Wesson News Copiah County native Kimble Funchess will perform February 15 at 6 p.m. at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Clinton. The concert is free and open to the public. On Saturday, February 15, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Clinton will once again welcome the community to attend a special musical performance by Mississippi virtuoso trumpeter Kimble Funchess.   Funchess, a gifted musician and music educator, is a graduate of the Copiah County School District. He has performed with some of the nation’s greatest musical giants in jazz, gospel, blues and R&B, including B.B. King, Charley Pride, the O’Jays, Bobby Rush, Johnny Taylor, Dorothy Moore, Brandy, Wilson Pickett, Mavis Staples, The Spinners, The Temptations, The Four Tops and Eddie Cotton. He played trumpet in the 2014 James Brown biopic, Get On Up! , and, in 2019, performed Satchmo! A Tribute to Louis Armstrong ” as part of the 2019 Mississippi Opera season.  He also participated in the 2021 Natchez Festival of Music and has received a host of awards and recognition for his contributions to music.   Funchess’ enthusiasm for music led to a professional career in music as a performing artist and music educator, and he has performed at many local churches and been director of bands at numerous schools in Mississippi.   Funchess was the recipient of the Mississippi Jazz Foundation 2021 Music Education Award for commitment to musicianship and creativity in education in schools. In 2024, he received the Mississippi Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee’s Anthony “Tony” Gobar Most Distinguished Juvenile Justice Support Professional Award.  He currently serves as band and performing arts director for the Mississippi School for the Blind.   Funchess, who says he believes it is a blessing to have the opportunity to live a life through music, will present a program that will include gospel and several styles of jazz, as well as contemporary selections. He will perform with the Kimble Funchess Music Group.   The concert, which will begin at 6 p.m. on February 15, is free. No tickets or reservations are necessary. Our Redeemer Lutheran Church is located at 1799 Clinton Raymond Road in Clinton, Mississippi. For more information, call 601-924-9999.

The University of Mississippi announced students named to the Fall 2024 Honor Roll lists. The following local students were named to the Honor Roll Lists, which are reserved for students who earn a semester GPA of 3.75-4.00: Chancellor's Honor Roll: Aliza Abrams, of Wesson, MS, in the Pharm.D. program. Sheila Casanova, of Wesson, MS, in the B.S.C.J. in Criminal Justice program. Reagan Davis, of Wesson, MS, in the B.S. in Biological Science program. Hanna Kelly, of Wesson, MS, in the B.A. in Biological Science program. Makayla Russell, of Wesson, MS, in the B.S. in Integrated Mktg. Communications program. Kyla Smith, of Wesson, MS, in the B.A. in Allied Health Studies program. Dean's Honor Roll: The following local students were named to the Dean's Honor Roll, which is reserved for students who earn a semester GPA of 3.50-3.74: Grace Jackson, of Wesson, MS, in the B.S.L.S. in Law Studies program. Zoe Johnson, of Wesson, MS, in the B.A. in Allied Health Studies program. Mary Sullivan, of Wesson, MS, in the B.A.Ed. in English Education program. "The remarkable students achieving Chancellor's Honor Roll are among the best and brightest at the University of Mississippi," Chancellor Glenn Boyce said. "I commend them for their hard work and dedication resulting in their outstanding academic achievements and this well-deserved recognition." To be eligible for honor roll designation, a student must have completed at least 12 graded hours for the semester and may not be on academic probation during the semester. The University of Mississippi, affectionately known as Ole Miss, is the state's flagship university. Included in the elite group of R1: Doctoral Universities - Highest Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification, it has a long history of producing leaders in public service, academics and business. Its 16 academic divisions include a major medical school, nationally recognized schools of accountancy, law and pharmacy, and an Honors College acclaimed for a blend of academic rigor, experiential learning and opportunities for community action. Recognized among the nation's most beautiful, Ole Miss' main campus is in Oxford, which is routinely acknowledged as one of the country's best college towns.

