Special to Wesson News A Crystal Springs man has been sentenced to 43 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges involving child sexual abuse material and methamphetamine. David Yonathan Orozco, 30, was sentenced Monday, Aug. 17, to 43 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, according to Madison and Rankin Counties District Attorney John K. “Bubba” Bramlett. Orozco will also be required to register as a sex offender following his release. The case began Dec. 23, 2025, when officers with the Madison Police Department stopped a vehicle after observing it swerving out of its lane, Bramlett said. Orozco, who was driving and was the only person in the vehicle, consented to a search. Officers discovered what authorities described as a felony amount of methamphetamine. Orozco was arrested, and investigators later obtained a search warrant for his cellphone. During their examination of the phone, investigators discovered hundreds of videos depicting child sexual abuse material, according to the district attorney’s office. Investigators also found messages involving other individuals discussing the exchange of the material and how to locate a child to abuse. Orozco was subsequently indicted on five counts of possession of child pornography and one count of possession of methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty to the indictment shortly before his trial was scheduled to begin. The plea was entered without a sentencing recommendation from the state. Bramlett said the case demonstrates how an investigation that began with a traffic stop and drug arrest led authorities to evidence involving the exploitation of children. “Someone who finds pleasure in that type of activity has zero redeemable qualities and should be behind bars where they can't abuse innocent children,” Bramlett said in a statement. Bramlett credited Madison Police Department Investigator Eric Mallery and Assistant District Attorneys Katie Moulds and Ashley Allen for their work investigating and prosecuting the case.

After putting together one of its best seasons in recent years, Wesson will look to continue that success as the Cobras prepare for the 2026 season. Wesson finished last season with a 10-1 record and went undefeated in district play at 4-0. The Cobras captured the Class 2A Region 7 title after moving down from Class 3A, improving from a 7-3 finish the previous season. The Cobras entered the postseason undefeated and continued their run with a playoff victory over Perry Central. Wesson's season eventually came to an end in a close matchup against Mize, falling 28-26. The Cobras finished that game with 457 yards of offense, including 258 through the air and 199 on the ground. Head coach Jeremy Loy has helped build Wesson into a consistent winner. The Cobras have posted winning records in each of the last four seasons, including eight wins in 2023 and seven in 2024 before breaking through with 10 last fall. Wesson will have several opportunities to test itself before region play begins this season. The Cobras travel to Bogue Chitto on Aug. 28 before facing North Pike, Franklin County, Lumberton and Lawrence County. Region play begins Oct. 2 against Enterprise. After coming within two points of extending an undefeated season last fall, the Cobras will enter 2026 looking to once again compete for a region championship and make a deeper postseason run.

Special to Wesson News For the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 79, Department President Sara Black Lassiter installed the new Unit officers. Pictured (l to r) are Sharon Langley, chaplain; Vivian Hoeflich, historian; Laurie Chassion, treasurer; Judy Chester, secretary; Janet Currie, vice president; and Kim Whittington, president. Not pictured is Camille Johnston, sergeant-at-arms. American Legion Post 79 recently held a special meeting recently to install its 2026-27 officers, drawing leadership from across the state to take part in the ceremony. American Legion Department of Mississippi Commander Bernita Barnett was on hand to install the new Post officers. Also present were Sons of the American Legion Detachment of Mississippi Commander Van Alford and Detachment Vice Commander Harry Williams. Alford installed the Sons of the American Legion officers. Unit 79 is proud of its newly elected department officials, which include Vice President Dixie Thornton, President Sara Lassiter and Junior President Mary Murphy Brady. “We are proud of you and know you will do great things for our veterans and military,” said Kim Whittington, Auxiliary president. The evening also included a tribute to the Post’s Mississippi Boys State delegates. Three of the five young men sponsored by Post 79 this year were on hand to share their experiences at Boys State and to thank the Legion for the opportunity. Cathy Stroud and Socks for Heroes provided the catfish, sides and desserts for the meeting. The cooking crew — John Wesley, Joey Chassion, Charles Clark, Olivia, Dixie Hutson Thornton and Laurie Chassion — prepared the meal, with several Auxiliary members helping to serve. “Thank you to all that came and made the evening special,” said Post Commander Bobby Thornton. “For God and Country.”

