By Bob Garver Even among the crowded 2010’s box office, “Jurassic World” managed to be one of the most successful franchises of the decade, after “Stars Wars” and the MCU. This despite my worries that “Jurassic Park” fandom ended after the disastrous third film in 2001. The first two films of the new trilogy made a combined $1 billion at the domestic box office, proving that there is indeed still a place in moviegoers’ hearts for man-eating dinosaurs. Now comes conclusion “Jurassic World Dominion,” which is opening in the 2020’s where almost everything underperforms. But this movie is entertaining enough that I don’t see why it can’t be an exception. The movie picks up four years after teenage clone Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) let a cache of dinosaurs out of her grandfather’s compound and into the world. She now lives in an isolated cabin with former dino-keeper Owen (Chris Pratt) and redemption-seeking former exploiter Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard). She needs to be kept hidden away from bad people who want her clone DNA, but she wants to go on adventures and live life. She needs rescuing roughly one minute after striking out on her own, as she gets kidnapped trying to rescue a raptor, also captured for its DNA. The world is under attack in this movie, not so much from the original freed dinosaurs, but from dino/locust hybrids that are eating all the planet’s crops. That is, all the crops that aren’t protected by the BioSyn corporation, led by long-cast-aside original “Jurassic Park” baddie Lewis Dodgson (now played by Campbell Scott). It doesn't take Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) long to figure out that the company is up to something shady, and she enlists the help of old friend Alan Grant (Sam Neill) to infiltrate its research facility/dinosaur sanctuary and gather evidence of wrongdoing. The mission should go smoothly, since they have a man on the inside: Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) works for BioSyn, not-so-subtly trying to destroy the company from the inside out. Breaking away from the tour led by Ramsay (Mamoudou Athie) is easy enough, but the rest soon goes haywire in true “Jurassic” fashion. Owen and Claire, for their part, track Maisie to Malta, where they infiltrate a shadowy dinosaur black market, complete with exotic steaks and people gambling on dino-fights. They’re too late to retrieve the child, but they enlist the help of helicopter pilot Kayla (DeWanda Wise), who can give them a ride to, where else, BioSyn, where Maisie is being held by Dodgson and Dr. Henry Wu (B.D. Wong), the latter of whom is having an uncharacteristic attack of conscience. First they have to get out of Malta, which involves one of the true urban-set action sequences of these movies, as they must navigate a treacherous urban grid Jason Bourne-style, evading dinosaurs that are being electronically manipulated into attacking them. The whole thing ends up at BioSyn, where the characters meet up (they all know each other because they’ve read each other’s books and articles, that’s all the introduction they need) and have to navigate a dinosaur-filled compound together. These movies have a way of always coming down to the characters having to survive in a dinosaur-filled compound, and at this point the movie is really not unique from any of the others. But at least we get the relatively-creative chase scene in Malta, and I’m more inclined to root for the established Dern, Neill, and Goldblum characters than the Pratt, Howard, and Sermon ones that never caught on. I’m not seeing a lot of love for “Jurassic World Dominion” from other critics, and I can understand why, with some clunky dialogue and overly-familiar action after Malta. But this movie was able to hold my interest just enough that I’m willing to give it a recommendation. Given the disappointing nature of the rest of this trilogy, “Jurassic World Dominion” is about as good a conclusion as we could have hoped to get. Grade: B- “Jurassic World Dominion” is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action, some violence and language. Its running time is 146 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Superintendent’s List All A’s First Grade: Abigail Taylor Brooks, Emilie Elizabeth Caballero, Colton Nickoles Craft, Liam Brady Hamilton, Gourney Quade Hunley, Charles Ray Jordan, Lucas Corey June, Lakenn Faith