We are proud to announce Halle Riddle as the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for Mississippi's First Congressional District.

Halle, a senior at Booneville High School, earned this honor for her charcoal drawing titled Tunnel Vision, created using black charcoal and white chalk. She was inspired to take on the challenge by the complexity of the vase she chose to draw.

Amelia Gardner, Booneville High School Art Teacher

"My biggest art goal has always been to win the Congressional competition, and my teacher, Amelia Gardner, pushed me to try my hardest in order to submit this piece," Halle said.

The Congressional Art Competition is an annual event that highlights and encourages the creative talents of high school students across the country. One winner is selected from each congressional district. Halle's artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year, and she will receive two airline tickets to attend the national awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., this summer.

She is the daughter of Jim and Kami Caver and Jonathan and Amanda Riddle, and has two siblings, Jase and Mollie Anna Riddle.

We are incredibly proud of Halle and the hard work she put into creating this outstanding piece. Congratulations, Halle!

For more information about the Congressional Art Competition, contact melinda.whited@mail.house.gov.

Today, we are recognizing Matthew Poe and his family. Matthew was born and raised on his family's generational farm in Pontotoc. After earning a degree from Itawamba Community College and Mississippi State University, he took over the farm. Matthew now manages 1,600 acres of row crops, including corn, cotton, and soybeans, and oversees 125 head of cattle. The family farm, which traditionally had about 100 head of cattle, began growing cotton in 2018 and has since expanded its acreage over the past five to 10 years.

In addition to farming, the Poe family operates a trucking business that hauls gravel, dirt, and grain. "I love working with my family and friends every day and having the freedom to do what we love," Matthew said. Despite his passion for farming, Matthew, like many farmers across the country, has faced challenges due to low commodity prices and drought. He remains optimistic about the future and has applied for the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP), a key initiative I led in the Farm Assistance and Revenue Mitigation (FARM) Act. This program provides direct assistance to help farmers offset rising input costs and declining commodity prices for the 2024 crop year.

Matthew is deeply involved in the Pontotoc community and the agricultural industry. He serves as president of the Pontotoc Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Farm Service Agency board, and president of the Pontotoc County Farm Bureau. Additionally, he has been a volunteer firefighter at the Troy Volunteer Fire Department since his teenage years.

Matthew's wife, Kayla, grew up in Baldwyn and has a strong farming background, with cousins who owned a farm. She helps with the farm's paperwork and filing while also working as a dental hygienist. The couple has two children, Harrison and Tindle.

As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I remain committed to supporting hard working farmers like the Poe family.

U.S. Army Veteran Marsha Holder graduated from high school in 1966. At the time, the Vietnam War was raging - eventually drawing in thousands of Americans, including Marsha. "I followed my brother who enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, and I enlisted in the Women's Army Corps (WAC)," she said. When her brother volunteered to serve in Vietnam, she decided to go as well.

In 1968, she and two other women arrived by plane at Bien Hoa Airport in southern Vietnam. "You could hear the bullets ricocheting and gunfire. I didn't realize we would be so close to combat," Marsha recalled. During her service, she performed various clerical jobs, including typing up orders for troop movement.

Marsha's service in Vietnam ended in 1970, but her military career continued in the Mississippi Army National Guard. Additionally, she worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "My career in federal service lasted a total of 32 years," she noted.

Marsha is passionate about military service and places great importance on honoring all those who have served. Currently, she is working on a project to identify the 855 women who served in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion during World War II. Nicknamed the "Six Triple Eight," the unit was sent to Birmingham, England, to sort through a backlog of thousands of letters and packages that had not reached service members. Their motto was "No mail, low morale." A job involving the processing of over 17,000,000 pieces of backlogged mail and an average of 65,000 pieces per shift - originally expected to take six months - was completed in only three.

"Women have played such a large role in the military - from doctoring to telephone operators, even code breakers. These ladies of the 6888th were just forgotten. There was no ticker-tape parade," Marsha said. "I am thankful they were recognized with this monument and the Congressional Gold Medal."

In 2018, a monument to the 6888th was dedicated in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Marsha is among those who have devoted their time to identifying members of the battalion and ensuring their names are engraved on the monument.

Marsha is a great patriot who has lived to serve our nation. We are thankful for all she has done to support our troops and for her active role as Quartermaster of the George Robert Mitchell VFW Post 4877.

April 18 was officially declared Lineman Appreciation Day in the state of Mississippi - a time to recognize the hard work, commitment, and bravery of our linemen. These men and women put in demanding hours in hazardous conditions to keep our communities safe and powered.

In recent years, our state has faced significant destruction from severe weather and disasters, making our reliance on linemen more critical than ever. We're thankful for their service and proud to honor all they do for Mississippi. 

Dixie Butler

A bronze statue of renowned playwright Tennessee Williams was recently unveiled outside his childhood home in downtown Columbus.

The statue, which depicts Tennessee Williams seated on a bench, is located at the Tennessee Williams Home and Welcome Center. The unveiling ceremony was hosted by the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation, with members of Team Kelly in attendance. The statue was a gift from longtime Columbus resident Dixie Butler and her late husband, Carl Butler.

This new addition to the community celebrates Columbus's rich cultural history. Special thanks to Dixie Butler and the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation for making this tribute possible.

Stennis Institute of Government Students and Leadership from Mississippi State University

Chief of the Navy Reserve Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore and Legislative Liaison Lieutenant Commander Travis Clay

Jasmaan Banipal, the 2025 Congressional App Challenge Winner for Mississippi's First Congressional District

Jones College Leadership

Jackson Airport Representatives

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