ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI CDISPATCH.COM 50 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY MONDAY | MAY 7, 2018 MSMS students to bring local history to life for Eighth of May diately after slave emancipation before her Emancipation celebration husband went on to serve in the Mississippi House of Representatives. set for Tuesday evening Johnson, who is African-American, said she relates to Boulden’s story and is excited at Sandfield Cemetery to tell it as part of this year’s Eighth of May BY MARY POLLITZ Celebration. [email protected] “She recognizes all the problems in the Dairian Bowles past,” Johnson said. “How far they’ve come performs as For about an and how far they have to go.” Dr. John Hand hour on Tues- Johnson will join six of her MSMS class- in Mississippi School for Math- day at Sand- mates at 6 p.m. at the historic cemetery to ematics and field Cemetery, commemorate the Eighth of May — a cel- Science’s Tales Mississippi ebration of Union soldiers freeing slaves from the Crypt School of Math- in Lowndes County on May 8, 1865. Each performance in ematics and student will dress the part to share stories Friendship Cem- Science senior of local African-American history from the etery. Bowles Johnson Yarborough Tija Johnson late 19th and early 20th centuries. will portray Sen. Robert Gleed will become Luisa Boulden. “There’s not really just white history during the Eighth Boulden moved to Columbus with her and black history.” said MSMS history in- of May perfor- husband, the Rev. Jesse Freeman in 1866, structor Chuck Yarborough who organizes mance at Sand- helping him charter several African-Ameri- the annual event. “There’s our history. The field Cemetery. can churches in the area in the years imme- See EIGHTH OF MAY, 6A Courtesy photo DREAM FULFILLED UNDER THE CAPITOL DOME Analysis: Angry officials squabble over troubled bridges Smith and Jasper counties file lawsuit against Gov. Phil Bryant over bridge closures BY JEFF AMY The Associated Press JACKSON — Mississippi has a problem: deteriorating local bridg- es. People could work together to seek a solution. All too often, though, it seems they’d rather fight. The anger boiling among some county supervisors has now pro- duced a lawsuit by Smith and Jas- per counties against Republican Gov. Phil Bryant, claiming he over- stepped his legal power when he declared a state of emergency and ordered counties to close bridges that federally backed inspectors judged unsafe. Bryant’s action in April followed a year and a half of escalating Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff Mississippi University for Women softball player Katlyn Duke, left, runs next to Ethan Weeks, 7, and David Phillips as they pressure from federal officials and make their way around the bases at the new handicap-accessible Field of Dreams at Propst Park. Ethan and David are both mounting resentment from county players for the Challenger League and the team played their first game at the new field Saturday. Ethan is the son of Matt and supervisors and engineers. Meredith Weeks. David is the son of Martha Phillips of Columbus. See more photos on page 2A. See ANALYSIS, 6A Turner Hall renovations at MUW remain on track Old Demonstration School to house Rubble sits piled in front of university’s speech pathology Turner Hall on the Mississippi program by fall 2019 University for Women campus BY MARY POLLITZ say renovations at Turner last week. The [email protected] Hall, which Tuscaloosa, Townsend Miller renovated build- Alabama-based Amason ing will provide A new purpose for the Construction began in ing Center — the new a new home for old Demonstration School January, are on track for home for the university’s the school’s at the Mississippi Univer- speech-language completion in time for the speech-language pathol- pathology pro- sity for Women is taking fall 2019 semester. ogy program. Now, the gram. shape. Turner Hall will house highly-competitive pro- Mary Pollitz/Dispatch Staff University officialsMUW’s Speech and Hear- See TURNER HaLL, 6A WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC 1 What name is given to the number MEETINGS Tuesday May 11: sequence that begins 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ■ Writer’s talk, book signing: The 13, 21? Lowndes County Columbus Arts Council hosts Michael 2 What gateway between Brooklyn School District Kardos at a book signing and light re- and Staten Island is off-limits to pe- Board of Trust- ception from 5:30-7 p.m. for his new destrians —unless they’re running in ees, 11 a.m., novel, “Bluff,” at the Rosenzweig Arts the New York City Marathon? District Office 3 Name three of the five countries the Center, 501 Main St. Kardos gives a Kelsey Perkins May 14: Himalayas run through. writer’s talk with Q&A at 6 p.m. Free. Fourth grade, Annunciation Columbus 4 What socialite was once engaged to For more information, visit columbu- Municipal School someone who shared her first name? sarts.org or call 662-328-2787. District Board of High Low 5 Who followed Boutros Boutros-Ghali ■ Eighth of May Emancipation Cel- 86 58 as secretary-general of the United Trustees, 8:30 Mostly sunny ebration: This 6 p.m. production of Nations? a.m., Brandon Full forecast on the MSMS African-American History Central Services page 2A. Answers, 6B Class and MSMS Voices in Harmony choir at Sandfield Cemetery, 2500 College St., Columbus, includes a his- torical performance with music and INSIDE drama, along with exploring 19th- and Dana McLean is a real estate Classifieds6B Dear Abby 5B early-20th-century African-American agent and spends her time help- Comics 5B Obituaries 5A leaders in Columbus and surrounding ing friends decorate their homes 139TH YEAR, NO. 49 Crossword 4B Opinions 4A area. Free to the public. and shopping for antiques. DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “From freshman to senior year, this senior class has mature socially, in their softball skills and in their ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ scores leadership skills.” second best weekend ever Monday MSU head softball coach Vann Stuedeman. Story, 1B. BY LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer Estimated ticket sales for Friday LOS ANGELES — After A THOUSAND WORDS breaking opening week- through Sunday end records, “Avengers: 1. “Avengers: Infinity Infinity War” continued War,” $112.5 million to dominate in its second ($162.6 million internation- weekend in theaters, but al). alternative programming 2. “Overboard,” $14.8 million. like the romantic comedy 3. “A Quiet Place,” $7.6 “Overboard” also found an million ($4.1 million interna- audience in what has his- tional). torically been considered 4. “I Feel Pretty,” $4.9 the “official” kick-off to the million ($3.2 million interna- summer movie season. tional). The Walt Disney Co. 5. “Rampage,” $4.6 million said Sunday that “Aveng- ($13.7 million international). 6. “Tully,” $3.2 million ers: Infinity War” will ($200,000 international). gross an estimated $112.5 7. “Black Panther,” $3.1 million from North Amer- million ($390,000 interna- ican theaters over the tional). weekend, becoming the 8. “Truth or Dare,” $1.9 second highest gross- million ($5.7 million interna- ing film in weekend two tional). behind “Star Wars: The 9. “Super Troopers 2,” $1.8 million ($90,000 inter- Force Awakens’” $149.2 national). million and just slightly 10. “Bad Samaritan,” $1.8 ahead of “Black Panther” million. ($111.7 million). It’s a 56 percent drop from its first weekend in Paul Dergarabedian. “This theaters — less steep than is a second weekend num- the second weekend fall of ber that many films would “Avengers: Age of Ultron” aspire to have on opening (59.4 percent) or “Captain weekend.” America: Civil War” (59.5 Globally, “Avengers: percent), but more than Infinity War” has now “Black Panther’s” unique- grossed over $1.2 billion ly soft 44.7 percent sopho- and become the first film more weekend decline. ever to cross the $1 billion “We’re in uncharted mark in 11 days of release, Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff territory again,” said com- and it has yet to even open Challenger League baseball player Clay Taylor, 10, sits at second base with his grandfather, Larry Taylor, during Score senior media analyst in China. the team’s first game at the new Field of Dreams at Propst Park Saturday. Clay is the son of Chris and Amanda Taylor of Columbus. 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