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REALSTORYPUBLISHING.COM

March7,2012

FROMT

HEEDITOR

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THE REAL STORYP. O. Box 403

Columbus, MS 39703

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by Joseph B. St. JohnEditor-in-ChiefEditorsNote

e CCVB Board could easily be dis-missed as a joke, but, unfortunately, the

joke is on us, the taxpayers. Time andtime again, their meetings break downinto a tragic folly, trapped somewhere be-tween Shakespeare and e ree Stooges.Anyone viewing the meeting for the rsttime, could easily mistake it as a bad Sat-urday Night Live skit about local bumpkinstrying to act like business professionals.

But, this is not a skit. It is reality. As badas e Real Story blog and paper havemade it sound, the truth is, we have beenkind. To put it bluntly, even though thenine members of the Board are volunteer-

ing, they are grossly overpaid. It is never"ok" to look and act like juveniles, behav-ing badly, just because you are a volunteer.As a matter of fact, it would probably bebest for the community, if many of theboard members volunteered somewhereelse.

It is time for the City Council and theBoard of Supervisors to grab the bull bythe horns" and address this critical situa-tion. Unfortunately, they have their handstied because many of them are dependenton this same organization that they ap-point, to fund their festivals and boneheadmistakes.

How does Mayor Smith go and ask any-one on the Board to correct their mistakes,when this same organization pays for his

"Catsh for Unity" party and pays a thirdof the expense for one of the craziest,shortsighted mistakes in the history of C-town? Yep, campers, the ever popular"Bridge to Nowhere" project. Number oftourists likely to visit the project? Zero.

Not everyone on the Board is guilty ofhigh shenanigans, but the situation has de-teriorated to the point that it can only be

judged as a single entity. And, as a board,they have become a complete failure.Make no mistake; they are dangerous tothemselves and to the community.

ey sit on an approximately $1.5Mbudget, and act as if they could not spell

budget with a dictionary. Here is a hintto the board members and Ms. Carpenterabout when the CCVB needs a lawyer:every time one of the participants in thisasco begins to speak. at would be agood start.

en, the Board President needs to buyeach member of the Board a copy of"Robert's Rules of Order" and read it, andthat includes George. And, the next timesomeone shows up late and destroys thecontinuity of the meeting, someone wouldhave the "walking sense" to stop it.

During any given CCVB Board meeting,you can hear accusations of misappropri-ation of funds, credit card fraud, lies andcover ups. Maybe, Whirllie Byrd is right.It is time for an independent organization,

with no Lowndes County connections, toreview the books.

And, if anyone is guilty of any of the ac-cusations that have been made, punish theguilty parties. at's right, ole gang ofmine; you don't have to be an oen-ar-rested dude at the "Lavender Coliseumrow Down," to be held responsible.Even, "nice folks" have laws and rules.Now, all together class, can you say ethics

violations?" And, if no one is guilty of allthese rumored acts of high treason, theclamoring can be put to rest.

is, however, is not going to happenuntil the taxpayers get off their duffs and

demand that the Board be held account-able. Sorry, don't look for any help fromCity Hall. We already know that theMayor cast the deciding vote to kill a mo-tion by Charlie Box, asking for mandatorytraining for City Board appointees. He,obviously, believes there is no problem.Plus, he has a "mistake" to build, and soon.

No, it is the community's responsibility.Demand an independent audit of thebooks, free of C-town inuence, and lastbut not least, hold your elected officials re-sponsible. ey work for the citizens. Pe-riod.

But, until the problem is resolved, the

CCVB Board needs to look long and hardat themselves. Do you really need to talkso much? Do you have to argue every sin-gle point of the meeting? Do meetings re-ally have to take three hours?

If that doesn't work, each membershould reect on their own dignity, be-cause if an outsider was watching, eachmember's professional reputation could beinjured beyond repair. e silliness isdamaging to everyone. And, no one on theBoard leaves the meetings without theirreputations unscathed.

But, the best advice is to be quiet. Becalm and listen. Never forget that some-where, some place, Dave omas is rollingover in his grave.

Joseph B. St. JohnA/K/A Mr. MoJo Rising

Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The CCVB: What to DoAbout the Madness

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City Approves Free Paving for Private BusinessJust when you thought the City

of Columbus could not get anymore insane, they have reachedanother level. It has been re-ported by several people that, re-cently, the City had extra asphaltaer a project and, instead ofusing the remaining product toll one of the million pot holes inyour neighborhood, they paved

the private property of a businesson Gardner Boulevard, Von's Ex-otic Hair Salon. e Real Storyhas conrmed what was origi-nally learned from word on thestreet, indicating that it was ap-proved by Mayor Robert Smithand that the city workers did thework.

An area in front of the businessand a makeshi driveway werecompleted, using City resources(aka City tax dollars). So, thereyou go. is is our tax dollars atwork. Maybe, we have a new freepaving project. It appears so.

Hopefully, every business inColumbus will receive this perk.

I wonder if any Councilmanwill have the nerve to approachthe Mayor about this new PavingProgram.

Pictures are worth a thousandwords!

We will all stand by.

Mojo

CCVB MeetingGoes InsaneMost Everyone ChangedSeats, But the CrazinessRemained the Same

Monday's (February 27, 2012)

Columbus Convention & Visitors Bu-reau (CCVB) Board meeting started offith a chance for redemption, but only

for a moment. In a peculiar situation,almost everyone on the board hadchanged seats around the board table,in order for some odd "psychic voodoo"to take effect. Clearly an attempt tochange the "vibe" of the meeting, thefeel-good newness only lasted for a fewminutes.

Before peace, harmony and lovecould settle in, the sticky problem of theCity's "Bridge to Nowhere" reared itsugly head. e asco officially knownas the "Old Highway 82 Bridge Restora-tion Project is the bad idea that willnot go away. is time it introduced it-self as the Monster at Ate the$50,000 Windfall from the Taxpayers(e extra greenbacks were the resultof higher-than-expected receipts fromhe restaurant tax.). Overall, the CCVB

will "fork over" $133,000 to the bridgeproject.

Bart Wise, Treasurer of the CCVB,advised that this money would beneeded to help pay for the structurethat should draw tourists from as faraway as Caledonia to see its marvel.

uch to the surprise of Bernard Buck-

alter, the CCVB had not budgeted anymoney for the project, this scal year.

owever, Mr. Wise felt the CCVB wasbligated to ensure they had the moneyo pay their fair share of this Mayor-dri-en project.

is le some Board membersstunned, as this was the rst they hadheard of the plan to spend the $50,000on the bridge. is is a recurring themein which many Board members do notsee what is being presented at the CCVB

meeting until meeting time. True toform, Mr. Buckhalter was not impressedand stated so in about 5,000 words.

As the torture continued, the "GreatCredit Card Debate of 2011-12 wagedon in its next chapter of ineptness. Forthose of you who just moved to Lown-des County, many members of the com-munity believe that the holders of thesecards, over the past several years, havehad the discipline of a drunken hobodigging through a trash can.

On cue, the raging of alarms went off,and excitement lled the room. Some-where, some place, at some time, audits

have been done and, it appears, duringthe past couple of years, over $20,000has been charged, in one month, on thecredit card, for a variety of reasons.

Now, it is hard to get a straight answer,because the meeting breaks down topersonal grudge matches, where peoplewho obviously hate each others "guts"lose their minds, as well as their dignity.And, make no mistake about it; right,wrong or indifferent, the table is setwith Whirllie Byrd and Bernard Buck-halter on one side; Bart Wise, MarkCastleberry and Rissa Lawrence on theother side; and all of the other board

members just wishing they could gohome.

rough all of this confusion and psy-chosis, here are some of the highlights:

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Just under $20,000 of credit cardcharges that were originally character-ized as undocumented and unsub-stantiated are now being referred to asan accounting error.

Over a protracted time, the CCVBpaid its bills online, with no receipts orrecords kept. is includes insurancepremiums and credit card bills.

And some how, some way, $35,000was paid to three employees for doing

some type of cleaning and moving.And, guess what? Its unclear as towhether proper payroll records weremaintained for these employees. eyhunted two of them down to sort outthe mess, but the other one refused togive his social security number. eCCVB is perplexed as to what to donow.

Can anyone say insanity?

But, its alright boys and girls. BartWise reported that the auditors said theCCVB is doing much better now. Ofcourse, he forgot to mention that theonly way you could do worse is...oh,

sorry; there is no way to do worse.Meanwhile, Nancy Carpenter made

the obligatory "just cut up the creditcard" speech and Bart seconded the ar-gumentbut then lamented that theCCVB could not do business withoutone. is all occurred while Mr. Buck-halter repeated that he did not want tosee the credit cards abused again, atleast 93 times.

Aer much weeping and gnashing ofteeth, the board agreed to limit spend-ing to $1,000 per purchase withoutboard approval. So that means youcould buy 20 items, at $999.99 each,

and run the bill up again. But, whyspoil the party with a little simplemath?

And, just when you thought the bow-els of hell could not get darker, they did.ey hired a lawyer. Or tried to do so.

is part of the meeting can besummed up in 17 words. Does anyoneon the CCVB Board have a clue as towhat time of day it is?

First, Mr. Buckhalter wanted to givethe contract to the lowest bidder, likethe CCVB was building a spaceship.

