For more than four decades, while pursuing a career as a lawyer, state trial judge and federal judge, Alfred Nicols has been painting southern landscapes, and has achieved recognition as a premier Mississippi artist with a unique style and vision and, most recently, as a novelist. After receiving undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Mississippi and serving in the military, he started his legal career, while creating his legacy in his art. His paintings hang in the Federal Court House at Jackson, the Mississippi Supreme Court, The Mississippi Bar Center, the University of Mississippi., Mississippi College School of Law, University Medical Center, several hospital, schools, banks and other private businesses and homes throughout the state.  The artist and his works have also been the focus of numerous magazines and exhibits, and Mississippi Educational Television’s “Mississippi Roads” featured him in a 2002 program. Nicols authored Lost Love’s Return, a book written to leave his children, grandchildren and others insights into life’s issues and the value of family ties: “With a long and blessed life in my law office, in the court room, in social settings and family environments, I have experienced constant opportunity to observe humanity in all its dimensions -- love and hate, good and evil, faith and doubt, pain and pleasure, wealth and poverty, our potential for jealousy, selfishness, resentment and oppression, as well as our potential for selflessness, concern, support and love,” he said in describing the book’s intention.  “Approaching 80, I felt I had learned much about the choices we make in life and their consequences.  Jesus taught us so well with his parables.  Perhaps I could create a novel with a plot, characters and scenes that could pass what I’ve learned on to my children and grandchildren -- and maybe even to others -- to read when they were old enough.” Nicols and his wife Mary live in rural Mississippi.

A new home for Co-Lin’s basketball program moved a step closer with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants to the college last month. U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announced that FEMA had awarded $1,671,740 in grants to Co-Lin in advance of additional funding for a multi-use community saferoom that will also be used as an athletic facility. The initial funding in two grants covers the phase 1 costs of the saferoom project.  The first grant of $1,583,753.60 covers feasibility, design, engineering and environmental and historic preservation studies for the facility on the Co-Lin Wesson campus.  The second grant — in the amount of $87,986.33 — will fund the subrecipient management costs (SRMC) for phase I administrative duties. This award allows SRMC up to 5 percent of the total project cost, available to the recipient at a federal cost share of 100 percent. The funds come pursuant to the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018. The total estimated cost of the 36,480 square safe room, which will also be used for a basketball court, locker rooms and offices, is $25,149,366.60, or $689.40 per square foot.  The full grant for the project falls under the Consolidated Appropriate Act of 2022, requiring no less than a federal cost share of 90 percent.

By Bob Arnold When the National Guard deployed her to Brookhaven between 2013 and 2018 to manage human resources and work in equipment maintenance, Misty Floyd says “I found the place where I should have been born, and I now call ‘home.’”  She easily made friends there, married and  “I even found shopping at Walmart a pleasant experience.”  The area became “my secret happy place,” she says Today, Floyd is back home after an unwanted and unexpected medical discharge from the military in 2019 and “getting lost in the unregulated, unregimented real world” in which she struggled to operate a business, succumbed to a nervous breakdown, fought drug addiction and served a brief jail term.  Floyd is not only back home, now living in the Lake Lincoln State Park area, but back home in a new post-military life and seeking to help other people find new homes after getting lost in the world. Her story starts in northern Mississippi, where Floyd once called the Tupelo area, her birth place on June 6, 1987, “home.”  She doesn’t know what it means, but her grandmother, grandmother’s sister, aunt and husband all share June 6 as their birth date.  Her family includes two half sisters -- one her mother’s and one her father’s -- and one step sister and two step brothers from her mother’s remarriage. Floyd spent the first five years of her life on her grandmother’s “poor man’s farm” at Guntown, Mississippi, “a small municipality with a mayor, one police officer, a post office and a gasoline station.”  She recalls “running around barefoot covered with mud,” getting up at 4:30 a.m. to help her grandmother in the garden and then collecting the eggs laid by the chickens and tending the pigs and cows with her Uncle Virgil. When she was seven years old, Floyd moved from the farm into a house with her mother Daisy and step father, where she had her own bedroom for the first time and there was a television to watch.  Her step father, a contractor, introduced her to a hammer and nails, and by age 15, Floyd could frame and paint houses, and do almost anything in home construction except electrical work. Describing her mom as a “Gypsy spirit who couldn’t live in the same place for more than three years,” Floyd recalls bouncing around the Tupelo area with her family from town to town -- Blue Mountain, Blue Springs, Ripley, New Albany -- where she had brief experiences in their varied schools before finally graduating from Tupelo High School in 2005.  