SusanCox, CharlieAnn Carr, Alana Hughes, Jalynn McCallum, Kaitlyn Golman, Macy Lofton. Savannah Calcote, Anna Robinson The atmosphere at Milltown Salon & Spa  on February 12 was equal parts elegant and welcoming as guests gathered for the much-anticipated Bubbles and Beauty Party , an evening designed to celebrate self-care, style, and community connection. From the moment attendees walked through the doors, they were greeted with a festive setting where the sound of conversation and laughter filled the salon. Guests enjoyed a selection of complimentary food and sparkling refreshments, creating a relaxed environment that encouraged them to mingle, unwind, and fully experience everything the salon has to offer. One of the highlights of the evening was the opportunity to personally meet the talented team of hairdressers. Visitors were able to talk one-on-one with stylists, learn about services, discuss hair goals, and receive professional advice tailored to their individual needs. These conversations gave guests a behind-the-chair look at the creativity and expertise that define the salon’s approach to beauty and wellness. Throughout the event, attendees explored the space, discovered new treatments, and connected with others who share an appreciation for great hair, great style, and great company. The combination of beauty, bubbles, and personal interaction made the evening feel both luxurious and genuinely inviting. Events like the Bubbles and Beauty Party  reflect Milltown Salon & Spa’s commitment to more than just services—they showcase the salon as a place where relationships are built and clients feel at home. By opening its doors for a night of celebration and conversation, the salon created an experience that left guests feeling pampered, informed, and excited for their next visit. With its strong turnout and glowing response, the February 12 gathering proved to be a sparkling success and a memorable night for everyone who attended.

By Jessica Breazeale A prophetic psalm in Psalm 22:6 is often associated with the crucifixion states: “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.”   I spent most of my life thinking this prophesy of Jesus was merely imagery that gave us a visual of the trauma he would endure. I thought, “maybe this is the lowest creature the psalmist could picture”. This worm is small and looks more like a grub. Dare I say it looks tasty like a berry? HAHA!   It wasn’t until recently that I discovered “the Scarlet Worm”. It’s known in Hebrew as “Tola’at”, and this word refers to a crimson worm known as a Kermes vermilio that actually leaves a red   stain   on the wood it’s clinging to as it’s dying.   Here’s the story of a mother crimson worm. When she’s ready to lay her eggs, she finds her way toward a specific type of oak tree. She then makes the difficult ascent up the side of the tree, knowing she will never come back down. She’s come here just for this  moment…to lay the eggs and give her offspring life.   Once she reaches her destination, she secures herself against the wood; her shell turns into a hard red shelter for three days of protection for her babies. As if that weren’t enough, she provides life for three days while her babies feed on her (wow) until she’s given herself to the death to her offspring. Her body produces a crimson dye that stains the tree and the children underneath her. The babies are now crimson worms for the rest of their lives. I had read the verse hundreds of times and never knew this. It really does go to show that the more you read your bible, the more you’ll discover and want to discover!   And after three more days, her dead body changes form. Her tail pulls into her head, forming a body shaped like a heart. The red stain remains on the wood, but it turns into a white, waxy substance, then disintegrates into white flakes that fall to the ground.   Is your mind absolutely blown by now? Mine is.   Can you think of any other wood that was stained?   The doorframe during Passover had a bloodstain across it to identify them so the angel of death would pass over the home of the Israelites, showing mercy from taking the home’s firstborn son during the exodus story.   The crucifixion cross was blood-stained. This was the fulfillment of everything. The worms were part of creation in Genesis, I’m sure. Now, the cross was the redemptive part of God’s story.   I am in AWE. I can’t even move forward at the current moment. Isn’t it amazing that our God took the body of a human (like a shell of a worm), walked amongst us, and yet He is more than a physical body. The worm only gives its blood for its children. The crimson color was its purpose  and identity .   