At the Wesson Lions Club a few weeks ago, Co-Lin Head Football Coach Glenn Davis looked back at last season, saying that had some close games gone the Wolves’ way, a 5-4 season could have been 8-1 and his team nationally ranked, and suggested maybe that could happen this year. Whether or not Davis was expecting it, his team has put itself in the National Junior Colleges Athletic Association spotlight early on by knocking off nationally ranked East Mississippi in the season opener – the only team to beat it decisively last year. As the 23-20 score reflected, a field goal made the difference. Co-Lin’s Brandon Gilliam had three of them, supplementing two touchdowns by the Wolves – one in first quarter and the second in the fourth quarter. The Lions led 14-10 at half time and 20-13 with 12:09 remaining in the game. The Wolves, however, sealed their upset with a 78-yard touchdown drive with 9:22 left in the game and a tie-breaking field goal with 2:01 remaining. Co-Lin’s ride to national ranking includes four teams it defeated last year – Mississippi Delta (September 14) at home, Southwest (September 28) at home, Coahoma (October 7) away and East Central (October 26) at thome – and three other teams to which it lost – Jones (September 21) away, Gulf Coast (October 12) away and Pearl River (October 19) at home. In addition to Davis, three new coaches – Jacob Fleming, Michael Thompson and Tommy Kelly – are guiding the 2023 Wolves. Fleming is working with the offensive linemen. He played his high school career at North Pike in Summit from 2009-13, where he was a three-year starter and was a member of the 2010 4A State Championship team. After graduating from North Pike, Fleming came to Co-Lin where he was a starter for two seasons from 2013-14 at left tackle. During his two seasons at Co-Lin, Fleming was named First Team MACJC All-State in 2014 in addition to being named a team captain that season when the Wolves also won the South Division. Fleming then played at the University of Southern Mississippi for the 2015-16 seasons, where he was under head coach Todd Monken. In his two seasons, Fleming was on the Conference USA Academic Honor Roll (2015), a two-year letter winner on the offensive line, starter at left tackle during the 2016 season, Conference USA West Division Champion in 2015, R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Champion in 2016. He started his coaching career in 2017 at Denham Springs High School in Denham, Louisiana, where he was the run game coordinator from 2017-2019. During his tenure there the football team made playoffs four times while Fleming also had multiple players move on to the college ranks and had 12 offensive linemen earn All-District honors. Thompson is working with receivers. He comes to Co-Lin after serving as the wide receivers coach at Southern Arkansas University from February 2022-2023. The New Orleans native played high school football at Frisco Centennial High School and four years of collegiate football, beginning with one year at Trinity Valley Community College and then three years at Louisiana College at wide receiver and tight end from 2010-2012. Upon completion of his collegiate playing career, he played professional indoor football with the East Texas Timber Rattlers in 2015 and the East Texas Punch in 2016. Thompson graduated from Louisiana College with a Bachelor's Degree in kinesiology in 2014 then earned his master's degree in special education from Grand Canyon University in 2019. He began his coaching career in 2014 at Peabody Magnet High School in Alexandria, Louisiana, where he coached receivers, moved to Northside High School in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 2016 and then to Edna Karr High School in New Orleans from 2017-2022, serving as receivers coach for both schools. He had a multitude of players sign offers to play at various levels of collegiate football throughout his high school coaching career. Kelly is working with the defensive line. He played high school football at Provine from 1995-1999. Kelly spent two years at East Mississippi Community College from 1999-2001 and then played for two years at Mississippi State University from 2001-2003. After graduating from Mississippi State, he had a 12-year career in the NFL spending time with three organizations including the Oakland Raiders, the New England Patriots and the Arizona Cardinals. After finishing his playing career, Kelly returned to his alma mater of Provine High School as a coach in 2016. He holds an Associate's Degree from East Mississippi Community College and a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University.

Updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines are available now, and locations currently offering the updated COVID-19 vaccine can be found on vaccines.gov. The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) recommends the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines for all individuals 6 months of age and older. Dosing recommendations vary by age, but healthy individuals 12 and older are recommended to get a single dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine regardless of previous vaccination status. According to MSDH Interim State Epidemiologist Dr. Kathryn Taylor, getting the flu vaccine is also important this time of year. “Vaccines provide the best protection against infection, hospitalization, or death from respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and influenza,” said Dr. Taylor. “It’s best to get vaccinated before transmission increases to make sure you are protected.” MSDH will begin offering the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine for the uninsured and underinsured through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Bridge access program for adults and the Vaccines for Children program on October 3, 2023. Underinsured individuals are those who have types of insurance which do not cover the cost of the vaccine. These individuals can call 855-767-0170 to schedule an appointment. Individuals with health insurance should locate COVID-19 vaccine providers using vaccines.gov. For more information on county health department locations and services, visit HealthyMS.com/locations. Follow MSDH by email and social media at HealthyMS.com/connect.

