Latest news with #TheClarionLedger
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Bond denied for former Mississippi police chief charged with capital murder, authorities say
A former Mississippi police chief, who is charged with capital murder, was denied bond on Thursday, May 8, according to authorities. The Yazoo County Sheriff's Office posted a news release via Facebook at 8:06 p.m. Thursday, May 8, stating former Yazoo City Police Chief James "Jay" Durwood Winstead, 50, was denied bond during a Thursday preliminary hearing. Court documents show on April 14 Winstead appeared before Judge Pam May in Yazoo County Justice Court for an initial appearance, where Winstead was given a $1 million bond. Winstead faces a capital murder charge in connection to an April 9 shooting death. The sheriff's office stated that after the Thursday preliminary hearing, Winstead was denied bond and bound over to a grand jury. Previous Clarion Ledger reporting states Winstead first started in law enforcement in 1996. Winstead was appointed as the Yazoo police chief in August 2020 and resigned by April 2021. According to the sheriff's office, deputies responded to a call around 6 p.m. April 9 in reference to a man who had suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities identified the deceased man as Timothy Byrd. According to investigators, Byrd was found dead at his home off of Dover Road. "After investigators arrived on scene, they quickly uncovered several discrepancies in the story that was being told by a male subject that was on scene at the time of the incident," the sheriff's office said. "Investigators continued to process the scene and uncovered more evidence that there was foul play involved." Jackson police on violent crime decline: Jackson police chief says drastic drop in homicides over last year 'signifies progress' Authorities said deputies arrested Winstead in connection with the case and charged Winstead with capital murder. According to a general affidavit, Winstead "did purposely, knowingly, and feloniously kill Timothy Byrd with a Smith & Wesson 44 magnum in the commission of a robbery of $36,000 cash that was taken from Timothy Byrd's safe and hidden in the Jeep Wrangler behind the glove box." Additional details on this investigation have not been released. Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@ This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Former Yazoo City MS Police Chief James Durwood Winstead denied bond
Fox News
27-03-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Deep red state makes major announcement about income tax: 'We plant our flag'
FIRST ON FOX: Mississippi taxpayers will get significant relief with the incremental elimination of the state's income tax. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves is signing legislation into law Thursday evening that will lower that tax from 4.7% to nothing over the next few years, including getting it down to 3% by 2030, then eventually down to zero. House Bill 1, the "Build Up Mississippi Act," also slashes the grocery tax to 5% from 7%. "I am proud to sign into law a complete elimination of the individual income tax in the state of Mississippi," Reeves said in a statement. "Let me say that again: Mississippi will no longer tax the work, the earnings or the ambition of its people. The legislation I'm signing today puts us in a rare class of elite, competitive states. There are only a handful of states in the country that do not tax income. Today, Mississippi joins their ranks, and, in doing so, we plant our flag." Proponents of the legislation believe it will help boost economic development in the state. Only nine states do not charge an individual income tax: Tennessee, Florida, South Dakota, New Hampshire, Florida, Nevada, Wyoming, Alaska and Washington. "This is more than a policy victory. This is a transformation. And it's a transformation that I have believed in, fought for and worked toward for many years," the governor stated. "Generations from now, when our kids are raising families of their own in a stronger, more prosperous Mississippi, they will look back on this moment and say, 'This is when we took our shot.' To the people of Mississippi, you are the real winners today." The state legislature had disagreements on how to best approach tax policy, and a typo considered a happy accident by proponents paved the way for a faster schedule on how soon the cuts can be made, according to The Clarion Ledger. The outlet reported that some Democrats are opposed to the legislation, citing potential concerns about its effect on the public sector. The new policy comes as major tax changes are being proposed at the federal level. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 expires this year, and President Donald Trump has pledged to extend it. He is also hoping to make good on a promise to scrap the federal income tax on tipped wages and overtime pay.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
When is tornado season in Mississippi? What the weather data says is the peak time in MS
Signs of spring are all around us here in the Deep South. Birdsong. Baseball. Flowers. Cicadas. Pollen. Tornado watches. It might be tempting to treat severe weather advisories lightly. Most of the time, the watches and warnings that blare from our phones don't lead to widespread damage or injuries. But deadly storms can hit at any time of year in Mississippi. Certain seasons see more strong storms. Spring is known for having peak tornado weather, but no month is without a severe weather risk. In 2024, 85 tornadoes hit Mississippi. Notably, the NWS confirmed that 27 hit the state in one day on Saturday, Dec. 28. That storm system caused two deaths and spread destruction over 23 counties. Here's what you need to know about the history of violent and deadly tornadoes in Mississippi, when they're most likely to hit so you can be ready. "The springtime is the most active season for tornadoes," Michael