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The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) will make available state Education Enhancement Funds (EEF) to all public-school districts on July 15 for teachers to purchase instructional supplies for their classes throughout the school year. For the first time, EEF funds are being provided to teachers through a digital wallet platform. Each eligible teacher has been allocated $748 in EEF funds for the 2026-27 school year. Teachers will access these funds through ClassWallet, a digital wallet platform built for instructional supply funds. Teachers may purchase instructional items using their EEF accounts at any point during the school year until April 30, 2027. The digital platform will enable teachers to track their spending and automatically collect receipts, reducing the administrative burden on district staff. Mississippi law requires districts to give teachers access to their EEF teaching supply funds by August 1. The Legislature in 2022 passed a law to move the deadline from September 1 to August 1 in response to the increasing number of districts shifting to earlier school start dates. "The timeline from when MDE receives our state appropriation on July 1 to delivering these funds to teachers is very tight, especially for districts that start school in July," said Dr. Lance Evans, state superintendent of education. "MDE made the decision to move to a digital wallet system to give teachers access to their funds as early as possible. We based our decision on input from district business managers and EEF card administrators from across the state." After districts receive the EEF funds for teaching supplies, they are responsible for activating the accounts and ensuring all teachers are trained through a live or recorded webinar. Teachers are not required to attend a live training session to activate their accounts. Instead, they can review the recorded webinar that will be posted on the MDE website on July 14. Live training sessions will be held throughout July with expanded capacity for participation. MDE will regularly post additional information on the EEF card page of the MDE website. Teachers may use their ClassWallet accounts to purchase items online from more than 160 vendors, including big-box retailers and companies specializing in literacy, early childhood education, special education, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), among other subjects. Teachers may request the addition of local vendors by submitting their requests to their district card administrators and/or business managers. Local vendors have two options to participate. They may complete ClassWallet's onboarding process and, upon meeting all requirements, be added to the national online marketplace for shopping. Alternatively, local vendors may seek approval from MDE to allow teachers to use their personal funds to shop and submit their purchases to ClassWallet for reimbursement. The Mississippi Legislature has appropriated $25 million in EEF teaching supply funds for FY27. Many other states do not have programs like Mississippi's that give teachers money to buy supplemental instructional materials for their individual classrooms. "The MDE is grateful to the Legislature for continuing to provide Mississippi teachers with money to purchase materials that directly support student learning," Evans said. Find all MDE news releases at mdek12.org/news.

Cleophas Henderson, Sr. April 13, 1934 - July 6, 2026 92 Years of age Mr. Cleophas Henderson, Sr. was born on April 13, 1924 in Bolton, MS to the late Eldridge and Odessa Henderson. “Little Daddy” as he was affectionately known was a lifelong resident of Bolton devoting his life to farming, barbering, and his family. He departed this life on Monday, July, 6, 2026. Funeral Arrangements: Visitation with family: Friday, July 17 from 4:00 PM-7:00 PM Bolton Funeral Home, 205 Bolton Brownsville Road, Bolton Funeral Service: Saturday, July 18 at 11:00 AM Orange Hill Missionary Baptist Church, 4080 Coxs Ferry Road, Bolton Interment: Orange Hill Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery To send flowers or plant a memorial tree in memory, please visit our flower store.

