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Madeline Heim brings passion for people to coverage of Mississippi River, the environment

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Madeline Heim brings passion for people to coverage of Mississippi River, the environment


Madeline Heim gets enthused talking about wetlands or watersheds. Her voice picks up a tone of wonder at the mention of “dark skies.” And it carries a bit of an edge on the subject of climate change.

That’s the best kind of reporter — someone who doesn’t just “do” a beat, but “speaks” it, and it’s why Heim is so good at reporting on the environment, and specifically the Mississippi River basin.

Born in Menomonee Falls, educated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Heim has a deep appreciation for the state, its resources, and the people who live here.

Before joining the Journal Sentinel, she covered education at the Winona Daily News, and health and science at the Appleton Post-Crescent. The latter job involved covering the mushrooming COVID pandemic, where she became something of a legend among Gannett Wisconsin editors for the quality and quantity of her work.

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Since joining the Journal Sentinel, she has contined to bring an authoritative voice to her work. And speaking of voices, she is called upon with some regularity to speak on the environment in public, a task at which she excels.

This week, she joins colleague Caitlin Looby in looking at the astonishing impact climate change had on weather in 2024, breaking one record after another.

Get to know Journal Sentinel reporter Madeline Heim:

What drew you to journalism?

I’ve loved stories and writing since I was a little kid, and back then, I had aspirations of becoming a bestselling author. When I eventually realized that career path is pretty rare, I asked my high school English teacher what else I could do with a flair for the written word, and she suggested journalism. 

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My first reporting experience didn’t come until my freshman year of college, working for the Daily Cardinal at UW-Madison. I covered student government meetings every week and conducted all my interviews in the hallway outside our office because I was too nervous to do them in front of my fellow staff members. 

I liked what I did, but I really fell in love with journalism during a summer internship for what’s now the Suburban team of the Journal Sentinel. My editors pushed me out of my comfort zone every day of those three months, assigning me to breaking news, courthouse coverage and even food reviews at the county fair. Near the end, I wrote what would turn out to be an award-winning series about what it’s like to experience homelessness in one of Wisconsin’s richest counties. 

It was never about the award, of course. I found that I had unlocked a deep motivation to make my sources feel seen in my work — and more than that, my passion for reporting stories that challenge readers’ perspectives, humanize their neighbors and teach them something along the way. That’s at the heart of how I approach journalism today. 

You covered the COVID-19 pandemic. What was that like?

Before I came to the Journal Sentinel, I wrote about health and science for the Appleton Post-Crescent and the USA TODAY Network in Wisconsin. In early March 2020, I was wrapping up a journalism conference in Washington, D.C., when my editor called me and said we needed to have a serious conversation when I got home about how we would cover coronavirus. He seemed to see the writing on the wall about what lay ahead, and sadly, he was right. 

Leading coverage of the pandemic for our network was exhausting and, at times, devastating. Early on, I attempted to make sense for readers of what we knew about COVID-19 (very little). I felt a glimmer of hope reporting on the first vaccines to come to the Fox Valley, and fielded hundreds of calls from people who were confused about their rollout. My hope dulled with the onset of the delta and omicron variants, when I wrote about hospitals so full they were transferring patients for care; the slow discovery of “long COVID”: and the taxing mental toll the situation was taking on health care workers, many of whom told me they never would have signed up to witness so much dying. 

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Some days I felt like I was drowning in death numbers and reports of dwindling hospital beds, and the stories I wrote made me go to bed crying. On better days, I felt like I was making a difference — like when I reported tips about making it through a socially distanced winter from a scientist based at the South Pole, or profiled the first person to die of COVID in Outagamie County, a story his family said brought them peace. 

Above all, I sought to demonstrate every day that all the numbers that told the story of the pandemic weren’t just numbers. They were people. 

Why did you make the switch to covering environmental news?

After covering the pandemic’s onslaught of breaking news for more than two years, I needed a change. I had dabbled in environmental reporting at the Post-Crescent, but when I saw the Journal Sentinel was hiring a reporter to cover western Wisconsin and the Mississippi River basin, I jumped at it. 

If you’ve read any of my previous columns, you know about my obsession with the river. (Nowadays, I get texts from friends anytime they cross it, if that tells you anything.) It has been my great honor to inform Journal Sentinel readers about the challenges it’s facing — like dying floodplain forests, excessive flooding that’s eroding sacred Indigenous mounds, and how climate change is affecting wildlife habitat and river traditions. 

My love for people-centric stories at first made the shift to writing about the environment seem daunting. But I soon realized that my favorite types of stories on this beat have been about people who love the environment, and why — like a commercial fisherman who knows the Mississippi like the back of his hand, a man who collects thousands of acorns a year to replenish forests or a sweet musical group that writes meaningful river tunes.  

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Next year, I hope to continue this work and marry it with my prior beat, putting a spotlight on the growing ways the environment affects our health. If you’ve got a story you think should be written, I want to hear from you. 

What’s your favorite part of the job? 

Especially as an environmental journalist, I find so much joy in getting out in the field and hearing people talk about their favorite wild places and things. 

