Clarion Ledger
Brackney’s roadmap
RaShall Brackney is stepping into her role as the new police chief of the Jackson Police Department with a clear vision for improvement. Brackney is tasked with leading the police department in the city of Jackson, which continues to have per-capita...
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Tupelo’s Elvis 5K is one of nation’s best races
One Mississippi 5K is one of the best races in the nation. It celebrates Elvis Presley in the town where he was born. Runners are encouraged to pay their own tributes to the King of Rock N’ Roll. “The mighty 5K is by far the most popular race in the...
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Starkville economy rolling with college baseball success
STARKVILLE—Mississippi State baseball is a juggernaut that makes Starkville weekends hum from an economic development perspective. All of the 25 largest NCAA on-campus college baseball crowds are now owned by the Bulldogs. Mississippi State took over...
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JRA details how Union Station funds are spent
After questions about how millions committed to Jackson’s Union Station were being spent, new details from the Jackson Redevelopment Authority show a mix of completed upgrades, ongoing construction and projects still in early stages. The update comes...
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What are the Trump savings accounts for children?
There’s Republican policy and there’s Democrat policy. There’s also just plain good policy, said U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and that is where Trump Accounts come in. The child savings accounts are wrapped in layers of political rhetoric, having been named...
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MS native helps guide Artemis II around moon
From Mississippi to the moon. That’s one way to characterize the career trajectory of Matthew Ramsey, a DeSoto County native who is helping to guide Artemis II, the NASA space mission now on its way to Earth’s natural satellite. A veteran aerospace...
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Judge delays Pittman trial
A federal judge has granted a motion to continue the April 6, 2026, trial of Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, who is accused of setting a fire at Beth Israel Congregation synagogue in Jackson. U.S. District Court Judge Henry Wingate granted the motion...
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In the clear?
Nearly four years after the Jackson water crisis, the Clarion Ledger tested the city’s water again. This time amid a very different civic backdrop. h A lot has changed since August 2022, when heavy flooding from the Pearl River caused the city’s...
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Visit this coastal gem
Mississippi has a lot of fun tourist stops if you want to plan a trip close to home. Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo. Clarksdale has The Devil’s Crossroads, a legendary spot for blues musicians. Jackson has world-class museums. The coast has...
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What renovations are planned for Union Station?
Renovations are planned for Jackson’s Union Station, but officials have not said what those improvements will include. Plans have been discussed for years — with millions committed — but additional details won’t come until later this month. Those...
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FRANK THE CAMEL IS BACK
Eli Roberson, 16, of Starkville, gets a kiss from Frank the Camel during Downtown Jackson Partners’ Hump Day event at Smith Park in Downtown Jackson on April 1. Frank the Camel and the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra will be back every Wednesday through...
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Williams to leave Jackson State
Jackson State men’s basketball coach Mo Williams was hired by Kentucky on March 30 to be an assistant on Mark Pope’s staff for the 2026-27 season. Williams’ record in four seasons at Jackson State was 57-75. This season, Williams led the Tigers to a...
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DEALING WITH DROUGHT
Spring is here and the Mississippi landscape is turning green, so many may not realize the state is in a drought. It’s also the time when people are sprucing up their yards with new plants and a drought can make that a challenge. So, here’s what you...
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A VERY GREEN TIME
The 2026 Hal’s St. Paddy’s Day parade saw good crowds, tighter rules and perfect weather in Downtown Jackson on Saturday, March 28. Mayor John Horhn served as grand marshal of the parade, that first was held in 1983. The parade saw temperatures in the...
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‘I’ll be doggone if we can’t solve it’
Jackson Mayor John Horhn has signed an agreement with a Houstonbased consulting group in an effort to tackle Jackson’s homelessness issue. Horhn announced a partnership with Clutch Consulting Group Thursday, March 19, during a Ward 5 town hall at...
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Ocean Spring a top beach vacation
Looking for a quick trip with lots of things to choose from? Southern Living named one Mississippi town one of the Top 20 best beach getaways in the South. “From the Gulf ’s emerald waters to the Atlantic’s windswept barrier islands, the South is home...
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Sweet Potato Queens, Tiny Tim and the history of Hal’s St. Paddy’s Day Parade
One of Mississippi’s largest annual outdoor parties, Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade, returns this weekend, March 27-29, with the theme: “Stars, Stripes, & Shamrocks — Jackson Celebrates America 250.” Jackson Mayor and former State Sen. John Horhn will serve...
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New restaurants coming to downtown Madison
The latest restaurant development in Madison could change the face of its historic downtown. The Lady May and Station 1856 have been approved for development by the city, and the two restaurants will be connected with a green space along Main Street...
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NO HIGH HOPES
Big dreams for medical marijuana this session were mostly dashed. Lawmakers put forth more than three dozen bills in both chambers aiming to expand access to marijuana. The vast majority of the bills, including every attempt to legalize recreational...
