Wesson News   Wesson Attendance Center girls and boys cross country teams have made history by qualifying for the state tournament at their very first meet, with thirteen personal records shattered.   Each returning runner ran faster at their first meet this year than they ran at their first meet last year.   “These athletes have given up hours over their summer break, working through the grueling heat, to prepare themselves to be better than they were yesterday,” said Mandi Ponder, mother of cross country eighth-grader, Brody.    “The improvements shown in this meet’s results are a direct reflection of their commitment to the team! We couldn’t be more proud of them!” said Ponder.

Special to Wesson News   The department of psychiatry and human behavior at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), in collaboration with the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, recently launched a new telehealth clinic to offer public university students free mental health services.    UMMC committed to the creation of the clinic as part of three overarching goals to help address the elevated rate of mental health concerns reported by students across Mississippi public universities. The Medical Center will also provide therapy support for students and create a statewide medication management service via tele-mental health.     The UNITE Clinic, short for the Universities Network for Integrated Telemental Expansion, provides therapy support and medication management services to students eighteen and older who are enrolled full-time at the University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University, Delta State University, Jackson State University, University of Southern Mississippi, Alcorn State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Mississippi University for Women and, most recently, the University of Mississippi Medical Center.    “We’ve done everything we can to operate the same way as the university counseling centers that students are already accustomed to, so they don’t have to readjust,” said Conner E. Ball, programming and policy director for the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior. “UNITE cuts out the waiting period by making it easy for students to self-refer and self-schedule. They don’t have to go through a scheduler, and they can make same-day appointments.”    In 2021, following the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on protecting youth mental health, a needs assessment, supported by the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, was conducted by Dr. Nicholas McAfee, affiliate faculty in the UMMC department of psychiatry and human behavior and director of the William Magee Center for AOD and Wellness Education at the University of Mississippi, and Dr. Julie Schumacher, associate director of the Office of Wellbeing at UMMC.     Results of the survey, which sampled students at all eight public universities, revealed that psychiatric symptoms worthy of diagnostic follow-up and mental health treatment were more common than not during the pandemic. Students in the study, on average, experienced clinically significant elevations in at least five of the thirteen domains of a common screening tool used by mental health providers that assesses for symptoms of psychiatric diagnoses.    In response to the report, Mississippi developed the UNITE Clinic through a $750,000 congressionally-directed grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.     The clinic supports students dealing with emotional, behavioral and neurodevelopmental difficulties such as performance anxiety, feelings of isolation or sadness, sleep problems, relational issues, adjustment issues and other concerns. Licensed professional counselors provide time-limited therapy support, and a psychiatric nurse practitioner, supported by a psychiatrist collaborator, provides medication management.     “Establishing the UNITE clinic is a big step in the right direction to address the ever-increasing demand of mental health services among college students,” said McAfee. “Based on the findings of our study, increasing access to care will likely help more Mississippians graduate with a college degree.”

Special to Wesson News Wesson’s Hunter Meredith is making headlines as the Farm Bureau Player of the Week, sponsored by Farm Bureau Agent Austin Graham. In the Cobras' thrilling 22-20 win over Perry Central, Meredith showcased his defensive skills with 11 tackles, one of which was for a loss. His grit and focus on the field played a pivotal role in the team's success. Congratulations, Hunter, on a job well done!

By Taylor McKay Hathorn Eudora Welty is all-too often eclipsed by her male contemporaries when people list their favorite Mississippi writers: Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, John Grisham. Miss Welty, however, is in a league all her own and is in a class above the rest, and her Pulitzer Prize-winning The Optimist’s Daughter is essential reading for any Mississippian.   The Optimist’s Daughter relates the tale of the Mount Salus (yes, Clintonians, Mount Salus!) native Laurel McKelva and the ways that her life has been shaped and complicated by being the optimist’s daughter. Her father, the storied Judge McKelva, turned an optimistic (and blind, in more ways than one) eye to the dying sufferings of Laurel’s late mother and to the antics of his young new wife; and, when he passes away, Laurel is forced to confront the ways her father’s optimism, her mother’s illness, and her own husband’s death have changed her – and the person those events have left behind in their wake.   It’s a distinctly Mississippi narrative: the book is littered with the “bless your heart” gossips that populate small towns, the sense of being known by those gossips without necessarily being understood by them. But it’s Eudora Welty’s writing, however, that sings the loudest of Mississippi, as she elevates the unsung details of rural life: the feel of Yazoo clay giving beneath your fingers, the creak of old floorboards, and the smell of the food brought by well-meaning neighbors who know your name as well as they know their own. For a Mississippian – native or transplanted – reading The Optimist’s Daughter is like coming home. Once you finish the novel, there’s ample fodder for extending it beyond its scant 180 pages: you can listen to the 1986 audiobook – read by Eudora Welty herself – before visiting the Eudora Welty House and Gardens at 1119 Pinehurst Drive in the Belhaven neighborhood of Jackson, Mississippi. If you visit in the spring or summer, it is likely that Miss Welty’s back garden is will be in full bloom with the warmer weather.   Once you leave the house where the writer grew up and spent nearly all of her adult life, you can stop by the Belhaven Corner Market to pay a visit to the mural on the wall of the store that faces Fortification Street – the same storefront where Eudora Welty shopped for groceries amongst her neighbors until her death in 2001.   There are also bite-sized versions of Miss Welty’s work available for free online, if you still have a taste for her Southern tales: “Where Is The Voice Coming From,” Welty’s lament and indictment of the Evers assassination that happened less than five miles from her lush back garden, is available for free online at The New Yorker , and the Raymond-based Thaxton Studios is currently producing a documentary on the life of the Mississippi writer, slated for release in fall 2024.

