Before Highway 84 in the 1800s, St. Stephens Road connected then-Mississippi capital Natchez to Fort St. Stephens in Alabama as the main wagon and trade route that settled Mississippi. At the March Institute for Learning in Retirement luncheon, David Higgs, former Co-Lin humanities division chair, discussed the history and culture marks left on the road that brought the Scots-Irish peoples who populated to the Mississippi territory then mostly occupied by native Americans territories.  Trees, waterways, lakes, red bluffs and fertile field along the road made for a pleasant journey through what are now present-day Adams, Franklin, Lincoln, Lawrence, Jefferson Davis, Covington, Jones, and Wayne counties , Higgs said. Planning for the road dates to January 1809, when the Territorial General Assembly appointed three commissioners “to employ a fit person to open a road from Pearl river, where the present Choctaw boundary line crosses the same, the nearest and best way to the Chickasawhay river.” St. Stephens Road ran east and west as a main thoroughfare back in the early 1800s, and is responsible for many of the settlements that are still here today. A stage coach stop was located near the Old Brook settlement and is probably one of the reasons that Brookhaven exists today. People would stop on their way through to rest their oxen or horses and eventually many stayed. St. Stephens Road was constructed between 1806 and 1811 and the opening of the road enabled safer travel through this area ceded by the Treaty of Mount Dexter.

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that Willard Geven Knight, 33, was sentenced to serve a total of 50 years for multiple counts of child exploitation, which must be served without the possibility of parole. In January 2023, deputies from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department began working an undercover operation to identify an individual using social networks to receive, traffic, share, and distribute images and videos depicting child pornography. The investigation revealed that Knight had recently moved from his home located in Rankin County to Wesson. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), and Homeland Security assisted in the apprehension of Knight at his home in Wesson. During the search of his residence, multiple electronic devices were seized during the arrest and were processed by the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department. Those devices contained numerous photos and videos of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Knight was already a registered sex offender who was on supervised probation through the Mississippi Department of Corrections for a 2015 conviction for child exploitation. In the 2015 case, which the Attorney General’s Office prosecuted, Knight was sentenced to 40 years to serve, with 35 of those years suspended. He spent five years in prison and was released onto supervised probation through MDOC. Upon his arrest for the new 2023 charges, Judge Dewey Arthur revoked the suspended sentence and ordered that he serve the entirety of the previously suspended sentence of 35 years. In April of 2024, Knight pled guilty to the new charges of child exploitation. Upon completion of the 35-year sentence imposed by Judge Arthur, he will serve an additional fifteen years for this conviction. Knight will now serve a total of 50 years, day for day, without the possibility of parole or early release. “We appreciate the diligent efforts of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, MDOC, and Homeland Security in ensuring this dangerous repeat child sex offender is off the streets and locked away for the next 50 years,” stated Bramlet. “

By Kara Kimbrough Saying anything negative about local supermarkets goes against my beliefs. The 12+ years I worked for a supermarket chain still rank near the top of best work experiences of all time (flying around in the private jet didn’t hurt) and gave me a lifelong appreciation for neighborhood grocery stores. Fast forward to today and I’m happy to see shoppers in local stores instead of buying food online. So, advising against purchasing supermarket products – in this case, frozen meatballs and rotisserie chicken – is a little shocking. But hear me out before you judge too harshly. First, I have valid reasons for preferring not to buy rotisserie chicken. In the interest of staying off supermarkets’ bad list, I won’t share them here. I know they’re popular with some shoppers and that’s perfectly fine. Additionally, I don’t care for frozen, premade meatballs, probably because the homemade ones are so easy to make and taste, well, much better. And here’s another reason to make your own – they can be used as the base for tons of delicious recipes instead of boring browned ground beef. Personally, I love having extras in the freezer that I can pull out and defrost when I’m in the mood for spaghetti and meatballs. I make a few dozen at a time and freeze them in small batches. While this may sound very similar to using frozen meatballs from the supermarket, there’s a big difference between the two. I made them, I know what’s in them and unlike some (not all) products, all my ingredients are pronounceable. The Junior League of Jackson’s Come On In! cookbook published the recipe for Cinnamon Pepper Chicken over 30 years ago. It’s withstood the test of time and remains a favorite of many to this day. In fact, one friend says her family will revolt if she doesn’t make the dish weekly for dinner. I hope I’ve convinced you that making your own meatballs and baked whole chicken is worth the time and effort. Trust me, the taste alone will sway you if I haven’t. In the meantime, try these recipes - I can almost guarantee you’ll need no further encouragement from me to make meatballs and chicken at home. Cinnamon Pepper Chicken 1 whole chicken (4 pounds) 1-1/2 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon allspice Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Clean chicken and season well inside and out, with salt, peppers, cinnamon and allspice. Bake, uncovered, 2-1/2-3 hours, basting occasionally with pan juices Recipe from Come On In! by Junior League of Jackson Favorite Homemade Meatballs 1 pound ground chuck 1 large egg, beaten 1/4 cup breadcrumbs 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/4 cup finely chopped onion (can substitute packet of Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix instead) 2 teaspoons minced garlic 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the meat, egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, and parsley. Use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to scoop the meat mixture. Form into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on the baking sheet. Bake uncovered 17 to 20 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle. Turn halfway through to brown evenly. Americanized Crockpot Swedish Meatballs 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can beef broth, low sodium 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 packet Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix 20-25 meatballs (I prefer homemade, but you can use frozen version; defrost before using) 16-ounce carton sour cream Large bag of wide egg noodles Place first 5 ingredients into a Crockpot and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. At the end of cooking (and when meatballs are done if using frozen variety), add sour cream. Stir and replace lid; cook 15-20 minutes while boiling egg noodles. When noodles are done, drain and add to Crockpot, stirring to combine. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer and travel agent from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

