By guest columnist R. Shaw Furlow Tucked away, unnoticed, in Rosehill Cemetery in Brookhaven, are the graves of Charles Henri Ford and his sister Ruth Ford. The names may not be familiar to you because they weren’t around here very long. Just long enough to be born here in 1908 and 1911 respectively. Their father managed hotels in the area including Hazlehurst and Brookhaven, but their family left in short order as well. Yet they made something of a name for themselves in the art world, and, along with that, their births and burials in the area make them worthy of our attention. Henri was originally Henry, but didn’t want to be confused with Ford the car maker. So he changed the spelling of his name, giving it a suave French air. He would later be recognized in his own right as an actor, painter, director and writer. Ford is considered the first American surrealist poet. He was friends with author and poet Gertrude Stein and visited her in Paris, where he became a regular of her Saturday evening salon often frequented by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Thornton Wilder, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. His contribution to the art world included his gritty novel The Young and Evil, which chronicles the lives of young New York artists and their struggles, successes and loves, while frequenting the speakeasys of Greenwich Village. One critic said his book was one generation ahead of the Beat Generation. Along with the novel, Ford published books of poetry, had art displays in Europe and was the editor of View, the premiere surrealist and figurative art and literature magazine of the 1940s. Considered a bohemian, he was one of the first of the New York school of writing style. His first poem was published in The New Yorker while he was still a teenager. In all he published 16 books of poetry. After graduating from Ole Miss, his sister Ruth followed Henri to New York City where she was intrigued by her brother’s group of friends, and fell right into it. She first found success as a model with her pictures appearing on the covers of Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and Mademoiselle. She became great friends with Orson Wells and one of the regular players on his radio show, The Mercury Theatre. She had met and befriended William Faulkner at Ole Miss and was reacquainted with him one evening at her brother’s apartment. Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote cast her in roles in plays they wrote Ruth eventually moved to Hollywood to try her hand in the movies. She started working in B films, but the quality of her scripts never improved. So she decided to return to Broadway, where the quality was better, and she appeared in Faulkner’s Requiem for a Nun. Ruth and Henri both had apartments in the famed Dakota in New York City. Like Stein, she hosted a weekly salon of artists, musicians and writers. Henri died in 2002 leaving his apartment to Ruth, who died in 2009. Their two apartments were valued at eight million dollars. I first learned about the Fords from my son. My research about them wasn’t easy, and there is much more deep digging into their lives to do if you are interested. Our little corner of the world is like so many other places with stories of people about whom you have never heard, but have done extraordinary things. The Fords deserve a bit of our time and attention. That’s it for this month. Read a book, catch a movie, listen to good music and remember, support the arts, my friends. EDITOR'S NOTE: Shaw Furlow is a local composer, musician and arts promoter. He produces an internet-based video show -- From the Shadyside -- that spotlights area musical talent and is a consultant to school bands in the region. Bob Arnold is Editor of the Wesson News.

