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by Bob Arnold At age 3, when Angela Hester came to Wesson from Tuscaloosa with her mother after her parents' divorce in 1986, she didn't think she would ever like the town. "It was quite a change from the city," Hester recalls. "I was in the eighth grade at Wesson Attendance Center in class with sixty other students, leaving behind a class of 1,200 at Tuscaloosa. So I returned to Tuscaloosa to live with my father for my freshman and sophomore years in high school." Two years later, she came back to Wesson, and has never left, although she has never stopped rooting for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide either. Now, fittingly, Hester is the Town Clerk for the small town she learned to love. "I came to appreciate and enjoy the close relationships the people of Wesson have with their neighbors, the town's special quiet, and, most of all, the way people here help each other when they are in need," Hester summarizes. Shortly after graduating from high school, Hester married her first husband, Carl Roberts, with whom she had three children over nine years: Trace, 29, a truck driver; Nickoles, who died in a traffi c accident when he was 21; and Taylor, 25, a natural gas production supervisor. "It was with two babies and trying to be a student at CoLin while working that I really came to appreciate and love small town Wesson, and the help people here will provide when you need it," she says. Hester started her working career at the Sunflower grocery store in Wesson in the 1990s and studied a year at Co-Lin in 1992. "I was at the Sunflower, when it closed," she recalls. "It was a sad occasion." She worked at the truck stop on Sylvarena Road as a waitress and then did bookkeeping there -- her first office job -- before moving to Precoat Metals in Jackson in 1994, where she was a line operator for four years, and then going across the street to Consolidated Metal Products, where she went back into the offi ce as an administrative assistant and bookkeeper in a career she has never left. Her next career stop was the Crystal Springs Police Department, where she acquired municipal court experience. While there in 2007, she also learned again about the generous help the people of Wesson off er when you're in need. It came after a major boating accident at Roosevelt State Park. It was eight months before she could work again. One week of hospitalization and six surgeries later, she became a Rural Carrier Assistant at Hazlehurst and assisted part time with Wesson municipal court needs, gaining the experience that would bring her to Wesson city hall full time. Until 2016, when she became full time Court Assistant for Wesson, she was on the road for four years with her husband Chad Hester, a natural gas production consultant, whose work was in Pennsylvania during that period. In 2017, Hester became Wesson's Town Clerk. Hester and her husband of 17 years live on 200 acres on Rocky Hill Road, where they graze cattle. They have one son, J.C. Hester, 26, who works in oil and natural gas production for his brother, Taylor. What are your hobbies? I grew up on the water. I learned to water ski when I was five years old on Miller Dollar Lake in Bessimer, Alabama, and the Black Warrior River in Tuscaloosa. But my current focus when I am not working are my grandchildren -- Laney, 10, Rhylee, 7, Addisyn, 6, and Ainslee, 10 months. I also have twin grandbabies coming this summer. While my husband works in Ohio, I spend my time spoiling them on Rocky Hill Road. When I can get them to water, I teach them to ski and swim, and learn not to be afraid of the water as I was as a kid. What do you read? I am a fan of the Fifty Shades trilogy. Do you enjoy movies or theater? Again, the Fifty Shades movies. I also like Titanic and Pearl Harbor. My favorite actors are Matthew McConaughey and Leonardo DeCaprio. On television, I follow Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, and Chicago Med. I particularly like police series, having acquired that interest when I worked for the Crystal Springs Police Department. How about music? Country. Tim McGraw is my favorite singer/songwriter. I enjoyed going to the Swampstock concerts with Gerri Lynn Porter, who works at Copiah Bank. We try to go to a concert each year. How would you spend your lottery winnings if you were so lucky? I have already won the lottery. God gave me a wonderful family with a loving husband, along with kids and grandchildren. There is not enough money in the world that could give me the happiness that they do. How would you change the world? I really don't know if you can. Pray a lot, I guess.

