posted - Belzoni Banner

The Belzoni Banner
Serving the Heart of the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta
Volume 107 Number 46
One Section, 8 Pages, 75 Cents, Wednesday, November 25, 2015
E-mail:[email protected]
Web: www.thebelzonibanner.com
Conerly Trophy to be presented Buckle up for Thanksgiving Travel;
The 20 th C Spire Conerly
Trophy, which goes to the most
outstanding college football
player in Mississippi, will
be presented Dec. 1 at the
Mississippi Sports Hall of
Fame and Museum.
The 10 finalists, selected by
their respective schools, are as
follows:
Marquis Green, Mississippi
Valley State: Green, a freshman
safety from New Orleans, led
the SWAC in pass interceptions
with seven, which ranked him
fourth in the FCS division of
the NCAA. Green also was
in on 47 tackles, including 34
solos and one tackle for loss.
Javancy Jones, Jackson
State: Jones, a junior defensive
end from Noxubee County,
leads the Tigers in tackles with
80, tackles for loss with 19
for 90 yards and in sacks with
5.5. Jones was the SWAC’s
Freshman of the Year in 2013
and led the Tigers in tackles as
a sophomore with 108.
Nick Mullens, Southern
Miss: Mullens, a junior from
Hoover, Ala., is rewriting the
USM record book for passing
statistics in leading the Golden
Eagles to an 8-3 record. Mullens
has thrown for 3,578 yards and
32 touchdowns, while throwing
eight interceptions. He has run
for three more toucdowns and
has thrown for 265 yards or
more in all 11 USM games.
Marcel Newson, Mississippi
College: Newson, a junior wide
receiver from Coldwater, has
caught 40 passes for 656 yards
and eight touchdowns, all team
highs. Coldwater native Marcel
Newson, a junior wide receiver,
is Mississippi College’s
nominee for the 2015 C Spire
Conerly Trophy. Newson has
averaged 22 yards per kickoff
return and 16 yards per punt
return to lead the Choctaws in
both categories.
Dak Prescott, Mississippi
State: Prescott, a Haughton,
La., native has thrown for 3,159
yards and 23 touchdowns,
while throwing only three
interceptions. He has run
for 478 yards and nine more
touchdowns in leading State
to an 8-3 record. Prescott, the
2014 C Spire Conerly winner,
is a finalist for several national
awards.
Darryan Ragsdale, Alcorn:
Ragsdale, a senior running
back from Brandon, has run
for 7.6 yards per carry despite
injuries this season. The former
Pelahatchie standout has gained
855 yards and scored seven
touchdowns and has caught 15
passes for another 127 yards.
After transferring from Hinds
CC, Ragsdale has averaged
more than eight yards per carry
in his two Alcorn seasons.
Hector Sandoval, Millsaps:
Sandoval, a junior linebacker
from Kingswood, Texas,
leads the Southern Athletic
Association in tackles with 105
(50 solo, 55 assists). He also
forced a fumble, intercepted
a pass and returned a fumble
for a touchdown. He had a
season-high 18 tackles in a
game against the University of
Chicago.
Isaiah Swopes, Belhaven:
Swopes, a freshman cornerback
from Ocean Springs, wasted
no time making his presence
felt at the college level. He
tied school records and set
freshman records with six pass
interceptions and 12 passes
broken up. He set a school
record for 18 passes defended.
Swopes also contributed 33
tackles including 1.5 for losses
and forced two fumbles.
LaQuon Treadwell, Ole
Miss: Treadwell, a junior from
Crete, Ill., is a Biletnikoff
Award semifinalist who ranks
12 th all-time among SEC
receivers despite missing
the final four games of his
sophomore season. He is the
SEC’s active leader in catches,
yards and touchdowns. In
2015, he has averaged 6.5
catches and 96.4 yards per
game, which leads the SEC in
both categories. Needs seven
catches in Egg Bowl to become
the all-time leading receiver at
Ole Miss.
Jarvis York, Delta State:
York, a senior wide receiver
from Baton Rouge, Lal, led the
Gulf South Conference with 61
pass receptions for 840 yards
and scored four touchdowns.
He turned in a career-high
effort against West Alabama
with 12 catches for 128 yards
and finished ninth in Delta State
history with 123 receptions,
good for 1,588 yards and seven
touchdowns.
The C Spire Conerly Trophy
is named for former Ole Miss
and NFL quarterbacking great
Charlie Conerly. Past winners
include such standouts as Eli
Manning, Jerious Norwood,
Deuce McAllister and Austin
Davis. Prescott is bidding to
become only the second twotime Conerly Trophy winner in
history of the award, following
Manning.
The awards banquet will be at
6:30 p.m. Dec. 1, preceded by
a 5:30 p.m. reception. Tickets
($100) are available at msfame.
com or by calling 601 9828264.
The third Kent Hull Trophy,
which goes annually to the
most outstanding offensive
lineman in the state, also will be
presented at the banquet. The
winner of that honor, chosen by
a panel of pro scouts and former
college coaches and players,
will be announced later this
week. Mississippi State’s Gabe
Jackson and Ole Miss’ Laremy
Tunsil are the two previous
winners.
C Spire Conerly Trophy
voting is done by selected
sports media from around
the state, which accounts for
90 percent of the tally. The
remaining 10 percent comes
from fan voting conducted by
C Spire, which begins at 1 p.m.
Tuesday.
Attorney General Jim Hood Warns
Mississippians of a Recent Spoofing Scam
Jackson, Miss.- Attorney
General Jim Hood is warning
Mississippians today of a
phone scam that challenges
even the savviest consumer.
“Scammers realize that
consumers are much wiser
and more likely to reject calls
from unfamiliar numbers,” said
Attorney General Jim Hood.
“They use caller ID spoofing
technology to impersonate a
known or trusted phone number
to trick potential victims into
answering the phone.”
Here is how the scam
works. The phone rings, and
we recognize the number on
the Caller ID. The caller id
shows that it is a local business,
a neighbor down the street, or
even the consumer’s own name
and number. Because the
number is known or familiar,
the consumer answers the
phone.
“Unfortunately, technology
has evolved, and we can
no longer fully trust that
the number displayed is the
number that is actually calling
us,” said Attorney General
Hood. “Our advice has always
been to answer only those
calls from known numbers,
but that won’t work when
the caller identification has
been spoofed, or is displaying
incorrect information.”
Mississippi joined other
states in 2010 to enact the
Caller ID Anti-Spoofing Act
(2010 Miss. H.B. 872) to
regulate and prohibit caller
ID spoofing. However, the
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
found that the scammers had a
first amendment right to spoof
phone numbers and upheld
the legality of “non-harmful
spoofing” in 2012 when it
overturned the state law.
The Attorney General’s
Office offers the following
information and tips to follow
on these types of scams:
* DO NOT answer the phone
for a call that shows it is from
your own number. That is a
sure sign of a scam.
* R E M E M B E R T H AT
THE CALLER ID CAN
B E M A N I P U L AT E D .
Don’t completely rely on
what appears on the screen.
Scammers use technology that
lets them display any number
or organization’s name on your
screen.
* HANG UP as soon as you
realize the call is a scam. Even
answering simple questions
in the affirmative or negative
could be used to try to scam
you.
* BE SUSPICIOUS of anyone
who is vague in identifying
themselves on the phone.
* NEVER WIRE OR SEND
MONEY in any form to persons
or organizations you do not
know.
* DON’T CALL THEM
BACK. If you receive a voice
mail message, do not call the
scammer back.
* GUARD YOUR
PERSONAL INFORMATION.
Do not provide bank account,
credit card or Social Security
numbers to anyone calling you
over the phone. Giving out
personal information out could
cause you to become a victim
of identity theft.
* DON’T BE INTIMIDATED
BY THREATS OF ARREST.
Scammers may try to intimidate
you by threatening to bring
in local police or other lawenforcement groups to have
you arrested. Don’t believe
them. If your physical safety
is threatened in any form or
fashion, be sure to report this
to local authorities.
For more educational
information on this and
other scams, please visit the
Consumer section of the
Attorney General’s website
www.agjimhood.com. Anyone
who suspects they have been a
victim of a scam should call the
Consumer Protection Division
of the Attorney General’s
Office for further assistance
and guidance at 1-800-2814418.
you’ll be Thankful You Did
JACKSON, MISS. –
The cool, crisp weather has
arrived, and the trees are alive
with the vivid colors of fall.
