V14n34 - Amazing Teens 2016 by Jackson Free Press Magazine

Birdsong & Bluegrass May 7 at the Science Museum Food Music Birds

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April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

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MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE

Imani Khayyam

JACKSONIAN Rhis Harris

his Harris sits beneath paintings of deer with broad antlers and one quality that gallery-goers definitely wouldn’t associate with the quadrupeds before viewing the pieces—a haze of blues, purples and pinks pouring from the animals’ mouths or surrounding their bodies, which Harris says represents the universe and spirituality. The motif is a common feature in Harris’ artwork, which they—meaning Harris, who prefers non-binary gender terms—say is a way to explore significance. “When people think of deer, they think, ‘They’re just game. They’re just animals that need to be controlled as a population,’” Harris says. “They don’t really look at them as more than food or trophies. A lot of my portfolio is kind of exploring the idea (of) if deer were more than just animals on a planet, if they were something more ingrained in the fabric of the universe, if they were more important than just an herbivore.” Harris, 17, plans to further pursue art after graduating from Murrah High School in May, having also studied at the Power Academic Performing Arts Complex since seventh grade. While Power APAC doesn’t offer classes specifically in relation to their passions—character design and sequential art—Harris says the school offered a solid artistic foundation. While Harris mostly focused on schoolwork and art, they have also been an active volunteer for organizations such as the Mississippi Children’s Museum and the Mississippi Mu-

contents

seum of Natural Science. Harris clocked in more than 200 hours at the Jackson Zoo, where they earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2012. For the past year and a half, Harris has also worked with the local Gay-Straight Alliance. “I’m sort of known for both my queerness and my art, so those are just the main two sparkling things,” Harris says. “I participated in the rally (against HB 1523) at the Governor’s Mansion a couple weeks ago, and I’ve been trying to get more involved in the GSA and how we can spread the acknowledgement of (needing) a safe space for people who don’t have a safe space.” As high school draws to a close, Harris has begun applying for art schools across the U.S., such as the Art Institute of Chicago, and has already received interest from the Pratt Institute in New York City and the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. Although the path isn’t set yet, Harris hopes to one day help others discover and communicate their true selves. “I want to go into some sort of field where I encourage expression in other people,” Harris says. “Like, I’m really interested in character design because you can express multiple things and different aspects through just a single design of a character and all the workings behind that character in a story. I want to be able to show people that you don’t benefit from not being yourself. You can fit into a box your whole life, but where’s the fun in being ‘normal’?” —Micah Smith

cover photo of amazing teen Karley Nichols by Imani Khayyam

8 JPS Parent of the Year Present for Duty

JPS parent represents what it means to be an involved father.

30 Expanding Horizons With Food

“Ultimately, I would like to see kids who don’t get to travel much get a chance to acquire a broader perspective on cultures in and around Jackson and find healthy alternative foods. I want to stimulate their curiosity about the greater world around them. I love how enthusiastic the kids are to try new things without reservation most of all about what I do here.” —Matthew Freeman, “Expanding Palates, Expanding Horizons”

35 Coke Bumaye: Back for More Jackson hip-hop artist Coke Bumaye performs for the release of his latest album, “If You Love Me Let Me Know: Special Edition,” It drops Saturday, April 30.

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

4 ............................. Editor’s Note 6 ............................................ Talks 14 ................................. editorial 15 ..................................... opinion 17 ............................................. You 24 ............................. Cover Story 30 .......................................... food 32 ........................................ 8 Days 34 ....................................... Events 34 ...................................... sports 35 ........................................ music 35 ........................ music listings 356 . ................................ Puzzles 37 ........................................ astro 37 .............................. Classifieds

courtesy Coke Bumaye; Imani Khayyam; Imani Khayyam

April 27 - May 3, 2016 | Vol. 14 No. 34

editor’s note

by Maya Miller, Deputy News Editor

Always Strive for #BlackExcellence

s much as I’d love to talk about first lady Michelle Obama’s perfectly curled hair and her beaming smile, her Jackson State commencement address was probably one of the most goosebump-inducing speeches I’ve heard. Obama, whom our education reporting fellow Sierra Mannie and I refer to warmly as Mickie O, spoke about the strained history of Mississippi, from the first football game with black players from Grambling State University and Jackson State University that took place at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium to her husband being elected the 44th and first black president of the United States. She demanded the graduating class of nearly 800 to stand up for equality and fight for each other, to use the power of their privilege to create a better future. The one theme that she continued to play upon was the idea of excellence. In my family, and plenty other black families, the Obamas are the pinnacle of black excellence—an African American president, his gorgeous, educated wife and their two beautiful teenage daughters living in the White House, running the country and maintaining the ideal of the American Dream. This is the reality I live in, but for my great-grandmother who lived through the era when she had to walk on the opposite side of the streets and use a separate restroom—just half a century ago—this remained a dream. For my grandfather, who selflessly fought in a war alongside men he wasn’t allowed to sit next to in public back home, seeing a black man hold the highest position of power in this country feels like all the marching was worth it. When I think back on my short 22 years on this green Earth, I think of skinned knees, mosquito bites, and late nights studying and poring over textbooks in the hopes that I’d make my family proud. I think of

my great-grandmother scraping together $7 for me to go on field trips to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science or to buy a copy of “Harry Potter” at the Scholastic book fair, or my mother dragging me to 6 a.m Quiz Bowl practices and buying AP exam practice booklets. As someone who took five years to earn her bachelor’s degree in psychology, I know what it feels like to want to give up completely and somehow manage to pull it all together just in time to achieve greatness because of the investments poured into me. When President Barack Obama was elected, I was a sophomore at Pearl High School, barely passing half my honors courses and sleeping through the other half. I’d always been tasked with high expectations from my mother and my teachers, and while I did graduate, I don’t think I understood what was asked of me. My mother wanted me to be excellent because “we are not average people.” My grandfather wanted me to be the next Condoleezza Rice or Oprah Winfrey. My greatgrandmother wanted me to graduate; she’d dropped out of high school when she was in the ninth grade. I just wanted to be done. I fought against these high expectations for years, so much that it bled into my college years and resulted in me having to stay behind after all my friends graduated to earn a degree I wasn’t even sure I wanted anymore. I nearly buckled under the pressure and then scrapped to build myself into someone worthy of knowing. On Saturday, when the first lady stood in front of the podium and said “excellence is the most powerful answer you can give to the doubters and the haters,” that’s when I

realized that all of this—the pain and the struggle, late nights binging on Red Bull and jalapeño Cheetos, tears shed in adviser’s offices and sitting in the scorching May sun in a black gown—culminated into this moment. I sat in the press pen at last weekend’s commencement surrounded by journalists, reporters and cameramen and realized that I was one of them. I stared out into the crowd of nearly 35,000 people who showed up to support the graduates and listen to the first lady speak and realized this is what excellence feels like to me. Black excellence is striving against the odds, whether it’s racism or sexism (or for me, a double whammy), and pushing yourself toward greatness. Black excellence is a graduating class of nearly 800 taking responsibility for their own futures and preparing themselves to be the next generation of doctors, lawyers, educators, engineers or journalists. Black excellence is activists such as Malcolm X, Medgar Evers and Ida B. Wells fighting for civil rights and becoming known as pioneers of equality, paving the way for fumbling black youth like me to want something better for ourselves. Black excellence is Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter dropping a visual album on HBO to millions of viewers on a Saturday night, but I’ll sip that lemonade later. It’s through these figures, these selfless paternal figures, who may be problematic and flawed but respectable nonetheless, and these bad-ass, unapologetically fierce women who demanded all they wanted from the world that I am able to see that I, myself, am black excellence. It’s through these women and men who sacrificed their lives so that I

Close your eyes, take a breath and dive feet first. It’s yours.

would be able to vote and attend a university, who cried and marched and bled for me to be treated like a human being, that I am able to find strength in myself to demand better. I demand excellence and greatness from my friends, so it’s only right that I expect it from myself. Each year, we like to highlight wonderful teenagers who are working diligently to make this city we love a better place. This year, we have artists, athletes, engineers, activists and others who make up the 2016 class of Amazing Teens, and as an adult fresh out of the nest, I commend them all and hope they will be shining examples for the next generation of youth to come after them. I urge the teens, the 20-somethings and those not far removed from young adulthood to push to the limit to reach greatness. During a recent conversation with a friend, she told me that nothing is permanent, that everything is temporary. This idea of constantly transforming and shaping yourself into whatever you want to be can be hard to grasp, especially to some who aren’t afforded the time or opportunity, but when these opportunities present themselves, close your eyes, take a breath and dive feet first. It’s yours. “Be excellent at everything that you do,” Michelle Obama said. “Be an excellent boss, be an excellent employee, an excellent parent, congregant, neighbor, be excellent, and graduates, when you encounter small slights or small people, I hope and I pray that you stand tall and respond with dignity and grace, because no one, no one ever succeeds in this world by playing small.” Demand greatness and strive for excellence in all that you do. Always. Deputy News Editor Maya Miller is a Jackson State University graduate. She writes about crime, music, art and her ever-growing obsession with Beyoncé. Send her news tips to maya@jacksonfreepress.com.

March 30 - April 5, 2016 • jfp.ms

contributors

Adria Walker

Fallon Brewster

Bryan Flynn

Shameka Hayes

Arielle Dreher

Sierra Mannie

Dustin Cardon

Danie Matthews

Editorial Assistant Adria Walker likes existentialism and astrophysics. She likes debating about “Star Wars,” reading Camus, Kafka and Kundera, and learning about people’s belief systems. She coordinated the Amazing Teens package.

Freelance writer Fallon Brewster owns Pen Perceptions LLC and the Call Me Mrs. Blog, and is both creatively and musically inclined. Visit penperceptions.com. She wrote Amazing Teens blurbs.

Sports writer Bryan Flynn is a husband and stay-at-home father to a little girl. He constantly wonders, “If it didn’t happen on ESPN or Disney Jr., did it really happen?” He wrote Amazing Teens blurbs.

Freelance writer Shameka Hayes is a mom of four who enjoys music, books and food from other cultures. The Simpson County native dreams of writing a novel worthy of the New York Times bestseller list. She wrote Amazing Teens blurbs.

State Reporter Arielle Dreher is working on finding some new hobbies and adopting an otter from the Jackson Zoo. Email her story ideas at arielle@jackson freepress.com. She wrote about Uber regulations and the state Legislature.

Education Reporting Fellow Sierra Mannie is a University of Mississippi student whose opinions of the Ancient Greeks can’t be trusted nearly as much as her opinions of Beyoncé. She wrote about parental involvement in schools.

Web Editor Dustin Cardon is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. He enjoys reading fantasy novels and wants to write them himself one day. He wrote about the Provine Culinary Society.

Freelance writer Danie Matthews is a Mississippi College graduate. She’s a fan of conscious hip-hop, neo-soul and classic R&B, and hopes to one day become a full-time music writer. She wrote about hiphop artist Coke Bumaye.

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April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

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“It’s now in the hands of attorneys, so we just have to find the best attorney.” —Rep. Kathy Sykes, D-Jackson, on the Jackson Municipal Airport legal battle

Friday, April 22 The Jackson Public Works Department sends out half a million dollars’ worth of water bills, the first time it has used the automated billing systems included in the Siemens contract. … Mississippi senators confirm Rep. Herb Frierson as revenue commissioner and Glenn McCullough as head of the Mississippi Development Authority. Saturday, April 23 Michelle Obama speaks to about 800 graduates during commencement at historically black Jackson State University. … President Obama tours Shakespeare’s Globe Theater in London on the 400th anniversary of the famous playwright’s death.

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

Sunday, April 24 North Korea Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong announces that his country is ready to halt its nuclear tests if the United States suspends its annual military exercises with South Korea.

Monday, April 25 More than 30 Methodist ministers publish an open letter saying that HB 1523 violates their religious principles because it goes against Christian teachings to love and respect all people. … Police arrest 54 protesters who came to voice opposition to North Carolina’s anti-LGBT bill as legislators return to start their session. Tuesday, April 26 Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko leads a ceremony in Chernobyl marking the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion. Get breaking news at jfpdaily.com. Send news tips to Maya Miller at news@ jacksonfreepress.com.

by Tim Summers Jr.

or those wondering what is next in the saga of the takeover of the Jackson Medgar Wiley Evers Municipal Airport, look no further than Charlotte, N.C., and its ongoing discussions with the Federal Aviation Administration. “What the FAA does is they license airport operators,” Jackson City Council President Melvin Priester Jr. said April 21. “What went on in Charlotte, and what will happen here, is the fight over who has the right to the license.” The Mississippi Airports Association raised FAA concerns in its Feb. 18, 2016, letter warning the bill’s author, Sen. Josh Harkins, R-Flowood, against the legislation. “As highlighted by the (Charlotte) dispute, the FAA will not consider issuance of an operating permit to a new entity without an accompanying request from the current operator,” MAA President Cliff Nash wrote. “Should a court uphold the legislative dissolution of JMAA without a transfer of the operating certificate for JAN (Jackson airport), no one can say for certain what would happen to the operating permit: It could revert to the City of Jackson until any dispute is resolved, or, worst case, it could be revoked.” That outcome would hurt the entire state, Nash added. The FAA has several requirements to ensure that the new “airport operator” is suited to the task, a document provided by the FAA’s media representative for the southern states, Kathleen Bergen, indicated.

The most crucial of these guidelines states that “the FAA must also ensure that the new operator has the authority to act as a Sponsor,” which includes a “Good Title.” “Does the owner have a deed to the property or can owner obtain a deed to show

land that the airport is on, the result of a deal struck before the airport was built. Although amendments to SB 2162 do give the authority to sell the land to the Legislature, it never states that ownership of any of the airport land will transfer from the City. Imani Khayyam

Thursday, April 21 Pop superstar Prince is found dead at his home in suburban Minneapolis. He was 57.

Lawsuits, FAA, Ethical Limbo: Jackson Airport Enters Next Phase

JMAA Commissioner Evelyn Reed promised litigation and FAA intervention over the state airport “takeover” during an April 21 NAACP public meeting.

ownership of the property?” the guidelines ask. This question, presumably, will be key to the legal battle to come. ‘We’ve Got to Lawyer Up’ The City of Jackson owns most of the

In Charlotte, the battle between the majority Democratic city government and the Republican state Legislature has been ongoing for over a year and a half. During that time, attorney’s fees for the state-created commission have topped half a mil-

Teens Who Changed the World by Amber Helsel

Just in time for Amazing Teens, let’s take a look at some teenagers who changed the world. Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel first conceived Superman in high school. DJ Kool Herc, one of the fathers of hip-hop, was 17 when he started mixing beats. And one of his mentees, Grand Wizard Theodore, was 12 when he started playing. Louis Braille was 15 when he invented modern Braille.

Simon Savis/DFID

Wednesday, April 20 The Mississippi Senate tables the motion to reconsider on Senate Bill 2162, the Jackson airport “takeover” bill, and sends it to Gov. Phil Bryant for approval. … The Jackson City Council passes an ordinance requiring disclosure of subcontractors, as well as oversight for switching subcontractors, for all contracts above $50,000.

Here’s what they did and didn’t pass this legislative session before the screen door hit their, well, you know. p 11

Malala Yousafzai

Seventeen-year-old Robert Heft designed the current United States flag. In 2014, Malala Yousafzai became the youngest person to ever receive a Nobel Peace Prize for her work in education advocacy. Mary Shelley was 18 when she wrote “Frankenstein.”

In 2012, Brittany Wenger won the Google Science Fair for designing a neural network that can diagnose breast cancer with a 99-percent accuracy. Eleven-year-old Mikaila Ulmer’s Me & the Bees Lemonade is fighting to save the dying bee population. This year, Whole Foods Market picked it up.

“There are six guys making decisions about familyplanning services for all the women in Mississippi.”

“The reason I had the toughest problem with is the fact that a single company used its money and passed a law that invalidated every single city’s laws in the states that applied to everyone else, so they use their money to find a way to be special.”

—Sen. Debbie Dawkins, D-Pass Christian, commenting on the six conferees on the defunding Planned Parenthood bill

The adjutant general of the Mississippi National Guard and the executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority also each receive one spot on the new commission—appointments criticized as ethical concerns in a Feb. 18, 2016, letter from the MMA to Harkins. Those appointments could “create significant conflicts of interest,” MAA President Cliff Nash, of the Tupelo Regional Airport, wrote to Harkins. The adjutant general, Nash wrote, makes decisions about National Guard installations and operations at airports throughout the state, and MDA is responsible for helping with economic-development activities at all 73 of the state’s airports, Nash wrote. Thus, appointments of them both to the Jackson commission “may create a natural prejudice in favor of that airport for future economic or air service development projects, and a prejudice against the other airports in the state. Likewise, these appointments may create problematic relationships under Mississippi’s ethics laws.” The final two appointees for the new commission would come from the Rankin County Board of Supervisors and the Madison County Board of Supervisors. This brings the total on the new board to 9. “It’s a bad bill. It’s a hostile takeover,” Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, said, defer-

Harm and Emotional Stress? Jeffery Stallworth, a former JMAA commissioner, filed a lawsuit on April 6 against the governor, including only a copy of Senate Bill 2162 as evidence. His complaint goes into detail about how he believes the creation of the new board to be a violation of his constitutional rights, arguing that he has “suffered harm including emotional distress.” Stallworth, who served on the board from November 2013 until September 2014, filed the suit against Gov. Phil Bryant, the State of Mississippi, the Mississippi Legislature, the East Metro Parkway, and the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

Matt Steffey, a constitutional law professor at Mississippi College School of Law doubts, however, that Stallworth’s case has standing. “ What gives him the right to bring the lawsuit? … I would expect this case to be dismissed long before it reaches any claims on its merits,” Steffey said. The bill’s author, Harkins, did not have much to say about the lawsuit over the phone April 26. “I don’t think a whole lot about it,” Harkins “I think it’s a reach.” “I don’t see how he has emotional distress,” Harkins said. “Or how the city will suffer a loss of revenue. It’s evident in the bill … anyone that can read the bill can see how they don’t lose revenue.” The current JMAA board did not choose to comment on the suit. Banks also declined to make any comment on Stallworth’s suit. The Mississippi attorney general’s office said in an email that any response it had to the suit would be through court documents, none of which had been filed by press time. Email city reporter Tim Summers Jr. at tim@jackson freepress.com. Read more about the airport “takeover” at jfp.ms/ airport.

