The Mississippi Boychoir is currently recruiting members for both its Jackson and Vicksburg divisions. Recruitment is open for second graders through high school seniors.

Katherine Hoitt, artistic director for the Mississippi Boychoir, will conduct virtual auditions for the organization's concert choir, which is open to 5th- through 12th-graders, online via Zoom. Parents can submit their child's information and set up a date and time for a virtual audition on the choir's website, msboychoir.org. The organization also has a training choir for 2nd- through 4th-graders, which does not require an audition to join.

Rehearsals for the Mississippi Boychoir's 2020 season will begin on Sept. 12. The choir will conduct rehearsals in person, and all participants must wear masks and observe social distancing rules, Lanise Aultman, executive director of the Mississippi Boychoir, says. Choir staff will conduct rehearsals in alternating rooms and outside where necessary. Rehearsals take place on Monday nights in Vicksburg and Tuesday nights in Jackson.

For more information, call 601-665-7374 or visit msboychoir.org.

Mississippi Small Business Development Center and MSU Launch COVID-19 Video Series

The Mississippi Small Business Development Center is partnering with Mississippi State University to produce a nine-part video series for local small businesses about navigating the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Faculty and staff in MSU’s College of Business developed the series, which the Mississippi SBDC funded with money allocated through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The videos cover survival, growth and sustainability of family businesses during the pandemic and the particular needs of those businesses.

The video series is MSU's College of Business’ Family Business Education Initiative, which it established in 2018 to help small businesses become sustainable and grow.

Production took place at MSU’s University Television Center. Jeffrey Ruppwith, director of outreach for the College of Business, served as the host and interviewed business experts from the MSU faculty and local community.

The MSU SBDC also provides counseling, online workshops and a dedicated resource page for Mississippi business owners on the CARES Act's relief programs on its website, mssbdc.org/covid19.

Watch the video series at https://www.business.msstate.edu/faculty-research/research-centers/family-business-education-initiative/covid19. For more information on the MSU College of Business, visit business.msstate.edu.

Fresh Market Launches Ultimate Dinners for At-home Cooking

In light of a recent study from the Food Industry Association showing a 40% drop in dining out in favor of cooking at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Fresh Market announced the launch of series of new "Ultimate Dinners," designed to be easy to prepare at home with minimal prep time.

Fresh Market's first Ultimate Dinner meal features prime-grade steaks and serves six people for $149.99. Customers can order the meal online for next day pick up or on shop.thefreshmarket.com for curbside pickup within two hours.

The meal includes two USDA prime, first-cut New York strip steaks, two ribeye steaks, two Chateaubriand-cut filet mignon steaks, two pounds of seasoned asparagus, six loaded twice baked potatoes, one Caprese platter with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, as well as one nine-inch Fresh Market signature gourmet fruit tart.

For more information and cooking instructions for the meal, visit https://thefreshmarket.sharefile.com/d-s1c89891aa1e4a27b.