Mississippi
Bug-eyed Mississippi attorney looks soaking wet after he’s arrested for smuggling phones, drugs into prison
A Mississippi attorney looked manic and wet in his mug shot photo after he was arrested for smuggling contraband into prison.
Daniel Sidney Dale allegedly posed as legal counsel for Hinds County detainees for whom he would sneak in cellphones and other illegal items, according to the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office.
While visiting inmates on Thursday, Dale was caught with a briefcase full of marijuana, tobacco products, scales and two cellphones with chargers, photos released by the sheriff’s office showed.
“Attorney Dale, in a trusted position responsible for the constitutional rights of arrested suspects, jeopardized the safety and integrity of the Hinds County Detention Facilities and the public,” Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said in a statement.
Dale was detained, questioned and later arrested.
The attorney appeared sopping wet in a gray suit and loosened tie with his eyes bulging out of his skull below his combover in his mug shot.
Dale is charged with three counts of introduction of contraband to a correctional facility and two counts of conspiracy.
Jones said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges and arrests could be forthcoming.
Fireworks Safety Guide
Essential safety tips for buying, handling, and watching fireworks to ensure a safe celebration.
Fireworks are a Fourth of July staple for many people.
Finding places to buy fireworks in Mississippi to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary this year can be an exciting plan, but it also requires checking laws and following safety tips.
In 2000, consumer fireworks generated $407 million in national sales, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association.
Consumer fireworks revenue rose steadily over the next two decades, reaching $1 billion in 2019. The figure nearly doubled in 2020 to $1.9 billion and has stayed strong, averaging around $2.2 billion per year since.
Mike Chaney, Mississippi’s commissioner of insurance and state fire marshal, said he expects that this year “fireworks use will be at an all-time high” in the state.
If you are not looking to purchase fireworks, there are several events in the Jackson metro area as well as statewide events to enjoy firework shows on and around July 4. There are also alternative ways near Jackson to enjoy the holiday without fireworks as the main attraction.
Below are some places you can purchase fireworks throughout the state for the 2026 Fourth of July:
What Mississippi law says about fireworks
For people in Mississippi, celebrating the nation’s independence brings dangers and laws that residents should be aware of.
Under state law, Mississippi permits “common fireworks” such as sparklers, fountains, Roman candles and small aerial devices for consumer sale, while larger display fireworks require federal licensing.
Mississippi law states it is unlawful to ignite or discharge fireworks of any type within 600 feet of any church, hospital or school, or within 75 feet of where fireworks are stored or offered for sale.
The law states it is also unlawful to ignite or discharge the same within or throw the same from or into or at any motor vehicle.
While shooting fireworks is legal under specific conditions in Mississippi, you should also observe local laws as some cities prohibit fireworks from being used within city limits.
Before you buy or light any fireworks, take a moment to check with your county or local fire officials to determine that local laws are being followed.
Firework safety tips in Mississippi
When shooting fireworks at home, Chaney said, it is up to you to implement safety standards.
“That means using common sense, never pointing fireworks at another person and disposing of fireworks in water to prevent fire,” Chaney said.
To avoid injury, the Mississippi State Fire Marshal suggests you follow these safety tips:
- Use common sense: always read and follow the directions on each firework
- Never point or throw fireworks at another person
- Buy from reliable fireworks sellers
- Store them in a cool, dry place
- Always have an adult present when shooting fireworks
- Put used fireworks in a bucket of water and have a hose ready
- Only use fireworks outdoors, away from homes, dry grass and trees
- Light only one item at a time and keep a safe distance
- Never experiment or attempt to make your own fireworks
- Never re-ignite malfunctioning fireworks
- Never give fireworks to small children
- Never carry fireworks in your pocket
- Never shoot fireworks in metal or glass containers
Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.
Mississippi
MS Coast man fighting to save his leg contracts flesh-eating bacteria on a ‘typical day’ fishing
It started with a horsefly bite. Or, at least, that’s what doctors think.
Steve Wilson didn’t have a cut when he cast his first line in the Gulf off the coast of Mississippi on Saturday, but Amanda Wilson remembers her husband pausing to apply bug spray.
Lifelong Mississippi residents and avid fishers, the Wilsons have heard all the horror stories about Vibrio vulnificus, a dangerous flesh-eating bacteria found in warm, brackish coastal waters and raw or undercooked seafood. It’s rare to contract it at all, but one in five people who develop severe infection die, sometimes within 48 hours.
