Mississippi
MDWFP appoints first female wildlife bureau chief, others take new roles
‘My goal was to be a biologist and be the best one I could be. I try to do the best I can do at whatever I’m doing.’
Subscribe to Clarion Ledger: Local journalists covering local stories
Clarion Ledger journalists cover the important moments in Mississippi. Support local journalism by subscribing.
Staff
A number of familiar names have shifted into new roles at the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and among them is Amy Blaylock who is the first woman to lead the wildlife division.
“I feel honored and blessed,” Blaylock said. “I’m excited.
“I wouldn’t say it was necessarily a goal of mine. My goal was to be a biologist and be the best one I could be. I try to do the best I can do at whatever I’m doing.”
Blaylock joined the department in 2007 after receiving her undergraduate degree in forestry and master’s degree in wildlife science at Mississippi State University. It was an education and career path that came naturally for her.
Her father, Larry Castle, had a career with the agency as did an uncle, Bennie Herring.
“Of course, I love the outdoors and hunting,” Blaylock said. “I hunt as much as I can.
“My kids take up a lot of my time now, but deer hunting is what I do most of. I’ve grown up with the agency with my daddy and my uncle. I guess that encouraged my passion for the agency.”
New role as wildlife chief is not Blaylock’s first groundbreaking move
Blaylock began her career with MDWFP as a biologist with the deer program. She then moved into the role of East Central Region wildlife management area biologist where she oversaw management of 11 WMAs. During that time, she also served as wildlife restoration coordinator and was responsible for writing and managing grants that assisted in funding the Wildlife Bureau.
In 2017, Blaylock accepted an offer to become the assistant chief of the wildlife division. With that, she became the first woman to serve in a top role in the agency.
“I enjoyed being in the assistant chief position, and, so far, I love being in this position,” Blaylock said.
More position changes in MDWFP
Blaylock is not the only person to recently take on a new role at MDWFP. Russ Walsh left the position of chief of the wildlife division, which Blaylock assumed and is now the director of public policy.
Adam Butler also moved into a new position. Butler was previously the director of conservation programs and before that, he was the Wild Turkey Program coordinator. Butler was recently named the assistant chief of wildlife.
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.
Check out how to watch the Gulf Breeze alum, who is part of a history making Mississippi State squad.
Blue Angels Super Hornet simulator unveiled at Naval Aviation Museum
Climb inside a Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet with us and take off in the new Fly with the Blues simulator at the National Naval Aviation Museum.
The Women’s College World Series begins May 28, and the Pensacola area will be represented on the biggest stage.
Gulf Breeze alumna Leila Ammon is part of a Mississippi State squad making its first WCWS appearance in school history and has played a role in getting the Bulldogs there.
Below is how to watch Ammon play if you aren’t in Oklahoma City, as well as how Ammon is part of history at Mississippi State.
How to watch Mississippi State in the WCWS
When: May 28-June 4/5
Where: OG & E Energy Field at Devon Park, Oklahoma City
Broadcast: ABC and ESPN
Streaming: ESPN Unlimited, Fubo
Mississippi State will open up against Texas Tech on May 28 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. With a win, the Bulldogs will play the winner of Tennessee/Texas on May 30 at 2 p.m. CT on ABC. With a loss, they’ll play the loser of Tennessee/Texas in an elimination game on May 29 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.
The last two teams standing will advance to a best 2-out-of-3 championship series scheduled for June 3-5 at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN. Check this page for more information on the WCWS bracket and schedule.
Mississippi State lost to Texas Tech twice in the Lubbock regional a year ago.
How did Mississippi State make history?
The Bulldogs are the only unseeded team out of eight in the WCWS field, which means they’re the only team in the field to have to win on the road in a regional and super regional to advance to Oklahoma City.
Mississippi State was ranked No. 13 in the NFCA poll on March 29, putting them in good position to host a regional with a strong finish to the season. The Bulldogs did the exact opposite, losing four of their last five regular season series.
But they flipped a switch in the NCAA Tournament. First, Mississippi State rolled through the Eugene regional, winning all three games by a score of 12-2, to advance to just their second super regional in program history.
Up next was a trip to perennial powerhouse Oklahoma in the super regional. However. the Bulldogs weren’t fazed, winning Game 1 of the best two-out-of-three series 11-9. After the Sooners won Game 2 7-1, Mississippi State won Game 3 6-0 to clinch their first ever WCWS appearance.
What role did Leila Ammon play?
While Ammon didn’t pitch in the regional, she helped stop the bleeding in Game 1 of the Super Regional.
She entered in the bottom of the third after Oklahoma had scored five runs in the inning to take a 5-1 lead. Ammon got the final two outs in the inning, then allowed a run in the fourth and pitched a scoreless fifth before being relieved with runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the sixth.
Both runners scored later in the inning, meaning Ammon allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and struck out three in three innings pitched.
Ammon’s gone 8-0 this spring with a 1.85 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings pitched. She spent her freshman season at Middle Tennessee State, where she was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team.
Before her college career, Ammon was the 2023 PNJ Pitcher of the Year and a 2024 First Team All-Area selection.
KEY WEST, Fla. (WLBT) – A Mississippi woman is dead after a snorkeling accident Tuesday, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in the Florida Keys.
