Nominations are now open for the 2025 list of Mississippi’s 10 Most Endangered Historic Places, and the Mississippi Heritage Trust is encouraging residents across the state to take part in identifying and protecting sites that hold historical and cultural value. Each year, this list draws attention to landmarks that are architecturally or historically significant but are facing serious challenges. These threats may come in the form of neglect, deterioration, pressure from new development, natural disasters, or a lack of resources to maintain them. Since its creation in 1999, the Endangered Places list has brought attention to 130 sites throughout Mississippi. Some of these have been preserved and given new life thanks to increased awareness and local support. Others, unfortunately, have been lost. Many still sit in uncertain condition, waiting for someone to recognize their value and step in to help. This year marks the 15th time the list will be published. Every nomination submitted plays a part in telling the broader story of Mississippi’s identity. Whether it’s a one-room schoolhouse, a historic church that has served as a pillar in its community, a once-thriving storefront, or a bridge with industrial significance, each place represents a piece of our shared heritage. You don’t need to be an expert in preservation to nominate a site—just someone who believes in the importance of saving the places that matter. The Trust is especially interested in locations that are both historically important and at risk of being lost due to ongoing neglect or outside pressure. Is there a building in Wesson that tells part of your town’s story and deserves a second chance? Now is the time to make sure its history isn’t forgotten. The deadline to submit nominations is August 15. To learn more or to submit a nomination, visit https://www.mississippiheritage.com/ .

Special to Wesson News   Wesson American Legion sent (left to right) Caroline Strong from Copiah Academy and Maria Hall, Kate Norwood and Mary Margaret Woods, all from Wesson, to the state Legion’s Girls State last month. The American Legion Drane Prine Post Unit 79 sent four young ladies from Copiah County the state Legion’s Girls State last month on the campus of Ole Miss.    Caroline Strong from Copiah Academy and Maria Hall, Kate Norwood and Mary Margaret Woods from Wesson went for the first time with the help of the local Legion post, and Mara Norwood, Cailley Duplantis and Taylor Papazan, all from Wesson, returned as junior counselors to the special camp established by the state Legion in 1936 to provide female students, who just completed their junior year in high school with a intensive week studying responsible citizenship, government and leadership. The Wesson Legion post chose the girls to attend based on their character, grades and community service.    “I applied because I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn about leadership and because I had heard all of the good things about girls state through my sister who attended,” said Kate Norwood. “My favorite part was meeting new likeminded girls who were the most genuine and kind people.”   She described the camp experience as “an incredible opportunity to learn so much about leadership and facing challenges, while also meeting new people who will become life long friends.”   Kate’s sister Mara explained her decision to return to the camp thusly: “I decided to go back and serve because of the people involved, hanging out with our veterans, and learning about the history, and developing my leadership skills.”

Anyone looking for a way to get in on the ground floor of Amazon Web Services data centers career opportunities can start with a four-week paid training program at Hinds Community College’s Jackson Campus. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is investing $10 billion to build two data center complexes in two Madison County industrial parks, which is projected to create at least 1,000 new jobs in the Magnolia State, according to the AWS website. The I2PA AWS Information Infrastructure Pre-Apprenticeship program at Hinds’ Jackson Campus will not only train participants to enter careers at those data centers but will also pay them for 30 hours’ worth of work each week for the four weeks of training. “Since data centers are new to our area, people may not understand the opportunities for high-wage, high-demand jobs the data centers bring with them,” said Dr. Ginger Robbins, Vice President of Workforce Development and Governmental Affairs. “The I2PA training program exposes participants to skills needed to build, connect, power and operate data centers – and provides pathways to further training and employment." All supplies – including protective gear and a laptop computer – are included in the hands-on training program. The training begins on Aug. 18 and ends on Sept. 16 with a graduation ceremony at Hinds’ Jackson Campus at 3925 Sunset Dr. Participants can earn several industry-required certificates, including AWS I2PA and OSHA 10. To qualify, participants need a high school diploma or equivalent, ability to perform basic math functions (addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, and fractions and percentages) and basic written and verbal communication skills in English. For more information, contact Angela Hayes at the WIN Job Center.  Angela.Hayes@hindscc.edu To apply, go to the website at:  https://aws-workforce.pearson.com/i2pa-2025-08-jackson-ms/

