By: L.A. Warren, UMMC Communications Nurse practitioner Barbara Herring talks with patient Fershurn Stanford of Canton at the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute's high-risk breast cancer clinic. The University of Mississippi Medical Center has earned the No. 2 ranking on Forbes' 2026 list of America's Best Employers for Healthcare Professionals, placing Mississippi's only academic medical center among the nation's most highly regarded health care workplaces. UMMC finished second only to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and ahead of hundreds of health care organizations considered for the annual ranking. For Medical Center leaders, the recognition reflects something that can be difficult to capture in numbers because the workforce is united by a sense of purpose in a state where the need for skilled health professionals is particularly great. Dr. LouAnn Woodward "We often say that our most valuable resource is our dedicated workforce, and that is proven daily," said Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs. "We routinely receive feedback from patients and families who report having a positive UMMC experience that paired compassionate care with a successful outcome. That's the winning combination and is only possible if we are thoughtful about recruiting and retaining high-quality physicians and care teams." That connection between employees and mission carries particular significance in Mississippi, which continues to face substantial challenges in health outcomes and access to care. Specialized care is on display as Dr. Omar Chohan, associate professor of neurosurgery, implants a neurostimulator device in patient James Canfield in 2025. As the state's only academic medical center, UMMC occupies a unique place in addressing those challenges. Its three-part mission combines patient care, health professions education and research, while its specialized services include Mississippi's only Level I trauma center, Level IV neonatal intensive care unit and organ transplant programs. Leaders say the recognition also highlights the importance of creating an environment in which health professionals are supported as they care for others. UMMC employees have access to a range of benefits and professional opportunities, including health benefits, a state-sponsored retirement program, scholarships and leadership development. Dr. Alan Jones Dr. Alan Jones, associate vice chancellor for health affairs, said investing in the people who deliver care ultimately strengthens UMMC's ability to fulfill its mission. "A quality and engaged workforce that is willing to do whatever it takes to care for their patients is paramount to reach our goal to improve the health and well-being of all Mississippians," Jones said. "As the only academic medical center and safety net hospital in Mississippi, which is known for its many challenges, we have a hard and critically important job ahead of us. A quality and engaged workforce that is willing to do whatever it takes to care for their patients is paramount to reach our goal to improve the health and well-being of all Mississippians." The Forbes recognition is especially noteworthy because employee opinions played a central role in determining the rankings. Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to survey more than 30,000 employees of U.S. health care and social services organizations with at least 1,000 workers. Participants were asked whether they would recommend their employer and evaluated their workplaces on factors including wages, working conditions and schedules, career advancement opportunities and safety. Respondents also assessed former employers and other health care organizations they knew through professional or personal experience. Trey Wheeler, left, meets with Dr. Marc Walker at a follow-up appointment following surgery in March. The results were combined with employer-survey data from the previous three years, weighted less heavily, to determine the 250 organizations included on the final list. The Top 5 rankings: 1. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis 2. UMMC 3. St. Luke's University Health Network in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 4. Houston Methodist in Houston 5. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta "We're a patient-first organization and all the leaders speak the same language and align very closely with the teams that roll up to them," said Dr. Lisa Didion, associate vice chancellor for clinical affairs. "Leaders here are visible and present and engaged with the frontline regularly." Dr. Lisa Didion That means the work performed by employees throughout the Medical Center – from physicians, nurses and other health professionals to researchers, educators and support staff – can have an impact far beyond the walls of a hospital or clinic. Didion said employee engagement surveys have shown a workforce that understands that connection. UMMC is home to an "activated group" of employees who find their work meaningful, she said. "That runs deep here," Didion said. "It makes a big difference." UMMC is one of Mississippi's largest employers and encompasses six health science schools, hospitals and clinics in the Jackson metropolitan area and community hospitals in Greenwood, Grenada, Lexington and Madison. Its statewide reach also includes specialty and outreach services. For Didion, UMMC's commitment begins with a straightforward principle: No matter an employee's role or level of seniority, everyone has a stake in taking care of patients.

