ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI C DISPATCH.COM FREE! THURSDAY | MAY 18, 2017 Spruill wins mayor’s race by seven votes City Clerk I have been very fascinated Moore reviewing ballots, keeping option open for a challenge Lesa Hardin by the tightness of the race. It said the election highlights how important it is BY CARL SMITH Spruill’s 12-vote Election Day Another affidavit remained commission will for residents to get out and vote. [email protected] lead during the processing but pending and uncounted certify runoff re- My campaign has been preach- couldn’t find enough votes to Wednesday, as its voter failed to Lynn Spruill is set to become sults at 11:30 a.m. ing that message since we first put him over the city’s former show his or her identification at Starkville’s first female mayor Thursday and got out and started knocking chief administrative officer. the polls Tuesday. address the pend- on doors,” Spruill said. “I look after she retained a seven-vote Spruill lead over challenger Johnny Spruill’s uncertified victory Voters who do not show iden- ing affidavit. forward to moving forward with Moore once affidavits from the came after the Starkville Elec- tification at polls have five days She did not comment on its the city, talking to department Democratic primary runoff tion Commission accepted 17 of to return and show an accepted status late Wednesday. heads and getting back into were processed Wednesday. 43 affidavits after a three-hour photo identification to election “I am hopeful that the re- public service. The sooner the Moore eroded a portion of processing session. workers. sults remain as they are today. See SPRUILL, 8A Nurse arrested CAFB retires service dog for writing fraudulent prescriptions BY ISABELLE ALTMAN [email protected] A Starkville nurse has been arrested for allegedly writing false prescriptions. Amanda Jones, 35, is accused of writing prescrip- tions for Adderall in Jones the name of a family member and filling the prescrip- tions at local pharmacies. Jones was one of two northeast Missis- sippi nurses arrested in a Mis- See PRESCRIPTIONS, 8A Man charged with 7 burglaries Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff Maj. Shawn Redmond presents Military Working Dog Rex and his handler Senior Airman Kyle Jacob with his badge BY CARL SMITH during Rex’s retirement ceremony at Columbus Air Force Base on Wednesday. [email protected] Fort Living Room,” said U.S. Army A Starkville man Former narcotics K-9 to become family pet Veterinarian Capt. Erin Stein, whose faces seven residen- BY SLIM SMITH honoree, who spent most of the cer- clinic in Huntsville, Alabama, pro- tial burglary charges [email protected] emony lying on the floor, gnawing vides veterinary care for CAFB’s six stemming from inci- on a rubber chew toy, oblivious to all working dogs. “He’s going to spend dents allegedly oc- ore than 150 gathered at the the fuss. a lot of time on the couch and enjoy curring over the past Columbus Club at Columbus Military Working Dog Rex/R746 being a pet and a family dog.” year. Air Force Base Wednesday M (he’ll be known simply as “Rex” as Keontay R. Young for a retirement ceremony. a civilian) was officially retired from An illustrious career Young, 19, appeared The program lasted about 40 his duties Wednesday morning. The Rex, a 7-year-old German shep- in Starkville Municipal Court minutes and the retiree was award- transition came immediately follow- herd, came to CAFB in March 2012. Wednesday after he was arrest- ed a variety of commendations and While many of the CAFB’s ing the ceremony and Rex will now See BURGLARY, 8A certificates — even one from the be a family pet for his handler Senior military dogs have been deployed President of the United States. Airman Kyle Jacob, his wife and throughout the country and abroad, All who attended were impressed, 8-month old daughter. especially those trained for detec- INSIDE with the notable exception of the “One of my superiors calls it See SERVICE DOG, 8A ■ MSU, SOCSD move education forward with Partnership School groundbreaking, see Page 3A. Coding academy starting in September Smart Lab Facilitator Columbus one of two Miss. who are not going to college. Columbus Deidre Johnson teaches and Jackson are the two Mississippi cit- block coding to freshmen cities to get program ies starting coding academies through Chelsea Shanks, Nyshun the program. Lang and Alexis Dora at BY ALEX HOLLOWAY Columbus Municipal School Dis- Columbus High School [email protected] trict Superintendent Philip Hickman, on Wednesday. A new who is volunteering to help organize program funded through In the fall, local students will take the academy separate from his duties Innovate Mississippi