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Jazzing up the neighborhood
A nearly $340,000 state grant will fund the “Fondren Signature Streetscapes” project, part of a broader effort to enhance the Jackson neighborhood’s public spaces and identity. The funding is included in House Bill 1854, an appropriations bill...
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DiBiase Jr. found not guilty in fraud case
A federal jury found Ted DiBiase Jr., a former professional wrestler, not guilty of all criminal counts in his indictment for his involvement in Mississippi’s welfare fraud scandal. Jurors, who heard from at least two dozen witnesses during the trial,...
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Miss. is giving away tax dollars
An agency that was created by the Mississippi Legislature has been giving away tax dollars. So far, it has given away $50 million. h What is this agency that’s giving away millions of dollars and what is Mississippi getting in return? h “It was created...
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Lil Wayne announces Brandon, Biloxi shows
New Orleans native Lil Wayne will bring his “Tha Carter” anniversary tour to Brandon and Biloxi in August. Lil Wayne — aka Weezy, aka Mr. Carter — but whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., was on tour for much of 2025, with the upcoming...
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This Fondren restaurant will have something others don’t
Michael Greenhill worked for and alongside uber-successful chef and businessman Derek Emerson for 12 years at the iconic Walker’s Drive-In in Jackson’s Fondren Business District. Since Walker’s changed ownership last summer, Greenhill has been on the...
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Judge says Daniel Stallworth might be ‘the best singer’
Daniel Stallworth got the “American Idol” audience dancing this week. His soulful take on one of the judge’s songs got high praise. The teacher from Moss Point, Mississippi, is in the Top 20. If he wins, it would be the second year in a row that a...
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Tax-free NIL deals bill dies in MS Senate
When a House proposal to exempt income earned from Name, Image and Likeness from state tax came up in a Senate committee, the discussion around it was brief. “I don’t know about the rest of you on this committee,” said Sen. Dean Kirby, R-Pearl, “but...
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Sinfully good
Noted Mississippi and Mid-South musicians Bobby Rush, Eric Gales and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram hit the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood Sunday, March 15, to perform a smashing rendition of the “Sinners” song “I Lied to You” at the 2026 Oscars. The...
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Mississippi Cheese Straw Factory is closing down
A Mississippi icon is closing its doors. The Yerger family announced that they are retiring, and the Mississippi Cheese Straw Factory will close. Mary Margaret “Bunkie” Yerger founded the company using her mother’s cheese straw recipe. The aged...
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From silence to storm
The world had gone quiet. That’s what then-14-year-old Sharon Vines noticed on her walk home from Peeples Middle School on Thursday, March 3, 1966. The deafening silence stopped Vines in her tracks. She remembered there was “no wind, there was not a...
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RALLYING FOR SURVIVORS
Queen Hatfield knows the pain of domestic abuse and gun violence. More than 25 years ago, Hatfield found herself in a domestic violence relationship, unsure where she should turn for help. She was unaware of what programs existed for victim...
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MDEQ board approves permit for turbines at xAI Mississippi site
On March 10, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Permit Board approved an operations permit for 41 turbines at xAI’s Southaven power plant. The board rubber-stamped the permit — classified as a Prevention of Significant Deterioration...
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Hyde-Smith race headlines Miss. federal primary election
Voters across Mississippi headed to the polls Tuesday, March 10 for the state’s federal primary elections, choosing party nominees for the U.S. Senate and all four of the state’s congressional districts. Primary elections determine which candidate...
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Next steps in NCAA process with Chambliss
OXFORD — Ole Miss football quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ quest to play to college football in 2026 still has another hurdle. Chambliss was awarded a preliminary injunction against the NCAA on Feb. 12 when Judge Robert Whitwell granted it to him at...
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AWS backing new $750M data center project in Clinton
While no company or entity has been formally named as being associated with a proposed data center for Clinton, there is a company that is speaking up in favor of such an idea. Earlier this week, Clinton officials announced a $750 million investment...
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Which bills survived?
Most of the general bills that survived initial committee hearings in their originating chamber didn’t enjoy the same fate when they crossed to the other side. Legislators ignored or voted down countless bills on the March 3 deadline day, leaving a...
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Trump ousts Noem as DHS secretary
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump announced March 5 he was firing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. He said on social media that Noem would be succeeded by Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, effective March 31. Noem will become special envoy...
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MS Legislature kills early voting, more
In the hustle of Tuesday committee meetings, thousands of general bills proposed in the first few weeks of the 2026 legislative session were whittled down to a couple of hundred. March 3 marked one of the most important deadlines this session. The...
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Water authority board changes may shift control
A proposed Jackson water authority board Jackson leaders sold to residents in February is no longer the same board, changing what many city officials and residents had described as its most critical component: who controls the seats. During a just...