No Lead in Jackson’s Tanks

or the first time since January, the levels of lead in water sampled from the City of Jackson distribution system have tested below the EPA-mandated amount. The tests were taken from elevated storage tanks used in the City’s water distribution system. The 15 samples, the City’s website states, were below the detection limit for lead. It does not include any details at what exactly the levels were, just that they were below “the detection limit” of 0.015 parts per billion. The City is currently on a Corrosion Control Compliance Plan issued by the Mississippi Department of Health to address the corrosivity of the pipes in the older homes, including those that might slough off heavy minerals like lead into the drinking water. The MSDH has issued an advisory for young children, infants, and pregnant women to refrain from drinking the water over the next six months as the City Public Works takes steps to wrangle in the pH and alkalinity of the water. “We turned in yesterday the corrosion-control study Director Kishia Powell reported plan,” Public Works Director Kishia Powell said during the that tests conducted April 19 City Council meeting. on water in elevated “The water-quality parameter sampling shows that our storage tanks pH is going up. We are still having problems getting the al- contained no lead. kalinity as high as it needs to be.” Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes asked Powell about any interim solutions, including “the lime” feeds mentioned in earlier meetings. Powell said that Trilogy Engineering, that the City contracted with to produce a corrosion control study in the next several months. “By the next meeting Phillip (Gibson of Trilogy) can give you some more details on the actual changes that he has suggested,” Powell said, stating that these include new equipment and operational changes to the plants. — Tim Summers Jr. Imani Khayyam/ File Photo

JMAA Chairman Dr. Rosie L.T. Pridgen said the airport bill “has no merit and doesn’t represent the genuine hospitality of our great state.”

ring the question of litigation to the JMAA. “That’s going to be up to the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, but I expect it.” “The first move is to file a suit against the actions of the legislature in both state and federal court,” Sen. John Horhn, D-Jackson, said. “Once we get those matters resolved, then we will address the issue at the Federal Aviation Administration.” “We think we have a strong case that we can plead that this was politically motivated,” Horhn said. “And there might also be the possibility that it was racially motivated.”

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

Statewide Ethics Issue? The new bill, once signed into law, would reduce the number of appointments that the mayor of Jackson chooses from five

to one. The City Council would also only get one appointment. That brings the total to two appointees for the elected representatives of the city against the seven other appointees chosen by state-level interests. The governor and lieutenant governor get a total of three appointees, although they must all be Jackson residents. Imani Khayyam

lion dollars with no foreseeable end in sight, the Charlotte Observer reported. Priester said he was mostly concerned with “making sure we hire the right attorneys.” “The first step is we’ve got to lawyer up,” Priester told the Jackson Free Press. “So my first priority with the city council is to make sure that we don’t play favorites.” The Jackson Municipal Airport Authority Board of Commissioners has already hired Fred Banks Jr., a renowned civil rights attorney and former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice, in December, and members of the board are very vocal about their intentions to fight the bill when it becomes law. “The litigation is going to proceed,” JMAA Commissioner Evelyn Reed said April 21, “and then the FAA will get involved.” “The FAA generally has the last say,” Reed added. JMAA Board Chairman Dr. Rosie L.T. Pridgen also protested the “illegal takeover” as she has since it first went public. “Thank you citizens of Mississippi and strategic partners for rallying the cry for help to try and defeat the hostile takeover of Jackson’s airports,” she said in an April 21 statement. “It is unfortunate that the majority of our state legislators would rather spend time, energy and resources with this illegal takeover than to address pressing issues to make things better for our state.” “Senate Bill 2162 has no merit and doesn’t represent the genuine hospitality of our great state,” Pridgen stated. “All citizens are asked to search your consciences and demand that Governor Phil Bryant veto 2162. The passing of this bill has a negative impact on the state’s image and economic development opportunities.” After the Capitol Complex Improvement District bill died last week, Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber fired back at the Legislature for not only killing a potential revenue source for the City’s plan to revitalize the downtown infrastructure, but also for taking away the airport. “The legislative majority took further aim at Jackson with the passage of an unconscionable bill that hijacked control, operation and maintenance of the City of Jackson’s municipal airports, namely the Jackson Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport and Hawkins Field Airport. We stand with the ever-growing list of those demanding that Gov. Phil Bryant veto the bill,” Yarber said in the statement.

—Rep. Jay Hughes, D-Oxford, on why he voted no for the Uber bill in the Mississippi House of Representatives

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First Class Dad Present for Duty by Sierra Mannie

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

Imani Khayyam

etired U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Steve Collins or even greater rates than white and Latino dads. Destiny Program both come under the umbrella of the opens every third set of doors in the carpool line “I feel very excited about it and very humble about National Association of Fathering. The programs enable at McLeod Elementary School; the two other vol- it,” he said. “I do what I do because I didn’t have a father men to be active parts of the volunteer communities at unteers to his right get the first and second cars. or a mother in my life, so my motivation was always to schools. Nolan says in addition to reading and mentor Tall and strongly built, 46-year-old Collins looks do better for my kids than what I had gotten.” ing, male volunteers come in as extra eyes and ears to help dead serious in his black Army Veteran’s hat and aviator Collins’ teenage years in Jackson’s Virden Addition make schools safer. sunglasses on a spring Tuesday morning, but his smile neighborhood were troubled. That meant he has worried is welcoming, ebullient, just like his flashing orange about how to be a good parent without good examples. Dads Matter, Too crossing guard’s vest, which matches his equally bril- “So someone at my church told me do the best with your Moms are often strapped with the bulk of responliant orange Nikes. This system of staggering the cars children, and then you’ll start the whole sequel of father- sibility for the wellbeing of their children, particularly to help the flow of traffic is a good one, Collins says. hood, and that’s been my example,” he said. their education, but a 2012 Liberty University study Things run smoothly. shows that students in non-traditional families—that is, It wasn’t always easy, though. Some of the vehicles crawling into students whose parents aren’t married, the carpool line are brand new and freshdon’t live together, and aren’t one male ly washed. Others are riddled with holes and one female—perform about as well and dents. It’s Collins’ job to help unload as their peers in traditional classrooms. the precious cargo inside, and greet them Still, a 2014 University of Florida before they scurry up the cement walkstudy found that the benefits of parenway into the schools. tal involvement from dads, whether or “There are a lot of pot holes out not they lived with their children, was here,” Collins says as he gestures to a huge: When dads were involved with parent to drive around one right at the their children’s education, kids happier, curb of the school on Sandlewood Place, did better in school and had increased where he greets kids most mornings. chances of attending college or vocaSometimes, he says, children trip and tional school. fall in them when they get out of the car. It is not, however, because of When it rains, the potholes flood with some magical element of masculinity water, making it even harder for the kids that the presence of dads affects student to get up the walkway to school safely. performance. When parents split, stu “Maybe I’ll go to the CDC (Career dents often lose the financial and emoDevelopment Center) and see about gettional support offered not only to them, ting a ramp built, so the children can but also to the parent with whom they Sgt. Steve Collins, Jackson Public Schools Parent of the Year for 2016, helps walk on that when it rains,” he said. He live, most often the single mother. McLeod Elementary School students in the carpool line. opens the door to a truck where a little Men like Collins often step in girl sits up high. Without a word, he where other parents are missing. When picks her up out of her seat and places his only son, McLeod fourth-grader her gingerly on the sidewalk. She toddles past on her way Married with four children, Collins was less involved Li’l Steve, says, “Big Steve, you need to talk to so-andto the entrance of the school. as a volunteer parent while his eldest children were still in so,” it usually means help for one of his son’s friends or Collins is a problem solver at McLeod Elementary, school, when he was on tours in Afghanistan and Kuwait classmates. When he arranged to take 30 boys to Memwhere two of his children attend. He brought 20 new after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But when he was sta- phis to watch a Grizzlies game, helping to foot the bill coats to school when he noticed some students not wear- tioned at Fort Polk, La., after his last tour, he said it hit for students who couldn’t afford the trip, they got on the ing them on a cold day, and the next day showed up with him that he needed to do more as a parent. Jumbotron and were invited onto the court to meet the stacks of uniforms. Sometimes he would take leave and make the four- players. When the school needs extra volunteer hands on hour-plus drive from Texas to his hometown of Jackson On the trip to Memphis, Collins also took the boys deck, he recruits his Army buddies to come help out. to spend time with his children and his wife, Stacey, and to visit the National Civil Rights Museum, where they He hosts pizza nights and brings breakfast to the volunteer at McLeod Elementary School. were amazed at multiracial activism in the Civil Rights principals. He proctors tests and monitors hallways. He Later, he joined WATCH D.O.G.S (Dads of Great Movement. Assistant Principal Dr. Lutithia Luckett says reads to children. He’s the PTA president. He’s even taken Students), a national program that helps dads and other most of the boys had behavioral problems before they a classroom full of little boys on a field trip to Memphis. male family members become active volunteers in their went. After the trip, she said, she couldn’t remember any This year, Jackson Public Schools named Collins school districts. Dads provide a variety of services, from of them getting in trouble the rest of the school year. Parent of the Year for his efforts. Yet, Collins is like a lot of manual labor like building things students need, to pro- “The boys glowed,” Luckett told the Jackson Free other African American fathers: involved with their chil- viding emotional and personal support through tutor- Press. “They talked about the trip for weeks.” dren’s lives and passionate about their success in school. “I have love and compassion for what I do,” Collins ing and mentoring. Jackson Public Schools’ WATCH D.O.G.S. coordinator Fredrick Nolan says JPS adopted said. “Some of the students at Chastain and other schools What Black Dads Do the program in 2003, but not every school uses it; princi- still remember me for something I did nice, or even the A 2013 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pals have to opt in and recruit men to participate. parents might see me somewhere and thank me for words study shows that black dads, stereotypically criticized as “JPS has since 2003 taken a concerted effort to en- of encouragement I gave my child or gave them.” being absent fathers, are just as involved in their children’s gage a missing stakeholder in students’ education: fathers daily lives as dads across other racial groups, if not more. and men,” Nolan said. Sierra Mannie is an education reporting fellow for the Whether or not they live in the same homes as all their “It’s fathers, stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, cous- Jackson Free Press and The Hechinger Report. Email her at children, black fathers change diapers, communicate with ins, men from church, fraternity men.” sierra@jacksonfreepress.com. Read more their kids, and help with homework at statistically similar The WATCH D.O.G.S. program and the Dads of education stories at jfp.ms/education.

TALK | STATE

State Green Lights Uber, Overrides City Control by Arielle Dreher

Loss of Local Control In other Mississippi cities, like Oxford and along the coast, Uber left or was never allowed to operate. In a press release, Uber stated that “onerous rules” made it near impossible for the company to operate, and in July 2015, Uber ceased operations in Gulfport and Biloxi. Rep. Jay Hughes, D-Oxford, who voted against the House version of the bill (which the governor has signed), was an alderman in Oxford when Uber came to town. Hughes said the city’s leadership was asked to change local laws and treat Uber differently than other people who transport people from one place to another. Oxford chose not to accommodate Uber. Oxford’s local taxicab laws require drivers to carry a commercial driver’s license; a public, government-run background check on drivers; and video cameras in each vehicle. None of these provisions are in new state law—except background checks, which “a transportation network company shall conduct, or have a third party conduct.” 10 Hughes said he has used Uber in other

Mike Hurst, director of the Mississippi Justice Institute at the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, is representing two taxicab drivers in a lawsuit against the City of Jackson for “anti-competitive” taxicab regulations. Hurst said the interaction between the new state law and local taxicab ordinances could have several results. “You might have some folks saying it’s not fair or unconstitutional to regulate the same service differently, and I think you’re definitely going to have some localities in a bind because they have prohibited Uber,” Hurst said. “… At the end of the day they are the same type of service. … I mean that you can’t regulate the same service differently, so I think we’re going to have a conflict.” Uber maintains that they are different from taxicab companies, however, and their drivers are considered “independent contractors.” In settled federal lawsuits, Uber paid their drivers in Massachusetts and California $84 million to stay classified as “independent contractors” and not employees of the company, the Los Angeles Times reported.

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

cities but had a major problem with how a company could come into a city and try to usurp the laws put in place by the city itself. “The reason I had the toughest problem with it is the fact that a single company used its money and passed a law that invalidated every single city’s laws in the state that applied to everyone else, so they use their money to find a way to be special,” Hughes said of the bill, which passed this session. How the new law will interact with local taxicab ordinances will only become clear with time, but it distinguishes transportation network companies as separate from taxicab companies operating in the state.

‘Won’t Let Them Dictate to Us’ Gov. Phil Bryant signed House Bill 1381 into law April 4, and while it does not go into effect until July, the Department of Insurance has some work to do before Uber can launch statewide into previously untapped markets (Uber service in Jackson will continue). The bill designates the Department of Insurance to be the main regulator of Uber and any other transportation network company wanting to enter the state. Mark Haire, the deputy commissioner of insurance, says that his department will control the licensing process for any digital ridesharing network companies.

Rep. Jay Hughes, D-Oxford, was one of five representatives who voted no on the House Bill that has now become law, which allows Uber to operate statewide.

Imani Khayyam

ber has the green light to operate statewide, after a bill implementing statewide regulations soared through the Legislature this session largely uncontested. The new transportation network company bill will override all municipality ordinances used to regulate Uber or other digital ridesharing services on July 1, when it becomes law. The City of Jackson passed an ordinance earlier this year that regulated ridesharing services while ensuring the city’s ability to monitor such companies, requiring additional screening and background checks. Jackson Ward 1 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. pushed for the ordinance early in 2016, and the City came to an agreement with Uber back then. House Bill 1381 will override that ordinance, stating counties or municipalities are not allowed to impose taxes on or require licenses for transportation network companies. After the bill became law in April, Priester said he was disappointed. “I think municipalities are the better source of regulation for this because we are more on the ground so we are better able to know whether or not drivers are acting safely or know whether or not they are acting in a discriminatory matter,” he said. Jackson’s ordinance required Uber to pay registration fees similar to what the state law requires them to pay, but the City has already removed its Uber ordinance from their municipal law code since House Bill 1381 became law.

Step one is developing regulations. “We’ve already begun work, but we’ll be establishing those regulations for a licensing process,” Haire told the Jackson Free Press. “We’ll have to create those regulations—a lot of the substance of the regulations will reflect what’s in the bill, but we’ll have to flesh that out a bit.” Once the Department of Insurance completes its regulations, transportation network companies will have the opportunity to comment on the proposed regulations before they are finalized. “We won’t let them dictate to us what we draft initially,” Haire said. “They certainly will have ample opportunity to comment and to tell us any concerns with our proposed regulations.” Uber praised the bill’s passage, and in an emailed statement spokesman Bill Gibbons said, “Uber looks forward to bringing more access to safe, reliable transportation options and flexible work opportunities to more communities throughout the state.” The Department of Insurance will be able to audit transportation network com-

panies on an annual basis; those audits and examinations of transportation network companies are exempt from the Mississippi Public Records Act, however. The bill also authorizes the department to inspect records in response to complaints in order to investigate and resolve them. Uber or any other transportation network company will have to pay an annual fee of $5,000 to the Department of Insurance to operate in the state, a lower fee than recent laws enacted in New Mexico or Maine required. Those states require a transportation network company to pay a $10,000 annual fee. The law forces transportation network companies to adopt “zero tolerance” policies for network drivers using drugs and alcohol while providing services. Additionally, the law forces companies to adopt “a policy of nondiscrimination,” but provides little detail about what should go into such policies. Under the law, drivers must be at least 19 years old, cannot accept street hails and do not accept cash payments for rides. Mississippi will become the 29th state to adopt Uber-friendly regulations, although similar measures drew a lot more debate in other statehouses. In 2015, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed that Legislature’s bill, which required a background check by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for Uber drivers, writing that “the ride-sharing industry believes the background requirement as currently written, weakens rather than strengthens, the level of scrutiny placed on its potential drivers.” The Kansas Legislature overrode the governor’s veto, and Uber left Kansas— until a compromise bill passed, which is similar to Mississippi’s. In Missouri, Uber reached a deal with Kansas City in April to operate there, but the company is now back at the state’s capitol pushing for statewide regulations. The Kansas City Star reported that Uber has hired 11 lobbyists for its current session. In Mississippi, Uber hired five lobbyists in 2016, the secretary of state’s website shows. Thus far, the Department of Insurance does not know how much time or resources the requirements of the law will impose on their department. “We can’t anticipate how much the department’s resources will be demanded for this, but we’ll know after we get started, but I wouldn’t say that we don’t have concerns— this is an added responsibility,” Haire said. Additional reporting by Tim Summers Jr. For more state coverage, visit jfp.ms/state. Email Arielle Dreher at arielle@jacksonfreepress.com and follow her on Twitter @arielle_amara.

