Severe cold weather poses a threat to your home and vehicle. Avoid an insurance claim by taking action now. Leave your faucet running with a slight drip and open the cabinet doors under your sinks. Look at the trees around your property and cut back branches or stems that are dead, dying, diseased, or broken. Clearing the debris from your gutters will help prevent ice dams by allowing meltwater to drain freely. Evaluate the insulation and ventilation (roof or soffit vents) in your attic, keeping the warm air in your home and out of your attic. Perform maintenance checks on your vehicle. Check the battery, antifreeze and wiper fluid levels. Fill up with gas, pack emergency supplies and keep a windshield scraper on-hand to remove ice. As you heat your home, keep fire safety in mind. Keep clothes, drapes, and anything else combustible at least 3 feet away from all heating equipment, especially space heaters. Never leave space heaters on when you are away from home. Never plug space heaters into extension cords. Plug electric space heaters directly into an outlet. All heating equipment should be UL® approved. Inspect the space heater's power cord for damage, fraying or heat. If the cord inspection reveals any of these issues, the heater should be replaced. Never use space heaters while you sleep or in areas where children may be without adult supervision. Always unplug space heaters when they are not in use. The heater should also be equipped with a tip over shut-off switch. Never use a stove or oven to heat living spaces. If using a gas heater, install a carbon monoxide detector. Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button. Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. Smoke alarms should be placed in every sleeping area and common hallways and on every level of the home. Make sure everyone in your home knows how to get out and where to meet outside. Once everyone is outside a burning home, call 911 and don't go back inside the home under any circumstances.

By: Courtney Ingle, Magnolia Tribune The historic school became an ideal place for class reunions, proms, meetings, and even weddings. But, like many places, the pandemic screeched events at the school to a halt, and it has yet to be used again.  Getting to the town of Wesson, Mississippi means driving on two-lane highways and country roads. Wesson is the epitome of a small town with active residents who have been rooted in the Copiah County town for their entire lives. They carry on much in the way their families did before them—they enjoy their little community and relish any opportunity to celebrate it.  There are more historic landmarks in Wesson than there are stoplights. The old Mississippi Mills now serves as the Milltown Mall and Flea Market. Another marker highlights the location of the former Wesson Hotel, which was owned and operated by Mississippi Mills. Whether on a cloudy, rainy day or a day with clear blue skies, these historic markers just seem to glow, like a front porch light welcoming you home, where all the love, pride, and stories reside.  But there’s one pillar of history in Wesson that is tucked away. Outside of the town, the Romanesque building isn’t well-known. People in the nearby cities of Hazlehurst and Brookhaven have hardly heard of it, much less seen it.  The Old Wesson School is hidden away from the line of sight. A two-lane road takes you past an all-in-one gas station, eatery, and laundromat called Shop and Wash. A turn over the railroad tracks leads you down what appears to be another small-town residential street when suddenly, through the trees, a towering building appears, and the little street dead ends back to the late 1950s when the last graduating class took its picture on the steps.  The Birth and Life of the Old Wesson School  The Old Wesson Public School, known affectionately as Old Wesson School, was first built in 1889. It served as the first brick school building for children in the area. Initially, the school was set to house grades kindergarten through 8th grade. The first semester of the Old Wesson Public School started in September 1889. In December of 1890, the school was destroyed by fire.  A book entitled “Wesson: The Industrial City of the South,” by Durr Walker and David Higgs, suggested that the students from the Old Wesson School may had been moved to the nearby Baptist church in Wesson or to the Clanton building, which was west of Town Hall, though there were no official papers to determine the exact relocation of the classes.  No time was wasted in rebuilding the school. The first graduating class—all six students—  got their diplomas at the end of the 1892-1893 school year, though once again, there’s no formal evidence suggesting when exactly the graduation ceremony took place.  The school held grades kindergarten through 8th grade until 1929 when the Agricultural High School on the Copiah-Lincoln Community College campus dropped the ninth grade. In 1929, ninth-grade students joined Wesson Public School, followed by tenth grade in 1930. Seventeen years later, 9-12th grade students were back at the Co-Lin campus during their four years at the Copiah Lincoln Agricultural High School.  Old Wesson School held its final graduation in 1959. In 1960, Old Wesson School closed, following the opening of the Wesson Attendance Center on Grove Street, which to this day continues to be a school for kindergarten through 12th grade.  In 1979, Old Wesson School was added to the National Historic Register.  