and part in the inaugural year of the new with the school district, said the pro- the Mississippi Develop- Mississippi Coding Academy program. gram is based on the Base Camp Cod- ment Authority will soon offer high school graduates The program, which begins in Sep- ing Academy, which recently finished in Columbus who aren’t tember, will focus on teaching coding its first year in Water Valley. attending college to learn and interpersonal skills necessary for “They took 11 high school gradu- coding as a vocational skill. working to 2017 high school graduates See CODING ACADEMY, 7A Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC MEETINGS 1 Of which U.S. state was John F. Tuesday through Saturday, Kennedy senator? June 5: Oktibbeha 2 Which John Steinbeck novel tells May 23-27 County Board of of the Joad family’s journey from ■ “Fools”: Starkville Community Theatre Supervisors, chan- Oklahoma to California during the presents this comic fable by Neil Simon at cery courthouse, Depression? 7:30 p.m. at the Playhouse on Main, 108 9 a.m. 3 If there is very little pigment in the E. Main St., Starkville. Karen Thead di- June 6: Starkville Jaidyn Dunlap iris of the eye, what color does the eye appear to be? rects. Tickets are $15; $10 for students. Board of Aldermen, First grade, New Hope 4 Which ever-popular toy takes its For more information, contact the box City Hall, 5:30 p.m. name from the Danish for “play well”? office, 662-323-6855. June 13: High 85 Low 67 5 Which French Polynesian island is Starkville-Oktibbe- served by Faaa Airport? ha Consolidated Chance of t-storms Friday, May 26 Full forecast on Answers, 8B ■ Honeyboy & Boots CD release con- School District page 2A. cert: The Columbus Arts Council hosts a Board of Trustees, CD release concert by Honeyboy & Boots, Greensboro Center, INSIDE with special guest Caleb Childs, at 7 p.m. 6 p.m. in the Rosenzweig Arts Center Omnova June 19: Oktibbe- Business 4A Dear Abby 6B Theater, 501 Main St. Tickets are $10 in ha County Board of Classifieds7B Obituaries 5A advance; $12 at the door, if available. Pur- Supervisors, chan- Comics 6B Opinions 6A chase at columbus-arts.org (Events link), Audrey Jordan is a substitute cery courthouse, Crossword 8B or call 662-328-2787 (closed Mondays). teacher in Starkville. 9 a.m. DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2017 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “... We tell ourselves we have seven more times to hit, eight more times to hit, we’re fine.” Mississippi State senior catcher Josh Lovelady, Representative: Rocker Chris talking about the team’s ability to rally from Cornell has died at age 52 Thursday deficits. Story, 1B. Singer died and family. Rest In Peace.” With his powerful, Wednesday while nearly four-octave vocal A THOUSAND WORDS range, Cornell was one of on tour in Detroit the leading voices of the 1990s grunge movement BY NEKESA with Soundgarden, which MUMBI MOODY emerged as one of the big- AP Entertainment Writer gest bands out of Seattle’s emerging music scene, Rocker Chris Cornell, who gained fame as the joining the likes of Nirva- lead singer of the bands na, Pearl Jam and Alice in Soundgarden and later Au- Chains. dioslave, has died at age 52, Formed in 1984 by Cor- according to his represen- nell, guitarist Kim Thayil tative. and bassist Hiro Yamamo- Cornell, who had been to, Soundgarden’s third on tour, died Wednesday studio album, “Badmo- night in Detroit, Brian torfinger,” in 1991 spawned Bumbery said in a state- popular singles “Jesus ment to The Associated Christ Pose,” ‘’Rusty Cage” Press. Cornell had per- and “Outshined” that re- formed a Detroit concert ceived regular play on with Soundgarden that alternative rock radio sta- night. tions. Bumbery called the Cornell also collaborat- death “sudden and unex- ed with members of what pected” and said his wife would become Pearl Jam and family were shocked to form Temple of the Dog, by it. The statement said which produced a self-titled the family would be work- album in 1991 in tribute to ing closely with the medi- friend Andrew Wood, for- cal examiner to determine mer frontman for Mother the cause and asked for Love Bone. privacy. Three years later, Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff News of Cornell’s death Soundgarden broke Shea Lucas, 15, of New Hope, practices on a new guitar in Jerry’s Music shop on Highway 45 in Columbus on prompted scores of tweets through on mainstream ra- Friday. Lucas has been playing guitar since she was 7. “I like to play my own music but if I cover anything, I play Nirvana and Led Zeppelin,” Lucas said. Her friend Amanda Strain, 17, also from New Hope, checks out a mix- dio with the album “Supe- expressing sadness.