CITY OF HATTIESBURG NEWS

Hattiesburg, Mississippi – The City of Hattiesburg is preparing for its annual New Year’s Eve celebration, “Midnight on Front Street,” set to take place on Tuesday, December 31, 2024. The event will bring together residents and visitors for a night of music, entertainment and celebration in the heart of Downtown Hattiesburg. The centerpiece of the evening will be the Hub...

Hattiesburg, Mississippi – On Monday, Mayor Toby Barker, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, members of the Hattiesburg City Council and community leaders gathered to celebrate the opening of the Hall Avenue East Overpass, a project that resolves a century-old challenge of blocked rail crossings in Downtown Hattiesburg. “For generations of Hattiesburgers, blocked train crossings have long stood as a paralyzing obstacle...

Hattiesburg, Mississippi – The Hattiesburg Fire Department will start its annual fire hydrant testing program on Monday, November 18, across the city to comply with Mississippi State Rating Bureau requirements. “Hydrant testing is an essential part of maintaining our fire readiness and ensuring public safety,” said Fire Chief Sherrocko Stewart. “Our crews will follow a detailed schedule, covering assigned areas...

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi – The City of Hattiesburg has released the draft of its Safe Roads Hattiesburg Safety Action Plan, designed to improve street safety and reduce severe crashes by 50% by 2032, with an ultimate goal of eliminating them within city limits. Residents are encouraged to review the draft and provide feedback at hattiesburgms.com/saferoads. Developed with input from two rounds of...

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — The City of Hattiesburg has entered into Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreements with two standout athletes from local universities: Melyia Grayson of the University of Southern Mississippi and Lauren Jones of William Carey University. Both athletes, who are graduates of Hattiesburg high schools, will serve as the city’s first NIL ambassadors. “In today’s changing college athletics...

Hattiesburg, Mississippi – Mayor Toby Barker has been honored with the Mississippi Tourism Association’s (MTA) Governmental Tourism Leadership Award, recognizing his significant contributions to Hattiesburg’s tourism growth and development. Since taking office in 2017, Barker has prioritized tourism as a key driver of economic development. His collaborative efforts with Visit Hattiesburg and the Hattiesburg Convention Commission have led to record...

Hattiesburg, Mississippi – On Friday, September 13, the Hattiesburg City Council voted 4-0 to approve a $163.5 million budget for Fiscal Year 2025. “We are grateful to the Hattiesburg City Council for their work and collaboration in delivering another structurally balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2025,” said Mayor Toby Barker. “This budget maximizes the lean growth in revenue toward meeting...

Hattiesburg, Mississippi – Fire Station 1, located at 810 Main Street, will temporarily reassign its crews and equipment starting today as a new HVAC system is installed. The Hattiesburg City Council approved the $293,000 project on July 2, 2024. During this installation, the station’s two fire apparatuses, Ladder 1 and Engine 1, will be temporarily reassigned to ensure continued coverage...

Hattiesburg, Mississippi – On Thursday, August 29, 2024, Mayor Toby Barker and City of Hattiesburg officials dedicated the Public Safety Complex in honor of former Mayor Johnny L. DuPree. The ceremony marked the renaming of the state-of-the-art facility, which first opened its doors on September 27, 2022, at the corner of Hall Avenue and Edwards Street. Johnny L. DuPree, who...

Hattiesburg, Mississippi – On Monday, August 19, 2024, Mayor Toby Barker announced a $1,574,496 grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Strategic Multi-Modal Investments Fund to improve an existing taxiway and to construct a new taxiway at Hattiesburg’s Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport. The project, which includes a $334,989 match from the city, will result in a total investment of $1,909,485....

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Bennie Sellers, who served as the City of Hattiesburg’s Director of Public Services and City Engineer for two decades. Sellers, who was appointed by Mayor Ed Morgan in 1990, played a pivotal role in shaping our city’s infrastructure until his retirement in 2010. Sellers’ tenure coincided with a period...

Hattiesburg, Mississippi – On Thursday, July 11, 2024, Mayor Toby Barker announced the appointment of John Austin Arender as the City of Hattiesburg’s chief communications officer. Arender has served as the city’s deputy communications officer since January. His former roles include working as director of video production at Noble Motive and media director of The Church at 4Points. He succeeds...