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I met my old lover On the street last night
She seemed so glad to see me I just smiled
And we talked about some old times And we drank ourselves some beers
Still crazy after all these years Oh, still crazy after all these years--
Paul Simon
As crazy as it seems, July 17 marked a year since I was fired. And what a wild ride it has been since then. Without a doubt, the last year has had more ups and downs than any one person might imagine. Last year at this time, for the first time in 27 years, I was no longer a police of-ficer. It was strange at first, but, through a little trial and error, I fi-nally figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up - a newspaper man. I am not saying it was an easy road, but it has been a wonderful path in its totality. It has been a whacky, insane journey, and I would not change a thing. That right, boys and girls - I would not change my life one iota. Through all the craziness, I have never felt more love in all of my life. No one in the history of civiliza-tion has ever been fired and received greater affirmation of their life’s work than I received that night. Everything I had ever accomplished paled in comparison to that night; I knew my work was appreciated by the people who matter most - the citizens. I had been named officer of the year twice and still never felt more appreciated than I did dur-ing that time. I will never be able to tell the people of this community
how much I love them, how much their love and support means to me and how their concerns carried me through the tough times. Even today I can feel the support and appreciation, and I try every day to reciprocate it back to this community - my community and, most importantly, my home town. Columbus is my home, and I am proud to tell everyone. I have had my own personal love affair with this town since the day I arrived. During the days leading up to my firing, several people asked me if I would move if I got fired. And my answer was always a big, fat “NO” (and for those who know me, you un-derstand the “no” had a little profan-ity thrown in to add a little flavor to my answer.) This is my home, so why would I leave? I love it here! So, here I am a year later, and as Paul sings, “I Am Still Crazy After All These Years.” And why not? I live a beautiful life. I live a greater life than I ever deserved. The now and present is as good as it gets. The Real Story is big-ger and better than I ever thought it could be. I have to thank my partners in crime: Kate Spencer; Melinda Duffie; Meagan O’Nan; Clare Mal-lory; Jayne Reynolds; Renee Reedy; Claude Simpson; Brenda Minor; Martin Howard; and all the writers and contributors! I would also be remiss if I did not thank my start-up team: Kevin Gregg; Fran Andresen; Aimee Shaw; Cindy Lynch; and Christy Tracy. You will always be appreciated. And of course, the legendary Porkchop must be thanked! He is a hit! The next year is going to be
even crazier. As the team expands the paper, we hope to reach the moon. I believe that a group this talented is not assembled to be just mediocre. A group this good is brought together to reach new levels of excellence. As a group, we want to be a paper that the community can be proud of and respect. We want the community to know they could send our paper anywhere in the world and people would be excited to read it. Our aim is to be literate, intelligent and educated - a well-writ-ten paper that could hold its own in Birmingham or Atlanta but which re-mains committed to the needs of the Golden Triangle. In short, we want to be the best paper in the South, and nothing less will be acceptable. We have a ways to go, but our goal will never waiver and will never change. Our goal is excellence. In the end, the biggest thank you has to go to our readers. Without you, there is no Real Story! Without your support, our hard work would be for nothing. You are the reason we exist, so thank you! We must also give thanks to our advertisers! You are our bread and butter, so a big thank you to you also! You are superb. The cold reality is that every-thing happens for a reason, even the so-called “bad” stuff! But when it is all said and done, if you really believe, then you know “everything is gonna be all right.” And every night, when I turn off the lights to go to bed, I know one thing - it’s still good to be me!!!
Love you guys forever,
Joseph
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editor’snote by Joseph B. St. JohnEditor-in-Chief
One Year Later
contributors
Joseph B. St. John is the Editor-in-Chief and Publisher. You can reach him at [email protected]. He is a man who understands that everything that appears bad is not bad and every-thing that appears good is not good.
Melinda Duffie is a certified personal trainer, with additional expertise in nutrition counseling and life coaching as well as a bachelor’s degree in business. E-mail reaches her at [email protected]
Meagan M. O’Nan is a trained and ex-perienced life coach, award-winning au-thor of the book, “Creating Your Heaven on Earth,” blogger, poet and supporter of the underdog. She has a life coaching practice in Columbus. Meaganonan.org
Clare Mallory, L.Ac., M.Ac., holds a master’s degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. She is the owner of North Mississippi Acupuncture in Co-lumbus. Visit her website at www.claremallory.com
Paige Canida-Greene is a senior com-munication major (theatre minor) at Mississippi University for Women and lives in Columbus.
Whit Harrington is a Marine Corps veteran who has a bachelor’s degree in English (creative writing) from Texas State University. He enjoys reading and has been a working drummer for the past eight years.
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contents
21
Portrait of the Artist: Martin Howard
9
A Nursing Story - Hard Times, Happy Ending
13
Business Spotlight: Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern
18
Quilters And Casseroles And Musicians - Oh My!
regular features2 .................. Editor’s Note
4 ............................ Politics
7 ........... The Whole Body
8 ................... Ask Meagan
9 ................... Community
10 ........... Financial Focus
16 ................ Perspectives
18 .... Culturally Speaking
19 ... Portrait of the Artist
20 ......................... Recipes
24 .................... Crossword
27 .................... Classifieds
About the Coverreal story reader\ˈrē(-ə)l stȯr-ē rē-dər\
noun1. intelligent2. educated
3. community oriented
Top: Joseph B. St. John, one year later.Photography by Martin Howard
Bottom: Citizens Allege Police Abuse, Sexual Misconduct
Photography by Renee Reedy
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politics
EDITORIALEDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JOSEPH B. ST. [email protected]
SPORTS WRITERJEREMIAH SHORT
FEATURE COLUMNISTSRON PARLATO
[email protected] SPENCER
[email protected] M. O’NAN
[email protected] GAITHER SMITH
[email protected] MALLORY
[email protected] DUFFIE
WRITERSWHIT HARRINGTON
PAIGE CANIDA-GREENEABIGAIL HATHORN
RYAN MUNSONASHLEY GARRIGA
GUEST FEATURE WRITERDICK MAHONEY
ART & PRODUCTIONART/LAYOUT DIRECTOR
RENEE [email protected]
PHOTOGRAPHERSMARTIN HOWARD
RICK MANNINGRENEE REEDY
ADVERTISINGBRENDA MINOR
[email protected] PRESCOTT
DISTRIBUTION & CUSTOMER SERVICEKATE SPENCER
PUBLISHERJOSEPH B. ST. JOHN
CONTACT US:[email protected]@realstorypublishing.com
[email protected] [email protected]
THE REAL STORYP. O. Box 403
Columbus, MS 39703Editorial 662.497.2914
Advertising 662.251.1839Check for daily updates online:
http://realstorypublishing.comFacebook.com/rspublishing
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$34.95 for 12 MonthsDon’t Miss An Issue...
Subscribe Online!Or send your payment and
address information to:P.O. Box 403
Columbus, MS 39703
Two citizens, including an 18-year-old woman, have come forward to allege that they were the victims of abuse and sexual miscon-duct, respectively, at the hands of a Columbus police o� cer. Ronald “Preacher” Shepperd of Columbus stated that the abuse that he su� ered stemmed from a traf-� c stop for an alleged seatbelt viola-tion that occurred on May 31, 2012. “I just paid my water bill, and as I do out of habit, I put my wallet on the seat. I got to a stop sign and my wallet had slid o� on the � oor. I came to a complete stop and unbuckled my seat belt to get my wallet. I put it in my pocket and buckled back up. Well, a cop pulled me over and the win-dows on my van don’t roll down, so I opened the door and the policeman shouted, ‘Stay in the vehicle, stay in the vehicle!’ I got back in the vehicle, and he said ‘I need to see your license and insurance papers.’” � is is where the abuse alleg-edly began. “I couldn’t � nd my card, so I handed him my insurance policy, and he said, ‘I don’t want to see no f***ing insurance policy, I want your card.’ He informed me that I had warrants out for unpaid tra� c tickets. I told him that I went to the Justice Court Building and they had told me I didn’t have any tickets. I later found out that the tickets were supposed to be paid at the City of Columbus Police Department,” recounted Shep-perd. “At that point, he frisked me and put the handcu� s on me, shov-ing me in the back of the squad car. He had the cu� s on so tight that they bruised my wrists,” stated Shepperd. “I su� er from heart disease and high blood pressure.” “� ey had me in that hot car for so long, I passed out. I woke up to see the arresting o� cer � irting with the 18-year-old girl who was riding with me. I thought I was dying,” said Shepperd, with tears in his eyes. According to Shepperd, the paramedics arrived but didn’t do any-thing but take some blood. He was then taken to jail and was not allowed a phone call. � e young woman, who has requested anonymity due to her fear of reprisal, stated, “� e o� cer got me out of the car, and I stood there as Ron was in the back seat sweating.” She was approached by the o� cer, who asked, “How old are you?” “I’m 18,” she responded. She then asked, “What’s your name?” “You can call me big daddy,” said the cop. He asked for her cell phone number, and she gave it to him against her better judgment. � e woman was then allowed to leave. A� erward, she received a se-ries of text messages from the police o� cer. � e o� cer wrote, “Do you need a friend? I bet you got that good thing.” � e girl stated, “I don’t know
how he got my address, but he showed up in his truck at my house a� er I texted him back saying I didn’t want him to come to my house.” Al-legedly, the police o� cer went up to the house and asked, “I’m company. You’re not going to o� er me a seat?” As the two stood on the porch, the woman’s babysitter came outside and the o� cer shouted at her to go back inside. “He told me to come to his truck,” said the 18-year-old. “I was smoking a cigarette and he told me to put it out. I put it out, and then he pulled me toward him and put his hand down the back of my pants. I had to push him away three times. He went to the truck and pulled out a taser and threatened to use it on me, the babysit-ter and the 2-year-old. He was standing close enough to me to where I could feel the electric-ity from the taser,” alleged
the woman. � e victim’s mother came outside with the crying 2-year-old, ending the uncon� rmed episode. Columbus Police Chief Sel-vain McQueen stated, “We investigate all claims. She (the female victim) needs to sign a formal complaint, and whether the allegations are proven to be true or false, we’ll do our jobs and move on.”
Citizens Allege Police Abuse, Sexual MisconductBy Whit Harrington
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politics
EDITORIALEDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JOSEPH B. ST. [email protected]
SPORTS WRITERJEREMIAH SHORT
FEATURE COLUMNISTSRON PARLATO
[email protected] SPENCER
[email protected] M. O’NAN
[email protected] GAITHER SMITH
[email protected] MALLORY
[email protected] DUFFIE
WRITERSWHIT HARRINGTON
PAIGE CANIDA-GREENEABIGAIL HATHORN
RYAN MUNSONASHLEY GARRIGA
GUEST FEATURE WRITERDICK MAHONEY
ART & PRODUCTIONART/LAYOUT DIRECTOR
RENEE [email protected]
PHOTOGRAPHERSMARTIN HOWARD
RICK MANNINGRENEE REEDY
ADVERTISINGBRENDA MINOR
[email protected] PRESCOTT
DISTRIBUTION & CUSTOMER SERVICEKATE SPENCER
PUBLISHERJOSEPH B. ST. JOHN
CONTACT US:[email protected]@realstorypublishing.com
[email protected] [email protected]
THE REAL STORYP. O. Box 403
Columbus, MS 39703Editorial 662.497.2914
Advertising 662.251.1839Check for daily updates online:
http://realstorypublishing.comFacebook.com/rspublishing
__________Don’t miss an issue!
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!$19.95 for 6 Months
$34.95 for 12 MonthsDon’t Miss An Issue...
Subscribe Online!Or send your payment and
address information to:P.O. Box 403
Columbus, MS 39703
Two citizens, including an 18-year-old woman, have come forward to allege that they were the victims of abuse and sexual miscon-duct, respectively, at the hands of a Columbus police o� cer. Ronald “Preacher” Shepperd of Columbus stated that the abuse that he su� ered stemmed from a traf-� c stop for an alleged seatbelt viola-tion that occurred on May 31, 2012. “I just paid my water bill, and as I do out of habit, I put my wallet on the seat. I got to a stop sign and my wallet had slid o� on the � oor. I came to a complete stop and unbuckled my seat belt to get my wallet. I put it in my pocket and buckled back up. Well, a cop pulled me over and the win-dows on my van don’t roll down, so I opened the door and the policeman shouted, ‘Stay in the vehicle, stay in the vehicle!’ I got back in the vehicle, and he said ‘I need to see your license and insurance papers.’” � is is where the abuse alleg-edly began. “I couldn’t � nd my card, so I handed him my insurance policy, and he said, ‘I don’t want to see no f***ing insurance policy, I want your card.’ He informed me that I had warrants out for unpaid tra� c tickets. I told him that I went to the Justice Court Building and they had told me I didn’t have any tickets. I later found out that the tickets were supposed to be paid at the City of Columbus Police Department,” recounted Shep-perd. “At that point, he frisked me and put the handcu� s on me, shov-ing me in the back of the squad car. He had the cu� s on so tight that they bruised my wrists,” stated Shepperd. “I su� er from heart disease and high blood pressure.” “� ey had me in that hot car for so long, I passed out. I woke up to see the arresting o� cer � irting with the 18-year-old girl who was riding with me. I thought I was dying,” said Shepperd, with tears in his eyes. According to Shepperd, the paramedics arrived but didn’t do any-thing but take some blood. He was then taken to jail and was not allowed a phone call. � e young woman, who has requested anonymity due to her fear of reprisal, stated, “� e o� cer got me out of the car, and I stood there as Ron was in the back seat sweating.” She was approached by the o� cer, who asked, “How old are you?” “I’m 18,” she responded. She then asked, “What’s your name?” “You can call me big daddy,” said the cop. He asked for her cell phone number, and she gave it to him against her better judgment. � e woman was then allowed to leave. A� erward, she received a se-ries of text messages from the police o� cer. � e o� cer wrote, “Do you need a friend? I bet you got that good thing.” � e girl stated, “I don’t know
how he got my address, but he showed up in his truck at my house a� er I texted him back saying I didn’t want him to come to my house.” Al-legedly, the police o� cer went up to the house and asked, “I’m company. You’re not going to o� er me a seat?” As the two stood on the porch, the woman’s babysitter came outside and the o� cer shouted at her to go back inside. “He told me to come to his truck,” said the 18-year-old. “I was smoking a cigarette and he told me to put it out. I put it out, and then he pulled me toward him and put his hand down the back of my pants. I had to push him away three times. He went to the truck and pulled out a taser and threatened to use it on me, the babysit-ter and the 2-year-old. He was standing close enough to me to where I could feel the electric-ity from the taser,” alleged
the woman. � e victim’s mother came outside with the crying 2-year-old, ending the uncon� rmed episode. Columbus Police Chief Sel-vain McQueen stated, “We investigate all claims. She (the female victim) needs to sign a formal complaint, and whether the allegations are proven to be true or false, we’ll do our jobs and move on.”