Luke, Timothy Peck Newman, Bristol Lee Rorie, Hayden Skye Ryan, Jayce Dean Taylor, London Paris Wallace, Taylor Price Warren, Kaden Wayne Westrope, Maleigh RaeAnn Williams. Second Grade: Paris Marie Beasley, Derren Jess Brister, Jr., Bently Easton Burns, Madelynn Faye Coleman, Leighton Alaine Hall, Laken Dakota Hogan, Abigail Grace Holloway, Makinley Ann Johnson, Reagan Nicole Johnson, Griffin Reed Newell, Jamiah J’ream Robinson, Whitman Joseph Lloyd Rogers, Huntley Ty Rushing, Israel Kate Scopel, Ella Walker Shelton, Braxton Thomas Shoemake, James Brantley Smith. Third Grade: Joshua Cottrell Armistad, Annistyn Pyper Byrd, Jude Anakin Carr, Katie Grace Garcia, Laney Brooke Hamilton, Amy Joyce Hill-Ramirez, Leah Grace Norman, Karaily FaithRussell, Molli Ann Shannon, Lily-Ann Faith Sykes, Alexander Hayes Touchstone, Kendall Claire Turner, Molly Grace Waltman, Evelyn Jayne Westrope, Aubree Rose Williams, Jeremy Tyree Williams, Addilee Denise Windom. Fourth Grade: Jaiyana Minyon Barlow, Haley Lane Bates, Avalyna Carol Becerra, Lyla Joan Formby, Levi Thomas Highfill, Jackson Daniel James, Addison Ruth Lee, Bailey Marie Lee, Mae Reeves Logan, Makenzee Miller, Rylan Bo Morgan, Haydn Alan Rushing, William Laikin Tarver, Rushten Keith Williams. Fifth Grade: Braeleigh Addison Barnett, Emory Lee Britt, Aubrey Tatum Carraway, Jaxton R P Hunley, Evan Scott Lambright, Lindsey Layne Lockhart, Tucker Elliott Martin, Meredith Kate McKenzie, Thomas Brody Ponder, Brooks Alexander Shoemake, Caroline Rose Smith. Sixth Grade: Kenslie Jerldine Carter, Kayla Rhea Clingan, Adalynn Rayne Coleman, Sean Ethan Cooper, Adyson Rose Dowd, Ellisa Eden Hall, Kathryn Elaine Hewitt,Brandon Michael Hutt, Michaella Noble, Slade Easton Oberschmidt, Tiffany Marie Rials, Phypher Lyn Roberts, Addison Brylee Rorie, Allie Dawn Ryan, Madelyn Elaine Sanders, Allyson Blair Selman, Isabella Grace Sills, Kimberly Silvan Martinez. Seventh Grade: Flint Enoch Ahlberg, William Nolan Barlow, Micqueal Antonisha Berry, Lucas Paul Bowlin, Presley Ann Bridges, Riley Beth Bush, Jaycee Kelly Heard, Zechariah Caleb Holloway,Wesley Nathaniel Loy, Alice Van-Anh Luong, Mackenzie Claire Mire, Elizabeth Claire Moulder, Judah Cole Scopel, Jacey Mikayla Shannon, Jaide Leeanne Shoop, Laci Lynn Sykes, Madyson Brooke Westrope,Molly Nicole Westrope, Blayten Wayne Windom. Eighth Grade: Jaxon Valor Barlow, Blair Mitchell Boyd, Trinity Rain Breland, Dakiyah Kristian Butler, Abigail Marina Cameron, John Michael Cooper, Brendon Robert Duguid, Lacy Morgan Erwin, Maria McKenzie Hall, Noah Nelson Marion Howell, Alana Caroline Hux, Nevaeh Cheyenne Leggett-Moak,Macy Rebecca Loy, Tripp Radford Martin, Brynden Joanna Rogers, Kylie Morgan Rorie, Gustavo Ruiz-Garcia, Samuel Cade Scopel,Baylor Lane Smith, Ty Rustyn Turner, Sydnee Layne Westrope, Mary Margaret Woods. Ninth Grade Joycelyn Makayla Elizabeth Barner Lilly Kate Channell Taylor Nicole Davis Allison Paige Hamilton Gracyn Jewell Martin Aubree Lee Smith Avery Anna Watts Tenth Grade Rachel Charleigh Anderson Ja’niyah La’shae Byther Hannah Chesley Cameron Evangeline Sinclaire Cook Brandon Davis Ebarb Cloe Nicole Elkins Alan Tin Luong Cameron Elizabeth Miller Abby Nicole Mooney Mara Grace Norwood Mallory Elise Sanders Hailey Nicole Walker Julianna Rose Wilson Karen Itzel Zarate Lopez Eleventh Grade Grayson Cole Coates Madalynn Grace McManus Twelfth Grade Kimberly Nicole Ayers Brett Daniel Boutwell Kamryn Michelle Bridges Ja’Kyle Pauvion Brown Alayna Farrar Everett Turner Daniel Green Logan Conly Hux Zoe Elizabeth Johnson Kayla Elaine McElveen Samuel Thomas McInnis Vivian Ann McRee Nyla Jemia Ross Braden Gage Smith Kyla Lane Smith Mary Grace Sullivan Amber Lynn Westbrook Candace Alayna Westrope Principal’s List – All A’s & B’s First Grade Alora Rafat Anter Kade D’wayne Banks Eli Hunter Carr Karson James Clay Cooper Michael King James Henry Logan Bentley Hicks Luke Avery Quinn McManus Sarah Elliot Oberschmidt Graycee Nevaeh Orgeron Jake Ryder Riddell Klaylon Tucker Layne Russell Ezekiel Gou Hou Scopel Nevaeh Nicole-Rayne Tate Gannon Owen O’Bryant Tompkins Mattie Gracie Weeks Second Grade Edwin Lee Baker Madalyn Rose Benton Jayce Donnell Coleman Bryant Price Collins Braylee Michelle Davis Matilda Rivers Dugas Kolton Wade Ferguson Asher Rhodes Formby Caleb Chase Granger Cole Russell Harris Emma Grace Howard Georgia Rose Jackson Hadley Rayne McManus Kori Catherine Peets Brantly Wayne Strickland Antonio