Special to Wesson News Pickleball – the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. – is coming to town. The Wesson Board of Aldermen has approved the use of Blue Cross Healthy Hometown grant funds to construct two Pickleball courts at a cost of $42,000 in the municipal park. Mayor Alton Shaw predicted the courts draw players from not only the town, but the wider area as well, noting that Co-Lin has reported vandalism to several of its tennis courts by the sport’s enthusiasts who could find no other venues where they could enjoy their passion. Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport in which two players (singles) or four players (doubles) use a smooth-faced paddle to hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball over a 34-inch-high net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction. Pickleball, invented in 1965 as a children's backyard game in the United States, on Bainbridge Island in Washington state, is played indoors and outdoors.  In 2022, it was named the official state sport of Washington. Aspects of the sport resemble tennis and table tennis, but pickleball has specific rules, paddles and court dimensions. The court is 44 feet  long and 20 feet wide, and the paddle is larger than the one used in table tennis. The hard plastic ball used in pickleball produces less bounce than tennis balls. On each side of the net is a seven-foot area  known as the  non-volley zone  (or the  kitchen ) where a player may not strike the ball until it has bounced. The rules specify side out scoring, where only the server side can score a point. The limited bounce, non-volley zones, and underhanded stroke, with which all serves are made, combined with hard drive shots and overhead smash shots, give the game a dynamic pace. After its introduction in 1965, pickleball became a popular sport in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and gradually grew in popularity elsewhere. By 2023 it was estimated to have over 8.9 million players in the United States. For three years in a row, 2021, 2022, and 2023, the sport was named the fastest-growing sport in the United States by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The growing popularity of the sport has been attributed to its short learning curve, its appeal to a wide range of ages and fitness levels, and its low startup costs. Two professional tours were established in the United States in 2019 and shortly thereafter two professional leagues were established. Pickleball is also growing in popularity outside the United States, with a professional league already operating in Australia, and another being developed in India for the 2025/26 season.

By Misty Strieff Prine   “Never put the key to your happiness in somebody else’s pocket.” – Unknown                 In the society in which we live today, it has become all too common to put our happiness in tangible things that money can buy – vehicles, homes, clothing, jewelry, etc. Anything that would put someone in the limelight of a certain social status or clique in schools or adult social group. I’m here to tell you, money cannot and will never buy true happiness. It may seem like it temporarily, but it will always be short lived. This is why you should NEVER put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket. You should never try to be someone you are not by spending money or “keeping up with the Jones’s” to find happiness. It will always be short lived. The only true and perfect happiness comes from the One who is the epitome of love and compassion. He is the One that will love you at your darkest. You can literally have nothing but the shirt on your back and He will love you just the way you are. He doesn't care about the color of your skin, the value of the clothes you are wearing or the amount of your paycheck. He cares about YOU. When you put your faith and trust in Him, He will give you a joy that you cannot even begin to put into words. He will in turn bless you with so much more than you deserve. He will change the way your heart views those around you. He will show you that true happiness comes with loving those around you that are the most unlovable. He will give you joy, even in your darkest hour, because He knows that the storms of life are only temporary and when they blow over, and they will, you will come out stronger than when you went in. And when you do, you will be able to help someone else get through an equally difficult storm. True happiness is realizing that material things are nice to have but they do not bring true joy. True happiness is knowing that when you love someone through the eyes of Jesus, expecting nothing in return, and you get a genuine love in return, God has showed up and showed out. The key to a happy life is knowing that it doesn't matter what "things" you have but instead "WHO" you have in your heart. Happiness is knowing that no matter what comes your way, God has your back, and He will never leave you. That is a joy that can't help but spill out of every crack of every broken piece of your life that HE has put back together. Thank you, Jesus, for your mercy and your grace.

