The BEAD Map challenge process begins today! The Challenge Process allows residents of Mississippi a chance to provide feedback to help BEAM update the Mississippi Broadband Map. This updated map will allow BEAM to make the most of upcoming broadband funding and ensure every location in the state will soon have access to high-speed internet. Find out if you need to Challenge by viewing the BEAD MAP and entering your address. If your address is represented by a gray dot and you do NOT have access to high-speed internet you should submit a challenge. For those who do need to Challenge: visit RESIDENT CHALLENGE to take you to the resident Challenge Portal. A demonstration of the resident Challenge Portal is available by accessing the CHALLENGE PROCESS WEBINAR. BEAM can be reached at 601-359-5029 or info@beam.ms.gov with any questions. More resources for the Challenge Process, are available at www.beam.ms.gov/bead.

By: Bob Garver If nothing else, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is Disney taking a victory lap for acquiring 20th Century Fox and the Marvel properties it controlled. We got a taste of this last year in “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness” when the advertising bragged about bringing in Patrick Stewart’s Professor X from the X-Men and then the movie threw in John Krasinski as Reed “Mr. Fantastic” Richards from the Fantastic Four just because it could. This time, two former Fox characters are front and center for a Disney release, and they’re bringing some very un-Disneylike mannerisms with them. Wade “Deadpool” Wilson has fallen into a funk since we last saw him. He was turned down for a job with The Avengers, broke up with his girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), and now does a lousy job selling cars. It’s hard to believe that a highly-skilled assassin with regenerative superpowers wouldn’t be able to get a better job even without The Avengers, but whatever, he’s in need of a comeback. He’s sought out by Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen), who runs a clandestine organization dedicated to preserving timelines. Wade’s timeline is about to end because of the death of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in 2017’s “Logan.” In fact, Paradox is just a few days away from deleting the timeline himself with a device that will erase the world painlessly. Wade isn’t giving up on preserving his universe, so he kidnaps a Wolverine from another timeline to replace the one that his world is missing. Paradox finds the replacement insufficient and banishes both Deadpool and the new Wolverine to The Void, a desert world reserved for entities that Paradox and his organization want to sweep under the rug. The Void is ruled by Nova (Emma Corrin), the heretofore unknown twin sister of Professor X.  She wants to kill the heroes, and they ironically need her help to return to Wade’s timeline to stop Paradox. The bad news is that neither Deadpool nor Wolverine can hope to succeed on their own, or even together for that matter. It doesn’t help that the two don’t like each other, with this version of Wolverine wanting nothing more than to wallow in self-pity and Deadpool insisting that he put aside his failures and help save a timeline that isn’t his own. The good news is that there’s help out there in The Void. Remember, multiple-timeline and multiverse rules are in effect here. I will say that there are other versions of Deadpool played by Reynolds and other versions of Wolverine played by Jackman. Are there versions of these characters not played by Reynolds and Jackman? Will anyone else from the “X-Men” universe show up? Maybe some even stranger bedfellows? The appeal of “Deadpool & Wolverine” lies in its ability to elicit laughter and gasps. The kind of gasps I can talk about here relate to crude humor and creative violence, which tie into the laughter anyway, so really the appeal of this film is its humor. Obviously this movie isn’t going to appeal to audiences that want their Marvel movies at the PG-13 level or tamer. But it also isn’t going to appeal to people that don’t like Deadpool or are sick of Deadpool. It’s hard to imagine anybody not falling for the charm that Reynolds and Jackman bring to their characters. It’s easier to imagine that people are tired of this schtick after eight years, with all the “shock” and meta-humor and excitement over silly things like ill-fitting pop songs. For me, there was just enough juice left in the tank for me to give this movie a recommendation, but I suggest seeing this movie early while the screenings are still a party, because I don’t think this movie is going to age well once the novelty wears off. Grade: B- “Deadpool & Wolverine” is rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, gore and sexual references. Its running time is 128 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