Second, Mr. Castleberry questioned

Wil Coloms credentials to serve as theCCVB attorney. Note to Mark: Go askthe "W" for their opinion of his creden-tials. I am sure he would get a be-grudging "A+."

Also, during this discussion, RissaLawrence brought up Nadia Dales re-lationship with Scott Colom. Becauseof this complaint, Dale recused herselffrom the vote. No word yet on howRissa Lawrence feels about the Mayorand a certain bail bondsperson. I amsure she will mention it to him, whenthe CCVB gives him the check for thebridge.

Last, but not least, the winner wasChris Latimer, a partner of theMitchell, McNutt and Sams law rm.Whirllie Byrd thought this was a con-ict, since there was litigation against

the law rm over money paid to DavidSanders in 2011. Nancy Carpenterwanted to hire Mr. Latimer because hewould be receptive to her needs. Notthat she had ever worked with him, butit's okay - Mark Castleberry had.Surely Nancy and Mark never talkedabout it.

e subject of race now became aconcern. Nadia Dale stated she be-lieved it was a good opportunity to hirea minority; Mr. Buckhalter echoed thatsentiment, but to no availthe goosewas cooked. Mr. Latimer is the newCCVB attorney.

But, its okay. He won't be at meet-ingsjust when they need him. Noone could make this stuff up. Its scary,but true!

Now, the party really "got to" rock-ing...it was money time.

e two water-boarding victims, onMonday, were Amber Brislin and LeroyBrooks.

In a bizarre twist, e CCVB and staffdecided to cut Market Street Festivalsgrant allocation from the $20,000 theyreceived last year, to just over $11,000this year. Citing the usual "we don't

have any money theme (except forspecial projects and bridge debacles),they slashed the event. But, wait - itgets better. Stand by for this logic.

Rissa Lawrence was adamant that,since the Market Street Festival hadbeen scally responsible over the yearsand had saved, "seed money" of justover 13,000 dollars for this year's event,they did not need to be funded at thelevel requested.

at's right, campers; in "Rissa'sWorld" you should be punished forbeing scally responsible. DewittHicks hit the nail on the head when he

said, "If we don't fund this festival, wewill look like we dont know what weare doing."

Several votes were taken, with GeorgeSwales nally switching his vote and

the Market Street Festival did receive$15,000. As Ms. Brislin stated, "GivingMarket Street only $11,000 would be adisgrace to the tax payers." e Boarddid save some face by giving $15,000.

But, just when you thought the boardcouldn't look any more impotent, theydid. Harvey Myrick joined the fray, atthe last moment, and announced hewould not vote, since he was late. How-ever, he then anointed himself as "defacto" President of the Board, by sayinghe would vote only if there was a tie,and then he eventually voted.

Yep, and George and the board didnothing. ey let it happen. And,guess what - Leroy Brooks and the

Juneteenth organizers got $14,000 fortheir festival. Earlier in the evening,Leroy Brooks had stated that if his or-ganization could only get $9,400 dollarsthat the board proposed, he would nottake the money. His event would becancelled.

When voting time came, he received$14,000. And why? Because Mr.Myrick was the deciding vote. IfMyrick had been at the meeting, fromthe beginning, would the CCVB haveanother attorney? Would Market Streethave received all 20,000 dollars? Wedon't know, but we should know this: if

a member misses the vast majority ofthe meeting, he should not be allowedto vote. It was wrong and it was insane,or as you know by now, it was businessas usual.

Once again, it was a night of whichthe board should be ashamed, but theyare not. ey le the meeting, actingas if they had accomplished somethingother than tomfoolery, and they arewrong. e only real question to asknow is, "How long does the communityallow this absurdity to continue?" eanswer is, "It should have been overmonths ago!"

Watch for the next installment of "ItCame from the Planet CCVB."

Joseph B. St. JohnMR. MoJo Rising

Reader Comments

Susan Shelton Foster says:February 29, 2012 at 11:58 amis all makes my brain spin and then,when I regain my balance, I just want toslap sense into all of them.

Sam says:February 29, 2012 at 12:42 pmCant yall see that its the City against theCounty? Harvey is a loose cannon! eLink is trying to control and call theshots. Leroy is out to get his fair cut.Market Street is the only true festival. Allthe other crap is just that, CRAP. e

bridge to nowhere is a total waste of timeand money. MDOT gave 1 mil, the City,County and CVB gave another mil. atis all that should be spend on the stupidbridge. Two million dollars on a bridgeto nowhere. Get real. We are driving onstreets that are way beyond their time, aschool system that is broke, and a citythat is hanging by threads. e CVB is atotal disgrace and should be redone ordismantled. Look at who is on thisboard. Someone has said it was set up tofail. I think they are right on!

David says:February 29, 2012 at 8:25 pmYall should have let Leroy walk out. To

give him as much money as Main Streetis crazy. Where is all the money theCCVB used to have? I agree that thereshould be an audit. e credit cardshould have a $100 limit. I bet there willbe more $200 meals put on it. Someoneshould have said that no spouse can eat free. I also agree that there are 3 or 4board members that should not be onany board. It does look like it is a stackeddeck. Too many jokers. Also, why is Mr.Buckhalter taking over? I thought Mr.Swales was the chairman. If it had 3rings, it would be a real circus. What ashame. anks, Joe, for letting us knowwhat is going on with our money.

Robert says:March 1, 2012 at 6:45 pmanks to the mismanagement by theCCVB Board, there will never be anymore add-on taxes, like this. If it wassent to Jackson for approval anytimesoon, it would not pass. I was told thisby the Senator from Lowndes County.is was a good idea, but the wronboard members running it. is boardwill never get it together like the CityCouncil. Eat at home and save your taxmoney. A shame.

MEETING cont. from pg. 3

Note:

Ms. Byrd asked for aState Audit of

the CCVBs nances.

She could not even muster asecond to the motion.

Hmmmmmm...Wonder why?

CMSD Board Votes to Approve RIF,Extend Superintendent Search

ursday's night special called meet-ing of the Columbus MunicipalSchool District (CMSD) Board was amove to undo actions taken at the lastschool board meeting, held on Febru-

ary 13.Most of the action was expected,

with the Board quickly getting to themain point of the meeting. e Ap-prove Staff/Personnel Item wasbrought back before the Board toallow the emergency RIF to takeplace. is has been the ashpoint ofmany discussions, over the past fewmonths, in our community.

Next up, Dr. Liddell advised theBoard that the Administrative Staff ofCMSD, which had lost 10 days of

leave, two years ago, would lose an ad-ditional ve days, this coming year.is was done as a cost-saving meas-ure for the school district.

In addition, she reiterated that allRIFed employees did have two yearsor less of service.

Board Member Bruce Hanson askedif everyone on the list had met the cri-teria, and was concerned that someemployees on the list were not eligibleto be released.

Board Attorney David Dunn spokeup, in regard to Dr. Liddell's com-ments that everyone on the present listqualied to be released. She is ab-solutely right. Only employees who

do not have EAPL rights - employeeswith less than two years of service - areon the list. Employees with no EAPLrights cannot contest their releasefrom employment.

Mr. Dunn went on to explain thatthe RIF list met the criteria of the dis-trict and numerous Attorney GeneralOpinions from the State of Missis-sippi.

Aer a brief discussion, the motionto accept the RIF list being broughtback before the Board was approved.

Before approving the actual list, Mr.Hanson had several important ques-tions, the most vital being, If therewas no shortfall, if we had the all the

funds, would we have to RIF anyone?

Dr. Liddell stated, in detail, that theeffected personnel had to be notiedof the School's decision by the 15th of

April, and school administrators hadto receive notice by March 1. at isthe law. So, the RIF had to take effect,even if some personnel could be re-hired. She also repeated that the dis-trict hoped to rehire many of theemployees who had to be released.

Mr. Hanson stated that he believedthat there are sufficient funds to keepthe teachers and that that moneyshould be placed in the budget. How-ever, Dr. Liddell and others were

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adamant about the situation andmoved forward with the RIF plan.

e motion passed, with only Mr.Hanson voting no.

In other business, the board voted 4-1, with only Currie Fisher voting no,to extend the search for School Super-intendent an additional two weeks.

wo candidates have dropped out, re-cently, and Tommy Prude stated that

e had been disappointed with the list

nd wished to gather more candidates.

Many teachers have expressed con-erns over the lack of specics about

the criteria that would be used to re-ire the teachers who had been RIFed.n a follow-up interview, Dr. Liddell

shared the following plan and writtenstatement:

e Columbus School District con-inues to focus on our core mission,

which is to provide a quality educa-tion for every child. With the chal-lenges with the district's budget andCharter Schools on the horizon,Columbus Schools has to be extremelycautious with appropriately allocatingresources and its nances over the nextfew years. Even so, we are focused onprotecting instruction in every class-room, the safety of our students, andrehiring as many Reduction in Force(RIF) affected staff back for nextschool year as our funding will allow.