By Bob Garver The battle for second place at the domestic box office this past weekend (behind the fourth weekend of “Venom: The Last Dance”) was awfully close, with two films hovering around the $11 million mark. Since neither film is a big hit, I’ve decided to toss them both a quick review. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”               Sadly, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” started off at a disadvantage with me from which it never quite recovered. It wasn’t the lack of flashiness or edginess or intensity. I’m perfectly fine with watching a family-friendly movie about a small-town Christmas pageant. It’s that I read the book by Barbara Robinson as a child, and the movie couldn’t measure up.             The story follows young Beth (Molly Belle Wright, though the movie is narrated by Lauren Graham as an adult Beth) as she sees her mother (Judy Greer) take over as director of the church’s high-pressure Christmas pageant. Things fall apart almost immediately when the six unruly Herdman kids – led by oldest sister Imogene (Beatrice Schneider) – insist on taking the six biggest roles in the play. Will the pageant be the disaster that most of the community is expecting? Or will Beth’s mother pull off a miracle and get a decent show out of the little misfits?             Even if I hadn’t read the book first, I could probably guess that the movie was heading in a direction where the Herdmans are reluctantly made better by the church and the church is reluctantly made better by the Herdmans. This is not a movie that takes many risks or makes many deviations from the source material. I was able to recall dialogue word-for-word from the book in some scenes. It’s not a “bad” movie, just an unambitious one. I must dismiss it with the line that adaptations dread: the book was better.   Grade: C   “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is rated PG for thematic material and brief underage smoking. Its running time is 99 minutes.   “Heretic”               “Heretic” follows two young Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) as they pay a call on potential new convert Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant). The stranger is friendly, intelligent, and bubbly, essentially the Hugh Grant from all those romantic comedies. Except this isn’t a rom-com, it’s a horror movie. Unlike with the other movie, I didn’t know much about this one going in, but I knew that once the young women were invited into Mr. Reed’s house, they wouldn’t be getting out anytime soon.             Not that Mr. Reed’s true colors are immediately apparent, even once the door has closed behind the visitors. He plays the gracious host, offering them warmth from the blizzard outside. He engages them in thoughtful religious discourse, occasionally veering into controversial topics as red flags gradually pop up all around him. I couldn’t pinpoint an exact moment where his villainy becomes official, but after several scenes of discussion and debate, the women find themselves trapped in his basement and at his mercy. Mr. Reed doesn’t want to kill them, he’s not that kind of villain. But he does want to do some converting of his own.             “Heretic” is a taut, slow-burn thriller that focuses more on mind games and suspense than action and violence. The three main performances are all excellent, with Grant at his career best and Thatcher and East immediately establishing themselves are future stars. Unfortunately, the film loses steam in the third act, when the script gets greedy with how many twists it wants to pile on. The movie does so well for so long, some early scenes are truly memorable (especially a lengthy board game analogy), and I do recommend it overall, but it just misses out on becoming a contemporary classic.   Grade: B-   “Heretic” is rated R for some bloody violence. Its running time is 111 minutes.   Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu .

Wesson News             The American Legion and Socks for Heroes (SFH), the Wesson-based veterans support charity, are again asking individual citizens, businesses and not-for-profit organization around town to support area wreath-laying ceremonies to honor deceased veterans next month at the cemeteries where they have been laid to rest and associated venues.               The organizations which will lead the ceremonies are asking to donations to buy the wreaths at a cost of $17 each.  Drane Prine Unit #79 of the the American Legion at P.O. Box, Wesson, MS 39191, and Socks of Heroes at 1032 Cotton Street, Wesson, MS, are accepting the donation                           Wesson-based SFH organizes Christmas season wreath-laying on veterans' graves throughout the area, including those at Wesson Cemetery, among 2,100 nationwide, where ceremonies sponsored by Wreaths Across America honor men and women who sacrificed their lives in the armed forces.                WAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992.             "Our mission is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and to teach our children the value of freedom," SOH’s Cathy Stroud says.  "We take time out to recognize the people that made the ultimate sacrifice."             WAA started in 1992 when Worcester Wreath in Maine found itself with a surplus of wreaths nearing the end of the holiday season.  Remembering a moving boyhood experience at Arlington National Cemetery, owner Morrill Worcester seized on it as an opportunity to honor the country’s veterans. With the aid of Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, he arranged for the wreaths to be placed at Arlington in one of the older sections of the cemetery that had been receiving fewer visitors with each passing year.  Other individuals and organizations stepped up to help, including a local trucking company that transported the wreaths to Virginia, volunteers from local American Legion and VFW Posts and members of the Maine State Society of Washington, D.C. who helped make wreaths and organized laying them.              The event continued quietly each year until 2005, when a photo of gravestones at Arlington, adorned with wreaths and covered in snow, circulated around the internet.  The event drew national attention and expanded to thousands of other locations where the Arlington ceremonies were emulated.  Nearly two million veteran wreaths are placed on headstones at participating cemeteries around the country.              The Arlington wreath-laying is still held annually, on the second or third Saturday of December. WAA's annual pilgrimage from Harrington, Maine, to Arlington National Cemetery has become known as the world’s largest veterans’ parade, stopping at schools, monuments, veterans’ homes and communities all along the way to remind people how important it is to remember, honor and teach about the contributions of those who served their country in war time.             For information, contact Wesson American Legion’s Kim W at 601-942-3319 or SOH’s Stroud at 601-695-4140.

