Town&Gown DECEMBER 2011
a azine
Precious Pearls
bracelet helps fund research
Icing on the cake
local cooks share recipes
A Product of Horizon of Mississippi P.O. Box 3893 | Mississippi State, MS 39762 www.townandgownmag.com
{
staff
}
Don Norman | publisher sdnpublisher@bellsouth.net
Leilani Salter | editor leilani@townandgownmag.com
Mary Kathryn Kight | senior acct. exec. marykathryn@ townandgownmag.com
Jessica Bailey | acct. exec. jessica@ townandgownmag.com
{
writers
}
Shea Allen Angie Carnathan Justin Fritscher Emily Jones Joe Lee Claire Massey Steven Nalley Susan O’Bryan Hellen Polk Brother Rogers Kate Salter Sid Salter Milton Whatley
{
ph o t o g r a ph e r s
}
Laura Daniels Maggie Harper Mary Kathryn Kight Claire Massey Leilani Salter
{
page design
}
Claire Massey Leilani Salter
townandgownmag.com
|
november 2011
{
4
advertising design
}
Larry Bost Chris McMillen Reproductions in whole or in part, without written permission, is strictly prohibited. No responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited manuscripts, articles or photographs. We reserve the right to edit submissions before publication. Town & Gown is a free magazine published monthly and distributed in and around Starkville and the Golden Triangle area. Subscriptions are available for mail customers. For subscriptions or inquiries, write Town & Gown Magazine, P.O. Box 3893, Miss. State, MS, 39762, or call 662-323-1642. Copyright 2011 by Horizon of Mississippi.
editor’s note hank you so much for your response to our first issue of Town & Gown Magazine. We are humbled by your kindness and support. I have met so many warm and interesting people in my short time in the Starkville-MSU area. We had a crowd at our launch party held Nov. 1 at the Palmeiro Center. If you were there, look for your photo on pages 70 and 71. In this issue, I had the opportunity to photograph Santa for the cover and to visit with Mike Goree for the Up Front feature. I couldn’t help but notice that they resemble one another. I think Mike Goree just might actually be Santa, but I can’t get a straight answer from him. Read our conversation on page 10. At the GSDP’s Cookies with Santa, I discovered that not everyone likes Santa. Some kids had a long wish list memorized, others brought catalogs for easy reference to narrow the window for error. Some of the children had to be pryed from Santa’s lap while others wouldn’t go near him. See some of these fun photos on page 73. Don’t miss our feature on local cooks and their favorite holiday cakes. I feel sure Carolyn Bryan’s caramel cake is the best of its kind. She sent me home with a huge slice and it’s the best I’ve tasted. The sun seldoms sets that we don’t have a ball of MSU Edam cheese in our fridge. The very one on page 36 is in my refrigerator. We always enjoy grilled cheese sandwiches but I plan to make a batch of cheese straws with this one. While visiting with Mrs. Elizabeth Gwin for our Nov. issue, she served fresh coffee and cheese straws. She gave me the recipe shown below and assured me that it is simple. We talked on her back porch while it thundered and rained. The Last Word this month is written by Brother Rogers and it’s a “must read.” He never fails to make me laugh but this story is proof that Ralphie’s mom was right – kids just don’t need BB guns. Don’t forget all the fun events coming up. The Greater Starkville Development Partnership will hold the Holiday Bazaar Nov. 30Dec. 1. We’ve included a list of merchants and a map on page 26 so you can find your favorite booths. We’ll greet you at the door with a Town & Gown shopping bag. And remember not to miss our January 2012 edition - our special Bridal edition - for everything you need to plan an unforgettable wedding!
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
T
6
Leilani Salter leilani@townandgownmag.com
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Contents
54
8
36
22
62
38 18 22 24 30 34
Cover photography by Leilani Salter
38
6
EDITOR’S NOTE
10
UP FRONT
LORRAINE LIN Characters come to life
30
INSIDE OUT
36
EAT DRINK
WAVERLY WONDER Bracelet helps fund research
50
NEAR FAR
51
LIFESTYLE
TOP COPS It’s law and order for Lindleys
58
ON THE PAGE
62
RHYTHMS
DECKING THE HALLS Holiday Home Tour & Tea
64
SEE HEAR
65
OUT & ABOUT
PRAY POTTERY Sisters-in-law shape career
80
MORE
81
A THOUSAND WORDS
HOLIDAY CAKES Local cooks share recipes
82
THE LAST WORD
december 2011
ON THE COVER
WAIDE’S WORLD Making a splash
|
15
departments
townandgownmag.com
features
9
UpFront
Mike Goree MSU Instructor of Marketing
Q: You bear a strong resemblance to “the man in red.” Are you Santa? A: Who do you think I am? Q: How old are you? A: How old do you think I am?
Q: Favorite holiday? A: Christmas Q: Hobbies? A: Collecting Santa items
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Q: How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? A: Young enough to have energy but old enough to be kind and wise.
10
Q: Favorite color? A: Red Q: Hot or cold weather? A: Cold
Q: You’ve been seen driving a red truck with the license plate Ho x 3. What does this mean? A: “Ho Ho Ho” was already taken in tag system. Q: Do you have any other “vehicles?” A: I also have a red convertible. Q: A “convertible?” A vehicle without a roof? Does this vehicle run on gas? A: Depends on what you feed them. Q: Something that most people don’t know about you? A: That I simply decided which town, of all the places I have ever lived, I would call the place I’m “from.” (Canton, MS is the answer.)
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
Q: Greatest accomplishment? A: Converting skeptics of every age, that don’t “believe” in the magic of Christmas. Q: Favorite music? A: Christmas classics; American Folk; Bluegrass; and Gregorian Chant. Q: Guilty pleasure? A: Doing absolutely nothing, sitting on the deck, watching the geese or cranes while holding our dog or one of the cats. Q: What do you do in your spare time? A: Ask me after the first of the year… Q: Favorite book? A: Flight of the Reindeer, a wonderful (but out-of-print) history of Santa Claus
Q: Most valued possession? A: A cuckoo clock given to me by my wife, Johanna. It is quite old and feels like the heart of the house should I happen to hear it cuckoo in the night. A marvelously comforting sound. Q: Best place you’ve visited? A: Switzerland Q: Most like to visit? A: Antarctica, I already know about the North Pole… Q: Most likely found in your refrigerator? A: Diet Coke. Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a younger you, what would it be? A: Never be afraid to be happy. Do only what you love. Know that things work out as they should.
Waide’s World
“the way the world works.” But few teachers do, he said. That’s why explaining the news is an important part of his classroom experience. “Part of the problems in this country are attributable to our deficiency in acknowledging the way things work,” he said. The best opportunities to do so are in his large American government classes, which typically seat 200 students, mostly freshmen and sophomores not too far removed from high school. “It’s always fun to watch their faces light up when you explain why the economy has collapsed or how the generations before them dumped a bunch of debt in their lap,” he said.” Graduate student Justin Estes said he took Waide’s U.S. government course, and he appreciated Waide’s teaching style. “It’s not the norm,” Estes said. “But I love it.” Estes said Waide approached the course with a realistic point of view. “If he needs to get off the book, he does it,” said Estes, currently the special projects coordinator for West Point. “I wish everyone could have him at one point or another.” Waide pulls from his past – a farmer-turned-lawyer-turnedbusinessman-turned-politico-turned professor. He said he has
|
o Whit Waide, a professor’s responsibility is one much bigger than just a lecture. A top goal of the political science instructor at Mississippi State University is staying relevant. “I try to put on a show every class,” Waide said. “To me, a good percentage of your lectures should be entertaining. “If you get up there and just read stuff, it’s pointless. We owe it to the students paying tuition. We owe them a show. “You can impart lots of knowledge in a clear way and still put on the singing and dancing.” Not everyone agrees with him. Actually, he guesses 95 percent of professors don’t. And that’s fine – he doesn’t mind challenging the norm. He describes himself as a vocal “redneck lawyer from a ditch in Clay County.” But he loves to teach, and his unorthodox teaching style encourages students to learn and keeps them coming back to class. Waide, who has taught at State for five years, said as a student at Millsaps College and University of Mississippi School of Law, he always craved professors who put academics into context. As a news junkie, Waide said he always wanted people to explain
december 2011
BY JUSTIN FRITSCHER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
townandgownmag.com
T
Fourth-generation farmer making splash with MSU classes
15
december 2011
| townandgownmag.com
16
worked for state and federal government agencies as well as for a law firm. He worked on the campaign staff of Tate Reeves, who ran for treasurer in 2008. He served as general counsel on Reeves’ staff when he discovered his true love – the classroom. That’s when Millsaps asked him to teach a constitutional law class. “Within a matter of weeks, I decided that’s what I had to do with my life,” Waide said. He taught three semesters at Millsaps until a job opened at Mississippi State. He took it, excited with the prospect of getting closer to his roots. He grew up on a farm in Clay County, and now operates a small farm, including some of the land owned by his grandfather. He raises cattle and soybeans. “You have some people that like living in a city, and you have some people that like living in a small town,” he said. “Then there’s people like me who like living in the sticks.” Mississippi State is a family tradition for Waide: his parents, David and Sandra Waide, and his sister, Linda Bess, were Bulldogs. Waide has been vocal on the cowbell and attempts by the Southeastern Conference to restrict its use during athletic events. Although he said he is not one of the fans who tote cowbells to the games, he believes the option is important. “The thought of some far off body that could tell us we can’t use it is completely offensive to me,” he said. “Our whole psyche is wrapped around that thing. I love that it’s obnoxious, and I love that people hate it. I will defend it to my dying breath.” A fourth generation farmer, Waide said the cowbell is symbolic of the university’s agrarian connections – ones Mississippi State should boast proudly. “To me, the cowbell is the central symbol of us here at State,” Waide said. “People say we’re a cow college, and it’s a farmer school, and that’s awesome. You ought to be glad there are places like this.” Student Association President Rhett Hobart said he worked with Waide on Cowbell Yell, a first-ever event held this year at the StateLSU game to promote State’s cowbell tradition. “He has been a great ambassador for the university and for our student body,” Hobart said. “He tries to play up our traditions at the university.” Waide said he was happy to be a part of it. “It was great to get to run up and down the football field in front of 10,000 students clanging a cowbell and preaching the gospel of the cowbell.” He has taught about 2,000 students in his five years at State. His best memories as a teacher are those when he is able to advise students. “We have to be illuminating paths for folks,” Waide said. “I remember just being lost for most of college. All college kids are lost to some degree, and part of that falls on the laps of professors.” Students drop in from time to time to ask Waide about “the world and their place in it.” “I consider it a great honor when these young minds have enough confidence in a redneck lawyer from a ditch in Clay County to ask him enormous questions that they are afraid to ask anybody else,” he said. An American flag hangs in his office, given to him by one of who students who had just returned from his second tour of duty in the Middle East. The student presented him the flag in full uniform, and he had flown the flag over Kabul, Afghanistan in Waide’s honor. It came with a thank you letter from his commanding officer for “simply doing what I am supposed to be doing,” Waide said. “I unfurled the flag and framed it and it hangs in my office as a reminder that I have been blessed with the greatest job in the world and that I have a duty to live up to that blessing,” Waide said. Waide said he has no regrets about leaving law behind for teaching. Teaching has given his life the “pot of gold” it needed. “My plan is to never ever leave,” he said. “They would have to run me out of here with an angry mob.” n
Twas the Night Before the Egg Bowl “You may be aware” He said with great pain “I’m dead now in Oxford And gone is my name.”
So the ole Colonel and I hopped in my truck And on the Drill Field left the mascots To keep getting drunk
My tickets were placed On a bookshelf with care In the hope that the Egg Bowl Soon would be here
I looked at him curiously This poor sobbing man “If you are seeking my help, I’ll do what I can”
Away to the farmlands from campus we tore bounding through the mud and the old Rebel asking for more
The students were nestled With mama at home Their faces illuminated By glowing cell phones
His mascots had begun To ache from great thirst And he uncorked a bottle Offered to me first
When we arrived on the scene I took out my bell And clanged it for nothing And he asked “what the hell?”
I was in my office In a Dan Mullen visor Looking for old books on eBay So that I could get wiser
He then took a swig And drew a long breath “There’s one thing that’s worse than my untimely death…
I said “sad Colonel, I feel sorry for you Because you do not symbolize What most want you to
When out in the parking lot There arose such a clatter I sprang from my office To see what was the matter
“There have been things We’ve done I regret Rebel symbol misplaced Became Rebel threat
“This cowbell for me does more than just ring It represents all that I love In this beanfield of dreams
When what to my wondering eyes should appear But a Stretch Escalade That was reeking of beer
“I have come to this beanfield With all of my friends To ask you, my alumnus, How do I make amends?
“You cast us all out So to Starkville we came And on the stuff that we grew We built our good name
With a sad little driver So faded and dead I knew in a moment It must be Colonel Reb
“Of course, now, in Oxford I could never say But I like how y’all handled This cowbell melee
“Cowbells are rural And cowbells are backward But impressing the world ain’t what we’re after
He opened the doors And out of them came An Oxford entourage That he referred to by name
“It seems State reveres things that are true State understands that a symbol Is a university’s glue
“This bell in my hand Is the same as my heart And you don’t toss it away Whenever whining starts
“Now Hotty! Now Toddy! Now Flood and Landshark! Come Bluesman and Cardinal Fanatic, and Horse!
“To a cowbell I am not partial,” Ole Colonel Reb said “It is loud and annoying And fills me with dread
“You firm your resolve And know who you are And refuse to dishonor Old Dawgs in the stars”
“Come Lion and Titan And Riverboat Man! Our Mojo Ain’t Workin’ Let’s do what we can…”
“Cows stink and are dirty And farmers are too But without you growing food I’m not sure what we’d do
The Ole Colonel was tired It had been a long day Time to get his step-mascots Back to Vaught Hemingway
Then in this beanfield My jaw hit the ground As Colonel Reb spoke The Mascots made not a sound
“So I tip my hat And wish you the best But please can you tell me How to convince all the rest?”
As the Colonel was leaving And pondering his fate He turned and hollered back to me “Keep grindin’ for your State.” n
| december 2011
Twas the night before the Egg Bowl And all across State Not a creature was stirring And it was really quite great
townandgownmag.com
T
by Whit Waide
17
A computer engineering major with aspirations for computer animation, Lorraine Lin (at right and inset photo) has created a costume for a fox-like character named Wing. The costume features a hinged jaw, moving ears and a built-in fan to keep the costume cool.
