ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI C DISPATCH.COM FREE! TUESDAY | JULY 10, 2018 Report: 29 fired at Yokohama over WorkKeys fraud Employees reportedly presented fake certificates to obtain jobs graphic literacy. icates on the ACT’s website at It is designed by http://www.act.org. DISPATCH STAFF REPORT WCBI reported that 29 em- not return calls by press time. the makers of the East Mississippi Community ployees have been terminated Whittaker said she could not ACT college en- College in Mayhew is a local ad- The Golden Triangle LINK due to not meeting pre-employ- release much information on trance exams and ministrator of the test. Howev- awards scores is aware of an investigation Yo- ment requirements, including the investigation as Yokohama er, Whittaker said it’s possible of bronze, silver, kohama Tire Manufacturing for individuals to take the exam the score of a silver or higher has not provided the LINK with gold or platinum. Company has launched into em- on the WorkKeys assessment. details. Yokohama’s West Whitaker through another administrator. ployees at its West Point plant in The Dispatch left several WorkKeys is a national as- Point plant requires employees EMCC Vice President for possession of fraudulent Work- messages with spokespeople sessment which measures a to have scored a silver or high- Workforce Community Ser- Keys certificates, according to from Yokohama’s Human Re- individual’s manufacturing er to apply for a manufacturing vices Raj Shaunak did not re- LINK Vice President Macaulay sources department to verify skills, including applied math, position. turn calls from The Dispatch by Whittaker. that information, but they did workplace documents and Employers can verify certif- press time. ROOM TO RIDE OCH, UMMC highlight affiliation goals New electronic health system, expanded health services eyed as work on contract continues BY ALEX HOLLOWAY [email protected] OCH Regional Medical Center and the University of Mis- sissippi Medical Cen- ter hope partnering can improve health care in Oktibbeha County. That was the gen- Jackson eral theme of a joint press conference held during an affil- iation celebration to mark the partnership Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff between the two hos- Friends Eason Hargrove, left, and Hunter Golson, both 9, rest after riding their bikes around Sally Kate Winters Park in down- pitals. town West Point Sunday. “My grandma brought us over here to ride since we don’t have a lot of room where I live,” Hargrove Last month, OCH said. “We could ride all day,” Golson added. Eason is the son of Ashley and Jason Hargrove and his grandmother is Debbie Cook Hargrove of West Point. Hunter is the son of Brad Golson of West Point. board trustees an- nounced its selection of UMMC as an affiliation partner. The hos- pital has been considering affilia- tion since 2016 — a process put on hold in the lead-up to an election on whether to allow county super- Horse therapy builds empathy, self-confidence visors to sell or lease the coun- ty-owned facility to a private non- MSU Extension associate promotes profit. Affiliation talks picked up again after voters decided to keep equine programs for children, veterans the hospital locally owned. The affiliation will allow OCH to BY ALEX HOLLOWAY dren and veterans. partner with UMMC for improved [email protected] The therapeutic riding services and benefits, without giv- program is primarily housed ing up the hospital’s local owner- Therapy can take many in West Point, but Irvin said ship. forms, and Lori Irvin told it does some activities at the UMMC CEO Kevin Cook, pres- Starkville Rotarians that Mississippi Horse Park in ent at Monday’s celebration, said working with horses can of- Starkville. the changing health care landscape fer a sort of healing for some The program for children is putting pressure on physicians patients. serves those with develop- and hospitals everywhere. He said Irvin, an Extension asso- Alex Holloway/Dispatch Staff mental disabilities, autism, Lori Irvin speaks to Starkville Rotarians about her work with small, community hospitals feel ciate with Mississippi State ADHD and other conditions, MSU Extension’s Therapeutic Riding Programs. The programs those pressures particularly acute- University, works with the Irvin said. She said the offer equine therapy for children and veterans. ly. Extension Equine Assisted program once also served “We at UMMC recognize the Therapy Programs. During adults but has recently be- and ride horses. Irvin said dents can build self-confi- pressure local hospitals are under,” Monday’s meeting at come child-focused due to that interaction helps with dence. Cook said. “We recognize how dif- Starkville Rotary Club, she high demand. learning empathy and cre- “They’re not just com- ficult it is to pay for an electronic focused on the programs Through the program, ates a