Clarion Ledger
NCAA BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
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Magical rides end
It was a short stay for a pair of the state’s prominent teams in the NCAA postseason. Southern Miss was swept in two games in the Hattiesburg Regional of the NCAA Baseball Tournament, falling to Arkansas-Little Rock after leading in the 9th inning and...
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REVIVING LANGUAGE
Choctaw was likely the most widely spoken language in Mississippi before European explorers and settlers came to the state, but time has a way of changing things. English became the spoken word of the state, and Choctaw began to fade away. Now, the...
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FROGGY FUN
Looking for a unique roadside attraction? Hop on down to this Mississippi farm. The Magnolia State offers lots of options, like museums, national parks, beaches and landmarks. And there are plenty of roadside stops for short visits or photo ops if...
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Excitement in Hattiesburg grows ahead of NCAA baseball regional
For the second year in a row, the city of Hattiesburg is hosting an NCAA baseball regional. Southern Miss baseball won 44 games this season, earning the No. 9 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament bracket and the opportunity to host a regional from May...
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‘This team was adamant we were going to fix this’
With about a month left in the regular season, Mississippi State softball was a solid contender to host a regional in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs checked in at No. 13 in the NFCA poll on March 29 after picking up a series win over then-No. 23...
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Kiffin defends interview as SEC weighs penalty
Louisiana State University head football coach, and former head coach for Ole Miss MIRAMAR BEACH, FL – Officials at Ole Miss and the SEC have spoken about a potential reprimand for new LSU coach Lane Kiffin over comments he made in a recent Vanity...
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Century-long effort aims to keep nations White
Whiteness appears to be an official immigration credential in the eyes of the United States government. The Trump administration in late 2025 slashed the annual cap on refugee admissions to 7,500 for budget year 2026, down from the 125,000 cap set in...
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Fondren’s ‘The Block’ gets new food management
The Pearl, The Capri Theater, Highball Lanes and Fondren Yard in the Fondren Business District of Jackson is closed from May 24-28. However, patrons of the entertainment venues and restaurants can rest assured that all is good. When the three reopen,...
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RARE FOSSIL FOUND
Bison are the largest land mammals in North America, but there was a time when something much, much larger roamed the land. h The recent discovery of a fossil from one of the giants in Mississippi, a tooth from a Columbian mammoth, is causing a stir...
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Rare cast iron casket found at Asylum Hill
Archaeologists excavating remains from the site of the Asylum Hill Cemetery on the University of Mississippi Medical Center campus have unearthed a rare, fully preserved cast iron casket dating back to the late 1800s. The rusted casket, which weighed...
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ANALYSIS U.S. charges target Castro legacy
leader who for decades labored in Fidel’s shadow, the organizer and administrator behind the showy orator. Though many were skeptical he could take the reins when Fidel Castro stepped down, Raúl Castro turned out to be a more skilled political chess...
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Thompson rebuts Reeves’ ‘reign of terror’ claims
In his first appearance in his home state since Mississippi’s top politicians began calling for his district to be redrawn, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson told pews of Jackson residents that Black voters have always made their way through attacks from...
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WAIT! CAN YOU KILL IT?
Can you kill a snake in your yard in Mississippi? As the weather heats up and people spend time outdoors, run-ins with snakes are increasingly likely. It is legal to kill most snakes found in Mississippi. But there are rules about when you need a...
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LAST RIDE FOR BOOTS & MORE
A Jackson business that’s outfitted generations of customers is nearing its final day after 43 years. Boots & More announced it will close in a May 12 Facebook post. The western wear and work clothes store opened in 1983. It’s at 1060 High St.,...
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Judge denies bids to toss bribery case before trial
A federal judge denied attempts by Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and former Jackson City Councilman Aaron Banks to get the public corruption case against them thrown out before trial. In plain...
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Moving to the music
When most wrestlers step onto the mat, they think about the technical components of the match — the quickest way to grab a leg, get a turn or pin their opponent’s shoulder blades to the ground. For Alvin “AJ” Buckley Jr., he’s thinking about one thing:...
