Today in Mississippi November 2023 Southwest by American MainStreet Publications

FOR MEMBERS OF ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OF MISSISSIPPI

GARDEN POND

IDEAS

NOVEMBER

2023

THE BEAUTY OF BAGPIPES

HOLIDAY CRIES

FOR PIES

You have the POWER to

VOTE

Go to the polls November 7 and let your voice be heard! You have the POWER to Register. Be informed. Vote.

Co-ops

VOTE MS

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO

My Opinion

Thankful for Mississippi and its people After reading the November cover story, I realized that sometimes an outsider’s perspective on the beautiful state we love is needed to remind us that we are fortunate to call Mississippi home. It’s close to unfair to call Mississippi cartoonist/artist/journalist Marshall Ramsey an outsider though. Sure, he wasn’t born or raised here, but he’s lived and raised his family in Mississippi for close to three decades. Like he said in the story, he had opportunities to leave, but he had no interest in that. Why? Because of all of us. Mississippi is rich with living, breathing artists and the kindest, most welcoming people in the country. And Mississippi and its people are richer for Marshall Ramsey’s life here with us. He tells the stories of our lives and struggles, puts smiles on our faces, and celebrates the heroes of our state. If you ever see Marshall out and about in your community, go and talk to him. I’ve met him, and he’s a good man and a fine Mississippian.

Keeping in mind that November is Thanksgiving month, I think our story shows that Marshall is thankful for the people of Mississippi. And we should be thankful for him as well. This November is notable for another important reason: Election Day. Election Day is Nov. 7. Please go and vote. The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. We hope our members are better informed voters today. That’s why we created our Co-ops Vote MS campaign. If you need more information about where to vote, or who’s running, visit our website, www.coopsvotems.com to become better informed before you cast your ballot. We hope you enjoy the November issue.

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2023 | NOVEMBER 3

In This Issue

6 Southern Gardening Garden ponds soothe the soul

8 Outdoors Today

The latest on Chronic Wasting Disease

10 Scene Around the ‘Sip Listen for the sound of bagpipes on the Gulf Coast

15 Local News 20 Feature

Editorial cartoonist and author Marshall Ramsey loves Mississippi

The Official Publication of the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi

Vol. 76 No. 11

OFFICERS Randy Carroll - President Ron Barnes - First Vice President Tim Perkins - Second Vice President Brian Hughey - Secretary/Treasurer Michael Callahan - Executive Vice President/CEO EDITORIAL STAFF Lydia Walters - VP, Communications Steven Ward - Editor Chad Calcote - Creative Director Kevin Wood - Graphic Designer Alan Burnitt - Graphic Designer Courtney Warren - Graphic Designer Chris Alexander - Member Services Coordinator Steve Temple - Social Media Director Kendle Dean - Administrative Assistant EDITORIAL OFFICE & ADVERTISING 601-605-8600

Acceptance of advertising by Today in Mississippi does not imply endorsement of the advertised product or services by the publisher or Mississippi’s electric power associations. Product satisfaction and delivery responsibility lie solely with the advertiser. • National advertising representative: American MainStreet Publications, 800-626-1181

Circulation of this issue: 485,827

Non-member subscription price: $9.50 per year.

25 For the Love of the Game Ole Miss Hall of Famer Harry Harrison

28 On the Menu

Today in Mississippi (ISSN 1052-2433) is published 12 times a year by Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi Inc., P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300, or 665 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS 39157. Phone 601-605-8600. Periodical postage paid at Ridgeland, MS, and additional office. The publisher (and/or its agent) reserves the right to refuse or edit all advertising. The magazine is published for members of subscribing co-ops. The magazine is a benefit of membership. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2) NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to: Today in Mississippi, P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300

www.facebook.com/TodayinMississippi

Thanksgiving means pies

31 Mississippi Seen

www.todayinmississippi.com

Familiar sights far and away

On the cover

Mississippi cartoonist, author, and journalist Marshall Ramsey. Photo by Chad Calcote.

Central Electric Power Association, Coahoma Electric Power Association, Coast Electric Power Association, Delta Electric Power Association, Dixie Electric Power Association, East Mississippi Electric Power Association, 4-County Electric Power Association, Magnolia Electric Power, Monroe County Electric Power Association, Natchez Trace Electric Power Association, North East Mississippi Electric Power Association, Northcentral Electric Cooperative, Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association, Pontotoc Electric Power Association, Singing River Electric, Southern Pine Electric, Southwest Electric, Tippah Electric Power Association, Twin County Electric Power Association, and Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association.

NOVEMBER | 2023

News and Notes

NHN grant funds help provide playground privacy Thanks to a Neighbors Helping Neighbors Community Grant from Singing River Electric, the playgrounds at Leakesville Elementary are safer and more secure for students. The playgrounds border the main road, and the pickup car lines wrap around the perimeter. “In the past, we’ve had issues with vehicles stopping along the fence to try and speak to students they knew,” CharLee Cook, Leakesville Elementary principal, said. “This can cause some safety and security issues for our students.” The $2,139 grant allowed Leakesville Elementary to purchase 1,400 feet of privacy screen and fasteners to attach the screen to the existing chain link fencing. “As a lifetime member of Singing River Electric and a former SRE Youth Leadership representative, I know firsthand the positive outcomes that are realized by investing in future members,” Cook said. The historic Leakesville Elementary has housed area students since the 1960s and is home to the largest student body in the Greene County School District. For more information on Singing River Electric’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors Community Grant program, visit www.singingriver.com/my-community. The next application deadline is Jan. 12, 2024.

SiteInvest by Cooperative Energy unveiled at summit Cooperative Energy, together with the 11 member electric distribution cooperatives it serves, unveiled the SiteInvest by Cooperative Energy program at the inaugural Cooperative Energy Economic Development Summit hosted in Jackson. Surrounded by economic development professionals from across the state, Cooperative Energy Director of Economic Development Mitch Stringer announced the culmination of a year-long development process to create the SiteInvest program. “For months, we’ve spent countless hours working with the experts at Burns & McDonnell to create a rigorous, yet flexible, site investment program,” said Stringer. “We recognized a need for creating an all-encompassing industrial property investment program, and we wanted to get it right.” SiteInvest is designed to help improve readiness and enhance the development of industrial properties in Cooperative Energy’s members’

territories. The program is a strategic initiative of the economic development team to better align Cooperative Competes grant funds with site development efforts. Both currently marketed industrial properties and newly identified industrial properties are invited to participate in the program. SiteInvest is designed upon a three-tier system with an initial application stage, followed by a formal Request for Information, and analysis by third-party engineering experts to benchmark the site readiness and marketability of industrial sites. Properties within the program are then assigned a Tier and provided action items to advance throughout the tiers and further the development and readiness of the property. The amount of available Cooperative Competes grant funds increases as industrial properties advance through the tiers of the program. “Our program is intentionally not a certification program, but rather an all-encompassing initiative that aligns readiness with tangible investments by local communities and Cooperative Energy through our Cooperative Competes grants,” said Stringer. Since 2018, the Cooperative Competes grant fund has awarded over $1.4 million in site development improvement funds. These dollars, combined with over $9 million of local funds and $26.4 million state funds, have improved industrial properties across Cooperative Energy’s members’ territories. The SiteInvest Program aims to enhance these investments. For more information about SiteInvest or the economic development efforts of Cooperative Energy, visit www.cooperativeenergy.com/ economic-development. 2023 | NOVEMBER 5