Send any responses to:  andybowman839@gmail.com   My husband was a pastor for many years. And as such, he has always attempted to hold his public image as close to clean and shiny as he possibly could. After all, when you are called to represent the Creator, to love and help His creations, you really don’t want to be known as the bad penny of the neighborhood. But then, there came a day. Andy made a very bad mistake while flying from Oklahoma to Maine one afternoon. He was seated next to a friendly inquiring young man, who wanted to hear about life as a believer in God. And of course, Andy was happy to oblige. So he spent several hours with his head turned sideways as they talked. Like I said – a really bad mistake. Resulting in Andy’s first experience with severe long-lasting vertigo – a sickening uncontrollable dizziness. His experience with it lasted about three months. With repeated trips to a physical therapist trained in repairing the damage in his ear. (Ever hear of free-roaming BBs let loose to excitedly explore parts of the ear previously unknown to them?) After finally getting it basically under control, or so Andy thought, we decided to go for a short walk in our little community. Surely that would not over-tax his system. Wrong. Five blocks from home, his head was again suddenly attacked with a vicious sense of side-whirling, while also toppling over and over.   He actually did look like he was dead drunk, as he weaved his way down the sidewalk toward our front door. With me hanging on to his waist and trying mightily to hold him on a straight and steady course. And not having much luck. At one point I had to help him up off the neighbor’s lawn where he had landed. Believe, me, that was a particularly fun thirty seconds in our journey back to the relative safety of his recliner. I have no idea how many of our neighbors saw us that afternoon - stumbling and swerving our way back home – or what they chose to believe about that pastor who lives among them. “Hey, Jimmy!  Jimmy ! Come watch that goody-two-shoes couple that lives down the street. Now we know the real truth! Coupla’ lushes all this time!” Why am I boring you with this tale? To remind you; Many times, things are not always how they look. Actual facts matter a tremendous amount. So does your willingness to believe the worst about someone. Also worth thinking about:  Everyone else is also observing  your  life, and choosing to believe what they want to believe. No matter whether they have checked the story with you or not. I imagine you would appreciate those around you holding their tongue until they hear the truth from the horse’s mouth. Instead of choosing to believe the worst.

