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When the #10 ranked Hinds CC Eagles played #1 East Mississippi CC in the MACC semifinal on November 6th, with just 50 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the EMCC Lions tied up the game. The Eagles then kneeled the remaining seconds off the clock and sent the game to overtime. In the opening drive of overtime, the Eagle's Jeffrey Pittman scored from four yards out and Ben Duncan's PAT made it 42-35, Hinds. The Lions answered with a touchdown and decided to go for two. The pass was tipped by Taylor Hunt and intercepted by Reginald Barnes to seal a 42 to 41 win in overtime for the Hinds CC Eagles. The Eagles (8-2 overall) head to Senatobia on Saturday November 13th to take on Northwest Mississippi Community College at 2 p.m. for the Conference Championship. Fans will be able to watch Hinds football games live here: https://hindsccsports.net/channel-1/ You can also follow @HindsCC_FB for live in-game updates. Related Article:

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has begun scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations for children 5 to 11 years old for appointments beginning Monday, November 8. Appointments will be available at https://covidvaccine.umc.edu/ for all county health departments. Appointments can also be made by calling the COVID-19 hotline at 866-498-4948 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Vaccinations for all Mississippians 5 and older can also be found from other providers including healthcare providers, FQHC’s, independent and retail pharmacies. “We are pleased this has finally been approved, and we recommend that all children 5 and older in Mississippi be vaccinated against COVID-19,” said MSDH State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers. “If you have questions or concerns, we urge you to please talk with your pediatrician or healthcare provider.” The Mississippi State Department of Health has ordered 51,000 doses of vaccine for this age group, and they began arriving at county health departments and other healthcare providers last week. Children ages 5-11 years will be vaccinated with two 10-microgram doses of the Pfizer vaccine administered 21 days apart. The dosage is one-third of the adolescent and adult dose. For more information, visit https://msdh.ms.gov/c19vaccination.

With the world’s favorite natural fiber for cloth being cotton, most people don’t think about where the fabric of their favorite t-shirt or sweater originated – but that cotton may have been harvested and ginned in Bolton, Mississippi, home to the Gaddis and McLaurin Gin, owned by a partnership between The Gaddis Farms, Inc. and Gaddis & McLaurin, Inc. Purified cotton has many uses, including woven fabrics and surgical dressings. Sticks and leaves can be made into paper and cardboard. Seed meal can be used in livestock feed for cows and chickens, as well as a natural fertilizer to enrich soil for farming and flower beds. Cottonseed oil can be used in bath products and cosmetics, as well as for cooking. The short layer of fuzz covering cotton seeds contains a high level of cellulose, which can be used to make synthetic materials, including plastics and television screens. “Gin mote” cotton (or “dirty cotton”) is used for making yarn, bleached and non-woven products. Cotton fabric is breathable, has a soft texture and its qualities make it easy to dye and manufacture into everything from blue jeans to dress shirts, baby diapers to bed sheets, upholstery to towels, and much more. Although cultivated since antiquity, it was the invention of the cotton gin that lowered the cost of production that led to its widespread use, and, according to Wikipedia, it is the most widely used natural fiber cloth in clothing today. The Gaddis family has been in the ginning business since the early 1900s. During World War II, there were six gins in the family: three in Bolton, two in Raymond and one two miles north of Bolton. The current gin on Bolton Raymond Road is the only one of those six that is still in operation today. When it was built in 1956, it had a capacity of eight bales per hour. In 1985, a partnership was formed between Gaddis & McLaurin, Inc. and The Gaddis Farms, named Gaddis & McLaurin Gin. The gin was modernized, and today it can make up to thirty bales per hour. The owners have also added a 5,000-ton-capacity seed house, where seed from ginning season is stored. It is sold to dairy operations and cottonseed mills throughout the year. “Gin trash” is composted for a year, then sold to farmers and yard and garden customers in the spring (beginning on or about March first). Gardeners can see significantly improved results when they mix gin trash in the soil prior to planting vegetables and flowers. Cotton from farms as far away as Hattiesburg and Lorman is ginned in Bolton. In Bolton, Live Oak Planting Company, which is run by Ted H. Kendall, IV, farms on the land owned by Gaddis & McLaurin, Inc. Snake Creek Planting Company, which is run by Kendall Garraway, farms on the land owned by The Gaddis Farms. Their cotton is ginned in Bolton, as well. This article, which was written by Susalyn Bennett, was published in the November 2, 2021 issue of The Bolton News. Videographer, Ronnia Townsend. Photographer, Susalyn Bennett.