Citizens Allege Police Abuse, Sexual MisconductBy Whit Harrington
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politics
“We have a celebrity among us. On the most recent issue of vari-ous Mississippi attorney and lawyer magazines, we have the attorney of the year - or maybe even the cen-tury…Our very own city attorney (Orlando Richmond) has been very widely and appropriately recognized in his profession. Congratulations,” said Mayor Scott Ross, opening the West Point Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday, July 10, 2012. � e city considered two proposals for � nancing the Siemens Project, which will involve replacing all of the city’s water meters. “We’ll treat this as any legal review,” stated Ross. Cruz and Associates’ proposal was $5,873,336 at 4.04% interest, and Bancorp South’s proposal was the same dollar amount but 3.07% interest. � e recommendation was to go with Bancorp South’s proposal. Selectman Keith McBrayer’s motion to accept Bancorp South’s proposal passed. “Hopefully, the construction will begin in the next 45 days,” com-mented Ross. West Point citizen Johnny Gilliland appeared before the select-men to complain about damages to a house that he owns on Eshman Avenue. “Back in October, I got a phone call from the guy that mows the yard. He said ‘you better get over here, you have water issues in the back yard.’ Well, I go over there and realize that it was full of water and
sewage. � e bathrooms, hallway, living room and both bedrooms were full of water and sewage. Since no-one has been living in the house, it could only have come from the city sewage system,” said Gilliland. “I called Dwight Prisock [Superin-tendent of Light and Water], and we went to the manhole in the yard. We looked down in the hole and I asked him whose responsibility it was, and he said, ‘� e City of West Point.’ Af-ter about 5-10 days, the City showed up to clean the house. We called the city’s insurance company, and, about two weeks later, they called us back, saying they would not take the claim. Well, I got a ahold of my insurance company, and they said that they would not take the claim either because it was a city issue. I truly believe this is a city issue, and I’m just glad my mother was not here to see this,” commented Gillil-and. “Our adjuster and your adjuster talked and said you didn’t have that particular endorsement,” said Ross. “I think the city didn’t do anything wrong. We didn’t work over there, and no-one was in the house,” added Ross. � e selectmen determined that no-one from the city did anything wrong; it remains a mystery as to why the � ooding happened.
West Point Adopts Water Meter Funding Proposal,
Denies Fault on Sewage Issue by Whit Harrington
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Fresh local and
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In light of the recent part-nership formed between the Colum-bus Lowndes Development LINK and the West Point Community Growth Alliance, representatives from all corners of the Golden Tri-angle are now exploring the possibil-ity of a regional economic develop-ment organization. � e Golden Triangle has long been recognized for its ad-vanced economic development accomplishments in North Missis-sippi. � e three communities have partnered on various development opportunities that have been mu-tually bene� cial to all parties for decades. To formalize the develop-ment leadership of Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties into one organization, the communities have appointed a steering committee to explore whether a regional organiza-tion would be bene� cial. � e com-mittee will submit a proposal to this partnership by September 14, 2012. “In the past nine years, we’ve worked regional projects, always looking to develop our area coopera-tively,” said Jim McAlexander, chair-man of the board of the Columbus Lowndes Development LINK. “� e partnership being proposed will allow for development e� orts to be taken to the next level for the Golden Triangle and shows a com-mitted e� ort of teamwork among all three counties.”
“We in West Point recognize that a regional development e� ort produces positive results for all three counties,” said Jackie Edwards, presi-dent of the West Point Community Growth Alliance. “With our new Megasite and abundant infrastruc-ture, West Point has much to con-tribute to the regional e� ort. When one county does well, we all achieve success.” “Each community brings something unique to the partner-ship,” said Steve Langston, chair-man of the board of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership. “Starkville being home to Missis-sippi State University brings an abundance of resources required to compete for the next generation of advanced business opportunities.” Members of the steering committee are: Clay County - Rob-bie Robinson and Jackie Edwards; Lowndes County - Gordon Flowers and Jim McAlexander; Oktibbeha County - Marvel Howard, Jack Wal-lace and Parker Wiseman. � e steering committee will be charged with exploring the fol-lowing for the regional partnership: Formation; Purpose; Governance; Administration; Funding; Duties; and Implementation.
Steering Committee Named To ExploreRegional Economic Development
Organization Special to The Real Story
6
politicsCowart Takes Heat from OCH Supporters
by Ashley Garriga On Monday, July 9, 2012, Oktibbeha County residents heard Richard Cowart make a presentation on the future healthcare decisions the county faces. Residents crammed into the county courthouse, and many people had to listen to Cowart
from the hallway. Cowart, chair-man of the healthcare department at the Baker Donelson Law Firm’s Nashville office, outlined health care investments with which he has been directly involved. In a shaky voice, he stumbled over his words as he com-pared Oktibbeha County to Lafayette County, Forest County and Lowndes County. Throughout his presenta-tion, he stated that he was an invited guest and that he was not advocating for anyone or any potential transac-tion. He stated he simply offered facts which he has gathered from his experience in dealing with hospital transactions. But while some appreci-ated his input, others questioned his monetary ties to Baptist Memorial, which one audience member claimed to be “rumored” and fueled by “media and letters to the editor.”
First, he reviewed Lafayette County’s decision to lease the hospital in Oxford, MS. In 1989, the county supervisors did not want to raise taxes in order to support the hospital. Baptist Memorial Health Care Cor-poration began leasing the Lafayette
County Hospital. Howev-er, before leasing to Bap-tist Memorial, the county reviewed many proposals from other corporations, including Methodist. Since Baptist Memorial has been leasing the La-fayette County Hospital, Cowart said, the corpora-tion has nearly “quadru-pled their medical staff ” as well as increased their
healthcare services and development. This placed Lafayette County on the Dartmouth HealthCare Atlas, making Oxford a leading location for health services in Mississippi. Two weeks ago, Baptist Memorial finalized nego-tiations to buy the hospital lease, after pledging to spend $300 million dol-lars to build a new hospital campus to support expansion and economic growth in Oxford. “If you think what we are talking about today is contro-versial,” he said, “moving a hospital in a town this size [Oxford]…everybody has a stake.” Next, Cowart spoke of the success of Hattiesburg’s Forrest General Hospital as a county owned hospital. The hospital did not seek an outside partner but instead became the partner and invested “hundreds of millions of dollars into the health
system,” he said. It has expanded to become the largest community hospital in the state, employing 3,100 people. Cowart noted, “This took a lot of money,” and a lot of general obligation bonds have been issued to support the hospital. Although For-rest General has piled up $200 million in debt, he said, “It funds itself.” Before finishing his speech, Cowart complimented MSU’s engi-neering school and said, “The next level in health sciences is full of engineering.” One reason that Bir-mingham does not have a medical device community “is because they do not have engineering.” Communities with great engineering schools have the potential to build a great health-care system, creating an economic boom. His presentation was followed by comments from the floor. Some criticized OCH, while its supporters pointed fingers and directed harsh words at Cowart and Trainer. The discussion became even more heated when former developer Spencer Bai-ley accused Cowart of being paid by Baptist Memorial. He also said that, during the Lowndes county negotia-
tion, “Baptist offered $40 million and a group from Florida offered $74 mil-lion. It went behind closed doors, and when they came out, Baptist would lease the hospital with an option to buy.” This offended Cowart and sev-eral Oktibbeha County residents. One Oktibbeha man asked, “If the hospital sells, what would the taxpay-ers save per year?” This was met with a quick “six mills,” which, according to County Supervisor Daniel Jackson, equates to $1.8 million. After the session ended, several people approached Cowart and apologized for the public’s heated comments, thanking him for his pre-sentation.
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Whether to apply heat or cold to an area of pain is a ques-tion that has been debated in medi-cal circles for a long time. Ask any physical therapist, nurse, chiropractor or doctor which is better, and the answers you receive will differ - even within the same profession. Ask an acupuncturist or Oriental Medicine practitioner, and the answer will more than likely be the same across the board: Heat is better 99.9% of the time. When you heat something, the molecules speed up; when you cool it, they slow down. Think of the three states of water: As you heat ice, it becomes liquid and then steam; conversely, when you cool it, the molecules slow down, and it becomes liquid and then ice again - i.e., it becomes more solid in the process of cooling. So it is with the body: Heat increases movement, cold decreases it. Pain, in Oriental Medicine, is a result of stagnation of energy - i.e., no movement - and ultimately, the more stagnant the energy (i.e., the less movement), the more “solid” it becomes - resulting in a long-term condition and/or injury. The 0.1% of the time that
Oriental Medicine practitioners would endorse applying ice would be in the instance of an acute in-jury, when your primary goals are to reduce pain and swelling in the moment. When you apply ice to an area of pain, it reduces both swelling and pain because it slows down the movement of energy in and to the area, thereby decreasing the nerve impulse/sensation and the swelling itself. The other 99.9% of the time, however, heat is better because it speeds up movement and facilitates the delivery of needed nutrients and energy to that area of the body. In the long run, then, while applying heat may or may not help with pain in the moment (and it often does), it will most certainly speed up the overall healing process because it is encour-aging movement. So next time you find your-self reaching for the bag of ice to help with the ice-pick headache (no pun intended - but think about where that term may have come from), stop and make sure that’s what you really want to do! Remember - taking charge of your health now will save you a ton of time, money and misery in the long run!
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Heat or Cold? by Clare Mallory
thewholebody
There is a bug flying around my head, annoying the hell out of me. As I swat at it and call it terrible things, I realize my meditation time needs to increase. Or, maybe, the meditation is pushing me to grow - forcing me to see my own annoying habits and cross over from living in fear to living free again. It’s true. The process doesn’t stop. There will always be annoying bugs reminding us to crawl back into ourselves and listen to the power of our own swat and who we are aiming at. I know that when I aim outward (if I am lucky enough to catch myself) then there is something to remember inward. I simply like to avoid these moments when I eventually end up here, writing it out, getting it out - figuring it out. I have had a lot of experi-ences in my life, and I realize there are a lot of things I don’t know and may never know about life. One thing is sure: Life is always speaking to me, trying to guide me in the direction that I requested the day before. As I find myself in a new, supportive, lov-ing community, I am catching myself wanting to run away and start over again. It’s an urge, not a reality, to es-cape possible rejection down the road or avoid letting people get to know the real me. I have my hang-ups; we all do. Now that the honeymoon is over with the new move and new start for my life, I find my fears creep-ing in. What if I am not successful? What if someone asks me something and I don’t know the answer? What if I “fail” again? I mean, a good life coach would know everything there is to know about life, right? That is just the thing: Just like a good hair day sneaks up on me here and there, so do my fears. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if I am doing all of the right things to take care of myself – they just pop up. I am finding that giving my fears a good ole bear hug is much easier than acting like they don’t exist. Giving a hug is easy; receiving it - well, that is another story. Silly things happen to me that nudge my percep-tion from feeling attacked to sud-denly feeling ridiculous that I ever felt attacked. Then I can ease away from the fake world I created in my head and can at least acknowledge that I am scared of something. What that is, well, that is all a part of the ironic side of life.
When I acknowledge my fears, my humility returns, and I remember that no decent practitio-ner would ever claim to know ev-erything – in fact, most of the time, I realize I know nothing at all. That might be silly to admit, but life can and will surprise you in odd ways that no amount of effort to control is enough, and I certainly don’t want to act like I know how God will show up when I am brought peace, humility, understanding, joy and all the things I request on a daily basis. Sometimes they come wrapped with a pretty bow, and other times the knock on the door is loud, annoying and painful, like when fears appear and the past is suddenly a part of your senses, asking you to indulge, take a bite and stay for a while. I remember that when I want to run away and scream my hurts on to the world, how I respond to life is what molds the days to come. So I write…or lash out at annoying bugs – either way, I am committed to moving through my fears so that I can experience just how green the grass is on the other side. Otherwise, I will never really know how much deeper love can be or how vibrant the moment will appear. Everything is always brighter after I let go. I tell myself to let go until I do. “Let go, Meagan, let go of it all.” But what if all of these people who love and accept me decide not to, later? Ah yes, the truth - I might be rejected or told that I am not good enough anymore. But the truth is also that I might be, and so I must let it go, let it go, until that feeling is gone. It’s a reasonable fear, with years of rejec-tion for being gay behind me, but it’s unreasonable now. It would be nice to hold on tight to something that has been a part of me. It has served me well for a while. It has allowed me to protect myself, build a few walls and gather some experiences that have taught me who I am and who I can be. But I think it is time for me to throw myself a rope and begin to climb to a place where my confi-dence is waiting for me. I asked for confidence yesterday, after all, and if I don’t jump into my fears with two feet, I will never know where I can stand.
Jumping in.
