NEW ALBANY, Miss. (WTVA) – An inmate being held at Union County Jail was found dead in his cell Saturday afternoon.

Union County Sheriff Jimmy Edwards says 36-year-old Kenneth Bennett of Blue Springs, Miss. died of an apparent suicide. A detention officer found him at around 4 p.m.

Bennett was being held in Union County for MDOC on a charge of commercial burglary and grand larceny.

MBI is now investigating the death.

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The Miss Mississippi competition is part of an almost century-long history of the Miss America Competition. Each year, dozens of hopefuls compete in various categories to win scholarships and the chance to compete on the national level.

This year’s Miss Mississippi competition will take place in Vicksburg in early June and will include three days worth of preliminary competitions leading up to the big finale.

The lucky winner will serve as Miss Mississippi for the next year, taking over the crown from last year’s winner Vivian O’Neal.

More on O’Neal: Vivian O’Neal competes for Miss America crown. Here’s how to watch

The preliminaries

Many are familiar with the extravagant final competition held on a summer night in Vicksburg. However, in the days leading up to the final event, there are several preliminary competitions in which contestants compete in various categories, including evening wear, talent and health and fitness.

The categories are not separated by the three nights. Instead, each preliminary competition will include a full show of each of those categories. Each contestant will compete in all preliminary categories on one of the three nights. For example, one contestant may compete in talent on one night and then in evening wear the next.

Here is a schedule of the 2024 Miss Mississippi preliminary competitions. Each of the competitions will take place in the Vicksburg Convention Center.

• 7 p.m., June 5
• 7 p.m., June 6
• 7 p.m., June 7

The final competition

Months of anticipation from the contestants and the audience will come to a head Saturday night, June 8, in the Vicksburg Competition Center.

The top ten contestants from the preliminary rounds will compete for the crown.

Here’s how to watch the final night:

• Final Competition: 8 p.m., June 8

The final competition will livestream on missmisslive.com.

Ticket packages including all three preliminary competitions and the final competition are $155 each and are sold on the Miss Mississippi website.

How to watch

Ticket packages including all three preliminary competitions and the final competition are $155 each and are sold on the Miss Mississippi website.

The three preliminary competitions and the final competition will livestream on missmisslive.com.

Here’s a list of channels that will air the competitions:

• WDAM Hattiesburg
• WLBT Jackson
• WLOX Biloxi
• WMC Bounce Memphis
• WTVA Tupelo
• WTOK Meridian

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More events to attend

Leading up to the competitions, Miss Mississippi has planned several events to engage the contestants and the audience.

Here are some events to attend this year in advance of the competition:

• Miss Mississippi Parade and Autograph Party: 7 p.m., June 3, downtown Vicksburg
• Kirk Chevrolet Autograph Party: 10 a.m., June 5, 2330 North Frontage Rd., Vicksburg
• Downtown Vicksburg Autograph Party: 10 a.m., June 6, shops in downtown Vicksburg

Got a news tip? Contact Mary Boyte at mboyte@jackson.gannett.com

The Mississippi State baseball team had a chance to send Saturday’s game against Virginia into extra innings before second baseman Amani Larry botched a double-play opportunity to give the Cavaliers a win and a big advantage heading into day three of the Charlottesville Regional.

Virginia went up 2-0 in the bottom of the second when Eric Becker tripled to right center, sending Henry Godbout and Jacob Ference across home plate. Mississippi State didn’t wait long to take its first lead off a three-run home run from first baseman Hunter Hines in the top of the third. The Bulldogs added another run in the top of the fourth off a Virginia throwing error.

BANG💥

📺» https://t.co/1n7mxX4Xcp#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/bj6SsXTQQN

— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) June 1, 2024

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Mississippi State starting pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje continued to settle in over the next couple of innings with the help of his infielders making some big plays, including this highlight-reel catch by Hines to close out the fifth.

Hunter Hines flashing the leather!

📺» https://t.co/1n7mxX4Xcp#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/O2NlJOjKoP

— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) June 1, 2024

To the surprise of some, Bulldogs head coach Chris Lemonis allowed Cijntje to take the mound to start the seventh even though the switch pitcher had already exceeded his season-high pitch count. The move did not pay off as Virginia’s Becker knocked in two runs off a single to tie the game up with no outs. Tyson Hardin entered in relief and was able to get Mississippi State out of the inning with no further damage.

In the top of the ninth, the Bulldogs had a chance to retake the lead as David Merson forced a two-out walk. Dakota Jordan, who saved game one on Friday with an extra innings walk-off home run against St. John’s, hit a single that barely made it through the left side of the infield and with some aggressive baserunning, Mershon made it to third. With two runners on and a chance at a go-ahead hit, Hines’ heroics were exhausted as he grounded out to end the frame.

Harrison Didawick started the bottom of the ninth with a ground-rule double that hopped over the left field fence. Godbout then walked with Becker reaching on a fielder’s choice to put a runner on first and third for Virginia. That’s when the miscue at second base happened as the Cavaliers celebrated the latest walk off this year’s postseason has seen.

HOOS WALK IT OFF!!!!!!

📺: @accnetwork | #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/xqxhwk8VN7

— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) June 2, 2024

Mississippi State will be back up against St. John’s on Sunday with an 11 a.m. CT first pitch set for the elimination game. Whoever wins will face off against Virginia at 5 p.m. CT with two wins needed to overcome. If a second game is forced, that will be played on Monday at a time to be determined. The Cavaliers need just one more win to advance to a super regional.