Leslie Rojas
Multimedia Journalist
Biloxi, MS
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Leslie Rojas was born and raised in Pomona, California. She grew up watching broadcast news as a form of entertainment, and it sparked her passion for journalism.
She studied journalism at Mt. San Antonio College and then transferred to California State University Long Beach (CSULB) where she received a B.A. in journalism.
During her time at CSULB, Leslie was the Editor in Chief of the Spanish magazine. She was also involved in her school’s broadcast program.
In her free time, Leslie enjoys playing with her huskies, Flash and Bailey. She also likes to travel and spend time with her family. She’s excited to join the South Mississippi community.
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Hundreds of people are expected to attend the Seafood Festival in Waveland on Memorial Day Weekend.
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It was determined Harrison County was one of the areas most impacted by the storm in Mississippi. More than $22 million will go toward fixing the county.
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Staff at the YMCA in Ocean Springs help parents keep their children safe in the water as summer approaches.
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Orenthial Smith has been a volunteer firefighter since 2005. He started after being inspired by one of his friends. Smith is originally from Louisiana, but moved down to the coast at the age of 17.
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After funding was denied at the state level to rehabilitate city offices, officials in Pascagoula are looking to move those offices into the local library, leaving some community members upset.
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Drivers have complained about traffic at the intersection of Klondyke and Commission roads for years.
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A group of firefighters from Gulfport Station 6 received an obstetric emergency call also known as an OB emergency call, just before sunrise on Mother’s Day.
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On Monday the third Woody’s restaurant on the Coast opened on the corner of Cowan and Pine Street. This is one of the many businesses that are being developed in an area that was once empty.
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Fort Bayou Family Church in Vancleave hosted a Spring Festival where they honored law enforcement.
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Community members got a chance to interact with police officers during the event. Patrol Officer, Hannah Hendry said it is important for people to see officers outside their line of work.
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The county honored three fallen officers: Edward Odell Fite, Brandon “Teddy” Dougles Breland, and Henry Lee Bond.
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Bands played and people danced in front of the Twisted Anchor tattoo shop where Carl would spend most of his time.
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Robert “Bob” Walker from Diamondhead passed away a week ago on May 22. He was 101 years old.
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The nationwide formula shortage hits home as parents all over the Coast struggle to find formula to feed their children.
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Ocean Springs four-year-old Harper Andrew was diagnosed with cancer when she was two years old. Her mother, Kaitlyn Andrew, was one month postpartum when she found out her daughter had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
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Pine Hills Nursery hosted a Mother’s Day pot painting event where moms witnessed their kids handcrafting them a gift.
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On Wednesday, several families reported graves being destroyed at the cemetery.
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Residents of Popp’s Ferry Landing gathered at a Biloxi City Council meeting to voice their concerns over a proposed wall that would split them from a surrounding neighborhood.
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The county granted the city of Ocean Springs $600,000 to help with purchasing a private property located on Front Beach.
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The academy started in 1996 by founder Derek Pruitt. His business venture began 25 years ago, but his passion for Martial Arts started long before that.
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The annual Pine Hill Festival is back in Wiggins. The celebration is the most attended festival in Stone County. Food trucks, vendors, games, and live entertainment are some of the features the festival has.
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With Moss Point crime rates rising, some residents are looking for ways to help the community fight back crime. Clifford Crear is the owner of Superior Cuts in Moss Point. He has been a long-time business owner in the city, and he also lives in Moss Point.
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The organization started years ago when Abby and Jordan Bosarge decided they wanted to start a community service program that would aim for kids to work on community projects that would be more enjoyable and of interest.
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There were food, vendors, live music, and scholarships given out by the Alice Moseley Folk Art & Antique Museum.
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The summer-long event kicked off its first day with tons of food trucks, music, and games.
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Privacy issues, home devaluation, and safety concerns were only a few of the arguments residents brought up.
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Domestic abuse cases have gone up in recent weeks in South Mississippi. Staff at the Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence said they received 12,000 calls last year alone.
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The free event included food, beverages, games, and entertainment for people to enjoy.
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Former Suit Technician for NASA Sharon Caples McDougle spoke at the event as an honorary guest speaker.
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River Art Gallery held a grand opening celebration Friday to debut its new location in Pascagoula.
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Long Beach Mayor George Bass said the goal of the project is to attract more visitors to the city. This includes a lighthouse tower and some signs.
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Thousands of people traveled to South Mississippi for the three-day event, which was expecting a record number of people this year.
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Eighty years after he was killed during WWII, Pvt. Andrew Ladner’s remains were finally laid to rest in Harrison County on Saturday.
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Thousands of people are expected to celebrate in Biloxi this weekend.
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Community members and Enviva leaders gathered Tuesday night in Stone County for a public hearing about the new wood pellet plant coming to the Bond community.
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Public forum introduces top two candidates for Pascagoula-Gautier School District superintendent job
The search has been narrowed down to the assistant superintendent for Ocean Springs and the superintendent from Kosciusko, Miss.
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Board of Directors President Norman Howell said they expanded the festival because there were more vendors this time around.
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The event took place at Memorial Park. The two-day celebration featured works of art from artists around the country.
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The project, which is being called “Interconnecting Gulfport,” would extend the west end of Airport Road to Daniel Boulevard with an I-10 overpass.
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Dozens gathered at Jones Park in Gulfport Monday evening to hold a vigil for missing Gulfport woman Dorothy Jean Burks.
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Pamela Weber has always wanted to travel to Washington D.C. to visit the Vietnam Memorial Wall. While watching the news, she found out that a traveling version of the wall was coming to the Coast.
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More than 150 artists, crafters, and plant vendors were there with many paintings, sculptures, handmade jewelry, and even plant and soap vendors.
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Folks who stopped by Thursday’s Community Health Fair at the Pascagoula Senior Center were offered a buffet of freebies you might not expect at a health far - everything from seeds to manicures.
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As of Monday morning, the two wildfires in Jackson County were mostly contained, said officials.
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The fair started last week and already has a high attendance rate. Promoter and coordinator Tommy Pearson explained that due to social distancing restrictions last year, the fair was less crowded.
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Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said the community needed a change. The park located on Wiltshire Boulevard has been there since the ‘50s and has not been renovated for a long time.
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The idea of renovating came after the building was damaged by Hurricane Zeta. Since then, owners have been looking for the right time for repairs.
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The Diamondhead City Council presented a special proclamation on behalf of 101-year-old Robert Walker who fought in World War II in the Battle of Iwo Jima.
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The tournament is returning to the Coast after being postponed for the last two years.
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In an interview with WLOX, Hosemann explained how he believes rising gas costs will affect the Coast along with all of Mississippi.