Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson and the Department of Agriculture and Commerce will host a Rebuilding the Walls of Safety crime summit in the Mississippi Trade Mart at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds on Wednesday, June 8, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Members of the community, law enforcement, churches, businesses, community organizations, legislative officials, representatives of the judicial system and all those interested in fighting crime in Jackson are invited to attend. Those attending will have the opportunity to hear from statewide officials, county and city officials, and members of state and local law enforcement including representatives from the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office and the Jackson Police Department. In addition, Commissioner Gipson will give an update regarding plans to soon establish a multi-agency Crime Command Center in the historic Mississippi Guard Armory located on the Fairgrounds near the State Capitol and downtown office buildings. The crime summit will begin with a general session followed by breakout sessions where participants will have the opportunity to discuss and share solutions for curbing crime in the capital city. “We look forward to hosting the Rebuilding the Walls of Safety crime summit. This will provide an opportunity to bring together community members, leaders and law enforcement to discuss various ideas and ways we can all work together to deter crime in the capital city and bring criminals to justice, and in doing so, to restore peace and safety in this area of the state,” said Commissioner Gipson. The event is free to the public. Registration is required. Participants can register online at https://www.mdac.ms.gov/CrimeSummit/register/ or call (601) 359-1179. Please register by June 1, 2022. Visit https://www.mdac.ms.gov/CrimeSummit/ for more information.

Bolton-Edwards Elementary/Middle School is looking to fill two vacancies! The positions are for 8th grade math and social studies with head football, basketball and track coaching responsibilities also. You can apply for these positions by contacting Ms Lashurn Williams at 601-866-2163 or online at the Hinds County School District website www.hinds.k12.ms.us.

By Kara Kimbrough Memorial Day officially begins Friday at 5 p.m., signaling the start of outdoor grilling, eating and entertaining season. Whether it’s at a backyard cookout, family reunion or long-weekend-vacation, food served outdoors just tastes better. Finding the right recipes to celebrate the holiday is second only in importance to a few coveted days off. I’ve included a few of my favorite summer recipes, with an emphasis on quick and easy. First, every Memorial Day weekend worth its salt includes something…anything…grilled. Besides burgers, dogs and ribs, teriyaki steaks are the perfect meat to throw on the grill at some point during the weekend. It’s hard to find a more versatile, portable and delicious summer side dish than pasta salad. I’m passing only a slightly different recipe from a Gulf Coast friend by way of New Orleans. This weekend is not the time to count carbs, so a shortcut version of stuffed baked potatoes is also included. As I mentioned recently, I’ve never met a dip or spread that didn’t meet with my approval. I recently found a recipe for a vegetable-centric dip to serve with crudites or chips. It’s vibrant green color and tangy taste will enliven any picnic table. An easy, go-to summer dessert, lemonade pie, can be baked without a lot of fuss when the last-minute decision to fire up the grill and invite the neighbors over is made. It’s as valuable as an invitation to a friend’s beach condo. Happy Memorial Day! Teriyaki Steaks Marinate a thick cut of sirloin (or your favorite cut) steak for several hours (or shorter if you wait until last minute) in the refrigerator with: 1/2 bottle of teriyaki steak sauce Juice of 2-3 lemons Salt and pepper Remove from refrigerator and top with 1-2 tablespoons of butter. Grill or broil to desired level of doneness. Let meat rest before slicing. Recipe doubles easily. Quick Twice-Baked Potatoes Bake two large baking potatoes. Scoop out inside, leaving a small border of potato around edges. Add to the potato filling: Small container of French Onion Dip 1-2 tablespoons of butter Stir well and return to potato skins. Place under the broiler for a few minutes until insides are heated through; don't overcook. Feel free to add any other favorite toppings (grated cheese, sour cream, bacon, etc.) Big Easy Spicy Potato Salad 5 pounds baby red potatoes (scrub and rinse well if planning to leave skin on) ¼ cup shrimp and crab boil (dry mix) 1-1/2 cups celery, finely chopped 1 cup white onions, finely grated 1-1/2 tablespoons Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning 2 cups mayonnaise ½ cup Creole mustard Boil potatoes in large pot of water, adding shrimp and crab boil at the beginning. Boil until potatoes are fork-tender; drain and completely cool. Peel potatoes (or serve with skin on if you prefer), then cut into large chunks. Toss together potatoes, vegetables and seasoning. Last, stir in mayonnaise and mustard. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Tangy Dip for Vegetables or Chips ½ cup fresh parsley ½ cup fresh chives ½ cup fresh tarragon 1 cup sour cream 1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (to taste) Juice of one lemon, seeds removed 1 teaspoon minced garlic Salt and ground black pepper ½ cup mayonnaise Put first 8 ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Remove all ingredients and place in a large bowl. Stir in mayonnaise until blended. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving. Frozen Lemonade Pie 1 (9" round) prepared graham cracker crust 1/2 of a package of 8-ounce cream cheese, room temperature 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 6-ounce frozen lemonade concentrate, partially thawed Zest of a lemon 8-ounce container Cool Whip Mix cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and lemonade concentrate and beat until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add in the zest and beat until combined. (Note: a hand-held mixer is best for this recipe). Slowly fold in Cool Whip until fully incorporated. Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust and smooth out the top. Freeze for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, before serving. Store leftover pie in the freezer, cutting slices from slightly thawed pie. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start of vacation season, families and friends head to swimming pools, lakes, and beaches for fun in and on the water. AMR medics urge safety in all water sports. Jim Pollard, AMR spokesman, said, “A few simple but critical steps can reduce the risk of a tragedy while swimming, diving and boating.” He advised Adults and children should know how to swim. Teach children water safety rules. Learn CPR. Never swim alone. Don’t overestimate your swimming skill. Use only approved flotation devices. Do not use toys or inner tubes. Swim only in designated areas. Watch small children closely near all bodies of water, even small pools. Keep a cell phone close. Never dive into rivers or lakes. Each year, nearly 3,000 people in the United States are paralyzed from diving into shallow water or hitting an unseen water obstruction. To avoid entrapment in pools, keep children away from drains, pipes and other openings. Keep an eye on everyone in your party. Drownings can happen quickly and without much sound or movement. Be mindful that ocean currents can carry people out to sea quickly. If you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shoreline until you can safely reach the beach. Never go swimming, boating or diving when you are drinking alcohol. Around any body of water, if your party is drinking, designate a sober person to monitor everyone without distraction. If someone in the water is in distress, call a lifeguard if one is present or call 911 immediately. Enter the water to help a person in distress only as a last resort. Stay on a secure base such as a pier or boat. Extend a pole or oar to the person, throw a line of rope or life ring or reach out to the person from your secure base. If you’re the person in distress in the water, yell for help, splash and wave your arms. On boats, insist that everyone wears a life jacket or personal flotation device. Take a boating safety course. Check the weather forecast before launching your boat. If severe weather develops while you are on the water, get to shore immediately. Never stand in a small boat, canoe or similar watercraft. Don’t overload your boat. Operate your boat with safety foremost in mind. Never let children take the wheel and pilot the watercraft, not even “jet skis.” Tell a relative or friend where you’re going and when you’ll return. About American Medical Response (AMR) Serving 19 counties, AMR companies comprise Mississippi’s busiest ambulance service. American Medical Response, Inc., America’s leading provider of medical transportation, provides services in 40 states and the District of Columbia. More than 28,000 AMR paramedics, EMTs, RNs and other professionals work together to transport more than 4.8 million patients nationwide each year in critical, emergency and non-emergency situations. AMR also provides fire services through Rural Metro Fire Department, www.ruralmetrofire.com. For more information about AMR, visit www.amr.net and follow American Medical Response on Facebook @AMR_Social on Twitter and Instagram. AMR is part of the Global Medical Response family. Global Medical Response, Inc. is the industry-leading air, ground, specialty and residential fire services, and managed medical transportation organization. With more than 35,000 employees, GMR delivers compassionate, quality medical care, primarily in the areas of emergency and patient relocation services in the United States and around the world. For more information, visit www.globalmedicalresponse.com.

