By: Bob Garver The gruesome horror movie “Longlegs” pulled something of an upset at this past weekend’s domestic box office. It wasn’t enough to upset “Despicable Me 4” for the #1 spot, but it did do the best among new releases. Great reviews were seemingly enough to pull the family-unfriendly indie darling into the #2 spot and make it the only movie to pull in half of what “Despicable Me 4” made. And to all the critics whose diligent word of mouth turned this scrappy upstart into a surprise hit, I have to say: you must have seen a different “Longlegs” than I did, because the movie I saw was a joke. Maika Monroe stars as FBI agent Lee Harker. She’s super-intuitive to the point where neither she nor the Bureau can figure out if she’s psychic or just highly intelligent. Whatever the reason, she’s competent enough for veteran agent Carter (Blair Underwood) to put her on a high-profile case. They’re looking for a person of interest called Longlegs, connected to a series of family murders. The murders themselves are apparently committed by members of the respective families, but a cryptic, Satanic note attributed to Longlegs is always found at the scene. The mystery is, what’s Longlegs’ deal? Nicolas Cage plays Longlegs, who I’d describe as a cross between “Silence of the Lambs” villain Buffalo Bill and Michael Jackson. But not actually-convincingly-creepy “Thriller” Michael Jackson, but screechy, ultra-white, only-unintentionally-creepy Michael Jackson. But at least Buffalo Bill was able to behave somewhat normally in a few scenes so he could plausibly fool victims and authorities. Longlegs doesn’t have a single moment where he’s not a total wackaloon. I’m convinced the only reason this movie is set in the 90’s is because at any subsequent time, he’d be filmed on a phone and arrested - not for the murders, but for being a public nuisance. Some will say that he has to be taken seriously as a villain because of the gravity of the crimes in his vicinity, but even he knows he can’t be taken seriously and needs to find a way around it. It’s clear that Longlegs is either mentally ill or demon-possessed. The same can be said for Lee’s hoarder mother Ruth (Alicia Witt), as well as minor characters with direct connections to the case like scene-stealing survivor Carrie Anne (Kiernan Shipka). But I can’t for the life of me figure out why every actor in this movie has to play their part like a total weirdo. A crime lab specialist is quick to posit wild theories about a mysterious container. A mental hospital ward is so trusting that he doesn’t check ID’s on visitors. Even Lee is filled with quirks, like wanting nothing to do with Carter’s daughter Ruby (Ava Kelders, herself playing her part with distracting stiffness). The lack of social grace wasn’t funny when Dakota Johnson did it in “Madame Web” and it isn’t funny here. “Longlegs” would have worked better if more characters were played straight, so the odd ones would stand out more. Not that the odd ones don’t stand out, but they have to overcompensate, hamming up their performances to ridiculous levels. Director Osgood Perkins clearly told every cast member, “we like weird, people!” apparently forgetting that it was both subtle and broad strokes that made his father Anthony such a memorable horror villain in “Psycho.” Imagine if Norman Bates popped out in a dress in all his scenes instead of just one and you’ll understand my problem with “Longlegs.” The movie is effectively scary in some early scenes where we don’t quite know the enemy, but it loses that effectiveness when the enemy, along with too many other characters, proves to be phony and silly. Grade: C- “Longlegs” is rated R for bloody violence, disturbing images and some language. Its running time is 101 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Special to Wesson News Recent area wildfires are a reminder of the hazards that go with hot weather. Last month, firefighters with Lawrence County Volunteer Fire Departments and the Mississippi Forestry Commission (MFC) battled a wildfire, which they contained to 40 acres. Shannon Coker, MFC Director of Communications, said the cause of the wildfire was undetermined. East Lincoln Volunteer Fire Department also worked two separate fire calls. One call was garbage being burned while the other was a grass fire. Nine out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans and thus preventable. The Mississippi Forestry Commission reminds people to be fire-wise when burning debris or anything. Have a fire break, check the weather, check for burn bans and keep a water source on hand to keep the fire contained.