It’s easy to think the worm is the lowest of all creatures, but in this case, she was the greatest. She gave all of herself to her bloodline. When we start studying, not just reading, but studying scriptures, we see the characteristics and life cycle of the Scarlet Worm and how tremendous truth is revealed. ARCHAEOLOGISTS have uncovered a 3,800-year-old piece of fabric dyed in a vivid scarlet hue deep within Israel’s Judean Desert.   Found in the  Cave of Skulls , this small textile fragment is believed to have been colored using dye from oak scale insects, a substance thought to be the “scarlet worm” referenced in the Bible.   The U.S. Sun Juliana Cruz Lima  , Foreign News Reporter Published: 10:47, 20 Oct 2024 The discovery gives unprecedented insights into ancient textile production and its links to priestly garments described in biblical texts. The dye would identify or set them apart. This identification mattered greatly back then. Naama Sukenik, curator of the Organic Material Collection at the Israel Antiquities Authority, explained the process behind the creation of the fabric’s scarlet color. “In ancient times, the dye was produced from female scale insects, which live on kermes oak trees,” she said. “Collecting these insects was a highly specialized process, done in a short window of time — one month each summer — when the amount of dye was at its peak.” This challenging process, combined with the rarity of the dye-producing insects, made scarlet (or crimson) an impressive, valuable and celebrated color back then. The “scarlet worm” is mentioned 25 times in biblical scripture, often alongside other prized colors like blue (tekhelet) and purple (argaman), which were similarly associated with wealth and status. The worm didn’t die in vain. The worm emitted even more purpose than it did before. Now this got me thinking… -          If even these worms were made to worship, so was I. -          If even these worms have a bigger purpose, so must I. See downloadable .pdf

Wesson News         Back in 2018, Travis Beasley and John Wade started B&W Fabrications, LLC in a back building with dirt floors on Browns Well Road near the Sylvarena Road truck stop to make extra money fabricating small metal parts for transformers manufactured by Hitachi Energy at Crystal Springs.         Last year, B&W started operating in half of the 55,000 square foot Steel Outdoors manufacturing building on Highway 51 in Wesson, where Beasley and Wade now serve four major clients with seven employees as president and vice president of a growing metal fabricating company.         It’s a story of quality and dependability, Beasley says.         “When we do work for someone, we will keep going back to the job until the client is satisfied,” says Beasley.  “When someone comes to us with a problem, we respond readily with a solution.”         Customers discovered B&W, but not overnight.         “It was slow-going over our first four years,” Beasley recalls.  “We worked at other jobs and did B&W work at night and our spare time.”         Three years ago, Beasley and Wade realized they had something more than a hobby that gave them extra spending money when they had to hire their first employee.  “Our original goal was to grow employment to four workers, but the calls and inquiries continued to increase, and we currently have a seven-person workforce,” says Beasley.         Beasley says B&W’s work is wide in scope, beginning with design to address varied problems followed by fabricating metals – cutting, grinding, welding – to create a product that solves the problems.  In the early days, B&W produced small equipment to solve small problems, with bigger projects, increasingly, becoming the thrust of the company’s work.   Early products were tables, while more recently they have produced and installed roof beams for HVAC units and industrial pallet racks.  B&W continues to produce parts for Hitachi transformers and has add roofing product line for buildings that Beasley says has a “nice look” vis a vis competitive product lines.   In addition to Hitachi Energy, B&W is now serving DG Foods, Bar S and Tennessee Rack.  These companies also different locations with different problems, creating more work for B&W.  Its Hitachi work has expanded to Richland, Mississippi, from Crystal Springs, and DG Foods Louisiana facility represents new growth potential.   B&W started in 18 x 25-foot building with dirt floors on Browns Well Road, moved to 50 x 60-foot building there that was too small it relocated to the building and took over the 27,000 square feet at the Wesson location.   At Wesson, B&W has modern a machine shop where it is installing a new state-of-the-art laser cutting machine, mill and press brake.

