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Cardio, the ever-giving health improver many of us dread even thinking about. Whether it's running, walking, sprinting, hiking, spinning, rowing, or swimming, cardio can balance out those bad diet choices and low-activity days we all have at least a few times during the week. With the addition of quarantine to our daily lives, the question of "should I go to the gym today?" simply fades to the back of our minds, leaving us with zero guilt as we sit on the couch and polish off a pint of ice cream. "Well, I can't go to the gym anyway so there's nothing I can do." I hear this thought in the back of my head every day that I avoid any activity or outside exercise, yet it's abundantly clear that I can simply go outside for a walk or run, regardless of the status of my gym. Why is it that we all hate to workout, yet when we finish, we feel better than ever? "I'm so happy I did that." I also always say to myself when I muster up the energy to get in some type of movement for the day. It's funny the way our brain plays tricks on us; when we should do something it usually feels like a struggle to get it done, but when we actually do it, looking in hindsight at the back and forth in our minds just seems silly. This applies to many things, and getting in a good rowing session is not an exception. The mental battle of getting in your workout is not much different when you have a home gym, I have learned. The designated space for activity and cardio is right at your fingertips, yet the voice in your head is still anchoring you to the couch and giving your mind countless reasons as to why you shouldn't just get up and get moving. What's all the fuss? Once we get into a routine, it's not even a thought in our minds. Through experience, I've found that the best thing you can do is simply force yourself to get in some cardio until it becomes a habit that's part of your daily routine. At this point, getting off and on that rowing machine is less of an internal struggle and more of a stress reliever than anything else. The reasons we love a rowing machine for your home gym is simple: it's a fast way to get your heart rate up, helps with your cardiovascular health, is entertaining, and is a full-body workout all at the same time. Whether you have 45 minutes to get on your rower or 10, the mental benefits are still there, too. A rowing machine is a great addition to your home gym, not only because of the health benefits but also because it doesn't take up too much space. Whether your fitness goal is losing weight, gaining upper body muscle, lower body muscle, or just maintaining your current shape, the rower will aid you in reaching that goal. There are a few different types of rowing machines and their differences lie in the type of resistance system the machine has. There are 3 different resistance options on rowing machines: air, water, and magnetic resistance. Air resistance is what you'll find on the cheapest options, as it feels the least smooth and is not as natural as the water resistance. The water resistance works by real water in your tank that the flywheel rows through, giving you that natural momentum as if you were actually rowing in the water. Magnetic resistance machines, like the RW200 rower is great because it is very quiet and smooth. This is a big selling point and comes with the top of the line models on the market. No need to worry, though, because you will be able to find a trusty rowing machine at every price range. The differences lie in how long it will last, the smooth feel, and its stability.

JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi experienced the greatest improvement in education, ranking 39th in the country, a substantial upturn from the previous ranking of 44 in 2019, according to new data released in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s annual KIDS COUNT® 2020 Data Book. Gains in high school graduation and 4th grade literacy contributed to the rise in achievement. High school students are also more likely to graduate on time. Fourth graders not proficient in reading improved from the previous year, dropping from 73 percent to 68 percent. “This exciting news is the direct results of leaders, teachers, parents and students working collaboratively to lift academic performance in the state and open the doors of opportunity for students. It also reinforces the success of our national performance in 4th grade math and reading,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. Linda Southward, director of the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi, notes that “for Mississippi to continue to make improvements, we must first assure that children and families have the services needed now and after the COVID-19 pandemic.” She further notes that it is “more critical than ever for each child to have computers and access to broadband internet connectivity — this is one example of how Mississippi can build upon the successes in education, along with quality early care and education and more Pre-K classrooms.”  Southward stated that “Mississippians are overwhelmingly supportive of giving our children a strong start, but we know it will take everyone working together, across systems and agencies along with public-private partnerships to make positive differences for Mississippi’s children and their families.” Mississippi ranked 49th nationally for overall child well-being, according to the new report that uses data from health, education, economic well-being and family and community. This is Mississippi’s first decrease in the overall ranking over the past three years. The report is based on the latest data available for the indicators used, all prior to 2020.  This data does not reflect current conditions amidst the COVID-19 crisis. The Casey Foundation has plans to issue a special report in December focused on data from the pandemic. The 2020 KIDS COUNT® Data Book is available at www.aecf.org. Additional information is available at www.aecf.org/databook, which also contains the most recent national, state and local data on hundreds of indicators of child well-being. Journalists interested in creating maps, graphs and rankings in stories about the Data Book can use the KIDS COUNT Data Center at datacenter.kidscount.org.

