The Mississippi Secretary of State's Office urges the business community, especially LLCs, to be cautious of misleading mailers distributed by third-party entities urging Annual Report filings. These mailers typically request a fee and appear to be official government correspondence. All business owners should be sure to read the fine print as this correspondence is not authorized by the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office. As a reminder, domestic LLC owners can file annual reports on the Secretary of State's website at NO COST. Annual reports are due by April 15th of each year. Our office sends numerous reminders of upcoming filing deadlines and responsibilities to our Mississippi LLCs Businesses may report deceptive or misleading solicitations to our office or the Mississippi Attorney General's Office. The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline is 1-800-281-4418. For more information, please contact the Secretary of State's Business Services Division at  customerservice@sos.ms.gov  or (601) 359-1633.

By Misty Strieff Prine                   “Never forget three types of people in your life: 1: Who helped you in difficult times. 2. Who left you in difficult times. 3. Who put you in difficult times.” – Unknown. Difficult times happen to each one of us and this message is about what we need to observe when those times come. This message is not about focusing on the difficulty, but instead, focusing on situational awareness during that time. Always remember who is there for you in difficult times. First and foremost, you need to always remember the “unseen” but always felt, most important One in the room, God Himself. Rest assured, you may not can see Him, but He is most certainly there. He promised to never leave you and He is not in the breaking promises business. He already has the answers lined up to your difficulty you are facing right now before it even happened. Make sure you are using the resource of prayer to your advantage and know the importance of being still and talking to God like you are supposed to. He gave us that lifeline for a very important reason. Also, remember who was there for you during that difficult time. God provided someone that helped get you through that time. Maybe it was someone you didn’t expect, maybe it was someone you have on a constant basis. Either way, be thankful for them and let them know you appreciate them. Pay it forward to others as well by being a kind person who is there for others in a way that is a living testimony that can be shared to help others through their time of need as well. Remember those who left you during your difficult times and guard your heart from future heartaches by understanding that true friendship is hard to find but the Savior is right there 24/7. Because of that promise, remember, that God sometimes removes people from your life to protect you. Don’t run after them. He knows who belongs in your life and who doesn’t. Trust Him and rest assured that whoever is in your life is meant to be there when difficult times come. Lastly, remember the people and the circumstances that put you in those predicaments. Let it be a reminder to you that you can’t blame others for the choices you make. By association, they may get you in a mess and sway you in the wrong direction but it’s your choice to follow and it’s up to you to make the right decisions. We all have a chance to make the right decisions in life. We always need to remember that it’s a great decision to pray about it before making it. If you’re having a rough day, know He’s right there with you for you to talk to. He will help you through it. **For daily devotionals, you can follow me on Facebook at The Upward Way or on Instagram at the_upward_way.

Special to Wesson News The Ole Brook FC U12 boys soccer team started its tournament season strong in competition at the IFC Spring Invitational in Flowood. The team finished runners-up in its division after a tough loss in the championship game.  Ole Brook fought hard during pool play, winning both of it matches, 2-1 and 2-0, sending the team straight to the championship against the Delta Red Bulls of Greenwood in which they fell short 3-1.  The Ole Brook FC U12 team includes players from Copiah, Lincoln, and Pike counties. Players are from left to right are Ellis Smithhart (Lincoln), Aiden Whittington (Copiah), Braxton Shoemake (Copiah), Jameson Medlin (Lincoln), Konner Minton (Copiah), Eli Medlin (Lincoln), Keller Porter (Pike), Gage Windham (Lincoln), Preston Kennedy (Lincoln), Preston Kennedy (Lincoln), Brantley Smith (Copiah), Mason Bales (Lincoln), Griffin Newell (Copiah), and Kingsley Leopold (Pike). Not pictured: Jhosen Lopez. Coaches: Cameron Newell and Anthony Pacosangre and Coach Erik Medlin.

