By: Kelley Williams, Chair Bigger Pie Forum   Hans Einstein   Not Albert, his son Hans. As far as we know, Albert was right about his General Theory of Relativity and other natural laws. Hans was not as famous as his father. But he was the world expert on river sediments. He advised the Corps of Engineers (Corps) on the design of the Old River Control Complex (ORCC) in the 1950s. He thought the Corps would take his advice. He was wrong. The Corps built the ORCC to keep the Mississippi River from changing course down the Atchafalaya River. It’s about 50 miles upstream from Baton Rouge. It controls the Mississippi’s flow and diverts 23% to the  Atchafalaya as ordered by Congress (1954 Flood Control Act) and thence straight to the Gulf near Morgan City. It leaves the remaining 77% in the main channel to meander to the Gulf at New Orleans. Hans knew the natural law of sediment transport concentrates sediments in a meandering river when part of its flow is diverted. And that the concentrated sediments would fall out, clog the channel, create a  bottleneck, and slow the Mississippi’s flow to the Gulf. And that this would cause higher and longer floods upstream. He sought to minimize these effects by the careful design of the ORCC and by siting it to divert flow from the river’s sediment-rich strata. He was right about the design and the siting. Sedimentation was negligible for  27 years from 1963 when ORCC started up to 1990. Then the Corps ignored his advice and the natural law of sedimentation to collaborate on a hydroelectric power plant. Private investors built the plant and made a deal with the Corps to put it just upstream of the ORCC and for the Corps to send sediment-lean flow through its turbines to the Atchafalaya instead of the sediment-rich flow it had sent through the ORCC. Han’s couldn’t know this would happen. But he could have predicted the result: sediments concentrated in the river’s main channel, fell out, clogged it just below ORCC, and slowed its discharge to the Gulf. The river rose, floods got higher and much longer  inside the levees with little or no increase in rainfall. In 2015 there was a step-change increase in flood duration. The increase became obvious to landowners inside the levees in 2016. Floods were 2-3 times longer in the five years after 2015 vs before. There was no  increase in the frequency of floods (rainfall events). The Corps knew that sediments were increasing in 2005 when it made the first measurement of the river channel after the power plant began operating. By 2015 Corps measurements showed the channel width had  shrunk by 50% and the channel depth, by 33%. The Corps knew this was happening and that it would continue and make floods ever higher and longer. But the Mississippi River Commission (MRC) generals told Mississippi’s Secretary of State, other landowners, and me the flooding was due to more rain when we testified about flood damage in 2016-17. No mention  of sediments. We didn’t learn that sediments were the cause until 2018. Why did the Generals hide the real cause? The Corps deal with the power plant is a liability and an embarrassment. The Generals may have been ordered to hide it. The Corps is supposed to control floods and mitigate flood damage. Its deal with the power  plant makes both worse. The Corps has a Memo of Understanding (MOU) with the company that owns the plant. It requires the Corps to send sediment lean flow to the plant. It also requires the owner of the plant to dredge sediments the plant causes. The company doesn’t dredge. The Corps doesn’t enforce the MOU or dredge the sediments itself. It seems strangely indifferent to the consequences of its decisions. We learned the real cause of the floods after LSU’s Dr. Xu published a report in late 2017 based on changes in Corps morphology measurements (channel dimensions) cited above. It showed that sediments had  clogged the channel below ORCC and made it much smaller (bottleneck) since 1990. He said the bottleneck would cause the river to rise and change course in a big flood. In 2019, the Corps published a little-noticed updated flow line study. It predicts hundreds of miles of levees from Greenville to New Orleans will overtop in a big flood. The last time that happened was the great flood of  1927. Reality has confirmed that Dr. Einstein was right about Nature’s sediment transport law and the consequences of violating it. And that he was wrong to think the Corps would obey it. So disaster looms ever sooner as a result of Corps decisions — which seem inconsistent with the mission Congress gave it (1928 Flood Control Act): don’t let another 1927 flood happen. It looks like Corps’ decisions are leading to another great flood. Who made the decisions about the power plant? And the decision not to dredge the sediments, and the decision not to build a relief structure to take the top off of floods, and the decision not to tell landowners inside  the levees the cause of their flooding, and the decision not to warn landowners outside the levees about the increasing risk and inevitability of levees overtopping. The Corps is a bureaucracy subordinate to other bureaucracies and to Congress. Authority and responsibility are diffuse. No one takes responsibility for bad decisions. No one is solely to blame for the flooding inside  the levees and the coming flood disaster outside the levees. The buck doesn’t stop with the Mississippi River Commission Generals. They follow orders too. It seems the buck doesn’t stop anywhere. That’s the problem. We don’t know the names of the Generals, politicians, and bureaucrats who made the decisions now. But we will learn them after the levees overtop.

