🌱 Tougaloo College President Resigns + Three New Businesses Open Up

Hello all. I'm back with your fresh copy of the Jackson Patch newsletter. Here are all the things you need to know about what's happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny. High: 90 Low: 68.

From our sponsor:

Today’s Jackson Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Jackson Patch newsletter possible.

Here are the top three stories in Jackson today:

1. The president of Jackson's Tougaloo College, Carmen Walters, has announced her resignation. Walters will step down on Jun. 30, a decision that comes after the Tougaloo Alumni Coalition began a petition to remove her from office. The petition cited reduced enrollment numbers and claimed that Walters was failing in her duties to the school and students. The college's Board of Trustees unanimously agreed to appoint Donzell Lee, Ph.D. as interim president. (WJTV)
2. Highland Village shopping center is the new home for three businesses that recently opened in Jackson. The new additions include Rockbox Fitness, a "boxing-based studio;" Underground Social, which provides men's and women's haircuts; and Family Social Club, an indoor play destination. Local business leaders welcome all of these unique establishments. (WLBT)
3. The Jackson City Council recently heard from Parks and Recreation Director Ison Harris about the state of the Jackson Zoo. Harris shared that the zoo has brought back the popular train attraction, and recent events have brought in hundreds of people. Several schools had field trips to the zoo during the spring, and officials are planning for more upcoming events, such as the Ice Cream Safari and Zoo Blues event. (WLBT)

Calling Jackson business owners: reach local readers, attract a crowd, and make a splash with your events this summer! We have a limited number of sponsorships available to amplify your events and increase attendance among your target audience. Click here to learn more about our sponsorships..

Today in and around Jackson:

Friday, June 9

• Mississippi Braves Vs. Biloxi Shuckers At Trustmark Park, Pearl (6:35 PM)
• Flow Tribe Live At Martin's Downtown (9:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Would you like to experience the elegance of ballet? The Ballet Magnificat troupe will soon perform "Unveiled Hope". (Ballet Magnificat! via Facebook)
• Calling all animal lovers! The wonderful animals at MARL are getting hungry, and the Mississippi Animal Rescue is calling for donations. If you are able to help out, you can donate here. The organization has an urgent need for adult dog food. ( Mississippi Animal Rescue League via Facebook)
• Take a trip back in time - 300 million years! The Fun Friday series at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science will introduce you to "Trailblazing Trilobites". The event is today, Jun. 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Mississippi Museum of Natural Science)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Free Stuff And Great Perks Every Week (June 13)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday! I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow morning with your next update.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.