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) is proud to announce the launch off the Mental Health Mississippi mobile app, an innovative and user-friendly tool designed to provide Mississippians with immediate access to mental health resources and support. This mobile app is a continuing step in DMH's commitment to enhancing access to mental health services and improving wellness throughout the state. The Mental Health Mississippi app offers a wide range of features and resources to help users navigate mental health services, including: Resource Directory: Easily search for mental health service providers, including counseling, crisis intervention, and substance abuse treatment, across Mississippi. Interactive Map: Mississippians can use the map to find services in their county of residence. Crisis Support: Access immediate crisis intervention resources, including 24/7 hotlines and emergency services. Educational Materials: Learn about various mental health conditions, treatment options, and wellness strategies through comprehensive articles and guides. Crisis Resources: Resources are available in the app for crisis situations, including Mobile Crisis Response Teams, crisis lifelines, and Crisis Stabilization Units. Wendy Bailey, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, emphasized the importance of making mental health resources more accessible to all Mississippians. "The Mental Health Mississippi mobile app represents a significant advancement in our efforts to support mental health and wellness in our state. By providing easy access to essential resources and support, we hope to empower individuals to take control of their mental health and seek the help they need." The launch of the Mental Health Mississippi app comes at a critical time, as the need for mental health support continues to grow. The app is designed to be a comprehensive, user-friendly resource for individuals, families, and communities seeking mental health information and services. The app is available at no cost on the Apple App Store for iPhone and the Google Play Store for Android. The Mental Health Mississippi web site can also be reached at www.mentalhealthms.com.

If you see it, you can never unsee it. You hear it, it’s in your memory bank forever. Unless it’s the phone number to the pediatrician when your kid is running a 102 temp at midnight. But usually, everything you see and hear becomes part of you – good and bad. Kind of a scary, intimidating fact. Everything you experience while living on this earth is in your brain. And subtly, or not so subtly, it influences how you view life and interact with others. A fact worth remembering when you are looking for a late-night movie to watch. Maybe at six years old you witnessed a bad wreck unfold in front of you, with bodies flung everywhere. Or, at ten years old you accidentally walked into the path of a strung-out junkie, who thought you were a monstrous purple spider and wanted to stomp you out of existence. Maybe in adulthood your marriage disintegrated and eventually became much like the material of violent movies. Those kinds of memories never totally evaporate. It’s all there inside of your head, influencing you and your behavior. But at this point in all this blood, guts, and gore, I will toss in a tiny bone. Some positive possibilities can come with trauma, if that trauma is handled with wisdom and compassion. The six-year-old who saw the terrible wreck, and was wisely given the opportunity to talk about what he saw and how it makes him feel, has a much better chance of dealing with that trauma successfully. Yes, he still saw the horrible accident, but trauma expressed verbally doesn’t have such an opportunity to hide in the closet and terrorize the child for years on end. And yes, the ten-year-old-purple-monster-spider is likely scared to death of walking alone for a long time. But on the flip side, for the rest of her life she will carry a strong impression of what illicit drug use could do to her brain. A strong deterrent if there ever was one. And with some compassionate counsel, she will be able to walk on. Like I said earlier, at least a tiny bone. Remember the little song from being in church as a child, “Oh, be careful little eyes what you see?” Such an innocent little song. Probably makes many of you adults feel absolutely silly even reading a column based on it. But the truth from it can’t be ignored. What you experience in life, the good and the bad, becomes part of you. Realizing that, you would be really smart to make a strong effort to monitor everything that enters your body through your eyes, your ears, and your brain.  Because everything that comes into you through those gateways isn’t always great and wonderful. And even if you wisely seek out help with the traumatic events, they still end up coloring your emotions to a large degree. Then you have to live with the ramifications, until the day you quit breathing.

