Copiah County Medical Center (CCMC) honored its long-time Board Chairman Carroll V. Hood at a Memorial Tree Planting Ceremony last month on the grounds of the hospital. Hood died in October. He was 85 years old. Carroll was born on June 29, 1936, in Copiah County. He attended Hazlehurst High School and Co-LIN. He served in the Air National Guard and Army National Guard for nine years and received an honorable discharge. He and his wife, Elizabeth Ann Warren Hood, were married for over 65 years and had five children. An accomplished businessman and land developer, he was president of Hood Petroleum Company, Inc; Copiah Oil Company, Inc.; and HICO, Inc., General Insurance Agency. He was in the LP gas business for 17 years, the interstate and intrastate trucking business for 30 years, the wholesale tire and appliance business for 15 years, and the cattle business for 25 years. Carroll held numerous leadership positions and served on many boards in his professional career: chairman, Mississippi State Oil and Gas Board; board of directors, Mississippi Economic Council; president, Mississippi Chapter, Missouri Fox Trotter Horse Breed Association; State Fuel and Energy Management Commission; executive board, Copiah County chairman, S. M. B. Andrew Jackson Council Boy Scouts; commissioner, Mississippi Employment Security Commission; board of directors, Kimbrough Investment Company, member, Research and Development Council; chairman, Farmers Home Committee; member, Mississippi State Parole Board; member, Board of Economic Development. He represented the Southeastern Region of the United States on the Gates Rubber Co. Dealer Council. Carroll loved his hometown of Hazlehurst and served his community in a number of ways. In addition to chairing the CCMC board, that service encompassed the board of directors, Bank of the South; board of directors, Copiah County Economic Development District; former president, Copiah Industrial Development Foundation; and former president, Copiah County Economic Development District. He was a member of the Hazlehurst Chamber of Commerce, the Mississippi Petroleum Marketers Association, the Mississippi Cattleman’s Association, Rolling Hills Country Club in Crystal Springs, and the University Club in Jackson. As president of the board of trustees of Copiah County Medical Center, he was instrumental in the building of the new hospital in Hazlehurst. He and his wife received the Hazlehurst Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Carroll is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth; four children, Linda Hood of Peoria, Ill.; Jerry (Kimberly) Hood, of Wesson; Perry (Linda) Hood, of Hazlehurst; Karen (Joe) Coates, of Wesson; 18 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; his brother, Larry Hood; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, R.S. Hood; his mother, Carrie Dell Hood; his brothers, Sidney Hood, Robin Hood, and Dale Hood; his sister, Peggy Hood Catchings; his daughter, Shelia Hood Puryear; and his grandson, Brandt Hood. A funeral service was held Oct. 14 at Hazlehurst United Methodist Church. Interment was at Hazlehurst Cemetery.

Eggs are a traditional part of Easter décor and celebrations, but it is risky to eat or use these hard-boiled eggs for recipes after the festivities are over. The best practice is to discard hard-boiled eggs used for Easter decorations or hunts, says Mississippi State University Extensive Service family and consumer science agent Fran Brock. “We don’t recommend eating eggs that have been used for hunting or display,” Brock said. “Hunts usually take place outside, and you don’t want to eat eggs that have been lying on the ground or in other areas that may be contaminated with bacteria or chemicals. Bacteria can easily contaminate the egg, especially if the shell is cracked.” Eggs used for display will likely exceed the two-hour limit for being out of refrigeration. If you insist on eating their Easter eggs, it is important to observe some safe handling guidelines: “Eggs must be hidden and hunted within two hours to reduce the risk of food poisoning,” says Brock. “Keeping eggs out of refrigeration for longer than two hours can allow bacteria to multiply. Hidden eggs should be protected from dirt, pets, birds, insects and other sources of bacteria.” Once the hunt is over, check the eggs for cracks before returning them to the refrigerator. Throw away any eggs that are cracked. Eat the remaining eggs within seven days. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service also recommends washing the hunted eggs before returning them to the refrigerator. Even if a hunt takes place indoors, eggs can still pick up dangerous bacteria. Hard-boiled eggs are more susceptible than fresh eggs to bacterial contamination because boiling removes the naturally occurring protective outer layer on the shell. Eggs used for hunting are also handled a lot, which increases the risk of bacterial contamination even more. Always follow basic food safety guidelines when decorating eggs that will later be eaten. Wash hands, utensils and surfaces before, during and after cooking and decorating eggs. Also, use a food-safe dye for coloring the eggs. Plastic, wooden and paper eggs are three alternatives to hard-boiled eggs. The best way to store real eggs them long term is to freeze them. Raw whole eggs, egg whites and egg yolks outside the shell can be frozen. Hard-boiled eggs do not freeze well because the white becomes tough and rubbery. For best quality, whisk them before freezing for improved texture when cooked. Be sure to label them if they are sweet or salty, so you won’t be in for a surprise when you use them in a recipe. EDITOR'S NOTE: Excerpted from Mississippi State University Extension Service report.