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‘IT’S SHOCKING’
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, has nearly doubled its total number of unpermitted turbines at its Southaven power plant since December 2025. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) staff confirmed to The...
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Lee Michaels expansion in Ridgeland nears completion with Rolex environment
Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry has announced the grand reopening of its newly expanded and redesigned store at Renaissance at Colony Park, marking 30 years in the Ridgeland market. Most of the space was first unveiled in fall 2025. However, the new...
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Woman arrested in huge fire at storage facility in Jackson
Authorities arrested a woman in connection to a massive fire Jackson firefighters battled Tuesday, May 12, at a storage facility on U.S. Highway 80 near Lynch Street. Chief Fire Investigator Charles Felton confirmed to the Clarion Ledger that units...
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Department of Public Safety honors fallen officers at memorial
On a crisp May morning in Pearl, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety paused to honor those who gave their lives protecting their communities. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety held its annual fallen officer memorial ceremony Tuesday,...
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TALKING TURKEY
If a proposal made in the April meeting of the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is finalized, nonresident turkey hunters will see big changes in the 2027 spring turkey season. “We’re doing this in a way to impact how hunting...
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Jim Henson biographer examines artist behind the Muppets empire
About five years before he published “Jim Henson: The Biography,” author Brian Jay Jones found himself going down a rabbit hole online. Jones, who describes himself as part of the “Muppet Generation,” is also known for biographies on figures,...
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Jim Henson
When you think of famous Mississippians, names such as Elvis Presley, B.B. King and Morgan Freeman may come to mind before the name Jim Henson does. After all, Presley was the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, King is sometimes called the King of the Blues and...
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Hundreds of homes damaged in storm
Hundreds of homes are damaged, multiple injuries have been reported and thousands of people are without power in Mississippi as severe weather and tornadoes swept through the state on Wednesday, April 6, into Thursday morning with the heaviest damage...
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Demographer says Downtown Jackson is ‘jarring’ to visit
In the 2021 census, Jackson’s population dropped below 150,000 for the first time since before 1970. The shrinking continued with the release of data from the 2022 census estimates, which revealed a 2.5% drop for the state’s capital city. Jackson’s...
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‘We’ve got to go out and sell ourselves’
Most Mississippi residents are probably familiar with Mississippi Valley State, but they may not have heard of Southeastern Baptist College, which beat MVSU in baseball in March. Southeastern Baptist, founded in 1949, is a small Bible college in...
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Jackson city water authority board vote stuck in limbo
The Jackson City Council is holding off on voting on Mayor John Hohrn’s nominations to the Metro Jackson Water Authority Board, which could potentially take control of the city’s water and wastewater systems. Ward 4 Councilman and Council President...
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POSTPONED
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves postponed naming his three appointments to the Metro Jackson Water Authority Board on Friday, May 1, a day after a federal judge temporarily blocked the new Mississippi law from taking effect. Reeves made an announcement in...
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ALL SMILES
Jackson State graduates received their diplomas on on May 2 at the Lee Williams Athletics and Assembly Center on the JSU campus. Among the new graduates was Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones, who was presented his diploma by newly minted president Denis...
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US Sen. Hyde-Smith proposes bill for MS cotton industry
Mississippi farmers saw little relief from the state Legislature this session, with relatively few agriculture bills proposed and even fewer passed into law. They may have to turn to their federal delegation for help, where U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith...
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Legacy League reveals teams and logos
This is big business. This is the American way. It’s a Wesley Snipes line from the movie New Jack City, but it could easily apply to baseball and the launch of Jackson’s Legacy League. The new summer baseball league is set to take the field in...
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Jackson files injunction to halt regional water board
In a twist, the City of Jackson has filed an injunction in federal court seeking to block a new state law that would create a nine-member regional water authority to oversee the city’s water system. The filing comes just two days after Jackson Mayor...
