By Kara Kimbrough The past week was filled with dichotomies. I went from sampling what can only be described as "peasant food" - tuna salad and white beans - to the following night, dining on fresh seafood topped with a heavenly homemade sauce. The meal was a special treat, but simple foods are most likely the ones I'll reach for as summer arrive and temperatures hover in the high 80's. Cool, easy and here's that word again - simple foods that we might dismiss during other times of the year are appealing in our never-ending quest to keep our homes cool without the heat of an oven. My peasant food meal came about after viewing a post on an online cooking page I follow on which members post descriptions, photos and recipes of their meals. Someone who's known for her advanced culinary skills posted the following simple almost-summer meal menu: "Tuscan white bean and tuna salad with pimento cheese-topped crackers. Drizzled with Tuscan olive oil." An accompanying photo of the light meal, enjoyed outside under a leafy tree, was enough impetus for me to head to the supermarket and purchase the items for a similar supper. The following night I found myself in a Gulf Shores restaurant enjoying a meal of crisp, cool wedge salad topped with a homemade remoulade dressing, followed by stuffed shrimp and fried green tomatoes topped with delicious cream sauces. A conversation with the chef revealed the intricate steps and the perfect blends of cream, seafood and spices leading to the culmination of the finished product. I couldn't help but think of my simple supper the night before. As I mentioned the two meals to the chef, he remarked that not every dish on the menu required multiple steps or a great deal of time to create. Shrimp scampi, one of the restaurant's favorite side dishes, can be stirred together in mere minutes. As he ticked off the list of ingredients and preparation steps, I grabbed my cell phone and began texting the recipe to myself. Getting the recipe for this delectable dish was one of the highlights of my trip. Back home, I perused the cooking page for Memorial Day menus and photos. As expected, simplicity was the overriding theme. One menu included "Kansas City spareribs on the grill, tomato salad, grilled corn on the cob, fresh butter beans and watermelon salad." Another was filled with "Grilled burgers topped with blue cheese crumbles, pickle relish, red onion, lettuce, sliced tomatoes and homemade mayonnaise, potato salad loaded with vegetables and baked beans, with blueberry pie for dessert." However, not every poster chose All-American cuisine on the patriotic holiday. Billed as "My annual splendid Memorial Day paella," the appetizing photo featured smoked chicken, Country Pleasin' sausage, smoked ham, shrimp and clams and rice. A fancier Memorial Day meal featured "Lobster bucatini with lemon, capers and brown butter, Delta wet salad and focaccia bread." I've already messaged the poster of this meal asking for the recipe for this meal filled with all of my favorite ingredients. My past week's meals and menu suggestions received from the cooking page prove one thing: meals don't have to take hours of preparation or multiple ingredients to be delicious. And on the flip side, every now and then, it's important to treat ourselves to a "fancy" meal, whether we visit a restaurant to find it or prepare it ourselves. To kickstart your "simple can be delicious" journey, here are two recipes I discovered this week. One was provided by the seafood restaurant chef and the other was uncovered in a Depression-era cookbook. Both take just minutes to prepare but you'd never know it from the appearance and taste of the finished products. Gulf Shores One-Dish Shrimp Scampi 1 pound linguini 1 pound shrimp, peeled, washed and deveined 1/2 cup chicken broth (more to taste as dish cooks) 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (this was not in the chef's original recipe, but I added it for flavor) Juice of half of a lemon 1 teaspoon chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste Parmesan cheese, optional Cook linguini according to package directions; drain and set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet, then stir in shrimp, garlic and olive oil. Stir and cook until shrimp turns pink (3-5 minutes). Add chicken broth, lemon juice and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 30-45 seconds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour shrimp mixture over pasta; sprinkle with parsley and parmesan cheese, if desired. Note: I like to remove the shrimp tails prior to cooking for easier eating. Depression Pie Plate Cobbler 1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 cup milk 1 stick butter 2 cups peaches, coarsely chopped Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter on Pyrex pie plate and place in oven to melt. When butter melts, pour flour, sugar, baking powder and milk into plate and stir until combined. Add fruit to top and stir lightly. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until top is browned and fork comes out clean. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkrpco@yahoo.com..

