The annual energy bill for a typical single-family home is $2,060 in the United States.  Have you ever wondered just where that money goes?  Well, for the average family, a whopping 42% of that is made up of heating and cooling costs combined. Water heating is another 13% of the total cost.  Electronics account for 21% with lighting at 12% and appliances at 12%.  What are some ways you can reduce your bill and save money?  The top ten money saving tips can save you a significant amount on your energy bill. 1.       Replace any light bulb, especially ones that burn more than an hour per day, with a light-emitting diode (LED) bulb. 2.       Seal from the inside.  Air sealing is an inexpensive way to lower energy costs and improve comfort. Seal gaps and holes in walls, floors, and ceilings with caulk or foam sealant.  Look for cracks around windows and where wires and pipes pass through. 3.       Plug electronic devices such as cable boxes, printers and TVs into power strips and turn off during vacations or long periods without use.  Smart power strips make it an easy task to save money. 4.       Change your central HVAC system filter when dirty according to the manufacturers recommendations.  Dirty filters can impact your home comfort and increase your electricity bill.  Make sure to change out every 30 days. 5.       A one-degree increase in heating setpoint or reduction in cooling setpoint can increase energy use by 3-5%, so to save money set your HVAC unit to 78 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter. 6.       Have your duct work checked for leaks.  Leaks at the return, air handler and supply can be a major contributor to high bills.  Mobile homes should be checked at the grill, cross over duct, and down flow air handler, for leaks. 7.       Set both the upper and lower water heater thermostats no higher than 125 degrees. 8.       An electric space heater can cost more than $100 per month to operate.  Minimize their use, except for limited or temporary spot heating.  Turn space heaters off when leaving a room. 9.       Ensure refrigerator door seals are tight.  Eliminate unnecessary refrigerators. 10.   Close shades and drapes during the day to keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. For more ways to save and for the latest member information, visit www.southernpine.coop and follow Southern Pine Electric on Facebook. Southern Pine Electric is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative that distributes electricity to more than 69,000 meters in 11 counties in central and south Mississippi. It is headquartered in Taylorsville and has offices in Brandon, Newton, Hattiesburg, and New Hebron.

Medically underserved Mississippians in need of free dental treatment are invited to apply for services available during Dental Mission Week at the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry. Dental Mission Week, set for Jan. 29-Feb. 1, 2024, seeks to raise awareness of issues related to access to dental care and to provide free dental care for vulnerable populations that include uninsured minor children and adults—including military veterans. Free services provided are cleanings, extractions, fillings, root canals for front teeth only, oral cancer screening and oral hygiene education. Those selected for treatment will be contacted by the School of Dentistry to schedule an appointment. In addition to providing necessary care to Mississippians, Dental Mission Week supports dental education in the School of Dentistry. Students learn how to become servant leaders in their communities, and they gain valuable hands-on experience, not just in dental procedures, but in making their patients feel welcome and comfortable. “Dental Mission Week is just one way the School of Dentistry can express its compassion for life, love and humanity for others,” said Melody Longino, the school’s manager of ambulatory operations and Dental Mission Week coordinator. The application deadline is Jan. 12. Download an application here. Applications are also available at the School of Dentistry or from a local Veterans Affairs facility liaison. Applications must be mailed to UMMC School of Dentistry, 2500 N. State St., Jackson, MS 39215 including a working phone number and signatures where indicated. The School of Dentistry will not accept applications that are emailed or faxed. Visit this website if you would like to donate to Dental Mission Week efforts. Additional details on Dental Mission Week are available here.

