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CONTENTS

JACKSONIAN

MARCH 4 - 17, 2020 VOL. 18 NO. 14

ON THE COVER illustration by Zilpha Young

6 EDITOR’S NOTE 9 TALKS

9 Siemens Settles The City of Jackson reaches a settlement with a corporation and its subcontractors.

11 JXN 12 ONE LAKE 16 PROGRESS

Moving to a new area for work can have its challenges. For Murrah High School economics teacher Acacia Clippert, the transition from Michigan to Mississippi validated her decision to follow her chosen career path.

The 27-year-old attended Brandon High School in Ortonville, Mich., where she was born and raised. She received her bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University and earned her teaching certification and master’s degree from Oakland University.

After finishing her student teaching requirements in Michigan last year, she moved to Jackson with her boyfriend and began working as a long-term substitute at Olde Towne Middle School.

Looking for more teaching opportunities, Clippert emailed multiple principals and schools in the local area. She eventually heard back from Alvanette Buchanan at Murrah High School. After interviewing for and being offered the job, she began teaching economics to 10th graders starting in October 2019.

After earning her bachelor’s degree in history, Clippert began working for Volkswagen but decided the job was not her thing, so she elected to continue her education in a new field: teaching.

“I always liked working with people, so I decided to go back to school to teach. I’m really happy I did because I’ve been really enjoying it so far,” Clippert says.

ACACIA CLIPPERT Clippert is certified to teach classes that fall under the social studies category such as history, government and economics.

“I enjoy teaching economics because economics applies to everyone and has an impact on everyone’s lives, no matter what age you are,” she says.

In her new position, Clippert says one of her favorite parts of the job is getting to know her students.

“They all have different personalities, and the kids are a lot of fun. Getting to know them, watching them learn—especially when they’re struggling with something, and then you just see it click, and they have that aha moment—that’s kind of like, ‘Yeah, this is exactly why I do this,’” Clippert says.

In her free time, she likes to read and enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking with her dog, a yellow labrador retriever and pitbull mix, but her passion lies with imparting her students with knowledge that can help them going forward.

“I wholeheartedly believe that education is the best thing for a person. So many things can be taken away from you in life, but if you have that education, that’s something you’ll always have,” Clippert says. “It doesn’t matter where you were born. It doesn’t matter what school district you’re in. … Everyone should be able to have a quality education.”

– Jenna Gibson

Review the new restaurants and businesses that have opened this last quarter.

20 Have Headaches?

Mike Moore shares his experiences dealing with chiari and his plans to help others.

22 BITES 24 ARTS 25 MELODIES 26 EVENTS 27 SPORTS 34 MUSIC LISTINGS 36 PUZZLE 36 SORENSEN 37 ASTRO 37 CLASSIFIEDS 38 BEST PLACE TO WORK

March 4 - 17, 2020 • boomjackson.com

ACACIA CLARK

18 Old Spaces, New Faces

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editor’s note

Editor-in-Chief and CEO Donna Ladd Publisher & President Todd Stauffer Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin Creative Director Kristin Brenemen REPORTERS AND WRITERS City Reporter Seyma Bayram State Reporter Nick Judin Culture Reporter Aliyah Veal Contributing Reporters Ashton Pittman, Mauricio J. Quijano State Intern Julian Mills Contributing Writers Dustin Cardon, Bryan Flynn, Alex Forbes, Jenna Gibson, Tunga Otis Torsheta Jackson, Mike McDonald, Anne B. Mckee EDITORS AND OPERATIONS Deputy Editor Nate Schumann JFPDaily.com Editor Dustin Cardon Executive Assistant Azia Wiggins Listings Editor Kayode Crown Consulting Editor JoAnne Prichard Morris ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY Senior Designer Zilpha Young Contributing Photographers Seyma Bayram, Acacia Clark, Nick Judin, Imani Khayyam, Ashton Pittman, Brandon Smith ONLINE & DIGITAL SERVICES Digital Web Developer Ryan Jones Web Editor Dustin Cardon Social Media Assistant Robin Johnson Web Designer Montroe Headd Let’s Talk Jackson Editor Kourtney Moncure SALES AND MARKETING (601-362-6121 x11) Marketing Writer Andrea Dilworth Marketing Consultant Mary Kozielski Advertising Designer Zilpha Young Events Assistant Leslyn Smith DISTRIBUTION Distribution Coordinator Ken Steere Distribution Team Yvonne Champion, Ruby Parks, Eddie Williams TALK TO US: Letters letters@jacksonfreepress.com Editorial editor@jacksonfreepress.com Queries submissions@jacksonfreepress.com Listings events@jacksonfreepress.com Advertising ads@jacksonfreepress.com Publisher todd@jacksonfreepress.com News tips news@jacksonfreepress.com

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

Jackson Free Press 125 South Congress Street, Suite 1324 Jackson, Mississippi 39201 Editorial and Sales (601) 362-6121 Fax (601) 510-9019 Daily updates at jacksonfreepress.com

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The Jackson Free Press is the city’s award-winning, locally owned news magazine, reaching more than 35,000 readers per issue via more than 600 distribution locations in the Jackson metro area—and an average of over 35,000 visitors per week at www. jacksonfreepress.com. The Jackson Free Press is free for pick-up by readers; one copy per person, please.

First-class subscriptions are available to “gold level” and higher members of the JFP VIP Club (jfp.ms/ vip). The views expressed in this magazine and at jacksonfreepress.com are not necessarily those of the publisher or management of Jackson Free Press Inc. © Copyright 2020 Jackson Free Press Inc.

Email letters and opinion to letters@jacksonfreepress.com, fax to 601-510-9019 or mail to 125 South Congress St., Suite 1324, Jackson, Mississippi 39201. Include daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length and clarity, as well as factchecked.

Challenges of a Baby-Faced Editor // by Nate Schumann

T

hursday evening, in between wrapping plates in recycled newspapers and stacking limited-edition hardcover books into a dresser drawer (I moved into a new apartment over the weekend), I took three suit jackets off their racks and slipped them on, one-byone. I had recently purchased each coat for $5 apiece at Junior League Jumble at the beginning of February, a steal. They fit well enough, not too tight around the chest, and the sleeves were the right length.

However, when I looked into the mirror, my reflection sighed back at me.

Let me rewind. Earlier in the week, I decided I would visit colleges and universities in the Jackson metro to put up some flyers. We are welcoming the chance to work with new freelance writers, and after joining the Jackson Free Press straight after graduating from the University of Mississippi, where I held editing positions with The Student Printz and had many talented colleagues, I knew that college students branching into journalism held enormous potential.

Since stepping up into my current position of deputy editor in September, I have become well acquainted with the Jackson Free Press’ pool of freelance writers. I offer them story assignments, help them get connected with their sources and schedule interviews, edit and give feedback on their articles and more. I enjoy cultivating cordial, professional relationships with them, so the idea of recruiting seemed like it would be fun. Plus, I was ahead of my workload, so I had the time.

That said, I am self-aware of how youthful I appear. I am barely over 5-foot-3, and I have a somewhat rounded face my dear friend Aaron likes to describe as “cherub-like” (sigh, my future best man, ladies and gentlemen).

Anyhow, my various traits together make me appear far younger than I am, as people point out at least a dozen times per year. I usually don’t mind it. I often just chime back with, “Hey, that just means when I’m older, I’ll still look good for my wife,” which usually elicits a chuckle.

While I have had a lifetime in my nearly 24 years to grow accustomed to this sort of thing, I do sometimes struggle with accepting how others may perceive me. I end up self-conscious

when I suspect others may not take me seriously on a professional level because I look like a teenager. Now, practically speaking, I know I will meet many professionals who will treat me as a peer— my current co-workers already do—but that paranoia likes to nest in my brain.

And when it comes to approaching people around my own age, my tendency to overthink kicks into overdrive.

I see them and wonder whether they will see me or if my secret superpower of social invisibility will kick in

Nate Schumann, deputy editor

again, and they just walk past me while I am trying to catch their attention. I already have a somewhat meek personality and occasionally have difficulty asserting myself, but I also have resolve to do what I know needs done.

Thus, I decided I would do my best to dress for success. I figured if I spruced myself up and wore some extra-nice attire, then I may better convince the college students with whom I would be speaking to listen to my pitch.

Which brings me back to the suit jackets. Guess what? My stubbornly short torso makes them drape well below my waist. Looking in the mirror, I felt more like a kid playing dress-up than I did a professional editor seeking out new coworkers. Re-racking the coats, I decided the rest of the ensemble would just have to do.

Dressed in an ash-gray button-up, charcoal gray slacks and my fiancée’s black dress shoes (yes, she and I are the same shoe size), I stepped onto each campus a mixed bag of nervousness, nostal-

gia and, honestly, excitement. Taking in the sights of the fountains and flowers and gazebos, I enjoyed the adventure.

Of course, I sighed once more when I saw a group of touring high-school seniors who looked years older than I do, but I brushed the thought aside.

I was on a mission, after all.

After pinning flyers on as many bulletin boards as I could find, I visited English, journalism, and communication professors and other campus representatives to let them know about the freelance opportunities that the JFP offered so that the information could be disseminated to even more students.

Lo and behold, all my worries were misplaced! Everyone I met accommodated me and made me feel welcome.

Students looked me in the eye as we discussed the details of what all the freelancing positions entailed. No longer feeling out of place, I never once sensed a shred of annoyance or dismissiveness.

I should have known better. Time and time again, I find myself uplifted by those I encounter while working in my chosen field of journalism.

Instead of burdening myself with unnecessary, self-imposed concerns that weigh me down, I have come to better realize that I should have more confidence in myself and more faith in others.

As long as I carry myself as a professional, I believe others will be more likely to perceive me as a professional—coat or no coat, regardless of my cherubic face.

That said, I understand that not all lessons can become fully ingrained in the course of a day. As such, I challenge myself to not let my confidence wane. I may still be a little green in my journey into the editing sphere, but I am here. I am an editor. I am a working professional. And I should remember that. I look forward to seeing how this job continues to shape me. As a matter of fact, I’m also challenging myself to see just how much I can evolve over the next several years. After all, I do not have to look especially grown to continue growing up. Thanks, Jackson!

For anyone interested in joining the Jackson Free Press as a freelance writer, send an updated resume along with some writing samples to nate@jacksonfreepress. com. Additionally, anyone with tips on possible feature stories can send them along to the same address.

contributors

Spring Market

March 27-29, 2020 Seyma Bayram

State reporter Nick Judin grew up in Jackson and graduated from the University of Mississippi. He is covering this year’s legislative session. Try not to run him over when you see him crossing State Street. He wrote the cover story on One Lake.

Staff Reporter Seyma Bayram is from the Kurdish region of Turkey and grew up in The Netherlands and New York.

She is a graduate of the Columbia Journalism School and the State University of New York at Binghamton.

She wrote about the Siemens deal.

Alyssa Bass

Jenna Gibson

Freelance writer Alyssa Bass is executive editor at the University of Southern Mississippi’s student-led newspaper, The Student Printz. In her free time, she enjoys watching reality TV and pretending to be bougie at brunch. She wrote the arts story on Keri Horn.

Freelance writer Jenna Gibson is from Petal and graduated from Millsaps College, where she majored in communications and English literature.

She now works as a copywriter at an ad agency in Fondren. She wrote the Jacksonian and Do-Gooder stories.

ShoptheMarket Acacia Clark

Bryan Flynn

Freelance photographer Acacia Clark picked up the photography gene from her father. When the camera is down she enjoys anything involving the arts, playing the cello and piano, volunteering with the deaf, cooking, and her family and friends.

Bryan Flynn is nearly a lifelong Mississippian, who has freelanced for the JFP since 2010. When not watching or writing about sports, he can be found working on some type of home brew. He wrote the sports story on the Mississippi Lady Panthers.

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JXN // relief

The Siemens Settlement, Explained // by Seyma Bayram

Siemens representatives declined this newspaper’s repeated interview requests.

Roy Campbell, a Jackson-based lawyer representing Siemens, also declined to speak with the Jackson Free Press.

‘Bait-and-Switch’?

In 2013, the City of Jackson entered into the $90-million performance contract with Siemens to upgrade Jackson’s sewer lines and water-treatment plants and to

contractors installed the new billing system, residents reported not receiving any bills, sometimes for months or years. Those who did receive water bills reported inaccurate— and unusually high—amounts, which they often did not pay.

On Feb. 27, Public Works Director Bob Miller confirmed to the Jackson Free Press via email that the City “has 34,804 active water and sewer customer accounts with outstanding balances over $100 that in

proven system, failing to disclose to the City that Siemens had never successfully paired the two systems before. Siemens also failed to disclose that installing a new automated water meter system at the same time as a new electronic billing system is unprecedented and is contrary to industry standards.”

By press time, the City was unable to confirm how many of the water-billing failures were due to faulty installation of the city of JackSon

On Feb. 19, 2020, Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba announced a $89.8-million settlement with Siemens Inc.

install a new automated water-sewer billing system. Court records show that, in the months leading up to the contract, Siemens had promised $120 million in “guaranteed savings” for the city. The corporation stated that the new water-sewer repairs and billing system alone would generate enough savings to pay for the $90-million project.

“In its pitch to the City, Siemens repeatedly invoked the guaranteed structure of an energy performance contract,” the City’s June 2019 lawsuit against Siemens reads. “When it came time to execute an agreement, Siemens effectuated a ‘bait-andswitch’ that fell short of a true performance contract.”

Instead of generating revenue or savings for the City, the work Siemens contracted to complete resulted in problems that have thrown Jackson’s water-sewer system into crisis and the City further into debt, the lawsuit charged.

Not long after Siemens and its sub-

arrears more than 30 days.” (sic) Those balances add up to a total of $43,541,780.35, he wrote.

The unpaid bills have depleted the City’s enterprise fund and forced it to dip into the general fund to continue making repairs on Jackson’s deteriorating watersewer system. The City had to take out loans to make vital water-sewer repairs, such as the $7-million emergency loan that the Jackson City Council approved in October 2019.

Mueller Systems manufactured the water meters that Siemens and its subcontractors—specifically M.A.C. & Associates —installed in Jackson. Court documents show that Siemens “did not disclose that it had never installed a Mueller water meter system for use in conjunction with an Oracle Customer Care & Billing System.”

The City argued in the lawsuit that Siemens “essentially used the City of Jackson as a $90 million test case for an un-

meters and how many they believe were caused by the faulty manufacture of the meters themselves.

Select Subcontractors Sued The City’s lawsuit named the following Mississippi-based subcontractors: U.S. Consolidated Group LLC, headed

by Tommy Wallace; M.A.C. & Associates LLC, which lists Marcus L. Wallace as its agent; Ivision IT Consultants LLC, headed

by James Covington; and Garrett Enterprises Consolidated LLC, which Leland Socrates Garrett owns.

The mayor’s Feb. 19 remarks addressed criticisms from targeted minority subcontractors. “One of the Siemens subcontractors remarked, ‘It’s a sad day in our City when we have a fake African American mayor who clearly does not understand the history and the struggles of black businesses in our city.’ Let me be clear, this lawsuit was more SIEMENS, p 10

March 4 - 17, 2020 • boomjackson.com

T

he years-long saga of a troubled contract with Siemens Inc. and subcontractors for new water meters for Jackson seemed to come to an end on Feb. 19 when Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba announced that the City of Jackson had reached a $89.8-million settlement with the multinational corporation.

The mayor’s statement came eight months after the City had filed a lawsuit against Siemens and several local subcontractors for more than $450 million in damages stemming from botched work on Jackson’s water-sewer infrastructure and billing system.

“I committed to you that I would sue Siemens for the harm they caused our city and the community-at-large. Promise made, promise kept,” the mayor said during the press conference from City Hall.

He then revealed that Siemens had agreed to pay back the full amount of the January 2013 Siemens contract that outgoing Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. had signed on Dec. 28, 2012.

The Jackson City Council had voted on Jan. 18, 2018, to pursue litigation against Siemens to recover the full amount of the contract. Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes, who had proposed the motion, voted to pass it, along with Councilmen Aaron Banks of Ward 6 and De’Keither Stamps of Ward 4. Councilmen Ashby Foote of Ward 1 and Charles Tillman of Ward 5 voted against it, while Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. and Ward 7 Councilwoman Virgi Lindsay were absent.

Lumumba’s remarks on Feb. 19 included serious allegations far beyond poor work performance. “Siemens and its subcontractors manipulated the minority contracting rules to inflate the cost of the system from approximately $45 million to (nearly) $90 million. This was done through reselling meters in order to inflate their cost so that middlemen could line their pockets,” Lumumba alleged.

The corporation gave a different account later, however. “Siemens disagrees strongly with the Mayor’s characterization of the company and contract. Among other shortcomings, this one-sided view failed to acknowledge broader water and sewer system issues,” a Siemens spokeswoman wrote in an emailed statement.

“Because the settlement is not yet finalized, Siemens cannot comment further,” the spokeswoman repeated on March 2.

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never about suing black businesses, it was about suing bad businesses.”

Lawyers representing the subcontractors named in the City’s lawsuit argue that the mayor’s allegations of fraud and wrongdoing against their clients are unfounded, and that the City should have sued all subcontractors involved in the contract rather than singling out four of them.

During a court appearance at the Hinds County Courthouse on Feb. 25, attorney Terris Harris, who represents Ivision IT Consultants, argued before special-appointed Judge Oliver Diaz that subcontractors Hemphill Construction Co. and Expert Professional Solutions should have also been named in the suit. Court documents show that Ivision was tasked with “implementing the new CC&B billing system,” for which it was compensated $11 million.

Attorney Dorsey Carson represents Garrett Enterprises Consolidated, which the City’s lawsuit states “was paid $4.6 million to perform construction management and quality control services.” He emphasizes that the City’s allegations that his client acted fraudulently were unsubstantiated.

“We don’t know why we were brought in. The complaint doesn’t say why we were brought in other than a vague conspiracy claim,” Carson told reporters after court.

(Carson is also an attorney for the Jackson Free Press in unrelated matters.)

“This has been really hard on the subcontractors that are basically being blamed based on (a) defective meter system that they’re not responsible for,” Carson said.

