by Tyler Teresa, Regional Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration     Small Business Saturday was founded by American Express in 2010 and has been officially cosponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) since 2011. It is an important part of the busiest shopping season for small businesses.  Last Small Business Saturday in 2024, the reported projected spending in the United States from those who shopped small on Small Business Saturday was around  $22 billion .  This is an excellent opportunity not only for entrepreneurs but for everyone to have a chance to support their local communities. “Since 2010, the total reported U.S. spending at small businesses during the annual Small Business Saturday is an estimated $223 billion,” said Tyler Teresa, SBA Southeast Regional Administrator.”  “This is our chance to support our neighbors, family members and friends who are hardworking entrepreneurs. When we support local entrepreneurs, we support our local economy. This is what a true community is all about. Please shop small, dine small, and thank a small business owner for their community impact this Small Business Saturday.” Americans understand that small businesses contribute to the relevancy of their communities, support local non-profits, employ more than half of our workforce and are a significant economic engine both locally and nationally. About 80% of small business owners say that the end of the year spending by customers is critical for their bottom line.  These are just some of the reasons why we encourage people who invest in their communities to actively participate in Small Business Saturday.     The Saturday after Thanksgiving and the entire holiday season is the perfect time to drop by unique retail shops and to dine at local eateries. If you prefer to shop online, you can purchase goods and services and meals from small businesses by utilizing their websites. Be sure to make a positive impact on your own communities by shopping and dining SMALL on Small Business Saturday and throughout the holiday season and know that you have made a positive contribution to your own community. Join the highly successful team of SBA and American Express in kicking off the 2025 holiday season- it starts with small business. Ways to Participate in Small Business Saturday 2025: Shoppers:   Find  small businesses participating in Small Business Saturday  in your area Small business owners:   Get free Small Business Saturday marketing materials  - including sample posters, and social media resources Partner organizations:   Follow SBA on social media  for all the latest updates on #ShopSmall Support our nation’s more than 36 million independent businesses this Small Business Saturday and all holiday season long.

By: Kelley Williams, Chair Bigger Pie Forum   Backwater flooding happens when the Mississippi River is higher (about 43’ at Vicksburg) than the Yazoo River and blocks its discharge.  It takes less rain to raise and keep the Mississippi above 43’ than it used to. ( See More Flood for Less Rain .) So backwater flooding and batture flooding inside the levees are more frequent and longer — over three times longer since 2015.  Why? What happened to cause a step change in flooding in 2015? The trigger event was the record high 2011 flood.  But the primary cause is a power plant in the river 122 miles downstream from Vicksburg. It began operating in 1990 under a Memo of Understanding (MOU) with the Corps of Engineeers (Corps). It’s just upstream of the Old River Control Complex (ORCC) that was built in 1963 and modified in 1980.  The Corps operates ORCC to control the Mississippi’s flow to keep it from changing course (avulsing) down the Atchafalaya River. ( See Wistful Not Thinking .) The power plant is owned by a renewable energy company.  It’s purpose is to produce green (renewable) electricity, not to control the river. The Corps allocates most of ORCC’s flow to the power plant. This reduces its control of the river.  It also causes sediments to build up just downstream from ORCC that block part of the Mississippi’s channel and create a flow bottleneck.  That bottleneck slows the river’s discharge to the Gulf and causes higher and longer floods for the same downstream flow volume (i.e. the same rain). LSU’s Dr. Xu reported the mound of sediments (which I dubbed Mudberg) and the bottleneck in a paper published in 2017. The Corps knew about Mudberg but didn’t report it.  Dr. Xu said Mudberg and the bottleneck and the higher and longer floods they cause will cause the Mississippi to change course in a future big flood. The 2011 flood was the highest ever.  But not the longest.  