By: Bob Garver “Speak No Evil” is a remake of a 2022 Danish movie with a famously vile twist. I went into this film expecting it to have the same twist. That’s not to say that I expected it to have the same “ending,” exactly, as I knew the film might deviate from the source material once it reached a certain point. But there could be no question that it was indeed winding its way to that point. It was no surprise that what came after that point was horror movie shlock, but I was surprised by how captivated I was by what led up to that point. The film finds protagonist couple Ben and Louise Dalton (Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis, respectively) on vacation with their daughter Agnes (Alix West) in Italy. They’re about as unhappy there as they are at home in London, which is to say pretty unhappy, with Ben falling short as a provider and Louise possibly dabbling in infidelity. But things pick up when they meet fun couple Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and their mute son Ant (Dan Hough). The kids become fast friends, the families have a great time together, and Paddy and Ciara invite the Daltons to their house in the country. The thing is that when everybody met, they were all on vacation, so the playing field was level in terms of accommodations and shared mood. The dynamic shifts a little when the Daltons are guests in Paddy and Ciara’s home. At first it’s just little inconveniences like the guest room sheets having stains and there not being a proper bed for Agnes. But as the days go by, the Daltons find that they like their hosts less and less. Paddy and Ciara don’t treat an immigrant neighbor very well, they’re too open about their sex lives, and they have some differing views on parenting that they’re increasingly unafraid to impose. Also, Ant keeps urgently trying to tell them something, which is frustrating because a condition with his tongue makes it impossible. The film is at its best in this portion. Everyone has acquaintances whose sense of boundaries don’t quite mesh with their own, and the film milks that universal anxiety for all it’s worth. It might not be “horror” in the traditional sense, but I’d sure be scared to be in some of these situations where I might come off as a bad friend or ignorant or “in the wrong.” Of course, this movie isn’t being sold on exploiting the audience’s fear of social faux pas, eventually the other shoe has to drop and proper horror elements have to present themselves. And from that point forward, this movie becomes just another exercise in flat tires, cut phone lines, and characters running up the stairs when they should be bolting out the door. Oh, and a villain or villains that have been meticulous for years suddenly getting so sloppy that you’ll wonder how they ever had any success in the first place. “Speak No Evil” was doing so well for so long. The astute technical team recreates certain shots perfectly from the original movie and the gradual dissolution of politeness and respect is paced beautifully. Part of me was hoping that the Daltons could get away from Paddy and Ciara just so their battle of passive-aggressiveness could be picked back up at another time. But no, this just has to be a movie with a body count, and the chances for a sequel are as bleak as the original’s ending. I do give a recommendation to “Speak No Evil,” but it would be evil of me to say that you should expect a truly excellent movie. Grade: B- “Speak No Evil” is rated R for some strong violence, language, some sexual content and brief drug use. Its running time is 110 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

