James Warren Bowling, 45, of Robinsville, MS, and formerly of Calhoun City, died February 20, 2014 at Methodist South Hospital in Memphis. He was born November 1, 1968 in Hyden, Ky. He was an Air Force Veteran of Desert Storm, and he was a Baptist. Visitation will be Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until time of the funeral service at noon at Pryor Funeral Home in Calhoun City. Rev. Benny Hill will be officiating and burial will be in Duncan Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Jackie Mann, Terry Parker, Heath Parker, Kolton Parker, Tony Vaughn, and Ralph Wagner. Survivors include his wife, Christy Meadows Bowling, Robinsonville; his mother, Janice Sampsell Napier, Calhoun City; two sisters, Kim Cole and Sharon Bowling, both from Calhoun City; one brother, Gary (Rita)?Bowling, Round Lake, Il., and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Bowling. Online condolences can be left at Pryorfuneralhome.com

The Calhoun City Lady Wildcats won the 4-2A championship Friday night with their 18th consecutive win of the season. They will continue postseason play Monday night at home. Also Friday night, the Wildcats won the boys’ division title, the Bruce Trojans earned 3rd, and Vardaman Lady Rams 2nd in 4-1A.

Four men are in custody after kicking in the door to a Vardaman home at midnight Saturday, holding down a senior citizen and robbing him.

Vardaman Police Chief said Austin Marcus Martin, of Houston, and Dulaney Colton “Boomer” Collums of Thorn are charged with strong arm robbery and burglary of a dwelling. Andrew Zeke Fowler of Thorn and Christopher Dylan Haimes of Calhoun City are charged with burglary of a dwelling.

Kenneth Scott

Scott said the investigation revealed that the four men met initially at the pool hall in Vardaman and planned the robbery. They drove to Douglas Cook’s home on Richard Street and knocked on the door but he didn’t answer.
They returned shortly after midnight, Sunday morning, and kicked the door in. Cook came to the front of the house and Martin and Collums, both wearing WalMart bags over their heads, threw him to the ground and held him down while stealing approximately $150 in cash and a gold money clip.

Scott said Fowler and Haimes stayed in the car during the robbery. One of the robbers dropped a cell phone in the house which allowed police to track down Martin and take him into custody early Sunday morning at his home in Houston with the help of Houston Police.
Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest of Collums and Fowler Sunday afternoon at their residences in Thorn.

Calhoun City Police and Calhoun Sheriff’s Department assisted in the arrest of Haimes Monday morning in Calhoun City.
“All were taken into custody without incident and a lot of credit goes to all the law enforcement agencies assisting in this case,” Scott said. “We were able to solve this so quickly by all working together. I appreciate all of their help.”

Cook was treated by medics at his home, but his injuries didn’t warrant a trip to the hospital. Scott said it was the third time in three years Cook has been robbed in his home.

Bond hearings for the four suspects are expected to take place sometime Monday afternoon or Tuesday.

Angie Owen has been named the new fastpitch softball coach at Bruce High School, effective immediately.

Bruce Athletic Director James Ray said Coach Brad Wren resigned late last week for “family reasons.”
Owen coached the Lady Trojans last weekend in a preseason tournament at Eupora where they won games against Vardaman and Ethel. They play in another preseason tournament this weekend at Lafayette County.

The regular season opener is Tuesday, March 4 at home against Water Valley.
“The main goal right now is to get all the girls to buy into the program,” Owen said. “We have a very young team, but we have a lot of talent.”

Owen is pulling double-duty at the moment as she is also head coach for the girls’ powerlifting team. Vaughn Daniels will continue to serve as the assistant in girls’ softball.
Owens has experience as a softball coach. She led the Charleston program for three years as head coach and was an assistant at Calhoun City for two years. She served as slow pitch assistant at Bruce last fall.

James Morris Ledbetter Jr., 89, of Houlka, died Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014 at his residence. He was born January 14, 1925, the son of Jake and Winnie Ledbetter. He was retired from the Houston Chronical of Houston, Tx. after 30 years. Surviving are his sister, Bobbie Jean (Reginald) Henry, Houlka, and a host of nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by brothers, Clanis Ledbetter, R.C. Ledbetter and Thomas Ledbetter, and sisters, Elvie Howell, Lovell Muffoletto and Martha Flippo. His funeral service was Monday at 2 p.m. at Parker Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Bruce. Pallbearers were Gary L?edbetter, Scott Ledbetter, Phil Ledbetter, James Flippo, Bubba Muffoletto and Alan Turman. Online condolences mayt be made to the family at www.ParkerMemorialFuneralHomes.com

Alfred Sonny Dukes died Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014 at CHS?in Calhoun City. His funeral will be Saturday, March 1, 2014 at 1 p.m. at Daniels Temple Church of God. Belle Memorial Funeral Home will be in charge of services.