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Don’t Kill the Bug by Meagan O’Nan
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441 Wilkins-Wise Rd., Columbus
We have fresh fish (KAJIKI SASHIMI), Ahi Tuna and more) from Honolulu
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thewholebody
Question: Dear Meagan, I don’t know what my problem is, but making decisions on anything at all is very tough for me. Can you give me some basic tips on how to know when I am making the right decision for me? Sincerely, Anything Helps
Answer:Dear Anything Helps, Don’t fret! I have four tips that I share with my clients that will help you in your decision-making process. You are not the only person in the world who has a hard time making decisions, so take some com-fort in knowing that. Here are some tips to consider:
Take “should” out of your vocabu-lary. A lot of times, we make choices based on what we think we “should” be doing. This is where we can get in trouble, making a decision on what we think we should do instead of actually doing what we want to do. Determine what your “shoulds” are for you, and give them a swift kick to the curb.Dance to your own music. You can jam out to your own music and even dance if you want to – having a little fun on a day-to-day basis is good for the soul! What I actually mean is, listen to your body. Your body knows when you are making a bad decision for you and when you are making a good decision for you. When you know something isn’t quite right, where do you feel the cue in your
body to say no? When you know something is what you want and a good decision for you, you never hesitate. You just know.Be kind and rewind. Look back over your life and look at how you have gotten yourself into the same pat-terns, relationships and situations, with the same results. It might be time to loosen your grip on your hab-its and start claiming what you want by letting go a little more. Often, we hesitate in making decisions because we are afraid we will get ourselves right back where we left off. Trust yourself and your guts feelings, even if it is tough, and you will realize that you can change your life completely.Take care of you. Incorporate your passions into your life on a daily basis. Your passion will always be that
thing you were doing when it seemed that time slipped away because you weren’t watching the clock. The more you are able to do things that put a smile on your face and get you into the groove of life, the easier it will be to make decisions that you know are right for you. Remember, you have complete control over your own decisions. Big or small, easy or tough, you are in charge. Decide what is important to you in your life (where you want to spend your time, and who you want to spend your time with), and you will see that is half the battle. Figuring out what you want to happen in any situation will be easier if you follow the steps above.
Making Decisions is Tough Meagan O’Nan
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By Abby MalmstromGet Moving, Columbus!
The single biggest factor in determining health is physical inactivity. Agree or disagree, it’s the truth. Lack of movement is the exact definition of death. Stop moving, stop living. You may not be able to change your gender, your age, your genetics or your health history, but you can change your activity level. At a minimum, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 150 minutes per week of physical activ-ity for most people. This includes children, pregnant women and the general population. Simply put, that’s 30 minutes of exercise five times per week. In all my years as a personal trainer, exercise physiologist and fit-ness coach, I’ve never met a healthy inactive person. The good news is that people who are usually inactive can improve their health and well-be-ing almost immediately by becoming even moderately active on a regular basis. That means you don’t have to sign up for a marathon or join a fit-ness gym in order to get healthy. You just have to start moving. The benefits of movement are too plentiful to list them all, but here are just a few recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention: Physical activity reduces the risk of dying prematurely; reduces the risk of dying from heart disease; re-
duces the risk of developing diabetes; reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure; helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure; reduces the risk of developing colon cancer; reduces feelings of depression and anxiety; helps control weight; helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints; helps older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling; and promotes psychological well-being. Some of the activities that you can participate in to help en-sure that you realize 150 minutes of physical activity each week include: walking the dog; jogging; swimming; dancing; biking; lifting weights; tak-ing a fitness class; walking to the store instead of driving; climbing stairs; yoga; doing a workout video; or playing with your kids. Most of these are free, and with a little planning, help and motivation from family and friends, you can almost always make the time for physical activity. My challenge to you, Colum-bus, is to engage in activities that are fun, and add up the minutes. Start a family chart, and see if each person can accomplish 150 minutes per week of planned physical activity. It’s time to get moving, Columbus!
Teirra Wynn always knew she wanted to be a nurse, so graduat-ing from her first nursing program should be the most significant thing to happen to her since graduating from West Point High School. It’s not. In fact it’s third on the list - a distant third. Wynn graduated from East Mississippi Community Col-lege’s Practical Nursing program on Thursday, along with 23 classmates. The 22-year-old plans to move on to Mississippi University for Women to pursue a career as a regis-tered nurse. She may go as far as becoming a nurse practitioner. She’ll enroll at “The W” with an almost unassailable confidence: EMCC’s Practical Nursing program is difficult enough for the aver-age person, but Wynn completed it under trying circumstances. “I’ve been through so much. But I’m strong. I can take the punches,” said Wynn. The first shot that Wynn took was in March 2011, when her mother, Debra Wynn, passed away unexpect-edly. “She always used to tell me that I was smart and to go ahead and be a nurse and I could do it,” Wynn recalled. Three months later, in June 2011, Wynn was one step closer to following her mother’s advice. She had been accepted to the Practical Nursing program at EMCC. Then, one week after earning a spot in the program, she learned that she was pregnant. “I was scared, and I didn’t have my mom to support me. But I
went ahead and took my chances. I was supposed to have my baby over spring break, so I figured everything would fall into place,” said Wynn. Instead, everything fell apart. On Dec. 6, Wynn was waiting to learn her final grade in one of the hardest classes of the first semester when she felt an excruciating pain in her back. She was rushed to the emergency room. “They tried to stop the labor, but I ended up having my baby at
31 weeks. TJ was 3 pounds. I got to kiss him but then they took him, and the next time I saw him he was on a ventilator,” said Wynn. Soon after, TJ developed pneumonia and had to be airlifted to University Medical Center in Jackson. Wynn would visit her baby every weekend but couldn’t hold him because TJ was on a ventilator with an intravenous tube in his scalp. Again, Wynn had to make a choice. Again, she chose to press on and began the spring semester in January, driving to Jackson every weekend to see TJ even when she had a test on Monday.
“I got very discouraged, and - I’ll never forget - I cried to my instruc-tor, Karen Gray, and told her I didn’t think I could do it. I said I’m just going to quit. But she said, ‘You can do it. You’re very smart. Just stay focused,’” said Wynn. Wynn not only took Gray’s advice and remained in the program but handled the challenge with vigor, eventually graduating with special recognition for excellence in clinical practice.
“Our students have a limited number of hours they can miss each semester. I know Teirra sacrificed a lot in order to complete this program,” said Gray. “She was able to use her circumstances to help push through the dis-couragement.” Things turned for the better in February. TJ be-gan breathing on his own, and gaining weight, and came home to West Point. Wynn’s grandmother and aunt kept him while she was in class or at work - and her grades actually improved. “I got my mind right after I had my baby. That
was my motivation. When I was pregnant, I would sleep. I didn’t study. After I had TJ, I studied,” said Wynn. Even two nasty car crashes couldn’t stop Wynn. She totaled her car one weekend and still managed to make an 85 on a tough test the following Monday. But she doesn’t recommend anyone take the PN pro-gram lightly. “The Practical Nursing program is very hard. It takes a lot of dedication. It has to be something you really want to do. You can’t just go to nursing school and not want to be a nurse,” she said. Wynn has always wanted to be a nurse, but now she has more
concrete reasons to proceed. It’s how she’ll support her son, and it’s what her mom always wanted for her. And she doesn’t have to look far to see both of her motivations. “I can see my mom through TJ. He has her eyes. When I see him smile, I can see my mama smiling through him,” she said. “Hopefully, my life will have balance now. My mom’s death was unexpected, and TJ was unexpected. I lost someone, but I gained someone of equal value.” Having witnessed how Wynn responds to stress, Gray believes Te-irra will find her balance: “If a student can fight those odds and win, I’m sure she’ll make the most of what nursing has to offer,” she said. Here’s a look at the 24 students who graduated from East Mississippi Community College’s Practical Nursing program during Thursday’s ceremony at the Golden Triangle Campus:
Murissa Allen of ColumbusTiara Avant of HoustonKenya Cistrunk of West PointBrandy Crowley of MabenEbonie Cox of Aberdeen Amber Doughty of ColumbusEstaban Facundo of Starkville Sylvatrice Hart of CrawfordJessica Holley of West PointMary Catherine Hunt of Louisville Santana Ivy of West PointDana Jaynes of ColumbusTrinity Johnson of ColumbusKatie Lee of SturgisJason Mangum of ByrumLauren McClelland of SturgisEureeka Overstreet of West PointRenae Perkerson of ColumbusJennifer Reams of ColumbusStephanie Stuart of MaconKimberly Tillman of Greenville Jessica Vandergriff of Columbus Air Force BaseTeirra Wynn of West PointJessica Young of Starkville
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Special to The Real Story
A Nursing Story: Hard Times, Happy Ending
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Teirra Wynn of West Point receives her nursing pin from instructor Karen Gray during the graduation ceremony for the Practical Nursing program last Thursday at East Mississippi Community College’s Golden Triangle campus. Wynn completed the program despite losing her mother and giving birth to a son in 2011.
Teirra Wynn of West Point holds her son, TJ, following the gradu-ation ceremony for the Practical Nursing program last Thursday at East Mississippi Community College’s Golden Triangle campus. Wynn completed the program despite losing her mother and giving birth to her son in 2011.
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The investment world can be complex, so you may not want to navigate it alone. But when it comes to getting professional advice, you certainly have an abundance of choices. How can you know which approach is right for you? The answer depends, to a large extent, on how you choose to work with a qualified financial advi-sor, someone with the training and experience to help you work toward your financial goals. When you work with a financial advisor, he or she will analyze your financial situation: your income, current assets, family status, and short- and long-term investment goals such as helping pay for your children’s (or grandchildren’s) college education and attaining a comfort-able retirement. You can choose different ways of working with a financial advi-sor, and a deciding factor may be how “hands on” you want to be with your
investment strategy. To illustrate this concept, let’s look at two common ways investors interact with financial advisors:
-Taking recommendations and making choices: After evaluat-ing your financial situation, goals, risk tolerance and time horizon, your financial advisor can recommend appropriate investments. Over time, your financial advisor will communi-cate with you regularly to keep track of changes in your life and to suggest any changes you may need to make in your portfolio. Of course, you have the final say in accepting or reject-ing these recommendations, which is why this method is considered a hands-on way to invest. -Investing through a man-aged account : In this situation, your financial advisor will help you create, implement and refine your long-term financial strategy, but the money
managers will make the daily invest-ment decisions, relying on a variety of criteria pertaining to your situation. For example, if your portfolio has be-come over-weighted in a specific asset class such as stocks or bonds and is no longer aligned with your goals, it may automatically be brought back into balance. So which method of invest-ing is better for you? There’s really no one right answer for everyone. If you’re the sort of person who likes to make all your own decisions, then you might be better off following the hands-on approach with your finan-cial advisor. On the other hand, if you are particularly busy and just don’t feel you have the time to be actively involved with day-to-day investment decisions, you might want to consider a managed account. In any case, you’ll want to be comfortable with the method of
investing that you’ve chosen. So do your homework beforehand. Wheth-er you’re interested in a hands-on relationship or a hands-off approach, you still need to interview several financial advisors to find one who has worked with people in your situation and who seems genuinely interested in helping you. During these inter-views, make sure you understand everything related to working with a financial advisor - the fees involved, the way decisions will be communi-cated to you if you choose a managed account, and so on. Deciding how you want to invest is your first step in working toward your financial goals - so make the choice that’s right for you.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
Are You A “Hands-On” Investor?
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Twenty-four students graduated from East Mississippi Community College’s Practical Nursing program, Thursday, at the Golden Triangle Campus. Pictured are, first row from left: Kimberly Tillman (Greenville); Brandy Crowley (Ma-ben); Dana Jaynes (Columbus); Jessica Vandergriff (Columbus Air Force Base); Santana Ivy (West Point); Trinity Johnson (Columbus); and Mary Catherine Hunt (Louisville). On the second row are: Jason Mangum (Byrum); Tiara Avant (Houston); Jessica Young (Starkville); Kenya Cistrunk (West Point); Amber Doughty (Columbus); Eureeka Overstreet (West Point); and Teirra Wynn (West Point). On the third row are: Jennifer Reams (Columbus); Sylvatrice Hart (Crawford); Murissa Allen (Columbus); Stephanie Stuart (Macon); Katie Lee (Sturgis); Renae Perkerson (Columbus); Jessica Holley (West Point); Lauren McClelland (Sturgis); and Ebonie Cox (Aberdeen). Not pictured is Estaban Facundo (Starkville).
Two of the teams go at it, at the July 14 “Hoops for Troops” event that was held at the Caledonia High School gym.
Terry Brownlee, Columbus Food Giant manager, presents Perneatha Evans, office coordinator of the American Red Cross Northeast MS Chapter, a check from the Round Up Program. The program consisted of shoppers rounding up their grocery bill in the month of March from the Aberdeen, Amory and Columbus Food Giant stores.
(Left): Monty Yates of West Point prepares to entertain the audience at “This Land is Your Land: A 100th Birthday Celebration and Tribute to Woody Guthrie” that was held at the Rosenzweig Arts Center’s Om-nova Theatre, on Saturday, July 14. Other musical performers were: Mike Cooper, Roger Truesdale, The Saint & The Priest (Joe St. John and Larry Priest, respectively), and Paul Brady. Reading performers included: Warren Nybo and Linda Bobbitt. (Bottom): Priest demonstrates his multi-tasking skills, as he plays the harmonica and the guitar - simultaneously
Baptist Memorial Health Care recently signed a contract with Epic, a software vendor based out of Verona, Wis., paving the way for the 14-hospital system’s transition to a new electronic health record format. The project will involve all 14 Baptist affiliated hospitals, along with its clin-ics and financial systems. All 14,000 Baptist employees and 4,000 affili-ated physicians will be affected by the project. Baptist chose Epic after conducting a great deal of research and involving colleagues in numer-ous demonstrations which more than 2,500 attended. Baptist took col-leagues’ feedback into deep consid-eration before making a decision, according to Baptist leadership. “Baptist is thrilled to an-
nounce our plans with Epic,” said Stephen C. Reynolds, president and chief executive officer for Baptist. “As we look toward a new century of care, we must look for the best and most up-to-date vehicles for providing patient and family-centered care.Dr. Jack Brown, chief medical infor-mation officer for Baptist said, “Epic is the dominant leader in the market-place right now, and a perfect fit for Baptist. Epic will allow us to transi-tion from a premier hospital system to becoming a truly patient-centric healthcare delivery system.” Brown explained that Epic will allow the hospital system to cre-ate one record for each patient that will be accessible to all the patient’s caregivers and to the patients them-selves. Baptist leadership also cited
that Epic will help increase efficiency by sending automatic reminders to patients and alerts for physicians and clinical staff. “Our choice of the Epic Electronic Medical Record is another tool that the Baptist System is add-ing to provide our patients with the highest quality of healthcare,” said Dr. John Reed, medical director at Baptist Golden Triangle in Columbus.“Epic offers cutting-edge technology to patient safety and vital communi-cation between the whole healthcare team,” he added. With approximately 270 customers, Epic serves more than 42 percent of the U.S. population and two percent of the world’s population. Epic makes software for mid-size and large medical groups, hospitals
and integrated health care organiza-tions, including community hospitals, academic facilities and multi-hospital systems. KLAS’ 2011 Top 20 Best in KLAS Report rated Epic as the No. 1 Overall Software Suite based on 25 separate performance measures. KLAS is an independent company that measures vendor performance to help hospitals make informed deci-sions. The same KLAS survey rated Epic as the best in ambulatory care and acute care electronic medical records, surgery management, emer-gency medicine, radiology, pharmacy, patient accounting and management, and practice management. For more information, please call 662-244-1000 or visit www.gold-entriangle.baptistonline.org.
