A rose to the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department for its investigation of the murder of Gwen Roberson. The LCSO set up a mobile command post near the Downs Road crime scene. The decision to use the mobile unit was made to assure that people in the neighborhood who might be reluctant to go the sheriff’s department or lack transportation to go there would be more inclined to participate in the investigation. It appears the strategy worked. On Friday, the LCSO arrested a suspect.
A rose to the hundreds of volunteers whose contributions are directly responsible for the success of three big events around the Golden Triangle this weekend — the Possum Town Triathlon in Columbus, the Sturgis Too motorcycle rally Sturgis and the West Point Fire Department Benefit Rodeo in West Point. Collectively, these events drew thousands and are evidence of the hard work of the many volunteers who have, in some cases, worked years to make the events a reality. This is particularly true of the Sturgis Too event, which returned after a three-year hiatus. During the interim, many have worked diligently to bring the event back to the small town, which benefits greatly from the thousands who attend. In each case, these events simply would not happen without volunteers and the often unglamorous work they do.
A rose to all those who turned out to help with move-in day at Mississippi University for Women on Saturday, and to all the new and returning students. MUW has always prided itself on being a big-time college experience with a hometown vibe. The volunteers who came out to help the students get moved into their dorms are just on example of how important the ties between the community and the university really are. Welcome back, students! Make yourself at home.
A rose to David Dunn, who has agreed to remain as the attorney for the Columbus Municipal School District until a new attorney can be found. Dunn announced his resignation from the position which he has held since 1989, in February, but has agreed to stay on while the search for his replacement begins. One of the best indicators of a successful board attorney is that his name rarely makes it into the news of the day. No news is good news in the sense that the attorney’s advice has prevented the board from high-profile and costly legal entanglements. Dunn has done a great job in that regard. We wish him well.
A rose to all those who are a part of this year’s high school football experience. The season begins this week and we salute all the players, cheerleaders, band members who have been working diligently for weeks now in preparation of the season. There is something wholesome and comforting about high school football, we believe. It unites a community and is a weekly celebration of the virtues of teamwork, discipline and fair play. We wish all of our schools a very successful season.
Send your suggestions for Roses and thorns to Slim Smith at [email protected].
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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