All area residents are urged to attend this public forum on crime. Special to The Real Story   Special to The Real Story

After spring practice, the only area of concern for the Mississippi State defense is the lack of depth at the safety position behind Nickoe Whitley (free safety) and Dee Arrington (strong safety). Kivon Coman (6’1”, 205 pound free safety) and Quadry Antoine (5’11”, 215 pound strong safety) are expected to fill those holes. Coman, realizing [...]

The Decline of American Institutions and the Rise of Individualism An article in the Atlantic (4.12.12) describes the decline of American institutions – church, government, school – and discusses the increasing alienation of those who have not adapted to a world without them.  This alienation is the reason why many have turned away from the Democratic Party, [...]

All area residents are urged to attend this public forum on crime. Special to The Real Story

The May 21, 2012 meeting of the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau (CCVB) was a perfect example of the term, “Catch 22.”  The almost-orderly meeting (by CCVB standards, at least) lasted just 75 minutes and illustrated what real struggles the organization faces.  When the harsh words and accusations are kept to a minimum, then the [...]

Do You Drive A Prius Or A Ford F-150? In a very amusing column in the Washington Post (5.12.12), George Will reviews “Engines of Change: A History of the American Dream in Fifteen Cars” and writes how cars reflect our individual identity.  Detroit turned out models which would appeal to image rather than practicality, shortly after [...]

It’s not too late! You can still enter the contest! Visit our Facebook page and “Like” us (our page, not this post) or visit our website and sign-up for FREE new-post notifications.

We’re giving away two pairs of tickets for this Saturday’s Brawl Stars bout! All you have to do is “Like” us on our Facebook page or sign-up for a FREE subscription to new-posts on our website. Remember, you must like our Facebook page, itself, not just the individual post. Contest ends at 5pm on Friday, [...]

Dr. Liddell Comments Candidly After School Board Meeting The funding appropriation, as signed by the Governor, provides Mississippi Adequate Education Funding (MAEP) that is “close to level”, except for the fact that the increases to the retirement system will be passed on to MS school districts. Also, overall funding for the state’s school districts has [...]

The May 16, 2012 print edition of The Real Story is now available! Click here to view all of our previous issues online! Find a location near you, from the list below! You can satisfy your craving for The Real Story at any of the following locations: 45 Express Mart, Inc. – 2203 1/2 Highway 45 North Black [...]

In observance of National Police Week, the Columbus Police Department will honor all fallen officers by conducting a Peace Officers Memorial Day Service/Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Columbus Police Department, 1501 Main Street, on May 15, 2012, at 11am. Light refreshments will be served, after the ceremony,  in the lobby of the police department. For [...]

We urge all residents of the city of Columbus to attend the City Council meetings, which are held at the Columbus Municipal Complex (1501 Main Street), and begin at 5pm. Special to The Real Story                                           [...]

Recent articles have focused on the economic consequences of declining birth rates and restrictive immigration policy, and on the more far-reaching changes in society caused by a distortion of the normal age distribution. However, they do not discuss the more fundamental issue underlying the persistent and increasingly xenophobic demands for cultural purity – the insistence [...]

Cooler heads prevailed at the special-called meeting of the Mayor and City Council, on May 10, 2012.  The topic was redistricting, but, unlike last month’s meeting, no fireworks or name-calling ensued.  The meeting lasted about an hour, with the focus staying on the matter at hand. Chris Watson led the meeting and professionally steered the [...]

            The recent string of burglaries may be coming to an end! With an evidence room so full of stolen property and drug-related items, one could hardly walk and it was evident that the LCSO had done a remarkable job.  Among those recovered items were several big screen television sets, handguns, hunting bows and arrows, stereo systems, [...]

Tanya Wright is proud to announce that Butterfly Rising will have its Mississippi premiere at the Oxford Film Festival.  She asks that our readers “Like” their Facebook page, for all the latest news on BUTTERFLY RISING https://www.facebook.com/pages/Butterfly-Rising/166995178653 and the COUNTDOWN to their BIG MISSISSIPPI PREMIERE at the Oxford Film Festival on Friday, February 10, at 8:45PM and Sunday, February [...]

16. Richie Brown | Long Beach, MS (Long Beach HS) Size: 6’2 225 Primary Position: Mike Linebacker Secondary Position: Will Linebacker Consensus Rating: 3.25 2011 Stats: 209 Tkls. 11 TFL 3 Sks. 1 FF Strengths + Great Speed + Production + Intelligent Weaknesses – Not A Big Hitter – Size – Overall Athleticism Player Breakdown: Brown [...]

9:15 a.m. Riverside Drive Property Hearing I. Call to Order: President Harry Sanders II. Invocation: Pastor Anne Harris/St. Paul Episcopal Church III. Adopt Agenda a. Amend Agenda b. Announce Executive Session (upon board request) IV. Approve February 6th Board Minutes V. County Chief Financial Officer Dave Basinger Reference: a. County Claims Docket-Period Ending February 15th [...]

February 7, 2012, should be remembered as the Day the Earth Stood Still in Lowndes County.  In what may appear to be three separate meetings, the entire inside structure of our community was set on its head.  The City of Columbus, which has been frozen out of any progress from economic development, finally had to [...]

11. Torrey Bell | New Orleans, LA (John Curtis Christian HS) Size: 6’4 238 Primary Position: Weakside Defensive End Secondary Position: Sam Linebacker Consensus Rating: 2.75 2011 Stats: 72 Tkls. 21 TFL 16 Sks. Strengths + Pass Rush Skills + Length + Athleticism Weaknesses – Run Support – Play Upright Player Breakdown: Torrey Bell is one [...]