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Forgiveness given to someone who treated you badly is necessary to get over the hurt. Your forgiveness doesn’t do a thing for their emotional health, but it frees you from the prison you are living in. Drinking alcohol is not a necessity for a happy life. Contrary to popular belief, you can learn to handle your anger, anxiety, celebrations, fears, or stress level, without the numbing effect of it. Parents, it really is your responsibility to discipline your children. It is not your neighborhood, or the country’s job. Those kids were given to you, and you are the responsible one, whether you are good or bad at it. Better learn to get good at it. Exercise is a must. Right now, you may be only able to wiggle your fingers daily, but a body needs exercise. God is real and really does allow non-repentant unbelievers to go to a real Hell when they die. Notice the use of the word, “allow.” God doesn’t send you, but He will allow you to make that choice. Police officers are doing their job when they ticket you for ignoring traffic laws. No, they are not targeting you specifically – unless you are consistently breaking traffic laws in their jurisdiction. Then, you are definitely asking for their attention. God really does discipline you for your decisions that go directly against the Bible. Your human rationalizing doesn’t fly with Him. He is consistent. Every time. And if you decide to make bad decisions that He has warned you about, you will be disciplined. When you become an adult, the weak parenting you received in childhood can no longer be blamed for your bad decisions in life. You somehow believe that your parents, or lack of parents, can be forever blamed for your actions as an adult? Better start doing some fast growing up, because that life choice gets you nowhere good. Sex does not make or break a marriage. Sex is not the answer to a successful marriage. Communication when things get sticky and complicated – that is the true answer to having a long and successful run, from the altar all the way to the death of one of the mates. You are not always right. Nor are you always the one in the wrong. Face it, you are human. And you do make mistakes. But so does that other human in your life. Better learn to communicate honestly with that other human. Sure, I am aware that there are many other truths that people don’t appreciate. But these are ten misconceptions that make a huge impact on so many lives. And because those people resent and disagree with these truths, they usually ‘just keep on, keeping on.’ And then they wonder why life can get so difficult at times.

By Raymond Barranco, MSU Professor of Sociology There are two things that most of us struggle to say (no, I’m not talking about “Irish wristwatch” and “rural juror”): “I’m sorry” and “You were right.” Those words are difficult no matter the relationship – between spouses, parents and children, coworkers, friends, or teachers and students. Why? Because saying them requires us to admit something we would rather not: that we made a mistake. Most of us don’t enjoy admitting we’re wrong. Maybe we’re afraid it will be used against us later. Maybe we worry it will make us look less competent. Maybe we simply don’t like the feeling of losing face. Whatever the reason, those small admissions can be surprisingly difficult. And if admitting we’re wrong about something small is difficult, imagine what happens when the disagreement involves something much bigger – our politics, our religion, the way we’ve raised our children, or beliefs we’ve held for decades. Those aren’t just opinions. They’re often part of our identity. Changing our minds in those situations doesn’t simply require admitting we were mistaken. It can feel like admitting that part of who we are was mistaken. I think many of us forget this when we disagree with one another. We assume that if we can simply prove ourselves right, other people will recognize the evidence, admit they were wrong, and change their minds. But that’s rarely how people change. Being right matters. Facts matter. Evidence matters. But being right and changing someone’s mind are not the same thing. Imagine someone who insists on giving directions from memory instead of using GPS. You follow their directions, get hopelessly lost, and mention it the next time you see them. You could say, “You gave me bad directions. You should have just used GPS.” You might even be right. But what happens next? Most people don’t respond by saying, “You’re absolutely right. I’ll never do that again.” Instead, they explain. They defend themselves. They remember the one time GPS took them the wrong way. The conversation becomes less about finding the best route and more about defending the old one. Now imagine a different conversation. “I got turned around, but no big deal. I pulled up GPS and found it. I actually leave it on even when I think I know where I’m going. It’s saved me more than once.” You never told them they were wrong. You simply gave them another way to think about the problem. The next time they drive somewhere unfamiliar, they may quietly turn on GPS themselves. If they do, they’ve changed their behavior – but they arrived there on their own. That difference matters. Good parents understand it. Their goal isn’t to win arguments with their children. It’s to help them become adults who can make good decisions without them. Good teachers understand it too. Simply telling students the answer isn’t the same as teaching them how to think. The best lessons are often the ones students feel like they discovered for themselves. The same is true in marriages, friendships, workplaces, and public life. We spend enormous amounts of energy trying to convince people that they’re wrong. Perhaps we’d accomplish more by helping them discover what’s right. That’s the strange thing about changing minds. People rarely enjoy having their minds changed. But they often enjoy changing their own minds. Real change almost never comes from being pushed. It comes from choosing. If our goal is simply to be right, proving someone wrong may be enough. But if our goal is to change minds, our job isn’t to drag people to the answer. It’s to help them find it themselves.