Dr. Matthew Kutcher remembers treating a patient who was bleeding profusely from internal injuries when she arrived at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. “Her spleen and part of the blood supply to her intestines had been damaged by the impact” of a car wreck, said Kutcher, an associate professor of surgery who treats critically ill and injured patients in UMMC’s intensive care units. “The EMS crew on the scene immediately called our AirCare helicopter to bring her straight to us as quickly as possible.” After receiving red blood cells and plasma on the aircraft, the patient was taken quickly to the operating room. Her spleen was removed to control the bleeding. “If it had been more than another few minutes longer, we might not have gotten the bleeding controlled in time to save her,” Kutcher said. “Standard blood banking procedure is to separate blood into its component parts – red blood cells, plasma and platelets – for storage. That way, the parts can be used individually if a patient needs red cell transfusion for anemia, or plasma to reverse a blood thinner, or platelets to prevent bleeding related to the effects of chemotherapy,” Kutcher said. “But when people have severe bleeding after an injury, they are losing blood, and not red blood cells, plasma, and platelets separately. So, the best way to transfuse someone who is bleeding is to give them back exactly what they’ve lost.” Several studies in both military and civilian settings have suggested that using whole blood may be better for patients than trying to reassemble blood from the separate stored components. That’s the subject of the Type O Whole Blood and Assessment of Age during Prehospital Resuscitation (TOWAR) Trial - TOWAR for short - to be conducted by 10 U.S. trauma centers, including UMMC. The Department of Defense-funded study is buoyed by previous studies that showed giving patients whole blood earlier is potentially better for them. “What we’re trying to find out is whether using whole blood as early after injury as possible in patients with major bleeding will help more patients survive,” said Kutcher, co-investigator of the UMMC study site. “Keeping whole blood available at all times to deliver to patients at the point of injury – as well as in remote environments and military settings – is difficult, because it is considered to expire after a certain time,” said Dr. Jason Sperry, a trauma surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh and the study’s principal investigator. “So, we also want to know more about the shelf life … whether how long the whole blood has been stored makes a difference in how effective it is,” Sperry said. The whole blood used in the TOWAR study is “low-titer” blood, meaning it contains low levels of antibodies that could trigger transfusion reactions. That allows it to be safely transfused to people, even without knowing their blood type. Those performing the study, however, might need to forego a traditional step: asking the patient on the front end if they’d like to participate in the trial, and giving them documents to sign and time to make a thoughtful decision. When a patient is bleeding profusely and their injuries make it impossible for them to give consent, or when their family is absent or can’t immediately be found, life-saving treatment can’t wait. TOWAR is an “exception from informed consent” trial. Patients transported to UMMC who meet the criteria will be enrolled, and they or their family will be asked as soon as possible if their participation in the trial can continue, or if they’d like to opt out. UMMC is the state’s sole Level I trauma center and was chosen for the study because of its experience in trauma care, helicopter critical care transport and blood product transfusion protocols and practices. The Medical Center is one of 29 members of the DOD-funded Linking Investigations in Trauma and Emergency Services research network that focuses on blood, breathing and brain research. Others taking part in the four-year, multimillion-dollar trial are Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, the University of Texas at San Antonio and at Houston, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, the University of Louisville, Vanderbilt University, the University of Cincinnati, MetroHealth in Cleveland, Ohio, and the University of Pittsburgh. It will enroll more than 1,000 adults 18 and over. Patients who qualify for the study will be assigned to one of two groups: one that will receive type O whole blood, or one that will receive the usual standard of care component blood transfusions. More explanation can be found at www.litesnetwork.org/TOWAR. AirCare transfuses the significant majority of blood and blood products flown by medical air transports in Mississippi. AirCare is the only medical helicopter transport operating in the state, and one of few in the nation, that stocks and administrates prothrombin complex concentrate to reverse anticoagulant drugs in patients with acute major bleeding. “Bringing the most effective form of blood transfusion to patients as early as possible is critical after severe injury,” said Dr. Kendall McKenzie, professor and chair of UMMC’s Department of Emergency Medicine. “This study may help us understand the best way to do that. Time is of the essence in trauma, and having the capability to provide whole blood transfusions to bleeding patients on the way to the hospital is critical to improving survival.” Plans call for UMMC to activate the trial this spring. Kutcher and others will begin organizing community meetings and visiting small and large hospitals to get feedback. That’s in addition to a web-based survey and discussing the study with a community advisory board. UMMC’s hope is that “we’ll be able to definitively say whether early whole blood transfusion can help improve outcomes in injured patients with major bleeding,” said Dr. Larry Martin, chief of the Division of Trauma and Critical Care Surgery. This research is supported by DOD contract W81XWH-16-D-0024 W81XWH19F0494. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Army, DOD or the U.S. government.

