A Mississippi State architecture student was recently named a finalist in the 2025 Timber Design Competition at the Timber Construction Conference in Pretoria, South Africa.

If you happen to see what looks like a dust bunny moving across the leaf of your favorite plant, look again. Underneath what looks like a pile of trash is a vicious predator – the larvae of a Green Lacewing. Everything about this common group of insects is focused on eating other bugs, especially those we often view as pests on the plants we like to care for. The adults and the larvae of lacewings are commonly referred to as beneficial insects because of this diet.

There’s something magical in the autumn air of Ocean Springs, and no—it’s not just the cool breeze rolling in off the Gulf. On October 25, downtown will be filled with cackles, broomsticks, and plenty of glitter as the 8th Annual Witches Ride of Ocean Springs takes flight!

PASCAGOULA—The name Todd Trenchard has become synonymous with the name Bacot after serving the Foundation and the Gulf Coast for the past 23 years.

PASCAGOULA—’Tis the season for visiting graveyards and cemeteries, but a visit to the historic Krebs Cemetery will be a patriotic treat as a celebration of history.

Press Forward Mississippi, in partnership with the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), will host the 2025 Mississippi Community Journalism Workshop on Oct. 30 at the university’s Hattiesburg campus. The workshop is free and open to anyone working to support local news in the state; registration is required.

McComb, MS — The Pike County Arts Council invites the community to an evening of music, nostalgia, and talent as they present Nights to Remember: A Love Letter to Stage and Screen on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 7:00 PM. The event will take place at the historic State Theatre, located at 222 State Street in downtown McComb.

PASCAGOULA—The Flagship District in Pascagoula will be transformed into a bbq block party for the seventh annual Downtown BBQ Throwdown where 25 teams will go grill to grill to win great prizes and annual bragging rights.

A short film by Shrijal Thapa, a student in The University of Southern Mississippi’s Theatre program, housed in the School of Performing and Visual Arts (SPVA), has been selected for three major festivals in Los Angeles—Independent Shorts Awards, Hollywood Discovery Awards and Indie Short Fest—earning him multiple awards and nominations, including a Gold Award for Best Original Score.

A new exercise and nutrition initiative is challenging Mississippians to improve their health and fitness, one step at a time.

As traditional agriculture faces labor shortages, aging farmers and economic pressure, a growing number of Mississippi farms are turning to agritourism to stay afloat. By welcoming visitors for hayrides, corn mazes and school field trips, farms like Seward Farms in Lucedale are creating jobs, educating the next generation and boosting local economies. 

Throughout the state, the teachers of Mississippi work tirelessly to not only teach our children, but to make that learning fun. Just browse any school’s social media page or ask local kids or parents, and you will find out that our students are engaged, encouraged, and motivated to learn – and have fun while they’re doing it.

The U.S. Navy is 250 years old today! On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the first American naval force.

Recent graduates in the Interior Design program at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) were challenged to bring their designs to life as part of a class competition tied to a real residential construction project. Their assignment: develop a cohesive interior and exterior design package for a home already under construction in Hattiesburg’s Shadow Ridge neighborhood.

So, you are a cheese lover and think you know something about the cheeses of the world? There are at least1000 cheeses produced in the USA, although there are only about a dozen that are popularly known. When most Americans think of cheese they think of cheddar, Swiss, Blue, Colby, American, Parmesan, mozzarella, Monterey jack, and cream cheese, but it is a bit more complicated than that!

Imagine taking a walk alongside a creek you’ve visited numerous times and coming home with a prehistoric American mastodon jawbone. That’s precisely what happened to J.P. Ketchum, 15, and his cousin, Tylnn Sanders, at a creek on family land in Yazoo County, Mississippi, in June 2025. The unique discovery has sparked local excitement and interest in the ancient history of the region.