Mississippi
For North Mississippi, a return to normal still weeks away after historic ice storm
Ripley, Mississippi — A large white generator on a flatbed tow truck was a beacon of hope Thursday for the volunteer fire department in the small northern Mississippi community of Gravestown, which has been without power and running water for five days following an ice storm the likes of which the state hasn’t seen in more than 30 years.
“We’re very grateful for them,” Gravestown Fire Chief Kenny Childs told CBS News of the dozens of generators that have been distributed statewide by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the wake of the storm. “We had no water, no power, no nothing. So, you know, it is great.”
Childs said he’s been informed by the leadership of his local electric company that it will be another seven to 15 days before his community gets power restored, so the generator will be a crucial item for the near future.
“That’s a lot with no power,” Childs said.
FEMA has sent 90 generators to Mississippi since last weekend’s storm. Subcontractors hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are installing them at critical agencies and businesses, like long-term care facilities, hospitals, water districts and fire departments.
Childs said the generator at his fire house will not only help his team respond to emergencies, but it will also provide a warm shelter for Gravestown residents to come stay and charge their electronic items, such as cell phones.
“It will help the community, and it will help us, it’s wonderful,” Childs said.
Senior electrician Kenny Jones, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been traveling the Southeast for several days to help install the generators in hard-hit areas.
“It’s amazing,” Jones said. “Actually, you see the smile on people’s faces when you actually bring power to them, and they get hot water again and able to take showers. Just a cozy feeling on the inside.”
About an hour south, in Oxford, Mississippi, hundreds of power crews from several neighboring states have arrived to help repair miles of downed power lines the storm left in its wake.
Keith Hayward, CEO of the Northeast Mississippi Power Association, said the ice accumulation was overwhelming, despite an updated, more reinforced system in place.
“We believe we had an inch-and-a-quarter (of) ice over most of our system, which is basically a record for anything around this area,” Hayward said. “We’ve had tree damage that is unbelievable… and by the time the ice loading gets to that kind of loading, with an inch of ice on either side, those poles are holding up nearly 10,000 pounds of extra weight. And, so, you can just imagine when a tree falls and they have that extra weight, what it does to the power systems.”
He added, “We haven’t lost a ton of poles, but we have got a lot of wire on the ground. A lot of tree damage, a lot of vegetation damage. A lot of people have trees on their houses. They can’t get out of their driveways, and it is system wide. We cover 2,200 miles of primary line that we have over about a 75-mile radius, and it was from one side to the other.”
While he believes most customers will get power back on within the next three days, he says it could still be another week for some of his more rural customers.
That could spell out serious danger with another round of severe cold temperatures expected this weekend for the East Coast.
“It is very, very, disheartening for me… I grew up in this community. I’ve lived here my entire life,” Hayward said. “I feel for them, they have to go through these conditions and, you know, the loss that they’re suffering, not only from not having power, but the damage that they’ve had on their homes and things.”
For Oxford residents like Jerrica Pryor, a teacher at a local middle school, relief can’t come soon enough. With no power and no running water, she has been living off snack food, and spending time in her car to warm up periodically.
She uses a small space heater sparingly to warm up at night.
“It has been difficult,” Pryor said. “Lots of blankets, lots and lots of blankets.”
With tears in her eyes, she said she was most worried about her students and how they’re faring in the dark and cold.
“I do miss them, I just hope they’re well,” she said. “It hurts a little bit, because they are on a different side, and I’m able to stay warm, and I just hope they are as well.”
Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill said the city is doing everything possible to restore basic services to residents. She likened the storm to something more like a tornado.
Due to a water pressure issue, the city had to turn off water supplies to several neighborhoods to ensure the city’s hospital had enough water to care for patients. Tannehill believes the water pressure issue may have been caused by burst pipes that froze during the storm, or by heightened water demands from so many residents dripping pipes to prevent them from freezing and breaking.
Lafayette County Emergency Management has set up several new ready-to-eat meal and water distribution sites for residents in dire straights. The National Guard arrived in Oxford on Wednesday to help deliver those supplies to people in need.
Lafayette County, which includes the city of Oxford, has set a distribution limit of three days’ worth of supplies per person “to help ensure supplies reach as many residents as possible,” Lafayette County spokesperson Bo Moore said.
As of Thursday evening, Moore said nearly half of Lafayette County was still without power.
