Vinyl Records Make Come Back

Vinyl records started their comeback in recent years according to a New York Times report. Oxford Miss. record store employee, Bill Boyle thinks it's a great thing to be able to hold the music in your hand as opposed to downloading it or streaming it.

Boyle works at The End of All Music, a locally owned and operated vinyl record shop on historic S. Lamar blvd. in Oxford. The store is open seven days per week and according to Boyle holds over ten thousand new and used vinyl records.

"One of my biggest customers is this fifteen year old kid that just comes whenever he's got the money," David Swiger said. Swiger owns The End of All Music and said business is doing better than expected.

"You can get people that will come in looking for the hot new pop record," Swiger said. "When I tell them we don't have it, they typically stay and look around. If they end up buying something, well that's the point of a record store."

The shop does a lot of local work with local recording studio, Fat Possum. 

"Wyoming by Water Liars has been one that has really flown off the shelves this year," Boyle said. "Local students have really gotten into that one. All the Fat Possum stuff does well."

Ole Miss sophomore, Sydney Eddy does all of her vinyl shopping at The End of All Music and says that listening to records helps her study. 

Eddy uses listens to records to help her study. Click below to see more. 

 http://youtu.be/XG7wrB2ViKU

University Florist in Oxford, MS Prepares For One of the Busiest Times of the Year.

For many local businesses, Christmas can be one of the busiest times of the year.  Judy Smith, owner of University Florist in Oxford, MS believes that Christmas time is one of the most important times of the year for her growing business.  Smith says, “Everyone knows that flower shops are the busiest in February, during Valentine’s Day, but many don’t realize that we can be just as busy during the Christmas season.”  Many customers come in seeking artificial trees, special ornaments and decorative items. Smith says that she starts preparing the store for the holidays every year at the beginning of September in order to be ready for the busy holiday to come.  University Florist is located on University Avenue. 

For more on University Florist click here.

38th Annual Turkey Trot Helped Support ALIVE! on Thanksgiving

The National Anthem sang
before the start of the 2013 Turkey Trot.

Washington DC's largest and most popular Thanksgiving Day Race is the Alexandria Turkey Trot. This year marked the 38th race and continues to grow every year. More than 5,000 people registered, this being the largest number of people to ever participate. "It's the coldest Alexandria Turkey Trot in 23 years," said Mayor Bill Euille before the start of the race at George Washington Middle School in Alexandria, Virginia. The frigid weather did not prevent runners from attending the event. Those who participated helped those less fortunate Alexandrian's to enjoy a meal on Thanksgiving. ALIVE!, a non-profit organization, partners with the Turkey Trot and those who registered helped through their payment of registration, bringing canned goods, and donating money prior to the race. The Del Ray Business Association along with the DC Road Runners Club sponsored the event. Kylie O'Leary has more on that story.

Gun Range In Oxford, Mississippi Brings Heat With On Going Gun Control Debate

The Range at TGC in Abbeville, Ms

Earlier in 2013 there was a strong push for gun controlled legislation that never passed through. In April 2013,  President Obama announced the decision from the Senate that was denied.  To watch the full speech Click Here. In the South, guns are a common thing to have and opinions whether or not gun control should be regulated is a conversation worth debate. The number of Mississippians applying for permits have been
growing consistently with in the past five years. According to Mississippi Public Broadcasting, more than 1,700 filed applications applications were filled last December. Once filled, The Mississippi Department of Public Safety must undergo a background check in order to grant a fire arm permit. In just this past year Lieutenant Williams reported that they have full filled background checks on 22,261 residents in Mississippi.

With the number continuing to grow the supply and demand of gun ranges and stores are going up. Oxford, Mississippi just opened it's first TGC Outdoor Gun Range located on Highway 7 North. This range has a wide variety to offer from renting guns to giving lessons, but the one offer you cant miss is its eight hour course offered that will expand your gun permit. This permit course peaks interest in small town residents of Oxford and students at Ole Miss who have opinion on the matter.

With more information, Heather Cray has the story here

Two Jackson State Freshman Seek to Conquer Central Mississippi Underground Music Scene

Releasing his first project entitled, "Highly Anticipated," in late 2012, Crystal Springs, Mississippi native DaQuan "King Ralo" Powell, along with his cousin and adopted brother, Jakavius "The Torch" Taylor created a buzz within the area.