By: Bob Garver   Poster credit IMDB        With Zack Snyder’s version of the DC Universe having officially fizzled out, Warner Bros. is trying a hard reboot of the multi-faceted superhero franchise under the direction of James Gunn. First up for Gunn is “Superman,” with actor David Corenswet stepping into the role of space alien Kal-El/mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent/blue-suited metahuman Superman. Corenswet is a good fit for the role, as he unflinchingly nails the character’s strength and stoicism, as well as his unrelenting moral dedication and occasionally-naïve optimism. His mere casting is the first good decision by Gunn, getting the movie (and thus, the series) off on the right foot.             The film forgoes its main character’s origin story and picks up three years after the Superman persona has become known to the public. He’s ready to help out wherever he’s needed, whether it’s a collapsing skyscraper in the American city of Metropolis or a hostile military invasion by the far-off dictatorship of Boravia. He’s a selfless force for good in the world, which of course means that many, many people have a problem with him. In particular, evil industrialist Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult, another solid casting choice with a good balance of smugness and intensity) wants to stop Superman, ostensibly so he can carry out grand schemes without interference, but really because he’s jealous that the hero’s many good deeds keep eating up the headlines.             Speaking of headlines, “Clark” works, as always, at the “Daily Planet” newspaper alongside intrepid reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan, yet another good casting choice with a sharp wit and excellent chemistry with Corenswet). At first it seems like these two have a bit of a cute crush on one another, but all is not as innocent as it seems. Lois has a tendency to make Clark feel insecure about the godlike, above-reproach identity he’s set up for himself, but maybe it’s good that he feels insecure so he can think about the consequences of his actions. Or maybe she’s wrong and he shouldn’t be worried about backlash or second-guessing himself. It’s a complicated issue without a straightforward answer, but they’re determined to work through it together.             Surprisingly, Superman isn’t the only metahuman in Metropolis. The city is also served by Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawk Girl (Isabela Merced), and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi, who contributes so much to the movie’s heroics that he may as well be a co-lead). But Superman is more powerful than all of them because powers from the planet Krypton are in his DNA. Kal-El’s Kryptonian parents were able to send him to Earth from their dying planet with some advanced technology, which developed over the years into the Fortress of Solitude in Antarctica, complete with robot servants and Krypto the Superdog. They also threw in a message of encouragement via hologram. Kal-El doesn’t know what they were encouraging, exactly, but probably just a reminder to always be good, right?             This version of “Superman” has all the makings of a great superhero movie, but I can’t say that it ever really becomes one. I recommend it overall, but for every well-realized character or interesting plot point, there are several others that just come off as unnecessary. For example, I may care about Lois and Clark’s co-workers at the “Daily Planet” down the line, but here I wonder why the movie needs to go to their offices at all when there’s already so much new information to take in. The same overcrowding problem applies to this franchise’s rivals over at the MCU, which is why so many of their movies have seemed like mush lately. Gunn has to opportunity here to not just bring the DCU back from the dead, but pull it ahead of the MCU while that once-great cinematic universe is mired in its mid-2020’s doldrums. This movie is not going to cause the DCU to overtake the MCU in a single bound, but for the first time in a long time, the DCU feels like a worthy contender for superhero supremacy. Grade: B- “Superman” is rated PG-13 for violence, action and language. Its running time is 129 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at  rrg251@nyu.edu .

