They seem to be everywhere in any town you drive through. Signs promoting the services of a local ‘TAROT CARD READER,’ ‘FORTUNE TELLER,’ and ‘PALM READER’ seem to be on every block. Look online and there are also the online psychics - the “Call me, and I’ll tell you your future” people. And don’t forget, most newspapers run daily horoscopes that are available to the ‘seekers.’ Evidently the practice of predicting the future has proved to be a lucrative business in our country. But why trust a person to predict your future, when they have to ask you your name? Shouldn’t a psychic already know it? What in the world is going on? Is there such a driving need in folks for inept and inaccurate predictions? Do they really have a burning desire to hand their money over to a person who claims to be able to see into their future and tell them what will happen? Don’t people already have enough bills to pay and money pits in their life that are sucking their cash into a black hole, never to be seen again? Are people simply so nervous and stressed out over what is coming down the pike that they are willing to grasp at those kinds of weak and illogical straws? People, I promise you on the authority of the Written Word of your Creator; There is a much more effective way of finding out what is coming in the future. You just have to be willing to read about it in Scripture. God says in the Bible that He has known for all of eternity what your life and mine is all about. The Almighty Creator has all life in the palm of His hand. And He clearly stated in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” That is His plan. But you certainly can derail, delay, and thwart His original plan for you, if you deliberately set your mind to the self-destruction that comes along with turning a blind eye to His will. It is up to you. You can choose to trust Him, even though you can’t see Him – kinda like the electricity for your house. Or, you can decide to find a self-professed reader-of-the-future to conjure up what they think might happen in your life. Or there is always the third option. You can get resentful and prideful, and choose to take matters into your own hands. Deciding that trust is for the birds, and begin creating your own future without any consideration as to what your Creator has in mind. But let me know how that works for you. Because in all my years of living on planet Earth, I have yet to see those two last options, that include ignoring the Creator, work out well in the end. But it really is your choice.

By Bob Garver When I first heard that there was a movie called “The Pope’s Exorcist,” I thought maybe it was about a guy that performs an exorcism on The Pope. That could be a cool idea – the holiest man in the Catholic Church himself needing an exorcism. But no, it’s just about The Pope’s preferred exorcist going off and performing an exorcism on yet another possessed teenager. Ho Hum. Russell Crowe plays Father Gabriele Amorth, a real-life figure in the Catholic Church whose story, I’m sure, is more interesting than anything in this movie. He’s described in the movie’s advertising as “wisecracking,” but that’s a stretch. He offers a few dry remarks, plays some head games, makes some goofy noises, and is flippant with a review board, but I never felt that “wisecracking” was a particularly accurate descriptor. Maybe because I never found any of his “jokes” to be funny. The Pope (Franco Nero) sends Amorth to Spain to investigate the possession of young Henry (Peter DeSouza-Feighoney). Henry, along with his mother (Alex Essoe) and sister (Laurel Marsden) just moved into an abandoned abbey, and soon enough the boy is hissing vulgarities and throwing around local priest Father Esquibel (Daniel Zovatto). Since the abbey is in Spain, it’s not hard to guess the dark secret of the house’s history. Supposedly nobody expects it, but I did. The literal demon forces Amorth and Esquibel to confront their figurative demons. Amorth feigned death during World War II and has survivor’s guilt. He also botched the treatment of a young woman in his care. Esquibel is guilty of something much sleazier if the demon is to be believed. I suppose these sins are necessary for character development so that we know these men are flawed, but the scenes of flashbacks and confessions just scream “padding the runtime” to me. How can a movie this short seem to take so long? Roger Ebert said that no good movie is too long and no bad movie is short enough. I’ve seen some decent movies that could use some trimming (“John Wick: Chapter 4,” anyone?), but far fewer exceptions to the latter rule. Name a tired element of the exorcist genre, and it’s probably here. Veteran exorcist teaming up with a novice priest? Check. Possessed kid speaking in a voice that clearly isn’t theirs? Check. Crab walk? You know that’s a check. Head spinning around? It doesn’t do a 360-degree spin, but one does go backwards for a bit, so a faint check. Ineffective jump scares? Check, if the movie even thinks it’s doing jump scares. Lame finale with bad CGI and a lot of thrashing? I’d almost be disappointed if this movie got better in the last ten minutes and that wasn’t a check. “The Pope’s Exorcist” is a hacky horror movie with Oscar winner Crowe supposedly lending it credibility, though it really just makes me feel sorry for how far his star has fallen. It managed to make a meager $9 million at the weekend box office, getting dominated by “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” with nearly ten times that amount (that movie gets two more weekends to lay waste to everything in its path). You’d be better off giving your money to almost anything else, including fourth-place weekend finisher “Renfield, which has a few funny ideas and is at least good for a “C” grade. It’s hard to forgive this movie for wasting so much of my time. Grade: D “The Pope’s Exorcist” is rated R for violent content, language, sexual references and some nudity. Its running time is 103 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