She also worked for her step father in construction, her mother’s restaurant, Daisy’s Diner at Blue Mountain; and Walmart in its express tire and lubing service center before signing up for the National Guard when she was 18 years old after seeing a “Join the Army Now” sign at the Ripley National Guard Armory. “The National Guard recruiter laughed when I told him I wanted to be a tanker, a job for men that my cousins talked about,” she recalls, but the Guard enlisted her and sent her to tank maintenance and repair training at Aberdeen, Maryland, Proving Grounds after she lost some weight, passed qualifying tests and completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Floyd officially started her National Guard service on May 31, 2007, and gradually “proved I was a good mechanic and soldier, more than a female,” she says.  Over 12 years, she rose in the ranks to become a Staff Sergeant. Becoming accepted in a man’s world sometimes required extreme measures:  “One time, I joined the guys in a dominoes game and told them all the dirtiest joke I knew to become one of them,” she recalls.  When she was deployed in Iraq in 2008 and 2009, becoming one of the guys was a little easier when personnel shortages required women to fill positions that they had to learn to do on the job.  “I was one of 11 women assigned to armed vehicles as drivers and gunners,” she says.  “I had no training as a gunner, and loaded the ammunition backwards on my first mission in that role.  I quickly learned, and became responsible for certifying that trucks were mission-capable.” After returning to Mississippi in 2010, Brookhaven was her next stop with the National Guard, and the discovery of a home life that she had never previously experienced.  Among other things at the site of her new deployment, she met and married James Crosby from Bogue Chito, who remains her best friend “even though we have been separated for more years that we lived together. In 2018, she participated in 74-days of mock warfare training at Light Sands Desert before a short deployment in Kuwait, where she sustained an injury that landed her, first, in a German military hospital and, then, stateside at Fort Benning, Georgia, where doctors decided cumulative injuries to her knees, shoulder, neck and spine due to physical strains over her years of National Guard service warranted her medical discharge in 2019. “I was lost,” Floyd says.  “Other soldiers were my family.  I thought I could beat the injuries and didn’t think I would be discharged as disabled.  I didn’t know how to be human in the real world with no regimentation nor regulation.” She started a storage business, and managed it the military way -- the only way she knew.  It didn’t work, and the pressures of the new world in which now lived led to a nervous breakdown, for which she self-medicated and became addicted to methamphetamines and other drugs.  “By 2022, I had lost my house, truck and business because of my dependence on drugs,” Floyd relates.  Homeless then, she was also jailed briefly for grand larceny after thinking she had borrowed a truck to travel to West Virginia from a friend, who reported the vehicle stolen. After overdosing on some drug (“I can’t recall what it was”), she managed to call a friend who dumped her at a hospital in Amory, Mississippi, where a nurse, who didn’t want to lose a patient, cared for her until she started to recover.  “Thanks to that nurse, who didn’t give up on me, and God’s presence and help, I cleaned up and have been sober since then,” Floyd says. Outside a grocery store, Floyd believes God was giving her on-going direction for her life in a sign she noticed:  “Save More.”  “To me, it was a direction from God to ‘save more people’ like myself who had lost their way,” she says. In response to this direction in recent months, Floyd started going into the dangerous world of crack houses as a non-law enforcement liaison, who knows their language, culture and protocols, and can bring addicts into an environment, such as her home, where they can clean up, start living a sober life and go on to other venues for extended support in their recovery.  Her work, she says, has helped save two men, but she regrets being unable to help two others.  It also exposed her to people who profited from the drug trade, one who pointed a gun at her forehead and warned her to stop what she was doing. Floyd also dreams about operating a shelter for homeless persons that not only provides a bed and food for people in need, but helps them begin on a path out of homelessness, such as a thrift store, where they can work and assume greater responsibility for themselves in a journey out of homelessness. Currently, Floyd is living safely in a camper across from Lake Lincoln State Park and working at Uncle Ray’s Lake Lincoln store.  She knows she has a long way to go, but she is home now and, at age 36, thinks she is at a good starting point in her non-military mission to “save more.” What are your hobbies? I enjoy fishing, hiking and hunting for artifacts, like old Indian arrowheads. Do you have a special interest in music. I am a karaoke singer, played the fiddle in high school and still beat on drums.  I like all musical genres. How about movies or theater? I was in theater in school, love visiting New York City to see Broadway shows, particularly musicals.  I still remember seeing Thoroughly Modern Millie on Broadway.  Bradley Cooper is my favorite actor because of his versatility. What would you do with the winnings if you won the lottery? I would start my homeless shelter. How would you change the world? Encouraging people to “fear not.”  Fear is what holds the world back!

