MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Flowers and "for sale" signs are popping up in yards across the state, a sure sign that spring has indeed arrived.

It seems no one wants to move in the cold of winter, so spring is the perfect time to put a house on the market. Owners can move to a new location over the summer, and have things back to normal when the kids start school in the fall.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Responsible gun ownership begins with education, and a donation from one Mississippi agency to another will help enable the state's youngest residents to learn safety and skill when handling firearms.

The Mississippi 4-H Shooting Sports Program just received a donation of 120 firearms from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. The firearms, mostly .22 caliber rimfire rifles, previously were used in hunter education classes.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Yellow bells, or Gold Star esperanza, has become a hot plant in the past couple of years. As a testament to its showy nature, people are buying it despite not knowing much about it.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A workshop in north Mississippi focuses on turning dreams into reality for anyone considering getting into a food-related business.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service is sponsoring Food as a Business Aug. 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DeSoto County Extension office in Hernando. Registration for Food as a Business is $35 and includes lunch, breaks and conference materials. Speakers represent the Extension Service, the Mississippi Development Authority, the state Department of Health, manufacturing and retail.