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By Bob Arnold   Ashley Owens (left) and Misty Sandifer are ready to take orders at Park Place Concessions. Misty Sandifer and Ashley Owens started their third season bringing summer treats to the community across from Wesson Municipal Park at Park Place Concessions on Saturday, March 6.   This year, the opened with a new 30-foot x 20-foot porch-deck that they are making available to customers who want to have special parties and events near the park.    The menu is the same that its customer have enjoyed since July 2024 after Sandifer and Owens purchased the business from its previous owners:  40 flavors of soft serve ice cream, shakes, floats, snow cones and the specialty Typhoon – ice cream stuffed in a snow cone.  Customers can choose a Typhoon in any of the 40 flavors of ice cream available or weekly the special for half price on Typhoon Tuesdays and a one dollar discount on every other day of the week.   Sandifer and Ashley added the porch-deck as alternative for Municipal Park users who are disappointed when others take space for parties and events on a first-come/first-serve basis that they wanted for their affairs.  “They can reserve the space with us and be assured of the party or event they planned for a nominal fee,” says Sandifer.  “In the future, we will probably offer party packages.”   The Park Place Concessions co-owners bought the business on the spur of the moment when they saw a for sale sign on the building.  “We were driving past it, and said to each other at the same time ‘that’s something I would like to do,’” Sandifer recalls.  “Next thing you knew we were selling ice cream.”   Sandifer and Owens are life long friends, classmates at Wesson Attendance and Co-Lin, who followed a similar career path in medical care – Misty in radiology and Ashley as laboratory technician.  Their husbands are also involved the business – particularly when there is heavy lifting to do.  Ryan Sandifer built the porch-deck and Ashley’s husband cuts the grass.  Ashley continues working as a lab tech and Misty owns and operates Taylor’s Legacy Heating and Air Conditioning with Ryan when Park Place Concessions isn’t their focus.   Park Place Concessions opens when the long days and warm weather begin and closes its season the Saturday before Day Light Savings Time ends and the days get shorter.  It is open seven days a week – 12 noon to 7 p.m. except Wednesdays and Sundays when its hours are 12 noon to 5 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.   “We look forward to seeing everyone soon,” say the owners.

By Kara Kimbrough   It’s not a “pretty” dish, but Dirty Spaghetti is a tasty alternative to traditional red sauce pasta. (Photo by Kara Kimbrough)   The month of March is shaping up to be a great one, filled with some of my favorite things: Daylight Savings Time; a few day trips, culminating with a few stops along the Mississippi Gulf Coast; new food and treasure finds; spring break courtesy of a school-related job and of course, the advent of spring itself. In no particular order, here are the highlights from a week of exploring, traveling and dining: First, a quick trip to Monticello in Lawrence County to purchase a piece of furniture marked half-off at June Bug’s, a cute vintage and home decor store, brought back memories of living there right after college and working at the newspaper. I was impressed with the unique way the small town is utilizing once-empty stores and transforming them into attractive retail spaces, especially in the historic downtown area. June Bug’s is a delightful vintage/antique and treasure hunt-type of store filled with everything from yard and garden décor to collectibles and more. Some of the downtown stores were closed on the Saturday I visited, but after spotting similar stores and learning a friend operates nearby Fannies Flowers & Gifts, I decided I'd definitely have to return on a weekday. Another trip down memory trip occurred a few days later when I met a college friend at Genna Benna’s, a cozy spot in downtown Brandon. After moving from Monticello to the Jackson area, I eventually landed in Brandon not far from the downtown area. I always loved exploring downtown Brandon's shops and restaurants. I was pleasantly surprised to that even more clothing and gift boutiques, vendor markets, coffee shops and restaurants have opened downtown. Genna Benna’s offers something for every taste. Southern comfort classics like hamburger steak, grilled pork chops, red beans and rice are offered along with specialty pastas, sandwiches, burgers and steaks. Everything looked intriguing, but it had been a while since I'd seen a Cuban sandwich on a menu, so I had to order one. The sandwich was everything I expected and more, but since so many other dishes on the menu looked amazing, a return visit is on my to-do list. One benefit of having a few days off is slowing down enough to catch up with the rest of the world. After scrolling through a few social media sites, it was evident I was behind in trying “dirty spaghetti.” Inspired by Cajun (often called dirty) rice, the spaghetti version relies heavily on a browned ground beef, chopped peppers and onions and a roux of beef broth and flour that coats the pasta for a savory flavor. In short, there are: no tomatoes, no tomato sauce, no tomato paste. Nothing red…only brown; thus, the name “dirty.” I was a bit skeptical – spaghetti without red sauce just sounded, well…wrong. But I decided to see what had made this the “viral TikTok recipe of the week.” I can report that the dish is, indeed, tasty…as long as plenty of Cajun or Creole seasonings are added. If this important step is omitted, it’s somewhat bland. And here’s the worst part – it’s definitely not a “pretty” dish. I hesitated about sharing the photo I