Pawpaws. Muscadines. Honeydew.

Those aren’t the ingredients you’d expect to see earning national awards, but that’s exactly what happened for one Mississippi brewery. Biloxi’s Fly Llama Brewing has been named one of the Top 10 Hard Seltzer Producers in the nation, bringing home four medals at the 2026 U.S. Open Hard Seltzer Championship.

What looks like a mass of yellow spaghetti draped over a plant is, well, another plant – Dodder (Cuscuta spp). It is in fact a parasitic vine that is draining the life out of its host. The name dodder is largely thought to be derived from the German word dotter, referring to egg yolk, a reference that fits it well. But if you look close, this vine has flowers, cute ones at that, and an interesting and successful way of life.

As Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” enters its 38th season, public fascination with apex predators continues to rise. But while television audiences tune in for the drama, two Mississippi State graduate students are part of the network of scientists who help provide necessary data behind the public’s often-varying opinions on sharks.

A documentary available on Netflix chronicling the story of America includes a prominent historian as a voiceover — who also happens to be a member of The University of Southern Mississippi faculty.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College will host a Women in Skilled Trades Showcase on Aug. 6 to introduce women to training and career opportunities in high-demand industries as employers across Mississippi continue to seek skilled workers. 

Local nonprofit leaders are working to better coordinate volunteers, donations and relief efforts after they said the May 2026 tornado highlighted the need for a more organized disaster response network. 

Maritime industry partners are interested in engaging with teachers and students to provide awareness of the exciting opportunities available throughout the maritime industry.

The dramatic improvement in Mississippi’s early literacy rates has grabbed national attention, spotlighting the work of statewide partnerships to bring about the “Mississippi Miracle.”

From Broadway Star Kristin Chenoweth to the Grammy Award-winning “First Daughter of Soul” Lalah Hathaway,  Mississippi State’s Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts fall and winter lineup brings legendary musical arts and family entertainment to downtown Meridian.

Local parks are great places to visit regularly. For many, the playgrounds, picnic areas, and walking paths are the draw. But what if we could add something else to make a visit more interesting and educational, but not permanent. This is the idea behind ephemeral art; the installation of temporary artwork designed to be short-lived. The creation of sand sculptures on beaches is a great example. The Coast Ephemeral Art Project was launched to bring this idea to local green spaces.

The Visiting Pet Teams of South Mississippi Pet Therapy Group recently celebrated its summer graduation in Gulfport, Mississippi. After months of rigorous training and testing, a total of eighteen dogs and one bunny officially graduated from the program. These animals are now officially licensed. Certified therapy teams are cleared to serve the community across the Mississippi Gulf Coast as they have for the last twenty years.

Puttin’ On The Pink Breast Cancer Foundation has announced that its 15th annual Breast Cancer Awareness Gala will be held Sept. 26 at The Venue at River Oaks in Picayune. Tickets for the annual fundraiser go on sale Aug. 1. 

The City of Moss Point joins 90 other communities across the nation in a music concert series designed to create connections celebrating the arts.

There is a side of college football that fans rarely get to see.

Long before a player’s name appears on a roster or echoes through a stadium, coaches spend months getting to know him. They study film, make phone calls, visit schools and have countless conversations about not only the athlete, but the young man behind the highlights.

Across Mississippi, backpacks are being zipped, supply lists are being checked, and alarm clocks are about to make their annual return.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s iMPAC and the Mississippi Songwriters Alliance will host a free Coastline Creators Songwriters Night at 6 p.m. July 24 at the college’s Harrison County Campus.