By Guest Columnist Dr. Eddie Smith, MSU Extension Service There is a type of plant treasured for its ability to be shared. Known as pass-along plants, these are often shared by gardeners, friends and family, typically through cuttings, divisions or seeds.   These plants carry sentimental value and foster a sense of community, as they are often passed down through generations or exchanged within local gardening groups.   My friend Patricia Holliday of Hattiesburg recently showed me a stunning Althea, also known as Rose of Sharon hibiscus, which she has as a pass-along plant.   Patricia’s pass-along Rose of Sharon was covered with gorgeous double, light pink blooms with pink highlights. The native bees obviously loved the plant, too, as they buzzed all around and collected pollen from the flowers.  One of my favorite Rose of Sharon varieties in Patricia’s landscape was Sugar Tip.   Sugar Tip Rose of Sharon is a distinctive deciduous shrub renowned for its stunning variegated foliage and abundant blossoms. It features green leaves edged with creamy white, providing a striking backdrop to its delicate, double-pink flowers.  Another beautiful variety I saw in Patricia’s landscape was Blueberry Smoothie. The flowers of this plant are a rich shade of lavender-blue or bluish-purple, reminiscent of the color of ripe blueberries. The blooms are double, featuring multiple layers of ruffled petals that create a lush, full appearance.  Each flower is approximately three to four inches in diameter, making them quite prominent. The petals are soft and slightly velvety to the touch, adding to the overall luxurious feel of the flower.  Rose of Sharon is a deciduous shrub known for its showy flowers that bloom from mid-summer to early fall. This hardy plant typically grows eight to twelve feet tall and six to ten feet wide, with an upright, vase-shaped habit.  Its flowers, ranging from white and pink to red, purple and blue, often have a contrasting center color. These blooms attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, enhancing the garden’s ecological health.    Rose of Sharon are adaptable to a variety of soil types. They prefer full sun to partial shade and are drought-tolerant once established, making them a low-maintenance choice for many landscapes.   These shrubs can be used in hedges, mixed borders or as a standalone specimen.    Additionally, their late-season blooms provide much-needed color when many other plants have finished flowering. Their ability to thrive in urban environments, resistance to deer and ease of care make Rose of Sharon varieties a popular choice for gardeners.  Rose of Sharon varieties grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 5-9, making them an ideal choice throughout the South as a pass-along plant.

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com You’ve surely seen them. The people in your life that rarely look at the glass as half empty. To them, having a half-empty glass just means they can to fill it to the brim with whatever they choose. But to a person who is discouraged, depressed, and feeling victimized by endless defeats, a Constantly Contented Connie can be absolutely irritating to be around. We commonly refer to the two attitudes as Victor and Victim Mindsets. Victors. They have decided to be just that. They have already decided that they will play the long game. Sure, they remember the defeats, the heartaches, the horrible times in the past.  They aren’t ignorant and naïve. They know sad times are going to roll over and flatten them again. But here’s the difference. They know a difficult time can only defeat them as much, and as long, as they allow it to defeat them. So, during the discouraging times, they concentrate on the good parts in their life, wherever they can find them. A tornado blows away their home – they thank God that their family is alive. A fire takes the life of their loved ones – even in their overwhelming grief, they find ways to be grateful for other things and other loved ones left in their life. They lose their only means of income – they invariably open their heart to others and realize they can be grateful for so many other things and people in their lives. While they determinedly begin searching for a new way of supporting themselves. They simply refuse to quit. And because they won’t, they keep marching ahead. Oh, yes, of course they feel pain and discouragement – they’re not happy little robots who can only get in touch with their positive emotions. But the difference is this. They have determined within themselves to not become victimized by the difficulties of their life. They know if they do, they will be destined to feeling hopeless. Always feeling victimized.    On the other hand is the Victim. A person who has been hurt badly – over and over again in life. And at some point they began to give up hoping that they will catch a break, that life will be good to them. And unfortunately, hopelessness can be the birthplace of anger, which is usually the grandparent of depression. Not a great way to live life. A victim mindset can be changed. But only if you want to change and will work at it. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your circumstances will automatically become the stuff of dreams. But it does mean that you won’t have to live your life just knowing that the worst will always happen. Ongoing pessimism is your enemy. The killer of dreams and the ambusher of any optimism and happiness that life can hand to you. Give yourself the chance to win – even in loss.