By Guest Columnist Bonnie Coblentz             Mississippi’s Christmas tree industry remains strong with demand, and it is growing as young farmers are entering the market. These trees were growing at Holly Berry Hills Tree Farm in Saucier. It seems Christmas tree farms benefit from the fact that Mississippians like to pass down the tradition of choosing and cutting their own trees.            Jeff Wilson, horticulture specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said there are at least 22 Christmas tree farms scattered across the state serving the population who likes to choose and cut their own tree as the way to begin the Christmas season.            “The industry in Mississippi is small in comparison to other agriculture entities, but the market is strong and growing as several new farms have begun growing trees in the last five years,” Wilson said. “Tree growers are also selling additional products, like wreaths and swags for decoration.”            Robert Smith, co-owner of Smith’s Christmas Tree Farm in Moselle, said the industry had a very good growing year in most places.            “There was plenty of rain in the spring and the trees look good,” said Smith, who is also the Mississippi director of the Southern Christmas Tree Association. “The drought in the fall really didn’t hurt that much, but it slowed the trees down a little bit.”   Smith said the state’s growers try to produce 8-foot trees in about 3 years. Leyland cypress is the number 1 seller, but Mississippi farms also grow Murray cypress, Virginia pines and Carolina sapphires.            “These trees grow relatively fast, so three to four years is an average growing time to get a tree to marketable size,” he said.            Smith has more than 2,500 trees ready to sell this year on nearly 35 acres in Jones County he has dedicated to Christmas trees. Smith has more than 10,000 trees that are kept in about a 7-year rotation, with new ones being planted after others are cut, and some are left to reach bigger sizes.            Smith’s Christmas Tree Farm has pines and red cedars that start at $5 per foot, with cypress, Virginia pines and Carolina sapphires running $7 a foot or more, depending on the size of the tree.          Although it takes a lot of work to raise good Christmas trees, a younger cohort of growers is entering the business as some of the older growers are retiring.     Jessica Haley, co-owner of Holly Berry Hills Tree Farm in Saucier, works with her grandmother in the family Christmas tree business. She said the drought in recent years slowed tree growth considerably.            “I think the trees put on 6 to 7 inches of growth,” Haley said. “It will take a whole maybe year or two to sell what we would have sold this year.”            The biggest disease challenge facing Mississippi Christmas trees is a fungal foliar disease that primarily affects Leyland cypress. A fungicide is available to treat the disease, but it is very difficult to control it successfully, as it thrives in the state’s hot, humid climate.            Haley said disease was not as much as issue this year as it was in 2023 and 2024 when her farm in Harrison County lost about 300 trees to drought and disease.   “We have approximately 12 acres that we planted on and about 500 to 800 trees per field on seven fields,” she said. “To lose 350 trees is basically a whole field.”         Despite the challenges, growers stay in the business because the demand is there.            “I’ve asked a couple of customers over the years why they come to us, and we’ve had a lot of people tell us it’s a tradition,” Hayley said. “The kids just love it, and some of these parents were doing the same thing with their family when they were the kids ages.” EDITOR’S NOTE:  Bonnie Coblentz writes for the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

By Misty Strieff Prine “May I never forget on my best day that I still need God as desperately as I did on my worst day.” – May ALL of us have this mindset!!                  This is something that I pray not one single one of us ever loses sight of. We need God JUST as much on our good days as we do on our bad ones. Why? Because we are nor will we EVER be exempt from our need for grace. No matter what good place or bad place we are in our lives, we need God every second of every day. We are not perfect, but we are perfectly capable of making plenty of mistakes and bad decisions. The minute we think we can handle like on our own, we might as well be prepared to face plant. Life is hard and we are human. God is good and His ways (and timing) are perfect. Keep Him close, never far. I want to close with the verse below and a song that perfectly relates to this message. “But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.” - Psalm 40:17 “Lord I Need You” by Matt Maher. They Lyrics are as follows: “Lord, I come, I confess, bowing here I find my rest. Without You, I fall apart. You're the One that guides my heart. Lord, I need You, oh, I need You. Every hour I need You. My one defense, my righteousness, oh God, how I need You! Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more. Where grace is found is where You are. Where You are, Lord, I am free. Holiness is Christ in me! Lord, I need You, oh, I need You. Every hour I need You. My one defense, my righteousness, oh God, how I need You. So, teach my song to rise to You when temptation comes my way. When I cannot stand, I'll fall on You. Jesus, You're my hope and stay! **For daily devotionals, you can follow me on Facebook at The Upward Way or on Instagram at the_upward_way.

Special to Wesson News Wesson’s history is well documented in its mills, rail lines, schools, and cemeteries, yet some of its most memorable stories live outside the official record. They drift between neighborhoods and landmarks, carried through generations by word of mouth. These tales—rooted in old memories, half-truths, and the community’s shared imagination—compose a quieter, more mysterious layer of the town’s identity. A walk through Wesson becomes a walk through its folklore, where every bend in the road, every pine stand, and every historic site seems touched by stories that refuse to fade. The Echoes Beneath the Mill Long before the last wheel stopped turning, former mill workers spoke of strange noises drifting through Mississippi Mills after hours. Some insisted the old factory never truly slept. According to one story, a night watchman in the early 1900s claimed he heard the rhythmic clatter of phantom looms on windless summer nights. He supposedly followed the sound through the weaving room, lantern in hand, only to find the space empty—and silent. Whether rooted in imagination or lingering sound from aging machinery, the tale has endured. Older residents still recall grandparents who spoke of “the looms that never quit,” a poetic reminder of the industry that built Wesson from the ground up. The Library’s “Page Turner” At the Wesson Public Library, staff over the years have mentioned a curious phenomenon: a single book left open on a table after closing—despite no one remembering placing it there. Even odder, the book is usually about local history.The story has grown into a piece of gentle local folklore. Some say it’s a former librarian keeping watch over the collection. Others think it’s simply drafty windows. Either way, volunteers often joke that the library has “a reader who never signs the log.” The Music at Old Wesson School Grounds Before the modern school buildings took their place, the old Wesson school had a reputation for a distinct echo. Former students recalled hearing faint notes after choir practice—long after everyone stopped singing.Even today, when the wind comes across the grounds just right, some say they hear the same soft tones. Maybe it’s the air moving through new structures. Maybe it’s generations of students who simply aren’t done with their song. A Shadow Waiting for a Train On the old depot grounds—where trains once rattled and whistled through town—neighbors have long reported seeing a shadowy figure standing near where the platform used to be. Always in the corner of their vision. Always gone the moment they look directly. Generations have repeated the same thought: maybe it’s a passenger who never quite caught his train. The railroad shaped Wesson’s early growth, and this small bit of lore keeps that connection alive in its own peculiar way. Why These Stories Matter Wesson’s hidden histories endure not because they demand belief, but because they add depth to the places residents call home. They create connection, spark curiosity, and offer a sense of wonder in a town with strong roots and a steady path forward. Whether these tales are shadows of the past or simple imagination hardly matters. What counts is that they continue to be told—around kitchen tables, during walks at dusk, or in quiet moments when the pines rustle just a little too softly. In Wesson, history is more than dates and documents. It’s woven into every road, every hill, every old foundation. And as long as the stories survive, the town’s spirit remains richer for them.

