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Volume 3 | Issue 25

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Inside 6 News

Ingram loves serving Oxford through Higher Learning Tutoring

15 Business

CHANING GREEN

Ole Miss junior and summer swim instructor Hayley Murphy tells her student, 3-year-old Denton Ellis of Oxford, to focus on her, jump in the water and swim in her direction.

Summer Skillset

Falkner Farms produces tasty, healthy grass-fed beef

16 Sports

UM student making waves by teaching kids to swim

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

Down the winding roads of the Woodland Hills subdivision, just north of Oxford, sits the home of the Murphy family. For the past several years, Hayley Murphy has been pass-

ing the sweltering summer days using her family’s pool to teach swimming lessons to children in the community.

The Ole Miss junior uses a gentle, yet authoritative voice as she sets 3-year-old Denton Ellis on the side of the pool and tells him that she is going to

back up and he will swim to her. She does so and he follows her instructions, kicking his legs and making large sweeping motions with his small arms. He has to stop once to catch his breath, but the boy soon reaches the other side of the pool where Murphy takes

him into her arms and congratulates him on the successful swim.

Murphy is a student at the UM School of Education where she is earning a degree in elementary education. The TURN TO SUMMER PAGE 10

Middle Man: Reed expected to lead Lafayette defense

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 2

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

Mid-Summer Tomato Dinner set for Friday

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

Friday night at 7, Woodson Ridge Farms is hosting their third annual MidSummer Tomato Dinner.

Elizabeth Heiskell Catering is preparing the dinner and every part of the fourcourse meal will feature a tomato-based dish.

Heiskell’s catering company has been around for about 17 years now. Six years ago, she partnered with the opening of Woodson Ridge Farms and has been working closely with the farm ever since.

Heiskell said that the dinner was originally conceived as a way to get community members out to the farm and give them the opportunity to enjoy the space and learn about what Woodson Ridge Farms has to offer. It also went along with the surplus of tomatoes that all farmers in the region experience in early and mid-July. Woodson Ridge Farms produces

around 37 different varieties of tomatoes that sit on nearly 20,000 plats across the farm. While they sell almost all of them, the farm is still left with a considerable number of the versatile fruits after all is said and done. This dinner was the perfect marriage of food waste prevention and community engagement.

The dinner begins with a tomato-based cocktail, this year’s being an heirloom tomato and cucumber cocktail. Then the meal moves through sides and salads before they hit the full dinner of Delores’ Catfish with Tomato jam and an angel hair pasta dish.

The dinner is rounded out with a special cherry tomato cobbler with Bing cherries served over Sweet Magnolia basil gelato.

The dinner is being held in the farm’s open-air barn and will feature a live performance by Kelley and Jesse Pinion. The event is BYOB, meaning that attendees are welcome to bring

whatever alcoholic beverages they wish to accompany their meal. They will even have some menu alternatives for those who wish to attend put are not particularly fond of tomatoes.

Coming up with original ideas for what to prepare each year is no problem at all for Heiskell. Due to the variety and versatility of the tomatoes Heiskell has at her disposal, the only challenge is deciding what not to cook.

“The hard part for me is paring the menu down to just one meal,” she said when asked what was the most challenging part of designing a new menu year after year. “I have thousands of ideas when it comes to tomatoes. It is my absolute favorite thing in the entire world. I can figure out a way to put a tomato in anything. I only run into difficulties when I’m trying not to repeat my favorites.”

She went on to say that

the only thing she will be repeating is the cherry tomato cobbler. The dish was extremely popular at the last Tomato Dinner and even received national attention after its recipe’s publication in Southern Living.

In order to keep the event intimate and not overrun with people, the dinner is being capped at 150 guests.

Tickets are selling for $50 a person or $400 for a table of eight.

The proceeds from the dinner will be going to benefit the Jamaica Education Fund. The fund is set up in order to provide financial support to students of Baylor School in Chattanooga who will be traveling to Jamaica to help local communities there by improving schools and providing educational recourses to teachers and students. Heiskell’s daughter attends the school. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

MID-SUMMER MENU • Gazpacho in cucumber cups with lump crab meat • Open-faced BLT’s with Basil mayonnaise • Heirloom tomato and cucumber cocktail • Delores’ Catfish with tomato jam • Angel hair pasta nest with heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil and shaved parmesan • Marinated Gulf shrimp with cherry tomatoes • Stewed tomatoes and okra over Mississippi Bleu rice grits • Stewed carrot salad with tomato vinaigrette with bleu cheese and walnuts • Heirloom Caprese salad with pistachios, goat cheese and balsamic • Fried Green Tomatoes with pimento and cheese • Assorted Breads • Traditional tomato pie • Cherry tomato cobbler with Bing cherries with Sweet Magnolia basil gelato

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

Bowling for Bravery event to help Family Crisis Services

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

A fun night of bowling will end up benefiting a needed cause. Through the Bowling for Bravery Bowl-A-Thon, residents of Oxford and Lafayette County can get in night of bowling while helping the Family Crisis Services of Northwest Mississippi.

Emery Newsom helped organize the event through Leadership Lafayette program, which is facilitated by the Oxford Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. Premier Lanes of Oxford will host the even from 6 to 8 p.m.

Newsom said there are 25 people involved in Leadership Lafayette and that group is broken up into teams to help create a project. The bowl-a-thon was organized by Newsom's team, and for the record, she also has a bowling team.

“I really think it's going to be a lot of fun and a little bit different than some other fundraisers that other groups have done,” Newsom said. “We have this great bowling experience and great arcade within that.

It's been a great addition to our community, I think.

Being able to utilize that to support another community, non-profit organization, it's a win-win.”

There were some other initiatives or projects that Newsom's team could have picked from and Family Crisis Services was under the general heading of increase awareness. Newsom said

that her team was one of the first to pick their project, and as it turned out, one of the team members has a close association with Family Crisis Center.

“It really didn't take us long to say we wanted to help them out in any way we can. During the process, we met with Family Crisis Center representatives and got an idea of what they might need and what they had,” Newsom said. “During the course of conversation, Meredith Rawl, who is with family crisis, mentioned maybe doing a fundraiser.

She was actually the one who threw out the idea of bowling and it kind of went from there.”

This is the first event, and Newsom wasn't sure how much would be raised until all the teams signed up.

“I know any amount for Family Crisis, they are very appreciative of anything.

Even if it's several hundred dollars, that can go a long way to support their mission,” Newsom said. “If you can't bowl, you can still donate and you can come out to the event. We're going to have a silent auction and that may end up being worth coming out to see if you can get a good deal on stuff. It should be fun to still be a spectator because I'm hearing that competition may be pretty stiff. There are some teams talking back and forth. I know my team is excited and trying to get some practice in before the big event.”

Teams, with up to nine

bowlers, can still sign up through Friday by downloading registration forms at facebook.com/bowlingforbravery or by picking them up at the following locations: The Salvation Army Thrift Store, 2649 W Oxford Loop, Oxford; Lee Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, ?1201 Office Park Drive and the OxfordLafayette County Chamber of Commerce? located at 299 Jackson Avenue West.

Cost to enter a team is $225. The maximum of nine would mean each entry would be just $25 for a night of entertainment.

Family Crisis Services quietly goes about its business, Newsom said.

“They do some really important work. They serve the victims of sexual assault and homicide and other violent crimes, and that includes both children and adults,” she said. “They provide family support services and operate a child advocacy center for children who have been the victims of abuse.

These situations that their clients find themselves in are really, really difficult life situations and to have somebody there, guide them through the process is something I absolutely consider a hidden gem in our community. It's hard to think about these bad things that happen, but they do and the Family Crisis Services is just a bright spot in a really, really terrible time for some families.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING Lafayette County Comprehensive Plan The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors will hold Public Meetings for citizen input for the Comprehensive Plan.

All citizens, business owners and interested parties are encouraged to attend the meeting for public comment.

July 14, 2016 – 6:00 p.m. College Hill Community Center

PAGE 3

PRAYER VIGIL HONORS THE FALLEN

CHANING GREEN

A woman and her daughter join community members in prayer. Oxford Community Church partnered with the Orchard to hold a prayer vigil Sunday night that met in the Armory. The vigil was held to honor the Dallas police officers that were shot last weekend along with Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 4

OBITUARIES CALEB HAMM Caleb Wesley Hamm, 8, passed away Monday, July 11, 2016 in Union City, Tennessee.

Funeral services will be Friday, July 15 at 2 p.m. at Waller Funeral Home with Rev. John Vanderford officiating. Burial will follow in Eastover Memorial Cemetery in Oxford. Visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at noon until service time at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions in Caleb’s memory may be made to the Caleb Hamm Funeral Fund, c/o Waller Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1200, Oxford, MS 38655.

MARIE THERESE ADAMS Marie Therese Adams, 67, passed away Saturday, July 9, 2016 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford.

