The former Wesson Presbyterian Church has been gifted to Co-Lin by George T. Mercier, Jr., who served as an elder of the church and clerk of the session for the past 45 years. The Wesson Presbyterian Church was founded in 1871 by Captain William Oliver, a businessman from New Orleans who had moved to Wesson to manage the Mississippi Mills. The construction of the church was completed in 1878, and it held its first worship service on March 24 of that year. “My mother and father were married here and I was baptized here, so we have a long relationship with the church,” Mercier said while celebrating his 103rd birthday on May 8 in the church sanctuary with his son, G.T. Mercier III and members of the college’s staff and Board of Trustees. Throughout the years, the church has seen a rise and decline in attendance and membership, and during the summer of 2019, the congregation agreed that it could no longer maintain the church. “Soon after that decision, I was given permission to pursue a potential buyer and Co-Lin became our first choice due to its proximity to the church, the sanctuary could be used as a chapel, and having the church placed on the National Register of Historic Places would be a prestigious landmark for the college and the community of Wesson,” Mercier said. On March 15, the Wesson Presbyterian Church officially closed its doors as a church and will now function as a part of Co-Lin. After the church elders and congregation approved the transfer of the property to the college, the gift was unanimously accepted by the Co-Lin Board of Trustees. “We have a long history between the college and the town of Wesson – a history that we appreciate and hold with tremendous value," Co-Lin president Dr. Jane Hulon said. "We’re going to take this gift and nurture it for some really special things in the future for both the town and for the college. We’re so grateful that the Mercier family looked to Co-Lin and entrusted us with such an important landmark of Wesson.” In addition to the donation of the church building and property, George Mercier, Jr. and his son G.T. Mercier III established the Dorothy Ragland Mercier Memorial Fund with the Co-Lin Foundation in memory of Mrs. Mercier, who passed away in December. The fund will be used for the improvement, maintenance, and ongoing expenses of the chapel. “My wife will always be remembered as a wonderful Christian who served the Church in many capacities -- teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir, leading the women’s Bible study group, as well as hosting various community organizations in the church annex,” Mercier said. “I knew Mrs. Mercier through the Wesson Garden Club and thought the world of her,” Hulon said. “What a wonderful tribute and way to honor her life. We’re thrilled to have this opportunity.” “The Co-Lin Foundation (CLF) is grateful to the Merciers for the gift to be used to enhance and maintain the chapel,” executive director of CLF Angela Furr said. “We are honored to celebrate Mrs. Mercier’s legacy.” Contributions to the Dorothy Ragland Mercier Memorial Fund can be mailed to the Co-Lin Foundation at P.O. Box 649, Wesson, MS 39191, or made online at www.colin.edu/alumni-foundation/give-now/.

The former Wesson Volunteer Fire Department Chief, who orchestrated the Wesson Flea Market for many years, has died. Kenneth Furr, 91, a loving husband father, grandfather, great grandfather and beloved friend, passed away May 6, and his life was celebrated at a private graveside service at Wesson Cemetery on May 9. As a young man, Furr left college following the sudden death of his father to come home to run the family business and to help his mother with two younger siblings. He was a vital, active, contributing citizen of Wesson his entire life. Decell Memorial United Methodist Church was his church. There he was a member of the choir and served as music director for many years. Even when he had to sit on the front pew because he was no longer able to get into the choir loft, he still led the choir and congregation in song. Furr operated the Gulf Service Station on Highway 51 in Wesson for more than 70 years following the death of his father. The station became the gathering place of an informal town's mens group, which discussed local issues and events most every day One of the founder of the Wesson Volunteer Fire Department, he served as its fire chief for many years. In addition to fighting fires for the department, he organized the Wesson Christmas parade and children’s time with Santa Claus following the parade and the Wesson Flea Market -- the fire department's major fundraiser, which he continued to bring together for many years even after retiring from the fire department An active member of Wesson Lion’s Club, he served as its president, led its singing at meetings, and was the “Tail Twister,” collecting fines from those members not wearing pins to demonstrate their pride in participating in the club. Furr was multi-talented. He