Next Step Innovation, a trusted leader in cybersecurity and compliance, proudly announces our selection for the State of Mississippi’s security assessment and penetration testing services contract for the third consecutive time. This achievement underscores our 12-year commitment to delivering exceptional cybersecurity solutions to the State and its public sector agencies. For over a decade, Next Step Innovation has been the State of Mississippi’s go-to partner for advanced security assessment, compliance, and penetration testing services. During this time, we’ve successfully completed over 250 security engagements, ensuring robust protection for public sector systems and sensitive data. "We are honored and excited to continue our longstanding partnership with the State of Mississippi," said President of Next Step Innovation Rachel Townsend. "Over the past 12 years, our team’s dedication and expertise have played a critical role in strengthening the State’s cybersecurity posture. This opportunity allows us to build on that foundation, ensuring Mississippi’s systems remain secure and resilient in the face of evolving threats." Led by industry veterans Dr. David O’Gwynn, an Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP), and Gene Patrick, a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and OSCP, the Next Step Innovation team brings unparalleled expertise to every project. As a Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certified by the SBA and headquartered in Mississippi, we are deeply invested in our community and the State's cybersecurity resilience. Highlights of our partnership with the State of Mississippi: • Longevity and Expertise: Providing cybersecurity services since 2012. • Unmatched Experience: The only vendor on the State’s security services contract for the last decade. • Innovative Solutions: Now offering vCISO packages for compliance management and monitoring. • Global Recognition: Trusted by the U.S. Department of Defense and ISO 9001 certified. • Security Leadership: Combining technical expertise with security R&D to stay ahead of emerging threats. "Our continued selection by the State of Mississippi demonstrates the trust and confidence placed in our team’s ability to safeguard critical systems," said O’Gwynn. "As competition increases, we remain committed to delivering tailored solutions that align with the State’s evolving cybersecurity needs." With the adoption of the newest RFP, Next Step Innovation is focused on strengthening our relationships, innovating our services, and maintaining our reputation as a cybersecurity leader within the State of Mississippi and beyond. For more information about our security services or to learn about our new vCISO packages, please visit https://www.nextstepinnovation.com , or contact us at sales@nextstepinnovation.com . About Next Step Innovation: Founded in 2007, Next Step Innovation has been a leader in cybersecurity for 18 years, specializing in penetration testing, compliance assessments, and security R&D. With a proven track record across government and private sectors, we are committed to helping organizations navigate today’s complex threat landscape.

Special to Wesson News   After 21 years leading the Co-Lin Wolf Pack, head football coach Glenn Davis has retired. Davis had the longest consecutive tenure of any current coach in the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC). "While we reflect on Coach Davis's time with us, we not only celebrate the success he achieved on the field, but also the integrity and dedication he brought to our entire program," said Co-Lin President Dr. Dewayne Middleton. "His legacy will be remembered not just in victories, but in the countless lives he touched, the characters he shaped and the standards of excellence he set for his players. We are deeply grateful for his years of service, and we wish him all the best in this well-earned next chapter." Davis finishes his coaching career with a 114-81 record as the head coach at Co-Lin. Under his leadership, the Wolves won the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges Conference (MACJC) state title in 2012 and finished MACJC State Runner-Up four times -- 2006, 2010, 2015, and 2023. The 2023 season saw the Wolves finish as South Division Co-Champions and Conference Runners Up and claim the 2023 C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl Championship. Davis also led the team to a win at the Golden Isle Bowl in 2006. Davis is the all-time winningest head football coach in Co-Lin history and was selected as MACJC Coach of the Year in 2006, 2014, and 2018, and MACCC South Coach of the Year is 2023. He had more that 250 student-athletes sign and play at four-year universities and had starters in the SEC, Big 12, ACC, and other national conferences. Davis has had numerous players drafted by the National Football League (NFL). including first-round draft picks Montez Sweat and Nick Fairley and second-round draft picks Randy Thomas and Tony Bryant. He served at Co-Lin as an offensive coordinator from 1995-96, helping lead the Wolves to a 15-5 overall record. "Coach Davis's tenure is one to be highly commended and his impact on young lives is immeasurable," said Co-Lin Athletic Director Bryan Nobile. "He played a key role in the life of our football program for many years and was committed to his players success both off and the field.  The consistency of our teama year in and year our made us one of the most competitive in state college sports." From 1997-2003, Davis served as running backs coach at Mississippi State University under former head coach Jackie Sherrill. Under Davis' tutelage, the Bulldogs led the Southeastern Conference in rushing in 2000, averaging 193.8 yards per game, and ranked third in 1998, averaging 172 yards per game.  He mentored Dicenzo Miller to Mississippi State's sixth-ever 1,000-yard season in 2000 (1,005 yards) and James Johnson to the fourth and fifth 1,000-yard campaigns in 1997 (1,069 yards) and 1998 (1,383 yards). Throughout his career, he has recruited and coached over 25 Dandy Dozens. Davis is a 1982 graduate of Delta State University, where he was a three-year letterman as a defensive back and outside linebacker for the Statesmen.  His other coaching stints include offensive coordinator at South Natchez High School (1982-85), graduate assistant at Mississippi State University (1986-87), defensive backs and wide receivers coach at the University of North Alabama (1988-91), and quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers coach at Holmes Community College (1992-94).  While at Holmes, Davis recruited and coached NFL Hall of Famer Walter Jones. Davis was inducted into the Co-Lin Sports Hall of Fame by the Athletic Alumni Association in 2020.  Davis and his wife, Minta, have two children, Ann Shelby (Josh) and Micah (Ashley) and five grandchildren, Brooke, Cannan, and Hayes Davis and Jackson and Lily Kay Smith.