The Jackson Free Press obtained documents showing that the City paid Expert Professional Services, also called XPS, $500,000 for work it performed as part of the Siemens deal. Lumumba supporter and current city contractor Akil Bakari owns XPS, registered with the State under his other name, Willie Webster.

Brilliant Minds Public Relations, headed by Geilia Taylor, was another subcontractor that the City paid at least $444,012.00, as was Total Business Development, owned by Lucius Wright, which saw a $520,950.00 pay-out.

In a March 3 phone call, Taylor told the Jackson Free Press that her company performed “community engagement and outreach” under the Siemens deal. “We created educational materials about the project and we posted those in various areas around the City as needed and as directed. We also coordinated community meetings where we had representatives from the City and Siemens to come in and speak to the community… about what was going on with the project,” Taylor said. She added that she was “engaged” in the project “from the

notice to proceed up until the contract was closed out.”

Wright said in a phone call later that morning that his company provided “training for installation of meters.” He added: “That’s as much as I can share with you because that’s public information now.”

The Jackson Free Press was unable to reach Bakari to confirm the work his company performed under the Siemens deal, but in a Feb. 27 phone call, Councilman Priester suggested that XPS worked on the billing software. “I want to say that they were working with Ivision and Origin on the software side,” Priester said.

Bakari, who served on the transition team of both Mayor Lumumba and the

stated in the legal memo.

The Jackson Free Press is now going through 500 pages of Lumumba’s campaign contribution records to factcheck Carson’s assertion, but most records are in hard-to-read, long-hand writing. Thus, this assertion is not verified to date.

In a phone interview on Feb. 27, Mayor Lumumba said that the City’s legal team decided whom to sue. He added that the team’s investigation yielded additional revelations, such as the role of Mueller Systems in the crisis. After discovering that Mueller Systems’ stockholders had filed a lawsuit against the company for loss of revenue stemming from the same faulty meters that were installed in Jackson, the courtesy James covington

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

JXN // SIEMENS, from page 9

Ivision IT Consultants LLC, owned by James Covington, is one of four local subcontractors that the City of Jackson named in its lawsuit.

mayor’s late father, recently made headlines after the Jackson City Council voted unanimously to censure Jackson Chief Administrative Officer Robert Blaine.

Blaine had signed off on $100,000 in payments to XPS for work that was supposed to have cost $48,000. The mayor has characterized the error as an honest mistake.

In a memo accompanying Garrett Enterprises Consolidated’s motion to dismiss the City of Jackson’s complaint, filed last November, Carson raised questions about the relationships between unnamed subcontractors and the mayor.

“The only common thread amongst these particular minority subcontractors, as contrasted to the subcontractors not sued, appears to be that these particular defendants did not fund or otherwise support the current mayor or his father in their campaigns for mayor, but rather supported one or more opposing candidates,” Carson’

City’s legal team amended its complaint to include Mueller Systems.

“The subs will now say that it wasn’t their fault because the meters didn’t work,” the mayor said, pointing out that the subcontractors would not have known about Mueller Systems’ role had the City not amended its original complaint.

“Yes, that is one component of it. …

Another component is that there were no quality controls on it. Another component is that the contract in and of itself was ballooned in order for a pass-through,” Lumumba added.

The mayor was referring to the lawsuit’s allegations that U.S. Consolidated, which was supposed to supply water meters, bought meters from Mueller Systems and then resold them to Siemens at a “markedup price for installation by yet another subcontractor (M.A.C. & Associates).”

The City’s legal team pursued litiga-

tion against parties based on strength of evidence, the mayor reiterated. Lumumba explained that the City decided to not pursue Siemens International Corp., for example, because it did not have a direct connection to the botched work in Jackson—whereas Siemens North America did.

“There are people we did sue that I have relationships with. There are people we did sue that not only have I had relationships with them, I’ve had relationships with their family,” the mayor said, emphasizing that the City of Jackson pursued litigation not based on personal relationships but on “bad business.”

The legal team prioritized those that profited most from the flawed deal. “You then also follow the money, too, where you’ve got Ivision (James Covington) getting ($11) million ... and you’ve got the firm XPS (Akil Bakari) that got $500,000.

Obviously, you’re more interested in what Ivision did,” Lumumba said.

By press time, the City had not responded to the Jackson Free Press’ request for a list of all subcontractors that performed work and received payment as part of the Siemens deal. In 2016, the Jackson City Council passed an ordinance requiring subcontractor transparency. $30 Million for Attorneys It is unclear how the City will spend the money recovered through the Siemens settlement. The mayor said his administration would seek residents’ input through community discussions.

City spokeswoman Candice Cole confirmed to the Jackson Free Press on March 3 that the City will host its first community meeting on the allocation of settlement funds on March 31, with six more meetings scheduled through the end of April. The City will notify the public of the meetings through its social-media channels, website and elsewhere, Cole said.

But if the current arrangement stands, attorneys for the City will receive 33% of the settlement, or roughly $30 million, thus leaving the City approximately $60 million. Court records show that Jacksonbased attorney Winston J. Thompson III, together with the firm Lightfoot, Franklin & White, which has offices in Alabama and Texas, had filed the original lawsuit on behalf of the City of Jackson.

Thompson previously served as an assistant district attorney under then-District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith and also sued the families of white teenagers from Rankin County who killed James Anderson, a black man, in Jackson in 2011 on behalf of his family. Jackson attorney Barry Howard is also representing the City,

JXN // SIEMENS the mayor confirmed. Howard, who was one of the mayor’s father’s largest campaign contributors, head of his transition team and shared office space with both Lumumbas before they became mayors, is the brother of City Attorney Tim Howard, who is not involved in the Siemens lawsuit.

The Jackson Free Press asked Mayor Lumumba why the City chose to work with an out-of-state firm—which is majority white—on the lawsuit.

“Quite simply, what the City looked for was a law firm that would win the case for us, a law firm that was going to put in the necessary work,” the mayor responded.

“One of the considerations in that was thinking about the political connections that some people have and how it might unduly influence their work. … Knowing how highly politically charged this was, we needed an objective voice.”

“Not every law firm has the capital on hand to pursue a case of this magnitude,” he added, noting that Lightfoot, Franklin & White had taken a sizable risk by vowing to put $1 million of work into the case, regardless of its outcome.

The Jackson Free Press also asked the mayor about his relationship to attorney Thompson. “My relationship with Mr.

Thompson is one where I have mutual respect for our work. That’s all,” the mayor, who was a practicing lawyer before he ran for office, answered.

Thompson was also one of Lumumba’s largest campaign contributors. In 2017, he gave at least $20,000 to Lumumba’s mayoral campaign, one of his largest donors.

In a phone interview last month, Councilman Priester praised Mayor Lumumba for putting together what he called “the absolute perfect team to try this case.”

the speed at which they were able to get a resolution, and the techniques they used to bring this case to a resolution,” he said.

Mississippi imposes a cap on contingency-fee contracts with outside counsel.

That statute applies to state, state-wide elected officials and “an arm or agency of the state.” Although municipalities may be considered “an arm or agency of the state” in some legal contexts, former Rep. Mark Baker of Brandon, who drafted the statute, confirmed to the Jackson Free Press that he

These particular defendants did not fund or otherwise support the current mayor or his father ...

“I was very impressed,” Priester said, highlighting the legal team’s speed as well as the sophisticated techniques it used to try what he called “a very complex case.”

Priester added that the 33% contingency fee is very common. “While it’s a very large amount of money that these attorneys are being paid, I do think it is justified based on the caliber of attorneys we retained,

did not design it to apply to city lawsuits.

Lumumba pointed out that Franklin, Little & White typically charges 40%, but that he negotiated their contingency attorney’s fees down to 33% of the settlement.

Some people, like Ward 6 Councilman Banks, have questioned the settlement’s speed. “I think there was a rush to get this done. … Does this settlement make

this City whole?” Banks asked, noting that the City’s losses exceeded $60 million.

“You settle cases because someone proves to you that you have a significant chance of losing,” Lumumba responded.

Settling the case was also in the City of Jackson’s best interest because “there are all kinds of legal maneuvers that would allow Siemens to kick the can down the road so long that it could be 10 years before we witness one dollar.” Then, the City would continue bleeding out approximately $20 million a year, he added.

The City and Siemens are now in the process of “exchanging releases,” a legal process to ensure that neither party will pursue further legal action against the other. That is a standard protocol and prerequisite for any settlement, Lumumba said, pushing back on reports by Siemens and others that the settlement is not final.

“Without question, how silly would it be of me to announce that we have an agreement if we didn’t actually have one?

You can use the colloquial phrase, ‘Don’t believe me, just watch,’” Lumumba said.

Follow City Reporter Seyma Bayram on Twitter @SeymaBayram0. Send city tips to seyma@jacksonfreepress.com. Read more on the Siemens contract at jfp.ms/siemens.

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March 4 - 17, 2020 • boomjackson.com

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11

PEARL_RIVER_FLOODING_1.BMP NICK JUDIN

Last month’s flood joins the catastrophes of 1979 and 1983 as one of the largest floods in Jackson’s history, although smaller than both of the earlier ones.

Residents, officials and developers alike are clamoring for a permanent solution to the problem of flooding.

One Lake, Few Alternatives: A Primer // by Nick Judin

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

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12

o torrential rains accompanied the Jackson flood of 2020, no howling winds or crackling thunder. In between the soccer field and the Mississippi Basketball & Athletics building on Westbrook Road, the day was nearly serene, crisp and sunny. The road’s descent into floodwaters from the overflowing Pearl River was calm, but absolute. A webwork of waterways lay beyond, inundating homes, parks and community buildings.

In his 24-year career, Major Dale Bell had never seen anything like it. Bell commands the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks’ Special Response Team, which deployed in February to assist in rescue operations as the Pearl swallowed up neighborhoods in north Jackson. Though it was the first time in his career Bell faced a disaster of this magnitude in the capital city, it may not be the last.

This year’s floods, the worst since 1983, have forced a lingering problem back into focus. The current shape and placement of the Pearl River, its two levees and the Jackson metro itself mean that without intervention, the flooding of homes and business will not stop. Now, after decades of acrimonious debate, public officials must decide on the nature of that intervention—

and as of now, they’re betting on a project called “One Lake.”

Four Anti-Flooding Options The Rankin Hinds Pearl River Flood & Drainage Control District—Levee Board, for short—is the State of Mississippi-created agency responsible for crafting a permanent solution to Pearl flooding. The Levee Board consists of the mayors of Jackson, Pearl, Flowood and Richland, and representatives from Rankin and Hinds counties.

The Levee Board says that four floodmitigation plans are possible. The first is to do nothing. Every expert and official consulted says this is a non-starter. Even the most exorbitant cost estimates for a solution to the Pearl’s flooding pale in comparison to letting the problem linger indefinitely.

The second—Alternative A—is the “non-structural” plan. The board considered a variety of non-structural alternatives, but declared them insufficient to address flood control, except for one plan in which the board fully acquires all structures in the “1% chance exceedance flood event flood plain.” In plain English, that means areas likely to flood at least once a century. It states removing the structures alone would surpass $2 billion. “The cost of this alter-

native far exceeds economic justification,” Levee Board documents state.

The Levee Board discarded this proposal as quickly as it raised it. But environmentalists like Jill Mastrototaro, policy director at Audubon Mississippi, say the board ignores non-structural and natural options that worked in many other areas.

In an interview, Andrew Whitehurst, water program director at Healthy Gulf, called Alternative A a “strawman,” adding, “The non-structural option was made to look like something from Mars that could never happen.”

“It was by design to eliminate it as an option,” said Louie Miller, director of the Mississippi Sierra Club. Miller decried the entire draft process as overly secret and ultimately biased toward lucrative development. “The first thing you do with a water project is you publish it in the Federal Register. This project is this far along, and has never been published? The EPA hasn’t even looked at this project,” he said.

Levee expansion is the second alternative. Two levees now run along the banks of the Pearl River, with 13.5 miles of earthen embankments meant to contain water as it tops the banks of the river during flood events. Levees are generally considered

to be the most effective means of flood prevention, but they carry significant risks.

A levee provides a thin barrier between high floodwaters and inhabited areas, and that means levee failure can be an enormously destructive and deadly event.

Levees can also require manned pumps and additional structures to protect residents in the case of extreme floods, contingencies that drive the costs up. The Levee Board estimates the cost of an effective levee system to be roughly $730 million.

The U.S. Corps of Engineers approved a levee plan in 1996, but a broad field of challengers in Mississippi and Louisiana scuttled the plan due to fears of downstream impacts. Still, levee improvements and alterations will likely play a role in any final plan to address flooding in Jackson, as they do in the One Lake plan itself.

The third alternative would be a combination of “channel improvements,” weirs and levees—now the One Lake project, which follows more ambitious and ultimately unworkable lake ideas, including “Two Lakes,” abandoned in 2001, as well as the “LeFleur Lakes” plan, which persisted for a decade before Two Lakes.

One Lake means dredging a wide expanse of earth around the Pearl River, creat-

ONE LAKE changes could disrupt industry—hence Georgia-Pacific’s concerns about its mill— as well as change the flow schedule that has an impact on the delicate ecosystem of riverine creatures. Less flow of freshwater to the Gulf Coast could mean creeping saltwater intrusion, which could introduce saltwater predators to the oyster populations in estuarine habitats downstream.

Board Response: The Levee Board maintains that One Lake will not meaningfully affect water flow, quality and salinity for two primary reasons. The first reason, they say, is that the Pearl River above and within the project area provides a limited contribution to the total flow of the river.

Second, the weir at the bottom of the

PEARL_RIVER_FLOODING_2.BMP

Critics of the One Lake plan have grave concerns over the speed with which the Levee Board has adopted the dredging plan. Jill Mastrototaro, left, policy director at Audubon Mississippi, says the Levee Board should consider natural and non-destructive alternatives that would cause less harm.

Still, many of the concerns remain unresolved and, to date, the Levee Board has declined to host a public forum to take questions from the audience openly, instead opting for only accepting written questions and allowing one-on-one conversations.

A partial summary of the most significant questions about One Lake and its potential impacts follows.

Water Quality and Flow The Issue: Environmentalists and downstream public officials alike have raised alarms over the concern that retaining additional water upstream will change the oxygen level, temperature, or salinity of the water in the Pearl River south of Jackson and in the delta at the Gulf Sound. These

project has a gate that allows more water through during low-flow periods.

Turner points to a Tetra Tech study as satisfactory proof that One Lake will not damage the communities or ecosystems downstream, but the Tetra Tech study is one statistical analysis, not a comprehensive opinion. Public officials, environmentalists, and industry sources have requested more studies to better gauge the complex question of flow and water quality. Clarity may come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ review currently in the works.

Marty Pope, senior service hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Jackson, agreed that the Tetra Tech study presented a simulated model with little downstream changes from implementing One Lake. In

low-flow periods, which present the greatest threat to downstream environments, “there needs to be an agreement to keep that flow gate in the weir open,” Pope stressed.

Turner said the dam permit would specify minimum flow levels.

Sewage, Trash and Pollution The Issue: The City of Jackson struggles with sewage runoff directly into the Pearl River. The Environmental Protection Agency placed the City under a consent decree in 2012, which remains in place today.

But billions of gallons of “minimally treated sewage” still enter the Pearl River every year.

One Lake would create a large body of water fed by that same Pearl River, providing a broad channel into which sewage would flow and potentially not flush out, creating health hazards for the surrounding communities.

Beyond that, the project footprint includes several polluted waste sites, most notably a former creosote wood treatment facility. The Levee Board’s proposal has set aside $8 million for full remediation of these environmental issues, a number a joint letter from environmentalist groups to the Corps called “completely unrealistic.”

Finally, the project requires the dredging, storage and distribution of tens of millions of cubic yards of sediment from the Pearl River Basin, a massive undertaking with its own potential health risks.

Board Response: The Levee Board rejects the inclusion of some of the pollution sites in the project footprint, suggesting that they lay far enough outside the border of the channel to be irrelevant. Turner did acknowledge the need for better information on proper digging and redistribution of sediment, saying in a February interview that this information is forthcoming.

On the issue of sewage outflow, Turner took a different tack. “We can not build something because you’re concerned about the river being polluted, or we can build this flood project and get people’s homes out of the flood plain,” he said. The issue of sewage flowing into the Pearl River, in his perspective, exists with or without One Lake. “I would hope that by the time we build this thing the City of Jackson will have been able to resolve our sewer problems. But do we not fix people’s flooding problems because of that?” Turner asked.

Fix it anyway, Miller said: “At the end of the day, you’ve got a sewage treatment plant that’s been out of compliance for

more ONE LAKE, PAGE 14

March 4 - 17, 2020 • boomjackson.com

potential effects of the One Lake project, estimating “millions of dollars in terms of capital spend and ongoing expenses,” to properly keep the plant running.

The mayor of Monticello, Martha Watts, fears the project could force the plant out of her city. “We can’t lose (the paper mill), or we’re not here any longer,” Watts said in an interview.

One Lake’s backers display supreme confidence in the project and routinely downplay the concerns, often with complete certainty. “We’re gonna make Jackson the Mecca of the South,” Hinds County District 3 Supervisor Credell Calhoun said Feb. 17, before rejecting the possibility that the project could damage the City’s bridges.

NICK JUDIN

ing a lake that skirts the city’s eastern border, while removing an existing weir in the river near LeFleur’s Bluff State Park and replacing it with one closer to Byram. (A weir is essentially a dam that always allows some water to flow over it.) The idea is to use excavated land to expand the size of presently existing levees, and with the widened channel, even “100-year” flooding would impose less of a threat to buildings in the capital city and some of its suburbs.

One Lake has been the Levee Board’s “locally preferred option” since 2012. The Levee Board believes it is an elegant combination of solutions that fit the constricted project area, fully address the flooding dangers; and as part of a sensible cost-benefit balance, create some attractive waterfront property for local developers.

“The conventional thought is that if it were here and in place, instead of having 300 homes that were damaged and flooding, there’d only be 30,” Hinds County District 1 Supervisor and Levee Board member Robert Graham said. The board’s proposal estimates the total cost of One Lake to be $355 million, including interest accrued during construction. Levee Board attorney Keith Turner previously told The ClarionLedger that $134 million of federal funds have been earmarked for the project. The rest of the funding must come from state bonds and local taxes.

