Fall Break is right around the corner for Bolton-Edwards Elementary/Middle School students! The school will be closed on Friday, October 11, and Monday, October 14, giving everyone a well-deserved break from the classroom. This break marks the halfway point of the first semester, offering students a chance to relax and recharge before heading into Term 2. Term 2 will officially begin on Tuesday, October 15, when students return to school. Teachers have been preparing their lesson plans to ensure a strong start to the new term. The focus will shift to new topics, more challenging assignments, and continued academic growth. Parents are encouraged to help their children use this time wisely, balancing rest with light review in preparation for the upcoming term. Whether catching up on reading or going over homework assignments, small efforts during the break can set students up for success when they return. As Fall Break approaches, Bolton-Edwards Elementary/Middle School wishes its students, staff, and families a safe and relaxing time off. The administration is excited to welcome students back refreshed and ready for an exciting Term 2!

by me With the November 5, 2024, General Election quickly approaching, Mississippians need to be aware of upcoming important dates and deadlines. VOTER REGISTRATION The 2024 General Election voter registration deadlines are: In-person at the Circuit Clerk's office by 5:00 pm on Monday, October 7. Note: Circuit Clerk's offices will be open for in-person voter registration on Saturday, October 5, from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Mail-in registration applications  must be postmarked no later than Monday, October 7. ABSENTEE VOTING In-person and mail-in absentee ballots are now available through your county Circuit Clerk's office for the 2024 General Election. Mississippians may utilize the Secretary of State's  Y'all Vote website , which includes an  Absentee Voting FAQ  and  Step-by-Step Guide to Absentee Voting , or contact their county circuit clerk to verify eligibility. If eligible, ballots will be provided upon request by your circuit clerk. For those who cannot visit their Circuit Clerk's Office during the work week, Saturday in-person absentee voting dates are Saturday, October 26, and Saturday, November 2, from 8:00 a.m. until noon. The last day to vote in-person absentee is November 2 while mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before November 5 (Election Day). CAMPAIGN FINANCE Campaign finance reports for all judicial candidates and political action committees which have received contributions or made expenditures in support or opposition of judicial candidates are due by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 10, 2024. Reports may be submitted via: Email :  CampaignFinance@sos.ms.gov  or  Shelby.Scoggins@sos.ms.gov In person:  401 Mississippi Street, Jackson, MS 39201 or 1141 Bayview Avenue, Suite 120, Biloxi, MS 39530 Mail : P.O. Box 136, Jackson, MS 39205-0136 (Please note that mailed-in reports must actually be received by the required date and the postmarked date will not be considered). Fax:  (601) 576-2545 The Secretary of State's Office is your primary and  #TrustedInfo2024  source for election information. For questions, please call our Elections Division at (800) 829-6786, email  ElectionAnswers@sos.ms.gov , or visit  YallVote.ms .

