By Kara Kimbrough It’s a proven fact: most Southern men are happiest when warm weather arrives and they can spend quality time over a hot bed of coals. Grilling is the true southern way to cook meat - it's outdoors, it’s casual and it delivers great food. Even Southern ladies consider grilling one of, if not the best way to entertain during a hot Mississippi spring and summer. Main reason? Grilling requires very little kitchen work on their part and it's the perfect way to keep cool. Best of all, everyone wants to be a part of the grilling action, often gathering around the grill-meister as the griller performs his (or her) magic with the meat of choice. There’s no denying the lure of the coals, especially to an outdoor chef like my friend John, who has received his fair share of accolades for expertly grilled ribs, steaks and pork shoulders. John (I’ll omit his last name to keep from upsetting his Memphis in May grilling team, who closely guard their secrets) claims his grilling skills have evolved through years of perfecting his craft, not to mention a dry rub made with 16 different “secret” herbs and spices. The group of grillers annually participate in barbecuing competitions around the state, precursors to the famous Memphis event. While the group regularly takes first place and overall championship awards for their ribs and pork shoulders in Mississippi, they have never placed in Memphis. However, this fact doesn’t deter them from continuing to try their luck each May. And there’s a good reason way: they simply enjoy being part of the excitement and look forward to meeting other grilling team at the event that draws some of the nation’s top grillers. Here are a few tips from John and a national grilling expert, just in time for the start of grilling season and arrival of Memorial Day weekend: Go old school – John admits that gas grills are easier and quicker to operate, but the group prefers a charcoal grill with “about 700 square inches” of cooking surface. They are also particular about charcoal, using Kingsford brand along with an electric starter and chimney. Don’t skimp on quality – When it comes down to a perfect steak or rack of ribs, it’s all about the quality. The first rule is to select a good grade or cut of meat, as there’s “no sauce or rub that will disguise a lower grade of meat.” Sometimes, it’s worth it to drive a little extra to purchase good meat that’s on sale. Start out with the best possible meat, season it well and most likely you will end up with a great meal from the grill. Another grilling guru, Steven Raichlen, who wrote The Barbecue Bible, a comprehensive cookbook containing over 500 recipes for the grill, classified grilling as “live fire, high heat and direct cooking. Barbecuing is long, slow heat, indirect cooking, and lots of smoke. The beautiful thing about grilling is that it's outdoors and it's public,” Raichlen said. Below are more abbreviated excerpts from Raichlen's 10 commandments of perfect grilling: 1. Be organized: Gather everything you need for grilling: food, marinade, basting sauce, seasonings, equipment grill-side before you start. 2. Gauge your fuel-When using charcoal, light enough to form a bed of glowing coals three inches larger on all sides than the surface area of the food. With gas grill, make sure tank is at least one-third full. 3. Preheat the grill - High heat - at least 500 degrees - is key to great grilling. When using charcoal, hold your hand about six inches above the grate. After 3 seconds, the force of the heat should force you to snatch your hand away. When using a gas grill, preheat to high for 10-15 minutes. 4. Know when to baste - Oil, vinegar, citrus and yogurt bastes can be brushed on meat throughout cooking time. (If you baste with a marinade you used for raw meat or seafood, do not apply it during the last three minutes of cooking.) Apply sugar-based barbecue sauce toward the end of cooking time because it burns easily. 5. Keep it covered - When cooking larger cuts, such as prime rib, keep the grill tightly covered; every time you lift the lid, you add five to 10 minutes to the cooking time. The steakhouse burger recipe allows you to "see" and control what's in your burgers instead of relying on the supermarket. Next week I'll share some of my favorite homemade grilling sauces and toppings, as well as a couple of never-fail dip recipes. Tasty Steakhouse Burger 1-pound boneless chuck roast, round or short ribs 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground white pepper 4 hamburger buns Swiss cheese slices 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise 2-3 tablespoons ketchup 2-3 tablespoons pickle relish Lettuce leaves Tomato slices Preheat the grill to medium-high. Chop beef into 1-inch cubes, place on a plate, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Place half the beef in a food processor or blender. Pulse (do not continuously run the food processor) about 15 times. Season the meat with half the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and pulse an additional 10-12 times, until meat is finely chopped but not overly fine. Remove and repeat process with remaining beef. Divide into four equal portions and shape into four patties. Place the patties on the grill and cook until brown and cooked to your liking. Place a slice of cheese on each burger during last two minutes of cooking. Place ketchup, mayonnaise and relish in a cleaned food processor or blender and pulse to combine. Spread on the buns, then add the burgers with lettuce and tomatoes. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

