Good morning, Jackson.

Catholic Charities opened a food pantry in Jackson to help families in need after a rise in local demand before Thanksgiving — the group worked with local churches and donors to provide canned and nonperishable food.

The agency served families from its Ridgeland office at 731 S Pear Orchard Road during regular hours Monday through Friday.

On Tuesday, hundreds attended Mississippi Move’s 11th annual Sleep Out to Help the Homeless at Pittman Park, where more than 30 people spent the night without shelter and volunteers handed out food, clothing and sleeping bags—highlighting the urgent issue of severe homelessness.

The event ended with a shared breakfast at 6 a.m. as organizers vowed to keep supporting those in need.

The Christmas by Candlelight Tour returns to Jackson on Dec.

5 from 4 to 8 p.m. and will visit the Two Mississippi Museums, the Governor’s Mansion, the State Capitol, and the Old Capitol Museum — offering live music, holiday crafts, rides, treats, and photo opportunities with Santa along with free parking and shuttle buses linking the sites.

On Thanksgiving morning, members of Masonic Lodge John R.

Archer #714 gathered at Pittman Park in Jackson to distribute food, clothes, blankets and hygiene items to those in need. Ed Harper said the event, now in its eleventh year, demonstrated the organization’s core values—faith, hope and charity.

Families in Jackson chose convenience by picking up pre-cooked Thanksgiving meals at Logan Farms, where shoppers bought between 2,500 and 3,000 hams along with many turkeys—using a no-reservation system to avoid long lines.

Logan Farms said it will offer similar services for Christmas next month to meet growing holiday demand.

The Better Business Bureau is warning online shoppers to carefully check deals during the holiday season because scammers use advanced technology to create realistic fake websites—John O’Hara advises verifying payment methods and business details to protect against identity theft.

Alcorn State University's Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite made their first appearance at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, performing yesterday on national television.

Governor Tate Reeves congratulated the group ahead of their performance as they raised $500,000 for travel, food and lodging.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday morning marked the opening of West Rankin Parkway, a long-awaited $60 million project that began in 2014 and resumed in September.

The new roadway now shortens the drive between Flowood and Pearl — easing traffic on major corridors and helping drivers get to work and school more quickly.

AMR Central Mississippi provided free roundtrip rides to five nursing home residents in Hinds County so they could spend Thanksgiving with their families.

Eula Gibson and her family enjoyed the 'Home for the Holiday' program plus AMR EMT Basic Stephanie Ivy described the effort as a labor of love.

Kazery Farms in Hinds County has thrived as a holiday tradition for over 30 years and now offers more than 1,500 fresh Christmas trees including the blue ice tree after opening its gates in mid-November.

Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson urged locals to support the farm—one of 30 state Christmas tree producers.

Ten residents moved into renovated homes in Jackson’s Leonard Court neighborhood ahead of Thanksgiving as part of a $30 million project that restored 67 homes—returning long-time residents to their familiar area and providing food for the holiday.

Mustache The Band Concert

9-10:30 p.m. — Duling Hall Live Music & Events — $25.30 ADV | $30.45 DOS — Experience 90s country hits with Mustache The Band and enjoy giveaways of fun mustaches.

Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl in Jackson

4:30-9 p.m. — Library Lounge — 25% OFF with code UGLY25 — Don your ugliest sweater and enjoy a festive night of drinks and holiday cheer in Downtown Jackson.

Liam St. John Live Concert

7:30-9:00 p.m. — Duling Hall Live Music & Events — Tickets $25.30 ($30.45 day of) — Experience an evening of blues and rock with 'The Voice' contestant Liam St. John.

Chess Class at Alexander Library

4-6:30 p.m. — Margaret Walker Alexander Library — Free entry — Explore the fundamentals and strategies of chess in a friendly environment.

Santa Zoo Station

10 a.m.–1 p.m. — The Jackson Zoo — Timed tickets required — A festive holiday extravaganza filled with crafting, photos with Santa, and family fun awaits.

HEADCANNON Live Performance

8:00 – 9:30 PM — Hal & Mal's — $15 — Experience an electrifying night with HEADCANNON and friends, featuring a unique tattoo pop-up.

Cecily Wilborn Live Concert

7-10:30 p.m. — Mississippi Coliseum — Tickets available — Experience a Southern Soul party with music and dance in Jackson.