Southern Gardening

uring a visit to the Henington House in Hattiesburg, I came across a stunning garden pond in the backyard. The clever use of plants within and around the pond created a tranquil atmosphere, perfect for unwinding. The water feature is the first thing that catches your attention. It produces a gentle, trickling sound and the serene sight of ripples dancing across the water’s surface. I found the horsetail plants growing at the back of the pond to be particularly fascinating. These perennials are evergreen and have a similar appearance to rushes. Horsetail plants have dark green, segmented stems that are vertically ridged and rough to the touch. Stems grow upward from the plant’s rhizomes, and each node is easily recognizable by a whorl of small, scale-like leaves. These leaves are fused together into an ash-gray sheath, ending in a fringe of teeth.

NOVEMBER | 2023

A split-leaf philodendron created a tropical ambiance in the garden pond. This sizable, non-climbing, semi-woody shrub boasts large, glossy, wavy-margined, and deeply dissected evergreen leaves. It’s worth noting that the split-leaf philodendron is cold hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11 and can be expected to thrive outdoors only in South Mississippi.

I loved the garden pond’s use of variegated Swedish ivy. This plant has unique leaves with creamy white borders and charming small, circular foliage. It spreads and trails as it grows, making it an excellent choice for those who want to add greenery to their garden pond space. Variegated Swedish ivy can also be grown in pots and containers indoors. It is a low-maintenance plant that will provide many years of enjoyment. I also highly recommend Guacamole Swedish ivy for anyone looking to add some visual interest to their garden pond area. The leaves are deeply textured and have a unique, variegated pattern with bright chartreuse and splashes of avocado green. Guacamole Swedish ivy is a beautiful addition to any indoor or outdoor space, and it is sure to impress all who see it. There are a few things to keep in mind when planning your garden pond. First, consider the location of your pond. It should receive some sunlight, but not direct sunlight all day long. This helps promote healthy plant growth and prevents algae from overgrowing. Next, think about the size of your pond. This depends on the space available in your backyard and the type of fish or plants you plan to keep. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a pond that holds at least 1,000 gallons.

When it comes to the design of your pond, you can choose from a variety of styles that range from a natural-looking pond to a more formal design. You can also add water features like fountains or waterfalls to enhance the beauty and tranquility of your pond. Finally, make sure to properly maintain your pond to keep it healthy and looking great. This includes cleaning regularly, monitoring water quality, and feeding fish and plants as needed. With a little planning and effort, you can create a stunning garden pond that brings joy and relaxation to your backyard for years to come.

by Dr. Eddie Smith Southern Gardening columnist Dr. Eddie Smith, a gardening specialist and Pearl River County coordinator with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, is an internationally certiﬁed arborist, Produce Safety Alliance certiﬁed trainer, and one of the developers of the Mississippi Smart Landscapes program that encourages the use of native plants in the landscape.

Variegated Swedish ivy spreads and trails as it grows, making it an excellent choice for adding greenery to a garden pond space.

2023 | NOVEMBER 7

Outdoors Today

Similar to Mad Cow Disease, Chronic Wasting Disease affects the nervous system in members of the deer family, including whitetails. Mutated forms of proteins called prions become infectious and accumulate in the brain, nervous system tissues, and some lymph tissues. Concentrations of these prions in the brain lead to neurological problems and death. 8

NOVEMBER | 2023

In Mississippi, CWD first appeared in Issaquena County in February 2018. By September 2023, the state recorded 207 positive cases of infected deer in 10 counties. Besides Issaquena, counties with positive cases include Alcorn, Benton, Marshall, Panola, Pontotoc, Tallahatchie, Tippah, Tunica, and Warren with the worst outbreaks in Benton and Marshall counties. “Every year, we’ve been finding successively more cases,” said William McKinley, the deer program coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks. “In 2022, we found 73 positive deer. One in five bucks from Benton County tested positive during the 2022-23 season out of a couple hundred samples.” Infected animals might seem perfectly healthy. The disease progresses very slowly. It could take months, or even years for infected deer to show symptoms. Eventually, as the disease attacks the central nervous system, deer have difficulty standing and walking. They might drool excessively, drink often, and urinate constantly. They eventually become emaciated. “Deer do not begin to show symptoms until the late stages of the disease,” McKinley explained. “Then, it wastes away, and death comes quickly. Of our 207 cases to date, only seven deer looked sick. Most looked perfectly healthy at the time of harvest. Nothing has been completely proven to stop CWD from spreading, but we’re trying to slow the spread. When we find positive deer, we establish a CWD management zone in that county and surrounding counties. In the management zone, all feeding of deer is banned, and we have carcass movement restrictions.”

So far, CWD has not been known to pass from deer to humans. However, some other animals, such as pigs, raccoons, and mice among others, can contract the disease. In addition, some animals serve as disease reservoirs and spread the prions. For instance, if scavengers eat sick deer, those animals could shed prions through their feces. Other deer could ingest those prions and become sick. “It can go into plants,” McKinley warned. “Deer and other animals eat the plants, and it’s taken up through the roots into that animal. The disease shortens the lifespan of deer. It’s fatal in every animal that comes down with the disease.” The state established stations all over Mississippi where people can bring their deer for testing. Sportsmen who hunt out of state can bring quartered or deboned meat with no high-risk parts back into Mississippi. They can also bring in finished taxidermy products. “We will be sampling around the state throughout the hunting season,” McKinley said. “We pulled about 8,000 samples during the 2022-23 season. I expect that number to be similar this season. We are also working with taxidermists across the state to collect tissue samples.”

CWD POSITIVE COUNTIES FOR MISSISSIPPI BY 2023

Deer do not begin to show symptoms until the late stages of the disease. Then, it wastes away, and death comes quickly. Of our 207 cases to date, only seven deer looked sick. Most looked perfectly healthy at the time of harvest.

by John N. Felsher

For more information, see www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/ chronic-wasting-disease.

John N. Felsher is a professional freelance writer, broadcaster, photographer, and editor who lives in Alabama. An avid sportsman, he’s written more than 3,300 articles for more than 170 different magazines on a wide variety of outdoors topics. Contact him at j.felsher@hotmail.com.

