The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is working with multiple counties to assess damage after severe weather, tornadoes, hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding impacted the state on March 22, 2022. Currently, two injuries (Holmes, Copiah) have been reported due to yesterday’s storms. Multiple fallen trees/limbs were reported across the state, impacting roads and creating power outages. For a look at current outages, click here. As assessments continue today, 12 counties are reporting damage to homes. We anticipate that number to change through the damage assessment process. Those counties are: Adams Attala Clay Copiah Hinds Holmes Jefferson Kemper Madison Smith Warren Yazoo We encourage residents that sustained damage to their homes to report it to their counties using MEMA’s self-report tool. As a reminder, this is not an application for financial assistance but information-gathering purposes. MEMA is providing tarps and UAS (drone) assistance to requesting counties. For residents who are currently without power, remember: Keep freezers and refrigerators closed Only use generators outdoors and away from windows Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges Have alternate plans to refrigerate medicines or use power-dependent medical devices To see storm damage in Edwards: https://youtu.be/kU5qU3mxoms

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency will open a Call Center for those citizens needing assistance following the severe weather on March 22. The Call Center will be open for business starting today March 23, 2022 at 1:00 PM. If assistance is needed call 1-888-445-6362 Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Sundays Closed

The Bolton-Edwards School Family would like to join us in celebrating Dr. Patsy Nash! In May of 2020, Dr. Nash completed all requirements for Ed.D (Doctorate in Education) with an emphasis in Reading & Literacy from Capella University. Due to Covid-19 Pandemic, the graduation ceremony was delayed until recently but held over spring break. CONGRATULATIONS DR. NASH!

The Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit National Tour Will Make a Stop in Jackson and Madison. This unique museum on wheels is free to the community and helps honor local veterans. Wreaths Across America (WAA) and Jackson Regents Council Chapters of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) as Hosts, are proud to announce a local stop for the WAA Mobile Education Exhibit (MEE) nationwide tour. The MEE started its tour at the WAA Headquarters in Maine and will be in Jackson on Friday, March 25, 2022, for a scheduled private event at Jackson Academy, 4908 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, Mississippi beginning with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 8:15 a.m. to include recognition of our Vietnam Veterans. The WAA/MEE will make another local stop on Saturday, March 26, 2022, for a scheduled event both free and open to the public at Liberty Park, 810 Madison Avenue, Madison, Mississippi. The hours of the event are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and at 1 p.m. recognition of Vietnam Veterans. “The goal of the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit is to bring community together and teach patriotism while remembering the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes,” said Karen Worcester, executive director, Wreaths Across America. “Over the last two years we feel this exhibit has taken on even more meaning by providing the opportunity for people to safely participate in something that is both educational and inspiring, while supporting and giving back to the communities it visits.” The MEE achieves this goal by bringing the local community, veterans, active-duty military, and their families together through interactive exhibits, short films, and shared stories. The exhibit serves as a mobile museum, educating visitors about the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes as well as to serve as an official ‘welcome home’ station for our nation’s Vietnam Veterans. Learn more Wreaths Across America's Mobile Education Exhibit - YouTube and to donate or to sign up to volunteer, please visit www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org/ Magnolia State/MS0068. All veterans, active-duty military, their families, and the local community members are invited and encouraged to visit, take a tour, and speak with WAA representatives and volunteers. They can also share more about the national nonprofit, and the work its volunteers do to support our heroes and their communities year-round. The public tours for the MEE are free and open to the public with social distancing, sanitation, and safety procedures in place to protect the health of all visitors in accordance with the CDCs recommendation for large gatherings stemming from concerns surrounding the pandemic. Members of the media, dignitaries, veterans, and other interested groups are urged to come, ask questions, share stories and experience this one-of-a-kind exhibit. Wreaths Across America is the non-profit organization best known for placing wreaths on veteran’s headstones at Arlington National Cemetery. However, in 2021, the organization placed more than 2.4 million sponsored veterans’ wreaths at more than 3,100 participating locations nationwide. Throughout the calendar year you can tune in to Wreaths Across America Radio, (http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/radio) 24/7, to learn more about the mission and those who support it across the country, as well as the hundreds of local charitable efforts nationwide that are funded through the Group Sponsorship Program. You can sponsor a veteran’s wreath anytime for $15 at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. Each sponsorship goes toward a live, balsam wreath that will be placed on the headstone of an American hero as we endeavor to honor all veterans laid to rest at noon on Saturday, December 17, 2022, as part of National Wreaths across America Day. Go to https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/search?searchType=location find a local participating cemetery near you to support go to and type in your town and/or state.

The vote on the conference report for HB 530 was 118 to 4. See the House vote. It now awaits Gov. Reeves' signature, the final step in this historic move to bring Mississippi teacher pay closer to the Southeastern average. The bill provides a $2,000 raise for assistant teachers and higher salaries for certified teachers at all experience levels and classifications, including: Minimum starting pay of $41,500 Average salary increase of $5,140 Annual step increases of $400 (A), $525 (AA), $550 (AAA), $600 (AAAA) Larger step increases at years 5, 10, 15, and 20: $1,200 (A) $1,250 (AA) $1,300 (AAA) $1,350 (AAAA) $2,500 increase at year 25 for all classifications The full pay raise will take effect July 1, 2022. See the new salary schedule.