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) held up its sustained record of improved student achievement over the past six years – particularly the state’s record-low dropout rate – in response to the Office of the State Auditor’s (OSA) performance audit for the MDE Office of Dropout Prevention. State law established the office in 2006, though no specific state funds are targeted for the office. The OSA report made no mention of the MDE’s broader, updated strategy to improve student achievement and how it successfully raised student outcomes. “This audit completely ignores the progress made in performance by schools, districts, and students across Mississippi,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “This project was described as a performance audit, but there are no performance metrics included in the report.” The OSA audit cited the MDE for not adhering to the 2006 law because it no longer operates a stand-alone dropout prevention office, disregarding the fact that the MDE’s Office of Secondary Education leads agency-wide dropout prevention efforts. Those efforts are embedded throughout the Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) Strategic Plan. Since the Strategic Plan was adopted in 2014, the MDE has spearheaded initiatives that pushed the state’s graduation rate to an all-time high of 85%, up from 74.5% in 2014; reduced the state’s dropout rate to an historic low of 9.7%, a decrease from 13.9% in 2014; and significantly improved student achievement from pre-K through grade 12. The audit also erroneously cites the MDE for using inapplicable graduation rate data when reporting to SBE and the public. The MDE calculates the four-year graduation rate in accordance with the definition established in Section 8101(25) of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act. “Given the tremendous progress Mississippi students, teachers and schools have made over the past six years, it is disheartening to read a report that focuses on outdated procedures that have not been effective,” Wright said. “The State Board of Education Strategic Plan has modernized the state’s approach to education, which has resulted in historic and sustained student achievement across Mississippi. The nation now considers Mississippi a leader in education because our students are making faster progress than nearly every other state.” Read the MDE’s complete response to the OSA audit. Read the 2018-19 Superintendent’s Annual Report for details about student achievement reaching an all-time high.

Whenever music sampling is mentioned, many people have questions. In this article, we will answer the four most important music sampling questions. By the end of the reading, you will feel confident that you have some important information that can help you use music samples successfully. What is music sampling? Music sampling is picking a small part of someone else’s music and using it in your song. It can take many forms and not just picking up some of the artist's beats. Good sampling can take other forms, including picking vocals and other aspects of the music. You don't have to do sampling yourself. You can look for music sampling companies for help. Some will provide an extensive collection of different music (mash-ups) that you can use. The https://samplified.us/ team reckons that today's music writing has gone a notch higher. It relies heavily on high-technology tools and equipment making it essential for any established artist to guard his or her work through tight copyright laws. In that case, sampling is, therefore, difficult to do when you don't have the necessary information. They recommend that artists who want to use sampled music should only work with professional companies that know how to handle the legal and professional aspects of sampled work. Is music sampling legal? This is one of the most important questions that people ask. First, most people believe that sampled music is stolen. They will be quick to label the user as lazy and a thief. Secondly, they think that it can be done without repercussions of some sort of backlash. This is far from it. Music sampling is a professional form of art. It requires that the person who is sampling the music must contact the copyright owner. This is not just the usual chitchat. It is an official correspondence with an explicit request to use the work. The copyright owner will give the terms and conditions of use, making a legally binding agreement. Any other approach to music sampling is illegal and should be resisted. Every artist deserves the right to enjoy the fruits of his or her labor. Taking that right away is unethical. It does not matter how small the sample is. Reach out to the artists and make a deal. Some artists will not demand much money. Others will not even request anything in return. It does not matter if you are using the sample for commercial purposes or not. Make sure you have permission. Why do artists sample music? There are thousands of reasons why people sample music in their work. First, people do so to remember, pay tribute, or promote the original artists. Famous artists such as Michael Jackson left a legacy and a host of musicians who want to emulate his work. They will pay tribute and homage to his work through various forms, including mimicking his style, content development, and even sampling. Secondly, good music will last for a long time. Replicating good music gives fans a variety and