Special to Wesson News Co-Lin Men's Basketball Team Co-Lin Women's Basketball Team While the Lady Wolves have jumped off to a fast start on the basketball court with only a single loss to Baton Rouge Community College in their initial seven games, the men under new Coach Randy Bolden have had a more mixed season so far with four wins against five losses. Bolden is hoping to guide the Wolves to improve on their 2024-25 overall 11-15 finish (3-11 in Mississippi Association of Community College Conference play) and failing to qualify for the Region 23 Tournament. "First and foremost, I want our team to get better game by game and day by day,” Bolden said. "We have a relatively young team this season and most of them haven't played together.  So we are working on building team cohesiveness and see where that takes us." In contrast, Lady Wolves Head Coach Britta Stephens Belanger, in her third year at Co-Lin, has an experienced team that finished 15-14 overall and 5-9 in MACCC play during the 2024-25 season, just narrowly missing the Region 23 Tournament field. "I think that we have a very veteran group with ten sophomores on our roster and eight of those are returners," says Stephens Belanger. "This year the conversation for our team is very different than it was last year. This year we want to try and win the conference, finish in the top four, and host the first round of the Region 23 Tournament." The men’s roster of 15 players features 14 incoming players with one returning sophomore in Zach Thompson (Hattiesburg). Coach Bolden had high praise for what this roster has done so far to get ready for the season.  The 14 incoming players are a mixture of transfers and freshmen and include Moustapha Salekh (Ngekoh, Senegal), Jadius McCormick (Bay Springs), Stevent Watkins (Ridgeland), LeBron Deal (Monroe, Louisiana), Koie Williams (Philadelphia), Tyrell Bowles (Springdale, Maryland), Morris Hammond (Ridgeland), Dylan Creggett (DeSoto, Texas), Caleb Crozier (Yazoo City), Jackson Payne (Madison), Tristian Lucas (Pearl), Jamei McGhee (Heidelberg), and Jamichael Green (Rolling Fork). "Tyrell Bowles is someone that we think a lot of, and we think he can be one of the best bigs in the league,” Bolden says.  “LeBron Deal is a player to watch. Our biggest surprise is Caleb Crozier who has really come along in the offseason and we think he is going to be a really good player for us.  Guys like Stevent, Tristian, and Jamichael who transferred from other community colleges in the state have been really good at offering insight for our freshmen on what to expect for the season and that was one of the reasons we wanted to bring them here," added Bolden. Guys like Koie, Jackson, and Jamei help our team because they were with us at Mississippi College and they know my standards and expectations for the team. Both groups come ready to practice and play and the experience that they give our freshmen is invaluable to our team." Coach Bolden says success for his team is very simple: "Developing young men! I think if our players come in as kids and leave as young men with the understanding of the importance of going to school and getting up and giving each day your very best, that is the most important thing.  I have been coaching for a very long time, and I attribute my career longevity to investing into our players first and then the basketball second. The Lady Wolves roster features 13 players including ten sophomores with eight returners and two transfers.  The sophomore group includes returning players Maddison Mitchell (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), Eymani Key (Lafayette, Louisiana), Zariah Hatten (Taylorsville), Jamyria Robinson (St. Martin), Tyra Johnson (Morton), Kamaiyah Pruitt (Pass Christian), Amari Barnes (Tylertown), and Kylinn Bell (Choctaw) while the two transfers are Kailyn Willis (Philadelphia) who spent last season at Coffeyville in Kansas along with Akeelah Hobson (Oakdale, Louisiana) who transferred from Southwest Mississippi. "This group is pretty special for coach Rachel Thompson and me because this is the first group that we have had for two years that we recruited to come here. This is the first year that all the players are my own and this group is very mature," says Stephens Belanger. "Just having this group being with me for a year has made a difference because they know what I expect along with knowing what to run and call." The three freshmen for the Lady Wolves are Jalynn Applewhite (Gulfport), Zion Nelson (Terry) and Tae Clay (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), who suffered a season-ending in her first practice.  Stephens Belanger says she is excited for what this group adds to the team. "For the first time in my entire coaching career, I have a team that has two dynamic post players that can do a lot of things with the ball in that area, and I am excited about what Jalynn and Zion can do for us,” says Stephens Belanger.  “There won't be a night where we are undersized against teams this season because of those two. They both can play with their back to the basket and can shoot the ball. While they are very different players, they are very dynamic with what they can do. They also allow us to play some other players in positions that they are more accustomed to being in." Coach Stephens Belanger says success for this team is simple:  "As a coach, I am a competitor and I want to win every game, but success for this team is personal growth and continue to develop their game.  We have ten players that we have to try and help find a place to play at the next level wherever that is. That will be determined by them and their play while success for our freshmen looks like potentially pushing for one of the starting spots." For both the men and women hoopsters, December is a relatively calm month before the competition heats up in January and into February and March.  This month, the Lady Wolves play at LSU Eunice and Southern University in Louisiana, teams they easily defeated on their home court in Wesson.  The men play home games with Bevill State and Delgado to whom they lost on the road and visit Southern University, to whom they lost, and Gadsden State, who they beat.

