By Bob Arnold When you're growing up in a small town, there's not always a lot to do. But "there's always another back road to ride in Wesson," says Haleigh Chinn in reflecting on growing up here. Chinn, a single mother, left for the Jackson area briefly, but came back to Wesson with her one-year old son, Hatcher Atticus (named after Atticus Finch, the attorney in To Kill a Mockingbird), to go down those roads, as she has done to equip her for life. "You ride them, get lost with seemingly no way to get help and find your way back home," she says. Over 23 years in Wesson since her family settled here in 1996, Chinn's back roads have encompassed elementary and high school at Wesson Attendance Center (WAC), earning a degree in psychology at Co-Lin, play and social life and the joys and sorrows of living. She recalls testing the limits as she grew up, flirting with trouble with friends, driving a car in high school that "could tell you some good stories" about that time in her life. She remembers riding four-wheelers up and down Highway 51 past the police station, riding horses down Sylvarena Road, team penning and, "perhaps most enjoyably," playing in the creek near school. In the springs and summers, Chinn played ball in the tradition of many Wesson young people on the Hiram C. Newman Memorial Fields on Grove Street, starting as a toddler in tee ball and moving onto softball, competing on local all star teams throughout Mississippi, before playing softball at WAC. "Going to Co-Lin was a blast," she says. "It really is 'the place to be' for a lot more than just studying." There were some difficult roads during Chinn's high school years. "Over one three-month period, my friends and I had to cope with six deaths of classmates in car wrecks, four-wheeler accidents and a suicide," she says. "Those were uncharted waters. We had experienced deaths of older relatives and friends of the family, but not peers. The experiences brought us closer together as we found solace without judgment with each other in navigating them. No one wanted to be alone." Going down those roads successfully was somehow more possible in Wesson. Chinn recalls her parents and those of her friends opening their homes anytime day or night so their sons and daughters could find the comfort and support they needed. "Wesson is close-knit, stable and safe," Chinn observes. "Little has changed here over the years. A couple of new stores. You can buy beer and lottery tickets today. But that's about it. For years, people here are the same and do the same things. For years, you could depend on Kenny Furr meeting over coffee with his friends in front of his service station on Highway 51. Bill McGuire and Philip Knight were the high school biology and math teachers year in and year out. I've settled with my son in Wesson to give him the support he can only get here -- an aunt, uncle, grandmother and community." Chinn has largely worked out of town -- currently as a waitress/bartender at Magnolia Blues Barbeque in Brookhaven after stops at a tattoo parlor and bar in McComb, and Piggly-Wiggly and Georgia Blues in Brookhaven, but she always returns to Wesson at the end of the day, where another back road awaits! What are your hobbies? I am a reader. I enjoy being with my kid -- my favorite person and best friend. I like to cook. Believe it or not, I also enjoy grocery shopping. Walmart, Sullivan's, anywhere. I love animals. I have a dog and two cats. I have had a bull, pigs and a brought a deer home -- we called him Lucky Buck -- after hitting him with a car. He stayed with us several months before running off back into the woods. Laundry, however, is not a friend of mine. What do you read? Everything. I am currently reading Game of Thrones. Do you enjoy movies or theater? I am a Tim Burton fan -- his dark, gothic, and eccentric horror and fantasy films and blockbusters. I also watch Law and Order SVU on television and, recently, have been following Net Flex's Don't F with Cats. How about music? I am into 90s country and alternative music. Not rap. I like George Strait and the rock bands Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots. I also enjoy the local music scene -- Betsy Berryhill, Sullivan's Hollow, Cody Dunaway. There's so much talent in the area. How would you spend your lottery winnings if you were so lucky. I would buy all the books on my reading list -- really far too man y to read -- and build a personal library with a coffee corner. Of course, I would share my wealth with family as well. How would you change the world? The world needs more peace. I am not sure how I would bring that about.