Moore also told CBS News the county is using the National Guard’s helicopter for medical transports to Memphis, Tennessee, because the roads are still too hazardous for ambulances to drive through safely.
“It’s going to be a long road to recovery,” Tannehill responded when asked when things may get back to normal. “It’s hard to even get our minds to that right now when we still have people without power and without water.”
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball could have its first position player picked in the first round of the MLB draft since 2020.
That’s where star third baseman Ace Reese is ranked ahead of the 2026 MLB Draft. He has two years of eligibility remaining but is not expected back with the Bulldogs because of his high draft ranking.
There are other draft outcomes that can impact MSU’s 2027 roster for coach Brian O’Connor’s second season. The draft begins July 11 (noon, NBC/Peacock) with Rounds 1-4 and continues July 12 with Rounds 5-20.
Here’s a look at where Mississippi State players are ranked for the draft, including high school signees.
MLB draft rankings for Ace Reese, other Mississippi State players
MLB.com’s list of the top 250 prospects has Reese at No. 18. He’s the highest-ranked third baseman. USA Today’s mock draft predicts the Miami Marlins to select Reese with the No. 14 pick, which has a slot value of nearly $5.5 million.
If Reese is picked in the top 10, he’d be Mississippi State’s first top 10 pick since Paul Maholm in 2003.
The only other Mississippi State player in MLB.com’s top 250 is relief pitcher Ben Davis at No. 232. Davis does not have any college eligibility remaining.
That does not mean there won’t be more MSU players drafted. MSU has two starters in particular, catcher Kevin Milewski and outfielder Aidan Teel, who are draft eligible. If they are drafted, they’ll have to decide whether to sign with the pro team or return to Mississippi State. Relief pitcher Maddox Webb is in the same situation.
None of Mississippi State’s incoming transfers are ranked as top 250 draft prospects.
Mississippi State baseball signees rankings for MLB draft
Mississippi State has the No. 6 recruiting class, according to Perfect Game, and there are many players who are draft risks.
Eight of the signees are ranked inside MLB.com’s top 250 with four in the top 100.
Catcher Will Brick is the top signee at No. 46 after reclassifying to the 2026 class. Shortstop Rocco Maniscalco is just behind him at No. 49, followed by pitchers Landon Brown (No. 77) and Denton Lord (No. 80).
Other signees in the top 250 are pitcher Wilson Andersen (No. 111), outfielder Martin Shelar (No. 175), pitcher Jake Carbaugh (No. 203) and shortstop Noah Danza (No. 239).
Last summer, Mississippi State got signees Jack Bauer and Jacob Parker to turn down the MLB draft and play for the Bulldogs. Bauer was ranked as the No. 44 prospect and Parker, who turned into a freshman All-American, was No. 109.
The deadline for draftees to sign contracts with pro teams is July 27 at 4 p.m. CT.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
Mississippi teen found dead on Horn Island. Investigation is ongoing
Authorities ID’d a body found on Horn Island as Mississippi teen Nolan Wells, who went missing on July 4. Deputies are investigating what happened.
Attorney Ben Crump says Nolan Xavier Wells’ family is pursuing an independent autopsy. Investigators continue working to determine what happened to the 18-year-old after his body was found on Horn Island this week.
Wells, 18, went missing on Saturday, July 4, after taking a boat to the island with friends. A body was found Monday, ending a two-day search.
Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd told the Sun Herald on Tuesday that the body was identified as Wells. The State Medical Examiner’s Office used dental records to confirm his identity. Officials did not release his cause of death.
In an exclusive interview with Don Lemon on Wednesday, Crump said the body was being flown to Washington, D.C., for a medical examiner to study.
Wells’ disappearance led to an outpouring of prayers, volunteer efforts and community support. By Wednesday morning, a GoFundMe to help the family had raised more than $237,000.
There are still many questions about why Wells was on the island after the boat with his high school friends left. What happened before his death remains unclear.
On Tuesday, his family hired nationally known civil rights attorney Crump and his team to help them find answers in the case.
What was Nolan Wells’ cause of death?
Crump said the second autopsy will find out “if he had any physical injuries to his body beyond drowning.” He was unaware of the physical condition of the body at the time of the interview.
The remains were being flown to Washington on Wednesday. Crump said his team expects the results on Friday.
Crump said investigators in Mississippi have not given them information about the state’s autopsy.
