v19n09 - The Most Intriguing Mississippians of 2020 by Jackson Free Press Magazine

JAC K S O N VOL 19 NO. 9 // DECEMBER 23, 2020 - JANUARY 5, 2021 // SUBSCRIBE FREE FOR BREAKING NEWS AT JFPDAILY.COM

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The Most

Intriguing Mississippians

of 2020 pp 12-14

Lt. Gov. Hosemann on Budget Cuts, Teacher Pay, Patriotic Education Judin, pp 8-9

So Long, 2020! New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve Food Roundup Cardon, p 16

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contents December 23, 2020 January 5, 2021 Vol. 19 No. 9

ON THE COVER Governor William Winter Photo by AP Photo/ Rogelio V. Solis

4 Editor’s Note 6 Talks 10 Opinion

6 Property Decay

ean Milner, the 11th executive director of the Baptist Children’s Village, or BCV, says he knows how it feels to be a “village kid” because he lived on its campuses for 18 years, longer than any other child in the organization’s history. Milner arrived at the Jackson campus at age 5 and left when he graduated from Mississippi College at age 23. He was 2 years old when his father left him, four siblings and his mother in a park in Sacramento, Calif., in 1966. Their mother returned them home to Port Gibson, Miss., where she raised them until injuring herself with a gun in 1969. “I remember hearing the gunshot, and going out to the back porch,” Milner recalls, revealing he and his siblings carried her inside and called for help. “My next memory is (of us) driving onto the campus of the Baptist Children’s Village.” Milner grew up on the Jackson campus, but moved to the New Albany campus before his junior year of high school. He graduated from W.P. Daniel High School in 1983 and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mississippi College in 1987. He worked as an insurance-claims representative before graduating from the Mississippi College School of Law in 1993. Through his firm, Milner Nixon, Milner worked in family and real-estate litigation for 23 years.

12 Most Intriguing 16 Food

Sean Milner In November 2016, Milner succeeded Rory Lee as executive director. He says he enjoys every part of running the BCV, from authoring legislation to playing football with the children. When it comes to children, Milner says, “I want them to know that they can make it, that they have value.” Through the ministry of the BCV, he hopes to give children new and fulfilling experiences to make them happy, healthy adults. Across Mississippi’s seven campuses, children live in familycentered houses, while case managers work with parents. Milner emphasized that the BCV is not an orphanage, stating every child gets their own bed and lives in a home setting. If a child cannot be returned to a safe home, they are raised on campus. Due to COVID-19, the BCV stopped admitting new children until October. “The courage of these house parents, these case managers, these campus directors is a wonderful story,” Milner says, praising the team for meeting the challenge. For Christmas, Milner looks forward to smoking ham and turkey for his wife and two grown children. He says he owes the Baptist Children’s Village “everything I have” for raising and preparing him. “I love what I do, and it’s my hope that we reach more and more children,” he says. —Kyle Hamrick

18 Events LIsting

20 The Fox Cave Jackson resident Felicia Hobson interviews both older and newer generations of local music artists on her podcast, “The Fox Cave Chronicles.”

20 The Knit Studio Judy McNeil uses her crafting expertise to help knitters create a range of handmade works.

21 JFP Spotlight 22 Puzzle 22 Sorensen 23 astro 23 Classifieds

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

courtesy Sean Milner

Kayode Crown reports on neighborhoods in the Jackson area riddled with uninhabited houses that have withered from flooding and lack of upkeep from the city.

editor’s note

by Donna Ladd, Editor-in-Chief

f there was ever a time for one of those joyful New Orleans-style parades celebrating the life and spirit of someone who has just passed, it should be now for the 97 years that Gov. William Forrest Winter graced Mississippi with his full presence and dogged determination to help this state move past our dark, racist history in every way possible. But we can’t gather physically, so we must share our stories about how he touched our lives and inspired us and maybe even convinced us to stay here and keep fighting when it felt like a good time to bolt out of here into a kinder pasture. Gov. Winter was one of two remarkable men who wrote me letters—real ones, not emails—starting not long after we launched the Jackson Free Press in 2002, determined to never ignore real history in our coverage, while believing fully in our peo-

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

I openly cried as the governor spoke.

ple’s ability to turn the corner on our past. The other was Mr. James Meredith whose first letter to me—always typed on plain white paper, but signed in ink— caused me disbelief that it was from him. But now I have quite the collection of Mr. Meredith Mail, as I lovingly think of it. The notes I still cherish from Gov. Winter started a bit later, handwritten on his letterhead, and often about one of my editor’s notes confronting racist history. That he took time to write personal notes, encouraging me to keep doing what I was driven to do, was galvanizing for this Neshoba County girl. They’re part of the reason the Jackson Free Press is still here, reporting the truth and filling in historic holes in Mississippi’s revisionist narrative, 18 years later. As so many know, Gov. Winter knew how to be fully present with others, as well as the necessity of encouraging younger generations. If a man like him, or Mr. Meredith, believes you should be doing what you’re doing, well by damn, you keep going. Remembering the cherished notes and letters helps you shrug at the naysayers. I’m sure the governor knew that every moment of attention he shared meant that his life’s work would touch more people.

By 2005, I was bopping into the Watkins, Ludlam, Winter & Stennis law firm, where he was still actively working. I settled into a comfy chair for a Q&A interview, writing later: “It was remarkable to be sitting with an 82-year-old former governor and current rabble rouser who is bolstered, it seems, by his retirement from political office to be able to say exactly what he thinks.” We talked about the perpetual underfunding of education in our state, which everyone knows leaves so many Black children here getting a lower-quality education. Sadly, too many don’t care or prefer that inequity. Gov. Winter broke it down succinctly: Investing in public education is imperative because we are already so far behind due to all those decades of racism. “We have to remember that we are playing catch-up,” he told me in that lovely southern-gentleman drawl of his. “We can’t provide educational services at the same level as everybody else because so many other states are so far ahead of us. Until we invest more, we are not ever going to catch up. It’s not just about money, but we sure can’t do it without money.” And although education is clearly vital to economic development, it is also necessary for a smart electorate. “Unless we have an educated citizenry capable of making wise, public decisions, we will make a lot of blunders in terms of public policy,” the governor told me, adding that people need to know they’re hearing coded racism with phrases like “lazy welfare mothers.” We’re now seeing the result of coding truth out of our history, even as Gov. Tate Reeves—not exactly a statesman or a leader—covets Trumpian “patriotic education” to make white people feel better

AP Photo/Oxford Eagle, Bruce Newman

Rest Well, Gov. Winter. We Will Keep Your Fire Burning.

Jackson Free Press Editor Donna Ladd recounts the influence two remarkable men—James Meredith (left next to his University of Mississippi statue) and Gov. William Winter (right) have had on her life and this newspaper.

about darker parts of our collective past. That ain’t it. Gov. Winter knew that, I know that, many of you know that. William Winter knew that in no small part because he was an “old segregationist” as he called himself in the documentary, “The Toughest Job.” He was raised to follow Mississippi’s segregationist code, and he worked to shed that racism as an adult. He clearly did that by learning real history, not being shamed into denial, and working to ensure that the rest of us learned that real history, too, so we can (a) not repeat it and (b) fix its legacies. You know, like unequal education. Like me—did I learn it from him?— Gov. Winter believed real history also teaches how far Mississippi has come because, you know, we started on the ugly bottom when it came to racism and greed for wealth from slavery. “I like to say that,

contributors

Nick Judin

Julian Mills

Torsheta Jackson

State reporter Nick Judin grew up in Jackson and graduated from the University of Mississippi. In addition to Most Intriguing blurbs, he wrote about Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann’s stances on budget cuts, teacher pay and patriotic education.

Contributing reporter Julian Mills is a Jackson native who loves history and graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He wrote about several of this years Most Intriguing Mississippians.

Freelance writer Torsheta Jackson is originally from Shuqualak, Miss. A wife and mother of four, she freelances and is a certified lactation counselor. She wrote the feature story on Felicia Hobson’s podcast, “The Fox Cave Chronicles.”

too often, Mississippians don’t even get the chance to be proud of how far we’ve come,” he told me. “That’s why it’s so important that schools teach more recent history, civil rights history, history of race relations.” Through the life of this newspaper and my adult years back in Mississippi, Gov. Winter and Mr. Meredith have been living history who have connected the past and present for me in the best possible way. Years ago, I was at a gathering honoring Mr. Meredith at Jackson State University with both of these giants. I listened as the governor and University of Mississippi law graduate talked eloquently about the immense impact of the man who integrated that university amid violence. Before he closed, Gov. Winter decided to mention my work at the Jackson Free Press and our focus on what we all now call diversity, equity and inclusion. I cried openly as he spoke; I was overcome with emotion to be in these two men’s presence, much less to be mentioned out loud. Now, I understand what this hero statesman was doing. Gov. Winter knew this difficult work wouldn’t be complete in his lifetime, and he was sharing pieces of his torch for us all to carry forward. It’s hard to imagine how many others he did this with, but I am so grateful I had the chance to bask in his inspiring glow. Thank you, Gov. William Forrest Winter. We’re all going to do this for you, Mr. James Meredith and so many others who gave it all for us. Rest well. Follow Editor-in-chief Donna Ladd on Twitter at @donnerkay.

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“We can do the people’s business when we have more people vaccinated. That will be a safer environment for them to go home from.”

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@jacksonfreepress

— Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann to Nick Judin, see page 8

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Blight, Flooding Compromise Quality of Life by Kayode Crown

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

Kayode Crown

yrone Washington, a construction worker who lives on Rondo Street in Jackson’s Georgetown community, has nothing good to say about the political and administrative leadership of the capital city. He complains about lax rule in the city not keeping building lots in his area in good condition. He also says the City of Jackson does not remediate the poor drainage system that contributes to flooding. “Since we had these crummy laws and stuff that don’t force the people to keep their stuff clean,” Washington said in an interview with Jackson Free Press, “this is what you have.” His area has dozens of decrepit and uninhabited houses and plots filled with bushes and trees leaning on buildings, and some houses gutted by fire. Many buildings clearly show signs of longterm abandonment. Washington insists that the area’s condition “makes no sense.” He is discouraged from inviting people over to his house because of the level of degeneration. The government’s lack of attention to the area that he has witnessed year after year, he says, continues to make things worse. Washington said the empty lots indicate where houses used to stand but were later removed. Not regularly kept in a good state, the lots are now overgrown with bushes and trees. “Once they remove those houses, then it leaves these sections right here,” he said, pointing to an empty lot. “A lot of these sections that you see that are clean, they belong to the City, too. … The people next to them don’t want that stuff right beside their houses, so they clean (them) up to (an extent).” The area used to be a delight, Washington said, adding that his grandmother owned where he stays now. “We’ve been over here since the early seventies, late seventies,” he said. “This used to be beautiful.” Regular flooding has driven many people from the area as the water fills the street and flows up the houses’ steps, Washington added.

