Mayor Jake Windham and the Board of Aldermen have appointed Chris Reid, a 16-year resident of Pearl, as the Official City Historian.  This year Pearl will celebrate its 50th birthday as a city and Mr. Reid will play an integral part of helping tell the story.

What:   The Salvation Army invites you to participate in the 26th Annual SOUPer Bowl event to raise money to support its feeding programs in the Jackson metro area. 

The Rankin County Chamber and City of Brandon presents the 4th Annual Krewe de Roux Festival, Central Mississippi's largest Mardi Gras, this February 17 - 18! 

Results from the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) 2022-23 Educator Shortage survey show there are 515 fewer vacancies among teachers, administrators and school support staff across the state compared to the 2021-22 school year.

Hayes Odom and Pepper Newman, both of Brandon, and Jack Durr of Pearl recently served as pages for the Mississippi House of Representatives.  Pages generally run errands for officials and House staff. 

Two organizations, Amerigroup Mississippi and Comfort Cases, recently joined forces to make care packages for children in foster care. The purpose of the “Packing Party” was to support youth entering the foster care system and survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. It was held…

Ben Duncan, a graduate of Florence High School (FHS) and former kicker on the varsity football team, is currently in his sophomore year at Hind Community College (Hinds CC) as a placekicker.

The Foundation for the Rankin County Public Schools encourages all to “Dust off your golf clubs!” and gear up for their thirteenth annual golf tournament. This year’s event is scheduled for Thursday, March 30, through Friday, March 31. 

The annual Richland Father-Daughter Ball is back in 2023 with a special theme - Mardi-Gras. It is scheduled for Saturday, February 18, at the Richland Community Center located at 410 East Harper Street in Richland. Proceeds from the event will go to fund the programs of the Richland Mayor’s …

The 58th Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo is underway at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds. Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson invites the public to attend the multiple livestock and equine shows scheduled to take place over the next month, many of which are free to …

The Mississippi Gem and Mineral Society’s 64th Annual Show is scheduled for Feb. 25-26 at the Trade Mart on the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson. 

The Mississippi Poison Control Center is experiencing a concerning increase in calls regarding children who have found and eaten marijuana-laced candies and chocolates at home, making them sick enough for a trip to the emergency room.

Congratulations to Florence Middle School students Zoey Perez and Madilyn Ellis for winning their categories in the RCSD Bullying Awareness Contest.

The Mississippi Braves (M-Braves) are excited to offer a free reading incentive program open to all teachers and students. The program is designed to help promote a lifelong love of reading and baseball in children through a partnership with local schools. All students from Pre-K through eig…

Pearl artist Eric Hawkins has an exhibit through Feb. 9 at the Marie Hull Gallery on the Raymond Campus of Hinds Community College.

Florence High School will celebrate its first annual Winter Homecoming on January 20th as the Florence Eagle Basketball Teams take on the Brookhaven Panthers. The Eagles will begin the Homecoming Week with Spirit Dress up days. Pep Rallies will be held at Steen's Creek, Florence Elementary, …

The Freedom Rides: Journey for Change will be on display at the Richland Library from January 27 – March 29, 2023. This exhibit explores one of the most important events in civil rights history through the eyes of the activists fighting for change. The exhibit is part of the Mississippi Depa…

Hannah Adcock Wallace, of Florence, was recently awarded a Kids’ Chance of Mississippi scholarship to further her education at the University of Southern Mississippi. Wallace currently works at Rouse Elementary while attending college remotely. 

Recently, The Big Thrift celebrated the volunteer efforts of Vicky Wade - for her dedication and her many years volunteer work. Wade has been a volunteer for the Big Thrift and Bix Fix Clinic for four years. The certificate of appreciate underscores her hard work and what she has done for th…

Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) recently announced the league awards and All-Star teams for the three leagues that make up the Double-A classification. In a vote of league managers, Mississippi Braves pitcher Jared Shuster was selected as the Southern League's top Left-Handed Starting Pitcher…

Pearl Public School District elementary music teachers attended the Mississippi Music Educators Association (MSMEA) Fall Workshop and learned how to incorporate music into children’s books from presenter Charissa Duncanson. Pictured (l to r) are: Heather Howell, Lauren Hennes and Karen Berger.