shot; it’s not very appetizing-looking, at least in my opinion. But again, if properly seasoned, the taste is above average and hey, maybe a change from my regular red sauce is needed. Last, the highlight of the week was a quick, but busy trip to the Gulf Coast. First up: I was excited to meet work friends for lunch at Uncle Joe’s Pizza and Wings in Long Beach. Several years ago, I wrote a food story for the Sun-Herald on the top pizza restaurants on the Coast. Uncle Joe’s, then solely located in Diamondhead, was on the list. I was anxious to check out Uncle Joe's expanded menu at another location. For the record, Uncle Joe’s serves many specialty pizzas, including Kitchen Sink and Cheeseburger, as well as over 20 varieties of wing sauces. Since a trip to historic Philadelphia may be on the horizon this summer, I couldn’t resist ordering the Philly Cheesesteak pizza. It's a savory combination of steak, plenty of cheese, green peppers, mushrooms, and onions. My friends’ choices of chicken, bacon and ranch and a vegetarian version also received positive reviews. Besides its Long Beach and Diamondhead locations, Uncle Joe's is open in Bay St. Louis and Pascagoula. So yes, March has been a good month. Before summer's oppressive heat descends, why not get out and explore, experience and enjoy these places and more? Happy Spring! Dirty (But Still Good) Spaghetti 1 pound spaghetti 1 pound ground chuck 1 each: green pepper, red pepper, yellow onion, diced 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3-4 cups beef broth Seasonings: 1 teaspoon each: Cajun seasoning, Creole seasoning; salt and pepper to taste In a large skillet, brown ground beef until browned; drain grease. Move meat to side of skillet and brown chopped vegetables until wilted; stir in garlic. Add seasonings and mix together meat and vegetables, stirring well. Slowly add flour; stir well to coat and cook 1-2 minutes. Slowly add beef broth while stirring. Cover and let simmer on medium-low for a few minutes. Pasta options: Cook pasta separately in lightly-salted water until al dente. Or, add dry spaghetti directly to skillet mixture; break in half, cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally.(I prefer meat sauce served over, not combined with pasta, so I cooked pasta separately, then spooned meat sauce over a dish of hot pasta). Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at  kkprco@yahoo.com .

By Jessica Breazeale I know a miraculous cure, ladies and gentlemen…for whatever ails ya.   I’d like to share with you a miraculous cure-all…and guess what? This cure is absolutely free! You heard it right, folks. It is a cure for anything and everything, and it costs you nothing .   What is this miraculous, elusive thing that I’m talking about?   Walking. This is the perfect time of the year for this miracle drug, because soon it’ll be too hot to enjoy. It’s the perfect temperature to get outside get some vitamin D. Walk for leisure, for exercise, walk for your blood pressure, walk for your mental health, walk for your clarity, walk for meditation, walk for your circulation, walk because it’s a free activity…walk because it’s always readily available to you..   I do apologize if you are not able to walk, but if you can  get up, go outside, get moving, then get walking. This is the perfect time of the year to do so because Spring is finally here!   It’s the exciting change of season where things are coming to life and growing, so with every breath, the fresh air that you breathe in makes you feel invigorated to get outside yet again and walk a little more and more every time. Walking is the medication that will not harm you and won’t have any side effects other than soreness - but let’s be honest - we all need to be sore in this way. Couldn’t we all stand to walk a little more?   Did I mention this miraculous cure-all is absolutely free?   You don’t pay anything for this medication. You don’t have to beg, borrow or steel for this cure. It’s free, and it’s always  readily available. Walking is good for your heart, your body and soul, and it’s good for your physical and mental strength,. It’s good for your endurance. It’s good for you in every  way!   If I have not inspired you enough yet, let me hopefully bring it home by powering you with this iconic quote from the hit movie from 2001,  Legally Blonde : " Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don’t! “Elle Woods says this while defending Brooke Windham, highlighting her unique, optimistic perspective on life and legal defense.  My point? When you’re out moving, you’re happy. You can’t get into too much trouble when you’re happy! I become a bit of a recluse every winter. It’s too cold for me so I dislike being outdoors even for a moment. Being inside too long really does influence our emotional state, mental clarity, our and perspective. Since being cooped up too long affects our mental health, I remind myself often that we as children of God are to walk in the light. I don’t believe this is just figurative. I honestly believe this is also literal because I personally know that I feel better when I am outside in the sun getting vitamin D. Right now, the temperature feels great. Getting out walking in the light is good for my soul, and when I feel good, I help other people around me feel good, and then those people help other people feel good. It’s the ripple effect gift that keeps on giving. And we are all better for it!   However, when we stay inside, and we don’t feel very well, it’s hard to walk in the light and shine that light. No judgment here from me, the ole winter recluse! Stuck in your head? Got the stinkin’ thinkin? Mad at the world. Bitter at life. Woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I know something that can help you see the bigger picture.   I know a cure! Go get some of that free and fresh air, invigorating vitamin D the sun offers, and start walking.   I bet it’s the cure-all you’ve been waiting for! I just wanted to offer it to you.   Happy Springtime and happy walking! Downable version