SPECIAL TO  THE REAL STORY Columbus, MS  February 8, 2012:  On February 21st, Chris LoCurto, one of Dave Ramsey’s top team members will present EntreLeadership One-Day from 8-4 on the MUW campus.  This event will teach five critical lessons from the EntreLeadership book that anyone who owns a business, leads people, or would like to better manage their [...]

 Charles Dickens was born on Feb. 7, 1812, and died June 9, 1870. His obituary in The New York Times began, “The death of Mr. Charles Dickens creates a greater gap in English literature than the loss of any other one man could have occasioned. He was incomparably the greatest novelist of his time.” A [...]

SPECIAL TO THE REAL STORY The Gordy Honors College at MUW is proud to host Lt. General Russel Honoré as part of its Forum Speakers Series on Thursday, February 16th. The General will speak on the topic “The New Normal: Leadership and Preparedness in the 21st Century.” The presentation begins at 6pm in Nissan Auditorium in Parkinson [...]

By now, I am sure, everyone knows that the Civil Service Commission has passed Chief McQueen’s new promotions plan for the Columbus Police Department, two-to-one. What you may not know is, and what the Civil Service Commission failed to address, that there is no real plan. Stop me if you have heard this before, but, [...]

My ratings are based on the players’ immediate impact, long-term impact, and overall potential. Terms To Remember X-Receiver (Split End) Z-Receiver (Flanker) H-Back (Slot Receiver) One-Technique Defensive Tackle (DT aligned between guard and center) Three-Technique Defensive Tackle (DT aligned between guard and tackle) Will Linebacker (Weak Side Linebacker) Mike Linebacker (Middle Linebacker) Sam Linebacker (Strong [...]

Instant Analysis: The Mississippi State Bulldogs were heavily favored against the Georgia Bulldogs coming into Saturday’s game.  Georgia obviously didn’t care about that—they upset Mississippi State, 70-68, snapping Mississippi State’s 13-game home winning streak.  Georgia was led by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who scored 20 points and snagged eight rebounds.  Mississippi State falls to 19-6 and 6-4 [...]

Jeremy Lin, the 23-year-old Chinese-American point guard, has taken the NBA by storm. This relative no-name, who came out of nowhere, had been cut by two teams and was sent to the D-League by his current team, the New York Knicks. The Knicks have won the last five games, all with Lin in the rotation – [...]

I had a muscle car once – a 1965 Pontiac GTO, with 389 cubes, 360HP, 4-barrel carburetor, a three-on the floor Hurst transmission.  I was hot s@%&. My buddy, Joe DeLoreto, from work,  racing tuned it and showed me how to power shift – you never take your foot off the accelerator when shifting.  “Pay attention”, [...]

SPECIAL TO THE REAL STORY STARKVILLE, Miss. – Coming off a disappointing setback at home on Saturday to Georgia, Mississippi State now turns its attention toward LSU in hopes of getting back on track. Tip at Pete Maravich Assembly Center is set for 8 p.m., and the game will be televised by ESPNU with Dari Nowkhah and [...]

The Real Story Staff Report Some of Columbus’ finest undiscovered talent entertained an enthusiastic crowd at Words & Music: An Evening of Spoken Word and Songs, this past Friday night, at Cafe Aromas. This open mic night event featured four musician/vocalists and two spoken word artists. Songs that were performed spanned the genres of Country, [...]

Instant Analysis The Mississippi State Bulldogs were looking to take out some frustrations on the LSU Tigers, last night. The Tigers had a different idea; they defeated the Bulldogs, in overtime, 69-67. The Tigers were paced by Ralston Turner, who scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds. The Bulldogs fell to 19-7 overall and 6-5 [...]

Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting was highlighted by the Riverside Drive property hearings.  With little fanfare, the Board voted 5-0 to give the property owner 90 days to demolish the property, or the County would take it upon themselves to tear down the structure and assess the cost to the owner. The rest of the agenda was [...]

Special to The Real Story Columbus has been selected to premiere a three-city tour of Tennessee Williams’ play Orpheus Descending, February 23, 24, and 25. The announcement was made on February 2, 2012, by the Tennessee Williams Tribute (TWT) Volunteer Committee and First United Methodist Church. The live, professional performances will be presented in the [...]

Editor’s Note: As reported earlier by WCBI, a 17-year-old has been arrested in connection with the bomb threat that was called in to Columbus High School on Wednesday morning.  Moire details will be provided, as they become available. February 22, 2012 For Immediate Release Janet Lewis PIO, Columbus Municipal School District Columbus School District reported [...]

Interim Superintendent Dr. Martha Liddell gave a no-holds-barred speech at Thursday’s Exchange Club meeting at the Columbus Country Club.   Holding nothing back, she addressed what could be a pending emergency situation regarding the Columbus Municipal School District (CMSD).  Instead of the usual flowery speeches given by most department heads and politicians, she dove into the [...]

Circumstances can, from time to time, hold us for a moment against our wills.  Frustration can ensue, but, ultimately, we know that we will be able to go on with our lives, as planned.  There are rare instances, however, when the comfort of this certainty disappears entirely.  It is the moment that one becomes confined [...]

#23 Mississippi State Bulldogs (19-7) at Auburn Tigers (12-9) Location: Auburn, Alabama (Auburn Arena) Time: 7 p.m. TV: Fox Sports South, ESPN3, Direct TV 722 Initial Analysis The Mississippi State Bulldogs are in the midst of a two-game slide. They will attempt to put an end to this losing streak, when they travel to face [...]

