Paris Life May

PTX CON: LEVEL 2

• APRIL SHOWERS BRING TEXAS FLOWERS

• SUMMER SAFETY TIPS

5050 SE Loop 286

Paris, TX 75460

Copyright 2023

Summer is just around the corner. Sunshine, warm air — what more do you need? It’s the perfect time for a getaway, but there are events and attractions just outside your front door.

• 903 Sunsets

For the second year, 903 Sunsets will feature bands every Thursday night in June at 7 p.m. The event is free, and will be held downtown as weather permits. Rain could move the show to the Love Civic Center pavilion.

• Trail de Paris

Just over three miles long, Trail de Paris is a multiuse trail and is a great way to experience the great outdoors — here in Paris.

• Sam Bell Maxey House

It’s a historic staple here in Lamar County, and events for all ages are held frequently throughout the year.

• Downtown Paris

Explore locally owned shops and eateries on the square, and while you’re there, take a stop at Culbertson Fountain.

• Farmers and Artisan Market Market season runs from May through October and brings vendors from around the region. Fresh produce, flowers, eggs, meat (and more!) are offered every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Paris Public Library

Especially for those with kiddos, the Paris Public Library has a lot to offer, like storytime and contests.

David Salas MD • Joe Gray PA-C • Mandy Helberg, NP • Melanie Graham FNP-C • Tommy Caldwell FNP-C

On the Cover

CONTRIBUTORS 8

UPCOMING EVENTS 10

Local events you don't want to miss

LIFESTYLE

HOME & LIVING GUIDE 30

What does it mean to have good credit for buying a house?

3 elements to consider when buying a waterfront property

What's a prepurchase inspection?

FOOD + DRINK 34

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

Recipe by: Chef Michael Perry, Paris Golf & Country Club

FEATURES

PTX CON: LEVEL 2 14

Pop Culture Convention Returns!

Story by: Megan Pedersen & Miranda Oglesby

APRIL SHOWERS BRING TEXAS FLOWERS 24

Earth-kind Texas Plants

Story by: David Money

SUMMER SAFTEY TIPS 32

Story by: Licensed

IN EVERY ISSUE

HEALTH 33

HOW DO YOU AVOID BLOATING AND SWELLING IN SUMMER?

by: Ayesha Shafiq

WISE WORDS 36

I WON'T ALLOW THIS STAIN TO MAKE ME BITTER. by: Shannon McGuire

ENTERTAINMENT

CHECKPOINT 34

POCKET CARD JOCKEY

by: Megan Pedersen

MOVIES: COMING SOON 39 by: Miranda Oglesby

DEJA VIEW 40

by: ALL THE OLD KNIVES

Chester Johnson

Photo Credit: Megan Pedersen

C O N T R I

B U T O R S

Shannon McGuire is a graduate of Roxton ISD, after which he played collegiate basketball for four years and graduated from both Grayson County College and Wayland Baptist University. He also graduated from Dallas Bible Theological Institute. He has been employed for the last 22 years at Collin County Juvenile Probation Department serving as the Court/ Legal Liaison for Juvenile Detention and Probation in the 417th District Court Collin County, Texas. He has been pastoring for 11 years and currently serves as Senior Pastor at Paris New Generation Church, 1513 Lamar Ave. in Paris. He is married with two children.

Ayesha Shafiq lives in Paris with her husband, Dr. Khalid Shafiq, who owns Paris Cardiology Center. She has three kids, Sayekm, Layla and Maya. Ayesha has been writing a heath column for Paris Life magazine for the past few years.

Chef Michael Perry is a graduate of The Art Institute of Dallas in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management. Michael has always loved cooking, from a young age. He has been cooking for over 20 years and employed as a chef for 15+ years. Michael also enjoys hunting, fishing & spending time with his son Brayden & Fiancé Karen Ballard.

AYESHA SHAFIQ

MICHAEL PERRY

SHANNON MCGUIRE

MAY 2ND

Volunteer Orientation

PARIS PUBLIC LIBRARY

326 S. Main St., Paris, TX

5:00PM - 7:00PM

SHELVERS NEEDED! The Library invites volunteers to apply for summer shelver positions. Learn the Dewey Decimal System, apply to volunteer, and enjoy pizza by the Friends!

MAY 5th & 6th

Slade Baker Memorial Crawfish Cookoff

South Main Iron

225 1st Street SW, Paris, TX

10:00 AM - 04:00 PM

We're Back! Are you ready to eat some mud bugs, compete for the title championship and enjoy LIVE MUSIC on the big stage?

This event, honoring the life of former firefighter Slade Baker, will raise proceeds for local scholarship recipients entering the fire academy. Those attending will be able to purchase tickets to the Crawfish Courtyard allowing access to all-youcan-eat crawfish and fixin's! Proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the scholarship fund. Those without tickets can enjoy live music and the kids corner at no cost.

For more information, contact Lamar County Chamber of Commerce, Paris Visitor Center: 903784- 2501 or chamber@paristexas.com or Visit Paris Texas Facebook. For tickets go to Crawfish CookOff www. sladebakermemorial.com

you don't want to miss.

