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By Jessica Breazeale The Wesson Public Library and Wesson Friends of the Library kept young readers busy throughout July with a lineup of hands-on programs as part of this year's Summer Reading Program, "Unearth a Story." The month kicked off July 9 with a paleontology presentation that drew more than sixty attendees. The program was led by Sabrina Cummings, M.S., C.I.G., a conservation biologist and outreach educator with the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, who shared insights into fossils, prehistoric life and the science behind paleontology. On July 16, the Mississippi Highway Patrol Mounted Patrol brought an educational program — and four-legged guests — to the library. Participating troopers included MHP Trooper First Class Nigel Williams, MHP Trooper Master Sergeant Stargell Catchings, CTED Staff Sergeant Joshua Robertson and MHP Trooper Kimberly Echols, who were joined by Quarter Horses Tank and Delta and a pony named Elvis. Children, parents and members of the Wesson Friends of the Library turned out to welcome the group. Beyond the presentation, young readers got the chance to sit on and pet the horses, with Trooper Echols and Elvis proving to be a special hit among the children. On another day during the program, Library Assistant Anita Schmidt helped Summer Reading Program participants check out more than 125 library books. The enthusiastic readers left with a fresh stack of titles to carry them through the rest of their summer reading adventures. The Summer Reading Program closed out with a special Awards Day celebratuon honoring contest winners and celebrating America's upcoming 250th birthday. "George and Martha Washington" made an appearance at the library, greeting children and posing for photos amid patriotic decorations, before the celebration continued with treats provided by the Wesson Friends of the Library. Contest winners received gifts that included items such as restaurant gift cards, rocket building kits, book bags and books. Participants could choose to compete as an independent or family reader. The Wesson Public Library's Summer Reading Program is presented annually by the library and the Wesson Friends of the Library, offering local children a summer full of books, learning and community events.

Digital transformation, predictive analytics, and other such terms are no longer just a theory. Especially in the field of HR, they have brought a great revolution. HR teams no longer rely on manual, paper-heavy procedures. Automation has spread across all industries including HR. AI-based HR is a big reality today. HR professionals now need to be technically fluent to keep pace with these changes. Whether it is a performance management software, a learning management system, or an applicant tracking system, AI is embedded in it. For resume screening, AI is being used extensively. Also, for other crucial tasks such as making employee-related predictions through predictive analytics, AI has its use. It is clear that upskilling is necessary for HR professionals. That is possible by pursuing and acquiring tech-integrated HR certifications. Essential Technical Skills You Need to Master Today Generative AI and Practical Prompt Engineering: HR professionals must have knowledge of the use of generative AI tools including large language models. Smartly generate prompts to prepare job descriptions, employee handbooks, and interview frameworks. Gain mastery over prompt frameworks. Talent Acquisition Automation and Sourcing: Candidate pool can be expanded and time-to-hire shortened using automated pre-screening tools, semantic resume parsers, and AI-driven sourcing engines. It is necessary for HR professionals to learn these systems and programs. People Analytics and Predictive Modeling: Understanding, analyzing, and presenting numerical HR data effectively is a key requirement to excel as an HR professional. All modern HR certifications focus on developing what is called quantitative literacy. When an HR leader has a strong grip over numbers, it is easier to optimize budget allocation and organizational design. Ethics, Compliance, and Algorithmic Governance: Even with AI deployment, it is crucial to ensure and sustain regulatory compliance at all times. HR professionals and leaders must be able to identify biased algorithms and avoid issues like data breaches. Tech-integrated HR certifications will help you in developing all these skills. Level Up Your Career with HRAcademia CAIHRP® Certification The Certified AI-Powered HR Professional certification is offered by HRAcademia, offering gold-standard HR certificates. All certifications provided by this platform are accredited by US based organization. There are 12 modules, 36 lectures, and 1 quiz in CAIHRP certification program. The duration is 26 weeks. Professionals working in any domain of HR can enroll and benefit from this certification program. The biggest advantage is that the whole process from enrollment till acquisition of certification is online. The CAIHRP (Certified AI-Powered HR Professional) certification will enhance your knowledge of key AI concepts and application in HR including generative AI tools for HR professionals, AI-powered recruitment & talent acquisition, people analytics and HR data intelligence, AI strategy for HR leaders, and AI-driven employee experience. In short, it is a very comprehensive and might be the only HR certification course designed to make HR professionals efficient in deploying AI within their workspaces. The certificate will cost you $395 and there is an option to pay in 4 interest-free installments. Master AI Tools with the AIHR Certificates Artificial