The Mississippi Egg Marketing Board is hosting its annual Easter at the Ag Museum event in Small Town at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum on Saturday, April 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. “I am looking forward to seeing hundreds of families head out to the Ag Museum to celebrate at our annual Easter event,” said Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson. “I invite everyone from across the state to come enjoy a wonderful day.” Experience the family fun as children ages 0-17 follow the tracks through the museum’s “Bunny Trail” to collect candy and toy filled eggs in their baskets. Families will have the opportunity to dye and paint eggs; take a wagon, train or carousel ride; have their faces painted; visit with Mississippi Miss Hospitality Hannah Grace Crain; and get their picture with the Easter Bunny throughout the day. The Mississippi Beef Council will serve complimentary hotdogs to visitors, while supplies last. Additional sponsors include Cal-Maine Foods. Admission is $8 per person for ages 2 and up and includes carousel rides and train rides and wagon rides. For your family Easter Celebration, enjoy the “Tasty Side of Agriculture” with smoked meats and holiday treats, including smoked hams and a variety of casseroles from the General Store. Those items, as well as pulled pork sandwiches and snacks, will be available for purchase the day of the event, and holiday meals can be pre-ordered for pick up. The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum is a division of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce. It is located at 1150 Lakeland Drive in Jackson and 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 “like” the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum on Facebook.

Most people have a bad habit. Nah, I don’t want to hear about your overeating- cigarette smoking- drug taking- lying- stealing- cheating, or tantrum throwing lifestyle. Moronic as those things are, everyone has another even more idiotic talent that we indulge. Yep, most of us do stupid, and unfortunately we do it a lot. We take a perfectly fine day, whether it is sunny and bright, or raining cats and dogs, and we knowingly attempt to destroy it. Or even better, we wait until bedtime, when we need to close down our brain and get some sleep. Then we open the door in our head that’s marked “Past Mistakes.” We deliberately step backward into yesterdays, where we slog our way through a pain-filled memory. Over and over again. And for some reason, we never try to stop ourself. Just like in childhood, when a tooth was loose. Knowing it’s going to make it hurt, but invariably a kid will keep wiggling and pushing on that tooth with his tongue. Everyone of us did it. But what good is beating yourself up for something that is gone forever? It’s vanished in the thin vapor called the past. And continually visiting that garbage heap of regrets is bad for you. Trying to hurt yourself, so that you ‘learn your lesson?’ Repeated pain-bathing cannot make you behave better – in fact, it makes things worse. Revisiting a hurtful past experience only accomplishes one thing really well. It causes shame and guilt, with a large shot of self-disgust and anger mixed in. Not exactly a self-worth builder. “Oh yeah! Me, myself and I are always warring. “Me and myself” use memories and thoughts to beat up and tear down, while at the same time “I” is trying to live a life of peace and happiness.” Want to take a good guess as to who is going to win that unfair struggle? Instead, try doing this. Deliberately live in the ‘now,’ doing the best you can to do it right. And when you step in it – as you definitely will – own it. Apologize to yourself and to whoever else got hurt. Fix it the best you can. THEN LEAVE IT WHERE IT BELONGS…in the garbage heap of yesterdays. When daytime memories intrude…turn on a podcast or music, get busy, or call a friend. Nighttime memories surface…. pray to your Creator to help you change the channel. Then do it. Read, write, think about plans for tomorrow, or relive a great memory. Anything to give your brain and your emotions a break from that unproductive pain. I heard this said recently and it stuck. “Seems to me the past isn’t a great place to live, just a place to visit once, to learn from it.” Don’t waste your life in regrets of what you’ve done wrong. Visit there just once, long enough to learn differently. And then use your gray matter to live life better and happier.

JACKSON—The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks’ Museum of Natural Science invites you to unleash your wild side at "NatureFEST!” on Saturday, April 1, 2023 from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. “We are excited to welcome the Hattiesburg’s Zoo animal stage show and Freedom Ranch’s live birds of prey to this year’s festival!” says Charles Knight, Museum Director. The event is a festival, a nature outing, and a fascinating museum trip, all wrapped into one exciting day! Food will be available for purchase from area food trucks. “NatureFEST!” offers a day of fun for the whole family, including:  Hattiesburg Zoo’s “Ed-Zoo-cation” animal stage show  Live birds of prey with Freedom Ranch Expert guided behind-the-scenes tours of aquariums, research, and museum collections Bubble –Pop FOAM party! SCUBA diver fish feeding in giant aquariums Hands-on activities with Conservation Educators and area artists Outdoor inflatable obstacle course Archery Nature games, and guided or self-directed hikes on beautiful springtime trails. For event details, visit www.mdwfp.com/museum. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/msnaturalscience or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MSScienceMuseum. Visit NatureFEST video here.