Online volunteer registration opens today for the 82nd National Folk Festival, a FREE, three-day event, launching in downtown Jackson, November 7-9, 2025. This year marks the first of the festival’s three-year residency in Jackson. With over 800 volunteers needed for the festival to run smoothly, volunteer recruitment is key to the event’s success. Projected attendance is 60,000-80,000 for the 2025 festival. “I’m incredibly excited to engage the Jackson community through our volunteer program, which will play a vital role in building the kind of civic pride that we want to see,” says Local Festival Manager Thabi Moyo. “This inaugural cohort of volunteers will help shape the tone and spirit of the festival, creating an experience that reflects the warmth and hospitality Mississippi is known for—and I couldn’t be more thrilled to help build a team that understands and embodies that.” There are dozens of opportunities for all ages to get involved, from Backstage Support to Beverage Sales, Participant Transportation, Bucket Brigade, Merchandise, and more. People may choose what positions they’re interested in as well as their preferred time slots when registering online. Average volunteer shifts are three to four hours, and volunteers may sign up for more than one shift over the course of the weekend. All volunteers will be asked to attend a rally and orientation session; some volunteers will also participate in an additional training session. Volunteers may sign up individually or with groups of friends or coworkers. The festival is a wonderful place for your family, school, office, church, or community organization to volunteer as a group. "Volunteering offers a unique opportunity to pull back the curtain and contribute to all the moving parts that make a large-scale national event possible,” continues Moyo. “My hope is that folks come back year after year to be part of it.” Each volunteer will get a National Folk Festival volunteer t-shirt, receive service hours, and gain a wonderful sense of community pride—PLUS, make new friends and create unforgettable memories! To learn more and to register, prospective volunteers can visit nationalfolkfestival.com/volunteer , or email Festival Volunteer Coordinators Macy Russell and Courtney Jones at volunteers@nationalfolkfestival.com with any questions. For more information on the Festival, visit nationalfolkfestival.com . To engage on social media: Facebook: facebook.com/NFFJackson Instagram: instagram.com/NFFJackson The National Folk Festival is a partnership of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the City of Jackson, Visit Jackson, Downtown Jackson Partners, the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, the Community Foundation for Mississippi, the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Mississippi Humanities Council, Visit Mississippi, and the National Park Service. The festival is FREE to the public.

By Misty Strieff Prine                 “You’re seeking validation from a world that crucified a perfect man.” – Unknown Wow. If this doesn’t stop you in your tracks, you better do some soul searching my dear friends. This is going to be short and sweet. The more times I read this, the more I’m thinking, “Where has this saying been all of my life?” THIS is, as I say quite often, a post-it note reminder if there ever was one. My goodness if many of us would have realized this back in our younger days, we’d saved ourselves a lot of tears, hurt and heartbreak. Truth is, many still go through this - seeking validation from the world. That’s the LAST place you should be seeking anything from. There’s but ONE person whose opinion matters of you and that’s the only PERFECT One that has the right to stand on the truth because He IS the truth. No one else’s validation matters. Keep your focus and faith on God. Let Him guide you in your decision making and how you treat others. Don’t let the world decide for you. We all probably know by now where that gets you. God gave us the ability to think for ourselves for a reason. **For daily devotionals, you can follow me on Facebook at The Upward Way or on Instagram at the_upward_way.

Erosion control is one of the most overlooked elements of site development, yet it is one of the most critical. Erosion doesn’t just affect soil — it affects every structure, pipe, pavement, and foundation that relies on that soil for support. When erosion is ignored or poorly controlled, the ground literally disappears from beneath construction, causing failures long after the project is “finished.” Erosion control protects more than dirt.It protects the entire investment  built on top of it. Erosion control doesn’t just protect dirt — it protects everything built on top of that dirt. When rainfall, runoff, or stormwater begins moving across unprotected soil, it carries sediment with it. That process can: wash out newly graded slopes undermine sidewalks and driveways clog drainage structures weaken foundations expose utility lines destroy landscaping and vegetation Even small storms can remove significant amounts of soil. Once that soil is gone, it leaves voids, soft spots, and unstable areas that jeopardize the integrity of the entire site. Water movement can strip soil, expose roots, undermine pavements, and destabilize embankments. Uncontrolled water flow is powerful. It cuts channels, removes support, and forces structures to settle unevenly. Over time, this leads to: cracked pavements sinkholes slope failures collapsed retaining walls tree instability and root exposure sediment-filled ditches and culverts On steep slopes or unprotected embankments, erosion can occur rapidly — sometimes within a single rainfall event. Civil engineers don’t fight erosion — they manage it You cannot stop water from flowing.What you can  do is manage where it goes, how fast it moves, and what it carries with it. That is the purpose of engineered erosion control: to slow water, filter sediment, and keep the soil where it belongs. Erosion control plans include: • silt fence  – capturing sediment before it leaves the site • riprap  – slowing water and preventing scour around structures • mulching  – protecting bare soil and promoting vegetation growth • geotextiles  – reinforcing slopes and providing separation and filtration • slope stabilization  – using vegetation, matting, terracing, or retaining systems • channel armoring  – lining ditches and swales so water cannot cut into them Civil Engineers make sure these systems work together to ensure that soil stays on the site — and out of waterways, drainage systems, and neighboring properties. Every jobsite, no matter how small, needs an erosion plan. Residential lots, commercial properties, road projects, and small utility installations all disturb soil. Even digging a trench or regrading a backyard can create erosion problems if unmanaged. Local regulations often require erosion control because: sediment harms streams and wetlands clogged drains cause street flooding eroded soil destabilizes infrastructure sediment runoff damages adjacent properties The cost of failing to plan is always higher than the cost of installing protection correctly. Erosion is a process — not a one-time event Erosion begins the moment soil is exposed to air and water. It continues through wind, rainfall, runoff, and foot or vehicle traffic. And it doesn’t stop when construction ends — it keeps going until the soil is stabilized. Effective erosion control must be: designed  to fit the site installed  using correct materials and methods maintained  throughout construction inspected  after storms adjusted  as site conditions change Temporary measures eventually transition to permanent stabilization such as vegetation, armoring, or grading. Controlling erosion protects the land, protects the project, protects neighboring properties, and prevents regulatory problems. Good erosion control: preserves project stability prevents costly regrading keeps drainage systems working avoids complaints and lawsuits ensures compliance with environmental regulations protects water quality reduces long-term maintenance Erosion is predictable — and preventable. Managing it correctly is essential for every project, big or small.