2023 | NOVEMBER 9

Scene Around the ‘Sip

by Steven Ward The origin of the St. John Pipers goes back to William “Bill” For some, the sound of bagpipes is a clarion call for sadness. Muzzy, who moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast from New Orleans For Ocean Springs resident Bill Christmas, the sound conjures after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. up an ancestral call. Muzzy was an administrator and instructor at the North “There’s something primal, bittersweet, and hypnotic about it American Academy of Piping and Drumming in North Carolina. that draws me in, a deep ancestral call, regardless of my actual After moving to New Orleans, Muzzy ancestry,” Christmas said recently. played in bands along the Gulf Coast Christmas grew up in New Zeafor many years. Muzzy formed the nucleus land, where, he said, “every tiny town of area pipers, supporting students, and seemed to have its own pipe band.” There’s something primal, bittersweet, practicing in an annex building of St. Today, Christmas is a pipe sergeant and hypnotic about it that draws me John’s Episcopal Church. Although a local and instructor with the St. John Pipers, Gulf Coast pipe band never fully formed a small group of bagpipers that meet, in, a deep ancestral call, regardless according to Muzzy’s vision, that changed practice, and play at St John’s Episcopal of my actual ancestry. when two members from the defunct Church in Ocean Springs. Gulfport Fire Department’s Honor Guard The group members have been Band began working consistently with him, Christmas said. featured at police funerals, fire and police academy graduations, Christmas played the bagpipes in New Zealand when he was weddings, festivals, parades, and graveside performances in both younger. His New Zealand Army career brought him to the U.S. individual and group ensembles. The St. John Pipers also provide in 1982, and that’s when he stopped playing altogether. free lessons for beginners and advanced pipers. The group also In 2003, his grandfather died back home. holds special workshops throughout the year that focus on bagpipe maintenance, reed management, and techniques. 10

NOVEMBER | 2023

“My dad represented us at the funeral which was enormous. I still have the videos of it — there were pipers from all over the world, and for a week, his old house in Paraparaumu, New Zealand, was filled with music. I missed it all. While reviewing the video, I felt the need to go to my storage cupboard and pull out my old bagpipe and after a lot of fiddling and cursing, played a simple lament. It was awful. But that was the turning point — I began looking for an instructor, and in 2004, went to the American Academy of Piping and Drumming,” Christmas said. The St. John Pipers have performed at the Tunnels to Towers event at the Margaritaville Resort, 9/11 events at Keesler Air Force Base, and at the Stennis Naval Detachment. They have also played at police academy graduations at the Gulf Coast Community College, the Annual Highlands and Islands Celtic Festival, and the Billfish Tournament celebrations. “Some of us are veterans of police, fire and military services in Canada, New Zealand, and the USA, and all of us love the instrument, but the core has continued to practice and play while actively encouraging new members to join. Sadly, those new members are few and far between. Several inquiries have been received since the website went up, so hope springs eternal,” Christmas said. Christmas said some find the sound of a bagpipe unbearable. “To some degree it could be because they have never heard a good piper playing on a well-tuned bagpipe. They usually hear some hack player on a poorly set-up instrument and think that’s what it sounds like. Look for recordings by a master like Willie McCallum, Jack Lee, Roddy MacLeod, Bruce Gandy, or another top competitive piper and compare their performance to that of some hack on the street, and it will become very apparent. That’s the standard we strive for — mastery,” Christmas said. Christmas finds the sound the opposite of unbearable. “Haunting, stirring, soulful, inspiring, soothing, ethereal; bagpipe music touched me (and continues to) in an almost indescribable way. The pipes have seriously made a difference to me — and my life — in a way that can only be described as supernatural, a way unexplainable by science and the laws of nature,” Christmas said.

https://saintjohnspipersmississippi.simdif.com/ about_the_st._john’s_pipers.html or Email Billy Muzzy at bmuzz@aol.com Email Bill Christmas at - billthedoc@yahoo.com 2023 | NOVEMBER 11

by Robert Nathan Gregory Cool temperatures and rainfall are two things most of Mississippi has not seen lately. This winter, however, that could change and help farms that have taken a hit from extreme drought if anticipated El Niño conditions play out. But the rains will not arrive quickly enough to save this year’s crop for some growers. The southwest quadrant of the state is currently in what the U.S. Drought Monitor report classifies as a D-4 (exceptional drought) zone, while other portions near or below Interstate 20 are in D-3 or D-2 zones. “We have several row crops that just are not going to yield this year,” said Corey Bryant, an agronomist and soil fertility specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. “Some of the people I’ve talked to in the southwest part of the state are looking at the potential of not having anything to harvest. That is financially devastating to a lot of these growers, especially those who are just getting started.” Tyler Soignier, MSU research and Extension program manager based at the E.G. Morrison Brown Loam Branch Experiment Station in Hinds County, said a majority of growers in central Mississippi are dealing with yield reduction across all their row crops due to the extreme drought. “We had good growing conditions and adequate rainfall throughout May and June, but since July 9, we have not received a rainfall event over half an inch,” Soignier said. “The majority of our row crops initially looked good, but as the dry and hot weather continued throughout the summer, we began to notice that our 12

NOVEMBER | 2023

plants were not able to fill out the fruit they had set as they began to reach physiological maturity. With the vast majority of our growers in this region having dryland fields, we have seen devastating yield loss.” Mike Brown, state climatologist and meteorology professor at MSU, said previous El Niño winters have contributed to some of the coolest annual temperatures and wettest years on record in Starkville dating back nearly 135 years.

