By Bob Garver A lot of the reviews I’ve seen for “Cocaine Bear” contain some variation on the line, “This movie delivers exactly what it promises.” I’m going to say that’s not entirely true. To be sure, there is a bear high on cocaine in this movie. Nobody is going to say that this movie delivers less than what it promises. What I mean is that this movie delivers slightly more than what it promises. Again, there is most definitely a bear on cocaine, no worries there, but there’s also a quirky little crime comedy in play under the much-ballyhooed layers of fur and coke. The bear is on cocaine because a gang member dropped several pallets out of a plane while flying over the Georgia mountains. The movie never makes it clear why the cocaine was deposited like this, but drugs may have involved in the decision. A black bear got into the unattended stash, and is now going on a woodland killing spree. Sometimes the bear attacks because it’s hungry or because it’s aggressive, and there’s even a more noble reason introduced late in the film, but mostly it attacks because it wants more cocaine. We meet our human players. Sari (Keri Russell) is a nurse looking for her hooky-playing daughter Dee Dee (Brooklynn Prince) and her friend Henry (Christian Convery). Liz (Margo Martindale) is a park ranger with delusions of grandeur trying to impress a visiting wildlife expert (Jesse Tyler Ferguson). Bob (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) is a cop trying to find the rest of the cocaine while minding his new puppy. Daveed (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) and Eddie (Alden Ehrenreich) are gang members trying to recover the cocaine for Eddie’s father Syd (the late Ray Liotta). Throw in some panicky paramedics, a bumbling trio of muggers and some hikers to serve as hors d’oeuvres, and you’ve got a menu – I mean – cast. As expected, much of the film’s humor derives from the bear and its newfound affinity for cocaine. Sometimes its behavior is violent, other times it’s just odd, like when it goes around banging its head into trees. But it’s not always about the bear. Daveed and Eddie have a nice odd-couple chemistry with Daveed trying to be sensitive to Eddie’s grief over the recent death of his wife, but Eddie being such a stick in the mud and renouncing his former criminal ways. Dee Dee and Henry steal the movie with their misplaced rebelliousness and unfamiliarity with cocaine. And a showdown at a gazebo is twisted enough before the bear shows up to make everything worse. I like that the move avoids the temptation to make the bear a straight-up villain like the shark in “Jaws.” The poor thing was minding its own business until cocaine fell from the sky. It didn’t ask for any of this. True, it attacks good guys and bad guys indiscriminately once it’s coked-up, but it seems like all it needs is a good nap and it’ll stop being such a grouchy-bear. There’s a lot of fun to be had at “Cocaine Bear”: fun from the bear, fun from the humans, and fun from the audience if you see it with the right crowd. It loses some of its manic energy toward the end when the villains get serious, the humor dissipates, and the action takes place near a waterfall at night, which in movies is a shortcut for shoddy special effects. But until then, the movie takes full advantage of the goofiness of its premise. As long as you can take its staggering violence in stride, it’s as sweet as sugar - even if it is about a different kind of white powder. Grade: B “Cocaine Bear” is rated R for bloody violence and gore, drug content and language throughout. Its running time is 95 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu

The Mississippi Entrepreneurship Forum, an annual event that connects universities and colleges to community and business partners in the state, will be held April 12-13 in Hattiesburg. The NextUp! Student Business Pitch Competition will be held as part of the Forum. Students who would like to participate in the competition, which includes cash prizes for winning ideas, must apply by February 28. For more information and registration, visit the MEF Website. New this year, selected participants will be paired with mentors from the Mississippi Small Business Development Center, headquartered at Ole Miss, to prepare for the competition. Competitors receive feedback from judges, who are a mix of business owners, business resource providers and other business leaders in the state. Winners receive cash prizes to help them grow their businesses. The Mississippi Development Authority serves as lead sponsor of the NextUp! competition, with additional funding support from Innovate Mississippi and other donors. Leading entrepreneurs, economic developers, innovators, and future business owners will participate in the Forum. The events on Wednesday, April 12 will be held at William Carey University and the Thursday, April 13 events will be held at the Trent Lott Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi. The Honorable Michael Watson, Mississippi Secretary of State, will speak on Wednesday afternoon and Dr. Joe Paul, President of The University of Southern Mississippi, will give welcome remarks on Thursday morning. Panel discussions on Technology Commercialization and Innovation; and Mississippi’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem will be included in the agenda. In addition to the panels, the Forum offers opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to network with owners of thriving businesses and gain valuable, practical tips for establishing and building a successful business. Now in its eighth year, the Forum is part of the Catalyzing Entrepreneurship and Economic Development initiative, funded by a financial gift from the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation. Previous events have been held in Clarksdale, Tupelo, Greenwood, Oxford, Jackson, Ridgeland, and Vicksburg. The 2021 forum was held virtually due to COVID-19. A complete list of sponsors, including colleges and universities in Mississippi, and additional information about the 2022 Mississippi Entrepreneurship Forum is available on the MEF website.