By Misty Strieff Prine “I don’t think outside of the box; I think of what I can do WITH the box.” – Unknown I have always been the type of person that looks for ways to do the most good with what the good Lord gave me verses thinking too far outside of the box that it overcomplicates and overwhelms me, ultimately making me not want to do it. We so often sell ourselves short on what we can achieve. We may not think we have much but, rest assured, God made us uniquely us and perfectly imperfect for a reason. We have a job to do in His Kingdom! We each were created to be unique and strategically placed EXACTLY where we need to be for a reason. We all have the ability to reach different types of people simply by being and staying true to ourselves. We all are guilty of wanting to “be” like someone else at some point in our lives, but we need to realize how special we are and embrace the gifts God gives each of us individually. So don’t think too far outside the box. Look at all the good “your box” can do. God made you...YOU...for a reason! Embrace it. Run with it. LIVE it. Each of us have a purpose, a GOD GIVEN purpose at that, and with that comes unique talents and abilities that He knows only we are qualified to pass on to certain people that He has already planned to cross our paths. Remember, God already has our paths planned out. Nothing is by accident! So, embrace the life God gave you and know that He is in every second and every minute of every day with you. Embrace who you are and let God lead you in the life you’ve been given!

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB On the weekend of the biggest football game of the year, it was only natural that I saw a movie about basketball. Or rather “Roarball,” as the anthropomorphic animal characters call it – but it’s basketball. When he was just a kid (pun intended), young goat Will (Caleb McLaughlin) went to Roarball games to root for his hometown Vineland Thorns and cheer on his favorite player: panther Jett Fillmore (Gabrielle Union). Will’s mother (Jennifer Hudson) encouraged him to dream big, and he dreamed to be as big a Roarball player as Jett. Ten years later, Will is a struggling delivery boy, his mother has passed, Jett has never won the league’s championship, and the Thorns’ warthog owner (Jenifer Lewis) is too busy with mud baths to make any effort to improve the roster. Will can’t make a career for himself because he’s too obsessed with Roarball. And he can’t get ahead in Roarball because he’s too small. Actually, he’s more of a “medium” in a world that includes rodents and such, but every high-profile player is bigger than him, so he’s considered “small.” He answers an open challenge for a one-on-one game to three points laid out by visiting superstar Mane Attraction (Aaron Pierre), and the horse beats him 3-2, but everyone in Vineland is impressed that he was able to score two points Yes, his star rises because a heavily-memed video of his performance “goes viral.” Against the wishes of Jett, who wants a proper teammate for what will likely be her final season, he’s signed to the Thorns. Teammates on the Thorns include paternal pachyderm Archie (David Harbour), aging giraffe Lenny (Stephen Curry), self-doubting ostrich Olivia (Nicola Coughlin), and out-of-his-mind Komodo Dragon Modo (Nick Kroll), as well as put-upon monkey coach Dennis (Patton Oswalt). It’s not hard to see why the team is in last place, with all the neuroses in play, compounded by Jett’s constant frustration. At this rate the team will be out of contention before Will can even come off the bench. Despite a rocky start, Will soon proves himself useful, able to slip between large, lumbering players and make long-shots from far-off places on the court. Aside from his playing, his optimism is infectious, both with the fans, who drive up ticket sales, and his teammates, who start playing better with his inspiration. Even sour (literal) puss Jett has some of her best days in years around him. Then there’s an ugly chapter where business gets in the way and egos affect morale (every sports movie has one) and the team basically breaks up, but of course everybody rallies and puts in their best efforts for the big final game against Mane Attraction’s team. So the story isn’t going to redefine any (figurative, this time) playbooks. So the humor can be obnoxious at times with all the self-aggrandizing characters. So it’s obvious that the movie was written around the lazy premise of an athlete wanting to be the Greatest Of All Time… and he’s an actual goat. The movie is still a delight at a time when delightful movies are in short supply. Its biggest strength is its rapid-fire gag delivery, even if a joke misses, you can be as sure as there’s at least one played out screaming goat gag in this movie that there’s another one right around the corner. “GOAT” isn’t what I would call a “great” animated offering, but it’s not ba-a-a-a-a-ad. Apologies. Grade: B- “GOAT” is rated PG for some rude humor and brief mild language. Its running time is 100 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu .

Special to Wesson News   Following one of its best seasons in history with a 34-25 record and a 13-9 loss in its Region 23 pod championship game to the East Central Warriors, the Co-Lin baseball Wolves have high expectations under a new coach for the 2026 season that started this month.   "I have the best group of guys to start this job, especially with a lot of them returning,” says Kyle Flessner, who moved up to head coach from assistant coach.  "Our guys have to keep the same chip on their shoulder that they had last season.  Last year we had a lot of young guys who wanted to go out and prove to people that they belonged.  Now they have to go out with the understanding that no one is going to hand us wins because of what we did last year.  As far as possibilities with this team, I think it is very possible for us to go further than we did last season if we bring the same attitude and energy for every game." The roster features 32 players for the Wolves with 18 players that have experience under their belt from last season (17 sophomores including 14 returners and one transfer along with three redshirt freshmen) along with 15 incoming freshmen. The 14 returners include  Trey Davidson ,  Caleb Brooks , and  Nash Sturdivant  from Brandon via Northwest Rankin and the one transfer sophomore, a former teammate of that trio,  Bryson Jones , who played last season at Jones. Other returners include  Avery Griffin  (Brookhaven),  Evan Holifield  (Stringer),  Bradley Hanlon  (Monroe, LA),  Brady White  (Ethel),  Cameron Patterson  (Central, LA),  Caleb Flynn  (Laurel),  Jennings Kimbrell  (Flowood),  Donovan Moore  (Roxie),  Cohen Weinhofer  (Ocean Springs),  Tanner Blackwell  (Flora), and  Jacob Buffalo  (Foxworth) while the three redshirt freshmen are  Brayden Cooley  (Flora),  Parker Ishee  (Ridgeland), and  Wes White  (Flowood). The 14 freshmen for the Wolves include  Hayes Hebert  (Lafayette, LA),  Jacob Chancelor  (Brandon),  John Mark Grissom  (Pearl),  Kade Walker  (Magee),  Bryson Bey  (Ellisville),  Lucian Walker  (Starkville),  Bryan Travis  (Gulfport),  MT Breland  (Columbia),  Matthew Combs  (Hurley)  Cam Murphy  (Brandon),  Akavion Griffith  (Magee),  Ty Blakeney  (Taylorsville),  Drake Frasier  (Waynesboro), and  Kagen Semmes  (Crowley, LA). One group that will standout for the Wolves this season is the pitching staff which features four arms that accounted for 23 of the 34 wins last season in  Jennings Kimbrell , who tied for the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) regular season lead in wins;  Cohen Weinhofer ,  Cameron Patterson  and  Tanner Blackwell  along with  Parker Ishee  and  Wes White , who had five combined wins before missing all of MACCC play last season due to an injury, and  Nash Sturdivant  who had nine saves. "When I was the pitching coach at East Central we had some really great staffs there and I think my experiences with that will be beneficial to us in this situation," says Flessner. "I think having this many guys is a great problem to have because it allows us to keep our guys fresher throughout the season and in postseason play.” One area of the game that the Wolves will have to answer some questions about is in the outfield losing two out of three players from last year's team, but Flessner likes what he has seen out of that group. " Donovan Moore  has been the most effective hitting outfielder we have,” says Flessner.  " Caleb Brooks  is a player that you can tell just has a year of experience under his belt after what was an already successful freshman season, while  Bryson Jones  is someone that I think will thrive in the outfield for us.” Flessner says the ultimate goal for the season is to get to the national tournament. "I've told our guys that there's one trophy at the end of the year that everybody wants, and if you're not trying for that, then you're never going to get there, “ he says.  “I told them to focus on being able to control what we can.  If I can look at our guys at the end of the season and tell them we did everything we could and there's not anything we could've done differently, then that will be successful to me. The result will take care of itself if we handle all those little things."

