Good morning, Hattiesburg.

Extra Table hosted a packing party on Sunday in Hattiesburg with 75 volunteers who filled pallets worth $95,000 & shipped them to over 70 food pantries statewide.

The group will hold similar events every other month.

Smith County’s 4-year-old Slater Bynum was made a junior officer on Friday by Madison Police — he explored trucks, motorcycles, drones, and greeted a recovering deputy by FaceTime — as he works toward meeting 1,000 officers.

A new Mississippi attendance law (Senate Bill 2103) limits student absences to five per semester and requires a doctor’s note after three absences; it took effect July 1 and now mandates that students attend at least 66% of the school day to be marked present.

Mississippi schools will add financial literacy, computer science, and civics courses under Senate Bill 2294 starting 2027-28.

Teacher training begins in summer 2027 while parents are encouraged to talk with their children about money skills.

Lamar County Schools will use weapons detectors daily on all middle and high campuses and add AI camera detection to scan for unholstered weapons — a system first tested at extracurricular events in 2024, with school resource officers practicing active-shooter drills as they gear up for the new school year.

Southern Miss announced on July 22 its 2026 football ticketing plan that features a flex option so fans can select three to six home games at a discount.

Auburn game tickets are up now and the season opener against Alcorn State is set for Sept. 5 at 4 p.m.

Southern Miss is set to host Fan Fest on Aug.

22 at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M. Roberts Stadium; the free family event starts at 10 a.m. and offers autograph sessions, bounce houses, a cornhole tournament, a football scrimmage at 11 a.m., and a volleyball exhibition at 2 p.m.

Southern Miss head football coach Blake Anderson spoke last week at a Gulf Coast Alumni Foundation event in Gulfport.

He said his first season will be challenging — he aims to rebuild the team amid transfer rules and NIL changes and believes the roster can compete.

Greg Warren Live Comedy Show

7:30-10:30 p.m. — Hattiesburg Saenger Theater — Ticket prices vary — Get ready for a night filled with laughter from the comedian Greg Warren.