“Alvin Hoover, who has served as chief executive officer at King's Daughters Medical Center (KDMC) for nearly 15 years, will retire in September, 2022. Under Hoover's leadership, KDMC has been recognized for its work environment, patient safety and satisfaction and employee engagement. Hoover came to KDMC after serving as CEO of Abbeville Area Medical Center, and has more than 30 years of service in hospital administration, with a special interest in rural health policy development and advocacy. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and served as chair of the Mississippi Hospital Association Board of Governors, the American Hospital Association's Small or Rural Hospital Governing Council and Myriad ACO (a Mississippi statewide accountable care organization); and president of Mississippi True -- the state's provider-sponsored health plan.

“Co-Lin, in partnership with the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office, has just complete the thirteenth Simpson County Law Enforcement Officer Training Academy (SCLEOTA) in which cadets participated in more than 366 hours of rigorous training encompassing firearms, self-defense, use of force, civil liability, wildlife and active shooter situations, among other subjects. The participating cadets are now eligible for a part-time law enforcement training certificate, which they can hold as long as they are employed by a law enforcement agency. SCLEOTA is authorized to teach under the State of Mississippi Board of Minimum Standards and Training for Law Enforcement Officers. The academy is staffed by State Certified Law Enforcement Officers, directed by Simpson County Sheriff Paul Mullins, and managed by Co-Lin Workforce Education Coordinator Robin Mitchell. A recent graduation event for Class XIII cadets at Co-Lin’s Simpson County Center featured a host of speakers and well-wishers. Mississippi 13th Circuit Court District Judge Matt Sullivan was the keynote speaker. SCLEOTA Lead Instructor and Simpson County Sheriff’s Deputy Clay McPherson recognized the Most Outstanding Overall Graduate (Top Cop) Matthew Wooten, Most Outstanding Firearms Graduate Chris Rogers, Most Outstanding Physical Fitness Award Pryce Hunter and Most Outstanding Academic Graduate Matthew Wooten. A reception for cadets and their families was held following the ceremony. Class XIII graduating cadets included Leake County Sheriff’s Office sponsored cadets Matthew Wooten and Tyler Massey, Pelahatchie Police Department sponsored cadets Garrett Irwin and David Soto, Mendenhall Police Department sponsored cadet Michael Jones, Columbia Police Department sponsored cadet Chris Rogers, Pearl Police Department sponsored cadet Pryce Hunter, Walnut Grove Police Department sponsored cadet Don Ahshapanek. Walter Burkett of Mendenhall and Chris Jones of Brandon completed a 200-hour refresher course as part of the Academy. Enrollment for the 2022 Class XIV training session is now open. Individuals must be at least 21 years of age, have a high school diploma or equivalent, hold a current driver’s license, pass a criminal background check, and possess a clean arrest record. Participants must pass a physical fitness test, a medical examination, and be mentally stable. Additionally, future officers must have a strong desire to serve the public. The training session starts in July 2022 and will last approximately 18 weeks. Applications are available at the Simpson County Sheriff Department. Additional information regarding student cost and the possibility of funding assistance will be available closer to the start of the session. For more information contact Clay McPherson at (601) 847-2155.

“Governor Tate Reeves today announced the authorization of $1,000 in hazard pay for each sworn law enforcement officer who actively served during the COVID-19 State of Emergency and who was employed by state agencies as of November 30, 2021. This one-time hazard pay, which is funded through discretionary CARES Act funds, will be distributed to state law enforcement officers by the end of the 2021 calendar year. “As long as I’m governor, Mississippi will always back the blue,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “Throughout the pandemic, our state law enforcement officers stepped up in a big way. They put their own health on the line and risked increased exposure to COVID-19 to do what they’ve always done – selflessly protect and serve our communities with honor and professionalism. They’ve earned every penny of this hazard pay, and I am proud to have authorized it. My administration will continue to do everything we can to ensure our state’s law enforcement officers receive the support and recognition they deserve.” Governor Reeves made the announcement during a press conference that was broadcasted on Facebook Live. The full press conference can be viewed here.