From unicycles to 18-wheelers, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) encourages safety in all vehicles, and this month, two-wheeled vehicles are in the spotlight. May is recognized nationally as “Bike Month” and “Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.” Spring is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy nice weather, so you may see more motorcycles and cyclists on the road. At MDOT, we want to remind drivers to share the road with bikes and motorcycles. Let’s help everyone reach their destination safely. Cyclists and motorcyclists should follow these tips for a safe ride: Before you leave, check your bike for proper fit, maintenance and tire pressure. Check brakes, headlights and signal indicators on motorcycles. Plan to be seen. That means wearing bright clothing or utilizing reflective tape. Use lights when riding at night. Always wear a helmet; it could save your life. They're also required on Mississippi roads. Follow all traffic laws. That means riding in the same direction as traffic, using hand signals for turns and obeying traffic signs and signals. If you’re behind the wheel of a car, follow these tips to keep cyclists, motorcyclists, yourself and others safe: Before you leave, adjust your mirrors and know your blind spots. Bikes and motorcycles are smaller than vehicles and can blend in with traffic. Check twice for bikes! Leave extra space between your vehicle and cyclists and motorcycles; don’t follow bikes too closely. By law, motorists should leave a distance of at least three feet between their vehicle and cyclists. Be nice. It is unlawful to harass, taunt or maliciously throw an object at or in the direction of any person riding a bicycle. Pay attention. While you can't control how others drive any vehicle, you can anticipate traffic changes, allowing you to respond at a moment’s notice. Regardless of the vehicle, everyone traveling on Mississippi roadways should be mindful and respectful of others. Always obey speed limits, avoid distractions and never drive impaired. For more bike safety tips, visit GoMDOT.com and follow @MississippiDOT on Facebook and X, formerly Twitter.

By Bob Garver There has been a push in recent years for the Oscars to add an award for stunt work. I’m all for it, sure, give some often-unrecognized professionals their moment in the sun. My guess is it’s going to happen eventually, given the passion of the advocates and no apparent strong argument against it. Director David Leitch is no doubt a proponent of the movement, seeing as he’s a former stunt performer himself and his film “The Fall Guy” is basically a two-hour plea to give stunt performers their due. Which isn’t to say it isn’t a highly entertaining plea. It’s just about the most fun you can possibly have watching a plea. Ryan Gosling stars as stunt performer Colt Seavers. At the start of the film, Colt spends his days building a relationship with aspiring director Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) when he’s not doubling for megastar Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). A stunt goes wrong and Colt’s back is broken, which also damages his relationship with Jody. Eighteen months later, Colt’s back is healing, but things between he and Jody may be permanently severed. But then he gets a call from Gail (Hannah Waddingham), Tom’s go-to producer. Tom is filming a movie in Australia, and everyone wants Colt for stunt work. And “everyone” means Tom, Gail, and the movie’s director: Jody. He reluctantly makes the trip only to learn that Jody emphatically does not want him and Gail has ulterior motives. Tom has gone missing and Gail needs an able-bodied nobody to help track him down. Colt agrees to investigate, only because this movie is Jody’s chance to prove herself as a director and it can’t be completed without Tom. Colt is soon spending his days filling in for Tom on set, helping Jody with her film in the only way he knows how, by doing dangerous stunts. It takes some time for her anger to subside, but he’s soon back in her good graces and there’s even a hint of the two rekindling their relationship. But then there’s his night job of tracking down Tom. It’s even more dangerous, with drug dealers, gun-toting henchmen, a sword-wielding girlfriend (Teresa Palmer), and a dead body on ice. The adventure requires Colt to use all his expertise as a stuntman, which means