Madison Holmes wanted to leave Southern University. Now, she calls the Martin Luther King Jr. Catholic Student Center home.

The center’s new computer lab has become one of the places where Holmes feels calm, supported and connected to campus life. Holmes said she struggled with being away from her support system in Pass Christian, Mississippi, while also managing difficult classes. At the time, transferring closer to home seemed like a better option.

She recalled going to the library one day to print a lab report and finding a long line at the printer. “I was like, ‘Oh, wait. I know where I can go,’” Holmes said. “So, I came here and printed out my lab report, and then I took it to class.” Her experience is one example of how the center provides students with a place to turn when they need support.

The computer lab opened in October after the project began in August 2026. An anonymous private benefactor provided funding that helped pay for the lab and other improvements throughout the building.

The Rev. Thomas F. Clark, chaplain of the Martin Luther King Jr. Catholic Student Center, said the center aims to support students as they adjust to college life away from home. “You realize that when you’re away from home for the first time, you’re trying to make your way,” Clark said.

According to Clark, students often expressed the need for additional study space. Others shared concerns about unreliable laptops or computer crashes, concerns that ultimately helped shape the decision to add a computer lab.

The lab is one of several resources available to students. The center also provides Wi-Fi, study space and approximately 50 meals every Thursday at 5 p.m. Located across from Bethune Hall, the Martin Luther King Jr. Catholic Student Center has served Southern University students for decades.

According to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, Father Rawlin B. Enette advocated for a stronger Catholic presence at Southern in the late 1960s. Construction on the center began in 1969 after land was donated by a university official.

Originally known as the Newman Center, the building was later renamed the Martin Luther King Jr. Catholic Student Center. Southern University art professor Frank Hayden also created religious artwork for the facility.

While the center provides practical resources, it also offers students a place to slow down, reflect and feel supported. For Holmes, Clark is part of that support system. “I do think that Father Clark is a safe space and a person I could go to,” Holmes said.

That sense of availability is intentional. Clark said students sometimes stop by with personal concerns or during times of stress. They talk and, in some cases, pray together as he helps students navigate the semester.

“We just feel that we can add to that support by being available and providing a warm and friendly place,” Clark said. As students navigate the challenges of college life, the Martin Luther King Jr. Catholic Student Center continues to offer a place of support, community and encouragement. For Holmes, it has become a home away from home.

Gallery • 3 Photos Brianna Meeks Interior shots of the newly create computer lab.

Based on reporting by Southern University – SouthernDIGEST.

Georgia Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms is preparing to lead the same state where her great-great-grandfather was enslaved. Sheppard Peek was listed in an 1860 inventory of a white man’s possessions in Crawfordville, Georgia, with an assigned value of $1,400, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC).

On Monday (November 2), just one day before the election, Bottoms returned to Crawfordville, where she spoke with approximately 100 Black voters before visiting the grave of her great-great-grandmother, Betsy Peek. Bottoms knelt at Betsy’s grave and wept, the AJC reported.

“My grandmother would tell me the story of her parents packing them up in a horse and buggy and making their way to Atlanta,” Bottoms told the newspaper. “All of our stories can be told.”

The following day, Bottoms made history becoming the first Black woman elected governor in the United States. Her victory also made her Georgia’s first Black governor and its first female governor.

Before entering the gubernatorial race, Bottoms served as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 to 2022 and worked as a senior adviser in former President Joe Biden’s administration.

She secured the Democratic nomination in May after receiving more than 50% of the primary vote, BIN previously reported.

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Based on reporting by Atlanta Daily World.

Cloudy tub water after weekend gatherings often comes from body oils, very weak sanitizer levels, or overworked filters. Make sure to test the water, correct its chemistry, clean the filter, and use a suitable treatment before welcoming anyone back. Keep the hot tub closed until the water is very clear and safe test results are confirmed.

