Win $500! Play CASHWORDS, See page 4A ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI CDISPATCH.COM 50 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY MONDAY | DECEMBER 21, 2015 Authorities: Girl shot in the back Sunday Southside Police say 16-year-old was injured hicle with the girls and man started to pull away from the business, the other man pulled out a gun and fired four during altercation between two men shots, two of which hit the car. One of BY ISABELLE ALTMAN rived at the scene they the bullets hit the victim in the upper fire possible [email protected] back. found no suspects. Officers recovered four shell cas- About 2:40 p.m. Sun- A teenage Columbus girl was treat- ings at the scene. day, CPD received a call ed and released from Baptist Memo- Shelton The victim’s injury was not case of arson rial Hospital-Golden Triangle on Sun- from the hospital about life-threatening. She was later re- day after being shot in the back. a teen girl there who had been shot. leased from the hospital. Authorities Police responded to a call about Officers talked to the victim who declined to identify her, but CPD’s No arrests made so far shots fired near Suds & Duds on Main reported that she and another female Twitter account stated she was 16 Street at approximately 2 a.m. Sunday, had been in a vehicle with a man at years old. DISPATCH STAFF REPORT according to Fred Shelton, interim Suds & Duds earlier in the day, when Police have suspects but have not chief of police with the Columbus Po- the man got into an altercation with made any arrests at this time, accord- The Columbus Police Department is lice Department. When officers ar- another man, Shelton said. As the ve- ing to Shelton. investigating a weekend house fire on the Southside as an arson. CPD and Columbus Fire & Rescue responded to the fire in the 1400 block of 11th Avenue South on Sunday after- noon. KARRIEM HEADED TO JACKSON “We got a call from someone in the neighborhood who said they saw people in the back of the building who were smoking,” Shelton said. “We think that’s what started the fire. Columbus Fire & Rescue extinguished the fire in the house, which turned out to be an aban- doned house.” No arrests have been made and the possible arson is being investigated by the CF&R fire investigator, Shelton said. Shelton said incidents of fires in abandoned buildings are more frequent in cold weather, although that does not appear to be the case in Sunday’s fire. “Homeless people do go into aban- doned houses and build fires when it’s cold,” Shelton said. “Sometimes, they even go to sleep with the fire still burn- ing, which is very dangerous, obviously.” CPD makes auto burglary arrest Sunday incident occurred in downtown Columbus DISPATCH STAFF REPORTS A Columbus man is in custody after a witness saw him allegedly break- ing into a car on Sunday. Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff Officers with the Co- Kabir Karriem poses outside City Hall on Saturday. Karriem has served as Ward 5 councilman for six years and will be lumbus Police Depart- sworn in as District 41 representative in the state House of Representatives. ment arrested Tashawn Lanier Grassiree, 25, on suspicion of auto burglary Grassiree and possession of para- Ward 5 councilman concludes phernalia. A CPD media release states the de- partment responded to a call on Seventh Avenue North about a suspicious male final city council meeting walking between vehicles in the First Baptist Church parking Lot. A witness reported seeing the suspect near a ‘Despite the challenges we had, we did dan. Karriem was the first to hold the seat for consecutive Chevy Silverado and saw him walk away terms since Virginia Hooper held it for 22 years. in the direction of the YMCA with items some really, really good things on the Karriem said the council’s politics could, at times, make in his hand, according to authorities. it difficult to move the city forward in a direction he pre- A short time later, an officer saw ferred. But, for all the challenges, he said he’s proud of the Grassiree near Fifth Street South and council. I’m leaving on a good note.’ time he served on the council and its accomplishments College Street. The officer detained BY ALEX HOLLOWAY during his tenure. Grassiree and the witness identified [email protected] “Despite the challenges we had, we did some really, re- him as the suspect from the FBC park- ally good things on the council,” Karriem said. “I’m leav- ing lot, according to CPD. For Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem, last Tuesday’s CPD notified the vehicle’s owner and ing on a good note.” Columbus council meeting was an end and a beginning. will