This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• Congressmen Guest (R), Ezell (R), and Thompson (D) sit on the House Homeland Security Committee. An oversight hearing with DHS, FBI and Secret Service is planned for next week.

Three of Mississippi’s four Congressmen will hear from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray, and Secret Service (USSS) Director Kimberly Cheatle when the House Committee on Homeland Security convenes for a hearing next Tuesday, July 23.

The Committee’s chairman, Mark Green (R-TN), called the oversight hearing to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

The requested information and documents for the hearing are due on Friday, July 19, and the briefing request must be satisfied by Monday, July 22. Members want to see:

• The security plan to secure the perimeter of the event site;
• Communications between or among personnel at the Department of Homeland Security and the Executive Office of the President related to any potential increase or addition of protective resources to President Trump’s security detail;
• Briefing materials used by Secretary Mayorkas and Secret Service Director Cheatle to brief President Joe Biden about the attempted assassination of President Trump.

Trump, the Republican nominee for President, was hosting a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from the rooftop of a nearby building, killing one attendee and critically injuring two others. A bullet pierced Trump’s right ear before the former President ducked and was soon covered by Secret Service agents. Agents returned fire, killing Crooks in the process.

President Joe Biden (D), Trump’s General Election rival, addressed the nation hours later, saying he had directed a thorough investigation into the security of the former President. Since then, Mayorkas and Cheatle have limited their comments on the shooting. Questions have swirled on social media in the days following the assassination attempt, raising concerns over the security planning and response at the rally. Much of the speculation has been fueled by video footage and firsthand reports shared by attendees. Federal investigators continue to assess Crook’s motives and associations.

In a statement announcing the hearing, Committee Chairman Green said the American people want answers on what happened in Pennsylvania.

“Secretary Mayorkas and Director Cheatle are responsible for the department and the agency charged with securing our homeland and protecting our nation’s chief executives and candidates, while Director Wray leads the agency with the vital responsibility of investigating this attempted assassination,” Chairman Green said. “It is imperative that we partner to understand what went wrong, and how Congress can work with the departments and agencies to ensure this never happens again.”

Chairman Green went on to say that successful oversight requires Congress to work together with the federal officials as they testify publicly before the House Committee on Homeland Security.

“The American people, and the individuals and families who receive protective services, deserve nothing less,” Green added.

Mississippi’s 3rd and 4th District Republican Congressmen Michael Guest and Mike Ezell, respectively, serve on the Homeland Security Committee, as does the state’s lone Democrat Congressman Bennie Thompson of the 2nd District. Thompson is his party’s ranking member and previously chaired the Committee.

Guest, a former District Attorney, told Magnolia Tribune on Wednesday that he is committed to finding answers.

“With the news of what happened last weekend, Haley and I continue to pray for President Trump and our nation,” Guest said of he and his wife.

The 3rd District Congressman is the Vice Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee and also the Chairman of the House Ethics Committee. He added that Americans are shocked.

“I am committed to finding answers to determine the chain of events that allowed this assassination attempt to occur,” Guest said. “The Committee on Homeland Security will be leading the Congressional inquiry into the attempted assassination of President Trump. As Vice Chairman of that committee, I will do everything I can to see that the American people get the answers they deserve.”

Congressman Ezell, a former Sheriff in his first term representing the 4th District, brings an understanding to the hearing that few others in Congress have.

“As a former law enforcement officer, I am familiar with the unique relationship local law enforcement and the United States Secret Service have while working in coordination,” Ezell told Magnolia Tribune Wednesday. “It is clear there was an obvious breakdown of communication between these agencies this past weekend.”

Ezell said the briefs members have received have been helpful as they collect the facts and details of the heinous act.

“As a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, I look forward to next week’s hearing where we will hear testimony of this attempted assassination against President Trump,” Ezell said. “The American public, Corey Comperatore’s family, and President Trump deserve answers on how and why the situation escalated to the level it did. We must ensure that we learn from this horrific incident and that this never happens again.”

Comperatore is the husband, father and former fire chief who was killed at the rally by the assassin.

Thompson’s office did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.

The 2nd District Congressman, who served as chairman of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s select House committee to investigate the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, has been highly critical of former President Trump. However, Thompson sent Trump his “thoughts and prayers” Saturday evening after the shooting, saying, “There is no room in American democracy for political violence.”

The next day, following social media outcry, Congressman Thompson announced that he had fired a staffer who posted a message on Facebook expressing the desire that the shooter’s aim be better next time.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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A new task force aimed at addressing mental health in Mississippi schools began meeting at the state capitol in Jackson on Wednesday.