Intelligence for HR Certificate Program is designed and offered by AIHR. Artificial Intelligence for HR is an online self-paced certification program with 32.5 hours of learning, 17 modules, and 20 hands-on projects. In this course, you will learn how to enhance HR practices with generative AI. Building AI agents for HR and designing AI strategy for HR is also covered in this program. You will also learn about AI ethics, data privacy, and security. AIHR is offering this certificate program, 12 months access to learning resources, expert community and support, and 30-day money-back guarantee for $1,125. Along with theory, there are templates, resources, and practical exercises for easier and practical understanding of key AI concepts in HR. The training platform provides all required materials so there is no need of any special software tools. Lead Enterprise Transformation with the SHRM AI Credential The SHRM AI in HR Professional Certificate Program is another option in this regard. Although the course material seems a bit outdated and more inclined towards traditional HR, It is also recognized internationally. The program focuses on teaching learners about the effective implementation of AI tools in real HR scenarios. Learners are also required to complete a capstone project to prove practical fluency. You will also need to maintain 70% attendance. In this course, you will learn about digital transformation in HR. Prompt engineering for real HR tasks using GenAI tools is also a part of this course. Additionally, if you want to acquire proficiency in using AI-first and human-centered design principles to redesign HR workflows, this course is the right fit for you. How to use AI ethically and responsibly will also be taught and discussed during this course. So if you want to develop yourself as an AI-ready HR professional, spend 6-8 weeks on this professional certificate program and prepare yourself for AI-based HR. Break into Tech HR Easily Using the Coursera Specialization There is a 3-course series on Coursera namely Introduction to AI for HR professionals (7 hours duration), Practical AI and prompting for HR professionals (10 hours duration), and AI agents and creator tools for HR professionals (4 hours duration). It is being offered by AI Business School. The AI for HR Specialization will build your AI awareness and enhance your skills in implementing AI tools in daily HR workflows. In order to acquire and refine knowledge of AI enablement, generative AI agents, AI personalization, LLM application, personalized campaigns, and prompt engineering tools, the AI for HR Specialization is a good option. There are hands-on projects included in this certification program. No prior technical expertise is required. Any HR professional can enroll in this learning program. After completing this comprehensive 3-course series, one can hope to expertly lead AI-driven transformation in HR. Launching Your First AI Pilot Project in the Workplace Once any tech-integrated HR certification has been obtained, you must readily apply your learning. You can start with an AI pilot project. Identify any cumbersome, manual HR process in your company and automate it using artificial intelligence. For example, job descriptions might be outdated. Use AI writing assistant to update them. By gaining initial success and presenting measurable positive outcomes to the senior leadership, you can gain approval and confidence to pursue large AI projects in the company.

By Misty Strieff Prine “Sometimes walking away has nothing to do with weakness, and everything to do with strength.” – Unknown. The thought of walking away from something, in my mind, used to always mean defeat. I have struggled with many decisions in my life that ultimately took far too long to make and got even more hurt in the process, just because I didn’t want to look as though I was giving up without a fight. Have you ever been in this same predicament? Well, let me tell you something that I have learned because God opened my eyes through a situation just like this and I learned walking away, as hard as it was, was the best decision for me in my ministry field. I’m here today to tell you what I personally learned from walking away. I experienced unimaginable strength mixed with copious amounts of joy that I had longed for, for way too long. Walking away from something that weighs you down, keeps you upset, drains near about every drop of joy from your life and makes you have the mindset, in my case, to get out of the ministry field all together, is FAR from a sign of weakness y’all, it’s pure strength. You must make sure to do what is best for you, both mentally and spiritually, and for your family’s sake. But before you do, and before you deal with it for far too long as I did, pray fervently about it. Get your prayer warriors involved. Being a doormat feels awful and your life ends up negatively affected when you’re treated unkindly for so long. Do what’s best for you and your mental health and well-being. When you feel too weak to walk away, pray about it and ask God to give you the strength to walk away from that which continually brings you down. When God is ready to give you your answer, you WILL know because His timing will be PERFECT. That literally was the case for my situation. I knew it was nothing but a God thing. You have to take care of yourself. If it keeps you upset, it’s time to step away for a while. When you do, your load becomes instantly lighter. Trust me, I know. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Let go of that which holds you back from being the Christian God has called you to be. He needs you in the ministry field. He needs your head clear. He needs you on a mission!