The USA International Ballet Competition (USA IBC) is proud to announce the launch of a special  Official Artist & Poster Contest  in honor of its  50th anniversary , to be celebrated during the next competition cycle,  June 12–26, 2027 , in Jackson, Mississippi. This milestone event marks  five decades of artistic excellence  and the  13th time  the official USA IBC will be hosted in its long-standing home city. Since the inaugural USA IBC in 1979, each competition has been commemorated with a unique, original poster created by a selected artist—an enduring tradition that visually captures the spirit and artistry of this globally renowned event. The 2027 competition, a golden anniversary celebration, will elevate this legacy through an open call to artists. Official Artist & Poster Contest Announced The winning design will become the  signature visual identity  of the 2027 USA IBC. Its colors, themes, and imagery will be featured throughout: Competition branding and marketing Print and digital publications Merchandise and promotional materials In addition, the selected artist will receive: A  dedicated exhibition and artist reception Extensive promotional features  and media coverage A  press conference unveiling the official poster Recognition as the  2027 USA IBC Official Artist , joining a distinguished lineage of creatives A Legacy of Artistic Collaboration Artists who have previously contributed to USA IBC’s visual history have described the experience as both meaningful and career-defining. Reflecting on his selection,  Brent Funderburk , Official Artist of the 2010 USA IBC, shared: “As official artist of the 2010 USA IBC events I was thrilled and grateful! This privilege is one of the highlights of my life and artistic career; the poster is a wonderful medium by which to share the IBC and also the arts and artists of Mississippi and the region. It has been a great honor to have dance professionals and fans from around the world view my work.” Celebrating a Golden Anniversary The 2027 USA IBC promises to be a landmark celebration, honoring the competition’s enduring mission: to inspire excellence, elevate dancers on the world stage, and unite global audiences through the power of classical ballet. The Official Artist & Poster Contest invites artists to help shape this historic moment by creating a visual representation worthy of the competition’s 50-year legacy. For more information and to apply visit:  usaibc.com/poster-contest

By Misty Strieff Prine             “Grace is when you get the good things you don’t deserve. Mercy is when you’re spared from the bad things you do deserve. God is generous with both.” – Unknown.             "Mercy there was grace and grace was free. Pardon there was multiplied to me. There my troubled soul found liberty at Calvary." We all know those lyrics. We all have had and still have moments in our lives when we have felt so worthless. Our failures and rejection became too much to bear, and we find ourselves pulling away from everyone. In those moments, if we put all outside distractions aside and focus on the moment that God's grace and mercy found us, we would realize just how loved we truly are and have ALWAYS been...in-spite of how much we fail Him daily and those repeated valleys we find ourselves walking in because of them. God's grace is a beautiful thing y’all. Grace is when we get the blessings in life that we totally don't deserve. Mercy is when we don't get what we totally deserve (thank you, Lord.) Can you imagine if God gave us what we deserved? That's a scary thought, isn't it? We serve a God of second chances. Sometimes He chooses to give us third, fourth and even more chances. Why is that?? God loves us so much. He loves us through our failures and when we reject Him. That's where mercy comes in. In those moments where we "think" we can do this life on our own terms and reject God at every turn, guess what? He's still there...waiting. He knows that there is going to come a time when we will see the error of our ways and how much we depend on Him. I think all the time how in the world people even remotely do this life without Him. There are so many people that are lost and dying today that do not know Him as their Lord and Savior. There are also a lot of people that have been saved but have drifted away from Him. Life got in the way, and they lost sight of Him. All those people have one thing in common. Their lives are tough...in shambles if you will. They are wondering why they are facing adversities in their lives at every turn. Life seems to get harder every single day. If you find yourself in this boat today, I pray that you will examine your heart. Have you distanced yourself from Him? Maybe He's trying to get your attention, and you have just been too preoccupied and bullheaded to see it. God's mercy and grace are waiting on you, friend. All you have to do is say, "Lord, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Use my life as a testimony to others as to what You can do in their lives, just as You have mine. Here I am, Lord. Use me as you see fit." Friend, when you do that and you become willing, your life will take an amazing turn. You will realize how blessed you truly are and all of the blessings you have been missing all along. All you had to do is be open to receive God's mercy and grace. It's there for the taking. Take it and LIVE in it. Then put your seat belt on because your life is about to be amazing. Do you want to experience that in your life? All you must do is surrender your life to Him. He's waiting for you. Are you willing and ready?