Leitch and the movie’s stunt team get to show off all their expertise. Indeed all the stunt work is impressive, though I feel like the film is cheating a bit by actively trying to get me to pay attention to it. And it’s distractingly smooth at times, like Colt is way too competent for a person in this position. It’s been established that he can handle stunts in a controlled environment, but can he really handle action this well in the moment when he’s unprepared? The trailer hints at the disparity between movies and “real life” in a moment when Colt decides he can’t safely make a jump from a rooftop, but there are hardly any other scenes like that in the movie. Also, it’s really unwise to have Gosling do scenes where he flies through glass unharmed when certain viewers will remember a scene from 2016’s “The Nice Guys” where his character thinks he can handle broken glass easily and faces consequences when he’s wrong. Still, “The Fall Guy” delivers on what audiences came to see: creative, stunt-filled action and a delightfully witty romance. Couples that see this movie together are going to wish they had the chemistry of Gosling and Blunt, even when they’re arguing. Movie buffs will be equally enchanted by the love this movie has for the industry, especially stunts. Fans of well-conceived mysteries may sadly feel left out on this one. But overall, I can say that I “fell” for “The Fall Guy.” That line makes me want to bang my head against a wall. I wish I had a stunt double for that. Grade: B- “The Fall Guy” is rated PG-13 (Hooray! The first non-R-rated movie I’ve seen since March!) for action and violence, drug content and some strong language. Its running time is 126 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.urces in your area.

Hmmm…evidently an often-thought-about and frequently asked question. Along with many other thought-provoking ones, like: If a baby dies, does that infant go to heaven automatically? And will that child be that age for eternity? Others have questions such as; Will we be working in eternity? If so, will it be the same kind of work we were trained to do while down here on earth? (I could feel the shudders of moms of two-year-olds as I typed those last two questions). Other questions include: How does anybody KNOW they will go to heaven forever when they die? Is there truly a perfect heaven out there somewhere – where you can actually see and be with God Himself? Is there really a hell to fear? What is hell like? How do we know? So many questions in our minds, so much uncertainty. Better be reading the Bible for yourself to give you some answers. I don’t pretend for one fraction of a second to have the perfect answers to all the questions I have heard through the years.  I am not a trained Bible scholar, and if I were one, I have the distinct impression that we mere humans are prone to misunderstanding what the Good Book says. Otherwise, why would we have so many differing churches with their completely opposite beliefs about obeying God? But there is one place where I am pretty sure I can hang my hat, as my mother always said. And it is this: God is real. God is all-powerful. God is all-knowing. God is wise, trustworthy, just, and good. So, if He deems it to be the best thing for two-year-olds to stay two years old forever, well, I believe Him. And if He deems it best for you to be the caregiver of two-year-olds in eternity – then I believe you will be given the patience of Job added to the wisdom of Solomon, and you will be in love with the job He has given you. (Notice I did not write ‘if He deems it best for me to be a caregiver for two-year-olds in eternity’ - like I said, God is all-knowing about us and our capabilities. And that’s not one of ‘em for this lady.) God created you. So, He knows you – all the way down to the smallest cell in your gizzard. He knows which gifts and abilities He gave you when He created you. Therefore, He is aware of your secret visions and your dislikes. He knows where to post you in heaven. For an eternity that He promises will make your every dream a reality. So quit worrying. Oh, sure, if you really want, you can spend your time here on earth fearing and wondering about eternity. He won’t stop you. But He did instruct us to not waste our time being anxious. About anything. He also instructed us to trust Him, and then to have faith in His ability to take care of us…forever.