improves the existing range of songs from famous artists. Sampling helps artists achieve this critical goal. They can keep the music alive for longer, bring variety to it, and improve on it. Thirdly, think of a song such as a 'Thriller.' Remaking it using modern technology will probably give it even much more appeal. However, sampling is limited to only small bits of the song. It does not erode the original by redoing it but rather by offering glimpses of the original in today’s world. If sampling is done well, it can even do better than the original because it freshens the memories of the original’s work while winning a new fan base. How do you start music sampling? As noted above, the idea is to understand what you want. Once you have identified the samples that you want to use for your music, you can now reach out to a sampling agency for help. If you have direct communication with the artists you want to use his or her music, you can reach out directly. However, you still need professional music sampling to ensure that you are sampling something that your audience will love. If you are starting, you can sample free music available online. Some of the sites that offer free sampled music include the library of congress and SimpleSwap. You can be sure that you will not find high-quality samples there. Seeking professional sampling ensures that you get precisely what you want. You can sample various genres of music, too. A good music sample should add value to your music. You should also be able to add value to it to give it the intended appeal.

Wesson Attendance Center selected spotlighted four outstanding students as 2020 Valedictorian and Salutatorians: Riley Virginia Smith (Valedictorian) and Anna Claire Crow, Shelbi Leann Maxwell and Catherine Grace Wilson as Salutatorians. Smith is the daughter of Marion and Donna Smith. She was the recipient of the Lincoln County Sale of Champions 2020 Scholarship and Co-Lin Leadership Scholarship. Smith is a member of Lincoln County 4-H in which she participates in livestock projects and shooting sports. She has been selected to compete in the 2020 MS 4-H Skill-a-thon Invitational, is a member of the ACT Platinum Club at Wesson, is a dual-enrollment student at Copiah Lincoln Community College and has been inducted into the college's Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honors Society. Smith attends Sylvarena Baptist Church. She plans are to attend Co-Lin, major in Agribusiness and further her education at Mississippi State University. Crow is the daughter of Bradley and Becca Crow and Stan and Claire Rasberry. She was chosen by the student body to be the 2019 Homecoming Queen. Crow is an editor of the yearbook staff, is serving as secretary of her senior class, and is a member of the varsity softball teams, the cheer team, and the golf team. She is a dual-enrollment student at Co-Lin and has been inducted into college's Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society. Crow is a member of the ACT Silver Club and the Senior Beta Club. She is a member of Little Bahala Baptist Church and is a Junior Ambassador for the Wesson Chamber of Commerce. Crow plans to attend Southwest Mississippi Community College on a softball scholarship, major in Accounting, and further her education at the Mississippi State University. Maxwell is the daughter of Jason and Michelle Berch. She was chosen as Miss Wesson, Senior Class Favorite, Most Athletic, and Senior Most Beautiful. Maxwell is a Superintendent’s honor roll student, a member of the Senior Beta Club and is a dual-enrollment student at Co-Lin, where she has been inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society. She is on the varsity softball, basketball, cheer and Cross County teams. Maxwell is a member of the ACT Gold Club, Co-President of the Student Council, a Junior Ambassador for the Wesson Chamber of Commerce and a member of Decell Memorial United Methodist Church. She plans to attend Co-Lin Community College on a softball scholarship and major in nursing. Wilson is the daughter of Albert and Deona Wilson. She was chosen as Most Popular by her classmates and as the Lindy Callahan Scholarship Nominee for Wesson. Wilson is a member of the varsity softball and the cheer teams, was a student council officer for three years and is currently serving as Co-President. She is editor of the yearbook staff, serving as vice-president of her senior class and is a member of the Senior Beta Club and the ACT Gold Club. Wilson is a dual-enrollment student at Co-Lin, where she has been inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society; is a member of Wesson Baptist Church and serving as a Junior Ambassador for the Wesson Chamber of Commerce. Wilson plans to attend Co-Lin on a softball scholarship, major in Accounting and further her education at Mississippi State University. In accepting their honors, the four scholars left behind some words of wisdom in special speeches: · Smith said in her Valedictorian speech: “Walt Disney once said ‘All our dreams can come true, if we just have the courage to pursue them.’” · Crow said in her Salutatorian speech: “Winnie the Pooh once said ‘How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.’” · Maxwell said in her Salutatorian speech: “I believe the trials we have overcome prove that the Class of 2020 can weather any storm.” · Wilson said in her Salutatorian speech: “We are strong, we are resilient, and we are ready.”