By Kara Kimbrough The mental preparation has already begun. I'm steeling myself for the inevitable email that appears in my email inbox every time I write about one of our state's most beautiful areas. A column about Vicksburg is sure to incite anger or at the very least, disbelief from a transplanted Northerner who can't believe I'd mention an area known for an infamous Civil War battle. My answer is always the same. "The War" happened...we lost.. and yet, lessons learned in that horrific five-year battle shaped who we are as a nation and changed Mississippi and specifically, Vicksburg, forever. War debates aside, Vicksburg is an amazing, intriguing place; after all, it's still drawing tourists over 150 years after the last cannon (many of which are located in Vicksburg) was shot. And since spring has officially arrived, there's no better time to visit an area filled with architectural wonders, natural beauty courtesy of blooming plants and foliage and a world-famous river view. One of Mississippi's oldest cities, Vicksburg dates back to 1719 when, after fending off native Natchez Indians, French colonists put down roots. Today, the city is filled with historic sites. A chance to stand on the banks of the Mighty Mississippi River highlighted by the scenic Old Vicksburg Bridge and the new modern one that carries I-20 over the rushing waters is almost reason enough to visit. However, nothing is as awe-inspiring as the 1,800-acre Vicksburg National Military Park. America’s most monumented national military park contains more than 1,400 memorials to soldiers who served on both sides of the War Between the States. There’s also a Civil War gunboat, museum, visitor’s center, the largest National Military Cemetery of Union dead and a separate cemetery where 5,000 Confederates were laid to rest. Even if "The War" doesn't hold any interest for you, simply bypass the museum altogether and walk, hike or bike through the park filled with, to borrow a phrase from the National Park Service, "lushly forested landscape emanating with birdsong." At last count, over 60 varieties of flowering trees, shrubs and flowers are found in the park. Expect to see dogwood and Japanese magnolia trees intermingled with a multitude of bloom and lush green foliage. But don't get the impression that the landscape is devoid of anything but greenery. History and architectural buffs will be interested to view impressive monuments, markers and tablets memorializing soldiers from both the Grey and the Blue. After the park opened in 1899, architects and sculptors from 32 states set to work to create fitting monuments to honor its soldiers and sailors involved in the Vicksburg Campaign. The first monument was dedicated in 1903, with the remainder erected within 14 years. Mississippi's monument to our state's soldiers is impressive, but nothing compares to the one from Illinois. Modeled after the Roman Pantheon, the impressive structure is composed of marble and granite, contains 60 bronze tablets listing the name of over 36,000 Illinois soldiers involved in the Vicksburg campaign and is topped with a bronze bald eagle. It's definitely a site to behold. If you're into selfies, this is a can't-miss stop. Speaking of history, no trip to Vicksburg is complete without a stop by downtown's Biedenharn Coca-Cola® Museum. It was there that the first bottle of Coca-Cola® was bottled in 1894. Before heading out of town, drop by the Mississippi River Overlook for an up-close and personal view of the Mighty Mississippi and plenty of photo opportunities. A plethora of wonderful restaurants, ranging from Southern-style buffets to fine dining options, can be found in Vicksburg. When you begin planning a trip, drop me an email and I'll send you a list of my favorite places. In the meantime, experience and enjoy all that Mississippi has to offer during this beautiful season of the year. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