The K-12 and Postsecondary Mental Health Task Force, comprised of 24 members across government, education, and healthcare, will gather through Thursday and begin cataloging public resources available for mental health. Co-chairs Rep. Rob Roberson and Sen. David Parker have also opened the task force up to public testimonies and suggestions.

“It’s just very scary. It’s just a matter of trying to find the resources that are available out there to get these children the help they need as quickly as we can,” Roberson said during an appearance on MidDays with Gerard Gibert.

Roberson, a Republican who represents a portion of Oktibbeha County, added that time is of the essence when it comes to finding resources for students struggling with mental health. According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mississippi ranks 13th in the U.S. with 10.4 deaths by suicide per 100,000 residents ages 15-19.

“There’s a time crunch there. You really need to be hitting this fast,” Roberson said. “This is not something that can wait 48 hours or a week. We need help as soon as possible.”

Following the initial meetings, the task force plans to branch out to other non-profits and experts not represented on the committee. The public is invited to provide any insight to [email protected] that could offer aid in drafting future mental health-related legislation.

A full list of members of the K-12 and Postsecondary Mental Health Task Force is as follows:

Dr. Jonathan Baker, UMMC Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist Sen. Kevin Blackwell, Chairman of Senate Medicaid Sen. Nicole Boyd, Chairwoman of Senate Universities & Colleges Sen. Hob Bryan, Chairman of Senate Public Health & Welfare Wendy Clemons, Associate Superintendent at the Mississippi Department of Education Rep. Sam Creekmore, Chairman of House Public Health & Human Services John Damon, CEO of Canopy Children’s Solutions Dr. Daniel Edney, State Health Officer Heather Garrett, Teacher and Science Chair at Brandon Middle School Joy Hogge, Executive Director for Families as Allies

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This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• Military service members are shown to be more likely to take up the habit of smoking than civilians.

Smoking is a habit that for decades has been attributed to the development of cancer that can lead to death. Yet, for those who lead stressful lives, a cigarette can be seen as a relief, although at the expense of their health.

In the U.S., military services members, often placed in harm’s way, are shown to be more likely to take up the habit of smoking than civilians, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Statistics reported by the CDC show that from 2010 to 2015, 21.6 percent of military service members started their tobacco habit after entering the military. The rate increases depending on the role and status of military service.

“Cigarette smoking is more common among service members who have been deployed overseas,” the CDC states. 

The financial impacts go beyond just the price of a pack of smokes, as the CDC reports that during 2014, about $1.8 billion was spent by the Department of Defense for medical and non-medical expenses due to the use of tobacco.

Jarred Taylor, a 13-year veteran of the Air Force who also served two years with the Air National Guard, said that during his service he saw a number of fellow military men and women develop the habit. He said combined with the chemicals from burn pits deployed service members are potentially exposed to, smoking tobacco adds to the damage to a person’s lungs. 

“So, smoking just adds a whole other layer of bringing your life expectancy down,” Taylor said.

In response, a government agency and an independent campaign are working to help veterans kick the habit and improve their quality of life. 

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers medication and counseling services to help former service members stop smoking. Medications offered by the VA can include nicotine replacement therapy such as chewing gum, nasal sprays or skin patches, and prescribed medications including bupropion and varenicline, the agency states. Counseling services are offered through in-person meetings individually or with a group.  

One campaign, Smoke Less Vets, takes a different approach to helping veterans snuff out the habit by advocating for the use of alternative tobacco products not supported by the VA. Those products include e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches that do not contain tobacco.

As an advocate for Smoke Less Vets, Taylor is concerned about the VA dissuading people from using e-cigarettes, pouches and other alternative forms of nicotine as cessation methods. While he admits those substances are not entirely safe, he said they can be effective methods to help a person quit smoking and using nicotine products altogether. 

“If we can walk somebody away from cigarettes themselves by using some of those things, it’s way better than continuing with cigarettes,” Taylor said.

Ultimately, the goal of Smoke Less Vets is to help 500,000 veterans quit smoking by 2035, the campaign notes.

“They have given a tremendous amount for us, and we need to make sure we’re giving back to them,” another advocate of Smoke Less Vets, Ryan Taylor, said about the nation’s veterans. 

For more information on the Veterans Administration’s efforts to help veterans quit smoking, visit the website. To learn more about Smoke Less Vets, visit here.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Read original article by clicking here.

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• Bill Cork, executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority, reviews the last four years of economic growth in the Magnolia State.

