Art Shirley graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1984 with a BA in Art.
While at Ole Miss, Art drew the daily comic strip Ernie, Skip & Joe which ran for a little over three years in the Daily Mississippian.
Art is currently the Creative Director for Quest Group, an advertising and marketing firm in West Point, Mississippi, where he and his wife, Becky, make their home. Art and Becky have two sons; Will, a junior at Ole Miss, and Drew, a freshman at Mississippi State.
Art has continued to do some cartooning “on the side” in the nearly thirty years since he left Ole Miss, contributing to several local papers, websites and trade magazines. He has just self-published a graphic novel, enjoyed some internet success with a cartoon about the Weather Channel’s alleged “Land Mass” gaffe and is particularly excited to be contributing cartoons for HottyToddy.com.
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Ventress Hall Stained Glass / Photo Courtesy of UM Brand Photography Services
The State of Mississippi seceded from the Union on January 9, 1861. On May 4th, nearly the entire student body and many of the professors at the University of Mississippi formed ranks on the grounds in front of the Lyceum, left school and enlisted in the Conferderate Army. Only four students reported for classes in fall 1861, so few that the university closed temporarily.
The Greys, as Company A of the 11th Mississippi and the Army of Northern Virginia, served in many of the most famous and bloody battles of the war. The most famous engagement of the University Greys was at Pickett’s Charge during the Battle of Gettysburg, when the Confederates made a desperate frontal assault on the Union entrenchments atop Cemetery Ridge. The Greys penetrated further into the Union position than any other unit, but at the terrible cost of sustaining 100% casualties—every soldier was either killed or wounded.
Historians agree that the Rebel charge by the boys from Mississippi was the high water mark of the Confederacy. During the height of the July 3rd connonade preceding Pickett’s Charge, a little was carried into a Confederate aid station somewhere behind the fighting. Surgeon LeGrand Wilson of the 42nd Mississippi, saw a head raised and recognized University of Mississippi student Jerry Gage. The following is the surgeon’s writing and J.S Gage’s letter home.
Although I have read this many time, it still tugs at my Ole Miss heart and brings tears to me eyes.
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Bill Miles (center), a 1959 graduate of the Department of Journalism At Ole Miss, has given his extensive collection of papers and photographs to Ole Miss.
Miles began his career as a reporter, became owner of a newspaper, published magazines and operated one of the state’s most successful advertising and public relations agencies before serving 12 years in the Mississippi Legislature. He engineered the successful political campaigns for many, ranging from Speaker Billy McCoy to Rep. Steve Holland to the late congressman Jamie Whitten. He is native of Ittawamba County.
Miles covered the Ole Miss riots in 1962 and later ran the successful campaign for Gov. Paul B. Johnson, who won with a slogan “Stand Tall With Paul”. On hand for ceremonies at the J.D. Williams Library were were Charles Mitchell (left), Assistant Dean, and Will Norton (right) Dean, Meek School of Journalism and New Media.
The Miles collection is especially valuable as it includes daily diaries Mr. Miles kept during his legislative career. He chaired the powerful Transportation Committee for many years and is credited with providing the vision and leadership for the modern day transportation infrastructure for Mississippi. Many political and business leaders who have known and worked with Miles over his long and distinguished career attended the event, held Monday, April 29.
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After a brief appearance in federal court this morning, a preliminary hearing for James Everett Dutschke has been re-set for Thursday in U.S District Court in Oxford.
Dutschke was arrested on Saturday at his home in Tupelo and charged in a multiple-count federal complaint with conspiring and possession of a biological weapon and threatening federal officials in the mailing of ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker and a Mississippi judge on April 8.
Dutschke, who was represented on Monday by public defender George Lucas, will appear before Federal Magistrate S. Allan Alexander at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
The sealed federal complaint against Dutschke is expected to be released later today, federal prosecutor Chad Lamar said.
Dutschke, a former candidate for the Mississippi House of representatives and the owner of a martial arts studio in Tupelo, became the focus of a federal investigation into the mailing of the ricin-laced letters to federal and local officials after charges were dropped against Paul Kevin Curtis last week.
Dutschke has denied the charges against him.
HottyToddy.com will update this report throughout the day, and will bring you coverage of Dutschke’s preliminary hearing on Thursday. –– Michael Harrelson, editor, HottyToddy.com
michael.harrelson@hottytoddy.com
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Members of the Oak Ridge Boys stopped in Oxford on Sunday as part of their 40th anniversary concert tour. Prior to their performance at the Gertrude Ford Center for the Performing Arts Center on the Ole Miss Campus, three members of the group joined Ole Miss alum Brian Tartt for a private dinner at Lenora’s restaurant on The Square. Seated left to right are William Lee Golden, Brian Tartt, Joe Bonsall and Richard Sterban. Not shown is the Oak Ridge Boys’ Duane Allen.
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Drive-By Truckers guitarist and singer Mike Cooley’s guitar, amp, and refreshments.
