Send responses to:  andybowman839@gmail.com         You remember hearing and seeing the popular phrase, WWJD? ‘What Would Jesus Do.’ If you do, very likely you also remember often seeing the mocking curl of the lip of someone in the vicinity. That sentence  showed up everywhere and soon became trite and overused. And almost guaranteed to irritate anyone nearby. I can even remember hearing certain people as they would laugh and say, “WWJD….oh, yeah sure, me too. And I can give you a few ideas for your WWJD. But you probably ain’t gonna appreciate ‘em.” Because show up it certainly did…everywhere. Remember the wrist bands?? The t-shirts, license plates, coffee cups, plaques, business cards, and pictures that carried that phrase, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? Talk  about overkill, and running a good thing straight into the ground. But honestly, was it the phrase that grated on the nerves, or the mouths that spouted it at the drop of a hat? Was it what the sentence stood for, or the hypocrisy it exposed, as people let it drip religiously out of their  mouth – while at the same time their actions did exactly the opposite? Being open and quite honest with you, I have to admit that WWJD wore mighty thin, mighty quickly for me too. Sure, I attempted to not let my feelings show with a mocking curl of my lip, but, I confess, inside it was there. Why? Overkill, from hearing it way too often? Hypocrisy of the speaker? My own feelings of sudden guilt when confronted by such an ‘in your face” reminder of the One who is always hearing and watching me fall flat  on my face too many times? Maybe. Or it could easily have been all of the above. It is mighty difficult to hear “WWJD!!!” fall blithely from the lips of someone who has deliberately, or even unwittingly, cut someone to the quick, and then just five minutes later hear them sweetly use that same phrase  again as they try to encourage their friend. Hear me well. It was not the actual phrase, or the wording of the phrase, or the good intentions behind the creating of that phrase that was so irritating. WWJD is certainly representative of living a life that never hurts anyone or takes advantage of a situation. The meaning of WWJD is wonderful and worthy of attempting to emulate. The problem lies with the fact that most didn’t. Most of the time we just delivered lip service to it as we smiled sweetly, and actually delivered WWTWD. And if you don’t recognize the ‘TW’ substitution, simply turn on  your local news and see it in living color. The World… and folks, it’s not very pretty. And it’s certainly not sweet and loving. Not worth imitating at all. But yet we do. And predictably as the result, we now have what we have. A world that is deeply in turmoil. Anger, hate, revenge rule….AHRR, I guess.

By: Jessica Breazeale Somewhere between Hawaii and the Philippines near the small island of Guam, far below the surface of the water, sits the Mariana Trench, the deepest spot in the ocean. It’s 7 miles deep. What’s down there?  The Trench sits like a crescent-shaped dent in the floor of the Pacific Ocean, extending over 1500 miles long with an average width around 43 miles and a depth of almost 7 miles (or just under 36,201 feet).  Mt. Everest could fit in this spot. At that depth, the weight of all that water above makes the pressure in the Trench around  1000 times higher  than it would be in, say, Miami or New York. Floor vents release bubbles of liquid sulfur and carbon dioxide. Ancient lava that cooled and spread shaped this region of mystery.   Temperatures are just above freezing, and everything is drowning in darkness. Why is it so cold and so dark? Is it proof some things are just simply meant to remain unknown, unexplored, and a beautiful mystery by God’s design?  Thousands of  mollusks  and worms have been discovered by a Chinese submersible in the Mariana Trench, almost six miles below sea level, and it is the deepest colony of animals ever observed to date. Only 3 manned expeditions have ever explored the Mariana Trench. More people have been to the moon and back! To put this into perspective, it’s so deep that no light can penetrate these depths, yet many interesting living things have been discovered and have adapted there.  A plastic bag was found at the bottom of the deepest place on our planet. This idea really brings “garbage to the surface”. For me, this is a reminder that we can’t seem to escape our trash…it follows us into the deepest of places. Our trash problem, in the literal sense and the metaphorical sense, is always lurking in the shadows. The trash can stay on the bottom. The trash can rise to the top. We either clean up the trash or leave it for someone else – or some other generation, to figure out.     