A Glow Run Run/Walk, car show, musicians and other entertainers, vendors with an array of arts, crafts, and fleas; snacks, refreshments and meals; the crowning of a new event queen and fireworks will highlight Wesson's Founders Day celebration of town life and commemorate its history on Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7. The Wesson Chamber of Commerce is the primary sponsor of the event with additional support committed so far by Co-Lin, the Town of Wesson, Trustmark and Copiah Banks, Dump's Barbeque and Nena Smith Dance Studio. The following link will provide you with more information if you would like to sign up to be a sponsor for this event: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=7596043443753952&set=a.103937482964623. If you have trouble printing, please email for a copy: wessonchamber@gmail.com. (Sponsorship information is also at the end of the article.) The festivities start on Friday evening in the municipal park with musical entertainment and a Glow Run/Walk that begins at 7 p.m. Walkers and runners start the 5K event on Highway 51 with signs along the way directing them through Wesson and the Co-Lin campus and ending at their starting point on Highway 51. It's called a "Glow" Run/Walk because participants will light themselves as they navigate the course in the dark in white t-shirts and with glow necklaces, bracelets, and other items provided to help them on their walks and runs, event planner Stephanie Duguid explains. Overall Run/Walk winners and those finishing first, second and third place in four age categories -- under 20, 21-35, 36-50 and 51 and over -- will be recognized. Commemorative t-shirts and medals, beverages and fruits will be sold. The fee is $25 for the run/walk. Last year, more than 60 adults and youth participated and Duguid is expecting greater numbers this years. Specific details, route, event sign-up are all forthcoming. Contact Duguid at 601-643-8341 for information. See the following link for the registration form for the Color Fun Run: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159668262141070&set=pcb.10159668263081070. (Registration form is also at the end of the article.) Early the next morning, vehicle owners will sign up their vintage antique, classic cars, trucks and tractors they updated, souped up and maintained to display and earn recognition in the Cruising 5 Car Show that is a traditional part of the Founders Day celebration. There will be Participants' Choice Chamber Choice winners. Last year, fifteen vehicles competed and event planner Brent Duguid expects the number the grow this year. See the following link for the registration form for the Cruise-In: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159668277651070&set=pcb.10159668278476070. (Registration form is also at the end of the article.) The Chamber will Crown a new Founders Day Queen and celebrate the reign of the outgoing 2021-22 Queen. Throughout the day, soloists, bands and other entertainers now being lined up by Chamber President Stephen Ashley will take the Spring Street stage, bringing an assortment of gospel, rock and country music, dance and crowd-pleasing performances to the celebration. Shoppers will browse vendor booths and bargain for clothing, jewelry, arts. crafts and fleas while their kids frolic in a play zone with giant inflatables. An abundance of food, snacks and drinks will be available to satisfy the hunger needs of visitors. As the day ends and darkness descends, the celebration will culminate on Spring Street by the railroad with a spectacular fireworks display followed by street dancing. Below are the forms that were mentioned throughout the article. For information on becoming a sponsor: For registration form for the Color Fun Run: For registration form for Cruise-In:

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners' (NAIC) Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation (F) Committee voted to accredit the Mississippi Insurance Department (MID) during the NAIC's Spring National Meeting, held in Kansas City, MO, on April 4-8. “Accreditation is a critical component to ensuring a viable system of state-based regulation,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. “I am proud of the continued work my office is doing to develop best practices and maintain standards that promote an efficient and effective process for regulation of our domestic insurance industry. In particular, David Browning and his staff in the MID Financial and Market Regulation Division are doing exceptional work meeting standards of solvency regulation and regulating multi-state insurers based out of Mississippi.” Accredited insurance departments undergo comprehensive, independent review every five years to ensure they meet financial solvency oversight standards. All fifty states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are currently accredited.