Otherwise it might have caused the course change.  It did sweep more sediments downstream to Mudberg (as big floods do) and made it bigger and the bottleneck smaller and future floods longer and higher.  The first floods after 2011 occurred in a cluster 2015-21 and caused record backwater and batture flooding. The 2019 flood was the longest ever and one of the highest.  It likely made Mudberg bigger and the bottleneck smaller too.  So the next big flood will likely be even longer and higher. Every big flood now makes the next one longer and higher.  And so on — until the levees overtop. The Corps latest flow line study predicts the levees will overtop — hundreds of miles of mainline levees from above Greenville to New Orleans.  That will be a disaster for the Delta like the 1927 flood.  The Corps hasn’t told landowners about this and other coming disasters.  It quietly shelved the four volume flow line study published in 2019 that predicts them. We learned about the looming disasters and the Corps coverups of them from litigation discovery in a suit filed by Mississippi’s Secretary of State in early 2019.  The suit seeks just compensation under the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution for damage to some half million acres of state and private property inside the levees caused by floods caused by the Corps. Over 500 property owners are plaintiffs.  I am one of them. The suit is hung up in court. It may take years to resolve.  The damages it seeks to recover are just a tiny fraction of the damage and destruction when levees overtop.  The clock is ticking on that catastrophic damage and destruction.  The risk increases every year.  Most people at risk are unaware of the damage and destruction that is coming.  Those who are aware may think the Corps will do something.  The Corps is doing something: it’s studying the looming disasters.  It’s great at studies.  And at not doing something. The Corps needs encouragement to do something.  I am writing about this to warn future flood victims and to encourage them to encourage the Corps to do something — and to ask their Senators and Congressperson to help. What can the Corps do to reduce the risk and mitigate the damage? Three things: 1) dredge Mudberg,  2) shut down/remove the power plant that cause the sediments that cause Mudberg and the bottleneck,  3) build a structure upstream of the ORCC to take the top off of floods and reduce their height and duration to take pressure off ORCC and levees. ( See earlier articles for details. ) It’s time for the Corps to stop the studies.  And stop the coverups.  And do something. Kelley Williams, Chair Bigger Pie Forum

At last check, there have been 60 fire deaths statewide in 2025. Cooking or the misuse of cooking equipment led to four of those deaths. “Many people have family and friends over for the holiday. Don’t let distractions put you and your guests in danger. Make your home safer by installing multiple smoke alarms. If you have to leave the kitchen for even a short amount of time, turn off the stove,” said State Fire Marshal and Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. Use these safety tips when preparing your Thanksgiving meal: Keep anything that can catch fire away from the stovetop. Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves that could catch fire. If you have young children, use the stove's back burners whenever possible. Turn pot handles inward to reduce the risk that pots will be knocked over. Keep a lid nearby to smother small grease fires, pan, and pot fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turning off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. If you have a fire: Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. Call 911 after you leave. Create an escape plan with multiple exits that all family members know and set a meeting place outside. If using a turkey fryer: Fryers should be used outdoors, a safe distance from buildings and any other flammable materials. Some turkey fryers are designed for indoor use. If you use one of these, follow the manufacturer's directions carefully. Never use a fryer in a garage or on a wooden deck. Make sure fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping. Never leave the fryer unattended. If you do not watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire. The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture recommends you thaw a turkey 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. The Mississippi State Fire Marshal’s Office recommends, when using a propane fryer, using a hose at least 6 feet long to distance the propane tank from the fryers flame.