When we think of cancer prevention, we typically think of those we hear the most about, such as breast cancer or lung cancer. One of the most common cancers is actually colon cancer: cancer of the large intestine and lower part of the digestive system. It is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed and the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. – and early detection dramatically increases the survival rate. An estimated 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer are expected this year. If detected before it spreads, the five-year survival rate is about 90 percent – but if not caught before this point, the survival rate is lower. It’s estimated that as many as 60 percent of colon cancer deaths could be prevented if all men and women ages 45 and up received routine colonoscopy screenings. The exact causes of colon cancer are unknown. One of the most important preventive steps is to get a colonoscopy, a screening test to detect any signs of cancer. A colonoscopy is a procedure to see inside the colon and rectum. Merit Health has taken steps to make it easier than ever to schedule a colonoscopy. By creating a direct phone number to their colonoscopy scheduling clinic, patients can now call and schedule their own colonoscopy – without a doctor’s referral. “A colonoscopy used as a screening test or a diagnostic tool, can help providers investigate unusual symptoms such as unexplained changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and weight loss,” says George Smith-Vaniz, M.D., a gastroenterologist with Merit Health Medical Group. “It is important to follow up on any changes even if you think they might not be important at the time.” If polyps (growths) are found during the exam, they are quickly and painlessly removed at that time, and later tested in a laboratory for signs of cancer. Polyps are common in adults, and usually harmless. However, most colorectal cancer begins as a polyp, so removing polyps early is an effective prevention method. Your doctor can also take samples from abnormal-looking tissues – a biopsy – during the colonoscopy, so that any suspicious areas can be examined for signs of disease and treated, if necessary. “We now recommend a routine colonoscopy screening for all adult men and women beginning at age 45, or earlier, if you have specific risk factors,” adds Dr. Smith-Vaniz. “Over the last 20 years, we have seen an increase of diagnosis under the age of 50. About 1 in 10 now falls into that age category so it’s as important as ever.” A provider can provide guidance about the right time to begin and the frequency of testing, but industry guidelines suggest that a repeat screening be conducted every 10 years for adults with normal risk. Your risk level for colon cancer varies according to your age, gender and ethnic background, as well as your overall health and lifestyle. Factors that affect your risk level include: Advancing age (over age 45) Male gender African American ethnic status A family or personal history of polyps (growths inside the rectum or colon), or colorectal cancer A high-fat diet Certain digestive diseases, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis Depending on your age, a colonoscopy screening may be a covered “wellness” test under your insurance plan – and most plans cover a colonoscopy completely as a follow-up test or diagnostic tool. Check with your insurance provider and your doctor’s office for help in scheduling a screening exam. Learn more about Merit Health’s colonoscopy services or schedule your colonoscopy by calling (601) 376-COLO (2656).

By Bob Garver It might not be the epitome of blockbuster entertainment, but I do understand the appeal of “Downton Abbey.” The British television series, which ran from 2010-2015, is recognized as the most acclaimed “international” series in Emmy history. And of course, it developed a fandom based on its impeccable 1920’s costumes and sets, as well as its intricate storylines and snappy dialogue. A post-series movie came out in 2019, and made just short of $100 million at the domestic box office. That performance warranted a sequel with “A New Era.” I don’t think the new film will find the same success as its predecessor, as it’s opening in a “New Era” of its own, one where theater attendance is way down. But I would love to be proven wrong, as this is a very enjoyable movie. Everyone from the aristocrats to the servants has a story at Downton Abbey, with over 20 billed characters interacting. The movie does the abundant cast better justice than I can in my story summation. Dowager Countess Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith) inherits a villa in the south of France from an acquaintance she hasn’t seen in decades. Her son Robert (Hugh Bonneville) brings his wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) and a host of family members and servants to the villa to meet the benefactor’s son (Jonathan Zaccai) and hopefully uncover the nature of their parents’ relationship (Robert fears the worst). Meanwhile, Downton Abbey itself plays host to a film crew using the mansion for a location shoot, much to the chagrin of older family and staff who consider movies vulgar. Robert’s daughter and estate manager Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery) oversees the chaos, including the film being changed from a silent to a talkie midway through. Lady Mary is quick to volunteer her services, which impresses director Jack Barber (Hugh Dancy). Diva actress Myrna Dalgleish (Laura Haddock) is rude to everybody, but changes her tune in humility when the changes don’t play to her strengths. Dashing leading man Guy Dexter (Dominic West) takes up a relationship with head butler Barrow (Robert-James Collier). Former footman Molesley (Kevin Doyle) discovers he has a gift for writing screenplays. And much, much more! So much of this movie is just so pleasant. Problems like the production shutting down