The trench is a vast, beautiful, and mysterious place yet to be fully explored. Guess who’s been through all those depths and explored it all? The Creator formed Mariana Trench and knows every detail there.    If God who knows every mystery of those depths and every creature extinct and yet to be discovered, wants to be known to us as a father, then it’s clear He cares immensely for his creation.    How can He form the whole world in all its infinite, beautiful mysteries and yet consider us his most prized possessions?   I realize we don’t always feel like prizes.  You might say “I’m in over my head. I’m too deep in this filth. Nothing can get me outta this deep pit.” God can navigate the deepest, darkest places and show the pathway back. Who knows, it might even be an interesting exploration. Don’t fear the unknown. Explore it! Download here:

Special to Wesson News The Copiah-Lincoln Community College (Co-Lin) Choir hosted “Secrets Beneath the Mask – Murder at Mardi Gras”, a masquerade-themed murder-mystery dinner theatre. The event took place at the college’s Thames Conference Center in Wesson on the evening of January 31 and came alive with the vibrant spirit of Mardi Gras.   This event combined mystery and entertainment in a captivating way. The meal was excellent, too. Chef McSweyn outdid himself as usual serving a delicious gumbo.   Teri Bath, Wesson Chamber President gave her review as “engaging and well-rehearsed. Enjoyable for all ages to see.”   The play was written and conceived by Co-Lin acting students Connor Adair of Terry and Pressley Rushing of Brookhaven, with additional edits from alumna Ellie Lambert of Monticello who also played the detective. Anna McKenzie, playing role of the waitress Genevieve   The cast included Wendi Case as the voodoo queen Loretta Laveau, Tanner Davis as the jester, Jeremy Johnson (known as Werm) as business partner Marcel—Johnson is also an instructor and former volunteer assistant soccer coach at Co-Lin, Anna McKenzie as Genevieve, and Jake Rutland from Southwest Community College in the role of Beau Thompson. Jessica Breazeale of Wesson, and instructor at Co-Lin, played Estella Thompson. Lee Moore of Brookhaven played Nurse Camille and Damon and Jessica Pecot, former King and Queen. Adair played the emcee and Rushing played Charlotte.   All proceeds from the event supported the Co-Lin Choir, which is preparing for a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City this May. Attendee dresses in theme for event fun   One interesting fact about the evening was that the cast and choir members offered an alternate ending to the audience. They encouraged donations, and once enough funds were collected, they were able to show that alternate ending, adding an extra layer of fun to the night. $444 was raised to see the alternate ending of seeing the guilty go free.   “The dinner theatre event was such a fun, family-friendly night and a great way to bring the community together. Dr. Bobby Helms’ leadership continues to be a wonderful gift to the community, and the talent displayed by the students was beyond incredible. I’d love to see this become a regular event,” said attendee Brittany Gibson, who works at Southwest Community College. She is an avid local arts supporter and frequently attends Co-Lin art functions.   A huge thank you also goes out to all the silent auction donors, including Brookhaven Med Spa, KC Family Pharmacy, Semone Curole, Southern Imprint, Damon Pecot with Kimball Midwest, J. Allan’s, Jackson Miller Productions, LLC, Donald Pecot, the Co-Lin Choir, Bobby G. Helms, and photographer Lacey Johnson. Cast bows   “It was a well-written script, very entertaining, very talented actors, colorful costumes, beautiful table decorations, and I loved the backdrop and decorations to take pictures,” said attendee Marilyn Britt of Wesson. Approximately 140 attendees participated in the event   Approximately $4,500 was raised from the event. To find out how you can help the choir get to NYC, reach out to Bobby Helms, Co-Lin Choir Director, at bobby.helms@colin.edu .   Attendees participate in the silent auction. Items auctioned off were a condo/beach stay in Panama City Beach, FL; botox treatment; gift baskets; family concerts, tools; and more.

