Articles by Cadence Harvey
Starkville, Columbus sales tax revenue outpacing FY 25
Both Columbus and Starkville are outpacing last year’s sales tax revenues in the second month of Fiscal Year 2026, with 1.66% growth in Columbus and 9.45% growth in Starkville compared to November 2024.
Tax break approved for $45M hotel, student housing
A $45 million redevelopment project planned for an old stormwater detention area off Highway 12 is one step closer to fruition following Tuesday’s board of aldermen meeting.
Petition urges supes to invest $30.5M of hospital funds
More than 150 residents have signed a petition urging the board of supervisors to place $30.5 million in net proceeds from the sale of OCH Regional Medical Center into a long-term reserve and trust fund, rather than spending it.
Runway extension to break ground next month at Starkville airport
Construction on a 1,000-foot runway extension at George M. Bryan Airport will begin next month, marking progress on a project more than a decade in the making.
MSMS festival to bring global cultures to Columbus
Golden Triangle residents can take a trip around the world this weekend without ever leaving the area during the Mississippi School for Mathematics’ International Culture Festival, to be held on the Mississippi University for Women campus.
Wastewater expansion advances in northeast Oktibbeha
East Oktibbeha Wastewater District is nearly halfway done with a $1.4 million sewer expansion into the northeastern part of the county, while expansion south of Starkville remains stalled despite more than 200 residents paying deposits toward the project.
State Fountain Bakery returns to roots at Perry Food Hall
Behind the counter of State Fountain Bakery, Emily Tibbs moves quickly, greeting a steady stream of Mississippi State University students and faculty as they file in and out of the bakery’s storefront Friday morning in Perry Food Hall.
Historic preservation: Restorations planned for one of the state’s most endangered buildings
Once a cornerstone of Starkville’s Black business district, the Fred Gandy Barber Shop, located at 119 Dr. Douglas L. Conner Drive, now sits vacant on a shifting foundation, its stucco walls crumbling and windows shattered.
$750K library facelift gains traction with aldermen
Starkville-Oktibbeha Public Library System Director Phillip Carter is hopeful for city support in a nearly $750,000 renovation project aimed at revitalizing the public library.
Starkville Fire Department EMT training cuts costs, boosts readiness
A classroom full of firefighters sat with notebooks, textbooks and coffees in hand Thursday morning inside Fire Station 1 as Sgt. Jeremy Weaver led a lesson on vehicular extrication, the process of safely removing someone trapped inside a vehicle after a crash.
Columbus man arrested for Tuesday shooting
A Columbus man was arrested Wednesday morning in connection to a shooting that left one man injured.
$20K Main Street grant to fund dinosaur sculptures, shadow boxes downtown
Dinosaurs may soon appear in the streets downtown, at least in sculpture form, thanks to a $20,000 grant from Main Street America.
Accountability gaps loom over Talking Warrior Water Association
An annual Talking Warrior Water Association meeting descended into chaos Monday evening after members raised concerns about bylaw violations, financial discrepancies and a lack of communication between the association and its customers.
Scares and service come together at Theatre MSU’s haunted house
Cobwebs, fake blood and skeletons will decorate the theater at Mississippi State University’s McComas Hall for a haunted house from Thursday to Saturday.
Three accused of stealing $46K in copper from TVA site
Three county residents were arrested last week for the theft of about $46,000 worth of copper from a Tennessee Valley Authority facility in West Point.
Grant offers homeowners up to $3.5K to build storm shelters
A statewide grant program is offering Mississippi homeowners up to $3,500 to build safe rooms, also known as storm shelters, on their properties.
Nonprofit-funded mammogram saves woman’s life
Shelby Holocher’s fight against cancer began long before her diagnosis.
Fear, stigma and slow justice keep abuse in the shadows: 90% go unreported
For victims of assault, silence can often be as heavy as violence itself. For Evie Vidrine, that silence came from knowing what might happen if she spoke up.
Three pets killed in Thursday camper fire
Three pets were killed in a camper fire Thursday afternoon at Dewayne Hayes Campground.
Columbus, Starkville sales tax collections off to promising start in Fiscal Year 2026
In the first month of Fiscal Year 2026, Columbus and Starkville are already ahead of last year’s sales tax revenues with 2.21% growth in Columbus and 7.13% growth in Starkville compared to last October.