Special to Wesson News The Co-Lin Foundation recently celebrated raising $2 million in revenue for the first time in its history at their July board meeting. Pictured are Foundation executive director Angela Furr and Co-Lin president Dr. Dewayne Middleton (center) and the Foundation Board of Directors. For the first time in its history, during the 2025-26 fiscal year, the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Foundation received more than $2 million in donations. The Foundation’s Board of Directors and college administrators celebrated following a board meeting in mid-July. The new milestone comes after the Foundation reached $1 million in funds raised for the first time two years ago. “Reaching one million in giving for the first time was an incredible achievement for us,” said Angela Furr, who has served as executive director of the Foundation since 2018. “Doubling that total in just two years is a testament to the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our Foundation staff, board members and our whole team at Co-Lin. We are grateful to everyone who has helped make this milestone possible.” This past year’s giving has assisted in unprecedented support for the college. During the year ending June 30, the Foundation awarded more than half a million dollars in scholarships to students and faculty, more than $450,000 designated to athletics and another $500,000 in other direct support of the college. Furr said she looks forward to seeing the Foundation provide even more support to the college in the coming years. “The sole purpose of the Foundation is to solicit financial support for Co-Lin,” Furr said. “The more we bring in, the more we are able to give back to the college. I am so proud of what we have been able to do in the past few years, and I am looking forward to helping even more as we continue to grow our fundraising efforts.” Co-Lin Foundation Board President Elise Munn echoed Furr’s comments, emphasizing the significance of the milestone and the generosity that made it possible. “This milestone reflects an unprecedented level of support for the Foundation and its mission to expand educational opportunities for all students,” Munn said. “We are so grateful to the generous alumni, community members and corporate partners who helped make this outstanding year possible.” “This remarkable achievement is also a testament to the exceptional leadership of executive director Angela Furr and the dedication of her team, whose tireless work continues to advance the Foundation’s mission,” continued Munn. “On behalf of the Foundation’s board of directors, thank you to everyone who contributed to this year’s success. Your generosity will have a lasting impact on the lives of countless students and faculty members for years to come.” Gifts to the Foundation help make it possible for the college to continue creating new programs, providing scholarships to students and making improvements to its campuses. State funding and tuition revenue do not cover all the costs associated with running the college, and the Foundation helps bridge those gaps, said Co-Lin president Dr. Dewayne Middleton. “The Foundation and the generosity of our donors continue to play an essential role in the success of our college,” said Middleton. “Their support helps us respond to the evolving needs of our students and programs by providing scholarships, instructional support for both academic and career-tech programs, and enhancing our technology and campus facilities. With their help, we can provide more opportunities and resources for our students and continue making Co-Lin ‘The Place To Be.’” The Co-Lin Foundation is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization which serves as the fundraising arm of the college. The Foundation is governed by a 25-member board of directors, whose goal is to raise private monies to support the mission of the college. To make a tax-deductible gift to Co-Lin, contact the Foundation office at 601-643-8332 or visit colin.edu to give online.