•QUICK BITES will meet Thursday, Feb. 27, at noon at the Multi-Purpose Building in Pittsboro. Topic will be Cyberbullying: What Can You Do About It?

•DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE meeting for the 1st congressional district is planned for Saturday, March 1 at 11 a.m. at the Lee County Courthouse in Tupelo. Calhoun County Democratic officers and party members are invited.

•BENEFIT BBQ & AUCTION for John Bob and Louise Williams will be Saturday, Mar. 1, starting at 4 p.m. at Thorn Community Center with food and singing. Plates are $6. Auction at 6 p.m. Quilt and $100 to be given away. John Bob, a renal kidney patient, is on dialysis three times a week.

•Calhoun City Public Library will host a Birthday Party for Dr. Seuss Saturday, Mar. 1, beginning at 10:30 a.m. The Cat In the Hat will be here to help us celebrate.  Seuss Lovers of all ages are welcome to attend. The Library is lat 113 East Burkitt Ave. in Calhoun City.

•Dog lovers! league for no-kill shelter will meet the first Monday of each month. Their first meeting is March 3 at 5:30 p.m. at Bruce Park Pavillion. For info, calI 983-7471.

•RETIRED TEACHERS will meet Monday, Mar. 3 at 11 a.m. at Jeffery’s and Sandy Aron, BES principal, will be the speaker.

•BLOOD DRIVE at Vardaman High School will be Friday, Mar. 7, from 1:30-6 p.m.

•DR. JIM ARON will be honored with a reception Monday, Mar. 10 at 2:30 p.m. at the Bruce Museum, given by the Loosa Schoona Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. He will present a program on medical issues. All Daughters, friends and family are encouraged to attend.

•SOUTH CALHOUN HEADSTART is now accepting applications for the 2014-15 school year for 3 and 4 year olds who are age eligible by Sept. 1. Applications accepted from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Must bring child’s certified certificate, medicaid or insurance card, proof of income, copy of child’s immunization record, copy of last medical screening. Call 662-628-6585 to schedule appointment or stop by 125 Carter St., Calhoun City.

•Bridge Party to benefit the American Cancer Society will be Thursday, Mar. 20 at Houston First United Methodist Church Family Life Center. Registration opens at 9:30 a.m. with play from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Refreshments, drinks and lunch included. $60 per table of four. RSVP by March 13 to Lisa Voyles at 542-0459, lisa.voyles@gmail.com or Betty Brown at 567-2669, bettybrown1939@hotmail.com.

•ARE YOU DISABLED OR WERE BORN IN 1948 or before and have not signed up for Homestead Exemption for either of these credits? Come to the Tax Assessor’s Office in January, February or March and make these changes. Call 412-3148 for more information.

•FREE ADULT BASIC EDUCATION/GED preparation classes are held at Bruce Adult Education Center on Newburger Street. For info, call Ada Armstrong 414-6063 or the center, 983-2038. Classes meet Tuesday & Thursday. Day, 9-noon, night 5-8 p.m. Counseling 2 Career (C2) for ages 17-21 (out of school) is available. Teachers Ada Armstrong and Margaret Mays.

•BEAVER BOUNTY PROGRAM… Calhoun County Soil Conservation District is administering a beaver control program for landowners in Calhoun County. A $12.50 bounty will be paid for each beaver tail brought in. They must be brought in by landowner, who is required to sign verifying that these were removed from his property in Calhoun and show the site where caught on the map. Maximum number of beaver tails per landowner each year is 40. Trappers may be hired for assistance in beaver removal, but bounty is paid to the landowner. Call 628-8732 ext. 3 for more information.

•DERMA SCHOOL REUNION… Calhoun County Agricultural High School and Derma School will have a reunion Saturday, July 5 at 1 p.m. at the Multipurpose Bldg. in Pittsboro. More information will be released later.

•GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP meets the third Saturday of each month at Vardaman Family Life Center 10-11 a.m. Call 662-682-9992 or 662-414-7089 to register.

•NAMI SUPPORT GROUP for families of those with mental disorders meets second Saturday of each month at Vardaman Family Life Center from 10-11 a.m. Support group for those who have a mental disorder meets at the same time. Call 662-682-9992 or 662-414-7089 to register.

•CALHOUN ANTIQUE TRACTOR CLUB meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Vardaman Sweet Potato Festival building. Danny Tutor is club president. For more info, call 682-7594. Everyone is invited.

•ARE YOU A CANCER PATIENT? Calhoun Cares is an ongoing non-profit organization to benefit cancer patients. If you are currently taking cancer treatments and you live in Calhoun County, you are eligible for assistance. Contact Calhoun Cares, Tammy Tallant, 662-983-0864.