Rain clouds knew better than to sprinkle on a good thing
By Tad Wilkes, Nightlife & Lifestyles Editor
tad.wilkes@hottytoddy.com
Who’d a-thunk that not only would downtown Oxford not be awash in thunderstorms but that, save some grey clouds, Saturday, April 27 at the Double Decker Arts Festival Presented by C Spire Wireless would actually be sunny? Oh, Mother Nature tested the crowd for about 10 minutes Friday night, right after Blue Mountain’s first song, but Oxford hung around. From then on, the warm sun shined on a day of art galore, good food, and, of course, an interesting music lineup.
Friday night gave us the undulating grooves and melodies and harmonies respectively of The Eric Deaton Trio and Blue Mountain. The beer got good enough to me that I declined to run in the Spring Run Saturday morning, but I enjoyed a Bloody Mary in their honor. After taking the kids for face painting, slushes, aliens (the outer space kind, not the kind you get angry mass emails about) and the requisite bouncing in the Square Fair area, we headed over to the Double Decker stage.
While I was still chaperoning at the bouncy house, the University of Mississippi Steel Drum Orchestra beat out the beginning strains of the music, followed by Chimney Choir, the Colorado unit featuring onetime Oxonian, multi-instrumentalist Kevin Larkin. Gorgeous melodies and harmonies were the hallmarks of their set. Next up, familiar favorite Shannon McNally and her band were joined by Texas guitarist Will Sexton.
Seems like Double Decker usually has at least one brass band, and this year it was the Stooges Brass Band, buoying the mid-afternoon vibe and lending a little credibility to Oxford’s unofficial moniker, the “Little Easy.” I had to duck out for a bit after that and regrettably missed two acts I was really looking forward to, the Kopecky Family Band and J. Roddy Walston & the Business. So much to do, so little time, they say.
But it would have been a crying shame if I’d missed Lee Fields & the Expressions. Every year there’s at least one act that I don’t know much about but blows me away. This year it was this guy. All I can imagine is that someone was able to blend the DNA of James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and Gary Coleman to create Lee Fields. Tight soul and R&B tunes, passionate singing, and sharp-as-a-tack suits. The Drive-By Truckers stood next to the stage in awe of Fields, and I won’t be surprised if Patterson Hood shows up at their next gig in white zipper boots.
After they spectated the glory of the Expressions, the Truckers were obviously inspired when they took the stage as the festival’s final Saturday act.
Unsurprisingly, the beer was just as cold and delicious as it had been on Friday, eventually guiding me to the Library to watch the Kudzu Kings kill. Original Kings drummer Chuck Siegler took the stool from C. D. Overton to drum and sing two songs, Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” and the old Kudzu chestnut “Trudy.”
Mother Nature finally got her turn as thunder cracked and the bottom fell out around the time we were headed to a cab, calling an end to one of those days where you just can’t stop smiling.
____________
Drive By Truckers Bring The Heat—Heat Lightning, That Is
By William Fowler
Closing out Saturday night of Double Decker weekend, music headliner Drive-By Truckers melted the faces off $3,000 Oxonians. After a beautiful day on the square, the Athens, Georgia-based Southern rock quintet shook the brick lining of Oxford law offices with a two-hour all of sound. With three electric guitars amped up to eleven (on a 10-digit dial), vibrations could be felt all the way from Highpoint Coffee to Soulshine Pizza Factory. An audience of all ages gathered around the Caterpillar Stage as lead vocalist Patterson Hood boasted lyrics about all things considered Southern.
The Truckers played their final lick, “Hell No I Ain’t Happy,” as heat lightning streaked across the sky, rumbling on in the distance. Ironically, this paralleled Hood’s most recent solo album: Heat Lighting Rumbling In The Distance. The rain held out just long enough for patrons to find the nearest late-night establishment, quenching their thirst after a fun-filled day of music, art, and food.
For those who can’t get enough of the festivities, the Gospel Choir Showcase is at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 28 on the steps of City Hall. — William Fowler is a sophomore in the Meek School of Journalism & New Media at the University of Mississippi
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WTVA-TV & HT.com Cover Double Decker with Team of Journalism Students
Students armed with video cameras, smartphones and laptops use High Point Coffee as a mobile newsroom for Double Decker coverage. Photo by Nancy Dupont. April 27, 2013.
Five broadcast journalism students put their multimedia skills to the test during Oxford’s 18th Annual Double Decker Festival. Under the direction of professors Nancy Dupont and Deb Wenger, the team went to work for both WTVA-TV in Tupelo and HottyToddy.com in Oxford, covering events that began as early as 7:30 a.m. and working well past the end of the 6 p.m. newscast on WTVA.
The students also felt the pressure of real-time reporting with additional requirements to tweet story updates and photos, as well as to write text pieces for the Hotty Toddy website.
This is the second year in a row that Meek School students have covered the festival for WTVA. C.J. LeMaster, who anchors and produces the WTVA weekend shows, says the station is happy to work with the students and he enjoys helping them get the experience they’ll need to succeed on the job.
