Mississippi

Civil rights leader John Perkins to lie in state at Jackson City Hall

Published

2 months ago

March 17, 2026

Civil rights leader John Perkins to lie in state at Jackson City Hall

Civil rights leader John Perkins will lie in state at Jackson City Hall on Friday, March 20, in honor of his life, legacy and service to the city.

Jackson Mayor John Horhn announced the tribute in a press release Tuesday, March 16. Perkins will lie in state from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by a police motorcade escort to New Horizon Church International where a wake will be held at 5 p.m.

“Dr. John Perkins was one of the moral giants of our time, and our city is grieving his loss. He poured his life into the work of justice, reconciliation, and community, and Jackson is better because he chose to make this city his home,” Horhn said. “What I will remember most about Dr. Perkins is that he never gave up on people, and he never gave up on this city. On behalf of the City of Jackson, I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Dr. Vera Mae Perkins, to the Perkins family, to the Foundation, and to all who were shaped by his teaching and his example. As we mourn his passing, we also commit ourselves to carrying his work forward.”

Perkins died Friday, March 13 at his home under hospice care surrounded by his family members. He was 95. A leader of the civil rights movement, Perkins and his wife, Vera Mae Perkins, would start what would become one of Mississippi’s first Head Start programs. The pair also led the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation. He also authored several books and was honored with almost 20 honorary doctorate degrees and many awards for his service, including the Mississippi Medal of Service in 2010.

Perkins’ homegoing celeebration is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21 at New Horizon Church International with Horhn paying tribute. Other speakers announced include Perkins’ pastors and “Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson, pastor and author Rick Warren, senior pastor Tony Evans, pastor and broadcaster David Anderson, and U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson.

The service will be livestreamed on Youtube, which you can find at this link.

The internment is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday, March 22, at Oak Ridge Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in New Hebron, where Perkins was born. Instead of sending flowers, Perkins’ family asks that people donate to his foundation’s work at jvmpf.org/donate.

Charlie Drape is the Jackson beat reporter. You can contact him at cdrape@gannett.com.

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Mississippi

Mississippi State’s Roster Rebuild Added Another In-State Piece

Published

2 minutes ago

May 17, 2026

Press Room

Mississippi State’s Roster Rebuild Added Another In-State Piece

We interrupt your downpour of college baseball news for a reminder that some basketball programs are still building out their roster for next season.

Mississippi State landed a commitment from Ashton Magee on Saturday.

Magee becomes the latest piece in what has turned into a near-total roster rebuild for Mississippi State, and his addition fits the broader theme of what the staff has been chasing this spring.

He’s a 6-7 forward coming off his freshman year at Southern University, where he played steady rotation minutes and showed enough long-term upside to draw interest once he hit the portal. He’ll arrive in Starkville with three seasons of eligibility and the option to redshirt if the staff wants to stretch his development.

The Laurel native and South Jones product didn’t put up big numbers in Baton Rouge, but he played in 31 games and logged 350 minutes as a true freshman.

Magee shot 44.4 percent from the field, averaged 3.0 points and 1.7 rebounds, and got a taste of what a full college season feels like. Southern finished 17-17 and 11-7 in SWAC play, and Magee’s role grew as the year went on.

His path to Mississippi State has already taken a few turns. Magee originally committed to Kansas State out of high school before reopening his recruitment and signing with Southern.

Now he’s back in his home state with a chance to carve out a role on a roster that has plenty of room for new contributors.

And that’s the real context here. Mississippi State returns only one full-time starter in rising senior Josh Hubbard, who will carry the scoring load again.

King Grace is back after playing meaningful minutes as a freshman, and redshirts Cameren Paul and Tee Bartlett will finally get their first real look after sitting last season. Everything else is open. Everything else is up for competition.

Mississippi State Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker

Women

Incoming

Reese Beaty, 5-8, G, Fr. (Iowa State)
Aryss Macktoon, G, 5-11, So. (La Salle)
Arianny Francisco De Oliviera, F, 6-4, So. (Gulf Coast State College)
Macie Phifer, 6-1, G, Fr. (Middle Tennessee)
Cali Smallwood, 5-9, G, Jr. (UAB)

Outgoing

Awa Fane, 5-8, G, Jr.
Nataliyah Gray, 6-3, F, Fr.
Rocío Jiménez, 6-7, C, R-So.
Saniyah King, 5-7, G, So.
Jaylah Lampley, 6-2, Fr.

