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June20,2012

FROMTHEEDITOR

by Joseph B. St. JohnEditor-in-ChiefEditorsNote

And that Government of thePeople, by the People, for thePeople, Shall Not Perish from the Earth

- Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address

EDITORIAL

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J.B. ST. [email protected]

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What seem like loy words should be thecornerstone of every American's belief in thegovernment. e concept of democracy isbuilt around a government led by the people,and the people should be the focus of the de-cision-making process. Unfortunately, it ap-pears that many of our leaders are more thana little confused.

It seems there is a belief held by manypoliticians that what Lincoln meant to saywas, "And that government of the politicians,by the politicians, for the politicians, shall notperish from the Earth." e cold, hard reality

is that many elected officials have one goaland one goal only - getting re-elected.

No truer example of this has beenseen than in the debate over the re-districting of the City of Columbus.What appears, on the surface, to bea simple process, has been anythingbut easy. In many people's eyes,Councilmen Mickens and Karriemare trying to pull a power play to en-sure that they are re-elected. If it istrue and they are trying to stack thedeck, then obviously we can judgethat they do not have the best interests of thecommunity at heart.

Race, politics and the past have a strangeway of colliding. Mississippians are oen un-comfortable to speak about it, but be advised,

voters of Lowndes County: We are not theonly state that has a racist past. We are justthe one that has movies made about it.

e nasty reality is that you do have voterswho vote for people because they are eitherwhite or black. ey like to be led and sur-rounded by people who look like them. And,no matter how you try to polish the prover-bial piece of raw sewage, it's still about mak-ing judgments based on race.

Both blacks and whites do it. ey vote onrace alone. Fortunately, there is a word in theEnglish language for this phenomenon: It iscalled ignorance. And it needs to stop.

e next redistricting meeting should belled to the brim. ere should not be anempty seat in the chamber. e politiciansshould get the message that the communityis watching and that if they don't do what is

best for the community, they can join thelong list of people who sit around telling peo-ple they used to be in politics.

e voice of the people has to be heard. InCaledonia, it seems as if inaction is the ac-tion of the day. No one is condoning MayorGerhart's saying, "Stick it where the sun don'tshine." He already knows it should not havebeen said. However, it is obvious that Cale-donias mayor and aldermen are at war. Andit doesn't matter which side you are on. ebattle is going hot and heavy, and there is noend in sight.

Meanwhile, as Nero ddles in "Hotdonia,"

the chaos grows. e water department issplit apart, the mayor and the marshal are ina "Texas Death Match" and the communitysuffers.

Add it all up, and the Town of Caledoniacould be facing ve law suits: three involvingthe water department, one about the mar-shal's office and one in regards to zoning. Fora town of about 11 people, that is a lot of lawsuits. Period. Good for lawyers but bad fortown business.

In the county, and aer much peace, Leroyand Harry - by far the two most powerfulpoliticians in our community - went aer itin public a few weeks back. No one can denythat if Leroy talked to Ralph Billlngsley ashatefully as has been reported, he deservedto be chastised, maybe even in public.

Nevertheless, here is the problem. It wouldhave been nice if someone other than Harryhad brought it up. Maybe Jeff Smith, BillBrigham or John Holliman could have takenthe lead. But, as we all know, there was a bet-

ter chance that a certain mammal wouldemerge from someone's nether region thanthat happening. So, it just turns into beingabout Harry and Leroy, and the fact that Bil-llingsley may have been treated unprofession-ally was lost in the turmoil. And that isunfortunate.

Nowhere does the craziness rear its headhigher than in political appointments. Justwhen you thought it was safe to go back to aCCVB meeting, the school board fell into lu-nacy. e last couple of months have been acomedy of errors, and it would be funny if

they hadnt been dealing with such an impor-tant position.

From the beginning of the superin-tendent search until their last meeting,they have become the "Ripley's BelieveIt or Not" of city boards. e last time adisaster of this level occurred, someoneran a big boat into an iceberg. It hasbeen a titanic failure.

And cloaking incompetence in "we-are-here-for-the-children" language islaughable. If you were here for the chil-dren, you would listen to their parents.You know, the ones we call citizens.

In the end, it is about the citizens. It is aboutthe people paying the taxes. It is about themoms and the dads working with their kids.e people paying everyone's salaries.

So, if you are an elected official, board ap-pointee or public servant and you don't likeanswering to the community or the media,please quit. It would be better for the area andbetter for you. We need community leaderswho understand they are there to do the willof the people.

Note:To the teacher in the Project LACEUP video who said that God removed theother superintendent candidates so thatDr. Liddell would get the job, we hope thatthat is not the case, since one of the candi-dates lost her husband to a heart attackduring the interview process, and thatsnot the God that the rest of us serve.

Joseph B. St. John

... and if they dont do what is

best for the community, they can

join the long list of people who

sit around telling people they

used to be in politics.

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June20,2012

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Welcome MyFriend to the ShowThat Never Ends...

The CMSD Meeting of June 12, 2012

Just when you think it can't get any cra-zier in Columbus, the CMSD Board of

rustees tops anything anyone has donein a long time. Like a scene from a Kaanovel, the board underwent a metamor-

hosis from a stern group of determinedeaders that were dead-set against accept-ing the 2012-2013 school calendar - withts return to the early Wednesday release- to rabid supporters of any and all thingsthat Dr. Liddell (whose contract was ap-proved at this same meeting) wants forthe betterment of the children. In theend, what they did was erode what littlecredibility they have in the community.

e evening started with a citizen, LoriPierce, speaking to the board. Her mes-sage was simple: give the parents andteachers an opportunity to review theplan and ask Dr. Liddell and the Board

uestions. is would have delayed therocess a week or two; however, it ap-eared that the Trustees already shared

this concern. Several board members ex-ressed misgivings about the change, andhen it was brought before the group forvote, it died for the lack of a second.

at's right, Ma and Pa, it could notven manage a second. Aer Currieisher made the motion, the room was

ull of silence. Not a peep. Not a sound.nd, like a leaf in autumn, the motion fellead to the ground with nary a thud. But,nlike the leaf, the motion would risegain and live, like some strangerankenstein Monster.

As the meeting continued with it usualnformation and protocol - includingpening a sealed bid for the Lee Middlechool properties - the Board made aateful discussion to go into the dreadedxecutive session. And that is where thehole thing turned into a sewer problem,

ncluding the ies and stench, which willollute this decision for years to come.

hen they returned from the session,wo and a half of the members had expe-ienced a revelation of biblical propor-ions. ey had seen the light!!!!!!

Aer Trustee President Tommy Prudeade the proud announcement that they

ad handled a few student problems, re-ected the bid for Lee Middle School andpproved Dr. Liddell's new contract, theyeturned to open session which, by thisime, had approximately 10 people in at-endance, including media representa-ives. And there, like the mythologicalhoenix, the school schedule rose to ygain. Yes, in a world where transparency

s paramount, the Board pulled the old"switch-a-roo." Aubra Turner asked

oard Attorney David Dunn if it woulde legal to bring the motion back beforehe board. Dunn said it was legal, sourner brought the motion back to life,

in true Dr. Frankenstein fashion, and Ms.Fisher seconded the motion.

And, like a lone voice crying out intothe wilderness, Jason Spears voiced whateveryone else in the room already under-stood - that this clandestine move woulddestroy whatever credibility the boardhad le in the community. He made itclear that this monumental shi in direc-

tion would be viewed negatively.Aer much discussion, Ms. Fisher, in a

dialogue worthy of Shakespeare - full ofsound and fury and signifying nothing -told the horde of empty seats that she wasoffended by what Mr. Spears had said,

once again proving what else everyoneknows: the truth hurts.

What the Board of Trustees, with theexception of Mr. Spears, did at the meet-ing, was offensive. It was offensive thatthey showed cowardice in front of thehalf-full meeting and did not even givethe motion a second or any real discus-sion. en, it was offensive that theycome back, aer the crowd le, andpassed the motion before an emptybuilding. And it was offensive that any-one would be indignant, aer beingcaught with their hand in the cookie jar.Aer the vote was taken, and passedthree to one, with one abstention (theworld expects better from Mr. Lautzen-

hiser than to not vote), it was done. In aletter sent to citizens and staff, Dr Liddellexplained:

Our School District AchievementNear the Bottom & Common CoreState Tests Much Harder

I respect the parent that spoke tonight and allthe community members who came out to themeeting to hear actions on the agendatonight. After we returned from executive ses-sion tonight, I provided additional discussionto the board as to why I believe our school dis-trict is on "Academic Watch" and why I believeleaders have a responsibility to do something

about it-even if it means doing some thingsdifferently. I explained how re-instating ERWwill give us the dedicated professional devel-opment time principals and teachers need forsystemic professional development.

The Board of Trustees voted (3, yea, 1 Nay &1 Abstain) after we returned from executivesession to re-in state Earl y Rele ase Wedn es-days under "Such Other Matters That MayCome Before the Board." My intention was notto hide anything from our parents and com-munity. I was prepared to discuss the matterin more detail after executive session for thesame numbe r of persons presen t before E/Sthat had they been present earlier. The future

achievement of our school district is at stake.As much as I would have liked to have takenthe easy way out, tonight, my commitment tothe students made me advocate for them evenharder. They deserve our best.