By Kara Kimbrough Fall’s finally here and football season is in full swing. The tantalizing aroma of wings, dogs and burgers grilling in the late afternoon sun is almost sweeter than your favorite team’s victory. Colorful tables filled with sausage balls, pulled pork sandwiches, pigs in blankets, football-shaped cheese balls, dips of every description and sugar cookies iced in team-colors are surrounded by fans who enjoy dining outdoors under a tent almost as much as entering the stadium to watch the game. It doesn’t matter if you’ll enjoy fall football action on a high school or college campus or in front on the TV in your recliner, it helps to have new recipes and tailgating ideas in your play book. At last week’s Ole Miss-LSU matchup in Oxford, a group of “mostly Simpson County” Rebel fans created a standout tent named “Tailgater of the Day," an honor announced on the Jumbotron in the midst of the game. I was more interested in their menu, which included a feast of chicken strips, smoked and fried wings, pulled pork, chili cheese dogs, sandwiches, Rebel corn dip, cowboy caviar and decorated cookies was served. Rebel corn dip sounded interesting, so I quickly retrieved the recipe. If you’d like to receive it, drop me an email and I’ll send it to me. Tip: If you’re not an Ole Miss fan, simply change the name to reflect your school loyalty. I did a little research and found the top five tailgate recipes American consistently search for on Google. They include wings, burgers and sliders, finger foods like pigs in blankets and nachos, chili and dips. I approve of this list, especially the last item. I’m a firm believer in the value of a lineup of flavorful dips on every tailgate table. In no particular order, here are a few of my favorites: Two-Ingredient Salsa…it simply doesn’t get any easier…or tastier. Friends are shocked when I tell them it’s as easy as letting an eight-ounce bar of cream cheese soften for a few hours, then mixing it with a 15.5-ounce jar of medium-heat salsa. I use a food processor or hand mixer to ensure a smooth consistency, but you can stir it together by hand if time is short. If you simply must make it a little fancier, chop a small Roma tomato and sprinkle on top or a handful of chopped black olives. As an alum, I primarily tailgate at Southern Miss. We’re close to the Gulf Coast, so shrimp prepared a myriad of ways, including in savory dips, is prevalent on Game Day. Location aside, a good shrimp dip translates well on every campus. Out of a dozen recipes, one of my favorites doubles as a dip for crackers or chips and as a sandwich spread on crusty French bread. To make Easy Shrimp Dip, beat eight ounces of cream cheese with a quarter cup of mayonnaise, along with two tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir in a tablespoon of cocktail sauce (more to taste) or hot sauce if you prefer a spicier dish. Gently stir in three-fourths of a pound of small shrimp that have been cooked, shelled and finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Top with chopped green onions (optional). Serve cold with chips, crackers or vegetable slices. Looking for a lighter dip? Healthy Spinach Yogurt Dip fits the bill. Squeeze the water from a 10-ounce package of thawed frozen spinach and combine with two cups of light sour cream, a cup each of reduced-fat mayonnaise and plain yogurt, small package of Knorr’s Vegetable Recipe Mix and a sprinkle each of fresh dill and seasoning salt. Cover, chill and serve with savory crackers. Cataloochee Ranch Trout Dip, a creation of Sous Chef Jeff Bankes at the property’s amazing Switchback restaurant in Maggie Valley, NC, is hands down, the most delicious dip I’ve ever tasted. Drop me an email and I’ll send you the recipe. (Photo by Kara Kimbrough) Last, the recipe is a little lengthy, so if you’d like the recipe for one of the best dips I’ve ever tasted – Cataloochee Ranch Trout Dip – a delicious concoction served at Switchback, the signature restaurant of the amazing property in Maggie Valley, NC – drop me an email and I’ll send it your way. The base of Crème Fraiche and other seasonings is so amazing that switching out smoked trout for another more readily available seafood item won’t substantially alter the taste. So…peruse your recipes, pick a flavor (or two) and start dipping…and above all, enjoy football season while it’s here because like our fleeting fall, it won’t last long. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

The wide-ranging program for the 83rd National Folk Festival’s Mississippi Folklife Area & Stage was announced today at a press conference inside the House Chamber at the Old Capitol Museum. This is the event’s second year of a three-year residency, scheduled to take place November 13-15, 2026, in Downtown Jackson. On hand for today’s announcement were Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) Executive Director David Lewis, and Director of the Two Mississippi Museums Michael Morris. Also participating were Shaquita Chapman, Community Engagement & Strategic Communications Coordinator, National Folk Festival; and Blaine Waide, Executive Director, National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA). To provide a preview of the rich and varied program that will be on offer in November, three participants in this year’s program were also featured at the press conference: Rising Stars Fife & Drum, keepers of a singular African American fife and drum legacy; quilters from Mississippi Cultural Crossroads; and Geno Lee with the Big Apple Inn.” The Mississippi Folklife Area & Stage is a special component of the National Folk Festival, celebrating and showcasing the traditions held deeply in the state's diverse communities. With a different theme each year, the Folklife Area shines a spotlight on the distinctive music, rituals, crafts, occupations, foodways, and other traditions at the heart of