Commissioner Willie Simmons, Chairman of the Mississippi Transportation Commission, has announced updates to several Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) projects across central Mississippi. “Work across central Mississippi is progressing nicely, showing your tax dollars hard at work,” said Simmons. “As these projects continue to make headway, the safety and mobility of our state’s infrastructure increases. Please slow down and stay alert for roadside crews working to see these projects through.” Mill and overlay underway on Jackson area interstates A critical mill and overlay project continues on I-20 and parts of I-55 and I-220. Work consists of removing open-graded friction course (OGFC) pavement on interstates in the Jackson-metro area. This includes I-20 from McRaven Rd. to the I-20/I-55 split and from the I-20/I-55 split to east of State Route 468, along with I-55 throughout Hinds County. After milling work takes place, crews are placing a one-inch overlay to smooth out riding conditions for motorists in Jackson. To limit traffic impact, crews are performing work via overnight lane closures. Some paving operations will take place on the weekends if weather permits to further expedite the work. “This segment of the interstate system has received its share of complaints, and I am grateful that we’re able to make this ride a safer and smoother one,” said Simmons. “During work hours, please stay alert for signage and give our crews enough space to complete this critical improvement project as quickly and safely as possible.” The $14 million project was awarded to Dickerson & Bowen, Inc. Work is anticipated to wrap up by the end of the summer. State Route 19 expansion progresses in Neshoba County A major expansion project along 4.6 miles of State Route 19 from Tucker to Philadelphia in Neshoba County is making progress. The project expands SR 19 from two to four lanes. Phase I construction is complete. Phase II work is underway. Work includes clearing, grubbing and milling the southbound lanes of SR 19, removing old box culverts and bridges and constructing box culverts and bridges. Crews are also working on pipe placement, realigning county roads and paving ditches. Phase III will place traffic in the four-lane configuration, place the final lift of asphalt and provide permanent striping. The $36 million contract was awarded to W.G. Yates and Sons Construction of Philadelphia. Remaining work is expected to wrap up later this year. U.S. 80 bridge repair underway in Rankin County A bridge repair on U.S. 80 westbound over the CPKS railroad between Marquette Rd. and I-20 in Brandon is underway. Officials closed the inside lane of the bridge earlier this month after discovering rusted steel girders during a recent bridge inspection. The repair process is underway, which includes design, fabrication and installation of beams. The westbound inside lane of U.S. 80 is currently closed as a precautionary measure to reduce the load on the structure while allowing crews to assess, design and complete the repair. “Rest assured, we are working to expedite this process and get the lane reopened as quickly as possible,” said Simmons. “Once the steel plates are fabricated and shipped, the repair process itself will not take long. Until then, please be patient, slow down and watch out for roadside crews at or near the bridge.” Officials anticipate reopening the inside lane of U.S. 80 westbound in June 2024. I-20 mill and overlay underway in Scott County A mill and overlay of 17 miles of I-20 from the Rankin County line to 0.25 miles east of State Route 501 is underway in Scott County. The scope of work includes repairing failed areas in the existing pavement, pressure grouting and repair of longitudinal joints, removal of debris from existing drainage structures, tree clearing, replacement of deficient guardrail, upgrading traffic signal detection to radar at the State Route 35 interchange, epoxy repairs and resealing joints on various bridges throughout the project. Construction signs are in place and pressure grouting is complete. Failed area repair, clearing and fence repair efforts are underway. The $28.2 million contract was awarded to APAC-MS. The anticipated completed date is summer 2025. Bridge repairs on I-55 underway in Madison County A project is underway to repair each I-55 bridge over U.S. 51 and CNIC railroad in Madison County. The scope of the repairs includes replacement of bridge bearings, repair of spalled areas with epoxy mortar, installation of hybrid polymer concrete overlay, re-sealing of bridge joints and fencing installation. Temporary construction signs are in place to alert the public of the overnight lane closures. Bearing pad replacements, epoxy repairs and cleaning of bridge caps are complete. Crews will install the hybrid polymer concrete overlay next. Alternating lane closures are scheduled to be present the next two weekends to allow for the concrete overlay. The $2.4 million contract was awarded to Key, LLC and is anticipated to be complete this fall. Mill and overlay continues on U.S. 49 in Rankin County A major mill and overlay of 9.2 miles of U.S. 49 from the Simpson County line to just south of Florence is underway. Work includes repairing failed areas, releveling