was an avid gardener with a greenhouse, which gave him a head start every year in growing his flowers and vegetables. He had a beautiful rose garden, and many of those roses found their way into his church. In his woodworking shop, Furr made tables, chairs, benches and other pieces, which he gave away. Furr also loved photography, and took his camera with him everywhere to take pictures of unsuspecting individuals. He turned much of his photography into slide presentations, which he shared with church and Lions Club members, and others. Furr is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Margaret, daughters Amy and Barbara, grandson Blake and wife Nikkie and great grandchildren Lola and Barrett. SIDEBAR Back in the late 1990s, the Wesson Board of Alderman appropriately named the town's volunteer fire station "Kenneth Furr Fire Station." Furr, along with his buddy Wadell Pettigrew, were Wesson's first fire fighters in 1945, and when fires broke out, responded in an old T Model Ford fire truck, assisted by fellow townsmen, who helped drag the hose. They learned fire fighting as necessity demanded. Their first real fire truck was a 1942 Dodge army surplus that had been given to Co-Lin by the government. An organized fire department with sixteen volunteers started in 1968, with Furr continuing in the role of Chief, in which he had served for 23 years up until then. In the early days, Wesson firemen were called to duty by a siren that could be heard throughout the town. Later, each fireman's home phone was equipped with a distinct ring set off from the police department. Today, each fireman is equipped with a 911 pager. Even after retiring as Fire Chief, Furr long organized the fundraising projects that financed equipment for the fire department, the Wesson Christmas parade, the children's Christmas party and safety programs at schools and churches. The major fundraiser over the years has been the Wesson Flea Market, which Furr helped build into the big event it has become.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is working with Secretary of State Michael Watson to remind residents to participate in the 2020 census. Overhead signs along Mississippi highways will display census-focused messages to encourage every Mississippian to take part in the count. Results from the census affect how much federal funding communities receive and helps provide information for community planning and development. It also impacts funding for emergency resources, education and roads and bridges. The census is conducted every 10 years, and the data collected will be used to make decisions for the next decade. A few of the messages include: YOUR MISSION FILL OUT THE CENSUS AND BUCKLE UP SAFE DRIVING AND THE CENSUS GOOD FOR MISSISSIPPI ROAD AND BRIDGE FUNDS COUNT ON YOU #CENSUS2020 MDOT will continue to run these messages on Mississippi highways until the 2020 U.S. Census deadline on October 31. For more information on how to fill out the census, visit 2020census.gov.

Additional theatres to follow later in June; All locations operational in July Memphis-based Malco Theatres has set Monday, June 15, 2020 as the targeted re-opening date for an initial round of locations in Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky. The Renaissance Cinema Grill (Ridgeland, MS), Olive Branch Cinema Grill (Olive Branch, MS), Desoto Cinema Grill (Southaven, MS), Tupelo Commons Cinema Grill (Tupelo, MS), Smyrna Cinema (Smyrna, TN) and Owensboro Cinema Grill (Owensboro, KY) theatres are part of the initial reopening phase, with additional locations scheduled to rollout each week thereafter through July 16, 2020.  The goal is for the full circuit to be operational in mid-July to coincide with the release of Warner Bros. highly anticipated film, Tenet.  All locations have been closed since mid-March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “Malco is very excited to re-open theatres and welcome our customers back,” said David Tashie, President & COO. “We have been diligently working on implementing new measures and protocols to ensure the safety of our guests and employees, and we cannot wait for everyone to enjoy a night out experiencing movies on the big screen again.” Malco’s reopening protocols can be viewed at www.malco.com. Current plans are to offer new indie releases The King of Staten Island and The High Note, plus a lineup of perennial classics like Jaws, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Madagascar and Indiana Jones. Additional films include recent pre-Covid releases such as Trolls: World Tour, I Still Believe and The Invisible Man.  Starting July 1, Russell Crowe’s new film Unhinged opens, followed by Christopher Nolen’s Tenet on July 17.  Disney’s Mulan and Paramount Pictures Spongebob: Sponge on the Run are scheduled to open July 24 and July 31, respectively. Online advance tickets for June 15 will be available starting June 12, 2020 via Malco.com, the Malco app, Fandango and Atom Tickets.