By Bob Arnold   Under new leadership, Co-Lin, through its Workforce Education division, is continuing its strong role in southwest Mississippi as the leading labor development partner among government agencies and private organizations working to shape the area’s economy.   This unique part of the college trains workers as needed for existing and new employers in non-degree programs, certifies people for jobs and careers to assure employers can draw on qualified workers and connects job-seekers and employers.   Tuwanna Williams, the former Director of Workforce Development for the City of Natchez with 20 years of experience in building labor forces, advancing local economies and engaging communities, has just come on board as the Director of Workforce Education at Co-Lin.   Williams says her priorities are streamlining the division’s activities, building relationships with the regional economic development players in the seven counties that make up the Co-Lin district towards supporting economic development and assuring students that they are prepared for real jobs, which they can find without leaving home if they want to stay in the area where they grew up.   Her first big event is this month – Co-Lin’s 36 th  annual Job Fair.   On March 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Billy B. Thames Conference Center on the Co-Lin, the Job Fair will connect some 50 employers with 300 to 400 job seekers of all experience levels. “Co-Lin Career Coach Emily Flessner, who is coordinating the event, has recruited a record number of organizations in a wide-diversity of businesses to meet people who want to work,” says Williams.  “We’re pleased to bring job seekers and employers together for this important event. With a variety of companies attending, it’s a great opportunity to network, showcase your skills, and explore new career paths.” Williams says Flessner has been making a special effort to bring in employers beyond the banking and healthcare organizations that are mostly on hand at the event – especially companies in engineering and construction.  In addition to representatives from hospitals across the region and banks, Magnolia Electric and Dungan Engineering will be present with their people this year. To make the most of their opportunity to connect with employers, Co-Lin advises job-seekers to: • Update Your Resume: Ensure your resume is current, highlighting your most relevant skills and experiences. Print several copies to distribute to potential employers. • Dress Professionally: First impressions matter. Dress professionally, even if the job fair has a more casual atmosphere. • Practice Your Introduction: Prepare a short, clear introduction of who you are, what you do, and what you’re looking for in your next job. Keep it brief but impactful. • Attend Prep Events: Prepare for success at Job Fair Prep Consultations, where you can refine your resume, sharpen your interview skills, and enhance your networking techniques. Consultations are available at the Brookhaven WIN Job Center. The Job Fair is free to the public.  Visit the Co-Lin Job Fair website at www.colin.edu/jobfair for details on participating employers, sponsors, and event updates.  With the Job Fair the primary responsibility of Career Coach Flessner, Williams has been spending her early weeks in her new job traveling the Co-Lin service district encompassing Adams, Copiah, Franklin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lincoln and Simpson Counties to meet players in economic development – business leaders, mayors and aldermen, county supervisors and officials whose work focuses on recruiting new employers. The immediate focus of the meetings is evaluating our programs towards making sure workers are prepared for jobs employers need to fill.   The programs Williams oversees, in general, provide training in manufacturing skills for people who are already part of the workforce and high school graduates who want to go to work right away.  In recent years, fiber classes in splicing, fusion and optics, Certified Nursing Assistant (CAN) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) classes and classes for would-be truck drivers and electrical linemen have been popular.  Always in demand are Occupation Safety and Health, CPR and forklift trainings. In the coming months, Williams believes customer service training that emphasizes soft skills, such as punctuality and conflict resolution, will be, increasingly, wanted and she is also exploring building trades classes in plumbing, masonry, electricity and heavy equipment as new offerings of Co-Lin’s Workforce Education Division. Beyond short-term training program adjustments stemming from her relationship-building with economic development stakeholders throughout the region, Williams also foresees longer term outcomes spearheaded by Co-Lin, including a district Workforce Committee and periodic roundtables where government and business leaders discuss economic development strategies. A continuing component on Williams agenda for Co-Lin’s Workforce Development Division is Career Readiness Certification.  As part of the American College Testing (ACT) Work Ready Program, it conducts assessments of existing, emerging (high school graduates seeking jobs), and transitional (those who want to change jobs) workers in Co-Lin district counties and certifies if they are “work ready” based on a Work Keys training program.   “We want to help Co-Lin district counties maintain the work readiness of their labor forces – a major factor in recruiting new employers in their economic development activities,” says Williams.   Williams also talks about “streamlining” Workforce Education.   “We do a lot of things right, and we want to make them easy for our students and partners to engage through a web site and communication that are bigger, better and brighter,” she says.    Specifically, Williams cites a user-friendly web site where information is readily accessible, documents can be uploaded or downloaded and there is easy and convenient registration for classes and other events.  Even brochures or flyers with more inviting and compelling graphics can make a difference, she says.    In addition to its Workforce Education Division, Co-Lin helps workers acquire skills they need to qualify for jobs through its Career and Technical Education Division, which awards certificates and grants Associate Degrees to students who equip themselves for specialized jobs and career paths, and, in  partnership with ed2go, offers online open enrollment programs designed to provide skills necessary to acquire professional level positions in many in-demand occupations.