•SASSY SPARROWS breast cancer support group meets every third Saturday of the month from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Baptist Cancer Center in Oxford. For more info, call 513-9609.

•LOOSA SCHOONA CHAPTER of the Daughters of the American Revolution will meet the second Monday of each month from September through May at Jeffery’s on Bruce Square at 3:30 p.m. Meal is Dutch treat.

•CALHOUN VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER Robert Gosa is at the American Legion Building in Calhoun City on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. until. Call for appointment, 628-1933 or 983-9328.

•FOSTER/ADOPT PROGRAM… safe and stable families are sought in Calhoun County for foster families. Contact Natalie Bryant at 628-412-3138 for info about the Mississippi Department of Human Services Resource program.

•CALHOUN CITY AMERICAN LEGION POST #50 and American Legion Auxiliary Post 50 meet the first Monday of every month at 7 p.m. Meal at 6:30 p.m.

•WEIGHT WATCHERS IN BRUCE meets every Monday night at 5:30 p.m. at Jody’s Dance Studio.

•ANTIOCH LODGE 549… first Monday at 7:30 p.m.

•CALHOUN CITY VFW POST 12032 meets every 4th Thursday at 7 p.m. in the old Kellwood Outlet store building on N. Madison in Calhoun City.

•BRUCE VFW & AUXILIARY MONTHLY meet first Thursday of each month. Pot luck meal at 6 p.m. Meeting at 7 p.m. To rent building, call Mike Winter 412-2114 or Charlie Carter 414-0642.

•BRUCE LIONS CLUB meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday at Pizza Palace at noon.

•NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS meets Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. at Mt. Comfort Baptist Church, 38 CR 257, Bruce.

•SONS OF CONFEDERATE?VETERANS &?Order of the Confederate Roses meet every third Thursday at 6:45 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of Grace Southern Baptist Church in Calhoun City. All are invited.

•CALHOUN COUNTY SHRINE CLUB meets every third Thursday at 7 p.m. at Masonic Lodge in Calhoun City.

• BRUCE GROUP ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS meets Friday nights at 8 p.m. at Bruce United Methodist Church.

•CALHOUN CITY ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS meets Monday nights at 8 p.m. at Lewis Memorial Methodist Church, Calhoun City. For info, call 628-4222.

To submit items for the calendar, call 983-2570, fax 983-7667 or email to: calhouncountyjournal@gmail.com

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FOR SALE                     2
Houses, Land, Mobile Homes
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LAND– 9.26+/- acres on Pilgreen Road zoned single family dwelling. Great developmental property. City utilities. Road frontage app. 400 ft. Call 662-927-0242 for more information.
22tnc-cs

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2,000 SQ. FT. HOUSE with enclosed 2 car garage on 1.1 acres. Hardwood floors 60%. Natural gas central heat, hot water heater (new), gas stove and dryer. New roof March 2013, $60,000, Pittsboro. Call 662-412-2151.
5,12,19,26p-fb
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3 BR 2 B BRICK Home in Bruce, 1,700 sq. ft. with 2 acres, 433 N. Pontotoc Rd. Reduced to $65,000.  Call 983-2620 or 628-4171.                          23tnc-ec
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FOR SALE                     3
Autos, Trucks, Motorcycles
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FOR SALE                     4
Appliances, Furniture

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FOR SALE-Used appliances washers, dryers, ranges, Brasher’s Home Furnishings, ph. 983-2368.
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FOR?SALE                          6
Pets & Pet Supplies
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FREE PUPPIES. Mixed. Had shots and wormed. Call 983-3253.                             26p-jm
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FREE KITTENS– Cute, yellow, one male, one female. Call 983-2881.                              26c-js
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FOR SALE                     7
Miscellaneous
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GAS LOG INSERT with mantle. Pittsboro, call 662-800-2029.
26p-lm
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SQUARE BALES OF HAY for sale. Call 628-0501.           26,5p-jw

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PHLLIPS MAGNAVOX small TV ideal for bedroom. Bruce, call 662-983-2403.          19,26p-lm

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GOOD FIREWOOD for sale. Grain bin. Call John Tucker, 983-0772 or 800-4535.                    25tnc
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FOR RENT                    8
Miscellaneous

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2 BR 1 B KITCHEN, LR, completely remodelled. 750 sq. ft. $350 deposit, $350 month. 309 N Boland St., Calhoun City. Call 214-606-5886.           26,5p-wb
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2 BR 1 B HOME in New Gauley community, $350 month, $350 deposit. Call 662-701-9448.
12tnc-am

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MINI-SYSTEMS of Bruce. Short or long term rental storage units. Climate Control Available! Various sizes—5×10, 10×10, 10×15, 10×20. Brasher’s Home Furnishings, ph. 983-2368.
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BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
9
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WANTED                      10