By Jessica Breazeale Most evenings, you can find me outside, chair tilted back, eyes on the sky. It's my place of peace — the one part of the day where nothing is asking anything of me. And almost every evening, around the same time, the same thing happens: a line of what looks like ducks flies overhead in a perfect V. Every single time, without fail, my brain does the same thing — it flashes straight back to childhood, to The Mighty Ducks, Emilio Estevez wrangling a rag-tag pee-wee hockey team into a flying V on the ice. (If you know, you know.) The newer, reimagined Mighty Ducks show is worth a watch, too. So one evening, watching the real thing overhead instead of the movie version, I finally went down the rabbit hole: why do ducks fly in a perfect V? Turns out, the science is fascinating on its own. But the more I read, the more it became something bigger than science to me. The Science, Quickly Birds flying in formation aren't just showing off. A few things are going on: ● They're drafting off each other. Every flap of a wing creates a little upward current of air trailing behind it. The bird flying slightly behind and to the side catches that lift, which means less work to stay airborne — like drafting behind a cyclist. ● They can actually see each other. The V keeps every bird in view of its neighbors instead of staring at the tail feathers in front of it, which makes it easier to stay coordinated over long distances. ● Nobody stays up front forever. The lead bird gets none of that drafting benefit — it's cutting the wind for everyone else. So they rotate. The hardest position gets passed around instead of parked on one bird. That last one is where this stopped being a science lesson and started being a sermon. Taking Turns Bearing the Hardest Part Here's what stopped me in my tracks: these birds — with brains the size of a walnut — have figured out something we still haven't. They can apparently sense when a member of the flock is carrying too much, and something in them says go take the load off. I've spent eighteen years in ministry. And if there's one pattern I've watched play out over and over, it's pastors doing all the heavy lifting until there's nothing left of them. Nobody rotates in. Nobody says “let me take the front for a while.” We just watch good people burn all the way out, because somewhere along the way we decided the leader carries it alone. Watching a flock of ducks figure out load-sharing instinctively, while I've watched congregation after congregation fail to do it on purpose, is a little humbling. It's also strangely hopeful — if a duck can feel the weight of another duck and move to cover it, surely we can get there too. It's Only “Perfect” From Where I'm Sitting Here's the twist, though. From my chair, looking up, that formation looks flawless. Clean lines, perfect symmetry, like something drawn with a ruler. But it's not. Up close, it's lopsided — one arm of the V almost always longer than the other, birds shifting in and out, adjusting constantly. It only looks perfect because I'm seeing it from three hundred feet below and it's moving fast. That felt a little too familiar too. How many things — churches, families, ministries — look like a perfect V from a distance, when up close it's really just a group of tired creatures doing their best to hold a shape together? Maybe that's not a flaw. Maybe that's just what real community looks like when you're close enough to see it clearly. It's all about perspective. What Happens When We Clip the Wings There's another side worth pondering. People sometimes take a beautiful winged creature like this and try to make it their pet — clip the wings, keep it close, tame the very thing built to fly in formation with a hundred others. I get the instinct. Something is appealing about keeping a beautiful, wild creature safe in a pen, all to yourself. But clip the wings and you don't just take away the flight — you take away the V. A bird built to rotate through the lead, to draft off its neighbors, to read exhaustion in the one beside it, doesn't get stronger in isolation. It just gets smaller. We do this to people too — keep them close, call it protection, and wonder later why they never learned to soar. I can count too many times people who have attempted to clip my wings. It never worked out well. Some creatures are just meant for flight! So What's the Bigger Picture? It's this: even migratory birds can sense heaviness and exhaustion in one another, and something in them moves to take a turn so no one carries more than their share. Somewhere along the way, we lost that instinct — or maybe we never fully had it. But if a duck can feel the weight of another duck and move to cover it, that's not just a nice fact about birds. That's a picture of what community was always supposed to look like: nobody carrying it alone, and nobody expected to. I still don't know if the birds over my house every evening are actually ducks or geese — and at this point, I've decided it doesn't matter. What matters is what they keep teaching me, one ordinary evening at a time: take your turn carrying the weight, don't wait to be asked, and don't clip the wings of the people around you just to keep them close. Let them fly. It rarely looks picture-perfect up close. It's still holding. Downloadable version

