Mississippi
Where is LeeBeth, the massive great white shark that swam off Mississippi Coast?
‘I feel like if we have a dead whale this spring she might be on it. That shark is so large, there’s only a few things she’s interested in (eating) and it has to be large.’
Shreveport Aquarium shark born without any males present
A baby swell shark hatched at the Shreveport Aquarium despite no male sharks being present for three years, according to the aquarium.
A 14-foot, 2,600-pound great white shark that was caught and released off the coast of South Carolina was tracked for months with a GPS tag that was placed on her. She made an incredible journey to Mexico and then turned back, passed by the Mississippi Coast and swam to Nova Scotia where her GPS unit stopped transmitting.
It was a journey that was never before documented and she made headlines everywhere she went.
Will we ever hear from her again?
“The last time we heard from her was in October,” said Megan Winton, research scientist at the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. “She was still in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
“She spent months in that area, and October is when sharks that are in Canada begin to move. That’s the last time we heard from her.”
How great white shark LeeBeth is tracked
LeeBeth was caught in December 2023 by Ed Young, pastor of the Dallas-Fort Worth mega-church Fellowship Church. Young was fishing with Chip Michalove of Outcast Sport Fishing based in South Carolina. Young named the shark after his daughter who died in 2021.
LeeBeth was outfitted with data collection devices including a GPS tag that transmitted her location whenever she breached the surface. There’s also a device that collects data such as depths that will at some point release, float to the surface and transmit the recorded data.
The final device is an acoustic transmitter. It will communicate whenever it nears acoustic receivers that are placed in the water by various research groups. Its life expectancy is 10 years.
The battery life in the GPS tag is generally about a year, but LeeBeth breached the surface so often that she transmitted her locations far more than other tagged great white sharks. That probably reduced the life-span of the battery.
“It’s likely the battery has died at this point,” Winton said. “She was pinging like crazy.”
Big sharks need big meals
LeeBeth’s travels could be followed through the AWSC Sharktivity app. Michalove, who has helped AWSC tag many great white sharks including LeeBeth, followed her closely.
“When she stopped pinging, I felt like I was gut-punched,” Michalove said. “She was like a kid to me.”
Even though LeeBeth’s GPS transmitter hasn’t sent a signal in months, Michalove said there’s a chance he’ll see her again. He said she likely has a set pattern of migration and will be off the coast of South Carolina this spring.
“I’ve studied her track over and over just trying to figure her path,” Michalove said. “I’m pretty confident I’ve got her down.
“I feel like if we have a dead whale this spring, she might be on it. That shark is so large, there’s only a few things she’s interested in (eating) and it has to be large. Fingers crossed I see her again and sooner than later. And, hopefully, not while I’m swimming.”
Why is LeeBeth being tracked?
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy studies the protected sharks. Winton said decades ago, the great white population was down about 80% from historic levels. Through protections, the population appears to be rebounding.
Winton said the group mainly focuses on the Cape Cod area. She said that’s because rebounding seal populations in that area are attracting the sharks in summer to feed on them and place the sharks near people.
With Cape Cod becoming a hotspot for white shark activity, Winton said the data collected from tagged sharks helps the group with outreach and education on managing interactions between humans and sharks.
As far as education and outreach go, LeeBeth has been instrumental due to her record-breaking travel from Mexico to Canada and the attention she has drawn.
“She’s quite the ambassador,” Winton said. “She has been such an interesting shark to follow.”
Have we heard the last from LeeBeth?
Maybe. Maybe not.
LeeBeth was tracked for thousands of miles as she traveled to the Gulf of Mexico where she appears to spend winters feeding on giant squid and then to the Gulf of St. Lawrence north of Nova Scotia where she spends summers feeding on seals. Last winter’s trek took her 20 miles south of Biloxi.
Both Winton and Michalove said they think she’s back in the Gulf of Mexico right now. While that is most likely true, knowing she’s in the Gulf isn’t quite as exciting as seeing her exact locations on a map in real time.
Although not the same, the acoustic transmitter may provide insight into her whereabouts. When she swims near an acoustic receiver, the units communicate. Some automatically transmit the detection, but most store the information and need to be pulled up periodically to download it.
“Hopefully we’ll be hearing from LeeBeth for the next nine years,” Winton said.
And there’s also the remote possibility that Michalove could catch her again and outfit her with a new GPS unit.
“The ocean is enormous and the odds are against us, but I’ve had recaptures before,” Michalove said.
Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.
Mississippi
Eight tornadoes confirmed in Louisiana and Mississippi from Post-Tropical Cyclone Arthur storms
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The National Weather Service has confirmed eight tornadoes touched down across Louisiana and Mississippi on June 18th, 2026, with damage surveys revealing significant impacts to homes, businesses, and infrastructure.
The survey work continues on several areas, including Eden Isle, where meteorologists are analyzing whether additional weak tornadoes occurred within widespread wind damage.
The NWS has asked for patience as crews complete their analysis, with the next update expected Monday, June 22.
A busy morning of severe weather
The tornado activity began early Thursday morning around 2:49 a.m. and continued through the morning hours, with the last confirmed tornado occurring around 8:12 a.m.
The storms primarily impacted the greater New Orleans area, including parts of Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish, and St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana, as well as Hancock and Harrison counties in Mississippi.
The damage: eight confirmed tornadoes
Houma area hit hardest
Four of the eight confirmed tornadoes touched down in the Houma area, with a fourth nearby.
The most significant damage in Houma came from an EF-1 tornado that tracked through the city around 3:47 a.m., producing winds up to 95 mph.
This tornado damaged the Lynn Park Shopping Center, where nearly every window was damaged, and interior walls partially collapsed. Four homes sustained partial to significant roof loss, and one home had an exterior wall collapse.
Another EF-1 tornado in the same area tossed a truck 30 feet and caused significant damage. Multiple trees were snapped and uprooted, with several homes sustaining partial roof loss, and at least one carport collapsed.
An EF-1 tornado causes significant roof damage to two homes on Crozier Drive, and at least one exterior wall collapsed on each.
An EF-0 tornado also impacted the McCord area of Houma, damaging trees, several homes, and electrical poles.
Long-track tornado from St. Tammany Parish to Mississippi
The most significant tornado of the day was an EF-1 that traveled 12.42 miles from Treasure Isle in St. Tammany Parish to rural Hancock County, Mississippi. With maximum winds of 105 mph and a width of up to 300 yards, this tornado caused extensive damage across its path.
The tornado flipped a large boat near Treasure Isle and progressed northeast, removing shingles from homes and snapping trees along Bluegill Drive.
As it moved into Avery Estates, the tornado grew in size and strengthened, uprooting numerous trees along U.S. Highway 190 and damaging several outbuildings. A manufactured home had most of its roof removed and was shifted significantly off its foundation.
The tornado maintained strength as it moved over the Pearl River Basin before weakening as it approached Hancock County, where ground survey teams documented widespread tree damage on rural roads.
Additional tornadoes
An EF-1 tornado tracked 7.26 miles from Bridge City through New Orleans to the University of New Orleans area around 5:43 a.m., producing winds up to 95 mph. Damage was primarily tree damage and minor building damage across the city.
A brief EF-1 tornado touched down north of Highway 90 in Avondale, injuring two people. The tornado tracked northeast with home damage and snapped tree branches. One home sustained damage when another mobile home rolled into it. The wind speeds were estimated to be 90 mph.
An EF-1 tornado also tracked across Hancock and Harrison counties in Mississippi, with widespread tree damage, including several large trees uprooted and snapped. Minor damage occurred to several properties along the 6.38-mile path.
No Fatalities Reported
Despite the significant damage from eight tornadoes, no fatalities were reported. However, two injuries were reported in the Avondale area.
All information in this report is preliminary and subject to change pending final review and publication in NWS Storm Data.
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Mississippi
Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for June 19, 2026
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 19, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from June 19 drawing
07-10-13-22-31
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 19 drawing
Midday: 1-4-2, FB: 5
Evening: 5-5-4, FB: 9
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 19 drawing
Midday: 2-3-2-8, FB: 5
Evening: 9-2-8-4, FB: 9
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 19 drawing
Midday: 05
Evening: 04
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Story continues below gallery.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.
Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:
Mississippi Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 321462
Flowood, MS
39232
If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.
Mississippi Lottery Headquarters
1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100
Flowood, MS
39232
Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.
When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?
- Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Mississippi
Police shooting of a 1-year-old Mississippi boy ignites tension between police and residents – WXXV News 25
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The fatal shooting of a 1-year-old boy by police who were responding to a shoplifting call this week has ignited simmering tensions between police and Black residents in the small town of Senatobia, Mississippi.