Roy Milton Hicks is try-ing to clean up Columbus. He lives in an area referred to as “Memphis Town” which is located in the vicinity of 14th and 22nd Streets. Hicks has lived in this area since he was 8 years old. After serving 39 years in the Air Force, Hicks said, “I’m back home trying to make a difference. I love my hometown.” He’s been in front of the city council, to no avail, and has been trying to have the city fix the dilapidated home across the street from his house. The home caught on fire in February of this year, and Hicks had the Fire Department come out to cordon off the house in some way. The Fire Department didn’t do
anything, so he then called the Police Department, who put yellow “cau-tion” tape around the house. A couple of days later, some local kids had torn it down. “There’s no owner to be found,” Hicks said. Mr. J.T. Talley, a veteran of the war in Iraq, was living in the home at the time of the fire,
and he had no place to go. As an avid veterans activist, Hicks is currently organizing a fundraiser for Talley, who lost approximately $50,000 in
personal belongings due to the fire. “I view this house as a historical site. My godparents lived in that house when I was growing up. Every time I go to the city council, I get nothing but ex-cuses,” commented Hicks. “The hood has gone to the dogs. There’s trash everywhere, and there are kids up to no good on every corner. If it was in a different neighborhood, something would have been done.” The streets of “Memphis Town” are littered and lined with sub-par housing. Rows of houses have window screens falling off, doors missing and boarded-up windows. “I actually leave my house just to get out of the area sometimes,” said Hicks. Moving out of the area is not an option for the community activist. Hicks wants to make the area he grew up in comfortable for all people in the area. “My solution to the problem is to gain more activist involvement from the citizens, get-ting council members to meet with the people of ‘Memphis Town’ and getting the people involved. Everyone should feel comfortable in their own
neighborhood,” commented Hicks. “When I try to get people together, it seems like nobody cares.” Hicks is a block captain for his neighborhood watch as well as an activist for senior citizens, veterans, the elderly and the youth. Roy Milton Hicks can be reached at (662) 889-7372 or by [email protected]
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communityConcerned Citizen Working Hard for Columbus
by Whit Harrington
Baptist Signs Contract With EpicTo Provide Electronic Health Record
Special to The Real Story
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Alan E. Hicks, a graduate of New Hope High School, aims to bring a different kind of culture to the city of Columbus: opera. You read correctly - opera. But before you move on to the next article, consider what Hicks has to say. Hicks’s experience in the performing arts includes work as a professional operatic performer, cho-reographer, producer, writer, assistant director and stage director. His efforts to stage a “Southern Opera Festival” in Columbus are set to begin in ear-nest in late May or early June 2013. Hicks said that up until the 1800s, the majority of opera had been written by people from other coun-tries and in other languages and was based on things that were not relative to Americans. Now, opera is written on popular culture, American culture, and southern culture. “Most people probably aren’t aware that there have been operas based on biblical stories, American novels and movies. The operas be-ing written today are closer to older musical theater. They draw from American experience and musical styles. Currently, there is an opera en-titled ‘Dead Man Walking’ based on the 1995 film of the same name. It is travelling the country and the world,” Hicks said. American novels that have
progressed to operas are: “Of Mice and Men,” written by John Steinbeck, and “Summer and Smoke” and “A Streetcar Named Desire,” written by Columbus native Tennessee Williams. Hicks was first bitten by the theat-rical bug in his early years at New Hope High School. After graduating in 1987, he received the opportunity to travel with a musical organiza-tion known as The Travelers Bugle Corps for four years. He relocated to Chicago and travelled all over the country to perform for audiences of 20, 000-40,000 people. This gave Hicks his inspira-tion to make performing arts his career choice. He first chose a mu-sic education with an instrumental emphasis and attended the University of Southern Mississippi. He later transferred to Mississippi State and changed his emphasis to a vocal em-phasis. Afterwards, he earned his master’s degree at Rice University in Houston and went on to receive his doctorate at the University of Texas. Hicks won the 2007-2008 In-ternational Award from the National Opera Association for “Susannah,” a production he hopes to bring to Columbus. It is a modern re-telling of the biblical story “Susannah and the Elders” found in the Apocrypha. Hicks said, “This would be
an introduction of opera based on a story that is set in a rural area with dynamics that the community would recognize and relate to.” Over the last several years, Hicks has visited Columbus to spend time with his family. On one of his visits, he remembered that the Prin-cess Theater hosted theatrical produc-tions when he was in high school. He started wondering if it would be possible to do an opera festival based
on American composers of Southern literature and Southern culture. Hicks said, “I work at a lot of professional summer opera com-
panies that are located in very rural communities. Some have existed and been successful for 100 years. If a rural community in Indianola, Iowa, Chautauqua, N.Y., or Central City, Colo., can have a successful opera festival, why can’t a town like Colum-bus, which has a cultural identity of its own?” He went on to say that it also brings in people from outside the community to form a relation-ship with the South, that a lot of his friends from New York and the upper Midwest have no idea of our culture, the beauty of our place or the rich-ness of our literary community. “These are my roots, and I would like to bring what I learned into the community and try to introduce to people something they haven’t had the opportunity to see. There are lots of cogs to get moving. It may happen next summer, or it could be five years, but I won’t know unless I try. You don’t know the inter-est level until you put something out there for people,” Hicks said. Hicks has 25 years of profes-sional experience in theater and mu-sic. He presently resides in Chicago and is currently in Austria directing the “Le nozze di Figaro” (“The Mar-riage of Figaro”). Visit his website at www.alanehicks.com.
New Hope Native Aspires to BringSouthern Opera Festival To Columbus
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Oktibbeha Citizens Hear From OCH CEO By Ashley Garriga
Last Thursday night, July 12, 2012, the Greensboro Center was flooded with Oktibbeha County citizens who were eager to listen to Richard Hilton give an overview of Oktibbeha County Hospital. Hil-ton, the CEO of OCH, spoke of the hospital’s good financial standing and stated that they “continue to operate in the black.” They “are laying the ground work down” on a five-year plan, which includes recruiting spe-cialists and expanding services. While some of Hilton’s numbers looked promising, the future of health care is uncertain, and no one knows how ObamaCare is going to affect the Mis-sissippi healthcare system. Oktibbeha County residents make up 62% of the hospital’s pa-tients. OCH has a 49% out-migration rate. For a regional hospital, these numbers are alarming. To continue to operate as a regional hospital and remain in the black, people from other communities need to seek care at OCH. But for now, the hospital is able to pay its operational expenses. The county is only responsible for paying back the bond and the ambu-lance service. The ambulance service costs the county $200,000 a year, and
the bond costs $1.8 million a year. Another alarming figure: OCH has a 31% occupancy rate. Some citizens worry this number is too low. Hilton explained that health care is moving to outpatient services, and soon only the extremely sick will be the occupants of hospitals. Right now, Hilton says, the county has secured those beds, so they’re for every Oktibbeha county resident who might need a hospital bed, but if the county sells, obviously, the county loses those beds. Some of the citizens are wor-ried that selling the hospital would mean giving up quality medical care just to save a few dollars. OCH advocate Frank Davis said, “OCH is a ruby,” and worried, “if the county de-cides to sell its ruby, and then realizes a mistake was made, the county can’t go back and correct this.” As of now, OCH staffs six personnel per bed. In comparison, a private non-profit facility staffs 4.2 personnel per bed, and a for-profit facility staffs 3.1 personnel per bed, which isn’t surprising. After seeing the people’s reac-tion to the potential sale, one might ask why this hospital is so important
to the people. The hospital employs 990 positions in total. Community jobs make up 390 of that position, and there are 600 OCH jobs. This makes OCH the second-largest em-ployer in the community. A private corporation could cut these jobs, and this could have a major effect on the entire county and its economy. As of last year, the hospital is able to offer over $2.5 million dollars in charity care, and its excess revenue exceeds its expenses by approximately $1.2 million. Since 1982, OCH has in-vested $95.9 million in improvements to the facility. Last year, $5 million was reinvested back into the hospital
for continued expansion. In short, the people of Oktibbeha County don’t want to lose this investment or their “ruby.” However, some citizens say the financial stress of the property tax is too much for them, and they have asked OCH supporters to consider selling. Just as the people decided on the bond, they will also have the right to vote on this matter before the supervisors sell their hospital.
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Columbus Municipal Schools ImplementsSignificant Budget Cuts for 2012-2013
By Whit Harrington Chief Financial Officer Ken-neth Hughes of the Columbus Mu-nicipal School District gave a presen-tation on the school’s budget for fiscal year 2012-2013 last Saturday, July 14, 2012. The projected district-wide enrollment is 4,550 students, with a total of 564 employees and a student/teacher ratio of 25 to 1, which is be-low state guidelines for districts in the area. The total revenue for the upcoming year is projected to be $40,484,567, which is a decrease of $1,746,348 over the fiscal year 2011-2012. Total local revenues should decrease by $290,342 from the current fiscal year to a total of $13,710,582 for 2012-2013. The one area that is ex-pected to realize an increase is total
state revenues, which should come to $20,070,544, or an increase of 301,390. However, the biggest hit is going to come in federal revenues, which are projected to decrease by a staggering $1,747,895 to $6,703,442. “We worked very hard on this budget and are proud of the money we’ve cut. We have $450,000 set aside in case of state funding budget cuts,” said Superintendent Dr. Martha Liddell. Projected expenditures in support of the district’s mission and instructional focus of the school district are $39,535,356, a reduction of $3,649,815 compared to the fiscal year 2011-2012. The district expects to have 2,410 students in the elementary schools, which include grades Pre-K through 5, along with 120 teachers
and 43 paraprofessionals. The in-structional budget for this segment comes to $8,323,611. The middle school sector, in-volving grades 6 through 8, has an in-structional budget of $2,644,848, with 965 students, 45 certified staff, three paraprofessionals and honors and gifted studies programs. Gifted edu-cation alone has a budget of $317,780, supporting five certified staff and 200 students in grades 2 through 8. The program is required by the state. The budget for high school, which has a technology center, 120 Carnegie unit course offerings, 1,175 students and 52 certified staff, is set at $3,536,877. Special education, which includes speech services, 60 certi-fied staff and 24 paraprofessionals, is budgeted at $3,252,873. Alternative education, which
is also required by state law and supports Kindergarten through 12th grade, has six certified staff and 85 students with a budget of $295,745. In the area of vocational training, the district has a technology center, 10 career education programs, 400 students and 17 certified staff; this area is budgeted at $1,043,034. The total instructional budget comes to $19,414,768. “This is a major accomplish-ment for students, parents, teachers and taxpayers,” commented Liddell. “We will continue to cut out unneces-sary spending and focus our resourc-es on teachers and children. As the economy rebounds and Columbus grows, we hope our local revenues will grow and we can possibly lower our millage requirements while fo-cusing on our core mission.”
One of the best things about Bulldog Country is Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern. Since 1995, Owner Dave Hood has been serving the people of Starkville good food, cold drinks and live music. I’ve been a patron of the tavern for over 10 years, and I can say my col-lege years wouldn’t have been the same without the familiar faces, unique atmosphere, diverse music, good food and excel-lent service. If you’re a college student or young adult who hasn’t experienced a night at the Tavern, then you haven’t fully experienced Bulldog Country. When you first enter Dave’s, you can smell fresh dough with a hint of garlic baking in a stone oven. Im-mediately, a member of the friendly wait staff will greet you with, “Wel-
come to Dave’s!” The dining room is dimly lit with candles, creating a relaxing mood. You’ll have a hard time choosing from Dave’s delicious menu items. For a hint of Chicago, order The
Capone: It comes loaded with Ital-ian meats, peppers, onions and mush-rooms. Because the crust is extra thick, it takes
longer to bake, so if you’re in a hurry, call ahead, and the wait staff will put it in the oven for you. If you are trying to save money, then take advantage of Dave’s drink specials, offered every night of the week. You can enjoy their two-for-one Happy Hour from 3:30 to 7:00 p.m. During Dave’s Power Hour, from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., well brand liquor and wines are only $1.50, and
nightly drink specials vary from $2 for house shots to $5 for Long Island Ice Tea and Walkmedowns. Because Dave cares about his guests’ safety, somebody from the staff will make sure you get home safely by call-ing you a taxi. But if you don’t have far to go, you can take the “Night Route,” which is a city-sponsored bus line that runs by the tavern (as well as other bars) every
weekend and provides free rides home to ensure that people don’t drink and drive. While you’re enjoying Dave’s bargain prices, you can listen to live music. Whatever type of sound you like, you can find it at Dave’s, from rock-n-roll to disco to electronica. Frequently, you can catch Starkville’s own “Grab All Free Run.” This four-man band has a sound similar to Wide Spread Panic combined with Phish, with a twist of The Talking Heads. On Tuesday nights, you can experience Jeff Borque’s visual art with Phillip Vanderlease’s electronic sound. Phil-lip is a graduate of MSU’s aerospace engineering department, and Jeff is a kinesiology major. In their spare time, they entertain crowds with their production. Jeff uses video and light projection and 3D mapping to create visual effects that enhance Phil’s unique mixing style. If you like to test your knowledge, then try trivia night every Wednesday. But before you go, log on to Twitter - sometimes Dave will tweet a password that rewards the patron with a discounted or completely waived cover charge. The music doesn’t start until after 9 o’clock, so if you want a quiet dinner with your sweetheart, Dave’s is great for date night. On occasion, Dave offers dinner for two for only $25. Don’t forget that if you have a birthday coming up
Dave will let you and your friends enjoy a free one-topping pizza. All you have to do is call ahead, and when you get there, show the doorman your driver’s license. I can promise you’ll fall in love with Dave’s personable wait staff. This is the place “where everybody knows your name.” The bartenders are personable and always put Dave’s guests first. When the music starts, Dave’s can get crowded, but you’ll never have to wait long for a drink, thanks to the fast service (just remem-ber to leave a generous tip!). There is something for everybody at Dave’s. If you haven’t experienced Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern, what are you waiting for?