By Jessica Breazeale The Wesson Public Library and Wesson Friends of the Library kept young readers busy throughout July with a lineup of hands-on programs as part of this year's Summer Reading Program, "Unearth a Story." The month kicked off July 9 with a paleontology presentation that drew more than sixty attendees. The program was led by Sabrina Cummings, M.S., C.I.G., a conservation biologist and outreach educator with the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, who shared insights into fossils, prehistoric life and the science behind paleontology. On July 16, the Mississippi Highway Patrol Mounted Patrol brought an educational program — and four-legged guests — to the library. Participating troopers included MHP Trooper First Class Nigel Williams, MHP Trooper Master Sergeant Stargell Catchings, CTED Staff Sergeant Joshua Robertson and MHP Trooper Kimberly Echols, who were joined by Quarter Horses Tank and Delta and a pony named Elvis. Children, parents and members of the Wesson Friends of the Library turned out to welcome the group. Beyond the presentation, young readers got the chance to sit on and pet the horses, with Trooper Echols and Elvis proving to be a special hit among the children. On another day during the program, Library Assistant Anita Schmidt helped Summer Reading Program participants check out more than 125 library books. The enthusiastic readers left with a fresh stack of titles to carry them through the rest of their summer reading adventures. The Summer Reading Program closed out with a special Awards Day celebratuon honoring contest winners and celebrating America's upcoming 250th birthday. "George and Martha Washington" made an appearance at the library, greeting children and posing for photos amid patriotic decorations, before the celebration continued with treats provided by the Wesson Friends of the Library. Contest winners received gifts that included items such as restaurant gift cards, rocket building kits, book bags and books. Participants could choose to compete as an independent or family reader. The Wesson Public Library's Summer Reading Program is presented annually by the library and the Wesson Friends of the Library, offering local children a summer full of books, learning and community events.

Digital transformation, predictive analytics, and other such terms are no longer just a theory. Especially in the field of HR, they have brought a great revolution. HR teams no longer rely on manual, paper-heavy procedures. Automation has spread across all industries including HR. AI-based HR is a big reality today. HR professionals now need to be technically fluent to keep pace with these changes. Whether it is a performance management software, a learning management system, or an applicant tracking system, AI is embedded in it. For resume screening, AI is being used extensively. Also, for other crucial tasks such as making employee-related predictions through predictive analytics, AI has its use. It is clear that upskilling is necessary for HR professionals. That is possible by pursuing and acquiring tech-integrated HR certifications. Essential Technical Skills You Need to Master Today Generative AI and Practical Prompt Engineering: HR professionals must have knowledge of the use of generative AI tools including large language models. Smartly generate prompts to prepare job descriptions, employee handbooks, and interview frameworks. Gain mastery over prompt frameworks. Talent Acquisition Automation and Sourcing: Candidate pool can be expanded and time-to-hire shortened using automated pre-screening tools, semantic resume parsers, and AI-driven sourcing engines. It is necessary for HR professionals to learn these systems and programs. People Analytics and Predictive Modeling: Understanding, analyzing, and presenting numerical HR data effectively is a key requirement to excel as an HR professional. All modern HR certifications focus on developing what is called quantitative literacy. When an HR leader has a strong grip over numbers, it is easier to optimize budget allocation and organizational design. Ethics, Compliance, and Algorithmic Governance: Even with AI deployment, it is crucial to ensure and sustain regulatory compliance at all times. HR professionals and leaders must be able to identify biased algorithms and