Since 2020, under Governor Tate Reeve’s leadership, companies have invested $19.1 billion in the Magnolia State, creating 15,743 jobs. 

One singular project, Amazon’s $10 billion announcement in January, nearly doubled the total investment. 

In this Q&A, Bill Cork, executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), reviews the last four years of economic growth in the Magnolia State. The second part of the series will look ahead four years and list 30 shovel-ready – or almost shovel-ready – sites across Mississippi. 

Cork served MDA as deputy director and chief economic development officer from 2020 to 2023, when he was appointed executive director. 

How much did the COVID-19 pandemic slow down progress in Mississippi?

The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily slowed down production and created supply chain disruptions, but this obviously was not unique to Mississippi.

While the way we worked looked different from years prior, the MDA team and our partners around the state continued with the mission of creating jobs and generating new investments in our communities. In fact, capital investment increased by 45 percent from 2019 to 2020.

From there, we continued to see an uptick in industry expansions and new companies locating in the state, and we haven’t once slowed down.

Are any projects announced in the last four years not progressing as well as expected? 

Each company has its own challenges in terms of meeting development timelines, internal growth strategies, funding and allocation of resources.

We’re fortunate that most of our projects announced are progressing nicely and coming to fruition within the planned timelines. 

What have been significant challenges in the last four years?

We saw a significant increase in demand for power for companies operating in specific sectors. This was due to a boom in EV battery manufacturing and data center operations seeking locations in the state. Mississippi’s utility providers quickly began to increase the power capacity of sites throughout the state.

Many of our best sites and industrial parks have adequate power or are being upgraded to accommodate this changing utility climate. 

A recap of the last four years’ economic development growth in the Magnolia State: 

• In 2020, 33 investments totaled $1.5 billion, creating 4,320 jobs. The largest investment, a $300 million expansion of Associated Wholesale Grocers in Hernando, created 79 jobs at its distribution operations plant. The investment was announced in mid-June, in the throes of the pandemic. Also announced in June, the second largest investment: Calgon Carbon in Pearlington (Hancock County), a $185 million expansion of the activated carbon products’ manufacturing plant, creating 38 jobs. Interestingly, while many furniture manufacturers were downsizing or closing, investments in upholstered furniture expansions gave northeast Mississippi a boost: Ashley Furniture’s $22 million expansion at its manufacturing facilities in Verona and Saltillo (Lee County), creating 130 jobs, and Fusion Furniture’s $2 million investment at its New Albany (Union County) manufacturing site, creating 125 jobs. 
• In 2021, 35 investments totaled $440 million, creating 3,884 jobs. Biewer Lumber made the largest investment of $130 million, expanding its sawmill in Winona (Montgomery County), and creating 150 jobs. Second: Tyson Foods’ $60.9 million expansion of its poultry processing plant in Vicksburg (Warren County), creating 44 jobs. A close third: Milwaukee Tool’s $60 million investment in a new tool manufacturing facility in Grenada, creating 1,200 jobs.  
• In 2022, 23 investments totaled $3.9 billion and created 2,801 jobs. Steel Dynamics invested $2.5 billion in an expansion of its aluminum/biocarbon plant in Columbus (Lowndes County), creating 1,000 jobs. Second: Nissan invested $500 million for electric vehicle conversion at its Canton plant in Madison County.  
• In 2023, 18 investments totaled $1.2 billion, creating 1,472 jobs. The largest investment was $418 million: Huber Engineered Woods in Shuqualak (Noxubee County), a new plant making wood panels and creating 158 jobs. Second: Hood Industries, a $216.5 million expansion at its plywood manufacturing plant in Beaumont (Perry County), creating 265 jobs. 
• By mid-June this year, nine investments totaled $12.09 billion, creating 3,266 jobs. Of course, the largest investment was Amazon Web Services’ $10 billion investment in Madison County to build two data centers, creating 1,000 jobs. Second: Accelera, Daimler, and PACCAR’s joint venture, which invested $1.9 billion in Marshall County to make EV batteries, creating 2,000 jobs. 

NOTE: Part 2 of the economic development impact series looking ahead in the Magnolia State will be published on Sunday, July 21. 

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This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• Columnist Sid Salter says the sad incident should be a wake-up call for those on both sides of the political aisle who engage in irresponsible and dangerous rhetoric.

If we are the American people we are supposed to be we are this week pausing from the caustic political exchanges on social media and thanking God for the fact that the assassination attempt at the campaign rally for former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania did not end in a state funeral.

