Bassmaster Elite Comes To Columbus

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 make the river more than scenery—it becomes a steady economic engine.

Then we zoom out to long-term bets. The amphitheater only works if it’s truly finished: seating, restrooms, concessions, and a professional promoter who can route artists through a 3,500-seat venue that draws from Memphis, Birmingham, Jackson, and Tupelo. We talk realistic timelines, booking strategy, and the kind of opening night that builds a habit of showing up. Culture gets equal billing as Spring Pilgrimage unifies under one umbrella for the second year with 18 homes and simple online ticketing, while new historic markers strengthen the African American Cultural Trail and preserve stories at risk of fading.

Transcript

Welcome And Setup

SPEAKER_00 0:01

I don't know what he has come up with today to talk about.

SPEAKER_02 0:06

I'm not asking you to hide anything. Yeah. No, put it out there. Let the people see it.

SPEAKER_04 0:10

I've never not worked in a hostile working environment.

SPEAKER_02 0:14

You can't argue with anybody when they're putting facts in your face. Zach, that's a hard question.

SPEAKER_01 0:19

I have no answer for it. From the opinion page of the commercial dispatch. This is Between the Headlines.

SPEAKER_05 0:29

You are listening to Between the Headlines with the managing editor of the Dispatch, Mr. Zach Plair. And my name is Dave Chisholm. Good to be with you today, kind sir. Hope you're well.

SPEAKER_04 0:40

Oh, I'm I'm getting there.

SPEAKER_05 0:42

Yeah. Wait till the pollen rolls into town. It might be a problem this year, from what I understand. Um, I want to start the show today by this onion article that I saw on the internet where it says that the MSMS facilities could hit crisis in about five years. I'm sorry, that was the dispatch. Now, Zach, I've been out there. Are those facilities not already in crisis mode?

SPEAKER_04 1:10

I think that depends on who you ask.

Meet Tourism Director Frances Glenn

SPEAKER_05 1:12

Yeah, for sure. Well, we've got a good show today. Our special guest is going to be uh from the Columbus Lounge Convention and Visitors Bureau, Miss Frances Glenn, and we'll talk to her about good things that are to come. But first, retirement looks different for everyone, so your plan should be built around you. For over forty years, Financial Concepts has helped people create retirement strategies that fit their lives. Our team in Columbus takes the time to understand your goals and build a plan that works for you. Wherever you are in your journey, we're ready to help. We plan retirement. Financial Concepts is a registered investment advisor. Benton's Maintenance Mechanical makes easy work out of plumbing, electrical, heating, and air conditioner problems. You can book an appointment by phone or online, and rest assured they will show up at the appointed time. Call Bentons at 662-657-2583 or visit them online at BentonsInc.com, that is BentonsINC.com. This episode of Between the Headlines is brought to you by Bank First, a bank headquartered right here in Columbus, Mississippi. That means your banking decisions aren't made hundreds of miles away by someone who doesn't know you. They're made here locally by bankers who know your name and care about the community. At Bank First, we're more than bankers. We're your neighbors. Whether we're cheering in the stands, catching up at a local pancake breakfast, or celebrating milestones across our community, we're part of the moments that matter most. Stop by your local Bank First branch or visit BankFirstFS.com to learn more. Bank First is a member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender, Bank NMLS 454063. We are pleased to have in the studio today Miss Francis Glenn, who is the tourism director at the Columbus Lounge Convention and Visitors Bureau. Did I get it right? That's right. That's a mouthful. Yeah, it is. And the website, which is easier, is VisitColumbusMS.com.org.org. Visit ColumbusMS dot org. Thanks for being here today and uh thanks for just being of service to our area. David David, David. This is your moment, man. This is my moment.

SPEAKER_04 3:28

This is your moment. You've been talking since we started this podcast about capitalizing the Tom Bigby Waterway, and this it's here. It's your day, man. Ask away.

SPEAKER_05 3:40

What is the official announcement from Bassmasters?

SPEAKER_03 3:45

Well, Bassmasters Elite is coming to Columbus one month. We will be uh at Columbus Marina. It's March 26th through the 29th. Um we have 101 pro anglers coming to our area. Um we'll have weigh-ins every afternoon at 3 o'clock. And so we've got we're real excited about it.