This Thanksgiving holiday
weekend, motorists across the
state will hit the roads, eager to
spend time with loved ones. It’s
one of the busiest travel times
of the year, and unfortunately,
that means more crashes on
our roads. Whether you’re
traveling across town or across
the country, the Mississippi
Department of Transportation
(MDOT) reminds all drivers
that it’s always essential to
wear your seat belt.
This Thanksgiving nearly 42
million Americans will travel
on the road, and buckling up is
your best defense against injury
or death in the event of a crash.
In 2014 the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) reported the national
average for seat belt usage
rate was 87 percent. Thanks
to enforcement laws in each
state, seat belt usage rates
have been on the rise since
1995. However, Mississippi
consistently falls below the
national average for seat belt
usage. In 2014, Mississippi
averaged a 78.3 percent usage.
During the Thanksgiving
holiday weekend in 2013 (6
p.m. on Wednesday, November
27, to 5:59 a.m. on Monday,
December 2), there were 301
people killed in traffic crashes
across the nation. Tragically,
58 percent of those killed were
not buckled up. It’s proven
that when you wear your seat
belt as a front-seat occupant
of a passenger car, your risk
of fatal injury goes down by
45 percent.
NHTSA estimates that seat
belts saved the lives of 12,584
passenger vehicle occupants
age 5 and older in 2013. But if
everyone had worn their seat
belts on every trip that year,
an additional 2,800 lives could
have been saved. Make this
Thanksgiving different from
years past.
No matter your Thanksgiving
destination, safety is the theme
of this holiday season. MDOT
offers these tips for safe driving
this Thanksgiving:

Before putting the car
in drive, make sure that you and
all your passengers are securely
buckled.

Be particularly sure to
buckle up when you’re traveling at night; statistically, nighttime is deadlier than daytime in
terms of seat belt use.

Eliminate all distractions while you drive. That
call or text can wait; put your
safety first.

Don’t speed. Slow
down and be mindful of construction work zones and animals darting across the roadways.

Be aware of other
drivers; don’t assume that everyone else is driving as safely
as you.
Surviving your Thanksgiving
drive this year—and making it
to next Thanksgiving—can be
as simple as buckling up. In the
last decade, seat belts saved the
lives of more 100,000 people in
the United States. You can bet
those people are thankful they
wore their seat belts. The most
important thing this holiday
season is to enjoy time with
loved ones and to stay safe on
the roadways. Buckle Up and
#DriveSmartMS.
For more information and tips
on traveling safely during the
holidays, visit MDOTTraffic.
com, download the smartphone
app, and dial 511 for up-to-date
traffic information as you travel
Mississippi roadways.
THE BELZONI BANNER
PAGE TWO
THE BELZONI BANNER
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
115 E Jackson St. - Belzoni, MS 39038
Phone(662)247-3373 - Fax (662)247-3372
E-MAIL:[email protected]
JULIAN TONEY III - PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
(USPS050000)
PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID
AT BELZONI, MISSISSIPPI
POSTMASTER:
Send change of address to:
P.O. Box 610
Belzoni, MS 39038-0610
Regular advertising rates quoted on application.
ALL CLASSIFIED ADS WILL BE CHARGED AT 25c PER WORD
($5.00 MINIMUM) AND MUST BE PAID FOR UPON INSERTION.
SUBSCRIPTIONS - IN ADVANCE:
Zip codes: 39038, 39097, 39115, 39166 & 38754, $25.00 per year;
All others $30.00 per year. Add $5.00 for online access.
CLASSIFIEDS
2 bedroom apartment for rent down town
Belzoni. One year lease and security deposit
required. 662-826-7104.
44un
------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
CO-EXECUTORS’ NOTICE TO CREDITORS
OF JOYCE TATUM FARMER, DECEASED:
Letters Testamentary having been granted on
the 4th day of November, 2015, by the Chancery
Court of Humphreys County, Mississippi, to the
undersigned upon the Estate of Joyce Tatum
Farmer, deceased, notice is hereby given to
all persons having claims against said estate to
present the same to the Clerk of said Court for
probate and registration according to law within
ninety days from the date of the first publication
of this Notice, or they will be forever barred.
THIS the 4th day of November, 2015.
/S/ Lori Farmer Donahoo Bussey
LORI FARMER DONAHOO BUSSEY
/S/ Allen Gary Farmer
ALLEN GARY FARMER
CO-EXECUTORS
W. C. Trotter, III MB #8279
Garrard & Trotter, LLP
Attorneys at Law
P. O. Drawer 338
121 E. Jackson Street
Belzoni, MS 39038
Tel. No. 662/247-1362
Fax No. 662/247-3333
Email: [email protected]
146
45-48
---------------------------------------------
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
COUNTY OF HUMPHREYS
SUBSTITUTED TRUSTEE’S
NOTICE OF SALE
WHEREAS, on February 14, 2013, William
T. Turner, Jr., a/k/a Tommy Turner, executed a
certain Deed of Trust to Cousie Giglio, Trustee,
in favor of Guaranty Bank & Trust Company
as beneficiary; said deed of trust appearing of
record in Trust Deed Book 289, at Page 636,
of the deed of trust records as contained in
the office of the Chancery Clerk of Humphreys
County, Mississippi, which Deed of Trust is a
renewal and extension of Deed of Trust dated
January 4, 2008, recorded in Trust Deed Book
262, at Page 714; and
WHEREAS, W. C. Trotter, III was appointed
Substituted Trustee in the Deed of Trust aforementioned by instrument dated and recorded
May 18, 2015, in the office of the Chancery
Clerk aforementioned in Trust Deed Book 304,
at Page 555, thereof; and
WHEREAS, default having been made under
the terms and conditions of said deed of trust
and the entire debt secured thereby, having
been declared to be due and payable in accordance with the terms of said deed of trust, and
the legal holder of said debt, Guaranty Bank &
Trust Company, Belzoni, Mississippi, having
requested the undersigned Substituted Trustee
to execute the trust and sell said land and
property in accordance with the terms of said
deed of trust for the purpose of raising the sum
due thereunder, together with attorney’s fees,
trustee’s fees and expenses of sale.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, the undersigned, W.
C. TROTTER, III, Substituted Trustee in said
deed of trust, will on
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015
offer for sale at public outcry and sell within
legal hours (being between the hours of 11:00
AM. and 4:00 PM) at the North Front Door of
the Humphreys County Courthouse at Belzoni,
Mississippi, to the highest and best bidder for
cash, the following property lying and being
situated in Humphreys County, Mississippi, and
more particularly described as follows, to-wit:
Lot 1, Block 9, Bowles’ Third Addition to City
of Belzoni, Humphreys County, Mississippi, as
per map or plat thereof on file in the office of
the Chancery Clerk of said county and state,
together with all tenements and hereditaments
thereon situated or thereunto in any wise appertaining.
I will convey only such title as is vested in me
as Substituted Trustee.
WITNESS my signature, this the 16th day of
November, 2015.
/s/W. C. TROTTER, III
W. C. TROTTER, III, Substituted Trustee
121 East Jackson Street
P. O. Drawer 338
Belzoni, MS 39038
Tel. No. 662/247-1362
Fax No. 662/247-3333
424
45-46
---------------------------------------------
BELZONI NATIVE SERVED AS A PRESENTER AT JSU
METEOROLOGY PROGRAM 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Georgette Holmes is the
Branch Chief of Geospatial
Analysis with the Office of
Cyber and Infrastructure
Analysis (OCIA) within the
Department of Homeland
Security (DHS)/ National
Protection and Program
Directorate (NPPD). In this
role, Holmes is responsible
for overseeing NPPD/ OCIA
Enterprise Geographic
Information System (GIS),
which provides state-of-the-art
geospatial visualization and
analytic support to the NPPD
subcomponents and external
stakeholders.
Prior to joining NPPD/
OCIA, Holmes was the GIS
Supervisor for DRS/National
Operations Center (NOC). She
was responsible for overseeing
a team of Geospatial Analysts (
GA), providing subject matter
expertise in imagery and
data requirements, geospatial
production and geospatial data
visualization to DHS Leadership
including Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA),
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG),
Custom and Border Protection
(CBP), Health and Human
Services (HHS) and external
stakeholders Department
of Energy (DOE), National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), U.S.
Forest Service (UPS), and
other Federal, State, and Local
officials. Holmes’ geospatial
products and visualization
tools has been briefed to DHS
Secretary Jeh Johnson and the
White House.