EVENTS

MAY 6th

37th Annual Uncle Jesse Big Bass Classic Fishing Tournament

PAT MAYSE LAKE, SANDERS COVE -

This Fishing Tournament is hosted by Denver Pyle’s Children’s Charities and all proceeds go to help children in Lamar County. $5,000.00 Prize for the “Biggest Bass” Plus other great prizes! Contact” unclejessesbigbassclassic@yahoo.com or chamber@ paristexas.com

MAY 12TH & 13TH

“Eiffel in Love with Quilts” Quilt Show

LOVE CIVIC CENTER

2025 S Collegiate Dr, Paris, TX

12TH @ 9:00AM & 13TH @ 3:00PM

Mother's Day weekend, The Red River Valley Quilt Guild invites you to the 3rd Paris Quilt Show! "Eiffel in Love with Quilts" is produced to introduce a wider public to quilting and to help raise funds for local organizations. This year we have a special quilt that will be raffled during the quilt show. The proceeds will be donated to the local Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) to support their work.

"To promote hope, healing and justice to child victims of crime in Lamar and Red River Counties. Tickets will be for sale soon. $5 each or 5 for $20.00. https://parisquiltshow.com/

MAY 13th

“Hell of North East Texas Gravel Grind”

LOVE CIVIC CENTER

2025 S Collegiate Dr, Paris, TX

9:00AM

Huge thanks to the City of Paris and the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce! Entry is FREE for Club Spinistry members through 4/30 or the first 125 entries, whichever comes first. Featured event is for a 175ish mile point to point option from Paris to DFW WITH TEAM SUPPORT ALLOWED. 50 mile Paris loop and then take off to DFW. 100+ mile option will also be point to point with the Paris loop but it won't make it all the way to DFW. Paris only 100K loop and possibly a 50K as well if there is any interest.

MAY 13th

Mom & Me Paint Party

SAM BELL MAXEY HOUSE

STATE HISTORIC SITE

812 S Church St., Paris, TX

2:00AM

Join us for a special Mother's Day program! The Sam Bell Maxey House invites moms (or aunts, grandmothers, big sisters, etc.) and their kids to a Paint Party!

The program is designed for one adult and one child ages 5-13 to make a dual mother-child painting. Participants will also learn about the maternal figures of the Maxey House, including Dora Maxey Lightfoot, who was quite the artist herself!

SPACE IS **VERY** LIMITED and is first come, first served! You can make a reservation at https://forms.gle/PQW7yGYNNqk3DE1y8 and Elana will contact you to confirm your spot as soon as possible.

For more info, contact Elana at 903-647-6553 or elana.barton@ thc.texas.gov

MAY 21st

2023 Family & Friends day

LOVE TABERNACLE CHURCH

1631 North East 13th St., Paris, TX

4:00 PM

Join us as we celebrate family and friends day

May 21st 2023@ 4:00pm

Guest speaker: Bishop R.L. Brazzle

Bible Teaching Ministries, Longview Texas

Everyone welcome!

Overseer Tristan & Lady Lequinta Love

MAY 25th

3rd Annual Banquet for Adult & Teen

Challenge Texas, East Texas Men's Center

LOVE CIVIC CENTER

2025 S Collegiate Dr, Paris, TX

6:00 PM

Are you ready to help men and women who are struggling with addiction? You're invited to come and participate in our 3rd Annual Banquet.

Door Open and Silent Auction begins at 6:00PM. Program begins at 7:00PM.

Interested in being one of our event sponsors? Contact us directly. We have a lot of sponsorships available for you and/or your company. We will have testimonies, great food and fellowship. See you there! For more information, please contact our campus at deport@tctexas.org

you don't want to miss.

pop culture convention RETURNS!

ove Civic Center was filled with fandom and pop culture galore in April when the local convention, PTX Con: Level 2 was held. This was the second PTX Con that has been hosted; the first was in October 2022. The event was presented by Tyler's Pizzaria and sponsored by many other local businesses including Warrior's Legacy Martial Arts, Mix 107.7, KBUS, Visit Paris Texas, and Paris Texas Delivery.

PTX Con hosted a Yugioh Tournament and a Magic The Gathering "March Of The Machines" Tournament that was sponsored by two competing gaming companies, Griffon Gaming and Major B's Sports Cards and More, who joined together to support the events. After the tournaments were complete, tabletop gamers were invited to stick around for some DnD (Dungeons and Dragons).

“About forty percent of the people who come to the con are actually not from Lamar County, so we’re getting a lot of people into Paris. Most of them have been here before, but for some, it’s their first time,” said Paulyo Lay, the convention’s coordinator. Lay got his start in music back in the 2000's and after a while found his love for conventions leading to a natural transition into the pop culture scene. Bringing conventions like these to smaller communities is Lay's goal. When asked, Why Paris, Texas? Lay responded, "The community itself is so engaged" then Lay goes on to kindly praise each sponsor for their support.

Warrior's Legacy Martial Arts owner/ instructor, Ryan Crawford was one of the

Story By: Miranda Oglesby & Megan Pedersen

Photos By: Megan Pedersen

event's sponsors and had a booth set up as well. "Growing up I've always been a bit of an oddball, but I grew up in the nerd environment - you know - video games, anime, the whole bit...and this is a place for oddballs" says Crawford while sporting his Star Wars cosplay. Always looking for new members to join the Warrior's Legacy family, Crawford put on a free Lightsaber Combat Clinic event at 2pm for children ages 12+ using Thailand sword fighting as a base for the show.