By Bob Garver   Poster credit IMDB               From its ridiculous opening scene, there is little denying that “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” is one of the stupidest movies of 2025. Its only real competition comes from Disney’s live-action “Snow White” remake thinking that its Dwarfs were fit for human eyesight. And it’s not even the fun kind of stupid horror movie. It was never really on the table for this to be a “good” horror movie like “Sinners,” but it could have at least been an interesting flavor of stupid. The potential for such flavor is at least present in the opening scene, but the movie squanders even that prospect fairly quickly.             In the opening scene, set in 1982, morose young Charlotte (Audrey Lynn Marie) eschews every other entertaining aspect of children’s pizza emporium Freddy Fazbear’s to wait for her favorite animatronic character. She turns her attention long enough to notice a boy being abducted (as would later become common at Freddy’s) and tries to alert parents at nearby tables, but none will listen to her. If her warnings had caused a deadly panic, then maybe that could have been a plausible foundation for a horror movie, but no, the movie seriously has all the adults just blow off a girl who is screaming about witnessing a child abduction. She has no choice but to try to rescue the boy herself, which costs her her life. She dies onstage as her aforementioned favorite animatronic – the Marionette – a character not in the first movie because it did not carry over to the subsequent Freddy’s franchise location where that movie was set, appears to take her soul.             In the present day, first-movie protagonist Mike (Josh Hutcherson) is trying to move on with his life. He’s got a good thing going, now with uncontested custody of his younger sister Abby (Piper Rubio) and a budding relationship with cop friend Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail). But Vanessa is still haunted by dreams of her villainous father William (Matthew Lillard, only used for a cameo for the sake of a cameo) and Abby is being bullied by her loathsome science teacher (Wayne Knight). Plus Abby just has to be obsessed with her old “friends” at Freddy’s, which leads to Mike giving her a radio that lets her talk to the possessed robots. It turns out that the radio lets her talk to the “wrong” possessed robots, as in the ones at the old Freddy’s location, which includes The Marionette, now possessed by Charlotte.             Charlotte, who can possess the Marionette animatronic, but also humans, including a viral ghost chaser (McKenna Grace, actually quite scary on the few occasions that the movie lets her be) is on a mission to rid the world of adults. Not just the adults that ignored her in 1982 – all adults. Some manipulation of Abby and boom, Charlotte now has a whole fleet of Freddy’s robots at her disposal. Characters jockey for control of the robots, who are descending on a town-wide celebration of the  Freddy’s legacy. The movie looks like it’s ready for a big festival showdown around crowds of people for its climax and then… it ends.             Is it an unwelcome spoiler to say that the movie ends with only one robot at the festival and more on the way? Maybe so, but it was an unwelcome spoiling of my moviegoing experience for the movie to end where it did. And the sequel-bait ending is only one of the movie’s problems. The pacing is horrendous, the acting is stiff, cheap jump scares are way overused, the robots can supposedly sneak up on people despite being giant metal monstrosities, we’re expected to keep track of which robots are under whose control despite there being multiple versions of the same robots, and Matthew Lillard doesn’t share any screentime with fellow “Scream” killer Skeet Ulrich (as Charlotte’s father) despite the movie’s advertising heavily implying a reunion. With very little time left to lose its lead, “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” is the worst movie of 2025. Grade: D “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” is rated PG-13 for violent content, terror and some language. Its running time is 104 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at  rrg251@nyu.edu .

Special to Wesson News   Dr. Nadia Alexis, head of the Literary Arts Department at Brookhaven-based Mississippi School of the of McComb, debuted the collection of her poetry and photography this past year in Watersheds , published by CavanKerry Press, with the help of the Mississippi Art Commission (MAC) for the second year in a row. As part of more than $1.7 million in 2025 grants, MAC awarded Dr. Alexis a $4,250 literary artist fellowship to support the revision process of her young adult novel-in-verse, including some of the cost to attend the AWP Conference in Los Angeles when her book was published in the spring. The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) is a state agency serving more than two million people through grants and special initiatives that enhance communities, assist artists and arts organizations, promote arts education and celebrate Mississippi’s cultural heritage. MAC is funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, and other private sources.  Its annual grant funds went to individuals and organizations in 92 Mississippi House of Representatives districts and 52 state Senate districts. “I was grateful to receive this support for my work and my literary career,” said Dr. Alexis.  “It’s an honor to be creating and blooming in Mississippi. Learning from some of the state’s best literary and visual artists, and its birds, trees, and skies, has deeply impacted my artistic practice and contributed significantly to me receiving this fellowship.” A poet, writer, photographer, and educator born and raised in Harlem, New York City, to Haitian immigrants, Dr. Alexis has lived in Mississippi for eight years, currently in McComb.  Her writing and photography have appeared in numerous publications. She has received several accolades including a 2024 Individual Artist Mini-Grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a 2024 STAR Teacher Award, a 2024 Vance Fellowship from the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration, and being named the 2023 Poet of the Year at the Haitian Creative Digital Awards. Her photography has also been exhibited in several shows in the U.S. and Cuba. A fellow of the Callaloo Creative Writing Workshop and the Watering Hole, she holds a PhD and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Mississippi. Pointing to Dr. Alexis, MAC Executive Director says “Mississippi is synonymous with the quality of art that emits from our state. The arts enhance the quality of life and local economies.  With the generous support from the Mississippi Legislature, we can activate our citizens’ innate creativity and invest in our communities.” For information about the Mississippi Arts Commission, please contact Ellie Banks, Communications Director, 601-359-6546 or ebanks@arts.ms.gov .