Marcie Parrett Errington pictured with her three sons, Paxton, Jack, and Kasen. The Marcie Parrett Errington Memorial Scholarship was recently established with the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Foundation by family and friends. Errington, who passed away last year, was a graduate of Wesson Attendance Center and Co-Lin, where she received an associate's degree in nursing. She worked as a pediatric registered nurse, specializing in neonatal intensive care and private duty nursing. Loved ones say she had a special gift for taking care of sick children and ministering to the families of her patients. Errington was the daughter of Dewitt and Brenda Parrett of Hazlehurst. Parrett served as administrative assistant to the president at Co-Lin for more than 28 years. Errington is also survived by her children, Paxton, Jack, and Kasen Errington, her brother Tommy Parrett, her nephew Dee Parrett, her grandmother, Minnie Clark, as well as a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Errington’s brother Tommy said the family’s goal for the scholarship is to help make nursing school a little easier for a student who needs financial assistance. “The only thing Marcie loved more than her boys was being a nurse,” Tommy said. “She would be really proud of this scholarship to be given in her name.” The Marcie Parrett Errington Memorial scholarship will be awarded in the fall of 2025 to a nursing student with financial need. Contributions to this or any scholarship at Co-Lin are tax deductible and may be mailed to the Co-Lin Foundation at P.O. Box 649, Wesson, MS 39191 or online at colin.edu/alumni-foundation. “We are so grateful to Marcie’s family and friends for creating this scholarship in her memory,” Co-Lin Foundation executive director Angela Furr said. “Her legacy as a nurse will live on in all of the students who receive this scholarship for years to come.”

Special to Wesson News   Kate Malta, a Mississippi Highway Patrol Mounted Division volunteer (left) learns how to handle horses with children.  Division Captain Ellis Lee Morrison (right) is assisted by Trooper Stargell Catchings in teaching Malta. A 160-acre Wesson ranch is the base of the relatively new Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP) Mounted Division.   Ellis Lee Morrison, a 28-year Wesson resident, life-long horseman and veteran state Highway Patrol officer is Captain of the Special Operations Group (SOG) based at his ranch off St. John Road.    Along with SWAT, Air Op, Motorcycle, K9 and CRASH teams, the new SOG enhances MHP’s law enforcement capacity.  The four-year old unit is on call 24/7 to assist in search and rescue of missing persons and accident victims in hard-to-reach areas, tracking down prison escapees and others targets of man hunts, providing an added level of security and crowd control at special events – fairs, parades, sports and entertainment attractions – and presenting a public face for the Highway Patrol.   Horses, Morrison notes, are a good fit in law enforcement because “they have keen senses of sight, smell and hearing; they have a height advantage, are stealthy and can go to places where others can’t.”   “It was a vision of Governor Tate Reeves and Commissioner of Public Safety Sean Tindell,” Morrison explains.   They asked Morrison, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Bureau of Investigations at the time, to create the new division and lead it, following a model similar to K9 teams in which the leaders train, feed and maintain dogs on their own properties.  Morrison’s credentials as a horse trainer with his own ranch in a good central location made him the ideal choice.   Morrison took the job, and started by consulting with Texas officials at Capital Security in Austin and the state’s Department of Criminal Justice, which has 100 horses available to track prison escapees.  He acquired the initial horses for the new Mississippi unit from Texas.   Four years later, the MHP Mounted Division has 12 equines – two at the Mississippi State Prison at Parchman and 10 on Morrison’s Wesson ranch – Colt, Nemo, Maggie, Delta, Dake, Missie, Chewy, Bradley, Tank (Morrison’s personal horse) and Elvis, a mascot pony.  One other permanent police officer works with Morrison – Trooper Stargell Catchings, and the division has 12 special duty members.  Volunteers who are good with children also play an important role in the division’s public relations activities. Trooper Stargell Catchings rides Tank in training session at Wesson ranch, which is base for Mississippi Highway Patrol Mounted Division. Training the horses is ongoing at Morrison’s ranch, with the major focus on desensitizing them to distractions from their job focus – sights and sounds, people, other animals.  Morrison even has a pig on his ranch to annoy the horses so they aren’t spooked on a search and rescue mission when they encounter a Mississippi wild hog.   “The Mounted Division is at work constantly,” Morrison summarizes.  “When our horses aren’t involved in a law enforcement function, they are interacting with people – particularly children – presenting the Mississippi Highway Patrol positively.  As trained, friendly animals that also support public safety, they uniquely demonstrate that law enforcement is not to be feared, but is there to help, not harm.”

