Mississippi
Free food, discounts, gifts for National Teacher Appreciation Week in MS
Why you should celebrate the teachers in your life
This is why teachers deserve appreciation every day.
USA TODAY
Mississippi teachers are being recognized this week — and not just with thank-you notes. From free meals to discounts and giveaways, National Teacher Appreciation Week comes with real perks.
National Teacher Apprecation Day falls on Tuesday, May 5. It arose out of then-first lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s lobbying of Congress in 1953, according to the website of the National Education Association.
The NEA went on to create National Teacher Appreciation Week in 1985. During this week, many restaurants and businesses have deals and specials for teachers, as well as specials on educator gifts.
Earlier this year, Mississippi First published a report on the challenges educators face and suggested ways to reduce turnover.
A lack of regular raises and salaries having decreased buying power were the main concerns. This year, the Mississippi Legislature approved a permanent $2,000 raise that will start in the 2026-27 school year. That’ll bring the average teacher’s salary up to $55,704.
Mississippi First also highlighted “unsustainable” workloads for teachers across the nation. They suggested providing time, staff and resources to make the burden lighter.
Student behavior is another challenge for educators across the U.S. Mississippi First suggested strong student behavior supports that empower teachers to manage classrooms.
The group also said schools should work to develop and keep strong leadership. Good management from administrators contributes to teacher happiness and retention.
Chipotle free meal deal for teachers
Teachers and educators have a chance to win one of 100,000 free meals as part of Chipotle Mexican Grill’s Teacher Appreciation Week giveaway. Through May 12, teachers can go to Chipotle’s Teacher Thanks website and enter their name and email for the chance to win an e-gift card.
Starting May 13, randomly selected winners will be notified and asked to confirm their employment as an educator via ID.me within 48 hours. Those who don’t verify their employment will be removed from the list of winners, and another name will be drawn.
Chipotle launched the program to reward teachers and a similar promotion for National Nurses Week, which runs May 6-12 in 2016. Since then, the company has given away a combined $16 million in free food to teachers and healthcare workers.
“Recognizing teachers and healthcare workers through this program is one way we can give back meaningfully,” said Stephanie Perdue, Chipotle’s senior vice president of brand marketing, in a statement.
Whataburger offering free breakfast during National Teacher Appreciation Week
The San Antonio-headquartered burger chain is giving free breakfast nationwide to teachers and school staff on Thursday, May 7, from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. local time. Check with your local Whataburger for exact timing, as promotion hours may vary by location. The offer is good for dine-in, takeout and drive-thru orders, limited to one per person. The eligible recipient must be present to redeem.
You can also treat your teacher to Whatateacher merchandise in the restaurant chain’s online Whatastore, where you can find gifts including Whatateacher T-shirts and tote bags.
As part of Whataburger’s Feeding Student Success initiative, the company will award $1,000 classroom grants to 60 teachers across its 17-state footprint.
National Teacher Appreciation Week deals in Mississippi
- Buffalo Wild Wings: Teachers and school staff get 20% off their dine-in order May 4-10 with a valid school ID. Also, every Tuesday, when members of the Buffalo Wild Wings Rewards loyalty program buy one 6-, 10- or 15-count order of traditional wings, they get a second order of equal value free (dine-in only). Then, on Thursdays, with any quantity of boneless wings you buy, you get the same quantity free.
- Einstein Bros. Bagels: Teachers can get a free Bagel & Shmear of their choice with the purchase of any item on Wednesday, May 6, when they show a valid work ID. Offer is good for in-bakery orders only at participating locations.
- First Watch: The restaurant chain is giving teachers free coffee all day during the week, through May 8. Offer is good for hot and iced coffee with complimentary refills on hot coffee for dine-in guests. Just show a valid school ID at the register.
- FlutterHabit: The online lash shop is giving teachers 30% off their order (excluding bundles and kits) during National Teacher Appreciation Week through ID.me.
- Happy Joe’s: On Wednesday, May 6, teachers can get a free small order of Cheese Stix with the purchase of a large pizza at participating locations.