By Sarah Grace Coleman Marsha Raiford and her family at Clark Creek in Woodville Marsha Raiford is a life-long resident of Wesson, where she lives with her husband, Lance Raiford, and their two youngest children, Nick and Savannah. Her oldest daughter, Kelly Grace, lives on her own. Growing up, Raiford’s dream was to be a dancer and cheerleader. She attended Nena Smith’s School of Dance, where she later worked as a student teacher in high school. Raiford attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College, where she danced as a Colette. After graduating with her associate degree in office technology, she returned to Nena Smith’s as a dance instructor, where she taught for twenty-three years. She then commuted to the Trustmark bank in Hazlehurst for a year and nine months before returning to Wesson. Raiford currently works as the secretary for the nursing program at the Copiah-Lincoln Community College, which allows her to spend more time with her family. Raiford also created a “Dancersize” class with fellow dance teachers Jessica Breazeale and Taylor Burke after she and fellow alumni of Nena Smith’s came together to surprise their former teacher at the school’s 50th anniversary recital. The class features dance-oriented exercises, such as line-dancing. “I like the fact that people tell me they enjoy just being around other ladies, and then, also, they get their heart rate up, they feel like they have done something, they get their exercise for an hour...feel like they belong to something and just [enjoy] being able to get together, have a good time and laugh and get some exercise,” said Raiford. The class is held every Tuesday from 6–7 p.m. and is $5 per class. Raiford is grateful to Christy Shaw, who so graciously allows the class to use her Event Room. The class is also an opportunity for prayer and fellowship. “Before we leave, we ask for prayer requests, and we do a prayer time and talk about praisesand what we’re thankful for,” said Raiford. Outside of Dancersize, Raiford is involved with Strong Hope Baptist Church, where she serves in the choir, helps in the nursery and helps teach Preschool Discipleship Training. She also lead a small group called Moms N Prayer biweekly. When she’s not dancing or at work, Raiford enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her family. Raiford enjoys riding bikes, walking and exercising in her spare time. She and her family are also frequent visitors of Clark Creek in Woodville, Mississippi. What are your hobbies? I’d say my hobbies are my kids and doing stuff with them—I like to walk and exercise I especially enjoy doing those things with my youngest daughter. She inspires and motivates me to stay active.” Are you a reader? I do like to read, but my main thing is I love audio books—I’m reading Atomic Habits right now. How about music? I love Christian music, and I enjoy some of the oldies. I like the old rock...not hard, I like the soft rock and Creed, and I love Imagine Dragons. Do you go to the theater or movies? I do like the theater, [but] I don’t get to go very much, because I have children. If you won a lot of money in the lottery, how would you spend it? I’d probably pay my house off, and I’d give a lot of it away; I’d use it to help people...Travel would be one of the big things. I’d like to go to Hawaii one day...I’d like to go to New York again. I’m not one to want to travel out of the country. I’d like to go to Montana, Colorado; I’d like to make a trip to the west.

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB It takes a very generous suspension of disbelief to enjoy “One Night Only.” The film is set in a not-too-distant future where premarital sex is outlawed, save for one night a year. Comparisons to “The Purge” are inevitable, which to me raises an interesting question: Which would lead to more violent crime in this country – one night of legalized violent crime, or gradually-building sexual frustration on all but one night? Never mind that such laws would never in a million years be passed, enforced, or obeyed. The characters in this film – which takes place in a fully-recognizable New York City and not some bleak dystopian fantasy world – accept that the law is set in stone, and occasionally complain about it, but we never see any serious resistance. That’s a big strike against the film right off the bat – it’s hard to identify with anyone in this world because everybody is inherently ridiculous enough to go along with this law. To be fair, this film is not about the 364 days a year where this law wouldn’t work, it’s about the one upside, the lone night where all the single people are allowed to go crazy. And go crazy they do, with almost every shot in the movie showing people hooking up, in at least the background. Of course, it’s all in a tame R-rated way with the naughtiest bits out of view of the camera. I shudder to think what this movie would have looked like if it took the X-rated approach, though that movie would have at least been memorable. As it is, I probably won’t forget the weird premise anytime soon, but I’ll probably have forgotten the title of this movie by year’s end. The movie follows traditional rom-com characters Owen (Callum Turner) and Allie (Monica Barbaro). He’s a pizza cook who works too hard. She’s a singer who has stage fright. He has a girlfriend (Maya Hawke) who treats him badly and tells him he’s on his own for finding a partner for tonight. She’s not that serious about finding someone. Both have friends and family who tell them that they need to lighten up and have some fun. They bump into each other a few times while on separate adventures, initially having animosity that turns into a rivalry before considering that maybe they should be together. Will they become a couple, physically or otherwise? The good news is that Turner and Barbaro are sweet enough leads. I was digging their chemistry and interactions with one another. They’re basically having a PG-13 relationship while the world around them is super R-rated (though not as “hard-R” as it probably wants to be). It’s all corny, in traditional rom-com fashion, but mildly engaging, especially when compared to what else the movie has to offer. The bad news about “One Night Only” is pretty much everything else about the movie. I can poke holes in the premise all day, but the real problem is that the film wants to be both raunchy and edgy, but it can only manage the former. Sex gags permeate the movie (let’s just say it’s really hard to procure protection at the last minute in this world), but they’re oddly toothless. Director Will Gluck previously made “Anyone But You,” an R-rated romantic comedy that I thought would have worked better without its cruder elements. This movie doesn’t work because it doesn’t have much cruder elements. Even though I champion the film’s cleaner moments, they would mean more if they were contrasted with dirty moments that were actually good at being dirty. Grade: C- “One Night Only” is rated R for sexual material, language, and brief nudity. Its running time is 102 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Special to Wesson News A new Mississippi attendance law (Mississippi Code Annotated § 37-13-91) takes effect this school year (starting July 1, 2026). The new state legislative mandates are designed to bolster classroom engagement and academic performance for public school students. The Copiah County School District recently outlined the upcoming guidelines, which stem from the updated Mississippi state law and apply uniformly to every public school district across the state. Under the revised standards, the minimum daily attendance required for a student to be marked present for the day is 66% of instructional time, and students may have up to five excused absences per semester—which includes both parent notes and medical excuses. Additionally, any absences due to illness or injury beyond the third absence require official medical documentation. District officials shared a graphic designed to help parents and guardians understand the district’s policies, and they followed the graphic with a statement: “We would like to offer clarification to dispel much of the misunderstandings, speculation, rumors and misled information circulating from shared posts and opinions.” “As the graphic previously posted shows, here’s exactly how the new attendance law works: The three absence notice (whether excused or unexcused) is simply an early heads-up. At this point, we reach out to make sure you’re aware and to partner with you in supporting your child’s regular attendance. This step is preventive and supportive — not punitive. The more serious referrals and interventions (starting at 5, 8, 12, and 15+ absences) only apply to unlawful absences (also known as unexcused absences).” An “unlawful absence” (also referred to as an “unexcused absence”) is an absence for an entire school day or during part of a school day by a compulsory-school-age child, which absence is not due to a valid excuse for temporary nonattendance. Officials say the attendance approach is “very consistent with the strong attendance practices our district has followed for years. The primary update required by the new state law (§ 37-13-91) is the earlier notification to families at just three absences, allowing us to work together proactively before issues escalate.” Parents and guardians are encouraged to promptly submit doctor’s notes or other acceptable documentation whenever their child is absent. Proper excuses allow school officials to mark the absence as excused, “so it does not count toward the higher referral thresholds.” District leaders also emphasized that “it is also important to note that funding is no longer tied to student attendance. Mississippi updated its school funding formula in 2024 with the Mississippi Student Funding Formula (MSFF), which replaced the old Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP).” “[On the] old system (MAEP), funding was partly based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA). Lower attendance directly reduced state funding. [On the] new system (MSFF), funding is now primarily based on Average Net Enrollment (ANE) — basically the number of students enrolled, not how many show up every day.” Families who are experiencing challenges with attendance are encouraged to contact their child’s school for support and resources.

By Jessica Breazeale You've heard it a hundred times. Probably from your mama, maybe from a frustrated coworker, definitely from a friend talking you down off a ledge of self-pity: “The world doesn’t revolve around you.” Usually it comes with a little side-eye attached. But stick with me, because there’s something genuinely wonderful hiding inside that old saying — and part of it isn’t even a metaphor. It's Not Just a Saying. It's Literally True. Here’s a fun one: for most of human history, we really did believe the world revolved around us. Not just philosophically — astronomically. Ancient astronomers looked up, watched the sun cross the sky every day, and built an entire model of the universe with Earth sitting comfortably at the center of it all. Made sense. Felt right. And it wasn’t a fringe idea — it was the settled science of its day, for a very long time. The Greek astronomer Ptolemy formalized the Earth-centered model in the 2nd century AD, and according to Britannica, it held on as the accepted view of the cosmos for roughly 1,500 years, all the way until Copernicus came along in the 1500s. Fifteen centuries. Generation after generation of the smartest people alive, looking up at the same sky, confident it was all circling them. Turns out we had it backwards. Earth isn’t the center of anything. It’s a modest little rock, orbiting an average star, tucked into one arm of a galaxy that’s just one of somewhere between hundreds of billions and a couple trillion others, according to a January 2025 report from ScienceDaily on research using the Hubble Space Telescope. We’re not the center of the universe — we’re not even the