Crystal Springs’ gospel singer/songwriter Ramsay Prine -- not to the be confused with his father Calvin Prine, a well-known singer around Hattiesburg  -- is making his own music and becoming recognized for his special talent from Crystal Springs, where he settled in 2013. Nicknamed “Mr. Guitar,” he was the baby in a musical family of 18 children in which almost everyone of them sings or plays music.  He wrote his first song when he was six about the girl next door and won the first talent show he entered when he was seven playing a three-string guitar and singing to an Elvis CD. Elvis remains his main source of inspiration, with Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash close seconds. Although he can sing almost anything, country gospel, which he also writes, is his favorite.  He “sings anything from George Strait to George Thorogood,” opens shows for other musical talents and performs at weddings, funerals, graduations, birthdays and valentine banquets. He doesn’t read music, but thanks God for the gifts of being able to hear a song and play it by feel and rhythm and to write songs from the heart -- being in touch with an emotion, such as love or grief, and recording the words that come. He struggled growing up, and fought addiction before “music saved my life,” and he started “singing for the right reasons,” turning to gospel.  He and his wife have two musical children -- Kenzie, who plays piano, and Colton, who is already singing and playing guitar like his dad.  In 2013, settled with his family in Crystal Springs -- “a place of redemption” where “people have been so nice.” A MAC Records owner from Columbus, Mississippi, heard him singing in a church in 2014 and approached him about recording, a new career route on which he embarked a few years ago that is expanding his renown. EDITOR’S NOTE: The 2023 Copiah County Bicentennial year has ended, but Wesson News continues to feature sketches of past and present visual artists, musicians, authors and photographers who are natives of the county excerpted from Tricia Nelson’s reporting in A Shared History:  Copiah County, Mississippi 1823-2023 edited and compiled by Paul C. Cartwright and available through Cartwright for $25 plus $5 for shipping at 3 Waverly Circle, Hattiesburg, MS 39402.  Nelson is a Crystal Springs writer who contributes to the Copiah County Monitor.

Co-Lin men’s and women’s basketball teams have started their seasons on a winning note in line with expectations following successful play during 2022-23. The men finished last year with an 18-6 overall record, 12-2 in conference play, and won their first Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) championship since the 1999-2000 season, while the women had a 16-10 overall record, 6-8 in MACCC play.  Both teams went to the4 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 23 Tournament, but lost in early rounds. Men’s second-year Coach David Sanders has a new group of players, but says his expectation coming into the new season are still high. "We want to be National Champions,” he says.  “That is the goal and that is what it is always going to be, and from that goal we create others. Winning the conference again is the first step, then we want to win regionals. The main thing for that to happen is getting our players to buy in and get ready for the challenge ahead." New Lady Wolves Coach Dr. Britta Stephens says she is excited about her first season.  "I think we have a good group of core sophomores who all bring experience to the table along with freshmen that have shown promise leading up to the season,” she says.  "I think that we are going to be a high energy team and that will look a little different than what Co-Lin has had in the past because of our player makeup and ability.  Pressing and guarding will be the way we work best this season. We are going to guard well and generate offense through our solid defense." The men’s roster features 13 players, including 11 freshmen. "I think that everything starts with Devin Carter (Edwards), who is a transfer guard from Alcorn State,” he says.  “He can handle the ball, shoot it well, and is a very dynamic player who has a chance to be an All-Conference player for us. "We also have Avaughn Johnson (Jackson), who is a Jackson State transfer.  He plays inside out and we like what we have seen from him in practice and scrimmages so far. "Emmanuel James (Nigeria) is the first international player for us at Co-Lin and he has a chance to be one of the best athletes in the conference.  Ismail Rashid (Brandon) is a do-it-all guy for us who comes in with a lot of maturity after spending a year at a prep school. He is a guy that we are going to be able to use all over the court to make plays for us.  Dakota Hillard (Hazlehurst) is a big guy and can shoot it with a nice post game and we are just trying to find ways to get him touches" The roster also includes Jamarion Smith (Magnolia), Kaison Saunders (Olive Branch), Trevon Taylor and Courterius Scott (both from Jackson), Corey Brown (Roxie), Jayden Jackson (Camden), Antonio Oatis (Hattiesburg), and Fred Gray, Jr. (Belzoni). The roster for the Lady Wolves features 12 players including six sophomores (four returners, two transfers) and six freshmen.  