Mississippi's cultural heritage, expressing both the state’s deep history and its evolving character. From the Gulf Coast to the Delta and the Prairie to the Hill Country, this area presents the best traditional musicians, artisans, and foods in Mississippi, in curated programs that celebrate the state’s rich, varied, and unique culture. Performances, demonstrations, displays, exhibits, and narrative presentations explore a wide range of topics, including the traditions of its Native peoples, the cultural legacies of families who have called the state home for generations, and the expressions of the newest Mississippi residents whose cultural roots are in far-flung places around the globe. Mississippi Flavor: At the Crossroads of the American Story For 250 years, Mississippi culture has flowed continually outward to shape the nation. The state's folk traditions speak to the heart of America, particularly when it comes to food and music. From church hymns to juke joints, and kitchen tables to gameday tailgates, Mississippi's traditions are meant to be shared and continually remade. Mississippi Flavor: At the Crossroads of the American Story, a special program curated by the Mississippi Arts Commission, honors the state's contributions to the nation's artistic and cultural excellence. It celebrates artists, musicians, cooks, friends, and families who carry the past forward and communities where creativity is a shared act. Here, traditions remind us that Mississippi's cultural soul does not simply belong to one state but enriches the entire nation. “America’s rich palette and sounds are rooted right here in Mississippi,” said David Lewis, executive director of the Mississippi Arts Commission. “With southern soul and a side of comeback sauce, we continue our celebration of America’s 250th with a focus on the music and flavors Mississippi has cultivated for generations. We can’t wait for everyone to experience what Mississippi has brought to the table this year.” "The Folklife Area is always a vital part of the National Folk Festival experience, but that’s especially true this year, " said NCTA Executive Director Blaine Waide. "Mississippi Flavor is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reflect on the state’s contributions, not just as the ‘birthplace of America’s music,’ but as the source of so much of our nation’s artistic and cultural legacy.” Mississippi Flavor: At the Crossroads of the American Story will feature: Alan Sibley & the Magnolia Ramblers of Ackerman, combining classic bluegrass standards, original gospel sounds, and classic instrumental licks in a style that harkens back to the music’s founding generation. Annie & the Caldwells of West Point, blending fiery gospel sounds with the slow-burn groove of soul, making this family band a longtime favorite on the gospel circuit in Mississippi’s Golden Triangle, and of late, across the world Big Apple Inn of Jackson, a community staple for nearly 80 years, serving up classic southern soul food like their famous pig ear sandwiches. Cedric Burnside of Holly Springs, an innovator and torch bearer for the spellbinding Hill Country blues tradition, bridging the music’s legacy and future, transmitting deeply held blues stories in a fresh, contemporary voice. Chimneyville Weavers & Spinners Guild of Jackson, sharing the time-honored practice of creating textiles by hand using tools that predate modern technology. Eddie Cotton, Jr. of Clinton, a master of soul blues moving audiences, body and spirit, with blistering guitar work, stirring vocals, and a hard-driving style rooted in the church of his youth. Eden Brent of Greenville, a blues pianist, vocalist, songwriter, and educator carrying forward the rich sounds of Mississippi Delta blues and boogie-woogie piano. Edna Nicole & Rev. Slim of Clarksdale, performing their mix of Delta blues, gospel, soul, and funk that draws inspiration from the community and people around them. Hollywood Luck of Jackson, a hip hop artist, producer, and songwriter, celebrating the creativity and energy of southern hip hop. Jarita Frazier-King of Natchez, sharing her signature twist on traditional southern soul food and Creole classics. Jemero Carter & Kingdomology of Oxford, playing a compelling mix of traditional, contemporary, and trap gospel—creating music that celebrates the continuing evolution of a signature southern sound. The Church of the Living God, “Home of the Sacred Steel Players,” of Tupelo, offering a rare opportunity to experience the distinctive sacred steel musical tradition of the Church of the Living God, Jewell Dominion. Lady Trucker of Holly Springs, a cousin of Jessie Mae Hemphill, performing the blues and gospel of her roots, celebrating the rich musical traditions of North Mississippi’s Hill Country. Las Delicias of Leland, demonstrating their award-winning version of a distinctive Mississippi staple, Delta tamales. Leda & Annie Issac of Choctaw, sharing their knowledge of traditional Choctaw culinary traditions that have been practiced in Mississippi for millennia. Los Preeminentes of Greenwood, a family band that has transported Northern Mexico’s classic norteño sounds to the Delta. Melony Armstrong of Tupelo, showcasing her skills as an expert hairbraider and sharing her craft with festivalgoers of all ages. Mississippi Cultural Crossroads of Port Gibson, sharing the rich quilting traditions of the region, including string quilts and their newest collaborative quilt celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum of Cleveland, showcasing the rich and vibrant customs brought to the Delta by Chinese immigrants, from grocery stores to wok demonstrations, chopstick tutorials, and mahjong.Palmer Robbins of Jackson, demonstrating traditional blacksmithing techniques. Peter Sherman of Natchez, a bowl hewer, showcasing a form of woodworking using an adze, a seldom-seen, historic woodworking tool. Rising