RIF-impacted teachers and adminis-trators will receive top priority in ll-ing positions that the district will needback for next school year. To ensurethat building principals have a guide touse that is district and board-ap-

proved, a Columbus Schools HiringRubric has been developed with inputof central office staff and principals. Alldecisions regarding the RIF were madein a fair and consistent manner, to ad-dress the nancial crisis the school dis-trict is in. Columbus Schools values itsteachers and all staff members, andwill do everything possible to ensure aquality school system for all our stu-dents.

e following is the Hiring Rubricthat will be used in returning the dis-trict to pre-RIF levels:

Columbus Municipal School DistrictHiring Rubric for Policy GBKAReduction in Force

Columbus Municipal School DistrictImplementation Policy for re-hiringand/or hiring certied staff followinga Reduction in Force for Policy GBKA:(for use by CMSD Principals and/or Inter-view Teams)

Area 1: Criticality of the position tothe mission, goals, and objectives ofthe school district. Subject area(s) and

dvanced degrees by certication. 5 points for A certication

10 points for AA certication 15 points for AAA certication 20 points for AAAA certication 10 points for Certication in

Secondary Math, SecondaryScience, or Special Education

SCORE: ______

rea 2: Experience, professional train-ing, length of service within the dis-trict and work assignment.

15 points added if impacted byReduction in Force (preference

points for RIF affected employees) 10 points added for familiarity,

training and/or certication inthe school of application Magneteme, IB Program, AP Programand/or Gied EducationProgram.

5 points awarded for each year ofexperience in a certied position

(preference points for teachingand/or administrative experiencewithin and outside the district).

1 point awarded for each year ofexperience in a non-certiedposition (preference points for teach-ing and/or administrative experiencewithin and outside the district).

SCORE: ______

Area 3: Quality of performance in-cluding the proven ability to accom-plish the educational mission of theschool district.

15 points awarded if lastevaluation resulted in arecommendation for renewal(includes a Signed Intent to RenewForm, Formal Evaluation results of 3or higher per indicator, and/or asuccessful TI F Evaluation)

SCORE: ______

Area 4: Executive ability. 10 points for demonstrated

* executive ability. (Must attachwritten documentation of his or herchoosing to support.). eoperational denition of * executive

ability is dened as the ability to leadand guide to affect a positive change

process leading to improvement and/or innovation.

SCORE: ______

Area 5: Employee attendance and dis-cipline history.

10 points will be added for anyemployee who has not exceededthe allocated leave.

10 points will also be awarded forany employee who had not beenplaced on an improvement planwithin the past 5 academic years.

SCORE: ______

TOTAL SCORE: __________

In her closing statements during ourinterview yesterday, Dr. Liddell statedshe wanted to be open and fair, and sherepeated that she was hoping to rehireas many affected teachers as possible.

e next several months should beinteresting for the CMSD. Stand by!

By the way...still no Robert or Del

sightings!!! And, they say they alwaysreturn to the scene of the crime!!!!

Joseph B. St. JohnA/K/A MoJo

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FROM(andTO)THEEDITORThe Problem with Sherman

e arrest of Sherman Smith is a prime example ofwhen crime and politics collide. Sherman Smith isColumbus Mayor Robert Smith's son, and his arreston February 26, 2012 has raised as many questions asit answered. e arrest could have been a simple in-carceration, but it has now turned into a much largerproblem.

e Real Story has taken the editorial stance thatlocal politics will be our major focus and that individ-

ual crimes would be covered on an as-needed basis.e Sherman Smith case is a perfect example of whencrime becomes politics.

In ursday's issue of the Columbus Packet, Sher-man Smith was the cover story for the publication. Hehad been arrested at the scene of a shooting, with arearm. ough not charged in the shooting, it wasnot a attering story.

is revelation caught many people by surprise. Ear-lier in the week, the Commercial Dispatch had writtena story about the shooting, with no mention of the ar-rest of Smith. ey just reported information aboutthe victim.

Last Sunday's (March 4, 2012) Dispatch column,

Roses and orns, gave Chief McQueen a thorn forwithholding the information. Stopping just short ofcalling him a liar, the Dispatch made it known thatthey were not amused about not being told of the ar-rest. And, for good reason. ey had interviewedMcQueen about the situation and he did not mentionthe Smith arrest. is was an inexcusable folly.

McQueen had an opportunity to come clean withtheDispatch, when they called, but, instead, remained

silent. is is enough to make one wonder what elseis happening on at the CPD that is not being exposed.If an individual or organization will hide somethingof this magnitude from the media and the citizens,there is nothing else they would not hide.

Kudos to the Packetfor getting the story, but it is nottheir responsibility to share the information withother media outlets. ey held the information untiltheir next issue and released it at the rst possible mo-ment that they could put it in print. at is their job.

It is McQueen's job to answer questions honestly.And, apparently this is becoming a difficult stance forhim. He has misled his troops and the media aboutthe promotional process, and even the Mayor wascaught in a lie about this matter. Now, McQueen hasbeen caught in another compromising position, in re-gards to the Mayor's son.

In an ironic twist, e Real Story was grappling withhow to cover this story and still be true to our originalcalling. e reality is, this case is larger because theMayor's son is involved. Sherman is an adult, but hisfather holds the most important job in the City.

But, now the question lies with why McQueen just

did not say that Sherman Smith was arrested at thescene. He did not have to list him as a suspect. If hewas not sure who the "Shooter" was, just say it. But,don't fail to mention that you just happened to arrestthe Mayor's son with a gun, at the same location. Evenif you never mentioned the words, "Mayor's son."

ere is a reality that the Police Department cannotalways release all of the information that they have intheir possession. Sometimes, due to the criminal na-

ture of the cases or its involvement with personnel is-sues, the information cannot and should not be re-leased. Also, it is vital that the police never make anaccusation they cannot prove. Never!

In this case, however, Smith had been arrested onthe scene, and it should have been reported when Mc-Queen was questioned. Period. No further questionsasked.

In addition, early on Sunday morning, aer theorn" was issued, McQueen released the press re-lease that can be found in the article, below. In a feebleattempt to sound positive, he talks about all of the suc-cess the CPD is having.

e truth is that McQueen is having a difficult tran-sition from Police Lieutenant to Police Chief. Sun-day's article must have been an eye opener for him.As it should be.

He is in a difficult position. Since his elevation toChief, crime has skyrocketed, he has lost the faith ofmany of the men and women on the department, andhe works for an overbearing Mayor. And, no one onthe City Council has the nerve to challenge the Mayorregarding his brutal management style. No one.

McQueen would be wise to re-read the press releasehe distributed on Sunday morning. He should reecton the words and their intent, all the while remem-bering the Bible verse, "Physician heal thyself." A re-ally smart guy once said that!

Joseph B. St. Johna/k/a Mr. MoJo Risin

CPD Seeks to Improve...Editors Note: e following is apress release that was distrib-uted by Police Chief SelvainMcQueen on Sunday, March 4,and which was referenced in thearticle entitled e Problemwith Sherman, which appearsabove.

A vital measure of the health ofa law enforcement agency is its ca-pacity to learn lessons from previ-ous events, good or bad, and feedthese into continuous improve-ments in service delivery.

ere is a great deal of workunder way. e Columbus PoliceDepartment is looking afresh atthe overall structures and objec-tives. e department has been re-organized and decentralized bymoving key personnel to newshis and locations. I questioneverybody from patrol officers tothe assistant chief about whatsworking and whats not. I show up

at police calls, ride along with offi-cers on patrol and make myselfeasily available to the media. Ihave met with politicians, busi-ness leaders, neighborhoodgroups and residents, and havedrawn upon my contacts acrossthe country to strengthen our de-partment. I have created commu-nity forums and am currentlyworking on the concept of aChiefs advisory board. My officedoor is open to the public. Surveysare being sent out to determine

citizen priorities and expectations,with surprisingly good results.Mystery shoppers have been uti-lized to ensure that we are provid-ing service in a timely andefficient manner. It is absolutely

vital that all this activity achievesa synergy rather than duplicatingeffort, pulling in different direc-tions or leaving gaps in delivery.

A new sense of purpose is beingbrought to the Columbus Police

Department that will reward ex-cellence. I demand that everyonework hard. e top to the bottomhas been reinvigorated.

e bar has been subject toforces of change both internallyand externally. We all want to im-prove public condence in theColumbus Police Department. Ifthe public wants a higher qualityof police officer then there mustbe an understanding that it comeswith a price. Across the nation, thepoor quality of recruits has con-

tributed to problems ranging frombadly written incident reports torepeated cases of police brutality.Raising the bar means that wemust look at an individuals qual-ications, not seniority. e im-portance of strong and activesenior leadership, personal en-gagement, effective oversight andsupport cannot be overstated.

If you want to feel secure withinyour home, properties,and person, assist me inraising the bar by accentu-ating the positive.

Selvain McQueenChief of Police

Dear Editor:

Aer reviewing numerous media outlets, Ihave several questions to ask our local leaders,since they do not seem to be available to addressthe concerns of our community, openly.

In regards to an article written in the February6, 2012 Commercial Dispatch entitled, "TupeloBans Droopy Pants, I wonder if Mayor Smithand the City Council have ever taken the timeto consider such a law. We need someone inCity government to wise up and smell the roses.Someone needs to, at least, address the issue inthe media, instead of always being silent.

In e Real Story article dated February 8,2012, and entitled "Come on Columbus/Lown-

des County - Get it Together," it appears as ifseveral attorneys and JUDGES need to bebrought before the ethics committee of the Mis-sissippi Bar Association. e allegations, if cor-rect, are ridiculous!

In the case of Wilbanks' murder case, whatnew information was found, or is this just thesame case it has been for over a decade? Whatpiece of the "puzzle" did Bowen, Williams andMcQueen see that was not seen before? If theymissed it the rst time and it is so clear now, howdid these guys ever get promoted? I will wait forthe conviction before I make a nal judgmenton the greatness of this arrest.