You actually did it. You won the election. Or in the last second, you sunk the shot that won the game. Or your business was named in the top ten in your category this year for growth. Maybe, you actually got ol’ Ms. Fussbudget to laugh during English class. Or just maybe, you lost the weight that has plagued you for so long. Whatever it was that you did – own it. It came from you, it was your own success. No one else can claim that they did what was clearly your accomplishment. There is no need for you to hang your head and deny that you succeeded. No need for you to declare that it was really someone else. Yes absolutely, thank those who helped you or guided you, and give them the acknowledgement that they deserve. But never back away from realizing and accepting that it could not have happened apart from your own decisions, desire, and work. Feels good, doesn’t it? To hold your head high and give yourself a pat on the back for succeeding. To accept that you “did good.” That you are not aways making a mistake or not trying hard enough to be a winner. In doing so, you are setting yourself up to see yourself in a good light – and that does make a person feel good. It will probably make you want to try even harder to win the next time. But let me flip that proverbial pancake to the other side. You made a major mistake, or you gave up trying and just walked away without a word. No one else is to blame. And there isn’t a valid excuse for what occurred…. simply that you are wrong. And a really big error was the result. You. Just. Goofed. What then? Accept it, own it. It was your mistake, not someone else around you. To attempt to lay blame on anyone else accomplishes a lot…and none of it good. Namely, you won’t learn to take responsibility for your own problems, and secondly, that person you are blaming will resent you for a long time. Doesn’t do much for your relationship. Another fact to consider; those around you who already know the real truth - or they find out later – will see you differently, and not in a good way. (And the Bible says the truth will always come out sooner or later. Numbers 32:23) It’s best to just honestly examine what happened– openly and clearly. Look closely at your own actions, motivations and conversations. If what you find makes you squirm, then own it. Sure, there is usually always someone’s behavior you can factor in to make you feel better about it all. But that doesn’t change what you did. Just own it, and try to make amends the best you can. And then forgive yourself. NOTHING good comes from living in guilt and shame. Because, we usually behave according to how we feel about ourself.

By Bob Garver The animated comedy “The Bad Guys” has very quietly been the #1 movie at the domestic box office for the past two weekends. The film follows a group of supposedly unlikeable animals as they do bad, do bad while they pretend to want to do good, then grapple with the decision whether or not to actually do good. Spoiler Alert for this family movie: they do not unanimously decide to remain bad. The leader is the Big Bad Wolf (Sam Rockwell), his best friend is Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), the rest of the team is Miss Tarantula (Awkwafina), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson). At the start of the movie, they lead a life of crime since no one is willing to give them a chance in life, what with the scariness and portrayals as villains and such. Seriously, the world is afraid of “these” animals? These are the most family-friendly versions of these animals imaginable. I’ve been unnerved around some of the fakest snakes you’ll ever see, and I wasn’t for a second scared of the snake in this movie. The Beast from Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” could be legitimately terrifying at times, so his arc about having to overcome his image made sense. To have the characters be so adorable so early just makes the film so… over-sanitized. The Bad Guys get busted trying to rob a gala honoring saintly guinea pig Dr. Marmalade (Richard Ayode). Wolf makes a scene of bemoaning how he and his crew deserve a chance to prove they can be good. The fox governor (Zazie Beetz) relents and agrees to let them be potentially reformed by Dr. Marmalade. Wolf insists to his friends that this is all part of a long con to avoid prison and rob the next gala, but secretly he got a taste of being good when he helped out an old lady with a rubbery face just before the robbery, and he found that he liked it. Maybe the goodness should continue. Maybe the others will like goodness if they try it. Thus begins a journey of twists and turns, where we’re supposed to question who’s conning who and who’s on what side. I’ve seen enough of these movies that even if I couldn’t predict the story beat for beat, I was pretty much right about predicting where everyone would end up. Also, I correctly predicted most of the beats along the way. It's not hard to see where this movie draws its inspiration. Subverting fairy tales, that’s “Shrek.” Elaborate heists with smooth-talking explanations, that’s the “Ocean’s” movies. The villains reforming brings to mind that 2010 one-two punch of “Despicable Me” and “Megamind.” And you may as well throw in a layer of “Zootopia” while you’re at it. Okay, one thing caught me off-guard: the very first scene in the movie. I hadn’t been expecting an extended tribute to a certain favorite movie of mine. The scene features Wolf and Snake bantering in a coffee shop, and Snake is wearing an awfully familiar-looking Hawaiian shirt. That movie also had a character named Wolf, played there by Harvey Keitel. Adults will find little to surprise them about “The Bad Guys,” and even kids have probably been taken on this ride a few times before. But the characters are undeniably given a great deal of charm by the voice cast, and a lot of the jokes still land, even if they too are overly familiar at times. This isn’t a movie that you need to take your kids to see right away, but if you want to take your kids to a movie for the sake of taking them to a movie, sure, this is fine. Grade: B- “The Bad Guys” is rated PG for action and rude humor. It running time is 100 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu

The Office of Governor Tate Reeves is encouraging college students with an interest in state government to apply for the Governor’s Office Internship Program. The internships are designed to provide insight to college students, who want to learn more about the executive branch of state government. Students will experience and assist in the operations of the Governor’s Office and the legislative process. Additionally, the program offers an opportunity to gain practical real-world experience within the Governor’s Office which can allow college students to earn academic credit as established by their school. Subject to the available academic schedule for each intern, the general days/hours of the intern are within 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. For additional information, please contact intern coordinator Mammie Maberry at 601-359-3150 or mammie.crowley@govreeves.ms.gov .

Governor Tate Reeves today announced the expansion of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s signature program, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, which focuses on finding adoptive homes for children within the Mississippi foster care system. Governor Reeves also ceremoniously signed HB 1313, which creates the “State Representative Bill Kinkade Fostering Access and Inspiring True Hope (or Faith) Scholarship Program.” This legislation provides a million dollars for foster children in Mississippi to pursue postsecondary education. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is generously providing 1.7 million dollars and their training and support program to the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services. This unique public-private partnership will fund ten experienced adoption professionals to serve children and youth – including teenagers, special needs children, and siblings – who are at risk of aging out of foster care without a family. To date, the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program has found adoptive homes for more than 12,000 children across the United States, including 125 youth right here in Mississippi. “There are still too many Mississippi kids who need a loving family and a forever home, especially older teens who remain in foster care. We’ll continue to do everything we can to support children in foster care, find them loving homes, and give them the opportunity to succeed,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “We have a responsibility to ensure those children growing up in foster care have the opportunity to turn their struggles into strengths.” Governor Reeves ceremoniously signed the legislation during a ceremony held at the Governor’s Mansion. The event was livestreamed and can be watched here.

Today in the Hinds County Circuit Court, Nancy New and her son, Zachary New, entered a guilty plea to state charges for their involvement in one of the largest embezzlement schemes in Mississippi’s history. They both pleaded guilty to multiple counts of bribery of a public official, fraud against the government, and wire fraud. This afternoon, Nancy New and Zachary New each pleaded guilty to four counts of Bribery of a Public Official, two counts of Fraud Against the Government, and five counts of Wire Fraud. The charges are connected to a state investigation involving more than $77 million of misspent welfare funds. “Today’s plea represents a joint victory for the District Attorney’s Office, U.S Attorney’s Office and the State Auditors Office,” said Jody E. Owens II, Hinds County District Attorney. “This plea sends a message to those in positions of power, that they will be held accountable for preying on the poor and abusing government funds.” State sentencing in the case will be scheduled after Nancy New and Zachary New are sentenced in federal court. Nancy could face up to 100 years in prison and Zachary could face up to 75 years in prison. Nancy New and Zachary New have already pleaded guilty to federal charges for their involvement in multiple accounts of welfare fraud.

MERCANTILE MISSISSIPPI will be held Friday, May 6th and Saturday, May 7th, at the Mississippi Trade Mart in Jackson. This two day Southern Shopping Event allows guest to shop Mississippi businesses and beyond in one convenient location. Boutiques, stores, artisans and more will be onsite showcasing their wares and talents. There will be music by local artists and other great stage presentations. Returning to our Stage this year will be Mississippi Magazine’s very own Patty Roper who will demonstrate a fun project while guests enjoy a formal tea catered by Fresh Cut. Tea with Patty Roper is on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Tea Tickets are $10 each and are limited. Mercantile Mississippi is grateful for the support of our sponsors, merchants and shoppers. We look forward to another successful year in 2022. Tickets to the show are available for advance purchase online at MercantileMS.com and will be available at the door for $10. For more information, please visit: MercantileMS.com.

