Good morning, Hattiesburg.

The National Weather Service rated the Purvis tornado EF-2 after it tore through Lamar County Wednesday night, and crews surveyed damage and will continue checking the area next week.

On Friday, May 8, Hattiesburg High School recognized its seniors during an auditorium event where faculty announced their college plans for next semester.

Elana Robertson, who plans to major in ultrasound at Pearl River Community College, shared her favorite choir memories & leadership goals for the future.

Niche released rankings for Mississippi college campuses, and the local University of Southern Mississippi earned high marks for dorms, safety and student life — joining Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Belhaven and Mississippi University for Women to round out the top five.

A ransomware group breached Canvas, leading to an outage in classes at University of Southern Mississippi and raising concerns at other local colleges; officials confirmed Friday that personal records at institutions including Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College were potentially exposed (further details are still emerging).

After Wednesday's tornado outbreak damaged many homes, the National Weather Service warned that isolated severe storms with damaging wind and quarter-size hail could affect Hattiesburg today — crews will continue storm damage assessments.

Gov. Tate Reeves approved Senate Bill 2474 on April 8 & the Rare Disease Advisory Council will form a seven-member task force to study care access, insurance, funding and treatment options for patients like 6-year-old Ava Maie whose family travels for care.

The task force will advise state leaders.

Mississippi will receive $41 million over the next 15 years from a settlement with a defunct pharmaceutical company linked to the opioid crisis.

Mississippi resumed its participation in PRAMS after a six-month pause from Jan.

31 to Oct. 1, 2025, which left gaps in tracking maternal and infant health data. The state secured funding on April 30 and officials say the missing data may hinder future health interventions.