The challenges of dredging the Pearl River to create a lake in the Jackson area are daunting, however. The plan can affect water flow, water quality, the riverine ecosystem—some of its dwellers protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act— and the structural integrity of the vital roadways and bridges running along and across the Pearl River, including Interstate 20 and Interstate 55. Sewage and pollution from Jackson’s creeks and a number of uncapped waste sites along the project’s edge raise questions of health and safety for Jackson’s residents along with anyone using the proposed lake for recreation.

“The reason Jackson has such a dynamic flooding situation is because elected officials in Hinds and Rankin county have allowed development on the flood plain that they knew were going to flood,” the Sierra Club’s Miller said.

Plus, the potential fallout of these changes extends downriver, far beyond the project footprint. The Georgia-Pacific paper mill, the economic lifeline of Monticello, Miss., depends on particular levels of water flow and temperature in the Pearl River. Just last week, the Jackson Free Press obtained documents in which GeorgiaPacific raised serious concerns about the

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ONE LAKE, from page 13 years. There’s only one way to clean that up, and that’s spending the money.”

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

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Conservation Concerns The Issue: Beyond threats to downstream industry and towns like Monticello and Bogalusa, La., the Levee Board must account for One Lake’s potential effects on the intricate, delicate riverine ecosystem of the Pearl River. Dredging and widening the channel as it runs through Jackson changes the nature of the available habitat, destroys huge swaths of bottomland hardwood forests, and alters or eliminates portions of the existing habitats for multiple protected, at-risk species, including the ringed sawback and Pearl

draft Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statement (FS/EIS),” it states.

The report further explains that proposals must meet five criteria to gain the agency’s approval, including ecological soundness and all reasonable efforts to reduce ecological impact to the surrounding environs. The USFWS judged the One Lake proposal to violate all five criteria.

Board Response: The Levee Board is quick to point out the relative safety of the endangered species One Lake may affect, and stresses that part of the proposed budget for One Lake includes permanent sanctuaries for the endangered species along

PEARL_RIVER_FLOODING_2.BMP NICK JUDIN

Bridge Integrity The Issue: In late 2018, the Mississippi Department of Transportation warned that the dredging required to complete One Lake would cause “catastrophic failure” of the seven main channel bridges that cross the Pearl River in the project area. The threat to public safety and infrastructure would require the complete replacement of nine bridges in total, including spans of Interstate 20 and Interstate 55. The price tag for this replacement tops $100 million. This does not include the logistical challenges of replacing large portions of the Jackson metro’s main transportation arteries, forcing mass detours around the project area for an indeterminate period of time.

Despite many One Lake backers saying this issue is resolved and “mediated,” MDOT confirmed to the Jackson Free Press on Feb. 20 that it stands by McGrath’s letter and had requested additional information from the Levee Board last November, but has yet to receive the requested data.

Board Response: The Levee Board’s position is that much less expensive “bridge reinforcements” are all that are necessary to protect the structural integrity of the roadways in One Lake’s footprint. The board budgeted $5 million for such improvements in the current plan. Turner acknowledged the MDOT letter in conversations with the Jackson Free Press and said a response to the state agency was forthcoming.

“Our engineers are confident that they’ll be able to satisfy the Department of Transportation’s concerns on the bridges without replacing them,” Turner said in an interview. “Countermeasures will be put in place to reinforce the bridges during the construction.” Until MDOT revises its estimation of One Lake’s danger to bridge integrity, however, both the costs and the challenges of implementing the project far outstrip the current proposal’s estimates.

map turtle, as well as the Gulf sturgeon.

The fate of these species is not a particular concern to some Levee Board members, including Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba. “It may not be the politically correct thing to say, but I care a lot more about (Jackson residents) than some sturgeon,” he said Feb. 17 at a meeting on flash floods in west Jackson, prompted by this reporter asking him about bridge integrity.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service analyzed the One Lake plan in two papers, the latest a January 2020 Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (or FWCA) Report, and came to a number of conclusions. First, in

The Levee Board’s position is consistent: One Lake is the region’s best hope to end the threat of floods and mass evacuations. Critics do not believe the board has fully considered the potential impacts, lawsuits and costs One Lake brings.

spite of any potential impacts on the individual threatened and endangered species in the One Lake project area, the agency does not anticipate significant danger to those species’ overall populations. “The biological opinion does suggest less than a 5% loss (of total population),” Whitehurst said.

But the Healthy Gulf director stressed that ecology represents a bigger picture.

“That’s the difference between looking at an individual species and the entire river. The wetland loss, the habitat loss, the threats downstream, fall under this larger analysis.

It didn’t go the drainage district’s way,” he said referring to the Levee Board.

On the subject of One Lake, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s summary of findings is explicit. “By choosing Alternative C, the channel improvement plan, the District has selected the most environmentally damaging alternative of those analyzed in the

the banks of the Pearl River.

But it vociferously objects to USFWS’ newest report. “The FWCA Report does not provide the reader an objective review of the Selected Plan,” the board’s formal response states, suggesting it contains “numerous misrepresentations, incorrect facts, (and) misleading statements.”

Most critically, Turner suggests the study fails to consider the board’s mitigation plan. “The mitigation plan addresses all the environmental issues,” Turner said.

“There are things they’ve worked on since 2018 that we haven’t been able to see.

There are external reviews on the plan that are bound to be finished. Let us see them,” Whitehurst said.

The full FWCA report and the board’s formal response are available on the Jackson Free Press website at jacksonfreepress.com/ FWCA.

Alternatives D-Z The Levee Board has a blueprint for the project and its alternatives—the Integrated Draft Feasibility and Environmental Impact Statement, or DEIS. It discusses five nonstructural options in the draft, but only in passing. The DEIS gives only the full buyout detailed consideration.

The draft rejects everything else, from a limited buyout to structure elevation, to floodproofing, for what it frames as an unacceptable lack of “substantial effective flood risk reduction.” The draft claims to consider these plans in concert with other options.

But no hybrid proposal of nonstructural options is presented in the draft.

Audubon Mississippi’s examples of successful natural flood-control across the nation include an array of options. Limited buyouts, conveyance improvements and more broadly, wetlands restoration efforts have provided the solution for flood-control projects in multiple regions and environments, along lakes, rivers and coastlines.

Projects like the Meramec Greenway in Missouri used natural restoration, not dredging, to create a cost-effective solution to the Meramec River’s flooding. If the Levee Board considered a hybrid wetlands restoration plan, the DEIS does not reflect it.

“We didn’t have the luxury then of looking at other hybrid plans. We had to work with what they gave us,” Whitehurst said of the public comment period.

The debate over One Lake rages on, as the Corps prepares its final opinion on the project’s feasibility. Only the intervention of U.S. Congressman Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, in America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, forced the project to have to wait for Corps approval. Prior to that, the Levee Board could have bypassed the Corps.

For Turner, the Levee Board and the project’s supporters—some of whom certainly own land that could increase in value once the project was complete—One Lake represents the best possible outcome in exceedingly confined circumstances, both geographic and financial.

For Mastrototaro, Whitehurst, Miller and the unified voices of the project’s environmentalist and safety critics, One Lake is a dangerous gamble. They assert that the Levee Board has not fully considered best practices and workable hybrid solutions.

“We want people to get the help they need, but the real help they need,” Mastrototaro said in an interview.

Email state reporter Nick Judin at nick@ jacksonfreepress.com and follow him on Twitter at @nickjudin. Visit jacksonfreepress.com/ pearlriver for extensive One Lake coverage.

JXN // education & sports

Shoestring on the Rise // by torsheta Jackson “We love working with communities where we can actually see the impact of the commitment to the design,” Project Manager Shannon Gathings says. “Operation courtesy operation shoestring

S

tudents in Operation Shoestring’s Project Rise afterschool program were in for a special treat when they returned in January to a newly renovated state-ofthe-art facility in central Jackson.

“Just the oohhs and the ahhs and the ‘Oh, this is cool’ as they walked in the door Tuesday, January 7, was powerful,” Executive Director Robert Langford says.

Operation Shoestring, which began in 1968, provides academic, social and emotional support to neighborhood children. The Ellen Harris Center on Bailey Avenue also supports and provides resources for families.

Nearly 10 years ago, the organization began discussions with Duvall Decker Architects on how to best repair and revamp the existing space. The program was housed in an aging building with a leaking roof, windows with bars and dark, closed-off classrooms.

“We felt the quality of our programs were limited by our physical environment,” Langford says. “It looked more like a jail than a place where learning, exploration and affirming experiences for kids should occur.”

Duvall Decker welcomed the opportunity to assist the long-standing neighborhood staple, and as the program approached its 50th anniversary in 2018, the pair pushed forward with the collaboration.

Students use the center to do homework together.

Shoestring has always done the most with what they had, so it was an easy commitment for us to make, knowing the work they do.”

Focus-group meetings solicited the input of the faculty, youth and parents who used the facility, along with local community leaders and Shoestring’s board members.

“We worked really closely with everyone to determine what they needed and wanted for the space—taking those ideas back and drawing them out,” Gathings says.

The building now features modern spaces filled with natural light, lounge-like modular furniture, and walls in a variety of colors and textures. A large open community room can be reconfigured into smaller classrooms; a computer lab features bar-style seating and large projection screens; reading nooks and smaller activity spaces are perfect for enrichment programs; and a new residential kitchen is equipped to not only provide meals and snacks but also to host programs for both students and parents.

The acquisition of adjacent property provided the space to build a new modern playground for students and to expand parking.

Langford hopes that the facility not only meets the needs of their youth people, but also encourages more growth and progress in the neighborhood.

“We hope it continues to yield great outcomes for the kids and families we serve and create a catalyst for change in the neighborhood by working with other stakeholders, including residents and others, to create more good spaces in the neighborhood,” he says.

Visit operationshoestring.org to learn more.

Mississippi Lady Panthers on the Prowl // by Bryan Flynn the games. The coaching staff is afford the trip, cutting the team’s working on incorporating better numbers and versatility. communication and structure Heading into its second year as players learn to finish plays as a team, Veal and Jackson are instead of taking plays off. excited about the future of the The Panthers will franchise. The team is set to begin be broadcast on the Women’s the season with 50 to 60 players, National Football Conference and the core of last year’s team is website. Games will stream on returning to give the Panthers a either the seventh or eighth mix of experienced players and week of the season. Tickets to newcomers. In fact, 27 of the 50 The Jackson-based women’s tackle-football team games cost around $7 to $10 to 60 players on this year’s team prepares for its second season, which begins April 4. and can be purchased through played last year. The team is set to the WNFC website. Kickoff for play games at Madison Ridgeland Academy, although the group may play women do not have to pay out-of-pocket. games begins around 6 or 6:30 p.m., with some games at Pearl Youth Field, where “Funding is not our friend right now,” Jack- the season opening on Saturday, April 4.

Veal has big dreams for the Panthers. son laments. “We offer sponsorships for they held matches last season.

“We have a great fan base from the people to contribute so that these women “I hope to get more money because right now the women are paying for a place to first year,” Veal says. “Those fans know that don’t have to pay to play.” our women play all-out and that the games All the coaches work as volunteers, play, helmets, referees, travel and more,” he are never boring.” The few games the team coaching for the love of it and for the enjoy- says. “I hope to get funding up to the point didn’t win last year were close, barring the ment that comes with watching players get the women don’t have to pay to play but championship game in Reno. better each practice and game rather than also to let the women have a salary.”

For more information on the team or to The women pay dues to play in the for money.

Women’s National Football Conference.

This season, Jackson hopes to im- donate, find the group’s Facebook page, which Veal is trying to raise funds so that the prove on the team’s constancy throughout also includes the team’s schedule.

March 4 - 17, 2020 • boomjackson.com

courtesy Mississippi Lady panthers

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n August 2018, Cameron Veal and LaSteven Jackson talked about putting on a women’s flag-football game for charity. This discussion laid the foundation for the Mississippi Lady Panthers.

At the urging of Reginia Jackson and other women, the two men began talking about founding a women’s tackle-football team. Starting out slowly as they began to recruit players for the team, they soon found several women around the area looking for an outlet for their competitive side that they missed since playing sports in college or high school.

“That first season was unstructured, and we were winging it as we went along,” Veal explains. The first game played by the Lady Panthers happened in April of 2019—with 30 women ranging from mid20s to early 30s hitting the field.

That first team met with success, reaching the conference championship in Reno, Nev., but the game ended in a blowout. Against a seasoned and experienced Reno team, the Panthers were outmatched with just 13 players and one coach able to

15

JXN // progress

Flourishing in Spite of a Flood // by Dustin cardon

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ith every issue of BOOM Jackson, we like to reflect on the progress and developments that have occurred over the last quarter. From renovations to flooding, these last three months have seen a lot.

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

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Museum Trail Incoming The Community Foundation for Mississippi in February gave the City of Jackson a $125,000 grant for the construction of the Museum Trail, a 2.5mile walking, running and biking trail connecting the Two Museums in downtown Jackson, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and the Mississippi Farmers Market.

Clay Hays, president of Jackson Heart Clinic and former chairman of

on Thursday, Jan. 30.

The center includes Oculus virtual reality technology, 3D printing facilities, a soundproof room with green screens for podcasting and filming and more, which will be used to introduce students to these technologies. The facility also offers advice to students on technology transfer for moving products and ideas to the market, a release from JSU says.

The center is part of the Young Innovators Program, a partnership between the center, the JSU Academic Affairs department and Blackburn Middle School in the Jackson Public School District.

Wier Boerner Allin Architecture

New Trade Mart Ahead The new Mississippi Trade Mart in Jackson is on schedule for completion

by June 2020, Steve Hutton, executive director of the Mississippi Fair Commission, told the Jackson Free Press.

The MFC decided to raze the original 75,000-square-foot Trade Mart building, which was constructed in 1975, in November 2017 because the building had an outmoded, flat roof that leaked.

MFC held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Trade Mart in March 2018. The state Legislature authorized $30 million to build the new, 105,000square foot Trade Mart and to make improvements to the Mississippi Fairgrounds. The remodeled facility will be attached to the east side of the Mississippi Coliseum.

Among the improvements to the facility, Hutton says, are new bathrooms, larger corridors, meeting rooms, a grand foyer and a new commercial kitchen for the fairgrounds.

“The new Trade Mart building being connected to the Mississippi Coliseum is basically going to create one large building, so events such as Mistletoe Marketplace will be able to expand onto the coliseum floor,” Hutton told the Jackson Free Press.

Jackson architectural firm Wier Boerner Allin Architecture designed the new Trade Mart building, and Jacksonbased Fountain Construction is the general contractor.

the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, told the Jackson Free Press that he has been working with the museums and the Mississippi Department of Transportation to head up the development for more than eight years. The Jackson City Council formally approved the project in November 2019, and Hays says construction is set to finish by spring 2020.

Located on what was once an abandoned railroad track, the trail will eventually include amenities such as park benches, water fountains, a water station for people exercising, elevated overlooks and more. The trail will not have out-

This rendering depicts the remodeled Mississippi Trade Mart building, which should be completed and open for business by June 2020.

door lighting and will close to the public at dusk, Hays says.

“I’m a cardiologist, so the importance of fitness was a strong motivator to create something like this for Jackson, especially in the state that is number one in obesity in the nation,” Hays says.

“Other cities around the nation have similar safe places for exercise like this, and we should too. The trail will be great for improving quality of life in Jackson.”

In 2017, CFM supported the Two Museums with a $750,000 donation to the Museum of Mississippi History. A bequest from John F. and Lucy Shackelford funded donations to both the Museum Trail and Two Museums projects.

JSU Opens Center for Innovation Jackson State University opened its new Center for Innovation on the second floor of the H.T. Sampson Library

Belhaven Town Center Grows The Belhaven Town Center, an ongoing development across two city blocks on Manship Street near Belhaven Heights, recently saw the opening of one of its newest tenants, Elvie’s restaurant.

Hunter Evans opened the restaurant inside a remodeled house in February.

Mitchell Moore, owner of Campbell’s Bakery (3013 N. State St.), previously set up his own new shop, Campbell’s Craft Donuts, inside the Belhaven Town Center in November 2019. Both buildings had been long abandoned prior to the new development.

The Greater Belhaven Foundation first announced plans to construct the Belhaven Town Center in fall 2018.

When it is finished, the Belhaven Town Center will be an 117,000-square foot, mixed-use residential and commercial site with an outdoor courtyard and parking spaces. Development will include

both new construction and renovation of existing structures in the area. David Turner, owner of David Turner Companies (147 Republic St., Madison), is heading up the construction.

Ruffin Lowery, developer and manager for the Belhaven Town Center, told the Jackson Free Press that the center still has space for four more buildings.

Among the planned facilities, Lowery says, are Spectrum Sip, a nutritional energy shake shop, a dentist office with two floors of one-bedroom apartments above it, and a brew pub on the east side of Manship Street inside a building that once housed laundry facilities for Baptist Hospital. The building Campbell’s Craft Donuts occupies will also have office space available for lease.

The next phase of development will focus on The Haven, a combination green space and outdoor entertainment area that will have a stage and four small, cottage-style buildings for retail shops.

Ruffin says development of the next phase is set to begin by spring 2020, and should be completed by October 2020.

City Response to 2020 Flooding The Jackson flood of 2020 entered the record books on Feb. 16. The Pearl River crested at 36.7 feet, the third highest flood stage in recorded history. 87 structures flooded, all located in north Jackson. Across the metro, the flood caused mandatory evacuations, with about 500 homes affected in total. Public officials and emergency responders arrived before the flood to evacuate residents from at-risk streets.

Hinds County Emergency Operations Center Director Ricky Moore told the Jackson Free Press that estimating the cost of the flood in dollars is difficult at this stage.

“I’m not sure what that bottom line figure is going to be now,” he said. But he was pleased to confirm that no reports of injuries or deaths occurred during the floods. Emergency responders, including the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks’ Special Response Team, made a number of quick extractions of stranded residents without error, Moore reported.

Send local business, progress and food news to dustin@jacksonfreepress.com.

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17

BIZ // renewal

Old Spaces, New Faces // by dustin Cardon

S

pring inches ever closer, and to coincide with the season of renewal, let’s review a list of recently opened businesses that have breathed new life into some older buildings and spaces in the Jackson metro.