Weekend gatherings bring along very good food, easy conversation, and so many reasons to relax outdoors. Your hot tub may get much more attention than usual, especially when friends and family stay late. Come Monday, however, the water may have a very milky color instead of being inviting.

A super quick splash of chemicals might seem like the answer, yet guessing can make matters much worse. Clear water depends on balanced chemistry, working equipment, and very steady care. Knowing what to check first can help you restore your spa and avoid the same problem next weekend.

Now, let’s look a little bit closer at questions many may ask.

Why Does Hot Tub Water Get Very Cloudy After People Use It?

Every guest brings sweat, sunscreen, oils, or detergent residue into the water, reducing water clarity. Jets spread all of these contaminants throughout the spa.

Heavy use consumes sanitizer much faster. Clogged filters allow particles to keep circulating.

Dirty filters, organic matter, poor sanitation, and aging water are very common causes. Cloudiness deserves a great deal of attention before anyone else soaks again.

How Can You Clear Cloudy Hot Tub Water Very Fast?

Keep everyone out while you check the cause. Cloudiness may hide a sanitation problem.

Make sure to follow a simple recovery order:

1. Test: Check sanitizer, pH, and total alkalinity.
2. Balance: Make small chemical adjustments based on test results.
3. Clean: Rinse or deep-clean the filter as directed.
4. Treat: Apply a compatible shock treatment when needed.
5. Circulate: Run the filtration cycle and test again.

Also, follow product labels for dosing and safe reentry. Never mix chemicals. Clear-looking water does not always mean it’s sanitary.

Check Sanitizer Levels Before Adding More Products

Good spa sanitization starts with reliable measurements. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 3 parts per million (ppm) of free chlorine in hot tubs, or 4-8 ppm bromine. Its recommended pH range is 7.0-7.8.

High pH reduces chlorine’s effectiveness. Test with fresh strips or a liquid kit, then adjust as directed.

Chlorine shock can restore sanitizer. Non-chlorine oxidizing shock breaks down waste but does not replace sanitizer. More chemicals are not automatically better.

Make sure to retest before reopening the tub.

A white, chalky haze may also indicate mineral buildup. Consider checking calcium hardness if standard water treatments fail. Mineral imbalances can require different corrective steps.

Give Spa Filtration the Attention It Needs

Poor spa filtration leaves debris and oils suspended in the water. Crowded weekends clog filter cartridges faster.

Switch off equipment as directed. Rinse the cartridge pleats, use approved cleaner for oils, and replace damaged filters.

Check whether the pump moves water normally. Weak flow, unusual noises, or repeated error messages may point to a circulation problem. Homeowners sourcing hot tub parts in Edmonton should match replacement components to their spa’s model number.

Treat Foam Without Hiding the Cause

Foam is different from cloudiness. Detergents, lotions, and oils create lingering bubbles.

Effective foam removal begins with limiting those residues. Remove visible surface debris and clean the filter. A spa-safe defoamer may reduce bubbles temporarily, but it cannot correct poor water chemistry.

Persistent foam may call for a partial or complete water change. Consider addressing detergent residue and heavily loaded filters.

Make Weekend Entertaining Easier on Your Spa

Preparing your hot tub before guests arrive can help prevent contamination and reduce the need for extra cleaning afterward. A few pre-party habits reduce sanitizer demand:

• Ask guests to shower briefly before entering.
• Rinse swimwear to reduce laundry detergent residue.
• Respect the spa’s stated seating capacity.
• Test water before and after heavy use.
• Keep the cover clean and secure between gatherings.

Base filter care on actual use. Record test results to spot patterns after each gathering.

Know When Fresh Water Is the Better Choice

Water that stays cloudy despite proper care may contain too much accumulated waste.

Strong odors, slippery surfaces, or repeated sanitizer loss call for action. Follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions or seek professional help. Draining and refilling may be safer than repeated dosing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does Cloudy Hot Tub Water Take to Clear?