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Well established medical supply company in Oxford, MS seeks full time person with strong computer and telephone skills. Must be detail oriented. Competitive pay and benefits. Positive work environment. Medical office or medical products experience a plus. Call 1-800-852-5717 or fax resume to 1-662-232-3101. EOE
26,5,12c-gr
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TRUCK DRIVER NEEDED. Helena Chemical Co, Bruce, MS?location. Class A-CDL to make local deliveries. Seasonal job. Must be 21 years of age. DOT drug screening required. Apply in person. Helena Chemical Co, 45 CR?219, Bruce, MS 662-983-3400. Pre-employment drug screen required. EOE, M/F/V/H.          26c

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NOTICES                    11
Miscellaneous
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Spring Cleaning Fri. & Sat. Feb. 28 & Mar. 1. Look for Green & Orange Markdown Tags! (Next to original prices). Green Tags $5, Orange, $10. Hundreds of $1 items must go! Let’s make a deal on unmarked items! Quantity discounts! Dealers welcome! We do Estate Sales. Welcome consignments & local artists. Now offering Bridal Registry. Timbeau’, Tim James, 128 South Front St.,  Downtown Winona 662-417-9518, 337-945-2377          26c

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The Pickin’ Shed, Hwy 9W, Banner. New Load Home Improvement Mdse. Monday-Saturday 9-5 Mdse includes-Seasonal Lawn, vanities, commodes, bathtubs Stove Eyes-$10; Drip Pans-$5 set/4;  Bifold Doors-$15, SS sinks, showers, faucets kitchen & bath.                              19tnc

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The Journal assumes no responsibility for the wording or content of classifieds advertisements.
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SERVICES                    12

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I WANT TO BABYSIT IN MY HOME,  $5 hour. Ages 6 months-6 years. Call Linda Werley, 800-4535.                            12tnc-lw
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I WILL SIT WITH THE ELDERLY in their home. References available. Call 835-9404 or 628-1906.        19,26,5,12,19,26c-cn
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Bulldozer, Trackhoe and Tractor and Pan Services available. Also environmental land clearing. MARTIN AND MARTIN CONTRACTING, LLC-Banner, MS, 35 years experience. For quotes or more information, please call Freddie Martin at 662-473-6658.                         6tnc
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WINTERIZE NOW! Consider a new metal or shingle roof. Call Joey Collins for all your building, remodeling, repairs, metal roofing, plumbing and electrical needs. Free estimates. Call 662-927-0856 today!          14tnc-jc
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DO YOU NEED YOUR YARD mowed or other yard work? Call 662-628-5271 or 662-414-1831
-6tnc-jh
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HOME REPAIR & MAINTENANCE– Carpentry, electrical, plumbing, painting and more. Tommy L. Roane, 662-983-8326 or 662- 983-7557.            17tnc
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BWS WELDING, STEEL & ALUMINUM, farm equipment repair, portable welder. Bobby W. Sexton, 614 CR 130. Call 662-414-8295 (cell)                   21tnc-bs
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MARTIN CONSTRUCTION & Home Maintenance. Contact us for all your home repair needs. TONY MARTIN, ph. 413-4644.
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POSTED                        13
Landowner Notices
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POSTED– Land in Calhoun and Pontotoc counties belonging to Mitzi Aron, Joe Aron or Jim Jim Aron is posted against hunting, fishing or trespassing of any kind without written permission of the landowners.                  -dec31p
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POSTED–The Gullick Place land of Rabon Gullick, Nellie Davis, Lillie Newsome and Sara Quillen is posted against hunting, fishing or trespassing of any kind.

Sierra Coleman and the Calhoun City Lady Wildcats continued to dominate their competition Monday night defeating Leland 71-56 to advance to the North Half Tournament. They will face H.W. Byers Thursday at 8:30 p.m. at Coahoma in Clarksdale. Photo by Joel McNeece

The Calhoun City Lady Wildcats advanced to the North Half Tournament with a 71-56 win over Leland Monday night at home.

It was the 19th consecutive victory for the Lady Wildcats and improved their record to 24-2 on the season.

The game wasn’t as close as the score indicates as ‘City opened on a 21-2 run and Leland never got within single digits.

Maya Armstrong led the Lady Wildcats with 18 points.

V Farmer added 16 and Sierra Coleman 12.

The one negative in the game was the Lady Wildcats missed 34 free throws.

“We’re where we need to be and where we expect to be, but we know going forward we’re going to face tougher competition,” Coach Rob Fox said. “We’re doing all the big things well, but we’ve got to do all the little things, free throws and rebounding, to ultimately reach our goal. All we can do is take it one game at a time. That’s what we’re doing. All that matters now is Thursday night.”