Stars Fife & Drum of Coldwater, infusing the centuries-old African American fife and drum tradition with a new energy and youthful spirit, keeping the flame of her grandfather Otha Turner’s legacy. Shane Sekul of Ocean Springs, demonstrating boatbuilding and boat restoration by sharing the time-honored skills that serve Mississippi boatbuilders of past and present. Southern Boyz Grabbling of Olive Branch, sharing the uniquely southern practice of catfish grabbling, also known as noodling. Bringing the tailgating traditions of a Saturday college gameday to the festival, with tailgaters from Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, the University of Southern Mississippi, and the University of Mississippi. More artists may be added at a later date. Several of these artists, along with others who have been previously announced, will also participate in pop-up street performances, providing festivalgoers a unique way to interact and engage with festival performers. Schedule and festival site details, including performance times, will be announced in the fall. Approximately 300 artists—musicians, dancers, storytellers, and craftspeople—will take part in the National Folk Festival, with more than 30 different musical groups performing on as many as six outdoor performance venues throughout Downtown Jackson. Over 15 people of different backgrounds—and with a deep knowledge of music and art forms—came together from across Mississippi to serve as the local Festival Programming Advisory Committee. This committee’s role is to consider—and help the NCTA select—the artists who will perform at the National Folk Festival each year. This year marks the second year of the festival’s three-year residency in Jackson, Mississippi, and will prominently feature National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship recipients, our nation’s highest honor for the traditional arts, in a special program celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. The 83rd National Folk Festival is also participating this year in Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals, a series of programs and exchanges marking the U.S. Semiquincentennial and showcasing the country’s remarkable cultural landscape. To learn more about these artists and their stories, please visit nationalfolkfestival.com/artists. The National Folk Festival will feature individual artists on its Facebook page (facebook.com/NFFJackson) and Instagram (instagram.com/NFFJackson) throughout the summer. The 83rd National Folk Festival will prominently feature National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship recipients, our nation’s highest honor for the traditional arts, in a special program celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. The festival is also participating in Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals, a series of programs and exchanges marking the U.S. Semiquincentennial and showcasing the country’s remarkable cultural landscape. The National Folk Festival is a partnership of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the City of Jackson, Jackson Redevelopment Authority, Visit Jackson, Downtown Jackson Partners, the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Mississippi Humanities Council, Visit Mississippi, the Community Foundation for Mississippi, and the National Park Service. The festival is FREE to the public. The 83rd National Folk Festival, presented by Ergon / Alliant, is also sponsored by Amazon, AT&T, Atmos, BankPlus, Barbour Hurst, Capital Area Tourism Association, Cathead Distillery, City of Flowood, Clarion Ledger / LocalIQ, Comcast, C Spire, Entergy, Explore Louisiana, Explore Ridgeland, Fertile Ground, the Foundation for Mississippi History, Hal & Mal’s, Hinds County Economic Development Authority, Hope Credit Union, Huntington Bank, iHeart Radio, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, Kellogg Foundation, Levitt Foundation, the MAX, Mississippi Public Broadcasting, the Mellon Foundation, Morgan Stanley, Neel-Schaffer, Nissan Foundation, Phil Hardin Foundation, Regions Bank, Renasant Bank, South Arts, Southern Beverage, StateStreet Group, Trustmark Bank, Visit Vicksburg, VitalCore Health Strategies, Volunteer Mississippi, Westin Jackson, Where Y’At Magazine, and WJTV. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. This project received funding from the Smithsonian’s “Our Shared Future: 250,” a Smithsonian-wide initiative supported by private philanthropy and created to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and advance the Smithsonian vision for the next 250 years. For festival media inquiries, please contact Allison Ford, allison@ivpr.com, or Sydney Griffin, sydney@ivpr.com.

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB Apparently I blinked and the 1998 chick flick “Practical Magic” developed a huge cult following. The film, about witch sisters Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian (Nicole Kidman) Owens, came out 28 years ago, made only $40 million at the domestic box office, scored a mere 31% on Rotten Tomatoes, and I can’t recall ever hearing anyone speak affectionately about it. And yet not only was there a call for a sequel in 2026, the resulting film was the first to win a weekend over “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” (okay, only “after” a six-week run of dominance, but still…). What kind of spell has this franchise cast on the moviegoing public? The Owens sisters, along with their kooky aunts Franny (Stockard Channing) and Jet (Dianne Wiest), come from a long line of witches that love extending their bloodline, but hate… love. Or at least romantic love, as a jilted long-ago relative cursed the women of the family to lose their male partners. As a result, Sally’s children, Kylie (Joey King) and Antonia (Maisie Williams), have lost both their father and the stepfather