By Aliyah Veal, Mississippi Free Press Twelve-year-old Elizabeth Keyes is crouched over her sewing machine, hard at work on putting together her first-ever piece of custom clothing: an A-line, zebra-print shirt. The Bolton, Miss., native’s mother was blessed enough to hire Sharon Knott, a seamstress who worked at Hancock, to give her private lessons. Keyes is almost at the end of her seam when a stern, feminine voice interrupts her. “No, that’s not right. Undo it. Start again,” Knott critiques her. Frustrated, Keyes undoes her work to start anew at the behest of her teacher. She was impatient, but her tutor always taught her to be detail-oriented because a seamstress should not want a customer to turn over a piece of clothing and see that it is improperly sewn. “When I was 12, I was just discovering that skillset as a seamstress, and the technical work that goes behind making clothes is not a fast process, but you have to love what you do to make quality work,” an adult Keyes told the Mississippi Free Press around a decade later. Keyes’ hard work and dedication has all led to the launch of her first collection under House of E. Keyes, a women’s clothing brand she describes as bold, creative and inspirational. The collection is a collaboration with Shein X, a three-year-old program wherein Shein reaches out to emerging fashion designers, looks at their portfolios, interviews them and sponsors their five-piece collections. “What’s so unique about this collection is I thought about like that modern-day influencer, like the women in my life that did so much, but they just needed an outfit to match that swag,” the designer described. Keyes describes her upbringing in Bolton in three terms: hardworking, hospitality and faith. She grew up on family land with parents who were both ministers at her home church in Bolton. Elizabeth was homeschooled until high school, but that didn’t stop her from participating in various extracurricular activities, including dance. “I would say my love for fashion initially came from dance,” she said. “When I was around 4 or 5 years old, there was a dance school in Clinton. … What I loved about it was just the costume designs. I was always thrilled with how we had different looks for different scenery.” Her mother always dressed her in plaid skirts and matching sets, a style Keyes labeled bougie. While homeschooling Keyes and her siblings, Keyes’ parents regularly introduced them to lifestyles of creativity and entrepreneurship. Keyes started watching documentaries on notable designers like Oscar de la Renta and Mississippi’s very own Cross Colours co-founder TJ Walker and fashion designer Patrick Kelly, whom her high school would go on to honor. “One of my biggest inspirations was Kimora Lee Simmons,” Keyes said. “Like, I have a picture of me wearing Baby Phat as a teenager. That was my go-to.” While attending Raymond High School, she started the school’s first fine-arts club to encourage the arts and provide an outlet for her classmates who were interested in music, poetry, art, fashion and so on. “I just wanted to be that pioneer to create an outlet for us to start investing and looking at career opportunities, mentors, and just get more experience in the art field,” Keyes said. At 16 years old, she premiered in her first fashion show that raised money for a local charity for sickle-cell awareness. The collection contained six pieces for kids and teenagers, and her friends modeled her designs. ‘I Can’t Find Any Brand to Fit Me’ As a freshman at Raymond High, Keyes began researching colleges because she knew she needed to attend fashion-design school to sharpen her skills and knowledge of the industry. “There’s a program that still exists in Mississippi called Get2College, and there was an advisor, Stephen Brown,” she said. “I told him these are the schools I’m looking at, and I really want to look into SCAD (the Savannah College of Art and Design). So he went on the tour, brought me back some things, and my mom took me to SCAD Day.” What drew her to the school was the one-on-one attention that she received from one of the professors, along with the program’s focus on helping students attain careers in fashion. After graduating high school in 2017, she attended SCAD in the fall, majoring in fashion design with a double minor in graphic design and fashion marketing and management. She graduates June 2, 2024. “For me, my journey has been so unique because I truly have gained the industry skills that I need to land the careers that I have—like being a part of the Gucci Changemaker program in 2021, which is awarded by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. I had a two-year experience internship with Kohl’s as an intern designer,” Keyes said. All of the designer’s hard work and experience has culminated into her first House of E. Keyes collection with the Shein X program. When applying for the program, Shein loved the fact that her portfolio showed her creativity and the technical skills she learned from school like how to do a tech pack and how to draw, the student said. “All the looks