SUMMARY: The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the University of Southern Mississippi’s Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center have launched the next phase of their Aquaculture Advanced Seed Production Training Program. Starting July 12, participants will spawn oysters using a mobile hatchery and engage in larval culture, pediveliger setting, and seed grading. This free 100-hour program trains oyster farmers and professionals to expand off-bottom oyster aquaculture, focusing on water quality, broodstock conditioning, and hatchery operations. The initiative aims to build local hatchery capacity, reduce reliance on out-of-state seed, and strengthen Mississippi’s oyster industry with two production runs scheduled for 2025.

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SUMMARY: Mississippi’s Hancock County is aging faster than the rest of the state, with 22% of residents aged 65 or older—up over 55% since 2010. The Hancock County Senior Citizen’s Center in Bay St. Louis serves as a vital hub, offering meals, transportation, mental health support, and social activities that combat senior isolation, a serious health risk. Supported by local funding and volunteers, the center fosters community and personal connection. Statewide, Mississippi’s four-year State Plan on Aging aims to expand services like long-term care and elder abuse prevention. The center’s director emphasizes honoring seniors’ stories and building a retirement-friendly community where no one ages alone.

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SUMMARY: Yellow Passionflower (Passiflora lutea) is a delicate, smaller-flowered vine compared to its purple relative, Passiflora incarnata, yet it adds elegant beauty to landscapes. Its flowers, arranged along the vine’s long petioles, appear to float and feature dramatic structures inspired by Christian symbolism. Both species are native to the southeastern U.S. and support butterflies like the Gulf Fritillary and Variegated Fritillary. The vine also serves as a host for various insects and the rare Anthemurgus passiflorae bee, studied by Applied Community Ecology. Easy to grow, Yellow Passionflower attracts wildlife, enriches ecosystems, and thrives in home gardens despite occasional butterfly herbivory.

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