"It's really been crazy to see where my music has already come, from me starting out making music with my friends for fun a few years ago to taking it to where it is now even though we're still small scale," DaQuan Powell said.

DaQuan says he got the nickname "Ralo" from his mother as a child after the character Rollo Larson from the popular sitcom "Sanford and Son," as he was always mischievous. According to Powell's sound cloud page, his previous project along with his mini-mixtape series,"Feed Da Streetz" has accounted for over 24,000 plays amongst the songs.

During his first semester at Jackson State University, Powell was a member of the famed marching band called "Sonic Boom of the South." According to Powell, being a member limited his musical production this fall, but says since his departure he has time to devote solely to his music.


For more on the story click here

Operation Christmas Child makes an Impression on the Ole Miss campus

With the Holidays quickly approaching, Alyssa Wilmoth, a sophomore student at The University of Mississippi, spreads Christmas joy not only around campus but also to children in poverty stricken countries.  She brought the organization Operation Christmas Child onto campus after previously partaking in the organization at her local church.

“Each participant gets a shoe box and they pack it with toys for a girl or boy in whichever age group they chose.  Then they wrap the box up and send it off and a child overseas receives it who may not get a Christmas present that year,” said Wilmoth. 

Alyssa enjoys participating in the organization because she knows that a child out there in enjoying their Christmas just like she does with her family each year. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdI7laDrqMM&feature=youtu.be

Release of New Gaming Console

Students across the country are always  excited about this time of year. But not just for  the vacations, the food, and the  family. They are far more excited for the most intriguing part of the year. The game releases. This holiday season, two of the biggest game console releases in recent years will take place. These releases are the Playstation 4 and Xbox 1.  The Sony and Microsoft produced consoles are the most hi-tech projects the respective companies have produced to date. Both which are filled with amazing graphics and all new features will continue the rivalry that has an essence of an Ali and Frazier heavyweight title fight. But, where there is a fight there must be a winner and a loser. It is not been seen as to who the winner will be between the two. But there is one thing for certain. As the holiday season goes on so will the never-ending battle to  the top of the gaming totem pole.

The 65th Annual Miss University of Mississippi Pageant

Courtesy of Austin McAfee/The Daily Mississip

The Miss University of Mississippi Scholarship Pageant was held November 20,2013 in the Gertrude B. Ford Center for Performing Arts. Eleven young women participated in the competition with  hopes of receiving a $2,000 scholarship.The competition was put on by the Student Activities Association and The University of Mississippi’s Student Union. The pageant was hosted by Miss University 2013, Caroline Conerly and Miss Mississippi 2014 Chelsea Rick.

Second time participant, Anna Beth Higginbotham is the new Miss University of Mississippi title holder. She will go on to compete in the 2014 Pageant, Miss Mississippi. Higginbotham is senior is from Hattiesburg, Mississippi and is getting her bachelors degree in broadcast journalism. Senior Alley Daily took home the second place prize and received a $1000 scholarship.

         The 2014 Miss University Pageant can be viewed by clicking the click here link. 

Population Boom on Florida Highway 30A

Photo of Seaside, Fl. Courtsey of Maggie Hurst

Florida is a state known for its beautiful beaches and numerous vacation spots. Florida State Road, also known as 30A has become one of the number one places for families and tourists. The 28.5 mile hidden in the Panhandle of Northwest Florida offers a laid back lifestyle. Due to the economic crash a few years ago 30A became quiet and lost a lot of buisness. However, the market for beach houses on the popular strip has increased and there has been a large boom in the population. Seaside, Seagrove, Rosemary, and the new comer Watersound are all buzzing with people from all over the country to enjoy the many activities and beaches.  Maggie Hurst has the story here

Open Arms helps Needy

Evangelist Carrie Minor and people of the
community as they say grace

Thanksgiving is a time where families get together and enjoy a holiday feast, but not everyone can join in the same festivities. Evangelist Carrie Minor of Natchez, MS started the Open Arms Ministry in hopes of helping out people in need. Minor and the Open Arms Ministry helps out people who are less fortune in the community. For the past seven years she has sponsored a Thanksgiving Community Dinner, giving out food and clothing. The dinner started from the table of Minor. Minor would prepare plates and take them out on the streets of Natchez and hand them out to people. Now she has been able to feed around 200 people on Thanksgiving. Minor has the gift of giving and will do all she can to help a person in need. Although Minor and the Open Arms Ministry may be small in numbers, they are doing great things in the community to spiritually harvest souls. Minor does ask for donations to do more things, but the donations are very few. Minor purchased the food for the Thanksgiving dinner out of her own pocket.
For more information, click here.

Ole Miss students help make Thanksgiving meals possible for most of the Oxford community

Photo courtesy of Kevin Bain.

Thanksgiving by some is known as the sole holiday to feast. Families all over the U.S. share this day with loved ones and several pounds of food. However, not everyone in the Oxford community will be able to have a Thanksgiving meal. Ole Miss students took action in helping contribute their time and efforts to give families in need a meal of their own.

The Ole Miss Food Bank was able to donate at least 100 cans of green beans to the Adopt-a-Basket program. Adopt-a-Basket was able to pack 351 full baskets this year. Courtney Richards has this story here.

Ole Miss Students keep diary of racial experiences on campus

Photo Courtesy of www.OleMiss.edu

Ole Miss is a campus with a dark past when it comes to race relations. Although a lot of these past problems have been eradicated leaving us with a campus that is now a more welcoming place for people of all backgrounds, improvements can always be made to foster a more accepting atmosphere for everyone. 

To help with this, the UM Critical Race Studies Group has began a research project in which Ole Miss Students of various Racial and Ethnic backgrounds keep an anonymous online diary detailing their daily experiences. The Studies Group, which is an interdisciplinary team of scholars based in the UM Department of Sociology andAnthropology will then study the students submissions. Associate Professor of Sociology and African American studies Kirk Johnson is head of the project.

Conor Diskin of NewsWatch has more on this story here.

A day in the lives of the UPD officers at the University of Mississippi.

Courtesy of the UPD

One of the busiest departments on the Ole Miss Campus is the University Police Department (UPD). The UPD is dedicated to working with the University of Mississippi to ensure a safe environment on and off campus. One of their biggest concerns is the safety and security of all students, faculty, staff and visitors at Ole Miss.

The UPD officers are regularly seen on campus patrolling and they work 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, located in the heart of campus. There are five divisions which compose the University Police Department;– patrol, investigation, crime prevention, security staff and support. Their work is of great interest at the University.

What is a day like in the lives of the officers? What does their typical day consist of? Or is there such a thing as a typical day? Rachel Nolan has this story, click here.

Ashley Silcott: Warrior Mother

   Ashley Silcott has been told since the day she was born that she would never live to be twenty, or have children. This is because Ashley has Cystic Fibrosis, a deadly lung disease.
   The Reiserstown Maryland native is now twenty-four. She is also has a daughter, Preslee, and is planning her wedding to the man of her dreams, Tyler Brown.
   Last year, Silcott raised around twenty-seven thousand dollars for Cystic Fibrosis research. The non-profit is called Ashley's Army. You can donate to Ashley's army by clicking the link. To view this incredible story, click here. 

Effects of Cold Beer in Oxford, Mississippi

Beer for sale at Joe's Craft Beer in Oxford, Mississippi.

In 1972, Oxford, Mississippi passed an ordinance allowing the sale of beer which was previously forbidden after World War II. However, for 40 years, Oxford, Mississippi was unable to sell cold beer within it's city limits. For these four decades Ole Miss students as well as Oxford residents had to travel all the way to the county line to purchase cold beer.

In August of 2013 the Oxford Board of Alderman approved a cold beer and light wine sales law that took effect on September 20, 2013.

NewsWatch reporter Kendyl Noon has more on this story here.

The Parents of Former Ole Miss Football Player, Park Stevens, Continue to Cope with the Loss of Their Son

Photo courtesy of Dean and Gail Stevens

             It was a lifelong dream for Park Stevens to play football for an SEC team. His dream became a reality when he was offered an opportunity to walk on as an offensive lineman at The University of Mississippi. Stevens transferred to Ole Miss in January of 2013 after spending two seasons at East Central Community College.
          Stevens practiced with the team in spring drills and played in Ole Miss's spring game, the Grove Bowl, but unfortunately for Stevens, he never got to play in another game with the Rebels. On July 3, 2013, Stevens lost his life in automobile accident while traveling home from Oxford.
          It was Stevens' parents' worst nightmare. His parents have been coping with the loss of their youngest son with the help of the Ole Miss family and football team.  
        For more on this story click here.   
        

