Ellington

The Firefly Festival will take place Saturday, June 13, from 6 to 10 p.m. The event will feature live music and entertainment throughout the evening and will serve as a venue for regional fine artists.

This year's festival, which is an open-air artist showcase held in Olde Towne Clinton, is the first one that will focus on fine art rather than crafts. Local artists will have works for sale, and many will paint on site. Participants include Sam Biebers, Anthony Baxton, Amy Hayes, Cindy Montgomery, Elaine Masel and more. The Firefly Festival is a juried event, with awards going to the market's top booths.

Destiny Stone will open the musical acts for the evening, which also features performances from Hattiesburg group DLX and Oh, Jeremiah.

Food vendors for the evening include Kettle Corn, Kona Ice and more.

Clinton-based outdoor outfitter Paxton Peak and real estate group The Hetrick Team of Re/Max Alliance are the sponsors for the event.

For more information, call 601-924-5472 or visit www.clintonms.org/Firefly.

Jackson Hosts National Public Works Week

The City of Jackson started off National Public Works Week this Monday with a parade of service vehicles and employees from the Department of Public Works downtown, and the announcement of "Operation Orange Cone," a program that focuses on restoring some Jackson streets and eliminating idle orange cones throughout the city. The weeklong event is a celebration of the men and women who maintain the infrastructure and provide public-works services. The theme of the event is "Community Begins Here."

Today, Mayor Yarber joined state and local elected officials for the Capitol Street Renaissance ribbon-cutting ceremony at Pinnacle Plaza.

Wednesday is Outstanding DPW Employee Performance Day, in which Public Works Director Kishia Powell and committee members will recognize employees for providing excellent customer service and outstanding work.

On Thursday, the City of Jackson's Jobs for Jacksonians program, in conjunction with the National Public Works Week, will hold a recruiting session at 2 p.m. in the conference room of the Department of Human and Cultural Services at the Metrocenter Mall (3465 Highway 80 W.). The Department of Public Works will recruit applicants interested in the positions of water-plant operator, utility-maintenance mechanic, training coordinator, engineering manager, executive office coordinator, city engineer, mechanic II, utility-plant operator and deputy director of public works. The department will also host a picnic for DPW employees at Buddy Butts Park (6180 McRaven Road).

Public Works Director Kishia Powell will work in the field on public works projects with DPW crewmembers on Friday.

State Hospitals Switch to Merit Health Brand

Gilmore Regional Medical Center in Amory has changed its name to reflect its affiliation with Tennessee-based Community Health Systems. The hospital is now Merit Health Gilmore Memorial.

Community Health Systems acquired Gilmore and nine other Mississippi hospitals last year in a merger with Florida-based Health Management Associates.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports several other hospitals also switched to the new brand Monday.

Tri-Lakes Medical Center will now be Merit Health Batesville. Biloxi Regional Medical Center will become Merit Health Biloxi.

Natchez Regional Medical Center and Natchez Community Hospital are Merit Health Natchez. Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center is Merit Health Clarksdale. Wesley Medical Center is Merit Health Wesley in Hattiesburg.

The six Community Health hospitals in the Jackson area and Vicksburg, including four acquired in the merger, previously changed their names to announce the change in affiliation.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.