Taylor qualifies for House District 38 race
Executive Director of the Brickfire Project Cheikh Taylor officially qualified to run for the Mississippi House District 38 seat on Friday. The seat was vacated by Rep. Tyrone Ellis, D-Starkville, when he retired in June.
The other candidates that have qualified to run are former Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn and Starkville native and business owner Narissa Bradford.
Because of the special election being held on Nov. 7, Taylor and all other candidates on the ballot will run as independents.
Taylor told the SDN even though this became a perfect opportunity for him to run, he definitely has “huge shoes” to fill.
Taylor said whenever there is a change in leadership, people become a little apprehensive about the next person to take the job, but he will take notes from Ellis' tenure.
“Part of what I'll be doing is making sure that I continue and honor the legacy of Mr. Ellis,” Taylor said.
Taylor's main platforms will focus on education, economic development and affordable housing.
With Taylor's role at the Brickfire Project, he said his involvement within the community by creating partnerships with institutions like MSU, EMCC and Starkville Housing Authority will set him apart from the other candidates.
Taylor emphasized that he is not the type of person who will just sit behind a desk, but a person who is willing to roll up his sleeves and work with the people in the state of Mississippi.
“Winning this position will mean that I can continue the work that I've always done but also do it on a state platform,” Taylor said.
BY SARAH RAINES life@starkvilledailynews.com
Friday was the first half of a two-day Home, Lawn and Garden Sale created by the National Association of Retired Federal Employees to benefit the Alzheimer's Association, and people trickled in and out of the Starkville Sportsplex to browse tables of new and lightly used merchandise.
The sale will be open again on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Previous to this year, NARFE has held events downtown to sell and raise money for Alzheimer's research. In October 2016 the group held a sale outside of Cadence Bank and then used the goods left over to create a silent auction that took place inside the bank. This year, Treasurer Everlyn Johnson organized a sale at the Sportsplex, a venue where more vendors could come in and set up tables to sell goods.
Johnson said she had been to a sale in the Sportsplex years before and it inspired the Home, Lawn and Garden Sale. They set the date for the first weekend of August and invited vendors to set up alongside the NARFE and sell their own goods.
On Friday, Johnson was selling fabrics across the floor from the NARFE, who had an array of goods from china to yard decor. Zeta Phi Beta
Sorority, Incorporated, Youth Group sold food to raise money for their group.
NARFE members Larry Doolittle and Myles Carpenter were manning the booth for the early afternoon.
"This is all donated from individuals and from a couple of businesses," Doolittle said. "Alzheimer's is the primary charity the NARFE supports."
Some businesses that donated goods include the Oktibbeha County Co-op, Jeweler's Bench, family of the late Thelma Williams, Vin and Lin's Glass Crafts and Bell Building Supply.