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

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Sweetie Pie’s Reopens Sweetie Pie’s, a St. Louis-based soulfood restaurant that became famous after landing a reality show on the Oprah Winfrey Network, opened for business in Jackson in January 2020. Sweetie Pie’s originally attempted to open at the Plaza Building in downtown Jackson in August 2019, but a series of problems led to that location closing in December that year. The new location, called Sweetie Pie’s Live, is at 100 E. South St. in downtown Jackson, which formerly housed South Street Live.

The menu at Sweetie Pie’s includes items such as baked or fried chicken, smothered pork steak, fried pork chops, chicken wings, short ribs, catfish, roast beef, meat loaf, oxtails and more, as well as sides such as baked beans, coleslaw, okra, potato salad, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and more. The restaurant also offers daily specials with different menu items and a choice of two or three sides each day.

Sweetie Pie’s is open Tuesday through

Elvie’s Restaurant Hunter Evans, a Jackson chef who previously worked as chef de cuisine at Lou’s Full-Serv in Jackson since 2015, held a grand opening for his own restaurant,

and Apple Jacks milk punch.

Elvie’s is open Monday through Saturday. The restaurant serves breakfast and brunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., then closes until 4 p.m. and reopens for dinner. The dinner menu includes small plate specials and a cocktail and wine bar.

For more information, call 601863-8828, visit elviesrestaurant.com or

Hunter Evans, former chef de cuisine at Lou’s Full-Serv, opens his own restaurant, Elvie’s, named after his late grandmother. Elvie’s is one of many new additions to JXN.

Elvie’s (809 Manship St.), on Feb. 3.

The restaurant is located inside a remodeled house in the Belhaven Town Center. The 1850-square-foot space includes both indoor and outdoor porch and patio seating for up to 62 people.

Evans named the restaurant after his late grandmother, Elvie Good, who Evans said instilled a love of cooking in him when he visited her in New Orleans when he was 8 years old.

The restaurant’s breakfast and lunch menu includes items such as house-made breads and French omelets, fresh oysters and crab claws, beef tartare and duck fat frites, while the dinner menu features duck confit cassoulet, redfish meunière, Gulf Coast bouillabaisse and more. Elvie’s also has cocktails such as the pepper jelly julep and chartreuse daiquiri, boozy iced coffee

the restaurant’s Facebook page, or find them on Instagram at @elviesrestaurant.

District Drugs & Mercantile Whitney Harris, a Jackson native who formerly worked as a pharmacist at Beemon Drugs, which closed in June 2019, held a grand opening for her own pharmacy inside The District at Eastover (1200 Eastover Drive, Suite 175), District Drugs & Mercantile, on Monday, Feb. 3.

District Drugs is inside the BankPlus Building near Cultivation Food Hall in The District. The pharmacy offers curbside pickup for medications, immunizations, a retail shop that sells Mississippi-made items such as candles, fashion accessories and art.

It also offers medication therapy management services, which is a service where pharmacists help people better understand

their health conditions and the medicines required to manage them, Harris said.

The pharmacy also offers free delivery to patients in Hinds, Madison, and Rankin counties and has an app that allows patients refill prescriptions and communicate directly with Harris for questions about different medicines. District Drugs & Mercantile is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 Cody MCCain

Native Coffee Matt Flinn, a former North Carolina resident who moved to Jackson with his wife, Anna, will open a new coffee shop in Belhaven called Native Coffee in March 2020. The shop is at 1800 N. State St. inside the former location of Deep South Pops, which closed in November 2019.

The space is currently undergoing renovations, including the installation of a new oven in the kitchen for breakfast items such as biscuits and pastries. Native Coffee will also offer pour-overs, espressos and craft beers, and will later expand into lunch service, Flinn said.

Flinn formerly worked for a North Carolina coffee roaster called Back Alley Coffee Roasters, which has since changed its name to Black and White. While the Flinns will roast their own coffee at the shop, they also plan to carry Black and White coffee.

Native Coffee will be open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 662-397-4583 or find the cafe on Facebook.

Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call 769-524-4843 or visit sweetiepieskitchen.com./sweetie-pies-live.

a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The pharmacy has a 24-hour emergency line at 601-500-0443.

For information, call 601-9533368 or visit districtdrugsjackson.com.

Hungry Goat Fondren Flowood residents Jordan and Paul Yamas opened a second location for their restaurant, The Hungry Goat, in Fondren (2939 Old Canton Road) on Monday, Jan. 27, in a space that formerly housed an antique shop.

The original Hungry Goat opened in Flowood (671 Grants Ferry Road, Suite A2, Flowood) in January 2019. The restaurant does not have seating inside, offering only carryout and catering. The Fondren location is what Jordan Yamas refers to as a “retail site.” The restaurant contains cool-

JXN Welcome Center Visit Jackson opened the JXN Welcome Center, first full-service welcome center in Jackson on Friday, Jan. 10, inside the Electric Building at the corner of East Pearl and West Streets (308 E. Pearl St., Suite 100).

The center features maps of restaurants and attractions in the city, visitor’s guides and brochures on events and a shop that sells Jackson-themed T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, cups, blankets and other merchandise.

The center also has space devoted to local artisans such as musicians and handmade goods.

The JXN Welcome Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5

Pepper Palace The Pepper Palace, a store that specializes in hand-crafted small batches of hot sauce, salsa, dips, seasonings, barbecue sauce, marinades, pepper jellies, rubs and more, opened at The Outlets of Mississippi (200 Bass Pro Drive, Pearl) on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Pepper Palace has more than 400 different products on offer, all of which have individual spiciness ratings based off the Scoville Scale, which pharmacist Wilbur

THURSDAY, MARCH 19 | 5:30 PM Join us for a night of live-action painting as artists compete head-to-head to win the MMA Art Battle Championship for cash prizes.

Pepper Palace offers an array of hand-crafted hot sauces, salsas and more at various levels of spiciness.

Scoville created in 1912.

The Scoville test involves using an exact weight of dried pepper dissolved in alcohol to extract the chemical capsaicin that gives peppers their spiciness. Testers dilute the extract in sugar water and give it to a panel of testers until they can no longer detect the heat in the dilution, then assign it a numerical rating from 0 to 3.2 million based on the spiciness.

The store’s hottest hot sauce, called “The End,” is made with the Carolina Reaper pepper, the hottest pepper on record with a Scoville rating of more than 1.5 million. Customers must sign a special waiver and be 18 years old or older before they can sample or purchase The End. Pepper Palace has a wide array of products made from jalapeno, cayenne, habanero and ghost peppers. The store allows customers to sample any product on the shelves to find exactly what kind of spiciness they’re looking for, and even keeps complimentary mini nacho chips or spoons on hand to sample with them.

Visit pepperpalace.com, or call the Outlets location at 769-233-7619.

Hosting this evening is former radio personality, Maranda Joiner, with beats by DJ Java.

Winners of each round are determined by public vote, so join us to crown this year’s champion!

Finished work will be available for purchase on the spot, on first come first basis.

If you’re interested in competing in the MMA Art Battle, contact Christina McField at cmcfield@msmuseumart.org to sign up!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 5:30-7:30 PM: Art Lab | Paint by Draw or Dice We’ll have the sidelines prepped for painting, too!

Bystanders of all ages can create their own challenge and stretch their skills at the easel.

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FOOD & BEVERAGE

Southern Wangz & T & M Dogs Food Trucks Small Bites: Jabo’s Eats & Sweets & Learah’s Southern Desserts.

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March 4 - 17, 2020 • boomjackson.com

Yakiniku Grill Now in Flowood Yakiniku Grill (275 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood), a Korean barbecue restaurant located inside the former Mellow Mushroom in Flowood, which closed in July 2018, opened on Saturday, Feb. 15.

The menu at Yakiniku Grill includes appetizers such as edamame, cheese wontons, fried calamari, raw oysters and Korean sushi rolls; vegetable, chicken, beef, shrimp or kimchi hibachi; pork, chicken, beef or shrimp sizzling plates or bibimbap; yakisoba, udon or ramen noodles; and readyto-barbecue beef sirloin, filet mignon, short ribs, flank steak, brisket, chicken thighs and breasts, pork belly, bacon and more.

Yakiniku offers lunch specials Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., including Korean barbecue plates with a choice of two meats for $15 or three meats for $18, as well as hibachi lunch specials.

For more information, visit Yakiniku Grill’s Facebook page.

p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information call 601-960-1891 or visit visitjackson.com.

DUSTIN CARDON

ers and freezers for carryout items shipped from the Flowood restaurant.

The Fondren Hungry Goat does not have its own kitchen, but all menu items and sizes from the Flowood Hungry Goat are available for purchase. All food is available on a first-come, first-served basis only.

The menu at The Hungry Goat includes entrees such as beef tips, poppyseed chicken, chipotle meatloaf, homemade lasagna, chicken or beef enchiladas and chicken and dumplings; sides such as loaded potato casserole, cornbread dressing, green beans, creamed spinach and country potato salad; desserts such as buttermilk chocolate cake and banana pudding and more.

The Hungry Goat in Fondren is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, call 601-398-4286 or visit thehungrygoatcarryout.com.

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DO-GOODERS // health

When Life Gives You Headaches, Help Others // by Jenna Gibson

S

ometimes a headache isn’t just a headache. Yazoo City native Michael Moore learned this lesson firsthand in 2018 when he took ill with a bacterial infection and was taken to St. Dominic Hospital. Following severe headaches, elbow and knee surgery, loss of vision in his right eye and loss of balance, Moore had an MRI, and doctors diagnosed him with type-1 chiari malformation and syringomyelia.

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

courtesy Michael Moore

support to people who have questions about chiari. He has also been working with Conquer Chiari of America, the number-one chiari support group and research center in the world, to plan walks and fundraisers for chiari awareness. He is organizing a walk for September, with specifics to be announced in April.

“If you have headaches and migraines, you really need to see a neurologist, because most people who deal with headaches and migraines, they could get medicine for the pain. But you’re not really getting to the source of the problem,” Moore says.

Presently, Moore is taking steps to further help Mississippians who may be suffering from chiari-related afflictions and syringomyelia by starting his own Jacksonbased nonprofit foundation, which he plans to name Triple One Chiari, whose main goals are to distribute information around the state and to start support groups in Mississippi for people who have the conditions.

He also plans to lobby for preventative maintenance screening to be added to health care plans and to provide adult educational Michael Moore rests before his decompression classes about the disease. surgery performed by his doctor John Lancon.

“I don’t know what set

Chiari malformation is a rare neuro- me on fire. God spoke to me and just put logical disease where the bottom part of the this on my heart for me to try to make as brain, the cerebellum, drops down from many people aware of (chiari malformathe skull and presses on the spinal cord. tion) as possible,” Moore says.

Affecting about 1 in 1,000 people, the most “I think (the nonprofit) will help Miscommon symptoms are severe migraines or sissippi a lot. I just notice that when I go headaches. Syringomyelia is a neurological to my neurologist, the rooms are filled. I’ve disorder where a fluid-filled cyst, known had a lot of people tell me, ‘I read your aras a syrinx, develops inside the spinal cord; ticle. I’m really gonna think about this beMoore had a growing syrinx. cause I have headaches.’ It’s going to be a

Moore had decompression surgery great, positive movement,” Moore says. in November 2019—wherein his neuro- Moore has been married to his wife, surgeon, John Lancon from St. Dominic’s, Martha, for nine years. removed part of his skull to allot five centi- The couple have four children bemeters of room for his brain—and is now tween the two of them: Laporcha, Michaemoving at 35% of his normal activity. la, Destinee and Brendon.

Since his diagnosis, Moore has be- Moore is working on a GoFundMe for come a golden ambassador for chiari with Triple One Chiari. Donations for the nonDiseasemaps, a service that gives online profit will open later this spring.

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21

BITES & DRINKS // st. paddy’s

St. Patrick’s Day JXN Goodies Galore // by Dustin Cardon

Nandy’s Candy (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 380, 601-362-9553) This year, Nandy’s Candy will have special St. Patrick’s Day items such as white

Sal and Mookie’s New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint (565 Taylor St., 601-3681919; salandmookies.com) For St. Paddy’s Day, Sal & Mookie’s will have $5 melon margaritas, available frozen or on the rocks, and $2.50 green beers.

La Brioche Patisserie (2906 N. State St., 601-988-2299; 380 S. Lamar St., 601-9659900; labriochems.com) For St. Patrick’s Day, La Brioche will have “Haileys,” or petits gateaux with vanilla sponge cake, Baileys Irish cream mousse, coffee ganache, white chocolate pearls and a milk chocolate glaze. The shop will also have macarons stuffed with Baileys Irish cream.

1908 Provisions (734 Fairview St.) 1908 Provisions will host an Irisn Foodie Night on Saturday, March 14, from

Broad Street Baking Company (4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 101, 601-362-2900, broadstbakery.com) Broad Street will have specially themed green king cakes with almond cream filling, as well as St. Patrick’s iced sugar cookies and green velvet cupcakes.

Sugar Magnolia Takery (5417 Highway 25, Flowood, 601-992-8110) Sugar Magnolia will have St. Patrick’s Day-themed iced sugar cookies and an Irish corned-beef blue-plate special. The bakery will also offer St. Patrick’s Day king cakes, but to get one, customers must order them at least 24 hours in advance.

PHOTO BY PATRICK FORE ON UNSPLASH

W

hen March makes its way to Jackson, we all see green as we think of all the St. Patrick’s Day events that happen throughout the month. We all love the fun that comes with the holiday, but let’s not forget that the capital city also houses a number of restaurants that offer specialty food and drink items. Let’s review the list of goodies we in the metro are lucky enough to try.

chocolate clovers, chocolate pots of gold filled with chocolate coins, chocolate clover suckers and green St. Paddy’s Day snowballs. Nancy’s is located in Maywood Mart around the corner from McDade’s.

Restaurants in the Jackson area offer St. Paddy’s-themed goodies.

6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event will include a cash bar with snacks, Guiness beer and drink specials, Irish dancing lessons from the Celtic Heritage Society and a traditional Irish dinner.

The menu will include lamb and cabbage stew, fish and chips, Dublin coddle, mini shepherd’s pies, garlic roasted cabbage wedges, Irish shortbread toffee bars, Irish barmbrack cake and more. Tickets are $29 per person and reservations are required.

For more information, call 601-948-3429.

Primos Cafe (515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-898-3600; 2323 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-936-3398) For St. Patrick’s Day, Primos will have themed iced cookies.

Campbell’s Bakery (3013 N. State St., 601-362-4628, campbellsbakery.ms); Campbell’s Craft Donuts (1121 N. Jefferson St., 601-292-7555) For St. Patrick’s Day, Campbell’s Bakery will have shamrock-shaped petit fours, cupcakes and cookies. Campbell’s Craft Donuts in Belhaven will serve special green donuts.

See and add more options online at jacksonfreepress.com/greenfood.

LIVE MUSIC • STARTING AT 8P

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

MARCH/APRIL 2020

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23

ARTS // voice acting A Mother. Her Son. Their fight for his future.

Voiceover Queen in Blue Jeans // by Alyssa Bass JACKSON BEALS

PIPELINE

BY DOMINIQUE MORISSEAU

DIRECTED BY FRANCINE THOMAS REYNOLDS

March 10-22, 2020 SPONSORED BY Long-time voice actress Keri Horn offers a four-week voiceover class through New Stage Theatre on Monday nights, from March 30 until April 20.

TICKETS: 601-948-3533 or newstagetheatre.com “Pipeline” is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., a Concord Theatricals Company

Natchez

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

YOUR DUNK SHOT DESTINATION!

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SPORTS BOOK! VISITNATCHEZ.ORG

L

ike a lot of children growing up in the ’80s, Keri Horn loved to watch cartoons like “The Smurfs” and “The Care Bears.” But she might have been one of the children approaching the television set with a tape recorder.

Horn would record the voices of her favorite characters to listen to later. Through this practice, she soon realized the same person was voicing her favorite characters and that she wanted to be a voice actor for a cartoon. Soon after that, her father, Walt Grayson, who was a radio host at the time, pulled her into the booth to help record a commercial when she was 10 years old.

“When I went into acting, I thought, ‘My ultimate goal is to be the voice of a cartoon character sometime down the road,’” Horn says. “(Thinking about) acting, I was just like, ‘Oh, yeah, you could also do stage.

You could also do TV. That’s OK. But the ultimate goal is to be able to wear jeans all the time—and pajamas.’”

Horn describes voice acting as using different dialects and accents to become a character and tell a story. Part of what drew Horn to voice acting is that changes in appearance over time does not affect the job. In the voiceover booth, Horn isn’t limited to roles that require a middle-aged, 5’2” woman. Over the course of her 30year career, Horn has been an ogre, a cat, an elf, and far more for commercials, audiobooks, video games and TV shows.

Horn studied acting at Hinds Com-

munity College before earning her bachelor’s degree in theater in 1998 from the University of Southern Mississippi.

In 1999, she began working at Mississippi Public Broadcasting, where she still works as a closed captioner and writer.

She has also been a puppeteer and producer there.

Horn says being a voice actress does not require much—just a closet, microphone and computer—but the most important supplies are coaching and the will to hunt for work.

“This is a gig economy, and this is definitely something that you go out, and you beat the bushes, and you find the work,” Horn says. “After the audition, after you get the job, that’s when the fun starts. But getting the job is the job. Doing the job is the fun part.”

Beginning March 30, Horn will be teaching voiceover classes at New Stage Theatre on Monday nights from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. until April 20. The classes cost $175 for the four-week session.

Students can expect to learn how to approach a script, what clients are looking for, where to find character voice inspiration, microphone etiquette, studio setup and lessons on vocal health.

At the end of the class, students will receive a recording of the work they’ve done in class to monitor their progression.

Visit newstagetheatre.com for details.

MELODIES // change

Opera Mississippi’s New Incarnation // by Nate Schumann COURTESY OPERA MISSISSIPPI

S

Opera Mississippi, formerly the Mississippi Opera Association, holds musical and artistic shows throughout the year and is planning to increase community involvement as part of its “The Opera Circle” program.

Treigle, Renée Fleming and many others. The organization still has two upcoming shows for this season: “Take Five: The Dave Brubeck Centennial” on March 16 and “Roméo et Juliette” on April 25.