The Nature Conservancy in Mississippi is launching a pilot oyster shell recycling program called SAVE OUR SHELLS. TNC will be on hand Saturday March 25th at the 7th Annual Gulf Coast Oyster Cook-off Festival to kick off the SOS program. The SAVE OUR SHELLS program gives the community an opportunity to give back to the environment while protecting a valuable natural resource. It is estimated that the SOS program could collect hundreds of thousands of recycled oysters in the first two years that could be put back into the Mississippi Sound. Recycling used oyster shells is an effective use of natural material that can be placed in the water for oyster larvae to grow on and produce new oysters. This effort will also support the local fishing community, and local restaurants. Shells collected by local coastal restaurants will be set aside and later collected for the SAVE OUR SHELLS recycling program. The key to the success of the SOS program is getting many local coastal restaurants to participate. “The main reason that we're interested in participating in SAVE OUR SHELLS recycling program is sustainability. It's important to us, especially in the Gulf, we want to support the ecosystem that supports us. So, if there's some small way that we can put something back that we're taking out, then we know we're going to have a little more longevity in our seafood,” said Austin Sumrall, Owner-Executive Chef of White Pillars Restaurant in Biloxi. The White Pillars restaurant the Beau Rivage, Keg and Barrell in Ocean Springs along with the MS coast Shrimp Basket locations are on board to recycle oysters in support of this program. “Back in the day it was the oyster industry that put Biloxi on the map and so for the longevity of our city, and our region, it's imperative that we continue to promote our oyster legacy.” said Kristian Wade, Beau Rivage Executive Chef. “It’s very straightforward - take the actual oyster shell and reuse it to help restore the very resource it’s providing. We are learning from the other successful programs like this in other states, to make this a viable long-term program for Mississippi," said Alex Littlejohn, State Director of TNC-Mississippi. “Oyster shells are one of the best places for new oysters to grow. That is how they do it naturally, and with this program eating and enjoying oysters can be an act of conservation,” said Tom Mohrman, TNC’s director of marine programs. The Nature Conservancy and project partners aim to begin collection of oyster shells from coast restaurants starting in the spring of 2023. Collected shells are planned to be delivered to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources where they will be processed, cured, and integrated into restoration activities. We anticipate this initial pilot phase to continue collection for up to 2 years. The SAVE OUR SHELLS pilot program has two phases. The first part of the project completed an analysis of the oyster shell recycling program’s economic and operational sustainability to determine how an oyster recycling program can be sustainably implemented in Mississippi. Based on consideration of various factors including supply, long term collection, storage, and deployment of oyster shell used to maintain the State’s oyster resources, this phase resulted in an economic sustainability plan to guide the second phase of this program. The second phase of the project is to begin implementation of shell collection. This includes working with restaurants to collect oyster shells, calculating how many shells are collected over time, and beginning the process of curing that material and preparation for restoration. Please email us at saveourshells@tnc.org if you know of a restaurant owner who would like to participate in SAVE OUR SHELLS. The SAVE OUR SHELLS project is paid for with federal funding from the RESTORE Council and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality under the Resource and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act).

By Bob Garver Whether because of the pandemic, the constant comings-and-goings of the DC Extended Universe, or the first movie from 2019 simply not being that memorable, “Shazam!” seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle. I’m going to be pointing out a number of similarities between this character and Ant-Man from the rival Marvel Cinematic Universe, but a key difference is that fans noticed that Ant-Man was absent from “Avengers: Infinity War” in 2018. They wanted to know where he was and how he was going to tie into the larger story. Has any DCEU fan seen any of the franchise’s output since 2019 and thought, “I wonder where Shazam is in all this”? Sure, the new movie won the weekend box office because of its genre, affiliations, and advertising, but did people go to see it because they actually care about it? Or did they feel that it’s their job to see new tentpole releases, no matter how little they care? I went because I had a “job” of sorts to see it for this column – and sitting through this by-the-numbers superhero dreck turned out to be a “job” unto itself. A quick recap: teenager Billy Batson (Asher Angel) has been imbued with superpowers by the wizard also named Shazam (Djimon Hounsou). All he has to do is say magic word “Shazam!” and he turns into an adult (Zachary Levi) with powers including super speed and strength. Following the first movie, all the other kids in his foster family are similarly-powered: Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer/Adam Brody), Eugene (Ross Butler/Ian Chen), Pedro (Jovan Armond/D.J. Cotrona), Darla (Faithe Herman/Meagan Good), and Mary (Grace Caroline Currey in both forms, as the character is now an adult). All the character development the others get is that Mary passed up an opportunity to go to college, Pedro is… pretending to like baseball (handled very clumsily), and smart-aleck Freddy has a girlfriend (Rachel Zegler, making me think that the promise she showed in the “West Side Story” remake was a fluke). The family is up against the Daughters of Atlas: Hespera (Helen Mirren), Kalypso (Lucy Liu), and a third member whose identity is secret, but I thought was fairly easy to guess. The Daughters want the staff that gives Shazam and company their powers, though they’re divided on what to do with the staff once they get it. Hespera wants to fix their own world and leave Earth alone, while Kalypso wants to devastate Earth like their own world has been devastated. Seems like an issue they should have hammered out in the past few centuries, but they choose to squabble in the moment. Much of the film’s appeal lies in its humor. All the main characters are essentially children, so there’s supposedly a playful childishness to the proceedings. Zachary Levi has all the effortless charm of a Paul Rudd, so the idea is that the movie has a fun, bouncy tone with a few moments of serious coolness. Instead what we get is an overload of unfunny jokes about the characters’ awkwardness, a style of humor that has sunk the last several MCU movies. I laughed at Mirren reading an un-proofread letter, but that was about it. And the action and serious scenes certainly can’t carry the movie, not even with the deus ex machina (with “deus” taken literally) at the end. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is yet another blah superhero movie in an era where it seems like all we get is blah superhero movies. I don’t see it bringing in many new fans to the DCEU, nor do I even see fans of the original liking it very much. Like “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” its destiny is to do well for a weekend or two and then be discarded, because people aren’t going to look back on it with fond memories. Too bad the filmmakers can’t “Shazam!” themselves into funnier people. Grade: C- “Shazam: Fury of the Gods” is rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence, and language. Its running time is 130 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