Keith Case of Needville, Texas, will be inducted into the Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday, April 26, at the Hinds Community College Clyde Muse Center in Pearl. Case graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University and a master’s degree from William Carey. He was the head baseball coach at Co-Lin for 21 years until his retirement in 2013. He also was the college’s assistant athletic director and a mathematics instructor. Case guided the Wolves to eight National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Regional Tournament appearances and five MACJC State Tournaments. His 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2005 teams won the NJCAA Region XXIII Division II championship and advanced to the NJCAA Central District Tournaments. The 2000 and 2005 teams advanced to the NJCAA Division II World Series, and finished Number Four in the nation. Case was named NJCAA Region XXIII Coach of the Year in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2005 and received the Louisville Slugger Excellence in Coaching Award in 1998. He was awarded Diamond Baseball Company’s Coach of the Year in 2000, 2001 and 2005. While at Co-Lin, Case compiled over 615 victories as a head coach, which at that time accounted for the most wins among active coaches in Mississippi and third overall in state history. His teams ranked nationally academically in 1998 and from 2000-2010. He coached five NJCAA All-Americans, eight Distinguished Academic All-Americans, and 10 Academic All-Americans. Additionally, 82 of his Co-Lin players went on to play at four-year colleges and universities and 12 went on to play professionally. After retiring from Co-Lin, Case became the head baseball coach at Wharton County Junior College in Wharton, Texas. There, his 2014 and 2015 teams were ranked nationally academically and the 2016 team was conference and NJCAA Region 14 runner-up. In 2019, Case ended his coaching career with a total of 788 career wins. He became the athletic director at the college in 2020 and continues in that position today. Case and his wife Susan have two daughters, Macie Gregory (Zack) and Rassy Case, and one granddaughter, Emmaline Gregory.

State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs, MD, MPH, has resigned from the the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) and will leave at the end of July 2022. Dobbs began his career at MSDH in 2008, and has held numerous roles including District Health Officer, State Epidemiologist, and Deputy State Health Officer. His passion has always been infectious disease treatment, and he has served in various roles related to that field, such as medical director for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, clinical consultant for the Southeastern National TB Center, and infectious disease consultant for several hospitals throughout Mississippi. “I feel like the time is right for me to return to the clinical side of medicine, particularly the communicable disease treatment of patients,” said Dobbs. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at MSDH, particularly working with this dedicated health staff and advancing the field of health equity in Mississippi.” Dobbs said he also would like to step back into the academic world. He has held numerous faculty positions at colleges and universities throughout the Southeast, including at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and he would love to teach and train healthcare professionals about public health and infectious disease. State Board of Health Chairman Thad Waites, MD, MACC, says the MSDH Board has always fully supported Dr. Dobbs in his role as Mississippi’s State Health Officer, but understands his desire to return to the clinical side of medicine. “I speak for all of us when I say that we have truly appreciated his professionalism, sterling personality, and stellar leadership throughout his tenure, but especially during COVID. He has been a wonderful asset to Mississippi,” said Waites. Daniel P. Edney, MD, FACP, has been named Deputy State Health Officer. Edney is a long-time resident of Vicksburg, and a graduate of the University of Mississippi Medical School where he graduated summa cum laude and with other honors. Edney is also a member of the American Medical Association and the Mississippi State Medical Association where he serves as Past President. He has served as Chief Medical Officer at MSDH for the past year and worked closely with Dobbs during COVID providing outreach and guidance to other physicians. The Board will take up the issue of interim State Health Officer in one of its upcoming meetings.