The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum will host the award-winning Mississippi Pickle Fest from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 10. Admission is $12 for ages 3 and up. “I want to invite the public to come out to the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum for the annual Mississippi Pickle Fest,” said Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson. “Our dedicated museum staff work hard to bring entertaining, family-friendly events to the public year-round and were recently awarded the 2022 Small Festival Event of the Year for the Pickle Fest. And this year’s festival includes all the fan-favorite attractions and activities that the whole family will enjoy.” In addition to the various exhibits and educational demonstrations offered on the grounds, visitors will enjoy live music, 90 food and craft vendors, two water slides, a dunking booth, obstacle course, dry combo bounce house and jousting arena. Competitions such as the Pickle Eating Contest and Pickle Jar Packing Contest will take place during this event. The Children’s Barnyard and Small Town, Miss., will also be open. This event is sponsored by the Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Museum Foundation, Chick-fil-a Byram, Southern Beverage, Cathead Distillery, T-Mobile, and Visit Jackson. For more information on the Mississippi Pickle Fest, visit link. The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, located at 1150 Lakeland Drive in Jackson, is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information about the Museum, call 601-432-4500 or 1-800-844-8687, visit www.msagmuseum.org or visit the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum on Facebook. The Ag Museum is a division of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce.

By Bob Garver How wrong I was about 2018’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” When I saw the first trailer, I remember groaning about starting a fourth big-screen Spider-Man continuity when we were still in the middle of the Tom Holland version, hadn’t had a proper conclusion for the Andrew Garfield version, and weren’t far enough removed from the Tobey Maguire version. The live-action continuities eventually sorted themselves out, but more importantly, the animated “Spider-Verse” quickly became the best continuity of all. And with “Across the Spider-Verse,” it continues to be the best continuity. The new movie takes place about a year after the original. Miles “Spider-Man” Morales (Shameik Moore) and Gwen “Spider-Woman” Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) have not seen each other since returning to their respective universes. Both struggle with family drama, namely the decision of whether or not to reveal their alter egos to their parents. Miles wants to tell his mother Rio (Luna Lauren Velez) and police lieutenant father Jefferson (Brian Tyree Henry), but that would mean admitting that he’s been lying and putting himself in danger with no intention of stopping. Gwen wants to tell her police captain father George (Shea Whigham), but that would mean admitting that she’s been lying, endangering herself, and responsible for the death of close friend Peter Parker (who in her universe was The Lizard). Gwen tries to take her mind off things by joining a band (in an opening sequence that’s equal parts pulse-pounding and head-bopping) and stopping villains that hop over from other universes. There’s still a big hole in the multiverse that nobody can close, so villains can get through, but so can other Spider-People, like the pregnant Spider-Woman (Issa Rae), anarchist Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya), and the humorless Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac). The latter is the leader of the Spider-Society, which employs Spider-People across all universes. He reluctantly lets Gwen join the organization, though he’s concerned about her relationship with Miles, who is about to have a very important role to play in the fabric of the multiverse that can’t be compromised. Miles is stressed with juggling school, his father’s upcoming promotion to captain, and Spider-Man business. Still, he’s delighted when Gwen pays his universe a visit, even though she’s there for other business and can’t stay for long. Her business ties into a new villain called The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), whose gimmick is that he can create portals through space at will, a complex power that he doesn’t quite understand himself, but makes for a great stream of visual gags. Still, he’s destined to go from bumbler to serious threat in a real hurry, though the Spider-Society can’t stop him just yet for reasons that tie into that great responsibility for Miles. I’m just skimming the surface of the story, which includes the return of Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), now married with a baby, and a lengthy trip to a universe where NYC and India combine into the city of Mumb-hattan. The action is exciting, the jokes are funny, the animation is stunning, and the pace is frantic. Plus there are literally hundreds of secret goodies hiding in every corner of the screen that are easy to miss on a first viewing, but if any movie this year is worth seeing more than once, it’s this one. The movie ends on a cliffhanger and a setup for a future movie, much like the recent “Fast X.” But unlike that movie, I don’t feel like this movie was “sacrificed” to set up a more exciting movie down the line, it’s an entire feature in and of itself. That said, I’m actually skeptical of the upcoming “Beyond the Spider-Verse” because the ending of this one sets up some twists that represent some of my least-favorite conventions of comic book movies. “Across the Spider-Verse” never officially loses its footing, but it ends weirdly, by giving me the feeling that this series is about to plummet in quality. Grade: B “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is rated PG for sequences of animated action violence, some language and thematic elements. Its running time is 140 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Save the date! June 11 at 3pm. Come join us as we creatively celebrate the Holy Spirit at St Mary’s Episcopal Church, Bolton, Mississippi.