Special to Wesson News Makayla Russell of Wesson, who is majoring in Integrated Marketing Communications, was among the 189 University of Mississippi students who were welcomed into the Phi Kappa Phi honor society, one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious honor societies for all academic disciplines. She was inducted in a special ceremony conducted by the university last month at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts on campus. "Phi Kappa Phi is an all-discipline honor society," said Annette S. Kluck, Phi Kappa Phi chapter president and dean of the Graduate School. "Membership is by invitation only and is highly selective. Thus, the students invited to join our chapter are the top in their class. "Membership signifies a student who passionately pursues academic excellence. The ceremony is a wonderful opportunity for us to recognize these outstanding students." Phi Kappa Phi membership is based on a student's character and academic standing. Juniors must have completed 72 credit hours and rank in the top 7.5% of their class, while seniors and graduate students must rank in the top 10% of their class. The University of Mississippi, affectionately known as Ole Miss, is the state's flagship university. Included in the elite group of R1: Doctoral Universities - Highest Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification, it has a long history of producing leaders in public service, academics and business. Its 16 academic divisions include a major medical school, nationally recognized schools of accountancy, law and pharmacy, and an Honors College acclaimed for a blend of academic rigor, experiential learning and opportunities for community action. Recognized among the nation's most beautiful, Ole Miss' main campus is in Oxford, which is routinely acknowledged as one of the country's best college towns.

By Bob Garver Since two new releases made about $11 million each at the domestic box office this past weekend, and since I don’t have much to say about either movie, I’ve decided to throw them both a quick review. Poster Credit IMDB “Wolf Man” January horror movies are a special breed. The studio knows they can’t compete with blockbusters in the summer or better horror at Halloween, so they dump them in January hoping that the lack of competition will lead to a minor hit. This year’s offering is “Wolf Man,” a film whose trailer was so spiritedly derided that the film was practically declared a bomb before it even opened. The film follows the Lovell family – father Blake (Christopher Abbott), mother Charlotte (Julia Garner) and daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) – as they head to the home of Blake’s estranged father (Sam Jaeger) in the mountains of Oregon. Before they can arrive, the family is involved in a harrowing car crash and Blake is attacked by a… his closest approximation is a wolf, but this creature stood on two legs. They seek refuge in the old house while hiding from the beast outside, but Blake starts going through a terrifying transformation that presents a danger on the inside. Early parts of the movie show promise. Abbott is putting in a sincere performance, good decisions are made with editing and special effects, and the themes of intergenerational trauma are taken surprisingly seriously. I was thinking that maybe horror fans had been too quick to dismiss the movie, but then the family started making stupid horror movie decisions, the movie started getting cheaper with its scares, and by the end all its life was drained and it isn’t even a vampire movie. “Wolf Man” wasn’t the outright bomb I was expecting, but I can see why it was stuck in January. Grade: C “Wolf Man” is rated R for bloody violent content, grisly images, and language. Its running time is 103 minutes. Poster Credit IMDB “One of Them Days” “One of Them Days” follows two roommates and best friends, Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), as they struggle to raise an emergency $1,500 to avoid eviction. Dreux is the responsible one, on the verge of a big promotion at work. Alyssa is the irresponsible one that trusted her no-good boyfriend (Joshua David