As many gardeners and farmers will attest, if you want to grow amazing vegetables and gorgeous flowers, mix “gin trash” with your soil prior to planting. Fortunately for those of us who live in Bolton and the surrounding area, there is a cotton gin in town, making this valuable soil additive available to landscapers, gardening enthusiasts and farmers throughout the area. Some drive long distances each year, to purchase gin trash in Bolton. What is gin trash? It is a rich, organic mixture of portions of the cotton bolls and cotton plant that are removed and ground up during the ginning process, which takes place in the Fall. The mixture is allowed to sit and mulch for a time, before it is sold for gardening use. Beginning on March 2, 2023, gin trash may be purchased on Thursdays and Fridays from 7 a.m.to 4 p.m., and Saturdays 7 a.m. to noon. This will continue on Thursday through Saturday of each week (weather permitting), until it is all gone. Three different quantities are available: pick-up truck load; trailer load; and “by the yard” (with a 5-yard minimum). First step: pay for the quantity you desire at Gaddis & McLaurin hardware store, 104 Madison Street, Bolton MS. Next, pick up your gin trash behind the Gaddis and McLaurin Gin across the street. Their staff will load it for you. A by-product of the ginning process is a nutrient-rich mixture used to enrich soil prior to planting called "Gin Trash": Gaddis & McLaurin is located at 104 Madison Street, Bolton, MS 39041. Telephone: 601.866.2279.

The little preschool-age girl, living on the farm with her siblings and parents, lived in constant fear of going outside to play. The reason for her terror? Their male goose (called a gander for those who are not up to snuff on geese) thought it great fun to chase the child whenever she dared to step outside. The louder she screamed and ran away, the more he delighted in the chase, wings flapping and honking stridently with every step. Older siblings had attempted to encourage her, but nothing worked. She learned to ‘prefer’ to play with her dolls in the house, while all the other kids rode bicycles, walked on stilts, and played tag. Finally, one evening her dad, who was usually in the fields till dark and therefore never heard the loud racket of honking gander and screaming child, was told about the problem. So, the next morning he asked her to go outside to do a small chore for him. When she refused and nervously admitted her fear, he did like everyone else before him…he attempted to convince her that the goose was just a bully having fun. Needless to say, the girl didn’t buy into his explanation. So he proceeded to do something about it. He took a large butcher knife out of the kitchen drawer and placed it in her tiny hand. He then told her to “Go outside and when that goose starts chasing you, just chop off his head.” I can only imagine the horrified reaction from the mom, who nevertheless never said a word of protest. And yes, I can hear the gasps of horror from parents who are reading this. Your reaction is like many of us, “He put a huge sharp knife in a toddler’s hand and told her to CHASE a goose with it??!! That’s crazy, didn’t he realize the danger to that little girl?” Probably. But he also had seen in her eyes the actual terror she was living under. And he evidently decided that it was worth the risk, to rid her of the fear that kept her inside day after day after day. As the now-all-grownup-version of that baby girl, I still remember what happened that fateful day. Grasping that weapon of power in my little hand, I fearfully opened the kitchen door and moved cautiously onto the porch. Immediately, just like he did every time before, the gander knew it was Play Time! He came flapping as quickly as possible, honking his threats with every step. I was still terribly frightened, but I had to obey my dad. I held that enormous knife in front of me and tentatively took a step toward the onslaught. Of course, we all know what happened next. The bully sensed the change in his favorite game and stopped, then turned to high-tail it away to safer ground behind the lilac bush. Remember folks, face that threat head-on, ‘cuz usually, it can’t be as bad as living in fear.