In the coming weeks when you are grocery shopping, think about your letter carrier. Pick up some non-perishable food items, including cereal, pasta, pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce, rice, canned fruits and vegetables, canned meals (such as soups, chili, and pasta), 100% juice, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, canned protein (tuna, chicken, and turkey), and beans. Saturday, May 11, will mark the 32nd anniversary of one of America's great days of giving --- the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive. Each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers in Mississippi and across the country collect non-perishable food donations from our customers. These donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in who need our help. Participating in this year's NALC Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive is simple. Just leave non-perishable food donations in a bag by your mailbox Saturday, May 11, and your city or rural letter carrier will do the rest. Nationwide, over 1.9 billion pounds of food has been collected in the past 30 years.

By Kara Kimbrough Ordinarily, I will entertain an alternate train of thought...but on this topic, I stand first. One of – if not THE – worst parts of cooking is dealing with the pile of dirty pots and pans that multiply during and after the cooking process. Inevitably, the sink is piled high with large objects to wash, no matter how simple the meal. Here’s a simple solution: tear off some aluminum foil, pile ingredients on top and place in the oven or on the grill. Voila! No dishes to wash! You’ve heard of “one pan” meals? How about “no pan” dinners, courtesy of foil that can be wrapped up and thrown in the trash once cooking is done. Another benefit of no pan dinners- they can be prepared the night before, refrigerated and baked or grilled 30-40 minutes before dinner is served. Here are recipes for three of my favorite no pan dinners. All you have to do is roll out the foil, pile on your favorite ingredients, bake and enjoy a "dish-free" evening. Beef and Potatoes Dinner 1-pound lean ground beef 1 package dry onion soup mix 4 small potatoes peeled and sliced 2 cups carrots chopped 1 large or 2 small onions, sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste Cream of mushroom soup Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine ground beef and dry soup mix in a bowl. Form into four patties and set aside. In a large bowl combine all remaining ingredients except mushroom soup. Toss until well mixed. Spray 4 large pieces of foil with non-stick spray. Place ¼ of the vegetable mixture in the center of the foil. Top with one beef patty. Add two tablespoons of condensed mushroom soup on top of each patty. Repeat the same layers on 3 additional foil sheets. Wrap foil around ingredients, leaving space at the top for heat to circulate. Double fold the edges and crimp to seal. Also double fold and crimp ends. Place beef side up on a large baking sheet and bake 35-45 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Note: These foil packs can also be grilled at medium heat for about 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender and ground beef reaches 160 degrees. Fish-in-Foil 5-6 fish filets (tilapia or redfish or your favorite fish) 1 large onion, sliced into thin rings 1 large baking potato, sliced thin 1 cup canola oil 1/2 cup lemon Tony Chacherie’s seasoning Mix oil and lemon juice together in a shaker. Take a large sheet of foil, spray lightly with cooking spray and place 2-3 place filets on foil, directly in center. Sprinkle with seasoning, then top with a layer of potatoes and then onions; pour a portion of oil/lemon mixture over layers. Repeat same thing with additional foil sheets. Wrap foil around ingredients, leaving space at the top of food for heat to circulate. Double fold the edges and crimp to seal. Double fold and crimp ends as well. Place packets on large baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until done. Makes 2-3 servings; double recipe as needed. Winner Chicken Dinner 1 pound chicken tenderloins or sliced chicken breasts 1 medium zucchini, chopped into 1-inch chunks 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 pound gold potatoes, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon dried 4 tablespoons butter, cubed Salt and pepper, as needed Measure 4 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil to about 18 inches. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Layer chicken and veggies in a mound into the center of each sheet of foil, dividing ingredients evenly between all 4 sheets. Top with cubes of butter (1 tablespoon for each sheet of foil) and fresh herbs. Season heavily with salt and pepper, about 1/2 teaspoon of salt for each packet. Fold edges of foil over and crimp top edges and sides tightly to seal. If cooking on grill or fire, consider double wrapping to prevent tears in foil. To cook in oven: Preheat oven to 400°F and cook for 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and veggies are soft. Carefully open up foil packets as the steam inside is very hot. You can eat straight out of the foil or dump contents onto a plate. To cook on grill: Preheat grill to medium heat, about 400° and cook for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until meat is cooked through and veggies are soft. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer and travel agent from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is proud to announce the finalists for the 2024 Ferriss Trophy presented by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and Pearl River Resort. The Ferriss Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding college baseball player in the state of Mississippi. The trophy was named for Dave “Boo” Ferriss, long-time Delta State baseball coach. The finalists for the Ferriss Trophy are Brett Sanchez of Belhaven, Dakota Jordan of Mississippi State, Ethan Lege of Ole Miss, Dalton McIntyre of Southern Miss, and RJ Stinson of William Carey. The five finalists and their coaches will be recognized at a luncheon and program on Monday, May 20th at the Golden Moon Casino. Former Southern Miss Baseball Coach Scott Berry will be the featured speaker for the event. The luncheon is open to the public, but tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets are on sale now online at msfame.com or by calling the Hall of Fame offices at 601-982-8264. If you cannot attend in person, the event will be live-streamed on the Hall of Fame website. All proceeds from the event benefit the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Ferriss Trophy is a part of the Outstanding Player Awards Series which also recognizes the top college athlete in football with the C Spire Conerly Trophy and the top college men’s and women’s basketball players with the Howell and Gillom Trophies presented by MBCI and Pearl River Resort.

By Guest Columnist Wendy Bailey, Executive Director, Mississippi Department of Mental Health With the arrival of May, we are not only greeted by the warmth of spring, but also by a call to prioritize an aspect of our lives too often overlooked—our mental health. May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness, providing support and fostering understanding about mental health and treatment. We at the Department of Mental Health urge communities across the state to join together in acknowledging the importance of mental wellness and the resources available to support it. In our fast-paced lives, it's easy to neglect our mental well-being amidst the myriad responsibilities and challenges we face. However, investing in our mental health is not just a personal choice—it's a social imperative. By prioritizing mental wellness, we not only enhance our individual lives but also contribute to the overall health and resilience of our communities. One crucial aspect of mental health awareness is early intervention. Just as we prioritize regular physical check-ups, it's essential to prioritize mental health screenings, as well. These screenings can help identify potential issues early on, allowing for timely interventions that can prevent the escalation of mental health challenges. Connecting with mental health services should not be seen as a last resort, but rather as a proactive step towards maintaining well-being. In Mississippi, there are eleven Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) that serve as invaluable resources, offering a range of services tailored to meet a person's needs. Whether it's counseling, therapy, peer support or crisis services, these centers can get Mississippians on their journeys to healing and recovery. However, seeking help can be daunting, often due to the misconceptions that surround mental health issues. We must work collectively to educate ourselves, replacing judgment with empathy and understanding. Mental health conditions are not a sign of weakness, but a natural part of the human experience. By normalizing conversations about mental health, we create a supportive environment where people feel empowered to seek the help they deserve. As renowned author Brené Brown once said, "Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we'll ever do." Seeking help for our mental health is an act of courage, one that reflects a deep commitment to self-care and self-compassion. Moreover, it's essential to recognize that mental health is not a destination, but a lifelong journey. Just as we prioritize physical fitness through regular exercise and healthy habits, we must also prioritize our mental fitness through self-care practices, mindfulness and ongoing support. As we embark on Mental Health Awareness Month, let's come together as a community to prioritize mental wellness, support one another and break the silence surrounding mental health issues. Together, we can create a future where mental health is treated with the same importance as physical health—a future where every individual can thrive. If you or someone you know is experiencing a behavioral health crisis or needs to speak to a trained counselor, call 988 24/7 to reach one of the call centers in Mississippi. You can also visit www.dmh.ms.gov and www.mentalhealthms.com for resources in your area.

