After over 34 years in education, Copiah-Lincoln Community College President Dr. Jane Hulon Sims has announced her retirement effective June 30, 2023. The announcement came at the college’s monthly Board of Trustees meeting. “It has been a blessing for me to serve as the eighth president of Copiah-Lincoln Community College for the past five years,” said Hulon Sims. “I have been fortunate to have spent 23 years in various leadership roles at the college, but the pinnacle of my career has been serving as president of this incredible institution.” Before becoming president of the college, Dr. Hulon Sims served as Vice President of the Wesson Campus, Vice President of Instructional Services, Academic Dean of Instruction, and Director of Planning and Research. During her tenure as president, Co-Lin has seen new instructional programs, scholarships, services that have increased student success and graduation rates, construction and renovations on its three campuses, and creation of new partnerships with universities and business and industry in the Co-Lin district. The college has been ranked number one in the state for graduation rates and for student success and been named “A Great College to Work For” and an Aspen Top 150 Community College during her leadership. Both men’s and women’s soccer were reinstated (2020) and the Blue Wave Show Band grew to be the largest band in school history. Construction projects during her tenure as president of the college included the installation of turf and a jumbotron at Stone Stadium (2019), an eight-court tennis complex (2020), a new president’s home (2020), a Career-Technical Building at the Simpson County Center (2020), a Diesel Lab on the Natchez Campus (2021), phase one of renovations at the Sullivan Baseball field (2023), and several campus beautification projects. Renovations at the college encompassed the Cosmetology lab (2020, bridge replacements on Wolf Hollow Golf Course (2021), The Wolf Den Grill and Smoothie Bar (2022), Fortenberry Career-Tech Building classrooms (2022), and PJ’s Coffee (2023). “In addition to my gratitude to each board member, I would like to recognize and express my deep appreciation to my leadership team,” Hulon Sims said. “They share my desire for educational excellence on all campuses. Working along side them has been a joy and an honor.” Dr. Hulon Sims is a member of numerous organizations, including the Mississippi Academic Officers Association (Past President), the Mississippi Association of Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges with Associate Degrees, American Association of University Women, Wesson Chamber of Commerce (past member of the Board of Directors), Brookhaven Rotary Club, Delta Kappa Gamma, and Wesson Garden Club. She has served as a representative to the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation and was selected to serve on its Board of Trustees. She has participated in the Education Policy Fellowship Program, Leadership Jones County and Mississippi Community College Leadership Academy (MCCLA). Dr. Hulon Sims recieved the Phi Theta Kappa National Distinguished Administrator Award, Phi Theta Kappa Paragon Award, Co-Lin’s High Performance Award, and was inducted into the Co-Lin Foundation Hall of Fame in 2022. Dr. Hulon Sims is a graduate of Jones County Junior College, received both a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master of Education Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Southern Mississippi, and earned her Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Mississippi State University. Dr. Hulon Sims is the proud mother of two sons, Will and Drew, and is married to Dennis Sims.

By Bob Garver I had never seen a “Magic Mike” movie before “Magic Mike’s Last Dance.” The franchise’s first two installments both missed out on the domestic box office crown in their respective opening weekends in 2012 and 2015, thus not warranting reviews from me. Ironically, “Last Dance” made less money in its opening weekend then either of its predecessors, but those opened in the more blockbuster-y summer season instead of the void that is Super Bowl weekend. If the first two entries in this series are anything like the third, then not only am I glad I missed them, but I have to wonder why this property was even allowed to have three movies. The film opens with former exotic dancer Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) bartending in Florida, his relationships and business ventures all having fizzled out since the second movie. Lonely philanthropist Maxandra “Max” Mendoza (Salma Hayek Pinault) hears that Mike can provide certain services, and he agrees to give her a lapdance that turns into much more. Taken by his talent and charm, Max invites Mike to London to become the director of a one-night-only strip show at a theater she owns. Again, he reluctantly agrees, though the relationship has to be strictly professional from that point forward. The rest of the movie is mostly what you’d expect from the “Let’s Put on a Show” genre. Mike balks at the new setting at first, but he quickly adapts. He doesn’t get along with Max’s daughter (Jemalia George) or butler (Ayub Khan Din) at first, but of course they come to like him. There’s a montage of auditioning dancers and some antics with a stuffy city official (Vicki Pepperdine). It looks like the show will be shut down, but they pull out all the stops and put it on anyway because they just love performing so much. The Mike/Max relationship deepens, by which I mean there is one, apparently. Proponents of this film say that the best thing about it is the chemistry between the two leads. I was not picking up on any such movie-saving chemistry. Even with a grand gesture toward the end of the film, I was having a hard