avoid issues like data breaches. Tech-integrated HR certifications will help you in developing all these skills. Level Up Your Career with HRAcademia CAIHRP® Certification The Certified AI-Powered HR Professional certification is offered by HRAcademia, offering gold-standard HR certificates. All certifications provided by this platform are accredited by US based organization. There are 12 modules, 36 lectures, and 1 quiz in CAIHRP certification program. The duration is 26 weeks. Professionals working in any domain of HR can enroll and benefit from this certification program. The biggest advantage is that the whole process from enrollment till acquisition of certification is online. The CAIHRP (Certified AI-Powered HR Professional) certification will enhance your knowledge of key AI concepts and application in HR including generative AI tools for HR professionals, AI-powered recruitment & talent acquisition, people analytics and HR data intelligence, AI strategy for HR leaders, and AI-driven employee experience. In short, it is a very comprehensive and might be the only HR certification course designed to make HR professionals efficient in deploying AI within their workspaces. The certificate will cost you $395 and there is an option to pay in 4 interest-free installments. Master AI Tools with the AIHR Certificates Artificial Intelligence for HR Certificate Program is designed and offered by AIHR. Artificial Intelligence for HR is an online self-paced certification program with 32.5 hours of learning, 17 modules, and 20 hands-on projects. In this course, you will learn how to enhance HR practices with generative AI. Building AI agents for HR and designing AI strategy for HR is also covered in this program. You will also learn about AI ethics, data privacy, and security. AIHR is offering this certificate program, 12 months access to learning resources, expert community and support, and 30-day money-back guarantee for $1,125. Along with theory, there are templates, resources, and practical exercises for easier and practical understanding of key AI concepts in HR. The training platform provides all required materials so there is no need of any special software tools. Lead Enterprise Transformation with the SHRM AI Credential The SHRM AI in HR Professional Certificate Program is another option in this regard. Although the course material seems a bit outdated and more inclined towards traditional HR, It is also recognized internationally. The program focuses on teaching learners about the effective implementation of AI tools in real HR scenarios. Learners are also required to complete a capstone project to prove practical fluency. You will also need to maintain 70% attendance. In this course, you will learn about digital transformation in HR. Prompt engineering for real HR tasks using GenAI tools is also a part of this course. Additionally, if you want to acquire proficiency in using AI-first and human-centered design principles to redesign HR workflows, this course is the right fit for you. How to use AI ethically and responsibly will also be taught and discussed during this course. So if you want to develop yourself as an AI-ready HR professional, spend 6-8 weeks on this professional certificate program and prepare yourself for AI-based HR. Break into Tech HR Easily Using the Coursera Specialization There is a 3-course series on Coursera namely Introduction to AI for HR professionals (7 hours duration), Practical AI and prompting for HR professionals (10 hours duration), and AI agents and creator tools for HR professionals (4 hours duration). It is being offered by AI Business School. The AI for HR Specialization will build your AI awareness and enhance your skills in implementing AI tools in daily HR workflows. In order to acquire and refine knowledge of AI enablement, generative AI agents, AI personalization, LLM application, personalized campaigns, and prompt engineering tools, the AI for HR Specialization is a good option. There are hands-on projects included in this certification program. No prior technical expertise is required. Any HR professional can enroll in this learning program. After completing this comprehensive 3-course series, one can hope to expertly lead AI-driven transformation in HR. Launching Your First AI Pilot Project in the Workplace Once any tech-integrated HR certification has been obtained, you must readily apply your learning. You can start with an AI pilot project. Identify any cumbersome, manual HR process in your company and automate it using artificial intelligence. For example, job descriptions might be outdated. Use AI writing assistant to update them. By gaining initial success and presenting measurable positive outcomes to the senior leadership, you can gain approval and confidence to pursue large AI projects in the company.

