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PODCAST

Between the Headlines: Columbus

Between the Headlines dives deep into the stories shaping Columbus and Lowndes County, Mississippi. Hosted by The Commercial Dispatch managing editor Zack Plair and local businessman and commentator David Chism, this show goes beyond the front page to bring you the real conversations behind local politics, policies and people. Zack’s journalistic expertise and David’s insight deliver in-depth analysis, spirited debate, and behind-the-scenes context you won’t get anywhere else. It"s honest discussion

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All Episodes

53:36

Dangerous Hwy 45 Intersection May Finally Get...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2026/02/12

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text 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 might prefer cutting the crossover with managed U‑turns, and wh...

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57:25

Covered, Smothered and Only $130,000

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2026/02/05

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text 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. The councilman also discusses why this council makes it fun ...

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64:06

Matt Laubhan Discusses the Ice Storm PLUS MSMS Bills...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2026/01/29

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text 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 tested every mile of their nine-county footprint. They talk mutual aid, why a b...

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49:33

Why Mississippi Should Split MLK Day from Robert E....

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2026/01/22

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text 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 consolidation taught us about raising the floor without lowering ...

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66:15

The LINK's Meryl Fisackerly PLUS MUW post-Nora Miller...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2026/01/08

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text 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 and expansion are as vital as new wins. In their discu...

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72:46

A Pro‑Business Brain Trust For Growth PLUS CMSD's...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/12/18

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text 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 demand before the city courts the wrong projects. Then we shift ...

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43:07

How A Local Advisory Group Could Shape Retail,...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/12/11

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text We dig into Columbus’ push to form an economic advisory committee—what a true “brain trust” could bring to retail recruitment, healthcare talent, and housing strategy, and how to keep conflicts from tilting the playing field. From identifying missing markets to securing corporate sponsorships for Propst Park and the new amphitheater, we explore what works when advice turns into action. The conversation shifts to schools, where stability and clarity can...

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59:20

Main Street Changes, Amphitheater Moves Forward...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/12/05

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text Big moves finally meet clear plans. We break down how Columbus locked in $3 million to finish the amphitheater—$1M from the CVB, $1M from the city, and $1M from the state—so gates, concessions, bathrooms, and seats move from wish list to construction list. With multiple contractors ready to bid now that funding is real, the price should stay competitive and the path to opening gets much shorter. We also tackle resident skepticism head-on: capacity targe...

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41:40

LINK Lawsuit Reveals Details Around Higgins' Firing

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/11/19

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text This week we pull apart two intertwined storylines shaping Columbus: a federal lawsuit that lays bare internal strife at the LINK and a City Hall showdown where a fired lobbying firm chose to resign instead. We explain how an insurance dispute revealed surprising details about 700 recordings, why one-party consent matters in Mississippi, and what “far exceeds $75,000” actually signals about potential settlements and risk. We also use the city's lobbyin...

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63:11

A Fired Lobbyist & a $47K Speaker System PLUS We Talk...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/11/13

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text Nonprofits deliver value but need predictability, not ad hoc walk-up funding that puts the city council on the spot. We talk candidly about impromptu funding requests, why full-context answers from city staff matter, and how a straightforward application process protects core commitments to libraries, arts and community events. We also cover the vote to end the city’s lobbyist contract and a timely handoff of records to the state auditor, underscoring a...

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48:05

Blue Flu Brewing at CPD? PLUS On Site at a Food Pantry

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/11/06

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text The tension is real when frontline officers say their “day off” is anything but. We dig into Columbus PD’s on-call policy, why rank-and-file feel boxed in without pay, and how leadership’s response lands with a department already worried about morale. Safety doesn’t stop at the station. A Facebook Marketplace meetup at a busy Lowe’s turned into an alleged armed robbery, and quick police work led to arrests. Public places aren’t always protective;...