Greetings Parents & Community Members! Come out and meet the new incoming Hinds County School District Superintendent, Dr. Robert Sanders.

By Mika Hartman After sailing on the 2022 Buddy Cruise, I knew it was not only something that every family on this journey deserves, but I also recognize that this journey has more expenses for some and vacations this big can be hard to go on. So I thought outside the box; if I could raise awareness, raise funds and pull off a fun day for the participants, it would be a win-win for all. And that’s exactly what I did! On Friday, May 19th, I held my first ever charity golf tournament and Mississippi’s first ever Buddy Cruise Charity Golf Scramble. The day was filled with love from start to finish; but a lot of work went into the planning of such a big day. What I learned through the planning: Everyone loves the story of our journey, people want to help, and there is a need and desire to be a part of something that is real. Yes, it was a lot of work, but just like everything that is rewarding, the hard part melts away at the finish line. Every call made built new friendships and support for my mission. Every face to face had smiles and warm hugs. From sponsors, to donations, to players and volunteers, each piece was met with excitement to learn from me and find ways to help. Some of the people I called on are very familiar with the life I live and understood the importance of what I was doing; additionally, the ones who I never met before were just as eager to help. I called on donations from across the country for my “I CAN” basket to raffle from friends with Down syndrome doing incredible things with their lives. I called on local help to make sure we were growing together and making Pass Christian the “Best Place to Live on the Coast” for ALL. The day is certainly a beautiful part of this story, but, the seeds planted are absolutely going to continue to grow. A love like this is one that naturally grows from here. The golfers were met by moms and dads on this journey who came from Florida, Louisiana and from here locally, too. Think about this, the families who adore their life so much, they showed up to help. They understand the importance of opportunities, like these, best. The golfers also arrived to huge marquee lettering “BUDDY CRUISE” with balloons; in front of the balloons, there were photos that told a story of why they chose to play in THIS tournament. The photos were our families having the vacation on their lives: dancing, swimming with dolphins, riding surfboards, making crafts and making forever memories, together. From donuts to swag bags, our tournament with heart was off to a wonderful start. I had the pleasure of sharing a glimpse of my heart before the carts took off. What I wanted the players to know was how honored I was that they showed up for us, for my Hudson, for all his buddies. Had you told me five years ago that I would be hosting an event like this, umm, not even on my radar. Not only did I host an event, we changed some hearts forever. This is all because my son, Hudson, was born. I have had the biggest doors open and welcome us in. Our friends and friendships have grown, because he was born. Life’s meaning and purpose have both changed in the most gratifying ways, and sharing this impact I’ve felt means everything. Our special guest, Gadget the Clown, was dressed all in yellow and blue; she was ready to have fun with the players on the course. Mayor Jimmy Rafferty hit the first golfball of the day with a fun ball brought by our clown. He hit it solidly and the ball exploded with a poof cloud of white powder…. And they were off! Seventy-five players took the course. And if golf wasn’t enough, fun, prizes, treats, extra drink tickets, dancing and more happened thought the morning. I ran around with friends and the clown to see to it that the players were having a great time. Gadget the Clown played music, swapped out white golfballs for red ones, put clown noses on the players and even hit some golfballs herself with her silly clubs. The 7th Hole was our “Hole in One” prize of a brand new 2023 HISUN Golf Cart with a $10,000 value. Our 12th Hole was our “Closest to the Pin” with a prize of a Bay Pointe Golf Package with a $320 value. The 18th Hole was the “Longest Drive” with a prize of a Hudson Motors Inverter with a $800 value. Yes, Hudson Motors is named after my Hudson. And we, also, had a ‘Putting” contest in place. This contest had a prize of Biloxi Shuckers Dugout Box Seats for a family of four. A huge highlight to our day was our “Celebrity Couple” Austin Underwood and Jenny Stone. Austin was there to serve lunch to all the players, but he also joined a golf team; his team came in 3rd place. Austin owns Austin’s Underdawgs and he brought his truck all the way from Texas to be a part of our day. Another huge fun fact: Austin’s fiancé, Jenny Stone, was the 2013 Inspire Winner on Buddy