By Kara Kimbrough I’ve been open about my obsession with soup. I could easily eat soup every day of the week with one caveat: someone else would have to make it. As much as I love and in fact, do make soup quite often, it’s a time-consuming chore if done right. Boiling the liquid, braising the meat (if it’s meat-based), adding vegetables at just the right moment and then watching the stockpot to make sure hot bubbling liquid doesn’t boil over can’t be hastily done at the end of a long day. As a result, I’m always searching for restaurants with homemade (not shipped from a warehouse in a can) soups. I’ll recommend a few places further down, but first, a new favorite soup that’s been around awhile but has only recently hit my radar is worth a mention. Originating in Vietnam, pho (pronounced fuh) is a light, flavorful soup composed of clear flavorful broth, thin slices of beef, a combination of spices and my favorite part, flat rice noodles. If nice noodles are hard to find, fettuccini, linguini and angel hair pasta are acceptable substitutions. Pho (not to be confused with ramen bowls, which are made with bone broth, pork and wheat noodles) is a versatile soup that can be made with either beef or chicken for protein or omitted altogether for a vegetarian version. Despite its simplicity, pho is usually adorned with some type of greenery. Regular toppings are sprigs of cilantro, mint leaves, bean sprouts and slices of lemon or lime. Crispy wonton strips are my topping of choice. The best thing about pho? It’s a light, “clean” soup; the perfect antidote if you’re suffering from any type of ailment or are simply in need of a healthy meal. Pho is easy to make, but if you’re like someone else to do the cooking, a few restaurants around the state to enjoy it include: * Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant in Flowood * Pho Huong Vietnamese in Jackson * Pho Saigon Vietnamese in Hattiesburg * D’Iberville’s Henry’s Bakery and Cake * Kim Long in Biloxi If you recommend other pho places around the state, drop me an email and I’ll include them in a future column. And, there are many restaurants around the state that still take the time to make their own soup, gumbo and chili. A few that come to mind, along with their specialties: * Mary Mahoney’s in Biloxi - gumbo * The Strawberry Café in Madison – cream of crab soup * Primos Café (Ridgeland, Madison and Flowood) - vegetable soup * Harvey’s (Tupelo, Starkville and Columbus) - chili * Snackbar in Oxford’s French onion soup * Broma’s Deli in Brookhaven and McComb – homemade broccoli and cheese and spicy chili * Scranton’s in Pascagoula – crab and loaded potato soups If I’ve missed any that deserve a mention, let me know and I’ll include it down the road. If you haven’t sampled pho and want to make it at home, email me and I’ll send an easy-to-make recipe. While it’s simple, the recipe is a little too lengthy to add here, so I’m including a new vegetable beef soup recipe given to me by a friend. With a spicier broth, it take plain ol’ vegetable to an entirely new level. Spicy Vegetable Beef Soup 1 pound ground chuck (or leftover roast or steak slices) 1 medium onion, diced 1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce 1 can beef broth 1 cup water 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes, undrained 2 tablespoons ketchup 2 potatoes, sliced and cubed (or 2 cups country-style hash browns) 1 package frozen mixed vegetables 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Cook the beef and onion in a large nonstick skillet. When beef is no longer pink, drain off grease and transfer the beef/onion mixture to a 6-quart Crockpot. Add remaining ingredients and stir together. Cover and cook on low or 6 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

It's that time of year when increased rain chances also means increased flood risk. Mississippians should consider flood insurance now, before they need it. "At last check, there were about 57,000 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies in force in Mississippi," said Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. "Most Mississippians with NFIP coverage pay about $784 each year." Over one million properties in the state are not covered by any type of flood insurance. It typically takes 30 days for a flood policy to go into effect and homeowner's policies do not cover flooding. Tips to prepare for flooding now: Sign up for your community warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts. Learn and practice evacuation routes and shelter plans. Gather supplies you might need if you have to leave home quickly. Keep in mind, you may need medication, pet food and crates, and extra batteries and chargers for mobile phones. Keep important documents in a waterproof container. Make digital copies of those documents to upload and protect them with a password. After a flood Listen to authorities for information and return home only when authorities say it's safe. Avoid driving, except in emergencies. Snakes and other animals may have come into your home or business during the flood. Wear gloves and boots during cleanup. Don't touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you're in standing water. If it's safe, turn off the electricity to prevent electric shock. Avoid wading in floodwater as it could be contaminated. Only use a generator outdoors and away from windows. File a flood insurance claim as soon as possible. o Call 1‐800‐621‐3362 for further assistance or Register for FEMA Flood Disaster Assistance.