If your home was damaged in the March 14-15 storms, now is the time to take action. File a claim and let your insurance company know the extent of the damage. If you need assistance with an insurance question or claim, call the Mississippi Insurance Department at 601-359-3569 or 1-800-562-2957, email consumer@mid.ms.gov or visit www.mid.ms.gov "My thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their lives or were injured in the storms," said Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. "My office is here to help anyone with property damage. The first step is contacting your agent and filing an insurance claim. After tornadoes and other disasters, insurance companies will reach out to those with the worst losses first. Insurance companies have representatives in all of the storm damaged areas." Follow these steps when filing a claim: Prepare to file an insurance claim by gathering all relevant policy numbers. File your claim as soon as possible. Your policy may require that you make the notification within a certain time period. Be aware, if a widespread disaster has occurred, the company may set up special procedures. Be sure you cooperate fully with the insurance company. Ask what documents, forms and data you will need to file a claim. Keep a record of all conversations with insurance companies, creditors or relief agencies. If you are not staying on the property, make sure your insurance representative knows where and how to contact you. If your home is damaged to the extent that you can't live there, ask your insurance company if you have coverage for additional living expenses. Take photographs/video of the damage. Inventory your home for damaged or lost items before your adjustor arrives. This will speed up your claim process. Make the repairs necessary to prevent further damage to your property (cover broken windows, leaking roofs and damaged walls). Don't have permanent repairs made until your insurance company has inspected the property and you have reached an agreement on the cost of repairs. Be prepared to provide the claims adjuster with records of any improvements you made prior to the damage. Maintain any damaged personal property for the adjuster to inspect. Ask the adjuster for an itemized explanation of the claim settlement offer. Be patient and assist claims adjusters assigned to your case. Small losses may be settled quickly; extensive claims will take longer. Save all receipts, including those from the temporary repairs covered by your insurance policy.

Special to Wesson News   A Wesson-based public relations practitioner was among those honored for achievements in their profession by the Pine Belt Chapter of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi (PRAM) at Hattiesburg.   Jessica Breazeale, owner of Jessica Breazeale Consulting (JBC) in Wesson, received two top PRAM awards.   The awards, bestowed annually at Pine Belt PRAM’s Chapter Awards Banquet, recognize outstanding work in the field of public relations and celebrate select individuals for their contributions to the profession.   Public relations practitioners work tirelessly behind the scenes to help clients they represent gain deserved recognition of their work and thrive. The PRAM awards recognize their efforts and skills, and also reward technical proficiency in planning and implementing productive campaigns.   Breazeale received a SPARK Award for individual achievements among others who were similarly honored and was singled out for the highest recognition for work -- the 2025 Judges’ Choice Award, also known as “Best in Show,” for her “New Client with Huge Needs” campaign.  Breazeale won the PR Practitioner of the Year from PRAM last year and the Senior Practitioner Award in 2021 from the Southern Public Relations Federation.  She is also an APR public relations practitioner (Accreditation in Public Relations). “I was so honored to take home a SPARK Award,” Breazeale said.  “This is essentially place award, but we don’t compete against other practitioners for it.  We’re scored using a detailed by extensive grading system, and are basically competing against ourselves. It helps me sharpen and refine my skills.”   Breazeale has been a member of PRAM for 13 with the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Jackson and Pine Belt chapters.  She’ has served as its professional development chair for the past five years.  “I stay active in the organization because I love having like-minded colleagues to with whom to brainstorm, network and collaborate,” she said.   Olivia Fleming of Bude, who works for Breazeale as social media manager at JBC, also received the top student award – the William E ‘Bud’ Kirkpatrick $500 Scholarship -- for her hard work, passion, and promise shown in the field of public relations.   “Fleming’s future in the industry is bright and we can’t wait to see all that she accomplishes,” Breazeale said.   “I’m proud she won.  I can attest that the honor is well-deserved as a valued team member of JBC.”   Fleming is pursuing a degree in Strategic Communications (Public Relations) at the University of Southern Mississippi and is expected to graduate in May 2026. Other awards recipients at the recent PRAM banquet were:   SPARK Award Winner Ashley Rea of The First Bank. Kat Romero, APR, who received a certificate of merit for her work with the City of Laurel. Danny Holland from the University of Southern Mississippi received a certificate of merit. Kelsey Hester of Jones Companies received the 2024 President’s Award, honored as a dedicated board member whose contributions have made a significant impact on the PRAM chapter’s success and mission.

