Good morning, Hattiesburg.

Cooperative Energy employees volunteered at Columbia's Hope Community Collective yesterday as part of their MLK Day service events, helping with the food pantry and clothes closet.

They will volunteer today in Hattiesburg at Kids Hub + The Salvation Army Thrift Store + Christian Services soup kitchen.

Dixie Electric is preparing for a potential winter mix this weekend — utility crews will monitor weather and adjust service plans to ensure residents have reliable power.

Jones County Schools are upgrading athletic facilities at all three high schools with new tracks, weight rooms and field houses to serve both students and local youth sports leagues.

The construction is funded by local and state money with no tax increase and will last several years.

A dangerous ice storm is forecast to hit parts of Mississippi this weekend with up to 2 inches of ice that could overload power lines and trigger lengthy outages.

Local residents are urged to prepare by stocking essentials and protecting property as temperatures remain near freezing.

House Bill 48, proposed by Rep. Robert Johnson, is set to provide funds to boost healthy food access by supporting food pantries; it moved to a House committee on Jan.

7 and will take effect July 1 if approved (targeting local food desert areas).

Mississippi's Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks announced changes for the 2026 turkey season, which will open early on March 14 and require most hunters to buy turkey stamps and report harvests via Game Check; funds will support habitat management and research.

State health experts released the 2025 Public Health Report Card today at the capitol during White Coat Day + the report shows Mississippi rising to 48th in national health with drops in opioid deaths, teen births, and accidents, though concerns about infant mortality, obesity, hypertension and diabetes remain.

Molten Mohawk Niner and 4 Miler

7:30-9:45 a.m. — Thomley's Christmas Tree Farm — Cost varies — Challenge your endurance with a scenic run through Hattiesburg's beautiful landscape.