Lin brings life to her
CharaCCters Chara
J
BY STEVEN NALLEY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
ustin Jones was looking for a club to join at Mississippi State University when he ran across a girl wearing a headband with white fox ears and a tail on her belt. When Jones asked fellow student Lorraine Lin about her tail and ears, she told him they were emblematic of an online role-playing group she was in called “Furry Fury,” in which players take turns telling a story about their online avatars, anthropomorphic animals in the vein of Disney, Looney Tunes and other cartoons. She invited him to join. “I’d never done anything like that before, so it didn’t really sound like something I would be good at,” Jones said. “I looked at it to satisfy my curiosity. I really got into it and never left.” Soon, Jones said, his online friendship with Lin became one of the closest friendships he had. What Lin does is bring art and imagination to life. With her major in computer engineering and her aspirations toward computer animation, she has endowed a virtual nurse training program with more realistic character models and animations. With a keen eye, she has created a full-body costume that is the fox-like character “Wing,” complete with a hinged jaw that moves when she speaks, moving ears, a retractable wing, a sword with LED lights, and a fan built into the nose to keep her from overheating. Wing has become popular at conventions for video games and comic, and not exclusively with other costumed role-players, or “cosplayers.” Children, she said, love the character as well. “At Anime Weekend Atlanta in 2009, I was walking about in the 18
main lobby when I felt something wrap around my waist,” Lin said. “There was a little girl looking up at me. Her parents watched nearby as she touched Wing’s paws and face, and whispered, ‘Are you real?’ For me, Wing symbolizes adventure and action we love from movies and books. She is the moment when fiction is believable.” Lin pulls influences for her work from everywhere. Her animated influences include not only Western creators like Walt Disney and Don Bluth, but also Japanese ones like Osamu Tezuka and Hayao Miyazaki. Lin also grew up loving video games, she said. Her favorite childhood movie was Peter S. Beagle’s “The Last Unicorn,” and she once had the pleasure of meeting Beagle at an anime convention in Dallas. “He gave me a motivating talk on not letting go of what you love doing,” Lin said. The appearances of Lin’s characters may derive from fiction, but she said their stories borrow elements from her heritage. Her parents were born in Taiwan and she was born in Gainesville, Fla. before the family moved to Vicksburg when she was in the second grade. During her childhood, she said, her mother told her Chinese folk tales. “Through the tales, I was introduced to deep human interactions and emotions, betrayal, love, areas where good and bad are interpreted
december 2011
“She wanted to work on a project, but making a costume is timeconsuming,” Jones said. “It helps to have a model. You have to take measurements on a person, and you have to refine the costume as you go.” Swan said he finds Lin’s costumes to be an impressive mixture of art and engineering. “I thought it was the wildest thing I had ever seen,” Swan said. “It’s so creative. Many engineering majors are creative, but not in that way. She told me the engineering challenges she had to figure out and yet the costume is artistic and inspired.” Lin also works with Swan in his lab, where he studies medical applications for augmented reality. Swan said it became clear that she did not have as great an interest in medicine as she did in video game design. So, Swan said, he connected Lin with Larry Hodges, chair of the school of computing at Clemson University, which, unlike MSU, has a graduate degree in game design and interactive media. At Swan’s recommendation, Lin applied for and got into Clemson’s Research Experience for Undergraduates, which allows undergraduates to perform graduate-level research. “I emailed Hodges and said, ‘This is a student that fits as perfectly as a student can fit into this summer program you have,’” Swan said. “(Before then, I was at Clemson) to give a talk, and I saw these posters from recent animated movies. At the bottom of each poster, there were the names of graduates from Clemson’s game design or interactive media graduate program who worked on those games. When I saw those posters, I thought, ‘This is where Lorraine should consider going to graduate school.’” At Clemson’s REU, Lin worked to improve the first version of a Virtual Pediatric Patient System created by Clemson students in 2011. The program trains nursing students by letting them interact with computer-generated characters with a microphone and headset. “The simulation did not appear realistic enough to all of the faculty nurses in the first usability study,” Lin said. “This is where I came in. Specifically, my goals were to create a new pediatric room, create new character models, and create more realistic animations for the characters. The REU experience was a dream come true! I thought I wouldn’t be able to learn 3-dimensional modeling and animation until graduate school, but at this research program, I learned how in under a month.” Lin said she will need this background in computer animation to write stories for video games, which is her dream job. “Not always, but often, in order to be a story writer, one also must be a video game designer, since the story ties into the gameplay,” Lin said. “I’d love to have the opportunity to share my stories with the world, but I think I’ll be happy with anything that lets me bring my creations to 19 life.” n |
differently by whom you ask,” Lin said. “Unhappy endings were common in Chinese folk tales, since they usually taught a lesson or showed that life could be worse.” Lin said the stories also borrow from her real life. From elementary school through college, Lin said, she lived with a lot of bullying. Part of it, she said, was because she “used to be a quiet, shy kid.” “I had a self-implemented ‘moral code of honor,’ against fighting anyone,” Lin said. “I wrote a lot of strength into my characters because it was something I wished I had. That doesn’t mean Lin hasn’t changed since her teenage years. “That was a long time ago,” Lin said. “I’ll never forget what it was like to be bullied. However, I told myself that I won’t be a victim. I weave the left-over emotions into my characters and stories, hoping to bring inspiration to those who still struggle.” Lin’s major is one way she defies circumstance. There was a time, she said, when math didn’t come so easily to her. “In high school, I had this terrible fear of math,” Lin said. “Understanding the technical didn’t come to me as easily as the arts and languages. My ambitious personality wouldn’t let it go. If I’d majored in something where I could avoid math, I’d never live it down. So I confronted my fears just to prove that I can do it. Out of all the engineering majors I could take, computer science seemed to make the most sense since I aspired to become a video game designer.” Edward Swan, a professor of computer science and engineering, said Lin came to MSU with a number of fellowships and scholarships, including the Distinguished Scholarship, the largest MSU offers. What she did not have, he said, was a strong background in programming. “She’s a good student, but she found computer science challenging,” Swan said. “But, to her credit, she stuck in there and has done well. We have some students who have been programming for years when they come to us, and then we have students like Lorraine who haven’t. It takes perseverance from all of our majors to succeed. By doing an undergraduate degree that she did not always find easy, she has developed perseverance and confidence.” Lin said the major challenged her to find solutions quickly, think laterally, and solve problems. She did not expect the major to help her make costumes, she said, but the principles she learned in electrical engineering courses helped her take cosplay from a mere experiment to the Wing outfit her friends know today. For all the features the Wing outfit has, Jones said Lin was eager to refine her techniques farther. That’s where his own “Furry Fury” character, “Sir Justice,” came into play. Using Jones as a model, Lin created a Sir Justice costume for Jones to wear, with improved moving ears and a magnetic retractable tongue.
Justin Jones models Lin’s creation of Sir Justice with moving ears and a magnetic retractable tongue.
townandgownmag.com
Lin met P eter S. B eagle, wri childhood ter of he book and r favorite movie “T a Dallas c he Last U onvention nicorn,” a . t
Waverly Wonder Putting a bracelet on spina bifida
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
A
22
BY SUSAN O’BRYAN| PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
bracelet that began as a small gesture of love is reaching national proportions with the help of a Starkville gift store and an Indiana jewelry designer. The swirl of gold around three pearls is the creation of Ronaldo Needham, a custom jewelry designer known for his big heart and compassion for others. He designed the handcrafted gemstone accessory at the request of Faye Drewey, who manages The Purple Elephant in Starkville and Columbus for daughter and son-in-law, Marca and Chris Glenn of Columbus. Drewey, also of Columbus, wanted a special gift for a special little girl – granddaughter Waverly – on her third birthday. Born in June 2006, Waverly arrived premature after 26 weeks instead of the usual 37 to 42 weeks. She weighed only about 2 pounds. Neonatal intensive care protocol at Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson meant that she laid on her back for the first several days, Drewey said. When Waverly could be picked up, doctors discovered a hole in her spinal column, a congenital defect known as spina bifida. Since then, Waverly has faced a variety of medical complications, surgeries and developing physical disabilities. When the bracelet with Waverly’s birthstone debuted in
2009, The Purple Elephant was the only place where one could be purchased. Soon after, The Pine Cone, owned by one of Drewey’s friends in Jackson, was added to the retail list. Now, however, it is available in specialty stores in 15 states, said Needham, known professionally by his first name. Each Waverly bracelet sold helps benefit spina bifida research, a donation made each year by the jewelry designer. “We give back thousands of dollars for one purpose – to help a person born with this defect to have a better life,” said Ronaldo. Accompanying each piece is a card describing its creation for a special child with special needs. In January, the card will include a note encouraging buyers “to have a voice,” he said. “We want people to insist that legislators and others start looking at spina bifida as a birth defect that can be prevented, not just treated.” The defect occurs when a baby’s spinal column or its coverings don’t develop fully during the first two months of pregnancy, according to the Spina Bifida Association. While its severity may vary, the defect often leads to other health problems. Waverly, now 5, gets around with a walker or wheelchair. A paralyzed vocal chord doesn’t stop her from chattering, even though she speaks in a soft voice, said her adoring grandmother.
| december 2011
The Purple Elephant sells both the Waverly and the Power of Prayer bracelets for about $59 and $65, respectively. While the Waverly piece remains constant in design, the Prayer bracelet featuring seven beads has been restyled with a wider band. “The Prayer bracelet’s beads are a reminder that we should give thanks every day, seven days a week, for all God’s blessings,” Drewey said. “Both bracelets are very popular with our customers,” said Deborah Montgomery, a saleswoman at the Starkville store. “Some buy the Waverly bracelet because of its story. Others buy it just because it’s just a beautiful design.” “We are so grateful for the way our customers, friends and even strangers have supported Waverly and ways to prevent spina bifida,” said Drewey. “Their prayers lift us up each and every day. “We know that the Lord is taking care of Waverly. She has a special purpose. She’s been put here to affect others.” While Waverly and her bracelet hold a special place in Ronaldo’s heart, there’s room for others, too. He’s launching a division of his company, Fine Jewelry by Ronaldo, to benefit charity, education and other endeavors. For more information, visit his website, www. designerjewelrybyronaldo.com, after Jan. 1. n
townandgownmag.com
ABOVE: Waverly poses with her grandmother Faye Drewey at the Starkville store. INSET: The Waverly bracelet is three pearls surrounded by gold, silver or a combination of both.
And while she may be half the size of other children her age, she has the makings of a real fashion diva. “Waverly is very jewelryoriented, just like her grandmother and mom,” said Drewey in a tone with more than a twinge of pride. “(My daughter) Marca always has her dressed in the cutest outfits, and Waverly loves people to tell her how cute she looks.” Like any 5-year-old, she gets a bit pouty when people don’t give her attention as quickly as she wants, her grandmother teased. And she loves to show off the bracelet named after her. With each passing birthday, Waverly has received a new, and slightly larger, bracelet – in gold, silver and a combination of the two. The jewelry isn’t just for kids, though. Available in a variety of wrist sizes, it’s a hit with grown-ups, too. “I love my Waverly bracelet,” said Donna Norton of Starkville. “I chose the silver and gold style so it goes with everything I wear, whether it’s jeans or my best business suit. I like to wear it stacked with my Prayer bracelet by the same designer.”
23
TOP COPS
Lindleys share law and order responsibilities for Starkville, MSU BY JOE LEE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
“
”
– Georgia Lindley
|
december 2011
extra eyes and ears for our officers. On football weekends, we employ 75-plus officers from all over the state to make sure game-day activities run smoothly and to provide additional visible police presence.” Like her husband, Georgia meets regularly with her detectives, officers, and patrol supervisors. “I spend a lot of time on the phone answering questions and responding to issues,” she said. “I have a very open-door policy and see anyone, when possible, who asks to see me. I also make it a policy to eat in one of the university dining areas often just to be visible and recognizable to the students. “When I first started in law enforcement in 1980 and went to the nine-week police academy, I was the only woman in the class—me and 42 men. I had a whole dormitory to myself. The profession is so much more open to women now, although they are still a small percentage.” Both Lindleys agree that their top responsibility—and biggest challenge—is to keep the community safe. “Crime falls into patterns based on what’s happening in society,” David said. “Trends have included marijuana, crack cocaine, ecstasy, and meth. But the one constant over all the years I’ve been doing this is alcohol. So much of what we investigate stems from bad choices made under the influence.” Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman has been at the helm of the city for two years, but his association with David Lindley goes back nearly a decade to the first Bulldog Bash in 2002. “He’s the consummate law enforcement professional,” Wiseman said. “He runs a department that’s professional and courteous in everything they do. He’s open and accessible, and that’s especially important in a small or mid-sized town like Starkville. He’s also fair.” “I’ve known Georgia nearly 40 years because she grew up here,” Dolph Bryan said. “The three of us have worked together well over 30 years. We solved several high-profile cases together, such as the Willie Jerome Manning murders of MSU students Jon Steckler and Tiffany Miller in 1991 and Emmoline Jimmerson and Alberta Jordan in 1992. They work hard and do a good job, and they’re sincere in what they do.” n 25 townandgownmag.com
O
nce in a while the phone rings in the middle of the night at the home of David and Georgia Lindley of Starkville and the caller says something along the lines of, “Hate to bother you this late, Chief, but we need to talk.” Because both Lindleys are police chiefs, there’s an art to handling those conversations. “We’ve probably learned quite a bit about each other’s investigations that way as we’ve determined which chief that person was trying to reach,” said Starkville Police Chief David Lindley, a Macon native who joined the force as a patrolman in 1975. A graduate of Ole Miss with a bachelor’s degree in public administration, Lindley majored in law enforcement and minored in sociology. He worked his way up the SPD ladder over the years, serving as detective, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain before being named chief in June 2001. He supervises 55 full-time officers and 15 civilian personnel. “The vast majority of what I do involves budget decisions, purchasing, and administrative work,” David said. “Sometimes we have to do more with less, especially in a struggling economy. One of the things you do as an executive is train your employees to be successful for when you promote them. It helps to build relationships with people in the community, to know what you’re dealing with.” Having been on the Starkville police force since 1975, David’s relationship with outgoing Oktibbeha County Sheriff Dolph Bryan goes back well over 30 years. “We’re good friends and worked very closely together in pooling the resources of our agencies,” David said of Bryan. “He’s helped me tremendously in investigating violent crimes and difficult situations through shared information.” The Starkville Police Department, the Oktibbeha County Sheriff ’s Department, and the MSU Police Department formed a violent crimes task force a number of years ago, providing even more personnel and resources for when the agencies work together. “It’s a trend in many cities in bad economic times,” David said. “The key to success is not becoming territorial, but working together.” The Lindleys, though, don’t fall into the category of a typical husband and wife in the same office. When the phone rings with an urgent matter, one of them is instantly on the job. How does that impact their personal lives? “We have more communication at different levels,” David said. “We discuss crime and personnel issues often.” “There are so many funny stories all of us could tell,” said MSU Police Chief Georgia Lindley. “When our phone rings in the middle of the night, David and I lie there and think, ‘I hope that’s for you.’ Regardless of who it’s for, we wake up and talk about it.” A Starkville native, Georgia graduated from Starkville High School and has a degree from MSU in social work and a master’s in rehabilitation counseling. She remains a licensed social worker in addition to her police certifications. “I currently have 31 officers, five telecommunicators, a business manager, and two staff associates,” she said. “We employ about 30 part-time staff members, many of whom are students. They provide escorts to and from buildings, cars, campus areas, and are
When I first started in law enforcement in 1980 and went to the nine-week police academy, I was the only woman in the class – me and 42 men... The profession is so much more open to women now, although they are still a small percentage.
