Mississippi
Jackson puts Mississippi on notice: Take back Medgar Evers Boulevard
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The Jackson City Council, backed by Mayor John Horhn, is pushing Mississippi to reclaim Medgar Evers Boulevard — a move supporters say is long overdue, and critics say jumps the gun under state law.
The resolution asks the Mississippi Transportation Commission and Mississippi Department of Transportation to resume responsibility for the roadway, describing it as “a major roadway of statewide importance” whose long-term maintenance requires state-level resources.
But council members were split over whether the city should formally ask for the transfer now or wait until the road meets state construction standards, a legal requirement that remains unresolved.
How Medgar Evers Boulevard became a city road
During the meeting, Horhn said the city’s responsibility for Medgar Evers Boulevard dates back to a very different era at City Hall.
In 1986, then-Mayor Dale Danks asked the state to hand over several major highways inside Jackson’s city limits, including Medgar Evers Boulevard, State Street, Woodrow Wilson Avenue, and parts of U.S. Highway 80. At the time, Danks said the city could maintain them better on its own as “the city was flush with cash.”
That calculation didn’t age well. While Jackson may have had plenty of dollars to spend in the 1980s, Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes’ resolution notes the “City of Jackson is currently experiencing financial and operational constraints that limit its ability to adequately maintain major state-designed thoroughfares.”
In 2002, the Legislature changed the rules, passing a law that says if a city wants to give a road back, it has to first bring it up to state construction standards. It was this law, Mississippi Code § 65-3-99, that gave Ward 7 Councilman Kevin Parkinson pause about the resolution.
Medgar Evers Boulevard, Parkinson said, does not yet meet those standards. Parkinson proposed amending the resolution to request the transfer only after the road meets state standards. That amendment failed on a 2-5 vote. Only Parkinson and Ward 4 Councilman and Council President Brian Grizzell voted in favor of the amendment.
“Some would say it makes us look a little foolish to pass a resolution knowing that it can’t be done at this time,” Parkinson said. “I don’t want to vote this down because I really, really, really want to give this to the state. But the reality is, it’s not going to happen now.”
Stokes: waiting misses the point
Stokes, who authored the resolution and represents the area Medgar Evers Boulevard runs through, said he disagreed with waiting.
Stokes said he believes the condition of the road — and the state’s role in maintaining it — can’t be separated from its history and who it was named after.
“Once Medgar Evers’ name became a part of Highway 49, some hateful spirits took place,” Stokes said. “You do not punish a city because you name a street for a Black man.”
Stokes also argued that the city does not have the same financial capacity as the state to maintain a major highway, pointing to the condition of U.S. Highway 49 outside Jackson’s city limits as a comparison.
“If Rankin County’s Highway 49 can look the way it looks, then Jackson’s Highway 49 should look the same way,” Stokes said.
In 2022, MDOT completed a major widening of U.S. Highway 49 in Rankin County, a $253 million project that expanded 7.5 miles of the corridor, according to the Rankin First Economic Development Authority.
Federal money already in play
The council debate comes as major improvements to Medgar Evers Boulevard are already underway.
In 2024, then-U.S. Transportation Secreatry Pete Buttigieg visited Jackson to mark the start of “The Medgar Evers Boulevard Project,” a multimillion-dollar reconstruction project along roughly 1.5 miles of the corridor.
The project is funded through a $20 million federal grant awarded in 2021. The City of Jackson is required to provide a local match of $17 million, according to Horhn. Additional roads, such as Woodrow Wilson Avenue, McDowell Road, McDowell Road Extension, could also benefit from those funds, Horhn said.
Planned improvements include sidewalks and streetlights, road repairs, medians and upgrades to sewer and stormwater infrastructure. Construction of the project is expected to be completed this year.
Horhn: vote sets intention
Horhn referenced that federal investment during the council meeting, saying the project would bring Medgar Evers Boulevard up to state standards — clearing the legal pathway for a transfer.
But he said he did not have an issue with the council going on the record now about wanting the state to take control of the boulevard, as Parkinson argued against.
“This doesn’t make us look foolish,” Horhn said. “It sets an intention in motion.”
Horhn said he has spoken with Central Commissioner Willie Simmons of the Mississippi Transportation Commission, who indicated the state would have no issue resuming control of the road once it meets code.
While the vote does not immediately shift responsibility for Medgar Evers Boulevard, it formally places Jackson on record asking the state to take back one of the city’s most visible — and most contested — roadways.
In the end, the resolution passed in a 4-2-1 vote. Stokes, Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley, Ward 6 Councilwoman Lashia Brown-Thomas and Parkinson, though he voiced opposition at first, voted in favor. Ward 1 Councilman Ashby Foote and Grizzell voted against. Ward 2 Councilwoman Tina Clay abstained.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.
Charlie Drape is the Jackson beat reporter. You can contact him at cdrape@gannett.com.
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.
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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.
Mississippi
Police investigating video of Nolan Wells’ alleged argument on Horn Island before Mississippi teen went missing
MIAMI – Police are said to be investigating a video that allegedly shows a heated argument before Mississippi teen Nolan Xavier Wells went missing and was later found dead – as his grandfather said: “There’s nothing right about this.”
The 18-year-old star football player vanished during a Fourth of July boat trip with friends Saturday and a body which authorities said matched his description was found Monday morning.
Wells was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday “talking to a girl” at the north end of Horn Island, a popular barrier island about 10 miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the Cajun Navy Jackson County Sheriff’s Department said.
Law enforcement have been looking into a viral clip circulated online which appears to show several people having an “intense” argument near the shoreline, TMZ reported.
It sparked speculation that the tense moment could be connected to Wells’ disappearance.
However, authorities have not confirmed that the footage is authentic or whether the people seen in it have any connection to the college student.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said that Wells’ friends had left the island and gone back without him, ABC News reported.
“From what we understand, he chose to stay there,” Ledbetter added.
Ledbetter said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon that officers want to speak with anyone who “observed or heard an argument, disturbance, or other unusual activity while on the island that day.”
Meanwhile, the family of the teen – who played as a wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College – said they were seeking answers.
“Too many unanswered questions — how can a Island that was searched yesterday produce my grandsons body this morning,” his grandfather Christopher Wells Sr. wrote on Facebook on Monday.
“There’s nothing right about this, Nolan Xavier Wells deserved the same things that people he knew and associated with will enjoy in life.”
Wells Sr. later said Wells’ mom Christine and dad Elmore had “prayed for a positive outcome but they also had to prepare themselves for the worst”, adding that “it’s time for answers.”
Photos of the 6-foot-1, 180-pound teen showed him shirtless while sporting blue swim trunks, sunglasses and grinning alongside friends on a boat before he went missing.
The United Cajun Navy non-profit disaster relief organization launched aerial reconnaissance during the search to scour the waters between Horn Island and Ship Island, stretching south to the Chandelier Islands.
The United States Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department also reportedly assisted in the frantic search.
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