Between the Headlines dives deep into the stories shaping Columbus and Lowndes County, Mississippi. Hosted by The Commercial Dispatch managing editor Zack Plair and local businessman and commentator David Chism, this show goes beyond the front page to bring you the real conversations behind local politics, policies and people. Zack’s journalistic expertise and David’s insight deliver in-depth analysis, spirited debate, and behind-the-scenes context you won’t get anywhere else. It's honest discussion on what matters.
Latest episodes
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54 min
How Should We Be Preparing for Data Centers?
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textThe biggest political visit of the year doesn’t just raise campaign questions, it exposes how a town handles pressure. We walk through a plan…
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59 min
Kamala and Pottery and Data Centers… Oh My!
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textA former vice president coming to Columbus is the kind of headline that makes you stop scrolling, even if you swear you’re tired of politics.…
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33 min
Giving Teeth to Preserving Historic Homes
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textA neglected historic house isn’t just a private problem, especially in a place like Columbus where the town’s identity is tied to its older h…
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1 h 06
Ambushes and Drug Dealers
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textWe break down the latest domino chain in Columbus and Lowndes County politics, starting with shifting ambitions up the ballot and landing on…
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44 min
A Leadership Pipeline Takes Form PLUS Will MSU's Season Lead to an Economic Boom?
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textA single announcement can redraw the whole local map, and that’s exactly where we start. Senator Chuck Younger is eyeing the Northern Distric…
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41 min
Small Town Progress, Clearly Seen, With James Fallows
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textWe’re joined in Catfish Alley Studio by James Fallows, longtime Atlantic journalist, former White House speechwriter, and co-author of “Our T…
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1 h 22
Should Councilmen Host Bingo at the Trotter? Plus, Mario Zorovic's 9/11 Story
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textFree use of a public building sounds like a feel-good headline until you ask the hard questions: Who decides, what’s the policy, and who quie…
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41 min
When Calling Your Boss An Idiot Backfires
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textOne blunt quote can end a long run, even when the résumé looks untouchable. We talk through the stunning shift at East Mississippi Community…
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55 min
Are New Policies Needed to Fix Holes Mickens Exposed?
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textWe walk through what’s known about the city COO's suspension, what a short unpaid suspension usually signals, and why closed-door executive s…
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57 min
MUW Is Ready for a President. Is IHL?
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textMUW is not just picking a new president. MUW is fighting for its existence. We walk through the two names driving local conversation and why…
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47 min
Mickens Indicted for Kickbacks PLUS Columbus Through A Tokyo Lens
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textA corruption headline hits differently when it’s your own town, your own tax base, and the same City Hall you drive past every week. We break…
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1 h 02
A Mall in Limbo and an Owl on the Rise
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textA redeveloped mall can look like progress and still leave everyone asking the same blunt question: where are the tenants? We dig into the lat…
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1 h 03
An Officer, THC Gummies, and a Termination PLUS We Interview the New Police Chief
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textA $58,000 electric golf cart with air conditioning rolls into a city work session and suddenly Columbus has to answer a surprisingly big ques…
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49 min
Live Nation Enters The Amphitheater Conversation
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textThis week on Between the Headlines, Zack and David dig into what’s next for the Columbus Amphitheater, including Live Nation’s advisory role,…
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53 min
New Chief And New Questions
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textA police chief leaves town, council members learn about it on social media, and suddenly Columbus has a new permanent leader at the Columbus…
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1 h 02
Flights, Fights and the Future of the LINK
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textThis week on Between the Headlines, Zack and David return to Catfish Alley Studio with a full slate of City Hall drama, airport questions and…
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43 min
What Body Cam Footage Reveals After A Fatal Traffic Stop
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textA split-second decision during a traffic stop can change a family forever, and that reality hangs over our conversation today. We talk throug…
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54 min
Starkville Gives Notice to the LINK PLUS We Talk Downtown Development
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textOktibbeha County has given a two year notice to the Golden Triangle Development LINK. The guys discuss what that means for the region’s econo…
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50 min
You Don’t Take the Ball Away from Michael Jordan
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textZack and David have breaking news with this episode as the city's grant-writer Susan Wilder has submitted her letter of resignation. Wilder,…
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40 min
Contracts, Crime and Critters
Got a question or a tip? Send us a textA contract gets signed, a check gets cut, the city council approves the check without questioning it. There's enough embarrassment to go arou…