AGP Executive Report

Local Arts & Culture: The Mississippi Museum of Art is taking over operations of the renovated McNair Davis Planetarium in Jackson, with digital upgrades and a 60-foot dome centerpiece aimed at bringing back family-friendly stargazing. Music & Nightlife: The Bleu R&B Lounge is set to open Sept. 2 in Moline, a new 30-and-up spot for live R&B nights and events. Public Safety & Justice: A Nigerian man, Adebola Festus Adekunle, has been extradited to Mississippi to face federal charges tied to the 2022 sextortion death of Starkville teen Walker Montgomery, a case that helped spur “Walker’s Law.” Sports Media: LSU’s John Brady is leaving the LSU Radio Network to become a senior advisor for athletic advancement and men’s basketball strategy at LSU-New Orleans. Arts in New Orleans: A major Isamu Noguchi granite sculpture (“Mississippi Fountain”) is headed to the New Orleans Museum of Art’s entrance area. Community Spotlight: Booker Fest returns Sept. 4–6 in Bay St. Louis to celebrate James Booker’s legacy.

Lake Ontario Renaming Fallout: Trump’s “Lake America” order sparked instant backlash from Canada, with Prime Minister Mark Carney insisting it’s “Lake Ontario—then, now and always,” while U.S. officials frame it as immediate and official amid broader tariff tensions. Meta Youth Safety Settlement (Mississippi): Mississippi is set to receive about $189M from a multistate Meta deal, bringing new limits and stricter age checks for Instagram and Facebook, plus funding aimed at youth mental health and after-school programs. Freedom Schools (Wisconsin, roots in Mississippi): Madison’s Freedom Schools program returns to the civil-rights legacy of Mississippi Freedom Summer, blending literacy, history, and leadership for students. Mississippi Arts & Community: GRAMMY Museum Mississippi hosted a powerful Parchman prison band performance, bringing music and humanity to incarcerated lives. Food/Local Opening: Walt & Ricky’s Seafood Kitchen is slated to open Sept. 1 in downtown Memphis, a new concept from Memphis natives. Sports (Mississippi): Mississippi State soccer surged early to beat Oklahoma State 4-1, answering a fast deficit with four straight first-half goals.

Meta Settlement for Mississippi Youth: Mississippi is set to receive nearly $189M over 10 years from a landmark Meta deal, with new limits on Instagram and Facebook for teens plus funding for youth mental health, digital literacy, and after-school and summer programs. Local Arts for a Cause: The St. Jude Dream Home in Jackson is featuring original work from 32 Mississippi Artists’ Guild members, with visitors voting, buying, and entering raffles to support pediatric cancer care. Dolly Parton’s Books in South Mississippi: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library continues delivering free monthly books to kids across South Mississippi, turning reading into a quiet, lasting legacy. Great Lakes Environment Watch: Groups are pushing to restart a major invasive carp barrier project after hundreds of juvenile carp were found near Lake Michigan. Blues Festival (Mississippi Connection): The Mississippi Valley Blues Society announces its 41st Anniversary Blues Festival lineup in Davenport, featuring major names like Shemekia Copeland and Big Bill Morganfield. Community Spotlight: A Raymond teacher was honored with the Alyce Clarke Award for her dedication to students and digital media instruction.

Mississippi Film & Culture: Curtis Nichouls, a Jackson-based filmmaker who helped grow Mississippi’s screen industry, died Aug. 22, leaving behind major production credits and a push to build local talent. Local Arts & Entertainment: A new wave of “designer dorm rooms” is turning college housing into a decor business model, with early move-ins and TikTok-ready makeovers. On Stage This Fall: Local theater listings highlight 13 productions, including plays and musicals built around secrets, choices, and community fallout. Music & Media: ASCAP has dismissed its copyright case against Spoon River Media after an out-of-court settlement. Sports & Community: UNK’s band program gets a fresh boost with Tyler Hawk joining as assistant director of bands alongside Brian Alber. Tech & Youth Safety: Michigan AG Dana Nessel announced a landmark multistate Meta settlement requiring major child-safety changes on Instagram and Facebook.