JACKSON, Miss. - Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced today that she is preparing to file a lawsuit against China to hold the Communist nation accountable for the malicious and dangerous acts that caused death, health injuries, and serious economic loss from the COVID-19 crisis. “Too many Mississippians have suffered as a result of China’s cover-up,” said Attorney General Fitch. “They must not be allowed to act with impunity. Mississippians deserve justice and I will seek that in court.” General Fitch’s case will seek damages under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) and is similar to a case filed earlier this week by the State of Missouri. General Fitch also wrote to the Mississippi Congressional delegation to ask their support for legislation sponsored by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) that would create a very specific exception in FSIA for Americans to seek such damages, creating an even clearer pathway to victory for the people of Mississippi. The text of her letter is below. It was sent to all six members of the Mississippi delegation. __________________________________________________________  "I am writing to urge you to be an original cosponsor for [Representative Dan Crenshaw’s] Senator Tom Cotton’s Holding the Chinese Communist Party Accountable for Infecting Americans Act of 2020. This bill would give Americans the opportunity to sue China in federal court to recover damages related to death, injury, and economic loss suffered as a result of the Coronavirus. "China did the world a great injustice by engaging in a complex cover-up of the dangers of this deadly virus. By silencing journalists, doctors, whistleblowers, and others, China exposed millions to the Coronavirus and kept the world from preparing, leading to higher death tolls and more dangerous public health impacts. They must be held to account for the damage they have done. "There are ways to sue China under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), and I intend to pursue those on behalf of the people of this great State. But [Representative Crenshaw’s] Senator Cotton’s bill would give Mississippians an even clearer path to victory over China in the courts. The bill, which creates a very narrow exception to the FSIA, is modeled on the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, which passed with overwhelming and bipartisan support in, and would be specific to the COVID-19 crisis. "Too many have gotten seriously ill or died. Too many have lost their jobs and suffered the significant and lasting economic consequences that follow. Our State is experiencing tangible fiscal loss now and that will likely continue into the future. Mississippi families and businesses deserve to be made whole for China’s malicious and dangerous actions. I hope you will cosponsor [Representative Crenshaw’s] Senator Cotton’s bill to help them take this step toward recovery." __________________________________________________________ Attorney General Lynn Fitch is the chief legal officer and advisor for the State of Mississippi on both civil and criminal matters. She has over 30 years of both private and government law experience. General Fitch's responsibility is to represent public officials and governmental agencies and to issue legal opinions that interpret state law. Most importantly, she represents the people of the State of Mississippi.

By Guest Columnist Dr. Stephanie Duguid Our daily lives have changed drastically because of the coronavirus pandemic. The situation is fluid, and we are learning more and more about it daily. What is it? Who is at risk? What is the incubation period? How can you help prevent the spread of the disease? How can you address the stress related to social distancing from other people? How can you stay active at home, while keeping your social distance? Here is some information and advice from the World Health Organization (WHO) based on what we know now: •Coronavirus, known also as COVID-19 or SARSCoV-2, is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. Symptoms are a cough, a high temperature and shortness of breath. •Simple measures like washing your hands often with soap and water can help stop viruses like coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading. •There’s no specific treatment for coronavirus (COVID-19). Treatments seek to relieve the symptoms until you recover. •It's not known exactly how coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads from person to person, but similar viruses are spread in cough droplets. •While we are still learning about how COVID-2019 affects people, older persons and persons with preexisting medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes) appear to develop serious illness more often than others. •The “incubation period” -- the time between catching the virus and beginning to have symptoms of the disease -- ranges from one to fourteen days, most commonly around five days. Since there is no vaccine, specific form of treatment, or antibiotics for COVID-19, the best thing is to try and prevent the spread. WHO suggests seven actions you can take to keep yourself safe and contain the spread of COVID-19: 1. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. 2. Avoid touching your face, eyes, mouth, and nose. 3. Avoid contact with people who are vulnerable. And if you can, wear a mask. 4. Cover your cough with the bend of your elbow. 5. Disinfect surfaces you regularly use. 6. If you feel unwell, stay at home and call your healthcare provider. 7. Only share information from trusted sources. At this time, we are all surrounded by information (good and bad) from social media, newspapers, and friends. It can be a very stressful time. Stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include: •Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones. •Changes in sleep or eating patterns. •Difficulty sleeping or concentrating. •Worsening of chronic health problems. •Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs. Combat stress by: •Taking breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting. •Taking care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs. •Making time to unwind. Try to do some activities you enjoy. •Connecting with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. Above all, be sure to maintain your social distance as recommended by all health sources. Stay at least three feet away from anyone in your immediate space and be very careful about your activity around others. Do your part to stay healthy and safe during these times! EDITOR'S NOTE: Stephanie Duguid is Dean of Academic Instruction at Co-Lin. She is also an athletic trainer and nutrition specialist and has been teaching courses related to those two areas as well as practicing what she preaches for more than twenty years.