LEGISLATURE | WEEK 16

The Curious Case of

What the #MSLeg Passed, What It Didn’t by Arielle Dreher

Court case that determined states did not have to use Medicaid funding for even medically necessary abortions. Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, questioned Wiggins about how the bill would affect the state’s admitting-privileges law (a case that is tied up in the U.S. Supreme Court pending petition), and Wiggins said the bill did not address abortion specifically. “Does current state law prohibit any

reaches his desk. Felicia Brown-Williams, director of public policy for Planned Parenthood Southeast, said in a statement: “If Governor Bryant truly wants to reduce the need for abortion in Mississippi, the best way to do that is to expand access to contraceptives through proven programs like the Medicaid Family Planning Program. Prohibiting PPSE from participating in the Medicaid Family Planning Program would not only be a blaImani Khayyam

House Speaker Philip Gunn (pictured) expressed disappointment that the campaign-finance and election-reform bill died this session, while Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves says he believes in unlimited campaign contributions and disclosure.

state funds from being spent on abortion?” Blount asked. “Yes,” Wiggins said. Later, Wiggins also confirmed that the law was only about Medicaid reimbursements and not abortion. “We are not outlawing or addressing the practice of abortion. We are only talking about the Medicaid side of it,” Wiggins said. Speaking against the bill, Sen. Debbie Dawkins, D-Pass Christian, expressed distaste for how the conference report was written, pointing out that no women were named as conferees. “There are six guys making decisions about family-planning services for all the women in Mississippi,” Dawkins told the Senate. The conference report passed anyway by a vote of 38-12. Planned Parenthood Southeast is calling on Gov. Bryant to veto the bill when it

tant violation of federal law, it flies in the face of the governor’s own goals.” The Mississippi Division of Medicaid offers a family-planning waiver program for men and women aged 13 to 44 years of age that provides them with family-planning services. In order to be eligible for this waiver program, a man or woman must have a family income at or below 194 percent of the federal poverty level. The federal poverty level for individuals is $11,880, so 194 percent of that number would mean Medicaid would reimburse an individual up to $23,000 and below. For a family of two, the federal poverty level is $16,020, so the state’s Division of Medicaid would cover a family of two up to $31,000 income. Secrecy In, Firing Squads Out On their last day in session, the Senate also sent the execution team bill that protects the identities of the execution team and any Mississippi supplier of lethal-injection chem-

icals and keeps them exempt from disclosure under the state’s Public Records Act. Sen. Sean Tindell, R-Gulfport, told the Senate that all the prior-restraint language was removed from the bill, however. Previous versions of the bill allowed a person whose identity was disclosed, such as by a media outlet, the right to sue for damages, but those sections of the bill were taken out in conference. Also gone is the amendment added on the House floor to make execution by firing squad a viable backup if lethal injection drugs were not available. When asked if Tindell had gotten a response from the media about the bill, he told the Senate that “they dislike it less than they did before.” The bill also provides immunity for state workers on the execution team if they get sued for carrying out the duties and business of the state. The ACLU of Mississippi is opposed to the bill and the death penalty in general and is asking Gov. Phil Bryant to veto it. ACLU of Mississippi Executive Director Jennifer Riley-Collins said in a statement: “We oppose the death penalty altogether. However, as long as Mississippi continues to sentence people to death, executions must remain transparent and our state government must remain accountable.” Target: ‘Spice’ The governor could sign a law that increases penalties for the sale or possession of or possession with intent to sell synthetic cannabinoids, often called “spice.” The bill would not change current penalties for marijuana, but punishments for synthetic cannabinoids will increase. A person would now serve no more than three years or pay a fine of no more than $3,000 for possession with intent to sell of 10 grams or less of a synthetic cannabinoid. A person would pay a fine of $100 to $250 for simple possession of 10 grams or less of “spice.” Sen. Derrick Simmons, D-Greenville, who spoke on the bill on the Senate floor Wednesday, said the bill came about as a response to recent deaths in the state due to spice. “The number is about 17 recent deaths in Mississippi, as it relates to people spraying stuff on some plant whether it’s marijuana or a leaf and they enhance the effectiveness of it, 11 April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

ith their right to spend their campaign donations on mortgages, automobiles, clothing, tuition payments or nondocumented loans still firmly in place, state lawmakers closed up shop early and skipped town last week. They rushed out without making domestic abuse grounds for divorce or reforming election spending, but managed to pass a hefty tax cut and slash several state agency budgets before the Capitol doors closed behind them. The Senate adjourned last Wednesday, and the House adjourned early Thursday morning. Technically, the last day of the session was Sunday, April 24, but lawmakers got to leave work early after the Senate suspended business on Wednesday, leaving several significant pieces of legislation that needed more conference work to die from lack of completion. Planned Parenthood Nipped The state’s one Planned Parenthood clinic will lose Medicaid reimbursements if Gov. Phil Bryant signs a bill headed to his desk, after the Senate voted to confirm the conference report on Wednesday before adjourning for the session. The bill would prevent the state’s Division of Medicaid from reimbursing the one Mississippi Planned Parenthood clinic, located in Hattiesburg, which only offers birth control, pregnancy care, and sexually transmitted infections testing, services and treatment. The state’s division of Medicaid has paid the Hattiesburg clinic a total of $384 since fiscal-year 2014 in fee-for-service claims and $53 in encounter claims. In total, the state’s Division of Medicaid has reimbursed its one Planned Parenthood clinic less than $500 in the past three years, division data show. Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, presented the conference report on the Senate floor last Wednesday, noting that the language in the bill changed to not explicitly say “Planned Parenthood” but instead restrict Medicaid payments to “any entity that performs nontherapeutic abortions, maintains or operates a facility where nontherapeutic abortions are performed or is affiliated with such an entity.” Wiggins said the language is borrowed from the Harris v. McRae court case, which was the 1980 U.S. Supreme

LEGISLATURE | WEEK 16 Public Education Still Under-funded, ‘Choice’ Expanded

rom funding woes to charter schools, the topic of Mississippi public education saw controversy at the Capital this session. Although MAEP funding will stay the (still underfunded) same as it was last year, the Mississippi Schools of the Blind and the Deaf will receive $300,000 in budget cuts for the

next fiscal year. Here’s some other education legislation Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law this session. HB 33 – the Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act This bill expands the eligibility for students seeking Special Needs Act vouchers, which are generally allocated toward services like private school education for special needs students. With this law, students who’ve had an IEP for the last five years instead of the last 18 months at

#MSLeg from page 11

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

SB 2161 – Amendments to the Mississippi Charter Schools Act Students attending schools in C, D or F districts may now attend charter schools located outside their school districts. The only charter schools in the state are located in Jackson, and the number will increase by the end of the year. Jackson Public

journed. “I was disappointed it did not pass; we will continue to work on that, I felt like that was a good piece of legislation.” Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves reiterated his stance on campaign finance for reporters on Thursday. “I believe in unlimited contributions and unlimited disclosure,” he said. Reeves has $3.4 million of campaign cash on hand. Reeves said it was likely that the Legislature would look at the election-reform bill next year again. When asked about the personal-use section of the bill, he said he

Schools Chief Financial Officer Sharolyn Miller said before House and Senate Democrats that JPS gave charter schools $565,000 this school year for the 221 JPS former JPS students enrolled there. Superintendent Dr. Cedrick Gray says he believes that the district will end up shelling out $5 million from its local tax contributions to charter schools within 5 years, should the number of schools continue to harvest a greater number of children from his district.

mit the bill to conference on Tuesday. Some senators expressed concern over the conference report mainly because it contained a new 14th ground for divorce: after a willful and continued separation without cohabitation or intent to return for two years, either party could file for a divorce. The 14th ground was not in Doty’s original bill, which was intended to address domestic violence in marriages. Judiciary A Committee Chairman Sen. Tindell confirmed on the Senate floor that the 14th ground was added in conference; Imani Khayyam

and it’s been lethal,” Simmons said. The bill does not change punishments for marijuana possession or for other Schedule I drugs. Goodbye, Election Reform The 200-plus-page election-code bill, which contained several revisions including implementing poll-manager training programs and reducing the number of paper ballots printed, died in conference. The campaign-finance-reform portion of the bill, which would prohibit the personal use of campaign spending, was also left for another year. The House of Representatives had a long and contentious debate on the electionreform bill, House Bill 797, last Tuesday, but voted to recommit the bill for further conference. That conference never happened, and the bill died there. Sen. Sally Doty, R-Brookhaven, worked on the bill throughout the session and helped with the conference report. She said that while she was disappointed that the bill did not pass, that another year would give those who worked on the bill more time to make members of both chambers more comfortable with the changes. “We’re going to have to address campaign-finance reform in Mississippi, if not this year, then next year or the year after,” Doty told the Jackson Free Press. Doty said she understands concerns from longtime members about changing the rules that will make reporting campaignfinance expenditures more detailed. “I firmly believe it’s unfair to change the rules in the middle of the game, but it’s time to start,” she said. “Within a couple of election cycles, we’ll have everybody on board— we’ll do round two next year.” House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, expressed disappointment that the election-reform bill did not pass. “I helped write the conference report; it wouldn’t have come to the floor if I didn’t want it to come to the floor,” Gunn told 12 reporters Thursday after the House had ad-

the time of application may apply for the vouchers, opening eligibility for students already enrolled in private schools.

Sen. Sally Doty, R-Brookhaven, authored the bill to make domestic violence grounds for divorce in Mississippi. But the bill died after the Senate sent it back to conference—and then ended the session early and went home the next day.

does not spend any of his campaign funds on anything personal. Reeves said he spends a lot of money making sure campaign-finance disclosure occurs. He said three of the eight full-time staffers he had on his 2015 election campaign focused on his campaign finances, and that those running smaller campaigns might find it harder to afford to pay for those services. No Divorce for Abuse An abused Mississippi spouse still can’t use domestic violence as grounds for divorce, thanks to lawmakers’ exit without taking action on the bill. Sen. Doty’s effort to make domestic violence the 13th ground for divorce in the state died after the Senate voted to recom-

similar bills suggesting a divorce ground for separation over longer periods of time had died in committee earlier in the session. He said that the 14th ground would not interfere with a spouse’s ability to seek alimony, custody or support immediately after a spouse leaves. Speaking against the conference report, Sen. Angela Turner, D-West Point, expressed concern about the 14th ground added in conference. Currently, she said, an abandoned spouse seeking a divorce after six months still does not have a ground until a year has gone by; the fourth ground for divorce in Mississippi allows the abandoned spouse to file for divorce a year later. “But to allow someone to leave the home for two years, and that’s all they have

SB 2438 – Requires appointment of all superintendents after Jan. 1, 2019 Mississippi is one of the last few states to allow the election of school superintendents. Their elected school boards with this law will appoint all superintendents. Superintendents currently elected will serve the rest of their terms before appointment begins. Sierra Mannie is an education reporting fellow for the Jackson Free Press and The Hechinger Report. Follow her on Twitter @SierraMannie.

to do, they’ve abandoned the house, children, may have left the mortgage unpaid, they have the right to come and petition for divorce, I could not stay in my chair,” Turner said. She said adding a 14th ground seemed like a major undertaking for so late in the session. Tindell said one of the issues that comes up in divorce cases is when a spouse is forced to stay in that marriage because of abuse, something that the 14th ground could potentially fix. Speaker Pro Tempore Terry Burton, RNewton, told the Senate that if they recommitted the bill to conference it would not die if the House chose to recommit the bill to conference as well. The Senate voted 26-22 to recommit the bill to conference. Another conference report was filed at some point after that vote that extended the 14th ground to be a threeyear separation, but neither chamber took up that conference report before they left—thus a bill that originally was intended to make domestic violence grounds for divorce died. Doty said she was disappointed that the bill didn’t pass. “I don’t think there was a real understanding of what that 14th ground was in the Senate, so hopefully next year we can just file it (the bill) straight with domestic violence, and it won’t have it tagged on to it,” she said. Lt. Gov. Reeves said lawmakers always leave some things undone in a session and said he takes a slightly different approach than most legislative leaders. “My view is when it comes to any single piece of legislation, Mississippi has been a state now for 199 years. If we’ve made it this long without any single piece of legislation becoming law, we probably can make it one more year,” Reeves told reporters on Thursday. “And whether we like it or not, we’re going to be back here in January, and we’ll have the opportunity to fix anything that didn’t get done.” Email state reporter Arielle Dreher at Arielle@jacksonfreepress.com and follow her on Twitter at @arielle_amara. For more state coverage, visit jfp.ms/state.

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An American in a French Bathroom

“B

onjour, monsieur,” she said sweetly, as she mopped around my feet. “Oh this is so uncomfortable,” I thought to myself as I stood at the urinal and replied, “Bonjour, madam.” I love France, but one thing that I will not miss when I leave is having women in the men’s restroom. The public restrooms in Strasbourg are magnificent. Usually underground, they are warm in the winter and cool in the summer and are kept sparkling clean by two or three attendants, usually women, with a tip jar as you exit. The attendants are always friendly, but for an American it is a little disconcerting to be greeted so cheerfully when entering a public toilet. As I waited for the flow to begin again, I considered the controversy in the United States swirling now over allowing people to choose which bathroom is more comfortable for them regardless of their equipment. The whole thing is ridiculous to Europeans. To them, having to use the restroom is a necessary bodily function and is not a remarkable event. Everyone has to go. The restroom in which I wait is under Place Kléber (Named for a Napoleonic general from Strasbourg), and while there is a men’s and a women’s separate toilet, a glass partition separates them. Women can clearly see the men standing at the urinals, and the men can see the women moving about, adjusting makeup, washing hands, and combing hair as well as entering and exiting the individual stalls. As I stood at the urinal, I glanced around to make sure you could see into the women’s side, and sure enough you can. There was my neighbor who cheerily gave me a smile and a wave and set me back on my task at hand, so to speak. I had been so long at the urinal now that it seemed to me that the attendants were getting suspicious or worse—laughing at an old man having trouble with his business. My mind drifted back to the night before when we had gone to a happy hour with some French friends at a trendy little restaurant near the University called “Chez Mon Ex” (At My Ex’s Place). I don’t know the story, but it is a play on the familiar tale of getting along with an ex-wife. On the walls are written reasons why he (whoever he is) is not currently with his ex. A lighthearted spoof. We had been talking about the transgender/bathroom issue in the U.S. when one of the French women with me spoke up and said, “You do realize that here at Chez Mon Ex there are no women’s restrooms.” I told her that I didn’t think that could be true as I had been in there and seen a men’s bathroom so surely there must be a women’s. I excused myself and headed to the restrooms. They were downstairs as is usual in this part of the world. A tight circular stair led to a small space with some closets, electrical boxes and a sink with a hand dryer, and a urinal was over to the right in a little alcove. Directly in front of me were three toilet stalls. The one on the far right, closest to the alcove, had the figure of a man with the label “Hommes” (Men) on it. But the other two stalls had no markings. “Ha!” I thought, they are continuing the joke down here. I laughed to myself, causing the woman adjusting her makeup at the mirror to start and probably wonder what all the fuss in America was about. Even Donald Trump called the bathroom fury a non-starter, and don’t we have more important things to worry about? I think that perhaps we Americans take inconsequential things too seriously; perhaps we should focus on what is important. Richard Coupe is a longtime resident of Mississippi and occasional contributor to the Jackson Free Press. He is currently a Fulbright Research Scholar at the University of Strasbourg and lives in Strasbourg, France ,with 14 his wife, Anne, and their youngest daughter, Denver. April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

“Here at Chez Mon Ex there are no women’s restrooms.”

Hosemann Wrong on Voter ID, Right on Election Reform

he state’s election laws and rules are outdated, and if you don’t believe us, just go back and read about the two contested election races that shadowed the beginning of the 2016 session. Lawmakers appointed to special election committees were scrutinizing absentee ballots themselves to determine winners; to say the process needs streamlining is an understatement. Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann recognized the need and took reform seriously. Last summer, a group of lawmakers, election commissioners and stakeholders worked through the state’s election code to determine necessary changes. After intense study, the committee made recommendations on topics ranging from online voter registration to campaign-finance reform. Those recommendations became legislation that went through several iterations this session. Despite all the work, the House voted to send the bill back to conference a day before the Senate adjourned, halting any election reform from happening this session. Hosemann then said on Supertalk Radio on April 26 that he plans to go to the governor and ask for a special session to pass the election-reform package. A crucial part of the package—one that helped bring its demise—is the campaign-finance reform language, which would prohibit lawmakers from using campaign funds on mortgages, vehicles or any other personal expenses. It is time for these changes, especially because lawmakers’ greed opens the door for corruption. If they can keep the money, who knows what they’ll do to get it?

What’s especially disconcerting is that it has taken this long to even discuss campaign-finance reform even as our state’s voter-ID law was the first priority in Hosemann’s reform campaign that started back in 2011 (see jfp.ms/voterID). Even though voter fraud is extremely rare—much more rare than campaign violations—the only successful regulation so far is of the voters, not the candidates. A federal judge upheld North Carolina’s voterID law this week, which actually makes Mississippi’s law look nicer. While their law only accepts about five types of ID, Mississippi allows government and state workers and students to use their IDs to vote. Still, our law was an expensive solution looking for a problem—frivolous legislation likely designed to try to discourage some Democrats from voting. Legislative priorities are reflected in bills that become law, and this session is a perfect example of prioritization. Tax cuts and “religious freedom” came before domestic abuse as a grounds for divorce, and election-code reform. Voter ID came before campaign-finance reform. Good intentions are good, but to move beyond intention and actually move forward in Mississippi, we need more. We need lawmakers to take seriously the call to reform a system that taxpayers and voters find archaic. We applaud Hosemann for pushing for a special session to address the election reform so badly needed in this state. It doesn’t make up for his illadvised and clearly political voter-ID effort, but it would mean that state election law regulates more than just the voters. That’s a start.

Email letters and opinion to letters@jacksonfreepress.com, fax to 601-510-9019 or mail to 125 South Congress St., Suite 1324, Jackson, Mississippi 39201. Include daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length and clarity, as well as factchecked.