By Kara Kimbrough Mississippi doesn’t always get a lot of love from other parts of the country – in fact, we sometimes get overlooked altogether by those looking for scenic places to visit in the spring. And that’s a shame, as our state is filled with natural beauty, ranging from delicate dogwood trees to breathtaking azaleas and hundreds of other flowering trees and shrubs. Even better, a lot of Mississippi’s most beautiful foliage is growing wild in rural or off-the-beaten path settings. The only way to experience everything our state has to offer is to set out on a road trip or at the very least, plan to stop and enjoy scenic spots when enroute to other places. Here is a list of a few areas filled with some of the best of nature’s beauty right now. Feel free to email me if you’d like me to share one of your favorite spots. 1. Pick up any travel magazine or browse the internet and you’ll likely read about and see photos of the breathtakingly-beautiful cherry blossoms in bloom in Washington, D.C. and New York City’s Central Park. As a result, I wondered if Mississippi, known for its ability to grow almost anything in our rich soil, contained any of the vivid pink blooms. I was surprised to learn that the elusive blooms do grow in north Mississippi. In fact, I just missed Tupelo’s Cherry Blossom Festival. Even though the trees are difficult to grow here, Tupelo's Parks and Recreation experts have done an amazing job of cultivating the rare blooms, so much so that an entire festival is staged to allow visitors form around the country to enjoy them. It’s something I’ll definitely plan to attend next year. Trees are still blooming in the city, but call before you go to make sure our tricky weather hasn’t decimated the delicate blooms. 2. If you’re traveling the Natchez Trace this spring, make time to slow down and look for flowering dogwood and redbud trees. You'll also be treated to miles and miles of wildflowers, azaleas and other spring foliage growing in natural settings. 3. On the western side of the state, the Vicksburg National Military Park is abounding in beauty this time of year. Put aside your feelings about the infamous war and drive through the rolling hills to view over 60 varieties of flowering trees and shrubs. Expect to see delicate dogwood and Japanese magnolia trees, along with multi-hued blooms and vibrant green foliage throughout the spacious park. 4. Over in Natchez, azaleas are in full bloom throughout the city, along with a multitude of vivid flowers and shrubs. Take a tour of one of the antebellum homes to view stunning gardens or simply drive around the city to see spring abounding on almost every street. 5. The eastern part of the state is also filled with scenic spots. Just two that come to mind are Dunn’s Falls and historic Rose Hill Cemetery in Lauderdale County. Both are filled with dogwoods, azaleas and other spring blooms. 6. A little further south, the Crosby Arboretum in Picayune also boasts cherry trees, albeit ones with slightly different blooms than the ones in Tupelo. Beautiful black cherry and choke cherry trees bloom alongside dogwoods, azaleas, star anise and other nature plants and flowers spread throughout the 104-acre native plant center. All the discussion about cherry blossoms caused me to search for an old recipe for cherry blossom cookies. It’s one of the simplest cookie recipes you’ll ever try, but that doesn’t diminish the taste of these sweet, Hershey’s Kiss-topped treats. Like the cherry blossoms in Tupelo, once they’re out, they won’t last long. Spring Cherry Blossom Cookies 1 cup butter, room temperature 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste) 3 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice ½ teaspoon almond flavoring 2-1/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries 50+ Hershey’s kisses, unwrapped Few drops of red or pink food coloring, optional Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat butter, confectioners' sugar and salt until well blended. Stir in cherry juice, extract and food coloring, if desired, and mix well. Gradually beat in flour, then stir in cherries. Shape dough into one-inch balls. Place one inch apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are slightly browned. As soon as pans are removed from oven, press a chocolate kiss into center of each cookie (edges will crack). Let cookies remain on pan and cool for a couple of minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

