For the last twelve years, Emerge Events owner, Jennifer Clark, has put together the annual Pine Belt Women’s Expo. This was my first time going, and I attended the event on both days— Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2. The expo was held at the Train Depot in Hattiesburg. I decided to take you all on a recap of this one of a kind experience! 

The Hunt Club campus of Venture Church was the place to be Thursday as more than 200 volunteers showed up to fight hunger in Mississippi. They came for the third annual March of the Mayors in support of Extra Table, a Hattiesburg non-profit organization dedicated to feeding hungry families in Mississippi. 

Jennifer Jeffries received a unanimous yes from American Idol judges during her audition last week. With a unique and soulful voice, the 17-year-old from Starkville, MS, performed an original song entitled “Change My Ways.”

Cross your fingers and hold your breath because it looks like Spring may have actually “sprung” here in Mississippi.

Pandemic entrepreneurs started over 4 million new businesses in the U.S. during 2020—the highest total on record. People responded to forced furloughs, layoffs, and business closures by starting small businesses. Some started simply out of boredom and needing to pass the time. That was how Wholly Fire Foods from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, started. James Louis, a retired teacher, enrollment officer, and recruiter for Tougaloo College, and his wife found themselves at home, looking to pass the time. Louis, an avid cook suffering from high blood pressure, decided to try gardening. 

Applications are now open for nonprofits to apply for a $20,000.00 grant from the GivHer Circle Fund from Gulf Coast Community Foundation (GCCF). Nonprofits from Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, Jackson, Stone, and George counties are eligible to apply. 

Students at The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) have been provided a unique pathway to fulfill their college dreams through a tuition scholarship partnership between the school and The University of Southern Mississippi (USM).

Many know Joe Burrow as the talented Cincinnati Bengals quarterback or the young man who stated a few years ago that he was “just a kid from Athens” who set a Heisman record while at LSU.” No doubt about it, Joe Burrow is an exceptional athlete. However, in Amory, MS, he is affectionately called “Joey” by grandparents and other locals who have watched him grow up.

As the Hilton Garden Inn Pascagoula hotel celebrates its 10-year anniversary, Expotel Hospitality announced that it has begun a $1.2 million renovation to the 119-room property, located at 2703 Denny Avenue. The 6-month project includes updates to hotel rooms, lobby and restaurant areas, fitness room, patio area, grand ballroom and hallways. 

A quick look at Rockin Chicken and Waffle’s Facebook page and you know exactly what this place is all about, Chicken and waffles. The place is relatively new (its only four months old), but the people I have talked to that have eaten there just rave about it. One Facebook comment even said that they would never eat chicken anywhere else again. That says a lot!

Graham, a senior from Long Beach, Miss. began her USM journey in 2016 studying biology, before taking a hiatus to take time for family. When she returned to USM in 2021, Graham looked at the school’s Sustainability Sciences (Coastal System Dynamics) degree program and decided it was the perfect fit for her and her interests.  

Looking to downsize? Some states are more ideal for a tiny house than others. The verdict: Mississippi is the No.…

To help make your plans for the next couple of months, here are a few of the top Spring Festivals in Mississippi. Get out your calendar now and mark down these important dates for some festival fun that you do not want to miss.

The Hattiesburg Pocket Museum Alley has a new installation, Hattiesburg’s Rainbow Bridge.  “Our Rainbow Bridge is a place to honor and recognize our four-legged family members,” said Rick Taylor, Executive Director of the Hattiesburg Convention Commission, which oversees and manages the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum alley.  People are encouraged to attach their pets’ tags and collars to the rail of the bridge to memorialize them and remember their love. 

That’s right, lacrosse. One of the oldest games currently being played today is gaining popularity in the Gulf South, and the Pine Belt is right in the middle of the action.
The Hub City Lacrosse Club is in its fifth year of existence and is based at the Sacred Heart High School Sports Complex.

On February 29, the City of Pascagoula held a dedication ceremony for the newly minted Ring of Honor, a group comprised of early leaders in youth baseball and softball locally, who now have commemorative plaques prominently displayed around the entrance to the sparkling new Pascagoula Sports Complex on Tucker Street.