Between the Headlines: Columbus

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A CEO comes in from out of state, lasts about two months, and suddenly he’s gone. We dig into the leadership shakeup at the Golden Triangle Development LINK, why “mutual parting of ways” can land like a dodge, and what people mean when they say an organization’s culture demands transparency. We also talk frankly about how the LINK's past still shapes the present, including the expectation...

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A single unpaid bill can turn into a full-blown test of how local government works, and that’s exactly what’s happening between the City of Columbus and Lowndes County. We walk through the jail fee standoff step by step: the original per-inmate agreement, the Mississippi Attorney General opinion that undercuts it, and the city’s claim that it “overpaid” and should be able to withhold new payme...

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A brand new road gets paved, then a jackhammer shows up and the patch looks worse than what was there before. That frustration kicks off a wide-ranging conversation about Columbus considering a new ordinance that could require permits for utility repairs in the public right-of-way. 

From there, we head to Friendship Cemetery. When records are old, incomplete, or scattered across sprea...

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A new grocery store can change the daily rhythm of a town, and the Aldi chatter around Columbus Place is getting too loud to ignore. We talk through what we’re hearing, why official confirmation is so hard to pin down, and the real issue underneath the rumor: Columbus has more shoppers than it has aisles, carts, and parking spaces. If you’ve ever felt trapped in a cramped checkout line, you’ll...

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A leadership decision can look “done” before it officially begins, and that’s where we start. We break down the Mississippi University for Women president search, including what we heard from the public listening sessions and why the insider versus outsider question matters for MUW’s identity. We talk about the excitement around a well-connected MUW alum and seasoned public figure.

Fr...

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Zack and David break down recent headlines, including Senate Bill 2114, which places additional demands on local sheriff’s offices when it comes to ICE cooperation. We walk through what the bill actually changes, what many counties say they’ve already been doing, and why the “it’s no big deal” take doesn’t calm people who feel like their safety could depend on which county line they cross. We ...

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Progress has a sound, and sometimes it’s a chainsaw. We start in Burns Bottom, where a few dozen older trees are slated to come down as a new housing development prepares for infrastructure and dirt work. We talk through what’s actually happening on the ground and a plan to plant about 200 street trees. 

Next, we dig into Mississippi public school accountability ratings and the frustr...

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We talk to Iain Vasey, the newly hired CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK, to talk plainly about how the Golden Triangle can win industrial recruitment with limited resources and a lot at stake. 

We get into Iain’s “Moneyball” approach to economic development: focus on the industries where you can win, keep your information accurate and verifiable, and build relationships tha...

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A fire department is more than sirens and turnout gear. It’s a workplace culture, a retention problem, a medical response machine, and a public promise that has to hold up at 2 a.m. We sit down with Columbus, Mississippi Fire Chief Duane Hughes as he prepares to retire after 31 years in the department, and he tells the truth about what changed and what still needs work.

We get into ho...

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The primary election results are in, and the numbers out of Lowndes County don’t just tell you who won. They hint at who stayed home, who crossed over, and which political “sure things” might be getting shaky.

We walk through the Mississippi U.S. Senate primaries and what they could mean for November, from Scott Colom’s overwhelming local support to the question hanging over Cindy Hyd...

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Wood smoke, river breeze, and a promise to slow dinner down. We sit with developer DJ Mantooth to unpack how the former Woody’s on the Water is being reborn as a destination steak and seafood restaurant designed around over-flame grilling, Gulf flavors, and southern soul. Mantooth has big plans for the space, and we cover it all.

After that, we cover Three Things to Know.

Can you think...

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A national spotlight is about to hit the Tenn-Tom Waterway, and we’re ready. Tourism director Frances Glenn joins us to share how Bassmaster Elite is setting up at the Columbus Marina with 101 pros, live cameras, and a weekend atmosphere that turns attention into spending. We dig into why “free” events fuel hotels, restaurants, and gas pumps, and how a stacked slate of fishing tournaments can ...

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Power doesn’t just show up in big scandals; it hides in procurement rules, town halls, and the shade over a park bench. We start with Columbus’ new requirement that newspapers secure audits or expert affidavits to qualify for city legal ads. On paper that sounds like due diligence. In context—coming after public complaints about coverage—it feels like a pressure valve on the free press. When t...

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A dangerous intersection, a doubled construction bill, and a voice that carries decades of experience - George Irby. We start with Highway 45 and Mike Parra Road, where 29 crashes since 2020 and the death of a young man have galvanized a petition and renewed pressure to improve public safety. We lay out the facts the way residents need them: what a traffic signal would change, why engineers mi...

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Councilman Rusty Greene brings a bold idea to the table: three elevated, 750-square-foot cottages tucked behind a Waffle House, built for folks who want ownership without the bloat. We talk through the real economics of building small along with floodplain design, tree preservation, and the zoning flexibility needed to make infill sing. It’s a clear-eyed look at what “affordable” really takes....

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The guys discuss Columbus' hopes of building out a regional crime center, even though Starkville has already made strides in that direction. They also tackle two bills in Jackson that could pave the way to MSMS opening its doors to high school sophomores.

From there, 4-County Electric’s Brian Clark and Jon Turner take us inside the week that snapped limbs, downed lines, and teste...

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The bills are flying in Jackson, and the stakes feel close to home. We kick off with a clear-eyed look at the “Freedom of Education” proposal: what it really does, what it costs, and why bipartisan opposition formed around accountability gaps and the risk of draining public school budgets. We talk honestly about how school choice can touch property values and what the Starkville-Oktibbeha cons...

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We sit down with Golden Triangle Development Link COO Meryl Fisackerly to unpack how the CINCO Megasite moves from dirt to deal, why “whale” projects require patience, and what it takes to keep a regional brand like the LINK sharp during a CEO search. We dig into workforce development with EMCC and Accelerate Mississippi, the push to keep graduates here, and the reality that business retention...

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In our last episode of the year, we kick off with Councilman Jason Spears discussing a bold plan to turn Columbus' raw economic activity into real economic development: an action‑first advisory group made up of people who build, hire, lease, heal, and sell here. The hard questions aren’t dodged. What keeps self‑interest from creeping in? The committee’s mandate is to match supply to deman...