Recovery depends on the cause, filter condition, and sanitizer levels. Mild cloudiness may improve after several filtration cycles. Heavy contamination can require deeper cleaning or a refill.

Water temperature and the amount of suspended debris may also affect recovery time. Fine particles can remain visible longer when water circulation is weak.

Elapsed time does not prove safety. Check clarity, pH, and sanitizer before reentry. If haze persists after following the owner’s manual, seek professional guidance instead of adding chemicals without testing.

Can You Use a Hot Tub When the Water Looks Clear But Smells Strong?

Strong chemical odors may indicate contaminants reacting with disinfectant. Clear water can still contain harmful germs.

A very strong chemical smell does not always mean the water contains too much sanitizer. Chloramines can develop when chlorine reacts with sweat and other organic waste.

Use a fresh test kit before entering. Check the waterline for residue and the surfaces for slippery buildup.

Should You Empty Your Hot Tub After Every Party?

A complete refill is not necessary after every gathering. Water age, guest count, test results, and filter condition all matter.

Your spa’s water capacity and average number of bathers can help determine a suitable replacement schedule. Clean the empty shell with a manufacturer-approved product whenever a full water change is needed.

Log water changes, filter cleaning, and treatments, especially after a crowded gathering. Heavy use may require an earlier refill. Follow the manufacturer’s schedule and local disposal rules to avoid damaging plants or draining treated water improperly.

Keep Tub Water Clear for the Next Gathering

Clean tub water starts with testing, careful maintenance, and prompt attention to warning signs. Protecting your hot tub also protects the comfort and well-being of everyone who uses it.

Check out our other guides and articles for more practical advice on caring for your home and outdoor spaces.

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Vendor expenses determine profits before pop-up shops even open. Your success or the lack thereof is influenced by booth fees, suppliers, and advertising. Pop-ups bring new products to your customers, but they can also leave you out of pocket.

According to IBISWorld, the US pop-up shop industry revenue exceeded $15.6 billion in 2024. Pop-ups offer Black-owned businesses an easy way to try out their products, connect with customers, and build loyalty without the need for a permanent location. This can be particularly helpful for entrepreneurs who struggle to secure the financing needed to start a business.

Before you pay for a booth, look at the costs and work out how much you need to sell to break even. A little planning can help you decide whether an event is worth the investment. Just keep in mind that large crowds don’t always mean big profits.

What Do Pop-up Shops Really Cost?

A pop-up business pays for more than a table and a tent, and booth fees alone vary widely. A June 2026 fayVen study on U.S. vendor opportunities found a middle booth fee of about $55 for listings with confirmed prices. However, costs differed considerably by location, with some high-end markets charging much more.

Ask event organizers for a complete breakdown of costs. Some additional expenses to keep in mind include:

• Electricity
• Insurance
• Permits
• Equipment rental
• Additional display space

Don’t forget about any deposits or application fees, which may be non-refundable. That can be a big deal if bad weather keeps shoppers away and you end up paying the full amount. Before committing, make sure you understand the refund and cancellation policies.

A lower fee can make a first event less risky, but the pop-up still needs to meet your needs. A higher fee may be justified if the event attracts shoppers likely to buy your products.

Get the details in writing. Ask the organizer to confirm the price and what the fee covers. Check local rules on permits and sales restrictions, since these can differ by area and product.

How Do You Work Out Your Break-Even Point?

Before you book a market, work out how much you need to sell to cover your costs. That way, you can judge whether the booth is worth the price.

Add every cost, then divide by the profit on each item. Here is an example.

A candle maker books a 10×10 booth for $375 and pays a $25 application fee. Display supplies cost $60, travel and parking cost $45, and packaging plus card fees cost $70. Total spending is $575.

Each candle sells for $30 and costs $12 to make, so profit is $18 per candle. Divide $575 by $18, and you get 32 candles. Every sale after the 32nd is profit.