By Bob Garver “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was the #1 movie this past weekend. Let me rephrase that – “Spider-Man: No Way Home” became the #1 movie of 2021 this past weekend, its opening weekend, when it made an estimated $253 million at the domestic box office. As if that weren’t enough, the film made for the most immersive theater experience I’ve had in years, with the audience cheering and screaming at every turn. When we last saw Peter Parker aka Spider-Man (Tom Holland), his secret identity had been revealed by no-good newscaster J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons). Thanks to a very good lawyer, no criminal charges can be pressed for presumed misdeeds from the last film, but there are still consequences. For example, Peter and his friends M.J. (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are rejected from M.I.T. for their role in the controversy. But then Peter remembers that he has friends that can pull some strings with the entire upturning of his life. He goes to see Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), and asks him to perform a spell that can make people forget that he’s Spider-Man. Strange agrees, but Peter tries to make him change the spell midway through, which screws things up. Things go so sideways that a hole is torn in the universe, and Spider-Man adversaries are brought in from other dimensions. Thus, Peter has to contend with Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Dr. Octopus (Alfred Molina), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), Lizard (Rhys Ifans), and Electro (Jamie Foxx). Strange can send the villains back to their own dimensions, which will kill them, but Peter’s Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) tells Peter that he owes it to them to try to cure them of what makes them evil. After all, it was Great Power that brought them to this world… It’s a ball to see Peter interact with the five returning characters. Not all of them are crazy about the idea of being “cured,” but they go along with it as opposed to the immediate death that Strange would bring. Fortunately, most of their origins come from lab accidents that can be countered with science. Still, the situation spins out of control pretty quickly. Peter needs some help, and it’s a poorly-kept secret at this point that the multiverse provides. And that’s when the fun interactions really begin. The biggest strength of the film is its humor, especially with the banter among three dimensions’ worth of characters (though bits with Ned and Peter’s other classmates and teachers don’t add much). I’ve heard other critics complain that these scenes go on too long, but they never got old for me. I might even argue that the film could use more, as I couldn’t get enough of them. Negatives include some pretty standard MCU action (outside of a cool kaleidoscope-y Doctor Strange sequence), a failure to commit to a twist in the third act, and a need to see 20 years’ worth of Spider-Man movies for this film to make sense. I told my mom that I loved the movie, but then I was saddened when I realized that she’d be lost if she saw it for herself. Also, and this is a nitpick, but there’s too much suspense built around the characters opening college response letters when the envelopes are thin. Maybe it depends on the school, but my understanding is that acceptance letters traditionally come with a packet like mine did. Cracks emerge if you think about them, but as with much of the MCU, it is incredibly easy to ignore the cracks, as there is something heart-pounding around every corner. And if you see it early enough, it will be with such a huge crowd that your hearts will pound in unison. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” isn’t quite the best movie of the year, but it’s likely to be the best time you’ll have at the movies all year. Grade: B “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is rated PG-13 for sequences of action/violence, some language and brief suggestive comments. Its running time is 148 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Tis the season. The season for family, big meals, presents and celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas. Children are wide eyed and anticipating the arrival of Ole St Nick. College students are home for two weeks. Streets are lighted and bands are marching in parades and choirs are singing concerts. It’s a busy time. Especially, it's a time for music. Old music, like what a group of local musicians recorded a few years ago on our little corner of the earth. Thirteen Christmas songs, thirteen artists. It was a very successful album project entitled A Brookhaven Christmas. It was a fun project that actually sold out, a rarity. Songs were provided by songwriters who had a connection to Brookhaven. The project was spear-headed