Celebrate Super Bowl LX, Valentine’s with special foods By Kara Kimbrough   Chocolate Covered Strawberries (Photo credit: Kara Kimbrough)    A few years ago, the Super Bowl did American men a favor by landing right in the middle of Valentine’s Day weekend. The excuse that there was “simply no time” to go out for a special Valentine’s meal due to the big game got them off the hook. Fast forward to 2026; Super Bowl LX, or the 60 th  game, falls on Sunday, Feb. 8. Valentine’s Day arrives the following Saturday. However, there are ways to celebrate both special events with simple dishes that are easy to prepare and enjoyed at home with minimal stress on everyone involved.     First, every year a new Super Bowl food trend seems to sweep the internet; this year is no exception. TikTok is filled with thousands of “new” game day recipes and elaborate decorating ideas. A few of my favorites include a “stadium” made of small boxes filled with snacks and dips, highlighted by a “field” containing platters of wings, burgers and pizza slices; a backdrop of gold balloons shaped to resemble gold posts, with a giant football balloon positioned in the center and hundreds of versions of hot and cold dips, pizzas, sliders, wings and more.    My favorite food idea this year is a “wings and things” board filled with a selection of fried chicken tenders and wings, spicy fries, fried pickles, slices of grilled sausages, a bowl of homemade ranch dressing for dipping and here’s the interesting part…halves of grilled cheese sandwiches interspersed throughout the regular game day fare.     Turns out, “Grilled Cheese on Texas Toast” is a relatively new item in the freezer case at Sam’s. Requiring only a few minutes in the microwave (or a little longer in the oven) the end result is a hot, crispy, cheesy addition to the “wings and things” charcuterie board.     It’s fun to try new food trends, but let’s face it, there are some tried-and-true Super Bowl foods that everyone expects to be on the buffet table and for good reason.      It simply wouldn’t be the Super Bowl without everyone’s favorite chips and dips, a mile-high stack of nachos and all the toppings, the afore-mentioned wings and plenty of dipping sauces and depending on your taste, a huge pot of chili, burgers and maybe a pizza or two. Each of these dishes deserves their rightful place of honor on Super Bowl Sunday and for the most part, they’ll be served in most homes or at parties celebrating the game this Sunday.    As for Valentine’s Day, yes, it falls on Saturday, making it convenient for most couples to dine out at a restaurant in honor of the holiday celebrating love and other sentimental emotions. But if one or both members of the couple would prefer a cozy dinner at home, it’s super easy to create a meal that’s almost (notice I said “almost”) as good as anything that can be found at a restaurant.    I’ve compiled a few of my favorite Super Bowl and Valentine’s recipes for you to recreate. If you'd like additional recipes for either special event, drop me an email and I'll send them to you. Enjoy!   Super Bowl LX Wings (Photo credit: Kara Kimbrough)     Super Bowl LX Wings 2 pounds chicken wings: Split into drumettes and flats 1-2 tbsp baking powder (for crispy skin- make sure you’re using baking powder, not baking soda!) 1 cup barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce or hot sauce (1 cup hot sauce mixed with 1 cup melted butter) Seasoning blend: 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon chili powder.      Prep wings: Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss the wings with the olive oil (if using), then add the baking powder and spice mixture, tossing thoroughly to coat. For maximum crispness, place seasoned wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet and leave uncovered in refrigerator 1–2 hours (or up to 24 hours).      Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange wings in a single layer on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet that has been lightly brushed with olive oil or sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking.      Bake for 40–50 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.     To add sauce: Remove from oven; toss wings in a bowl with preferred sauce, or leave in pan and cover wings with sauce using a small brush, turning to coat both sides.      Return sauced wings to the oven for an additional 5–10 minutes to crisp wings. Steaks for Two Marinate a thick cut of sirloin (or your favorite cut) steak for several hours in the refrigerator with: 1/2 bottle of teriyaki steak sauce Juice of 1 lemon Salt and pepper   Remove from refrigerator and coat the top of each steak with 1-2 tablespoons of butter. Grill or broil to desired level of doneness. Let meat rest before slicing.  Twice-Baked Potatoes      Bake two large baking potatoes. Scoop out inside, leaving a small border of potato around edges. Add to the meat of the potatoes: • Small container of French onion dip • 1-2 tablespoons of butter     Stir and return mixture to potatoes. Top with a sprinkle of bacon pieces and shredded cheese, if desired. Place under the broiler or in microwave for a couple of minutes until butter and cheese are melted; don't overcook. V-Day Chocolate-Covered Strawberries  1-pint fresh strawberries 1 cup milk chocolate chips, white chocolate or dark chocolate chips 1 teaspoon coconut oil       Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Dry strawberries well with paper towels to make sure chocolate adheres perfectly. Heat chocolate chips and coconut oil in microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes on 50%. Stir until smooth. Dip each strawberry into the melted chocolate, making sure the strawberry is covered almost to the stem. Place chocolate covered strawberry onto parchment lined baking sheet and place into the freezer for at least 15 minutes to set. Once chocolate is set, you can dip the bottom half of strawberries in alternating chocolate color or drizzle alternating color over strawberries with a fork. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Note:  For Super Bowl, leave some plain after dipping in dark chocolate. Decorate each with white “football laces” using small icing tubes found in the baking aisle. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at  kkprco@yahoo.com .