The memorial service will be held Thursday, July 14 at 11 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. Visitation at the church prior to the service starting at 10. Burial will follow in Eastover Memorial Cemetery.

Another visitation and Rosary service was held in West Hall of Waller Funeral Home on Wednesday.

Memorial contributions in Mrs. Adams’ memory may be made to Joseph Adams, Jr. for the medical and funeral expenses of Mrs. Therese Adams, 112A Cedar Hill Drive, Oxford, MS 38655.

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

Faulkner conference returns to Ole Miss

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

From July 17-21, the University of Mississippi will be hosting its annual, highly anticipated literary conference focusing on the work of William Faulkner.

The conference has been going strong since 1974, making this the 42nd year of the conference. It is the longest continuously running literary conference in the United States that is devoted to examining the work of just one author.

Despite its long history, the conference has only been under the leadership of three individuals during its existence. The current director Jay Watson, who has been running the conference since 2012, said that coming up with an original and interesting theme each year the previous conferences have yet to explore is an “exciting challenge.” This year’s conference is titled “Faulkner and the Native South,” and will be exploring the representation of Native Americans featured in Faulkner’s writings.

“For me, this is a real learning opportunity,” Watson said. “This is an area that I personally both need and want to learn more about. I’m really excited about our topic and I think that focusing in on and doing justice to this particular presence in Faulkner’s imagination will allow us to look at something that people have always been aware of, but have yet to study and debate in depth at a conference. We can all profit from a deeper understanding of the cultures and peoples that were here before the European-settler culture. ” The way the conference operates is that after a topic is decided upon, several keynote speakers from around the country are invited to speak at the conference. Then a call is put out inviting scholars from around the country to submit papers based on the topic. This year’s deadline was in late January.

Watson and his team spent the month of Febru-

ary going through the papers and deciding which ones would provide an interesting topic to discuss at the conference. The writers of the selected papers are then invited to the conference where they will give a short speech and presentation based on the subject of their paper.

Watson said that the conference is taking three primary approaches to the topic. First, he said they will be exploring and endeavoring to better understand the history and culture of the native people of the region in an effort to better understand the context in which they are represented in the works of Faulkner. To accomplish this, scholars and writers of the Native American community will

be presenting and speaking at the conference.

There will also be anthropologists and archeologists giving presentations to help the literary scholars in attendance learn more about the actual history of the area’s relationship with Native Americans and then apply that knowledge to the literary representation of those peoples.

Another approach the conference is taking is examining the impact that Faulkner’s writing has had on the work of Native American writers. The featured conference’s writer this year is novelist, playwright and poet LeeAnne Howe. Howe is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and serves as a professor in the Department of English at

the University of Georgia.

She also served as the Grisham Writer in Residence at Ole Miss, giving her an even deeper connection to the university and Faulkner himself. Other speakers of Native American descent include Melanie Benson Taylor of Dartmouth College and Jodi Byrd of the University of Illinois. Other scholars and artists of Native American descent will be attending and participating in the conference.

The other angle the conference will be exploring is exactly how the different Native Americans represented in Faulkner’s writing affected his overall body of work. What was their place in his “imaginative vision,” as Watson put it.

In years past, the last

day of the conference has been dedicated to exploring the different parts of North Mississippi that Faulkner incorporated into his world. In quite a change of pace, this year’s tour will instead focus on the history of the Chickasaw Nation and their historical and cultural story in Northeast Mississippi.

Watson said that in addition to the tour making those on it better Faulkner scholars, he said that he hopes the tour will provide a stronger sense of awareness for everyone, especially Southerners on the tour.

Watson is a native of Georgia and never set out to study Faulkner or Southern literature. After earning his undergraduate degree in hometown of Athens, he went on to purse his graduate studies at Harvard. He said that the act of leaving the South.

“I had never been particularly focused on my own Southernness until I left the South and realized that everybody else was focused on it,” Watson said. “People in Boston and non-Southerners in general were just, and people are still, endlessly fascinated with this region of the country. They wanna know. It’s this mysterious place. I experienced this when I went to Boston and it made me want to further study what all the fuss is about. It eventually drew me back to the study of the South.”

When a position opened at Ole Miss in 1989, he jumped on it. By then he had graduated Harvard where he earned a Ph.D. His dissertation focused on the work of Faulkner and later became his first book. Watson said the chance to teach Faulkner in the author’s own world was the opportunity of a lifetime, one that he said he is still extraordinarily grateful for. Watson was hired as a junior professor and eventually moved up through the ranks until he earned his current title of Howry Professor of Faulkner studies. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

Book Review: Mississippi Noir

PAGE 5

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“Mississippi Noir” is a collection of short stories edited by Oxford’s own Tom Franklin and set for release on Aug. 2.

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Many of the all-star contributors like Ace Atkins are Mississippi transplants who now call the state home, while others were born in and still have strong ties to the state.

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Though each story is dark and deals with very heavy subject matter, the prose reflects the striking, albeit morbid, writing that has been associated with Southern fiction since Faulkner dreamed up Yoknapatawpha County. Several times I

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“Mississippi Noir” will be hitting shelves with a special book launch at Square Books on Aug. 4. Mark your calendars because the latest addition to dark Mississippi fiction is not one to be missed. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

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OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 6

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

Ingram loves serving Oxford through Higher Learning Tutoring

BY KATHRYN WINTER STAFF WRITER

Lee Ingram was taking an accounting course at the University of Mississippi last summer when it occurred to him that there were very few higher learning tutors in Oxford.

As some of his classmates were struggling, Ingram put up some flyers for tutoring around town. What he got was an overwhelming response — 16 Ole Miss accounting students signed up for his help that summer. Serving that many students at once, and in such a short condensed period, Ingram realized he wanted and needed to expand his tutoring business into a small company to meet student demands.

“Last year, June 2015, I had just completed rigorous accounting courses and felt good about my accounting knowledge,” Ingram said. “I knew summer classes were

coming up and summer courses are even more rigorous because everything is condensed in such a small time period. The amount of students looking for extra help really shocked and overwhelmed me. I worked really hard, but it was difficult to manage everything by myself. I immediately started brainstorming, and step by step, Higher Learning Tutoring, LLC came into fruition.”

Ingram considers Higher Learning Tutoring to be Oxford’s premier tutoring agency, and even refers to it as the “Uber” of tutoring. Higher Learning works by going to the website and first choosing your subject and course.

Then you choose your tutor and select what day and time is most convenient for you. The final step is submitting your information and you can pay for your session online with a debit or credit card.

“Since we’ve started, we’ve served over 100 students, with over 500 hours of tutoring with 100 percent positive feedback,” Ingram said.

“We’ve worked with Greek organizations and helped their chapter grade point average rise by three points. I think these stats are really indicative of how we’re doing.”

Right now the courses offered for tutoring on the Higher Learning website

are: Accounting 201, 202, 303, 304 309, Spanish 202, and Business Calculus I. Ingram hopes to expand and add more courses to the mix soon. For the Fall 2016 semester, Ingram plans on developing a stronger social media presence. He also wants to get other students involved in managing it and there’s a tremendous amount of opportunity to help his business grow.

“For a year we weren’t even online, it was kind of a word of mouth thing.

The Accounting program at Ole Miss has prepared me to start my own business,” he said. “I developed the website a month ago and built it myself. If you have an idea you should just run with it. I think a lot of people have ideas for entrepreneurship, just don’t let fear get the best of you because there’s nothing holding you back but yourself.

There’s so much technology now out there to help you. If you stay focused on customers and how to give them a good experience, you could make a business very successful. This is a lean startup, a basic minimal product, which is different than a traditional business plan model.

We’re listening to our customers every day instead of anticipating their needs.”

Ingram said his longterm goal is to maintain a high level of quality and fulfill the need of his customers.

“It’s not always about tutoring, sometimes it’s academic mentoring, helping students build their confidence,” Ingram said. “Some will pay for five hours a week. I want

COURTESY OF LEE INGRAM

Lee Ingram created Higher Learning LLC when he saw a need for a higher level of tutoring for University of Mississippi students. to help students with tutoring at an affordable price, and also I’m helping the students who tutor build resume experience.”

Ingram shares a story about one of his tutors interviewing to get into medical school, and the school was really receptive and impressed that she did so much tutoring and helped other students with Biology.

“The experience was really valuable and tutors also have the need to make extra money. Since our website is fully functional, it automatically connects you with a tutor,” Ingram said. “Now that I have this system I can add tutors a lot more efficiently. Before I hire someone, I meet with them, interview them, and require a professor recommendation from them.

Finding tutors kind of spread by word of mouth, but I also have an application form for interested students online. Of course I will look at their grades before I let someone tutor another student.”