Men

Incoming

Thomas Bassong, 6-8, F, Fr. (Florida State)
RJ Johnson, 6-4, G, Jr. (Kennesaw State)
Ashton Magee, 6-7, F, Fr. (Southern)
ND Okafor, 6-7, F, Sr. (Washington State)
Kendyl Sanders, 6-8, F, Fr. (Utah)
Tajuan Simpkins, 6-4, G, (Seton Hall)

Outgoing

Gai Chol, 7-0, C, Jr.
Jamarion Davis-Fleming, 6-10, F, Fr.
Dellquan Warren, 6-2, G, So.
Amier Ali, 6-8, G/F, So.
Sergej Macura, 6-9, F, So.
Brandon Walker, 6-8, F, Sr.

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Mississippi

Alyssa Faircloth’s no-hitter is Mississippi State’s first in NCAA softball tournament

Published

12 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Press Room

Softball

May 16, 2026

Alyssa Faircloth’s no-hitter is Mississippi State’s first in NCAA softball tournament

May 16, 2026

Alyssa Faircloth threw a no-hitter in Mississippi State’s regional win over Oregon, the Bulldogs’ first in an NCAA tournament game. Watch the extended highlights from the no-hitter here.

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Mississippi

Why Mississippi State baseball pitching is struggling heading into SEC Tournament

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2026

Press Room

Why Mississippi State baseball pitching is struggling heading into SEC Tournament

Despite scoring 33 runs in its final three-game series, Mississippi State baseball didn’t leave College Station, Texas, with a series victory.

No. 10 Texas A&M beat the visiting No. 12 Bulldogs 7-6 on May 16. It was the rubber match of the three-game series. MSU (39-16, 16-14 SEC) won the first game 18-11 and Texas A&M (39-13, 18-11) took the second game 11-9.

The Bulldogs are still entering the postseason in good position. MSU will be anywhere between the No. 8 and No. 10 seed in the SEC Tournament and has a case to be awarded a top-16 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

MSU can hit and does it well. The Bulldogs entered May 16 with the No. 2 batting average in the SEC (.314) and the third-most runs (471). Pitching was more hit-or-miss.

Here’s what stood out regarding MSU’s pitching in the regular season finale as the Bulldogs head into the postseason.

Ryan McPherson is back, but can he find peak form?

Getting star sophomore Ryan McPherson back in any capacity is big for MSU, but the Bulldogs need him to look like his old self to have their best chance at a deep postseason run.

McPherson started Game 3 against Alabama. He pitched 2⅓ innings, allowing one earned run on 44 pitches. He got into some trouble in the third inning and was pulled.

McPherson has only pitched one other time since March 20, when he suffered a forearm strain against Vanderbilt. That was on May 9 vs Auburn, but he only threw 1⅓ innings before he injured his ankle after tripping behind home plate while backing up a potential throw in the second inning.

At his best, McPherson has lights-out stuff that can win a postseason game. He was 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA before getting injured.

Ben Davis quietly shined in bullpen

The MSU bullpen got plenty of action against Texas A&M. Senior reliever Ben Davis pitched all three days.

Davis threw one inning in the first game, 2⅓ in the second game and 1⅓ in the finale. Across the 4⅔-inning span, Davis allowed four hits and no earned runs. He struck out three.

It’s the first time this season Davis pitched three consecutive days.

Walks, not hits, cost Mississippi State the series

The Bulldogs outhit the Aggies 11-7 in Game 3, but the discrepancy in walks was too much to overcome.

MSU walked 13 batters and drew just one.

Four of the walks went on McPherson’s ledger, but the bullpen struggled with control as well. Five of the six relievers who pitched after McPherson walked at least one batter. Only 96 of the 176 pitches MSU threw were in the strike zone.

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_

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