Raymond News

AYMOND by Kara raymondnews@yahoo Our precious Lyda Belle is a who Time is a thief. admiring all the We blinked and our Raymond doggie artwork youngest daughter, Lyda that covers the walls of Belle, turned five years our favorite local hot old on Tuesday, spot. It’s also hard to February 24th. Lyda beat their perfectly crisp Belle is a bright shining bacon and heart shaped light in our home. She pancakes (make sure dazzles us with her you ask for them on speknowledge of animals cial occasions)! We are and makes us laugh so lucky to have the with her famous “Lyda Busted Biscuit just Belle giggle.” down the street. After a When I asked her fun day of pancakes and what she wanted most presents, we topped off for her birthday, Lyda her birthday with a big Belle said without hesi- ole cake and ice cream tation - “I want the party at home. Happy Busted Biscuit!” As an 5th birthday my little animal lover, she enjoys Lyda Belle! S 2026 NIGHTS The New Kids dance team at Mississippi College appears to be an unstoppable force, blending impeccable choreography and awe-inspiring moves to earn four consecutive Swerve championships. This year, more teams than ever – a total of 16 – will be taking the Swerve stage, many looking to take the crown from the New Kids during the annual competition that lets MC students showcase their dancing skills while helping to benefit their designated charities. For the first time, there will be two shows: one for MC students at 9 Swerve performers from p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26, and one for the general public at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27. Both ning their routines over performances will take the previous summer. place in Swor “Audiences can Auditorium in Nelson expect 16 fun-filled, Hall. high-energy dance perJadi Foster, formances with great director of student music and exciting engagement at MC, said themes.” Swerve has never been Swerve performmore popular. ers come from various “There is always MC student organizasuch demand for tickets: tions. They perform fivewe had to add another minute routines packed performance to accom- with energy and humor modate the requests,” in an electric atmosFoster said. “Each team phere. has been working tire- Acts may range lessly for months. Some from a swing dance team teams even started planN ER 309-5272 or BY cjclem o.com o Come celebrate P with the Ella Bess w Austin Library on March t 7 from 10 to 12 o’clock. s The Spring Festival cele- c brates the season of g blooms, joy and new f beginnings. There will be b face paintings, bouncy p houses, Easter Egg Hunt h and special guest, Sam t E. Soil. Refreshments! T Our dear friend, D Edwina Shelby, has E been quite ill in St. p Dominic Hospital. o Happy to report that she l is at Copiah D Rehabilitation in w Hazlehurst for a period H to regain her strength s and mobility. She is well a pleased with the new B facility. Get well soon! The MSSDAR T held the State S Conference last week at d the downtown Westin ole hand! Hotel. The facility was w very nice and staff so w courteous. There were e over 500 ladies in atten- w e This special time dance from throughout j k together was much the State. The Historical a f needed after Robert SSuubbsscc t spent most of last week o at Camp Shelby with his p new National Guard d brigade. I run a tight HH IINNDD e ship at home while - Robert is gone, so the e kids and I didn’t get out GG e and about town as much t this week. a I still can’t d believe my Lyda Belle is f five years old. God Love g her. m 660011-- y Be kind and e suffer well. OASTS RECORD NUMBER S OF DANCING MAGIC A various MC student organizations perform five-minute rout and humor in an electric atmosphere. r to hip-hop, classical and dance competition is one I modern-dance perfor- of her favorite things n mances. Routines are about MC. s , set to popular music, “I was on the m - from Disney favorites dance team at my high b t and nostalgic throw- school and was so excit- s g backs to more contem- ed to hear that there was t porary releases. an opportunity for me to f - Emily McNemar continue dancing v s of Flowood, a senior throughout college,” b - English major, competed McNemar said. “People i - in Swerve as a freshman. really get into Swerve, t d A member of the and I think that’s what r Kissimee women’s tribe makes it so enjoyable. a - and a director for People take it seriously m Student Productions, and want to win. I’m b e the group that organizes excited about this year p m the event, she said the because it’s my last and K N Y CAROLYN CLEMENTS ments@bellsouth.net or Preservation luncheon Utica Street. Thank you, was quite lovely. The Pat!! table centerpieces were The residents of so beautiful with lighted Terry are concerned over candles in hurricane not receiving water bills. globes surrounded with The report is the meters fresh magnolia and haven’t been read in two blooms. Each table had months. While at City photographs of different Hall the other day, pickhistorical landmarks ing up a report , the throughout the state. phones were ringing and The history of the people coming in to pay. Deaton House near Has anyone Ellisville and Laurel was noticed the Christmas presented. The house is tree downtown is still owned and operated by up? This must be an local chapters of the oversight by the town DAR. James Bridgeforth officials and workmen. with MS Archives and Hopefully, this can be History was key note dissembled and stored speaker. He accepted an very soon. award on behalf of Katie Two of the town Blount. workmen were out cutThe Town of ting and cleaning the Terry is planning a ditches the other day in Spring Cleanup day. The my neighborhood . date is March 14th. Thank you Wade, Grady Pat Thornton and other town employwas out very early last ees for your help in week with her garden attempting to keep the equipment. She did a town neat and clean.You wonderful clean up pro- are appreciated! ject with the flower beds at Cunningham and ccrriibbee ttoo tthhee CC DDSS OOUUNNTTYY GG !! AAZZEETTTTEE CCaallll --778833--22444411!! LMA-PA , MC AT come to see the energy that the organizations bring to the stage, the excitement and the actual choreography itself. Kokoa’s goals for Swerve 2026 are to have fun with each other, do things that we haven’t done before, and give the audience a great time, regardless of who wins.” As a Swerve cochair of New Kids, Mary Katherine Zorn, a junior kinesiology/pre-occupational therapy major from Madison, has a loftier goal – keep the string of victories rolling. “We want to grab the attention of our audience and create a unique show different tines packed with energy from all of the rest,” Zorn said. “We have spent hours working on cleaning and perfecting the I want to make it count.” show, and I cannot wait Noah Kackley, a to see our friends and sophomore accounting hear them cheering from major from Brandon, will the audience as we perbe participating in his form.” second dance competi- All 16 teams will tion. As a Swerve chair perform on both nights for the Kokoa men’s ser- of Swerve. Doors will vice club, he has been open 30 minutes before busy this spring prepar- show time. Tickets cost ing for the 2026 compe- $12 each, and all protition. ceeds will go to the top “The best part three winners’ philanabout Swerve is how thropies of choice. much fun it is to practice behind the scenes and to perform on stage,” Kackley said. “Audiences