By Guest Cooking Columnist Charles Fortson, Jr. As Mississippi hunters turn their attention to quails and doves at this time of year, it’s fitting for diners who appreciate fine food to look at how to properly prepare these delicacies. I favor quails. Both Old World and New World quail include edible species. The common quail used to be much favored in French cooking, but quail for the table are now more likely to be domesticated Japanese quail. The common quail is also part of Polish cuisine, Maltese cuisine, Italian cuisine, Mexican cuisine, and Indian cuisine. Quail are commonly eaten complete with the bones, since these are easily chewed and the small size of the bird makes it inconvenient to remove them. You probably won’t find quail meat at your local grocery store, but it isn’t hard to find. You don’t have to raise quails and skin them yourself. You can find country stores like Uncle Ray’s that raise, skin and package them. You can order quail meat online or visit a gourmet food store. Ingredients: 1. 1 skinned bird (you’ll want at least one for each person you serve). 2. Slap Your Mama cajun seasoning. 3. Mrs. Dash herbal seasoning. Directions: 1. Cut down the back of the bird with shears. 2. Fold over and break the ribs so it will lay flat on surface. 3. Cover the front and back with the mix of Slap Your Mama cajun Mrs. Dash herbal seasonings or your favorite seasoning. 4. Pan cook, fry or grill. I prefer grilling to hold the flavor.y 5. With the breast down, grill for five minutes at medium to high temperature for good sear marks. 6. Flip bird on its back and repeat five-minute medium to high temperature grilling. 7. Flip back with breast down, cover and grill for 10 minutes at low-medium temperature. 8. With back down, grill another 10 minutes at low-medium temperature covered. Remove from grill and serve with potato salad and baked beans or your favorite potato and vegetable combination. Order your quail ready for preparation from Uncle Ray’s at 601-643-0174. EDITOR’S NOTE: Charles Fortson, Jr., is proprietor-chef at Uncle Ray’s across from Lake Lincoln State Park. He makes lunches and dinners to take out or for table service, while also operating a convenience store and bait shop at his Sunset Road location. Follow his cooking tips on Uncle Ray’s Facebook page or call 601-643-0174 to check on his daily specials.

By Mika Hartman Happy October! To all our extra amazing friends, Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month! This month has all the feels to mommas like me. We celebrate this month with hope, we take this time to teach others who are not on this journey, we count our blessings and we pray that this month opens the eyes of our peers, somehow. May this be the month that someone new accepts my son and his extra chromosome; awareness is good, acceptance is great. This month is the one month of the year that we, families on this journey, all come together to raise our voices and shout the worth of our friends and family born with Down syndrome. In a sea of October pink or orange and black, the yellow and the blue can also be found, if you look for it. If you’re reading this, you will likely see more out there than you expected to. This is my 5th year to celebrate this Down Syndrome Awareness Month with Hudson. I have taken my role as his mom very seriously and I have been committed to providing everything he needs, with very little help. I would love to say that I have felt a change in the way the world sees my son and that my advocacy has brought much needed change for his future. The reality is that some changes have been seen, but mostly, our needs fall on deaf ears. Unless you love someone with Down syndrome, these challenges we face are very lonely. My son’s extra chromosome make some people feel uncomfortable or he gets used as a cutdown or the butt of a joke. Not any of this is deserved or provoked. On this journey, I have met both mommas who are strong and not easily affected by the cruel world and mommas that have huge chips on their shoulders from the weight they carry. I always said I would rise above the nasty noise and and remain a steel pillar for my son. I am committed to this; you can’t break me. However, I think the better question is why would anyone want to break a mom who is constantly adjusting to her new normal? Shouldn’t we be offering a hand of help? If the world was more accepting, then maybe, just maybe, you’d see more beautiful babies being born with Down syndrome. It’s the lack of acceptance that places fear on those getting this diagnosis. A couple of months ago, I was having coffee with two of my favorite go-getters, Caitlin Kelly and Susan Putnam. Caitlin has been all over the news lately for bringing Mississippi our first Safe Haven Baby Box to Long Beach. What a wonderful thing she fought for. This is bipartisan legislation at its finest, a win for all. If a baby is born, we must protect this human life, period! This applies to every life; we must protect and cherish it. I want to be clear, ALL HUMAN LIFE. Inside the door, where a mom safely places a child, she will have a bag of information she can take. In this orange bag is resources and needed information to provide her with answers. This decision wasn’t one she took lightly, so Mississippi extended the time of her parental rights to 45 days