Retired Hinds County Court Judge Melvin V. Priester Sr. died peacefully on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at his home in Jackson. He was 74. Funeral services are incomplete. Lakeover Memorial Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge or arrangements. Judge Priester concluded a public service career of nearly 40 years with nine and one-half years of service on the Hinds County Court. He was elected in a runoff to Sub-District 1 in November 2010 and took office on Jan. 4, 2011.  He retired on June 3, 2020, due to health issues. At the time Judge Priester retired, he said, "The time that I spent on the bench was certainly one of the most interesting and challenging periods of my life.  I thank all those folks who put me on the bench. I thank all of those folks with whom I had the opportunity to work." As he looked forward to retirement, he said, "I will just lean on the Lord and He will show me the way." Retired Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie Green said that Judge Priester's service reached far beyond his County Court courtroom. "He was my go-to to handle the overload." Judge Priester handled preliminary hearings and arraignments. The Circuit Court designated him as a special circuit judge to try cases in which litigants were willing to move to County Court, and he presided over felony guilty plea hearings. "That freed us (circuit judges ) in terms of being able to deal with the other matters," she said. He was already an experienced Circuit Judge.  In 2008, the Supreme Court appointed him as a Special Circuit Judge for Hinds County. He was one of several judges appointed by the Supreme Court  to address violent and drug related crimes. Court, He served for more than two years. Later, as a County Court Judge, Priester also dealt with preliminary matters in Circuit Court in many of the cases in which minors were charged as adults; the cases involved violent felony crimes. He helped the courts meet the requirement for providing a hearing before a judicial officer within 48 hours, Judge Green said. "I called upon him to make sure that was happening," she said. When COVID struck, he stepped in to help the circuit judges conduct hearings remotely for detainees at the Hinds County Detention Center. He also assisted the municipal courts by conducting some of the initial appearance hearings, she said. He had been a municipal judge for nearly three years in his earlier service. "He provided certainly a benefit not just to the County Court," Judge Green said. "Most people didn't know how much he was doing outside his elected position. Whatever we needed him to do, he was always there.  He was one of the people who was willing to do whatever it took to get things done." Judge Green said that Judge Priester was reluctant to retire. He felt a commitment to the Court and the litigants. Judge Priester had won re-election and had much of his term remaining when he stepped down. He said in an interview, "Due to my physical condition, I can no longer in good faith maintain my position....I think the people of Hinds County and from Sub-District 1 deserve someone who could better serve them." He suffered a stroke in March 2019. He had a heart stint, and he developed diabetes. Judge Priester's family said in a statement, "That response was typical of Judge Melvin Priester Sr. He was a public servant who tried to guide community residents and counsel courtroom defendants so they would not be defined by past mistakes, and he encouraged young people to dream big and seek higher goals.  For many years, he sponsored and/or coached football and soccer teams for young boys, and he successfully mentored older students to compete in debates and mock trial events. He coached mock trial teams at Lanier High School, Murrah High School, and Mississippi College School of Law.  He also coached little league baseball and earned a black belt in karate, which he later used in teaching karate to inner city children." Retired Hinds County Chancery Judge Patricia Wise said, "He was able to influence a lot of young people. He was very dedicated in helping with some of the mock trial competitions." She said, "There weren't many Jackson Public School predominantly black teams participating in the Mississippi mock trial competition" at that time. "He was committed to the next generation of lawyers." "Mel really added a lot to the legal profession," Judge Wise said. "The first impression that you always got of Melvin Priester Sr. is how intelligent, how intellectual and serious minded he was about his profession." He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education in 1972 and a Master of Education degree in rehabilitation counseling in 1973 from Boston University. He earned his law degree from the University of Texas Law School in Austin in 1986.  Before entering law school, he worked in the mental health field for 10 years. He was a rehabilitation counselor and program director at a residential treatment program for emotionally disturbed adolescents in Dorchester, Mass. He worked as a psychiatric social worker at a Houston, Texas, psychiatric hospital, as an assistant unit director of a Houston out-patient mental health clinic, and as unit director of a residential mental health treatment program in Houston. After moving to Mississippi, he served as a special assistant attorney general in the office of then-Attorney General Edwin Lloyd Pittman. Priester was assigned to health law matters from 1985 to 1987.  In 1988, he co-founded Priester Law Firm PLLC with attorney Elizabeth Charlene Stimley Priester. The firm continues under the leadership of Ms. Priester and their son, managing partner Melvin Priester Jr. A younger son, Jonathan Priester, is employed at Google headquarters in New York City  and serves on the Board of Trustees for Boston University, his father and mother's alma mater.