An election to fill the vacant position of Alderman-at-Large resulted in the need for a run-off, which was held on May 24. The seat was vacant due to the resignation of William Woods as Alderman-at-Large. The run-off was between Alberta Gibbs and Brady Holder. Gibbs won the run-off with sixty percent of the votes in her favor. Gibbs graduated from Hinds County Agricultural High School in 1970, from Utica Junior College in 1972, from Alcorn State University in 1974, and from Lewis University in 1981. Her platform included fighting to refurbish abandoned homes to expand the community, working to fix the streets and roads so guests and citizens of Bolton can ride smoothly around town, bringing awareness to underserved African-American youth, pushing the need for academic programs to help the children to excel, providing resources to single parents and building a sports platform for the youth.

Join Stewpot on April 3rd at The District for our annual homegrown hunger relief event, Taste of Mississippi! Taste of Mississippi is one of the largest food festivals in the Magnolia state, with culinary delights prepared by fabulous area restaurants and beverages from local distributors. All proceeds benefit the various ministries of Stewpot Community Services. Come experience The Taste! Date: Monday, April 3, 2023 Time: 7:00pm-10:00pm Location: The District at Eastover Tickets: $70 online at www.tasteofms.org and $90 at the door. Entertainment: Even Odds Participating Restaurants Library Lounge, BRAVO!, Sal & Mookie's, Broad Street, The Holy Smokers, Iron Horse Grill, Table 100, Aplos, Tuk Tuk Boom, Saltine, Amerigo, Campbell’s Bakery, Chunky Dunks, Eddie Wright BBQ, Hal & Mal’s, Highball Lanes, Johnny T’s, Logan Farms, Ooh Lala’s Bakery, Oops All Vegan, Poppy Pies, Pot & Paddle, Scrooge’s, St. Dominic, Sugar’s Place, The Hungry Goat, Velvet Bleu Creations, and Uniquely Kovered Beverage Vendors Southern Beverage (Southern Prohibition, Chandeleur, Key City, Urban South), Cathead Distillery, RNDC, Pemberley Coffee, and Island Grove Wine Company Sponsors Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, The District at Eastover, Beckham Custom Jewelry Co., Fountain Family Foundation, Nissan, iHeart Media Jackson, Trustmark, Atmos, Ross & Yerger, Regions Bank, Origin Bank, Baker Donelson, Brunini, Hertz Investment Group, Jones Walker, StorageMax, Hotel & Restaurant Supply, Element Wealth, TRIO Community Meals, St. Dominic, Pigott Law Firm, His Way, Entergy, Mississippi Baptist Medical Center, Sunbelt Sealing, Officers Involved Security Group, Eventful, Independent Roofing Systems, Waste Management, McGraw Gotta Go, Alpha Lit Jackson, Davaine Lighting, and Mosquito Authority