By Bob Garver Movie Review: “Minions & Monsters” “Minions & Monsters” is the seventh cinematic outing for the Minions, and the third where they take center stage, as opposed to playing backup for former supervillain Gru. The jellybean-like animated gibberish-spewers all voiced by Pierre Coffin are once again taking the prequel route, as their story is told by a modern-day movie studio tour guide (Allison Janney), though a further framing device modifies even that context. At the beginning of the story, the Minions are once again searching the world for a new home in their inexplicable quest to serve the most despicable master possible despite not having an evil bone (or possibly any bones) in their bodies. A hulking cyclops seems like a good candidate (let’s see if this movie and “The Odyssey” in two weeks lead to a rise of cyclopes in pop culture), but a creative, ambitious Minion named James screws everything up for everyone. He also screws things up with a mummy, a pirate, and a wizard with a book of spells. Most of the Minions despise James’s antics, but friends Henry and Ed think he’s funny and stick by him. Washing up on American shores sometime in the 1920’s, the Minions see an outlaw train robber and think he’ll make a great master. They destroy half a town just to track him down to offer their services, then they find out that he’s no outlaw at all. He’s an actor, the town is Hollywood, the train robbery was part of a movie from short-tempered director Max (Christoph Waltz), and the Minions ruined the take. Having used the last of his film, Max is forced to present the picture, Minions and all, to a pair of finicky studio executives (both voiced by Jeff Bridges). Surprisingly, the execs love the Minions and order them to be put into more films. The whole tribe becomes movie stars overnight. To be clear, I love this portion of the film. The obvious love of – and constant references to – the golden age of Hollywood should earn admiration from any red-blooded cinema lover. I’m just not crazy about the parts that come before the Hollywood invasion and after the Minions fall from grace because they have a hard time transitioning to talkies (an appearance in “Citizen Kane” had me cracking up). Eventually, the Minions again need to find a new master. Most of them settle on metallic space alien Dort (Jesse Eisenberg), who is either planning to invade Earth along with his home planet, or is just another actor in a clunky suit. The Minions help Dort in a cute romance with suffragette Debbie (Zoey Deutch), who is willing to spend time with him as long as he doesn’t kick children (it’s sweeter than it sounds) Meanwhile, James and his cohorts, trying to stay in the movie business by turning to directing, crack open their old wizard master’s spellbook to summon a monster for their sci-fi movie. They can only manage the puny Goomi (Trey Parker), but he can summon other monsters, including insatiable blob Irene, who tries to consume Hollywood. Can the Minions clean up the mess they created? Can James complete his movie and win an Oscar? Can this franchise finally give us an installment where the Minions and/or Gru’s family go up against Will Arnett’s evil banker from the first “Despicable Me”? It’s been 16 years and it really bugs me that they’ve never seriously revisited that character. The movie, as always, depends on your tolerance for the Minions’ lowbrow schtick. Here they’re most effective when the movie is actively celebrating the art of schtick. But that’s just part of the movie, and the rest of the time I feel that they miss more gags than they hit. Plus the last act drags as it tries to work in too many sci-fi elements. “Minions & Monsters” comes close to getting my recommendation, but it falls short by a margin thinner than a 1920’s mustache. Grade: C “Minions & Monsters” is rated PG for violence/action, language and rude/macabre humor. Its running time is 90 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Six-year-old Darren was on a first-time visit to the farm. His Pappa had arranged for him to get to see a part of this world that Darren never even knew existed. A real live working farm with all the corrals, fields, outbuildings and animals that a farm needs. Including horses. Darren spent an hour or so tentatively getting to know the horses that looked like giants to the tiny boy on the ground beside them. But every offer from the owners of the farm to let him ride one of the older gentler horses was meant with a shy smile and a quick negative shake of his blond head. But yet, he couldn’t be persuaded to leave the horse corrals, and ignored all their suggestions to go see the pigs, cows, and the rest of the animal clan. Intimidated as he was, Darren still was fascinated with the size and height of those huge animals. Finally, the lady of the farm had an idea. Murmuring to her husband, she then turned and smiled down at Darren and said she would be right back. That she had to go to the barn for something. Darren watched her retreating back as she headed directly to one of the outbuildings that housed the horse tack. When she disappeared inside, he turned to the farmer with a disappointed look on his little sunburned face. So naturally, the farmer asked him what was the problem. There was definite disbelief and a faint tinge of disgust in his voice when he answered, "Oh man, she can't be going to no barn! Barns are always red and white. That building ain’t red, an there ain’t no white trim. " It took the farmer a little while to make the little boy understand that barns are barns, no matter the color. It is only the contents that matter. My point: Are we going to be like that six-year-old all our lives – believing that truth can only be from our point of view? Understandable coming from a six-year-old, but not from you or me. There is one truth that I believe we can stand upon, and that is this; I am not always going to be one-hundred per cent correct. And most likely, neither are you. None of us have cornered the market on knowing what is right in every situation. And most of our quarrels and disputes are centered on that very fact. Be it countries, siblings, friends, denominations, or neighbors. Somehow, we let ourself believe that what we have learned in life has to be the only reality. Like a favorite friend of mine has been known to say, “My way, or the highway.” Seems logical, until you run into someone just as mule-headed. Unfortunately, it can be the highway way too often, if that’s how we live. A lot of good relationships can get tossed to the garbage heap with that philosophy. Just remember. I’m not God, and neither are you.

