Roses to United Way of Lowndes County Pacesetters. These companies kick-start the United Way”s campaign season each year, bringing in tens of thousands of dollars before the official campaign begins.
This year, the campaign officially kicked off on Thursday, and Pacesetters already had raised $111,275 toward the agency”s $550,000 goal.
This year”s Pacesetters include Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, Ceco Building Systems, 4-County Electric Power Association, Belk, American Eurocopter, T. E. Lott and Co., Regions Bank, Tennessee Valley Authority, Weyerhaeuser Co. Foundation, Bancorp South, Galloway-Chandler-McKinney Insurance, Mitchell, McNutt and Sams, Ellisville State Schools, Columbus Community Programs, Stafford Realty Services and Southern Family Market.
Roses also go out to those companies who have joined the regular campaign season. Dozens of area agencies depend on the funds provided by the United Way, and hundreds of local residents depend on the services offered by those agencies, from help with utility bills and food to rides to the pharmacy and grocery store and daily calls of reassurance.
A rose to East Mississippi Community College, which hosted its first football game on its new stadium in Scooba, Thursday.
No. 16 EMCC christened the new 5,000-seat Sullivan-Windham Field with a 34-30 victory against No. 2 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
During a time when many colleges are looking for places to cut, EMCC invested $4.7-million in a stadium in an effort to make the college more appealing to students and the public. We”re optimistic that the investment and forward thinking will pay off.
Roses to the Mississippi State Bulldogs for their impressive showing in Memphis, Tenn., Thursday.
After finishing with a Gator Bowl victory last season, Dawgs” fans have high expectations. Those seemed to have been met in its season opener against University of Memphis, which they did with a 59-14 victory.
Coach Dan Mullen has said more than once the environment can make a difference. With a wave of nearly 34,000 people, most in maroon and white, the Bulldogs had plenty of “environment” for their season opener. And Memphis had plenty of reason to be intimidated.
MSU senior tailback Vick Ballard said, “I think we”re starting to set the tone for the rest of the season.”
A thorn to the many candidates whose campaign signs still are cluttering the roadways, though they”re no longer campaigning for the November election. Several candidates who”ve either been ousted in the primaries or who have solidified their seat and won”t face opposition in the general election still have campaign signs out all over the area.
The political signs peppering the area already are an eyesore, and when they”re out well past their season, it gets even uglier. Clean up the litter, folks.
Roses to the Lowndes County Industrial Development Authority, the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors, Columbus-Lowndes Development Link and the Mississippi Development Authority for their efforts in bringing Calisolar to Lowndes County.
The California-based solar silicon manufacturer plans to locate in the Lowndes County industrial park, bringing 951 jobs to the area. The jobs, which will involve making silicon metal for use in automotive parts, consumer electronics and solar panels, will have an average salary of $40,000 to $50,000 per year.
The state Legislature Friday approved a $175 million incentive plan for economic development, a portion of which is for Calisolar. The company picking Lowndes County is another feather in the area”s already well-decorated cap.
A rose to Amanda Mordecai, an oncology nurse navigator, and to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle for creating her much-needed position.
Mordecai is a guiding hand for cancer patients throughout their treatment. She also is a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. Cancer treatment can be a long and winding road that”s tough to navigate, especially during such an emotional and stressful time. Mordecai makes the transitions smoother and is there for the patients and their families every step of the way.
And for Mordecai, it”s much more than a job. Her heart is in it.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.