In recognition of World Diabetes Day – Thursday, November 14 – the Mississippi State Department of Health is urging you to Know Your Numbers. Knowing your numbers – cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index – is an important proactive step you should take to reduce your chances of developing diabetes and other major chronic illnesses that disproportionately affect Mississippians. Mississippi was second in the nation for diabetes prevalence in 2023. An estimated 1 in 6 of our residents are living with the disease, for which roughly 21,000 Mississippians are diagnosed annually. Diabetes affects the way the body uses food by causing sugar levels in the blood to be too high. Over time, high blood sugar damages nerves and blood vessels, leading to complications including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nerve problems and amputations. The MSDH Diabetes Prevention and Control Program invites you to learn more about prevention and treatment options during our annual Giving Diabetes the Blues event: Reception: November 21, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Jackson Medical Mall, featuring Grammy-winner Bobby Rush. Pre-register via this link: Giving Diabetes the Blues Tickets, Thu, Nov 21, 2024 at 4:00 PM | Eventbrite Conference: November 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Two Museums. Pre-register here: Giving Diabetes the Blues Conference Tickets, Fri, Nov 22, 2024 at 9:00 AM | Eventbrite Safeguard your health by getting screened at your local health department at no cost. Screening can detect higher than normal blood sugar (pre-diabetes) before it develops into diabetes. If you have pre-diabetes, reduce your risks by losing weight, becoming more active and eating a healthier diet. World Diabetes Day raises awareness of the condition as a global public health issue, emphasizing the collective and individual actions needed for its prevention, diagnosis and management. Internationally, nearly half of all diabetes is undiagnosed, and 537 million people are living with the disease. This year's theme, "Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps," reinforces the commitment to ensuring that those with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care. Download our new MSDH Healthy App 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.msalthyMS ,  twitter.com/msdh  and  Instagram.com/healthy.ms

By Kara Kimbrough     We’re well into our 7th month of warm/sometimes hot Mississippi weather. My patience is wearing thin. However, the weather report shows the temperature FINALLY dropping into the 60’s this week. I need no further encouragement to begin making some of my favorite fall food items. The cooler weather is making me feel generous, so I’m sharing one recipe and will send the others to you upon request.    First, it’s been a couple of years since I made an apple strudel, but I think it’s time for a revival. A few years ago, I spent an afternoon with the expert bakers at Gluckstadt’s St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, learning how make the delicate strudels for the church’s annual Germanfest.      After years of rolling flimsy dough and piecing together unshapely strudels, I finally managed to make a strudel without it falling apart. Q uick tip: the key to rolling strudel, or making dough for pie crusts or any pastry, actually, is simple. It’s imperative to work with firm, chilled dough. Dough can be combined the day before, covered and chilled in the refrigerator overnight.     Also, instead of using a pastry board, a pastry cloth on which to place the dough for easy rolling is the way to go. The thin cloth is made of a utility fabric called unbleached drill, similar to light canvas. It can be found in the kitchen gadgets aisle next to rolling pins.   For something a little more substantial, the season’s first chili is on the horizon. I share a love of chili with one of my graduate professors at Southern Miss. Periodically, I send him a recipe for a “new” type of chili. If it’s not fall, aka chili-making season, he’ll inevitably politely respond, “Thanks, but it’s not time for chili yet.” Thankfully, it finally IS chili-making time!    Last, I picked up a package of apple cider doughnuts from Trader Joe’s, the gourmet grocery on steroids in Metairie just outside New Orleans. They were soft, flavorful, filled with a hint of apple cider and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. I’ll share my list of my favorite Trader Joe items next week; suffice to say, the doughnuts are on the list. I’ve made them before, so it’s time for a remake. I’ll share the recipe next week, along with the list.    So…come on, fall! We’re ready for cooler weather and the season’s hearty, satisfying dishes. Apple Strudel For the dough: 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 pinch of salt 1/3 cup water, lukewarm For the filling: 4 medium Granny Smith apples 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup slivered almonds, very finely chopped 1 teaspoon vanilla extract To assemble:  6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted      In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine melted butter, flour, salt and lukewarm water. Mix at medium speed about 1 minute until dough is smooth and elastic.      In a small covered saucepan, bring water to a boil then remove the pot from the heat, empty the pot and dry it with a dish towel. Line the pot with a sheet of parchment paper, put the dough into the pot and put the lid on. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.       Tip: For best results, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes (or pop in the freezer for a quick chill) before beginning the rolling process).      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Meanwhile, peel, core and cut the apples into small strips. Combine apples with lemon juice. Add cinnamon, sugar, almonds and vanilla extract. Set aside.    Lay a thin pastry cloth flat on the counter. Sprinkle with flour. Roll the dough out as thin as possible and brush lightly with melted butter.    Next, use your hands to carefully stretch dough until it is about 18x12 inches in diameter. Brush half of the melted butter over the rolled-out dough. Leaving a 2-inch margin at the top and bottom, spread the apple filling on top of the dough. Use a slotted spoon so that most of the juice stays in the bowl.     Fold the 2-inch margin at the top and bottom of the dough over onto the filling then roll up the strudel from the short side with the help of the cloth. Tuck in the ends.    Carefully transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Brush with a little bit of melted butter and sprinkle more sugar on top (optional). Bake for about 50 minutes in the lower third of the oven, until lightly golden on top. Brush strudel with remaining melted butter every 20 min while in the oven. Let cool for 10 minutes then sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com .

