ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI CDISPATCH.COM 75 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY TUESDAY | JULY 23, 2019 Cameras, earlier close time possible at Propst phen Jones said or provide policies for renting Councilman Mickens: ‘Nothing good happens after midnight’ no cameras are parks facilities. Likewise, Pub- BY MARY POLLITZ a fight broke out in the building. “I don’t know the total pro- installed at the lic Information Officer Joe Dil- [email protected] The fight continued outside in cedures, but midnight is a little activities center lon did not provide rental policy the parking lot, where shots late,” Mickens said. “Personally, currently and information to The Dispatch by City officials plan to increase were fired into a crowd and end- I think we should shut it down elsewhere. press time. police presence and security at ed with the death of 16-year-old by 10 p.m. We need to be gone “We’re look- Police Chief Fred Shelton did all city facilities in wake of Sat- ing into getting not provide further comment on Arykah Patrice White. and out of there by then. (Coun- Mickens urday night’s fatal shooting at Two councilmen told The cilman Bill) Gavin has always cameras,” Jones the investigation Monday. How- Propst Park. Dispatch on Monday the city said nothing good happens af- said. “I think it’s long overdue. I ever, in a statement posted on Police officers were dis- needs to add security cameras ter midnight. I have a tendency think we need cameras, not just Facebook, Mayor Robert Smith patched to Propst Park shortly at the activities center. Ward 2 to believe what Bill was saying. there but at other areas around addressed the investigation and before midnight on Saturday. Councilman Joseph Mickens I think we can adjust the cur- the city. We need to be able to the need to look into city policy During a birthday party at the said he hopes to also amend the few, I’m sure that will be one of see what’s going on.” changes. park’s activity center, which is times citizens are allowed to things we will do.” City parks director Greg “As Mayor, I hope it brings located in the northeast corner, rent public park facilities. Ward 5 Councilman Ste- Lewis declined to comment on See SHOOTING, 3A GONE MUDDIN’ City backs off $109 charge for records of councilman’s bounced check BY MARY POLLITZ [email protected] Columbus city ad- ministration on Mon- day reversed course on a week-long ef- fort to charge The Dispatch $109.18 for records that show a city councilman’s check to rent space Turnage in the Trotter Con- vention Center for his wedding in May bounced. Jennifer Mosbrucker/Dispatch Staff Chief Opera- Jace Charles Hudgens, 4, places a helmet on his head while playing at 4-H Learn by Doing Camp on Monday at the Lowndes tions Officer David County Extension Office. While members of his family gave horse rides to campers, Hudgens pretended to ride the ATV and Armstrong provid- played in the dirt. Campers learned about ATV safety later in the day. Look for more photos from the 4-H Learn by Doing ed copies of the six Camp in Sunday’s Lifestyles section. pages of documents Jackson needed to fill the re- Inside quest free of charge ■ OUR VIEW: Monday morning, City seems to ending a standoff on take pride in the issue between transparency only when it the newspaper and serves the LCSD revenue expected to increase by about $1M next fiscal year certain city officials interests of reserve) in 2014. — namely Chief Fi- certain people. Hughes: Further cost-cutting would have to come from personnel Page 4A The district operated at nancial Officer De- liah Vaughn, Public BY AMANDA LIEN to projections LCSD business Still, the board opted to a $2.5 million deficit in FY Information Officer Joe Dillon and [email protected] 2019, something that con- manager Kenneth Hughes uphold its earlier decision to City Attorney Jeff Turnage. presented at a school board request an ad valorem tax in- cerned LCSD Board Vice Fred Jackson, councilman for Lowndes County School meeting Monday. crease from Lowndes Coun- President Jane Kilgore, who Ward 4, abruptly resigned July 3 District is expecting to bring The expenses are expect- ty supervisors to make up asked Hughes if he took any with a letter citing he wanted to in $1 million more in revenue ed to be slightly lower than for a school district that has measures to cut expenses spend more time with his family over the upcoming year, from revenue, at $59,222,000, rapidly declined to less than when creating the FY 2020 and focus on his career. He was $59 million in FY 2019 to $60 roughly the same amount as $5 million from a $17 million budget. married May 11 at the Trotter and million in FY 2020, according FY 2019. fund balance (operation fund See LCSD, 6A See RECORDS, 3A Tim Moore, center, Hospital association floats plan for Medicaid reform president and CEO of Mississippi Hospital As- MHA CEO: ‘We don’t want any erage, Tim Moore, president and CEO of Mis- sociation, speaks with sissippi Hospital Association, told Starkville Rotarians Ed Williams, more of the same’ Rotarians at their regular meeting Monday. left, and Bill Daniel, The plan, MississippiCares, seeks to assist right, after the Starkville BY VICtoria CHEYNE non-disabled Mississippians between the ages Rotary Club’s regular [email protected] of 19 and 64 who earn too much to qualify for meeting Monday. Moore Medicaid, but don’t earn enough to be eligible presented before the STARKVILLE — Mississippi Hospital As- group about the associ- for Affordable Care Act Marketplace premium ation’s plan, Mississip- sociation has a plan in the works to reform the tax credits. Between 163,000 and 300,000 Mis- piCares, for Medicaid Medicaid program in the state under the Af- sissippians are affected. reform in the state. fordable Care Act and expand health care cov- See MEDICAID, 3A Victoria Cheyne/Dispatch Staff WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC 1 Who “ain’t no girl”? tesia from 10 a.m.-2 MEETINGS Thursday p.m., with free school July 30: Columbus 2 In May 1986, millions linked what ■ Sounds of body parts in an attempt to span the supplies, water slide, Summer: The band Municipal School United States? game truck and food. District Board, spe- 3 What cereal, co-invented by Dr. John Bouncing Betty For more information, cial-call meeting, Harvey Kellogg, was believed to help entertains from 7-9 call 662-272-5104. people curb their libidos? p.m. at the Columbus 6 p.m., Brandon John Black 4 What sport has groupies known as Riverwalk. Bring lawn Central Services “buckle bunnies”? Friday Second grade, New Hope chairs or blankets to July 31: Lowndes 5 According to the proverb, what does the free concert. Con- ■ Back to School County Supervi- a rolling stone not gather? cessions available; Bash/Health Fair: sors, 9 a.m., Coun- High 83 Low 62 Answers, 6B no coolers or pets. Contact Helpline ty Courthouse hosts this event from Partly sunny For more information, Aug. 5: Lowndes Full forecast on contact Main Street 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the County Supervi- page 2A. Columbus, 662-328- American Legion Post sors, 9 a.m., Coun- 6305, or the Cham- No. 69 at 308 Legion ty Courthouse ber of Commerce, Drive in Columbus, Nashaun Hughes, 13, is INSIDE 662-328-4491. with free book bags about to enter the eighth Aug. 6: Columbus City Council regular Classifieds6B Health 6A ■ Back to School and school supplies, grade in Starkville. He likes Comics 5B Obituaries 5A Bash: Artesia Days food and kids’ fun. Marvel, and his favorite meeting, 5 p.m., Crossword 4B Opinions 4A presents this annual For more information, superhero is Thor. Nashaun Municipal Complex 140TH YEAR, NO. 114 Dear Abby 5B event in downtown Ar- call 662-327-2968. loves to be around his family. Courtroom DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A TUESDAY, JULY 23, 2019 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “This was a real compromise in order to give another big victory to our Great Military and Vets!” President Donald Trump on a debt and budget agree- 2 fired over post suggesting ment seeking to avoid a government shutdown or Ocasio-Cortez should be shot Tuesday federal default. Story, 5A. ‘Whether it social media — and that officers were undergoing was a joke or it such training this month. CMSD hires consulting firm to Lawson said an internal wasn’t a joke, it investigation began after he was informed of the assist with Hunt financial reporting was improper to post by The Times-Pica- yune/The New Orleans BY AMANDA LIEN up to $5,000 during a contract peri- double-check their work. make a comment Advocate. The newspaper [email protected] od that expires in December. “We got a lot of information reported that Rispoli’s Both Labat and CMSD Board about Hunt and the financial reim- like that ...’ post included a fake story The Columbus President Jason Spears told The bursement process from FEMA, so Municipal School Gretna Police Chief with a fabricated quote to Dispatch hiring TEG is more of a we want to make sure we’re doing District Board of Arthur Lawson make it appear as if Oca- precaution than anything. After everything correctly,” Labat said. Trustees took Su- sio-Cortez said “We pay the building incurred significant “It’s additional support for our staff THE ASSOCIatED PRESS soldiers too much.” perintendent Che- rie Labat’s recom- damage during an EF-3 tornado on that level, and (TEG) will also Lawson said the offend- on Feb.