By: Mika Hartman If given the opportunity to take away my sons extra chromosome, I would not. If given the opportunity to remove some of his ailments due to his extra chromosome, I absolutely would. To make his life easier and healthier, that’s our daily goal, our “everyday” mission. I keep Hudson in a bubble, outside of therapy and doctors appointments, for the most part. If the bubble is popped, it is to give him the opportunity to enjoy the life we pray for him. I, more often than not, can look at my own Life360 and see that I haven’t left the house in 7 days or more. This is a protection measure that we happily take to keep Hudson away from unnecessary germs, all of our own doing; a simple cold could hospitalize my son. He already has fear of doctors and needles, so we try our best to keep any additional trips to the ER to a minimum. Our ER visits can rapidly move to hospital stays. So, when we burst the proverbial bubble, it is super-duper fun we seek. Hudson is a thrill junkie that LOVES rollercoasters and rides that spin fast. Life has to be more than therapy and medical appointments. His smile in a theme park is priceless. And I can tell you that the theme parks do an amazing service for Hudson and others who face challenges while in the parks. What are his challenges in a theme park? Well, our favorite theme parks are hot, crowded and can get wait times that are hours long. Yes, these are hard for anyone; but, a person with a disability, like Hudson, make these challenges impossible to partake in the fun. Not to mention, its expensive to be there, so being best prepared to make it worth it is important; this makes it  a full long day. The parks are huge and spread out. The lines are not only long, but many lines are in really dark spaces. Hudson uses a wheelchair for his safety and for long distance. He can walk, but at 54 pounds, we can’t carry him as far as we used to. Hudson eats by a g-tube and needs special feeding equipment and food; therefore, we don’t travel light. My son is also daily and lactose intolerant, we have to carry milks or pay crazy prices for cups of almond milk inside the parks. And Hudson is six and we are still working on potty training, but still carry a full diaper bag. My point in sharing all of this is to tell you that going places is harder than staying home. We do it so Hudson can have a life he enjoys and one we can enjoy as a family, together. When we find ourselves seeking disability passes for Hudson, it is for a great reason. When we are in a line for 3 hours to justify why he can’t wait in this lines is ridiculous. The parks do an amazing service for families like mine; to be able to experience a fun like this with our loved ones in a way that helps us and removes stress. When a system is abused to the point that a 3 hour wait to even talk to guest services, it is broken. I have heard of the reasons people seek a disability pass over many years. What a frustrating thing this is for those who are abusing the system, When everyone is disabled, no one is. If you had to pack and plan for the worst case scenario before entering the park, you’d have a better idea of what families like mine go through to be there. If you could hear Hudson’s heavy breathing of panic in the dark, you’d understand why we seek this. Listen, the program is good and needed. When a door is open to making the experience better, of course some will try to meet the requirements to receive it, That does not make it right. Be thankful you don’t go through the hurdles to be there. It’s no different than pulling in a parking lot and all the disabled spots are filled with cars. My least favorite ones are the corvettes or the ones where you can actually see them entering or exiting the car and no one appearing to need that spot. Come on. Do better. Be thankful you can walk or that you won’t need to rush to your car for extra medical equipment that is stored in all the cubbies. Or that you don’t have to load and unload a wheelchair. Or that you don’t have to change your six year olds diaper on the back gate because he is terrified of bathroom changing tables and too big anyways. Things have been designed to make the world more accessible, to give the freedoms to live life to the best of each individuals abilities. If you have to lie or over exaggerate your ailments to get the same pass as Hudson, then shame on you. I am tired of sugarcoating all we go through. Hudson is perfect, but life has challenges. The journey is ours and we should be able to easily provide what Hudson needs to feel included. Services like Universal or Disney offer are to encourage us to be there. It’s not a bonus, it’s a need. The whole “see something, say something” applies here. I have lost friendships over knowing the truth about the abuses to a good system. It is not okay to pretend you deserve what Hudson is offered. I am the first to understand that not all disabilities are visible; yes, many need the same service Hudson does and this was created for them, too. This is not a blanket assessment, I understand temporary disabilities, also. Yes, this system is good and needed. Just think about Hudson and the lengths we go and the hoops we jump to be there… if you don’t need this service, don’t ask for it. Be happy it is there for those who do. If it goes away, we can’t take Hudson anymore. It is EXTRA obvious why a service like this is exists and it is EXTRA obvious who they meant it for. Period.