There are two contested races on the ballot for Calhoun County voters in 2014 thus far, but the possibility remains for more as qualifying continues for U.S. House, Senate and several judge seats.

The only contested races thus far are for U.S. Senate where Sen. Thad Cochran is being challenged by state senator Chris McDaniel in the June 3 Republican primary; and in the U.S. House where incumbent Rep. Alan Nunnelee is being challenged by Libertarian Danny Bedwell of Columbus.
Qualifying for those races ends Saturday, Mar. 1 at 5 p.m.

Qualifying for Court of Appeals, Chancery and Circuit Court judges will continue until May 9.
Incumbent Jimmy Max-well is currently the only Court of Appeals qualifier.
Incumbents Glenn Alderson and Robert Whitwell have both qualified for chancery.

Incumbents Andrew Howorth, John Gregory and newcomer Kelly Luther have qualified in the three circuit judge positions.
Luther, who is an assistant district attorney, qualified for the seat currently held by Robert Elliott.

There will be one local election on the Nov. 4 ballot – the district five school board seat currently held by Whit Casey.
Qualifying for that position doesn’t begin until August.

Seems uncertainty reared its head in Mississippi’s Republican U.S. Senate primary this week. But the depth and degree of uncertainty – if one wants to call it that – between the two candidates really defines the race and points up the choices facing Mississippi voters.

Supporters of state Sen. Chris McDaniel’s U.S. Senate campaign were absolutely apoplectic when U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran wryly told a Jackson television station: “”The tea party, you know, is something I don’t really know a lot about.”

Sid Salter

In response, McDaniel told the Associated Press that Cochran’s statement was proof that the he was “out of touch” and offered up a web ad with the glib response to Cochran: “Perhaps it’s time for an introduction.”
But before Club for Growth and the rest of the super PACs backing Sen. McDaniel’s bid could make too much political hay with Cochran’s remarks, McDaniel was facing intense criticism for his own moment of uncertainty on a far more relevant topic than knowing the complexities of the Tea Party’s secret handshake.

Before an audience in Oxford, McDaniel said he would promise nothing to constituents: “I’m not going to do anything for you. I’m going to get the government off your back, then I’m gonna let you do it for yourself.”
After that speech, a Politico reporter asked McDaniel if he would have supported the federal 2005 Hurricane Katrina relief legislation that brought $5.5 billion to Mississippi. McDaniel first said: “I would have to see the details of it. I really would.”

Pressed on Katrina relief, McDaniel then said: “I probably would have supported it, but I don’t know enough about it. That’s just it.”
Later in the week, McDaniel expanded that answer on social media: “Just to be perfectly clear, I support disaster relief efforts for massive tragedies like Katrina, and I’ve told the media that on several occasions. However, fraud, waste, abuse and misspent funds must never be allowed.”

So let’s talk about uncertainty. Are you more offended by Cochran’s uncertainty over the intricacies of the Tea Party movement or by McDaniel’s uncertainty over whether he would have supported a Hurricane Katrina relief bill that passed the U.S. Senate 97-0 on Oct. 7, 2005, and later saw the conference report pass the Senate 93-0 on Dec. 21, 2005?

Cochran was in a helicopter surveying the damage to the Gulf Coast on Aug. 31, 2005. As a reporter, I was in another aircraft flying over the Mississippi Gulf Coast shoreline and saw what he saw.
The sight was unambiguous. The view was of utter devastation. Caskets washed out of cemeteries and mausoleums were hanging in the trees. There was death and misery and suffering. Mississippi needed immediate help and a massive amount of it. By Oct. 7, 2005, Cochran delivered that massive, unprecedented aid package to Mississippians and the rest of the Gulf South. The Senate approved it 97-0 and the conference report got a 93-0 approval.

The bill provided grants to displaced homeowners, federal assistance for local law enforcement, water and sewer improvements, highways, restoration of marshlands and oyster reefs, workforce training, federal facilities in the state, and operational funding for battered educational facilities from K-12 to community colleges to universities.
While Cochran was passing perhaps the most important piece of federal legislation in Mississippi’s history in 2005, the Mississippi Tea Party had yet to be founded – so Cochran couldn’t ask them if they approved of the help he led the federal government to provide Gulf Coast residents.

The questions confronting Mississippi voters is whether they want a senator who knows destruction and devastation when he sees it and actually has both the power and the influence to bring unprecedented aid and help with all deliberate speed – and most importantly, does he have the willingness to do so?

Joel and I spent the weekend in Atlanta (Buckhead) for our 15th wedding anniversary. Although Joel and his friends go to Atlanta often for the SEC basketball tournament, I had never spent any time there, except for the airport.