Hill, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Jackson, told The Clarion Ledger in a previous interview. "Right now, we're in a slight La Niña pattern, which means we have a little more active jet stream and more active spring. Generally, on the whole, it's a more active jet stream so we have a chance for deeper troughs, stronger storms and more storms." Most storms hit in March, April and May, and the long-range forecast says spring 2025 could be an active season for severe storms and strong tornadoes. According to an analysis of twister data from 1880 to 2023 in the Mississippi State University tornado database, the most storms hit Mississippi and parts of Louisiana and Arkansas covered by the NWS office in Jackson in the spring. April: 703. March: 439. November: 359. May: 303. February: 285. December: 264. January: 232. September: 154. June: 129. October: 122. August: 80. July: 44. The National Weather Service office in Jackson has recorded 18 twisters in the Magnolia State so far in 2025. The strongest was on Jan. 5 in Noxubee, and the EF 2 had winds of 115 mph. It was part of a system that spawned at least 10 twisters in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Most others have been EF 0 or 1. You should know: NWS expects Mississippi to have an active tornado season this spring According to an analysis of twister data from 1880 to 2023 in the Mississippi State weather database, the most storms his Mississippi and parts of Louisiana and Arkansas in the afternoon and evening. Peak hours were from about 2 p.m to 8 p.m. The hours with the fewest twisters were from about 3 a.m. through the 6 a.m. hour. Tornadoes are classified by wind speed using the Enhanced Fujita Scale. (It replaced the original Fujita Scale in 2007.) Storms are ranked with numbers 0-5. The National Weather Service investigates storm damage and estimates wind speeds to confirm and classify tornadoes. EF0: 65-85 miles per hour. EF1: 86-110 miles per hour. EF2: 111-135 miles per hour. EF3: 136-165 miles per hour. EF4: 166-200 miles per hour. EF5: Over 200 miles per hour. Mississippi No. 1 for tornadoes? There's more to it than you may think EF 0s and 1s are classified as weak. EF 2s and 3s are called strong. EF 4s and 5s are considered violent storms. Yes, six times. A Mississippi State database with tornado data dating back to 1880 lists more than 2,700 records for Mississippi. The state has seen twisters that clocked in as a 5 on the Fujita or Advanced Fujita scale on: April 5, 1936: This twister spun 15 miles through Lee and Itawamba counties. It killed 216 and injured 700. Dec. 5, 1953: This storm traveled 8.91 miles in Madison Parish in Louisiana and Warren County. It caused 38 deaths and 270 injuries. March 3, 1966: This storm became known as the Candlestick Park Tornado. It's named after a shopping center in south Jackson that was totally destroyed by a 202-mile path that spanned east and central Mississippi and ended near Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It killed 58 and injured 518. Feb. 21, 1971: This storm started in Madison and East Carroll parishes in Louisiana, and traveled through Issaquena, Sharkey, Washington, Humphreys, Sunflower and Leflore counties in Mississippi. It claimed 46 lives and caused 496 injuries. April 3, 1974: This twister hit ground in Monroe County in Mississippi and traveled through Lamar, Marion, Winston, Lawrence and Morgan counties in Alabama. It killed 30 and wounded 280. April 27, 2011: 1:30 p.m.: This storm traveled through Neshoba, Kemper, Winston and Noxubee counties for 28 miles, causing three deaths and 8 injuries. 2:42 p.m.: This tornado struck ground in Monroe and Itawamba counties in Mississippi and went on to hit Marion and Franklin counties in Alabama. It traveled 37 miles and killed 23 and wounded 137. 'It's pretty crazy.' Checks from MS church destroyed by tornado found 80 miles away The following are the most deadly tornadoes between 1950 and 2025 in Mississippi. Feb. 21, 1971: An F4 spawned in Issaquena County near the Louisiana line around 4 p.m. It traveled across the Delta and ended in Hardeman County, Tennessee. The storm killed 58 and injured 795. March 3, 1966: The Candlestick Park Tornado was an F5 that cut a 202-mile path from east and central Mississippi to the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, area. It killed 58 and injured 518. Feb. 21, 1971: An F5 spawned around 2:50 p.m. It traveled through Madison and East Carroll parishes in Louisiana and Issaquena, Sharkey, Washington, Humphreys, Sunflower and Leflore counties in Mississippi. It claimed 46 lives and caused 496 injuries. Dec. 5, 1953: An F5 traveled 8.91 miles in Madison Parish in Louisiana and Warren County. It caused 38 deaths and 270 injuries. Jan. 23, 1969: An F4 spun up and cut across Jefferson, Copiah, Simpson, Rankin, Smith, Scott and Newton counties. It killed 32 and injured 241. March 3, 1974: An F5 started in Monroe County in Mississippi and hit Lamar, Marion, Winston, Lawrence and Morgan counties in Alabama. It killed 30 and wounded 280. March 27, 2011: The EF5 started around 2:42 p.m., traveling through Monroe and Itawamba counties in Mississippi and going on to hit Marion and Franklin counties in Alabama. It traveled 37 miles and killed 23 and wounded 137. Feb. 1, 1955: An F3 cut an 8-mile path of destruction through Tunica and DeSoto counties. It killed 20 and injured 141. : An EF 4 traveled more than 59 miles through Issaquena, Sharkey, Humphreys and Holmes counties. It killed 17 and injured 165. March 21, 1952: An F4 hit ground in Marshall County, Mississippi, and cut 29 miles to Fayette County, Tennessee. It left 17 dead and 96 wounded. A history of twisters: Tornadoes in Mississippi since 1950 On March 24, 2023, an EF 4 killed 17 people. It was part of a system that included 20 reported twisters in Mississippi and Alabama that killed more than 20 people in Mississippi. Rolling Fork bore the brunt of the violent storm, which popped up after dark and left a wide path