All of the above is true. However, itshould be implemented in such a way asto build public trust. It is easy to respectDr. Liddell's passion and honesty. Unfor-tunately, it is a discussion that couldhaunt her as the school year begins. Oncethe die was cast, the Board was obligated,ethically, if not legally, to its decision.Plain and simple.

Aer the meeting, Board PresidentTommy Prude said that they hadchanged their minds to show support forthe new superintendent. at is nice, butwith support like this, who needs an an-chor tied to their foot? e School Dis-trict received a "D" grade on theMississippi Report Card. Aer last nightsmeeting, the School Board gets a big, fat,well-earned "F."

Joseph B. St. John

Note: Both the handout from lastnights meeting as well as Dr. Liddellsmemo have been published, in theirentirety, on our website.

Business as Usualin West Point

Chief Administrator Randy Joneswas rst to the podium last, Tuesday,June 12, at the City Council meeting inWest Point. Jones attempted to explainthe housing of inmates and the costsinvolved. In the past three years, weve

paid the per-diem. Last year, a contrac-tor out of Columbus transported in-mates at a rate of $30 per day. econtract lapsed in June of last year,which would have cost the city $35daily. Aer discussion with the boardof supervisors, that gure turned out tobe closer to $30 a day, noted Jones. enew contract was supposed to savemoney for the city, but there were someunexpected fees assessed. e boardof supervisors determined that theycouldnt live with that, and the contractwas terminated. ey subsidized jailerssalaries in the amount of $68,000 ayear; before, we were spending any-where from $100,000 to $140,000 ayear, said Jones. Jones and Chief of Po-lice, Tim Brinkley, agreed that this wasthe best proposal.

On the subject of redistricting, MayorRoss found it best to wait until City At-torney Orlando Richmond, who wasabsent, could be consulted on the mat-ter. Councilman Charles Collins ofWard 3 asked, How long will thistake? Ross responded, Sixty days forthe Department of Justice; we haveplenty of time to do this.

e Superintendent of Light and

Water, Dwight Prisock, was subjectedto tough questioning from Council-

man Collins regarding the budget andactivities of the Light and Water De-partment. Every year, we have thesame discussion over the budget, andthats what Im concerned about, statedCollins. Regarding the lightning storm

that occurred on June 11, Prisock com-mented, Yesterday was a very uniqueevent; we very seldom have problems,and we had multiple lightning strikesand high winds. e linemen tell mewhat needs to be cut, and thats wherewe cut. Collins inquired, How oendo you cut? Prisock responded,Every day. Its by the hour, so if theydont cut, we dont pay them. Collinsasked, How much is the budget?Prisock replied, Its about $150,000,this year, and were at about $180,000.Were going to cut back on about July 1by reducing linemen hours. e reasonwe overspent was because we were try-ing to resolve issues and not have out-ages. Referring to the lightning stormand the power outages throughoutWest Point, Mayor Ross commented,e line crew performed beautifully.

e City of West Point is having is-sues with transient vendors who set upshop in West Point without the city re-alizing any tax revenue. In order tohave a transient vendor license, youmust have a storefront or home busi-ness. We dont allow door-to-doorsales, said Jones. Ross commented,e people who have paid their li-censes should be protected from the

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June20,2012

LET

TERSTOTHEEDITOR

ALWAYSTHET

RUTH...NOCOMPROMISE

LetterstotheEditor

Caledonia, Pit Bulls and Sao ThaiCALEDONIA RESPONSE

I would like to follow up on CaledoniaTown Marshall Mr. Ben Kilgore's com-ments that were addressed to me in the

June 13, 2012 issue of e Real Story.Mr. Kilgore, you stated, "I feel that, from

the way it ended that night, he felt that theBoard of Alderman did not want to dis-cuss the issue." at is far from the truth.Both parties want it brought out in theopen that NO ONE in the Marshall's De-partment is above the law.

Mr. Kilgore, I was asked by the mayorto address the board concerning thisissue. When I stated that an officer hadpossibly extorted money through an-other individual to drop a ticket, theBoard of Aldermen abruptly ended theconversation. You say that you and theBoard of Aldermen want it brought outin the open that NO ONE in the Mar-shal's Department is above the law. atmay be one thing, but to bring this matterout in the open, you or the Board of Al-dermen had no interest in it. You had theso-called report and ndings in yourhand. A member of the board said thatthis matter needed to be held in executivesession. In other words, it needed to bediscussed behind CLOSED DOORS andNOT in the open. Not once have you oranybody on this executive board con-tacted me to discuss this matter. All ofyou would prefer that it just go away.

Mr. Kilgore, you stated, "I requestedthat his name not be used because theSheriff's Department investigation foundthere was no 'evidence or proof' that thisofficer did anything wrong or knew any-thing about what was going on behindhis back."

Mr. Kilgore, when I found out aboutthis matter, I called Caledonia City Halland requested to meet with the board. Iwas told by the clerk that I could not meetwith the board or the mayor if I did notgive the details of what I wanted to dis-cuss. I explained to the clerk that if I gavethe details concerning this matter thenthe board and mayor would alreadyknow ahead of time what was going to bebrought up. I did give the details, whichwere passed on to all of you. is requestwas made weeks before this investigationtook place. I dont believe the assertionthat this officer had no knowledge of anyof this.

Mr. Kilgore, you state, "Mr. Jackson did-n't want to bring up the name of the per-son that was at the root of this entiremess." Well, I didn't want the name of theofficer brought out because he did noth-ing wrong.

Mr. Kilgore, with all due respect, whatyou stated here is inaccurate. I was toldby the Board of Aldermen that I wasNOT ALLOWED to bring up anynames. To say I didn't want to bring up

the name of the person is inaccurate. Iprovided this individuals name and anyinformation I had to the investigator whoworks at the Sheriff's Department. isinvestigation should never have been

handled by the local Sheriff's Depart-ment. It should have been handled by theMississippi Bureau of Investigation.

ere is more to this story, and my in-tentions were never to have it told in anypaper. I will not slander the town of Cale-donia or its people. You are right aboutone thing, Mr. Kilgore - Caledonia is agreat place to live. I don't know the his-tory of your disagreements with themayor, but, as leaders in this community,maybe you both should start acting thepart. It's more than obvious that you, asthe town marshal and the mayor of Cale-donia don't get along with each other. But

you both will not use this situation to caststones at my cost. I can't speak for thecommunity of Caledonia, but from whatI have seen the way you and the Mayor

verbally attack each other is an embar-rassment to the ne people of this com-munity and in no way represents whatCaledonia is all about.

As a parent, it is my responsibility toprotect my children. I would like to askthe Board of Aldermen, if this happenedto one of their children, would they wantit swept under the rug? I invite you, Mr.Kilgore, or the Board of Aldermen, tocontact me; my number is (662) 425-

2638. I'm not hiding, and I will openlydiscuss this matter. Furthermore, theMississippi Bureau of Investigation saidthat they conduct polygraphs. I wouldlike to request you take the officer inquestion and the individual that's in-

volved with him to take a polygraph. Inaddition, I suggest that you request thatthey both sign releases to their phone car-riers so you can review their records.What do you have to lose?

Sincerely,Clyde Jackson

IN RESPONSE TO COLUMBUSLOWNDES HUMANE SOCIETY

Ive been following this story with greatinterest. While I agree with a lot of whatwas said in the Columbus Lowndes Hu-mane Society response, it pretty much

just evaded the real issue. I have a fewquestions and concerns of my own that Iwould like to voice.

is was not the rst instance in whichpit bulls were seized or surrendered andwere immediately euthanized. Perhapsthey were surrendered in this last in-

stance, but Im aware of another instancein which Animal Control was called out,looked at the dogs, determined there wasno problem and told the owners as much.en, later that aernoon, when the

owners got home from work and went tofeed their dogs, they were gone. AnimalControl had seized them. e next day (Ibelieve it was Monday before the Hu-mane Society was open again), the own-

ers were told they were a day late - thedogs had been euthanized.

In this last case, the owner receivedONE citation for animal cruelty - yet 10dogs were surrendered. Ive seen thephoto of the one dog that was emaciatedon the cover of the last issue of e RealStory. A little food and love would havegone a long way for him. But what aboutthe other nine dogs?

I would assume the CLHS is active onthe social media boards and would haveas much, if not more, access to the rehabs,rescues and other humane society Face-book pages that I do. Within a matter of

minutes, I was able to nd several rescuefacilities and humane societies that acceptand adopt out pit bulls (aer proper so-cialization and testing). ere are severalpit-bull-specic rescues within 60 min-utes of Lowndes County. Were any ofthem contacted?