By Kara Kimbrough Spring is finally here, which means it’s time to get back in touch with Mother Earth. More specifically, I’m referring to the transition from heavy soups and stews to lighter fare like salads. Often mischaracterized as boring “diet food,” salads are one of the healthiest, tastiest and yet most apologized-for meals on the planet. For example, does the phrase, “It’s just a salad…” sound familiar? It’s an often-uttered sentence many give when describing what they consider an uninteresting meal. But it really doesn’t have to be like that, especially when you take things up a notch with homemade dressings and the addition of unusual ingredients with plenty of crunch, color and taste. Full disclosure: I’m not a health nut. My love for pasta and other assorted carbs is well documented but incorporating at least “something green daily” in my diet has become a priority. This occurred after I read an article from a gerontologist listing this simple tip as one of the ways to prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia. Adding a green salad is not that hard to do, especially in the evening when the thought of a heavy meal can be oft putting. And if it will help – even a little – to ward off diseases on the mind – I’m all in. One thing that has made salad-making easier and even more fun is purchasing a new salad spinner. I splurged on a fancier model than the previous one I owned and let me just say, it’s taken salad-making to a new level. Purchased in the kitchen tools aisle at Kroger, the *model I purchased is the epitome of multi-purpose. First, soaking the lettuce and whatever vegetables I plan to add (carrots, celery, peppers, etc.) to remove all traces of dirt and grime is easy courtesy of the extra-large acrylic bowl. Next, the built-in strainer makes it easy to drain everything before spinning to remove excess water. Letting the vegetables chill in the strainer is the last step before creating a large salad. And last, tossing leftover lettuce and vegetables back into the large bowl with a built-in lid ensures that tomorrow’s salad with be crisp and fresh, alleviating the necessity of finding another storage bowl. OK, now that we’ve mastered how to prepare a healthy salad, what’s the best way to dress it up a little? I was shocked to learn my favorite name-brand Italian dressing is packed with sodium, so finding one that offered the same tangy flavor without the additives was imperative. I tweaked a homemade dressing recipe to include more of my favorite ingredients, resulting in a healthier substitute to the name-brand option. If you’d like the recipe, drop me an email and I’ll send it to you. Last, I don’t want to leave the impression that a green salad is the only option in this food category. Spring meals require lighter side dishes as well. Nothing’s better than salads made with pasta, potatoes, chopped vegetables like corn and tomatoes with a light dressing, to name just a few. Here’s a recipe for an old-school New York deli favorite that’s withstood the test of time – specifically, 100 years or more since the family-owned delicatessen opened its doors. It can be prepared with or without meat, but any way you serve it, it'll be the star of your spring table. Delicatessen-Style German Potato Salad ½ cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar ½ tablespoons salt 1 cup water ½ pound meat: corned beef, ham, cooked bacon or salami (or your favorite) Vegetable oil Pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons yellow mustard 1/2 cup chopped pickles (can substitute chopped lettuce or cabbage) 3 pounds cooked red potatoes, peeled and sliced Make a vinegar base by heating the vinegar in a small pan over medium heat with the sugar and salt. When the sugar is dissolved, add the water. Set aside. Put the meat in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and chop or grind the meat. Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart pan with a little vegetable oil and a pinch or two of black pepper. Add the mustard, chopped pickles and potatoes. Then stir in the vinegar base. Dressing can be doubled or tripled if you prefer a moister salad. Refrigerate before serving. *My favorite salad spinner is a 5-quart OXO Good Grips Acrylic model. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

In observance of National Library Week, there will be a blood drive held at the Annie T. Jeffers Library, 111 W. Madison Street, Bolton MS. The event will be held on Monday, April 4, 2022, from 9 AM until 2 PM. Please be sure to bring your ID. Each person who donates will be given a $15 VISA gift card. website: www.JHLibrary.org Please wear a mask and observe social distancing for safety. Library hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon, and 1 p.m. until 6 p.m.; Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The library is closed on Fridays and Sundays.

The Town of Bolton is going to have a special election on May 3, 2022, for the position of Alderman at Large. To qualify you can pick up your papers at city hall or online at the Secretary of State website. The deadline to submit qualifying papers is 5 pm on April 14, 2022. Bolton Town Hall will be closed on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, March 23, 24 and 25. It will reopen on Monday March 28.

