Bluffs & Bayous February 2019

Bluffs & Bayous { February 2019 { Page 1

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F RO M T H E P U B L I S H E R

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ebruary is the shortest month of the year and yet can be a very busy month. Celebrations of Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras fill up the month for the lovers and revelers in our communities. February also is American Health Month, as the American Heart Association brings awareness to heart disease during February; and it is Black History Month as well, honoring the contributions of African Americans in United States history.

February also boasts Ground Hog Day when Punxsutawney Phil comes out of hibernation to determine if he sees his shadow or not.

According to the superstitious among us, what he determines foretells, respectively, whether six more weeks of winter are at hand or if spring is on its way. For football fans, this month is home to Super Bowl Sunday with all of its pre-game and post-game hype; and just over two weeks later, our nation venerates its Commanders in Chief with Presidents’ Day. February also hosts various conferences, workshops, and social events you can check out in our Up & Coming section. Thus, in our surrounding areas, the shortest month of the year is jam packed with so much to celebrate, praise, honor, and experience.

Just for fun, I searched online and found the following additional monikers for the month of February: An Affair to Remember Month, Canned Food Month, Creative Romance Month, Great American Pie Month, National Cherry Month, National Children’s Dental Health Month, National Grapefruit Month, and National Weddings Month.

In addition, the third week of February is International Flirting Week.

Specific days in February also claim significance, including Bubble Gum

Day (the first Friday of the month), National Freedom Day, No Politics Day, Candlemas, Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day (first Saturday of the month) Feed the Birds Day, The Day the Music Died, Create a Vacuum Day, Stuffed Mushroom Day, Thank a Mailman Day, Chinese New Year’s Day … and, yes, even more—National Weatherman’s Day, Lame Duck Day, National Chopsticks Day, Wave All your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day, Send a Card to a Friend Day, Boy Scout Day, Kite Flying Day, National Pizza Day, Toothache Day, Umbrella Day, Clean Out Your Computer Day, Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day, Make a Friend Day, National Inventors Day, and White T-Shirt Day. Actually, every day of February has one or more appellations, all of which I have not included here and more of which you can find by visiting holidayinsights.com in your free or curious time.

So cheers to an exciting and inspiring month of celebrations along and beyond the Mississippi!

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FEBRUARY 2019

F E AT U R E S Time for Mardi Gras Merriment.......................................................... 36-37 Krewe of Ceres Charity Ball Prep........................................................ 38-39 R. J. Lee’s Murder Mystery Debut—Grand Slam Murders— Book Signing................................................................................... 40-41 The 30th Annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration: The Great River Road...................................................................... 43-47

Time for Mardi Gras Merriment pages 36 - 37

F AV O R I T E S

G’s Fare

A Meal Made for Romance............................................................................... 10-14

Legal Notes Ambulance Chasers..............................................................................................19

Southern Sampler Musings on Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras.........................................................58

The Social Scene JA Christmas Celebration.......................................................................................9 Brent Rifles UDC Christmas Luncheon........................................................... 16-17 Krewe of Phoenix Royalty Announcement Party.................................................18

Krewe of Ceres Charity Ball Prep pages 38-39

Brookhaven’s Annual Taste of the Trust Benefit............................................. 20-23 Krewe of Phoenix Twelfth Night Party...............................................................24 Patrick Wallace’s 30th Birthday...................................................................... 26-27 The Natchez Garden Club Christmas and Royalty Announcement Party......... 30-32 Newcomers Club Christmas Party................................................................... 33-35

Up & Coming Louisiana Up & Coming.................................................................................. 48-49 Mississippi Up & Coming................................................................................. 51-56

ON THE COVER

Staged for “A Meal Made for Romance,” February’s G’s Fare, Jordan Junkin Falls’ engaging photograph evokes the warm and cozy, even romantic ambiance of Valentine’s Day. See G’s Fare on pages 10 - 14.

A Meal Made for Romance pages 10 - 14 Page 4 { February 2019 { Bluffs & Bayous

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PUBLISHER Cheryl Foggo Rinehart COPY EDITOR Jean Nosser Biglane GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Jan Ratcliff

Anita Schilling

S TA F F P H O T O G R A P H E R S Tim McCary

Bill Perkins

Cheryl Rinehart

Lisa Adams Whittington

SALES STAFF Cheryl Rinehart

Donna Sessions

CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Gary R. Bachman

Lucien C. “Sam” Gwin III

Becky Junkin

JoAnna Sproles

Jennifer J. Whittier

Dr. Gary R. Bachman

Alma Womack

Cheryl Rinehart

Jean Biglane

Donna Sessions

Jan Ratcliff

Anita Schilling

Tim McCary

Lucien C. “Sam” Gwin III

Becky Junkin

Bill Perkins

Jennifer J. Whittier

Alma Womack

Lisa Adams Whittington

Bluffs & Bayous is published monthly to promote the greater Southern area of Louisiana and Mississippi in an informative and positive manner. We welcome contributions of articles and photos; however, they will be subject to editing and availability of space and subject matter. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited! Return envelopes and postage must accompany all materials submitted if a return is requested. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Bluffs & Bayous are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Bluffs & Bayous strives to insure the accuracy of our magazine’s contents. However, should inaccuracies or omissions occur, we do not assume responsibility.

OFFICE

225 John R. Junkin Drive | Natchez, MS 39120 | 601-442-6847 bluffsmag@gmail.com | bbupandcoming@gmail.com www.bluffsbayous.com

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On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River

Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Page 8 { February 2019 { Bluffs & Bayous

THE social SCENE BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

JA Christmas Celebration

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embers of the Junior Auxiliary of Brookhaven, Mississippi, celebrated Christmas and held their monthly chapter meeting on December 11, 2018. Ryan and Whitney Holmes hosted the meeting and social at their Brookhaven residence; and Mrs. Betty Perkins, charter member, spoke with the active members and provided a history of how JA of Brookhaven began. Photographs by Katie Furr 1 Lisa Breazeale and Libbi Hobkirk 2 Katie Furr, Abbey Bozeman, Anne Houston Craig, Stephanie Henderson, Ashley Choudoir, and Amber Wilkinson 3 Mary Catherine Franklin and Laura Broxson 4 Mary Catherine Franklin, Kristina Mason, Haley Thibodeaux, Paula Welch, Mary Clare Hemleben, and Laura Broxson 5 Chaunci McIntyre and Tiffany Blackwell 6 Sheila Sartin, Hannah Laporte, Aimee Mason, Mary White, and Sarabeth Hall 7 Juliana Adams and Kristina Mason 8 Cheli Durr, Amy Mason, Tracy Freeny, Wendy Hall, Whitney Holmes, Juliana Adams, Heather Martin, and Charlsie Estess 9 Kristina Mason, Amy Mason, and Stephanie Henderson 10 Ashley Choudoir, Anne Houston Craig, and Erin King 11 Latoya Butler, Jillian Ricceri, Lindsey Abdalla, and Brenda Orr 12 Emma Coleman, Mendez Vaughn, and Brenda Orr

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G’S FARE

BY

Becky Junkin

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Becky

Junkin

A Meal Made for Romance F

ebruary—the month for romance and for Saint Valentine, who lived in the third century and has been celebrated in some form since the Middle Ages on his feast day February 14. The holiday, though not a national holiday, is celebrated by giving flowers (especially red roses), cards, candy, and candlelight dinners. In some instances, the lucky woman receives a gift of jewelry. Since I am always on a diet, Gerry and I choose to eat in rather than go

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out. I have to say that the meal below is definitely not a low-calorie meal but certainly is a good one. You can always start the meal with a beautiful flute of champagne with dinner set before a cozy fire. Whatever the venue, just being together with your “one and only” is a treat in itself. So, girls, here’s to getting that box of jewelry and, if not, hopefully a scrumptious meal like one made from the recipes below—and if you are extra lucky, both! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Cheesecake is one of my very favorite desserts, actually the only dessert I can say is my favorite; and Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake is certainly one of the best. This cheesecake is extra rich and only a small piece brings big satisfaction. I made the cheesecake and had sliced a piece for the photo shoot. Jerry ate a few bites and passed it around the table, and we were going to have the cheesecake for dessert that night after our dinner settled. Inadvertently, the cheesecake was left on the kitchen counter; and we forgot about it. My children’s HUGE Labradoodle puppy jumped up on the counter and ate it—yes, almost the whole thing. I know chocolate is VERY bad for dogs, but thankfully Link had not gotten that memo and suffered no ill effects from the chocolate. I do not recommend leaving chocolate out and accessible since apparently dogs are very attracted to it. So, my very delectable and costly cheesecake was enjoyed by a very large dog to the very big disappointment of my family.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-truffle-cheesecake 4 eggs, large 2 4-ounce semisweet chocolate baking bars 1 ganache topping 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 11/2 cups dark-chocolate-and-almond shortbread cookies 2 tablespoons butter 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese 1 cup whipping cream Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine crushed cookies and butter. Press mixture on bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Microwave chocolate and cream at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer 2 minutes or until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, beating just until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Add chocolate mixture, beating just until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes or just until center is set.

Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven with door closed 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

Remove sides of pan, and place cheesecake on a serving plate. Slowly pour warm Ganache Topping over cheesecake, spreading to edges. Chill 1 hour before serving. Garnish if desired.

GANACHE TOPPING 1 cup whipping cream 1 4-ounce dark chocolate baking bar 1 4-ounce semisweet chocolate baking bar Bring cream to a light boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Process chocolate bars in a food processor until coarsely chopped. With processor running, pour cream through food chute in a slow, steady stream, processing until smooth. Let mixture cool until slightly warm (about 20 minutes).

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“Nothing says lovin’ like something from the oven”; and this time, it’s not Pillsbury but a perfect steak. Sometimes in the winter, it is too cold outside to fire up the grill; and in the summer, it is too hot to stand over the grill. Well, here is the perfect solution—a steak cooked on top of the stove and in the oven. My son David has prepared his and his Dad’s steaks like this for years, and these steaks are perfect. The butter topping is a must.

PAN-SEARED FILET MIGNON WITH GARLIC & HERB BUTTER http://kitchenswagger.com/pan-seared-filet-mignon-herbbutter-recipe/ 4 10-ounces thick tenderloin beef filets (roughly 2 inches thick) 2-3 tablespoons butter Salt and pepper to taste Garlic & Herb Butter: 1/2 stick butter 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic For the garlic-herb butter . . .

Soften the butter in a microwave-safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. Stir in herbs and garlic until fully mixed.

Spoon the butter mixture onto tin foil, doing your best to reshape it to resemble a stick of butter. Place in refrigerator for about 10 minutes, and remove 5 minutes before adding to the filet.

For the filets . . .

Preheat the oven to 415 degrees. Remove steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking; this is to bring the steak to room temperature and ensure your cooking times are more accurate. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

Add the plain butter (2-3 tablespoons) to an oven-safe, cast-iron skillet; and turn heat up high. Allow the skillet to become scorching hot first. Place the filets face down and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip the filets and sear for an additional 2 minutes. This will give your filets a nice seared edge.

Transfer your skillet directly to the oven. [WARNING] Skillet may be hot; handle with oven mitts. For rare, bake 4-5 minutes; medium rare, 5-6 minutes; and medium, 6-7 minutes.

Remember, depending on the size of the steak, the more or less time it will take. This recipe is ideal for an 8- to10ounce portion, roughly 2-3 inches thick. Remove fillets from the skillet and set on a plate, lightly cover with tin foil, and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. This is important to bring your steak to its final serving temperature. Top with the Garlic & Herb Butter and serve.

Temperatures for steak: Rare 120-125 degrees; medium rare 125-130 degrees; medium 135-140 degrees; medium well 145-150 degrees; well done 160° and above

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For years we have been making these potatoes, and it seems as if we never tire of them.

You can sprinkle them with parmesan cheese, or you can simply do as the recipe says. I like small red potatoes, cut in half; and I let them sit to get the seasoning and the olive oil into the potatoes.

ROSEMARY ROASTED POTATOES https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/rosemary-roasted-potatoes-recipe-1943124 1 1/2 pounds small red- or white-skinned potatoes (or a mixture) 1/8 cup good olive oil 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves) 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves Parmesan cheese, optional Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters; and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary. Toss until the potatoes are well coated. Dump the potatoes on a baking sheet, and spread out into 1 layer; roast in the oven for at least 1 hour or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking to ensure even browning. Remove the potatoes from the oven, season to taste, and serve.

(3-4 servings)

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We love to finish off the meal with an “adult beverage coffee.” I like just brandy or amaretto, and I prefer decaf at night, but I am in the minority on that. My family loves the combination of Kahlua and Bailey’s Irish Cream. Below, you will find a recipe that Jordan loves. This recipe is from geniuskitchen.com.

IRISH COFFEE WITH BAILEY’S AND KAHLUA ¾ ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream ¾ ounce Kahlua 4 ounces hot coffee Whipped cream Pour Bailey’s and Kahlua into an Irish coffee glass or a cup or mug. Fill with hot coffee. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

(1 serving)

Becky Junkin, mother of four and grandmother of eight, is a lifelong Natchez resident, a retired elementary teacher of twenty-four years, and certified Pilates instructor.

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THE social SCENE MCCOMB, MISSISSIPPI

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Brent Rifles UDC Christmas Luncheon

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rent Rifles UDC Chapter #2137 met at Historic Brentwood Memories in McComb, Mississippi, on December 14, 2018, for the annual Christmas luncheon.

The home was decorated in old-Christmas fashion; and dining room tables were set with fine Christmas china, a vintage Christmastree centerpiece, ornaments, and poinsettias.

The lunch began with a strawberry pecan salad and the house vinaigrette dressing. The entrée, a Brentwood menu favorite, Poppy Seed Chicken Spectacular was served with sweet potato crunch, green beans, buttered biscuits, and sweet tea. Traditional pecan pie and bread pudding with rum sauce were the choices for dessert served with apple cider or specially brewed coffee. The chapter’s oldest member, Mildred Fountain at 96 years young, was recognized at the “Most Senior Member” of Brent Rifles UDC. Sylvia Johnson presented a Christmas program, “Is There a Santa?” Its highlight was Johnson sharing a tiny, memory-filled Christmas tree of vintage family ornaments belonging to her mother.

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Mildred Fountain and Laila McEwen Regent Janice Fortenberry and Sue Boyd Liza Honea and Anna Martin Crystal Newman and Dr. Cathy Harvey Jackie Russell and Barbara Willis Vice Regent Gail Spinnato and Helen Smith Regent Janice Fortenberry and Carolyn Richmond Peggy Tidewell and Mary Felder Connie Lambuth and Mildred Fountain Tammy Strickland, Mildred Fountain, and Sylvia Johnson Tammy Strickland, 2018 Rosalie Rose Nominee Janette Alexander, Jane Ard, Dr. Cathy Harvey, Sylvia Johnson, Ann Hobgood, Crystal Newman, Janice Brock, and Helen Johnson

THE social SCENE

MCCOMB, MISSISSIPPI

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13 Kim Edwards, Sue Boyd, and Virginia Zeigler 14 Michael Guttuso, Vice Regent Gail Spinnato, Helen Smith, and Beverly King 15 Robin Sheppard, Laura Fahner, and Cindy Young 16 Jane Lawrence, Regent Janice Fortenberry, Nancy Martin, and Michael Guttuso 17 Seated—Wanda Lambuth, Patsy Pressler, President Connie Lambuth, Mildred Fountain, and Betty Penick; standing—Tammy Strickland, Gail Spinnato, Sylvia Johnson, Susan Faulkner, Gloria McKenzie, Sonya Johnson, Charlene Ryan, Peggy McCullough, Verna Swinney, Virginia Zeigler, Rita Brister, Kim Edwards, and Barbara Willis 18 Regent Janice Fortenberry, Beverly King, and Betty Penick

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

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Krewe of Phoenix Royalty Announcement Party

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he Annual Announcement Party for the Mardi Gras Krewe of Phoenix in Natchez, Mississippi, was held November 1, 2018, at Ravennaside, the home of Wanda and Ricky Smith, in downtown Natchez. The cocktail party honored the 2019 Royalty, Rex and Rosalie XXXVII, with Krewe of Phoenix members and guests of the royalty attending the event.

