CCVB Employs Lengthy Closed Determination

The Columbus-Lowndes County Convention & Visitors Bureau board of directors held their monthly meeting on Monday, Nov. 19, and, immediately after calling the meeting to order, entered into “closed determination” to decide whether an executive session was warranted. Board member Bernard Buckhalter called for the closed determination to discuss what he said was a personnel […]

Real Story Profile: Nancy Carpenter

It’s no secret that the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau board of directors meetings have been rife with contention, but what most plagues CCVB operations are misperceptions of the agency and its operations, said CCVB Executive Director Nancy Carpenter. “It’s usually during board meetings,” Carpenter said of fighting among board members. “I think a lot […]

2012 Mississippi State Championship/B.A.S.S. Federation Nation’s National Championship Qualifier To Be Held Oct. 19-20

The Mississippi B.A.S.S. Federation Nation and the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau will hold the 2012 Mississippi State Championship/B.A.S.S. Federation Nation’s National Championship Qualifier on Columbus Lake, October 19-20, 2012. The tournament will be preceded by two days of practice fishing on Columbus Lake, the Mississippi B.A.S.S. Clubs’ Presidents meeting and an Angler’s Banquet. Weigh-in […]

The CCVB Brand…It’s More Than Just A Logo

Branding is important.  From Coca-Cola, to McDonald’s to Wal-Mart or any other major corporation, the brand or logo becomes synonymous with their product or services.  Without the proper branding, many of your favorite items or eateries would not have flourished to become the successful entities that they are today. So, it should have come as […]

Déjà vu All Over Again: The August 20, 2012 CCVB Board Meeting

  Let’s establish this from the beginning: this is not a previously published article describing what occurred at some long-past meeting of the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors. It would be better for all us if it were. As tempting as it might be to simply re-print an old article, this account […]

A Few Surprises at Columbus City Council Meeting

The shell game. Even if you’ve never witnessed it in person, you have probably seen it portrayed on TV or in the theatre. It involves, for example, three cups and a ball. The overturned cups are moved back and forth, to and fro – with the ball being underneath one of them. The problem is […]

Monday Morning Water Cooler Talk for August 6, 2012

A Break in the Action – It’s a Mid-Summer Night’s Dream (Maybe) News always runs in cycles and, for the most part, every daily or weekly paper has to deal with the fact that not all news cycles are created equal. It is the media’s job to report the latest breaking events and tell the […]

George Swales Resigns From CCVB Board

As we reported earlier, George Swales has submitted his resignation as a member of the board of directors of Columbus Lowndes Convention & Visitors Bureau. Swales hand-delivered his two-sentence letter of resignation (a copy of which appears below) to the Board of Supervisors offices this morning.   When contacted at his residence, Swales was tight-lipped […]

Update: Supervisors React to Swales Resignation from CCVB Board

As we reported earlier, George Swales has submitted his resignation as a member of the board of directors of Columbus Lowndes Convention & Visitors Bureau. Swales hand-delivered his two-sentence letter of resignation (a copy of which appears below) to the Board of Supervisors offices this morning. When contacted at his residence, Swales was tight-lipped about […]

Breaking News: George Swales Resigns From CCVB Board

We have learned that George Swales, a member of the board of directors of the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau, has resigned his position, effective August 15, 2012. Swales served as the CCVB’s board president, until he was succeeded by DeWitt Hicks at the board’s July 16 meeting. We will provide additional details, as they […]

Monday Morning Water Cooler Talk for July 16, 2012

Around and Around We Go…AGAIN! You can’t fix stupid– Ron White The problem with the arrogant is that they never grasp the concept that everyone knows that they are foolish. Their view of themselves is so grandiose, that they strut in public like proud peacocks, when, in reality, the world sees them like the poor […]

Monday Morning Water Cooler Talk for July 2, 2012

Hot Fun in the Summer Time (The CCVB and CMSD) That’s when I had most of my fun, back high high high high there Them summer days, those summer days— Sly and the Family Stone Summer is here.  The weather is hot and we have all settled in for a calm, enjoyable summertime of love […]

“Ladies & Gentlemen! In This Corner…” – The June 18, 2012 CCVB Board Meeting

Let’s begin with a multiple-choice question. The June 18, 2012 Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau Board meeting was: a. Embarrassing b. Childish c. Pathetic d. All of the Above Did you pick “d”? You did? Ding! Ding! Ding! You’re a winner! You’ve won two tickets to the next CCVB Board meeting! No, you don’t have […]

A Catch 22—The Latest CCVB Meeting

The May 21, 2012 meeting of the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau (CCVB) was a perfect example of the term, “Catch 22.”  The almost-orderly meeting (by CCVB standards, at least) lasted just 75 minutes and illustrated what real struggles the organization faces.  When the harsh words and accusations are kept to a minimum, then the […]

BFL MS Fishing Tournament Kicks Off TODAY!

Registration for this exciting event is taking place from 4-6pm, in the parking lot of Wal-Mart. The send-off, which, according to tournament organizers, is pretty cool to witness, will be tomorrow (Saturday, April 28th), at the Columbus Marina. Weigh-in is scheduled for 2pm, tomorrow. Officials expect 110-120 boaters to participate. Special to The Real Story

Monday Morning Water Cooler Talk for April 23, 2012

See #5 Today’s lesson, boys and girls, is about meeting etiquette.  As the months have progressed, The Real Story has witnessed Robert’s Rules of Order being bludgeoned, on more than one occasion.  So, here are some simple instructions from the website http://www.robertsrules.org/: Guidelines Obtain the floor (the right to speak) by being the first to […]

The April 16, 2012 CCVB Meeting

The April 16, 2012 Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau (CCVB) Board meeting was smoother than past gatherings, with calm and decorum reigning throughout most of the meeting.  With the exception of a slight flair-up by Bernard Buckhalter over a perceived omission in the minutes of the February Board meeting in regard to budgeting for the […]

At the Week’s End for April 13, 2012

In our special SUN tabloid segment of at the “At the Week’s End,” we will address the importance of not being distracted by what tantalizes our eyes and the necessity of staying focused on the prize of searching for real information.  The most critical thing the citizenry can do is stay informed about their community, […]

When 13 Minutes is Too Long–The April 11, 2012 Specially-Called Meeting CCVB Board Meeting

“…I may make you feel, but I can’t make you think…” – Jethro Tull In what had to be a Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau (CCVB) record, the Board met for 13 minutes to approve additional funding for the upcoming festival season.  Over $26,000 was added to the grant program, which benefits special events that […]

Monday Morning Water Cooler Talk for March 26, 2012

The recent apparent collapse of the City over providing paving to a private business on Gardner Blvd and the antics of the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau (CCVB) are, unfortunately, classic examples of our hard-earned tax dollars at work. If these organizations were to hold their meetings jointly, the result would be a huge savings […]

From the Print Edition: The CCVB – What to Do About the Madness

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared in our March 7, 2012 print edition. The CCVB Board could easily be dismissed as a joke, but, unfortunately, the joke is on us, the tax payers.  Time and time again, their meetings break down into a tragic folly, trapped somewhere between Shakespeare and The Three Stooges.  Anyone viewing […]