JACKSON, Miss. – The University of Mississippi Medical Center is calling on the community to help protect its employees after the Mississippi Department of Health directed all health care professionals in the state to wear a mask while at work. The policy is aligned with the Center for Disease Control’s current recommendations regarding the use of cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Home-sewn masks will also make it possible to save precious personal protective equipment, or PPE, for employees working in direct-patient care areas. PPE is in limited supply at the Medical Center and around the country as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which by Saturday had killed 6,593 Americans and sickened over 277,000. Dr. Laura Vick, associate professor of general surgery at UMMC and longtime seamstress, has been ahead of the curve. She has been living by the motto of “preparing, not panicking” during these uncertain times. So, several weeks ago, when colleague and nurse practitioner Katie Smith told Vick how her mother, a seamstress, desperately wanted to make something to help protect health care professionals and patients, she had an idea. Vick returned home that night to her dining-room-turned-sewing-room, which is packed with fabrics and several sewing machines, and got to work. The next morning, she brought three different prototypes of surgical masks, which Dr. Matthew Kutcher, assistant professor of surgery, tried out. Vick’s goal: produce additional masks and equipment for use by health care professionals in low-risk settings, and free up precious PPE for employees taking care patients. “What we’re trying to do is prepare, not panic,” Vick said in the Facebook video she posted demonstrating how to make the masks. The video had been viewed over 90,000 times with 1,100 shares by Sunday morning, and the Medical Center has received generous donations of masks and other equipment in the past weeks. Individuals and businesses also donated other PPE, meals for health care workers, monetary donations and tablets and smart phones for telehealth appointments. “We are so grateful to our community for stepping up and supporting us during this time,” said Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the school of medicine. “What we are doing in response to this outbreak in Mississippi would not be possible without the help of the people of this state.” In the video, Vick details how to make the mask she and Kutcher decided was the most universal and useful. The masks are cotton on the front and flannel on the back, and each person who wants to participate is asked to make five as a starting point. And back at UMMC, she delivered the first eight masks she made to several on-call surgical trauma residents for use in caring for trauma patients. Vick has kept up her momentum on Facebook, posting videos about how to make surgical caps, which are also in demand. Word reached groups like the Susannah Stitchers, a group of around 20 women that meets weekly at Chris United Methodist Church in Jackson. They have been sewing items for the Medical Center for 20 years, making everything from 200 prayer quilts for transplant patients to burial gowns, blankets and bonnets for babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit who passed away. McDonald said she and her group members were “hungry to do something.” “We want to help but feel like we can’t. We’re stranded, we can’t get out, so it just means so much to us to be able to do something,” she said. Others who want to make and donate masks can drop them off in the secure bin at the overhang outside of the Nelson C. Norman Student Union on the Jackson campus. They may also be mailed to the UMMC Office of Development, 2500 N. State St., Jackson, MS. Click here for more information about ways to help UMMC in the fight against COVID-19. For more information about COVID-19 in Mississippi, click here.

A Wesson student at the University Iowa (UI) won a cash prize in the college's IdeaStorm competition. Katherine Westbrook was one of 24 students who received cash prizes after successfully sharing their ideas in two minute or less in four uniquely-focused competitions last at various locations on the UI campus. Westbrook, who studies English and Creative Writing at UI, received the third place $300 award for her presentation in the Consumer Solutions IdeaStorms competition on a virtual reality basic weld training simulator that teaches the trade without the safety hazards and cost. Other students received awards in Health Initiatives, Creative Concepts and Common Good Idea Storm categories IdeaStorms are entry level pitch competitions coordinated by the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center across the University of Iowa's campus that encourage students to share their innovative ideas with others, all while familiarizing themselves with the pitching process. They encourage UI students to share their new, never heard before ideas without the requirements of a business plan or proposal, and provide a collaborative environment where students can get feedback and resources on how to make their ideas into a reality. Ninety-one students representing a varied of subject majors and areas of study shared their business ideas in two minutes or less with a panel of judges and an audience. In addition to cash award winner selected by judges, students who attended IdeaStorms sessions chose People's Choice award winners. The University of Iowa is one of the nation's premier public research universities, and is known worldwide for leadership in the arts, sciences, and humanities. It is the home of the first and best creative writing program in the world, a world-class academic medical center -- one of America's top teaching hospitals and a can-do culture that fosters a campus-wide dedication to student success.