By: Bob Garver Poster Credit IMDB “Mickey 17” is the kind of movie where you just have to trust the filmmaker to take you on a ride. Fortunately, it’s a filmmaker who has proven trustworthy with such rides in the past. Six years ago, writer/director Bong Joon-ho released “Parasite,” another movie that didn’t really telegraph its story. Even if people knew about its early stages about an impoverished family taking on jobs as servants of a wealthy family, they probably wouldn’t have been able to guess where the story was going. But enough people trusted Bong enough to see the film, which they overwhelmingly loved. Word of mouth carried the film to a Best Picture Oscar win, even though it was still a tricky movie to summarize because of all the subtleties and tonal shifts. “Mickey 17” isn’t nearly as complex or obscure as “Parasite,” but it requires a similar leap of faith. That is to say, the mere premise of Robert Pattinson on a spaceship dying over and over again may not sound all that appealing, but Robert Pattinson on a spaceship dying over and over again, brought to us by the guy that did “Parasite”? I’ll buy a ticket, because I’m sure Bong is going somewhere awesome with this. And yes, the movie does go to some awesome places, though not every place it goes is awesome. Pattinson plays Mickey, an “expendable” onboard a spaceship headed toward an alien planet. He was only allowed on the spaceship, which got him away from loan sharks on Earth, because he volunteered for the most dangerous job. The deep-sea pipeline workers in last week’s “Last Breath” were said to have one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth. With all due respect to those characters, Mickey’s job is the most dangerous off of Earth, and the likelihood of death is 100%. Mickey’s job is to be a test subject for all things deadly. The dangers of outer space, viruses, artificial food, and the atmosphere of the new planet are all things tried on Mickey. And sometimes he dies. But it’s okay, because the ship’s scientists can use an elaborate printer to make a new body, upload his conscience from a computer, and just like that, Mickey’s ready for another task. When we join Mickey, he’s died 16 times and is mostly just bored with his job, though he does enjoy the company of friend from Earth Timo (Steven Yuen) and girlfriend onboard the ship Nasha (Naomi Ackie). Still, Mickey 17 isn’t thrilled about being left for dead on a freezing planet with creatures known as Creepers descending on him. To Mickey 17’s surprise, he survives the encounter, and returns to the ship to discover that there’s already a Mickey 18. This is a big no-no with the cloning technology, punishable by death for both beings. The two have to work out a way to co-exist, which means finding a way to share work, rest, food, and… “affections” from Nasha. Plus they want to save the population of both the ship and the new planet from war-mongering commander Marshall (Mark Ruffalo) and his power-hungry wife Ylfa (Toni Collette). Sorry to introduce these characters as near-afterthoughts, but the movie never does quite find a way to fit them neatly into Mickey’s story. There’s really only one great thing about “Mickey 17,” but it’s the most important thing, and that’s Pattinson’s relatable everyman (and multiple-man) performance. Funny, endearing, and of course multi-faceted, Pattinson is literally doing the work of many men to earn this movie a recommendation by the skin of its teeth. The rest of the movie is something of a mess with its weird chronology, superfluous subplots, unnecessary screentime for its villains, and pointless ambiguity in a sequence toward the end. The film is based on a book, and maybe certain detours worked better on paper than they do onscreen. Maybe the script should have gone through a few revisions and Mickey-style regenerations. Grade: B- “Mickey 17” is rated R for violent content, language throughout, sexual content, and drug material. Its running time is 137 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at  rrg251@nyu.edu .

Special to Wesson News   Municipal park will be site of 2025 Founders’ Day activities.  Cody Leggett, a trained and certified police officer who is serving in Pike County, has joined Wesson Police Department.   At their March meeting, the Town’s Aldermen approved Leggett’s hiring for weekend service.  He follows in the footsteps of Frank Leggett, his grandfather, a Wesson police officer.   The Aldermen also agreed to Wesson Chamber of Commerce plans to change location of the May 2 and 3 Founders’ Day celebration from Highway 51 to the municipal park area in authorizing closure of portions of Church and Beach Streets and use of the park for vendors, entertainment and other Founders’ Day needs.  They also approved a fireworks display ending the event and agreed the town will facilitate it.   In other actions, the Board:   Authorized the police department to purchase two tasers at $599 each.   Established 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. as closing hours of the municipal to be enforced at the discretion of the police department.   Rescinded approval for the fire department to purchase a truck and reauthorized purchase of another mini-pump vehicle at $45,000 and $2,100 for delivery.   Agreed to locate two dumpsters provided by Keep Copiah Beautiful for Wesson participation in National Cleanup Day on April 5.   Approved purchase of four tables-for-six at $210 each at the Wesson Chamber of Commerce awards banquet on March 27.   Authorized training for Brad Turner to recertify his professional water credentials.   Agreed to entertain bids for street paving on April 8.   Approved Lions Club March 28 fundraising roadblock on Highway 51.

