Mississippi
‘It’s pretty crazy.’ Checks from MS church destroyed by tornado found 80 miles away
‘It’s just a reminder of how powerful these storms are and how far they can carry things and drop them off. It gives a whole new meaning to Air Mail, doesn’t it?’
Tornado in Mississippi
Eyewitness footage of cloud shaping into a wedge as it forms a tornado in near the Loyd Star Attendance Center in Brookhaven, Mississippi on Saturday, December 28, 2024.
Reuters
A Mississippi church was flattened on Dec. 28 as an outbreak of tornadoes passed through parts of the state and some of the contents of the church were found scattered in Rankin County up to about 80 miles away.
“There was a confirmed EF1 (tornado) that touched down within a mile of me,” said Ricky Flynt of Brandon. “We had some pretty intense winds for a minute or two.
“It didn’t get to us until about 10 minutes after seven o’clock. I think it came through Meadville about five.”
Flynt had been monitoring the weather as the deadly storms passed through Mississippi killing two people and injuring another 10. However, he didn’t know there was a connection between the weather that struck his area and the storm that struck the Meadville area and flattened a church until the next morning.
Tornado drops check from 1984 in Brandon, MS resident’s driveway
“I came out the next morning after it was light just to confirm any damage and to look around,” Flynt said. “Right there in my driveway was this folded-up, cancelled check.”
The check was from the now-flattened O’Zion Baptist Church located near Meadville and was written to the Franklin County Baptist Association in 1984. It had travelled just over 80 miles and wasn’t the only cancelled check found in the area.
“Since, I’ve heard about five or six checks landing in the Brandon area,” Flynt said. “It’s pretty crazy. Whatever was in that church got up into the atmosphere and was deposited in the Brandon area.”
MS man finds tornado-blown check while scouting for deer
John Beggerly of Florence found another check on Wednesday just east of Byram while scouting for a place to hunt on his family farm. It was written in 1982.
“That was one of the craziest experiences I’ve ever experienced,” Beggerly said. “I was on the edge of the woods in a pasture on our farm. I saw a piece of paper and it was sticking up.”
He said he picked it up and realized what it was because he’d seen a social media post about the check Flynt had found.
“It’s amazing how far stuff can travel,” Beggarly said. “I think it was 60 1/2 miles from the church to where I found it — pretty wild.”
Tornadoes can carry objects hundreds of miles
Pretty wild it is. According to Latrice Maxie, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson, debris can go remain aloft high in the sky for very long distances.
“They’re probably getting pulled up hundreds of feet, for sure,” Maxie said. “The circulations are much higher, but the tornadoes themselves can loft debris a couple of hundred feet in the air.”
In long-track tornadoes, Maxie said she’s heard of letters being found hundreds of miles from where they originated.
“It’s not uncommon for (tornadoes) that stay on the ground for a while,” Maxie said.
That was the case in spring of 2023 when a tornado struck the home of Susan Perry in Rolling Fork and scattered photos and other items of hers over a 200-mile track.
“It’s unbelievable that people are finding this,” Perry told The Clarion Ledger at the time. “It just amazes me that these things can travel so far.”
Pastor of MS church destroyed by tornado wants to use checks to tell story of event
Lance Moak is the pastor of O’Zion Baptist Church and said the checks were stored in the church on shelf above filing cabinets. He said everything on the shelf is gone, but checks keep showing up.
“I had one gentleman call me from Florence at 10:50 on Monday night,” Moak said. “He’d found a check from 1990 made out to one of our former pastors.
“It’s just a reminder of how powerful these storms are and how far they can carry things and drop them off. It gives a whole new meaning to Air Mail, doesn’t it? “
Like Flynt and Beggerly, the caller said he’d return the check. Those checks and others will serve as somewhat of a memorial.
“He’s actually going to mail that check back so we can put it up in the new church to tell about the history of this happening,” Moak said.
A GoFundMe account has been set up for those wishing to provide financial aid to rebuild O’Zion Baptist Church.
Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.
Mississippi
Post-Tropical Storm Arthur unleashes High Risk Level 4 flood threat to Mississippi | Latest Weather Clips | FOX Weather
Post-Tropical Storm Arthur unleashes High Risk Level 4 flood threat to Mississippi
The Mississippi coastline is under a rare Level 4 out of 4 High Risk flood threat as remnants of Post-Tropical Storm Arthur continue fueling hazards through late week. FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell brings us the latest live from Biloxi, Mississippi, where rain is already falling:
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 17, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from June 17 drawing
03-06-10-13-24
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 6-1-7, FB: 4
Evening: 6-4-0, FB: 5
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 9-8-4-1, FB: 4
Evening: 9-1-2-3, FB: 5
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 09
Evening: 11
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Story continues below gallery.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.
Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:
Mississippi Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 321462
Flowood, MS
39232
If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.
Mississippi Lottery Headquarters
1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100
Flowood, MS
39232
Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.
When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?
- Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.
When to call 911 and when to use non-emergency lines in Memphis, Shelby County
This video explains the importance of knowing when to call 911 for emergencies and when to use non-emergency lines for less critical situations.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is investigating a shoplifting call that resulted in the death of a one-year-old child in Northwest Mississippi.
The incident, which occurred on June 14, has led the family to hire a civil rights attorney, and the officer involved is facing repercussions. Protests have also broken out in response to the city’s lack of action against the officers involved in the incident.
Here is what to know about the situation so far.
Why were policed called to the Walmart in Senatobia?
On June 14, police were called to the Walmart on U.S. 51 in Senatobia regarding a shoplifting incident. Officers with the Senatobia Police Department and the Tate County Sheriff’s Office responded and, upon arrival, saw two subjects and a child fleeing from the store into a vehicle.
According to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, officers attempted to stop the vehicle as the driver drove toward them. One officer shot into the car as the car fled the scene.
Later, the subjects arrived at the local hospital, where the child, 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, was pronounced dead and another subject had critical injuries.
What happened to the officer?
On June 16, the city of Senatobia announced the police officer who shot and killed Wiley was placed on leave.
The announcement came shortly after police deployed tear gas on a group of protestors outside the Walmart where the incident took place. The Walmart was temporarily closed but reopened around 8:20 a.m., according to WMC Action News 5, The Commercial Appeal’s broadcast partner.
“We’re saddened by what took place at our Senatobia, MS, store,” a Walmart spokesperson told WMC. “The safety of our associates and customers is a top priority. We’re working with law enforcement as they continue investigating.”
Is the family taking legal action?
Wiley’s family retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, the attorney’s office announced on June 16.
“A 1-year-old child is dead because police officers in Mississippi opened fire on a car in a crowded Walmart parking lot,” said Crump in the statement. “Kohen Wiley was a baby. His mother, who has not been charged with any crime, says she was trying to communicate to officers that there was a baby in the car. They fired anyway, leading to the death of an innocent 1-year-old. We intend to seek justice for baby Kohen and the life that was stolen from him.”
Where is Senatobia?
Senatobia is roughly 40 miles directly south of Memphis and sits along Interstate 55 in Mississippi. According to the most recent Census, the city has a population of approximately 8,400 people.
Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal and Tennessee. She can be reached at jordan.green@commercialappeal.com
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