- Horace Mann Educators Corp.: The financial services company has several programs timed to National Teacher Appreciation Week, running through May 22, that include more than $17,000 in giveaways with prizes of daily $150 gift cards and weekly $500 gift cards, plus the chance to nominate educators for recognition and $1,000 for a project of their choice.
- Jason’s Deli: Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week with warm breakfast sandwich bundles (priced at $40 and serving 12) and catering packages starting at $6.59 per person.
- Krystal: Teachers get 50% off all breakfast combos from May 4–8. The offer is available in-store with a valid ID.
- Logan’s Roadhouse: The steakhouse chain has a deal on gift cards, should you want to use them as a gift for teachers – get $50 in gift cards for $40 – through May 8.
- McAlister’s Deli: Teachers get one free Sweet or Unsweet Tea May 4-8, no purchase necessary.
- Nothing Bundt Cakes: During the week, members of the Bundtastic Rewards loyalty program can earn 100, 200 or 300 bonus points when purchasing a Single, Double or Triple Bundtlet Tower – maybe as a teacher appreciation gift. Limited to one transaction during the offer period. Must be logged in to your valid Bundtastic Rewards account before making your purchase. Bonus points will be loaded on or about May 29, 2026.
- The Parking Spot: Teachers get a 10% discount every day from the company, but they can get 25% off any reservation made in May for travel through the end of 2026.
- Potbelly: Teachers get a free cookie or regular-sized fountain drink with the purchase of any entrée from Monday, May 4, to Tuesday, May 12. Eligible entrées include any sandwich, wrap, whole salad or bowl of soup. The offer is good in-shop only; just show a valid school ID at checkout to redeem. Also, school faculty and groups can get 10% off catering orders of more than $200 through Sunday, May 10 (using the code SAVE10).
Need ideas on how to show your gratitude to your favorite teacher? The National PTA and NEA, and We Are Teachers have gift suggestions and projects listed online.
Contributing: Drew Pittock/ USA TODAYMike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads mikegsnider, Bluesky @mikegsnider.bsky.social, X @mikesnider or email him at msnider@usatoday.com.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY NETWORK. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.
PASCAGOULA, Miss. (WLOX) — A crash between an 18-wheeler and a passenger vehicle on I-10 Sunday morning has been cleared as of 12:30 p.m., according to Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP).
The crash caused congestion in eastbound lanes near the Gautier-Vancleave Road Exit 61.
The crash happened at approximately 5 a.m., according to MHP Trooper Landon Orozco.
Injuries were reported, but the severity is not yet known.
MHP is on scene investigating the incident, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is also headed to investigate the crash.
See a spelling or grammar error in this story? Report it to our team HERE.
Copyright 2026 WLOX. All rights reserved.
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Staff
Mississippi’s preeminent political speaking event returns to Philadelphia in late June, bringing together the candidates who hope to occupy the state’s highest offices come next year.
The Neshoba County Fair, Mississippi’s biggest house party, is a time-honored public speaking venue dating back decades that has received presidential and gubernatorial candidates. Those less interested in political stump speeches can watch horse racing and attend concerts during the weeklong celebration.
The fair has long served as a conduit for politicians, mostly conservative Republicans, to get their message to a friendly audience in person and the state at large. Freshly elected officeholders typically use the Neshoba podium to excite constituents with promises of what’s to come. Less than two years away from a critical statewide election, candidates will be stirring up support in some races that are likely to become very crowded very soon.
Who will be speaking at the Neshoba County Fair?
The fair is more than a week long, but political speaking takes up less than three hours of the event’s proceedings. Sixteen politicians and elected officials will address the audience on Wednesday, June 24, and Thursday, June 25.
Speakers will include a mix of local and statewide representatives, many of whom are vying for reelection or new positions next year. November’s elections will see the first opportunity this decade for Mississippi voters to elevate a new candidate to the governor’s office, along with every other statewide position and the state Legislature.