Decaying property dots many Jackson neighborhoods. Many have absentee owners including the State of Mississippi.

Washington said he would not buy the empty lot beside his house but takes the responsibility of cleaning it up because it reflects on him. “That has everybody thinking that I own it, but I don’t,” he said. “We won’t buy it or do anything with it ’cause when it rains, the creek gets so high, it looks like an ocean.”

Abandoned Due to Flooding As Washington took this reporter on a tour of the vicinity, he pointed to a house, emptied from flooding from Town Creek. The threat of flooding terrorizes the people in the area. Some manage the situation by lining the edges of the buildings on the outside with nylon sheeting.

“Look at them houses over there; nobody’s staying there. They can’t keep nobody in it,” he said. “They rent it (but) soon (that) spring rain comes.” “When the last time they’d been down here, removing these trees and debris (from the creek)?” he asked rhetorically. He added that his experience

JFP’s Welcoming 2021 Mad Libs Hot ____________ (noun), the end of the year is here! 2020 has been a(n) ____________ (adjective) year, but I’m ____________ (adjective) to see how 2021 shapes up for my ____________ (noun) and ____________ (noun). New Year’s wouldn’t have the same oomph without coming up with a few resolutions. Let’s brainstorm some ideas. I know! How about we fill those pesky potholes in the area with ____________ (noun)? Or perhaps we could plan to visit ____________ (place) sometime, once the coronavirus vaccine has been ____________ (adverb) disseminated. Then, we can take a self-guided tour of downtown Jackson and ____________ (verb) as we walk by the State Capitol or have a picnic and enjoy some ____________ (food) on Smith Park’s lawn. In any event, this year I will try to be better at ____________ (-ing verb) and strive to achieve my goal of ____________ (-ing verb). ____________ (plural noun) are going to make this year ____________ (adjective)!

city Kayode Crown

has been “awful,” and he plans on moving out, too. Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes traced the blight problems in the area to the “war on drugs,” as the local government demolished suspected trap houses. “Over the years, the city came, and they tore the houses (down) on the war on drugs because (people) were using a lot of this area here for drug activities,” he said. In 2015, then-Jackson Police Chief Lee Vance led efforts to tear down 100 dilapidated properties and burned houses breed crime, which crime and violence research supports. “Unfortunately, drug-addicted people use them,” he said. “During the winter time we see people that are homeless that go in the abandoned homes to seek shelter and eventually they start fires.” “We’ve got more work to do, but it’s a start, and we believe it is a way to combat crime,” Vance said. In 2016, Jackson Free Press reported that the number of building demolitions

carried out under the police’s auspice had reached the 200th mark that year, with 85% of the buildings owned by the State of Mississippi. A search on Dec. 15, 2020, for “State of Mississippi” on the Hinds County Land Roll website returned 2,000 entries. In 2016, this newspaper reported that those properties fell into the state government’s hands because of tax forfeitures. The city demolished scores of them to prevent crime and drugs from festering from those places. From Bandos to Overgrown Lots Abolishing crumbling “bandos,” however, is not the full answer. “Then you have abandoned property (that becomes) overgrown lots,” Stokes said. “See a house right there, just overgrown, the city pulled down some buildings, and people left because of the drugs. … Once they leave the area, it becomes overgrown.” That prolongs a downward spiral for a neighborhood, meaning it’s hard to even

Middle-Class, Previously Isaiah Littleton, a 65-year-old United Postal Service retiree, now lives in Madison, where he built a house. But he grew up on Woodlawn Street in Jackson. The reporter spoke to him on the street when he was there to monitor the house that belonged to his late mother, Christine. He remembers that some decades ago, Woodlawn Street was a bubbling community, but it has become a shadow of its old self. “There was a time back in the ’80s, a lot of homeowners started leaving, and a lot of renters came in,” he said. “And you know, drugs and stuff came in, and a lot of renters didn’t take pride in the property.” “So it just eventually went down,” he added. “This was a middle-class neighborhood. There were working families. My father was a pastor, and there was a principal here. You had a lot of schoolteachers in the neighborhood.” The area also suffers from flooding. Littleton showed this reporter a house with a mud line about a foot from the ground, which indicates the level of past flooding of Town Creek. Since March, the creek has been listed monthly as part of emergency orders the Jackson City Council approved to draw attention to the flooding issues. Still, the people may not have respite anytime soon. In an interview in November, Public Works Director Charles Williams said lack of funding had hampered the effort to address flooding in the city. “We have not really addressed (or) really put funding in place for some of those drainage systems,” he said. “And there’s also another difficult task of trying to identify monies in order to address that while you have other infrastructure systems that are competing for funding in order for us to address those issues as well.” Washington laments the futility of

trying to add features to his house, saying the regular flooding makes it prohibitive. “You’d like to put a nice patio, a fireplace pit or something to be nice out here—you can’t,” he said. “Everything has to be elevated out here.” The homeowner pointed out where he keeps his property outside the house to prevent flood water from getting to them. “All my stuffs (I) kept on a trailer off the ground,” Washington said, pointing to his backyard. “That water ‘ll get up there and be all up by them steps; that water’ll be all up back there.” Washington takes it upon himself to cut down the trees that line the creek as he is tired of waiting for the City to do something. He accused the City of not cleaning out the empty plots regularly. “Then if they do, they wait to the end of the year,” he said. “But through the whole process, it’s (bushes) been doing nothing but sitting there growing.” “The City ain’t gonna clean up nothing,” he said. “They don’t come clean up nothing. This city is horrible, man.” He complained of lack of enKayode Crown

Tyrone Washington, a homeowner on Rondo Street, is livid that the city government is not, in his opinion, living up to expectations.

sell the land cheap. “They tried to put the property on the land roll to give people a chance to buy it. But as you see, most of (that effort) doesn’t work because people don’t buy it,” Stokes added. Stokes held a press conference earlier in the month to call on the city’s mayoral leadership to address the problem of the burned-up and abandoned houses in his ward, which he said are eyesores and destroying neighborhoods. “The citizens were promised to have these burned houses torn down,” he said in a statement. “A red number was placed on the front of them, and they were on the list to be torn down.” He said the City needs to follow through with the promise.

Isaiah Littleton grew up on Woodlawn Street in Jackson. He decries the degradation of the community.

forcement of the rules relating to plot maintenance plots. “They don’t make people clean up their plots. No, they don’t put pressure on you like (in) Ridgeland,” he said. This reporter requested an interview on Dec. 11 with the city’s Director of Planning and Development Jordan Hillman, but she has not been available to talk about related plans. Email tips to city/county reporter Kayode Crown at kayode@jacksonfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @kayodecrown.

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

TALK JXN

STATE

Lt. Gov. Hosemann Addresses Budget Cuts, Teacher Pay, and Patriotic Education

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

Economic Downturn Ahead Hosemann’s top priority in the 2020 session was a teacher pay raise above the tepid increase that came the year before. During COVID-19, legislators killed that bill in the last stages of approval, and the budget for the coming year is lacking in any additional compensation for the state’s public school teachers. But the lieutenant governor says he is committed to accomplishing that goal even under coronavirus in 2021. “It will be one of the first bills that we do this year. We talk a lot about critical infrastructure. To me, education is critical infrastructure. It will be dealt with as such,” Hosemann told the Jackson Free Press. The Joint Legislative Budget Committee released its budget recommendation for fiscal-year 2022 on Dec. 7. The plan includes just over $197.3 million in cuts to the state budget for a total of 3.13% less than the previous year. Teacher incentive pay is also missing, a difficult metric in a year with more disrupted school semesters than any in living memory. Looming over the budget itself is the threat of continuing economic depression from the virus. Though the

brief period of mandatory lockdowns at the pandemic’s inception are now a distant memory, voluntary isolation continues to threaten revenues. Hosemann told the Jackson Free Press that the ongoing economic danger of COVID-19 is factored into the budget recommendation and not just the damage it has already done. “I have significant concerns about the first quarter of next year,” the Senate leader said. “The unemployment compensation is running out. ... When

and rural areas. Investment in OBGYN services at Mississippi’s FQHCs is one way to address the state’s grave infantmortality problems. Racial disparity is part of Mississippi’s struggles with natal complications. Legislative Black Caucus Chairwoman Sen. Angela Turner-Ford, D-West Point, warned in February that “Black women in Mississippi are three times more likely to die from complications related to childbirth. This is a travesty. And we want to do something about it.”

elimination of both of the remaining brackets by 2030. That suggestion quickly found support from House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, long a proponent of doing away with income tax in the state. “We have been trying to find ways to develop a more solid, fairer tax structure,” Gunn said earlier in the month. But the proposal faces a rockier climb in the Senate, with Lt. Gov. Hosemann throwing cold water on the proposal out of concern for state revenues. courtesy Delbert Hosemann

ith COVID-19 rampaging through the Magnolia State, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann would like to see a late start to the 2021 session. “You know, we qualify as a super-spreader event,” he told the Jackson Free Press in a Dec. 14 interview, recalling the legislative outbreak earlier in 2020. Hosemann had a map of Mississippi in mind. The senators and representatives that come to gather in the Capitol chambers in Jackson dot the state, a grimly perfect geographical distribution of the virus, were another outbreak to occur among legislators. “We can do the people’s business when we have more people vaccinated. That will be a safer environment for them to go home from,” Hosemann said. But when the session kicks off in earnest, legislators must find a way to accomplish long-sought funding improvements against a backdrop of pandemicdriven economic decline.

by Nick Judin

In an interview, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann expressed little interest in Gov. Tate Reeves’ plan for a total end to income tax—instead, the Senate leader said he wants a renewed push for teacher pay.

I checked on this in September we had spent $3.1 billion in employment compensation for Mississippi residents.” Medicaid expansion may not be an immediate target for the 2021 session, but Hosemann said legislators will have an extensive discussion of public-health challenges that expand beyond COVID-19. “We’re looking at funding OBGYNs in (federally qualified health centers). We did the bill last year, but COVID got the money,” Hosemann explained. FQHCs are community clinics intended to serve patients regardless of their ability to pay, often in underserved

Lt. Gov. Hosemann sees better funding for childbirth services as a positive for every Mississippian. “We have serious problems with infant mortality across the spectrum. FQHCs are open to everyone, no matter what your economic status is,” he said. An End To State Income Tax? One month ago, Gov. Tate Reeves released his state budget proposal from quarantine, outlining his priorities for the coming legislative session. Most notably, Reeves called for an end to income tax in Mississippi, proposing a staggered

The Jackson Free Press asked Hosemann if he supported the total phaseout plan and how he expected to fill the $1.8-billion hole in the state budget it would leave behind. “Your second question answers the first question. I don’t know that you need another statement from me,” Hosemann said. “It’s a 2-billion-dollar question. I am open to any solution to that. But, until we have a solution … it’s not ‘Field of Dreams.’ I don’t print money. We have to have enough funds to pay for highway patrol, education, all the other things we pay for as a state.”

