THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022
137TH YEAR | ISSUE 17
Rise of Oktibbeha County's population necessitates new court lot of the issues that are out there, it should help to expedite and get things done in a more efficient manner," Roberson said. According to Rook, Mississippi State University students will not be largely impacted by the addition because he said students often commit misdemeanors, not felonies. "Justice court and municipal court primarily deal with misdemeanor cases. They do have the authority to begin felony cases, but they do not have the jurisdiction to finish felony cases, so felony cases are finished in circuit court," Rook said. COURT, 2
PAYTON BROWN STAFF WRITER
Oktibbeha County's population has exceeded 50,000 residents, which means it now requires the establishment of a county court. Circuit court clerk Tony Rook said the county court would simultaneously work between the lower courts and circuit courts to handle civil cases over $3,500 and would hold jurisdiction over the juvenile court. "Obviously, you have to have a judge as well, and that judge will be elected this November. We have three candidates
Courtesy Photo | Oktibbeha County
Clerk of the Circuit Court Tony Rook.
running: Charles Bruce Brown, Lee Ann Turner and Marty Haug. Those are the three individuals currently qualified to run," Rook said. Rob Roberson,
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The Oktibbeha County Courthouse is located on Main Street in Starkville. The new court will work with the lower and circuit courts.
Oktibbeha County attorney, similarly believes the county court will relieve pressure on
the circuit court. "The county court will have a little bit more allowance for civil cases
to be done while your circuit court may only be able to get you in to have a trial a year out. Due to a
CBD and hemp store opens Friday Starkville, MSU are recognized Garrett is Eboni Dela- in's story and talking with as Tree City, Tree Campus USA ney's mother and all other CBD users motiHEATHER HARRISON NEWS EDITOR
A new CBD and hemp store is coming to Starkville and opening on Friday. Eboni and Quentin Delaney and Doris Garrett are the owners of Hemp World on Highway 12. The store will sell CBD gummies, vape cartridges, pain and roll creams, pre-rolls and CBD flowers. A family business through and through, the Delaneys are married,
share ownership of Hemp World. The CBD store has two other locations in Pearl and Jackson that Quentin Delaney's cousins own. His cousins asked the Delaneys and Garrett to partner with them to open another store in north Mississippi. Eboni Delaney said her husband's cousin opened the first Hemp World because she used CBD, and it helped improve her health conditions. Delaney said hearing the cous-
vated her to partner with her family to open another location. "Just learning from her and hearing her story and having that type of support and knowledge to get into an industry that's pretty hard to get into, we just couldn't pass up the opportunity," Eboni Delaney said. While Eboni Delaney has not owned a CBD store before, she sold clothing on Etsy and had a real estate license in Fort Worth, TX. CBD, 2
Courtesy Photo | Eboni Delaney
Hemp World will offer CBD vape cartridges, pain creams, pre-rolls, gummies and CBD flower. Pictured are the 1000 mg gummies.
BRONWEN MADDOX STAFF WRITER
The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Mississippi State University as a registered Tree Campus USA for the past nine years and the City of Starkville as a Tree City USA for the last six years. There are four requirements for a city trying to obtain Tree City USA status. The city must create and maintain a tree board or department, have a community tree ordinance, spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrate Arbor Day. Cities must submit an application every year for an area to maintain this status. Mississippi's Arbor Day is traditionally the second Friday of February every year. In 2022, this fell on Feb. 11. MSU celebrated by planting trees with the Partnership Middle School hosted by MSU
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A magnolia tree is beginning to bloom outside of an engineering building on campus.
Tree Campus Higher Education Advisory Committee, the Partnership Middle School and the university's campus landscape services. In Mississippi, 22 communities have Tree City USA designations, and four universities have Tree Campus USA designations. Misty Booth, urban and community forestry
coordinator of the Mississippi Forestry Commission, often works as a liaison with the Arbor Day Foundation. She noted the similarities between Tree City and Tree Campus recognitions. "They are two separate recognition programs, but they do complement each other," Booth said. TREES, 2
From 70 cent rooms to 2022: Hotel Chester has stories to tell TAYLOR STIGALL
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
In August 1924, the construction of what would be known as the Hotel Chester began. In April 1925, the hotel opened its doors to the public. There were 35 rooms available on Hotel Chester’s opening day, which remains the same today. With rates ranging from $0.70 to $1.05, the rooms had three washroom options: no bathroom, a shared bathroom between two rooms or a private bath. Throughout Hotel Chester’s 97-year-long history, it has seen many changes: in ownership, name and the condition of the washrooms. Despite the many modifications
Courtesy Photo | Hotel Chester
Hotel Chester has been in business in Starkville for nearly a century. Pictured is what the hotel looked like in the 1930s.
over the years, Hotel Chester has managed to keep its original soul alive. In the early 1940s, Hotel Chester was renamed Stark Hotel. Stark Hotel would operate until the 70s when it ran out of
business. Over the next few decades, the hotel had several different owners attempting to turn the business around. In 1999, David and Sukie Mollendor bought the hotel and reopened it with the original Hotel Chester
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name. They were the first steady owners to operate Hotel Chester in decades. “When I bought the hotel in 1999, it was closed and in pretty bad shape,” David Mollendor said. “My interest was not to
FORECAST: We made it through the rainy, gloomy days, Bulldogs! Now we can enjoy a few sunny and pleasant days in Starkville. Highs will reach the 70s throughout the week, and lows will be in the 40s and 50s. The weekend is looking to be cloudy with some sun peaking through. Enjoy the sunshine before the rain comes back next week.
Courtesy of The Weather Channel
create something new, but to restore it rather than renovate it. So, I spent two and a half years to restore it as best I could.” David Mollendor said he had to fix the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. The owner said all of the changes were necessary for the business to grow once it opened. “It would take another 10 years to get it to a place I knew it could serve our customers reliably due to little things in maintenance that were done incorrectly in around the 80s. So, that brings us to where we are today,” David Mollendor said. Since the Mollendors took over in 1999, Hotel Chester
has blossomed into a main attraction of Starkville. With rooms for students, parents and sightseers alike, Hotel Chester puts guests in the heart of Starkville, with restaurants and activities just a short walk away. Anne Colbert Barret worked as the head chef of Hotel Chester in the mid-2000s and said she has fond memories from the experience. “It just had so much character because we had so many events like wedding receptions, and lots of fraternities and sororities would have their formals there,” Barret said. The former head chef said Hotel Chester was a hot spot during football weekends. HOTEL, 2
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