are pretty much ready-to-wear, monochromatic silhouettes that are complimentary for all body types because that’s a part of my brand philosophy, to be more inclusive with size. Coming from Mississippi, that was my biggest thing to become a designer because I’m just like, ‘I’m 13 years old, and I can’t find any brand to fit me,’” she said. TJ Walker. Patrick Kelly. J. Bolin. Kollin Carter. All of these men are Mississippi fashion designers and stylists who have or had an imprint on the fashion industry. Keyes is honored to see herself as qualified and worthy enough to be a part of this collective of Mississippi creatives. To celebrate the release of her first collection, Keyes held a launch party in her hometown on March 19, the day after the line’s official debut. She has plans to host a fall fashion show of her collection in Mississippi and to establish her mentorship program, Girls in Grace, here as well. The program is her motivator for helping invest in the next generation of young women to help them follow their dreams. “I definitely see myself working in the industry,” Keyes said. “My prayer is to be a full time entrepreneur, but I feel like there’s room for a role as an assistant designer in the industry to help mold our private labels to be more inclusive through their sizing, through their advertisement.” ”Definitely have a goal to be a part of, like, New York Fashion Week in some capacity, some state fashion shows,” she added. “I know Mississippi has Rock the Runway, so I would love to participate in that.” House of E. Keyes officially launched on Monday, March 18, 2024, with new clothes dropping weekly. To purchase from the new collection, visit Shein X’s website here. Follow Elizabeth Keyes and her work at @_houseofekeyes on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and YouTube. View her portfolio at ekeyesdesigns.com and browse her personal shop at shopekeyes.myshopify.com.  To learn more about Girls in Grace, follow the program’s Instagram page.

Let's come together for National Day of Prayer on May 2, 2024 at 12:20 P.M. It will be held ion the Bolton City Hall parking lot at 202 Raymond-Bolton Road in Bolton, MS. In case of rain, the event will be moved inside City Hall.

Mississippi Boychoir celebrates the conclusion of its 29th season with two spring concerts - a preview concert and a full concert on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Those interested in singing with the choir next season are encouraged to attend the preview concert where sign-ups for choir placement for the 30th anniversary season will be available. The Preview Concert will be held at the St. Richard Catholic Church at 2:00 pm. 1242 Lynwood Drive, Jackson. This concert is free and open to the public. The Spring Concert will be held at St. Columb’s Episcopal Church at 6:00 pm. 550 Sunnybrook Road, Ridgeland. $10 suggested donation at the door. Timeline for the day: 2:00 pm - Preview Concert with opportunity for choir placement sign-ups for next season. 3:30 pm - Choir placements 6:00 pm - Spring Concert Mississippi Boychoir and this event are funded in part by the Mississippi Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

By Bob Garver “Civil War” presents one of the most intriguing premises of the year, maybe of the last several years: what if Texas and California were to secede from the United States and join forces to wage war against their former home country? In short, everyone would lose. The economy would tank so badly that $300 would buy you a ham sandwich or cheese sandwich – but not both. There wouldn’t be a sports stadium left for sports and not crisis centers. Violence and death would lurk around every corner. And needless to say, things would be a nightmare for the press. Kirsten Dunst stars as Lee Smith, a hardened photographer. She’s not without her compassionate side, giving her life-saving press jacket to stranger Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) during a riot in New York City. But otherwise, she is fearlessly committed to bringing America (whatever that means anymore) the truth about the war. She and her colleague Joel (Wagner Moura) set off to Washington D.C. to get what will likely be the final interview with the President (Nick Offerman) before advancing Western forces inevitably take him. The two are joined by occasionally-annoying tagalong Jessie and veteran reporter Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson, always a great scene-stealing presence, and here making the most of his most high-profile role to date). Much of “Civil War” is a glorified road trip movie largely set in rural areas, which I suppose makes sense since the movie can’t afford to show major cities getting torn to pieces in every scene. But the small-scale villains are even scarier than the large-scale ones, with fewer authorities than ever around to keep them in check. The team visit a gas station where thieves are tortured for as long as the captors can have fun torturing them. Even worse is a militia group filling a mass grave of civilians that were probably not killed as an act