Wesson News   The retirement of Dr. Barbie Roberson as Wesson High School (WHS) principal has triggered changes in principals at both the high and elementary schools at Wesson Attendance Center (WAC).   Vanda Brister, who has served as the elementary school principal, moves into Roberson’s position and Ann Shelby Smith replaces her.     In other staff changes at WAC:   Andrew Bonner replaces Nick Kleppinger as assistant band director and music teacher, Conner Crosby is the new soccer coach and will teach history. Leanne Crosby replaces Michele Bland as computer science teacher. Debbie Marler replaces Megan Logan as English teacher. Kelly Izard is the new MTSS (support systems) coordinator for student interventions, replacing Ann Shelby Smith.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is making a resurgence in Mississippi. The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has issued a health alert warning the public about an increase in pertussis cases in the state. As of July 10, 80 cases have been reported so far this year, up from 49 for all of 2024. Thankfully, no deaths have been reported. Also known as whooping cough, pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughs that make it hard to breathe. It most commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal, especially in babies under 1 year old. Most (76%) of this year's cases have occurred in children less than 18 years of age, including seven cases in infants less than 2 months old. Of the 73 cases that were age-eligible for pertussis vaccination, 28 were not vaccinated. Among those unvaccinated, 23 were less than 18 years old. Of the 10 hospitalized, seven were children less than 2 years old. While cases have been reported statewide, 40% were identified in Northeast Mississippi. Vaccination, one of the safest and most effective ways to protect against pertussis, is recommended for everyone. There are two types of combination vaccines that include protection against pertussis, as well as diphtheria and tetanus: DTaP and Tdap. DTaP is recommended for younger children, while Tdap is recommended for older children, pregnant women and adults. Infants should receive DTaP vaccinations at 2, 4, and 6 months followed by two booster doses at 15 to 18 months and at 4 to 6 years. Pre-teens should receive Tdap at 11 to 12 years to boost their immunity. Pregnant women should receive a single dose of Tdap in the 27th – 36th week of pregnancy to help protect their newborns from pertussis during their first few months of life. Also, grandparents and other extended family/friends who may come in close contact with the infant should get booster shots to ensure they don't unknowingly pass the disease on to the child. Although there is no routine recommendation for pertussis boosters, immunity wanes over time. Pertussis is transmitted person-to-person through respiratory droplets or contact with airborne droplets. Patients are considered infectious from the onset of symptoms until three weeks after the start of high-pitched coughing fits, or until completing five days of antibiotics. Recommended treatment includes antibiotics within three weeks of cough onset in people 1 year of age and older, and within six weeks of cough onset in infants younger than 1 year old and pregnant women. MSDH offers vaccinations to children and uninsured adults at county health departments. To make an appointment, visit  https://msdh.ms.gov/pertussis  or call (855) 767-0170. If you're not sure about your child's vaccination history, you can find their records by creating an account with the MyIR service, checking with your pediatrician or contacting the MSDH Immunization Office at (601) 576‑7751. Download the new MSDH Healthy App for free in Apple and Android stores. Get up to date news and updates at:  www.msdh.ms.gov .  and on social media:  facebook.com/HealthyMS ,  twitter.com/msdh  and  Instagram.com/healthy.ms\