You are invited to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Bolton for Evening Prayer service on November 14th, led by Rev. Haily Allin and Deacon Josie Williams. The service will be followed by special musical offerings: "Schubert to Sondheim, A Fall Potpourri," performed by Mandy Spivak, soprano, Nicholas Perna, tenor, accompanied by Tyler Kemp. When: Sunday, November 14, 2021, 4:00 p.m. Where: St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 209 E. Madison Street, Bolton MS 39041 St. Mary’s, one of the oldest Episcopal churches in Hinds County, is located at 209 E. Madison Street in the heart of Bolton. Services are held at 4 p.m. on the second Sunday of most months. For more information, visit www.stmarysbolton.org and follow St. Mary's on Facebook.

Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 7 at 2 am, which means you gain an hour of sleep this weekend! Before you go to bed on Saturday night, remember to change your clocks and also take this opportunity to check and change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and your weather radio. Smoke alarms cut your risk of dying in a fire in half, giving you time to escape from a fire. Test your smoke alarm to ensure it’s working. If one of your smoke alarms starts beeping, replace the batteries immediately.

Central Hinds Academy is pleased to recognize the students who were the highest achievers on the ACT Aspire test from the spring. They recently enjoyed doughnuts together, at school. 4th grade students: Braelyn Hernandez, Journey Johns and Ava Smith 5th grade students: Brayden Ainsworth 6th grade students: Reed Allen and Christian Gilbert 7th grade students: Jeremy Davis, Gabby Krohn, Travis Lord, Scarlett Rodgers, Char Saums, Walt Saums and Chalon Wren 8th grade students: Emerson Bingham, Alexis Burt, Anna Shea Carraway, Layne Davis, Landon Dowden, Sarah McCoy, Evan McLaurin, Dylan Steelman and Mason Williams 9th grade: Reagan Lord Dylan Steelman made a perfect score on the reading section. ACT Aspire is a tool to help students and their parents monitor progress toward a successful ACT test from third grade through tenth grade. The Aspire tests assess students' readiness in five areas covered by the ACT test: English, math, reading, science and writing.

The Mississippi Children’s Museum’s (MCM) Journey to the North Pole exhibit opens November 22 to kick-off holiday fun. Based on cherished holiday traditions, Journey to the North Pole transforms MCM’s Gertrude C. Ford Exhibition Hall into a magical winter wonderland of snowy skies, glittering holiday decorations, and invitations for memorable family holiday experiences. Inside the front door, guests will find an enchanting 45-foot Snowflake Slide, cascading over the central staircase, always a favorite for children (and their adults!) 36” or taller to ride down! Also nearby, children will find hundreds of decorations to build a life-size gingerbread house. An exciting return for everyone is the child-favorite Reindeer Rink for sock skating (children must bring socks for this experience). Santa will be making special visits during Journey to the North Pole, visit the website mschildrensmuseum.org and follow MCM on social media for a schedule of when Santa plans to stop by. Drawing inspiration from lessons in navigation and geography, along with traditional holiday literature, Journey to the North Pole is a place where children can don a conductor’s cap and find tickets for their next railroad adventure. Santa’s helpers can play in the child-size post office equipped with a package sorting station and conveyor belt for guests to sort and ship packages. An expansive train table, complete with snowy buildings and lots of child-sized train cars, will thrill train enthusiasts with hands-on imaginative play. The interactive clock tower featuring a toddler slide is a fan-favorite for the youngest visitors. The exhibit grand opening will be held on Monday, November 22 and will be open through Sunday, January 2. Wear your favorite holiday pajamas to Jammies at Journey on November 22 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The museum will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, 1:00 – 6:00 p.m. MCM will be open for Magic Mondays on November 22 and December 27. MCM Phone: 601.981.5469 Address: 2145 Museum Boulevard Jackson, MS 39202 Tickets may be purchased in advance, on the website, or at the door, upon arrival. Journey to the North Pole provides a great setting for family fun, a child’s birthday party, and a magical backdrop for special family photos. Be sure to visit the Mississippi Children’s Museum between November 22-January 2 for a holiday experience unlike any other in Mississippi! This one-of-a-kind holiday exhibit, was designed by MCM’s in-house creative team in partnership with Davaine Lighting, A Plus Creative & Signs and ADEX International Exhibit Fabrication of Cincinnati, Ohio. About the Mississippi Children’s Museum The Mississippi Children’s Museum (MCM) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides experiences that ignite a thirst for discovery, knowledge, and learning in all children. MCM is dedicated to inspiring Mississippi’s children from all backgrounds to discover and achieve their potential. The museum features 40,000 square feet of exhibit space designed around five primary initiatives: Literacy, STEM, Health and Nutrition, Cultural Arts, and Mississippi History. The museum’s exhibits, programs, and outreach opportunities provide engaging, explorative, hands-on educational activities for children of all ages. To learn more about MCM visit www.mschildrensmuseum.org.