By Bob Garver Last week I wrote that critics were a little too eager to embrace the random-twist horror movie “Barbarian” because the release calendar was in a slump and there hadn’t been a good movie in a while. If those critics had just waited a week, they could have embraced “The Woman King,” an audience-pleasing historical epic with a chance to make some real money and maybe pick up a few awards. As it is, the film will still deservedly be seen as a creative and commercial success, but I’m disappointed that it won’t get more recognition for saving us from the August-September slog. The film follows the Agojie, an army of female warriors that protect the African kingdom of Dahomey in the 1820’s. The women, led by General Nanisca (Viola Davis), dispatch slavers from the rival Oyo Empire who want to sell captured women to Europeans. Dahomean king Ghezo (John Boyega) also deals with selling slaves to the Europeans. Nanisca wishes he wouldn’t deal in slaves and instead trade something harmless like palm oil. She has his ear to a degree as a general, but she would have real influence if he were to give her the title of Woman King. Not a queen, to be clear, but a Woman King, a woman with kingly importance. But no woman has been given that title in decades. Nanisca would have to do something outstanding to earn it. Given that it’s the title of the movie, I’d say it’s likely that Nanisca will indeed do something outstanding. The ranks of the Agojie are often filled with women freed from the Oyo, but some come from within Dahomey itself. Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) is a young woman given to the king by her callous adoptive father because she won’t marry a rich scumbag who beats her. She quickly decides that the wife life isn’t for her and signs on to become an Agojie. She still takes a beating, in a manner of speaking, but it’s on her terms. She doesn’t have much natural skill, but thanks to perseverance and the tutelage of her trainer Izogie (Lashana Lynch), she finishes first in her class. This gets her the attention of Nanisca, who sees a lot of herself in Nawi. Nawi’s performance at her graduation also gets her a different kind of attention from Brazilian trader Malik (Jordan Bulger), the kind that is forbidden in the Agojie. I’d like to say that the romantic subplot is dull and unnecessary, but this movie couldn’t be dull if it tried. Malik warns Nawi of an impending attack by the Oyo, led by the fearsome Oba (Jimmy Odukoya), with whom Nanisca has history. Can the Agojie defeat the Oyo and their European allies? Will anyone be named the Woman King? Will there be incredible performances along the way? I can’t get into spoilers for those first two questions, but can answer the third with a resounding yes. Davis, Mbedu, and Lynch are all going to be forces in the next Oscar race. Here’s a fun game you can play as you watch: try to guess which ten-second clips will be used to represent each actress at the ceremony. You’ll find no end of excellent choices. Surprisingly, it’s the action scenes that are the weakest parts of “The Woman King.” Much of the fighting is blade-based, and some of the sequences have to be confusing and obscured so the film can cling to its PG-13 rating. But what the film lacks in battlefield drama, it more than recuperates in human drama. For the first time in a long time, I heard heartfelt cheering and gasping from an audience that was invested in characters they had known for only a few minutes. Most franchise pictures can’t pull that off with characters audiences have known for years. I hope this movie reigns atop the box office for a good long while. Grade: A- “The Woman King” is rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing material, thematic content, brief language and partial nudity. Its running time is 135 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

By Bob Arnold For more than two decades, area folk knew Charles Ray Fortson as their insurance man. Today, they know him as the source of good country cooking, bait for their fishing, and varied food and convenience store items at the venerable lake store, which he now calls Uncle Ray’s, across from the entrance to Lake Lincoln State Park. A man of many trades, Fortson also spiced up his resume as a young farm boy, a teenager on tugboats, offshore oil worker and commercial carpenter. A Houma, Louisiana, native, he settled with his family at age five at Summit, Mississippi, when they came to care for his ailing grandmother. His mom reared the kids at home, while his father was an offshore oil worker. Growing up, Fortson remembers large family functions with thirty to forty relatives where he learned his cooking skills and developed his love of the art of preparing barbeques and other Southern style meals. He also fished in the area’s rivers and ponds, tended a garden and raised animals – chickens, hogs and horses – on his family’s mini-farm. His father took him and his brothers and sisters to movies when he was home from his offshore work, and Fortson still enjoys science fiction films like Godzilla. When he was 16 years old, Fortson worked on tug boats in Louisiana for $45 a day, and bought his own clothes to contribute to a big family. After graduating from North Pike High School in 1981, he tried following his father’s career path offshore, but didn’t like it because “you couldn’t go anywhere after work.” “So I went to work in construction for a McComb company and learned carpentry,” Fortson recounts. “I still have the tools and my old belt.” Over almost a decade, he was involved in building the EOLA hotel at Natchez and Walmart stores throughout the area for the commercial construction firm. Fortson gave up the seasonal work of construction for the stability of the insurance business in 1990, joining Florida-based Independent Life’s Brookhaven office as a debit agent in Claiborne and Jefferson Counties, where he would go door-to-door in the neighborhoods and develop relationships with families, selling them life, health, home and property insurance and collecting their premiums before they spent their meager incomes on something else. “It opened my eyes to world, and the lifestyles of people who often live hand-to-mouth,” he says. Fortson became a successful agent, earning a $1,000 a week. “During the first two years in the insurance business, you sell to people you know – friends and relatives, and then to people you don’t k know,” he says. “After five years, you are a good agent.” Fortson was good enough to become a staff manager at Independent Life, teach classes on the insurance business at Farm Bureau, and open his own office in Brookhaven under contract with