Over the course of a year, the impact of the Merit Health network of hospitals and Merit Health Medical Group adds up as the skilled and compassionate hands of physicians, nurses and other team members deliver safe, quality care around the clock every day. Beyond clinical care, Merit Health is a major employer and regularly invests resources to expand and enhance the services available locally. The overall community benefit each year is significant and totaled more than $258.6 million in 2021. Last year, the hospitals and clinics delivered care with more than 492,000 patient visits as the pandemic heightened the need for medical care. The pandemic has heightened the need for medical care and Merit Health safely delivered a full complement of services while supporting COVID inpatients since March 2020. “We provided quality care for patients with COVID and also for other members of our community who had a broad range of medical needs,” said Barry Moss, Vice President of Operations, Merit Health, Region 4. “Our communities are truly fortunate to have this resilient and committed team of clinicians and caregivers here in Central Mississippi who make a difference for so many patients each day. We helped people get well and live healthier, and that was evident in so many ways - patients went home in better shape with less pain following surgery or a smile of relief when their screening mammogram or colonoscopy was clear.” Employees and medical staff brought their skills and compassion to support more than 15,000 inpatient admissions and performed more than 23,000 surgeries. The network also delivered joy to local families as more than 3,000 babies were born. Merit Health continues to grow and evolve as they put resources toward increased services, facilities and technologies that are important to their patients. These include the enhancement of behavioral health services through the addition of adult intensive outpatient therapy at Merit Health Rankin and the opening of an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program at Merit Health Central. They expanded the continuum of care for patients with Merit Health Madison’s new swing-bed service which allows patients to transition from acute care to a skilled nursing facility care without leaving the hospital. Advanced treatment for early-stage breast cancer patients through single-dose intraoperative radiotherapy is offered at Merit Health Woman’s Hospital and new robotic surgical systems with 3D capability were obtained at Merit Health River Oaks, which support faster recovery and precise planning, measurement and alignment for the best possible outcomes. Since 2021, more than 3,000 hearts beat stronger following cardiac catheterization at the network’s chest pain accredited hospitals. Merit Health Heart is supported by 13 cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons within Merit Health Medical Group, who work with specialists in imaging and nutrition to prevent and treat heart disease through advanced care and services to our patients. Mississippi’s only designated burn center, located at Merit Health Central, treated more than 72,000 patients in the outpatient clinic. Providers performed 2,700 burn and hand surgeries and admitted 1,000 for inpatient treatment. Merit Health’s five Emergency departments helped patients receive quality care quickly. In 2021, Merit Health hospitals accepted 2,500 transfers of patients from across the region in need of a higher level of care and treated more than 87,000 ER patients. As Merit Health works to continuously meet patients’ needs, it also gives back to the broader Central Mississippi region. The health system provided over $230.1 million in charity and uncompensated care for the community’s most vulnerable. And the $22.4 million paid in property, sales and GRT taxes helps support civic resources and services. The hospitals’ payroll of more than $178.9 million ripples across the local economy as employees buy goods and services. Moss continued, “We are part of this community and we are committed to doing all we can to provide excellent healthcare services and to making Central Mississippi a healthier, better community for all. To help the community live healthier, Merit Health launched a free e-newsletter last year with a monthly dose of health and wellness inspiration sent directly to your inbox. Sign up at https://bit.ly/36fimcA.