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB It was all the way back in 2013 that audiences were first introduced to the Four Horsemen of Magic – J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Jack Wilder (Dave Franco), and Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher). The quartet blurred the line between “magic tricks” and “heists,” in that they would make the money and valuables of rich evildoers disappear and then reappear in the hands of their audiences. The film spawned a 2016 sequel (called “Now You See Me 2,” which raised the question of why they didn’t use the obvious “Now You Don’t” subtitle for that movie) that did so poorly that I didn’t review or even see it. The franchise looked to be dead. But, as we know from the person-sawed-in-half trick, death is much less common in magic than its practitioners would have you believe. The new film promises a reunion of the Four Horsemen at a show in Brooklyn. They rip off a crooked crypto bro, but something’s off. The members use cheap special effects to “disappear” into the body of an audience member (Dominic Sessa), who does third-rate impressions of them while two friends in the crowd do the trickier stuff. Once the show is over, we learn that the Horsemen we saw were just holograms. Or at least the movie tells us they were holograms. My guess is that the movie used the real actors for the scenes that weren’t dominated by special effects. That’s a big problem with these movies – they can use shortcuts like editing and off-camera resources to deceive audiences. It robs the scenes of the splendor of stage magic, where the performers can’t rely on the luxury of movie magic. The show’s three magicians – Bosco (Sessa), June (Ariana Greenblatt), and Charlie (Justice Smith) have never even met the Four Horsemen… until Atlas shows up in their home. He’s mildly impressed by their chutzpah, but tells them that The Eye has a greater purpose for them. Remember The Eye? The magical organization pulling the strings on the heists? The one that turned out to be run by Mark Ruffalo’s Interpol agent in the first movie in a twist that stretched plausibility even for a series this goofy? Then again, the Horsemen themselves have already been impersonated in this movie, maybe someone is impersonating The Eye too. The rest of the movie is Horsemen both old and new on a globe-trotting adventure to take down dirty diamond dealer Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike). Based on the film’s advertising, it’s not much of a secret that the other three Horsemen will show up eventually, as well as enemy-turned ally Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman). They may even pull in another member. I don’t think they need the extra help against Vanderberg. She has an amateurish scheme to out-magic at least seven world-class magicians, one that involves the “leaving them to their slow demise without watching” trope that I can’t believe movies are still doing in 2025. I know I’m not supposed to spoil the endings of these movies, but all the suspenseful aspects of the film are little more than a countdown to her “probably” getting busted. I think it’s funny how I have so many complaints about “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” – the predictable story, the lame villain and lamer danger, and the reliance on special effects that any proper magician would surely denounce – and yet I recommend the film. The movie is saved for me based almost entirely on the charm of the cast, who have great banter and chemistry. Which is precisely why it’s a good idea to come out with a new movie now, nearly a decade after the last installment. Did this franchise “need” a third movie? No. But is it ever a bad time to give us a movie with this group of charismatic actors doing amusing magic? Also no. Grade: B- “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” is rated PG-13 for some language, violence, and suggestive references. Its running time is 113 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at  rrg251@nyu.edu .

Special to The Bolton News The Bolton community is gearing up for one of the sweetest events of the season: the Annual Bolton Cookie Swap, set for Monday, December 2, at 1:15 p.m. at the Annie T. Jeffers Library in Bolton, Mississippi. This beloved tradition invites residents of all ages to come together to celebrate the holiday season with delicious homemade cookies, friendly conversation, and the joy of giving and sharing. Participants are asked to bring one or two dozen of their finest homemade cookies, along with the recipes used to make them. The unique twist of this event is that it’s not just about tasting cookies; attendees will have the chance to swap their baked goods and their recipes with others, creating a fun, interactive experience that encourages creativity, culinary exchange, and community connection. The library will provide a warm, festive setting where guests can enjoy refreshments while mingling with neighbors, sharing baking tips, and discovering new favorite cookie recipes. Whether you are a seasoned baker, a casual cookie enthusiast, or simply looking to soak in the holiday spirit, the cookie swap offers something for everyone. This event is more than just a treat for the taste buds—it’s a celebration of local community, seasonal traditions, and the simple joy of sharing. Attendees are encouraged to come early, bring their cookies and recipes, and get ready to kick off the holiday season with laughter, conversation, and the sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies filling the library. It’s a perfect way for families, friends, and neighbors to connect, enjoy festive treats, and take home new recipes to try throughout the holidays. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of Bolton’s holiday tradition and make memories that will last long after the last cookie has been swapped. For those seeking more information or with questions about the event, Mrs. Alfenette Robinson can be reached by email at arobinson@jhlibrary.org  or by phone at (601) 866-4247.

