Articles by Braden Simmons
Conference center, trail upgrades nearly done at Plymouth Bluff
Since taking over as the director for Plymouth Bluff Environmental Center in 2024, Chandler Lester has been looking to make improvements wherever he can.
Baptist Golden Triangle sets new record with 108 births last month
In October, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle’s maternity services nurses and doctors were busy.
Starkville coalition aims to fight food insecurity
Before partnering with Starkville Strong about two years ago, Bridgeway Church was operating a food pantry that fed about 30 families every two to three weeks.
Two teens killed in two-vehicle crash Sunday morning
Two passengers died and four were injured Sunday morning in a two-vehicle crash near West Tibbe Road.
Lowndes man killed in a two-vehicle crash on Hwy 69
A Lowndes County man died in a two-vehicle crash Thursday evening.
Oktibbeha man sentenced to life for 2021 murder
An Oktibbeha Circuit Court jury found Benjamin Brownlee Jr. guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder on Thursday.
Holiday drives gear up to help families across Golden Triangle
As the holiday season rounds the corner and temperatures continue to drop, local organizations are preparing to help those most in need.
Decorated soldier emphasizes importance of remembering veterans
For retired Command Sgt. Maj. Oscar Sims Jr., Thursday morning was a homecoming.
Starkville’s road success paves way for Columbus repaving plan
When City Engineer Cody Burnett’s office took over the road program nearly three years ago, he and his team found themselves at a crossroads.
After years of decline, MUW boasts biggest enrollment jump in state
Mississippi University for Women grew in enrollment by more than 8% since fall 2024, the largest increase in nearly a decade for the university.
MSU navigates federal, state challenges as semester nears end
Federal mandates, state funding concerns and state laws have been just a few issues Mississippi State University has faced so far this school year.
SDI, Lowndes Port move forward with $14M rail line project
Steel Dynamics Inc. is building a more than $14 million rail line to deliver scrap metal from the West Bank Port on Old Macon Road to the company’s steel mill west of Columbus.
Rebuilding history: R.E. Hunt Museum and Cultural Center prepares to reopen in Columbus
When Laverne Greene-Leech, founder and director for the R.E. Hunt Museum and Cultural Center, returned to the museum the day after an EF-3 tornado tore through in February 2019 she was distraught by what she saw.
Hot Rods and Cookies fundraiser to support renovations at Lee Park
When Carl Ulmer heard about the volunteer work going on at Lee Park in September, he knew he wanted to get involved.
Thacker Mountain Radio Hour visiting Columbus Sunday
In June, Lucy Gaines, executive director for Thacker Mountain Radio Hour was meeting with Nancy Carpenter, the executive director for America250 Mississippi campaign, for the first time at a coffee shop in Oxford.
Average CLW customer water/sewer bill to jump by nearly $4
Columbus Light and Water customers will see a roughly 9% increase to their water and sewer bills starting next month.
Born in the gaps: Maternity care deserts exacerbate infant mortality in Mississippi
In 2024, Mississippi’s infant mortality rate was recorded at a rate of 9.7 deaths per 1,000 births within their first year of life, or roughly one death out of every 100 babies born.
Sec of State’s office hopes to bolster election engagement with new ‘I Voted’ sticker contest
The Secretary of State’s office is calling on Mississippi voters to design the state’s new “I Voted” sticker for the 2026 midterm elections.
$800 million TVA energy plant ‘breaks ground’ outside Caledonia
While county, local and Tennessee Valley Authority officials ceremonially “broke ground” Wednesday morning at the site of the New Caledonia Combustion Turbine Plant, the sounds of thrashing bulldozers and ongoing construction showcased the site is already well underway.
Budget cuts to Medicaid, ACA leave Mississippi hospitals at risk
When H.R. 1 or “The One Big Beautiful Bill” was proposed in Congress during the last legislative session, it outlined budgetary cuts to a number of programs including Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
A spectator’s guide to the College Football Playoff
December 18, 2024
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