By Kara Kimbrough It’s 2023 – a new year filled with a dizzying array of food and beverage trends filtering down from the “experts.” A few I simply can’t wrap my head around are kelp-based burgers and sauces, climate-conscious food production, pasta made with sweet potatoes and greens and soft drinks infused with medicine. No…just no. However, there are more than a few trends that actually make sense and that I’m willing to try: 1. Plant-based protein –I pray I don’t get a warning from the Mississippi Beef Council. Disclaimer: I love a good rib-eye on the grill as much as the next person. However, replacing a few meat-based meals with protein-rich beans, grains and nuts might not be a bad thing. 2. Immersive dining experience – Enjoying an entertaining dinner courtesy of live theatre performances, dinner theatre and tableside service is making a comeback from the 1940’s and 50’s. I’m on board for tableside service, a byone practice in which waiters serve diners from a rolling trolley or nearby sideboard. The last time I remember this happening was at Jackson’s LeFleur’s Restaurant in the 1980’s. A server rolled a massive 5-tier cart filled to the brim with cakes, pies and other decadent desserts around the room in order for diners to make a selection. Yes, it’s definitely a practice that needs reviving. 3. Dairy-alternative milks – I’m already a fan of almond milk and other flavors, but now pistachio nut milk and other flavors are coming soon to a dairy case near you. These milk-alternatives are a great choice for dairy-intolerant consumers and those like me who don’t really care for the taste of milk. 4. Chocolate charcuterie boards – These popular boards filled with everything imaginable are set to become even more popular in 2023. The newest craze is piling chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate bark instead of boring crackers, chocolate truffles and other favorites on a board along with favorite fruits and cheeses. 5. Tinned fish – Supposedly the pandemic caused a scarcity of some fresh fish, causing more Americans to rely on tinned fish like tuna, salmon and other small species. Not sure I can get on board with the suggested “sea-cuterie" snack boards and "tinned fish date nights." But I’m fine with opening a tin or two of water-based tuna and healthy salmon whenever I need to eat healthier. 6. Filipino food – This cuisine is gaining momentum across the country, including in some areas of Mississippi. One of the most well-known Filipino dishes is adobo, regarded as the national dish. A popular version of adobo features chicken or pork stewed with soy sauce, vinegar, peppercorns and garlic. Other versions include fish, shrimp, or lamb for the protein and coconut milk or turmeric to flavor the sauce. Elvie’s in Ridgeland is a good option for Filipino dishes prepared by its talented chef. 7. Low and No-Alcohol Drinks –Increasing in popularity are restaurants and “bars” serving only drinks with a low (or no) alcohol content. “No-ABV bars,” as they’re called, are perfect for those who can’t or prefer not to consume alcohol, but still enjoy socializing over a cool beverage. Last, “Retro food Reminiscent of Childhood” is finally making a comeback. Many restaurants, in an effort to attract baby boomers, serve dishes like mac and cheese and pizza bites as appetizers. They’re even adding old-school cereals like Captain Crunch to the breakfast menu. Sadly, one of my favorite childhood/teenage breakfast foods, Welch’s Jelly Doughnuts, has been discontinued. I’ve read that jelly doughnuts are “still available in the freezer case,” but I’ve never seen them. If you’ve spotted any, please drop me an email so I can stock up. In the spirit of retro, I'm sharing recipe for an old-school dessert that’s still one of my favorites. Served on many family Sunday dinner tables, it was simply called “strawberry dessert.” I loved (and still do) the pecan-filled shortbread-type crust, creamy filling and thick layer of strawberries on top. Today, you’ll find it listed as blueberry delight (you can use either fruit flavor), yum-yum dessert and other cute names. Cans of pie filling are often used for the topping instead of a homemade fruit topping. Whatever you call it, it translates well to modern-day dessert tables and is just as good as I remembered. Now, if only I can find those frozen jelly doughnuts…Welch’s, if you’re listening... Strawberry Dessert Crust: 2 sticks butter, melted 1 cup chopped pecans 2 cups all-purpose flour Mix together and press into 9x11-inch Pyrex dish. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool. Filling: 8-ounce cream cheese 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 2 packages Dream Whip-follow package directions (can substitute Cool Whip if you want) Mix cream cheese and sugar. Fold into Dream Whip. Spread over crust Topping: 2-15.5 ounce containers of frozen slice strawberries with sugar, thawed ½ cup sugar 4 tablespoons cornstarch Mix together and cook slightly over low heat until thick. Cool and spread on frosting. Chill before serving. Note: Strawberry, blueberry or cherry pie filling may be used for topping. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

