Local Voices: Angry Leroy Brooks was beaten by voters, not absentee ballots

This is my response to the recently published letter to The Dispatch by Angry Leroy Brooks, the proverbial Fox of Aesop’s Fables, who found the grapes too sour once he saw he was unable to reach them.

Local Voices: Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus: A vision for unity and progress

As I embark on the role of Chairman of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus, I am filled with profound gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility. This opportunity is more than a personal achievement. More importantly, it is a sacred trust bestowed upon me by my fellow members — a commitment to lead with virtues, listen with empathy, and amplify our collective voice for the communities we serve.

Slimantics: Cows, chickens and the Audrey Book Club

I’ve been thinking a good deal about animals lately. Maybe it’s because spring has arrived, which is the best time to observe nature at its most industrious. It might also be because of the book my sort-of-step-daughter, Audrey, selected for our two-person book club. I say “sort-of-step-daughter” because Audrey is 32, and I’ve been married to her mom, Tess, for less than three years. So it’s not as though she has ever asked me for gas money or to kill a cockroach in her bedroom.

Sid Salter: President Trump’s hints of ‘methods’ for a third term provide a powerful political distraction

How realistic are calls among his political followers for a third term in office for President Donald Trump?

Possumhaw: Time to get outside

Overnight we stepped into Spring with all her splendor. It was just a week or so before we were huddled in an interior closet with bike helmets trying to avoid tornadoes, severe winds, and trees falling. It seems as if the trees popped their leaves out while we weren’t looking.

Thom Caraccio: Conversations at midnight with the comedian

Stories from the film set.

It was close to midnight at the Burt Reynolds Ranch film studios, and I was mighty tired.

Sid Salter: Despite criticism, Trump tariff plan has support of billionaire furniture titan Ron Wanek

On April 2, President Donald Trump is scheduled to unveil details on his plan to impose “reciprocal” tariffs on U.S. trading partners that are believed to be aimed at most of the $3.3 trillion in American imports.

Possumhaw: A bit of Serendipity

Living here in the Prairie and spending a lot of time outdoors, especially after winter moving into spring, there’s much cleaning up and planting to do.

Lori LeVar Pierce: Merging MSMS would erode school’s unique nature

MSMS is an elite public school where every graduate goes on to college after completing two years of a rigorous high school curriculum, with each class taught at an honors, AP or dual credit level. Students who have applied and been accepted come from all over Mississippi and live on our campus.

Slimantics: If only it were so easy

For almost 15 years, Leonard Levy has been touring the South with his anti-violence program,“The Funeral Is Cancelled.” By using actors in a live re-enactment depicting scenes of gang violence, drug abuse and police brutality, he hopes to send a powerful message for youth. The purpose of the program is to reach young people who are either headed down the wrong path or may be tempted to take that path.

Jiben Roy: Contentment from diverse spiritual community

In 2016 I wrote an article in The Dispatch about “Finding contentment in unexpected places.” In that article I wrote about the Mennonite community in Saskatchewan, Canada and the Amish community. In addition I have watched Harrison Ford’s thriller movie, “Witness,” where the Amish community was a major part of the film.

Slimantics: With HB1197, one local Republican lawmaker voted in support of the First Amendment. Guess who.

Someone once observed that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Sid Salter: Proposed tax compromise hits historically significant tax structures

While the typos in the tax compromise legislation sent from the State Senate to the State House of Representatives last week are garnering most of the attention from politicos, insiders and those who oppose aspects of the bill, let’s not lose sight of the significance of the structural tax changes the legislation could provide if signed into law.

Possumhaw: Live, learn, love

Here in the Prairie there’s nothing like the coming of Spring to bring out the critters that live or temporarily visit the Prairie land.

Thom Caraccio: Mississippi versus… everywhere else

Yeah… we different.

Sid Salter: Anti-Doxxing legislation is vexing in several state legislatures, including Mississippi

In 2019, Mississippi adopted legislation and then-Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law House Bill 1205 – authored by Reps. Jerry Turner and Mark Baker – that asserted privacy rights at the intersection of technology, privacy and political lanes.