Alfa Insurance in 2001. For Alfa, Fortson developed a client base of second-generation sons and daughters of immigrants from India who owned a variety of small retail businesses. He became the company’s top insurance salesman in Mississippi before a reorganization that led him to take an early retirement. In 2016, he joined Woodmen of the World in insurance, but started looking for new opportunities as a store owner – something he had always wanted to do. In 2019, he opened Uncle Ray’s in the store location across from Lake Lincoln State Park. With the help of his friend Diane Sullivan and sister Vicki Westmoreland, Fortson has been building a business at Uncle Ray’s that has focused on three distinct income streams as a convenience store, food service and bait shop. Fortson is also installing hookups and infrastructure for campers and buying rental campers as well to complement Lake Lincoln’s facilities and provide a fourth income stream that assures a viable full-year business without a late fall and winter slow season. Previous owners of the lake store, Fortson believes, focused too narrowly on the kind of business they operated and had to close. He thinks he is on the right track there, and even fantasizes that the business model he is developing could be the basis of a franchise. As well as a man of many trades, Fortson is also the father of four daughters – Kayla – the mother of his two granddaughters; and Carley, Nikki and Asia What are your hobbies? I still enjoy carpentry – making small wood crafts; and farm stuff – hunting, fishing, growing cucumbers, tomatoes and okra. Are you a reader? I read the Bible every day because I know I need to do so, but otherwise I really don’t like to read. I was a Gideon for ten years, and spoke before groups. Do you enjoy movies or theater? I like movie houses. The popcorn and coke, as well as sci-fi, westerns, thrillers and comedies. I am a Harry Bronson, Clint Eastwood and Don Knots fan. I recently enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing and like Pink Panther and Abbot and Costello films. Do you enjoy any music beyond your own? I can’t sing or play, although I can sing in tune with someone next to me who does. I likes gospel, jazz and blues. What would you do with lottery winnings if you were so lucky? I would invest it, give to the church, help my family. I would set myself up for an enjoyable retirement with travel. How would you change the world? I try to be a good neighbor one person at a time and try to live the Gospel.

The U.S. Small Business Administration approved Governor Tate Reeves' request for assistance for businesses affected by the Jackson Water Crisis. Many businesses within Hinds County, including the City of Jackson, have experienced economic losses due to total or near total loss of water pressure following the Pearl River flooding in late August 2022. With little to no running water throughout the city, businesses could not serve, clean, cool, or sanitize, forcing them to either suffer losses or temporarily shut down. "These low interest loans will go a long way to support our Jackson businesses and help them make it through the ongoing water crisis," said Governor Tate Reeves. "I'm committed to ensuring that we both restore clean water to the city and relieve the burdens of this crisis for Jacksonians." Businesses in Hinds County and the following contiguous counties are eligible to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Claiborne, Copiah, Madison, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, and Yazoo. These loans help small businesses and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period. The application filing deadline is June 14, 2023. Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information, and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may also call SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

Renie wanted a gorgeous new flower garden. So she spent some time picking the brain of a college educated agriculturalist. A man who had spent years as a high school teacher in that field. Plus, for the last ten years after retirement, he and his wife had a “hobby” - working their own small truck farm. He had qualifications galore for knowing when, what, where, and how to plant just about anything. So now she was ready. She knew exactly what plants she wanted to have in her flower garden, and where, And how to care for them. The expert had briefed her on the best environment for her plants. Fertilizing, watering, and amounts of sunshine were included in the tutorial. So far, so good. The morning came when they both began the process of digging holes and planting. (Well, in the interest of full disclosure - Renie mostly directing, Andy digging and planting.) Renie, sweetly: “Honey, these have to be right here, ‘cause they need morning sun, but they can’t take the scorching heat of the afternoon. And don’t forget to sprinkle the fertilizer in the bottom of the hole each time!” Andy, cheerfully: “Okay, sweetie, you were the one who talked to the expert, so whatever ya say!” This process went on for quite a while, her directing with him patiently digging, fertilizing and planting. But as the hours went by, and the day’s heat increased, so did the conversation. Renie, exasperated: “Andy, I thought I specifically said this plant had to be placed in full sun! Look at it! Here it is only 1:00 P.M., and it’s already in the shade!” Andy, muttering: “I can specifically tell you where I’d like to place that plant, and it would be in full shade!” But finally, all was done, and it looked great. Every one of those babies were in the perfect location, fertilizer in the holes under them, watered well, and lookin’ good! Weeks went by, and they flourished, with deep green leaves and beautiful blooms beginning to show. Then it began. A wilted leaf here, a drooping bloom there, Then those pretty blooms started hitting the ground, and those wilting leaves began yellowing. And finally, everything was acting as if autumn had hit a couple of months early, the garden looking like the end of October. What in the world? Yep, you’ve probably guessed it by now. Too much of a good thing…fertilizer. Folks, anything can be carried to excess and cause the exact opposite of its intended outcome. Dessert gives a great touch to meals, but too much leads to bad endings. Working extra hours is admirable, except when you take on so much that the kids begin to ask Mom what Dad looks like. Building up your credit score is a great idea – but without monitoring your spending, it’s gonna backfire on you. Plan, execute, and enjoy. Important stuff. But correct dosing is pretty important too.

