Mississippi news

• Attala County SO warns thieves targeting phone and internet Lines

  10-08-2026 09:34 via breezynews.com
  
  The Attala County Sheriff’s Department is warning thieves targeting phone lines, internet cables, and copper wiring across the area that law enforcement is closing in on those responsible.
  The warning comes after a string of thefts left local residents without phone or internet service. In a message posted to the department’s Facebook page, officials made it clear that taking utility wires does far more than just destroy property, it cuts off vital connections for rural residents, pe
  
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• Mississippi faith leaders denounce Ag Commissioner Andy Gipson’s comments about Muslims, Sharia

  14-08-2026 22:28 via mississippitoday.org
  
  Mississippi faith leaders on Friday denounced recent comments about Muslims made by state Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson, a gubernatorial candidate in next year’s elections.“This reckless and dangerous rhetoric by an elected official and a candidate for governor has no place in our public discourse,” said Rhoda Yoder of Open Door Mennonite Church, on behalf of Working Together Jackson and Working Together Mississippi, two groups that organized the event.
  The groups invit
  
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• Mississippi faith leaders denounce Ag Commissioner Andy Gipson’s comments about Muslims and Sharia law

  14-08-2026 22:28 via mississippitoday.org
  
  Mississippi faith leaders on Friday denounced recent comments about Muslims made by state Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson, a gubernatorial candidate in next year’s elections.“This reckless and dangerous rhetoric by an elected official and a candidate for governor has no place in our public discourse,” said Rhoda Yoder of Open Door Mennonite Church, on behalf of Working Together Jackson and Working Together Mississippi, two groups that organized the news conference.The gro
  
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• Tasia Fortune’s troubled life leaves her family grieving, and waiting, as police investigate her death

  14-08-2026 21:11 via mississippitoday.org
  
  By her family’s account, Tasia Fortune was a loving, caring woman who led a troubled life. She ran away from foster care when she was 16, leaving western Kentucky and finding her way to Jackson, Mississippi. There was homelessness and addiction. Relationships that didn’t last produced four children.Then on an August day, the body of the 29-year-old was found hanging from a tree behind a vacant home on the 500 block of Road of Remembrance. The home is in a mostly Black neighborhood i
  
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• Advocates: Public defenders in Hinds County give everything. It’s time to return the favor

  14-08-2026 20:15 via mississippitoday.org
  
  Mississippi Today Ideas is a platform for thoughtful Mississippians to share their ideas about our state’s past, present and future. Opinions expressed in guest essays are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of Mississippi Today. You can read more about the section here.   Imagine falling into the hardest of times – caring for a disabled spouse in old age or struggling with a sudden mental health crisis – all while facing something you never
  
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• Mississippi opioid settlement grantees can seek monthly reimbursement

  14-08-2026 18:54 via mississippitoday.org
  
  The Mississippi Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Council approved monthly reimbursement for all 13 of the attorney general’s office funded grantees that requested the change during its August meeting. Under the original model, organizations reported costs and expected to be reimbursed every three months. However, some awardees worried that schedule could negatively impact their finances or require them to take out loans. Their concerns delayed the disbursement of roughly $50 million i
  
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• Three-Vehicle Crash Involving Semi-Truck on Hwy 35 at Hwy 19

  14-08-2026 17:16 via breezynews.com
  
  A three-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck and two passenger vehicles was reported at the intersection of Hwy 35 and Hwy 19 in Attala just before 2 pm.
  Attala County Fire Department, Attala County Sheriff’s deputies, EMS, and MHP responded to the scene.
  One driver became trapped in their vehicle and was extricated by firefighters. The driver was transported by ambulance to a hospital, and their condition is currently unknown.
  Drivers should use caution in the area as crews work to clear
  
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• Defunding of student loan repayment program another hit to teachers amid state’s staffing shortage