We all want to make extra cash and the forex markets provide the best platforms to make fast, legit money. However, forex trading can be a nightmare if you do not choose the right tools and broker. If you aspire to become a successful forex trader, there are certain things you should know. Read on to learn everything you need to know about forex trading. Is the Forex Broker Fully Licensed? Is the forex trading platform real or is it a scam? This is the main question on every prospective investor’s mind before they begin forex trading. Likewise, you should make sure that your chosen forex broker is legit before you start trading. There are many things to consider when you want to learn about forex trading. As the expert forex advisors at https://www.regionvavid.org/forex explain, there are hundreds of online forex brokers out there so you should try to choose the best for your goals and needs. You can do this by going through reviews of different companies that offer forex trading services. Scams are also common in forex trading and many people lose money to unscrupulous forex brokers. It is essential that you verify if the forex broker is legally allowed to operate in your country before you pay the initial deposit to start trading. It is also essential to try to identify forex trading platforms that are popular in your country to avoid losing money to scammers. Legit forex brokers often provide verifiable contact details on their official websites. If you are serious about currency trading, you should properly do your homework first. Familiarize Yourself with the Forex Trading Platform Making money through currency trading is not as simple as some people may be tempted to believe. Before you open the actual account that you will use for your daily transactions, you should familiarize yourself with how the platform operates. You can do this by starting with a demo account where you will learn the different features of the trading program you choose. A demo account is free and it offers you tutorials designed to help you find your feet and get started with forex trading the right way. However, a demo account is short-lived, so you should try to utilize the opportunity to the fullest to grasp the basic trading concepts before you begin to trade. On top of that, check if the forex broker you chose has a customer support team that is ready to assist with whatever you may need. Many trading platforms are open seven days a week, so you can trade any time you want. Read Reviews of Different Forex Brokers You can also get more information about the forex trading platform by reading different reviews about its operations. This helps give you insight into its operations so that you can make an informed decision if it is the right fit. Customer comments are also insightful since they give you an idea of what to expect before you spend your hard-earned money. Just like gambling, earning money from currency trading is not guaranteed. In other words, before you commit yourself to forex trading, you should know that it is not a get-rich-quick scheme; anything can happen. Currency Pairs and Platform Cost You should also understand the currency pairs available on a particular forex trading platform before you join. In the same vein, you must also check if the forex broker offers a flexible payment method that suits your needs. The other thing that you should know pertaining to the affordability of the product. Some programs are relatively cheap, while others are expensive. Reliable Internet Connection To succeed in forex trading, you must have a reliable internet connection and there are no two ways about it. Furthermore, you need to check if the forex trading program is compatible with your browser. For instance, you can check if the program is easy to install on your device as well as to use it. Expect to get different programs from different forex brokers. Forex trading is both exciting and convenient, as it enables you to earn extra money from the comfort of your home. However, it is not an easy feat; you cannot expect to earn lots of money just like that. To be successful in forex trading, you should be committed to the process and take the time to understand all the things you should know before going all-in into trading. It is essential to choose the right trading platform if you are interested in making money through forex trading. You also need to know how the program you choose operates so you can achieve your goals.

