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Hub City Players, Dr. Mike Lopinto Named Finalists for American Prize Award

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ourmshome.com – University of Southern Mississippi – 2024-06-18 10:30:36

SUMMARY: The Hub City Players’ production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” is a finalist for the American Prize in Musical Theatre. Dr. Mike Lopinto of The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is also a dual finalist for his work in directing, including “Guys and Dolls” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Lopinto co-directed “Beauty and the Beast” with Chris Word, with choreography by Brett Barnes and costumes by Tammy Mansfield. The Hub City Players, founded in 2012 by Lopinto, Mansfield, and Dr. Jennifer Bruton, collaborate with FestivalSouth and have enjoyed significant success. Their previous productions, like “James and the Giant Peach,” also won the American Prize. Dr. Colin McKenzie, Director of USM’s School of Music, praises the recognition as a testament to the faculty, staff, and students’ dedication and quality despite facility limitations.

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Our Mississippi Home

Po-Boys & Paper Towels: A Love Letter to the Gulf Coast Classic

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ourmshome.com – Julian Brunt – 2025-06-16 16:30:00

SUMMARY: A fully dressed, pressed po-boy is a Gulf Coast classic, distinct from subs or hoagies found elsewhere. The fried shrimp po-boy is iconic, especially on the Mississippi Coast, where pressing the sandwich likely began at Biloxi’s famed Rosetti’s. There, the “Vancleave special” was born—crab cake with cheese—named for a hurried customer. Po-boy variations abound, with personal preferences sparking lively debates, especially over the best bread. Favorites include fried oyster, pot roast beef (stewed, not sliced), and the Italian, packed with meats, cheese, and zesty dressing. Ideal sides include potato salad or coleslaw. Above all, a true po-boy must be pressed and dressed.

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Our Mississippi Home

Permanent Skateparks? Coast Skaters Say It’s Time

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ourmshome.com – USM Roy Howard Community Journalism Center – 2025-06-16 12:26:00

SUMMARY: Pete Taggard revitalized his health and lost over 100 pounds by returning to skateboarding after a Type 2 Diabetes warning. Inspired, he co-founded the Picayune Skatepark Project to build Mississippi’s Gulf Coast’s first permanent public skatepark, approved recently in Picayune. Alongside him, the Gulf Coast Skatepark Association is transforming community spaces in Biloxi and beyond through DIY skateparks and events promoting safe, inclusive areas for youth. Skateparks serve as vital “third places” offering exercise, belonging, and emotional support, especially to underserved kids. Their efforts aim to build more facilities, acknowledging skateboarding’s physical and mental health benefits and fostering vibrant local communities.

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Our Mississippi Home

Prescribed Fires Save Forests | Our Mississippi Home

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ourmshome.com – Mark W. LaSalle, Ph.D. – 2025-06-14 09:05:00

SUMMARY: Smoky the Bear’s message “only you can prevent forest fires” evolved as we learned that in the southeastern U.S., fire-adapted pine forests rely on frequent, low-intensity fires to stay healthy. These fires occur naturally every 3-5 years, burning dead grass and pine needles without harming roots or mature trees. Fires release nutrients into nutrient-poor soils, help pine seeds germinate, and control hardwood growth that would reduce plant diversity. Longleaf Pines uniquely survive fires with fire-resistant needles and thick bark. Human interference disrupted this cycle, causing catastrophic wildfires, so forest managers now use controlled prescribed burns to mimic natural fires safely.

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