for our state. I raised the question about babies born with Down syndrome and this being a reason for her decision, and while I don’t have an answer on how often this is the case, it did bring up a missing piece to the orange bag. Caitlin immediately asked if I would create an educational piece about Down syndrome for the baby box. YES! At first, the amount of information I wanted to share was overwhelming. If it was overwhelming to me, then it would be to someone who is scared. It was a task that had challenges, but just as I promised to be a steel pillar for Hudson, this was a task I was proud to do. Offering help and support was needed, should she decide to raise this child; also, her knowing that her baby would need extra support and that we do have families that would love the opportunity to adopt a baby with Down syndrome was an important part. My favorite line in my letter to mom: “Your baby is just as adoptable as any other baby.” It is sad that this needs to be said, but only because not every family out there would adopt a baby with challenges, no judgement; I, myself, never thought of raising a child with special needs until I was chosen. No special place for me in Heaven, I am being the best parent I can be to the gifts I was given. Actually, I am already receiving the benefits of the laughter and love shared today and every day. It’s my mission to share this. Through birth or adoption, gifts find us. This brochure started with a letter, as mentioned above, to let this mom know the words I wish I had been told. I knew my son was a gift because of my age and my need for in vitro 10 years earlier, I knew because of the fun way we discovered we were pregnant again, I knew we were lucky all along, but not everyone has or feels that. The words she needs to hear, should she find herself at this box, is that she and her baby are loved. She unselfishly chose life. She did nothing wrong, the extra chromosome was present at conception. And she is not alone no matter her choice; if she wants to keep her baby, there are amazing resources. On the other hand, if she surrenders her baby, she needs to be assured that her baby is wanted and will be loved. Here is the brochure I created: Recently, I was talking to a new mom on this journey. Her experience was hard to hear and absolutely hard to understand. In 2023, she was so belittled by a genetics doctor that she said, “she felt smaller than a grain of rice”. It was because of the questions thrown her way that she felt like her baby being born with Down syndrome was her fault. Did she smoke during pregnancy? Did she do drugs? Did she get second-hand smoke? Seriously, this is garbage. Anyone, especially a doctor, should know that this miracle life was created at conception. The guilt that was blanketed on this new mom is unforgivable; she lost precious time because of reliving her every move to think whether she did anything wrong. Her answers were “no” to all the questions, but she still started overthinking her every move. This is why a brochure in the baby box is a must, if this line of questioning still exists. Then, it is plausible that mom has been met with some misguided questions. The details of this scenario shared took place in a different state, not here in Mississippi. This article is definitely heavier than what I intended to write, but it is to share that we still face many struggles on this journey. Down Syndrome Awareness Month is a month to celebrate, but also should be a time to teach. Just last month, my daughters Instagram begot a troll, who then used the platform to be cruel. This troll made the deliberate remarks with a “knife and twist” approach. However, the remark against me, in a photo on her page, was about an extra chromosome. It read this, “Looks like you got some extra chromosomes too ”…. Funny, I didn’t see this as a cut or a knock, this is a truth I already know. When you see me, you should see Down syndrome or I am not advocating enough. You should see me in Hudson and Hudson in me. What you intended to hurt me with, actually, shows your ignorance. I am not hurt, I am delighted that my extra can be seen. If this troll would spend time with Hudson, they would learn that his extra chromosome is a gift, one we should all experience in our lives in some way. If this person did, they couldn’t write something like this as an intended jab. Let’s wrap this one up with something extra beautiful. I was honored to attend Gabrielle’s Trendsetters Fashion Show, last March. The Trendsetters rocked the runway with beautiful couture fashions and for a good cause. The Trendsetters had 20 models and even featured one model, Bailee, with Down syndrome. She captivated the audience; Bailee is a star and she brought fun to all with her contagious smile and laughter. Each year, Gabrielle’s Trendsetters have the opportunity to choose the charity they wish to raise awareness and money for; this year they selected Gulf Coast Down Syndrome Society. Why? Because many of the Trendsetters have a friendship with Bailee and wanted to show just how much they love her. One of the models said that she and Bailee have been best friends since second grade. Choosing GCDSS brought them a sense of loyalty and pride to the lifelong friendships they’d created. Last month I had the privilege to join the Trendsetters to see