I just found out something about thedog that was on the front cover of the lastissue. at dog was over 10 years old andhad cancer. I also heard, through thegrapevine (friends of friends of the work-ers at the CLHS), that the dogs were ac-tually euthanized later that same nightthey were brought in - aer everyone had

gone home. I also found out that the nextmorning, as soon as the shelter was open,people from e Real Story were callingabout the dogs, wanting the story on theemaciated pit bulls, wanting to come getphotographs, to get out the story of abuseto the public. And that they were also incontact with a friend of the owner of thedogs that were surrendered to try to getthe real story. e truth lies somewherein between - and no one side is 100% cor-rect. But the real losers in the story are thedogs and the potential owners that couldhave shared their lives with them.

I have also heard from a reliable source

that Animal Control was actually calledout to that very residence, about thosesame dogs, 10-14 days prior to the dogsbeing surrendered. What kind of shapewere the dogs in at that time to bedeemed so emaciated and unsalvageabletwo weeks later? Why wasnt anythingdone, then, if they were indeed in suchbad shape?

And then there are the nes. All of theentities involved deny telling the ownerthey would have to pay (pick an amount)to keep or get the dogs back. But thereARE nes, there are costs involved in theHumane Society housing/feeding/ water-

ing the dogs until a court date. I canimagine that that number would bepretty substantial for 10 dogs. And Imnot saying that the owner should havekept or been able to get the dogs back -thats not the point, either. But all the pub-lic saw and heard was about the dog thatwas trying to live out his life battling can-cer. Should the dog have been put downfor that alone? Probably. But we dont de-cide that. e owner knows when it istime. Weve all been there.

It seems also that e Real Story at-tempted to get the whole, real story fromthe get-go. ey were in contact with the

Humane Society, the Sheriff s Office andthe Animal Control officer - and relayedas much to each, from what I was able togather from their article. So why latch onto the part about how they (the HumaneSociety) wouldnt talk? And the HS com-

plained about the fact that the reporterasked to speak to the veterinarian that de-termined the dogs were too far gone tosave. Why? I would bet that it was be-cause no vet looked at the dogs - they

were put down simply because they werepit bulls. And dont let the HS fool youwith We dont hate pit bulls. Ok, for ahumane entity that doesnt claim to hatethem, you also dont adopt them out orattempt to nd homes or fosters or rehabsfor them to determine if they are suitableto be adopted out, either, so instead theyare immediately euthanized. I have spo-ken to former and present employeeswho have told me, personally, that any pitbulls that are brought in are euthanized.One instance, in particular, was of an 8-week-old puppy that was owner-surren-dered so the owner could go on vacation.e desk clerk at the HS told the owner

that because it was a pit bull it would beimmediately euthanized. Unfortunately,the sorry owner still le the dog.

e issue isnt that they were eutha-nized, or that nobody thinks there is anover-population of animals at humanesocieties, or even that the CLHS wastight-lipped about anything. Its that thepit bull dogs were deemed expendable -euthanasia was the rst option, with noeffort whatsoever to nd a rehab, rescue,foster or kind-hearted soul to care forthese dogs and give them a chance at ahappy life.

A concerned pit bull love

SAO THAI EXPERIENCE

Dear Editor:

A friend mentioned to my wife that anew restaurant, Sao ai, had opened inthe space on Wilkins-Wise Road that wasformerly the home of e Green Olive,so we decided to pay them a visit onWednesday evening.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by

Ms. Wanna, who I assumed to be themanager, and were served by Mary, whois training as a waitress and is herself stilllearning about ai cuisine. e weatherwas beautiful, so we asked to be seatedoutside on the patio. is turned out tobe a great idea, as we observed theplanters where the chef is growing aibasil, oregano, mint, a variety of colors ofbell pepper, and ai beans around theborder of the patio. We enjoyed pinching,tasting and enjoying the aromas of thefresh herbs that surrounded us.

During our evening, Ms. Wanna tookthe time to share several things with us,

from discussing the herbs to some of thespecic spices that the chef uses in hisdishes, as well as bringing out a pair of ab-solutely huge freshwater shrimp that areused in one of their soups (that's on mylist for the next visit).

We began our meal with the GreenlipMussels, steamed in holy basil andlemongrass. e dozen or so musselswere a light prologue for the meal, andour senses were on high alert from thefresh basil and lemongrass in the dish.

e next course that we shared wasYum Woon Sen, a noodle salad of sorts,

which included mint chicken and a largesteam-poached shrimp tossed with cel-lophane noodles, onions and mint, andtopped with a roasted chili spicy limedressing. is was, by far, my favorite

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ombination of avors and sensa-ions of the evening. It was veryight but extraordinarily tasty.

For the main course, my wife se-ected another basil dish, which shehoroughly enjoyed. It included stir-

fried fresh basil leaves, bell pepper,nion and ai hot pepper (we likeo use hot and spicy seasonings inur kitchen, by the way). e chefas kind enough to accommodatey wife's distaste for green bell pep-

ers and substituted red and yelloweppers instead.

I, on the other hand, had to keeptradition, of sorts. Whenever I

isit a ai restaurant for the rstime, I always order the Pad ai,hich I use as a measuring stick forhat to expect from other items on

he menu. is version includedhicken (other meat choices are

vailable), ai noodles with egg,ean sprouts, scallions and crushedeanuts, and a ai tamarind sauce.

is meal was excellent, and Iould place it at #2 on my top-ten

ist for Pad ai. It's so difficult toorget the very rst one you fell inove with.

Ms. Wanna stopped to chat withs again, and this time we askedbout the sushi. She told us thathey order their tuna and other

sushi-grade sh from Hawaii andave it own in overnight to keep its fresh as possible. She suggestedhat if we want sushi we call aheado inquire when the sh had ar-ived.

Aer our meal, a departing cus-omer stopped to chat for a few

inutes and shared that he hadspent some time in ailand andeally enjoyed the authenticity of theood prepared by the chef at Sao. Helso mentioned a specic root/spicehat is difficult to nd here in thetates but which was used in the

soup he had partaken of thatvening. He also shared with us a

ai phrase that all three of us usedo wish Ms. Wanna adieu; thehrase was Aaahhh Loy, which

s ai for "good food." If you enjoyour meal when you visit, be sure tohank them in ai with thathrase.

All in all, for the middle of theeek, this was a great evening:eautiful weather; a more beautifulife; excellent food; and new

riends that we will visit again soon.

"e moving nger writes, andaving writ, moves on"...

SAO THAIcontinued from pg. 4

people who come through West Point

selling shoes, rugs, and t-shirts, and allkinds of junk. ose are the people [thosewith licenses] were trying to protect. Ithink it looks junky, and I dont think itsfair to our local business owners who doit the right way. Collins commented, Mr.Mayor, I share this sentiment. Is there anyfair way we could do this and have itamended so there wont be any doubt asto what youre saying? Ross responded,Ill be as strict as you want me to be,Councilman. Apparently, at the city level,theres not much that can be done.

Rod Bebo, of Ward 1, presented griev-ances from citizens in regards to over-grown lots. e issue has been at hand forsome time in West Point, and JasperPittman of Ward 5 asked, Why cant weclean this? I feel strongly about getting thiscleaned up. Bebo motioned having theareas declared a public nuisance; the mo-tion was passed by the board.

e meeting was concise and organized,and the officials swily handled eachagenda item.

Also in attendance were the local boyscouts, who were recognized for earningtheir citizenship badge, as well as repre-sentatives of the Mississippi School of Pro-

tocol and Etiquette, who received a keyfrom the city.

WEST POINTcontinued from pg. 3

Whit [email protected]

Whit Harrington is a Marine Corps veteran,who has a B.A. in English (creative writing)

from Texas State University.He enjoys reading, and has been a workingdrummer for the past eight years.

Registerswith YogaAlliance,

Attains 200-hour YogaTeachingCertication

Kate Spencerhas recently re-alized two im-portant career goals, whichtogether make her one of the most

experienced and knowledgeable yoga practitioners in the area.

Kate has completed the certication process that affirms thatshe has undergone a minimum of 200 hours of training as a yogainstructor. is process consists of rigorous and thorough in-struction, both text based and in a real-world setting as an in-

structor-in-training.is advanced training Kate has received means that individ-

uals who are interested in yoga can be condent that she is wellequipped to assist them in their tness goals.

Along with completing the certication process, Kate has alsoregistered with the Yoga Alliance. is is a plus for yoga studentsin that the various programs and standards that are maintained

by the Yoga Alliance ensure that she will not only receive contin-uing education in her chosen eld, but she will also have therecognition and backing of the Alliance throughout the years.

Kate intends to take full advantage of her membership in theAlliance, including the organizations annual conference, whereshe will not only receive additional training but will also have anopportunity to network with other instructors in a warm and

collaborative environment.Kate is excited at having realized these two achievements in her

professional career and is looking forward to helping her studentsto reap the benets as well.

Kate SpencerAttainsCertication

e Real Story Staff Report

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June20,2012

FINANCIALFOCUS Consider These Financial

Moves When You RelocateAlmost everyone would agree - moving

is a hassle. In addition to selling your cur-rent home and nding a new one, youmay need to deal with a new school foryour kids, a new doctor, a new dentist -the list goes on and on. But youll alsoneed to consider the nancial aspects ofyour move - specically, your invest-ments, insurance, taxes and even your es-tate plans.