Three decades came and went since the school closed as the Old Wesson School building served several purposes. The basement, which was once the cafeteria, housed the local Boy Scouts. The Wesson Garden Club met at the school, as well as a nutritional program that provided free meals for senior citizens.  Ruin, rumor, renovation, revival By 1994, the once glorious building was left empty. Over the years, a lack of funding and local interest had made parts of the school uninhabitable. Stairwells were rotted, and the roof leaked, which led to ceilings being damaged—it was more a hazard than a home for any real purpose.  By 2001, the school was named one of the Top 10 Most Endangered sites in Mississippi by the Mississippi Heritage Trust. Renovations began at the Old Wesson School in 2002, to make way for St. Ambrose Leadership College to open an all-male school at the historic location; however, it never happened.  The empty school became the center of many a rumor and gave a creepy vibe to the town. Students from the Wesson Attendance Center would climb atop the monkey bars and look down the way toward the school, towering above a treeline, next to a graveyard.  “I used to get a very creepy vibe from looking at that school,” said Annalize Warren, a former Wesson Attendance Center student. “I could see that school and the graveyard. It was just unsettling to see, and everyone talked about the ghosts and stuff.”  Old Wesson School provided a nearly cinematic sight to behold from “the new school on the hill” and left generations of elementary students speculating about the possible deaths, cults, and other general wickedness that must have taken place there (though certainly did not at least, there’s no such evidence). The kids weren’t the only ones with the big imaginations, though. Ghost hunts have taken place at the Old Wesson School, conducted by the Mississippi Paranormal Society.  How the school stands now Though St. Ambrose began renovations, the school never came to be. However, it did spark a fire to rally funding. Renovations were completed, and during the 2010s, the Old Wesson School became a thriving community center once again.  The historic school became an ideal place for class reunions, proms, meetings, and even weddings. There were several town Christmas events and haunted houses there as well. But, like many places, the COVID-19 pandemic screeched events at the school to a halt, and it has yet to be used again.  Sonya Cowen is a retired school librarian. Her father was the principal at the Old Wesson School, and her mother taught elementary classes there. Cowen herself was a student at the school until 1959. “We were the last ones to graduate from there until they moved everyone up to the new school,” said Cowen. Any child of a principal or teacher could feel like their lives centered around the school, and over the years Cowen has chosen numerous times to continue to advocate for the school, even at her own expense.  “I’ve given money to fix things here and there, like some of the wood flooring,” said Cowen. She’s also led tours there to bring awareness to the conditions of the school and attended nearly every board meeting, with several classmates and concerned citizens, to stay informed and continue to rally for improvements at the school. Cowen isn’t the only former student of the school that hopes to see it back in use again.  “There was a lot happening there for a while,” said Janice Stricklin, who was part of the first class to move from Wesson Public School to Wesson Attendance Center. “It hurts to see it empty now. My classmates and I still feel a connection to the Old Wesson School as our elementary school, since we were only at the attendance center for a year before starting high school.”  Stricklin said that while the inside of the school is not in use, she and about 25 of her former classmates met at the school to take a picture out front. “It’s just a very special place,” said Stricklin. “It had a lot going for it, and it does bother me to see it empty again.” Cowen said while COVID was the main reason for events stopping at the school, there were a few logistical things that were already causing the activity to wane. “There’s not a real kitchen in the school,” said Cowen. “So, caterers weren’t fond of events there. It was so difficult to bring everything in and set it up.” Along with no kitchen, there are also continuing HVAC issues.  Some of the outdoor woodwork, which gives the school its historical Romanesque allure, needs repair. “The way that woodwork was done on the school, it isn’t really done anymore,” said Cowen. “We’ve had local people even try to find the equipment to do it, but it can’t be found.” Being on the National Register of Historic Places means that they have to stick as close to the original design as possible with renovations. However, that can be a costly ask. “To keep it like the original, we’d have to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars for the right equipment to (restore the original detail of woodwork). Even then, that level of work just isn’t as appreciated anymore, so the cost would outweigh the benefit of fixing it to the original look,” said Cowen.  Cowen said that there is some grant money available for the school so the town could begin renovations soon, but given the historically tumultuous journey of The Old Wesson School, Cowen was reluctant to say how much money was allocated or what the timetable for those renovations would be.  “I just hope to see it back in use again,” said Cowen. “I have so many fond memories there, and I really do love it.”  For more information about the Old Wesson School, visit the Town of Wesson website .