Now ask a hard question: can you sell 32 candles in one day? Check your results from past events and ask organizers about attendance.

If the number looks out of reach, don’t force it. Pick a smaller area or bring products with higher margins so the math works in your favor.

Compare prices with similar products, but do not assume you must be the cheapest vendor. Customers also weigh up quality, usefulness, and the experience of buying directly from the maker.

Remember to account for payment processing fees and any commission the organizer takes from sales. If the event requires a minimum inventory, consider how much money will be tied up in products that might not sell.

For many small business owners, especially first-time entrants, the challenge is balancing ambition with reality.

How Do You Get Your Pop-up Booth Noticed?

A good location matters, but so does the audience. A busy market doesn’t guarantee sales if the crowd isn’t interested in your products. Research events before committing so you know the visitors match your business.

Visibility is the lifeline of a pop-up shop. Make your booth easy to read at a glance. Clear pricing, a tidy display, and convenient payment options can make shopping a breeze.

Confusion and long delays can turn customers away to a competitor.

Branded materials can help customers remember your name and product. For example, a vendor could sell custom tote bags or use them to package purchases.

Lighting, signage, and layout matter, too. An inviting booth will draw people in even if they weren’t planning to stop. Step back and look at your setup from across the room.

If people can’t tell what you’re selling, adjust until your products speak for themselves.

Don’t forget the human touch. A warm greeting, a short story about why you started your pop-up business, or a quick demo can turn casual interest into a sale.

Shoppers who choose local businesses often want connection. Give them that, and your booth will stand out.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Find Pop-up Shop Opportunities Near You?

Start with local business associations, community development organizations, neighborhood social media groups, and event calendars. Find markets that suit your product and reach out to those market managers directly.

Before applying, check the event’s audience, vendor selection process, fees, and rules.

What Licenses Do Pop-up Shop Vendors Need?

Requirements usually depend on the:

• Location
• Business activity
• Items sold

A vendor may need a local business license, a temporary seller permit, or additional approval for some types of merchandise. Food vendors face separate health and safety requirements. Check with the city or county where the event takes place before accepting a booking.

What Are Some Good Pop-Up Shop Marketing Ideas?

Start promoting well before the event. Use a mix of social media, local business advertising partnerships, and in-person promotion. Post your booth number, email your list, and tag the organizer so they can share your brand.

Early visibility builds anticipation and gives customers a reason to look for you once the doors open. Small business marketing works best when it’s personal. A quick video showing your setup or a behind-the-scenes look at your products can generate interest.

These moments remind people they’re supporting a real person, not just a logo.

Pop-up Shops Demand Careful Math

Pop-up shops bring energy, community, and a chance to connect with customers who value small-business credibility. Yet profits don’t start at the cash register. They start with decisions you make weeks before the event, including understanding vendor costs.

Is a pop-up shop in your future? Head to our website to learn more about small businesses and why shopping local matters.

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Turning potential customers into paying clients often comes down to what happens after the first inquiry. Fast responses, clear ownership, and consistent follow-up keep promising leads from slipping through the cracks.

How many leads slipped away last month because nobody called them back in time?

A contact form comes in on a Tuesday night, the message sits in an inbox until Thursday, and by then the customer has booked with someone else.

Most small businesses get plenty of interest. After someone reaches out, their inquiry lands in one of a dozen places: email, text messages, social media DMs, a sticky note on the desk. Closing more of those leads comes down to a few habits and the right tools to hold them in place.

How Do You Show Customers Your Value Right Away?

A potential customer decides within a few seconds whether your business deserves a reply. Your website headline, your first email, and the greeting on your voicemail all need to answer one question: what does this person get by choosing you?

Here’s what a strong first response covers:

• The specific problem you solve: Name it in the customer’s own words
• The result they can expect: Point to an outcome, such as a monthly savings figure
• What happens next: Give one clear action, like booking a call or requesting a quote

How Quickly Should You Respond to a New Lead?