just how much they raised for our buddies. Drumroll………… OVER $5000! I was invited to be there for the check presentation. When Ms. Wendy turned around with that check, all the girls completely lit up with love for this accomplishment. I flooded the room with tears. Since the fashion show in March, new recruits have joined the Trendsetters and they have almost 30 girls now… that is 30 young ladies in high school who are learning and will one day be teachers; not by being parents to a person with Down syndrome, but being a best friend to a person with Down syndrome. The dollar amount is so impressive, but the love to achieve that is what overwhelmingly grabbed my attention. So I seized this moment, I shared with the girls my heart and my life journey. What they see, today, as a huge accomplishment, I see as a future memory of how they became who they are in their future selves. I can see God all throughout my life and the things I did when I was younger were all doors to a greater path that only He knew. These are huge steps for the young girls, for us as a community, and for the future of how we move “awareness” to “acceptance". “Acceptable” is not acceptance, we are there, at the word “acceptable”. Life has made concessions for “awareness” to become “acceptable”… I want full acceptance for my son. I want to feel as if we don’t always have to include his diagnosis in every conversation, that I don’t have to prove why he can or can’t do something. I once had to show his sweet face on video to prove he has an extra chromosome. We all have limits and some achieve greater things than others; not one person is demanded to give the reasons why, unless a disability is present. Then, we spend our days filling out papers that talk about everything our child can’t do, instead of sharing all the things they CAN do. When anyone writes a resume, they get the opportunity to point out all the good they have to offer and their accomplishments. When you are a parent to a child with a disability, you get bombarded with paperwork that reminds you of just how disabled your child is. Can’t we be better than that? Can’t we try and be like the Trendsetters and step up with love, not be a troll that wants to hurt without reason. For the mom on this journey or for the mom who finds herself at the baby box: the life you created is beautiful and has value and purpose. Wherever you find yourself on this journey, may people offer you EXTRA hope and EXTRA healing. EXTRA EXTRA Please join us in celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month. You can wear blue and yellow, rock some crazy socks, find a local Buddy Walk, support a fundraiser, sign up for a NDSS newsletter, join your local Down syndrome groups, learn about people with Down syndrome AND celebrate WITH them. You’ll never find a better dance partner than a buddy with Down syndrome.

Wesson Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD) told its story to the community last month at a special open house. “We are dedicated to protecting the citizens of our community in their time of need,” WVFD Chief Ken Carraway told almost 30 persons who turned out for the two-hour event on Saturday, August 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.at the Wesson Fire Station on Spring Street. Attendees learned about benefits received through WVFD and how, in turn, they could deliver benefits to the organization. They also lunched on hamburgers, hot dogs and other munchies donated by local eateries. Carraway discussed training and funding that keeps WVFD running: WVFD members, he said, must take classes in volunteer fire fighting, the Federal Emergency Management Agency Incident Command System, apparatus and equipment, safe response and return to and from emergencies. They must also take 74 hours of training each year covering similar topics, and can choose extra classes to become medical first responders and learn about hazmat, vehicle operation, traffic incident management, search and rescue, wildland firefighting and radiological emergency response, among other subjects. WVFD, he explained, receives rebate money for most of its equipment, but vehicle maintenance, apparatus repair and several extra training courses (i.e, wildland fire fighting, search and rescue, CPR/AED, hazmat, vehicle extrication) are not covered by rebate money. Carraway also pointed to insurance savings by town citizens as a major benefit of WVFD practices and reporting. Along with guidance from Mississippi Fire Rating Bureau, they can lower the Town of Wesson fire rating from 8 to 7. Within five miles of the Town, ratings can decline to 8 from 10, with a 10 percent to 20 percent discount on insurance premiums of homeowners. How can members of the community assist WVFD, even if they aren’t volunteer fire fighters? Carraway cited: Assistance with Department goals. Completing pond use agreement forms. Meeting with people and organizations to complete fire rating assessments. Providing information as need to the rating bureau, pond certification personnel. Assisting with grant writing for equipment and apparatus. Data entry to state data bases related to reports, training, maintenance and inspections. For information, call 601-265-1694 or email wessonfd@gamail.com. Members of the WVFD meet every Monday at 7 p.m. at the Spring Street fire station.