Volunteers gather for a, outside group photo on the state capitol steps On World Cancer Day, Mississippi ACS CAN ( American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network) turned advocacy into action. During Cancer Action Day on February 4, advocates gathered with state leaders for a breakfast and press conference to emphasize the importance of expanding access to biomarker testing. This testing helps ensure patients receive the right treatment at the right time, and policy plays a vital role in making that access possible. ACS CAN volunteers meet with legislators at the state capitol and pictured are Joyce Foreman of Georgetown; Marlene Dickson of Georgetown; Rep. Becky Currie of Brookhaven; Kim Whittington of Wesson; Jimmy Dickson of Georgetown inside group photo

The Brookhaven Animal Rescue League (BARL) invites the community to take part in two upcoming events that celebrate compassion, connection, and support for animals in need.   On Saturday, February 14, BARL will bring adoptable dogs and cats to Petsense for the store’s Valentine Adoption Paw-ty. The event offers a fun opportunity for potential adopters to meet loving pets looking for forever homes. Activities and details for the Paw-ty can be found on Petsense Brookhaven’s social media platforms.   Later this spring, BARL will host one of its signature fundraising events, Canines, Cats & Corks, on Saturday, April 11, at the Brookhaven (FEMA) Building. The evening will feature a variety of wines and spirits, with more than 50 labels ready for tasting. Mocktails and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available.   Brookhaven musician and BARL’s favorite piano man, Blake Scafidel, will provide live music at the event. Heavy hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and prizes will round out the evening. Proceeds from the event support BARL’s ongoing rescue, medical care, and adoption efforts.   “These events reflect the heart of our community,” said Rusty Adcock with BARL. “Whether someone meets their new best friend at Petsense or supports our work through Canines, Cats & Corks, every act of involvement helps us continue caring for animals who rely on BARL and the generosity of our neighbors.”   Tickets for Canines, Cats & Corks are available online at  barl.net/events , from a BARL volunteer, or at Bank of Franklin in Brookhaven. Main tickets are offered, with an option to upgrade to a Luxury Pass for an enhanced tasting experience.   BARL encourages the community to attend, participate, and support these events as part of a shared effort to improve the lives of homeless dogs and cats.   “BARL is here for our community, serving Lincoln, Franklin and Copiah counties. We took in over 1,200 animals last year. We provided food, shelter, veterinary care, or whatever was needed to keep them healthy and comfortable until they were adopted.   In addition, another 740 animals in this area were spayed/neutered due to our discount spay/neuter programs. We also organized rabies vaccination and microchip clinics to provide owners with an avenue to receive discounted services. Due to these clinics, 160 animals were vaccinated against rabies, and 130 animals were microchipped.   Adoption fees do not cover the cost of the animals’ care. BARL does not receive government funding. Without the support of our sponsors, donors and a core group of volunteers doing exhaustive work, BARL would not exist,” said Adcock.   Businesses and individuals looking to support BARL through sponsorships or auction items should contact volunteers Gail Garbo at 601-757-3211 or Julie Montalvo at 601-757-1057. BARL may also be contacted through email at info@barl.net .   BARL's mission is to humanely care for shelter animals while contributing to community activities that reduce pet overpopulation, encourage responsible pet ownership, protect public health and safety, and promote the human-animal bond. BARL is a volunteer-based, 501 c3 charitable animal welfare organization serving Copiah, Franklin and Lincoln counties. BARL provides shelter, food and essential veterinary care to homeless animals while they await adoption. All BARL animals are vaccinated, spayed or neutered and microchipped.  For more information about adopting, donating, or volunteering, contact BARL at 601-757-4367 or info@barl.net .  Donations are tax-deductible and may be mailed to BARL, P.O. Box 3477, Brookhaven, MS  39603. BARL features adoptable animals at www.barl.net and on its Facebook page.