By Bob Garver             For better or worse, late September this year is certainly the time for animated robot movies. Fortunately, we got the “worse” out of the way last week with “Transformers One.” Now we can sit back and enjoy the “better” with “The Wild Robot.” Many people did indeed sit back and enjoy this movie, as the theater at my screening was more crowded than usual. The added cheering and laughter made the experience all the more endearing, and it was heartwarming to think of all the families bonding over their shared love of this movie.             Lupita Nyong’o stars as Roz, a robot programmed to help with tasks on a distant space colony. Something goes wrong with the delivery, and she winds up stranded on an island on Earth. Eager to help, but unable to find any humans to give her orders, she instead looks to the local animal population. She even takes the time to learn how animals communicate, to the point where she can filter their various squeaks, squawks, and other utterances into English in real time. And that’s how this becomes a talking animal movie.             Roz is eager to help, but the animals don’t necessarily want her help. Okay, they “decidedly” don’t want her help. At first, they’re all afraid of her, given that she’s gigantic, made of metal, dangerously confused, and relatively clumsy (she moves nimbly for a robot of her size, but isn’t built for the unpredictability of nature). Then they fight against her, knocking her down and stripping her of gears and features. She’s even attacked by her closest physical match, a bear named Thorn (Mark Hamill), who knocks down a cliff, causing her to crush a bird’s nest.             Roz sees that a single egg has survived, and the lifeform inside must be protected. She saves it from getting eaten by a fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal) by launching the predator into a porcupine, though she instinctively helps him remove quills afterward. The egg hatches, and the gosling, named Brightbill, doesn’t see why Roz can’t be mother material. Roz is prepared to be a helper, but not a primary caregiver. In other words, she doesn’t have any programming that makes her fit to be a mother. “No one does,” says opossum Pinktail (Catherine O’Hara), who becomes her mentor.             The rest of the movie is Roz trying to raise Brightbill (Kit Connor) as best as she can, knowing that she’ll have to teach him to swim, then fly, then leave for months on migration. The other geese tease him for coming from an unnatural family, but leader Longneck (Bill Nighy) sees that he only lives to help others, just like his adoptive mother. The migration makes for an adventure unto itself, as does Roz and the rest of the forest trying to make it through an unexpectedly harsh winter. On top of all that, Roz still recognizes an obligation to try to get to the human colony, and tracking robot Vontra (Stephanie Hsu) could arrive at any time. That the last matter probably should have been saved for a sequel is my only real gripe with the movie.             “The Wild Robot” came to theaters riding the single biggest wave of critical praise I’ve seen all year. The quantity of praise is well-deserved, as I can’t imagine anybody disliking this movie, but it might make it a tad vulnerable to expectations. I consider it “among” the best movies of the year, but I was never quite ready to hand it the top spot (still “Dune: Part Two,” by the way). Still, my heart melted at several points, whether it was from cuteness (the opossum family), sadness (the straining of the Roz/Brightbill relationship), or the sheer amount of love on display. By all means take the family to see this movie, turn it into a success, and encourage Hollywood to make more movies with this much heart.   Grade: B   “The Wild Robot” is rated PG for action/peril and thematic elements. Its running time is 101 minutes.   Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu .

By me Walmart, Sam's Club and the Walmart Foundation announced an initial $6M commitment to support Hurricane Helene relief efforts, including donations of food, water, essential supplies and grants to organizations providing relief.   As part of the commitment, Mississippi Walmart and Sam's Clubs customers can help support the relief efforts. From Sept. 30 to Oct. 13, Walmart will help magnify their impact by matching their donations to the American Red Cross 1:1, up to $2.5 million, when they donate to support hurricane relief at the registers in stores and clubs and on Walmart.com .   Walmart also is working with nonprofits and suppliers to bring much-needed resources into communities without access to power, such as free meals, WiFi hotspots, charging stations and laundry and shower services.   Throughout the recovery, Walmart will continue looking for ways to support associates, customers, members and their families.   For more information about specific relief efforts in the various states impacted by Hurricane Helene, visit Walmart's corporate announcement here  https://corporate.walmart.com/purpose/community/disaster-response/hurricane-helene .

Send any responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Nope, don’t get your dander up (or your hopes up, depending on what you were hoping to read). I am not going to write about naked bodies and the image that phrase seems to conjure up to people. The focus of this column, the nakedness I am writing about? Your future. The naked, unvarnished truth straight out of the Bible, about your eternity. Sound totally boring? Okay, then simply go read something else that does appeal to you. You definitely have that right. But for those who realize down deep in their gut that they need to prepare for death and what will come next, this is written for you. Yes, I realize this is a far departure from what I normally write in this column. And I also realize many will resent it, and maybe even lodge complaints with their local newspaper editor. Maybe I will even lose a few papers who will refuse to carry my column any longer. But although that will hurt, it will not kill me. And those jabs at me will be worth it, knowing that maybe, just maybe, someone who has never read the Real Truth about their death and the eternity that follows, will read this and believe. They will have a chance to see how their present life can be different. And that their eternity can be safe, happy, secure, alive, and filled with purpose. So, here is the Naked Truth: There really is one God and He created it ALL. Jesus Christ, God’s sinless perfect Son, really alive.     No person has ever lived an absolutely sinless life… except for Jesus. There really is a huge penalty to be paid for sin. But that penalty is paid. Real. Final. Done. Because Jesus really did let Himself be crucified on a cross to pay the penalty for all our sin. Our sin condemns us to Hell when we die. Because heaven is perfect, no sinner can enter its gates. To escape hell and enter heaven at your death, realize are a sinner, admit it to yourself, confess it to Jesus, and take Him up on His offer to pay your debt to God. When you do, you really will be totally forgiven in your Creator’s eyes, because Jesus will have paid your entire debt. Then you live the rest of your life for God, trying to live who you really now are…sin-free. But if you refuse His offer and decide there is no eternity, no Hell or Heaven, then you will have to pay for your sins yourself when you die. The Bible says that will mean an eternity filled with regret and pain, knowing that it could have been so much different for you.   Eternity is like multiplying trillions and trillions of years by billions and billions of years –plus trying to empty one ocean into the other…one drop at a time. And that is only the beginning. Sermon done. Naked bare truth.