By Bob Garver Poster Credit: IMDB “Predator” and I got off on the wrong foot. I’m not talking about the new movie, but rather the 1987 original, and by extension the whole franchise. I rented the film hoping to enjoy some action-movie interaction between two future governors: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura. Unfortunately, there was little to no interaction between the two, and Ventura’s character got picked off by the Predator earlier than I would have liked. I spent the rest of the movie sulking, and never really became a fan of the series. Flash forward to 2025. I wasn’t really looking forward to “Predator: Badlands” in and of itself, but after the dismal October we just had at the domestic box office, I’ll take a hit wherever I can get it. Which is probably why I liked the movie as much as I did. There’s not a lot for me here, but I needed to get excited about “something,” so the film’s greatest strength may be its good timing. The film follows Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), an aspiring young Predator (or “Yautja”) on the faraway planet of Yautja Prime. Dek desperately wants to go on a successful hunt to earn the approval of his father Njohrr (Reuben De Jong), as well as… living privileges, because Yautjas that don’t complete successful hunts are put to death. Njohrr wants relative runt Dek put down anyway, but he flees to the planet Genna, home to the most high-value trophy in the known universe, the Kalisk. He vows to not return without killing the Kalisk for himself. Dek doesn’t fare well on the hostile Genna, but an opportunity presents itself in the form of Thia (Elle Fanning), a synthetic human that had been part of a party trying to find and exploit the Kalisk for their corporate overlords (I won’t say which corporation, but it’s a big deal). The Kalisk overpowered Thia’s team, leaving her as the sole survivor, and she’s worse for wear, missing the entire lower half of her body. She and Dek make a deal: he’ll help her get her body back and help her reunite with her also-damaged “sister” Tessa (also Fanning) and she’ll help him take down the Kalisk. Dek and Thia start off as uneasy allies, but as they overcome obstacles together, their bond turns into friendship. All this despite Thia being half of a smart-alecky robot and Dek coming from a race that forbids emotions. Which presents kind of a huge problem for me, in that neither character is from a race that I feel is worth preserving. Thia is so artificial that there’s literally another of her, and even though we ultimately see that there’s some good in Dek, sorry, the universe would probably be better off without kill-obsessed Predators. I know I’m supposed to like “Predator: Badlands” because of the way the alien and the robot learn what it means to be human. Honestly, I was rolling my eyes at those parts. I like the movie because Thia’s jokes were hitting for me and I liked the action. The upside of all the characters being either robots or aliens is that the film can be as violent as it wants and still get a PG-13 rating as long as all the gore is in the form of either sparks or slime. “Predator: Badlands” is fine as an action movie for people who could use a half-decent action movie, but just as with Thia’s body, don’t expect it to be more than “half” decent. Grade: B- By the way, I later found another movie from 1987 with both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura. In this one, their characters do interact. They even go head-to-head with one another in a fight, where one presumably kills the other. That movie is called “The Running Man.” And wouldn’t you know it, there’s a new version of that property coming out on Friday. “Predator: Badlands” is rated PG-13 for sequences of strong sci-fi violence. Its running time is 107 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at  rrg251@nyu.edu .

