Is the year flying by or is it just me!

Let’s start with the birthday wishes for May: Tonya Jones, choirdirector at St James Church, my husband Charles Powell, JaniceAllen Townsend, my aunt Julia Mitchell of New Jerusalem Church,Deborah Hawkins, Nekesha Benjamin and Mishey Hillard.

Congratulations to my grandson Tyson Byrd Jr., who is graduatingfrom Thompson Learning School preschool and to Shonda BrooksWilliams who received her master’s degree in Social Work from theUniversity of Southern Mississippi. Congrats to all the seniors ofthe Mississippi Scholars program. The ‘O’ Foundation was very proudto have Andrew Spiller represent us at the banquet at EasthavenChurch. Spiller says he was very honored when asked to stand onstage while passing scholarships out to more than a hundredstudents.

A shout out to Cynthia Ford on her recovery. She and her brother,the Rev. Sam Hughes, have been waiting for a kidney transplant forsome time now. Cynthia received her blessing two weeks ago and isdoing great. She is home now. Another good report is from TerriaBrooks Green who keeps us up on her mother Jessie’s recovery fromsurgery via Facebook.

Prayers are asked from the community for Rev. Eric Brown formerpastor of Easthaven church who will be going to Kenya, Africa, on a10-day mission trip. He will be teaching on water purification forthe village. His wife Tanza and three boys will be waitinganxiously for his return.

Former mayor Bob Massengill and wife Carol stopped in for lunchafter the prayer day at the court house and he’s staying very busyand wanted to wish everybody in Ole Brook best wishes and he missesus.

Retired Army Colonel Jim Hampton stopped in on his motorbike whileI was serving up hoe cakes and he told us their history. Farmerswould wash their hoes off and pour batter on them and hold it overthe fire and cook cornbread right in the field.

Have you ever met someone who knew you before you knew you andknows history about you that you didn’t even know. That happened tome when Margaret Bass stopped in to pick up a lunch for her sickson. She told me stories of my family in Louisiana and got me allhyped up to finish the book. Anyone out there want to help withresearch into Shipps Plantation, Wisner, La., call me.

I wrote to you about PK’s offering his car wash to churches andorganizations for fundraising. The ‘O’ Foundation took him up on itand Cub Scout Troop No. 262 had a blast. Congratulations to newmembers Cornelius Boslow, Jesemiah K. Boslow, Jerrivonte Womack,Shamos Jahiem Brooks. The Troop needs adults to serve as mentors,call 601-695-3658.

Eddie Newton Jr. e-mailed to ask all ex-band members to pleasecontact him at 662-701-7211. He is trying to get the AlexanderMarching Band together for the reunion parade coming up inJuly.

A special thank you to the Rev. Phillip Sterling and Tammie Brewerfor their work helping Main Street get our block club started. Nextmeeting this Tuesday the 18th at 6 p.m. at the Bicentennial ParkBuilding. Sounds good doesn’t it.

The community wants to send love and prayers of strength toCharlene Johnson on the home going of her husband Chuck, who waskilled in a car accident.