time buying that either Mike or Max has commitment to the other in their future. Maybe this belief in their chemistry comes from the lap dance sequence early in the film. They do nail that scene, though it seems to involve a lot of physical exertion from Max. I thought lap dances were supposed to be relaxing for the recipient? The film is surprisingly restrained on the sexuality front. I’d say that for about 80% of the dances in this movie, the dancers wear pants – that’s full-legged pants. Mike and a female partner share a dance sequence toward the end of the movie for a supposedly-ravenous, mostly-female audience, and she’s way more scantily-clad than he is. The movie’s advertising didn’t exactly promise heaps of male nudity, but it was certainly implied. I’d bet that this movie could clean up its language, make no cuts visually, and get a PG-13 rating. Were the other “Magic Mike” movies this tame? “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” isn’t particularly funny, romantic, or interesting, nor does it work as a visual spectacle outside of some acrobatic feats that viewers of any sexuality will likely find more impressive than tantalizing. I know it wants to be a date movie for Valentine’s Day, but it has to contend with yet another rerelease of “Titanic.” That movie may as well be Kate Winslet floating on a suspiciously-roomy door, because this movie is dead in the water. Grade: C- “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” is rated R for sexual material and language. Its running time is 112 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

For the 34th year, Co-Lin and partner state organizations which promote the arts will present a wide variety of presentations, book signings, screenings, and even a vintage fashion show at the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration (NLCC) Thursday and Friday, February 23 and 24. This year’s program is framed thematically as “The Better Half? Fact, Fiction, or Fable” Most of the events and presentations are free of charge and will be held at the Natchez Convention Center in downtown Natchez (211 Main Street). NLCC is a time-honored tradition in the State of Mississippi, with a reputation as one of the state’s most significant annual conferences devoted to literature, history, film, and culture. Every February NLCC chooses a new topic related to humanities in the American South and brings nationally known scholars and authors to Natchez for the award-winning conference. On the Thursday agenda are: Opening remarks by Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson, Co-Lin President Dr. Jane Hulon Sims, and Dr. Sandra Barnes, Vice President of the Natchez Campus. Recognition of William Winter Scholars and Vance Fellows. Presentations by The Washington Post journalist and author Amy Argetsinger, author Julie Hines Mabus, and author Dr. Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell followed by a book signing. F“There She Is, Queen’s Luncheon” featuring former Miss Mississippi Kimberly Morgan Myles, current Miss Mississippi Emmie Perkins, Miss America 1960 Lynda Lee Mead Shea, and Miss America 1980 Cheryl Prewitt Salem hosted by the Carriage House Restaurant at Stanton Hall. Tickets are $40. Presentations by author Danielle Dreilinger and Dr. Joan DeJean of the University of Pennsylvania with a book signing. Kathleen Bond, Superintendent of the Natchez Historical Park. A conversation with Dr. Rebecca Hall, author of Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts. Author Kristen Green and Dr. Cybèle Gontar, Guest Curator of The Cabildo, the Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans. A vintage fashion style show, food, libations, and music, and a screening of Rhythms of the Land by Dr. Gail Myers. Friday features: Presentation of the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence and Thad Cochran Award of Achievement, and recognition of the John D. W. Guice Young Writers Competition winners. A panel discussion -- “Changing the Narrative and Telling a More Complete Story” -- with Dr. Jodi Skipper and Dr. Elizabeth Bronwyn Boyd moderated by Dr. Roscoe Barnes. Author Dr. Rebecca Sharpless of Texas Christian University. A “Brunch from the Summer Kitchen at Gloucester” with author and former food historian Dr. Leni Sorensen. Tickets for this event are $40. Dr. Jonathan White, Elisabeth Grant-Gibson in conversation with Valerie Martin. A panel discussion with Kelby Ouchley and Shelby Harriel on women of the civil war. A panel discussion with Dr. Sarah Adlahka and Diane McPhail on southern fiction. Screening of The Saloon, a documentary by filmmaker Timothy Givens. Visit www.colin.edu/nlcc to view the full conference agenda, purchase tickets, and learn more about the NLCC.

Looking for another way to celebrate those you love during the month of February? Come join the members of the Metro Chamber Orchestra as they present “Music and Romance”, St. Andrews Episcopal Cathedral, downtown Jackson, February 19, 2023, 3 p.m. In the spotlight will be violin soloist Vince Massimino, performing Antonin Dvorak’s “Romance in F minor, Op. 11”. Published in 1879, it is one of the most popular romances in the orchestral repertory. Mr. Massimino is a member of the Mississippi Symphony and serves as Assistant Concertmaster. The Chamber orchestra will also perform “Overture:Abduction to Seraglio”/W.A. Mozart; Suites from “Dardanus”/J.P. Rameau; and “Military March in C major”/L.van Beethoven. The MCO has been offering the gift of classical chamber music to the Jackson community free of charge since 1984. Made up of around 40 non-professional and professional musicians, the group offers three concerts each season under the direction of Artistic Director Wayne Linehan and Concertmaster Ryan Rogers.