"Once a month in class we turn off the lights and go through our sequences but with lightsabers, at the end of the day it's all about having fun", he pauses looking around the convention center, smiles and states, "which is what this is all about too."

Special guests and celebrities attending were: The Silver Ranger Justin Nimmo; Sunny Costello (Idiocracy); comedians Brandon Killough and Ashley Watson; Josey Scott the original lead singer of the band SALIVA; voice actors Tyson Rinehart and Brianna Roberts; popular cosplayer Mrs. Fae Mullens — and many others — made appearances at the convention.

Non-profit organizations popped in, as well. Chris Uzzle, President/Founder of Ghostbusters: North Texas along with Chester Johnson, Vice President/Co-Founder, a non-profit located out of Dallas, attended the event. "We are looking to hopefully collect money to donate to charities... and just help the community become a little bit of a brighter place", said Uzzle.

Johnson elaborated, "In the up-coming weeks we are going to be doing a charity event for the Alumni Association at SMU." Those interested in donating can contact them via email Ghostbusters_North_Texas@yahoo.com.

- UZZLE

Mrs. Fae Mullens, a 42 year old semiprofessional cosplayer attended and live streamed the event from her booth dressed as Nightwing from the DC Universe. The Oklahoma native started her cosplay journey at the age of 15. "I've always been a fan of putting on costumes and using thrift stores to make myself a character", says Mullens.

When she was given her first sewing machine from her father at the age of 16 she started making her own outfits. Reminiscing on her childhood, Mullens recalled the struggle of growing up with a love for pop culture. "When I was younger, no, it was not cool back then to be a nerd like this. I wore my nerd proud, but I was also picked on for being that nerd" says Mullens.

As she got older she moved to a small town where she connected with a group of like-minded friends, "we would be out in the woods, out in the in costume all the time. Now that I'm in the cosplay community I have found there are a lot more of us out there than I ever thought there could be", she says with a smile.

Mullens was invited to PTX Con as a replacement for another cosplayer who could not attend the event, she expressed that she was happy to be here. "I love the smaller events like this", Mullens says, "I'm able to talk to people who have never done this before, or this may be their first time showing up in a costume they bought from ebay or one from halloween and I love to encourage them to keep going and progressing."

Mullens is part of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization called, R.O.S. Real Okie Superheroes. According to the brochure she provided, the group is composed of volunteer cosplayers who visit children's hospitals and the elderly at senior residential facilities, "Bringing joy and light in the midst of dark times." More information on R.O.S. can be found at www.realokiesuperheroes.org.

cow pastures

Tyson Reinhart, is a Texas native and professional voice actor who mostly works with Crunchyroll. He has voiced in anime including Onepiece, Dragon Ball Super, My Hero Academia, The Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, and countless others. His impressive vocal talent even extends into the video game world voicing Cabrakan, Nerd Rage Cabrakan, and Dark Lord Su Wukong from SMITE.

When asked what got him into this career Reinhart said, "I was doing a production in Dallas of, A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William Shakespeare. I was acting with somebody who also acted with FUNimation. I ended up working with them from that point on and that's what I've been doing for the last 15 years."

Reinhart's main goal at conventions is to have as many interactions with the fans as possible, "There's been a lot of good experiences that I've had." He especially loves seeing the artwork that his fans make of the characters he's voiced. "There's a fellow who I think is up in Michigan, everytime I come up there he would have a new artwork of one of my characters using different colors of electrical tape creating a mural, which is awesome. I've got a couple of them that he's done. That's one of my favorites. It's so fun", says Reinhart. T Y

A Title Company You Can Count On

We were here for your grandparents, and we’ll be here for your grandchildren. Thankforyou making us YOUR HOMETOWN CHOICE!

MR. & MRS. MORGAN

Brandon Morgan, a Reno resident, attended the PTX Con to sell his unique video game action figure photography. After missing the first convention he was determined to not miss this one. "I've been meeting so many incredible people, really fun people to talk to," says Morgan, "you're finding stuff out about people that you live close to and you didn't know they were into this kinda stuff." His wife, an avid collector of Monster High Dolls, pushed Morgan to follow his dreams. Together as a family they look forward to seeing PTX Con grow with each passing year. Morgan says, "This makes me feel happy. I don't see a single person who's stressing out, mad or upset. Everyone's talking, complete strangers are bonding and geeking out over this stuff right now and that's perfect."

When asked what he'd like to see in the future, he expressed his interest in bringing in dioramas and allowing people to pose toy figures in them and take their own photos at the booth. He then talked about how he'd love to see more people come to Paris, Texas to visit, "This is such a good in-between spot and let's bring out some more local

North Lamar ISD art students showcased and sold art pieces during the Con. Phoebe Michael, was one of the students selling custom art pieces. "I started making clothes in January and worked really hard on them. I just tried to think of things that girls like me would like, different fandoms and things that I thought was cute", says Phoebe, who was selling custom painted clothing and original photography prints of different Paris, Texas locations.