Just a few questions; I am not the only one whohas these concerns.

LettertotheEditor

Jim Dierking

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COMMUNITY

March7,2012


On ursday, March 1st, the Ex-change Club held their monthlymeeting, and their guest speakerwas Charlotte Hardy, from eColumbus Lowndes Humane So-ciety (CLHS).

Charlotte gave an informativepresentation about the Humane

Society, including its positive im-pact on the community. She also

spoke about their current needs,as well as long-term goals. eyhave performed site preparationfor a new shelter building, and arecurrently raising funds to beginconstruction.

Other CLHS representativeswho attended the meeting were:Brenda Comer, Phyllis Fulghamand Ruth Berry.

Following is a Wish List of

items the CLHS needs, as well aswhere you can send a general do-nation to help the pets.

Everyday NeedsPaper Towels, Anti-bacterialDish Soap, Large Bath Towels,Small Rugs, New Heating Pads,Bleach, Laundry Detergent(with bleach), Mr. Clean, PineSol

Animal NeedsPedigree Dog and Puppy Food,Purina Cat and Kitten Chow,Pedigree Canned Dog Food, 9

Lives Canned Cat Food (BiteSize, not Shredded), Dog Biscuits

and Cat Toys, Flea Shampoo,Rubbermaid storage containers(6x12 to be used for cat litter)

Office NeedsCopier Paper, Post-It Notes,Pens

Fun StuffVolunteers to walk and bathedogs, Dog toys, Cat toys,Rawhide chews, Dog and cat

treats, Kuranda dog bedsDonated items can be delivered

to the Shelter at 13 Airline Roadin Columbus.

Monetary donations can bemade via their website, www.clhu-manesociety.org.

Charlotte Hardy

Christy [email protected]

Christy is a wife and mother of four

children and wants to capture Columbusone photo at a time.

A Place at the Table...Back Door Succeeds AgainOn ursday evening (March 1,012), we attended the second in a se-ies of cra beer/ ve-course dinnerairings held at the Back Door Restau-ant. Aer the success of the rstvent, this one sold out almost imme-iately.

e night's sponsor was the Red

rick Brewing Company based in At-anta, whose wares you may have seenere, in Columbus, including Laugh-

ng Skull Amber Ale, Red Bricklonde Ale, and the Red Brick Brownle, along with the Brick Mason Weeeavy Scotch Ale, which is not "yet"

vailable here in Mississippi. is par-icular brew was aged in oak barrels tohe point that it cannot currently be

sold "off the shelf" in this state.

Chef Sarah, as you all would expect,repared dishes to accompany these

ibations with considerable skill and -esse.

Courses one and two were SpicySteamed Mussels & Shrimp soup fol-lowed by Organic Greens (from theprairie) with spiced pecans, bleucheese and creamy vinaigrette dress-ing. While the Laughing Skull AmberAle, itself, was not used in the prepa-ration of the dishes, it made a very in-

teresting pairing of avors, with thespiciness of the seafood and the sweet-ness of the salad.

e third course was Barley and AleCrepes (prepared with the LaughingSkull Amber Ale) stuffed withcreamed wild mushrooms, and pairedwith the Red Brick Blonde Ale. ismade for a unique transition from therst course, by including the rst beerin the preparation of the second dish,and the cream/mushroom lling inthe crepes was perfect with theBlonde. is dish seemed both lightand hearty at the same time.

Course number four was my ab-solute favorite tonight ... Spicy Ale-Marinated Beef Tenderloin with Orzoand Fresh Asparagus ... the beef wasmarinated in the ale along with vari-ous spices, and was cooked to perfec-tion ... I would swear to you that it wastender enough to cut with a toothpick.

e nal pairing was the Brick MasonWee Heavy Scotch Ale paired with aChocolate Whiskey Torte with VanillaSauce ... what can one say about a beeraged in former whiskey barrels, mixedand re-mixed between barrels ...paired with anything chocolate, muchless Chef Sarah's tort. What a way towrap up the evening.

Our tablemates were a couple fromCAFB who are originally from partsnorth of here and are accustomed to a

variety of beers we do not yet enjoy inthis area. We had a lot of fun convers-ing with them, learning more about

other parts of the country, as well assharing a few things they might enjoyexperiencing, during their time herein Columbus.

If you are interested in future specialdinners at the Back Door, search fortheir page on Facebook and click "like"to be included on announcements for

other events, as they are scheduled.Please be courteous though, and donot take my place at the table.

In the words of the radio newsman Iheard each morning as a kid (origi-nally a quote attributed to the Persianscholar Omar Khayyam, around theyear 1100) ... "e Moving FingerWrites, And Having Writ, Moves On...I'm, CRB".

Charles BakerSpecial to e Real Story

Check Out Our Websitefor Our New Polls!

www.realstorypublishing.com

The Humane Society Needs Your Help

Courtesy Photo

ShiAnne Bailey won the crown of Little Miss Magnoliafor the Golden Triangle this past Saturday at the

Miss Magnolia State Preliminary Pageant held at theColumbus Holiday Inn. She is ve years old, and

is the daughter of Lesley and Greg Bailey;this was her rst pageant.

CongratulationsShiAnne!

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March7,2012

COMMUNITY State Historical Society Recounts War of 1812

e Mississippi Historical Societyheld its annual meeting in Columbusthis year, March 1-3. e theme of themeeting was e Bicentennial of theWar of 1812. e meeting featuredspeakers from Mississippi and re-gional universities, who presented pa-pers on the battle for the southernfrontier, Mississippis American Indi-ans, the Natchez Trace, and local his-tory projects. It was inaugurated byAubrey K. Lucas, President, and a wel-come was given by James B. Borsig,President of Mississippi University forWomen (MUW), which hosted theevent. President Borsig also hosted areception for the conferees. A Colum-bus historical tour, scheduled for Fri-day, was cancelled, due to inclementweather. A public reception was heldon ursday, followed by a banquet atwhich author Robert B. Haynes gavethe address Some Dark MysteriousBusiness: Aaron Burr in the MississippiTerritory. Haynes book, e Missis-sippi Territory and the Southwest Fron-

tier, won the Societys McLemorePrize for Book of e Year in 2010.

One of the most compelling presen-tations was that of native Mississip-pian, Daniel P. Jordan, PresidentEmeritus of the omas JeffersonFoundation. e title of Mr. Jordanstalk was Our History Matters, and init he gave a ringing and impassionedargument for the study of history.Aer 9/11, Jordan said, the countryhas been at war, and our enemies wantto take away our liberties; and if theythreaten our freedom, they threatenour history. Our history is worth

ghting for, he said, for as a historianwho understands our past, he knowsthat who we are today is because ofthose historical gures, like AndrewJackson, the hero of the War of 1812.

He and speakers on the role of theNatchez Trace in the War of 1812

talked of the importance of place, theactual, physical sites of history. ese,they said, are not only monuments tothe greatness of the past, but palpablereminders of the importance of his-tory to us, today.

In another vein, Mr. Jordan spoke ofthe importance of the study of historyas it was, not as we would like it to be.As a Jefferson scholar, he said that he

is oen asked why, in recent years, his-torians have delved into the more un-savory aspects of the Presidents life,including his reported relationshipwith Sally Hemmings. Because it isthere, he said.

e War of 1812 is a relatively un-known war, one vastly overshadowedby the Civil War; and yet, it was an im-portant conict, which dened Amer-ican history. Benjamin Franklin oncesaid, when asked about the War of In-dependence, e War of 1776 wasthe Revolutionary War. e War ofIndependence has yet to be fought.

Many of the speakers stressed the factthat it was not until the American vic-tory in the War of 1812 that we reallywere a nation, rather than a country ofdisparate states and territories, clansand tribes. It was Andrew Jackson,they said, who organized an army ofmilitias, Indians, free blacks, and reg-ular soldiers, and molded them intowhat the British considered to be aragtag army, but was, actually, a deter-mined, well-trained ghting force.Jacksons troops were vastly outnum-bered by what was considered thestrongest, best-equipped, and besttrained army in Europe, and yet, notonly won the battle of New Orleans,but lost very few men.

e story of American Indians in theWar of 1812 was one of the most in-teresting recounted during the confer-ence. First, although American forces

eventually beat and virtually destroyedthe Creeks, the Americans consideredthem to be a well-organized, ruthless,and viciously brutal ghting force, andrespected them for it. e Creeks sawthe progressive invasion of their landsby the Europeans and the Americans,and chose war to ght and expel them.e American government, since1789, had tried to civilize the Creeks,by showing them the advantages ofEuropean ways, thus assuring their al-legiance to American causes in time ofwar, but to no avail; and by Jeffersonstime the policy had been changed toremoval of the Indians, not accommo-dation with them. e Chickasawsand Choctaws, on the other hand,chose accommodation with them;and, in the War, provided inestimableassistance to Jacksons troops, as hemade his way down the Natchez Traceto the Gulf Coast. e Chickasawsand Choctaws, by the time of the War,had adopted the ways of the white set-tlers, and archeological remains have

shown that their lives were very simi-lar. Tecumseh had tried to unite all ofthe Indian tribes in the area, but thedifferences between the tribes andwithin them made this impossible.

e story of Jacksons march downthe Natchez Trace, from Tennessee toNatchez, is a fascinating one. A mod-ern historian asked a representative ofthe Department of Defense what itwould be like to have a troop of 1,000men march the almost 500 milesalong the Trace. Impossible was thereply. e most arduous trainingmarch is only 200 miles, stretching the

limit of soldiers endurance. Beyondthat, even with the most modern sup-port facilities, they would succumb todisease and infection; not to mentionthe almost insurmountable logisticaleffort behind such a march. Jacksonwas able to move his troops in the bit-

ter cold, living off the land, and sup-porting them as he could. He gainedthe loyalty and tribute of his troopsand the nation, aer he marched the

victorious troops back to Tennessee.