Terrell Walker, Jr. Alexa Natalee-Carol Westmoreland Third Grade Kace Mitchell Allen Ambernae Unique Armstrong Zada Michelle Ashley Jonathan Tyler Beckerson Whisper Grace Breland Breeze Adam Brewer Taylor Rae’ Brown Maya Elizabeth Cline Dusti Bleue Coleman Fenix Lawton Costilow Luis Gustavo Flores-De La Cruz Aiden Andrew Gemelli Zacari Janae Giles Charleigh Bree Howell Harper Elise Johnson Jayce Dylan Lawrence Mark Kypton Lofton Konner Earl Minton Hyram Cash Newman Jaxon Kade Newman Sadie Bao Nhi Nguyen Matthew Dewayne Shannon Mary Travis Smith Keagan Timothy-Dale Stevens Grayson Kendall Westmorland William Cole Windham Sydney Alette Yaskovic Fourth Grade Mason Reed Brister Ja’thai Danielle Burrows Case Henry Cliburn Janella Sophia Coleman Annie Rose Lynne Cuevas Jess Riles Cameron Douglas Parker James Elliott Glory Ra’elasha Freeman James Darnell Harvey, II Brennan Delaney Holder James Dalton Jackson Lillian Grace Jackson Michael Daniel Johnson Jon Carter Morris Ellison Kate Powell Lexie Catherine Ryan Canaan Lee Scopel Kaylee Elizabeth Sills Vivian Louise Smith Kaiden Drew Talley Karleigh Isabella Wallace Braylen Jeremiah Watson Jayden Latrell Williams Fifth Grade Carson Alexander Barrington Walker Jake Breazeale Brenton Austin Brewer Celena Jade Brewer Andrew Tyler Brooks Jazmyn Tacari Brown Kaia Jade Denson Angel Olivia Derouen London Larae Dickerson Mikelyn Anne Douglas Jaicee Rayne Durr Bennett Lane Ebarb Christina Louise Elkins Ryker Jace Gladden Addison Mackinzie Guillory Jacob Lea Hogan Weston Emory Hughes Grant Young Hynum Makyia Natori Jackson Sarah Grace Logan Robert Malcolm Lowery, III Braxton Wyatt McManus Jayden Alden Miller Tyler Lane Morris Preston Wayne Morse Anna Linley Newell Anne Houston Peets Adalyn Claire Prestridge Joseph Isaac Purviance Jason Wyatt Runnels Isabella Nicole Shoop Halle Elaine Short Hayden Ryan Tucker Collin Blake Watts Bronson Reid Westrope Chastin Zion Wilson Sixth Grade Hayden Michael Barnes Matthew Ayden Branch Kristis Keaton Brewer Anna Frances Caballero Ashley Marie Chamblee Payton Calynn Cloy Mary Elizabeth Coleman Isaiah Jordan Cook Charles Patrick Culpepper Logan Xavier Darce Elijah Criten Dollar Laina Brooke Hart Tristan Gaige Holloway Braydon Seth McNair Ripken Dean Powell Grady Bennett Smith Brandon Alston Thomas Laiken Mikell Thomas Joshua Blake Warren Maddox Hudson Weeks Canderous Paul White Nancy Zarate Lopez Seventh Grade Christopher Brayden Arbaugh Stacie Nicole Berch Braiden Edmond Bowman Caylie Klaire Britt Madelynn Rene’ Brooks Carson Reed Butler Layton Wayne Cloy Jordyn Paige Marie Coleman Anna Claire Crabtree Kali Nicole Denson Layton Allen Earls Austin Matthew Hamilton Steven Zepplin Laiche Levi Ervin Lockhart Lillian Rachel Love Jayden Cordae Lyles Ethan Daniel Martin Billy Lane McManus Taylor Brooke Murray Jocie Grace Parsons Bryant Parker Robbins Bently Kirsten Roberson Dawson Blaine Selman Charley Ann Shelton Carley Clayton Smith Hunter Dewayne Smith Kevin Terrell Smith Kayla Faith Sullivan Anye Lashai Tanner Laynee Brooke Thaxton Gavin Lee Upton Lane Carter Wilson Ava Grayce Woodson Matthew Ridge Yeager Eighth Grade Jackson Stephen Barlow Charles Tate Brister Brandon Parker Brooks Ke’mari Jaquan Brown Jace Walker Curtis Lexi Lang Ferguson Delaney Lynn Hutt John-Brayden James Jakyiah Telia Johns O’mari Os’qua Johnson Starlynn Ann Leonard Willow Margaret Love Marshunti Quintayvea Martin Katherine Blair Mathis Lilly Meghan Elise Moore Ruston Dayne Newman Katherine Rae Norwood Lexi Grace Prestridge William Nick Raiford Sullivan Mckenzie Roberts Maddisen Faith Staats Aiden Keith Wallace Whitney Paige Westrope Caeden Blake Williams Jack Henry Wilson Ninth Grade Mason Aubrey Ashley Larsen Kambry Carpenter Myles Rue Elkins Shana Leatrice Givens Wyatt Layne Hughes Mary Gwyn Hynum Austin Elijah Johnson Benjamin Conner McKenzie Hunter Blaylock Meredith Eric Roland Merrill Kalana Marie Nhem Maggie Grace Runnels Tiara Emily Tronstad William Cotton Westbrook Emileigh Hayden Woodson Tenth Grade Aidan Ameer Brice Paris Juanita Byrd Shelia Samantha Casanova Breelynn Layne Cloy Linda Grace Dunn Jahnasia Lashaye Harris C’ryah Diana Haynes Alexius Haiden Holder Taylor Dawn June Tarayvia Debray Miller Matthew Gaven Mitchell Kaylee Layne Prine Maedyn Rylee Ross Corley Marie Sandifer Paul Weslie Smith Zevante Jequan Stapleton Bailey Ray Walker Melody Lynn Waltman Christopher Michael Watson Eleventh Grade Orrin Tyler