Amanda Wilson, a 47-year-old nurse, said she’s exceedingly careful when it comes to Vibrio. The Wilsons never swim in the Gulf and stay on Cat Island’s south side while fishing, where the open waters are thought to be less prone to bacteria propagation. Before they hit the water, they always check for cuts and other open wounds, gateways through which vibrio can enter the body and trigger necrotizing skin infections, bloodstream infections or gastrointestinal illness.
Later on Saturday afternoon, when they launched their boat into Jourdan River from McLeod Park, the Wilsons made sure to head farther upriver away from the Gulf before getting in the water.
“It’s crazy because it was just a typical day,” Amanda Wilson said.
Despite all the precautions, 50-year-old Steve Wilson awoke early the next morning to searing pain near his right ankle, pain so severe he couldn’t walk. His ankle was swollen and hot, Amanda Wilson said, and she noticed what looked like a small bruise at the center of the swelling.
Steve Wilson’s leg roughly 10 hours after exposure to Vibrio vulnificus.
Vibrio was her first thought.
She rushed her husband to Slidell Memorial Hospital, and by the end of the 45-minute drive from Necaise Crossing, he’d developed a fever of 103.6 degrees and was septic. Doctors there confirmed the worst: he’d contracted Vibrio vulnificus and the infection was eating away at the flesh of his foot and leg.
After surgery and a cocktail of antibiotics, Steve Wilson’s leg had finally shown some improvement by Tuesday. But he was still in the ICU, and doctors warned his wife that infections like these can take dramatic turns practically overnight.
“We have to take it day by day,” she said. “It’s a day by day issue.”
Last year’s spike in cases
Cases of Vibrio vulnificus spiked across the Gulf Coast last year, prompting Louisiana public health officials to issue warnings about a sharp increase in hospitalizations and deaths related to the bacterium last fall.
Most Gulf states are seeing fewer cases so far in 2026, though health officials say infections peak between May and October, when Gulf waters are warmest and residents are most likely to swim and fish. Rising summer temperatures and runoff from storms can also help Vibrio flourish.
In Mississippi, where a total of 58 Vibrio cases were reported in 2025, seven cases have been reported so far this year, none of which have proven fatal, according to data collected by the Mississippi State Department of Health. The rarer, flesh-eating species Vibrio vulnificus has been behind just one of those cases.
Twelve Vibrio infections have been reported to the Alabama Department of Public Health so far this year, and three of those cases involved Vibrio vulnificus specifically, according to ADPH spokesperson Ryan Easterling. One case proved deadly.
A total of 19 Vibrio cases were reported in Alabama last year, Easterling said.
Louisiana’s numbers were not immediately available, but by September of last year, Vibrio vulnificus had led to 26 hospitalizations and five deaths, compared to annual average of about 10 cases and one death over the previous decade.
Preventing infection
With much of Vibrio peak season left to go and an upcoming warm holiday weekend, Amanda Wilson worries cases along the Gulf Coast could spike.
She and doctors aren’t sure where exactly Steve Wilson contracted the infection. Could it have been when he poured a cup of Gulf water onto his boat to wash away a little blood from a caught fish, using his foot to splash the water around? Was it his dunk in the Jourdan River, shortly after the area saw massive flooding from Tropical Storm Arthur?
“The thing I want people to know is to think outside the box,” Amanda Wilson said.
Steve Wilson fishing in the Jourdan River on Saturday, June 27, 2026.
It’s easier than you might think to become infected, she said. It could be cutting yourself on something that’s been in the water recently, eating a bad oyster or going for a swim in the Gulf with a fresh tattoo.
Public health officials advise those with chronic health conditions to avoid eating raw oysters or undercooked shellfish, keep wounds covered when in brackish water and wear protective gloves when handling seafood. Wash any cuts exposed to seawater or raw seafood with soap and clean water, and seek medical care immediately if a wound shows signs of redness, swelling or blistering.
“It takes just as little as a bug bite that we were not even aware of,” Amanda Wilson said.
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 July 1, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from July 1 drawing
09-20-24-29-32
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 1 drawing
Midday: 4-3-0, FB: 4
Evening: 2-8-7, FB: 0
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 1 drawing
Midday: 1-6-1-7, FB: 4
Evening: 9-5-3-5, FB: 0
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from July 1 drawing
Midday: 09
Evening: 02
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.
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