26
8 ft.
8 ft.
8 ft.
8 ft.
71
50
47
26
23
2
72
49
48
25
24
1
december 2011
74
|
73
townandgownmag.com
3
22
27
46
51
70
75
8 ft.
4
21
28
45
52
69
76
5
20
29
44
53
68
77
6
19
30
43
54
67
78
4 ft.
7
18
31
42
55
66
79
Double Doors
8 ft.
8 ft.
8 ft.
Stage
8
17
32
41
56
65
80
9
16
33
40
57
64
81
11
14
35
38
59
62
83
8 booths in hallway
10
15
34
39
58
63
82
12
13
36
37
60
61
84
HOLIDAY
BAZAAR
NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 1
Annual event makes Christmas shopping easy just as good of a crowd, if not better, this year,” Gregory said. More than 90 vendors from across the Southeast will pack the Sportsplex selling a variety of goods such as vintage repurposed jewelry, tin door hangings, yard art, children’s and women’s clothing, monogrammed items, gourmet food products, luggage, hand-painted pottery, books and so much more. Gregory is especially excited about the multitude of new vendors who will host booths this year. With such a wide variety of so many unique gifts, shoppers will find that the Bazaar offers them a chance to purchase items they can’t find in stores. “This is a great opportunity for Starkville shoppers to get something for everyone on their Christmas list,” Gregory said. “There will be vendors of all sorts, so we encourage everyone to shop the Bazaar first.” Though the vendors, the goods and the atmosphere make for a special event, Gregory thinks the thing that separates it the most from other craft shows around the state is the fact that it is admissionfree. Instead of charging shoppers to participate in the Bazaar, Starkville Main Street raises money from the vendor fees. The money raised is used to make improvements to downtown Starkville in the form of landscaping, decorating, promotional events and signage, just to name a few. “We want this to be a fun shopping opportunity, and we’d rather shoppers spend their money with the vendors than with us,” Gregory said. “I love seeing so many people from the community and surrounding communities who are enjoying the holiday season in Starkville.” n
december 2011
he holidays are a time for family togetherness, reflection, and kindness. But sometimes the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping can leave one feeling more like The Grinch than the citizens of Whoville. Luckily, Starkville Main Street – and entity of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership – has a remedy: The 39th annual Holiday Bazaar. “It’s a favorite event in Starkville because of the foundation laid by the MSU Campus Activities Board,” said Jennifer Gregory, Bazaar coordinator with the Greater Starkville Development Partnership. “We know folks look forward to it every year. We hope we’ve been able to continue the good work of Campus Activities Board, while adding our own flair.” Prior to 2010, the annual Holiday Bazaar was an event hosted by the Campus Activities Board at Mississippi State with great success. The Bazaar had gotten so large that two years ago, the Activities Board asked the Partnership if they would be interested in taking it over, Gregory explained, “and we jumped at the opportunity to host this wonderful community event.” The Bazaar has moved from campus to its new home at the Starkville Sportsplex, which has allowed for the event to claim a set date. Eager shoppers can now mark their calendars for the Bazaar to be held the Wednesday and Thursday after Thanksgiving for years to come. This year’s Bazaar will be held Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 with shopping from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. “Last year, we estimated that we had over 4,000 shoppers, and we hope to have
|
T
BY SHEA ALLEN
townandgownmag.com
1-MJ’s Kitchen Kreations 2-Fran’s Florist 3-Friends of Uganda 4-Glassyfras 5,6-Happy Days Clothing 7,18-Pasuli 8-New Orleans Nut Co. 9-Santa’s & Such 10,11,12-Natalie’s 13-Fickle Factory 14-Simple Sassy Suppers 15-Taylor Co. 16-Cooking with Ellen 17-Joyce’s Sewing 19-Dab’l Do 20,21-Sandal’s Gifts 22-Comish Collection 23-Crooked Handle Spoon 24-Treasures from the Starr’s 25,48-All that Glitters 26-RGNP 27-Sweet Potato Sweets 28,29-Honeybee’s 30-Tiny’s Unique Boutique 31-31 Gifts 32-Backyard Birdhouses 33-Forever Sterling Silver 34,35-K. Raye Pottery 36-Tips & Toes 37-Jennifer Garner Designs 38-Auntie M’s Featherweights 39-MLB Designs 40-Shannagan’s 41-Pampered Chef 42-SHS 43-Barbara Hall Kreations 44-Sid Salter 45-Green Seas 46-Hatlee’s Boutique 47-JAB Pottery 49,72-Pat Williamson 50-Nancy Wright 51-Five Fifths Art Studio 52,53,54-J & S Designs 55-Masseyville Pottery 56-D & D Monogramming 57-Birds on a Wire Vintage 58-Rosie’s Happies 59-Rachel’s Riginals 60,61-River Bridge 62-Allie Russum 63-Rock, Wood & Water 64,65-Knick’s 66-Splendid Choices 67,68-Fancy Paints 69,70-African Shea Butter 71-Junebugs: Country Couture Clothing 73,74-D & S Candles 75-Fostering Generations 76-Beauticontrol 77-Hope Fruit & Berry Farm 78-Powell’s Custom Wood Works 79-Mitzi Moore 80-Bath Bayou 81-Granny Dott’s 82-Don’s Odd & Unusual 83,84-Beau’s Promo’s Hallway-Hilda Breland Hallway-John Herring/Boy Scouts Hallway-Firefly Studio Hallway-Oxford Falls Hallway-Poplar Ridge Pottery Hallway-Starkville Junior Auxiliary
27
Farewell
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Kent Hull 1961-2011
28
One of the first columns I penned as a young sportswriter for the Starkville Daily News was a 1979 profile on Mississippi State University center Kent Hull. When I met Kent, we were both MSU students. I had no idea then that this tall, skinny kid from Greenwood would one day anchor the Bulldogs’ offensive line on one of the greatest teams in school history. The notion that Kent would also one day anchor an National Football League offensive line in four Super Bowls likewise never occurred to me. He was too thin. He was too humble and self-effacing. But more than anything, Kent seemed to lack that bull-in-a-china-shop penchant for contact that had marked the more successful college linemen I’d known. The son of former MSU basketball standout Charlie Hull, many sportswriters thought Kent would have had a better chance competing for a spot on the MSU basketball team than on Coach Emory Bellard’s football squad. But what Kent’s classmates and teammates at MSU initially missed was his great heart and the truly dogged determination that powered it. For the record, Kent Hull played center at Mississippi State from 1979-82 before playing three years with the old USFL’s New Jersey Generals and 11 seasons with the NFL Buffalo Bills (1986-97). A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Hull played in the Bills’ four straight Super Bowl losses from 1990-93. As a high school senior, Kent was a 195 lb., 6’6” center, but State signed him on potential and believed he would eventually bulk up and be big enough to play in the SEC. In the second game of his freshman year, the starting MSU center was injured and the call came for Hull to take his spot on the field. Hull was sitting on the bench with a dip in his mouth. When I wrote that profile on Kent years ago, he told me his response to MSU coaches calling him into action was: “Who? Me?” That first MSU game for Kent was ugly. He was knocked down, knocked back and almost knocked out. But Kent got off the ground and
kept plugging, kept fighting and tried to hold his ground. The skinny kid from Greenwood would indeed grow to those big old feet and Kent would become a mountain of a man. By the time he retired in Buffalo, Hull was a 305 lb. force of nature. But Kent’s 18 years of football after high school took a terrible toll on his body. The last time I saw him, the easygoing Delta farm boy I remembered had aged in body, mind and spirit. Kent was hobbled by a plethora of war wounds and liver disease. He was in almost constant pain during his life after football. But as he had on the field, Kent kept plugging. As he was as a boy, Kent was still a kind and giving soul. He used his NFL contacts to raise a lot of money for charity and was a particular hero at Blair Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson. Incredibly, Hull missed one game during his MSU career and only two during his three years in the USFL and 11 years with the Buffalo Bills. Kent Hull died of complications from chronic liver disease on Oct. 18, 2011 in Greenwood. Without question, Kent Hull’s professional football career is one worthy of the NFL Hall of Fame. I believe Kent Hull earned that honor. But that is not the man most MSU fans will remember. We will remember the skinny kid with the determined grin who didn’t know the meaning of the word “quit.” Bulldog? That’s exactly who Kent Hull was. n
SID SALTER Sid Salter is Journalist-inResidence at Mississippi State University. Contact him at sidsalter@sidsalter. com
Announce your big day in our
January Bridal Issue
1/2 page announcement $75 Full page announcement $150 Send announcement and high resolution photos to weddings@townandgownmag.com. Deadline is Dec. 2
InsideOut
Tour & Tea
holiday home
The Morrill Road home of MSU President Mark and Rhonda Keenum will be featured on the Holiday Home Tour & Tea on Dec. 4, 2-5 p.m.
Granddaughter Whitney Turner, center, is the creative mind behind the Christmas decor at the home of Jackie and Nina Wofford.
I
BY EMILY JONES | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
Town and Country Garden Club will use the occasion to light f you’re looking for new ideas for holiday decorating, the Starkville Civic League has a deal for you. Tickets are on the library’s annual community Christmas tree which the club sale for the December 4 Holiday Home Tour & Tea sponsored decorates each year. Tickets are $20 each and may be purchased at the Greater each year by the civic club. Held in conjunction with the Starkville Main Street Associa- Starkville Development Partnership Welcome Center or any civic league member. They tion’s Community Christmay also be obtained mas Parade and Holiday at the library when the Bazaar, the Holiday Home reception begins on Tour & Tea will feature four Sunday afternoon. All “idea” homes to tour. proceeds from the proj“This is an excellent opect will be used for comportunity to get ideas to munity service projects incorporate into your home and donations by the for the holidays,” said Peggy Starkville Civic League. Mullins, chairman of the Past projects include event for the Civic League. Sheila & Floyd Johnson ~ 904 Yorkshire Rd the purchase of urns She said this is the fourth Rhonda & Mark Keenum ~ 115 Morrill Rd and plant materials at annual Holiday Home Carol & Mark Lehman ~ 1112 Nottingham Rd the University Drive enTour which typically draws Nina & Jackie Wofford ~ 1619 South Montgomery trance of Odd Fellows between 200-300 particiCemetery; support for pants. Refreshments at Starkville Public Library the purchase of the Old Festivities begin at 2 Main clock on Main p.m. with refreshments at Street; and financial Starkville’s Public Library while the Palmer Home Children’s Choir will provide a musical contributions to Firemen’s Park, Habitat for Humanity, Crisis program to get guests in the holiday mood. Participating homes Pregnancy Center, Safe Haven Abuse Center, and the Oktibbeha will be available for viewing from 2 –5 p.m. Maps to the homes County Humane Society. The club also purchased Christmas banners adorning downtown Starkville. n will be distributed at the library.
TOUR OF I HOMES
For more information about the Holiday Home Tour & Tea or the Starkville Civic League, contact Peggy Buckley at don.pegb@hotmail.com.
townandgownmag.com
| december 2011
DECEMBER 4 2-5pm
31
townandgownmag.com
|
november 2011
Decorating for Christmas began in August at the Wofford home to prepare for the Holiday Home Tour & Tea to be held Dec. 4, 2-5 p.m.