by Don Jacobs and Tyler Bridge. There are some great songs on it. Look for it on your streaming services. Our friend Blake Scafidel also offers music on an old album that he offers as a cure for the Christmas chaos. Look for it, too. There's new music for the holidays, too. Local singer/songwriter Montana Wise Beeson is as clever as she is talented and sometimes has a quirky look at things, asking “Why are there no songs for Thanksgiving? Every other holiday has songs.” Answering that question, she went to work writing a song for Thanksgiving, and with the help of her producer Tyler Bridge, recorded it. It is great. There’s a touch of patsy Cline with a Montana twist. This is not her first recording project having recorded two previous albums -- Finding Me followed by Finding My Way. Check out Montana Beeson on all streaming services. Beeson is a multi-instrumentalist who plays piano in church and occasionally guitar, a mother and wife, which limits her time. Beeson she also finds time to paint, mainly on pieces of wood from her husband’s scraps. “I’ve been painting for two years, mostly representing the seasons,” she says. Rona Barrett Herring, another local, also has new music coming out too -- a new album, The Old Church House, an album of Christian music, all original. Her current album, Lost John Road, has sold out with more albums order. “That was a shock,” she says.. Herring teaches violin at Downtown Music Academy. “And fiddle," she adds. Herring plays live more than just about any person I know. Over the last two years she has developed relationships with rooms in Natchez, Hattiesburg and the newest venue in our area-- River Bend House of Brews in Monticello. “I’ve been pretty busy," she says. "It’s good. I like it. Sometimes my husband goes with me, and that's nice.” Look for Rona Barrett Herring on streaming services. JF Oakes’ soundtrack from his movie The Band Forgettable will drop as soon as the movie releases. It’s special, if you like good ole southern rock. Beyond the musicians, it looks like our friends in Natchez have hit a couple home runs with the Hollywood film industry. Hallmark filmed one of their new Christmas movies there -- Every Time a Bell Rings, and another film is in the works there right now. Every Time a Bell Rings is streaming now. Don’t forget the live Nativity Scene at New Sight Baptist Church. Until next time, support the arts. Merry Christmas. 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.

You’ve done the cleaning, decorating, cooking and gift buying for the holidays. But if elderly guests are heading to your home, there’s one more project to put on your list—fall prevention. Lana Bernier, a physical therapist at Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Flowood, says slips and trips are the leading cause of injurious falls in people age 65 and over. And the holidays provide plenty of dangers underfoot. “People trip over ornaments, extension cords and tree skirts, slip on wrapping paper and fall after climbing on chairs and tables to decorate,” Bernier says. Bernier is certified competent in rehabilitation of the vestibular system, which includes organs that play a role in balance, posture, movement and spatial orientation. She said a number of conditions make the elderly more prone to falls, from age-related changes in the inner ear to reduced flexibility of joints and tendons due to arthritis and muscle weakness. For those prone to unsteadiness, Bernier can do a comprehensive balance assessment and create a therapy plan to address specific problems. Meanwhile, she recommends the following strategies to make homes safer for visitors of all ages. Inspect and illuminate entrances. Repair broken or wobbly steps and make sure there’s adequate lighting so visitors can see where they are stepping. Reconsider throw rugs. These frequent fall hazards should be removed or equipped with double-sided tape to keep them from slipping. Clear the clutter. Anything left on the floor can be tripped over, so avoid stretching electrical cords across pathways and pick up books, papers, gift boxes, shoes, etc. Elevate luggage. Provide a luggage rack or another space to keep suitcases off the floor. Provide easy access to essentials. Avoid putting necessary items in cabinets which might be out of reach for anyone with limited mobility. Plan adequate time for activities. Rushing your guests is a recipe for distracted behavior and can lead them to be careless. Add lighting. Make sure the path from the bedroom to bathroom is well-lit, as well as the area at the bottom and top of stairs. Flashlights can be offered for going outside in the dark. Space out furniture. Those using wheelchairs, walkers or canes will need room to navigate around furniture. Consider safety equipment. If possible, provide hand rails in stairwells and grab bars for shower stalls.