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57:02

State Auditor Investigates Columbus, Joe Higgins’ New...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/10/29

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text The State Auditor’s office sent Columbus a detailed request for contracts, receipts, and proof of services across multiple departments, and we unpack what that means. We break down why specific vendors were named, how procurement rules and sick leave policies come into play, and where council members face real legal exposure when approving claims dockets. With Joe Max Higgins launching a new consulting firm and a noncompete extending to 2027, the...

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48:31

Ristorante Italiano in Columbus PLUS Franklin...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/10/24

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text A downtown culinary glow-up, a historic gut check, and a community scare that does real good—this week packs it all. We open with the long-awaited news: an authentic Italian restaurant is moving into the old Main Street Thai spot, directly across from The Commercial Dispatch. From there, we turn to Franklin Academy, the oldest public school in Mississippi, now vacant and looking at an estimated $23 million bill just to stabilize and weatherize. The hear...

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39:26

Soros & AIPAC Enter the Senate Race PLUS Reason for...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/10/16

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text We break down how Cindy Hyde-Smith built a million-plus quarter with heavy PAC backing while Scott Colom sprinted to nearly $600k off mostly individual donors in the US Senate race. George Soros and AIPAC feature prominently in the candidates' campaign finance documents. Hyde-Smith's fundraising signals her campaign is taking Colom seriously. From there, we leave spreadsheets for seatbacks and walk through what a finished amphitheater could deliv...

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48:32

Lobbyist on the Line PLUS Sam Allison Talks School...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/10/09

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text A $72,000 question hangs over Columbus: are taxpayers getting real value from a lobbyist many council members haven’t heard from in months? We pull apart the claims and expectations behind the city’s contract and ask what legitimate deliverables look like. When public money is on the line, “trust us” doesn’t cut it; proof and transparency do. Then we pivot to the classroom with Lowndes County Superintendent Dr. Sam Allison for a plain‑spoken tour of sc...

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36:41

From Grenades to Panhandling

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/10/02

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text This week on Between the Headlines, Zack Plair and David Chism dig into two big local stories — one bizarre, one contentious. First, they unpack the tale of a live World War II-era hand grenade that wound up at the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office (yes, really). Then, the hosts turn to Columbus City Council’s unanimous rejection of the so-called “Safe Solicitation Act,” a state law aimed at regulating panhandling. The discussion ranges from free speech t...

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62:57

Starkville Shifts Gears on MSMS PLUS Sheriff Hawkins...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/09/26

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text A new memorandum of understanding between Mississippi State University and the Starkville-Oktibbeha County School District reveals a plan for a new Starkville High School that doesn't include MSMS. Plans may include an MSMS competitor, though. We discuss what that means and whether MSMS’s Columbus campus is finally secure—or if threats could resurface in the next legislative session. In the second half, we’re joined by Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawki...

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46:42

Lowndes County is Booming. So Why Are Taxes Going Up?

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/09/18

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text The city council makes a controversial decision to redirect $750,000 from internet sales tax funds toward fixing the leaky roof of the Municipal Complex. What started as a dedicated road improvement fund has now expanded to include "building assets," raising questions about mission creep and fiscal discipline. While council members like Jason Spears fought to preserve the original purpose of these funds, the urgent need to protect millions in equipment ...

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44:23

'Goodnight' Phone Calls, Caledonia Curfews and City...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/09/10

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text What happens when parody and politics collide? Just ask Scott Colom, whose "prank call" video aimed at Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith sparked calls from the Mississippi Republican Party chair for an FBI investigation. This extreme reaction transformed what would have been a forgettable campaign moment into valuable statewide exposure for a candidate previously struggling with name recognition. Meanwhile, in Caledonia, town officials implemented a special 10 ...

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66:46

Scott Colom Challenges Cindy Hyde-Smith for US Senate...

Between the Headlines: Columbus ·

2025/09/02

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text District Attorney Scott Colom has thrown his hat into the ring for the United States Senate, challenging incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith in what promises to be a compelling race focused on Mississippi's future. In his first public interview since his announcement, Colom presented himself as a prosecutor ready to make the case both against Hyde-Smith and for his own vision. Colom didn't mince words about what he sees as Hyde-Smith's failure...

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