by me: The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT)   will soon begin a critical hydro-demolition project on the north and southbound I-55 bridges over the Pearl River in Jackson that will cause travel delays. "Over time, the high volume of traffic has caused these bridge decks to deteriorate. That is why once the Mississippi State Fair wraps up, we're going to remove and replace the bridge decks on I-55 over the Pearl River in Jackson to extend the life of these bridges," said MDOT Executive Director Brad White. "We want to inform local drivers that utilize this stretch of interstate regularly about these lane closures so they may begin planning alternate routes to avoid potential congestion." The work will involve the hydro-demolition of the existing I-55 bridge decks over the Pearl River and will require two lanes to be shut down at a time, leaving two travel lanes open in each direction. Crews will begin by closing the inside lanes first before swapping to the outside lanes. Although both directions of I-55 will remain passable, these lane closures will have a major impact on traffic. To limit congestion, especially during peak travel, MDOT advises motorists to utilize  these  alternate routes when possible: I-220 for I-55 through traffic SR 468 to SR 25 SR 475 to SR 25 Construction activities are currently expected to begin the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 15, with traffic reduced to two lanes in each direction soon after. MDOT will inform the public of the closure dates once determined. "We're grateful this work can be performed without a complete shutdown of I-55 in Jackson, but we understand this will still be an inconvenience. Please do your part by planning ahead, giving yourself some additional travel time and considering using any of the proposed alternate routes," said Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons. "This is a great investment in Mississippi's highway system and will improve safety and connectivity on I-55 in Jackson. To those that travel this area, please slow down, stay alert for changing travel conditions and roadside crews." Crews estimate the closures will be in place for the remainder of 2024, which will include hydro-demolition and new deck installation on the inside lanes in each direction before swapping to the outer lanes. Once work begins, message boards will be in place to alert drivers of the lane closures. "This stretch of I-55 sees an average of 113,000 vehicles daily and is a heavily utilized corridor by both local and commercial traffic. During the closure period, travel lanes will essentially be reduced by 50 percent; so, if you can avoid traveling this stretch of I-55 and use any of the proposed alternate routes, please consider doing so," said White. The $24.4 million contract was awarded to Key, LLC of Madison. Stay updated on this project at  MDOTtraffic.com , download the MDOT Traffic mobile app, and follow @MississippiDOT on Facebook and X.