Ainsworth Kalyn Nicole Benton Harlan Landon Brewer Akiria Monet Brown Caleb Alexander Carty Marley Grace Channell Jaylynn Brooke Cloy Jessie Grace Cole Lena Grace Coleman Kayleigh Alexis Freeman Kiara Daes’shana Haynes Ethan James Laird William Rush Loy Alexander Duc Luong Lucas Andrew McRee Hannah Leann Meredith Slayd Haze Oswalt Taylor Kay Papizan Sadie Michelle Sandifer Gabriel Brennon Selman Jayonce’ Alzatia’ Stewart Allyson Faith Sullivan Caleb Wallace Sutton Emma Kate Thaxton Twelfth Grade Alexis Adrianna Ashley Carson Welter Barlow Anyel Ta’karia Butler JaKayla Keandra Butler Chloe Cheyenne Clark-Neese Tyler Steven Coghlan Adam Malcolm Curtis Destini Talayeh Jones Antonio Pierre Merrill Macie Marie Moore Dalton Daniel Orgeron Shakera Candies Sanders Suzanna Grace Smith Troy Emory Thigpen Malliyah Torchandra Walker Clay Christopher Lane Westrope Adam Jon Wolfe Zackary Barlow Woods Honor Roll – All B’s Third Grade Liam Albert Hughes Fourth Grade Gary Branson Clingan Colson Drake Lee Fifth Grade Leyton Myles Ainsworth Ryleigh Elizabeth Jeffreys Hartley Victoria Walker Sixth Grade Taylor Grace Traxler Mallory Grace Wilkinson

By guest columnist R. Shaw Furlow I’ve tried nearly my whole life to turn out that perfect song, the one audiences knew and sang along to. That one song that the audience comes to hear. Unfortunately, it hasn't happened. But, that hasn’t stopped me from trying. Every time I get an idea I think this may be the one. My "American Pie" or "Hotel California" is just a few chord changes away. I've discovered since retiring from Co-Lin that I'm not the only one. I have made a whole new group friends in the songwriters community, particularly since starting the Overbrook Songwriters Festival, which will run for the third time in Brookhaven in August. I’ve asked a few of them to help me tell the story of songwriting. They haven’t had big hits, and you don’t know their names. They have regular jobs and write when possible. But their music is great, and all they want to do is to share it with you. Nancy Bryant Roppolo and her husband Joe own a nursery in St. Francisville, Louisiana. They play together in a couple of bands, and she has a solo act. Nancy is a mult-instrumentalist and plays piano in her church. Roppolo wrote her first song at the age of twelve and performed it in a school talent show. In the 44 years that have followed, she has written hundreds of songs. “It’s hard to define my style," she says. "It’s rootsy, bluesy, country and gospelly. They call it Americana these days.” Garbriel Bass is the youngest. For the most part, the songwriters telling their stories in this column have been creating their songs longer than Gabriel has been alive. Bass, from Natchez, is a physical therapist and gigs every weekend. He is a talented songwriter with more depth than most writers his age. “The first song I wrote was eight years ago sitting around a campfire," he says. "I decided the old bridge on my road needed an eerie story, so I wrote "The Bridge of Curly Jones," a song about a man who haunts the old bridge. Turns out Curly worked for the City of Natchez, heard the song and liked it and I was honored.” Now Bass has thirty songs that are finished, and hundreds more unfinished. His style ranges from Americana, country ( not pop country), rock and soul. “My message is that your song may touch someone who needs it," he says. "Music is the key of life.” Libby Rae Watson, Pascagoula, is a performer. That’s her job. She has written or co-written hundreds of songs over the span of her career. Watson, known as one of the women of the blues, has toured the world proclaiming Mississippi’s birthright as home of the blues. “I’ve been writing songs for over fifty years, don’t consider myself a songwriter, but rather someone who writes songs. I’m not a wordsmith with clever lyrics. My songs are about people and their stories.” The word Americana comes up again. Watson’s new album is with Burt Deivert includes cuts from her buddy, fellow Mississippian and harpist Charlie Musselwhite. You can download the music of all these artists on streaming services, and Roppolo, Hailey and Bass will perform at the Overbrook Songwriters Festival in Brookhaven on August 6. Check Watson's website to see where she will be on the road. That’s it for now. Next month, the Brookstock Music Festival returns to Brookhaven. Until then, 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.