How can you ensure that your movedoesnt slow your progress toward yournancial goals? Consider the followingrelocation checklist:

Open new bank accounts and setup automatic transfers. If your moverequires you to change banks, openyour new accounts as soon as possi-ble. And if you had arranged for yourprevious bank to automatically move

money each month from a checkingor savings account into an invest-ment, set up a similar arrangementat your new bank.

Decide what to do with your em-ployer-sponsored retirement plan. Ifyou are leaving your job, youll needto make some decisions about your401(k) or other employer-sponsoredretirement plan. For example, youmight have the option of leavingyour money in your former em-ployers plan, or you may be able toroll the money over to a new em-ployers plan. Alternatively, you coulddecide to transfer the assets into anIndividual Retirement Account(IRA). Your nancial advisor canhelp you make the choice thats rightfor your situation.

Meet with a tax professional toconsider the benets or liabilities ofany differences in tax laws betweenyour new location and your old one.You may also need to address anyimplications that result from movingand changing jobs.

Review your nancial goals. Some

of your goals, such as those related tohousing and where you want to re-tire, may have changed as a result ofyour move. So its a good idea tomeet with your nancial advisor toreview your objectives.

Evaluate your monthly budget. Ifyou followed a budget detailing yourexpenses and cash ow before yourmove, you may need to update itaer youve settled in to your newhome. If you havent set up a budgetin the past, you now have a good rea-son to establish one; a well-plannedbudget can help you avoid dippinginto your long-term investments topay for short-term needs.

Update your insurance coverage.Make sure your vehicles, stored pos-sessions and new residence are cov-

ered during your move. And if yourhealth insurance is changing, beaware of whats covered under yournew policy.

Review your estate plans. If yourmove coincides with other impor-tant life events such as marriage, di-

vorce or remarriage, you may needto make some moves related to yourestate plans, such as ensuring youhave the correct beneciary designa-tions on any life insurance policiesand your 401(k), IRA and other in-

vestment accounts. Check with yourlegal advisor to determine whichsteps make sense for your situation.

Moving may require you to adjustmany aspects of your life. Reviewing theitems on this checklist can help you getyour nancial house in order when youmove into your new home.

Ryan MunsonRyan is a Financial Advisor with Edward

Jones. E-mail reaches him [email protected]

Mr. Bob Taylor; Mr. Lynn Robinson and Mr. J. Carlos Rosales each receivedthe prestigious award of Honorary Wingman, from Colonel Barre R. Seguin,

14th Flying Training Wing Commander of Columbus Air Force Base.

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LOCALNEWS

June20,2012


Columbus Air Force Base has a uniqueprogram to acknowledge communitymembers who have consistently goneabove and beyond to support the BaseWing Commander, the 14th Flying

raining Wing mission, and the overallase population by naming them as anonorary Wingman. is honor was es-

ablished in 1993 by then-Colonel Robert. Foglesong. e individuals who are

hosen to receive this award are hand-se-ected by the Wing Commander at thend of their term serving Columbus AFB.

Wingman is an aviation term, used forpilot who ies behind and to the side of

he lead aircra. Such a formationstrengthens and protects the group, giv-ng the pilots the knowledge that some-ne has got their back! e samerinciple is upheld by the Honoraryingmen, who go out of their way, with-

ut the desire for recognition, to makeexceptional contributions to our Air

Force.

In this, the 70th anniversary of thefounding of Columbus Air Force Base,three prestigious Columbus residentswere awarded the title of HonoraryWingman, by Colonel Barre Seguin, dur-ing a very private ceremony that was held

n Saturday June 9, 2012, at J. Broussardsestaurant. A feeling of camaraderie, fel-

owship, pride and trust was shared by allf those in attendance, which consisted

solely of previous honorees and theiruests. A buzz of respect reverberatedmongst the past wingmen, as theyaited to welcome the newest members

o their fold.

Prior to the awards presentations, theuests were treated to a preview of a lmn the history of Columbus Air Forcease, which was made by J. Carlos Ros-les and Roberto Rosales. Footage andommentary, spanning the period of

1941-2008 (with 2008-2012 still in pro-uction), reminded those assembled ofow far we have come and how much theommunity and the base are linked to-ether. e attendees learned how thease began as an Army Air Field, and ofhe events that have led to what it has be-ome, today. e lm emphasized the

shared effort that was expended by both

the community andthe air base to aid thisCountry throughmultiple wars, and, inthe process, securepeace and safety forour nation.

Aer a fantasticviewing and a won-derful meal, the ac-knowledgement ofthese three individualsbegan. e rst hon-oree was Bob Taylor,the owner of BobsPaint & Auto Body In-corporated. Mr. Taylorhas tirelessly sup-ported the base com-munity for years, and made sure that allbase employees military and civilian were treated fairly and honestly. He hasnegotiated with insurance companies, on

the customers behalf, thus eliminatingany unnecessary stress. He is a standingmember of the Military Affairs Commit-tee and the Air Force Association.

e next person to be recognized wasLynn Robinson, president of Air ControlEngineering Incorporated. Mr. Robin-son, also a member of the Military AffairsCommittee, serves several functions forColumbus Air Force Base, most notablythrough his support of ongoing educa-tion and training.

e third and nal person to be distin-guished under Colonel Seguins com-

mand was J. Carlos Rosales, owner ofTampico Bay Restaurant and Bar; CafQuartier Latin and Carlos Digital Pro-ductions. Mr. Rosales has the distinctionof being Latin-American to be named anHonorary Wingman. Carlos has im-mersed himself into the Air Force fam-ily and the community as a whole, eversince he arrived in Columbus 30 yearsago from Tampico Bay, Mexico. In 2008he took his rst ight in a T-38 training

jet with Wing Commander ColonelDavid Gusset, and was bestowed with thetitle of Honorary Commander for his on-going support of the Air Force, especiallyin the area of community relations. Car-

los served with Colonel Gusset for one

year and was once again named Hon-orary Commander, in March of 2011, byColonel Alex Walford of the 14th Oper-ational Support Squadron.

e Real Story was fortunate to catchup with Mr. Rosales and asked himWhat does it mean to you to receivesuch a prestigious commendation? Inresponse Carlos expressed how humbledand honored he felt, not only to be sucha role model for the Hispanic commu-nity, but also for the fact he has been af-forded this opportunity to serve hisadopted community and country. He ex-plained to me that his role as Wingmanmeant not only supporting the com-manders on the base, but also being anadvocate for every serviceman andwoman, including their families. He went

on to say that it also involved helping topreserve the history of such a revered

community, as well as working to activelystrengthen the relationship between theAir Force and Columbus.

e integrity of these three individuals,along with the twenty ve honorees whopreceded them, sets an example for eachof us of how fellowship and selessnessworks for the greater good, whether thatis for us as a community, as a nation, orfor humanity as a whole.

Editor's Note: Some of the informationused in this article was provided by Sonic

Johnson, 14th FTW - PA.

Kate [email protected]

Kate Spencer is a certied yoga instructorfrom Cambridge, England, who came across

the pond with the U.S. Air Force toColumbus Air Force Base.

Carlos Rosales and Col. Barre Sequin.Carlos Rosales and Sonic Johnson.

HONORARY

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LOCALNEWS

Columbus Lowndes Recreation Authority staff enjoying the beautiful day.Helens Kitchen getting ready for the festivities.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is a holiday in theUnited States honoring African American heritage by commemorating the an-nouncement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. State of Texas in 1865. Celebratedon June 19, the term is a portmanteau of June and nineteenth, and is recognized as astate holiday or state holiday observance in 41 states of the United States. (Wikipedia)

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RONPARLATO

Ju

ne20,2012


The Skyboxication of AmericaIn an article in the May 31, 2012 Nework Times, Nicholas Kristof reviewsichael Sandels What Money Cant

uy, a book about the commercializa-ion of America, in which those products

and services which were once thought tobe solidly in the public domain are forsale. While private interests are increas-ingly crossing paths with public service,

this cooperation is not as Kristof andthe books author contend - unfair,against democratic principles, and con-tributing to class warfare.

e marketization of everythingmeans that people of affluence andpeople of modest means lead in-creasingly separate lives, Sandelwrites. We live and work and shopand play in different places. Our chil-dren go to different schools. Youmight call it the skyboxication ofAmerican life. Its not good fordemocracy, nor is it a satisfying wayto live.

is is an idealistic and unrealistic viewf society, for it assumes that only a small,rivileged minority benets from priva-ization. Most people, however, want tond the nightmarish public sector expe-iences, like waiting in the bowels of aimly-lit, crowded, airless DMV only toe served by a surly, indifferent, and abu-

sive agent.

e combination of corruption, politi-al patronage, and a shrinking tax baseave mitigated against improvement ofhe public system; so if the DMV were

sold to a private contractor who im-

roved services, instituted premiumigh-peak service lanes, or added a foodall, who would complain? If there wereremium, Premium Plus, and Executive

service lanes, citizens would pick theastest that they could afford. Paying

ore for better service outweighs anyoncern about corporate prots. Only the

most unreconstructed Sixties liberalswould lament the passing of the publicDMV.

e point is that most people do not re-sent the fact that the wealthy have all theadvantages. ey want to be wealthy andenjoy the same privileges. Privatization isnot the brainchild of a cabal of latter-day

Rockefellers. Ronald Reagan was votedinto office by working-class Americanswho agreed that Government is not thesolution. It is the problem. It is part of theAmerican ethos to mistrust government,and to value private enterprise, socialmobility, and wealth.