Last summer, I stood calf-deep in the Chippewa River watching researchers carefully transfer endangered freshwater mussels to the river bottom in hopes they’d thrive there. I’d never thought much about mussels before, but the excitement that day was infectious. 

My job doesn’t always have me on fun field trips, of course, but there are tons of little moments like this. I do my best to soak it all in. 

What are your interests outside of work? 

When I’m not reporting or writing, I’m chipping away at a lengthy to-be-read pile of fiction and nonfiction, going to yoga and dance classes, exploring new state parks and cuddling with my sassy cat, Annie. 

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I also volunteer at Simpson Street Free Press, a Madison-based literacy and writing organization where kids get to see their stories published in a newspaper. Every week, these students challenge me, make me laugh, keep me up-to-date on the latest lingo and remind me that what I get to do is a dream come true.

Madeline Heim is a Report for America corps reporter who writes about environmental issues in the Mississippi River watershed and across Wisconsin. Contact her at 920-996-7266 or mheim@gannett.com.



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Eight tornadoes confirmed in Louisiana and Mississippi from Post-Tropical Cyclone Arthur storms

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Eight tornadoes confirmed in Louisiana and Mississippi from Post-Tropical Cyclone Arthur storms


NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The National Weather Service has confirmed eight tornadoes touched down across Louisiana and Mississippi on June 18th, 2026, with damage surveys revealing significant impacts to homes, businesses, and infrastructure.

The survey work continues on several areas, including Eden Isle, where meteorologists are analyzing whether additional weak tornadoes occurred within widespread wind damage.

The NWS has asked for patience as crews complete their analysis, with the next update expected Monday, June 22.

A busy morning of severe weather

The tornado activity began early Thursday morning around 2:49 a.m. and continued through the morning hours, with the last confirmed tornado occurring around 8:12 a.m.

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The storms primarily impacted the greater New Orleans area, including parts of Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish, and St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana, as well as Hancock and Harrison counties in Mississippi.

The damage: eight confirmed tornadoes

Houma area hit hardest

Four of the eight confirmed tornadoes touched down in the Houma area, with a fourth nearby.

The most significant damage in Houma came from an EF-1 tornado that tracked through the city around 3:47 a.m., producing winds up to 95 mph.

This tornado damaged the Lynn Park Shopping Center, where nearly every window was damaged, and interior walls partially collapsed. Four homes sustained partial to significant roof loss, and one home had an exterior wall collapse.

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Another EF-1 tornado in the same area tossed a truck 30 feet and caused significant damage. Multiple trees were snapped and uprooted, with several homes sustaining partial roof loss, and at least one carport collapsed.

An EF-1 tornado causes significant roof damage to two homes on Crozier Drive, and at least one exterior wall collapsed on each.

An EF-0 tornado also impacted the McCord area of Houma, damaging trees, several homes, and electrical poles.

Long-track tornado from St. Tammany Parish to Mississippi

The most significant tornado of the day was an EF-1 that traveled 12.42 miles from Treasure Isle in St. Tammany Parish to rural Hancock County, Mississippi. With maximum winds of 105 mph and a width of up to 300 yards, this tornado caused extensive damage across its path.

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The tornado flipped a large boat near Treasure Isle and progressed northeast, removing shingles from homes and snapping trees along Bluegill Drive.

As it moved into Avery Estates, the tornado grew in size and strengthened, uprooting numerous trees along U.S. Highway 190 and damaging several outbuildings. A manufactured home had most of its roof removed and was shifted significantly off its foundation.

The tornado maintained strength as it moved over the Pearl River Basin before weakening as it approached Hancock County, where ground survey teams documented widespread tree damage on rural roads.

Additional tornadoes

An EF-1 tornado tracked 7.26 miles from Bridge City through New Orleans to the University of New Orleans area around 5:43 a.m., producing winds up to 95 mph. Damage was primarily tree damage and minor building damage across the city.

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A brief EF-1 tornado touched down north of Highway 90 in Avondale, injuring two people. The tornado tracked northeast with home damage and snapped tree branches. One home sustained damage when another mobile home rolled into it. The wind speeds were estimated to be 90 mph.

An EF-1 tornado also tracked across Hancock and Harrison counties in Mississippi, with widespread tree damage, including several large trees uprooted and snapped. Minor damage occurred to several properties along the 6.38-mile path.

No Fatalities Reported

Despite the significant damage from eight tornadoes, no fatalities were reported. However, two injuries were reported in the Avondale area.

All information in this report is preliminary and subject to change pending final review and publication in NWS Storm Data.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.

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Copyright 2026 WVUE. All rights reserved.



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Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for June 19, 2026

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Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for June 19, 2026


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The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at June 19, 2026, results for each game:

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Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from June 19 drawing

07-10-13-22-31

Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 19 drawing

Midday: 1-4-2, FB: 5

Evening: 5-5-4, FB: 9

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 19 drawing

Midday: 2-3-2-8, FB: 5

Evening: 9-2-8-4, FB: 9

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 19 drawing

Midday: 05

Evening: 04

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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.