Send responses to:  andybowman839@gmail.com    Simply kick and scream and pout until God makes everything good for you again. Maybe that way of dealing with your problems seems like a good idea to you. After all, you have been told repeatedly all your life that He is a good and loving God, who always wants the best for you. So, it must stand to reason that if you let Him know in clear unmistakable terms that you are unhappy, He will have to fix what’s wrong. Right? You can’t possibly win that showdown. In fact, it simply guarantees that He will be standing firmer on His position. Here’s why. Yes, He is good and loving. But He is also wise and all-knowing. And He knows that if you continue living life as you have – self-centered, angry and hateful, or any other hurtful way, you will cause yourself to suffer all your life. And everyone who has to interact with you. Angry hurting people are blind and uncaring when it comes to everybody else.  I don’t know of anyone, including this writer, who realizes they need to change when everything is rosy in their life. That is why He allows us to hurt. That is why many times He will allow you to live in pain until you realize the changes He is trying to make in you. For your sake. Kinda like the wise parents who refuse to give in to their toddler’s kicking and screaming tantrum on the floor at Walmart. Sure, it’s pretty embarrassing to be the adult in charge of a three-year-old who has decided that getting his favorite toy warrants a full blown, kick-a-hole-in-the floor screaming fit until you give in and put it in your basket. But a smart and caring adult will stand their ground and refuse to give in to manipulation. For the child’s sake. Make no mistake, tantrums simply do not get you what you want, period. From God or other people. Yes, it might happen, short term. But that is only the result of you using manipulation. And the results of that kind of living never give you what you are truly needing. Because you have not had to make any changes inside. And therefore, you will find yourself wanting more and more. And having to throw more tantrums. And ending up losing relationships because of it. That is why tantrums cause you to lose more than you could ever gain. You are better off trying to figure out what God is wanting from you. And letting Him make those changes He knows you are needing. Because learning to not throw tantrums is not the only part of learning to accept the painful parts of living.  Allowing your Creator to shape you as He sees fit is another huge chunk in learning to function as a real adult. Sure, complaining, griping and refusing to accept changes is a part of our human nature. Just not a smart part.

Benson Schexnaydre (Photo by Scarlett Hart) Copiah-Lincoln Community College sophomore Benson Schexnaydre of McCall Creek is making Mississippi chess history. Already the highest-rated player in the state, he recently claimed the Mississippi Chess Championship title for the sixth year in a row. In 2024, he earned his U.S. Chess Master title—becoming the first Mississippian since at least the 1980s to achieve the designation and the only homegrown player in the state to ever reach master status. This fall, Schexnaydre brought his expertise to the national stage when he served as a guest panelist at MINDSETS: The New York Chess in Education Conference, a sold-out event hosted by the National Scholastic Chess Foundation and the Kasparov Chess Foundation in New York City. The conference examined the role of chess in education, touching on curriculum, policy, and the benefits of learning through failure and play. Featured speakers included World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov, Grandmaster Peter Wells, and Dr. Barry Hymer. Schexnaydre joined Will Trepp, co-founder of Rockport, and Jack Kochansky on the panel "Redefining Success at Chess." Schexnaydre's chess journey began in 2015 at Franklin County Chess in Meadville, a program that received national attention when it was featured on 60 Minutes in 2017. Under the direction of Dr. Jeff Bulington and funded by the late Wade Creekmore, the center has made a name for itself in the world of chess. Today, Schexnaydre serves as an assistant coach at the center working with second through 12 th grade students—an experience he says is rooted in the generosity that shaped him. "So many of the successes and personal growth I've experienced would not have happened without what he [Creekmore] did for me," he said. "Because of chess, I developed a hunger to learn more. I expanded my knowledge in academics, became healthier, traveled across the United States creating unforgettable memories, and grew into a better person—one who now understands the impact we can have on others and hopes to do so in my own way." Chess has taken him across the country, with tournaments in California, Niagara Falls, Washington, D.C., Michigan, and Philadelphia, among others. Benson Schexnaydre and Dr. Jeff Bulington At Co-Lin, Schexnaydre is a Presidential Scholar and biomedical engineering major who stays deeply involved on campus. He serves as Treasurer of Mu Alpha Theta, Public Affairs Officer for Co-Lin C.A.R.E.S., and works as a student recruiter with the Trailblazers. He is also active in the Co-Lin Chess Club, Alpha Omega Science Club, Future Business Leaders of America, Wolf Pack Strong, Phi Theta Kappa, and the Baptist Student Union. He was recently named to Who's Who at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and selected as a Campus Favorite by his peers. He has earned a place on the President's List every semester, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. After Co-Lin, Schexnaydre plans to pursue an engineering degree at Mississippi State University and later attend medical school, with an interest in pediatrics. Reflecting on his time at Co-Lin, he keeps his message simple—"If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a single thing." He is the son of Randy and Sonya Schexnaydre of McCall Creek.