By: Bob Garver Poster Credit IMDB Like many critics, I despised the 2019 CGI version of “The Lion King.” The new animation was ugly and the rehashing of the story from the 1994 classic without many changes made the whole thing seem unnecessary. But unlike many critics, I’m not ready to throw prequel “Mufasa: The Lion King” away just because of the sins of its predecessor. I’m not saying that it’s not still inextricably tied to the 2019 film, especially with its still-terrible CGI animation, but the story and characters can do some roaming on their own that makes for a breath of fresh air.             The film opens with Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter) going away on some adult lion business and leaving their cub Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter) in the care of comic relief meerkat Timon (Billy Eichner) and warthog Pumbaa (Seth Rogen). A storm is approaching, Kiara is scared, and Timon and Pumbaa’s danger-fraught stories aren’t helping. Wizened mandril Rafiki (John Kani), an old friend of the family, steps in and tells Kiara a story about her grandfather Mufasa’s bravery so that she won’t just be soothed, she’ll be inspired to be brave herself going forward. The framing device isn’t a bad idea in and of itself, and Kiara is important to the future of this world with the Circle of Life and all that, but Timon and Pumbaa are nothing but grating here. Their tired, lowbrow schtick gets the movie off to such a bad start and causes so many unwelcome interruptions that frankly I can understand why some people think they’re a deal-breaker for the entire film.             Fortunately, things pick up once the movie commits to the story of Mufasa (voiced as a cub by Braelyn and Brielle Rankins). A flood took him away from his parents (Anika Noni Rose and Keith David – because of course it took two of the greatest voices in the world to sire a character that would eventually have the all-time great voice of James Earl Jones) and he was rescued by Taka (Theo Somolu), an unblemished prince from a faraway pride who is quick to consider him a brother. King Obasi (Lennie James) allows Mufasa to live with the pride on the condition that he mostly live with the lionesses, led by Queen Eshe (Thandiwe Newton). This is supposed to be humiliation, but while Taka grows up learning rotten lessons from his jerk father, Mufasa picks up useful practical skills. He’s even able to protect Taka and Eshe from the son of evil lion Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen), who sets his sights on wiping out the entire pride, sending Taka and Mufasa fleeing toward a sanctuary called Milele.             Along the way, Mufasa (now Aaron Pierre) and Taka (now Kelvin Harrison Jr.) make friends with Rafiki, as well as fellow lion Sarabi (Tiffany Boone) and her guide-bird Zazu (Preston Nyman), and they form an unlikely pack. Both Taka and Mufasa develop feelings for Sarabi, but Mufasa is bound by his honor to defer to Taka. Sarabi falls for Mufasa anyway, and Taka considers it a betrayal. The team has to not only worry about making it to Milele with Kiros in pursuit, but dissention between two lions that were, for all intents and purposes, brothers.             Yes, it’s easy to see where the story is going when you consider that certain characters have to end up in certain places by the time “The Lion King” rolls around. Yes, the animation still isn’t great, but it’s only obnoxiously bad in close-ups, which admittedly the film does far too often. And yes, the songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda (which sometimes invoke “Moana” more than the actual “Moana” sequel from a few weeks back) aren’t as memorable as the Elton John songs from 1994. But sorry, no, none of that ruins the movie for me. I still found myself invested in these characters, Timon and Pumbaa aside. I see enough effort and passion here that I’m willing to give “Mufasa: The Lion King” a very shaky recommendation.   Grade: B-   “Mufasa: The Lion King” is rated PG for action/violence, peril and some thematic elements. Its running time is 118 minutes.   Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu .

Send any responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Recently a man we know died in his nineties, after serving in the military until he retired and then had a long career as a police officer until retirement again. Jimmy covered his beat not in a patrol car or on foot, but on the back of a horse. At one point, he became a training officer for young police cadets, teaching young men and women how to do their job with the help of their faithful, four-footed companion. The night before the service for Jimmy, we had the honor of sitting with the family and listening to stories of his life as a husband, dad, and also as a police officer. He evidently was quite a man in many ways, loved and respected by family, friends, and coworkers alike. His family told us how in one training session for the police officers, Jimmy was busy instructing the cadets when suddenly his horse began objecting quite strenuously to having someone seated on his back. That animal wanted to go back to the barn, and nobody or nothing was going to stand in his way. In the process of trying to rid himself of a rider, Jimmy was suddenly sent flying over the horse’s head. Unbelievably, Jettisoned Jimmy somehow landed on his feet. Undaunted by this quick and unexpected dismount, Jimmy quickly squared his shoulders, and looking directly into the eyes of his trainees, and calmly explained, “And that, men, is how we dismount in McCurtain County of Oklahoma!” Funny stuff indeed.  But it is more than just a story that makes you laugh and at the same time admire the man. True, Jimmy displayed impressive skills as a horseman, and quick thinking as a leader in front of his men.   But even more remarkable was Jimmy’s ability to take an ‘Oops’ moment and turn it into a Wow!! story that was told by his family for years afterwards. Folks, do not underestimate the power in the true story you have just read. This wasn’t just a fluke in life – something that came from Jimmy’s brain and out of his mouth with no rhyme nor reason. The victory that you see in that incident was the result of living his life for many years with an attitude of “I won’t let life get the best of me. I will take whatever unexpected heartaches and problems that come crashing into my  life, and I will deal with them in the best way possible. I will  How do the Jimmys of the world do that? Are they simply more-than-human? Do they possess some sort of unbelievable and unattainable abilities that the rest of us can never hope to achieve? Yes, Jimmy B. was special, no doubt. But he became the man he was because he was smart enough to lean on his faith. He leaned on a God that he recognized as being a lot more able than himself. Worth learning.

The Mississippi Board of Animal Health (MBAH) has been notified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratory that poultry from a commercial broiler chicken flock in Copiah County, Mississippi has tested positive for highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. Samples from the flock were tested at the Mississippi Veterinary Research & Diagnostic Laboratory, part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. Avian influenza does not present a food safety risk; poultry and eggs are safe to eat when handled and cooked properly. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the public health risk associated with avian influenza in birds remains low. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution. SITUATION:  The State Veterinarian has quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the property have been depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flock have not entered the food system. The MBAH is working closely with federal animal health officials in Mississippi on a joint incident response. The MBAH is actively working with the poultry industry to increase monitoring of flocks statewide. This finding is the second case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in commercial poultry in Mississippi since the spring of 2023. Since November, HPAI has been detected in migratory waterfowl in multiple areas of Mississippi. The poultry industry was notified and put on high alert to increase biosecurity and surveillance for HPAI. REPORTING:  Hobby poultry owners are encouraged to practice good biosecurity and be aware of the signs of avian influenza and report illness and/or death in birds in the MBAH Online Reporting Form https://agnet.mdac.ms.gov/MBAHReportablePublic/birddeathlanding . Information will be routed to a state or federal veterinarian in Mississippi for assessment. Dead birds should be double‐bagged and refrigerated for possible testing. Precautions should be taken when handling sick or dead birds including proper handwashing, using gloves, wearing masks, and sanitation of surfaces that come into contact with sick or dead birds to prevent the spread of avian influenza to people. Avian influenza in birds can cause sudden death; lack of energy or appetite; decreased egg production; soft-shelled or misshapen eggs; swelling or purple discoloration of head, eyelids, comb, hocks; nasal discharge; coughing; sneezing; incoordination; and diarrhea. A resource for backyard bird health information is online at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/defend-the-flock-program/dtf-resources/dtf-resources . Biosecurity information and resources can be found by visiting: https://www.mbah.ms.gov/biosecurity/ . UPDATES and INFORMATION:  Situation updates and status reports about ongoing avian influenza activities in Mississippi, along with critical disease‐related information, will be posted online at: https://www.hpai.ms.gov/ .