stream should be in the winter is replaced by an area of high “The El Niño in 1997 brought about our fourth coolest annual pressure, which is normally associated with slightly above normal temperature to date,” Brown said. “The events of 1979 and 1983 temperatures and dry conditions. were more pronounced, with 1983 being the third wettest and “That is not to say it will be warmer 400 miles to the north than 1979 the fourth wettest years on record. This is not to say that we we are,” Brown added, “but it will likely be warmer than normal for will see record rain or temperatures, but chances are better for a those locations just as it may be cooler than normal for us.” cooler and wetter winter, which is much needed to dig out of the Bryant said farms impacted by the drought would reap longcurrent drought.” term benefits of a wet winter, but a lot of rainfall is needed to Brown explained the formation of El Niño patterns as an restore soil moisture profiles to deeper depths that can support interaction between the atmosphere and the ocean. better yields in 2024. “Generally, the trade winds in the southern Pacific blow east to “Our growers in zones where the west — just south of the equator drought is the worst, even if they — from around Peru toward have irrigation capabilities, that northern Australia. When there irrigation is still only recharging the is higher atmospheric pressure soil profile to a depth of maybe 2 feet, over Australia, these trade winds Extended rainfall can provide relief and tend to weaken or can even recharge that moisture profile down to 4 feet depending on the soil type,” he said. “Extended rainfall can provide relief reverse direction,” he said. “This or deeper. If that happens, when we get into and recharge that moisture profile helps to warm the water in the next spring and look at planting, we have down to 4 feet or deeper. If that central and eastern portions of happens, when we get into next the Pacific due to less upwelling a full moisture profile to get next year’s spring and look at planting, we have of cooler water from the coast crop started and help us delay irrigation a full moisture profile to get next of Peru. further into the season. year’s crop started and help us delay “The reduced upwelling and irrigation further into the season.” warmer waters are conducive Growers who apply fertilizer in the fall risk having nutrients to more thunderstorms in the central and eastern Pacific due to leach from the soil during wet winters. increased instability,” he said. “We already do not recommend putting out phosphorous and Brown further noted the warmer surface temperatures create a potassium in the fall because winter is usually our wettest time of gradient that helps keep jet streams — horizontal air currents that the year. Additional rainfall could cause increased leaching, and at separate air masses and transport moisture and heat — closer to that point our growers are essentially wasting money,” Bryant said. the equator. Another issue is that many growers take soil samples when “In a ‘normal’ winter, the jet stream is found several hundred fields are drier and easier to get into. Those soil test results may miles to our north. In an El Niño winter, the jet stream is a bit further south, bringing more storms, rain, and slightly cooler not be accurate after winter rainfall and leaching events. temperatures to the Southeast U.S.,” he said. “Where the jet

Drought-stressed row crop fields could see relief in the form of extra rainfall this winter if anticipated El Niño conditions play out, but for many growers it will come much too late to salvage their harvests. (File photo/MSU Extension Service)

2023 | NOVEMBER 13

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Adams • Amite • Claiborne • Copiah • Franklin Hinds • Jefferson • Lincoln • Wilkinson Southwest Electric is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

P.O. Box 5 • 18671 Highway 61 • Lorman, MS 39096 | 601-437-3611 | 800-287-8564 | Fax: 601-437-8736 | Email: info@swepa.coop southwestelectric.coop

Southwest Electric

SWElectricCoop

sw_electric_coop

Southwest Electric

INTRODUCING A

NEW LOOK FOR SMARTHUB

The website version of SmartHub is getting a face lift. The conversion to the new version will take place in November. Our Members will have access to the same information. Now, it will be easier to find. We encourage you to log in and explore this new version.

With SmartHub, Members can: •

view usage by hour, day, week, billing period and year

•

report outages

•

make payments

•

set up credit card auto pay

•

get billing and outage notifications

•

review billing history

2023 | NOVEMBER

EMPLOYEE

Bruce Butler, Construction Crew Foreman Bruce has worked for Southwest Electric for 37 years as a Serviceman’s Helper, a Lineman, a Serviceman and a Crew Foreman. He supervises a construction crew daily and oversees the installation of new services. Bruce and his wife, Kim, have two sons.

Sergeant Butler was called up for active duty in the Army in November 1990. He served for six months during Desert Storm and was stationed in Saudi Arabia. He returned home just four days before his wedding.

Eddie Cole, Dispatcher Eddie has been with Southwest Electric for three years. He takes calls, dispatches crews to restore power outages and monitors the entire distribution system. Eddie and his wife, Julia, have one son, one daughter, one grandson and two granddaughters.

Private First Class Cole served in the Army for two years and was stationed at Forts Knox, Lee and Stewart. He drove a 10-ton diesel truck for tank refueling and received special training in Germany and California.

Anthony Harris, Apprentice Lineman Anthony has worked at Southwest Electric for two years. He is on a construction crew of six lineworkers. They install new services, change out poles, relocate services and perform general maintenance. Anthony has four children.

Private First Class Harris served in the Army for four years. He attended Infantry School at Fort Benning before being stationed at Camp Shelby.

Zeb Higgs, Apprentice Lineman Zeb has worked for Southwest Electric for five months. He is on a construction crew of five lineworkers. Construction crews are most known for replacing broken poles after storms, but they also work every day installing, maintaining, and replacing material on the distribution system.

Lance Corporal Higgs served in the Marine Corps for four years. He was a squad machine gunner with the Second Law Enforcement Battalion at Camp Lejeune and a patrolman with the Provost Marshal’s Office in Japan.

Jr Keller, Lead Mechanic Jr has worked for Southwest Electric for 35 years in the right-of-way department and the shop. He is Lead Mechanic maintaining a fleet of 55 large and small trucks and 10 offroad vehicles and trailers. Jr and his wife, Trudy, have one son and one grandson.

Sergeant Keller was also called up for active duty in the Army in November 1990. He was stationed in California for six months ready to deploy to the Middle East if Operation Desert Storm escalated.

Southwest Electric would like to thank all veterans for serving their country, whether during a time of peace or war.

HAPPY Our offices will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24. Dispatchers will remain on duty and crews will be on call. To report an outage, use the SmartHub app, text OUT to 844-975-2728 or call 800-287-8564.

2023 Camp Kamassa

Golf Tournament Southwest Electric and the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi co-sponsored the 2023 golf tournament to benefit Mississippi’s Toughest Kids Foundation. The foundation is building Camp Kamassa, a fully-accessible camp for children and adults with special needs on 426 acres in Copiah County. This camp is located in the Southwest Electric service area, and its mission is supported by our employees and directors. For more information about Camp Kamassa, we encourage you to visit campkamassa.com.

Team members are pictured with the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi and Southwest Electric sponsorship sign.

Employees Scott Campbell, Michael Johnson, Dustin Matthews and Jason Delaney head out to play in the tournament.

So, why is a drone flying over the power line? If you see a drone flying near a power line - relax. It’s probably a Cooperative Energy drone. Be sure to stay clear from the drone and crew. And never intentionally damage or tamper with a drone - it’s a crime! Here’s how we put drones to work for you: Crews use drones to safely and efficiently survey and inspect power lines. Drones are used to take photos, laser scans, map images and more. Drones help keep employees out of harm’s way while keeping your electric service uninterrupted. After storms, drones are used to quickly assess damage so we can restore power faster.

MyElectricCooperative.com Questions? UAS@CooperativeEnergy.com

2023 | NOVEMBER

Winter Energy Efficiency Tips As the weather gets colder, it’s important to focus on ways to reduce heat loss from your home. Here are four simple winter energy efficiency tips that are relatively inexpensive, and most can be done by the average homeowner.

Caulk Windows

Seal Duct Work

Weather Strip Doors

Check Attic Insulation

Stop cold air from infiltrating your home by using caulking to plug holes, cracks and open seams around the exterior of your house. Either use a high-quality caulk or expanding foam sealant and fill any and all air-leaking gaps.

Inspect the weather stripping around all exterior doors to ensure that it is not ripped, crushed or missing. Try closing the door and check for air-leaking gaps around all four edges of the door. If you see sunlight shining through, you’ll need to seal the spaces with weather stripping.

