Mississippi

Former Hinds County supervisor scores victory in Mississippi Supreme Court

Published

2 years ago

September 12, 2024

Former Hinds County supervisor scores victory in Mississippi Supreme Court

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A former Hinds County supervisor challenging his 2023 election loss has won a major victory in the Mississippi Supreme Court.

On Thursday, the justices overturned the Hinds County Circuit Court’s decision to toss out David Archie’s election challenge, saying the former supervisor did not file the challenge within the 10 days allotted under state statute.

Archie appealed that decision, saying he couldn’t file his appeal on time because the Hinds County Circuit Clerk’s Office was closed due to a cyber-attack.

[READ: Services still on pause in Hinds County after ransomware attack]

The high court ruled that it didn’t have enough evidence to determine whether the clerk’s office was open and remanded it back to the lower court for an evidentiary hearing.

“The only issue on appeal is whether the circuit clerk’s office was opened or closed on September 7, 2023,” the justices wrote. “Because the evidence is insufficient for an appropriate determination regarding whether the office was closed… this court vacates the trial court’s order and remands the case for a more thorough evidentiary hearing.”

Archie is challenging his loss to Anthony Smith in the 2023 Democratic Party primary. He first appealed the decision to the Hinds County Democratic Executive Committee, which ruled in favor of Smith. He then appealed it to the circuit court. However, a special appointed judge tossed out the case because Archie filed the appeal a day too late.

Archie, though, said he couldn’t file because the circuit clerk’s office was closed, the lights were off, and the doors were locked.

Smith argued Archie could have filed his appeal that morning, rather than waiting until the afternoon. Circuit Clerk Zack Wallace, meanwhile, says he was at the office working at the time, and Archie could have contacted him via his cell phone.

Regarding Smith’s argument, justices wrote, “The public at large, including litigants, is entitled to rely on the hours during which the clerk’s office is required by law to remain open, whether that be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or slightly adjusted hours as published by the board of supervisors. The public is not required to anticipate an unlawful closure… when conducting business.”

The court also rejected Wallace’s claims that Archie could have called Wallace.

“Whether a courthouse or clerk’s office is ‘open’ or ‘closed’ pursuant to statute does not hinge on, or indeed have anything to do with, whether the purported filer happens to have the circuit clerk’s cell phone number.”

The Supreme Court also found flaws in the circuit court’s decision, saying that the lower court only found the courthouse was open, but did not include findings about the circuit clerk.

“Archie certainly produced compelling evidence that the clerk’s office was closed, alleging that it was locked and had the lights off and that no one appeared to be there,” the ruling states. “Wallace admits that the doors were locked to the public, and his affidavit is silent on whether the lights were off or whether any employees were present… The affidavit merely contains a conclusory statement that the office was ‘open…’ with no indication regarding how the public might ascertain that the office was open for business.”

The Supreme Court also didn’t have enough information on the drop-off basket that Wallace says was outside the office for filings to be submitted when it was closed.

“It does not detail whether the basket made clear to the public that they can conduct business on the same day through the basket, or whether the basket is secure,” the court wrote. “Indeed, it is not guaranteed that the filing of papers may ‘be effective by leaving them in a closed or vacant office.’”

“Without any of these facts, it is impossible to tell whether the clerk’s office was actually open to the public for business after it was clearly established that the doors were, in fact, locked.”

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Mississippi

What channel is Mississippi State baseball vs Ole Miss on today? Time, TV schedule to watch college baseball game

Published

6 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

What channel is Mississippi State baseball vs Ole Miss on today? Time, TV schedule to watch college baseball game

Mississippi State baseball, coming off a sweep of Vanderbilt, travels to Ole Miss for a three-game series, starting on March 27.

The Bulldogs (21-4, 4-2 SEC) swept Vandy last weekend in Starkville to move above .500 in league play after two weeks.

Ole Miss (19-7, 3-3) took two of three games from Kentucky last weekend in Oxford.

Mississippi State and Ole Miss will also play on April 28 in Pearl.

Here’s how you can watch Mississippi State baseball vs Ole Miss:

Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss on March 27 will be televised via streaming on SEC Network+, which is housed on the ESPN app and can be accessed via a SEC Network subscription. If you are subscribed to SEC Network, you can access SEC Network+ online.