By: Gary Pettus, UMMC For the dozens of people screened recently for skin cancer at a University of Mississippi Medical Center clinic, the checkups were free — and priceless. At UMMC Grants Ferry in Flowood, around 115 people were evaluated one day in May, during Skin Cancer Awareness Month; among them, screeners found 69 cases of skin cancer or pre-cancerous conditions. The very first person examined showed signs of the deadliest skin cancer of all: melanoma. That, and the fact that another 68 cases were discovered, underlines the value of early detection, said Dr. Stephen Helms, professor of dermatology at UMMC. “When we find a case of cancer or pre-cancer, we give the person a list of dermatologists to see in the area, if they don’t already have one. “We do recommend that they make an appointment for a biopsy pretty soon, especially for melanoma; you don’t want to put it off.” A biopsy is a procedure to remove a portion of a suspicious area for closer examination or to completely remove the abnormal mass, or tumor, as a potential cure for certain types of skin cancer. Laura Beth Puhr, LPN, supervisor of clinic operations for dermatology at UMMC, said the nearly six dozen cases detected last month break down this way: Actinic keratoses: 50 – Untreated, this pre-cancerous condition can turn into a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. Non-melanoma skin cancers: 17 – These include squamous cell carcinoma, “which can metastasize and can be very aggressive,” Helms said, and basal cell carcinoma, which accounts for about 75-80% of skin cancer cases and which can also be destructive and disfiguring if left untreated. Dysplastic (or atypical) nevi: 1 – A type of mole that looks different from a common mole, including in size, shape and color, a dysplastic nevus rarely turns into melanoma, but the greater the number and size of nevi, the greater the risk. Melanoma: 1 – It causes most skin cancer deaths, Helms said. More than 100,000 cases of this disease will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year, and more than 8,000 people are expected to die from it, reports the American Cancer Society. Melanoma can be harder to cure than other forms, but if caught early and treated, the task becomes easier and death is less likely to follow. Held every year, the Grants Ferry screening event is sponsored by the Department of Dermatology at UMMC in partnership with the American Academy of Dermatology and the Women’s Dermatologic Society. “Our department is very appreciative for all of the people who help us with this every year and who volunteer,” Helms said. Some 50 or so UMMC nurses, physicians, staff members, students and other volunteers pitched in at Grants Ferry for this year’s screenings, organized by Helms, Dr. Amy Flischel, associate professor of dermatology; Dr. Thy Huynh, assistant professor of dermatology; Dr. Hannah McCowan, a preliminary medicine resident at UMMC; Walton Mallette, director of ambulatory operations for UPA Dermatology Administration; and Puhr. “We’ve always had a great turnout for the screening event,” Puhr said. “Usually, detection is early enough that we can get treatment for the patient so they don’t have to worry about it. Some people who come in may have a family history of skin cancer. Others come in with spots on their skin that they are concerned about.” One in five people in the U.S. will develop skin cancer, the most common cancer in the U.S., the American Academy of Dermatology reports. “Usually, if you find a basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma early, it’s not going to spread the way melanoma will,” Puhr said. “Which is why these screenings are so important.” For patients with these non-melanoma cancers, physicians recommend that they get them removed within a month or so, she said. “But we don’t wait on melanoma. It’s done as soon as possible.” Melanoma may even show up on unexposed areas of the body – such as the bottom of a foot, Helms said. “And it’s more likely to spread to other parts of the body compared to other forms of skin cancer. “Clearly, one of the causes related to skin cancer is exposure to sunlight, which is more intense from 10 a.m. to around 3 or 4 p.m.,” Helms said. “It’s more likely to damage lighter skin, but cancer is found in darker skin as well. “People should try to avoid overexposure. Outdoors, they should wear a hat and light-colored clothing and cover up.” And use sunscreen, Helms said. “It should be applied about half an hour before exposure to the sun. There are chemical sunscreens that absorb the bad UV rays and release them from the body. The others are physical sun blockers with ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. “It’s best to use a SPF [Sun Protection Factor] of 30 or greater.” People who come by Grants Ferry for a screening receive samples of sunscreen and instructions on protecting skin from sunlight, Puhr said. “We also ask them to avoid tanning beds.” UMMC offers skin cancer screenings and/or dermatologic services elsewhere, including those for underserved patients. Among them is the monthly Mississippi Delta Rolling Fork High School Dermatology Clinic for rural patients. The Jackson Free Clinic, 925 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Jackson, run by student volunteers, schedules free dermatologic services for patients once every three months. Even if you’ve never had skin cancer, a yearly screening is prudent, Puhr said. For those who have been treated for skin cancer, the recommendation is a screening every three months afterward for the first year. If no cancer is discovered, the checkups come less frequently, but at least once a year. In the meantime, you should also check yourself, Helms said. “Look for bleeding lesions or pigmented lesions or moles that are growing or changing color.” For guidance, use the ABCDE test when scrutinizing a mole, he said: Asymmetry – If the shape isn’t symmetrical, or uniform, this is a warning sign. Border – Look for a mole with an irregular border – jagged, uneven, etc. Color – If the mole has more than one color or shade, it may be cancerous. Diameter – A span of more than a quarter of an inch – about the size of a pencil eraser – is another red flag. Evolution – When a spot is changing in size, shape or color, or bleeds or becomes itchy or painful, it’s time to see a dermatologist. In fact, if any of these signs appear, Helms said, see a dermatologist soon. To schedule an appointment with a dermatology provider at UMMC, call 601-815-3374 or go online here.