By Bob Garver With “Barbarian,” writer/director Zach Cregger of “The Whitest Kids U Know” becomes the latest performer primarily known for comedy to take a stab at the horror genre. The gold standard is of course Jordan Peele, whose “Get Out” in 2017 was an out-of-nowhere success both at the box office and awards podiums. Then there’s John Krasinski, who led “A Quiet Place” to critical and commercial success in 2018, and perhaps even more impressively, “A Quiet Place Part II” to becoming arguably the first post-pandemic blockbuster last year. “Barbarian” isn’t a creative game-changer or a box office powerhouse, but it gets Cregger’s foot in the door for what might be a rewarding career in horror. The film (at first) follows Tess (Georgina Campbell), a woman traveling under unenviable circumstances. It’s dark, it’s rainy, she’s not familiar with the area, and she’s in a bad part of Detroit. All she wants to do is check into her rental home, and wouldn’t you know it, there’s no key in the drop box. But there is a light on inside. It’s a skittish man named Keith (Bill Skarsgard), who claims that he’s the one renting the house this weekend. He offers to share the house, and the out-of-options Tess agrees. But something is off about Keith. He suffers from night terrors, he insists way too hard that he’s not a threat, and he’s played by Pennywise from “It.” Tess finds her way into the basement, and clearly someone has been doing more than laundry down there. She finds an unlit passage and enlists the moderately-suspicious Keith to go ahead of her to investigate. Something horrific happens. The story then follows A.J. (Justin Long), an actor plagued by scandal. He’s the owner of the house, but it might just be on paper. He arrives a few weeks later to sell the property, and it very well may be the first time he’s ever set foot in it. He too is driven to the basement, and after a detour upstairs (the comedian in Cregger rearing its head), he goes exploring the darkened, seemingly endless passage. No good comes of it. Then again, A.J. is a huge slimeball and maybe “no good” is too good for him. We had a faint idea from earlier what was hiding in the passage, but A.J.’s exploration fleshes it out more, as does a flashback to the house’s previous owner, Frank (Richard Brake), a sicko from the 1980’s. Exposition from other characters, including local squatter Andre (Jaymes Butler) fills in the rest. The film revolves around the twist of what’s in the passage, but it’s not anything suggested by the setup. I’ll give you a hint like I did last week with “The Invitation”: the entity is dead-set on treating the characters like something that can be found by changing the I in “Barbarian” to a Y and then dropping five letters from the title, including both R’s. I’ve seen a lot of critical praise for “Barbarian,” and I’m sorry to say that I just don’t get it. I think critics just wanted something to recommend amid the traditional August-September dry spell. Yes, it’s a better film than I’d expect from Cregger (whose only other theatrically-released directorial effort earned a dismal 5% on Rotten Tomatoes), but the last act sabotages a lot of what came before it. I can picture Cregger giggling as he was writing the ending, which isn’t as clever or funny as he thinks it is. The good thing about the success of “Barbarian” is that it will afford Cregger the chance to make another horror movie, and hopefully that one can stick the landing. The best thing I can say about this movie is the admittedly-backhanded compliment that Cregger shows a lot of promise and I can’t wait to see what he does next. Grade: C “Barbarian” is rated R for some strong violence and gore, disturbing material, language throughout and nudity. Its running time is 102 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Starting today, appointments for the new bivalent COVID-19 booster shot are available at all Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) county health department clinics. Appointments can be made through https://covidvaccine.umc.edu or by calling the COVID-19 hotline at 877-978-6453. The FDA has authorized an updated COVID-19 booster that offers improved protection against recent variants. The new booster is bivalent, providing better protection against both the original strain of COVID-19 and the Omicron variants that are currently causing most infections (BA.4 and BA.5). The updated vaccines are recommended for use as a booster shot for those 12 and older at least two months after completion of the primary vaccination series (Pfizer, Moderna or Noravax two-shot regimen, or Johnson & Johnson/Jannsen’s one-shot regimen) or two months after the last booster shot. “We strongly recommend that anyone eligible should go ahead and receive the updated booster now to provide the best protection against COVID-19 infection and severe complications from COVID-19,” said MSDH State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers. “There is always the possibility of increased cases as we move into the fall and winter months. Don’t wait to protect yourself.” MSDH recommends vaccination against COVID-19 for anyone 6 months and older. Vaccination is especially important for adults 65 and older, children, and adults who have weakened immune systems, and anyone with underlying health problems. COVID-19 vaccinations are available at no cost from county health departments. Vaccinations are also available at numerous pharmacies and private providers throughout the state. For information about eligibility and to make an appointment for COVID-19 vaccinations or boosters, visit https://covidvaccine.umc.edu. Please remember to bring your COVID-19 vaccination card to your appointment, if available.