Game 1 start time: 6:30 p.m on March 27, SEC Network+
Game 2 start time: 1:30 p.m. on March 28, SEC Network+
Game 3 start time: 3 p.m on March 29, SEC Network

Feb. 13: Hofstra, W 6-5
Feb. 14: Hofstra, W 6-1
Feb. 14: Hofstra, W 7-5
Feb. 17: Troy, W 13-7
Feb. 18: Alcorn State, W 19-0 (7 innings)
Feb. 20: Delaware, W 9-2
Feb. 21: Delaware, W 10-0 (8 innings)
Feb. 22: Delaware, W 7-3
Feb. 24: Austin Peay, W 16-3 (7 innings)
Feb. 27: vs. Arizona State in Arlington, Texas, W 8-4
Feb. 28: vs. Virginia Tech in Arlington, Texas, W 15-8
March 1: vs. UCLA in Arlington, Texas, L 8-7 (10 innings)
March 3: at Southern Miss, L 7-6
March 5: Lipscomb, W 8-3
March 6: Lipscomb, W 9-4
March 7: Lipscomb, W 26-0 (7 innings)
March 10: vs. Tulane in Biloxi, W 11-7
March 13: at Arkansas, L 5-4
March 14: at Arkansas, W 7-2
March 15: at Arkansas, L 7-3
March 17: Jackson State, W 17-1 (7 innings)
March 20: Vanderbilt, W 4-2
March 21: Vanderbilt, W 7-2
March 22: Vanderbilt, W 17-7 (7)
March 24: Southern Miss, W 12-0 (7)
March 27: at Ole Miss, 6:30 p.m on SEC Network+
March 28: at Ole Miss, 1:30 p.m on SEC Network+
March 29: at Ole Miss, 3 p.m on SEC Network
March 31: Grambling
April 2-4: Georgia
April 7: UAB
April 10-12: Tennessee
April 14: at Samford
April 17-19: at South Carolina
April 21: Memphis
April 24-26: LSU
April 28: vs. Ole Miss in Pearl, Miss.
May 1-3: at Texas
May 5: Nicholls
May 7-9: Auburn
May 14-16: at Texas A&M

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Mississippi

Diamond Dawgs Set For Top 20 Showdown In Oxford – Mississippi State

Published

18 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Diamond Dawgs Set For Top 20 Showdown In Oxford – Mississippi State

OXFORD – No. 6 Mississippi State carries momentum and confidence into one of college baseball’s fiercest rivalries this weekend, traveling to face No. 18 Ole Miss in a three-game Southeastern Conference series at Swayze Field.

The Diamond Dawgs arrive in Oxford riding a five-game winning streak and carrying plenty of momentum into one of the league’s premier matchups. MSU sits at 21-4 overall and 4-2 in conference play, while the Rebels enter at 19-6 and 3-3 in the SEC.

Mississippi State has been one of the most complete teams in the country through the first half of the season. The Bulldogs are hitting .347 as a team with a .452 on-base percentage and 39 home runs, consistently putting pressure on opposing pitching staffs. Ole Miss counters with plenty of power of its own, already launching 46 homers while posting a .500 slugging percentage.

The engine for State’s offense has been graduate outfielder Bryce Chance, who leads the SEC with a .452 batting average and has struck out just three times all season. All-American infielder Ace Reese continues to anchor the middle of the lineup with a team-high seven home runs and 34 RBIs, while Noah Sullivan and Aidan Teel provide consistent production around them to give the Diamond Dawgs one of the deepest lineups in the league.

Mississippi State will lean on its weekend rotation that has begun to separate itself as a strength. Left-hander Charlie Foster is expected to get the ball in Friday’s opener. The Bulldogs will then turn to sophomore standout Tomas Valincius on Saturday. The southpaw has been dominant, going 5-0 with a 1.04 ERA and 47 strikeouts, highlighted by a 14-strikeout performance in his last outing. Right-hander Duke Stone is slated for Sunday and brings a 4-0 record with him into the series.

Ole Miss is expected to counter with left-hander Hunter Elliott in the opener, a veteran arm with a 3-0 record and 44 strikeouts, followed by right-hander Hudson Calhoun on Saturday. The Rebels have yet to announce a starter for the series finale. As a staff, Ole Miss owns a 3.56 ERA with 293 strikeouts, setting up a matchup between two pitching groups capable of missing bats at a high level.