Special to The Bolton News Levon McGraw March 12, 1966 - July 2, 2026 60 Years of age Levon McGraw was born on March 12, 1966, in Bolton, Hinds County, Mississippi, to Dorothy McGraw-Funchess and the late Allen Campbell. He transitioned from his earthly life on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at the Baptist Medical Center. Funeral Arrangements: Viewing: Friday, July 10, 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM Bolton Funeral Home, 205 Bolton Brownsville Road, Bolton Celebration of Life: Saturday, July 11, 11:00 AM Hill of Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1079 Annie Fortner Road, Bolton Additional viewing will take place one hour prior to the start of the funeral service Interment: Hill of Zion Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery To send flowers or plant a memorial tree in memory, please visit our flower store.

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB Krypto the Superdog isn’t very cute in “Supergirl.” I understand that the way the pup was rendered for this film involved taking a real dog (who probably was very cute) and slathering CGI all over his likeness. The result is a dog whose face looks unnatural and with whom I couldn’t connect during emotional scenes. You know your Super-whatever movie is in trouble when you can’t make a character like Krypto loveable. Krypto’s owner is more bearable, but just barely. Milly Alcock stars as Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl, a cousin of Superman’s who was raised on a sort of Kryptonian bunker after the planet’s destruction. Eventually the bunker couldn’t sustain life and Kara had to be sent alone to Earth as well, but unlike Superman, she knew a home and a family on Krypton only to have it all taken away. As a result, she doesn’t take to Earth like Superman did and now mostly spends her days moping around with no friends, save for Krypto. For this film, Supergirl finds herself teaming up with Ruthye (Eve Ridley), a teenager looking to avenge her family’s death at the hands of space pirate Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts). Krem needs to be defeated (for the murders, for child trafficking, and for poisoning Krypto and tauntingly carrying around an antidote), but Supergirl also wants to teach Ruthye that revenge through murder will not bring her the closure she seeks. On the other hand, Krem and his crew are perfectly willing to kill Supergirl, Ruthye, and anyone else they see fit. Killing him may save the lives of others, does that make it right to kill him? The Supergirl/Ruthye dynamic is based on “True Grit,” and grit-ting is what I had to do with my teeth every time the stiff, overly-formal-yet-too-immature Ruthye had a line in this movie. On their quest, Supergirl and Ruthye cross paths with what the film thinks is a colorful gallery of otherworldly background characters. But this isn’t Mos Eisley where the alien designs are so interesting that viewers will instantly wanf to know the backstory of every character in the room. They’re all basically indistinguishable rubbery space-takers. The exception is space biker/bounty hunter Lobo (Jason Momoa), who gets to steal some scenes. One of the few downsides of the DCEU folding a few years ago was losing Momoa’s Aquaman, but now fans can rest easy knowing that he’s landed on his feet in a more fitting role. Speaking of the larger DC Universe, it’s worth mentioning that yes, Superman (David Corenswet) is in this movie. He gets one of the few gags that actually works when he tries to welcome Kara to Earth, even though he only speaks English and she only speaks Kryptonian. It’s good to see that Superman is still reliable, because while I don’t dislike this version of Supergirl, this movie is clearly going to bomb and she isn’t going to be allowed another standalone movie anytime soon. If she, Krypto, and Lobo want to have any future in film, it’ll have to be as part of a Superman or Justice League movie. Choppy action, a disjointed story, a muddied moral, a bland villain, an annoying second banana in Ruthye, and an overall ugly aesthetic all conspire to make “Supergirl” one of the worst big-budget movies of the summer. Even Superman can’t save it and saving things is his whole reason for being. But what do you expect from a movie that can’t even get the beloved, iconic, usually-adorable Krypto right? Grade: C- “Supergirl” is rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action, language, and smoking. Its running time is 107 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Fireworks at home on the fourth of July? Almost a given in a large percentage