By Charlie Rook It’s   been nothing but positive for both the men and women apart from Cobras soccer this season. The men sit with a record of 10-9, and the ladies with a dominant 14-5. Both teams are currently preparing for a playoff game, the men against Clarkdale, and the ladies against Southeast Lauderdale. On the men’s side the true consistency wasn’t found, with several big wins and several big losses. However the team has now won 2 of their last three as they prepare for an away game against a 14 win Clarkdale team. Wesson has been led by a nine goal season from Melvin Hernandez, but defensively the team will have to hold off Ernesto Pech, who leads Clarkdale with 22 goals, and 19 assists. On the ladies side it’s been a good season since the first game. The Lady Cobras have won 14 games this season, and sit 9-1 in district play. Despite 2 losses in their last 3 games, the team will be looked at as a favorite as they host a Southeast Lauderdale team with just 3 wins. The Cobras will be led by their top goal scorer Ady Rose Dowd, as they look to advance to the next round on February 6th.

Special to Wesson News Photo Credit: Sarah Wanyana The African Children’s Choir is marking over four decades of transforming lives through the power of music, education and hope. The Choir continues to captivate audiences with their heartwarming performances with a show that blends traditional hymns and African cultural sounds, while sharing stories of God’s faithfulness through joyful worship. We have 17 children in the Ugandan choir, aged 8 to 10. Local families host the group in their homes, where they are able to share and learn about new customs, food and culture. There is no charge for admission and our concert is open to the public. Comprised of children ages 8 to 10, all from vulnerable backgrounds across Africa, the African Children’s Choir serves as a powerful testament to the resilience and potential of Africa’s future leaders. Each child in the Choir has faced significant hardship, often with limited access to education. Yet, through the Choir, these children gain life-changing opportunities for education and personal growth, becoming beacons of hope for their communities. “The African Children’s Choir proves just how powerful music can be,” says Choir Manager, Tina Sipp. “These concerts not only provide hope and encouragement to our audiences, but they offer the children life-changing experiences that help shape them into future leaders.” The Choir invites communities to experience their performances and be part of their mission to bring hope through music. No tickets are required, though donations are appreciated to continue the Choir’s impactful work. About The African Children's Choir: The African Children’s Choir is more than just a choir. It’s part of a larger, international, Christian organization called Music for Life, which provides thousands of impoverished children throughout Africa with the education, discipleship, and leadership skills needed to rise above their conditions so they can bring positive, lasting change to their families, communities, and countries. For more information, visit africanchildrenschoir.com The African Children’s Choir : Wednesday, February 11, 2026 || 6:30 PM   Clear Branch Baptist Church   2166 Clear Branch Lane NE   Wesson, MS 39191  (601) 265-2108

Copiah-Lincoln Community College is proud to announce 225 outstanding sophomores named to the 2025-2026 Who's Who at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Students recognized as Who's Who were nominated and selected by a committee of administration, faculty, and staff based on academic success, leadership, scholarship, involvement in extracurricular activities at Co-Lin, and potential for future achievement. Students must be sophomores and have at least a 3.0 GPA to be eligible for nomination and selection. Wesson Campus students selected include: Wes son: Abby Burnette, Madison Callender, China Clay, Courtney Clay, Olivia Conway, Maria Hall, Tyler Leggett, John Leist, Allie McNeill, Mara Norwood, Blake Russ Brookhaven: Cornelius Allen Jr., Sierra Arnett,  Brandon Burt, Braelyn Byrd, Conner Cunningham, Afalon Dillon, Gabrielle Evans, Braden Ezell, Melissa Fields, Reagan Fortenberry, Zachary Fries, Jenna Fuller, John Griffin, Gabrielle Kirland, Faith Kyzar, Ava Leggett, Lauran Lewis, Ashton McCullough, Zachary McGehee, Vivian Porter, Bobby Rollins, Preslee Rushing, Clarizza Tate, Nu Ton, David Van Norman, Natalie Womack, Caden Yarborough Crystal Springs: Ellie Barrentine, Bentley Barton, Erin Green, Chloe Holloway, Harper Logan, Madelyn Moore, Olivia Sherwin,  Madison Slay, Paris Sutton, Jarvis Walker Hazlehurst: Brianna Brown, Jessica Castro, Cheyanne Harris,  Diamond Holloway, Elian Ixcajocsales, Jaleel Jackson, and Quentin Jackson, Andrew Matthews, Ray Newell, Christy Washington