  14-08-2026 13:01 via mississippitoday.org
  
  The email this summer came as a shock to Alanna Lawrence. For the past two years, Lawrence and her husband, Jeremy, had received $9,000 each toward their student loans, thanks to a state-funded program that helps teachers pay off their debt. They teach in the Vicksburg-Warren School District, which the State Board of Education has designated an area critically short of teachers. They were expecting $6,000 more each this year. But, they learned from the email, for the first time since
  
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• Sizzling Weekend Ahead With Hottest Temps of the Season

  14-08-2026 07:42 via breezynews.com
  
  HEAT ADVISORY shown in orange on map above
  EXTREME HEAT WARNING shown in purple
   
  Previous heat waves in central Mississippi this summer have been driven primarily by high humidity resulting in heat index readings well into the triple digits at times.  But the dangerous heat stress settling in this weekend will be mainly the result of actual temperatures climbing to their highest point of the season.
  While afternoon highs in the upper 90s are forecast for the local area today, Durant c
  
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• DUIs and Drug Arrests in Philadelphia and Neshoba County

  14-08-2026 07:00 via breezynews.com
  
  DALE L CHICKAWAY, 51, of Philadelphia, Contempt of Court, NCSO.  Bond $0.
   RAUL GONZALES JR, 32, of Los Indios, TX, Disorderly Conduct, No Driver’s License, No Proof of Insurance, MHP.  Bond $600, $300, $800.
   MARQUETTE HUNTLEY, 20, DUI – Other Substance, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Paraphernalia, PPD.  Bond $1,500, $800, $800.
   TIANA SHAI JOHN, 21, of Choctaw, DUI – 1st, No Insurance, Speeding, MHP.  Bond $1,500, $800, $300.
   
  
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• Happening today: Blood drive at Attala County Library

  14-08-2026 06:00 via breezynews.com
  
  Mississippi Blood Services is bringing a lifesaving mobile blood drive to Kosciusko today Friday at  the Attala County Library from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
  Mississippi Blood Services notes that local hospital patients rely on volunteer donors, as a single donation can help save up to three lives.
  As part of the “Race to Save Lives” Back-to-School Giveaway, anyone who donates blood at a participating mobile drive between Aug. 1 and Aug. 31 will automatically be entered for a chance
  
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• Federal judge denies attempt to strike down DeSoto County’s majority-Black judicial districts

  13-08-2026 22:49 via mississippitoday.org
  
  A federal judge, at least for now, has denied a request to prevent a majority-Black section of voters from electing new county judges months before the election begins.The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by Robert Foster, a former Republican gubernatorial candidate and current DeSoto County Supervisor, and others who claim the Legislature’s creation of majority-Black subdistricts for the state judiciary violates the Voting Rights Act. The lawsuit came after the U.S. Supreme Cour
  
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• Lexington alderman guilty of harassing and stalking city clerk

  13-08-2026 21:01 via mississippitoday.org
  
  A Lexington alderman allegedly bullied and harassed Deputy Clerk Brenda Powell to the point that she required anti-anxiety medication. She also accused him of recording video of her and stalking. She said tint was applied to a teller window near her desk at City Hall to deter future video recording.Another city employee also accused Charles Earl Simmons, who was reelected last year, of simple assault. Yet another accused accused him of stalking. The incidents occurred earlier this year, court r
  
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• Calls grow for more transparency in Nolan Wells death investigation

  13-08-2026 20:39 via mississippitoday.org
  
  Requests by the family of Nolan Xavier Wells to preserve evidence is being mischaracterized, their attorney Ben Crump said Thursday. Crump, a national civil rights attorney, said preservation letters were sent out to various people involved in Wells’ death investigation. He clarified that the Wells family hasn’t filed a lawsuit and said “click bait” has presented that action as more of a legal threat. “We are on record that we want the truth, the whole tr
  
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• Wood Fire Thursday Afternoon in Attala

  13-08-2026 19:06 via breezynews.com
  
  At about 2:30 PM, the Attala County Fire Department was notified of a Wood Fire on 2101 “Stonewall Rd” near Ethel. An Entergy crew was reportedly on scene when the fire began, and it is believed that a downed power line was the cause.
  The fire covered roughly 2 acres in a thicket with limited access points for ground crews. A quick line was established around the perimeter in hopes that it would hold until Forestry arrived to handle further preventative measures.
  The post Wood Fire T
  