Town property owners may enjoy reductions in their insurance premiums with a change in the City of Wesson’s fire protection classification. The Mississippi State Rating Bureau (MSRB) reports Wesson, previously Eighth Class, is now Seventh Class effective August 22. In a letter to Town officials, Tony Parker, MSRB Assistant Manager, said the public protection classification applies to “eligible properties having a needed fire protection flow of 3,500 gallons per minute or less located within the legal boundaries of the City, within five road miles of the responding fire department serving the City and within 1,000 feet of a standard public fire hydrant.” “A split classification” will apply to properties not within 1000 feet of a standard public hydrant, and the classification does not apply to those properties served by the fire department outside the City, he said. Any insurance contracts covering dwellings in the City, including comprehensive dwelling and homeowners policies, “may be endorsed from August 22 on a pro rata basis to take advantage of current fire premiums indicated in the Mississippi Dwelling Manual,” Parker said. MSRB will need “to survey or resurvey or publish or republish loss costs for specifically rated mercantile and special class risks affected by the change in classification,” he added.

Outside of what you see on the posters, the “Expendables” movies have never been particularly ambitious. Sure, it was great that the action stars of previous decades like Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Harrison Ford could come together for a series of action movies in the 2010’s, but the films were never more than just an excuse to sell tickets based on the actors’ names. The reviews were rarely good, and the good ones were usually of the apologetic “it’s dumb, but it’s fun” variety. Now it’s a new decade, it’s been nine whole years since we’ve had one of these movies, and whatever fun there was to be had in the first three entries is sorely missing from “Expend4bles.” That groan-inducing “4” in the title (reminiscent of the awful “Fant4stic”) may as well refer to the number of actors that are back. Stallone and Statham are leading the team as Barney Ross and Lee Christmas, respectively, while Dolph Lundgren serves as aptly-named sniper Gunner and Randy Couture is among the ranks as demolitions guy Toll Road. New to the crew are audience surrogate Easy Day (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson), CIA operative and Christmas’s girlfriend Gina (Megan Fox), former Expendable brought out of retirement Decha (Tony Jaa), son of Banderas’s character Galan (Jacob Scipio), martial artist Lash (Levy Tran), and ally of Ross’s since the 1980’s Marsh (Andy Garcia). Opposing the Expendables’ ability to waste another night at the bar is a team led by Rahmat (Iko Uwais). They’re trying to steal a nuke and start World War III and somehow make a lot of money in the process. Actually, Rahmat is just the temporary leader, he’s really working for a mysterious boss called Ocelot whose identity Ross was very close to uncovering in the 80’s, but just barely slipped away. No, the obvious suspect isn’t a red herring, the movie really thinks you’ll consider Ocelot’s identity a shocking twist. A mission to stop Rahmat and Ocelot in Libya goes sideways thanks to Christmas disobeying an order, and the team is forced to press on without he and Ross. The failure supposedly has a devastating consequence, but the movie isn’t stupid enough to make it stick. It’s stupid enough to think the audience will think that it will stick, but it isn’t stupid enough to actually make it stick. The rest of the movie mostly takes place on a cargo ship whose deck looks like a second-rate laser tag arena. There the Expendables do battle with an army of bad guys, most of whom inexplicably cover their faces. Well, I think I can explain why the movie has them cover their faces, I just don’t know why the characters would. I wouldn’t have thought about the likelihood of the movie reusing stunt performers during these sequences, except that the conspicuous face coverings drew my mind to the matter. I had to think about something more stimulating than the many interchangeable fights and shootouts. There’s no shortage of things to dislike about “Expend4bles.” The action is cheap and tedious, the script is a joke, the jokes aren’t funny, and a twist toward the end means that a team member committed a completely unnecessary murder. On top of all that, the franchise’s greatest asset – its sheer star-power – is greatly depleted. Did the studio really think that 50 Cent and Andy Garcia would make up for a lack of Schwarzenegger? “Expend4bles” lost in its opening weekend to the third weekend of “The Nun II,” and its $8.3 million domestic take still feels like audiences were too generous. You want an exciting ensemble movie? Go see “A Haunting in Venice,” it could use a boost in ticket sales. Grade: D- “Expend4bles” is rated R for strong/bloody violence throughout, language and sexual material. Its running time is 103 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