American victory in the War of 1812resulted in the removal of Indiantribes to the West of the Mississippi;the facilitation of immigration ofwhite settlers and the introduction of

slavery; the securing of the South-west in American hands the war toend all wars and the real beginning ofthe United States; and the rise to na-tional prominence of Andrew Jackson.

e conference also featured twosessions on local institutions and theirhistory. Bridget Pieschel provided adetailed, wide-ranging, and colorfulaccount of the long history of MUW;and Lillian Wade, President of theColumbus and Lowndes County His-torical Society, talked about preserv-ing local history.

Awards for meritorious contribu-tions to Mississippi history were givenby the Society to four Columbus resi-dents Chuck Yarborough, MonaVance, Bridget Pieschel, and SamKaye.

Intimidation in the Friendly City: Lets Frighten Them, Boys!ursday morning (March 1, 2012), I

visited Caf Aromas to savor a cup of

coffee and to check my e-mail. Severalacquaintances and friends ventured in,and I got to spend some time catchingup on the local news. Some of that newswas not so good. I didnt want to believewhat I was hearing, but at the sametime, none of it really surprised me.

First of all, it seems that there are darkforces operating in Columbus that em-anate from negative, misinformed peo-ple. ey can be venomous, hateful,and vengeful. ey thrive on manipu-

lation. One doesnt have to look tooclosely to realize that Columbus is no

longer the Friendly City, and, insteadshould be renamed something such asGestapo-ville

e last time I checked, Columbuswas still part of the United States, and itscitizens hadnt lost most of their rights andfreedoms. We are not subject to dictator-ship, and were still free to express our opin-ions within the connes of the establishedlaw. Nor should we fear retaliation whenwe do so.

at is what happened to BrendaCaradine, recently. She received a

phone call, a couple of weeks ago, urg-ing her to remove a particular politicalsign from her yard. She tried to explainto the caller, to no avail, that the signwas actually in the yard next-door, andhad been placed there by her husband.In addition, there was an exchange of

viewpoints in the comment section ofe Real Storys website (February 24)about this matter. en, last ursday,she received a phone call, indicatingthat there was a delivery at her sidedoor. When she went to check, shefound a bouquet of dead roses, whichhad been spray-painted black. ematter is now under police scrutiny.

As most of you probably know,Brenda is a proponent and supporter ofanything that has to do with Columbus-

born Tennessee Williams. Whether youlike one of the most prolic playwrights

or not, he draws international attentionto our town.

Night of the Iguana, Cat on a Hot TinRoof, Streetcar Named Desire, OrpheusDescending (which, by the way wasNOT about an interracial affair), eGlass Menagerie, and Sweet Bird oYouth are some of Williams best-known plays. Perhaps you enjoyedSummer and Smoke?

ere seems to have been a differenceof opinion in the Columbus commu-nity, lately, when Orpheus Descendinmade its debut by a troupe from NewYork City. It seems that there were cit-

izens who didnt want the play to bepresented in certain venues due to some

Ron [email protected]

Ron Parlato is a writer

living in Washington, DC.He has close ties withColumbus which he visits

frequently. His writings onliterature, politics and culture,

travel, and cooking can befound on his own blog,

uncleguidosfacts.com.

See INTIMIDATION Pg. 19

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by Mo & No-Mo

Observation:

e "Underground Grapevine" is working over-time these days. Aer hearing whispers about

one of the most important requirements for ourColumbus Police Department (CPD), I was

shocked to learn that, according to McQueen, itis vitally important for "his" officers to "lookgood." We have gone back and re-read his

comments in the papers and reviewed clips andpictures spanning the last several months and,guess what - he has repeatedly stated that it is

important that "His" officers look good. Allpictures and footage show McQueen in

starched and pressed clothes, with never awrinkle. Folks, police work is dirty work -how can you solve crimes, knock on doors,

investigate crime scenes and deal withcriminals, without getting mussed up and

dirty? At least a wrinkle!!! Again, it seemsthat the leadership of the CPD has lost focus.

I admit that it is important for our policeofficers to look good but at no point in time

should looking good replace the mostimportant mission for our officers - to protectand serve. Again McQueen, you are working

to demoralize and put down our dedicatedand loyal officers.

If you have a local business or establishment you would like us to consider for review,please e-mail us at: [email protected].

You will get our honest opinion of the business, their personal customer service, and the services offered.We strive for fair, unbiased reporting, so we hope to hear from you.

Several weeks back, we hadplanned on writing this review,then we heard that Cattleman'swas going to incorporate Koun-try Kitchen. We opted to take thewait-and-see approach, to see ifthey were going to be able tomaintain the impeccable reputa-tion for an outstanding lunchthat Kountry Kitchen had earnedover the years, while still beingable to serve some of the beststeaks and sh during theevenings.

Walking in the door, you aregreeted by some of the friendliestwaitstaff in town. If you frequentCattleman's, they know you byname and they know where youprefer to sit. Not only that, they

know what you like to eat, howyou like it prepared and canmake you a cup of coffee just theway you like it. It's been a longtime since I visited a restaurantwith such a loving atmosphere,and we visit a lot of businesses,especially restaurants.

We loved the little bowl ofblack-eyed peas with hush pup-pies, as an appetizer. ose of usat our table who ordered steak

raved on and on about how ten-der, moist and delicious theirmeat was. Some ordered sh andhad nothing but good things tosay, in between stuffing theirmouths. How refreshing it wasto get a fresh baked potato thatwas so, hot and swimming inbutter YUM!

Clean, friendly and some of thebest food in town - you just can'tget any better than that. Be itlunch or dinner, they satisfy all ofyour culinary needs, for a mealthat pleases with a down-homefeel. Go on down to Cattleman'sRestaurant, on Tuscaloosa Road,and enjoy.

Cattlemans lives up to Kountry Kitchen standards.

CONSUMERCORNER

/CULTURALLYSPEAKING

March7,2012

REALSTO

RYPUBLISHING.COM

hotography andaintings and aetterpress, Oh My!

If you happened to be drivingthrough downtown Columbus, last

ursday night (March 1st), you prob-ably noticed a sizeable group of peoplemilling about, near the intersection of

ain and 5th. Did you wonder aboutwhat was going on?

Well, culture was happening!

e Columbus Arts Council, at itsRosenzweig Arts Center (RAC) home,was hosting the opening of a show ofwork by artist Penny Nichols. e ele-gant crowd clearly enjoyed the organic,oen layered works by Nichols. Herpaintings, which were full of texture,employed geometric shapes and vi-brant colors to createa stunning effect.

Nichols, who con-

siders herself to bean abstract expres-sionist, was heavilyinuenced by thegenre of art knowns Experimentalrt (also known as

Accidental Art),hich she was rst

xposed to in the late1980s. Even now,

ore than twentyears later, she sayshat she begins a nework with no pre-

onceived image, butets the image unfoldefore her.

Whether you callichols work ab-

stract expressionismor experimental art,

one thing it should denitely be calledis impressive.

Across the street from the RAC, atRenee Reedy Studio, an overow

crowd was enjoying the opening ofPhonetography 2.0, an exhibit of pho-tographs taken with cell phone cam-eras. e exhibit, which included over150 photos, taken by een differentphotographers, ran the gamut from na-ture scenes, to religious symbolism, tohumorous images of roadside signs.

e diverse crowd obviously em-braced the vibe at the undergroundgallery, which, in addition to the excit-ing photographs, featured sumptuous

food, stimulating libations, and even aphoto booth, where visitors could donboas, hats and masks before havingtheir picture taken. is is denitelynot a stuffy, intimidating art gallery!

Phonetography 2.0, is part of theArt in Columbus series, which is a jointproject of Renee Reedy Studio andRandom Acts of Culture, a local artsorganization. is partnership, whichis relatively new to the arts scene inColumbus, has been receiving a con-siderable amount of buzz among artlovers from throughout the commu-nity.

e Southern Letterpress, just downthe block from the Phonetographyshow, offered guests the opportunity toparticipate in a hands-on printing ex-perience, using a vintage printing press.Participants were invited to welcomethe transition from winter to spring, asthey applied ink to paper. is activity,which will be offered monthly, is some-thing that should not be missed.

Capping off the evening, the Omnovaeatre, on the second oor of theRAC, served as the setting for the latestincarnation in the Columbus Arts

See CULTURE Pg. 12

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March7,2012

RE

VIEW&

COMMUNITY New to DVD: In Time Denies Political Reality

Although it takes place in the future,In Time is about current economic in-equality in the United States. Unfortu-nately, the lm suggests that revolutioncan justify criminal activity of any sort,ignoring the use of political power in ademocratic republic.

