SUMMARY: Mississippi State’s Department of Music will host its annual Vocal Odyssey in Creativity and Education conference (VOiCE) on Feb. 14-15. The event, featuring workshops and performances, celebrates music’s role in education and creativity. It is designed for high school and college students and educators, offering professional development and CEU credits. Notable guests include Steinway Artist Julian Gargiulo and soprano Nyla Thomas. Workshops cover various topics such as vocal techniques, teaching methods, and performance practices. The conference will be held at MSU’s Music Building and is open to the public with a $15 admission fee, free for MSU students.

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SUMMARY: Julian Brunt, a food and travel writer with over a decade of experience covering the food culture of the Deep South, has always relied on jambalaya for feeding a crowd. However, for a change, he decided to make a special bolognese, adding peas, inspired by a favorite Italian dish. Julian, who has traveled extensively and appeared on Gordon Ramsay’s television show, “To Hell and Back in 24 Hours,” opted for rigatoni to make the dish more convenient for guests. He spent two days making the bolognese, simmering ground pork, spices, and vegetables, then reheating it with peas and Parmesan. The dish is served with garlic bread, allowing guests to dip in the sauce, an Italian tradition.

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SUMMARY: Late winter and spring along the northern Gulf coast bring mild weather but also the annoyance of no-see-ums, tiny biting insects. These flies, also called punkies or sand gnats, are known for their painful bites, caused by females using saw-tooth mandibles to draw blood. Culicoides mississippiensis, a common species, thrives in wet habitats like tidal marshes, with high populations during late winter and early spring. Though irritating, they play an ecological role, feeding on nectar and preying on small organisms as larvae. While repellents like Avon Skin-So-Soft help, no-see-ums are a seasonal nuisance for coastal living.

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