Submitted by Founders Day Queen Abbey Berch   Each year, Wesson Attendance Center hosts a heartfelt Veterans Day event to honor the brave men and women who have served in the military. This year, as in years past, Post 79 took the lead in organizing a morning filled with gratitude and reflection. The day began with a warm breakfast served to veterans in the school library, providing an opportunity for both students and veterans to connect. The breakfast is a cherished tradition, where veterans gather to enjoy a meal and share stories, and students show their appreciation for the sacrifices made by those who have served. After the breakfast, the celebration moved to the school gymnasium for a formal program, attended by both students and local veterans. This program is an important part of the day, providing a chance for the school community to come together and honor the veterans who have dedicated their lives to protecting the freedoms we enjoy. The event typically includes speeches, patriotic music, and a tribute to the veterans in attendance. Among those recognized at the event were two standout students from the school’s student leadership group—the Wesson Student Council. Abbey Berch, the Founders Day Queen, and Cailley Duplantis, a Founders Day Princess, were both present and contributed to the success of the program. Both Abbey and Cailley are also active members of the American Legion Auxiliary as teen leaders, supporting local veterans through various service activities. The Wesson Student Council, led by sponsors Tomeka Brice, William Love, and Sarah Logan, plays a key role in organizing the event each year. Their dedication to honoring veterans and ensuring that the event runs smoothly is a testament to the strong sense of community and patriotism at Wesson Attendance Center.   Veterans Day at Wesson Attendance Center is more than just a day of ceremony; it’s a reminder of the sacrifices made by the men and women in uniform and the importance of remembering their contributions to our country. Thanks to the collaboration between the Wesson Student Council, local veterans, and the American Legion Auxiliary, the spirit of gratitude and respect for our nation’s heroes continues to thrive in this small community.

As we continue to recognize National Diabetes Month, the Mississippi State Department of Health is highlighting a major risk factor of the deadly chronic disease: smoking.   "If you smoke, you are 30 to 40 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than someone who doesn't," said Tiffany Johnson, Interim Director of the Office of Tobacco Control at MSDH.   Smoking not only increases your risk of developing diabetes, but it also impacts how well your insulin works. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chemicals found in cigarettes cause cellular inflammation, which results in less response to insulin. Diabetics who smoke require higher doses of insulin to manage their blood sugar levels.   MSDH offers free programs by phone or text to support those who are quitting smoking, including professional counseling seven days a week and nicotine replacement resources. We also offer diabetes prevention and management programs to further support overall wellness and health through medication management and lifestyle modifications.   "We offer specific one-on-one support," said Johnson. "We want to see you succeed in your quit journey. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW and let's get started. And, if you want support for diabetes, the Health Department can help, too."   Youth and young adults ages 13 to 24 who vape can also get help by texting VapefreeMS to 88709.   "Diabetes is a disease with serious health consequences, but it is also controllable and preventable," said Jayda Lee, MSDH Director of the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program. "About 1 in 7 Mississippians are living with diabetes, placing the state in the top five nationally for diabetes rates."   Quitting smoking is always a healthy choice. To learn more about our programs, visit  www.msdh.ms.gov/diabetes   Download our new MSDH Healthy App 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 Bob Arnold   Wesson Friends of the Library (FOL) officially gifted the community with its first town wall mural at a ribbon cutting ceremony last month where it can be viewed in the Susan Alsbury Garden behind the outdoor library pavilion.   “Wesson Public Library (WPL) is doing remarkable things, and the mural is icing on the cake,” Librarian Marilyn Britt told nearly 100 persons who received the gift.   Wesson Chamber of Commerce officials cut the ribbon. Wesson Garden Club helped beautify the event location.  The Wesson Attendance Center Beta Club volunteered as greeters and helpers.  Representatives from Wesson businesses, Wesson Lion’s Club, American Legion Post #79 in Wesson, Wesson News , Town of Wesson, Jessica Breazeale Consulting and Founder’s Day queen Abbey Berch and princesses Callie Duplantis and Kalana Nhem celebrated the occasion.   