SPEAKER_05 4:06

I tell you what, good things are coming to Columbus Marina and the old Woody's on the water build building right there next to it. This is really, really good stuff. You said 101 like ESPN level pro anglers.

SPEAKER_03 4:21

Exactly. Bassmaster Elite has its own channel on Roku. Uh you can watch it live. Uh they're gonna have cameras in the boats on Sunday with the anglers. Um if you're an early riser, come out at 7 a.m. Uh they start in fleets, and that's a lot of fun to watch.

SPEAKER_05 4:42

They set up bleachers or anything? I've I've never been to one of these things. I mean, I I see it on TV all the time, but it's it's like you say, it's the cameras in the boat, but like so they come into the marina for their weigh-ins. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_03 4:55

Yes. That and they also leave every morning um at 7 a.m. They'll put in on the East Bank ramp, and then they'll uh come in the boats um to the marina, and they have to check, you know, um the official checklist.

SPEAKER_05 5:13

Yeah. There's a lot of ways to cheat.

SPEAKER_03 5:15

Yeah, speakers and they um they have the you know, the announcers are there, the tournament director does a quick checklist, and they send them out in fleets of about six or six to ten. I don't know what the elite will do. But um, you know, it's just so the it's the sun's coming up, the lights are all the boats you can see uh in the water, and it's it's just a lot of fun to watch.

SPEAKER_05 5:45

So does it cost money to go to this thing? No. No money.

SPEAKER_03 5:48

No money.

SPEAKER_05 5:49

How are we gonna make money if we're not charging? What about like concessions, stuff like that?

SPEAKER_03 5:53

We will have food trucks on Saturday and Sunday, and there will be, you know, for purchase. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 5:59

Good times to be had by all.

How The Tournament Works

SPEAKER_04 6:01

Well, now d now this I know this is sort of the big dog, and and they came last year and did uh and had a an an open here.

SPEAKER_03 6:09

So the open is actually the qualifying for the elite series.

SPEAKER_04 6:13

So And this is just the natural evolution of oh, they liked it here, so they're coming back with the with the bigger tournament.

SPEAKER_03 6:20

Right.

SPEAKER_04 6:21

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 6:21

Y'all have booked what six fishing tournaments tournaments that we have coming. Or have been, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:29

Okay, for 2026. For 2026. Talk about some of the other ones.

SPEAKER_03 6:34

So we had our first tournament in February, and that was a crappie tournament, the Magnolia Crappie Club.

SPEAKER_04 6:40

I do better with crappie, they're easier to catch.

SPEAKER_03 6:43

So that's our only crappie tournament.

SPEAKER_05 6:46

They're more likely to eat a bass. You have to piss that fish off before it's gonna do anything.

SPEAKER_03 6:54

So they um so then we'll have um we'll have the bass master elite, and then we have uh a high school fishing tournament in um May.

SPEAKER_04 7:05

And that's a great that's associated with Bass Master too, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 7:09

It is. So they um have been fishing in South Mississippi and they wanted to come to North Mississippi, gave us a call, and we got it all worked out, and they'll be here the first weekend of May.

unknown 7:20

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 7:21

So that'll be exciting. We love kids travel because you know they can't drive themselves. That's right. That's right. So they'll come, um, they'll have two, they'll they'll fish in teams. So they'll have two anglers and a captain for the high school. And then we have um a tournament, a group we've worked with for a long time out of North Mississippi, and they'll have their state championship. That tournament's gonna be moved, I think, to the first weekend in June.

SPEAKER_04 7:51

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 7:51

And then we just uh the board approved having Fishers of Men National Trail.

unknown 7:57

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 7:58

And that's coming in October. Okay. And that's a district tournament. So we'll have anglers from Mississippi and Louisiana coming this way.

SPEAKER_04 8:07

How important is it when you're looking at tourism in this region to capitalize a resource like the waterway?

Economic Impact Of Anglers

SPEAKER_03 8:16

Well, I think it's a great resource because um, you know, the the fishing, it's of course it's commercial and that's there. But the recreation side of it um, you know, is something that we can capitalize on. So the f fishing tournaments, I say, you know, we are investing and um, I mean we have we have their host fees involved. But um, you know, the return on that investment is huge and what they spend in our communities.