By guest columnist R. Shaw Furlow & Bob Arnold Several years ago the good folks in the Hazlehurst arts community came up with a cool idea to display the art work of residents of Copiah County. They were hoping for a few local artists to participate, and were shocked when 50 people offered their works. April 1-30 marks the return of April Arts Month in Hazlehurst. This year’s Chamber of Commerce sponsored event will include more than 20 venues displaying various kinds of art from more than 50 artists in the area. Beautiful and creative art will be able to be viewed in the windows of participating businesses. Copiah and Trustmark Banks will also have displays in their downtown lobbies and windows. A “walking tour” can actually be seen by car (except for the bank lobbies, of course) and can be viewed 24/7. Displays will be featured in businesses from Ragsdale Avenue, up and down Gallatin Street and Caldwell Drive. The thirteenth annual Rockin’ Railroad Festival will conclude April Arts Month on Saturday, April 30, beginning at 10 a.m. The festival will be held on the Courthouse square with local food vendors, music groups, choirs and bands. The Mississippi Music Museum will be open on the day of the Festival with proper social distancing mandates in force. A sensational car show will also be part of this year’s Art Month. The Student Art and Recycled Art contests are also popular events. These contests will be judged by a panel of judges, and there will be People’s Choice Awards voting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the north room in the train depot. Judges the public voters will consider contestants in separate pre-school, first-third grade, fourth-sixth grade and seventh-twelfth grade divisions. Any area students in K through 12th grades can enter the contest. In both contests, regular and recycled arts pieces of art may be entered, and groups of two may submit recycled art entries. Entry forms can be picked up at the Hazlehurst Chamber office at the depot, City Hall in Hazlehurst, Trustmark Bank, Covington Memorial Library or the Copiah Monitor in Hazlehurst. The form should be completed and attached to each entry. Winners of the contests will be announced at the Rockin’ Railroad Festival on April 30 at 3p.m. April will be a wonderful time to stroll the streets of Hazlehurst and enjoy the talents of our area's many artists and craftsmen. The spring brings out the best of us. A great time to smell the roses and stroll the streets of Hazlehurst, enjoying the work of local artisans. Support the arts, my friends. It’s good for you. April 2022 Hazlehurst Arts Month Events April 1 - 31: Self-guided downtown walking Art Tour. Displays in downtown venues. April 1: Grand Night Piano Concert sponsored by McDowell Music Club at First Baptist Church, Crystal Springs. 7 p.m. $5 donation. April 7: Hazlehurst businesses open houses. Music & art. 5 p.m.-7 p.m. April 9: Keep Copiah County Beautiful Cleanup Day. 8 a.m.-12 noon. April 10: Children's Palm Processional & special music at Hazlehurst United Methodist Church. 10:30 a.m. April 14: "Miz Overalls" Talkin' 'Bout Plants at Huntington Garden Center. 5:30 p.m. April 17: Easter music presented by choir -- "In the Presence of Jehovah" -- at Hazlehurst First Baptist Church. 10:30 a.m. April 22 & 23: Spring musical. "Seusical Jr." Friday at 7 p.m. Saturday from 1:30 p.m.-7 p.m. $10. April 30: 13th annual Rockin Railroad Festival. Downtown at Courthouse Square. Live music, food & family fun. 10 a.m. 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 reviewed “Morbius,” a film whose constant delays in release turned it into a punchline. Next week I’ll review the new “Fantastic Beasts,” part of a franchise whose behind-the-scenes scandals have turned it into a punchline. Sandwiched between the two is “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” an agreeable, lighthearted affair whose only crime is being a sequel to a film whose disastrous first trailer turned it into a punchline three years ago. One of the very few bright spots of the 2020 domestic box office was the success of “Sonic the Hedgehog.” The Sega video game adaptation made $148 million, making it one of only two movies to pass $100 million in that pandemic-tainted year. More importantly, it became the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time. Short of a pandemic-sized roadblock, “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” is on track to break that record thanks to a $71 million opening weekend and Easter right around the corner. Not bad for a franchise that gave the world one of its most hated CGI monstrosities when the first trailer was released in 2019. The overwhelmingly negative reaction to the gangly, human-toothed Sonic from that trailer caused a months-long delay while the character was redesigned. But the rework paid off, as it led to both critical and commercial success for the film, not to mention interest in the sequel. The new chapter starts with the villainous Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) escaping exile on a mushroom planet thanks to his trademark ingenuity and a hand from new ally