By Misty Strieff Prine “Sometimes walking away has nothing to do with weakness, and everything to do with strength.” – Unknown. The thought of walking away from something, in my mind, used to always mean defeat. I have struggled with many decisions in my life that ultimately took far too long to make and got even more hurt in the process, just because I didn’t want to look as though I was giving up without a fight. Have you ever been in this same predicament? Well, let me tell you something that I have learned because God opened my eyes through a situation just like this and I learned walking away, as hard as it was, was the best decision for me in my ministry field. I’m here today to tell you what I personally learned from walking away. I experienced unimaginable strength mixed with copious amounts of joy that I had longed for, for way too long. Walking away from something that weighs you down, keeps you upset, drains near about every drop of joy from your life and makes you have the mindset, in my case, to get out of the ministry field all together, is FAR from a sign of weakness y’all, it’s pure strength. You must make sure to do what is best for you, both mentally and spiritually, and for your family’s sake. But before you do, and before you deal with it for far too long as I did, pray fervently about it. Get your prayer warriors involved. Being a doormat feels awful and your life ends up negatively affected when you’re treated unkindly for so long. Do what’s best for you and your mental health and well-being. When you feel too weak to walk away, pray about it and ask God to give you the strength to walk away from that which continually brings you down. When God is ready to give you your answer, you WILL know because His timing will be PERFECT. That literally was the case for my situation. I knew it was nothing but a God thing. You have to take care of yourself. If it keeps you upset, it’s time to step away for a while. When you do, your load becomes instantly lighter. Trust me, I know. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Let go of that which holds you back from being the Christian God has called you to be. He needs you in the ministry field. He needs your head clear. He needs you on a mission!

Special to Wesson News The Co-Lin Foundation recently celebrated raising $2 million in revenue for the first time in its history at their July board meeting. Pictured are Foundation executive director Angela Furr and Co-Lin president Dr. Dewayne Middleton (center) and the Foundation Board of Directors. For the first time in its history, during the 2025-26 fiscal year, the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Foundation received more than $2 million in donations. The Foundation’s Board of Directors and college administrators celebrated following a board meeting in mid-July. The new milestone comes after the Foundation reached $1 million in funds raised for the first time two years ago. “Reaching one million in giving for the first time was an incredible achievement for us,” said Angela Furr, who has served as executive director of the Foundation since 2018. “Doubling that total in just two years is a testament to the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our Foundation staff, board members and our whole team at Co-Lin. We are grateful to everyone who has helped make this milestone possible.” This past year’s giving has assisted in unprecedented support for the college. During the year ending June 30, the Foundation awarded more than half a million dollars in scholarships to students and faculty, more than $450,000 designated to athletics and another $500,000 in other direct support of the college. Furr said she looks forward to seeing the Foundation provide even more support to the college in the coming years. “The sole purpose of the Foundation is to solicit financial support for Co-Lin,” Furr said. “The more we bring in, the more we are able to give back to the college. I am so proud of what we have been able to do in the past few years, and I am looking forward to helping even more as we continue to grow our fundraising efforts.” Co-Lin Foundation Board President Elise Munn echoed Furr’s comments, emphasizing the significance of the milestone and the generosity that made it possible. “This milestone reflects an unprecedented level of support for the Foundation and its mission to expand educational opportunities for all students,” Munn said. “We are so grateful to the generous alumni, community members and corporate partners who helped make this outstanding year possible.” “This remarkable achievement is also a testament to the exceptional leadership of executive director Angela Furr and the dedication of her team, whose tireless work continues to advance the Foundation’s mission,” continued Munn. “On behalf of the Foundation’s board of directors, thank you to everyone who contributed to this year’s success. Your generosity will have a lasting impact on the lives of countless students and faculty members for years to come.” Gifts to the Foundation help make it possible for the college to continue creating new programs, providing scholarships to students and making improvements to its campuses. State funding and tuition revenue do not cover all the costs associated with running the college, and the Foundation helps bridge those gaps, said Co-Lin president Dr. Dewayne Middleton. “The Foundation and the generosity of our donors continue to play an essential role in the success of our college,” said Middleton. “Their support helps us respond to the evolving needs of our students and programs by providing scholarships, instructional support for both academic and career-tech programs, and enhancing our technology and campus facilities. With their help, we can provide more opportunities and resources for our students and continue making Co-Lin ‘The Place To Be.’” The Co-Lin Foundation is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization which serves as the fundraising arm of the college. The Foundation is governed by a 25-member board of directors, whose goal is to raise private monies to support the mission of the college. To make a tax-deductible gift to Co-Lin, contact the Foundation office at 601-643-8332 or visit colin.edu to give online.