Ingram graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in accounting this spring, May 2016. The next step for him is to get his masters in accounting, and later get his CPA. When Ingram isn’t working on his business, or school, he relieves stress by playing drums in a local band, Carlos Danger. He also works as an accountant at a local business in Oxford.

“One reason I think Higher Learning stands out is because we’re students who have been in these courses recently.

Other companies hire people who might have taken the same class 20 years ago, who might not know how the material is tested on now,” he said.

“We’re an incredibly efficient service with technology. Other companies are run by people who aren’t college students. They’re taking checks by mail and we have a website that processes debit and credit cards electronically. I think to get people excited about what you’re doing is entrepreneurship.”

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

PAGE 7

New comprehensive plan has been paced by public input

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

Editor’s Note: This is the third story in a three-part series with Mike Slaughter of Slaughter and Associates talking about the current state of the comprehensive plan for Lafayette County.

Mike Slaughter has been open and honest about his thoughts surrounding the comprehensive plan for Lafayette County. For the past six months, Slaughter, and those that work in his office, have been detailing the project, pushing towards a final product.

Slaughter said that the public input, gathered in mass at public meetings, have been a huge benefit to completing the draft.

The board of supervisors have also been very instrumental, and helpful, in the process. So have the various steering committees that were created to

offer support and input along the way. At the time of the interview with Slaughter, about 60 percent of the project was complete. As July moves into August and the summer turns to the early fall, the plan should be complete and ready to present to the board. It’s up to those five men to approve any or all of it. There will be additional time for the public to speak, Slaughter said, who was complementary of the supervisors for hosting public meetings in the various districts.

Slaughter works all over the state of Mississippi, and he has worked with the Oktibbeha County Supervisors on a similar project. He said one large public meeting, that lasted up to three hours, was held. After that, the supervisors weren’t interested in hosting anything else in other areas of the county, Slaughter said.

“Here in Lafayette County, we’ve had a lot more and had them in various districts and one at the conference center, so I think those public meetings have helped people understand what we’re doing,” Slaughter said.

The next main thing for Slaughter to do is close the door and draft the plan based on all the public input and input from the steering committee meetings and all of the maps and data collected and generated.

“There are four minimum elements of it, goals and objectives. That’s really where we get our community or citizen input. We create goals and objectives as it relates to housing, jobs, parks and recreation, whatever it may be,” Slaughter said.

“We’re putting together our transportation plan, our future land use map and our facilities map

AmTryke race to benefit veterans with disabilities The University of Mississippi Recreation Management Department has partnered with the Ambucs organization, a 501(c)(3), to program the second annual event that benefits Veterans with disabilities.

The event will take place on Oct. 2, 2016. Participating teams will race an AmTryke (adaptive tricycle), competing to complete 75 laps around The Circle (on campus) in the fastest time. For every $1,000 we raise, we are able to purchase one AmTryke, which will be donated to a Veteran with a disability(s) at the end of the race.

We are inviting individuals and businesses to sponsor the AmTrykes in Action race. Your involvement and support of this event will help to provide Veterans with independence and a healthier lifestyle. Our community’s contributions to the AmTrykes in Action race will be recognized at the Ole Miss Football Armed Forces Game in No-

vember 2016. Sponsors can provide promotional materials, product samples, incentives, premiums, etc. for inclusion in each participant’s registration bag, so that each competitor will gain first?hand exposure to your organization! Any raffle items are also welcome.

If you would like to make a monetary contribution, please see the Sponsorship Level document to choose your sponsorship level.

We hope that you will consider sponsoring this

event to help us provide disabled veterans with mobility. If you would like to make a monetary contribution, please make checks payable to “Ambucs.” Other donations, such as goods/services, are also greatly appreciated. We will gladly pick up any donations, or they may be mailed to: Brittney Cable 642 All American Drive 215 Turner Center University, MS 38677

read more online oxfordcitizen.com

which will deal with additional fire stations, improving fire stations and equipment. The jail.

“We also met with our county department heads and the county has 160 acres on Hwy. 334 right across from the high school,” Slaughter said.

“We are developing a plan on whether some departments need to move out there. If some need more room and one department moved out to another area, they would have plenty of room. We’re getting a good hold on where we are with our community facilities that the county has to operate and where we need to improve. All of that will be included and we’re at the point where we are creating that draft document.”

During the entire fact gathering process, Slaughter learned a lot of things he didn’t about the county. He’s been in a lot of meetings, across the

table from county leaders.

“Lafayette County has unique opportunities that not all counties have,” Slaughter said. “There are counties that have trouble with their budgets each and every year. I’m not saying that Lafayette County has money everywhere, but we’re better off than a lot of counties in this state. And the supervisors have been able to provide services above and beyond a lot of counties. The fire protection, police protection, all this garbage and trash and maintenance of roads, you don’t see that everywhere. Lafayette County has an opportunity, with where they are and the university here, the city of Oxford, we’re all a family.

Every square inch of Oxford is in Lafayette County. Every square inch of the university is in Lafayette County. This is a unique county that has a lot to offer as everyone

knows. The supervisors have great department heads that are providing great services of roads and they’re working hard to improve that.”

It takes a lot of money to run the county, Slaughter reminded, and they could always use more in order to enhance services. The strong quality of life is why Slaughter calls Oxford home, even when he could easily live in a place like Madison, which would be centrally located for all his business.

“If I made it strictly business decision, I wouldn’t be living in Oxford. But when I look at the overall quality of life, I’m not going anywhere, this is where I want to live,” he said. “It’s a unique place, the city, the county, good school systems, Ole Miss. There is a lot of opportunity.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 8

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

Foot in the road

O

ne of my favorite summer sports is complaining about the heat but as we reach the metaphysical middle of summer, I’m just not feeling it. Can’t work up a decent heat hate. It has certainly been hot but my AC hasn’t broken down (knocks head) so maybe I’m in a dream world.

But we all know what’s coming. August will pre-bake the oven before September slithers in like a python and puts on the squeeze. Slow death by sweat. But for now we have breezes and low 90s – child’s play for a Mississippi summer.

The pool is open, the tomatoes are in and summer is in its full swinging-est.

The humid air and sunshine are undoubtedly good for plant life but what about human life? Is summer good for us?

The British newspaper, the Daily Mail, recently quoted several studies from the UK that point to summer’s undeniable benefits. For example, one report showed you’re more likely to survive a heart attack if it occurs in the summer months. The reason is Vitamin D from Ole King Sun. “Higher levels of Vitamin D – which is synthesized by sunlight – are thought to play a protective part in those who suffer heart attacks. Ultraviolet light converts cholesterol to Vitamin D. Therefore, getting out in the sun is a good way to lower cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.”

Jim Dees Tales of the Town

The paper also quotes studies showing fruit consumption increases in summer, people exercise more and drink more water, all positives. With all that healthy living, people also tend to get frisky. The Mail reported that online searches for dating sites and pornography increase in early summer. Tis the season for the birds and the bees.

Parts of this country, particularly out west, are burning up at 120 degrees, others are actually aflame. Mississippi has been breezy by comparison.

During summer, travel season heats up; vacations, beach trips, family reunions, national parks. The summer of 2016 represents a real anomaly: gas prices have actually gone down as the summer vacation season has begun. Current gas prices are the lowest for mid-July in 12 years, according to the American Automobile Association. Where are the greedy oil sheiks? Are they asleep at the gouging wheel?

According to the New York Times, the U.S. has hurt foreign oil by producing

COURTESY

"They left firm instructions: "DO NOT LEAVE THE ROOM." more for ourselves. “United States domestic production has nearly doubled over the last several years, pushing out oil imports that need to find another home… and the producers are forced to drop prices.”

There is evidence those low oil prices are hurting all oil companies – including American who the Times says are cutting payrolls. Long-suffering motorists can remember a few short years ago when gas was nosing up towards $5 a gallon. Now at around $2 a gallon, the resulting extra three dollars can help buy chicken legs for a road trip. It’s the American way.

Just be careful out there and watch your step. I recall a trip to Biloxi 50 years ago as a child at the old Broadwater Beach Hotel. Our parents left for an insurance convention soiree and gave my two sibs and I firm instructions, “DO NOT LEAVE THE ROOM.” Normally we didn’t cross them, particularly our war vet dad.

But this was the beach, this was Biloxi,

which to us was the exotic lands of the Far East.

We hit the beach at a beautiful sunset and there were scores of baby saltwater catfish washed up in the sand. My little six-year-old self quickly stepped on one and the side fin speared into the bottom of my foot and stayed there. I crashed to the ground with the whole fish – five inches long – dangling out of my foot like a stinky earring. I shrieked, I cried, I pounded the ground. The pain was unspeakable. Almost as unspeakable as our parents’ reaction when the desk clerk had them paged at the hospitality room.

Later at the Biloxi emergency room, I was glad to be in a wheelchair. Once we got home, I would have trouble sitting.