A lead who just filled out a form is still thinking about the problem that sent them looking. Calling back within the hour catches them while they’re comparing options, and a same-day reply puts your business at the top of a short list.

Lead management software sends an automatic text or email the moment a request comes in, confirming you received it and telling the customer when to expect a call. A brief acknowledgment keeps them from clicking on the next search result.

Use Social Proof to Reduce Hesitation

In a digital world full of scams, it’s understandable that prospects would be skeptical about your business. Proof from real customers answers those doubts better than any claim you make about yourself.

Here are a few places to put that proof to work:

• Google reviews:Ask happy customers for a review
• Before-and-after photos: Show finished work on your website and social pages
• Short testimonials: Add a customer quote to your quote replies and follow-up emails

Remove Friction From the Buying Process

Every extra step between a customer’s yes and their payment gives them a chance to reconsider. A quote form with 12 fields, a booking process that needs a phone call during business hours, or a price they have to ask for all slow the decision down.

Trim your forms to a name, contact details, and a short description of the job. Let customers book appointments online, sign estimates from their phone, and pay by card or digital wallet.

Walk through your own process as a first-time customer would, and count how many times you’d have to wait on someone else.

Converting Potential Customers Starts With the Next Inquiry

Potential customers who fill out your contact form already want what you sell. What happens in the hour after they hit submit decides whether they buy from you or sign with a competitor.

Read more informative business content on our website.

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Smart ways tech companies can speed up timelines for developing software include automating repetitive tasks to free up time and using AI-powered tools to accelerate development and decision-making. They can also improve team collaboration with centralized project management platforms and adopt continuous integration and delivery to reduce deployment delays.

Management consulting and technology firm ZS found that early launch performance is highly volatile, so it’s important that you have your products ready and launched on time.

Developing software is easier said than done, though, and it’s common to experience delays. Speed things up and streamline operations, so you launch as planned.

Can You Automate Repetitive Tasks to Free Up Time for High-Value Work?

Many project bottlenecks come from repetitive tasks that pile up, and in reality, these don’t need much human judgment. It’s much better to automate these tasks so that human workers can focus on high-value work instead.

Things you can automate include:

• Testing
• Code deployment
• Report generation
• Routine data entry

Automating these tasks also ensures better consistency and accuracy. Just make sure to only automate work where processes are already well-defined.

Use AI-Powered Tools to Accelerate Development and Decision-Making

Agile development should involve AI, as it can reduce the time spent on coding, research, documentation, and troubleshooting. With analytic tools, you can analyze large amounts of data to find key issues such as bottlenecks and tasks that may fall behind schedule.

Do note that these outputs will still need human review. Without it, you may be following erroneous reports, and this can put your project even further behind.

Improve Team Collaboration With Centralized Project Management Platforms

Engineering efficiency hugely depends on good communication, and this can be difficult when there are these stakeholders:

• Developers
• Designers
• Product managers

You may even need staff augmentation in software development to help in areas where you have a lack of people, and this adds to the chaos.

The best way to handle communication is to use centralized project management platforms. Your teams can easily see which tasks need to be done, as well as which ones are already complete. The platforms will also show what dependencies there are and who’s responsible for which tasks.

In addition, you can take it a step further and integrate these platforms with development tools and communication platforms.

Should You Adopt Continuous Integration and Delivery to Reduce Deployment Delays?

Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) practices are vital if you want to speed up your timelines. They can reduce the risks that come with large and infrequent releases, as well as reduce the manual work required.

Implementing these practices can shorten feedback loops, as you can catch defects earlier. As a result, software delivery will be more efficient and faster.

Stay on Track When Developing Software

Developing software can be a monumental task, especially when you have multiple people on the job. If you stay organized, though, and use the right tools, you’ll be able to deliver a quality product exactly when you want to.

Check out more of our pages now to find additional informative articles.

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