Wesson High School graduated sixty-six Class of 2022 seniors in ceremonies last month. Kayla Smith was Valedictorian and Zoe Johnson Salutatorian. Also graduating were: Alexis Ashley, Kimberly Ayers, Callie Brooke Barlow, Carson Barlow, Brett Boutwell, Jesse Brewer, Kamryn Bridges, Ja’Kyle Brown, William Brown III, Anyel Butler, JaKayla Butler, Tamiya Byther, Chloe Clark-Neese, Tyler Coghlan, Adam Curtis, Paris Dickerson, Alayna Everett, Tyler Fuller, Ki’onna Gibson, Breanna Grant-Hall, Turner Green, Alexis Guess, Anna Katherine Harrell, Carl James Harrison, Daizy Hernandez, Jaron Hisaw, Zachary Hoffman, Logan Hux. Destini Jones, Andrew Lee, Kayla McElveen, Collin McGowan, Samuel McInnis, Vivian McRee, Pierre Merrill, Macie Moore, Jared Mora, Baylee Newman, Kayla Oberschmidt, Dayton Odom, Dalton Orgeron, Ty Perry, Kelly Grace Raiford. Jimmy Robbins. Nyla Ross, Shakera Sanders. Gage Smith, Cooper Smith, Karleigh Smith, Sarya Smith, Sebron Smith, Suzanna Smith, Mary Grace Sullivan, Jaylon Suttles. Alex Taylor, Troy Thigpen, Malliyah Walker-Clay, Brianna Westbrook, Amber Westbrook, Cenan Westmoreland, Alayna Westrope, Lane Westrope, Adam Wolfe and Zackary Woods.

Wesson folk took several occasions last month to celebrate and remember U.S. armed forces veterans who have served and continue to serve at home and abroad in wars and peacetime. The occasions included a dinner at Wesson Baptist Church for the latest group of military personnel who contributed their labor to building a camp for kids with serious health issues in Copiah County, a tribute to fallen heroes of Vietnam War on Interstate 55 overpasses and a special wreath-laying ceremony. Volunteers from Wesson-based Socks for Heroes, a veterans assistance organization, cooked and served southern fare at a dinner for more than 60 airmen from Puerto Rico stationed at Crystal Springs to help build Camp Kamessa on 326 acres in Copiah County to serve children with cancer, sickle cell and other serious illnesses, kids in foster care and adults with special needs. They are the most recent of the military groups that have come from dozens of states, as far away as Alaska and Hawaii, to donate more than $6 million worth of free labor to get the job done. Air Force Reservists who are gaining construction skills as they work at the developing camp, have been at the forefront of construction. Crowds poured onto area Interstate 55 overpasses to salute war heroes honored on the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall that was being escorted by Mississippi-based Patriot Guard motorcyclists along the thoroughfare from Camp Shelby, Mississippi, to be displayed a Jackson before continuing its trip to Washington, DC, for Memorial Day. The Florida-based traveling wall is 3/5 scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC, and is accompanied by the “Some Gave All” 9/11 Tribute. The Patriot Guard motorcycle escort included state law enforcement officers and many veterans. Wesson Garden Club (WGC) and American Legion Drane-Prine Post #79 members led a pre-Memorial Day weekend wreath lay ceremony at the Blue Star Memorial Marker on Highway 51 at the four-way stop coming into town. Among guests were Wesson Alderman Mike King, American Legion Department of Mississippi Finance Officer and Commander of Drane-Prine Post #79 Bobby Thornton, Sarah Lassiter, Mississippi American Legion Auxiliary District Seven Director and Sharon Langley, President of Drane-Prine Auxiliary Unit #79 as well as WSG and Legion members and townspeople. The National Council of State Garden Clubs (now National Garden Clubs, Inc.) started the Blue Star Highway system to remember and honor veterans in 1945. The wreath-laying ceremony included remarks by WGC and American Legion members about the significance of Memorial Day, Taps played by Duval Salvant, band director at Wesson Attendance Center, and prayer. "It is a somber day, but it is also a day of thanksgiving for the sacrifices made by these brave men and women" said WGC's Debbie Smith. WGC member Debbie Smith. "In remembering the brave men and women who gave it all, we place a Memorial Wreath at our Blue Star Highway Marker to remind us of their bravery and their fight for freedom for the greatest country in the world." "Throughout this Memorial Day weekend, let us reflect as a nation, on the price of freedom and the many soldiers, airmen, marines, and sailors’ lives that were lost to protect it," WGC's Joy Philips implored. For lack of the real thing, they were only stickers for clothing, but Wesson Garden Club members still appropriately reminded folk at the Blue Star Marker wreath-laying about an important symbol worn to honor military service personnel: poppies. After World War I, the little red flowers flourished in Europe, blooming above the battle graves because the ground soil had been churned and dug up. The dormant seeds had been beneath the ground and needed cultivation to make them grow. In 1918, Moina Michael popularized the idea of wearing a poppy flower in memory war dead, inspired by "In Flanders Fields," a poem by Lt. Col. John McCrae. . . . .the blood of heroes never dies But lends a luster to the red Of the flower that blooms above the dead In Flanders Field Michael later started a campaign to adopt the poppy as the national symbol of sacrifice. The American Legion family passes out paper poppies on Memorial Day and throughout the year to raise funds for veterans. Poppies have a long history of being used to honor the dead, having roots in Greek and Roman mythology.