The death of Kohen Wiley is the latest in a series of troubling encounters with police that have outraged community members in recent years. It has led to protests and calls for greater police accountability in the town of 8,000, with some civil rights activists pointing to Kohen’s death as another example of a Black life lost over something of nominal value — in this case, allegedly stolen diapers.
“We are treating items on a shelf as more valuable than a child,” Bernice King, the daughter of civil right icon Martin Luther King, Jr., said in a statement posted to Instagram on Wednesday. “That is not just bad policing; it is a moral collapse.”
Differing accounts of what happened
There are still many unanswered questions about the shooting and what led up to it.
Senatobia police responded to the shoplifting call at a local Walmart on Sunday, where they found two women and a child leaving the store, getting into a car and driving away. According to a statement released by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation: “Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one. An officer then discharged their weapon and the vehicle fled the scene.”
Kohen’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, said her son and her friend, who was driving, were hit by gunfire. In a video posted on social media Wednesday by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Wiley said her friend was not driving toward the officers because they were “all on the right side and she was driving towards the left.”
She also disputes the shoplifting claim, saying in the video that she believes her friend paid for the diapers she was carrying.
Policing expert Ian Adams, who teaches criminal justice at the University of South Carolina, said regardless of the circumstances, the officer should not have fired at the car.
“Modern policing knows that shooting into a moving vehicle is a very bad idea and one to be avoided at almost all costs,′ Adams said. For one thing, ”vehicles have other occupants, which is obviously a concern here in the current case.”
Shooting revives racial justice concerns
Kohen was Black, as are his mother and her friend, and the circumstances leading to Kohen’s death quickly drew comparisons to another Black mother shot during a response to a shoplifting accusation.
In 2023, Ta’Kiya Young, who was pregnant, was shot by police in a Columbus, Ohio, suburb, after they attempted to apprehend her. Police said Young, who was also the mother of two young sons, got into her car and accelerated in the direction of the officer who fired at her through the windshield. Both Young and her unborn daughter were killed.
The officer in that case was acquitted of criminal charges and found justified in his use of force by a review board.
The two deaths join a long list of other instances of Black Americans dying in interactions with police after accusations of petty criminal offenses. That list includes the murder of George Floyd in 2020, who was killed after police responded to a call that he used a fake $20 bill at a Minneapolis grocery store.
For some racial justice advocates, such cases serve as a constant reminder of the consequences of systemic racism in law enforcement.
“In the name of ‘law and order,’ a child was killed and family was shattered over items that could be restocked, written off, and replaced,” King wrote on Instagram. “Our charge is clear: until the sacredness of human life is the starting point of every police encounter, we must demand changes in training and work unrelentingly to reform policies around police accountability.”
Tensions in Senatobia
Marquell Bridges, the president and founder of an advocacy group called the Building Bridges Coalition and who has been helping the Wiley family, said Kohen’s death was “just the breaking point” after years of problematic interactions between Black residents and police.
Bridges pointed to an encounter last year in which an officer threatened Breshari Faulkner with a Taser, pulled her from her car onto the ground and arrested her during a confrontation over a handicapped parking space in the same Walmart lot where Kohen was shot.
Two years earlier, in 2023, a Senatobia officer was fired for his role in arresting a 10-year-old Black boy who had urinated in a different parking lot. The boy’s family settled a federal lawsuit with the city earlier this year.
“There is a culture there that they are above the law – just because they wear a uniform,” said civil rights attorney Carlos Moore, who has represented the 10-year-old boy and others accusing the department of misconduct.
Police did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. The mayor and city aldermen also did not respond to messages.
About 40% of the city’s population of approximately 8,300 is Black, according to 2020 Census data. Police did not respond to questions about the racial makeup of the department, but the mayor and a majority of the Board of Alderman members are white. The city has elected only three Black aldermen since it became a municipality in 1860, according to the Tate Record, a local newspaper.
A toy lawnmower that blows bubbles
The officer who shot Kohen and the woman driving the car he was in has been placed on administrative leave, a standard practice, while the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation looks into what happened. They have promised to release video of the shooting once the investigation is complete.
Kohen’s grandmother, Veronica Roberson, was there when Kohen was born and babysat him often. She described him as a happy little baby with “the prettiest smile you could ever imagine.”
She said he was a sweet child and: “He just loved on me, and I loved on him. We loved each other.”
One of his favorite toys was a little lawnmower that would blow bubbles when pushed. Roberson would sit outside with him while he played with it. “He really thought he was mowing my yard,” she said, laughing a little at the memory. “That baby was my world.”
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