Excitement in Oxford for home closer against Missouri Tigers

Ole Miss Rebels welcome Missouri Tigers
Photo Courtesy of Vimeo.com

The Ole Miss Rebels and the Missouri Tigers faced off for the first time ever on November 23rd.  It is only Missouri's second season in the South Eastern Conference (SEC) and their first trip to Oxford.  Both Ole Miss and Missouri fans alike are excited about the game.  With a large number of Missouri natives attending Ole Miss and it being the last home game of the year, it is a highly anticipated weekend.  The game has some meaning to it also. Besides it being the first match up between the two teams, Missouri comes into the game ranked in the top ten and needing a win to extend their lead in the SEC East.  Ole Miss wants to play spoiler against the Tigers, and expand their bowl game prospects with an upset win.https://vimeo.com/80684076

Oxford, Mississippi's First United Methodist Church Hosts Community Thanksgiving Meal

     According to a study by Feeding America, Mississippi reports the highest level of “household food insecurity” in the nation, meaning many Mississippi families struggle to provide food for themselves. But, in Oxford, Miss., residents are striving to help those in need. For the fifth year, residents gathered at Oxford-University United Methodist Church for the Community Thanksgiving Meal, which aimed to feed those less fortunate. Fourteen of Oxford's churches provided food for the lunch, and Oxford’s More Than A Meal played a part in organizing the event and gathering volunteers. Meghan Berry, the event’s director, says community support was tremendous. During the lunch, volunteers created an environment of fellowship and thankfulness, and their service didn’t go unappreciated. NewsWatch reporter Miriam Cresswell has more on the day's festivities here.

First annual L.Q.C. Lamar House Art Day - Oxford, Mississippi

     The L.Q.C. Lamar House teamed up with the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, Chick-fil-A and supporters of the L.Q.C. Lamar House for a free event for kids and parents on November 15th. The concept of the art day was getting people to see how history and art are linked together in Oxford while starting an annual event where the arts council does something art related with historic homes. Lamar was noted for his oratory speaking and writing and the art project for the first annual event was decorating postcards and writing letters.
     The idea was for visitors to be able to tour the exhibit for free and learn about Lamar's writing while making vintage post cards that they can mail off. With this event, the sponsors goal was to use the story of L.Q.C. Lamar to engage children and families to visit the home and do an art project related to his life while encouraging people to start visiting the home. For more on this story please click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B4Fv7Yl1_4&feature=youtu.be

Photo courtesy of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council

Oxford University Transit Sees Growth and Breaks Records

Oxford residents ride the Yellow Route Bus

Since the start of the Oxford University Transit system in October of 2008, Oxford has seen a steady increase of riders over the last 6 years.
O.U.T. currently has 9 bus routes with 22 buses that run to transport Oxford citizens around the town. O.U.T. provides a program called NextBus that offers riders an arrival time prediction for the next bus at whatever location the rider selects.

In September, Oxford University Transit had a record of more than 110,000 people taking the bus. To help continue to be able to meet the growing demands, General Manager Ron Biggs plans to purchase an additional 6 buses.

With the construction of a new parking garage taking place next semester Oxford Universty Transit plans to see ridership increase even more. 600 parking spots will no longer be availible to Ole Miss students and faculty. The anticipated start date for construction on the new parking garage is said to be December 16, 2013.

For information on bus routes and fares click here.

For more on the story click here.

Life of Special Girl Still Impacts Through Brandi's Hope Community Services.

Painting of Brandi Cowart.
Courtesy of Pam Puckett. 

Brandi's Hope Community Services first started it's operations in June 2010, after long time dream of owner and CEO, Danny Cowart. Danny and wife Brenda named the business after their daughter Brandi. Brandi suffered from Trisomy 18 and passed away back in 2005. Brandi's memory is the humble drive force behind the company as they provide services to the disabled. Brandi's Hope not only aims to render it's services to disabled individuals, but to also give a better quality of life and a sense of hope and family. Brandi's Hope currently has 8 locations in Mississippi. Brandi's Hope centers are located in Tupelo, Meridian, Hattiesburg, Picayune, Natchez, Pascagoula, Gulfport, and the home office in Magee. For more on the story click below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2QcnYNSXL4&feature=youtu.be

Oxford, Mississippi Workers Hopeful for Hike in Minimum Wage

A Wal-Mart cart pusher collects carts
in freezing winds. Cart pushers are expected to
work in all weather conditions.