By Sarah Grace Coleman Marsha Raiford and her family at Clark Creek in Woodville Marsha Raiford is a life-long resident of Wesson, where she lives with her husband, Lance Raiford, and their two youngest children, Nick and Savannah. Her oldest daughter, Kelly Grace, lives on her own. Growing up, Raiford’s dream was to be a dancer and cheerleader. She attended Nena Smith’s School of Dance, where she later worked as a student teacher in high school. Raiford attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College, where she danced as a Colette. After graduating with her associate degree in office technology, she returned to Nena Smith’s as a dance instructor, where she taught for twenty-three years. She then commuted to the Trustmark bank in Hazlehurst for a year and nine months before returning to Wesson. Raiford currently works as the secretary for the nursing program at the Copiah-Lincoln Community College, which allows her to spend more time with her family. Raiford also created a “Dancersize” class with fellow dance teachers Jessica Breazeale and Taylor Burke after she and fellow alumni of Nena Smith’s came together to surprise their former teacher at the school’s 50th anniversary recital. The class features dance-oriented exercises, such as line-dancing. “I like the fact that people tell me they enjoy just being around other ladies, and then, also, they get their heart rate up, they feel like they have done something, they get their exercise for an hour...feel like they belong to something and just [enjoy] being able to get together, have a good time and laugh and get some exercise,” said Raiford. The class is held every Tuesday from 6–7 p.m. and is $5 per class. Raiford is grateful to Christy Shaw, who so graciously allows the class to use her Event Room. The class is also an opportunity for prayer and fellowship. “Before we leave, we ask for prayer requests, and we do a prayer time and talk about praisesand what we’re thankful for,” said Raiford. Outside of Dancersize, Raiford is involved with Strong Hope Baptist Church, where she serves in the choir, helps in the nursery and helps teach Preschool Discipleship Training. She also lead a small group called Moms N Prayer biweekly. When she’s not dancing or at work, Raiford enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her family. Raiford enjoys riding bikes, walking and exercising in her spare time. She and her family are also frequent visitors of Clark Creek in Woodville, Mississippi. What are your hobbies? I’d say my hobbies are my kids and doing stuff with them—I like to walk and exercise I especially enjoy doing those things with my youngest daughter. She inspires and motivates me to stay active.” Are you a reader? I do like to read, but my main thing is I love audio books—I’m reading Atomic Habits right now. How about music? I love Christian music, and I enjoy some of the oldies. I like the old rock...not hard, I like the soft rock and Creed, and I love Imagine Dragons. Do you go to the theater or movies? I do like the theater, [but] I don’t get to go very much, because I have children. If you won a lot of money in the lottery, how would you spend it? I’d probably pay my house off, and I’d give a lot of it away; I’d use it to help people...Travel would be one of the big things. I’d like to go to Hawaii one day...I’d like to go to New York again. I’m not one to want to travel out of the country. I’d like to go to Montana, Colorado; I’d like to make a trip to the west.