“It’s a humbling experience for me. Not that long ago, I was in their shoes, trying to learn as much as I could. No matter how young or ‘green’ you are as a journalist, you have to start somewhere, and someone has to give you that break, that chance to prove yourself,” said LeMaster. “It’s an honor and a privilege to help these students get some real feedback and experience in the industry.”
Graduate student Brandon Rook produced an overview of the event for the 10 p.m. show. The other students’ stories aired throughout the weekend on WTVA and were also posted to HottyToddy.com.
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Square Fair Brings an Out of this World Experience to Double Decker
Face painting fun at the Square Fair for Kids — Double Decker 2013. By Bracey Harris. April 27, 2013.
The biggest smiles at the 18th annual Double Decker arts festival belonged to those under three feet tall.
Many kids, snow cones in tow, enjoyed the events of the day alongside their parents. Given the popularity of The Hunger Games, it’s not a surprise that one of the most popular sales of the day with the younger crowd was a wooden bow and arrow. The arrow was tailor-made for kids with an eraser in place of a sharp arrowhead.
This year kids received the V.I.P. treatment at Square Fair for Kids courtesy of the Ole Miss hospitality management program. Hospitality students were on hand to assist with the activities as part of a fundraiser.
The event may have been a kids’ only zone, but an astronaut and an alien character joined in on the fun. It was all part of this year’s space theme.
“It actually came about because NASA wanted to come and we just wanted to incorporate NASA so we’re doing an alien theme and all sorts of space themes,” Meredith Brabec, the assistant event coordinator, said as she pointed to the antenna on the top of head.
Little ones waited anxiously while their parents purchased the tickets required to visit the exciting array of booths. Most kids’ fairs have face painting, but this event added a new twist. Those that had a long week at school were pampered with manicures and pedicures.
Activities like the galactic ring toss and the ever-popular moon bounce, had many ready for lift off. One little guy spent most of his time at the craft station painting an astronaut.
“I’m going to add blue to his head and his ears,” 4-year-old Johnny Hanna said.
In addition to a different theme, kids had a bigger venue as well. Square Fair moved from its previous location behind the Oxford University Club.
“It’s much better. Last year it was kind of rough over there, the pavement was uneven and everything, but this is much better,” Nicole Rhoden, a Jackson resident in town for the festivities.
New place, new theme and old-fashioned fun.
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Runners for the Double Decker Spring Run 5K had the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings on their minds during today’s event. Photo by Stephen Quinn. April 27, 2013.
The Double Decker Spring Run had more than 1,000 people taking to the streets of Oxford Saturday morning.
The annual event is always a highlight, but this year the run took on special meaning as locals and visitors alike had their minds on the victims of the April 15 bombing at the Boston Marathon.
“I was thinking about it just because it was kind of a theme for everybody here to just think about Boston and it’s been ya know in a lot of people’s thoughts and prayers this last couple weeks,” said Benjamin Dawson, Oxford resident.
Dawson, who ran all through college, came up with the winning time in the 5K. He says the bombing at the marathon has changed things for runners everywhere.
“It makes you more aware of your surroundings when you’re running. It’s not something you would ever imagine, anywhere, but if you’re going out for a run it doesn’t seem like a high priority target, so that’s what makes it so diabolical.”
Neal McCready sported a Red Sox jersey during the run as a sign of his support for the people of Boston.
“I’m not from Boston, I’m not even a Red Sox fan. I just was like anybody else in the country, just kind of touched by what happened in Boston,” said McCready.
He, like many others, has been thinking about some of the people whose lives were lost or forever changed by the bombing.
“You know as a father of three kids including a little six year-old boy, I was just really stuck by the story of the little eight year-old boy that died,” said McCready.
I know it doesn’t mean anything; it doesn’t do anything for anybody there or make anything better. It’s just my little way of you know, I guess a tribute to those people, that kid in particular.”
Runner Kelsey Durocher is from Boston herself, so the run had special meaning for her.
“It makes you realize it’s a privilege to be healthy and be able to do stuff like this and just run for all those victims; that’s what they loved to do and some of them can’t do that ever again. “
Most of the runners shared a common belief that it’s important to think about the bombing victims and their families, but not to live in fear.
“If you live like that you kind of give in to them. And you certainly hope that most people are good and I think if you see the fallout of what happened in Boston you see proof of that in every single story,” McCready ––By Stephen Quinn, senior broadcast major and Deb Wenger, journalism professor, Meek School of Journalism and New Media
stezar@aol.com
drwenger@olemiss.edu
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Kids enjoy painting on plastic stained glass at Square Fair, the Double Decker family fun zone. New art activities for children and adults have been added to this year’s festival lineup, making it even more family friendly.
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Setting up for Double Decker! For the full event schedule, music line-up, and more check out our Double Decker Guide at http://bit.ly/X2TypI. Photo by: Tad Wilkes http://bit.ly/ZMrV7d
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A crew sets up the stage for the Double Decker Arts Festival Presented by C Spire Wireless this morning on North Lamar, in front of the Lafayette County Chancery Building. North Lamar is already closed to traffic, from the intersection at Jefferson Avenue, to the Square.
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Art Shirley graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1984 with a BA in Art.
