A rose to the force of nature that is Brenda Caradine as the six-day Tennessee Williams celebration wraps up today with poetry and music at the Columbus-Lowndes Library. While it’s true that every successful venture of this scale is a collaborative effort, there is little doubt that Caradine is the driving force in making this celebration vibrant and new each year. Her tireless — dare we say ceaseless? — efforts to this cause have made her a great ambassador not only for the memory of Tennessee Williams, but for Columbus as well. We hope that Caradine will take Monday off before getting to work on next year’s celebration. Somehow, though, we doubt she will.
A thorn to the Columbus City council for dipping into its reserve funds in order to make its budget for Fiscal Year 2013. While we applaud the council’s decision not to raise taxes to cover the shortfall, we feel a more suitable solution would have been to take a hard look at scaling back on some of the recently approved hires. Reserve funds should be set aside for emergencies. The city is betting that everything will work out exactly as planned and that no emergencies or unexpected expenses will emerge. We would much prefer that the city not be in the business of betting. The reserve fund is not a piggy bank.
A rose to the 34th annual Prairie Arts Festival, held last week in West Point. Organizers estimate more than 25,000 people showed up on a muggy Saturday to take in the wide range of entertainment, crafts and artwork. The festival continues to be a showcase for the talented people of our region. As such, it has gained acclaim far and wide. Anyone who attended this year’s event, will understand why it has become one of the top events of its kind in the South.
A rose to Columbus mayor Robert Smith and Ward 5 councilman Kabir Karriem for their joint efforts in forming a committee that will be charged with identifying ways to honor the legacy of all those who made Catfish Alley an enduring part of the history of the city. Divided earlier when Karriem backed a proposal to rename the street in honor of his grandmother, a move Smith opposed, it is refreshing to see these two rivals find common ground for the good of all.
A rose to the Mississippi State football team, which beat Auburn, 28-10, on Saturday. It’s the first win in an SEC opener for MSU since 1999 and only the second time during that 12-season span the dogs have beat Auburn. The win gives the Bulldogs their first 2-0 start since 2000. It’s early, but Bulldog faithful have to be encouraged by Saturday’s dominating performance.
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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