Between the Headlines: Columbus

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We dig into Columbus’ push to form an economic advisory committee—what a true “brain trust” could bring to retail recruitment, healthcare talent, and housing strategy, and how to keep conflicts from tilting the playing field. From identifying missing markets to securing corporate sponsorships for Propst Park and the new amphitheater, we explore what works when advice turns into action.

The conversation shifts to schools, where stability and clarity can be more powerful than splashy promises. With an offer on the table for interim superintendent Craig Chapman, we talk through why quiet, data-driven leadership might finally give Columbus Municipal School District the consistency it needs. Filling critical vacancies, running student and community roundtables, and reporting progress with honesty signal a pragmatic path: set goals, measure what matters, and resist the urge to chase headlines over outcomes.

We also spotlight a civic antidote to political gridlock: Braver Angels, a model for respectful, structured conversations that can help neighbors disagree better and solve local problems faster. Along the way, we celebrate community life—from a packed Handel’s Messiah to decades of service at the Tennessee Williams home.

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Big moves finally meet clear plans. We break down how Columbus locked in $3 million to finish the amphitheater—$1M from the CVB, $1M from the city, and $1M from the state—so gates, concessions, bathrooms, and seats move from wish list to construction list. With multiple contractors ready to bid now that funding is real, the price should stay competitive and the path to opening gets much shorter. We also tackle resident skepticism head-on: capacity targets around 3,500, the likely role of a national promoter, and why fees you already pay in other cities shouldn’t be a dealbreaker when the shows are finally here at home.

Downtown safety gets a serious tune-up. Temporary materials and vertical lane separators will reshape traffic on Main between 4th and 7th, converting an aggressive right-turn lane and removing ambiguity at Main and 5th. Slower approaches, clearer paths, and fewer last‑second lane changes add up to fewer close calls and a calmer core.

Then we sit down with Building Department Director Nathan Katona to open the black box of permits, inspections, and code enforcement. Nathan explains why permits protect buyers and neighbors, how his team prioritizes education before tickets, and what the department’s digitization means for faster, clearer service—without leaving behind anyone who prefers to walk in. We also unpack the city’s new short‑term rental rules: neighbor notification, basic life‑safety checks like working smoke detectors and egress windows, a visible placard with a local manager’s phone number, and alignment with the state’s 2% hotel‑motel tax for a fair playing field.

We close with Three Things to Know.

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This week we pull apart two intertwined storylines shaping Columbus: a federal lawsuit that lays bare internal strife at the LINK and a City Hall showdown where a fired lobbying firm chose to resign instead. We explain how an insurance dispute revealed surprising details about 700 recordings, why one-party consent matters in Mississippi, and what “far exceeds $75,000” actually signals about potential settlements and risk.

We also use the city's lobbying drama to examine how Mayor Stephen Jones 'and Councilman Jason Spears' reactions could hurt them in the long run. Accountability is essential, but so is knowing when to bank the win and move on. We examine claims of backroom influence, why this council’s independent streak makes puppetry unlikely, and what it takes to rebuild trust.

Amid heavy topics, we spotlight a local bright spot—Plymouth Bluff Environmental Center—reminding ourselves why quality of life assets matter to families and employers alike. 

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Nonprofits deliver value but need predictability, not ad hoc walk-up funding that puts the city council on the spot. We talk candidly about impromptu funding requests, why full-context answers from city staff matter, and how a straightforward application process protects core commitments to libraries, arts and community events. We also cover the vote to end the city’s lobbyist contract and a timely handoff of records to the state auditor, underscoring a renewed focus on transparency and accountability.

We also sit down with Brent Lochala, land pro and host of The Woodsman Perspective to unpack the new reality of hunting and habitat in this part of Mississippi. Brent breaks down what new landowners miss about cutovers and pine stands, and why opening the canopy, planting with purpose, and using prescribed fire can turn “ugly” ground into a living buffet for deer, turkeys, and quail.

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The tension is real when frontline officers say their “day off” is anything but. We dig into Columbus PD’s on-call policy, why rank-and-file feel boxed in without pay, and how leadership’s response lands with a department already worried about morale. 

Safety doesn’t stop at the station. A Facebook Marketplace meetup at a busy Lowe’s turned into an alleged armed robbery, and quick police work led to arrests. Public places aren’t always protective; smart places are.