By: Tommie Hart Cholangiocarcinoma, or bile duct cancer, is one of the most challenging and under-recognized cancers, with limited treatment options and a grim prognosis for many patients. Despite its rarity, the need for awareness and focused research is immense, as early detection and innovative therapies can make a life-saving difference. With February being Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Month, it is an opportune time to learn about this disease that affects too many lives. I am writing as someone who is personally impacted by cholangiocarcinoma. In August 2025, my husband, Rev. Mike Hart, and I were informed of a mass in his liver. We must give credit to Dr. Art Kergosien at Brookhaven Internal Medicine. He noticed that my husband’s liver enzymes were a little elevated and sent him for an ultrasound. As aggressive as this cancer is, early detection is essential. At that time, we had no idea just how complicated and difficult his fight would become. He had his biopsy at the start of September and that is when we learned that he had cholangiocarcinoma. It was a difficult thing to accept since he was in good health with no symptoms. Cancer treatment in Mississippi seems to move extremely slow. He was in the middle of October, still not having started treatments, when the symptoms began. His bilirubin started to rise. They could not start his chemotherapy with the elevated bilirubin, so he had to have a procedure called an ERCP to place stents into the bile ducts to help them to work correctly. That procedure caused pancreatitis and resulted in a five-day hospital stay. Unfortunately, those stents did not work and caused more problems and his bilirubin rose to 14.9. He had to have the procedure repeated just two weeks later and the stents changed for longer ones. Since then, there have been countless doctor visits, more hospital stays and more procedures. Things change so quickly with this cancer. Since cancer treatment is limited in Mississippi, we reached out to MD Anderson in Texas and were quickly set up with an oncologist. On our first visit in October with Dr. Xavier, he had blood work, a CT and was admitted to MD Anderson for the stent exchange. Dr. Xavier also started molecular testing on his biopsy sample. After three months of chemotherapy that he received at Jackson Oncology with Dr. Sheehan and coordinated with MDA, he unfortunately showed progression of the cancer. Because of this, he has developed a dangerous portal vein thrombus and has been referred to an oncology radiologist at MD Anderson. We have met with Dr. Grace Li Smith, and he will undergo Proton Beam Therapy at MD Anderson. Mike also has a fistula that complicates the radiation treatment even further. Once the radiation sessions are completed and the radiologist feels he is ready, Mike will then be able to start on the next form of targeted chemotherapy. Luckily, the molecular testing showed that my husband has the FGFR2 FUSION mutation. Only 10-20% of patients have this. Because of that mutation, there is a targeted therapy that works as a small-molecule kinase inhibitor, selectively blocking Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors (FGFR1, FGFR2, and FGFR3) that have genetic alterations (fusions, rearrangements) in certain cancers, like cholangiocarcinoma. By inhibiting these faulty receptors, the medication stops the abnormal signals that drive tumor cell proliferation, migration, and survival, ultimately slowing or stopping cancer growth. He will start this treatment soon after radiation and we, as well as the oncologists, are very optimistic. Thankfully, my husband has decent health insurance, and he now has an oncologist and general surgeon in Mississippi and an oncologist, gastroenterologist, radiologist, and oncology surgeon in Texas. This is a trying and complicated health issue that we must traverse. Our new normal. Although this is an extremely dangerous health situation, we hold strong to our faith that God will take care of him. Mike is a resident of Wesson and the pastor of Mallalieu Methodist and New Hebron Methodist churches. They are full of Godly, caring members that have been with us every step of the way. February 19, 2026 , is World Cholangiocarcinoma Day , a global effort to raise awareness of this challenging disease and highlight the need for early detection, better treatments, and increased support for patients and their families. This year, I would like to encourage anyone reading to join us by wearing green on February 19 in honor of cholangiocarcinoma awareness. The simple act of wearing green sends a powerful message of solidarity to those battling this disease, their families, and the medical professionals striving to find a cure. It would also mean so much to our local community, where awareness can lead to earlier diagnoses and better outcomes for those affected. Cholangiocarcinoma is often diagnosed too late due to vague symptoms and limited public understanding of the disease, but by helping to educate others and inspire action could save lives. You can learn more about cholangiocarcinoma and World Cholangiocarcinoma Day by visiting cholangiocarcinoma.org . Together, we can make a difference!