Knuckles the Echidna (Idris Elba). Back on Earth, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) makes a mess of foiling a bank robbery. His parent-like human ally Tom (James Marsden) tells him he needs to be more responsible, so he puts him in charge of the house while he and his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter) go to a wedding in Hawaii. Sonic isn’t punished or made to fix the damage he’s done, he just gets the house to himself for the weekend, and immediately gets to partying. The party is short-lived, however, as trouble soon finds Sonic in the form of Robotnik and Knuckles. Fortunately, new fox ally Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessy) emerges to help fend the villains off. From there the movie becomes a two-on-two race to see who can find an all-powerful emerald first. Adventure and gags ensue. It’s been less than two months since “Uncharted” and two weeks since “The Lost City,” so the movie is striking a very familiar tone with its treasure hunters, but at least here it's with more likeable characters. To be honest, I didn’t care about the emerald stuff at all (Tails is noticeably flat in his exposition). I found much more enjoyment in Sonic/Tails/Robotnik/Knuckles relationship, as the characters learn lessons about courage, compassion, trust, and yes, responsibility. If any storyline in this movie is particularly “engaging,” it’s the wedding between Maddie’s sister Rachel (Natasha Rothwell) and fiancé Randall (Shemar Moore, who could very easily replace John Stamos as the poster boy for never aging). I know people don’t go to see a Sonic the Hedgehog movie for wedding hijinks, but the jokes in these scenes just land at a better rate than in non-wedding scenes. The bad news is that I’m not ready to say that “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” breaks my streak of having never seen a “good” video game movie. The story picks some bad times to not take itself seriously, the blurry action did nothing for me, and I was really feeling the runtime toward the end. The good news is that there’s nothing painfully unfunny or disagreeable here. Jim Carrey is in tip-top comedic form (I hope he’s not serious about retiring from acting) and all the characters are likeable in one way or another. I wouldn’t say this movie should be a priority for adults, but’s it’s fine as a choice for families with kids. Grade: C “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” is rated PG for action, some violence, rude humor, and mild language. Its running time is 122 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Commissioner Brent Bailey encourages Mississippians to utilize Mississippi 811’s free call system before digging jobs of any size at a home or business. Each April, we recognize National Safe Digging Month, an initiative that urges excavators and homeowners to call 811 before beginning a digging project to avoid any damages, injuries or fatalities that could result from striking a utility line. Though spring home improvement projects, such as mailbox installations, fence building or tree planting, may seem harmless, they can have severely dangerous outcomes if utility lines are compromised while digging. In 2021, Mississippi 811 agents received 480,871 calls (an 8.2% increase over 2020) which resulted in nearly 2.4 million utility locates. Mississippi 811 membership is still at nearly 1,100 utility members. “I’m proud to report that more Mississippians are making more calls to 811 before they dig,” Commissioner Bailey said. “We just hope the number of callers continues to grow each year, as we all share the same goal of keeping our families, our neighbors and our communities safe.” As part of National Safe Digging Month, the Mississippi Public Service Commission encourages homeowners to take the following basic steps before conducting any digging or excavation: • Contact 811 at least two days before digging, regardless of the depth or familiarity with the property. • Make an 811 request on Monday or Tuesday for work planned for an upcoming weekend. • Confirm that all lines have been marked. • Consider moving the location of your project if it is near utility line markings. • If a contractor has been hired, confirm that the contractor has contacted 811. Don't allow work to begin if the lines aren't marked. Failure to notify 811 is the single largest individual cause contributing to damages of underground utilities. Damage prevention is a shared responsibility. Do your part to prevent damage to underground utilities. Call 811 before you plan to do any digging or excavation work on your property in Mississippi or visit https://www.ms811.org/. For any other consumer matters, please contact the Mississippi Public Service Commission Central District Office at 1-800-356-6430.