center of our own solar system. And here’s the part people miss: when astronomers figured that out, it didn’t shrink human life. It opened it up. Letting go of “center of everything” made room for awe. Turns out the universe is a lot more interesting when you’re not standing in the middle of it, demanding it orbit you. The Emotional Version Works the Same Way Most of us don’t need convincing that the sun doesn’t circle the earth. What we need convincing of is the emotional version of that same lesson — the one where we quietly believe our schedule, our feelings, our plans should be the fixed point everyone else orbits around. Honestly, some of us are still a little Ptolemaic about it. A 2012 National Science Foundation survey of over 2,000 Americans, reported by Space.com, asked a simple question — does the Earth go around the sun, or the sun around the Earth — and a quarter of respondents got it wrong. We fixed the astronomy on paper a long time ago. The gravitational pull toward “it’s all about me,” though? That one’s harder to shake. You know the signs. The frustration when someone doesn’t text back fast enough. The offense you take when a plan changes without consulting you. The quiet resentment when life simply… continues, unbothered by whatever you’re going through now. None of that makes you a bad person. It makes you human. We experience the world from behind our own eyes, so it will always feel like we’re the center of the story. But feeling like the center and being the center are two different things — just like the sun genuinely felt like it circled the earth every single day for fifteen centuries of very smart people watching very closely. Here's the Good News in All of This If the world doesn’t revolve around you, you’re not carrying the weight of holding it all together. You don’t have to be the sun everyone else orbits, the one whose gravity keeps every relationship and outcome in place. That job was never yours to begin with — and frankly, it never worked well when we tried to hand it to Earth, either. There’s real freedom in that. You don’t have to hold the sky up. You don’t have to be the fixed point everything else depends on. That was never your job — because it was never a job for the created at all. It belongs to the One who was doing the holding long before the stars had names, and who’ll still be holding it long after every galaxy we counted has burned out. Scripture calls Him the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9) for a reason — He’s not a planet or a sun or a point on anyone’s chart. He’s outside the whole system, sovereign over it, and He was never asking you to run it. It works better when we realize God mapped us into his design but never made us the center of it. That’s not a new idea dressed up in astronomy. Faith has been saying this long before telescopes caught up. Humility was never about thinking less of yourself — it was always about thinking of yourself less often, so there’s room to see God as God and everyone else as the people He loves just as much as He loves you. So What's the Bigger Picture? The world doesn’t revolve around you…and that’s great news! You were never made to be the center, only to find your place, faithfully, in something far bigger than you. Turns out that’s not a demotion. It’s an invitation. Downloadable version

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Pappa and his two small great grandsons were having fun playing in the park on a gorgeous afternoon. Kicking around a soccer ball, they soon decided to start a game. Well, a loosely-termed version of the game of soccer. The kind of game that has very few boundaries or rules. Or at least, rules that Pappa and the oldest grandson agreed upon. At his tender age, Pappa’s four-year-old great grandson, the youngest, had little understanding of how the game should be played. Soccer rules were still only a vague concept to him, largely stemming from overheard conversations between his dad and his uncle as they watched soccer games on TV. And what a little boy hears, and what a little boy can actually accomplish, is two drastically different things. Pappa knew this. So being an indulgent Pappa, the older man decided it was okay to simply bend the rules a little – creating a version of the game that his younger great grandson could actually play that day. He failed to take into consideration a few things. First, Oldest had recently started playing soccer on a local little boys’ team, and had a rudimentary understanding of the rules of the game. Two, his older great-grand was a stickler for rules being followed in life – at least any rules that benefited him. Third, that kid had a memory like an elephant. Need I say more? I probably don’t need to embellish any further, but I will. The game went off the rails at the point when Oldest vehemently challenged Pappa on one of the finer points of a rule for playing soccer. Yet Pappa stood firmly by his version, because of the inabilities of Youngest. Oldest began yelling his protests that Pappa was not following the rules. Pappa simply dug his figurative heels in the ground, following through on his recently-discovered personal belief that the guy with the most gray hair gets to change the rules to make the game fair for all involved. And the four-year-old? He quickly wandered off to find entertainment on the swings nearby. Young enough to lose interest when the game was no longer fun, old enough to sense the thick tension in the air, and self-protective enough to vacate the area. Smart kid. How long will this disagreement have an effect on the grandson-granddad relationship? Have no idea. Probably depends on two things. The elephant memory of Oldest, and the forgiving nature - or not, of The One With The Most Gray Hair. A simple example of how life can go haywire in just a few seconds, and ruin a great afternoon in the park. And possibly affect a close relationship for years to come. Like the Bible says; “For those who have ears to hear, let him hear.” And learn.