The following is the body of an e-mail that we received from Chief Selvain McQueen of the Columbus Police Department: Please make the public aware of the need to ensure that their windows and doors are secured. I see a possible pattern developing and I want to make sure that everyone is aware of the [...]

Sometime on Friday, February 17, 2012, the “little old website that could” received its 100,000th view, all-time!  It’s hard to believe that, in such a short time we have had so much web activity, but it is true.  Add that to the fact that we have printed two editions of our paper and anyone can [...]

An article in today’s (2.18.12) New York Times reported on the newest threat to privacy and personal liberties: A new federal law, signed by the president on Tuesday, compels the Federal Aviation Administration to allow drones to be used for all sorts of commercial endeavors — from selling real estate and dusting crops, to monitoring [...]

Division One coaches across America are full-steam ahead on the 2013 recruiting class. They normally focus on public schools for most of their talent, but there is one private school prospect that has caused a buzz: Ryan Buchanan. Buchanan is a three-sport star for the Jackson Prep Patriots. He had a solid junior season, leading [...]

Special to The Real Story Only once with Rick Stansbury at the helm has Mississippi State hosted a top-ranked team – Florida, in 2007. But, on Tuesday, that all changes, when No. 1 Kentucky visits Humphrey Coliseum. The Super Tuesday ESPN showdown tips at 8 p.m., with Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes and Shannon Spakes handling [...]

Tickets to the professional performances of Tennessee Williams’ Orpheus Descending are still available! Performances are scheduled for February 23-25 (Thursday-Saturday), starting at 7pm, and will take place at the Artz Performance/Conference Center (602 College Street | Columbus). Tickets for the special Thursday preview performance are $5.00 for high school and college students, teachers, and senior [...]

Issue 3 is now available throughout the area! Get them ,while they’re hot (off the presses, that is)!

Special to The Real Story Columbus Middle School teams have each selected a region of Africa to research and will have that information on display for an interactive learning experience. Students will share their findings and information with students, parents, and visitors on Thursday, Feb. 23rd. CMS History classes will rotate through the informational booths [...]

According to the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, aluminum “is the third most abundant element (after oxygen and silicon), and the most abundant metal, in the Earth’s crust.” But, prior to 1886, when the smelting process of aluminum was discovered, this copious metal was somewhat of a rarity. In fact, there were probably a very small number [...]

A fascinating opinion piece by David Brooks in the February 21, 2012 New York Times describes the rise of the individual, and concludes that this is ultimately a good thing because it allows for the maximization of talent. “People want more space to develop their own individual talents. They want more flexibility to explore their own [...]

The Mississippi Association of Partners in Education recently announced the recipients of the 2012 Governor’s Awards. The Mississippi Association of Partners in Education (MAPE) will recognize Mississippi’s top school-community partnerships during the Governor’s Awards luncheon on Wednesday, March 21 at the Jackson Hilton. “Partnerships provide resources and funding for many innovative programs that would not [...]

  Coming off a tough, hard-fought setback to top-ranked Kentucky on Tuesday, Mississippi State looks to rebound, Saturday, at Alabama and end its current four-game losing skid. The Bulldogs are attempting to sweep the Crimson Tide for the first time since the 2008 campaign. MSU upended Bama, 56-52, in January, at Humphrey Coliseum. Tip-off at [...]

  Alright, all of you MSU Basketball “numbers junkies”! We have the latest stats for your Bulldog b-ballers! First up, we have the box score from the game versus Alabama, which was played on Saturday, February 25, 2012.  We also have season-to-date stats, as of February 25, 2012. Now, to view the season-to-date stats, click [...]

Two close plays at the plate, in the bottom of the fourth inning was all it took for No. 12 Michigan to snatch a 3-1 victory from the hands of Mississippi State, Sunday, at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex. The loss, on the final day of the NFCA Leadoff Classic, dropped the Bulldogs to [...]

Just some random musings for the morning: Why is it that only movies I have never heard of win at the Oscars? Who is the “real” Republican Candidate for 2012? Is gas really going to be $5.00 a gallon? Why is gas so expensive in Lowndes County? Why do we only talk about the school [...]

 It’s been one year since Jack Cristil put the mic down for good due to health concerns. But on Saturday when Mississippi State battles Arkansas at Humphrey Coliseum, the university will recognize the Legendary Voice of the Bulldogs with an unveiling of a banner to permanently honor his loyal service, a ceremony that will take [...]

The February 22, 2012 print edition of The Real Story is now available on-line! Simply click “Print Edition” in the navigation menu, above. Look for the February 29, 2012 print edition, on Wednesday (tomorrow), at a location near you!

With the regular season down to just two games, the focus now for Mississippi State is to end its five-game losing streak and find the necessary momentum in time for postseason. The next opportunity to do just that is Wednesday, at South Carolina. The game at Colonial Life Arena, televised by the SEC Network, tips [...]

Mississippi State sophomore guard Shaun Smith will miss the remainder of the season, due to a broken finger he suffered last Saturday at Alabama. The 6-foot-6, 203-pound Brooksville, Miss., native will undergo surgery on Wednesday to have a pin inserted into his right middle finger. This season, the injury-plagued Smith has appeared in 10 games [...]

In a midweek in-state showdown, the Mississippi State softball team (8-5) will travel to the state capital, Wednesday, to take on Jackson State (8-7) at 4 p.m. at the JSU Softball Complex. The Bulldogs are 4-0 all-time against the Lady Tigers, with all four victories coming in Starkville. “Jackson State is coming off a fantastic [...]