Renowned singer-songwriter Tommy Rice is set to captivate audiences once again with the release of his latest singles, "All My Love I Give To You" and "Little Girl on the Corner." These emotionally charged tracks showcase Rice's unique ability to weave poignant storytelling with soul-stirring melodies, offering listeners a glimpse into his profound journey of love, loss, and faith. Rice's musical journey began after he tragically lost his beloved wife, Deborah, to an aggressive form of brain cancer. Throughout her battle, the couple leaned on their unwavering faith in God, finding solace and strength in each other's love. Three years later, Deborah's passing inspired Rice to channel his grief into creative expression, leading him to discover his passion as a songwriter and author. Driven by a newfound purpose, Rice poured his heart and soul into his craft, penning over 215 songs in just a few short years. Despite his initial lack of experience, Rice's talent quickly gained recognition, with 117 of his compositions recorded and 12 reaching number one status. His accolades include nominations for prestigious awards such as Crossover Artist of the Year and Country Breakthrough Artist of the Year, as well as victories in categories like Country New Group of the Year and IMN Inspirational Song of the Year. Rice's impact extends far beyond the confines of his home country, with his music resonating with audiences worldwide. His songs have garnered millions of views on platforms like YouTube and earned him a dedicated following in countries spanning from England to China. In recognition of his contributions to the music industry, Rice was honored to become a member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the International Singer Songwriter Association (ISSA). With the release of "All My Love I Give To You" and "Little Girl on the Corner," Tommy Rice invites listeners to embark on a journey of love, resilience, and hope. These poignant compositions serve as a testament to Rice's unwavering dedication to his craft and his commitment to sharing meaningful stories through music. But the journey doesn't end here. Tommy Rice has several more projects in the works, with a new single slated for release on May 15th. Stay tuned for more heartfelt music from this talented artist. For more information and to listen to Tommy Rice's music, visit: YouTube: [YouTube.com/@TommyRice] Facebook: [Facebook.com/TommyRiceMusic] Instagram: [Instagram.com/TommyRiceMusic] Twitter: [Twitter.com/TommyRiceMusic1] Official Website: [TommyRiceMusic.net] Contact: Tommy Rice Songwriter tommyricemusic@gmail.com