that Sally found for them at the end of the first movie. Sally wiped their memories as children so they would never know the temptations of practicing magic, but the curse still applies. Now Kylie has a boyfriend, Gideon (Xolo Maridueña), and Sally can’t figure out a tactful way to tell her daughter that, for his own good, she can’t love him. Sally waits too long and tragedy befalls Gideon, though there’s a sliver of hope that he can be saved. Kylie finally learns of her heritage and the curse, falls out with her mother, and storms off to England, home of her ancestors, to see if she can break the curse with the help of local escort Tom (Solly McLeod). Sally tries to track her down, also travelling to England and taking Gillian along, ostensibly because she needs help but really because the movie needs Bullock and Kidman together so they can squabble for comic effect. They enlist the help of a professor (Lee Pace) who may or may not have ulterior motives and who may or may not be a potential third husband for Sally if that pesky curse can be broken for real. The movie is, in its best moments, agreeable and little more. I’m not saying that the appeal of Bullock and Kidman playing witches who share the ins and outs of sisterhood is completely lost on me. The two have good chemistry and some genuinely funny and touching moments. And when they’re sharing the screen with wily veterans Channing and Wiest, those genuine moments are amplified. I get why people like the low-stakes scenes of these four just playing off one another, with magic thrown in for flavor. The problem is that these movies can’t “just” be about these women enjoying happy hour. Like its predecessor, “Practical Magic 2” falters when it tries to deliver more than the laughs and tears that people expect. In other words, it doesn’t work as a thriller. The first movie really lost its balance once murder entered the picture, and this one similarly topples with all the mystery surrounding the curse and an evil scheme to burn one of the family at the stake. There’s so much lore and so many secrets that have to be uncovered that the film is over two hours long. I was chanting, “Just end already” like an incantation by the time the credits rolled. By taking up so much time, this movie offers up too much of even the stuff that does work, and goes far overboard with the stuff that doesn’t. Grade: C “Practical Magic 2” is rated PG-13 for some violence, intense thematic elements and sensuality. Its running time is 130 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Charlotte Brister Slay McCafferty September 3, 1935 - September 15, 2026 91 Years of age Charlotte Brister Slay McCafferty, 91, of Bolton, Mississippi, passed away on September 15, 2026, at St. Dominic Hospital. Charlotte was born on September 3, 1935, in Water Valley, Mississippi, to James Wesley and Ethel Mae Berry Brister. She graduated from high school in Crowder, Mississippi, in 1953, attended Draughn’s Business School in Memphis, Tennessee, and later graduated from Clarke College in Newton, Mississippi. While at Clarke College, she met William D. “Bill” Slay, and they married soon after graduation on March 31, 1956. Charlotte and Bill shared 54 wonderful years together, making their home in Jackson and later retiring to Clinton. After Bill’s passing, Charlotte reunited with her high school sweetheart, Malcolm “Mac” McCafferty, with whom she had graduated from Crowder High School. They married on June 23, 2012, and enjoyed nearly ten years together, dividing their time between homes in Clinton, Mississippi, and Ocala, Florida. Charlotte worked several jobs before becoming a secretary at Oak Forest Baptist Church, where she served faithfully for 25 years. During her time there, she formed many meaningful relationships and joyfully embraced numerous roles, including Sunday School teacher. She began the church’s first college-age Sunday School class, served on multiple committees, and contributed wherever she was needed. Charlotte was a devoted Christian woman, loved everyone she met and made each person feel her warmth, kindness, and genuine care. Her happiest moments were spent at church and with her family. Charlotte was preceded in death by her husbands, Bill and Mac; her parents; three brothers; and three sisters, all of whom she loved dearly. She is survived by her son, Chuck Slay (Sandra), and her daughter, Cathy Slay Kilpatrick (David); grandchildren Bret Slay, Whitney Slay Jones (Grant), Sydney Kilpatrick Foster (Hunter), Andrew Kilpatrick, and Scarlet Grace Kilpatrick; step grandchildren Zac Grantham (Kari Ann) and Chelsea Barlow (Brit), 13 great grandchildren, one brother Ray Brister, and many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., with visitation from 10:00–11:00 a.m., at Lakewood Funeral Home in Jackson, Mississippi.

Special to The Bolton News The Hinds County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that left one person dead Wednesday afternoon in Bolton. Deputies responded to a home in the 200 block of Bolton-Brownsville Road at approximately 1:45 p.m. Sept. 16, according to the sheriff’s office. The victim, identified as 27-year-old Chaddrick Kentrell Brown, was pronounced dead at the scene. Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said a suspect was detained a short distance from the scene. The suspect, identified as 46-year-old Donta Terveson Bell, is facing charges of murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Jones said Brown and Bell knew each other. Investigators recovered two handguns believed to be connected to the shooting. Multiple shell casings were also marked outside the home as investigators processed the scene. The Bolton Police Department and Capitol Police assisted the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation. The case remains under investigation. No additional information has been released.