Returning sophomores for the Lady Wolves include Kayla Howard (Shaw), Lashaunte Payne (Magee), A'shante Fleming (Canton), and Ceara Myers (Baton Rouge, LA) while Sequoia Bolden (Hattiesburg) and Jamea Smith (Jackson) both come to Co-Lin after playing their freshmen years at Coahoma. "I look for us to play pretty fast every game and for all of our players to play every game because of the style of basketball we are going to have to play this season," stated Stephens. "I think the depth of our roster will be one of our strengths." Returning sophomores for the Lady Wolves include Kayla Howard (Shaw), Lashaunte Payne (Magee), A'shante Fleming (Canton), and Ceara Myers (Baton Rouge, LA) while Sequoia Bolden (Hattiesburg) and Jamea Smith (Jackson) both come to Co-Lin after playing their freshmen years at Coahoma.  "I really think that Jamea, Ceara, and A'shante have the ability of being all-conference type players for us," says Stephens. "Jamea and Ceara can average double-doubles in rebounds and points. If we can keep those three playing really well for us and two or three more that can complement them then we will be really successful this season." Incoming freshmen for the Lady Wolves include Kiersten Haynes (Clinton), Myla Harbor (Ferriday, LA), Ke'Asia McChriston (Jackson), Zamiya Brown (Flowood), Alexanjria Washington (Canton), and Tia Richardson (Jackson). Early in the new season, the men have posted a 4-2 record, and the women are 5-2.  The men have defeated Baton Rouge Community College (89-72), Baton Rouge Post Graduate (122-57) and Delgado (83-75 and 87-81) with losses to Chipola (95-73) and Pensacola (66-63).  The Lady Wolves have wins over Shorter (76-52), South Arkansas Community College (93-88 and 61-57), Southern University Shreveport (56-39) and Baton Rouge Community College (73-60), with losses to Kilgore (73-57) and LSU Eunice (79-58).

By Bob Garver With the holiday season coming to an end, I can only talk about what “made” a movie like “Migration” a relative hit, as opposed to talking about its future. And that reason is that it was a “compromise” movie for families looking for a way to kill time together during the holiday break. “Wonka,” while the biggest hit of the season, came out two weeks ago, so “Migration” probably gobbled up some business from families that had already seen it. “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” didn’t appeal to non-DCEU fans (and was terrible to boot). “The Color Purple” is better than all these movies (seriously, I highly recommend that one), but with its heavy subject matter, isn’t exactly fun for the whole family. The compromise was to take the kids to the animated duck movie. The Mallard family make their home in a small rural pond. Father Mack (Kumail Nanjiani) teaches son Dax (Caspar Jennings) and daughter Gwen (Tresi Gazal) to fear the dangers of the outside world, but mother Pam (Elizabeth Banks) is pretty sure they can handle some adventure if they stick together. Her attitude rubs off on the kids, and they want to migrate to Jamaica for the winter, but Mack forbids it. He’s backed up by lazy slob Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito), who leads a sedentary, washed-out life. Uncle Dan’s bad example is enough to convince Mack that the family needs a vacation after all. Mack reluctantly leads the family (including Uncle Dan) toward Jamaica, but they soon get stuck in a miserable rainstorm. Pam tries to play the “it’s all part of the adventure” and “we’ll laugh about this later” cards, as parents tend to do when things go wrong on vacation, but it’s clear things are off to a bad start. Things get even worse when a heron (Carol Kane) offers the family refuge in her home, and they have to spend the night in the home of a frightening predator. It turns out that the real predator is a fish that has swam into the flooded house, but it’s an unnerving experience all the same. The family gets “lost” and ends up in New York City (though I have no idea where they started, so NYC could be south for all I know), where they befriend local streetwise pigeon Chump (Awkwafina). She makes the inevitable joke confusing Jamaica the country with the Queens neighborhood once and then leaves it alone, which was a relief to me – I thought the characters would spend about an hour making that mistake. Chump takes them to imprisoned macaw Delroy (Keegan-Michael Key), who can give them directions to Jamaica, but they decide they can’t just leave him in his cage, they need to break him out so he can take them there himself. This angers his mute owner, who happens to be a chef that specializes in cooking ducks. The family spends the rest of the movie battling the chef, who has his own private helicopter so they can have a confrontation later at a duck farm (disguised an avian-friendly vacation resort for some reason, even though this isn’t “Wonka” and humans don’t need