By Bob Arnold   In an age when nearly everything seems large, fast and impersonal, small public libraries, says Kathleen Hutchison, quietly stand as some of the most meaningful institutions in our communities.   In Copiah and Jefferson Counties, Hutchison is working to make sure they are doing just that.   At age 75, Hutchison came out of retirement this past year to become Director of the Copiah-Jefferson Library System (CJLS), which encompasses the small Wesson Public Library and its similarly small sister facilities at Hazlehurst, Crystal Springs, Georgetown and Fayette.  She is culminating her career where she started it, bringing the lessons she has learned over more than five decades as a multi-faceted librarian to the local libraries and the communities they serve.   “Small libraries are far more than buildings with books,” she says.  “They are where a child hears stories read aloud, where a teen discovers a passion, where an adult learns a new skill, and where an elder finds companionship and relevance.  They are places where people can come together – regardless of income, background or age – and be welcomed without question and without cost. They remind us of something vital: access to knowledge is a cornerstone of democracy and dignity.  They keep hope, learning and opportunity within reach – especially in places where resources are limited, but the desire to grow is strong.”   Born in 1950 at Conway in rural Arkansas and growing up in small towns throughout Mississippi where her father was a foreman on road construction projects, Hutchison gravitated to a career in which she could give back to the rural and small town life and culture that nurtured her.  She found she could do that through libraries after graduating from high school when she was 17 years old at Starkville, Mississippi, earning a BA Degree in Library Science and English from Mississippi University for Women (formerly Mississippi State College for Women) at Columbus, Mississippi, in 1971 and receiving an MS in Library Science at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1972.   In 1973, Hutchison started her career in the same job in which she is ending it – Public Library Director at CJLS.  She interrupted her career journey in 1979 to start a family, but resumed it in 1985 as a reference librarian for the Mississippi Library Commission.  Before returning to CJLS this year, she made other career stops at the Mississippi Department of Archives (Mississippi Newspaper Project cataloger from 1986-1988 and reference services director from 1988-1990), Copiah Academy (school librarian from 1990-1992) and Co-Lin (assistant librarian from 1992-2003).  For 16 years from 2003 until her retirement in 2019, Hutchinson served as systems librarian (2003-2006) and Academic Library Director (2006-2019) at Mississippi College, and returned for another five years as a part-time librarian (2020-2025).   On returning to work again in her first job, she notes the role of libraries has changed over the course of her career.  Most significantly, she says, they’re no longer primarily about books.  People come to libraries to print, photocopy and fax documents, and read email.  In addition to working with CJLS branches to provide picture books,, biographies, fiction and non-fiction, DVDs, audiobooks and genealogy resources, Hutchison is now working with them to provide:   Free services to all ages.  Library cards, internet access, Wi-Fi and accessible educational information at no cost. Books, large print titles, children’s programs, computers, printing, local history resources, meeting space and more. Statewide MAGNOLIA databases.   Free access to thousands of magazines, journals, newspapers, research tools, online learning resources, including Britannica Online for K-12 students. Technology help you can trust.   Public computers, printing and scanning plus staff assistance with email setup, forms, applications and online services. A place to connect and belong.  Story times, programs, community events, book displays, after-school learning and friendly faces ready to help.   Hutchison’s first major project since joining CJLS anew has been upgrading computer hardware and software at its libraries.  They were outdated.  Software and hardware were not compatible.  Computer users were frustrated by programs starting and stopping.  Manufacturers no longer supported products.  “The Boards of Supervisors in Copiah and Jefferson Counties agreed to my request to fund new computers in all the branch libraries,” she says appreciatively.   “From Hazlehurst to Crystal Springs, Georgetown, Wesson and Fayette, each branch reflects the personality and needs of its community,” says Hutchison.  “Story times spark curiosity in young minds.  Seniors find assistance navigating technology.  Families attend programs together.  Countless patrons use our services to print forms, study, research genealogy or simply find companionship.  These libraries offer not only books, but dignity, belonging and chances to grow – all close to home.  The measure of a small library is not its square footage, but its impact.  Every story hour, community meeting, homework help session, tax form printed and simple conversation over the circulation desk represents a thread in the fabric of community life.”   Hutchison lives in Hazlehurst, where she has resided since first coming to CJLS in 1973, meeting her now deceased husband there and rearing three sons with him – Micahel, 48, a partner in a medical cannabis (Noble Labs), Braedon, 46, owner of a milk delivery business in Conway, Arkansas, and Justin, 44, who is an operations analyst in the Mississippi courts system.   What are your hobbies? Working has always been my choice, but I am a voracious reader.  I also watch television a lot.   What do you read? Everything.  Fiction and non-fiction.  Murder mysteries, true crime and histories (I enjoy David McCullough).   How about music? I am a listener.  A Country and rock music fan.  I like Elvis,  Patsy  Cline, James Taylor.   Movies, theater, television? My favorite theater is the Saenger in New Orleans, where I attend Broadway plays.  On television, I liked the British show, Mid-Summer Murders, and Law and Order .   If you won a lot of money in the lottery, how would you spend it? I’d help my family, travel to Paris to see the Louvre and the Grand Canyon, and buy a beach house in Florida.   How would you change the world? We need a kinder, gentler culture with people more civil in their relationships.

