Good morning, Hattiesburg.

Pearl River County prosecutors convicted 44-year-old Derek Jarrell from Picayune under Parker’s Law for selling fentanyl that caused a death as text messages confirmed he knew the drug contained fentanyl — he received a 40-year sentence.

Eighteen-year-old Alexei Orohovsky, a Hattiesburg native, has been hired as a soloist with the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia and will begin his role in September.

His journey began when a ballet master noticed him and recommended him to the director of the prestigious company.

The USM Foundation and Southern Miss Honors College announced an anonymous $300,000 gift to create the Dr. Wallace G.

Kay Honors College Professorship Endowment — honoring the founding dean who led the early development of the college. The endowment will support a faculty member whose work reflects his innovative, student-centered values as the Honors College prepares for its 50th anniversary events on April 17-18 — promising to continue his legacy of academic excellence.

Beauty school owner Asheena Woods closed her school because the new unified board for cosmetology and barbering has not worked with clear rules—state nominees were not confirmed, leaving tests outdated and creating confusion for over 60 affected schools.

She taught state laws until the recent merger, and all schools must now wait for updated regulations before new classes can open.

Mississippi Public Broadcasting will lose about $2 million in federal funding next year as cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting force a drop in PBS and NPR programming that many families depend on—MPB has launched its Won’t You Be Our Neighbor? campaign to seek support from local residents.

Fishmasters released a ranking of Mississippi's best fishing lakes, naming Grenada Lake, Ross Barnett Reservoir, Enid Lake, Calling Panther Lake and Lake Washington as prime spots for bass, crappie and catfish—anglers in Hattiesburg now have fresh spots to try for their next catch.

Fredo Bang Live at Nostalgia for Southern Miss Season Opener

9 p.m. — Nostalgia Lounge & Bar — Tickets available online and at the door — Kick off the Southern Miss football season with a live performance from Louisiana’s own Fredo Bang.

Calvin Richardson Live Performance

7-11 p.m. — The Center at Forrest County — Tickets required — Experience the soulful sounds of Multi-Grammy Nominated artist Calvin Richardson as he performs his new hit single.

Best of Both Worlds Alumni Aftergame Party

9 PM-2 AM — The Bottling Company — General admission & VIP options — Celebrate the rivalry with a classy alumni gathering for JSU and USM fans.