Monday’s Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau (CCVB) Board meeting started off with a chance for redemption, but only for a moment.  In a peculiar situation, almost everyone on the board had changed seats around the board table, in order for some odd “physic voodoo” to take effect.  Clearly an attempt to change the “vibe” of [...]

The February 29, 2012 print edition of The Real Story is now available at a location near you! Find a location near you, from the list below!   You can satisfy your craving for The Real Story at any of the following locations: 45 Express Mart, Inc. – 2203 1/2 Highway 45 North Black Creek Grocery – [...]

Junior left fielder Jessica Cooley drove in a career-high five runs and sophomore second baseman Heidi Shape tallied a career-best four hits, as Mississippi State run-ruled Jackson State by an 11-2 margin Wednesday afternoon at the JSU Softball Complex. The Bulldogs improved to 9-5 under first-year Head Coach Vann Stuedeman, while the host Lady Tigers [...]

Another uneventful Supervisors Meeting occurred on Wednesday morning.  Displaying admirable behavior and restraint, the Board of Supervisors approved or addressed all of the following agenda items: President-CEO/Omega Paving & Construction Management Group, LLC Thomas C. Settles gave a slide presentation for the board and addressed his product, Enzyme Pave -ZYME (PZ 22-X), for improving the [...]

Mississippi State fights to keep its season going Thursday afternoon, as it meets Vanderbilt in the opening round of the 2012 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Tip is set for 2:30 p.m. on SportSouth. The contest can also be heard on WKBB-FM 100.9 and WXWX-FM 96.3. Fans can get updates on [...]

  Do you eat, drink, and sleep MSU Basketball? We have the latest season-to-date stats for the Bulldog b-ballers! Satisfy your “numbers” craving by clicking on the following link: MSU Basketball Stats – 2.29.12 Please enjoy!

The Ole Miss Softball team will host the sixth annual Red & Blue Classic at the Ole Miss Softball Complex, beginning on Friday. The Rebels open the tournament with matchups against Tennessee-Chattanooga at 2:30 p.m. and Troy at 4:45 p.m. on Friday. The four-team tournament will run through Sunday. Admission to the Red & Blue [...]

Click on the link, below, for the complete box score of the Lady Bulldogs’ game against Vanderbilt, which was played on Thursday, March 1, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. MSU-Vandy Box Score 3.01.12   Special to The Real Story

Thursday’s night special called meeting of the Columbus Municipal School District (CMSD) Board was a move to undo actions taken at the last school board meeting, held on February 13. Most of the action was expected, with the Board quickly getting to the main point of the meeting.  The “Approve Staff/Personnel Item” was brought back [...]

The Bulldogs close out their regular season against Arkansas, at the Hump. For complete pre-game analysis, stats, line-ups, etc., click this link: MSU Basketball Notes – 3.03.12 Special to The Real Story  

The following is the agenda for the Columbus City Council meeting, which will be held at the Columbus Municipal Complex (1501 Main Street), on Tuesday, March 6, 2012, at 5pm:

The following is a message from Columbus Police Chief Selvain McQueen that was released Sunday (March 4, 2012) morning: Raising the bar A vital measure of the health of a law enforcement agency is its capacity to learn lessons from previous events, good or bad, and feed these into continuous improvements in service delivery. There [...]

The March 7, 2012 print edition of The Real Story is now available at a location near you! Find a location near you, from the list below! You can satisfy your craving for The Real Story at any of the following locations: 45 Express Mart, Inc. – 2203 1/2 Highway 45 North Black Creek Grocery – 1220 [...]

Arnett Moultrie joined an elite group of Mississippi State players, on Monday, to win the Howell Trophy, an annual award presented by C Spire to the top male collegiate basketball player in the state of Mississippi, and named after former MSU great, Bailey Howell. Moultrie is the first Bulldog to win the prestigious award since [...]

Correction: This event is scheduled for Tuesday, March 20, 2012, NOT Sunday, March 20, 2012, as previously posted.  We regret the error. The ladies of Saum Chiropractic Clinic are getting ready for Ladies Night! The event will be held on Tuesday, March 20, 2012, from 5-8pm. Come get pampered! We will offer massage, stress screenings, [...]

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared in our February 29, 2012 print edition. Talking to Interim superintendent Dr. Martha Liddell on Friday, February 24, 2012, she appeared calm in the wake of meetings, controversy and bomb threats.  Her demeanor was upbeat, despite the fact that she has been tackling one of the greatest challenges to [...]

Editor’s Note: This press release was just issued by Ben Kilgore, Caledonia Town Marshal, in response to last night’s Board of Aldermen meeting. In the last two months, Caledonia has had two long-time Deputy Marshals walk off the job.  One never stated to me or gave me a written reason as to why he left.  [...]

Quantavius Leslie: Could Be Your School’s Next Deep Threat Programs across America are always looking for players to fill certain roles in a signing class. The one type of player coaches are always looking for is talent that can stretch the field or deep threat. They normally try to sign a high school player to [...]

Celebrating March as National Red Cross Month, the American Red Cross of Mississippi is launching a statewide HEROES campaign. For almost 130 years, volunteers with your local Red Cross Chapter have been heroes to people throughout Northeast Mississippi communities, lending aid during times of disaster, supporting military families and training citizens in lifesaving CPR and [...]

Here, at The Real Story, we continuously strive to provide you with the highest-quality commentary and news coverage possible. However, we realize that, in order to be truly successful, we must be responsive to what you, our readers, want to see, both in the print edition and on this website. We ask that you help us [...]

Initial Spring Outlook  Dan Mullen is entering his fourth Spring as Mississippi State’s Head Coach. He has had a solid start to his tenure as the Bulldog head man. The intense coach is still searching for answers on the offensive side of the ball, though. The offense was expected, under the leadership of Quarterback Chris [...]