We all have done it. Whether we deliberately intend to speak those words, or they just kind of slide out when our mouth opens. But things that we should’na said are suddenly floating there in the air for someone else to digest. Then we live with the consequences. Usually not a good thing. There are reasons this happens to otherwise well-meaning calm, even-keeled people. Those folks who usually are known for saying things that are easily stomached by those around them. But every once in a while…people just simply slip up. No, I’m not referring to telling raunchy jokes, or swearing until the old seasoned sailor would blush. I’m referring to normal people, who for one reason or another, say something hurtful and totally out of character for them. Why do they do that? Enormous stress coming from fear of personal loss is usually a bomb threat. Somehow that emotion can loosen the tongue like little else can in life. For example, if a person - always known in the community for being a quiet sweetheart - is put under enormous stress from fear of loss, it can cause the mouth to open and spikes of fire will come out. Leaving the unfortunate one who said the wrong thing incinerated and feeling like crumpling into a pile of hot ashes. (Or, more likely, Mrs. Unfortunate will strike back with her own claws out.) Ouch. Many good relationships have been damaged when fear of loss enters the picture. Want to hear another threat-producing scenario? The centuries-old emotion of pure anger. “You did so-n-so to me or my loved one, and I am so furious that I’m not responsible for my behavior or my next words!” Again, said target of that anger probably won’t just knuckle under and apologize. Most likely, narrowed eyes will begin to center with laser-like precision on their target, the mouth opens, and war begins. Another relationship goes down the drain. One more reason. Deeply hidden shame that has been triggered by something someone else said or did. Nuthin’ like feeling that your hated secret is exposed to the world to make a person want to burn the hide off their exposer. Sometimes a vindictive exposer knows exactly what they are saying and means to say it. Other times, their innocent comments accidentally hit a long-buried hurtful issue. Then the surprised speaker can suddenly have their eyebrows singed. All because of someone’s hidden shame. No matter the reason, the result can be the same. A usually mild-mannered person can become an activated verbal time-bomb with the right provocation. And then, when the crisis is over and gone, that usually normal person is left wondering, “Why in the world did I….ME!!... say all those things? I don’t treat people that way!” I’ve said it before, and I say it again. Cut each other some slack. We all have our issues and sometimes we need forgiveness and understanding.

By Kara Kimbrough Not since I learned that spaghetti and meatballs are an urban myth - the two food items are never served together in Italy - have I been as disillusioned as I was recently upon learning Americans' typical St. Patrick’s Day fare didn’t originate in Ireland. Oh sure, the Irish knew about corned beef and cabbage. The problem was, most of them couldn’t afford it, dining instead on pork and potatoes when March 17 rolled around. Despite these misconceptions, it’s still fun to celebrate St. Paddy’s with a hearty meal of corned beef, cabbage or a Reuben sandwich, my favorite way to combine the two. As much as I love a Reuben, I’ve never been a fan of sauerkraut. Something about the fermenting process turns my stomach. So, I found a delicious substitution that is similar in texture, but lacks the sour taste of sauerkraut. Cook a few slices of bacon until brown, remove from the pan and set aside. In the bacon grease, add a package of Asian chopped salad. Sauté the vegetables until wilted, then add ½ cup of hot water into which a chicken bouillon cube has been dissolved. Chop bacon and add to the mixture, stirring well until everything is thoroughly mixed and heated through. Use the end result as a topping for a Reuben or as a side dish with corned beef. Even though I’ve debunked the myth about corned beef and cabbage being an authentic St. Paddy’s Day dish, that’s no reason not to enjoy them – or a succulent Reuben – this Friday. I even found a delicious appetizer recipe – crispy baked Reuben pinwheels – that I can’t publish since it’s not mine. But if you’d like the recipe, email me and I’ll send it your way. In the meantime, enjoy St. Patrick's Day Friday with these delicious recipes that’ll create a meal any Irishman would be lucky to claim. Luck O’ the Irish Crockpot Corned Beef & Cabbage 5 potatoes, peeled and quartered 4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks 1 onion, peeled and cut into chunks 4 cups water 2 cups beef broth 4 pounds corned beef brisket 1 head cabbage, coarsely sliced and chopped Place carrots, and onion into the bottom of a Crockpot; add water and lay brisket on top of vegetables. Pour broth over brisket. If brisket contains a spice packet, sprinkle that over the meat. If not, add your favorite seasonings. Cook on high for 7 hours; stir in the cabbage and cook for 1 more hour. It’s Easy Being Green Key Lime Pie For crust: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, broken into pieces 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 3 tablespoons sugar For filling: 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk 4 large egg yolks ½ cup lime juice 1 tablespoon lime jest Green food coloring To make crust: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together graham-cracker crumbs, butter and sugar in a medium bowl; mix well. Press into a 9-inch pie plate and bake until lightly browned, 11-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. To make filling: Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice and zest and a drop of green food coloring. Pour into the prepared crust. Return pie to oven and bake until the center is set, 15-17 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator before serving. Top each slice of pie with a scoop of whipped cream or Cool Whip; sprinkle with green sugar or more lime zest.