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB It takes a very generous suspension of disbelief to enjoy “One Night Only.” The film is set in a not-too-distant future where premarital sex is outlawed, save for one night a year. Comparisons to “The Purge” are inevitable, which to me raises an interesting question: Which would lead to more violent crime in this country – one night of legalized violent crime, or gradually-building sexual frustration on all but one night? Never mind that such laws would never in a million years be passed, enforced, or obeyed. The characters in this film – which takes place in a fully-recognizable New York City and not some bleak dystopian fantasy world – accept that the law is set in stone, and occasionally complain about it, but we never see any serious resistance. That’s a big strike against the film right off the bat – it’s hard to identify with anyone in this world because everybody is inherently ridiculous enough to go along with this law. To be fair, this film is not about the 364 days a year where this law wouldn’t work, it’s about the one upside, the lone night where all the single people are allowed to go crazy. And go crazy they do, with almost every shot in the movie showing people hooking up, in at least the background. Of course, it’s all in a tame R-rated way with the naughtiest bits out of view of the camera. I shudder to think what this movie would have looked like if it took the X-rated approach, though that movie would have at least been memorable. As it is, I probably won’t forget the weird premise anytime soon, but I’ll probably have forgotten the title of this movie by year’s end. The movie follows traditional rom-com characters Owen (Callum Turner) and Allie (Monica Barbaro). He’s a pizza cook who works too hard. She’s a singer who has stage fright. He has a girlfriend (Maya Hawke) who treats him badly and tells him he’s on his own for finding a partner for tonight. She’s not that serious about finding someone. Both have friends and family who tell them that they need to lighten up and have some fun. They bump into each other a few times while on separate adventures, initially having animosity that turns into a rivalry before considering that maybe they should be together. Will they become a couple, physically or otherwise? The good news is that Turner and Barbaro are sweet enough leads. I was digging their chemistry and interactions with one another. They’re basically having a PG-13 relationship while the world around them is super R-rated (though not as “hard-R” as it probably wants to be). It’s all corny, in traditional rom-com fashion, but mildly engaging, especially when compared to what else the movie has to offer. The bad news about “One Night Only” is pretty much everything else about the movie. I can poke holes in the premise all day, but the real problem is that the film wants to be both raunchy and edgy, but it can only manage the former. Sex gags permeate the movie (let’s just say it’s really hard to procure protection at the last minute in this world), but they’re oddly toothless. Director Will Gluck previously made “Anyone But You,” an R-rated romantic comedy that I thought would have worked better without its cruder elements. This movie doesn’t work because it doesn’t have much cruder elements. Even though I champion the film’s cleaner moments, they would mean more if they were contrasted with dirty moments that were actually good at being dirty. Grade: C- “One Night Only” is rated R for sexual material, language, and brief nudity. Its running time is 102 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Special to Wesson News A new Mississippi attendance law (Mississippi Code Annotated § 37-13-91) takes effect this school year (starting July 1, 2026). The new state legislative mandates are designed to bolster classroom engagement and academic performance for public school students. The Copiah County School District recently outlined the upcoming guidelines, which stem from the updated Mississippi state law and apply uniformly to every public school district across the state. Under the revised standards, the minimum daily attendance required for a student to be marked present for the day is 66% of instructional time, and students may have up to five excused absences per semester—which includes both parent notes and medical excuses. Additionally, any absences due to illness or injury beyond the third absence require official medical documentation. District officials shared a graphic designed to help parents and guardians understand the district’s policies, and they followed the graphic with a statement: “We would like to offer clarification to dispel much of the misunderstandings, speculation, rumors and misled information circulating from shared posts and opinions.” “As the graphic previously posted shows, here’s exactly how the new attendance law works: The three absence notice (whether excused or unexcused) is simply an early heads-up. At this point, we reach out to make sure you’re aware and to partner with you in supporting your child’s regular attendance. This step is preventive and supportive — not punitive. The more serious referrals and interventions (starting at 5, 8, 12, and 15+ absences) only apply to unlawful absences (also known as unexcused absences).” An “unlawful absence” (also referred to as an “unexcused absence”) is an absence for an entire school day or during part of a school day by a compulsory-school-age child, which absence is not due to a valid excuse for temporary nonattendance. Officials say the attendance approach is “very consistent with the strong attendance practices our district has followed for years. The primary update required by the new state law (§ 37-13-91) is the earlier notification to families at just three absences, allowing us to work together proactively before issues escalate.” Parents and guardians are encouraged to promptly submit doctor’s notes or other acceptable documentation whenever their child is absent. Proper excuses allow school officials to mark the absence as excused, “so it does not count toward the higher referral thresholds.” District leaders also emphasized that “it is also important to note that funding is no longer tied to student attendance. Mississippi updated its school funding formula in 2024 with the Mississippi Student Funding Formula (MSFF), which replaced the old Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP).” “[On the] old system (MAEP), funding was partly based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA). Lower attendance directly reduced state funding. [On the] new system (MSFF), funding is now primarily based on Average Net Enrollment (ANE) — basically the number of students enrolled, not how many show up every day.” Families who are experiencing challenges with attendance are encouraged to contact their child’s school for support and resources.

