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Stepping into Sim Scott Park for the Juneteenth Festival offered a powerful glimpse into how Columbus celebrates freedom. As a first-time attendee, David discovered a vibrant community event that brought together people from across Lowndes County to honor the significance of emancipation through food, music, and conversation.

Through candid conversations with attendees ranging from County Supervisor Leroy Brooks to local vendors and Police Chief Daughtry, one message emerged consistently: Juneteenth represents freedom for everyone, not just one segment of our community.

The second half of this episode features a conversation with Commercial Dispatch sports writer Colin Damms about Mississippi State athletics. We explore the dramatic changes in the baseball program with new $3 million coach Brian O'Connor, expectations for the football team, and recent classification changes that will put Columbus, Caledonia, New Hope and West Point in the same division across all sports.

Join us for this community-focused episode that celebrates freedom, explores local perspectives, and looks ahead to exciting developments in both our community and our sports teams. Have feedback or news tips? Email us at tips@cdispatch.com or reach out on social media.

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Newly-elected Ward 4 Councilwoman Lavonne Harris shares the grassroots strategy that won her the seat. Harris reveals how she knocked on nearly 4,000 doors across her ward, connecting personally with voters while presenting a vision focused on neighborhood cleanup, infrastructure improvement, and council unity.

"I am only one vote, but I intend to be the right vote," Harris declares, signaling her commitment to independence on a council historically prone to bloc voting. As both a longtime NAACP president and community organizer, Harris brings a unique perspective that bridges various Columbus constituencies. Her refreshing promise to return from taxpayer-funded conferences with actual knowledge to share stands in stark contrast to the status quo.

The conversation shifts to a controversial last-minute agenda item that increased the incoming Columbus mayor's salary from $86,000 to $107,000 annually. While hosts David and Zack agree the figure represents fair compensation for the position's responsibilities, they question both the timing and the motivations behind Councilman Mickens' push for an even higher figure of $120,000 as he exits city government.

We also examine a plan by the city of Columbus, Lowndes County, and the MUW Foundation, who have each committed up to $15,000 toward a PR firm tasked with preserving the MSMS's current location – a collaborative effort that highlights the economic and cultural significance of the institution to the region.

Whether you're invested in Columbus's political landscape or simply fascinated by the mechanics of small-city governance, this episode offers candid insights into how leadership transitions happen and the real-world impact of local elections. Subscribe now and join our growing community of engaged citizens who understand that local politics ultimately determines the quality of daily life.

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What happens when our hosts step out of the studio and into the frontlines of political activism? Zack Plair and David Chism brave the rain to spend time with anti-Trump protesters gathered outside the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library in downtown Columbus.

The conversations they capture reveal a fascinating tapestry of perspectives, concerns, and motivations. From passionate declarations about perceived threats to civil liberties to nuanced discussions about policy disagreements, these protesters—roughly twenty strong despite threatening weather—paint a picture of grassroots activism in a predominantly conservative area. Many express finding community through these demonstrations, realizing they aren't alone in their political viewpoints within a region that voted heavily for Trump.

What makes this episode particularly valuable is the willingness of both sides to engage respectfully across political divides. Several protesters acknowledge points of agreement with certain Trump policies while maintaining their overall opposition. This complexity challenges simplistic political narratives and reminds listeners that behind every protest sign stands a person with multifaceted beliefs and genuine concerns.

The hosts also explore parallels between these demonstrations and the Tea Party protests from roughly a decade ago, examining how political movements often follow cyclical patterns. They reflect on the danger of inconsistent principles—how viewing identical actions differently depending on who's performing them transforms principles into prejudices.

Whether you're politically engaged or simply curious about what drives your neighbors to stand on street corners with protest signs, this episode offers an enlightening window into contemporary civic discourse at the local level. Listen as we go beyond the headlines to find the human stories that make up our community's political landscape.