Director/writer Andrew Niccol cre-ates a fascinating world where time isboth money and ones lifeblood. Every

person, starting at age 25, stops agingbut starts losing time from a geneticallyengineered clock in the le arm (per-haps an allusion to the Mark of theBeast). When the time runs out, youdie.

is idea of people being 25 until theydie results in a strange moment whenprotagonist Justin Timberlake rst talksto his 50-year-old mother Olivia Wilde,who looks more like Timberlakes 25-year-old girlfriend, of course. But theirmother-son relationship is ultimately asimsy as paper. Wilde serves no pur-pose other than to die and inspire Tim-

berlakes war against the system.

At the same time (its difficult to writeabout this movie without a pun), thelm has great pacing. Within 10 min-utes, Timberlake is on the run. Beforeyou know it, hes been granted a centuryof time by a 105-year-old man who is

tired of living. e old mans line Wewant to die. We need to. is probably thelms most interesting idea, but itswasted, given that In Time becomes aBonnie and Clyde-meets-Robin Hoodfantasy.

With his new fortune, Timberlake at-tempts to t in with the time-rich crowdand woo an overprotected daughter(Amanda Seyfried), but his sociologicallesson and love plans are interrupted by

authorities called Timekeepers, led byCillian Murphy. Timberlake then usesa gun to take Seyfried hostage and es-cape; Seyfried goes through StockholmSyndrome and falls in love with Tim-berlake, and the two become bank rob-bers, to give back to the poor.

In Time is basically an Eat the Richrant. Niccols story ignores aspects likegovernment and citizenship Timber-lakes hero is a nutty parallel to the Oc-

cupy Wall Street movement. In theUnited States, robbing the rich is a hys-terical idea. Not only does it overlookmethods of gaining political power(voting, assemblies, striking, etc.), but itforgets our laws are enforced by author-ities much more effective than Time-keepers.

One could say Im taking an action-packed movie too seriously. e truth is

that In Time takes itself too seriously.e dialogue has more puns than Ithought possible, but the movie is rarelylight-hearted. As far as the action goes,there are good car chases. Other thanthat, In Time is serviceable, rather thanexhilarating like Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol and Ghost Rider: Spiritof Vengeance.

Even though In Time is kind of stupid,its premise is attention-grabbing. elm can be enjoyed as an absurd re-sponse to hard times, and the onlydancing from Timberlake is, thankfully,unforced. However, this movie inspires

complacency, rather than political ac-tion.

Courtesy PhotoJustin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried are wanted in In Time.

Jed [email protected]

Jed Pressgrove is a technical writer and mastersstudent in sociology at Mississippi State University.

e Frank P.

Phillips YMCAkicked off its 2012Annual Commu-nity Impact Cam-paign on Monday,February 27. enon-prot organi-zations fundraisingcampaign will con-tinue through

March 26. e purpose of the campaign is to ensurethat the local Ys can continue to offer programs fortheir three areas of focus: youth development,healthy living and social responsibility.

At the heart of community life in Lowndes

County, the mission-driven YMCA is a place to be-

long, where one can live the values that guide and

unite our members..caring, honesty, respect andresponsibility. e YMCA provides a special oppor-tunity for kids and adults to join life-changing andlife-saving programs, daily.

YMCA volunteers will contact potential donors,over the next four weeks, to see if they can con-tribute to this years campaign. If you would like tomake a contribution to the Annual Community Im-pact Campaign, please contact Andy Boyd at 662-328-7696. Gis of any size are welcome and are taxdeductible

e focus of the Y is to nurture the potential ofour kids, to promote healthy living for young andold alike, and to foster a sense of social and commu-nity responsibility, says Andy Boyd, Executive Di-

rector of the Y. ats a tall order, but with the help

of the community, we are condent these goals can

be met.e Y is one of the nations leading nonprots,

strengthening communities through youth develop-ment, healthy living and social responsibility. Acrossthe U.S., 2,700 Ys engage 21 million men, womenand children regardless of age, income or back-ground to nurture the potential of children andteens, improve the nations health and well-being,and provide opportunities to give back and supportneighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 commu-nities, the Y has the long-standing relationships andphysical presence not just to promise, but to deliver,lasting personal and social change.

Special to e Real Story

e Real Story Staff Report

Councils Partial to Home music se-ries. On this night, local musician andactor Shane Tubbs, along with RufusMason, wowed those in attendancewith their musical prowess.

In light of all of the activities that took

place last ursday, as well as eventsthat are planned for the coming weeksand months, it is clear that downtownColumbus is developing into the artsdestination for the area. at is a wel-come sign, indeed!

Coming Up, is Week: An openmic night, called Words & Music: AnEvening of Spoken Word and Songs,

will be held this Friday, March 9th, atCaf Aromas (404 Main Street |Columbus), beginning at 7pm. eevent is FREE (both to listen and per-form) and open to the public. Formore information, or to sign-up to per-

form, call 662.368.8181 or visitwww.randomactsofculture.biz.

Go out and get your culture on!

ANSWERS FROM THE FEB. 29, 2012 CROSSWORD PUZZLE

CULTURE cont. from pg. 9

Local YMCA Works to Raise Funds

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OPINION

March7,2012

REALSTORYPUBLISHIN

G.COM

Oentimes, we get distracted by thehings that hit close to home or other-

wise are local to our own country. But,occasionally, we are reminded that weare part of a larger, global framework.I like to think of the world as a collec-tion of concentric circles marking thetowns and cities, countries andprovinces around the world, sort oflike the dimples on a golf ball. Proba-bly nothing illustrates this as well asthe idea of jurisdiction. In the UnitedStates, we have ordinances that areonly relevant within a single town. Atthe next level, our county ordinancestake precedence over town ordi-nances. State laws trump countylaw, and federal law holds juris-

iction over state law (on thehole). But, there's a differ-

nt level that we oen for-get, a higher jurisdiction, if

you will. at is, of course,international jurisdiction.

Recent events in our owncountry have been marked byhe unication of the people

against tyrannical legislation bentupon destroying basic rights and free-doms in our own country. is is evi-denced by the recent opposition tobills such as SOPA and PIPA. esebills were heavily backed not only bypoliticians, but by corporate agendasand money. Senators and Representa-tives are generally conned to theirown spheres of inuence, and thus aresubject to the criticisms and the occa-sional distemper of the people thatthey are elected to serve. It's really asimple law of moral transaction - atleast in theory. e corporations andorganizations who lobby to our politi-cians, however, aren't bound to thepeople in the same manner. Havingbeen beaten away from oppressiveagenda-backed legislation, the ghthas been taken to the international ju-risdictions in the form of e Anti-Counterfeiting Agreement (ACTA).

Now, an important note aboutACTA is that it has been around since2006, but it was brought to public light

only by the graces of chance releasesby individuals and organizations, suchas WikiLeaks. e general idea withACTA is to protect the interests ofcopyright, trademark, and rights own-ers with a unied theory and enforce-ment, by outlawing the trade andtransaction of counterfeit goods. Iagree, it seems like something thatmight have been created here at home,but in fact, it was rst developed by

Japan. In the beginning, sevencountries signed the

agreement. Eventually,21 of the 27 countriesthat make up the Eu-ropean Union (EU)

also signed the agree-ment.

e treaty is notwithout its opposition,

though. On February 17th,e Warsaw Business Journal re-ported that the Prime Minister ofPoland, Donald Tusk, withdrew hissupport of ACTA and was sending aletter to the EU, urging them to do thesame. "I was wrong," Tusk said, ex-plaining that "the agreement does notcorrespond to the reality of the 21stcentury. e battle for the right toproperty should also respect the right

to freedom. As a result, Tusk held aseven-hour session with the Internetusers of his country, in a discussionabout ACTA and the concerns of therights-holders of intellectual property.But, Tusk and Poland are by no meansthe rst cries of outrage from this sideof ACTA's opposition. From the be-ginning, the rights of the people werein question, when Chief InvestigatorKadif Arif, of the European Parlia-ment (EP) re-signed shortlyaer the EUsigned onto ACTA.

As a newspubl ica-tion, eGuardian ,points out,Arif said thatACTA "goes too far"in efforts to reduce the freedoms of in-dividuals on the Internet and blockingpotentially lifesaving medications.

Like all repugnant forms of law andlegislation, ACTA is not without its

vile list of backers. Spearheading sup-port for ACTA are the familiar foes ofthe people, the Recording Industry ofAmerica (RIAA) and e Motion Pic-

ture Association of America (MPAA).Together, these two demonic institu-tions have burned a path of radioac-tive plague behind the scenes of suchbills as SOPA and PIPA, waging waragainst civil liberties and the rightsand freedoms of people. A thirdsupporter, PharmaceuticalResearch and Manufactur-ers of America (PRMA)represents the interests ofthe pharmaceutical in-dustry. Recently dis-closed supporters includea few surprising names and

a few not-so-surprisingnames: Google, eBay, Intel, Dell,

News Corporation, Sony Pictures,Time Warner, and Verizon. Otherthan the fact that each of these com-panies own patents and trademarks,what is a common thread betweenthese companies? ey were all given

dras of the treaty upon signing anon-disclosure agreement, prior to2010.

Despite the omission of counsel and voices of the opposition, the battleagainst ACTA continues throughoutEurope. For some reason, reports ofthese activities have not reached theshores of our own country with asmuch fervor as nations such as GreatBritain. Scores of protests dot thelandscape of countries such as Ger-many, France, Spain, and Italy, amongothers. Meanwhile, our own shorelineseems shielded from the anti-ACTA

outcries of the other nations and peo-ples of the earth. e leaders of thecountries involved in ACTA's processhave made attempts to keep their pro-ceedings outside of the view and in-

volvement of civil libertyorganizations, changing the

schedule in a precariousmanner so as to deter, dis-

courage, and makeACTA hearings unrea-sonably unavailable andotherwise out of reach.

It's the same oldsong, from a different de-

vice: corporations payingpoliticians to create laws and

ACTA

Making Sense of ACTA

TM

See ACTA Pg. 19

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SAFETYTIPS&AREANEWS Safety Tips

From the NationalCrime Prevention CouncilWhat to consider when preparing yourfamily for a disaster or other emergency

What Kinds of Emergencies?Emergencies are events - natural or human-generated - that disrupt

daily life to a high degree. ey may have already resulted in death

and damage or they may threaten death, injury, and damage.At the family level, most emergency preparation is similar, regard-

less of the cause of the emergency. ink about past emergencies inyour area. Hurricanes, earthquakes, oods, and tornadoes suggestthe kinds of disruptions communities and families may face. Haz-ardous material spills may present different challenges. Terrorist attacks can take many forms. eidea is to know what's likely and what's not. By making your plan based on your specic risks, yourfamily can be better prepared.

What kinds of events are common in your area? If you are not sure, check with the local Red Crossor your city or county emergency management or emergency preparedness office or with reghtersand police officers in your area.

So how do you plan? First, think about your goals. For most people, the prime goal is knowingthat all family members are safe and as secure against harm as possible. Most families want to be to-gether, if that is at all possible. e second goal is having what you need to make it through the im-

mediate disaster period. e "Making Sure You Have What It Takes" checklist can help with that. Athird goal might be communicating with out-of-town family about your family's safety. What othergoals should your family's plan address? Talk with other adults in the family. Talk with teens andchildren. Find out their concerns and help ensure that your disaster preparations address those con-cerns, where possible. Remind everyone that you're being preventive and prepared -not runningscared.

Second, develop a plan with these goals and the following outline in mind. Your family's plan isprobably going to have some unique features. But there are some basics.

Who: Who is included in this plan? Relatives across town? Close friends? Just immediate familymembers? What about family pets?

Where: Home is where the heart is, and it's probably going to be the center of your family plan. Butwhat are the back-up locations? It might be the nearby house of worship, the closest elementaryschool, or a close friend's home. e point is to decide on the back-ups and make sure everyoneknows what and where they are.

What: What will trigger the emergency plan? An official announcement? Notication from author-ities to people in your immediate area? A call from one of the adults to all the others involved? A callfrom a child's school? Remember to think about how other family members will be notied.

When: What time frames help shape your plan? Does everyone work or go to school within a fewmiles? en, people should be at home fairly quickly. If some people have a long commute, theymay be held up by emergency conditions. How do you cope if the emergency is projected to lastseveral days?

Why: Family members should understand, to the best of their ability, why the plan includes certainprovisions. Why must children stay at school under certain circumstances, for example? Why mighta parent stay out of town if on travel during an emergency?How: is gets down to the steps of the plan. ink through key points. Who will take what re-sponsibilities? Where will emergency supplies be kept? How will supplies be updated? What aboutthe Family Link-Up Plan--how will it be updated? What different steps are involved in a "shelter inplace" situation versus an evacuation order? What if there is no information from authorities? What

training do family members need? How oen will the family review its plan?Strategies and Tactics to Consider

Some strategies and tactics to consider in developing a plan include the following:

Make sure everyone has basic family phone contact numbers and business or school addresses.Remember that email may work when phone circuits are overloaded. Identify places to meet, both near the house and farther away. Set a priority order about whichplace to go to, why, and when.

Establish an out-of-town contact that everyone can call and report to. Make sure the contact agrees,and make sure everyone knows how to dial that long-distance number.

Consider prepaid calling cards, for everyone's convenience.

Keep vehicles in good working order and keep the gas tank at least half full, at all times. Remember,if power fails, gas pumps won't work!

Stockpile a disaster kit, in advance, and refresh supplies at least every six months. Consider seasonal

changes in your family's needs. For example, you might want to have more blankets available in thefall and winter season.

Know how to safely turn off the water, electricity, and gas that serve your home. "What if?" your plan. What if a major roadway is blocked? What if power is out and the car is lowon gas? What if mass transit is unavailable? Where will these family members go? How will theycommunicate that they are safe?

What local situations in your neighborhood or community might result in evacuation? How shouldfamily members pack for this situation? What about care for pets in cases where they cannot be inshelters?

Find out about plans that link with yours. What plans do children's schools have in place? Whatplans are in place where you and other adults work? Make sure school and workplace have updatedcontact information for all members of your family. What are local authorities' plans for your area?

How might your family work together with neighbors to prepare and survive an emergency? Arethere neighbors with special needs? Who could help them? Talk together; share the skills and equip-

ment you could make available to each other. Devise ways you could help each other's families, ifthe need arises. ird, revisit your plan.

Review the plan, as a group, every few months. Consider holding family rehearsals or drills if youlive in areas where there might be little warning of an emergency.

Don't forget to update the plan to account for new schools children attend, changes in job locationsor employers, and the like.

March is National

Red Cross

Awareness Monthe American Red Cross and Food Giant have teamed

up to raise funds for the emergency assistance agency,during the month of March.

On ursday, March 1st, Perneatha Evans presentedTerry Brownlee, Manager of Food Giant in Columbus,with badges, to start off a new campaign, called eRound Up Program.

is programallows the cus-

tomer tochoose toround up theirgrocery bill tothe nextdollar, andthat extramoney goesto theAmericanRed Cross.All proceedswill go to theNortheastMississippiChapter, to

help supporttheir missionof assistingdisaster

victims,militarymembers andtheir familiesalong withother services.

We solely rely on donations from our community tohelp us to continue to help others in the Northeast Mis-sissippi area said Perneatha Evans, Office Coordinator.

Terry Brownlee, Manager of Food Giant and Perneatha Evans,Office Coordinator of the Columbus Chapter

of the American Red Cross.

Johnny Hughes, Manager of SouthernFamily Market, presents Perneatha Evanswith a check on Tuesday, February 28th

to assist in the mission.

Christy is a wife and mother of four children and wants tocapture Columbus one photo at a time.


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LOCALARTIST

M

arch7,2012



Christy is a wife and mother of four children andwants to capture Columbus one photo at a time.

Flutes by George

Frog Bottom CreationsFar back in the east side of Colum-bus, I discovered one of the citys nestartists, George Dyson Jr.

George makes handcraed utesfrom River Cane, which he gets froman area called Plum Nelly. Some of hisutes are embellished with Turquoisein the cracks. It normally takes him aday and a half to make one of hisDrone Flutes. ey are an amazing siteto see.

He also hand makes bowls. One ofthe bowls that he showed me had been

craed out of cherry. is bowl wasvery special to him, because he madeit for his dad, George Dyson Sr., and

presented it to him on Fathers Day, afew years ago.

Another item that he produces areCamp Chairs. ey are handcraedfrom cypress and cedar and are so

very comfortable to sit in.

Contact [email protected] (662) 386-5521 for more informa-tion or to place an order.

Handmade bowls

Handmade Bois darc Flutes A reworked and releaded stained glass piece

A bowl made from cherry wood

Burning keeps the wood from cracking.George Lee Dyson Jr.

Dyson applies turquoise to a crack in a ute. Handmade camping chairs

Porkchop enjoys an outing on his ve-week birthday Sunday.

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SPORTS

by Jeremiah ShortSportsTalk

Ryland Flourishing in New Rolee Noxubee County High School coaching staff

was looking to replace star Middle LinebackerCorey Williams, following the 2010 season. eydecided to move Antonio Ryland, the teams startingfullback, to the position. Ryland ourished in the

role, helping lead the Tigers to an 11-3 record.It wasnt a slam dunk, though, that Ryland would

become a good Middle Linebacker. He was comingoff of a torn A.C.L., an injury that sometimes takesup to two years to recover from.

It was a whole lot of work on my own time. Itwasnt no coming home, just sitting around. Aer Igot out of football practice, I had to come home and

jog. Doing physical therapy, they tell you that youhave to do extra stuff. Its up to you how fast youcome back. So, I just came home and worked hardevery day at it, said Ryland, on recovering from atorn A.C.L.

e explosive linebacker was able to overcome theinjury and record 84 tackles and six sacks on theseason. e 84 tackles was third-best on the team.

Its an experience; it wasnt anything like Fullback.I ran and kept myself up; I was coming off that

A.C.L. surgery. I knew I had a tough spot to come

in and ll up. I jogged every day. I came home anddid weights, said Ryland.

I worked hard at Middle Linebacker because I feltthat I was a Middle Linebacker more than I was a

Fullback. I just listened tomy coaches. eycoached me up and mo-tivated me. I have thebody frame. [ere are] alot of colleges recruitingme; Im just workinghard and trying to take itserious.

Its different than full-backinstead of getting

hits; I am giving hits.

Ryland has had to become one of the leaders of thedefense and the team, aer the move to middle line-backer.

Coach stresses to me, every day that I need to setan example for the younger players. Whatever we

do; [like] if we play around in the eld house, theyare going to look at us to set the example, Rylandsaid, on being a leader.

e versatile linebacker hasnt earned any offers,yet, although he is receiving interest from Missouri,Mississippi State, Ole Miss, USM, and UAB. Rylandis planning on working hard to earn an offer.