The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) recognized Mississippi in its latest report on pre-K quality as one of only five states whose state-funded pre-K program meets all 10 quality standards for early childhood education. The latest ranking is published in the NIEER report, The State of Preschool 2021. The annual survey provides an in-depth look at state-funded education for 3- and 4- year-olds nationally and in each state with a focus on enrollment, spending and 10 policies that support quality education. NIEER evaluated Mississippi’s Early Learning Collaborative (ELC) programs, which are partnerships among school districts, Head Start agencies, childcare centers and non-profit organizations. The program has grown from 11 collaboratives serving 1,700 children in 2014 to 30 collaboratives that will serve 6,000 children in 2022-23. Because of the quality of the Early Learning Collaboratives, Mississippi has consistently been one of only several states meeting all NIEER standards. The Mississippi Legislature passed the Early Learning Collaborative Act in 2013, which provided $3 million to establish a limited number of collaboratives in underserved areas throughout the state. Funding increased in subsequent years based on the program’s immediate success reaching $8 million by 2020-21 and doubled to $16 million in 2021-22. The Mississippi State Board of Education has made increasing access to high-quality early childhood education one of its top priorities. The Mississippi Department of Education has partnered with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to build the state’s early childhood education infrastructure through coaching and professional development and by providing guidance and support to school districts. State funds now support these efforts. “The quality of Mississippi’s Early Learning Collaborative program has made our state a national leader for early childhood education,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education for Mississippi. “Research consistently shows that high-quality early childhood education has a long-term impact on student achievement. Children who participate in high-quality pre-K programs achieve higher levels of school readiness, reading proficiency by third grade and higher graduation rates.” The proportion of Mississippi 4-year-olds enrolled in Early Learning Collaboratives rose from 3% in 2016-17 to 7% in 2020-21. When combined with Head Start (27%) and special education pre-K programs (3%), approximately 37% of Mississippi 4-year-olds attended public early childhood education programs in 2020-21. COVID-19 disruptions caused 337 fewer children to enroll in collaboratives in 2020-21 compared to 2019-20. “The pandemic has made it even clearer that such preschool programs are essential for young children and their families,” said W. Steven Barnett, Ph.D., NIEER’s founder and senior co-director. “Mississippi is moving in the right direction, doubling the state investment in preschool to enable more children to attend the program in the coming years.” Mississippi’s national ranking for pre-K improved since last year from 39th to 38th for access and 42nd to 39th in state spending per child. Read the State of Preschool Report 2020 at NIEER.org.

By Kara Kimbrough We’re entering the month I call the “happiest month of the year.” May is just plain "happy," filled with joyous occasions like Mother’s Day, high school and college graduations and spring wedding celebrations. On top of personal events are fun tours, pilgrimages and festivals showcasing the best and most beautiful of our state’s offerings. Recommended websites to check out most of the festivities around the state are: visitmississippi.org, gulfcoast.org and natchezpilgrimage.com. When it comes to food for our happiest month, a wealth of happy-sounding dishes increase the endorphins of every attendee at a spring celebration. Just a few examples that inspire happiness and are perfect for spring entertaining including biscuits filled with sliced ham or served solo with a side of butter or jam, muffins of any flavor, ranging from berry-filled to cinnamon to my personal favorite, Peabody Hotel vanilla, berry cobblers, cheeseball (one of at least 100 varieties), flavorful dips, cheese straws and pralines. And that’s not even including the piece de resistance of any happy foods list. I’m referring to cakes that simultaneously sound and taste happy. A few to add to any spring dessert table are Hawaiian sunset, Tres leches, hummingbird and my favorite, strawberry shortcake courtesy of pound cake topped with strawberries and ice cream. When it comes to spring entertaining, it’s important to remember that special events are all about sharing time and food with the people you love. Make up your mind not to stress out over whether your house is big enough or clean enough to host guests or if the food you plan to serve is fancy enough. Melba Darras, who served with her late husband, Tommie, for decades as hostess and chef, respectively, of the Mississippi Governor’s Mansion, told me once that guests often expressed how honored they were to be invited to the grand residence. While they complimented Tommie's food, it wasn’t the highlight of their visit. Instead, they were touched by the warm Southern hospitality and being invited to the governor's home. Even if your home isn’t quite as impressive as the Governor’s Mansion, don’t let that stop you for sharing it with others this spring. Your friends and family won’t be judging your home or food, but instead, will feel special that you included them. That warm feeling is the memory that will linger long after the food has been eaten. Here are three recipes served by the Darras’ at the Governor’s Mansion and mentioned in their cookbook, A Taste of History. Melba's notes are in italics. MISSISSIPPI COOKIES We served Mississippi Cookies to everyone, including The Today Show’s Jane Pauley, who received a box full presented by Gov. Allain when the show was filming in Mississippi. 1/2 cup shortening (half butter) 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla and a dash of salt 1- 1/3 cups of flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon milk Combine shortening, butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs. Add sifted dry ingredients. Chill. Roll as thin as possible. Use any cookie cutter you choose. (The customized cookie cutter is available at the Old Capitol Shop or gourmet and culinary shops in the state.) Bake on a sprayed cookie sheet for 7-10 minutes at 350¡. Makes 3-4 dozen. TOMMIE'S GREEK SALAD This salad was often made for meals at the Mansion. Nobody has ever been able to make it like Tommie. Mix salad greens using iceberg, endive and romaine. Add tomato wedges, thin cucumber slices, green pepper slices (no onions). Lightly pour on virgin olive oil and vinegar that has been aged with garlic, (using ratio of 2 to 1). Add salt and pepper. Heap on Kalamata olives, feta cheese, anchovies and pepperoncini. PEACH MELBA Gov. and Mrs. Winter entertained their good friend, Eudora Welty, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Tommie prepared this special dessert for her. Slice Mississippi orchard grown peaches and combine with sugar and 1/8 teaspoon almond extract. Place small thin slice of homemade pound cake in the bottom of a dessert goblet. Sprinkle lightly with Amaretto. Spoon peach mixture interspersed with this raspberry sauce before topping with whipped cream. RASPBERRY SAUCE 2 (10 oz) packages of frozen raspberries 1 teaspoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons lemon juice or Amaretto or whatever you prefer Thaw and press berries through sieve or puree in blender. Strain out the seeds. Put puree in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add cornstarch dissolved in lemon juice. Cook until slightly thickened. Cool and chill. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