underlying concrete pavement with pressure grouting, widening the turn lanes at Star Rd. and upgrading deficient guardrail. Milling and paving operations have begun on the northbound right lane of U.S. 49 starting at the Simpson County line. Crews have completed pressure grouting concrete in failed areas, turn lane widening at Star Rd. and Eagle Post Rd. and the ditch repair south of Star Rd. The $11.4 million project was awarded to APAC-MS, Inc. of Jackson. Lane closures will take place overnight to limit traffic impact. Remaining work is expected to wrap up spring 2025. Bridge replacements underway on State Route 397 in Kemper County A project is underway to replace two bridges on State Route 397 between State Route 16 and the Winston County line in Kemper County. Clearing and grubbing efforts are complete. Both substructures of the bridges have been completed and the contractor has completed hauling of base material for the roadbed. Both bridge decks and rails are complete. Crews are working to dress slopes and get the stone base to grade. Paving operations are scheduled to begin next week. Remaining work is on track to be complete this summer. The $8.9 million contract was awarded to Cotton Creek Transport, Inc. of Laurel. Pavement restoration of I-20 begins in western Hinds County Another pavement restoration project on I-20 is underway in Hinds County. This project includes 16 miles of interstate from the Warren County line to the Natchez Trace Parkway. The scope of work includes milling and overlaying the existing OGFC pavement, repairing failed areas in underlying concrete pavement, fiber reinforced polymer patching of spalls in the existing concrete pavement and upgrading deficient guardrail. Crews are currently paving, widening ramps and improving guardrail. The $9.9 million project was awarded to Superior Asphalt of Byram. Work is expected to wrap up this fall. Mill and overlay of State Route 16 nears completion in Leake County A project consisting of the mill and overlay of five miles of State Route 16 from the Madison County line to west of State Route 25 in Leake County is nearing completion. Failed areas have been corrected, and guardrail replacement along with mill and overlay operations are complete. Permanent striping is underway. Remaining work will wrap up this summer. The $2.8 million project was awarded to Dickerson & Bowen, Inc. Intersection improvements underway on U.S. 51 in Madison County Work is underway on a project that will improve the intersection of U.S. 51 and Green Oak Ln. in Madison County. The improvements consist of widening the roadways, installing intersection channelization and a traffic signal system. Earthwork, curb and gutter operations are underway. Islands have been poured along the west side, and the placement of stone and preliminary lift of asphalt has begun. The project will help provide the U.S. 51 tie-in necessary for the adjacent Reunion Parkway. The $2.2 million contract was awarded to prime contractor Hemphill Construction Company, Inc. of Florence. Work is expected to wrap up late fall 2024. Mill and overlay of State Route 27 in Hinds County A mill and overlay of 11 miles of State Route 27 from the Copiah County line to State Route 18 recently got underway. The scope of work includes repairing failed areas and damaged drainage pipes, replacing deficient traffic signs and upgrading deficient guardrail. Crews have completed placing riprap along several culverts throughout the project limits and have finished repairing failed areas and damaged drainage pipes. Milling and paving operations are underway. Remaining work is on track to be completed by the end of the summer. The $4.7 million project was awarded to APAC-MS. Mill and overlay of State Route 469 set to begin in Rankin County A mill and overlay of 9.5 miles of State Route 469 from Florence to State Route 468 will soon get started in Rankin County. The scope of work includes repairing failed areas, upgrading deficient signage, cross drain repairs, upgrading signal detection and resealing bridge joints. The $5.5 million contract was awarded to Dickerson & Bowen, Inc. The estimated completion date is spring 2025. “I’d like to thank the MDOT staff and contractors for their commitment and superb job performance,” said Simmons. “Again, please slow down and stay alert for our crews working to improve our infrastructure daily. Let’s work together to pave our way to a brighter and more connected Mississippi by traveling safely.” Work zone safety Highway work zones are meant to protect the traveling public and workers on the side of the road. Work zones present new traffic patterns and configurations that may be unfamiliar to motorists. For information about how to navigate highway work zones safely, visit GoMDOT.com/drivesmartms. MDOT project website Stay up to date on MDOT’s significant, active projects by visiting GoMDOT.com/Projects. The webpage provides up-to-date information on project timelines, progress and any potential road closures or detours that may be associated with the project. For more information about these and other MDOT maintenance and construction projects, download the free MDOT Traffic mobile app, visit MDOTtraffic.com and like and follow @MississippiDOT on Facebook and X, formerly Twitter.