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Where does a person go after death? We need to understand one thing from the beginning. When you draw your last halting shallow breath on this earth, from that point on, you are winging it on your own, with no one to run interference for you. Family ties mean nothing in eternity. The great-great-grandaddy who left your family a bejillion dollars in the oil, or cattle, or real estate business? He has no sway whatsoever in guaranteeing you an eternity with no  whiff of smoke. And having royal blood coursing through your veins? Being the direct descendent of someone was a direct descendent of King Whatchacallit of Kalukamacogee does not mean your eternity will have  cool air conditioning everywhere. Most people understand all this, so instead, they turn to good works. “God is good, so He must want me to be good-good-good. So I’ll do everything perfect, to make sure I get to heaven.” But that phrase ‘winging it on your own’ doesn’t mean that spending your entire waking hours here on earth working as a wannabee Mother Theresa will enable you to avoid  ‘THAT PLACE.’ Someone might be thinking, “Well, how about kindness, sincerity, and honesty?” Well, granted, you will be enjoyed by those around you, but those still don’t qualify someone for heaven. According to the Bible, life after death simply doesn’t work in any of those ways. In fact, Scripture says exactly the opposite. That book consistently teaches that giving our time, or good works, or our money has  nothing to do with where we spend eternity. So then, what does? One of the easiest ways to understand that all-important point is found in this question:  If any of us could be good enough to get to Heaven when we die, then why would Jesus - the Son of the Living God, the absolute Creator of all - come to earth as a tiny helpless infant and some thirty+ sinless years  later allow Himself to die as the entire payment for the sins of the world? If we could do enough, or pay enough, or be perfect enough, why would He bother to do what He did? The answer? Not one of us can do the impossible…being perfect and sinless enough to pay for our own sin. For example: A tin can that once contained green beans cannot claim to have never contained green beans. Impossible. It can be scrubbed and sanitized so much that it is almost see-through, but it can never claim to  be “unused.” The analogy applies. Once a person sins – even just one time – they can never claim to be sinless. They have to have a qualified Someone who agrees to sanitize them, to make them ‘sinless - an  unused can.’ And Scripture says the only one qualified to do that is Jesus, the One who never sinned at all. Simple facts from the Bible, and a simple analogy for an explanation, but a very concrete truth.

Special to Wesson News   CCEDD’s Arthur Lee (Pokey) Evans and Brenda Harper.             Economic development is an ups and downs business, and Arthur Lee (Pokey) Evans, Copiah County Economic Development District (CCEDD) executive director, is cautiously optimistic about 2025 after an election year when the returns on the work invested in trying to recruit new employers are traditionally low.               As CCEDD embarks on a new marketing effort this year, Evans looks back on a sluggish 2024 that still had its high points – among them, an old lumber yard coming back to life.               “Construction is under way near the LC Industries old lumber yard, where Bell Lumber and Poles plans to craft telephone poles,” he reported.               With the new activity beginning at the old site, CCEDD has largely achieved a goal of returning idle former industrial properties to Copiah County tax rolls, Evans points out.  Buildings in the northern sector of the county that housed a former car dealership and auto supply business remain attractive sites for potential new employers, however, he adds.               On the downside, a wood pellet manufacturer that has maintained office space at Copiah County Industrial Park at Gallman told Evans it isn’t going to be able to finance a production facility there as it had hoped for several years.               “The good news is that once businesses settle in Copiah County and become established, nobody leaves,” says Evans.  “We have healthy poultry, forestry, warehousing and transportation industries, and are not suffering significant losses.”               Outside its industrial recruiting work last year, CCEDD also developed a project with the encouragement of the Mississippi Development Authority’s (MDA) Aspire program in which it engaged Copiah County high school seniors to introduce them to job readiness training opportunities through Co-Lin.             Aspire helps communities throughout the state advance economic development activities through training, strategic planning and facilitating networks of individuals and organizations.   “We brought together community leaders to plan and produce a boot camp for the students in which they actually went into classrooms and learned about the array of Co-Lin Workforce Education training in healthcare, diesel mechanics, welding, HVAC, nursing and other areas in which jobs are available locally,” Evans explains.  “We made a presentation about the project at the state’s Agricultural Center in Jackson, earning points towards grants to help fund our work.”   The project also helped CCEDD develop a stronger relationship with Co-Lin in meeting Copiah County job-training needs, Evans says.  “Copiah-Lincoln Community College is a leader in workforce development with ongoing and specialized as-needed training for local companies and their employees,” he points out.   In 2025, CCEDD is gearing up its efforts to bring new business to Copiah County with the help of Wesson-based marketing specialist Jessica Breazeale.  Breazeale is revamping its web and Facebook sites and creating a stronger Google search tool to identify opportunities. Outdoor advertising and digital and radio promotions that highlight the advantages of Copiah County for prospective employers, along personal one-on-one meetings carry messages that emphasize:             A workforce that is willing and ready to serve employers thanks to local schools and a community college that focuses on preparing workers; and career coaches, and retired persons with workforce experience, who counsel students, introduce them to the business world through field trips and other activities and guide them in making career decisions and identifying training opportunities.   A location near key markets with rail, interstate, air and nearby water access.   Government officials who understand business needs, provide incentives, and facilitate locating offices buildings.   Available land and building that are well-priced.   Evans says CCEDD economic development work is a team effort and praises his office colleague Brenda Harper, the organization’s board and the Copiah County Supervisors for their support and assistance in telling the county’s story.         Contact Evans for information at 601-421-1249.