In 2008, Holmes was a
physical scientist with the
National Ice Center (NIC),
a multi-agency operational
center operated by the United
States Navy, the NOAA,
and the United States Coast
Guard. She served as a lead
analyst and training officer
POSTED
28-27
All land owned and leased
by Holly Mound, Inc.
and the Gardner Estate
and farmed by McGlawn
Farms is posted against all
forms of trespassing. All
previous permissions are
hereby revoked.VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED.
44-43
INVERNESS INSURANCE AGENCY, INC.
would like to remind you that the
Annual Enrollment Period begins October 15 to
December 7 for ALL people with Medicare. This is
the time that you can change your Medicare health
plan and prescription drug coverage for 2015.
Contact Brenda Loper at (662)265-5511
to discuss your needs.
Inverness Insurance Agency, Inc. is an independent agent
who can serve all your needs.
We offer Property & Casualty, Auto, Health, Medicare Advantage, Prescription Drug Plans, Medicare Supplements, Life,
Accident, Agricultural and Commercial products.
POSTED
All land owned John
Benard Smith III and
Tortuga Farms, LLC
(formerly the Jewell B
Haga Estate) is posted
against all forms of trespassing. All violators
will be prosecuted. 48u
Keep in
touch with
the belzoni
banner on
facebook.
806 East Grand Ave. - Inverness, MS 38753
“charles f. davis
construction
& real estate
would like to wish
everyone a
happy & safe
thanksgiving”
responsible for training and
mentoring junior to senior
analysts on meteorological and
hydrographical data, analysis,
and tools through the use of
GIS.
In 2009, Holmes was
deployed for 2 ½ months
onboard the U.S. Coast Guard
Cutter (USCGC) Healy during
a joint Extended Continental
Shelf Survey expedition along
with the Canadian Coast Guard
Ship (CCGS) Louis S. StLaurent. She was responsible
for providing geospatial/
imagery support, and direct
observation to measure the
extent and characteristics of sea
ice and to provide navigational
guidance to the scientists and
Healy crew.
Georgette Holmes was born
and raised in Belzoni, Miss.
She earned a bachelors of
science in meteorology from
Jackson State University.
She also obtained a masters
of science in earth systems
science from George Mason
University. Currently, she is
completing a doctorate in earth
Systems and Geoinformation
Systems (ESGS) at George
Mason University.
39-46
108 South George Lee - Belzoni
247-3633 Days
247-1920 Nights & Weekends
CALL AND ASK ME
ABOUT MY MANY LISTINGS!
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
All land owned by LM&R,
LLC is posted against all
forms of trespassing. Hunting, fishing, motorcycle riding and all terrain vehicle
riding is prohibited. Violators
will be prosecuted.
51-50
POSTED
All land owned,
leased and rented by
Danny
Pearson
Farms is posted
against all forms of
trespassing. All previous permissions
are hereby revoked.
Violators will be
prosecuted.
48-47pd
POSTED
All land owned Hazel
Logan is posted against
all forms of trespassing, including dumping. All violators will
be prosecuted.
46-45
Carol Ivy
Real Estate
POSTED
All land owned by David
M. Halbrook and AMTA
Farms is posted against
all forms of trespassing.
All previous permissions
are hereby revoked. Violators will be prosecuted.
POSTED
NOVEMBER 25, 2015
Narconon reminds families that abuse of
addictive pharmaceutical drugs is on the
rise. Learn to recognize the signs of drug
abuse and get your loved ones help if they
are at risk.
Call Narconon for a free brochure on the
signs of addiction for all types of drugs.
Narconon also offers free screenings and
referrals. 800-431-1754 or
Prescription-abuse.org
ADDICTION COUNSELING
Narconon can help you take steps to
overcome addiction in your family. Call
today for free screenings or referrals. 800431-1754
THE BELZONI BANNER
NOVEMBER 25, 2015
NOVEMBER 2015 HEALTH ACHIEVER
MS. LORRAINE SCOTT
Submitted by Regina Boykins, Humphreys County
Extension Service
November’s
Health
Achiever, Lorraine Scott,
says that it was profound
determination that led her into
a recent weight loss success
of 58 pounds. Ms. Scott,
who suffers from asthma and
diabetes, states that it was
nine months ago that she felt
the empowerment to take
control of her health. After
an increasing frustration of
doctor’s visits and hating
needles, Ms. Scott knew
that she didn’t want to live
an unhealthy life anymore!
She also wanted to feel
better about herself.
For
the many unhealthy habits
she
acknowledged,
she
states that she realized that
she was hurting herself and
jeopardizing her future. With
that epiphany, Ms.
Scott
made her changes slow and
steady. She started to eat
smaller portions. She cut out
junk food, fried food, sweets,
sodas and fast foods.
In
doing so, she switched them
for healthier options such as
baked meats, more fruits and
vegetables, and lots of water.
She talks excitedly about how
her taste buds has changed!
For example, she once hated
squash but now finds it very
tasty. For exercise, she has
done a lot of walking in the
past. However, she is now
walking with a renewed
motivation and purpose!
What a difference it has all
made! Ms. Scott states that
she now feels “excellent!”
Although she still have a
several more pounds to go, she
is very confident that she will
lose them too! For now, she is
focusing on all that she gained
to keep her motivated. Her
energy level is up. She sleeps
better. Her knees hurt less! Her
asthma has improved, and both
her diabetes and high blood
pressure medications has been
lowered! Our congratulations
goes to Mrs. Lorraine Scott
for her strong determination
to live a healthier lifestyle!
The
Humphreys
County
Health Network encourages
all residents to become more
physically active and to
increase the number of fruits
and vegetables in their daily
diet.
The
Mississippi
State
University
Extension
Service provides educational
opportunities to the public on
an equal opportunity basis and
will make every reasonable
effort
to
accommodate
individuals with disabilities
that would interfere with
their ability to receive the
educational
information
being provided. If you have
a disability or impairment,
please advise 662-247-2915
before the program begins and
he/she will work with you to
participate in this training.
Discrimination based upon
race, color, region, sex, national
origin, age, disability, or
veteran status is a violation of
federal and state law and MSU
policy and will not be tolerated.
Discrimination based upon
sexual orientation or group
affiliation is violation of MSU
policy and will not be tolerated.
-------------------------------------MISSISSIPPI’S DUCK
HUNTING SEASONS
STARTING SOON
JACKSON – Mississippi’s
regular duck hunting season
opens November 27. Many
waterfowl hunters are anxiously awaiting the season
opener due to record breeding duck population estimates
last spring. However, hunters
should remember that winter
severity in the northern United
States and Canada, combined
with local habitat quality and
availability, also play major roles in how many ducks
make their way to and remain
in Mississippi.
The hunting seasons for
ducks, mergansers, and coots
during 2015 – 2016 will be
November 27 – 29, December 4 – 6, and December 9 –
January 31. The duck daily
bag limit is a total of 6 ducks,
which may include 4 mallards
(no more than 2 of which may
be females), 3 wood ducks, 3
scaup, 2 redheads, 2 pintail, 2
canvasback, 1 mottled duck,
and 1 black duck. The merganser daily bag limit is 5,
only 2 of which may be hooded mergansers. Coots have a
15-bird daily bag limit. The
possession limit is three times
the daily bag limit for ducks,
mergansers, and coots.
Mississippi offers numerous public waterfowl hunting
opportunities in a variety of
habitats. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries,
and Parks’ Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) have
both open access and limited
draw hunting areas with intensively managed habitat for
Mississippi waterfowl hunters
to access and enjoy.
Hunters ages 16 to 64 must
obtain a hunting license and be
Harvest Information Program
(HIP) registered for Mississippi. All hunters over the age
of sixteen are required to have
both a state and federal duck
stamp.
PAGE THREE
Long
Shots
by Richard Wiman
Long Shots is brought to you by your friends at BankPlus
COME, YE THANKFUL
PEOPLE, COME
Henry Alford gave the lyrics, and George J. Elvey put
the words to music, and each Thanksgiving season, Christians
all across the world sing the strains of this wonderful piece
of music in praise to Almighty God. As the Bible says in 1
Samuel 7:12, “Thus far the Lord has blessed us.” Isn’t it true?
Don’t we all, no matter what our circumstances, have much for
which to give thanks?
“Come, ye thankful people, come—raise the song of
harvest home: all is safely gathered in ere the winter storms
begin. God, our Maker, doth provide for our wants to be supplied: come to God’s own temple, come—raise the song of
harvest home. For an agricultural community, the scenes that
come to mind are those of the golden days of harvest, when
the temperatures begin to drop, the leaves turn into a kaleidoscope of colors, and the crops are finally gathered. November
is the perfect time of year for us to pause and give thanks for
all that God, our Maker, our Creator, has done for us.
