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This week's Between the Headlines dives deep into Columbus' mayoral race following Tuesday's forum at Nissan Auditorium, where surprising performances may have shifted some voters' perspectives—though perhaps not enough to change the expected outcome.

Dispatch managing editor Zack Plair and co-host David Chism analyze each candidate's performance, with Plair declaring Darren Leach the clear winner of the night. "If anybody picked up votes Tuesday, it was Darren Leach," Plair notes, praising Leach's articulation of his vision while wondering where "this version of Darren" had been throughout the campaign. Despite the strong showing, Plair suggests it may be "too little, too late" to overcome Stephen Jones' substantial lead.

The discussion turns surprisingly heated when addressing Bill Strauss' answer about racial division in Columbus, revealing fundamentally different viewpoints between the hosts. This tension carries into the second segment featuring local media personality Rick "Don't Go" Mason (Dr. Reginald Taylor), who shares his 32-year journey through Mississippi media before engaging in a frank conversation about race relations in Columbus. The resulting exchange offers listeners rare insight into how differently community members perceive and experience racial dynamics within the "Friendly City."

Mason brings both entertainment and thoughtful perspective, emphasizing the power of positive speech in transforming communities while declining to pick favorites in the mayoral race. His observations about local politics—combined with the hosts' analysis of campaign strategies—create a comprehensive picture of Columbus's political landscape just days before the election.

Whether you're deeply invested in local politics or simply curious about the personalities shaping Columbus's future, this episode provides both entertainment and substance as we approach a pivotal moment for the city's leadership.

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Candidates for Ward 5, Mary Beth Jeter and Gary Jefferson, share their visions for Columbus while discussing crime, youth programs, and rejuvenating the city's image. The hosts also dive into the controversial naming process for the Columbus Fossil Park.

• Crime concerns in the city, with differing perspectives on whether enforcement or community building is the primary solution
• Jeter advocates for enforcing the juvenile curfew and increasing police presence
• Jefferson emphasizes that crime statistics show improvement while focusing on community engagement
• Candidates discuss positive developments in Columbus, with Jeter highlighting downtown growth and Jefferson naming local businesses in Ward 5
• Both agree on the importance of youth programs but differ on implementation approaches
• The hosts examine the Columbus Fossil Park naming controversy and broader policy implications
• Discussion about when and how public facilities should be named after individuals

Tips, questions, and comments welcome at tips@cdispatch.com.

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Pierre Beard and Bobby Johnson, candidates for Columbus Ward 4, square off in a heated debate about the ward's present condition and future direction. The incumbent Beard defends his record of progress while challenger Johnson paints a bleaker picture of a neglected area needing new leadership.

• Beard is asked about his brushes with the law and draws a distinction between his personal life and his record on the council.
• Beard pushes back on suggestions Ward 4 is in worse shape than other wards while Johnson agrees it is a "warzone."
• Both agree on the need for better youth intervention programs to address crime
• Columbus Police Department staffing has improved but remains below capacity at 49 officers out of 55 budgeted positions
• Debate reveals stark contrasts in candidates' views of the city's administration effectiveness
• Johnson advocates for making CPD officers the highest paid in the Golden Triangle
• Beard emphasizes his independence from party affiliation as a strength

The election will be held on June 3, and voters can also attend the upcoming mayoral forum on May 27 at 6pm.

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The Columbus city council debates sending a lame-duck councilman on an expensive trip to Washington DC while a hostile work environment complaint against the mayor surfaces and local nonprofit organizations struggle with federal funding cuts.

• Columbus City Councilman Mickens plans to join a Washington DC lobbying trip despite his term ending June 30
• A formal complaint filed by a city employee alleges Mayor Gaskin created a hostile work environment but the two have since mended their professional relationship
• The former First Baptist Church rezoning request faces odd questions from city leadership
• United Way of the Golden Triangle serves seven counties but faces significant challenges with federal funding cuts
• The Community Benefit Committee maintains 30 food pantries across Lowndes County that require refilling twice weekly

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Pastor Darren Leach, independent mayoral candidate endorsed by incumbent Mayor Keith Gaskin, shares his vision for implementing data-driven management and transparent metrics for Columbus city departments. Through his unique combination of engineering expertise and community service experience, Leach aims to rebuild neighborhoods while fostering unity among city leadership.

• Creating clear performance indicators for all city departments to ensure accountability and transparency
• Approaching infrastructure challenges with systematic analysis rather than quick fixes
• Building consensus through open communication with council members before presenting ideas
• Redeveloping the Kerr-McGee site through public-private partnerships while preventing gentrification
• Bringing nonprofit experience of "making bricks without straw" to city government
• Differentiating from Mayor Gaskin through more active communication while maintaining similar goals

This episode also features Barbara Bigelow and Amber Brislin discussing the upcoming Market Street Festival, highlighting changes to this year's layout while maintaining all the traditional festival elements.

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Robert Smith, former Columbus mayor and current president of the Columbus Municipal School District, offers insights on local education, environmental concerns, and city politics while reflecting on his own leadership philosophy.

• CMSD faces another superintendent search after Dr. Ellis' unexpected resignation
• The district has improved to a B rating but continues struggling with declining enrollment, dropping from 5,100 to around 3,000 students
• Franklin Academy's future remains undecided though local businessmen have expressed interest in redevelopment
• The R.E. Hunt renovation is nearly complete with a grand opening planned for July
• How Smith navigated Columbus' weak-mayor, strong-council government system
• Robert Smith discusses his relationships with Leroy Brooks and his mayoral endorsement of Stephen Jones
• Smith's thoughts on his legacy

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Columbus residents are expressing outrage over a $14,300 concrete barrier installed on Military Road, designed as a traffic-calming "chicane" that has become a flashpoint for debate about public safety and infrastructure spending. Meanwhile, Link CEO Joe Max Higgins takes the mall owners to task for their failure to fulfill tax incentive obligations for Columbus Place development.

• Bill Strauss discusses his mayoral platform and strategies for addressing neighborhood blight
• Columbus currently falling behind on projected sales tax revenue while Starkville shows 10% growth
• Concerns about respectful dialogue between Columbus City Council members as elections approach

Remember to vote on June 3rd! Your participation matters in determining the future of Columbus leadership.

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Columbus's streets transformed into rivers this past weekend, with some residents requiring boat evacuations from their homes—a stark reminder of the city's ongoing drainage crisis. But as local officials reveal in this eye-opening episode, this flooding disaster might have been preventable.

Mayor Keith Gaskin pulls no punches as he details how Columbus left millions in potential watershed funding on the table. While the city secured $6 million (including matching funds) for drainage projects, they could have leveraged their entire ARPA allocation for $11.6 million. Even more staggering, had the city and county collaborated as encouraged by the Lieutenant Governor, the community could have secured a transformative $34 million for comprehensive watershed improvements.

City Engineer Kevin Stafford provides crucial technical context about Columbus's unique geographic challenges, explaining how the city functions like a bowl between two rivers. Using detailed watershed maps, he illustrates how the Luxapalila Creek's massive drainage basin—covering an area 1.5 times larger than Lowndes County—creates conditions where water literally flows backward into certain neighborhoods during heavy rains.

Zack and David analyze the political dimensions of infrastructure decisions, prompting Zack to invoke his father's wisdom: "The guilty dog always barks the most and the loudest."

The guys also laugh about an April Fools joke played on the city by the area's preeminent historian.

Subscribe, share your thoughts, or send us your flooding stories at tips@cdispatch.com.