of American homes on that day. If you think that getting fireworks from your local roadside seller is just too expensive? Well, they are nothing compared to the real home-made variety - explosive family arguments. The actual cost of the fireworks we create and ignite at home is astronomical, and most of us don’t even realize it. Here is a version of a typical American household on the 4th of July; Him: “Uh, honey, I need to start up the grill. Where is the charcoal that I told you to pick up while you were out yesterday?” Her: (facing the kitchen sink) “Huh? Sorry, I wasn’t listening, I guess. What’d ya’ say? Him: “The charcoal, where did you put it?” Her: “I haven’t moved your charcoal. I never use the grill, you always do that. So why ask me?” Him: (sighing dramatically) “Okay, dear. Let me start over ve-ry slow-ly, so you can follow. Where. Did. You. Put. The. Bag. Of. Charcoal. When. You. Brought. It. Home?” Her: (offended and glaring over her shoulder) And I repeat….I haven’t had your stupid charcoal! Wherever you put it last time, go look there.” Him: (now angry) “Are you telling me in your usual scatterbrained way that you forgot to buy charcoal, even after I reminded you yesterday??! Great, just absolutely great!” Her: (Furious) “Me scatterbrained! Look who’s talking! You’re the one who didn’t remember to write charcoal on the BUY LIST I keep on the fridge! If you would have just stopped and thought for two seconds, you could have used those three brain cells God gave you and remembered to write it down! This isn’t my fault, and don’t think for a minute you can blame me! Oh, yeah, I forgot. You don’t bother thinking most of the time.” Him: “My ‘three brain cells’ are working just fine, thank you! Working well enough to tell me that I don’t have to put up with your @$!#&*!!! I’m outta here. You can do whatever ya’ want. But I’m goin’ where some sane people are having fun together.” Her: (Hurls a carton of eggs at his disappearing back) “Fine! Do what you always do! Run like a chicken when things don’t go your way and it gets hard around here!” _____________________________ I really do hope this doesn’t sound like I have been watching a camera discreetly placed in your kitchen. But unfortunately, I believe there are some of you who could have used past memories to write your own version of this made-up scenario. Earlier, I referred to the cost of “homemade holiday fireworks.” The emotional cost to your family is enormous, so do your family a big favor this year. Vow to listen. And listen patiently, not jumping to conclusions. Or you could very easily find yourself providing free fireworks for the entire neighborhood that day. And believe me, nobody enjoys hearing those.

Special to The Bolton News An 83-year-old Bolton woman died Saturday after she and her husband fell while working in their garden and were unable to get up for more than three hours in the summer heat. Martha Irene Van Egmond died after the incident at the couple's home in Bolton. Officials with the Hinds County Coroner's Office suspect she died from heat exposure. According to her husband, Rick Van Egmond, the couple had been working in their garden when they both fell and were unable to stand. They remained outside in the hot sun for more than three hours before help arrived. Rick Van Egmond described his wife as a devoted Christian who enjoyed gardening, collecting toys and sharing her faith with others. "I want her to be remembered as a loving, caring, Christian lady," he said. "She expressed Jesus wherever she was. People could see Jesus in her." He said he hopes sharing his wife's story will help others recognize the dangers of extreme heat, even when they believe they are comfortable outdoors. "The heat will kill you," Rick Van Egmond said. "The sun is hot. It's hotter than you think it is. We had been swimming, so our bodies had gotten cool, so we were comfortable outside. But that'll fool you, too. That's a trick." He encouraged residents, especially older adults, to take precautions during periods of high temperatures by limiting time outdoors, staying hydrated and seeking help immediately if they become overheated or unable to move. Despite his loss, Rick Van Egmond said his faith has given him strength. "I miss her more than anybody will ever know," he said. "But she's with Jesus Christ in heaven. And I've got a promise that I'm going to see her again." Officials continue to remind residents to use caution during periods of extreme heat, particularly older adults and those with underlying health conditions, as prolonged exposure to high temperatures can quickly become life-threatening.