By: Dr. Andrew Dale     December can be decision season for Mississippi families. As students receive semester grades and begin planning for life after graduation, one question rises to the top: How do we afford college without a lifetime of student debt? The answer is clear. Mississippi's community colleges offer the lowest tuition in the state, with an open-access mission that welcomes every learner, and an academic environment designed for student success. For thousands of families each year, beginning at a community college is the smartest, most affordable, and often most effective path to a degree. Debt-free makes all the difference As university costs continue to climb, community college students complete their first two years for a fraction of the price - sometimes completely debt-free through federal Pell Grant aid, scholarships and local support. (in my time as a band director - many of my students saw scholarships that paid them to attend). Students take the same freshman and sophomore courses required at universities, but at dramatically lower cost. And unlike many introductory courses at large universities, community college classes are not taught by graduate assistants. They're taught by seasoned, credentialed faculty whose primary responsibility is teaching, mentoring and supporting students. Class sizes are smaller. Instructors know their students by name. And instead of being one face in a crowded lecture hall, students receive personal attention and immediate feedback. That environment builds confidence, strengthens study habits and helps students master foundational coursework long before they transfer to a university. Community colleges don't just reduce the cost of education - they improve the quality of a student's early academic experience. And for many Mississippi students, the smartest move is not only where they start, but what they choose to study. Career and technical programs such as welding, health care, advanced manufacturing, information technology and transportation often lead to industry-recognized credentials in one to two years instead of four. These programs are eligible for the same federal Pell Grant dollars that can make tuition effectively debt-free, and graduates frequently step into high-demand jobs that pay well above typical entry-level wages. For students who want to work sooner, avoid long-term debt and still earn a strong income, career and technical education is one of Mississippi's most powerful - and most underappreciated - options. And for students who show up, do the work and excel, the savings get even better. PTK scholarships: A near-secret pathway to a debt-free bachelor's degree One of the most overlooked advantages of starting at a community college is the opportunity to join Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year institutions. Membership is straightforward: go to class and read your textbook (that's the formula to make A's, taught to me by my high school college algebra teacher, Coach Joe Campbell). Students who have a 3.5 cumulative GPA earn induction into PTK and unlock some of the most generous scholarship opportunities available in Mississippi higher education. At several Mississippi universities, PTK transfer scholarships cover up to 96% of tuition. These are life-changing awards that many families don't even realize exist. A student who begins at a community college, saves thousands during their first two years and by earning PTK membership can transfer to a four-year university and complete their bachelor's degree with almost no tuition costs at all. It is one of the best financial deals in American higher education. PTK is not exclusive or unattainable. Students don't need a perfect ACT score or expensive test prep. They just need commitment, discipline and community college instructors who support their success. "Go to class, and read your text book." Where students build relationships with faculty One of the greatest strengths of Mississippi's community colleges is the relationships students build with faculty. Community college instructors choose this work because they want to teach. They want to mentor. They want to help students become successful, not only academically but personally and professionally. Because class sizes are small, faculty can invest in each student's progress, goals and challenges. They notice when a student stops showing up. They celebrate when a student improves. They push when a student needs a nudge. These relationships form a safety net that is difficult to replicate at large universities. They are often the difference between staying in college and dropping out. We love our university partners - this is about starting smart Community colleges in Mississippi celebrate their university partners. They prepare students to transfer there and depend on strong relationships across the higher education system. However, tuition, room and board for four or more years at a university can easily add up to a six-figure total for a bachelor's degree. Starting at a community college positions students better academically and financially for what comes next. Why begin in a massive lecture hall when you can begin in a supportive environment where instructors are dedicated to your success? Why borrow thousands of dollars for the same classes you can take for a fraction of the cost? Why struggle through foundational courses when you can master them in smaller settings, then transfer as a stronger, more confident student? Community colleges don't replace universities - they strengthen students before they arrive. A December reminder for Mississippi families As 2025 approaches, families shouldn't feel pressured into expensive choices. Community colleges offer affordability, quality, personal attention, fast-track career and technical programs and a clear path to PTK scholarships that make a bachelor's degree more attainable than ever. If you have a senior in high school: 1) apply for student housing now - community colleges fill up fast; 2) submit college applications now; and 3) fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Choosing a Mississippi community college isn't the cheaper option. It's the smarter option - and for many, the difference between a life shaped by debt and a future shaped by possibility.  Dr. Andrew Dale is Associate Vice President of Community Relations at Northwest Mississippi Community College.