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson invites the public to attend the ceremonial ribbon cutting to officially open the gates to the 2024 Mississippi State Fair Thursday, October 3, at 11:00 a.m. at Gate 1 of the State Fairgrounds, located at the intersection of Amite and Jefferson Streets. Commissioner Gipson will be joined by law enforcement officials, Mississippi 4-H state officers and North American Midway Entertainment (NAME) representatives. The Murrah High School Marching Band will perform, the Mississippi Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion Color Guard will present the colors and Allie Brown, Junior 4-H Idol from Jones County, will sing the national anthem. James Hopkins of Reset Jackson will lead in a prayer during the ceremony. Following the ribbon cutting, Commissioner Gipson and opening ceremony participants will parade down the Midway. The 165th Mississippi State Fair will run through October 14. Fair admission is free every weekday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., except on Monday, October 14, Columbus Day. Find the complete schedule of fair events at  www.msstatefair.com . For additional information and updates, follow the Mississippi State Fair on Facebook, Instagram and X. Scheduled Activities & Events for Thursday, October 3, 2024 Thursday, October 3, is Mississippi Heroes Day at the State Fair. All police officers, first responders, firefighters, healthcare workers, medical professionals and active military will be given free admission. Identification will be required at the gate. 11:00 a.m. – Gates Open (Free admission until 1:00 p.m.) 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. – Mississippi State Fair Marketplace & Genuine MS® Store – Trade Mart 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. – Farm Bureau Petting Zoo – Mississippi Frontier Village 12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. – Tumbleweed Crossing – Mississippi Frontier Village 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. – Agri-Puppets – Mississippi Frontier Village 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. – Pig Races – Mississippi Frontier Village  2:00 p.m. – Rides Open  2:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. – Zerbini Family Circus – Kid Zone  4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. – Biscuit Booth – Midway  6:00 p.m. – Miss Mississippi State Fair Pageant – Mississippi Coliseum – $10 admission  6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. – Live Music – Busch Light Pavilion  7:00 p.m. – Taste of Dixie National Rodeo – Mississippi Frontier Village  10:00 p.m. – Gates Close Scheduled Activities & Events for Friday, October 4, 2024 Ride Specials: Ride Wristband Day for $30 from 8:00 p.m. to close. 8:00 a.m. – Goat Showmanship – Barn 7 15 minutes after Goat Showmanship - 4H/FFA Meat Goat Doe Show – Barn 7 8:00 a.m. – Junior Market Goat Show – Barn 7 15 minutes after Market Goat Show - Registered Breeding Boer Doe Showmanship and Show – Barn 7 11:00 a.m. – Gates Open (Free admission until 1:00 p.m.) 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. – Mississippi State Fair Marketplace & Genuine MS® Store – Trade Mart 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. – Farm Bureau Petting Zoo – Mississippi Frontier Village 12:00 p.m. – Rides Open 12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. – Tumbleweed Crossing – Mississippi Frontier Village 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. – Agri-Puppets – Mississippi Frontier Village 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. – Pig Races – Mississippi Frontier Village 2:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. – Zerbini Family Circus – Kid Zone 4:00 p.m. – Miss Mississippi State Fair Talent Show – Mississippi Coliseum – $10 admission 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. – Biscuit Booth – Midway 7:00 p.m. – Taste of Dixie National Rodeo – Mississippi Frontier Village 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. – A Conway Tribute Show by Shayne Weems & the Slow Hand Band – Busch Light Pavilion 11:00 p.m. – Gates Close Know Before You Go: o   Gate admission is $10.00 per person, and parking is free. Children ages 5 and under will be admitted free of charge. The public can purchase admission tickets, concert tickets and ride wristbands online at  www.msstatefair.com , or purchase admission and concert tickets in-person at the Coliseum Box Office. o   Fair admission is free every weekday from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., except on Monday, October 14, Columbus Day. o   Beginning at 9:00 p.m., any guest under the age of 18 seeking admission to the Fairgrounds must be accompanied by a legal adult (21 or older). Any guest may be asked to show official proof of age to be admitted after 9:00 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring identification. o   When entering the Midway, all guests will proceed through one of several entry security points utilizing a metal detector. o   All bags are subject to search. The maximum bag size that will be accepted into the Fair is 12”x12”x6”. o   No outside food or beverage allowed. o   No marketing, soliciting, political or vending items allowed unless and as authorized under Fairground regulations. o   Pursuant to state law, the legal carry of firearms by all lawful adults is recognized on the Mississippi Fairgrounds. o   No animals (other than service animals or as authorized by Fair management for Fair activities), banners, fireworks/explosives or laser pointers allowed. o   Jefferson Street will be closed between Pearl Street and Amite Street. Greymont Street will be open for Fair traffic only.

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is partnering with Count the Kicks to accelerate progress on stillbirth prevention.  Data shows an average of 300 families a year are affected by stillbirth/fetal deaths in Mississippi.  The goal is to promote the sharing and download of the free Count the Kicks mobile app with every expectant parent you know. The CDC lists a change in a baby's movements as one of its 15 urgent maternal warning signs. The "Count the Kicks" program helps prevent stillbirths by teaching expectant parents a simple method for monitoring their baby's movements in the third trimester of pregnancy. The free Count the Kicks app makes it easy for expectant parents to get to know their baby's normal movement patterns and empowers them to speak up to their provider if their baby's movements change. Research shows a change in a baby's movement patterns in the third trimester is often an early red flag in pregnancy that something might be going wrong. "The MSDH is committed to improving maternal health and birth outcomes for families in our state," said Dr. Dan Edney, MSDH Executive Director and State Health Officer. "We believe Count the Kicks is an excellent tool to help save babies now." The free Count the Kicks app is available in 20+ languages in the Google Play and iOS app stores, and has been downloaded 600,000 times and counting in all 50 U.S. states, and more than 140 other countries "Count the Kicks gives expectant parents and providers the tools and resources they need to have an ongoing conversation about fetal movement in the third trimester," said Emily Price, CEO for Healthy Birth Day, Inc., the nonprofit organization that created the Count the Kicks program. "Count the Kicks is proven to improve birth outcomes for moms and babies, and we are grateful to be partnering with MSDH to make this life-saving education available to Mississippi families." For more information about maternal and infant health initiatives at MSDH, contact the Maternal and Infant Health Bureau at 601-576-7429.