Summer is a flash, a drive by. Get out there and enjoy the long sunny days in all their Vitamin-D rich glory and lower your cholesterol while you do it.

Keep your feet clean and leave the complaining to us professionals.

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

PAGE 9

Reed Academy serves reading need for local kids

BY MEGHAN GALLAGHER SPECIAL TO THE OXFORD CITIZEN

Tucked away in a cozy room, children are stacking up the building blocks of academic success this summer.

The Reed Academy, founded in 2015 by Dr. Rhonda Reed, is a summer reading camp that provides individualized instruction to children ages 4 to 8 so they can build confidence and discover the joy of reading.

“I love to get to know a child and see where they are academically and then help them get to the next level,” Reed said. “Through my work with the L-O-U Reads Coalition, I noticed there were no academic summer camps for kindergarteners that addressed reading in this way.”

During the school year, Reed serves as the Interventionist at Della Davidson Elementary.

The Reed Academy was busy for three weeks in June with a kindergarten and first

grade camp, a second and rising third grade camp, and a free camp for residents of the Oxford Housing Authority. Many of her students are returning ones from last year’s camps.

“We wanted our son, Gabe, to have a head start for the next year (last summer). Dr. Reed was so helpful to him and to my husband and me,” said Shenita Key. She followed up with us and gave us tips on how to work with Gabe at home. Gabe is working more independently and has developed a fondness for reading. We’re appreciative and amazed at his improvement, so we came back again this summer.”

“I think Dr. Reed's patience and kind heart make her so special. She cares about each student and works hard for them to succeed and have fun in her camp,” said Sarah McLellan, executive director of the Lafayette County Literacy Council – who also has a daughter attending the sec-

ond and third grade camp.

“I’ve known I wanted to be a teacher since I was in kindergarten,” Reed said.

“You’ve got to start reading to your baby in the womb.

You are giving them vocabulary to express themselves and building comprehension every time you talk to them and read to them. It’s just so hard for a child to learn reading skills and pass the reading gate test in third grade if the right foundation isn’t there.”

The camp covers a range of skills addressing the whole child. In addition to the alphabet and reading skills, children also learn critical skills like writing one’s name, cutting paper, coloring, basic math skills, and how to act in classroom situations. Older students learn more challenging skills like reading longer books, telling time, and cursive. The children play outdoors and engage in a special project at the end of the week: children dress up as what they want to be when they grow

up and give a small presentation to their classmates.

“These skills may seem simple, but if a child is in a class where most of the students have already mastered them, it can become difficult to catch up,” Reed said.

Each child works at their own pace. Individualized folders hold special challenges in the form of vocabulary, spelling, and handwriting.

Attendees compose a journal entry

every day uniting the reading skills with sentences and an illustration. Children, like Gabe, who is 7, leave with a smile and a Ziploc bag of homework to bring back the next morning.

“I’m not going to give them the answers – they have to try each problem twice and then we’re going to go over it,” Reed said.

“We’re going to build these skills together, and then they can have a folder at the end of the week so the learning

can continue at home.”

Dr. Reed also offered this advice for parents: “Read aloud to your children 15 minutes a day. Ask openended questions using why, how, what. I want every 5year old to be kindergarten ready. I want to educate parents on how to help their children prepare for school so that they are no longer atrisk.”

To enroll in one of Dr. Reed’s camps, email dr.rhondareed@gmail.com.

www.oxfordcitizen.com CONTACT US • Sports Editor, John Davis, john.davis@journalinc.com • News reporter, Chaning Green, chaning.green@journalinc.com • Advertising, Sarah Brooke Bishop, sarahbrooke.bishop @journalinc.com, (662) 801-9607 CORRECTIONS The Oxford Citizen will correct any error found in the newspaper. To request a correction or clarification, call (662) 816-1282. A correction or clarification will appear in the next issue.

662-234-7711 2128 W. Jackson Ave. • Oxford, MS 38655 www.johnsonsfurnitureonline.com

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 10

Summer

“It’s just a rewarding experience,” she said. “I grew up swimming for North Mississippi Shockwave Aquatics. I started when I was 8 and continued all the way through high school, then I swam for the four years I was at Oxford High School. My coaches taught me to love the water. I love being able to carry that on and teach the kids that as well.”

Murphy went on to say that her favorite part of teaching the lessons is getting to see the children improve. She gave an example of one of her students, Denton Ellis, who was having trouble using his arms to propel him forward through the water during previous lessons. When Ellis returned for his most recent lesson, something clicked and he was able to do it with almost no problem.

Murphy said it was these small victories that, while they may seem insignificant to some, mean a lot to her and her students. It shows that they are growing in both their ability and comfort in the water.

Lessons last no longer than 30 minutes. Murphy said that if the lesson goes any longer, the child she is working with is likely to become too exhausted for further productive instruction. However, the short lesson times do not translate into a short workday.

The swimming instructor cur-

FROM 1

Oxford native said that she comes from a family made up of mostly teachers and that teaching is something she has always wanted to do. Her job at Willie Price Lab School and the kids she works with during swimming lessons have only helped to reaffirm that for her.

“I love kids, and I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” Murphy said. “I just love it. I love seeing the light bulb that goes off when a kid finally gets whatever they’re working on, whether its swimming or anything else. I have a special place in my heart for teaching and working with kids and will soon hopefully have my own classroom where I’ll be able to teach them.”

She first began giving lessons in the summer of 2010, this being her seventh summer. Murphy was in high school at the time and was helping out a lady who had been teaching swimming lessons in the area for a while. The lady would soon not be able to do them anymore, but did not want children in the area to be left without a swim instructor. The following summer, Murphy began giving lessons out of the pool behind her house and has been there ever since.

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

CHANING GREEN

Ellis kicks way toward the water under the close supervision of Murphy as she leads him to the other side of the pool. rently works with about 75 students aged from 2 and a half to 12 years old. Her schedule often begins at 8 a.m. and can continue until after 6 p.m. She sometimes does not even schedule in a lunch break for herself. Lessons begin in late May and go through the end of July.

The children Murphy teaches usually come to her by word of

mouth. She does not advertise and her extensive client list is proof that she does not need to.

Some parents know her through her work at Willie Price, while others know the parents of other children who took lessons with Murphy and loved it. She also has some children who return from previous years and want to refresh their skills or move on to more ad-

vanced swimming techniques. By the end of this summer, Murphy will have had over 100 students since she began this summer’s lessons in May. Scheduling inquiries can be sent to swimminglessons13 @gmail.com chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

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OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016



403 Woodland Hills $450,000

YOU'VE GOT TO SEE THE OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE!!

Stainless steel grill, pergola, patio, raised beds to grow herbs & veggies for the grill. On a hilltop, sit and count the stars above. Inside, this Executive house features entertaining space from a large Kitchen/Family room. Upstairs bonus room could be a game room, theater, more. 3BD/2BA upstairs. Master bedroom down. Private library/office for work or study with built-in cabinets. Mosaic tile floor greets you at the entrance. Hardwood, carpet & ceramic throughout. Intercom, lots of storage. Circle drive with fountain. MLS#136311.

Directions: HWY 7 North from oxford, turn left into 1st Woodland Hills Estates entrance. House is on the right.

Call Eileen Saunders 662-404-0816.

PAGE 11

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 12

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

LAND FOR SALE

CR 331- 200 +/- wooded acres available as a future home site or hunter’s paradise.

MLS#134132. $400,000.

CR 430- 146.5 acres of untouched nature. Just a few miles from Lafayette County High School. MLS#134789. $439,500.

CR 430-B - wooded 20 acre home site with deed restrictions. Additional acreage negotiable. MLS# 135599. $60,000.

2422 S. Lamar, Oxford $750,000

1703 University Ave.

$685,000

500 Craft, Holly Springs $675,000

Rare opportunity for commercial property available on South Lamar near the hospital.

Sale includes 1) Address 2422 South Lamar-one lot and building zoned commercial and 2) Address 2418 South Lamar--one lot and house zoned residential. On-street parking or redevelop and add more. MLS# 136111.

Call Eileen Saunders- 662-404-0816 or Polina Wheeler- 662-401-4632.

Prime Oxford location, seconds from the square. Was previously Embers/My Guys. Perfect commercial spot.

MLS#136308.

Call Chanda Cossitt- 662-871-7222.

Excellent location for a combination convenience store / restaurant. Great opportunity for owner operation.

10,000 sq. ft & 80 parking spaces.

MLS# 136110.

Call Danny Flowers – 662-816-7294.

Hwy 6 West, Oxford

300 CR 442, OXFORD $1,999,999

Hwy 6, Oxford

$693,600

Hwy 6 W, Oxford

$250,000

$1,895,000

This property is made up of 9 parcels for a total of approximately 75 acres.

Good highway frontage. Oxford City Schools. Call today for more information. MLS#135269.