Then we stand in the Helping Hands line and listen. Parents feeding five kids on noodles and water. Caregivers stretching one paycheck and caring for elders. Pantry directors pivoting to SNAP boxes with protein, fiber, and shelf-stable goods because demand is up and certainty is down. The math is sobering: for every one person a pantry feeds, SNAP feeds nine. Charity matters, but it can’t shoulder a ninefold gap alone. If you want to help, target the items that move the needle—peanut butter, canned veggies, cereal, oats, grits, and ready-to-eat soup—and route them through organizations that already have sourcing, storage, and distribution dialed in.

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The State Auditor’s office sent Columbus a detailed request for contracts, receipts, and proof of services across multiple departments, and we unpack what that means. We break down why specific vendors were named, how procurement rules and sick leave policies come into play, and where council members face real legal exposure when approving claims dockets. 

With Joe Max Higgins launching a new consulting firm and a noncompete extending to 2027, the LINK's next hire takes on outsized importance. 

To round out the hour, local historian Rufus Ward steps into the studio with stories that still echo down the Tombigbee. From the chilling legend of the Eliza Battle steamship to footprints in the dust at Waverley and Native tales around Tibbee Lake, we hear some local ghost stories, one reaching back 800 years.

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A downtown culinary glow-up, a historic gut check, and a community scare that does real good—this week packs it all. We open with the long-awaited news: an authentic Italian restaurant is moving into the old Main Street Thai spot, directly across from The Commercial Dispatch. From there, we turn to Franklin Academy, the oldest public school in Mississippi, now vacant and looking at an estimated $23 million bill just to stabilize and weatherize. The heart of the debate isn’t whether Franklin matters—it does—it’s how to secure a capable, well-capitalized development partner who can honor the building while making it viable for decades.

We unpack two competing approaches: a targeted, expert-driven search for developers who can play at this scale versus an open call that risks attracting underfunded ideas and short-lived tenants. Drawing on local preservation history, we talk about what happens when big, fragile buildings sit too long.

Then we tackle the Trotter Convention Center fee proposal, including the eyebrow-raising $125 ice charge. Finally, Lt. Rhonda Sanders joins us to share the “Horror at the Fairgrounds,” a haunted house and hayride that funds thousands of holiday turkeys, brightens foster families’ Christmas, and directs concession proceeds to four local families facing cancer. 

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We break down how Cindy Hyde-Smith built a million-plus quarter with heavy PAC backing while Scott Colom sprinted to nearly $600k off mostly individual donors in the US Senate race. George Soros and AIPAC feature prominently in the candidates' campaign finance documents. Hyde-Smith's fundraising signals her campaign is taking Colom seriously. 

From there, we leave spreadsheets for seatbacks and walk through what a finished amphitheater could deliver. A field trip to LaGrange’s Sweetland Amphitheater by David offers a real-world mirror of what Columbus' amphitheater could be. 

We also put the city’s lobbyist debate under a bright light. Worth Thomas Consultants made their case to city leaders. We also question the validity of finger-pointing at the previous administration as a reason for communication failures. 

Along the way, we share Three Things to Know—an aluminum company expansion, a city tire drive to fight dumping, and a community festival that will keep this weekend lively.

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A $72,000 question hangs over Columbus: are taxpayers getting real value from a lobbyist many council members haven’t heard from in months? We pull apart the claims and expectations behind the city’s contract and ask what legitimate deliverables look like. When public money is on the line, “trust us” doesn’t cut it; proof and transparency do.

Then we pivot to the classroom with Lowndes County Superintendent Dr. Sam Allison for a plain‑spoken tour of school accountability. He explains why proficiency and growth are different—and why growth matters for students who start behind. We dig into the Mississippi Miracle, school choice, vouchers, and potential consolidation. If public dollars follow students, Allison argues, comparable accountability must follow too. 

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This week on Between the Headlines, Zack Plair and David Chism dig into two big local stories — one bizarre, one contentious. First, they unpack the tale of a live World War II-era hand grenade that wound up at the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office (yes, really). Then, the hosts turn to Columbus City Council’s unanimous rejection of the so-called “Safe Solicitation Act,” a state law aimed at regulating panhandling. The discussion ranges from free speech to compassion to public safety — and what communities like ours can realistically do when faced with complex social challenges.

From grenades to government, it’s a wide-ranging look at the issues shaping life in Columbus and the Golden Triangle.