FUNMI “QUeen” Franklin

Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd Publisher Todd Stauffer EDITORIAL Assistant Editor Amber Helsel Deputy News Editor Maya Miller Reporters Arielle Dreher,Tim Summers Jr. Education Reporting Fellow Sierra Mannie JFP Daily Editor Dustin Cardon Music Editor Micah Smith Events Listings Editor Latasha Willis Editorial Assistant Adria Walker Writers Bryan Flynn, Genevieve Legacy, Danie Matthews, LaTonya Miller, Greg Pigott, Julie Skipper Editorial Interns Kendall Hardy, Onelia Hawa Consulting Editor JoAnne Prichard Morris ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY Art Director Kristin Brenemen Advertising Designer Zilpha Young Staff Photographer Imani Khayyam ADVERTISING SALES Advertising Director Kimberly Griffin Sales and Marketing Consultant Myron Cathey Sales Assistant Mary Osborne BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS Distribution Manager Richard Laswell Distribution Raymond Carmeans, Clint Dear, Michael McDonald, Ruby Parks Assistant to the CEO Inga-Lill Sjostrom Operations Consultant David Joseph ONLINE Web Editor Dustin Cardon Web Designer Montroe Headd

CONTACT US: Letters letters@jacksonfreepress.com Editorial editor@jacksonfreepress.com Queries submissions@jacksonfreepress.com Listings events@jacksonfreepress.com Advertising ads@jacksonfreepress.com Publisher todd@jacksonfreepress.com News tips news@jacksonfreepress.com Fashion style@jacksonfreepress.com Jackson Free Press 125 South Congress Street, Suite 1324 Jackson, Mississippi 39201 Editorial (601) 362-6121 Sales (601) 362-6121 Fax (601) 510-9019 Daily updates at jacksonfreepress.com

The Jackson Free Press is the city’s awardwinning, locally owned newsweekly, reaching over 35,000 readers per week via more than 600 distribution locations in the Jackson metro area— and an average of over 35,000 visitors per week at www.jacksonfreepress.com. The Jackson Free Press is free for pick-up by readers; one copy per person, please. First-class subscriptions are available for $100 per year for postage and handling. The Jackson Free Press welcomes thoughtful opinions. The views expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of the publisher or management of Jackson Free Press Inc. © Copyright 2016 Jackson Free Press Inc. All Rights Reserved

ost people make vows when they’re married about forever and never parting and loving through sickness and health. You know all that jazz. Well, I made that vow. But I also promised my husband that I would not leave Mississippi. I looked him in the eye, and I told him that Jackson, Miss., would forever be my home, come what may. I would fight, with him, for Jackson as long as it took, I promised. Through the years, I’ve had my doubts about where the city was headed. I’ve wondered if I could be more successful in another state. I’ve fought the urge to move back to Atlanta. But never has my heart been so pierced with embarrassment and shame as it has in recent weeks as I watched state leaders’ efforts to erase any and all the progress made in Jackson over the last few years, while ensuring that progression doesn’t continue in the future. I had thought the fight for removal of the Confederate flag to come down was a tragedy. I figured, yeah, there are more racists than I’d like to see rebelling against changing the flag. I’d like to see more black folk bothered about it. But I wasn’t particularly surprised. I mean, it’s Mississippi; you can find a racist here about as easy as you can find a rock on a gravel road. I fully expected the flag lovers to fight for that flag. They want to maintain their history; we want to create a future. We, black people, don’t hold Mississippi’s past in such high regard. So our only hope is to change the future. That flag flying in the Mississippi wind does not garner such hope. Now we face the takeover of the Jackson-Evers International Airport. To the unknowing eye, I suppose that could have the look of progression, that the State now wants to work with us. But be very clear: The outlying cities don’t want anything to do with Jackson. Jackson is poor and black. The airport is a “good thing” that Jackson owns. If they take the control of the airport and make it easy enough to avoid ever coming into Jackson from surrounding areas, I suppose we’d just become sort of like an island, set apart from the “good parts of town.” Sound familiar? It’s called segregation. Now you have a thriving business

district in Fondren. Right in the middle of it sit a booming medical industry and Veterans Memorial Stadium. Suddenly, Gov. Phil Bryant is concerned about the stadium where Jackson State University holds its home games now. Bryant wants to give “them” back “their” stadium. Why sit this stadium, for a black university, in the middle of all this money and economic power? Send them to their side of town: the west side, the black side. Se-gre-ga-tion. In the legislative session that just ended, we even had a bill to allow firing squads for state executions. What? How have we traveled so far back in time to where this is even fathomable? Who do you think will be the ones who are demolished this way? I can tell you who it would not include— rich, white men. Had it moved forward—thankfully, it was killed—the firing squads would ultimately be like stacking black communities with heroin and crack. It was just another attempt to kill off black men (and a few white ones who don’t contribute to the society they want to see and control). The governor also signed a bill that would give “good” white folk the right to legally discriminate against people based on their religious beliefs. That law is designed to allow Christians to discriminate in this largely Christian state, certainly not Muslims or atheists who lawmakers probably see as part of the ultimate plan to control us. And, of course, the bill allows for refusal of service to LGBT citizens, just as segregationists could legally do until the 1960s. LGBT citizens don’t fit into the old way of thinking so may as well throw them into the bag to discard their rights. Is all of this not enough for one to consider packing up and high-tailing it out of this backward state? Sure it is. The audacity of those who find righteousness in any of the aforementioned actions is mind-boggling. Still, my father taught me, and my husband has reinforced in me, that the only way to make things better and to evoke change is to stand firm, to fight back. I love Mississippi. I bleed Jackson. No one has the right to come into my backyard and run me away from my home. I’m staying, and I’m fighting. Funmi “Queen” Franklin is a word lover, poet and advocate for sisterhood. She has a weakness for reality shows.

The outlying cities don’t want anything to do with Jackson.

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April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

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Jackson Commercial Properties Auction May 26 Open Public Inspections 11am-2pm Friday May 6 & 13

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

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• 1213-1221B Ellis Avenue • 1769 University Boulevard Sells to Highest Bidder at Auction SELLS ABSOLUTE Above Opening Bid of $175,000 WITHOUT RESERVE 66,328+/- sf on 3.78+/- ac. 31% of sf (Also known as 1421 Hwy 80 West) occupied with great upside potential. Five buildings totaling 143,188+/- sf Minutes from Jackson State University. on 11.27+/- ac. on Hwy 80 W. 5% Buyer Broker Commission Both Properties Auction 10am at 1769 University Blvd, Jackson, MS Vacant 144-Unit Multifamily • 3665 Sykes Park Drive 18 two-story buildings on 10.1+/- ac w/leasing office and laundry building. Sells to the Highest Bidder at Auction Above Opening Bid of $500,000 Auctions: 12pm on site

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Jackson Free Press 4.5 x 5.875 4/27

Imani Khayyam

[PHOTO of the week]

On Saturday, April 23, First lady Michelle Obama spoke to Jackson State University’s spring 2016 graduating class. She encouraged them to strive for excellence, use the power in their numbers to vote and fight for rights for all.

YOUR TURN

feedback on jfp.ms

Diana Sullivan Thank you for being brave. I lived in two small towns in Mississippi in the ’80s. Somewhere in the core of my being, I felt at home. Unfortunately, I became afraid for my safety and much worse, I could no longer bite my tongue. I returned to the French Quarter where I have spent most of my life. I have two observations. One is that the LGBT community is not unlike every other community. Some are nice, some are not; some are good folks, some are not. Some are highly moral, some are not. Some are fiercely religious, some are not. Many of the LGBT people I have known here are refugees from small southern towns. They live with broken hearts and deep sorrow because of the way they were treated by their families and people who they knew their whole lives. They would like nothing more than to return home, to contribute to their communities and enjoy small-town life. I know this to be true of interracial and unmarried couples from small towns. The other thing I know for sure is that there are thousands of tongue-biters. Most of these are Mississippi born. They know the game and are good at playing it. They are willing bite their tongues and not be outwardly inclusive of their LGBT friends and friends of color. Or for that matter atheist or agnostic friends. The tongue biting community includes the LGBT, agnostic, atheist and non-racist community that is afraid to live as they would like. I’m not speaking about activists; I’m speaking about folks who would just like to be

authentic in their lives. A third thing I’ve just thought of is that many of the folks I’ve met that go along with this “religious freedom” stuff are otherwise loving, giving, smart and thoughtful people. They are bound by what they are told is the only way to go religiously. This is in spite of the LGBT folks in their family that they love but are forced to reject, the people of other races and religions that they find they love and would like to have in their lives, and people who are just different than what is included in their upbringing. You could call it cognitive dissonance, but

Response to “Mississippi: Another Crooked Letter for Us All” by Michael Farris Smith, jfp.ms/opinion I think it’s more than that. I forget who said this, but I have thought of it often when trying to get over, around and beyond. Not sure if this is the exact quote: “It’s hard to get beyond your raising.” How else can you have white people who love and revere black gospel music, the blues, soul music and soul food but would never have a black person to dinner at their house. I suspect many are just afraid to. I was afraid to in the ’80s. I am sorry that not much has changed. I would move back in a heartbeat if I thought I could live an authentic life without being in fear

home and create memories. Most are community-minded and proudly claim residency in Mississippi’s capital city. But they will not allow the theft of their property to go quietly into the night. To some of us, this action is an attack against our very freedom and our ability to collectively possess property. If we are to be free, we must be free to plan and determine the future use and development of one of the city’s most valuable assets. The actions of this governor and Legislature do not represent the Mississippi values that I’ve seen during extensive travels throughout the state and 20 years of state government service. Also, the governor’s planned thievery supersedes the federal law, which allowed the state of Mississippi to legislatively establish municipal authorities. Let it be known that we did not start this disruptive fight. But we will vigorously resist an overreaching government that disrespects and takes from its citizens. If you agree, please contact Gov. Bryant at 601-359-3150 today and ask him not to sign Senate Bill 2162 into law. Thanks for supporting the capital city of Mississippi. Mr. Vernon W. Hartley Sr. Jackson Municipal Airport Authority Commissioner

for my life. Mississippi has a lot to offer despite being at the bottom of many quality-of-life lists. Btw, Columbus is in my top five list of places I would like to live. I am looking forward to reading your work. MarineRebb Bravo! P. Phil Bryant and his cronies will see their day. It may be one month from now, one year from now or after they have left office, but their day is coming. They are willing to run this state into the ground and keep it being the laughing stock of the nation and not even blink an eye. Rancher17—P. What are they going to see? The state of the state is fine. redcreek But remember, the Bible doesn’t say it’s wrong to use campaign funds for personal stuff ... like cars and RVs and things. So “our legislators” are going to keep on doin’ that. Kelly Jamie Koffler So well said. Thank you. Cyndia Montgomery You describe exactly how I feel about the goings-on where I live, next door in Alabama. So glad to know I’m not alone. Read and comment at jfp.ms/opinion.

The Wrong Side of History

Dear Gov. Bryant, My grandson and I go on a road trip each summer to a different part of the country. We are headed to the East Coast this June and would likely consider visiting Mississippi some time in the future. However, after hearing about the law you signed, HB 1523, which discriminates against the LGBT community, I will not be visiting Mississippi as long as this law is in place. It hurts no one to provide services to the LGBT community, and business owners are still free to hold their own private beliefs. Even though this may secure your position with religious conservatives, you, sir, will someday realize that you are on the wrong side of history. Perhaps losing tourist dollars, as well as companies who choose to take their business elsewhere, will cause a reversal of this decision, but it really should be a matter of conscience. Sincerely, Pamela Johns

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

1. Zoo Blues, May 1 2. Rooftop Bar Concert Series, Ongoing 3. Mississippi Cajun Fest, April 25 4. Party for the Planet, April 23 5. Upscale Friday, April 22 Find more events at jfpevents.com.

re we really free when state government can take control of our citizen’s property? During the past 88 years, the citizens of Jackson have invested their tax dollars into aviation facilities. Our forefathers worked hard and planned with hopes of a rewarding aviation future. Now, Gov. Phil Bryant and his Rankin County Rich Riders want to take our prime real estate in just six months without a “please” or “thank you.” No study and no respect! Are we free, as a municipality, when state government is allowed to rob us of our asset without regard for the municipality’s plans? The Jackson Municipal Airport Authority is financially sound and well-managed, as evidenced by the historic decision to refinance debt with Trustmark National Bank, creating almost $4 million in debt savings. The Mississippi Legislature recently passed Senate Bill 2162 to replace Jackson’s five-member airport board with a nine-member regional commission. The legislation only gives Jackson the opportunity to directly appoint two of the commissioners. Any change in the airport authority’s structure will likely impact future economic development, construction and contract opportunities. The average citizens of Jackson work daily to sustain their

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McDade's is proud to support our local restaurants and charities for Chef Week!

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

And for nights you're not headed out for dinner, come by for the best beer selection in town.

at the township live music |. street food mustache dash #sombrcinco 140 township ave. ridgeland, ms 39157

And Don’t Forget About Our Growler Station in Maywood Mart! Woodland Hills Shopping Center Fondren 601-366-5273 Maywood Mart 1220 E. Northside Dr 601-366-8486 English Village 904 E. Fortification St. 601-355-9668

2016

May 1 - 8, 2016 Welcome to JFP Chef Week 2016! Inside you’ll find our fabulous participating chefs and the restaurants they helm; you’ll also see the charities they’re competing for. The chefs who get the most votes will win money for their charities from our sponsors. The winning chef gets $1000 for their charity from Capital City Beverages; second place chef gets $750 from Hotel and Restaurant Supply for their charity; third place chef gets $500 from McDade’s for their charity! Voting runs from May 1 - 8, 2016. Every time you visit a participating restaurant during JFP Chef Week you’ll get another chance to vote for your favorite chef and charity. (Campaigning is permitted!) Here’s to great chefs, great cooks, great food and a fantastic opportunity to help some worthy causes. We encourage you to Dine Local this week and every week!

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

Visit www.jfpchefweek.com for more info.

2016 Mississippi native and chef

Andrew Harris

is a Jackson native who started cooking at an early age. He began at On The Border Mexican Cantina. Andrew then moved to Atlanta, where he was formally trained at Dugans. He took what he learned and came back to Jackson, using his skills at restaurants such as Mississippi Legends, Burgers and Blues, & Majestic Burger. Andrew prides himself in providing fresh ingredients and the best possible food.

Charity: Wounded Warriors of MS

The mission of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wounded Warriors of Mississippiâ&#x20AC;? is to help veterans physically, mentally, financially and spiritually. These heroes are now fighting a war within themselves to reconnect with society, and they are finding this battle is as difficult as the battlefield itself.

Andrew Harris - 4th & Goal Sports Cafe Charity: Wounded Warriors of MS * / +BDLTPO .4 t t XXX IJEFBXBZNT DPN

Kelly Ray

April 27 - May 3, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

is from Baton Rouge, LA and has been cooking crawfish with his dad, Tommy â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Boyâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Beauxâ&#x20AC;? Ray, since 1992. Kellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dad established a thriving crawfish business and after Kelly mastered the art of cooking crawfish and finished college, he decided to establish his own crawfish business. In 1998, Kelly began his business from a catering trailer using various local venues and in 2008, he officially moved into â&#x20AC;&#x153;the shackâ&#x20AC;?, Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Beauxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Crawfish & Cateringâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current location in Clinton. Kellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite thing to cook is CRAWFISH, using his family-owned Cajun seasoning recipe.

Charity: Horses for Handicapped

Jesse Houston

is putting Jackson on the culinary map. Cozy oyster bar and seafood restaurant Saltine opened in 2014 with fun and funky takes on Southern food accented by regional craft beer. His playful dishes, like a PB&J (pork belly, boiled peanuts and pepper jelly) and poâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bao (fried oyster on a steamed bun), infuse nostalgia, skill and finesse. Named after the popular cracker served with seafood, Bon Appetit â&#x20AC;&#x153;Top 50 Best New Restaurantsâ&#x20AC;? winner Saltine fulfills Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal mission to bring oyster heritage and culture back to Jackson. He previously worked at Mississippi staples Parlor Market and City Grocery (Oxford) before opening Saltine, his first restaurant. Houston is a 2015 James Beard Foundation semifinalist for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Chef: Southâ&#x20AC;? and has been featured in Southern Living, Garden & Gun, The Local Palate and Taste of the South.

Charity: Craig Nooneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rock It Out Memorial Scholarship In memory of Parlor Marketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chef/Owner Craig Noone, the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association member chefs and the Noone family created a $10,000 scholarship for deserving culinary-arts students.

Jesse Houston - Saltine Oyster Bar Charity: Craig Nooneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rock It Out Memorial Scholarship %VMJOH "WF +BDLTPO .4 t t XXX TBMUJOFSFTUBVSBOU DPN

If it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for a last minute decision from

Pierre Pryer

to take a dish-washing job and the faith of The Iron Horse Grillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original owner in Pryerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culinary and management abilities, Jackson may never have fallen in love with this legendary restaurant. Truthfully, without Chef Pryerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment and attention to detail, the Iron Horse would never have become such a cornerstone of the Jackson restaurant scene. Now, Chef Pryer is back and stands behind this newest iteration of the classic restaurant. His commitment is to provide the excellent food and an experience we all remember.

Charity: The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra

Horses for handicapped was established in 1981 and takes place each year in April at the Mississippi Fairgrounds. The 4-day event provides horseback riding, wagon rides and BDUJWJUJFT UP OFBSMZ DIJMESFO BOE BEVMUT XJUI EJTBCJMJUJFT

The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra reaches young people all over the metro area with life-changing programs. MSOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education and ensemble concerts plus their awardwinning string instruction programs are truly a significant part of forming the lives of our future citizens, voters and leaders through music.

Kelly Ray - Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Beauxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Pierre Pryer - The Iron Horse Grill

Charity: Horses for Handicapped )JHIXBZ &BTU $MJOUPO .4 t t XXX GBDFCPPL DPN UCFBVYTDSBXĂś TI

Charity: The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra 8FTU 1FBSM 4U +BDLTPO t t UIFJSPOIPSTFHSJMM DPN

2016

Welcome to the

is a third generation restaurateur and chef who grew up learning the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Italian recipes and deltastyle fare at the famous Doeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eat Place in Greenville. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My family has wonderful cooks and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a family of restaurateurs.â&#x20AC;? Frank says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all I know and my first love.â&#x20AC;? Frank opened Signaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in 2012 which melds southern favorites and cajun influenced dishes creating unique and accessible dishes. Signaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s has received a host of awards including City of Ridgeland Business of the The Year and Best Restaurant finalist in annual Family Best of Jackson reader poll.

BRAVO! Sous Chef

Matt Mabry

has been a vegetarian for the past three years. His wife, Lindsey, has been a vegetarian for longer and his 6-year-old daughter, Kelsie, has been veggie since birth. (Mattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nephews, Jaylen and Dalton, are meat-eaters.) At home, Matt has to accommodate a variety of dietary needs and has brought that focus to BRAVO! Mattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been creating special vegetarian dinners for BRAVO! customers, and more recently took things a step further with vegan options, particularly on BRAVO!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vegan Night every Thursday. Although he personally hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been able to give up a good fried egg or cheesy pizza, Matt understands vegansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; preference to exclude all animal products such as dairy and eggs and works hard to create delicious food for people with all sorts of dietary restrictions.

Charity: MS Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home Services

Charity: St. Vincent De Paul

A ministry providing assistance with food, medicine, and utility bills for families in Washington County.

For more than a century, Mississippi Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home Services has made a transformational difference in the lives of Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children. Founded on the belief that the best place for a child is in a permanent, loving home, the organization formed a tradition of transformation through programs that serve the ever-evolving needs of Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children.