Call Danny Flowers – 662-816-7294.

Hwy 278, Oxford

$3,200,000

Over 22 acres of Prime Development Property on south side of Hwy 6, where University Ave ends.

Ideal for commercial development of hotel/resort, retail, or office complex. Does not include the 3.8 acre homesite tract on North side of Hwy 6 that is part of this tax parcel.

MLS#133457.

Call Mark Prince- 662-871-1971.

Beautiful 322 acre piece of property with a very large 100 acre private lake. This property is a great get-away less than 25 minutes from Oxford. Enjoy spending time in nature and fishing on the gorgeous lake. This place is a must-see! Owner also has a 2.4 and 2.5 acre parcel that can be negotiated as well. Owner is willing to consider owner financing. MLS# 136279 Call Sam Smallwood - 662.401.0759.

1615 University

$995,000

Land/Commercial - Prime Location in Oxford! Seconds from square, developers dream location. Corner lot on University and S 17th St. MLS#135000 Call Chanda Cossitt- 662-871-7222.

Good Development location, one small lake on property with several other potential spots. 102 acres available. Owner is a licensed MS real estate Broker. MLS# 135604.

Call Danny Flowers – 662-816-7294.

Great Commercial location on Hwy 6 east of Oxford. 2 acres. Well suited for convenience store or retail. Owner is licensed MS Real Estate Broker. 4 acres available for $500,000. MLS# 133950.

Call Martin Mesecke – 662-715-1111.

302 Segrest Pointe- Private, wooded 2.8 acres home site in The Highlands. MLS#134254. $139,900.

The Highlands - Two 2.5 + acre building lots with lake view in The Highlands MLS# 136112 & 136113.

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$1,010,000

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3009 Highland Circle

$285,000

Fantastic lot in one of Oxford's premier neighborhoods. Just under five acres and located in the Oxford City School District, this beautiful wooded lot is a great site for building your dream home. It offers a great view of and access to the seventy-five acre Lake at The Highlands.

Come take a look and make it yours. MLS# 136078 Call Blake Thompson – 662.801.7014.

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 13

PAGE 14

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

PAGE 15

Falkner Farms produces tasty, healthy grass-fed beef

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

Some of the most healthy, best tasting meat is raised three and a half miles from the Oxford city limits.

Falkner Farms, a family business led by Ley Falkner, has quietly been producing grass-fed steers for consumption the past three years. About 30 freerange chickens are also located on the farm, and the eggs produced are also available for purchase.

Ley Falkner, and his wife Donna, live at the homestead, but the idea to get everything rolling came with input from their two sons, Barkley and Reed.

“Instead of just cutting hay and giving it away, we said we have to make it work,” Ley Falkner said.

“We visited a man in West Point and this is what he did. He did grass fed beef, hogs in the woods and he has chickens. We visited with him three or four times to see how he was doing it. We liked it and we kept looking at how we could get our 35 to 40 acres to work for us in that manner.”

Falkner Farms currently has 24 head of cattle grazing off the grass. Most of them are Angus, but there are a few Brangus mixed in. There is one bull, and most of the cows are steers. The cows are generally sold between 19 and 26 months in age. It’s ideal for them to weigh between 900 and 1,000 pounds.

Hamburger, roast and minute steaks are the best sellers. Of course all cuts can be ordered, such as ribeye and top sirloin.

Customers that are looking to purchase meat put down a deposit on the steer when it reaches the ideal weight.

“When I get ready to sell, you can buy the whole steer, half steer or a quarter steer,” Ley Falkner said. “When I take it to the processor, I give them an order form and they fill it out and give it back to me.

I give it to the processor and it’s cut up the way they want it.”

Ley Falkner added he

JOHN DAVIS

Ley and Donna Falkner help produce some of the tasty meat in the area with their grass-fed cattle at Falkner Farms has a customer who wants beef ribs instead of steaks this time. He added that very few people buy whole steers and that most are buying half steers. A whole steer is approximately 400 pounds of meat. The processor, Smokehouse Meats in Pontotoc, freezes the meat and everything is labeled. In the future, the goal is to involve a USDA certified processor. Cows become ready to be processed sporadically.

Over the last three years, Falkner has grown the business by calling on families who normally purchase a lot of meat to feed one or two or more children. Of course word of mouth has been another way. The hanging weight is $4.90 per pound, and that’s after the steer is processed. The beef hangs for up to 10 days. Ley Falkner is a stickler on the meat being tender, and it has to have a good flavor.

“If you get any further out than that and you’re

grass fed, you start losing that tenderness and flavor.

Grain fed can get 21 to 30 days without losing it,” he said. “It ends up costing my customer about $6.54 per pound once it’s all processed and ready to go.”

Falkner said he’s made hamburgers from his meat, and said he can pad out 20 without any grease being left on his hand. The meat is also a true red, and full of Omega-3 acids, which is much healthier.

The meat is also a little higher in protein content.

There are no hormones and no antibiotics.

The key to everything is the grass. Falkner Farms features Bermuda, Byhalia or Dallas, and a touch of Fescue grass, which is the one that thrives in cold weather. Falkner cuts all the hay on the property.

And he is always watching the weather, and very thankful for rain.

“The old saying is I don’t raise cattle, I grow grass.

I’ve got to have good grass

in order for my cows to put on the weight they need to put on,” Ley Falkner said. “I thrive on the Bermuda and the Dallas grass. Those are my summer, hot grasses. If I grow grass, I can put on a pound and a half per day.”

There are also 30 freerange birds on the property, with the goal of housing 100 birds in the future. Falkner Farms sells large brown eggs for $4 per dozen. A restaurant also purchases 12 dozen eggs per week.

“I go collect my eggs in the afternoon, check my cattle and come back to the house. It takes me about two hours,” Falkner said. “As we grow larger, we’re going to use our birds as fertilizer in our pasture rotation where we move our cattle from acre to acre.”

The farm is a stress reliever for Ley Falkner, Donna said. During the day, Ley Falkner is in charge of a 60-bed nursing

home facility in Horn Lake. The farm is going to be used in the future to aid retirement. It’s also been a chance for Ley Falkner to connect with his youth.

When he was going through school, he started working for a doctor out of Memphis part time who owned dairy cattle.

“It’s a fulfillment of being out there with them.

There is satisfaction just being out there in the pasture with them,” he said. “I worked with Holstein cows for about 10 years.

We would go to Pennsylvania and buy them. We were running 1,500 to 1,600 heads in a two-year cycle. We would sell them to dairy farmer before they calved. Then they passed the Milk Reduction Act (in 1991) and a cow went from $1,500 to $800 overnight. Then I got involved with feed lot cattle and we took them to process up in Paris, Tennessee where they were slaughtered.”

Ley Falkner is busiest in the winter when he is putting up hay and starting the feeding process. During the summer months, Falkner goes to the pasture and looks at the cattle. He weighs the cows with his eyes.

“I took one to the processor the other week and it was 1,020 pounds,” he said. “I want to sell anywhere between 900 and 1,000 pounds. I want a hanging weight between 490 and 5 and a quarter. I can tell the weight they have on them and the flesh they have on them to know when they’re ready to go.”

Anyone interested in purchasing meat from Falkner Farms, which is located at 76 at Hwy. 328, can contact them at 662816-2868 or at leyfalkner@gmail.com. There is also a Facebook page for Falkner Farms.

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

PAGE 16

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

John Davis Sports Editor

MSU's 'Stingray' opens up about rivalry between Rebels-Bulldogs

O

ne of the best parts of the annual SEC Media Days experience is the fan interaction. A number of supporters pack the middle of the lobby at the Wynfrey Hyatt every July in order to get a glimpse of their favorite coach and the players they support. Of course, there are some who come in order to get a look at the rival, and maybe get in a quick verbal jab, or two.

In the case of Steven Ray, he was there to see his beloved Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Ray, who is better known as Stingray, cradled his double cowbell in his hand until it was time to ring it. When that happened, it was the only thing that could be heard in the lobby. Surrounded by Tennessee and Georgia faithful, Stingray, who lives in Tuscaloosa, was there to see MSU head coach Dan Mullen. In between tracking down Mullen, Ray was gracious enough to talk about the rivalry between the Rebels and the Bulldogs.

“I think it really came to a head when both teams in 2014 were ranked in the top 5, especially when Mississippi State went to No. 1. I think that really brought the rivalry to a head,” Ray said. “Ole Miss had so much riding on last year's game, coming into that game. After losing to Arkansas, it took some of the edge of, but it was still impactful.”

The way Ray saw things, the fans have taken the rivalry up a notch. And that happened when everyone got good, he added.