By Hu Meena A firm focus on the future is endemic to the culture of every successful technology company. At C Spire, we don’t spend much time reflecting on the past. Ask any of my 1,900 coworkers, and they’ll likely tell you some version of the same thing. As we approached our latest milestone anniversary, though, I began to reflect on the truly wild ride of the past 35 years—beginning in 1988 as Cellular South, when we were the first company to offer wireless on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and since 2011 as C Spire, when our name was changed to reflect who we are and what we strive to be—Customer inSPIREd. We’re a Mississippi-based company founded, led and driven by Mississippians, competing shoulder-to-shoulder against multinational corporations that answer to shareholders, not their employees or customers. At C Spire, we are indeed inspired by our customers. We are driven by the dedicated people who lay fiber to your home, maintain networks, answer the line when you call and proficiently execute in a wide variety of technology-based disciplines. They’re your neighbors, friends and family members, and they’re invested in you. To say we have skin in the game is an understatement. Together, we are the largest privately owned wireless company in the country, and the sixth largest overall. Customers across Mississippi rely on our LTE and 5G wireless network every day. Our Gigabit fiber keeps homes and businesses speeding ahead with internet at the speed of light, enabling homes to become smarter and more entertaining. Every step of the way, our team’s determination and accomplishments have added to the foundation that allows us to invest back into our communities. We have accelerated our course through a planned three-year, $1 billion investment in fiber infrastructure and network enhancements we began in 2021. We are bringing broadband internet to a growing number of cities and rural areas of Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. And at the end of every fiber line and 5G connection is a real person or family, a new business getting off the ground, and innovators turning their ingenuity into the communities and economies of the future. We believe it is incumbent upon the leaders of today to create that future for the next generation. Nearly 90 percent of students attending public schools in Mississippi have access to issued laptops or tablets, creating a huge demand for network resources. That’s why our engineers are using artificial intelligence to identify network usage increases at cell sites near school campuses around the state and redistribute traffic where it’s needed most, at a moment’s notice. We maintain the vital Mississippi Optical Network, also known as the MissiON network, to support research and education at every public university and community college in the state, and to facilitate collaboration among educators and students at these institutions. This network also supported distance learning for more than 200,000 students in the community college system during the Covid-19 pandemic. Through our Tech Movement initiative, we host our annual C3 Coding Challenge and support Base Camp Academy, both of which immerse students in the world of coding languages and prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow. In 2021, we supported legislation to make computer science part of the curriculum in every K-12 public and charter school in the state by 2024 and donated $1 million toward training teachers for the task. The aggressiveness of our leadership made us among the first carriers in the U.S. to offer the iPhone 4 to customers over a decade ago. In 2013, when only four cities in the U.S. had Gigabit fiber internet available to homes, we started an ambitious fiber-to-the-home initiative that carries ultra-fast internet to homes and businesses now available in more than 100 communities. We plan to double that number across Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee by 2025. In our shared future, we envision networks with zero downtime and seamless app integrations that intuitively connect any space. Automated systems with machine learning that find and fix issues before there's a problem. Biometric and AI applications that help us think one step ahead. And, of course, the wireless and fiber networks to make it all hum. If past is prelude, together we have an exceedingly bright future. Forward thinking—it’s one way we stay customer inspired. Hu Meena is President and CEO of C Spire in Ridgeland, Miss.

The Business of the Year is Milltown Mall Antiques and Flea Market. Lee and Melissa Meredith’s flea market adventures started with Rags to Riches thrift store on Factory Street in 2010. In December of 2012, they acquired Milltown Mall Antiques and Flea Market. With the help of Gene and Diane Anding, Linda Stegall and Kristie Lay, the business has grown to house more than 65 vendors. People from all over the country have stopped by to see the historic building and shop the fifteen thousand square foot treasure trove. The Organization of the Year is Wesson Friends of the Library (FOL). Wesson FOL was chartered in 1989 to assist the public library with cultural and community programs, spur public and private financial support for enhanced public activities and stimulate awareness and volunteer services to enable its growth. From its inception, it has had wide community support and served as a statewide leader for other Friend’s groups throughout the state. With city and county officials, law enforcement authorities, churches, banks, businesses, and civic organizations such as the Chamber, Lions Club and Historical Society, the Wesson Friends has been instrumental in financing and directing such programs and services as Summer reading for children, National library week, Founders Day book sale and Christmas with Friends. Leading FOL in 2023 are President Marilyn Britt, Vice-President Mildred Twiner, Secretary Violet Corrales and Treasurer Steven Liverman. The Citizen of the Year is Marilyn Britt. Britt is the assistant vice president and branch manager of the Wesson Branch of Trustmark National Bank and is involved with many organizations that contribute