After 15 years of marriage, we have our travel plans pretty much worked out. He makes them all, and I love it.
With the exception of picking the destination, I don’t make a single decision. He picks the hotel, makes a music play list for the drive, makes restaurant reservations and takes care of other details. I just get in the car with my Nook and pillow and go.

Lisa McNeece

We approach the getting ready very differently as well. He believes in packing a day or two ahead of time, or at the least the night before.
I prefer packing the morning we are leaving. It’s too stressful to think about what I need and try to pack the night before. And much easier to drop makeup and toiletry items in a bag as I use them that morning.

I really think I pack better under pressure. Except for the time we got about 30 minutes from Bruce and I told him I forgot to pack my pants.
“Which ones?” he asked.
“All of them,” I answered.
We turned around and came back to Bruce.

Last Thursday night, Joel had his clothes neatly in a stack to go in the suitcase before he left for the Vardaman basketball game at Smithville.
He suggested that I pack while he was gone, and I really meant to, but other things got in the way.
First I organized the pantry.  I took everything out, cleaned and vacuumed the shelves and, unlike my medicine cabinet, threw away anything that was close to being out of date.

I sent a picture to Joel when I finished.
His response: “Curious to see if you can pack a suitcase that nice.”
I really intended to pack after that, but then the bad weather moved in with rain, thunder and lightning, which freaks the dog out. So I sat on the couch with him until the storm passed, and by that time, it was too late to pack.

The unusually warm weather contributed to a really nice weekend for us. We went to downtown Atlanta Saturday to the aquarium which everyone recommended and it was a thumbs up. You kind of have to go to the Coke Museum as well, because it’s right there. It was interesting, but nothing like the aquarium. It’s a must see if you go to Atlanta.
On the drive over and back, I read “The Bear: A Novel” over the past week and really enjoyed it. It was a suspenseful story narrated by a young girl who fends for herself and her younger brother after a brutal bear attack that kills their parents.

We were sorry to hear of the closing of Calhoun Communications in Calhoun City.
Davy and Roseanne Schwalenberg have had a business in Calhoun County since 1978.
They are consolidating the Calhoun City AT&T store with their store in Houston, Wireless Unlimited.

One of Addi Claire’s favorite meals is rotisserie chicken and tortellini. How easy is that.
I told her Monday that I was cooking her favorite thing for supper.
“Tornellini?” she asked.
Close enough.

She is getting pickier about what she eats which is perfectly normal for a child her age.
But it’s very frustrating to her daddy, Marshall.
“She won’t hardly eat anything. She’s so picky,” he said.
This is coming from someone who ate nothing but chicken nuggets for the first five years of his life.

E-mail Lisa McNeece: lisamcneece@gmail.com follow her on twitter @lisamcneece

It’s been a week since the news first broke and it remains incomprehensible to me how anyone could be so motivated, whether by hate or stupidity, if there’s a difference, to throw a noose and an “old style Georgia state flag, that includes the Confederate banner,” around the neck of the statue of James Meredith – the first African-American student to attend Ole Miss.

I was in Atlanta last weekend with my wife Lisa, celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary, when I saw the story make it to the front page of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) due to the three suspects identified being freshmen from Georgia.

Joel McNeece

I found the news incredibly sad knowing the painful lengths the university has undertaken over the past two decades to distance itself from all types of racism and promote a more culturally sensitive image and inclusive attitude.

Robert Khayat, one of the best university presidents in my lifetime at any school, took on all beholders to the past when he made the controversial moves of eliminating the Confederate flag as a school symbol and ridding the university of Colonel Reb – a beloved mascot to many.
Khayat wasn’t trying to squash Ole Miss traditions, but rather bring the university into the 21st century where no school would desire its image be tied to a  caricature of a white-bearded Southern plantation owner.

Khayat’s successor, Dan Jones, continued the effort when he prohibited the school’s marching band, The Pride of the South, from playing “From Dixie With Love” at athletic events due to the fans’, mostly the student section, insistence on shouting “The South will rise again” during a portion of the song.
I’m not an Ole Miss alum or fan, but the move disappointed me at the time because I loved that moment during the football pregame. However, I understood what the university aimed to accomplish by getting rid of it and the point of the fans’ chant was always lost on me.

The ignorance displayed by the recent desecration of Meredith’s statue not only evokes another black eye for Ole Miss, but Mississippi as a whole. It also suggests that despite tremendous progress, the battle against racism is far from over.

The article in the AJC made mention of other recent controversies on the Ole Miss campus including November of 2012 when “an unruly crowd of 400 gathered at the student union in a protest of President Barack Obama’s inauguration. Some students yelled racial slurs and profanity, videos of which spread across the Internet and provoked an apology from the university.”

