Mississippi
Demolition prep collapses Mississippi bridge, kills three
Three people were killed and four were seriously injured Wednesday when a bridge in Mississippi collapsed while a work crew was preparing it for demolition, authorities reported.
The bridge over the Strong River on State Route 149 in Simpson County, located about 40 miles south of Jackson, had been closed to traffic since Sept. 18 due to a replacement project, according to the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
Gov. Tate Reeves confirmed the tragedy on social media, stating that first responders from the county and other state resources were on the scene, where they had confirmed three fatalities and multiple injuries.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also addressed the incident on social media, noting that the Federal Highway Administration was “engaging state officials concerning” the “premature collapse during demolition of a bridge on State Route 149 in Mississippi.”
Newsweek has reached out the Mississippi Department of Transportation for comment via email.
WAPT
Simpson County Sheriff Paul Mullins reported that three people were killed and four critically injured. Terry Tutor, the Simpson County coroner, told the New York Times that seven men were working on the bridge with heavy machinery when it collapsed, plummeting nearly 40 feet. Tutor confirmed that three of the men died, while four sustained injuries.
Mullins and Tutor did not immediately respond to requests for further information from The Associated Press. Attempts to reach T.L. Wallace Construction, the construction company involved, were unsuccessful, as calls went unanswered. The construction firm has also been asked to comment by Newsweek through email.
Department of Transportation spokesperson Anna Ehrgott indicated that his office would provide more details to the public as they became available. According to the department, one of its inspectors was present at the work site during the bridge collapse and was unharmed.
Paul Sancya/AP Photo
This incident raises concerns regarding safety protocols and inspections during bridge demolition projects. As investigations continue, local authorities and federal officials are due to examine the circumstances that led to the bridge’s failure, including the safety measures in place at the time of the collapse.
As the community mourns the loss of life and the injuries sustained during this tragic event, questions remain about how such a devastating incident could occur during a planned demolition.
WAPT
As details emerge, the focus for the authorities will be on ensuring the safety of construction crews, preventing similar incidents in the future and providing support to the families of the dead and injured.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
Mississippi
Minnesota stuns Mississippi with late comeback, buzzer-beater to advance to Sweet 16
Host Minnesota was in trouble against No. 5 seed Ole Miss on Sunday, trailing 54-46 heading into the fourth quarter.
But it rallied to stun Mississippi with a late comeback capped by a game-winning bucket in the final second to secure a 65-63 win.
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Minnesota tied the game at 61-61 with a Mara Braun 3 with 1:17 remaining.
The teams then traded buckets, setting up Amaya Battle as the hero for Minnesota. The Golden Gophers set up an inbounds play in the frontcourt with 3.5 seconds remaining and got the ball to Battle on the baseline.
Battle then pulled up for a step-back contested jumper that sank through the net for a 65-63 lead with 0.8 seconds remaining.
Mississippi’s desperation shot on the ensuing possession missed the mark, and Minnesota held on to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005.
Minnesota will take on the winner between No. 1 seed UCLA and No. 8 seed Oklahoma State in the Sacramento 2 regional semifinal.
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Minnesota bounces back after big Mississippi 3rd quarter
Buoyed by its home crowd, Minnesota limited Mississippi to 12 first-quarter points and left the stanza with a 17-12 lead. It then took a 32-29 lead into the halftime break.
But Mississippi opened the third quarter with a 3 and rode a 25-14 advantage in the quarter in to an eight-point lead heading into the fourth. The Golden Gophers were in trouble and looked primed for an upset at home.
But Minnesota finished the game on a 15-6 run, sparked by a Brylee Glenn 3 with 5:33 remaining, setting up Braun and Battle for their late heroics.
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Braun and Battle were also Minnesota’s leading scorers on the day. Braun finished with a team-high 17 points alongside 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals while shooting 4 of 5 from 3. Battled secured a double-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists.
As a team, Minnesota shot 45% from the field and 58% (7 of 12) from 3. Mississippi also shot well from deep while hitting 43% of its field goals and 46% (6 of 13) of its 3s. But it wasn’t enough to hold on for the win.
Mississippi
Mississippi Made brings artisans, food vendors to Laurel
LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) – Mississippi Made is an arts and crafts festival hosted by Laurel Mercantile that includes makers from all over Mississippi.
About 60 vendors gathered on March 21 to display their creative art for local residents and tourists to enjoy.
“It’s relaxing out here. My husband loves art, and I was like ‘hey, the local artisans from the hometown show are going to be in Laurel, my parents live an hour away,’” said Brandy Haynes of Fort Worth, Texas.