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DOUBLE DOUBLE
In a matter of seconds, Michael Smith found his calling. Smith was a guard on the Northeast Mississippi College basketball team, and the program held a youth basketball camp. He and others spent hours helping kids with drills and fundamentals. But one...
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Marching to the king of pop
Jackson State’s Sonic Boom of the South marching band is once again being recognized on a national stage. In honor of February’s Black History Month and in anticipation of release of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group movie “MICHAEL” about the life of...
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3 U.S. service members killed as Iran retaliates
Rebecca Morin, Kim Hjelmgaard, Eve Chen, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Jonathan Limehouse, Kathryn Palmer, Terry Collins, Francesca Chambers and Fernando Cervantes Jr. Three American service members were killed in action amid the ongoing conflict with...
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What’s the beef ?
Atrip to a grocery store is a bigger financial commitment than it was a few years ago as prices have climbed steeply, but the product that seems to get more attention than others is beef. Even at advertised sale prices, you’ll pay more than you paid...
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Q Burdette a ‘hero’ on ‘Survivor 50’
“Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” kicked off Feb. 25 with a three-hour episode full of intense challenges, cutthroat plotting and heartbreak for two contestants. Germantown real estate agent Quintavius “Q” Burdette, a fan favorite during Season...
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Prosecutors, Hinds DA swap motions in bribery case
Federal prosecutors responded to Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens motion to dismiss the federal bribery charges against him, filing their opposition under seal along with 25 exhibits that are not currently available to the public. In the...
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Jackson City Council votes 6-1 to approve
Jackson Mayor John Horhn’s nominee to lead the Jackson Police Department, RaShall Brackney, was officially confirmed by the Jackson City Council. Brackney was confirmed as Chief of Police by the council in a 6-1 vote in a special council meeting...
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Fallen officer honored
The City of Jackson unveiled on Feb. 23 a street that was renamed in honor of fallen Hinds County Deputy Martin Shields Jr. to commemorate the oneyear anniversary of his death. The city, in partnership with the Deputy Martin L. Shields Jr. Memorial...
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State is in charge of tax-forfeited properties
Mississippi currently holds 6,960 tax-forfeited properties statewide, according to the latest data from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office. Under Mississippi law, property with unpaid taxes is first sold at a county tax sale. If the owner...
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Fate of Trump’s $2K tariff checks up in air
The Supreme Court issued its first major ruling against President Donald Trump on Friday, Feb. 20, saying he can’t impose sweeping tariffs. How could this affect the $2,000 tariff dividend check Trump said is coming this year? Trump declared a...
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Following the smoke
Around 1:30 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2025, flames from an abandoned house were “so tall it was up in the trees,” recalled Tracy Cooper, who lives two houses down from the now entirely burneddown house. Today, only one corner of that house — located at 4221...
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‘An open wound’
Filmmaker Suzannah Herbert was raised in Memphis. But her new movie focuses on what Herbert calls “the beauty and tension and sorrow” of a different riverbluff town. h Like the pilgrimage organizers and tour operators in its diverse cast of real-life...
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Hummingbirds make epic 600-mile flight
Ruby-throated hummingbirds will soon be arriving in Mississippi as they make their way to breeding grounds in North America and for many, the first leg is an incredible feat as they fly nonstop over the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a flight some don’t...
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Fossil hunter’s find is ‘quite significant’
A Mississippi woman was a part of a team hunting for fossils along the Chickasawhay River in Southeast Mississippi, and she would have been happy to find anything. What she discovered was a rare, fossilized jawbone from a dugong, an ancient sea cow,...
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Civil rights icon ‘kept the dream alive’
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering civil rights icon who battled alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., negotiated global hostage releases and shamed corporations for their lack of diversity and failure to support voting rights, died on Feb. 17. He...
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What HCC’s $20M expansion along I-55 means for Ridgeland
A $20 million expansion of a building along I-55 in Ridgeland could change the look of the Jackson suburb and take Holmes Community College to the next level both educationally and from an economic development perspective. Holmes broke ground in...
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MS House passes bill for school prayer time
A bill requiring public schools to provide students with time and accommodations for prayer passed the Mississippi House on Feb. 11, sending another controversial education bill to the Senate. The bill, authored by Rep. Chuck Blackwell, R-Ellisville,...
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Pet adoptions soar
The Mississippi Animal Rescue League first opened in Jackson in 1969 as a private nonprofit. In the nearly 60 years since, the shelter adapted to countless cultural changes. The latest adaptation, an increased social media presence, has led to more...
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Jackson jury finds ex-officer guilty
A Hinds County jury found Marcus Johnson, a former Jackson Police Department officer, guilty of firstdegree murder in the 2024 death of Carlos Collins, a registered nurse. The jury also found Johnson guilty of shooting into a dwelling. The jury took...