Neal) with their rent money in the first place. Together they’ll get into some increasingly crazy and desperate adventures involving predatory loans, blood donation, abandoned sneakers, and more. The good news is that Palmer and SZA have given life to two very funny and likeable characters that play extremely well off each other. The bad news is that they’re only funny with each other, the film fails to create any other funny or memorable characters. This wouldn’t be a problem if the story could emphasize the mains more, but this is a movie that requires its leads to interact with a whole wacky neighborhood that can never find quite the right way to be wacky. It’s not even that the auxiliary characters are annoying or actively unfunny, they’re just so bland that they make no impression. Watching “One of Them Days,” I thought about the film’s obvious influences, from “Clerks” to “Friday” to “Do the Right Thing,” and I thought about how those films would have gotten the most out of the clearly-eager supporting cast and put together a more memorable film as a whole. As it is, we have a comedy where I’d estimate that a third to half of the gags work. I’ve had some painful experiences with worse ratios, but I can’t say this one made me feel fulfilled. Grade: C “One of Them Days” is rated R for language throughout, sexual material and brief drug use. Its running time is 97 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Send responses to:  andybowman839@gmail.com Oh, shoot. Why am I writing about this question? Do I have a hidden ‘Go ahead and kill me now, and get it over with’ complex in me somewhere? Here we go over hill and dale anyway, and consequences bedamned. THE QUESTION: How many “I really am sorry” will it take to get forgiveness for something you did or said that offended someone?  Interesting question, and one that has many “Welllll, that depends upon ...” attached  to the answer. Here are a few of those ‘it depends upon.’ Depends on… how deeply the offense cut and how deliberately you cut.  Don’t be surprised if your loved one requires more than just a quick apology from you. They probably will need a sit-down-come-to-Jesus  conversation with you to clearly explain how deeply you cut. In many people, deep pain takes a lot of salve for healing, and deep talks with you can be just that. An offended loved one may need to be reassured, and  more than just once, that you are very aware and sickened by the hurt you caused. Depends upon… if the person you offended has experienced the same offence from you many times before, heard the same apology, and therefore doesn’t believe you mean it.  If that is the case, then you have  created a multi-layered dish full of toxin. Your first offense is layer #1, and the same repeated actions by you has caused layers 2,3,4, etc. First of all, seek help to address your personal issues that are causing you to have to keep saying “I’m so sorry.” That can allow the one you keep hurting to start believing in you, forgive, and make a fresh start with you – with no poison in the dish. Depends on… does the offended one just simply love to hold grudges?  If they are trained in the fine art of having the memory of an elephant, then, my friend, both of you are eating from that toxic dish, no matter how many layers. You keep dishing it up, and the offended one is relishing the results – their power over you - that you created. And both of you are ‘tearing down your own house around your ears.’ Yes, that is a phrase directly adapted from the Good Book. Depends on… is your apology truly sincere, or are those words just a way out of the doghouse that day?  Does the previous sentence ‘tearing down your own house around your ears’ ring any bells? If manipulation is your go-to, then you really need to take a really close look inside yourself. All of us say or do the wrong things in life sometimes, but the key is to realize it, own it, sincerely apologize, and set out to make real changes. Lying, deliberately going for the jugular, grudge-holding, insincerity - all are great ways to accomplish the same thing. Ruining a relationship. All ways to tear down your own house around your ears.