of war, but whose disappearance will probably be lazily blamed on the war. “Civil War” can’t be bothered to answer all the questions it raises, like those involving the origins of the war. Given that Texas and California are the states that seceded, I can only assume that immigration was a major factor, though details are left unclear. Not all the violence in this movie is about the war anyway, some people just want an excuse to shoot people they don’t like. In fact, it’s not necessarily people they don’t like – some people just want an excuse to shoot people regardless of what they represent. Humanity is forever on the edge of destroying itself from within and all that. Watching “Civil War” reminded me of “The Purge” with its mass violence with or without sense. That franchise started off as a pretty standard home-invasion thriller with lots of bells and whistles about the overlying concept of The Purge that weren’t really necessary for the small-scale conflict. The sequels got deeper into why people needed to kill for reasons other than revenge, while at the same time expanding the scale of the action with ever-growing budgets. Maybe there’s a future for “Civil War” as a franchise. The sequels will need to spend more money, though, because the D.C.-set finale of this movie looks rushed and cheap. “Civil War” might be onto something as a first chapter in a series that will have many sequels and prequels. On its own, however, I found it bland. There are certainly some powerful scenes, like one with an unbilled Jesse Plemmons as a militia member chillingly doling out death sentences according to his whims. The stars of Moura, Spaeny, and Henderson are deservedly going to rise thanks to their performances here, though I can’t be the only one who walked out of the theater thinking that Spaeny’s character was responsible for too many deaths for her character to be likeable. I can’t say the film lives up to the ambitiousness of its premise, but with more worldbuilding in future installments, there’s potential here for a memorable dystopian future. Grade: C “Civil War” is rated R for strong violent content, bloody/disturbing images, and language throughout. Its running time is 109 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu

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If you work and work hard, you will understand this topic. Exhaustion. Too much constant physical or mental work, with no relaxation for your body and brain can bring on serious exhaustion. And that kind of tired, with no time for recuperating, is dangerous for you. You run the risk of pushing too far over the edge, which can easily mean that you end up being grounded for a while. Which is ultimately more costly for you than stepping-away time would be. Anyone with half a brain can understand that taking time away, even a stay-cay, is smarter and cheaper than a few days in your local hospital. And if your collapse happens to be of the mental or emotional kind? You are easily staring in the face of a much longer convalescence time. But let’s say you are Numero Uno, the head of your organization, and you know you can’t afford the luxury of just walking away for a few days. Your company relies heavily on your leadership, and your empty desk could mean faulty repercussion-laden decisions being made. Which could lead to a loss of revenue, which would lead to financial losses that affect everyone in the company.  I acknowledge the truth of that. But consider this truth, if that is something that you fear. You definitely should have begun developing other competent leaders – yesterday. And if you don’t trust any of your employees to learn to lead? Then you have some leadership problems within yourself. Because your job is not only to lead your organization, but it is also to find, develop, and assign leaders to lead with you. If you do not develop other leaders, you are short-changing your business. Bottomline, if it stays in that controlling palm of your hand, it cannot grow past the size of the palm of your hand. Believe me, other people in your business need and want you to ask them to step forward. To expect more from them. To train them to take over a department. Don’t be afraid to delegate responsibility. Applaud and reward effort. Refrain from punishing when they fail while they are learning.  Discipline only with teaching and training in mind. And if you do happen to invest your time and leadership training into a dud who isn’t invested in the welfare and success of your company, demote that person as quickly as possible. Before the bleeding worsens. A person like that will put your company’s health on the bottom of their priority list. But what if you are the head and also the tip of the tail for your company? It is you and you alone who is responsible for its success or failure, every day. There are no other beating hearts that care one whit whether your business falls flat on its face. You talk about stress! No doubt about it, going it alone in this world is extremely tough. I simply refer you to paragraph one. For your own health, my friend.