At approximately 1:30 p.m. May 26, 63-year-old Lecia Elizabeth Spriggs of Madison, Mississippi, was snorkeling near Mule Key off Key West with a commercial company when she was found unresponsive in the water.
CPR began immediately and the U.S. Coast Guard brought Spriggs ashore, officials said.
Spriggs was taken to the Lower Keys Medical Center on Stock Island, where she was pronounced deceased.
Officials said autopsy results are pending but foul play is not suspected to be a factor in this incident.
No further information has been released at this time.
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.
Jim Stewart Allen, also known as Broccoli Guy, is still trying to wrap his head around the last two weeks.
What started as a short trip from his home state of Washington to support Oregon in the Eugene Regional of the NCAA softball Tournament has turned into a trip to the Women’s College World Series as Mississippi State softball’s unofficial mascot.
“I’ve dreamed about going to a softball World Series,” Allen told the Clarion Ledger. “I didn’t know when it was going to happen. And so, to be able to finally go is one thing, but to be able to go with such a meaningful connection with one of the teams, with Mississippi State, it just means the world to me.”
Allen plans to be in Oklahoma City for every step of the Bulldogs’ WCWS journey, beginning with their opening game against No. 11 seed Texas Tech (57-7) on May 28 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN) at Devon Park. It will be the first WCWS game in MSU (43-19) program history.
Broccoli Guy surprised Mississippi State at super regionals
Allen has brought broccoli to games for nearly every Seattle professional sports team. It’s about more than just being a fun way to support the teams. It’s also about maintaining a fun environment and encouraging unity.
After watching Mississippi State use broccoli as a rally prop in its regional final win, Allen knew he had to travel to Oklahoma for super regionals. He surprised the Bulldogs in Norman and saw them hand Oklahoma its first super regional loss since 2015.
“It was very exciting,” Allen said of watching Game 1, which Mississippi State won 11-9. “It was just very clear during that whole game that Mississippi State came to play. They had the energy and they had the hunger.”
All weekend, Allen got to see firsthand how much his presence was appreciated by supporting and opposing fans alike.
“The environment was incredible,” Allen said. “I was nervous about how I would be received by Oklahoma fans. … I didn’t really know what to expect, but I got so much love from Oklahoma fans.”
Anytime they needed a boost, the Bulldogs held broccoli in the dugout for good luck. After losing Game 2, MSU leaned on broccoli to power past the Sooners in Game 3, posting pregame pictures and videos highlighting the vegetable.
Allen didn’t need to see the overflow of broccoli content to know that MSU had what it took.
“I woke up that morning on Sunday thinking, ‘I’m going to have to stay here probably because they’re going to win this game,’” Allen said. “… And then I saw pictures on Instagram of … someone holding a bag of broccoli on the bus and I went, ‘Yeah, I’m staying in Oklahoma.’”
What Mississippi State softball means to Broccoli Guy
As the Bulldogs secured the final out in Game 3, the ESPN broadcast showed Allen in the stands with tears in his eyes.
He joked that this was a result of the exhaustion of dancing in the hot sun and his tired acceptance of a trip to the WCWS. In reality, it was an outpouring of joy for the team he’d come to love.
“That’s just been two weeks of following this team at a pretty intense level, game by game, seeing them work” Allen said. “… I think right after that, the team ran over to me, and we had our own moment, which is so, so humbling.”
For as much as Allen enjoys watching the Bulldogs play, the players enjoy having him in the stands. Infielder Nadia Barbary said seeing him dancing during the games helps them remember to have fun and stay loose in tough moments.
This relaxed style of play is what helped them get past Oklahoma. The Bulldogs even thanked Allen for his contributions by letting him hold their super regional trophy.
“It’s just been great,” pitcher Alyssa Faircloth said. “He’s such a sweet guy, so just the fact that we can bring him along and celebrate him with our broccoli in our dugout and just make him feel a little bit special has been great.”
The wider MSU community has also embraced Allen. Leila Ammon’s dad, Charles, started a GoFundMe to help cover Allen’s WCWS travel expenses. It had received $4,165 in donations as of May 26.
Unsurprisingly, Allen believes the Bulldogs have a good shot to win the title, noting it would be a fantastic finish to his and their journey.
“For them to even get this far is just incredible,” Allen said. “… Mississippi State is representing what it means to be a hungry, energetic softball underdog and they’re doing it so well. … Anything they do, I’m going to be super proud of, and I’m not surprised if they win it all.”
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.
-
World2 minutes agoYoung MC Follows Morris Day in Exiting D.C. ‘Freedom 250’ Festival Over Trump Connection, as C+C Music Factory Weighs Options: ‘The Artists Were Never Told About Any Political Involvement’
-
Business19 minutes agoThe Google Insider Trading Case Hits Polymarket
-
Health32 minutes agoHow Author Mary Kay Andrews, 71, Lost 65 Lbs. Microdosing GLP-1 Meds
-
Culture44 minutes agoFinding Wisdom in a Poem by Wendy Cope
-
Lifestyle50 minutes ago‘Look to your elders’: Alfre Woodard shares her secret to Hollywood longevity
-
Technology1 hour agoNintendo’s newest WarioWare is a weirdo smartphone app
-
World1 hour agoPutin lands $16.5B nuclear win on Russia’s doorstep in massive Kazakhstan pact: reports
-
Politics1 hour agoPolice rush to SCOTUS justice’s home amid rising threats against conservatives — but report quickly unravels