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Ole Miss QB has eligibility hearing in lawsuit vs NCAA
PITTSBORO – The eligibility hearing for Ole Miss football quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was in progress on Feb. 12. Judge Robert Whitwell was overseeing Chambliss’ lawsuit against the NCAA at the Calhoun County Courthouse to determine whether...
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‘Wear your red, white and blue’
Every year, the Dixie National Rodeo takes over the fairgrounds in Jackson, bringing rodeo shows, livestock competitions, a marketplace, an outdoor expo and more. This year, the rodeo, dubbed the “Greatest Show on Dirt,” is participating in...
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Former Jackson officer’s murder trial begins
Prosecutors delivered the first opening statements Feb. 10 by detailing the brutal attack they say former Jackson Police Department officer Marcus Johnson committed in the murder of Carlos Collins. The defense countered the prosecution’s claims by...
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ONE LAST MEAL
Crechale’s Cafe Seafood and Steaks, a fixture of Jackson’s dining scene for 70 years, will welcome diners for the final time on Feb. 14, just over a month after the passing of long-time owner Bob Crechale. In the six weeks since its closure was...
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Chambliss loses appeal
OXFORD — Ole Miss football quarterback Trinidad Chambliss will need to continue his fight for college eligibility in 2026. The NCAA appeals committee denied Chambliss’ appeal on Feb. 4. Chambliss was seeking a medical hardship waiver for his 2022...
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The learning bug
Medical entomologist isn’t a title people hear about every day, but a Mississippi State University professor may change that. Jerome Goddard, who owns that rare title, has been making videos about bugs and his adventures in the field, and huge numbers...
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‘I’ve never been more disappointed’
Emotions are still high on both sides of the school choice debate in the wake of the Senate Education Committee killing Speaker Jason White’s signature school choice legislation on Feb. 3. The committee shot down the bill in less than 90 seconds, a...
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New hotel opens in Ridgeland, part of $28M investment
The newest hotel in Ridgeland has officially opened. Located next to the Holiday Inn Express near the north I-55 Frontage Road in Ridgeland, is the Tru by Hilton Hotel. The 98-room hotel, just completed, was built by Wealth Hospitality of...
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School choice bill dies
Speaker Jason White’s ardent campaigning wasn’t enough to save his signature school choice bill from an unfriendly Senate committee. The Senate education committee heard White’s bill, which covered education topics spanning from private school...
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More than just a taco shop
Uber-successful chef and businessman Derek Emerson’s newest project is almost ready to open. Emerson, 57, who owns and operates the new Sacred Ground Barbeque in Pocohontas, Caet Seafood in Ridgeland, Local 463 in Ridgeland and Little Effie’s in the...
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PRADO VISTA
In December 2024, Gabriel Prado helped bring to life Topgolf as the sports entertainment venue opened in Ridgeland with much fanfare as part of the Prado Vista development just off of I-55. And while Topgolf is the drawing card for the development...
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Major law firm chooses to locate in Downtown
Cosmich Simmons & Brown partner Clif Jefferis said he wants to be a part of the process of helping to revitalize Downtown Jackson. He has put his money where his mouth is as his law firm is moving back to Jackson’s central business district...
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THE THAW BEGINS
OXFORD — Brindin Chandler was walking across a road to his home just outside Oxford city limits when he heard cracking above him. He froze and watched a tree, heavy with ice, tear a hole in his bedroom roof. “If I’d been there sleeping,” Chandler, 20,...
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‘VERY DISAPPOINTING’
CHICAGO – In Chicago’s workingclass Pilsen neighborhood, a 1960s-era oil-fired power plant rises up from an industrial lot behind Dvorak Park, which in warmer weather is packed with children climbing on its colorful playground and zooming down...
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Ole Miss to remain closed through Feb. 8
The University of Mississippi campus will remain closed through Sunday, Feb. 8, as Oxford works to recover from damage left by Winter Storm Fern. Oxford was hit hard by the storm starting on Jan. 23, and by the early morning hours of Jan. 25, the city...
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New project brings Jackson, Madison, Hinds and Ridgeland together
Every so often, regional politics are uncomplicated. At least for now. The Jackson City Council voted unanimously Tuesday, Jan. 27 to approve a resolution forming “a regional alliance” with neighboring counties and cities to pursue improvements along...
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MS electrical grid hit
More than 140,000 Mississippians were still without power as of Tuesday morning, Jan. 27, after an ice storm worked its way through the South this weekend. Lafayette County, which is home to Oxford and the University of Mississippi has the most total...
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ICY AFTERMATH
Winter Storm Fern is blamed for deaths and injuries in Mississippi along with more than 150,000 power outages on Monday, some possibly lasting for weeks, all this while federal agents have arrived to assist in the state’s recovery. The depth of the...
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