By Kara Kimbrough The history of the Mississippi Gulf Coast has always intrigued me. When I briefly (emphasis on brief) entertained the thought of earning a Ph.D., the origin on the area's founding and its first inhabitants is the only topic I considered for a dissertation topic. Academic goals aside, I still love reading about the arrival of American Indians, including the Pascagoula tribe, followed in 1699 by French explorer Pierre d'Iberville. In subsequent decades, immigrants from Italy, Ireland, Germany, France, Scotland, Croatia, Vietnam and other places followed, making it the melting pot of cultures and cuisines we enjoy today. For a quick history lesson, a visit to the Biloxi Welcome Center provides a fascinating recap of the area's early days through interactive displays and colorful photographs, personal recordings and written narratives. Plus, it's the ultimate place to stop to utilize clean restrooms and relax for a minute in rocking chairs on the porch overlooking the Biloxi Lighthouse and beach. Additionally, a scenic spot in Hancock County combines a beach view, large moss-draped oaks, marshlands and fun family activities in an historic site dating back centuries. I’m referring to Waveland's Buccaneer State Park. Back in the late 1700’s, French buccaneer Jean Lafitte and his followers were busy smuggling and pirating treasures. Traveling along Mississippi's coastline, they were so taken with the area's beauty that they decided to dock their ships and stay awhile. In fact, Lafitte set up his headquarters in the old Pirate House a short distance from today's state park. Fast forward to the 1800's and Andrew Jackson labeled the area “Jackson's Ridge” after building a military base there during the Battle of New Orleans. Jackson loved the area so much that he returned after the way and built a house on land that is now Buccaneer State Park. It's interesting to think of the park's fascinating history, but don't expect to see many landmarks of olden days. Hurricane Katrina obliterated most of the park's historic structures courtesy of its nearly 30-foot tidal surge. However, a major renovation project completed in 2013 fully restored the park to its beauty and functionality. With names like Pirate's and Treasure Coves, Jean Lafitte and Royal Cay, today the park includes 206 premium campsites, 70 field campsites and primitive camping spots, many overlooking the bay. If camping is not in your plans or you’re only on the Coast for the day, the park is the perfect place to stop and enjoy a picnic, savor cool bay breezes and enjoy being outside in a natural setting. A minimal fee is charged per visitor; children under 3 get in free. Hike Pirate's Alley Nature Trail, enjoy Jackson's Ridge disc golf, try your luck at fishing and enjoy a meal under one of the pavilions. Reopening Memorial Day weekend will be Buccaneer Bay, a 4.5-acre waterpark; a separate admission fee is charged for this attraction. Located near Buccaneer is the Silver Slipper Casino Hotel, which I featured after a visit last summer. I failed to sample what I soon learned is one of the main reasons locals visit the resort’s Jubilee Buffet – hot funnel cakes topped with powdered sugar and whipped cream. I tried Cajun, Creole, Southern, Asian, Mexican, Italian and other cuisines, along with fresh boiled shrimp and crab legs. But somehow, I overlooked the funnel cake station and instead, chose key lime pie for dessert. Big mistake. Huge. After I told this story - OK, more than once - a friend provided a simple recipe for the fair food treat. Luckily, I had all the ingredients on hand and was able to make my own funnel cake in no time. It was good, but I still plan to visit the Slipper soon to try the buffet’s “famous funnel cakes” for myself. If You Go: What: Buccaneer State Park Where: 1150 S. Beach Blvd, Waveland Contact: 228-467-3822 for more details on hours of operation and fees for activities Easy Funnel Cake (makes two funnel cakes) ¼ cup milk 1 egg 1 tablespoon water ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon granulated sugar ¾ teaspoon baking powder 1 pinch salt ½ cup all-purpose flour 4 tablespoons powdered sugar In a large liquid measuring cup or batter bowl with a spout, whisk together milk, egg, water and vanilla. Add sugar, baking powder and salt and whisk until combined. Add the flour, and whisk until completely smooth. Set aside. In a medium, deep-sided skillet, heat an inch of oil to 375 degrees over medium-high heat. When you put the end of a wooden spoon in the pot and bubbles form around the spoon, it's ready. Reduce heat to medium. Drizzle batter from a measuring cup with a spout in a thin circle, overlapping as desired to create a solid cake. Cook for 2 minutes or until light golden brown, then flip and cook another 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and place on paper towel-lined dish. Dust with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and serve. Repeat with the remaining batter. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer and travel agent from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