By: Kara Kimbrough Shortcut versions are out there, but nothing beats an utterly delicious homemade version of Shoney's Famous Strawberry Pie in the summertime. If you don't have the recipe, email me and I'll send it to you.  We’ve all done it…scrolled the internet late at night and watched videos of chefs of all skill levels cooking dishes that look SO delicious that we wanted to taste them at that exact moment. Obviously, that’s not always possible due to a number of factors. 1. We don’t have the items on hand and 2. The nearest supermarket is usually a few miles (or more) away and venturing out late at night probably isn’t the smartest idea. To solve this ongoing problem, I searched for a few shortcut versions of some of the most appetizing-looking dishes that contain ingredients that most of us have on hand. First, I watched with fascination as someone stirred together a version of Shoney’s famous strawberry pie. It’s a simple recipe, but I didn’t have fresh strawberries, Jell-O and a pie crust on hand to make the delicious dessert. However, I DID have three items that I strive to keep in my freezer at all times: frozen strawberries in sugar, a container of Cool Whip and Sara Lee All-Butter Pound Cake. Topping a slice of defrosted pound cake with the remaining two ingredients created the perfect late-night snack. My version wasn’t as good as Shoney’s, but it sufficed until I could buy the ingredients for Shoney's pie the following day. Watching another home cook make an intricate Korean beef and noodles dish piqued my interest and taste buds. But spending 1-1/2 hours working on the dish in a hot kitchen wasn’t the best use of my time or patience. Using a bottle of Korean marinade, pre-sliced beef and ramen noodles (something I literally hadn’t tasted since college), the end result was surprisingly delicious and filling. Last, I’m not a huge fan of Mexican food, but after running out of ideas on ways to use a large package of chicken, I watched another video of a chef creating Salsa Verde chicken.  He made the sauce from scratch, but I decided to substitute a cup of jarred sauce, which is often used as a dip. While it won’t replace my favorite chicken parmigiano, it was tasty and here’s the best part, only took 15 minutes to make. Try these two shortcut dishes to help make the most of summer days filled with lots of fun things to do while continuing to get dinner on the table. Since you’ll save time on dinner prep, spend a little time making Shoney’s most famous dessert. If you don’t have the recipe, drop me an email and I’ll send it to you. Enjoy the remaining days of summer! Shortcut Korean Beef Noodles 15.52-ounce package instant Ramen noodles 1 pound thinly cut ribeye steak or another cut ½ pound baby Bok choy, ends trimmed and washed (can use cole slaw mix if Bok choy is not available or to save time) 1 green onion finely chopped ½ small onion sliced 1 ½ cup Korean barbecue sauce or marinade (found next to regular barbecue sauce/marinades or in ethnic section )½ tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, optional Place ramen noodles in sauce pan of boiling water and begin loosening with tongs. Once they are loosened, strain and rinse under cold water. Do not boil noodles too long; set aside. In sauce pan over medium high heat, add oil, then yellow onion; cook until softened and slightly browned on edges. Next add green onions. Add beef and stir fry until beef is partially cooked. Toss in Bok choy or cole slaw and stir fry with beef. Cook until juices in the wok have evaporated, about 3-4 minutes. Add in strained ramen and Korean sauce. Mix everything together. Once everything is mixed, remove off heat to serve over rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice 4 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup jarred thick Salsa Verde (found in condiment aisle or ethnic section) 1 cup pepper Jack cheese, shredded Package of Knorr Spanish rice (or other instant rice brand) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Season the chicken evenly with pepper. Place the chicken in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet or 3-quart baking dish. Drizzle with the oil. Pour Salsa Verde over the chicken. Bake until salsa is bubbly and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 140 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the oven to broil. Sprinkle the chicken with the cheese and return to the oven. Broil until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165 degrees and the cheese is melted and browned in spots, about four minutes. Serve over Spanish rice or with other favorite side dish. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at  kkprco@yahoo.com .