by Ashley GarrigaDave’s Dark Horse Tavern: a Starkville Institution
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Meet the Real Story Sta�
Clare Mallory
Meagan O’Nan
Cassidy Prescott
Paige Canida-Greene
Deborah Johnston
Renee Reedy
Kate Spencer
Melinda Du� e
Rick Manning Whit Harrington
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Meet the Real Story Sta�
Clare Mallory
Meagan O’Nan
Cassidy Prescott
Paige Canida-Greene
Deborah Johnston
Renee Reedy
Kate Spencer
Melinda Du� e
Rick Manning Whit Harrington
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Central Planning Ignores Freedom and Finances
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There are two diametrically opposed streams of thought as to the meaning of progress. One is progress through human freedom, the driving force of the American republic. The second is progress through central planning (the strategy of socialism, fascism and communism, which, as history has proven, always fails). Central planners believe they can create a perfect sociopolitical legal system – a utopia. Those who hope for this planned utopia consist mainly of liberal academics, envi-ronmentalists and bureaucrats. They call for world governance, central planning and the end to free market decision making. Their vision is of a utopian society totally regulated from the top down by central planners: globally, in organizations such as the United Nations, and locally, within city and regional planning. UN planners also want gun control. With President Obama’s blessing, Hillary Clinton will sign an agreement on July 27, 2012, that destroys the Second Amendment. Called the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), it requires members to adopt gun control. The Constitution says treaties are the law of the land. Under the Vi-enna Convention, we cannot change the treaty once the Senate approves it. If it is ratified by the US Senate and withstands court challenges, this treaty will have priority over Second Amendment gun ownership rights. China and Russia are pressing for UN control of the internet to control speech, particularly opposition to global planning. To achieve its goals, the United Nations establishes global funds to encourage compliance with planners by transferring wealth among countries. They artfully
propose creative ways to tax devel-oped countries because, it seems, these countries cannot be trusted to redistribute money themselves. For states, regions and cities, the UN pro-motes federal incentives of tax breaks, grants and loans for use by planners at the city and regional level. Public-private partnerships play a big role in transferring power and property to government-controlled businesses. Artful forms of financing, such as “TIF” bonds and “Certificates of Par-ticipation,” bypass taxpayer approval and give officials much greater central power.
Utopian plans at the local lev-el include ordinances to prevent “ur-ban sprawl” by forcing cities to grow up, not out. UN planners want rural populations to move to the city and live in multi-story housing. Intention-al inconveniences used to discourage motor vehicles - called “traffic calm-ing” - include speed bumps, narrow streets and roundabouts. Starkville’s Tiger II pro-posal (http://www.msgovt.org/files/StarkvilleTiger.pdf) contains many utopian planner buzz-words and
phrases: “...minimize sprawl”; “...for people to walk or bicycle to their des-tinations...”; “...public transportation will suffer if land use policies contin-ue to privy the private car”; “...zoning, new building codes”; “...rather than connecting cars with parking lots”; “...providing...bike lanes and traffic calming”; “...traffic will be reduced by 32%...”; “experimental education will result in the acceptance...” In a letter to the editor of The Starkville Daily news, Alderman and MSU sustainability coordinator Jeremiah Dumas said, “...we need the voice and support of the majority to prevail.” Central planners use experi-mental education, press releases and local action groups to sway public opinion and manufacture the consent of the people. Dumas labeled those who question city planning a voice of “regression” and “bad energy.” Citi-zens must oversee officials and not allow them to ignore and disrespect them. Responsible citizens do their homework and speak the truth, even if their voice shakes and in spite of threats from planners about their power and their support groups (which they organize and/or serve on the board). Dumas wrote that tax col-lections “are at an all-time high.” Does he believe we are in an era of prosperity and economic stability? I understand how Dumas would want an “all-time high” amount of tax money in the town’s coffers. How-ever, from the results of the recent bond vote, taxpayers see less money in their pockets and more govern-ment control. If the city coffers are full, then how about a tax cut? When Starkville’s bonds are paid, the current officials do not even consider remov-
ing the tax levied to pay the bond. When the taxpayers vote “NO” on an issue, some of the current officials simply ignore it and forge ahead. More taxes, fees, permits, ordinances and government con-trol happen when citizens do not do their job. Every citizen should participate in planning a sustainable future. Some local planners seem to be more interested in being compli-ant in sustainability as per the UN, and recognized by their peers rather than addressing the sustainability of personal liberty and individual prop-erty rights of constituents. Citizens become enlightened as they follow the money trail, study each issue and look for conflict between planning goals and the goals of protecting in-dividual liberty, private property and free enterprise. Federal tax money by grants, loans and public-private partnerships is not free money. Local tax money obligated to pay for certificates of participation is not free money. As of July 2011, the US borrowed 43 cents of every federal dollar it spent. Between 2007 and 2011 alone, the US increased borrowing by a distressing 38 cents per dollar. Even noble causes such as “Safe Routes to School” fall under the Department of Transporta-tion and use borrowed money. Some states and cities are discovering that there is no economic sustainability in these practices. We are experiencing a time when the global/city plan is more important than the citizen and the American budget. When America is bankrupt and liberty is lost, there is no progress.
Gary ChesserStarkville, MS
States Ban Agenda 21 – Mississippi Should Too!
Presidents Bush, Clinton and Obama worked to implement United Nations Agenda 21. Under the guise of world sustainability, the plan attempts to bypass Congress nation-ally and the American people locally. Attempts to stamp out Agenda 21 are gaining ground. The Republican National Committee officially opposes UN Agenda 21 in a resolution adopted in January 2012, which reads, in part, “The United Nations Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of extreme environmentalism, social engineer-ing, and global political control.” The resolution calls Agenda 21 a social-ist and communist redistribution of wealth to advance the UN scion of “social justice.” A group of Democrats op-pose Agenda 21: www.democrats-againstunagenda21.com Alabama was the first state to
formally ban Agenda 21. A LondonTelegraph columnist, James Deling-pole, wrote that Alabama “helped save the world.” Citing Delingpole, Investor’s Business Daily wrote, “Ala-bama just told the UN and the EPA what they need to be told — don’t tread on us!” Alabama’s strongly worded legislation prohibits any involvement in the scheme by state agencies or local governments. Infringements on the property rights of citizens linked to “any other international law or ancillary plan of action that contra-venes the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of the State of Alabama” are prohibited under the new measure. “The State of Alabama and all political subdivisions may not enter into any agreement, expend any sum of money, or receive funds con-tracting services, or giving financial aid to or from” any such entities, as
defined in Agenda 21 documents.” Tennessee recently ad-opted a resolution slamming the UN scheme as “insidious” and “socialist.” “This UN Agenda 21 plan of radical sustainable development views the American way of life of private prop-erty ownership, single-family homes, private car ownership and individual travel choices, and privately owned farms as destructive to the environ-ment.” The resolution ended with the words, “We hereby endorse rejection of its radical policies and rejection of any grant monies attached to it.” In New Hampshire, Repre-sentative Anne Cartwright said the agenda is implemented “...through zoning, planning and regional plan-ning - things that impact our prop-erty rights.” In Florida, legislation abol-ished the State Department of Com-munity Affairs that developed plans
to designate where development could and could not occur based on “smart growth,” “compact develop-ment,” “livability” and “sustainability.” Groups that currently battle Agenda 21 include the Tea Party, The John Birch Society, Americans for Prosperity, The American Policy Center and libertarians. Republicans in North Carolina, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana are working on anti-Agenda 21 legislation. Mississippians, wake up and join the fight! Agenda 21 is alive andwell in Mississippi, mostly through local public-private partnerships, grants, loans and city/county plan-ning.
Elaine VechorikSturgis
We are experiencing a time when the global/city plan is more im-portant than the citi-zen and the American budget. When Amer-ica is bankrupt and
liberty is lost, there is no progress.
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My 10-year-old niece is going to camp in a couple of weeks, and it prompted me to remember my lone foray at summer camp. Also, one of the girls that I had attended the camp with posted a picture of us on Facebook recently, and it was a stark reminder of awkward hair and cloth-ing and a lot of heat. Two friends and I went to Camp Lake Stephens near Oxford during the summer before fourth grade. I think it was a two-week camp, meaning our parents were glad to be rid of us for such a long block of time. I don’t have kids of my own yet, but they seem whiny in the summer, and I can only vaguely recall I wasn’t much different. They dropped us off on a Sunday, and I think I remember a wheelie being popped as they sped away from the drop-off point. Since this was about 26 years ago, I don’t have the most photographic memory of that time, but a few things do pop up when I think about it. We had to choose two activi-ties other than the usual campfire, singing, etc. I chose diving and canoeing. Diving was pretty cool, because not only was I the only girl
who signed up for it, but I was the only person who would dive from the high-dive. I remember being very smug about this fact and making a boy named “Tee” mad because I made fun of him for not doing it. I think we just dove over and over every day for about an hour, and then we had “free swim,” which seems to be kind of a gyp in retrospect. I could’ve been an Olympic contender had I been able to perfect the triple Lundy or some other wildly dangerous feat from a diving board. Canoeing was interesting. They put two of us in a boat, gave us basic instructions on how to paddle and turn the boat and then set us free onto the lake. I remember thinking it was really pretty but because it was so hot, I’d rather be swimming in the lake. This obviously pre-dated my fear of swimming in water where I can’t see my feet. After about half an hour one day, someone yelled, “Water moccasin!” and my boat mate and I freaked out, along with everyone else, and tried to row back to the dock. Either panic or shoddy instruction caused us to paddle in circles until the lifeguard had to come drag us in
with his canoe. Not the most auspi-cious introduction to boating. How-ever, almost 10 years later, I canoed down the Spring River with my dad and only turned over once, so maybe I retained more than I thought. Even as an 8-year-old kid, I do recollect that the cabin was dirty. Granted, there was dirt everywhere - it was camp - but it seemed like it followed you inside, like Pigpen from Charlie Brown. And I most definitely remember that even then, I thought hiking was pointless. I remember a TV show where the guy was talking about hiking, and he said, “You know, hiking is just….walking.” Yeah, that about sums it up, except when there are bugs, poison ivy, oak and sumac, and - I dunno - apples, it’s more like just torturing children for the fun of it. Finally - and I think every camp has some form of this - there were Camp Olympics. Each team had to pick a country to be and engage in different activities to win the Olympics. We picked Cameroon, for some odd reason - not that there’s anything wrong with Cameroon, but it’s kind of obscure for 8-year-
olds. I remember thinking that they were making up countries. I came in first for Longest-To-Walk-On-Your-Hands-Underwater (which is not as useful in today’s society as you might think), but I think we came in pretty far down the world list. Surely we beat France, but I don’t remember. The funny thing is, we had to make t-shirts with paint pens, and about five years after camp, my sister saw a man in Macon wearing my camp shirt that he had bought at one of the many yard sales where my mother had sold my childhood in piecemeal. He was just happily walking down Main Street with a shirt that not only read “Cameroon,” but I also couldn’t fit the whole word on one line, so it was “Camero-,“ next line, “on.” I can’t wait to hear what my niece has to say about camp when she gets back. I feel like it might be a completely different experience now - they’ll probably have TVs and game systems in their bunks…and air con-ditioning. I have officially become my father, because I will tell her about the good (?) old days with fans, cow ants and busing your own tables at meal times and thinking that was fun.
by Emily Gaither SmithCamp: Character Builder Or Just Dirty?
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Finally, after a drought of 30 years, Washington has a good baseball team. Now that the Nats are winning, I watch games every night, and I have even listened again on the radio, remi-niscent of the days of my youth when that’s all there was. However, I am not a real fan, like those who call in to late-night sports talk radio and refer to the Mets, the Yankees and the Giants as “we” or “our,” and for whom every win or loss is personal. How can this be? Why are we so fanatic? David Brooks has written about how he tried to change al-legiances from his longtime team, the Mets, to the Nationals. After all, he reasoned, sports allegiances were certainly no more than residence, availability and performance, so it would be a simple matter of changing his support. He found that it wasn’t so easy, and he suggested why: “It’s probably more accu-rate to say that team loyalty begins with youthful enchantment. You got thrown together by circumstance with a magical team - maybe one that happened to be doing well when you were a kid or one that featured the sort of heroes children are wise to revere. You lunged upon the team with the unreserved love of which children are capable. “The team became crystal-lized in your mind, coated with shim-mering emotional crystals that give it a sparkling beauty and vividness. And forever after, you feel its attrac-tion. Whether it’s off the menu or in the sports world, you can choose what you’ll purchase, but you don’t get to choose what you like. We have a bias toward things that are familiar and
especially to those things that were familiar when life was new: the old house, the old hometown, the people, smells and sounds we knew when we were young.” Scholars suggest other rea-sons: “When individuals identify and form a strong connection with a local team, it is related to psychological health,” says Daniel L. Wann. “The more they identify with the team, the higher their self-esteem, the higher their vigor or energy the lower their fatigue, confusion, depres-sion, and alienation. “Chicago Cubs fans go to Wrigley Field to have a good time, feel that camaraderie, and sense of belong-ing. Whatever the Cubs do is a side issue,” says Wann. “The beauty of it is that it doesn’t matter how good the team is, you get the effects anyway.” Another scholar, Richard Hirt, feels that sports provide many avenues for meeting the human need to belong. “People can go to games together, watch broadcasts together, talk and commiserate on the radio or through email or play fantasy sports together,” he explains. Hirt studied fans of Big Ten basketball and found that those with an allegiance to a particular team felt better about their own abilities and sex appeal when their team won. After a loss, fans were far more pessimistic about their chances of making a free throw, completing word games and getting a date. “When the team does well, fans treat it like they themselves did well,” says Dr. Hirt. Long-term fan allegiance like that of David Brooks or the late-night callers is surprising because, over the
years, the teams change personnel completely. It is like the Freshman Philosophy puzzle: If you progressively replace all the parts of your car – a fender here, upholstery there, new engine, transmission, headlights – when all the parts are replaced, is it still the same car? “Yes”, most of us would answer, and so goes fan al-legiance. The Mets may have a totally different roster, manager, head office and stadium from when Brooks began following them, but the Mets are still the Mets, in his mind. Allegiance to a team is not rational and has more to do with one’s own search for identity, camaraderie and a need for some kind of passion in an otherwise routine life. According to a recent article on the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry by Johnny Branch, there is a distinct geo-graphic fan distribution: “The mid-point between Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium is approximately Rocky Hill, Conn., a few miles south of Hartford and east of New Britain. Some adventurers have dared to guess where allegiances are perfectly balanced, usually point-ing to a place near Route 91, anywhere from north of Hartford to New Haven in the south.” I grew up on the Red Sox side of the line, but my cousins who lived 30 miles away were diehard Yankee fans. This was an irrational and totally emotional distinction but confirmed the notion that affect and identity will always trump a more logical prefer-ence for stats and standings. Even dispassionate intellectu-als are fans in their own way. George Will, Charles Krauthammer and David Brooks aver that winning and losing
is secondary to understanding the intricacies of how the game is played; nevertheless, however they may dis-guise their team allegiance in brainy analysis, they are still fans. “It’s a bit difficult, these days, to imag-ine a public intellectual - the kind of deep thinker who opines on financial regulation and the politics of Kyrgyz-stan - writing a book about baseball; but in 1990, the bow-tied pundit (Will) published “Men at Work”, a treatise on the inner workings of the national pastime and one of the best-selling sports titles of all time,” writes Tim Marchman. An article appeared in The Washington Post in May which asked why attendance at the Nationals’ Stadium was still far from capacity. It was because the team was still new, the writer concluded, and, just like any commercial product, custom-ers do not want to invest unless they know its quality. If the Nats are still in first place in June, the article said, attendance will go up. It is June, the Nats are in first place and attendance is better than it has ever been. We are not really fans, just lawyers and investment bankers gauging risk and opportunity. I justify my “fandom” like George Will - the better the team, the better the baseball, the more satisfy-ing the experience; but I grew up with the same passionate allegiance as the die-hard fan, and although it may have become diluted and intellectualized, it is still there. I am a Washington Nationals fan.