Frank Signa III - Signaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grille

Matt Mabry - BRAVO! Italian Restaurant

Charity: St. Vincent De Paul 64 3JEHFMBOE .4 t t XXX TJHOBTHSJMMF DPN

Grant Hutcheson

is a chef, husband, father and outdoorsman. Grant focuses on chef-driven award-winning competition BBQ and is always trying new flavors and ideas at The Pig & Pint. He uses as many local ingredients as possible and loves to pair food with different beers, especially new craft beer made in the South. The Pig & Pint won Best New Restaurant, Best Place for Ribs and Best Barbecue in the 2015 Best of Jackson Reader Poll.

Charity: Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association - Mississippi Chapter

Charity: MS Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home Services * 'SPOUBHF 3E +BDLTPO .4 t t CSBWPCV[[ DPN

Buranee â&#x20AC;&#x153;Timâ&#x20AC;? Bunniranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

first experience as a chef was in elementary school, preparing snacks in Thailand with her mother and selling them for 10 cents. With lots of hard work and determination, she saved enough to buy her first pair of roller skates. The sense of family, love of food and a strong work ethic led to Tim opening Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Thai restaurant in 1992. Thirty years later and halfway around the world, Tim was finally able to share her motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thai recipes with fellow Jacksonians. Named Thai House to exemplify Timâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision to create an atmosphere like home, every guest should feel like they are coming to have a good home-cooked meal with a Thai family.

Charity: Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children

The Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association, Mississippi Chapter, provides vital services and support to individuals with Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and their caregivers and families. They serve 82 counties in Mississippi.

As part of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children provides high-quality treatment for all patients using the disciplines and specialties of modern health care for all children regardless of the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to pay.

Grant Hutcheson - The Pig & Pint

Buranee â&#x20AC;&#x153;Timâ&#x20AC;? Bunniran - Thai House

Charity: Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association - Mississippi Chapter / 4UBUF 4U +BDLTPO .4 t t XXX QJHBOEQJOU DPN

Charity: Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children 0ME 4RVBSF 3E +BDLTPO .4 t

April 27 - May 3, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

Frank Signa III

2016 Sommart Viriyakitja,

was raised in Thailand, where he watched his grandmother cook and was inspired to do the same on a grander scale. He specializes in Thai cuisine. He has over 30 years of executive chef experience. He served as executive chef in Thailand for 12 years, in Switzerland for 10 years and at Surin of Thailand for 15 years. His passions are playing with the fish and curries.

PJ Lee is a lawyer turned chef who took over the culinary reigns at the legendary Hal Malâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eatery and music venue after his the death of his father-inlaw chef/owner Hal White. Hal taught PJ everything he knows about cooking. Today PJ sticks to the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tried and true southern recipes while adding some modern touches to the menu.

Charity: Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Abuse

MCADV is a statewide resource on domestic violence issues. We provide support for member shelter programs though training, technical assistance and capacity building; advocate for public policy that supports victims; and seek to change societal attitudes and beliefs through awareness and prevention activities in communities throughout Mississippi.

April 27 - May 3, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

The scholarship goes to a deserving culinary student at Hinds Community College.

Chef Sommart - Surin of Thailand

PJ Lee - Hal & Malâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Charity: Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Abuse 0ME $BOUPO 3PBE 4VJUF +BDLTPO t t XXX TVSJOPGUIBJMBOE DPN

Charity: Harold White Memorial Scholarship Fund 4 $PNNFSDF 4U %PXOUPXO +BDLTPO t t )BMBOE.BMT DPN

Ryan Cassell, a Madison, MS native began his culinary career at the Trace Grill in Ridgeland at the age of 16. After spending ten years in North Carolina and working as the Executive Chef of Ri Ra Irish Pub in uptown Charlotte, he brought his family back to Mississippi and took over as Chef and General Manager of Fenianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pub in September of last year. With his experience of working in one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier Irish pubs and traveling to Ireland, Ryan has been able to bring traditional Irish food with a Southern twist to Jackson. Utilizing local ingredients and innovative recipes, Fenianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s has become a food destination as well as a great place to have a drink.

Charity: Harold White Memorial Scholarship Fund

At six years old,

Danny Eslava,

who is now the executive chef and owner of Eslavaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grille, was tasked with putting together a simple meal for his mother as she dealt with an illness. This began a life long fascination with the culinary arts. A self-taught chef, Danny says the kitchen is his classroom. He has an eclectic mix of influences, ranging from Latin to Mediterranean to southern and many styles between.

Eslavaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grille Seafood, Steaks and Pasta

Charity: Cheshire Abbey

Charity: The Little Light House - Central MS

The Little Light House is a tuition-free Developmental Center that for over three decades has been making a difference in the lives of hundreds of children with special needs.

A 501c3 charity dedicated to caring for the animals in need in the Jackson metro area. While the responsibility of an animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs rests in the hands of the owner, an animal without owners becomes the shared responsibility of the community. Help make a positive change for the community and these forgotten animals.

Ryan Cassell - Fenianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pub

Danny Eslava - Eslavaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grille

fenianspub.com

Charity: Cheshire Abbey -BLFMBOE %SJWF t 'MPXPPE t

Charity: 5IF -JUUMF -JHIU )PVTF $FOUSBM .4 & 'PSUJGJDBUJPO 4USFFU t t XXX

2016 Bob Hamil

Charity: Sunnybrook Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home

The former pastry chef at Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on Lakeland and The Mermaid Cafe,

Mitchell Moore is originally from Byram and moved back home from Los Angeles after meeting the woman of his dreams. He restored Campbellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to its rightful place as a made-from-scratch destination.

Charity: Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi

"T B $ISJTUJBO NJOJTUSZ CBTFE QSPGFTTJPOBM DIJMEDBSF PSHBOJ[BUJPO 4VOOZCSPPL QSPVEMZ continues its mission to help societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children who have had challenging beginnings in their young lives.

CACM provides training, support and leadership on a statewide level to local childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advocacy centers and professionals throughout Mississippi who respond to reports of child abuse and neglect.

Bob Hamil - Mama Hamilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Mitchell Moore - Campbellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bakery

Charity: 4VOOZCSPPL $IJMESFO T )PNF t sunnych.net )XZ .BEJTPO t t IBNJMT DPN

The Manshipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head chef

Alex Eaton,

a Madison, MS native, was studying for a business degree at Mississippi State when he heard the call of the culinary arts. After graduating he attended the culinary program at Johnson andWales University in Charlotte, NC. His skills developed at a variety of restaurants including Mr. Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, New Orleans andTable 100, Flowood. Now he brings these experiences toThe Manshipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menu: an eclectic mix of southern style and healthy Mediterranean simplicity. The menu is dictated by seasonal availability and local sources. Even the artwork on the walls come from area artists.

Charity: Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi Fondren: / 4UBUF 4U +BDLTPO t Madison: +POFT 4U .BEJTPO t campbellsbakery.ms

Don Primos

wears a lot of hats at Primos Cafe. As Chef, Owner, and Operator, the Jackson native continues the Primos family legacy - one that has stood the test of time since 1929. Like generations of Primos that have come before him, Don brings â&#x20AC;&#x153;Southern Food for City Folksâ&#x20AC;? to the hungry crowds of Jackson with tried-andtrue family recipes and new favorites.

Charity: Neighborhood Christian Center

Charity: Mississippi Military Family Relief Fund Mississippi Military Family Relief Fund supports military families in need of financial assistance while their soldier member is called to active duty as a result of September 11, 2001.

Alex Eaton - The Manship Charity: Mississippi Military Family Relief Fund / 4UBUF 4USFFU t +BDLTPO t UIFNBOTIJQKBDLTPO DPN

The mission of the Neighborhood Christian Center and Peytonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House is to equip innercity children and young adults with academic and leadership skills from a Christian perspective so they may love and serve their neighborhood and city to the glory of God. This is done through after-school tutoring and a summer program focusing especially on math, reading and Bible teaching.

Don Primos - Primos Cafe

Charity: Neighborhood Christian Center -BLFMBOE %SJWF 'MPXPPE t -BLF )BSCPVS %SJWF 3JEHFMBOE t t QSJNPTDBGF DPN

April 27 - May 3, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

Bob Hamil learned his techniques and work ethic at a young age by observing Mama and Daddy Hamil. In 1994, he took over the responsibilities of managing the restaurant and there he quickly discovered that cooking was one of his many talents. Through trial and error, he developed his recipes. Within six months, his lunch crowd grew beyond their restaurant that seated fifty people. SOUTHERN COOKINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; In January Four Generations of Southern Cooks of 2007, the family opened a new Mama Hamilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

Teens Amazing

f our ee o t r a jor p ckson Fr ves a m A he Ja he positi s t t a n on tt missi highligh ese 14 tee art o is t re p a. Th Press metro are ksonian a atter c m in the week’s Ja that. No rt or s e i th hiev ther it’s a ey c a plus e he , th ww of ho they do, w r activism o t what or sports o neration e g c musi part of a osely. are h cl watc

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courtesy KenNedy Williams

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

“I started attending Springboard events in middle school and decided I wanted to get involved when I saw how much they helped me improve in math,” Williams says. “I like being part of Springboard because it provides something that keeps kids out of trouble and helps improve (their lives) at the

same time, and it’s something that can be relied on anytime and anywhere it’s needed.” Williams also tutors other students as part of a program called Math Rocks, which education organization The Young People’s Project sponsors. Williams tutors students in grades six to eight every Tuesday and Thursday, with the goal of helping them prepare to take their state Algebra I test in eighth grade. She is also part of Power Divas, a group of teenage girls who gather and discuss problems they face in their daily lives, and Scientific Research 1, a program that teaches Lanier students about subjects such as robotics and organizes scientific field trips. “I like volunteering with all these programs because I get to set an example,” Williams says. “I can be a mentor to other kids and share stories with them on things like how to overcome your fears. I ... like being able to share my experiences with others. It’s inspiring for me.” —Dustin Cardon

eventeen-year-old Jackson Academy junior Alexander Schott is one of 16 Mississippian trombone players to make this year’s Mississippi Lions AllState Band. This summer, Schott will travel to Japan and perform in an international contest. He started playing trombone in his hometown, Woodland, Texas, in the fifth grade as a school requirement, but then, he says, he realized he liked playing the instrument. Schott moved from Woodland to Jackson in August 2015 because of his father, Matthew James Schott Jr., and his job as vice president of transmissions at the Entergy Transmissions Operations Center. At JA, Alexander Schott is also a member of the quiz-bowl team. When he graduates in two years, he plans to enroll in

Leslyn Smith

L the University of Texas to study engineering. Recently, he gained his confirmation with the Saint Richard Catholic Church in Jackson. Whether or not the Lions band wins the international contest, making it as a junior in high school is certainly no small accomplishment. To get into it, he went through two rounds of auditions, the first having around 70 people, then 32, and only 16 were accepted. “Basically, the auditions were a little sight reading … scale playing (and prepared etudes),” Schott says. “Then we got called back for the next weekend, and eventually, I had made the cut.” Before the contest, which will be in Fukuoka, Japan, Schott and the rest of the band will attend a week-long practice camp at the University of Southern Mississippi. —Christo Hicks

eslyn Smith likes to photograph “life’s beautiful moments,” she says. The 15-year-old Jackson native is a freshman at Callaway High School. Her aunt, Stephanie Smith, inspired her to get into photography. Smith works in administration for

Smith says she loves writing. Her favorite subjects to write about are short stories about people’s lives such as those of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. When she was at Powell Middle School, she wrote and took photos for the newspaper in her seventh- and eighth-grade years. Recently, she joined Callaway’s powerlifting team. For now, she says the team just works out, but next year, they’ll begin doing competitions. She’s also in the school’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and says the U.S. Army, but Leslyn that when she grows up, says she does photography she wants to go into the on the side. “I just always criminal-justice field. She is wanted to follow (in her having trouble deciding befootsteps), and so I just tween going into the U.S. thought it would be cool Army, being a police officer to do photography, so I or an FBI agent, or even ustried, and I’m interested ing her photography skills in it,” Smith says. in the criminal-justice field. Her favorite photos she When she’s not at has taken are of her mother, school, she likes to read, play Pat Smith, who is a social basketball, cook and bake. worker at G.A. Carmichael At her church, Pheonix Family Health Clinic, and Fellowship in Canton, she her brother, Landyn, who works with technology, dois a sixth grader at Powell ing things such as recording Middle School. sermons and editing video. Besides photography, —Amber Helsel more AMAZING TEENS, see page 26

courtesy Patricia Smith

ennedy Williams, a 14-year-old freshman at Lanier High School, has been helping both herself and her fellow students improve their math skills as a participant in the Springboard to Opportunities program since 2013. She first became involved with Springboard, which connects families living in affordable housing with resources and programs that help them advance in school, work and life, while she was attending Brinkley Middle School.

Alexander Schott courtesy Jackson Academy

Kennedy Williams

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April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

June 13-17: Spy Another Day

25 4/25/16 8:55 AM

Imani Khayyam

andon Hardwick is looking forward to next football season. He recently moved from quarterback to wide receiver at Northwest Rankin High School. “I didn’t get to play much last sea-

son, as I was learning to be a receiver, but I expect to be a bigger part of the offense this season,” he says. He ran cross-country in seventh, eighth and ninth grade.

The 16-year-old sophomore, who will be 17 in May, has focused on engineering and is in the engineering-design program at the school. But his love of sports has turned his attention to sports medicine, and he hopes to go to the University of Mississippi to study the field. Next year, Hardwick will begin a two-year health science program at the vocational technology program at Hinds Community College. Hardwick posted a 4.0 GPA last year and has been a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Beta Club since ninth grade. He is also a member of Youth Leadership Jackson a program the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership does. He says being a part of Youth Leadership Jackson has helped him see and learn to talk about racism not only in the U.S., but around the world. The program also taught him the importance of diversity. During his spare time, Hardwick likes to play sports, hang out with friends and play video games, mainly Madden NFL. —Bryan Flynn

Jayla Mondy

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

Council, helping make sure each student in the school gets their 100 service hours before graduation. Mondy has a 4.2 cumulative GPA and hopes to attend Vanderbilt University to study biochemistry. When not courtesy Jayla Mondy

ayla Mondy likes to try many things in life. Mony, who is a 16-year-old junior, plays flute in the band at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, and she has played the instrument since sixth grade. “I always loved it and wanted to play it since I was a little girl,” she says. She is also a member of the track team at St. Andrew’s. She started running track as a sophomore to get in shape. “I tried all the sprints and found I like the 200 the best,” she says. This year, she did discus to try something different. She is in the top 10 percent of her class at St. Andrew’s. Mondy is a member of the National Honor Society and of the St. Andrew’s Honor Council, a group of students who make sure the honor code of the school is upheld. Mondy is a member of the Environmental Club, in which she and others put on a environmental fashion show in the spring semester. The club also does programs and coordinates the recycling in the St. Andrew’s community. She is also a member of the Service Learning Committee under the Student

serving her community or school, she loves to hang out with friends, watch movies, dance and read. —Bryan Flynn

Kaitlyn Watson

aitlyn Watson, a junior at St. Joseph Catholic School in Madison, is on a mission. Whether serving as captain of the school’s volleyball team or working as a member of the Altar Society, a type of church government at the Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Watson is constantly engaged in her community. “I have high expectations for myself,” she says. “I know I grew up very privileged, and I am at an age that if I can give back to my community in any way, I want to try and do that.” At her church, she is a member of the Junior Daughter’s Auxiliary, which holds a youth group Bible study. She is also a member of Jack and Jill of America, where she gets to work on a variety of community-service projects, including giving out meals for the less fortucourtesy Kaitlyn Watson

Landon Hardwick

from page 24

nate during Thanksgiving. She also won the annual Jack and Jill Oratorical Contest this year and was elected Miss Sweetheart for the organization for 2016 to 2018. “I have been involved with Jack and Jill since I was very young,” she says. “It has given me many opportunities that I wouldn’t have had. It also gives me many opportunities to do community service. That is my favorite part about the organization. ” Watson is also a member of the speech and debate team, Service Club and Spanish Club at St. Joseph, and she works for her school paper, The Bruin Buzz. Watson says she wants to attend Spelman College in Atlanta to study English and political science, and she hopes to become a lawyer. —Alexis Moody

Darius Nelson

hen he is not center stage in Forest Hill High School’s largest theater production to date or volunteering on his campus, Darius Nelson is an 18-year-old senior looking forward to graduation. The Jackson native starred as Sweeney Todd, in Forest Hill’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” “Trying to portray these emotions and connect with these characters you really can’t relate to is the hardest part,” Nelson says about the role. Although he plays a sinister barber who takes the lives of innocent patrons, Nelson says that he has a big heart and always tries to see the good in others.

“I am able to see through a lot of ... negativity, and even if someone has done something bad, (I know) they aren’t a bad person,” Nelson says.

courtesy Darius Nelson

Amazing Teens 2016

He wants to be a biomedical engineer and create compatible body parts for amputees and those who need help. “I have a fascination for how the human body works, and I want to help,” he says.