You and I hear them, the stories of people who insist they are totally innocent of any wrongdoing. Yet they are definitely identified as being at the scene of the crime, in the company of the criminals. How does that happen? Realistically, how often does a person just happen to find themselves in the wrong car, with the thief? Or accidentally standing with the bad guys in a convenience store that is being robbed? How often does a teen or an adult hang out with friends and are totally unaware of what they like to do, and where they enjoy going? They don’t, not very often. So, how does it happen - accidentally being in the wrong place and time? “Hey, wait a sec, dudes. I thought we were headed to see a movie. Whaddya mean we’re just gonna ‘borrow’ this truck for a few hours? Oh, okay, I guess the owner won’t mind it being gone when he comes out of that bar.” Or, “But officer, I swear, I thought me and my girlfriends were just hangin’ out here on the street corner, wearin’ our see-thru Daisy Dukes and flirtin’ with whoever walked by. That’s whut Jimmy told me we’re doin’. I don’t know nuthin’ about no prostitutin’ stuff!” I’m not buying it. An adult or teenager with reasonable intelligence and capabilities, who is with a group of friends, before very long at all can sense the values and intent of those around them. And usually, most of us will not deliberately choose to spend time with people who don’t “gee ‘n haw” with our own beliefs. Not much fun in that. The bald fact is, we most usually choose who we are with, what we do, and where we go. Yeah, I remember trying that “But I’m just an innocent bystander” stuff – way back as a little kid. When Mom catches you with your hand in the cookie jar and crumbs on your face, that’s the first ploy a seven-year tries to use. “But, Mom, Donnie told me that you said we could have all we wanted today. It’s not my fault!” Me, my brother Donnie, and my mom all knew I was lying back then, and most people strongly suspect a lie when we hear it coming out of the mouth of The Innocent Victim today. The wisest man who ever lived, according to the Bible, was King Solomon. And that man repeatedly warned his sons, “Be careful of the company you keep and what you are doing with them.” My modern wording of his caution to his sons. Nick Saban, head coach of the University of Alabama football team is quoted as saying; “There’s no such thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Like my old Aunt Lucy said, “Anyone can hear a buncha’ red flags flyin’ all over the place on that one.” You make choices.