1 Laurie Paradise, Cheryl Rinehart, Betsy Mosby, Valerie Bergeron, Sue Stedman, Darby Short, Sherry Bearden, and Donna Sessions 2 Tommy and Cathy Ellett 3 Sherry Bearden and Tim Sessions 4 Darby Short and Rene Cantu 5 Buddy and Lisa Whittington 6 Tony Byrne, Rene Adams, and Sarah Beth Willard 7 Chuck and Sherry Bearden with Kay Jenkins

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7 8 2019 Krewe of Phoenix XXXVII Royalty and Court: Front—Queen Rosalie Betsy Mosby with Rex Blaine Mire; row 2—Devin Gammill and Meghan Wood; row 3— Braxton Fondren, Sarah Beth Willard, Casey Morris, and Doug Jordan; row 4—Patrick Vogt, Peyton Cavin, Patricia Huffines, Tommy Ellett, and Wells Middleton

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LEGAL NOTES

BY

Ambulance Chasers

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ecently, CNBC reported that in 2017, over 40,100 deaths occurred due to auto wrecks. The National Safety Council also reported that in 2016 there were 4.6 million auto accidents, resulting in 432 billion dollars of economic loss ranging from medical expenses, lost wages, and plain property damages to vehicles. Almost every American family will be affected in one way or another by automobile accidents at some point.

I would say that handling auto accidents, whether representing an injured party or defending a person at fault for causing the accident, has occupied over fifty percent of my law practice for the last thirtyfive years. I know this raises eyebrows and conjures up thoughts of ambulance chasing; however, I have had clients from all walks of life finding themselves either the injured parties or the ones at fault; and not one of them, at any time, dreaded having to use an attorney for guidance through the process of personal-injury law.

Let me propose a hypothetical situation (similar to actual cases I have handled) on both sides of the fence. Assume you are sitting at a red light. You have stopped and are waiting for the light to change; and from out of nowhere, a car going way too fast plows right into the back of your car.

The only warning you have is the sound of its tires skidding on the pavement as the

driver stomps on his brakes. As the car collides with yours, your car is propelled forward; yet your body, including your neck and back, are thrust backwards into the driver’s seat.

An accident can be surreal. So you are in an accident. Are you in real pain or are you just shaken? If you are in real pain and are able, you need to call 9-1-1 and ask for an ambulance immediately. If you are in a little pain or just shaken, then call 9-11 and ask for police if you are in the city or the Sheriff’s Department or Highway Patrol if you are in the county. ALWAYS call law enforcement in order to secure an accident report. Without an accident report, you will not even get to first base with the other driver’s insurance company. This is true even for the smallest of damage to your vehicle. NEVER EVER take the other driver’s word that he will take care of you if you just don’t report the accident to authorities. I have seen people duck liability when no accident report was generated.

Let’s take this scenario further and assume that this rear-end accident has caused you severe injury to your neck/ back and you had to spend anywhere from one to four weeks in a hospital. Let’s assume that your hospital bills are presently $100,000.00, and the doctors say that you may need future surgery. At this juncture, important insurance questions arise. Does

Lucien C. Gwin III

the at-fault driver have enough insurance to cover all of this? If not, does your insurance policy include “uninsured motorist” coverage? This covers your injuries if the other driver has little or no insurance for the accident.

The minimum limit for liability insurance coverage in Mississippi is $25,000.00. In Louisiana, it is $15,000.00. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen accidents from which the medical bills far exceed $25,000.00, yet this is all the coverage that applies to the accident.

The insurance question can be complex when it comes to automobile coverage. In my opinion, you can never have too much coverage; and if you have any kind of assets, you should consult your insurance agent as to how much coverage is enough.

So, you are now recovering and out of the hospital. You know you should contact an attorney to assist you with the process. What attorney should you call? Do you call one of the name-brand TV or billboard lawyers who can’t wait to sign you up as a client? It is my strong opinion that you call your personal attorney for these matters. He/she will know far more background about the lay of the legal land than anyone on the TV or billboards, those who are lawyers that usually practice anywhere from 200 to 1000 miles away from you.

Your personal attorney may not handle car wrecks. However, he/she will know which lawyer in the area is best suited to quickly gather all the evidence; interview the witnesses; know how to read the local judges; and, most importantly, understand the juries in your area.

MY THOUGHTS: I say the following as honestly as I know how: I have seen some of the smartest, sharpest, and smoothest lawyers come from small towns in Mississippi and Louisiana.

They should be your first consideration in picking an attorney to handle your case, especially when the case has to be filed in your hometown.

Lucien C. “Sam” Gwin III was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1981 and has been practicing many aspects of the law at the firm of Gwin, Punches & Kelley in Natchez, Mississippi, ever since.

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THE social SCENE BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI

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Brookhaven’s Annual Taste of the Trust Benefit

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he annual Taste of the Trust Benefit was held November 15, 2018, at the Brookhaven Country Club. Live music, a silent auction, a photo booth, and eighteen restaurants that offered portions of delicious tastings all combined for a night of entertainment to benefit the Lincoln County Historical Museum.

Photographs courtesy of Aubrey Lee Chance

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14 1 Robert Gooch – “Southern Noise” Photo Bus 2 Abbi McDonald and Jason Snider 3 Layne Xifos and Debbie Jordan 4 Aubrey Lee Chance and Natalie Ybarra 5 Aubrey Lee Chance and Lindsey Gennaro 6 Abby and Forrest Dungan 7 Mark and Sherri Mathis 8 Brandi Seal and Bernie Reed 9 Kathryn and Sha Walker 10 Carl and Ann Houston Craig 11 Lindsey Gennaro and Betty Perkins 12 Gracie Lambert and Hannah Johnson 13 Jennifer and Wade Price 14 James Bellipanni and Emily Lowery

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THE social SCENE

BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI

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15 Kellye Sicks, Nic Ricceri, and Jillian Sicks Ricceri 16 Patrick Lowery with Ron and Sharyl Donegan 17 Aubrey Lee Chance, Skip Tarver, and Michelle Lovette 18 Whitni Grider, Melissa Hall, and Trey Maddox 19 Anna King Smith, Glenda Hux, and Cathy Gary Franck 20 Angie Cox, Aubrey Lee Chance, and Brookhaven Mayor Joe Cox 21 Bill and Teresa Sones 22 Taste of the Trust Board: Aubrey Lee Chance, Mason Smith, Mary White, Quinn Jordan, Jillian Sicks Ricceri, Lissa Boerner, Sloane Smith, Julia Miller, and Jason Snider 23 Kathy Phillips, Andrea Phillips, Lindsey Phillips Robinson, and Leslie Phillips

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THE social SCENE

BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

24 Lovely Kuhle Queen and Teegie Hargo 25 Misty and Colby McMorris 26 Stephanie and Clay McMorris 27 Dr. William and Diane Hay 28 Noah and Leanne McCaffery 29 Frances Brady and Rick Taylor 30 Dr. Chad Smith and Anna King Smith 31 Jason Snider and Betty Perkins 32 Anna Peavey and Buddy Baker 33 Lori Palmer and Claire Calcote 34 Michael Mascagni, Jordan McLemore, and Mary Parker Jackson 35 Kari Gill, Kaylin Rushing, Aubrey Lee Chance, and Jennifer Wade 36 Francois Choudoir, Katie Furr, and Ashley Choudoir

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THE social SCENE

BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

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37 Mendez Vaughn, Cathy Gary Franck, and Lindsey Gennaro 38 Julia Miller, Roberto Bonilla, and Aubrey Lee Chance 39 JB Perkins, Drew Jones, Lori Farmer Perkins, Tracy Weill, Judge Jeff Weill, Senator Sally Doty, and Miles Patrick Nelson 40 Helen and John Lynch with Prentiss and Isabel Smith 41 Aimee Bonilla, Davis Wisner, Roberto Bonilla, Sheila McFadden, Lindsey Gennaro, and Jeremy Berry

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

Krewe of Phoenix Twelfth Night Party

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he Krewe of Phoenix in Natchez, Mississippi, began the 2019 Mardi Gras season with its annual Twelfth Night Party on Thursday, January 10, at the home of Lisa and GA Mayers. The evening was highlighted with the 2019 Krewe of Phoenix Royal Court receiving their royalty pins. View more pictures of this event at bluffsbayous.com.