Air conditioning and heating ducts that leak air into unheated spaces can add hundreds of dollars a year to your heating and cooling bills. Properly sealed and insulated ducts increase efficiency, lower your energy bills and can often pay for themselves in energy savings.

The most effective use of insulation is in the attic. Unfortunately, most homes have either no insulation or not enough insulation in the attic. Attics are recommended to have a minimum of R-38 insulation, which is typically between 10 and 14 inches deep.

Fire Safety Tips Please keep these safety tips in mind as you start decorating for the Christmas season.

Don’t Overload Circuits Plugging too many strings of lights into one outlet can overload the circuit and cause a fire.

Unplug Lights and Decorations Unplug lights and decorations when you are away from your home or asleep.

18 NOVEMBER | 2023

Water Live Trees Keep your live tree watered to avoid it drying out and becoming a fire hazard.

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by Steven Ward Within a three-year period in his early 20s, Marshall Ramsey went from working as a high school janitor to having his cartoons published in the New York Times. How did he do it? Hard work, talent, and a message from his late father when he was a child. “When I was 8 years old, I told my dad I wanted to be an editorial cartoonist. My dad’s response? ‘You’ll be the best one ever.’ That’s all I needed to hear.” Today, Ramsey, 55, is still creating cartoons daily in Mississippi for a statewide audience that sees them online or on social media, rather than the newsprint of old. Following more than two decades at The Clarion Ledger, Ramsey has spent the last five years working as editor-at-large at Mississippi Today, the Pulitzer Prize-winning, nonprofit and nonpartisan news website that boasts the largest news operation in the state. What does the “editor at large” role encompass? “In a week I’ll draw about seven to eight cartoons, create a weekly newsletter, do an interview show, and hit the road to events spreading 20

NOVEMBER | 2023

the gospel of Mississippi Today all over the state,” Ramsey said. “I have been so blessed to work at Mississippi Today. I get to work with an extremely talented staff of journalists at a place dedicated to making Mississippi a better place through impactful journalism.” Adam Ganucheau, Mississippi Today’s editor-in-chief, said he’s never met someone as creative as Ramsey. “His ability to take often complex political or social moments and make them relatable to everyday people never ceases to amaze me. I’m regularly blown away by how quickly Marshall comes up with powerful ways to tell stories,” Ganucheau said. Back in his early Clarion Ledger days, you could find Ramsey sitting in his office crouched over a drawing table with a pen. Today, he draws his cartoons on an iPad using an app called, Procreate. Although the tools may be different, the ideas, the process, and the outcome are the same. And where do those ideas come from? “Are you kidding? I live here. It’s paradise for an editorial cartoonist,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey was raised in Marietta, Georgia. He started drawing at age 3, and after a steady diet of Jack Davis drawings in Mad magazine and newspaper editorial cartoons involving Jimmy Carter in the 70s, Ramsey figured out his future early. His father took Ramsey to watch Georgia play football against his alma mater, The University of Tennessee, in 1980. “That was the first time I saw Herschel Walker play. There were 98,000 people in the stadium. That was it. I told my dad I wanted to go there, and six years later, I did,” Ramsey said. Ramsey started out with an original comic strip at Tennessee’s campus newspaper, but the editor hated it. “He told me if I dropped the strip, I could be the paper’s official editorial cartoonist,” Ramsey said. While creating his campus paper cartoons, Ramsey got to know Charlie Daniel, the longtime editorial cartoonist for the Knoxville Journal, and later, the Knoxville News Sentinel. What started as an interview for one of Ramsey’s college speech classes turned into a lifelong friendship with a mentor that continues to this day. “He sat down with me and gave me his time and advice. Before you knew it, I was having dinner at his house. That was one of the wonderful things about college. Not only did I get an education, but I got amazing opportunities and experiences,” Ramsey said. When Daniel would go on vacation, Ramsey — as a college senior — would fill in sometimes as an editorial cartoonist at the Knoxville Journal. After Ramsey graduated, his first job was working as a janitor at Pope High School in Marietta, Georgia. Ramsey said the job changed his life. “I was working with a woman there named Maggie. Maggie introduced to me to her daughter, Amy. Amy and I have been married now for 30 years. One of the best things that ever happened to me,” he said. While he was a janitor, Ramsey took some classes at Kennesaw State University. He was drawing editorial cartoons for the school paper and won some important awards. Not long after, Ramsey was hired as an advertising artist at the Marietta Journal, and later, as the editorial cartoonist at the Conroe Courier in Texas. There, he met an editor named Dan Turner. Turner once told him about a fair in Mississippi where he wanted to be buried after he passed. Little did Ramsey know then, that state and fair (Neshoba County) would play key roles in his professional future.

In a week I’ll draw about seven to eight cartoons, create a weekly newsletter, do an interview show, and hit the road to events spreading the gospel of Mississippi Today all over the state.

2023 | NOVEMBER 21

Some of Ramsey’s cartoons were picked up and syndicated by the Copley News Service, based out of San Diego, California. That’s when Ramsey was published in the New York Times. He was later hired as creative director at Copley News Service. While living and working in San Diego, Ramsey got a call from Turner about an editorial cartoonist opening at the Clarion Ledger in Mississippi. “I quit and threw my hat in the ring. I got the job, and we moved to Mississippi in 1996. The only thing I knew about Mississippi at that time was what I saw in the movies,” Ramsey said. David Hampton, the editorial page editor at the Clarion Ledger back then and Ramsey’s longest serving boss, said Ramsey was one of the most talented and creative people he ever worked with. “I always looked forward to our morning planning meeting for the daily editorial page. Marshall would leave us all laughing about whatever issues were on the table that day. Marshall would offer up five to 10 cartoon ideas, and they were all great. You should have seen the stuff that never got published,” Hampton said. Ramsey always made fun of those in power, regardless of their political affiliation. “You always punch up. You lampoon people in power. That’s the job. Some politicians get it, others don’t,” Ramsey said.

Marshall Ramsey’s 2018 obit cartoon of Barbara Bush went viral. Ramsey depicted Bush being reunited with her daughter, Robin — who died as a child from leukemia — in heaven. Ramsey was interviewed by TV stations all over the country and appeared on “The Today Show” with Jenna Bush.