Wesson News   Wesson High School (WHS) has begun its second year of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). The student-led organization aims at uniting Christian athletes so they have somewhere to congregate.   “I feel like, from a teenager’s point of view and the things they go through in life, I think it’s important that FCA is student-led,” said Blayten Windhom, a sophomore on the FCA leadership team. Windhom’s father is a Wesson coach and an FCA sponsor.   Meetings are every Thursday during the school year, except for holidays, held in the school’s old gym and open to all WHS faculty, staff and students. Meetings consist of donuts and fellowship, worship music and a message from a speaker.   While attendees do not have to be athletes, the messages shared are tailored to athletes. Attendees do not even have to be Christian, for that matter. The organization hopes to “glorify God on and off the field,” said Ella Logan, FCA leadership team member and high school senior. “It’s definitely not easy to glorify God at all times, but He calls us to do it.” The organization is in its second year from a re-launch.   “My dad kept pushing me to start FCA. I kind of just put it to the side. It was kind of awkward. I was the only one. We hadn’t had it before. Finally, I just decided…I’m gonna start it. And then I got my group together, and we’ve just been growing since then,” said Macy Loy. Loy’s dad is Coach Loy, head football coach at Wesson.   “He really wanted this in the school. We’ve had it in the past in this school, but it kind of fell off the last couple of years, and he wanted to get it started back up again,” she said. Meetings start at 7:20 a.m., with worship getting kicked off around 7:25 a.m. On average, fifty to sixtey students are in attendance on any given Thursday. The highest number counted was last year at just over one hundred. A message is shared starting around 7:30 a.m. Dismissal is just in time for the bell to ring to start a new school day.   “It’s early…some people just don’t get up in time,” said high school senior Ben McKenzie, also on the leadership team.   The community seems to support the students’ efforts. Donuts for meetings are provided by monetary donations, and an FCA member picks up the donuts the morning of the meeting.   Through donations, enough donuts are secured until January 16. To give, see unofficial FCA “treasurer” and leadership team member and recently elected WHS Homecoming Queen, Laney Kate Earls.   FCA sponsors include Coach Vance Windhom, head baseball and cross-country coach; Coach Jeremy Loy, head football coach; Coach White, teacher and assistant softball and volleyball coach.   FCA has no formal membership, and there are no fees to join.   The leadership team has brainstormed fundraising ideas, because they hope and pray for new sound equipment. McKenzie helps to lead worship and has been bringing his personal equipment to the school each Thursday in his car. A t-shirt fundraiser may just help alleviate the extra pressure on McKenzie and meet a much-needed solution to their problem - a dedicated sound system that is ready and available.   “FCA is important, because it’s just like a cool thing to come to. It’s like other Christians being about to see each other and be able to get to know each other better. We are all doing this for the glory of God. It kind of helps for people to socialize but also get God’s word in,” said Tate Brister of Crystal Springs, who attends New Zion Baptist Church.   McKenzie wants to find a healthy balance between recruiting new people to participate and getting the ones who do come to be more active.   “Keeping the same amount of people is good,” says McKenzie. “But, then, those same people can only hear the same word so many times…and then they need to start being disciples. So, I feel that, when everybody that’s there steps in, and then they start recruiting out, then you have other minds and bodies in there…so then that’s just more people there doing the work for the Lord.”

The Brookhaven Animal Rescue League (BARL) volunteers have a specific goal in mind as they finalize details for their upcoming fundraiser, Canines, Cats and Corks Wine and Spirit Tasting.  The goal is to improve the health and safety of BARL animals.   The fifth annual event is set for Thursday, September 26 at the Brookhaven Building.  A variety of wines and spirits will be available for tasting.  Delicious hors d’oeuvres, live piano music by Blake Scafidel, and an online mini auction will add to the festivities.     Tickets for Canines, Cats and Corks can be purchased at  barl.net/events  or by calling 601-757-3211 or emailing  info@barl.net .     Canines, Cats and Corks ticket holders can upgrade to a Luxury Pass for an additional fee.  The Luxury Pass provides guests an opportunity to sample and savor limited edition wines, whiskeys, bourbons, and other spirits.  In addition, Luxury Pass guests will have access to the new Tito's hospitality area.   “BARL was established in 1981 and we’ve been in this facility for 18 years. We’ve learned a lot and we continue to make improvements.  Our goal with the CCC is to raise enough money to replace the tub with a stainless steel tub specifically designed for washing animals. The slip-resistant ramp will be less stressful for the large dogs because they will not have to be picked up and placed in the tub.  It will also be much easier on the backs of our staff and volunteers who lift the dogs.   ‘Stainless steel is non-porous, easy to clean and disinfect. For this reason, we want to replace our plastic litter boxes with stainless steel litter boxes.  Plastic can hold viruses and bacteria, where stainless steel does not.  Preventing virus spread is extremely important in a shelter environment.  Cleaner litter boxes lead to healthier cats. A cleaner tub leads to healthier dogs,” said Rusty Adcock, BARL president.   Another goal for BARL is to add permanent shade structures to some of their play yards.  Over 18 years, they have lost numerous shade trees. Dogs require shade during Mississippi’s hot summers.   “We put up tarps and sunscreens every summer, but they get torn up.  It’s past time to do something different.  This is a large financial undertaking, but we are working towards it through fundraisers such as this,” said Adcock.               BARL holds fundraisers to support their mission of helping homeless animals in our area.  BARL does not receive government funding, so they are dependent on donations and fundraising.     BARL's mission is to humanely care for shelter animals while contributing to community activities that reduce the pet overpopulation, encourage responsible pet ownership, protect public health and safety, and promote the human-animal bond.   BARL is a volunteer-based, nonprofit 501 c3 charitable animal welfare organization serving Copiah, Franklin and Lincoln counties. BARL provides food, shelter and veterinary services for their shelter animals until they are adopted.     All BARL animals are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.     Anyone with questions about adopting, contributing, or volunteering should call BARL at 601-757-4367 or email  info@barl.net .  Donations are tax deductible and may be mailed to BARL, P.O. Box 3477, Brookhaven, MS  39603.   BARL features many of its adoptable animals online at  www.barl.net  or on their Facebook page.