to con the ducks) and then further down the coast in the third act. “Migration” isn’t a particularly imaginative family film. It’s certainly cute and harmless enough that I don’t think anybody will truly detest it, even if they’re well outside the target audience. But it’s not the kind that I think parents will enjoy as much as their kids – save for the completely-plausible possibility that the kids find it dull too. Grade: C “Migration” is rated PG for action/peril and mild rude humor. Its running time is 83 minutes, plus nine for the pre-feature animated short “Mooned,” which follows villain Vector (Jason Segel) after the events of 2010’s “Despicable Me.” I didn’t find the short funny, but I’m glad the franchise is keeping the character alive, as I thought he was funny in the first movie and would like to see him return for future installments. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Mississippi is one of seven states reporting high levels of illness in the new flu season.  Along with Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico and South Carolina are among states where flu cases are prevalent.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)also has the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico on its high flu activity list. There are different kinds of flu viruses, and the version that's been spreading the most so far this year usually leads to a lesser amount of hospitalizations and deaths in the elderly — the group on whom flu tends to take the largest toll.  Traditionally, the winter flu season ramps up in December or January, but it took off in October last year, and made a November entrance this year. Tracking during flu season relies in part on reports of people with flu-like symptoms who go to doctor's offices or hospitals.  Many people with the flu are not tested, so their infections aren’t lab-confirmed. COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses can sometimes muddy the picture.  So far this fall, the CDC estimates at least 780,000 flu illnesses, at least 8,000 hospitalizations and at least 490 flu-related deaths — including at least one child. It's not yet clear exactly how effective the current flu vaccines are, but the shots are well-matched to the flu strains that are showing up. In the U.S., about 35% of U.S. adults and 33% of children have been vaccinated against flu, current CDC data indicates.

A gripe taken from the lips of one frustrated lady, who was recently overheard in a public place. “I had the family holiday dinner at my house last week, just like I have for years.  My daughter was to bring most of the food – including the cranberry dish that she knows to always bring. But this year, for some unknown strange reason, she brought everything else, except the cranberries! Good grief, she KNOWS that is my favorite dish!” When the person who was listening sympathetically to this tale of woe asked her if she had reminded the daughter to bring that particular holiday dish, she answered, “Well, no. But she should know that she has to bring the cranberries. After all, she always has, all these years.” Oh my. So much gone wrong – on so many levels. First of all – can anyone say ungrateful attitude? “She brought most of the food…but not my cranberries that I love.”  Now, I realize that I wasn’t there, so I can’t really know - maybe the lady did tell her daughter how much she appreciated the cooking, the cost, and the love involved in providing everything. I certainly hope so. It also seems the mother made the bad mistake of just assuming that her daughter would walk through Mom’s door toting the cranberries. It would have solved so much if Mom would have asked her daughter beforehand to once again provide her famous dish. And if she didn’t, that family may have a problem in the making. Because assuming her daughter will buy, cook, and bring everything for the table – like she always does - can begin to create some hidden or unhidden resentment in the daughter. Being taken for granted is never an easy part to play, and most of us endure it unwillingly. People, what a missed opportunity! A chance to praise, to affirm, and to be gracious. And because I am meddling in another family’s business (and I do realize that fact) I’m going to say something else, and here it is: “Mom, maybe it’s time for somebody else to also volunteer, to help in providing and cooking some of the dinner.” Sometimes as times goes by, we family members just fall into habits. “So-n-so always brings the meat for our get-togethers,” so nobody else even thinks about helping in that area. Well, maybe someone needs to ask ol’ so-n-so if he still wants to buy, cook, and bring the meat year after year. Or if would he like a break or some help. My point is this; Just make certain, every once in a while, that So-n-so still wants to play that role, so that resentment doesn’t rear its ugly head and ruin what was once a good thing for your family. Common courtesy and common sense combined with open communication goes a long way to having family times that everyone enjoys.