The mural – a vision of WPL Librarian Britt inspired by those she saw on a drive through another town – became a project of Wesson Friends of the Library (FOL) after Britt shared her thoughts with its members and depicts shelves of classic and modern books, some written by Mississippi authors and The Holy Bible, with youthful readers leaning against them under a cloudy blue sky featuring the words of Garrison Keillor that “a book is a gift you can open again and again.”   “I thought Wesson needed its own mural, too,” Britt says.   FOL, which commissioned Brookhaven-based artist Montana Beeson, a Wesson native, to capture Britt’s vision and ideas of its members on the mural, hosted the ribbon cutting highlighted by guest speaker Walt Grayson who also covered the event on his WJTV Jackson “Daily Sip” television program Friday, November 1.   Pointing to the mural at the event, Grayson, a beloved personality, television feature reporter, writer and producer, host of “Mississippi Roads,” and author of four books, talked about story telling within the context of the wall painting:  “You tell a story, and people know what’s going on.  Jesus did that.  Other than the Sermon on the Mount, which also has a lot of stories and parables in it, all of his other sermons were parables or stories.  Stories are so important. You can look at this and you see the stories that have been told – a bunch of them. I’ve got some about Wesson in my books, I think. I’ll have to go back and re-read them. If I didn’t, I meant to.”   On behalf of FOL, Britt advanced the mural project in a conversation with Beeson after she observed her painting windows at Christy Shaw’s C&L Treasures on Route 51.  “She thought it would be wonderful for a native Wesson artist to paint the town’s first mural, and I was on board,” Beeson recalls.   Beeson describes herself as “a Jane of all trades” like her grandparents and all my ancestors – “from music, art, writing to making local honey.” “I have two music albums on iTunes,” she says.  “I have art in multiple vendor malls.  I homeschool my boys, and I’m actually a nurse by profession.”  With the mural project, she says “I’m finally getting started doing what I was meant to do. All my life God has been preparing me for something special and I’m just getting started on the outward display of that plan.”   After a few phone calls, emails, and going back to the drawing board multiple times trying to incorporate the vision of Britt and FOL members, the mural project took a couple of months to complete.   In painting the mural, Beeson says she wanted to bring more life to the garden area that the Wesson Garden Club created.. “I want to encourage people -- but especially children -- to read,” she explains.  “So I prayed and asked God to help me, and here we are.”   At the Friends of the Library (FOL) ribbon cutting ceremony to dedicate the first town mural, Librarian Marilyn Britt announced FOL has been awarded a Home Deport grant to create a town museum and meeting space.   The grant will fund renovation of the former Boy Scouts building at 1915 Beech Street adjacent the municipal park.   The new FOL project will take at least a month complete.

By Bob Arnold               Locals these days know Wesson native Linda Mehri as a story-teller. A retired teacher and seminary-trained church leader, you often find her today reading to children at Wesson Public Library special programs to help spur their interest in books.             Raised as a farm girl, Mehri left Wesson in the late 1970s for what she thought would be a fairy tale marriage with a young wealthy Mideastern man she met at Co-Lin, but returned to the simplicity of Wesson living with two daughters after it became clear world travel, multiple homes and life in fabled cities was anything but a fairy tale.             Mehri may tell stories to children today, but fairy tales aren’t her genre.  And she prefers Wesson’s simple life.             Mehri grew up on a dairy farm in the Sylvarena area as part of a family with five siblings – three brothers and two sisters.  She recalls milking cows, riding quarter horses and participating in rodeos.  Through the third grade, she attended the Wesson old school before transferring to Wesson Elementary School at the current Wesson Attendance Center.  She graduated from the high school at Co-Lin, where she started college before earning a BS in Education with studies in English, Science and Social Studies at Mississippi College and graduate degrees from the University of Mississippi and the University of Southern Mississippi.  In 1976, she received an MA in Theology, Psychology and Counseling from New Orleans Theological School.             Before attending Mississippi College, she served for four months as pioneer missionary on the Eaglebath native American tribal reservation in South Dakota.   In 1973, after graduating from Mississippi College, Mehri taught English at then Parish High School in Hazlehurst and Slidell (Louisiana) Junior High School.  As a seminary student from 1974-1977, she worked at Wesson Baptist Church.              