I know February is the shortest month of the year, but the speed with which this 2025 version has moved seems especially high-powered. I think we all collectively agreed that January seemed like a year unto itself. With so much happening nationally and here at home, it sort of felt like it would never end. Now the opposite feels true in month two of 2025.

But, looking back, February has been mostly a fun time in Vicksburg. We ended January with the beginning of our yearlong celebration of Vicksburg’s bicentennial, including the ball at the B.B. Club, and I think it was a rousing success. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and I didn’t witness any major hiccups. So, if there were some, they weren’t very noticeable. 

And then, just this week, we named this year’s elementary and secondary Educators of the Year and first runners up. So, congratulations to Bowmar Elementary School first grade teacher Lana Claire Morgan for being named elementary Educator of the Year, and to Warren Central High School biology teacher Kimberly Fountain for being named secondary Educator of the Year. Congrats are also due to first runner up for elementary, Porter’s Chapel Academy music teacher Merri (Wyn) Pratt, and first runner up for secondary, St. Aloysius science teacher Stacey Lambiotte.

Each year between around Christmas and the announcement of the Educators of the Year, we at The Post run a story about each of the finalists in the paper in order to get everyone acquainted with which of our teachers are in the running for the coveted award. This year, there were 21 finalists, so after that many stories, I feel like I know that group pretty well at this point, even though I’ve only met a handful of them in person. Regardless, we’re very proud of what all our teachers do for our community every day and we really enjoy getting to highlight them in the paper.

February also brought Vicksburg year two of the Beautiful Table Settings Bash and, even though I didn’t physically get to attend this year, Terri Cowart Frazier’s coverage of it was so good I feel like I was there. And do you know who WAS actually there? People from all over the country. Seriously. One couple who made the trip from California was among the long-distrance travelers who made their way to Vicksburg for the event. 

But, as much as we had going on in February, March looks to be just as busy. We’ll end February with this year’s Jester’s Ball on the 28th and jump directly into Mardi Gras with the parade on March 1. And this year I somehow found myself helping the group at the Westside Theatre Foundation as they get their float ready. And that’s been a blast. I say somehow, as if I’m not sure how that happened. Actually I am sure. We met at the Bicentennial Ball, she’s very pretty and I already can’t tell her no. But, we’ll get to that in another column. You know who you are.

But looming largest on my mind as March approaches is another pretty girl I can’t say no to: my daughter Sawyer who will turn 16 March 3. It’s bad enough her birthday is always a reminder that I’ll turn a year older myself three days later, but knowing 16 is on the horizon is doing an extra number on this dad. So, if you see me looking sort of dazed while I’m out and about over the next few weeks, I’m probably pondering how she and I made it to 16 and 42. Yesterday she was born and I was still in my mid-20s. That time has flown by as quickly as February has.

Blake Bell is the general manager and executive editor of The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at blake.bell@vicksburgpost.com.