STATE

Hosemann said his agenda, in lieu of a realistic plan for such a massive tax cut, was to continue cutting redundancies in state government. “We abolished two state agencies this last

first $2,000 of taxable income, 3% on the next $3,000, 4% on the next $5,000 and 5% on all taxable income above $10,000. Both Gunn and Reeves, then lieutenant governor, were part of the sucCOURTESY BRICE WIGGINS

“We need to look at sales tax, property taxes, use tax. … The income tax is just one piece of the larger puzzle that is a part of the revenue,” Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, says about upcoming budget negotiations at the Legislature.

(session) and shrunk a third one. … We deleted 4,119 vacant positions. I would love to find a way to replace that revenue with a meaningful plan, but in the interim I intend to continue to reduce the size of government,” Hosemann said. The suggested cuts include a number of state projects, including mental health services, universities, the corrections system, and a stiff $14.3-million cut to the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services. The relative balance of tax burden is an issue for Hosemann. “Two billion dollars is very difficult to come up with a solution for, other than raising some amount of tax in some other place,” he said. Attacking personal income tax would be the most economically regressive way to accomplish that goal. Mississippi currently has three income-tax brackets, with no tax on the

cessful 2016 effort under Gov. Phil Bryant to phase out the lowest tax bracket. The 3% bracket is scheduled to vanish completely by 2022. Roughly $1.8 billion of the state’s revenue is derived from personal income taxes, part of $5.8 billion total from all state taxes, including sales, use and property tax. Those funds provide the majority of the more than $6.25-billion state support fund, the portion of Mississippi’s budget over which the Legislature exercises the most control. Alaska, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming have no personal income tax. For the majority of these states, revenues are propped up with significant property and sales taxes. Mississippi’s property taxes are comparatively low, at only .8%. Its sales tax is already in line with national averages at 7%.

Jarvis Dortch, executive director of the Mississippi American Civil Liberties Union, told the Jackson Free Press in a Dec. 21 interview that, in the aftermath of the 2016 push to eliminate the 3% tax bracket, Gunn co-chaired a special committee intended to present ideas on expanding the tax base. The panel returned a number of economically regressive proposals, including additional sales taxes on prescription drugs. “He’s a big fan of the use tax,” Dortch, formerly a Democratic state representative, said of Gunn. “He thinks people should ‘pay their fair share,’ as he puts it.” Speaker Gunn’s office did not return a request for an interview. A 2018 study from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy showed that only the top 5% wealthiest Mississippians pay a higher portion of their income share to income tax rather than sales tax. For the poorest 40% of Mississippians, sales and excise taxes eat roughly 7.5% of their entire income each year. The expense of income tax for this same group does not even exceed 1%. If Mississippi were to eliminate the state’s income tax, the poorest 40% of Mississippians would still pay over 9% of their yearly income to various taxes. The top 1% would pay only a third of that. The Jackson Free Press asked Hosemann if he could explain a tax burden distributed in this manner to his constituents. He answered with one word: “No.” No Karl Marx in State’s Schools Reeves’ budget included one more controversial measure—$3 million reserved for the creation of a “Patriotic Education Fund,” a state-sponsored propaganda initiative intended to celebrate “capitalism, democracy, and other uniquely American values.” The governor warned in his budget recommendation that a “targeted campaign (of ) foreign and domestic influence” was attempting to indoctrinate children with socialist and communist teachings. Support for the initiative among legislators reached for this report was tepid at best. Sen. Wiggins reframed the project, suggesting that $3 million for a program to increase civic literacy would be palatable. “We need to do something to improve knowledge of basic civics in Mississippi—that understanding has been lost,” he said. But Wiggins acknowledged that he had yet to encounter the haunting spectre of Karl Marx in Mississippi’s public

schools. “In my district, I have not seen any concerns of socialism, or anything like that. I think (they) do a great job of teaching. My kids go to public schools, (and) I’ve never been concerned,” he said. Hosemann was even more critical of the idea, echoing Wiggins’ unfamiliarity with communist indoctrination in the state’s public schools. “I’ve been in at least 50 Zoom calls over the last few months, as teachers have really just created this distance learning (curriculum). To learn about that I went to class—Spanish classes, Government classes. In none of those … from Oxford to Pascagoula, have I seen any socialist agenda,” Hosemann told the Jackson Free Press. “I’m not sure where the governor’s getting his information.” Rather than spend millions of taxpayer dollars on a problem he cannot detect, Hosemann said his priority was investment in teacher pay and crumbling school infrastructure. “What I see is schools that are struggling to pay teachers, to keep them there or to attract new ones. I see schools in Sunflower County with leaky roofs. The funds that we can expend… I’d rather spend it on keeping teachers in (Mississippi),” Hosemann said. The teacher pay raise Hosemann hopes for is not represented in the Legislature’s initial budget proposal. But, with more than $877 million in unallocated funds, there is still room to negotiate when the session rolls around. Email story tips to state reporter Nick Judin at nick@jacksonfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @nickjudin.

MOST VIRAL STORIES AT JFP.MS: 1. “JPD Officers Allege Sexism, Racism, More in Lawsuit Against Mayor, Police Chief” by Kayode Crown 2. “Rules For Thee: Governor Hosts Party Hours After Signing New COVID Restrictions” by Nick Judin 3. “OPINION: Southern Evangelical: Trump ‘Fits the Scriptural Definition of a Fool’” by Fred Rand 4. “DOJ Sues Pearl Property Company for Racial Discrimination” by Kayode Crown 5. “‘We Have Forgotten Who We Are’: Denial and Death in Mississippi Hospitals” by Nick Judin

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

TALK JXN

Michael Nadorff aNd Mary dozier

any people love the holidays because they are a time to make happy memories with loved ones. But what if you could do something to help restore memories in some of the people you love? Using a process called reminiscence therapy, that may be possible. In reminiscence therapy, elders are encouraged to discuss memories across their lifespan, particularly memories of positive experiences. As researchers who specialize in geropsychology, and in preparation for the holidays, we wanted to explain this technique and encourage readers to use this evidencebased approach to connect with loved ones with impaired memory and dementia. Benefits of Happy Memories Nearly 9% of American adults aged 65 and older meet criteria for dementia. Family members often function as formal and informal caregivers for loved ones who develop dementia, and these caregivers can experience a range of physical and psychological outcomes. It typically involves asking the person about different events from particular times in the person’s life. Around the holidays, older adults may already be primed to discuss holidaythemed memories due to the influx of sensory cues, including the twinkling of

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

Did you have a Christmas tree?

holiday decorations, the smell of holiday cookies, and of course, seasonal music. An analysis of several studies on research on reminiscence therapy for dementia suggests that it can improve quality of life, communication and mood. Individuals who engage in reminiscence therapy with their loved ones report that the experience is generally positive for them, too, and can be an effective coping strategy when other communication becomes difficult. Another study found that caregivers reported feeling more emotionally close with their loved ones with dementia when practicing reminiscence therapy. Also, they reported lower informal care costs than caregivers who felt more distant from their loved ones.

Lucky Business/shutterstock.com

Ask People with Memory Loss about Past Holidays to Help Them Recall Happy Times

Editor-in-Chief and CEO Donna Ladd Publisher & President Todd Stauffer Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin Creative Director Kristin Brenemen REPORTERS AND WRITERS City Reporter Kayode Crown State Reporter Nick Judin Contributing Reporter Julian Mills Contributing Writers Dustin Cardon, Bryan Flynn, Taylor McKay Hathorn, Jenna Gibson, Tunga Otis, Richard Coupe,Torsheta Jackson, Michele D. Baker, Mike McDonald, Kyle Hamrick EDITORS AND OPERATIONS Deputy Editor Nate Schumann JFPDaily.com Editor Dustin Cardon Executive Assistant Azia Wiggins Editorial Assistant Shaye Smith Consulting Editor JoAnne Prichard Morris ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY Senior Designer Zilpha Young Contributing Photographers Seyma Bayram, Acacia Clark, Nick Judin, Imani Khayyam, Ashton Pittman, Brandon Smith

Asking a person who is memory impaired to tell stories from bygone holidays may help trigger a happy memory.

Ask for details Here are some tips to implement reminiscence therapy. Most center on asking questions that may help prompt older adults to reminisce about holiday-themed memories. For example: • What were your family traditions around the holidays when you were growing up? • Did you have a Christmas tree? When and who would decorate it? • Were there particular foods you would make and eat around the holidays? • Did you ever travel for the holidays? • What was your first holiday season with your spouse like? • What were your holiday traditions when you were a parent? • What is your favorite New Year’s Eve memory? Be an attentive listener. Make eye contact with your loved one, and angle your body toward theirs so that they know they have your undivided attention. Ask follow-up questions when appropriate. This indicates to your loved one that you heard what they said and are interested to know more. Engage your loved one in low-impact activities that engage multiple senses. For example, baking holiday-themed cookies can elicit memories through touch (rolling out dough, decorating), smell (of ingredients, while baking), and taste (of the finished product). Encourage your loved ones to be mindful of their sensory experience at each

stage of the activity and ask them about any memories that the sensation might bring to mind. Use visual aids to help with prompting retrieval of memories, such as pictures of past holiday events. Pictures can prompt older adults of specific past events. Listening to holiday-themed music while baking will also engage the auditory part of the brain. A 2013 study of research on music therapy for dementia concluded that music therapy can be a useful intervention in its own right. We hope you give reminiscence therapy a try this holiday season, and from a safe distance, of course. It may just be the start of a new family tradition. Michael Nadorff is a tenured associate professor in psychology at Mississippi State University and a licensed psychologist in Mississippi. He has directed the clinical psychology doctoral program at Mississippi State University since 2014. Mary E. Dozier is a clinical psychologist with interests in gerontology. She specializes in the assessment and treatment of geriatric hoarding disorder. This piece was published in cooperation with The Conversation, an independent, nonprofit publisher of commentary and analysis, authored by academics on timely topics related to their research.

This column does not necessarily reflect the views of the JFP.

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2020

hinking of a recent year as eventful as 2020 would be quite the challenge. Nevertheless, the Jackson Free Press chose a handful of Mississippians who have made headlines this year, for better or worse, and reflects on their undertakings over the last year. Read the following intriguing recaps to learn more.

AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

courtesy state of Mississippi

The Most Intriguing OF

Dr. Thomas Dobbs

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

Gov. William Winter

Gov. William Winter passed from this earth on Dec. 18, another tragedy for a year composed of little else. Eulogies emerged rapidly, from across the state and the nation. Winter was a giant in the state’s history, an alchemical figure. His story—a segregationist turned devoted racial unifier—remains the lasting dream for Mississippi’s lingering institutions of white supremacy. Winter’s extant political opponents refer to him as a gentleman, and true enough: there was something of an entirely different age about his demeanor and his tact. But a diplomatic bearing is not William Winter’s legacy. The governor’s legacy is the reward of a ceaseless career of self-critical growth. Winter saw long before his colleagues that the repairing of a broken society requires the powerful to put the reconciliation of generations to come above the alluring nostalgia of the past. That nostalgia persists. But so does the integrated educational system created by Winter’s landmark achievement, and the Institute for Racial Reconciliation bearing his name, now based in Jackson. Winter’s 97 years of life began between the two governorships of strident racist Theodore Bilbo. In 2020, Mississippi mourns his polar opposite. In the years to come, leadership will come of age that benefited from Gov. Winter’s hopeful vision of Mississippi’s future, and his honest assessment of its past. And that will be his greatest legacy of all. —Nick Judin

State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs rose to the top of the Mississippi State Department of Health in 2018, and he is as surprised as you are that you know his name. That he was taking on a position of such significance so soon before the publichealth crisis of the century is not something that Dobbs could have easily anticipated. But that his role as the state’s top medical expert would put him at the crumbling fault line of a culture at war with itself is beyond all imagining. To many Mississippians, Dobbs is a candid advocate for the state’s health-care system. His calm demeanor does little to mask the dire nature of his COVID-19 pronouncements—his repeated warnings, which too few have taken seriously—have consistently come to pass. To the denialists who have never successfully grappled with the real weight of the pandemic, he is a figure of utter contempt: “Doomsday Dobbs,” a regional stand-in for grander subjects of reactionary hatred, from Dr. Anthony Fauci to Bill Gates. To others still, he is simply not enough, remaining an adviser in a crisis that calls for a general. His position as state health officer is legally distinct from Gov. Tate Reeves’ direct authority. His public-health orders carry the weight of law. And yet he consistently defers to the willfully uninformed, inconstant leadership of the governor. With more than 5,000 Mississippians dead from COVID-19, in Dobbs’ own estimations, such a critique has to be entertained. Yet looming above it is a far more grim assessment: The powers legally invested in any position, be it the state health officer or the office of the governor, are only relevant so far as they are heard, understood, enforced and obeyed. In an earlier era, Dobbs might have been the ironclad authority some now wish for him to be. But in this American twilight, noisy with the din of misinformation, atomized into endless political struggle, he is first and foremost a witness. —Nick Judin

courtesy Angelique Lee

courtesy State of Mississippi

Courtesy UMMC

Dr. LouAnn Woodward, University of Mississippi Medical Center’s vice chancellor, emerged this year as yet another foil to Gov. Tate Reeves as one of the leading voices in a chorus of public-health leadership pressing for stronger measures against the coronavirus. But where Dr. Thomas Dobbs’ role was to negotiate with Mississippi’s governor, Woodward’s was often to challenge him. It was her letter, in the earliest days of the pandemic, that most visibly contributed to the state’s only real attempt at a lockdown. Then, as July’s spike threatened the coming school semester, she again leveraged her authority as UMMC chief to pressure the governor into issuing a statewide mask order, leading to the only sustained period of significant viral decline Mississippi has witnessed in the pandemic since the initial lockdown. Her reward has been the personal enmity of the governor, toward both her and her institution. She was among the public-health leaders he disparaged as “so-called experts” in one of his many sharp denunciations of statewide orders. UMMC itself was a target of Reeves’ scorn in the rising tension of the current peak: He minimized the situation in the institution’s intensive-care unit after a desperate call from Woodward and other medical professionals from the hospital for more robust measures. Woodward, like Dobbs, has chosen diplomacy over bombast, never descending to an outright knife fight with Reeves. But her repeated contradictions of the governor’s handsoff approach to infection control will remain for posterity to judge. —Nick Judin

Gov. Tate Reeves

Whatever lies in Gov. Tate Reeves’ future, he can certainly lay claim to having had the most bizarrely challenging first year in office in modern Mississippi history. Within a month of his inauguration, Reeves inherited a carceral crisis many years in the making and experienced one of the worst floods on record. Politically, it was a year of reckoning for the man who, in the words of Mississippi political expert Marty Wiseman, left “bodies on the sidelines” in his many contentious years in public office. A unified Legislature dealt the governor and his office itself more than a few bruising blows as the year unfolded, reclaiming authority ceded to previous Republican executives like Gov. Haley Barbour. That these events rank as footnotes in the story of 2020 is a testament to its exhausting length. Coronavirus has been the background radiation of Reeves’ every move. Initially, the new governor attempted to chart a middle course between the medical establishment’s desperate calls for a nationwide effort to crush the virus at any cost and the Trump administration’s willful ignorance of its threat to the stability of the hospital system. Failing that cost Reeves—and Mississippi—dearly. As the year closes, the governor fights openly with public-health leadership at their moment of greatest crisis. He puts a pen to executive orders cracking down on social gatherings in between rubbing elbows with unmasked donors at ill-advised parties. He denies the severity of the crisis in the state’s largest hospital at the same time as he seeks consent for collective isolation ahead of the vaccine’s full distribution. An analysis of excess deaths shows the cost of the pandemic in Mississippian lives is greater than 5,000. The state is eighth in deaths per capita across the entire pandemic. Outside the epicenter of the initial massive outbreak in New England, it is third. —Nick Judin

Seyma Bayram

Dr. LouAnn Woodward

Angelique Lee Angelique Lee is the newest member of the Jackson City Council, stepping into retiring Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr.’s seat after a convincing special-election and run-off win over Tyrone Lewis, the well-known former Hinds County sheriff. Lee is beginning her political career with a platform built upon support for public education. Lee’s family history in Jackson is a long one: She is the daughter of civil-rights activist and Freedom Rider Mary Harrison Lee and the Big Apple Inn’s Geno Lee. Angelique, formerly an education lobbyist and campaign manager for Jennifer Riley-Collins during her 2019 run for attorney general, cast her victory as a win against status-quo politics. “I want to thank Ward 2,” she said following her success in the Dec. 8 runoff election. “The voters and supporters … saw fit to push back against the status quo, and recognize that we are a ward that values integrity, strength of character and actual hard work.” On the new councilwoman’s agenda are reducing blight, improving infrastructure, and pursuing economic development. With the general election coming in a matter of months, she will need to start quickly to prove herself before running again. —Julian Mills

Strong Arms of JXN is a group dedicated to preventing and interrupting violence in Jackson, and gun violence in particular. Criminal-justice advocates Rukia Lumumba and Terun Moore started the program in 2018, through their nonprofit called the People’s Advocacy Institute, which pushes for criminal justice reform and community investment. The group’s leadership enlists previously incarcerated individuals like Moore, Benny Ivey and John Knight, lend credibility to their goal of preventing community violence by using their personal experiences to mentor and redirect others from crime and violence. They use the credible-messenger approach, whereby members of the group approach individuals in the community who they feel are soon to be involved in violence. “There’s a lot of re-education that’s got to go on,” said special guest Omario Moore on the organization’s Facebook Live live feed on Dec. 21. The credible-messenger program itself is based on Cure Violence, a Chicago-developed model now used across the country in programs to interrupt violence. The model suggests treating violence like a disease, stopping the spread on a case-by-case basis. The People’s Advocacy Institute is awarding $100 to 100 families in need this holiday season through their Community Stimulus Fund, which may be found through either programs Facebook page. Read more about the approach at jfp.ms/preventingviolence. —Julian Mills more Intriguing, p 14

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

Strong Arms of JXN

courtesy Seth Power

Tristan Duplichain

from p 13

Seth Power

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

Courtesy Chat Phillips

Despite the global pandemic placing some major limits to the live-music scene, Brandon resident Seth Power has tenaciously worked to make progress in his life and career throughout 2020. On Jan. 10, the artist released his first full-length album, “Souvenir,” and he subsequently embarked on his first regional mini-tour throughout the month. While he planned to tour college campuses later in the year, COVID-19 canceled those ambitions. Instead, Power turned to creating more content for his fan base, releasing an EP over the summer called “Souvenir (Acoustic),” which featured stripped-down remixes of six songs from the original 14track album, plus two bonus remixes. Celebrating his one-year wedding anniversary to his wife, Colette Usry, in June, Power followed the personal achievement with a professional one. His single, “I Do,” which he wrote and performed as a surprise to his bride at their wedding, hit the airwaves in September, becoming Power’s first song to play on live radio in the United States. Seth and Colette welcomed their firstborn child, William Power, to the world on Oct. 30. While the Mississippi State University alum has taken a step back from performing to take care of his son, Power is currently raising funds to develop a service called Fan Space, which will help connect local musicians and their fans, and he plans to release more information on the app in 2021. To learn more about Seth Power, visit sethpowermusic.com. Listen to his music on Spotify, iTunes and other streaming platforms. —Nate Schumann

Chat Phillips Belhaven resident Chat Phillips launched his own bottled beverage business, Inaka Tea Company, in Jackson in October. Phillips sells homemade barley tea, which is a variety popular in Japan and Korea in which tea leaves are  prepared in a roaster in a manner similar

to coffee beans. “Barley tea is naturally caffeine free, and it has other special qualities like antioxidants that get brought out from both the tea and the roasting process,” Phillips says. “It’s also low in cholesterol and sugar and is great for helping to regulate your circulatory system and blood sugar levels.” Phillips learned to make barley tea while living in Japan and working as a consultant for international companies in 2010. He roasted his own barley at home to serve to friends and, after returning to the United States, decided to start selling the tea in Jackson due to its scarcity in the U.S. “The tea became quite popular in my neighborhood as a coffee substitute since I had a lot of friends who were just starting families, and the health benefits were great for them,” Phillips says. Inaka Tea is available in original, mint and ginger flavors. The tea comes in 16-ounce glass bottles, which are roughly $2.49 apiece, though the price may vary by retailer. Phillips sells his tea through local retailers such as Corner Market and is online at inakatea.com. For more information, follow Inaka Tea Company on Instagram @inaka_tea or on Facebook @drinkinaka. —Dustin Cardon