Meta Settlement: Mississippi is set to receive about $189M from a multistate $17.1B deal with Meta over alleged harmful design for kids on Facebook and Instagram, with new limits like daily time caps and “productive pauses,” plus money aimed at youth mental health and digital literacy. Dolly Parton in Mississippi: Tributes and legacy work are rolling across the state after Parton’s death at 80—Oxford businesses honored her, Meridian’s Jimmie Rodgers Museum marked her connection to country roots, and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library continues delivering free books to Mississippi children. College Sports Shake-Up: The NFL says players who return to college after signing pro contracts won’t be eligible to play in 2026, as SEC and Big Ten rules tighten amid ongoing eligibility court fights. Local Arts & Community: Timothy Pakron’s new cookbook, inspired by his New Orleans garden, lands Sept. 1—another Mississippi-to-the-world story for plant-based Southern cooking. Sports Spotlight: Bassmaster’s Angler of the Year race heads into a Clayton finale with the top three separated by just one point.

College Sports Rules: The SEC just joined the Big Ten with a new ban on players who have been drafted by or signed with NFL, NBA or WNBA teams from returning to play college—aimed at stopping the latest eligibility chaos after court rulings. Mississippi Arts & Community: Atmos Energy and the Mississippi Grammy Museum launched a three-year, $50,000 partnership to expand student access, including transportation and admission scholarships. Mississippi Research: Mississippi State researchers say video games can help romantic relationships when partners believe gaming supports their bond. Mississippi Entertainment Spotlight: Dolly Parton’s legacy is being remembered across the state after her death at 80, with local fans and programs like the Imagination Library highlighting her generosity. Local Sports Watch: A Mizzou preview points to several players who could break out for All-SEC seasons despite not making the preseason team.

College Sports Eligibility Shake-Up: The Big Ten has passed a rule barring football players who signed pro contracts (or were on pro rosters) from returning to play for conference schools, with coach suspensions and school fines; the move follows LSU’s Dae’Quan Wright and Ole Miss-to-LSU pipeline talk after a court order. SEC Joins In: The SEC adopted a similar ban, extending it to men’s and women’s basketball, after the same eligibility chaos. Mississippi Spotlight: Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves ordered flags half-staff statewide for Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday at 80; her last MS performance was at the Ellis Theater in Philadelphia in 2023. Roads & Bridges: MDOT announced “The Big Fix” on I-20/I-55 in the Jackson metro—$400 million to repair 36 bridges and 121 lane miles starting September 2026. Arts & Community: BAM (Arkansas State) won an NEA Big Read grant for Joy Harjo’s “An American Sunrise,” bringing yearlong public programs across Northeast Arkansas.

College Football (Mississippi): Dae’Quan Wright, the former Ole Miss tight end who spent a brief stint in the NFL, could be headed back to college—LSU is reportedly in line to add him after a court order tied to NCAA eligibility rules. Local Sports (Mississippi): Moss Point celebrated Riverfront Park upgrades with a 17-foot guitar sculpture and a refreshed concert stage, kicking off another run of live music Saturdays. Arts & Culture (Mississippi): The Mississippi Mills Film Society is rolling out its fall 2026 series tickets, while the MAX is set to honor Mississippi entertainment history with “BET Raised Us.” Community & Entertainment (Mississippi): Jackson’s Riverwalk-area projects and other local arts happenings keep the spotlight on Mississippi creativity, from museum events to new public art. National Watch (Mississippi readers): A new maternal health push uses “I Gave Birth” wristbands to flag postpartum risks—now spreading to more hospitals, including systems in Mississippi.

College Football Shakeup: Former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright could return to LSU after a court-driven eligibility ruling, following his release by the Cleveland Browns; LSU’s Lane Kiffin says the newly eligible players are “available to recruit,” and another former Rebel, Zxavian Harris, is also expected to join LSU. Recruiting Drama: Ole Miss NIL Grove director Walter Jones says the FBI searched the Manning Center for bugs during the transition after Kiffin’s departure, adding fuel to the already tense rivalry. FAMU Football Preview: Florida A&M opens Week 0 hosting Albany State on Aug. 29, with first-year coach Quinn Fordham Gray calling it a real season game, not a tune-up. Local Sports Medicine: Campbell Clinic expands its physician-led sports medicine outreach to 19 high schools across North Mississippi and the Mid-South. Arts & Community: The Mississippi Card Show in Jackson drew 2,000+ collectors, while the Bradbury Art Museum in Arkansas State won an NEA Big Read grant for a year of public arts and literature programming. Hobby Spotlight: The inaugural Mississippi Gulf Coast Mahjong Classic brought players and cash prizes to Pass Christian. Environment & Outdoor Life: Mississippi-linked conservation news includes alligator gar restoration efforts in the region, with gar bred in Mississippi and stocked elsewhere.

Mississippi Film & Arts: Jackson filmmaker Curtis Nichouls has died. Friends say he worked to bring Hollywood productions to Mississippi, including the Bruce Willis action movie “A Day to Die,” and pushed plans for a local film studio and training center. Oxford Live Music: Oxford’s fall lineup is heating up, with shows at venues like Proud Larry’s, The Lyric Oxford, and the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. Craft Community: Velvet Stitch House is opening as a needlepoint haven in a former Central Street storefront, aiming to turn a hobby into a real community gathering spot. Campus Culture: Ole Miss is rolling out a new semester of fashion trends and game-day style, while the Student Activities Association kicks off Welcome Week with free events and a fall concert. Sports With Heart: BASSA Sports hosted its second annual Girls Basketball Showcase in Jackson to help athletes learn, compete, and gain exposure. Music History: Hazlehurst launched the inaugural Robert Johnson Crossroad Blues Festival—free, family-friendly, and built to keep the Delta legend’s memory alive. Local Sports Spotlight: Meridian was named a U.S. Open Family Day host, bringing tennis fun and community inclusion to the Northeast Tennis Center.

College Football Spotlight: ESPN’s College GameDay is officially headed to Oxford for week three, setting up the Lane Kiffin/Ole Miss showdown as the LSU vs. Ole Miss buzz keeps building. Mississippi Sports & Community: Jackson Prep opened strong in its season opener, powered by Wade Smith and Herrin Goodman, plus a big night from the offensive line in a 42-35 win over UMS Wright. Local Culture & Entertainment: Moss Point kicked off a new run of free concerts and marked a ribbon-cutting for a fresh riverfront sculpture, adding more live music to the coast’s summer lineup. Music & Live Shows: Paul Thorn and D.K. Harrell will headline the Big Steam Blues & Roots festival in Hot Springs (Sept. 25-26), bringing Mississippi-rooted blues storytelling to a two-day “Blues & Bites” weekend. Sports News Beyond MS: Florida soccer stunned No. 3 Florida State 3-1 in coach Nick Zimmerman’s biggest early win, while Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy will miss its opener as he continues recovering from a gunshot wound. Back-to-School Life: A University of Mississippi expert ties kids’ nutrition habits at home to better classroom focus as families reset routines for the school year.

Music & Arts Spotlight: Moss Point kicked off the Levitt AMP Moss Point Music Series with a free concert at Riverfront Park and a ribbon-cutting for the new “River City Guitar” sculpture, with six more Saturdays through Oct. 31 featuring national and local acts. Mississippi Creativity Legacy: Wolfe Studio in Meridian celebrated 80 years of inspiring Mississippi artists at The MAX, highlighting hands-on workshops and the studio’s long-running tradition of making a living in art. Civil Rights Heritage Travel: Visit Atlantic City funded a new Fannie Lou Hamer Digital Driving Tour video tying her 1964 DNC testimony to the city’s historic sites, including the Boardwalk Hall event room and statue. Local Sports (Injury Update): Missouri star RB Ahmad Hardy will miss the season opener while rehabbing a May gunshot wound, with a mid-September return target. Community & Youth Programs: A Mississippi dance instructor is launching a nonprofit ballroom program for underserved children, aiming to add structured training, mentorship, and performance opportunities. College Football Buzz: Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss is leaning into a more pro-style, composed approach as he heads into his final season. Gulf Coast Events: Pass Christian’s “Hook’em for Heroes” returns Sept. 11–12 with a fishing tournament and a free block party featuring live music and family activities.

Mississippi arts spotlight: Wolfe Studio in Meridian celebrated 80 years of Mississippi creativity at The MAX, with hands-on workshops and community members making art inspired by local artists. Local events: Jackson’s busy Saturday packed in a women’s chess championship, a young entrepreneur marketplace, a card show, and a leaders’ gala. Sports recruiting: Northwest Rankin dual-sport star De’Shawn Dillon committed to Georgia Tech for both football and men’s basketball, choosing the Yellow Jackets over Ole Miss and Mississippi State. College hoops transfer: Former UNLV forward Kimani Hamilton is reportedly transferring back to Mississippi State for 2026-27 after a fifth-year eligibility ruling. Community & culture: A revamped Fannie Lou Hamer driving tour adds new videos and stops, including a Jackson landmark tied to the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Entertainment on the Coast: The Mississippi Coast Coliseum announced a fall lineup featuring Lil Wayne’s sold-out success plus upcoming shows from King George, Jon Pardi, Five Finger Death Punch, Journey, and the Doobie Brothers.

Ole Miss & LSU Football Buzz: ESPN confirmed College GameDay is headed to Oxford for the Sept. 19 matchup, with Lane Kiffin’s return adding extra heat to the Magnolia Bowl. Ole Miss QB Focus: Trinidad Chambliss is aiming for a more “pro” style as he refines his game ahead of his final season. LSU Coaching Shake-Up: Will Wade’s return is set to trigger a major roster overhaul, with transfer portal spending and new talent acquisition expected to reshape the Tigers. High School Football Scoreboard: Leake Academy rolled past Simpson Academy 28-6 after a big second-half push. Mississippi Arts & Community: The MAX in Meridian hosted “A Day for Artists,” bringing together 100+ creatives to share how to build sustainable careers in Mississippi. Local Music & Art: Moss Point unveiled the “River City Guitar” sculpture and kicks off a free Levitt AMP music series on the riverfront. Remembering a Life: A Mississippi woman found hanging in a tree will be laid to rest this weekend as investigators await medical examiner results.

Mississippi Arts & Entertainment: Moss Point unveiled the “River City Guitar” sculpture on its riverfront, tying into the town’s blues and timber roots, and kicks off the free Levitt AMP Moss Point Music Series at Riverfront Park with concerts running Saturdays through Oct. 31. Local Creative Careers: At The MAX in Meridian, “A Day for Artists” brought more than 100 Mississippi creatives together, with local artists sharing how to turn talent into sustainable careers. College Football Spotlight: ESPN confirmed College GameDay is headed to Oxford for the Sept. 19 Ole Miss vs. LSU matchup, putting the Magnolia Bowl rivalry back in the national spotlight. Jackson Culture & Community: Ground broke on a pedestrian bridge in Jackson’s LeFleur’s Bluff area to connect museums, parks, and trails—aimed at making the Museum Trail easier for walkers and cyclists. Mississippi Sports Media: Jackson State and Millsaps previewed fall camp and 2026 expectations at JXN Football Media Day. Mississippi History on Display: Meridian’s Historic Black Business District celebrated the restored Hotel E.F. Young Jr. sign, with the Holbrook building set to become a museum and event venue.

HBCU Sports Leadership: Texas Southern University named Ashley Robinson its new athletics director, bringing a championship-and-academics track record from six years at Jackson State, where he led 19 championships and earned NACDA Athletics Director of the Year honors. Mississippi Arts Spotlight: The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (MAX) is bringing a red-carpet event to Meridian on Oct. 3 to celebrate Mississippi’s entertainment legacy, including BET founder Robert L. Johnson, with tickets now available. Local Football Buzz: Jackson-area fans get an early look at 2026 season expectations at JXN Football Media Day, with Jackson State and Millsaps sharing plans for fall camp and conference goals. Music & Culture: David Banner is set to appear at the Virginia Black Expo in Richmond this Saturday, highlighting Black-owned business and community-focused entrepreneurship. Entertainment Rankings: WalletHub’s “most fun states” list puts California first, Florida second, and Illinois third, with Mississippi near the bottom—an easy conversation starter for weekend plans. Weather & Safety: A new report weighs how climate change may be affecting tornado patterns, noting Mississippi and the broader South show notable clustering—while scientists say the link is still complex.