SPEAKER_04 8:44

Because they don't bring their own lunches with them.

SPEAKER_03 8:46

They don't they stay, they buy gas, they um, you know, they love to eat out. Um but you know, we don't have a lot of short-term rentals, so our hotels will see a boost um like a lot of the the lakes have. So that's good for for our hotels here.

SPEAKER_05 9:04

Okay. Speaking of hotels, when I visit a town, particularly one that I've never been before, I go to hotels and and I will look and I'm like, man, this is a rat town. There's nothing to do here. But they'll have this rack and it'll have magazines and it'll have pass outs. Does the CVB do things like that for the hotels locally? Oh we stay in them locally, so I wouldn't know.

SPEAKER_03 9:30

We do. Um you know, whatever their um corporate will allow, but we have our dining and lodging guide, which um is in all the hotels, our visitors guide, which is a great little Bible of Columbus, and then uh brochures, seasonal brochures go in all of our hotels. But now we have a great um, and y'all should come, it's tours and partners meeting. Uh the dispatch has hosted us before, and it's um it's the second Tuesday of the month at 8:30. We meet at different venues. We'll meet at hotels, businesses, uh, restaurants, and it's just a great way for partners to share their information. We usually have hotel people there, and they'll take, you know, whatever's going on back to the hotels. But we did have a great um, and we do, in some of the hotels, we have like the cover of our visitor's guide and it has a QR code because I don't people are you know leaning more towards taking pictures of their phone and things like that. That's right. So anyway, so we'll have we have um the big posters during football season, we did that with a QR code for people to scan to take them to our website.

SPEAKER_05 10:38

Aaron Ross Powell All right. So if you're a small business, that's something definitely to take advantage of. Yeah.

From Opens To Elite: Why They Returned

SPEAKER_04 10:44

I know you get feedback. I mean, obviously y'all got some feedback from the open uh last year when Bassmaster came. And obviously that feedback led into them wanting to come back with a bigger tournament. What did they see with the waterway and with I guess Columbus and and and how you guys do business at the CVB that was attractive to them to come back with a bigger event?

SPEAKER_03 11:11

Right. Well, I think um I think one attraction is the partnerships that we have, the city, the county. When we had an on-site visit, um, you know, every uh entity had a representative there. The Corps of Engineers have been great to work with. Uh the Lockmaster works with getting the boats up and down the river. Um we're partnering for this tournament with the city, the county, and the Tim Tom Waterway Authority.

SPEAKER_06 11:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 11:39

So, you know, I think they saw those partnerships working last year and wanted to come back. The challenge of the fishery, you know, it's uh, you know, it's challenging. You have to deal with the um the current, the conditions, right, um, you know, the clarity. So I think it's a challenging fishery.

Partnerships Power Big Events

SPEAKER_05 11:59

Yeah, because if it if it rains heavily the day before, you've got milky brown water. Right. But if it's been a drought, you've got just kind of tea-colored water. Well, it makes a difference. It does.

SPEAKER_04 12:10

Y'all got a good bit going on with the CVB right now. Um y'all got a new slogan, uh new uh We're rebranding. Rebranding, okay. So so you've got a rebrand going on. And it's and from what I understand, it's not necessarily a replacement to Catch You in Columbus. It's sort of an umbrella that Catch You in Columbus is gonna reside under.

SPEAKER_03 12:34

Yes. We'll still use Catch You in Columbus will be as a campaign that we're running. And that'll still be uh used, especially in our sports tourism. It's a good, you know, catchy, if you don't mind the pun. But um so we'll still use Catch You in Columbus, but we are rebranding. So that and that'll be a whole campaign. We're working on that. We do have a new logo, and um then we'll roll out, we're gonna have a preview at our March Tourism Partners, and then we'll have a rollout probably in May.

SPEAKER_05 13:10

Okay. And does the new logo have a different slogan on it?

SPEAKER_03 13:13

Um it does. It has uh the storybook south.