Bill payment help, energy-efficiency tools and more on tap Entergy Mississippi has announced a $3.2-million pledge, funded by its shareholders, to help customers with high bills brought on primarily by high natural gas prices. While the effort will apply to all residential customers, it will focus mainly on helping those with low to moderate incomes. More than half of the power Entergy Mississippi generates comes from natural gas, and the cost to buy this fuel has more than doubled in the last year. These fuel costs are passed through to customers with no profit to the company. However, these persistent high natural gas prices are expected to affect customer bills later this year and into the next. “We not only want to alert our customers ahead of time when we see factors that can affect their bills, we also want to give them the help and tools they need to prepare for those bills,” said Haley Fisackerly, Entergy Mississippi president and CEO. Entergy announced four initiatives designed to help customers: • $150 bill credit for moderate-income customers. Nearly $1.1 million will fund a temporary bill payment assistance program for Mississippi customers. The focus will be on moderate-income customers who struggle to pay utility bills, but do not qualify for federal bill assistance programs. These customers would receive a one-time $150 bill credit. • Up to $1,000 for disabled and older customers in need. More than $540,000 will provide emergency utility bill payments for one or more months to older adults and customers with disabilities facing financial hardship. These funds will also provide agencies with administrative fees to cover added expenses associated with an increased volume of requests for help. • Free $35 energy efficiency kits. Nearly $1.1 million will pay for money-saving energy efficiency kits. Customers can get these kits at community events in Entergy’s service area this fall or can request them online at https://msentergysolutions-marketplace.com/. Available to all customers, the kits can potentially save customers $5 per month or $60 annually, and combined with Entergy’s available online tools, can save customers as much as $300 annually. • $460,000 for customer education. This money will fund a campaign to make Entergy customers aware of additional energy-efficiency and bill help available to them. This will include outreach and assistance to low-income households on how they can apply for federal bill assistance in their area, including the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program known as LIHEAP. “As part of a settlement, we worked with the Mississippi Public Service commissioners to get bill payment relief in the form of an $80 rebate to all customers in September and a $15 per 1,000-kilowatt benefit toward their bill through next year,” said Fisackerly. “Now we’re working with them again, and with our community partners, to expand on that effort and help Mississippians get additional relief.” Fisackerly said the company is also addressing the natural gas crisis by taking steps to limit its use of natural gas. “We are investing in Grand Gulf Nuclear Station’s low-cost power and incorporating more renewable energy into our generation portfolio,” he said. “An example of that is the recently-completed Sunflower Solar Station in the Mississippi delta.” All Entergy charitable contributions come from shareholder profit, not from customers. No costs associated with Entergy charitable contributions are passed through to customers. The company will share more details about the initiatives as it rolls each one out in the coming weeks. Learn more at entergy.com/answers and entergy.com/billhelp. QUOTES: “During a time of rising costs from every direction, the Mississippi Public Service Commission and our regulated utilities are working closely to keep energy bills as low as possible,” Chairman Dane Maxwell said. “I appreciate the efforts of stakeholders at Entergy Mississippi for making this type of investment and commitment to help customers with high bills.” “The Mississippi Public Service Commission remains committed to ensuring our regulated utilities provide affordable power to Mississippi consumers,” said Commissioner Brent Bailey, Central District. “We appreciate Entergy Mississippi’s efforts to provide the help and tools needed for their customers to lower their energy bills and put more money back in their pockets.”