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB Author Colleen Hoover is apparently dominant in the genre of tearjerkers. She’s best known for “It Ends With Us,” about the upsetting subject of domestic violence. Now comes “Reminders of Him,” which features both a death and a torn-apart family. It wants to inspire tears of sadness and sympathy, but the best it can manage is to bore me to tears. The story follows Kenna (Maika Monroe), fresh out of prison after serving a seven-year sentence for vehicular manslaughter. She returns to her small Wyoming hometown, where the first thing she does is rip out the cross along the side of the road that memorializes her former lover Scotty (Rudy Pankow), the passenger she killed in a car crash while intoxicated. It’s not malicious, she does it to honor Scotty, as “he hated memorials,” though she doesn’t seem to consider that memorials aren’t “for” the deceased, they’re for people in mourning. Then again, she’s not one to always use great judgement. Kenna’s life is a mess. She can’t get a job because of her criminal record, she can only stay in a lousy apartment by agreeing to take in one of the building owner’s cats, and she has no legal right to see Diem (Zoe Kosovic), the six-year-old daughter she had with Scotty, probably conceived minutes before the fatal crash. She had to give birth in prison and never even got to hold her baby before she was whisked away to live with Scotty’s parents (Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford). She’s looking for a way to become part of Diem’s life, but all of her ideas involve acting like a crazy stalker, which isn’t going to endear her to the child’s grandparents, who already hate her for what she did to their son. Kenna’s search for a job leads her to a bar owned by failed football player Ledger (Tyriq Withers). The two flirt and he instantly develops feelings for her. Things get complicated when it is revealed that he was Scotty’s best friend growing up and is now heavily involved in raising Diem. They get even more complicated when he learns that she is Scotty’s lover/killer and Diem’s stalker/mother. He demands that she leave town, or at least not insert herself into Diem’s life, but she has no intention of obeying. Besides, he doesn’t really mean that he wants her to leave town, he’s too smitten with her. Kenna and Ledger form an uneasy business relationship that turns into a friendship that threatens to turn romantic. Can he learn to love the woman who took his best friend away from him? And how will this affect the close-as-family relationship he has with Diem and her grandparents? No doubt it will involve lying and eventually exposure, but will forgiveness be around the corner? The film feels inexplicably stuffed with dragged-out scenes and unnecessary details. Kenna’s first job as a grocery bagger doesn’t really go anywhere, nor does Ledger not making much progress on a house he’s building far outside of town. And we don’t need a lengthy flashback to the night of the accident, everything has been sufficiently described in other parts of the movie. My theory is that a tight, early draft of the script came in at only sixty minutes and the studio insisted that it be stretched out to ninety, but then someone overcorrected until it was this nearly-two-hour snoozefest. Either that or the Hoover novel itself is over-bloated, in which case the movie should have done more to tighten things up. I’m not mad at “Reminders of Him” for being incompetent, just nonplussed that it’s so unexciting. Other than being too long and dull, it’s not even bad in an interesting way. By the end of the year, I’ll probably forget the very title of “that weepy mother-that-can’t-see-her-daughter movie.” And then I’ll need a reminder of “Reminders of Him.” Grade: C- “Reminders of Him” is rated PG-13 for sexual content, strong language, drug content, some violent content, and brief partial nudity. Its running time is 114 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu .

Special to Wesson News   Camp Rising Sun, a children’s oncology outdoors experience supported by Mississippi charities, including Wesson Lions Club as part of the statewide Lions organization, will be hosted by Camp Kamassa in Copiah County during the 2026 camping season.   Since 1988, the Columbus, Mississippi, based camp has provided a traditional camping experience for children diagnosed with cancer.   Children and youth ages 6 to 16, who have been or are currently being treated for cancer, will find swimming, horseback riding, arts and crafts, canoeing, riflery, archery, fishing, an arcade, camp Olympics, laser tag, dance, a talent show, giant swing, zipline and more in a setting that also recognizes their special physical needs.   Appreciating the financial challenges facing their families, campers are not changed for the Rising Sun program.  Transportation assistance is also available.   At the camp, medical personnel and equipment are on location 24 hours a day with a clinic staffed by doctors and nurses responsible for following medical orders of each camper’s physician to ensure treatments are maintained, including oral chemotherapy and other treatments.   Carefully selected volunteers undergo background checks and are trained to assure care and love for campers.  Certified water safety personnel monitor aquatic activities, and trained Timberlake staff assure adventure activities – the zipline and giant swing – are safe as well as fund.  The volunteer to camper ratio is approximately 1:1, with a 3:7 ration in cabins.   The Camp started accepting applications from returning campers in February and new campers in March through an online link available through info@CampRisingSun.com .  Siblings of the cancer-affected campers can apply at attend free on a space available basis.