Cruise. How cool is this!!! This is what inclusion looks like, folks. When everyone returned, they grabbed a dawg by Austin’s Underdawgs; they could choose from the Classic Dawg, the Straw Dawg, or the Jalapeño Straw Dawg. Several bought raffle tickets, looked at all the incredible silent auction items and even shopped at The Mustard Seed’s pop-up store on site. Our friends at The Mustard Seed came from Jackson to be a part of our day and what a beautiful piece they provided. The laughter and the conversations that took place made my tired vanish. We did it. I looked around at the faces; old friends, new friends, shared stories, and all the hearts on full display… what a day. At the closing ceremony, it was time to wrap up my why. Why did I do this? Well, I love my life. I love this gift of an extra chromosome. My son is exactly who he was born to be. I did this to do something big for a family on this journey. I did this to feel the impact of the work it took to make this happen. Months ago, I set out to raise awareness, host something meaningful, and I wanted to give something big to a local family. The family I selected would get a cabin on the 2023 Buddy Cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, if I could make this tournament successful. We did it! It was a super successful day. It was a joint effort that superseded my every expectation. The love poured out… I was thanking everyone for making this day possible. I honored all the families with loved ones with Down syndrome, by having them stand for applause. I then called out to the family I chose for the big gift; Krishelle’s face said it all. The surprise was truly a surprise. I had filled in her husband and her mom, but to Krishelle, this was felt in that very second. You see, I selected this family because I knew that they had adopted a little boy with Down syndrome. That’s pretty much all I knew outside of us being close neighbors. I said I needed this to be local. I love raising money for impactful causes, but we often don’t feel the money raised in the areas we live. Thats why this was so important to me. The crazy perfect to this is that I could not have selected a better family for this gift. This family has adopted two children, both with special needs. Krishelle prayed for a baby with Down syndrome. When she was little, she loved a boy with Down syndrome and always wanted a baby like her friend, Dennis. Two weeks after her prayer, she got a call. This baby would die she was told. He had outlived the expectation of the hospital, so he needed a home to go to until he passed. This baby’s mom was, also, born with Down syndrome and told he would die. He had zero human touch the first five months of his life… until Krishelle got that call. She has loved him and saved his life; I know he has likely saved hers, too. Krishelle’s boy is growing and thriving. She, also, makes sure that he has opportunities to know his birth mother, too. We all have our stories, our heavy life brings us, but, this family has taken hard things and made them beautiful. This is a deserving family of a needed vacation like this. It was meant to be. It was time to give out the contest prizes, award the winning teams with trophies and with amazing prizes, too. Our golfers who placed were given golf packages: 1st Place to Saddlebrook Golf Club in Tampa, 2nd Place to Grand Bear, and 3rd Place to Bay Pointe. After everything was handed out, Austin Underwood came up to me and shared that he had played ALL 18 HOLES and that he played with the team that came in 3rd place. I had no idea he played them all, we had talked about him playing, but, even I didn’t know he played the entire course. So it was obvious that he needed a trophy. I shared that I would need to get him one made and we even made arrangements for this. A player on his team stepped up, he said, “I got you”. This complete stranger who won a trophy was happy, really happy, to give his to Austin. And Austin lit up with excitement. Think about that, how far kindness can go for both people. As the day came to a close, my heart was so full… everyones hearts were full. The entire day was beautiful and so full of joy. Laughter, happy tears and kindness truly made this a golf tournament with heart. I was told that this was the most fun tournament some had played, the most laidback tournament, the most organized, the coolest and even some said they had never played in one like this in the most positive way. Please know this, I didn’t do all this alone. I had our story to share and arms opened. This tournament was embraced by so many. The huge part for me is that we have now planted seeds that will definitely grow the most beautiful flowers. EXTRA big thanks to all the love Pass Christian and beyond showed us. Extra big thanks to the ones who believed in me. EXTRA big hugs to all the people who came together to see this level of goodness come to life. From the donuts, to the cake, the letters, the dawgs, the swag, the adult beverages, the sodas, the prizes, the auction items, the baskets, the entire day was because of people who love our children with Down syndrome and children with other disabilities. This was our EXTRA perfect day because of EVERYONE who showed up for my Hudson and all his buddies. If you get a chance to participate in EXTRA perfect days like this, show up however you can. Days like this can be your EXTRA perfect memories, too. If you would like to know more about local events planned or about Buddy Cruise, please contact Mika Hartman at 719-822-6497. Buddy Cruise is hosting "A GRAND SLAM" evening at The Biloxi Shuckers on August 11. You can get your tickets today.

