Good morning, Hattiesburg.

Hattiesburg native Jane Granberry won the Portia (and Scarlett) Preliminary Evening Gown Award at Miss America 2027 held in West Palm Beach and earned a $3,000 scholarship; the finals will air Sunday, Sept.

6.

Near Space Labs partnered with the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Blue to map Gulf Coast shorelines from 45,000 ft in mid-August, covering 772 square miles.

The company will share the updated imagery with over 20 government agencies to guide coastal planning.

Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch backed Ole Miss and Mississippi State’s policy to keep college athletics for college players after concerns arose over LSU fielding pro players — a stance echoed by officials from Georgia and South Carolina as the SEC takes legal action against LSU.

Local primary care doctors are embracing a direct primary care model to offer longer visits and personalized care after brief, insurance-driven appointments.

Dr. Hall’s Hall Health on West Laurel Avenue and Dr. Hendry’s Mid-South Direct Primary Care in Petal charge a monthly fee + now help uninsured and underinsured residents.

Southern Miss will open its football season on Saturday, Sept.

5 at Renasant Stadium at 4:00 p.m. CT when coach Blake Anderson debuts with a roster featuring over 70 new players + the team aims to build on a 40-14 win over Alcorn State in 2023.

The WDAM 7 Game of the Week features Hattiesburg & Laurel in the 105th Little Brown Jug game, with Hattiesburg seeking a win after a recent setback and Laurel aiming to break a four-game winning streak.

Kickoff is today at 7 p.m. from D.I. Patrick Stadium.