I need to work on my speed, and I want to under-stand the offense better. Schools are coming in re-cruiting me for Fullback or Linebacker. I want to

just understand my role more, said Ryland.

Antonio Ryland will denitely be a name to watchover the next couple of months, as the recruitingprocess heats up - especially considering it will be

his second year at Middle Linebacker. e 215-pound Linebacker feels that he has all the tools tobe a Division-One football player.

If they get me, I will represent whatever school Igo to, stay out of trouble, and keep my grades up.Whatever position they put me inIm going to getthe job done.

Staff PhotoAntonio Ryland

SEE SUDOKU ANSWERS ON PAGE 18

Jeremiah [email protected]

Jeremiah Short covers Mississippi State Universityfootball and basketball.

Follow him on Twitter, @JeremiahShort26;

or join his Facebook blog, Real Story Sports: J.Shorts Blog.

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Across

1: Jack Horners Fruit5: Snaky swimmers9: Skid causer12: Tarzans mate

13: Racetrack fence14: In no way15: Name for aDalmation16: Singer Vallee17: Grooms reply (2wds.)18: Table protectors20: Consumed22: Meadow24: Writer Ephron26: Acress Sothern27: Director Kazan29: Luauentertainment33: News tidbit35: Play section36: Hit rst feetrst37: Traveled onhorseback38: Engage gears40: Writer Clancy41: ___-do-well

43: Unfastens45: ___, aim, re!48: Singe49: City trains50: Pressing device53: Share gossip56: Mouse-spotterscry57: Padres son58: Strong cord59: Guitarist Paul60: Chew at61: Notable periods

Down

1: Slumber party garb2: Drink like Kitty3: Still sealed4: Copper, e.g.5: Goes wrong6: Water (Fr.)

7: Lash location8: More cunning9: Names rst letter(abbr.)10: System of rules11: Prince Harrys alma

mater19: 50s initials21: Fireworkswatchers cries22: State ____23: Division direction24: Pleasanter25: Quaker grains28: Limping30: ____ motive31: Circus animal32: Fleet command-ers (abbr.)34: ____ fences(reconcile)39: Gardeningimplement42: Ogling44: Madres mate45: Film spool46: Robert ___ (2wds.)47: Makes a request

48: Skiers surface51: ___ Tin Tin52: Stop ____ dime (2wds.)54: Mineral spring55: ____ So Fine

e Mississippi State offense wasknown for being unproductive duringthe Sylvester Croom Era, but one offen-sive position that produced was TightEnd. e Bulldogs had a three-headedmonster of Eric Butler, Dezmond Sher-od, and Jason Husband. Butler was the

player listed as the starter out of thethree. He put together a solid career,with 50 catches and 635 yards, to go

along with eight touchdowns. eoss Point, Mississippi native went onto play with two teams in his pro career- the New York Giants and St. LouisRams.

I had a chance to speak with Butler,o discuss his almost choosing baseball ver football, rotating Sherrod andusband, and giving up football.

Butler, as I mentioned above, almosthose baseball over football, aer get-ing draed in the 54th round of the

LB dra.

I came in with that as part of theeal. I was trying to go to a school

here I could play both. I was thinkingbout playing baseball, straight out,

since I got draed out of high school.y parents wanted me to get a college

ducation, said Butler, on choosingootball.

He, naturally, chose football, and itaid off for him. Butler became a

starter in the SEC as a redshirt fresh-an.

It was a little nerve-wracking. Mend Dezmond [Sherrod] were outhere together. We were two people inhe same shoes. It was a big challengeor us, not having anyone to teach us,

stated Butler, on starting as a freshman.Butler originally rotated with Dez-ond Sherrod at tight end, but Jasonusband was added to the mix aer

he 2004 season. He talked about rotat-ng with Sherrod and Husband.

We were good friends. We reallydidnt care who was in the game. It kindof just worked out that way. Coach hadcertain situations were one of us wentin. Jason was a pass-catcher; he wasntgoing in on a power play. Dezmondwas the blocker, so, he wasnt going torun a vertical route up the middle. Icould do a little bit of both, said But-ler.

e Bulldogs struggled throughoutmost of Butlers career, but they nallyput it together in 2007.

It was like the turning point in ourlives. We got so accustomed to losing.Even though we went out there andtried, some of players were, like, whycant we win? Talent-wise, we were bet-ter my sophomore and junior years,than we were our senior year. We didwhat we had to do, but the year before,we had Deljuan Robinson, AndrewPowell, Antonio Johnson, and JeramieJohnson. One day we got to talkingbasically Tony was like, we got to put

it together. We started to believe, But-ler said.

Butler had nished his career on ahigh note. He got ready for the NFL,like every other graduating senior. eformer Bulldog was able to secure apractice squad spot with the New YorkGiants in 2008. He was cut by the Gi-ants in 2008, but landed with the St.Louis Rams the next season. He spenta full season with the Rams and wentthrough training camp, the followingseason.

Butler was reunited with CoachCroom, while with the Rams. Croom,in Butlers opinion, was more relaxed inthe NFL, than in college.

When I got to St. Louis, he was thecoolest guy you would ever want to

Courtesy PhotoEric Butler played for the St. Louis Rams.

Eric Butler Still Has Love for the Game

See BUTLER Pg. 18

SPORTS

March7,2

012

REALSTORYPUBLISHING

.COM

ANSWERS IN OUR NEXT ISSUE

CROSSWORD 03.07.2012

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SPORTS

SEE SUDOKU PUZZLE ON PG 16

BUTLER cont. from pg. 17meet. Everybody loved him - allthe players. I had never seen thatside of Croom. He was in the NFLand was out of that head coaching

job, said Butler.

Butler decided to give up thegame aer going almost a yearwithout a team.

I sat out of work for a wholeyear, basically doing nothing -waiting for a phone call. You cantlive your whole life, trying to liveout a dream. Its the real world;you got to get out there and dosomething with yourself. I endedup just giving it up, with no re-grets. If someone gave me a call; Iwould stop what Im doing andgive it another shot, thats howmuch I love it, Butler said.

Eric Butler made the tough de-cision to give up the game of foot-ball, although he still loves thegame.

I still love football, even to thisday. I would love to go out there

and playdo it all. I look at it as ablessing, because not everyonegets the opportunity. I got achance to do it for three years. Itssomething I never planned ondoing with my life it just endedup working that way for me, saidButler.

Jeremiah [email protected]

Jeremiah Short covers Mississippi StateUniversity football and basketball.

Follow him on Twitter, @JeremiahShort26;or join his Facebook blog,

Real Story Sports: J.Shorts Blog.

Initial Spring Outlook

Dan Mullen is entering his fourthSpring as Mississippi States Head Coach.He has had a solid start to his tenure asthe Bulldog head man. e intense

coach is still searching for answers onthe offensive side of the ball, though. eoffense was expected, under the leader-ship of Quarterback Chris Relf, to takeoff in 2011, but that never happened.Tyler Russell took over for Relf, at mid-season, and had mixed results. Inconsis-tent quarterback play scarred the 2011season, and Mullen is looking for aQuarterback, during the Spring, that cantake his offense to the next level. ereare other questions that need to be an-swered, along with the Quarterback po-sition, and there will be several holes thatneed to be lled. e Mississippi State

2012 Spring Practice could answer thosequestions and ll the holes.

Five Burning Pre-SpringQuestions

1. Will MSU learn the No-Huddle?

2. Will Prescott challenge Russell?

3. Will a feature Back emerge?

4. Will Morrow emerge as theNumber One Receiver?

5. Will Malcolm Johnson take thenext step?

Key Spring Offensive Battles

ere are several positions that will beup for grabs during Spring Practice.Here is a quick breakdown of the posi-tions up for grabs and the players com-peting for the spots. I will have a full

breakdown of the position battles on eReal Story website, www.realstorypub-lishing.com.

QuarterbackCandidates

Tyler Russell, 65, 225; Redshirt (J)Dak Prescott, 63, 225; Redshirt (F)

Running BackCandidates

Ladarius Perkins, 58, 190; Redshirt (J)Nick Griffin, 511, 225; Redshirt (S)Josh Robinson, 58, 225; Redshirt (F)Derrick Milton, 62, 195; Redshirt (F)

H-Back (MSUs Slot Receiver)Candidates

Chad Bumphis, 511, 200; (Sr)Jameon Lewis, 59, 185; Redshirt (S)

Brandon Heavens, 511, 175; (Sr)Devin Fosselman, 59, 195; Redshirt (F)

Le and Right TackleCandidates

Blaine Clausell, 67, 305; Redshirt (S)Charles Siddoway, 67, 300; Redshirt (J)Damien Robinson, 68, 310; Redshirt (S)

CenterCandidates

Dillon Day, 62, 300; Redshirt (S)Dylan Holley, 62, 295; (J)

Final Spring Outlook

e 2012 Mississippi State SpringPractice will certainly be exciting. It willbe crucial in setting up the Bulldogs2012 season.

Look out for my Mississippi StateSpring Practice Preview: Defense, in theMarch 14th issue. I will also be breakingdown the position battles on the defen-sive side of the ball.

Mississippi State SpringPractice Preview: Offense

Jeremiah

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