It is naïve to suggest that politics and violence have not intertwined during our country’s history. There have been presidents killed, wounded, and shaken by such violence throughout our history – a history that has been changed and redirected by these acts.

Regardless, this sad incident should be a wake-up call for those on both sides of the political aisle who engage in irresponsible and dangerous rhetoric that the mentally ill and the misguided inevitably take to heart.

The first significant memory I have of the world being wider than the pine tops I could see in the distance was the brutal assassination of President John F. Kennedy when I was a little boy.

On a black-and-white Zenith television, my grandmother’s daily visit to the fictional town of Oakdale, Illinois on the soap opera “As The World Turns” was interrupted by the voice of CBS anchor Walter Cronkite telling us that the President had been shot and seriously wounded in Dallas, Texas. Some 20 minutes later, he would tell us that Kennedy died.

My twin sister and I watched JFK’s alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald fatally shot in the stomach by strip joint operator Jack Ruby at the Dallas police station on live television.

In 1968, assassins snuffed out the lives of Dr. Martin Luther King in Memphis during a city strike and JFK’s brother Bobby Kennedy in Los Angeles as he sought the presidency. I watched those dramas play out on television as well.

Later, as a young father, I watched TV footage of the 1981 attack on Ronald Reagan outside the Washington Hilton and saw the collateral damage to Reagan’s staff and those guarding him. Reagan, seriously wounded, survived the attack and continued to serve.

Now former President Donald Trump joins the list of American presidents wounded in an assassination attempt along with Reagan and Teddy Roosevelt in 1912. Luckily, Trump survived but there was again collateral damage and innocents were harmed. Roosevelt was hit by the bullet but not mortally wounded. He continued his speech for 84 minutes and survived.

This is not the column I intended to write this week. I intended to write about the fact that despite all the drama in the 2024 Biden-Trump rematch, the polling in the race remains close with neither candidate having a substantial lead even after Biden’s extremely poor performance in the recent CNN televised debate.

Before this senseless act at the Pennsylvania rally, Trump’s protracted legal woes and eroding post-debate support for incumbent President Joe Biden had already plunged the 2024 election cycle into chaos and uncertainty.

Biden, 81, has been abandoned by several so-called “elite” Democrats including actor George Clooney and others in Biden’s party who openly question his mental acuity. At age 78, Trump’s ongoing legal battles continue but the Supreme Court provided a recent presidential immunity ruling that could provide him some relief.

A July 11 poll from ABC News/Washington Post/IPSOS showed that while 67 percent believed Biden should not seek a second term, the “horse race” question shows voters splitting 47% for Trump and 46% for Biden if they are the nominees. Both candidates have high “unfavorables” yet Trump’s unfavorables were higher than Biden’s even after the CNN debate.

As the two major parties hold their upcoming national conventions, what has been a dramatic campaign already may well see that drama increase. When Reagan and TR survived assassination attempts, those events became part of their political brand. Expect no less from Trump.

But the tenor of American political and social media rhetoric simply must find more reason and civility. Regardless of whether from the left or the right, Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, this is not the way our American political process should work.

Let’s pray for President Trump’s recovery, but let’s also pray for a national return to mutual respect, civility and bipartisan dedication to our democratic principles as a republic.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Read original article by clicking here.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• Columnist Sid Salter says the sad incident should be a wake-up call for those on both sides of the political aisle who engage in irresponsible and dangerous rhetoric.

If we are the American people we are supposed to be we are this week pausing from the caustic political exchanges on social media and thanking God for the fact that the assassination attempt at the campaign rally for former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania did not end in a state funeral.

It is naïve to suggest that politics and violence have not intertwined during our country’s history. There have been presidents killed, wounded, and shaken by such violence throughout our history – a history that has been changed and redirected by these acts.

Regardless, this sad incident should be a wake-up call for those on both sides of the political aisle who engage in irresponsible and dangerous rhetoric that the mentally ill and the misguided inevitably take to heart.

The first significant memory I have of the world being wider than the pine tops I could see in the distance was the brutal assassination of President John F. Kennedy when I was a little boy.

On a black-and-white Zenith television, my grandmother’s daily visit to the fictional town of Oakdale, Illinois on the soap opera “As The World Turns” was interrupted by the voice of CBS anchor Walter Cronkite telling us that the President had been shot and seriously wounded in Dallas, Texas. Some 20 minutes later, he would tell us that Kennedy died.

My twin sister and I watched JFK’s alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald fatally shot in the stomach by strip joint operator Jack Ruby at the Dallas police station on live television.