Incidents of this nature are not limited to Ole Miss, but due to this state’s racial history, they draw more attention than most.  And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Despite the disappointment of such ignorance on display in our beloved state, the only road to progress involves shining a light on such instances.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

Email Joel McNeece at joelmcneece@gmail.com & follow him on Twitter @joelmcneece

Carolyn Edwards Bryant of Bruce shared a couple of recipes that are “unique to her”–scuppernong (muscadine) cobbler and her version of chicken and dumplings, and one that is just unique, Mexican Apple Crepes. She describes the cobbler as “fruity and juicy,” and says she doesn’t always make the dumplings the same way. She says she doesn’t bake much, but that the apple crepes are really good.

Carolyn can cook for 40 or two, and it doesn’t bother her. She learned a lot about cooking from her mother, the late Vernette Edwards, and the late Marie Bryant, her mother-in-law, who were both good cooks, and added that Bert Johnson was her high school home ec teacher.

She and husband, Jerry, enjoy plain old country cooking–vegetables and cornbread, but she has a recipe collection that includes a good many from everywhere, especially from friends in Memphis, where they lived for over 40 years. She clips a lot of recipes, and if she eats something she really likes at a reunion, she always asks for the recipe. She also likes her Bruce Methodist and Mt. Comfort cookbooks.

She carries a lot of potluck dishes to family and school reunions, church, and holiday gatherings. Among the most popular for those are Rotel chicken (which she says her secret to is using golden mushroom soup instead of regular), Baked Parmesan Chicken, and most recently, grape salad.
Carolyn said her word for the new year is “giving” so she is trying to cook and give more food when a need arises, and say she always participates in the food pantry.

She says she goes in spells with her cooking, and makes soup a lot–chicken and vegetable or ham and vegetable. She now tries to cook more healthy, and always uses a lot of onion.

Carolyn cooks a lot of chicken and she loves salads–congealed and others. She likes to add apples, walnuts, grapes and more to her salads, and even adds apples to her potato salad. She also likes grape salad and she combined two recipes to get the one she likes to use. Her pasta salad recipe includes Veg-All and a sweet and sour dressing, and she also loves broccoli salad with raisins, 7-layer salad, and cranberry-pineapple salad.

About gardening, she said they usually grow tomatoes, watermelons and corn, but they can’t keep the deer out of the peas or the squirrels out of the fruit.

Scuppernong (Muscadine)?Cobbler
3-4 cups scuppernongs or muscadines (wash, cut in half, remove seeds, leaving pulp and hulls intact. Place in pot and cover with water. Cook until hulls are tender. Sweeten to taste, about 3/4 cup.) Preheat oven to 350°.
1 stick butter
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup juice from cooked scuppernongs
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt butter in 9×13 casserole dish. Mix together other ingredients and pour over melted butter. Spoon or ladle scuppernongs over this batter, juice and all, covering entire pan of batter. Cook until top is golden brown and batter is done, probably about 45 minutes.

Mexican Apple Crepes
2 cans apple pie filling
8 large flour tortillas
Cinnamon to taste
Grease 9×13 pan with butter. Mix cinnamon into pie filling. Put 1/4 can pie filling on each end of tortilla and roll up. Place edge side down in pan. Eight crepes will fit tightly in pan.
Sauce:
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp. nutmeg
Combine sauce ingredients. Pour on top of crepes. Bake 45 minutes at 375°. While baking baste top of crepes with sauce so edges do not get crusty. Serve warm with ice cream.

Chicken and Dumplings
About 10 chicken drumsticks (skinned) and six chicken breast tenders. Place in large pot and cover well with water. Add 1 Tbsp. salt. Bring to boil. Add one sweet onion (chopped) and three celery stalks (chopped). When chicken is tender, remove, let cool, debone and break into bite-sized pieces. While broth is slowly boiling, add a 10-piece pkg. of flour tortillas, cut into strips about 1”x 2”. Cook until tender. Return chicken to broth. Add can of cream of chicken soup, rinse can with 1/2-1 can water. Add cup of whole milk or however much for consistency you want. Add more salt if needed and pepper to taste.

Pasta Salad
1-12 oz. pkg. twist pasta
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion, red is pretty
1 can Veg-All, drained
1 can red dark kidney beans, drained
1-4 oz. jar pimento
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cool water. Drain well. Add drained vegetables, chopped vegetables and pimento. Add dressing and toss well. Chill overnight or all day.
Dressing for pasta:
3/4 cup vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter or oleo
Mix all ingredients and cook until thick and bubbly. Pour over salad and mix well.

Baked?Parmesan Chicken
2 1/2-3 lb. broiler or fryer, cut-up or 5-6 fryer breasts
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp. milk
1/2 cup or 2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
Trim skin, leaving some on top side, so it will brown better. Mix together egg and milk, dip chicken in dip. Mix together all other ingredients and roll chicken in coating mixture. Place dry ingredients in ziplock bag and shake. Sometimes I have to mix more coating. Place in foil-lined pan, skin side up. Top with squeeze Parkay, about 1/4 cup. Bake one hour at 350° or until tender.