1 Krewe of Phoenix Royal Court 2 Rex XXXVII Blaine Mire and Queen Rosalie XXXVII Betsy Mosby 3 Susan Granning, Lisa Mayers, and Ward Granning 4 Rex XXXVII Blaine Mire and Wells Middleton 5 Rosalie Smith, Brent Smith, and Jennifer Lessley 6 Brad Yarbrough and Jaki Robinson 7 Pat Porter, Kay Harris, and John E. Hoggatt 8 Peyton Cavin, Erica Smith, Braxton Fondren, Patrick Vogt, and Sarah Beth Willard 9 Mitzi Conn, Al Conn, Jimmy June, and Justin Robinson

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Merit Health Natchez Celebrates 1000 Robotic Surgeries

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ecently, Merit Health Natchez celebrated a milestone when the number of its onsite robotic surgeries reached 1000. “This is an exciting time for our hospital, and the progress and growth in the use of this technology is a testament to the commitment, vision, and passion of our surgeons and our outstanding surgery team,” said Lance Boyd, CEO of Merit Health Natchez.

The most common procedures using the roboticassisted system are hernia repairs, gallbladder, colon, single incision surgery, and hysterectomies.

Dr. Geoffrey Flattmann, General Surgeon, performed this noted surgery, an inguinal (groin) hernia repair. Dr. Flattmann explained, “Our community is very fortunate Merit Health Natchez has invested in technology that integrates robotics and minimally invasive techniques. The technology is truly incredible and my patients experience less pain and scarring and fewer complications; plus, they are back on their feet more quickly. Every robotic-assisted surgery is exciting to me, so performing the 1,000th procedure was pretty special,” stated Flattmann. Along with Dr. Flattmann, other physicians instrumental in performing robotic surgeries at Merit Health Natchez include General Surgeon Dr. Christopher Martin and Obstetricians and Gynecologists Dr. Frank Guedon, Dr. Melissa Jones, and Dr. Kofi Kumi.

The use of robotic-assisted technology virtually extends the surgeon’s eyes and hands. Using the system, the surgeon operates while seated at a console viewing a 3-D image of the surgical area. The system mimics the surgeon’s hand movements in real time, on a smaller scale, within the

operating site in the patient’s body. The robot doesn’t replace the surgeon but provides sharper detail, a 360-degree view of the surgery site, and greater dexterity in navigating complex anatomical structures.

“The robotic surgery program at Merit Health Natchez is making a difference in people’s lives,” said Boyd. “With our skilled surgeons and exceptional team of anesthesia, surgery, and post-anesthesia care, people in our community can be assured of patient safety, care, and comfort.”

Left: Dr. Geoffrey Flattmann with Chris Newman, patient number 1000 to have robotic surgery at Merit Health Natchez Right: Standing—Obstetricians and Gynecologists Dr. Kofi Kumi and Dr. Frank Guedon along with General Surgeon Dr. Geoffrey Flattmann; seated—Dr. Christopher Martin, General Surgeon, with Dr. Melissa Jones Cavin, Obstetrician and Gynecologist

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P2P 3:21 PM Bluffs & Bayous { February 2019 4/23/18 { Page 25

THE social SCENE BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

Patrick Wallace’s 30th Birthday

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o celebrate Patrick Wallace’s 30th Birthday, his family and friends gathered at the home of Chuck and Susan Wallace in Brookhaven, Mississippi, on November 21, 2018.

Porches in Wesson, Mississippi, provided the evening’s feast while The Bridge Band kept the dance floor busy. Photographs by Bill Perkins

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Melanie Padula and Taylor Crysel Mary Catherine and Keith Franklin Nick Bridge Kristi Bridge and Shelley Harrigill Lindsey Gennaro and Bill Perkins Dr. Dave Roberts and Cathy Roberts Sally Doty and Patrick Wallace Betty Anne Perkins and Sallie Williford Jeremy Winborne and Josh Winborne Lindsey Gennaro and Betty Anne Perkins Tracy Thorpe, Patrick Wallace, Charlie Wallace, Lindsey Gennaro, Jeremy Berry, Mason Smith, and Chuck Wallace

THE social SCENE

BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

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12 Jason Snyder and Abbi McDonald 13 Andrew Wallace, Charlie Wallace, Susan Wallace, Chuck Wallace, and Trey Rickerson 14 Karen Slaten, Lindsay Gennaro, and April Wallace 15 Andrew Wallace, Dave Roberts, Tom Tillman, and Charlie Wallace 16 Landon Winborne, Devon Winborne, and Melanie Padula 17 LeAnne Tillman, Patrick Wallace, April Wallace, and Tom Tillman

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

The Natchez Garden Club 1 Christmas and Royalty Announcement Party

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he Natchez Garden Club held its annual Christmas party, entertaining members and spouses along with announcing the 2019 Pilgrimage and Historic Natchez Pageant Royalty. Antebellum Magnolia Hall, one of the historic properties owned by the club, was the setting of the elegant event at which all attending enjoyed the ambiance of the seasonal dĂŠcor, delectable food, and refreshing libations as they applauded and welcomed the royalty, their court, and their pages to the opening of their reign.

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Klydell and Dennis Johnsey Melton and Kathy King Jennifer Smith and Helen Smith Linda and Elena Rodriguez, Alex Alba, and Sophia and Dr. Jack Rodriguez David and Kitty Bray, Judy Busick, John and Eileen Ball, and Randy Busick Julie Kendell, Jackie Stahlman, Bill Stahlman, and Kelsie Jackson Randy Smith with Mary and Dr. Fred Emrick Paula Joseph, Joshua Hargon, and Lisa Jester

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THE social SCENE

NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

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Tim Sessions and Ray Bradford Michelle Skates and Paige Carter Chuck Bearden and Finley Hootsell Regina and Emily Hootsell with John Stanford 13 Diane, Joshua, and Josh Hargon

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THE social SCENE

NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

14 Kay McNeil and Jean Reed with Donna and Mary Frances Sessions 15 Norm and Karen Yvon with Neifa and Andrell Hardy 16 Lyda, Margaret, and Charles Jordan 17 Evie Jones, Samantha Stevens, Skylar Huff, and Abby Loy 18 Tim Blalock, Walt and Lashon Brown, and Randy Smith 19 2019 NGC Royal Pilgrimage Court: front—Evie Jones, Skylar Huff, Abby Loy, Connor McNeel, Jr., and Ayden Shaifer; back—Mary Frances Sessions, John Chandler, Margaret Jordan, Bill Stahlman, Jr., Queen Elena Rodriguez, King Christopher Chandler, Joshua Hargon, Jordan Waller, Landon Havard, Emily Hootsell, Donald Branton, and Abby Brown

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21 20 Abby Brown, Ed Blackburn, Michelle Skates, Mary Frances Sessions, Megan Guido, and Stephanie Swalm 21 Duke and Paula Edwards, Jason and Joanna McNeel, Pat Biglane, Connor McNeel, Jr., Karen Biglane, Melinda Biglane, Lauren Middleton, Julia Rachel Kuehnle, Nancy Kuehnle, and Jean and Freddie Biglane

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

Newcomers Club Christmas Party

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he members of the Natchez Ladies and Newcomers Club held their Christmas Cocktail Party on Thursday, December 20, 2018, at the beautifully decorated home of Charlotte and Jim Franklin in Natchez, Mississippi.