Phoebe is in Second-Commercial Photography class and is the North Lamar Photo-Editor for Yearbook. When asked how she would like to see the convention scene grow, Phoebe responded, "Honestly, I would like to see more schools get involved and help the kids get tables set up like this."

The convention's team is based in Oklahoma and is looking to pass the torch on to a local coordinator. Those interested can email ptxcon@gmail.com.

“We expect this to keep growing, we’re hoping that someone local is going to be able to take charge of it moving forward,” Lay said. “The goal is that this stays a Paris thing.” u

PHOEBE M I C HAEL

Jasper Steill and Stacia Coulter, cosplaying as Moxxie and Millie from Helluva Boss.

Nakira Sanders cosplaying as Kei Tsukishima, a volleyball player from the anime series, Haikyu!! and Benny Ramon who let Nakira dress him up as they walked around the convention. This is the couple's second time visiting PTX Con. Ramon shared that he only recently found a love for anime since his girlfriend, Nakira introduced it to him. "I've loved anime since I was little", says Sanders. They both state that their favorite anime is Dragon Ball, but for different reasons. "Ever since I was little my dad had me watch the show and growing up I just built on watching them completely", Sanders said. "I'd say the fight scenes, I like the action", says Ramon. When asked if they had any advice for anyone wanting to get into cosplay, Sanders said, "Just do it, because at the end of the day if it's something you love, just go for it, you can't hold yourself back." "I'd say it's a great way to express yourself," says Ramon, "not only that, you get to be really who you wanna be. There's many possibilities out there."

cosplaying Shego from Kim Possible

"I've been cosplaying for about two years now," she said. "For somebody who has lived here all her life, I'm definitely excited to see more of the anime, nerd culture come into Paris, Texas and have conventions like this."

Kayla Phillips

Boy Scout Troop 6011

Ken Kirby, Scout Master, and his troop attended the PTX Con to promote their troop and gain some new recruits. Always aiming to teach the youth of Paris good leadership skills, Kirby shared that he was proud of his troop for participating in the "Keep Paris Beautiful" event. The boys all worked together to pick up trash between Downtown Square and past the Paris Public Library/Farmer's Market area. The Troop then recited their Scout Oath.

APRIL SHOWERS BRING purpleconeflower

When May rolls around spring is in full force and it is a good time to get your landscape going for a summer in bloom.

There are lots of plants that grow well in this part of the state and many of them are natives.

Laura Graves, the Lamar County Texas A&M AgriLife extension agent, said there are several reasons to go native when selecting plants for one’s yard, flower beds and gardens.

“They are earth-kind; they are friendly to the earth here because they are native,” she said. “They require less water, less maintenance. Some are more disease resistant since they are native to the area.”

Other plants are attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies, said master gardener Linda Payne

For gardeners and other folks who want to help keep the population of the majestic monarch butterflies growing, they can plant swamp milkweed, she said.

“Zinnias, lantanas and purple coneflowers attract all kinds of butterflies,” she said. “Salvias are easy to grow and hardy. Then there are the perennials such as phlox. Sunflowers come in all sizes and are natives.”

According to pondinformer.com, the purple coneflower is a perennial that is tolerant of a wide range of growth conditions. Though it tends to initially occupy areas that are regularly moistened, established stands can quickly self-propagate and spread to drier and more exposed habitats. Thus, this drought-tolerant species has shown a preference for the transitional zones between forests and barren areas.

“The purple coneflower is often used as an ornamental flowering plant in temperate regions. Able to thrive in full sun or partial shade, it is versatile and hardy enough to be cultivated along curbs, outdoor decks, or in totally exposed parts of the garden,” the website said.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife website, true Texas sunflower species such as Maximillian which is the genus Helianthus are adapted to the rainfall, climatic extremes and varieties of soils found in the CrossTimbers and Prairies Region, making establishment and maintenance of it a natural choice for many landowners. It can be grown and managed on small or large tracts of land. Native annual sunflowers are commonly found along roadside ditches and field borders in cultivated fields and on other disturbed soil sites primarily in the western 2/3 of Texas and from Canada to Mexico.

The Texas paintbrush, which is a wildflower often seen mixed with Texas bluebonnets in fields, is an interesting one that can be planted to beautify yards.

It has small flowers that are surrounded by long, modified leaves tipped with vibrant red or orange blossoms. This drought-tolerant plant is beautiful but can be unpredictable, blooming perfectly one year and poorly the next for no apparent reason. pondinformer. com said.

It likes full sun along with dry and well-drained clay, sandy or loam soils. It can grow to heights between six and 24 inches. If you want to see the plants bloom again in the next year, be sure to let them reseed.

Story By: David Money

Photos: Licensed and Pexels

texas paintbrush BLUE BONNETS B A

Texas Red Yucca is both a state classic and hardy little plant.

“ These little firecrackers will make a bold statement in your Texas garden, for their bright red color and multitude of blooms makes them impossible to ignore,” writes gardengooddirect.com. “Texas Red Yucca is a succulent perennial native to the southern regions of Texas. Hardy does not begin to describe the resilience and strength of these popular yard plants for they can handle sub zero winter temperatures. Additional reasons to love these showy landscape plants include their long bloom time, low maintenance care needs, drought tolerance, and their attractiveness to local pollinators.