By Ron ParlatoI Am A Washington Nationals Fan
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Let’s start this week off with a review of an artistic discipline that requires more patience than most people possess: quilting. The current exhibit on dis-play at the Rosenzweig Arts Center is dedicated to the work of the Possum Town Quilters. The show contains – if my counting was accurate – 118 pieces, ranging in size from about the size of a potholder to a piece big enough to cover a king-size bed. The quilts cover a variety of themes: A few are of the typical block design, where a group of squares, each with its own design, are sewed together; others are almost narrative, telling a story in images, and there are some that take on a humorous tone. Although all of the quilts are good, there are a few that stood out and thus merit a specific mention.
On the serious side are “Liv-ing in the Ghetto” by Judy Stokes and “Unchain My Heart and Set Me Free” by Lawana Schultz. The former uses a silhouette technique to depict a woman’s head; the piece has an almost cameo feel to it. The latter is a take on the traditional sacred heart image, with a chain replacing the strand of thorns. The “Fairy Godmother” col-lection, which consists of six separate pieces – created by six different art-ists – depicts mythical godmothers. The titles are as funny as the images themselves; two that stick out are “Shopzilla” and “Needlena.” Just as the themes of these textile artworks vary, so do the poten-tial functions – “potential” because most people would treat these items for the works of art they are rather than using them for the function they might fit. As examples, Judy Stokes’s offering, “Log Cabin Potholder I,” as well as three of Tonya Stewart’s works,
“Asterick,” “Flowers Abound” and “Wacky Pinwheel,” each would serve well as a potholder or trivet. “Patriotic Pillow with Flag” would do fine as a soft item upon which to lay one’s head. The quilts range in price from $5 to $1,200, so there is something to fit any budget. Despite the variations in theme, style and price, there is one common thread (pun intended) that runs through every piece in this show – the hours of dedication and patience that were obviously required to create these works of art. The show will only be on display until July 27, so get down-town and see it soon! Attending a rehearsal of a theatrical production can provide a
unique insight into the behind-the-scenes machinations that take place – usually for weeks on end – so that the theater-goer can enjoy an hour or two of thespian magic. Such was the case on Friday, July 13, when the Co-lumbus Community Theatre invited the media to a “meet and greet” with the cast of “Casserole Patrol” at the Rosenzweig Arts Center’s Omnova Theatre. What to the casual observer would most likely seem frenetic was simply the natural result of having 13 mo-tivated actors in one room, with the resultant energy bouncing off every surface it encountered. For those not familiar with the plot of this hilarious play, the story line revolves around the recently widowed Colonel (played here by War-ren Nybo), who is beset by what seems to be every last single woman in town. Each of the ladies (too numerous to mention
here) presents the Colonel with a casserole (hence the play’s title) in an attempt to win his heart.
Under the patient yet firm tutelage of Direc-tor Linda Bobbitt, one could see the produc-tion evolve even during the course of that one evening. The peek into this wacky production that was afforded at the event was enough to demonstrate that this is one production lovers of comedy and human nature shouldn’t miss. Performances are scheduled for July 26-29 (July 27 and 28 are dinner-theater style), and tickets range from $10-$20 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.columbus-arts.org or call (662) 328-2787.
Another date to mark on the calendar is July 27, the date of the next installment of “Words & Music: An Evening of Spoken Word & Songs,” the open mic night that is held monthly at Tampico Bay Res-taurant (1515 College Street). Last
month’s event was a smashing success with nearly 60 people in attendance and the best collection of local talent that has been assembled in one room in a long time. An indication of how well received the event was, was the fact that, while the event was sched-uled to end at 8:30 p.m., it was held over until after 10:00 p.m. Once again, this exciting event is scheduled for Friday, July 27, at Tampico Bay, and is set to start at 6:30 p.m. Oh, and by the way, the event is FREE, whether you come to perform or just to be a part of the audience. For more information on this open mic night, which is sponsored by The Real Story, Tampico Bay, Café Quartier Latin and Signature Sound and Printing, and coordinated by Random Acts of Culture, visit www.randomactsofculture.biz or call (662) 368-8181. Seriously, folks – after read-ing all of the above, it should be clear that you have no reason not to…
“Get out and get your culture on!”
The Real Story Staff
Quilters And Casseroles And Musicians - Oh My! SpeakingSpeaking
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“I really enjoy photographing fashion.” That’s a statement that you would expect to hear from a photog-rapher for “Marie Clare” or “Vogue” who prowls the runways of Milan, Paris, or New York – not from a phy-sician from Columbus, MS. Yet that is exactly what Martin Howard, the director of the Pathology Lab at Baptist Memorial Hospital, Golden Triangle, said when he spent about 30 minutes answering questions about his passion for cap-turing beauty with his Nikon D700. Howard, who is as affable a guy as you could find, indicated that, although he has attended about six workshops on photography, most of his early experience involved the “trial and error” method. “One of the great things about digital photogra-phy is that you can see the results of your efforts right away, and you can make adjustments as you go.” His interest in photography was first piqued when he was serving as a commander in a field hospital at Camp Cedar in Iraq. As a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard in 2004, he began observing the com-bat photographers stationed there. Although Howard was exposed to many of the horrors of war in Iraq, it was the November 5, 2009, shooting at Fort Hood (Killeen, Texas) that made the biggest impact on him. He decided to use his pho-
tography skills to illustrate the anger and grief that he felt. The result is a stunning yet somber image of a pair of empty combat boots and a shoulder patch, with the sun shining behind them. The most challenging photo that he ever took was when he was attending a photography workshop in the Virgin Islands. As part of the experience, the participants were al-lowed to go into the countryside with a model to do a photo shoot. Howard and his model went to an abandoned hotel on the edge of a cliff as sun-set was approaching. After setting up his equipment, he was ready to start shooting when the battery pack for his flash shorted out. With only minutes left to get any shots, he im-provised by taping two battery packs from another flash unit together. Just before he lost the natural light, he was able to capture some stunning photo-graphs. Howard said the reason that he loves photography is that he loves fashion, women and lighting. As evi-dence of his deep interest in fashion photography, he mentioned that he is a fan of the reality TV series “Project Runway” and that he and his wife have seen every episode of “America’s Next Top Model” at least once. He commented that he has been able to pick up some tips and techniques from watching these shows.
However, photography is not simply a hobby for Howard. He has taken photographs for models’ port-folios, done advertising shoots for clothing stores and boutiques, created headshots and also photographed weddings. The Natchez native, who moved here from Jackson nearly five years ago, maintains a downtown stu-dio where his wife, Paula, often assists him with photography projects. His “art shots” have been ex-hibited at the Renee Reedy Studio and the public library here in Columbus, and his work has also been shown in Birmingham, Ala. Howard has a six-piece series
called “A Bite of the Apple – Sin in the 21st Century” in which he photo-graphed an attractive young woman, with strategically-placed Apple prod-ucts. He also alluded to the fact that he is planning to enter some really edgy photos in the upcoming exhibit entitled “Skin Deep,” which will open on Thursday, September 6, at Renee Reedy Studio. In the meantime, if you would like to see more of Howard’s amazing work, you can visit his Facebook page, www.facebook.com/martin.howard.96742, view his photo stream on Flickr, www.flickr.com/photos/pathdoc, or e-mail him at [email protected].
The Real Story Staff
Portrait of the Artist: Martin Howard
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Recipes fromGood Housekeeping
lifestyles
Tropical Sorbet Loaf
A slice of this looks like a summer sunset or pretty sand art made on a seaside boardwalk. The best part: It’s really easy -- just scoop and freeze. Your kids can help.
1 pint raspberry sorbet or strawberry sorbet, softened1 pint mango or passion fruit sorbet, softened1 pint coconut sorbet, softened1 pint orange or peach sorbet, softenedShaved coconut, fresh raspberries and fresh mint leaves, for garnish
1. Spray 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line pan with plastic wrap.2. Using 2-inch (1/4 cup) ice cream scoop, arrange 8 alternating scoops of sorbet (2 scoops of each sorbet) in 1 layer in pan. Place plastic wrap on sorbet scoops and press mixture down to flatten and eliminate air pockets; remove plastic wrap.3. Repeat to make 2 more layers, alternating sorbets within each layer and from layer to layer, and making sure to press mixture down each time. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours.4. To serve, uncover pan and invert onto platter. Wrap towels dampened with warm water on bottom and sides of pan for about 20 seconds to slightly soften sorbet. Remove pan and plastic wrap. Garnish loaf with coconut, raspberries, and mint. Makes 16 servings.
Each serving: About 125 calories, 1g total fat (1g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 15mg sodium, 26g total carbs, 1g dietary fiber, 0g protein.
For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our website at www.goodhouse-keeping.com/recipefinder/.
(c) 2012 Hearst Communications, Inc.All rights reserved
Polynesian Drumsticks
A quick marinade adds a sweet and tangy glaze to grilled skinless drumsticks -- a favorite with everyone in the family.
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in unsweetened pineapple juice1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar3 tablespoons soy sauce1 tablespoon (grated) fresh ginger, peeled1 clove garlic, crushed with press12 (about 4 pounds) chicken drumsticks, skin removed
1. In blender, puree pineapple with its juice and remaining ingredients except drumsticks. Spoon 1/2 cup pineapple mixture into large self-sealing plastic bag; reserve remaining pineapple mixture for grilling. Add drumsticks to bag, turning to coat. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.2. Remove drumsticks from bag; discard bag with marinade. Place drumsticks on grill over medium heat and cook 15 minutes, turning over once. Cook drumsticks 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until drumsticks are golden and juices run clear when thickest part is pierced with tip of knife, brushing twice with reserved pineapple mixture and turning occasionally. Serves 4.
„ Each serving: About 260 calories, 8g total fat (2g saturated), 123mg choles-terol, 385mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 0g dietary fiber, 38g protein.
For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our website at www.goodhouse-keeping.com/recipefinder/.
(c) 2012 Hearst Communications, Inc.All rights reserved
Random Acts of CultureCoordinated by:
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Words andMusicAn Evening of Spoken Word and SongsAn Evening of Spoken Word and Songs
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lifestyles
By Abby Hathorn
The Adventures Of The VIP: Tie-Dye Extravaganza
This week in The Adventures of the VIP, I am going to take you on a fabulous journey back in time - a time of tie-dye, rebellion and the start of a summer staple item. What do you think of when you think of tie-dye? Do you think
of the 1960s and hippies, or do you think of the amazing journey it has made throughout fashion history? Tie-dyeing fabric is nothing new. As early as the sixth century, artisans in India, Japan and Africa began tying and dyeing. Bandhani, derived from the Hindi word meaning “to tie up,” is the oldest known method that is still practiced today. Having its roots in India, this type of fabric patterning involves tightly tying small pieces of fabric with thread in order to pro-tect these areas from the dye dur-ing the dipping process. Bandhani’s end result is a dotted fabric design. Perhaps you have seen the dip-dyeing trend on Pinterest (the popular on-line pinboard) or read about it in a magazine? Well, it’s not a novel idea, either! Way, way back when, in Japan, the Japanese used indigo as their primary dye for dipping their silk or hemp garments. Speaking of hemp, contrary to popular belief (I have no stats or documentation to back up this popular belief), the hippies of the 1960s, who were well known for their youth movement involving the sexual revolution and psychedelic rock, and their protest against the Vietnam War, did not invent tie-dye. It occurred many centuries before that!
Today, most of us use Rit Dye for all of our tie-dyeing projects; however, before tie-dye became the “must have,” Rit Dye struggled to gain popularity and stay afloat. How did this company overcome its struggles? Let me tell you a little story.