By Bob Garver Even among the crowded 2010’s box office, “Jurassic World” managed to be one of the most successful franchises of the decade, after “Stars Wars” and the MCU. This despite my worries that “Jurassic Park” fandom ended after the disastrous third film in 2001. The first two films of the new trilogy made a combined $1 billion at the domestic box office, proving that there is indeed still a place in moviegoers’ hearts for man-eating dinosaurs. Now comes conclusion “Jurassic World Dominion,” which is opening in the 2020’s where almost everything underperforms. But this movie is entertaining enough that I don’t see why it can’t be an exception. The movie picks up four years after teenage clone Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) let a cache of dinosaurs out of her grandfather’s compound and into the world. She now lives in an isolated cabin with former dino-keeper Owen (Chris Pratt) and redemption-seeking former exploiter Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard). She needs to be kept hidden away from bad people who want her clone DNA, but she wants to go on adventures and live life. She needs rescuing roughly one minute after striking out on her own, as she gets kidnapped trying to rescue a raptor, also captured for its DNA. The world is under attack in this movie, not so much from the original freed dinosaurs, but from dino/locust hybrids that are eating all the planet’s crops. That is, all the crops that aren’t protected by the BioSyn corporation, led by long-cast-aside original “Jurassic Park” baddie Lewis Dodgson (now played by Campbell Scott). It doesn't take Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) long to figure out that the company is up to something shady, and she enlists the help of old friend Alan Grant (Sam Neill) to infiltrate its research facility/dinosaur sanctuary and gather evidence of wrongdoing. The mission should go smoothly, since they have a man on the inside: Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) works for BioSyn, not-so-subtly trying to destroy the company from the inside out. Breaking away from the tour led by Ramsay (Mamoudou Athie) is easy enough, but the rest soon goes haywire in true “Jurassic” fashion. Owen and Claire, for their part, track Maisie to Malta, where they infiltrate a shadowy dinosaur black market, complete with exotic steaks and people gambling on dino-fights. They’re too late to retrieve the child, but they enlist the help of helicopter pilot Kayla (DeWanda Wise), who can give them a ride to, where else, BioSyn, where Maisie is being held by Dodgson and Dr. Henry Wu (B.D. Wong), the latter of whom is having an uncharacteristic attack of conscience. First they have to get out of Malta, which involves one of the true urban-set action sequences of these movies, as they must navigate a treacherous urban grid Jason Bourne-style, evading dinosaurs that are being electronically manipulated into attacking them. The whole thing ends up at BioSyn, where the characters meet up (they all know each other because they’ve read each other’s books and articles, that’s all the introduction they need) and have to navigate a dinosaur-filled compound together. These movies have a way of always coming down to the characters having to survive in a dinosaur-filled compound, and at this point the movie is really not unique from any of the others. But at least we get the relatively-creative chase scene in Malta, and I’m more inclined to root for the established Dern, Neill, and Goldblum characters than the Pratt, Howard, and Sermon ones that never caught on. I’m not seeing a lot of love for “Jurassic World Dominion” from other critics, and I can understand why, with some clunky dialogue and overly-familiar action after Malta. But this movie was able to hold my interest just enough that I’m willing to give it a recommendation. Given the disappointing nature of the rest of this trilogy, “Jurassic World Dominion” is about as good a conclusion as we could have hoped to get. Grade: B- “Jurassic World Dominion” is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action, some violence and language. Its running time is 146 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

By Bob Arnold A Wesson mom's literary gift to her nine-year-old daughter -- a story about growing up -- is delighting many others beyond town today as a recently-published book. Brookhaven-based Epiphany Publishing House is now distributing Truly Too Green, a birthday book Kris Sullivan presented to her daughter Mary Grace, a May 2022 graduate of Wesson Attendance Center (WAC), when she was nine-years-old. The Sullivan book is a modern-day fable which plows up issues of rejection, resilience and acceptance with whimsical color illustrations by children. Truly Too Green is a sunflower who becomes whom God created her to be after living through stages as a sweet small seed and an all-green seedling, and recognizing her true self and ongoing growth through interactions with the surrounding world -- other flowers, insects, the sun, reflections in a pond. She enters the world with a fresh outlook, is rejected by peers and uncovers a hidden reservoir of resilience. From another sunflower, she learns "every flower needs time to grow into who God created her to be. You have just seen your true self for the first time, but that's who you really were all along" and comes to understand "who I am is who I have always been, but never really knew myself until now; I expect there are many other new things for me to know, too." In its conclusion, the book asks readers to cull from its narrative to answer questions about growing up and relationships. The author is a sixth-grade language arts teacher at WAC with a Master's degree in School Counseling and a journalism background. She and her husband Ken Sullivan have two daughters and Dumps, a barbeque restaurant in Wesson. Sullivan enjoys travel, Bible study, bass fishing, sipping hot coffee and the outdoors. Three sixth graders at WAC contributed the colorful art featured in Truly Too Green: Carley Clayton Smith, Anye' L. Tanner and Blayten Wayne Windom. Jimmie Cain, a visual designer who works at Co-Lin, assisted in design of the book. To order the book, visit https://www.target.com/p/truly-too-green-by-kris-sullivan-hardcover/-/A-86662114.