Crump says family is living in a nightmare
Crump told Lemon the family is living in a nightmare, and they still have many questions about the young man’s death.
He was clear, however, that his investigation is still in very early stages and they are not sure yet if they will find signs of foul play. If they do, he said, they will work with local law enforcement and the state if there’s anyone who should face criminal charges.
According to the attorney, the sheriff’s office has not shared information with the family about what happened and whether the sheriff’s office suspects criminal behavior.
“There’s no information that we have right now that would lead us to believe that a crime has occurred,” Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter told ABC News earlier this week.
He said the family has concerns about “inconsistencies” including texts deleted from Wells’ phone. They don’t want Wells’ death to be called an accident and swept under the rug if it wasn’t.
Crump said Wells had a tryout to play Division I football on Monday. The teen was reportedly avoiding substances that could affect his performance. His family said he was an extraordinary athlete and strong swimmer.
There was allegedly an argument on the island, Crump said. Now, Wells’ family isn’t accepting that his death could be a coincidence.
Lemon asked if they knew what the argument was and if Wells and his group were involved. Crump said they have an investigator talking to Wells’ friends. He plans to share the information when the issue becomes clear.
Crump said investigation, not speculation, is the goal.
Questions remain after Horn Island death
Ledbetter said the county’s investigation is still active.
According to reporting from TMZ, the sheriff’s office was investigating a video shared on social media that appears to show people arguing on Horn Island on the holiday. It’s unclear if the footage, which shows a crowded beach, is related to the case.
Crump and his legal team are planning their independent review. They have committed to urging “the timely release of all records, witness accounts, and autopsy findings.”
What investigators know so far
Wells was reported missing over the holiday weekend after traveling to Horn Island with friends on July 4. The barrier island is part of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Wells, who also went by Nono, was last seen on the northwest tip of Horn Island on the afternoon of Saturday, July 4. He did not come back to the mainland with his group, and his mom reported him missing that night.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office led a search on land and water Sunday and Monday. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, National Park Service employees and the U.S. Coast Guard helped with the search. The United Cajun Navy and other volunteers also worked to find Wells.
His mother, Christine Wonsley, said during the search that she and his father had received Wells’ phone. Location tracking wasn’t an option while they looked for him.
A park ranger found the body Monday morning. The identification was confirmed Tuesday following an autopsy.
Investigators are still trying to determine why he didn’t leave the island and who he was with. They’re limiting the information released at this time as deputies work to find witnesses and collect evidence.
Authorities seek witnesses, photos and video
Ledbetter issued a statement saying rumors, commentary and unchecked information spreading on social media have been a challenge in the investigation.
Deputies need to speak to people who were at Horn Island. They’re also looking for original photos, video or sound recordings.
They are asking anyone who saw or heard an “argument, disturbance or other unusual activity” on the island to come forward.
Call 228-769-3065 during regular business hours or 228-769-3063 after hours if you have firsthand information about the case.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY Network. Email her at bbolden@usatodayco.com.
PEARL, Miss. (WLBT) – Mississippi’s first Dutch Bros is now open in Pearl!
The coffee shop had its grand opening on Wednesday, July 8, around 5 a.m. It is located at 200 Bass Pro Dr.
To celebrate the grand opening, customers can enjoy $3 medium drinks on Wednesday.
Store hours are Sun-Thurs: 5 a.m.- 10 p.m., Fri-Sat: 5 a.m.- 11 p.m.
Dutch Bros now has stores in 26 states.
Want more WLBT news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email.
Copyright 2026 WLBT. All rights reserved.
-
Kentucky1 minute agoKentucky lawmakers hold town hall on AI data centers in Louisville
-
Louisiana6 minutes agoNorman C. Francis library naming honors Lafayette education legacy
-
Maine14 minutes agoLive updates: U.S. and Iran escalate attacks; jockeying starts in Maine after Graham Platner drops Senate bid
-
Maryland17 minutes agoHow the Baltimore-style hot dog tells a uniquely Maryland story
-
Michigan21 minutes agoMichigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status
-
Massachusetts29 minutes agoIs new construction right for you? There are benefits to buying a brand-new home in Massachusetts.
-
Minnesota32 minutes agoWhere to watch Cleveland Guardians vs Minnesota Twins: TV channel, start time, streaming for July 9
-
Mississippi37 minutes agoWhere Ace Reese, Mississippi State signees appear in latest MLB mock drafts
