| Monday, October 26, 2026 |
| Mississippi comedians set for MSU Lyceum Series appearance | |
 | The "Southern Nights Comedy Tour" will make a stop in Starkville as part of the 2027 Lyceum Series at Mississippi State University (MSU). The tour, which features Mississippi-native comedians and storytellers Landon Bryant and Mary Ryan Brown, is making a January 16 road trip to MSU's Bettersworth Auditorium. The show will start at 7:00 p.m. Born in Laurel and a former art teacher, Bryant has amassed almost one million followers of his "Landon Talks" podcast across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube. Brown is a Hattiesburg-born writer and performer, widely known for her "Southern Moms of Weird Daughters" social media and live show comedy sketches. Tickets are on sale now for $40 and an additional meet-and-greet with the comedians is available for $25 while tickets last. |
| Southern Nights Comedy Tour coming to Mississippi State in January | |
 | Mississippi natives Landon Bryant and Mary Ryan Brown will bring the "Southern Nights Comedy Tour" to Mississippi State University on Jan. 16, 2027, the university announced. The show begins at 7 p.m. in Bettersworth Auditorium as the first 2027 event in MSU's Lyceum Series. The university describes the performance as suitable for all ages. Tickets are $40. An additional meet-and-greet with the comedians costs $25 while tickets last. Tickets are available at www.lyceum.msstate.edu or by calling the MSU Center for Student Activities at 662-325-2930. Any remaining tickets may be purchased at the door on the day of the performance. |
| The Riley Foundation welcomes new members to Board of Directors | |
 | The Riley Foundation announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: William W. Simmons and Jay Davidson. Collectively, the new directors bring extensive experience in law, governance, public policy, community engagement, and industry leadership. They will help guide The Riley Foundation as it continues to invest in the community, while strengthening the organization's commitment to healthcare and education in Meridian and Lauderdale County. The Riley Foundation was established in January 1998 following the sale of Riley Memorial Hospital. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $85 million in grants throughout Meridian, including more than $55 million to Mississippi State University-Meridian. Mississippi State University-Meridian continues to expand its presence in downtown Meridian and The Riley Foundation remains an important partner in efforts to reshape and revitalize the city's downtown area. |
| Scott Colom says he'll delete AI-generated Cindy Hyde-Smith ad after AG Fitch threatens legal action | |
| Republican Attorney General Lynn Fitch said Friday that Scott Colom, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, likely violated state law with a digital ad that featured an artificial intelligence-generated depiction of Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith running away from reporters. Colom told Mississippi Today he would delete the post because he didn't want Fitch to launch litigation with taxpayer money. That came after Fitch sent Colom a complaint letter demanding that he remove that ad from his social media accounts. If he did not, the complaint said, the attorney general's office could file an injunction against him. In a statement, Colom said that Hyde-Smith is "clearly desperate" and that she and her allies are "once again trying to weaponize the justice system to distract from the real issues, which is that she has sold out our farmers, sold out our small businesses, and sold out our families." "Clearly this was parody, maybe too close to home because she knows she does love to hide from her own constituents and reporters," Colom said. |
| Two movies coming to Columbus for America250 | |
 | Two films are coming to Columbus next week both hoping to get residents to reflect as part of America250 celebrations. Friendly City Books is showing "Possum Town" at 6 p.m. Monday at Malco Theater. Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science and Mississippi University for Women will be showing "Citizens Revival" at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Nissan Auditorium. Monday will be the first time "Possum Town" is shown in the city that inspired it. The movie has been on the movie festival circuit since its 2025 premiere at New/Next Film Festival in Baltimore. Becca Finley, director of "Citizens Revival," similarly hopes her film will inspire curiosity and engagement. Chanley Rainey, associate professor of political science at The W and one of the organizers, told The Dispatch she hopes that people will leave the screening with new insights into the importance of civic engagement. Rainey said some of the students she has spoken with are excited about the opportunity to meet Finley, who will attend a Q&A session following the screening. |
| REACH MS secures $6 million grant renewal | |
| Through the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, the United States Department of Education has renewed funding for the Realizing Excellence for ALL Children in Mississippi (REACH MS) project. Six million dollars in funding over five years (2026-2031) has been awarded to REACH MS to continue serving as Mississippi's State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) program assisting the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE). SPDGs are awarded to state educational agencies to help strengthen systems for personnel preparation and professional development in early intervention, educational and transition services to improve results for children with disabilities. Originally awarded to MDE in 2005, the grant supporting REACH MS is operated by The University of Southern Mississippi School of Education. To date, SPDG funding has allowed REACH MS to train staff from over a thousand schools in Mississippi (Pre-K–12). |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State to offer free sensory bags at home football games | |
| Mississippi State University's (MSU) T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability will partnering with MSU Athletics and the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services to provide free sensory bags at home football games. The bags will be available to check out at the information booths inside Davis Wade Stadium at West Gate A, North Section 09 and East Gate L during home games. Each bag contains a noise-canceling headset, fidget toys, disposable ear plugs and an information sheet explaining when families can anticipate sudden changes in lights or noises during the football game. Rebecca Mathis, an assistive technology specialist at T.K. Martin, said the idea of the gameday sensory bags stemmed from families reaching out to the center for help. The sensory bags are funded by MDRS's Project START, a federally funded assistive rehabilitative technology initiative. |
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