GULFPORT -- About 5,000 people spread their blankets and chairs across Jones Park for the Gulf Coast Symphony's 12th annual Sounds by the Sea concert. The concert and following fireworks display is a Memorial Day tradition in South Mississippi. The symphony is holding two concerts this year. The second will be at Beach Park in Pascagoula tonight.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The first phases of a reimagined Fantasyland at Florida's Walt Disney World, the new Cars Land at California's Disneyland based on the "Cars" movies, and Universal Studios Hollywood's new Transformers ride top the list of new attractions at theme parks across the country in 2012.

GULFPORT -- A federal judge has declined to dismiss charges in a case involving a Hancock County couple accused of being involved in a kickback scheme related to storm-cleanup contracts.

TUPELO -- Lucky residents of the 21st century usually don't worry about where the next glass of water will come from. Unless there's a plumbing emergency or a wilderness expedition gone horribly wrong, quality H20 is as close as the nearest tap.

AROUND SOUTH MISSISSIPPI

BILOXI -- He's back. The shark and other Coast kitsch are returning to welcome tourists to Biloxi with a sense of fun that washed away with Hurricane Katrina.

BILOXI -- Fans who sweated through the afternoon at Party at the Point were rewarded with a stellar line-up of musicians and a view of the Biloxi Back Bay and Mississippi Sound.

BILOXI -- Fruit-flavored watermelon, shrimp nachos and crawfish-cake po-boys are just some of the unusual items to be found at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Music Arts Crafts and Seafood Festival, also known as the Party at the Point.

Jazz in the Pass is returning to War Memorial Park on Sunday from 2 to 7 p.m. Attendees can enjoy free live music overlooking the Mississippi Sound The event will kick off with performances from the St. Stanislaus College Jazz Band at 2 p.m. and the Mississippi Coast Jazz Society at 2:45 p.m., followed by Band of Gold at 3:45 p.m., Starz at 5 p.m. Thaddeus Richard & the New Orleans All Stars rounds out the concert beginning at 6:15 p.m.. Headliner Richard has played with some of the industry's top musicians, including Paul McCartney. Food and drinks will be available for sale.

STONE COUNTY -- A 31-year-old motorcyclist from Sumrall died on U.S. 49 in Perkinston early Friday while traveling with friends to Gulfport Dragway for the Memorial Day Blowout.

PASCAGOULA -- Circuit Judge Kathy King Jackson sentenced an Ocean Springs man Friday to 45 years in prison, with 18 years to serve day for day, for sex crimes against a minor.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- For years, varied and sometimes wild claims have been made about the origins of a group of dark-skinned Appalachian residents once known derisively as the Melungeons. Some speculated they were descended from Portuguese explorers, or perhaps from Turkish slaves or Gypsies.

MOSS POINT -- Friday evening saw the end of one stage of life for the 169 graduates of Moss Point High School as they donned blue caps and gowns to accept their diplomas at Dantzler Stadium. Blue and silver balloons adorned the stands where thousands of friends and family members cheered for the graduates.

WAVELAND -- St. Clare Catholic Church kicked off its annual seafood festival Friday with live entertainment, dozens of arts and crafts vendors, carnival games and rides and seafood, seafood, seafood.

AROUND SOUTH MISSISSIPPI

PASCAGOULA -- The new USS Mississippi arrived here Friday and was greeted by hundreds who lined the Pascagoula River to get a look at the $2 billion submarine, which will be commissioned here.

BILOXI -- Ron Edwards jigged his way through the parking lot as the bluesy rock sounds of the Fabulous Thunderbirds reached out past Point Cadet Plaza and pulled him in.

NEW ORLEANS -- An oil spill consortium set up after the BP spill to develop methods for containing deep sea spills will do a drill with its state-of-the-art equipment this summer.

GULFPORT -- Cars and trucks can share the road more safely with motorcycles if all drivers stay on the lookout for each other, said Joe Langenbacker, a local motorcycle driving instructor who also trains police motor officers nationwide.

State's gas prices amongthe lowest