By Kara Kimbrough Every now and then I run across one of those surveys that challenges you to list the contents of your “last meal on earth.” Invariably, pasta, shrimp, garlic bread and a loaded green salad with Comeback dressing are on the list. I’m not a huge sweets lover, but when pressed, pound cake is on the list. My love of pound cake goes back to childhood, as do most people’s favorite dishes. Thumbing through a family cookbook I compiled a few years ago, I found three recipes for pound cake. One was an aunt’s sour cream pound cake recipe, another was a cream cheese pound cake recipe written in my teenage handwriting (although I have no memory of making it back then) and last, my grandmother’s contribution, simply entitled “Pound Cake.” I would share the recipe but it’s going to take a while to decipher the ingredients due to the age of the handwritten recipe and the obvious hurry she was in when she jotted it down. The two pound cakes I most often make are five flavors and whipping cream varieties. A favorite story is the time I included the five flavors pound cake recipe in a column. A few weeks later, I received an email from the daughter of the lady who had fallen ill and was hospitalized in a coma. Upon awakening, the first thing she asked her daughter was, “Did you find that recipe for five flavors pound cake?” Turns out, the dear lady had misplaced her newspaper and had been worrying about it before going to the hospital. I was more than happy to provide the daughter with a recipe to pass on to her mom. This story just signifies to me how important pound cake is to many people. It’s a simple cake, a fact that is portrayed in the name itself. “A pound of this…a pound of that…” Yes, it’s simple…but even the most elaborate dessert does not compare to a slice of hot pound cake fresh from the oven. It’s delicious topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and sliced strawberries and juice. But I’m quite happy enjoying a slice unadorned. So yes, I’m happy to include it in my “last meal on earth,” list. Here are just a few of my favorite pound cake recipes. Five Flavors-Pound Cake Cake: 2 sticks butter 3 cups sugar 1 cup milk 5 eggs, lightly whisked (not beaten to liquid form) 3 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup vegetable shortening 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon each: vanilla, lemon, rum, coconut and butter flavoring Glaze: 1 cup sugar ½ cup water 1 teaspoon each: vanilla, lemon, rum, coconut and butter flavoring For the cake: Cream butter, shortening and sugar in mixer. Add egg mixture slowly, beating well after the addition of each lightly-whisked egg, to ensure eggs are incorporated. Add baking powder to flour and stir to combine; add flour and milk alternately to the batter. Add the extracts one at a time, completely incorporating each one before adding the next. Continue beating until batter is shiny, about 4 minutes. Bake in a greased and floured tube pan for 1½ hours at 300 degrees. Glaze: combine ingredients in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is melted. Pour over hot cake while it’s still in the pan. Let set until cake is cool. Whipping Cream Pound Cake 3 cups sugar 1 cup real butter room temperature (no substitution) 6 large eggs, room temperature 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1 cup whipping cream (also known as heavy cream) 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 10-inch bundt or tube pan with non-stick spray or flour and grease pan. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat on medium butter until smooth. Add sugar and mix until smooth about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and heavy cream alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and mix on low to medium until well combined. Pour batter into a prepared 10-inch tube or bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour 15-25 minutes at 325 degrees. Test for doneness with a wooden toothpick. Cool in the pan for 20 to 25 minutes before turning onto a serving plate to cool completely. Ten-Minute Pound Cake (You will need a stand mixer to adequately blend this heavy cake mix) 3 cups granulated sugar 2 cups butter, softened 6 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup whole milk Powdered sugar for dusting Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Liberally grease bottom, side and tube of 10-inch angel food cake pan with baking spray or shortening; lightly flour. In large bowl, beat sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla with electric stand mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. On low speed, gradually beat in flour alternately with milk. Pour batter into pan. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is entering into an agreement with the American Red Cross to assist in temporarily lodging displaced residents from the March 24, 2023, deadly tornadoes. Under this agreement, the American Red Cross will place eligible disaster survivors into hotel or motel rooms, and provide meals for those individuals and families for up to six months based on need. “Helping the impacted communities get back on their feet is our top priority,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “This contract with the Red Cross is going to be really important in getting Mississippians the resources they need to recover. We’ll continue to use every available resource to restore and rebuild our communities. We’re committed to being here for as long as it takes.” We aim to give families safe and comfortable lodging while helping them work towards permanent housing solutions. To further help disaster survivors, Red Cross and FEMA case managers will address the needs of each eligible citizen and support their recovery progress. Currently, over 500 Mississippians are residing in local hotels due to the tornadoes; we anticipate little to no disruption to those currently in hotel or motel rooms during this transition phase. To qualify for this program, survivors must register first with FEMA at DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362. Displaced storm survivors who need temporary lodging under this program should call: 1-800-RedCross. MEMA and Red Cross have partnered with a number of local hotels in the affected counties, Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, Montgomery, Panola, and Sharkey, or nearby counties that could accommodate. During this sheltering mission, hotel availability may change. The Red Cross may relocate residents to another facility if necessary. The contract is worth up to $11.6 million and is eligible for FEMA reimbursement. MEMA will request 100% reimbursement from FEMA. However, if 100% is not approved, FEMA will provide 75% reimbursement for eligible costs and the state match of 25% will come from the “housing mission fund” the Mississippi State Legislature appropriated to MEMA for FEMA-DR-4697. While in the Red Cross-provided hotels/motels, it is essential to note that “FEMA temporary rental assistance” could be paused since the state is paying for sheltering. At this time, the State is not releasing the address of these shelters due to the safety and security of those displaced storm survivors. Anyone needing shelter can call 1-800-RedCross. IMPORTANT NOTE: Interview availability with MEMA’s Executive Director is from 1 pm-2 pm on April 11, 2023. Contact Allie Jasper at ajasper@mema.ms.gov to schedule your interview with the director.