Special to Wesson News   The old Victorian house on Highway 51 in Wesson, where Porches restaurant served Southern cooking with a special twist to food lovers from throughout the world for more than 25 years is coming back to life in a new chapter of the landmark eaterie’s history.   Chris McSweyn, who has kept the old Porches restaurant menu alive at Co-Lin where he is Executive Chef for Aladdin Campus Dining and also continues his own food service business as Porches Catering, is supporting an initiative of his two daughters, Carrie and Katie, that will expand what he has been doing under the Porches banner at the college back to the old house on Highway 51.   Carrie and Katie are refurbishing the site of the old restaurant to make it suitable for renting out as a special events venue.   “As we welcome a new year, we're brimming with excitement and anticipation for the fresh starts that await us,” says McSweyn.  “Although our news may not be what everyone was hoping for, it's undoubtedly thrilling.”   McSweyn expects his daughters to have the old house ready as a party venue for rent starting in April, with Porches Catering providing the food and service for weddings, wedding receptions, bridal showers, birthday bashes, corporate events, and other celebrations.    “We'll also host special dining in the Porches tradition at the old house,” says McSweyn.  The  plans call for cooking classes, live dinner theatre, holiday festivities, tasting parties, among other innovative possibilities, which, he says, “are truly endless.”   “I'm incredibly proud of my daughters for bringing this cherished house back to life with their innovative spirit.” says McSwyn.  “Having grown up in the restaurant, they've always had a passion for creating unforgettable experiences, and I have no doubt they'll excel in this new venture.”   For more than 25 years, McSweyn was the primary chef at Porches Restaurant, helping to start it with his parents when he was a culinary arts student at Co-Lin.  “I needed to intern at a restaurant," he recounts. "I got a job, but not enough working hours at the Inez Hotel restaurant in Brookhaven.  So dad suggested I start my own restaurant in my parents' home to meet the course requirements, and Co-Lin agreed." McSweyn and his mom and dad brought their love of cooking and Chris's Co-Lin studies to what they anticipated would be a four-month project, but a food columnist from the Jackson Clarion-Ledger  heard about their small luncheon restaurant in Wesson called "Porches," which served small plates and daily specials featuring southern cooking with an imaginative flare.  He visited the eaterie, liked what he tasted there, and wrote a column about the experience.  "Business boomed," McSweyn recounts. "We were generating 40 to 50 customers for our daily lunches, and traffic tripled.  My parents and I said to each other: "Let's make it go.'"   Porches became known nationally, consistently ranked by travel and tourist guides among Mississippi's top ten restaurants, and drawing customers from throughout the South, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and as far away as Florida.   COVID-19 forced Porches to start serving its meals on a takeout only basis, and McSweyn decided to shut it down so his parents could finally enjoy the retirement they had anticipated in the old Wesson house they bought in the 1990s.   At Co-Lin, McSweyn has continued to cook the dishes he perfected at Porches, and now his daughters are beginning a new chapter in the Porches story in a familiar place.

By Misty Prine “Beneath the thoughts and feelings you have worn on your shoulders for so long, there is the real you, who is worthy of freedom from what darkness said you would be. For you are more than what you feel, you are more than what you think, and yes, these things do matter, but they do not mean everything. There is still this open space deep within endless grace to let those old things go and start all over again.” – Morgan Harper Nichols Each sentence is so powerful and true and I’m sure rings so incredibly true to so many on a very personal level. It’s easy to put on a strong face in front of others but behind closed doors, when you can let your guard down, it’s easy to fall apart. We all have highs and lows and while in those low valleys the Lord is with you always. He will search you out, rescue you, forgive you, help you and love you through anything and everything you are going through. You are never alone while you are there. He will remind you time and time again that you are more than what you are feeling, more than the enemy WANTED you to feel as though you were. Can our problems consume us? Of course they can. But does that mean we have to dwell on them? Um...nope. But why do our problems matter in the grand scheme of things? The answer is this: within the problem lies a solution. To get to the solution, we have to move closer to the Lord. When He gets us through the problem, and He will, we will be better versions of ourselves. This brings me to my favorite part of this quote. “There is still this open space deep with ENDLESS GRACE to let those old things go and start all over again.” Boom. There is the rainbow in the cloud. The Lord willingly provides us with endless grace and mercy that will never run out on us, never lack in forgiveness and a love that never fails even when we fail Him repeatedly. He never runs away from us when we run away from Him. Sure, life is difficult. God never promised an easy road, but He did promise He’d never leave us. He is a God of second chances! We need to use difficulties to become better witnesses and better people for Him. Just remember who you are, not by being defined by your failures or bad decisions, but who you CAN be in Christ! Don’t try to run FROM God but instead run TO Him. Let HIM define your life, not your mistakes. **For daily devotionals, you can follow me on Facebook at The Upward Way or on Instagram at the_upward_way.