While the Bulldogs have dominated at home — winning 19 straight games at Dudy Noble Field dating back to last season — this weekend presents another opportunity for State to prove itself away from Starkville. MSU is 1-3 in true road games this year but has shown the ability to compete against elite competition throughout the early part of the schedule.

The rivalry history leans in Mississippi State’s favor, with the Bulldogs holding a 268-213-5 advantage in the all-time series. State has also won two straight meetings between the programs, adding another layer of confidence heading into the weekend.

Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the baseball program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching ‘HailStateBB’ on X, Facebook and Instagram.Top of Form

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Mississippi

MS turkey hunter who thought hunt was ruined bags bird of a lifetime

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

MS turkey hunter who thought hunt was ruined bags bird of a lifetime

‘I would call him a hybrid between a smoke phase and a red phase. He’s not a true smoke phase because of all the red in him.’

A Mississippi hunter bagged a rare, reddish-colored turkey after a frustrating start to his hunting season.
The turkey’s unique coloration is described as a hybrid between a smoke phase and a red phase.
According to a wildlife official, this genetic mutation is exceedingly rare, especially in male turkeys.

A Mississippi turkey hunter’s season wasn’t off to a good start, but with a change in plans, a little scouting, some luck thrown in, he bagged a rare reddish-colored turkey and it’s considered a bird of a lifetime.

“I’d been hunting the same bird since opening day,” said Barrett Clark of Strong, which is located near West Point. “He finally frustrated me enough to where I just needed to go look for another bird.”

Clark wasn’t able to connect with the gobbler he was after. So, on Friday, March 20, he decided to check another property. He located a few gobblers that afternoon, but one looked different. It appeared to have a lighter color than normal, but Clark figured it was just the way the sunlight was hitting the bird.

The following morning, Clark and his father, Larry Clark, returned to the area in hopes of getting a shot at one of the birds.

A turkey hunt that was almost ruined

“We met and went in early Saturday morning,” Clark said. “We were probably 300 yards away from him when he started gobbling. It was right at sunrise. He was gobbling off the roost.”

The gobbler flew off the roost and continued to gobble. Clark said he lightly called the bird. Then, a gunshot rang out from a nearby property and the gobbling stopped. To make matters worse, minutes later a coyote appeared and it looked like he was after the turkey that had been gobbling.

“That coyote came within 15 feet of my dad and ran straight to where the turkey had been gobbling,” Clark said. “We thought our hunt was boogered up.”

MS hunter shoots turkey with strange colors

The hunt wasn’t over, though. About 10 or 15 minutes later the gobbling resumed and Clark lightly called back. A little later, Clark saw a turkey through the trees in the neighborhood of 100 yards away.

“I was really just seeing his head move,” Clark said. “I would see his fan occasionally, but it was mostly just his head. I could tell he was lighter, but I really wasn’t focused on that. I was trying to stay still and make a good shot.”

Clark said he was hunting in pines that were maybe 10 years old, and the understory was thick. The bird came within 50 yards of him, but there was no shot. The bird began to walk away but stepped into an opening, and Clark pulled the trigger of his 20-gauge shotgun.

Clark still didn’t understand what he’d shot. He said it was only when he and his father got closer that they realized how unusual it was.

“We could tell it was something that neither of us had ever seen,” Clark said.

What is it, and how rare is this turkey?

The bird is a light rust or cinnamon color and lacks any normal coloration, but putting a label on it isn’t easy.

“I would call him a hybrid between a smoke phase and a red phase,” said Caleb Hinton, Wild Turkey Program coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. “He’s not a true smoke phase because of all the red in him.”

Hinton couldn’t put a number on it, but he said a genetic trait like this is very rare.

“Like all the genetic mutations, it’s exceedingly rare in the wild,” Hinton said.

And for a gobbler to express such a genetic trait is even more rare. Hinton said that upwards of 95% of the turkeys that express such traits will be hens, not gobblers.

“It’s just a once-in-a-lifetime trophy for the hunter,” Hinton said.

A lifelong outdoorsman and wildlife enthusiast, Brian Broom has been writing about hunting, fishing and Mississippi’s outdoors for the Clarion Ledger for more than 14 years. He can be reached at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.

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