Once upon a time, a guy named Don Price, who was the marketer for Hellmann’s Mayon-naise, conjured up a special market-ing campaign to assist the Rit Dye Company. Don went door to door in Greenwich Village, which was home to many hippies during the youth movement, looking for artists who would use Rit for tie-dyeing. He dis-covered retired artists Will and Eileen Richardson, who cheerfully began using Rit Dye for their tie-dyeing projects. Don Price showed the Rich-ardsons’ designs to fashion editors, who embraced the beautiful, colorful fabric art pieces. When famous 1960s designers began using tie-dye in their designs, popular celebrities like Janis Joplin (it’s rumored that she slept on tie-dyed silk sheets), Jimi Hendrix and John Sebastian started a mass trend by wearing it. Ta-da! This is how the Rit Dye Company overcame its sales slump and gained popularity in the art and crafting world. Hippies wanted a way to es-cape from the strict social standards, so they used tie-dye as one way of ex-pressing a free-spirited nature. These youth rebels wore their tie-dyed shirts with faded jeans and sandals and accessorized their long, untamed
hair with a headband. The way they dressed be-came synon-ymous with who they were and what they believed. The 1980s brought about a decline in popular-
ity for tie-dyed fashion; however, the dedicated fans of the rock band The Grateful Dead kept the spirit of it alive. During the 1990s, tie-dye became a mainstream fashion item that was mass produced and sold in malls and beach souvenir shops. Even though tie-dye has had quite the fashion journey, it is predominantly recognized as being part of the non-conformist lifestyle of the hippies. Now, enough with history! Let’s talk about how to wear this history-making “must have” for sum-mer! This VIP is going to tell y’all the two ways that I recently wore my tie-dye and four tips on how to wear your tie-dye! For a day of shopping with friends, I decided to pair my tie-dyed shorts - created from a pair of thrifted jeans - with a seafoam green t-shirt, white Birkenstocks for a bit of 1960s flair, and a colorful, handmade head-band. This ensemble was perfect for the occasion because it was comfort-able and cute! What’s a VIP to do when she gets a last-minute dinner invitation? Well, she confidently goes to her
closet and puts together a fabulous outfit of absolute perfection consist-ing of an REO Speedwagon tank, dip-dyed shorts, a vintage lace blazer, a preppy tie belt and pink heels! VIP Tips on How to Wear Tie-Dye:
- Create your own: Making your own tie-dye creations is so much fun! Design a t-shirt, shorts, or even a
headband. The most important thing to remember is to have fun!Dress it up: It is easy to dress up a tie-dyed shirt. Simply pair it with preppy khaki shorts and an adorable pair of bright flats. Voila!
- Throwback: Jump in your time machine and wear it as the hip-pies did - with faded jeans, classic sandals, and a funky headband!
- Dip-Dye: If the psychedelic, bright colors aren’t your style, make yourself a pair of dip-dyed shorts. Wear a vintage concert t-shirt with them for a day of shopping or night out on the town! The possibilities of dip-dye shorts are endless!
Do you want to make your-self a pair of dip-dyed shorts like mine? Well, y’all stay tuned because next time the VIP will take you on a DIY dip-dyeing shorts adventure.To find more fashion inspiration, Ac-cessories Challenges, and DIYs, check out my blog www.vintageinspiredpas-sionista.com Also, “like” the VIP on Face-
book to keep up with sneak peeks, VIP news, and exclusive pictures! www.facebook.com/VintageInspired-Passionista
Stay Fabulous!
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petcorner
By Sam Mazzotta
Paw’sCornerPaw’s
Corner
Save a Life Adopt a Shelter
Pet today!Gain a friend for life!
Columbus-Lowndes Humane SocietyP.O. Box 85 • Columbus, MS 39703
662-327-3107Surrendering and Reclaiming Pets: Mon-Fri 10am to 5pm
Adoptions:Mon-Fri 10am-5pm
Sat 11am-3pm
IZZYDomestic Short Hair, grey, female, kitten, she was owner surrendered 6/22, she is a fun �lled cat that will have you laughing for hours.
POLOLab mix,
3 mths old, black and white,
male, He was owner surrendered 6/15
with his sibling Spud. He loves to be cuddled.
LUNADomestic Short Hair,
Bobtail, black, female, adult, she was surrendered
6/15, she is an awesome cat, she is one
of a kind with a bobtail and her eyes cross.
SHILOHFiest mix, female,
white and tan, about 3-4mths old, she was a
stray to the shelter 6/25. She is very sweet and cuddly.
ZACHChihuahua mix, male, tan, adult over 5yrs old, he is a wonderful dog, he rides well in the car and he is a wonderful companion. He has been at the shelter for over a month.
that will have you laughing for hours.
ZACH
Lavender May Calm Hyperactive Dogs
DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I read on an Internet forum that lavender can help calm nervous and hyperactive dogs. Is this the case? I know that some plants are toxic to pets. -- Jenna C., Los Angeles
DEAR JENNA: Lavender, or the scent of lavender, has been touted as a natural way to help calm down dogs. Ex-perts advocating natural treatments recommend placing a few drops of the essential oil on a cloth, a favorite blanket or a cotton ball and placing it near the dog. (Make sure your dog doesn’t ingest it.) I’ve seen recom-mendations to place the essential oil directly on a dog’s coat, but this can cause skin irritation, so you should avoid that. For cats, however, lavender is a more dangerous proposition. Ingesting the essential oil or acciden-tally getting it on their skin can cause
stomach upset and, in larger doses, liver toxicity. It’s true that some plants, including herbs, are dangerous for both dogs and cats. Lily plants should not be in a house with cats, as they are very poisonous. Eucalyptus plants and essential oil should be kept away from pets; the plant leaves can cause vomiting if ingested, and the oil can make cats quite ill. A list of plants that are poi-sonous for cats and dogs can be found at earthclinic.com. Before bringing a new plant into the house or before applying an herbal or aromatherapy remedy to your pet, do your home-work to make sure it’s not toxic. Your veterinarian also can provide expert advice on herbs and plants to avoid.
Send your questions or comments to [email protected], or write to Paw’s Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. For more pet care-related advice and information, visit www.pawscorner.com.
(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.
Adopting A Shelter Animal Is Best – Here’s Why
The Real Story Staff Report
� e next time you are look-ing for a wonderful companion, one who will love you unconditionally, your local humane society or animal shelter will be an excellent place to look! � ere are a number of com-pelling reasons to adopt a shelter pet. Let’s examine each of them, one at a time. First of all, you will be sav-ing a life. According to the Humane Society of America, between three and four MILLION dogs and cats are euthanized each year due to over-crowding at local shelters. Sadly, “no-kill shelters” – those where orphaned animals are never put down – are few and far between. Most shelters are inundated because too many people give up their pets and too few adopt from shelters. Compounding the problem are pet owners who, for whatever reason, fail to have their pets spayed or neutered. When you think about it, adopting a dog or cat from your local animal shelter will likely save two lives – the pet that you adopt and another homeless pet that can be sheltered because of the space that you freed up by adopting. Another great reason to adopt from a shelter is that you will be getting a healthy pet. Most shelters examine animals as they come in and vaccinate them against standard diseases. O� en, they spay or neuter the animal before it is adopted out. Nowadays, many shelters also screen the animals for temperament and behavioral issues to ensure that you get the right pet for your particular situation. � is is a good point to clear up a common misconception about shelter animals, i.e., that they are at the shelter because they have done something wrong or have been abused. As a matter of fact, most animals are surrendered for what are referred to as “people reasons” such as divorce, moves, lack of time or � nancial hardship, not because of anything that the animal has done. Adopting a shelter animal
will save you money, and who doesn’t want to save money? Adopting an animal from a shelter is much less expensive than buying one from a pet store or breeder. Plus, animals from shelters are already spayed/neutered and vaccinated, making them even more of a bargain. Another great reason to adopt a shelter animal is that you will avoid supporting “puppy mills.” � ese are “factory-style” dog-breed-ing facilities that put pro� t over the welfare of the animals. Most dogs raised in puppy mills are subjected to shockingly poor conditions, and the parents of the puppies are kept in cages, only to be bred over and over again. � ese animals are denied hu-man companionship and will likely never have a chance to join a family. Once the adult animals are no longer pro� table, they are killed, abandoned or sold at auction. Puppies that come from these wretchedly cruel facilities o� en su� er physical and emotional problems from in-breeding and the horrible conditions in which they were raised. Many of these puppies are sold through pet shops, online, through classi� ed ads, or in other retail out-lets. Last, but certainly not least, adopting a cat or dog from a shelter will make you feel good. Not only do pets have a way of putting a smile on your face because of the uncondi-tional love they o� er, they also lessen feelings of isolation and loneliness, contribute to a reduction in blood pressure and can provide bene� cial physical activity as a result of the tasks involved in maintaining a pet. So there are � ve great reasons to adopt a dog or cat from a shelter. What are you waiting for – experi-ence the love!
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For the week beginning July 23, 2012Senior News LineBy Matilda CharlesSE
NIO
R NEWS Salome’s Stars
Baby, It’s Hot Outside
High summer temperatures can take a toll on seniors. Our circu-lation isn’t what it used to be. Add in some of the drugs we take that might have a diuretic effect, and dehydra-tion can be a potential danger.The trick is to stay hydrated -- and cool. Staying hydrated means to drink enough water. Other drinks don’t count because sugar and caf-feine drinks can be dehydrating in themselves. If you leave the house, take a water bottle with you. Ask your doctor how much you should drink per hour during heat waves, and follow his advice to make sure there is no conflict with any medication you’re on. Set a timer if you need to remember when to drink more water. If you have air conditioning, use it. If you have fans, use those. If you don’t have fans, call your local fire department (on the non-emer-gency number) or your town offices and ask whether anyone is giving away fans. If you don’t have a way to stay cool, spend a few hours at the library,
senior center, the mall or movie theater, especially in the afternoon. Even three or four hours per day in a cool environment can go a long way to keeping you healthy. Close the curtains on the sunny side of the house. Open win-dows for a breeze. Wear loose, light-colored clothing. If you must wear a hat, be sure the top of your head can breathe. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from glare. During heat waves, it’s a good idea to do a phone check on elderly friends to be sure they’re handling the heat. Ask them to check on you a few times a day as well.
Matilda Charles regrets that she can-not personally answer reader ques-tions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to [email protected].
(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You’re wise to let your Arian skepticism question a former adversary’s request to let bygones be bygones. Time will tell if he or she is trying to pull the wool over the Lamb’s eyes.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)Con-gratulations. Your hard work soon pays off with some well-deserved recognition. Meanwhile, that impor-tant personal relationship needs more attention from you.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) That new person in your life seems trust-worthy, but don’t turn him or her into a confidant just yet. Remember: The secret you don’t reveal is the one you won’t lose sleep over.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Your kindness makes a difference in someone’s life. But by week’s end, a touch of Cancerian envy could create a problem with a colleague. Take care to keep it under control.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) A new spurt of energy sends you roaring back into that challenging work situ-ation. But be careful not to overdo it, or your sizzle could fizzle before your task is completed.
VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Your practical sense helps you see the logic of being a bit more flexible with a workplace colleague. But you still have a ways to go before there’s a true meeting of the minds.
LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A surprise situation could cause you to spend more money than you
feel you can afford. But careful budget adjustments will help. Your fiscal picture soon brightens.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) That decision you made might still have its detractors, but your sup-porters are growing. Meanwhile, your personal life takes on some welcome new developments.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Matters of the mind intrigue the sage Sagittarian through week’s end. By then, you should feel more than ready to make room for pursuits of the heart.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) The canny Capricorn can offer good counsel to others. But how about taking some advice yourself from a close friend or family member who is able and ready to help?
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A new workplace opportunity offers a variety of challenges that you might find intriguing. Best advice: Take things one step at a time so that you don’t feel overwhelmed.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20) A bid to revive a relationship that ended on a bitter note needs to be carefully thought out before you can even begin to consider plunging into a new emotional commitment.
BORN THIS WEEK: You enjoy being with people, and people love being with you. You would probably do very well in politics.
(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.
Answers to July 11, 2012 puzzles
comicsandpuzzles
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By Jeremiah ShortJohnson’s Comments Should Spur Discussion
The subject of race has be-come a taboo topic in America over the years. The history of the coun-try - with slavery, the Civil Rights Movement and “race riots” - makes even the most intelligent individual reluctant to broach the subject of race for fear of starting a firestorm. It’s understandable, to a certain degree, taking into account the vitriol some-times incurred by the people who are courageous enough to speak on any issue involving race. Recently, Michael Johnson, a four-time Olympic Gold Medalist and BBC Analyst, veered into that dangerous arena of injecting race into the sports consciousness. In a BBC documentary, “Michael Johnson: Survival of the Fastest,” the legendary sprinter opines: “Difficult as it was to hear, slavery has benefited descen-dants like me - I believe there is a superior athletic gene in us.” This is only a snippet of some of the comments that John-son made in the documentary, but it is a mouthful. The obvious buzz word in his comments is “superior,” which stirs up a range of emotions. I think whenever a person of any race claims that they are born to be better, it ruffles feathers. While Johnson’s comments are strong, I do not feel he meant them that way; I just believe that he did a poor job of articulating his point. Johnson probably should have referred to the fast-twitch muscle fibers normally present in the majority of Olympic-level sprint-ers (80 percent). The majority of the recent finalists the past few years
were of West African descent, which is what Johnson was exploring in his documentary. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, all eight sprinters (Usain Bolt - Jamaica; Asafa Powell - Jamai-ca; Michael Frater -Jamaica; Walter Dix - U.S.A.; Darvis Patton - U.S.A.; Richard Thompson - Trinidad and Tobago; Marc Burns - Trinidad and Tobago; and Churandy Martina - Netherlands Antilles) are believed to be of West African descent—even Martina, who is a native of Curacao.