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Sleep difficulties? Finally even gotten to the point of lying sleepless every night for hours on end? So you decide to try natural supplements that are supposed to bring on sleepiness and restful nights of sleep. And you carefully begin with the recommended dosage on the back of the box or bottle, right? But nothing changes in your sleep pattern – or should I say your lack of sleep pattern. So, you decide “The recommended dosage probably isn’t strong enough for someone like me, I’ll double it, as I really do have a bad sleep issue.” But instead of improving, now your nights are actually worse. In response, you hesitantly increase the dosage again and maybe add another kind of sleep aid to the mix. The problem rocks on for a few more nights, and by now you are bleary-eyed, depressed, anxiety-ridden, grouchy, mentally fuzzy, and getting desperate from existing on two to three hours of sleep each night. In keeping with your desperation level (and your stubborn streak) you defiantly keep upping the amount of the sleep aids, “until I finally reach success, dadgummit.” Defined as “Hallelujah, I got six hours of sleep last night!” Instead, you’re now pulling all-nighters. Finally, you make your brain pull itself out of that black hole where it is now living, and force it to begin thinking logically about this definite downslide in life. And you finally realize, “Hmmmm, I wonder…. could I be having a bad reaction to mixing all these natural sleep remedies, PLUS an OTC med that I added?” (Remember, you are very fuzzy-brained.) You pull out your trusty cell phone to research the subject on medical websites. Answer: Nope, mixing together those sleep supplements do not cause any negative reactions. Then you finally think to ask the question: “Can a person take too much of a sleep aid named “……..” and cause an adverse reaction of total sleeplessness?” Bingo!! The answer comes back a resounding “Of course, you idiot!” If my cell phone could laugh at me, it would have been rolling in the aisle. It would have been gasping for breath while it made fun of me for at least five minutes. I found out the hard way that every kind of sleep-aid, whether it is a supplement, an over-the-counter, or by prescription, if you take it in too large a dose, IT CAUSES THE OPPOSITE EFFECT AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SLEEP MUCH AT ALL. For days and days. And, folks, you can only imagine what happens if you have over-self-prescribed a sleep aid for the issue of falling asleep, and another for staying asleep. Each one of them can hype your brain and causes you to be able to count sheep for four hours straight and never miss a set of ears. End of the story? I finally learned from a nutritionist that I needed to take my sleep-aid 2 to 3 hours earlier so it would have time to work. Rough way to learn a truth.

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB “By Any Means” is a movie about two disparate FBI employees that can’t decide if it wants to be a “Buddy Cop” movie or not. The pair are mismatched, but are they “comically” mismatched? The pair banter, is there enough banter to qualify for the “Buddy Cop” label? There’s action, but is the action too violent and intense for a term as casual as “Buddy Cop”? The result is an uneven tone that makes the movie too dark for matinee action fans and too ridiculous for true-crime aficionados. The movie takes place in 1966, primarily in Mississippi. Local agent Wayne Strider (Yahya Abdul Mateen II) is eager to prove that he, as a Black man, can handle more than a desk job. He also wants to help in the investigation into the murder of civil rights activist and personal friend Vernon Dahmer (Giancarlo Esposito). His boss (David Strathairn) notices that Black neighbors of Dahmer are unwilling to talk to white agents, but maybe they’ll cooperate with Strider. The agent is given a special off-the-books assignment that requires some investigating, though he is mostly in the service of informant Gregory Scarpa (Mark Wahlberg), a New York mobster known for uncondoned methods of getting answers. For different reasons, neither Strider nor Scarpa is particularly welcome in Klan-infested 1960’s Mississippi, though it’s not like they’re conducting the investigation to make friends. Scarpa has certainly shown up to be one half of a pair of Buddy Cops. Everything from his hair to his sunglasses to his drinking and womanizing, indicates that he is the “wild” one of the team. And that’s just his first impression. He’s also got a mean mouth, a short fuse, and an itchy trigger finger. The man starts putting up a body count much earlier than Strider expected. He’s not much more merciful in his interrogations, with the investigation rarely moving forward without information soaked in blood. Then again, at least he’s getting the information, which Strider would never be able to get going by the book. Strider and Scarpa settle into a rapport, though Scarpa is casually racist and says he doesn’t care about the investigation outside of his specific assignment. Strider eventually learns to give verbal abuse as good as he gets. He even teaches Scarpa an epithet for white people that he doesn’t already know. I found it hard to believe that Scarpa wasn’t familiar with the term, or at least be able to easily guess its meaning from context. His ignorance in this scene is about as embarrassing for the movie as Dr. Don in “Green Book” being befuddled by fried chicken. When it comes to the investigation, there’s no learning from each other, Scarpa 100% brings Strider over to his side of using violence to get what he wants. And there is a lot of violence. Interrogation scenes see suspects begging Scarpa to kill them, but he won’t end their suffering that easily. Granted, these men are always perpetrators of horrific violence themselves, which just means that all “action” sequences in this movie are a rough watch. I get the point of making the violence in “By Any Means” so ugly, there are no winners in a hate-based war. I also get the point of making the character of Scarpa so unlikeable (provided it does the real-life Scarpa justice), sometimes assets to justice have to come from the dregs of society. But did this movie have to take so many cues from lighter Buddy Cop movies, as if it couldn’t sell itself as something heavier? And did it have to whiff so badly on its few attempts at levity? The film takes itself both too seriously and not seriously enough, working occasionally, but not consistently. It never quite finds the means to elicit laughs “or” screams. Grade: C “By Any Means” is rated R for violence/bloody images and pervasive language. Its running time is 107 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com The funeral director was scheduled to bury the body of a man who had been married to five former wives, and had a current fiancée when he died. A