A rose to Stuart Millner, president and CEO of Ohio-based Stuart B. Millner and Associates, which has purchased the Omnova facility with an eye toward converting the 92-acre parcel into a multi-tenant facility for light industry and warehousing. Omnova Solutions Inc., will continue to operate at the site and Millner plans to invest up to $10 million in making the facility attractive to other businesses. It’s a shot in the arm to the city, which has seen most of the new industry settle in the county. Welcome, Mr. Millner. Let’s get to work!
A rose of condolences to the family and friends of J.D. “Tuffy” Bourland, who died Friday evening at the age of 81. Bourland was a beloved basketball coach at Columbus Lee High School in the 1960s and 1970s. His success on the court, considerable in its own right, was exceeded by his success in shaping the lives of the young men he coached. His memory will endure in the hearts of those who knew him.
A thorn to the Lawrence Transit System, whose plans to provide bus service in Columbus continue to be shrouded in needless ambiguity. The city of Columbus signed a one-year agreement with the Indiana-based bus company, provided the company begin running routes in the city by Aug. 9. Early this week, city workers put ups signs at 30 locations. But as it has been with almost everything else touching Lawrence Transit, there is a dearth of information on the signs. In fact, the signs don’t even say “bus stop.” Nor do they provide any information on routes, schedules or even a phone number where would-be riders can get information. Is this any way to run a bus service? We think not.
A rose to the Columbus Municipal School District’s plans to allow its students to augment their school uniforms with the colors purple and gold, the school colors. In a survey of parents, 97 percent of the respondents favored the idea of adding the colors to the uniforms, which had previously been limited to navy and white shirts to go with the mandated khaki pants and skirts. The board will officially approve the measure at its Aug. 16 meeting. There is something about wearing school colors that promotes unity and pride. We’re all for that.
A rose to the Lowndes County School District for its move to block scheduling for its middle schools. Block scheduling replaces the seven-period approach. It provides more time for teachers to go deeper in the subjects while also creating opportunities for students to take more elective courses, which is believed to be something that will help reduce drop-out rates. In the old system, the students spent an awful lot of time moving from one classroom to another while teachers often found their efforts interrupted by the bell that always seems to ring too soon.
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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