By Bob Arnold The lyrics of an old English folklore song say "old soldiers never die; they simply fade away." Many soldiers, in fact, rather trade in their uniforms for suits and continue their military service as civilians. A case in point is Copiah Countian Bobby Thornton, who retired as a Colonel with the honorary rank of Brigadier General in 2010 after 33 years of service in the Army National Guard (ANG) and regular Army, and became part of the massive corps of civilians, including the President and often the Secretary of Defense, that assures the effective functioning of the U.S. military. Thornton, who is the current Commander of the Wesson Drane-Prine American Legion Post 79, set out on his career path in 1977, joining the ANG as a private after graduating from high school at Copiah Academy. "My high school senior year trip was National Guard basic training during the summer," he jokes. Thornton grew up with a brother and sister outside Hazlehurst, where his father operated a barber shop. He recalls biking into town where he swam at the pool and played at the old Hazlehurst recreation center. At Copiah Academy, he played baseball and football, and heaved the shot put for the track team. Although he shined shoes at his father's barber shop at age 12 to earn spending money, Thornton just naturally looked to the military when it came time to think about career choices. "I followed in the footsteps of my father and grandfather," he explains. "They both served in the National Guard." Before beginning full time work in the ANG in 1982 as a Property Book Technician responsible for inventory management at Monticello, Mississippi, and then serving as an Auditor, Contracting Officer, Financial Manager and Comptroller at Jackson, Thornton studied business at Co-Lin, worked for Mickey's, a family-owned restaurant, and attended Officers Candidates School to prepare to serve as a Second Lieutenant in the ANG. In 2004, the Army mobilized Thornton at Camp Shelby Forces Training Center, where he served until his retirement in 2010 as Director of Resource Management, Deputy Commander for Mobilization, Deputy Garrison Commander for Installation and Acting Commander. Rather than fading away after that, the not-so-old soldier jumped immediately as a civilian to serve as Supervisory Budget Analyst for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM) Southeast Region in Atlanta. In 2011 and 2012, he served as an IMCOM Atlantic Region's Senior Region Support Team Specialist at Joint Base Langley Eustis at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Thornton's next step as a civilian was to the District 11 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service at New Orleans, where he served as Chief of Staff responsible for program management, advice and guidance, staffing supervision and performance management. Seeking to return the area where he grew up, he joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers located in Vicksburg in 2018 to become Chief of the Mission Support Office and assume responsibility for the Safety and Occupational Health Program, Public Affairs, Hiring Actions, Telework Program and Administrative Support. For his military service, Thornton received the U.S. Army Legion of Merit and Mississippi Magnolia Cross. Following his service in uniform, he has received the U.S. Army Commander's Award for Civilian Service and the U.S. Army Superior Civilian Service Award. He also completed a BS in Business Administration at Mississippi College in 1994 and earned an a MBA at Jackson State University and a Master's in Strategic Science from the U.S. Army War College. Thornton and his wife Dixie, whom he met at Co-Lin, are parents of a grown daughter, Emily. What are your hobbies? I enjoy hunting and riding in my pontoon boat on Lake Lincoln. I am an active member of Sylvarena Baptist Church, where I am a Deacon and trustee and serve on the finance committee. I joined the American Legion while serving at Camp Shelby, and have become very active in the organization over the past four years. In addition to involvement with Wesson Drane-Prine American Legion Post 79, I also wear a white Legionaire hat, testifying to my service as Department Finance Officer for the Department of Mississippi American Legion. The American Legion is the oldest veterans organization, and I would encourage others to become part of it. Are you a reader? Most of my reading focuses on military topics related to my career. How about music? I sing in my church choir, am a fan of Bill Gaither's Gospel music and enjoy country and and 70s rock music. Do you enjoy movies or theater? I am a fan of Tim Allen in the television situation comedy, Last Man Standing. What would you do with lottery winnings if you were so lucky? I would give my church ten percent, save and invest the rest. How would you change the world? I try to do what is right one day at a time, even when no one is looking. Over the course of my career, I have enjoyed helping meet pay and benefit needs of people I have supervised. I am most proud of convincing the Veterans Administration to install a full-time counselor at Camp Shelby to educate returning Vietnam veterans about their benefits.