Send responses to:  andybowman839@gmail.com     You received the phone call that buckles your knees. Or hear the police officer’s knock on the door. Or the doctor solemnly walks toward you in the hospital waiting room. And now you have just heard the worst news of your life. You’ve lost the most important person in your world. Or, maybe you opened the envelope that you assumed would be just another pay check, but found a pink slip. Or you meet with your physician to get the results of your testing, and it’s not good. It could be that you’ve just had to face the fact that your teenager is no longer your angelic cherub from childhood, and will likely be facing years in prison. So much heartbreak in our world. And way too many of us are going to receive a notification today that will break our hearts and stun our minds to the point of basically nonfunctioning. Until we can pull ourselves back together, somehow. What do you do now? What are the next steps that you take, after your world has suddenly collided with brutal reality? Lean. If you have any belief that God is a real Being. If you realize that He truly does care, and that He wants to help you with the trauma in this life, then lean on your faith. God never promised that His people wouldn’t hurt, because pain is part of living on earth for the believer, or the non-believer. But He did promise believers that He would never leave us, and He would help us when pain comes. Don’t try to be pious. Don’t be so determined to be ‘leaning on my God’ that you deeply bury that emotional wound. Determinedly smiling and showing the world a strong face doesn’t really help you. Buried wounds don’t heal very well. They can end up in anger and bitterness. Grieve openly. In your own way and for as long as you need. Grieving is natural. Let yourself experience the pain as it comes and goes in your life. So that it can eventually go. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck. Sometimes people can find themselves stuck in a certain part of healing – or nonhealing. Seek out people who will listen but will also encourage you to walk forward. Don’t allow yourself to isolate.  Dealing with this kind of pain is worse when you do it all alone. Be open to allowing others into your world of pain. Wait to make any major decisions until you are certain that you are functioning clearly. Grief and pain can cloud your ability to think things through to make good solid choices for your life. You certainly don’t want to make life altering decisions based on thoughts and emotions that are still raw. What I am saying is basically this: Give yourself time. Time to grieve, time to hurt, time to begin to heal.

Special to The Bolton News Bolton-Edwards Elementary/Middle School will welcome parents and guardians to its upcoming Parent-Teacher Conference on Wednesday, November 12, from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. This annual event is an important opportunity for families to connect with teachers, celebrate student achievements, and gain a deeper understanding of each child’s progress. During the conference, parents can meet with teachers across all grade levels to discuss academic performance, classroom participation, and overall development. Detailed progress reports will be available, allowing families to see both strengths and areas where students may need additional support. Teachers will provide guidance on effective study habits, time management skills, and strategies for success in both core subjects and elective courses. Families are encouraged to ask questions about assignments, upcoming projects, and classroom expectations, ensuring that students receive consistent support at school and at home. Beyond academics, the conference offers a chance to discuss social and emotional growth, involvement in extracurricular activities, and preparation for future milestones. Teachers will share insights into each student’s unique talents and learning style, helping parents develop practical ways to encourage curiosity, resilience, and a love of learning. For many families, this interaction strengthens the vital partnership between home and school, reinforcing the shared goal of fostering student achievement. Participation in the Parent-Teacher Conference has been shown to enhance student confidence, motivation, and academic outcomes. Whether celebrating successes, addressing challenges, or planning for the months ahead, families who attend gain a clearer perspective on their child’s educational journey. Parents and guardians seeking more information or wishing to arrange specific meeting times are encouraged to contact the BEEMS office at 601-866-2522. Bolton-Edwards Elementary/Middle School looks forward to welcoming every family and working together to ensure every student reaches their full potential.

