By Eddie Smith, MSU Extension Service I’ve always been a fan of butterfly bushes; so in my garden, I have both regular-sized varieties and a couple of dwarf varieties. My favorites are the dwarf ones. They are compact and known for their fragrant blossoms and ability to attract pollinators such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.…

By Nathan Gregory, MSU Extension Service Wildlife photographers of all ages and skill levels have a venue to showcase their camera eye in an insect photo competition. The Crosby Arboretum BugFest Photo Competition is accepting entries until Sept. 14 for photos of arthropods. These include centipedes, millipedes, insects, spiders, and scorpions on land and barnacles,…

With hurricane season heating up, the Mississippi Department of Transportation reminds residents that contraflow could be implemented in the event of a powerful hurricane, typically a Category 3 or greater. In Mississippi, contraflow turns all four lanes of I-59 and I-55 traffic northbound from Louisiana through just south of Hattiesburg and Brookhaven, respectively, to aid…

Lawrence County teen Addie Carver has had a busy weekend since winning the Miss Teen USA competition in Los Angeles Thursday night. The national event was broadcast live on Aug. 1 from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Calif. Carver, a senior and cheerleader at Lawrence County High School, was crowned Miss Mississippi Teen USA…

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson recently announced that the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce will begin accepting a new round of applications for its Wild Hog Control Program Aug. 1. The application period will close on Thursday, Aug. 15. All Mississippi counties are eligible for the application period. Through the program, the…

By Elizabeth Canales, MSU Extension Service Mississippians with a quality food product looking to scale up their business are invited to take advantage of a series of one-hour webinars and a one-day, in-person workshop to learn ways to navigate different markets. The Mississippi State University Extension Service is offering “Food as Business: Scaling up from…

By Sid Salter, Good Ole Boys Syndicate The Neshoba County Fair political speaking program last week made plain two facts moving toward the 2027 statewide elections in Mississippi. First, the field of candidates in the race to succeed two-term Republican Gov. Tate Reeves may be broad, and second, the 2027 race will be hard-fought and…