By Mika Hartman Hudson is my hero; however, you don’t need superpowers to sense other people’s emotions or need a power to tell you what someone else might be thinking or feeling. It’s called “empathy”. Some have these senses more than others. It took me being a momma to a child with special needs to truly have my power to see it, or not, in others so clearly. If your child fell and scraped their knee, you would likely tell them that you know it hurts. That you are sorry. You would probably blow on it, kiss it, make it feel better. You would let them know that you can feel that pain, too. It’s not sympathy, it’s empathy that they need. My child does not need your sympathy or your turned cheek when he’s hurting. He is just like every other child that needs love and reassurance that he will be okay. When you don’t try and imagine what he is feeling or thinking, you are not seeing him. This “empathy” word has been weighing heavily on me lately. I can give everything Hudson needs to live, be happy, provide comfort, communicate and embrace who Hudson was born to be… but many others can’t or won’t. So my efforts become limited to only a few who can understand how Hudson feels, communicate with him, see him and accept him. If you don’t have empathy, how will you inspire my hero to shine his brightest. Hudson will fall. He will struggle to show you when his iPad is dead or malfunctioning. He will cry out when his tummy hurts. He will grab snacks and shake the bag until you open it to give hime some. He will cry and you will have to guess until you figure it out… that is, if you figure it out. I have never prayed for Hudson to be different than who he was born to be. I wouldn’t change one hair on his head or one extra beautiful feature he was gifted; however, I did pray recently, for the first time, that he could one day be able to use some words. I was snuggling with Hudson as I was praying this; the tears of guilt for even asking made his head look like he just got out of the pool. Why was this my prayer? If I don’t want to change Hudson at all, why ask for this? Well… We recently were hit with the whole house stomach bug. It was brutal and ongoing, not the 24 hour kind. Hudson usually picks up every illness he comes across; he does’t have a great immune system and he loves to lick his hands, too. When your chid hurts like this and he can’t tell you what he needs, you feel completely helpless. As his mom, I can communicate pretty well… unless he is sick. Then it is truly try and try again. Hudson can’t tell me if his sock isn’t on correctly. He can’t tell me what hurts or if he stubbed his toe. Hudson can’t tell me he’s hot or cold. He can’t share if his head hurts or if he put a lego up his nose (this hasn’t happened, thankfully). This list goes on and on. Unless it’s a visible need, it might go unnoticed and this part kills me. I live with constant worry that I have missed something. Hudson might never talk. He might never get to tell me that he loves me using his voice. Even though he can’t use words yet, he does a wonderful job showing me how much he loves his life. It’s seen in his giggles, in smiles and definitely felt in his powerful kisses. His joy can be seen without words. I am finding a lot of the world desensitized to having empathy; it is a very selfish time today. Taking time to look at someone and guess what they might be thinking or feeling takes little effort, but many don’t outside of their own lives. I have watched moms on this journey struggle to carry the heavy that can be felt in daily life. I always thought that that would never be me, that I would carry it differently; my shoulders can’t afford chips if I want to carry this load the distance for Hudson. I don’t want your sympathy either. Empathy of warmth and compassion would go a long way. A better understanding of why I might decline an invitation to something; I want to go and love being invited, it might just not work. Or assuming I won’t come and therefore not even asking. Or if you change a date or time and I forget, my mental capacity is maxed out most days. Grace is always good for moms like me. The opposite of empathy is callous, heartless, inhuman, hard, insensitive, indifferent, and inhumane. When a mom is trying to be present in her world, change the world and not be angry at the world, see her. Know that you would deserve someone seeing you, experiencing your pain and joy, if you needed them to. Empathy is heartbreaking, but it makes us human. The one word describing empathy I don’t want is your pity. My life is one you may never experience and for that, I have EXTRA empathy that you’ll never know a love that I have.

By Bob Garver 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” was one of the most critically-lauded action movies not just of its year, not just of its decade, but of all time. I will forever curse “Pitch Perfect 2” for opening the same weekend and doing better at the box office, thus keeping me from reviewing “Fury Road” (for the record, I would have given it an enthusiastic B). While Tom Hardy’s Max was an important presence in that movie, audiences seemed to find themselves drawn to another character, one that had an even more commanding screen presence, did more to make the film instantly iconic, and more than warranted an expensive prequel. Alas, we’ll have to keep waiting for that origin story for the guitar-playing Doof Warrior. In the meantime, we have this movie about another beloved “Fury Road” character, Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa. “Furiosa” follows the character (played as a child for much longer than the advertising implies by Alyla Browne, then by Anya Taylor-Joy as an adult) as she is taken from her home in the lush Green Place and put in the custody of aspiring warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Surprisingly, he genuinely wants to take care of the child and sees her as a sort of daughter. The feeling is not mutual, as Furiosa seethes with hatred toward Dementus for killing her mother and raising her among his deplorable biker crew in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. When she sees an opportunity to be traded to crazed ruler Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), she takes it just to spite Dementus, though she quickly finds out that it’s not much of upgrade to be a breeder for Joe. Furiosa quickly ditches the breeder life and takes up as a mechanic on Joe’s many armored vehicles. She also gets in on the security detail for Joe’s best driver Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke). She tries to steal the vehicle to get back home to the Green Place, and while Jack can’t allow this, he does allow her to stay on as a student, and later as a partner. The two are caught in the middle of a war between Dementus and Joe, and even though both bosses are utterly despicable, Furiosa’s hatred toward Dementus is her literal driving force. The story is exactly what I’d expect a Furiosa origin story to be. Taken from family? Check? Robbed of her childhood and subjected to horrors at a young age? Check. “Toughened up” on her way to becoming an action heroine? Check. Loses her arm at some point (as we know from “Fury Road”)? You know that’s a check. Misses out on a happy future with Jack? The guy isn’t in “Fury Road,” so what do you think? About the only bullet point I wouldn’t have predicted was Dementus’s big fake nose, and the trailers gave that away. Admittedly, the appeal of “Furiosa” doesn’t lie in character development. It lies in the action sequences: all the shooting and stabbing and exploding from every vehicle the movie can conceive. And yes, you’re going to get that. Frankly, I contend that we get too much of that. As the movie went along, I had increasingly nagging thoughts of, “Let me guess, they’re going to settle this with cars and violence.” And I was right every time. It’s a wonder how this movie manages to be so long considering how many people get killed in every scene. It seems like the world should be plum out of people by the end. I’m not saying “Furiosa” doesn’t do the action well, it does it just as well as its multiple-Oscar-winning predecessor. To paraphrase a line from this movie that’s gradually weaving its way into popular culture: “Furiosa” definitely has it in itself it make it epic, but I’m sorry, I don’t think it has it in itself to make it interesting. Grade: C “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is rated R for sequences of strong violence, and grisly images. Its running time is 148 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