Registration is now open for a number of online courses the Mississippi State Extension (MS State Extension) is offering to budding florists. The courses range from basic floral design for beginners to design principals for the more seasoned enthusiasts.

On November 3, Principal Amanda Clark, accompanied by RCSD Superintendent of Education Dr. Scott Rimes, and Assistant Superintendent Karen Schmidt, travelled to Washington D.C. to attend a ceremony hosted by the U.S. Department of Education, where all Blue Ribbon winners were officially reco…

The Salvation Army shifts resources to protect the unsheltered from winter storm

D’Iberville Elementary School in the Harrison County School District and Pearl Lower Elementary School in the Pearl Public School District have been named the 2023 National Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Distinguished Schools for Mississippi.

With only six days left before Christmas, The Salvation Army in Jackson is falling behind the red kettle goal for 2022. The annual Red Kettle Campaign is The Salvation Army’s largest fundraiser that finances the many services and programs offered to individuals and families in need throughou…

From January 1 to January 31, CMRLS is participating in the Winter Reading Challenge.

The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum will host a special ‘Five Minutes of Family with Santa’ event on Saturday, December 17, from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. inside the General Store. Admission is free and pictures with Santa Claus are $5.00 per family.

Yesterday, the Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) voted to approve the 2022 Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards (MCCRS) for Social Studies, which outline the skills and knowledge expected of students in each grade and subject.

Mississippians are driving in the dark more now that we have fallen back to Standard Time. Shorter days and deer on the move are just some of the challenges drivers may face at this time of year. The National Safety Council says roadway visibility is about 500 feet with high-beam headlights.

The Top Ranger Award is given to students who have shown exemplary behavior in and out of the classroom. Students receiving this award have been standout students and have continually worked hard at their coursework. Students awarded this accolade receive free lunch at Mazzio's in Richland. …

Congratulations to the November 2022 Pearl Public School District Employees of the Month! The employees of the month are selected from the nominations submitted each month by employees, parents, and community members. Administrator of the Month: Paige Bromen, PPSD Chief Financial Officer; Ce…

The holidays are right around the corner, which means most of us will soon bring seasonal decorations out of storage. To keep it the most wonderful time of the year, Entergy Mississippi shares safety tips for lighting homes.

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) Office of Child Nutrition is seeking sponsors to operate the 2023 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) in counties throughout the state. The federally funded program provides nutritious meals to children during school vacation periods though the pr…

The Florence Eagles won the 7/8 year old Rankin County Football League Championship on Thursday, November 17, 2022. Pictured are (L-r): Front row - Brees Thomas, Mason Pollock, Benson Quick, Kolt Ashley, Kashton Clark, Nathan Luckey, Maddox Spencer, Hunter Dunlap, Brantley Cockrell. Second R…

Mississippi Families for Kids is excited about its fourth annual Champions for Children Winter Gala fundraiser benefitting the organization’s programs and services. This year’s program will be held on Thursday, December 8, 2022 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Duling Hall located at 622 Duling…

1 Mississippi. 2 Museums. 5 Years.

Mississippi State Fire Academy (MSFA) Instructor Chief Shannon Sandridge demonstrates in the attached video the dangers of frying a turkey that is not fully thawed, with too much oil, at a temperature that was too high.

Two quarterbacks, three running backs, two wide receivers, and three defensive players make up the list of nominees for the 2022 C Spire Conerly Trophy. Each college and university in the state with a football program selects one player who they feel best represents their team as the Most Ou…

Special to SW Rankin News

Richland High School recently named the October 2022 Students of the Month.  These students are nominated and selected by their teachers for such qualities as dependability, attitude, leadership, attendance, and class work.  Students are awarded a certificate from the Exchange Club, a book d…

Atmos Energy joins Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS) to support International Fraud Awareness Week and recognize the seventh annual Utility Scam Awareness Day, an advocacy and awareness campaign focused on educating customers and exposing the tactics used by scammers. This year’s theme i…

Hannah Adcock Wallace, of Florence, was recently awarded a Kids’ Chance of Mississippi scholarship to further her education at the University of Southern Mississippi. Ms. Wallace currently works at Rouse Elementary while attending college remotely.