By: Jessica Breazeale The deepest hole on our planet is known as the Kola Borehole in Russia near the Norway border. It was a man-made Soviet drilling experiment to learn drilling depth limits. The Kola Borehole reaches 7.5 miles into the earth. In 1970, Oklahoma held the record for the world’s deepest hole, but the Kola Borehole broke that record in 1979.   It’s fascinating to read on this topic and learn more.   But why did drilling stop? Drilling in this particular spot stopped around 1995 due to lack of funding and because the depths of Earth were much hotter than anticipated causing the drilling equipment to melt.   I get lost in wonder on the…WHY? Why does the Earth get so hot that we can’t explore it?   Could it be God designed it to get too hot so mankind doesn’t ruin the world? Would we be dumb enough to drill a hole all the way to the other side and break our planet? I’m sure we’d justify how drilling to the other side was more a brilliant idea making things more accessible, quicker, good for business, wise to explore, and on and on with the plausible explanations but ultimately the demise of our beautiful planet. I’m sure we’d break  the planet. I’m not going to claim to a geo-physicist, but I think the point I’m trying to make is that we are in desperate need of a God to save us from ourselves. We don’t know all the details to make life-altering decisions. We humans make haphazard quick decisions and rarely see or understand the ripple effect of those.   But GOD…   God saves us from ourselves. He knows all the details, the big and small ones. He put it all into motion and can take it all out of motion.   Could it be that God’s design is meant to keep us from completely destroying what was intended for good?   This visual helps us look within. Personally, when I think about the Kola Borehole, I think about a place too deep, I can’t even get there. I think of God’s grace saving me from depths I dare not visit. In the wise words of the late Brad Arnold of hit band 3 Doors Down, who wrote in his lyrics of “Away From The Sun”:   “Cause now again I've found myself so far down Away from the sun that shines into the darkest place I'm so far down Away from the sun that shines to light the way for me To find my way back into the arms That care about the ones like me I'm so far down, away from the sun again”   For those of you who didn’t listen to 3 Doors Down, they are a platinum-record, multi-grammy-nominated band from Mississippi. Arnold, the band’s lead singer, recently died at 47 after a battle with cancer. He grew up in a Christian home and in the church in Mississippi.   During fame, he wrote “Away From the Sun” from a place of depression and isolation. In the end, he went with peace. See his final video here: 3 Doors Down – Official Website   Can we consider that God made some things too hot  for us so we couldn’t get too far gone to burn ourselves? Digging deep requires a lot. DEEP DIGGING requires time and patience, true and earnest research, discovering truths and not discovering the mysteries…and being okay with that, having faith that the exploration is worth it, the data obtained was necessary, the hard work paid off, and the time spent was priceless.   Arnold didn’t stay in a place of depression and isolation. Metaphorically speaking, was he able to get further than the 7.5 miles and push through the “too hot”. He must have. He spent his final opportunities sharing his faith in God with anyone who would listen.   God is a master architect. As we have deep thoughts today talking about the Kola Borehole and 3 Doors Down, let’s ask ourselves if the depths of our hearts are impenetrable? Maybe we don’t want to let anyone in, get too close, or explore our hearts? We don’t want to get burned so we don’t even bother with the experiment.   If Earth’s orbit moved closer to the sun, we'd all burn. If it moved farther  away from the sun (as Arnold’s song suggests), we'd all freeze. Luckily, we are in a perfect spot. Coincidence? I think not.   Does God want us to stay just far away enough from the heat, so we don’t get burned – emotionally and physically? Maybe he wants to leave just a small enough room in our hearts for wonder and awe that will point us back to Him where we can depend on Him as a dad. What do you think?   Just some deep thoughts to get lost in while rocking out to 3 Doors Down music… See downloadable .pdf

KC Family Pharmacy is merging with Clint’s Pharmacy. Clint’s Pharmacy Owner, Clint Bane, has decided to retire after an outstanding 43-year career as a local pharmacist and pharmacy owner. Clint’s Pharmacy of Brookhaven has served the community for 15 years. Before that, Clint spent his early career at Bane Drugs, his local family pharmacy for 28 years, also located in Brookhaven. Clint’s dad, Clinton Bane, Jr., otherwise lovingly known locally as CE, opened Bane Drugs in 1954. “I learned from my dad many years ago, to always put your patients/customers first, and you will succeed. Thank you, my Brookhaven family, for your business. Come see us at KC Family Pharmacy. We will make your transition easy as pie,” said Clint Bane. KC Family Pharmacy owners are Wesson natives, Carlos and Abby Garcia, along with Alex and Dana Shoemake. Together, they serve communities in Brookhaven (the Shoemakes) and Hazlehurst (the Garcias) with their two