Browsing: Living

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

Summer is rapidly coming to an end for students across the state of Mississippi. Surprisingly, many of our public and private schools are starting the last week of July.

Nestled in the historic Cotton Row in Cleveland, MS, is an award-winning wood-fired restaurant, Leña Pizza + Bagels. Founded in 2023 by world-renowned chef Marisol Doyle and her husband, Rory, Leña is widely recognized for its exceptional wood-fired pizzas and was named one of the Top 22 Pizzerias in the United States by the New York Times and has been listed as a top pizzeria in the South and the U.S. by 50 Top Pizza and Southern Living. But Marisol began her culinary journey in Cleveland with fresh bagels.

Once a teacher, always a teacher, but the subject matter and students can change after retirement. Moving from elementary students to floral designing and working with adult floral designers has been a rewarding change for Wanda Norton.

There are days when it feels like Mississippi can’t catch a break.

Turn on the television, scroll through social media, or skim the headlines and you might think our state is little more than statistics, rankings, and stereotypes carefully dusted off and recycled for another news cycle.

Back-to-school season has a way of sneaking up on Mississippi families.

One minute it’s pool days, popsicles, and late sunsets. The next, parents are digging through supply lists, trying on last year’s shoes, and realizing someone suddenly needs an entirely new wardrobe after a summer growth spurt.

America’s 250th birthday party may be over, but the summer fun is just getting started in Mississippi. In fact, several local summer celebrations are slated for this weekend, offering multiple opportunities for fun, food, and fellowship. 

People looking to try West African cuisine no longer have to leave the Pine Belt.

Jamba Jollof opened its first brick-and-mortar location in downtown Hattiesburg on Feb. 28 after previously operating as a home-based business. Following the closure of Afrishoppi Kitchen’s dine-in restaurant, Jamba Jollof is now Mississippi’s only brick-and-mortar West African restaurant.  

The fireworks have faded, the lawn chairs are folded, and the last sparkler has burned out. But if your Fourth of July was anything like ours, the celebration isn’t quite over. It’s sitting in your refrigerator, waiting for one more delicious meal.

The National Independence Day Parade takes place annually on July 4th in Washington, D.C., drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators. The massive patriotic event features invited marching bands, fife and drum corps, giant balloons, equestrian units, military displays, and celebrity participants, all celebrating America’s birthday. And this year, the Mississippi Christian University (MC) Marching Band has been selected as the only ensemble from Mississippi to perform.

If your family is anything like mine, the week before the Fourth of July is a busy one. Between tracking down sparklers, making grocery lists, and figuring out who is bringing what to the cookout, the holiday seems to sneak up every year.

There was a food packing party in Moss Point recently, that brought people together to help feed others. The Extra Table event engaged 100 pairs of hands to pack 10,000 meals, in less than an hour, that will go a long way to help people less fortunate than we are.

There is a common misconception that art only exists in big cities, tucked inside towering museums or performed on grand stages beneath bright lights. Some people look at communities like Tupelo and see untapped potential, imagining what the arts could become here.

Storm clouds threatened and laughing gulls called as my three children and I made our way to the crowded beach where a portion was sectioned off. This was our second time attending a sea turtle release. The crowd of all ages beamed with excitement and anticipation. Up ahead, a table displayed literature, stickers, and turtle skulls. Staff from the Institute of Marine Mammal Studies were ready to educate, interact, and host this real-world science lesson.

June is National Dairy Month,  a month to celebrate the hard-working dairy farm families and the nutritious dairy foods they provide. Mississippi is home to 25 dairy farmers, most of whom operate family-owned farms. In 2025, Mississippi produced 8.8 million gallons of milk, with the top two milk-producing counties being Walthall and Marion. Did you know that Mississippi’s most consumed dairy product is ice cream, no surprise, followed by milk. Here are some simple ways to support your local dairy farmers and bring nutritious treats into your summer routine.

There is something special about the foods we associate with our fathers. It may be a recipe they perfected over decades, a meal he cooked only on weekends, or the simple dishes he always requested when the family gathered around the table.