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• One Injured in Thursday Morning Crash Near Carmack

  13-08-2026 17:07 via breezynews.com
  
  Emergency crews responded to a one-vehicle crash with entrapment on Hwy 35 N Thursday morning.
  The wreck happened about three miles north of Carmack Fish House and was reported at around 8:20 a.m. Attala County Fire Department, Attala Deputies, MHP, and EMS were notified.
  A volunteer firefighter was first to arrive at the scene and reported that the driver had suffered multiple injuries. None of those were said to be life-threatening, and the driver was transported to the hospital by ambulance.
  
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• Photo gallery: Mississippi public health entomologist tests mosquitoes to monitor for West Nile virus

  13-08-2026 17:00 via mississippitoday.org
  
  Seven human cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed this year, but Mississippi State Department of Health officials suggest the actual number is likely higher. September and August are the the peak months for these cases. Wendy Varnado, the state public health entomologist, says it is critical to surveil and test mosquitoes for the virus because detecting infected insects can provide up to a two-week warning before human cases appear. Only 11 counties in the state routinely trap mosqu
  
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• Judge sides with Holly Springs in correcting electric grid issues, for now

  13-08-2026 13:00 via mississippitoday.org
  
  HOLLY SPRINGS — A chancery court judge has put his faith, at least for now, in the city of Holly Springs’ ongoing efforts to revitalize its long struggling power system.In a courtroom on the city square on Monday, Chancery Judge Lawrence Little told state and Holly Springs officials he would allow a consultant hired by the city, Michael Watson, to take charge of the department for the time being. Watson has spent the past nine months working with the city through a list of needed im
  
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• Blood drive planned for Friday at Attala County Library

  13-08-2026 10:00 via breezynews.com
  
  Mississippi Blood Services is bringing lifesaving mobile blood drives to East Mississippi this week, with a community blood drive scheduled in Kosciusko.
  A local drive will be held Friday, Aug. 14, at the Attala County Library from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome as space allows.
  Mississippi Blood Services notes that local hospital patients rely on volunteer donors, as a single donation can help save up to three lives.
  As part of the “Race to Save Lives” Back-to-School Give
  
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• Careless Driving and Felony Drug Possession in Carthage and Leake

  13-08-2026 07:00 via breezynews.com
  
  SABIAN X BEN, 20, of Carthage, Failure to Use Child Restraint Device, No Driver’s License, No Insurance, CPD.  Bond $163, $438, $438.
   ELIZABETH D CHAMBLEE, 22, of Walnut Grove, Serving Days, LCSO.  Bond $0.
   TERRANCE L GRAY, 41, of Carthage, Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana, LCSO.  Bond N/A, $500.
   CHRISTINA M KIMBLE, 39, of Carthage, Bench Warrant – Leake County Justice Court, Felony Indictment, LCSO.  Bond N/A,
  
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• The MAX set to add five Mississippi music legends to its Hall of Fame

  12-08-2026 20:00 via mississippitoday.org
  
  The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) in Meridian adds another batch of star power to its towering Hall of Fame with five new inductees whose lasting contributions further cement Mississippi’s foundational role in American music.The Mississippi Mass Choir, a world-renowned force in gospel for decades, and bluesman Bobby Rush, who continues to rack up honors and gigs into his 90s, join seminal blues and folk musician Mississippi John Hurt (1893-1966), “Father of t
  
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• USM history professor plays major role in Netflix’s ‘The American Experiment’

  12-08-2026 19:50 via mississippitoday.org
  
  University of Southern Mississippi professor and military historian Andrew Wiest is among the star-studded cast of Netflix’s “The American Experiment” documentary.The five-part series chronicles the history of the American Revolution, coinciding with the nation’s 250th birthday. It features commentary, voice-overs and interviews with academics, political figures and more. Wiest can be heard reading lines throughout the series, including parts of the Declaration of I
  