NOVEMBER | 2023

Ramsey said former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour understood the cartoonist’s job fully. “He told me once, ‘just draw me with a thin pen.’ Haley got it,” Ramsey said. Ramsey had many opportunities to leave Mississippi for other jobs. But he said the people of the state, its artistic legacy, and active artist culture are the reasons he stayed to raise his family — Amy and their three sons — here. “I first thought I might be here two years. But I just fell in love with the people. You can’t understand Mississippi driving from home to work. You have to go out and speak to the people. I’ve probably been to — or close to — every town in the state, whether it’s in churches, people’s homes, or at Rotary Club meetings. The people here are so gracious and welcoming,” Ramsey said. Whether he’s creating cartoons that go viral — like his 2018 Barbara Bush obit cartoon where she’s reunited in heaven with her daughter Robin that she and President George H. W. Bush lost to leukemia in 1953 — or drawing cartoons of linemen as heroes restoring power in Mississippi after disasters, Ramsey is proud to call Mississippi home. “Mississippi has been incredibly kind to my family and me — it has given us so much. I just hope that I’ve been able to give a little back. I do know that I’m a better person because I’ve lived here.”

Marshall Ramsey is known statewide for his cartoons of linemen restoring power after disasters. The cartoon at the bottom was produced after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The top cartoon was created after the state’s last major ice storm.

For more information about Marshall Ramsey, his cartoons, his journalism, or his books, visit www.marshallramsey.com or subscribe to his newsletter, Marshall’s Mississippi, at www.mississippitoday.org 2023 | NOVEMBER 23

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For the Love of the Game Harry Harrison was the hometown hero of Bay Springs when he was growing up in the late 1960s. Harrison was a four-sport star athlete who played football, basketball, baseball, and track earning 16 letters. Harrison was selected high school football All-American and was named to the elite All-Southern team his senior season. He had staggering high school stats, scoring 33 touchdowns his senior year. The school honored him by retiring his jersey. “Bay Springs was a football crazy town, and you dreamed of playing high school football. I got my start in an open lot next to our house playing with my neighbors. I was fortunate enough to play with several older kids, and I know that helped prepare me when I started playing for the junior high team. I played quarterback on the junior high team in the sixth grade, and when I entered the ninth grade, they moved me up to the high school team,” Harrison said recently. The future Ole Miss Rebel played free safety on defense all four years but played three different offensive positions in each of his final three years. Bay Springs won 10 games in both of Harrison’s final two seasons. He started off at fullback before moving to quarterback and then as a senior played running back. Harrison played both ways in the Mississippi High School All-Star game that season. The Cotton Valley Conference MVP was highly recruited but narrowed his choices to Ole Miss and Georgia Tech. “Bob Tyler was recruiting for the Rebels and Warner Alford for Tech. It was not an easy choice, but, strange as it seemed, Tyler left Ole Miss after my freshman year, and Alford was hired. Hard to say no to Ole Miss with all the Archie (Manning) mania going on,” said Harrison. Harrison’s Ole Miss career was stellar as he was named to a couple of All-American teams after his senior season. His total of nine interceptions in 1972 was second in the nation that year. During his three varsity seasons, he swiped 16 interceptions, which is third all-time. His sophomore season he was the only Rebel player to play both offense and defense. Harrison was inducted into the Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame in 1994. One Ole Miss “loss” is still etched in Harrison’s memory more than any other. “Our biggest rival game was LSU back in those days. The game was played in 1972 in Baton Rouge, and LSU won, 17-16, with no ticks on the clock when the Tigers scored on a Bert Jones pass.” Harrison is convinced to this day that time should have expired the previous play when only four seconds remained at the snap. “I don’t believe it’s possible that LSU could take a snap under center, back pedal, stick the ball in the gut of a back for a play-action fake, then throw incomplete all in three seconds. We won the game. I am convinced of that. There’s no way that next to last play could have taken only three seconds,” Harrison said. Harrison signed with the New Orleans Saints but nagging college injuries ended his pro career. For the last 20 years, Harrison has been the color analyst for the Rebel football radio broadcast team. In 2002 Ole Miss was looking for an analyst to team with David Kellum. Harrison and three others auditioned, and the rest is history. Harrison had no background in radio. “I guess just a great voice and love for the Rebels got me here. David and I have created great chemistry together,” Harrison said.

by Dale McKee Dale McKee is a Waynesboro native who has been writing sports in Mississippi since 1973. He is a member of Dixie Electric. Contact him at ddmckee18@yahoo.com.

2023 | NOVEMBER 25

Smart breaker boxes With smart breaker boxes, like the SPAN Panel shown here, you can control and monitor every circuit in your home from a smartphone or tablet. Photo Credit: SPAN

by Jennah Denney Every home has an electrical panel, otherwise known as a breaker box. The design hasn’t changed much over the years, but through recent innovation, the smart technologyenabled electrical panel is changing that. Smart breaker boxes, which can operate on their own or in conjunction with a standard electrical panel, make them an excellent alternative for households looking to save energy. Many consumers are upgrading to smart breaker boxes to make their home electrical systems safer and more reliable. It’s recommended to hire a qualified electrician to install the smart panel, which can be done using a home’s existing electrical wiring and infrastructure. Many smart breaker boxes are designed to easily connect to other smart devices in your home. With the capacity to remotely monitor and adjust energy consumption, these devices provide several advantages that make them a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to consume less energy. One advantage smart breaker boxes provide is convenience for homeowners to monitor and control how much energy they use. With smart circuit breakers, you can receive real-time data that allows you to pinpoint appliances or 26

NOVEMBER | 2023

devices that consume excessive energy. This real-time tracking allows consumers to adjust their energy use where needed, which ultimately saves money on monthly energy bills, reduces energy waste and is good for the electric grid. Smart breaker boxes are all about managing your electrical load. While the technology to track how much energy a home uses has been available for years, the ability to control how that energy is used is new. A smart breaker box can reveal how much power each circuit is using and turn each one on or off. Some smart breaker boxes allow you to establish schedules based on importance, such as refrigeration and heat to be on 24/7, but less important loads like Wi-Fi or the television to turn off during scheduled times, when no one is home. Smart breaker boxes offer additional benefits for those with home solar systems. Smart breaker boxes help solar energy systems run more efficiently by determining how much energy is being used and how it can be stored. Through intelligent load management, they can provide longer battery backup life for those with energy storage. Additionally, integration with other smart home devices, like thermostats and virtual assistants, further enhances the connected-home ecosystem.