The rules of the road can be numerous and complex, and many experienced drivers who think they’ve seen it all and have it figured out still don’t know it all. One rule of the road, commonly known by most drivers, is that the right lane is for slower moving traffic, while the left lane is for cars moving just at, or maybe a little bit above the speed limit.  But drivers might not know if they stay in that left lane a little too long, they just could end up with a ticket.  The Mississippi law was passed back in 2018. “It’s the left lane law, which prohibits motorists from traveling in the left lane continuously,” says Sergeant Jameka Moore of the Mississippi Highway Patrol.  Subsection 63-3-601 specifically states that drivers shall not continuously travel in the left lane of a multi lane roadway when they’re impeding traffic. Why does this law exists and how might driving in the left lane be harming? The confusion might lie in thinking the left lane is the fast lane when it’s more accurately the passing lane. “When people are driving in the left lane, it creates situations in which motorists who are trying to get around right lane drivers have to weave in and out of traffic and increase the chances of vehicle collisions,” says Sergeant Moore.  “We have responded to road rage incidents in which people get irritated with other drivers in the left lane.  Also the left lane is designated for emergency vehicles that may be trying to go to where they need to be -- an ambulance, a police vehicle or fire truck, whatever the case may be.  If there is an emergency, they need access to the left lane to get where they’re going as quickly as possible.” There are a few exceptions to the law, such as when passing other vehicles when the right lane is shut down or when making a left turn.

By Bob Garver Since “Challengers” begins practically at the end of its story, I think I’ll begin this review by talking about the movie’s ending. It ends, as we see in early scenes and is pretty predictable anyway, with feuding tennis stars Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor) playing against each other in the finals of a tournament, with Art’s wife Tashi (Zendaya) watching from the stands. While ultimately one player will have to win and one will have to lose, the real winners are fans of great tennis. As with the match, “Challengers” doesn’t concern itself with things like results and fate, it just wants to give you a thrill in getting there. The 2019 match between Art and Patrick is a framing device that we see throughout the film, but the story is mostly told through flashbacks, not all necessarily told in order. We go as far back as 2006 when Art and Patrick were doubles champions and best friends. They found themselves both smitten with up-and-comer Tashi, and they invited her back to their shared hotel room. A minor conflict arose when the two couldn’t work out who between them would get some alone time with Tashi. They figured that she’d give an indication of who she’d prefer, but Tashi…didn’t pick a side. Maybe it’s just me reading too much into things, but I think the film’s advertising has implied that more happens in the ensuing encounter. It’s just a makeout scene with Tashi promising her phone number to the winner of an upcoming match between the two. Patrick wins the match and Tashi’s phone number, and he soon turns pro with Tashi as his girlfriend. Tashi and Art both attend Stanford with plans to turn pro after college, but also have some additional skills if tennis doesn’t work out. A jealous Art engineers a fight between Patrick and Tashi, and although he didn’t intend it to go quite so far, he’s the only one there to comfort Tashi when she suffers a career-ending injury on the court. Years later, Art has become an international superstar with Tashi as his wife and coach (though their marriage is hanging by a thread), while Patrick’s career and life have deteriorated so badly that he’s living out of his car. Apparently too much time away from Tashi will do that to a man. Art and Patrick both have to win this small-time tournament, Art to gain momentum going into the U.S. Open, Patrick to resurrect his fledgling career. Of course, they’re really battling over Tashi all over again, as well as trying to one-up each other. I mentioned this movie wanting to give its viewers a thrill on par with the intense final tennis match. After the early stages culminating in the scene in the hotel room, the movie pairs off Art, Patrick, and Tashi in combinations of two for the rest of the movie. The three banter, argue, and manipulate one another in a series of scenes whose snappiness is worthy of the comparison to a well-contested match. It’s not exactly a nail-biting intensity, but the three keep up with each other in a complimentary fashion. Where “Challengers” fell apart for me (aside from my inability to understand tennis scoring, so I kept thinking the climactic match was over when it wasn’t, which affected the movie’s momentum) was the utter un-likeability of the three main characters. Yes, they have good chemistry, but that’s just another way of saying that these miserable people all deserve one another. It’s one thing to cultivate conflicting opinions about who to root for because it makes for a lively debate. But did the movie have to make me wish that all three characters could lose somehow? I read an interview with Mike Faist where he described the characters’ dynamic as “everyone’s right and everyone’s wrong.” Ironically he’s only right about the “everyone’s wrong” part. Grade: C “Challengers” is rated R for language throughout, some sexual content and graphic nudity. Its running time is 131 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.