By Kara Kimbrough     I’ve shared my love of pound cake before. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I recently spent a few hours following the comments of members of an online food and recipe group as they helped someone search for a long-lost pound cake recipe.  One of the members was trying to recreate a specific cake made famous at Memphis-area parties decades ago. The fervency with which group members discussed their favorite pound cake recipe and the associated memories made me stop and search for a specific pound cake from my own childhood.     I remember my grandmother making an old-fashioned pound cake with a crunchy top in an angel food pan many years ago. However, during the latter part of her life, the type of pound cake underneath the silver domed cake cover in her kitchen changed. I searched the family cookbook, but the recipe for this specific, shortcut-type pound cake was not listed. All I could recall from the recipe is that the cake was not the “old-fashioned” kind and the subtle taste of Wesson Oil (not in an overpowering way, but just part of the equation) was present.    After searching, I located a recipe for Wesson Oil Pound Cake. I quickly gathered the ingredients and made the cake. It was moist and delicious, but like many things recreated from the past, it didn’t taste quite as good as I remembered enjoying in my grandmother’s kitchen. Maybe it was due to the fact that the silver cake dome was missing, along with the smell of coffee brewing in the silver percolator.    Speaking of those two kitchen items…as I get older, the things I value most in life are items attached to pleasant memories of the past. I hope to someday recover the cake dome and percolator and display them in my kitchen. The monetary value and functionality of both items may be low, but the memories associated with them are priceless.    As far as the group member’s quest for the Memphis pound cake, the exact one was never found. With Memphis on my mind, I located the recipe for Elvis’ favorite pound cake. It happens to be my favorite way to make pound cake due to the inclusion of heavy cream.     I’ve read that Elvis would eat an entire pound cake in one sitting. I’m not one to judge because as we all know, there’s nothing on earth quite as good as a slice of hot-from-the-oven pound cake. Wesson Oil Pound Cake 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 3 cups sugar 1/2 cup Wesson oil 5 eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon extract Cream butter and sugar. Add Wesson oil, eggs (one at a time, beating after each one), flour, milk and flavorings. Pour into a greased Bundt pan and bake at 325° degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes. Elvis’ Favorite Whipping Cream Pound Cake 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for buttering pan 3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring) plus additional for dusting ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 3 cup sugar 7 large eggs, at room temperature for 30 minutes 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup heavy cream     Put oven rack in middle position, but do not preheat oven. Generously butter pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour. Sift 3 cups sifted cake flour and ¾ teaspoon salt into a medium bowl. Repeat sifting into another medium bowl.     Beat together 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and 3 cups sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use paddle attachment. If using hand mixer, beat 6 to 8 minutes).     Add 7 large eggs, 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Reduce to low speed and add half of flour mixture, then 1 cup heavy cream, then remaining flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down sides of the bowl, then beat at medium-high speed 5 minutes      Spoon batter into prepared pan. Place pan in cold oven and turn oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 60–75 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes. Run a thin knife around inner and outer edges of cake, then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com .

The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum invites the public to attend the annual Pumpkin Adventure on October 2-5, 9-12 and 16-19. The event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays. “The annual Pumpkin Adventure is a family-friendly event and the perfect outing this fall season,” said Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson. “I encourage the families and individuals traveling to the capital city for the Mississippi State Fair in the coming days to also stop by the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum for even more wholesome fun, outdoor activities and agriculture-related entertainment.” The Museum’s Pumpkin Adventure will include a hayride around the museum grounds and Small Town, Miss., a complimentary snack of cookies and milk, a self-guided tour of the Heritage Center Gallery; a visit to the farm animals located inside the Children’s Barnyard, a corn pit to play in, a straw maze and a small pumpkin of choice to take home. The General Store will also be open for visitors to shop for souvenirs and enjoy an old-fashioned Coca-Cola in a glass bottle. Admission price for the annual Pumpkin Adventure is $10.00 per person for ages 1 and up. Concessions will be available for purchase on Saturdays during this event. The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, a division of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, is located at 1150 Lakeland Drive in Jackson, and is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 601-432-4500 or 1-800-844-8687, visit  www.msagmuseum.org  or visit the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum’s page on Facebook.

It is almost that time again! Get geared up and ready for Homecoming on October 11. For the week leading up to this event, here is the list of ways to dress up each day.