pharmacy locations. Both families are happy to share this big news with their patients/customers and the community they dearly love. “All of us at KC Family Pharmacy are grateful and excited to serve the patients of Clint’s Pharmacy. We look forward to welcoming them and providing them with convenient, friendly service,” said Dana Shoemake, pharmacist and one of the KC owners. As part of his retirement, Clint’s Pharmacy will officially merge with KC Family Pharmacy on February 11. This merger allows patients to continue receiving friendly, personal care while honoring Clint Bane’s long and dedicated career. As part of the merger, KC Family Pharmacy is welcoming a new pharmacist to their team. Madisyn Bane, who previously served patients at Clint’s Pharmacy, will now be working with KC Family Pharmacy. This helps ensure a smooth transition and familiar faces for customers. (Pictured: Pharmacist Madisyn Bane and father-in-law, Clint) “I’m honored to come back to work with the mentor who inspired me to become a pharmacist, while also continuing the legacy my father-in-law created as he retires,” said Madisyn Bane. Madisyn is referring to Dana Shoemake, KC Owner. Shoemake was her manager while interning at Wal-Mart. Shoemake spent almost 18 years at Wal-Mart Brookhaven Pharmacy. Shoemake spent her first two years at Walmart as an intern while in pharmacy school and her last ten as manager. “The patients and customers there are what inspired me to set out on my own to become an entrepreneur, opening my own pharmacy,” said Shoemake. Pictured: Johnna Foster, technician Her pharmacy feels very personalized with cute, affordable gifts and snacks and toys. Complimentary gift wrapping is even available. It’s not standard gifts they’re offering inside. Most everything for sale is Mississippi-made products like Scotsman serving platters and cutting boards and Scent Library candles, brands created by Ben and Erin Napier of HGTV’s hit show “Hometown”. “It feels like home to me here,” said Shoemake. “We’re locals, we love our community, and I hope it shows.” It certainly does. The kids enjoy Dip N Dots ice cream. Parents appreciate the convenient drive-through window. The community loves having an urgent/primary care next door. Pictured: Dana Shoemake Patients of both pharmacies do not need to take any action. KC Family Pharmacy and Clint’s Pharmacy are handling all prescription transfers. This includes insurance information, refills, and records. Customers do not need to call or fill out any paperwork. All prescriptions will be transferred automatically, and refills will be ready as usual. One service that patients counted on and loved was Clint’s delivery service, and that won’t change in this merger. KC Family Pharmacy will also be providing delivery within the Brookhaven city limits. KC Family Pharmacy is located next to the old Perkins Hardware, which is 543 Brookway Boulevard, Brookhaven, MS 39601. To celebrate a smooth merger transition, all are invited to KC Family Pharmacy on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Refreshments and giveaways will take place all day to celebrate Clint’s retirement and the future of KC Family Pharmacy. Call KC Family Pharmacy’s Brookhaven location at 601-515-9684. The pharmacy can be found on Facebook, Google, or online at www.kcfamilyrx.com . KC Family Pharmacy looks forward to continuing to serve the community with quality service, compassionate care, delivery services, and an incredible gift shop with complimentary gift wrapping. Pictured L to R: Pharmacists Madisyn Bane, Dana Shoemake, Abby Garcia

By  Misty Strieff Prine How many times do we pray and pray for something and then, in God's time, we receive the answer that we've been praying for...but then something happens. We find ourselves not praying like we once did because we longed so much for that which He answered that we lost sight of the fact that prayer is something that we are supposed to do every day, not just when we need something or when our heart desires something. We must remember that prayer is a privilege not a crutch. When God answers our prayers, whether we have prayed for an answer for one hour or one year, we need to allow that answered prayer to draw us closer to God daily, not just on a convenience basis. God hears every single prayer that is lifted to Him. Not one single prayer is said in vain. Neither should the power of prayer and the consistency and urge to pray be thought of in vain either. We need to pray daily. We also need to pray to God to simply tell Him thank you for our blessings even when they are sometimes hard to see at the time. We need to pray harder when it is the hardest to pray as well. In those moments, when we humble ourselves and pray from a place of deep pain and trouble, is when we will experience God on a level never before experienced. God's word tells us in 1 Peter 5:6-7, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you." May we never ever EVER take the privilege of prayer for granted. That is our 24/7 support line to the One who thought we were worth dying for. He's a friend that will never leave us and will meet us right where we are, no questions asked. Prayer works. Pray often. It's life's best medicine. **For daily devotionals, you can follow me on Facebook at The Upward Way or on Instagram at the_upward_way.