Wesson High School (WHS) senior Ashton Roberson and Wesson Attendance Center (WAC) teacher Rod Martin are WAC 2020 STAR student and teacher. The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program honors graduating high school students for academic performance and the teachers they select as exemplary. In Mississippi, the Mississippi Economic Council provides the program leadership with sponsors from the business and educational communities. This year, selection of STAR students was based on their ACT college entrance examination scores. Roberson is the son of Joey and Barbie Roberson and Leigh Hartsook. He is a member of First Baptist Church of Summit, Mississippi. He played football, has been a French horn player in the WHS Mighty Cobra Band, and participated in Academic Team competition. Roberson is a member of the Senior Beta Club and takes classes at Co-Lin as a dual enrolled student. His classmates voted him Most Likely to Succeed and he was selected as Senior Most Handsome. He is in the Platinum ACT Club. Roberson is graduating with High Honors and has a full scholarship to Mississippi State University. He will begin his studies in engineering in the fall with early admissions to the Bagley College of Engineering. Rod Martin, Roberson's choice for STAR Teacher, called him "an exceptional student with a bright future.” Martin has been teaching for the past 23 years. For sixteen of those years, he has taught at Wesson Attendance Center. With primary certifications in English and history, Martin has taught in grades seven through twelve at the school. In addition, he has served as the coach for the Wesson tennis team for eight years and has sponsored the academic team for all 16 years. Martin's proudest honor as a teacher, he says, are his five selections as a STAR Teacher by students at Wesson -- an honor he designates as the highest a teacher can receive. "Wesson has so many outstanding educators who equally deserve recognition for their hard work and dedication to helping their students learn, so to be chosen from among those worthy ranks by a student of the highest caliber is really something special and never to be taken lightly," he points out. "Students as intellectually and musically gifted as Ashton are exceedingly rare and a joy to teach, so I am absolutely humbled to have been his choice for STAR Teacher. He is an amazing young man with incredible potential and a terrific support system in place, so we all expect great things from him in the future as well." Martin is married to the former Penny King, also a teacher at WAC. He resides in the Strong Hope community, is the father of Jessa Martin Greer (24) and Noah Martin (21). He is an active member of Strong Hope Baptist Church, where he serves as video/presentation coordinator and pastoral sidekick.

The 2020-2021 Wesson Chamber of Commerce Founder’s Day Queen is Kayla Barfield. The Wesson High School (WHS) student has been a member of student council, beta club service organization, yearbook staff, and first priority spiritual fellowship. She has also been a cheerleader, baseball team statistician and Nena Smith dancer. Barfield is also an active a volunteer, who gives her time to Brookhaven Animal Rescue League (BARL), Socks for Heroes and Stronghope Baptist Church, among other organizations. Barfield will be a senior at WHS next year and plans to attend Co-Lin and then the University of Southern Mississippi to major in speech pathology. “Being selected is an incredible honor," she says. "The town of Wesson has always been so welcoming and is where I have made many lifelong friends. Wesson has given so much to me, and being selected provides me an opportunity to give back to my community.” While Wesson did not have an Founder’s Day event this year due to COVID-19 pandemic cautions, the event committee decided to keep with tradition of having a Queen. The queen will resume regular duties in the future when COVID-19 restrictions lighten. Her duties include ceremonial ribbon cuttings and appearances, such as the Wesson Chamber of Commerce banquet.