Tuesday, November 2nd is Election Day. Hinds County voters will elect a new Sheriff to serve the time remaining in the term of Sheriff Lee Vance, who passed away in August. A Sample Ballot for the "Bolton" precinct of Hinds County, is below. It was obtained from HindsCountyMS.com Polling places will be open from 7 am to 7 pm. Be sure to bring your photo ID.* Voters with an address located in the "Bolton" precinct of Hinds County will vote at the Volunteer Fire Station at 117 W. Madison Street in Bolton. Voters with an address in the "Brownsville" precinct of Hinds County will vote at the Volunteer Fire Station at 8057 Bolton Brownsville Road. Find your polling place using the Polling Place Locator tool on the Mississippi Secretary of State website: https://www.sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/polling-place-locator Ballot information is also provided. Acceptable forms of photo ID include: driver's license; ID card issued by a branch, department, or entity of the state; U.S. passport; government employee ID; firearms license; student photo ID from an accredited Mississippi university, college or community college; military ID, tribal photo ID, Mississippi Voter Identification Card, according to the secretary of state's office. An expired photo ID is ok as long as it is no more than 10 years old, has a photo of the voter and was issued by the state of Mississippi or federal government. If a registered voter doesn't have one of the acceptable forms of photo ID, a free Mississippi Voter Card can be provided at any circuit clerk's office in the state. Applications may be submitted during normal business hours. To reach the office of Hinds County Circuit Clerk, Zack Wallace, call 601-968-6628.

On Thursday, October 28, the Raymond High Rangers played district rival McComb in the final game of the regular season. The Rangers, who fell to McComb, 48-13, were also celebrating Senior Night. Seniors were recognized during half-time. Here is an album of photos from that evening: The Rangers who are 7-3 overall, and 3-2 in 4A, Region 6 for the season, will travel to Poplarville to face the Hornets in the first round of the 2021 State Championship play-offs. Poplarville's record is 4-1 in 4A Region 7, and 8-2 overall. The game is set for Friday, November 5th. Kick-off is at 7:00 p.m. Go Rangers! To view the entire photo album, click here: http://senior-night-rangers.boltonms.com/