32
|
december 2011
Something Southern
townandgownmag.com
InsideOut
33
PrayPottery townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
F
34
BY JOE LEE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
or a pair of ladies who started a small pottery business in Iuka, Mississippi, how important was it to not only meet Paula Deen, but land her personal endorsement of their work? The story of sisters-in-law Rhonda and Lauren Nunley is loaded with connections to Starkville and Mississippi State University. Lauren was born at the Eckford Clinic of Starkville, and Rhonda (whose three sons are MSU graduates), visited often as a junior 4H District Public Speaking and Visual Presentation competitor. “I was taught how to be a faithful MSU fan win or lose, no matter what sport,” Lauren said. “When football season began, it was a winning season if we won and Ole Miss lost.” The ladies got married within a few months of each other in 1977. When NASA came to Iuka in 1990, they renovated a hay house and opened a childcare facility. Wee-Care Learning Center
thrived until NASA left in 1994, and Rhonda and Lauren spent the next six years waiting for whatever God had in store for them while keeping their building in good condition. “I was looking in the newspaper for a new pet in January 2000 and noticed an ad for pottery classes,” Lauren said. “I’d taken them in college and never got a single piece taken to the kiln, but a spark of interest remained. I called my sister-in-law and said, ‘Guess what we’re going to do?’ I took to the wheel while Rhonda began sculpting and hand-modeling. Within weeks some of our pieces had been sold by the teacher.” The first crafts show they attended was the 2002 Christmas Bazaar in the old MSU student union building. “My son was in Vet School, and we had a free
Thanks to strong sales in recent years, the ladies have just opened a retail outlet in downtown Iuka and celebrated their first Christmas open house. “They do a wonderful job with their pottery, which makes great Christmas gifts,” said Theresa Cutshall, the administrator of tourism for the city of Iuka. “We are happy to have this type of business in town. It will have a positive effect, which we need.” Iuka mayor Jackie Branch has known Rhonda and Lauren Nunley for years and said he’s tickled to death to get them in town. “My granddaughter picked out their products for her wedding. It was the prettiest stuff I’d ever laid eyes on,” Branch said. “They’re about to buy a home and will furnish it with Rhonda and Lauren’s work. Those ladies are known far and wide, and they’re perfectionists.” Rhonda Keenum, the wife of MSU president Mark Keenum, grew up in Booneville (just minutes from Iuka) and said she feels like she’s known the ladies all her life. “I was introduced to their work by Dr. Margaret Glynn and her family of Iuka when Mark and I bought our cabin in Pickwick,” Keenum said. “I was given a piece of their pottery as a housewarming gift which said, ‘Maroon and white guests are best.’ “They have amazing artistic abilities and an eclectic collection of functional pieces, everything from deep-dish chili bowls and ladle spoon rests to brie cheese baking dishes and a deviled egg tray with cutouts so the eggs won’t slip. The most amazing thing is how they’re able to work and create one minute, then greet customers and wrap packages the next.” Success, though, isn’t likely to change the philosophy of Rhonda and Lauren Nunley. “It’s about more than the potter,” Lauren Nunley said. “It’s about sharing the story of how Pray Pottery came to be and how blessed we are.” n
townandgownmag.com
place to stay,” Rhonda said. “Other vendors were complaining about the sales but we were excited that we sold some pottery. A couple came by our booth that had relatives involved in an archeological dig in the Middle East and said our pottery resembled some of the pieces they had found. “We had some problems learning to run the kiln, and the pottery looked very primitive and was overfired. For several years the only shows we did were in Starkville. We always did the Cotton District Festival, the First Methodist Church Christmas Bazaar, and the MSU Holiday Bazaar. We felt so encouraged at the one in 2005 that we decided to open our store in Iuka.” Little did they know they would soon meet— and impress—a national celebrity. “In May 2006 we went to the Canton Flea Market,” Lauren said. “Everyone said this was the place to go, and we met Janna Hughes, a producer with the Paula Deen Show. The show was coming to Jackson in July, and Janna needed vendors and approached us about taking part. “Rhonda had never heard of Paula Deen and was skeptical. We decided against it, but Janna wouldn’t take no for an answer. We said we’d pray about it and we did. A week or so later a lady came into our store and ordered and paid for all her Christmas gifts (that were to be made through the year and picked up in December). This was enough money for the trip to Jackson and the booth space. We knew this was no coincidence and began planning for the trip.” There were between 6,000-7,000 people at the two Paula Deen shows in Jackson that day. “We wrapped and sold items as fast as we possibly could. Never had we seen so many women who loved pottery,” Rhonda said. “We made Paula a batter bowl and hoped to be able to present it to her. After the last show, Janna took us to the VIP party. We presented Paula with the pottery and met her personal assistant, Brandon Branch, who has a degree from MSU in horticulture. He called and asked us to do a tablescape of pottery for the Christmas Collector’s edition of Paula magazine. We had six weeks to finish this new and exciting project. “We delivered the pottery to Paula’s home in Savannah, Georgia. Her first grandchild came home from the hospital that day, and she came downstairs in her robe with her hair wrapped in a towel. Even though she was very busy, she took the time to make us feel right at home—it was as if we’d known her forever. Both Brandon and Paula asked, “Who makes the pottery?” We pointed at each other. We truly had no idea how our lives were about to change.” On October 1, 2006, six pages of what became a best-selling food magazine were devoted to the pottery of Rhonda and Lauren Nunley. “We still have customers who call and say they saw us in the magazine and want to order pieces featured in it,” Rhonda said. “We could not have ever imagined the impact Paula would make on our lives. The phone never quit ringing. We shipped 80 percent of our business that year. Because we decided not to wholesale, we are able to personally meet each customer that buys our pottery. We currently sell 80 percent at our store and ship 20 percent.”
| december 2011
Pray Pottery is located in Iuka and is owned by sisters-in-law Rhonda and Lauren Nunley. Find them online at praypottery.com
35
EatDrink
The making of the MSU Edam
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
CANNON BALL 36
Katy Rodgers, Shreepriya Sreenivasan, and Emily Allen assist customers and manage the register.
december 2011
the country as well as around Mississippi. Word of mouth has always been a big part of what Dr. Herzer began long ago, and demand for the product remains high even during poor economic conditions. “There’s no drop in overall sales, although we’ve seen a lot of our sales come a lot closer to Christmas the last couple of years,” Hall said. “The larger corporate purchases are down some, while our across-the-counter sales remain steady.” It’s not uncommon for MSU graduates to stop by the MAFES store while in town and put some money back into their alma mater. “I had a business matter in Starkville a couple of years ago and brought back an Edam ball or two for everyone in the office,” said MSU graduate and Madison resident Sam Williford. “Their ice cream is also great. I used to get a half gallon all the time when I was in school.” “We’ve bought their two-pound Cheddar blocks for at least 25 years,” said Frank Moore of Hardy Manufacturing Company in Philadelphia. “We manufacture wood burning furnaces and ship out 750 or more Cheddar blocks to customers, dealers, and employees each Christmas.” Hall and others who run university-operated dairy plants have formed a fraternity of sorts and meet each year for twoday seminars at sites such as Washington State University, Penn State, North Carolina State and the University of Wisconsin. MSU is fifth in the country in raw milk usage and second in the nation in cheese production, trailing only Washington State. “Here at MSU, we have one of the biggest facilities in the country. We hosted the seminar three years ago,” Hall said. “There are speakers on topics relevant to dairy processing plants. We discuss different issues in manufacturing, and the difference in a purely retail environment and a teaching environment. It’s a relaxed but business-oriented setting, and we’ve gotten to know each other and are all close.” The maroon gift pack, priced at $45, contains Edam, Cheddar, and Vallegret cheeses. The white pack is $35 and offers smaller samples of the same varieties. Both make unique and tasty Christmas gifts and can be ordered through www.msucheese. com or purchased at the MAFES gift shop, which is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays and on Saturdays during home football games and other special occasions. n
|
ust about everyone in Bulldog Nation has sampled an Edam cheese ball over the years, but the mouth-watering dairy products that are manufactured on the MSU campus are actually a well-kept secret in many respects—you won’t find them on grocery store shelves around Mississippi or anywhere else, for that matter. “We’re not interested in running a business. It’s a teaching operation, and we don’t want to compete with the private sector,” said David Hall, a Starkville native and MSU graduate who has managed the university dairy plant since taking over for his father in 1998. Hall, who worked for Kraft Foods and Luvel Dairy before returning to his hometown, supervises six full-time employees and fourteen part-time students. “Our students learn how to run a dairy plant. They learn the buying and selling of parts and supplies that make it work each day, as well as the products we sell. They can go into sales in those areas, or even run a dairy plant.” Back in the days of football legend Shorty McWilliams, MSU dairy science professor Frederick Herman Herzer wanted to manufacture a cheese that would draw attention to the school the way the football team did. He decided on the three-pound Edam cannon ball that Bulldog students, alumni, and many others still enjoy today. The department moved into the F.H. Herzer Dairy Science Facility in 1970, making it possible to increase production and store an additional 10,000 Edam balls. The cooler and warehouse were expanded in 2002, and the Edam operation, in addition to producing over 400 balls a day, continues to provide a modern laboratory for teaching and research. “The cheese-making process begins with over 10,000 pounds of milk each day from our dairy. That’s basically a little over 1,150 gallons,” Hall said. “After being run through a pasteurizer, the milk is pumped into cheese vats which are heated to ninety degrees. We add a cheese culture, rennet (a coagulator), and color. It sets for thirty minutes, giving it a pudding-like texture.” From there, the product is diced into small cubes that resemble the curds in cottage cheese. The curd is separated from the whey, then cooked and drained. When making Edam, the remaining curd is collected on one side of the vat, and the whey, which continues to expel from the curd, is monitored for acidity. When the acidity reaches a desired level, the curd is placed in the familiar three-pound mold. The molds are pressed for an hour and then placed in a saltwater tank for 48 hours (the salt is added as a preservative as well as for taste). The balls are then dried for 24 hours, waxed, and aged for a period of three months. The plant manufactures Edam, Cheddar, and Vallegret (a Norwegian style of Swiss), and supplies all the cheeses, fluid milk products, ice cream, and butter used on campus. Just over half of all purchases are made at the MAFES gift shop adjacent to the Herzer facility, with the remainder shipped to customers all over
townandgownmag.com
J
BYJOE LEE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
37
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Holiday Cakes
38
L
Sheila Flurry
Babs Deas
Charlotte Polk
BY EMILY JONES | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
et the cooking begin. With the holiday season upon us, thoughts turn to sweet treats and the ubiquitous cake has long been the universal symbol of celebration for cooks around the world. From the traditional Yule Log to the popular Red Velvet Cake, there are as many cake recipes as there are cooks. Many use time-honored family favorites, adding a bit of this, or a dab of that, to make the recipes their own. Some of Starkville’s best cooks agreed to share their family favorites with Town & Gown readers. So go ahead - indulge yourself and your family for the holidays this year with one of these tried and true recipes.
|
december 2011
Carolyn Bryan
townandgownmag.com
The go-to cook for Red Velvet Cake in Starkville is Sheila Flurry. A retired educator, Sheila retired recently after serving as principal of Starkville Academy for 16 years and dean of students for East Mississippi Community College. She said she cooks less now than she did when she was raising her family, but still enjoys trying new recipes. “We belong to a supper club which we host twice a year – cooking the complete meal for 14 members. Everyone in the group is a good cook and since we’ve been doing it for years it’s always fun to try new recipes and to come up with a menu with a different twist. Cooking has always been a big part of my life – especially cooking for others. Sheila’s Red Velvet Cake recipe is an old family favorite which she inherited from her mother. Babs Deas’ Yule Log Cake makes an appearance on the Deas holiday table year after year. She and her husband, Happy Deas (rhymes with days), moved to Starkville from Mandeville, La. in 1994. She wasted no time in joining the Starkville Newcomers Club and gravitated to the special interest group on gourmet cooking. Babs has been making her Yule Log cake for at least 25 years, adding the mushrooms a few years back. “I make the cake each year, not only for my immediate family, but for some dear friends who are like family to me. I enjoy doing it so much and they seem to like it too.” If the Yule Log seems a bit daunting, you might want to try Hellen Polk’s Coconut Cake which has become a family favorite. Hellen retired recently as elementary principal of Starkville Academy, but has become so immersed in community activities, she can barely find the time to get her holiday cooking done. Christmas is not complete at the Polk home in Oktoc until she finds the time to make her coconut cake for friends and family during the holidays. Carolyn Bryan, another Oktoc resident, has mastered the art of producing a “scratch-tasting” cake by embellishing a boxed mix. It has become a favorite at the Oktoc Country Store and she made and sold 18 cakes during the event last month, a fund raiser for the community center. She has made as many at 70 cakes for a special event. When Carolyn and her husband Joe decided to retire in Starkville, they moved from Yazoo City and settled in the Browning Creek development. Bernice Parvin’s Frozen Angel Food Cake allows you to do a little cheating – she begins with a store-bought Angel Food Cake which is layered with a lemony filling. Bernice is the widow of Dr. Woodrow Parvin, who served as head of the Agricultural Economics Department at MSU. She is a charter member of the MSU Women’s Club. Even though she is 91, she still supervises preparation of holiday meals.
39
Bernice Parvin
Carolyn Bryan’s Caramel Cake (Pictured page 41)
Sheila Flurry’s Red Velvet Cake (Pictured page 38) ½ cup Crisco 1 ½ cups sugar 2 eggs 2 cups self rising flour 1 tablespoon cocoa ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup butter milk 1 tablespoon vanilla 2 ounces of red food coloring 1 teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon vinegar Combine flour, cocoa and salt in bowl. Cream together Crisco and sugar. Once blended well, add eggs. Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the creamed mixture. Then add the vanilla and red food coloring and mix well. Stir vinegar and soda together and fold into cake batter. Grease and flour three 8” or 9” cake pans. Third batter into pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Frosting ½ cup flour 1 cup milk Dash salt Place ingredients in a boiler and cook on low until the mixture reaches a pudding stage. Cool completely.
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
1 box Duncan Hines Golden Recipe cake mix 1 cup sour cream 5 eggs 1/4 heaping cup sugar 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 heaping tablespoons self-rising flour 1 teaspoon vanilla Caramel Icing 3 cups sugar, divided 1 cup milk Dash of salt 1 stick margarine 1 teaspoon vanilla For the cake, combine the cake mix, sour cream, eggs, sugar, oil, flour, and vanilla. Mix well and pour into four greased and floured pans or use pan liners. Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes or until brown. For the icing, place 1/2 cup sugar in a cast iron skillet. Mix together the remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar, milk, and salt in a large sauce pan. Turn the skillet and sauce pan on high heat at the same time. Before the sugar in the skillet melts completely (be careful not to let it burn) turn the burner off and continue stirring until the sugar is golden brown. Pour the browned sugar into the milk mixture that is boiling. Turn the heat down to medium and cook to soft ball stage. Have your margarine and vanilla in another heatproof bowl. Pour your milk mixture over the margarine and vanilla. Stir until smooth. She ices between layers while icing and cake are still warm. About 3 tablespoons between each layer. Let the remaining icing cool and continue to beat about every 10 or l5 minutes until it has lost it gloss. This time 40 may vary. Just be sure it is hard enough to stay on the cake.
This cake freezes well. In fact, Carolyn thinks it actually gets better in the freezer.
While cooked mixture cools, cream together the following ingredients: ½ cup Crisco 1 stick oleo 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla
Once the cooked icing is cooled, mix the creamed ingredients. Ice between layers, top and sides. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Babs Deas Yule Log Cake with Meringue Mushrooms (Pictured above center) 5 eggs separated 2/3 cup sugar 3 tablespoons cocoa 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons chopped nuts Grease a jelly roll pan and line with greased wax paper. Flour lightly. Beat egg yolks in large bowl at high speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue to beat until thick and pale. Beat in cocoa and flour at low speed. Beat egg whites in small bowl until soft peaks form and fold into yolk mixture. Spread batter evenly in pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn immediately onto towel dusted with powdered sugar. Remove wax paper and roll up and chill. Unroll, spread cake evenly and thinly with chocolate cream. Whip heavy cream add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and vanilla and spread over frosting. Roll cake and frost with chocolate cream and sprinkle with nuts. Dust with powdered sugar for snow-like appearance. Chocolate Cream 1 box powdered sugar 3 tablespoons cocoa 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 stick margarine Mix all together and add hot water as needed for spreading consistency (I use hot milk).