In 1968, assassins snuffed out the lives of Dr. Martin Luther King in Memphis during a city strike and JFK’s brother Bobby Kennedy in Los Angeles as he sought the presidency. I watched those dramas play out on television as well.

Later, as a young father, I watched TV footage of the 1981 attack on Ronald Reagan outside the Washington Hilton and saw the collateral damage to Reagan’s staff and those guarding him. Reagan, seriously wounded, survived the attack and continued to serve.

Now former President Donald Trump joins the list of American presidents wounded in an assassination attempt along with Reagan and Teddy Roosevelt in 1912. Luckily, Trump survived but there was again collateral damage and innocents were harmed. Roosevelt was hit by the bullet but not mortally wounded. He continued his speech for 84 minutes and survived.

This is not the column I intended to write this week. I intended to write about the fact that despite all the drama in the 2024 Biden-Trump rematch, the polling in the race remains close with neither candidate having a substantial lead even after Biden’s extremely poor performance in the recent CNN televised debate.

Before this senseless act at the Pennsylvania rally, Trump’s protracted legal woes and eroding post-debate support for incumbent President Joe Biden had already plunged the 2024 election cycle into chaos and uncertainty.

Biden, 81, has been abandoned by several so-called “elite” Democrats including actor George Clooney and others in Biden’s party who openly question his mental acuity. At age 78, Trump’s ongoing legal battles continue but the Supreme Court provided a recent presidential immunity ruling that could provide him some relief.

A July 11 poll from ABC News/Washington Post/IPSOS showed that while 67 percent believed Biden should not seek a second term, the “horse race” question shows voters splitting 47% for Trump and 46% for Biden if they are the nominees. Both candidates have high “unfavorables” yet Trump’s unfavorables were higher than Biden’s even after the CNN debate.

As the two major parties hold their upcoming national conventions, what has been a dramatic campaign already may well see that drama increase. When Reagan and TR survived assassination attempts, those events became part of their political brand. Expect no less from Trump.

But the tenor of American political and social media rhetoric simply must find more reason and civility. Regardless of whether from the left or the right, Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, this is not the way our American political process should work.

Let’s pray for President Trump’s recovery, but let’s also pray for a national return to mutual respect, civility and bipartisan dedication to our democratic principles as a republic.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Read original article by clicking here.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• Keri Davis opened the gallery in Flowood. She dedicates her time and energy to supporting Mississippi artists, making art, and growing cultural arts in her community.

Growing up in South Texas, Keri Davis spent a lot of time in her grandmother’s art gallery.

“She collected and sold a lot of Southwest art,” Keri says. “I loved spending time in her gallery looking at all the different oils, bronzes, and other works of art.” 

Inspired by her time in the gallery, Keri earned a Studio BFA with an emphasis in art education at the University of North Texas.

“My first job out of college was teaching art in inner city public schools in Fort Worth.”

Keri used the Getty Discipline-Based Art Education method, which teaches critical thinking, aesthetics, and art criticism, focusing on art education for all, not just for artists skilled in studio art. 

Work took Keri and her husband to several different places before they settled in Rankin County.

“We have three sons, and we moved to a house on the reservoir and fell in love with this area. I spent a lot of time taking the boys to Pelahatchie Bay Trading Post in a john boat. I love looking at all the wildlife – it has been a constant source of inspiration for my art.” 

When she decided to open an art gallery, Keri chose to name it after her grandmother’s gallery – Pacesetter Gallery. She spent a year seeking out Mississippi artists for her gallery.

“I found many of them through the Mississippi Arts Commission, and others through word of mouth.” 

In 2021, Keri opened Pacesetter Gallery in Flowood and dedicates her time and energy to supporting Mississippi artists, making art, and growing cultural arts in her community. There are now 60 Mississippi artists featured in the gallery. 

“I wanted a real variety of perspective, style and mediums, and we ended up with an amazing collection of art. The ability and technique of artists in Mississippi is outstanding. Our motto at the gallery is ‘live with art, inspire your life.’ We believe you can improve your quality of life by surrounding yourself with art that you love.” 

Keri says art has been a foundation stone for her life.

“Through times of deep pain and of great joy, experiencing the art of others and creating art has definitely improved my quality of life.”

Those personal experiences led to developing her mission at the gallery to support Mississippi makers through selling original art and connecting people to the arts through viewing and participation.

“We believe it leads to a stronger and deeper sense of community and of self.”