to the betterment of our Wesson. She has worked at Trustmark for 48 years, and is a member of the Mississippi Bankers Association and a recipient of the Trustmark Presidents’ Club. Britt is a charter and current member of the Wesson Chamber of Commerce and a member of its team city committee. She served it as Vice-President and President. Britt is also a charter member and current president of Wesson Friends of the library, and served as President and member of the Board of Trustees of the Copiah Jefferson Regional Library for which the Copiah County Board of Supervisors recognized her service. She serves on the yard of the month committee for the Wesson Garden Club, which decorates the downtown Wesson area for Christmas and fall and varied projects throughout the year, and recognizes Wesson residents to encourage them to beautify their homes through planting and landscaping. Britt is a member of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, and is active in Sylvarena Baptist Church where she and serves as president of the WMU group and is a member of the constitution and law and Christian care committees. She studied at Co-Lin and considers Wesson her hometown. She has two sons -- Van Britt and Hillry Britt -- and five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Britt enjoys working out at the fitness center in Brookhaven and cooking for her family every Sunday after church. The Wesson Attendance Center Educator of the Year is Stephanie Allen. Allen graduated from Enterprise Attendance Center and attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College and Delta State University. She earned her bachelor's degree in Social work from the University of South Mississippi and her master's in counseling from Mississippi College. She has pursued her career for 34 years, working as a community social worker before coming to Wesson Attendance Center as a school social worker and then moving into the position of the School's Counselor. Since joining WAC, she has resided in Wesson. Her parents are Billy and Freddie Britt, and she was married to the late Kirk Allen with whom she had three sons -- Taylor, Tate, and Tanner Allen -- and one daughter -- Mary Elizabeth Fisher, who is married to Erich Fisher. She has one grandson, Kipp Fisher. Allen says she has devoted her career to “doing work for the Lord” through the many roles of a school counselor to enrich and enlighten students towards their graduation and on their journey into adulthood. She is the biggest cheerleader at any WAC sporting event, and can be found in supporting roles on and off campus that go beyond her job description. WAC’s Dr. Barbie Roberson says: "As a Professional peer, she solves problems with me and often reads my mind as we work together in school improvement. As the counselor to this mama's children, she has been excellent in guiding and supporting them. And as a friend, she is one of a kind." The Copiah-Lincoln Community College Educator of the Year is Rachelle Hackney. Hackney is a native of Brookhaven, MS. She started a nursing career at Jones County Community College, where she became a Licensed Practical Nurse in August 1994. She went on to earn a BSN from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1998 and an MSN in Nursing Education from William Carey University in 2013. Hackney has worked at Co-Lin in the Associate Degree Nursing program since 2013. She has more than 28 years of nursing experience in various environments, including hospitals, nursing homes, home health, college campus clinics, and educational settings. Additionally, she has worked in diabetes disease management and behavioral health with the Division of Medicaid and community health populations. She has two daughters -- Michaela , who is a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant for Brookhaven Health and Wellness, and Jaci Hackney, a seventh grader who enjoys playing the flute and volleyball. The Community Spirit Award winner is the Wesson Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD). WVFD started around 1948 with a truck from Co-Lin believed to have been a 1946 water truck converted into a firetruck. It had to be pushed to crank it up. Sometime later, the town bought a rated truck for fire protection and jumpsuits for its members. There was a fire chief before Kenneth Furr, but he was a volunteer when WVFD started and served for over 50 years in the role, followed by Randle Drane, Dustin Brewer and currently Ken Carraway since 2010. Other notable volunteer were Smokey Diamond (assistant chief), who would make anything the department needed when no money was available for purchasing needed it; Captain Earl Ellison, the administrative Officer who handled paperwork and other matters; and Jack Thomas, a firefighter always around to help. They have all passed, but the fruits of their hard work and dedication can still be seen in the stature of the current WVFD. During fire prevention week in October, WVFD discussed fire safety and fire prevention with more than 400 kids at local day cares, churches, pre-schools and K-5 at Wesson attendance center. Wesson Fire Department holds a Fire Academy for Kids, where young cadets (30 to 35 of them) learn firefighter skills and fire prevention. The training required to provide safe, efficient fire service to our community is on display when members of the department are riding around town or pumping water: 92 hours of classes and skill training for Certified Volunteer Firefighter I. Another 40 hours for Certified Volunteer Firefighter II. And yet another 40 hours for First Medical Responder. Current WVFD officers are Ken Carraway, Chief; Jake Cook, Assistant Chief; Chris Wade, Captain; Samuel Carraway, Lieutenant; and Sean Braley, Lieutenant The Best Customer Service award winner is Trustmark National Bank. Founded in 1889, Trustmark is one of the South’s strongest and most respected financial institutions, comprised of more than 2,700 professionals serving customers in locations throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. Trustmark is proud to be a community-focused, values-guided organization committed to service excellence and exceeding expectations. The company