The Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art commissioned Gavin Bird to paint a mural along the Longleaf Trace that showcased the area’s nocturnal wildlife. The artwork, titled “We Only Come Out at Night,” debuted on Jan. 28, 2026.
Haley Shepherd
Feature Writer Haley Shepherd is a senior at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she is majoring in Digital Journalism, with a minor in French and Public & Applied History. She is also the assistant editor for the USM newspaper, The Student Printz. Her passion for feature writing comes from her love of meeting new people and brining their stories to life. Outside of school she enjoys traveling, reading, baking, crocheting and sewing, with her most recent project being a jean jacket that she is hand sewing patches on from every place she has traveled to.