Dr. Walterine Nelson Copiah-Lincoln Community College has announced the establishment of its new Division of Nursing and Allied Health, a strategic organizational enhancement that reflects the continued growth of the college's healthcare programs and aligns Co-Lin's organizational structure with many colleges and universities where healthcare programs are housed within a specialized division. The new division will house Associate Degree Nursing, LPN-to-RN, Medical Laboratory Technology, Medical Radiologic Technology, Practical Nursing, Emergency Medical Services/Paramedic, and Respiratory Care Technology. Effective July 1, 2026, the new Division of Nursing and Allied Health brings the college's healthcare programs under a unified leadership structure designed to strengthen oversight, enhance collaboration among healthcare disciplines, and further support student success. The new structure also creates opportunities to strengthen partnerships with clinical affiliates and healthcare providers. To lead the new division, Dr. Walterine Nelson has been appointed Dean of Nursing and Allied Health. In this role, she will provide leadership for the college's nursing and allied health programs, overseeing faculty development, accreditation, curriculum, and student success initiatives. Dr. Nelson has served as Co-Lin's Associate Degree Nursing (AND) Director for the last two years and successfully led the program through the accreditation process where Co-Lin received full accreditation from the Mississippi Board of Nursing. "The creation of the Division of Nursing and Allied Health represents an important milestone for Co-Lin," said Co-Lin President Dr. Dewayne Middleton. "Healthcare remains one of the fastest growing and most essential workforce sectors in our state and region. Establishing a dedicated division allows us to strengthen collaboration across our healthcare programs, better serve our students and clinical partners, and position the college for continued growth. Dr. Nelson's experience, vision, and commitment to excellence make her the right person to lead this initiative." A nurse educator and administrator with more than 25 years of experience, Dr. Nelson has held leadership and faculty positions at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Alcorn State University, Southwest Mississippi Community College, Virginia College, and West Coast University. She also serves as an evaluator for Western Governors University, reviewing student assessments and supporting academic quality within the College of Health Professions. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Education and Administration and a Master of Science in Nursing Education from William Carey University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Alcorn State University and is a proud graduate of Copiah-Lincoln Community College, where she earned both her Associate Degree in Nursing and Practical Nursing certificate. Dr. Nelson is an active member of the American Nurses Association and the Mississippi Nurses Association. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for her expertise in nursing education, accreditation, curriculum development, faculty leadership, and student success. To learn more about Co-Lin's medical programs, visit www.colin.edu/programs/.

By Jessica Breazeale Wesson native Landon Beasley Landon Beasley left Wesson for the Army and saw more than thirty countries. Now, he's betting on bringing his hometown back to what he remembers it being. Beasley, 38, was born and raised in Wesson. He's an active-duty Major in the Mississippi Army National Guard, a graduate of Mississippi State University and the University of Maryland, and the founder of Southern Grid Properties, a real estate investment company he started in December 2011, right out of college. He's also, by his own account, one of the town's biggest believers. "I want to do something to bring and keep people there," Beasley said. "And the number one thing you’ve got to have is a house." A career in uniform Beasley has about two and a half to three years left before retirement from the National Guard. He is a field artillery officer who spent much of his career in Special Forces. He currently serves as range operations officer, overseeing all ranges and operational training at Camp McCain in Grenada County. Along the way, he said, he has led more than 1,000 soldiers as a commander and deployed four times. Building Wesson, one house at a time Before renovation-property on Hotel Street Beasley bought his first property, storage units and a small apartment, in 2011, and spent the next decade buying land, apartment complexes and single-family homes across the region. About three and a half to four years ago, he made a decision: sell everything outside Wesson city limits and reinvest the proceeds back into his hometown. "That's when I just had the idea of selling everything I had outside of Wesson city proper, and then turn around and invest all that money back into Wesson," he said. "To really just kind of build the community back up to where it used to be when we were growing up…a thriving community where people wanted to move, wanted to live." The town's biggest obstacle, he said, isn't a lack of land. It's a lack of livable housing. "We have property and we