By Alex Rozier, Mississippi Today For the hundred or so Raymond residents who came to Tuesday’s Hinds County Planning Commission meeting about a proposed solar array, being able to see or hear what was going on was a luxury. The dozens of those who couldn’t fit into the packed, stuffy library room resigned to either peaking their heads in from the hallway or waiting outside in the 90 degree heat. The focus of the meeting centered around a small group of representatives from the Virginia-based company Apex Clean Energy. The group, sweating in their collared shirts, stood before the Planning Commission to pitch what they argued was a huge economic opportunity for Hinds County: new jobs, tax revenue, and the chance to attract other businesses wanting to use solar energy. After hearing everyone’s remarks, the Planning Commission ultimately voted against recommending the projects. But the final say rests with the Hinds County Board of Supervisors, who will make its decision at a June 17 meeting in Jackson. Apex staff said at the meeting they started acquiring leases for the project, officially called “Soul City Solar,” in 2021, but residents said they first found about it during an informational session the company held on May 14. Most of those residents who came on Tuesday were displeased with the idea. They argued that Raymond — a town of just under 2,000 people — is a venue for nature and open spaces, and, while they understood the allure of new income for the area, filling thousands of acres of land with metal panels sticking out of the ground doesn’t fit in with the town’s image. “Whereas you would drive down the road and it would just be beautiful countryside, now you’re going to see an 8- to 10-foot cyclone fence,” said Allison Lauderdale, a Raymond resident who’s organized local opposition to the project, told Mississippi Today last week. “I think that’s going to be atrocious.” Lauderdale started an online petition, which has close to 500 signatures, opposing Soul City Solar. Tuesday’s meeting was contentious from the jump, as the Planning Commission seemed unprepared for the large turnout. “Can y’all hear back there?” asked Delmer Stamps, one of the commissioners, explaining that they didn’t have microphones. “No,” the crowd answered. “We’re going to have to turn this air conditioner off,” another commissioner said. “No! Talk louder!” the audience shouted back. The Apex team then gave its pitch. The installation would use just under 6,000 acres, they explained, leasing property, including farmland, from seven private landowners the company has agreements with. Apex promised to maintain a perimeter of trees around the property so as to hide the panels from their neighbors’ view. The project would produce 396 megawatts of electricity — in addition to battery storage of up to 70 megawatts — or enough to power 95,000 homes. Soul City Solar would be about twice as big as any solar farm that’s being constructed or currently running in Mississippi. Origis Energy is building a 200 MW plant in Lowndes County, and the largest operating plant is a 175 MW facility that EDP Renewables has in Scott County, former Public Service Commissioner Brent Bailey told Mississippi Today. While Apex doesn’t have a utility to buy power directly from Soul City Solar, it’s plan is to sell power through the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, a nonprofit that serves as a marketplace for regional power grids. Apex’s plan, should Hinds County approve the project, is to begin construction next year and have the panels operating by 2027. The company says its investment would bring in $156 million of local tax revenue over the 30 years that Apex is pledging to keep the facility. It would also create 400 construction jobs, along with 10 full-time operational positions. Resident’s expressed a wide range of concerns, such as whether there would be harmful storm water runoff at the plant or issues recycling the metal panels. While the Environmental Protection Agency has penalized solar companies in the past over runoff violations during construction, Apex’s Tiffany Seavers said the company has plans to prevent such pollution in accordance with state and EPA regulations. “Some of that will be extended buffers, some of that will be making sure that we have planting down very, very quickly after we have any kind of grading,” Seavers said. But the most common objections were about the proximity of the panels to people’s homes as well as the potential disruption to the area’s wildlife. “I don’t think everybody here is against solar, they’re against the location of this solar farm,” resident David Kazery said at the meeting. “We respect your hustle, but this venture could be done elsewhere that is more rural. I know y’all think that this is an extremely rural area, but there’s a lot of people here.” Brian O’Shea, director of Public Engagement for Apex, said Soul City Solar will be at least 300 feet from other occupied properties. Other company officials reiterated at the meeting that the private landowners made the decision to lease their property for this use. “We are working with landowners who chose to work with us,” Chris Hawk, a development manager for Apex, said. “They will continue to be the landowners at the end of the project. We will return the land to them for them to continue to use as they see fit, whether that’s farming or any other venture.” It’s proposal, the company explained, is for Soul City Solar to exist for at least 30 years, and that it will be responsible for decommissioning and recycling the solar panels at the “end of (the panels’) useful life.” The project would include “agricultural fencing” and “wildlife corridors” to allow animals to move throughout the space, Hawk added. Residents testified that deer, turkeys, and even black bears roamed the area. Throughout the public comment period, residents passionately expressed their disagreement with the idea. “I was offered money for my land (for Soul City Solar),” said Bolton resident Mike Brewer. “It’s not about the money for us. Y’all are the greedy bastards.” Nicole McWilliams, a Raymond resident, fought back tears talking about her concerns over runoff from the solar array, especially because of the farmland that Soul City would occupy. “The construction that we’re fixing to do is on so much acreage of agricultural land, and there’s been pesticides and there’s been chicken manure,” McWilliams said. “This is our community, so it means a lot to me.” The Board of Supervisors’ meeting to decide whether to approve Soul City Solar will be on June 17 at 9 a.m. at the Hinds County Chancery Court.