A local known as "the world most avid golfer" because he played the most rounds of golf in a single year is joining Wesson News as an ongoing contributing guest columnist to cover sports. I personally love all sports, even the more obscure ones like cricket and polo, but I will be focusing heavily on sports in our State, particularly the South-West Mississippi area," says Yancy Methvien. "I will probably focus on golf and I will report on our local parks and recreational opportunities, our local athletes, and a few of our more exciting sporting events/contests." Methvien notes that the Wesson News coverage area contains hidden gems as far as recreational facilities and parks are concerned. "We are located on a goldmine of golf and at a price-point that many can hardly believe," he points out. "I look forward to the opportunity to feature and introduce these facilities. Hopefully, if you are already familiar with places that I cover, I’ll still manage to tell you something about them that you may not already know, and in a way that gives you a laugh or that you find entertaining." The new sport columnist will also work to feature some of the area’s more accomplished athletes from various sports -- people he knows have put in countless hours of training, made sacrifices where others have not, and have had to push themselves relentlessly to accomplish what they each have. "These athletes have worked very hard to represent their families, their schools, and our community," he says. "As such, I feel it would be wonderful to tell some of their stories." Because he wants readers to enjoy sports beyond just watching them or reading about them, he also plans to pass on tips on overcoming the aches and pains of getting older. "Many of us could stand to get more exercise in our lives and I have learned a few methods to limit those hindrances enough that you can be more active," he says. Methvien invites sports fans to submit feature ideas on athletes, venues/facilities, events, sporting topics and ask questions they want answered. "I’ll work to cover all the bases you want covered," he says. Methvien, a Brookhaven resident, is also a veteran who struggled with PTSD and depression following his military service and a divorce. He took on his golf challenge as a therapy, to honor fellow veterans and demonstrate the healing benefits of golf to them.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) will once again bring some extra holiday spirit to Mississippi’s highways this Christmas season. Starting Tuesday, December 14, MDOT will use its digital message signs (DMS), to remind the public to drive safely during this holiday season, for MDOT’s 12 Days of Christmas. Drivers will see a new holiday-themed safety message each day with the final one posted on December 25; many of the messages were submitted by the public. “Drivers can expect to see an increase of traffic during the holiday season. ‘MDOT’s 12 Days of Christmas’ campaign was created as a clever way of engaging the public, reminding motorists of safe driving tips,” said Brad White, MDOT Executive Director. “At the end of the day our goal remains the same--keep the traveling public safe and an engaged public is a safe public.” Traffic safety messages appear on DMS boards along highways and interstates throughout Mississippi. These 12 days of messages revolve around Christmas-themed movies, songs, and characters. However, any local emergency messages and traffic updates automatically override scheduled messages already on the DMS boards. Some of MDOT’s favorite holiday messages from 2020 include: EVEN SANTA HAS TO BUCKLE UP IN MS IT’S THE LAW And here’s a preview of MDOT’s Christmas messages for 2021 which will begin on December 14: JINGLE BELL ROCK A SEAT BELT SLOW SLEIGH? JINGLE TO THE RIGHT LANE For more information on safe driving and for updated traffic information, visit MDOTtraffic.com or like and follow @MississippiDOT on Facebook and Twitter.

Special December wreath-laying ceremonies to honor veterans buried in Wesson Cemetery need donations to cover costs of another 200 wreaths. The local wreath-laying event, part of a nationwide program that honors deceased war veterans, is December 18. "We're still need wreathes," says Socks for Heroes' (SFH) Cathy Stroud. The wreaths costs $15 each, and contributions can be made to Stroud at 1032 Cotton Street, Wesson, Mississippi 39191. Call 601-695-4140 for information. Wesson-based SFH organizes Christmas season wreath-laying on veterans' graves at Wesson Cemetery, among 2,100 nationwide where ceremonies sponsored by Wreaths Across America honor men and women who sacrificed their lives in the armed forces. WAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. "Our mission is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and to teach our children the value of freedom," Stroud says. "We take time out to recognize the people that made the ultimate sacrifice." WAA started in 1992 when Worcester Wreath in Maine found itself with a surplus of wreaths nearing the end of the holiday season. Remembering a moving boyhood experience at Arlington National Cemetery, owner Morrill Worcester seized on it as an opportunity to honor the country’s veterans. With the aid of Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, he arranged for the wreaths to be placed at Arlington in one of the older sections of the cemetery that had been receiving fewer visitors with each passing year. A number of other individuals and organizations stepped up to help, including a local trucking company that transported the wreaths to Virginia, volunteers from local American Legion and VFW Posts and members of the Maine State Society of Washington, D.C. who helped make wreaths and organized laying them. The event continued quietly each year until 2005, when a photo of gravestones at Arlington, adorned with wreaths and covered in snow, circulated around the internet. The event drew national attention and expanded to thousands of other locations where the Arlington ceremonies were emulated. Nearly two million veteran wreaths are placed on headstones at participating cemeteries around the country. The Arlington wreath-laying is still held annually, on the second or third Saturday of December. WAA's annual pilgrimage from Harrington, Maine, to Arlington National Cemetery has become known as the world’s largest veterans’ parade, stopping at schools, monuments, veterans’ homes and communities all along the way to remind people how important it is to remember, honor and teach about the contributions of those who served their country in war time.