passion for animals. ing out, riding and having medical record or find money for the university offers for chil- students learn to care for From that, she said, stu- See IRVIN, 3A See AFFILIATION, 6A WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS C ALENDAR LOCAO L F LKS PUB LIC 1 What European country was the first to legalize MEETINGS Thursday Today: Planning same-sex marriage — France, The Netherlands ■ Sounds of Summer: Stormy Monday or Switzerland? and Zoning Com- entertains from 7-9 p.m. at the Colum- 2 Who wrote “Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell mission, 5:30 bus Riverwalk. Bring lawn chairs or Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right”? p.m. blankets. No coolers or pets. Conces- 3 What movie trilogy shares its name with a Today: Starkville rectangular arrangement of numbers? sions will be available for purchase. For Oktibbeha Con- 4 What novelty dessert, created in 1988, flash more information, contact Main Street Aubree White solidated School freezes ice cream into tiny edible beads? Columbus, 662-328-6305, or the Colum- Kindergarten, Caledonia 5 Which country leads the world in orange District Board of bus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, juice production — Brazil, Mexico or the United Trustees, 6 p.m., 662-328-4491. High Low States? Greensboro 89 72 Chance of a t-storm Answers, 6B Center Full forecast on Friday July 12: Pecan page 2A. ■ Exhibit reception: The public is invit- Acres Public ed to a free reception from 5-8 p.m. for Hearing, 5 p.m., an exhibit of blind contour oil paintings Greensboro INSIDE by Emmie Sherertz of Columbus at the Moesha Wright is painting Center Columbus Arts Council’s Rosenzweig a mural of dinosaurs and July 13: Board Classifieds 5B Dear Abby 4B Arts Center, 501 Main St. For more in- their last days on earth of Aldermen Comics 4B Obituaries 5A formation, visit columbus-arts.org or call for the Geological Science Work Session, Crossword 6B Opinions 4A 662-328-2787. Museum at MSU. noon, City Hall DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A TUESDAY, JULY 10, 2018 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “Women’s basketball has become very important and very relevant at Mississippi State ... so for us, it YouTube aims to crack down on confirms we are in the right place.” MSU women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer on signing a fake news, support journalism Tuesday new four-year contract to coach the Bulldogs. Story, 1B. Company will make ‘authoritative’ sources more prominent, especially A THOUSAND WORDS in the wake of breaking news BY BARBARA ORTUTAY In these urgent cases, AP Technology Writer traditional video won’t do, since it takes time for NEW YORK — Goo- news outlets to produce gle’s YouTube says it is and verify high-quality taking several steps to en- clips. So YouTube aims sure the veracity of news to short-circuit the misin- on its service by cracking formation loop with text down on misinformation stories that can quickly and supporting news orga- provide more accurate nizations. information. Company ex- The company said Mon- ecutives announced the day it will make “authorita- effort at YouTube’s New tive” news sources more York offices. prominent, especially in Those officials, howev- the wake of breaking news er, offered only vague de- events when misinforma- scriptions of which sourc- tion can spread quickly. es YouTube will consider At such times, You- authoritative. Chief Prod- Tube will begin showing uct Officer Neal Mohan users short text previews said the company isn’t just of news stories in video compiling a simple list of search results, as well as trusted news outlets, not- warnings that the stories ed that the definition of can change. The goal is authoritative is “fluid” and to counter the fake vid- then added the caveat that eos that can proliferate it won’t simply boil down immediately after shoot- to sources that are popular ings, natural disasters and on YouTube. other major happenings. He added that 10,000 For example, YouTube human reviewers at Goo- search results prominent- gle — so-called search ly showed videos purport- quality raters who monitor ing to “prove” that mass search results around the Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff shootings like the one that world — are helping de- Crawford resident Sabrina Washington puts together a hot dog plate during the 11th annual Crawford Cotton killed at least 59 in Las Ve- termine what will count as Boll Festival Saturday. “I actually started Crawford Day 11 years ago to raise funds for the town with the mayor gas were fake, acted out authoritative sources and at the time Faye O’Neal,” Washington said. “She was a great mayor, just passed away this year and I hope to by “crisis actors.” news stories. start a Faye Day as well.” CONTACTING THE DISPATCH Office hours: Main line: n 8 a.m.-5 p.m.