A heavy angry fist slammed down on the desk. To say the least, anyone near that room would have definitely understood that things were not going well with the owner of that fist. Wouldn’t have to study the scowl on his face, or hear the frustrated cursing that erupted from his mouth. Larry was married going on 23 years. He and his wife Marsha had a son finishing his education at the local university, and their daughter was turning seventeen next month. They owned their nice home, and Larry had a good job. Marsha also worked part-time at a clothes boutique in their town, where she loved taking advantage of her employee discount. In the eyes of Larry’s neighbors, their family life seemed solid and they were financially doing well. But neighbors usually know so little about the truth inside the house. All they saw was his friendly demeanor to them, and his obvious devotion to his family. And Marsha’s attitude gave nothing away, either. She portrayed a woman who, although not wealthy, was certainly not living in want. Relaxed, a little introverted, but accepting and at peace with herself and her life. So why the heavy angry fist slam? Larry was sitting at his desk at home, paying the monthly bills. Never an enjoyable experience for anyone. But so much worse for someone existing in a cesspool of debt from overspending. Dread, depression, anger, fear and hopelessness had moved in to sit on his chest like a four-hundred-pound elephant, making it hard to think and even harder to breathe. Making it all the more impossible was the fact that he kept his wife and kids in total oblivion. He loved his family and wanted them to have everything. No worries for them. So, every maxed-out credit card was quickly rolled over to another one, and every harsh phone call or unpaid bill was hidden. But all this deception meant a double whammy for Larry. Believing that everything was fine, Marsha and the kids they spent as they wished, adding to his growing burden. The second part of that whammy was carrying that monstrous burden alone, mentally and emotionally. You can easily guess the ending. That kind of stress takes its toll on the body. Larry’s stress eventually ended with a heart attack. Marsha’s began with his death, when in the midst of her grief, she discovered their impossible mountain of debt.  And suddenly had to deal with it all alone. Husbands and wives, please, face it together. Whatever the problem, or the heartache. You may think that you are doing your spouse a loving favor by shielding them from the severe truth. But actually, you are accomplishing the opposite. While you are lone-wolfing the stress, you are setting up your spouse to have to do the same if you die from that stress. And that isn’t fair to either of you. Learn to share the truth - and the stress.

By Kara Kimbrough Memorial Day marked the official start of summer and that means it's time to enjoy the great outdoors. An easy way to do that is to dine al fresco, or outdoors, as often as possible. By that I mean, as long as our tepid Mississippi weather allows you to eat a meal beside the pool, on the patio or porch or sitting around a picnic table without suffocating in the ever-increasing heat. Whether you're grilling burgers, serving a cool salad or presenting a light dessert, here are three of the best summer recipes that are perfect for serving outdoors...again, as long as the thermometer doesn't exceed 90 degrees. Mediterranean Pasta Salad 8 ounces fusilli pasta 1 cucumber, diced 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup baby spinach ½ red onion sliced ½ cup crumbled feta cheese ¼ cup kalamata olives, halved Dressing: ¼ cup olive oil 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon dried mint 1 garlic clove minced ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool. Set aside. Meanwhile, make the salad dressing in a large serving bowl by whisking together the dressing ingredients until emulsified. Add the pasta on top of the dressing and toss to combine. Add the remaining salad ingredients, and toss the pasta salad until everything is evenly coated with the dressing. Serve immediately or allow to chill in the fridge until ready to eat. Sheet Pan Burgers Spicy Mayo: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha Burgers and Toppings: 4 green leaf lettuce leaves 1 large tomato, sliced Dill pickle spears 2 pounds lean ground beef Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 strips bacon 2 sweet onions, sliced into 1/4-slices 8 slices American cheese 4 burger buns For the spicy mayo: Combine the mayonnaise, ketchup and sriracha in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside. For the burgers and toppings: Prepare a grill for medium heat.  Put the lettuce, tomatoes and pickles on a cutting board or serving platter. Form the meat into 8 thin patties and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the bacon, onions and peppers in 4 quadrants on a sheet pan. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Put the pan on the grill, cover and cook until the bacon begins to turn golden on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Using tongs, flip the bacon and toss the vegetables in the bacon drippings. Cover and continue to cook until the vegetables are soft and the bacon is crispy, about 10 minutes more. Move the pan to the side of the grill off the heat to keep warm while you cook the burgers (if you have a small grill, remove the pan entirely). Grill the burgers until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side for 2-3 minutes. Top each burger with a slice of cheese, cover and cook until the cheese melts and the patties are browned on the bottom and cooked to the desired doneness. Toast the rolls on the grill during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Stack two patties on the bottom half of each bun. Serve with the spicy mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, cooked toppings and potato chips. No-Bake Peaches and Cream Pie Shortbread Crust: 2 cups shortbread cookies, crumbled fine 1/4 cup butter, melted Peach Filling: 3 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced ½ cup sugar 1½ teaspoons corn starch 1 tablespoon lemon juice Whipped Topping: 1 pint heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar Cream Filling 1 box (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix 1 cup half and half, cold 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature Directions: Shortbread Crust: Mix shortbread crumbs and butter in a medium bowl. After it is well combined, press into the bottom and barely up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Let it chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the recipe. Peach Filling: In a medium saucepan, add peaches and sugar and mix together. Let the peaches rest in the sugar for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and lemon juice. Mix well and then pour into the peach mixture. Mix to combine everything and then set over medium-low heat. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until the liquid has thickened slightly. Set aside while you make the whipped cream and cream filling. Whipped Topping: Add heavy cream to a mixing bowl. Start mixing at the lowest speed, and then gradually increase speed to medium until the cream starts to get thicker. (The gradual progression prevents you from spraying yourself with cream.) When the cream starts to thicken, stop the mixer. Slowly add in the confectioners' sugar and then resume mixing again, starting with low speed and increasing to medium speed and eventually moving to a high speed. The cream will thicken and start to peak. Mix on high until the cream is thick and stiff. This happens quickly, the stage between soft and stiff peaks, so watch it closely. Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, mix together pudding and half and half. Whisk until well combined and thickened with little to no lumps. Add in room temperature cream cheese and half of the whipped topping and combine well, removing all lumps. Set aside. Assembly: Spread the peach filling evenly into the prepared crust. Spread the cream cheese filling over the top of the peach filling. Spread the remaining whipped topping over the top of the cream cheese filling. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Serve cold. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

By Bob Garver My biggest complaint about writer/director/star John Krasinski’s new movie “IF”… is that it’s a movie. What I mean is that Krasinski clearly has some broad ideas for worldbuilding and there are many interesting characters in the mix, but the movie has to rush so much to stay within the “movie” format of a two-hour runtime that the whole thing is kind of a mess. The story follows 12-year-old Bea (Cailey Fleming) as she stays with her grandmother (Fiona Shaw, charmingly reminding me of my own grandmother) while her widower father (Krasinski) is in the hospital for heart surgery. Her family does their best to keep her in good spirits, but Bea can only bring herself to split her time between being bored and worrying that she’ll lose another loved one. One night, while her grandmother is asleep (she’s not the best at keeping tabs on the child), Bea catches a glimpse of a figure that doesn’t look like anything that’s possible. Following some snooping, Bea learns that the cartoon-like Blossom (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) is an Imaginary Friend, or “IF,” long forgotten by her human friend, who grew up. Blossom and enormous IF goofball Blue (Steve Carell) live in an apartment upstairs from Bea’s grandmother alongside Cal (Ryan Reynolds), a grumpy adult. Cal has some sort of job trying to find new children for the IFs, but business doesn’t seem to be going so well. As in, I don’t think he’s ever succeeded. Bea volunteers to help. Cal reluctantly takes Bea to a sort of retirement home for forgotten IFs. Bea meets all sorts of unusual creatures, usually anthropomorphic food or the embodiment of some dream occupation. The home’s teddy bear proprietor (the late Louis Gossett Jr.) is delighted that Bea is taking an interest and encourages her to not only put her best foot forward, but push Cal to step up his game as well. The two get to work trying to find new children for the IFs, but are new children really the answer? It might be that what the IFs really need is to reconnect with their old children, despite them now being, well, old. Maybe a burst of childlike inspiration is just what the cynical adults need. This certainly seems to be true in the case of Blue’s sullen, now-grown child Jeremy (Bobby Moynihan). Are Blue and Jeremy still right for each other? Is what’s right for Blue right for all the other IFs? Keep in mind that Bea has to balance all these questions and goals with her father’s critical surgery drawing ever closer (to say nothing of keeping it all secret from the grandmother). Even if everything goes perfectly, emotions will still be high and tears will be shed. The high-stakes business with the father’s health has to bookend the story, I’m not disputing that. But I wish Krasinski, with all his clout in Hollywood, had found a way to expand the middle part of this project. The movie is constantly having to establish rules and exposition that half the time it can’t keep straight anyway. For example, are the IFs in danger of disappearing? If so, under what circumstances, exactly? The possibility is brought up a few times but never expended. Then there are all the IFs besides Blossom and Blue that are voiced by talented people like Bradley Cooper and Emily Blunt that get maybe three lines and are relegated to rapid-fire sequences of no importance. “IF” this movie had instead been, say, a 10-episode television or streaming miniseries, then maybe the first and last episodes could focus on family drama, but the other eight could have been for Bea and Cal just going on adventures to help the IFs, which is what I think Krasinski really wanted for this project. I want to be grateful for what we do get: a half-decent kids’ movie at a time when kids could use a decent movie. But I can’t help but think that when it came to directing more time, money, and resources at this material, what IF… Grade: C “IF” is rated PG for thematic elements and mild language. Its running time is 104 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