Rebrand: The Storybook South

SPEAKER_05 13:17

That's it. The storybook south. And and I saw that and I was like, I'm sorry, Keith Gaskin, but I was pleased that it did not have any mention of possums. Just saying, like uh you may think possums are cute and all that, but possums aren't gonna bring anybody to the friendly city, in my opinion. Tell me I'm wrong.

SPEAKER_03 13:39

Well, I think the storybook South has a little more attraction.

SPEAKER_05 13:43

For sure.

SPEAKER_03 13:44

So and uh we're gonna play on that. We're gonna have storytellers, you know. I think it'll tie into Tennessee Williams, um, the Possum Town Book Fest. You know, there are a lot of ways for people to tell the story of Columbus.

SPEAKER_04 13:58

Aaron Ross Powell What what are you seeing as far as just organic tourism uh to Columbus generally and how y'all have interacted with that and and what trends y'all are seeing?

SPEAKER_03 14:09

Well, I will tell you, since we have um I'm try I I don't know the exact date, but our the traffic to our website has doubled. You know, that just means to me that people are looking, looking uh to come, looking to see what we have. I can tell a big difference on the marketing email. The request for visitors guides digitally has has probably doubled.

SPEAKER_06 14:33

I mean, what's driving that?

SPEAKER_03 14:35

I think our new campaigns. I think getting out, you know, we have a um we've been using an ad agency, which we haven't done that in the past. And so I think they have a good um, you know, kind of can give us a good plan overall plan that includes print, digital, um, you know, the targeted ads on social media. So I think it's a a whole combination.

SPEAKER_05 14:59

I'm I'm glad you say that the inquiries and whatnot reflect that. That way we know it's not a bunch of bots, right? These are actual people. Right. And the price of gas has gone down, and they're like, we need to go somewhere. And they need to go to Columbus, Mississippi.

SPEAKER_03 15:15

I agree.

SPEAKER_04 15:16

Well, I mean, y you're interfacing with the you're interacting with people who do come here from from out of town. Yes. Right? Okay, so uh because I I see you with the events, I I see you out and about a g a good bit of the time. I think I've taken your picture for scene and scene like four times since of just in the last 18 months. So when you're talking to to people who are visiting here, I know you're like where are you from? What are you here? Right, right. What are they telling you?

Marketing Trends And Visitor Demand

SPEAKER_03 15:45

Well, I think um I think we have a huge draw with the Air Force Base. You know, there's a graduating class every three weeks, and those are young people. And so they have parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. So that um, you know, we do see that. Uh MSMS when we have visitors' days and you know, when they host things, we uh reunions, the W brings um brings people to Columbus. And then like you said, we have people that are just ready to get out and and drive. We're drivable to a lot of places.

SPEAKER_05 16:18

Maybe hammer out some aluminum rolls.

SPEAKER_03 16:20

Maybe. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:23

There, I mean the CVB, there wasn't a lot of turnover on that board for a long time. And now there it it seems like there's a lot of fresh faces on that board and will be. So I guess what are the the the debits and credits here with fresh eyes versus the loss of institutional. Right.

SPEAKER_03 16:42

Right. So um, you know, I think having new eyes, we have a real diverse board. Um, we're nine members, and so everybody brings something unique to the table, I think. I think the city and the county have done a great job getting us those board members. Um, you know, we still have uh representation from Hotel, Mr. J. Patel. Um, Melody Cunningham's on our board, and you know, she's uh her family has a long history of community service in Columbus. Uh Richard Morgan is another member. Uh he's very soft-spoken, and when he has something to say, the whole board kind of leans in. You know, he's very insightful. Um Matt Bogue is our Secretary of Treasurer, so he has a real uh keen business eye for us. And um he also is real good at explaining those financials to us all. Um then our vice chair is Dr. Jason Dunn, and he served in the community uh on a lot of different in a lot of different organizations, and I think he kind of sees uh where where the CVB fits into the community and what what we um you know service we provide. Um I'm trying to think who I've missed now. Chris Davis, uh she's a real estate, but she has a strong marketing background. Um so I think we have a really Yeah, David's on it.

SPEAKER_04 18:08

David Armstrong.

Board Refresh And Governance

SPEAKER_03 18:09

David Armstrong, yeah, and he brings so much to the to the board table.