Bryce Owens of Bolton recently served as a page for the Mississippi House of Representatives. Pages generally run errands for officials and House staff. Owens, 17, is the son of Dina and Daryl Owens, and he is a senior at Raymond High School. He was sponsored for the week by Representative Stephanie Foster (D – Raymond). When asked about the week, Owens said, “I enjoyed my time as a page. I got to meet new friends and lots of people. Thank you, Representative Foster, for this great opportunity.”

By Bob Garver I suppose it’s appropriate that movies starring Ant-Man aka Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) have always been rather “small” in the scheme of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, he showed up for Captain America in 2016’s “Civil War” and played a role in saving the universe in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” but those were parts of a team effort. In movies where he’s been the lead, the character’s contributions to the MCU have mostly been self-contained, with action localized to San Francisco and villains like the miserable Yellowjacket (Corey Stoll) never getting off the ground to affect other heroes. New installment “Quantumania” throws that small scale out the window in favor of a whole new world to explore and a villain with long-term ramifications. I liked the smaller movies better, because even with the deceptive strength of an ant, the character isn’t cut out for this sort of heavy lifting. The film sees Lang, his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton), girlfriend Hope van Dyne aka The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), and her parents Hank (Michael Douglas) and Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) all shrunken down and sent to the mysterious Quantum Realm. Yes, it’s technically infinitesimally small, but to the characters, it’s a big mysterious world. The crew meet some new characters, like hole-obsessed gelatinous blob Veb (David Dastmalchian), exasperated psychic Quaz (William Jackson Harper), smarmy former freedom fighter Krylar (Bill Murray), and a repackaged old character that I believe now holds the title of Worst in the MCU. One look at this character, and the entire movie became instantly irredeemable. I like the actor, but this role is going to haunt him for the rest of his career. In trying to escape the Realm, Scott and company encounter villain Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). Advance word for this movie has told me that the MCU has big plans for Kang down the line, so this is just our first taste of him. I can’t say I’m terribly impressed – not with his character development, not with his ability to carry out a plan, and not with his track record. I suppose he’s intimidating and dangerous enough, but his motivations go little beyond a need to “Conquer” everything, he twice gets sloppy in concealing his megalomaniacal nature, which twice leads to his twice taking losses that will hurt his perception as a threat going forward. Then again, I will say that he’s off to a better start than Thanos, who spent six years as a vague grimacing presence dependent on underlings to do his bidding before he became a decent character. The special effects are unusually subpar for a movie of this importance. Of course, they’re at their worst when is comes to a certain henchman, but they’re unconvincing elsewhere too. There’s an overreliance on greenscreens, especially when characters are running away from falling rubble. Maybe it’s just that the Quantum Realm environment is so phony that the characters wouldn’t look like they’re in danger anyway. No wonder everyone wants to get out of the place so badly, it’s not worth staying or even Conquering. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” shows early promise with Rudd’s effortless charm and Newton (of the surprisingly-heartfelt horror movie “Freaky”) as the new-and-improved activist version of his daughter, now grown-up thanks to surviving the Snap/Blip. But once the movie stops taking place in a recognizable plane of existence, it loses its relatability. Its legacy in the MCU will be that it marked the first big-screen appearance of Kang, but I’m waiting for the movie that marks the first “good” appearance of Kang. Grade: C- “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” is rated PG-13 for violence/action, and language. Its running time is 125 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Hinds Community College’s Fine and Performing Arts department will host a Fine Arts Day that will give high school seniors a taste of the programs Hinds offers. High school students will select and rotate through a series of sample classes with current Hinds Community College students and instructors. Among their choices will be ceramics, drawing, painting, computer art, band, choir, dance, Hi-Steppers, a stage combat class and a music industry classes that will allow student to do some recording in the studio. The Fine Arts Day is 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on March 3 on the Raymond Campus. Students can find the full schedule and details on how to register on the Hinds website here (under Fine Arts Day on the events calendar at www.hindscc.edu) or contact Shane Sprayberry (jssprayberry@hindscc.edu or 601-857-3271) for more information. The deadline for registration is Feb. 24. The day will also feature performances by top Hinds music students during Recital Hour. The high school students will have an opportunity to attend advising sessions, campus tours and auditions. “There is going to be a lot going on that day. I’ve talked to some high schools in the area, and they’re super excited about it. They’re calling me for tours,” said Shane Sprayberry, Fine and Performing Arts Director. For more information, call Shane Sprayberry at 601-857-3271 or email jssprayberry@hindscc.edu .