Ginger Robbins, VP, Workforce Development Dr. Courtney Taylor, Executive Director, AccelerateMS   and Governmental Affairs, Hinds CC   AccelerateMS, Mississippi’s lead office for workforce development strategy and coordination, and Hinds Community College, on Friday, established a strategic partnership designed to set a new statewide standard for how Mississippi supports new, expanding, and existing industries. The announcement, held at the Hinds Community College Jackson Campus, was attended by local and state leaders, workforce and education professionals, and representatives from key Mississippi industries. The collaboration focuses on addressing critical workforce shortages in the construction and industrial trades — professions essential to building the infrastructure powering Mississippi’s regional and statewide growth. Through the agreement, the two organizations will jointly develop and deliver high-quality, industry-aligned training opportunities that prepare Mississippians for priority occupations identified by the State Workforce Investment Board, AccelerateMS and employer partners. “This partnership is setting the tone for how we do workforce development in Mississippi,” said Courtney Taylor, executive director of AccelerateMS. “We’re not just responding to industry demand — we’re anticipating it. By aligning resources and focusing on what truly matters to our state’s economy, we’re building the human capital infrastructure Mississippi needs to grow. The collaboration with Hinds ensures we’re filling gaps, not duplicating efforts, and that we’re ready to meet the needs of the industries driving our future.”   Under the agreement, AccelerateMS will provide labor market intelligence, recruitment support and employer engagement to ensure programs align with current and future industry needs. Hinds Community College will serve as the region’s primary educational and training partner, providing instruction, credentialing support and performance tracking for new and expanded programs. The partnership’s initial focus areas include plumbing, pipefitting, HVAC and electrical work, with an emphasis on short-term, customized and incumbent worker training. “This partnership will not only enhance personal economic mobility but also strengthen the local workforce, attract industry investment and contribute to regional economic growth,” said Hinds President Dr. Stephen Vacik. “By better aligning education with labor market needs, the College moves toward realizing our vision – to be a catalyst in creating a competitive economy and compelling culture for Mississippi.” Together, AccelerateMS and Hinds are demonstrating what coordinated, efficient and data-driven workforce development looks like in practice — one that reduces duplication, fills critical gaps and maximizes the return on public investment. “This partnership exemplifies how we want to do business across the state,” Taylor said. “When we combine the state’s workforce strategy engine with proven delivery partners, Mississippi becomes a model for how talent and industry grow together.”   About AccelerateMS AccelerateMS serves the people and businesses of Mississippi by developing and deploying workforce strategies to connect individuals with transformative, high-paying careers. By leveraging resources and partnering with organizations that share complementary missions, AccelerateMS creates sustained individual, community and statewide economic prosperity.   About Hinds Community College With six campuses in central Mississippi, Hinds Community College is a comprehensive institution offering quality, affordable educational opportunities through academic programs that lead to seamless u niversity transfer and career and technical programs teaching job-ready skills.

Special to The Bolton News It may be time to donate that ’84 Mustang that has been sitting in the driveway for ten years. Many properties have vehicles collecting dust in the front yard, but donating these vehicles can make a positive difference. Mercy House Adult and Teen Challenge (MHATC), headquartered in Georgetown, gladly accepts old, rundown vehicles through its Vehicle Donation Program (VDP).   With holidays approaching, it is the season to be thankful and give back. How do vehicle donations help? MHATC repairs and resells each donated vehicle, which then helps fund the ministry.   Many people think donating used vehicles can be a hassle, but donating through the Mercy House Vehicle Donation Program is easy. The organization offers free pickups for all donations, and each donor can receive a tax deduction of at least $500. After a quick phone call or online form, Mercy House contacts potential donors within 48 hours to arrange pick-up. From there, their team evaluates and restores each vehicle to help fund the organization’s recovery initiatives.   MHATC accepts almost any vehicle, including trucks, sedans, motorcycles, four-wheelers, and boats. While donors do not receive payment for donating their vehicles, every contribution directly supports the men striving to rebuild their lives through MHATC’s addiction recovery program.   