“In-state, it's been really, really good and I think nationally, everyone started picking up on 'Wow, this is a really good rivalry' and that happened when both teams started being good,” Ray said. “I think it has (gotten nasty) but I don't think it is anything like Alabama and Auburn has right now with the Harvey Updyke stuff. I don't think it has gotten to that point yet, and I hope it doesn't. I've heard Oxford is a beautiful place with all the trees there and I would hope some crazed Mississippi State fan would not pull a Harvey Updyke. It would be awful for the rivalry.”

For those that don't know, Updyke was the man who was found guilty for poisoning Toomer's Corner trees. What Ray is hoping for is that the rivalry stays classy, not nasty.

He added that the Auburn-Alabama rivalry has gotten to be “classless” in his opinion.

Ray was hoping to attend his first game in Oxford this year. The last two trips to Oxford TURN TO STINGRAY PAGE 21

JOHN DAVIS

Tay Reed is ready to take over the role as the Mike linebacker in the Lafayette defense.

Middle Man Reed expected to lead Lafayette defense

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

A strong work ethic is the big thing Tay Reed has enjoyed seeing from the Lafayette Commodores this summer.

The senior linebacker has seen a lot of hard work put in the weight room, and on the field.

“During the spring, we came out working hard from the jump,” Reed said.

“Coach (Michael) Fair, he's got us working hard. Coach (Jason) Russell, all the coaches. This spring was faster, way faster, and I like that. Spring was pretty good this year, pretty fun.”

The Commodores have been open about impressing Fair in his first season coming over from Senatobia. Reed said they wanted to show that they could work, and then do what they had to do on the field when the summer drills rolled around.

“It was tough to lose Coach (Eric) Robertson that fast, but those coaches coming in right behind, coming in and getting acquainted, it was a breeze,” Reed said. “You do have to get comfortable with all these coaches, but they felt like family from the first day.”

Reed said he was faster, and that's even after gaining almost 10 pounds to his frame. He's worked on the placement of his feet, and the goal of gaining more

full body strength has been achieved as well.

“I wanted to get stronger in my hips, my legs, upper body,” said Reed, who has moved from being a stack backer to the middle in the new-look 4-3 scheme. “It's a big role. It's the quarterback of the defense. I've been middle linebacker before, but not in a 4-3. It feels like home.”

Patrick Willis and Ray Lewis were favorite players for Reed to watch when they played. Of course both were regarded as the two best middle linebackers in a 4-3 scheme. The hardest part about playing middle linebacker, Reed said, was getting to the ball. The next step, laying the hit, was the best part. In a 4-3 scheme, the middle is expected to make a lot of tackles, and Reed was excited for all those opportunities.

“Coach told me that he is expecting me to make a good amount of tackles.

He told me that he was going to be upset if I didn't get over 100 this year,” Reed said. “I think I'm going to exceed 100 this year. I got 98 last year.”

Lafayette has been one of the top teams in Class 4A over the past decade, winning two titles, and playing for another. Reed feels like the Commodores have a lot of potential.

“We lost a lot of good players but everyone is working hard to fill in,” Reed said. “We got young guys stepping up

and the older guys are getting more mature. Everybody is in it together. I think we can be as good, no doubt. I think we will contend for a championship.”

Fair felt like Reed would be the leading tackler this season because everything is tailored around the middle linebacker.

“If you've got one, then the 4-3 defense has got a chance to be successful,” Fair said. “We feel like we've got a really good Mike linebacker there. He's smart.

He makes a lot of plays. He's a vocal leader for our defense. He gets everybody lined up in the right positions.

We're excited about the year he's going to have.”

Because Fair saw Reed play when he coached at Senatobia, he immediately went to him to become the Mike.

“I knew he was coming back and when I had this in my mind of what we wanted defensively, he just stuck out,” Fair said. “He leads by example. You never see him missing a rep or a sprint or anything like that. Everything asked of him, he does it. He doesn't mind making those around him accountable. Not that he's sitting there getting on to his peers all the time, but he does it in a way that they respond really well. He's a good leader.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

PAGE 17

N W O D O ZER

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JOHN DAVIS

Auburn coach Gus Malzhan knows his Tigers need to find a way to win the close games that always define successful teams in the SEC.

Close games need to be wins for Auburn in 2016

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

In a conference where 42 percent of the football games last season were decided by a score, close games decide the fate of a team.

Close losses haunted the Auburn Tigers in 2015. Four of the six losses for the Tigers were by eight or fewer points.

Auburn finished 7-6 overall last fall, winning the Birmingham Bowl over Memphis.

Auburn head coach Gus Malzhan wants more from his Tigers this coming year.

In order for the Tigers, who played for the national championship following the 2013 season, to be better, Malzhan said his team has to win the close games.

“We play in the toughest league in college football.

And probably said it three, four times, but you got to win a close one,” Malzhan said. “There's going to be a lot of close games in this conference. And I think that's what really separates this conference or one of the things that separates this conference from others. You got to bring your lunch every week. Any time you have a very good season, you got to play well, you got to have timely plays. You got to get a couple breaks, and

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Auburn's offense struggled to manufacture points consistently during the 2015 season. Quarterback Jeremy Johnson threw almost as many interceptions (7) as he did touchdowns (10). Sean White replaced him the second half of the season, and he only threw one touchdown against four interceptions.

John Franklin III, who started his career at Florida State and played at East Mississippi Community College, has been added to the mix at the spot.

"John is the guy to be impressed with. He's really won his teammates' respect which is always im-

portant for a new guy coming in. It's very important to him. He's a hard worker,” Malzhan said.

“The two older guys both are in a lot better spot than they were this time last year. Once we identify who our starter is, it gives us a best chance of winning.

You will see us tweak our offense to build around their strengths. We're always going to have the same philosophy and core beliefs with our offense, but once we make that call on who that guy is, we will tweak and try to build around their strengths and try not to ask them to do things that are maybe not their strengths.”

Winning only two SEC games last season has motivated Malzhan, he said, to have the offense in a better position to score points, and for the team to win those close games like they did in 2013.

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OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 18

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

Rock enjoying his return to track with OHS Chargers

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

As Kyle Rock ran around the track at Bobby Holcomb Stadium, a smile that seemed to stretch a mile appeared on his face.

Running, and being an active member of the Oxford cross country team, is a blessing for Rock. For the past two years, painful shin splints have sidelined his ability. Rock described the experience as “hard” to deal with because he was originally told that he would only have to miss two weeks.

“I was expecting to be back running and it had only been my second year at track. I couldn't even run my meets my eighth grade year,” Rock said. “I really wanted to run. I really wanted to see what my potential was.”

The injury lingered into Rock's junior season, and lasted almost three full years. He was able to get in some meets, even if he couldn't practice with the team. The only real explanation Rock got about the shin splints was some growing pains.

“Just when I was growing and running, my body couldn't take it. They suggested me to keep stretching and to strengthen my legs up,” Rock said. “They were hopeful I would grow out of it, and eventually I did. With enough years of physical therapy and icing, all these different types of things I've been trying, I finally found the right ones and the right doctors. I got what I needed.”

What Rock truly needed was to run again, to gain freedom in other words.

Rock said it was “amazing” to return to the track team this past spring, and help the Chargers win the MHSAA Class 5A state title.

“I couldn't have asked for better results. I tried a new event, the 800. My dad suggested it and I started training for it,” Rock said. “This was the first season of track where I got a full season of practice, without injury. That really helped me. I came out faster and a lot better than I thought I would.”

Training wasn't the only thing that helped Rock

JOHN DAVIS

Kyle Rock, left, is excited to be back on the track after dealing with painful shin splints for most of his high school career. achieve great success. He was very motivated to be the best. Besides the 800, he was a member of the 4x800 relay team that won the school's first title in the event.

“That was probably my favorite one this year,” Rock said. “It was a blast.

We loved it.”

Cross country is nearing a start, and Rock wasn't exactly sure what he could for the Chargers. He was hoping to earn a ring with a title victory.

“We had a tough loss to Saltillo last season. I'm hoping to be in one of the top five spots so I can count towards the team points,” Rock said. “The training sessions are going great. They're a lot harder

than they usually are.

Coach (Chris) Patton wants to push us to our limits. I feel myself getting in shape. The running is getting a little easier. I can feel myself getting faster.

It's working, the results are coming.”

Being a runner has been a part of Rock's life since he was in middle school.

He originally went out for the sprint team because he didn't want to be labeled as a “slow poke.” In his physical education class, Rock was always the fast one, and his friends were the ones that pushed him to try out in the first place.

“I did a workout with my sprint team and things didn't work out and my

coach immediately moved me to the distance squad because he said there was a distance runner inside,” Rock said. “Track season went well and I went out for cross country. It worked out really well. I just found it. This one trial changed my sports life because I had never really done running when I was little. It had always been soccer, and I had gone out to stay in shape for soccer as much as anything. Now, I'm only running track because I dropped soccer earlier this year. It's a big change for me, but I'm really liking it. I want to focus on running. I would love to run in college. If I focus on one sport, I'll get more time that I need.”