Having the right information following a disaster makes filing a claim easier and faster. Find your policy information, store it in a safe, waterproof place, and make a digital copy. If you didn't have a home inventory before the storms, make one now to give to your insurance company. Damage caused by tornadoes is covered under standard homeowners and business insurance policies, as well as the optional comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy. Flood insurance requires a separate policy and is not covered by your homeowner policy. "Let your insurance company know the extent of the damage," said Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. "After tornadoes and other disasters, insurance companies will reach out to those with the worst losses first. If you are not staying on the property, make sure your insurance representative knows where and how to contact you." Follow these steps when filing a claim: Prepare to file an insurance claim by gathering all relevant policy numbers. File your claim as soon as possible. Your policy may require that you make the notification within a certain time period. Be aware, if a widespread disaster has occurred, the company may set up special procedures. Be sure you cooperate fully with the insurance company. Ask what documents, forms and data you will need to file a claim. Keep a record of all conversations with insurance companies, creditors or relief agencies. If your home is damaged to the extent that you can't live there, ask your insurance company if you have coverage for additional living expenses. Take photographs/video of the damage. Inventory your home for damaged or lost items before your adjustor arrives. This will speed up your claim process. Make the repairs necessary to prevent further damage to your property (cover broken windows, leaking roofs and damaged walls). Don't have permanent repairs made until your insurance company has inspected the property and you have reached an agreement on the cost of repairs. Be prepared to provide the claims adjuster with records of any improvements you made prior to the damage. Maintain any damaged personal property for the adjuster to inspect. Ask the adjuster for an itemized explanation of the claim settlement offer. Be patient and assist claims adjusters assigned to your case. Small losses may be settled quickly; extensive claims will take longer. Save all receipts, including those from the temporary repairs covered by your insurance policy.

Yes, you failed. It ended badly for you. Bankruptcy, nervous breakdown, divorce, the loss of any relationship with your kids, or maybe a physical adventure that went sideways and ended in you getting to know the fine folks of your local hospital. Endless possibilities come to mind when it comes to the ways we can lose at life. And the loss doesn’t just stop with the actual thing that happened. Like waves from a rock thrown into a pond, the repercussions just keep spreading. The hurt engulfs every part of your life, and it seems the meltdown will never end. After all, each part of our lives is intertwined with all the others. But you already know that, if you’ve ever experienced failure. Financial ruin has intricate veins that stream pain to our emotional well-being, our physical health, and even our belief in ourself. Divorce or extended physical problems? That same network of veins runs full-blast with toxic energy that can damage us in every way possible. So, how do we successfully start over? Well, you’re not reading a column written by a medical expert or a life counselor, so don’t expect professional advice where you can hang your hat and totally relax. But there are a few things that are purely logical, and need to be addressed. First step, admit you failed. Not always an easy thing to do. Pride and self-defense colors good judgement, making it almost impossible to acknowledge the obvious. The favorite words when we fail are usually, “But if” and “It wasn’t really my fault because…” or “If only that other person would have….”   But the thoughts behind those words are painful and obsessive. And ultimately useless. Like hyped-up hamsters on an electric treadmill, they run through your brain and get you nowhere. But admitting your failure to yourself? That’s stepping in the right direction. Secondly, before throwing yourself headlong into proving to you and everyone else that you can succeed, just stop. Take a good look backwards at your life. There are usually some broad indicators of impending disaster when we take the time be dead-level honest. I won’t take up space listing them – an honest and hurting person can spot them in their own life. My last suggestion? After realizing where you went wrong, work at making those changes needed. To loosely quote an old maxim, “Doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results is just dumb.” Relationships do not heal without work. Gutted finances can’t recover without some changes. A physically or emotionally battered and broken body needs healing time, and probably a completely different approach to life in the future. Remember, you may have failed, but you’re not dead yet. You still have time to help yourself learn to succeed. Have the courage to admit your failure, look backward for potholes where you fell, and work at filling them in. Instead of giving in to the temptation to blame someone else.

