Ellington

Jackson State University will be expanding with a new campus in Madison as early as this summer.

The school's new 8,600-square-foot campus will cater to working students with evening, night and weekend classes. JSU is also hoping the campus will help diversify its student body.

"The campus will be essential to prospective students who want to further their career or jumpstart a new one," JSU communications department wrote on the university's blog.

On Jan. 17, the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning approved JSU's 10-year lease on a building at 382 Galleria Parkway in Madison.

The university plans to include business, education and public service courses in the campus' offerings.

Vicksburg: A Top Travel Destination

AAA Southern Traveler and AAA Midwest Traveler magazines have named Vicksburg as of the world's Top 13 places to visit in 2013, alongside locations such as Orlando, Fla.; Christchurch, New Zealand; Spain; Turkey and Las Vegas.

This will be a special year in Vicksburg, as the city commemorates the sesquicentennial, or 150th anniversary, of the siege of Vicksburg during the Civil War. Events will begin in April with a tour of historic homes and buildings in the city titled "Tapestry: Pilgrimage to Vicksburg" and the Vicksburg Heritage Fair. The commemoration will continue through July 4, the anniversary of the day Vicksburg surrendered to the Union army.

Memorial Day weekend, the Vicksburg Military Park will host a concert by the U.S. Navy Band, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Jackson State University Mass Choir, and the 41st Army Band. The weekend also includes a long list of historic demonstrations, dedications and programs.

The rest of the Top 13 destinations for 2013 includes the Dominican Republic, Ireland, Mexico, Panama, San Francisco, South Korea and Sri Lanka.

Top Hong Kong Representative Coming to Jackson

The top U.S.-based trade representative from Hong Kong will give a speech titled "Strengthening the Bond of Friendship, Investment and Trade Relations, and Cooperation between Hong Kong and the U.S." Wednesday at Jackson's Executive Lecture Forum. Donald Tong is the Hong Kong commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA. the most-senior representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in North America. He will speak during the luncheon at the Fairview Inn in the historic Belhaven neighborhood. Tong directs Hong Kong's efforts in promoting economic and trade ties with the U.S. He also oversees the activities of offices in Washington, D.C., New York and San Francisco. The luncheon is not open to the general public.

Gov. Phil Bryant and the Mississippi Development Authority are hosting Tong and the Hong Kong delegation during their visit to the state. Following Tong's appearance in Jackson, he will travel to Mississippi State University's campus in Starkville to meet with senior administrators and researchers at the school. He will also address students and the public in a lecture about building relationships with Hong Kong at 4 p.m. in the Colvard Student Union's auditorium. Thursday, Tong will meet privately with area business leaders during a luncheon with the Golden Triangle Development Link at East Mississippi Community College.