Congressman Bennie G. Thompson, will host three town hall meetings for constituents to ask questions and share concerns about the disaster recovery process. Attendees will hear up to date information on federal recovery resources. Representatives of Federal Emergency Management Agency, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, Red Cross and Small Business Administration will be on hand to answer questions. The first meeting will be held at The South Delta Elementary School, located at 138 Weathers Avenue, Rolling Fork, MS. The meeting will be Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. The second meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at the Neighborhood Facility Building, 501 North Hayden Street, Belzoni, MS. The final meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. at the Zion District Association Building, 213 Justy Street, Winona, MS.

By Bob Garver Last week, I wrote in my review of “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” that I wasn’t really familiar with the “Dungeons & Dragons” game, and that may have affected my enjoyment of the movie. There will be no such disclaimer for “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” My brother and I were introduced to video games through “Super Mario Bros.” and “Donkey Kong Country.” I even tried playing the games myself sometimes, in between watching my brother play and actually win. So, while I’m not saying that I picked up on every Nintendo Easter Egg in this movie, there wasn’t much that caught me off-guard. And that’s kind of the problem, nothing here surprised me. Brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) aren’t having much luck with their plumbing business in Brooklyn, but their fortunes could change if they can stop a massive flood. They follow the sewer system to a mysterious pipe, which they enter, only to be whisked away to the world of the Mushroom Kingdom, where they get split up. On top of being lost, stranded, and separated from his brother, Mario is trapped in a world that centers around his least-favorite pizza topping. Mario makes fast friends with scrappy Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), who suggests they go to get help from Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). She’s dealing with a problem of her own: an impending invasion by the evil Bowser (Jack Black) and his army of Koopas. Bowser has taken Luigi hostage, so Mario and Peach have a shared interest in his defeat. Mario and Toad accompany Peach on a mission to recruit the Kong army to combat the Koopas. King Cranky Kong (Fred Armisen) agrees to loan Peach his army if Mario can defeat his son Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) in an arena battle. An alliance is soon formed, but Bowser isn’t far off. Bowser, for his part, is probably the funniest character in the movie, thanks to three words: Jack Black singing. He has a diabolical plan to marry Peach, which he plans to do by force, but he also wants to do it the right way, with romance and attentiveness. “Adventure Time” had a storyline like this, and arguably, so did “Beauty and the Beast.” But this is the first one to throw in a Jack Black piano ballad. Black’s performance is one of the few memorable things about this movie, the rest is pretty much disposable. Every time the movie gives us a funny joke or action beat, a lame one will come along to even it out, and vice versa. Very little falls above (or below, to be fair) the level of “middling.” I’ll say this: it was a good idea to make this movie animated. You just don’t get this brand of bright colors and bouncy movements in real life. Plus, I’ve seen portions of the yucky 1993 live-action movie. I haven’t seen it all the way through, but I think it’s safe to say that this is better. By the time you read this, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” will probably be the #1 movie of the year at the domestic box office, after a killer opening over Easter weekend. I’m glad that something is taking down the MCU mush that was “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” especially given the whole MODOK fiasco. But I’d also like to see this movie taken down by something that I can actually recommend. This movie comes close to breaking the streak of the world never getting a single decent video game movie, it really does, but the jokes and action, not to mention some stiff voice performances (Taylor-Joy could have used a few more takes, so could Black when he’s delivering straight lines) just barely make this movie an underwater level. Grade: C “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is rated PG for action and mild violence. Its running time is 92 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