By Bob Arnold If you recently noticed folk around town with cameras carefully sizing up photo opportunities and snapping pictures, they just might have been helping out Wesson Friends of the Library (FOL) as participants in a contest generating picture stories to promote the local public library during the National Library Week celebration it is orchestrating. Over the past couple of weeks, FOL, the local support group for Wesson Public Library, has been engaging town camera buffs, inviting them to capture visual images of the contributions the library makes to the community and submitting them for possible cash prizes. A great picture that tells a compelling story can mean $100 or $50 awards for first and second prizes in the FOL photo contest.  The deadline for submitting photos for consideration was Friday, April 5, and the cash prizes will be awarded later this month. Meanwhile, FOL is using the photos during National Library Week, April 7-13, to raise awareness of the many services Wesson Public Library provides to the community. “National Library Week is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities,” explains FOL member Dr.  Steven Liverman, who coordinated the contest. “Our goal is simply to make community residents more aware of the Wesson Library and what we have to offer.” The theme of 2024 National Library Week is “Ready, Set, Library!” as the umbrella for promoting the idea that in our online world, libraries give us a green light to to connect with others, learn new skills, and focus on what matters most. Libraries are not just for borrowing books, Liverman reminds. “We also have DVDs to check out, computers for browsing your interests and broadening your horizons, a card catalog, newspapers, magazines, reference materials, even forms online,” he points out.  “Copying and laminating are also available.  There are special programs throughout the year -- a summer reading program for kids, holiday celebrations and learning opportunities that add to the wealth of material that is available at the library.  No matter where you find yourself on the roadmap through life’s journey -- preparing for a new career, launching a business, or raising a family -- your library can help provide support along the way. “We’re seeking photos that demonstrate this and reflect the National Library Week theme.” Wesson News is judging contest photos.

By Bob Arnold Loyal customers, friends and relatives and members of the Wesson Chamber of Commerce officially cheered on Ana Mason in her efforts to rebuild her Copiah Nutrition Club business in a new location at a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony last month. After eight years serving health-conscious locals at 3035 Highway 51 across from Steel Outdoors, Mason relocated Copiah Nutrition Club next to the Wesson branch of the Copiah County Clinic on Beech Street, where the State Department of Health once served the public. Various building problems at the Highway 51 location had, increasingly, frustrated Mason’s operations and she decided to close up shop and start anew in fall 2023.  In December, she opened the doors at the new location and started to rebuild her operation there. The Nutrition Club is actually one part of Mason’s business as an independent distributor for Herbalife, with a product line that addresses needs of people related to a healthy weight, specialized nutrition, energy and fitness and skin and hair care. As a Herbalife distributor, Mason also has a website -- www.goherbalife.com/TeamMason, which she calls “the store front” of her business.  “That’s where you can register as a member to purchase products at deep discounts as a customer or as an independent distributor to sell products as part of my team, which now includes about ten persons” Mason explains.  “Copiah Nutrition Club is the day-to-day personal operations side of the web site that introduces Herbalife to drop-in customers who are technically members of a venue that is neither a restaurant nor retail outlet.” At the nutrition club, member-customers can purchase health meal replacement shakes, energy and beauty teas, sports drinks and some of the other products available on the website, but not the full line of products. Before COVID-19 curtailed its operations, almost 120 persons daily visited the nutrition club on Highway 51, and its traffic had rebounded to almost 100 persons per day before Mason shut down and moved to the Beech Street location.  Today, at its new location, daily visitors are at around 40. When business was at its peak in the old location, Mason had five employees.  Today, at the outset of her rebuilding tasks, she is staffing Copiah Nuturition Club alone. “In the coming weeks, we will be promoting raffles with product give-aways at the club on our Facebook page to stimulate new traffic,” she promises. The 21-day Transformation Challenge, which starts online the first Monday of each month, also stimulates product sales while educating competitors on nutrition and fitness.  Some 1,500 persons from throughout the world participate in the weight-loss, health-building program through web sites of Mason and her team members.  For a $100 registration fee, they follow a plan, weigh in regularly, get support and advice for meals and keeping in shape on weekly one-to-two hour Zoom conference calls and document their progress on achieving their healthy living goals with before and after photos.  Five Challenge competitors every month are rewarded $1,000 each for their transformations. Copiah Nutrition Club’s hours are 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

Mississippi Boychoir celebrates the conclusion of its 29th season with two spring concerts - a preview concert and a full concert on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Those interested in singing with the choir next season are encouraged to attend the preview concert where sign-ups for choir placement for the 30th anniversary season will be available. The Preview Concert will be held at the St. Richard Catholic Church at 2:00 pm. 1242 Lynwood Drive, Jackson. This concert is free and open to the public. The Spring Concert will be held at St. Columb’s Episcopal Church at 6:00 pm. 550 Sunnybrook Road, Ridgeland. $10 suggested donation at the door. Timeline for the day: 2:00 pm - Preview Concert with opportunity for choir placement sign-ups for next season. 3:30 pm - Choir placements 6:00 pm - Spring Concert Mississippi Boychoir and this event are funded in part by the Mississippi Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Co-Lin hosted the annual Junior High Math Competition in which 10 local junior high schools participated. First and second place winners in each division will compete at the state junior high math competition at The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science this month. In top photo are winners in the seventh-grade division (left to right) first place Kaleb Abrams from West Lincoln Attendance Center; second place Zoey Freeman from Bogue Chitto Attendance Center; third place Easton Emerson from Alexander Junior High School; fourth place Brooks Shoemake from Wesson Attendance Center; tied for fifth place Austin Jex and Carter Cook from Cathedral School, and Price Sistrunk from Topeka-Tilton Attendance Center. In lower photo are winners in the eighth-grade division from left, first place Jonah Rutland from Topeka-Tilton Attendance Center; second place Ivy Thomas from Alexander Junior High School; third place Matthew Branch from Wesson Attendance Center; fourth place Georgia McCullough from Alexander Junior High School; tied for fifth place, Sciania Rhymes of Rod Paige Middle School and Tristan Holloway from Wesson Attendance Center.