By Kara Kimbrough This easy to stir together creamy chicken pesto dish is the perfect, easy meal when time is short.    It’s only January, but I’ve already discovered three new products that I can’t live without in the kitchen. As if that wasn’t life-changing enough, I found a recipe that’s quickly becoming my go-to dinner rescuer of 2025.    But first, the products that are making food preparation and cooking just a little easier. ThermoMaven F1 Digital Meat Thermometer – I’ve lost count of the times I’ve tried – usually unsuccessfully – to read the temperature of meat displayed on those tiny, hard-to-read thermometers. Even worse, the smoke and heat from the oven usually caused the miniscule dial to become cloudy and completely indecipherable. All that changed when I was gifted this instant ready digital meat thermometer. Not only is it much larger than those ordinary thermometers, but the easy-to-read window with bright digital numbers allowed me to quickly view the temperature of the meat as it cooked. This high accuracy thermometer with a fold-out sensor rod (picture a large pocketknife design) features advanced sensors that provide immediate, instantaneous temperature readings. And, the magnetic back allows for easy storage on the side of my refrigerator, insuring my thermometer never get lost in the kitchen gadget drawer again.  Forget those ordinary salt and pepper or other seasoning shakers. The Fliptastic Electric Gravity Grinder by Kitchen Mama  seasons dishes with perfectly-ground seasonings with the flip of a wrist. Not to mention, using the sleek, attractive rechargeable grinder is much more exciting than an ordinary salt and pepper shaker. Kitchen Mama Orbit One Rechargeable Can Opener – forget those bulky electric versions that inevitably cause the lid to fall into the food– this one-press solution effortlessly opens cans with its patented tilted blade design, cutting 360° along the lid without touching the food inside. This genius invention is compatible with almost any can type and size, lightweight  and easily operable, with a sleek, compact design. And, it's rechargeable for eco-friendly convenience.     Last, I’ve never been able to resist a dish that included pasta, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. This one is even better - it's filled with more tasty ingredients – chicken, heavy cream and cheeses. Even better, it can be mixed together in minutes in one pan and baked to a bubbly goodness. I honestly can’t think of a better way to get through 2025 than by using these time-saving kitchen gadgets and indulging in this delicious dish at least once a week. One Pan Creamy Chicken Pesto Bake 1 pound pasta of choice (rotini works well) 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes + oil 1pound chicken breasts 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 yellow onion, diced Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (to taste) 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (to taste) 1 teaspoon oregano (to taste) 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 cups heavy cream (room temperature) 2 handfuls spinach 6-8 ounces freshly shredded parmesan cheese (divided) 8 ounces freshly shredded mozzarella (divided) 1/2 cup pesto, to taste      Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the cream on the counter to come to room temperature. Boil noodles in salted water a few minutes less than package instructions (al dente). Drain and set aside.   In a large oven-safe saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomato oil over medium heat. Cook chicken breasts for a few minutes on each side until no longer pink, then remove from the pan and set  aside. Let chicken rest for a few minutes before cutting into bite-sized pieces.    In the same pan, melt butter and add salt, pepper, red pepper, paprika, and oregano. Stir to toast, then toss in the onion and sauté for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Turn heat to low, pour in the heavy cream and stir. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken slightly.   Add half of the parmesan and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, stir until the cheese is melted.. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, chicken, cooked pasta and pesto. Top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.     Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then broil for another 5 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.  Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com .