SPEAKER_04 18:13

I bet he has some wild ideas.

SPEAKER_03 18:14

Well, you know, he's just so he served in uh, you know, as COO of Columbus and then he was mayor of Natchez, and so he brings a whole different um side, you know, of tour I mean he's seen that tourism side of it from both the city and the county.

SPEAKER_04 18:30

Well look at looking at uh some of the just the more practical the the dollars that are coming into the C V B. Um I know the uh the two percent tax is what y'all get the majority of your funds from. That's been growing significantly over the last several years. So you guys not only with that have a lot more to work with, but um how does that money that you get turn into a deliverable for the public?

SPEAKER_03 19:02

Well, so you know, our mission's twofold to bring tourism. And so we do spend dollars to do that through advertising and and different things. Then our second um mission is to uh increase the quality of life for for our citizens. So things we do, I mean, you know, we are promoting a lot of uh different events and and we do that through, you know, helping with advertising for events, sponsorships. Um and then I would say with our extra revenue, you know, we have pledged a million dollars to the amphitheater. Right. So, you know, that's a that's a big um quality of life and driving tourism project.

SPEAKER_04 19:46

Okay. All right. And uh so shifting over to the amphitheater, um you're on the advisory council for the smaller. Yeah. So tell me w exactly what that is, how it works. I I know Kevin Stafford talks about it occasionally at the work sessions. You and I have talked a little bit about it, but just for here, what are you guys doing and how and and how are y'all advising, guiding the the vision of the amphitheater right now?

SPEAKER_03 20:13

Well, you know, right now the goal is to to get it going, to build it and to finish things.

Funding And Quality Of Life Investments

SPEAKER_05 20:18

Now you know that thing's been done for 59 days in county. David.

SPEAKER_03 20:23

Done. No. I missed that episode.

SPEAKER_04 20:28

So so back to the question, like what are you guys doing for the vision?

SPEAKER_03 20:33

So, you know, the amphitheater does no one any good the way it is now. So, you know, my thought it we need to finish it. And to to bring in um bands and performances and and shows, it's got to, you know, it's gotta have public restrooms, it's gotta have the concession stands. And so with that new push, I mean, it'll be complete. It's gotta have seating. And so all those things, um, you know, the goal is to have it completed a year from now, January, February of 2027. That's the realistic thing.

SPEAKER_05 21:10

When you say completed, are you talking about lock stock and barrel, gates up, ticket office ready, seats, bathrooms, everything? Am I hearing that uh this idea that used to float around about there being a soft opening where people could just come out and have a casual You're shaking your head no, right?

Amphitheater Vision And Timeline

SPEAKER_03 21:30

Right. I don't I don't agree with that. I mean I think I think it ha we have to do it and do it right and and have it where we can um have we'll have a company that books bands, you know, and they've and you contract with them. And so that's that's and these bands don't want to come in here to a half baked facility. Right, right. And I d I feel like you can't uh have it free, complimentary to the public and then all of a sudden, you know, oh we want to we want to charge take you know fees.

SPEAKER_05 22:04

No, that's a point I hadn't thought about.

SPEAKER_03 22:07

I think we, you know, doing it through the company and and booking great acts. And you know, we're a great stopby, you know, town. We're we're located close to Memphis, Birmingham, Jackson.

SPEAKER_05 22:21

I think we'll I think we'll start um, you know, seeing once everything gets in place, the commitment to have it complete, um how do we think the band will pull folks from four different directions, is what I'm hearing. Trevor Burrus Right.

SPEAKER_04 22:35

And and Francis, uh she and I have talked before I don't know whether you want to share it on here, but we've been asking everybody what uh who the first band should be. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 22:44

Yeah we ended up and I I like it. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 22:48

Blind Melon Don't ask me to sing that's a lot there's a lot of local ties there. A lot of their folks are from here from Westmore have starville connection.

SPEAKER_03 22:58

I just you know it's kind of that's kind of my era.

SPEAKER_04 23:01

You're right and that's an earworm song. Their big their big one is an earworm. If you think about it it's going to be there the rest of the day man.

SPEAKER_03 23:08

I mean I don't know what are your thoughts?