Gardengooddirect also recommends Achillea as an addition to landscapes.

“As a perfect option for Texas pollinator gardens, the Achillea is a Texas native perennial that attracts butterflies like no other,” the website said.

“Delightful tiny clusters of blooms will fill your Texas yard through the summer season with these Common Yarrow plants. With an ability to handle high temperatures and intense humidity levels, the Texas summer climate has nothing on these hardy sun-loving perennials. These stunning Texas perennials make a grand addition to back borders, or in rock and container gardens.

trumpet creepers can become weedy!

Don’t forget about vines when it comes to adding beauty to the yard.

The Trumpet creeper is a fast-growing, which can be aggressive, vine and is perfect for climbing up trees, walls, fences or other landscape features. It produces showy, trumpet-shaped, bright red flowers that attract hummingbirds, but beware: Trumpet creeper can overtake other plants and become weedy, earning it the colorful nicknames hellvine and devil’s shoestring, according to lawnstarter. com.

It needs full sun and grows best in moist soil. Since it can be an aggressive spreader, be sure to prune the plant regularly. Lawnstarter recommends cutting back the branches in late winter or early spring when it

Photo by: Swapnil Chakraborty

Photo by: Aleksandr Gorlov

is established because that will encourage a bushier growth and more blooms. They can climb up as high as 40 feet depending on what it is attached to.

Shrubs can also add to the lawn’s good looks, too

Beautyberry is a shrub with long, arching branches and bright green foliage. The plant’s main appeal, of course, is its striking clusters of bright purple berries that add an interesting pop of color to your landscape and feed local birds, the Lawnstarter website said.

It does best in full sun with times of partial shade. The deciduous shrub grows from three to eight feet high.

Texas lantana is a spreading shrub that blooms from late spring through early fall with clusters of vibrant, tubular flowers that attract butterflies and birds. Texas lantana makes a beautiful addition to any landscape, but don’t plant it near high-traffic areas: Its branches have spines, and its leaves are poisonous, according to Lawnstarter’s website.

It grows to heights between two and six feet, and should be cut back regularly to spur new growth.

Texas Sage is a woody tree-like shrub with silver to grayish-green leaves. It blooms all the way from summer into fall. The flowers are a shade of lavender and usually start to bloom after it rains or when it’s humid. This plant is known for being maintenance-

free, drought-resistant, and heat-tolerant. It needs full sun and well-drained alkaline soil. Texas Sage is also cold-hardy down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, according

Photo by: Engin Akyurt

Home

What’s a pre-purchase inspection?

Investing in a pre-purchase inspection is an essential step when buying a property. Here’s what it involves.

WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST IN AN INSPECTION

A pre-purchase inspection aims to identify any problems with the property you’re looking to buy. This information can help you negotiate a better sale price or even consider withdrawing your offer to purchase. In short, it tells you the exact condition and value of the home you’re bidding on.

WHAT DOES AN INSPECTOR DO?

The inspector will examine the home’s condition, both inside and out. This includes the electricity, plumbing, foundation, heating system, siding, roofing and ventilation. It’s important to note that a pre-purchase inspection cannot detect hidden defects but may point to signs of them.

Once complete, the inspector will send you a written report with their observations. The report will detail the condition of the inspected areas and indicate those that weren’t checked and why. The report may also recommend work, like replacing the home’s windows or roof.

To ensure you’re getting the facts and making the best decision, hire an experienced, trustworthy inspector.

3 elements to consider when buying a waterfront property

What does it mean to have good credit for buying a house?

If you’re planning on buying a home, you’ll likely need to obtain a mortgage. Do you think having a good credit score is all you need? Think again!

THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD CREDIT SCORE

Your credit score serves as a risk indicator for lenders. If your score is below 650, this could limit your pool of potential lenders. Conversely, if your score exceeds 720, financial institutions will be more likely to trust you and give you a better rate.

CREDIT REPORT

In addition to your credit score, your credit report includes essential information about your credit history, including data about various types of credit, such as lines of credit and revolving credit.

GETTING A LOAN

Every financial institution has a process for assessing your creditworthiness. They usually check your credit rating, income, down payment, mortgage stress-test score and other elements.

Contact a financial advisor or mortgage broker to find out about your financial and credit situation.

Summer is synonymous with relaxation and fun in the sun. The easygoing nature of summer can make it easy to overlook safety concerns that run the gamut from heat-related illnesses to bug bites to water play injuries. Though no one wants to rain on their own summer parade, keeping these safety tips in mind can ensure the coming months are as safe as they are fun.

• Safeguard against the threat of heat-related illnesses. Sizzling summer days pose a significant threat if the proper measures aren’t take to avoid heat-related illnesses. According to the National Safety Council, heat exhaustion, which occurs when the body loses excessive water and salt, and heat stroke, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes is marked by the body’s inability to control its temperature, can escalate rapidly. The NSC identifies individuals who work outdoors, infants and young children, people who are 65 and older, people who are ill, and people who are overweight as those most at risk of heat-related illnesses. Such illnesses are entirely preventable, and the CDC recommends remaining indoors in air conditioned rooms, drinking plenty of fluids but avoiding alcohol, wearing loose and lightweight clothing as well as a hat, and replacing salt lost from sweating by drinking fruit juice or sports drinks.