He says his mother, Nikita Nelson, inspires him every day. “I look up to my mother first and foremost because she is so strong and always keeps on going,” he says. His aunt, Dionne Young, who is battling lupus, is another role model who has influenced Nelson’s outlook on life. “Her positivity is contagious and radiates every time she walks into the room,” he says. When asked what advice he would give incoming students, Nelson says he would tell them what he wishes someone would have told him: “If you want to be different, be different. Don’t be afraid, and go into high school not being a part of anything.” —Onelia Hawa

Amazing Teens 2016

ince he was in the fourth grade, Jackson native Jamari Huggins has always had his hands busy with artwork, drawing and painting portraits. The Ridgeland High School senior says that he loves to paint. He says he draws influences from musicians such

as Kendrick Lamar, SZA and ScHoolboy Q to create his art pieces. Huggins, 19, transferred to Ridgeland High from Murrah High School when he was a junior, and since then, he has worked to develop his art skills

Robert Williams

Imani Khayyam

ometimes the quietest voice in the room speaks the loudest. Robert Williams is no exception to this. Williams, a 15-year-old sophomore at Wingfield High School, is a former lineman for the Jim Hill High School Tigers football team. He graduated from Blackburn Middle School in the top five of his class and was named one of the school’s Outstanding Students. He was on the Challenge Bowl team, is the youth leader at Fairfield Missionary Baptist Church and is a former page for Sen. John Horhn. He is also a member of the 20152016 Youth Leadership Greater Jackson class. “In Youth Leadership, we are discussing our personal future plans, as well as the future of our generation,” he says. The group recently took a trip to a police department and to the Capitol to see how the government and judicial systems work. As a page for Sen. Horhn, Williams

says he was able to be in the room as laws and legislations were discussed and passed. His Youth Leadership mentor, Shirley Tucker, applauds Robert’s personality, motivation and willingness to help. “He doesn’t say a lot in the class, granted that this is a group of leaders, but when he does speak, it’s pretty profound,” she says. “He doesn’t mind contributing his talents. If one were not careful, they would overlook how talented he is.” Williams has participated in the Youth Leadership Greater Jackson “Shark Tank,” where youth present a product or service to a group. He also participates in Vector Jiu Jitsu and says that he likes to collect recipes and try cooking them whenever possible. The grandson of former Jackson State University football coach Robert Hughes, he plans to follow in his family’s footsteps and attend Jackson State University, possibly majoring in psychology. —Shameka Hayes

by practicing drawing portraits and still-lifes. His painting of a sunflower won first place at a state art competition called Pollinators at Clinton High School in 2015. Huggins also earned a Silver Key at the 2016 Scholastic Awards for his artwork, which was on display at the Mississippi Museum of Art from Feb. 6 to March 13 this year. Huggins says he tries to only use bright colors in his artwork, and his preferred medium is acrylic paint. In the fall, he plans on pursuing a degree in art at Hinds Community College. After that, he hopes to transfer to an art school. Even though he’s young, he’s already looking to the future, traveling around the world and creating artwork. On day, he says, he would like to open up an art studio to train other students like him. “I just want to make my mom proud and better myself, not just say that I’m going to college just to go to college,” Huggins says. “I just want to have a purpose that makes my life better, and one day, if I have kids, make their lives better.” —Maya Miller

Johvon Crowell

ohvon Crowell, a Provine High School senior, is a teenager who has conquered adversity. Despite witnessing the tragic death of her best friend, she has been able to transform her grief into motivation by rechanneling her focus both athletically and academically. “I was involved in an incident at the end of my 11thgrade year where my car was shot into, and I lost one of my best friends,” she says. “... It was kind of hard for me to regain focus, but instead of letting that hinder me, I used it to motivate me and push me forward.” This past basketball season, the 5-foot, 4-inch Lady Rams point guard managed to average 15.4 points per game, 3.6 steals and 5.3 assists on the court. She helped lead her team to the state 5A semifinals and earned the titles of Best Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player.

In addition to her athleticism, Crowell also has done well in school and participates in the Robotics Club. With plans to attend Jackson State University and major in computer engineering, she is determined to make even greater strides towards becoming successful and purpose-driven. “My friend’s death showed me that life is too short not to set goals and accomplish things,” Crowell says. “At first, I had no clue what I was going to major in. I was just going to school. But I really had to sit down and take a look at my life and the way I was living. It made me change.” To her fellow peers, she says: “Remain positive and try to keep all of the negative away from you.” And to her late best friend, she says: “I’m doing this for you.” —Fallon Brewster

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

Imani Khayyam

Greenwood, she tried for three years to get a speech and debate team started, whereas MCHS already had a team. Gault says that she wanted to be on the team, of which she now serves as the vice president, because of her desire to be an attorney. In addition to her speech and debate duties, Gault is a member of the MCHS mock-trial team and has competed with her fellow students in the Mississippi Bar’s High School Mock Trial Competition for the last two years. She is currently ranked as the No. 2 youth attorney in the state. When she’s not at school or in extracurricular activities, Gault likes to paint, and loves movies and slam poetry. In 2016, MCHS faculty nominated her as Most Talented Writer. She wants to go to the University of Southern Mississippi to study international business law. —Amber Helsel

courtesy Johvon Crowell

orothy Gault has wanted to be a lawyer since she was 10. “I’ve always really liked politics … and I’ve watched political debates on the TV since I was (12), I think, so it was just something that I was always very interested in doing,” she says. Gault, 18, is a senior at Madison Central High School. She moved here from Greenwood, Miss., during her sophomore year of high school because of her mother LeAnne’s job. Her mom is currently the senior vice president for marketing at local social media-management company Edge Theory. “I went to a really small school before,” Gault says. “There were 40 kids in my entire grade, and then I moved to Madison … where there were almost 400, which is really different, but I like it a lot.” She says that at her old school in

Jamari Huggins

courtesy Jamari Huggins

Dorothy Gault

more AMAZING TEENS, see page 29

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Amazing Teens 2016

Imani Khayyam

he Brandon High School Lady Bulldogs softball team is ranked No. 1 in the state, and although she won’t tell you so, Karley Nichols is a big part of that success. Her numbers are impressive, yet the humble teen doesn’t take the credit. “I wouldn’t have the stats I have if it weren’t for my teammates and coaches,” she says. Nichols has pitched nine wins and zero losses, and has a .623 batting average this season, despite coming off an ankle reconstruction surgery. Last year, she was selected to the All-State First Team and was recognized as a Best of MS Preps honoree. This summer, she will play in the Mississippi Association of Coaches All-Star Game. Still, Nichols is a standout in more ways than what people see on the softball field. Last school year, she joined a group

of students supporting the Gay-Straight Alliance at her school. Their support wasn’t always well received, but Nichols says that didn’t deter her. She credits her mom, Kelli Nichols, for her spirit. “I don’t think I’d be who I am without my mom,” she says. “She is the reason why I’m so open-minded.” Karley is inspired through the memories of those who knew her father, Nicky Nichols, who died when she was 3 years old. “People always talk about how great my dad was,” she says. “I want to be the kid he’d want me to be.” Despite being a junior, Nichols has already committed to the University of Southern Mississippi, where she plans to study polymer science. Through dual-enrollment courses, she hopes to have earned most of her freshman-year credits before heading she makes the move to attend USM. —Torsheta Bowens

People from all over Mississippi came and spent a month of their lives there, he says, which made him feel proud of his home state. “They were experiencing Missis-

sippi and this whole southern culture. And it’s cool to say that I live here, this is where I’m from. This is my thing,” Wasson says. Wasson is a junior at Jackson Preparatory School. He serves on the student council as class representative and is on Jackson Prep’s Academic Competition team. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta and the cross-country team, and is also an Eagle Scout and a member of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson. Through his involvement with the Eagle Scouts, Wasson volunteers at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, where, as a Youth Ambassador, he says he’s always learning something new, and there’s always something for him to do. He likes math, but he says his favorite subject is science, and he enjoys the way that math informs subjects like physics and chemistry. Although he is just a junior, Wasson is already thinking about college and maybe working in medicine one day. —Sierra Mannie

Xavier Heard

avier Heard sits in his psychology class and soaks up information about biological and cognitive levels of analysis with his peers in the Pysch Club. A junior at Jim Hill High School, Heard is passionate about learning. “In school, everything is curriculum-based, but I like going out and searching for things that other people don’t know in order to share it,” Heard says. The 17-year-old was previously a member of the College Bowl Team, and he currently plays soccer for Jim Hill and the Central Jackson Soccer Organization. He admits that he attempted other sports, but he found himself uninterested until he picked up a soccer ball. Soccer has since helped him build character, which he credits to his coaches. “I have learned that it’s OK to be a leader, but it’s also OK to be a follower,”

Heard says. “We’ve learned key building skills, and this has taught me accountability. When you keep practicing, it teaches you to be the best that you can be.” Some of Heard’s other hobbies include singing, teaching others, and writing poetry and music. He says he would love to share his poetry with the world if one day given the opportunity. Although he hasn’t quite decided on a college major, he plans to attend Belhaven University and get a medical-related degree. Heard believes Jim Hill has thoroughly prepared him for these future endeavors, even though some may portray his school in a negative light. “I don’t look at it how other people do,” he says. “Everyone has issues at their school. You may have people that complain, but if you don’t put in the work, you will never gain the results that hard work yields.” —Danie Matthews

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

Karley Nichols

ike many teens, Robert Wasson, 17, occasionally feels a sense of ennui about his home state, but he says a program last summer focused on the study of athletic concussions at the University of Mississippi helped change his mind.

courtesy Xavier Heard

Imani Khayyam

ighteen-year-old Raven Jackson says she’s really good in English and writing—her Black History Month program poem was a knockout among the staff at Canton High School, where she is a senior. However, science is her true passion. Jackson says her aunt’s struggle with sickle cell anemia has moved her to study genetics after graduating high school. She has been accepted into Spelman College in Atlanta, her dream school, where she says she plans to study genetics. “I know that I wanted to go to an HBCU, and I wanted to surround myself with people like me and positive influences,” she says. “They’re one of the most prestigious HBCUs, and I felt like that’s where I was supposed to be. It called into my heart. I feel like it’ll give me life skills that I haven’t already developed and help me grow.” At Canton High, she is a member of the volleyball team and is a majorette in the school band. She plays tennis and is in the Beta Club, Mu Alpha Theta and the drama club. She’s also a member of Foundations, a club at Canton High School that focuses on community engagement. “I want to develop more leadership roles and become more independent,” Jackson says. —Sierra Mannie

Robert Wasson

courtesy Robert Wasson

Raven Jackson

from page 27

LIFE&STYLE | food&drink

Expanding Palates, Expanding Horizons by Dustin Cardon Imani Khayyam

Spice Avenue recently hosted members of the Provine Culinary Society, there to try new tastes.

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

Imani Khayyam

The Provine Culinary Society allows members to try foods from different cultures, such as Indian food at Spice Avenue.

Imani Khayyam

Members of the Provine Culinary Society choose foods from the buffet at Spice Avenue.

hen a group of students from Provine High School walked into Taqueria La Reata, an authentic Mexican restaurant in Jackson, they hadn’t been expecting cow tongue to be included in a menu of genuine Mexican food. The members of the Provine Culinary Society also hadn’t expected that they would find themselves enjoying it. “When I tried it, it tasted just like regular beef,” society member Quindon Nichols told the Jackson Free Press. “All the food we had that day, (like seasoned rice, a red pepper-seasoned chicken dish, cow tongue and chorizo tacos, and a fresh avocado-based hot sauce), the real thing all had so much more flavor and was a completely different experience (than) what I’d always thought of as Mexican food before. I was looking forward to more and curious about what other new foods I could try and where I could find them.” Matthew Freeman, a counselor at Provine, founded the Provine Culinary Society in 2014 with the goal of exposing to students to healthy, diverse and international cuisine they could find in their own communities. With the help of grants from organizations such as the Junior League of Jackson, Freeman has taken the club’s members to dine at numerous locally owned ethnic restaurants in the Jackson metro area, including Taqueria La Reata, Spice Avenue, Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant and Aladdin Mediterranean Grill, as well as locations such as raw-food restaurant Liquid Light Café and The Palette Café inside the Mississippi Museum of Art. Members have tried such dishes as fish-oil sauce made from fermented anchovies at Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant, freshly made natural garlic hummus at Aladdin Mediterranean Grill, Tandoori chicken at Spice Avenue, vegan tacos with shells made of flaxseed and nuts at Liquid Light Cafe, and venison carpaccio that Freeman prepared himself. “Through all of this, the purpose of the society is to broaden kids’ horizons, to let them sample other cultures and places through food and expose them to food that is more nutritious than what they normally have available to eat,” Freeman says. In his proposal to receive grant funding to start the group, Freeman pointed out that 50 percent of Provine’s students live in what are known as food deserts, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines as areas where a majority of the households are located more than one mile from the nearest supermarket. Families in food des-

erts usually rely on cheap, unhealthy fastfood options or food from convenience stores. Freeman said in his proposal that international cuisines are frequently more affordable and healthier than the foods Provine students eat regularly. “After seeing how different cultures make their food and experiencing how good ... it is, I wanted other people to be able to experience what I have,” society member Helena Barker said. “A lot of people I know just eat at McDonalds or go to convenience stores, and I want to be able to help other students explore new foods and think more about what they eat.” Among Freeman’s future goals for broadening the Provine Culinary Society is organizing culinary field trips to experience more foods farther from home and setting up a leadership team of “culinary ambassadors” within the group whose duties would include scouting out new places in the metro area for the group to visit. “Ultimately, I would like to see kids who don’t get to travel much get a chance to acquire a broader perspective on cultures in and around Jackson and find healthy alternative foods,” Freeman says. “I want to stimulate their curiosity about the greater world around them. I love how enthusiastic the kids are to try new things without reservation.” Freeman is currently applying for a grant to continue taking students to different restaurants next year. For more information, call Matt Freeman at 601-613-1695.

Where They Went Here are restaurants the students in the Provine Culinary Society visited this year. Taqueria La Reata (1923 Highway 80 W., 601-665-8649) Aladdin Mediterranean Grill (730 Lakeland Drive, 601-366-6033, aladdininjackson.com) Liquid Light Café (224 E. Capitol St., 769-208-8689) Spice Avenue (4711 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-0890) Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant (2640 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-4204848) The Palette Café at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St., 601965-9900, msmuseumart.org)

$5 FRIDAY NIGHT BLUES - APRIL 29 -

FRED T

AND THE BAND - APRIL 30 -

THE STRAYS - MAY 1 -

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT 10-UNTIL CLOSE

GAMES-PRIZES

AND DRINK SPECIALS

WEDNESDAY

4/27

DAVID ALLAN COE W/ GEORGE JONESTOWN MASSACRE DOORS 7 P.M. SHOW 8 P.M.

THURSDAY

4/28

SPACE KADET 10 P.M.

FRIDAY

4/29

THE HEAVY PETS 10 P.M.

SATURDAY

4/30

ANDREW BRYANT BAND

(ANDREW OF WATER LIARS) W/ YOUNG VALLEY 10 P.M.

601-960-2700 facebook.com/Ole Tavern

416 George St, Jackson, MS

SUNDAY

5/1

BEER BUCKET SPECIAL (5 Beers for $8.75)

ALL DAY LONG!

MONDAY

5/2

OPEN MIC NIGHT

$5 APPETIZERS (DINE IN ONLY)

TUESDAY

5/3

SHRIMP BOIL 5 - 10 PM

$1 PBR & HIGHLIFE $2 MARGARITAS

What do you like about St. Alexis? Kevin & Jacqueline Day say “The people make you feel like family. It’s very inclusive and warm. Everyone wants to serve others.” 650 E.South Street • Jackson • 601.944.0415 Sunday Services: 10:00am & 6:00pm

St. Alexis

Episcopal Church

10pm - 12am

2SHQ VHYHQ GD\V D ZHHN 1030-A Hwy 51 • Madison Behind the McDonalds in Madison Station

601.790.7999

1002 Treetops Blvd • Flowood Behind the Applebee’s on Lakeland

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5/13 Cedric Burnside Project 6/16 - Pure Luck (Featuring JD Pinkus of Butthole Surfers & the Melvins)

See Our New Menu

WWW.MARTINSLOUNGE.NET

214 S. STATE ST. DOWNTOWN JACKSON

601.354.9712

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

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UPCOMING SHOWS

THURSDAY 4/28

FRIDAY 4/29

SATURDAY 4/30

Hunks and Heels—A Womanless Beauty Pageant is at Jaco’s Tacos.

Firkin Friday is at Saltine Oyster Bar.

The Paws & Claws 5K is at Old Trace Park in Ridgeland.

BEST BETS April 27 - May 4, 2016

flickr_/ Louise Palanker

WEDNESDAY 4/27

History Is Lunch is at noon at the William F. Winter Archives and History Building (200 North St.). K.C. Morrison discusses his book, “Aaron Henry of Mississippi: Inside Agitator.” Free; call 601-576-6998. … The Taste of Tulum Dinner is from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Saltine Oyster Bar (622 Duling Ave., Suite 201). Enjoy a five-course meal featuring dishes that Chef Jesse Houston prepared at the Zamas Hotel and Resort in Tulum, Mexico. Reservations required. $55 plus tax and tip; call 601-982-2899; saltinerestaurant.com. Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson performs Thursday, April 28, at Thalia Mara Hall.

THURSDAY 4/28

The Brian Wilson Benefit Concert is at 7:30 p.m, at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.). Proceeds benefit the MIND Center for Alzheimer’s research efforts. $29.5$119.5; call 601-292-7121; ardenland.net. … 3rd Eye Cyborg is from 8 to 11 p.m. at Offbeat (151 Wesley Ave.). Performers include Alexander Fre$co, Brian King, Pedro & G, Rosewood $wing, Flywlkr and DevMaccc. $10; call 3769404; find the event on Facebook.

performs. Doors open at 8 p.m. $20 in advance, $25 at the door, $3 surcharge for patrons under 21; call 601-2927121; email jane@halandmals.com; ardenland.net.

date: April 30. $6, children under 12 free, $10 early-bird shopping April 30 from 9-10 a.m.; call 601-898-0212; gritandglowbazaar.com.

SATURDAY 4/30

MONDAY 5/2

courtesy Calvin Richardson

Lane of Lanterns is from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive). Enjoy farm-to-table food featuring Mississippi chefs and producers. Includes a signature cocktail hour, live music and an auction. The event is a fundraiser for the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum Foundation. $50; call 662-473-8600 or text the word Lane to 91999; email foundation@msagmuseumfoundation.org.

SUNDAY 5/1

Zoo Blues is from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Jackson Zoo by Micah Smith (2918 W. Capitol St.). F&S Productions hosts the annual blues concert featuring music jacksonfreepress.com from artists including Calvin Fax: 601-510-9019 Richardson, Vick Allen, Omar Daily updates at Cunningham, Tre Williams, jfpevents.com Lacee, Shirley Jones, Teslenay and Alvin Garrett. Purchas food from vendors. Lawn chairs and coolers are welcome but will be checked. $25 in advance, $30 day of show; call 601-981-5858; email tfrancis@jacksonzoo.org; jacksonzoo.org. … Grit and Glow Bazaar is at the Town of Livingston (Highway 463 and Highway 22, Madison). The event includes antique and artisan vendors, art installations, design demonstrations and a kids’ craft area. Proceeds benefit local children’s charities. Additional

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

events@

Calvin Richardson performs for Zoo Blues on Sunday, May 1, at the Jackson Zoo.