The Wesson Garden Club celebrated National Garden Week with the Butterbeans, its youth gardeners, with its annual Lanoux Youth Camp at the Wesson Library pavilion,   who delivered aloe vera plants to Wesson businesses.  The 15 Butterbeans made pine cone bird feeders, terrarium planters and a nature banner with Garden Clubs of Mississippi youth chairperson Allison Ashmore, delivered aloe vera plants to downtown businesses and donated the book What’s Inside A Flower by Rachel A. Ignotofsky to the library. At the camp were (left to right first row) Sami Curole, Myles Smith, Cam Peets, Georgia Jackson, Matilda Dugas, Brynlee Hoaglin, Lily Sykes, (left to right in second row Sophia Brettner, Addisyn Coleman, Ben Burgess, Azalea Harrison, Kori Peets, Graycee Orgeron, Sophie Burgess, Landon Davis, Wesson Garden Club Youth Chairperson Lisa Smith, (left to right in third row) Wesson Garden Club Youth Chairperson Jennifer Peets and Ashmore. The Wesson Garden Club is a member of the Natchez Trace District, Garden Clubs of Mississippi, Inc., Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. and National Garden Clubs, Inc.

By: Kara Kimbrough Elements of home in the form of Mississippi State University alum Dak Prescott’s large presence in the Dallas Cowboys’ world headquarters in Frisco, Texas, and hearing stories about Jackson native LeAnn Rimes’ formative years in nearby Garland added special touches to the final part of a recent trip to Texas. Additionally, enjoying world-class cuisine, including exceptional Texas barbecue; a shopping mecca attached to my hotel and slipping into a private room filled with rare books were unforgettable experiences. First, a stop in Garland set the tone for 36 hours in Frisco. Known as “Cowboy Hat Capital of Texas,” the “Pho Real Trail" is another big draw. Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is a Vietnamese soup made of broth, rice noodles and sliced beef. Pho fans can visit 18 small, locally owned businesses on the trail. Sampling Texas-size bowls of pho at 286 Noodle House was the perfect fuel as we set off for adventures in nearby Frisco. Upon arrival with other travel writers, I quickly learned Frisco is a mecca of premier sports venues. These include The Star, ice hockey, basketball and baseball arenas and championship golf at Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Training Center. PGA’s impressive headquarters opened on the grounds in 2022; unlike adjacent facilities in the complex, this building is not open to the public. There’s so much to see and do in Frisco, named at or near the top of international and national “best of” lists, including safe place to visit and best place to live. It’s impossible to list all the interesting aspects of one of Texas' fastest-growing cities located less than 30 miles from Dallas. Instead, here’s a brief recap of my favorite things about Frisco: Dining – A delicious pancake breakfast at Ryder Cup in the Fields Ranch Clubhouse at PGA Frisco was followed by lunch at family-owned Hutchins BBQ. Thick and juicy ribs were sliced before my eyes, then paired with some of the best sides I’d ever tasted. This hearty meal adequately satisfied my desire for authentic Texas ‘que. That evening, upscale Frisco eatery J. Theodore featured some of my favorite things: a built-in coffee bar, bakery and books. Rare Books, a hidden speakeasy/bar, requires a literary phrase password to enter through the sliding bookcase wall. Two favorite appetizers - truffle parm fries and crispy Brussel sprouts - set the stage for dinner; a delectable serving of, you guessed it, my favorite grilled chicken pesto pasta. Books, books…I was impressed to learn Frisco loves its books. Besides the Rare Books room, touring the cavernous Frisco Public Library, built in a former rocket parts factory, and finding a satellite library branch just off the lobby of the Hyatt Regency were trip highlights. The Star – A tour of the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and practice facility should be on everyone’s bucket list. The Star features displays of players’ and cheerleaders’ uniforms through the years; Super Bowl trophies and rings and the outdoor practice field. There’s also the Ford Center, a12,000-seat indoor athletic facility shared by the Cowboys, City of Frisco, and Frisco ISD’s 12 high schools. The state-of-the art Ford Center was the site of this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards. Last, seeing Cowboys quarterback Prescott's recognition as a recipient of the prestigious Walter Payton (another beloved Mississippian) Award for advocating mental health and cancer research was icing on the cake. Stay and shop - A short walkway connects Frisco's Hyatt Regency to the Stonebriar Centre filled with 208 retail stores and restaurants.  