Just as the hymn writer says, God graciously provides even our wants, often going far beyond our needs. This
is what we should expect from such a gracious, generous, loving God. Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to Him who
is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory
in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
God’s gracious, generous blessings ought to overwhelm us with gratitude. No matter what our circumstances,
pleasant or painful, God has shown us His favor in more ways
than we can count. Pause for a moment and consider all
the ways God has blessed you, and you will break forth with
thanksgiving.
In these days with so much pain and trouble, violence, hatred, and confusion, we need to hit the pause button
and check our attitude. Do we become angry and frustrated
when people carry out violent attacks on people sitting in a
café having a meal, listening to a concert in a concert hall, or
watching their favorite sport? Have we ever paused to consider how blessed we are that we weren’t there when those
attacks occurred? Have we ever paused to give thanks to God
for the lives that were spared, while praying for the families of
those who lost loved ones? Have we ever prayed for those so
filled with rage that they believe they are doing some great divine task with their violence? Have we ever thanked God that
we weren’t the one who killed those people in France, Mali or
Israel?
Come, ye thankful people, come. “All the world is
God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield: wheat and tares
together sown, unto joy or sorrow grown. First the blade and
then the ear, then the full corn shall appear: Lord of harvest,
grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.” This is our
Father’s world. We should thank Him for such a wonderful
gift. With all its flaws and our foibles, this is still a great world.
Without question, God’s world should give him praise, but we
know that doesn’t happen. Whether we prove to be wheat or
tare, we all too often fail to give thanks to God for His great
blessings in this life. Come, ye thankful people, come!
King David of Israel wrote, “Make a joyful shout to
the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come
before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is
God; it is He who made us, and not we ourselves; we are His
people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with
thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to
Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is
everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” (Psalm
100) Come, ye thankful people, come and give thanks with
a grateful heart to God who loves us, has blessed us beyond
all we could ask or think, and Has sent His only-begotten Son
into the world, that all who believe in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
Being thankful may be a long shot for some of you,
but…whatever you do, don’t be afraid to go with the long
shots. Live life to its fullest every moment and be ready!
POSTED
All land leased and
owned by Steve Grisham is posted against
all forms of trespassing. All previous permissions are revoked.
Violators will be prosecuted.
45-44
TRI-COUNTY FLOORS
111 E. Jackson St.
Belzoni, MS 39038
“Serving the Delta since
1976”
Ceramic - Carpet - Laminate Vinyl - Wood - Granite
Floors, Showers Countertops
FREE ESTIMATES
PROFESSIONAL INSTALATION
Family owned & operated
for 34 years
Phone 662-247-2510
Call day or Night
THE BELZONI BANNER
PAGE FOUR
Guest Columnist
Jim Davidson
Sponsored by your friends at
Guaranty Bank & Trust Co.
www.gbtonline.com
THE SACRED TRUST!
The American journalist John Gunther once said that “America is
the only country deliberately founded on a good idea.” Of course
that good idea is freedom.
Read and hear these words inscribed on the Statute of Liberty,
that stands at the entrance to the harbor of New York City: “Give
me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe
free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the
homeless, tempest tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden
door.” The early patriots fought and won our independence from
Great Britain, and there have been several million men and women
since then who have died to defend it.
There are many blessings that come to us just to be called an
American, but the greatest of all is freedom, because without
freedom we can no longer be who we are. There is a concept we
do not often hear in debates or public dialogue these days that is
very important to our way of life and that is something we call
“The Sacred Trust.” Do you know what this means and where is
comes from? To define it, please allow me to break it down a bit.
The definition of the word “sacred” is “set apart or dedicated to
religious use: hallowed.” Of course, we all know what the word
“trust” means.
To break it down into laymen’s language the “Sacred Trust’
comes from a heritage where a person’s word was his bond. You
could always know and believe that this person was telling the
truth and you could trust him to do what he said he was going
to do. To be sure, you can build a marriage, a home, a business,
and a nation when you have the vast majority of people who are
committed to live by this code of conduct. Now, this question
please: Can we trust most people today, especially those who
are elected to public office, to always tell the truth and do what
they say they are going to do? And the “sacred” part means
that when they don’t, they will be held accountable by God.
Our elected officials are very important because we elect them
to represent us, the very bulwark of a democracy. When we elect
a candidate to office, at a prescribed day and time, they are later
“sworn-in” which is to say they promise to execute the duties
of their office faithfully and responsibly. At this point I feel it
may be of interest to have the words that the U.S. Constitution
sets forth to have the President of the United States sworn into
office. These can be found in Article 2, Section 1, Clause 8: “I
do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the
office of president of the United States, and will, to the best of
my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the
United States.” Adding the phrase “So help me God” is optional.
What is most important to realize is that, in a democracy, we all
have a stake. When we elect someone to office, regardless of
where he or she happens to be in our country, if they don’t keep
their word and tell the truth, we will all pay a price for it.
Here are two words that I hope you will keep in mind as they
impact every single one of us. These words are “Independent” and
“Interdependent.” We are independent because we get to make our
own choices and decisions, but are also interdependent because
the actions of others definitely affect us.
It is not my nature to be critical or judgmental, but rather I always
want to be an encourager. If you hold an elected or appointed
office, I hope you will give some serious thought to what I have
been saying and do your best to never violate the Sacred Trust.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: THE DEAL OF THE CENTURY – Begin
your day on a positive note – 365 days for $12. This will benefit
the Bookcase for Every Child project. Go to www.apositivemomentwithjim.com to subscribe.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SIMPLE
THANKSGIVING
RESCUES
By: Leanne Ely
When it comes to one of
the biggest meals of the year,
do you have one dish that
you always seem to mess up?
The dressing’s too dry or the
gravy’s too lumpy? You know
what I’m talking about!
Today, I’m going to save you
from making some of the most
common Thanksgiving dinner
flubs this year and every year
to come!
Dry dressing. If your dressing isn’t as moist as you’d like
it to be, I have an easy fix. Melt
some butter with some chicken
broth and toss the mixture in
the dressing. Fluff the works
with a fork and serve. Bye bye
dry dressing!
Thin gravy. If your gravy
isn’t as thick as you’d like, you
just need to add more flour. I
always use a jar with a lid to
minimize the lumps. Put three
tablespoons of cold water in
a jar with one tablespoon of
flour. Secure the lid and shake
the jar violently. Have your pan
of boiling gravy ready on the
stove and whisk in the roux.
Whisk, whisk, whisk. As you
whisk, the gravy will thicken
for you.
Lumpy gravy. If your gravy
is always on the thick side,
your roux isn’t smooth enough.
If you have a lumpy mess
of gravy on your hands, all
you need to save the day is a
blender. Put the gravy in your
blender (only fill half way) and
mix the heck out of it. Return
the gravy to the pan, and now
you have lump-free gravy!
Runny cranberries. If you
have cranberry sauce that’s
a little on the juicy side, it’s
probably because you didn’t
cook them for long enough
(which helps to bring out the
pectin and thicken the fruit).
Rather than waste time trying
to thicken the sauce, just pull
out the strainer, drain off the
juice and put the sauce in a
serving dish.
Turkey not cooking. Every
time you open the oven door,
you’re losing about 25 degrees.
My suggestion is to not open
the oven at all, but if you do,
raise the temperature by 25
degrees for about an hour.
Using these tips, the only
mess you should have to deal
with this holiday are those
post-meal dishes. Happy
Thanksgiving!
-----------------------------------Do people read small ads in
The Belzoni Banner?
you just did.
Keep in touch
with
the belzoni
banner
on facebook.
WINSTEAD GRAVEL
Clay Gravel z Sand z Dirt
Washed Gravel z Lime z Limestone
POSTED
POSTED
All land owned,
leased and rented by
Rodgers Farms is
posted against all
forms of trespassing.
All previous permissions are hereby revoked. Violators will
be prosecuted.
Erick and
Billy Rodgers
11-10
(662) 472-2996
Cell (662)571-0255
Bridal
Registry
Ashley Evans & Robert Shurley
Margaret’s Garden,
Gifts & Florist
205 N. Hayden Street
Belzoni, Mississippi - 247-0707
THANK YOU
The Board of BelzoniHumphreys Development
Foundation would like to say
a huge thank you to the World
Catfish Festival and BelzoniHumphreys Development
Foundation for the Christmas
beautification project done in
Town.