By Misty Strieff Prine “May I live like the Lotus at ease in the muddy water.” – Unknown.             I have heard of a lotus flower but never knew the meaning...until I researched it today...and I thought it was fitting for this week’s message. A lotus flower is a stunningly beautiful flower that lives amid murky pond waters. Its beauty radiates to those who see it as it sits among the muddy, still pond water. It symbolizes three very important things: purity, beauty and rebirth. One amazing thing about it is that each night, it is observed that the lotus closes its flowers and sinks into the muddy water. Over a three-day period, the lotus slowly emerges from the muddy water and then blooms in the morning until mid-afternoon. This may take on different meanings to different folks, but here is what it means to me. We live amid a dark, gloomy and sinful word. But there is a hope that we have that only comes from our Lord Jesus Christ. He came so that we could have that hope. He knew that we were going to have some very dark days and even darker nights. He knew that, just like the lotus flower, we would close our walls up and easily sink amid the darkness we are surrounded with. He gives us a promise in Psalm 30:5 that reminds us that weeping may endure for the night, but joy is going to come in the morning. Will things get better immediately? Nope. Just like it takes the lotus flower three days to come up out of the muck and the mud, it's going to take some time. You must be patient. But look at what happens to the lotus flower after those days...it comes up beautifully renewed and even more beautiful than when it went down. That happens to us when we allow Jesus to do the mending of our hearts and our lives. Bad decisions bring sin, and sin brings darkness and blotches to our lives. When we ask the Lord to forgive us, He washes our lives as white as snow and we rise to face a new day with an amazing testimony as to what OUR God can do. That beauty, the beauty that only comes from Him, shines amid the darkness in our world. That beauty shines in a way against the muddy muck so that Jesus's touch in our lives is all they see. The difference Jesus makes in our lives is truly amazing. So I pray that we all try to remember that the next time we face muddy waters in this life, so that we can live at peace knowing that the LILLY OF THE VALLEY loves us enough to bring beauty out of the ashes day after day. Our lives are a work in progress. I pray that you cling to the hope that God brings when you know Him. Do you know Him today? I pray so. If not, don't put off that decision any longer. Don't try to take on this world alone. You are literally a sinking ship if you do. Let Him give you the ability to rise up and turn the worst day into something beautiful. **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 “Mercy” was the #1 movie at the box office on a weekend where the weather showed little in the way of mercy to much of the country. Hope you’re all safe out there. As if the weather weren’t enough of a disadvantage, “Mercy” is saddled with one of the stupidest cinematic premises I’ve ever seen. It takes place in a dystopian future where murder trials take the form of “Mercy trials,” suspects being strapped unsupervised to a chair in a tech-filled, but otherwise empty room and given 90 minutes to prove their innocence to an A.I. judge. If they can’t establish a reasonable doubt within the time limit, they’re executed on the spot. To give the suspects a fighting chance, tech is at their disposal to examine the crime scene, check security cameras, call witnesses, look at evidence like strangers’ personal financial records, and so on, all in the name of making the system think that they are less than 92% guilty. But emotional pleas do no good, the way they might with a human jury. Also, there are no lawyers to navigate (some would say “manipulate”) the justice system. No suspect given this kind of trial has ever been found not guilty. Detective Chris Raven (Chris Pratt), a major proponent of the Mercy system, awakens one day to finds himself strapped to a chair for a Mercy trial. On a screen, Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson) informs him that he’s the prime suspect in the murder of his wife (Annabelle Wallis). His probability of guilt is deemed to be 96.7%. If he wants to avoid being… the movie never says, but I’m guessing electrocuted, he’d better get cracking on getting that number down below 92%. Oh, and he suffered a brain injury when he was arrested, so he doesn’t remember anything about the morning of the murder – including whether or not he did it. Chris goes about uncovering the truth. He knows that he wasn’t always the best husband, struggling with