Carol Shoemaker and Linda Haire were two of the attendees at a self-defense class held at the Bruce Museum last Saturday. Bruce Policemen Brian Roberts and Phillip Talford conducted the class. Photo by Celia Hillhouse

The Calhoun City Wildcats and the Bruce Trojans both punched their tickets to the North Half Tournament Monday night.

The Wildcats rolled through Riverside Tuesday night 76-57 to advance to the North Half Tournament at New Site. Ladavious Draine led with 16 points. Andrikus Ezell added 14 and Austin Burl 12.

They will face H.W. Byers Thursday at 8:30 p.m.

Bruce Coach Davin Young said his team isn’t ready to stop playing ball either.

The Trojans upset second seed West Bolivar Tuesday night on the road 46-44 to advance to the North Half tournament.

Donta Armstrong led the Trojans with 16 points, including the go-ahead basket in the final minute. Terrence Jones, pictured, added 15 and Jay Johnson eight.

“We showed great patience tonight,” Young said. “We slowed the ball down when we needed to and we turned up the pressure at the right time.”

The Vardaman Rams’ season came to an end at Shaw where they were defeated 93-22.

Banner native Misty Mosley is Calhoun County’s newest doctor. She has joined Ava Stegall in the clinic at Calhoun Health Services in Calhoun City.

“It’s been a great first week,” Mosley said. “The people are very friendly and personable.”

Dr. Misty Mosley

Mosley is one of five children of the late Kay and James Mosley of Banner. Her brother Chad still lives in Banner. Her sisters are all nurses – Lisa lives in Senatobia, and Steph and Regina both live on the Gulf Coast.

Mosley graduated from Bruce High School in 1995 and continued her education at Delta State and University of Mississippi Medical Center.
She completed her residency at Family Medicine Residency Center in Tupelo and has since been employed with Med-Serve in Tupelo.

She is married to Brandon Simmons, a native of Water Valley, who works at Resolute Forest Products in Grenada. They have two children – 8-year-old Briella and 8-month-old Brenna.

“Brandon had been commuting from Tupelo,” Mosley said. “This opportunity (at Calhoun Health Services) came up, so we decided to move to Grenada.”
Mosley’s focus in Tupelo was on “acute care” where she would see up to 100 patients a day.

“It’s a much slower pace here, but I’m still going to do a lot of acute care, that’s what I’ve been doing mostly this first week,” she said. “I also enjoy minor procedures – suturing, lesion removal.”

“Taking care of people, fixing their problems is what I love to do,” Mosley said. “That’s why I love procedures so much.”

“I never imagined I would be back in Calhoun County,” Mosley said. “General surgery is what I always wanted to do, but I did my residency in family medicine and that has brought me back.”

Josh Morgan, of Bruce,  has always shared a passion for ministry and the outdoors. Now he is combining the two with the new North Mississippi Chapter of Hope Outdoors.

Hope Outdoors is a non-denominational Christian outdoor ministry that focuses on providing outdoor opportunities for children and adults with critical illnesses and disabilities.
“This program really hit home with me from the first time I heard about it,” said Morgan, an occupational therapist.

Josh Morgan

Morgan has teamed up with National Director Steve “Opie” Thomas to establish the North Mississippi chapter of the organization that will be based out of Calhoun County.
The first official event for the local chapter is set for March 7-8 when they will host a youth turkey hunt for ages 8-15.
Morgan said they will begin with a fellowship meal on Friday, Mar. 7 and then go hunting early Saturday morning and conclude with a lunch Mar. 8.

“Right now we’re taking applications for prospective hunters and seeking guides to pair up with the kids.”
Morgan said their goal is to have 5-6 kids participating this time and then to grow the event as they become more established.
They are already planning a fishing rodeo for this summer and a deer hunt next fall.

Morgan recently attended Hope Outdoors events in Central and South Mississippi with a wide range of participants suffering from asthma, cancer, spinal cord injuries and paraplegics.
This first hunt will be based out of Parker Baptist Church but isn’t limited to Calhoun County hunters.
“We already have an applicant from Pontotoc County and another from South Mississippi to participate on this hunt,” Morgan said.

Applications can be filled out at HopeOutdoors.com. You may also call Josh at 414-6183 for more information.
He said he currently needs more volunteers to help with setting up blinds, golf carts for transporting some of the young hunters to the blinds safely, and hunting equipment.
“There’s a lot that goes into it, but once you experience an event like this and see the impact it has on these kids you’re hooked,” Morgan said.

Call Josh Morgan at 414-6183 for more info or visit hopeoutdoors.org