A rose to all of the organizers, volunteers and patrons for their work in bringing the American Wind Symphony to Columbus for Saturday’s outstanding performance. These kinds of events don’t just happen. It takes a lot of planning and a lot of work. Those who turned out for Saturday’s performance will not soon forget the experience.
A rose to Columbus High sprinter Sky Samuel who will compete in the AAU Junior Olympics in Texas in July after a pair of top 5 finishes in the AAU Area 10 Qualifier in two events. You could say the sky is the limit for Sky, who is just an eighth-grader.
A thorn to the Columbus City Council, which has managed to make a bad decision even worse. In giving final approval to become the City’s Fashion Police through its ill-conceived Indecent Exposure ordinance (generally referred to as the “Sagging Pants Ordinance”), the Council approved a range of fines from $75 to $250 without distinguishing what offenses would warrant lower or higher fines. In addition, as Ward 5 councilman Kabir Karriem pointed out, there is no clear protocol for who is responsible for paying the fine when the culprit is a minor.
A rose to all the folks who helped turn a bad situation into something good. When the Lowndes County Humane Society was robbed of almost all of its supply of dog food, citizens rallied in a big way, donating more than 300 bags of dog food to make up for the loss. That’s worth a rose and an “attaboy!”
A thorn to the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau for the mixed-message its Board sent to the Legends Committee. The Board told the Legends folks that it needed to amend its request for funding as a “special event,” then — when it was presented as a special event — ruled that the Legends Concert didn’t meet the special-event criteria. Fund it or don’t fund it. But, please, don’t make folks chase their tails when seeking funding.
A rose to new principals Jill Savely (Columbus High) and Freda Dismukes (Columbus Middle School). Both Savely and Dismukes have paid their dues under previous principals and should be well-versed in the challenges and opportunities their schools face as they begin their new roles.
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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