We may all not be able to afford pre-mium lines at the DMV, but despite ourFreedom Plaza protests, few of us wantthe wealthy to come down to our leveland be folded into the lowest commondenominator. We want to move up totheirs. Only the most idealistic among uswant a classless Trobriand Island society.

I want what she has, said my two-year-old when he saw what he thought was hissisters preferential portion of ice creamwith chocolate sauce and maraschinocherries.

People are not being exploited by com-mercial interests. ey are complicit inthe expansion of them. Few value thepublic sector,per se, and still maintain abelief in an uncorrupted, civic-mindedgovernment. Most people value qualityservices, regardless of the source. If apublic DMV could provide high-qualityservices at a reasonable cost, citizens

would jump at this option.Kristof says:

Im offended when governmentsauction naming rights to publicproperty or sell special access, evenif only to fast lanes on a highway orbetter cells in a jail. It is one thing for

Delta Air Lines to have rst class andcoach. It is quite another for govern-ment to offer rst class and coach inthe essential services that govern-ment provides.

He doesnt explain why; but the real,underlying reason is an antiquated beliefthat government should ensure equality,

eliminate class and economic distinc-tions, and promote social homogeneity.Where did that idea come from? Gov-ernment was set up as a means of creatingsocial order and adjudicating disputes be-tween private interests. e Old South-west was developed by private investorsgroups to build and run roads, ports, andrailways, and to develop vast tracts ofagricultural land. Government facilitatedthat economic development; and, untilrecently, this public-private partnershiphas worked reasonably well.

Now, however, there is a strong popularmovement to remove government from

even its most benign and useful interven-tions those that helped private interestsand individuals. In its desire to dismantlegovernment, radical conservative forcesare distorting the public-private balance,sending us once again down the road tothe laissez-faire capitalism of the RobberBarons.

American citizens are complicit in thisdisequilibrium, for there is both a visceralhatred of all government and a ery in-sistence on paying no taxes; and yet theability of each citizen to have what sheshaving will be severely compromisedwithout a neutral arbiter.

Kristof ignores these fundamentalquestions and express a silly concernabout the intrusion of corporate adver-tising into public life. Should sports sta-diums be named for corporate sponsors?Should visas be sold? Should advertisingbe permitted in public spaces?

Ofcourse we should sell visas, get rev-enues from commercial naming, and ac-cept advertising in public spaces. ecitizens of America have said: We want tocontinue all the public services we like police, parks, road maintenance, schoolsbut we want to pay no taxes to pay forthem. erefore, in order to keep votershappy and stay in power, politicians have

to negotiate with private industry tocome up with the funds. Besides, whatsso offensive about advertising on publicbusses or even police cars, when com-mercial products are hawked everywhere- incessantly, intrusively, and increas-ingly?

Kristofs argument has less to do withfairness than with an elitist view ofAmerican society. He would like all ofAmerica to be like Nantucket, free fromthe sullying inuences of McDonaldsand Bojangles, where everyone lives insimple, grey-shingled, weather-beatencottages, shops at cute little places in the

village, and pays high prices for the priv-ilege.

e rough-and-tumble world of thereal America is still like it always has been making a buck, ghting the perennialbattles between public and private inter-ests, and, above all, getting ahead with in-genuity, and the old-fashioned belief inindividual entrepreneurial spirit andKristof would rather stay out of the fray.

Ron [email protected]

Ron Parlato is a writerliving in Washington, DC.

He has close ties withColumbus which he visits

frequently. His writings onliterature, politics and

culture, travel, and cookingcan be found on his own

blog, uncleguidosfacts.com.

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LOCALNEWS

Tractor Exhibit atthe Farmers Market

ColumbusBeautication

Lowndes County Master Gardeners and Mississippi Governors School Students

work to beautify Downtown Columbus.

Everyone is pitching in!

Congratulations, Timber!

Congratulations to Rhonda "Timber" Hausly upon her completion of the nailtechnician program at Creative Barber and Cosmetology University! Timber wasselected as valedictorian of the Class of 2012. She is a resident of Columbus, whereshe is employed at the Pit and Cone Restaurant, and is a member of LighthouseBaptist Church.

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Pilot Club Installs New OfficersAlice Cooper was installed as the

2012-2013 president of the Pilot Clubof Columbus during the June meetingof the club. Serving with Alice duringthe upcoming year are: Hope Oakes,President-Elect; Nancy Wheeley, Sec-retary; Linda Alderson, Treasurer; andDirectors Jane Lee, Tori Pumphrey andMargie Lease. Pilot International wasfounded in 1921 as a volunteer serviceorganization, with the overall servicefocus of brain safety, brain research andassistance to those with brain-relateddisorders such as Alzheimers disease,chemical dependency, traumatic braininjuries, autism and numerous otherdevelopmental, emotional and mentaldisabilities. e local club, chartered in1940, offers its members vast opportu-nities to make a difference in the com-munity.

Special to e Real StoryCourtesy Photo

Seated: President Alice Cooper. Standing, L-R: Jane Lee, Nancy Wheeley, Tori Pumphrey, Linda Alderson, Margie Lease and Hope Oakes.

Special to e Real Story

Saint Leo University Columbus Cen-ter proudly recognizes the followingGolden Triangle area student, whoearned at least 12 credits with a termgrade point average of 3.65 or higher andwas placed on the Spring 2012 DeansList:

Robert Graham

One of our core values at Saint LeoUniversity is excellence, and we are de-lighted to see these students work so hardto achieve so much and aspire to live outour values, said Maribeth Durst, Ph.D.,

vice president of academic affairs. evalues of excellence, community, respect,

personal development, responsible stew-ardship and integrity are central to aca-demic life at this leading Catholicteaching university.

Chartered in 1889, Saint Leo University

is one of the largest and most innovativeCatholic universities in the United States.Students enrolled at Saint Leo maychoose from 41 academic programs, in-cluding bachelor's degrees, master's de-grees, and pre-professional andaccelerated-learning programs. As one ofthe leading providers of higher educationto the military and a leader in onlinehigher education, Saint Leo's enrollmentincludes more than 13,000 students atboth the traditional University Campusand 18 regional centers throughoutFlorida, California, Georgia, Mississippi,South Carolina, Texas and Virginia, aswell as through the Center for Online

Learning. For more information, visitwww.saintleo.edu.

Bragg Named Admin of the YearProject LACE UP

Nancy Bragg, Principal of Sale International Studies Magnet School in theColumbus Municipal School District, was named 2012 Administrator of the Yearby the State Board of Education on June 15, 2012.

Congratulations to Mrs. Bragg and the entire Sale school family. You all are our"heroes" and role models. Keep up the great work!

Project LACE UP, a two-week enrichment program at Columbus Middle School,brought the play, "What a Difference a Dad Makes," a production about the rolesfathers play in the lives of children, to the CMS stage.

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June20,2012

BUSINESSSPOTLIGHTOFTHEWEEK

BALDWINS PRODUCE

Molly [email protected]

Molly is a resident of Columbus, who enjoysreading, cooking, cake decorating, and spending

time with her family. She is a memberof Lighthouse Baptist Church.

Great Products Plus GreatService Equals A Great Experience

Its summertime, time for cookouts,watermelon-seed-spitting contests, and

just hanging out with friends and family.So where should you go when you get theurge to throw a party? Baldwins ProduceMarket.

Baldwins Produce Market is your one-stop shop to purchase everything youneed for that fun get-together. In addi-tion to placing an order for a Boston butt,you can purchase the ingredients for sal-ads, side dishes and even desserts, allunder one roof! Tucked away in the backof the shop is a cooler stocked witheverything from cucumbers to cauli-

ower, plus perishables such as hoopcheese and Amish butter. In the center ofthe store, tables are laden with peaches,potatoes, tomatoes and just about anyother fresh produce you could imagine.

Baldwins also offers a variety of cannedjams, jellies, tomatoes, chowchow andmuch more. During a recent visit, Ibought a fresh cantaloupe. I was not surewhich one to pick; however, the staff wasmore than happy to help me select a ripeone which I could enjoy as soon as I got

home. Sure enough - as I began to cut themelon, I soon discovered that it was theperfect ripeness, and the amazing smell

lingered in my home for hours, just as thejuicy sweetness remained on my palatefor some time aer I had consumed it.

If you are a watermelon lover, youshould be aware that they carry SUPER-sized versions, with one that was on dis-play during my visit weighing at least 30pounds. Rest assured, their melons arebig enough to feed your hungry crowd,with plenty of seeds le over for theaforementioned watermelon-seed-spit-ting contest.