Also, thank you to Marvin
Williams, Willie Jones and
Greg Johnson for all their hard
work making this project successful.
-----------------------------------
NOVEMBER 25, 2015
Humphreys County High School
Cowboys and Cowgirls
Varsity Basketball 2015-2016
DAY
DATE
OPPOSING TEAM
SITE
TIME
Leflore County
Gentry
Greenwood High
Simmons
*Yazoo County
Greenwood
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Home
6:00
6:00
6:00
6:00
5:00
6:00
HCHS Holiday Hoops
Tournament
Home
TBA
Away
Away
Home
Home
Away
Home
Away
Home
Home
Home
Away
Home
Home
Away
6:00
5:00
6:00
5:00
5:00
6:00
6:00
6:00
6:00
6:00
5;00
6:00
5:00
6:00
Home
5:00
Ruleville
TBA
Friday
Tuesday
Friday
Tuesday
Friday
Tuesday
Nov. 20
Nov. 24
Nov. 27
Dec. 1
Dec.11
Dec. 15
Monday &
Tuesday
Dec.
28-29
Tuesday
Friday
Saturday
Tuesday
Friday
Tuesday
Friday
Saturday
Tuesday
Friday
Saturday
Tuesday
Friday
Tuesday
Jan. 5
Jan. 8
Jan. 9
Jan. 12
Jan. 15
Jan. 19
Jan. 22
Jan. 23
Jan. 26
Jan. 29
Jan.30
Feb. 2
Feb. 5
Feb. 9
Friday
Feb. 12
Greenville Weston
*Eastside
Clarksdale
*Yazoo County
*Amanda Elzy
Gentry
*Velma Jackson
Simmons
Greenville Weston
*Ruleville
Holmes Central
*Velma Jackson
*Eastside
*Ruleville
*Amanda Elzy
Mon.-Fri.
Feb. 15-19
District Tournament
South Delta – Simmons – Leland
O’Bannon – Yazoo City – Leflore Co.
West Tallahatchie – HCHS
(Senior Night)
(*District Games in Bold)
Head Coach – Richard Horton, Athletic Director
Assistant Coach – Louis James
Principal – Kathleen Turner
Assistant Principal – Robert Moore
Superintendent – Elliot Wheeler
Assistant Superintendent – Barbara S. Williams
HUNTERS
IDENTIFY
YOUR TARGET!
Keep up with Belzoni and Humphreys
county with a subscription to THE
BELZONI
BANNER.
A gift subscription is a
gift that keeps on giving, week after week.
Call 662-247-3373
today for subscription
information.
606 West 1st Street
Belzoni, Mississippi
Store Hours:
Monday thru Saturday --- 7 a.m. -8 p.m.
Sundays --- 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Deli Phone No: 247-3794
Happy Thanksgiving!
All land and buildings owned
or leased (including the
racetrack) by Aycock Farms,
Inc., Aycock, LPand Brooks
Aycock III is posted against
all trespassing. Hunting,
fishing, motorcycle riding is
prohibited. All violators will
be prosecuted.
Brooks Aycock III
10-9
LIVING HIS TRUTH
By: Becky Lynn Guidry
[email protected]
“Thanksgiving Day”
Should not just be the fourth
T h u r s d a y i n N o v e m b e r.
Thanksgiving should be everyday.
Thanksgiving – Webster def.
– a prayer that expresses thanks
to God; the act of giving thanks;
a prayer expressing gratitude; a
celebration of diving goodness.
Don’t let this Thanksgiving
come and go, take your expresses, giving thanks, your
gratitude and let it be a celebration of the Lord’s divine
goodness everyday.
I personally thank Him everyday for giving me life, but
I choose life with Him, eternal
life. I John 5:11-13; John 3:16;
John 3:3.
So, this Thanksgiving make
sure you choose to submit to
Him everyday. Choose His
will...(Matt 6:9-13) Pray “Our
Father in heaven, hallowed
be your name. Your Kingdom
come, your will be done, on
earth as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread, and
forgive us our debs, as we also
have forgiven our debtors. And
lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil.
Smile, Jesus loves you!!!
------------------------------------
14-13
We, at SuperValu,
would like to take
this opportunity to
wish you and your
family a very
Happy
Thanksgiving.
NOVEMBER 25, 2015
THE BELZONI BANNER
PAGE FIVE
amazing memories: growing up in belzoni
Minnie Simpson, Dance Teacher Extraordinaire
by Melba Berger Williams
If I had to select one person in
Belzoni that touched more lives
than any other person, I would
select Minnie Simpson and
her Minnie Simpson School
of Dance. She was an icon
and could take the clumsiest
little girl and use her amazing
talent to turn the child into a
graceful swan. If someone
needed entertainment for a
function, Minnie was there
to help by working with her
many students to perform. I
was age 10 when we moved
to Belzoni and how wonderful
to learn Belzoni was home to
the best dancing instructor
around. I remember so fondly
how she danced in front of us-where only her back we could
see. We would be practicing &
if one of us got out of step she
knew immediately who that one
was, and would go dance by
the one who needed help. I felt
her confidence, loved her smile
and marveled at her talent, as
she showed me that she really
cared.
I continued appreciating her
talent much more when she
taught my four daughters &
witnessed the gift of confidence,
grace, and showmanship that
she instilled in them. She had
L to R. Sandra Carson, Jariel LaFleur, Scarlett Thompson, Gay
Ann Mechatto, Mary Joy Solomon,Sue Pittman, dancing to a jazz
double time tap.
Bonnie--Shelia--John--Junie-- Tanya--Tommy Simpson
adored her and love her still. had such fond memories of
several students that went on family, as she also was so very She seized opportunities for dancing for the German POWs
to teach dancing in their own close to her siblings, Theresa, her students to perform and at the Crescent Theater. There
studios; no doubt that they Snow, Frankie and Tootsie. give us confidence in ourselves were POW Camps across the
passed on to their students The Mechatto family remains that we ‘would’ do well. I owe road from Mechatto’s Hut.
the many talents of Minnie close today. Her children were so much to her concerning my Minnie would offer the POWs
Simpson.
educated at the best schools and ability to face large crowds a wonderful show of her great
Her pretty daughter who looks all are professionals. Minnie without panicking. When we students which no doubt was
so much like her mother, Tanya, was named Most Outstanding were practicing for recital she something they looked forward
shared some information about Citizen by a local civic club would stand in the back of the to. Minnie was so meticulous
auditorium and shout ‘I CAN’T she even ordered swatches of
where she got her education one year.
in the Art of Dancing. Tanya
I asked one of her Star HEAR YOU!’, encouraging us material from NYC for each of
commented “Mother graduated Students to make a comment- to sing louder, to tap stronger, the many dance costumes to
high school and went on to New --Louanne Pepper Cossar to perform better. She was select from. Then made her
York City to study with Carmen “What can I say about her great in developing talent in choices & ordered enough
and lived at the Rehearsal Club that would do her justice? her students. Many years ago, material for each child. Lady
where she shared a room with She said “To me she was I wrote her a letter thanking her Dell marveled at how much
her friends, Phyllis Thaxter Super Woman in a small town. for all that she did for me and her swath of material book
and Alexis Smith. When she Her drive and imagination meant to me. I am so glad that would be worth today. She only
returned home, she met and were limitless. She got her I did that. She poured out her showcased the very best, such
married Daddy, P.B. Simpson inspirations from Broadway talent right before us and helped as the costumes on Broadway.
and born to them were Shelia, Shows and Movies. If they could us be the best that we could be. Lady Dell, Gay Ann & Cissy
Junie, Tanya, Bonnie, John do it, so could SHE. The most Belzoni was so blessed to have were her nieces but Lady Dell
considered Minnie second
and Tommy”. She began incredible thing about Minnie her living there.”
Sandra Carson Hughes, mother.
teaching dancing [Tap-Ballet- to me was her capacity to love
Her fine husband everyone
Acrobatics and Toe.] I had no and motivate her students. I along with Lady Dell Martin,
called “Simp”idea she also
-always was
taught in other
there for
nearby cities
Minnie to make
like Inverness,
her props like
Indianola,
a revolving
Holly Bluff,
turntable where
Yazoo City, &
on one side was
Greenwood.
November [her
Home base
recital named
however was
Calendar Girl] &
in Belzoni.
as they danced
Later on she
--the girls on
had a Merle
other side were
Norman shop
December and
with sister in
the turntable
law, Tootsie
was being
Mechatto
decorated so
Rainey. She
they could just
never let her
turn it around
job that she
for December
loved so much
girls to perform.
interfere with
Lady Dell Mechatto Martin & Minnie outside --Minnie teaching her to dance..