City of Vicksburg welcomes everyone to come enjoy live music, arts and food at the third annual Vicksburg Arts and Music Festival, April 19-20, 2024. The Festival continues to partner with the Alcorn State University Jazz Festival on Saturday to add a second stage of entertainment. The festival is FREE to attend. We invite people to bring their lawn chairs and picnic blankets to relax on while enjoying the music and food. There will be a variety of vendors inside and outside along with multiple vendors selling food items like fried alligator, BBQ, fish and more! Entertainment will kick off inside with high school and college students performing wonderful jazz at 9am and then the second stage outside kicks off at 12pm. Omega Psi Phi will host a student talent search beginning at 12. Students’ 9th-12th grade are eligible to participate and will be winning cash prizes. Local and regional musicians are invited to a Jam session with Mr. Bud Carson in memory of Mark Doyle beginning at 2pm. Childrens activities include a video gaming trailer and special scaly guests from the MS Natural Science Museum from 2pm-6pm. Featured Musicians: Compozitionz, The Chill, Projekt, Pop Fiction, MS Marshall Deluxe and the legendary Bobby Rush will all perform throughout the festival Friday and Saturday. Event made FREE and possible by the generous support from the City of Vicksburg, Mutual Credit Union, Waterview Casino, Bally’s Casino, grants from Visit Mississippi, Visit Vicksburg and MS Delta National Heritage. Call the VCC office 601-630-2929 or email VCCDirector@vicksburg.org for event information.

By Kara Kimbrough One of the most amazing things about Mississippi is that there’s always a hidden gem just around the corner. A place I didn’t know existed until recently is the amazing Mississippi Armed Forces Museum on the grounds of Camp Shelby just outside of Hattiesburg. If you’re a history buff with special interest in the military, the museum should definitely be on your list of place to visit. Camp Shelby is notable in its own right; the base serves as one of the nation’s largest training sites for National Guardsmen and Reservists from throughout the country. But it’s the museum that attracts tourists to the grounds to view the impressive array of artifacts and memorabilia. The Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby serves as a valuable military history museum, created to honor the servicemen and women of all branches from Mississippi and others who trained there during times of war. The large, modern museum is filled with professional, intriguing exhibits illustrating the personal stories of American heroes who served our country. The museum’s galleries highlight Mississippi’s role in the Armed Forces ranging from the 19th century, World Wars I and II, Korean and Vietnam Wars and global war on terrorism. A collection of over 17,000 artifacts, 5,000 volumes of military history and 40,000 linear feet of archival materials insures this is one museum experience that can never be described as boring. An impressive Hall of Honors pays tribute to Mississippi veterans and the state’s 28 Medal of Honor recipients. A few years ago, the museum’s courtyard was enclosed to showcase additional honors received by Mississippians as well as rotating exhibits. Outdoor exhibits on the grounds of the Museum include memorials and a vehicle park with aircraft, tanks and field artillery. After viewing the museum, it’s never a bad idea to go in search of a good meal in Hattiesburg. One of my newfound favorites is Keg and Barrel. First, don’t let the name fool you. It’s not solely a place known for its spirits. Although alcohol is served, it’s actually the food that put Keg and Barrel on the map, gradually becoming a favorite of residents of all ages due to its consistently above-average food and service. That’s saying a lot considering the fact that Hattiesburg is a college town and medical hub filled with a wide array of restaurants representing many different cuisines. So, yes, despite its name, Keg and Barrel is perhaps best known for its food – and no, I’m not referring to what is typically known “bar food” of nachos and wings. A plethora of creative appetizers, oysters served in a variety of ways, burgers, sandwiches, salads, pizzas and entrees await at two Hattiesburg locations. There’s the original Hardy St. East restaurant and my favorite, the convenient-to-drop-in “west” location across from Turtle Creek Mall. K & B offers a variety of delicious appetizers, including debris fries, an overflowing plate of fries topped with roast beef, gravy, sauteed onions and horseradish sauce. The fries and other appetizers are all good choices, but my personal favorite is Greek dip duo. Greek dip duo was temporarily removed from the menu during the pandemic, but due to popular demand from upset customers, it’s back. Homemade hummus and feta dip (the best I’ve ever tasted!) is served with warm pita bread, fresh vegetables and homemade chips. I could almost – and sometimes do- make a meal from this delicious assortment of tangy dip, crisp vegetables and soft pita bread slices. It’s hard to choose just one burger from among of list of creative offerings, but when I’m in the mood for one, I usually order the Keg Stand. It consists of a thick burger topped with cheese, bacon, fried onions and steak sauce on a jalapeno cheddar bun. As I said, there are numerous homemade pizzas, sandwiches, po’boys