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Reporting What Matters

RHCJC

Reporting What Matters

RHCJC

Reporting What Matters

RHCJC

Southeast Mississippi Planner

What’s happening in your county?

Our new community bulletin board goes live soon — helping you stay connected with local events, public meetings, volunteer opportunities and updates from trusted sources across the region. Submissions are open now, so share your news today.

Nine people stand on grass in front of a large tribal sign, some with arms folded, others with hands at their sides.
Vancleave Live Oak Choctaw work to revive traditions without recognition
Samuel Hughes, Whitney Argenbright, Cadence Renfro and Rochak Basnet July 21, 2025
The Vancleave Live Oak Choctaw Tribe, based in Jackson County, is working to preserve and revive its language, ceremonies and cultural identity — despite lacking recognition from both state and federal governments.
A young girl selects books while Sean Green scans them inside the mobile outreach van filled with children’s books and DVDs.
Rolling library brings books, Wi-Fi to underserved areas 
Morgan Gill, JC Roberts and Rochak Basnet July 21, 2025
A van filled with books, laptops, Wi-Fi and job tools is closing access gaps in south Mississippi — one parking lot at a time.
The Southeast Mississippi Planner is a weekly update connecting residents with local news, events and civic information.
New planner aims to boost civic info, community connections
July 15, 2025
A new weekly resource is launching to help southeast Mississippi residents stay informed and connected. The Southeast Mississippi Planner will feature civic updates, community news, event listings and more.
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A man in a red T-shirt stands in front of a wooden fence with one hand behind his neck, looking toward a microphone held by an interviewer.
‘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.
Three committee members seated behind a desk, including Dr. Jennifer Caldwell on the left, Jeannie Herrin in the center, and Dr. Karla Pope on the right, during a policy meeting.
Harrison County group proposes ‘Baby DJ’s Law’ to help locate endangered children faster 
Samuel Hughes, Whitney Argenbright, Cadence Renfro and Rochak Basnet July 21, 2025
One year after 4-month-old Denilson Elligson died during a medical crisis while the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services tried to find him, a Harrison County committee is pushing for a new law and stronger community partnerships they hope could prevent similar tragedies.
A cosmetology student braids a client's hair while the client looks into a handheld mirror during a training session at a beauty school.
Leadership lapse stalls Mississippi’s beauty board
Justin Glowacki and Nischit Sharma July 21, 2025
More than 50,000 licensed beauty professionals across Mississippi are in regulatory limbo.
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What Is True?

Cut through the noise with fact-checked reporting from the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center. We investigate rumors, viral claims and misinformation affecting southeast Mississippi — so you can stay informed with confidence.

Tap water image
Water flows into a green glass at a kitchen sink in this file photo. In Long Beach, recent social media claims about dangerously high chlorine levels in the city’s tap water are not supported by five years of official water quality reports.
Chlorine levels in Long Beach tap water remain within safe range
Mohammad Asaduzzaman, Mamunor Rashid, Walker Scott and Joshua Wilson July 21, 2025
A viral post claims Long Beach’s tap water contains dangerously high levels of chlorine. But official reports show chlorine levels remain well within safety limits.
A raccoon stands alert in this undated file photo. Mississippi law allows raccoon trapping only during designated furbearer season and under specific conditions.
Trapping raccoons in Mississippi comes with clear rules
Walker Scott and Joshua Wilson July 14, 2025
Think you can trap raccoons whenever they show up? Not in Mississippi. State law sets strict limits on when, where and how raccoons can be trapped.
A customer uses a contactless debit card at a point-of-sale terminal in this undated file photo. A “What Is True?” investigation by the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center found that criminals do use skimmers to steal card data at gas pumps and ATMs — often placing the devices inside the machines. However, the team rated as false the claim that RFID scanners can steal credit card information from 15 to 20 feet away. Experts say contactless cards are encrypted and not vulnerable to long-distance scanning.
Criminals use skimmers, not long-range RFID
Walker Scott and Joshua Wilson July 7, 2025
Skimming at the pump is real — but are criminals really stealing your card info from 20 feet away with an RFID scanner? The “What Is True?” team investigated two viral claims about payment fraud. One holds up. The other doesn’t.
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