or a character’s health scare never seem to last more than a single-digit number of minutes (raising the question as to why the health scare was included at all). Relationship successes, professional fulfillment, and moments to shine abound in the last act. It’s almost too pleasant for a spell, like the happiness-to-sadness ratio is distractingly unrealistic. But then there is an inevitable sad part, crucial to “Downton Abbey” lore, something that fans have probably been surprised has taken this long to transpire. But it’s handled perfectly, with appropriate sensitivity and even trademark wit. All the best things about “Downton Abbey” are out in full force in “A New Era,” from the acting to the writing to the production design. I’d say it might be in line for an Oscar nomination or two if its release weren’t buried so early in the year. Will there be more of “Downton Abbey,” on big screen or small? My guess is yes, since absolutely everything gets run into the ground in this era. But I shudder to think of continuation, because this is the perfect stopping point for this franchise. Then again, I wasn’t sure if “A New Era” would work, and my doubts have been proven unfounded. Grade: B “Downton Abbey: A New Era” is rated PG for some suggestive references, language and thematic elements. Its running time is 124 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Employees of Merit Health hospitals are now eligible for new and enhanced benefits designed as pathways to help them eliminate existing student debt faster, pursue additional professional education, and advance their careers. The goal in offering Merit Health Pathways benefits is to support and retain employees and attract a strong workforce, especially frontline nurses, technicians, therapists and other clinicians and caregivers, along with support personnel. Benefits include a new student loan repayment program that enables employees with outstanding student debt to consolidate their loans, reduce interest rates, and benefit from employer sponsored payments. For most clinical employees, Merit Health will directly pay a portion of loan premiums as long as the employee remains current with payments, offsetting student loan balances up to $20,000 per employee. A new employee reimbursement program has been established for licensure or certification renewals required for all job classifications and can be used for any license or certification testing or renewal not already offered for free by the hospital. In addition, a long-standing tuition reimbursement program that provides employees up to $5,000 in tax-free reimbursement annually is being expanded and can now be used for continuing education related to any role within the hospital. Previously, employees could only use the tuition reimbursement program toward studies in their current field of work. “We appreciate our employees in all they do and want to support them,” says Mandy Dean Blackwell, a Human Resources executive for Merit Health. “Through these benefits, we hope Merit Health Pathways will ease the burden of student debt and allow employees to focus on achieving their goals and career success. These benefits also appeal to new healthcare talent.” To learn more about career opportunities, visit MyMeritHealth.com.

While visiting for a few days on a beautiful farm in the mountains recently, we always went walking every day. Those eight hundred acres were covered in large trees, meadows, and had a briskly rolling gorgeous little creek within a ten-minute stroll of the farmhouse. The family had carefully cleared roads and paths among all the trees, bushes and flowers that grew everywhere on their land. So, as long as we stayed on one of those paths or roads, and kept our eyes peeled for a stray bear or panther, we were good. We were free to wander anywhere and everywhere, and that’s exactly what we did. But I mentioned there were wild flowers everywhere? Among the different varieties was a deep dark purple bloom the farmer called wild violet, and it quickly became one of our favorites. So much so, that Renie asked the farmer if she could uproot a few to transplant into her garden at our house. He readily agreed, so the last day there we ventured off the beaten path to dig up a few clumps. Upon arriving home, after wandering among that tall grass and trees to dig up those flowers, we found that an extremely unwanted guest had hitched a ride to our house. Yep, Terry the Tiny Tick had evidently decided he would become a guest of Andy’s. Just think about it from Terry’s viewpoint. A man’s thigh would give him an endless supply of blood to feast upon and make a nice warm home. All it had to do to become a permanent guest in Andy’s body was to hide itself from being detected. So it had quickly burrowed its body so deeply it was barely discernable. So deep Renie wouldn’t even attempt to remove it. Andy met some nice people at the local Emergency Care that day. Ticks really do have a lot in common with something else that hides deep. Those beautiful trees and bushes that we loved and admired among all that grass hid an enemy. And Andy walked out into that tick-infested meadow, not even giving a millisecond of thought to what was most probably lying in wait for him. That enemy moved silently, quickly and subtly into Andy’s life, and if left there would likely have become a big problem. Sound familiar? It will. The only safe place for a disease-carrying tick is wherever ticks go when they have been removed and squashed to death. And the same goes for that unwanted guest called sin that you unwittingly pick up and host in your mind and body while it burrows deeper and deeper into your daily life. Dangerous stuff that can only get worse. Oh yeah, I know, “It’s just a small innocent little habit, or lie, or bad behavior. No one is truly affected by it, in fact in many cases, nobody but me even knows about it. So how can it become such a big deal?” Tell that to Terry.