Mississippi’s musicians occupy a special place in the world of music.  From writers to performers, the state’s musicians have made a global impact, and few have done more to make sure the world knows that great and timeless music is one of Mississippi chief exports than Hazlehurst’s James (Jim) Brewer. The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) alum, who founded the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame and coined the phrase, “The Birthplace of America’s Music,” was the focus of the USM band program’s celebration of Mississippi Musicians Month in presentations to him of a commemorative plaque from the USM School of Music by Dr. Chris Winstead, Dean of the school’s College of Arts and Sciences, and a proclamation from the City of Hattiesburg by Mayor Toby Barker. Brewer received his BMED, Med and EdD degrees from USM, taught at Mississippi College after serving as band director, administrator and special projects director at public schools throughout Mississippi, and operated Associated Consultants in Education from 1980 to 1998. When he was 61 years old in 1994, he founded the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame, which has inducted more than 140 artists.  Subsequently, he founded museums at Medgar Evers International Airport and the Iron Horse Grill in Jackson, which made Mississippi music history visible.  And just to make sure Mississippi musical heritage was widely known, he coined the phrase, “Mississippi, Birthplace of America’s Music,” a slogan for Mississippi car tags, road signs at major intersections and state border crossings, promotions of tourism departments and the state’s Governors. After settling in Hazlehurst in 2001, he opened a third museum inside the town’s historic downtown train depot and created the Musicians Walk of Fame outside, which was dedicated on August 4, 2017. Active in the community, Brewer has served on the music and personnel committees at Hazlehurst First Baptist Church and the boards of Hazlehurst Chamber of Commerce and Co-Lin’s Institute for Learning in Retirement. Visit www.msmusisicanshalloffame.com.

