Reporting What Matters

RHCJC
Reporting What Matters

RHCJC
Reporting What Matters

RHCJC

‘Nowhere to Go’: Hattiesburg’s unhoused face uncertainty under new state laws

Samuel Hughes, JC Roberts, Rochak Basnet and Whitney Argenbright • July 28, 2025
Two new state laws are raising concerns across Mississippi, particularly in communities where support systems for unhoused people are already strained.

Ward 5 residents lead the way in Hattiesburg change

Morgan Gill, JC Roberts and Alexa Hatten • July 14, 2025
Streetlights are getting fixed, debris is being cleared faster and neighbors who once felt ignored are now sitting at the table with city leaders. 

HIV prevention advances, but stigma persists

Justin Glowacki, Sami Jordan and Nischit Sharma • June 30, 2025
For John, a 19-year-old from rural Mississippi, getting medication to prevent HIV came with more than just a prescription — it came with fear.

Mississippi looks to reverse brain drain with jobs, education

Morgan Gill, JC Roberts and Sameen Chand • June 30, 2025
For Stephanie Rodriguez, Mississippi offers safety, affordability and a quieter lifestyle, but for Gunnar Hamm, it was a place he couldn’t wait to leave. Their stories reflect the growing divide in how young adults view life in the Magnolia State — and what’s driving many to look elsewhere for opportunity.

With little aid, sober homes fill vital recovery need

Samuel Hughes, Cadence Renfro and Rochak Basnet • June 9, 2025
Mississippi continues to fall behind neighboring states when it comes to sober-living housing, a critical step in long-term addiction recovery. Sober-living housing often follows the Oxford House Model, a community-based approach to recovery that emphasizes peer support, shared responsibility and sober living

Animal clinics urge spaying, neutering to curb pet overpopulation 

Morgan Gill, Nischit Sharma, Alexa Hatten and Kiran Silwal • June 2, 2025
Animal advocates across Mississippi are launching a statewide awareness campaign to promote spaying and neutering, hoping to reduce shelter overcrowding, animal abandonment and one of the highest euthanasia rates in the country. 

Hall Health aims to close care gaps for Hattiesburg’s uninsured

Morgan Gill and Nischit Sharma • May 19, 2025
A new downtown health clinic is offering an alternative to traditional health care — one designed for those who often go without it. Hall Health, which opened May 8, provides primary care without requiring insurance.

Better L.A.T.E. than never: Theater troupe helps Hattiesburg seniors reconnect

Morgan Gill and Gerome Webster • May 12, 2025
In a spacious common room inside the historic Hattiesburg Cultural Center, laughter echoes as a group of seniors huddle together, reading from scripts and exchanging inside jokes. 

Mobile crisis teams fill mental health care gap in rural Mississippi

Samuel Hughes, Mallory Strickland and Gerome Webster • May 12, 2025
When the phone rings for Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resources’ Mobile Response Team, Coordinator Martin Moore is ready to respond — one example of an expanding model of mental health care in the Magnolia State. 

Hattiesburg builds a buzz: Local events drive connection, growth

Morgan Gill and Nischit Sharma • May 5, 2025
In the Hub City, the calendar is filling up. From trivia nights and pop-up concerts to farmers markets and zoo events, businesses and community groups are turning weekdays into shared experiences.

Worn building, strong mission: The Arc keeps serving

Morgan Gill, Miracle Jennnings, Rasheed Ambrose, Nischit Sharma and Javion Henry • April 14, 2025
At small repairs — flickering lights, broken toilets and a growing list of maintenance needs — are a daily challenge. Amid the wear and tear, the nonprofit organization remains focused on what matters most: supporting individuals with disabilities.

Hattiesburg West Seventh project brings both dust and hope

Morgan Gill, Miracle Jennnings, Rasheed Ambrose, Nischit Sharma, Javion Henry and Evan Baronich • April 7, 2025
After years of sewer backups, flooding and road deterioration, residents along West Seventh Street in Hattiesburg are finally seeing progress.
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