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• Redwater Man Facing Prison After Being Caught in Child Sex Sting

  12-08-2026 19:23 via breezynews.com
  
  A Leake County man will be sentenced in November after a federal court jury found him guilty of sex-related charges involving a minor.   Prosecutors say Edison Jefferson, 41, of the Red Water community contacted an undercover police officer posing as a 15-year-old in Texas, sending sexually explicit messages, requesting nude images and attempting to arrange a meeting with the teenager he thought he was communicating with.   He was also charged with attempted production of chi
  
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• Empleados temporales mexicanos de la granja Battle Fish denuncian abusos laborales

  12-08-2026 19:06 via mississippitoday.org
  
  TÚNICA COUNTY – El Departamento de Trabajo de EE. UU. está investigando una granja de bagre en el Delta de Mississippi, donde algunos trabajadores temporales denuncian abusos verbales y racismo persistentes, salarios no pagados, condiciones de vida precarias y otras violaciones a sus derechos laborales.Empleados de Battle Fish North afirmaron que, durante años, la gerencia ha recurrido a amenazas de violencia y a negarles contratos de trabajo temporal para disuadirlos
  
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• Mississippi insurance commissioner pushes short-term plans as healthcare costs climb

  12-08-2026 17:09 via mississippitoday.org
  
  As more Mississippians struggle to afford healthcare, Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney is working to make short-term health plans more accessible as a lower-cost alternative to traditional health insurance, even though they could deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions. The Mississippi Comprehensive Health Insurance Risk Pool Association, the state’s long-dormant insurer of last resort, is on track to serve as a customer portal for short-term, limited-duration plans wit
  
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• US Senate fundraising committee leaves Mississippi, Colom out of $40-million push

  12-08-2026 16:59 via mississippitoday.org
  
  The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the fundraising arm for U.S. Senate Democrats, left Mississippi out of a recent $40-million investment in 10 battleground states ahead of the November midterm election. The fundraising group is sending money to Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Ohio and Texas, according to a July 28 news release. The money is being used in part to fund state-run outreach programs for Latino, Black and Asian Ame
  
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• Crash Involving 18-Wheeler Shuts Down Roadway in Attala

  12-08-2026 16:40 via breezynews.com
  
  A two-vehicle crash involving an 18-wheeler has shut down the are of the bypass between Hwy 43 S and Hwy 12 W. Attala County Fire Department, Attala County Deputies, and EMS were called to the scene just after 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.The 18-wheeler is on its side across the highway with fuel leaking from the truck. The road is currently shut down while first responders work the scene and crews work to clear the highway.
  One person was reportedly trapped in their vehicle, but was quickly extri
  
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• Deer Strike Wednesday Morning in Sallis

  12-08-2026 14:26 via breezynews.com
  
  At about 6:00 AM on Wednesday, first responders received an alert from a driver’s iPhone indicating a potential accident on Hwy 429 in Sallis.
  Moments later, they received a call from the driver, stating that they had struck a deer. The occupants of the car were uninjured and needed no assistance from first responders. The condition of the deer is currently unknown.
  The post Deer Strike Wednesday Morning in Sallis appeared first on BreezyNews.com - Kosciusko News 24/7.
  
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• Crooked Letter Sports: U.S. Senate is right on top of 1960 football controversy | Ep. 309

  12-08-2026 13:00 via mississippitoday.org
  
  With all that’s going on in college sports today – and that’s a lot – the U.S. Senate adopts legislation about who won the 1960 National football championship.
  
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• Blues enthusiast Morgan Freeman’s album covers 100 years of the genre

  12-08-2026 13:00 via mississippitoday.org
  
  NEW YORK — It happened out of necessity. Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman was in Clarksdale, Mississippi, 25 years ago when some out-of-towners asked where they could hear blues music. Musicians were abundant; venues were not.“There was no place where we could guarantee that you could go in and hear it,” he told The Associated Press. “So, we had to establish that.”Actor Morgan Freeman, right, and his business partner Bill Luckett are shown during an in
  
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