Parents of area students are encouraged to take advantage of a free two-week science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) camp being offered this summer. The camp will be held July 18-29 at the Mississippi E-Center on Raymond Road in Jackson. It will start at 9 a.m. and end at 1 p.m., and lunch is provided. Grade levels first through twelfth are eligible. Transportation to and from camp is not provided. Space is limited, and enrollment in the camp will be on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to register, parents should email their name, their child’s name, a contact phone number and the name of the school the child attends to PreferredChoice44@yahoo.com.

By Kara Kimbrough Headed south for a long Memorial Day weekend at the beach? Take the Hattiesburg exit and drop in the bustling city of Hattiesburg to stretch your legs, enjoy a delicious meal and take incredible selfies in a wonderland of beautiful roses. Slightly twisting Shakespeare’s words, a rose by any other name, or color, would look and smell as sweet on the scenic campus at The University of Southern Mississippi. Right now, the university’s All-American Rose Garden, located at the front entrance of the campus on Hardy Street, is at its peak. Over 800 rose bushes in vivid colors of red, pink, coral and other vivid hues are causing motorists to slow down and view as much of the stunning beauty as possible. The rose garden attracts visitors from around the state and country. Planted in 1973 by the Hattiesburg Area Rose Society and maintained year-round by Southern Miss, the All-American Rose Garden was named an accredited Public Rose Garden by All-American Rose Selections. The semicircular garden consists of 32 separate beds, each containing its own unique hybrid of roses. The renowned garden is visited by photographers, roses aficionados and those simply looking for a picturesque setting for photos. Right now, before summer’s heat descends, is the perfect opportunity to stop, shoot photos and quite literally smell the roses. Southern Miss’ Rose Garden is open to the general public free of charge, seven days a week. Walking around to admire the blooms and shoot photos is perfectly fine. But here’s a friendly reminder: anyone caught cutting a blossom faces a monetary fine. When you’ve had your fill of beauty, venture across the street to a relatively new development, The District at Midtown. It’s a thriving complex filled with restaurants, shops, condominiums and a hotel. Developers were successful at creating an “eat-play-stay” center; a vast improvement from a decades-old men’s dorm and assorted parking lots. One of my favorite restaurants at The District, or anywhere in Hattiesburg, really, is The Midtowner. The brainchild of Hattiesburg restaurateur Robert St. John, the restaurant serves breakfast and lunch in a nostalgic setting. When you enter The Midtowner anchoring the end of the brick center, you quickly realize St. John went “way back in time” to create his newest space. How far back? Picture a "1948's diner.” He wasn’t around in the ‘40’s, but even so, St. John always admired the aesthetics and “visceral connection” of old-school diners. His vision was so strong that tile-layers purposely pulled up small patches of octagonal tile near the doors and booths to resemble a worn floor. Wood paneling from a bygone era lines the cozy booths. Black and white historic photos from 20th century Hattiesburg, Camp Shelby and Southern Miss’ early days line the walls. St. John accomplished his goal of creating a “neighborhood diner,” and once the food arrives, it’s evident his dedication to detail extends to the menu. Spoiler alert: The Midtowner serves some of the best fried chicken and chicken and dumplings I’ve ever tasted. Many line up for lunches, but almost any breakfast dish imaginable is on the menu. Portions are hearty and prices are reasonable, making it the perfect spot for hungry students and coffee clubs. There’s not enough space to list the multitude of breakfast item, but when it comes to the classics, The Midtowner has it covered. French toast, waffles, pancakes, bacon, sausage, ham, grits, biscuits and other classics share space with healthier fare like avocado toast, acai bowls and fruit. The lunch menu is filled with almost every “old school diner” dish you can imagine…and then some. Back to the fried chicken. It’s tender and juicy on the inside, crispy and golden on the outside. Picture your grandmother’s fried chicken or a platter at a church dinner on the grounds and you’ll have a close comparison. Lunch plates include your choice of meat with one, two or three vegetables and four vegetable plate. Meat choices include Mam-Maw St. John’s fried chicken, country-fried steak with brown gravy, Midtowner meatloaf, fried catfish, chopped steak and gravy, fried chicken tenders and chicken and dumplings. Vegetables like skillet corn, fried okra, turnips, butter beans, mashed potatoes and black-eyed peas perfectly with any main dish. A variety of salads is on the menu, along with creative sandwiches like the Hattiesburger and meatloaf sandwich. The Midtowner is located at 3000 Hardy St., Suite 10 in The District in Midtown. Daily hours of operation are 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., seven days a week. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