In March, Democratic Rep. George Miller and Democrat Senator Tom Harkin, proposed a bill to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10. The White House has stacked its support behind the Harkin-Miller bill, also known as the Fair Minimum Wage Act.

In Oxford, Miss., low wage workers make up about 30 percent of resident households. With the economy at a stagnant edge, workers hope that the proposed bill will come to pass- giving them an opportunity at a more fulfilling life.

Workers take us inside a day at work, and show us why they believe the increase couldn't come at a better time. Christina Sallis has that story here.

1983 Ole Miss Football Team Reunites--Recalls "Immaculate Deflection"

The 1983 Ole Miss football did not finish with a winning record, going 6-6 on the season. But it was still a tremendous accomplishment for the Rebels and new coach Billy Brewer. Brewer guided Ole Miss to the Independence Bowl--the school's first bowl appearance in twelve years.
To get the bowl bid, Ole Miss had to beat rival Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl, and did so when a last-second field goal attempt by the Bulldogs was batted down by a sudden gust of wind. The 24-23 Rebels' victory has come to be known as the "Immaculate Deflection."

On October 12 before the Rebels' home game with Texas A&M, members of the 1983 team reunited to share memories on the thirtieth anniversary of their great season. Brad Schultz has that story.

The University of Mississippi Police Department Stays Active During the Summer Months

(Photo by: the University of Mississippi)

At the University of Mississippi you may not notice the University Police Department unless an officer confronts you; that is what they strive for. The officers try to provide a friendly smile and a helpful hand whenever they can but do not mess around when it comes to public safety and crime prevention.

As soon as the majority of students leave town, new prospective students start to visit. They bring family members and friends to help them through orientation. However, it is not just orientation that brings people to Ole Miss. Other activities such as summer camps are going on all summer long too. Although most students are not in Oxford during the summer, these visitors come from around the state and country to see the University of Mississippi.

During the summer months the officers do not disappear. They work all year providing the same friendly smile but to a more diverse crowd. For more on this story click here.

Keith Sanders of "The Gutter Daises" tour Oxford, MS!

Keith Sanders, lead guitarist and vocalist has made a name for himself in Oxford, MS. Inspired by blues from listening to several artists while living in Cleveland, MS, Sanders has decided to remain in Oxford until receiving his big musical break. He hopes to one day tour with his band, "The Gutter Daisies". Until then, you can catch Keith and his band playing around local bars on the square. For more on this story, click here.

The Oxford Shakespeare Festival presents Hello, Dolly!

The famous theatrical production of Hello, Dolly! opens Thursday June 27, 2013 at the Ford Center for Performing Arts on the Ole Miss campus. The play is about a matchmaker named Dolly Levi who takes a trip to Yonkers, New York to see the  Horace Vandergelde, a noted half-a-millionaire." While there, Dolly convinces Horace, his two stock clerks and his niece and her beau to go to New York City.

This is the 10th Anniversary of the Oxford Shakespeare Festival and Hello, Dolly! is the third and final production of the 2013 summer season. The festival's previous productions were Macbeth and Love's Labour's Lost.  

The production features a cast of more than 20 Oxford, Miss. and Ole Miss Theatre Department thespians plus local Mississippi and out-of-state actors. The plays runs through June 30th and tickets can be purchased online or at the Ford Center Box Office.

Volunteer Oxford, Building Relationships for Young and Old.

Memory Makers Attendee Linda, listens as a volunteer reads to the group.

Many communities around this area as well other places in this country are constantly seeking new ways to give back. More and more people are volunteering time and sometimes other resources to  ensure the success. For many non-profit organizations most of their workers are made up of volunteers. Even here in Oxford, the University hosts a big community service day called BIG EVENT, which with the help of Volunteer Oxford is made possible.

Kelly Graeber, who is the director of Volunteer Oxford, said that what makes volunteering so great is not only its community building but it economic value as well. “For every hour you volunteer its worth over twenty-two dollars to your community. So when you volunteer a hour helping a child with reading or addressing a social issue such as feeding the homeless in your community. You are giving an investment into the community which is a great benefit.”

For a look at Volunteer Oxford and one of its volunteer sites click here.