A rose to the Mississippi State baseball team, and to senior Nick Vickerson, whose two-run home run Saturday afternoon against the University of Florida in the NCAA Super Regionals proved the Bulldogs still have bite this post-season.
One day earlier, MSU was overmatched against its fellow Southeastern Conference foe, losing 11-1 in Gainesville. Then on Saturday, the Bulldogs trailed 3-2 in the ninth — three outs from elimination – when Vickerson swung and aimed for left center.
The Bulldogs” latest heroics cemented this squad”s resolve, transforming them from overachievers to believers. They are now one win away from the College World Series, a place they have not reached since 2007. Their best-of-three series concludes today. Swing away, Bulldogs.
Roses to the Columbus-Lowndes County League of Voters for hosting a forum, Thursday night, where candidates for Lowndes County offices could share their vision for the future of Columbus and Lowndes County. Most present for the event — which offered candidates three minutes to speak to the audience — were friends, family and other candidate supporters.
However, we still would like to commend those community members who showed up simply to become more informed voters. For many, it was their first glimpse at candidates they only knew by name, not by face or platform.
While most candidates for local offices were on hand for the event, several candidates running in contested races didn”t bother to attend. It”s at events like these where many voters get a rare chance to hear about (and see) candidates first hand, speaking on themselves and the issues important to them.
Thorns to those candidates who pulled no-shows at the Thursday night forum. Being readily available to the public is part of the job of any elected official. If you”re not going to be available during the campaign, how accessible are you going to be after you”re elected?
Those running in contested races, who didn”t show include candidate for District 1 supervisor Joey Pounders, for circuit clerk Justin Shelton, for chancery clerk Andre Roberts and Susan Robinson, for district attorney Bill Bambach, for justice court judge District 2 Wyatt Mills and Ted Richards, for justice court judge District 3 Monique Montgomery, for sheriff Sherman Vaughn and for constable District 1 Wayne Crowson and Hoot West.
Incumbent District 2 Constable Joe Ables and incumbent District 2 Supervisor Frank Ferguson sent proxies in their stead, since they were out of town.
Roses to army of volunteers, who have helped run Camp Rising Sun this week. Held at YMCA”s Camp Henry Pratt in southern Lowndes County each summer, Camp Rising Sun hosts children who have been diagnosed with cancer for a week of tower climbing, swimming, soccer, hiking, fishing, photography, canoeing and a host of other activities, as they are able to participate. The camp hosts children from ages 5-17, at no cost to them.
The camp is put on by a dedicated staff of volunteers, many of whom return year after year, to ensure children can have fun and focus on enjoying life rather than worrying about cancer. Camp Rising Sun was founded in 1988, by Susan Falkner and the Columbus Junior Auxiliary Provisional class of 1987.
Roses to Starkville residents and friends of Jan Morgan”s across the country, who wore bright-yellow shirts on Friday, both in honor of Morgan and as a reminder to motorists to be careful of cyclists on the roads.
Morgan is sedated in a Tupelo hospital after a car struck her while she was cycling with a friend on Highway 50 near Pheba in Clay County on May 22. Morgan is recovering, though she sustained extensive trauma.
The incident is an unfortunate reminder for us all to share the roads and be cautious, for our own sake and that of others. Roses of support also go out to the Morgan family, as they continue to hope for her full recovery.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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