By Bob Arnold   Stop before you get in your car and drive off to buy your Christmas gifts!  Check out Wesson first.    It’s convenient, no-hassle shopping that saves you gas money to travel out of town and spares you the stress of competing with crowds to find the gifts you want and stand in long lines to pay for them.  And then there are the gifts, too. Whether its local arts and crafts, collectibles, something different to use, wear or eat and drink, Wesson is often the place to find what is unavailable or not easily found elsewhere. Shopping Wesson also supports the community.  Research reports show that for every dollar spent at a local business, 3.5 dollars are re-circulated into the local economy, which creates more local jobs.  Local businesses are the backbone of a community.  When you shop locally, you get to know the people behind the business and you enjoy a connection you would not otherwise have.  Local businesses also buy locally themselves. They hire architects, designers, cabinet shops, sign makers and contractors for construction.  They use local accountants, insurance brokers, computer consultants, attorneys, advertising agencies help run it.  Local businesses give communities their flavor.  The combined presence many local businesses makes it different from every other city or town in the world.  By supporting those businesses, you help preserve the uniqueness Wesson.  Local businesses define our sense of place, and their survival depends on our patronage.  Mill Town Salon & Spa Mill Town Mall Mill Town Mall’s  Melissa Meredith, who serves out-of-town visitors, says locals take for granted what they think is “a surprise discovery they have stumbled on in Wesson stores and restaurants.”  Merdith’s two-story vendors mall on the east side of Highway 51 between Factory and Spring Streets, in fact, is a good place to start your Wesson Christmas shopping experience.  With more than 70 vendors housed there, you can find nearly everything – and more – in display areas for friends and relatives on your gift list.  Glassware.  Books and CDS.  Jewelry. Toys.  Decorative accessories.  Dishware and cooking ware.  Pottery.  Furniture.  Clothing.  Crafts and leather goods.  Old and new. C&L Treasures Across the street, shoppers can find another rich variety of gift possibilities at C&L Treasures , which offers fleas, arts and crafts, boutique items and other products of home-operated businesses around town and donors who want to support the assistance the unique retailer provides through Life View Ministries for child sex trafficking victims.  The store front of Life View Ministries, a not-for-profit started by Wesson Mayor Alton Shaw and his wife Christy, who turned an outdoor market with her mother, Linda, into C&L, has some 50 vendors and donors.    “Five years ago, our yard sales started evolving into a store when we moved into a former salon located behind our current location,” Shaw relates.  “We grew as donors started giving us items to resell; and at our store, we are now also selling items made by home-based businesses in the community -- many of them stay-at-home moms.  Our profits go to one home for child sex trafficking victims, and we hope our work can support other places where they can not only find a safe place, but get help in ongoing recovery.” For Christmas shoppers, Shaw suggests cups, candles, outfits, selfcare items, jewelry, musical instruments, jams and jellies. Wesson Ace Hardware Wesson Ace Hardware is south across Spring Street, facing Highway 51.  Among a wide array of hardware items, you can find a variety of special gifts for Christmas:  Stanley cups.  Winter hats and gloves.  Case knives.  Milwaukee and Stihl tools.  Seasonings.  Patio and yard tools.  Grills.  For your decorations, there are Christmas lights.  For the people on your gift list who enjoy browsing extensive hardware store inventories, you can purchase gift cards in amounts up to $500.   Busy B's Back across the street on the east side of Highway and Factory Street, Vera Boyles has unique combination of a retail store with clothing for infants, children and ladies -- Busy B's  – and salon    service – Salon 51 .  Busy B’s is opening a baby boutique this Christmas season and continues feature a wide array of clothing for infants and toddlers -- dresses, play suits, jumpers and gowns -- and juniors -- pageant and prom dresses.    Salon 51 offers gift certificates for her salon services and hair care products, which make good stocking stuffers.  Next C&L Treasures on the corner of Spring Street, Mill Town Salon and Spa  will soon provide nail services and massages for customers, and is offering Christmas gift certificates for them as well as for hair care.  Special Christmas gift packages with hair care and styling products are also available.      Don’t forget Shop 'n Wash when you’re shopping Wesson for Christmas gifts.  The convenience grocery store, pizza and fast food take-out, laundry and gasoline station beside the railroad tracks at the end of Main Street on the north side of town offers stocking suffers that will be appreciated by those on your Christmas gift list: gift certificates for pizza and quick meals, Marathon gas cards.   Dollar General Manager Darla Harrison More traditional shopping venues are Dollar General  on Spring Street and Family Dollar  on Highway 51 next to Wesson Baptist Church. At Dollar General, new manager Darla Harrison is using the Christmas season as an opportunity to improve the appeal of the store both at point of sale with displays and promotions.  Christmas shoppers can go to the store’s web site to learn about special deals and get special digital coupons.  In the store, special Christmas displays highlight men’s and women’s cosmetics, electronics, such as cell phones and accessories, toys and games for kids activities, candles and mugs.  Fuzzy blankets promise to be a popular item this Christmas season. Walk into Family Dollar, and the first thing you see is a display with an array of possible gifts for kids.  Varied license character toys will especially popular with kids this Christmas season, Family Dollar believes.  The store is offering an assortment of Christmas décor, wrapping paper, and baked goods for holiday parties.  Throughout the store you can find stocking stuffers.  Throw blankets, robes and slippers are also good gifts. Further north on Highway 51 going out of town is the expansive Steel Outdoors  metal fabricating plant that will customize products for folk on your Christmas.  They don’t make inexpensive gifts, but if your budgets permits spending up to $1,000 on deer feeders or deer blinds, you may want to check it out.  You can also visit its web site at www.steeloutdoors.com .  The company promotes its products as “made by hunters for hunters,” and also will customize metal products like fire pits, cookers and decorative metal items for inside and outside homes. That's just for starters -- some of the more visible Christmas shopping stops in town.  If you ask around, you may find a home-based artisan or craftsperson with interesting gifts.   You can even find your Christmas tree a few miles out of town, where Gary Keller grows them and will cut down your choice on his ten-acre property on Highway 51 in Beauregard. While you’re at it., include lunch or dinner in your Christmas shopping adventure in Wesson.  There’s the  51 Diner  and the Firehouse BBQ  on Church Street.  At Copiah Nutrition just around the corner from Firehouse BBQ, you can get an energy boost for continued Christmas shopping, and buy a gift card for someone who will appreciate its healthy meal replacement shakes, energy teas, pre and post workout drinks and high protein snacks. Shop Wesson this Christmas season!