In 1979 after teaching stints at Crystal Spring Junior High School and Madison, Mississippi, she married her sweetheart from her days at Co-Lin – a nephew of the Shah of Iran, who showered her with material wealth.  They traveled throughout Europe and other part of the world, lived in Paris and Rome and spent summers and Calgary, but after 20 years, Mehri realized the marriage wasn’t working.              “Cornbread marrying caviar, the farm marrying the palace just didn’t work,” she explains. In 2000, Mehri, left her husband with her two daughters – Lindsey, a nursery school teacher now 40, and Ginny, an academic guidance counselor at Mississippi State University now 35 – and settled in Wesson again in 2002 after a two-year Moslem divorce process.             Back in Wesson, Mehri returned to teaching and serving churches.   She taught English at Crystal Springs and science and social studies to third graders at Wesson Attendance Center, where she retired in 2020.  From 2004 to 2023, she served Beauregard United Methodist Church as Associate Pastor and was a Hospice Pastor for the United Methodist Church in Copiah County following Hurricane Katrina. What are your hobbies? I am a reader.  I sketch and play guitar.  When I didn’t suffer from arthritis, I enjoyed riding horses. What do you read? I like Christian writer Max Lacedo and Nicholas Sparks, mysteries – particularly those by Agatha Christie, and biographies.   How about movies or theater? I enjoy ballet.  Gone with the Wind  is my favorite movie.   Do you have a special interest in music? It took me a while to get into it, but I enjoy country.  I Italian and English singers, particularly Andre Bonacello.   What would you do with the winnings if you won the lottery? I would pay off my debts, and give to the church and other charities.   How would you change the world?  People must realize that it isn’t material things and wealth that are important, but rather faith, family and friends.

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) today announced 84% of third graders passed the third-grade reading assessment after the final retest for 2023-24. Though the pass rate is slightly lower than 2022-23 (84.9%), third graders achieved an all-time high proficiency of 57.7% in English Language Arts (ELA) for the 2023-24 school year. The increased ELA proficiency rate marks a continuous upward trend since 2016 (33.6%). Mississippi's Literacy-Based Promotion Act requires third graders to achieve a passing score of Level 3 or higher on the reading portion of the state's ELA assessment to qualify for promotion to fourth grade. The assessment has five levels. Students who score at Level 4 are considered proficient; Level 5 is advanced. The Literacy-Based Promotion Act enacted in 2013 was created to help ensure kindergarten through third-grade students develop good reading skills. The law was amended in 2016 to raise the passing score on the third-grade reading test starting in the 2018-19 school year. Though not a steep decline, the 2024 final pass rate is lower than the final pass rates in 2023 (84.9%), 2022 (85%) and 2019 (85.6%). Due to the pandemic, there was no testing in 2020, and the passing requirement was waived in 2021. Three main areas MDE will offer support to schools and districts are as follows: Encourage and assist with the adoption of High-Quality Instructional Materials Continue to increase the number of school and district level staff trained in the Science of Reading Collaborate with Educational Preparation Programs to include Science of Reading training for pre-service teachers Final district-level pass rates are published in the  Literacy-Based Promotion Act Annual Report of Performance and Student Retention  for the 2023-24 school year. Students are provided with three attempts to pass the test. Students who do not pass the test after the final attempt are retained in third grade unless they qualify for one of the good cause exemptions for certain students with disabilities, students learning English or students who have been previously retained. Local school districts determine which students who did not pass qualify for an exemption for promotion to fourth grade. Districts also consider their local promotion and retention policies for making determinations. The LBPA takes a comprehensive approach to building the capacity of teachers and school leaders to effectively teach reading and implement an ongoing system to monitor student progress. The law enables the MDE to deploy literacy coaches to schools where data show students struggle the most with reading. Coaches work directly with teachers and administrators to help them become more effective teachers of reading. In addition, the MDE provides professional development related to teaching reading to teachers, school administrators and faculty in teacher preparation programs. Families can visit  strongreadersms.com  for resources to help children build reading skills at home. Find all MDE news releases at mdek12.org/news .