JACKSON, Miss. – One of the keys to treating COVID-19 could be in the blood on those who have already recovered from the potentially deadly viral infection. The University of Mississippi Medical Center is leading a clinical trial where hospitalized patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 will receive plasma from people that have recovered. Dr. Gailen Marshall, R. Faser Triplett Sr. M.D. Chair of Allergy and Immunology at UMMC, is leading the study. During an infection, the human body makes antibodies that work to neutralize the effect of the invading bacteria or virus, he said. These antibodies stay in the person’s blood plasma after they have beat the infection. “The majority of people infected with this novel coronavirus recover fully, and these individuals will almost always possess a robust antibody response,” he said. “Our trial seeks to learn if people with severe COVID-19 could benefit from an infusion of these antibodies.” UMMC needs two kinds of research volunteers for this study: current hospitalized COVID-19 patients and people who have recovered. For the latter group, Marshall and his colleagues will screen volunteers with a documented COVID-19 diagnosis – “people who received a nasal swab test and tested positive for the virus,” he said. To screen potential plasma donors, a research nurse will draw a small blood sample in order to measure COVID-19 specific antibodies and determine if they are present at a high enough concentration. If a volunteer meets all of the study participation requirements, they will be asked to donate plasma at Mississippi Blood Services for the study. Plasma can be banked for one year, Marshall said, which is good news because there will likely be new COVID-19 infections in Mississippi for several months. UMMC’s trial is one of dozens worldwide testing the safety and efficacy of plasma in treating COVID-19. Physicians have used convalescent plasma and its antibodies for more than a century to prevent and treat infectious diseases including influenza, diphtheria and measles before vaccines were available. This technique, which passes passive immunity to the patient, can cause a positive immune response relatively quickly, Marshall said. Marshall notes that the current COVID-19 patients who receive the plasma will also continue to receive the standard of care for the disease. This includes hospitalization and, if needed, supplemental oxygen or ventilation to manage severe disease. However, there are no Food and Drug and Administration-approved treatments or vaccines for COVID-19. Clinical research is necessary to remedy this, Marshall said. “We know that COVID-19 is likely to return in some form or another,” he said. “The purpose of clinical trials like this one is to help us prepare so that we can have more knowledge, treat people more quickly, prevent severe disease and decrease the number of deaths during a future outbreak.” For more information about this clinical trial, contact Lynn Oakes at (601) 496-7837 or loakes1@umc.edu. To learn more about other COVID-19-related clinical trials at UMMC, visit https://umc.edu/clinicaltrials/.

The Secretary of State’s Office has been temporarily closed to the public to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. During this time, our team has continued to provide first-class service to all Mississippians by responding to emails, answering phone calls, and guiding customers through our online resources. After implementing safeguards and training staff on COVID-19 safety procedures, our office will reopen to the public at 8 a.m. Monday, June 15, with due consideration given to the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) coronavirus guidelines. For your safety and the safety of our staff, we kindly ask that all visitors avoid contact greetings, and maintain at least a 6-foot distance from employees and others when possible. To limit the number of people in our office, we strongly encourage visitors to make every effort to conduct SOS business online or over the phone. Our phone lines remain open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and our staff is prepared to assist customers remotely. We thank you for your consideration and appreciate your patience. For additional questions or concerns, please call (601) 359-1350 during business hours or visit our website, sos.ms.gov, for more information.

JACKSON, Miss. — As of today, the 90th day of COVID-19 cases in Mississippi, approximately seven percent of Mississippi residents have now been tested for the disease, including 100 percent of all residents and staff of the 211 nursing homes in Mississippi. Nursing homes are considered high-risk locations because their residents are older or in poor health. Even one case of COVID-19 in these facilities among residents or employees is considered an outbreak. This aggressive effort came at the urging of President Trump last month as he encouraged states to test all nursing homes as part of the country’s reopening strategy. A total of 13,911 residents and 17,324 staff members were tested for COVID-19 during a 14-week period in the last two weeks of May. The Mississippi Public Health Lab and the University of Mississippi Medical Center tested a total of 26,549 individuals. Of those, 676 were positive for COVID-19. “We have been tracking outbreaks in nursing homes since we saw our first COVID case in Mississippi on March 11,” said Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs. “That has been a very vulnerable population that has shown to be more susceptible to severe illness and death from COVID.” Dobbs said an interesting finding from the nursing home testing was that many of the positive cases in residents presented with mild symptoms, not the severe symptoms of fever or shortness of breath as originally identified as the most common symptom of COVID-19. Dobbs said completing the testing strategy was a herculean effort conducted by the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) and the Mississippi National Guard. “We’ve been very fortunate to work with some incredible partners through the overall COVID response, and this is an example of how much we can accomplish when we work together,” he said. For more information on the latest COVID-19 guidance and case updates visit the MSDH website at HealthyMS.com/covid-19.