There’s also indoor skydiving, a movie theatre and the nation’s only KidZania. This one-of-a-kind “city” is built entirely for kids and allows them to experience careers ranging from firefighting to medicine. Thirty-six hours was not enough time to explore this amazing city; a return trip is definitely necessary. In the meantime, I’ll have memories, hundreds of photos and a recipe based, as much as I could remember (and with a few tips from the restaurant) of the delicious cole slaw at Hutchins BBQ. Hutchins BBQ Copycat Slaw 1 cup Miracle Whip 1/2 cup granulated sugar ½ cup apple cider vinegar1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 1/4 cup yellow onion (very finely chopped) 8 cups cabbage (finely chopped) 2 carrots, shredded or finely chopped In a large bowl combine oil, vinegar and sugar. Add in onions and celery salt. Stir in Miracle Whip. Toss the cabbage and carrots together. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and carrots, stir well. Add additional toppings and seasonings to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving for the best result. Drain excess liquid and serve! Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

Special to Wesson News College Sports Communicators (CSC) 2023-24 Academic All-District College Division At-Large Teams include 18 Co-Lin athletes. These teams, chosen by the members of CSC, recognize the top sophomore student-athletes across the nation for the performance both on the field and in the classroom. Ten men and eight women from Co-Lin are on the teams: Madison Crain, Keely Marshall, and Lois Mattock represent women's soccer with Ally Everett and Makaela Rummels posting spots for women's tennis while Zykeria Cole, Madison Moak, and Abby Grace Richardson nabbed spots for softball. Brandon Gilliam, Elijah Short, IV, and Tyler Fortenberry represent football with Landon Banes, Arne Sohmer, and Valentino Millimaci netting spots for men's tennis while Connor Pittman, Jordan McKenzie, and Jon David Weed represent baseball and Reese McLaurin represents golf. These athletes will also be considered for selection for the CSC Academic All-American Teams, with the teams announced later this month.  The College Division for CSC represents all two-year and Canadian institutions, along with other institutions who are not affiliated with the NCAA or NAIA.

The Mississippi Agricultural & Livestock Theft Bureau (MALTB) recovered a hay baler and hay cutter in Copiah County that was reported stolen in Lincoln County. On June 22, a 435 John Deere hay baler and a Kuhn hay cutter were reported stolen to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. A Kubota five-wheel hay rake was reported stolen to the Copiah County Sheriff’s Office that same day. On June 25, the MALTB received a report of the stolen equipment and began their investigation. MALTB believes the two cases are related. During the investigation, information surfaced that led investigators to Copiah County. The Mississippi Agriculture and Livestock Theft Bureau, along with Copiah County Sheriff’s Office, recovered the stolen hay baler and hay cutter in a rural part of Copiah County on June 27. Several suspects have been identified. One suspect was arrested by the Crystal Springs Police Department on an outstanding arrest warrant unrelated to this case. This case is an open and ongoing investigation with more arrests to follow. MALTB Director Dean Barnard would like to commend the MALTB investigators in the case for their continued effort in the recovery of stolen farm equipment. These cases are a joint effort with Copiah County Sherriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Crystal Springs Police Department helping to locate one of the suspects. The Mississippi Agriculture and Livestock Theft Bureau, the law enforcement division of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, enforces state laws pertaining to the theft of cattle, horses, swine, poultry, fish, farm equipment, chemicals, timber and all other farm or agriculture-related crimes. Visit http://msagtheft.org/ to learn more about the MALTB. To report or provide information regarding an agricultural crime, call (800) 678-2660.

