Starkville Daily News
Golden Triangle celebrates blues through hometown legends
As music fans around the world celebrate International Blues Music Day, the Golden Triangle has plenty of reasons to join the chorus. Long before the blues became one of America's most influential musical genres, two men with roots in the region...
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INFRASTRUCTURE
Construction has officially begun on the Brush Arbor Cemetery entrance on University Drive. (Courtesy photo)
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Fulgham brings local goods, community connections to Main Street
Twenty years after moving to Starkville, Tabitha Fulgham is investing in the community that welcomed her by creating a marketplace dedicated to local products, local farmers and local connections. Fulgham moved to Starkville from Fairhope, Alabama and...
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LIFE & STYLE
Tim Schauwecker, professor in Mississippi State University’s Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design (right), and Bob Brzuszek, professor emeritus in the department, survey the thriving native wildflower meadow at Cornerstone...
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EDUCATION
The Starkville Oktibbeha Early Learning Collaborative, housed at the SOSD Discovery Center, will celebrate its 10th anniversary this fall. The collaborative has provided prekindergarten education to Oktibbeha County children for a decade, helping...
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BACK TO SCHOOL
As a new school year gets underway, members of the district’s Transportation team help keep students moving safely to and from school each day. Bus drivers have spent the first week updating routes, welcoming new riders and navigating construction to...
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Dancing to make a difference
For Kayla Marie Gilmore, dance has always been more than learning steps or performing on stage. It has been a way to inspire others, build confidence and bring people together. Gilmore, owner of KMG Creations Dance, Fitness, has spent years using...
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17th annual Dancing in the Park brings community together
KMG Creations Dance, Fitness & Productions and The Center of Creative Arts proudly celebrated the 17th annual Dancing in the Park on Saturday, July 18, 2026, in partnership with the Starkville Community Market at Fire Station Park. The combined event...
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Starkville schools begin year with optimism, new high school project on horizon
As students returned to classrooms for the first day of school, Starkville-oktibbeha Consolidated School District Superintendent Tony Mcgee said the district is entering the new year with optimism. Mcgee spoke to the Starkville Rotary Club about the...
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Give Something Away Day: From groceries to couches, every donation helps
Whether it's a bag of groceries, an old couch or even an hour spent volunteering, local organizations say even the smallest acts of generosity can make a lasting difference. National Give Something Away Day, observed each year on July 15, serves as a...
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GETTING EXERCISE IN
Starkville Fire Department firefighters conduct a simulated vehicle fire training exercise Monday morning inside a multi-level parking garage, practicing standpipe operations and high-rise hose deployment through stairwells and parking levels to...
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CAMP
Ladies day out: Former Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons of the Tennessee Titans instructs some of the girls who attended his football camp on Friday at the Starkville Sportsplex. For more about the camp, see sports page 9. (Photo by...
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Simmons football campers get jump on the weekend with shopping spree
There were 20 very happy local youth striding up and down the aisles of Academy Sports + Outdoors in Starkville with their shopping carts on Thursday. Before attending the Jeffery Simmons Football Camp the next two days at the Starkville Sportsplex,...
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More than memories
For Susan Seal, the stories mothers leave behind aren't measured in jewelry, money or family heirlooms. They're found in resilience passed from one generation to the next, familiar phrases that slip into conversations years later and lessons that...
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PLANNED POWER OUTAGE
Crews with Starkville Utilities Electric Division and B&B will conduct a planned power outage from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 11, to replace electric conductors as part of ongoing infrastructure improvements for the Highway 182 Project. The...
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MSDH: Guidelines to have a (safe) blast this July 4
As you plan to celebrate a long July 4 weekend, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) wants you to do it safely. Protect your loved ones from potential dangers from fireworks, impaired driving, water accidents, food poisoning and extreme...
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EMCC’S Dr. Coranette ‘Chris’ Calhoun completes fellows’ program, named to ‘Who’s Who’
Dr. Coranette “Chris” Calhoun, East Mississippi Community College’s dean of elearning, is a graduate of the 2025-26 Mississippi Community College Policy Fellows Program and has been recognized for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who in America. (Courtesy...
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TREE UPDATE
Members of the Starkville chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution have once again refreshed the year-round tree at the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum. This time, they gave it a patriotic makeover in anticipation of the nation’s 250th...