“I said we could go see my parents, and I mentioned it to my son and his fiancée, and they were like ‘Oh, we’ll come along.’”
Not only were there vendors showing off their arts and crafts, but there were also vendors selling food that satisfied the taste buds.
“We started the farm two years ago and started going to local markets just kind of doing greens, corn, peas and then we got into making things,” said John Dew, co-owner of Dew Kissed Farms.
Members of the Laurel Mercantile are grateful for the turnout at the event and glad to be a part of people’s new experiences.
“I just want to thank the community for coming out and supporting. The weather was great today, and lots of footsteps,” said senior store manager Erica Crowder.
“It was great to see so many new faces coming to shop at our stores this week.”
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Mississippi
How to Watch No. 6 Mississippi State vs. Vanderbilt at Dudy Noble Field
No. 6 Mississippi State won a low-scoring series opening game against Vanderbilt and Friday night. Now the two sides will meet again for a Saturday evening game. Here’s everything to know about the Bulldogs’ and Commodores’ second game of the weekend.
The Opponent: Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt brings a 13-9 overall record with it, including a series win over defending national champion and then 13th-ranked LSU at home last weekend. The Commodores are coming off a 5-1 loss to Indiana in Nashville on Tuesday.
Vandy is No. 2 nationally with 52 home runs, rank fourth in slugging (.603) and 10th in drawing walks (136). Tim Corbin’s club is batting .308 and scoring 8.6 runs per game. They have also stolen 26 bases in 31 attempts and have a fielding percentage of .979.
Brodie Johnston tops Vanderbilt hitting .393 while Braden Holcomb is tied for second in the league with 11 long balls to go along with 33 RBIs. Rigdon Rustan has been the Commodores biggest base thief with six steals in seven tries.
Fennell leads the way in strikeouts while Austin Nye, Nate Schlote and Adria Casoliba all sport flawless ERAs. Tristan Bristow and England Bryan are responsible for both of Vanderbilt’s saves this season.
Weather Forecast
Saturday should be another near-perfect night for a baseball game. The National Weather Service’s forecast is “clear, with a low around 61. South southwest wind around 5 mph.”
Vanderbilt
Out
P #43 Matthew Shorey
P #90 Miller Green
P #92 Adria Casoliba
P #99 England Bryan
Questionable
P #40 Austin Nye
C #44 Colin Barczi
Mississippi State
Probable
OF #5 Aidan Teel
How to Watch: Vanderbilt at No. 6 Mississippi State
- Who: Vanderbilt Commodores (13-10, 2-2 SEC) at No. 6 Mississippi State Bulldogs (18-4, 2-2 SEC)
- When: 6 p.m., Saturday
- Where: Dudy Noble Field, Starkville, Miss.
- TV: SEC Network
- Radio: Live Radio
- Stats: Live Stats
- Series History: Mississippi State leads the all-time series 77-59-2
- Last Meeting: Mississippi State 4, Vanderbilt 2 (Friday)
- Last time out, Bulldogs: def. Jackson State, 17-1
- Last time out, Commodores: lost to Indiana, 5-1
Pitching Matchup
- LHP Wyatt Nadeau (1-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. LHP Tomas Valincius (4-0, 1.30 ERA)
Mississippi State Batting Leaders
- Bryce Chance: .431/.552/.541, 1.093 OPS, 23 R, 25 H, 7 2B, 13 RBI, 11 BB, 3 K, 7 SB
- Reed Stallman: .375/.646/.484, 1.130 OPS, 9 R, 18 H, 4 2B, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 10 BB, 13 K, 2 SB
- Ace Reese: .375/.728/.453, 1.181 OPS, 26 R, 30 H, 11 2B, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 12 BB, 19 K, 2 SB
- Aidan Teel: .354/.521/.508, 1.029 OPS, 18 R, 17 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 13 BB, 12 K, 4 SB
Vanderbilt Batting Leaders
- Brodie Johnston: .393/.774/.475, 25 R, 33 H, 11 2B, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 13 BB, 11 K, 1 SB
- Braden Holcomb: .333.786/.420, 25 R, 28 H, 5 2B, 11 HR, 33 RBI, 14 BB, 23 K, 1 SB
- Ryker Waite: .333/.530/.521, 16 R, 22 H, 5 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 26 BB, 22 K, 5 SB
- Mike Mancini: .333/.650/.432, 18 R, 20 H, 4 2B, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 12 BB, 16 K, 5 SB
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