Kennedy Moore can't remember a time when dancing wasn't part of her life. Moore tells people it began officially when she was two years old, when her mother, Holly Moore, the owner of Show Stoppers Studio of Dance on Industrial Park Road in Brookhaven -- first started bringing her to work regularly. Moore, however, will show you pictures of herself as a baby, many months removed from learning to walk and taking her first dance steps, in a basket carrier at the studio. She has been there ever since, where a career is now blossoming. She has just joined Co-Lin as the new director of its band program's Colettes dance team. Moore started dancing as toddler, perfected her style before her teenage years and taught dance under her mom's tutelage as a young teen and on her own at Show Stoppers by the time she graduated from high school. She danced as a Colette at Co-Lin and was captain of the collegiate group in her sophomore year. "I learned to walk, assisted by the bars on the walls at mom's dance studio, and stayed in a crib in her office," she relates. With that kind of start, Moore was just naturally ready to return to the Colettes as their new director even before officially completing her college studies. Growing up with her parents only a two-minute ride from her mom's studio, Moore has never been far away from dancing throughout her short life. She went to elementary and junior high school at Brookhaven Academy and completed her secondary education at Brookhaven High School, where she graduated in 2015. "At Brookhaven Academy, I competed in track, but dance remained my focus," she recalls. After school, the dancing part of her life continued at her mom's studio. "It was at Brookhaven High School (BHS) that I found people as serious and passionate about dancing as I was," she says. Yes. There was a life outside Show Stoppers Studio of Dance. On to Co-Lin, she found the Colettes, the encouragement of Juanita Proffitt, the college's director of bands, and more people who had similar interests in dance. She was even able to room in a dorm with her best friend. "I loved Co-Lin," she affirms. When she left Co-Lin, Proffitt told her the school would always be there for her -- an assurance she remembers in the light of her new job. After Co-Lin, Moore went to the University of Southern Mississippi, where she has completed work on her major in Child Development and will graduate in December after finishing requirements of her minor in dance. Preferring her dancing life in Brookhaven to the life in Hattiesburg, she has been commuting to her classes and working at Show Stoppers. She is considering Master's Degree studies so she can also teach at Co-Lin. At Co-Lin, Moore will work with fifteen Colettes, possibly a couple of more, as the choreographer for their performances at football and basketball games and special events at parades, commercial promotions and schools. She directs their regular workouts, and even selects the music for the basketball game performances. Moore wants to continue to raise the Colettes to "a collegiate level," focusing them on the technique foundation of dance, the art of performing and dancing with live music. Moore isn't leaving her mom, though. She will remain on the staff at Show Stoppers as the primary teacher of hip hop dance and an assistant instructor for ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary and point dancing. What are your hobbies? I enjoy working out at the gym, where I can also hang out with friends. Since I was nine years old, I've been visiting Disney World in Florida -- after dance camps and on family vacations. I've been there 19 times. In 2017, I danced in the Disney World Magic Kingdom parade. Are you reader? I am a listener to podcasts, mostly devotional and spiritual. Do you enjoy movies or theater? I really enjoy movies -- those produced by Disney and mysteries. My favorite actor is Liam Neeson. My favorite movies are High School Musical and Breakfast Club. I've also become involved in Brookhaven Little Theater -- first as part of the cast of Newsies, and subsequently Little Mermaid and Matilda. I did the choreography for Frozen and will play the feather duster in Beauty and the Beast. It's a bit of a diversion from dance. How about music? I'm eclectic. I will listen to almost anything. I am into 1980s music. I like Whitney Houston a whole lot. My father got me into country music, but I like the modern -- Sam Hunt's music, not the twangy sound., How would you spend your lottery winnings if you were so lucky. I am a saver, but I would take a trip to Disneyland in California, and invest some money in expansion of Show Stoppers Studio of Dance. How would you change the world? People need to understand that they are equal to one another. No one is superior. Everyone has a talent and can make a different contribution.