By: Kara Kimbrough One Pan Pasta literally takes minutes to compile and cook. With a side of garlic bread and a green salad, dinner is served in less than 30 minutes.    Disclaimer: I haven’t watched Meghan Markle’s Netflix cooking show, "With Love, Meghan.” I admired Princess Diana and have similar feelings for Prince William, as well as his wife, Princess Kate. Stodgy King Charles and Meghan’s husband, Harry…not so much. I assumed the cooking show would be more about Meghan than the introduction of new recipes and useful kitchen tips. From online clips and comments from those who've watched it, my assumption was somewhat correct. However, a few things piqued my interest, including using a multi-colored crudité and hummus board to increase my daily vegetable intake and making one pot pasta. "With Love, Meghan" isn't entirely about food. In the first few episodes, Meghan interspersed crafts and DIY projects with recipes. How to make homemade bath salts and crafting beeswax candle using wax extracted from backyard bee hives were two of the more interesting projects. I haven’t watched the show in its entirety, so I hesitate to be too critical. From online clips, it appears to have been filmed in a beautiful, albeit rented home using soft lighting, there’s a lush vegetable and flower garden out back and the food does look appetizing, if not a bit simplistic. Recipes she and her guest chefs shared included truffle popcorn, honey lemon layer cake with raspberries, salt-baked fish with roasted tomatoes, Korean fried chicken, carrot top pesto and a meal I’d actually make -  sun tea, focaccia and pasta salad. Similarly, I was intrigued by her one pot pasta – until, that is, critics quickly shared that Martha Stewart did the same thing years ago. I hurriedly searched for Martha’s version and vaguely remember making it years ago. It’s been around for quite a while, so it’s not a stretch to think Meghan gained "inspiration” from Martha’s version. Just as I did years ago, I made a few adjustments, primarily in the substitution of canned tomatoes for cherry tomatoes. When tomatoes are in season, using chopped fresh ones is an even better idea. While searching for one pan dinner, I ran across a recipe for a version of one of my favorite dishes, lasagna, that requires no layering and cooks together in less time than the baked version. And as the name suggests, there’s only one pan to wash. Drop me an email and I’ll share the recipe with you. For now, I’ll leave Meghan to her bee-keeping and crudité tray-arranging without further comment. But I remain grateful to her for reintroducing me to one of Martha’s best inventions...and who knows, making a beeswax candle (without the live bees) might be in my future. One-Pan Pasta 1 pound pasta (thin pasta works best) 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes 1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups) 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 sprigs basil 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving Coarse salt Freshly ground black pepper 5 cups water Parmesan cheese, optional Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and water in a large straight-sided skillet (pasta should lay flat; break in half if your pan is small). Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs or a fork, until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with basil. Serve with olive oil and Parmesan, optional. (Adapted from Martha Stewart’s recipe) Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at  kkprco@yahoo.com .