By Jessica Breazeale You've heard it a hundred times. Probably from your mama, maybe from a frustrated coworker, definitely from a friend talking you down off a ledge of self-pity: “The world doesn’t revolve around you.” Usually it comes with a little side-eye attached. But stick with me, because there’s something genuinely wonderful hiding inside that old saying — and part of it isn’t even a metaphor. It's Not Just a Saying. It's Literally True. Here’s a fun one: for most of human history, we really did believe the world revolved around us. Not just philosophically — astronomically. Ancient astronomers looked up, watched the sun cross the sky every day, and built an entire model of the universe with Earth sitting comfortably at the center of it all. Made sense. Felt right. And it wasn’t a fringe idea — it was the settled science of its day, for a very long time. The Greek astronomer Ptolemy formalized the Earth-centered model in the 2nd century AD, and according to Britannica, it held on as the accepted view of the cosmos for roughly 1,500 years, all the way until Copernicus came along in the 1500s. Fifteen centuries. Generation after generation of the smartest people alive, looking up at the same sky, confident it was all circling them. Turns out we had it backwards. Earth isn’t the center of anything. It’s a modest little rock, orbiting an average star, tucked into one arm of a galaxy that’s just one of somewhere between hundreds of billions and a couple trillion others, according to a January 2025 report from ScienceDaily on research using the Hubble Space Telescope. We’re not the center of the universe — we’re not even the center of our own solar system. And here’s the part people miss: when astronomers figured that out, it didn’t shrink human life. It opened it up. Letting go of “center of everything” made room for awe. Turns out the universe is a lot more interesting when you’re not standing in the middle of it, demanding it orbit you. The Emotional Version Works the Same Way Most of us don’t need convincing that the sun doesn’t circle the earth. What we need convincing of is the emotional version of that same lesson — the one where we quietly believe our schedule, our feelings, our plans should be the fixed point everyone else orbits around. Honestly, some of us are still a little Ptolemaic about it. A 2012 National Science Foundation survey of over 2,000 Americans, reported by Space.com, asked a simple question — does the Earth go around the sun, or the sun around the Earth — and a quarter of respondents got it wrong. We fixed the astronomy on paper a long time ago. The gravitational pull toward “it’s all about me,” though? That one’s harder to shake. You know the signs. The frustration when someone doesn’t text back fast enough. The offense you take when a plan changes without consulting you. The quiet resentment when life simply… continues, unbothered by whatever you’re going through now. None of that makes you a bad person. It makes you human. We experience the world from behind our own eyes, so it will always feel like we’re the center of the story. But feeling like the center and being the center are two different things — just like the sun genuinely felt like it circled the earth every single day for fifteen centuries of very smart people watching very closely. Here's the Good News in All of This If the world doesn’t revolve around you, you’re not carrying the weight of holding it all together. You don’t have to be the sun everyone else orbits, the one whose gravity keeps every relationship and outcome in place. That job was never yours to begin with — and frankly, it never worked well when we tried to hand it to Earth, either. There’s real freedom in that. You don’t have to hold the sky up. You don’t have to be the fixed point everything else depends on. That was never your job — because it was never a job for the created at all. It belongs to the One who was doing the holding long before the stars had names, and who’ll still be holding it long after every galaxy we counted has burned out. Scripture calls Him the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9) for a reason — He’s not a planet or a sun or a point on anyone’s chart. He’s outside the whole system, sovereign over it, and He was never asking you to run it. It works better when we realize God mapped us into his design but never made us the center of it. That’s not a new idea dressed up in astronomy. Faith has been saying this long before telescopes caught up. Humility was never about thinking less of yourself — it was always about thinking of yourself less often, so there’s room to see God as God and everyone else as the people He loves just as much as He loves you. So What's the Bigger Picture? The world doesn’t revolve around you…and that’s great news! You were never made to be the center, only to find your place, faithfully, in something far bigger than you. Turns out that’s not a demotion. It’s an invitation. Downloadable version