By Kara Kimbrough The City of Jackson is filled with many wonderful historic attractions, including my favorite, the beautiful Old Capitol Museum. But sometimes, the need for a little R & R that doesn't involve walking around a multi-storied museum arises. When visiting the Capitol City, I have just the place to literally get away from it all. Unbelievably, this place is near the hustle and bustle of the city, but still manages to provide a peaceful, quiet environment, along with wide open spaces. I'm referring to LeFleur's Bluff State Park, a well-kept secret located just off Lakeland Drive and Interstate 55. LeFleur's Bluff is the perfect place to decompress when driving to the far corners of the state for a quiet campground doesn't sound appealing. The park is named for Louis LeFleur, a French-Canadian explorer who established a trading post on the banks of the Pearl River in the late 1700s.      The City of Jackson was originally known as LeFleur's Bluff, but eventually changed its name. However, the park kept its name, paying homage to the explorer and serving as a refuge for residents and visitors. LeFleur’s Bluff offers hiking on one of the nature trails, fishing on beautiful Mayes Lake or playing a few rounds of golf on the 9-hole course. Opportunities for picnicking, camping and bird-watching also abound in this lush oasis in the midst of busy highways and buildings. Named to several “best of” U.S. state park lists for its above-average amenities, LeFleur’s provides a tranquil green spot to decompress away from the hustle and bustle of the city. LeFleur's Bluff State Park is actually comprised of two areas. Mayes Lake campground and day use area includes a picnic area and RV campground. The golf course and driving range are located nearby. Those interesting in camping can choose from among 28 sites available for tent and RV camping. Ten shaded primitive tent sites located near the lake and within walking distance to water and showers are available. A spacious, shaded picnic area features tables and grills overlooking a large playground.  The park also has seven picnic pavilions available for reservation. The next time a desire to get back to nature occurs, drop in to LeFleur's Bluff. And who knows...after relaxing for awhile, you may just feel up to touring my favorite spot at the end of Capitol Street. All this talk about history caused me to look up some recipes sent to me by Melba Darras, who were many years lived with her husband, Tommie, in the Governor's Mansion, serving as hostess and chef, respectively, for more than one governor. The Darras' compiled a cookbook containing some of their favorite recipes from the years they helped entertain guests from around the world. Here's one of my favorites, named appropriately enough, Mississippi Cookies. Mississippi Cookies Melba's Note: We served Mississippi Cookies to everyone including then-Today Show host Jane Pauley who received a box full presented by Gov. Allain when the show filmed in Mississippi. 1/2 cup shortening (half butter) 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla and a dash of salt 1- 1/3 cups of flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon milk Combine shortening, butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs. Add sifted dry ingredients. Chill. Roll as thin as possible. Use any cookie cutter you choose. (The customized Mississippi cookie cutter can sometimes be found at gourmet and culinary shops in the state). Bake on a sprayed cookie sheet for 7-10 minutes at 350¡. Makes 3-4 dozen. Recipe from "A Taste of History." If You Go: LeFleur’s Bluff State Park Where: 3315 Lakeland Terrace, Jackson Contact: 601-987-3923

By Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney Mississippi now has funding for a hurricane mitigation program with the passage, and signing by Governor Tate Reeves, of House Bill 1705. The Comprehensive Hurricane Damage Mitigation Program was established within the Mississippi Insurance Department (MID) in 2007. However, appropriations were never made to fund the program. The bill transfers $5 million from the Mississippi Surplus Lines Association (MSLA) to the Comprehensive Hurricane Damage Mitigation Program Fund, a trust fund established for the program. These funds are not from the general fund, but are considered public funds. The law lays out other parameters for the program. It limits financial grants under the program to $10,000 per recipient. And requires that MID issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for administration of the program, or operate the program internally. I want thank the legislature and Governor Tate Reeves for supporting this legislation. One of the top complaints I receive as Commissioner of Insurance is regarding the rate increases policyholders are seeing in this difficult market. I am certainly sympathetic to this, as I have seen rate increases on my own property as well. With funding in place, we can now do something positive and offer some relief to the policyholders in the lower six counties of the State. I had asked the legislature to extend the program statewide, since over 60 % of the funding comes from outside the coast, but politics blocked the expansion.  We will continue the efforts to provide statewide benefits. Mitigation efforts can include building at a higher elevation, adding hurricane shutters, fastening your roof to the walls with hurricane straps and buying flood insurance, among other efforts. For every one dollar spent on mitigation, the average payback on the investment happens within 2.7 years. Mitigation makes communities more resilient following catastrophic events as it can lessen loss severity and allow homeowners to get back on their feet quicker. Mississippi state law requires insurance companies to give discounts for homes mitigated to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) standards. State law does not require a specific amount for discounts; however, most insurers have filed discounts with MID ranging from 15 percent to 30 percent for those fortified homes. Research from IBHS shows that investing a few hundred extra dollars, when replacing your roof, can save you thousands in damage later. However, not everyone has a few hundred dollars lying around to spend on mitigating your home. HB 1705 now provides the money needed to help our citizens. With the passage of HB 1705, the Department has begun the initial phases of implementing this mitigation program, which includes the development of a website dedicated to containing vital consumer education information and details regarding the grant application process. Further details will be released to the public once the website is up and live.