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com  Your spouse feeling extremely ill and hurting, with no rapid relief anywhere in sight? Don't expect him to act differently than exactly what he is feeling. Physical illness shows itself very plainly in our behavior – take a quick look at a hurting and fussy little baby who feels no qualms at all in expressing just how bad her body feels. Dealing constantly with real pain can make anyone of us cranky and hard to be around at times. So what is the solution when your spouse's behavior goes beyond simply being irritated? What should you do as his long-suffering partner, when the constant arguments begin to stomp on your last nerve? Walk away. Don't attempt to argue your point or reason out the issue with him. Simply realize he feels really lousy and is acting it out. And he is not going to be in the mood to listen to your side of the story, and try to work out a compromise with you. So do both of you a favor, and just walk away. Let a little time away from the situation cool the temperature in the room.   This maneuver can give both of you a chance to realize what is happening - that his ongoing pain is making him feel out of control. Feeling out of control is also known as that horrible emotion of helplessness. And helplessness very often brings on anger. And that kind of anger erupts quickly at the slightest outside provocation. And unfortunately, you can be easily that outside provocation. If you will learn to walk away from the immediate situation, hopefully there can come a point that he will start to realize why he reacted the way he did. And approach you to resume a more reasonable conversation ...usually trying to explain that his behavior is from the frustration with the illness or pain. Your second job after walking away? Listen to what he is trying to say to you, when he does begin to talk. Not just his words, but the emotions behind it all. Try to understand and sympathize. Your third job is to realize how badly you would probably be acting if you were to find yourself stuck in his situation. Remember this. There is absolutely no reason to continue an argument. No use trying. At this point, there is no winning for either of you. Because probably, neither of you is right or wrong. Just misunderstood, and not communicating very well at this stage. Pain inside a home has a way of making the people in that home seem to lose the skill of hearing each other very well. So, learn to walk away for a few minutes. For your own sake and for your spouse.

Special to Wesson News   Co-Lin Chef Chris McSweyn will teach cooking class.   Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) members can improve their cooking skills in March and April workshops the Co-Lin-sponsored membership organization is offering in its spring semester program.   On March 20, Jennifer will lead a workshop on making sour dough bread and Co-Lin chef Chris McSweyn will conduct a cooking workshop on April 28 with a meal he prepares in the process.   In addition to the workshops, the ILR spring semester has already featured February and March luncheons with two additional ones scheduled on April 9 and May 14.  The ILR travel calendar has special day trips to New Orleans on       March 25, Meridian, Mississippi, on April 16 and Summit, May 7.  Throughout the semester, Cheryl Myers is leading weekly chair fitness exercise classes on most Wednesday that provide a safe and accessible way for seniors to stay active and improve their physical and mental well-being.   The February 18 luncheon at the Thames Center featured the Co-Lin choir and the March 5 luncheon prepared by culinary arts students at the Anderson Building featured Strings of Friendship.   A painting workshop scheduled on February 23 was cancelled due to a back injury of the instructor, Dawn Marks, and will be rescheduled for later in the semester.  Likewise, a February 24 day trip that included a train trip from Gulfport, Mississippi, to Mobile, Alabama, was cancelled to be rescheduled at a later time.   ILR provides continuing education experiences for retired and semi-retired older adults.  In ILR, participants define their own informal educational goals and pursue them at their own pace, based on their own choices and talents.  Members, who design the group's program, come from wide ranging backgrounds and bring varied experiences to the organization.  Co-Lin staff administers ILR and the college provides facilities for the organization, which is fully funded by member dues.               The ILR spring semester program:   Every Wednesday. Cheryl Myers will lead one-hour chair fitness yoga classes.  Exercises can be modified to accommodate various fitness levels and abilities, focusing on improving strength, balance and flexibility.  $10 per class.  10:30 a.m.  Thames Center.   Contact Cheryl Myers at (601)-757-2133.   March 20. Jennifer Case teaches how to make sour dough bread, including a starter.  Cost includes starter, jar and first feeding of starter.  Participants need to bring a glass bowl, wooden spoon, tea towel, small bowl with a lid for discard after pouring off and refeeding starter and ingredients – 3 ½ cups of unbleached all purpose organic flour, salt and sugar.  The instructor will provide butter that will be melted and filtered well water.  