Simp was I’m
Minnie in New York , where she
went to The School of Dance
her first recital
sure her right arm to put on
the recital good enough to
have Minnie Simpson’s School
of Dance on program. She
taught at the Legion Hut &
in Dr. Barkley’s old office
over Peden’s Drug Store.
Minnie passed away in 2011
where she was living near her
daughter Tanya in Pine Bluff,
Arkansas. She had retired in
1984 and there was a lovely
retirement function for her. I
feel so lucky to have lived in
the era that she taught and
Louanne Pepper Cossar
then my four daughters were
also students. She taught many
two generations & several
three generations. Louanne
sang “Somewhere Over The
Rainbow” at her funeral.. She
was loved by everyone. Thank
You Minnie for the wonderful
talent you shared with the
Belzoni children. You left
lifelong impressions on every
student.
See Ya Next Week!
PAGE SIX
THE BELZONI BANNER
Send us your news and announcements via email to [email protected]
or log on to our website at www.thebelzonibanner.com and click contact us.
THE BELZONI BANNER
NOVEMBER 25, 2015
NOVEMBER 25, 2015
CLASSIC DISHES
ENSURE A DELICIOUS, HASSLE-FREE
THANKSGIVING FEAST
By Kara Kimbrough
Who doesn’t love a holiday
that revolves around eating?
Unless you are the designated
cook. Then you’re hopelessly
bound to the kitchen while
your guests lounge in the front
of the TV watching parades
and football games. It really
doesn’t have to be this way,
so this Thanksgiving, create a
menu that lets you be thankful
for more than just turkey sandwiches on Black Friday.
Cookbook authors and coowners of Brandon’s Quail
Ridge Press Barbara Moseley
and Gwen McKee offer advice
on menu planning and preparation of classic Thanksgiving
Day dishes. They’re delicious
enough to impress guests but
simple enough to allow you to
enjoy the holiday with family
and friends.
The veteran cooks share some
of the easy-to-make dishes they
cook for their own families.
Their number one secret? They
stick to the classics, preparing
dishes that can be made long
before everyone sits down to
dinner. Follow their recipes
- and their advice - and you
can, too.
1.
Stick to the basics.
In Mississippi, we’re raised
from birth to follow triedand-true Thanksgiving menus
and recipes that have been
handed down for generations.
They agree that a traditional
Mississippi Thanksgiving table
is not only comforting, but
actually easier to create than
venturing off into unknown
territory.
“This is one holiday that is
traditional and you don’t mess
it up with new recipes, said
Moseley. “When you think of
Thanksgiving you want to recall how Mama made it.”
McKee agreed, adding “family has their must-haves...
Mama’s dressing, Aunt Judy’s
sweet potato pie and many
more that simply must be repeated as part of the family
tradition.”
They both agree Southern
favorites like baked turkey,
turkey gravy, and pecan and
sweet potato pies are classic
dishes Mississippians expect to
see on their Thanksgiving table.
Support Your Local
Merchants
Shop Belzoni First
THE BELZONI BANNER
Fledging cooks hosting their
first Thanksgiving as a new
bride or empty nesters can still
host a festive Thanksgiving
dinner by scaling back on the
number of dishes or preparing
easier variations of more timeintensive classics.
“Chicken and Dressing
Casserole is a wonderful alternative to turkey and dressing
that still has all the traditional
flavors all rolled into one dish,”
said Moseley. “And, my husband has to have Classic Baked
Macaroni and Cheese, a recipe
this is easy, yet delicious.”
McKee’s advice to cooks approaching the biggest meal of
the year is to reduce the number
of dishes while maintaining
touches from the past. In short,
“Keep it simple,” she advises.
“Choose green bean casserole, a classic Thanksgiving
dish that can be made ahead
of time and frozen,” she said.
“Preparing this and other side
dishes like Holiday Cranberry
Salad ahead of time will allow
cooks ample time to focus on
the main course and desserts
closer to Thanksgiving.”
This time of year, everyone
has one burning question: how
do you cook a delicious, juicy
turkey, not serve a crispy, dry
bird. Ask these veteran cooks
their thoughts on the subject
and they’re quick to offer reassurance.
“Simply bake the turkey the
night before for an hour at 500
degrees, turn the oven off, leave
the turkey in, and go to bed,”
Moseley said. “The next morning, it is falling off the bone and
delicious. Not quite as pretty,
but foolproof, moist and tasty.”
When it’s time for dessert,
Moseley makes sure to have
pecan pie and Sweet Potato
Praline Casserole on her sideboard. McKee’s family enjoys
pumpkin and sweet potato and
two pecan pies to insure plenty
of leftovers the following day.
Speaking of leftovers, you’ll
never refer to them that way
again after tasting McKee and
Moseley’s creative recycling
methods. Chicken, Turkey and
Biscuits are a family favorite,
along with Thanks for Turkey
Salad.
Thanks for Turkey Salad
This is a great way to use
leftover turkey and cranberry
sauce at Thanksgiving.
1⁄4 cup jellied whole cranberry sauce
1⁄2 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch
pieces
6 ounces cooked turkey
breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
3⁄4 teaspoon ground black
pepper
2 tablespoons French fried
onions
Place cranberry sauce, celery,
turkey, mayonnaise, salt and
pepper into a blender or food
processor with blade in position, and pulse 7 times.
Carefully remove the blade.
Add the French fried onions
and mix with a spatula until
well mixed.
From: Bob Warden’s Favorite
Ninja Recipes
(BELOW ARE SOME
ADDITIONAL RECIPES
FROM QUAIL RIDGE
PRESS COOKBOOKS TO
POST ON YOUR WEBSITE
IF YOU’D LIKE)
Mama’s Cornbread
Dressing
1 pan Skillet Cornbread (see
below)
1 (14-ounce) bag herb stuffing
1⁄2 cup butter, plus more for
greasing the pan
1 large onion, diced
11⁄2 cups diced celery
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried sage, or to
taste
4 cups chicken or turkey broth
Crumble cornbread into pieces the same size as the herb
stuffing. Add to a large bowl;
set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet
over medium-high heat; add
onion and celery, and sauté 4–5
minutes. Add vegetables to
cornbread mixture, along with
salt, pepper, sage, and broth;
gently toss until just combined.
(Don’t overmix the dressing,
or you’ll end up with a dense
loaf.) Taste for seasoning at
this point, and add more, if
needed. Spoon dressing into
a buttered 9x13-inch casserole
dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350°
for 30–40 minutes.
From: South Your Mouth
Skillet Cornbread
2–3 tablespoons bacon grease
1 cup cornmeal (not selfrising)
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1⁄2 cup milk
1 egg, well beaten
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
Preheat oven to 450°. Add
enough bacon grease to coat
the bottom and side of 8- to 10inch cast-iron skillet; place in
hot oven while you make your
batter. Combine cornmeal,
flour, baking powder, salt, and
baking soda in a medium bowl;
stir to combine. In another
bowl, combine buttermilk,
milk, egg, vegetable oil, and
sugar, and mix well. Stir in
dry ingredients, and mix until
just combined. Batter will
be thin. Remove skillet from
oven, and immediately pour
batter into pan. Bake at 450°
PAGE SEVEN
until browned around the edges
(10–14 minutes). Remove
from oven, and serve while hot.
Note: Substitute vegetable oil
for bacon grease, if necessary.
From: South Your Mouth
Sweet Potato Praline
Casserole
4 pounds sweet potatoes
3⁄4–1 cup sugar (to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 heaping cup chopped pecans
1⁄2 cup butter, melted
Pinch of salt
Arrange sweet potatoes on
a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, then pierce each
with a fork a few times to vent.
Bake at 400° until tender, about
an hour. Check tenderness by
inserting a knife into the thickest potato—knife should slide
in easily with no resistance.
Do not boil the potatoes or use
canned ones. I mean it!
Allow sweet potatoes to cool
to room temperature, then
remove the skins. Add sweet
potatoes, sugar, vanilla, salt,
eggs, and butter to a medium
bowl. Mix on medium speed
with an electric mixer for 2
minutes, or until fluffy. Spoon
sweet potato mixture evenly
into a 9x9-inch casserole dish.
Combine flour, brown sugar,
pecans, butter, and salt in a
small bowl, and mix until crumbly . Mixture will be crumbly.