Overdose-related deaths are on the rise in Mississippi—and all too often, the cause can be found in household medicine cabinets. That’s why Mississippians are urged to safely dispose of unneeded medications by participating in the 22nd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 30. For a list of free, anonymous disposal locations in Mississippi, visit https://odfree.org/takeback. “Overdose deaths continue to hit tragic record highs, but we can take action to prevent drugs from being misused by safely disposing of unneeded medications,” said Jan Dawson, program director, Mississippi Public Health Institute. “We’re asking Mississippians to locate a disposal site in their community and drop off potentially dangerous prescription medications as soon as possible.” Overdoses are now the leading cause of death among U.S. adults 18-45. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 106,000 people died in the U.S. as the result of a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending November 2021, with opioid-related deaths accounting for 75% of all overdose deaths. A report from the Mississippi Opioid and Heroin Data Collaborative showed that drug overdose deaths in Mississippi rose by 49% in one year (2019-2020). Most people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. For more than a decade, Take Back Day has helped Americans protect their families and loved ones by easily ridding their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed—that too often become a gateway to addiction. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has collected nearly 7,262 tons of drugs nationwide, with 27.8 tons collected in Mississippi. On April 30, DEA and its law enforcement partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs at designated drop-off sites. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted. DEA will accept vaping devices and cartridges, provided lithium batteries are removed. A variety of drug collection sites in Mississippi are open year-round for safe disposal of prescription medications. As a rule, unused medications should never be thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet. Make Mississippi OD Free provides a list of 101 disposal sites and information about overdose data, prevention and treatment at https://odfree.org/takeback. Year-round receptacles are available at more than 13,000 pharmacies, hospitals, police departments and business. Additionally, with the passage of the DUMP Opioids Act in 2021, the public may now use drop boxes at Veterans Administration medical centers to dispose of controlled substance prescription medications. Check with your local VA health facility for more information. Executed by Mississippi Public Health Institute, Make Mississippi OD Free is a program administered by the Mississippi Department of Health and supported by a federal grant initiative funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program’s purpose, called Overdose to Action (OD2A), is to collect comprehensive and timely data on nonfatal and fatal overdoses to inform OD prevention and response efforts nationwide. Data for the initiative is provided by the Mississippi Opioid and Heroin Data Collaborative, a multiagency partnership among the Mississippi State Department of Health, Mississippi Department of Mental Health, Mississippi Board of Pharmacy Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety Bureau of Narcotics. Learn more at https://odfree.org.

The Jackson Metro Area Business E-Waste Collection Day is typically held twice a year and there is usually a lot of interest from the public. Small businesses and individuals from the Jackson Metro area (Hinds, Madison & Rankin County) are invited to participate. This is a great chance for people to get rid of their old/outdated/broken electronics. All materials collected will be recycled. What: Jackson Metro Area Business E-Waste Collection Day When: Friday, April 29, 2022 8:00am-2:00pm Where: Mississippi Farmer’s Market, 929 High Street, Jackson, MS 39202