By Kara Kimbrough Mention food of any kind these days and the first thing that pops in anyone’s mind and out of their mouth is the cost, both in the supermarket and at restaurants. Here’s the thing, though – we still have to eat. I can’t in good conscience recommend that anyone stop dining out at restaurants, especially locally owned ones. And cooking at home used to be the less expensive alternative, but the costs associated with shopping for food continue to skyrocket. I compiled a few tips to make dining out more affordable, combined with easy-to-fix, economical meals to make at home. 1. Ask for a discount at restaurants. You’ve heard the old saying, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” Well, that holds true today, especially when times are tough and every penny counts. Restaurants need paying customers now more than ever and many are willing to make a deal. Children under the age of 12 (ages can vary), seniors and members of the military and law enforcement officers can often get a discount at numerous restaurants. And specials are sometimes offered early in the week when crowds are smaller. But, first you have to ask. Call before you go so you can budget accordingly. 2. Decisions, decisions...Before ordering, it’s perfectly fine to ask about the daily or early bird special, choose a hearty appetizer instead of an entrée and order water with your meal (usually free unless you ask for bottled water).One of my favorite ways to enjoy a favorite restaurant meal is to drop by for lunch, when menu prices are often lower than those offered at dinner. 3. Print or download instant savings. Check restaurant websites to see if they offer coupons. Most times, you’ll be asked to sign up with your email address. 4. Enjoy an app or dessert on the town. If you can’t afford an entire meal but are craving a meal prepared by someone else, dine in to enjoy an appetizer or dessert after eating dinner at home to get the “restaurant experience.” 5. Budget for a night (or lunch) out. Its simple, but it works. Save up for an occasional treat. The best way to do this is to prepare healthy, cost-efficient meals at home, then splurge on a nice restaurant meal. And of course, don’t forget to tip your waiter. My favorite way to beat the heat during the summer months is to use one or more of my Crockpots so that dinner will be ready when I walk through the door at the end of a long day. Here are four of my favorite “fix it and forget it” meals: Hawaiian Chicken Stir-Fry 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts 1 pound stir fry vegetables (fresh or frozen) 2 cloves garlic minced ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup honey ¼ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Add all ingredient to slow cooker. Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and mix with sauce in slow cooker. Serve over hot rice or pasta. Meatball Tortellini 1 package frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs (12 ounces), thawed 2 cups uncooked dried cheese tortellini 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 2-1/4 cups water 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning 1 package (16 ounces) frozen California-blend vegetables, thawed In a slow cooker, combine meatballs and tortellini. In a large bowl, whisk soup, water and Creole seasoning. Pour over meatball mixture; stir well. Cook, covered, on low 3-4 hours or until tortellini are tender. Add vegetables during last half-hour of cooking. The Skinny Italian’s Chicken Dinner 2 pounds skinless chicken breasts 1 package Italian dressing mix 1/4 cup water 8-ounce low fat cream cheese 1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup 2 cups cooked brown rice Place chicken in crock pot. Mix Italian dressing mix and 1/4 cup of water together. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove chicken from Crockpot. Mix soup and cream cheese in separate bowl. Pour soup mixture into Crock-Pot and mix with dressing on bottom. Shred chicken in soup mixture. Cook on low until heated through. Serve over brown rice. Crockpot Peach Cobbler 2 pounds ripe peaches (about 4 medium-large sized fruits), peeled, cored, and sliced 1 box of yellow cake mix 1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces Ground cinnamon, optional Add peaches to the bottom of your slow cooker. Top with dry cake mix. Top with butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Add lid and cook on “low” setting for 4 hours or until top is golden brown. Serve hot, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

No statewide issues were reported to our office during the June 7th primary and general elections. However, we received a handful of reports regarding precincts opening late due to miscommunication amongst election officials. Call volume to our Election Hotline remained steady throughout the day, with most calls relating to voter registration status or polling place locations. Additionally, we are pleased to report our Cybersecurity team detected no abnormal activity on our websites or the Statewide Election Management System (SEMS). "It's essential for my team and me to be active participants in the ongoing mission of safe and secure elections, which is why we placed state observers in more than 60 counties on Election Day," said Secretary Michael Watson. "As I traveled to precincts in all four congressional districts, I was pleased to see our laws being followed and applied by friendly poll workers. Thank you again to all who helped make Election Day a success." As of today, SEMS reported a total of 9,546 absentee ballots requested and 8,362 absentee ballots received for the June 7th Primary Election. Circuit Clerk Offices must be in receipt of all mail-in absentee ballots by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14th. Absentee ballots returned by mail must have been postmarked on or before Election Day in order to count. Any voter who cast an affidavit ballot on Election Day because the voter did not have an acceptable form of photo ID must visit their local Circuit Clerk's Office by Tuesday, June 14th, to show an acceptable form of photo identification. Voters can receive a free Mississippi Voter ID card by filling out an application at their local Circuit Clerk's Office. State executive committees have until June 17th to send certified results to our office. As always, certified results will be posted on the Elections Results tab of our website. Should certified election results prompt a runoff election, the date of the Primary Runoff Election will be Tuesday, June 28th.

Wills for Magnolia State First Responders is hosting an event for first responders and their spouses on Saturday, July 16, at Mississippi Law Enforcement Officer Training Academy (MLEOTA) located at 3791 Highway 468 West in Pearl. Appointments are necessary, and space is limited. The deadline to schedule an appointment is June 30, 2022. Wills for Magnolia State First Responders is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that brings together volunteer attorneys and paralegals to provide wills and advanced healthcare directives for first responders and their spouses free of charge. First responders and their spouses will check in at their allotted time, where they will meet with a paralegal to go over their initial questionnaire. Documents will then be drafted onsite by a paralegal and reviewed by an attorney. The attorney will then meet with each first responder and spouse privately to go over their documents. All documents are signed and notarized onsite. Each first responder and spouse will receive their original documents – no copies are retained by WFFRMS. These documents include a basic will and advanced healthcare directive. All first responders and their spouses must sign up for a time slot to participate and fill out an initial questionnaire. To sign up, visit WFFRMSJuly2022.eventbrite.com. For more information, contact Kristy Hogan at 601-519-0334.