You grew up together. Fought over who got to ride the newer bicycle and who would have the bigger bedroom. Laughed at the same old TV cartoons while inhaling your morning ration of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes with sweetened milk. Made fun of each other unmercifully. Griped to one another about all of Mom and Dad’s stupid rules. Told lies to help each other escape punishment for breaking those same rules. Or, with unbridled glee, deliberately tattled on the rule breaker in order see them suffer the penalty from Mom or even worse, (gulp) Dad. Sound familiar? But then. Everybody grew older, graduated high school and went their own way. And, as is true way too often, going their own way involved walking away from each other. Too busy with work, family, or higher education to find the time to stay connected. Or, unfortunately, it could have been a totally different reason. A reason that could be titled, I HAVE NEVER LIKED YOU, AND I SEE NO REASON TO TRY NOW. Subtitle? “Jealousy, Hurt Feelings, and Long-Buried Anger.” There are a lot of angry memories in many adult siblings. We can own the memories of elephants when recalling our childhood battles. And also be stubborn as mules when it comes to acting like adults and working out those things that happened thirty+ years ago. We hold on to our “I know I was right!” with self-righteous coldness. As if that is going to punish our sibling to the point that one of these years she is going to come to her senses and fall down on her knees to beg forgiveness. Probably not gonna happen, folks. And it won’t matter how long you stay in your corner of the world and wait. Because most likely, your unlovable mule/sibling is holding on to her version of the same fight, and feeling the very same, “I know I was right!” that you are. Waiting on you to fall down on your knees and beg her forgiveness. And meanwhile, the years roll by. While both of you play the same waiting game. While both of you get more cynical and bitter with each passing day. But when one of you bites the dust before the other, I doubt that the one remaining will triumphantly stand in your living room and be glad that you held to your principles and made yourself wait it out. That’s when you probably will realize the harsh reality that it’s forever too late to pick up the phone and say, “Hey, it’s me. Can we talk?” Too late to try and see each other’s point of view. Make the first step. Even if your sibling refuses to take your calls, refuses to be even try to discuss the past, at least you tried.  And who knows? Maybe one of those phone calls will jostle the stubborn mule into actually talking it out with you. One of these days...or years. Or decades. Give it a shot anyway.

Today, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson proudly acknowledges the completion of the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This vital initiative addresses the long-standing discrimination experienced by farmers and ranchers in USDA loan programs. The Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP) was created under Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Congress allocated $2.2 billion for the program, instructing the USDA to provide financial support to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who faced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs. Today, over 43,000 individuals nationwide will receive aid through the program, including over 23,000 current or former farmers receiving up to $500,000 and over 20,000 prospective farmers receiving up to $6,000. Mississippi leads the nation with the highest number of recipients. A total of 13,283 individuals will receive $521,830,460 in financial assistance, including 5,892 current producers and 7,391 planned producers. “This program is crucial for Black farmers in Mississippi and across the country, who have historically faced systemic discrimination,” said Rep. Thompson. “As the only member of Congress from Mississippi to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, I am proud to see the positive impact this legislation is having on our farmers and ranchers. These awards are a significant step in the right direction, but our work towards equity must continue.” “Farmers and ranchers work around the clock to put food on our tables and steward our Nation’s land. But for too long, many farmers and ranchers experienced discrimination in farm loan programs and have not had the same access to federal resources and support,” said President Joe Biden. “I promised to address this inequity when I became President. Today that promise has become a reality. My Inflation Reduction Act took a bold step to address the effects of discrimination in farming and ranching, and today’s action will enable more farmers and ranchers to support themselves and their families, help grow the economy, and pursue their dreams.” “The completion of the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program is an important moment in USDA’s history, and in our journey to becoming a department that truly serves everyone who wants to participate in agriculture. While this financial assistance is not compensation for anyone’s losses or pain endured, it is an acknowledgement. My hope is that this will ensure that many farmers can stay on their farms, contribute to our nation’s food supply, and continue doing what they love,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “I am also immensely grateful to USDA’s many partners in this effort, including the organizations who helped spread the word and offer technical assistance to applicants. This process, and the information contained in the applications, will help USDA as we fine tune our efforts to make USDA programs accessible, inclusive and equitable to all.” Learn more about the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program here. View the full list of award distributions announced today here.