Meringue Mushrooms 3 egg whites, at room temperature 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Sifted confectioner’s sugar for sprinkling on mushrooms Sifted unsweetened cocoa for sprinkling on mushrooms
Slice the cake horizontally into three or four layers. She has found that the filling spreads more easily if you freeze the layers before assembling the cake. In a double boiler mix the juice and rind of 2 lemons, sugar, beaten eggs and salt. Cook until thick. Cool completely and add frozen coconut and whipped whipping cream. Frost the layers with cooked mixture and refreeze until ready to serve. For Christmas, she likes to garnish the cake with green and red cherries.
Beat butter at medium speed until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift flour and baking powder together; then add salt. Combine flavorings with milk. Add flour mixture to butter and sugar alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Pour batter into two greased and floured 8-9 inch cake pans that have been lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.
Filling and Icing (2) 6-ounce packages fresh frozen coconut 16 ounces sour cream 1 ¾ cups sugar 8 ounces whipped topping Additional sweetened flaked coconut (optional) Mix together the frozen coconut, sour cream, and sugar, reserving one cup of this filling. Combine the reserved cup of filling with whipped cream for the icing. Assembly: Place one layer cut side up on cake plate. Pour some of the filling on top and spread to the edges. Continue with additional layers and filling. Place the last layer top side up and use remaining filling. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the whipped cream icing. Garnish with additional sweetened coconut if desired. Seal in a covered cake keeper and refrigerate for three days prior to serving. n 41 december 2011
1 angel food cake – homemade or store bought Juice of two lemons 1 cup sugar 3 whole eggs beaten 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 package frozen coconut ½ pint heavy whipping cream Green and red cherries for garnish
1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 cups sugar, 3 cups cake flour, sifted 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 cup milk ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract
Remove from pans and cool completely before icing. Slice each layer in half to create four layers.
|
Bernice Parvin’s Frozen Lemon Angel Food Cake (Pictured page 40)
Hellen Polk’s Coconut Cake (Pictured page 40)
townandgownmag.com
Beat egg whites with salt until frothy, add cream of tartar, and beat to soft peaks. Add the sugar, a little at a time, and beat until stiff. Beat in vanilla. Transfer all but 1/4 cup of the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4 inch plain tip. Set aside the reserved meringue, covered loosely. Line a baking sheet with parchment or brown paper and pipe onto the paper small rounds of the meringue for mushroom caps and strips for the stems. Sprinkle lightly with the confectioner’s sugar and bake in a 275 degrees oven for 30 to 35 minutes until crisp. Remove the caps and stems from the paper and, using the reserved meringue as glue, attach the stems to the caps, gently pushing the stems into the caps. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes more, then turn off the heat and let the mushrooms cool completely. Gently dust the mushrooms with the cocoa powder and store in airtight containers. The mushrooms will keep for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 3 dozen mushrooms.
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Meo Stansbury and sons Isaac, 11, and Luke, 7, display the log cabin they made along with Noah, 9, (not pictured). The boys added trees, snowmen, and animals to the scene.
42
Gifts from the heart M e o S t a n s b u r y ’ s c r a f t s fo r k i d s
BY EMILY JONES | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
for the Foundation for Public Schools. Another was auctioned last week by the Starkville Arts Council to raise funds for scholarships. Meo and Rick met and were married at the MSU Chapel of Memories in 1997. Rick was as assistant basketball coach at the time and Meo was working for Garan, Inc. She is a graduate of Mississippi State University where she majored in art and served as a political cartoonist for The Reflector. The Stansburys plan to be home this Christmas which means Rick and his sons will go out and cut a live cedar tree to decorate. That tradition has almost completely been replaced by artificial trees or trees purchased from the parking lot of a grocery store. “You just can’t buy the smell of a fresh cedar tree,” noted Meo. In the meantime, the log cabin is occupying their time. Noah spreads icing on the roof to mimic snow and Luke is constructing a snowman from marshmallows. Along the way, they nibble on the candy coating. RUSTIC CABIN 24 ounces (1-1/2 pounds) vanilla-flavored candy coating, melted (serves as the glue) 42 large pretzel rods for the logs 4 square waffle-style pretzels (for the windows) 13 pretzel sticks (halved for the shutters) 4 graham cracker rectangles (for the roof)
december 2011
Spoon some of the melted candy coating in a small self-sealing plastic bag. Seal bag and snip off a small corner. Set aside. Using a serrated knife, cut 7 pretzel rods in half crosswise for the side walls and inside supports for the log cabin. Lay one of the half pretzel rods on a sheet of waxed paper. Pipe a line of candy coating along the long side of the pretzel rod. Press another pretzel rod into the candy coating to attach. Repeat with 3 more half pretzel rods. Pipe additional candy coating between the pretzel rods to fill in the cracks. This makes one side wall. Repeat with 5 more halved pretzels rods to form the other side wall and use candy coating to attach 1 waffle-style pretzel to each side wall for windows. If desired cut 4 small pretzel sticks in half and use candy coating to attach 2 halves along each side of the waffle style pretzel to make shutters. Attach roof 43 and cover with additional candy coating for snow. n |
eo Stansbury is all about making the holidays memorable for her growing boys. From cutting down a cedar tree on Christmas Eve to building a gingerbread manger scene, she carves time from her busy schedule to involve her three young sons in creative holiday decorating projects which are rooted in simpler times. This year, Meo and sons Isaac, 11, Noah, 9 and Luke, 7, crafted a rustic pretzel log cabin, complete with a homemade Christmas tree and snowmen. It is parked on the dining room table, and the boys spend a few moments each evening working on their masterpiece. While waiting for the icing to dry, they shoot hoops in the living room. Yes, the Stansburys have a basketball goal in their living room. And why not? Their father, Rick Stansbury, is head coach of the Mississippi State University basketball team and eldest son, Isaac, has his sites set on a similar career path. An artist by profession and a former political cartoonist, Meo tries to find a little time to paint. It’s not easy. Keeping up with everyone’s schedule is mind boggling, and fall poses an extra challenge when the college basketball season opens. The entire family attends every single MSU game, meaning the boys must be taken out of school during mid-week road games. “They are good students and I told them we would continue to go to the games if they keep their grades up and are loving and kind to everybody in school.” The boys have apparently heard that admonition several times, because they finished their mother’s sentence in unison. Keeping her family on schedule is a daunting task. The boys are each enrolled in different schools and Meo spends a huge part of her day picking up and delivering them to school and then to after school activities. She crisscrosses the roadways of Starkville several times a day. “I’m lucky if I get to paint once a week,” said Meo. Her precocious offspring described their extracurricular activities. “We have flag football tournament today, Boy Scouts, soccer, and (youth) basketball begins in January,” noted Isaac, counting off the activities on his fingers. They are also active members of Starkville Community Church where the boys won a prize last year for their homemade gingerbread manger scene. Each year, Meo does a pencil drawing of the MSU Bulldog mascot and presents it to local organizations to sell or auction as fundraisers. Her most recent drawing has been converted to 200 prints to be sold
townandgownmag.com
m
Luke places a fox in just the right place.
I traded in my CleanCrete gets graduation “for money presents to start you ready for CleanCrete...I knew my decision would the holidays pay off...”
– Michael Ferril
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
W
44
BY CLAIRE MASSEY
hen the holidays seem to creep up on you, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas, who wants to take the time out of their busy schedule and decorate their home or business? CleanCrete Exteriors, an exterior cleaning service in Starkville, is now offering an exterior decorating service, Holiday Glow, that will solve all of those decorating hesitations. Michael Ferril, a senior at Mississippi State University majoring in risk management and finance, is the owner of CleanCrete Exteriors. “During my senior year, I was sitting in class playing on my phone when there was a guest speaking on being an entrepreneur. I started to listen and said to myself, ‘I am struggling financially and I hate my job and I could do this,’” he said. Being a student starting a company for the first time would be difficult and time-consuming. Ferril said, “I traded in my graduation presents for money to start CleanCrete, which I was not happy about, but I knew my decision would pay off in the long run.” He said he knew the business would be a great opportunity for students who needed work to have a small job to pay for tuition. “If a student comes to me and wants to work, we are more than willing to help them. I am a college student, and I know the struggle to pay for things. CleanCrete tries to help students by contracting them for work.” CleanCrete Exteriors was established in January 2011 specializing in making exteriors of homes and businesses appealing for guest or customers. Ferril wanted to offer homeowners and businesses a service to make decorating easier. Ferril said, “I was driving and I saw a home with Christmas lights in July. I thought this was complementary to the business during the fall and winter months when CleanCrete contracts end.” Holiday Glow offers predesigned packages or custom packages from residential or business decorations to North Mississippi and surrounding areas. Whether you need lights hung or a whole
holiday transformation, Holiday Glow can decorate your home or business with prices starting at $100. Customers are able to request decorations to be put up at a certain time and Holiday Glow guarantees decorations will be removed within two weeks of the holiday. Holiday Glow will be available annually. Ferril said plans for the upcoming holidays are in consideration now and yearly contracts are available to customers for holiday decorations year around. “We want to have Fourth of July decorations for summers and contracts for homeowners and businesses for year-round decorating for a certain price,” Ferril said. Both predesigned and custom packages include clean up, allowing work-free holidays. “Total Property Cleaning,” a general cleaning of property, can be added to any package, including Holiday Glow. Ferril said, “If your yard is grown up, we can make it presentable with an add-on to Holiday Glow. “Total Property Cleaning” is for those jobs around the yard people do not enjoy doing and we can do this for them.” Discounts are available throughout the year. Weekly specials will be available on CleanCrete Exterior’s Facebook page and website. A 10 percent discount is available for Mississippi State faculty, local law enforcement, and fire fighters. “Our plans are to make this a nationwide company and our mission is to have customers satisfied and provide excellence in every job,” Ferril said. n
There’s always a party at
Jay and Amy Yates
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
TheVeranda
45
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
J
46
S
BY EMILY JONES | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
ay and Amy Yates host a party practically every day of their lives at the Veranda Restaurant in Starkville. They can count on hundreds of guests showing up daily to sample their hospitality. The holidays are an especially busy time at the eatery, which offers on-site and offpremise catering, along with private dining rooms for special parties and holiday gatherings. It offers dining for 300 customers and employs more than 70 employees in the kitchen and wait staff. “We are honored to have people come to our party and allow us to thrive in this vibrant Starkville/MSU community,” said Yates, sporting a satisfied smile which he hopes is contagious among his customers throughout the year. Eight years ago, while managing another local restaurant, Jay Yates began cooking up a plan for his own establishment. He struck up a friendship with Frank and Tammy Jones, who mirrored his thinking. Frank and Jay discovered they had roots dating to the 1960s when their fathers were key players in the Mississippi State University football program. Yates’ father, Charles, was an offensive lineman for the Bulldogs, while the elder Jones was offensive coordinator for then head coach Paul Davis. The Joneses had some land, and Jay had a culinary philosophy honed from years of working in restaurants in Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. Voila. In 2003, the Veranda Restaurant was born. That may not sound like such a long time in the scheme of things, but when you factor in the statistics, it’s pretty impressive. The National Restaurant Association has stated that the average life of a new restaurant is about 18 months. The Veranda challenged those odds and has become a culinary staple in the Golden Triangle. With its combo of seasonal “blue plate” specials and liberal use of Mississippi products, the eatery is a favorite among locals and visitors. In addition to featuring Southern American cuisine, the menu is spiced with just enough seafood and Cajun influence to suit Yates, who grew up in Natchez. During the holiday season, The Veranda hits its stride with a steady stream of customers celebrating the season. It was voted Starkville’s Best Restaurant by readers of Starkville Daily News for several years in a row. “The Veranda consistently offers great food, a nice atmosphere and a great place
to take business clients for a meal,” said Marc Magee, director of the Mississippi State University Research Technology Corporation. Jeri Mangum agreed. “The food is great, of course, but the willingness to accommodate our request to modify some dishes for my husband due to medical issues is one of the things that keep us returning to The Veranda. The entire staff is to be commended for their concern and compassion,” said Mangum, who recently retired from Mississippi State University School of Business. A family affair, Amy Yates takes care of the accounting and marketing, while Jay concentrates on the food. Meanwhile, a silent partner, Frank Jones is content to watch Jay and Amy run the day-to-day operation, knowing he can get a reservation any time. His wife, Tammy, plays a key role with her signature confectionaries including the popular carrot cake, peanut butter balls and apple cream cheese tarts. “We have been very blessed in this market,” said Yates. “We continually tweak our menu to accommodate the changing tastes of our customers.” Last year, he and Amy made some personal lifestyle changes, and The Veranda menu reflects their dedication to offering more heart healthy and vegetarian menu items. “It’s entirely possible to eat well and healthy at The Veranda,” said Yates. “I usually stay with lean meats and vegetables, and Amy and I work out at the gym.” He now leaves most of the sampling of daily specials to his chefs. One health-conscious diner is Suzy Turner, a longtime fan of The Veranda. “I love sitting out on the glassed-in area of The Veranda, especially when they open it for outdoor eating. My favorite is the salad with strawberries and blue cheese.” Steeped in the tradition of Mississippi State sports, The Veranda offers televisions in every room to allow Mississippi State fans to stay on top of sporting events. The NFL Sunday Ticket promises a day full of food and football. Located at 208 Lincoln Green, the Veranda is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m.-midnight. Weekend hours are 11-1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch is served from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., and the dinner menu is offered from 3-10 p.m. Call (662)323-1231 for reservations or information on catering or private parties. n
10
11
SELECTING A GREAT WINE Wondering which wine will go best with your meal? Jay makes some suggestions in all price ranges: Beef/Pork/Game 1. Cardinal Zin - Zinfandel $42 2. Jordan Cabernet $90 3. Cakebread Cabernet $160 Chicken 4. MacMurray Chardonnay $40 5. Mirassou Chardonnay $26 6. Jordan Chardonnay $50 Fish 7. Menage a Trois White Wine Blend $27 8. King’s Estate Pinot Gris $36 9. Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc $37 Dessert 10. New Age Blended White Wine $28 Drinking/Table Wine 11. Le Crema Pinot Noir $55
2
3
4
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
1
5
6
7
8
9
47
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
EatDrink
48
1
2
r o f e m o H olidays the H
4
3
5
8
6
7
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
1. Old St. Nick by Vietri at Gigglewicks 2. Christmas pottery at Purple Elephant 3. Snowflakes by Vietri at Mak B 4. Blue Bird by Good Earth Pottery with Skyros Isabella at Mak B 5. Christmas platter at Occasions 6. Christmas dishes at Gigglewicks 7. Christmas platter at Occasions 8. Ornament placard holders at Mak B
49
34th Street
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
M
50
BY STEVEN NALLEY
ississippi State University’s Riley Center will host a stage adaptation of “Miracle on 34th Street” on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. The production company staging the play is Barter Theatre, the official state theatre of Virginia which has produced such alumni as “Friends” writer James Burrows, “Seinfeld” actor Wayne Knight, and Academy Award winners Ned Beatty, Gregory Peck and Patricia Neal. Dennis Sankovich, executive director of the Riley Center, said Barter is one of America’s oldest theatre companies. In November 2010, the Riley Center featured Barter’s production of “The Diary of Anne Frank,” and Sankovich said this performance was such a success, he began looking for opportunities to bring Barter back. “They’re a terriffic company,” Sankovich said. “All their actors are professional actors, and they do a super job.” “Miracle on 34th Street” tells the story of a department store Santa named Kris Kringle who is institutionalized when he claims to be the real thing. When a young lawyer defends Kris in court by arguing that Kris is telling the truth, everyone begins to recognize there is more to Christmas than commercialism. Barter’s version of “Miracle on 34th Street” is a musical, adding familiar holiday carols to the mix. While the Riley Center has hosted a Gilbert and Sullivan opera before, Sankovich said this is the first stage musical the Riley Center has hosted during one of its regular seasons since it re-opened in 2006. “Most of the touring broadway or touring musicals need more stage space than we can provide,” Sankovich said. “But this can fit on our stage.” Sankovich said “Miracle on 34th Street” is different from other Christmastime shows the Riley Center has hosted, which have mostly consisted of performance artists. He also said it is unique among possible choices for Christmas plays. “It’s not a common production people see at Christmas like “The Nutcracker” or “A Christmas Carol,” Sankovich said. “This is one that is very special, and Barter commissioned this production, and I think it’s going to be a great show. It’s touring throughout the United States.” Tickets cost $36-$42 and are available on the Riley Center’s website at http://www.msurileycenter.com or by phone at 662696-2200. The last time Barter came to the Riley Center, Sankovich said, there was a matinee of an abridged version of “The Diary of Anne Frank” for students bussed in from school. Sankovich said there will be no matinee this time. Shuttles will leave at 4:30 p.m. from the north end of the Zacharias Village lot across from Griffis Hall on campus. Shuttle tickets cost $10 and can be requested by calling the Riley Center box office at 601-696-2200 before ordering concert tickets.