SPEAKER_04 23:11

I like the blind melon idea. I like the I like the local connection that that has yeah I mean we'll see well now live nation has not been contracted as the uh as the promoter but I mean they've been in these conversations from jump. They have and remain in these conversations and all signs point to that it's going to be Live Nation, right?

SPEAKER_03 23:35

Trevor Burrus Well I can't speak to what what they're doing but they have been at the table since the beginning.

SPEAKER_04 23:41

Right. There's so much armchair quarterback in this uh amphitheater. Whether it's it shouldn't be built or whether you can't get anybody here. Why would anybody play in Columbus? Why would you know you can't fill that thing up the centric yeah yeah yeah and there's a lot of that going on. Live nation from what I understand is saying no really this can work. So what's been the feedback from them that that that you've heard?

SPEAKER_03 24:11

Well I think they've made good points about our location and then if um you know if there's an act that um can't book a bigger venue you know we're the perfect I mean we're it's gonna be 3500 seats. You know so that's an another draw. I mean they are the professionals.

SPEAKER_05 24:31

But look I like what she said earlier about that some of these bands are going to be good enough they're gonna pull from Birmingham, Meridian, Tupelo. She even said Memphis, right? So we'll be like a regional thing. Like Bassmaster. Yeah?

SPEAKER_04 24:47

Well I'm gonna age myself and dork out a little bit when I was listening to uh Kevin spouting off the axe that had been at the uh uh that one in Lagrange said that Sister Hazel had been there.

Booking Strategy And First Acts Wish List

SPEAKER_05 24:59

Right that's my time Okay You will buy Ticket I will be there for Sister Hazel if it's well Sister Hazel played the organ at his church just so you know never mind it's my allotment of dad jokes keep going well is there anything you want to add France?

SPEAKER_03 25:19

I can't think of anything I think we've hit it all. Now I do you know spring is our heavy event season so we're we're looking forward to um spring pilgrimage starts April 7th catfish in the alley the 10th and the 11th of April um there's going to be a trailblazer trailblazer run uh April nineteenth so these are all great events that are that we have coming up in the two weeks of pilgrimage.

SPEAKER_04 25:45

Just just for our listeners Pilgrimage went through a lot um as far as who was doing it how many people were doing it what it actually was whether the C V B was going to be involved or not. Can you just clear up for for us now like what is Pilgrimage now? How many are there and which one if any is CVB directly involved with and what is that involvement?

Regional Draw And Promoter Insights

SPEAKER_03 26:10

So there's one pilgrimage okay to be clear uh you know I think uh like I've talked about with everything partnerships are the key so we're partnering with the Preservation Society and the Historic Home Tours under one umbrella to present one pilgrimage to our guest so I that's this is our second year to do it and I think it's um I think everybody's happy with how it's going the historic home tours are the traditional you know three homes open on on one tour and that kind of you know morning and afternoon. And then the Preservation Society is great about bringing uh different events during that time um you know sippensees uh they've had um we're having the 200th birthday celebration of kids tavern so they really organize all the events that go on during the two weeks um I think it's I think it's working it's a great partnership and and I hope it'll continue.

unknown 27:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 27:11

And then our job of course is to promote it.

SPEAKER_04 27:13

Okay. But y'all but y'all are all in with these groups promoting this as as one singular event.

Spring Events And Pilgrimage Unified

SPEAKER_03 27:21

Yes I mean we have uh 18 homes open that's the most that have been open uh probably in the last decade so you know they're great um some of them are the old favorites like uh Riverview and White Arches uh we have some new homes Kids Tavern uh Magnolia Hill is going to be open this year uh so yeah we're real excited about it uh it was confusion for the for our guest and so this is they didn't know which pilgrimage they were coming to right so everything I mean it's it's all consolidated uh we we sell tickets on our website uh everything's done online and I know there have been uh a ton of historic markers that have popped up uh all over town in the last little while and you guys uh d have some involvement with that don't you well again we're partnering with uh um the Mississippi for mathematics and science Chuck Yarbur he identified some markers that his students had actually done the applications for so our board um allotted in our budget um for six markers um you have to have the funding before you know the MDAH approves it right so we have uh six more that we're gonna start working on the applications to get to get out um we've developed the African American cultural trail and these markers are significant um you know on that trail right so so many places have been lost you know in the history of the African American community and having these markers just you know gives a place and a purpose. My intent with the markers is um hopefully we'll educate people um and and inspire people so I've learned so much during the process about people and places that are in our community you know and and I think it's a a good project and we'll continue.