Special to Wesson News   Special to Wesson News             When Lenzie Chambers was a young man growing up in Texas, he encountered a problem trying to earn money as a deck hand on a tow boat.  His boss discovered he couldn’t cook – a critical skill deck hands needed as part of a tow boat gang.               “You’re a good worker, and you can help us,” his boss told him. “If you’re willing, I’ll teach you to cook.”               Chambers accepted the offer.  Many other jobs after his work on tow boats followed, but he learned his lessons well, and “I fell in love cooking, particularly making Cajun food,” he relates.  Cooking wasn’t a requirement in the other jobs, but cooking remained a hobby, and “I even dreamed of operating a restaurant,” he relates.               Encouraged by friends, Chambers is now turning his dream, seeded as a tow boat deck hand back in the 1980s, in Wesson at the new Firehouse barbeque restaurant and steak house he opened in August.               Born in Houston in 1969, Chambers and his family moved to the Beaumont area in East Texas when he was six years old.  His father was an electrician and his mother, a nurse, and he was one of seven children. Girls and football were his interests growing up, Chambers says.   He played outside linebacker on defense and receiver on offense for the football team at Bridgecity High School, where he graduated in 1988. Just out of high school, he went to work in construction, pipefitting and boiler making for Texaco Refining Company in Port Arthur, Texas, travelled throughout the U.S in similar jobs until 2000, when he became a crane operator – a job that took him to projects in countries throughout the world, including South Africa, China, Japan, Taiwan, France and Russia.   In 2013, he started work in offshore oil production.               “I met my wife – the former Michelle Calcote from the Loyd Star area – in 2011 when I was with a refinery in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and we have four children – Jessica, 28, a stay-at-mom with six kids in Columbus, Mississippi; Kenon, 26, an electronic technician in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Bella, 13, and Sawyer, 9, students at Enterprise Attendance Center and workers in our restaurant,” says Chambers.             At 54 years old, when he was with Cox Operation, the oil fields no longer needed him, and he and his wife decided to relocate to the Wesson area to start a different kind of life.                 “I laughed when close friends suggested turning my cooking hobby into a job, but things fell into place after I talked to Dump’s owner Ken Sullivan, who wanted to pursue the ministry,” Chambers recounts.   The Firehouse opened in August and serves meals from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays.  The initial menu includes brisket, ribs, pulled pork, sausage, burgers and steak specials on Friday and Saturday evenings.  Chambers says he plans to add fish and shrimp to the menu and expand the restaurant’s hours.  His long-range vision is to open other restaurants throughout the area.   Chambers and his wife reside near Lake Lincoln State Park.   What are your hobbies? I am a metal fabricator and make decorative accessories at my home shop, which I sell at the restaurant.  I also hunt and fish and enjoy spending time with my family.  My wife and I attend Clear Branch Church.   Are you a reader? I was a voracious reader when I was younger, but now the restaurant absorbs most of my time.  I still enjoy reading history about other countries and politics.   How about music? I think I can sing, but I mostly enjoy listening to 1960s and 1970s music on my ipod.   Do you go to the theater or movies? I recently enjoyed the Nutcracker Suite at the Jackson Ballet, but the restaurant business again consumes theater time.  I also keep up on current events with television news.   If you won a lot of money in the lottery, how would you spend it? Beyond getting out of debt, I would try to help others in financial need.  Wages don’t keep up with costs in this expensive world.   How would you change the world? I was a John Lennon fan.  He was right about peace and love.  People who visit America are shocked at the hate they encounter here.  We need to work on that.

Special to Wesson News A former Reno, Nevada, commercial and residential developer who retired to Wesson is building a 6,700 square foot mini shopping and office complex on the southwest corner of Church Street and Highway 51.   Ron Bath’s Salmon Point Development plans to start construction soon for the first of three commercial spaces in the complex – a 1,000 square foot structure that will house a coffee shop and bakery, which has already made a commitment to the location.   Depending on the weather, Bath expects to complete the initial construction within three months.   “By the end of year, our goal is to finish the project, which will also feature 2,100 square foot and 3,600 square foot units with a shared outdoor patio,” Bath said. The additional units will be built as commitments are made for occupancy.  Bath estimates total cost of the complex will be approximately $700,000.   Although he doesn’t know what businesses will occupy the other spaces, Bath envisions a restaurant in the 2,100 square foot unit and a mix of retail and offices in the 3,600 square foot area.   Over 52 years, Bath developed two million square foot of shopping center space in and around Reno, Nevada, before resettling in retirement with his wife Teri in the Wesson area, where she had family roots and now serves as Wesson Chamber of Commerce president.   When he landed in Wesson four years ago, he invested in the building and property on Highway 51 where the Sunflower grocery store once served  the community and then a haunted house Halloween tourist attraction.  He sold it to the owners of Grace Solutions to develop their local business.   “I found Wesson to be a diamond in the rough, an underdeveloped community for its size and population with economic opportunities,” Bath says.  “The town that doesn’t grow dies, and I hope I can make contributions to its growth through development ventures.  The new commercial development is my first one.  I am looking to do residential development, too – perhaps housing for seniors.”