The Mississippi Sickle Cell Foundation (MSCF) hosted a Christmas Carnival for sickle cell warriors and their families on Saturday, December 16. Coordinating the event this year was Tobi Breland, nurse practitioner at Children's of MS Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCCBD) and MSCF board member, and Teresa Walker, registered nurse at CCCBD and MSCF board member. “Each year, the Foundation sponsors this event for our young warriors, but we have not been able to have it since 2018, due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Breland.  “We are excited to bring it back this year and hope to have a good turnout.   Sickle cell is a prevalent genetic blood disorder with many possible complications.  We plan the event to provide some holiday fun for families who deal with the effects of it daily.” The carnival will feature games, food, a cake walk and a special visit and gifts from Santa.  Parents are invited to snap a photo of their youngsters with the Jolly ‘Ol Elf. Set for 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Jackson’s Christian Life Center at 431 North State Street in Jackson, the event is free, but is limited to children with sickle cell disease and their immediate family only. “We hope families will come and experience some happiness and joy with others who understand what they go through on a daily basis,” said Breland. “We want them to know they are not alone.” For more information, email MSSickleCellFND@yahoo.com.

By Kara Kimbrough In case you were waiting for it.…my annual “Favorite foods, supermarket products, restaurants and destinations of 2023” is coming next week. I’m still trying to pare the list down to a manageable level. In the meantime, I’m sharing a couple of my favorite recipes from the past year that you’ll definitely want to try in 2024. You probably already figured a soup recipe is included, but believe me when I say, this is no ordinary soup. Filled with all of my favorite ingredients – sun dried tomatoes, pasta, garlic and shrimp (although the original recipe calls for chicken, I often substitute shrimp to simulate my favorite Sun-Dried Pasta and Shrimp dish) it’s a feast for the eyes and palate. The viral (wildly popular for those not familiar with online terminology) Italian chopped sandwich was a favorite of millions in 2023. I’ve already shared the recipe, so I won’t reprint it. A close second is the also-popular smash burger. It may appear to be a regular ol’ burger, but there’s a special technique that makes it extra good. I wasn’t around in the 1950’s, but many liken it to burgers prepared at neighborhood burger joints of that era. So, there you have it- my favorite recipes of 2023. Here’s to discovering many more food finds and sharing them with you in 2024! Favorite Things Soup 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil with Italian herbs (found near the jarred pasta sauces in the supermarket) 1  tablespoon of the seasoned olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar 1  tablespoon olive oil 1 cup chopped yellow onion 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 garlic cloves - minced 6 cups chicken broth 2 cups whole milk 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 2   cups cooked chicken, shredded 2   cups chopped spinach 8 ounces small bite-size pasta (shells, macaroni, etc.) 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese Add 1/2 cup of the sun-dried tomatoes to a small bowl; set aside. Pour 1 tablespoon of the seasoned olive oil from the sun-dried tomato jar. Add the seasoned oil to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add regular olive oil and onion to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, for two minutes. Add broth, milk, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Add chicken, spinach, and pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender (around 10 minutes). Add the parmesan cheese. Stir until incorporated and serve. 2023’s Famous Smash Burger Prepare Patties – Divide 1 1/2 pounds of ground chuck and roll into 8 equal-size balls (3 ounces each), cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook. Make Sauce – Stir together 1/3 cup mayo, 1 teaspoon mustard and 1 teaspoon ketchup and set aside. Prep Toppings – fully prep toppings ahead to assemble the burgers right away while the patties are hot off the grill. Lettuce – thinly slice iceberg lettuce for a restaurant-style smash burger Pickles – sliced dill pickle chips are the best Tomatoes – meaty and large-sized tomatoes are recommended if available; peel and cut into thin slices Red onion – thinly slice into rings Toast buns – lightly butter the cut side of buns and toast on a griddle or skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Transfer to a rack. Cook patties – increase heat of a griddle or cast-iron skillet to medium-high. Depending on surface area, place 2 to 4 cold balls of meat onto the hot surface. Working quickly, cover each piece with a sheet of parchment paper and smash each into a thin patty using a burger press or spatula. Remove parchment paper, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, add a small amount of sauce, and flip. Sear for 2 minutes on the first side and two minutes on the second side; continue until burgers are no longer pink in the center. Add cheese – place a slice of cheese onto half of the patties and top with a second patty. Press down on top burger for a minute until cheese is melted; remove from heat. Enjoy: Serve warm on toasted buns, with toppings arranged on the bottom bun.  Make more sauce to serve with burgers if desired. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer and travel agent from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

