Browsing: Living

The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center’s “What Is True?” team investigated claims by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture that the average American can make a healthy meal for only $3 to $4 per person.   

 One of the first things I noticed within a week of arriving in Boston is the bevy of Dunkin’ Donuts (now called “Dunkin’”). Yes, there is literally at every corner,  sometimes multiple per corner. 

PASCAGOULA—In the rest of the state it is just February, but along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Mardi Gras is in full swing, and that means King Cakes are a hot commodity and topic.

PASCAGOULA—With the artic blast that has blanketed Mississippi in 2026, ball-goers at The Krewe of Gilles took virtual trip to an endless summer to celebrate the 38 38 king and queen and royal court during a ceremony on Saturday, January 31.

Some of the best ideas in small towns don’t begin in boardrooms or planning meetings. They begin in conversation. At community gatherings. Over shared ice cream. With neighbors talking about what their town needs most.

It has been a long, hard nine-month wait, but Mississippi’s high school baseball season 2026 is finally here. 

The Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) has awarded funds to 19 Main Street Communities that applied for Community Development Grants for 2025-2026 to incentivize development, improvement, and revitalization in their historic downtown business districts throughout Mississippi.

Before Mississippi glowed at night—before kitchens hummed, barns buzzed, and porch lights stretched conversations past sundown—there were people willing to…

Construction is underway at the Hattiesburg Zoo on a new ticket office, gift shop and education space aimed at improving how visitors enter the zoo and expanding hands-on learning opportunities. 

The Young Men’s Business Club of Moss Point has announced the Royal Court for its 86th Coronation Ceremony.

Iconic Mississippi writer and editor, Marshall Ramsey, recently made a heartwarming (and totally accurate) social media post about one of the innate superpowers that we possess as Mississippians. 

Some places don’t just serve meals—they hold stories, pass them around the table, and season them with memory. The Dinner Bell in McComb is one of those rare Mississippi institutions where history, hospitality, and home cooking come together—literally—around a round table.

Mississippi is not a state that announces itself. It reveals its story slowly, to those willing to pay attention

The Cleveland Farm Toy Show is an annual event in Cleveland, Mississippi, that brings together collectors and enthusiasts to buy, sell, and trade vintage and modern farm toys, including tractors, trucks, and RC models. It features vendors, displays, and handmade items at the Bolivar County Expo Center. It’s a family-friendly event where people can relive memories and see detailed farm scenes, with proceeds supporting local initiatives like FFA (Future Farmers of America) and offering a fun experience.

In its thirteenth season, The Cleveland Farm Toy Show got its start in Clarksdale, Mississippi, which was inspired by a show in Memphis, Tennessee.  

“This is a hobby I’ve had for a long time,” shared Blake Andrews, owner and director of the Cleveland Farm Toy Show. “I did it with my parents and my grandparents. And when the previous show promoter decided it was time to hang it up, I came along and decided I wanted to do it.”

Many children, especially in agricultural communities like those in the Mississippi Delta, grow up “carpet farming,” a beloved imaginative play activity where children use toy farm equipment, often on a carpet or rug, to mimic real-life farming operations.  The nostalgia is one reason people of all ages will drive from all over to attend, hoping to find a piece left out of their collection or take home something timeless for the children in their lives.

“People from Mississippi to Arkansas, Louisiana, even from Texas and farther away,” shared Andrews.

Collectors and children aren’t the only fans of Farm Toys. Some who grew up “carpet farming” go on to create works of art, creating highly detailed, often custom-built miniature displays of rural dioramas designed to replicate real-life farming operations, which are then judged at specialized shows.  Competition often focuses on creativity, accuracy, and scale, frequently at events like the National Farm Toy Show in Dyersville, Iowa.

“I always grew up carpet farming with out-of-the-box toys from John Deere,” shared Ethan Hildabrand. “My dad and I were looking at the Delta Farm press one night, saw Blake’s Farm Toy Show, and asked to go. I started getting into custom models, and finally, I built my first display.”

Participants who compete with their farm displays rarely use toys directly off the shelf. Instead, they “tweak” toys or hand-build them to create unique, realistic models. Displays are often built in specific scales to provide a realistic replica. Competitors get creative with materials to mimic real farm elements.  Winning displays often feature specific, complex agricultural tasks, such as lagoon pumping, harvesting, or robotic feeding systems.

“Whenever I set out to build a display, I like to ride around my farming community between Bentonia and Satarsha, Mississippi, and look at stuff,” shared Hildabrand. “When I get inspired, I’ll take a picture of it, and have that laid out on my table when I display, and provide a story about how it relates to me in real life.”

You don’t have to be a farmer to enjoy these events or dabble in display competitions. It is a fun opportunity for any agricultural enthusiast.

MOSS POINT—In marketing, a product has hit big when the brand name is used for all brands and varieties of a product.  For instance, the word “Kleenex” is used to refer to any tissue in a box or package meant for cleaning dirty noses.

In Vicksburg, the Mississippi River doesn’t just flow — it speaks. It moves slowly and deliberately, thick and muddy, carrying…