Patton knew that Rock was an excellent runner in middle school, and he was excited about his future before the injury. Patton praised Rock's perseverance, and was excited that he returned for last season's cross country and track seasons.

“He just stayed at it and never gave up. When he couldn't run on the track, I put him on the bike. He is just one of those individuals that only comes around once in a while,” Patton said. “He has that drive that you just can't coach. He has a humongous heart. I'm just so proud of him. I told when he was injured that he was going to get back out here.

I tried to keep a positive

attitude about things, and he did as well. He told me that he appreciated me staying with him and I told him I would never give up on him. I knew the ability he had and I knew he wanted it so bad. And I wanted it bad to happen for him.”

Patton reminded that at one time, in middle school, Rock was ahead of Jonathan Tyler, the leader of the OHS cross country program. Now that Rock is healthy, Patton felt like he would be in the top three this coming fall.

“I'm very excited about it. He's that X factor for us,” Patton said.

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

PAGE 19

New Look Trevor Knight finds a home with Texas A&M

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

HOOVER, Alabama – Trevor Knight needed a new school to play his final year of college football.

Kevin Sumlin needed a quarterback. The two were able to fulfill their needs at Texas A&M. Knight is back in his home state, and ready to take the reigns as the new signal caller for the Aggies.

The man who helped lead Oklahoma to a win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl following the 2013 season was swarmed by reporters every step he took at SEC Media Days Tuesday. Knight, who lost his job to Baker Mayfield last season, sat and smiled the entire time. He even asked the throng if they were enjoying media days as much as he was.

“It feels good. A lot of the people I knew from San Antonio are at Texas A&M and it's nice to see familiar faces every once in a while,” Knight said.

As a post-graduate transfer, Knight said he had to balance that lightly with his new teammates. He went through spring drills, and in the process, he made sure to demonstrate a strong work ethic.

“That was a good way to earn respect, and I think I did that, both in the weight room and in film study and things like that,” Knight said. “Just being relational with the guys, pulling them off to the side one-on-one, and get to know them as people, not just as football players. That earns their respect as well. A unique balance between those two has allowed me to earn that role. All my teammates, and the culture at A&M, has just welcomed me with open arms. And that's made it easy on me.”

In order to attend A&M, he had to gain his release from Oklahoma. He said coach Bob Stoops was “unbelievable” throughout the whole process. Knight sent his letter of contact out to several schools that either

JOHN DAVIS

Trevor Knight was able to land at Texas A&M following his career playing for Oklahoma. needed a quarterback or places that he could fit in from an offensive standpoint.

“It's a recruiting process again really. I heard back from great schools that I didn't know I would hear from. I got talked into a few schools and narrowed it down,” Knight said. “I called Coach Sumlin because it was a difference conference and it was closer to home. He was very adamant on the idea that they had two quarterbacks that they felt comfortable with and he told me that. He said thanks for the conversation, but that was the direction they were moving forward.”

A little over a week later, A&M lost those quarter-

backs — Kyler Murray and Kyle Allen — which opened the door back for Knight.

“Our phone calls after that were a little bit different as well,” Knight added about the talk he then had with Sumlin. “We started having those recruiting like conversations and just kept moving forward from there. I had to decide what was the best place for me, for my senior season. After praying on it and thinking about it for a long time, I decided it was A&M and everything has worked out for me.”

Knight brings a lot of experience to the Aggies. He played in 27 games at Oklahoma, throwing for 2,300 yards and rushing for another 500 in 2014. He had

819 yards and nine touchdowns in 2013 and in the Sugar Bowl win over Alabama, he threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Knight made it clear that Sumlin never begged him to come, but he emphasized the need to have an additional quarterback on the roster.

“And I was a guy who was able and willing to play,” Knight said adding he's learned a lot from former Ole Miss standout Eli Manning taking part in the Manning Camp the past three years. “Eli said what he looks at in the offseason as far as moving forward is take some of the things you do really well and work on those to get even better at them. And then take some

of the things you didn't do so well and work on those.

It's a unique balance of getting better at the things you are good at and also getting better at the things you're not as good along.”

Sumlin praised Knight for his leadership in the six months that he has been with the Aggies.

"He has really come into our program and shown a real maturity level that we thought that he would have as a graduate transfer, as a guy who has won big games, has been involved in high-level competition," Sumlin said. "Obviously he has been through some lows, losing his job at Baker Mayfield. And, quite honestly, it was a situation where Texas A&M filled a

void for Trevor Knight as a guy who wanted to play, as a graduate transfer, a guy who wanted to play at a high level, be around a program that he thought fit his skill set with some coaches he thought fit his skill set and some teammates that he wanted to play with, got him a little bit closer to home since he's from San Antonio. And then it filled a void for us as a quarterback who was not just a transfer quarterback, but a guy who had real game experience and had some success. So, for us, it was a great match and I think has led to really a drama-free offseason." john.davis@jounrnalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 20

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

UGA’s Blazevich ready to face OM Rebels this fall

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

HOOVER, Alabama – Georgia tight end Jeb Blazevich is excited about coming to play the Ole Miss Rebels at VaughtHemingway Stadium.

The junior from Charlotte, North Carolina, has a lot of family ties to Ole Miss through his mother's side of the family. He also said that his great aunt and uncle both live in Oxford and he has cousins that attend Ole Miss. He was recruited heavily by the Rebels before ultimately choosing to play for the Bulldogs.

“Because of all the ties, I'm excited. I've been there for a few games as a kid. I know a bunch of my friends and family will be down there for the game, so it's that extra little motivation, if you need one, going into Oxford to play the Rebels,” Blazevich said.

“I think it will be a really fun game. I'm amped about it. I was excited when I saw it on our schedule.”

Blazevich was asked if he was recruited any different

by Ole Miss, due to the program being in the news regarding NCAA violations.

“The main appeal for Ole Miss to me is that my mom's entire side of the family went there. It's always been some place I wanted to look,” he said.

“Thankfully I had an opportunity to check it out. I just loved Oxford, the coaches and the offense. I don't think it was perfect for me. In terms of recruiting, I haven't been reading the news on them. It was pretty much the same for me as everywhere else.”

Blazevich, who stands 6foot-5 and weighs 248 pounds, started 12 games in 2015, catching 15 balls for 144 yards and a touchdown. He was hoping to

end, the style of play he can introduce and where he can put our bodies, it's really exciting. It sets our goals high. Going into camp, if I can show him I can perform like this, then I can do all these fun things. I think the tight end group as a whole is excited to prove to him that we can be relied upon and that he can have confidence in us to open up the offense for whatever that means.”

Blazevich said Smart was a “high energy” guy who connected with the team from the start.

“He was really honest.

He didn't leave anything out and I think that was the most important thing, to be himself and be honJOHN DAVIS est and open with us,” Georgia tight end Jeb Blazevich has ties to Ole Miss through his mother and he is excited to Blazevich said. “All the guys trust him and I think visit Vaught-Hemingway this season. we've unified around see more action with Jim “From what I've seen about the Georgia offense. him.”

Chaney calling the offen- with him being at Arkansas “Seeing what he can do sive plays under first-year and Pitt, it just has op- with the tight end, and john.davis@journalinc.com coach Kirby Smart. tions,” Blazevich said selfishly thinking as a tight Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

MSU’s Mullen peppered with questions on Simmons

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

HOOVER, Alabama – In between questions, and his first public comments, on defensive end Jeffrey Simmons, Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen seemed to like what his team could do in 2016. Of course, when Simmons, a former fivestar standout at Noxubee County, is facing misdemeanor assault charges for hitting a woman, questions always came up about him.

On Tuesday, Mullen insisted he had little input in the severity of Simmons’ punishment levied by the university.

“I wasn’t involved as much, it was a university decision,” Mullen said. “I was just thrilled that we’re having Jeffery as part of our family coming in.”

The school announced that Simmons would serve a one-game suspension and must receive counseling for his involvement in the incident.

The incident occurred on March 25 in Macon. A viral video shows Simmons striking a female several

BUTCH DILL/USA TODAY SPORTS

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen speaks to the media during SEC media day at Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel. times in the face after she was knocked to the ground

by Simmons’ sister. His court case has been continued twice.

Mullen lauded efforts MSU went to gather as much information it could on the case before levying a decision on Simmons’ status.

“It’s not a football decision, it’s a university decision that we’re all looking at making,” Mullen said. “And we want to go out there and have as much information as possible. In this situation, our university did a very, very thorough investigation into everything that happened within the situa-

tion there and came up with a conclusion that we felt that Jeffery deserved the opportunity to be part of our family. Now we move forward in helping educate and develop a young man to become successful in his life.”

Being a mentor and a father figure to all of the play-

ers that pass through his program is not a role that Mullen takes for granted.

“I’m responsible for all of the actions for every one of my players,” Mullen said.