Telling the world her thoughts and feelings wasn’t something Tewana Johnson was used to doing until she gave birth to her second child 16 months ago. “My son, Ra Tarik, was born with Down’s Syndrome,” said Johnson. “I started out not wanting to say anything about my son’s diagnosis. But now, it’s easier for me to say what’s going on.” What’s going on is a life-changing life change, as Johnson puts it. The 41-year-old Bolton ICU nurse and mother of two is adding a second skill set and probably a second career thanks to Hinds and federal COVID-19 legislation. Johnson, who had earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing years ago, returned this past summer to take classes made possible by the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. The funding allowed those negatively affected by the pandemic to attend school and rebuild their careers. “I wouldn’t have been able to afford to come back to school and continue,” she said. “I’m very appreciative of it.” She hopes what she’s now studying will help other parents of children born with developmental conditions. With the help of instructor Tim Crisler, of the Radio and Television Broadcast program at the Utica Campus, she’s learning the ins and outs of effective self-presentation to bring her child’s story to the world. “We do speech and physical therapy with my son four days a week,” she said. “So I began filming my 11-year-old daughter Taylor Rai and I doing therapy with him and began thinking I could become an inspiration to someone else in the same situation. I didn’t know anything about doing video or broadcasting. But I knew the class dealt with filming, editing and being able to present stories.” Tewana Johnson of Bolton photo courtesy of Hinds Community College/Brad Smith She is on track to earn a credential in broadcasting by next fall, all while maintaining her schedule as a nurse. In the age of broadcasting oneself online, Johnson sees an opportunity to bring awareness to Down’s Syndrome and the challenges parents face with it. “I want to start a YouTube channel to bring awareness to my son and his condition,” she said. “I enjoyed the class so much that I came back to continue this semester.” Crisler, who has taught the course since 2015 and was previously a television broadcasting and public relations professional, was curious about his new pupil at first but now sees a blossoming talent. “She is a joy to work with,” Crisler said. “Initially, I couldn’t understand why a professional nurse would want to come back to school and major in broadcasting. But after some conversations, I understood her reason clearly, and that is to become a more effective communicator and broadcast issues pertaining to the medical field, in particular, her son’s condition. She was a little intimidated at first, but now she’s holding her own.” Coming back to school has been a form of therapy in itself for Johnson as she balances her current career and a potential new one. “I want to take what Mr. Crisler has ingrained in us and perhaps seek an entry-level job working in news,” she said. “I’ve become comfortable talking to people, plus being in front of the camera. I’d love to inform people of different things about medical topics I’ve learned about since I worked as a tech, things like heart health and diabetes.” * * * Danny Barrett, Jr. is a Staff Writer for the Community Relations Department at Hinds Community College. With six campuses in central Mississippi, Hinds Community College is a comprehensive institution offering quality, affordable educational opportunities with academic programs of study leading to seamless university transfer and career and technical programs teaching job-ready skills.