1
2
3
Game Gear 6
4
7
5 Find these Game Gear fashions at the following merchants: 1, 2, 5: George Sherman 8, 9: Gigglewicks 3, 4: Occasions 10: Sisters 6, 7: Deep South Pout 11: University Florist
8
10 9
11
LifeStyle
2
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
LEILANI SALTER
1 PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLAIRE
MASSEY
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Top It Off
52
aly organ D M d n a itra . mita M y Frock 1: Paro el fashions b ra Foster mod d Tia iller an armonie. M n e t , 2: Kris ff tops by H Hakeem show o berts, Hrehan Byrd ine Ro Kinsey 3: Jasm House, and rs Andrew e warm in laye ar . d’s by Ree
3 LANI SALTER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEI
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
LifeStyle
43
2 1
3 PHOT
HY BY OGRAP
R
I SALTE
LEILAN
| townandgownmag.com
a Pharis d Selen uth Pout. n a e it h o nnah W Deep S 1: Sava binations by cKenzie Jones com nd M in warm y Paterson a s by Sisters. le n, style 2: Kee mpleto dressy model ughn, Trey Te layers Va fall 3: Luke ook show off n a C and Jay George Sherm y b
december 2011
y a d i l o H ns Fashio
53
LifeStyle
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Moak aims high
with dress your best program
54
Emily Moak, right, with Kathleen Thomas, Beta Gamma Sigma advisor
“
Many students don’t know, or can’t afford, to dress to impress, as they say. I don’t know if it’s lack of awareness or lack of resources, but you see everything. Too short, too low cut, too tight, you name it.
”
senior semester at Mississippi State University has provided an unexpected lesson – and opportunity – for a business major and her fellow students. Like many of her classmates, Emily Moak, a Vicksburg native who now calls Starkville home, is facing the prospect of graduation, decisions about a career - and the thought of the all-important job interview. “How you look, how you present yourself, definitely makes a difference,” said the enthusiastic 22-year-old. It’s a lesson she’s personally seen repeated through her years as a parttime advertising sales rep for Mississippi Magazine and the university’s Reflector newspaper. As a member of the MSU Fashion Board and a daughter of an independent CAbi clothing consultant, she’s seen that looking professional impacts how you’re treated in the business world. “The MSU Fashion Board is a nonprofit student-run organization with student models and hair, makeup and backstage staff. In addition to creating and producing their own shows, Fashion Board participates in community events and models clothing from Starkville-area vendors. Members also judge K-12 beauty revues and pageants in the Golden Triangle area,” said Dr. Ann Bailey, faculty adviser for the Fashion Board. The lesson really hit home in March when Moak gave a presentation for a project she worked on through the Entrepreneurship Center. A compliment about her professional look led to a discussion about how college students, particularly women, have difficulty finding goodlooking, well-fitted – and affordable - business attire. After chatting with Kathleen Thomas, a faculty member in the College of Business, and others, Moak came up with Dress Your Best, a closet of sorts for future job-seekers, and an information program to promote it. “Many students don’t know, or can’t afford, to dress to impress, as they say,” said Moak. “I don’t know if it’s lack of awareness or lack of resources, but you see everything. Too short, too low cut, too tight, you name it.” Shortly after that, Beta Kappa Sigma, a honors business society, helped kick off Dress Your Best with help from the College of Business and the Fashion Board. “Because our society has become so casual, many students entering the workforce do not understand what professional dress means,” said Bailey. As a Fashion Board officer and
committee head, Moak drew upon the male and female fellow members to help with the “Dress Your Best” show. “This entertaining program provided a show-and-tell opportunity for what to wear and what not to wear in the business world, Bailey said. In addition to a fashion show with business casual and business professional attire, the event included a resume critique from the Career Center, a professional headshot opportunity and local clothing vendors. In December, three women chosen from about 50 applicants will receive Dress Your Best scholarships - an outfit (jacket and pants or skirt) appropriate for an interview. “People have asked why it’s a scholarship,” she said. “It’s because this is an investment in a student’s future. Finding the right job is invaluable.” An interview may be the first time you come face to face with a potential employer. “If you don’t look appropriate for the position, people will notice. Don’t let what you’re wearing hold you back,” Moak said. “There’s a difference between business and casual. You shouldn’t mix the two.” The young woman has reached out to CAbi consultants to initially fill the closet with clothes used in trunk shows, fashion shows, presentations and more. She’s also used her connections through the university’s Fashion Board, community and other businesses. Despite their generosity, there’s still room for more. “Donations are definitely open to the public,” she said. “Dress Your Best will gladly accept gently worn career attire. And, of course, cash is OK, too.” When Moak graduates in May, she plans to stay in the Starkville area. “I don’t know what I’ll be doing, but I definitely want to keep building this program. I’m not the type to start something and then just walk away.” “Emily is a mover and a shaker who is extremely reliable and trustworthy,” said Bailey, who first met Moak, now a senior marketing major, as a MSU freshman. “My goal is to also offer men’s wear,” Moak said. “My vision even includes something I call ‘wear and wash,’ letting students ‘check out’ an outfit for their big interview day.” n
For more information about Dress Your Best or to donate items, contact Moak at (601) 400-0218 or on Twitter’s @ dressyourbest. To donate items, contact Carol Young in MSU’s Finance and Economic Dept. at (662) 325-2342.
| december 2011
BY SUSAN O’BRYAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
townandgownmag.com
A
– Emily Moak MSU Senior Business Major
55
OnThePage
Feast Day of Fools
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
T
58
BOOK REVIEW BY MILTON WHATLEY
he thing that Noie Barham wants more than anything else is peace. That’s why he has run from his job in the weapons industry where he has been helping create implements of great destruction. He may want peace, but violence seeks him out as corrupt weapons contractors, Mexican hit men under the employ of Al Qaeda and a Russian porno/drug dealer all try to put their hands on Barham. They want him because of his intimate knowledge concerning the design and deployment of the deadly predator drone. These embassaries of evil will do or pay whatever necessary to have Barham and his knowledge for their own. Trying to find and protect Barham, we have Sheriff Hackberry Holland. Feast Day of Fools is the 30th novel from the pen of James Lee Burke and the third to feature Hack Holland as the central character. What really complicates matters is who has decided to become Barham’s protector and guardian angel. Preacher Jack Collins, who was thought to be killed at the end of Burke’s novel Rain Gods, reappears, machine gun in hand. He has taken as his cause in life not only to protect Barham from attacks but also take the attack to those who have plans to take him by force. Preacher Jack has not forgotten his last encounter with Holland and even though on one level he respects him, on another he plans to kill him. Add to this mix of characters Ethan Riser of the FBI, whose men end up more of an intrusion than they are a benefit to the situation at hand; Cody Daniels, a self-proclaimed man of God’s word, who is also a convicted participant in an abortion clinic bombing; and Anton Ling, a Chinese wom-
an with ties to Air America and presently protector of illegals who uses her home as a way station on a journey from Mexico into Texas. Ling tugs Holland’s heartstrings as he sees shadows of his long dead wife. Lastly, Pat Tubbs, is Holland’s chief deputy who cares personally for Holland more than he’s comfortable with. Sheriff Holland, a decorated war veteran and former POW, is a spot of calm as the chaotic events in the novel unfold around him. However, we see what he’s capable of when pushed too far, as one of his deputies, a young man that Holland sees a lot of his younger self in, is kidnapped in Mexico. Holland is willing to be as brutal to get the information he needs to find his deputy. The violence that erupts so suddenly from Sheriff Holland is a shock to deputy Pat Tubbs, who knows him so well. Long time fans of James Lee Burke will find another novel in a long line of good books with vividly drawn characters, fast-paced action and eventual extreme resolution of conflict between all parties involved. Feast Day of Fools is a work that when taken up is hard to put down because as scary as the ride may be, you’ll want to stay on until the end. n
{On the Page
|
ith the increased presence of e-books, discovering new adventures in print is easier than ever. Many are amateur first attempts at writing, while others are jewels that just waiting to be uncovered. So was Heir to the Everlasting, a novel by Janice Daugharty. I would have passed by it in a bookstore, but when it came up as a freebie, I took a chance. Within a few chapters, I knew I was hooked not only on the plot, but by the author’s style and fascination for the past. When I finished the story of three generations of strong women struggling to find their place in a male-dominated world, I wanted to read more by this author, especially if she kept to the regional voice she’d created. Daugharty is the past writer-in-residence at Valdosta State University near her home in Georgia. According to her website, she’s now the writer-in-residence at Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College. Noted as a “chronicler of life,” she’s written a host of short stories and novels, mostly centered around the 1950-80 years in rural, small-town Georgia. She didn’t begin writing until she was 39 and her children were grown. Daugharty sold her first collection of short stories in 1994, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia. Her works have only recently been made available to e-book readers. As an older author, her sense of maturity carries over into her characters, individuals with personal struggles, dreams – and nightmares. Most of the novels (I’ve finished four) and the short stories (I’ve stopped counting) have a social issue as their core, whether it’s small-town hypocrisy, class structure or racial bigotry. Characters frequently draw their strength from the arts, often through storytelling, drawing, or even the written word to steer their way through troubled times. Daugharty obviously draws upon the people around her for characters. How else would she know that humor, however slightly twisted it may be, can provide strength? Where else would she look for actual incidences that can be molded into pieces of fiction that tug at your heart? How else could she write in a voice that springs from dusty roads and falls slowly but sweetly, like drips of southern tea? Earl in the Yellow Shirt tells of a poor family’s efforts to afford a proper burial for their mom. Pawpaw Patch centers on the repercussion of small-town gossip. And Like a Sister (my favorite so far) is a heart-breaker about a 13-year-old girl who has had to grow up way too fast. As more of Daugharty’s works become available as e-books, more readers will come to know the world of Troublesome Creek, Cornerville, south Georgia and its fictional inhabitants. It’s a world to which they can relate, thanks to this gifted storyteller. n
december 2011
BY SUSAN O’BRYAN
townandgownmag.com
W
BOOK REVIEW
59
{On the Page
W
Reading Aloud BOOK REVIEWS BY HELLEN POLK
ith the Christmas season upon us, we may be searching for gifts for the children in our lives. One gift that doesn’t lose its sparkle and can be used for years is a good book. And, to add to that gift, commit to reading aloud to your special little ones. Reading aloud is one of the best ways to ensure that these children become successful readers themselves. Here is a selection of some of the great Christmas read-alouds that may become part of your holiday tradition. May each of you have a blessed Christmas with family and friends!
To delight a special preschooler, no one can go wrong with Christmas stories featuring three of this age group’s favorite characters – Olivia, Curious George, and the Mouse of the Big Hungry Bear stories. Be sure to get Ian Falconer’s Olivia series book to find out how this Caldecott Award winning pig gets ready for Christmas. Other “Olivia adapters” just don’t hold a candle to the original. The Houghton Mifflin series of Curious George books continues to delight children of all ages as George visits a Christmas tree farm and winds up helping to decorate it at a children’s hospital. Don Woods again illustrates his book with the exceptional facial features of the mouse and his escapades with the big hungry bear for Christmas.
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Another favorite book about the man in the red suit is Jolly Old Santa Claus, a collector’s edition of a classic published by Ideals magazine in 1961. Mr. Hinke’s nostalgic paintings were often featured in the magazine where I first became familiar with the Santa of my childhood.