SPEAKER_04 29:22

Okay. Was there anything else?

SPEAKER_03 29:24

I don't think so.

SPEAKER_04 29:25

Well thank you so much for joining us today Francis I I know that that that you've you've scratched David's time big bitch today for sure.

SPEAKER_03 29:34

It's going on I think he's gonna try to get it well I must see I'm gonna see you out there every day.

SPEAKER_05 29:39

MVP seating if you've got it absolutely he's gonna be trying to get fishing tips from the profession.

SPEAKER_03 29:44

From the pros.

SPEAKER_05 29:45

What's the biggest one you're trying to get him from the oh it was like 19 pounds dude you don't even like the the front of my boat was going to sink when I tried to get him in there. It was outrageous that's what they say about fishtails.

SPEAKER_03 29:58

Yeah you can be an ambassador you can ride with a pro.

SPEAKER_05 30:04

Don't give me any idea our special guest today has been Miss Frances Glenn of the Columbus Lound Convention and Visitors Bureau that website is visit ColumbusMS.org and don't forget fastmaster.com you heard it right here on between the headlines post game analysis after this.

SPEAKER_02 30:27

The Good for Business Podcast features interviews, tips and tricks from owners, operators and innovators here the inspiring stories of growth and life lessons from guests in Mississippi and around the world. Hosted by entrepreneur, fundraiser and real estate broker Colin Krieger, the podcast is based right here in the Golden Triangle community.

Historic Markers And Cultural Trails

SPEAKER_05 30:45

Since 1935 Lowndes Farm Supply has supported the Greater Columbus Trade Area with products and knowledge for the farm, ranch and garden markets, along with lawn, hunting supplies, outdoor clothing and boots go check them out at 69 Coop Road in Columbus. Zach, I thought that was an incredibly refreshing interview simply because we're talking about an eyesayer as opposed to having a naysayer we've got a lot of naysayers out there and that's nothing new. Like other towns have that as well but but just thinking about Columbus having someone come on here and talk about hey this is happening this is going to happen the next is going to happen. I mean it's got me pumped.

SPEAKER_04 31:27

Yeah uh it's got me pumped up too and I I think there's a lot of possibilities in Columbus and the the thing is for people to people to believe it and and share a little something with you uh my wife and I we we like to go off to Huntsville uh every once in a while we really like that town but something that I noticed there especially this last time we went to a hockey game the Huntsville Havoc it's a semi professional independent hockey team that plays in a 7,000 uh seat arena so sixty two hundred people were there saturday night that team's five hundred like they're just they're just an okay hockey team but but sixty hundred people show up bec to a random game for to watch a 500 uh hockey team play one that's not even five hundred and they lose you know what that is but it's theirs.

SPEAKER_05 32:22

They show up because it's theirs.

Pride, Buy-In, And Showing Up

SPEAKER_04 32:24

They're taking pride in their town right talking to the people you know whether it was the Uber drivers or the folks around there there's a lot of the same personality in Huntsville that there is in Columbus. One of the things that I think has been one of Columbus's greatest assets uh since I have been around here is that Columbus is very honest about itself. Like it knows. Columbus knows. We've got knives. Yeah but that could be as much of a uh of a detriment if it doesn't follow with the pride like follow with the optimism that yeah we can have a vision for Franklin Academy. We can have a vision for the magnolia bowl to where it doesn't you know just sit there and decay. We can have a vision for especially now that it's sitting across those places are sitting across the street from one of the most significant private developments in this town in decades. We can go uh to Woody's to the new Woodies on the water whatever go the whatever the name of the place goes in there we can eat steak we can eat shrimp we can show up for our stuff and we can you know we can be the 3500 person at the amphitheater that the fire marshal has to turn away like we can be those people and show up for our stuff and take ownership of those things and get behind people who have the vision for instead of somebody's got a good idea for Franklin let's hear them out instead of going well that'll never work.