A Wesson-based consultant and former Co-Lin executive is hosting a new weekly audio show geared to supporting women educational leaders. “Empowering Women in Educational Leadership” hosted by Dr. Stephanie Duguid is available on Wednesdays at 8 a.m. through Voice America Empowerment Channel (VAEC), which describes the audio programs as “a dynamic radio show celebrating women across all venues of education.” “Join us as we elevate diverse perspectives and success stories of trailblazing educators, emphasizing leadership is not all about a title,” Duguid urges. “Discover strategies to overcome challenges and hear amazing stories of strength. Tune in weekly to be inspired, enlightened, and empowered to make a difference. Together, let's pave the way for a transformative educational landscape by empowering women in educational leadership.” The show is heard throughout the nation on the VAEC and Duguid web sites (Do Good Leadership), Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Tunein, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pandora; can be accessed via iTunes Feed, Google Fee and RSS Feed (a subscriber service), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Bookmark This Show. VAEC is one of five branded Voice America Talk Radio Network topic channels for the leading producer, distributor, and online broadcaster of original live and on-demand talk radio programming that reaches a rapidly expanding domestic and international audience of millions of listeners every month in more than 140 countries worldwide. Dugid runs Do Good Leadership, where she is the leadership and success coach for female educators, a motivational speaker, and a consultant, proclaiming her motto, “Be good, do good, feel good.” Holding a Doctor of Education in educational leadership from Argosy University, Dr. Duguid helps women in the education field to become empowered and confident in achieving their next leadership goals. Based in Wesson, she provides services in three key program areas: Metamorphosis Mastermind, which is for female educators who want to shift from being stuck, stagnant, and lost in their careers to self-confident, dynamic, and motivated leaders. Motivational speaking programs available for institutions, organizations, and groups as a keynote, large group presentation, full-day workshop, half-day workshop, or part of Metamorphosis Mastermind. Mini-courses in goal setting, time management, and other topics that Dr. Duguid makes available as lifetime, self-paced online courses to walk clients through the processes often as they need. These are practical and applicable offerings that help people make great strides in life. Dr. Duguid started her consulting business after serving as dean of academic instruction and chief academic officer at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, where she also was the health, physical education, and recreation division chair and instructor as well as an assistant dean of career and technical education. Before Co-Lin, she was a lead teacher of high school students in the Dysart School District in Surprise, Arizona, and a high school teacher and athletic trainer in the Buckeye Union School District in Goodyear, Arizona. In addition to earning her doctorate, Dr. Duguid has a Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction from Ottawa University and a Master of Science in sports health care from the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. She also is a certified athletic trainer and has a Bachelor of Science in human performance and athletic training with a minor in biology from The University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Duguid stays on top of relevant professional developments and is civically active through memberships and leadership positions with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, Delta Kappa Gamma, and Mississippi University for Women. She is a respected author of books and writes articles for the Wesson News. Born in Houston, Texas, Dr. Duguid is married to Brent and has three children, Brendon, Dalton, and Jocelynn, for whom she strives to be a good role model. In her leisure time, she looks forward to traveling more and enjoys watching movies with her sons, bowling with her family and walking the dog. Visit the website for “Empowering Women in Educational Leadership” at https://www.voiceamerica.com/show/4172/empowering-women-in-educational-leadership

Don’t kid yourself. It’s not just criminals attempting to escape punishment. It’s not just a teenager who missed curfew and is coming up with excuses. Not just the employee who walks in the door an hour late, full of ‘reasons.’ Or the employer who takes advantage of employees and creates ‘plausible explanations.’ They all will lie, but so do people who look perfect on the outside. People who attend their church every Sunday they can. People who truly love their God with all their heart. Lies pour out of all our mouths for a lot of different reasons. With fear being the main reason why folks will shade the truth a little, or just downright create a whole ‘nuther truth out of thin air. But what about my statement that ‘god-fearing people can lie perfectly?’ I am talking about people who would absolutely NEVER even consider cheating, lying, stealing, or any of the other ‘…ings’ they have been taught are wrong. Yep, they can lie with the best of ‘em, and it all starts with lies to themselves. Here’s some real scenarios to illustrate my point. “I do not use my tongue to hurt others, I would never do such a thing!” Or this one. “I will not lose my temper ever again, ‘cause I made a promise to myself.” But the Bible says in James 3:8, “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” Hmmmm….caught in our own lie right there. How about this one: “I have decided to always honor God by keeping my thoughts totally pure, like He wants.” But Scripture says in Isaiah 64:6, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Ouch. No matter how much we try to monitor and protect our thought life, our thinking betrays us. Doesn’t matter who we are. Make no mistake, we can, and do lie to ourselves, and we dislike having to admit that. We like to see ourselves as honorable, caring, trustworthy… or at the very least that’s the person we try to present to the world. But according to our Creator, we have uncontrollable tongues and thoughts, and our brains and tongues a good cleanup every day of our lives. So, He provided the bristle brush to do just that. But no bristle brush just automatically does the work without someone picking it up and using it. We have to apply it to ourself. Check out what He wrote for us in 1 John 1:8-9, “. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Great stuff.