So to enjoy a clean, fruitful shoppingexperience with a friendly staff who will

help you in any way possible (includinggiving you a lesson on selecting a can-taloupe), visit Baldwins Produce, locatedon Highway 45 North across from TinaWatkins service station. Look for the

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LIFESTYLES

June

20,2012


Experience a Staycation, This Summer!School is out and the kids are looking

for things to do on their summer break.Along with the kids, many people areplanning their summer vacation trips. Ina tough economy and with gas pricesbeing high, some people will not be ableto take vacations, as they would any othersummer. ere are a number of activitiesthat people can participate in, right herein Columbus.

Here, in Columbus and LowndesCounty, there are several parks and recre-ation areas for all ages to visit, at no costor with a small entry fee. In the city limitsof Columbus, there is Propst Park, withits baseball and soball elds, a smallwater play area, and swings to play on.On the north side of town there is SimScott Park, Hank Aaron Park, Lee Park,the Riverwalk, and the Lock and DamEast Bank. Traveling towards the Colum-bus Air Force Base, you will nd DwayneHayes Park, which has a water play area.

ere is also Lake Lowndes State Park, inew Hope, which has tennis courts,

walking and hiking areas, a recreationbuilding with games and a basketballcourt, cabins for rent, and a shing area.Also in the New Hope area, there is theLuxapalila Creek Park that has a boatramp. For those who like the water, Slipand Dip has a water slide and pool area.In the Steens community, Freedom Parkhas a building for rent for activities suchas reunions and gatherings. Caledoniahas Ola J. Pickett Park, which has areasfor baseball, soball, soccer, volleyball,

skate boarding, and walking tracks. It alsohas swings and a play area. Ola J. Pickettalso presents Movies on the Mound onSaturday nights, followed by a reworksdisplay.

Most of our area parks have provisionsfor camping, and RV spaces for extendedstays. ey also provide shing areas,which are a great past-time for many.During the summer months, our parksoffer children the opportunity to play teeball, soball, baseball, and soccer onteams.

Many of our churches offer VacationBible School, during the summermonths. is time is used to teach chil-dren about the Bible and also to allowthem to show their talents in makingcras, art, painting, and other activities,while they are attending vacation bibleschool. It is an experience that they willremember throughout their lives.

Our grown-ups enjoy taking boats outon the Tenn-Tom River, during the sum-

mer. Skiing, shing, or just oating alongthe waterway are great pastimes. It is alsocommon to see many people on thewater with their jet skis. Along the banks,people are lying out in the sun, barbe-quing, and spending a relaxing eveningon the water.

If water areas and parks are not for you,Columbus has three race tracks: Magno-lia Speedway, Columbus Speedway, ande Columbus Dragstrip. ese provide

car racing action for those who love thissport.

Aer a day out in the sun, the MalcoCinema 8 is a nice place to cool off fromthe heat and watch the newest releasemovies. It is located near our mall; nearbyrestaurants are available before or aer amovie.

For those who prefer the slower-paced

life, Columbus is known for its antebel-lum homes that are located throughoutthe city. Some are open year-round andoffer tours. Take a walk along the citystreets and behold the amazing and beau-tiful homes that have been here sinceColumbus' beginning. While you aretouring, stop to get a look at our oldestchurches and buildings, as well as theTennessee Williams Welcome Center.Make sure to visit Friendship Cemeteryand stand in awe, as you look at the manystatues and headstones of the past.

If you are a music fan, there are placesthat offer live music. For those who love

plays and theatre, our local college offersopportunities to attend events during thesummer months.

Columbus has a variety of hotels, mo-tels, and bed and breakfasts available, ifyou just want to get away from home fora week. Even if you are a resident ofColumbus, getting away for a week fromyour home life can make a difference. Bystaying in Columbus, we are also puttingour money back into our own city busi-

nesses.

e Farmers Market offers a variety offresh vegetables and fruits, during thesummer, for those good home cookedmeals with family and friends. ere arealso our usual Saturday morning rum-mage sales and ea markets, where arts,cras, and used items are displayed forsell.

For those who love golf, we have theCountry Club, Elm Lake and Green OaksGolf courses.

So, even though our town may not havelarge amusement parks and a beach,there are still many activities to experi-ence, here. Take this time to learn aboutyour town and the history it has to offer.Much can be learned by just taking awalk down Main Street and taking timeto appreciate its beauty. e quiet nights,lled with the sounds of nature, make aromantic setting for couples. A vacationdoes not necessarily mean going out oftown. A nice vacation can be taken in our

own backyard. Plan out your vacationdays with different activities and beginyour trip here in Columbus.

Joyce Shaw White

Joyce is a single mother and grandmother,and serves our community as the nightsupervisor for Lowndes County 911.She enjoys researching genealogy and

has lived here all her life.

Paws Cornerby Sam MazzottaConfronting a RudeDog-Park Denizen

DEAR PAW'S CORNER: Our townhas designated a small park near myhome as a place where dogs are allowed.It's not an official dog park, and becauseit also has a playground at one corner,many of us who visit have agreed that, ifchildren are present, our dogs will be onleashes so as not to cause a problem.We've found the best way to allow ourdogs to run free is to show up very early,when kids aren't present. And we pick upaer our dogs so the park remains apleasant place for all.

But there's one person who doesn't re-spect this agreement. He lets his dogpoop wherever and never picks up aerit, brings his dog at all hours and lets itrun off the leash when kids are around.Is there anything we can do to stop this?

-- Naomi in Newton, Mass.

DEAR NAOMI: Have you approachedhim directly? If he doesn't know that youand other fellow dog-owners have set up

unwritten rules on managing the dogs'conduct, he won't know about the leashrule you've established. Remind him thatit's good manners and common sense topick up aer his dog, particularly in apark where kids run and play. In manycommunities, it's a ticketable offense notto pick up aer your dog.

If he ignores the request, make it again.Explain that the rules were put together

in order to keep the park open to dogs -if there are too many complaints, the citycould ban pets from the park. If you can'tconvince him, your group may have toform a more official club with writtenrules, in order to negotiate with both thecity and boorish dog owners.

Send your questions or tips [email protected], or write to Paw's Cor-ner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O.Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Formore pet care-related advice and informa-tion, visit www.pawscorner.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Recipes fromGood HousekeepingOrange-Endive Ambrosia

For a truly authentic ambrosia, don'tskimp on the coconut! It is an essentialingredient for this old-fashioned salad.

1/2 cup coarsely shredded unsweetenedcoconut

1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oilSaltFreshly ground black pepper

navel orangesheads Belgian endive

1/2 cup fresh at-leaf parsley leaves, packed

1. In 12-inch skillet, toast coconut onmedium 2 to 4 minutes or until golden,stirring occasionally. Remove from heatnd cool completely. (Coconut can be

kept at room temperature in an airtightcontainer up to 1 day.)

2. In small bowl, with fork, mix butter-

milk, vinegar, mustard, oil, 1/4 teaspoonsalt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly groundblack pepper until well-mixed. (Dress-ng can be covered and refrigerated upo 1 day.)

. With knife, cut peel and white pithrom oranges and discard. Cut each or-nge crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds; cutach round in half and transfer to bowl,eeping some rounds whole if you like.

(Oranges can be covered and refriger-ted up to 1 day.)

. When ready to serve, trim endive.ut crosswise at an angle into 1-inch

ieces; discard core. In large bowl, tossndive and parsley with dressing untiloated.

5. On large serving platter, spread halff oranges decoratively in single layer.op with salad and remaining oranges.

Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Serves 8.

Each serving: About 100 calories, 6g totalfat (4g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 100mgsodium, 12g total carbs, 3g dietary ber, 2gprotein.

Pimiento-StuddedDeviled Eggs

ese appetizers are festive and color-ful, and can easily be made the dayahead. Simply spoon the yolk mixtureinto the whites for a more casual look,or use a decorating bag with a large startube for a more formal look.

12 large eggs, hard-cooked and shelled1/4 cup sliced pimientos, chopped1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise dressing1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon

mustard1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)1/4 teaspoon saltFresh herb sprigs for garnish

1. Slice each egg lengthwise in half. Gen-tly remove yolks and place in smallbowl; with fork, nely mash yolks. Stirin pimientos, mayonnaise dressing,mustard, ground red pepper and saltuntil well mixed.

2. Place egg-white halves in 15 1/2-inchby 10 1/2-inch jellyroll pan lined withpaper towels (to prevent eggs fromrolling). Spoon yolk mixture into egg-white halves. Cover and refrigerate untilready to serve. Serves 24.

Each serving: About 45 calories, 3g totalfat (1g saturated), 107mg cholesterol, 100mgsodium, 1g carbohydrate, 3g protein.

For thousands of triple-tested recipes,visit our website at www.goodhouse-keeping.com/recipender/.

(c) 2012 Hearst Communications, Inc.All rights reserved

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CI

RCLEMPLANTATION Circle M Plantation:

A Pearl in the Necklace of Noxubee County

Somewhere just a little south of here, inMacon, Miss., to be precise, slightlytucked away, lies Circle M Plantation. Intrue Mississippi tradition, it was a fullyfunctioning cotton plantation over 150years ago. e property was originallyfounded as Paulette Plantation byomas Blasingame Paulette. About adecade ago, renovators discovered a wine

cellar and liquor closet hidden under-neath the main house. e purpose ofthese hidden facilities was to serve resi-dents and guests during the ProhibitionEra. A game room features taxidermist-preserved animals that have been killedat Circle M over the years.

Sometime between the 1860s and theturn of the 20th century, the plantationwas re-named Ridgeway, but it was stillowned by the Paulette family; it was thenchanged to Auyaka Lodge in the early1920s. e series of property owners,over the years, has included the one-timegovernor of Oklahoma, E.W. Marland,

who owned the plantation from 1911 to1928 and turned it into a game refuge. In1928, the Depression hit, and the banksforeclosed on the property. In 1933, agroup from Minnesota purchased theproperty, and it became known as CircleM. ose owners included: James F. Bellof General Mills; Horace Irvine of Wey-erhaeuser; Steve Archer of ArcherDaniels Midland; S. T. McHenry, a realestate tycoon; John P. Upton of HarrisUpton Brokerage; and Alf Pillsbury of thePillsbury Company. At that time, the

plantation became a working farm, withtenant farmers, again. e plantation op-

erated until the 1970s. In 2003, threefamilies from Birmingham bought theproperty and now use it as a hunting re-treat.

Today, the immaculate grounds are a per-fect place to go hunting or shing, have awedding or just take a little weekend get-away. With cabins on site, the Circle Mstaff will prepare gourmet meals forbreakfast, lunch and dinner, and thenserve you in your cabin. e site is alsoequipped with a game room, so you can

play a game of poker or pool with yourbest buddies. I implore you to visit

http://www.circlemplantation.com/today and book your hunting trip or ro-mantic get-away, and then sit back andenjoy a piece of true Mississippi hospital-ity and tradition.

Molly [email protected]

Molly is a resident of Columbus, who enjoysreading, cooking, cake decorating, and spending

time with her family. She is a memberof Lighthouse Baptist Church.

Main House at Circle M

The Saloon

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COMICS&PUZZLES

June20,2012


ComicsandPuzzles

How many sidesdoes a

stop sign have?Look for the answer on page 27!

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June20,2012

LIFESTYLES

For the weekbeginning

June 25, 2012

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Informa-tion you need might be coming insporadically, but at least what you'regetting is valuable. Continue to waituntil more is available before acting on

that career move.TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You con-tinue on an upbeat cycle, and with thatstrong Taurean energy you should seefavorable results from your hard work.A pleasant surprise awaits you in yourprivate life.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A misun-derstanding needs more time to beworked out. Don't give up on it justyet. Remain open to providing expla-nations, if called for. Another friendoffers good advice.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Fast ac-

tion can correct a seemingly minorproblem that has taken on some un-expectedly difficult aspects. Stay withit until it's resolved. News on a morepositive note is due soon.

LEO(July 23 to August 22) Some snagscould cause delays in those plansyou're eager to see put into operation.But be patient. e Clever Cat willsoon have good reason to celebrate a

job well done.

VIRGO(August 23 to September 22) Becareful not to let that Virgan sensitivitydissuade you from being the hard-

headed realist you should be at thistime. Your goals are in sight. Stay fo-cused on them.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Amore positive aspect opens up, allow-ing you to make some important

changes in a personal situation. Re-member to seek balance and avoid ex-tremes as you proceed.

SCORPIO(October 23 to November 21)is is a good week to get out andenjoy the ne times you missed whileyou were so deep in those workadayprojects. Be sure to share it with thatspecial person.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to De-cember 21) Work and play are in bal-ance this week. However, expect newsthat could tip things toward the work-place for quite a while. But all to a goodend.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to Janu-ary 19) You're more productive on the

job than you have been in some time.at's good. But be careful not to over-

look some situations developing inyour private life.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February18) You've been doing a lot for others(as usual). But now it's time to focuson your needs, including nally goingon that long-delayed trip you've beenhoping to make.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) It'sall smoothly going on 'twixt you andthat very special person in your life.But a colleague causes some disrup-tion on the job that you might becalled on to help settle.

BORN THIS WEEK: You are sensi-tive to the needs of others. But you'reno pushover. You would make a neteacher, psychologist or minister.


Senior News Lineby Matila Charles

Grandparent Scam

ere's a new twist on an old scam onseniors. e "grandparents scam" hastaken a very creative turn.

In the typical grandparents scam, a"grandchild" will call his grandparent andclaim that there's an emergency and that

money must be wired to solve the prob-lem. Different versions have the grand-child either in jail, stuck in a foreigncountry, in an accident ... it doesn't mat-ter, but money needs to be sent immedi-ately.

Generally a "Hi, grandma" is enough toconvince a senior that it is indeed his orher grandchild on the phone. Too manytimes the grandparent doesn't askenough questions. And too oen, thou-sands of times a year, the grandparentwill send the money ... to scammers. It'snot the grandchild on the line -- it'sthieves.

Now there's a new version of this scam.Not only do the thieves know the grand-child's name and school, they have his orher voice asking you for money for theemergency.

You can thank the Internet for that. If agrandchild has posted anything onlinethat includes their voice, scammers canuse that recording to create an emer-gency message, all in your grandchild's

voice.

All of these scams have some things incommon. It's an emergency. Money mustbe wired right away. If it's not the grand-child, the scammer could claim to be anattorney or another relative. And there isa need for secrecy ("Don't tell mom!")

You do need to consult others, though.If you get a call like this, contact thegrandchild's parents and ask what's goingon. If they're not home, call the police.

Do not send money. ese thieveswork out of foreign countries, and youwill never get your money back.

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannotpersonally answer reader questions, but willincorporate them into her column wheneverpossible. Write to her in care of King Features

Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando,FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to [email protected].


ColumbusExchange Club

Chip Gerber, Co-Owner and CEO of MSP ( Mississippi Steel Processing),explains how their company operates on the Severstal campus.

Did you know we have articles and information on ourwebsite and facebook page that are not included

in the print edition? Check us out today!

realstorypublishing.com facebook.com/rspublishing

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ARTS&CULTURE

June20,2012

REALSTORYP

UBLISHING.COM

Shining and Clear:A Look at

Light and Glass

True to form, the opening of Light and Glass, the lat-est exhibit at Renee Reedy Studio, was a big hit.

is show, which includes works that emphasize theuse of both light and glass art, was a feast for the eyes.

Martin Howards photos were delightful. His photo-graphs of beautiful young women are what many peopleknow him for, but what were most impressive were hisphotos of owers and of a landscape at sunset, each ofwhich had been printed on canvas and gallery wrapped.

e whimsical photos of ducks taken by Diane Lukemade gallery visitors smile.

Addie Talleys photos, while more sedate than herusual offerings, still demonstrated her serious talent.

Gallery partner Renee Reedy had two photos in thexhibit: a haunting image of the ruins of Windsor Plan-ation and an exhilarating shot of Columbus Main

Street, which she had printed onmetal.

As always, Judy Howles worksdemonstrated a beauty and skilllevel honed over many years ofpractice. She has a knack for cap-turing images of birds that are so

vastly different from what onenormally sees.

Now on to the glass.

Jane Crawfords vividly colorfulglass pieces give one a true senseof the work that goes into creat-

ing art out of pieces of molten source material. Her slabpiece was big and bold (and, from what I hear, heavy).

Gorgeous! How else can you describe Melody Vydasdichronic glass jewelry? As intricate as they are delicate,her pieces work equally well as display as they wouldadorning someones wrist, neck or ears.

Perhaps my favorite piece in the show is a mixedmedia work by Jane Ragowski, which consists of a sec-tion of an old window to which she has affixed a scat-tering of glass shards, complementing the old glass andnaturally distressed wood frame.

As if the art on the walls and pedestals was not stimu-lation enough, the food provided by Coffee House On5th was a treat for the palate. Delectable petit cupcakes,

house-made cheese strawsand yummy sausagemuffins sated the hunger ofthe guests, who, as usual

were abundant in number.Lets sum it all up: great art check; great food - check;

and, topping it off, fabulous, enthusiastic guests check.What more could one ask for in a magical evening onthe Columbus arts scene!

What do we always say?

Get out andget your culture on!

More Beauty

We applaud the city's recent completion of this ower bed, located at thecorner of Main Street/Hwy. 182 and 22nd Street. Any efforts that

beautify Columbus are welcome and appreciated.


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ARTS&CULTURE

Although you wouldnever know it from herunassuming nature,Renee Sheridan is a tal-ented make that a RE-ALLY talented - artist.

Sheridan rst beganpainting when she was12. She later took artclasses for two years at

Auburn University andattended workshopstaught by John de laVega, a well-knownBrazilian artist. Shehoned her skills work-ing as an illustrator forNASA for a number ofyears.

Renee was born inVirginia but has lived inSouth Carolina and Al-abama. She came toColumbus as a result ofher husband landing a

job at Columbus AirForce Base.

She is very versatile interms of media, beingadept at: oil; acrylic;graphite; charcoal; penand ink; and water col-ors. Renee indicatedthat she has been itch-ing to get back intosculpture. Lately, shehas even been makingfurniture out of downedlimbs that have accu-mulated in her yard

from a recent storm.

Sheridan nds herself drawn to land-scape artists. She listed George Inness asher favorite artist because of his artisticphilosophy and his use of light and colors.She also admires Andrew Wyeth for hisstorytelling ability.

In response to a question about whatinspires her, Sheridan said that she usesnature as her muse, along with whatever

is going on in her mind at the time, aswell as humor and seeing the crazy thingsthat people do.

When asked about what is the typicalsubject matter of her work, Sheridanreplied simply, e sky. As a matter offact, she mentioned that she has beenworking on one particular painting of ablue sky with white clouds for about veyears now. She said that she enjoys sittingoutside her bare-bones studio, located in

Hamilton, Miss.,taking notesabout what shesees in the sky.Sheridan has awonderful philos-ophy about life:People are hap-piest if they areable to creativelyexpress them-selves.

Sheridan, whois a dedicated vol-unteer with the

Columbus ArtsCouncil, has anongoing exhibit of her work at JamiesSalon in downtown Columbus. Prints ofher work are available at Holly Hocks, lo-cated at 204 5th Street South in Colum-bus. Her Facebook page can be found at

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hill-song-Studio-Renee-Sheridan/172082889496969.


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THEAMERICANPIT

BULLTERRIER

June20,2

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Laughter and Chains: More Pit Bull Stories

Last week, I introduced you to myrst experience with an American Pit

Bull Terrier. Im going to try my best toecall some of my funny (and sometimesot so funny) pit bull memories over theears. Pit bulls are such characters, itsoing to be hard to choose what to men-ion!

Cujo was the rst pit bull Id ever beenround. ere are a few more funnyhings that I have thought of about him

since last week. For one thing, his buttould oat. I realize I keep talking aboutis butt, but this one is just too funny: We

had one of those Wal-Mart special 12-foot, round pools, and we thought wedet Cujo swim for a whilebut he

ouldnt because his hind end would oatp to the top and his head would go un-erwater!

I remember once, when I was sitting onhe back porch feeding Cujo some le-ver bread. He had eaten probably half aoaf or more and was still speaking for

new piece. So I thought Id get himsome kibbles and wed keep playing. I

ould tell him to speak (I didnt reallyave to, though - he knew how the gameorked), and when he would do so, hedet his kibble. Well, he got so full that

very time hed bark, the previous pieceof kibble would shoot back out at me!

Cujo was a really good dog. He wouldget out of his pen on occasion and wouldtrot right on down the road to New HopeSchool to visit the kids. He never hurt asoul. We even had to break him out of jail(the Humane Society), once, when he

ad pulled his chain out of the groundnd was running down the road, drag-ing it. He was so happy to see us!

Lets Talk About Chains, Baby;Lets Talk About You & Me....

While Im on the subject of chains, Id like

to elaborate a little more on that. I thinkthat Richard Stratton summed it up bestin one of his many books on the Ameri-can Pit Bull Terrier:

Some challenge that Bulldogs are kepton chains to make them mean. eAPBT [American Pit Bull Terrier] isoen kept on a chain, but not always.e problem is that these dogs are ca-pable of leaping or climbing tall fences.Since it is essential that the Bulldog notrun loose, a fool-proof method ofkeeping him conned is needed. Achain is an economical way to do it. Itmost assuredly does not make a dog

mean. e idea that a chain makes adog mean is a public misconceptionthat confuses cause with effect. If a dogis mean, he is more likely to bechained; hence, more dogs that arechained are mean but the chains

didnt make them that way.

When we kept our dogs in the yard, onchains, they each had a 12-foot chain -giving them a 24-foot radius to run andplay. Of course, they had access to food,water and a dog house and could interactwith each other without getting tangled.But I digress. A 24-foot radius, outside,in my opinion, is much better than beinginside in a 24-by-36-inch crate, walkingthrough their own feces or urine. Even a6-by-8-foot kennel doesnt provide asmuch room - or as much safety. Weowned a dog, once, that had just hadpuppies and the very next day chewedher way out, back in, back out and backin a chain link kennel. We had it on video

and watched her do it with little to no ef-fort. Weve also had dogs stand at-footedand jump a 5-foot fence in one leap. eyare experts at climbing, too - even trees!And they are very smart - and will gurea way out in no time - even pushingtheir dog house or whatever happens tobe in the yard so that they can jump ontop of that, on top of something else andover the fence! So the chain isnt only themost economical - it is the safest and, inmy opinion, most humane way to keepan animal while you are not at home orable to have it out of its crate.

Another problem with chains that peo-

ple dont understand is that a chained dogis more likely to be picked on - by peo-ple, kids and even other dogs. Becausethey can only go so far, they become aneasy target. We had a dog once that lovedeverybody, especially kids, but our neigh-bors kids decided it would be fun to pokeher in the eyes with a stick through thefence. We began to notice that she wouldget a little tense around kids and nallysaw this mistreatment one aernoonwhen we got home early. Needless to say,my husband told the neighbor what wasgoing on, and, fortunately, the neighborhandled it. But my point is this: Howmany times have you heard of a dog (any

dog, not necessarily a pit bull) that got offthe chain and chased someone or some-thing? Do you really think they were socrazy that they realized they were free andthought, What can I attack today? Mostlikely, someone or something had beenantagonizing them while they were onthe chain, and they were simply payingthem back.

One last thing, and Ill close for theweek - and it happens to be about Cujo!We kept Cujo on the small Freds chains(which a Chihuahua could pull out of theground) at rst. We upgraded him, overthe years, to different sizes chains and -

nally had him on an actual logging chain.

Dont freak out! My husband would un-hook his chain so he could run aroundthe yard, and for a full two minutes Cujowould still just walk his perimeter be-cause he didnt realize his chain had beenunhooked! Cujo was also extremelyadept at literally unscrewing his chainsC hook - and it didnt take him long.We nally had to start super-gluing it sohe wouldnt unscrew it and run aroundthe neighborhood!

Now, do I think these chained dogsshould be le on a chain, with no othercontact than feeding and watering? Ofcourse not! We would come home, let all

the dogs off their chains (yes - they all got

along) to run in our fenced-in side yard(with supervision!) and would spendtime with them. So dont be so quick to

judge a dog on a chain. Seven out of tentimes, he is most likely to be a happy dogwith a caring owner.

Courtesy PhotoSambo, Toby & Lexis brother, shows off a typical pit bull grin.

Aimee [email protected]

Aimee is the Office Manager at MaloneElectric Company, Inc. and also has her own

freelance graphic design business.She is married to Kenneth Shaw of Columbus.

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June20,2012

THEADVENTURESOFTHEVIP

SOCIAL SECURITY CLAIMSChuck Easley, Attorney

327-1000I have helped hundreds of people with their social security benets

Former Supreme Court Judge215 9th St. North Columbus

Free background information available upon request

My name is Abby Hathorn, and Iwrite the Vintage InspiredPassionista blog! What isthe Vintage InspiredPassionista all about,you ask? Well, the

VIP blog featuresinformation onfashion inspira-tion, vintageclothes, thri-ing, Do-It-Yourself andmuch more! isfashionista has anabsolute passion forall things vintage!

Old movies such asBreakfast at Tiffanys andPretty in Pink (anks to Molly Ring-walds character, Andie, I have become

totally obsessed with the VolkswagenKarmann Ghia!) have truly

inspired me to try newstyles of fashion,

music and interiordesign. Some of

my favorite ac-tresses are Au-drey Hepburn,Marilyn Mon-roe and MollyRingwald be-cause they cap-

ture the essenceof unique, time-less fashion. Mystyle has alsobeen inuenced

by music icons like Madonnaand Joan Jett. ey were quite the vision-aries, back in the day. What girl hasnt

danced around in her room with herhairbrush microphone, singing, I LoveRock N Roll or Like a Virgin?

My fascination with couture began as a

toddler, playing dress-up with my momsclothes, jewelry and strappy high-heelshoes, and sneaking into her makeupdrawer in an attempt to glamorize my-self. Now that I am older, my closet hastransformed into a vintage wonderland!I walk around stores, like e Attic inColumbus, with adventurous eyes, won-dering which vintage nds I will takehome and feature in my blog! I am a de-

voted thri shopper who enjoys scaveng-ing through the racks for potential DIYs("do-it-yourselfs") and hidden jewels!ere is nothing better than playing theri Store Challenge game. What isthe ri Store Challenge game, you ask?

Well, I cannot tell you that, today; how-ever, stay tuned to this column - or checkout my blog for more details.

e VIPs fashion DIYs are simple,funky projects involving thri store ndsand items discovered in the back of thecloset. Lets face it - we all have that onearticle of clothing that we love but cannottoss out due to all the memories associ-ated with it. How were the VIPs fashionDIYs born, you wonder? No need toGoogle it! I will tell you right here, rightnow. One rainy day, while I was sitting inmy moms art studio and watching hercreate yet another up-cycled art piece, I

had an epiphany; t

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