Safety in electrical devices is highly important to consumers, and smart breaker boxes provide enhanced safety features that consumers appreciate. Smart breaker boxes can identify abnormalities and other potential electrical problems, then quickly shut off power supply if a circuit shorts or becomes overloaded, avoiding electrical fires and other dangers. Many smart breaker boxes include surge protection to help protect against power spikes and other issues. Smart breaker boxes aren’t just for consumers — electric utilities are using them too. For electric cooperatives, smart breaker boxes also offer a range of benefits. A primary advantage of these devices is that they allow for more efficient and reliable energy distribution. With the ability to remotely monitor energy use and detect faults within the system, electric cooperatives can quickly respond to issues and minimize outage times for consumers — ultimately managing the grid more efficiently. There’s no denying that smart home technologies have changed how we use our homes, and smart breaker boxes are no exception. Smart breaker boxes help both customers and electric utilities in multiple ways. With advanced safety features, real-time energy tracking and control, and the ability to use energy more efficiently, these devices are a smart investment for anyone who wants to make their home’s system more reliable, safer, and cost-effective. Jennah Denney writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Smart breaker boxes, like the hardware-agnostic Lumin Smart Panel shown here, turn standard panels into smart panels by providing comprehensive energy control and extending whole-home backup. Photo Credit: Lumin

2023 | NOVEMBER 27

On the Menu

with Vicki Leach

It seems we all love traditions. Especially when it comes to food. There was a Thanksgiving that I absolutely blew out of the water, and I lived to tell about it, although I still can’t live it down. My oldest daughter got engaged in the fall of that year some time ago, and because it fell very close to Turkey Day, she requested that we have a pre-Thanksgiving dinner for us and for her betrothed. His mama wanted him home on THE day, and I didn’t blame her. I wanted my baby home, too. But in planning this special meal, I missed the memo that ALL the classics and ALL the favorites were the only things we could have. She wanted to show off our family traditions to her hubby-to-be. Well, I spent a few days planning and cooking, and threw in beautiful foods that I won’t even mention here because they went over like a lead balloon. They were gorgeous, flavorful, and ever so gourmet, but let’s just say the residents of my little funny farm were not amused. You’d have thought I’d single-handedly sunk the Titanic and then went out and kicked puppies. It was hilarious. My future son-in-law was a gracious guest who thought my daughter was just the least little bit unhinged. The look on her face as she kept opening the oven and glancing in the refrigerator thinking she’d just overlooked where the real food was, is one of my favorite holiday memories. It was almost like she believed I’d hidden the macaroni and cheese and had somehow misplaced the squash casserole. So, after dinner, she and my youngest daughter made a list of ALL the things for Thanksgiving that I was allowed to cook — those things, and nothing else. She had input from my boys, and even hit up my 28

NOVEMBER | 2023

hubby for his favorites. They posted the list on my refrigerator. I had been told. I have abided by the rules ever since. And, despite myself, I created an unforgettable memory. Traditions. We love them. So, let’s hear it for that Thursday in November when we gather, indulge, and focus on all the things we have to be thankful for. May your day be filled with pies and cakes galore; and may your Thanksgiving be a blessed and memorable one.

Makes a 9-inch pie

INGREDIENTS

1⁄3 cup granulated sugar 3 eggs 1 stick butter, melted 1 cup white Karo syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup chopped pecans 1 9-inch unbaked pie shell (frozen, refrigerated, or homemade) Mix all ingredients well. Bake in an unbaked pie shell at 325 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes. Do not over-bake. Allow to cool before slicing. I have this recipe in my mother’s handwriting, dated November 11, 1961. It is one of my treasures. She always liked it because it was made with white Karo instead of dark Karo, like my grandmother’s. I like it for the same reason.

Makes 2 9-inch pies

INGREDIENTS

2 cups cooked, peeled, and mashed sweet potatoes 1 stick butter, melted 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon cloves ½ teaspoon salt 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk 2 9-inch unbaked pie shell (frozen, refrigerated, or homemade) Bake or boil potatoes, and mash well. Blend in all ingredients. Pour into unbaked pie shells. Bake at 325 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until set in center. Don’t over-bake.

Makes a 9-inch pie

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups granulated sugar ¼ cocoa powder Scant ¼ all-purpose flour 3 eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup butter, melted 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 9-inch unbaked pie shell (frozen, refrigerated, or homemade) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Stir together the sugar and cocoa in a mixing bowl. Add eggs, butter, and vanilla. Blend well. Pour into pie shell and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until just set. Do not over-bake. This one will satisfy anyone’s chocolate cravings.

Makes a tube/Bundt cake

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon cloves 1 cup butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon nutmeg melted and cooled ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups granulated sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 eggs 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped pecans 3 cups peeled and 1 ½ baking soda chopped apples 2 teaspoons cinnamon Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a tube cake pan or Bundt cake pan and set aside. Combine melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs, flour, soda, spices, salt, and vanilla to the sugar and butter mixture. Fold in pecans and apples. Bake in prepared tube or Bundt pan for 1 hour and 20 to 1 hour and 30 minutes. This makes a dark, apple, and nut-filled cake that serves as a dessert, or you can do like I do, and toast it for breakfast.

by Vicki Leach Vicki Leach is a full-time chef/culinary instructor at Mississippi State University in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion. She teaches Science of Food Preparation, Foodservice Organization, and Quantity Food Production. She also serves as the food service coordinator for First Baptist Church in Starkville, where she attends with her husband, Rob. She has four children and ﬁve grandchildren, and lives in a 130-year-old farmhouse that speaks to her old soul. She still has the ﬁrst cookbook she ever owned.

2023 | NOVEMBER 29

Events Events open to the public will be published free of charge as space allows. Submit details at least two months prior to the event date. Submissions must include a phone number with area code for publication. Email to news@ecm.coop. Events are subject to change. Missions Market Place. Nov. 4. Puckett. Put on by the Puckett Methodist Women’s group. Proceeds to help children on the autism spectrum that attend the Center Ridge Outpost summer camp. Funds will also go to our Friends in Need campaign to help those with cancer and other medical expenses. The day will include vendors with handmade items, a rummage sale, raffle items, and a soup lunch café for $5. Frozen casseroles will also be sold to help you get through the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Table space is available for $25. The event starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. at Puckett Methodist Church, 6412 Highway 18. Details: 601-214-7837 or the church office at 601-591-5570. Missions Market Place. Nov. 11. Ovett. Downtown Ovett. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vendors are welcome, and lots are free. Details: 601-817-1092 or email at ricobay@gmail.com. The 8th Car, Truck, & Rat Rod Show. Nov. 11. Moselle. Featuring a show and shine antique tractor display. Registration is from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. A total of 21 trophies will be awarded at 2:30 p.m. The entry fee is $25 and includes a picture of the entry. Door prizes, music, burgers, hot dogs, drinks, and chips will be available. Sponsored by Moselle Memorial Baptist Church Men’s Ministry. 6 Beeson Road and Hwy 11. Details: 601-580-5550. Barnyard Marketplace. Nov. 11 and Dec. 9. Poplarville. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come shop the field of vendors, including crafts, food, plants, boutiques, specialty items, jewelry, handsewn purses, baked goods, woodworks and more. 295 Buck Kirkland Rd. Details: 504-234-3579 or barnyardmarketplace504@gmail.com. Highland Games and Celtic Music Festival. Nov 11 and 12. Gulfport. Two full days of Scottish culture, food, music, and athletics. Sanctioned Highland Athletic competitions on both days and three award-winning bagpipe bands from three different states. Two stages of Celtic music and dance featuring: The Kiltlifters (from Hawaii), Highland Reign (from Indiana), The Jollies, Blarney Coast, Celtic Crossroads, The Crescent and Clover Celtic Band, Emerald Accent, New Orleans Celtic Harp Ensemble, Red McWilliams and the MacCrossan School of Irish Dance, and Niall O’Leary School of Irish Dance. Watch jousting competitions. Try your hand at axe throwing. Savor authentic Scottish foods. Visit various clan tents to learn about your heritage. Buy handmade goods from our select artisans and Scottishthemed vendors. Experience Scottish culture through storytelling, sheep-herding demonstrations, petting highland cows, and even a unicorn. Harrison County Fairgrounds, 15321 County Farm Rd. Details: 228-380-1642 or email mshighlandsandislands@gmail.com or visit www. mshighlandsandislands.com. Magnolia State Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show. Nov. 11 and 12. Pascagoula. Saturday, Nov. 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jackson County Fairgrounds Civic Center. Admission is $5 for adults and children under 12 are free with a paying adult. One door prize ticket with each paid admission. Come see exhibits, demonstrations, and educational resources. Fossils, gemstones, jewelry, and supplies will be available for purchase. Details: 601-947-7245. Purvis Street Festival. Nov. 11. Purvis. Main Street. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Arts and crafts, music, a car and truck show, children’s activities, and food vendors. Admission is free. Details: 601-543-9815 or email Purvisfest@gmail.com. Pre-Thanksgiving Gospel Singing Concert. Nov. 11. Mendenhall. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. at New Life Fellowship Church, 2167 Highway 49. S. The concert will feature The Singing Echoes; Terry Joe Terrell; Tim Frith & the Gospel Echoes; and Revelations. Details: 601-906-0677 or 601-720-8870. Polkville Day - “Celebrating America’s Veterans.” Nov. 11. Polkville. Will be held at the Polkville Civic and MultiPurpose Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Antique tractor and