Kona Ice will be on site at Bolton-Edwards Elementary/Middle School for Meet the Teacher Day! Join us on Monday, August 5th, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. This exciting event aims to bring together students, parents, and teachers in a fun and interactive setting. Kona Ice, known for their delicious shaved ice treats, will be providing their refreshing and tasty offerings to all attendees. It's a perfect opportunity to beat the summer heat and enjoy a cool treat while getting to know your child's teachers and classmates.

By Kara Kimbrough I have no shame about sharing this: I often peruse social media sites when looking for recipes that: A. I haven’t yet tried and B. Don’t bore me with the same ‘ol ingredients. Last week, while scrolling through that platform that originated in another country and that some politicians have tried to ban, I somehow weeded through the thousands of cooking videos on the site and found two that intrigued me. Yes, I realize the owners of “that site” probably know everything about me at this point, but I figure they do already since I use an iPhone, so why worry…right? As a friend asked me a while back when I told her I didn’t utilize the site, “How could you NOT when it’s worth it for the recipes alone?” After a quick perusal, I quickly realized she was right. Admittedly, I have a relatively short attention span, so it’s fun to watch short 2-3 minutes videos of entire recipes being created. A complete version of the recipe is usually provided as a bonus. In case you’re still skeptical about using “that site,” I’ll periodically share a few recipes here and there that I feel are just too good not to pass on. This week, I’m sharing a recipe I call “Chicken That Doesn’t Bore Me” simply because the combination of flavors in the marinade and dipping sauce combine to make a delightfully-different chicken taste that takes chicken – which can often be pretty boring – to a new level. And last, I’ve never really cared for baked spaghetti. I just didn’t get it. Why cover up perfectly good pasta and sauce with all that cheese and bake it when it is SO much better served au natural on a plate out in the open? I like a glistening pile of pasta covered with hot, steamy, rich sauce right where I can see it. I’ll never give up my favorite way to enjoy spaghetti, but against my better judgement (hence, the name), I did try and can recommend this baked spaghetti as the perfect quick meal on a busy night when placing a dish in the oven is simpler than standing over a stove stirring sauce. Chicken That Doesn’t Bore Me 4-5 pieces of skin-on chicken breasts and legs (or your favorite parts) Marinade: 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 minced garlic cloves Zest and juice of 1 large lemon ½ teaspoon each: salt and pepper 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 tablespoon oregano or thyme 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Pat chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and place in a bowl. To make marinade, whisk all ingredients together well in a bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken and mix really well, covering all sides. Cover the chicken and place in refrigerator 2 to 6 hours or ideally, overnight. Preheat oven to 410 degrees. Remove chicken from refrigerator and let all pieces come up to room temperature before putting in the oven. Place chicken on a metal pan with a wire rack and place it in the oven and bake at 410 degrees for 35-40 minutes, turning once during baking process. While chicken is baking, make a tangy dipping sauce: Dipping sauce 3 tablespoons of thick Greek yogurt 2 green onions (green and white part) Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil Juice of half a lemon Pinch of salt and pepper Place in a food processor or blender and mix well, then taste and adjust to preference. Remove the chicken from the oven, let rest and enjoy with a side of dipping sauce. Baked Spaghetti Against My Better Judgement 1 jar spaghetti sauce 1 jar Alfredo sauce 1 pound of spaghetti, boiled according to package directions 1 pound ground chuck 1/2 onion, diced 4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped fine 1 tablespoon garlic salt 1 tablespoon onion powder 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning Ground black Pepper to taste 2 cups mozzarella cheese Parmesan cheese as desired Boil pasta according to package directions while making sauce. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown one pound of ground chuck in skillet with onion and garlic. Once meat is cooked through, drain the excess grease and add seasoning. Add pasta sauce to skillet; stir until combined. Drain noodles and pour into a separate bowl, then stir in Alfredo sauce, mixing well. Grease a 9x13 baking pan and add Alfredo-coated noodles, covering the bottom of the dish. Pour the red sauce/ground meat mixture on top of the noodles and spread out evenly with a spatula. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