have land, and there's houses on it; but they're not livable, or they're run down and not maintained," Beasley said. Southern Grid Properties currently owns about fifteen houses inside Wesson city proper, along with a storage unit complex beside Shop and Wash. The company has no available homes at the moment, but four are under construction. One, a three-bedroom, two-bath house on Hotel Street, is expected to be move-in ready within thirty days. A second is expected to follow in three to four months, with two more targeted for completion within six to eight months. After renovation- property on Hotel Street Rather than the informal, handshake approach to renting he grew up around, Beasley said he built the business with a more structured model. Prospective residents can go to SouthernGridProps.com to pay rent, request information on available properties, join a waiting list and track the town's ongoing projects. Why Wesson Beasley said the decision to come home wasn't complicated, once he looked at it from the outside. "It's coming back to seeing what Wesson was when we were kids — the flea market, Founders Day, people meeting up at the cafe, the old men gathering," he said. "And seeing that kind of slowly start to taper away." He said it would have been easy to settle in Brookhaven, Madison, Brandon or Jackson instead. But Wesson, he said, has industry, a strong attendance center and untapped potential. "I saw Wesson being — I don't want to say decline is the right word — but I saw Wesson, just to go through town, and I was like, I want to do something," he said. Beasley has seen plenty of towns. His favorite hobby is traveling. His other favorite hobby: working. Looking ahead Asked about persistent talk in town that he might run for mayor, Beasley didn't rule it out. "I won't come out and say yes to that," he said, "but I will just say that I'm going to do everything I can to make Wesson better. If making it better is running for mayor, well, I'm going to do what I’ve got to do to make it better." Beasley said he and others are already working to rebuild two of the town's signature events. He said organizers are hoping to grow the flea market back to roughly 200 vendor booths this year, and to reinvigorate Founders Day, both to draw visitors into town, rather than watch them pass through. "I do think we need to be more of a small-town Mayberry," he said. "Let’s make Wesson the Mississippi Mayberry. We have everything we need. We just need to clean it up and do a little bit better." Beasley also pointed to recent frustration among residents over changes such as the discontinuation of Taco Tuesday, and said the town could do more to make public meetings welcoming and accessible. "Those meetings are open. Show up and show out," he said. "Say your opinions." For more information on available properties or to join Southern Grid Properties' waiting list, residents can visit SouthernGridProps.com.

Special to Wesson News Pictured (l to r) are Erika Gemelli, Debbie Brown, Danielle Graham, Alana Lyons, LeAnne Duet, Natasha Lewis, Edna Stevens, Megan Lang, Ruth Case, Katie Hall and Susan Lee. For the third year in a row, dozens of Wesson Attendance Center students walked into the new school year with fresh haircuts, courtesy of local stylists who donated their time and skills free of charge. The event, held August 2 from 2 to 5 p.m. in the school's old gym, drew six stylists who cut hair for fifty children in three hours. “I was just sitting watching TV one day when the idea popped into my head,” said Lewis. “I said [to myself], ‘OK, that was God!’ I need to do this, and I’m not sure where to start. My friend Leanne can make this happen!" LeAnne Duet poses with Bryce Ashley after his haircut. That was three years ago. Lewis called Leanne Duet, the current PTO president, with that idea she had that she wasn't sure how to off the ground. The two, who both attended Wesson schools and went to cosmetology school at Co-Lin, worked together to organize the first event, and it has grown every year since. Duet said volunteers are essential to keeping the event running smoothly. PTO members check children in at the door and help wherever needed, while Beta Club members pitch in and earn community service hours for their work. Duet said the event is about more than haircuts. Natasha Lewis styles M'Kyia Clay's hair. "It's one way to give back to the community," Duet said. "We care about the kids at Wesson. We want them to have a fresh start to the new school year." For Duet, the best part of the day is watching stylists from different shops set aside any sense of competition and work together. "We all do hair, but it's not a competition — it's a community," Duet said. "We can all come together, laugh, joke and have a good time while doing what we love." When asked why she keeps coming back to volunteer year after year, Lewis said, “Because I love kids, I love to give back to the community, and some people really need the help…and that’s were we come in.” Stylist Debbie Brown cuts Zollie Barlow's hair during the event. Organizers said they don't plan to change much about the event going forward. "It actually runs pretty smoothly," Duet said. The free haircut event will return next year, organizers confirmed. Erika Gemelli gives Kameron Wade a haircut.