By Bob Garver It’s the week after a big blockbuster in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” and you know that means: I’m going to review a movie that got absolutely stomped at the box office. There can be respectable runners-up in busy holiday seasons, but very rarely does something worthwhile open right after that first-weekend-in-May extravaganza, especially when the MCU is involved. Make no mistake, Universal sent this movie out to die, its only audience comprised of people who “have” to see a movie every week (people like me, come to think of it). And being sent out to die is exactly the kind of release this movie deserves. The film is based on a Stephen King novel about a girl with telekinetic powers that can cause deadly destruction when emotionally triggered. Not “Carrie,” a different one, though I can’t help but think that giving the main character a name that’s about two letters off isn’t going to make it seem less derivative. 11-year-old Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) can start fires with her mind whenever she wants, and sometimes when she doesn’t want. It’s basically the opposite problem as the main character from a certain kids’ movie, and yes, I did sarcastically sing “Let It Go” a few times while watching this garbage. The adults in Charlie’s life don’t know what to do with her. Her father Andy (Zac Efron), who himself has some limited powers of mind control, wants her to suppress her power. Her mother Vicky (Sydney Lemmon) wants her to learn to use it responsibly. Shady corporate type Hollister (Gloria Reuben) wants to weaponize her. Dr. Wanless (Kurtwood Smith) wants to kill her because she’s just too dangerous. All things considered, I think I agreed with Wanless the most. Are you happy movie? You convinced me that it’s best if the little girl dies. Hollister sends assassin Rainbird (Michael Greyeyes) to abduct Charlie, with the parents’ lives as a “secondary concern.” Soon Charlie and Andy are on the run, with Andy quickly realizing that suppression isn’t going to be an option anymore. They hitch a ride with reluctant farmer Irv (John Beasley) in a sequence that is supposed to be heartwarming, but really just makes me wonder why Andy used his mind control powers to get Irv to give them a ride instead of getting him to give them his truck. The whole thing ends in a top-secret facility where Charlie gleams completely the wrong lesson from an earlier story from a story Andy told her earlier about taking lives. Among the many, many things wrong with this movie is that the fires Charlie starts just aren’t scary. Explosions are one thing, but fires poofing into existence don’t have the same impact. It’s why I was so disappointed with that 2018 “Halloween” update when Jamie Lee Curtis chose to burn her house down instead of blowing it up. The fires in this movie do leave burns that are grotesque, but the makeup is so unconvincing that I doubt they’ll register as traumatic. It's hard to think of anything positive to say about “Firestarter,” from the acting to the script to the action to the movie’s need to exist. Ooh, I liked the score, with contributions from original “Halloween” director/composer John Carpenter. But this movie is terrible on pretty much every other level. If you really want to see it, it’s playing in theaters and streaming on Peacock. But it certainly isn’t worth your money, and even if you consider streaming “free,” it’s still not worth your time. Grade: D “Firestarter” is rated R for violent content. Its running time is 94 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Robert J. Barnes, President and CEO, PriorityOne Bank, recently announced that plans have been approved and construction will soon begin on a new PriorityOne Bank branch in Gluckstadt, MS. The new branch, located on Calhoun Parkway, will be a full-service retail banking and lending establishment. The building, featuring a modern farmhouse design style will be approximately 4,100 square feet and feature 3 drive thru lanes, a commercial deposit lane, and an Interactive Teller Machine. Regarding the new branch Barnes stated, " We are very eager to open our doors and begin serving the Gluckstadt community. We look forward to being a good neighbor to all of the businesses and citizens in that area and working to meet all of their financial needs." PriorityOne Bank, based in Magee, Mississippi, currently operates fifteen offices in twelve Mississippi communities: Collins, Seminary, Sumrall, Hattiesburg, Magee, Mendenhall, Richland, Brandon, Ridgeland, Flowood, Pelahatchie, and Morton. The bank has assets of approximately $900 million.