Husband has had a horrible time at work that day. Feeling kicked around, unappreciated and definitely out of sorts, he pulls into the driveway, only to find that his three-year-old has left her tricycle blocking the garage door… again. He leverages his tired body out of the car and lumbers slowly into the house, ready to snap the head from the first person he sees. Wife is loading the dishwasher when he walks in the kitchen, her tension headache consuming her attention. Their six-month-old sick baby is screaming in her arms, the pot of spaghetti is boiling over on the stove behind her, the seven-year-old twins are fighting loudly, and she accidentally left the handle of the dirty mop in his way to trip over. Not exactly the calming scenario he was needing at that point. Tired, discouraged husband erupts in anger and frustration. And the harried and exhausted wife, who has also put in a hard day at work and arrived home just an hour before him, responds in kind. Can we say World War, with the twins disappearing up the stairs to play the role of Switzerland? Who is at fault? A hurting husband and dad? A depressed, tired wife and mother? More importantly, which of them is going to make the first move towards apologizing and trying to see the situation from the other person’s point of view? And worse, what happens when nobody decides to try to be the bigger person? Well, Switzerland decides to eat spaghetti up in their bedroom. The sick six-month-old feels the tension, and that causes her to fret even louder. The three-year-old reacts to the negativity surrounding her and acts out the fear she feels building within. And husband and wife add another layer of resentment and anger to the wall that lately has been building between them. If no adult in this situation suddenly realizes what is happening, and puts an abrupt halt to it all by putting their gun back in the holster, then the problem is probably only going to escalate in intensity. And when that kind of scenario happens often enough in a marriage, then those two pseudo-grownups will eventually begin to wonder if being in this union is worth it. “I am so sick of this! And my kids? Shoot, they’re acting out worse than ever before. Probably because all we ever do is fight around them. They’ll be a lot better off if one of us just gets the heck out of here. After all, they’re just kids, and everybody knows kids are flexible and adaptable. They would be just fine.” Yeah, right. That’s why we have so many depressed and angry kids who are being reared in single family homes. Kids who are either having to adjust to being shuffled back and forth between Mom and Dad’s houses, or have to live without the benefit of one of their parents in their life.

By Kara Kimbrough It’s not officially summer yet but that hasn’t stopped temperatures from breaking into the 90s on more than one recent occasion. I don’t know about you, but surviving a tortuous Mississippi summer requires an extra dose of self-care. And yes, that extends to the kitchen and my meal choices. After all, what could be better for our souls than a frosty dish of strawberry, peach or the gold standard, homemade vanilla ice cream? Yet the delicious cream & other innocent-looking ingredients pass through the lips and go directly to the hips. It doesn't get any better than a thick BLT composed of slices of crispy fried bacon and Mississippi-grown tomatoes. But who can enjoy this treat to the fullest without thick slices of bread coated with mayonnaise to add just the perfect touch? Delicious, yes. Figure-friendly...no. And then there's fried chicken. It's the one dish and accompanying cooking method Southerners love and fear the most. And that's a shame, because frying is like a best friend that can always be counted on in the kitchen. Case in point: Is there anything less appealing than a pale, cold and slippery chicken breast? But dip a floured piece into a skillet of bubbling oil and it's miraculously transformed into a golden work of art. Despite its Southern roots and my love of fried chicken, I can’t deny that it’s probably not the healthiest food choice. So, I began searching for a way to enjoy some of my favorite fried foods without all the guilt. An enlightened version of fried chicken was just the ticket to enjoy a Southern meal without all the fat, calories and yes, guilt. Buttermilk provided the tenderness normally provided by frying, while a dose of crushed cornflakes added to bread crumbs created a crispy coating and that all-important crunch similar to regular fried chicken. I haven’t totally changed my ways. But I look at it like this: cutting back on fried chicken opens the door for even more bowls of homemade ice cream in Summer 2022. Fried (OK, It’s Actually Baked) Chicken 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup Smart Balance margarine, melted (more for coating) 2 cups crushed cornflakes 1 1/2 cups plain dried bread crumbs 2 tablespoons seasoning of your choice, such as Italian or Cajun 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon paprika Salt and pepper Rinse chicken and pat dry; salt and pepper each piece and place in a marinating dish. Mix together buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest. Pour over chicken, cover and marinate at least 30 minutes or overnight. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a large baking dish with Smart Balance. In a shallow bowl, combine crushed cornflakes, bread crumbs, seasoning and paprika. Roll chicken in the mixture, pressing well to coat each piece. Place chicken in the prepared dish and drizzle lightly with melted Smart Balance. Bake for 20 minutes. Drizzle chicken again with Smart Balance and rotate the pan. Bake for 20 more minutes. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.