Gulf Coast Community Foundation welcomes new board members
https://www.mgccf.org/gccf-welcomes-new-members-to-board-of-directors/
The Gulf Coast Community Foundation (GCCF) is proud to welcome three new members to its Board of Directors. Joining the board in January, each brings a strong record of leadership, a commitment to service, and a shared passion for strengthening communities across South Mississippi. Mary Martha Henson, Jackson County Economic Development Foundation. After spending a decade on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., working with Mississippi members of the U.S. House and Senate, Mary Martha Henson returned to the Gulf Coast seven years ago with her husband, bringing her professional experience home to the state where her roots run deep. Henson currently serves as deputy director of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, where she blends her background in public service with a strong focus on collaboration, economic growth and community engagement. As a woman leader in South Mississippi, she values shared purpose and the power of working together to create lasting impact. Her membership in GCCF’s GivHer Circle reflects her belief that when women unite in philanthropy, their collective impact extends far beyond individual efforts. “It is an honor to serve on the GCCF Board of Directors and support an organization that invests so deeply in people, organizations and the future of our region,” Henson said.
BWC Terminals locating facility in Pascagoula
https://mississippi.org/news/bwc-terminals-locating-terminal-facility-in-pascagoula/
Bulk liquid storage and logistics services provider BWC Terminals is locating a terminal facility in Pascagoula. The project represents a corporate investment of nearly $316 million and will create 25 jobs. BWC Terminals serve a variety of industries, including the refining, manufacturing and distribution of bulk liquids such as petroleum, chemicals and agricultural products. The company also provides a range of additional services including custom built tanks, storage, blending and other specialized logistics. “We welcome BWC Terminals to Jackson County and look forward to their continued success in partnership with Chevron Products Company. BWC’s strategic location in Jackson County is a testament to a community whose diverse economy supports employers like Chevron and logistics and distribution suppliers like BWC.” – Jackson County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director George Freeland
Gulf Coast leaders discuss economic growth, restoration funds
https://www.wlox.com/2026/01/31/gulf-coast-leaders-discuss-economic-growth-restoration-funds/
Local leaders met in Gulfport for an annual luncheon on economic growth and how the three Gulf Coast counties make progress happen. The Gulf Coast Business Council Regional Priorities Luncheon allows those leaders to come together once a year and discuss opportunities and challenges they are seeing.
BWC Terminals break ground in Pascagoula
https://magnoliatribune.com/2025/12/02/bwc-terminals-break-ground-in-pascagoula/
BWC Terminals (BWC) held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday to mark the construction of its newest terminal facility in Pascagoula, representing a corporate investment of nearly $316 million. According to the company, the new Mississippi Coast facility will support BWC’s growth trajectory as it continues to expand across the U.S.,., with ongoing construction projects currently underway in Baltimore, Jacintoport, and Manchester. BWC plans to add 25 new employees to support the Pascagoula facility within the first two years of operation.
Pascagoula English teacher recognized with award
https://www.wxxv25.com/pascagoula-english-teacher-recognized-with-award/
PASCAGOULA, Miss. (WXXV)- One of Pascagoula High School’s English teachers is being recognized in a big way. Lauren Carpenter is named the 2026 Alabama-Mississippi Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Teacher of the Year. Staff at the school say her excellence in teaching and her dedication to mentoring others is what won her the award.
Ingalls Shipbuilding delivers USS Ted Stevens to US Navy
https://www.supertalk.fm/future-uss-ted-stevens-delivered-to-u-s-navy-by-ingalls-shipbuilding/
Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula is continuing its partnership with the U.S. Navy, this time by delivering a new ship to the military branch. The corporation announced Monday that it has given the second-ever Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to the Navy. The ship will be named the USS Ted Stevens after the late U.S. senator who represented Alaska. “The delivery of Ted Stevens reflects the strong momentum of our destroyer program as we accelerate Flight III production and bring enhanced capabilities to the fleet,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Blanchette said. “We are honored to deliver DDG 128 to the Navy, knowing that it will stand as a powerful asset in strengthening U.S. maritime security for decades to come.” Per Ingalls officials, the future USS Ted Stevens represents the next generation of surface combatants for the U.S. Navy, featuring the second-in-class Flight III AN/SPY-6 (V)1 radar system and the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system, designed to counter threats well into the 21st century. At Ingalls Shipbuilding, there are four more Flight III destroyers under fabrication and another seven moving through early pre-planning stages of construction. To meet the increased demand for ships by the U.S. Navy, Ingalls recently embarked on a distributed shipbuilding initiative to improve meeting deadlines by partnering with shipyards and fabricators beyond the company’s traditional labor market.
Ingalls Shipbuilding selected to build ship for Trump’s ‘Golden Fleet’
PASCAGOULA, Miss. (WLOX) – More work is coming to HII Ingalls Shipbuilding, as it was selected to build a ship for President Trump’s ‘Golden Fleet,’ according to the U.S. Navy. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan posted on social media Friday morning, saying in part, “America will build a Golden Fleet at shipyards in the United States.” Ingalls says the ship will be a small surface combatant (SSC), leveraging the proven design of the Ingalls-built Legend-class national security cutter (NSC).
HII to build small surface combatants for U.S. Navy
https://hii.com/news/hii-to-build-small-surface-combatants-for-us-navy
PASCAGOULA, Miss., (Dec. 19, 2025) — HII’s (NYSE: HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been selected by the U.S. Navy to design and build the future small surface combatant (SSC) ship, leveraging the proven design of the Ingalls-built Legend-class national security cutter (NSC). With a proven track record of building complex ships, and having the available facility capacity, Ingalls shipbuilders will once again engage in construction activities alongside its destroyer and amphibious ship shipbuilding lines where the national security cutters were built, using the same sequence of build.
Singing River launches new nursing residency program
https://www.wxxv25.com/singing-river-launches-new-nursing-residency/
Singing River Health System is launching a new nursing residency program. It is designed to help first-year nurses grow and learn on the job through mentorship, hands-on training, and team support. Health system leaders say that many nurses leave the profession after their first year on the job and the goal for the residency is to help them build the confidence they need to navigate their first years in the workforce.
Navy Secretary tours Bollinger shipyard in Pascagoula
https://www.wlox.com/2026/01/09/navy-secretary-tours-bollinger-shipyard-pascagoula
Ingalls delivers USS Ted Stevens
Workboat
https://www.workboat.com/navy-destroyer-ted-stevens-delivered
The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Ted Stevens (DDG 128), a Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, from HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss., on Dec. 29, 2025. Delivery of DDG 128 marks the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy. The milestone follows a series of at-sea and pier-side trials intended to demonstrate the ship’s readiness and performance across propulsion, combat systems, communications, and navigation. “The delivery of the future USS Ted Stevens will provide our Fleet with another critical warship with advanced capabilities,” said Capt. Jay Young, Arleigh Burke-class program manager with Program Executive Office Ships. “DDG 128 will further strengthen our at sea advantage and serve as an enduring reminder of the ship’s namesake and his dedicated service to our Nation.” The 510’x66′ destroyer is named for former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, the longest-serving Republican senator in U.S. history. Stevens served as president pro tempore of the Senate during the 108th and 109th Congresses and later held the title of president pro tempore emeritus. Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyers are equipped with the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and include upgrades to electrical power and cooling capacity, along with other changes intended to enhance warfighting capability.
Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund awards distributed, including to the Walter Anderson Museum of Art
Governor Tate Reeves announced that during its most recent public meeting, the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund (MOSTF) Board of Trustees awarded its fourth round of competitive grants since its inception in 2022. These awards add 20 additional projects, totaling more than $13.6 million for conservation and outdoor recreation projects statewide and leverage over $14.1 million in additional federal, state, local, private, and in-kind funding to complete these projects for communities located across Mississippi. There were 60 project applications submitted from August 1 through September 19, 2025, from four state agencies, 25 municipalities, six county governments, and 20 conservation-based non-governmental organizations. The Walter Anderson Museum of Art received funding: Walter Anderson Museum of Art ($300,000) – Washington Avenue Public Access and Front Beach Connectivity Project. This project leverages an incredible matching funds component at over 1,460% of the MOSTF funding request. The Washington Avenue Public Access and Front Beach Connectivity Project are part of a larger community investment led by the Walter Anderson Museum of Art through its new Creative Complex, a $4.69 million campus expansion that creates publicly accessible gardens, outdoor classrooms, and green space for recreation and environmental education. This project will construct a missing sidewalk in Ocean Springs along Washington Ave., add wayfinding to Calhoun and Jackson Avenues, and link downtown to the city’s new public green space at Front Beach.
Gautier Mayor provides update on future and existing projects
https://www.wlox.com/2026/01/20/gautier-mayor-discusses-amphitheater-road-projects-city-developments
Gautier Mayor Casey Vaughan detailed future projects and updated others in the works during an interview on the 4 O’Clock Show. Vaughan said the city has secured a three-year extension for its entertainment contract for The Sound Amphitheater, bringing more entertainment acts to the venue in the coming years. The first announced show under the extended contract is Alison Krauss, scheduled for early May.“It’s a big economic development driver for Gautier,” Vaughan said. The contract now runs from 2026 to 2028.
Ingalls Shipbuilding completes sea trials for USS Zumwalt
https://www.workboat.com/hii-completes-builder-s-sea-trials-for-uss-zumwalt
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding announced it has completed builder’s sea trials for the guided-missile destroyer USS Zumwalt, marking a key milestone in the ship’s return to service following an extensive modernization period. According to the company, Ingalls and the U.S. Navy conducted a comprehensive series of at-sea tests to evaluate ship systems and overall performance after the installation of new combat capabilities. The trials followed a major availability that converted Zumwalt into the Navy’s first platform configured to carry the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic weapon system. Zumwalt, the lead ship of the three-vessel Zumwalt-class, arrived at Ingalls’ Pascagoula, Miss., shipyard in August 2023. After arrival, the destroyer was placed on land to allow shipyard crews to complete significant structural and systems work. That effort included integrating the CPS system and removing the ship’s original twin 155-mm Advanced Gun Systems, which were replaced with new missile tubes. The ship was undocked in December 2024 and completed final preparations ahead of sea trials. Ingalls officials said the modernization work establishes a baseline for similar upgrades planned across the Zumwalt class. Sister ship USS Lyndon B. Johnson is currently undergoing CPS integration at Ingalls, while USS Michael Monsoor is scheduled to receive the system during a future availability. The Zumwalt-class destroyers are equipped with an integrated electric propulsion system and feature a distinctive tumblehome hull form designed to reduce radar signature. Once fully upgraded, the ships are expected to support a range of missions, including deterrence, power projection, sea control, and command-and-control operations, as the Navy adapts the class to evolving operational requirements.
Jackson County officials provide an overview of progress, priorities, and direction at Rotary meeting
https://www.wlox.com/2026/01/29/jackson-county-plans-millions-infrastructure-projects-2026
County officials provided an overview of Jackson County’s progress, priorities, and strategic direction at a Pascagoula Rotary Club meeting Wednesday as they made this year’s state of the county presentation. Jackson County District 1 Supervisor Barry Cumbest said the county is spending millions of dollars to complete construction, dredging and road repairs this year. One of those projects includes opening a Bass Pro Shops at Le Moyne landing in 2027. Leaders in Jackson County said their residents can expect lots of growth in 2026. The county is working to develop recreational facilities, while making upgrades to parks and bridges. Another one of the bigger projects is a $30 million effort to rebuild the 1,400-foot long Roy Cumbest Bridge. “Improving helps us a lot. If we’re just sitting in one spot all the time people don’t appreciate it,” Cumbest said. “There’s a lot of recreational opportunities in the county here. There’s a lot of jobs for people and it makes Jackson County in a great place to live.” The new Bass Pro Shops would be the state’s second store. The county said it’s expected to employ more than 100 people. The county also said work is progressing on the new Emergency Operations Center in the Sunplex facility on Highway 57.
Ingalls hosts U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Bradford Gering
https://hii.com/news/hii-hosts-u-s-marine-corps-leaders-at-ingalls-shipbuilding
HII (NYSE: HII) hosted U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Bradford Gering, assistant commandant, and fellow U.S. Marine Corps officers at the company’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division Thursday. The Marines met with Ingalls leadership and toured the shipyard, including stops at two of the five amphibious warships currently under construction, Bougainville (LHA 8) and Harrisburg (LPD 30). “We are honored to host Marine Corps leadership and showcase the critical role our Ingalls shipbuilders play in delivering the amphibious ships that support Navy and Marine Corps missions worldwide,” said Brian Blanchette, Ingalls Shipbuilding president. “The amphibious ship program remains a top priority for our team, and we value the opportunity to demonstrate the skill and dedication our shipbuilders bring to every ship we build.” Ingalls has a long-standing history of building amphibious warships, and the collaboration between Ingalls Shipbuilding, the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps was on full display during the visit. Commenting on the tour, Gering highlighted the importance of amphibious warships. “The Navy and Marine Corps team relies on these ships for a broad range of missions from peacekeeping and deterrence to combat operations and humanitarian assistance,” Gering said. “Programs like the LHA and LPD are vital to enabling Marine Corps readiness and ensuring our ability to respond quickly to emerging challenges.” Ingalls currently has two LHAs under construction including Bougainville (LHA 8) and Fallujah (LHA 9) and three Flight II LPDs under construction including Harrisburg(LPD 30), Pittsburgh (LPD 31) and Philadelphia (LPD 32). Additionally, in September 2024, the Navy awarded Ingalls a contract for the construction of three San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships (LPD 33, LPD 34 and LPD 35) and a contract modification for the fifth America-class amphibious assault ship, Helmand Province (LHA 10).
Singing River Health’s Hospice of Light receives Level 4 recognition
Singing River Health System’s Hospice of Light is proud to announce it has received a Level 4 recognition from the We Honor Veterans (WHV) program, a national initiative that sets the standard for honoring and caring for America’s Veterans at the end of life. This achievement reflects Hospice of Light’s deep commitment to meeting the unique needs of Veteran patients—not only clinically, but also emotionally, spiritually, and culturally. Hospice of Light’s dedication to honoring Veterans extends beyond the patients and families it serves, reaching into the broader community through education, outreach, and meaningful partnerships. The We Honor Veterans program offers a structured framework to help hospice organizations better serve Veterans through five progressive levels of partnership. Each level includes specific activities and practical resources designed to strengthen an organization’s knowledge, capacity, and commitment to Veteran-centered care.