As Mississippians decorate for Christmas, many will buy live trees that need to be watered daily to prevent them drying out and catching fire. There have been 92 fire deaths in Mississippi so far in 2021. That’s compared to 61 at this time last year. To prevent more fire deaths, the Mississippi State Fire Academy recommends the following fire safety measures. Use holiday decorations made with flame‐retardant or non‐combustible materials. Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. Use lights approved by Underwriter’s Laboratories. Do not overload extension cords. Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations. Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed. Never use lit candles to decorate a tree, and make sure any lit candles in the room are placed away from tree branches. Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit. Cut at least two inches off the bottom of the tree trunk before placing it in a stand. Live trees can “drink” one gallon of water of water daily. Check water at least twice daily. Make sure the tree is at least six feet away from any heat source. Take the tree down when it becomes dry. Recycle it, use it as a fish shelter in a farm pond or put it out with the trash. Do not burn a tree in the fireplace. Heat may explode the wood and set the room on fire. Three Quick facts from the NFPA Almost one third of home Christmas Tree fires are caused by electrical problems. Although Christmas Tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are more likely to be serious. A heat source too close to the tree causes more than one in every five of the fires. The attached video shows you how fast a tree can catch on fire in a controlled burn administered on campus.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of Brooks W. Stewart, Post 9832 located at 4610 Sunray Drive, in Jackson will be sponsoring its annual Christmas Dinner Food Giveaway event on Thursday, December 16, 2021. Food distribution will be from 10:30am-3:30pm to persons who requested this donation. This year our major sponsor is members of the Sikh Indian community who generously assisted in purchasing and packing $6000 worth of food. This tradition was started several years ago to assist in supplementing our senior veterans, homeless veterans, senior citizens and economically challenged families. We will provide holiday food items for at least 150 families. The items will include hens, sugars, eggs, flour, corn meal, cooking oil, cranberry sauce, corn, peas, celery, bell peppers, onions and fruit. Brooks W. Stewart Post 9832 will be afforded the opportunity to practice stewardship and citizenship to our economically challenged individuals and families within our Post’s economically challenged area during these challenging times. We are requesting that your media organization provide coverage for this event and help spread the good news in our community. You may contact Post Jr. Vice Commander Chris Gray, Sr. at 601-906-4112 should you have any questions.