By Bob Garver “Civil War” presents one of the most intriguing premises of the year, maybe of the last several years: what if Texas and California were to secede from the United States and join forces to wage war against their former home country? In short, everyone would lose. The economy would tank so badly that $300 would buy you a ham sandwich or cheese sandwich – but not both. There wouldn’t be a sports stadium left for sports and not crisis centers. Violence and death would lurk around every corner. And needless to say, things would be a nightmare for the press. Kirsten Dunst stars as Lee Smith, a hardened photographer. She’s not without her compassionate side, giving her life-saving press jacket to stranger Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) during a riot in New York City. But otherwise, she is fearlessly committed to bringing America (whatever that means anymore) the truth about the war. She and her colleague Joel (Wagner Moura) set off to Washington D.C. to get what will likely be the final interview with the President (Nick Offerman) before advancing Western forces inevitably take him. The two are joined by occasionally-annoying tagalong Jessie and veteran reporter Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson, always a great scene-stealing presence, and here making the most of his most high-profile role to date). Much of “Civil War” is a glorified road trip movie largely set in rural areas, which I suppose makes sense since the movie can’t afford to show major cities getting torn to pieces in every scene. But the small-scale villains are even scarier than the large-scale ones, with fewer authorities than ever around to keep them in check. The team visit a gas station where thieves are tortured for as long as the captors can have fun torturing them. Even worse is a militia group filling a mass grave of civilians that were probably not killed as an act of war, but whose disappearance will probably be lazily blamed on the war. “Civil War” can’t be bothered to answer all the questions it raises, like those involving the origins of the war. Given that Texas and California are the states that seceded, I can only assume that immigration was a major factor, though details are left unclear. Not all the violence in this movie is about the war anyway, some people just want an excuse to shoot people they don’t like. In fact, it’s not necessarily people they don’t like – some people just want an excuse to shoot people regardless of what they represent. Humanity is forever on the edge of destroying itself from within and all that. Watching “Civil War” reminded me of “The Purge” with its mass violence with or without sense. That franchise started off as a pretty standard home-invasion thriller with lots of bells and whistles about the overlying concept of The Purge that weren’t really necessary for the small-scale conflict. The sequels got deeper into why people needed to kill for reasons other than revenge, while at the same time expanding the scale of the action with ever-growing budgets. Maybe there’s a future for “Civil War” as a franchise. The sequels will need to spend more money, though, because the D.C.-set finale of this movie looks rushed and cheap. “Civil War” might be onto something as a first chapter in a series that will have many sequels and prequels. On its own, however, I found it bland. There are certainly some powerful scenes, like one with an unbilled Jesse Plemmons as a militia member chillingly doling out death sentences according to his whims. The stars of Moura, Spaeny, and Henderson are deservedly going to rise thanks to their performances here, though I can’t be the only one who walked out of the theater thinking that Spaeny’s character was responsible for too many deaths for her character to be likeable. I can’t say the film lives up to the ambitiousness of its premise, but with more worldbuilding in future installments, there’s potential here for a memorable dystopian future. Grade: C “Civil War” is rated R for strong violent content, bloody/disturbing images, and language throughout. Its running time is 109 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has shut down the State Route 28 bridge over the Pearl River at the Copiah/Simpson County line. The bridge was struck by an over-height vehicle traveling westbound, causing significant structural damage. “This closure is necessary to ensure the safety of all commuters, residents and travelers,” Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons explains.   “It will allow our crews to conduct a thorough assessment of the damage and perform the necessary repairs to ensure the safety and stability of the bridge.  This is going to inconvenience many drivers, but our priority, as always, is the safety of everyone who utilizes this route. Please allow our crews the time and space to properly assess this damage and make these critical repairs.” The bridge is an 80-year-old steel truss bridge with a vertical clearance of 14.9 feet.  Officials said the over-height vehicle traversed roughly a third of the bridge before it stopped, striking several sway bracings and damaging load-bearing components of the bridge. Officials anticipate the repair process to last approximately six to nine months, which entails damage assessment, designing the repairs, utilizing an emergency bid process and hiring a contractor to perform the work. Repairs are currently anticipated to cost more than $2 million and will involve the repair and replacement of damaged steel components. Traffic should detour using State Route 27, U.S. 84 and State Route 13. Drivers are advised to allow additional travel time and exercise caution while navigating through the alternate routes.

If you work and work hard, you will understand this topic. Exhaustion. Too much constant physical or mental work, with no relaxation for your body and brain can bring on serious exhaustion. And that kind of tired, with no time for recuperating, is dangerous for you. You run the risk of pushing too far over the edge, which can easily mean that you end up being grounded for a while. Which is ultimately more costly for you than stepping-away time would be. Anyone with half a brain can understand that taking time away, even a stay-cay, is smarter and cheaper than a few days in your local hospital. And if your collapse happens to be of the mental or emotional kind? You are easily staring in the face of a much longer convalescence time. But let’s say you are Numero Uno, the head of your organization, and you know you can’t afford the luxury of just walking away for a few days. Your company relies heavily on your leadership, and your empty desk could mean faulty repercussion-laden decisions being made. Which could lead to a loss of revenue, which would lead to financial losses that affect everyone in the company.  I acknowledge the truth of that. But consider this truth, if that is something that you fear. You definitely should have begun developing other competent leaders – yesterday. And if you don’t trust any of your employees to learn to lead? Then you have some leadership problems within yourself. Because your job is not only to lead your organization, but it is also to find, develop, and assign leaders to lead with you. If you do not develop other leaders, you are short-changing your business. Bottomline, if it stays in that controlling palm of your hand, it cannot grow past the size of the palm of your hand. Believe me, other people in your business need and want you to ask them to step forward. To expect more from them. To train them to take over a department. Don’t be afraid to delegate responsibility. Applaud and reward effort. Refrain from punishing when they fail while they are learning.  Discipline only with teaching and training in mind. And if you do happen to invest your time and leadership training into a dud who isn’t invested in the welfare and success of your company, demote that person as quickly as possible. Before the bleeding worsens. A person like that will put your company’s health on the bottom of their priority list. But what if you are the head and also the tip of the tail for your company? It is you and you alone who is responsible for its success or failure, every day. There are no other beating hearts that care one whit whether your business falls flat on its face. You talk about stress! No doubt about it, going it alone in this world is extremely tough. I simply refer you to paragraph one. For your own health, my friend.