Jackson Free Press

Madison resident Frank Phann held a grand opening for his new donut shop, A'HA Donuts & More (3086 Highway 80 W., Pearl), in Pearl on Friday, May 7, following a soft opening in January 2021.

The shop is located inside a building that formerly housed Planet Donut, which a friend of Phann's owned. Phann renovated the building's kitchen so that A'HA could be more than just a donut shop, he says.

In addition to fresh-baked donuts all day, A'HA offers items such as wagyu or surf and turf burgers, extreme A'HA chicken biscuits and gravy, po-boys, hot wings, Philly cheese steak, chicken sandwiches, fried rice with chicken, beef or shrimp, weekly rotating breakfast specials and more.

"'A'HA' means 'food' in my home country of Cambodia, and I chose the name both for that and because I want people coming here to have their own 'aha' moment whenever they try the food," Phann says. “I have had a passion for food for a long time, and I knew that people in Pearl would love to have quality donuts and burgers without having to drive all the way out to somewhere like Madison for them. I want people craving that kind of thing to be able to come to us."

For more information, call 601-932-2175 or visit the restaurant's Facebook page.

Jobs for Jacksonians Hiring Event

Employment assistance program Jobs for Jacksonians will host a three-day hiring event in partnership with Dependable Source Corporation Training Academy, the City of Jackson’s Department of Parks and Recreation and Yates Services beginning on Tuesday, May 11.

The DSC Training Academy recruiting session will take place at Sykes Community Center (520 Sykes Road) in Jackson on Tuesday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. First year DSC Training Academy graduates earn $45,000 to $65,000, a release from Jobs for Jacksonians says. Participants can earn certification within four weeks. DSC Training Academy also offers scholarships and financial aid.

The City of Jackson’s Department of Parks and Recreation is seeking to fill positions for maintenance workers, lifeguards, counselors, splash pad attendants and more. The recruiting session will take place at Grove Park Community Center (4126 Parkway Ave.) in Jackson on Wednesday, May 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Yates Services is seeking to fill production technician, systems maintenance technician, electronic technician and machine cleaning technician positions. The company offers health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, paid time off and 401k benefits for employees. The recruiting session will take place at Sykes Community Center (520 Sykes Road) in Jackson on Thursday, May 13, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

All participants must observe COVID-19 safety protocols and wear a face covering at all times. For more information, call 601-960-0377.

Crossroads Film Festival Seeking Film Reviewers

In preparation for the 2021 Crossroads Film Festival, which will take place in September and October, Crossroads is seeking volunteer reviewers to help select which films to show at the festival.

To become a Crossroads film reviewer, participants must first login to the FilmFreeway website using the username [email protected] and the password screener2019. All reviewers will use the same login and password combination, so Crossroads asks that participants do not attempt to change the password.

After logging in, participants can browse titles to review or choose a category from a drop down box that will include feature narrative, short doc, animation and more and then play the video. Reviewers must complete a separate rating form for each film and use the Crossroads rating form to review it.

All 120 films must be watched and rated by five or more people per film by July 15, 2021. Crossroads requires that reviewers put their name and email on each rating card to credit participants for watching films. Benefits include free tickets and passes to the Festival.

For more information, visit https://www.crossroadsfilmfestival.com/ or email [email protected] and [email protected].