Governor Tate Reeves has declared May 19-25, 2024 as Emergency Medical Services Week in Mississippi. This year marks the 50th anniversary of National EMS Week which is a time to show our gratitude toward Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and paramedics who provide lifesaving care across the nation every day. EMS Week is also a time to educate the public about EMS and the essential service they provide to communities. Members of emergency medical services teams remain vigilant, ready to provide lifesaving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Their quick response and emergency care can dramatically improve the survival and recovery rate of those who experience sudden illness or injury. The EMS system is far-reaching and consists of first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, emergency medical dispatchers, firefighters, police officers, educators, administrators, pre-hospital nurses, emergency nurses, emergency physicians, trained members of the public, and other out-of- hospital medical care providers. The members of EMS teams, whether career or volunteer, engage in thousands of hours of specialized training and continuing education to enhance their lifesaving skills each year. As part of the week, the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Office of Emergency Medical Services are inviting the public to celebrate its 50th Anniversary on Tuesday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mississippi Trade Mart in Jackson to learn all about EMS. The event will feature EMS vehicles, equipment, educational booths, vendors, and live safety demonstrations. The Trade Mart is located at 1200 Mississippi Street in Jackson on the Mississippi Fairgrounds. Get up to date news and updates at: www.msdh.ms.gov.  and on social media: facebook.com/HealthyMS, twitter.com/msdh and Instagram.com/healthy.ms.

By Bob Garver In this era of constant reboots and re-imaginings and the like, “Planet of the Apes” has had a pretty successful run. 2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was such a big hit both commercially and critically that pundits were talking about an unprecedented motion-capture-based Oscar nomination for Andy Serkis as lead ape Caesar (it didn’t happen, but it was fun to speculate). Two follow-up films in 2014 and 2017 weren’t shabby either, and it looked like the series was going to stop at a taut little trilogy. But now we’re back with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” which takes place in the same continuity as Caesar without overextending the neatly-wrapped arc. Set 300 years after Caesar’s passing, apes have taken over the world landscape, while humanity is all but wiped out. The apes have formed tribes and communities, and even taken to domesticating animals like horses. Our new hero Noa (Owen Teague) is part of a tribe that trains eagles, even bonding with them like family members. He and his friends Soona (Lydia Peckham) and Anaya (Travis Jeffrey) make risky climbs to pick out the best eggs for a ceremony to impress leaders Dar (Sara Wiseman) and Koro (Neil Sandilands), Noa’s mother and father, respectively. Noa has a rare encounter with a human, followed by an even worse encounter with a malevolent ape army that ransacks his village and takes surviving tribe members hostage. Left for dead, Noa soon sets out on a mission to rescue what little remains of his home and family. He meets wizened old ape Raka (Peter Macon), who becomes his mentor. He also re-encounters human Mae (Freya Allan) and the two form an unlikely bond, even though the two species have been feuding for generations. They’re eventually captured by head pillager Sylva (Eka Darville) and taken to the titular Kingdom. The good news is that Noa is reunited with the rest of his tribe, the bad news is that they’re all enslaved by mad king Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). Surprisingly, Proximus doesn’t hate humans as much as the other apes in these movies. He likes their culture and even keeps one (William H. Macy) as a sort of pet. Unfortunately, his love of humans has led to him picking up some of their worst tendencies, like greed and manipulation and a thirst for power. He’s convinced that if he can get into a locked human vault, he can use the human “knowledge” (mostly weapons) inside to take over the world. Noa and Mae agree that they can’t let that happen, but they have different, and perhaps conflicting motivations. To be honest, until it reaches the Kingdom, this movie drags. The destruction of the peaceful village is just so expected from this kind of movie, as is the journey filled with unlikely friendships. Fortunately things pick up toward the end, with the psychology of shifting loyalties and some memorable action. Let’s just say that this movie adds another chapter to this franchise’s complex history with gun violence. The exciting conclusion is admittedly quite successful in making the audience (including myself, since I’m recommending it) forget what a slog the movie was beforehand. “Kingdom” is going to do well enough that we’ll probably see another “Planet of the Apes” in the near future, and sure, I’m interested enough to stay with this continuity for a while. No character in this movie is as memorable as Serkis’ Caesar, of course, but I’d like to see how some relationships and journeys develop. It won’t happen for this movie, but who knows, maybe a future installment can finally score one of the apes that elusive Oscar nomination. Grade: B- “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence/action. Its running time is 145 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

United States Representative Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announced The National Endowment for the Arts has awarded $1,194,500 in grant funds to the following: