v11n18 - The Hitched Issue

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January 9 - 15, 2013

COURTESY KENDALL POOLE

JACKSONIAN KENDALL POOLE

T

he old wedding joke goes that brides tend to choose ugly bridesmaid dresses, while exclaiming to their attendants, “You can wear it again and again!”

Hopefully, Kendall Poole’s friends are exceptions to that idea, because Poole has a collection of 20 bridesmaid dresses by now. Poole’s experience as a 20-time bridesmaid across 15 years gave her the experience to make the jump to wedding planning full-time. She has witnessed firsthand the chaos that goes on behind the scenes, and her main goal is to allow everyone involved in the wedding to actually enjoy the big day. She says her job as a coordinator is to be the one to make those hard decisions, so that everyone else can relax.

Poole, 35, opened Kendall Poole Event Planning a year ago in November on the day of her favorite number: 11/11/11.

“I have had the pleasure of visiting 11 countries, lived on the 11th floor in New York, 11 is in my phone number and address,” she says. To top off her business’ first anniversary, Poole launched a Facebook campaign, with the help of her good friend Jeff Good, to receive 1,111 “likes” by Nov. 11. “It was almost equal to watching the polls,” Poole says. Although Kendall Poole Event Planning is only a year old, Poole has planned 25 weddings under her professional organization.

Born and raised in Rankin County, Poole has coordinated events since she was in high school, starting with pep rallies, birthday parties

CONTENTS

and homecoming parades. “This is definitely my agape, a blessing from the Lord,” she says.

“I consider my business almost as a ministry, I want my couples to focus more on planning their marriage, not just a wedding.”

It is evident that Poole is following her passion. For each wedding she handles, she makes sure to allow herself time to listen and understand the couples, so that their wedding will not only be a symbol of their love, but also a reflection of them as a couple.

“You don’t know what you are paying me for until after it’s over,” she says.

Poole’s job also puts her into a position where she plays counselor to soon to be husbands and wives by reminding them the reason of why they are getting married.

“As long as you are keeping your marriage the number-one priority, then everything else will fall into place,” she says.

Many of Poole’s clients arise from word of mouth, and she feels more than blessed to work with so many wonderful vendors to help create such a special day for the bride and groom.

A photographer once told Poole, “People never know how good you are at your job, because you have already taken care of the problem,” and those words still stick with Poole to this day.

For more information about Kendall Poole Event Planning, visit her website, kendallpooleevents.com.

—Whitney Menogan

Cover of Valley Gordon and Taylor Hildebrand

by Josh Hailey Photography.

8 Moving on Wasteful Water

Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. signed a contract with Siemens Corp. for about $90 million worth of work, including installing new digital water meters, a digital billing system, water-treatment plant upgrades and replacement of sewer lines.

34 Recording Risk and Reward

With their latest album, “The Great Nothing,” Tess Brunet and her band employ the seldom-used live ensemble recording style—and it pays off.

36 Saints’ Records, Good & Bad

“(Drew) Brees became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in back to back seasons. He finished with 5,177 yards with 43 touchdowns after throwing for 5,476 yards with 46 touchdowns in 2011. The quarterback also is the first in NFL history to have back-to-back season with 40 or more touchdown passes, as well.

That was the good part of Brees’ season. The bad part of Brees’ season was that he threw 19 interceptions—which was five more than he had the previous season.”

—Bryan Flynn, “Streaky Saints”

jacksonfreepress.com

4 ............................. EDITOR’S NOTE 6 ................................................ YOU 8 ............................................ TALKS 12 .................................. BUSINESS 14 .................................. EDITORIAL 14 ................. EDITORIAL CARTOON 15 .................................... OPINION 17 .............................. COVER STORY 28 .............................. DIVERSIONS 30 ....................................... 8 DAYS 31 ............................... JFP EVENTS 33 ....................................... MUSIC 35 ....................... MUSIC LISTINGS 36 ...................................... SPORTS 37 .............................. BODY/SOUL 39 ..........................................FOOD 41 .............................. ASTROLOGY 42 .................................. FLY STYLE

COURTESY NEW ORLEANS SAINTS/MICHAEL C HEBERT; COURTESY TESS BRUNET; TRIP BURNS

JANUARY 9 - 15, 2012 | VOL. 11 NO. 18

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EDITOR’S note

by Kathleen M. Mitchell, Features Editor

The Wedding Ordeal

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hey are such tiny words, really. “I do.” Could they be any smaller? Two words spoken by two people. Add 13 more—“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”— and a signed document, and boom! Married.

So simple. So why does it take a village—nay, an army—to do the damn thing?

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but women can get a little worked up over weddings.

In fact, I don’t know if there is anything that turns sane women into frothing, frenzied, frantic lunatics faster.

I know from experience. Last May, I married my best friend. I am self aware enough to admit that I’m the kind of person who turns things into An Ordeal, and wedding planning was no different.

I admire the brides and grooms who are able to set a budget, make decisions easily and be completely zen about the whole thing. I respect those who wed with just a few close witnesses, or elope or somehow else avoid worrying about what they “should” do.

Unfortunately, I was not exactly that bride. I fell prey to the pressure modern American society puts on this one day.

Of course, it’s not just one day. It’s THE day, or so they tell us. It is The Most Important Day of Your Life. It is the day that everything must be utterly, all-consumingly perfect, and you’d better be willing to do what it takes to make it so. This is the message continually shoved down the throats of the female population by Martha Stewart, The Knot, and approximately 7 billion weddingrelated websites, blogs and television shows.

On the TLC channel alone, there are at least seven wedding shows, including four different iterations of “Say Yes to the Dress,” where consultants regularly turn up their noses at any bride who dares to come into the salon wanting to spend less than $2,500 on a dress they will wear for about 12 hours.

Of course, we can’t leave out the grand dame of all horrifying wedding shows, “Brid-

alplasty,” which tells women that their marriage will be utterly doomed if they don’t take drastic, surgical action to perfect themselves.

Forget that a man asked to spend his life with you, even with that nose! He’s crazy! Trust us, there’s nothing a man loves more than not recognizing his fiancée’s face or body as she walks down the aisle to become his wife!

There’s no point in even getting married if

It’s cheesy and cliché, but so is a lot about weddings. you are going to do it with more than 6 percent body fat!

The destructive mentality stretches beyond TV, though. It feels like the minute you slip that ring on your finger, the world bombards you with reasons why your body is flawed. Facebook and Google Ads and any other Big-Brother-esque marketing programs begin to present ads promising you the best way to “lose weight before the big day!” Bridal magazines instruct you on how to find the best dress to hide your body’s imperfections rather than the one to celebrate your body’s assets. Well-meaning friends and strangers share the secrets of how their friend Sarah got “so skinny!” for her nuptials.

The wedding world tries to convince you these things are vital. And while you are busy trying to figure out if you really do need a nose job in order to be legally wed, The Knot helpfully sends emails every day to remind you what a failure at wedding planning you are. “Hi Kathleen, it’s 278 days un-

til your wedding! If you haven’t bought your dress, bought a second dress to wear to the reception, learned calligraphy, hired at least two wedding planners, sampled cake, booked your entire honeymoon, made a manicure appointment and lost 12 pounds, you’re late!

Also, pewter is the new gray, which was the new black. Also, if you play ‘YMCA’ at your reception, you are tacky. Cheers!”

It is easy to scoff and laugh at the absurdity of the vain and overly intense. It’s easy to judge. But the truth is, wedding planning made me do, feel and say things I never wanted to. It made me care about things that I felt silly caring about.

The wedding world whispers seductively in the form of expensive letterpress invitations and lush peonies and red-soled Louboutin shoes, and suddenly you’re convinced you want—no, need—elaborate bouquets even though you originally planned on simple and inexpensive florals. Suddenly you are jealous that a friend used a décor idea first, or worried your dress won’t measure up to all your peers’ Pinterest boards.

These are stupid emotions. But that doesn’t change the fact that they are very real and present emotions. It’s exhausting thinking about the myriad ways people can disapprove of your wedding-related choices.

Aren’t you a little young? Is your diamond big enough? On the other hand, is your diamond conflict-free? Are you spending too much? Are you spending enough? Did you invite so-and-so?

Not to mention the struggle to bring together my feminist and equal-rights ideals with childhood romantic fantasies, which is a topic for a whole other conversation on weddings (suffice it to say, I love that my husband asked my father for permission, but I don’t love that I love it…).

I’ve been to a number of weddings in the past few years, ranging from lavish affairs involving limos, fine catering and a huge rehearsal dinner to extraordinarily simple

backyard ceremonies, with homemade quilts on picnic tables and dinner made by friends and family—and everything in between.

One celebration, thrown by two families who must have more money than God, featured a live elephant. Each of these weddings was different, but each touching in its way.

It’s important to remember that while weddings might bring out the worst in some people (I’m looking at you, Kim Kardashian, et al.), they can also bring out the best in others. Weddings are ultimately all about joy, love and dancing like crazy for three hours.

It’s cheesy and cliché, but so is a lot about weddings. Family, friends and community come together to celebrate two people making a very serious and meaningful promise.

Some of the best times of my life have been at my friends’ weddings, and I hope they feel the same way about mine.

It’s now been eight months since I survived the Ordeal. Looking back, I wouldn’t change anything. Sure, it was 95 degrees and God knows how humid, and there was talk of sweat in some uncomfortable nether regions from our guests. Sure, I didn’t quite have Michelle Obama arms. Sure, I waited too long to print programs and ended up spending too much money on them.

But when my husband said his vows to me, promising to always be there for me and to always feed my cat; and when I put a ring on his finger for the first time, crying; and when we hugged all the people who came out and sat in that 95-degree weather; and when we danced and ate and laughed until 4 in the morning with people who love us … none of that other stuff mattered.

A wedding is a big day, but it’s still just a day. It’s easy to forget that, to get so wrapped up in the one day that you forget the thousands that come after it. At the end of that day, you’re married. Which is actually the point of a wedding, you know, starting a marriage?

And marriage is the greatest, hardest, most rewarding, fun adventure I’ve been on yet.

January 9 - 15, 2013

CONTRIBUTORS

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Josh Hailey

Tom Head

Georgette Keeler

Josh Hailey is an artist and photographer from Jackson.

He bounces all over these days from the West Coast to the Deep South and everywhere in between. Check out his work at joshhaileystudio. com. He took the cover photo.

Freelance writer Tom Head is a Jackson native. He has written or co-written 24 nonfiction books, is a civil liberties writer for About.com and is a grassroots progressive activist. He wrote a Hitched feature.

Georgette Keeler is an empty nester indulging a variety of interests. Her next endeavor includes demystifying grandma’s cornbread, which has no recipe but includes “a little of this and a little of that.” She wrote a Hitched feature.

Shameka Hayes-Hamilton Whitney Menogan Shameka Hayes-Hamilton is a mother of four who loves reading, writing, and all kinds of music. Originally from Simpson County (Mendenhall), she has dreams of becoming a best-selling novelist. She wrote a Hitched feature.

Writer and teacher Whitney Menogan holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Tougaloo. She enjoys reading, writing and having mind-blowing conversations. She wants to travel around the world. She wrote the Jacksonian.

Micah Smith

Noelle C. White

Kristin Brenemen

Micah Smith is a senior at Mississippi College, a Jackson-based songwriter, and an avid music listener and reviewer. He prides himself on being the very best, like no one ever was. He wrote music stories for this issue.

Noelle C. White is a full-time paralegal and freelance makeup artist. She is an animal enthusiast, who adores all things leather, lace and Stevie Nicks. She wrote the Fly Style feature.

Art Director Kristin Brenemen is an otaku with a penchant for dystopianism. Her recent reacquaintance to EGL fashion will serve her well for this year’s #BestOfJackson party.

Are you ready? She designed much of the issue.

ProgressReport 2013

For 88 years, Mississippi Power has delivered on our promise to provide clean, safe and reliable energy.

The Kemper County energy facility project builds on that commitment, and was certified as the best long-term solution to deliver stable, low-cost energy to you, your children and your children’s children.

RETIRING AGING FACILITIES Much of the current energy infrastructure powering our communities today was designed, built and put in service by generations before us. Mississippi Power’s first generating plant—hailed as the most modern facility of its time when it was built in 1945 —is now being retired after nearly 70 years of service.

CLEANER, EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY The Kemper County energy facility will utilize 21st century coal technology to generate environmentally responsible electricity while significantly reducing emissions. The project will capture at least 65 percent of the carbon dioxide produced, with resulting carbon emissions comparable to a similarly sized natural gas plant.

BUILT FOR MISSISSIPPIANS, BY MISSISSIPPIANS s

12,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction and 1,000 direct and indirect permanent positions.

s

$75 million in state and local taxes during construction and $30 million annually in state and local taxes over the life of the plant.

The project is nearly 75 percent complete and scheduled to begin commercial operation in May 2014.

mississippipower.com/kemper

jacksonfreepress.com

The project, currently employing over 270 Mississippi companies, is creating nearly:

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_____________________________________________Client ________________Date

JANUARY

MPC 18194-7 Kemper Ad 60" (9.5” x 12.5”)__________Spell Check ________Prod. Artist ________Art Dir. ________Copywriter ________Copy Editor ________Creative Dir. ________Design Dir. ________Prod. Mgr. ________Acct. Exec. ________Acct. Supv.

Kemper County Energy Facility

COURTESY JACQUELINE ULMER

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Write us: letters@jacksonfreepress.com Tweet us: @JxnFreePress Facebook: Jackson Free Press

WHAT IS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN IN 2013?

January 9 - 15, 2013

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2ACE TO THE "OTTOM In response to â&#x20AC;&#x153;The X-Out Factorâ&#x20AC;? in the GOOD Ideas/Poverty issue (jfp.ms/poverty): I see all five factors from Donna Laddâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assessment (â&#x20AC;&#x153;The X-Out Factorâ&#x20AC;?) in my classroom, where most students are on free or reduced lunch, but none spoke to me more than dependency.

I see dependency in the way students call me over just so I can stand by them as they work out a math problem. I see it in the way students request (and in some classes, receive) extra credit for everything from buying a homecoming t-shirt to bringing in copy paper. At the start of a recent exam, one student asked expectantly, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you going to give us the answer to one multiplechoice problem?â&#x20AC;?

Educators have a saying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never work harder than your students.â&#x20AC;? Taken the wrong way, this phrase invites a race to the bottom where no one is working hard and grades are given instead of earned. Rather, we teachers must not only make students do the intellectual heavy lifting but also explain to them why.

Dependency does not just perpetuate the cycle of poverty; it stops people from receiving the education that will break them out.

Every dependent has an enabler. During my first year in Jackson Public Schools, I was that enabler. I graded the first semester on a curve, hoping to give students time to adjust to my rigorous standards and high expectations.

Yet no admonition about hard work could counteract the message I was subtly sending: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Keep it up. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll pass. This is good enough.â&#x20AC;? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t grade on a curve any more, and when I see my students excel, I feel guilty for having doubted them in the first place.

Alexander Barrett Jackson -OST 6IRAL 3TORIES AT JFP MS

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Jackson Posture Center CranioSacral Therapy ~light touch massage

DIABETES SUPER CONFERENCE Empower yourself at the 34th Annual Diabetes Super Conference for everyone with diabetes both children and adults. The conference that will change your life is less than a month away.

Saturday, January 19 Jackson Marriott Hotel

Myofascia Therapy ~deep tissue

Research News & Tips You Can Use! Della Matheson, RN, CDE-University of Miami

~energy therapy

Meet Marcus Dupree, former NFL player and Dr. Rick deShazo from MPB’s “Southern Remedy” The ABC’s of Diabetes (A1c, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol) Drs. Dan McCall and Reagan Schiefer Mealtime Fun- The Answer is in the Carbs!

Autumn Douglas, RD, CDE

Benefits of Posture Therapy increased range of motion, chronic pain relief, muscular alignment, stress reduction, and much more

Certified Synergetic Myofascia Therapy Travis Sledge LMT 1876 CST 601.842.8221 by appointment only JacksonPostureCenter@gmail.com www.JacksonPostureCenter.com

Spice It Up! Cooking Demo by Chef Luis Bruno

Special guest appearance by Sean Patrick and his Diabetic Alert Dog, “Bailey,” sponsored in part by the DFM

REGISTER NOW! Your

Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi

Providing Help for today, Hope for Tomorrow!

www.msdiabetes.org/1-877-DFM-CURE Institute for Improvement of Minority Health and Health Disparities in the Delta Region, Diabetes Care Group, Humana, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Wayne Woo, MD, Forrest General Hospital & Rush Hospital

jacksonfreepress.com

Taoist ChiGong

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Thursday, Jan. 3 Joseph Paul Dominick pleads guilty to conspiracy to commit a hate crime in connection to attacks on African Americans in Jackson that culminated in the murder of James Craig Anderson. â&#x20AC;Ś The Justice Department reaches a $1.4 billion settlement with Transocean Ltd., owner of the drilling rig that spawned the 2010 oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Friday, Jan. 4 The U.S. Department of Labor releases a report stating that U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs in December.

Saturday, Jan. 5 Thousands of marathoners flock to Jackson to participate in the Mississippi Blues Marathon. â&#x20AC;Ś President Obama says in his weekly address that the fiscal cliff deal, approved by Congress on New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, prevented a middle-class tax increase that could have thrown the economy back into recession.

Sunday, Jan. 6 Raising the stakes in the upcoming debt ceiling fight, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says that raising the debt ceiling and reducing spending shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be coupled. Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell says spending cuts must be included for GOP support.

January 9 - 15, 2013

Monday, Jan. 7 The Hinds County Board of Supervisors agrees to hire attorney Firnist Alexander as the countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lobbyist. â&#x20AC;Ś President Obama nominates Chuck Hagel as defense secretary and John Brennan to lead the Central Intelligence Agency.

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Tuesday, Jan. 8 The 2013 Mississippi legislative session begins at noon. Major topics include charter schools and Medicaid expansion. â&#x20AC;Ś Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband launch a political action committee aimed at curbing gun violence.

Get news updates at jfpdaily.com.

¹7HETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT /BAMACARE IS THE LAW OF THE LAND IN THE 5NITED 3TATES OF !MERICA ²

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City Begins Improvement Project

by Jacob D. Fuller

T

he city has a long list of needed repairs, replacements, and upgrades to its water and sewer systemsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;about $400 million worth, in fact.

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. took a step toward getting some of that done over the holiday break when he signed a contract with Siemens Corp. for about $90 million worth of work on the old and often-failing systems. The contract includes installing new digital water meters, a digital billing system, upgrades at the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two water-treatment plants and replacement of nearly two miles of sewer lines.

The upgrades to the sewer lines and treatment plants canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come soon enough.

It is commonplace for workers at the Savanna Street Waste Water Facility to bypass the mechanical treatment procedure due to wastewater overloads. When the facility runs a bypass, workers divert the water out of the normal treatment process, treat it with chlorine to kill bacteria, dechlorinate it, mix it with properly treated water and, in most cases, send the water into the Pearl River.

In the last four years, the facility has released more than 2.8 billion gallons of the bypassed water into the Pearl River. â&#x20AC;&#x153;During high flow conditions, untreated wastewater from the retention cells was not always routed through the mechanical plant for treatment. This action is a potential threat to public health and the environment,â&#x20AC;? a 2010 U.S. Environmental Protec-

INSTITUTE INDEX:

tion Agency report of the facility stated.

From Oct. 2, 2011, through Oct. 2, 2012, the Savanna facility executed 16 of these bypasses. Most of them were necessary

require the city to spend about $400 million in water and sewer improvements and EPA fines over the next 20 years. In October, the city and EPA wrapped up negotiations on the decree that began after the EPA inspected the Savanna Street plant in February and April of 2010.

The EPA inspection found 16 major problems at the plant. Some of the major causes of the bypasses included excessive buildup of waste solids in the three working retention cells, two retention cells being out of service for several years, and two of the plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three belt-filter presses, which remove the water from the solThe city hopes its $90 million contract with Siemens ids, were inoperable.

Corp. will prevent its waste-water treatment facilities The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talks with Siefrom diverting under-treated water to the Pearl River. mens started in May, as the city and EPA negotiated the conbecause when as little as one-third of an inch of sent decree. The Munich, Germany-based rain falls, rainwater leaks into the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s old and company presented a proposal to audit the fractured sewer lines, flooding the treatment cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water and sewer system. If, after the auplants with more water than they can handle. dit, the city and Siemens came to an agreeHalf an inch of rainfall could mean a ment, Siemens would take on a project to one-day bypass. Less than 11 inches of rain in make major improvements to the systems.

January and February 2012 caused the SavanSiemens representative Chris Mcna Street facility to run a bypass for 40 days. Neil told the City Council in May that The upgrades to the plant come on the new digital-meter system would only the heels of a consent decree from the U.S. increase water bills for those who are either Environmental Protection Agency that will receiving water dishonestly or have

TRIP BURNS

Wednesday, Jan. 2 Five lesbian couples apply for marriage licenses in Forrest County, knowing they will be denied, as part of a national groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campaign to gain equality for gay, lesbian and transgendered people. â&#x20AC;Ś The Pan-Arab news channel Al-Jazeera purchases left-leaning Current TV from cofounder Al Gore.

¹)F WE ALLOW (IGHWAY TO CON TINUE TO DECLINE IT´S GOING TO BE A SAD DAY FOR THIS COUNTY NOT JUST THE CITY ²

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faulty meters that do not accurately calculate water consumption.

The City Council approved the audit 5-2. In October, Siemens suggested about $90 million in improvements to the system, and the Council approved the proposal.

Now that Mayor Johnson has signed the contract, the city awaits approval from the Mississippi Development Authority.

Once the MDA approves, replacing sewer lines could begin in March, City Communications Director Chris Mims said.

The city will initially fund the project by selling bonds. To oversee the finances of the project, Johnson hired an advisory team that includes the Baker Donelson law firm, Jackson lawyer Anthony Simon, Malachi Financial Products, and the Begley Law Firm and Betty Mallett as bond underwriters.

Siemens has guaranteed that the project will pay for itself over time through increased revenues from the new, more accurate meters, and cost savings from the sewer lines and treatment plant upgrades. If it fails to pay for itself, Siemens will take on the remaining cost.

The city cannot use federal or state grants to help fund the costs of the EPA consent decree. Mims said the city will seek every possible avenue to fund the work without raising rates on citizens. One likely option is the state Department of Environment Quality-operated water-pollution-control revolving-loan program, which the state and federal government partially fund to allow cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to take out loans at or below market rates for such projects.

Comment at www.jfp.ms. Email Jacob D. Fuller at jacob@jacksonfreepress.com.

What Happened to VAWA? ANDY CHILDERS

provisions from the Senate version: one that expanded protections to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender victims; another allowed Native Americans to prosecute certain crimes against women in their reservation courts; and a third increased the number of visas granted to immigrant victims of domestic violence.

President Barack Obama threatened a veto of the House version. It went nowhere.

Reauthorization languished in the House since May; the Republican leadership never again brought the bill up for negotiation. At the close of the 112th Congress in January, all bills not finalized officially died.

Without reauthorization, increased protection for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault is at risk for the first time in 18 years.

How they voted: The Senate bill passed 68-31. Republican Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker voted no.

The House version passed 222-205.

Republican Reps. Gregg Harper, Alan Nunnelee and Steven Palazzo and voted yes. Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson voted no on the House version.

Thompson, Harper and Palazzo did not return calls. Nunneleeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office declined to comment. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Ronni Mott

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jacksonfreepress.com

T

he Violence Against Women Act has been hailed as one of the most successful measures to reduce domestic abuse in the United States. Congress originally passed the act in 1994, and reauthorized it twice, in 2000 and again in 2005. Funds from the bill have helped investigate and prosecute perpetrators, provide educational programs, and support and shelter victims.

The results speak for themselves: The numbers of women murdered by their partners fell by 35 percent by 2007, and the rate of intimatepartner violence against women declined by 53 percent by 2008. â&#x20AC;&#x153;VAWA has been the single most effective federal effort to respond to the epidemic of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking in this country,â&#x20AC;? wrote Debbie Segal, chairwoman of the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence in the American Bar Association Journal in January 2012.

Last April, the U.S. Senate reauthorized VAWA and sent it to the U.S. House of Representatives for that bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vote. A month after receiving the Senate version, the House passed a watered down version of the bill on a largely Republican partisan vote. The House bill removed three

9

TALK | nation

11th-Hour ‘Cliff’ Deal: Mostly Band Aid

by Ronni Mott

T

he U.S. Congress kept the entire electorate on tenterhooks for weeks over the “fiscal cliff”—mandatory tax expirations and spending cuts that Congress imposed on itself last year.

As 2012 closed, lawmakers dove right off the so-called cliff. Midnight, Dec. 31,

for the bill after the Bush-era tax rates expired just hours before, didn’t vote for increases at all: They voted to rescind some increases that occurred due to the expirations.

Congress left the door open for more fiscal wrangling over raising the debt ceiling and producing an actual budget. Congress

HIGHLIGHTS OF H.R. 8: WHAT’S IN THE BILL? FOR INDIVIDUALS

INCOME TAXES

Includes a 4.5 percent increase (from 35 percent to 39.5 percent) on net incomes of $400,000 and more for single people and $450,000 and more for couples.

DIVIDEND AND CAPITAL-GAINS TAXES

Includes a 5 percent increase (from 15 percent to 20 percent) for single people with incomes of more than $400,000 and couples earning more than $450,000.

EXEMPTIONS AND DEDUCTIONS

For singles earning $250,000 and more, and couples earning $300,000 or more, the bill restores caps on deductions and phases out personal exemptions.

ESTATE TAXES

Includes a 5 percent increase (from 35 percent to 40 percent) on estates of more than $5 million.

ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX

Indexes this tax permanently to inflation.

TAX CREDITS

Extends for five years credits for families from the 2009 stimulus bill: Child tax credits remain at $1,000 instead of dropping back to $500; retains the currently expanded earned income credit; retains the refundable college tuition credit.

PAYROLL TAXES

Includes a 2 percent increase on first $113,700 earned. Allows Social Security deduction to revert to 6.2 percent from a temporary “tax holiday” of 4.2 percent. Affects all wage earners.

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

Maintains the expansion of emergency benefits for one year.

January 9 - 15, 2013

came and went without an agreement. They rallied on New Years Day, however, when the House approved legislation the Senate negotiated and passed earlier in the day.

The final deal fell short of satisfying Obama’s campaign promise to increase income taxes on those with taxable incomes of $250,000 or more. Also, some Republicans seemed to break their pledges never to raise taxes, both Mississippi senators among them.

Technically, however, Republicans who voted

10

managed to avoid the automatic, across-theboard spending cuts; however, the deal kicks that sequester can down the road by only two months. Fights loom over the spending side of the fiscal equation, especially which programs to cut and by how much.

So what did the deal deliver? About 99.3 percent of Americans will not see their income taxes go up; however, everyone’s payroll deductions increased by 2 percent on the first $113,700 of wages. That’s because the

deal allowed expiration of a temporary “tax holiday” on Social Security deductions from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent. The increase is likely to hit Mississippians, whose median household income in 2011 was $36,919, especially hard. For families at that mid-point, it represents $61.50 per month they won’t see in their paychecks in 2013.

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. urged Congress to reconsider the increase.

“City workers and many of our citizens, particularly those who make up Jackson’s blue collar workers, will feel this the most,” he said in a statement. “I am certain that this rise in taxes is going to be especially difficult among our working class and working poor.”

On a brighter note, the deal preserved the child tax credit, which was scheduled to drop from $1,000 to $500, the expanded earned income tax credit and a refundable credit for college tuition. For those who lost jobs, the bill retained extended unemployment benefits for a year. It also permanently indexed the alternative minimum tax to inflation, ending an annual drama for some 30 million middle to upper-middle earners.

At the top of the income ladder, the bill raises marginal income tax rates, capital gains and dividend tax rates. It increases estate tax rates, and phases out some exemptions and deductions.

The White House said the increases would raise $620 billion in new revenue over 10 years and cut the deficit by $737 billion.

Looking at it another way, the Joint Committee on Taxation cited the lost revenue of letting all of the Bush-era tax cuts expire, and estimated the bill would increase the nation’s deficits by $3.9 trillion over the next decade.

Obama left Washington, D.C., to rejoin his family on their Hawaiian vacation soon after the House vote. He “signed” the bill, dubbed the American Taxpayer Relief Act, aka the McConnell-Biden plan, from Hawaii using an autopen device located at the White House Jan. 3.

THE VOTE The so-called “fiscal cliff” deal split Mississippi’s congressional delegation down the middle. Lone Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson voted for it, as did our Republican senators, Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker.

“If you see a swimming pool full of 100 drowning people, and you can save 99 of them, you go ahead and do that,” Wicker told Mississippi Public Radio. “You don’t refuse to help just because you can’t do it all.”

“It is not perfect, and there is still work left to do,” he said in a statement after the Senate passed the bill with a bipartisan 89-8 vote.

“Congress and the President must reduce the federal deficit. ... Today’s vote is a step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go.”

Mississippi Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives—Reps.

Gregg Harper, Alan Nunnelee and Steven Palazzo—joined a majority of that chambers’ GOP to vote no. The Republicans voted no 151-85, and Democrats voted yes 172-16. In the end, it passed the House 257-167.

Harper tweeted about his vote: “For four years, I’ve fought to reform entitlements and cut spending. This bill accomplishes neither of these goals.”

Nunnelee posted his statement on Facebook: “Out-of-control spending is the reason we are $16 trillion in debt and, unfortunately, this deal adds to the problem. Allowing more revenue today and promising to look at cutting spending down the road is the oldest trick in the Washington book. Somehow, the day to cut spending never comes.

I cannot support a deal that adds to our spending-driven debt crisis.”

Palazzo also released a statement, which began, “This may be a deal, but it’s no solution.”

TALK | justice

Night Riders

by R.L. Nave

Federal prosecutors say a white Rankin County gang’s spree of race-fueled violence resulted in the death of James Craig Anderson, a black man, in June 2011.

Neither Gaskamp nor Dominick went along for the ride that culminated with Anderson’s brutal death in a motel parking lot, but prosecutors say that the furtherance of

the hate acts the gang committed ultimately resulted in Anderson’s death.

Although Dominick was not outwardly remorseful as prosecutors read the charges, he respectfully addressed Reeves as “sir” or “your honor” during the two-hour long hearing Jan. 3. Nor did Reeves seem to bear any ill will toward the young man who intentionally terrorized people who look like Reeves.

“You made a decision that will affect the rest of your life. But you can make a change, starting today,” Reeves said at the end of the hearing.

During one trip, Dedmon hit an African American man in the back of the head with a beer bottle. On another, the Dedmon, Rice and Butler kicked another African American man in a west Jackson parking lot until he begged for his life.

Dominick and his friends also purchased bottled beer expressly to drink and use as ammunition in the assaults against black pedestrians, whom the group called n*ggers.

During one incident, one of the gang members threw a beer bottle at a group of African Americans standing near the street, striking one of the people and knocking the person to the ground.

“Members of the group thought this

was funny,” said Sheldon Beer, who handled the government’s case said in court last week.

Now 21, Dominick also carried a handgun for protection and, on one trip, the friends stopped at a sporting goods store for the sole purpose of buying a slingshot to shoot metal ball bearings at African Americans.

Dominick’s mother told reporters after the hearing that the news of Anderson’s killing made her vomit and that her son had no idea what his friends had done until she informed him. Barbara Young, Anderson’s sister, said after the hearing that she wanted everyone involved in the crime spree to go to prison, including those like Dominick who did not directly participate in her brother’s murder.

“Who knows how many of them where involved in those night rides?” Young told the Jackson Free Press.

Prosecutors noted in the indictment that Dominick and his fellow conspirators boasted about the attacks and recruited other “young, white men and women” to join them for assaults. So far, only men have been indicted, signaling more charges may be coming.

Email R.L. Nave at rlnave@jacksonfree press.com. Comment at jfp.ms.

jacksonfreepress.com

Aaron Rice, William Montgomery and Jonathan Gaskamp, all of whom are from Rankin County and have pleaded guilty to hate crimes.

COURTESY ANDERSON FAMILY

J

oseph Dominick couldn’t stand still.

As he faced U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, only the second African American to hold a federal judgeship in Mississippi, Dominick, who is white and accused of going on a hate-crime bender with friends last year, shifted anxiously. He rubbed his dark beard, scratched the back of his head, straightened his bright-green polo shirt, folded his arms and put his hands into his pants pockets as Reeves went over the terms of plea bargain Dominick made with the government.

For almost one year, Dominick and his peers conspired to “willfully cause bodily injury to, and through the use of dangerous weapons, attempt to cause bodily injury to African American persons” in the Jackson area, according to the federal indictment.

Specifically, Dominick and “others known and unknown to the government” used beer bottles, slingshots and shod feet against blacks they believed to be drunk or homeless. Those who are known to the government include Deryl Dedmon, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of James Craig Anderson on the morning of June 26, 2011, Dylan Wade Butler, John

11

TALK | business

New Directions for UMMC, Viking Corp

by Jacob D. Fuller

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n Monday, Gov. Phil Bryant and Middleby Buys Viking for $380M University of Mississippi ChanMiddleby Corp. has been gobbling up cellor Dan Jones helped usher in culinary equipment manufacturers like popwhat they believe will be the first corn lately. The company’s latest acquisition step to a healthier population in the state. is Greenwood-based Viking Range Corp.

Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. joined BryThe Elgin, Ill.-based commercial foodant, Jones, and other state and local leaders service and processing giant announced Dec. Jan. 7 for the ceremonial groundbreaking of 31 that it had come to an agreement with the University of Mississippi Medical Cen- Viking to buy the company and all holdings ter’s new School of Medicine.

Bryant hopes the 151,000square-foot, $63-million facility will draw in some of the nation’s top medical students and provide a vital tool in reversing the state’s poor health trends.

“We just simply don’t have enough doctors, and so people are dying,” Bryant said at the ceremony. “This is for every citizen that needs a physician. This is for the young men Gov. Phil Bryant says the new University of Mississippi and women in the white coats School of Medicine could create 19,000 new jobs and generate $1.7 billion in economic impact by 2025. ... that seek to be a physician.

And it is for the economy of this state.”

The new facility will increase the school’s for $380 million in cash. incoming class size from 135 to more than Viking manufactures high-quality, com160 students. It will replace the university’s mercial-style cooking ranges and kitchen apcurrent School of Medicine, which the state pliances for the residential market. It also operconstructed in 1955. That, Bryant said, is ates nine cooking schools in six states. Viking unacceptable in 2013. has about $200 million in annual revenues.

“We are going to move forward with The venture into the residential applithe latest, greatest technology, the most-ad- ance market is a relatively new one for Midvanced medical school,” Bryant said. dleby, which owns more than 40 brands in In October, Bryant authorized $10 the commercial food-service and food-promillion in Community Development Block cessing equipment industry.

Grants to help fund the facility. He hopes “This acquisition strategically positions the state will receive more help from the fed- Middleby as a leading manufacturer in the eral government to finance the construction sector with a top brand,” Middleby CEO of the facility. The state will sell bonds for the Selim A. Bassoul stated in a press release. remainder of the funding.

Recent acquisitions accounted for a “This is taxpayers’ dollars,” Bryant said $17.6 million increase in Middleby’s total at the ceremony. “I know it’s not free, but it’s net sales during the third quarter of 2012. federal taxpayers’ dollars that we can put toDuring the 2011 and 2012 fiscal years, ward the construction of this medical school.” Middleby acquired food-processing equip-

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ment manufacturers Auto-Bake, Maurer-Atmos, Drake, Armor Inox, Baker and Stewart. Those acquisitions helped Middleby increase food processing equipment net sales by 99.7 percent in the third quarter of 2012, as compared to the previous year.

Bassoul said he plans to integrate some of Middleby’s other brands, such as TurboChef, Jade and MagiKitch’n with Viking.

Viking operates four manufacturing plants and one distribution center, and employs 650 people, almost entirely in Greenwood. Viking operations will continue to be based in Greenwood.

“One of the things that was important to (President and CEO Fred Carl Jr.) was that what is happening here in Greenwood continues,” Viking Director of Marketing Bill Andrews told the Jackson Free Press.

Carl, a Greenwood native, first began work on creating commercial cooking ranges for the home in 1980. In 1987, Viking shipped the world’s first commercial-style home range. Carl serves as chairman, president and CEO of Viking Range. Middleby stated it plans to keep Carl as president and CEO in the near future.

Team Jackson Looks to the Future Team Jackson is the product of teamwork from two sponsors: Downtown Jackson Partners and the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, and more than 100 partners who will meet once every other month to assure the city’s leadership is headed in the same direction.

The organization will hold its next meeting Jan. 15 at 11:45 a.m. at The South Warehouse at 627 East Silas Brown St .The meeting will feature development and non-profit speakers. Team Jackson will provide lunch for those who make a $20 reservation. Anyone can join. The membership fee is $100. For more information, visit teamjacksonms.com Comment at www.jfp.ms. Email Jacob D. Fuller at jacob@jacksonfreepress.com.

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jacksonfreepress.com

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13

The Strange Animal

A

bout a year ago I wrote a column eulogizing the Democratic Party, particularly in Mississippi.

State elections had just wrapped up, and only one Democrat came out victorious: Attorney General Jim Hood. On the national front, Republicans won seats in Congress, some of them held previously by Democrats. Republican presidential candidates were challenging President Barack Obama, taking shots at a vulnerable commander in chief.

Things didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look promising for Democrats. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and many othersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;wondered publicly what could be done to â&#x20AC;&#x153;rebrandâ&#x20AC;? the party.

Politics is a strange animal. Who would have thought that a year later we still would be talking about rebranding, except the party is now the GOP. First was Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s win: The president garnered 332 Electoral College votes.

In a year where Democrats were in a weak position to retain a majority in the Senate, Dems took or retained 25 seats while Republicans retained or won just eight seats. Democrats took seven of 11 gubernatorial races as well.

One could argue whether this was a mandate or simply voters choosing candidates who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t attack women, public education or public services. But no one will debate that the Grand Old Party has taken it soundly on the chin.

Almost immediately, Republicans began cannibalizing each other, especially after reports began surfacing that Republican nominee Mitt Romney allegedly had little desire to be president.

Republicans created gridlock on the fiscal-cliffâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the 112th Congress practically walked out on Speaker John Boehner. They didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bring a vote on aid to Hurricane Sandy victims or the Violence Against Women Act. They went on news talk shows in the wake of the national tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary to say that Democrats were politicizing gun control. Then thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the â&#x20AC;&#x153;summer of insensitivityâ&#x20AC;? to women and the arrogant disdain for anyone who isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rich.

I hope the GOP takes great strides in changing the partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation in 2013. That is, if you want to win undecided voters and elections.

Or, you can ignore the signs, remain stubborn and dismiss the fact that the country is now more diverse, more compassionate and more tolerant than everâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and that voters just arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t buying what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got.

And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the truth ... sho nuff.

support

January 9 - 15, 2013

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14

Why it stinks: Hurricane Katrina devastated Palazzoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s district on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Billions in direct federal aid have gone into Katrina aid, most of it authorized by Congress without any debate. Palazzo, then chief financial officer for the Biloxi Public Housing Authority, personally appealed to the feds for more than $38.5 million. Days after Katrina hit, Congress authorized $10.5 billion, followed shortly thereafter with $51.8 billionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that was just short-term relief. Of the total, $24.6 billion went to Mississippi. At the time, the Bush administration received criticism for its slow response.

Turnaround doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to be fair play for Rep. Palazzo. The other 66 Republicans in the new 113th Congress who voted against Sandy relief didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the benefit of personal experience. Palazzo does. In seven years he has turned a plea to ease human suffering into a fiscal bottom-line, tit-for-tat negotiation. His reason? He wants to see cuts elsewhere in the budget before providing aid.

How times have changed. How his heart has hardened.

Remember Who Pays the Bill

J

ackson becomes the epicenter of Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s political and economic future from January to April every year. For 12 weeks, the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s air gets a little warmer with the bluster, pontification and bombast wafting from the state Capitol.

This year, like last year, the balance of power will be with the Republican Party, with majorities in both houses and in the executive branch. Even many of the battles will be familiar: education, health care, immigration and so forth. Every issues has its facets; every facet its supporters; each supporter his or her party.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so often missing is the wellbeing of the folks paying the tab for that big three-month party on High Street: the citizens of Mississippi. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to forget that real people will either benefit or be hurt by the decisions made on their behalf. U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gulf Coast forgot about people when he decided to vote no on a package of aid for the cities hit by Superstorm Sandy last October. Sixty-six of his Republican colleagues also voted no on the bill, but Palazzo seemed to forget the devastation Hurricane Katrina rained down on his hometown.

Politicians forget that education is not just about budgets and profits and test scores; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about children and parents and strong, vibrant communities. Affordable health care isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t all about Barack Obama or Democrats, socialists, taxes or even insurance commissioners (lookinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at you, guv). It is about knowing that you and your family have ac-

cess to a doctor when you need one and, more importantly, before you come down with a completely preventable, yet devastating illness.

When big money waves greenbacks around, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to forget that economic prosperity isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t about special interests and your re-election campaign war chest. Economic growth must be about sufficiently healthy and educated workers making a sufficient wage that allows them to both feed their families and make meaningful contributions to society. Henry Ford knew that to be successful, he had to pay his workers enough money so that they could also be his customers. Work, in other words, has to pay enough to do it.

At the heart of every political decision, real people will be affected. No political ideology should ever take the place of doing whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best and right for the peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not to mention the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic strength. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tough to look deeply into your own ideology and discover its flaws. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even harder to admit when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wrong and change your mind. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what strong-minded, big-hearted people do every day. Politics shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be easy; it ought to be rewarding and meaningful.

As for â&#x20AC;&#x153;we the people,â&#x20AC;? itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our job to keep those blustering, pontificating political animals at the Capitolâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;whom we payâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in check. Democracy is best when its participants are informed, thinking and demanding. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s see to it that all of us do our parts well.

Email letters to letters@jacksonfreepress.com, fax to 601-510-9019 or mail to P.O. Box 5067, Jackson, MS 39296. Include daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Or write a 300-600-word â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your Turnâ&#x20AC;? and send it by email, fax or mail above with a daytime phone number. All submissions are subject to fact checks.

FUNMI â&#x20AC;&#x153;QUEENâ&#x20AC;? FRANKLIN

Just Keep Going EDITORIAL News Editor Ronni Mott Features Editor Kathleen Morrison Mitchell Reporters Jacob Fuller, R.L. Nave Events Editor Latasha Willis Deputy Editor Briana Robinson Copy Editors Dustin Cardon, Molly Lehmuller Music Listings Editor Natalie Long Fashion Stylist Meredith Sullivan Writers Torsheta Bowen, Ross Cabell Marika Cackett, Richard Coupe, Scott Dennis Jim Pathfinder Ewing, Bryan Flynn, Garrad Lee Genevieve Legacy, Anita Modak-Truran, Larry Morrisey, Eddie Outlaw, Casey Purvis, Julie Skipper, Kelly Bryan Smith Editorial Interns Susan Hogan, Octavia Thurmon Consulting Editor JoAnne Prichard Morris ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY Art Director Kristin Brenemen Advertising Designer Andrea Thomas Production Designer Latasha Willis Staff Photographer/Videographer Trip Burns Editorial Cartoonist Mike Day Photographers William Patrick Butler, Tate K. Nations, Amile Wilson Graphic Design Interns Terrence Jones, Ariss King ADVERTISING SALES Sales Director Kimberly Griffin Advertising Coordinator Monique Davis Account Executive Stephanie Bowering BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS Executive Assistant Erica Crunkilton Bookkeeper Montroe Headd Distribution Manager Matt Heindl Distribution Raymond Carmeans, Jeff Cooper, Clint Dear, Robert Majors, Jody Windham ONLINE Web Developer Matt Heindl Web Editor Dustin Cardon Multimedia Editor Trip Burns Web Producer Korey Harrion CONTACT US: Letters Editorial Queries Listings Advertising Publisher News tips Fashion

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Jackson Free Press P.O. Box 5067, Jackson, Miss., 39296 Editorial (601) 362-6121 Sales (601) 362-6121 Fax (601) 510-9019 Daily updates at jacksonfreepress.com The Jackson Free Press is the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s award-winning, locally owned newsweekly, with 17,000 copies distributed in and around the Jackson metropolitan area every Wednesday. The Jackson Free Press is free for pick-up by readers; one copy per person, please.

First-class subscriptions are available for $100 per year for postage and handling.

The Jackson Free Press welcomes thoughtful opinions. The views expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of the publisher or management of Jackson Free Press Inc. Š Copyright 2012 Jackson Free Press Inc. All Rights Reserved

"TTPDJBUJPO PG "MUFSOBUJWF /FXTXFFLMJFT

T

he biggest lesson I learned in 2012 came to me with only a week left in the year. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been processing or decompressingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;depending on the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;for a couple of weeks. At first I thought I should concentrate on the fact that I made it through the anniversaries of my motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transition, the day we buried her and Thanksgiving without a complete meltdown. Then, I thought I should emphasize the fact that I have spent yet another year doing the same job with the same pay.

Or, maybe I should bask in the success of seeing my vision for Thick And Proud Sisters, or TAPS, come about.

Actually, the most significant thing that has happened in my life this year was none of those. It was the shock that overcame me when I received confirmation that this is my journey.

It started with a post I wrote on LinkedIn.com on a morning when my first thought was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just do it.â&#x20AC;? I initially received that message as, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just get up out of this bed, and get your ass to work.â&#x20AC;? Later, I realized that the message was deeper. I was reminded that even though things are not exactly the way I expect them to be, they are exactly the way they should be. I should worry less about the whys and more about the fact that I should just keep going, I wrote.

That same day, a person who is dear to me explained that I expect too much from others. Though I am supportive of other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dreams and their desires, I should not expect their support in return, I concluded, and the amount of support I get probably should not determine my level of support for others. Doing so will leave me disappointed and unenthusiastic about my own dreams and desires.

It was a revelation. I was beginning to see my journey differently, more wholesome than ever before.

The only person who is going to see to it that I am successful in this life is me. I have love and support from my family and even some steadfast friends, but ultimately, it is up to me to determine the success I reach. I am the determining factor that will change the course of my journey or remain on the same path. No one else is obligated to contribute to my success; they have their own road to pave. I respect that.

We spend so much time blaming our failures on others. We visualize how things would have turned out differently if this person would have called me, or if that person had given me an opportunity or put in a good word for me. Then, I could have gotten the job or that showcase. I could have been the one who got the interview.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all a bunch of poppycock. Sure, it would make life easierâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;no one can argue that. But expecting it is a sure-fire way to create tension and stress that otherwise wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be there. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creating your own obstacles.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done quite a bit of growing in 2012. I reached a new level by being able to think of Mama without falling apartâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as much. I actually made it through those rough days. I mentioned her in prayer, and I actually kept living without needing to separate myself from everything and everyone just to get through the tears. I accomplished something new at my job, and I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that was possible. I gained tools and resources and had an opportunity to grow that I may have missed had I not been in the same job for another year.

The biggest accomplishment came when I removed all fear and doubt and did something to bring empowerment to women. If you know me at all, you know that for years Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve struggled to do this.

Well, 2012 proved to be the year it would come to pass.

In August, I decided that I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait on anyone else to make the calls for me. I was determined to try even if it failed. I was going to take the good with the bad. I did it because I would not accept no for an answer. I would not allow fear to hold me back any longer. I called up some friends, shared my vision, and then there was TAPS, my new project.

In the words of Wilma Rudolph, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The triumph canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be had without the struggle.â&#x20AC;?

While you are struggling with your resolutions and evaluating the past year, consider that even that which you may think was a loss might have been a win.

When you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have help or support, maybe that lack was what you actually needed. If you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t press forward last year because fear got in your way, this year is another chance to stare fear in the eye and try any way.

Take it from me: Playing the blame game gets old. No one controls your destiny but you. Never expect anyone to share your vision, your dream or your desire. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible for them to love what you love the way you love it. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re lucky like I am, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find good people to share your dreams with or to stand beside you. Ultimately though, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yoursâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;win or lose; pass or fail.

Keep dreaming; keep believing. Then, just do it.

Funmi â&#x20AC;&#x153;Queenâ&#x20AC;? Franklin is a word lover, poet and advocate for sisterhood. She has a weakness for reality shows and her puppy, Shaka.

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CandyBone Friday, January 11

Tragically White

Saturday, January 12 - Thursday Night: Ladies Night -Karaoke with Matt (Wed - Sat) 824 S. State St. Jackson, MS www.clubmagoos.com â&#x20AC;˘ 601.487.8710

New Blue Plate Special

$8.99

1 Meat, 3 Veggies, Bread and Drink

live music jan 9 - 15

wed | january 09 Jesse â&#x20AC;&#x153;Guitarâ&#x20AC;? Smith 5:30-9:30p thu | january 10 Jon Clark 5:30-9:30p fri | january 11 Doug & Deeb 6:30-10:30p sat | january 12 Evans Geno 6:30-10:30p sun | january 13 Aaron Coker 4:00 - 8:00p mon | january 14 Karaoke tue | january 15 Jesse â&#x20AC;&#x153;Guitarâ&#x20AC;? Smith 5:30-9:30p

1060â&#x20AC;ŠEâ&#x20AC;ŠCountyâ&#x20AC;ŠLineâ&#x20AC;ŠRd.â&#x20AC;Šinâ&#x20AC;ŠRidgeland Openâ&#x20AC;ŠSunâ&#x20AC;?Thursâ&#x20AC;Š11amâ&#x20AC;?10pm Friâ&#x20AC;?Satâ&#x20AC;Š11amâ&#x20AC;?Midnightâ&#x20AC;Š|â&#x20AC;Š601â&#x20AC;?899â&#x20AC;?0038

jacksonfreepress.com

Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd Publisher Todd Stauffer

15

16

January 9 - 15, 2013

At their best, weddings are a reflection of a unique couple and a unique love. In the past, nuptials tended to follow unwritten rules, but brides and grooms have more freedom now than ever to plan a day with distinctive, meaningful touches. Our featured weddings embody that idea perfectly: one is a music-filled day at a grown-up camp and the other a cultural smorgasbord honoring education and heritage. Plus, we explore some of the ways to put a little extra personality into the big day.

by Melody Moody

Valley Gordon and Taylor Hildebrand exchanged vows as the sun began to set at Camp Bratton Green near Canton.

I

f you are a fan of local music in Jackson, you probably know Valley Gordon and Taylor Hildebrand. Not only are they great musicians, but they also create community all around them. Valley and Taylor’s wedding didn’t just show their love for each other, it showed the love that was so obviously and abundantly overflowing both for and from their family and friends when they tied the knot at Camp Bratton Green outside Canton, on Nov. 10.

Valley’s love of traditional music exposes the beauty of an old soul hidden within a young and vibrant woman and mother. And if you’ve ever heard Taylor’s album, “Nena,” you can hear in those songs the story of family, loss and of love. Having met while playing in and around Jackson, Gordon and Hildebrand began a friendship based on a mutual love of music, family and Mississippi. As their friendship grew, they continued to create and build that love and community. It’s the appreciation of the beauty that comes from intertwining history, culture and sentimentality that shows through every part of what it means to know Valley and Taylor and was evident in every part of their wedding.

The location of the nuptials, Camp Bratton Green, was no surprise as Valley and Taylor’s history intertwined at that very site even before they knew one another. Both their fathers grew up across the street from the camp. Valley spent summers there as a child and continued the tradition by sending her daughters years later.

But the connection to Camp Bratton Green doesn’t end there. Patrick Sanders, an Episcopal priest and longtime friend of Taylor’s (who would later officiate their wedding) invited Valley and Taylor to be involved with a week at camp dedicated to the needs of handicapped adults—Valley

as camp nurse and Taylor as musician. During this time, Valley and Taylor deepened their friendship sitting by the lake in the same “outdoor chapel” that they would be married in almost three years later.

Valley and Taylor brought together the history and the beauty of what Camp Bratton Green means to them by helping every guest remember what it felt like being a kid again at summer camp, with bicycles, canoes and even a teepee. Upon arrival, love and friendship was made tangible, from the mason jar candles friends hung from trees around the camp to the handmade trivets from an old tree in Valley’s parents’ yard.

Wedding coordinator Kendall Poole met Valley when they were 3 years old, while Hollie Hull, Valley’s best friend since college, played double duty as bridesmaid and wedding photographer. Bradley Adair shared his unique blend of thoughtful design and simplicity as reflected in the beauty of the altar, glass and light brought to life by Gaylen Ragen.

Robbie Piantanida, who also produced Taylor’s video for his solo album, “Nena,” captured the day on video while local photographers and friends Laura Meek, Josh Hailey and Frank Ezelle captured the day’s vintage feel on both digital and film cameras.

Friends and family lined the aisles to watch the couple say their vows next to the water, perfectly timed at sunset, while local musicians Jamie Weems, Jesse Copenberger and Tyler Kemp played “Mother Nature’s Son,” “Be Thou my Vision” and “You are My Sunshine.” Valley walked down the aisle to Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon,” the first record the couple listed to when they started dating. They both knew immediately and without hesitation that it was their song.

After saying, “I do,” and being officially pronounced as husband and wife, the couple ran down the aisle and into a canoe ready for their first adventure as husband and wife. They enjoyed a sunset canoe ride to a floating dock on the lake where they shared a picnic and Champagne toast.

During the reception, guests enjoyed the music of jazz trio Tyler Kemp, Hagen Curl and Josh Lee. Drinks were laid out in canoe filled with ice and the “groom’s cake” turned into a late-night s’mores table complete with a built-in firepit for roasting marshmallows. The father of the bride served his award-winning jambalaya in more than 100 cast-iron skillets borrowed from family and friends.

When the sun went down, DJ Young Venom kept the celebration going late into the night. As the party came to a close, the couple invited guests to stay in camp cabins as they gathered with friends and family around the campfire, instruments in hand, singing and sharing together what would only be the beginning of the communal love they will live together.

Melody Moody met Valley in 2006 when they learned of their mutual love of the banjo and old-time music. Melody and Valley have been playing music together ever since in local bands including the Hot Tamales, Little Miss So and So, the Untitled Melody Project and The Scramblers. (see jfp. com/valleyandmelody).

Event Planning: Kendall Poole Event Planning (kendallpooleevents.com) Photography: Hull Portraits (hullportraits.com), Josh Hailey (joshhaileyweddings.com), Laura Meek (laurameek.com), Frank Ezelle Design: Bradley Adair Mason Jars: Kay Shepherd Flowers: Beverly Hayman, Lauren Miltner Stylist: Christina Myers Hair and Make-up: Lauren Ellis Headpiece design: Mary Gee Earrings: Liz Henry (lizhenryjewelry.net) Bride’s dress: 1960’s vintage lace from Daughters of Simone (etsy.com/shop/DaughtersOfSimone) Cake: Sandra Groover,The Cake Shoppe (cakeshoppems.blogspot.com) DJ: DJ Young Venom (djyoungvenom.com)

jacksonfreepress.com

MICHAEL STANTON

Making Music Together

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January 9 - 15, 2013

Fantastic Figurines down transportation and storage costs.

Some striking choices are included in the lists below. Though some might find them initially expensive, don’t be discouraged. Flowers with large faces or dome shapes may require only a few stems to deliver a significant impact, making them a better value.

FALL

WINTER

Daffodils

Dahlias Colors: vibrant orange, pink, purple, red, white, yellow Features: medium to large blooms, fragrant scent Meaning: everlasting commitment, dignity, excellence Price: inexpensive

Chrysanthemums Colors: bronze, purple, orange, red, white, yellow Features: shapes vary, but dome-shaped blooms most familiar Meaning: excitement, truth, sharing, admirer, depending on color; birth flower for November Price: inexpensive

Amaryllises

Sunflowers

Colors: green, orange, pink, red, salmon, white Features: large trumpet shaped blooms, thick stems, exotic Meaning: dramatic, beauty, pride Price: moderate to expensive, but each stem makes a dramatic impact

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Peonies Colors: pink, red, yellow, white Features: medium rosetteshaped blooms, fragrant scent Meaning: happiness, good fortune, determination, birth flower for April Price: expensive

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Colors: pink, orange, white, yellow, bi-colors Features: medium blooms with cup and saucer shape, fragrant scent Meaning: new beginnings, chivalry, birth flower for March Price: inexpensive

Colors: soft blues and greens, white, yellow Features: huge dome-shaped blooms Meaning: perseverance Price: expensive, but large blooms mean a few go a long way

Roses never go out of style or out of season. For weddings, good floral designers choose only the highest quality, locally grown roses. Higher-end varieties, like the David Austins (an English rose), are not only beautiful to behold, they also release a captivating perfume. Red and white roses are always wedding appropriate, symbolizing passionate love and purity, respectively.

If you are superstitious, beware of filling your wedding space with the yellow rose. It can mean jealousy.

Calla lilies can be bold in color like

Colors: brown, orange, red, yellow Features: large face flower, durable Meaning: adoration Price: inexpensive

burgundy and bright red, or soft like butter cream and white. Individual blooms, separated from the long stem, work well for a corsage or boutonniere. Retain the long, green sturdy stem and stand upright in a similarly shaped vase or bend the stem to fit the shape of a round vessel as a reception table centerpiece. Though they tend to be expensive, their shape makes them irresistible to brides and designers alike. A single flower has a formidable presence with little need for enhancements, justifying the splurge on a few well-placed stems.

Cake toppers personalized to resemble the bride and groom are a big hit at weddings, plus a fun keepsake to display later.

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the event, says floral designer Marian Bowen of Ridgeland’s Petals and Pails. For many brides, compromising on the floral design betrays their commitment to a vision that is sometimes a lifetime in the making.

Choosing wedding flowers in season is the best way to have fresh flora while remaining within your budget, by cutting

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lowers make up nearly 10 percent of traditional wedding budgets, so reining in costs nearly always requires a look at the floral design. Typically, flowers adorn each member of the wedding entourage and decorate both the ceremony and reception venues. The flower choices and arrangements are a bride’s signature on

by Shameka Hayes-Hamilton

by Georgette Keeler

Poinsettias Colors: green, pink, red, bi-color or marbled Features: large, circular flowers Meaning: be of good cheer, birth flower for December Price: inexpensive to moderate

For an exhaustive list of flower choices and floral design options, start with websites such as marthastewartweddings. com, premierbride.com, theknot.com and David Tutera’s bridalguide.com. These resources don’t replace the advice of a real live floral designer, however. Ask a local florist—their expertise can help keep budgets manageable while bringing wedding dreams into reality.

SOURCES: PREMIER BRIDE MISSISSIPPI MAGAZINE, THEKNOT.COM, BHG.COM, MARIAN BOWEN AT PETALS AND PAILS (500 HIGHWAY 51, SUITE G, RIDGELAND, 601-856-4314)

hanks to the popularity of TV shows such as “Amazing Wedding Cakes” (WEtv) or “Ace of Cakes” (Food Network), wedding cakes have become a focal point of modern-day weddings. From the simple and elegant to the mind-blowingly extravagant, these cakes often become the highlight of a wedding.

Sometimes it’s a small detail that stands out. Cake toppers have almost always been a part of the wedding-cake tradition, but the days of a plastic-perfect bride and groom standing stoically atop a seven layer bundle of buttercream seem to be waning. Modern brides are opting to express their personalities when topping their wedding cakes.

Some toppers are simple, such as monograms with the bride and groom’s initials. Some are trendy: silhouettes of the faces of the bride and groom. Lately, flowers, either live or made of fondant, have experienced a renaissance. Some toppers make a comical statement: a bride holding back a groom attempting escape. Some couples choose to go traditional with their toppers, while some choose to use none at all.

Personalized toppers, painted or sculpted to resemble the bride and groom, are hugely popular. No longer do brides have to settle for the generic figurine with barely matching skin or hair color. Toppers can be endlessly customized, with the correct hairstyle, flower type and even a perfect replicate wedding dress—sometimes using scraps of the same fabric. Clay, clothespins and little wooden dolls are all great starting material to build on.

Couples are using their cake topper to express their personality or interests in other ways, too, such as depicting reading a favorite book or wearing something other than wedding garb (Star Wars costumes, anyone?). Stylized toppers, such as a “Day of the Dead”-esque bride and groom are trendy as well.

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January 9 - 15, 2013

Weddings & Celebrations

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21

by Tom Head

CHARLES SMITH / STUDIO ROYALE

Ritual and Community

The wedding of Wendy Shenefelt and Michael Fleming paid homage to their passion for education and their heritage.

January 9 - 15, 2013

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ike so many people who attended the wedding of Wendy Shenefelt and Michael Fleming on a warm August morning, I felt like I had been, in a sense, married into the family with them. That warm feeling is no accident—it’s the product of careful attention to detail. The end result was a service that crossed cultural and generational barriers, creating space for intimacy and warmth within the creatively and historically charged terrain of the Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center. It’s not an obvious wedding venue, but for the couple’s purposes, it was perfect. Booking it was the hard part.

“It was under renovation,” Wendy says. “But they let us sneak in and do it anyway. Now that it’s been redone, I would tell anybody it’s a beautiful space to have a wedding.”

Opened in 1894 as the Smith Robertson School, Jackson’s first school for black students, it served them until it was closed in 1971 as Mississippi’s public-school system slowly adjusted to the reality of desegregation. Thanks to the efforts of prominent local educators, it reopened in 1984 as a museum of black Mississippi history. The site’s educational and cultural history made it an ideal fit.

“Education has played an important role in our lives— both how we met and what we have done with our lives,” Wendy says of her relationship with Michael. “We met in junior high school. And since it was a school, and we were both at one time educators, it just felt very natural.”

A Jackson native, Wendy works for the Children’s Defense Fund, an organization Marian Wright Edelman founded as a successor to Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign. Michael works as assistant vice-president of academic affairs at Morehouse College in Atlanta, where the

couple resides now. Concern for the well-being of children and youth unites them in their shared values, and united the large extended family that attended their wedding.

The minister was no exception. J. David Waugh, former pastor of New York City’s Metro Baptist Church, was a natural choice to preside over the service. Like Wendy and Michael, he dedicated much of his adult life to protecting kids—serving for 12 years as founding director of Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries, a program that focused the institutional power of Metro Baptist Church and the surrounding community on addressing the needs of children living in New York City’s “Hell’s Kitchen” community.

“I wrote a lot of the ceremony myself,” Wendy says.

“And David was able to weave all that together for us. He was so open to doing it. I had to let go of certain things—I let my friends take over the decorations and things like that after I gave them an idea of what I wanted to do—but the service was very important to me. So I did spend a lot of time trying to research the pieces that were culturally relevant that also were things that I thought meant something to what we were pledging to each other.”

The service included a mix of Western, American Indian and African American influences. “Michael and I are both part Native American, part African American, and so we wanted to make sure and include those traditions,” Wendy says. At the same time, she wanted to be authentic and true to these traditions. “It was important to me to get those pieces right.”

For this, Wendy looked to her mentors. “In Native American traditions, it’s very important to have elders present and participate. Although I am Native American, I

do not belong to a tribal group. I have embraced my traditions, and my parents have always exposed me to as much of my Native American culture as they could, but I thought it was important that the three elders in my life—Dorothy (Triplett), Brenda Judin and Carolyn Jolivette—have a part in the wedding.”

Each elder presided over a ceremony. Carolyn Jolivette led the congregation in honoring the four directions, a wellknown ritual that is shared by indigenous cultures in almost every region on Earth. Dorothy Triplett, along with the bride’s and groom’s mothers, symbolically united the couple with a blanket ceremony common among many American Indian traditions. And Brenda Judin consecrated the wedding by presiding over the Native American wedding vessel ceremony, in which the bride and groom face the challenging task of drinking from a two-spouted vase without spilling any of the water contained therein.

If any of this sounds complicated on paper, don’t let my description fool you; at the wedding, following along with these traditions was the simplest thing in the world.

“My family is casual,” Wendy says. “We wanted people to feel comfortable.”

If there’s a time in someone’s life when someone would be justified in making a self-indulgent display, a wedding would be that time—but Wendy and Michael, along with their minister and elders, gave their loved ones the gift of a communal wedding that brought all of us more fully into their lives, and tethered us all together with the irresistible power of their values.

Venue: Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center (528 Bloom St. 601-960-1457, jacksonms. gov/visitors/museums/smithrobertson) Minister: J. David Waugh Photographer: Charles Smith of Studio Royale (studioroyal.smugmug.com) Music: Chandra Wise Ensemble, plus soloists Mario Henderson and Ansley Scott of Tougaloo College Choir (tougaloo.edu) DJ: George Chuck Patterson of YardBoy Entertainment (facebook.com/georgechuck) Cake: Cakes by Iris (cakesbyiris.com) Dress: David’s Bridal (davidsbridal.com) Headpiece, flowers, decoration: Wendy and bridal party, hostesses Groom and wedding party wore their own choice of suits and dresses.

Ties: Tie Bar (thetiebar.com) Save the Dates: YardBoy Invitations: Kristin Brenemen (kbrenemen@gmail. com)

Mississippi Bridal Show & Expo Presents Our 15th Annual Expo

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Sunday January 13, 2013 11am - 4pm Mississippi Trade Mart Jackson, MS Admission: $20 For more information 601.988.1142 or 601.941.7519 www.msbridalshowandexpo.com

One of the largest bridal show and expos in the state of Mississippi.This is the show you don’t want to miss!

Sponsors: Carter Jewlers, Y101.7, Royal Prestige, Jackson Free Press, Laces by Lexi and The Castle in Raymond Fashion Show By: David’s Bridal

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He Said

by Jacob Fuller

M

She Said

W

and saw Alex’s face through the glass in the door. I ran to the door and opened it.

“Go sit in the car. Give me five minutes,” I said. I thought the whole surprise was blown.

Five minutes passed and she was still in the car. I called her cell—no answer. Ten minutes. Still no answer. Fifteen minutes. By this point, I was drenched in sweat. Fifteen minutes earlier, I was 100-percent sure she’d say yes, but that was BAILEY&B PHOTOGRAPHY

y part of the wedding preparation mostly consisted of getting it all started. I had to create a proposal tailored perfectly to the woman I wanted to marry.

I couldn’t think of any place feasible that would be more special to Alex than her home, where it would be just the two of us and, of course, the dogs.

At the time, I was living in Monroe, La. The day of the proposal, I sped east on Interstate 20 to get to her house while she was at work. By the time I got to Clinton, I realized I’d only have a few minutes to prepare the house.

So I sent a text message to Alex asking her to go to the store and get some made-up request I didn’t really need, just to buy some time. She said she was tired, and she just wanted to go home. My plan was falling apart.

I got to her house and ran inside. I put on my best coat and tie. I started pulling petals off some of roses I’d bought.

I made a trail of the petals from the carport door to the bedroom, lined with white candles and full red roses.

Right as I was about to light the first candle, I looked up

dwindling with every second I didn’t see her. Was she not coming in because she knew what I was about to do and she didn’t want me to?

Finally, she answered the phone. “Come inside,” I said.

I heard the door open. “Oh my goodness!” she said.

Alex followed the trail of roses and candles to the bedroom, where I was waiting with the ring. When she walked it, I immediately got down on one knee.

“Are you serious?” she asked as tears began to well up in her eyes.

“Alexandra Horrobin, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?” I asked. I don’t remember if she managed a verbal response or not, but I’m pretty sure she conveyed a yes somehow.

From there, my preparation included tasting food and saying: “If that’s what you want, Baby, get it.”

The day of the wedding was a blast. The greatest moment was when I saw the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen in her dress for the first time, as we were doing photos prior to the ceremony. I knew I’d picked the right one.

by Alex Fuller

edding planning isn’t just a process, it is an experience. Mine started when Jacob and I got engaged in July 2011. I walked into my house and found it lined with beautiful flowers and candles. That’s when my brain kicked into planning mode.

Of course, the wedding magazines and Pinterest boards ran wild. They took over my desktop and life. My dream colors and flowers changed daily.

Crisler Boone, my wedding planner, was a huge help in all the planning. I am not the bride who likes to meet 10 times over tablecloth colors and although most brides these days love the do-it-yourself attitude, I am definitely not a DIY type of bride. Having a great planner took care of nine of those meetings. I only had to attend one. (Jacob, of course, got out of all them—he loved that).

We got married Nov. 17 at The South. Having over a year to plan a wedding was a great choice for us. I could not

imagine planning a wedding in under a year. The stress of making sure my dresses fit, getting bridal photos, and picking out bridal party attire and invitation design was hard enough.

I also loved having Wendy Putt at Fresh Cut handle our food, flowers and decor. What Boone didn’t handle, Putt did. Having these two local experts responsible for most of the wedding was amazing. Their expertise took so much un-

needed worry and stress off my mind and body.

The day of the wedding, I was full of so many emotions.

My sweet bridesmaids rented out a room in Julep for brunch.

The fun and food helped keep my mind off the nerves. I was not nervous until I started to get my hair and makeup done.

The rush of all the planning and stress was all coming out in that moment.

Once I got to The South, I realized it was all worth it.

Everything was perfect. The only thing left was for Jacob and me to see each other. Once Jacob and I had our sweet and loving reveal during the pre-wedding photo session, I was ready to walk down the aisle and get married.

My wedding was beautiful, but it went by so fast. The countdown began the day I got engaged. Then I turned around, and it was all over. All that planning for one day can be a bit disheartening when its over, but I would not change it for the world.

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The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Dr. George Barnes, Vice President for Administrative and Student Services, 34175 Hwy. 18, Utica, MS 39175, 601.885.7001.

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by Shameka Hayes-Hamilton

ELIZABETH RAY PHOTOGRAPHY

Behind the Traditions

In the past, groomsmen and the best man were chosen based on their skill with a weapon. Pictured from left to right are David Williams, Creighton Nelms, best man Chris Awwad, groom Brian Mitchell and Andrew Olinger, from Mitchell’s wedding in May.

January 9 - 15, 2013

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erhaps you’ve attended or were a part of a beautiful wedding ceremony: five lovely bridesmaids, five handsome groomsmen, the bride’s father proudly walking the bride in her gown down the aisle to her future husband. At the reception, the newly married couple tells of plans to honeymoon on a remote island. Although it all seems romantic now, the original purposes of these traditions are somewhat darker.

In almost every culture, the history on marriages is about the same. Boy meets girl. Boy loves girl. Boy asks permission from the girl’s family to marry girl. Sometimes the family says yes, and sometimes ... well, that’s where things get sticky. If the family agrees, then the boy proposes and, in the past, the girl usually had no choice but to agree. In centuries past, in some cultures, the bride’s father offered a dowry (money, gifts or livestock) in order to secure a suitable husband. These dowries were usually large, so the engagement was considered to be a business deal and not to be taken lightly. Now, if the family happened to not agree with the couple wanting to marry, it was perfectly OK for the father to refuse to allow it. The girl had no say.

Here’s where things get interesting. Say the couple goes on with their wedding, either with or without her family’s permission. Traditionally, five bridesmaids and five groomsmen attend the couple. The bridal party makes their way from the bride’s home to the church. The bridesmaids line up along the left side of the bride, and the groomsmen on the groom’s right. They remain there throughout the entire ceremony until the newlyweds leave for their honeymoon.

The traditional reason for five bridesmaids and five groomsmen comes from a Roman law mandating a marriage needed 10 witnesses. The bride would usually be dressed at home, with her face covered by a veil. Attendants still wear matching dresses, but those dresses used to also resemble the bride’s. Bridesmaids re-

mained at the bride’s side for the rest of the day. This was because it was long believed that a woman was highly susceptible to lurking evil spirits on her wedding day. And if that wasn’t enough, there was always the risk of another man (jealous ex, secret admirer or even her father) kidnapping her during the processional to the church. She and her attendants would be dressed the same to confuse anyone or anything wishing to harm or disrupt the bride on her wedding day.

The purpose of the groomsmen was similar (to confuse anyone who might want to harm the groom), but included an additional aspect: the best man won his position in the wedding party by being the best at wielding a weapon. Remember, the bride was at risk of being kidnapped, either by a disapproving father or by outsiders—the Huns, Goths and Visigoths were especially known to take brides by force. The best man’s job was to use his weapon if necessary to be the first line of defense against anyone who tried to disrupt the wedding (runaway bride attempt included). This is also the reason that the woman stood on the left side of the man at the altar. Men usually carried their weapons on their right sides, so if the best man failed to protect the groom, then the groom needed his right side open and free should the need arise to draw and use his weapon.

If the ceremony went well and the couple was wed, they would quickly escape to a remote location for alone time. In the case of kidnapped or eloping brides, this “honeymoon” was used to hide her from her family, and give the couple time to become pregnant with a child, which would all but put any objections to the union to an end.

So, while a lot of the wedding traditions we see today make for moving wedding ceremonies, plenty of them have a history that may make a modern bride think twice.

SOURCES: ESSORTMENT.COM, MENTALFLOSS.COM

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8 DAYS p 30 | MUSIC p 33 | SPORTS p 36

Eclectic Collection

by Kathleen M. Mitchell

January 9 - 15, 2013

COURTMSLIBRARYCOMMISSION

KATHLEEN M. MITCHELL

I

n a modern-looking building of ash and concrete and glass, tucked away in the woods off Interstate 55’s Frontage Road, you can find two things: a lot of books and a lot of art.

The books are a given. The building is the Mississippi Library Commission. The art is another story. Besides an extensive permanent collection found on the library’s walls, every two months a new exhibit opens. This month and next, the featured art is a collection of paintings from the Mississippi Artists Guild.

The commission building’s With paintings modern design stands out in from around 40 differits wooded location. ent artists, the exhibit features many different art styles, from Kay Shropshire Heller’s thick, abstracts strokes in “Feathered Finery” to the nearly photographic underwater scene, “Jewels of the Sea,” by B.J. Dorris. The colors in Wm. Jerry Strowd’s “Ruby Falls”—electric pink and soft mint and purple—catch the eye in a way that is completely different from the muted tones of Ann Armstrong’s small, quiet still life “Grandmother’s Scissors.”

Paintings of loved ones hang next to rickety boats, next to landscapes, birds and still lifes. The subtlety of oil sits next to the texture of multimedia. The exhibit as a whole is somewhat like flipping the channels quickly, getting snatches of different programs one right after another—but in a way that feels eclectic rather than chaotic.

It’s appreciation by comparison rather than cohesion.

Sharman Smith, executive director of the Library Commission, believes the rotating art exhibits are beneficial to both the commission and the artists who show.

“It gives them a good bit of exposure, plus we get a lot of people who walk in just to see the art exhibits,” she says. “So besides liking to have wonderful art here, it also gets people into the building and helps us make people aware of the services the Library Commission has to offer. We’ve gotten a lot of new library users by having these artists exhibits.”

As for the Library Commission itself, Smith says it’s somewhere between a public library and a university collection. “We are the library for the blind and physically handicapped in the state. Anyone who can’t, for whatever

28

B.J. Dorris’ “Jewels of the Sea” is one of more than 50 paintings on display at the Mississippi Library Commission.

reason, hold a traditional book, we can provide them talking books, large-print books, Braille books, whatever it takes so that everyone in the state has an opportunity to read,” Smith says.

Smith is also proud that everything in the library is accessible. “We have a fairly extensive Mississippi collection, and one of the things that makes our collection so unique is that everything checks out,” she says.

“Our purpose is to have it available to people. Even our reference collection can be checked out.”

The Mississippi Library Commission also works with libraries across the state. The organization offers assistance and advice, organizing the statewide summer

reading project and serving as a backup lending library.

The commission building was designed to be conducive to hosting events. With a big lawn out back, large meeting rooms and great views, the commission is the perfect place to breathe a little slower, do some reading and check out local art.

The Mississippi Artists Guild collection will display at the Mississippi Library Commission (3881 Eastwood Drive, 601-432-4111, mlc.lib.ms.us) through Feb. 28. The exhibit is free and open for viewing from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Jan. 31, the commission is holding a reception with the artists from 5-7 p.m. For more information, call 601-432-4111 or email gloriajw@mlc.lib.ms.us.

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29

THURSDAY 1/10

SATURDAY 1/12

See new artwork at Fischer Galleries from 5-7 p.m.

The Mississippi Opry is at 6 p.m. at the Pearl Community Room.

MONDAY 1/14 Opera Underground is at 7:30 p.m. at Underground 119.

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WEDNESDAY 1/9

Andy Young of Pearl River Glass Studio talks about the 40th anniversary of the Mississippi Craftsmen’s Guild during History Is Lunch at noon at the Old Capitol Museum (100 S. State St.). Bring lunch; call 601-576-6998. … The World of Walter Anderson Art Exhibit at Brandon Public Library (1475 W. Government St., Brandon) hangs through Jan. 31. Free; call 601-825-2672; cmrls.lib.ms.us.

THURSDAY 1/10

The January Art Show is from 5-7 p.m. at Fischer Galleries (3100 N. State St., Suite 101). See paintings from Wes Sumrall, and mixed-media pieces from Bryan Fulton and Amelia Key. Free; call 601-291-9115; fischergalleries.com. … Bobby Rush, Dexter Allen and Barry Leach perform at 7 p.m. at Alamo Theater. $10; call 601-352-3365.

The Pink Floyd tribute band Set the Controls performs at Duling Hall Jan. 11 at 9 p.m.

(404 Hanna St., Indianola). For ages 21 and up. $15 in advance, $20 at the door; call 662-887-9539.

JOE HENDERSON/THE PHOTOSHOPP

SATURDAY 1/12

The Mississippi Opry Winter Show is from 6-9 p.m. at the Pearl Community Room (2420 Old Brandon Road, Pearl). Performers include Harmony & Grits, Alan Sibley and the Magnolia Ramblers. Refreshments sold. $10, children under 18 free; call 601-331-6672. … The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra presents “Bravo III: Dvorak’s Seventh”

BY LATASHA WILLIS at 7:30 p.m. at Thalia Mara Hall. Features music from vioJACKSONFREEPRESS.COM linist Bella Hristova. $20 and up; call 601-960-1565. … The FAX: 601-510-9019 N.B.C. Band performs from DAILY UPDATES AT 8 p.m.-midnight at T’s Place JFPEVENTS.COM (1900 Highway 80 W., behind the barber shop). BYOB; wear black and white attire. $10 cover; call 601-291-7842. … The Magnolia Ballroom Dancers’ Association Dance is at 8 p.m. at Madison Square Center for the Arts (2103 Main St., Madison). $15, $10 members; call 601-506-4591.

EVENTS@

January 9 - 15, 2013

The N.B.C. Band performs at T’s Place Jan. 12 at 8 p.m.

FRIDAY 1/11

At the Municipal Art Gallery (839 N. State St.), the Mississippi Watercolor Society Art Exhibition hangs through Jan. 31. See works from Yvette Sturgis and S. Kellum until spring. Free; call 601-960-1582. … Set the Controls performs at 9 p.m. at Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave.). Cocktails at 8 p.m. For ages 18 and up. $15 in advance, $20 at the door; call 601-292-7121 or 800-745-3000; ardenland.net.

30 … Grady Champion performs at 9 p.m. at Club Ebony

SUNDAY 1/13

The Mississippi Bridal Show and Expo is from 11 a.m.4 p.m. at the Mississippi Trade Mart (1200 Mississippi St.).

The theme is “A Touch of Class.” The JFP sponsors. $20; call 601-988-1142; msbridalshowandexpo.com. … The Premier Bridal Show: Weddings and Celebrations is from 1-5 p.m. at the Jackson Convention Complex. No strollers allowed. $22 in advance, $25 at the door; call 601-957-1050; thepremierbridalshow.com. … Handel’s Messiah: The Soul-

ful Celebration is from 4-7 p.m. at the Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). Includes youth choir and praise dance performances. Guest artists include Benjamin Cone III and Tracie James-Wade. $20 (two tickets), $5 ages 18 and under, infants and toddlers free; call 769-251-1408.

MONDAY 1/14

The Lead Off Banquet is at 5 p.m. at Madison County Sports Zone (213 Industrial Drive N., Gluckstadt) and includes an auction. Mississippi State University head baseball coach John Cohen speaks. Proceeds benefit Mississippi KIDS COUNT. $50, $25 youth under 18; call 601-898-3347. …

The Mississippi Opera’s Opera Underground is at 7 p.m. at Underground 119. Kristen Johnson performs. Doors open at 6 p.m.; food and beverage prices vary. Enjoy art and free wine from 5-6 p.m. upstairs at Nunnery’s at Gallery 119. $20; call 601-960-2300.

TUESDAY 1/15

Architect Jeff Seabold and architectural historian Todd Sanders talk about Jackson’s historic and sustainable architecture at 7 p.m. at Millsaps College, Ford Academic Complex (1701 N. State St.). $10, $5 students; call 601-974-1130.

WEDNESDAY 1/16

MDAH architectural historian Bill Gatlin presents “Art Deco Architecture in Mississippi” during History Is Lunch at noon at the William F. Winter Archives and History Building (200 North St.). Free; call 601-576-6998. … Jesse “Guitar” Smith is at Burgers & Blues.

More at jfpevents.com and jfp.ms/musicvenues.

Lunch Bunch Forum Jan. 9, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m., at Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.), in the Community Room. Parents for Public Schools of Jackson and Jackson 2000 are the hosts. The topic is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Students as Historians: Teaching Civil Rights.â&#x20AC;? Representatives from the McComb School District are the speakers. RSVP for lunch. Free, $5 lunch; call 601-969-6015. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs,â&#x20AC;? at Russell C. Davis Planetarium (201 E. Pascagoula St.).

The film is about Egypt and its mysterious mummies. Shows are weekdays at noon and Saturdays at 4 p.m. $6.50, $5.50 seniors, $4 children ages 412; call 601-960-1552; thedavisplanetarium.com.

#/--5.)49 Brandon Youth Art Contest through Jan. 11, at Brandon Public Library (1475 W. Government St., Brandon). The theme is â&#x20AC;&#x153;The ABCs of Nature.â&#x20AC;? Children in grades K-12 may compete using any medium, and entries must be no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches. Submit by Jan. 11 at 5 p.m. The awards ceremony is Jan. 17 at 6 p.m.

Free; call 601-825-2672; cmrls.lib.ms.us.

Precinct 2 COPS Meeting Jan. 10, 6 p.m., at Jackson Police Department, Precinct 2 (711 W. Capitol Street). These monthly forums are designed to help resolve community issues or problems, from crime to potholes. Free; call 601-960-0002.

Events at Millsaps College (1701 N. State St.).

Call 601-974-1130; millsaps.edu/conted. â&#x20AC;˘ Historic and Sustainable Architecture Jan. 15, 7 p.m., at Ford Academic Complex. Architect Jeff Seabold and architectural historian Todd Sanders talk about Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic architecture, and current trends of sustainability and smart growth. The program is part of the Millsaps Arts and Lecture Series. $10, $5 students. â&#x20AC;˘ Winter Community Enrichment Series through Jan. 28 Most classes begin the week of Jan. 28 and fall into the categories of art, music, fitness, design, business and technology. Call to request a brochure. Fees vary.

Events at Table 100 (100 Ridge Way, Flowood). â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Welcome Backâ&#x20AC;? Southern Wine Dinner Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m. The four-course meal features dishes such as pimento cheese fritters and Delta catfish Lyonnaise paired with wines. RSVP. $49; call 601-420-4202; email paul@eathere.com; tableonehundred.com. â&#x20AC;˘ Small Business Seminar Jan. 14, 11:30 a.m.1 p.m. Small business owners learn the benefits available under the Affordable Care Act. Online registration available. Free; call 877-314-3943; healthhelpmssmallbus.eventbrite.com.

Excellence in Action Nonprofit Certification Program: Information Session Jan. 10, 4-6 p.m., at Mississippi Center for Nonprofits (201 W. Capitol St.). Learn about the Jan. 17-18 workshop that covers requirements for individuals and organizations. Registration required. Free; call 601-968-0061; msnonprofits.org.

Simon Youth Foundation Community Scholarship Program through Jan. 11. The foundation offers scholarships to at-risk high-school students.

Students who are graduating in 2013 and live within 50 miles of a Simon property such as Northpark Mall may apply. The deadline is Jan. 11. Free; call 317-263-7694; email byoung@ simon.com; syf.org.

Question It? Discover It! Saturdays Jan. 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Mississippi Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Museum (2145 Highland Drive) This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus is hygiene and healthy eating. $8, children under 12 months free; call 601-981-5469; mschildrensmuseum.com.

Belk Service Learning Challenge. Middle-school students within 50 miles of Jackson work in teams of two to four to identify a community issue and come up with a plan to address it.

Submit entries by March 14. Prizes given. Free; belkservicelearningchallenge.com.

American Board Teaching Information Session Jan. 9, 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., at Ridgeland Public Library (397 Highway 51, Ridgeland). Learn how to earn a professional teaching license. Teacher certification specialist Ashley Guy is the facilitator.

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree required. Free; call 877669-2228; abcte.org.

,)4%2!29 !.$ 3)'.).'3 Pets Add Life Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Poetry Contest, at Pets Add Life (661 Sierra Rose Drive, Reno, Nev.).

Students in grades 3-8 submit poems about their pets, and a student in each grade level has a chance to win pet-product gift certificates, publishing of the poem and a $1,000 scholarship toward pet education in their classrooms. Submit

by Jan. 31. Free; petsaddlife.org.

Lemuria Story Time Saturdays, 11 a.m., at Lemuria Books (Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 202). Saturdays at 11 a.m., children enjoy a story and make a related craft. Call for the book title. Free; call 601-366-7619.

Ready to Roar Reading Time, at Mississippi Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Museum (2145 Highland Drive).

Tuesdays-Fridays at 1 p.m., children enjoy listening to a story at the Between the Lions exhibit in the Literacy Gallery. $8, children under 12 months and members free; call 601-981-5469; mississippichildrensmuseum.com.

Events at Madison Public Library (994 Madison Ave., Madison). Free; call 601-856-2749; mcls.ms. â&#x20AC;˘ Youth Storytelling Club Jan. 10, 3:30-5 p.m.

Children in grades 2 and up learn storytelling techniques. Snacks included. â&#x20AC;˘ Rising Readers Story Time, Ages 3-5 Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.-11 a.m. and 3:30-4 p.m.

Children enjoy stories, songs, rhymes and more to strengthen literacy skills. â&#x20AC;˘ Baby Bookworms, Ages 0-2 Wednesdays, 10-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:15 a.m. The program for babies and toddlers with their parents or caregivers includes nursery rhymes, action rhymes, songs and stories.

Weekly Storytime Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m., at Pearl Public Library (2416 Old Brandon Road, Pearl).

Baby Bookworms Storytime for children ages birth-36 months is at 9:30 a.m., and Preschool Storytime for children ages 3-6 is at 10:30 a.m.

The event includes stories, rhymes and music.

Puppet shows on the last Tuesday of the month.

Free; call 601-932-2562.

-53)# Mississippi Happening Tuesdays, at Pizza Shack, Colonial Mart (5046 Parkway Drive, Suite 6).

On second and fourth Tuesdays from 7-9 p.m., Guaqueta Productions provides performances and interviews featuring musicians, poets, artists, dancers, business leaders and nonprofits. Download podcasts at mississippihappening.com or iTunes. Free; call 601-497-7454.

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Hinds Community College Casting Call Jan. 12, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., at Clyde Muse Center (515 Country Place Parkway, Pearl), in room 107.

Actors ages 14 and older may audition for roles in upcoming student films. Bring a current headshot; email a headshot if you cannot attend. Free; email hindscasting@gmail.com.

WEEKLY EVENT CALENDAR WEDNESDAYS

LADIES NIGHT

1/9

7%,,.%33

1/2 OFF DRINKS FOR LADIES 5PM - UNTIL MUSIC STARTS AT 8PM • DJ JUGALA THURSDAYS

1/10

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL & COLLEGE NIGHT 7PM - UNTIL • 9 FLAT SCREENS • $2.25 LONGNECKS • $3.25 WELL DRINKS

FRIDAY

Ribeye Steaks & Baked Potatoes

1/11

A Grateful Dead Weekend with

Otis Lotus & Friends Specials on Dead Guy Ale

SATURDAY

Otis Lotus

1/12

(Acoustic & Electric Sets)

MONDAY

$2.25 longnecks • $3.25 well drinks OPEN MIC 10pm

1/15

LATE NIGHT DRINK SPECIALS START AT 10PM - 12AM $1 HIGH LIFE & PBR’S, $2 MARGARITAS MATT’S LATE NIGHT KARAOKE 10 P.M.

January 2 - 8, 2013

UPCOMING SHOWS

32

Events at Baptist Health Systems, Madison Campus (401 Baptist Drive, Madison), in the Community Room. Registration required. Free; call 601-948-6262 or 800-948-6262; mbhs.org.

• Real Solutions for Bladder Problems: Take Your Life Back Jan. 10, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.

Urogynecologists Dr. Robert Harris and Dr. Stephen Speights discuss treatments for bladder leakage and urgency in women.

• Is This a Migraine? Jan. 16, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.

Nurse practitioner Gina Burge defines common characteristics, explains causes and gives treatment strategies. $5 optional lunch.

Hill Training Workout, at Avondale Street and Old Canton Road in Fondren. liveRIGHTnow hosts the training session Mondays at 7 p.m. and Fridays at 6 p.m. Free; call 601-717-2012; liverightnowonline.com.

Living Food Potluck Jan. 12, 1 p.m., at the office of Dr. Leo Huddleston (6500 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland). Held on second Saturdays; please RSVP. Bring a dish or donate $10; call 601-956-0010.

1/14

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL & GUYS NIGHT/COLLEGE NIGHT TUESDAY

It’s About You Film Festival Call for Submissions. The festival is Feb. 23-March 2 and showcases positive films about people of African descent. The deadline is Jan. 15. $35-$50, $20 students and youth; call 601-259-7598 or 769226-3725; blackhistoryplus.weebly.com.

Thurs. Jan. 17: The Revivalists Thurs. Jan. 24: Space Capone Fri. Jan 25: Alvin Youngblood Hart Sat. Jan 26: Gravity A Sat. Feb 9: Nappy Roots Sat. Feb 16: Bloodkin

SEE OUR NEW MENU

W W W. M A R T I N S L O U N G E . N E T 214 S. STATE ST. • 601.354.9712 DOWNTOWN JACKSON

#2%!4)6% #,!33%3 Events at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.).

Call 601-948-3533, ext. 232; email education@ newstagetheatre.com; newstagetheatre.com.

• Creative Dramatics and Acting Technique Class Registration. Children in grades 1-6 learn basic acting techniques. Classes are Saturdays at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. from Feb. 16April 6. $150.

• Creating a Character Class Registration. Students in junior high and high school develop a character to portray. Topics include scene work and textual analysis. The eight-week class starts March 18, and classes are Mondays from 5:30-7 p.m. for eight weeks. Registration required. $150.

Events at Viking Cooking School (1107 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland). For ages 16 and up; registration required. Call 601-898-8345; vikingcookingschool.com.

• Classic Tuscan Dinner Party Class Jan. 10, 9 a.m.-noon Topics include creating a bruschetta bar for casual entertaining, cooking with traditional Tuscan ingredients and braising meat. $79.

• Fish Cookery 1 Jan. 10, 6-9 p.m. Topics include determining the freshness of fish, cooking methods, testing for doneness and making sauces. $99.

• Fish Cookery 2 Jan. 15, 6-9 p.m. Topics include smoking, slow roasting, pan searing, stuffing and roasting fish, making a potato crust and baking fish in salt. $99.

Pedals, Pipes and Pizza Jan. 12, 9 a.m., at Covenant Presbyterian Church (4000 Ridgewood Road). The educational program introduces piano students in high school and below to the organ.

Pre-registration through the students’ piano teachers recommended. Open to the public for observation. Free; call 601-924-7458; agocal.org.

Adult Acrylic Painting Class Thursdays, 7-9 p.m., at Daniel MacGregor Studios (4347 Lakeland Drive, Flowood). Daniel MacGregor teaches the class on Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. Bring your own 11-by-14-inch canvas for a $5 discount. $15; call 601-992-6405; danielmacgregorstudios.com.

Steampunk 101 with Author J L Mulvihill Jan. 12, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at Quisenberry Library (605 E. Northside Drive, Clinton). Make hats inspired by the latest literary and fashion trend of steampunk. Free; call 601-924-5684; email elsielind@gmail.com.

%8()")43 !.$ /0%.).'3 “Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, His Life In The Struggle: A Pictoral History” through Jan. 19, at Gallery 1 (One University Place, 1100 John R. Lynch St., Suite 4). Dr. Rico Chapman, faculty member of Jackson State University’s Department of History and Philosophy, presents photography and writings that honor the legacy of the South African leader. The curator discussion and film screening is Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. Free; call 601960-9250; gallery1arts.com.

“Visionaries: The Legacy of the Mississippi Art Association” through Jan. 27, at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). See works from Marie Hull, Eudora Welty, Karl Wolfe and more. Free; call 601-960-1515.

"% 4(% #(!.'% Chill in the Hills Jan. 12, 8:30 a.m., at Guaranty Bank (1900 Cherry St., Vicksburg). The race includes a 10K run, 5K walk and 1-mile fun run; awards given. Proceeds benefit Grace Christian Counseling Center. $25 run/walk, $15 fun run (ages 12 and under); call 601-636-5703; vicksburgslam.com.

Ending Mass Incarceration in Mississippi: Moving Talk into Action Jan. 12, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at Lumpkins BBQ (182 Raymond Road). The Southern Poverty Law Center, the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and the Mississippi Student Justice Alliance host the workshop. The focus is ending the over-incarceration of young people of color in Mississippi. Lunch and drinks provided.

Free; call 334-322-8218; email jed.oppenheim@ splcenter.org.

From the Schoolhouse to the Statehouse: Youth Day at the Capitol Jan. 15, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at Mississippi State Capitol (400 High St.). The ACLU of Mississippi and the Mississippi Statewide Youth Justice Movement are the hosts. The civic engagement event includes a march, a press conference, training and visits with legislators.

Transportation provided. RSVP; students must get parent or guardian permission and an excused absence from school. Free; call 601-354-3408, ext.

227; email ddenney@aclu-ms.org; tinyurl.com/ schoolhouse2statehouse.

Check jfpevents.com for updates and more listings.

To add an event, email all details (phone number, start and end date, time, street address, cost, URL, etc.) to events@jacksonfreepress.com or fax to 601510-9019. The deadline is noon the Thursday prior to the week of publication. Or add the event online yourself; check out jfpevents.com for instructions.

DIVERSIONS | music

Risko Danza: Two Years in the Making

by Micah Smith COURTESY RISKO DANZA

vocalist and lead guitarist Matthew Nooe says. An active member of the music department of Hinds Community College where he is currently earning a degree in sound engineering, Nooe says that these demo recordings are a part of a larger plan for Risko Danza.

“We plan to record more songs over the year, get listeners’ feedback and then produce another CD from the feedback we get,” Nooe says. This first demo will be a four-song disc featuring one fan-favorite track from Risko Danza’s early works and a concept song that the band has been developing under-wraps.

“Most of the songs on the demo tell the story of a fictional character named D’Lo Brown. This three-part song is one Armed with a new bass player and evolved sound, Risko Danza is playing that our fans have yet to hear,” Nooe says. at Hal & Mal’s Jan. 12 to celebrate the group’s second anniversary.

“I would have to say that ‘D’Lo Brown, Part 2’ is one of our favorites, and we’re n just two years of making music, Jackson-based funk- even going to have a saxophone player on this song.” rockers Risko Danza have covered most of the prerequiAs the second anniversary approaches, the band looks sites for a mature band. Since its creation in December back on the changes that have occurred in its ranks, including 2010, the band added members, lost a member, shifted the departure of founding member and bassist Jacob Lewanstyles and now, at its two-year anniversary show, will be re- dowski who first christened the crew “Risko Danza,” a name leasing the first official album. that the band has adapted to mean “risky dancing.”

“This will be our first time releasing any studio work to However, the greatest change for the group has been in the public. Before this, we’ve only given out live recordings,” musical influences.

I

“When we first started out, we were highly influenced by the Black Keys,” Nooe says, “but then our music broadened out to jazz and more classic rock. Now I would say our biggest influence is Pink Floyd, along with Primus and John Scofield.” As with all bands, the addition of new members altered the group dynamic and transformed the sound of Risko Danza.

New bassist Nicholas Lalo joined in September 2012 and helped steer the recording process, both mixing and editing the new demo tracks, while drummer Perry Townsend has been a committed component of the band’s explosive sound from the beginning. Unfortunately, the fourth member of the band, keyboardist and background vocalist Kory Luckett, will be leaving to attend the University of Southern Mississippi in the spring, so the two-year anniversary show will be his last with the group.

One of the ways that the band is choosing to celebrate this momentous milestone is by using its anniversary show as a way to help others. “We decided that making it a charity event is a nice way to give thanks to all of the people that have supported us over the years,” Nooe says.

Though the show will have a $5 cover charge, all proceeds are going toward Jackson’s Stewpot Community Services. Helping others helps you, too, as all attendees will receive a copy of Risko Danza’s new demo album at the door.

Risko Danza’s “Two-Year Anniversary Event,” also featuring The Weekend Kids and Sun Ballet, is at Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-0888) Jan. 12. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and music begins at 7:30 p.m.

key of g

by Garrad Lee

Garrad, what is it like working at the Free Press? Is that your only job?

I don’t actually work at the Free Press. I write my column every other week as a freelancer. Beyond that, I teach western civilization and African American history at a local community college.

You write and talk about hip-hop a lot.

How did you get into that?

Hip-hop is the music I started listening to when I started thinking music was cool back in middle school. I have gone through a lot of musical phases, but hip-hop has al-

ways been there at the base. To be honest, I don’t really listen to too much hip-hop these days—at least not like I used to. But I got into pretty much all the music I listen to now through hip-hop music, from chasing samples and references in songs. So, while I currently listen to mostly things like jazz, Afrobeat and funk, I got there via hip-hop.

These days, my relationship with hiphop is probably more academic through my work with conferences and lecturing on the history of hip-hop, which I am very interested in. I find it very comforting that hip-hop has followed me into my adult life, and I try to pay it back through my work.

So, I was at Sneaky Beans one night to hear a DJ on the front porch. I saw you standing near the back of the crowd with a group of people. I thought to myself, “There is that Key of G guy.

I’m going to go say ‘what’s up.’” When I get there, you immediately started ranting to me about your dislike for bands who don’t have a bass player.

You kinda creeped me out, dude.

Yeah, that happens, both the ranting and the creeping out. Sorry about that.

What I was trying to say was that I am intrinsically bothered by the ever-growing number of two-piece, guitar-drums bands.

ANDY CULPEPPER

I

figured because it is the beginning of a new year, I would open up the ole reader mailbag and respond to some of your questions from last year.

I may or may not have made up some, er, all of these letters because the holiday season completely wiped my brain out, leaving me with no ideas of what to write about this week. Nevertheless, these are questions I hear from time to time from people I meet in the real world. Saying that I am opening a mailbag just sounds cooler.

Garrad Lee (left) might seem like he’s creepin’ behind Daniel Guaqueta, but he’s really just enjoying the vibes.

I need the bass, or what Devin the Dude calls “that boom.” I actually do like some of those two-piece bands, especially local ones, but it is something I have taken to complaining about, if for nothing else than to get conversations going.

I just remember the days when all a guy needed was to be in a band was a bass guitar and a van to carry around the band’s gear. What is happening to all those guys?

Should we start a support group? That’s all I am asking.

What’s up, Garrad? I am a rapper (or singer, writer, in a band, etc.) from Jackson, and I think you should write about my music. How can we make that happen?

If you perform around the city, I’ll more than likely see you at some point. Come speak to me, and give me a CD or something. I am always looking for local artists to write about, so find me on Facebook and direct me to your music if you don’t see me around. Or email my editor Briana Robinson at briana@ jacksonfreepress.com. If I like your stuff, I’ll hit you up.

Who would win in a fight between Lemmy and God?

Trick question. Lemmy is God. Thanks for reading Key of G. Have a great 2013, and keep the letters coming.

jacksonfreepress.com

Answering the Mailbag

33

DIVERSIONS | music

The Reinvention of Tess Brunet

9.99 S

THIS WEEK WEDNESDAY 01/09

New Bourbon St. Jazz Band (Restaurant) THURSDAY 01/10

Jason Turner (Restaurant) FRIDAY 01/11

DoubleShotz (Restaurant) SATURDAY 01/12

Dirty Laundry Band (Restaurant) Risko Danza, Sun Ballet& The Weekend Kids (Red Room) MONDAY 01/14

Open for dinner Sat. 4-10pm 2-for-1 House Wine 2-for-1 Bottled Domestic Beer Thursday

January 10

LADIES NIGHT

w/ DJ Stache LADIES DRINK FREE Friday January 11

Parallax

MS Blues Society’s Blue Mondays

TUESDAY 01/15

Pub Quiz w Erin and Friends

(Dining Room & Brew Pub)

Coming Soon 01/16 - Emma Wynters and Mark Whittington 01/17 - Brian Jones 01/18 - Crooked Creek (Restaurant) 01/18 - Bantam Foxes (Red Room) 01/19 - Captain Green (Restaurant) 01/19 - Dandy & the Lions (Red Room) 03/16 - Mal’s St. Paddy’s Day Parade with headliner Alabama Shakes http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/ 1B004984C1667E2E

Saturday

January 12

Hooten Hallers

with Rooster Blues

MONDAY - FRIDAY

Blue Plate Lunch

$8

with corn bread and tea or coffee

25

Fridays: Catfish Plates are $9.75

January 9 - 15, 2013

$4.00 Happy Hour Well Drinks!

34

visit HalandMals.com for a full menu and concert schedule

601.948.0888

200 S. Commerce St. Downtown Jackson, Mississippi

Tuesday

January 14

Highlife, Highlife Lite, PBR, Schlitz, Fatty Natty Open Mic w/ Jason Turner

Wednesday January 15 KARAOKE w/ DJ STACHE

FREE WiFi Open Mon-Sat, Restaurant open Mon-Fri

11 am-10 pm & Sat 4-10 pm

601-960-2700

facebook.com/Ole Tavern

inger-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tess Brunet dove into the music industry in different capacities over the years. As a drummer, she injected independent rock groups Generationals and Deadboy & the Elephantmen with a healthy dose of lo-fi fills and a steady, driving rhythm. Then she took the reins for solo act Au Ras Au Ras, self-releasing two albums in as many years. But now, Louisiana

rick Hodgkins and drummer Pat Fee joined Brunet in the studio to play the songs in a live setting—a challenging and seldom-used recording medium.

For Brunet, the risk was worth the reward. The choice to record as a full band with little overdubbing on tracks was all about honing the groups’ skills in a live setting.

“I know we’re a great live band, but this album has been a path of feeling more comfortable in the studio, which takes a whole different level of preparation,” Brunet says. “With any project I was in prior to this, there has always been a sense of uneasiness or dissatisfaction because I want to put my heart on my sleeve when I play. On levels both a personal and musical, we just get each other.”

As for the shift from disappearing behind a drum kit to bearing her heart before crowds of listeners, Brunet says it can still be daunting at times.

“It doesn’t change anything at home, writing behind closed doors, but everything changes when you’re playing.

I wasn’t quite prepared for the shock to my ego,” she says.

“Before, I could be quiet and just say thank you or something here and there, but I didn’t expect the transition to be so difficult on Tess Brunet sheds old monikers and steps into the a confidence level.” spotlight with new album “The Great Nothing.”

On “The Great Nothing,” a little lack in self-reliance and conviction fits just about perfectly, as native Brunet has chosen to reinvent herself Brunet’s soulful vocals strikes nerve after raw yet again, albeit under a familiar moniker: nerve with the right concoction of woe and Tess Brunet. wonder. “From a musical standpoint, it’s “In the end, Au Ras Au Ras just proved emotional and sadder than other projects to be too difficult,” says Brunet, who was I’ve been in,” she says. Her favorite tracks holding out hope that the name would be an from the new album are the bluesy, distorted angle rather than an anchor. “I’d end up hav- opener “Left” and powerful and airy “The ing to spell it out phonetically and sounding Wild December.” like a cheerleader.” She considered adopting The band will be in Jackson Jan. 16, , another band name before deciding on us- at Morningbell Records & Studios, as part ing her own just after the release of the al- of a southern tour celebrating the release of bum, “The Great Nothing,” in September.

“The Great Nothing.” The 2013 tour beDespite the hassle inherent in selecting gins with two shows in New Orleans Jan. a new handle, Brunet said that this would 15 at Euclid’s and Siberia, ending in Baton be a jump forward for her band instead of a Rouge Jan. 24 at the Mud and Water Bar. return to square one, particularly because of “I feel like there are a lot of towns in the her bandmates’ involvement with the writ- south that get left by the wayside, so it was ing process on “The Great Nothing.” important to me that we hit those towns like “I stepped right out of the first record Jackson that appreciate good art and mu(self-titled “Au Ras Au Ras”) and started sic but don’t always get the bands that they writing straight away. I showed the songs to want,” Brunet says. “Hopefully, people will the band, and everyone then came up with want to come see us.” their own parts, which is so helpful when See Tess Brunet Jan. 16 at Morningbell there’s that little effort. They just play that Records & Studios (622 Duling Ave., Suite way inherently,” Brunet says. Guitarist and 205A, 769-233-7468) at 7 p.m. Visit tess. steel pedal player Jonny Campos, bassist Pat- bandcamp.com to hear some music.

COURTESY TESS BRUNET

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DIVERSIONS | jfp sports

the best in sports over the next seven days

SLATE

Streaky Saints

by Bryan Flynn

January 9 - 15, 2013

B

36

the Saints won twice in a row to renew dim playoff hopes. New Orleans throttled Tampa Bay 41-0 and put a major damper in the Dallas Cowboysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; playoff plans with a 34-31 overtime win.

The New Orleans win against Dallas ended on a wild play when Saintsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; receiver Marques Colston fumbled the ball after making a catch, only to see tight end Jimmy

yards in back to back seasons. He finished with 5,177 yards with 43 touchdowns after throwing for 5,476 yards with 46 touchdowns in 2011. The quarterback also is the first in NFL history to have back-toback seasons with 40 or more touchdown passes, as well.

That was the good part of Breesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; season.

The bad part was that he threw 19 interceptionsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;which is five more than he had the previous season.

Five of Breesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 19 interceptions came against the Atlanta Falcons in their second meeting. In the same game, Brees broke his 54game streak of throwing at least one touchdown pass.

The only games in which Brees didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t throw an interception were against Green Bay, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay (second meeting) Oakland and Dallas. New Orleans won every game Brees didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t throw a pick except for the Green Bay game, which the Saints lost on a 43-yard missed field goal

by Garrett Hartley.

There isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t much to highlight about the Saintsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; defense. It set an Drew Brees threw for more than 5,000 yards this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but he also threw 19 interceptions.

NFL record for the most yards allowed in a single season.

The Saintsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; defense gave up Graham recover the ball at the Cowboys 7,042 yards to pass the previous mark of two-yard line to set up the game-winning 6,793 set by the 1981 Baltimore Colts by field goal.

249 yards. Two years later (1983), the Colts New Orleansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; play was streaky all season packed up in the middle of the night and left long, and it showed in the quarterback Drew Baltimore for Indianapolis.

Brees. Three of the Saints losses (WashingNew Orleans will have the 15th pick ton, Carolina in first meeting and Atlanta in of the NFL Draft in April. The Saints will second meeting) ended with Brees throwing also have Sean Payton, who signed a fivea late interception. year contract that will make him the highest Brees became the first quarterback in paid coach in the NFL, earning more than NFL history to throw for more than 5,000 $8 million a year.

COURTESY NEW ORLEANS SAINTS/MICHAEL C HEBERT

T

he 2012 season was not one New Orleans Saints fans will want to remember for years to come. This season started with a hope that the Saints would become the first team to play the Super Bowl in their own stadium, and ended with a 44-38 loss to the Carolina Panthers and a 7-9 record.

New Orleans faced the season without head coach Sean Payton, who was suspended by the league for his role in the Saints bounty scandal. That left the Saints needing an interim head coach.

The Saints choose Joe Vitt, but he was suspended for the first six games. This left New Orleans needing an interim head coach for the interim head coach, which ended up being Aaron Kromer.

New Orleans promptly lost their first four games of the season to start 0-4. The lowlights included a loss to rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III in his first pro start and a loss to Kansas City Chiefs, who have the first pick in Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s draft.

The Saints got their first win of the season against the San Diego Chargers and followed it up with a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a bye week. New Orleans then met the buzzsaw that was Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos for a blowout loss, to fall to 2-5 on the season.

Just when it seemed all hope would be lost for the Saints, the team went on a threegame winning streak to get back to .500 on the season (5-5). The highlight of New Orleansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; streak was giving main rival the Atlanta Falcons their first loss of the season.

But New Orleans would dash fansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; building hopes by losing their next three games, to fall to a 5-8 record. The final defeat in the three-game losing streak was a 52-27 beatdown from the New York Giants.

Just when all seemed lost once more,

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by Bryan Flynn

Yep, the NCAA really taught Penn State a lesson. Oh wait â&#x20AC;Ś what do you mean, a billionaire booster just donated $1.3 million to the head coachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s salary, making him the highest paid coach in college football?

THURSDAY, JAN. 10 College basketball (8-10 p.m., ESPN): Defending national champions the Kentucky Wildcats begin SEC play on the road against the Vanderbilt Commodores.

FRIDAY, JAN. 11 NBA (7-9:30 p.m., ESPN): A matchup of current playoff teams, as the Chicago Bulls face long-time Eastern Conference rivals the New York Knicks.

SATURDAY, JAN. 12 NFL (3:30-7 p.m., CBS): Peyton Manning begins his playoff journey with his new team, the Denver Broncos, against Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens. ... NFL (7-10 p.m., Fox): Green Bay heads west to face San Francisco in a rematch of game the 49ers won 30-22 over the Packers in week one of the season.

SUNDAY, JAN. 13 NFL (12-3 p.m., Fox): Seattle Seahawksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rookie quarterback Russell Wilson looks to upset the NFCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top seed Atlanta Falcons in the only nonrematch of the weekend. â&#x20AC;Ś NFL (3:307 p.m., CBS): Tom Brady and the New England Patriots begin their quest to reach the Super Bowl once more against the Houston Texans.

MONDAY, JAN. 14 College basketball (7:30-9:30 p.m., ESPN U): Jackson State faces Prairie View A&M in a battle of teams currently at the bottom of the SWAC standings.

TUESDAY, JAN. 15 College basketball (8-10 p.m., ESPN U): Ole Miss hits the road in conference play to face the Vanderbilt Commodores as the Rebels look to build their NCAA resume.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 16 College basketball (8-10 p.m., CSS): Two struggling SEC teams face off as the Mississippi State Bulldogs host the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Finally, the NHL owners and the union have reached a deal to bring back hockey. Too bad both sides played around and the Jan. 1 Winter Classic got cancelled.

Follow Bryan Flynn at jfpsports.com, @jfpsports and at facebook.com/jfpsports

FOOD p 39 ASTRO p 41 FLY p 42

Thinking Positive for the New Year

by Jasmin S. Searcy

M

es on admitting and retaining thoughts, After all, it’s a “new year, new you.” those who are negative. Ask yourself: Who words and images that are important for For starters, you can resolve to ap- wants to be around a negative person? us to grow and be successful. A positive proach the perceived negatives that come So let’s review some tips that we mind anticipates happiness, joy, health, your way more positively. Negativity hurts could take to have a more productive year. and a successful outcome of every situa- us all and drains our ability to get things No one has to avoid reality and go around tion and action. Whatever the mind ex- done and makes us doubt everything, wearing a big smile all the time. Remempects, it acquires. I’m not talking about even ourselves. Negativity can also make ber, thinking positive does not mean debeing an extremely happy, irrational and others avoid you. Friendships, opportuni- nying what is wrong, but instead looking bubbly optimist; by positive thinking, ties and success almost always decrease on for ways to change the situation.

I mean turning around some of the negativity that consumes our minds every day into something more productive.

As human beings, it’s easy for us to view the negatives instead of the positives that surround us.

Many individuals are approaching the new year with a decreased amount of money and increased burden of stress and hostility from others. To many, the coming year looks like a year of uncertainty and trouble. But it does not have to be that way. The question is, “How can you make your new year a Resolve to focus on the good things and let more positivity into your life this new year. more positive and happier year?”

FLICKR/SKIPPYJON

y new year’s resolution is ...

Research has shown that about 75 percent of people stick to their goals for at least a week, and fewer than half (46 percent) are still on target six months later. The truth is, it can be hard to keep up the excitement months after you’ve brought in the new year, but it’s not impossible.

Each January, millions of individuals select a list of goals to achieve. Most people have the same or similar resolutions for the New Year: lose weight, exercise, save money, pay off debt or achieve that one thing (whatever it may be) that will, at long last, make them happy.

These are all excellent resolutions, especially if you are able to keep them up past Jan. 31. But for 2013, have you ever considered keeping things simple and focusing your attention on one main goal: to think more positively?

Now, let’s consider what positive thinking encompasses. According to psychotherapist Clare Pointon, positive thinking is a mental attitude that focus-

A FEW TIPS TO HAVE A MORE POSITIVE YEAR FOR 2013

•

Explore and identify areas to change. First, identify areas of your life that you typically think negatively about—whether it’s work, friends, a familial relationship or something else. You can start small by focusing on one area to approach in a more positive way and tackle others as you go. Start in tiny baby steps.

Live in the present and not the past. Don’t let your thoughts go into the past more than necessary. Sometimes our past can hinder our future and often starts negative thoughts in our minds. So what if 2012 was a rough year? This is your time to focus on the present instead of the past or even the future. Stay in the here and now; the past is over.

•

•

Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Recent studies have shown that regular cardiovascular exercise alleviates stress and may be useful in maintaining good health. If incorporated, you’ll be doing something positive to help your mind, body and health image. Doctors suggest 30 minutes of daily cardio exercise, such as jogging, aerobics or cycling (of course, consult your personal physician to determine what level of activity is best for you).

Surround yourself with positive individuals. Make sure people in your life are supportive and give helpful advice and feedback. Negative people may increase your stress level and make you doubt your ability and yourself.

POSITIVE RESOURCES 1. “The Power of Positive Thinking,” by Norman Vincent Peale (Ishi Press, 2011, $25.95)

2. “The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking,” by Oliver Burkeman (Faber and Faber, 2012, $25)

3. “The Daily Book of Positive Quotations,” by Linda Picone (Fairview Press, 2007, $13.95) 4. successconsciousness.com

•

Practice positive self-talk. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about you. For example, instead of thinking, “I am a failure at everything,” practice saying, “I am not always successful, but I have a lot to bring to the table, including traits X, Y and Z.”

Now, are you ready for a truly happy, more positive New Year? Remember, you have the power of choice, and you can turn 2013 and years to come into positive, productive experiences. We have more control over our happiness than we might imagine.

Research suggests that 50 percent of our happiness is biological, that means 50 percent can be changed by our behaviors and thoughts.

My message for 2013 is that happiness is attainable and within the reach of everyone. By trying to turn negative thoughts into more positive ones, you will feel more content and might even uncover a few hidden opportunities you might have previously not seen before.

You may even discover a “new you” for 2013.

jacksonfreepress.com

•

37

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Happy New Year

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Join Us For Happy Hour Tuesday-Saturday â&#x20AC;˘ 5-7pm

Best of Jackson 2008 - 2012 Visit www.ceramis.net for specials & hours.

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601-919-2829 5417 Lakeland Drive ~ Flowood, MS 39232

Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burger with applewood smoked bacon, chipotle mayo & smoked gouda cheese on a cheddar jalapeĂąo bun.

4654 McWillie Dr., Jackson|Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 10AM-9PM Friday & Saturday 10AM-10PM, Sunday CLOSED

Thank You

Specials & Rewards Text 71441

We Look Forward to Serving You in

for a Great 2012

Available For The Holidays 1149 Old Fannin Road â&#x20AC;˘ Brandon

601-992-6686

5647 Highway 80 East â&#x20AC;˘ Pearl

601-932-8728

Both Locations Open 7 Days A Week

Come Try Our Dinner Specials 2481 Lakeland Dr Flowood, MS 39232

601-932-4070 tel 601-933-1077 fax

2013 601-961-7001

318 South State Street | Jackson, MS | www.jacostacos.com

Shawn Patterson Friday, January 11, 2013 9:00pm | Cover $5

Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Lo Trio

Every Thursday â&#x20AC;˘ 6:30 pm

601-362-6388

1410 Old Square Road â&#x20AC;˘ Jackson

Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best BBQ Catering

January 9 - 15, 2013

No Event Too Big or Small Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Make Every Occasion Special

38

(a very high-class pig stand)

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LIFE&STYLE | food & drink

Have Your Cake and Decorate it, Too

by Jane Flood

Decorating Practice with the icing tips on a piece of cardboard to familiarize yourself with not only each design, but how much pressure to exert when using various tips. When you are comfortable with a certain design, decorate on your practice form.

If you are considering color for details of your frosting, again, experiment. The best type of colored “dye” for frosting is gel dye. Place a toothpick into the gel and add incrementally to your icing until the desired color is achieved.

JANE FLOOD

Icing the Cake It is essential (and fun) to practice before the big day. First, begin with icing the cake. While you may choose to use butter for the actual day, shortening is much easier and economical to work with—and it produces the most professional results. It just “works” better with icing and decorating.

Practice on a Styrofoam form or dense pound cake using spatulas shaped for various angles. Place a dollop of icing on the turntable and then put the cardboard cake board onto the icing to “glue” it so that the cake won’t slide around.

(This is also a good tip for transporting layers to another location.)

After placing the cake on the cardboard, dip out a large portion of the icing and place it on the side of the cake. Rotate the turntable with your opposite hand so that the icing spreads evenly. Make sure to have a glass of water nearby. You must dip the spatula into the water, scraping down the sides of the spatula and then drying it before scooping out more icing after every stroke. This sounds tedious, but is an important tip so that crumbs don’t accidentally accumulate into the icing itself.

The topmost layer of the cake should be upside down—the flat side will be the top so that you have the smoothest surface possible. Another tip: Freeze the cake for

10-15 minutes between layers of icing to lock in crumbs.

Buttercream

Decorator’s Icing

Baking and decorating a homemade cake can be a touching wedding gift.

Take your time making this delectable icing. Go slowly and enjoy the process. Add liquid slowly, as too much added too soon can result in a poor texture.

1 cup (two sticks) salted butter, softened (or you can substitute 2 cups of shortening) 1 teaspoon pure vanilla 1 pound powdered sugar 1 to 3 tablespoons half-and-half or cream (you may use water or milk in a pinch)

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter or shortening with vanilla until smooth. Add sugar gradually, allowing the butter and sugar to cream together before adding more. Scrape down the sides as you go.

The mixture should look a little dry at this point. Start adding the cream one tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until it blends to the right texture.

Be careful not to add too much cream because it is difficult to get the proper texture back.

Hints: For almond frosting, add 1/2-teaspoon almond extract and 2 drops of yellow food coloring. For chocolate icing, add 1/3- to 1/2-cup cocoa (you may also need one or two tablespoons more cream).

Butter Cake This is a rich, old-fashioned butter cake, perfect for a wedding cake. If you do choose to use this cake for a wedding, I recommend leaning toward almond flavorings (at least for the frosting). Cupcakes are also very popular right now, and this recipe will make 24. Consider decorative touches of candied flowers or sprinkles, and place your cake or cupcakes on a pedestal cake plate, if possible, which provides height and makes a nice focal point.

6 large egg yolks 1 cup milk 2 and 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract (or almond extract) 1 and 1/2 cups sugar 3 cups cake flour, sifted 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 and 1/2 sticks of butter, softened (do not substitute margarine)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.

In a mixing bowl, combine egg yolks, 1/4 cup of milk and vanilla (or almond) extract. Then, in a separate mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix for 30 seconds on low

speed. Add softened butter and remaining milk. Mix on low speed until moist and increase to medium speed for one and a half minutes. Scrape down the sides and begin adding the egg mixture gradually, in small batches, beating after each addition for 15 to 20 seconds.

Pour batter into greased and floured pans until half full each.

Smooth the surface with a spatula.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

For cupcakes, bake at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. Keep your eye on them and test with a cleanly removed toothpick in the center to see if they are done.

Let cool completely before frosting and decorating.

jacksonfreepress.com

O

ne of the most interesting and informative cooking classes I have ever taken was in Atlanta from a pastry chef who was on the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.” She taught me how to use inexpensive and easy tricks for decorating cakes and, though this skill is valuable any time of the year, being able to make your own cake for a bridesmaids’ party, reception, or wedding helps to cut costs and is a lovely gesture.

While a multitude of items are available for cake decoration, for minimal investment, head to a local cooking or craft store for the following items: • A turntable designed to hold a cake.

• Cardboard rounds designed for holding and moving the cake from turntable to serving plate or moving boxes.

• Frosting bags (you can also use plastic freezer bags with the corner snipped off).

• Icing tips of various shapes.

• Styrofoam forms shaped like a cake, for practice decorating.

• Several offset spatulas.

39

DINEJackson Paid listyour yourrestaurant.r restaurant.r Paid advertising advertising section. section. Call Call 601-362-6121 601-362-6121 x11 x1 totolist

AMERICAN/SOUTHERN CUISINE Another Broken Egg (1000 Highland Colony #1009 in Renaissance, 601.790.9170) Open Daily 7am-2pm for breakfast, brunch and lunch.

Two Sisters Kitchen (707 N. Congress St. 601-353-1180) Lunch. Mon-Fri, Sun. Koinonia (136 Adams St. 601-960-3008) Coffeehouse plus lunch and more!

Broad Street Bakery (4465 Interstate 55 N. 601-362-2900) Hot breakfast,coffee espresso drinks, fresh breads and pastries, gourmet deli sandwiches.

For Heavenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cakes (4950 Old Canton Road 601-991-2253) Cakes and cupcakes for all occasions including weddings, parties, catered events.

PIZZA The Pizza Shack (925 E. Fortification 601-352-2001) New locations in Belhaven and a second spot in Colonial Mart on Old Canton Rd. in Northeast Jackson.

Sal & Mookieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (565 Taylor St. 601-368-1919) Pizzas of all kinds plus pasta, eggplant parmesan and the fried ravioli. Bring the kids for ice cream!

Mellow Mushroom (275 Dogwood Blvd, Flowood, 601-992-7499) More than just great pizza and beer. Open Monday - Friday 11-10 and Saturday 11-11.

ITALIAN BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Jackson, 601-982-8111) Award-winning wine list, Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s see-and-be-seen casual/upscale dining.

Ceramiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (5417 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-919-28298) Southern-style Italian cuisine features their signature Shrimp Cerami.

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STEAK, SEAFOOD & FINE DINING Islander Seafood and Oyster House (601-366-5441) Seafood, poâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;boys and oyster house. Casual fine dining thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family-friendly with a beach vibe.

Crabâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (6954 Old Canton Rd., Ridgeland, 601-956-5040) Crabâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Seafood Shack offers a wide variety of southern favorites such as fried catfish and boiled shrimp.

Eslavaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grille (2481 Lakeland Drive, 601-932-4070) Latin-influenced dishes like ceviche in addition to pastas, steaks, salads and other signature seafood dishes.

Rockyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (1046 Warrington Road, Vicksburg 601-634-0100) Enjoy choice steaks, fresh seafood, great salads, hearty sandwiches.

The Penguin (1100 John R Lynch Street, 769.251.5222) Fine dining at its best.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER Babalu (622 Duling Ave., 601-366-5757) Fresh guacamole at the table, fish tacos, empanada, smoked pork sholders, Mexican street corn.

Jacoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tacos (318 South State Street) Tacos, burritos and quesadillas. Tex-Mex at its finest and freshest.

La Morena (6610 Old Canton Road Suite J, Ridgeland, 601-899-8821) Tortillas made fresh order. Authentic, Mexican Cuisine (not Tex-Mex). Mexican Cokes!

Fernandoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fajita Factory (5647 Hwy 80 E in Pearl, 601-932-8728 and 149 Old Fannin Rd in Brandon, 601-992-6686) A culinary treat traditional Mexican.

MEDITERRANEAN/GREEK Aladdin Mediterranean Grill (730 Lakeland Drive 601-366-6033) Delicious authentic dishes including lamb dishes, hummus, falafel, kababs, shwarma.

BARBEQUE Hickory Pit Barbeque (1491 Canton Mart Rd. 601-956-7079) The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Butts in Townâ&#x20AC;? features BBQ chicken, beef and pork along with burgers and poâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;boys.

Haute Pig (1856 Main Street, 601-853-8538) A â&#x20AC;&#x153;very high class pig stand,â&#x20AC;? Haute Pig offers Madison diners BBQ plates, sandwiches, po-boys, salads.

COFFEE HOUSES Cups Espresso CafĂŠ (Multiple Locations, www.cupsespressocafe.com) Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local group of coffeehouses offer a wide variety of espresso drinks. Wi-fi.

January 9 - 15, 2013

BARS, PUBS & BURGERS Burgers and Blues (1060 E. County Line Road, Ridgeland 601-899-0038) Best Burger of 2012, plus live music and entertainment!

Hal and Malâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (200 S. Commerce St. 601-948-0888) Pub favorites meet Gulf Coast and Cajun specialties like red beans and rice, the Oyster Platter or daily specials.

Cherokee Inn (960 Briarfield Rd. 601-362-6388) Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Hole in the Wall,â&#x20AC;? has a great jukebox, great bar and a great burger.

Cool Alâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (4654 McWillie, 601-713-3020) Cool Alâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature stacked, messy, decadent, creative burgers defy adjectives. And donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget the fries!

Fenianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pub (901 E. Fortification St. 601-948-0055) Classic Irish pub featuring a menu of traditional food, pub sandwiches and Irish beers on tap.

Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant and Lounge (214 South State Street 601-354-9712) Lunch specials, pub appetizers or order from the full menu of po-boys and entrees. Full bar, beer selection.

Ole Tavern on George Street (416 George St. 601-960-2700) Pub food with a southern flair: beer-battered onion rings, chicken & sausage gumbo, salads, sandwiches.

Underground 119 (119 South President St. 601-352-2322) Pan-seared crabcakes, shrimp and grits, filet mignon, vegetarian sliders. Live music. Opens 4 p.m., Wed-Sat Wing Stop (952 North State Street, 601-969-6400) Saucing and tossing in a choice of nine flavors, Wing Stop wings are made with care and served up piping hot.

40

ASIAN AND INDIAN Mr. Chenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (5465 I 55 North, 601-978-1865) Fresh authentic Chinese Food, located within an actual grocery store with many unique produce offerings.

Ruchi India (862 Avery Blvd @ County Line Rd. 601-991-3110) Classic Indian recipes, lost delicacies, alluring aromas and exotic ingredients. Fantastic Indian cuisine from multiple regions. Lamb, vegetarian, chicken, shrimp and more.

Pan Asia (720 Harbor Pines Dr, Ridgeland 601-956-2958) Beautiful ambiance and signature asian fusion dishes and build-your-own stir-frys.

Thai House (1405 Old Square, 601-982-9991) Voted one of Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best Asian 2003-2012,offers a variety of freshly made springrolls, pad thai, moo satay, curry.

VEGETARIAN High Noon CafĂŠ (2807 Old Canton Road in Rainbow Plaza 601-366-1513) Fresh, gourmet, tasty and healthy defines the lunch options at Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own strict vegetarian (and very-veganfriendly) restaurant adjacent to Rainbow Whole Foods.

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41

COURTESY MARY AMELIA MCREE

Local Muse

by Noelle White

L

are filled with shoes, purses and jewelry, and there is an entire room dedicated to “dry goods” such as candles, pillows, wallets and cosmetic bags, handmade jewelry, sunglasses, scarves, pet accessories, art and furniture.

Can you virtually walk us through Fondren Muse?

Sure. I decided to paint everything white in order to have a blank canvas. I left the original wooden slats bare on one wall, racks are made of galvanized steel pipes, and my sales counter basically looks like a pile of raw wood. Shelves

What is the price range?

I have plenty of pieces under $30, and then I have a Chanel jacket for $1,450. I would say that the bulk of the pieces we have in here are around or below $100.

COURTESY MARY AMELIA MCREE

et’s be honest: There aren’t many places to turn in Jackson if you want true couture designer clothes.

But when Mary Amelia McRee opened a designer consignment boutique, Fondren Muse, on Halloween last year, big-time labels became a little more accessible in the metro.

McRee grew up in Belhaven and graduated from Jackson Prep before going on to get a degree in kinesiology from Mississippi State University. After realizing that kinesiology was probably not her passion, she began renovating and selling homes in the Belhaven area.

As a pet owner and volunteer for Community Animal Rescue and Adoptions Mississippi, McRee originally planned to open a green doggie day care, but the idea soon took new life as an upscale boutique and CARA drop site, Fondren Muse.

How do you pick brands to be in Fondren Muse?

We have a list of “Labels We Like” on the website, but we definitely are not limited to just those labels. Being a “designer” consignment store is what sets FM apart from other shops around town.

Some of the “dry goods” offered at Fondren Muse include a Heroic Chief pillow ($74), Reserve candles ($27) and wool jacquard wallets ($38)..

In her shop Fondren Muse, Mary Amelia McRee has found a way to indulge her love of fashion while helping rescue animals.

Any plans of opening other locations for Fondren Muse?

I’d love to expand FM to other places, but expect to see it next online.

When did you get involved with CARA? I started volunteering at CARA events on the weekends a few years ago after rescuing my precious pup, Friend, whom readers are likely to see on occasion at FM.

How can someone who tends to dress really “safe” break out of her comfort zone and dress more creatively?

A fun way to be a little daring is adding a bold scarf to your outfit. Change out your flats for a low/mid-heel bootie.

How does this involvement with CARA carry over in to your boutique?

Consignors at FM are given the option to donate a portion of their 50 percent cut of items sold to CARA. We are also a drop-off location for donations to CARA; they keep an updated “wish-list” on their website (carams.org).

I know that they are always happy to get pet food, but are particularly in need of blankets, towels, sheets and comforters for the winter months.

Why did you want to open a boutique in the Fondren area?

Fondren is a great area for retail, as well as a community that is supportive and accepting of new concepts and ideas.

Fondren Muse is located at 3413 N. State St. and open Mondays from noon to 6 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, call 601-345-1155, email FondrenMuse@gmail. com or visit FondrenMuse.com.

January 9 - 15, 2013

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