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COCO summer camp wraps up month of educational activities
The Council of Community Organizations (COCO) of Oktibbeha County's Academic Booster Club Summer Camp concluded Monday, June 29 with an awards program after a month of educational activities for students in kindergarten through 11th...
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Summer swing.
Summer is in full swing as adult softball returns to Starkville, with teams sporting custom jerseys, swinging for the fences and chasing a championship. (Courtesy photos)
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Growing curiosity, one seed at a time
It may be summer, but the learning hasn't slowed down at the Starkville Public Library. More than 30 kids had fun and learned something new Thursday thanks to the Starkville Master Gardeners and their lesson on plants. The kids learned how plants...
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‘Our experiences have value’
For many veterans, the toughest battles begin after they leave the military. Dr. Sammie Young wants to make sure those struggles do not go unnoticed. Young served in the U.S. Navy for four decades, retiring as a chief petty officer. Before that,...
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Three weeks, countless ideas, one original musical Summer Scholars ready to face the music
Almost 60 students are preparing for the culmination of three weeks' worth of work, set to premiere this weekend in Starkville. Students participating in the MSU Summer Scholars camp are almost ready to debut their original three-act musical comedy...
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From mules to modern life
The average life expectancy in the United States is 79, but a Starkville resident has surpassed that by 20 years. Mary Baugh was born in Neshoba County, Mississippi, on June 20, 1927, as the fifth of nine children. She grew up during the Great...
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‘The best is yet to come’: City earns Main St. honors
Starkville has added even more accolades to its growing list of achievements after receiving multiple honors from the Mississippi Main Street Association this week. The city competed against fellow Main Street communities from across the state and...
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Leaving it better than he found it
Starkville has undergone quite a few changes over the last 13 years, many of which are thanks to City Engineer Cody Burnett. Burnett began his career with the city in 2013 when he joined the engineering department after graduating from Mississippi...
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State champions:
The Starkville Maroon 9-10 Dizzy Dean All-stars won the state tournament in Louisville over the weekend. The members of the Starkville Maroon are Parker Bell, Price Cannon, Lucas Cobb, Asher Dolan, Myles Ewing, Bennett Gorman, Gene Fedric, Teddy Krutz,...
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LEMONADE DAY
Young entrepreneurs were out in full force Saturday as part of the Golden Triangle Lemonade Day. Kids got the opportunity to market and sell lemonade to learn the basic ins and outs of running a business. Money earned will be used to donate to a cause...
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Driver Service Bureau closed while relocating
PEARL – The Starkville Driver Service Bureau will be closed June 15–21 to allow for relocation and office setup. Starkville DSB will reopen at its new location on June 22 at 8 a.m. at the new address of 11355 MS 25, Starkville, MS 39759. The Bureau...
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SOCSD'S Guntharp among 40 nationally to earn NAFEPA State Leadership Award
Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Assistant Superintendent Anna Guntharp has received the 2026 National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators State Leadership Award. She is one of five recipients from Mississippi and...
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‘You can be what you want to be’
Dr. Shecoya White is an associate professor at Mississippi State, but her subject of choice was not always what she had in mind. White has a deep appreciation and love for animals, which helped her find her career path, although it has changed over...
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FURRY NEW FRIENDS
spent time with a variety of exotic animals Saturday when Tickled Pink Petting Zoo stopped by the Starkville Public Library. Attendees petted and fed a ball python, an antelope, a camel, an owl, an anaconda, baby lambs, goats and more .(Photos by Wil...
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Battle of Bulldogs set with trip to Omaha on line
A breakthrough is needed this weekend by the Mississippi State Bulldogs. After four previous losses by three runs or less to Georgia in each outing this season, MSU believes it can compete well enough to defeat the nation's No. 3 seed in a threegame...
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4 County votes in new directors, gives away truck at annual meeting
4-County Electric elected two new directors Thursday at the power association's annual membership meeting. The meeting, held at East Mississippi Community College's Golden Triangle campus, drew more than 600 members to socialize, win prizes and vote...
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Town and Country Garden Club celebrates National Garden Week
Starkville Town and Country Garden Club kicked off National Garden Week with Starkville Mayor Spruill signing a proclamation designating June 7th through June 13th as National Garden Week in Starkville, Mississippi. “Gardening has such great benefits,...
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LEARNIN’ AT THE LIBRARY
Kids got to learn all about archaeology and anthropology at the Starkville Public Library on Monday. Kids who attended got to handle replica bones and make their own bones and hieroglyphics with the help of Dr. Molly Zuckerman and a crew from...
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Bulldogs claim Starkville Regional championship
Mississippi State head coach Brian O’connor, right, has a conversation with the umpire on Saturday night. The Bulldogs won the NCAA Starkville Regional Championship over the weekend. For more on how they did it, see sports page 5. (Photo by Craig...
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PARKER POWER.
hits a solo home run for Mississippi State during the sixth inning of Friday's 10-1 win over Lipscomb. For more on the Bulldogs, see sports page 9. (Photo by Craig Jackson, for Starkville Daily News)
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Dressing up.
Preparations were being made on Thursday for Dudy Noble Field to host the NCAA Starkville Regional for college baseball this weekend. The Bulldogs will open the event against the Lipscomb Bisons at 1 p.m. For more on the regional, see sports page 5....
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Garden Club helps Beehive Homes residents create spring arrangements
Starkville Town and Country Garden Club's Garden Therapy Committee recently helped residents of Beehive Homes of Starkville create spring flower arrangements. “As an occupational therapist, I always enjoy the projects where we coordinate with the...
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LANE CLOSURE
will be in place at the intersection of Greensboro Street and Louisville Street today, weather permitting, to allow for a utility pole replacement. Work will take place daily from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Traffic control personnel will be on site. Motorists...
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MSU softball super regional win one for the books, program advances to World Series for the first time
Many expected the Oklahoma Sooners to add to their rich tradition of winning softball games and advancing to the NCAA Women's College World Series not too far from their campus in Oklahoma City. The Mississippi State Bulldogs had other ideas. MSU...
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MEMORIAL DAY
Members of American Legion Post 13 and Post 240 worked together Friday to place American flags on the graves of deceased veterans in honor of Memorial Day weekend. The two posts, alongside the Starkville Military Affairs Committee, will host a Memorial...
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Gold standard: Marett earns award for service project
Public service is an integral part of any community, and sometimes the people most attuned to that idea are the youngest. Julianne Marett is a Girl Scout in Starkville's Troop 20320 and takes her responsibilities seriously. While some may do just...
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‘Just take the first step’
Life can and will take you a lot of places, and sometimes it brings you back to somewhere you've already been. That is exactly what happened to Cathy Austin. Austin is the director of collection management and strategy at Mississippi State University...
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STARKVILLE HIGH
AKINS, Tristen Charles ALSTON, OLIVIA Paige ANDERSON, OLIVIA Chase ARNOLD, JADAH Synae BAINE, Noa Grace BAKER, LANDON Wilson BANKS, Amaya Zikerria BANZHAF, DAVIS Frederick BARNES, ALEX Isaiah BARNES, Chelcee Alece BEAN, Jayden Dejaun BECKUM,...
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No hitter.
Mississippi State pitcher Alyssa Faircloth tossed her second career no-hitter and the first ever for the program in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday on the way to knocking off Oregon on its home field 4-0. MSU went on to win the Eugene Regional with a...
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Volunteers capture first baseball title for school
There is a first time for everything. On Friday night, the Starkville Academy Volunteers experienced that feeling and brought home the school's first baseball state championship. The Vols defeated the Brookhaven Academy Cougars 5-3 at home to claim...
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Starkville High School inducts dozens into ACT 25/30+ club
On Tuesday, Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District administrative staff hosted the annual Starkville High School ACT 25/30+ Club Luncheon, celebrating 63 students who earned a composite score of 25 or better on the ACT college entrance exam...
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Coleus foliage can be as exciting as flowers
Coleus is one of my favorite plants to use for color in the landscape. Bold, colorful and completely unfazed by the heat, these plants know how to put on a show. When everything else starts to fade under long, hot afternoons, coleus steps in with...
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‘They are ready to have fun’
Kids at Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School have been a little more excited to get to school this spring thanks to the school's latest upgrade. Donors and school officials gathered in the courtyard of the elementary school Tuesday to witness the...
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MONDAY MORNING CRASH
into LP Gas on Louisville Street Monday morning. No injuries were reported according to the Starkville Fire Department. (Courtesy photos)
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Spruill reflects on military service at DAR meeting
The Hic-a-sha-ba-ha chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution held its monthly meeting Thursday at the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum with Mayor Lynn Spruill as the guest speaker. The group hosted Spruill as part of its America 250...
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‘It just clicked.’
A former warehouse filled with boxes is now a bustling marketplace where dozens of local vendors sell everything from antiques to handmade goods in Starkville. The Warehouse Market brings together even more local and state businesses for consumers who...
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Brush Arbor Cemetery Community Advisory Board inaugural meeting held
The inaugural meeting of the Brush Arbor Cemetery Community Advisory Board was held on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum to discuss the cemetery restoration project and get community input. The Brush Arbor Cemetery on...
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STATE CHAMPS.
Starkville Academy had five track and field athletes finish first at the Class 4A State championship meet over the weekend. Sil Santucci claimed his second consecutive high jump state title, while the 4x200 girls relay team of Elzabeth Fair, Emily...
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The W, EMCC sign agreement creating pathway to bachelor’s degrees
Mississippi University for Women and East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) have signed a memorandum of agreement establishing new educational pathways for students pursuing career-technical degrees who plan to earn a bachelor’s degree. EMCC...
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Cotton District getting security boost after weekend shooting
Major security changes are coming to the Cotton District in response to a shooting that left one man injured last weekend. Mayor Lynn Spruill and Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballard hosted a news conference Thursday to unveil new plans for added...
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A furry life saved.
teamed up to save one of the cities smallest residents this week. A kitten had fallen down a drain and gotten stuck in a storm pipe under the road on Monday. After attempts to lure the kitten out and reach it the rescue had to be temporarily halted....
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A volunteer production.
Starkville Academy brought Agrabah to life this past weekend with its production of “Aladdin, Jr.”, featuring genies, magic carpet rides, and all the charm of the beloved ‘90s classic. (Courtesy photos)
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Another derby in the books.
captivated people and dogs alike on Saturday in the packed out Cotton District. Residents and tourists alike got to help out local businesses, eat good food and watch the best wiener dog race in the country. (Photos by Kaylin
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Clay DAR honors three Good Citizens
Horseshoe Robertson Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, celebrated the three Clay County high schools 202526 DAR Good Citizens at their April meeting. To be chosen from each school, the student must exhibit traits of dependability, service,...
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Senior games.
The Mississippi Healthcare Foundation’s Senior Games were held at the Travis Outlaw Center on Thursday. Seniors from all over the state came to compete in a variety of games including volleyball and archery for the chance to walk away as champions....
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Super Bulldog Weekend Best foot forward
Bryce Chance gives his best effort for the Mississippi State Bulldogs on the baseball field. There was no better example of that than his final at-bat during Tuesday night's 6-2 win by the Bulldogs over the Memphis Tigers. Chance hit a ground ball...
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This National Arbor Day, let’s plant and water trees
The Starkville Town and Country Garden Club encourages everyone to plant and water trees in celebration of National Arbor Day on Friday, April 24, 2026. “One of the four objectives of the garden club is to raise awareness and provide education...
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CDAF 40
The 40th annual Cotton District Arts Festival was held Saturday bringing in large crowds to appreciate and buy products and pieces from local artisans. (Courtesy photos)
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He’s back.
Josh Hubbard did not want to let the suspense linger into the summer. On Friday afternoon, Hubbard announced through a video message that he was returning for his senior season with the Mississippi State men's basketball team. “Let's call 12 one more...
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‘I am in it to let others know they are not alone’
It was a teary-eyed affair at the Starkville Public Library on Thursday as Mississippi author Rhonda Dibiase discussed her emotional memoir, “Fear Finds Faith.” The book is based on Dibiase's experience during her mother's lengthy battle with lupus...
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‘A quilt has stories to tell’
Lifelong quilter Carol Cantrell spoke about the history and preservation of quilts at the quilt laden Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum Wednesday. Cantrell, who has been quilting since she was 10 years old, spoke about her relationship with quilting as...
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