serves as a diversified financial services partner offering banking, wealth management and insurance solutions through its subsidiaries, Trustmark National Bank and FBBINSURANCE. Trustmark started serving the Wesson community in September 1984, after acquiring Merchants and Planters Bank. For nearly 40 years, the company has provided Wesson and surrounding areas with a comprehensive range of personal and business products and services, as well as investing funds, expertise and time in local community programs. Trustmark’s efforts earned the company two national recognitions for 2022; being selected as one of America’s Most Trusted Companies by Newsweek and among the Best-In-State Banks by Forbes for the third consecutive year. The Innovative Business Award winner is Steel Outdoors. Dwayne and Pam McLemore started Steel Outdoors in 2007 in their backyard, and look on their success humbly as a blessing, saying “we are blessed to be here and are still learning and growing every day.” They put Christ first in their lives, and are known for their huge hearts and passionate dedication to the community. Explaining their success, the McLemores say “we had a shared passion to start our own business and joined our interests -- the great outdoors, wildlife management and metal fabrication to create a business in which the two of us would work together evenings when we got home from our full-time jobs.” Over the last 15 years, the business has expanded into industrial metal fabrication and buildings from an original line of deer feeders. They brought the business to Wesson two years ago from their backyard into an industrial manufacturing facility located inside the town. The Positive Social Media Presence Award winner is Wolf Hollow Golf Course. Wolf Hollow sits on what was a farm here at the college. In 1968, the college closed the farm and sold its farm equipment, cattle and hogs. In 1969, the college board approved the development of a nine-hole golf course, responding to requests from interested faculty and patrons. The course opened with the assistance of Walt Angeloff and funds raised from district businesses, industry and individuals. Through the years, it was urged to expand to 18 holes, and the college board authorized Co-Lin’s administration to explore expansion in the early 1990s and move ahead with the project. Bids for adding nine holes and bonds were advertised in January of 1995, and a $943,696 contract was negotiated and awarded to Brigance Construction Company in March of 1995 for the expansion, with work beginning in June 1995 and completed in 1996. In 2010, a new clubhouse was constructed, which houses a fully stocked pro-shop (South Mississippi Golf Shop), golf simulator, and the famous Wolf Hollow Grill. Wolf Hollow draws golfers from Jackson down to Hammond, Louisiana, who play 20,000 rounds every year. They consider it a diamond in the rough. Wolf Hollow is a recognized brand in the community and offers a great play to work, eat, and play with a variety of events, activities and golf tournaments. The Best New Business award winners is Copiah Medical Associates (CMA). The CMA Wesson clinic office opened May 1, 2022, offering diagnostic, preventive and wellness outpatient services. Nurse Practitioner Karen Sue Boone, and office staff are there to serve the healthcare needs of Wesson on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5p.m, and on Thursday from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. CMA also has locations in Crystal Springs and Hazlehurst.

You hear a lot of ‘loving’ being mentioned. “I love my truck…my chocolates, my family… playing golf…going to the movies, drinking beer, etc.” You name it, each one of us has someone or something that we say we love. Really? The dictionary explains the word ‘love.’ Here it is: ‘A strong feeling of affection and concern for the welfare of another person, as in a friendship.’ Or it can be this: ‘A strong feeling of affection and concern for their welfare toward another person, accompanied by sexual attraction.’ And it lists another version; ‘A feeling of adoration and affection toward your God.’ That’s it. Strong feelings for a person or God. Somehow, that definition just doesn’t seem to fit when it comes to loving a thing. Can you hear someone say with a dramatic sigh, “I have strong feelings of affection and concern for its emotional welfare toward my truck.” Or, “I have strong feelings of affection and concern for its welfare toward my chocolate bar.” Or this one… “I have a strong concern for the emotional welfare of my beer.” Nah. Truth is, you use your truck, you devour your chocolate bar, and you slug your beer. So according to old man Webster, don’t tell me that you love those things. Reality check? You enjoy using that truck. And you lust after that chocolate bar or that cold beer. That is a completely different relationship with those things in your life than with your family, your friends, or your God. Men, when it comes to the lady in your life on Valentine’s Day, you want to give her things that show how you feel about her. Be it flowers, chocolate, a night out, or….an ice cold can of beer. Whatever you think might say to her, “Hey, I am concerned about you and your emotional welfare.” But your can of beer, or your truck? You couldn’t care less whether they feel loved by you. You are not there to make them feel special. You know good and well that they are in your life only to make you happy. And ladies, that hunk of Godiva chocolate that keeps calling your name? You don’t care how it’s feeling emotionally - be honest, you simply lust for it. Or that new pair of jeans you find so irresistible that you pull out your credit card without a second thought? That’s not love – that’s for your own sake! Don’t confuse ‘lusting’, ‘using’, or ‘enjoying’ with truly loving. Toys, jobs, places, food, and experiences are all just things. It is only the people in your life and your Creator who are to be loved. “I enjoy and use my truck” makes a lot more sense than “I love my truck.” And spending the bulk of your time and attention on the people you love makes even more sense. Happy Valentine’s Day! Put a smile of love on someone’s face today.