Ted Kendall III’s family is so intertwined with the history of Hinds Community College that it is impossible to tell the college’s story fully without talking about his family. After serving the college in some capacity for more than 50 years, Kendall is rotating off the Hinds Community College Foundation Board of Directors in December after serving multiple terms. Before that, from 1968 to 1988, he was a member of the college’s Board of Trustees, serving as its president beginning in 1977. To many people, he is best known for twisting the arm of then-Meridian school Superintendent Dr. Clyde Muse to submit an application to become president in 1978, resulting in a tenure that lasted until June 30, 2020. But the behind-the-scenes influence of Kendall and his family is far greater than that one achievement. Beginning in 1933, Kendall’s grandfather F.M. Greaves served 35 years on the college’s Board of Trustees, including 24 years as president. After he was killed in a car accident at age 85, Kendall succeeded him on the board. Together, the two of them have served the college in some way for 88 years, most of the life of the college that was established in 1917. Like Kendall today, Greaves was part of the family-owned companies, The Gaddis Farms and Gaddis-McLaurin Inc. These companies included farm land, a cotton gin, cattle and a store in Bolton. Kendall said his grandfather “realized the value of the junior college, now community college, and what it meant to all the people in the area and what it meant to the students for whom, perhaps, it would be their only opportunity to go past a high school education. “Hinds has really raised the education level of the whole population. It wouldn’t have happened without Hinds,” he said. Hinds Vice President Randall Harris, a City of Raymond alderman and a lifelong Hinds County resident, has known Kendall his entire life. “Mr. Kendall’s family has had a far-reaching impact on the growth of the college. As an alderman, I very much appreciate all the things Mr. Kendall and his family have done for Hinds and our community,” Harris said. “I will always remember and value the tremendous influence he has been for me personally and our area.” Harris said Kendall’s support was not limited to just the college. “He has also been instrumental in supporting various organizations such as Andrew Jackson Council of Boy Scouts and Hinds County 4-H.” A 1958 Mississippi State graduate who served as student body president, Kendall returned home and began to learn to run the family business. He and Clyde Muse met when they served together on the college’s Board of Trustees, when Muse was Hinds County school superintendent from 1969 to 1971. By the time Dr. Robert Mayo announced he would retire in June 1978, Dr. Muse and his family had moved and were settled in at Meridian. “One of the few little things I did for Hinds was bringing Dr. Muse back to Hinds,” Kendall said. “We had to advertise nationally. We had 100 applicants for the job. We didn’t interview but four.” For Kendall, the selection of Dr. Muse as president was obvious. “There wasn’t any question in my mind. He did a great job. It worked out just right.” Over the years, Kendall and Dr. Muse collaborated on many projects together. One of those was the establishment of the Bull Test Station. “Since my life was agriculture I was real interested in it,” Kendall said. “A lot of the cattle producers said we needed a bull test station somewhere in the state. We went out to Oklahoma State to see theirs, came back and set out to try to create one.” The Bull Test Station is important to help cattle farmers to understand the genetic strength of a bull and to increase production. “You can’t look at a bull and tell what the performance would be in his offspring,” he said. The Bull Test Station is located at the Ted Kendall III Agricultural Complex off Seven Springs Road near Raymond. “One of the things that I’m so proud of is that the agricultural complex bears his name,” Dr. Muse said. “I don’t know of a person any more respected throughout this state and this region than Ted Kendall III.” Kendall, however, argued against it. “I’m a little embarrassed every time I come down the road and I see my name there. That is not what we built it for, to put my name on,” he said. The two also worked together to merge Utica Junior College and Hinds Junior College in the early 1980s, a delicate task that called for a lot of tact. “While it was a tough thing on everybody, the people trusted him, they had confidence in him. Luckily through that, I was able to get some trust and confidence but his integrity was so important in that process,” Dr. Muse said. When the John Bell Williams Airport needed more land to extend its runways to accommodate modern aircraft, Kendall had the company Gaddis-McLaurin sell the land to the college but then turned around and put most of the money back into the Gaddis-McLaurin Scholarship. He also established the F.M. Greaves Scholarship in memory of his grandfather and had a hand in acquiring scholarships from Merchant & Planters and Trustmark banks. Kendall was also there when the Foundation was first established in 1978, right after Dr. Muse became president, and then became an active board member. The Foundation is the path community members can use to make donations of money and resources to the college, and it, in turns, provides money for scholarships that directly impact students as well as resources for faculty development at the college. “The Foundation is so important,” Kendall said. “It can do things to help students that can’t be done without the Foundation. It also makes it a lot easier to get support from the community to help Hinds.” The family legacy of service has continued with both his sons Tom and Ted IV, who have served terms on the Foundation board and continue to support the college and the community of Raymond. Ted IV also attended Hinds and played on the basketball team. Last summer, current President Dr. Stephen Vacik learned one of the people he needed to meet as soon as possible was Ted Kendall. “When I arrived at Hinds, one of the first questions asked of me was whether I had met Mr. Kendall and that if I hadn’t, he should be first on my list to visit. He was – I did – and I was not disappointed. It was clear from my first conversation that Mr. Kendall cares deeply about Hinds, farming and people. That makes him pretty special in my book,” Dr. Vacik said. * * * Cathy Hayden serves as Director of Publications for Hinds Community College. With six campuses in central Mississippi, Hinds Community College is a comprehensive institution offering quality, affordable educational opportunities with academic programs of study leading to seamless university transfer and career and technical programs teaching job-ready skills.

This Thursday, October 28, the Raymond High Rangers will play district rival McComb in the final game of the regular season. They are playing at home. Kick-off is at 7 p.m. The winner of the game will host a game in the first round of the post-season playoffs. Tickets will be available at the gate the night of the game for $7. The Rangers are also celebrating Senior Night. All Raymond High School seniors get in free. The Rangers are 7-2 overall, and 3-1 in district play, for the season. McComb is 3-1in the district and 3-5 overall. On Saturday, October 30, RHS is hosting the Ranger Round Up Classic. Games will be played in the old gym at Raymond High. Masks are required and there is a clear bag policy for the event. Lady Rangers basketball faces Murrah at 5:30 p.m. and the men's team plays Northwest Rankin at 7:00 p.m. See the flyer below for additional details. Go Rangers!