By: Kara Kimbrough Here’s a sobering thought. The overall quality of life of Americans living in the previous century compared to modern-day residents was much better. No surprise, our ancestors were much healthier. Diseases like cancer and diabetes were rarer and here’s why. Researchers attribute moderate doses of sunshine, rigorous daily exercise from working on farms and most importantly, primarily eating made-from-scratch foods like home-grown vegetables and farm-raised chicken, beef and pork as the reason our grandparents and prior generations experienced fewer health problems.     The report made me realize I need to rely more on home-cooked meals made with fresh ingredients instead of frozen and processed ones. Some argue they “don’t have time” or aren’t very proficient in the kitchen, relying instead on heat-and-eat meals courtesy of the supermarket or other places. This train of thought doesn’t hold water, since there are hundreds – maybe thousands- of 4 and 5-ingredient recipes requiring little preparation time before cooking.      Here are three of my favorite quick-and-easy go-to dinner recipes that would undoubtedly make my healthier ancestors proud: Bacon-Wrapped Chicken and   Dried Beef 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4-ounce jar dried beef slices, separated 6 strips bacon (don't use thick-cut)  1 cup sour cream 1 can cream of mushroom soup      Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Placed dried beef strips in bottom of greased casserole dish. Wrap bacon slices around each chicken breast and place over beef. Combine sour cream and soup; spread over chicken. Cover and bake for two hours. Serve over noodles or rice. Pork Chops and Potatoes Bake 4 to 6 pork chops 4 to 5 potatoes, peeled and sliced into ½-inch slices 1 can cheddar cheese soup 1 cup sour cream      Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place two layers of sliced potatoes in bottom of greased casserole dish. Place pork chops on top. Combine soup and sour cream. Pour over chops. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Ham and Potatoes O’Brien Casserole 5 slices of deli ham, chopped 24-ounce package Ore-Ida Potatoes O’Brien, thawed 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature 4.5-ounce jar green chilies, chopped      Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place thawed potatoes and chopped ham in greased casserole dish, combine and spread out with a spatula. Combine cream cheese and green chilies. Pour over potatoes and stir well. Bake for 40 minutes. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com .

Wesson News   Through the end of September, the Wesson Library will host a photography exhibit of works by well-known local and seasoned photographer Bill Perkins  of Brookhaven. The exhibit, “A Lifetime of Photography,” is free.   “This exhibit has been going from library to library in southwest Mississippi and nearby Louisiana,” said Perkins.    Perkins’ interest in photography began as a child. After graduating from college, he began his career in Esberg, Denmark. Since then, he has lived in Ireland, Great Britain, Egypt, the Sudan, Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan and traveled to more than one hundred countries for business or leisure.   As part of his travels, Perkins has taken decades of photos across Europe, Asia and the United States. The photos in the current exhibit were taken in more than one hundred countries.    The exhibit consists of media pictures and displays.    “You can also enjoy browsing our library while visiting this exhibit,” said librarian Marilyn Britt. “You’ll love our library’s newly furnished meeting room.”   “We are very proud to offer this exhibit,” said Britt.

The sample ballot for the 2024 November General Election is now available on the Mississippi Secretary of State's website. Note:  The order of the sample ballot was set forth by the State Board of Election Commissioners in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. Section 23-15-367, which provides nominees of political parties shall be listed first and organized alphabetically by candidate last name. After political party nominees, independent candidates are listed alphabetically by candidate last name. Click here to access the sample ballot 2024 Election Dates September 23 - Absentee Ballots Available October 7 - Voter Registration Deadline for the General Election November 2 - In-Person Absentee Voting Deadline November 5 - General Election Day