A rose to those who are giving of their time, or opening their wallets and their pantries, during a time of need for so many of our nearby neighbors.
The Golden Triangle is donating items big and small — from toothbrushes to industrial generators — to relief efforts in tornado-ravaged areas including Smithville and Tuscaloosa, Ala.
We thankfully were spared major damage from the storms Wednesday, and we thank everyone who is “paying forward” their good fortune.
Suggestions for donations, and contact information for volunteering can be found on Page 3A.
A rose to the local businesses, large and small, that opened their doors to customers Wednesday night during the power outage.
Kroger in Columbus was open, running on generators, and dealing with a flood of customers. Grocery stores are an important community resource, especially during a potential disaster, and we find it reassuring that some of our larger ones can be there when we need them.
Mom-and-pop stores are also key resources in many of our neighborhoods. On Ridge Road, Pennyridge Grocery remained open and was one of the few places in town able to sell gas, thanks to Columbus High student Hagan Walker, who had the idea to bring his family”s generator to the store.
Other small acts of kindness ruled the night. In Starkville, there was a run on ice cream as Strange Brew Coffeehouse gave away its supply, which would have melted anyway.
Customers throughout the Golden Triangle won”t soon forget the business owners and workers who went the extra mile for them on Wednesday.
A rose to Caledonia”s Derek Sherrod, who is trading in his maroon and white uniform for one that”s yellow and green.
The Mississippi State All-American was taken in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday by the Green Bay Packers. Sherrod, a left tackle at MSU, heard the news while watching the draft with family and friends in Columbus.
Sherrod is the first MSU player to be selected in the first round since 1996, and is the school”s 10th first-round draft pick.
Sherrod didn”t allow a single sack last season for MSU. We know he”ll make Bulldog fans proud in the NFL, too.
A rose to those who have resolved to get fit this year — and we”re happy to help you take a few more steps in that direction, starting today.
The Lowndes County Y and The Dispatch are hosting the second annual Possum Town Mile-A-Day Marathon, all May long.
Registration for this year”s event begins at 1:45 p.m. today at the Riverwalk, with a community walk down the Riverwalk at 2 p.m. Registration continues Monday and Tuesday at the Y.
The goal? Walk a marathon in May — roughly one mile a day. The side benefits? Getting out in your community, meeting your neighbors, enjoying the fresh air, and getting acquainted, or reacquainted, with Columbus and Lowndes County”s many parks.
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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