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Officials: Expect smaller, more modern Jackson Zoo
City leaders tried to paint an upbeat picture for the future of Jackson Zoo on Friday, April 24 during a press briefing at the historic but aging West Jackson facility. Despite attendance declines, a cut in the number of animals on display, and calls...
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Millsaps students help local businesses thrive
Millsaps College’s Elseworks entrepreneurship program has long been helping the Mississippi and Jackson area business community kickstart ideas into action. On April 23, the latest group of business program analysts gave updates on their projects...
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State’s alcohol crisis has led to illegal sales, some believe
The alcohol sales crisis caused by the state of Mississippi may have created a situation in which restaurants and package stores are illegally going outside of the state to procure stock. h In fact, one business owner told the Clarion Ledger “That is...
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Going swimming?
Alligators are iconic in Mississippi. Time outdoors, especially near lakes or rivers, often brings close-up encounters with wildlife, whether you expect them or not. If you walk on the wild side, chances are good you’ll find alligators in freshwater...
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City attorney lays out details on new water authority plan
Jackson city leaders got their clearest look yet at how a new regional water authority would work and what it could mean for the city’s control of its water and sewer systems. During a Wednesday, April 222 Public Works Committee meeting, members of...
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Deadline coming fast
With a May 1 deadline looming, Jackson Mayor John Horhn said Tuesday, April 21 it is “still up for discussion” whether he will appoint members to a newly created regional water authority that could potentially take over the city’s water system. The...
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Jackson community members share concerns on crime to new police chief
“I know it is going to be a difficult process to move us from where we have been, to where we desire to be,” Brackney said during the meeting. “But I have no doubt that the people, the residents, the communities of Jackson have exactly what it takes to...
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Did conservatives leave with any big wins in MS?
Mississippi remains, to the disappointment of advocates and legislators led by Speaker Jason White, the only state in the southeast without comprehensive school choice after a resounding “no” in the state senate. Legislators ultimately didn’t heed...
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JSU picks Gregory
The state’s largest HBCU and the Jackson area’s most prominent university has a new leader, and she’s a familiar face. The Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning named Denise Jones Gregory as the 14th fulltime president of...
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BLEEDING RED
Jackson State athletics lost money for the third year in a row in fiscal year 2025 despite increasing its revenue by close to $1 million. h According to documents obtained by the Clarion Ledger, JSU operated at an $816,891 deficit in fiscal year 2025,...
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What is the highest point in Mississippi?
You don’t need hiking boots or a long climb to stand at the highest point in Mississippi. But you might still want to check it off your bucket list. The state’s tallest spot sits quietly in the northeastern corner of Mississippi. It offers a modest...
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Mississippi singer makes it to ‘American Idol’ Top 9
Mississippi “American Idol” contestant Daniel Stallworth earned a spot in the show’s Top 9. He survived a new round of eliminations during the April 13 episode. This week, contestants sang songs from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members. Stallworth chose...
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CONNECTING WITH FANS
Ole Miss infielder Will Furniss (36) and outfielder Tristan Bissetta (32) sign autographs after a college baseball game between Ole Miss and Southern Miss at a half-full Trustmark Park in Pearl on April 14. Ole Miss defeated Southern Miss, 10-3.
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TASTY FOOD FOR A CAUSE
Cypress Point Resort Chef Geneva Donelson serves chicken marsala during the Taste of Mississippi event at the Mississippi Trade Mart in Jackson on April 13. The event was a benefit for Stewpot Community Services.
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SOLLY’S STANDS TEST OF TIME
Summer is almost here and for many people in Mississippi, that means it’s time to travel and explore. The Mississippi Coast with its white sand beaches and historic Downtown Ocean Springs are always destinations as is Natchez with its Southern...
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Lawn chairs and football
Jackson State fans watch the Sonic Boom of the South perform during the spring game in Jackson on April 11. Normally held at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, the Blue and White game was moved to the Walter Payton Center on the JSU campus....
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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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