Pacesetter Gallery is not only a place to look at and purchase art, it is a community gathering space where people can come together to create art, even if they don’t consider themselves to be artists. Several of the artists in the gallery teach classes of all levels after hours. In the summer, Keri holds a summer art camp for children. 

Keri has a deep love for Mississippi and for the artists who create their work here. “I love to work with designers and get Mississippi art into homes and into commercial spaces.”

Learn more here.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Read original article by clicking here.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• Keri Davis opened the gallery in Flowood. She dedicates her time and energy to supporting Mississippi artists, making art, and growing cultural arts in her community.

Growing up in South Texas, Keri Davis spent a lot of time in her grandmother’s art gallery.

“She collected and sold a lot of Southwest art,” Keri says. “I loved spending time in her gallery looking at all the different oils, bronzes, and other works of art.” 

Inspired by her time in the gallery, Keri earned a Studio BFA with an emphasis in art education at the University of North Texas.

“My first job out of college was teaching art in inner city public schools in Fort Worth.”

Keri used the Getty Discipline-Based Art Education method, which teaches critical thinking, aesthetics, and art criticism, focusing on art education for all, not just for artists skilled in studio art. 

Work took Keri and her husband to several different places before they settled in Rankin County.

“We have three sons, and we moved to a house on the reservoir and fell in love with this area. I spent a lot of time taking the boys to Pelahatchie Bay Trading Post in a john boat. I love looking at all the wildlife – it has been a constant source of inspiration for my art.” 

When she decided to open an art gallery, Keri chose to name it after her grandmother’s gallery – Pacesetter Gallery. She spent a year seeking out Mississippi artists for her gallery.

“I found many of them through the Mississippi Arts Commission, and others through word of mouth.” 

In 2021, Keri opened Pacesetter Gallery in Flowood and dedicates her time and energy to supporting Mississippi artists, making art, and growing cultural arts in her community. There are now 60 Mississippi artists featured in the gallery. 

“I wanted a real variety of perspective, style and mediums, and we ended up with an amazing collection of art. The ability and technique of artists in Mississippi is outstanding. Our motto at the gallery is ‘live with art, inspire your life.’ We believe you can improve your quality of life by surrounding yourself with art that you love.” 

Keri says art has been a foundation stone for her life.

“Through times of deep pain and of great joy, experiencing the art of others and creating art has definitely improved my quality of life.”

Those personal experiences led to developing her mission at the gallery to support Mississippi makers through selling original art and connecting people to the arts through viewing and participation.

“We believe it leads to a stronger and deeper sense of community and of self.”

Pacesetter Gallery is not only a place to look at and purchase art, it is a community gathering space where people can come together to create art, even if they don’t consider themselves to be artists. Several of the artists in the gallery teach classes of all levels after hours. In the summer, Keri holds a summer art camp for children. 

Keri has a deep love for Mississippi and for the artists who create their work here. “I love to work with designers and get Mississippi art into homes and into commercial spaces.”

Learn more here.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Read original article by clicking here.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• And immediately they left their nets and followed him. – Mark 1:18

When they heard the call of Jesus, Simon and Andrew obeyed at once without hesitation. If we did likewise and punctually with resolute zeal put into practice what we hear immediately, then our attendance at the means of grace and our reading of good books could not fail to enrich us spiritually. He will not lose his loaf who has taken care to eat it immediately; neither can he be deprived of the benefit of the doctrine who has already acted upon it. Most readers and hearers become moved to decide to take action; but sadly, the proposal is a blossom that has not flowered, and as a result no fruit comes from it; they wait, they waver, and then they forget, until, like the ponds on frosty nights, when the sun shines by day, they are only thawed in time to be frozen again.

That fatal tomorrow is blood-red with the murder of good resolutions; it is the slaughterhouse of the innocents. We are very concerned that our little book of “Evening Readings” should not be fruitless, and therefore we pray that readers may not be readers only, but doers of the Word. The practice of truth is the fruit of profitable reading.

Should the reader be impressed with any duty while perusing these pages, let him be quick to fulfill it before the holy glow has departed from his soul, and let him leave his nets and all that he has rather than be found rebellious to the Master’s call. Do not give place to the devil by delay! Act while opportunity and desire are working in happy partnership. Do not be caught in your own nets, but break the meshes of worldliness, and go where glory calls you. Happy is the writer who will meet with readers resolved to carry out his teachings: His harvest will be a hundredfold, and his Master will have great honor. We can only pray that this might be our reward from these brief meditations and hurried hints. Grant it, O Lord, to Your servant!

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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