anger and alcoholism, but he couldn’t have done it… in the emotional sense. In the literal sense, maybe. He doesn’t get much help from friends and family, like his less-angelic-than-he-thought daughter (Kylie Rogers), his sponsor (Chris Sullivan), or his partner (Kali Reis), who are seemingly of the attitude that they want to help him, but the evidence isn’t looking good. He uncovers layers upon layers of secrets: his wife may have been having an affair with a chef (Jeff Pierre), she may have been involved with illegal drug manufacturing with her co-worker (Rafi Gavron), and there may be a conspiracy to unleash untold terror. And he may have to come to the conclusion that the Mercy system itself may not be as perfect as he previously thought. Who would have thought that putting a murder trial in the hands of a judge that can simply be unplugged might have flaws? “Mercy” is one of those movies that wants to warn us about the dangers of A.I., that this is where society is headed if we entrust in it too much. Except no, we’re not. A.I. is indeed creeping its way into all facets of life, including the justice system, and there are dangers that come along with it, but we’re a million miles from this strapped-to-a-chair-with-no-humans-around nonsense. The whole thing is ridiculous. It’s so ridiculous, in fact, that it warrants being seen by people who like ridiculous movies. This movie gets my rare “B-minus-minus” rating, reserved for movies that I would never recommend in the traditional sense, but do make me shake my head and chucklingly say, “You gotta see this.” Grade: B- - “Mercy” is rated PG-13 for violence, bloody images, some strong language, drug content and teen smoking. Its running time is 100 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu .

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Hopelessness. That terrible, hollow, empty sense that makes you believe there is absolutely nothing that can change your circumstance. Notice I wrote ‘believe.’ Not just ‘makes you feel.’ You may be someone who has already spent an endless amount of brain juice and time hashing and rehashing, searching for a way out of your dilemma. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. And you have come to the conclusion that nothing can make the final results end in your favor. Fear brought on by circumstances has won the war. And you have found yourself furiously battling against Hopelessness. Until you finally give up struggling against that emotion and just let it carry you into Depression. Depression can change brain chemistry, and make a person  believe  that it is all over for them. Whether that belief is actually warranted, or not. So that person gives up, emotionally lays face down, and just lets life circumstances take over. Circumstances. On and on that list can go. The cancer is spreading. The boss has already delivered your pink slip. The bank let you know last month that they are foreclosing. Your spouse left a note on the table that they have left you permanently. Circumstances like this create breath-taking fear, and often end in feelings of hopelessness and defeat. With no way to win the war. So, what to do? How can people survive such a one-sided battle? Earlier in this column I mentioned, “Whether that belief is actually warranted, or not.” Here is what I mean. The severe emotion of hopelessness can make a person actually see their personal world as having absolutely no good left in it…anywhere. Nothing to rescue them. No way that they can start over, if the worst actually happens. That person can’t perceive that if ‘the worst’ happens, that they can survive and actually begin again. So they give in and give up. And ‘the worst’ wins again. I plead with you, fight with all your might against the emotion of hopelessness. It is like turning down a pitch black, dead-end alley, where there is no way out and a dozen of your worst enemies are coming at you with deadly knives at the ready. Hopelessness leaves you defenseless against depression, and depression takes away your ability to want, to think, to do, to believe in Tomorrow. Yes, I realize that ‘the worst’ happens in people’s lives. That we can live in fear of it coming. But to let hopelessness for all our Tomorrows take control? That is the very worst that can happen to anyone. Believe in tomorrow, even when life is crushing you today. Believe that you can start over if you lose it all. Believe that you can create a new beginning for you. Because, if you let hopelessness take over when those horrible times hit your life, you are already on the losing side without even attempting to defend yourself. Life is hard. Don’t let hopelessness make your life even harder. Believe in your tomorrow. Even in the bad times.

