Browsing: Featured

Keep America Beautiful is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to community improvement. Its mission is to inspire and educate people to work toward a cleaner, greener, and more beautiful America. Keep Mississippi Beautiful is a network that connects 60 Keep America Beautiful-certified affiliates throughout our state, focusing on litter prevention, recycling, and community beautification. 

This week, I got to see one of my heroes have his wish granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and it was a joy to watch. 

On the morning of April 27, 2022, Mississippians across multiple counties looked up—and then ducked for cover. What they saw (and heard) wasn’t thunder, a plane, or a storm rolling through. It was something far more dramatic: a blazing fireball tearing through the atmosphere at 55,000 miles per hour. Moments later, a deafening boom cracked across the sky. Windows rattled, homes shook, and the phones started ringing. Had something exploded? Was it an earthquake? The answer came from above.

“I’m bored! There’s nothing to do.”

The first month of summer is not even over yet, and a lot of Mississippi kids have already voiced this complaint – probably more than once.

Well, the teacher in me always loved creating a summer scavenger hunt for my kids. Ours usually started around the house and sometimes branched out to include nearby family and friends. 

wind doesn’t care about your story. The slope won’t adjust out of sympathy. Yet somehow, some players make the game look effortless. Not because it is, but because they’ve worked hard, the grind has become part of their character.

Just outside the serene town of Flora, Mississippi, lies one of the state’s most captivating natural wonders—the Mississippi Petrified Forest. This rare geological site, nestled among the undulating hills of Madison County, is more than just an unusual roadside attraction. It’s a living museum, a tangible link to Earth’s deep past, and a striking testament to the fact that Mississippi’s narrative began long before humans ever set foot on its soil.

Wren Moore, now six years old, first visited Mississippi’s Art Museum and fell in love with drawing when she was only three years old. Now, Moore is using her love of art to create art galleries of her work at home, helping others.

But for those who have not found time or opportunity to fish with the children they love, the Mississippi Department of wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) offers an entire slate of youth fishing rodeos for the kids in our state.

Mississippi is no stranger to delicious food. The Magnolia State is known for its impeccable cuisine, and no matter how much of it you try, there are always more wonderful options available. Just when you think you’ve seen (or eaten) it all, you’ll stumble into a town you’ve never heard of and eat the best catfish or peach cobbler of your life. In Mississippi, food isn’t just food. It’s a story, a legacy, and a tight warm hug plated to perfection. 

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.

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.”

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.

Without going into her inappropriate discourse on dog pounds and beauty pageants, I do believe that Suzanne Sugarbaker had one thing totally correct: “You will never see a homely Miss Mississippi.”

Tucked into the gentle hills of north Mississippi, just a stone’s throw south of Oxford, you’ll find a place that doesn’t try to be flashy—it simply is what it is: charming, creative, and rich in heart. Welcome to Water Valley.

Fairs are not only fun. They evoke feelings of nostalgia. For many of us, some of our favorite memories are from the fair. Thankfully, fairs are not a thing of the old times. They are still alive and well— thriving and flourishing, even. The Neshoba County Fair is one of Mississippi’s most anticipated fairs. 

Southern Magnolias help define the deep south landscape. Their large, prominent white flowers are hard to miss and are a favorite subject for artists and photographers. Southern Magnolia is the state tree and flower for Mississippi, the Magnolia State, and the state flower of Louisiana. And although the flowers are the main attraction, the plant offers other equally prominent features.