Rachel Phuong Le

California native Rachel Phuong Le, owner of the Poke Stop sushi restaurant at Cultivation Food Hall at the District at Eastover, launched a new restaurant called Stuffed Asian Street Food inside the food hall earlier this year. Stuffed serves a variety of Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese street food, all with a stuffed theme. The menu includes items such as Chinese egg rolls, Japanese dumplings, Chinese steamed bao buns and more. “It’s very hard to find good Asian food in Mississippi, and the bao buns we have here are something that’s certainly not available anywhere else,” Le says. “Many people didn’t even know about bao before we opened and have started calling them ‘fluffy tacos.’ I love being able to bring my own flair to authentic Asian food, and it’s neat that people have started having their own name for it.” The specialty dish of Stuffed is Vietnamese banh mi, a type of sandwich similar to a po-boy, the recipe for which is Le’s own creation and features meats cooked and marinated in-house, including pork belly, lemongrass beef, Asian fried shrimp and more. “Many people may not be looking for new places, but when they come here and see this and they try it, it’s great because it helps get the word out for others just trying to get started again after the pandemic,” Le says. Stuffed is open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call 601-487-5196 or find the restaurant on Facebook @stuffedjxn. —Dustin Cardon

courtesy The Pittmans

2020

The Most Intriguing OF

The Pittmans

For Sarah and Jesse Pittman, aged 84 and 75 respectively, 2020 has been a stinker of a year. As Kayode Crown first reported in June, the couple had been living with the smell of sewage from clogged pipes for months. The gases were not only unsavory, but also potentially toxic. Roto-Rooter couldn’t fix it, saying it was the city’s responsibility. The only city-owned machine nearby capable of fixing the issue wasn’t functional. The neighbors were complaining, and the only escape was into the summer heat. If the air conditioner was on, it would bring the smell inside. “I put the fan on, but I could not turn the air back on because the smell was just too bad,” Sarah Pittman told Kayode Crown, who reported on their plight. In July, help came along in the form of the Real People’s Assembly—a Jacksonian coalition between finance worker Greg Griffin and lawyer (and City of Jackson critic and JFP columnist) Adofo Minka. The group organizes around communitydriven ideas and individual action at the exclusion of government, as opposed to the older and more closely government-linked Jackson People’s Assembly. The RPA raised $1,200 through a GoFundMe and put the Pittmans up at the Westin Hotel downtown for five nights where they could rest and get a cool breath of fresh air. With Kayode Crown’s ongoing reporting and the prodding of the RPA pushing the city to fix the sewage problem, the City finally finished the repairs in September to give the Pittmans relief from the putrid smell. “I am feeling much better because I don’t have to smell that scent all night and all day,” Sarah Pittman told Kayode. “It took them eight months to do it. I am very happy because now I don’t have to smell that smell.” —Julian Mills

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food&drink

Goodbye 2020: New Year’s Restaurant & Catering Guide by Dustin Cardon

Photo by Moritz Knöringer on Unsplash

Jackson chefs help locals celebrate the end of 2020 with a number of dine-in and catering options.

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

Elvie’s Restaurant (809 Manship St., 601-8638828) Elvie’s is offering a fivecourse, prix-fixe New Year’s

1908 Provisions (734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429) The Fairview Inn’s 1908 Provisions restaurant is offering a four-course New Year’s Eve dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $69 per person. Reservations are required to ensure social distancing. The menu includes items such as fried Texas quail, gnocchi pasta, chilled oysters, gulf crab cakes, buttermilk fried pickles, spinach salad, seafood gumbo, sauteed redfish, Mediterranean-style snapper, rack of lamb, hanger steak, cav-

Bravo! Italian Restaurant and Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Highland Village, Suite 244, 601-982-8111) On New Year’s Eve, Bravo will be holding a special dinner with seatings at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. The early seating is $75 per person, while the late seating is $85 per person and includes extra champagne or a sparkling cider toast and celebratory sparklers. Each seating also offers optional wine flights for an additional $35. The menu includes crudo di pesce with wahoo and fried capers; pheasant consomme with wild mushrooms; duck pastrami with spaghetti squash and asparagus; giant ravioli stuffed with veal and porcini; monkfish scallopini with skordalia spread; and ricotta with chocolate-covered pistachios. For information or to make a reservation, call 601-982-8111 or visit bravobuzz. com. The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen (1200 N. State St., Suite 100, 601-3984562, themanshipjackson.com) The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen’s catering menu includes smoked prime rib, spit-fired leg of lamb or turkey breast, lamb or pork sliders, marinated or fried crab claws, vegetable bruschetta, shrimp cocktails, charcuterie platters, crab beignets and more. To place an order, call 601-586-9502 or send an email to catering@ themanshipjackson.com.

Elvie’s offers a five-course, prix-fixe meal for the turn of the year, along with a midnight toast at 11 p.m.

courtesy Elvies

Char Restaurant (4500 Interstate 55 N. Frontage Road, 601-956-9562) Char is offering a three-course prixfixe dinner-theater performance from the Detectives Comedy Dinner Theatre on New Year’s Eve. Seating and cocktail service begins at 6 p.m., while dinner and the show begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $70 per person plus tax and gratuity. The Detectives menu includes tenderloin filets, pan-seared Atlantic salmon, pecan crusted blackfish, range chicken, salad and dessert. The event will take place in Char’s private dining banquet space, with a maximum of 6 guests seated per table and all tables 6 feet apart from one another. Char is also offering its full menu on New Year’s Eve, along with chef specials, for both dine-in or takeout. Socially distanced reservations are limited. The New Year’s Eve menu for the day will include crab quesadillas, bone-in filet and blackened snapper. For information or to make reservations for either dinner, call 601-956-9562 or visit charrestaurant.com.

atappi pasta and more. For more information or to make a reservation, call 601-948-3429 or visit fairviewinn.com/1908provisions.

Hickory Pit (1491 Canton Mart Road, 601956-7079) The Hickory Pit’s catering menu includes items such as smoked turkey, desserts, ribs and sides. Customers can pick up catering orders at any time during normal business hours on New Year’s Eve. The Hickory Pit will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. that day. For more information, call 601-956-7079 or visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.

The Strawberry Cafe (107 Depot Drive, Madison; 601-8563822) The Strawberry Cafe’s catering menu serves four to six people and includes items such as chicken or shrimp alfredo, pasta creole, shrimp and grits, chicken marinara, shrimp pasta, shrimp etouffee and more. The restaurant also sells a variety of salads, iced tea by the gallon, caramel pie and cheesecake by the slice and bread pudding. For more information, visit strawberrycafemadison.com. courtesy 1908 Provisions

hristmas is days away, and New Year’s Eve is fast approaching. Fortunately, the Jackson metro has plenty of options for those eager to say “bye” to 2020, whether it’s dinner out or catering for a large group.

Eve dinner with two seatings, each two hours long. The first seating begins at 6 p.m. while the second seating begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person and include a complimentary glass of sparkling wine. The prix-fixe dinner menu includes raw and fried oysters, butternut squash salad, swordfish, New York prime strip and flourless chocolate torte. Evlie’s is also hosting a New Year’s Eve midnight toast event beginning at 11 p.m. Tickets are $100 and include three complimentary drinks and Elvie’s breakfast items beginning at midnight. For more information or to make a reservation, call 601-863-8828 or visit elviesrestaurant.com.

1908 Provisions’ chilled oysters.

The Hungry Goat (1006 Top St., Suite F, Flowood, 769-2338539) The Hungry Goat’s holiday party menu includes charcuterie trays, cranberry brie bites, muscadine hot chicken bites, cheese balls, stuffed mushrooms, dessert trays, dips and more. All items are a la carte, and customers must place their catering orders at least 24 hours in advance. For more information or to place an order, call 769233-8539. Primos Cafe (515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601898-3600; 2323 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-936-3398; 201 Baptist Drive, Madison, 601-853-3350; primoscafe.com) Primos is open for New Year’s Eve catering and offers party trays of chicken tenders, po-boys, finger sandwiches, pasta salad, fresh fruit, corn bread, vegetable soup, seafood gumbo, salads and more. Primos also has cakes and pies whole or by the slice, cookie trays and lemon or fudge squares. Email additional New Year’s Eve info to dustin@jacksonfreepress.com.

2018 Santa Carolina Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 93 points - James Suckling | $14.79 A tight, focused red with fresh-plum and chocolate character. Medium body, firm and creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.

COVID-19: Our hours are unchanged. We are sanitizing and have social distancing plans in place.

921 East Fortification Street (601) 983-5287 www.katswine.com/tasting-team @KatsWine

Voted Best Gumbo Best of Jackson 2019-2020

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December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

Availability and time subject to change

Looking for something great to do in Jackson? Visit JFPEVENTS.COM for more.

COMMUNITY Thelma Sanders Scholarship Dance Virtual Watch Party & Draw Down Dec. 26, 8 p.m., Virtual. The local alumni association reimagines their annual scholarship fundraising event as a virtual watch party featuring music from DJ Unpredictable 601 and comedy from Rita Brent. In addition, every ticket holder is entered for a chance to win one of the numerous door prizes, including the grand prize of $2,020. Full-page color ads may be purchased for $100 to be broadcast to viewers of the event and on JTAC social media sites. $25 virtual admission, $100 optional ad purchase; call 601-460-4569; email jtac1869@gmail.com; jtac.tcnaa.org. Silent Night Headphone Party Dec. 26, 8 p.m., at Vibe Sports Grill (6390 Ridgewood Road). The event company hosts the silent party featuring three DJs playing on three channels. Attendees listen to music via headphones. Admission TBA; call; email djunpredictable601@gmail.com; find it on Facebook. Sunday Warhammer Dec. 27, 1-10 p.m., at Van’s CCG - Comics, Cards & Games (731 S. Pear Orchard Road, Suite 1, Ridgeland). Van’s CCG holds weekly games of the board game Warhammer 40,000 for anyone who plays the game or is interested in learning about it. Participants also receive a 15% discount on any Warhammer miniatures and books purchased. Contact Van’s CCG at the number provided for more details. Free to play, 15% off Warhammer miniatures & books in store; call 601-898-9950; email vansccg@gmail.com; find it on Facebook. Spanish Class - Intermediate Dec. 29, Jan. 5, 11 a.m.-noon, at Brandon Senior Center (1000 Municipal Drive, Brandon). Brandon senior services offers weekly intermediate Spanish language classes. Free admission; call 601-824-7095; email apryor@brandonms.org; find it on Facebook.

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

Tuesday Night Sigmar Dec. 29, 5-10 p.m., at Van’s CCG - Comics, Cards & Games (731 S. Pear Orchard Road, Suite 1, Ridgeland). Van’s CCG holds weekly games of Sigmar for anyone who plays the game or is interested in learning about it. Call Van’s CCG at the number provided for more information. Free to play, items available for purchase in store.; call 601-898-9950; email vansccg@gmail. com; find it on Facebook.