60
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, we sometimes get caught up in the secular aspects of the holiday and fail to emphasize the reason why we celebrate Christmas. Most family Christmas traditions would not be complete without hearing the biblical account of Christ’s birth. There are so many great books for children that include the Christmas story. Room for a Little One shares the story of the animals that were present in the stable on the night that the baby Jesus was born. God Gave Us Christmas teaches children that Jesus is our best Christmas present. In Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story Sally Lloyd-Jones tells how all of Creation rejoices at the birth of the Christ child. And of course, children young and old will appreciate the story of the birth of Christ found in the book of Luke, chapter 2, of the Holy Bible.
Clement C. Moore wrote the famous poem, A Visit from Saint Nicholas, first published anonymously in 1823. It has since been interpreted many times as the cherished classic, The Night Before Christmas. One of the reasons that this poem has endured for over 175 years is that it is a joy to read aloud. The descriptive verse shares the warm and loving story of that special Christmas visitor, Santa. Two editions that are sure to become family favorites are illustrated by Jan Brett and by Christian Birmingham. One of the newly released Jan Brett editions includes a DVD featuring the Boston Pops Orchestra with narration by Jim Dale. Both of these illustrators have gloriously captured the childhood spirit of Christmas.
{On the Page
Reading the Classics
F
BOOK REVIEWS BY KATE SALTER
ew of us, despite days off from work and school, find much time around the holidays to relax and read a book. Ironically, however, the stories of seasons past and present are often what prove most meaningful to us this time of year. From the Wise Men’s journey to Bethlehem to Ralphie’s relentless quest
for a Red Ryder BB gun, we find comfort and joy in the almost universally relatable, holiday experiences expressed through literature and film. Here are few suggestions for reading to get you into the Christmas spirit without taking up a significant chunk of time or concentration.
CHRISTMAS BOOKS BY CHARLES DICKENS When readers consider Charles Dickens and Christmas, their minds immediately go to the classic (and yet, still largely ignored in comparison to Dickens’ other works) parabolic novella, A Christmas Carol. However, the transformational story of Ebenezer Scrooge with which American readers are most versed is not alone in Dickens’s beautifully crafted holiday-themed wheelhouse. Christmas Books is particularly rewarding to read during the busy holiday season, as it is composed of short stories. While this collection opens with a A Christmas Carol, stories that follow it such as Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Haunted Man, and The Battle of Life are all moving meditations on the religious, reflective aspects of the Christmas season. Between shopping, gift-wrapping, and cooking, reading a story for each week in December will surely keep any Scrooge-like attitudes at bay.
A CHRISTMAS MEMORY BY TRUMAN CAPOTE A word to the wise - arm yourself with a fresh box of Kleenex while reading this classic Southern Christmas tale. This story, written by famous Southern author Truman Capote, is a fictional retelling of Capote’s childhood in rural Alabama. Centered around a young boy, Buddy, and his distance cousin and close friend Miss Sook Faulk, A Christmas Memory celebrates the sentiment that the only Christmas gift that matters is the love we share. Through Buddy and Sook’s often hilarious quests to find whiskey, fruitcake ingredients, and a Christmas tree, readers come to understand that despite failures, and disappointments, the best memories of Christmas are made not while unwrapping expensive presents or eating gourmet food but by spending a quite morning flying kites in the winter sky. Considering the current state of our economy, much can be learned from Capote’s nostalgic reflection on finding joy amidst limited resources and bleak expectations.
| townandgownmag.com
David Sedaris is a modern day Mark Twain, expressing the American experience as we know it with a trademark satiric wit that will have readers laughing uncontrollably while nodding their heads in complete understanding. Holidays on Ice is a collection of satirical short stories, the most notable of which is The Santaland Diaries which recounts Sedaris’s experience working as an elf at Macy’s Christmas display in Manhattan over the holidays. Readers who have worked in in any retail outlet or the public service industry during the Christmas season will wholly understand Sedaris’s humorous trials. Other stories deal with the sometimes awkward inclusion of new people into tightly knit families and the unique pratfalls which accompany one of the hallmarks of the holiday season – children’s Christmas plays. Adults will appreciate Sedaris’s quick wit and biting sarcasm as he explores the various ways in which we cope with the stressful, uncomfortable task of melding our adult lives around that which makes us feel most childish of all - the holidays.
december 2011
HOLIDAYS ON ICE BY DAVID SEDARIS
61
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Rhythms
62
Cooke maps music career
december 2011
I believe it is spiritual, emotional, impossible to systematize, and transcends space and time.” Cooke has played many instruments throughout the years, and said his favorite is usually his newest, which for now is a Gretsch County Gentleman. Although a shiny new guitar can catch his interest for a while, Cooke said there is one that he always returns to. “I have a 22 year love/hate relationship with my Takamine acoustic,” Cooke said. “It has been broken and repaired at the top of the neck, refretted once and probably needs it again, the bridge is cracked down the middle, and recently I figured that it has been re-strung once a week for 22 years for a total of 1,144 sets of new strings. It still sounds great if I play it well, although it’s a bear to play.” Cooke has been a fixture at Dave’s Darkhorse Tavern for years, and said those performances stick out most to him, although one has special meaning. “I played every Thursday at Dave’s for several years and always had fun,” Cooke said. “But the one performance I’ll never forget is the only night Del Rendon and I played the whole night as a duo.” Rendon, who passed away in 2005, was a friend and fellow musician of Cooke’s, and the stage that Cooke continues to play on at the Tavern has been re-named in Rendon’s honor. As far as other musician’s performances go, Cooke said he’ll never forget one in particular. “It was B.B. King’s 50th Birthday bash at the black Masonic Temple on Lynch Street in Jackson,” Cooke said. “It was 1975. He wore a yellow suit and played three straight hours of music when he was at the top of his game. It was amazing.” Cooke said he can only hope that the people he plays for feel a fraction of what he felt that night. “I want the audience to feel my truth and sincerity,” Cooke said. “I want my music to be real, come from my heart, and I want to give very best performance I’m capable of.” Cooke’s love of Starkville is almost as strong as his love of music. He said it’s the community of musicians here that make Starkville such a great place for live music. “I love playing with and making music with musicians here,” Cooke said. “I love that there are open mic nights at several clubs in Starkville and I hope that continues and grows. I believe it is a critical component of keeping the Starkville music scene alive.” Although times have changed in some ways, Cooke said one thing that should remain the same is the idea that anyone can be changed by music as long as they keep listening. “To be honest, people in most venues don’t pay attention to live music now like they used to when I started playing professionally in the late 60s,” Cooke said. “But you never know when you are going to hear a song that touches your heart or changes your life. Playing live music is a gift, and I hope I can continue until they pry my cold dead fingers from around my guitar neck. One thing is for sure, I’ll be playing as long as I’m physically and mentally capable, whether anyone listens or not.” 63 |
ill Cooke of Starkville first fell in love with a guitar when he was seven years old. Unfortunately, it was somebody else’s guitar. “My friend Mike Johnson got a guitar and learned to play a couple of songs,” Cooke said. “I was blown away. I knew immediately that was what I wanted to do, so I begged my parents for one, and they gave me a Stella acoustic guitar that Christmas.” He began taking formal lessons at age eight and hasn’t put a guitar down since. “I practice guitar for a few short periods at a time every day,” Cooke said. “I look at every newspaper article, conversation, news report, and TV show for inspiration to write songs.” But, Cooke said, the best songs are partly or completely based in personal experiences. “In short, music is less important than my sweet wife Anne, but a huge part of my everyday thoughts and actions. I love my two stepsons, Jason and Benjamin Brown, dearly,” Cooke said. Cooke works at Mississippi State University. He has a dual appointment as an associate professor in the Geosciences Department and associate director of the Geosystems Research Institute. He said his work revolves around using a computer systems approach for analyzing and mapping risk from wildfires, hurricanes, and diseases like West Nile Virus. “It is not exactly directly related to music, but I think working in a research doing problem solving helps keep me mentally sharp,” Cooke said. “Teaching students is kind of a stage situation, and obviously I enjoy that too.” Cooke’s early musical influences, other than his friend Mike, included his teacher Skeets McWilliams; his mother, who Cooke said sang like a bird; his grandmother and her piano; and Marty Robbins on the radio. “Music was a big part of my childhood,” Cooke said, “but not quite as big as baseball for a few years there.” Cooke said he dreamed of playing for the Yankees or the Cardinals. Eventually he returned to his first love – music. Cooke said performing in front of a crowd gave him something he couldn’t quite find anywhere else. “I’m somewhat introverted, and I always have some performance anxiety, but I get great pleasure when people enjoy my performances,” Cooke said. “The greatest thing that I get from performing are those magical moments when the band is clicking, the music seems to come naturally, and the crowd is listening and recognizes that something special is happening – that is a rare combination of events.” Over the years, as Cooke’s own talent continued to grow, so did his love of all types of music. He counts among his favorites the work of Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Albert King, Billie Holiday, and many others. However, Cooke said that if given the chance to play alongside just one of them, there is definitely a front-runner. “I would have loved to play with Hendrix,” Cooke said. “His technique contains elements of so many styles, and by all accounts he was a humble guy who would have probably been willing to share his thoughts, inspirations and techniques.” Lately Cooke has been getting turned on by an old style that is new to him, rock-a-billy. Cooke is currently learning to play the banjo. “My favorite music is always the music I’m trying to learn or improve on at the time,” Cooke said. He said he’s also always loved the blues, and is beginning to study western swing and jazz chordal structure. Cooke said he believes there is something about music that speaks directly to everyone in some way. “Music originates from a deeper level of communication that is not just verbal, or note intervals, but woven into the fabric of our lives in ways we don’t think about,” Cooke said. “It is in the cacophony of sounds of birds, insects, traffic, thunder, fire, rain and even in silence.
townandgownmag.com
B
BY ANGIE CARNATHAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
SeeHear
DECEMBER
BY ANGIE CARNATHAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
NEW Music Releases Dec. 5
Lioness: Hidden Treasures by Amy Winehouse (A collection of previously unreleased songs)
Dec. 6
n El Camino by The Black Keys n The Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook (Super Deluxe Edition) by Elvis Costello n The Path of Totality (Special Edition) by Korn n Hats Off to the Bull by Chevelle n Camp by Childish Gambino n Your Favorite Weapon by Brand New n Hampton/Winston Salem ‘97 by Phish n Volume-7 Glee: The Music by Glee Cast n Undun by The Roots n Conquer by Carl Thomas n Paramount Sessions by Adam Lambert and Steve Cooke n Born This Way: The Remix by Lady Gaga
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Dec. 13
64
n The Adventures of Tintin Soundtrack by John Williams n Tea for the Tillerman by Cat Stevens n New Life by Monica n Mi Secreto De Amor by Lucero
Dec. 27
n Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits, Australian Tour Edition by Elton John n Louise Mandrell: Maybe My Baby by Louise Mandrell
n n n n
John Coltrane by John Coltrane (Vinyl) Live in Central Park by Andrea Bocelli 50 Words for Snow by Kate Bush Up All Night: Yearbook Edition by One Direction
Dec. 31
n Downtown Abbey Soundtrack by Alfie Boe
LIVE Music Schedule Dec. 1 Bill Cooke at Dave’s Darkhorse Tavern
Dec. 2 U.S at Rick’s Cafe Americain Space Capone at Dave’s Darkhorse Tavern
Dec. 3 Rico and The Border Patrol at Cowbells
Dec. 9 The Vegabonds at Rick’s Cafe Americain Blue Mountain at Old Venice Pizza Company
Dec. 31 Crossin Dixon at Rick’s Cafe Americain The BBQ Boys at The Veranda
Christmas stockings Alan Nunnelee, Thomas Nunnelee, Tori Nunnelee
Luke Burks, Thomas Ketchum
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Ariel Eaves, Rebekah Formby
65
Rett Keenum, Oscar Rezek
at Purple Elephant
Out&About
rd a o B n o i h s w Fa o U h S S M n e Building o i h s Tra rchitectur Giles
A
6
Oct. 2
Kara Chapman
Brielle Nicole
Morgan Lewellen Kayla Calhoun
an
Carley Moh
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Victoria Mayhall
66
Emily Moak
Hrehan Hakeem
Tiara Lee
Ashley Massey
}
Out & About
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA DANIELS
McKenzie Jones Laura Lee Lewis
Claire Massey
Morgan Daly
Elizabeth Anderson
Shannon Sulivan
Jeremy Dixon
Caroline Gilbert
Molly Nail
Molly Riley
townandgownmag.com
| december 2011
Annel Yanez
Bri Stewart
67
{Out & About t a e r T r o Trick ow R Sorority Oct. 27
Ciera Bell, Della Blair, Shamiya Bell
h Jane Hay
ra Molly Mitchener, Sa
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLAIRE MASSEY
Reggie Everson, Kayla Hendrix
Summer Walton, Jordan
Wendell Ladner, Joy Ladner, Isaiah Hodnett, Conner Lee Boudousquie, Zoe Jane Boudou squie
Emma Jade Thompson and Jade Thomps