Mississippi School for Math and Science teacher Charles M. Yarborough is this year’s winner of the Mississippi Historical Society’s award for Outstanding History Teacher. Yarborough received the John K. Bettersworth Award on March 3, at the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, during the society’s annual meeting. The prize carries a $300 cash award and [...]

The 1st-5th grade students at Stokes-Beard are using their talents to raise money for the school’s Relay for Life Team. This year, Stokes-Beard’s Relay Team is walking in honor of District Teacher of the Year, Rasheen Hyde, and the students want to help! They are hosting a Student Talent Show on Friday, March 9, 2012, [...]

Editor’s Note: When a representative of The Real Story arrived on the scene, the staff of Fairview Elementary and emergency personnel had nearly completed an orderly evacuation. They are to be commended for the calm and professional manner in which they handled this stressful situation.  Fairview Aerospace & Sciences Magnet School received a bomb threat [...]

Initial Spring Battle Outlook Chad Bumphis has started at H-Back, the past few seasons, but, lately, he has become very unproductive. The coaching staff has virtually opened the H-Back position to competition, for this reason. The fact that Jameon Lewis is showing flashes of being a superstar, makes that decision a little bit easier. I [...]

Larry Butler: A Defensive Field General On the offensive side of the football, the quarterback is considered the leader, but on defense, the mike linebacker is considered the field general. Larry Butler, a junior college linebacker from Itawamba Community College has become coveted, because of his ability to lead from that position. He started his [...]

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the March 7, 2012 print edition. Enlarged versions of all photos in this post can be viewed by clicking here. City Approves Free Paving for Private Business                 Just when you thought the City of Columbus could not get any more insane, they [...]

Initial Spring Outlook The Mississippi State defense went through a transition in 2011 – going from the attacking style of Manny Diaz to the read-and-react style of Chris Wilson. There were some growing pains because of inexperience at certain positions; the defense eventually came together, as the year progressed. The Bulldogs did lose some key [...]

Every program has walk-ons that play a huge role in their success; some are just practice players, but others end up becoming key contributors. Brandon Wilson, a Tuscaloosa, Alabama native, became the latter for the Mississippi State Bulldogs from 2008-2011. Wilson served as the back-up to Jamar Chaney and Chris White, during his Bulldog career, [...]

The March 14, 2012 print edition of The Real Story is now available at a location near you! Find a location near you, from the list below! You can satisfy your craving for The Real Story at any of the following locations: 45 Express Mart, Inc. – 2203 1/2 Highway 45 North Black Creek Grocery – 1220 [...]

The March 7, 2012 print edition of The Real Story is now available on this site! Simply click on “March 7, 2012 Print Edition” on the navigation menu, above, and enjoy!

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared in our March 7, 2012 print edition. The arrest of Sherman Smith is a prime example of when crime and politics collide. Sherman Smith is Columbus Mayor Robert Smith’s son, and his arrest on February 26, 2012 has raised as many questions as it answered. The arrest could have [...]

Dr. Phillip Cockrell, Director of Student Life at Mississippi University for Women, has been selected to present his research at two upcoming conferences. As a recipient of the 2012 Doctoral Student Conference Grant, Cockrell will present at the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE) conference in Atlanta, GA, March 22-24. He will participate [...]

Beginning with the next print edition of The Real Story, we are devoting at least one page to the North Mississippi “RANT.” It is your opportunity to share your views and opinions with the community:  What you love, what you hate, and what needs to be fixed. It will be a “no-holds-barred, rock & roll [...]

Here, at The Real Story, we value your opinion! We ask that you share your point of view with us, by participating in our daily poll. Please note that no personal identifying information will be available to the public.   Results from March 15, 2012 Q: How concerned are you about crime in Columbus? very concerned [...]

Here, at The Real Story, we value your opinion! We ask that you share your point of view with us, by participating in our daily poll. Please note that no personal identifying information will be available to the public.   Results from March 16, 2012 Q: Do you plan to attend any Spring Pilgrimage events, later [...]

Here, at The Real Story, we value your opinion! We ask that you share your point of view with us, by participating in our daily poll. Please note that no personal identifying information will be available to the public.   Results from March 17, 2012 Q: Which college sports do you follow? Football – 50% Men’s [...]

For Those Few People Who Still Don’t Get It On March 7th, The Real Story broke the news of how Von’s Exotic Hair Salon received free paving work, performed by city workers and at taxpayers’ expense. Despite the fact that this story created quite a stir throughout the community, some people just don’t get that this [...]

Well, well – where do I begin?! Despite arriving well ahead of the City Council’s 5pm start time, nearly every seat in the Council chamber was full, with another 50-60 people standing in the aisles.  Can you say “fire code violation”?A review of the printed agenda provided an inkling of what was to come: two [...]

How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ~~~ A quote from a really famous guy! Standing in front of the Cal-Grocery, a person would have to strain their eyes to see the United Pentecostal [...]

The assault on privacy not only never ends, it escalates, gets more intrusive, and more dismissive of individual rights every day.  The latest episode concerns demands for prospective employees’ Facebook passwords.  It apparently is not enough for employers to browse through what is put up publicly; they, now, want to see what is posted only for [...]

Initial Spring Battle Outlook Mississippi State lost two starting safeties after the 2011 season—Charles Mitchell and Wade Bonner. However, they really only have to replace one player, as Nickoe Whitley was essentially a third starter at Safety. The next position battle will be between three-year starter Corey Broomfield and ultra-talented Darius Slay.Broomfieldhas been a mainstay, [...]