By Douglas Carswell I have just finished reading a rather good book about Mississippi politics. ‘The Switcher’, by Judge Jim Herring, is a biographical account of Mississippi’s colorful election campaigns and candidates. First elected as a District Attorney in 1971, Herring ran for Lieutenant Governor in 1976 and then for Governor in 1979 – each time as a Democrat. Herring, however, ends up serving as Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party for seven years. ‘The Switcher’, as the name implies, is a book about one man’s personal journey from the Democrats to the Republicans. But it is also the story of how an entire state flipped to the GOP. Until Thad Cochran’s election as US Senator in 1978, Mississippi had not had any state-wide Republican politicians since the 1880s. Not much changed until 1992, when Kirk Fordice and Eddie Briggs were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor. Even then, it was not until 2011 that the Democrats lost their hold on the state Legislature. Why did Mississippi flip? For Herring – and indeed for many Mississippians - Ronald Reagan clearly exerted powerful pull factor. A key moment the book refers to came when Herring heard ‘the Gipper’ speaking in Gulfport about the need for “steadiness of purpose, fidelity to ideals and love of country”. Reagan’s brand of conservatism, with its attachment to the free market, limited government and uncomplicated patriotism, attracted millions of traditional Democrat voters across the South. Mississippi's switch was made possible, too, thanks to the heroic efforts of Billy Mounger, Wirt Yerger and Clarke Reed. In some sense, one might even argue Mississippi's 'switchers' made possible not only the conversion of our state but perhaps too, the Reagan Revolution. Thank goodness for ‘switchers’! Without them, there would have been no Reagan Democrats, and the 40th President is unlikely to have been a conservative. Mississippi proves that you do not – or at least did not - need to be a Republican to be classified as conservative. Plenty of folks that voted for Jimmy Carter in 1979 and Bill Clinton in 1992 had conservative views when it comes to Faith, Flag, Free markets and Family. Herring himself remains consistent to his political principles across each chapter of the book, favoring limited taxes, light regulation and adherence to the Constitution. He, like many in our state, might have switched parties, but his conservative ideals remain largely unchanged. Being a conservative is more than just allegiance to a particular party. It ought to be about more than having the right bumper stickers or watching Fox News over CNN. Although Jim’s book doesn’t mention Edmund Burke, the great Anglo-Irish forefather of the conservative movement, reading it is clear to me that he is a Burkeian conservative at heart – like most folk in Mississippi, and perhaps indeed America. Burke, an early supporter of the American Revolution and doughty defender of free trade, believed that throughout a nation’s history, a process of trial and error means some laws and government arrangements survive, while others die out. Those that survive we should therefore regard as a sublime inheritance because they represent in effect the aggregated wisdom of past generations. That, to me, seems to be the essence of conservatism. Mea culpa. My bad. In a recent article on crime, I wrote that “from 2016 to 2022, violent crime in our state increased by 741 percent, according to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. We went from 538 violent crimes a year to 4,529.  That is 3,991 more violent crimes and more victims.” Actually, those numbers are wrong. I took the figures from the Mississippi Crime Statistics website in good faith, but it now seems that the website only includes partial data for 2016. To make the point that criminal justice leniency is fuelling an increase in crime, I should have stuck with the 260 percent increase in homicides in Jackson between 2013 and 2021. The actual statistics are grim enough without me needing to (inadvertently) provide erroneous ones. My apologies. Douglas Carswell is the President & CEO of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy.