Speakers at Neshoba will include:
- State Sen. Lane Taylor, R-Philadelphia
- Michael Chiaradio, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives District 3
- Ty Pinkins, Independent candidate for U.S. Senate
- Scott Colom, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate
- David McRae, State Treasurer
- Lynn Fitch, Attorney General
- Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann
- State Rep. Scott Bounds, R-Philadelphia
- De’Keither Stamps, Public Service Commissioner for the Central Dsitrict
- Willie Simmons, Transportation Commissioner for the Central District
- Jenifer Branning, Supreme Court Justice
- Kenny Griffis, Supreme Court Justice
- Andy Gipson, Agriculture Commissioner and candidate for Governor
- Michael Watson, Secretary of State and candidate for lieutenant governor
- Jason White, Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives
- Gov. Tate Reeves
What will candidates talk about at Neshoba?
Whatever they discuss, political speakers have no more than 10 minutes to get their point across to the audience at the fairgrounds. None of the people speaking have publicly announced the content of their speech, but past speeches and upcoming elections can give some insight into the talking points Mississippians can expect.
More than half of the lineup will see an election this year or next year, so their speeches will likely serve to promote themselves and their campaign.
Chiaradio, Pinkins and Colom are all challenging incumbent Republicans on the federal level in November; neither of the current officeholders will speak at Neshoba. Listeners will hear about the policies that each candidate would implement in their positions, accompanied by potential criticisms of the incumbents.
Half a dozen speakers were offered a spot in the lineup because they represent Neshoba County, like Philadelphia-based Sen. Lane Taylor and Rep. Scott Bounds. Taylor recently completed his first full legislative session after taking office in late April 2025. Bounds is the president of the Neshoba County Fair Association.
Perhaps the most high-stakes speeches will come in the second half of both days when statewide politicians will take the stage. Six of the eight highest-ranking officials representing Mississippians are on the schedule.
They will likely be split into two groups: those promoting what they’ve accomplished so far, and those laying plans for the future.
In the first camp is Treasurer David McRae, Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and Gov. Tate Reeves. None of them have announced what they may run for in 2027, although longstanding speculation indicates that both Hosemann and Fitch are weighing gubernatorial runs.
Reeves is term-limited and has not indicated which position, if any, he will pursue when his time in the governor’s mansion comes to an end. Many former governors have pursued federal office or found a home in Washington lobbying firms.
Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson and Secretary of State Michael Watson will probably take a different approach. Both have declared their campaigns for higher office, Gipson for governor and Watson for lieutenant governor, meaning that Neshoba is a golden opportunity for each to proselytize.
Who has spoken at Neshoba in the past?
Several notable figures have addressed the Neshoba crowds in the fair’s history, although it hasn’t seen a presidential candidate since Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis in 1988. Shortly before Dukakis, in 1980, Ronald Reagan stopped in the Magnolia State to rally support for his presidential bid.
Donald Trump Jr., the then-candidate’s eldest son, spoke at Neshoba in 2016 on behalf of his father. Since then, the focus has largely been on local and statewide races in Mississippi. Neshoba is considered a rite of passage and proving ground for any gubernatorial hopeful.
How can I go to the Neshoba County Fair?
The Neshoba County Fair will take place between June 19-26. It will feature an art show, daily concerts and horse racing, among many other activities.
A day pass to the fair costs $30, while a season pass costs $60. Children who are 9 years old or younger will be allowed in for free.
Bea Anhuci is the state government reporter for the Clarion Ledger. She has covered Mississippi politics since the start of 2026. Email her at banhuci@usatodayco.com.
Mississippi
Mississippi-based organization offering shower and laundry services to Saline Co. residents
Salina Post
Granny’s Alliance, based out of Gulfport, Mississippi, is offering free shower and laundry services this week for residents affected by the June 8 storm.
Services are available at Grand Avenue United Methodist Church, 304 W. Grand St. in Salina, and will be open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Friday, June 19.
Staff members will be on hand to help ensure the facilities remain clean and available for residents using the service.
Please bring your own soap, towels, detergent, and other shower or laundry supplies if you have them.
Free supplies will be available for those who do not have what they need.
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