On Saturday morning, September 17, 1898, a small group of people met in the country school house (property west of current church parsonage) for the purpose of organizing a Baptist church to be a mission and fellowship forthe Lord Jesus Christ. The twenty-two charter members named the church Sylvarena which means “in the woods.” One-hundred twenty-five years later, members of Sylvarena Baptist Church celebrated the occasion and the growth of the Church at their annual Homecoming Sunday worship service on September 10 at its current location at 1119 Old Sylvarena Road. The celebration featured Dr. Cody Warren, former Sylvarena Youth Minister, as speaker. A covered dish lunch followed the worship service. Its charter members and the wealth of people who have also united with the Church over the years have paced its growth. Services were held Saturday and Sunday once a month in the schoolhouse until the first building was built between 1898 and 1904. The first church building was dedicated Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1904. The church cemetery was begun in the first years of the church. According to church records, the first person buried in the cemetery was Benny Crawford, the son of Q.G. and Ophelia Crawford, in 1903. Fourteen charter members are buried in the cemetery. Since those early days changes have been constant: Further construction took place in 1910 when the building committee began work on the west side of the building. The building was dedicated in February, 1911. In 1947 or 1948, a baptistry and four Sunday School rooms were added to the back of the church. In 1951, the church bought new pews and pulpit furniture. In 1959, the church built the annex, which is still used for a Sunday School room and ladies bible study area. In 1969, the white church was brick-veneered. The floors were carpeted and the walls were painted blue. The pews were also padded at this time. On August 6, 1972, the church voted to build a new pastorium which is currently in use today. Groundbreaking was held September 25, 1994 for a new sanctuary with construction starting October 1. The Dedication service for the new sanctuary was held June 4,1995. Groundbreaking for a Family Life Center was held September, 2003.

I felt a pang of envy last week as I watched news coverage of the picturesque town of Pomfret, Vermont. Attracting thousands of tourists from around the world is an abundance of fall foliage in vibrant colors of orange, yellow and green. One of the most sought-after spots is a private residence located in a valley called Sleepy Hollow Farm. As I watched the footage of tourists lining up in search of the perfect selfie (before being chased away by law enforcement), I felt a little sad that I wouldn't witness anything as beautiful without a trip up north. Then it hit me that while Mississippi is not on the self-proclaimed "leaf peepers" must-see list, we do have plenty of natural beauty in our state, include several waterfalls in picturesque spots. You read that right - there are close to 10 waterfalls in Mississippi. Most are in obscure areas, but worth the drive and a whole lot closer than Vermont. Two of the largest and most beautiful areas in which to experience a Mississippi waterfall Clark Creek State Park in Woodville and Dunn's Fall's Water Park in Lauderdale County. The Clark Creek Natural Area in southwestern Mississippi is one of Mississippi's most beautiful outdoor treasures - and well-kept secrets. Comprising more than 700 acres, the scenic oasis in the middle of the forest is highlighted by 50 waterfalls ranging from 10 feet to more than 30 feet in height. Bird-watching, hiking and viewing hundreds of native trees, flowering plants and rocks can be enjoyed on the established trails. And while it's a rare sighting during daylight hours, the area serves as a habitat for Mississippi black bears. Travel to east Mississippi in search of the Chunky River in Lauderdale County and you’ll find the Dunn's Falls Water Park. The bluffs of the eastern bank of the river extend to amazing heights from which a natural majestic waterfall flows. The powerful flowing water serves as the source for the working water wheel before splashing 65 feet into the shallow river. Visitors can climb down winding steps on the steep embankment next to the falls and view the majestic water from below. The park also features an 1857 grist mill, historic Carroll-Richardson Gristmill that was moved from Cave Springs, Georgia in 1987 and reconstructed on the site of Dunn's original mill. Other sites are a rustic homestead and mill pond home to catfish and ducks. Nearby nature trails wind through the woods and are home to wild turkey, deer, squirrels and other wildlife on display for hikers. There are a few more waterfalls spread throughout the state, but these two areas are considered to contain the most majestic. For a complete list, drop me an email and I'll share