• Apply sunscreen. Long days in the summer sun may be a great way to relax, but it’s imperative that individuals apply sunscreen before going outside and then reapply it throughout the day as necessary. Sunburn is not only unpleasant, it also increases a person’s risk for skin cancer and affects the body’s ability to cool itself, which can increase the risk for

Summer safety tips

heat stroke.

• Protect against mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are more than a mere nuisance. Mosquitoes can carry an assortment of viruses, including Zika virus and West Nile virus. And though such viruses are often thought of as a problem for people in faraway lands, the NSC notes that the Aedes mosquito, which is a known transmitter of the Zika virus, has appeared in various regions of the globe, including the continental United States and popular vacation destinations like Mexico and Central and South America. The NSC recommends that everyone, and especially individuals who work outdoors, apply mosquito repellant before going outside and to continue to do so as necessary throughout the day. In addition, clothing treated with the insecticide permethrin may help to repel mosquitoes.

• Exercise caution around water. The CDC reports that drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children between the ages of one and four. Though children might be most vulnerable to water-related accidents and death, adults also must exercise caution when around the water. The NSC recommends individuals avoid the water, be it in a lake, river, ocean, or pool, unless they know how to swim. Individuals also should never swim alone and only swim in areas supervised by a lifeguard. When swimming at a private residence, children should never be allowed to swim unless an adult is supervising. Adults also should avoid alcohol when swimming.

Summer is a season to relax, but it’s also a season when safety should be a top priority for people of all ages. u

By: Ayesha Shafiq

Director of Paris Cardiology Center

How do you avoid bloating and swelling in summer?

Bloating is caused by water retention due to sodium and potassium imbalance, hormonal activity, indigestion, overeating, kidney function, gut inflammation or other heredity factors.

However, bloating can be much worse in summer compared to other seasons in a year. In summer bloating worsens because the heat can cause the blood vessels and cap-

Avoid Pro-Inflammatory foods:

Avoid pro-inflammatory foods like dairy, (unsweetened yogurt is an exception) grains, sugar, sweeteners, alcohol, processed meats and packaged foods.

Summer is an excellent time to detox your body from all unnecessary toxins and impurities. You can consume plenty of detox summer drinks made with warming herbs like ginger, pomegranate seeds and cardamom that can reduce gas, bloating and improve inflammation.

Super Foods that prevent bloating:

In order to reduce inflammation in summer, focus on a diet rich in cleansing, detoxifying and alkalizing vegetables and fruit such as: parsley, cilantro, arugula, cucumber, melon, blueberries, avocados, peas squash and sweet potatoes. Try sprouting legumes like mung bean and garbanzo beans. Choose healthy fats like olives, avocadoes, coconut, and flax and chia seeds.

illaries to expand and dilate allowing more fluid to fill in the interstitial spaces between organs and tissues.

Moreover, chronic inflammation in the digestive tract also worsens in summer because of poor circulation that yields to collection of toxins and metabolic waste to collect in the body. Therefore the end result is more puffiness and bloating in summer!

Drink filtered water:

Salt attracts more water from cells in summer in an effort to maintain the sodium imbalance critical to cellular function thus leading to excess fluid in the body. Therefore, drink lots of filtered water to flush out the excess salt in your body and limit your salt intake to only unprocessed salt like Celtic or Himalayan. Also increase potassium intake, which will help, balance fluid retention and improve circulation

Hence, with the right anti-inflammatory solutions and special focus on super foods and herbs you can beat the summers bloat and enjoy your summer with energy and vitality. Give it a try! u

By: Megan Pedersen Find me on Youtube: Megorium

POCKET CARD JOCKEY

Price: $6.99

Pocket Card Jockey is my newest obsession. Back in March I went on a buying spree before the 3DS eShop closed down. Many people told me to just hack my DS and bootleg the games, but I refused. As a collector I'm a bit old-fashioned and want to purchase my games naturally. My final eShop haul included this hidden gem and I seriously can't stop playing it.

Pocket Card Jockey was developed by Game Freak and includes little easter eggs from their popular 'Pokemon' series which I found really exciting. It's mostly horse names like, Pika Pika Mouse, but the "Gotta get 'em all!" in the museum was a nice touch.

Gameplay

Pocket Card Jockey is a wild amalgamation of horse racing and the solitaire games. There are 2 Different modes to play in. Growth Mode is for horses that are 2-3 yrs old and Mature Mode are races for your horses that are 4+ yrs old. If a mature horse loses 3 times it will be forced to retire to the farm. At the farm you can breed your male and female horses together to produce an offspring. The more races a pair of parent horses wins, the stronger their baby will be.

The races vary from short distance (2-4 rounds of solitaire) to long distance (4-6 rounds of solitaire). Each horse is unique with their own characteristics. There are 16 different characteristics and the descriptions can be found in the “Tips” menu. Characteristics are traits a horse is born with and skills are learned by gaining skill cards. Both will be triggered during races to

help you do well.

Release date: July 31, 2013 (JAPAN)

When the race starts you play a very quick game of solitaire with the goal of finding a S-T-A-R-T-! card with five blue dots. The more dots on the card you select will result in a better start to your race. All the horses will then launch out of the gate and once the horses are in position the first real round of solitaire will begin.