Around Mississippi, Copiah Countian Jim Brewer -- the educator, musician and artist-painter and promoter who established "Mississippi -- Birthplace of America's Music" as a state motto -- is known for his dedication to recognizing Magnolia State musicians and their contributions to the nation's culture. In the area, people know him as "somebody mixed up with music and art as a painter," he adds. "And a lot of people just see me as someone who can't hold a job, since I've been a band director, school principal, college professor, educational consultant and founder of the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame," Brewer laughs. Born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in 1933, Brewer settled in Hazlehurst in 2001, where he based his career finale work -- promoting Mississippi music makers after founding the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame. Growing up in Hattiesburg, the veteran educator recalls, ironically, that school was a difficult experience. "I couldn't concentrate on any one thing, my mind was all over the waterfront," he explains. "People now realize I had a learning disability -- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)." Overcoming ADD propelled him into a career path in which music always been a part. As Brewer explained to schools years later as an educational consultant who counseled them about working with ADD children, curing them is a matter of getting them passionately interested in one thing. For Brewer it was music, specifically the trombone. By the time Brewer graduated from Hattiesburg High School in 1953, his focus on music and the trombone helped him concentrate on other things, successfully take tests and do college work. He earned a BA in music in1957 and a PhD in education in 1973 at the University of Southern Mississippi at Hattiesburg, and pursued a career with stops at Columbia High School as a band director from 1959 to 1964, Columbia Middle School as a principal from 1965 to 1972 and Mississippi College at Clinton as a professor from 1973 to 1980. In 1980, Brewer started his consulting organization -- Associated Consultants in Education -- in which he worked with schools from East Syracuse, New York, to San Francisco to help them teach under-privileged children until he retired in 1998. He also edited Effective School Report and was named Mr. Effective School in Richmond, Virginia, during his career in consultancy. It was in 1995 that Brewer's interests turned to enshrining Mississippi musicians, like sports greats are recognized. "It doesn't matter what category of music, you will find top musicians from Mississippi," he points out. "It is a shame not to recognize them and not have our children hearing their music and stories -- particularly the stories of those who overcame tremendous odds to achieve." Brewer met with interested individuals and representatives of organizations about launching the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame. Led by Brewer, they initially sought the state government's support, persuading Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture Jim Buck Ross to encompass the Music Hall of Fame within the Agriculture and Forestry Museum in Jackson. In 1996, however, the state legislature refused to fund the project, and Brewer and his music hall of fame board looked to the private sector to help forward their vision. Since its incorporation in 1998, the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame has opened three museums -- the largest in the musical heritage rich city of Hazlehurst where Brewer started promoting the state's musicians and their role in influencing music throughout the nation. The Hazlehurst museum is inside the historic train depot in the Hazlehurst downtown area, and outside features the Mississippi Musicians Walk of Fame that was dedicated in 2017. The Music Hall of Fame's other museum sites are at the Iron Horse Grill in downtown Jackson and Medgar Evers International Airport. Brewer's organization has inducted more than 140 musicians, which its museums highlights, conducts research and public education programs and maintains a web site (www.msmusic.org). Brewer and his wife Judith since 1959 have one daughter, an interior designer at Tillman Furniture in Crystal Springs, three grandchildren -- Joshua, who serves in the U.S. Army; and Randle, a Nashville musician; and three great grandchildren -- Ellie, 5, Laney, 3, and Leo James, 1. What are your hobbies? Over the years, I have done woodworking, built model ships and, of course, read a lot about the history of music -- particularly in Mississippi. But painting has become a passion. I do landscapes in oil, and post them on a web site where visitors can rate them. I display and sell them at the Le Soul restaurant in Hazlehurst. Are you a reader? I keep up with events in newspapers and on web sites. I like history, particularly music history. But I enjoy writing for other readers more so. I do a lot of writing. Guides to help Mississippi communities develop displays honoring musicians. Driving Mississippi Copiah County -- a travel route countryside tour guide. I have written three books: Power Management and Power Selling published by Prentice-Hall that draw on my experience as a consultant, and Legendary Musicians Whose Art Has Changed the World. Do you enjoy movies or theater? My favorite movie is Patton. My favorite actor is Morgan Freeman, mostly for his politics rather than his performing. He is a true Mississippian. And music, which has been central to your life? Mississippi music has been my career focus, of course. But beyond that, I am mostly into classical music and big band jazz. I like Stan Kenton. For several years, I conducted the Brookhaven wind symphony. What would you do with lottery winnings if you were so lucky? I would give to some favorite charities -- the Music Hall of Fame, of course, and my church -- the Hazlehurst First Baptist Church; and family. How would you change the world? My museums have tried to bring people together and discourage racial hatred. Those are my causes.