By Kara Kimbrough “Is it too early for soup?” I actually asked someone this question this week because technically: A. Fall is just around the corner, therefore, it’s time to start thinking about/making seasonal foods; and B. I will find any excuse to make my favorite comfort food. I didn’t get an answer in the affirmative, but that didn’t stop me from gathering the ingredients for one of my favorite soups. I tell readers and friends that ask for ideas on the perfect, easy meal that you can’t go wrong with soup. It’s easy to make, especially if you let it simmer in a Crockpot all day. Second, it's the full meal deal when paired with a simple salad, bread or savory crackers (in other words, you can fool others into thinking you prepared a real meal) and last, in these challenging economic times, it’s relatively inexpensive to make. I was inspired to start adding soup back to the menu after watching an online video series called Harper’s Bazaar Food Diaries. The magazine creates short videos of celebrities detailing everything they eat in a day. One of the most interesting was from plus-size model Ashley Graham, whose descriptive words and accompanying photos of her hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs on top of buttered bread and a slice of ham thrown on top for good measure caused me to rethink my own hurried breakfast. As expected, Martha Stewart’s daily food diary was over the top, but actress Catherine Zeta-Jones’ leisurely meals filled with hearty salads packed with everything under the sun and topped with dressings I actually wanted to recreate reminded me that meals don’t have to be sparse to be healthy. However, the simple diet of Yolanda Hadid, a “Real Housewives” reality star (don’t ask me which one) was the most inspirational. Each night, she ends her day with a simple soup filled with chicken broth and chopped vegetables. Without any specific recipe in mind, she boils together whatever she can find in the refrigerator into a hot, healthy and light soup. Her simple soup looked so good I immediately went to my refrigerator and retrieved leftover cabbage and carrots from Labor Day’s cole slaw and defrosted a chicken breast from last month’s chicken spaghetti. Defrosting time included, I had a flavorful soup ready for a light supper in about 30 minutes. I hate to play favorites among my soups, but one of the best – and it's relatively new to my soup repertoire – is Cheesy Vegetable Soup. I was introduced to it by a co-worker, who brought a Tupperware bowl of the hot soup to me during a difficult work week fraught with personal and professional challenges. Made with ground chuck, chopped vegetables and a light (depending upon your preference) cheese sauce, it was the perfect antidote to the problems I was facing at the time. I was surprised to learn the recipe for this cure-all soup had been under my nose all along. It's included in a cookbook I compiled in 2018 to commemorate a historical occasion. Her recipe was previously published in a collection of recipes from the past that I edited (obviously not very thoroughly, as I didn’t remember this particular one) and included with a new section of recipes, historic photos and more. I somehow overlooked a recipe that has turned out to be a favorite. And, knowing a friend brought it to me when I needed it the most makes it even more special. Cheesy Vegetable Soup 1 pound ground chuck 4 cups water 1/2 cup onions, chopped 1 cup whole kernel corn 1 cup potatoes, chopped (I use diced, not shredded, hash browns to save time) 1 cup celery, chopped 1 cup carrots, chopped 2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce, optional 1 16-ounce jar regular or jalapeno Cheese Whiz 4 beef bouillon cubes Brown meat and drain; add salt and pepper to taste. Add water, bouillon cubes and Tabasco, if using. Add vegetables and cook until potatoes and carrots are done. Add cheese. Best served with cornbread. Recipe from Cindy Womack Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

The Copiah County School District will be implementing a new option available to schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for School Year 2022-2023. What does this mean for your and your children attending the school(s) identified above? Great news for you and your students! All enrolled students of Copiah County School District are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school at no charge to your household each day of the 2022-2023 school year. No further action is required of you. Your child(ren) will be able to participate in these meal programs without having to pay a fee or submit an application.

