No More Naked Interviews PLUS We Talk With BankFirst's CEO

Starkville Gives Notice to the LINK PLUS We Talk Downtown Development

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449287/fan_mail/new] Oktibbeha County has given a two year notice to the Golden Triangle Development LINK. The guys discuss what that means for the region’s economic development recruiter and the strengths of being able to market the entire region. After that the guys briefly discuss a viral video with local ties. When you have a child of the opposite sex, what bathroom do you take them in? We discuss the video, the fallout and the laws around that decision-making. Finally, the developer and contractor behind the former First Baptist Church join us in the studio to discuss the apartments that are nearing completion in that building. Chris Chain discusses downtown development and why Columbus is the envy of every other city in the state.

You Don’t Take the Ball Away from Michael Jordan

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449287/fan_mail/new] Zack and David have breaking news with this episode as the city's grant-writer Susan Wilder has submitted her letter of resignation. Wilder, who has spearheaded the city's fossil park, the Alva Temple Museum and other projects, cited a toxic work environment in her letter. The guys discuss how the city can expect to hire top notch talent if it hamstrings its top players. After that, the guys preview a Friday meeting between the city and county. Each likely owes the other money, but they have been at a stalemate in terms of collecting. Who's right and who's wrong? Then the discussion turns to whether it's appropriate for the city to be sponsoring religious events on city property.

Contracts, Crime and Critters

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449287/fan_mail/new] A contract gets signed, a check gets cut, the city council approves the check without questioning it. There's enough embarrassment to go around with this one. We walk through the story in which a grant-funded documentary tied to the planned airport museum honoring Tuskegee Airman Alva Temple suddenly becomes a case study in municipal oversight, public funds and who is responsible when procedures break down. From there, we change gears to two issues people feel every day. On violent crime, we talk about why community policing cannot be a one-way street, why fear keeps witnesses quiet, and why programs only help if families actually use them. On animal control, we explain the city-county-Humane Society interlocal setup, what is changing, and what residents should know about roaming dogs, liability, and emergency calls for aggressive animals.

No More Naked Interviews PLUS We Talk With BankFirst's CEO

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449287/fan_mail/new] Brand-new Mississippi State sports reporter Jake McMahon moves to Starkville, checks a score while unloading a U-Haul, and suddenly ends up on a midnight roadtrip to Oklahoma City to cover the Women’s College World Series. That’s where we start, because it says a lot about college athletics right now: chaos, speed, and the kind of joy that still breaks through when a team catches fire. Zack is on vacation this week so Dispatch columnist Slim Smith joins David and Jake to discuss how sports journalism has changed as access gets tighter and why the best work still comes from writers who avoid the herd, show up early, and paint a scene.  David and Slim then turn to a local headline that surprised us: a Bitcoin mining operation in Columbus, running thousands of machines and drawing megawatts of power, raising real questions about the grid, rates, and what crypto “value” even means. We close with Moak Griffin, CEO of BankFirst, on what community banking looks like after 138 years, why their Columbus headquarters and training campus matter, and how to protect yourself from fraud.

Chief Daughtry on Youth Violence and the Woody's Waiting Game

Got a question or a tip? Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449287/fan_mail/new] A $100,000 offer, a building that’s been closed for 17 years, and a buyer who suddenly goes quiet. We start with the latest snag in the Woody’s on the Water saga and ask the uncomfortable questions. We also talk about the tradeoff nobody wants to ignore, because development on the lake can bring jobs and activity, but it can also change wetlands and shoreline land for good. Then Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtery joins us in studio to explain what he’s seeing on the streets, why youth conflicts are escalating, and how social media turns petty disputes into real violence. He gets specific about how guns end up in the wrong hands, including thefts from unlocked cars, firearms left in plain view, and straw purchases that federal partners are increasingly tracking.