Your goal is to clear all the cards presented to you by selecting a card that is one point lower or higher than the card drawn from your deck. Selecting multiple cards back-to-back (exp: 2-A-KQ-K-Q-J) will result in a combo and will add extra points to your Giddyap button and also improve the mood of your horse. Making mistakes during the solitaire round or having cards left on the field will make a horse angry resulting in shorter your time limits while playing solitaire. The Giddyap button caps out at 100 Unity points. Rub your stylus on the Giddyap button to convert your Unity points into charge energy. I like to keep mine around 50. After all the rounds are played the any leftover Unity points will be converted and then tallied into an Enthusiasm score during the homestretch.

May 5, 2016 (N.A., EUR., & AUS.)

Platform: iOS, Nintendo 3DS

Developers: Game Freak

Publisher: Nintendo

The more points you have, the higher your horse’s Enthusiasm will be, aiding in a victorious race. However, there are so many more factors that make a win happen.

The game is incredibly strategic you must be vigilant to stay in the comfort zone and play into your horse’s strengths in order to obtain the most points while running. Collect experience and skill cards to level up your horse. These cards are most abundant during growth mode so take advantage of that. All unused collected cards will be converted into experience points at the end of every race. Sometimes it’s ok to lose a race just for all that exp. Heart cards are your horse’s stamina. The more heart cards you have during the homestretch, the better! Tapping "GO" during this leg of the race will use up one heart card and give your horse a

of energy to run faster and push past the competition.

You best to believe, I had my one braincell working in overdrive to figure this game out. After a week of determination, it all finally started making sense. This is one of those weird games that rides fence of complication and simplicity. What really helped me the most was reading the "Tips" section on the menu screen. I was able to mentally digest the information/rules in that screen at my own pace. Man, when I finally won my first G1 race I was absolutely over the moon! Your aim is to collect all of the trophies in the G1 races. You can view your trophies in the museum.

Pace

Affects how tired your horse gets during the homestretch.

Stamina

Save as many of these as you can for the Homestretch.

Tableau Piles

Tap the cards with your stylus to line up into your Foundation Row.

Foundation Row

Cards line up 1 point lower or higher. (exp: 2-A-K-Q, or 6-7-6-5).

Time Limit

Map

Number in the middle show the amount of Solitaire games left before the Homestretch.

Energy Score

Converts to Enthusiasm Before the Homestretch

Giddyap Button

Unity Points

Max Limit is 100. Rub the Giddyap Button with stylus to convert points to Energy and free up space.

Stock Pile

Tap to draw a new card into the Foundation Row

So you might be saying, "okay Meg, the eShop is closed so what's the point?" Well gamers, the Pocket Card Jockey game was ported to the iOS Apple store back in January of this year. So! If you didn't get a chance to purchase it for your DS you can play it on mobile. The mobile game is called, Pocket Card Jokey: Ride On. It’s supposed to have more customization stuff which is pretty cool! Ya-Girl over here rocks an Android so I'll have to enjoy the DS version for now, though I am keeping my fingers crossed for a Switch port in the future. This game is so addicting and a great way to kill time. I encourage everyone to give it a chance.

Happy Gaming!

Special Horses

Horses get unlocked in a specific order by owner. The first being, Mr. Blingman, who offers you two regular horses to ride. Use them until they retire, this triggers Mr. Blingman to offer you, Fire Boy. Winning a G1 race with, Fire Boy, triggers the next owner, Priscilla, to have you race with, Catnip Dasher. You must win a G1 race with this horse to continue the chain of unlockable horses. If you break the cycle, do not fret, eventually the horse will respawn again in Growth Mode. If you want to speed this process up simply select new horses and restart Growth Mode to delete that horse, over and over until the special shows up again. There are 10 Special horses to unlock.

Your time is up when the black horse reaches the clock on the left.

By: Shannon McGuire

Photo by Amauri Mejía on Unsplash

Pastoring for 11 years and currently serves as Senior Pastor at Paris New Generation Church

My daughter recently had a few bottles of dye in my car, she planned on dying some t-shirts but unfortunately my leather seats ended up getting a little color upgrade…lol. I was very upset to say the least, so I began to research dyes to see if there was any remedy to erase this unwanted dye job. I found that dyes actually come from certain kinds of roots that can be dug up, dried, ground and mixed with certain oils to make dyes to color clothes. I am a witness that dye misused can make a terrible stain. Like many of my writings, this is inspired by something pretty practical or unfortunate that happened in my life……so here we go!!

Bitterness, like a misused dye, it colors how we look at life and it stains every relationship. The writer in the book of Hebrews encourages us to pursue peace in every relationship and to be careful so that a “root of bitterness” won’t cause problems.

Hebrews 12:14-15 “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by the many become defiled.”

People who are bitter feel they have every right to their feelings and perspectives because they feel

they have been wronged in some way. They feel like victims because they are victims. God doesn’t promise protection from every hurt we experience, but He doesn’t want our anger and hurt to fester into bitterness and ruin every aspect of our lives. The author of Hebrews accurately observed that when someone is bitter, “many become defiled,” not just the bitter person, but everyone else near that person. The stains of the dye permeate every thread in the fabric.