Mississippi State has announced freshman guard DeVille Smith has withdrawn from school and is no longer a member of the basketball team. The Jackson, Miss., native, who prepped at Callaway High School, appeared in 26 games for the Bulldogs and averaged 4.2 points and 1.6 rebounds. His career high of 25 points came in the [...]

That’s right! The March 21, 2012 print edition is now available on-line! Just click the “March 21, 2012 Print Edition” button, on the navigation menu, above. Then, place your pointer on the image of the paper and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to move between pages.

 Initial Spring Battle Outlook The Bulldogs lost starting linebacker, Brandon Wilson, after the 2011 season, but they return Cam Lawrence and Deontae Skinner. The key, in the spring, will be to find out who will start alongside the two talented players. Five players will be competing for that Third Linebacker spot. I could easily say [...]

For the second year in a row, Mississippi University for Women has been recognized on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, launched in 2006, annually highlights the role colleges and universities play in solving community problems and placing more students on a lifelong path of [...]

  “Like Bulldog fans everywhere, I eagerly anticipate the hiring of Mississippi State’s next men’s basketball coach. However, from the beginning of this process, no deadline has been imposed on the search. It’s important that we hire the right candidate to lead our program, a person of integrity who will instill discipline, character and accountability [...]

From the “I couldn’t make this stuff up” file: I attended my first City of Columbus Department Head Meeting as a media representative, this past Monday.  These meetings have been open to the media, for a few years now, so I thought I would stop in and see what was going on. There was the [...]

The following is the agenda for the upcoming meeting of the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors, which is scheduled for 9am , on Monday, April 2, 2012, at the Lowndes County Courthouse, located at 505 2nd Avenue North, in Columbus: Special to The Real Story                     [...]

Dennis Erby has been confirmed by Congress to be the head of the United States Marshals Service Office for the Northern District of Mississippi. Dennis is a native of Union County, and came to Columbus in the late 1970′s as a newly commissioned Mississippi Highway Patrolman. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant and held [...]

World-famous playwright Tennessee Williams was born in Columbus, Mississippi on March 26, 1911.  Born Thomas Lanier Williams III, “Tennessee” went on to write plays, short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays, and a volume of memoirs. His career spanned the 1930s until his death on February 25, 1983. His work included A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a [...]

In an excellent article in the March 13, 0212 New York Times by David Brooks, he writes about The Fertility Implosion, reflecting on the dramatic reductions in fertility in most countries. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/13/opinion/brooks-the-fertility-implosion.html?_r=1&ref=opinion Despite decades of US intervention, tens of millions of dollars, and hundreds of millions of condoms, advertising campaigns promoting small families, improvements in education and, [...]

The Ole Miss Football team finished its first week of spring practice on a high note Thursday, as the team continues to prepare for the BancorpSouth Grove Bowl on April 21. “I couldn’t be more pleased with the team’s effort today and the way they bounced back from what I thought was a half-hearted effort [...]

Ole Miss practiced under the lights, Monday, before the sun rose, midway through the early-morning session, on the practice fields adjacent to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Starting at 5:30 a.m., first-year head coach Hugh Freeze toned down the usual fast pace of practice for more teaching opportunities, during the session that lasted just under two hours. “We [...]

The April 4, 2012 print edition of The Real Story is now! Find a location near you, from the list below! You can satisfy your craving for The Real Story at any of the following locations: 45 Express Mart, Inc. – 2203 1/2 Highway 45 North Black Creek Grocery – 1220 Black Creek Road Caledonia Quick Stop [...]

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the March 28, 2012 print edition.    Driving in Columbus, for the most part, makes me wonder how some individuals ever got a driver’s license. They’re driving either well under the speed limit or well over it.  They’ve never heard of a blinker, and they often dare you [...]

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in our March 28, 2012 print edition. A couple of years ago, when my book, Creating Your Heaven on Earth, was just published, I was on my way to upstate New York for a book signing and speaking engagement. This was my first book signing in a city [...]

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in our March 28, 2012 print edition. Late one afternoon, while browsing on Facebook, I came across the cutest photo of three tiny, baby pot-bellied pigs.  I had always wanted one and knew we didn’t need one at the time, but was too curious to see these adorable babies; so, I [...]

Since the birth of our nation, perhaps no single technology has touched so many lives, directly or indirectly, and influenced industry and infrastructure, as the Internet. As ubiquitous as the application of oil has become, over the years, into the products that shape and have shaped our lives, is the importance of the communicative power [...]

The April 2nd Board of Supervisors gathering was marked by a stark contrast from past meetings, as the usual, dull get-together had a little excitement, Monday morning.  Starting with the Volunteer Fire Department report, there was more pizzazz in the air than usual. Supervisor Leroy Brooks was concerned about the progress the Fire Department was [...]

The April 3, 2012 City Council Meeting lasted 24 minutes.  It was highlighted by Councilman Joe Mickens apologizing to Hilda Fox and letting everyone in Ward 2 know his telephone numbers.  This was a result of Ms. Fox’s attack on the Councilman, during the last Council meeting, for not returning her phone calls. In other [...]

Mississippi State Athletic Director Scott Stricklin searched for Rick Stanbury’s replacement ever since the former Bulldog coach retired on March 15th. There were several names rumored to have been contacted about the Bulldog head job. Names like: Shaka Smart, Steve Prohm, Bryce Drew, and most recently,Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne. It seemed a foregone conclusion that [...]

The Resurrection of Jesus X 4 There is no greater story than the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is the story that means the most to all Christians.  It is the story of a wonderful redeemer, who loved mankind enough to die for us. The authors hope that while you read this book you reflect [...]