Open Mic at Fenian’s Pub Dec. 29, 8:30 p.m., at Fenian’s Pub (901 E. Fortification St.). The Jackson pub holds the open mic night featuring local musicians. Participants call after 4 p.m. on Tuesday to reserve a 20-minute slot. Free admission, food and drink prices vary; call 601-948-0055; email ryan@fenianspub.com; find it on Facebook. Trisha’s Open Mic Night Dec. 31, 7-11:30 p.m., at Trisha’s Sports Bar (2460 Terry Rd.). The Jackson sports bar hosts an open mic night. Walk-ins welcome, no prior sign-up required. Free admission, food and drink prices vary; call 662-607-5375; email Alishanewell@yahoo.com; find it on Facebook.

KIDS Learning Tree Book Club Jan. 2, 2-3:30 p.m., Virtual (Zoom). The children’s book

club gets together via Zoom to read and talk about books on the first Saturday of each month. Books provided. Free admission; call 601-372-0229; email communitylibrary.ms@ gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

CHRIS WHITAKER

EVENTS

FOOD & DRINK The Detectives and Shaggy’s Present Dec. 23, 7 p.m., at Shaggy’s on the Rez (1733 Spillway Road, Brandon). The local dinner theater troupe and the Brandon restaurant host a holiday-themed evening of food, mystery and comedy as The Detectives perform “Santa Claus is Watching YOU.” Cocktail hour and seating begin at 6 p.m. $47.99 per person; call 601-724-2990; email info@shaggys.biz; find it on Facebook. Christmas Eve Dinner Celebration Dec. 24, 5-9:30 p.m., at 1908 Provisions at Fairview Inn (734 Fairview St.). The local restaurant hosts a socially distanced version of their annual event featuring a three-course prix fixe menu. Reservations required. Groups limited to 6 people. $39 per person prix fixe; call 601-948-3429 ext. 314; email marketing@ fairviewinn.com; find it on Facebook. New Year’s Eve Dinner Celebration Dec. 31, 5-9:30 p.m., at 1908 Provisions at Fairview Inn (734 Fairview St.). The local restaurant hosts a dinner celebrating the New Year featuring a four-course prix fixe meal. Reservations required. $69 per person prix fixe; call 601-948-3429 ext. 314; email marketing@ fairviewinn.com; find it on Facebook. Elvie’s New Year’s Eve Prix Fixe Dec. 31, 6-8 p.m. & 8:30-10:30 p.m., at Elvie’s (809 Manship St.). The local restaurant offers a five-course prix fixe menu with a welcome glass of sparkling wine to celebrate the New Year. Two seatings are offered, each for a twohour period. Participants pay upon booking the reservation. $100 per person; call 601863-8828; email elviesrestaurant@gmail.com; elviesrestaurant.com. New Year’s Eve Dinner Dec. 31, 6 p.m. & 9 p.m., at BRAVO! Italian Restaurant and Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244). The local Italian restaurant celebrates the New Year with its annual NYE dinner event, which features

‘A Christmas Carol’ featuring Jefferson Mays

“A Christmas Carol” Dec. 23-Jan. 3, 8 p.m., Virtual (Streaming). The local theater company partners with Arnold’s TBD Pictures, La Jolla Playhouse, and On The Stage, to present Tony award winning actor Jefferson Mays in the stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas story. Patrons receive an email with the viewing link after purchasing their ticket. Once the link is activated, patrons have 24 hours to watch the performance. Performance can be watched from any device or cast to a TV. A portion of the proceeds benefit New Stage Theatre. $50 per household; call 601-948-3533; newstagetheatre.com.

a six-course meal and five paired wines. The 9 p.m. seating also includes a champagne or sparkling cider toast and sparklers in preparation of the new year. Reservations required. $75 per person for 6 p.m. seating, $85 for 9 p.m. seating; call 601-982-8111; email tanyab@bravobuzz.com; find it on Facebook. The Detectives and Char Present Dec. 31, 7 p.m., at Char Restaurant (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142). The local dinner theater troupe and the Jackson restaurant team up to present the New Year’s Eve event featuring a three-course dinner and an interactive, comedic mystery performance. $70 per person; call 601-291-7444; email thedetectivestheatre@ gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

BE THE CHANGE Holiday Food Drive at the Two Mississippi Museums Dec. 23, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at Two Mississippi Museums (222 North St.). The MDAH holds the food drive benefitting the Mississippi Food Network. Visitors bringing a donation of non-perishable food items receive free admission to the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum on Dec. 23. Those making donations also receive a 20% discount at the Mississippi Museum Store. Free admission with donation, 20% discount in museum store; call 601-576-6946; email therron@mdah.ms.gov; mdah.ms.gov. MDAH Infertility Support Group Jan. 5, 6-7:30 p.m., at M7 Coffee House (111 N. Wheatley St., Ridgeland). Parryscope & Positive Steps Fertility and Mississippi Baby Company offer the group for people struggling with issues surrounding infertility. Participants can join for an informal, safe space to talk with others who can relate. Adults only, please. Free support group, food and drink available for sale; call 833-767-7837; email fertility@parryscope.com; find it on Facebook.

SPORTS & WELLNESS Adult Hip-Hop Dance Classes Dec. 25, Dec. 28, Jan 1, Jan 4, 5:30-6:30 p.m., at Flowood Family Y (690 Liberty Road, Flowood). The dance fitness company offers the high-energy hip-hop classes led by husband and wife duo Roger and Tena Long. First class is free. Ages 13 and up. Live virtual classes available. Free trial class, $20 per month members, $40 nonmembers; call 601-853-7480; email choreorobics@yahoo.com; choreorobics.com. American Heart Association/Bell Life Safety CPR/AED Class Dec. 27, 2-4 p.m.; Dec. 30, 4:15-6:15 p.m., at CC’s Coffee House (344 Highway 51, Ridgeland). The company dedicated to training individuals in first aid, CPR, and safety holds the class teaching CPR, choking response techniques, and AED use. Participants completing the class receive a BLS certification from the American Heart Association that will be valid for two years. No previous experience required. Space is limited. $55 fee, $25 deposit reserves seat; call 601-926-0690; email info@belllifesafety.com; belllifesafety.com. Creative Healing Studio Dec. 23, Dec. 30, 12:30-2 p.m., Virtual (Zoom). Licensed art therapist Susan Anand leads a weekly art therapy gathering via Zoom for adults being treated for cancer or with a cancer diagnosis in their past. In response to COVID-19, the group meets on Zoom every Wednesday of the month. Please register by noon on the Tuesday before the event. Free online; call 601-960-1515; email smainlay@aol.com; find it on Facebook. Chakra Balancing in the Salt Cave with Shari Crook Jan. 4, 6-8:15 p.m., at Soul

EVENTS

Looking for something great to do in Jackson? Visit JFPEVENTS.COM for more.

HOLIDAY ing the African American holiday of Kwanzaa presents the virtual celebration on each of the seven nights the holiday is observed. Free online event; call 601-940-2504 or 769-5727441; find it on Facebook.

Canton Christmas Festival Dec. 23, 5-9 p.m., at Canton Square (147 N. Union St., Canton). The city of Canton holds its annual holiday celebration featuring Christmas lights, horse-and-buggy rides, photos with Santa, story time with Mrs. Claus and more. Free admission, vendors prices vary; call 601-859-1307; email jana@cantontourism.com; cantontourism.com.

Possum Ridge Model Train Exhibit Dec. 23-24, Dec. 26-27, Dec. 29-31, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at Two Mississippi Museums (222 North St.). The MDAH presents the small-town Mississippi themed model train exhibit throughout the month of December. Exhibit included with museum admission. Admission free on Sundays from noon until 4 p.m. Masks and social distancing required. $15 adults, $8 youth (ages 4-22), $13 seniors (ages 60 and up), free Sundays; call 601-576-6850; find it on Facebook. Photos with Santa Dec. 23, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Dec. 24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at Northpark Mall (1200 E. County Line Road, Ridgeland). Northpark invites children of all ages to have their photos taken with Santa Claus in their Center

COURTESY LUCKY HAND BLUES BAND

Synergy Center (5490 Castlewoods Court, Suite D, Flowood). The Flowood center offers the session featuring guided meditation, Reiki

PIXABAY

Court. This year special care is being taken to keep everyone safe by practicing social distancing and requiring all guests (and Santa, himself ) to wear facemasks. In order to prevent overcrowding, reservations are being taken online. Photo packages purchased when making reservation. Photo package prices vary; call 601-863-2300; email info@visitnorthpark.com; find it on Facebook.

Journey to the North Pole Dec. 23, Dec. 26, Dec. 27-31, Jan. 2, Jan. 4, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Dec. 27, Jan. 3, 1-6 p.m. at Mississippi Children’s Museum (2145 Museum Blvd.). The children’s museum presents the holiday exhibit that transforms the Gertrude C. Ford Exhibition Hall into a winter village with train cars, a post office for writing letters to Santa, a sock skating rink, a clock tower with a 45-foot slide and more. $10 general admission, free for members; call 601981-5469; email marketing@mcm.ms; mschildrensmuseum.org.

Lucky Hand Blues Band Dec. 26, 7 p.m., at The Iron Horse Grill (320 W. Pearl St.). The Jackson-based blues band performs live at the local restaurant. Free admission, food and drink prices vary; call 601-398-0151; theironhorsegrill.com.

Burnham Road Dec. 26, 8 p.m., at Pop’s Saloon (2636 Gallatin St.). The Brandonbased country band plays live at the local bar. Free admission, food and drink prices vary; call 601-961-4747; find it on Facebook.

CONCERTS & FESTIVALS Rockin’ Christmas Eve with Brian Jones Dec. 24, 5 p.m., at The Little Pub (387 Highway 51, Ridgeland). The local rock musician performs live. Price TBA; call 601898-2225; find it on Facebook.

Mimosa New Year’s Party Dec. 31, 9 p.m., at MikeTown Comedy Club (4107 Northview Drive). The local comedy club hosts the New Year’s Eve celebration featuring a formal “Harlem Night Masquerade” theme and an extensive menu of specialty mimosas. Three ticket levels offered: $25 general admission, $40 admission includes finger foods and one mimosa, $100 VIP admission includes finger foods, unlimited mimosas and VIP seating. $25 general admission, $40 snacks & 1 drink, $100 VIP; email Abovedalimit91@gmail.com; eventbrite.com.