SPEAKER_05 33:53

I think it'll happen I think it'll have think about the Columbus River walk think about how much hell Jeffrey Rupp caught about the expenditure out there.

SPEAKER_04 34:03

And now look at how many people are out there just enjoying it and enjoying nature walking it up good things are there's a lot of good things in Columbus and there's a lot better things that could come for Columbus but the people here have to believe in it and they have to show up for it instead of just lament that it isn't what it used to be or something else closed.

SPEAKER_05 34:25

And not be so afraid of the bulldozer.

SPEAKER_04 34:27

Yeah yeah because the bulldozer brings progress sometimes well what are three things I need to know today number one the city has we we talked about this already but the city has sold the former Woody's own the water property at the Columbus Marina for$100,000. The buyer DJ Mantooth plans on using the property for a high-end steakhouse and seafood joint overlooking the waterway since being built in 2001 that property has housed a number of restaurants including Woody's which closed in 2009. So this is bringing life back to uh something that's that's been shuttered for a while.

SPEAKER_05 35:05

There was an explosion of joy once that hit the internet I mean it went all over the place and so that's we're gonna talk about that more I have a but if you don't go and eat there don't be surprised if it closes.

SPEAKER_04 35:18

You've got to support the things that you want to be in your community. Number two, graduation rates are up and high school dropout rates are down across the Golden Triangle since 2020 according to information released last week by the Mississippi Department of Education. However all public school districts in our region aside from Lowndes County and MSMS are still underperforming the state average in those metrics.

SPEAKER_05 35:43

But the state average is actually pretty good compared to the national average like Mississippi's been rocking and rolling I would say I mean yeah I mean a 90% graduation rate is the is the state average.

SPEAKER_04 35:54

The uh our area school districts are in the high 80s for the most part. I think Columbus is in the low 80s but 93 for for Lowndes County. That's correct.

Three Things To Know Today

SPEAKER_05 36:04

And of course 99.1 for MSMS but go figure I mean well and it's another reason we need to keep it right and I I got to tell you I was just reading about that thinking about I'm glad that was in the paper. We got to talk to our kids okay this is this is maybe cliche maybe we say it a lot we got to talk to our kids about no good thing can come out of you dropping out of high school. Right. We need to have that 100% across the board.

SPEAKER_04 36:35

Number three the cause of a fire that devastated the Possumtown Farms dispensary Sunday is still under investigation. Business located on Highway 45 near the Air Force base reported losing half a million dollars worth of equipment and merchandise in the blaze. No one was inside at the time no one was injured and nobody from what I understand got a major contact eye.

Closing And Contact

SPEAKER_05 36:59

Yeah and and that that's your joke for the day and I'm glad that you told it I re I like it when you tell jokes. Yeah. And I I'll tell you this if you run a dispensary it's just gonna be par for the course that when things happen people are going to make jokes about it. They're gonna talk about the City of Columbus police department was on the scene making sure no one got too close. You know those those types of comments. But we but we are thinking about them and we do want to think about and you've got the other ones that say why are y'all so cruel we've got these people that have experienced a loss there's also that as you say so absolutely and we hope that they have a speedy recovery and get back up and running as soon as possible. All right thanks to all of you for joining us today and and thank you for talking up our hometown helping to make things a better place one business choice at a time one food choice at a time one outing at a time reach out to us tips at cdispatch.com you can also follow me on Facebook or X at Dchishm double zero leave a public comment keeping it real here in Catfish Alley in historic downtown Columbus your host has been Zach Plair and I am Dave Chisholm y'all stay friendly I'm just a simple old country boy but um I think that makes sense I've stepped out and I've said what I had to say you've been listening to Between the headlines with Zach and David that's what old people do this is Peter Imes, publisher of The Dispatch.

SPEAKER_00 38:36

One of our hosts of Between the headlines is the managing editor of our newsroom typically we try to keep news and opinion separate but reporters have a unique insight into the workings of local government and their analysis can be helpful for readers and listeners. The dispatch remains committed to journalistic integrity and our reporting will always reflect that.