By Kara Kimbrough America’s 250th birthday is finally here! This momentous milestone that only rolls around every two and one-half centuries deserves special recognition. Whether you’re entertaining a crowd at a backyard barbecue or plan to watch fireworks shows on TV, this once-in-a-lifetime occasion deserves more attention than a regular 4th of July holiday. A festive, patriotic tablescape…red, white and blue snacks…a special holiday meal of grilled classics…and of course, a flag cake made of strawberries and blueberries…these are just a few ways to pay homage to our country’s founding 250 years ago. Each of the suggestions listed above are ones I added to my trial run leading up to the 4th. I don’t mind sharing that I’ve been thinking about this special holiday for months. I’ve purchased items for my table, gathered ideas and dreamed of ways to make the holiday extra special without spending all my time in the kitchen. Here are a few of the tips and photos from my trial run; hopefully, they’ll serve as inspiration to you as you prepare for the most memorable Fourth of July many of us will experience in our lifetime. Set a table that’s patriotic, colorful and fun for guests Nothing sets the mood for a holiday meal like a festive table courtesy of colorful linens, dishes, centerpieces, candles and decorations geared to the occasion. As mentioned, I’ve been planning for this Fourth of July for quite a while; as a result, I’ve also been shopping for months. Several weeks ago, I purchased a patriotic tablecloth from TJ Maxx, a store that always stocks some of the best holiday decorations. Browsing through my local thrift store, I found four red dinner plates and patriotic salad plates that paired well with water goblets with navy stems I already had on hand. I had dreamed for a while about making a Betsy Ross cake (similar to princess and Barbie cakes at young girls’ birthday parties) and using it as my centerpiece. While I successfully made the cake and was happy with how it turned out, it lacked the height and “wow factor” I wanted for the main centerpiece. Instead, I filled an old wooden crate purchased years ago at a vintage store with red and white plants. Empty spaces were filled in with U.S. flags and an old red lantern. I painted white taper candles red and red to add to a candelabra, placed Betsy Ross in a place of prominence and just like that, I had the Fourth of July table of my dreams. Note: One final touch I’m adding to my table this week are inexpensive photo frames filled with old-fashioned patriotic scenes, a copy of the Star-Spangled banner and other assorted scenes and phrases I’ve collected over the past year. The Fourth of July tablescape of my dreams, Courtesy of red, white and blue linens and dishes; festive centerpiece of flowers, flags and a red lantern and holding court on the left, foreground, homemade Betsy Ross cake. (Photo by Kara Kimbrough) Shortcuts for a special 4th of July meal While nothing’s better than grilled burgers, ribs and steaks hot off the backyard grill, the temperature will likely be in the 90’s on the big day. To keep everyone cool, why not do what I did and purchase most of the items already cooked and assembled? At Sam’s Club, I found a box of fully-cooked cheeseburger sliders that received favorable reviews online. When I stopped by Kroger, I picked up a box of Nathan’s Famous Coney Island Pretzel Dogs. A few minutes in the oven and microwave and just like that, dinner was ready. To add my own special touch, I placed U.S. flag picks on each one and served them with dipping sauces. They’re colorful, easy to walk around with and best of all, really tasty. No grilling required! Sliders and pretzel dogs that can be prepared easily indoors and decorated with patriotic touches are the perfect Fourth of July meal. (Photo by Kara Kimbrough) Red, White and Blue Snacks Scrolling through Pinterest and other online sources, I became overwhelmed with the hundreds of creative ideas for red, white and blue cookies, candies, snack mixes and more. To keep things simple, I settled on white chocolate-dipped strawberries decorated with blue sugar and patriotic sprinkles. I’ve dipped hundreds of strawberries in my lifetime and never had an issue with baking chocolate. This time, the baking chocolate decided not to melt, despite repeated attempts. The closest store only stocked marshmallow crème so I took what I could get. After microwaving for a minute or two, the crème was the perfect consistency for dipping. The end result wasn’t as firm (or perfect-looking) as baking chocolate, but the taste was surprisingly good. White chocolate (or in this case, marshmallow crème) dipped strawberries decorated with sprinkles and blue sugar makes the perfect patriotic snack. (Photo by Kara Kimbrough The grand finale…a flag cake, of course The Fourth of July wouldn’t be the same without a festive flag cake made of rows of icing and strawberries and a top left pocket of blueberries for stars. While I made the original version, I also discovered a way to make a quick and surprisingly eye-catching flag cake using inexpensive dessert cups, whipped cream in a can, chopped strawberries and blueberries. Creating this shortcut version is the perfect way to allow children to help with the holiday dessert and have fun in the process. An easy way to make a Fourth of July flag cake is to fill dessert shells with chopped strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream in a can to create the stars and stripes.( Photo by Kara Kimbrough)[/caption] A traditional flag cake of a 13x9-inch yellow cake topped with frosting, then decorated with strawberries and blueberries, is the perfect ending to a special 4th of July dinner. (Photo by Kara Kimbrough) I hope you’ve been inspired by my Fourth of July trial run and most importantly, are excited about our nation’s once-in-a-lifetime milestone birthday. If all of the photos of the above-mentioned ideas aren’t published in your publication, drop me an email and I’ll send them to you, along with additional recipes and way to create a memorable meal. I hope everyone has the best Fourth of July and food, fun and fireworks aside, remembers the many sacrifices made by the Founding Fathers to ensure America would become what we are today…the best country in the world. Happy Fourth of July!