By Guest Cooking Columnist Charles Fortson, Jr. French fries are a classic summer picnic and cookout staple.  There are many ways to make them come alive, but this recipe turns them into a hardy meal that will be central to your backyard get-together and save you money as well because you won’t have to prepare as many other dishes. Ingredients: Irish red potatoes to make enough French Fries for the number of people you are serving. Nacho cheese in a can Chile sauce.  I recommend preparing with McCormick’s mild chili mix.  You will need two packages.  Follow directions minus beans as an ingredient. Salt & pepper ½ finely chopped head of lettuce 1 large finely chopped tomato Ranch dressing Directions: 1.       Follow instructions for making chili sauce from McCormick’s mix.  Set aside after cooking. 2.       Prepare French Fry slices from whole Irish red potatoes.  Soak in water for at least one hour for soft Fries.  Fry them until light golden brown. 3.       After Fries are cooked, lightly salt and pepper while tossing them. 4.       Place cooked Fries in bowl. 5.       Pour thin layer of chili sauce over Fries. 6.       Drizzle nacho cheddar cheese over chili sauce. 7.       Lightly place lettuce on top of cheese and tomatoes on lettuce. 8.       Drizzle Ranch dressing over top. It’s a hardy meal, and chances are your cookout guests won’t come back for seconds, but they’ll return to your next backyard event for more.  You can count on that! EDITOR’S NOTE:  Charles Fortson, Jr., is proprietor-chef at Uncle Ray’s across from Lake Lincoln State Park.  He makes lunches and dinners to take out or for table service, while also operating a convenience store and bait shop at his Sunset Road location.  Follow his cooking tips on Uncle Ray’s Facebook page or call 601-643-0174 to check on his daily specials.

Wesson News Wesson Attendance Center (WAC) anticipates enrollment to hold steady in the coming 2024-25 school term. The new school year begins in Wesson on Tuesday, August 5. Reflecting a stable staffing educational employment throughout the state, WAC is adding just one new teacher for the coming year:  Olivie Springfield in seventh grade English.  Teresa Swell is also joining WAC as a teacher assistant. WAC athletic teams will continue to play in 3A regional competition. "We expect about 882 students to enroll," says WAC principal Tommy Clopton.  The enrollment will include some 420 students in the elementary school, between 155 to 160 students in the junior high grades and more than 290 in high school. "All students attending WAC must reside within its district or have been released by their local school board and approved by the Copiah County School Board," Clopton says. "Otherwise, law requires students to attend school in the districts where they live. "Residency means a student resides full time, days and nights throughout the week and on weekends, within the limits of the school district.  Students must reside full time at the address used for registration and live with a natural parent or have legal documentation on file with WAC that shows they are under the guardianship of someone." To enroll in classes at WAC, four documents for each incoming student, who did not attend the school last year, must be provided: Birth certificate Social Security Card Original copy of Mississippi Immunization Form 121 The final report card from the previous school All students planning to attend WAC, even if they were enrolled last year, must show residency proof, including one document from each of three groups with the name of the registrant's parent or legal guardian: Real estate documentation.  Mortgage papers or property deed, original apartment rental agreement or home lease (receipts will not be accepted) of a filed homestead exemption form; ·Utility bill or deposit receipt (lights, water, gas) dated within the last two months (cell phone bills will not be accepted); Other proof.  Driver’s license, voter registration card or automobile registration. If documents of legal guardians are used to prove residency, the registrant must provide a copy of the court order appointing the guardian or the filed petition for a pending guardianship decree.  Children or youth living with an adult other than parents or legal guardians in the district may be enrolled at WAC in cases of death or serious illnesses of the parents or legal guardians, abandonment, abuse or neglect; unstable or detrimental family relationships or living conditions, or if they are exchange students with host families.  In such cases, the district resident housing the students must provide an affidavit stating the relationship to them and documentation fully explaining the circumstances.  WAC may also require temporary placement and custody orders from courts. Call WAC for dates, times, and place for new student registration in which parents or guardians can enroll them.  Returning students should be registered online through the Copiah County School District website at www.copiah.ms, where an ActiveParent sign-in will be required.  Log-in information, if not known by the registrant, is available at WACEnroll@copiah.ms or at 601-643-2221 Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.  