fiancée that the ex-wives did not know existed. In this town, when a person passed away and had no specific pastor they wanted to conduct their funeral, that director was accustomed to calling upon a local Baptist pastor to perform the ceremony. That local pastor was my own husband. The day before the funeral, every ex-wife - in chronological order, no less – marched herself into the director’s office. They each proceeded to explain to him that having a Baptist pastor to officiate the service was impossible, and why. Seems the deceased, who bore the well-used title of husband (and lousy dad to his own children) was prone to being a member of whatever church denomination served his purposes at the current time. Each ex-wife demanded a minister from a different denomination. It was all finally capped off with the fiancée declaring, “I know for certain that my fiancée has always been an atheist, and no minister of any kind will be conducting his funeral.” The director kindly told each of them, “I am confident that this Baptist pastor will conduct a service that will be pleasing to you.” At the funeral, the uncertain atmosphere became even more tense when the funeral service had to be delayed for an hour, due to the tardiness of the current fiancée. Whom until today, please remember, none of the wives even knew existed. But my husband finally conducted the service, with each of the five wives having an older lady sitting next to her. Arms crossed, unsmiling, eyes emotionless, and very determined to make certain her daughter’s ex-husband was dead and buried. Later when the burial service was finally concluded, my husband spoke to each family member as he always did, and headed towards his car. But. Unbeknownst to him, the fiancée had slipped over to quietly whisper to the funeral director that she wanted to address the crowd. Wanting to please the family, as he always attempted to do for every funeral, Mr. Carson raised his voice over the hum of the group and announced that the fiancée had requested to be allowed to address the assembled mourners. My husband stopped midstride, immediately feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand at attention. There was no ignoring the growing tension and anger in the air from the five ex-wives and irate mothers. As the fiancée spoke in glowing terms of the deceased, my pastor/husband kept whispering to Mr. Carson, “This isn’t gonna end well, Joe! You need to cut her off and put an end to this!” But before Joe could move to interrupt, the fiancée exclaimed, “No man could have been sweeter to my two little girls. They loved him so much!” Fourth of July fireworks among a few. Ice cold blizzard conditions among some of the others. Joe and my husband? These two smarter-than-the-average-bear guys took shelter. Who could blame them?

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB The big drawback to getting in an advance review of “Coyote vs. Acme” last week is that “Insidious: Out of the Further” is even less relevant this week. The horror film toppled from second place to fourth at the domestic box office, behind even the seventh weekend of “The Odyssey,” while “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” continues to dominate at #1. Fortunately, that drawback is offset by the knowledge that the film was never worth much attention anyway. If there’s one horror franchise that loves its jump scares, it’s “Insidious.” The 2010 original sold itself with a trailer that included a jump scare after it had supposedly concluded - not “at” the last moment, like a lot of horror trailers, but “after” the last moment, when the audience thinks they have a beat to rest. The film itself had a gnarly jump scare too, with its infamous red demon appearing in a drably-colored, but well-lighted scene with multiple characters in the daytime, also a setting where viewers think they can lower their guard. But that film also boasted performances by Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne and an originality to its world. “Insidious: Out of the Further” is the sixth installment in the franchise, it doesn’t boast greats like Wilson and Byrne, and fans very much know what to expect from these films at this point. We open with a sequence where nine-year-old Gemma (Charli Penton) comes home to a mother (Laura Gordon) who manages a few loving platitudes, but is clearly out of sorts. The mother attacks the child before locking herself in a bathroom, which doesn’t end well. In the present day, adult Gemma (Amelia Eve) is a single mother determined to be better to her own daughter, Maya (Island Austin). She’s present for her at the beginning and end of every school day and talks to her as much as possible about every subject except her late, presumedly-mentally-ill grandmother. This being an “Insidious” film, it’s not long before strange things start happening: old toys reappear after being missing for decades, suspicious people are seen around the neighborhood, and Gemma starts having scary dreams that may or may not be dreams. Things ramp up. Dentist Gemma has an unsettling appointment with one of the new neighbors (disappointing scares in the rest of the movie aside, people uncomfortable with dentistry “will” be freaked out by this sequence). She gets unreasonably lost in a coffee-table-sized blanket fort and barely escapes with her life. Her cop boyfriend Nick (Brendon Parea) doesn’t believe her when she says she’s in danger. Franchise mainstay Dr. Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) does, but she can only be so much help considering she’s been dead for over ten years. Eventually Gemma learns that all the scares are because her bloodline has ties to the purgatory-like realm known as The Further and that she and Maya are being targeted by cult leader Cyrus Lam (Sam Spruell), who is supposed to give off main-villain energy, but is somehow less scary-looking than any of his followers. Like many horror movies, “Insidious: Out of the Further” is at its scariest in its early stages when we don’t know what’s going to pop out. We know that “something” is going to pop out, which itself depletes the scare, but we don’t know what and how. Once the veil has been pulled back on the villains and their motives, the film can’t be scary or exciting to save its life. Even a returning familiar face (other than Lin Shaye’s) couldn’t get a reaction out of my theater. And the non-horror action wasn’t pulling me in. I’m sure the actors are doing their best, but there’s not much interesting about the umpteenth horror setup with a parent, a kid, and generational trauma. After this film, I ask that the “Insidious” franchise go away and stay even Further away than before. Grade: C- “Insidious: Out of the Further” is rated PG-13 for strong violent content, bloody images, terror and some strong language. Its running time is 106 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.