By Guest Columnist Dr. Stephanie Duguid "Eat Right: Bite by Bite." The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' (AND) has adopted that as its theme during National Nutrition Month. "There is no one food, drink, pill, or machine that is the key to achieving optimal health,” AND says. In your overall daily routine, consume fewer calories, make informed food choices and exercise daily. Make life-long commitments, not a limited changes. Start by: Drinking water as much as possible. The optimal intake should be half your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 200 pounds, your daily water intake goal should be 100 ounces. That may sound like a lot, but the key is to start somewhere. If you do not consume any water, begin with one bottle this week, and work your way up to two next week. Getting a full range of nutrients. Eat fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors throughout the week. Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other natural substances that boost your health. When you plan a meal, try to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, plenty of dark green, orange, and red vegetables. Microwave them in a small amount of water, steam them or stir-fry them to retain the most nutrients. Avoid boiling or frying. Making sensible snacks part of your healthy eating plan. Eating properly between meals can be your biggest challenge. Snacks can be fun and are essential to a healthy eating plan, but they can add unneeded calories, sugar, sodium, and fat if you are not careful. If you plan ahead, however, sensible shacks can prevent overeating at meal times and throughout the day. They are a way to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, and low-fat dairy. In fact, they can supplement meals. When children are active and are still growing, they need to eat more often to get the calories they need. For adults, healthy snacks can provide an energy boost and satisfy your mid-day hunger, and for some, help bring blood sugar levels to the appropriate level for optimal energy. Here are some “Eat Right: Bite by Bite” tips: Plan to make fresh fruit, air-popped popcorn, whole-wheat crackers, dried fruit and nut mixes, or fat-free yogurt as snacks Find nutrient-rich snacks that make snack calories count. Go easy on high calorie snacks. like chips, candy and soft drinks. Snack when you are hungry, not because you are bored, stressed, or frustrated. Snack on sensible portions-focus on single serve containers Quench your thirst first before reaching for a snack. You often feel hungry when your body is dehydrated and thirsty. For more information and suggestions about eating healthy, visit http://www.eatright.org. 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.

Wesson wagon train wins top parade awards. Among wagon trains in the Dixie National Rodeo Parade in Jackson, which famously march at the end of the procession, Wesson Ride won the first place award. Wesson Ride also received the Parade Commissioner's Award presented to the best overall participating parade group. Judges chosen by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce determine the best participating groups for marching, motorized, floats and riding as well as wagon trains. “The Dixie National Rodeo Parade is a fun-filled family event that the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce looks forward to bringing to the public each year,” said Commissioner Gipson. “This would not be possible without the participation of groups from all over the state. I want to thank all those that made it a success and congratulate all of our winners.” Flu activity climbs. The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), although monitoring for possible COVID-19 cases in the state, remains relatively unconcerned about an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by the new strain of the coronavirus. On the other hand, it is seeing high flu activity in the state with widespread transmission, and recommends flu vaccination for anyone ages 6 months and older. Pediatric flu shots are available at all MSDH county clinics. Flu and COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle and body aches, and fatigue. While vaccination is the best flu protection , basic infection control measures are largely the same for both the flu and coronavirus: covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing, staying at home when you or your children are sick and washing your hands frequently. Visit the MSDH website at www.HealthyMS.com/flu for information. App keeps you safe. MS Ready, a Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH)’s emergency preparedness mobile app, provides public health and safety information throughout Mississippi during emergencies and a full library of disaster preparedness tips based on Hurricane Katrina experiences fifteen years ago. It features breaking news and alerts on emergencies, agency closures, severe weather warnings, precautions to take in a disaster, disease outbreak, or other emergency; step-by-step preparations for floods, severe weather, natural disasters (hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes), nuclear incidents and chemical and biological threats; MSDH phone numbers, including an emergency hotline, a checklist of items to have on hand in emergencies and an informational section on disease outbreaks. To find the app, search your app store for MS Ready or visit www.HealthyMS.com/apps. Business scam. The Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office (MSOS) and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office is warning the business community of deceptive letters requesting a $90.50 fee to order certain business documents from the Secretary of State’s Office. Misleading solicitations may require a fee, cite specific Mississippi statutes, contain a due date for a response, appear similar to a government form, contain a "Customer ID Number" that does not match the state or federal numbers that have been given to a company or the actual ID number and company's date of formation and a warning to make sure that the form's instructions on completing it are followed exactly. Businesses can order a certificate of good standing in the state of Mississippi online at www.sos.ms.gov for $25. Call the Secretary of State’s Business Services Division at 601-359-1633 or 800-256-3494 for information, or go to the Business Services tab -- sos.ms.gov -- on the MSOS web site. Parchman unit closed. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves says prisoners are being transferred out of Parchman Unit 29, fulfilling his State of the State promise to close the troubled unit. Some 375 inmates were moved out during an earlier surge of violence, and the remaining prisoners are being transferred and temporarily housed at the nearby Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility. They are being transferred through reclassification and exchanges for lower-security inmates. MSU/Co-Lin agreement. Mississippi State University (MSU) and Co-Lin have signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize partnership programs for students enrolled in technical education programs. The agreement details classroom and/or online courses that must be completed at each institution to fulfill degree requirements MSU’s Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) program, which was launched last summer. For more information on the Bachelor of Applied Science program, visit https://www.msstate.edu/students/bachelor-of-applied-science.