Once logged in as an ActiveParent, a drop-down menu guides users through the student selection and the registration process.  Registrants should be prepared to download copies of required documents -- the same ones required for new students. New students include those who have been home schooled or attended other schools. WAC staff and personnel are accessible by telephone, fax and email: Principal Tommy Clopton.  tommy.clopton@copiah.ms. High School Principal Principal Dr. Barbara Roberson.  barbara.roberson@copiah.ms. Assistant Principal Vanda Brister.  vanda.brister@copiah.ms. Guidance Counselor Taylor Burke. High School Secretary Gwen Shannon. Elementary Secretary Aretha Butler. Nurse Michelle Berch. Bookkeeper/Secretary Amanda Granger and Jacque McCormick (also Records Clerk). High School telephone:  (601) 643-2221/2222 Elementary telephone:  (601) 643-2295 Fax:  (601) 643-2458 or (601) 643-5838

By Bob Garver For a franchise that has been fairly consistent with its style of PG animated humor, the “Despicable Me” movies are kind of all over the place for me. I couldn’t stand the first one, loved the second one, thought the first “Minions” spinoff had its moments, felt the shtick was stale for the third one, and was pleasantly surprised by the second “Minions.” Now comes the fourth entry chronologically from the first, the sixth in the series overall. Unfortunately, I found this one to be on the lower end of the spectrum. It didn’t send me into a days-long depression over the state of family entertainment like the original did, but it is quite possibly the worst since the first. The new movie finds reformed supervillain Gru (Steve Carell, his Eastern-European accent as grating as ever) at odds with his old high school rival, the coackroach-obsessed Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell). The very idea of a high school for aspiring supervillains is cooler than anything onscreen here, and since this series likes to do prequels, it might be a good idea to set one there. Gru and his new colleagues in the Anti-Villain League are able to imprison Maxime, but he escapes and vows revenge on Gru and his family, especially his new baby. The family is forced to go into hiding, and everybody has little B-stories where they try to start a new life in a posh neighborhood under new identities. Wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig) tries to become a hairdresser with disastrous results. Middle daughter Edith (Dana Gaier) stands up for little sister Agnes (Madison Polan) at karate class. Oldest daughter Margot (Miranda Cosgrove)… gets about three lines. Gru tries to endear himself to his snooty neighbor (Steven Colbert), but ends up getting blackmailed into pulling a heist with the neighbor’s aspiring-villain daughter Poppy (Joey King). The movie could have had a more positive message by having Gru teach Poppy that a life of villainy is not the way to go, but no, she’s validated and wants to be a supervillain as much as ever by the film’s end. The Minions (all voiced by Pierre Coffin) get their own subplot where some of them are given superpowers by AVL boss Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan). This thread doesn’t work for me because the Minions were already non-human without many physical limitations anyway, so giving them superpowers just seems like a lateral move. Example: one of them gets the power to stretch. Okay, but another Minion, one that isn’t given superpowers, gets stuffed into a vending machine and spends the entire movie living there. Seems to me the Minions were pretty stretchy already. Almost all of the spoken jokes are terrible – painful, even. I think there was a logic that if Carell and Ferrell (or Carell/Colbert) were just allowed to be in a scene together, the chemistry they’ve shown in other projects would just punch up the material automatically. There was admittedly something of a precedent for this, as Carell’s chemistry with longtime collaborator Alan Arkin did elevate the last “Minions” movie, but that’s not the case here. This isn’t a rewarding reunion of Ron Burgandy and Brick Tamland. Nor does the movie capitalize on the potential for a Gru/Megamind crossover, even though both characters starred in 2010 animated movies about supervillains turning their lives around. “Despicable Me 4” is too innocuous to make me truly mad, and the animation is as bouncy and pleasing as ever. The new baby is undeniably adorable and I thought the visual physical gags hit at an agreeable rate. A wheelchair equipped with monster truck tires got me giggling, I’ll admit it. But it’s clear that very little attention was given to the script, and characters and storylines are underdeveloped even for the low bar I have for this series. I seriously doubt that this movie is going to turn any fans off of the “Despicable Me”/”Minions” franchise, but I even more seriously doubt that it’s going to turn around anybody that wasn’t a fan already. Grade: C- “Despicable Me 4” is rated PG for action and rude humor. Its running time is 95 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.