Nearly 4,600 pharmacies nationwide are hosting Walmart Wellness Day on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. to help families prioritize their health this back-to-school season. Customers can receive free glucose, cholesterol, BMI and blood pressure screenings as well as affordable immunizations like flu, HPV, tetanus, hepatitis and more. Select stores will also feature vision screenings making it even easier for customers to access the resources they need. "As a back-to-school destination, Walmart's Wellness Day provides a unique opportunity for families to streamline health needs and school supply shopping," said Kevin Host, Walmart's Senior Vice President of Pharmacy. "It's one of our favorite times of the year and we are thrilled we can provide affordable health options for communities across the country on Wellness Day to help start the school year off strong." Wellness Day also offers families a chance to chat with pharmacists and learn more about ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Customers can even learn about our Health & Wellness offerings and solutions. Wellness Day events will feature the following health resources, administered by qualified pharmacy and Vision Center teams: Free health screenings, including glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI and vision screenings (select locations) Affordable immunizations, including COVID-19, flu, HPV, pneumonia, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), varicella (chicken pox/shingles), whooping cough (TDAP), Hep A & B and more Wellness resources + opportunity to talk with pharmacists Walmart pharmacies have hosted Walmart Wellness Days since 2014 and have contributed more than 5 million free health screenings for customers. More than 4,000 Walmart stores are in medical professional shortage areas, which means Walmart is often the first stop for health care in these communities. To find a free event in your neighborhood, visit Walmart.com/wellnesshub.

By: Bob Garver It’s usually at the end of the review that I talk about a film’s MPAA rating, but I’ll twist it up for “Twisters.” Or rather, for its 1996 predecessor “Twister” and its all-time terribly-worded rating justification. The film was rated PG-13 for “intense depiction of very bad weather.” Yes, the depiction was intense, and yes, the weather was very, very bad, but those twisters were so violent and destructive that “weather” seems like the wrong word to describe them. They may as well have used the term “extreme windiness.” The twisters are similarly violent and destructive in “Twisters,” which is much more sensibly rated PG-13 for “intense action and peril, some language and injury images.” The new film stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kate and Glen Powell as Tyler, two storm chasers with different reasons for traveling Oklahoma looking for tornadoes. She’s trying to set up a 3-D mapping system that will help scientists understand how tornadoes form and thus save lives. She used to think she could rig up a chemical reaction that could actually stop a fully-formed tornado, but a field test in the film’s opening moments turns deadly, so she has to settle for the mapping system endorsed by her old friend Javi (Anthony Ramos). Tyler wants to shoot fireworks into a tornado to make a cool visual that gets him subscribers on Youtube and increase his celebrity so he can sell tacky merchandise. Kate is glad to have the moral high ground, or so she thinks. As the film progresses, Tyler shows he has more layers than Kate initially thought. He’s a learned meteorologist and a big-hearted humanitarian. It also turns out that Kate may have jumped on the wrong bandwagon. She and Javi are noble, but their team’s sponsor isn’t. Kate and Tyler find that they like chasing the storms together, helping recovery efforts together, and just plain spending time together. Cute squabbling turns to cute flirting. Please tell me it’s not much of a spoiler to find out that there’s romantic chemistry between the smoldering cowboy and the beautiful scientist. Then there are the twister sequences themselves. I used to be terrified of tornadoes, but the fear mostly dropped off when I hit my teens. This movie may rekindle some of that fear, especially after the opening sequence. The rest of the sequences are fine. I was never unconvinced that there was danger afoot. One thing I knew going in was that twisters, while they can form quickly, don’t lend themselves to jump scares, so I was wondering what the film would have to do to push my buttons that way. There are two effective jump scares that made me scream for half a second and then laugh for several full ones. You can probably guess the kind of experience that “Twisters” provides. It’s a PG-13 disaster movie. The action scenes, while fraught with mortal danger, aren’t going to feature anyone getting ripped limb from limb. The comedic and romantic scenes are perfectly predictable as well, with Edger-Jones and Powell having the pleasing chemistry I knew they’d have. Of the characters that survive among Kate, Tyler, Javi, and Tyler’s colorful team, I wouldn’t mind seeing these characters in more movies. I’m sure the filmmakers can come up with more creative storm scenarios. For now, this was exactly the movie I expected it to be, but I had a reasonably good time watching very bad weather. Grade: B- “Twisters” is rated PG-13 for intense action and peril, some language and injury images. Its running time is 117 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