By Kara Kimbrough As host or guest, it’s time to get ready for the biggest football game of the year this Sunday between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. Even if you don’t follow football or just watch for the commercials, who doesn’t like a day when eating all the wings, burgers and fattening appetizers and dips is considered OK? I’m don't favor either team, but may root for Philadelphia and here’s why. “Philadelphia” is on the box of a key ingredient in almost every appetizer and dip in my Super Bowl food repertoire. I’m talking about Philadelphia Cream Cheese, without which no decent Super Bowl spread is complete. Still need a little inspiration? Here are a few more of my favorite Super Bowl recipe and decor ideas. 1. Football Brownies — Make a batch of brownies and use a football cookie cutter (found at the party store – or do what I did and bend a round biscuit cutter into a football shape) to cut brownies into snacks with at least a semblance of the pigskin’s shape. Top with chocolate frosting; then use white frosting to pipe lines and stitches on each “football.” 2. Super Bowl Selfies — Create your own “selfie corner” or photo booth for guests that “live” to share their party pics. Hang a green cloth on the wall to resemble a football field (let a few feet extend to the floor for selfie-lovers to stand on). Buy large wooden “57” numbers at the craft store (or use cut out cardboard), spray with gold glitter paint and attach to the backdrop high enough to show in photos. Find color photos of the faces of your favorite players on the internet, print and glue onto cardboard and attach to wooden craft sticks so guests can pose with their favorites. Snap photos with phones or an old-school Polaroid. 3. Quick & Delicious Snack Mix — Toss together party-size bag of regular potato chips, 2 cups each Cheez-Its, Goldfish crackers and mini pretzels, ½ stick melted butter and a tablespoon of Old Bay Seasoning. Bake at 350 degrees 25 minutes, stirring once. Serve in a large bowl with a scoop with small bags for guests to help themselves. 4. “Crack” Sausages — Roll ½ of a bacon slice around a cocktail sausage. Warning: plan on preparing a lot of these, as they’re always eaten quickly. Place wrapped sausages on a baking sheet and sprinkle with brown sugar; refrigerate at least 4 hours before baking to allow flavors to meld. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes prior to serving. 5. Chiefs/Eagles Rice Krispies - Prepare Rice Krispies Treats using a favorite recipe, separate into two bowls and tint each mixture with food coloring to reflect team colors. Press into two pans, then use a football or “jersey” cookie cutter to shape each treat. Add player numbers with white icing. 6. Super Shrimp Spread — Beat 8 ounces cream cheese until smooth. Drain 2 6-ounce cans of shrimp, then mash shrimp with a fork and fold into cream cheese. Add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and teaspoon of minced onion and mix well. Serve with crackers. 7. Hot and Spicy Wings – Place 2-3 pounds of wings on a greased baking sheet and bake in 425-degree oven for an hour, turning frequently. In a bowl, mix together a four-ounce bottle of hot pepper sauce, half cup of melted butter and two teaspoons of white vinegar. Place cooked wings in a bowl and toss with sauce. Serve with blue cheese or ranch dipping sauce. 8. Shortcut Texas Caviar Dip — Stir together cans of drained black beans and black-eyed peas, kernel corn and jar of prepared salsa. Refrigerate several hours. Serve with tortilla chips or Scoops. 9. Creamy Ham Roll-Ups — Mix 2 packages of cream cheese with 5 teaspoons of prepared horseradish, then spread mixture evenly over several slices of deli ham. Roll up, slice each roll into 4 pieces and secure with toothpicks. 10. Layered BLT Dip — Combine a package of softened cream cheese with ½ cup of mayonnaise and ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, then spread mixture into the bottom of a serving dish. Top with torn lettuce, crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes and cheddar cheese. Serve with pita chips or toasted thin slices of Italian bread. 11. Last-Minute App - Whisk together 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning and tablespoon of salt. Pour a 28-ounce bag of frozen curly (or regular) French fries on a foil-lined baking sheet; coat fries with seasoning mixture. Place the pan 6 inches from oven broiler, and broil for 9-11 minutes, flipping once, until fries are brown and crispy. Serve hot from the oven with ketchup or dipping sauce. 12. Super Easy Baked Chili Cheese Dip — Combine a large can of mild chili, 8-ounce package cream cheese, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix and teaspoon of minced garlic. Bake at 375 degrees 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with cup of shredded cheddar cheese, chopped tomatoes, sliced green olives and dollops of sour cream. Last, my new friends at Ocean Spray sent me a recipe containing a delicious variation of buffalo chicken dip, a staple on many Super Bowl tables. I’d dropped them an email telling them how often I use whole cranberry sauce in desserts. I’d never thought about adding fruity Craisins, or dried cranberries, to the meat-based dip, but all I can say is…like Philadelphia Cream Cheese…it works! Sweet and Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded 1/3 cup Buffalo sauce 1/3 cup bleu cheese dressing 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 cup shredded cheese, plus more for topping 1/2 cup Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries or Craisins® 50% Less Sugar Dried Cranberries, roughly chopped, plus more for topping 1 scallion, sliced (optional for garnish) Bleu cheese, crumbled (optional for garnish) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all ingredients and pour into a baking dish. Top with extra cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and top with extra Craisins® Dried Cranberries and scallion, if desired. Serve with chips, celery sticks, carrots, snap peas, cherry tomato, and peppers. Recipe courtesy of Ocean Spray. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkrpco@yahoo.com.

Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) spring semester at Co-Lin features four workshops, a movie day, a special fun day with bingo and snacks, three luncheons and a year-ending picnic. A luncheon featuring a Co-Lin Choir choral performance and celebrating Valentine’s Day followed by the movie, Letters to Juliet about visits of the heartbroken to a wall to write notes to Shakespeare’s tragic heroine – Juliet Capulet, started the new semester this week, while a Chair Yoga class conducted by Co-Lin Fitness Instructor Cheryl Myers that meets every Tuesday, continued into the new term after beginning as a workshop in the fall. ILR, a Co-Lin-sponsored membership organization, provides continuing education experiences for retired and semi-retired older adults who define their own informal educational goals based on their choices and talents and pursue them at their own pace. Members, who design the group's program, come from wide ranging backgrounds and bring varied experiences to the organization. Co-Lin staff administers ILR, and the college provides facilities for the organization, which is fully funded by member dues. Also on the ILR spring calendar are: February 23. A nutrition workshop conducted by Leah Embry at the Wolf Den, a new grill-hangout on the Co-Lin campus for students and the wider Wesson community. Embry says a few simple steps and a small amount of nutritional knowledge can make a huge difference for people just trying to take care of themselves. His discussion will look at aging, nutritional supplements and healthy lifestyles. Following the workshop, participants can order milkshakes and smoothies ($5-$8) at the Wolf Den. 2 p.m. March 2. Luncheon prepared and served by Co-Lin culinary students at the Anderson Building on the college’s campus. $9. 10:30 a.m. March 9. Original Cypress painting workshop led by Dawn Marks. $25, including supplies. Thames Center on the Co-Lin campus. 1 p.m. April 4. Luncheon with entertainment provided by pianist Steve Russell. $12. Thames Center on the Co-Lin campus. 10:30 a.m. April 4. History workshop led by a member of the Co-Lin Centurions, the college history club. Subject to be confirmed, but may focus on the history of Angola, the Louisiana prison. Thames Center on the Co-Lin campus. 12 noon. April 18. An afternoon of bingo. Prizes and light refreshments, fun and fellowship. Thames Center on the Co-Lin campus. 1:30 p.m. May 16. The ILR year ends with a picnic at Slay Wilderness. Bring your favorite meat, casserole, vegetable, salad and/or dessert. Tea and drinks provided, fun and fellowship. Slay Wilderness is at 2142 Tyson Road, Wesson, off Highway 51 going north towards Hazlehurst. 10:30 a.m. The ongoing Chair Yoga class meets at 10 a.m. every Tuesday at the Thames Center on the Co-Lin campus. The fee is $10 for each session. For information, contact Co-Lin Program Coordinator and Events Coordinator Erin Johnson (erin.johnson@colin.edu, 601-643-8702). ILRs 2023 officers are Tommy Sasser, president; Sarah Lloyd, vice president; Joy Wesbrooks, secretary; Nora Berch, associate secretary; Martha Lightsey, treasurer; and Bettie Bullard, immediate past president. At large board members are Kim Whittington, George Huffman and Dian Summers. Committees are Luncheon/Lecture (Bob Arnold, chair; Allen Cupit and Sylvia Buie), Scholarship (Mary Ann Smith, chair; Dianne Clopton and Sonya Cowen), Decorating (Jennifer Vaughn, chair; Cherie Langston, Brenna Smith, Lanell Strait, Martha Lightsey and Sylvia Buie), Finance (Martha Lightsey, chair; Marilyn Brown, Mary James and Lanell Strait), Governance (Jean Ricks, chair; and Zoula Huffman), and Hospitality (Diane Clopton, chair; Sarah Lloyd and Linda Wall).