With rain falling in the wee hours of the morning, Ole Miss took its practice to the Indoor Practice Facility, Thursday, as Hugh Freeze’s offense began to show signs of what has made the first-year Rebels’ coach so successful at his previous coaching stops. “We certainly challenged them,” Freeze said of the offensive unit. “The [...]

The Susan G. Komen Foundation recently awarded a grant to Baptist Memorial Health Care’s Mississippi regional hospitals: Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Booneville, Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County. The $48,000 grant will be divided evenly, with each hospital receiving $12,000. The one-year grant will cover the cost of mammograms and [...]

The House Education Committee voted, on Tuesday, April 3, 2012, to kill a charter school bill that would have brought public school choice to thousands of children across the state. After passing the Senate in February, the House Education Committee defeated Senate Bill 2401, by a vote of 15 to 16. Forest Thigpen, President of [...]

After concluding his impressive four-year Ole Miss career, last month, Terrance Henry has been selected to participate in the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, scheduled for April 11-14 at Churchland High School, in Portsmouth, Va. Operating since 1953, the Portsmouth Invitational is one of the preeminent NBA pre-draft camps, with approximately 200 NBA representatives in attendance.  [...]

Welcome to the way back home Welcome to a soft afternoon’s rain Did you see the heartache? Did you see my back break? Did you see the blood race down my swollen face? And did you see the glory? Did you see my glory reign all over the place? Welcome to the Hill of Sorrow [...]

Recently hired Mississippi State Basketball Coach Rick Ray announced late Sunday that Rodney Hood is leaving the program, after one season playing for the Bulldogs. “Obviously, we are disappointed in Rodney’s decision,” said Ray, who was hired one week ago. “I was looking forward to getting a chance to develop and coach him. This decision, unfortunately, [...]

That’s right! The April 4, 2012 print edition is now available on-line! Just click the “April 4, 2012 Print Edition” button, on the navigation menu, above, or click here to view all of our previous issues! Then, place your pointer on the image of the paper and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to [...]

That’s right – you can now pick up a copy of our print edition in the Columbus Wal-Mart, located at 1913 Highway 45 North! Look for us there, every Wednesday!

A Columbus Police officer, who has not yet been identified, has been placed on administrative leave with pay, after an incident, early Monday morning, in which a suspect was shot. The incident, which took place in the 1700 block of Wheat Street, was the culmination of a search for a green Honda Accord, which may [...]

Race.  It’s on everybody’s mind, but no one wants to talk about it; not only in Columbus, Mississippi, but throughout America.   It is the two-ton elephant in the living room, but the country acts like it’s not there. Not until the community gets rocked, does it become an issue.  So, over the past few weeks, [...]

On a gorgeous Tuesday afternoon in Oxford, the Rebels’ defense was setting the tone during the Ole Miss Football team’s two-hour practice session, on the practice fields adjacent to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. “I love what (Defensive Coordinator) Dave (Wommack) and his staff are doing over there,” said Head Coach Hugh Freeze, who calls himself an offensive [...]

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in our April 4, 2012 print edition. When do you plan for the future, by looking to the past?  What type of business epitomizes the saying “Everything old is new, again”? When the business in question is a vintage clothing boutique! The Attic, Columbus’ only boutique dealing exclusively [...]

The CHAMPS Project (Creating High Achievement in Mathematics, and Problem Solving) is looking for 50 teachers for its 2012-2013 class. The program, located at the Mississippi University for Women Center for Creative Learning, focuses on raising the achievement of economically disadvantaged students in mathematics, by providing an intensive, high quality professional development program to middle [...]

The state Destination ImagiNation Tournament will take place this Saturday, April 14, from 10:30am to 3:00pm. The event will be held at Columbus High School, located at 215 Hemlock Street, in Columbus. Destination ImagiNation, a creative problem solving and critical thinking program that teaches teamwork and innovation, helps give students a competitive advantage in the [...]

We urge all residents of the city of Columbus to attend the City Council meetings, which are held at the Columbus Municipal Complex (1501 Main Street), and begin at 5pm. Special to The Real Story

The Ole Miss football team again took to the practice fields adjacent to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Thursday, marking the team’s final practice before the their second scrimmage of the spring, Saturday. “Every drill was competitive, down to the wire,” Head Coach Hugh Freeze said.  “The defense found a way to win all of them, I think.  [...]

Editor’s Note: The following article was originally published in our April 11, 2012 print edition. As many of you know, Wallace was arrested again, on Friday, on another count of violating the Social Host law. As part of the booking process, Wallace was subjected to posing for the obligatory mug shot; this (a mug shot) [...]

The April 13, 2012 Lowndes County Board of Supervisors meeting deviated from their normally mundane routine, with the introduction of by two big issues.  County Administrator Ralph Billingsley addressed the complicated matter of the personal use of County Vehicles and District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith tackled the tough task of paving in the Temple Cove [...]

Wednesday, April 18th Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast with Entertainment by the Violin Students 8AM Cook Auditorium Lobby This is National Volunteer Appreciation Week, and Cook Elementary is hosting an appreciation breakfast for all the wonderful volunteers who give of their time and talents to work with their students.  Wednesday, April 18th ****Announcement of CMSD District Administrator [...]

Most of us were amazed that Instagram, a small start-up IT company in San Francisco with 13 employees, was sold to Facebook for $1B.  The one billion was pure profit, for the only capital the company had was a few computers and very little debt.  After the surprise and admiration for the 28-year old owner [...]

