I now have more than 600 friends on Facebook. Some I have nevermet, but know someone who knows them. I connected with Javon Diggs,who lives with his wife and kids in Alaska and celebrating hisfifth wedding anniversary. He is the son of Theresa and JamesBootsie Otis here in Ole Brook and sends a shout out to his familyand friends.

Happy birthday to Tiffany Mobley Collins and Sarah McDanielHolcombe.

Toni Hopkins Guardiola and her husband spent six days visiting hishometown island Puerto Rico. I enjoyed the history from one of itscitizens. I was honored to attend the homegoing celebrations of twolegends here in Ole Brook. Prayers of strength to both the Batesand the Jacobs families. Reading the program of Moses Bates Sr. Ifound his family was the size of Abraham’s with 15 children, 101grandchildren, 182 great-grandchildren and 21great-great-grandchildren. He built a swimming pool on southHamilton Street for the community and the tennis courts atAlexander school.

Walking through the reception line at Riverwood for the Jacobscelebration, the screen flashed pictures of Mr. Charles as a youngeditor and ended with pictures from the 2009 Ole Brook VIP Tributeback in December. I remembered how he was so determined to makethat 91st birthday party. What a beautiful life he lived and we areso happy he decided to make Ole Brook his home. We pray that hislegend lives on in the lives of his family and The DAILYLEADER.

I ran into Renada Lewis along with her 19-month-old son (I wrote toyou some months ago about her needing a heart transplant). She isdoing very well and has a lot to celebrate. UMC ran a number oftests and decided the heart transplant was not needed at this time.They inserted a defibulator inside her heart along with two stents.She is looking good and looking forward to getting married on March27 at New Zion Church in Bogue Chitto.

I stop in every Friday morning to get fresh fish for the restaurantfrom the Corner Fish Market on the corner of South Second Streetand Monticello Street. Owners Annie and Robert Adams celebrated 16years in business on Dec. 16. They are the proud parents of oneson, Terrell, and three grandchildren.

Prayers of healing go out to Mona Adams, massage therapist at BlueHeaven and member of Mt. Wade M.B. Church. Mona receiveddevastating health news and will require majorhospitalization.

A great big congratulation to Deshund Arnold, a junior, on hisvision and production of the Black History Program at BrookhavenHigh School. Ole Brook might have another Tyler Perry. The show wasdirected by teacher Joanna Sproles, and Lillian Lilly’s grandsonAnthony wooed the crowd of more than 200 with his great singingvoice.

A shout out to Brothers Luther and Lucious Franklin on their workwith the Call To Duty ministry here in the neighborhood. They haveabout seven boys to start the Boy Scout troop and are still lookingfor more men to join as mentors. They meet every Thursday at 6 p.m.at Polly’s on Main Street. A campout is being planned in Wesson assoon as the weather breaks. If you would like to sponsor a troopmember, the yearly membership fee is $15. Call 601-695-3658 formore info.

Don’t forget the Martha Sykes Fashion Show this Saturday at theAlexander school. Call 601-754-6686 for more info. Admission is $5.All proceeds go to the center to help with the hot meal feedingprogram that was started by the late Velma Smith Lee. This showwill be held in her honor at the school she loved so verymuch.

Shannon Webb stopped in to say they had a blast at the Sunday Besttalent show in New Orleans. The show is on BET. He ran into ApostleTerrell Brinson, Waldo Lilly and and more from Ole Brook. Theycompeted with more than a thousand contestants from the Southernregion of the United States for a chance to be on the show.

Congratulations to my cousin Shonda Jenkins Stout on the birth ofher baby girl. Shonda and her husband and 4-year-old son live inPensacola, Fla., where she runs her beauty shop Chanzes. She was abasketball player at West Lincoln and Co-Lin and a faithful memberof Siloam M.B. Church.

If you have any Brookhaven area news to report, contact Rose MaryPowell at 601-718-6054 or e-mail at rose.pollypowell@yahoo.com.