Tara Baucom
Reporter
Columbus Arts Council hosted “Silver Wings: A Tribute to Merle Haggard” on Oct. 7 at Rosenzwieg Arts Center.
The tribute concert featured covers of some of Haggard’s most famous hits, including "Silver Wings," "Fighting Side of Me" and "Mama Tried." Jerry Carnatham, lead singer and W alum, was inspired to put together a tribute after Haggard’s death in April of this year.
Lauren Trimm
Reporter
MUW’s Department of Health and Kinesiology hosted three events Oct.4-6 to commemorate Women’s Health Awareness Week and encourage women to live healthier lives.
The events focused on sexual health, heart health and metabolism. Speakers for the events included Dr. Kathrynmay Malone, Dr. Caroline Payne-Purvis, Dr. Hector Dox and Melissa Parsons.
Sumra Hayden
Reporter
The Mississippi Court of Appeals heard oral arguments at The W on Oct. 3 as part of the “Court on the Road” program.
The Court on the Road program allows anyone with an interest in the court system to learn how courts work at the appellate level. Three of the 10 judges in the Mississippi Court of Appeals met at The W to hear an appeal in a civil case and an appeal in a criminal case. The Court of Appeals only deals with cases that have been previously settled in a court of law but have certain facts in dispute.
Briana Rucker
Reporter
Passport to Wellness hosted its second “Barefoot on the Bridge” yoga event on Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. on the Columbus Riverwalk.
The first 20 people in attendance received a free yoga mat. Participants were asked to register online, but were also able to register at the event starting at 5 p.m.
Sumra Hayden
Reporter
The W held its community service fair on Sept. 14 in the W Room to encourage students to volunteer and make a difference in their local community.
Local agencies such as the Greater Columbus Learning Center had informative booths set up for those interested to stop by and learn more about potential volunteer opportunities.
Monica Kizer
Reporter
Mississippi University for Women will honor the first six African-American women who integrated the school 50 years ago with the “Those Who Dared” celebration.
The first African-American women to attend the school were Laverne Greene Leech, Barbara Turner Bankhead, Diane Hardy Thompson, Jacqueline Edwards, Mary Flowers and Eula M. Houser Thompson. Students, faculty and staff are all encouraged to attend the events.
Ryan Savage
Reporter
Five. The clicking of keyboards, telephones ringing and people yelling to each other down a long corridor fill the air. A low roar emits from fans of different computer towers and boards and travels over a group of people rushing around like ants trying to get to different places in the small room full of TV screens and processors. A man yells down the corridor from the lobby about whether or not certain papers were missing. No one in the room answers. They are on a mission.
Four. Papers rustle in hands as people shuffle around and finally get situated in their squeaky rolling chairs. The heavy sound of someone’s boots rushes down the corridor leading to the small room. A woman looks up from her papers, peers down the hallway and then gets up and closes the door. She makes her way back to her chair and puts on a headset. By this point, everyone in the room has on their headsets.
Jessica Barnett
Editor
Mississippi’s Senate passed House Bill 1523, also known as the religious liberty bill, by a vote of 31-17 on March 30.
The bill, formally named the “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act,” allows a person who chooses to allow or deny individuals certain goods and services based on “sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions” to be free from government action or discrimination. H.B. 1523 prevents the state government from taking action against a person or organization for any decisions regarding the following: employment of an individual who expresses different beliefs or convictions; rental, sale or occupancy of a building under the person’s control; services, facilities, recognition and accommodations regarding marriage or the performance of a marriage; providing treatments, counseling or surgeries related to gender identity or reassignment; and access to bathrooms, spas, locker rooms and other sex-specific areas.