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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

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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

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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.



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Police shooting of a 1-year-old Mississippi boy ignites tension between police and residents – WXXV News 25

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Police shooting of a 1-year-old Mississippi boy ignites tension between police and residents – WXXV News 25


JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The fatal shooting of a 1-year-old boy by police who were responding to a shoplifting call this week has ignited simmering tensions between police and Black residents in the small town of Senatobia, Mississippi.

The death of Kohen Wiley is the latest in a series of troubling encounters with police that have outraged community members in recent years. It has led to protests and calls for greater police accountability in the town of 8,000, with some civil rights activists pointing to Kohen’s death as another example of a Black life lost over something of nominal value — in this case, allegedly stolen diapers.

“We are treating items on a shelf as more valuable than a child,” Bernice King, the daughter of civil right icon Martin Luther King, Jr., said in a statement posted to Instagram on Wednesday. “That is not just bad policing; it is a moral collapse.”

Differing accounts of what happened

There are still many unanswered questions about the shooting and what led up to it.

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Senatobia police responded to the shoplifting call at a local Walmart on Sunday, where they found two women and a child leaving the store, getting into a car and driving away. According to a statement released by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation: “Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one. An officer then discharged their weapon and the vehicle fled the scene.”

Kohen’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, said her son and her friend, who was driving, were hit by gunfire. In a video posted on social media Wednesday by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Wiley said her friend was not driving toward the officers because they were “all on the right side and she was driving towards the left.”

She also disputes the shoplifting claim, saying in the video that she believes her friend paid for the diapers she was carrying.

Policing expert Ian Adams, who teaches criminal justice at the University of South Carolina, said regardless of the circumstances, the officer should not have fired at the car.

“Modern policing knows that shooting into a moving vehicle is a very bad idea and one to be avoided at almost all costs,′ Adams said. For one thing, ”vehicles have other occupants, which is obviously a concern here in the current case.”

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Shooting revives racial justice concerns

Kohen was Black, as are his mother and her friend, and the circumstances leading to Kohen’s death quickly drew comparisons to another Black mother shot during a response to a shoplifting accusation.

In 2023, Ta’Kiya Young, who was pregnant, was shot by police in a Columbus, Ohio, suburb, after they attempted to apprehend her. Police said Young, who was also the mother of two young sons, got into her car and accelerated in the direction of the officer who fired at her through the windshield. Both Young and her unborn daughter were killed.

The officer in that case was acquitted of criminal charges and found justified in his use of force by a review board.

The two deaths join a long list of other instances of Black Americans dying in interactions with police after accusations of petty criminal offenses. That list includes the murder of George Floyd in 2020, who was killed after police responded to a call that he used a fake $20 bill at a Minneapolis grocery store.

For some racial justice advocates, such cases serve as a constant reminder of the consequences of systemic racism in law enforcement.

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“In the name of ‘law and order,’ a child was killed and family was shattered over items that could be restocked, written off, and replaced,” King wrote on Instagram. “Our charge is clear: until the sacredness of human life is the starting point of every police encounter, we must demand changes in training and work unrelentingly to reform policies around police accountability.”

Tensions in Senatobia

Marquell Bridges, the president and founder of an advocacy group called the Building Bridges Coalition and who has been helping the Wiley family, said Kohen’s death was “just the breaking point” after years of problematic interactions between Black residents and police.

Bridges pointed to an encounter last year in which an officer threatened Breshari Faulkner with a Taser, pulled her from her car onto the ground and arrested her during a confrontation over a handicapped parking space in the same Walmart lot where Kohen was shot.

Two years earlier, in 2023, a Senatobia officer was fired for his role in arresting a 10-year-old Black boy who had urinated in a different parking lot. The boy’s family settled a federal lawsuit with the city earlier this year.

“There is a culture there that they are above the law – just because they wear a uniform,” said civil rights attorney Carlos Moore, who has represented the 10-year-old boy and others accusing the department of misconduct.

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Police did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. The mayor and city aldermen also did not respond to messages.

About 40% of the city’s population of approximately 8,300 is Black, according to 2020 Census data. Police did not respond to questions about the racial makeup of the department, but the mayor and a majority of the Board of Alderman members are white. The city has elected only three Black aldermen since it became a municipality in 1860, according to the Tate Record, a local newspaper.

A toy lawnmower that blows bubbles

The officer who shot Kohen and the woman driving the car he was in has been placed on administrative leave, a standard practice, while the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation looks into what happened. They have promised to release video of the shooting once the investigation is complete.

Kohen’s grandmother, Veronica Roberson, was there when Kohen was born and babysat him often. She described him as a happy little baby with “the prettiest smile you could ever imagine.”

She said he was a sweet child and: “He just loved on me, and I loved on him. We loved each other.”

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One of his favorite toys was a little lawnmower that would blow bubbles when pushed. Roberson would sit outside with him while he played with it. “He really thought he was mowing my yard,” she said, laughing a little at the memory. “That baby was my world.”





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