Residents of Copiah, Lee, Winston and Warren counties and surrounding communities can be tested for COVID-19 next week as the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Mississippi State Department of Health continue efforts to stem virus transmission by setting up one-day, drive-through collection sites. One-day collection sites were previously announced for this week in Wayne, Oktibbeha, Newton, Tate, Jones, Madison, Lowndes, Leflore, Jasper, Attala, Claiborne, Clay, Clarke and Coahoma counties. Anyone can be tested who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat; or who has a known or potential exposure to someone confirmed with the virus. Mississippians who want to be tested must first complete a free screening from a UMMC clinician through an online questionnaire found at umc.edu/covidscreening. Or, they can call the UMMC Center for Telehealth at (601) 496-7200 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Anyone determined to need testing will be given an appointment date and time at the testing site most convenient. Appointment-only testing has been offered since a daily testing site was established March 24 at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson. On June 1, that testing operation moved to the West Street Farmers Market at Woodrow Wilson Avenue in Jackson.  One-day sample collections are being offered at selected sites statewide. Testing hours at the West Street Farmers Market are 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. daily except Sunday. Testing hours at one-day sites are noon-4 p.m. The newest testing sites announced testing sites for Wednesday, June 17: •             Copiah County: Multipurpose Building, 2040 W. Gallman Road, Hazlehurst •             Lee County: BancorpSouth parking lot, 375 E. Main St., Tupelo The newest testing sites for Thursday, June 18: •             Winston County: Louisville Coliseum, 245 Ivy Ave., Louisville •             Warren County: Pemberton Square Mall, 3505 Pemberton Square Boulevard, Vicksburg The previously announced testing sites for Thursday, June 11: •             Jones County: George V. Harrison Multi-Purpose Complex, 206 N. Church St., Ellisville •             Madison County: Canton Multipurpose Complex, 501 Soldiers Colony Road, Canton The previously announced testing sites for Friday, June 12: •             Lowndes County: Vibrant Church, 500 Holly Hills Road, Columbus •             Leflore County: Greenwood/Leflore County Civic Center, 200 Mississippi 7, Greenwood The newest testing sites for Saturday, June 13: •             Jasper County: Jasper County Emergency Operations Center, 37D W. 8th Ave., Bay Springs •             Attala County: Attala County Coliseum, 550 Mississippi 12, Kosciusko The previously announced testing sites for Monday, June 15: •             Claiborne County: Claiborne County Parks and Recreation, 1120 Highway 61 North, Port Gibson •             Clay County: West Point Civic Center, 130 Sixth St., West Point The previously announced testing sites for Tuesday, June 16: •             Clarke County: Clarke County Emergency Management Agency, 642 S. Archusa Ave., Quitman •             Coahoma County: Coahoma County Youth Outreach Expo Building, 1535 Wildcat Drive, Clarksdale Those who believe they need to be tested must first complete a free screening from a UMMC clinician through an online questionnaire at umc.edu/covidscreening. Or, they can call the UMMC Center for Telehealth at (601) 496-7200 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Anyone determined to need testing will receive an appointment date and time at the testing site most convenient. Hundreds of people in Mississippi communities have taken advantage of the UMMC/MSDH drive-through collection sites. Those numbers include, as of the end of the day June 9, a total 3,401 people at 91 one-day testing sites statewide, plus another 7,439 at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds and West Street Farmers Market, for a total of 10,840 tested. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi National Guard are partnering with UMMC and MSDH to coordinate mobile testing sites. During drive-through testing, health care professionals will collect specimen samples via a nose swab. Those being tested will not exit their vehicle. For more information about testing, click here.