Elvie’s New Year’s Eve Midnight Toast Dec. 31, 11 p.m., at Elvie’s (809 Manship St.). The local restaurant hosts the New Year party that features table seating, three complimentary drinks and breakfast foods after midnight. Outdoor and bar seating available. Reservations accepted for parties COURTESY JACKSON COMMUNITY KWANZAA Jackson Community Kwanzaa Celebraof up to 10 people. $75 per person; CELEBRATION tion Dec. 26-Jan. 1, 7-8 p.m., Virtual call 601-863-8828; email elviesrestau(Facebook Live). The organization promoting and celebratrant@gmail.com; elviesrestaurant.com.

Robby Peoples & Friends Dec. 26, 8 p.m., at Martin’s Restaurant & Bar (214 S. State St.). The Mississippi-born musician performs at the Jackson bar and live music venue. Price TBA; call 601-354-9712; find it on Facebook.

Energy clearing, and the use of Reiki charged crystals to balance chakra energies. $55 fee; call 601-992-7721; email soulsynergycenter@ gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

New Year’s Eve with Johnny B & Queen Iretta Sanders Dec. 31, 9 p.m., at The Little Pub (387 Highway 51, Ridgeland). The Ridgeland pub celebrates the New Year with performances from the Jackson-based blues artists. Price TBA; call 601-898-2225; find it on Facebook.

Johnny Rowland Dec. 26, 9-11 p.m., at Fenian’s Pub (901 E. Fortification St.). The local singer-songwriter performs at the Jackson pub. Free admission, food and drink prices vary; call 601-948-0055; email ryan@fenianspub.com; find it on Facebook. Chuck Bryan Dec. 31, 6 p.m., at The Iron Horse Grill (320 W. Pearl St.). The local musician performs live at the Jackson restaurant. Free admission, food and drink prices vary; call 601-398-0151; email info@theironhorsegrill.com; theironhorsegrill.com. The Jarekus Singleton Band Dec. 31, 8 p.m., at Martin’s Restaurant & Bar (214 S State St). The Mississippi blues musician plays live on

New Year’s Eve at the local bar/music venue. $10 admission; call 601-354-9712; find it on Facebook.

CREATIVE CLASSES

DONO VEGAS presents No Excuses (Unplugged) Jan. 3, 7 p.m., at Johnny T’s Bistro & Bar (538 Farish St.). The Jackson rap and hip-hop artist performs his latest album live at the local bistro. The concert is also available via livestream on the Reel TV app. $50 general admission, $75 VIP, $2.99 livestream via Reel TV; call 601-966-4521; email youngvegasworld@gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

Chunky Knit Lap Blanket Workshop Dec. 28, 10 a.m. & 6 p.m., at Market House (5647 Highway 80 E., Suite 1, Pearl). The Pearl mercantile and DIY studio offers the class teaching participants to make a chunky knit lap blanket. All supplies are included in cost of class. Yarn colors vary based on availability. No refunds. $65 per person; call 769-233-8739; email markethousediystudio@ gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

Music in the City Jan. 5, 5:45 p.m., Facebook Live. This edition of the monthly program from the MMA features local pianist Tyler Kemp collaborating with trombonist Adam Almeter, principal trombonist of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. Free online event; call 601-960-1515; email ywilliams@msmuseumart.org; find it on Facebook.

Cookie Decorating with Andrea Dec. 30, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at Market House (5647 Highway 80 E., Suite 1, Pearl). The local shop and DIY studio hosts the cookie decorating class with Andrea of Dough-Re-Mimi Cookies. $40 fee; call 769-233-8739; email markethousediystudio@gmail.com; find it on Facebook.

LITERARY “Nick” Book Discussion Jan. 5, 5:30-6:30 p.m., at Lemuria Bookstore (4465 Interstate 55 N.). Author Michael Farris Smith discusses his new novel, “Nick,” with fellow author Matthew Guinn via livestream. Free book discussion, $27 signed, first edition book; call 601-366-7619; lemuriabooks.com.

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

Where’s Noel? Dec. 23, Dec 26-31, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive). The museum hosts a daily scavenger hunt during the month of December for Noel, the museum’s Christmas squirrel. Clues are posted to the “Where’s Noel?” Facebook event page, which museum guests can then use to find and snap a selfie with Noel. Guests who post their photos with Noel in the comments section of the clue posts are entered into a weekly drawing for a special winter ornament, as well as a grand prize drawing for a 2021 Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation family membership. Grand prize drawing takes place on Jan. 1, 2021. Winners are notified via Facebook Messenger. Social-distancing measures, timedarrival reservation, and face-mask requirements are in place. Timed arrival reservation required. $6 adult admission, $4 youth, $5 seniors, kids under 3 free; call 601-576-6000; email nicole.smith@mmns.ms.gov; mdwfp.com.

Pop’s Saloon NYE Party Dec. 31, 8 p.m., at Pop’s Saloon (2636 S. Gallatin St.). The local saloon hosts the New Year’s Eve event featuring live music from Miles Flatt and Pop Fiction. Free admission, food and drink prices vary; call 601961-4747; find it on Facebook.

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. 19

podcast

Burrow Yourself in ‘The Fox Cave Chronicles’ by Torsheta Jackson

courtesy Felicia Hobson

elicia Hobson fixes herself a drink longer around,” Hobson says. “It’s like the cave” and started producing her podcast. at the bar and takes a seat at a red music is dying from the era that I love so Initially, Hobson used the show to catch up table in the middle of the with older, popular musicians in room. A candle burns, and the metro area. ’90s hits play softly in the back “I didn’t want the OGs to die ground. A few friends gather out or become irrelevant, so the on the couch to debate the best show was mainly about making artists from their teenage years. Mississippi rappers relevant again,” Minutes later, Hobson picks up she says. “You know, the ones we a microphone and introduces don’t hear about anymore.” an upcoming local artist. An The first show featured other episode of “The Fox Cave Bigelow and aired via Facebook Chronicles” podcast has begun. Live on July 20. When she saw When the pandemic shut that the episode was viewed more down businesses and offices than 800 times, Hobson realized in March, Hobson was in the that she would need to expand the middle of changing jobs. She platform. She extended invitations found herself out of work and Felicia Hobson featured local rapper Mookey Montana to both older and up-and-coming searching for something to do. during her podcast’s Halloween episode. Mississippi artists of all genres—as One evening as she and a family well as entrepreneurs, community member were sitting in her den members and Black business ownlistening to old music, Hobson realized that much, which was the ’90s.” ers—to give them a chance to introduce many of the songs they were enjoying were The Jackson native decided to change themselves to the area. no longer in rotation. that. “Foxy,” as her friends call her, set up “There are so many artists here (who “A lot of the music that I listen to is no some recording equipment in her “woman have) so much talent here that we don’t

know about,” Hobson says. “A lot of times they get overlooked because people are so prone to shine the spotlight on the ones that are already popular. That is why my platform is here.” The show gained so much interest that Hobson expanded from recording once a week to twice a week, then three times a week. Soon, she found herself recording nearly every day of the week. Additionally, the podcast’s popularity combined with safety concerns caused her to move the recordings from her home to a local nightclub with more open space. In the future, Hobson imagines the podcast broadening its scope even further to include artists from other states. She also hopes to attract the attention of television networks and higher-profile celebrities. The second season of “The Fox Cave Chronicles” will begin airing in February on the podcast’s business page on Facebook. To view past episodes, join the podcast’s public Facebook group. Follow the podcast on Instagram at @thefoxcavechronicles.

arts

Connecting Local Knitters through Common Thread

Valuing her experience and know-how, Knitters and crocheters across the spectrum come to McNeil for help with particularly tricky projects. “I never coveted my knowledge. If I could help, I would—but I’m the first to admit when I don’t know,” she quips. courtesy The Knit Studio

December 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021 • jfp.ms

udy McNeil, the owner and manager of The Knit Studio, has recently entered her 13th year in service to local creatives. Setting up shop in Jackson was an easy choice for McNeil, who notes that the Jackson area already housed an established community of knitters and crocheters when her storefront opened in 2007. “It was a shoo-in,” McNeil says. This sentiment particularly rang true given her long personal history in the profession. “I’m self-taught, but for me, it was more than a hobby—it was a passion,” she says. Operating The Knit Studio has allowed McNeil to tap into that passion by making beautiful things from unfinished fabrics, and it has also allowed her to help her customers pursue their own creative projects. Some of these customers are novices, just beginning their foray into the crafting world, while others are more seasoned artisans, with distinct ideas about patterns and materials. Regardless of their preference, McNeil seeks to keep something in-store to help them along their journey, noting that the shop “carries everything from the most basic yarn for beginners all the way to hand-dyed yarn for those who have graduated into using more exquisite yarn.” Among these finer offerings are cashmere, silk and mohair, which all come in handy for customers aiming to make something special.

by Taylor McKay Hathorn

The Knit Studio offers a variety of crafting supplies, particularly yarn for beginners and veterans alike.

The shop owner enjoys her work, even the more challenging projects. “It keeps me on my toes,” McNeil remarks. “Reading patterns is almost like a second language. You always have it with you; you don’t have to open a book

every time someone has a problem.” Issues sometimes seemingly resolve themselves, though, once customers enter the shop, housed in Canton Mart Square in north Jackson. “They’d think they had a problem with their knitting, but when they sat in the store, it was all right,” McNeil recalls. The atmosphere fosters this sense of resolution and release that McNeil strives to create in her store. “Before COVID, we had a lot more socializing happening. We had several days that were known as ‘social knitting days.’” These “social knitting days” allowed customers to bring their knitting and their woes into The Knit Studio. “Everyone’s story is interesting,” McNeil says of the practice. “Many of the stories they told were absorbed by the fabric, which may sound silly, but it gives life to the yarn. It’s like having friends come to your house—people tend to be a little more themselves.” For McNeil, this is an aspect of the business that she never expected but treasures all the same. “For me, success isn’t in the projects. It’s in how many people were initially customers but became friends. Those are the things that resonate, and that’s in life, not just in business. It’s the thing that makes it all worthwhile,” she says. To learn more about The Knit Studio or to make an online order, visit theknitstudio.com.

JFP SPOTLIGHT

5 THINGS TO KNOW

My high-school lab partner and best friend, Nate Schumann, holds the deputy editor title at the JFP, and he had been after me to write for the publication since he accepted a job there. In college, I always brushed him off, telling him I didn’t have time with all the papers I was already writing. When I moved back to Jackson in May, he stopped taking no for an answer, and I haven’t looked back.

I try to say yes to every story that’s offered to me, so I’ve done a little of everything, from Best of Jackson features to film reviews. Every minute I’ve spent writing for the JFP has been a joy—I love hearing the stories of my fellow Jackso-

! !

Taylor McKay Hathorn

Freelance Writer COURTESY TAYLOR MCKAY HATHORN

I graduated from Wayne County High School before attending Mississippi College, where I majored and minored English. (When you have one talent, you stick with it!) While in college, I worked in the Writing Center, served as the general editor of the campus creative-arts journal and copy-edited the school’s newspaper, so I found myself constantly surrounded by words and people who loved them, which was just what I’d always wanted.

about

nians, so my favorite part of my job is bringing those stories to life so that others in the metro area can recognize the talent and innovation all around them.

Although it may go without saying, I love to write. I’m currently writing my first novel (a murder mystery), and I love to read and watch TV, so consuming stories in whatever form they come to me takes up most of my free time. When there’s not a global pandemic, I love trying out new restaurants in the metro and taking road trips with my friends.

My first year out of college, I taught middle school in my hometown. This was, to put it mildly, not all that I’d hoped it would be, and I moved back to Jackson in May and accepted a position in the Registrar’s Office at my alma mater, where I work as the receptionist and the enrollment/transcript clerk. I absolutely love it, and I work with eight of the kindest women I know. Living in the metro again has brought me lots of opportunities, especially where my writing is concerned, and to riff off UNC’s chant—I was Wayne County born and Wayne County bred, but when I die, I’ll be Hinds County dead.

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Last Week’s Answers 47 Cheerleader’s equivalent to “jazz hands” 51 Willamette University locale 52 Positive vote 53 “Barry” network 56 Canadian beer orders 60 Word after trade or credit 62 Pro sports org. with teams whose names begin the four theme entries 64 Annual June celebration 66 Leave suddenly 67 Like almost all music 68 ___ noire (fearsome thing) 69 Overly ornate 70 “Thong Song” performer 71 Georgia used to be part of it

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38 “___ Gangnam style ...” 39 Tells a secret 41 Global currency org. 42 Steamrolled stuff 44 Life partner? 46 No-___ (gnat) 48 “Are you kidding me?” 49 Where Microsoft trades 50 Polishes 54 Bertie ___ Every Flavour Beans (“Harry Potter” candy) 55 “___ Majesty’s Secret Service”

57 Units with nos. 58 “Star Trek” counselor Deanna 59 Sardine containers 61 Celebrity chef Matsuhisa, or his restaurant 62 Pelicans’ gp. 63 Kids’ card game for two 65 “Xanadu” group, initially 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 #948

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1 Door piece 5 “Good Eats” host Brown 10 Geometric art style 14 Miscellany 15 Jordan heard in “Toy Story 4” 16 Island WNW of Molokai 17 Speedometer locations 19 Sandpaper grade 20 Song starter 21 Oktoberfest snack 23 Language sufﬁx 24 2006 Nintendo debut

26 High-priced Japanese beef 29 Part of the French Revolution noted for guillotines 34 Brad’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” costar 35 New Zealander, informally 36 Workout unit 37 Corner ofﬁce occupant 40 Pageant wear 42 Kiddo 43 Waze, for one 44 ___ Bizkit 45 Intelligence-gathering org.

1 “Hotel Artemis” star Foster 2 Alda and Arkin, for two 3 Title that’s usually abbreviated 4 1922 physics Nobelist Niels 5 GI’s address 6 “___ lizards!” (comment from Annie) 7 Oreg., formerly 8 “Ye” follower, sometimes 9 Fit like Russian dolls 10 Folded-over page corner 11 Tea ﬂavored with bergamot 12 Life force 13 On loan 18 Ziggy Stardust’s alter ego 22 Two, to Tom Tykwer 25 Outﬁelder’s yell 27 Part of NYSE 28 Instinctive impulse 30 Golfer Ernie 31 Giraffe-like creature 32 Christmas tree type 33 Like some country songs 37 Les Claypool’s instrument

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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

The mathematically oriented website WaitButWhy.com says that the odds of winning a mega lottery can be compared to this scenario: You know that a certain hedgehog will sneeze just one time in the next six years, and you place a big bet that this sneeze will take place at exactly the 36th second of 12:05 pm next January 20. In other words, WaitButWhy.com declares, your chances of winning that lottery are very small. But while their analysis is true in general, it may not be completely applicable to you in 2021. The likelihood of you choosing the precise moment for the hedgehog’s sneeze will be higher than usual. More realistically and importantly, your chances for generating positive financial luck through hard work and foresight will be much higher than usual.

Author Anais Nin was supremely adaptable, eager to keep growing, and receptive when life nudged her to leave the past behind and expand her understanding. At the same time, she was clear about what she wanted and determined to get what she wanted. Her complex attitude is summed up in the following quote: “If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is compromise.” I hope you will heed her counsel throughout 2021. (Here’s another quote from Nin: “Had I not created my whole world, I would certainly have died in other people’s.”)

in 2016. Scientists studied two local species of anole lizards both before and after the natural disaster. They were amazed to find that the lizards after the hurricane had super-strong grips compared to their predecessors. The creatures were better able to hold on to rocks and perches so as to avoid being swept away by high winds. The researchers’ conclusion? It’s an example of one of the most rapid rates of evolutionary change ever recorded. I bring this to your attention, Cancerian, because I suspect that you, too, will have the power to evolve and transform at an expedited pace in 2021—in response to positive events as much as to challenging events.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

In 2013, workers at a clothing manufacturing plant in Gazipur, Bangladesh staged a mass protest. Did they demand a pay raise or better health benefits? Were they lobbying for air conditioning or longer lunch breaks? None of the above. In fact, they had just one urgent stipulation: to dispel the ghost that was haunting the factory. I’ve got a similar entreaty for you in 2021, Pisces. I request that you exorcise any and all ghosts that have been preventing you from fully welcoming in and embracing the future. These ghosts may be purely metaphorical in nature, but you still need to be forceful in banishing them.

I hope that in 2021 you will spend a lot of time meditating on your strongest longings. Are they in harmony with your highest ideals, or not? Do they energize you or drain you? Are they healthy and holy, or are they unhealthy or unholy— or somewhere in between those two extremes? You’ll be wise to re-evaluate all your burning, churning yearnings, Leo—and decide which ones are in most righteous service to your life goals. And as for those that are in fact noble and liberating and invigorating: Nurture them with all your tender ingenuity!

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

“You can’t move mountains by whispering at them,” says singer-songwriter Pink. Strictly speaking, you can’t move mountains by shouting at them, either. But in a metaphorical sense, Pink is exactly right. Mild-mannered, low-key requests are not likely to precipitate movement in obstacles that resemble sold rock. And that’s my oracle for you in the coming months, Virgo. As you carry out the project of relocating or crumbling a certain mountain, be robust and spirited—and, if necessary, very loud.

Author Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) carried on a long love affair with books. He read thousands of them, wrote more than 20 of them, and further postulated the existence of numerous imaginary books that were never actually written. Of all the writers who roused his adoration, a certain Russian novelist was among the most beloved. Borges wrote, “Like the discovery of love, like the discovery of the sea, the discovery of Fyodor Dostoevsky marks an important date in one’s life.” I’m wondering if you will experience one of these pivotal discoveries in 2021. I strongly suspect so. It may not be the work of Dostoevsky, but I bet it will have an impact close to those of your original discoveries of love and the sea.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

Vietnamese-American novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen has won numerous awards for his work, including the Pulitzer Prize. Here are his views about the nature of accomplishment: “We don’t succeed or fail because of fortune or luck. We succeed because we understand the way the world works and what we have to do. We fail because others understand this better than we do.” I bring these thoughts to your attention, Taurus, because I think that in 2021 you will have an extraordinary potential to enhance your understanding of how the world works and what you must do to take advantage of that. This could be the year you become both smarter and wiser.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

Modern civilization has not spread to every corner of the planet. There are at least 100 tribes that inhabit their own private realms, isolated from the invasive sprawl of our manic, frantic influence. Among these enclaves, many are in the Amazon rain forests, West Papua, and the Andaman Islands. I have a theory that many of us civilized people would love to nurture inner qualities akin to those expressed by indigenous people: hidden away from the mad world; content to be free of the noise and frenzy; and living in attunement with natural rhythms. In 2021, I hope you will give special care and attention to cultivating this part of you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

Hurricane Maria struck the Caribbean island of Dominica

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

In his masterpiece the Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci applied 30 layers of paint that were no thicker than a single human hair. Can you imagine the patience and concentration that required? I’m going to propose that you be inspired by his approach as you carry out your big projects in the coming year. I think you will have the potential to create at least one labor of love that’s monumentally subtle and soulful.

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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

Climate change is proceeding with such speed in central Mexico that entire forests are in danger of perishing. In the hills near Ejido La Mesa, for instance, the weather is getting too hot for the fir trees that shelter millions of monarch butterflies every fall. In response, local people have joined with scientists to physically move the fir forest to a higher, cooler elevation. What might be your personal equivalent, Scorpio: an ambitious plan to carry out an idealistic yet practical project? According to my analysis of your astrological potentials, you’ll have a lot of energy to work on such a scheme in 2021.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

Author Gérard de Nerval (1808–1855) made the following observation: “I do not ask of God that he should change anything in events themselves, but that he should change me in regard to things, so that I might have the power to create my own universe, to govern my dreams, instead of enduring them.” If you have a relationship with the Divine Wow, that will be a perfect prayer for you to say on a regular basis in 2021. If you don’t have a connection to the Supreme Intelligence, I suggest you address the same prayer to your Higher Self or Future Beauty or whatever source of sublime inspiration you hold most dear.

Homework: Has anything in your life changed for the better during the pandemic? What? FreeWillAstrology.com

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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

Tow..........$150.00 Labor………$285.00 Parts………$125.00 Storage….30 days@ $25.00/day……$750.00 Total: $1310.00 This vehicle will be sold on 3/5/21 @ 10 a.m. at 3760 Forest Hill Rd. Jackson, Ms 39212

NOTICE December 15, 2020 Yahshua Transportation Service 3760 Forest Hill Rd. Jackson, Ms 39212 To: Terrance Holmes/Will Weston Your vehicle (2008 DODGE AVENGER, 1 B 3 LC 4 6 R 1 8 N 2 3 8 1 4 8 ) was towed to our shop for repairs on 2/01/19. We have made numerous attempts to contact you regarding the completed repairs and payment for services rendered. It is imperative that you contact us (YAHSHUA TRANS. SERVICE, (601)954-1547) within 30 days to claim the vehicle and make arrangements. Otherwise, we will consider the vehicle abandoned and sell it for monies owed. The total cost accrued on this vehicle is as followed:

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v19n09 - The Most Intriguing Mississippians of 2020

Articles inside

JFP Spotlight

Arts

Podcast

Food & Drink

The Most Intriguing Mississippians of 2020

Opinion

Lt. Gov. Hosemann Addresses Budget Cuts, Teacher Pay, and Patriotic Education

Blight, Flooding Compromise Quality of Life

Editor's Note

Jacksonian