By guest columnist R. Shaw Furlow Mississippi, like every state, has local gems hidden in the most obscure places. A mom and pop store at the crossroads of two county roads. A small diner that serves a rare special. Or a church long abandoned. These places are out there. You just have to look. Down a road in the Loyd Star community is just such a place. It’s a museum of sorts. Because it is a private residence, I’ll not give you the location. Suffice it to say it’s down a road that could better be described as a path. Drive through the gates, and you are welcomed by old oil signs and rusted cars. Across the road two bicycles are suspended to look like ET. Around the last curve is a wall constructed of old television sets. Our host, Mike Case, meets us in front of a very rustic cabin. He instantly begins showing us around. One of the main attractions on his property is an old stair lift. “This old thing came out of somebody’s house," he explains. "A young couple bought a grandma’s house and didn’t need it. So here it is.” The old chair lift leads to a platform where a zip line will take you over a pond. “It takes more time to ride the chair lift up than it does to fly across the pond. Then you gotta' walk back. A lot of work for a few seconds of fun.” Another curiosity is a display case housing an Elvis costume originally made for Kenny Cothern (more about him in a second). If you’ve ever been to Graceland, you can envision this display. Next to it stands an old elevator -- you know, the kind with the gate you have to close. It just stands there. No function other than to add to the quirkiness of the place. Case built two cabins on the property with the help of a couple friends who wired and plumbed them. The main cabin, which he started in 1992, has two rooms and a bathroom. The other cabin, affectionately known as the love shack, has power but no plumbing or air conditioning. Pretty much storage right now. Inside the main cabin, the guest room is part of the the kitchen. There are pictures throughout, some of family, but most of anything but -- all over the place, even on the ceilings. There are also political posters, concert posters, all kinds of memorabilia pinned to the walls. And baseball caps all over the place. I asked Case about a piece of stained glass in his kitchen. “Yeah, Lauderdale did that," he says, making reference to his late friend, Brookhaven artist Bill Lauderdale, who also crafted the windows of The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Brookhaven. That piece really stands out against all the Americana memorabilia. “Yeah...it’s really pretty,” he admits. Are there modern conveniences? A few. Yes. There is a window air conditioner that keeps the temperature comfortable. The kitchen, while not glamorous, is functional. Back outside on the front porch, Case rocks in a chair that has a stuffed buzzard attached to it. “Ya know, we used to have a music festival out here," he recalls. "The cabins were the venue for The Lincoln County Music Awards for several years." The prizes were old trophies, both found and made. I believe local artist Don Jacobs actually won an award for his first album. Earlier, I mentioned local singer Kenny Cothern. He wore the customized Elvis suit when he emceed the awards ceremony. Case implores: “You know what this is?” We were asked that question several times. While I got close to guessing correctly on one item, I missed the others badly. One was a machine that punched out the form that makes cartons for eggs. Another was a piece that helped steer an old Ford. It was just hanging on the fence next to other things I didn’t recognize. If you follow the walkway on the property, you’ll see spark plugs, an old police badge, bottle caps, marbles all embedded in the cement. Why? Why not? The place is a little grown up now. Weed eating it would be a nightmare. There is a lot of stuff crammed into a small space. There are lots of unique places in Mississippi, but this one has to be in the top ten, at least my top ten. Walt Grayson may have another list. With the COVID-19 pandemic hopefully winding down, things are opening up. Live music, theatre and art shows are just over the curve. Let’s play safe. That’s it for now. Support the arts, my friends.

A small group of Wesson American Legion Auxiliary women are practicing social distancing to keep themselves safe from COVID-19 and making masks while they lay low so health care and public service workers and others who can't avoid crowds can protect themselves as well. On three mornings a week, three of the women -- Cathy Stroud, Melnee Frazier and Sharon Langley -- meet at the Wesson American Legion hall to sew the masks. Pat McCreary, Dot Jones and Janet Currie are also making masks at their homes. Since early April, the five women have turned out more than 400 masks. "We are giving them away," says Langley. "They are being worn by Wesson police, Brookhaven fire department personnel, staff and truckers at Wal-Mart Distribution Center, emergency room personnel in McComb and people who just pick them up at the Legion hall as needed. Occasionally, we'll see someone not wearing a mask, who should be, and will give one away randomly." The Legion sewers have sent them to King's Daughters Medical Center, Silver Cross Nursing Home and other area nursing homes, the Compassus Hospice in Brookhaven and the VA clinic in Natchez. The sewers use quality cotton material for the masks, which they acquire mostly through donations and some purchasing. They say their biggest frustration has been periodic unavailability of the elastic they use for the mask ear straps.