it with you. Speaking of fall, a friend shared her family's favorite chili recipe with me last week. Despite its simplicity, it's a thick, hearty version of one of my favorite fall dishes. So what if it's still 90 degrees...just lower the air conditioning and dig in! First Chili of Fall '23 2 pounds lean ground chuck 2 medium onions diced, ½-inch 4 cloves garlic minced 28 ounces whole tomatoes with juice 14 ounces diced tomatoes with juice 1 medium green bell pepper, 1/4-inch 14 ounces tomato sauce 2 cups beef broth 15 ounces kidney beans drained and rinsed (optional) Seasoning: 4 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon cumin 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper 1 teaspoon oregano Combine half the seasoning mixture with ground beef and mix until well combined. Brown ground chuck, onions, and garlic until no pink remains; drain. Combine beef mixture with all remaining ingredients, including remaining seasoning, in a slow cooker. Slightly mash the whole tomatoes. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. If You Go Looking for Waterfalls: Clark Creek State Park Where: 366 Fort Adams Pond Road, Woodville Hours: Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday; open Thursday - Monday Contact: For more information, call 601-888-6040 Dunn's Falls Water Park Where: 6890 Dunn's Falls Rd., Enterprise Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; closed Sunday-Tuesday Contact: Admission fees are charged; call 601-655-8550 for more information

Some 30 children and youth between 7 and 13 years old participated in the Wesson Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD) Fire Academy for Kids (FAK) last month. FAK is a fun, educational and action program that gives children life safety skills in fire emergencies, first aid and injury prevention’ and introduces them fire fighters and emergency medical technicians, equipment they use and the jobs they perform. At the WVFD Spring Street fire station on August 26 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the youngsters participated in classroom learning activities and trained hands-on in fire safety, first aid and basic fire fighting – rescuing a victim while wearing a face mask, using fire hoses and dressing in turnout gear. They also took away home-study sheets to involve their whole families in their training, and parents are now assisting their children with home assignments and, together, family members are practicing fire drills and using home escape routes with the help of FAK participants. While the focus was on fires, participants also looked at safety issues around seatbelts, cycling, driving motor vehicles and four-wheelers, skate boarding, drug abuse, street smarts and avoiding stranger danger, window bars, smoke alarms, cooking and internet use. Participants, divided into three teams, covered eight fire fighting and emergency response subject matter areas in hands-on classes on a rotating basis led by WVFD members, including Ken and Sam Carraway, Sean Ray and Chris Wade, among others: Donning and duffing turnout gear. Helmets, boots, full gear. Clean up, hang up. Air pack and mask two minute drill. Turnout gear, including self-contained breathing apparatus. Putting on and taking off full gear. Clean up, hang up. Hose, nozzle and hydrants. Supplies, jacket hose, nozzles, valves and hand tools. Hydrants -- E-1 and parking. Barricading engine, Running off the hydrant. Rescue drag. Catching dummies under arms and dragging them backwards while standing. Dragging while crawling. Putting high rise pack on shoulder to carry. Search and rescue. Right hand and left hand search method. Maintaining wall contact. Sweeping hands to feel and find a baby. CPR/First Aid. Supplies. First Aid Kit. Sling and splint material. Bandages. How to stop bleeding and apply a band aid or bandage. How to splint an arm and swath. Smoke house simulation. 911. Participant teams were named in honor of historic fire fighting and emergency units throughout the nation: Engine 17, a Boston, Massachusetts, fire department nicknamed the “Fighting 17” that runs about 3,000 calls each year. Ladder 21, a New York City 9/11 responder that lost seven members in the lobby of the south tower when the north tower collapsed on them. Rescue 33, a volunteer rescue and tower company in Kentland, Maryland, which responded to 7,200 emergency incidents last year. FAK uses the “EDGE” method in training: Explain how to do the task and why it’s done that way. Demonstrate how it is done and answer questions. Guide to successful completion. Enable, build confidence and encourage the activity. In addition to the contribution of the WVFD members to teaching, officers from Wesson Police Department helped participants looked beyond fires to other safety issues. FAK awarded certificates to program completers in a special graduation ceremony at the fire station attended by family and friends.