By Mika Hartman Happy 2024! As we all plan for the coming year, the possible and impossible resolutions made, the highest hope for a better tomorrow, I know whose hands our future falls in: Our children. Linda Creed wrote the lyrics for the mega hit that originally was recorded by George Benson and later by the great Whitney Houston: “Greatest Love Of All”. I was eleven in 1986 when Whitney's first album released, so everything Whitney sang was played on my record player that had disco lights; with me singing and dancing on my bed (and even in my driveway) like no one was watching. After Thanksgiving, we were traveling home and this hit came on the radio. Tears didn’t stop when I heard the lyrics that I have heard 1000’s of times before. I was thinking about Hudson and all of his tomorrows ahead; he is our future, too. “I believe the children are our future Teach them well and let them lead the way Show them all the beauty they possess inside Give them a sense of pride to make it easier Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be” We all know these words well. Even as I am typing them, tho, they have a renewed meaning to me, just like the hope for our new year. Our focus gets on the tasks of today, but what if we put more time into tomorrow. Teach, show, give and let the (my favorite) laughter all be more contagious. But many don’t know why it was important for Whitney to record this one. Her words: “Our young people need to hear that song and realize it’s about loving yourself. If you can love yourself through all your rights and wrongs and faults, then that’s the greatest love of all.” -Whitney Houston The world is hard to understand, but Gods love isn’t. My husband treated me to a Holiday Special with LeAnn Rimes for my birthday. Ms. LeAnn said that the world would be a better place if when we looked at one another, that we understood that we were looking at the face of God in each of us. It would, hopefully, stop us from saying things we don’t mean or shouldn’t say. It would likely give us more graceful moments with humanity. LeAnn also stated that how remarkable we are with our own unique set of fingerprints that will never be duplicated and the marvel of this mind-blowing thought. The face of God is in ALL of us. We are His creation. As I have moved from being the future to raising the future, I know we have so much to learn from my son. At 5 years old, he has opened my eyes to wanting a better world. I didn’t know how much was wrong with the status quo until his birth. My uncle just visited to be Santa for our Gulf Coast Down Syndrome Society’s Christmas Party. He shared that he was invited to The White House with President Bush to be on the West Lawn for the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. I was clueless to his involvement with ADA and his input on helping this monumental act become law. Seriously!? How did I not know? Because it didn’t have any meaning in my personal life. I could be mad at myself for my selfishness, but instead of getting angry, I am doing “more” to make up for my ignorance. My uncle even shared that it is his “greatest accomplishment” to have helped with this, but also his “sore-spot” in how it has been misinterpreted and twisted to reduce employment opportunities for people with disabilities. As far as its good, the ADA has shown our nations commitment to people with disabilities full civil and human rights. This act protects against discrimination of people with disabilities, too.  The U.S. Census Bureau in 2021 stated that there are 42.5 million Americans with disabilities. Of those, it was stated that over three million are children (0-18) with disabilities. There was an uptick of 0.4% from 2008 to 2019. What I get from this is that we have three million children with disabilities here today to learn from, that we have an opportunity to make the future brighter for many. In 2020, the census bureau says that the United States has 73.1 million children. What I take from this is that we have 70.1 million children to teach about their peers with disabilities. Allow them to be educated about our differences and let them be accepting of God’s gifts in the way He designed. Our future is them. Hudson is beautiful on the inside and out. He has and gives such joy. Hudson’s journey is different than that of typical 5 year olds, but it is not bad or wrong, it is his. It’s an opportunity to learn; for him AND for you and me. When we learn, we can teach. When we teach, we can bring change. And those changes can become normal behaviors of inclusion and acceptance. A celebration and a hope that is needed more than ever. The 2024 celebrations are here, the need for a better future is now. So let’s bring in this year with EXTRA kisses at midnight and a promise of a beautiful tomorrow for all. And it would be good to make a few EXTRA resolutions, too.

Louisiana State University and Tulane University are receiving a $22 million from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to lead a consortium seeking ways to save the ecologically fragile Lower Mississippi River Delta.  The consortium will explore ways to combat the effects of increasingly intense hurricanes, rising seas, ground subsidence and the diminishing of river sediment that builds the delta. The University of Southern Mississippi, Jackson State University and Alcorn State University are participating in the consortium along with Southern University of Baton Rouge, Xavier University of New Orleans, Grambling State University and Dillard University -- historically black institutions like Jackson State and Alcorn State -- and the University of Central Florida, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, the Water Institute of the Gulf and the College of William & Mary in Virginia. They will work with students in middle schools and high schools to increase the number of persons from underrepresented groups participating in coastal research and activities. “A sustainable Mississippi River Delta is critical for both the region and the nation,” said Colonel Cullen A. Jones, commander of the New Orleans district for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “We look forward to the insight and contributions of the consortium as we collectively strive to identify the best long-term management approach for the river.”

By Bob Garver 2023 has not been good for the DC Extended Universe. The year will end without “The Flash” as one of the top 20 highest money-earners at the domestic box office. “Blue Beetle” will finish out of the top 30, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” out of the top 40. Newest offering “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” will probably fare a little better since it’s been positioned as the big Christmas weekend release, but it can finish out of the top 50 for all I care because this movie is terrible. Since we last saw Arthur Curry aka Aquaman (Jason Momoa), he’s settled into two new roles in his life. On land, he and his wife Mera (Amber Heard) have welcomed a son, which they raise alongside his parents (Nicole Kidman and Temuera Morrison). Underwater, he is now fully king of Atlantis. He likes being a father much more than being a king, but duty calls ever since he banished his brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) to a prison in the desert. His nemesis Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), has gone through some changes too, now employing a research team to help break him into Atlantis so he can avenge his late father. I have no idea how he affords his staff, his facilities, or his gadgets. I know piracy pays well, but does it pay that well? With the help of Dr. Stephen Shin (Randall Park), Manta stumbles across ancient Atlantean technology in the form of the Black Trident, which allows the holder to wield incredible power, but also corrupts their soul. Manta was already pretty corrupt, but with the trident, he starts wreaking havoc on the entire world. It’s up to Aquaman to stop him, and he has to do so by breaking Orm out of prison. Neither brother is thrilled to be working with the other, but the only way to defeat Manta is together. The movie is at its best when it lets Momoa and Wilson carry the scene. The actors are charismatic and play off each other well. The banter they’re given isn’t always funny, but it’s easy to see where they have the potential to be funny. Also, and I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me on this, but I liked a gag where Arthur learns that his brother has never tried surface food and shares with him a certain “delicacy.” The movie is at its worst at all other times. The redemption arc for Dr. Shin is painfully drawn-out and he ultimately does so little that his good-guy status at the end feels unearned. The CGI creatures are unconvincing and unpleasant-looking. Worst of all, the underwater action sequences are murky and hard to follow. I could never keep track of who was alive and who was dead until they reemerged in follow-up scenes. It’s not quite as bad as the action in “Meg 2: The Trench,” but I’m sure that movie was hampered by a limited budget, whereas this one had much more resources and still looks like a mess. “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” is a throwaway DCEU movie at a time when the franchise can’t afford to throw anything away. As much as I like Momoa and Wilson, I can’t recommend putting them in another standalone movie anytime soon, not until this arm of the franchise can be completely straightened out. The only way I see these characters working again is if they’re part of a bigger team-up with more DC heroes, but even that’s looking increasingly unlikely with every character bombing lately. This movie is the best argument yet for why this version of the DCEU in its entirety should just be cut adrift. Grade: C- “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” is rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some language. Its running time is 124 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu