years in the Tavarest Gray of Starkville pumps gas Tuesday night at the Shell Station on Blackjack Road. Gas prices are generally up since U.S. House before last year but are expected to stabilize. then-Gov. Haley Bar- bour appointed him Baria to the Senate in late Gas prices up from last year but expected to stabilize 2007 when fellow Re- publican Trent Lott Cities have hard time over the past year — the “Right now, the state-wide average is resigned. Wicker’s Mississippi average for $2.64, which is actually down a couple opponent in the No- cutting fuel costs a gallon of gasoline is 54 of cents from last week.” vember race isn’t de- cents more than it was in Redman said the increases seen over cided, as the Demo- BY Slim SmitH June 2017 — Redman said the past year have been slowed by a va- cratic primary heads [email protected] the prices have stabilized riety of factors. While OPEC has cut to a June runoff. Sherman and, barring some un- back on oil production, U.S. oil produc- Wicker, of Tu- If you are looking for a way to re- tion has exceeded market expectations, pelo, defeated one GOP primary foreseen developments, Redman main optimistic about gasoline prices, should not spike for the Redman said. challenger who ran a low-budget the best thing to note is that it could be remainder of the year. “Russia and Saudi Arabia are start- campaign, business owner Richard worse, said Don Redman of AAA, which “Right now, we are seeing the price ing to lose market share as a result, Boyanton of Diamondhead. monitors gas prices. of crude oil dropping some, which will so there’s a belief that they will loosen Six Democrats ran, and the top While prices have increased steadily bring the price down,” Redman said. See GAS PRICES, 6A See SENATE RACE, 6A SUMMER LIBRARY State third-grade reading PROGRAM: YMCA camp members and friends Chelsea Ponds, 11, left, assessment scores released and Paris St. John, 10, play their egg shaker LCSD 1.5 percent higher than state average; instruments during the Columbus-Lowndes CMSD, SOCSD scores below state average Public Library Kickoff Party Tuesday. The party BY MarY POLLITZ All third-grade students signified the first day of [email protected] in Mississippi must pass the the Children’s Summer reading assessment — which Library Program. Chelsea More than 60 school dis- is part of the broader year-end is the daughter of Delilah tricts in Mississippi had a 95% English-Language Arts exam and Buster Ponds of Eth- elsville, Alabama. Paris or higher passing rate on the for third grade — before en- is the daughter of Paula third grade reading assess- tering the fourth grade. MDE St. John of Columbus. ment this year. See READING SCORES, 6A Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC 1 In what country might you go on safari MEETINGS Thursday June 8: Lown- in Kruger National Park? ■ Exhibit reception: See photography of Africa by Walter 2 What pop singer’s perfume was called Diehl of Starkville and art by Penny Scarboro at a free recep- des County Electric Youth? School District 3 Chelsea Clinton earned her undergrad- tion 5:30-7 p.m. at the Columbus Arts Council, 501 Main St. uate degree at what school? 662-328-2787. regular meeting, 4 What kind of painting gets its name ■ Sounds of Summer: Bring lawn chairs or blankets to the 12:30 p.m., Gryson Carter from the Latin word for “wall”? Columbus Riverwalk for a free summer concert by Style, 7-9 LCSD Central 5 What fruit was officially declared a Caledonia Elementary p.m. Concessions available. No pets or coolers. 662-328- Office vegetable in an 1893 U.S. Supreme 4491, 662-328-6305. Court ruling? June 11: Colum- bus Municipal High 90 Low 62 Answers, 8B Mostly sunny Thursday and Saturday School District ■ FOL Book Sale: Friends of the Columbus-Lowndes Library Full forecast on regular meeting, book sale is Thursday 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturday page 2A. 4 p.m., Brandon 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., 314 Seventh St. N. 662-329-5300. INSIDE Central Services June 18: Classifieds7B Obituaries 5A Friday Lowndes County Comics 4B Opinions 4A ■ Friday Night Jams: The West Point/Clay County Arts Elias Ramirez works at Crossword 8B NATS 7A Council presents live music at 7 p.m. at the Louise Campbell Columbus Air Force Base Supervisors, 9 Dear Abby 4B Scene & Seen 2A Center for the Arts, 235 Commerce St., downtown West with security and enjoys a.m., County 139TH YEAR, NO. 74 Food 4B Point. “all kinds of music.” Courthouse DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2018 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com DID YOU HEAR? Handbag designer Kate Spade found dead in apparent suicide Wednesday ‘We are all “We are all devastat- ed by today’s tragedy,” Spade’s family said in GREAT GUMBO devastated by Chef Wilson Beck served up homemade gumbo Friday at a statement through a a pre-party for the Island Paddle Fest fundraiser benefiting today’s tragedy’ spokesman. “We loved Lowndes County Imagination Library. Kate dearly and will miss Scene&Seen BY COLLEEN LONG her terribly. We would ask The Associated Press that our privacy be respect- ed as we grieve during this NEW YORK — Kate very difficult time.” Spade, a fashion design- The body was found er known for her sleek not long after 10 a.m., po- handbags, was found dead lice said. Her husband and in her Park Avenue apart- business partner Andy ment Tuesday in an ap- Spade was in the apart- parent suicide, police said. ment at the time. The She was 55. News of her death couple’s daughter was at shocked the fashion world school and led to an outpouring of It’s not clear how long tributes from her legions she had been dead. The of fans. medical examiner will per- A housekeeper dis- form an autopsy. covered Spade’s body A crime scene truck hanging in her bedroom, was parked outside police said. While investi- Spade’s building on Man- gators were still in the ear- hattan’s Upper East Side, ly stages of their inquiry, and barriers had been set the department’s chief of up to keep back reporters detectives, Dermot Shea, and gawkers who were ar- said evidence including a riving to the building. note pointed to “a tragic The company she suicide.” founded and later sold, Shea wouldn’t discuss Kate Spade New York, now what was in the note, but has over 140 retail shops law enforcement officials and outlet stores across told The Associated Press the U.S. and more than Laura Callaway, John Collier, Candace Collier that, among other things, 175 shops internationally. it contained a message to Julia Curry, a spokes- Spade’s 13-year-old daugh- woman for the company, ter, saying it was not her said that “Kate will be fault. The officials were dearly missed” and “our not authorized to speak thoughts are with Andy publicly and spoke on con- and the entire Spade fam- dition of anonymity. ily at this time.” CONTACTING THE DISPATCH Office hours: Main line: n 8 a.m.-5 p.m.