Mississippi community briefing: October 2, 2026

Olive Branch schedules October Movies Under the Stars

The City of Olive Branch is bringing back Movies Under the Stars on the front lawn of City Hall during October. Free family-friendly movies are scheduled each Thursday night at 7 pm, beginning October 1 with Monsters Inc.

The lineup continues with Casper on October 8, Hotel Transylvania on October 15, and Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island on October 22. October 29 will feature Goosebumps and a community trunk-or-treat night.

Source: City of Olive Branch – Government.

Union County museum plans free Bug Day for students

The Union County Heritage Museum will host Bug Day for K-8th grade students Tuesday, October 6, from 3:30-4:45. The program includes a jewel beetle art project, a butterfly life-cycle activity and bug games.

The program is free, and registration is required through the museum’s Google Forms link. Students in K-1st grade must have an adult with them at all times.

Source: Union County Heritage Museum.

Jackson museum to host Colonial Mississippi history event

The Old Capitol Museum in Jackson will host a free America250 event Saturday, October 3, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The program will focus on Mississippi during Colonial times.

Activities include living history demonstrations by the Atlanta Historic Dance group, educational presentations on the Marquis de Lafayette and hands-on activities about the people, culture and events that shaped the lower Mississippi Valley. The project was supported by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council through support from the State of Mississippi.

Source: Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

MSDH highlights screening assistance for eligible women

The Mississippi State Department of Health says its Breast and Cervical Cancer Program helps eligible Mississippi women access breast and cervical cancer screening services. Women who are due for screening can learn about available resources and discuss an appropriate schedule with a healthcare provider.

Program details and eligibility information are available at msdh.ms.gov/bccp.

Source: Mississippi State Department of Health.

Auditor reports nearly $2.79 billion in nonprofit spending

The Mississippi Office of the State Auditor reports that state government gave almost $2.79 billion to nonprofit organizations from fiscal years 2021 through 2025. The office said it created a nonprofit spending dashboard to promote transparency, accountability and taxpayer information.

The dashboard is available on the office’s website under the “Reports” tab, where users can review the reported nonprofit spending.

Source: Mississippi Office of the State Auditor on Facebook.