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB Did you know that getting stranded on a deserted island has a way of shaking up social hierarchies? I suppose that was a big part of the plot for recent Best Picture Oscar nominee “Triangle of Sadness.” As well as the literary classic “Lord of the Flies.” And it’s represented on television in everything from “Survivor” to “Lost” to “Gilligan’s Island.” And it was at the center of a play I did in high school called “The Admirable Crichton,” where I played a rich snob who gets taken down several pegs. Director Sam Raimi is hoping you’ve somehow avoided all of these precursors, plus others I’m sure I’m forgetting, because only then can you find originality in “Send Help.” Rachel McAdams stars as Linda Liddle, a doormat of an employee in the strategy and planning department of a financial consulting firm. She does great work, but she doesn’t have the best social skills, and her bro-y male colleagues take her work for granted while overlooking her as a person. This is especially true of her boss Bradley (Dylan O’Brien), who gives a college buddy a promotion over her and is ready to boot her from the office over the smell of her tuna-fish sandwich. But he needs her numbers skills for a conference in Bangkok, so he reluctantly lets her tag along on his private plane. Wouldn’t you know it, the plane goes down and only Linda and an injured Bradley make it to a nearby island. Linda is an adept survivalist, having read many books on the subject. She’s able to build a makeshift shelter, get a fire going, and round up some food and water for the passed-out Bradley, all before he even wakes up. When he does come around, he’s grateful for about ten seconds before chiding Linda for not making more of an effort to get the two of them rescued. She walks off, leaving him to the elements. He soon learns that he can’t survive on his own and has to sheepishly ask her to go back to caring for him. This establishes a pattern that continues for the rest of the movie: he’ll think that the power he wields in the office also applies to the island, and she keeps easily proving him wrong. Eventually she becomes the powerful one, and she insists she’s a better boss than he ever was, but… is she? Or is she destined to become the tyrant that Bradley was on the mainland? Could she even become something worse? It’s hard to imagine Bradley, even at his most piggish, making some of the decisions Linda makes. Speaking of piggishness, Raimi hopes that audiences are too distracted by select scenes of visual spectacle to notice that there’s nothing original about the story. One is a battle between Linda and a supposedly-scary CGI boar. Others include the plane crash, a dream sequence, a physical altercation, and a high-tension confrontation involving a poisonous octopus and a dead rat. I’d chide Raimi for relying too much on his old crutches of extreme violence and body horror, but it’s not like he was doing better with the non-gruesome elements of the movie. Basically, I spent the entirety of “Send Help” doing that “move it along” gesture with my hand because the story was so routine. Bradley was never going to learn his lesson, Linda was only going to get worse, and rescue wouldn’t come until much more blood (and possibly other innards) had been spilled. The film isn’t devoid of properly-built suspense, but it’s nothing that hasn’t been seen in other, better cat-and-mouse horror movies (“Misery,” from the late Rob Reiner, came to mind). Sometimes people like to debate which movies they wish they could have with them on a deserted island. I wouldn’t want “Send Help” even if I didn’t have to waste a pick on it. Grade: C- “Send Help” is rated R for strong/bloody violence and language. Its running time is 113 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at  rrg251@nyu.edu .