While making their sourdough starters, participants will eat good food and have fun in a social atmosphere in which all can learn and enjoy the craft.  Limited to 10 participants.  Four can still sign up.  Cost is $45 (including starter, jar and first feeding for starter).  Class starts at 8 a.m. and will take about three hours.  Thames Center on the Co-Lin campus.  March 24.  Day trip to New Orleans includes matinee dinner show with buffet style luncheon and Victory Belles performance of toe-tapping favorite popular patriotic World War II era tunes, entrance to WW II museum and the film Beyond All Boundaries .  $150 cost covers travel on professional motor coach.   March 31.                                                                                                                            Co-Lin Spring Spectrum Band Concert.  7 p.m.  Rea Auditorium on Co-Lin Wesson campus.   April 9. Luncheon at the Anderson Building on Co-Lin campus with meal prepared by Co-Lin culinary arts students and entertainment provided by Co-Lin Jazz Band.  10:30 a.m.  $10.   April 15. Day trip to Meridian, Mississippi, includes tour of Dann’s Falls at Enterprise, Mississippi.  Wear tennis shoes to ascend and descend the high steps.  Enjoy lunch on your own at the famous Wiedmann’s Restaurant in Meridian and then visit the Meridian Museum of Art.  Travel on Professional Motorcoach.  Cost is $65   April 28. Cooking demo led by Co-Lin Chef Chris McSweyn.  Participants will learn cooking secrets as McSweyn prepares a meal for them.  $25.  2 p.m.  Co-Lin Thames Center. May 7.    Day trip to Summit, Mississippi, includes private painting class at The Happy Easel Art Studio from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., a light lunch of sandwiches, cookies and drinks during the class, shopping in downtown Summit if time permits and travel.  Cost is $45.   May 14. Luncheon prepared by Co-Lin Chef Chris McSweyn.  Entertainment to be determined.  $14.  10:30 a.m.  Co-Lin Thames Center   April 3.                                                                                                                                                               Fentanyl and Narcan:  Saving Lives Through Awareness and Action.  Workshop conducted by Ashley Washington, Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist.  10:30 a.m.  Co-Lin Thames Center.   For information, contact Co-Lin Program Coordinator and Events Coordinator Erin Johnson at (601)-643-8702 and erin.johnson@colin.edu .   The Institute for Learning in Retirement is a member-driven organization.  Its 2025-2026 officers are George Huffman, president; Sarah Lloyd, vice president; Joy Wesbrooks, secretary; Lanell Strait, associate secretary; Ketti Breaux, treasurer; Bettie Bulliard, immediate past president; members-at-large Jackie Abrams, Mary Jane James and Mary Lou Barlow.

By Jessica Breazeale (My personal list of amazement) 1.      Ants I know what you’re thinking, “Yeah, yeah…we’ve heard this a million times. Ants are incredible but I tend to disagree because they bite, they make you itch, they are a nuisance…” and I totally get it. I hear ya. I really do! But, ants are some seriously brilliant architects and engineers and do not concern themselves with the red tape. They work together to accomplish the task and complete the job. Prepare to be amazed… 2.      Superb Birds of Paradise  These birds are so theatrical. If you need to be entertained, check out these dancers online. Superb Birds of Paradise do a quick “costume change” to perform for a potential mate to attempt to woo them with their sweet dance moves. The better the dancer, the better the chances of a hot date. Prepare to be amazed…    3.      Parrot Fish The first time I saw parrot fish, I was snorkeling in St. Thomas, and the parrot fish were everywhere. I have never felt more delighted or welcomed in someone else’s home. They were all smiles, which comforted me. I felt like I was in a comedy and they were about to pull a prank. Imagine hundreds of these guys all around you. You’re sure to feel like you’re back in the hospitality state we all used to know and love. It looks like they’re saying, “How’s ya mama & them?” or “Howdy, ma’am!” They look so polite and joyful. Prepare to be amazed…   4.      Immortal Jellyfish Who in their right mind would like a jellyfish? I didn’t say I liked it. I said it was an amazing creature as in extremely interesting. This jellyfish looks something right out of science fiction. But it’s NOT. It’s real, and I’d really be scared if I could upon one. The most fascinating thing about the immortal jellyfish is that it  is biologically immortal, meaning that the creature cannot be killed. When it feels threatened, it retracts its tentacles inside its body, falling to the floor, starting the life cycle all over again. This process, called transdifferentiation, sounds otherworldly to me that a living creature doesn’t die . Prepare to be amazed…     5.       Kungfu Mantis  – when threatened, it will stand up in a karate kid stance to appear larger to the prey as a defense. The iconic finishing move from the 1984 film  The Karate Kid  is called the  Crane Kick  taught by Mr. Miyagi, to Daniel LaRusso. The move obviously spilled out into the lives of the Kungfu Mantis. Prepare to be amazed…   6.       We are.  Seeing a fetus in the womb via ultrasound is a remarkable, emotional experience that allows parents to witness early development, such as a heartbeat at 6.5 weeks, limb movement by 8-9 weeks, and detailed, lifelike 3D/4D images later in pregnancy. According to Google AI, a baby is regarded as alive from a biological perspective at fertilization (conception) when a distinctive, living organism with its very own DNA is formed. Prepare to be amazed… Downloadable Version