Sprinkle topping evenly over
sweet potato mixture. Bake at
350° for 30–35 minutes.
From: South Your Mouth
Southern-Style Baked
Macaroni and Cheese
8 ounces uncooked extralarge elbow macaroni (or ziti)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sour cream
1⁄3 cup whole or evaporated
milk
1⁄4 cup butter, at room temperature
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded
Cheddar cheese, divided
1⁄4 teaspoon garlic salt
Cook pasta al dente in liberally salted water per package
instructions. Drain pasta, and
set aside. Whisk egg, sour
cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a large
bowl until well combined. Add
pasta and 2 cups cheese, then
toss to coat. Add mixture to a
lightly buttered 11⁄2-quart baking dish. Top with remaining
1 cup cheese. Sprinkle with
garlic salt. Bake uncovered at
350° until browned and bubbly
(35–40 minutes).
From: South Your Mouth
Holiday Cranberry Salad
1 (3-ounce) box raspberry
gelatin
1 cup boiling water
3⁄4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, with juice
3–4 cups frozen cranberries
1⁄2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1⁄2 cup finely diced celery
Dissolve gelatin in boiling
water in a medium bowl; add
sugar and lemon juice, and stir
until sugar is dissolved. Add
pineapple with juice. Chop frozen cranberries until uniform in
size with the chopped walnuts
and celery (cranberries must
be frozen to chop properly).
Process or chop enough cranberries to measure 2 cups. Add
chopped cranberries, walnuts,
and celery to mixture, and stir
to combine. Pour into a gelatin mold or glass serving dish.
Cover, and refrigerate several
hours, or until set.
From: South Your Mouth
Garlic-Cheese Biscuits
BISCUITS:
2 (7-ounce) packages buttermilk biscuit mix
2⁄3 cup buttermilk
1⁄2 cup shredded sharp
Cheddar cheese
Mix ingredients, and drop
dough by teaspoonfuls onto
greased cookie sheet. Bake at
450° for 8–10 minutes. Yields
about 20.
TOPPING:
1⁄2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
Mix ingredients. As soon
as Biscuits come out of oven,
brush with Topping.
From: A Taste of Heaven, Hall
of Fame of Southern Recipes
Buttercup Biscuits
This recipe won first prize in
our “Easter Brunch Contest.”
2 sticks butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) container sour
cream
2 cups presifted self-rising
flour
Blend butter and sour cream
until creamy. Add flour; mix.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls
into buttercup-size mini muffin pans. Bake 30–35 minutes
at 350°, or until golden brown.
Yields 4 dozen.
From: Kum’ Ona’ Granny’s
Table, Hall of Fame of Southern
Recipes
Make and Wait Coconut
Cake
The waiting is the secret to
good taste; don’t cheat and eat
too soon!
1 (181⁄4-ounce) package butter-flavored cake mix
2 cups sugar
1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
1 (12-ounce) package flaked
coconut (if frozen, thawed)
1 (12-ounce) carton Cool
Whip, thawed
Prepare cake according to directions, making 2 layers. Cool
completely. Slice both layers
horizontally making 4 thin
layers. For frosting, combine
sugar, sour cream, and coconut.
Blend well, and chill. When
chilled, reserve 1 cup frosting.
Spread remaining frosting on
top and side of each layer as
you stack. Now add reserved
1 cup frosting to Cool Whip.
Blend until smooth, and ice
cake all over. Place in airtight
container, and refrigerate 2 or
3 days. Serves 8–12.
From: Gran’s Gems, Hall of
Fame of Southern Recipes
Sweet Potato Pie
2 cups cooked sweet potatoes,
mashed (about 2 medium)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1⁄4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
3⁄4 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 unbaked pie shell
Mix all ingredients well, and
pour into pie shell. Bake at
350° for 60 minutes or until
tests done.
Editor’s Extra: We like to
serve with a few squirts of
whipped cream right out of
the can . . . makes it even more
delicious.
From: Gritslickers, Hall of
Fame of Southern Recipes
The Best Pecan Pie
1 stick butter
1 cup light Karo
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash of salt
1 cup pecans
1 (8- or 9-inch) unbaked pie
shell
Brown butter in saucepan
until it is golden brown; do
not burn; let cool. In separate
bowl, add ingredients in order
listed; stir. Blend in browned
butter well. Pour into unbaked
pie shell and bake at 425° for
10 minutes, then lower to 325°
for 40 minutes.
From: The Cotton Country
Collection, Best of the Best
from Deep South Cookbook
-----------------------------------
THE BELZONI BANNER
PAGE EIGHT
FAITH!
In the beginning when first
we began to call the Biloxi
Mississippi area home we
were actually living in the rural
areas, near Woolmarket, but
still had a rural address with
Biloxi our point of reference.
In my earlier years I had built
a small two bedroom house as a
hedge against being used by the
military to be a barracks chief
on Keesler Air Force Base.
At the same time a friend and
fellow airman, Woody, built a
three bedroom house next to
mine and about the same time
he moved in so did I. In short
order Woody’s three little girls
decided they were in charge of
me and it wasn’t long before
they were almost constant
visitors at my house and totally
took control of my television
set. Having never having had
small children around I must
admit I really enjoyed them and
let them more or less rule the
roost, so to speak. I must admit,
at first I was a bit concerned
about having the girls about but
really they were no trouble and
a lot of fun so I did enjoy them
and their presence in my life. In
addition to our two houses we
had a rather large shop building
behind my house that we used
for many things, first as a place
for me to stay so I didn’t have
to appear on base, and then
later as a shop where we did
things like repairing television
sets and marine radios. It soon
became such a viable business
that we sold our interest and
another sergeant moved the
operation to east Biloxi and
soon was well known in the
marine radio business. It was
shortly thereafter that the girls
made some major changes in
my life.
It was early on a Sunday
morning when I was fast asleep
after being involved the night
before in some activity in
town. The back door opened
and after a few moments three
little girls were lined up beside
my bed. “Get up!” one of them
commanded, “You are taking us
to church. Dad is on TDY and
Mom can’t drive so, get up, you
are taking us to church!” Then
they went to my closet, picked
out my clothes and laid them
out and said, “Hurry up! We
have to be there in 20 minutes!”
So, obediently, I got up, quick
shaved, got dressed and headed
for Woody’s house. Then I went
back, got my car, and loaded
up Woody’s family and took
them to church. There was a
bit of a stir when I appeared
with the three girls because
before then their father and
mother was with them and
this time their mother and I
had them in tow. I explained
to someone that they were
my next door neighbors and
they commanded that I drive
them to church. That seemed
to satisfy everyone and before
I got away that day the church
members latched onto me and
introduced me to Bill Husley,
also a retiree, him a Sea Bee, a
carpenter and bricklayer and the
husband of an old friend, Kitty.
Between them and others I was
recruited to help rebuild their
small church which had been
damaged by hurricane winds.
In return Bill would help me do
some repairs on my house. In
addition to repairing things in
the neighborhood I also made
a lifelong commitment to my
faith then and there, and to the
Methodist church.
Now don’t get me wrong,
I have never been opposed
to the church nor to my own
faith, but when I retired from
the military and returned to
Mississippi it was that church
and those people that drew me
back there instead of some
other place. For years I had
been a wanderer of sorts, being
attached to a mobile training
team and travelling all over
teaching maintenance tricks
and tips to radar maintenance
techs all over the world. As the
years passed and I increased
in rank the Air Force decided
I would be more valuable to
them if I managed installation
and maintenance contracts to
see that we were getting what
we were paying for and so they
sent me to Rome New York. It
was there I found my soulmate,
Norma, and that was the first
major change in my life. Then
I found corruption in some
contracts and called it to the
attention of my boss who in
turn cleared out the corruption
and won me a promotion. It
also won me an unexpected
reassignment, this time to a
remote radar site in the middle
of Alaska. I was there a year,
then I ended up in Kentucky,
at another remote site but with
my wife and a year later I
retired, having completed 20
plus years of active duty. I also
had a perfectly formed and very
beautiful baby girl just short of
6 weeks old when we began our
journey south, to Mississippi
and to a new life. And, of
course to that church and those
people I called my friends in
rural Harrison County with a
Biloxi address.
There were several
benefits that came with the
reestablishment of our faith
journey in Mississippi. For one
thing I knew a number of the
people there already and they
were delighted we had decided
to settle close to the church
and the church family. For one
thing one little girl, my buddy
from earlier days, became my
daughter’s friend and she more
or less commandeered her and
really taught her to walk. Then,
later I had her in one of my
classes when I taught in the
schools there, and even today
she is a Facebook friend, one of
my favorite people on line and
off. As soon as I could I started
getting the education I needed
and that involved taking classes
at a local community college.