FRIDAY 4/29

Drive-By Truckers is at 8 p.m. at Hal & Mal’s (200 Commerce St.). The alternative country and southern rock band from Athens, Ga., performs to promote their latest 32 album, “English Oceans.” The Band of Heathens also

Author Jason Morgan Ward signs copies of his book, “Hanging Bridge,” at 5 p.m. at Lemuria Books (Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 202). Reading at 5:30 p.m. $29.95 book; call 601-366-7619; email info@ lemuriabooks.com; lemuriabooks.com.

TUESDAY 5/3

Art and Coffee is from 10 a.m. to noon at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.) in the Yates Community Room. Join docents, volunteers and museum staff to look at and discuss current and upcoming exhibitions. Free; call Emily Summerlin at 601-960-1515; msmuseumart.org. … “It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over” Dinner Theater is at 7 p.m. at Georgia Blue in Flowood (223 Ridge Way, Flowood). Mississippi Murder Mysteries presents the interactive show with a baseball theme. Includes a three-course meal. Seating at 6:30 p.m. RSVP. Additional date: April 27, 7 p.m. For ages 13 and up. $47; call 601850-2318; fringedinnertheatre.com.

WEDNESDAY 5/4

An Evening of Song and Remembrance with Batsheva is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Beth Israel Congregation (5315 Old Canton Road). Batsheva is an award-winning, multilingual singer-songwriter and musician. In her Shoah concert, she tells the story of the Jewish people and the Second World War. Free; call 601-956-6216.

WEDNESDAY 4/27

Pub Quiz W I T H A NDREW M C L ARTY 7:30P M

THURSDAY 4/28

johnnytsbistroandblues.com

KATIE & DOC 9P M

FRIDAY 4/29 HAPPY HOUR Tuesday - Friday 5 pm - 7 pm 1/2 off drink menu.... 2 for 1 shots

SHAUN

PATTERSON 9P M

SATURDAY 4/30

DOUBLE SHOTZ 9P M

M ONDAY 5/2

EXTENDED HAPPY HOUR! NOW 3-7 $2 DOMESTICS BOTTLE AND DRAFT $3 MARGARITAS AND WINE $4 CRAFT BEER $5 YOU CALL IT SINGLE

KARAOKE WITH

MATT COLLETTE

9P M - 1A M

TUESDAY 5/3

OPEN MIC WITH

MATT NOOE 9P M

WINNER: Best Open Mic Night Best Place to Drink Cheap Best of Jackson 2016

COMING UP

_________________________

WEDNESDAY 4/27

NEW BOURBON STREET JAZZ BAND Restaurant - 6 - 8:30 pm

funk, soul & improvisation

THURSDAY 4/28

D’LO TRIO Restaurant - 7 - 10 pm - Free

_________________________

FRIDAY 4/29

ARDENLAND PRESENTS:

DRIVE BY TRUCKERS FEATURING: THE BAND OF HEATHENS

Red Room - Doors 7pm Show 8pm $20 in advance/ $25 at door tickets available at www.ardenland.net

_________________________

Friday, May 13

JJ GREY & MOFRO ben miller band

north florida sage & soul-bent swamp rocker

Saturday, May 14 WILLIE SUGARCAPPS hugh mitchell

SATURDAY 4/30

DJ ROZZ & ENOUGH SAID EVENTS PRESENT:

TOTALLY 90’S GLOW BASH Red Room - 9pm - 2am

_________________________

MONDAY 5/2 CENTRAL MS BLUES SOCIETY PRESENTS:

BLUE MONDAY Restaurant - 7pm - $5

_________________________

Thursday, May 19

CASSIE MEANS YOUNG VALLEY

small town girl from pucket with a soulful country sound

Friday, May 27

KEB’ MO’ BAND

multi grammy awards & nominations blues artist

TUESDAY 5/3

Sunday, June 5

w/ Jimmy Quinn

lenguas largas + whispering wires

PUB QUIZ Restaurant - 7:30pm - $2 to Play

_________________________

WEDNESDAY 5/4

MARK ROEMER AND JAMIE WEEMS Restaurant - 6 - 8pm - Free

_________________________ OFFICIAL

HOUSE VODKA

901 E FORTIFICATION STREET

Visit HalandMals.com for a full menu and concert schedule

WWW.BURGERSBLUES.COM

WWW.FENIANSPUB.COM

Downtown Jackson, MS

601-948-0055

THE MARCUS KING BAND rock, blues, psychedelia,

_________________________

CHECK THE JFP MUSIC LISTINGS FOR OUR LINEUP 1060 E County Line Rd. Ridgeland

601-899-0038

Thursday, May 12

601.948.0888 200 S. Commerce St.

BUILT TO SPILL

american indie rock band based in boise, idaho

just unced! anno

Friday, June 24

FLOW TRIBE

new orleans’ own ﬁne purveyors of backbone cracking music

JX//RX

COMPLETE SHOW LISTINGS & TICKETS

dulinghall.com

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

NEVER A COVER!

Check jfpevents.com for updates and more listings, or to add your own events online. You can also email event details to events@jacksonfreepress.com to be added to the calendar. The deadline is noon the Wednesday prior to the week of publication.

JFP-SPONSORED Lane of Lanterns April 30, 7-10 p.m., at Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive). Enjoy farm-to-table food featuring Mississippi chefs and producers. Includes a signature cocktail hour, live music and an auction. The event is a fundraiser for the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum Foundation. $50; call 662473-8600 or text the word Lane to 91999; email foundation@msagmuseumfoundation.org.

COMMUNITY History Is Lunch April 27, noon, at William F. Winter Archives and History Building (200 North St.). Author and scholar K.C. Morrison discusses his book, “Aaron Henry of Mississippi: Inside Agitator.” Free; call 601-576-6998. William H. Holtzclaw Lecture Series April 28, 7 p.m., at Jackson State University’s Margaret Walker Center (Ayer Hall, 1400 John R. Lynch St.). English professor William L. Andrews of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill speaks on the topic, “William H. Holtzclaw: The Man, the Mission and the Mask.” Reception before the lecture at 6 p.m. Free; call 601-979-3935. Startup Weekend Jackson 2016 April 29, 5:30 p.m., April 30-May 1, 8 a.m., at Coalesce Cooperative Work Environment (109 N. State St.). Participants have one weekend to develop and pitch working prototype, demo or presentation. Includes mentors and award categories for education-based ideas. Registration required. $50 per participant; call 985-7979; innovate.ms. Metro Master Gardeners’ Annual Plant Sale April 30, 8 a.m.-noon, at Mynelle Gardens (4736 Clinton Blvd.). The Master Gardeners have propagated a wide variety of native and naturalized heirloom plants, perennials, shrubs and trees. Free admission, plants for sale; call 601-613-5223; email sadiecat17@comcast.net. The Art of War April 30, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). In Trustmark Grand Hall. The topic of the workshop is Modernism as it relates to conflict. Includes a tour of the exhibit “When Modern was Contemporary: Selections from the Roy. R. Neuberger Collection.” Registration required. $10 for CEU credits; call 601-960-1515; msmuseumart.org. Adventures in Wonderland April 30, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at Manship House Museum (420 E. Fortification St.). Enjoy flamingo croquet, a teabag toss, a selfie with the Queen of Hearts and more. Reservations recommended. Free; call 601-961-4724.

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

Youth Intervention April 30, 1 p.m., at Metrocenter Mall (3645 Highway 80 W.). Includes remarks from officials such as JPS Superintendent Cedrick Gray and Hinds County Sheriff Victor Mason, and music from Uncle Reece, Da Minista, Nue Breed, Brotha J 5:17 and more. Free; call 6221557; email youthinterventionbuzz@gmail.com.

Wifeprep’s Ask a Man, Part 2 April 30, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Mississippi e-Center at Jackson State University (1230 Raymond Road). Vantashi Wilks of Wifeprep is the host. Get tips on selecting the right mate for marriage. Includes refreshments and shopping. RSVP. $12; call 979-1246; email msecenter@msecenter.com; wifeprep.eventbrite.com. Grit and Glow Bazaar April 30-May 1, at Town of Livingston (Highway 463 and Highway 22, Madison). Includes antique and artisan vendors, art installations, design demonstrations and a kids’ craft area. Proceeds benefit local children’s charities. $6, children under 12 free, $10 earlybird shopping April 30 from 9-10 a.m.; call 601898-0212; gritandglowbazaar.com.

Garden Club of Jackson Spring Tour 2016 May 4-6, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at Country Club of Jackson (345 St. Andrews Drive). The Garden Club of Jackson is the host. The preview party is May 4. May 5-6 activities include a tour of four gardens at the country club, a garden at Montrose (shuttle access required) and four homes. Reservations required. $50 preview party, $20 tour ticket, $15 lunch reservation; call 601-5066366; email gardenclubofjackson@gmail.com; gardenclubofjackson.com. History Is Lunch May 4, noon, at Old Capitol Museum (100 S. State St.). Former U.S. senator Trent Lott discusses his book, “Crisis Point: Why We Must—and How We Can—Overcome our Broken Politics in Washington and Across America.” Free; call 601-576-6998.

SLATE

FOOD & DRINK

STAGE & SCREEN

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi’s Steak & Burger Dinner April 27, 5:30-8 p.m., at Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive). Club members receive burgers and negotiate with adults to exchange burgers for steaks. $25-$100; call 969-7088; email sdrennen@bgccm.org; eventbrite.com.

“It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over” Dinner Theater April 27, 7 p.m., May 3, 7 p.m., at Georgia Blue, Flowood (223 Ridge Way, Flowood). Mississippi Murder Mysteries presents the interactive show with a baseball theme. Includes a three-course meal. RSVP. For ages 13 and up. $47; call 601850-2318; fringedinnertheatre.com.

Events at Saltine Oyster Bar (622 Duling Ave., Suite 201) • Taste of Tulum Dinner April 27, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Enjoy a five-course meal featuring dishes that Chef Jesse Houston prepared at the Zamas Hotel and Resort in Tulum, Mexico. Reservations required. $55 plus tax and tip; call 601982-2899; saltinerestaurant.com.

the best in sports over the next seven days by Bryan Flynn

This could be one of the wildest NFL Drafts ever. The top two picks were already traded before the draft. We’ll also see if New Orleans can fix its defense with this new crop of players. Thursday, April 28 NFL (7-11 p.m., ESPN/NFLN): The first round of the 2016 NFL Draft could see three University of Mississippi players hear their names called.

Monday, May 2 MLB (6-10 p.m., ESPN): Something to watch this summer—is it the year of the Chicago Cubs? Get a look as they face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Friday, April 29 NFL (6-11 p.m., ESPN/NFLN): Rounds two and three of the 2016 NFL Draft begin. Coverage starts on ESPN at 6 p.m. but moves to ESPN2 at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, May 3 Cricket (5 a.m.-1 p.m., ESPN3): Wake up early or watch throughout the day, but either way, check out something new as Yorkshire takes on Nottinghamshire.

Saturday, April 30 NFL (11 a.m.-8 p.m., ESPN/NFLN): Watch rounds four through seven of the 2016 NFL Draft before the undrafted free-agent frenzy starts between teams.

Wednesday, May 4 College baseball (6:30-11 p.m., SECN+): Arkansas-Pine Bluff heads to Oxford in hopes of upsetting the UM Rebels on their home field. Remember, if you can’t watch the draft, follow @JFPSports all weekend long to get updates and pick analysis. Feel free to ask questions or send us where you think your favorite players will go.

Sunday, May 1 NFL (6-8 p.m., ESPN2): The SportsCenter special, “Draft Grades,” breaks down who had the best draft and who made the biggest mistakes during the 2016 NFL Draft.

KIDS Events at Mississippi Children’s Museum (2145 Highland Drive) • International Harry Potter Day April 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Celebrate Harry Potter’s birthday by mixing scientific potions, battling in a table-Quidditch game, or choosing your pathway to the Slytherin serpents or Gryffindor lions with the Sorting Hat. Included with admission ($10, children under 12 months free); call 601-981-5469; mschildrensmuseum.org. • Visiting Artist: Marshall Ramsey May 1, 1:305:30 p.m. Illustrator Marshall Ramsey gives illustration and animation lessons in Inspiration Studios. Included with admission ($10, children under 12 months free); call 601-981-5469; mschildrensmuseum.org.

Follow Bryan Flynn at jfpsports.com, @jfpsports and at facebook.com/jfpsports. • Firkin Friday April 29, 5 p.m. Enjoy beer from a selected brewery on the last Friday of each month. Limited supply. Beer for sale; call 601982-2899; saltinerestaurant.com. Crawfish Boil Patio Party Fridays, 4 p.m.-8 p.m. through June 24, at Seafood R’evolution (Renaissance at Colony Park, 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland). Includes crawfish, domestic and craft beers, and music. No cover, food for sale; call 601-853-3474; seafoodrevolution.com.

SPORTS & WELLNESS Paws & Claws 5K April 30, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., at Old Trace Park (Post Road, Ridgeland). Includes a 5K run/walk and a one-mile fun run. Proceeds go toward The Dog Park at the Rez. The race is part of the Mississippi Cajun Fest. $20-$40; call 601853-2011; raceroster.com.

CONCERTS & FESTIVALS Events at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.) • Muslim Cultural Awareness Month Concert April 28, 6-8 p.m. Enjoy live entertainment in the Art Garden at the CSpire Stage. Free; call 601-960-0440. • International Museum of Muslim Cultures Festival April 30, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. In the Art Garden. The family-friendly event includes food, entertainment, art and more. Free; call 601-960-0440. Brian Wilson Benefit Concert April 28, 7:30 p.m., at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.). Wilson is a singer-songwriter and co-founder of The Beach Boys. Proceeds benefit the MIND Center for Alzheimer’s research efforts. $29.5$119.5; call 601-292-7121; ardenland.net. Lynch Street Cultural Arts Festival April 29, 7 p.m., April 30, noon, at John R. Lynch St. The cabaret-style banquet is April 29 at 7 p.m. at Masonic Temple (1075 John R. Lynch St.), and the street festival is April 30 from noon until dark. Bobby Rush and SLAVE headline the music lineup. Banquet: $50, $500 table of 10; free admission to festival; call 601-352-6993; westjacksoncdc.net. Drive-By Truckers April 29, 8 p.m., at Hal & Mal’s (200 Commerce St.). The alternative country and southern rock band performs. The Band of Heathens also performs. $20 in advance, $25 at the door, $3 surcharge for under 21; call 601-2927121; email jane@halandmals.com; ardenland.net. Zoo Blues May 1, 2-7 p.m., at Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St.). F&S Productions hosts the annual blues concert featuring music from Calvin Richardson, Vick Allen, Omar Cunningham, Tre Williams, Lacee, Shirley Jones, Teslenay and Alvin Garrett. Includes food vendors. Lawn chairs and coolers are welcome but will be checked. $25 in advance, $30 day of show; call 601-981-5858; email tfrancis@jacksonzoo.org; jacksonzoo.org.

LITERARY & SIGNINGS Events at Lemuria Books (Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 202) • “Hanging Bridge” May 2, 5 p.m. Jason Morgan Ward signs books. Reading at 5:30 p.m. $29.95 book; call 601-366-7619; email info@ lemuriabooks.com; lemuriabooks.com. • “Julia Reed’s South” May 4, 5 p.m. Julia Reed signs books. Reading at 5:30 p.m. $50 book; call 601-366-7619; email info@lemuriabooks.com; lemuriabooks.com.

BE THE CHANGE Hunks and Heels—A Womanless Beauty Pageant April 28, 5-9 p.m., at Jaco’s Tacos (318 S. State St.). Guests vote for their favorite by paying $1 per vote. The contestant who raises the most money is crowned the Mississippi Burn Foundation’s “Hunk of the Year.” Local celebrities also present additional awards. For ages 21 and up. $5 at the door; call 961-7001; email tacojaco1@gmail.com; msburn.org.

DIVERSIONS | music

MUSIC | live

Coke Bumaye: Back for More

April 27 - Wednesday

April 28 - Thursday Jackson hip-hop artist Coke Bumaye performs for the release of his latest album, “If You Love Me Let Me Know: Special Edition,” Saturday, April 30, at Big Sleepy’s.

t’s only been a few months since Jackson hip-hop artist Coke Bumaye released his mixtape, “If You Love Me Let Me Know,” at the end of 2015, but fans didn’t have to wait long for more new music. Bumaye returned March 23 with a streamlined special edition featuring 11 new songs and seven revamped tracks, giving fans a deeper gaze into the heart of the rapper. “This album has a track for everybody,” Bumaye says. “If you’re in love, if you hate a person, wherever you are, you understand where I’m coming from on this album.” Growing up in south Jackson, Bumaye always had a fascination with hiphop, and about seven years ago, he began using music as a channel to express himself and push through whatever plight he was enduring at the time. He wanted to create music that would be reflective of his life and ideal for his generation. “I was just chilling with my homeboys, and we just knew we needed to create relatable music,” he says. “We started going to the studio and just kicking the tracks out.” Bumaye says he contemplated leaving the state after seeing that his music wasn’t taking hold in the way he had hoped, which he attributes, in part, to the fact that Mississippians rarely see artists launch from and grow beyond the local music scene. “People aren’t used to seeing people make it out of here, and sometimes, they don’t show you the love that you need to fuel your dreams,” Bumaye says. “In places like Atlanta or these other big cities, they’re so used to seeing people go to the next level, and they get behind you from the door, but here, you’ve never seen people go to the next level like that.” That struggle is the source for many of the expressive songs found on “If You Love Me Let Me Know: Special Edition.” Bumaye highlights a wide array of topics, from his feelings about relationships

on the track “Uneven Exchange” to the battle to succeed in music on “Pain.” The collective efforts of the album’s main producers, Hollywood Luck and D. Banks, allowed for a broader-reaching production style, Bumaye says, and the album also features many well-known Mississippi artists, including Tito Lopez, David Banner and Big K.R.I.T. Rather than focusing on the rappers that preceded him, though, Bumaye says he draws his musical inspiration from the ordinary people that he encounters in daily life. “I take my life experiences and put them in the music,“ he says. “Those experiences change day to day, and that’s how I create my sound. … I look up to people I know, just from being around them, more so than other artists. I feel their stories need to be told, and I try to make it my point to tell them.” Although Bumaye says his lyrics have progressed over the years, the subject matter has not changed much since his first solo project, “Translation,” in 2010. He says his music is based in universal truths, no matter what listeners are going through or what part of the world they are hearing the album in. “We all speak the same language, and that’s what makes music so beautiful,” Bumaye says. “(With) politics and religion, the barriers that they can’t break, music can because it’s a universal language. Love and pain are felt the same everywhere, and when you speak that, it’s hard for the people not to relate when it comes from that place.” Coke Bumaye performs for the “If You Love Me Let Me Know: Special Edition” release concert at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 30, at Big Sleepy’s (208 W. Capitol St.). Admission is $15 at the door or $10 in advance at tandum. com/bigsleepys/cokebumaye. For more information, visit cokebumaye.bandcamp.com.

Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m. Fenian’s - Katie & Doc 9 p.m. free Fitzgerald’s - Johnny Crocker (pool) 5 p.m. Georgia Blue, Madison - Aaron Coker Hal & Mal’s - D’lo Trio (rest) 7 p.m. free Iron Horse Grill - Brian Jones 6 p.m. Kathryn’s - Acoustic Crossroads 6:30 p.m. free Martin’s - Space Kadet 10 p.m. Old Capitol Inn - Steele Heart (roof) 6 p.m. Shucker’s - Road Hogs 7:30 p.m. free Sylvia’s - Thursday Night Live feat. The Blues Man & Sunshine McGhee 9 p.m. free Thalia Mara - Brian Wilson 7:30 p.m. $19.50-$119.50 ardenland.net

April 29 - Friday Ameristar Bottleneck Blues Bar, Vicksburg - MissUsed 8 p.m. Big Sleepy’s - They Will Fall, Astral Sand, Finding Peace in Gunshots, Villetown Mountain Army Brigade & more 7 p.m. $5 all ages Burgers & Blues - Larry Brewer & Doug Hurd 6 p.m. F. Jones Corner - Roosevelt Roberts midnight $10 Fenian’s - Shaun Patterson 9 p.m. free Fitzgerald’s - Travelin’ Jane 7:30 p.m. Georgia Blue, Flowood - Brian Jones Georgia Blue, Madison - Brandon Greer Hal & Mal’s - Drive-By Truckers w/ Band of Heathens 8 p.m. $20 advance $25 door ardenland.net The Hideaway - Splendid Chaos 9 p.m. $10 Iron Horse Grill - Nellie Mack Project 9 p.m.

April 30 - Saturday Ameristar Bottleneck Blues Bar, Vicksburg - The Yat Pack 8 p.m. Big Sleepy’s - Coke Bumaye Album Release Party 8 p.m. $10 advance $15 door Burgers & Blues - 3 Hour Tour 6 p.m.

Table 100 - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m. Trace Park, Ridgeland - Mississippi Cajun Fest feat. Burnham Road noon; Acoustic Crossroads 3 p.m.; Trademark 5 p.m.; Jason Miller Band 7 p.m.

May 1 - Sunday Char - Big Easy Three 11 a.m.; Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m. The Hideaway - Mike & Marty’s Jam Session Jackson Zoo - Zoo Blues feat. Calvin Richardson, Vick Allen, Omar Cunningham, Tre Williams, Lacee, Shirley Jones, Teslenay & Alvin Garrett 2 p.m. $25 advance $30 day of event Kathryn’s - Travelin’ Jane 6 p.m. free Pelican Cove - Larry Brewer & Doug Hurd 5 p.m. Sombra Mexican Kitchen - John Mora 11 a.m. Table 100 - Raphael Semmes 11:30 a.m. Wellington’s - Andy Hardwick 11 a.m.

May 2 - Monday Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m. Fitzgerald’s - Johnny Crocker 7:30 p.m. Hal & Mal’s - Central MS Blues Society (rest) 7 p.m. Kathryn’s - Stevie Cain 6:30 p.m. free Martin’s - Open Mic 10 p.m. Nellie Mack Project

F. Jones Corner - 2xtreme Band midnight $10 Fenian’s - Sid Thompson & DoubleShotz 9 p.m. free Georgia Blue, Flowood - Kenny Davis Georgia Blue, Madison - Stevie Cain The Hideaway - Battle of the Bands feat. Guilty Pleasure, 9 Dimes, Ravenstone & more 8 p.m. $10 Hal & Mal’s - Totally ’90s Glow Bash (red) 9 p.m. Iron Horse Grill - King Edward 9 p.m. Kathryn’s - Steel Country 7 p.m. free M Bar - Saturday Night Live feat. DJ Shanomak free Martin’s - Andrew Bryant Band w/ Young Valley 10 p.m. McB’s - Acoustic Crossroads 8 p.m. Metrocenter Mall - Youth Intervention feat. Uncle Reece, Da Minista & more 1 p.m. free Ole Tavern - The Strays 9 p.m. Reed Pierce’s, Byram - Chasin’ Dixie 9 p.m. free Shucker’s - Travelin’ Jane (deck) 3:30 p.m. free; Hunter & the Gators 8 p.m. $5; Sasser (deck) 10 p.m. free

May 3 - Tuesday Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m. Duling Hall - Amped & Wired feat. Sam Mooney w/ Los Brown 8 p.m. $10 Fenian’s - Open Mic Fitzgerald’s - Doug Hurd & Chris Link 7:30 p.m. Kathryn’s - Steele Heart 6:30 p.m. free Last Call Sports Grill - Top-Shelf Tuesdays feat. DJ Spoon 9 p.m. Margarita’s - John Mora 6 p.m. The Penguin - Jazz Tuesday

May 4 - Wednesday Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m. Fitzgerald’s - Steele Heart 7:30 p.m. Hal & Mal’s - Mark Roemer & Jamie Weems (rest) 6 p.m. free Jackson Yacht Club - Larry Brewer & Doug Hurd 6:30 p.m. Johnny T’s - jj Thames 8 p.m. Kathryn’s - Gator Trio 6:30 p.m. Kemistry - Open Mic Night 8:30 p.m. 601-665-2073 Shucker’s - Candice Moore & Jim Hartner 7:30 p.m. Sombra - Double Ramm Outlaws 5 p.m. Soul Wired Cafe - Brian Dolzani 8 p.m.

4/28 - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival feat. Tedeschi Trucks Band, Elvis Costello & the Imposters, Gary Clark Jr. & more - Smoothie King Center, New Orleans 4/29 - The Front Bottoms w/ Diet Cig & Brick + Mortar - Varsity Theatre, Baton Rouge 4/30 - B.o.B. w/ Scotty ATL & London Jae - New Daisy Theatre, Memphis 4/30 - Parkway Drive, Hollow City, Wild Fire & more - Kress Live, Biloxi 5/2 - Tokyo Police Club - Saturn, Birmingham

April 27 - May 3, 2016 • jfp.ms

Courtesy Coke Bumaye

Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m. Duling Hall - Amped & Wired feat. SilaS & 5th Child 7 p.m. $10 Fitzgerald’s - Sonny Brooks, Andrew Pates & Jeff Reynolds 7:30 p.m. Hal & Mal’s - New Bourbon Street Jazz (rest) 6 p.m. Kathryn’s - Larry Brewer & Doug Hurd 6:30 p.m. free Kemistry - Open Mic Night 8:30 p.m. 601-665-2073 Martin’s - David Allan Coe w/ George Jonestown Massacre 8 p.m. McB’s - Waylon Halen 8 p.m. Offbeat - Deaf II Society w/ II G.U.Y.S., Frankev, Prymo & Eig21ht 8 p.m. $10 Shucker’s - Chasin’ Dixie 7:30 p.m. free

ISH Grill & Bar - 1st Class Band Juniker Jewelry, Madison - Grand Opening feat. Larry Brewer & Doug Hurd 6 p.m. Kathryn’s - Greenfish 7 p.m. free M Bar - Flirt Fridays feat. DJ T. Lewis free Martin’s - The Heavy Pets 10 p.m. McB’s - Phil & Trace 8 p.m. Ole Tavern - Fred T & the Band 10 p.m. $5 Reed Pierce’s, Byram - Sid Thompson & DoubleShotz 9 p.m. free Shucker’s - Deeb’s Blues Band 5:30 p.m. free; Hunter & the Gators 8 p.m. $5; Chad Perry (deck) 10 p.m. free Table 100 - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Dag Anderson

by Danie Matthews

Music listings are due noon Monday to be included in print and online listings: music@jacksonfreepress.com.

Last Weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Answers

BY MATT JONES

52 Restroom door word 53 Actress Sedgwick of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Closerâ&#x20AC;? 55 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s often served sweetened 60 Buddy who bugs Bert 64 Friarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club event 65 Barbecue offering, or what the other three theme answers do? 68 First name in fragrances 69 Musician who feuded with Eminem 70 1960s bluesman Redding 71 Consenting responses 72 Blunt-edged sword 73 Get oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feet wet

45 Former MTV personality Daisy 47 Buying binge 50 Blast creator 54 Katniss Everdeenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s projectile 55 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dirty Dancingâ&#x20AC;? actress Jennifer 56 Actress Byrne 57 â&#x20AC;&#x153;... â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cause I ___ me spinach, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Popeye ...â&#x20AC;? 58 Mr. Hoggettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Babeâ&#x20AC;? 59 Each, informally

61 1920s leading lady ___ Naldi 62 Abbr. in the footnotes 63 â&#x20AC;&#x153;___ quam videriâ&#x20AC;? (North Carolina motto) 66 Late actor Vigoda (for real) 67 Grain in some whiskey ÂŠ2016 Jonesinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Crosswords (editor@ jonesincrosswords.com)

For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800 655-6548. Reference puzzle #769.

Down

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Barbe-cluesâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;this cookoutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s missing something. Across

1 Move slowly 5 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Smokey ___ Cafeâ&#x20AC;? 9 â&#x20AC;&#x153;American ___ Warriorâ&#x20AC;? 14 First state to weigh in on presidential candidates 15 Inauguration Day recitation 16 How anchovies are preserved 17 Ink for a fan of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;60s chess champion Mikhail? 19 Bossa nova relative 20 Photographer Adams 21 Facebook display 23 â&#x20AC;&#x153;I call it!â&#x20AC;? 26 Crew team need

27 Do a grocery store task 30 Introduction from an Italian guy who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speak much English? 36 Box score stat 37 Having no experience in 38 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beat it!â&#x20AC;? 39 English aristocrat 41 Resulted in 43 Feels under the weather 44 Roman ___ (novel genre) 46 Trees that yield hard wood 48 Dir. from Reno to L.A. 49 Insult your private instructorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headwear? 51 Monopoly token choice

1 Falafel accompanier 2 Home buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s need, usually 3 Mail deliverers at Hogwarts 4 Behind the times 5 Write hastily, with â&#x20AC;&#x153;downâ&#x20AC;? 6 Grain in granola 7 Prince Williamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alma mater 8 Yeezy Boost 350, for one 9 Leaf and PathďŹ nder, for two 10 Where Chad is 11 Coastal Alaskan city 12 Agree (with) 13 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Only ___â&#x20AC;? (Oingo Boingo song) 18 Even out 22 Got the most votes 24 Jessica of â&#x20AC;&#x153;7th Heavenâ&#x20AC;? 25 Site of a 1976 anti-Apartheid uprising 27 Sandwich need 28 Calculators with sliding beads 29 Lena Dunham show 31 Dark Lord of the Sith 32 Onslaught 33 From Limerick 34 Mango side, maybe 35 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Good to go!â&#x20AC;? 40 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hmm ...â&#x20AC;? 42 Word of afďŹ rmation

BY MATT JONES Last Weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Answers

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kaidokuâ&#x20AC;?

Each of the 26 letters of the alphabet is represented in this grid by a number between 1 and 26. Using letter frequency, word-pattern recognition, and the numbers as your guides, ďŹ ll in the grid with well-known English words (HINT: since a Q is always followed by a U, try hunting down the Q ďŹ rst). Only lowercase, unhyphenated words are allowed in kaidoku, so you wonĂt see anything like STOCKHOLM or LONG-LOST in here (but you might see AFGHAN, since it has an uncapitalized meaning, too). Now stop wasting my precious time and SOLVE! psychosudoku@gmail.com

longest day

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in a phase of your cycle when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be rewarded for your freshness and originality. The more you cultivate a â&#x20AC;&#x153;beginnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind,â&#x20AC;? the smarter you will be. What you want will become more possible to the degree that you shed everything you think you know about what you want. As the artist Henri Matisse said, if a truly creative painter hopes to paint a rose, he or she â&#x20AC;&#x153;first has to forget all the roses that were ever painted.â&#x20AC;? What would be the equivalent type of forgetting in your own life?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Am I still a hero if the only person I save is myself?â&#x20AC;? asks poet B. Damani. If you posed that question to me right now, I would reply, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yes, Gemini. You are still a hero if the only person you save is yourself.â&#x20AC;? If you asked me to elaborate, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In fact, saving yourself is the only way you can be a hero right now. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rescue or fix or rehabilitate anyone else unless and until you can rescue and fix and rehabilitate yourself.â&#x20AC;? If you pushed me to provide you with a hint about how you should approach this challenge, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be bold and finish with a flourish: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now I dare you to be the kind of hero you have always feared was beyond your capacity.â&#x20AC;?

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need people in our lives with whom we can be as open as possible,â&#x20AC;? declares psychotherapist Thomas Moore. I agree. Our mental health thrives when we can have candid conversations with free spirits who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t censor themselves and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect us to water down what we say. This is always true, of course, but it will be an absolute necessity for you in the coming weeks. So I suggest that you do everything you can to put yourself in the company of curious minds that love to hear and tell the truth. Look for opportunities to express yourself with extra clarity and depth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To have real conversations with people may seem like such a simple, obvious suggestion,â&#x20AC;? Moore says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but it involves courage and risk.â&#x20AC;?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

I watched a video of a helicopter pilot as he descended from the sky and tried to land his vehicle on the small deck of a Danish ship patrolling the North Sea. The weather was blustery, and the seas were choppy. The task looked, at best, strenuous, at worst, impossible. The pilot hovered patiently as the ship pitched wildly. Finally there was a brief calm, and he seized on that moment to settle down safely. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you may have a metaphorically similar challenge in the coming days. To be successful, all you have to do is be alert for the brief calm, and then act with swift, relaxed decisiveness.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Show me a man who isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a slave,â&#x20AC;? wrote the Roman philosopher Seneca. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One is a slave to sex, another to money, another to ambition; all are slaves to hope or fear.â&#x20AC;? Commenting on Senecaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thought, blogger Ryan Holiday says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m disappointed in my enslavement to self-doubt, to my resentment towards those that I dislike, to the power that the favor and approval of certain people hold over me.â&#x20AC;? What about you, Virgo? Are there any emotional states or bedeviling thoughts or addictive desires that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a slave to? The coming weeks will be a favorable time to emancipate yourself. As you do, remember this: Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a difference between being compulsively driven by a delusion and lovingly devoted to a worthy goal.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everyone who has ever built a new heaven first found the power to do so in his own hell.â&#x20AC;? Libran philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche uttered that noble truth, and I bet it will be especially meaningful for most of you during the rest of 2016. The bad news is that in the past few months, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had to reconnoiter your own hell a little more than you would have liked, even if it has been pretty damn interesting. The good news is that these explorations will soon be winding down. The fantastic news is that you are already getting glimpses of how to use what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been learning. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be well-prepared when the time comes to start constructing a new heaven.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Zugzwangâ&#x20AC;? is a German-derived word used in chess and other games. It refers to a predicament in which a player

cannot possibly make a good move. Every available option will weaken his or her position. I propose that we coin a new word that means the opposite of zugzwang: â&#x20AC;&#x153;zugfrei,â&#x20AC;? which shall hereafter signify a situation in which every choice you have in front of you is a positive or constructive one; you cannot make a wrong move. I think this captures the essence of the coming days for you, Scorpio.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have to learn how to live with our frailties,â&#x20AC;? poet Stanley Kunitz told The Paris Review. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The best people I know are inadequate and unashamed.â&#x20AC;? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the keynote I hope you will adopt in the coming weeks. No matter how strong and capable you are, no matter how hard you try to be your best, there are ways you fall short of perfection. And now is a special phase of your astrological cycle when you can learn a lot about how to feel at peace with that fact.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

How do plants reproduce? They generate seeds that are designed to travel. Dandelion and orchid seeds are so light they can drift long distances through the air. Milkweed seeds are a bit heavier, but are easily carried by the wind. Foxglove and sycamore seeds are so buoyant they can float on flowing water. Birds and other animals serve as transportation for burdock seeds, which hook onto feather and fur. Fruit seeds may be eaten by animals and later excreted, fully intact, far from their original homes. I hope this meditation stimulates you to think creatively about dispersing your own metaphorical seeds, Capricorn. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for you to vividly express your essence, make your mark, spread your influence.

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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is a fault to wish to be understood before we have made ourselves clear to ourselves,â&#x20AC;? said philosopher Simone Weil. I hope that prod makes you feel a bit uncomfortable, Aquarius. I hope it motivates you to get busy investigating some of your vague ideas and fuzzy self-images and confused intentions. It will soon be high time for you to ask for more empathy and acknowledgment from those whose opinions matter to you. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re overdue to be more appreciated, to be seen for who you really are. But before any of that good stuff can happen, you will have to engage in a flurry of introspection. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to clarify and deepen your relationship with yourself.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have never let my schooling interfere with my education,â&#x20AC;? said writer Mark Twain. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excellent advice for you to apply and explore in the coming weeks. Much of the time, the knowledge you have accumulated and the skills you have developed are supreme assets. But for the immediate future, they could obstruct you from learning the lessons you need most. For instance, they might trick you into thinking you are smarter than you really are. Or they could cause you to miss simple and seemingly obvious truths that your sophisticated perspective is too proud to notice. Be a humble student, my dear.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

The oracle Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m about to present may be controversial. It contains advice that most astrologers would never dare to offer an Aries. But I believe you are more receptive than usual to this challenge, and I am also convinced that you especially need it right now. Are you ready to be pushed further than I have ever pushed you? Study this quote from novelist Mark Z. Danielewski: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Passion has little to do with euphoria and everything to do with patience. It is not about feeling good. It is about endurance. Like patience, passion comes from the same Latin root: pati.â&#x20AC;?

Homework: Describe how youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve fought off the seductive power of trendy cynicism without turning into a gullible Pollyanna. Freewillastrology.com.

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