By Bob Arnold Until the recent holiday season, Lauragail Grubbs never considered herself a Christmas person. “For most of the world, Christmas is a once-a-year event about getting gifts rather than about the birth of Christ and the every day meaning of saving us to live joyously loving each other,” she says. “I never wanted to celebrate an event during which we forget what it is really all about.” This Christmas was a little different for Grubbs, however. In the wake of a robbery at the Wesson truck stop on Sylvarena Road in which she saw her Uncle Vince shot and killed, she experienced family, friends and even acquaintances giving her the love and support she needed as she not only recovered from the trauma, but culminated a pregnancy with the birth of her second daughter, Joey Elizabeth. As Christmas day approached, she also recalled the love and support she received during a period of post partem psychosis following the birth of her first daughter, Tateam Isley, now nine years old, the 2022 drug overdose/murder of her younger brother Hank and the death of a beloved aunt. “I have discovered the year-round joy and love of Christmas, and wanted to begin introducing it to my two daughters during the most recent Christmas season,” says Grubbs. Born Laura Gail at Hazlehurst on April 10, 1995 (she now goes by her combined first and middle names as Lauragail), Grubbs grew up in the Wesson area with her parents, Hank (“Bubba”), a truck driver, and Christy, who worked with pre-school children; an older sister, Ashley, and her younger brother, Hank. She attended the Precious Moments pre-school center and Wesson Attendance Center from kindergarten through high school. “As a child, I was a bit of a misfit and tom boy,” she recalls. “I played with reptiles and brought stray animals home. “I played the trumpet in the school band in the sixth and seventh grades until I accidentally broke it. In the seventh through eleventh grades, I played soccer on the school team.” Local patrons of the old Porches restaurant may remember Lauragail as a waitress with her sister, mom and aunt. She worked there from ages 14 to 19 years old. From 2008 to 2013, she waitressed at Line 58 in Hazlehurst. She also worked at a Hazlehurst thrift store and has assisted Dentville-based CMT crews engaged in restoration and repairs of homes, porches, plumbing and roofing. For the past five years, she has worked off and on at Uncle Ray’s eatery and store across from the entrance to Lake Lincoln State Park, where she started as a bait girl, retrieving worms, minnows, crickets and other lures for fishermen; and now is assistant manager with responsibilities for property maintenance, the cash register, helping customers find convenience store items, cooking and serving meals. In 2015 after the birth of her first child, post-partem psychosis started a dark period in Grubbs’ life. “I knew the way I felt about my daughter wasn’t okay, and I walked away from rearing her into a rebellious life style of partying and bad decisions,” she recounts. “I used speed and smoked weed. With the deaths of my brother and aunt, I tried to be close to them by being near death – not trying to die, but not trying to stay alive, either.” But those times also brought good people into Grubbs’ life as well as some bad ones. She is particularly grateful, she says, to her older sister who has reared Tateam Isley, and points to supportive friends and other family members, and new people she has met along the way who have helped -- like Brother Eddie Mayer at Spring Hills Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday School to a class of toddlers and children up to seven years old. Grubbs recalls, after the killing of her Uncle Vince in the summer, her uncle’s stepson, Aren Case, also offered her some simple advice: “Don’t let his death be a waste.” She remembered it before Christmas last month at the old camper where she lives in the It section of Martinsville when she reflected on being a Christmas gift for her children, as others have been for her over the years: “I want to be someone my kids can be proud of – always kind with a smile, never saying things out of anger, telling people you love them, trying to make things right, forgiving.” So Lauragail has become a Christmas person as the challenges of life have confronted her. What are your hobbies? My pets. Three dogs, a snake, gecko, bass and turtles. I enjoy small adventures. Going to the creek and picking up stray animals along the way. What do you read? I am into science and nature, but I’m a show-me hands-on girl, who doesn’t always understand what I read. How about movies or theater? I like police and crime television shows – Chicago Fire and Chicago PD about first responders -- and the cartoons kids watch – Bubble Guppies and Krat Brothers. Do you have a special interest in music? I sing in the shower and to my kids, and played a trumpet until I broke it. What would you do with the winnings if you won the lottery? I would open savings accounts for my kids, leave my old camper for a better place to live, start a shelter for unloved animals and help other people at rock bottom in bad situations. How would you change the world? I would teach people that it’s the little things in life that count, and try to help the world recapture more innocent days before technology.

Kamryn Bridges of Wesson was named to the Fall 2024 President's List at Mississippi College. The Mississippi College Office of Academic Affairs releases the President's List after the close of fall and spring semesters each academic year. To be eligible for the President's List, a student must maintain a 4.0 grade point average, based on a 4.0 system. The student must take a full course load of at least 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit with all academic courses impacting their grade point average. Mississippi College, affiliated with the Mississippi Baptist Convention, is a private, co-educational, Christian university of liberal arts and sciences serving more than 4,100 students from approximately 35 states and more then three dozen countries. Founded in 1826, MC is the oldest institution of higher learning in Mississippi, one of the largest private universities in the state, and America's second-oldest Baptist college. MC offers 84 areas of undergraduate study, 45 degree programs in graduate studies, more than 10 certificate programs, two educational doctoral degrees, a doctor of jurisprudence, and a doctor of professional counseling. MC seeks to be a university recognized for academic excellence and commitment to the cause of Christ.