In addition to shows, Opera Mississippi also implements a variety of educational and community outreach programs, such as the Children’s Opera, wherein the organization arranges free performances for students across the state, allowing them access to different forms of music that they might not have access to otherwise.

Another opportunity that the arts organization offers is the annual John Alexander International Vocal Competition, the only nationally advertised music competition in the state. Named after the international-

‘Take Five: The Dave Brubeck Centennial’ American composer Dave Brubeck left his mark on the world as a pioneer of “cool jazz,” a modern style characterized by relaxed tempos and lighter tone that often incorporated elements of classical music. In 1959, The Dave Brubeck Quartet released “Time Out,” which included the track “Take Five,” composed by quartet-member and saxophonist Paul Desmond. A hit, the song was reissued in 1961 and became the biggest-selling jazz single in history, later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1996.

Opera Mississippi celebrates Brubeck’s legacy through a production featuring his and his quartet’s works, as part of this season’s Cabaret at Duling Hall series. The Sam Bruton Quartet—Sam Bruton on piano, Larry Panella on saxophone, David Pellow on bass and Peter Wehner on percussion—recreates the iconic tunes surrounding “Take Five.”

The show will be held on March 16, starting 7:30 p.m., at Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave.). Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

ly known operatic tenor who heralded from Meridian, Miss., the competition seeks to recognize talented performers of vocal opera and musical theater from across the nation. Contestants are split into student artist (ages 18-25) and young professional artist (ages 26-40) categories for the event.

First-, second- and third-place winners respectively receive $1,000, $500, and $300 monetary prizes, as well as priority consideration for roles in upcoming Opera Mississippi productions. Winners are also invited to perform during the “Stage Stars of Tomorrow” gala concert held later each year.

For more information on Opera Mississippi, its productions and its programs, visit operams.org.

‘Roméo et Juliette’ First performed at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris in 1867, “Roméo et Juliette” has since become a staple in the opera scene, with various theaters and arts organizations performing it multiple times around the world each year.

Created by French composer Charles Gounod as a musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s original work, the opera contains five acts and is known for the four duets the main characters perform, as well as the popular waltz song “Je veux vivre” for the soprano.

Opera Mississippi closes its 2019-2020 season with a production of Gounod’s work. The titular leads are played by Cody Laun (Roméo) and Stacey Trenteseaux (Juliette). The show is on April 25, starting at 7:30 p.m., at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.). Tickets range from $35 to $65 for general admission and from $20 to $30 for students and military with ID.

March 4 - 17, 2020 • boomjackson.com

ince its founding in 1945 as the Jackson Opera Guild, the arts organization formerly known as the Mississippi Opera Association has gone through a number of changes. On Jan. 26, 2020, the opera guild announced its latest metamorphosis—a new name, Opera Mississippi. Coinciding with the company’s 75th anniversary, the shift reflects new initiatives and other developments Opera Mississippi has in store.

For starters, the organization is establishing a donor-level social program called “The Opera Circle,” which will consist of “meet the artists” parties, small-group pre-show happy hours and VIP events. Some events will be open to the public. Through the program, Opera Mississippi hopes to cultivate new opera and musical stage enthusiasts by allowing attendees to more directly interact with the organization’s representatives and the artists that make their way to Jackson to perform.

“We wanted to celebrate our 75th year by increasing our audience and universe of donors to a broader section of Mississippi art enthusiasts,” board member and Opera Circle Program Chairwoman Shannon Warnock says about the changes. “My husband and I got involved when our son (Jay) was a student performer, and we’ve been impressed with the caliber of performances and professionals that Opera Mississippi produces. So we are honored to be part of the family of opera supporters in the state and encourage any others to join us as we celebrate our 75th anniversary and go forward to 75 more fantastic years.”

The Opera Circle is separate from The Guild, which serves as a community for the organization’s “Opera family” that aims to cultivate attendance and provide financial support for Opera Mississippi.

Opera Mississippi hosts productions that feature singers, musicians, actors, writers, dramas, comedies, dance performances and more. Some international artists who have taken the stage include Beverly Sills, Monserrat Caballe, Robert Merrill, James McCracken, Roberta Peters, Jan Peerce, Richard Tucker, Norman

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Looking for something great to do in Jackson? Visit JFPEVENTS.COM for more.

JFP SPONSORED Breast Cancer Luncheon March 6, 5:30-8 p.m., at The Rickhouse (717 Poplar Blvd.). Susan G. Komen Mepmhis-MidSouth Mississippi invites survivors of and those living with metastatic breast cancer for a free luncheon. Sponsored by the Jackson Free Press. Free admission for survivors of/those battling breast cancer; call 901-757-8686.

Valiant Woman of the Vote: Celebrating 100 Years of Voting Rights March 7, 6 p.m., at Marriott Hotel Downtown (200 E. Amite St.). Women For Progress of Mississippi hosts a program to recognize the accomplishments of select women and organizations to honor the 100-year anniversary of the 19th Amendment. The honorees include Representative Alyce Clarke (the first African American to be elected to the House of Representative in MS), Fannie Lou Hamer (a veteran of the civil rights movement), Tougaloo College, Dr. Patricia Sim (President of Drake State College), Women for Progress, Donna Ladd (founder of the Jackson Free Press), Dorothy Triplett and Vicki Slater (community activists). Maggie Wade Dixon and Mr. Walt Grayson of WLBT-TV3 serve as program guides. $100 individual, $1,000 table (10 people); call 601-813-5045; email connectingdots369@gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

HOLIDAY Genesis Spring Break Camp March 9-13, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., at Genesis and Light Center (4914 N. State St.). During the week, children (grades K-8) participate in enrichment and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) recreational activities, computer

Spring Break Teacher Workshops March 9-13, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive). The museum’s conservation educators provide training in internationally recognized environmental education programs for teachers. These workshops are excellent for teachers of every subject and grade level, including informal educators such as scout leaders, camp leaders and youth leaders. Each day offers a different workshop with CEU credits available. Admission TBA; call 601-576-6000; email andrea.falcetto@ mmns.ms.gov; mdwfp.com.

Irish Foodie Night March 14, 6-9 p.m., at 1908 Provisions (734 Fairview St.). 1908 Provisions celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with an Irish dinner served family-style and an Irish dancing lesson led by members of the Celtic Heritage Society. Cash bar and snacks available. Reservations required. $29 per person dinner; call 601-948-3429; find it on Facebook.

COMMUNITY Jackson Scavenger Hunt: Pretty Mississippi March 4-18, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunts (400 Mississippi St). Let’s Roam hosts scavenger hunts for the Jackson area. Participants race against the clock as they take photos of the items on the list. Call for more details. $11 scavenger hunt ticket; call 833-202-7626; email kelly@letsroam.com; letsroam.com.

Face to Face with History March 5, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at Old Capitol Museum (100 State St.).

Students interact with several figures from Mississippi history as they tour the museum.

Reservations required. Free admission; call 601576-6920; email info@oldcaptiolmuseum.com; mdah.ms.gov.

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

FRIDAY 3/6

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“The Princess and the Pea” Puppet Show begins 9:30 a.m. at 2 p.m. at Olde Towne Depot (281 E. Leake St., Clinton). Olde Towne Depot, the City of Clinton and the Mississippi Puppetry Guild present a Puppet Arts Theatre production of “The Princess and the Pea.” Funded in parts by the Mississippi Arts Commission and the National COURTESY MS PUPPETRY GUILD Endowment for the Arts. Includes a demonstration of puppet making using ordinary materials to create a technically complex character. Additional date: March 7. Free admission; call 601924-0113.

games, movies, Football, air hockey, board games, arts and crafts projects and more. Parents must provide their child’s lunch. Visit the Center to register or to volunteer to help. $70 registration per child; call 601-362-6736; email genesisandlight@yahoo.com.

Hinds County Storm Spotter Training March 5, 10-11:30 a.m., at Army National Guard (1410 Riverside Drive). U.S. National Weather Service Jackson Mississippi offers the class on spotting dangerous storms and reporting severe weather. Free admission; call 601-313-6850; find it on Facebook.

Silver Alert Reissued- 5th-year Anniversary March 5, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., at Jackson Medical Mall Community Room (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). The Adult Day Care Services holds its 5th year anniversary. Food, entertainment and door prizes available. Raffle ticket drawings for a 32” TV, a Walmart gift card and a gift bag take place at noon. Free admission; call 601-487-8402; find it on Facebook.

Prom at the ‘Park March 7, 10 a.m., at Northpark Mall (1200 E. County Line Road, Ridgeland). Northpark hosts prom prep with a garden party, a makeup workshop, giveaways, live music and curated shopping tours with special deals and discounts. $10; call 601-863-2300; find it on Facebook.

All Ages Pokémon League March 7, 14, noon-4 p.m., at Van’s Comics, Cards and Games (731 S. Pear Orchard Road, Suite 1, Ridgeland). Participants gather each Saturday to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Free admission; call 601898-9950; find it on Facebook.

Mommy Shower March 8, 2 p.m., at Body Party (228 Saint Paul St., Pearl). Body Party hosts an event for women who had babies in 2019, featuring v-steams, herbal foot soaks, mini facials, food, drinks, games, girl talk and more. $40 admission; call 877-279-2717; email bodypartystudios@gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

Silent Headphone Party March 8, 8 p.m., at The Sweet Spot (1100 J R Lynch St.). DJ Unpredictable 601 Events & Promotions hosts silent headphone party with DJ Wheezy, Moneycure Da DJ and Tay Tay Da DJ. Admission TBA; call 769-233-8345; find it on Facebook.

Jackson EmployAbility Job Fair March 10, 9 a.m.-noon, at Jackson Medical Mall Thad Cochran Center (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services and the Department of Employment Security host an event for job seekers with disabilities. Free admission; call 601-853-5100; find it on Facebook.

Easybridge: Bridge Lessons March 10, 17, 9:30 a.m.-noon, at Jackson Bridge Association (300 Park Circle Drive, Flowood). In the weekly class, James Tullos teaches attendees the basics of the bridge card game. $6 per class; call 601-992-1153; email jrtullos@bellsouth.net.

Trivia Tuesday March 10, 7-9 p.m., at Library Lounge at Fairview Inn (734 Fairview Street); call 601-948-3429 ext. 314; email marketing@ fairviewinn.com; fairviewinn.com.

Religion and the Freedom Movement: Assessing the Historical and Current Role March 12, 5:30-8 p.m., at Fashion Corner (101 E. Capitol St.). Speakers at the International Museum of Muslim Cultures event explore the role of religion in the freedom movement through the lens, voice, and role of women; call 601-960-0440; find it on Facebook.

Joel Osteen March 13, 7 a.m.-8:30 p.m., at Mississippi Coliseum (1207 Mississippi St).

Joel Osteen Ministries hosts ‘Night of Hope’.

Registration required; call 601-353-0603; find it on Facebook.

THURSDAY 3/5 Jackson Expungement Clinic is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Medgar Evers Library (4215 Medgar Evers Blvd.). Mississippi Center for Justice hosts the event to help participants with application and preparation for expungement of eligible State offenses that occurred in Mississippi for individuals denied employment for their criminal records. Free admission; call 662-577-4527; find it on Facebook.

1st Annual Bully Bash March 14, noon, at LeFleur’s Bluff State Park (3315 Lakeland Terrace). Main Event Kennel hosts the inaugural bulldog-centric dog show. Dogs must be leashed at all times. $15 registration per class for each dog; call 601-214-1202; find it on Facebook.

KIDS Power Vision Athletics Tumbling Classes March 4, 7, 18; 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Grove Park Community Center (4126 Parkway Ave.). Children ages 5 and up learn how to tumble. Fall/Spring Session registration continues until May 20. $25 registration fee/monthly fee; call 601-910-8250; find it on Facebook.

4th Annual Science Makers March 6, 9 a.m.noon, at Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive). The museum hosts an event celebrating women and people from other minorities who make significant contributions to science. Attendees learn about careers with STEM professionals and by engaging in handson science activities. $6 adult, $4 child, kids ages 3 and under free, members free; call 601-5766000; email nicole@mmns.ms.gov; mdwfp.com.

NASA Day March 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Mississippi Children’s Museum (2145 Museum Blvd.). The museum hosts the educational event in honor of the 50th anniversary of Apollo with the John C. Stennis Space Center.

A team from NASA demonstrates how robots work in space, shares astronaut ice cream with visitors, offers a chance to test a virtual reality station and allows attendees to try on a space suit for photo opportunities. $10 general admission, free for members; call 601-981-5469; email erin@mcm.ms; mschildrensmuseum.org.

Read Across America March 7, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at Mississippi Public Broadcasting (3825 Ridgewood Road). MPB hosts a Read Across America birthday celebration for author and cartoonist Dr. Theodore Seuss, featuring literacy activities, book giveaways, face painting and a special visit from The Cat in the Hat. Free admission; call 601-432-6565; find it on Facebook.

Learning Tree Book Club March 7, 2-3:30 p.m., at Jackson Medical Mall Thad Cochran Center (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). The children’s book club gets together to read and talk about books on the first Saturday of each month. Books provided. Free admission; call 601-372-0229; find it on Facebook.

Hoot & Holler Family Creation Lab March 8, 2-3:30 p.m., at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). A museum educator leads families with children ages 6-10 in an art project taking inspiration from a different artist each month. This event takes place on the second Sunday of each month. $10 per child; call 601-960-1515; email mdrake@msmuseumart. org; msmuseumart.org.

Pollinator Day March 11, 10 a.m.-noon, at Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive). The second-annual event where exhibitors teach attendees how to conserve and celebrate Mississippi’s pollinator populations through family-friendly, hands-on activities. Free native wildflower seeds available while supplies last. $6 adult, $4 child, kids ages 3 and under free, members free; call 601-576-6000; email nicole.smith@mmns.ms.gov; mdwfp.com.

find it on Facebook.

FOOD & DRINK Fondren Friday Cuppings March 6, 13, 10-11 a.m., at Cups Fondren (2757 Old Canton Road). Join the team at Cups Fondren for their weekly cupping event, every Friday at 10 a.m. Free admission; email kristin@kristinallenandco.com; find it on Facebook.

Crawfish Cruise In March 7, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., at Lakeland Glass and Tint (2665 Lakeland Drive, Flowood). The event features live music, 500 pounds of cooked crawfish free to the public and a bounce house for kids. Deals on window tint available. Free admission; call 601-946-1000; find it on Facebook.

Food Is Peace: Vegan and Pescatarian Gathering March 7-8, 14, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., at Soul Wired Cafe (4147 Northview Plaza Drive).

Soul Wired Cafe hosts a pop-up style fellowship in celebration of vegan and pescatarian street food every weekend. Attendees can try different foods. Free admission, food prices vary; call 601-790-0864; find it on Facebook.

100 Plus Flavors Taste Event! March 7-8, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., at Cotton Candy Heaven, LLC (1200 E. County Line Road, Ridgeland). Cotton Candy Heaven hosts a tasting event to determine the most popular flavors; call 678-

SATURDAY 3/7 Fossil Road Show is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive). The annual event invites participants to bring their fossil discoveries to get expert opinions on their ages and origins.

COURTESY MS MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE Includes hands-on activities, “fossil digs” and a scavenger hunt. Attendees encouraged to explore the museum’s fossil collection and collector displays. $4 ages 3-18, $6 adults, $5 senior citizens, kids ages 3 and under free; call 601-576-6000; email nicole@mmns. ms.gov; mdwfp.com.

Fun Free Soccer Day March 14, 8:30-11 a.m., at Winner’s Circle Park, Flowood. Soccer Shots Jackson Metro offers free soccer classes for children ages 2-9 years old. Registration required.

Free admission; call 769-233-7445; email karli@soccershots.org; find it on Facebook.

Mississippi Beauty Pageant March 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at Universal Royalty Beauty Pageant. Children of all ages—from babies to teenagers—compete in the Mississippi beauty pageant. Call for entry form, hotel information and location. $25; call 512-251-3796; find it on Facebook.

Girls With A Dream Mentoring Group March 16, 6-7:30 p.m., at Jayne Avenue Community Center (3615 Jayne Ave.). The mentoring session caters to 4-17-year-old girls and covers various topics on how to improve social skills, strengthen relationships with peers and parents, build communication and leadership skills, set goals, handle stress, responsibly use social media, build self-esteem, manage money and more. Free admission; call 601-506-6989;

834-6472; email cottoncandyheaven347@ gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

The 1st Boil March 7, noon-8 p.m., at Cathead Distillery (422 S. Farish St.). Cathead Distillery, Abita Brewing Company, and Sal & Phil’s Seafood & Lounge present the “first boil” of the 2020 season. Crawfish is served.

Live music by Bill Abel Trio. Free admission; call 601-667-3038; find it on Facebook.

SPORTS & WELLNESS COOL™ Talk Teen Speak March 5, 6-8 p.m., at Millsaps College (1701 N. State St.). SR1 Scientific Research hosts an event featuring bestselling author, Dr. Jennifer Salerno, as speaker and digging into the minds of teens and adults; call 601-206-4544; find it on Facebook.

Rooftop Hip Hop March 5, 6-7 p.m., at Fondren Fitness (2807 Old Canton Road). The physical fitness center hosts a free hip-hop aerobics class on the rooftop of Wier Boerner Allin

Architecture. Participants are invited to Babalu afterward for free chips and pico de gallo; call 601-540-0338; find it on Facebook.

Seminar for Seniors: Stress Free Transitioning March 5, 7-9 p.m., at Hilton (1001 E. County Line Road). Join us to learn tips about moving and local resources that can make your future transition seamless and stress free. Free admission; call 651-964-0212; email pamelamyers4999@gmail.com.

BBGDF Mother/Daughter Summit & Health Fair March 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at The Redeemer’s School (640 E. Northside Drive).

The domestic violence awareness organization hosts the mother-daughter summit and health fair that emphasizes the importance of self-awareness for Women’s History Month; call 601-896-2509; email bbgdbf@yahoo.com; find it on Facebook.

Downtown Jackson Walking Tours March 7, 2-4:30 p.m., at Hal and Mal’s (200 Commerce St.). The event includes a 2.5 hour walk around Downtown Jackson to learn about its past, present and future. Participants should meet under the Hal & Mal’s sign on the Big Brick Wall by 1:55pm for refreshments before the tour. After the tour, participants can choose a place downtown to visit for refreshments as the tour guide educates about the venue. Pre-pay via Paypal (mtattravel@gmail.com) or Venmo (morethanatourist) or pay at the door. No RSVP required. $25 at-door; call 601-954-2036; email mtattravel@gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

Trap Yoga Tuesdays March 10, 7 p.m., at The Village Dance Center (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave., Suite 106). The Jackson Medical Mall Convention supports the Jackson dance studio in hosting trap/rap music infused yoga classes.

Registration encouraged before each class. $7 per class, $20 per month; call 601-937-1680; find it on Facebook.

Mental Health & Wellness Day March 11, 8-10:30 a.m., at Mississippi State Capitol (400 High St.). The event begins on the 1st floor Rotunda locations A, B, C, D and the East and West Hallways at the Mississippi State Capitol. Exhibitors set up in the hallways from 8-10 a.m. and the personal story speakers last from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in room 216. Free admission; call 601-899-9058; email education@ namims.org; Eventbrite.

S L AT E

the best in sports over the next two weeks

by Bryan Flynn, jfp.ms/sports

March brings college basketball. The only team that seems to be a lock into the Division I NCAA Tournament is Mississippi State women’s basketball team. Hopefully, more of the Division I teams in our state will find a way into the Big Dance.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

Women’s college basketball (11am-8pm SECN): Second round SEC. FRIDAY, MARCH 6

Women’s college basketball (5-7:30pm SECN): TBA v. MSU. SATURDAY, MARCH 7

Women’s college basketball (4-9pm ESPNU): Semifinals SEC. SUNDAY, MARCH 8

Women’s college basketball (1-3:30pm ESPN2): Championship game SEC. MONDAY, MARCH 9

Men’s college basketball (8-8:30pm SECN): SEC Inside: Mississippi State Basketball.

TUESDAY, MARCH 10

College baseball (6-9pm SECN+): Texas Tech University v. MSU. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11

Men’s college basketball (6-10pm SECN): First round SEC. THURSDAY, MARCH 12

Men’s college basketball (11am-10pm SECN): Second round SEC FRIDAY, MARCH 13

Men’s college basketball (12-10pm ESPN/SECN): Quarterfinals.

Path to Recovery Two-Day Crash Course March 14-15, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at NAMI Mississippi State Office (2618 Southerland St., Suite 100). Latasha Willis and Jessica James teach a class that covers some of the science behind mental health, coping skills and more to better facilitate mental health recovery. Materials and refreshments included. Registration required.

Limited space. Attendees must complete an additional component for at least six sessions after the course to earn a certificate. Waitlist available. Free admission; call 601-899-9058; email education@namims.org; eventbrite.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 14

Triad Jeet Kune Do Fight Clinic March 14-15, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at Boxers Rebellion (856 S. State St., Suite E). The martial arts organization holds a clinic where students learn the Jeet Kune Do style developed by Bruce Lee. $75 per day; call 262-994-3174; find it on Facebook.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17

Quarterly Spiritual and Holistic Fair March 14, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., at Soul Synergy Center (5490 Castlewoods Court, Suite D, Flowood).

The quarterly event includes various booths presenting astrologers, life coaches, local artists and

Men’s college basketball (12-5pm ESPN): Semifinals SEC. SUNDAY, MARCH 15

Men’s college basketball (12-2:30pm ESPN): Championship Game SEC. MONDAY, MARCH 16

Women’s college basketball (6-8pm ESPN/ESPNU): NCAA Division I Tournament Selection Show.

Men’s college basketball (6-10pm TruTV): NCAA Tournament: First Four.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18

Men’s college basketball (6-10pm TruTV): NCAA Tournament: First Four.

March 4 - 17, 2020 • boomjackson.com

Visiting Artist: Michele Campbell March 7, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at Mississippi Children’s Museum (2145 Museum Blvd). $10 General admission or museum membership; email erin@mcm.ms.

Looking for something great to do in Jackson?

Visit JFPEVENTS.COM for more.

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Looking for something great to do in Jackson? Visit JFPEVENTS.COM for more. more. Each session lasts for 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Retail specials are available. Admission TBA; call 601-992-7721; find it on Facebook.

Trap Yoga Tuesdays March 17, 7 p.m., at The Village Dance Center (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave., Suite 106). The Jackson Medical Mall

city public high school teacher, is committed to her students but wants to give her son better opportunities. After a confrontation at the son’s private school, Nya must make some tough choices as a parent. $30 general admission; call 601-948-3533; newstagetheatre.com.

MONDAY 3/9 Monday Night Live: Acting with John Maxwell is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.). Through monologues and some scene work, this class will explore the challenges for every actor in “growing through a role” rather than “finding a role.” Additional date: March 16. $200 for four week class; call 601-948-3533, ext.

236; email education@newstagetheatre.com; newstagetheatre.com.

IMANI KHAYYAM / FILE PHOTO

Convention supports the Jackson dance studio in hosting trap/rap music infused yoga classes.

Registration encouraged before each class. $7 per class, $20 per month; call 601-937-1680; find it on Facebook.

Brain Injury Awareness Day at the Capitol March 18, 8:30 a.m.-noon, at Mississippi State Capitol (400 High St.). The Brain Injury Association of Mississippi organizes the event allowing participants to ask questions, meet with legislators, medical professionals, their organizational partners, and most importantly engage with survivors and caregivers about the impact brain and spinal cord injuries have had on their lives. All brain and spinal cord injury survivors, caregivers, healthcare professionals and supportive agencies are invited. Free admission; call 601-981-1021.

STAGE & SCREEN

December 25, 2019 - January 7, 2020 • jfp.ms

Hearth and Mantel Theatre Presents: “Big Mama’s Kitchen” March 4-6, 7:30-9:30 p.m., March 7, 2-4 p.m., 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Antique Mall (806 Larson St). The theater troupe presents its production of the play, which tells the story of the grandson of a restaurant’s owner keeping the kitchen alive without letting it fall apart in the process. $15 general, $10 students; email info@hearthandmanteltheatre.com; hearthandmanteltheatre.com.

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Kerwin Claiborne Live March 5, 8 p.m., March 6, 7:30 p.m. March 7, 10 p.m., at Chuckles Comedy House Jackson (6379 Ridgewood Court Drive). The comedian who is known for his video skits and improvisations featuring southern characters performs. $20 general, $50 VIP; call 769-257-5467; email chucklescomedyhouse7@gmail.com; chucklescomedyhouse.com.

Remy Dee’s Playhouse - Burlesque March 7, 8 p.m.-1 a.m., at Martin’s Downtown (214 S. State St.). Remy Dee in her Pee Wee Herman persona, with her crew, performs. $12 general admission; call 601-354-9712; find it on Facebook.

“Pipeline” March 10-14, 7:30 p.m., March 15, 2 p.m, March 17, 7:30 p.m., at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.). The theater presents a production of “Pipeline” by Obie Award-winning playwright Dominique Morisseau. The play addresses the state of the American educational system. Nya, an inner-

“Beautiful: the Carole King Musical” (Touring) March 11, 7:30 p.m., at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.). The musical recounts the life of Carol King, born Carol Klein, a girl from Brooklyn who fights her way into the record business as a songwriter and artist. $55-$125; call 601-960-1537; thaliamarahall.net.

Shakespeare Auditions March 16, 6:30-9:30 p.m., at The Cedars (4145 Old Canton Road).

Uproar Theatre Company, Inc. auditions male and female actors for roles in Shakespearean mash-up. Sign up for a five-minute spot and prepare a 2-minute memorized monologue from any Shakespeare show. Registration required. Ages 21+. Call to confirm location; call 769-208-4013; email brittany@uproartheatre.org; find it on Facebook.

Mississippi Justice March 17, 6 p.m., at Two Mississippi Museums (222 North St.). NMHS Unlimited Film Productions, a Mississippibased 501(c)3 film company, the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute and Women for Progress of Mississippi Inc. present a program that focuses on how the criminal justice system works in Mississippi. The film “Mississippi Justice,” created by Dr. Wilma Mosley Clopton, serves as the backdrop for the program.

Free admission; call 601-576-6800.

Noom and Pink Palaces also perform. Doors open at 6 p.m. Minors under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian to enter. Seating is first-come, first-serve. Persons under 21 must pay $5 upcharge. $10 general admission, $8 for students; dulinghall.ticketfly.com.

Choir Open House March 4, 6 p.m., at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral (305 E. Capitol St.). Cathedral presents open rehearsals. Includes champagne and chocolate. Reservation required.

Parish Choir rehearses at 6 p.m. Cathedral Choir rehearses at 7:30 p.m. Reservation required. Free admission; call 601-354-1535; email jnelson@ standrewscathedral.org; find it on Facebook.

Events at Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave.) • Muscadine Bloodline March 6, 8 p.m. The band with two Billboard charting critically acclaimed EPs performs. Jordan Fletcher also performs. Doors open at 6 p.m. Minors under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian to enter. Seating is first-come, first-serve.

Persons under 21 must pay $5 upcharge. $15 advanced, $20 at-door; call 601-292-7121; dulinghall.ticketfly.com.

• Newscast March 14, 8 p.m. Jackson natives Hayden Boyd and Salar Almakky perform. Lo

Glenn Jones March 6, 7 p.m.-1 a.m., at ISH (5105 I-55 N.). The R&B artist performs; call 769-257-5204; email ishgrillandbar@gmail. com; find it on Facebook.

Offbeat Friday Night Live March 6, 13, 8 p.m., at Offbeat (151 Wesley Ave.). The weekly event features live music from various alternative acts in genres such as hip-hop, indie-rock and RnB. Doors open 7 p.m. $5 cover charge; find it on Facebook.

Charlie’s Effin’ Karaoke March 4, 11, 18. 9 p.m.-2 a.m., at Ole Tavern (416 George St.).

Ole Tavern hosts a karaoke event that includes $10 beer buckets and $2 Bartenders choice shots from 9 p.m. to close. Free admission; call 601-960-2700; find it on Facebook.

Byron Asher’s Skrontch Music March 6, 8-10 p.m., at AND Gallery (133 Millsaps Ave.). The 10-piece ensemble performs, explores the histories and lineages of jazz in New Orleans. Doors open 7 p.m. Admissions TBA; email andgalleryart@gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

Marta Szlubowska and McKinney Williams March 5, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., at Mississippi State Capitol (400 High St.). The two blues artists perform at the Mississippi Art Commission’s annual Arts Day at the Capitol event;.

Free admission call 601-359-6546; email aehrgott@arts.ms.gov; arts.ms.gov.

Hip Hop vs. Trap Fridays March 6, 9 p.m., at Last Call Music Sports Bar (1428 Old Square Road). DJ Unpredictable 601 Events & Promotions hosts the event featuring DJ Finesse and DJ Unpredictable 601. Admissions TBA; call 601-713-2700; find it on Facebook.

John Causey March 5, 6:30 p.m., at Barrelhouse (3009 N. State St.). The multi-instrumentalist performs. Food and drinks available for purchase; call 769-216-3167; find it on Facebook.

The Fifth Fire Live March 6, 7 p.m., at Cowboy’s Saloon (208 W. Capitol St.). The Las Vegasbased Funk group performs. $8 general admission; call 601-944-0402; find it on Facebook.

Myron Butler “Love Without Limits Tour” March 6, 7 p.m., at Jackson Revival Centre (4655 Terry Road). Concert features Grammy Award winner, Myron Butler, Stellar Award

SUNDAY 3/8 From Classics to Glee Club Eighth Anniversary Spring Concert begins 2:30 p.m. at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church (5400 Old Canton Road). The Metro Male Chorus performs in its annual spring concert, showcasing part-

CONCERTS & FESTIVALS Events at 4th Avenue Lounge (209 S. Lamar St.) • Jazz Nights March 4, 11, 18, 6 p.m. The venue hosts weekly live jazz performances.

Free admission; call 855-246-9636.

• 601 Live March 5, 12 6-8 p.m. The soul and R&B band performs. Admissions TBA; call 601-259-5825; find it on Facebook.

nominee, Kathy Taylor, and Kelontae Gavin.

Doors open 6 p.m. $15 general admission, $20 at-door, $25 VIP; call 769-233-8347; find it on Facebook.

COURTESY METRO MALE CHORUS

songs of Franz Schubert, a mass setting with organ of Franz Liszt and Glee Club favorites. The Mississippi Boychoir performs alongside the adult choir. The Metro Male Chorus performs in Natchez on March 14 in a concert benefiting the Friends of Margaret Martin. Free admission; call 601-9565788; find it on Facebook.

Events at Martin’s Downtown (214 S. State St.) • Southern Komfort Brass Band March 6, 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m.. The New Orleans-style street jazz band performs. Ages 18+. Admission TBA; call 601-354-9712; find it on Facebook.

• Daniel Romano March 13, 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m.

The writer, producer, musician, and rock ‘n’ roll artist performs as part of his USA-tour.

Doors open 9 p.m. Ages 18+. Admission TBA; call 601-354-9712; find it on Facebook.

Mississippi Anime Festival 2020 March 7, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., at Mississippi Trade Mart (1200 Mississippi St.). This event celebrates anime and manga, general pop culture and animation and brings vendors, artists, cosplayers and fan groups together. $20 general advanced, $25 general day-of, $5 child advanced, $10 child day-of, children under 2 free; email avcguestrelations@ gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

Chamber III - Spring Delight March 7, 7:309:30 p.m., at Millsaps College - Ford Academic Complex (1701 N. State St.). William Garfield Walker, a young conductor whose Jackson and Mississippi Symphony Orchestra roots branched into an international career, guest-conducts the evening’s closing piece: Schubert’s famous “Unfinished Symphony.” The concert features more on the lineup, including classical guitarist Giovanni De Chiaro performing a concerto written for him. The box office will reopen one hour prior to the concert’s start. $23 adult, $5 student/ children ages 4-18; call 601-960-1565; email rroberts@msorchestra.com; msorchestra.com.

The Temptations March 8, 7 p.m., at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula S.t). The group described as an essential component of the original Motown machine performs. $35-$65; call 601-960-1537; find it on Facebook.

Richland Ranger 2020 Spring Carnival March 12-14, 6-10 p.m., at Richland Touchdown Club (Ranger Drive, Richland). Richland Touchdown Club hosts the event featuring fun rides, games and food for all ages. Admission TBA; find it on Facebook.

TobyMac Hits Deep Tour March 12, 7 p.m., at Mississippi Coliseum (1207 Mississippi St.).

The multi-Grammy winning Christian artist performs. Other Christian artists including

Nominate Enhanced Wellness Living!

Specializing in quality dental care for all ages

Best Specialty Clinic: Enhanced Wellness Living Best Nurse Practitioner: Kelly B. Engelmann, FNP-BC, MSN, FAAFM, ABAAHP

Thank You & Live Life Well!

We’d love your support again.

Nominate Us Today www.bestofjacksonfreepress.com

Deidra J. Snell, DMD Voted Best Cosmetic Dentist Best of Jackson 2018 and 2019

5800 Ridgewood Rd. Ste. 105, Jackson, MS 39211 601.398.2934 (office) 769.216.3311 (fax) www.ridgewoodsmilesdentistry.com

I’d like your support

Please nominate Dr. Adam Lewis Jackson Neurosurgical Clinic as Best Specialty Clinic in Best of Jackson 2020.

Thanks for your votes!

201 Riverwind East Drive , Pearl, MS 39208 üõöĖÿüûĖÿûüöŘĆŘ222Ā.($' .$")*-/#*(.Ā *(

Jackson Neurosurgery Clinic 1080 River Oaks Drive, Suite B-103, Flowood, MS jacksonneurosurgery.com

Marc h 4 - 17, 2020 • boomjackson.com

Nominate Dr. Minor Today Best Orthodontist www.bestofjackson.com

as Best Doctor and

29

Looking for something great to do in Jackson? Visit JFPEVENTS.COM for more.

Tauren Wells, Jordan Feliz, We Are Messengers, Ryan Stevenson, Aaron Cole and Cochren & Co. also perform. $24-$51; call 601-961-4000.

Music in City | Stephen Redfield and Joanna Burnside March 15, 5:30 p.m., at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S Lamar St.). The museum hosts the violinist and the pianist in the Trustmark Grand Hall. Cash bar available. Free admission; msmuseumart.org.

CREATIVE CLASSES Events at Cotton Blossom Fabrics (670 Hwy. 51 Mississippi, Ridgeland) • Cuddle Strip Quilt 1-Day Workshop March 4, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Shannon Fabrics’ educator Teresa Coates teaches how to make Cuddle® strip quilts. Participants given Wee One Baby Quilt kit (27” x 27”), batting, machine, and light lunch; call 601-427-5214; find it on Facebook.

The 20/20 Overflow #unfiltered March 5-7, 5:30-9 p.m., at New Jerusalem Church (5708 Old Canton Road). Resurrecting The Gift Ministries hosts Worship Art Conference. $35, early bird; $45 late registration. $40 general admission, $15 chaperone; find it on Facebook.

Latin Dance Party March 7, 14, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., at Salsa Mississippi Club & Studio (605 Duling Ave.). Salsa Mississippi Club & Studio hosts a Latin dance party every Saturday that includes a free dance lesson. $5 student/military, $10 general admission; call 601-213-6355; find it on Facebook.

Line Dance Classes March 9, 16, 6 p.m., at The Village Dance Center (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave., Suite 106). The Jackson Medical Mall Convention supports the Jackson dance studio in hosting line dance classes. Registration encouraged before each class. $7 per class,

$20 per month; call 601-937-1680; find it on Facebook.

Blythe Doll Customization Panel March 12, 8-9 a.m., at Blythe Doll House (3630 Saint Clair St.). The monthly creativity workshop allows attendees to learn how to customize Blythe dolls, which are known for their wide eyes and capacity for personalization. The group shares information with each other and guests regarding topics such as sewing doll clothes, photographing your unique doll and more. Free admission; call 662-598-8115; email info@thisisblythe.com; thisisblythe.com.

December 25, 2019 - January 7, 2020 • jfp.ms

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FRIDAY 3/13 John Heffron Live begins 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. at Chuckles Comedy House Jackson (6379 Ridgewood Court Drive).

The energetic comedian who won the second season of “Last Comic Standing” shares an array of relatable experiences from his childhood to his life as a husband and father. Additional dates: March 14, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., March 15, 5 p.m. $22.50 general, $35 VIP; call 769-257-5467; email chucklescomedyhouse7@gmail. com; chucklescomedyhouse.com.

“Alchemy” Exhibit March 15, 1-5 p.m., at The Cedars (4145 Old Canton Road). The Fondren Renaissance Society holds the “Alchemy” exhibit at The Cedars that features abstract works from 13 Mississippi-based artists, including Jackson resident Stephen Delatte. In addition to listed dates, viewings are available by appointment from March 2-11. Free valet parking for society members on opening night. Sponsored by Origin Bank. Admission TBA; call 601-981-9606.

SATURDAY 3/14 “Keep It Rolling” Gala begins 7 p.m. at Jackson Medical Mall Foundation (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). The Mississippi Paralysis Association presents the inaugural fundraising gala. Proceeds go toward assisting Mississippians with paralysis-based disabilities. Features live performances by Jarekus Singleton, Ben Strings and Jarez. Also includes food, PIXABAY drinks, a silent auction and more. $35 individual, $50 couple; call 601-421-1423; mpa.ticketleap.com.

Beat By Kodak Class Training March 15, 2-6 p.m., at Beat By Kodak (2629 Jackson Ave.).

Training features dive deep into makeup artistry and live demonstrations. $75 deposit. Limited space. Participants given a manual, a lash vendor kit and a certificate. $300; call 601-880-8944; email kodackia94@gmail.com.

ARTS & EXHIBITS Danny Simmons Art Exhibit March 4-6, 9-11, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at Johnson Hall Art Gallery (1400 J.R. Lynch St.). Jackson State University presents the unveiling of the collection of neo-African abstract expressionism.

Free admission; call 601-979-0879; email shonda.c.mccarthy@jsums.edu.

COURTESY JOHN HEFFRON

center presents an exhibit that depicts young Mississippians who are making their marks in African American history. Free admission; call 601-960-1537.

Mississippi Proud: Black History Art Exhibit March 4-7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., March 9, 10 a.m.4:30 p.m. at Arts Center of Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St.). The arts center presents an exhibit that depicts young Mississippians who are making their marks in African American history. Free admission; call 601-960-1537.

Creative Healing Studio March 4, 18, 12:30-2 p.m., at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). Art therapist Susan Anand leads the bimonthly art activity for adults being treated for cancer or those who have previously been diagnosed with cancer. All skill levels welcome. Registration required. Free admission; call 601-960-1515; email smainlay@aol.com; msmuseumart.org.

Art and Coffee March 7, 10-11:30 a.m., at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). The Museum offers guests the opportunity to engage with a single work, or pairing of works, for a 30-minute talk led by Museum curators and educators, as well as local artists and scholars; call 601-960-1515; find it on Facebook.

Mississippi Proud: Black History Art Exhibit March 9, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at Arts Center of Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St.). The arts

LITERARY SIGNINGS Events at Lemuria Bookstore (4465 I-55 N.) • “The Boatman’s Daughter” Book Signing March 4, 5 p.m. Andy Davidson signs copies of his book. Reading starts by 5.30 p.m. $16.00 signed copy, free reading; call 601366-7619; lemuriabooks.com.

• “Blackwood” Book Signing March 5, 4:30 p.m. Michael Farris Smith signs copies of his book. Reading starts 5.30 p.m. $27.00 signed copy, free reading; call 601-366-7619; lemuriabooks.com.

• “The Life and Legacy of B.B. King” Book Signing March 6, 5 p.m. Diane Williams signs copies of her book. Free reading by 5.30p.m. $23.99 signed copy, free reading; call 601-366-7619; lemuriabooks.com.

• “Follow the Angels, Follow the Doves” Book Signing March 10, 5 p.m. Sidney Thompson signs copies of his book. Free reading by 5.30 p.m. $19.95 signed copy, free reading; call 601-366-7619; lemuriabooks.com.

• “Race Against Time” Book Signing March 18, 4:30 p.m. Jerry Mitchell signs copies of his book. Discussion starts 5.00pm $28 signed copy, free discussion; call 601-3667619; lemuriabooks.com.

PROFESSIONAL & BIZ 2020 Winter Realtor Meetings March 4-5, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., at Mississippi Association of Realtors (4274 Lakeland Drive, Flowood).

Mississippi Association of Realtors holds meetings and a fundraiser. Registration required; call 601-932-5241; find it on Facebook.

Connect: Networking for Entrepreneurs March 5, 4:30-6:30 p.m., at Cultivation Food Hall (1200 Eastover Drive, Suite 125). Innovate Mississippi presents an opportunity for local entre-

preneurs, mentors, and innovation ecosystem leaders to network, connect and form meaningful relationships. Cash bar. Food available for purchase. Free admission, food and drink prices vary; call 601-960-3610; find it on Facebook.

Understanding Fiscal Responsibility March 6, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at Millsaps College (1701 N. State St.). Millsaps College organizes the workshop for 9th to 12th grade teachers with focus on critical thinking about public policy.

Must bring a laptop computer or tablet with the capability to hook up to wi-fi. No registration fee. Credit card required to hold a spot. Admission TBA; call 601-974-1325; email mscee@ millsaps.edu; find it on Facebook.

DONA International Birth Doula Training March 6-9, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., at Hilton Jackson (1001 E. County Line Road). Mississippi Public Health Institute hosts doula training towards certification and mentoring for doula career with success. Limited space. $200; call 601398-4406; email wthompson@msphi.org; find it on Facebook.

Super Tax Days March 7, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at Jackson Convention Complex (105 E. Pascagoula St.). Tax professionals offer their services to help attendees fill out paperwork to maximize their tax refunds. No appointment necessary.

Participants seen first-come, first-serve. Attendees must bring photo ID (of both themselves and their spouses if filing jointly), income documents including W-2s and 1099s, social security cards for everyone claimed, previous tax returns (if any), Health Insurance Marketplace Statement (Form 1095-A), and checking/savings account numbers if direct deposit is desired. Attendees may potentially win up to $50 in cash through a scratch-off card promotion and are entered into other drawings, including a $10,000 grand prize from the national Save Your Refund program.

Free admission; call 601-923-3950.

2020 Spring Education Issues Conference March 7, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at Jackson Medical Mall - UMMC Conference Center (350 W Woodrow Wilson Drive). The teachers’ association holds an event on overcoming cultural barriers to accessing mental health. $55 general admission; call 601-352-7613; email Genetra@ jftpsrp.com; find it on Facebook.

The Bean Path Tech Office Hours March 8, 12:30-3:30 p.m., at Medgar Evers Library (4215 Medgar Evers Blvd.). The tech-focused nonprofit provides free technical advice and guidance to individuals, new startups and small businesses in the community at the library. Free admission; email theresa@thebeanpath.org; thebeanpath.org.

Grow with Google Workshop: Spring into Action March 11, 11 a.m.-noon, at Eudora Welty Library (300 N. State St.). Library hosts training in use of Google Analytics for insights into consumer engagement with online businesses and customer trends. Reservation required; call 601-968-5811; find it on Facebook.

The Bean Path Tech Office Hours ft. Video Editing Workshop March 14, 12:30-3:30 p.m., at The Bean Path Tech (4215 Medgar Evers Blvd.). Participants learn the use of tech tools to make businesses more efficient. free general admission; call 601-982-2867; email ssimmons@jhlibrary.com; find it on Facebook.

EKG Training March 17, 6 p.m., at Access Training Inc. (4915 I-55 Frontage Road N., Suite C-305). Call 601-366-6001.

DOCTORS & DENTISTS

3/4/20 3/15/20

T O L L A B P U P PO

Best Doctor

Best Physical Therapist

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Best Cosmetic Surgeon

Best Dentist

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Best Nurse Practitioner/Physicians Assistant

Best Pediatric Dentist

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Best Chiropractor

Best Cosmetic Dentist

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Best Urgent Care Clinic

Best Orthodontist

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Best Specialty Clinic

Best Women’s Health Clinic

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Best Hospital

Best Optometrist/Ophthalmologist

______________________________________________

______________________________________________ 1DPH 3KRQH ( 0DLO

Mailed ballots must arrive by 3/13/20

Vote online until 3/15/20

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BESTOFJACKSON.COM

Marc h 4 - 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ boomjackson.com

Rules: One vote per person. Please vote only in categories where you have personal knowledge.

Please vote FIRSTNAME LASTNAME and check your spelling.

31

Sims Chiropractic Clinic Thank you for supporting us!

Dr. Stanley Sims Voted Best Chiropractor Best of Jackson 2019

500 E Woodrow Wilson Ave # F Jackson, MS 39216

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The 10th Annual Blessing of the Bikes is from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Stronger Hope Church (223 Beasley Road). The church hosts the 10th annual “blessing of the bikes” event for King Riders MC. Friday features a meet-and-greet at 7 p.m., Saturday PIXABAY features a cookout at noon and a dance at 8 p.m., and Sunday features the blessing ceremony. Free admission, $25 vendor registration, $40 food truck registration; call 601-882-8539; email swilsonconsulting@yahoo.com.

Shut Up and Create! March 21, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Join JFP Editor Donna Ladd’s popular allday creativity workshop in downtown Jackson.

Fun activities help you tape into your inner creative and make a plan for your project(s) after the workshop. See writingtochange.com for details. Mention this listing for 50% off remaining spots while they last ($125 total, including breakfast, lunch, snacks, supplies). Write class@ writingtochange.com or call 601-966-0834.

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JSU Women’s Council for Philanthropy Luncheon March 4, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., at The Country Club of Jackson (345 St. Andrews Drive). As part of Women’s History Month, Jackson State University’s Women’s Council for Philanthropy holds inaugural luncheon in honor of JSU’s former president and first lady, Dr. John and Mrs. Mary Peoples. Reservation required.

Proceeds benefit deserving students. $100; call 800-848-6817; email constance.v.lawson@ jsums.edu; find it on Facebook.

Annual Spring Speakeasy & Silent Auction March 5, 6-10 p.m., at Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave.). McWillie Elementary School PTA organizes the party with live entertainment

by Southern Comfort Brass Band and DJ Young Venom, an open bar and catering by 4 Top Catering. 1920s attire is strongly encouraged. Attendees must be 21+. Proceeds benefit school. $40 admission; call 601-292-7121; dulinghall.ticketfly.com.

Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr March 7, March 14, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Capital Area (615 Stonewall St.).

Habitat for Humanity links with 13 other entities to rehab a home for a local family in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Together with 360 volunteers and 125 hours of construction work from the homeowners, the rehab project spans over 11 consecutive Saturdays until completion. The homeowners are responsible for a down payment, must attend home-ownership classes about budgeting, home maintenance and being a good neighbor. Free admission; call 601-353-6060; email vstein@habitatmca.org; habitatmca.org.

15th Annual Garden Party March 7, 2-4 p.m., at Hilton Jackson (1001 E. County Line Road). The school hosts the fundraising event. $40 general admission, $30 parents, $350 table for 10, free for students and alumni; call 601-956-6131; find it on Facebook.

34th Annual Children’s Benefit Gala March 7,

6-11 p.m., at The Westin Jackson (407 S. Congress St.). Junior Auxiliary of Rankin County hosts the gala event. Proceeds benefit county children and families; call 601-706-9727.

Beta Alpha MasQuerade Ball 2020 March 7, 7 p.m.-1 a.m., at Union Station. The Beta Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. presents the annual scholarship fundraiser, The MasQUErade Affair: The Gold Edition.

Proceeds benefit students in Hinds County. Live music by Karen Brown and DJ Unpredictable. $30 general admission; find it on Facebook.

3rd Annual Spread Goodness Day March 13, day-long, at Old Trace Park, Ridgeland.

Spread Goodness Day returns for its third installment. The event aims to encourage individuals, businesses and organizations to spread goodness to show how these kind acts when multiplied can lead to positive change. Free admission; email spreadgoodnessday@gmail. com; spreadgoodnessday.com.

2020 Legal Beagle 5k March 14, 8 a.m. Jackson Young Lawyers hosts run/walk on the Old Phidippides Watermelon Classic 5k (3.1 miles) course through residential streets of Northeast Jackson starting at Old Canton Road near the LeFleur Station Post Office and finishing alongside the I-55 Kroger on Jacksonian Plaza. Registration required. Proceeds benefit Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Mississippi Bar Association. $21 individual registration, $75 team/family registration; call 601-960-6852; find it on Facebook.

Gospel Benefit for MSCF March 14, 6 p.m., at College Hill M.B. Church (1600 Florence Ave.). The Westhaven Funeral Home Choir hosts the gospel benefit program for Mississippi Sickle Cell Foundation; call 601-366-5874; find it on Facebook.

The Vision Gala March 14, 7-10 p.m., at Arts Center of Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St.).

Parents of Obama Magnet Elementary and Obama Magnet PTA host the celebratory black-tie event. Proceeds benefit the school. $25 sponsorship of Faculty/Staff Member, $200 gala table. Reservations required. $50 general admission; call 601-668-5906; find it on Facebook.

Check jfpevents.com for updates and more listings, or to add your own events online. You can also email event details to events@ jacksonfreepress.com to be added to the calendar. The deadline is noon the Wednesday prior to the week of publication.

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Celebrang new musical setngs, part songs of Franz Schubert, a mass seng with organ of Franz Liszt, and Glee Club favorites!

JACKSON Sunday, March 8, 2020 | 2:30 pm | St. Philip's Episcopal Church Enjoy the powerful, mature male sound of The Metro Male Chorus complemented to the benet of our guests — the youthful voices of the Mississippi Boychoir.

Saturday, March 14, 2020 | 4:30 pm | First Presbyterian Church Enjoy the powerful, mature male sound of The Metro Male Chorus complemented to the benet of our guests — the youthful voices of the Mississippi Boychoir.

Marc h 4 - 17, 2020 • boomjackson.com

NATCHEZ

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courtesy Tiger Rogers

3/4 - 3/17 Wednesday 3/4 4th Avenue Lounge - Jazz Night 6 p.m.

Alumni House - Johnny Crocker 7 p.m.

Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Gator Trio 6:30 p.m.9:30 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Jonathon Wabble 6-10 p.m.

Shucker’s - Sonny & Co. 7:30 p.m.

Table 100 - Andy Henderson 6 p.m.

Thursday 3/5 4th Avenue Lounge - 601 Live 6-8 p.m.

Barrelhouse - John Causey 6:30 p.m.

BB’S LIVE - Repeat Offender 8 p.m.midnight Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Drago’s - Doug Hurd 6-9 p.m.

Duling Hall - Southern Comfort Brass Band and DJ Young Venom 6-10 p.m.

F. Jones Corner - The Corner Band 11 p.m. $5 Georgia Blue, Flowood - Jason Turner Georgia Blue, Madison - Todd Smith Hal $ Mal’s Ally and the Jazz Katz Iron Horse Grill - Ben Peyton 6 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Steele Heart 6:30 p.m.9:30 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Chad and Marty 6-10 p.m.

Pop’s Salon - Reason Define, Gandhi’s Gun, American Automatic 7 p.m.-midnight Shucker’s - Lovin Ledbetter 7:30 p.m.

Table 100 - Andrew Pates 6 p.m.

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

Friday 3/6

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Alumni House - Jerry Brooks and Jack Beal 7 p.m.

Ameristar Bottleneck Blues Bar, Vicksburg - Sugar Shaker 8 p.m.

AND Gallery - Skrontch Music 8 p.m.

BB’S LIVE - Shatterframe 9 p.m.

Char - Ronnie Brown 6 p.m.

Drago’s - Buzz Pickens & Gena Steele 6-9 p.m.

Duling Hall - Muscadine Bloodline, Jordan Fletcher 8 p.m.

F. Jones Corner - Live Music midnight $10 Georgia Blue, Flowood - Shaun Patterson Georgia Blue, Madison - CandyLee Dobbs Hal and Mal’s - John Corabi and special guests 7 p.m.- 1 a.m.

Iron Horse Grill - Johnie B. Sand-

ers Blues Band Revue featuring Ms.Iretta 9 p.m.

Kathryn’s - The Remedy 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Martin’s - Southern Komfort Brass Band 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m.

Pelican Cove - Jason Turner 6-10 p.m.

Pop’s Saloon - The Ballard Journeay Show 8 p.m.

Shucker’s - Rick & Carlos 5:30 p.m.; Burnham Road 8 p.m.; Charade 10 p.m. $5 Table 100 - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

WonderLust - DJ Taboo 8 p.m.-2 a.m.

Saturday 3/7 Ameristar Bottleneck Blues Bar, Vicksburg - Contraflow 8 p.m.

Tiger Rogers

See more music at jfp.ms/musiclistings.

To be included in print, email listings to music@jacksonfreepress.com.

Sunday 3/8

Wednesday 3/11

1908 Provisions - Knight Bruce 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Biscuit Company - Calvin Duncan, Jr. 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Char - Big Easy Three 11 a.m.; Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Iron Horse Grill - Tiger Rogers 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Kathryn’s - The XtremeZ Band 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Bubba Wingfield Duo noon-4 p.m.; Acoustic Crossroads 5-9 p.m.

Shucker’s - The Chill noon; Miles Flatt 4 p.m.

Table 100 - Raphael Semmes Trio 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Dan Michael Colbert 6-9 p.m.

4th Avenue Lounge - Jazz Nights 6 p.m.

Alumni House - Gena and David Steele 7 p.m.

BB’S LIVE - The Ballard Journeay Show 7-10 p.m.

Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Hal & Mal’s - New Bourbon Street Jazz Band 6-8:30 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Larry Brewer and Doug Hurd 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Unfinished Bus 6-10 p.m.

Shucker’s - Sonny & Co. 7:30 p.m.

Table 100 - Andy Henderson 6 p.m

Diego Brawn

TobyMac

Thursday 3/12 4th Avenue Lounge - 601 Live 6-8 p.m.

BB’S LIVE - Jason Miller Band Unplugged 8 p.m.-midnight Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Drago’s - Larry Brewer 6-9 p.m.

F. Jones Corner - The Corner Band 11 p.m. $5 Hal & Mal’s - D’Lo Trio 7-9:30 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Jeff Reynolds Quartet 6:30- 9:30 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Charade Unplugged 6-10 p.m.

Shucker’s - Acoustic Crossroads 7:30 p.m.

Table 100 - Andrew Pates 6 p.m.

Friday 3/13 BB’S LIVE - Sweet Tooth Jones 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

Char - Bill Clark 6 p.m.

F. Jones Corner - Live Music midnight $10 Georgia Blue, Flowood - Brandon Greer Georgia Blue, Madison - Brian Jones Hal & Mal’s - Singer Songwriter Night Iron Horse Grill - Nu Era 9 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Fade2Blue 7 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

Offbeat - KaiJU 7 p.m. -1 a.m.

Pelican Cove - Faze 4 Dance Band 1-5 p.m.

Shucker’s - Chris Gill & The Sole Shakers noon; Jason Miller Band 4 p.m.; Burnham Road 8 p.m.; Chad Perry 10 p.m.

Table 100 - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

WonderLust - Drag Performance & Dance Party feat. DJ Taboo 8 p.m.-3 a.m. free before 10 p.m.

Wellington’s - Andy Hardwick 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Monday 3/9 Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Hal & Mal’s - Central MS Blues Society 7 p.m. $5 Kathryn’s - Phil Yarbrough 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Sid Thompson 6-10 p.m.

Table 100 - Andrew Pates 6 p.m.

March 10, 2020 - Tuesday BB’S LIVE - Open Jam 8 p.m.midnight Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Drago’s - Chad Perry 6-9 p.m.

Fenian’s - Open Mic 9 p.m.

Hal and Mal’s - Raphael Semmes and friends 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Skip and Mike 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Pelican Cove - 2 for the Road 6-10 p.m.

Table 100 - Chalmers Davis 6 p.m.

Alumni House - Pearl Jamz 7 p.m.

Ameristar Bottleneck Blues Bar, Vicksburg - Fortag 8 p.m.

BB’S LIVE - Travelin Jane - 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

Char - Ronnie Brown 6 p.m.

Drago’s - Johnny Crocker 6-9 p.m.

F. Jones Corner - Live Music midnight $10 Hal & Mal’s - Soundwagon, Cary Hudson, George Mcconnel Iron Horse Grill - The Sal-tines 9 p.m.

Kathryn’s - The Jackson Gypsies 7 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

Martin’s - Daniel Romano with Spencer Thomas 10 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Road Hogs 6-10 p.m.

Shucker’s - Larry Brewer and Doug Hurd 5:30 p.m.; Hairicane 8 p.m. $5; Bubba Wingfield Duo 10 p.m. $5 Table 100 - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

WonderLust - DJ Taboo 8 p.m.

Saturday 3/14 Ameristar Bottleneck Blues Bar, Vicksburg - Fortag 8 p.m.

BB’S LIVE - Brother Maven 9 p.m.

Char - Bill Clark 6 p.m.

Duling Hall - Newscast, Lo Noom, Pink Palaces 8 p.m.

Hal & Mal’s - Pete Fields Iron Horse Grill - Chris Gill 9 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Acoustic Crossroads 7 p.m.- 10:30 p.m.

Landshark, Vicksburg - Bill “HowlN-Madd” Perry and Shy Perry 6-9 p.m.

Martin’s - Joe Marcinek Band Featuring Papa Mali 10 p.m.- 1:30 a.m.

Pelican Cove - Four Way Stop 1-5 p.m. ; Lovin Ledbetter 7-11 p.m.

Shucker’s - Steele Heart 3:30 p.m.; Hairicane 8 p.m. $5; Chad Perry 10 p.m. $5 Table 100 - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

WonderLust - Drag Performance & Dance Party feat. DJ Taboo 8 p.m.-3 a.m. free before 10 p.m.

Sunday 3/15 1908 Provisions - Knight Bruce 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Biscuit Company - Carlos & Cucho 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Char - Big Easy Three 11 a.m.; Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Iron Horse Grill - Tiger Rogers 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Kathryn’s - The Lucky Hand Blues Band 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

Pelican Cove - The Magee’s noon-4 p.m.; Bonfire Orchestra 5-9 p.m.

Shucker’s - Keys vs Strings 3:30 p.m.

Table 100 - Raphael Semmes Trio 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Dan Michael Colbert 6-9 p.m.

Wellington’s - Andy Hardwick 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Monday 3/16 Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Duling Hall - The Sam Bruton Quartet 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Hal & Mal’s - Central MS Blues Society 7 p.m. $5 Kathryn’s - Live Music 6:30 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Robin Blakeney 6-10 p.m.

Table 100 - Andrew Pates 6 p.m.

Tuesday 3/17 Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Drago’s - Barry Leach 6-9 p.m.

Hal and Mal’s - Raphael Semmes and Friends 6:30-9:30p.m.

Kathryn’s - The Road Hogs 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Gary & Mel Osborne 6-10 p.m.

Table 100 - Chalmers Davis 6 p.m.

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Barry Leach Dining Room - 7:00pm - Free

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Singer Songwriter Night Monday 3/9

Wednesday 3/11

New Bourbon Street Jazz Band Dining Room - 6:00pm - Free

Thursday 3/12

D’lo Trio Dining Room - 7:00pm - Free

Friday 3/13

Cary Hudson AND George Mcconnel Red Room - 7:00pm

Saturday 3/14

Pete Fields Dining Room - 7:00pm - Free

Monday 3/16

Central MS Blues Society presents:

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Dining Room - 7 - 11pm $3 Members $5 Non-Members

Dining Room - 7 - 11pm $3 Members $5 Non-Members

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3/26- D’Lo Trio 3/27-Waterworks Curve 3/30- CMBS presents Blues Monday 3/31- Dinner, Drinks and Jazz with Raphael Semmes and friends 3/31- Disability Rights Mississippi Trivia in the Red Room. Concession Style food available. Starts at 5

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35

47 Pen filler, perhaps 48 Twofold 49 Attacks, like a unicorn might 52 Hear about 54 Law enforcement gps.

57 Tournament type 58 Putting area sponsored by fruit spread?

60 Touch down 61 Eye creepily 62 Bird on a coin 63 Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist 64 Low digits?

65 First U.S. “Millionaire” host Philbin

BY MATT JONES

37 “Most definitely!”

38 It doesn’t go in the microwave 39 Projectionist’s need 44 Meeting outline 45 Nick in the “Captain Marvel” movie 46 Smith, to Yogi Bear 48 Broad valleys 49 Spieth sport 50 Character formed by Pearl and Amethyst on “Steven Universe” 51 Artist Magritte 52 “The ___ Movie 2: The Second Part” (2019) 53 Cosmo competitor

54 Simon of “Shaun of the Dead” 55 Grocery store section 56 Star Fox console, once 58 Scribble (down) 59 “Party for One” singer Carly ___ Jepsen ©2019 Jonesin’ Crosswords (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com)

Last Week’s Answers

For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800 655-6548. Reference puzzle #927.

Editor’s Note: Psycho Sudoku by Matt Jones has been discontinued.

Down

“Just Kidding”--or is it the other way around?

Across

1 Jean jacket material 6 Prefix meaning “ten” 10 Elliot of The Mamas & the Papas 14 Blunt married to John Krasinski 15 “Chill in the Air” singer ___ Lee 16 Spoken aloud 17 Sudden change of plans to not tumble down the hill after Jack?

19 “Escape (The ___ Colada Song)” 20 Had some gummy bears, perhaps 21 Statuary segment 22 Lightheaded 23 Like some terriers’ coats

24 “Beds ___ Burning” (Midnight Oil song) 25 Return 28 Earp/Clanton shootout site 33 Charles of polytonal music 34 ___ Lodge (motel chain) 35 Historic timespan 36 Utility vehicle that stays road-bound (and not on your lawn)?

40 One of a handful of notable hockey surnames in crosswords 41 Letter before India 42 Love, deified 43 bell hooks, for one 45 City with the ZIP 93888

1 “It’s ___ vu all over again!”

2 Give off, as light 3 River near the Valley of the Kings 4 Feverish, maybe 5 Washington WNBA teammate 6 Unlike almond milk and soy cheese 7 911 first responders 8 2017 Pixar movie 9 ___ Wednesday 10 Giant office machine 11 Calif. neighbor 12 “SNL” alum Horatio 13 Do in a dragon 18 Do the job 22 Slang for “friend” in “A Clockwork Orange” 23 Nesting insect 24 Proactiv target 25 “And knowing is half the battle” cartoon 26 Do-___ (second chances) 27 They’re held by growlers 28 Eight-member group 29 1980s-’90s German leader Helmut 30 Brings up 31 Lighting problem?

32 Wonder Woman’s weapon 34 Online banking transactions, briefly

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In 1637, renowned English poet John Milton wrote “Lycidas,” a poetic elegy in honor of a friend. Reading it today, almost four centuries later, we are struck by how archaic and obscure the language is, with phrases like “O ye laurels” and “Ah! who hath reft my dearest pledge?” A famous 20th-century Piscean poet named Robert Lowell was well-educated enough to understand Milton’s meaning, but also decided to “translate” all of “Lycidas” into plainspoken modern English. I’d love to see you engage in comparable activities during the coming weeks, Pisces: updating the past; reshaping and reinterpreting your old stories; revising the ways you talk about and think about key memories.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

Progress rarely unfolds in a glorious, ever-rising upward arc. The more usual pattern is gradual and uneven.

Each modest ascent is followed by a phase of retrenchment and integration. In the best-case scenario, the most recent ascent reaches a higher level than the previous ascent. By my estimate, you’re in one of those periods of retrenchment and integration right now, Aries. It’s understandable if you feel a bit unenthusiastic about it. But I’m here to tell you that it’s crucial to your next ascent. Let it work its subtle magic.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

You are most likely to be in sweet alignment with cosmic rhythms if you regard the next three weeks as a time of graduation. I encourage you to take inventory of the lessons you’ve been studying since your birthday in 2019.

How have you done in your efforts to foster interesting, synergistic intimacy? Are you more passionately devoted to what you love? Have you responded brightly as life has pushed you to upgrade the vigor and rigor of your commitments? Just for fun, give yourself a grade for those “classes,” as well as any others that have been important.

Then—again, just for fun—draw up a homemade diploma for yourself to commemorate and honor your work.

of elimination as you get even clearer about what you don’t want. Let your fine mind gather a wealth of detailed information and objective evidence, then hand over the final decision to your intuition.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

Certain artists are beyond my full comprehension.

Maybe I’m not smart enough to understand their creations or I’m not deep enough to fathom why their work is considered important. For example, I don’t enjoy or admire the operas of Wagner or the art of Mark Rothko. Same with the music of Drake or the novels of Raymond Carter or the art of Andy Warhol. The problem is with me, not them. I don’t try to claim they’re overrated or mediocre. Now I urge you to do what I just did, Libra, only on a broader scale. Acknowledge that some of the people and ideas and art and situations you can’t appreciate are not necessarily faulty or wrong or inadequate. Their value may simply be impossible for you to recognize. It’s a perfect time for you to undertake this humble work. I suspect it will be liberating.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

Are you ready to seize a more proactive role in shaping what happens in the environments you share with cohorts? Do you have any interest in exerting leadership to enhance the well-being of the groups that are important to you? Now is an excellent time to take brave actions that will raise the spirits and boost the fortunes of allies whose fates are intermingled with yours. I hope you’ll be a role model for the art of pleasing oneself while being of service others.

Scorpio-born Ralph Bakshi has made animated films and TV shows for over 60 years. His work has been influential. “I’m the biggest ripped-off cartoonist in the history of the world,” he says. Milder versions of his experience are not uncommon for many Scorpios. People are prone to copying you and borrowing from you and even stealing from you. They don’t always consciously know they’re doing it, and they may not offer you proper appreciation. I’m guessing that something like this phenomenon may be happening for you right now.

My advice? First, be pleased about how much clout you’re wielding. Second, if anyone is borrowing from you without making the proper acknowledgment, speak up about it.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

Cancerian author Lionel Trilling (1905–1975) was an influential intellectual and literary critic. One of his heroes was another influential intellectual and literary critic, Edmund Wilson. On one occasion, Trilling was using a urinal in a men’s room at the New School for Social Research in New York. Imagine how excited he was when Wilson, whom he had never met, arrived to use the urinal right next to his. Now imagine his further buoyancy when Wilson not only spoke to Trilling but also expressed familiarity with his work. I foresee similar luck or serendipity coming your way soon: seemingly unlikely encounters with interesting resources and happy accidents that inspire your self-confidence.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

Poet Conee Berdera delivered a poignant message to her most valuable possession: the flesh and blood vehicle that serves as sanctuary for all her yearnings, powers, and actions. “My beloved body,” she writes, “I am so sorry I did not love you enough.” Near the poem’s end she vows “to love and cherish” her body. I wish she would have been even more forceful, saying something like, “From now on, dear body, I promise to always know exactly what you need and give it to you with all my ingenuity and panache.” Would you consider making such a vow to your own most valuable possession, Leo? It’s a favorable time to do so.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

Luckily, the turning point you have arrived at doesn’t present you with 20 different possible futures. You don’t have to choose from among a welter of paths headed in disparate directions. There are only a few viable options to study and think about. Still, I’d like to see you further narrow down the alternatives. I hope you’ll use the process

“Vainly I sought nourishment in shadows and errors,” wrote author Jorge Luis Borges. We have all been guilty of miscalculations like those. Each of us has sometimes put our faith in people and ideas that weren’t worthy of us. None of us is so wise that we always choose influences that provide the healthiest fuel. That’s the bad news, Sagittarius. The good news is that you now have excellent instincts about where to find the best long-term nourishment.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

Poet Adrienne Rich wrote, “When a woman tells the truth she is creating the possibility for more truth around her.”

I believe this same assertion is true about people of all genders. I also suspect that right now you are in a particularly pivotal position to be a candid revealer: to enhance and refine everyone’s truth-telling by being a paragon of honesty yourself. To achieve the best results, I encourage you to think creatively about what exactly it means for you to tell the deep and entire truth.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

Through some odd Aquarian-like quirk, astrologers have come to harbor the apparently paradoxical view that your sign is ruled by both Saturn and Uranus. At first glance, that’s crazy! Saturn is the planet of discipline, responsibility, conservatism, diligence, and order. Uranus is the planet of awakening, surprise, rebellion, barrier-breaking, and liberation. How can you Aquarians incorporate the energies of both? Well, that would require a lengthy explanation beyond the scope of this horoscope. But I will tell you this: During the rest of the year 2020, you will have more potential to successfully coordinate your inner Saturn and your inner Uranus than you have had in years. Homework: Meditate on how you will do just that.

Homework: Don’t tolerate bullying from critical voices in your head or from supposedly “nice” people who are trying to guilt-trip you. FreeWillAstrology.com

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

37

BEST OF JACKSON // work

Home Is Where the Office Is // by Nate Schumann

Y

our workplace is like a second home. As such, whether your job involves sitting in an office, sterilizing medical equipment or serving pints of Guinness to guests, it’s important to enjoy coming to work each day. To allow Jacksonians the chance to give a shoutout to their workplace homes, we include the Best Place to Work category in our annual Best of Jackson issue. Check out 2020 winner and finalists below.

file photo

Baptist Medical Center (1225 N. State St., 601-968-1000) (finalist)

The Baptist Medical Center, part of Baptist Health Systems, is a Christian-based organization that has locations throughout the Jackson metro for family medicine, such as Jackson, Brandon, Clinton, Madison and more.

Speciality clinics and physical therapy are also available. Outpatient departments include Baptist Heart, Baptist Gynecologic Oncology, Baptist Neurosciences, Baptist Premier and Baptist Thoracic Surgery.

BB’S LIVE–Bonny Blair’s (1149 Old Fannin Road, Brandon, 769-447-5788) (finalist)

Winner: University of Mississippi Medical Center (2500 N. State St., 601-984-1000, umc.edu)

March 4 - 17, 2020 • jfp.ms

UMMC is the state’s only academic medical center, encompassing seven health science schools: medicine, nursing, health related professions, dentistry, pharmacy, graduate studies and population health. Its health-care enterprise includes the state’s only Level I trauma center, only children’s hospital and only organ and bone marrow transplant program. In addition, UMMC conducts research into further helping Mississippians with medical needs.

UMMC has won the Best Place to Work category several years in a row now, defending the title at each turn—despite the great contendors that make it to the finalist bracket. The center draws in professionals from across the globe to Mississippi’s capital, helping out city expand as it becomes a hub for all things medical. UMMC accounts for roughly 10% of the metro area’s economy, and approximately 20,000 people traverse its campus on a daily basis. This year, UMMC also celebrates 65 years of operation, with intent to celebrate many more.

38

The sports cafe features a bar and an assortment of menu items, many of them Irishinspired, such as shepherd’s pie, Guinness pot roast and more. In addition, under the ownership of Melissa Kirksey, BB’S LIVE–Bonny Blair’s doubles as a venue for live music, with a rotation of local artists performing a variety of genres.

Cole Facial Clinic & Skin Care (204 E. Layfair Drive, Flowood, 601-896-0112, colefacialclinic.com) (finalist)

Led by Jep Cole, the clinic aims to provide patients with individualized attention and surgical excellence to improve function as well as appearance, with an emphasis on the results looking natural based on the confidential con-

sultations doctors have with clients. Cole offers a range of cosmetic options, including rhinoplasty, chin and cheek implants, facelifts and liquid facelifts, eyelift, brow lift, earlobe repair, laser treatments and more.

Mississippi Children’s Museum (2145 Museum Blvd., 601-981-5469, mschildrensmuseum.org) (finalist)

The children’s museum offers an array of interactive exhibits and programs to help foster growth and promote education regarding a variety of topics. In addition, the museum holds multiple special events throughout the year, such as the NASA Day held on March 7, wherein a team from NASA teaches kids about space, robotics and more through presentations, virtual reality simulators and more. Volunteers can join MCM by visiting its website.

St. Dominic Hospital (969 Lakeland Drive, 601-200-2000, stdom.com) (finalist)

A staple in the Jackson area since 1946, St. Dominic’s offers services for cancer, radiology, internal medicine, neuroscience, rehabilitation and more. In addition to their work within the hospital, employees contribute to the community through employee-funded charitable contributions to many local organizations in need.

The hospital also holds classes and support groups. Visit the website for more details.

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