on
a Montfort MacKenzie Montfort, Briann
Walker, Kristen Covingt on
Cael Fiebig and Kyleigh Fiebig
Victoria Mayhall, Massey Bu
ckner
ng, Amanda Hall, Megan Ki wallen, Clair Mitchell, Tiffany Le s and Mary Kathryn Waite
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Rebecca Josey, Meg Swindoll,
68
rter, Ke’Ombria Pearson, Kaitlyn Williams, Kamarys Pearson McCa
and Keyvon Pearson
Natilie Wilson, Amy Wilson, Ryan Wilson, and Matt Wilson
}
Out & About
A Time to Dance Lee Hall Oct. 28
Kim Proctor, Bonnie Feig rbury
Preston Bates, Stephen Byrd, Josh Larson, Justin Cante
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA DANIELS
Arrah Grant, Kimberly Madsen Treneice Wright, Brittany Wright, Jessica Taylor
Matt Crosetti, Kimbe Usry
Sherry Warren, Robin Warren
Everlyn Johnson, W. C. Jo
hnson
Kyle Pollard, Gabby Raborn, Jana Carter
Jonathan Giuffria, Kelsey Marx, Avel
n Montgomery John Oeth, Joshua Smith, Emily Hobson, Stephen Pepper, Natha
Lowry, Kelsey Norris
Heather Calnan, Ashlyn Temple
T. J. Warren, Tim Read
, Parker Davis
Dave Boles
Kevin Lee, Jia Lee
|december 2011
, Doug Feig, Robert Phillips, Lucy Phillips
Evelyn Daniels, John Daniels, Hannah Daniels
David Hartung, Victor Hartung
Libby Thompson, Carolyn Reed
townandgownmag.com
nley-Tate
Co ley, Keilyn Ursula Con
69
{Out & About n
Gow & n w o T ty
ar Launch P ter Cen Palmeiro Nov. 1
Ashley Massey, Morgan Lewellen
Kyle Durkin, Salena Pharis, Elizabeth Anderson
Julie Martin, Anne Stricklin, Nelle Cohen, Cheri Barry
kins,
Jen ullivan, RJ Shannon S
ak, Victoria
Emily Mo Ann Bailey,
Cliff
Connie Forde, John Forde
Connie Templeton, Linda Gra ves, Jenny Sherman, George
Kathryn Davis, Christan Toney, Angela Shelton
Sherman, Georgia Lindley Mallory Williams, Carole McReynolds
Tommy Tomlinso
n, Yolanda Woote
n, Don Norman
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Heard, Julie Martin eri Barry, Chrissy Ch , um en Ke da on Rh
Davis, Mozelle Herring
70
Jasmine Roberts, Salena Pharis, Kyle Durkin
Sarah Fratesi, Kathleen Hamby, Lindsey Wiseman, Jackie Hudson
}
Out & About
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA DANIELS
Ann Bailey, Elizabeth Anderson, Leilani Salter, Lindsey Wiseman, Emily Moak, Morgan Lewellen
th Randall
la Shelton, Carrie Be
Christan Toney, Ange
Jessica Bailey, Austin Bailey
Lindsey Wiseman, Carrie Copeland
Karen Dabbs, Steffany Bedwell, Chrissy Heard John Copeland, Rhonda Keenum
townandgownmag.com
| december 2011
Bri Stewart, Maggie Harper
71
Leilani Salter, Rhonda Keenum, Lindsey
Wiseman
Bill Cooke
{Out & About y
nz e r F dog
Bull SU Junction M
ov. 4
N
Maggie Eaves, Andrea Seitz, Ashley Tho
mas, Emily Ousterhout, Gage Manuel
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLAIRE MASSEY
Jackson Harden, Heather Harden, Cohen Harden Nick Earhart, Jeff Earhart,
Jackson Ulmer, Stephen Ulmer, Angie
Ulmer, Erin Standifer
n Drew Stegurn, Nicholas Stegur
Morgan McDowell, Lauren Sledge, Lisa Sledge
Rachel Russell, Betty Pr ue
tt, Aven Russell
lane Fairburn
, Mac Kate Fairburn , rn u b ir a F n e Kell
Wynett Hutson, Sam Hutson
George Dunn, Aidan Dunn, Laura Dunn
es
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Fon Morgan Massa, Chelsea Conner, Amanda
Lynn Fisher, Jackie Gates, Joyce White,
72
Isabel Brown, Melissa Brown, Harris Brown
Robert Elizabeth Hubbard,
Hubbard Hubbard, Caroline
Bob White
Cookies with Santa Greater Starkville Development Partnership Nov. 6
Braxton Bird
Joseph Schauwecker
Presley Bassett
Reed Sparks
Gracie Bruce
Lily Schauwecker
Mallory Markham
Noah Doyhenard
Anthony & Billiejean Kirkland
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Erastus Revellame
Reese McAfee
65
Arlee Rose Fennell
Owen Clark
Colin Clark
{Out & About U S M e th n i s t s e m o Gue H t’s n e d i s Pre
Bush Library Director Alan Lowe, MSU President Mark Keenum, Bush Library Archivist Bobby Holt PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEILANI SALTER
Jeanne Marszalek, John Marszalek
esident um, Bobby Holt, MSU Pr Alan Lowe, Rhonda Keen
Mark Keenum
Sid Salter, Frances Coleman, Tommy Coleman
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
MSU President Mark Keenum, Tougaloo President Beverly Hogan
74
Alan Lowe, John Marszalek, Bobby Holt, Frances Coleman, MSU President Mark Keenum
ta K.C. Morrison, Johnet
Morrison
U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, London Thompson MSU President Mark Keenum, Rhonda Keenum, London Thompson, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson
Dolphus Weary , Dr. Mark Keenum, Tougaloo President Beverly Hogan, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, K.C. Morrison
phus Weary
Dolphus Weary, Dr. Mark Keenum, Tougaloo President Beverly Hogan, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, Sid Salter
m, Rosie Weary, tta Morrison, Rhonda Keenu Camille Scales-Young, Johne President Beverly Hogan London Thompson, Tougaloo
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Camille Scales-Y oung, Jim Young
Rosie Weary, Dol
Rosie Weary, Tougaloo
75
President Beverly Hoga
n, Dolphus Weary
{Out & About ing m o c e m Ho artin
TN M s v U S M Nov. 5
Ansley Malone, Waylon Dykes, Jon Eric Dykes, Justin Dykes, Keri Dykes
mmons ards, Michael Si w Ed ad Th n, le ul rgeois, Tabor M
as Bou
die Seales, Thom
Aaron Curtis, Ed
Peter, Angi, Max, Jack and Thomas Bourgeois
Eastland Vickery, Katie Beth Walton, Anne
nna
beth Daniels, A
nes,
Jo Jack Cristil, McKenzie
Daniels Daniels, Karen
ers, Daltria Li Lindi Morgan, Fenly Ak
Ray Purnell, Chris Campbell
Fenly Akers, Hannah Owens
Will Akers, Ryan
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Eliza Andy Daniels,
Emily Hayes, Laura Touchstone
76
Julia Gregory, Sims Gregory, Ella Claire Gregory, Jennifer Gregory
Frances Coleman, Ronnie White, Yvonne Covin, Bob Covin, Tommy Coleman, Darryl Seawright, CIndy Akers
Akers
}
Out & About
Symph ony Tri bute to E.O. Trinity Hawkin s Presby teria Nov. 7
Frances Windle, Paige Lawes, Libby Thompson, Elizabeth Hawkins, Haley Hirshfeld, Anna Beth Hirshfeld
n
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA DANIELS
nathan Pote J.C. Prather, Jo
Connie Wilson and Delvin Barnhill Charlie Sparrow, Marty Sparrow
Pinks Dudley
Ted Beverly
ld Ross Hirshfe
Stanly Godbold, Jeannie Godbold
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Joan Mylroie and Fay Fisher
Audrey Scales, Ruth Delacruz
Buren Blankenship, Luanne Blankenship, Faye Caldwell
77
{Out & About ies r e S m u Lyce e Drops
olat c o h C a n Caroli Lee Hall Nov. 11
Karen Lilly, Elaine White, Lauren Wingo, Tani Dubuisson
Nancy Underwood, Janet Bryant
t Gray ley Gray, Margare
Taylor, Stan Vera Taylor, Jim
Andrica Walls, Nicole Tatum
Kendra Jones, Edward
Swan, Cour
s tney Swan, Sandra Jone
Henry Hainsworth, Chanel Horton
Jesse Morrison, Amber Burton
ichael Vanhorn mbert, John M
Katriana Fields, Amber Stewart
Matthew Clark, R
ichard Grant
s, Brice La
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Deidre Edward
78
Cliff Mcknney, Ari Oliveros
Sophia Fabel, Kate Fabel Josh Heim, John Mustain
{Out & About E N I W n u le l i v k r ta S n w to Down ov. 10 N
Melanie Crain, Janet Mullins, Melanie Mitchell, Amy Crigeler, Vicki Katz, Amanda Edwards PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLAIRE MASSEY
Jessica Tiebe, Hallie Gladstone Kathy Smell, Darlene Comish, Jenifer Carson, Marcy Smith
Madison Lee, Layken Gibbs, Lindsey Ketchum, Candi Cockroft
nifer Gregory
Donna Williams, Je
Amy Yates, Britney Tranum, Blair Shafer, Jamie Methvin
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Lorin Chancellor, Natalie Jolly, Julia Kraker
79
More
30-1
Holiday Bazaar at Sportsplex 92 vendors will be on hand Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at the Sportsplex selling all things Christmas. Admission is free and shopping hours are from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Shoppers will find everything from gourmet food products and handpainted pottery to jewelry will be on hand to help everyone finish their Christmas shopping. See pages 26 and 27 for details on the event and a map to find your favorite vendors.
1
Criss Christmas Concert Starkville-MSU Symphony will present the Criss Christmas Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 1 at Lee Hall on the Mississippi State University campus. The first half of this holiday concert will feature the talents of concert master Shandy Phillips in a performance of the Winter Concerto from “The Four Seasons” by Antonio Vivaldi, “The Entrance of the Queen of Sheba” played by Bonnie Oppenheimer and Devin Morton and conclude with J. S. Bach’s “Cantata 51” featuring soloists Kathy Price and Anthony Kirkland. The second half of the concert will consist of excerpts from Handel’s “Messiah.” The four most popular choruses “And The Glory,” “For Unto Us a Child is Born,” “Glory to God,” and the ever popular “Hallelujah” will be sung by members of the MSU Concert Choir and all community members who wish to participate.
4 4 townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Carols by Candlelight First United Methodist Church will hold Carols by Candlelight from 4-6 p.m. on Dec. 4. Admission is free but seating ticket is required.
80
The Holiday Homes Tour & Tea is 2–5 p.m., Dec. 4. Some of the most beautiful Starkville homes will be open to welcome guests into each of their very own Holiday Wonderlands. You’ll be in the Christmas spirit and ready to deck the halls at your own house in no time with these great holiday decorating inspirations. Tickets are $20 each and may be purchased at the GSDP at 200 East Main during normal business hours. Homes on the tour include: n Sheila & Floyd Johnson 904 Yorkshire Road n Rhonda & Mark Keenum 115 Morrill Road n Carol & Mark Lehman 1112 Nottingham Road n Nina & Jacki Wofford 1619 South Montgomery Street Refreshments served at the Starkville Public Library.
DECEMBER
8
Uh Oh, Here Comes Christmas A Comedy presented by the Starkville Community Theatre at the Playhouse on Main St. December 8-11 at 7:30 p.m. nightly and 2 p.m. on Sunday This charming show takes a funny, heartwarming and often poignant look at the struggle to find the spirit of the holidays amid the avalanche of commercialism, stress and chaos that crashes down every December. Among the many delightful stories is one about a small immigrant child who comes trick-or-treating in a cheap Santa mask a few days before Christmas, inadvertently delivering the true meaning of the season to a grownup with a serious case of “Scroogitis.” Hilarious musings about a love/hate relationship with the vibrant poinsettia that arrives in most homes every December and hangs on and on and on, long after the holidays have ended; and this a beautiful, deeply moving tribute to the winter solstice, celebrating nature’s precious annual gift of rebirth.
9 10
Experiencing Bethlehem First United Methodist Church Choir will present Experiencing Bethlehem from 5-8 p.m. on Dec. 9-11 and from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Dec. 12 in the Christian Life Center. Admission is free but seating tickets are required.
Miracle of 34th Street will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 at the Mississippi State University Riley Center in Meridian. The classic 1947 holiday movie about a department store Santa who just may be the real thing, comes to the stage. Even the most humbug-wary Scrooge can’t resist its gentle triumph of faith over cynicism and Christmas over commerce. The whole family will want to share the experience, which includes some familiar holiday carols. Tickets are $42 are $36.
18
Carol Fantasia First United Methodist Church will present an exuberant celebration of traditional carols alive with the joy and wonder of the the Christmas season. The chancel and youth choirs will present Carol Fantasia at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Dec. 18 in the sanctuary. n
AThousandWords
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
Christmas Morning | Photography by Leilani Salter
81
TheLastWord
Brotherly Love
b
BY BROTHER ROGERS
townandgownmag.com
|
december 2011
eye out.” Nothing could be farther from rotherly love is a theme that ran the truth. Of course, Frank and I continued through my childhood. My brothto fight for the rest of our childhood, as er Frank is only 22 months older. brothers do. He was bigger than me (still is), We often fought but trouble united us, such but I remember hitting him in the face on as the time we shattered my mother’s antique those rare moments when I could get a lick spinning wheel into shards while tussling. in. After my accident and two surgeries on When I moved back to Starkville in 1990, my eye, my mother told Frank, “No matter Steve Davis asked me, “Weren’t you and how mad you get, you can never hit Brother Frank the kids who caught your bed on fire in the face.” He never did. with sparklers and your parents had to carry In 1979, I was running for junior high a burning bed outside to save the house?” Brother and Frank – the year of the burning bed student council president. At the height Uh, yes, that would be us. of the campaign, I was hospitalized in an Frank was always protective, but especially after I was shot in my right eye with a BB gun and lost my vision. oxygen tent with double bronchial pneumonia. On the crucial It happened in the spring of 1973, while I was in second grade in day of the election, candidates gave their speeches to the student Eupora. One Saturday, we went to a friend’s house to play with body. Frank volunteered to give my speech and said, “Vote for my Brother.” I won the race thanks to him. G.I Joes. Some people ask me why I never dropped the childhood When Frank and I started to leave, my friend began shooting at both of us with a BB rifle. Frank grabbed me and pulled me nickname “Brother.” Maybe it’s because my brother Frank, who behind a giant oak tree. He was only nine, and I was seven. He gave me that nickname when he was learning to talk, was the central character in my childhood. Dropping the name would said, “Stay behind this tree. Don’t panic and don’t look.” Ignoring his wise warning, I looked, and then bam! It felt like seem like a betrayal. We still argue, of course. He roots hard for Mississippi State a cannonball hit my face. The BB entered my right eye in the red area where sleep accumulates at night. I instantly fell to the to beat my alma mater, Alabama. He’s a Republican in a big ground, unconscious. Frank thought I was dead. He charged the city, and I’m a Democrat in a small town. Sometimes it takes a shooter and started trying to kill him with his bare hands. The mother to remind me of brotherly affection. Not long ago, I was complaining to my mother about my brother, and she said, “You boy’s screams brought his mother out to pull Frank off her son. One of the things that often irritated me later was when cousins know, he never says a negative word about you. Never.” That’s true brotherly love. n 82 or friends would mistakenly say, “I hear your brother shot your