Most of the state is expected to see a heat index in the triple-digits this weekend. As we welcome July and all its sunny possibilities, we must prepare for the potential dangers that come with the hottest month of the year (a distinction it shares with August). The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is cautioning you to not only protect yourself from long days of scorching heat but to also take precautions to ensure your most vulnerable loved ones – who cannot always take care of themselves – are safe this summer. Consider these facts: A child left in a hot car can die of heat stroke within 15 minutes. The elderly are more susceptible to heat-related health problems. Heat stroke can happen to anyone, especially those working or exercising outside. During a heat stroke, the body's temperature rises quickly, its sweating mechanism fails and the body is unable to cool down. If emergency help is not provided, it can cause death or permanent disability. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1,220 people in the United States die from extreme heat annually. Protect yourself and others from heat stroke by: Drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, and avoiding alcoholic and caffeinated drinks. Always checking the back seat. Never leave children or pets alone in vehicles. Temperatures can soar to 125 degrees in less than 15 minutes in a hot car. Checking on seniors and vulnerable adults frequently. Warning signs of heat stroke may include the following: An extremely high body temperature (above 103 degrees, orally) Red, hot and dry skin (no sweating) Rapid, strong pulse Throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea and confusion If heat stroke happens: Call 911 for immediate medical assistance and get the victim out of the sun or heat. Cool the victim rapidly using whatever methods you can. Monitor body temperature and continue cooling efforts until it drops to 101-102 degrees. If emergency help is delayed, call the hospital emergency room for further instructions. For more tips on protecting yourself from the Mississippi heat, visit https://msdh.ms.gov/heat Stay up to date on news on the MSDH Healthy Mobile App, on our website  www.msdh.ms.gov, and on social media: facebook.com/healthyms, twitter.com/msdh and Instagram.com/healthy.ms

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB Simply put, “Toy Story” is my favorite movie franchise of all time. The 1995 original about cowboy doll Woody (Tom Hanks) fighting for relevance against hi-tech spaceman action figure Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) was a groundbreaking first for computer animation – not to mention about the most fun a kid could possibly have at a theater… until three worthy sequels came along. I’ve seen the original six times in theaters – my personal record. I was disappointed that “only” the third film in the series was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. I didn’t think that 2019’s “Toy Story 4” was in any way a step down from its predecessors. And yet here I am, saying that “Toy Story 5” is the first significant misstep in the franchise (not counting 2022’s sorta-spinoff “Lightyear,” which I’d like to banish to infinity and beyond). Despite all the emphasis on the Woody/Buzz reunion in the film’s advertising, the main character of this movie is actually Jessie the Cowgirl (Joan Cusack), a doll companion of Woody’s introduced in the second movie, where she shared a tragic backstory of being abandoned by her human owner. Now owned by 8-year-old Bonnie (Scarlett Spears), along with Buzz and other familiar figures, Jessie spends her days as the youngster’s favorite plaything. But Bonnie has a hard time making human friends, despite the toys’ best efforts to add to the number of children playing in the house. Her parents decide that the best way to connect with other kids in the neighborhood is to get her on social media, which is why they present her with frog-themed tablet LilyPad (Greta Lee). Soon Bonnie is addicted to the screen, “socializing” with so-called friends that aren’t in the room, and the cowgirl has to fight for relevance against the hi-tech newcomer. The film bafflingly never really comments on the parallels to the first movie. Couldn’t Woody say, “I’ve been through this before…” or Buzz ask, “Is this what is what is was like for you?” as he’s being replaced by something flashier? For all its reliance