JACKSON, MISS--Today, the Mississippi Lottery Corporation (MLC) made the March transfer of $9,942,264 in net proceeds to the Lottery Proceeds Fund in the Mississippi State Treasury. This brings the total amount deposited to the state to more than $37.5 million since launch on November 25, 2019. In accordance with the Alyce G. Clarke Lottery Law, the MLC is required to transfer net proceeds within 20 days following the close of each calendar month. “As we all continue to adjust to this difficult time in Mississippi and the world, the sale of lottery tickets has declined in recent weeks,” said MLC President Tom Shaheen. “We anticipate the trend will continue in the near future. May and June transfers may also decline, as a result. However, what is most important at this time is that we all remain safe and healthy. In an effort to ensure people remain at home as much as possible, as of April 1, 2020, the MLC has cancelled TV and radio advertising indefinitely.”

Mu Alpha Theta inducted twenty-one Co-Lin students. The Copiah County inductees were (seated from left) Anna Claire Crow, Katie McSweyn, Riley Smith, and Kenner Bizot, all of Wesson; Hayden Moss of Crystal Springs; Ashton Megginson of Byram; (standing from left) Deonte Knight of Yazoo City; Destiny Garrett of Hazlehurst; Shelbi Maxwell, Meagan Jones, and Catherine Wilson, all of Wesson; Marcedez Jones of Hazlehurst; and Natalie Bonds of Wesson. MAT is the mathematics honor society for high school and two-year college students. More than 112,000 students from 2,300 schools worldwide are members. Members must have completed college algebra and earned a 3.0 GPA in all two-year college mathematics courses.

Back in 1983, Dawn Mark's father, a fisherman in the Louisiana bayous, started encouraging his daughter to begin expressing herself as a painter on a wood plank, which he gave her. For the past 35 years, she hasn't stopped painting, and wood has been her primary medium -- initially on those distinctive structures that grow above the roots of cypress trees, called cypress knees, later on the planks cut from cypress timbers and, occasionally, on old tin. Today, Marks teaches the painting skills she has honed over the years to children, youth and adults who want to manifest their creative drives in small classes (no more than a dozen students) that assemble at churches, other not-for-profit groups and house parties in southwest Mississippi and Louisiana from Wesson to Houma. During the holiday seasoon, she guided novice painters in creating nativity scenes on cypress planks for their Christmas decor at an Institute for Learning in Retirement workshop at Co-Lin. Marks offers her classes through Original Cypress, a small home-based company operated by Marks and her husband Mike. Original Cypress began 15 years ago, selling her cypress works, which feature Louisiana motifs, such as pelicans and swamp scenes, to gifts and crafts stores. While Marks continues to paint her own works to sell, teaching others to paint has become the main thrust of Original Cypress. Since September, she has been teaching five classes a week. "We have been blessed," she says. "The classes have really taken off." Marks sees her teaching as a ministry that provides a venue, where people can enjoy food and fellowship, while "creating something meaningful which they can hang on their walls." "God has given me this tool to use my talent," she summarizes. Mark's husband dives into Lake Maurepas, adjacent Lake Pontchartrain at New Orleans, to retrieve the cypress timbers -- some thousands of years old, which he fashions into planks and prepares for the painting. Marks draws the outlines of subject matter on the media for her student painters to add colors. Many of them are religious in nature, although others are whimsical like one with a deer eating a snowman's carrot nose. With Mike's help or the assistance for her good friend, Debbie Bertrand, Marks brings all the materials to the class -- the cypress planks or sometimes old tin, which she also uses as a medium; usually house paints and sometimes watercolors for the palettes of her student painters. "We make things as easy as possible for our classes," she says. Marks grew up in Prairieville, Louisiana, south of Baton Rouge, graduated from high school in Louisiana, and studied fashion design in college for two years. After leaving college, she worked in a variety of jobs, while continuing to paint as an avocation before staring Original Cypress. Marks and her husband acquired an old farm, where they rode horses, in Amite County, Mississippi, and resettled there from Louisiana. Contact Dawn and Mike Marks at 601-551-5467 or through Facebook@Original Cypress.

William Winter Scholars from Co-Lin honored at the 2020 Literary and Cinema Celebration sponsored by the college at Natchez were (left to right) Wesson Campus sophomore Emily Warren from Brandon, Wesson Campus instructor Kenny Bizot from Wesson, Simpson County Center instructor Bryon Conville from Florence, Simpson County Center sophomore Chloe White from Magee, Natchez Campus sophomore Xavian Lewis from Natchez, and Natchez Campus faculty/staff member Tiffany Woods from Natchez.Each Winter Scholar is chosen by his or her educational institution as the most outstanding student or faculty member in the humanities division.

Co-Lin has received a $3,500 community grant from Brookhaven Walmart to purchase an Oboe for the Blue Wave Show Band.Pictured from left, Co-Lin Director of Bands Juanita Proffitt, Brookhaven Walmart Manager Jerry Lee Hand, Assistant Co-Lin Band Director Chad Austin, and the college's Music Instructor/Color Guard Director Kendra Washington.For information about donating to Co-Lin, contact the Foundation at 601-643-8332.

Colonel Jason McDonald (right). owner/president of The Great Mississippi Tea Company based in Brookhaven, along with Timothy Gibson talked to the Wesson Garden Club about their journey in developing the local tea grower on seven acres in Lincoln County. The company grows four signature teas in small batches: Mississippi Queen, Black Magnolia, Delta Oolong and Mississippi Sunshine, which are sold at Hall & Company in Brookhaven. At their presentation last month were Garden Club members Robin Furr, Debbie Hoaglin, Rhonda Ishee, Denise Jackson, Beverly King, Joann Miller,June Owens, Joy Phillips, Debbie Smith, Lisa Smith, Dixie Thornton, and guest Jennifer Smith. The Wesson Garden Club is a member of the Garden Clubs of Mississippi, Inc. and the National Garden Clubs, Inc.

By Bob Arnold History is riddled with myths and misconceptions caused by mistakes in seeing and understanding what was happening, errors in reporting, propaganda and people just trying to make better stories about events. World War II is a case in point, according to Co-Lin sophomore history major Jacy Maher. Maher, vice president of the Co-Lin Centurions, an organization that promotes historical research and scholarship of its student members, discussed the myths and misconceptions of the Great War with Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) seminar participants. Maher cited German propagandist Franz Holder for articles and books that perpetrated many of those myths, if not originating them. Holder was honored for this work by not only Adolph Hitler for work during the War, but later post-War by John F. Kennedy for his supposed assistance in helping U.S. analysts understand what happened during the War. German Generals also fed information to U.S., French and Russian officials following World War II, which helped build the mythology, Maher said. Maher pointed to ten World War II tall tales at the ILR seminar: . The Blitzkrieg. "There was no such thing as the lightning attack by the German Army," Maher said. "Actually, the German Army mastered 'bewegungkrieg' -- maneuver warfare, movements into positions for knockout blows. . Mechanization of the German Army. Actually, the infantry was far and away the biggest part of the German Army, outnumbering its panzer front line and mechanized divisions, Maher explained. "Infantrymen with backpacks and rifles walked into their attack positions." he said. "For transportation, it used 625,000 horses as well as 600,000 trucks." . "Clean wehrmacth" the myth that German officers and soldiers just took orders from Hitler, but were not responsible for war crimes. "Nonsense," Maher said. "They engaged not only military targets, but civilian populations." . The German Tiger Tank's superior armor, mobility and firepower. In reality, the German tank was a complicated, overweight weapon, said Maher. "It would develop catastrophic problems on the battlefield and was difficult to fix," he explained. "It's main task was positioning soldiers." . Panzer aces. Propaganda portrayed the German tanker killers as young, handsome supermen, but they were just regular joes, according to Maher. . The large, complex German weaponry could have won the war. In fact, the STG-44, an new kind of infantry rifle, was the biggest German advantage, Maher said. It was a new model for the battlefield, making the bolt action rifle obsolete as semi-automatic that could be turned into an automatic weapon with the flip of a switch. Maher called it "my favorite gun." The U.S. Sherman tank had a weak gun and thin armor, but could more effectively support infantry and place soldiers. In many respects, the Sherman Fire Fly was cobbled together, but it worked. . The ping -- the sound of a rifle ejecting an ammunition clip -- signaled soldiers that it was safe to charge enemy forces. The ping was not heard easily. All rifles did not eject clips at the same time. A soldier could quickly reload a rifle. "Charging at the sound of the ping was a bad idea," Maher summarized. . Russian human wave attacks. In fact, Germans often outnumber Russians on battlefields and Stalin fretted about losses. The Russian deep battle infantry, however, did penetrate German lines to hit where it hurt, Maher affirmed. . Allied equipment inferiority. Actually, mass-produced allied weapons, in general, performed better than German weaponry. Russian testing of captured German equipment also informed production of allied weapons. . The tank numbers. The number of allied tanks were far great than what the German put on the battlefield -- 49,234 Sherman tanks and 57,339 T-34 Russian tanks vs. German Tiger 1s (1,347), Tiger 2s (492) and Panzers (6,000).

Co-Lin Director of eLearning Dr. Amanda Hood has been selected to participate in the Community College Policy Fellowship Program (CCPFP), a 10-month professional development program sponsored by the Mississippi Community College Board and directed by Tyson Elbert of AdvocacyBuild, LLC. CCPFP seeks to create and support institutional and state system engagement, develop a diverse and inclusive community of strategic leaders for public policy, and impact collective action through collaboration and partnership. Dr. Hood is one of 14 participants in this year's program, who will meet monthly and participate in the Washington Advocacy Seminar later this year to gain a national perspective of large-scale communications, advocacy, and lobbying operations. They will also take part in an advocacy project,which will allow them to build relationships with elected officials and their staffs, and gain insight into how national media operations work. Dr. Hood graduated from Co-Lin in 2000, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi College and a PHD in Community College Leadership from Mississippi State University. In 2011, she started teaching mathematics at Co-Lin’s Natchez Campus and has served as the college's Director of eLearning for the past two years. She received the Mississippi/Louisiana Region Phi Theta Kappa Horizon, S.O.A.R. Golden Apple and Co-Lin Outstanding Academic Faculty Advisor and Howell Garner High Performance Awards. Co-Lin recognized her as Faculty/Staff Member of the Year. Dr. Hood currently serves as secretary for the MCCLA Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Mississippi eLearning Association. She is a 2015 graduate of the MCCB Leadership Academy and a 2017 graduate of Leadership Natchez.

Ninety-three Co-Lin students have become members of the Eta Omega Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) The Copiah County inductees were (first row from left) Riley Smith, Shelby Maxwell, Anna Claire Crow, Katie McSweyn, Catherine Wilson, all of Wesson; Holden Kaiser of Georgetown; (second row from left) Kenner Bizot, Amya Williams, Olivia Clark, Kazdazia Brown, Hannah Henderson, all of Wesson; D’mesha Ellis of Hazlehurst; (third row from left) Bryce Hartley of Hazlehurst; Jaiden Smith of Wesson; Lainey Turnage and Shelby Lang, both of Crystal Springs; Clayton Moulder and Andrew Hulon, both of Wesson; (fourth row from left) Dalton Hayles of Hazlehurst; Jade Cause, Hayden Moss, and Hunter Reinike, all of Crystal Springs; and Robert Megginson of Byram; (fifth row from left) Selena Ross of Hazlehurst; Natalie Bonds of Wesson; Hunter Helms of Crystal Springs; and Destiny Garrett of Hazlehurst. Jackson-based PTK is the largest honor society in higher education, with 1,285 chapters on college campuses throughout the world. It has inducted more than three million students as members since its founding in 1928 -- approximately 134,000 annually. Students must achieve a 3.5 or better academic average to receive an invitation for membership.