MHATC’s residential program works to rehabilitate men struggling with addiction to ultimately reunite them with their families. This organization can potentially “restore (more) broken families one man at a time” through its faith-based recovery program. MHATC needs the community to pitch in and donate old vehicles to help more Mississippians battling addiction. The ministry that would later become Adult and Teen Challenge was founded in 1960 by David Wilkerson, an Assemblies of God pastor who left a rural Pennsylvania church to work on the street among teenage gang members and socially marginalized people in New York City. Wilkerson is also known for authoring “The Cross and the Switchblade” and founding Times Square Church. Teen Challenge started its first residential program in December 1960, in a house in Brooklyn.   MHATC of Georgetown saw Mississippi’s great need and kick-started the program. The 14-month residential program provides men with effective and comprehensive faith-based solutions to life-controlling drug and alcohol problems so they can re-assimilate into society. By applying biblical principles, the organization helps people become mentally sound, emotionally balanced, socially adjusted, physically healthy, and spiritually alive. MHATC property in Georgetown Mississippi  has experienced a dramatic surge in drug-related fatalities, with overdose deaths increasing by 127% from 2012 to 2023, reaching 702 deaths annually. The state faces a severe opioid crisis driven primarily by fentanyl, which caused 280 deaths in 2021, representing an 18% increase from the previous year.   The latest statistics on addiction in women show that, while men still have higher overall rates of substance use disorder, the gender gap is narrowing. Key trends include a growing need for treatment among pregnant and postpartum women, a faster progression from use to addiction, and higher rates of prescription drug misuse compared to men.    Despite the high need, Mississippi faces challenges with treatment availability. Many people needing treatment cannot receive it due to long waiting lists and low facility vacancies. This spurred Mercy House Adult and Teen Challenge in Mississippi to take action and do something to help.   Currently, the organization is seeking to grow its addiction-recovery program to include women, an expansion that vehicle donations can help make possible. This new addition will be named Sacred Grove Women’s Program, and they plan to open their doors in January 2026 in Hinds County, MS.  The organization is doing everything possible to fund this expansion, including an annual golf tournament, operating two thrift stores ( SuperThrift Pearl  and SuperThrift Byram ), selling custom-made crosses and signs called Products with a Purpose,  and an annual donor dinner.      “From the development of a new women’s facility to upcoming adventures for the men’s program, there’s so much in motion—and we’re thrilled to share it with you…” says MHATC’s Executive Director, Matt Milliman. “Every donated vehicle represents more than just a tax break or an empty space in your yard. It’s a step toward restoring families and giving people a second chance.”   With Thanksgiving approaching, there has never been a better time to show gratitude than by helping others in need. Mercy House will gladly remove each abandoned vehicle, repair it, resell it, and provide donors with a tax deduction. Mercy House can restore broken family one man at a time through one vehicle donation at a time. Make a difference today and donate.   For more information or to schedule a vehicle donation, visit vehicledonationms.com  or call 601-572-7296. Follow the organization or any of its programs on Facebook. “I had a 1997 Oldsmobile clunker that was broken down, just rusting in my driveway for years. I heard about Mercy House’s VPD program back in 2022 and thought it was a great idea to donate there as a win-win. I could donate it to a great cause while getting it out of my yard. Problem solved while feeling like I could help out in some way,” said Jennifer Burns of Sturgis, MS. “I chose to donate because I believe in the mission of Mercy House. Several family members have struggled with various addictions, and I wanted to support those taking the next steps in battling addictions by supporting Mercy House.”

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB How is it that Halloween of 2025 couldn’t give us a better horror movie than “Black Phone 2”? It’s not that I’m shocked that a Halloween horror movie is a disappointment. I’m just shocked that we got such a disappointing movie this year. 2025 has been such a banner year for horror thus far. “Sinners,” “Weapons,” “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” and “The Conjuring: Last Rites” were all blockbusters. There’s serious Oscar talk around those first two films, the latter two are the best box office performers of their respective franchises. We should have gotten a film that could stand alongside those giants for Halloween. Instead, we got “Black Phone 2,” a movie that has barely scrounged up an estimated $60 million at the domestic box office in its three weekends of release. With Halloween over, the film is not only highly unlikely to wind up a blockbuster, it’s highly unlikely to make more than its 2022 predecessor. It might even fall short of preventing already-notorious flop “Tron: Ares” from being the biggest release of October 2025. That covers the commercial disappointment. Creatively, the film has its defenders (it currently has a “Certified Fresh” 72% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), but I personally found it to be similarly disappointing. The film takes place in 1982, four years after the original, where teenager Finney Blake (Mason Thames) managed to overcome and kill serial