Schools are the next safest places in our homes. As a parent or legal guardian, there is a sense of trust and expectation that your kids should be safe while they are on school grounds. However, accidents and injuries can still happen even in the most seemingly safe places - schools are no exception. The last thing we want to hear from the school is our kids being rushed to the hospital due to an injury. If that dreaded situation does happen, can you file a claim? We’ll explore the legal answers to this inquiry and other related questions as we proceed. Consult With a Personal Injury Lawyer Certain events and situations arising from the injury can prompt a parent or guardian to take legal action against the responsible party. However, there has to be an established ground for the suit, and this is where a personal injury attorney’s assistance will be helpful. When looking for a personal injury attorney, the law firm must be within your locality, as they are more familiar with the local community, and they know the best approach to handle your case. If you are a resident of the state of Kentucky or neighboring Ohio, Internet Search Results Web results Personal Injury Lawyers in Covington, KY will provide you Kash Stilz and Pete Roush as your options for local personal injury lawyers. These lawyers have more than a decade of experience and are licensed to practice law in all state courts in Ohio and Kentucky. Thus, when you find reliable credentials such as this in your search results, there is a sense of assurance that you will be consulting with lawyers who are familiar with your situation, the area where the incident took place, and the individuals that will be possibly involved in the suit. Determine Who is Ultimately Responsible for the Injury Before suing or filing a claim for the injury of your child at school, one crucial question that needs to be answered would be if the circumstances leading to the injury was intentional or due to negligence. Bullying can be considered as part of the possible intentional torts, and there is also the possibility of physical harm inflicted by an adult school employee or personnel. Negligence by the school will need a thorough investigation to establish, but this possibility cannot be discounted in school injury cases. Intentional Torts In the event of intentional torts mentioned in the examples above (bullying and adult-inflicted harm), the issue leading to the injury may very well stem from negligence, where the school and school district may have some liabilities that led to the event of the injury. In the event of bullying, the parents of the offending student may share the liability for the injury with the school depending on the circumstances of the bullying and if it can be established that the school failed to stop the bullying. In the case of the offending adult employee, the concerned employee may also share liability with the school district due to its failure in conducting thorough and proper background checks or failing to provide sufficient and appropriate training, orientation, and supervision. Negligence by the School Your lawyer can determine if the school failed to uphold the standards of education service and safety for the child and if such failure has led to the injury incurred by the child. From hereon, there can be several instances of negligence which are cited, but not limited to the ones listed below: Playground injuries - this can be due to defective equipment, poor playground maintenance, or lack of proper supervision of a teacher among others. Sports injuries - this can be caused by poorly maintained equipment, improperly implemented safety guidelines, or failure in coaching or adult supervision among other causes. Slips and falls - such incidences that happen within the school premises, and are caused by substandard school facilities, lack of safety and warning devices during maintenance and cleaning works, or improperly installed facilities among others. School bus accidents - this can be due to the lack of proper training of the driver by the school district, negligence of the driver, a poorly maintained or malfunctioning bus engine or equipment, and other causes. The next thing to consider is if the school is a public school or a private one. If your child is in a public school, it is considered part of the local government and just like any government agency, it is protected by a state-level type of sovereign immunity. This means that you must follow strict procedures if you want to pursue a lawsuit or injury claim over what happened to your child. If your child is in a private school, the procedures can vary, but you will be able to request for the insurance company’s contact details from the school administrator or principal. You can also review the school’s handbook or seek the school administrator’s cooperation on how to initiate and process your claim. Filing a claim against the educational institution that we entrusted with the education and safety of children can be the last thing we want to do. Our children are spending most of their waking hours in school and most of the weekday activities happen at school. When schools fail to uphold the standards of their services, the possibility of your child getting injured rises. Being armed with knowledge on how to handle your child’s injury at school can empower you to take proper action to keep your child safe, moving forward.

The world is changing so fast. From phones, computers, and lifestyle trends there is a lot that is uncertain and a lot to keep up with. The best thing about all of these changes is that many of them are happening in ways that are making our lives easier. It can be hard to see it at the time, but there is quite a difference between the average person's possibilities compared to just 20 to 30 years ago. One such change in the modern era that is noticeably different is travel. Again, it might be hard to see it at first, but these examples of changes are sure to make you aware of how impressive modern travel truly is now. Pet Travel The idea of traveling with a pet has come a long way from unheard of to accommodating. Early travel was cramped and frankly dangerous for your pet as they could not be in the cabin of trains or planes, which has thankfully changed. One reason for this change is the growing need for therapy or service animals, and the experts at https://therapetic.org show how valuable these animals are for people. Modern travel has made it easy to accommodate passengers who need to have their reliable friend with them and it is certainly an overlooked but important change that has occurred in modern travel. Most importantly is that pet travel is also much safer too and animals are not being forgotten in unthinkable conditions in a plane or other vehicle cargo storage, which we can all be thankful for. Borders and Security Before, you used to be able to travel relatively uninhibited in many places because it was hard to keep track of everyone passing in or out of a country. Passports and identification still existed of course but the idea of border crossings was not as heavily secure as they are today. This does not mean that having security and protection is not a good thing, it is very important, but modern travel has changed in the way that we need these protective measures. These changes ensure that people coming into our country, and us going somewhere else, are who they say they are and can be accounted for. Amenities Whether you are traveling by plane, train, bus, the amenities during travel have become very impressive. Many of these methods of transport, which has also improved, include in-flight entertainment like TV screens on the backs of seats to enjoy a movie during the flight. Some planes even have game consoles and other impressive features to keep you busy from the fatigue of travel. Food service is also improving greatly which makes a flight feel much more inviting than it used to be. Hotel and Lodging Hotels were the go-to option when staying somewhere, and for all intents and purposes they still are, but that is changing too in our modern era. While the principle of staying somewhere for a fee is still the basic concept of travel lodging, there are options like Airbnb and other rental property-like vacation properties. These have changed the game and created a more competitive market for travelers as they now have more choices instead of the typical hotel stay which used to cost hundreds of dollars. There are numerous apps or sites that offer similar services that have reduced the monopoly that hotels hold on travel accommodations. The benefit is that many travelers find these accommodations allow you to stay closer to the heart of a city or community, rather than in tourist destination areas. Smartphones Of course, it would be impossible not to mention a purely technological change that has allowed modern travel to grow in possibilities. Smartphones are one of the best changes to occur as they offer unprecedented value while away from home. They can double as a map, a dinner reservation tool, translator, GPS, compass, entertainment while bored, and information kiosk all in the palm of your hand. Smartphones have created a more understandable world because nearly any information you need is available to you right away. Travel has come a long way and it is showing how far we may still yet to go. While the changes have been amazing, we have barely touched the surface of what our technology may do to improve upon what we have now. But, for what we can do now in terms of travel, things are pretty great. These are not the only changes, and there is more happening every day, but they are likely ones you have experienced or hopefully get to experience in the near future in your travels.

PEARL, Miss. – Tropical Storm Cristobal made landfall Sunday evening just east of Grand Isle, Louisiana with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. Wind gusts exceeded 60 mph at times along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and average rainfall totals ranged from 6-8 inches in these coastal locations with locally higher amounts. At this time, Jackson, Hancock and Harrison Counties are the only counties that have submitted official damage reports to MEMA. One home was affected in Jackson County. In Harrison County, one home was affected and 10 business buildings experienced minor damage. Additionally, no injuries have been reported. These are initial reports, numbers could change throughout today and the upcoming days. MEMA continues to work directly with Local County EMA Directors to further assess the damage caused by this tropical system. Residents can self-report damage to county emergency management agencies through MEMA’s self-reporting tool. Those links for each county can be found on our website https://www.msema.org/.