Does this prove Johnson’s claim? No it doesn’t, but it does provide food for thought. Scientists have conducted studies on Olympic athletes to determine why they excel in their particular sport. One study by Adrian Bejan, a mechanical engi-neering professor at Duke, published in “International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics,” claims that black people have a higher center of mass (shorter relative torso) that fa-vors them in running sports, and that white people have a lower center of mass that favors them in swimming. I cite the scientific evidence to make the point that the subject of race and sports can be discussed in an intelligent manner without people getting up in arms. I think everyone
can recall comments made by people like Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder. In a 1988 interview, Snyder, when asked why African-Americans dominate sports, said, ““The slave owner would breed his big black (man) to his big woman so that he could have a big black kid. That’s where it all started.”In light of my relative youth (I am 27), I had never heard of these com-ments, but I was amazed that some-one would say this publicly. CBS was obviously shocked that Snyder made such explosive statement also, as they fired the sports commentator, calling his statements “reprehensible.” The idea of racial superiority in sports isn’t new; it has been around as long as sports itself. It wasn’t that long ago that many people thought black players were incapable of win-ning at a high level in basketball. The most famous example was the 1966 NCAA Championship, which pitted the Adolph Rupp-led Kentucky Wild-cats against the Don Haskins-coached Texas Western Miners. The game had particular significance, as the Wild-cats had an all-white starting line-up, while the Miners sported an all-black line-up. Rupp even went so far as to say that his team would never lose to five blacks. His team did lose, and it forever changed the sport of college basketball. NCAA teams went from 2.7 black players per team in 1966 to 5.7 in 1985. At this point, I’m sure some of you are thinking, “This is some heavy stuff.” It may be heavy, but I had to give a detailed history of “race and sports” so that everyone reading this column would understand why
Johnson’s comments are such a light-ning rod. With all that being said, I feel it is time for the country to embrace these types of conversations, not run from them. I’ve always been a pro-ponent of discussing race in every aspect of life. I don’t think it’s a matter of saying that one race is better than another, but why not discuss the socio-economic, cultural and physi-ological differences of the numerous ethnic groups in America? I know that some people may be careful to avoid saying the wrong thing and being branded a “bigot,” “ignorant” or “prejudiced.” I guess the thought process there is that the way you show you don’t care about race is to not discuss it. Again, it’s under-standable for someone to think that way, but I feel this conversation fi-nally needs to be had on a widespread basis. I get fearful for this country that I love when situations like the “Trayvon Martin-George Zimmer-man case” can so easily tear a country along racial lines. It just shows that America has not come far enough. Johnson demonstrated poor judgment in using the word “su-perior” in reference to why people of West African descent do so well in track and field. But in a country that discusses everything from the Kardashians to presidential elections, why are Johnson’s opinions being cast aside as just another news story?I feel Johnson’s comments should spur discussion, don’t you?
By Jeremiah ShortKincade Plans to Make A Huge Impact
Ole Miss Head Coach Hugh Freeze knows the key to his new spread offense is strong quarterback play. Freeze hit the recruiting trail hard to find one when he became the new Rebel head man, signing East Mississippi Community College quarterback Bo Wallace for the 2012 class as a result. He then worked to establish some depth behind Wallace, locking up Jackson Prep quarter-back Ryan Buchanan in the follow-ing class. Most thought Freeze was done, but he wasn’t finished scout-ing triggermen. He targeted a sec-ond quarterback and found his man, Devante Kincade, a Dallas (Skyline) signal-caller. “I felt like the tim-ing was right - great coaches, great offensive schemes; I felt good about their schemes. They are a great school with a great quarterback his-tory. I just wanted to get it out of the way so I could focus on everything in high school ball,” says Kincade, who first received contact from Ole Miss after spring practice. He added, “I knew for a little while, at the beginning of July,
I knew where I was going.” The 6-foot, 180-pound quarterback isn’t concerned about the depth the Rebels are accumulating. “Oh no; wherever you go, there’s go-ing to be competition,” said Kincade. “They are going to choose the best quarterback. It wasn’t a big deal with me.” Kincade is known as a mobile
quarterback, but the Rebels have a pass-heavy scheme. He has been as-sured that the scheme can be tailored to his skill set. “I’m a pass-first guy; he (Freeze) was telling me that, in his scheme, they have a few read options. His quarterbacks average 300 passing and 100 rushing every game,” Kin-cade said. The question remains wheth-
er the athletic quarterback will get a chance to take the reigns as a fresh-man. “If I have to redshirt, I will, but I believe I can come in and make a big impact on the team,” said Kincade. The Texas native, who has yet to visit Ole Miss, plans to travel to Mississippi after he participates in the “Elite 11,” which is a camp for the top quarterbacks in the nation.
Kincade indicated that the distance between Ole Miss and his home didn’t deter him from choosing to become a Rebel, saying, “Whatever is best for my career - I’m good with it.” Devante Kincade is an import from Texas, but he plans to help change the program around. He hopes to leave his mark the way Robert Griffin III did at Baylor. “They should expect me to come in and make an impact on the team - help change the program around. I’m trying to do like Robert Griffin did. You see what he did there. I’m trying to make an impact like that.”
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When Derrick Jones attended the Ole Miss football camp last week, the last thing he expected was a scholarship offer. He may not have been expecting it, but the talented receiver got one from Rebel Head Coach Hugh Freeze. “I was real shocked,” said Jones. “I didn’t expect to get an offer like this from them!” Jones talked about how the offer came about. “My coach called me and told me to talk to Coach Heard. When I called them on the phone, they told me.”
He improved his 40-yard dash time from 4.8 to 4.49, which is a remarkable improvement in one year. “I just pushed myself harder through football training. I knew they weren’t going to just give me any offers; I had to work for them,” stated Jones, explaining how he boosted his “40” time. The 6-foot-2-inch, 185-pound receiver committed to the Rebels not long after he got the offer. “I felt I had built a close relationship with the coaches over a short period of time. They already know me, and
I already know them; I just got to work,” said Jones, discussing why he committed so early. “They like my size and my hands; they want someone that’s going to go get the ball.” Jones still plans to attend camp at a few other places. “I want to go out and be seen by as many people as possible; it’s a hard decision, when it boils down to it,” related Jones. The Eupora, MS, native, who
is the first person in his family to play Division I football, has a simple mes-sage for the Ole Miss fan base: “I’m going to bring a lot of excitement!”
By Jeremiah ShortDerrick Jones: “I’m Going To Bring A Lot Of Excitement
Camilla from Italy, 16 yrs. Enjoys dancing, playing the pianoand swimming. Camilla looks forward to cooking with herAmerican host family.
Daniel from Denmark, 17 yrs. Loves skiing, playing soccer and watching American movies. Daniel hopes to learn to play football and live as a real American.
Founded in 1976ASSE International Student Exchange Program is a Public Benefi t, Non-Profi t Organization.
For privacy reasons, photos above are not photos of actual students
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Mississippi State’s moving to a morepass-friendly offense has resulted in apremium being placed on pass-catchersin the class of 2013. e coaching staff se-cured commitments from three re-ceivers, Devante Scott, Brandon Wells,and B.J. Hammond. e next wide-outto cast his lot to be a Bulldog was Clay-Chalkville receiver DeAndre Woods. “Ifelt like I belong there. ere’s a lot of op-portunity, there, to come in and play as areceiver,” said Woods.
Fellow Alabama native Hammondtried to persuade Woods to commit be-fore he actually made the pledge. echance to play with Hammond was ap-pealing to Woods, who met Hammondat an Auburn football camp. “Oh yea,that’s my dude,” said Woods. “We saidthat we are going to be good at Missis-sippi State. He said that he is looking for-ward to coming up there with me.”
Woods should be able to form a dy-namic duo with Hammond at Missis-sippi State. He is used in a variety of rolesand formations at the high school level.“ey are just trying to get me the deepball. When I’m in the slot, they are tryingto get the mismatch with the linebacker,”said Woods, who had 36 catches, 460yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior.
Woods is expected to flash his skillsearly on, as he is expected to play as a truefreshman. “I know they want me to playthe outside - and expect me to come inand play as a freshman. ey are workingwith me, over the summer, so I can knowthe plays and be ready to go,” says Woods,regarding playing as a true freshman.
e versatile receiver knows that heneeds to improve in a few areas. “I justneed to work on routes - catching theball,” said Woods. “You always got to getbetter; I’m going to Mississippi State, butI still got to work to get better.”
Woods already is an impressive blockerfor a receiver his age. “It’s something Ihad to learn - to be the whole package asa wide receiver. I got to block for myteammates,” explained Woods, dis-cussing his blocking skills.
e traits Woods exhibits on the fieldremind Bulldawg 247 publisher PaulJones of current Bulldog receiver, ChrisSmith. “He has great hands and greatsize. It’s one thing to have size, but heknows how to use his size. He uses hissize on slant routes; he is a very physicalreceiver.”
He has already learned to study greatreceivers. Andre Johnson is a player hetries to emulate. “I study Andre Johnson;I like how physical he is and how he goesaer the ball,” Woods stated.
Woods wants to place the focus ongoing to school. Once he arrives at Mis-sissippi State, he plans to get a degree andplay in the NFL. If he keeps up his phys-ical style of play, both goals could becomereality.
Courtesy PhotoDeAndre Woods
Jeremiah [email protected]
Jeremiah Short covers Mississippi State University football and basketball. Follow him
on Twitter, @JeremiahShort26; or join his Facebook blog, Real Story Sports: J.Short’s Blog.
Woods Brings Physicality to the Receiver Position
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LEGAL NOTICE
I, Saowanee Sattrakoune, intend to make application for an On-Premise Retailer, Wine only permit as provided for by the Local Option Alcoholic Beverage Control Laws, Section 67-1-1, et seq., of the Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated. If granted such permit, I propose to operate as a sole owner under the trade name of Sao Thai & Sushi Bar, located at 441
Wilkins-Wise Road of Columbus, Cowndes County, Mississippi.
The name(s), title(s) and address(es) of the owner(s)/partners/corporate officers(s) and/or majority stockholder(s)/member(s)/trustee of the above named business are:
Saowanee Sattrakoune1015 8th Avenue NorthColumbus, MS 39701
If any person wishes to request a hearing to object to the issuance of this permit a request for a hearing must be made in writing and received by the Department of Revenue within (15) fifteen days from the first date of this notice was published. Requests shall be sent to:
Chief Counsel, Legal DivisionDepartment of Revenue
P.O. Box 22828Jackson, MS 39225
Date of First Publication: 07/18/2012
Publish July 18 & 25, 2012
The AWSO Committee wishes to thank the sponsors and many supporters who made the American Wind Symphony Orches-tra’s almost two week stay in Columbus a huge success. It was a wonderful event, such as normally only occurs in a major met-ropolitan area, that could not have happened here without the
support of over 200 community minded people, businesses and organizations.
We thank everyone for their generous support,Agnes Zaiontz, Rufus Ward and Glenn Lautzenhiser, Co-
Chairmen
Sponsors:Billups-Garth FoundationColumbus Convention & Visitors BureauColumbus Lowndes Development LinkCooper T. Smith StevedoringDavid Owen, Attorney at LawDoris Hardy & AssociatesIngram Barge CompanyLowndes Community FoundationMUWSouthern IonicsTenn-Tom Tourism Association
Supporters:A1C Charles DickensAaron GregoryAimee ShawAndy KalinowskiBella DermaBen WilliamsBeverly Norris and Columbus Arts CouncilBill and Angela CampbellBilly & Brenda MartinBilly DuncanBirney Imes Bo JarrettBob Glus, Sr.Brandt GallowayBrenda & John AlmondBrenda and Sid CaradineBrennan DockeryBruce HuffordCandy CresinkCapt. Billy WoodCapt. Fred Shelton and Columbus Police Dept.Charles CooperChief Ken Moore and Columbus Fire Dept.Chip and Debra BillupsChuck & Barbara BigelowCindy WaitesCity of ColumbusCivitan ClubClare MalloryClark Beverage GroupColumbus High School Band BoostersCorinne LautureCurtis YoungerDan ClarkDanny HartleyDave HaffelyDavid ChambersDelynn BurkhalterDennis FairDelta Sigma Theta Sorority Diane HandDixie ButlerDonna BurnsDoris and Frank DaileyDoris HardyDr. and Mrs. John Starr, Jr.Dr. James BorsigDr. Martha LiddellDuane HughesDwight & Kathy DyessEast Columbus Lion’s ClubEdwina WilliamsEstella HeardEugenia SummerExchange ClubFairway Ice CompanyFirst United Methodist ChurchFloyd McIntyreFrances FuquaFrank ChilesFrank’s Package Store Gail BolandGail CulpepperGayle and Sonny GlennGene Beatty and Mid-South FireworksGeorge IrbyGuerry ManselHomer BeattyJacquie O’BryantJames AllenJames BarclayJan SwoopeJill BorgognoniJill O’BryantJim MullisJoAnn and Howard FergusonJoe PonderJoe SmithJoe St. JohnJoey HendersonJohn ArnoldJohn BuckleyJohn DouglassJohnny StokesJonathan MillerJosie ShumakeJudy & Will Hardy
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K and T Peanut Co. Kathy & Dwight DyessKathy and Frank HowellKegdra GrayKen RobinsonKevin StaffordKiwanis ClubLarry NorthamLion’s ClubLisa LeeLowndes County Board of SupervisorsLt. Brian RayLt. Carroll CulpepperLt. Col. Yasuhiro MatsumotoLt. Larry SwearingenLynn WrightM. S. BrislinM.L. McCarty, Sr.Macaulay WhitakerMagnolia Kiwanis ClubMarleen HansenMayor Robert SmithMeagan O’NanMike DaffronMike PrattMilton SundbeckMr. & Mrs. Claude SimpsonMr. & Mrs. Gil HarrisNancy and Ken KennedyNancy LandrumNancy WheeleyNathaniel & Katrina FarinasNeal AustinNew Home Building Supply Nora MillerNorth Mississippi Medical Center, West Point Noweta FloristsPeggy & Lee ColemanPerneatha Evans – Red CrossPhil LeeserQua AustinR & D MaintenanceRalph & Karla AntonelliRalph McLainRalph NullRick SaucerRicky BrownRiley MooreRobert WilburRobin & Roger ThompsonRoger ShortRon LovedayRotary Club of ColumbusRotary Club of StarkvilleRuth RastSam MedoreSelvain McQueenSerena Parker Sherriff Mike Arledge and Sherriff’s Dept.Sonic JohnsonSr. A. Chase HedrickSr. A. Joseph ClarkSt. James United Methodist ChurchStanley BatesStarkville Area Arts CouncilSteve RogersT.E. Lott, Jr.Tavetia HughesTerry PettyTerry ThompsonThe Commercial DispatchThe PacketThe Real StoryThe Starkville Daily NewsThe West Point Daily Times LeaderThomas Collins and AramarkThornton TarvinTim BrooksTodd DavisTodd Gale and Columbus Light and Water DepartmentTommy JohnsonTonya NguyenTracy BlaylockTwo Sisters VendingTyler MacoubrieWalter ThatcherWanda and Mike McIntyreWCBI-TVWesley PlattWest Point Arts CouncilWhirlie ByrdWill & Judy HardyWLOV-TVWTVA-TV