Browsing: Featured

This Saturday at 3:00 p.m., a group of Pike County performers will take the stage at the Ford Center in Oxford as part of the Mississippi Theatre Festival. The production is free and open to the public, with ASL interpreters present. What makes the performance especially meaningful, however, is who is standing under the lights.

BILOXI—Many people make New Year resolutions, but Sandra Moss doesn’t.  Instead, she makes life resolutions and listens to her inner calling.

“If something in you keeps calling, listen,” she said. “Sometimes the bravest thing you can do isn’t starting over; it’s finally starting true. And remember: age isn’t the barrier; hesitation is.”

Shay and Michi Guess from Mantachie, Mississippi, are a dynamic musical duo, known for their diverse sound and spiritually driven lyrics. For three decades, their powerful vocals, soulful melodies, and talented band members have created music that resonates with their community and generation. Even though Shay and Michi were born worlds apart, once connected, they’ve never looked back.

MOSS POINT—Nothing changes if nothing changes.  Read that again and understand the meaning behind those five simple words. These words are part of a monthly post encouraging volunteers to be a positive influence in the Moss Point community.

GULFPORT — What began as a father’s mission to create a place where his daughter could feel included has grown into a thriving nonprofit serving hundreds of individuals with special needs on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 

I remember the first photo I saw of Markel Bell standing next to my husband, Les George, during his time coaching at Holmes Community College. At 6-foot-9 and approximately 345 pounds, Markel’s size immediately stood out.

Some Mississippi traditions are built on competition. Others are built on community. And then there are the special ones—like Biloxi’s annual Arbor Day Run—that manage to do both while making room for everyone along the way.

MOSS POINT—The All-American Soap Box Derby youth gravity racing program has been operating since 1934, and the only way residents of Mississippi can get to the current International Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio, is through Moss Point.

Tucked into the heart of Summit, Buzy Beez Bookstore is one of those places that quietly reminds you why independent bookstores matter so much.

Evan Phelps of Gautier recently participated in and earned three gold medals in the World Martial Arts Games Committee in Oslo, Norway. That in itself is impressive. What makes it even more impressive is that months earlier he had been seriously injured in a car accident and his participation in the Games seemed uncertain.

There’s something charming about the way Mississippi rings in the new year. Sure, other places watch a polished crystal ball fall in Times Square, but we prefer seafood, anchors, glowing signs, and celebrations that feel like home. In Mississippi, we drop what we love — and sometimes we keep it classic too.

Clinton, Mississippi native, Jacob Dillard debuted at the Grand Ole Opry in November 2025 as the pedal steel guitarist with Walker Montgomery’s band. While performing during the Opry’s 100th anniversary fulfilled a lifelong dream, it provided a time to reflect on the years of hard work in Mississippi and Nashville that paved the way. Landing the opportunity to play with Walker Montgomery, who is the son of country music star John Michael Montgomery, seems serendipitous.

WIGGINS — What began as a woodturning studio has grown into a coffee shop and gift store that is helping revitalize downtown Wiggins. Southern Turnings, founded by Scott and Jane Ann Maddox, has become a staple for residents and a tourist destination for visitors. 

Oxford was already buzzing last Saturday, but tucked between the Grove and the Ole Miss Student Union stood a quieter symbol of the moment—one that felt just as meaningful as kickoff.

For Kayla Walker, Lambing Day began not as a book idea, but as a quiet moment of discovery. During Christmas break in 2023, she finally sat down to read The Tower of the Flock: The Christmas Story by Dr. Christine Van Horn—a book that would shift how she understood the nativity story she had known her entire life. What she found were biblical connections and historical details that challenged long-held assumptions and invited deeper reflection.

If you’ve ever been inside the Bolivar County Courthouse in Rosedale, you may have noticed the old bell — quiet now, but heavy with history. It doesn’t just belong to the building it’s housed in today. That bell once rang out over a town that no longer exists, a Mississippi place that was swallowed whole by the river.