Alumni and friends of Co-Lin will celebrate the college’s Homecoming on Monday, October 10, social events, business meetings, awards presentations and a football game at Stone Stadium with pre-game and half-time ceremonies. A retiree brunch will start the day-long festivities at the President’s Home at 10:30 a.m. The event is free and open to all Co-Lin retirees. The Homecoming football game pitting the Co-Lin’s Wolf Pack against the Mississippi Gulf Coast Bulldogs ends the events-packed day at 6:30 p.m., including a pre-game recognition of the college’s Sports Hall of Fame inductees and half-time show by the college’s Blue Wave Band and presentation of the Homecoming Queen and court as well as the confrontation on the gridiron. In between the brunch and games, will be: 2 p.m. Alumni chapter meetings. The Athletic Alumni Association at the Henley Building and the Band/Colette Alumni Chapter at the Anderson Building. 3:15 p.m. Alumni Awards reception social time followed by Awards program at 3:45 p.m. Dr. Michael Henderson will be recognized as Alumni of the Year, Becky Yarbrough and Daniel Bush as Band/Collette Alumni Chapter Hall of Fame inductee and Young Alumnus of the Year, and Chris Caughman, Latoria Holder, Time Johnson, Matt Mooney and Chandler Roger as Sports Hall of Fame inductees. The 50-Year Class will also be honored. 4:30 p.m. Alumni Association annual business meeting. 5 p.m. Community-wide tailgate party at Stone Stadium open and free for all Co-Lin alumni and friends. Live music, burgers provided by Alfa Insurance, kids activities and other entertainment.

The Brookhaven Animal Rescue League is finalizing details for two fundraisers this month. BARL’s third annual Barks & Bids Online Auction is set for Sunday, September 18 – Sunday, September 25. The virtual event will feature over 100 auction items with bids starting as low as $10. The auction link will soon be available at barl.net and on BARL’s Facebook page. The Canines, Cats and Corks fundraiser is scheduled for Thursday, September 22 at the Brookhaven Building. The wine tasting event will feature a large variety of wines, live music, door prizes, and appetizers. In addition, a petite silent auction of select items will enhance the evening. Tickets for Canines, Cats and Corks may be purchased at barl.net/events or by calling 601-757-1057 or emailing info@barl.net. The Canines, Cats & Corks event is sponsored by Brookway Wine and Spirits with proceeds benefiting the BARL animals. BARL volunteers are currently contacting businesses and individuals about sponsorship of events and donations of auction items. Anyone interested in being part of an event should call BARL at 601-757-4367 or BARL Volunteer Julie Montalvo at 601-757-1057. The charitable organization holds fundraisers to support their mission of helping homeless animals in our area. They do not receive government funding, so are dependent on donations and fundraising. BARL's mission is to humanely care for shelter animals while contributing to community activities that reduce pet overpopulation, encourage responsible pet ownership, protect public health and safety, and promote the human-animal bond. BARL is a volunteer-based, nonprofit 501 c3 charitable animal welfare organization serving Copiah, Franklin and Lincoln counties. BARL provides food, shelter and veterinary services for homeless animals until they are adopted. All BARL animals are vaccinated and spayed/neutered. Dogs are also micro-chipped. Individuals with questions about adopting, contributing, or volunteering should call BARL at 601-757-4367 or email info@barl.net. Donations are tax deductible and may be mailed to BARL, P.O. Box 3477, Brookhaven, MS 39603. BARL features many of its adoptable animals online at www.barl.net or on their Facebook page.