Special to Wesson News   Mississippi lawmakers started their 2026 state legislative session on January 6 and will continue meeting until April 5.    Even after Democrats capitalized on special legislative elections last year, Republicans still control both the State House of Representative and Senate, although their grip has loosened slightly, with the party’s supermajority in the Senate broken after Democrats gained two seats.   Leading the Senate for his seventh session as lieutenant governor is Republican Delbert Hosemann. In the House, Republican Jason White will oversee the chamber for his third session after being elected by his peers in 2024.   Thousands of bills will be filed, with hundreds making it to a floor vote.  Major issues are education, healthcare and reinstituting a ballot initiative.   Education.  In the House, which made waves last session by immediately dropping a massive tax package that went on to be signed by Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, education reforms seem to be the next big focus for Speaker White and company.  White wants school choice -- the ability of parents to select where their child receives an education, rather than being confined by the neighborhood in which they live.    Open public-to-public transfers or “portability,” expansion of charter school options, creation of an education savings account program that would allow public dollars to be used for private school tuition and related policies are ways to make this happen.   Critics of school choice argue it could be detrimental to the health of some public school districts that already struggle financially if per-student fund allocations followed pupils who transfer to a different school.  White, however, counters counters that more options for students and their families should make individual districts more competitive in providing the best education possible.   It’s unclear what the appetite for school choice, or at least some form of it, will be in the Senate.  Lt. Gov. Hosemann has said he supports a limited form, such as the portability, but has not publicly been as all-in on school choice as White.   Both White and Hosemann, however, do agree on paying public K-12 teachers more, with Mississippi still lagging behind the national average for teacher pay and experiencing a shortage of teachers, administrators, and school support staff.  Hosemann also wants to tighten the state’s truancy laws, with nearly 28% of students considered “chronically” absent during the 2024-25 school year, meaning they missed 10% or more of classes.  He has floated the idea of having parents testify before a judge as to the reason for their child’s noticeable absences.   Healthcare .  Medicaid expansion is expected to remain on the back burner due to pending changes on the federal level, but several healthcare-related bills are expected to be introduced.  Rep. Sam Creekmore, a Republican from New Albany who chairs the House Public Health and Human Services Committee, says he has received “a lot of public feedback” on the idea of  stipends being issued to mothers during and in the months after pregnancy as Mississippi currently battles the highest infant mortality rate in the U.S.   Creekmore is also expected to introduce a bill to make the state’s health information exchange uniform statewide and another that would mandate health insurance coverage for biomarker testing in cancer. The biomarker technology helps ensure patients get the correct treatment for the cancer they’re battling.   The legislature also plans to move forward with the first year of allocation of tens of millions of dollars in opioid settlement funds. Creekmore said the Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Council has recommended a five-tier plan to the speaker and lieutenant governor that would spread the funds across 122 applicants working to fight the state’s opioid crisis.   Ballot initiative.   It has been more than four years since Mississippi residents have been able to propose new laws or constitutional amendments directly on the ballot for public vote. Sen. Jeremy England, the chair of the Senate Elections Committee,  plans to make another run  at changing that during the upcoming session.   The ballot initiative process was stripped by the Mississippi Supreme Court in 2021 over a technical flaw in the state constitution that required signatures from five congressional districts, even though the state had since been reduced to four congressional districts. The ruling came after citizens rallied to legalize medical marijuana through a grassroots campaign.  In the four sessions since, lawmakers have been unable to restore it due to a lack of widespread interest, disagreements over signature thresholds, and disagreements over potential caveats that would prevent citizens from making changes to certain laws.  England did not disclose many specifics about his bill, but did say it will take into account the evolution of digital marketing and social media campaigns.   Other potential legislation are legalization of mobile sports betting , something the House passed in 2025 before it died in the Senate; a new retirement benefit structure passed in 2025 that  does not force first responders to serve an additional five years  before being able to draw retirement benefits; a  tax rebate program  endorsed by Lt. Gov. Hosemann that would result in taxpayers being handed back 15% of what they paid the state in 2023; helping Jackson revitalize with state help, easing the process of restoring voting rights for individuals who were convicted of certain felonies, shifting control over registered apprenticeship programs to the state instead of the federal government, and distributing BP oil spill money.  Lawmakers have also been  tasked by a federal judge  with redrawing the state’s Supreme Court map, which was deemed to be diluting Black voting power.   EDITOR’S NOTE:  Excerpted from a Super Talk Radio report.