{"id":124208,"date":"2022-11-03T07:45:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-03T12:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=124208"},"modified":"2022-11-03T11:52:36","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T16:52:36","slug":"good-ole-boys-and-gals-bbq-2022-in-oxford-mississippi-photographs-by-gaetano-catelli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/good-ole-boys-and-gals-bbq-2022-in-oxford-mississippi-photographs-by-gaetano-catelli\/","title":{"rendered":"“Good Ole Boys and Gals BBQ 2022 in Oxford, Mississippi” photographs by Gaetano Catelli"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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They\u2019re making a list and checkin\u2019 it twice \u2014 l: John Morgan; r: Johnny Morgan – photograph: Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom 1983-1991, [Johnny] Morgan<\/a> served as a Mississippi State Senator, and after that he was a county supervisor in Lafayette County, where he ultimately served as its President. He has also served on the North MS Industrial Development Association, which is a subsidiary of TVA. He has also been involved with the Mississippi Board of Economic Development.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johnny recollects it was back in 1984 that he and three other good ole boys, bothered that Mississippi\u2019s elected state officials were overlooking Oxford for larger venues in the north of the state, decided to invite candidates for office to a BBQ in what was then Johnny\u2019s Tractor Shed, and is now Johnny Morgan\u2019s Shop<\/a>. (Oxford\u2019s population<\/a> in the mid-80\u2019s was less than half its current size.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At some point, the event became known as the Good Ole Boys \u2019n Gals BBQ. It\u2019s a non-partisan affair \u2014 any candidate for office can meet and greet individual voters, and then speak for two minutes, until Johnny rings a cowbell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The master of ceremonies in recent years is Johnny\u2019s cousin, the current Lafayette County Alderman-at-large John Morgan. (As readers can see, he\u2019s the handsome looking one in the family.) Last June, he told hottytoddy.com<\/a> \u201cI decided to run for office 12 years ago because of my love for Oxford. Having grown up here, but also seeing the incredible growth that we were experiencing, I wanted to make sure that we kept our small-town charm without hindering the growth that it takes to make a city vibrant and able to sustain that growth.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his introductory announcement, John thanked the hundreds of attendees for coming \u2014 whether they were motivated by an interest in participatory democracy or the BBQ chicken. Because I have a long-standing interest in both, I also photographed the event in 2019<\/a>. I believe I spoke truthfully at this year\u2019s shindig when I quipped to Governor Tate Reeves that he hadn\u2019t aged a day since then. Without missing a beat, he shot back \u201cThat\u2019s because I\u2019ve had such an easy time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves – photograph: Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When it was his turn to address voters, the Governor grabbed Johnny\u2019s stopwatch and threw it into the crowd (symbolically, of course, not literally). He then made some serious points: Mississippi\u2019s K-12 student performance moved up from 47th<\/sup> to 32nd<\/sup> in the nation. He intends to get the state\u2019s ranking even higher. With this goal in mind, he\u2019s signed legislation giving Mississippi schoolteachers their biggest pay raise ever. In other areas, he\u2019s substantially shrunk the number of state employees and created rainy-day financial reserves of $1.4 billion, also the largest in the state\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Governor Tate Reeves – photograph: Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Johnny Morgan being hazed by Senator Roger Wicker – photograph: Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker<\/a> reminisced about being in the LSU stands for the 1968 football contest with Ole Miss<\/a>. He credited their head cheerleader for inspiring the Rebels to surge to victory in the closing minutes. Who was that cheerleader? Johnny Morgan! (True story.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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U.S. Senator Roger Wicker – photograph: Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 1994, Wicker won a hotly contested U.S. House seat here in District 1. In 2007, he was appointed by then-Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat Trent Lott had vacated in the U.S. Senate. He has successfully defended his Senate seat in elections in 2008, 2012, and 2018. He sits on numerous Senate committees and subcommittees, and he\u2019s inclined to support bipartisan compromise on the vital issues of the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann – photograph: Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann<\/a> recalled his excitement at spending a day as governor (in accordance with the Mississippi constitution) the first time Reeves left the state \u2014 to attend a conference with other Republican governors. As compensation for the 12 hours Reeves was out of state, Hosemann soon received a check for $84 as his pro rata portion of the governor\u2019s salary. As an experienced tax attorney, he knew that $84\/12hrs = $7. Whereas, the Mississippi minimum wage is $7.25. Eventually, the matter was amicably resolved in Hosemann\u2019s favor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It happens that in Mississippi the Lt. Governor is more than just a \u201creplacement part\u201d for the Governor. Under the state constitution, the Lt. Governor is the only executive branch member who can present bills to the legislature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Secretary of State, Michael Watson – photograph: Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mississippi Secretary of State, Michael Watson<\/a>, started out by telling the joke about the charity event attended by a Baptist pastor and a Catholic minister. It was pointed out to them that one of the two punch bowls contained alcohol; the other did not. When asked which he\u2019d prefer, the priest noted that Jesus had turned water to wine, so he\u2019d have the punch that had alcohol in it. By contrast, the Baptist pastor proclaimed that he\u2019d rather commit <\/em>adultery <\/em>than for alcohol to touch his lips. Hearing that, the priest exclaimed, \u201cI didn\u2019t know adultery<\/em> was one of the choices!\u201d   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watson has traveled near and far selling Mississippi as a place for established enterprises, as well as entrepreneurs, to make investments that will create more jobs, goods, and services by and for Mississippians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Transportation Commissioner for Northern Mississippi John Caldwell – photograph: Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Transportation Commissioner for Northern Mississippi, John Caldwell<\/a>, noted that since 2019 what had been a gravel parking lot at Johnny Morgan\u2019s Shop has gotten nicely paved with asphalt. He said he would be contacting the tax authorities about reassessing the value of the property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also said that with increased money for infrastructure from Washington, roads and bridges in North Mississippi would soon be getting much more attention than was possible with the difficulties of recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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U.S. Representative Trent Kelly – photograph: Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Representative Trent Kelly occupies the House seat once held by Roger Wicker. Kelly served in both Iraq Wars in the Mississippi National Guard\u2019s 155th<\/sup> Battalion<\/a> (aka \u201cDixie Thunder\u201d), and now has the rank of Major General.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He spoke passionately about his commitment to keeping America safe, and promises that if the GOP wins back the House in 2023, the committees he sits on will get to the bottom of things that need lookin\u2019 into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Circuit Judge Kelly Luther – photograph: Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kelly Luther<\/a> wants to be reelected as Circuit Judge. He urged voters to ask the friend whose judgment they trust the most: Is Kelly Luther the most qualified, fair-minded, judicious choice as Circuit Judge? If they disagree, ask another friend. If they too disagree, make new friends until you find one who does agree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill – photograph: Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill<\/a> gave a heartfelt closing benediction, and then we sat down for delicious barbecued chicken, with plenty of delicious fixin\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Find out who\u2019s on your ballot by clicking here: https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Sample_Ballot_Lookup<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All photos: \u00a9 Gaetano Catelli Studios<\/a>
Transportation: Louis Bourgeois, PWI<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
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