With the fall 2022 reorganization of the Fine and Performing Arts Department, Hinds Community College will produce a musical at Brooks Theatre for the first time in 12 years. The musical is “The Spitfire Grill.” The Lendon Players drama department typically performs two shows a year, one in the fall semester and another in the spring, a drama and a comedy. “This isn’t just the Lendon Players,” said Theatre and Drama Director Alison Stafford, co-director of the production along with Marc Rivet. “Every aspect of the department is contributing in some way, shape or form.” Also heavily involved in the production are Choir Director Andrew Head and Voice Instructor Dr. Mandy Spivak. Rivet, who serves as musical director, came on board at Hinds in fall 2022 as the Music Industry and Piano Instructor. His background is in musical theatre and opera. “I’m in charge of all of the instrumentation, the sound and making decisions on how they should be singing, certain phrases,” Rivet said. “The way that the music is sung needs to be directly influenced by how the actors are feeling. Even though I’m mainly the music director, there’s still things that the acting plays a part in.” Stafford said Rivet’s involvement is crucial to being able to produce a musical. “I myself don’t possess enough knowledge to be able to pull this off by myself,” she said. “We decided that we wanted to start doing musicals again because we had people like Marc.” Musicals are “more expensive to mount than a regular straight play. And with the singing is a lot more complicated,” she said. “You have to know in advance that you’ve got the right people with the right vocal quality, the right vocal ranges to be able to pull off those parts.” But, Rivet said, students get much more from the musical production experience. “There are a lot of more moving parts when it comes to a musical. So that gives the kids a lot more experience with different things that they might not have thought about or be a part of,” he said. “The Spitfire Grill” will be performed 7 p.m. April 18-21 at Brooks Theatre on the Raymond Campus. Tickets can be purchased online at hindscc.edu/calendar-event/the-spitfire-grill-themusical The musical has seven student cast members, six of whom sing. All auditioned for their parts. In the play, a feisty parolee follows her dreams, based on a page from an old travel book, to a small town in Wisconsin and finds a place for herself working at Hannah’s Spitfire Grill. The Grill is for sale, but there are no takers for the only eatery in the depressed town, so newcomer Percy convinces Hannah to raffle it off. Entry fees are $100 and the best essay on why you want the Grill wins. Soon, mail arrives by the wheelbarrow and things really start cookin’ at the Spitfire Grill. With six campuses in central Mississippi, Hinds Community College is a comprehensive institution offering quality, affordable educational opportunities with academic programs of study leading to seamless university transfer and career and technical programs teaching job-ready skills. Our Mission: Hinds Community College is committed to moving people and communities forward by helping develop their purpose, passion and profession. Our Vision: Hinds Community College will be a catalyst to create a competitive economy and a compelling culture for Mississippi. Our Values: Hinds Community College aspires to the following IDEALS: Integrity, Diversity, Excellence, Accountability, Leadership, Stewardship. To learn more, visit www.hindscc.edu or call 1.800.HindsCC.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in partnership with the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Federal Depository Insurance Corporation (FDIC), is hosting a series of regional economic development workshops on the “Path to Prosperity” in Mississippi, Kentucky, and Georgia to provide small businesses, including farmers and ranchers, with the resources and tools they need to grow. “These independent businesses, in rural communities, are the cornerstone of American life but many of them lack the same level of access to resources and economic development as their counterparts in larger metro areas,” said Malcom A. Shorter, USDA’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration. “USDA is committed to ensuring that small businesses of all types have the knowledge and opportunity to prosper, create jobs and stimulate their local economies.” The partnership and the “Path to Prosperity” workshops align with the Biden-Harris Administration's Executive Order on “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government” and show the Department’s commitment to increase access to USDA’s products and services and improve service delivery in rural and underserved communities. Shorter said “Given USDA’s procurement portfolio of more than $9 billion annually, we can help small businesses access capital through government contracts. Last year, 25.8% of the Department’s contracts went to small, disadvantaged businesses, surpassing our goal of 21.5%, and we plan to exceed that goal again this year.” Through the “Path to Prosperity” regional economic development series; Federal, state, and local government agencies, along with private sector and non-profit partners, will provide small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs with resources and an opportunity to engage with experts and each other to learn best practices. The no-cost series features experts in how to start a business, how to access capital, and how to do business with the government. They will also include facilitated lender-small business matchmaking sessions. In order to meet participants where they are, the partnership will be conducting a pre-event assessment. Additional resources and experts will be provided based on any further needs. Presenters will discuss: Incentivizing unbanked and under-banked small business owners and