The Stewpot Food Pantry will be open on Thursday evenings during the months of June, July, and August from 4:00pm-7:00pm beginning on Thursday, June 8th. Stewpot is encouraging our friends in the media to help us spread the word to neighbors in our community who may benefit. Scheduling an appointment to receive groceries is not required, but encouraged. To schedule an appointment, please call Stewpot at (601) 353-2759. To be eligible for groceries, you must live in Hinds County. We ask for an ID and proof of residence (a utility bill or copy of a lease) upon arrival, although no one is turned away. The Food Pantry will remain open during our regular operating hours. Regular hours of operation are Monday-Thursday 9:00am-11:00am. On Tuesdays, the Pantry reopens from 1:00PM-3:00PM. Stewpot is also seeking help with food to stock the pantry. Donations and food drives are welcomed and greatly appreciated. For a complete list of our food pantry needs, please visit stewpot.org/volunteer/need. Volunteers are needed to assist shoppers, sort and stock donations, and organize food drives to fill the shelves. To schedule a time to volunteer, please contact Contyna McNealy, Director of Volunteer Services, at cmcnealy@stewpot.org or by calling (601) 353-2759.

Recently we were in a lot of different churches, where we were introduced to a bunch of people and made a lot of new friends. Met a lot of smiling, friendly folks – but also a few who probably wouldn’t remove their frown if they were standing in front of Jesus, face to face. But there was one in those crowds. One man who stands out in our memory. He was a member of a small community, in a town of about fifteen hundred, with several hundred more in the outlying rural areas. We were in that town for a few days, and everywhere we went, people knew that man’s name. They knew he was, what he did, and how he treated people. Whenever his name was brought into the conversation, faces would light up with recognition, admiration, and respect. How did that happen? How did one man come to be known and generally liked by everyone we met? We can’t pretend to have the all-knowing answer to that. Maybe he secretly hands out twenty-dollar bills on the sly. Maybe he tells everyone what they want to hear – truth or not. “Aw man, don’t worry about it, that extra one hundred and twenty-five pounds you’ve gained looks fantastic on you!” That could be the reason, but I doubt it. Based on what we observed, we believe we know why this man is so beloved in his community. He just sincerely loves. Everyone he meets. Pastor Frankie’s attitude toward everyone he knows – a great person or a person with a hopelessly bad attitude is simply this: “I just love that ol’ boy! Yeah, I know he has a few issues. But there is just so much to like about him. God sure made a good ‘un when He created him. I sure love him.” How do we know this? Simple, we kept hearing it from his lips. No matter who he had been talking to. Happy people, angry folks, thieves, church-going or non-church-going folks, the alcoholic, or the drug-addicted. He never seemed to vary in his attitude toward them. It seems he’s just decided to love everyone who crossed his path. Is this man a simpleton, who can’t perceive that some folks need to be condemned and lectured? Nope, he holds a Doctorate in Ministry from a well-respected seminary. Is he blind? Can he not smell the booze on someone’s breath? Not at all. He functions just as well as you and I in all aspects of living. He knows what is going on around him very well. But he does dislike some things. Seeing what sin does in the life of people. He would much rather see people living for God. He knows that is where they will receive help with their problems. So, he just loves and offers help. He reminds me of Another who walked around in His community. He also just loved.