By: Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson On March 22, we celebrate National Ag Day and recognize the contributions of agriculture that provide food, fuel, fiber, and shelter to our communities. In Mississippi, agriculture - the state’s largest industry - makes an enormous impact on our economy. In 2021, the farm-gate value of agricultural commodities produced in Mississippi was $8.3 billion, which set an all-time high record. With 34,700 farms in the state covering 10.4 million acres, the agriculture industry employs nearly one-fifth of our workforce. Farmers and ranchers work tirelessly year-round to provide a safe, abundant and affordable food supply along with countless other products that we use in our daily lives. We see and consume the fruits of their labor (sometimes literally fruits) at the grocery store, farmers markets, and restaurants. Sometimes we take for granted the abundant, affordable food; but, in a crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic, we are reminded of farmers’ invaluable contribution to society. When society shut down, our farmers kept working so we could keep eating. As stewards of the land, farmers and ranchers are true conservationists. Our connection to and respect of the land, often passed down over generations, is not only sentimental and moral, but also essential to making a living. For many in agriculture, the land represents the biggest capital investment of the business. By adopting new agricultural technologies such as precision agriculture and seed technologies, farmers better safeguard their land, make better profits, and increase yields while using with fewer inputs, including water. With fewer acres available for food production, increasing yields has led to each American farmer feeding 165 people rather than just 25 people in the 1960s. Successfully producing the food supply is more than just planting seeds and harvesting a crop. Farmers battle uncertain weather, fluctuating market prices, inflation and rising input costs, and many other challenges. We’re blessed in the United States to be net exporters of food. We will have plenty of food in Mississippi. But even so, Mississippians and all Americans will experience cost increases as agricultural inputs including fuel and fertilizer increase in price due to inflation, greater demand, and port closures. We all need Washington to pursue policies to make America energy independent again, address inflation, and retreat from environmental regulations and decisions that only increase costs to farmers while lowering food productivity during this global crisis. As we recognize National Ag Day, and Ag Day in Mississippi with the proclamation by Governor Tate Reeves, we remember that food security is national security. American agriculture fuels the economy and feeds our families, and I encourage all our government officials in Washington and Mississippi to join with me to pursue policies that facilitate agriculture and reject laws and restrictions that hurt the freedom to farm.

Everyone is in

Rachel Shumaker reflects on the many successes of the past nine months since being crowned the state’s inaugural Miss Mississippi Volunteer in July 2021. Serving as the official spokesperson for the Mississippi Highway Patrol’s safe driving campaign titled D.R.I.V.E., Rachel has reached more than 5,000 Mississippians in 35 presentations, traveling over 18,000 miles – a feat which she considers a success for the state as a whole. “I set to work in July with the hope that my work could help bring down Mississippi’s historically-high teen driving fatality statistics,” Shumaker said. “My job is to help young people make the connection between their goals and dreams and how dangerous, yet preventable driving behaviors could be the very things that stop them from getting what they desire out of life.” Her presentations focus on the “Fatal Four” of driving – distracted driving, impaired driving, seatbelt usage, and speeding. She provides both information and instruction to help teens break bad driving habits and build good ones. “Rachel’s energy, enthusiasm, and genuine concern for the safety of Mississippi teen drivers are evident in her presentations,” said Colonel Randy Ginn, Director of the Mississippi Highway Patrol. “In partnering with our Public Affairs Officers, Rachel has done far more than we could have anticipated to educate and encourage our youth to drive safely and responsibly.” In addition to her work, Shumaker has spent time preparing to compete at the nation’s first-ever Miss Volunteer America Scholarship Pageant May 4-7 in Jackson, Tenn., where 47 states will be represented. Among a range of opportunities for personal and career development, winning scholarship dollars, and collaborating with corporate and non-profit partners, Miss Volunteer America will travel the country promoting the organization's five main pillars – Scholarships, Education, Responsibility, Volunteerism, and Empowerment (SERVE). Her talent presentation will be a fiery piano performance of Ernesto Lecuona’s classic, “Malagueña,” and she will also compete in the phases of private interview, talent, fitness and wellness, and evening gown. “There’s something to be said for preparing for so many different phases of competition and working to be my best at each one,” Shumaker said. “It has certainly instilled in me the values of self-motivation, discipline, and consistency.” Tickets to view the national pageant can be purchased at www.etix.com. Shumaker is a 2021 Summa Cum Laude graduate of Mississippi State University, where she earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Communication/Public Relations with a minor in Pre-Law and will begin pursuing her Juris Doctorate this fall. Her individual platform, I Am Titanium, was inspired by her personal struggles with scoliosis and spinal fusion surgery. Its mission is empowering people to overcome their limitations by providing them with the financial, physical, and emotional tools to become stronger. It places a special focus on fundraising for children’s hospitals and providing comfort to those facing medical challenges. To date, she has raised over $12,000 and dedicated more than 1,050 hours. The Miss Mississippi Volunteer Pageant is the official state franchise of the Miss Volunteer America Pageant, a nationwide, non-profit, service-oriented scholarship program based in Tennessee that seeks to empower young women across the country through educational scholarships and extraordinary opportunities. The next Miss Mississippi Volunteer will be crowned on July 9, 2022, in Tupelo. For more information about Miss Mississippi Volunteer, please contact Executive Director Steve Stockton at missmississippivolunteer@gmail.com or visit missmississippivolunteer.com.

Lenten blessings filled our beloved holy space with St Mary’s annual rendering of The Way of the Cross (eight stations). Ellen Bourdeaux and Charlie Carlisle brought the living word to life and their splendid readings were embellished elegantly by Tyler and Shellie’s musical offerings. By the grace of God we are now in our 11th year as a revived church. And we are grateful for the love and support of countless friends who have made our journey a blessing every step of the way.