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This week on Between the Headlines, Zack and David return to Catfish Alley Studio with a full slate of City Hall drama, airport questions and regional economic development talk.

The episode opens with the latest from Columbus City Hall, where Mayor Stephen Jones raised the idea of allowing city officials to fly for free on empty seats tied to the Golden Triangle Regional Airport’s Dallas flight subsidy. Zack explains the background of the airport subsidy request, while the hosts debate the optics, logistics and transparency concerns surrounding the mayor’s proposal. The conversation also turns to a tense exchange between Jones and Ward 6 Councilman Jason Spears over how road levy funds should be handled in the city budget, and what that disagreement says about communication, leadership and priorities inside city government.

Later, Joey Deason, executive director of the Madison County Economic Development Authority and a former Golden Triangle Development LINK official, joins the show to discuss the value of regionalism. Deason reflects on his years with the LINK, how Lowndes, Clay and Oktibbeha counties learned to work together and why trust is essential in economic development. He also weighs in on Oktibbeha County’s notice that it may leave the LINK, what that could mean financially and strategically for the region, and why data alone is not enough to land major industrial projects.

The episode closes with updates on the LINK’s new staff roles, Columbus Air Force Base’s change of command, the return of Main Street Columbus’ “Let’s Flamingle Downtown” event and progress on the Beef O’ Brady’s and Newk’s development on Highway 45.