Co-hosts were Cindy Rollins, Diana Glaze, Johanna Busby, Judy Mize, Sue Simpson, and Norma Williams. The Christmas spirit was everywhere with delicious food, drink, and holiday music. Photographs by Tom Taylor

1 Becky and Jeff Morris 2 Charlotte Sanguinetti and Diana Glaze 3 Dempsey and Anne McMullen 4 Francey Killian and Darla Wilkinson 5 Helene Buttross and Peggy Sandel 6 Jerry Beach and Carol Bates 7 Jewel Causey and Bo Cetadol 8 Mary Ruth Caldwell and Sandy Taylor 9 Susan and Raymond Bonnette 10 Hazel Ferrell and Dan Gibson 11 Francey Killian, Irene Rosiek, Dolly Freedman, and Sheri Terrebonne 12 Tommy Joseph and Helene Buttross 13 Hazel Ferrell, Sandy Taylor, Johanna Busby, and Dolly Freedman

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

14 Hazel Ferrell, Charlotte Franklin, Cindy Rollins, and Sandy Taylor 15 Hazel Ferrell, Angela Munson, Sue Simpson, and Brennen Munson 16 Marie Gasquet, Sheri Terrebonne, Sue Simpson, and Helene Buttross

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THE social SCENE

NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

19 Becky Morris with Karen and Charlie Schiller 20 Bill Williams with Dorothy and Frank Drouillard 21 Bo Cetadol, Walter Sandel, and John Rollins 22 Ginger and Tom Schwager with Norma Williams 23 Irene Rosiek, Cindy Rollins, and Kathleen Mackey King

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TIME FOR MARDI

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aissez les bons temps rouler— English translation, “Let the good times roll”—is the expression that captures the party atmosphere and celebratory events that begin on Twelfth Night (January 5 or 6). This is the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, marks the coming of Epiphany, and rolls on through Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday that is the official start of Lent. These interim weeks that celebrate Mardi Gras invoke merriment—revelers in garish attire; and wildly screaming parade crowds begging for beads, doubloons, moon pies, and trinkets. King cakes and parties abound as do balls and dazzling costumes for each Rex and his Queen, donning their crowns, Page 36 { February 2019 { Bluffs & Bayous

wielding their scepters, and presiding over festivities with their elaborately bedecked royal court of Duchesses, Dukes, and Royal Pages.

These weeks of Mardi Gras are a time for jolly indulgence, embellished in the traditional purple, green, and gold. Mardi Gras hosts a myriad of krewes throughout the South who have members bonded in honoring their royalty and celebrating traditions that in our country arose in the very early 1700s in Mobile, Alabama, known as the birthplace of America’s Mardi Gras. Shortly thereafter, Mardi Gras appeared in several areas along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and in the 1730s to 1740s New Orleans saw the beginnings

GRAS MERRIMENT!

of its eventually renowned and legendary Mardi Gras. Much later, upriver in Natchez, Mississippi, Mardi Gras made its way in the early decades of the twentieth century; and more recently, other communities have joined this joie de vivre and established their own Mardi Gras traditions, parties, and parades.

Since our space to cover every area Mardi Gras event is limited, we offer websites below to refer our readers to the multitude of Mardi Gras activities in our life along and beyond the Mississippi.

Images provided by Bill Perkins were taken during the 2018 Krewe of Phoenix parade and after-parade party.

WEBSITES

mardigrasneworleans.com monroe-westmonroe.org visitbatonrouge.com gulfcoast.org mobile.org pikeinfo.com louisiananorthshore.com kreweofphoenixnatchez.com mardigrasparademaps.com brookhavenchamber.com visitvicksburg.org visitnatchez.org cityofvidalia.com stfrancisville.us Bluffs & Bayous { February 2019 { Page 37

Krewe of Ceres Charity Ball Prep he Krewe of Ceres in Brookhaven, Mississippi, has raised funds for over a half century supporting Brookhaven’s many charities and causes. Last year’s annual ball theme was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”; and Melinda Said, a Brookhaven resident and downtown merchant, has been instrumental in ordering the decorations and creating breathtaking floral décor for many years. Jennifer Whitter, writer and photographer for Bluffs & Bayous, visited Said at the Lincoln Civic Center last February during the krewe’s set-up for the ball. Through the work of Said along with many other volunteers, the ball has become a magical event that benefits the entire community. February 2017 marked the 50th anniversary for the organization that has honored numerous community members as royalty since 1966. This year’s Krewe of Ceres Charity Ball, “Under the Big Top,” is February 23 at 6:30 p.m., again at the Lincoln Civic Center. (For tickets, call 601-7576141. See Up & Coming for details.)

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R. J. Lee’s Murder Mystery Debut—Grand Slam Murders— Book Signing

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foursome of socialites, a quadruple murder, a smug detective, and a relentless investigative journalist intersect to take readers through the labyrinth of angles and clues in R. J. Lee’s first venture into the mystery-novel genre—Grand Slam Murders: A Bridge to Death Mystery.

Lee will unveil this first novel in his new mystery series at the Judge George Armstrong Library in Natchez, Mississippi, on Saturday, February 9, 2019, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a bit of socializing first and then a talk and book signing. Lee explained, “Because I am such a believer in and supporter of libraries, all proceeds will go to library funding; and I will double all final proceeds for the benefit of the library.”

R. J. Lee, of course, is Natchez native Robert Kuehnle, son of the late Helen Louise (Weesie) Jenkins Kuehnle and Robert Dalby Kuehnle, himself a former author. For the past thirteen years, Lee has lived in Oxford, Mississippi. Writing as Robert Dalby for Putnam, Lee published his four-novel Waltzing at the Piggly Wiggly series. Thereafter, with Kensington and writing as Ashton Lee, he completed the six-novel Cherry Cola Book Club series in 2016.

His newest venture Grand Slam Murders is set in the river port of Rosalie, Mississippi, which Lee labels as a “tweaked version of Natchez” with amalgamated names of places and of characters, who

are “interesting blends of people” he has known throughout the South. According to Lee, “The plot of Grand Slam Murders is fully inspired by my Natchez roots, and mention is made of Rosalie as the only town of its size having a brewery, a winery, and a rum distillery and as a town that is a laid-back, party town. Of course, there is nothing made up about that.”

Already, notable national review journals have acclaimed Lee’s Grand Slam Murders. Kirkus Reviews calls it “a compulsively readable series debut, dripping in Southern charm, for a clever sleuth whose bridge skills break the case.”

Publisher’s Weekly says, “Lee deals a winning hand with his welcome mystery debut, a series launch. . . . An attractive protagonist [Wendy Winchester], plenty of Southern charm, a long suit of colorful characters, and a plot that comes up trumps at the surprising end, all bode well for future installments.” The second of Lee’s mysteries, Playing the Devil: A Bridge To Death Mystery is scheduled for release early in 2020.

Surely, avid mystery connoisseurs, as well as avid bridge players, do not want to miss R. J. Lee’s Grand Slam Murders—nor the chance to welcome the author himself at the February book signing in Natchez.

What better occasion to meet, greet, and discuss with Lee his first foray as a mystery novelist? Perhaps, he will foreshadow ‘whodunit’ or drop a clue to the thriller’s killer…killers?...hmmmmm.

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BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI • A HOMESEEKER’S PARADISE

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The 30th Annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration:

The Great River Road

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he 30th Annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration will spotlight The Great River Road at its festivities on February 21, 22, and 23, 2019, in downtown Natchez, Mississippi, with headquarters for the event at the Natchez Convention Center. This year’s celebration includes a plethora of events sure to be as entertaining as they are educational. The weekend venue includes speakers, book signings, films, tours, and a luncheon at antebellum Dunleith with the finale of a Benefit Gala at Magnolia Hall, one of the last great townhome mansions built before the Civil War. You will want to savor every moment of this three-day excursion on location along the banks of the Mighty Mississippi, celebrating The Great River Road of literature, culture, food, and film as you commemorate the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration’s 30th Birthday!

Events are free and open to the public with the exception of the ticketed ones. Peruse the speaker introductions and related schedule below to pique your interest and assist in planning your NLCC weekend. Call or contact the following for additional information: 601.446.1208, nlcc@colin.edu, or colin.edu/community/ natchez-literary-and-cinema-celebration.

Presentations Thursday, February 21, 2019 5:45 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Mississippi Madam: The Life and Times of Nellie Jackson

Witness to the greater part of the twentieth century, brothel owner Nellie Jackson fully embodied the paradoxes of her era. Jackson’s story is layered and complex—examining the role of women, people of color, and the often-ignored underclass during the turbulent Civil Rights Movement. Directed by Mark K. Brockway and Timothy Givens, Mississippi Madam has won numerous awards at prestigious film festivals nationwide. (run time 1:20 minutes with question-and-answer following)

7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Making the Film Women of the Struggle

Beverly Adams and G. Mark LaFrancis will present clips of their upcoming documentary Women of the Struggle, which chronicles the lives of Mississippi women who experienced fear and intimidation during the Civil Rights Movement. In addition, the two filmmakers will talk about the filmmaking process and appear alongside several of the documentary’s subjects. (presentation 50 minutes with question-and-answer following) Bluffs & Bayous { February 2019 { Page 43

NLCC Friday and Saturday Presenters Anne Butler, Author Anne Butler, journalist and former editor of Country Roads magazine with a BA in English from Sweet Briar College in Virginia and an MA in English from Humboldt State University in California, has published hundreds of articles in magazines and newspapers and operates a Bed & Breakfast on the 1790s family plantation where she lives in St. Francisville, Louisiana.

Butler’s more than twenty books include such diverse subjects as true crime (Angola: Louisiana State Prison, a Half-century of Rage and Reform and her widely acclaimed memoir, Weep For The Living, detailing her own brush with attempted murder), children’s books, humor, ghostwritten autobiographies of early Jewish and JapaneseAmerican families, and a series of books (including Bayou Plantation Country Cookbook and River Road Plantation Country Cookbook) featuring Louisiana’s historic homes with related recipes and vintage photos.

Anne Butler’s real passion is the preservation of our unique landscapes and cultures. In her two latest books, Bayou Sara and Deep Roots: The Story of a Place and its People, she explores both the importance of waterways like the Mississippi River and its tributaries in populating the Lower South in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and the deep ties between Mississippi and Louisiana. Many of the early settlers of the St. Francisville area of English Louisiana plantation country first settled in Natchez; and the author herself is a descendant of Stephen Minor, first American governor of the Natchez District, making her a natural choice to introduce the topic of the ties that bind us along the southernmost byways of the region.

Dr. James Pate, Historian Independent scholar Dr. James (Jim) Pate is an emeritus professor of history at the University of West Alabama where he served as a department chair, dean, and vice president. He also served as a dean at Southeastern Oklahoma State, vice president at Northeastern State University, and campus dean at the University of MississippiTupelo. With an M.A. from Delta State University and a Ph.D. from Mississippi State University, he previously edited When This Evil War is Over: The Correspondence of the Francis Family, 1860–1865, Page 44 { February 2019 { Bluffs & Bayous

Cherokee Newspapers, 1828–1906, and The Reminiscences of George Strother Gaines. His contributions to research, preservation, and archaeological investigations at the Fort Tombecbé/Fort Confederation complex led to the transfer of this eighteenth-century French-British-Spanish site to the University of West Alabama.

Dr. Pate’s latest publication as editor of Albert James Pickett’s two-volume History of Alabama, and Incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the Earliest Period makes him uniquely qualified to speak to the early history of the region. Pickett’s history first appeared in September 1851 with a second and third edition before year’s end. William Gilmore Simms, the South’s most prolific writer, called it “one of the prettiest specimens of book making ever done in America.” Newspapers and literary journals commended Pickett’s “absolutely enchanting” fresh style and “his important service to his state.”

Dr. James Pate’s presentation will center on Volume I, covering the history of the discovery of the Mississippi River, the struggles of Native Americans during contact period with the French, and the early chiefdoms of the protohistoric period.

Gene Dattel, Cultural Historian Gene Dattel, a cultural and economic historian, grew up in the Mississippi Delta’s cotton country. Educated at Yale University and Vanderbilt University Law School, he embarked on a twenty-year career in global finance as a managing director at Salomon Brothers and Morgan Stanley, spending a majority of his career overseas in London, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

Subsequently, he consulted for global financial institutions and the Pentagon as an authority on Asian financial institutions. His first book, The Sun that Never Rose, presciently outlines Japan’s long-term structural economic problems when conventional wisdom predicted an unassailable economic juggernaut. He also has served as an advisor to major cultural institutions from The New York Historical Society to The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. His Cotton and Race in the Making of America (2009) describes the fateful intersection of cotton’s economic power with the African American experience.

Dattel lectures at universities, museums, and public forums across the country; has sponsored research projects on the art and music of the Mississippi Delta; and produced a documentary on race riots in the north. A Berkeley Fellow at Yale University and formerly on the advisory board of the B. B. King Museum, he recently appeared with Otis Sandford at the University of Mississippi’s Center for Southern Culture, presenting “Reckoning with Race: The Perspective of Two Native Mississippians,” an honest and unflinching discussion of growing up Jewish and African American (respectively) in small towns along Mississippi’s River Road. For the 2019 NLCC, Gene Dattel will present on the Jewish experience of the region.

Pamela Arceneaux, Author and Rare Books Curator Pamela Arceneaux, a Senior Librarian and Rare Books Curator with the Historic New Orleans Collection/Williams Research Center, has a B.A. in history from West Georgia College (now, the University of West Georgia) and an MLS from Louisiana State University. She is a past recipient of the Lucy B. Foote Award presented by the Subject Specialists Section of the Louisiana Library Association in recognition of her service. She appears in the twenty-third edition of Who’s Who of American Women (2002-2003).

Along with published articles about various aspects of Louisiana and New Orleans history, Arceneaux also presents lectures and authored the entry “New Orleans Blue Books” for the online Louisiana encyclopedia, KnowLA. She is the author of The Historic New Orleans Collection’s recently released book Guidebooks to Sin: The Blue Books of Storyville, New Orleans, the topic of her presentation at the 2019 NLCC. Though many scholars have written about Storyville, no thorough contemporary study of the blue books—directories of the neighborhood’s prostitutes—previously existed. Pamela Arceneaux’s examination of these rare guides invites readers into a version of Storyville created by its own entrepreneurs. A foreword by the historian Emily Epstein Landau places the blue books in the context of their time, concurrent with the rise of American consumer culture and modern advertising. Illustrated with hundreds of facsimile pages from the blue books in The Historic New Orleans Collection’s holdings, Guidebooks to Sin illuminates the intersection of race, commerce, and the underclass in this essential chapter of New Orleans history.

Tom Franklin, Author, Professor Tom Franklin is a southern novelist and New York Times bestselling author, often compared with Cormac McCarthy and Flannery O’Connor, who draws his readers deeply into his stories with expertly woven plots and colorful characters. He has written nine novels about life in the rural south, including Hell at the Breach and Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, and is currently published by Harper Collins.

Franklin, who earned his BA from the University of South Alabama and his MFA from the University of Arkansas, is currently an Associate Professor of Fiction Writing with the

University of Mississippi’s Master of Fine Arts program. He has won numerous prizes for his work, including the 2010 Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction, the RT Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Contemporary Mystery, and the United Kingdom’s Crime Writers’ Association’s Gold Dagger Award.

In 2013, he and Beth Ann Fennelly, his wife, co-authored a novel, The Tilted World, published by HarperCollins and set during the 1927 flood of the Mississippi River. Translated into six languages, The Tilted World was an IndieNext Great Read, Southern Booksellers Association Okra Pick, 2013 LibraryReads pick, San Francisco Librarian’s Best Books of 2013, and Uncut magazine’s Best Books of 2013.

Tom Franklin will present on his book Crooked Letter Crooked Letter.

Beth Ann Fennelly, Poet Laureate of Mississippi Beth Ann Fennelly, currently teaching in the MFA Program at the University of Mississippi where she was named Outstanding Teacher of the Year, has won grants and awards from the N.E.A. and the United States Artists and received the Pushcart Prize and a Fulbright Fellowship to Brazil. She has published six books--three of poetry: Open House, Tender Hooks, and Unmentionables, all with W. W. Norton; and her poetry has been in over fifty anthologies and textbooks. Currently, she is Poet Laureate for the State of Mississippi.

In recent years, Fennelly has written more prose. A book of essays, Great with Child: Letters to a Young Mother, was published

by Norton in 2006. In 2013, she and her husband, Tom Franklin, co-authored a novel, The Tilted World, published by HarperCollins and set during the 1927 flood of the Mississippi River. Her sixth book, Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-memoirs, recently published

by W. W. Norton, was named an Atlanta Journal Constitution Best Book of 2017 and a Goodreaders Favorite for 2017.

A contributing editor to The Oxford American, Fennelly also writes freelance on travel, culture, and design for many magazines. Recent nonfiction awards include the Orlando Creative Non-fiction Prize, the Lamar York Prize from The Chattahoochee Review, and the Porter Fleming Award for Excellence in the Essay.

She’s the first woman honored with the University of Notre Dame’s Distinguished Alumni in the Arts Award.

Beth Ann Fennelly will present on her book Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs.

Bluffs & Bayous { February 2019 { Page 45

Michael Twitty, Culinary Historian

Dr. Karen L. Cox, African American History

Michael Twitty, a Judaic studies teacher from the Washington D. C. metropolitan area, is a food writer, independent scholar, culinary historian, and historical interpreter, personally charged with preparing, preserving, and promoting both African American food traditions and their sources in Africa, as well as his personal Diaspora and its legacy in the food culture of the American South. The reconstruction and revival of traditional African American foodways includes seed-keeping, growing heirlooms and heritage crops, and raising heritage breeds that predicated survival.

Twitty’s work is a braid of two distinct brands, Antebellum Chef and Kosher/Soul. Antebellum Chef represents the vast number of unknown Black cooks across the Americas that were essential in the creation of the Creole cuisines of the Atlantic world. The responsible exploration of the Southern food heritage demands that the cooks of colonial, federal-era, and antebellum kitchens and enslaved people’s cabins be honored for their unique role in giving the Southland her mother cuisine. Such exploration also provides a lifeline to contemporary communities looking for a better life, a way out of health and chronic illness crises, and a way to reduce the food shortage in many of our communities. To honor the food past and provide for the food future is what Twitty calls “culinary justice.”

Michael Twitty is the winner of the James Beard Award for his book The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African-American Culinary History in the Old South. His presentation for the 2019 NLCC will focus on the foodways of the River Road, specifically African American and Jewish ones.

Dr. Karen L. Cox, professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, is an award-winning historian who has written opeds for the New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, TIME magazine, Publishers Weekly, and the Huffington Post. Her expertise on the American South has led to interviews with major publications throughout the United States as well as with international newspapers in Germany, Denmark, Ireland, and Japan. She has also appeared on noted American, Canadian, and British television and radio broadcasts.

Cox also is the author of three books. Her first book, Dixie’s Daughters: The United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Preservation of Confederate Culture, won the 2004 Julia Cherry Spruill Prize from the Southern Association for Women Historians for the Best Book in Southern Women’s History. Her second book, published in 2011, is Dreaming of Dixie: How the South Was Created in American Popular Culture. She is also the editor of Destination Dixie: Tourism and Southern History and authored the blog Pop South: Reflections on the South in Popular Culture.

Dr. Karen Cox’s most recent book, Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South (2017), was featured at the NLCC’s 2018 Southern Gothic forum. At the 2019 NLCC, she will discuss her research on the African American History of Natchez and the River Road region. Her topic is the Rhythm Night Club fire of 1940 and its impact on the African American community in Natchez, the subject of her upcoming book.

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The 30th Annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration:

The Great River Road THURSDAY CINEMA EVENT: February 21, 2019 5:45 - 7:30 p.m.: Mark Brockway and Tim Givens present Mississippi Madam: The Life and Times of Nellie Jackson 7:30 p.m.: Beverly Adams and Mark LaFrancis present Making the Film Women of the Struggle

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2019

8:30 a.m.

8:30 a.m.

Opening Ceremony, Recognition of William Winter Award Winners—Dr. Jane Hulon, Mayor Darryl Grennell, and Co-Lin Community College Vice President Teresa Busby

Opening Remarks, Dr. Jane Hulon; Recognition of the John D. W. Guice Young Writers Competition, Co-Lin Community College Vice President Teresa Busby

9:15 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

Anne Butler: Deep Roots

Beth Ann Fennelly, Poet Laureate of Mississippi

10:00 a.m.

10:15 a.m.

James Pate: Pickett’s History of French Louisiana

Book Signing

11:00 a.m.

10:30 a.m.

Book Signing

Richard Wright Awards for Literary Excellence

1:00 p.m.

11:30

Presentation of the Thad Cochran Award

Luncheon, Dunleith Plantation: ticketed event, $30; for more information, see our ticketed-events flier.

1:30 p.m.

Gene Dattel: The Jewish Experience 2:30 p.m.

Pamela D. Arceneaux: Guidebooks to Sin 3:30 p.m.

Book Signing 3:50 p.m.

Mark Brockway and Tim Givens: Making the Film Mississippi Madam: The Life and Times of Nellie Jackson 5:00 p.m.

Reception, NAPAC Museum 5:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.

Tours of Concord Quarters: ticketed event $15; for more information, see our ticketed-events flier.

1:00 p.m.

Tom Franklin: Southern Fiction 2:00 p.m.

Michael Twitty, winner of the James Beard Award for The Cooking Gene 3:15 p.m.

Book Signing 3:45 p.m.

Dr. Karen Cox: The Rhythm Night Club Fire 5:30 - 7:45 p.m.

Benefit Gala Reception: Magnolia Hall, ticketed event $60 Proceeds from this event go toward support of future NLCC Conferences; see ticketed-events flier for more information.

Natchez Convention Center—211 Main Street—Natchez, Mississippi: All events at the NLCC are free and open to the public.

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FEBRUARY Louisiana Up & Coming! louisianatravel.com ALEXANDRIA / PINEVILLE alexandriapinevillela.com rapidessymphony.org February 22 Aquila Theatre’s Frankenstein Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center 7:30 pm February 22 Light the Night Parade Main St. / Pineville 7 pm 318.449.5660 February 23 Woodworth Mardi Gras Parade Maison Rue & Castor Plunge Rd. Noon 318.442.8980 February 23 Ball Mardi Gras Parade Hwy. 165 North Ball 10 am 318.640.9605 BATON ROUGE Throughout February visitbatonrouge.org lsumoa.org rivercenterarena:baton-rouge.ticketscenter.com FERRIDAY February 2 ACT Test Prep w/ Stephen Collins Ferriday Library 9:30 – 11 am 318.757.3550 to register concordia.org JACKSON felicianatourism.org MONROE/WEST MONROE Throughout February monroe-westmonroe.org

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Louisiana Up & Coming! FEBRUARY NEW ORLEANS Throughout February neworleansonline.com neworleanscvb.com ogdenmuseum.org noma.org newcombartmuseum.tulane.edu PORT ALLEN Throughout February westbatonrouge.net westbatonrougemuseum.com ST. FRANCISVILLE Throughout February westfelicianahistoricalsociety.org stfrancisville.us audubonstatehistoricsite.wordpress.com March 14 Light Up the Night Soiree Prosperity St. Courthouse 7 pm audubonpilgrimage.info 225.635.4224 March 15, 16 & 17 Audubon Pilgrimage The Historic District 9:30 am – 5 pm audubonpilgrimage.info VIDALIA Throughout February cityofvidalia.com February 7 Mandy Harvey of America’s Got Talent Vidalia Convention Center Free / 7 pm concordia.org February 28 “Movie Star to Royalty” w/ Georgiann Pott Vidalia Library 6 pm concordia.org

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Mississippi Up & Coming! FEBRUARY visitmississippi.org BROOKHAVEN Throughout February facebook.com/VisitBrookhavenMS visitbrookhavenms.com brookhavenrecreation.com February 1 & 2 Brookhaven Animal Rescue League’s New-2-You Furniture Sale Downtown South Whitworth Street Fri. 4:30 – 7:30 pm / Sat. 8 am – Noon Monetary donations or bags of dog/cat food accepted @ door 601.720.1505 or 601.757.1057 February 2 Nashville Unplugged Brookhaven Little Theatre The Haven Theatre Downtown / 7 – 10 pm

February 9 Cupid Shuffle 10K, 5K, 1-Mile Kids Run Followed by 1st Line After-Party definingmomentevents.com February 23 Krewe of Ceres Charity Ball: “Under the Big Top” Lincoln Civic Center 6:30 pm – Midnight $50 601.757.6141 March 2 Downtown Jazzed Up Downtown Walking jazz parade, tours, restaurant specials & live music visitbrookhaven.com March 2 Goin’ to Town Car Show Downtown 8 am – 3 pm visitbrookhaven.com

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FEBRUARY Mississippi Up & Coming!

FERNWOOD fernwoodcc.com JACKSON Throughout February dulinghall.com msmuseumart.org visitjackson.com jacksonfreepress.com/calendar MADISON madisonthecity.com MCCOMB Throughout February pikeinfo.com mccombarts.com mcrrmuseum.com

Savings & CDs We have a savings account for goals of every shape and size!

February 3 A Night to Remember w/ Joe Elliot & Jennifer Sanders Plus local talent State Theatre Members Free / Non-Members $10 601.810.1589 February 4 National Garden Club Design Specialty Flower Show “Meet Me in Mississippi” McComb Railroad Museum 2 – 5 pm Open to Public March 2 Azalea Ball Junior Auxiliary of McComb Invitation Only

$X

March 4 McComb Garden Club’s Mondays in March Pike National Bank Community Room 5pm

.XX

MAGNOLIA

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March 2 18th Annual Mardi Gras Parade Route: Start @ Eva Gordon Elem. School, End @ South Pike High School Noon

Mississippi Up & Coming! FEBRUARY MEADVILLE Throughout February meadvillems.com NATCHEZ Throughout February Live Music Events Calendar visitnatchez.org/full-event-calendar Throughout February visitnatchez.org February 2 Big Pokey Bear Birthday Bash City Auditorium 7 pm 601.870.8920 February 7 – 10 Mary Poppins JR. Natchez Little Theatre 7:30 pm / $20 601.442.2233 February 8 The Detectives Dinner Theatre Hotel Vue 601.442.9976 or 601.291.7444 thedectectives.biz February 9 The Truth About Love Natchez Festival of Music Carriage House 6 pm Cocktails / 7 pm Seated Dinner $75 888.718.4253 February 9 Guns Down…Gloves Up Professional Boxing Charity Event City Auditorium 601.870.8920 February 9 Krewe of Phoenix Mardi Gras Parade Downtown Natchez 6:30 pm www.kreweofphoenixnachez.com

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FEBRUARY Mississippi Up & Coming!

February 10 Krewe of Phoenix Mardi Gras Ball Natchez Convention Center Main Street 8:00 pm Non-members / $65 each www.kreweofphoenixnachez.com February 10 Living in the Moment Southern Champion Vordell Walker Pro-Wrestling Natchez Convention Center $10 pre-sale / $15 at door 4:30 pm 601.442.5880 February 14 An Evening of Romance Dinner Sunnyside B&B 6:30 – 9:30 pm 601.807.1148

February 15 – 17 Masquerade Murder Mystery Dinner Show Glenfield Plantation $69 / Cash Bar / BYOB w/$10 Cork Fee 601.442.1002 glenfieldplantation.com February 17 Empty Bowls Natchez Pottery Studio Noon – 2 pm $25/ tickets @ Natchez Coffee

February 21, 22 & 23 The Natchez Literary & Cinema Celebration “The Great River Road” Natchez Convention Center 601.446.1208 colin.edu/community/natchez-literary-andcinema-celebration

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Mississippi Up & Coming! FEBRUARY February 28 – March 1 MS Historical Society Annual Meeting Natchez Convention Center & Natchez Grand Hotel $75 members / $100 non-members 601.446.9994 mississippihistory.org PORT GIBSON FB: portgibson.chamber RIDGELAND Throughout February visitridgeland.com SUMMIT Throughout February pikeinfo.com summit.org March 1 Mardi Gras Parade Robb Street 6:30 pm VICKSBURG Throughout February southernculture.org visitvicksburg.com vicksburgartassociation.org tarawildlife.com vicksburgtheatreguild.com downtownvicksburg.org February 8 25th Annual Kiwanis Chili Feast YMCA 11 am – 1 pm & 4 – 6 pm vicksburgkiwanis@gmail.com February 9 Valentine’s Craft Fair Outside the Box Learning Center 10 am – 2 pm 662.655.0465 February 11 Cooking for Couples Workshop William Furlong SCFH 5:30 – 7:30 pm $60 members / $55 couple members / $60/couple non-members 601.631.2997

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FEBRUARY Mississippi Up & Coming!

February 22 Magnolia Charity Ball Levee Street Warehouse 7 – 11 pm / $50 juniorauxiliaryofvicksburgmagnoliacharityball.eventbrite.com February 27 Fort St. Pierre Tercentennial Lecture Series SCHF 7 pm 601.631.2997 March 2 18th Annual Mardi Gras Parade Downtown / Washington St. 4 pm

March 2 8th Annual Carnival de Mardi Gras Gumbo Cookoff SCHF 5 – 8 pm $10 Adult / $5 Child

WESSON

March 2 40th Annual Run Thru History Vicksburg National Military Park Registration 7 am Run 8 am / Walk 8:05 am 10-K Run and 5-K Race/Walk $25 each 601-638-1071 phillipdoiron@vicksburgmyymca.com

Throughout February townofwoodville.org FB: Woodville/Wilkinson County Main Street Association

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Throughout February Facebook: Wesson Chamber WOODVILLE

Be sure to confirm details of the events should changes have occurred since events were submitted.

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SOUTHERN SAMPLER

BY

Alma M. Womack

Musings on Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras T

he Valentine’s Days that I remember from my childhood are nothing like the holiday today. This recollection comes under the heading of “so what else is new” in the world that I inhabit. Be that as it may, I will do my best to recall Valentine’s Day at Block Elementary School in the late 1950s, and what it meant to us kids.

For one thing, we gave valentines to the people we liked. Special friends got special valentines; if someone was not liked, no valentine for her or him. A person could find out how many friends she had by the number of valentines received and how fancy they were.

Most of our parents bought the packages of little valentines that had a variety of different greetings, and some of the cards were larger than others. That way, our best friends got the big cards; and our other friends were graded by size.

I suspect there were hurt feelings then, but no one was silly enough to complain about it. Maybe revenge was plotted for the next Valentine’s Day, but that was it.

I don’t know when things changed, but change they did. Now, everyone in the elementary class has to get a valentine from everyone else, or the sender is in trouble. All valentines are the same size with the same generic messages. No special valentines for your best friend or someone you secretly admire—it wouldn’t be fair, someone’s feelings would get hurt, and the earth would likely stand still in its orbit.

Hurt feelings are a part of life; and the sooner a person learns that, the better for him or her. But that is not the way people are taught now, and what do I know anyway.

So, everyone gets a valentine, everyone gets a trophy in whatever contest is being played, no one is special, all are the same. No

one is left out, and no one excels. What will thinking like this get us? Watch the evening news, and it will be readily apparent.

February is also the month of getting ready for Mardi Gras, something unknown to those same elementary children in the late ’50s in Jonesville, Louisiana. We learned that Mardi Gras meant Fat Tuesday and came before Ash Wednesday, but we little Protestants had no idea of what any of it meant.

I can’t help myself now, when I walk into the Walmart in LaSalle Parish, a bastion of Protestantism, and see a whole aisle of purple, green, and gold, the Mardi Gras colors, on display. They only mean party time, thrown beads, and foolish behavior to most; and I suppose that is a real part of the holiday. Mardi Gras is a great time, but Ash Wednesday is largely ignored, and the meanings of both are rather glossed over.

Years ago in Natchez, Dale Brown and some of her friends had their own Mardi Gras parade. I think I remember that they had a horse or a mule pulling a decorated wagon, and they threw beads to the curious onlookers. They were an early beginning of the Mardi Gras parades that have become a tradition in Natchez, Vidalia, and even little Larto in Catahoula Parish. Dale didn’t realize, back when that mule was hitched to the wagon, that she was starting a small industry in our part of the world.

In the last thirty years, Mardi Gras krewes have sprung up all over the Miss-Lou; and the parties, parades, and decorations are a great addition to our area. A bit of fun in the gray, cold month of February cannot be a bad thing.

Columnist Alma Womack lives on Smithland Plantation on Black River, south of Jonesville, Louisiana. In addition to her duties as maitresse des maison, she is the keeper of the lawn, the lane and the pecan orchard at Smithland.

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