That involved several each
weekday and that left many
hours during the week and
weekends with little to do. That
so, I started helping around the
church, helping to rebuild after
Hurricane Camille and then
teaching, mostly adult Sunday
school classes, all related to
strengthening my faith and my
relationship with my church.
In the five years I was there I
became a Lay Leader and even
got to fill in for the preacher
during his infrequent absences.
Then it all came to an end
when I was recruited by my
University to come and fill in
for a professor who’d had a
heart attack and couldn’t teach
his classes. Then, after that my
job at the school in Biloxi was
no more so I ended up moving
to Vicksburg, to teach there,
and as such I moved and never
returned to my church home
there near Biloxi. To me, and
to my family those years were
the best ever and we lived a life
of peace and love and most of
it was because we found our
church home and our faith in
that church out away from but
a part of the Mississippi Gulf
Coast.
There is little more to say
except now, at the age of 87
(if it’s after October 12 th) I
am firmly into my faith, my
religion has been the comfort
of my latter days, and I agree,
those little girls, on that day
so very long ago, are totally
responsible for my being in
love with God and my fellow
humans. As my Uncle Bud used
to say, “Ain’t love grand?”
-------------------------------------
It’s finally Sunday!
Can anyone save Sarah?
Sarah Hyden-Smith was
usually a cheerful, confident
woman.
Lennox
Valley
Methodist Church was her
third appointment, having
served as an associate pastor
at two larger churches since
graduating from a fine
seminary in Central Ohio five
years earlier.
Sarah, however, was no
longer in Central Ohio, and
today was a day of two firsts:
It was the first time she stood
in front of the congregation
as “the” pastor and the first
time she faced a congregation
following a column in the
local paper suggesting that she
and the Valley’s other young
single pastor, Jacob Gehrig
at Lennox Valley Lutheran
Church, might create sparks
not seen since the previous
Fourth of July celebration.
The good Methodist folks
of the Valley had burned the
phone lines for weeks, sharing
their thoughts concerning
a supposedly single female
with a hyphenated name. Was
she divorced? A widow? Does
she have a husband in some
far off place, waiting to join
her in their lovely village?
When she met with the
parish committee a few weeks
earlier, she never mentioned
her marital status. And since
Marvin Walsh had used up his
question when he asked about
Sarah’s stance on the Federal
Reserve System, there was no
one left in the room with the
courage to approach Sarah
concerning the subject.
Wearing nothing on her ring
finger, and since Sarah hadn’t
brought up the subject of a
spouse, everyone assumed
she was single, or divorced,
or a widow. And now that
Maxine Miller had pretty
much announced to the entire
community in her column,
“Rumor Has It,” that sparks
might fly between the two
young pastors in town, it
was assumed by everyone
that Sarah Hyden-Smith
was a single woman with a
hyphenated name.
It was appropriate that
the opening hymn, “O,
For a Thousand Tongues,”
was perhaps the all-time
Methodist favorite. They love
that song the way Lutherans
love “A Mighty Fortress is
Our God.” Sure, it may not
carry the emotional baggage
of the Baptist favorite,
“Just As I Am,” but there
was no doubt you were in
a Methodist church when
the Charles Wesley favorite
started ringing from the pipe
organ.
As
Sarah
faced
the
congregation, her right hand
shook just a little as she
placed it on the pulpit. Her
opening prayer seemed to
go smoothly, and she could
SMITH HEATING,
COOLING & ELECTRIC
Have your heating unit
serviced now!
Call
RANDY SMITH, Owner
(662)836-8446
(662)247-1318
feel the congregation’s eerie
quietness as they seemingly
waited for angels to appear or
lightning to strike as the first
female pastor in the history of
Lennox Valley took the stage.
Due to the fact that it was
the first Sunday with a new
minister, coupled with that
minister being a woman, the
sanctuary of the old Methodist
church was as full as it had
been since a brief charismatic
period following the release
of “The Cross and the
Switchblade” back in 1970.
Smiles filled the congregation
as 22 children came forward
for the children’s sermon,
which took place following
the prayer. Sarah had been
told that there were normally
eight or ten children in
attendance, so she was a little
surprised when she saw the
throng approaching.
Sarah’s plan was to have
them each take a place
along a rope, holding on as
their pastor led them on a
walk around the sanctuary.
The idea behind the “rope
walk” was that if anyone
were to fall, someone would
be right behind them to
pick them up. Everything
seemed to be going well as
the new female pastor led
the three to eight-year-olds
around the sanctuary, with
smiling adults watching and
listening as their children and
grandchildren starred in the
show. Sarah was surprised,
however, as she led the
parade back to the altar area,
when she saw young Brad
and Elizabeth Albright sitting
on the steps, just in front of
the pulpit.
Sarah turned to Brad,
the older of the two, and
innocently asked, “Why
didn’t you join us on our walk
around the sanctuary?”
Brad’s response brought
down
the
house
and
guaranteed that Sarah HydenSmith’s first day as pastor
was a success: “Because our
daddy told us if we got up
and walked around during
children’s sermon one more
time, he was going to beat
our butts.”
No
one
remembered
very much about Sarah’s
first sermon, but her first
children’s sermon was a huge
success.
Oh, for the record, no one
mentioned seeing angels or
lightning at Lennox Valley
Methodist Church on that
Sunday in late June of 1998.
NOVEMBER 25, 2015
By Gary R. Bachman
MSU Horticulturist - Coastal Research & Extension Center
Unusual plant combinations
make great holiday decor
This week, I’ve been taking what I’d like to think is a well-earned
vacation. But even though I’m technically “off the clock,” I’m
still finding interesting ideas to try in our Mississippi gardens
and landscapes.
Since we’re heading into the much cooler winter months, I’ve
come across several clever uses of unusual planting combinations
we can enjoy indoors.
A couple of weeks ago, I shared ideas for buying and caring for
your Christmas poinsettia to brighten your holiday decorations.
One use of poinsettias that I absolutely love is having five or seven
massed together on a counter or table. But where I’m relaxing in
parts unknown, they are using poinsettias as massed landscape
plantings. It’s very beautiful and very holiday, but too bad we
can’t do this in Mississippi.
Now, here is an idea we can do. How about using poinsettias in
combination containers? For several years, Southern Gardening
has promoted combining the Mississippi Medallion winner
Diamond Frost and poinsettias in the same container. The white
of Diamond Frost provides the perfect contrast to your favorite
poinsettia color. Both plants are in the euphorbia family and have
similar growing characteristics and care needs.
Here is a combo that is new to me and has me asking, “Why
didn’t I think of this one?” Combining poinsettias with two very
common indoor plants creates a completely new combination to
show off to your friends and family.
Anyone can cook up this combination using a 10-inch container
and the thriller, spiller and filler recipe. Obviously, we want to
show off the poinsettia as the thriller plant. I would select a 6- to
8-inch poinsettia in your choice of color and put it in the middle
of the container.
For the spiller, use a variegated spider plant. It has a naturally
arching form that will hang out over the container edge and produce stalks with baby plantlets that will continue to spill over the
edge. Then, randomly place small asparagus ferns to fill in the
open spaces. In 10 minutes, you’ll have a gorgeous combination
planter that should last all winter.
Other ideas I’ve seen use caladiums as potted, indoor holiday
plants. They make good choices since caladiums range in color
from solid reds, greens and whites to very extravagant combinations that include spots, blotches and stripes. I think they would
fit right in with your favorite Christmas sweater.
In the spring, you can plant these in the garden to enjoy and
remind you of a special Christmas past. I know it’s too late to try
caladiums this year, but it’s never too late to start planning for
2016, right?
Banner
Printing Co.
can now make color
copies!
We can also print color
business cards, letterhead, flyers, etc.
inhouse.
Come in today for all
your printing needs,
now
including color.
Banner Printing Co.,
Inc.
115 E Jackson St.
247-3373
[email protected]
Open Monday - Friday - 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Walk-ins welcome • Comprehensive eye exams
• Glasses & Contact lens fitting
• Diagnosis and treatment of eye disease
• Same day or next day glasses on most prescriptions
• We are providers for most major medical, vision
insurances and care credit.
206 Church St.
Belzoni - 662-247-0518
104 Hwy. 49 South
Indianola - 662-887-3120