“I’m responsible as a head coach. I can’t be with them all of the time. All I can do is be a parent. My wife and I try to be parents to every one of the kids in our program.”

Part of that responsibility Mullen feels is to help his players make the right choices on a daily basis and the outcome their actions can have on a wide range of people in their lives.

“We’re always working and coaching our young men of how to make a good decision,” Mullen said.

“Every time you make a decision in life, there’s going to be a consequence and you have to think how it’s going to affect you, your teammates, your family and our football program.”

Another thing Mullen had to deflect on Tuesday was the release of its fall roster. Simmons’ jersey was listed as No. 36, a number that has not been worn since the 2010 season when defensive end Nick Bell

passed away of cancer.

Mullen said Tuesday that new jersey numbers had not been finalized.

This will be the first year for the Bulldogs to play without the dual-threat ability, and leadership, of quarterback Dak Prescott. Mullen was preparing for an interesting quarterback battle.

“I’m not trying to hold back or play it close to the vest with our quarterback.

We had four guys competing for the job in spring ball. All of them were still in contention for the job. No one really separated themselves to pull away from one of the other four at that position,” Mullen said. “I’m hoping over the summer that someone does do that.

I I will be a happy guy to name a starting quarterback and find somebody that has separated themselves from the other three, throughout the summer, whether it’s all of the extra work they put in over the summer, if it happens in the first week of training camp, great. If it has to happen game week, fantastic.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

Stingray FROM 16

haven't gone well for the Bulldogs, and Ray added that the team has looked like a “fish out of water.”

“We have no rhyme, no rhythm whatsoever and I'm going to be honest with you, if that continues, and Dan Mullen loses three in a row, there are going to be some oldtimey Mississippi State fans, hardcore guys that are going to want him gone,” Ray said. “(Mullen) has been really great for the program, but in this day in age, you can not lose three in a row to your arch rival. You just can't do it. Even if it was Nick Saban or Gus Malzhan, they would be in the same situation or Urban Meyer or Jim Harbaugh. You just can not lose three in a row to your arch rival and expect to be on even terms with everyone in the program.”

For those that don't know, Ray is a graduate of Alabama.

When he walks around the mall, he wears Mississippi State gear. And he is almost always in the stands at DavisWade Stadium. Ray said the people in Tuscaloosa think he's “cool” and “awesome.”

OXFORD CITIZEN thing about it. If this was the middle '90s, like when Alabama went through their allegations, absolutely,” Ray said.

“I think (Ole Miss) would be sunk. You have the evidence there. (Laremy Tunsil) admitted to it on video and the text messages, but you're not doing anything about it.”

Ray added that Ole Miss imposing 11 scholarships wasn't enough, unless a postseason ban came along with it. If the NCAA levied that, then Ray said that the MSU fans could stomach everything much betJOHN DAVIS ter.

Rivalries are supposed to be Steven Ray, a die-hard Mississippi State fan, traveled to SEC Media fun, but they rarely provide the Days to get Dan Mullen's autograph kind of results that pleases both sides. It's clear that the “But let's be honest, Missis- (Nick) Saban if they lose three Ole Miss-MSU rivalry, at least in a row. You know how they sippi State, and I hate to say between the fans, is in a more are when they lose in general, this, but Mississippi State is not what Alabama fans would especially losing three in a row divisive spot than it has been perceive as a threat,” Ray said. to a team like Ole Miss, a team in some years. Ray is right, winning has made things am“We have lost eight in a row to they have, over history, really plified for both fan bases, and Alabama. When I walk around controlled,” Ray said. “If they the pressure to remain relethe mall, Alabama fans will say lose three in a row, I think you 'Oh, you're a Mississippi State will see some heads explode in vant has brought out some negative things. Where the rifan. I feel sorry for you.' I get all Tuscaloosa.” valry goes from here is anyWhen it comes to NCAA althose kind of comments all the body's guess. Ray's candor on legations involving Ole Miss, time. It is what it is.” the subject is appreciated, and Ray doesn't think anything is Conversely, Ray hears talk it offers great insight on what about Ole Miss from Alabama seriously going to happen to may happen down the road. the Rebels. fans. And they want to crush “I don't think the NCAA has the Rebels, once and for all. a backbone anymore. I don't “I really feel like Alabama John.davis@journalinc.com fans are going to be upset with think they're going to do anyTwitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

PAGE 21

Auburn FROM 17

I'm a football coach. That's my strength, being on the field and coaching an offense.

After you get down with the season and you're not as successful as you'd like, you evaluate things,” Malzhan said. “One thing that really hit me pretty hard is that I got to be more active with the daily X's and O's and coaching that goes with that. And that's what I look at as my strength. And so that's what I meant by that, and I'm looking forward to getting back in the middle of things and enjoying the actual coaching on the field.

Auburn opens 2016 against Clemson at home. It's one of five straight at home to open the season.

"You know, I really, really excited that we're playing at home. Our players and our coaches and I know our fans are excited,” Malzhan said. “We got a real tough schedule starting out. I would probably put our schedule up against anybody in college football, especially early. The fact that we are playing at home will do nothing but help us. We got in, my opinion, the best crowd in college football. It's really something to be able to play and coach in front of them. We have a pretty tough opener, obviously with Clemson, one of the better teams in all of college football, with maybe the best player in all of college football.

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

Citizen

OXFORD CITIZEN

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

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All Real Estate advertising herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

If you believe that you may been discriminated have against in connection with the sale, rental or financing of housing, call The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at 1-800-669-9777.

2 KITTENS FREE TO GOOD HOME. CAT LOVERS ONLY! 1 SOLID BLACK AND 1 GRAY STRIPED CALL 662-401-1756

STUFF Home Furnishings FOR SALE! SOLID OAK ARMOIRE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER. $350.00.

CALL 662-687-2492

Manufactured Housing For Sale

Industrial Equipment

Super Nice, Double Wide 28x70 Large Bedrooms, 3/2, Fireplace, appliances, central heat & air $39,900 includes delivery & set up call 662-401-1093

DELTA UNISAW 10 inch tilting arbor saw $900 and a JET 6 inch jointer planer $400 (662)687-2027

Sales/Marketing

Sales/Marketing

NEIGHBORHOOD SALES Boost Your Income!!

$400­$500/Week Part­Time Possible

Seeking industrious, hard working, ethical, professionals for part time evening & week­ end opportunity offering discount subscrip­ tions to the Daily Journal ­ northeast Missis­ sippi’s leading, award winning newspaper.

Related sales experience a must. Support, training, leads & route maps provided. If you have sales experience selling insurance, cable T.V., security systems, magazines, or other related products, we would love to talk to you.

(Must be able to pass a background check.)

Email experience or a resume and include contact number to: djneighborhoodteam@yahoo.com OR call 662­401­1792.

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 23

Miscellaneous

Trucks

STUDEBAKER CUCKOO CLOCK ($300) AND MEN’S WATCHES AND RINGS. (662)790-3111

1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO Club Cab, V8 Motor, power steering/air, good tires, clean truck, 149k miles, $4000.00 (662)844-2589

Musical

Oxford Citizen Classifieds are here to serve your needs.

GUITAR

For Sale: Paul Reed Smith custom 22 guitar, 3 soap bar pickup configuration, whale blue in color. Text for price and pictures at 662-401-3050 serious inquiries only. .

GUITAR

For Sale: U.S. Masters custom telecaster with Lollar pickups, 4A flame top with Birdseye maple neck. Text for price and pictures at 662-401-3050 serious inquiries only..

You need answers.

You need to reach the right audience.

You need results.

Oxford Citizen Classified Ad-Visors are as close as the nearest phone, well-versed and ready to assist you. We have a variety of ways to customize your ad to get the action and results you want!

Call today to place your classified ad!

1-800-270-2622 Fax: 662-620-8301 E-mail: classifieds@journalinc.com 2007 QUAD CAB DODGE 2WD 1500 SLT White/Gray cloth interior. 129k miles with toolbox. Great Condition. $8400.(662)614-1173

AUTO

2003 FORD RANGER, 250k miles, red, looks good $1600 or best offer.

(662)213-9961

Cars

HIGHLIGHT

Make your ad stand out with a

Your Ad with

REVERSE PRINT

MITSUBISHI Lancer 2013, 61k miles, 4 door, black, fully equipped, cold air, $9,500.

(662)790-3111

For Just $1.00 a Day The Oxford Citizen Classifieds offers a highlight of black background with white letters (Reverse Print). Put a black background with white letters on your ad and make it stand out on the page!

Call 1-800-270-2622

To learn more about using spot colors in your ad, or to place an ad, call 842-2622.

DAI LY

Journal

Citizen OXFORD

stay informed follow us

@oxfordcitizen @oxfordcitizenjd @oxfordcitizenec

PAGE 24

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016