Good morning, Hattiesburg.

Extra Table’s Henny 9,000 campaign delivered over 1,500 Mississippi-grown chickens to local food pantries in Hattiesburg on Wednesday as part of a statewide effort to bring nearly 10,000 birds to 66 partners ahead of Thanksgiving—additional stops are planned in Jackson, Greenville, and McComb.

The Hattiesburg Zoo will host Lights of the Wild, an 11-night holiday event in December that features dazzling light displays and themed activities like Story Time with Mrs. Claus and rides on the Northern Lights Express Train — guests must select a specific night when purchasing tickets online by 5 p.m. daily.

Last weekend, Hattiesburg residents joined Make a Difference Day on Nov.

8, cleaning parks, schools, and neighborhoods — volunteers refreshed Eastside Park, cleared debris along disc golf trails, and gathered canned goods for food banks. City officials said the event built strong community ties and showed local pride.

Hattiesburg’s Saenger Theater will host Peter Billingsley live on Dec.

11 for an event called An Evening with Peter Billingsley and A Christmas Story — it starts at 6:30 p.m. with a screening of the 1983 film and is followed by a Q&A where he shares behind-the-scenes stories.

USM launched a new Crime Scene Investigation major this fall that teaches students real forensic skills in the Walker Science Building—bridging TV shows and real work.

The program offers hands-on lab practice with evidence handling and scene processing—helping prepare students for future forensic careers.

Southern Miss hosted Research Day on Nov.

7 at the Thad Cochran Center—22 faculty showed posters on science, art, and health topics and networked with researchers from other fields. James Thompson from Ocean Enterprise won first place, and the event celebrated USM’s R1 research status while moving between Hattiesburg and the Gulf Coast each year.

The University of Southern Mississippi has launched a new major in Philosophy, Religion and Law to help students build strong thinking, ethics and communication skills.

The program in the School of Humanities offers three paths—Religion and World Cultures, Ethics, and Philosophy and Law—that prepare students for further study and future jobs.

On November 11, viewers across the Pine Belt submitted photos of an aurora display that lit up the night sky — WDAM received the images through its weather app.

Kamesha Mumford, a longtime attorney and former city court judge (with strong community ties), is running for Mississippi Senate District 26 after earning 3,706 votes on Nov.

4 and will campaign for better infrastructure, public safety, and job opportunities ahead of the runoff on Dec. 2.

Rick Cleveland called in from New York to discuss Mississippi football—he explained that the sixth-ranked Rebels claimed their latest victim, the Golden Eagles had an unlikely run and Delta State’s opponents chickened out.

He also covered the Cleveland boys running down the 2025 Mr. Football winners and the start of the high school playoffs—his commentary linked college and high school action.

Ballet Magnificat: Light Has Come

7-8:30 p.m. — Hattiesburg Saenger Theater — Ticket info unavailable — Experience a powerful dance retelling of the story of salvation from the angels' perspective.

Jeff Tweedy Concert

7:30-9:00 p.m. — Hattiesburg Saenger Theater — Tickets available starting July 18 — Experience the intimate sounds of Jeff Tweedy, a respected songwriter, as he performs solo and Wilco favorites.

CitiLimitz Concert

7-11 p.m. — Hattiesburg Saenger Theater — Tickets available — Enjoy the vibrant sounds of CitiLimitz performing live music from their popular soundtrack.

Hobble Then Gobble 2025 5 Mile Run and 2 Mile Walk

8 a.m. - 2 p.m. — Lake Serene Clubhouse — Registration fee — Start your Thanksgiving with a run or walk to burn off some calories before feasting.

DJ D.Reau Concert

11 PM - 2 AM — Brewsky's — Ticket required — Dance to the beats of DJ D.Reau in Hattiesburg's lively atmosphere.

Do The Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl

4:30-9 p.m. — Grill and Grocery — Tickets required — Celebrate the festive season in your most outrageous holiday attire with games, contests, and a jolly good time.