On Thursday, April 19, 2012, Columbus native and former Lynyrd Skynyrd band member Ean Evans will be remembered at the Riverwalk. A small gathering will take place from 6-8pm, with music and people sharing their memories of Evans. Evans’ widow, Eva, asks that everyone pay it forward and perform some small positive action in Evans’ [...]

On April 28, the YMCA, The Columbus Kiwanis Club, Stark Aerospace, Carl Hogan Dodge and the City of Columbus are celebrating YMCA Healthy Kids Day® with a free, community event for kids and families. Healthy Kids Day, a national initiative of the Y to improve health and well-being of kids, will take place at the [...]

Editor’s Note: You can see Mortar Kit play Saturday (April 21) at Dave’s Darkhorse Tavern in Starkville, at 10 p.m. Cover is $5. The name Mortar Kit came one day while lead singer/guitarist Ed Dechert was “just writing s@#% down.” Indeed, the four-piece Starkville rock band was a casual creation. Three of Mortar Kit’s members [...]

The Columbus Lowndes Chapter of the NAACP will host their 6th Annual Community Health Fair on Saturday, April 21, at the Boys and Girls Club of Columbus/Lowndes County (1815 14th Avenue North). The event, which is scheduled for 8am-1pm, will feature blood pressure and blood sugar screenings, hearing tests, body mass index evaluations, bone density [...]

The Ole Miss Football team held its final practice of the spring before the BancorpSouth Grove Bowl on Saturday. The Rebels practiced Thursday in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in just helmets and shoulder pads, in preparation for the spring game, Saturday at 1 p.m.  The game will feature four 15-minute quarters, with a running clock.  Stadium gates will open [...]

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain Often, what is seen is not reality.  And, Tuesday’s City Council Meeting may have been one of the better examples of this principle.  While it would be easy to say that the meeting was calm – with just a few hiccups – that would be a [...]

Instant Analysis The spring game is the fans’ first chance to see how good their team will be, in the upcoming season. Many people wanted to see if the offense would finally show the explosiveness that it has lacked, during the first three years of the Mullen era. The offense didn’t disappoint them, as Tyler [...]

We urge all citizens of Lowndes County to attend these meetings, which are held at the Lowndes County Courthouse, 505 2nd Avenue North. Note: This is a specially called meeting, which begins at a special time – 8:30am.

That’s right! The April 18, 2012 print edition is now available on-line! Just click the “April 18, 2012 Print Edition” button, on the navigation menu, above, or click here to view all of our previous issues! Then, place your pointer on the image of the paper and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to move between [...]

Initial Analysis The status of the offensive line was the biggest concern amongst the fans, before the spring game. The game has come and gone. So, I decided to breakdown the tape of the offensive line and see how they performed. I concluded my study and have decided to discuss the top performers: Blaine Clausell, [...]

Initial Analysis Mississippi State fans are very excited about the potential of the headliners of the 2012 class – Denico Autry and Quay Evans. They both had solid spring games. I decided to go back and dissect each of their performances. Quay Evans  Maroon-White Stats: 6 tackles/3 tackles for loss/3 sacks Highlights * Evans was [...]

Please join Porkchop and The Real Story team, tonight, as we celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. We, along with many other dedicated volunteers in the war against Cancer, will be at this year’s Relay for Life event, which begins at 6pm, at Columbus High School’s soccer field/track, on Hemlock Street. Porkchop [...]

Registration for this exciting event is taking place from 4-6pm, in the parking lot of Wal-Mart. The send-off, which, according to tournament organizers, is pretty cool to witness, will be tomorrow (Saturday, April 28th), at the Columbus Marina. Weigh-in is scheduled for 2pm, tomorrow. Officials expect 110-120 boaters to participate. Special to The Real Story

What to Do When All the Answers Are Right, Even the Wrong Ones – The April 27th Lowndes County Supervisors’ Meeting Near the end of what had been, for the most part, one of the most boring Supervisors’ meetings in the history of humanity, electricity filled the air as District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks re-opened [...]

The May 2, 2012 print edition of The Real Story is now available! Click here to view all of our previous issues online! Find a location near you, from the list below! You can satisfy your craving for The Real Story at any of the following locations: 45 Express Mart, Inc. – 2203 1/2 Highway 45 North Black [...]

Target Knows You’re Pregnant and You Never Told Them The United States has always been at the forefront of consumer marketing, and given the high rewards for a tiny percentage shift in market share, the stakes are high.  Communications technology, and in particular the software that allows everything that is transacted electronically – credit card purchases, [...]

We urge all citizens of Lowndes County to attend these meetings, which are held at the Lowndes County Courthouse, 505 2nd Avenue North. Special to The Real Story

That’s right! The May 2, 2012 print edition is now available on-line! Just click the “May 2, 2012 Print Edition” button, on the navigation menu, above, or click here to view all of our previous issues! Then, place your pointer on the image of the paper and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to move between [...]

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in our website on April 27, 2012. The Columbus School Board contracted with the Mississippi School Boards Association to conduct a search for the superintendent of the Columbus Municipal District. The deadline to receive applications for the extended search was March 22, 2012. All completed applications that were [...]

If everything goes according to plan, all road crew workers in Lowndes County will receive yearly drug tests and be subjected to random testing, quarterly.  Presently, employees are required to submit to testing, only if their name is selected randomly.  Concerns about the drug testing arose when District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith mentioned the rash [...]

That’s right! The May 9, 2012 print edition is now available on-line! Just click the “May 9, 2012 Print Edition” button, on the navigation menu, above, or click here to view all of our previous issues! Then, place your pointer on the image of the paper and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to move between [...]