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🌱 Patch AM: How a $2M gift will reshape USM’s criminal justice building

Be sure to catch 3 Sizes because of U on the Hattiesburg Patch calendar

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Thursday December 11th Patch AM
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Morning Hattiesburg! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How a $2M gift will reshape USM’s criminal justice building
  • Want to help Lighthouse Rescue Mission after its big roof repair gift?
  • How Hattiesburg’s Black women teachers quietly reshaped Civil Rights history

Also on today's calendar: Forrest County Farmer's Market and 7 more events.

Find out what's happening in Hattiesburgfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did one tuna say to the other after getting caught stealing files from work? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Hattiesburgfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Thursday: Times of clouds and sun, with a high of 60 and low of 37 degrees.
  • Friday: Partly sunny and pleasant, temps: high: 70, low: 51.
  • Saturday: Partly sunny and pleasant, with a high of 69 and low of 47 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. USM receives $2M gift to name Criminal Justice Building (wjtv.com) — A major boost is coming to criminal justice students at Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, thanks to a $2 million gift from alumnus Paul “Bud” Holmes that will name and help complete the newly renovated Criminal Justice Building. The donation supports finishing and furnishing the $16.6 million facility and creates an endowment for long-term program resources, with a new mock courtroom expected by spring 2026.
   

2. Various organizations come together to make free roof repairs at Lighthouse Rescue Mission (wdam.com) — Lighthouse Rescue Mission in Hattiesburg is getting its leaking roofs repaired for free, thanks to Gable Roofing, Lowe’s, and other partners stepping up just before Christmas. With safer spaces for women and children on the way, the mission is also asking locals for monetary gifts, canned food, and cleaning supplies, which can be dropped off at 204 Eupora Street or donated online.
   

3. Marybeth Gasman Reviews the New Book Unlearning the Hush (jbhe.com) — Black women who taught in Hattiesburg schools during segregation are at the heart of a new book, “Unlearning the Hush,” which blends oral histories, art, and poetry. The review highlights how their rigorous, loving classrooms shaped generations and how author Marlee Bunch, whose grandmother taught in Hattiesburg, preserves these teachers’ voices as central to America’s Civil Rights story.
   

4. What was happening in Memphis history on Dec. 10? A look back through the years (commercialappeal.com) — A Memphis history roundup notes that 100 years ago, Ole Miss football elected Webb Burke of Hattiesburg as team captain, a rare honor for a lineman at the time. The piece mostly revisits Memphis milestones, but this nugget connects Hattiesburg to Mississippi sports history in 1925.
   

5. ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder' affects millions every year (wdam.com) — From right here in Hattiesburg, a William Carey University psychologist is warning that seasonal affective disorder is hitting many Mississippians as daylight shrinks. He explains why darker winter days trigger depression-like symptoms and shares practical ways locals can fight back, from getting more sunlight and exercise to seeking professional help if feelings become severe.
   

📸 Around Hattiesburg

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Hattiesburg

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★ Featured events ★

    Thursday December 11
  • 3 Sizes because of U
    Painting with a Twist, 6555 US-98 Ste 4, Hattiesburg
    6:30 pm

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Other local events

📣 Hattiesburg Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Hey Toby, I'm having trouble getting my recycling picked up.
    My current process is I call the Action Line each week, then talk to waste management department, and then the waste management department reminds… (Nextdoor 28th and Jamestown)
  • Is there a local advocacy group for dogs left chained to their dog houses on a cold night with no water or do I have to just call animal control?
    I see this pitbull at the front of the property that has no bedding or straw in the house and no obvious bowl with water. It's supposed to get near… (Nextdoor 28th and Jamestown)
  • O'Reilly Auto Parts posted a job opening for Merchandising Specialist in Hattiesburg. Apply here.
  • University of Southern Mississippi posted a job opening for Assistant Teaching Professor or Instructor of Criminal Justice in Hattiesburg. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Hattiesburg here.

Ok Hattiesburg! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I could get canned for this!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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