Bitter people look for fights. They may say they don’t like them, but they actually thrive on the adrenaline produced by intense disagreements. Instead, God actually wants us to stop this process before it starts. We should pursue peace with all people. When they hurt us, we are to forgive them quickly. We need to watch out, so the patterns of recrimination don’t steal our joy, sap our energy, and ruin our ability to represent Christ.

Bitterness is serious business. It’s a cancer that can’t be tolerated or it will kill us. And it’s contagious. So, as I look at my lightly dyed seat in my car, I have to remember these words. I won’t allow the stain to make me bitter…. I must get better!! u

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

INGREDIENTS

4 large green tomatoes

1 cup all-purpose our

1⁄2 cup cornmeal

1⁄2 cup bread crumbs

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 quart vegetable oil for frying

DIRECTIONS

Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.

Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop our onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs and salt and pepper on another plate. Dip tomatoes into our to coat. en dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat. In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, ip and fry them on the other side. Drain them on paper

Serve hot and enjoy! towels.

Recipe by Chef Michael Perry Paris Golf & Country Club

COMING SOON

TO A SCREEN NEAR YOU

Book Club: The Next Chapter

In Theaters: May 12

A sequel to 2018’s Book Club, The Next Chapter stars Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen, and follows their characters as they travel to Italy.

The Little Mermaid

In Theaters: May 26

The highly anticipated live action reboot of Disney’s under the sea classic comes to theaters this month.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

In Theaters: June 2

Spider-Man is sent through the Multiverse — after reuniting with Gwen Stacy — encountering a group of Spider-People.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

In Theaters: June 9

The Autobots make their return to the big screen and will incorporate themes from the 1996 release of Beast Wars: Transformers.

Story By: Miranda Oglesby

DEJA VIEW

By: Genevieve Cooney

“We need to close the books on Flight 127 and find out if we had a mole in our station,” Chief Vick Wallinger (Lawrence Fishburne) of the Vienna CIA tells agent Henry Pelham (Chris Pine). This is eight years after terrorists took a jet full of hostages, 120 men, women and children, and demanded the release of others. While they were trying, at the time, to advise Austria and Germany on how to proceed, they were also planning a possible attack on the underbelly of the parked plane.

But they had an agent on board, a passenger, who began sending texts. Henry and his fellow field agent and lover Celia Harrison-Favreau (Thandiwe Newton), hit the streets of Vienna to talk to every single contact who might know more about the terrorists. They are met with total silence. No one is willing to give out information. Back at the office, they see on TV their operative shot in the head and dumped onto the tarmac.

Once again, Henry and Celia head out looking for leads. Empty- handed, they return to the Bureau in time to discover everyone on the plane has been killed by Sarin gas, including the terrorists. Apparently, news of the CIA’s impending attack was leaked from a mole in their own office.

Celia does some checking on office phones and leaves for home, scared and distraught. Henry

ALL THE OLD KNIVES

A spy thriller with a twist

Paris resident and has been writing Deja View for more than 30 years

CHRIS

arrives shortly thereafter. They are deeply in love and their attraction is palpable, but it seems no amount of loving can console a devastated Celia. After Henry leaves, Celia hurriedly packs and runs away leaving Henry to think she is coming behind him.

Eight years later, Henry finds himself back in Vienna on a mission to find the mole. “We can’t afford the embarrassment of a prosecution,” Vick tells him, inferring Henry is to terminate the culprit. Henry goes from Vienna to London to see Celia’s old boss, Bill Compton (Jonathan Pryce). Compton is livid and insulted that Henry would try to point the finger at him. Then Henry heads to Carmel California. Celia is there, now married with children.

They meet at an elegant oceanside restaurant that is mostly vacant. Things are very awkward at first, but they finally hug and have a few glasses of wine and seem to settle back into their old intimacy. When Henry finally tells her why he is there, she is immediately on guard. “So this is an interview not just dinner.”

Throughout the meal they discuss the case, with flashbacks to Vienna. It is more than evident that they are still very much in love. As the evening comes to a close, there is a plot twist that will leave you gobsmacked. This is a beautiful, very intimate love story with a heartbreaking ending.

The title refers to a quote from Phaedrus, “All the old knives that have rusted my back, I drive in yours.” The film is directed by Janus Metz and streaming on Amazon.

PEOPLES BANK

proudly stands beside owners of Legend Secured Storage Jeff and Krystal Roach

When our long-time bank friends for over 20 years came to Peoples Bank for assistance in financing new construction, we couldn’t wait to help. Jeff and Krystal Roach are providing Lamar county with a state-of-the-art storage facility, including climate controlled storage. They will have units available in a wide variety of sizes from 10x10 to 10x26. Declutter your home or business and relocate it somewhere safe and secure. Make sure you give them a call at 3979 US Hwy 82 East, Paris, TX 75462

Like Legend Secured Storage, Peoples Bank is committed to serving the great people and businesses in our hometown. If you want a bank that offers the latest in technology, while providing the best customer service, then Peoples Bank is the bank for you. Visit with our knowledgeable team today. You’ll see that “People Helping People” is more than just our motto; it’s the way we do business!

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