child murderer The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) by talking to the villain’s past victims with the help of the mysterious Black Phone. Now Finney and his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) are trying to move on with their lives, despite him not being able to overcome his trauma and her unable to stop having violent psychic visions. She thinks they need to go on a mission of some kind at the behest of their late mother. The kids’ journey takes them to a snowed-in Christian youth camp that their mother attended 25 years ago. Gwen’s visions start to intensify and she has increasingly severe nightmares and sleepwalking episodes. Also, despite the camp’s director (Demián Bechir) insisting that it is inoperative, Finney starts getting calls on the camp’s (Black) pay Phone. Some of the calls are from scared children that Finney has never met, though whom Gwen has seen in her dreams. But one call is from The Grabber. Somehow he can still make things happen from beyond the grave. And one of the things he wants to make happen is revenge. Early stages of the film show promise. We don’t know exactly what tools the dead Grabber has at his disposal, so we don’t know how he can affect the characters and the world around them. He could do something shocking. But as the film goes along and he shows his hand more and more, he gets less and less scary. By the end, he’s basically a less-smart Freddy Krueger, and the film has taken on the unfunny slapstick of a late-stage “Nightmare on Elm Street” sequel. Speaking of sequels with diminishing returns, “Black Phone 2” is guilty of running several halfway decent ideas into the ground. Gwen had a memorably-profane outburst in the first movie, this one has her go on about a half-dozen over-rehearsed vulgar tirades. The first movie was good at heartfelt inter-family dialogue, this movie gets so wordy that it feels about twenty minutes too long. Most overdone is the trope of showing grainy footage of murder victims in happier times, followed by “horrific” footage. This is because director Scott Derrickson employed the same trick in his two “Sinister” movies before he made “The Black Phone,” so I’ve had to put up with this device for four movies now instead of two, and Derrickson isn’t upping his game. “Black Phone 2” has had its Halloween heyday, and there’s no point in seeing it now, without the kind of big responsive horror crowd that this movie desperately needs for it to even approach being fun. Grade: C- “Black Phone 2” is rated R for strong violent content, gore, teen drug use, and language. Its running time is 114 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at  rrg251@nyu.edu .

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Have you ever tried to help someone who doesn’t actually want help? Oh, they tell you they do. They call and beg for you to give them answers to their problems. But when you stop your busy life, put your thinking cap on, get creative and give them answers, suddenly you run into excuses, reasons and downright refusals. All couched in terms like, “Oh, good grief, no!” Or, “No, I can’t do that because…” Or likely the tried and true, “You don’t understand, that won’t work because of_________” (insert whatever.) And as long as you play kamikaze and keep putting yourself out there on this suicide mission, you are going to hear this theme of self-centered negativity played out in your ears for as long as you are willing to listen. It doesn’t matter if you approach their problem from any direction - emotional, physical, or psychological. And it also doesn’t matter if your answers make excellent sense. That beloved stuck relative or friend will let you know that your solutions will not help. They won’t have to think for a while about what you have suggested. Their “No way” will be immediate, and followed by a litany of reasons and excuses that make perfect sense to them. And before long, you can find yourself frustrated and longing to find a cement floor to pound into powder and then eat that powder. Learn this before you find yourself drowning in a pool of their “But, but, buts.” THEY DO NOT TRULY WANT YOUR GOOD SOLUTIONS. They are drowning in another pool. A deep dark pool of rebellion and anger against whomever and whatever has put them in their situation. And nothing that you suggest - and I mean nothing - is going to satisfy them or be a good answer for their dilemma. The only thing they will warmly accept is for their life to rewind and become what they are wanting. To recover what they have lost. You are wasting your breath if you try to convince them there truly are answers for those problems which prompted them to call you and beg for your help. Help that down deep inside, they do not want. They only want life to return to what they had. Before they lost. Giving real answers to help them? Very likely, most of us are not trained counselors or a licensed psychologist, so I sincerely doubt you can. You can love them, be extremely patient and understanding with them, pray for them, and walk with them through their valley. But don’t be surprised if that valley is long and dark, while they finally learn to accept what has happened in their life. Patiently wait for them until they take a deep breath, lift their head, accept their new situation and walk on. Then and only then will your suggestions, your pleading, and your answers begin to make sense to the one who is stuck in that pit of negativity.