Around $1.5 million will be dispersed among Mississippi organizations assisting victims of human trafficking.Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced that the funding was made available through the Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation Fund, which was created by th
On Earth Day 2026, the American Lung Association released its annual State of the Air report showing that Mississippi children breathe “some of the dirtiest air” in the country.More than 65,000 kids across 10 reporting counties are exposed to unhealthy pollution levels, the report found through offi
One of Starkville’s most exciting events – the world’s largest wiener dog race – is returning to town this weekend.The fourth annual Starkville Derby, which coincides with the Boardtown Pizza Arts Fest, will be held throughout the day on Saturday with the gates opening at 9 a.m. Live music begins an
Pearl Day is returning this weekend with a star-studded entertainment lineup on the docket.Multi-platinum rock band Daughtry will conclude a day packed full of free family-friendly activities and outdoor festivities on Saturday in Trustmark Park’s north parking lot. The free concert will begin with
The 29th annual Double Decker Arts Festival is happening in Oxford this weekend.One of the most popular events in the college town, Double Decker will run on Friday, April 24, and Saturday, April 25. The festival will feature some of the finest foods Mississippi has to offer, live music, and everyth
Daniel Stallworth survived another round of elimination Monday night in his journey to become the second Mississippian in a row to win “American Idol.”Stallworth, one day before his 28th birthday, was the first contestant called to the stage as part of the show’s annual “Disney Night.” After telling
As Mississippi has become a national model for literacy reform – posting some of the largest reading gains in the country – a Tupelo elementary school recently opened its doors to showcase how it is helping students learn how to read.Rankin Elementary invited the media to the school on Friday to hig
Mississippi’s Giant Houseparty will kick things off a month earlier than normal this year.Instead of getting underway in late July, as has been the case for decades, the 137th Neshoba County Fair will run from June 19-26. Fair officials announced last year that the 2026 edition of cabin-filled festi
Mississippi roadways may be riskier this summer, according to a new study examining how safe it is to drive between the months of June and August.MoneyGeek found that U.S. summer road deaths fell by 3.8% from 2022 to 2023 and another 4.5% from 2023 to 2024, for a total decline of 8.1% nationwide, wi
Mississippi-based military historian, author, and professor Dr. Andrew Wiest has received one of the most distinguished national awards honoring contributions to military history.Wiest, who is a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, is this year’s recipient of the Society for Military
The Coca-Cola company is celebrating America’s semiquincentennial with new packaging representing every state, including Mississippi.Mini cans of coke products are now featuring a design unique to all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. From Georgia peaches to California’s surf sc
Mississippi’s 2026 administrator and teacher of the year have been announced.Dr. Matthew Fulton, principal at Sumner Hill Junior High School in the Clinton Public School District, was recognized as the state’s top administrator, and Lauren Zarandona, a teacher at Mississippi School for Mathematics a
As retail giant Walmart has spent hundreds of millions to remodel some Mississippi locations over the past five years, more stores are set to receive a facelift this year.Walmart announced Thursday plans to remodel 19 stores in 2026 as “part of ongoing efforts to modernize the in-store and digital s
The University of Mississippi has named its political science department after Ray Mabus, one of the state’s former governors and a former secretary of the U.S. Navy.Mississippi’s Institutions of Higher Learning’s board of trustees approved the naming of the Ray Mabus Department of Political Science
This year’s “American Idol” field was narrowed to single digits on Monday night with one Mississippian singing his way into the top 9.Daniel Stallworth, an elementary music teacher from Moss Point, survived two rounds of elimination a week ago. During the latest episode, in which contestants were as
From spicy and dill pickles to pickled okra and onions, Mississippi’s annual Pickle Fest is yet again promising to be a big ‘dill.’The Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum in Jackson will host the sixth annual Pickle Fest on Saturday, June 13 (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) and Sunday, June 14 (noon-5 p.m.). I
A Mississippi Blues Trail marker has been unveiled at arguably the most influential place in the history of the Delta blues.Officials gathered in Clarksdale to get a first look at the marker, which stands tall along the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49. The landmark is deeply rooted in music history
A record $133,000 was raised to support wounded veterans through a golf tournament in Mississippi.The 15th Annual Eagles Under the Oaks golf tournament in Pass Christian was a resounding success, sponsor Keesler Federal Credit Union proclaimed. The money raised at the event will go to the Combat Wou
NatureFEST is returning to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science this weekend.The event returns on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. for another action‑packed opportunity for hands‑on learning at the museum, located in Jackson at LeFleur’s Bluff State Park. A festival, nature outing, and a muse
For the third time in as many years, Starkville has been named the “Best Small Town in the South” by readers of USA Today.After a month of voting through the publication’s 2026 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, Starkville grabbed the top spot over Inverness, Fla., Lewisburg, W. Va., West Monroe, La., a
Telecommunications giant C Spire has completed a major project that will provide fiber internet access to more than 14,000 Mississippi homes and nearly 20,000 undeveloped lots.C Spire was awarded a grant from the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund, a $10 billion program that subsidizes campaigns
As Mississippi’s tourism industry grows, one of the state’s universities is looking to give its students a competitive advantage in the hospitality workforce.Beginning this upcoming fall semester, the University of Southern Mississippi will launch the Hospitality Passport program, an initiative desi
A fourth grader from northeast Mississippi has a chance to be crowned “America’s Favorite Student.”Bentley Scruggs, a student at Rankin Elementary School in Tupelo, is currently in second place in his group as part of a nationwide competition presented by Bill Nye “the Science Guy” and The Planetary
50 years later, one of Mississippi’s first independent bookstores is still standing – and stronger than ever.Lemuria Books, a staple of not only Jackson but also the state as a whole, will soon celebrate the major milestone of serving as a community-minded literary lighthouse for half a century.On S