The Bolton Branch of the Jackson Hinds Library System hosted an "Emotional Wellness" Program on Saturday, February 11. A packed house welcomed speaker Shanice White from Restitution of Hope, who provided tips on being emotionally healthy, building healthy relationships within yourself, and maintaining wellness. See the album of pictures from this event at https://www.restitution-of-hope.boltonms.com/

Kids, even the adult versions, display the effects of the greatest influences in life…their parents. It can show up in being a mirror image of a parent, becoming similar in actions and reactions. Or it can have the opposite effect. Sometimes, a person may decide that mom or dad’s life was not one they want to mimic, and they deliberately turn the other way. But either way, parents have an enormous influence on their adult child. And parents need to realize that fact. While substituting for a few days as the receptionist at a local funeral home, I had the opportunity to be introduced to several people whom I had never met before. Family members who had lost their loved one would come in, many times as a family group, to grieve together and make arrangements. And as an unobtrusive receptionist sitting at the desk, I noticed a few things. Things like; there is usually an instinctive leader in the family, and many times it is not a spouse, nor is it necessarily the oldest sibling. But there would be one who just naturally spoke for the group. I also noticed that families have their own personality as a group, and no two families are alike. Although every sibling had their own personality, each family would invariably display a certain amount of group reaction to the loss. Some families were all loners in their grief, displaying a certain amount of isolation from each other. Other families seemed to draw strength from being with each other. Another notable; when it was a parent who had died, that parent’s outlook on life was often reflected in the very reaction of the ‘grownup baby children.’ One morning a family came in that truly stood out. All the adult children of the man who had died were respectful, kind, and softspoken. Tender care for the mom was obvious in everything they said and did. Later, someone who knew that family for many years told me those same traits were evident in the entire life of the dad. That father’s attitude thru the years was definitely imprinted on his kids as adults. Dads have the power to teach their child to view the world as a place of endless possibilities. Where there are disappointments and pain certainly, but also a place of love, forgiveness, acceptance, and new beginnings. Dad has the responsibility to give his son or daughter a sense of unconditional love and a positive self-image. That gives them the internal fortitude to face life at its hardest, and keep going. Yes, readers, Dads actually have that power within them. Can they create a child who will grow up to be exactly what dad had in mind? No, only God has that awesome power of influence. But a dad plays a huge part in how well his child believes in himself. Unfortunately, they also have the power to create just the opposite in their kids.

The Bolton Branch would like to thank Hezekiah Watkins for speaking at our Black History Program, The Power of a Dream. He was very transparent and emotional with his journey to becoming a Freedom Rider!

Hinds Community College has selected its first group of honorees in its new employee recognition program called IDEAList. IDEALists can be nominated by anyone at the college or the community. They model the IDEALS as identified in the college values of Integrity, Diversity, Excellence, Accountability, Leadership and Stewardship. Included in the honor was Jeffrey Johnson of Bolton, Hinds’ director of physical plant and maintenance, Jackson Campus. A Hinds graduate, Johnson has been employed with the college for six years. He is in charge of the regular care and maintenance of the campus buildings and grounds “to ensure the campus is aesthetically pleasing, properly repaired, well-maintained and safe.” Pictured (left to right) are, front row: Julie Clark of Brandon, Wendy Lingle of Pearl, Jackie Jackson of Raymond, Tershuna Bass of Terry, Dana Harpole of Vicksburg; and back row: Brad Smith of Brandon, Karen Mays of Jackson, Jeffery Johnson of Bolton, Renita Ragsdale of Clinton, and Emily Thomas of Richland.