Governor Tate Reeves announced the launch of the Mississippi AI Talent Accelerator Program (MAI-TAP). MAI-TAP is a new initiative that fosters the development of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and related technical capacities across the state’s institutions of higher learning to support the expansion of Amazon Web Services in Mississippi. Additionally, the initiative creates training infrastructure that benefits the broader technology and information infrastructure sectors. The initiative is a partnership between AccelerateMS, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

One of Columbus’s most anticipated summer traditions is back and brighter than ever. Fireworks on the Water will take place on Friday, July 4, 2025, at the Stennis Lock & Dam East Bank,

Yep, I am head over heels in love with The Local Lemon, based out of Saltillo, Mississippi.

Now, I am fully aware that there are other new-fangled drink options, but nothing says “summertime” quite like a big ol’ glass of freshly squeezed lemonade. And I got my first taste of “summertime” this past week when The Local Lemon pulled into the Cadence Bank Arena to offer participants at the AFA Activate Summit some afternoon refreshments.

f you’re in need of a little pick-me-up—or let’s be real, a brain-freezing scoop of happiness—look no further than Chill Sloth Ice Cream & Smoothies in Wiggins, Mississippi. This isn’t your average stop for sweets. It’s a whole vibe—a rainforest escape in the heart of South Mississippi where you’ll find frozen treats, tropical flair, and a surprisingly adorable celebrity resident named Sammy.

f your state had to be summed up by just one town – its accent, its quirks, its food, its humor, the very way it moves – where would you point? Not the capital. Not the biggest city. But the place that locals say feels like us.

It’s funny how life sometimes gives us precisely what we didn’t know we needed. For Kelsey Keel, PhD, MPH, that gift came during the stillness of the 2020 pandemic. With her professional world on pause and her personal life centered around two young children, something unexpected happened—she slowed down, looked around, and truly saw her neighborhood.

I am not sure I can think of anything better than a fully dressed po-boy. There is just something magical about this sandwich style. In other parts of the country, they are called sliders, subs, hoagies, Cubans or torpedoes, but a po-boy is a Gulf Coast classic. 

Pete Taggard never expected skateboarding to save his life.  But when a doctor warned that Type 2 Diabetes was threatening…

Now is a great time to look for one of the most colorful songbirds in North America: the Painted Bunting.  This small passerine bird, related to cardinals, is a familiar sight in some portions of the southern United States during the spring and summer.  The adult male has a blue-violet head, a grass-green back, green wings, and red underparts, and the adult females and immature birds are distinctive in being an overall leaf-green shade.  Male Painted Buntings display delayed plumage maturation, which means that they molt into full adult plumage in their second year.  In their first year, they are often indistinguishable from females.  

As a child of the sixties, I listened intently as Smoky the Bear shared the message that “only you can prevent forest fires”. It made perfect sense. But not all fires are bad as we have learned over the past half century, especially in the fire-adapted, pine forests of the southeastern U.S. It turns out that small, periodic fires help keep the forest healthy and safe from destruction that we often see in western forests. Here is the story.

When we talk about the founding of Mississippi, the conversation often drifts to riverboats, cotton empires, or Andrew Jackson’s infamous duels. But tucked quietly into the folds of early American history is a name that deserves far more recognition: David Holmes—a statesman, a gentleman, and the man often called “The Father of Mississippi.”

had never seen a Limpkin prior to 2022.  One turned up in the winter, on Columbus Lake, and stayed for several months, much to the delight of local birders.  Although I knew this was a rare species for Mississippi, I didn’t think too much about it until another one showed up at Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge.  By this time, observers were reporting Limpkins—including nesting pairs—in many locations across the eastern and central United States, far from where they normally occurred in Florida.  Birds were spotted even in southern Canada.  What was going on?

Swimming is a popular and beneficial activity for the summer. It’s a great way to beat the heat, stay active, and enjoy the outdoors. Swimming offers numerous health benefits, including improved cardiovascular fitness, increased muscle strength, and enhanced flexibility, as well as a refreshing way to spend time with family and friends. It is also a growing competitive sport in Mississippi for student-athletes of all ages. 

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) received approval from the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) Board of Trustees to establish the Mississippi Center for Apprenticeships and Residency in Education (MCARE).

I love learning something new about our state, be it historical facts, economic stats, or even interesting particulars about Mississippians. I just love learning all things Mississippi. So, it is no wonder that Satartia, Mississippi, grabbed my attention today, as I learned quite a few interesting specifics about this little town.

Mississippi State University is making agricultural aviation history this week by hosting the nation’s first Self-Regulating Application and Flight Efficiency (S.A.F.E.) training program exclusively focused on spray drones. The five-day training at MSU’s Agricultural Autonomy Institute marks a significant milestone in bridging the gap between traditional aerial application and emerging drone technology.