on nostalgia, the film is missing a lot of potential for callbacks here. A sleepover for Bonnie organized by LilyPad turns disastrous for Jessie, and she finds herself rejected, abandoned, and returned to the home to the home of her original owner. There’s a bright girl named Blaze (Mykal-Michelle Harris) living there now, but no time for her, Jessie has to get back to Bonnie. And the only way to do that is with the help of nearly-dead electronic potty-training device Smarty Pants (Conan O’Brien), even though Jessie is averse to all tech. Meanwhile, a reunited Buzz (who wants to marry Jessie) and Woody (taking a break from his life as “lost toy”) organize a rescue effort that will eventually lead them to a whole squadron of lost Buzz figures. The emphasis on helping humans make human friends is a nice touch, but too much of the movie is just a series of par-for-the-course toy rescues. Or overly-familiar jokes and bickering. Or throwaway lines given to returning characters just to remind viewers that they’re still alive (as toys go). Even heavy emotional moments are hit-and-miss, with one at a tree being suitably effective, but others (usually involving bullying) feeling like the writers just needed a “down” story beat. It’s also worth mentioning that the usually bright, agreeable, effective animation is often murky and ugly here, and not in a “haunting” way, more in a “shoddy” way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m recommending “Toy Story 5.” This franchise on its worst installment is better than a lot of franchises on their best. There’s enough heart and laughter and creativity here to save it… but just barely. And for someone like me who puts “Toy Story” on a pedestal, a movie that I can “just barely” recommend is a big disappointment. Grade: B- “Toy Story 5” is rated PG for some thematic elements and rude humor. Its running time is 102 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Special to The Bolton News The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) and Mississippi Insurance Department (MID) encourages fireworks safety this Independence Day. “I expect that this year, as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, fireworks use will be at an all-time high. It’s up to you to implement safety standards when shooting fireworks at home. That means using common sense, never pointing fireworks at another person, and disposing of fireworks in water to prevent fire,” said State Fire Marshal and Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were reports of at least 15 deaths and an estimated 13,000 emergency department-treated injuries linked to fireworks misuse and malfunction in 2025. There were an estimated 1,300 injuries involving sparklers alone. To avoid injury, the Mississippi State Fire Marshal suggests you follow these safety tips: Use common sense: always read and follow the directions on each firework. Never point or throw fireworks at another person. Buy from reliable fireworks sellers. Store them in a cool, dry place. Always have an adult present when shooting fireworks. Put used fireworks in a bucket of water and have a hose ready. Only use fireworks outdoors, away from homes, dry grass, and trees. Light only one item at a time and keep a safe distance. Never experiment or attempt to make your own fireworks. Never re-ignite malfunctioning fireworks. Never give fireworks to small children. Never carry fireworks in your pocket. Never shoot fireworks in metal or glass containers. You should also observe local laws. Some cities prohibit fireworks from being used within city limits. “Standard homeowners insurance policies cover damage from accidental fires, like those caused by fireworks, but there are exceptions. If you set off fireworks where they are not allowed, your policy might not cover the damage. Check local laws to find out if fireworks are legal in your area. Your insurance company can also tell you if there are any fire restrictions in your policy,” said Comm. Chaney. Attending a public fireworks show is also a safe option if you choose not to shoot fireworks at home. The SFMO performs pyrotechnic inspections for shows that are performed on state-owned properties. Pyrotechnics companies must apply for a permit for shows. Once received, the SFMO verifies all information pertaining to insurance, technicians, and local public safety information. Deputies must be on site for the firing of the display and clean up.