By Bob Arnold   Carnegie Hall in New York City is a long way from a farm in Cordele, Georgia.  There’s the distance in miles, of course, but for Dr. Bobby G. Helms, the Director of Choral Activities and Theater at Co-Lin since 2019, Carnegie Hall is also a mark of a long journey in music and theater that started at Bay Spring Baptist Church in nearby Arabia, Georgia, has brought him to Wesson and will take him to the famed New York City venue this spring.   On May 25 at Carnegie Hall, Helms will direct the world premiere of To Truly Love , a 25-minute work for choir, soloists and orchestra that will be performed by his Co-Lin choir, the Jackson-based Mississippi Boys Choir, for which he is also the artistic director, and other choirs from Presbyterian Christian School at Hattiesburg, Mississippi, First Baptist Church of Tyler, Texas, and New York City.   Born in 1972, Helms was fated to live a musical life in a farm family that quite literally was their small church’s music program.  His father directed the church choir.  His mother played the piano there and his aunt played the organ for the congregation.   Tennis, golf and 4-H activities competed for Helms’ attention growing up, but the church choir and high school band won out in his life after the farm chores and activities, which focused on raising cows and pigs and showing steers in livestock shows during his years in the fourth through twelfth grades.   “Actually, music has been critical to my life, even helping me overcome personal problems,” Helms explains.  “I stuttered as a child, and music trained me to think ahead before speaking words because you always need to look a measure beyond where you are on the music sheet as you play an instrument or sing.”   After graduating from Crisp County (Georgia) High School in 1990, Helms earned a BS in Music Education at Valdosta (Georgia) State University in 1995 and started his career teaching choir, band, general music and theater at Middle Schools for eight years at Donaldson, Georgia, and Cordele, Georgia.   From 2005 to 2006 after completing Master’s Degree programs in Music Education and Choral Conducting at Valdosta State and Georgia Southern, he taught choral conducting and vocal music and served as the opera chorus master at Valdosta State.  From 2006 to 2007, he did course work at the University of South Carolina and then taught music at Warner Robins (Georgia) Elementary School for six years, and earned an Education Specialist Degree in Vocal Music at Auburn.   In 2013, Helms started a new life in Mississippi to study for a Doctor of Musical Arts and Choral Conducting Degree at Southern Mississippi University in Hattiesburg, returning after his course work to Austell, Georgia, where he taught Middle School while caring for his ailing father.   In 2017, he taught at Warner Robins High School, but returned to Mississippi permanently the following year to direct the choir and work on his Doctoral dissertation at Southern Mississippi and finally land at Co-Lin for the last half decade.   Since coming to Wesson to direct the Co-Lin choir, Helms has expanded the scope of his teaching to encompass theater – a program that includes classes in drama production, theater appreciation, acting, directing, stage craft, diction and stage makeup.  Helms is also working on another MA – in theater education – at Mississippi University for Women (the “W”) to equip him for the task.    “I try to teach two theater courses each semester,” says Helms.  “We have a summer theater program for children and, and our productions have included Chicago-teens , Lion King-junior , Grease-high school , Beetle Juice-junior  and Anastasia-youth edition .  Since 2022, our productions for the community have also included Steel Magnolias , Hunchback of Notre Dame , Little Shop of Horrors , Hairspray  and Clue the Musical .  For suicide prevention and awareness, we will be producing Dear Evan Hansen .”   Helms is a National Collegiate Choral Organization board member and was a quarter finalist for the Music Educator Grammy Award.   While Helms’ work life is now in Wesson, he resides in Brookhaven.   What are your hobbies? I am a soccer fan.  I like fishing and playing golf.  I am the pianist at Spring Ridge United Methodist Church at Terry.   Are you a reader? I read Shakespeare.  I also read motivational books so I can help my students achieve success.   You are a musician professionally, of course.  But how about spare time music? It surprises my students when they visit in my office and meet me wearing my ear phones.  I’m an eclectic music listener, but I am particularly into artists from the 1980s and 1990s – Metallica, Nervana, Journey.   If you were so lucky, how would you spend your lottery winnings? I wouldn’t retire.  That’s for sure.  I’d probably establish music scholarships.   How would you change the world? Learning and practicing music can make you better at anything.  So I would make sure everyone had a basic elementary education in music.