By Bob Garver This past weekend featured a weird toss-up between two new releases at the domestic box office. Horror thriller “Knock at the Cabin” made slightly more money, with an estimated $14.1 million to its opponent’s $12.5 million, but football comedy “80 for Brady” sold slightly more tickets, with an estimated 1.3 million (many with matinee and senior discounts) to its opponent’s 1.1 million. I’ve decided to give a short review to both films. “Knock at the Cabin” Director M. Night Shyamalan returns with this psychological thriller about a family of three (Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Kristen Cui) held hostage at a remote cabin by a kidnapping party of four (Dave Bautista, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Abby Quinn, Rupert Grint). The kidnappers claim that unless the family willingly sacrifices the life one of its own members, the Apocalypse will consume the rest of humanity. The proposal seems preposterous at first, but evidence in support of the kidnappers’ claims soon starts piling up. The film is based on a book, and I imagine the premise working much better on the page than it does here. With a book, the reader can stop at their leisure and pontificate on how they would react to the situation given the information at hand, which makes for a lively hypothetical. With the movie, the action and stimuli have to go at a certain pace, so there’s less opportunity for viewers to use their imagination, and I’m sorry to say that the direction chosen for them is pretty unimaginative. Bautista is certainly a commanding presence as the surprisingly soft-spoken antagonist, but otherwise the movie is much more predictable and dull than Shyamalan seems to think it is. I’ve never bought into his reputation as a master of twist endings, and the ending here is so aggressively foreshadowed that I don’t know if it even counts as a twist. My advice: stay in your comfy home, don’t venture out to the “Cabin,” and you won’t have to worry about a “Knock.” Grade: C- “Knock at the Cabin” is rated R for violence and language. Its running time is 100 minutes. “80 for Brady” “80 for Brady” follows a group of four friends (Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, Lily Tomlin) – all past or near the age of 80 – as they travel to the 2017 Super Bowl to watch Tom Brady mount the most spectacular comeback in the game’s history. Adventures include a football-throwing contest, a spicy wing-eating contest, a party with recreational drugs, issues with tickets, sneaking into the stadium, impersonating backup dancers, and affecting the outcome of the game. More than any one gag, storyline, or scene, the appeal of the film lies in just spending time with these women, all of whom are funny and have effortless chemistry with one another. Just enjoy these four screen veterans playing off each other and it will become increasingly easy to ignore flaws that otherwise make the movie seem cheap and incompetent, like lowbrow humor, dodgy special effects, and scenes in the stands clearly not taking place at the game. It helped that I saw the movie with a good crowd that was cheering wildly by the film’s end. That’s the way to see this movie, with a group. It’s a good “compromise” movie that no one person is likely to love, but nobody will be able to truly detest either. The consensus seems to be that on a scale of 1 to 100, it’s about an “80.” Grade: B- “80 for Brady” is rated PG-13 for brief strong language, some drug content and some suggestive references. Its running time is 98 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

By Bob Arnold If you search the internet for “Copiah County,” it will produce only one result: Copiah County, Mississippi. “That proves to me we live in a very special place,” Mississippi Supreme Court Justice James W. (Jim) Kitchens told more than 100 Copiah County government, business and civic leaders at kick-off the county’s year-long the bicentennial celebration. In keynote remarks at the breakfast celebration at the Safe Room Community Center at Gallman, Kitchens, a Copiah County native and continuing resident, declared “Copiah County, Mississippi, is the only Copiah County in the world. No other place is like it. It’s a very special place.” At the event, Greg Holloway, Sr, who serves District 76 in the Mississippi House of Representatives, and Albert Butler, who serves Mississippi Senate District 56, presented to Copiah County Board of Supervisors President Judson Jackson a plaque with a commemorative resolution adopted by the Mississippi Legislature that recognized the county for “its excellence, quality of life and values.” Kitchens said diversity was the mark of Copiah County. He recalled a sign once on the grounds of the Copiah Court House at Hazlehurst: “Welcome to Copiah County. Mississippi’s most diversified.” “It referred to our economy, but diversity characterizes Copiah County’s people, culture, town and rural life, geography and in many other respects,” Kitchens said. Sketching the history of the country, Kitchens said indigenous peoples lived in Copiah County before the Egyptians built the ancient pyramids, and “copiah” is a Choctaw word for “calling panther” that honors the elegant and graceful sleek felines which roamed the forests that are still part of the county’s landscape. “The Mississippi legislature established Copiah County on January 21, 1823, carving it out of Hinds County, which was created in 1798 from native American territory,” Kitchens related. “It has remained Mississippi’s seventh largest county in size since a portion of it was surrendered in the creation of Lincoln County IN 1870.” In the period before the Civil War, the slave population grew in the county and is still reflected in its racial mix today, Kitchens said. He noted there was a small slave market at Crystal Springs and an underground railroad that transported slaves to their freedom outside the county in non-slave states. Kitchens illustrated the unique diversity of Copiah County in two natives who made history: Robert Johnson, a guitarist considered “the father of Blues music” and Bernita Shelton Matthews, the first woman Federal District Judge, a 1949 President Truman appointee who served until she was 88 years old. “We live here because we want to live here,” Kitchens declared. “What will you and I do to make Copiah County better and more hospitable?” The Copiah County Board of Supervisors and a special Bicentennial Committee are planning events throughout 2023.

The Wesson Wagon Train is gearing up to make its way through Copiah County as they travel to the Fairgrounds in Jackson for the Dixie National Rodeo events. They will be traveling daily through our county beginning Saturday, February 4 and will continue through Wednesday afternoon, February 8, at which time they will enter Hinds County. Should you encounter them on their journey during this time, please be considerate and give them plenty of room to continue on their way safely.