of destruction. Fifteen people in the town died, and about 300 homes were destroyed along with local businesses. A year later, population estimates said the town of 1,800 had shrunk to 1,200 because of lack of housing and jobs lost because of damage to businesses. The Federal Emergency Management Administration estimated a three-year build-back period. But Rolling Fork is resilient. By March 2024, almost every business along the U.S. 61 corridor that was damaged or destroyed was open for business. Chuck's Dairy Bar, the last to return, reopened to fanfare from the community last summer. Since 2017, FEMA has promised $1,114,222,840 for disaster relief and mitigation. Of that, $1,109,768,502 was set aside for specific projects, and about $868,047,525 has been paid out. The majority of money went to the Department of Homeland Security FEMA Disaster Relief Fund. $761 million was allocated and obligated, and $636 million has been paid. Most help, about $531 million, has been committed to severe storm recovery, such as tornadoes, straight-line winds, flooding and mudslides. However, several hurricanes had allocations of more than $10 million from the Disaster Relief Fund, including: Zeta (2020): $164.1 million. Ida (2021): $52.2 million. Nate (2017): $12.8 million. The Small Business Administration accounts for about $89.6 million in allocations to Mississippi, followed by $61 million to the USDA, $46 million to the Department of Commerce (including the Economic Development Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and $45 million to Housing and Urban Development. According to FEMA data, 94 federal disasters have been declared in Mississippi from May 2, 1953 to March 3, 2025. 41 severe storms. 24 hurricanes. 12 tornadoes. 10 floods. 2 severe ice storms. 1 snowstorm. 4 other disasters. Counties along the Gulf have seen the most disaster declarations. The most severe storms leading to FEMA declarations happened in April. Of the dozen tornadoes that led to federal emergency disasters, four happened in January, and three hit in April. February, March, October, November and December have each had one federal declaration following twister damage. In 2020, the state had 11 federal declarations approved, the most in any year tracked. (That includes COVID declarations.) Contributing: Brian Broom and Ross Reily Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@ This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi weather: Data shows peak tornado season. Know the history
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vote for Jackson Metro Student of the Week Feb. 9-15
The Clarion Ledger's Jackson Metro Student of the Week feature highlights the outstanding achievements of local high school students, academic and beyond. Each week, you can vote for one winner out of five nominees. Read about this week's nominees, and then vote in the poll below. The poll will close Thursday at noon. Winners will be announced on Friday morning each week. You can cast a vote once per hour per device. Last week's winner: Who won Jackson Metro Student of the Week Feb. 2-8? Find out here. Lauren Daniels: Daniels, a senior at Germantown High School, is an exceptional student who is highly involved and active in her student body. During her four years at GHS, she has participated in advanced placement courses, dual enrollment courses, the GHS cheer team and the teaching program. Even though she is highly involved, she maintains straight A's while also being a reliable, friendly face in the school. Just this month, she received Student of the Month for her senior class by always representing a shining example of what it means to be a good citizen and Germantown Maverick. Kyra Marshall: Marshall was also a nominee for Student of the Week Sept. 22-28. Marshall is a junior at Murrah High School. She is a well-rounded student who shows kindness and love to everyone she meets. Marshall is an honors student and has a 3.8 GPA. Marshall is known for being intelligent, funny, kind, empathetic, sincere and witty. As a student, she is known for her consistent strive toward academic excellence. Avery Power: Power was also a nominee for Student of the Week Sept. 8-14. Power, a senior at Brandon High School, is the captain of the Brandon Volleyball team and an honor student in the health sciences program. In addition to her athletic and academic achievements, she actively contributes to the school community as a member of the yearbook staff, a Diamond Girl, and a chair for Beauty and Beau. Recognized as a Clarion Ledger Player of the Week, a MAC All-Star and an MHSAA 7A Scholar Athlete, Power has committed to continuing her volleyball career at Mississippi State University next year. Arianna Robinson: Robinson was also a nominee for Student of the Week Jan. 19-25. Robinson is a senior at Canton High School. She is persistent with her attendance, and she strives to be a better student each and every day. Robinson demonstrates being a huge believer in success by always asking questions when she doesn't fully understand the information and always keeping a positive work ethic throughout the class. Ally Young: Young was also a nominee for Student of the Month Sept. 8-14. As 11th Grade Class President of Pisgah High School, Young showcases exceptional leadership and commitment, enhancing her school community through her active involvement in the National Honor Society, Beta Club, and FCA Leadership. Her dedication to both academics and athletics is evident in her roles on the varsity volleyball and softball teams. Additionally, Young's contributions to Rankin Youth Leadership, Jackson Sub Deb and her role as a Pinelake 56 Small Group Co-leader highlight her ability to balance multiple responsibilities with grace. Are you a teacher, principal, librarian or other faculty member with a nomination? Contact Mary Boyte at mboyte@ for more information. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Vote for Jackson Metro Student of the Week Feb. 9-15