As we return to school, it's essential to remember that our actions can significantly impact our classmates' experiences. If you see a student struggling to make friends, being picked on, new, shy, or not part of the "in crowd," or eating lunch alone, take a moment to be a leader and a warrior. Be a Leader! Be a Warrior! A simple smile or a friendly "hi" can go a long way. Ask them if you can sit with them at lunch or invite them to join your group. Including them in conversations and activities can make a world of difference. You never know what someone might be facing inside or outside of school. Your kindness could be the light they need. Let's work together to create a supportive and inclusive school environment where everyone feels valued and welcomed.

Of course you’ve been there many times before. A dead-dark night when you have no electricity for some reason, so you light a candle. And immediately that thing shines like a diamond that has a heavy spotlight six inches from it. No mistaking where it is. If you are carrying it, everyone around knows it’s you, and they know when you’re coming their way. Because burning candles don’t hide well in the dark. Just like that candle, the decision to ‘do what’s right, no matter the consequences’ can’t hide either. When you decide your honesty is worth everything, it’s as glaring as holding a burning candle in the dark.  And believe me, your employer and those around you will be able to spot that glowing candle in your hand. You will be different than before. But if the day comes when you make the decision to give in to temptation, there will be a slight change about you then, also. Those around you will sense that the lit candle that you hold is just a little dimmer and cooler. In the days and weeks following that decision, you may be a little surprised to find that the loss of your integrity hides easily in the dark. And it will grow. Much like dust in the corner of a dark room that accumulates without the homeowner realizing it. Tucked away out of the limelight, dust can grow without causing the owner much stress. After all, we humans are good at ignoring things that we choose to leave in the dark. At least for a while. Until a light exposes them and eventually, we have to deal with it all. But how does that decision to give in to temptation happen? Darkness. The thought of “I could actually get away with cheating at this,” probably doesn’t hit us as hard when we are extremely happy in our relationship, or our job, or when we have plenty of money. That’s not when we get slapped in the face with the choice to cheat or not to cheat. And for that very reason, temptation always seems to come to us in our darker times. Because those murky, uncertain days in our life make it harder to determinedly stick to our decision to do what is right – no matter what. Remember, there is a bad side effect of giving in to temptation. When you are faced with the choices of cheating or acting with integrity and you cave, the next time it will be just a little easier to let yourself slide sideways in the darkness. To persuade yourself, “It’s okay this time, you deserve this.” And unfortunately, it then gets easier and easier with each temptation that comes. You have to decide for yourself, “In the end, do I want ‘this’ more than I want to like me later?”

Great news for the Bolton Edwards Rangers! Thanks to the National School Lunch Program, ALL BEEM scholars will receive a healthy lunch and breakfast FREE during the 2024-25 school year! No additional action or lunch application is needed.