individuals to establish a sustainable relationship with an insured financial institution, Expanding technical assistance and financial education for small business owners and individuals to improve their bankability, Increasing the number of SBA certified lenders to provide access to capital for small, minority, and underserved businesses, and Developing contracting relationships with Federal government and private industry partners. Workshop participants include small businesses, financial institutions, community development financial institutions (CDFIs), trade groups, local, state, and Federal agencies, community leaders, nonprofits, and community-based staff representing organizations. This spring, three “Path to Prosperity” workshops will be held in Mississippi, Kentucky, and Georgia with the goal of also reaching individuals and businesses in the surrounding region, as follows: Jackson, Mississippi (Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma) Lexington, Kentucky (Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, West Virginia) Albany, Georgia (North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee) “These regions were chosen because local businesses accessed USDA’s procurement opportunities at a lower rate than others,” said George A. Sears, director of USDA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. The first “Path to Prosperity” event is on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm ET at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum located at 1150 Lakeland Dr, Jackson, MS 39216. All participants must register to attend either “In Person” or “Virtually” at Path to Prosperity - Mississippi. The second event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 18, 2023, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm ET at the University of Kentucky, William T. Young Library, 401 Hilltop Avenue, Lexington, KY 40526. All participants must register to attend either “In Person” or “Virtually” at Path to Prosperity - Kentucky. The third and final southern state event will be held Tuesday, May 2, 2023, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm ET at Albany State University – West Campus, 2400 Gillionville Road, Albany, Georgia 31707, in Student Center Ballroom C266. All participants must register to attend either “In Person” or “Virtually” at Path to Prosperity - Georgia. Four "Path to Prosperity" events have been held since last fiscal year, with nearly 450 participants attending the Caribbean workshops in Caguas, Puerto Rico and St. Croix, Virgin Islands in March 2023, according to Sears. Other states will follow later in the year. USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

“I am not stupid! Ignorant maybe, but certainly not totally stupid.” The rallying cry of most of us. Everyone feels better when they have at least a little bit of knowledge concerning what they are doing. That’s why starting a new job can be nerve-wracking. Why attending a new school is so hard on kids, where everything is totally different and they don’t know any names yet. Why it’s so difficult to force yourself to find a new church to attend, even though you believe that life seems to flow a little easier when you have dedicated one morning a week to inviting the Lord to guide and help you. For many of us, starting over or beginning something new is not fun. Because, being ‘the new kid on the block,’ where you feel awkward and yet to be accepted, can be an isolating experience. If you have ever begun a new job or school, you likely found that every facet of it was new to you. You probably had to ask someone a jillion questions for the first few days, and that gets very old, very quickly. It’s called learning. And it can be stressful, but sometimes it can actually be exhilarating and fun. I guess it just depends on your mental and emotional approach to the process. And also depends a lot on your mentor for the job. If you have the good fortune to inherit a kind, well-spoken instructor to walk you thru the process of grasping all the details, you are blessed indeed. Nothing worse than trying to learn from someone who makes it clear that you are interfering with their time. Or even worse, if you are personally resented. Because you were given a job that in their estimation should have gone to someone else. That can almost guarantee a very rough beginning that is going to last until they decide to forgive you. But like I mentioned earlier, there can be a fun part. It is affirming and exciting when you know you have grasped something new. Even if it is just a tiny part of the new requirements, “Hey, I got this, I can do it!” And making new friends with your co-workers or classmates - absolutely nothing wrong with that. Then the day comes when you are actually functioning on your own. Nobody has to remind you, direct you, or walk you through it one more time. Oh, happy day! You learned, you truly know what you are doing, and you belong. That, my friends, is a good feeling. If you are one of the fortunate - one of the few who has had the same classmates for years, or you never had to be the “newby” at work, then take these last two sentences to heart: It is extremely difficult for some people to be the one having to learn everything and everyone. Please, take time to be kind and helpful for their sake.