By Bob Garver I’m willing to argue that “Scream” is the greatest slasher movie franchise of all time. Not only is the 1996 original a meta-horror classic, but prior to “Scream VI,” three of the five movies in the series were halfway decent. Can any other slasher property with at least five installments boast that kind of ratio of good to bad? “A Nightmare on Elm Street” got too silly with jokes that didn’t land, “Friday the 13th” was overrated in the first place, and fans got sick of “Halloween” constantly reinventing itself. “Scream” has thus far needed only one clear reboot, and last year’s fifth installment was a rousing success. A mere fourteen months later, we’ve got a sixth chapter, and it… keeps the property out of trouble. After a prologue where we follow a film professor (Samara Weaving) and a student (Tony Revolori) and their encounters with the latest incarnation of the terrifyingly-masked killer known as Ghostface, it’s time to catch up with some familiar faces. Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) has moved to New York City to be with her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega). Yes, I can finally reveal a twist I was keeping under wraps in my review of the last movie: after an impressive performance by Ortega in the opening scene, Tara survived the Ghostface attack, and in fact the whole movie, a rarity for this series. Will Weaving or Revolori be so lucky? Also returning are twins Chad (Mason Gooding) and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) from the fifth movie, Kirby (Hayden Panettiere) from the fourth, and reporter Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), from every single one of these. New characters include Tara’s roommate Quinn (Liana Liberato), Quinn’s cop father Wayne (Dermot Mulroney), Sam’s boyfriend Danny (Josh Segarra), Mindy’s girlfriend Anika (Devyn Nakoda), and Chad’s roommate Ethan (Jack Champion). I wasn’t really digging the new characters, but I said that about Chad and Mindy in the last movie, and they’ve since grown on me. Sam and Tara remain compelling as the new faces of the franchise. It was the right decision for the series to shift to them as leads when it did. I was looking forward to the heavily-promoted change of setting from small-town California to New York City, where I live. Sadly, the city’s atmosphere only comes into play in two scenes, one in a bodega and one on a subway. I didn’t like the bodega sequence because Ghostface uses a gun, which goes against the rules of the slasher genre. And I didn’t like the subway sequence because it invokes a station and line that I use at least five days a week, but it doesn’t look familiar, so it just draws attention to the fact that the movie wasn’t filmed in New York (it was actually Montreal). But the characters mostly have all the space they need to hide, stalk, and chase, especially in the case of an Easter Egg-filled abandoned movie theater that this Ghostface uses as a home base. “Scream VI” is just okay. It isn’t groundbreaking like the original or reinvigorating like last year’s reboot. My jury is still out on whether it has the charm of the second movie. But it isn’t making me wish the franchise would just die like the third or fourth. It was probably a good idea to rush this movie out, so fans wouldn’t have time to get their hopes up for a better movie and then be disappointed. I’m sure there will be a seventh “Scream,” and I will be eagerly anticipating another installment in the greatest slasher movie franchise of all time. But hopefully that one will be a better reminder of why this franchise is so great. Grade: B- “Scream VI” is rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, and brief drug use. Its running time is 122 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

The Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health and local chapters of The Links, Incorporated will host the Black Family Wellness Expo from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, March 18, 2023. The expo will be held at Jackson Hinds Comprehensive Health Center, located 3502 West Northside Drive, Jackson, MS 39213. Dental exams, wellness screening, health education and various resources to improve health outcomes for the entire family will be available. During the expo, attendees can enjoy food, family fun, and entertainment. The event is free and open to the public. Vendors interested in distributing resources at the expo should complete vendor form. The vendor form link is: bit.ly/3F9NsAo . The Black Family Wellness Expo is designed to build stronger families and is also sponsored by the Jackson Hinds Comprehensive Health Center. For more information or to secure a vendor form, contact the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health at smelvin@advancingminorityhealth.org or at (601) 521-9031