and other dishes on the menu, but when it’s time for a hearty meal, Keg and Barrel’s entrees won’t disappoint. Hattiesburg hot chicken, shrimp and grits, red beans and rice, chicken and waffles and grilled redfish are just a few of the choices. They’re all delicious, but if pressed for a favorite, chicken are waffles is usually my meal of choice. Before heading out of the city, stop by The University of Southern Mississippi and take a selfie or family photo in one of the most beautiful spots in south Mississippi. Right now, the University’s All-American Rose Garden, located at the front entrance of the campus fronting Hardy Street, is at its peak. Over 800 rose bushes in vivid colors of red, pink, coral and other vivid hues are on full display and are free for the viewing (although not clipping, which can trigger a fine.) The rose garden is open to the general public free of charge, seven days a week. After checking in with security at the front entrance and parking, visitors are free around to walk around, admire the blooms and shoot photos. If You Go Mississippi Armed Forces Museum Where: 850 Camp Shelby Training Site Building, Camp Shelby, MS Hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday; closed Sunday-Monday Admission: Free Contact: 601-558-2757 If You Go: What: Keg and Barrel Where: Two Hattiesburg locations: 1315 Hardy St. and 6 Marketplace Dr. (West) For hours of operation and other information, check out their website: http://www.kegandbarrel.com. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

By Bob Garver “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is really a tale of two movies. No, not a Godzilla movie and a King Kong movie, rather a movie that follows the human characters and a movie that follows what the movie calls “Titans.” The human portion is terrible, as is the human contribution to all American Godzilla movies (and I specify “American” because the human element in the recent Japanese installment “Godzilla Minus One” made it one of the best kaiju movies ever made). But the Titan portion makes for one of the best movies of the year. Let’s get the human portion out of the way. Returning Kong expert Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) notices mysterious signals coming from Hollow Earth, the subterranean world where the giant ape lives. Her adopted daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle), a confidant of Kong’s that communicates with him through sign language, picks up on a telepathic signal as well, one that tells her that Kong is in danger. The government allows Kong to pay a rare visit to the surface to have a tooth fixed by adventurous Dr. Trapper (Dan Stevens), provided he’s kept far away from atomic lizard Godzilla, who lives on Earth fighting dangerous “titans” and desperately wants to throw down with Kong in a battle that will undoubtedly cause massive damage. But the hurt tooth doesn’t explain the alarming signals. It’s time for Andrews to pay a visit to Hollow Earth, along with Jia, Trapper, and unofficial expert Bernie (Bryan Tyree Henry) to find out just how worried mankind needs to be. The humans spout exposition and exchange unfunny banter. The talented Hall is wasted on this stock scientist character. She brings no personality to the action scenes, and the few heartfelt moments with Jia are sincere, but unchallenging. I enjoyed the Trapper character at first, but the movie doesn’t know what to do with Stevens’ effortless charm. Bernie is just plain useless and annoying. The character is supposed to be “comic relief,” but I was far from relieved knowing that he was allowed to pollute this movie with his painful presence. Balancing out the humans is Kong. He befriends a young ape (allegedly named “Suko,” though I don’t think anyone ever calls him that) that has been forced to work as a con artist by his master, the Skar King. The Skar King has laid claim to a world beneath even Hollow Earth, where other apes work as his slaves. His power comes from a crystal that allows him to control ice monster Shimo, against whom the apes have no chance. Kong challenges the Skar King for control of his empire, and the battle comes to the surface, where Kong has to recruit Godzilla to fight Shimo if there’s any hope of bringing the villains down. But Kong and Godzilla aren’t over their own differences yet. Will the “x” in the film’s title come to mean “vs.” or “&”? As with many things in life, the answer lies with Mothra. Almost all of Kong and Godzilla’s scenes play out without human interference, and in fact do not involve dialogue. The fact that the movie can communicate so much without words is highly impressive. As are the anatomy-smashing creature-on-creature action scenes, provided you can turn a blind eye to collateral damage. It’s such a shame that there’s so much to detract from what “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” does right. I can completely understand how some viewers and critics think that the humans are a deal-breaker for this movie as a whole. But just because I understand doesn’t mean I agree. I think that the creatures, especially Kong, successfully offset the humans. It’s close, but Godzilla and Kong manage to not be completely undermined in their own movie. Grade: B- “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is rated PG-13 for creature violence and action. Its running time is 115 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu