The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) will make available state Education Enhancement Funds (EEF) to all public-school districts on July 15 for teachers to purchase instructional supplies for their classes throughout the school year. For the first time, EEF funds are being provided to teachers through a digital wallet platform. Each eligible teacher has been allocated $748 in EEF funds for the 2026-27 school year. Teachers will access these funds through ClassWallet,

By Jessica Breazeale, Wesson News My take on faith, dry seasons and a strange little plant that refuses to stay dead. I heard about a plant that looks absolutely dead but can come back to life. I was greatly intrigued. So, I bought some to test this knowledge. Yes, this plant looks like it belongs in the trash. Curled up, brown, brittle…the kind of thing you'd sweep off your porch without a second thought. It's called the Rose of Jericho. Most people know it by a better name:

By Misty Strieff Prine “If you don’t see the greatness of God, then all things that money can buy become very exciting. If you can’t see the sun, you will be impressed with a streetlight. If you’ve never felt thunder and lightning, you’ll be impressed with fireworks. And if you turn your back on the greatness and majesty of God, you’ll fall in love with a world of shadows and short-lived pleasures.” – John Piper Take the time to truly appreciate the greatness and

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB “Minions & Monsters” is the seventh cinematic outing for the Minions, and the third where they take center stage, as opposed to playing backup for former supervillain Gru. The jellybean-like animated gibberish-spewers all voiced by Pierre Coffin are once again taking the prequel route, as their story is told by a modern-day movie studio tour guide (Allison Janney), though a further framing device modifies even that context.

Pujya Dr. Gnanvatsal Swami, a renowned life coach, spiritual leader, and internationally acclaimed speaker from BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, delivered an inspiring keynote titled Think Different, Be Different, Succeed Different before an audience of more than 1,000 people at the Hilton Jackson on Wednesday evening. The event brought together leaders and members of Indian American religious, cultural, and civic organizations from across Mississippi, including BAPS Shri Swaminara

Mailing a letter through the U.S. Postal Service will cost more beginning July 12 after federal regulators approved another round of postage rate increases. The Postal Regulatory Commission on Wednesday approved the U.S. Postal Service's proposed mailing services price changes, allowing the new rates to take effect as scheduled. Under the new pricing, the cost of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp will increase by 4 cents, rising from 78 cents to 82 cents. Overall mailing servi

By Alistair Begg, Magnolia Tribune+ Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth… – Acts 2:22 With each passing year, I’ve developed a greater tendency to wake up in the middle of the night. Worry often sweeps in when I am stirred from sleep—and, as is fitting for a pastor, one of my concerns is this: Am I seeing and teaching Christ in and from all the Scriptures? It is possible to study the Bible without Christ as our focus. We may pride ourselves on understanding it i

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Six-year-old Darren was on a first-time visit to the farm. His Pappa had arranged for him to get to see a part of this world that Darren never even knew existed. A real live working farm with all the corrals, fields, outbuildings and animals that a farm needs. Including horses. Darren spent an hour or so tentatively getting to know the horses that looked like giants to the tiny boy on the ground beside them. But every offer from the

TJ Werre, Director of Communications, Mississippi Business Alliance The Mississippi Business Alliance is pleased to announce the return of the Mississippi Makers' Challenge, sponsored by Hancock Whitney. Now in its fifth year, the competition gives Mississippi manufacturers the opportunity to showcase their products while engaging employees, families, customers, and the public in the race to earn the title of The Coolest Thing Made in Mississippi. "What makes this contest spe

Brett Montague & Dr. Graham Bodie From left: Brett Montague and Graham D. Bodie Arguably the most freedom-ringing document in history, the Declaration of Independence concludes with a pledge of mutual obligation: “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” As we reflect on America at 250, one idea keeps returning to us: true patriotism is not tribal. Real independence requires working together despite, and sometimes because of, our differe

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB Krypto the Superdog isn’t very cute in “Supergirl.” I understand that the way the pup was rendered for this film involved taking a real dog (who probably was very cute) and slathering CGI all over his likeness. The result is a dog whose face looks unnatural and with whom I couldn’t connect during emotional scenes. You know your Super-whatever movie is in trouble when you can’t make a character like Krypto loveable. Kr

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Fireworks at home on the fourth of July? Almost a given in a large percentage of American homes on that day. If you think that getting fireworks from your local roadside seller is just too expensive? Well, they are nothing compared to the real home-made variety - explosive family arguments. The actual cost of the fireworks we create and ignite at home is astronomical, and most of us don’t even realize it. Here is a version of a typ

By Jessica Breazeale Pitcher Plant I first learned of this predatory plant when one was for sale at the Garden Club booth during Wesson Founder’s Day several years ago. I was so intrigued that I’d never heard of this plant and that it could look so otherworldly. This is a carnivorous plant that attracts small bugs, luring them in with its sweet fragrance, sugary nectar, and bright colors. Once the small insects get inside, they can’t get out because of the plant’s sticky subs

America250 Mississippi is proud to be represented at the Great American State Fair with an immersive Mississippi Pavilion on the National Mall from June 25 through July 10, inviting visitors from across the country to discover the people, culture, history, and innovation that have helped shape the American story. As part of the nationwide America250 celebration commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Mississippi Pavilion offe

By Eddie Smith, MSU Extension Service It’s summer, and we’re celebrating a historic milestone -- the 250th birthday of the United States of America. As families and friends gather for Fourth of July fireworks, food and lots of fun, consider bringing the patriotic spirit into your garden all year long. Gardens often serve as beautiful backdrops for those special moments in our lives. Using bold shades of red, white and blue flowers is one way to honor our country’s independenc

By: Ron Powers In 2000, Wheatus broke through with “Teenage Dirtbag,” a slacker-rock anthem built on crunchy guitar riffs and Brendan B. Brown’s outsider storytelling, turning adolescent alienation into a global alt-pop singalong. Originally a charting international hit and defining early-2000s coming-of-age track, the song found an unexpected second life decades later, surging across TikTok and Instagram as users paired sped-up clips with awkward throwback photos and teenage

Most of the state is expected to see a heat index in the triple-digits this weekend. As we welcome July and all its sunny possibilities, we must prepare for the potential dangers that come with the hottest month of the year (a distinction it shares with August). The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is cautioning you to not only protect yourself from long days of scorching heat but to also take precautions to ensure your most vulnerable loved ones – who cannot alw

By Ron Powers

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB Simply put, “Toy Story” is my favorite movie franchise of all time. The 1995 original about cowboy doll Woody (Tom Hanks) fighting for relevance against hi-tech spaceman action figure Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) was a groundbreaking first for computer animation – not to mention about the most fun a kid could possibly have at a theater… until three worthy sequels came along. I’ve seen the original six times in theaters – my personal record. I wa

Special to WTWZ The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) and Mississippi Insurance Department (MID) encourages fireworks safety this Independence Day. “I expect that this year, as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, fireworks use will be at an all-time high. It’s up to you to implement safety standards when shooting fireworks at home. That means using common sense, never pointing fireworks at another person, and disposing of fireworks in water to prevent fire,” said Stat