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced the dates for the 164th Mississippi State Fair. The upcoming 2023 State Fair will be held Thursday, October 5, through Sunday, October 15, at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson. “We’re excited to announce the dates for this year’s annual Mississippi State Fair,” said Commissioner Gipson. “Fairgoers can expect all their favorite rides, events, livestock shows, concerts and foods to be on display across the 105-acre grounds. Our staff is working tirelessly to ensure we have another safe and successful fair, with even more family-friendly attractions and nationally recognized artists.” “We have been working very hard on the 164th State Fair,” said Michael Lasseter, director of the Mississippi State Fairgrounds. “We have new attractions and great entertainment, which we will be announcing soon. So mark your calendars for this annual, fun filled event coming in October!” Additional details regarding concerts and special attractions will be forthcoming soon. Follow the Mississippi State Fairgrounds on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

By Bob Garver Back in 1989, the animated version of “The Little Mermaid” ushered in what came to be known as the “Disney Renaissance,” an era of creative and commercial prosperity where the company reclaimed its position as the king of animated family entertainment. Now in 2023, the company is looking to a live-action version of “The Little Mermaid” to put it back on top of that mountain, minus the animation. Sure, the MCU is doing well, but the studio hasn’t really been connecting with younger audiences lately, at least not at the box office. The pandemic forced “Soul,” “Luca,” and “Turning Red” to go directly to streaming, “Raya and the Last Dragon” opened too soon after theaters reopened to be a blockbuster, “Encanto” didn’t perform as well as its legacy would suggest, and “Strange World” simply did not find an audience. The best performer since 2019 was last year’s critical flop “Lightyear” with $118 million domestic, a number “The Little Mermaid” is projected to nearly match or even beat by the end of the four-day Memorial Day weekend. The story, as before, is that mermaid princess Ariel (Halle Bailey) wants to leave underwater life behind and live on the surface with humans, especially the hunky Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King). Her father, King Triton (Javier Bardem), forbids her from so much as visiting the surface, and enlists his crab servant Sebastian (Daveed Diggs) to keep an eye on her. A falling-out between father and daughter sends Ariel right into the tentacles of opportunistic sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), who offers Ariel a chance to be human for three days. If she can get a true-love’s kiss from Eric in that time without using her voice, she can stay human forever. If she fails, she becomes Ursula’s slave. She sets out on the adventure of a lifetime on land, aided by Sebastian and her friends, fish Flounder (Jacob Trembley) and stork Scuttle (Awkwafina). Can she get the kiss despite Ursula’s scheming? The good news is that the musical numbers fans love are well-translated here with excellent vocals from Bailey and Diggs and some gorgeous choreography. I was mimicking bits of “Part of Your World,” “Under the Sea,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” “Kiss the Girl,” and Ariel’s non-lyrical siren song for days after I saw this movie, much to the annoyance of people around me. Also, the cinematography is beautiful with luscious blues and greens (sadly not red though, I miss Ariel’s vibrant red hair) and Bailey and Hauer-King have delightful chemistry as they fall in love. The bad news is that the film goes for some additions that don’t work. The new songs range from well-meaning-but-unmemorable (Eric’s “Wild Uncharted Waters”) to downright painful (Scuttle’s “The Scuttlebutt,” which may mark the single lowest point in composer Lin-Manuel Miranda’s career). Eric is given a parallel storyline similar to Ariel’s, which does add some much-needed depth to his character, but also results in some eye-rolling redundancy. The CGI-heavy climax pales in comparison to the genuinely tense animated version. And I really hate to say it, because her singing and mute scenes are terrific, but Bailey is often wooden when speaking her lines. It all balances out to a pretty good movie, perhaps the best of Disney’s live-action remakes of their animated classics. The kids at my screening loved it, though I may have just been hearing particularly high-pitched adults. The animated version is still superior, but this new “Little Mermaid” is a decent successor and a great way to introduce the iconic story and characters to a new generation. Grade: B- “The Little Mermaid” is rated PG for action/peril and some scary images. Its running time is 135 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.