NOVEMBER | 2023

car show, live entertainment, arts and crafts vendors, food and desserts, cakewalk, raffles, and kid’s zone. Free. Details: 601-537-3115 or rwmiles@gmail.com. Empty Bowls Hattiesburg. Nov. 11. Hattiesburg. From 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 210 Main St. The $25 cost includes a handcrafted pottery bowl plus a meal of soup, bread, dessert, and a beverage from the city’s best restaurants. Indoor and outdoor dining, live music, family-friendly activities. All proceeds benefit the Edwards Street Fellowship food pantry. Details: 601-544-6149. Christmas in the Park. Nov. 23 to Dec. 30. Collins. Open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only. Put on by the Covington County Chamber of Commerce. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Driving tour with lighting displays that honor Jesus Christ and celebrates his birth. Event is free. Details: 601-765-6012. Life of Christ Presentation. Dec. 1. Monticello. The event will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Atwood Water Park, 1362 East Broad Street. This drive-through presentation features local churches depicting scenes from Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. Admission is free. Details: 601-431-9317.

Gerald Wolfe Hymn Sing and Carols of Christmas Tour. Dec. 1. Hattiesburg. Begins at 7 p.m. at Heritage Church, 3 Baracuda Dr. Appearing along with Gerald will be the Greater Vision Trio, Whisnant’s, the Mark Trammel Quartet, The Mylon Hayes Family, Jim and Melissa Brady, and the Hymn Sing Band. Proceeds go to the Gospel Music Hymn Sing Foundation and their “Keep Them Singing” program. Advance tickets on sale now. Details: 601-261-3371. Journey to Bethlehem and Beyond. Dec. 9 and 10. Pelahatchie. Driving tour Nativity scene. 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Church at Shiloh, 2394 Shiloh Rd. Details: 601854-8158. Big New Year’s Eve Gospel Sing Concert. Dec. 31. Byrum. The event starts at 7 p.m. at Central Baptist Church, 5751 Terry Road. Featuring the Revelations Quartet, Tim Frith & the Gospel Echoes; and the Resolve Quartet. Refreshments will be served. Details: 601-906-0677 or 601-720-8870.

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During late September, we got the opportunity to travel up the Rhine River from Amsterdam into Switzerland with a group of people from all over the country. Several of us were from Mississippi. You get in your daily steps on a tour of old European cities. Their streets were laid out prior to the Middle Ages and won’t accommodate modern buses. So, the tour buses park as close as they can, and you must walk the rest of the way. And watch out for bicycles. In Amsterdam, the cyclists outnumber the motorists about a thousand to one. And whereas the cars kind of watch out for you, when you hear a bicycle bell, it is not to warn you a rider is coming. It’s so you can brace yourself because you are about to be hit. But we got to see authentic windmills and original Rembrandts and castles, cathedrals, and churches.

In Mississippi, we don’t have a lot of native stone for such things as grave markers. And back then there wasn’t much spare money for mail-order headstones. So, the pottery markers filled a need for an appropriate memorial at an affordable price. We were in Heidelberg, Germany when Marciadeen Steele and Irene Ausborn from Fulton introduced themselves. Fulton being where I spent a lot of my childhood at grandmother’s house, we asked a lot of “do you know” and “whatever happened to” questions. Irene really caught my attention when she told me her granddad was a northeast Mississippi potter. And along with the jugs and churns and everything else he had turned, he also made earthenware grave markers. I knew the ones she was talking about. I had seen them all my life in Oak Grove Cemetery at Ratliff where several generations of my family are buried including mom and dad. The markers are about an inch thick and maybe six inches across and a foot or so high. They have a gray glaze and cobalt blue lettering. I have done a story or two about them, but have never been able to interview someone with firsthand knowledge. But here on the streets of Germany, I whipped out my iPhone and talked to Irene about her grandad. She told me she

and one of her first cousins spent a lot of time going all over northeast Mississippi and northwest Alabama finding grave markers her grandad made. The Loyd potters in Tremont, Mississippi patented the earthenware grave markers in the late 1800s, and other potters used the designs under their patten including Irene’s grandad, W.D. Suggs at Smithville. In Mississippi, we don’t have a lot of native stone for such things as grave markers. And back then there wasn’t much spare money for mail-order headstones. So, the pottery markers filled a need for an appropriate memorial at an affordable price. I know it’s just a coincidence, but a refrigerator magnet souvenir I bought in The Netherlands is oddly reminiscent of those grave markers. After I put it on the fridge, I wondered if I was attracted to it because it reminded me so much of a shape and color I had been familiar with all my life.

by Walt Grayson Walt Grayson is the host of “Mississippi Roads” on Mississippi Public Broadcasting television and the author of two “Looking Around Mississippi” books and “Oh! That Reminds Me: More Mississippi Homegrown Stories.” Walt is also a reporter and 4 p.m. news anchor at WJTV in Jackson. He lives in Brandon and is a Central Electric member. Contact him at walt@waltgrayson.com.

2023 | NOVEMBER 31

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