return the stolen items after they Karriem pointed to achievements such as the appoint- are processed. The councilman formally announced his resignation ment of the first African American police and fire chiefs Grassiree had a $687 bond set for from the seat he’s held since 2009, paving the way for him during his tenure; the creation of a gun buyback program; possession of paraphernalia. No bond to begin his first term as the District 41 representative in the creation of a citizen oversight committee for the Co- had been set for auto burglary as of the Mississippi House of Representatives. lumbus Police Department; and approving the currently press time. Karriem succeeded former Ward 5 Councilman Jay Jor- See KARRIEM, 8A WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC MEETINGS 1 What margarita-loving singer was Today through Dec. 31 Jan. 4: Lowndes born Christmas Day 1946? ■ “Christmas in the Park”: Take a driving tour 2 On what December date are gifts County Super- through Guthrie Smith Park in Fayette, Alabama, to exchanged in Holland: 5th or 8th? visors, Court- view dozens of animated and illuminated scenes. Entry 3 Who, in a 1982 special featuring his house,10 a.m. own name, portrayed all the charac- is $1 per car nightly, 5:30-9:30 p.m. Rides on the mini- Jan. 5: Columbus ters in “A Christmas Carol”? train are offered Thursdays through Saturdays ($1/ City Council, Mu- Carrie Kinard 4 What carol contains the line, “Come person). The park is located near the intersection of nicipal Complex, and behold Him, Born the King of Columbus Street and Temple Avenue North in Fayette. First grade, Col. Christian Aca. Angels”? 5 p.m. For more information, call 205-932-4587. 5 How many Christmases are de- Jan. 8: Lowndes High 62 Low 56 scribed in Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone County School with the Wind”? Monday, Jan. 4 District Board of Rainy Full forecast on Answers, 8B ■ Christmas Tree Bonfire: The City of Columbus Trustees, District page 2A. holds a Christmas Tree Bonfire at 6 p.m. at the west Central Office, 11 end of the Old 82 pedestrian bridge at the Riverwalk. a.m. Visit Columbus will provide refreshments and Chinese Jan. 11: Colum- lanterns for release. The city will conduct curbside pick- bus Municipal INSIDE up Dec. 26-Jan. 3, or drop trees off at the city’s Public School District Works Facility on MLK Drive, or at the Hitching Lot Board of Trustees, Classifieds7B Obituaries 4A Farmers’ Market at Second Avenue and Second Street Billy Holley is a sixth Brandon Central 136TH YEAR, NO. 242 Comics 6B Opinions 6A North. For more information, call 662-245-5061. grader from Vernon. Offices, 6 p.m. DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2015 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “I thought our team came out in the second half and played much, much better.” Mississippi State women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer, talking about his team’s victory against Monday Western Michigan on Sunday. Story, 1B. A THOUSAND WORDS Film Frame/Lucasfilm via AP This photo shows Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca and Harrison Ford as Han Solo in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” ‘Star Wars’ blasts opening weekend record with $238M BY LINDSEY BAHR global bow of $525 million. AP Film Writer But the dinosaurs had the added benefit of China — LOS ANGELES — To “Star Wars” won’t open say that the force is strong there until Jan. 9. with this one is an under- This is just the latest in statement. a laundry list of records set “Star Wars: The Force by J.J. Abrams’ film, the Awakens” brought in a ga- seventh in the franchise, lactic $238 million over the which had analysts antic- weekend, making it the ipating a debut anywhere biggest North American from $150 million to $300 debut of all time according million. to studio estimates on Sun- The “X-factor” was day. quality. While “The Force The Walt Disney Co. Awakens” drew enormous earnings destroy the pre- pre-sales, the film was kept vious opening record set under lockdown from the Birney Imes/Dispatch Staff by Universal’s “Jurassic press and critics until mere Ethan Monahan, 16, stands in front of his Lowndes Co. home on Highway 12 his parents, Kris and Audrey dec- World,” which drew $208.8 days before it was released orated for Christmas. Ethan attends Caledonia High School. million this summer. to the public. Reviews Internationally, the film turned out to be stellar (95 brought in $279 million, percent on Rotten Toma- bringing its global gross toes), as did early audience to $517 million — second reaction, who gave the film only to “Jurassic World’s” an A CinemaScore.