By Kara Kimbrough Hoppin' John, served with a slice of cornbread, is a great New Year's Day meal or the perfect way to recycle leftover black-eyed peas on Jan. 2.  Disclaimer:  I don’t believe in luck. You'll never hear me say that I’ve been “lucky” when something good comes my way. I’ll use the word “fortunate,” but I'll steer clear of the “L word.” However, like any good Southerner, sitting down to a traditional plate of cabbage, black-eyed peas, pork and cornbread on New Year’s Day is a can't-miss ritual. It’s not because I fear a year of bad luck, but for two much more important reasons. It’s a fun tradition to maintain along with millions of other Southerners. Most important, if cooked the right way, these dishes are really, really good. Southerners often get a bad rap for clinging to centuries-old traditions, but a little research proved we’re not alone. Other foods that show up around the first day of the New Year in other parts of the U.S. and world include: Pork and sauerkraut: Germans and Eastern Europeans annually serve sauerkraut on the first day of the New Year with their “lucky pork.” Like Southerners, they believe cabbage resembles money and increases in value when cooked. Lentils: Due to their coin-like appearance, Italians prepare a meal of pork sausage and lentils on the first day of the year to secure prosperity in the coming 365 days. Lettuce and noodles: Similar to our cabbage, the Chinese wrap their food in the leafy green vegetables during the Chinese New Year and for good reason. Lettuce in their native tongue means "rising fortune." Likewise, long noodles are common fare during Chinese New Year. Also served in Japan on Jan. 1, the uncut pasta symbolizes a long life. When our global neighbors research America’s New Year’s Day food traditions, they’ll inevitably read about Hoppin’ John. Southerners eat this dish containing a combination of two supposedly “luck” ingredients, pork and black-eyed peas. Pork is considered lucky because of a pig's tendency to root forward, paving the way for wealth and prosperity in the coming year. And to the starving residents of Civil War-era Vicksburg, where the tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day began, lowly field peas were their saving grace when Union troops bombed the town and torched the crops for good measure. The Yankees left the peas because they considered them useless. The joke was on them, as the leftover peas kept residents alive and well-fed until conditions improved. Out of that terrible time during the Civil War, a powerful lesson or two evolved that still holds true today: black-eyed peas, when cooked properly and served with a side of cornbread, are really delicious. And last, never count out Mississippians when it comes to creating a nourishing meal out of whatever we find on hand. After you've enjoyed a delicious New Year's Day meal of one or a selection of these Southern traditional foods or just your own favorite dishes, I hope you go on to experience a healthy, prosperous and blessed 2025! Fortunate 2025 Hoppin’ John Two cups black-eyed peas, cooked Two cups rice, cooked Two tablespoons butter Small onion, chopped Small red or green bell pepper, chopped¼ teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste1 link of smoked sausage, cooked and sliced thin, optional Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic powder and cook for five minutes. Add cooked peas, rice and cooked sausage (if using) and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes, stirring to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com .

William and Olivia were the most popular names in the state for baby boys and girls in 2024, respectively, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health's Office of Vital Records and Public Health Statistics. The Office of Vital Records compiles a list of most popular baby names born to Mississippi residents every year. The counts and rankings are based on provisional data. This year, 167 baby boys were named William, and 101 girls were named Olivia, pushing them to the top of the leaderboard. Both names ranked third in 2023 atop their gender categories. Rounding out the Top 5 for most popular boy names are John, James, Noah and Liam. Ava, Mary, Amelia, and a tie between Charlotte and Harper complete the list for girls. Most names on this year's list also appeared on last year's, albeit with different rankings, but there were some whose popularity jumped several spots to make the cut, including Beau, Luke, Kayden, Amir and Silas for boys; and Lainey, Kehlani, Oaklynn, Londyn and Aurora for girls. To see the complete Top 25 rankings, click here: Baby Names - Mississippi State Department of Health Download the new MSDH Healthy App today for free in Apple and Android stores. Stay up to date on news and updates at  www.msdh.ms.gov .  and on social media:  facebook.com/HealthyMS ,  twitter.com/msdh  and  Instagram.com/healthy.ms

By Douglas Carswell Remember when Japan was predicted to overtake America?  Back in the 1980s, Japan was the coming country. Japan’s economy had enjoyed decades of rapid growth. Her exports where everywhere, and with inventions like the Sony Walkman, it looked as though Japan was the technological future, too. America looked like a power in decline. Forty years ago, many traditional US industries were failing. Crime seemed out of control.   By the mid 1990s, Japan’s GDP was 71 percent that of the US - and the gap looked to be closing. One “expert”, Herman Kahn predicted that Japan would surpass America as the world’s largest economy by 2000. Today? Japan’s economy is a quarter the size of America’s. Japan hasn’t produced much innovation since the Tamagotchi (Don’t ask). Despite all the talk about Japanese electronic wizardry, the great digital innovations of the past few decades have happened on this side of the Pacific.  Today, of course, we’re told that the great ascending power is not Japan, but China. China’s economic growth over the past 40 years has been phenomenal. In industry after industry, Chinese exports have crushed the competition. China, unlike Japan, is not just an economic competitor but a strategic rival to the United States, pursuing an aggressively expansionist policy in the Pacific, south Asia and parts of Africa. By 2021, China’s GDP was almost 80 percent that of the US and the experts were telling us China would overtake America within a couple of decades.   But look at what has happened since. China’s economy seems to have peaked as a percentage of US output. China has even more debt-induced malinvestment than Japan had during the 80s asset bubble.  Chinese demographics (current Total Fertility Rate 1.02) are in an even worse shape than Japan’s (TFR 1.30). And China’s fiscal position is unlikely to improve with all of President Xi’s imperial ambitions to fund.  As recently as 2008, Europe’s economy was about the same size as the United States’. Today, America’s economy is twice the size of Europe’s. Looking at the number of large companies established over the past 50 years on either side of the Atlantic. Home Depot, a single US company, eclipses all the new businesses created in the European Union since 1974. So why are Japan, China and Europe all in their different ways underperforming America? Because each are, in their different ways, reverting back to a type of political economic tradition far less successful than America’s. Japan, superficially Western in so many ways since 1945, has behind that façade a strongly corporatist political economy. A handful of well-connected conglomerates are able to dominate markets, but shielded from internal competition, they don’t innovate. (To appreciate how stifling this is, try to imagine what America might be like, for example, if IBM was the only computer company, with all the competitors kept out.) China, after a brief move towards market liberalization begun by Deng Xiaoping, is reverting to what you might think of as a Ming tradition. Dissent is stamped on. A bureaucratic elite micromanages and controls. The sclerotic effects are already being felt.   Europe, repeated rescued from an indigenous form of autocracy by the Anglosphere powers (1704, 1815, 1914, 1944, Cold War), is tragically reverting to type. Today, a courtly elite enthroned in Brussels attempts to regulate and control ever more aspects of social and economic life across the Continent, destroying it in the process (Mercifully, Britain escaped from this in 2016 and might yet return to a more Atlantic tradition).  To flourish, the United States needs to stay true to the political and economic model envisaged by the Founders; limited government, lower taxes and liberty. The good news is that with the new administration in Washington, this may well be about to happen. Elon Musk is determined not only to cut federal spending (something America urgently needs to do to avoid bankruptcy). He is looking to turbo charge productivity growth, moving people from the public to the private sector, and radically cut red tape. Reports of America’s relative decline seem to me to be wildly exaggerated. If Musk and co deliver half of what they are promising, we might just be on the cusp of an extraordinary period of progress and innovation in America. The divergence between America and the rest of the world is only going to accelerate.  I feel an overwhelming sense of privilege to be onboard!   Douglas Carswell is the President and CEO of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy. He was previously a Member of the British Parliament for 12 years.

Fireworks caused nearly 10,000 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments during 2023, according to a  report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission . The majority of those injuries were burns to the hands and fingers with firecrackers causing 800 injuries. “Children are especially at risk for firework injury. Teach your child not to point or throw fireworks at people, animals, or buildings,” State Fire Marshal and Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said. “Show children how to put fireworks in buckets of water and dispose of them properly.” You should also use fireworks safely to prevent fires and reduce property loss. As of December 1, 2024, over 19,000 fires statewide have resulted in more than $204 million in property and content losses. The Mississippi State Fire Marshal recommends these additional safety tips: Observe local laws. o   Those wishing to purchase and use fireworks should first check with their fire protection officials to make sure that local laws are being followed. o   Some municipalities prohibit fireworks from being used within city limits. Use common sense: always read and follow the directions on each firework. Never point or throw fireworks at another person. Buy from reliable fireworks sellers. Store them in a cool, dry place. Always have an adult present when shooting fireworks. Put used fireworks in a bucket of water and have a hose ready. Only use fireworks outdoors, away from homes, dry grass, and trees. Light only one item at a time and keep a safe distance. Never experiment or attempt to make your own fireworks. Never re-ignite malfunctioning fireworks. Never give fireworks to small children. Never carry fireworks in your pocket. Never shoot fireworks in metal or glass containers.

Copiah-Lincoln Community College Medical Radiologic Technology Program Director Kelly Fenwick of Bogue Chitto has completed the 2024 American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) Leadership Academy. Fenwick recently traveled to the national ASRT office in Albuquerque, New Mexico for a two-day training event following a six-week immersive online leadership training program. The program is designed for medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals who serve, or plan to serve, in leadership roles with ASRT and their affiliate societies. Participants covered topics like communication, policy and procedure development, association law, membership, recruitment, public relations, parliamentary procedures, strategic planning and advocacy. Fenwick has served as Co-Lin’s radiography program director since 2021. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University, a certificate of radiologic technology from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, a technical certificate in Sonography from Hinds Allied Health Center, and a master’s degree in health sciences from The University of Mississippi Medical Center. She is a member of the Mississippi Society of Radiologic Technologists and the American Society of Radiologic Technologist. In addition, she was selected as the Outstanding Career-Technical Instructor for the Wesson Campus in 2022.

By: Bob Garver Poster credit: IMDB The “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie franchise has had quite the history. In 2019, jokes about the poorly-received first trailer were everywhere in pop culture. Paramount, to its credit, took the vitriol as constructive criticism and spent months redesigning the main character to have a more palatable appearance. When the upgraded movie was released in 2020, all was forgiven and the movie was a hit. The 2022 sequel was also a bigger hit than expected, with “Morbius” bombing the week before and audiences hungry for a blockbuster. And with the third film already earning over $60 million at the domestic box office in its first weekend, it’s a safe bet that it will be the biggest hit of Christmas 2024. The journey from Internet punching bag to must-see holiday destination is indeed an inspiring one, much more than anything that happens onscreen in the mess that is “Sonic the Hedgehog 3.” As we check in with Sonic (Ben Schwartz), he’s enjoying domestic life on Earth with his adoptive human parents Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter) and his home-planet sorta-siblings, fox Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and echidna Knuckles (Idris Elba). But the good times can’t last, as the government needs Team Sonic to fight off a threat from another superpowered space hedgehog. Shadow (Keanu Reeves) has escaped from a secret government facility and is up to no good. Even with a 3-on-1 advantage, the heroes are easily bested and Shadow gets away. If they want to defeat Shadow, they’re going to have to align with hedgehog expert and dormant supervillain Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey). Robotnik and his long-suffering assistant Stone (Lee Majdoub) help Team Sonic track Shadow to an abandoned facility where they learn that the heelish hedgehog isn’t working alone. Dr. Gerald Robotnik (also Carrey), Ivo’s grandfather, has been helping the former science specimen for decades. Together they’re working on an evil scheme to control a doomsday device. Ivo immediately turns on the others once he discovers that family is involved, so the next battle in London is essentially a 3-on-3 with Team Sonic vs. Shadow and the Robotniks. Then, of course, the final showdown is at the weapon itself with only seconds to spare, most of those seconds used by the heroes to try to convince the villains not to blow up the world. Action and story-wise, this movie is a yawn. I can’t imagine anybody coming out of this movie saying that it was really cool when a character did this or it was a surprise when the movie took that turn. That leaves humor as the movie’s distinguishing characteristic, which is a shame because a lot of it missed for me. The heroes’ jokes could be found in any number of similar family action movies, including but not limited to the MCU. The returning character that probably got the most laughs out of me was Knuckles, thanks to Elba’s gravitas-filled delivery, but even his lines feel like Drax the Destroyer leftovers. As for comedy legend Carrey, I assure you that playing two characters doesn’t make him twice as funny. Twice as annoying, maybe, but he’s doing all of his infamous mugging without much of his famous passion. I say “much” because, like Elba, he did get a few laughs out of me, but not enough to come close to saving the day. As far as I’m concerned, the only thing that “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” has going for it is that it could be worse. We could be three movies deep into this franchise with the way Sonic originally looked, with the lanky body and humanoid teeth. Yes, I know that releasing the first movie like that might have killed the sequels, but it also could have brought about two even uglier sequels. At least this way it’s a marginally better-looking character getting shoved down our throats. Grade: C- “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is rated PG for action, some violence, rude humor, thematic elements and mild language. Its running time is 109 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at  rrg251@nyu.edu .

By Misty Prine “2025 is for the Lord. - To live for & focus on Him more. He is the way to change your life – not a resolution that’s meant to be broken.” By Misty Prine New Year’s resolutions are just things people say knowing full well they are going to fail at them miserably...or at least that’s what I do with them. I quit making them years ago simply because, who was I kidding? Random resolutions are simply just made to be broken because they are of the world. However, when I came up with the quote above about 2025 being for the Lord I thought, first of all, it’s not a promise that “we” make, it’s a promise that I KNOW will not be broken because the Lord holds tomorrow and it’s His! We may not know what 2025 holds for us but we know who holds it...every single day of it. So, with that being said, we need to do our very best to: Love others like He does. Forgive others like He does...even if they are not sorry. Try searching through the storms of life to find the lessons He wants us to learn. Be more open minded when plans don’t go the way we’d like for them to go but instead try to see the bigger picture at hand as to why He made them go the other way. Think before we speak or act to the best of our ability. The ending result depends on OUR reaction. This year is the Lord’s, not ours. To make the best life we can make, we need to try to live our life through Him and in the way He would have us to do it. We need to focus on viewing people through God’s eyes, and not our own, because we do not know what they are going through and neither do they us, how we love them, how we need to forgive those who hurt us and, in doing so, all of this will help us to have the best 2025 we can have. So, here’s to no resolutions but instead an initiative to living the best versions of ourselves every day that the good Lord above blesses us to see. When we live for Him, life may get difficult at times, but it will have such a wonderfully, rewarding payoff. **For daily devotionals, you can follow me on Facebook at The Upward Way or on Instagram at the_upward_way. I’d love to see you there!