With in-person meetings on hold for now due to COVID-19, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) continues to offer online litter prevention programs for children and families. The “Don’t Trash Mississippi” with Myrtle the Turtle education program is designed for school-aged children in kindergarten through fifth grade. It is available at GoMDOT.com/DontTrashMS and on @MississippiDOT social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube. The fun and informative program is presented by Litter Prevention Coordinator Lorrie Redden. While the programs are usually offered in person throughout the state at summer camps and community events, this year the programs will be available digitally. The presentation includes a live actor, animated videos and interactive questions. There are also reinforcement materials to teach children about the negative impacts of litter pollution. “Myrtle the Turtle considers all of Mississippi her home and encourages children to take responsibility to keep their home, Mississippi, clean and beautiful for all to enjoy,” says Melinda McGrath, P.E., MDOT executive director. “Even though people are staying home more and traveling less, litter continues to be a problem,” Redden said. “In fact, litter removal costs the state over $3 million a year. By teaching people at an early age about the environmental and societal impacts of litter, we can all work together to keep the Magnolia State clean.” To access the program and more litter prevention information, visit GoMDOT.com/DontTrashMS. See “Myrtle The Turtle Talks About Litter” on YouTube at https://youtu.be/uj-nL4AFdKw.

By Guest Columnist Wes Neal In the age of COVID-19, we do not need more to worry about. However, the summer of 2019 proved that you are even at risk in your local pond or at the beach. We saw a nationwide outbreak of rare, yet severe, maladies that originated from the water. These problems usually start in the hottest part of summer. First, there was a massive cyanobacteria outbreak in the coastal waters of Florida. Millions of fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, birds and other species died. People felt it, too -- respiratory difficulties, headaches, rashes and gastrointestinal distress. Luckily, these outbreaks are usually well reported, and people can avoid affected areas. It is an ecological tragedy, but rarely does it cause loss of human life. Next came the freshwater cyanobacteria hysteria. One headline read: “TOXIC ALGAE IS SPREADING ACROSS THE U.S.!” People’s dogs went swimming in ponds with a toxic bloom, and within a few weeks, died in North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana and even Wisconsin. Millions of dogs, people, cattle and other animals safely use ponds in the summer to cool down. Cyanobacteria are in every pond, but rarely does a toxic bloom occur. When it does, it can affect any person or animal that comes in contact with it. There is no public warning system, but you can read the signs: dead fish, a thick green or blue-green film on the water. If the water looks otherwise “yucky,” it is best to use the garden hose to cool off. Another risk is an organism that sounds like a Harry Potter spell: pythium insidiosum, a water mold that can cause a rare and deadly disease known as Pythiosis. It enters the body through wounds in the skin or via the mouth. It causes a thickening of stomach and intestinal tissues, with symptoms like fever, vomiting, diarrhea, skin lesions, swollen lymph nodes, and abdominal masses and pain. Pythium is found in almost all surface water, but it rarely infects animals unless they have other underlying conditions. Possibly the most insidious malady to come from contact with water is a nasty creature known as Naegleria fowleri. You may have heard its other name, the “brain-eating amoeba.” This small creature thrives in very warm to hot fresh water by eating bacteria. However, if it gets up your nose, it is bad news. Once inside you, it moves through the olfactory nerve to the frontal lobe of the brain. It takes 2 to 15 days for symptoms to occur, but once they do, you are dead within a week. Scary, right? The good news is that this amoeba is incredibly rare. On average, it kills about 3.4 people in the U.S. each year. By comparison, lightning kills 49 per year. Hence, you literally have a much greater chance of being struck by lightning. So, should you avoid water all summer long? Of course not. Just practice caution. When you are in hot, shallow areas, keep your head above the water. Although ponds that look disgusting are probably perfectly safe, you should avoid them. Do not let your pets drink or swim in them if the water is intensely green or blue-green, and rinse them in clean water if they do jump in. EDITOR'S NOTE: Dr. Wes Neal writes for the Mississippi State University Extension Agency.