Good morning, Hattiesburg.

The Hattiesburg Zoo announced Thursday, Apr.

9 that Kuma, a young male hyena, will be sent to Turtle Back Zoo in New Jersey to join a lone female hyena for breeding (the zoo previously relocated a hyena to Kansas in Sept. 2023) while his parents remain at the zoo.

Agriculture enthusiasts gathered in Laurel on Thursday for the Annual Magnolia Beef and Poultry Expo (with attendees from eight counties and other states) that featured seminars on proper composting, disease reduction, and vaccine use in cattle and poultry; the event also awarded an agriculture scholarship and named a Producer of the Year award.

Rickey Smiley will perform his Mother's Day comedy show at Saenger Theater in Hattiesburg.

A federal court order in 2023 that eased school vaccine requirements led to a surge in whooping cough cases and one baby fatality in Hattiesburg, raising concerns as kindergarten vaccination rates drop (now below 97%).

A former William Carey star will join a Sun Belt school to boost the team’s performance as the season approaches, and coaches expect his talent to make an immediate impact.

Downtown Crawfish Jam 2026

10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. — Walthall Park — $40-$50 — Enjoy live music and all-you-can-eat crawfish at this family-friendly festival.