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Mississippi college hotspot named the ‘best small town in the South’

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Mississippi college hotspot named the ‘best small town in the South’


Mississippi State University may bring big energy to Starkville, MS, but it’s not just students calling the small town home these days. 

In recent years, Starkville has expanded beyond its college town atmosphere due to a lower cost of living, a bustling downtown, and nearby nature preserves for hiking and birdwatching.

The area has also been named the best small Southern town in the country by USA Today, which cited its Southern hospitality, rich history and charming streets.

It’s the second year in a row Starkville snagged the top spot, also in part due to its creative arts scene and amazing food.

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‘It’s a college town with Mississippi State University here. It’s vibrant. The kids keep us busy over here, but there’s also a large retirement population coming in from both alumni and other parts of the state,’ local RE/MAX realtor Colin Krieger told the Daily Mail. 

‘It’s very welcoming. You feel safe. You walk the streets and it’s not as much of a throw down college atmosphere as you might think.’

The town has just over 25,000 residents and for history buffs, is home to the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library. 

Starkville has a relatively low cost of living, with homes available priced from $50,000 to $500,000. The average rental for a three bedroom house is $475 to $600 per month. There are more than 30 apartment complexes in town.

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Mississippi State University may bring big energy to Starkville but it’s not just students calling the small town home these days 

Starkville has a relatively low cost of living, with homes available and reasonably priced

Starkville has a relatively low cost of living, with homes available and reasonably priced

Local realtor Colin Krieger

Local realtor Colin Krieger

‘We’ve seen a lot of condominium development,’ Krieger said.

‘The town’s construction has been a ton of apartments made to make more room for the college kids. But the real estate market has continued going at full force now for 13-plus years, and has just continued going up every year.’

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The current median home price is close to $300,000, he said.

‘You can find a nice clean house in a good neighborhood under $250,000. Then we have a large group of houses around $300,000 to $350,000 and another crop around $500,000.’

Residents are also drawn to the rich job market due to the university (the largest in the state with 22,000 students) and its surrounding businesses, including shops and bars. 

‘University Avenue is a large stretch, which starts with a cotton district and ends up in a more adult section of downtown that has its own restaurants so you’re able to separate from the college kids a little more,’ Krieger added.  

Growth in healthcare and technology companies has also spurred more jobs in the area. 

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The town is also known for its friendly vibes and top notch schools. Many of them work in tandem with the university to use its facilities and have professors visit the kids.

Mississippi State University brings a lot of jobs and businesses to the area

Mississippi State University brings a lot of jobs and businesses to the area

Outdoorsy types love visiting the Starkville Wildlife Refuge to birdwatch

Outdoorsy types love visiting the Starkville Wildlife Refuge to birdwatch

The town is also known for its friendly vibes and top notch schools that work with the college

The town is also known for its friendly vibes and top notch schools that work with the college

The town also draws retirees due to its low living costs and nice community feel

The town also draws retirees due to its low living costs and nice community feel

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The Starkville Community Theater and Starkville-MSU Symphony Orchestra are both in town

The Starkville Community Theater and Starkville-MSU Symphony Orchestra are both in town

‘They built a partnership with the middle school a few years back that’s actually integrated with Mississippi State University, so that the kids have access to some of the professors there. 

‘And they have a plan to approve a high school to do the same thing that should come up later this year,’ Krieger said. 

The town also draws retirees due to its relaxed atmosphere, low living costs, and access to state-of-the-art healthcare at nearby Oktibbeha County Hospital. 

Outdoorsy types love visiting the Starkville Wildlife Refuge and there is plenty of hunting, fishing and bird watching nearby.

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Most locals participate in MSU’s college game days, including tailgates and bar parties. 

For arts lovers, the Starkville Community Theater and Starkville-MSU Symphony Orchestra are both in town.

Krieger says the only time it’s a madhouse is when MSU has a football home game. Yet, it’s still fun for the college kids and the locals to mix.

‘Of course there are times on SEC football weekends where it’s a madhouse and there’s traffic everywhere, but that’s one of the unique features I like about it for such a small town of the South.’

The college draws students and creates jobs but hasn't caused a problem for locals

The college draws students and creates jobs but hasn’t caused a problem for locals

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In addition to downtown there is plenty of nature surrounding the area

In addition to downtown there is plenty of nature surrounding the area

The median house cost in the area is $300,000 for a new build in a development

The median house cost in the area is $300,000 for a new build in a development

MSU game day draws students and locals, many whom are alumni who have returned to live

MSU game day draws students and locals, many whom are alumni who have returned to live 

HGTV's Home Town stars Ben and Erin Napier explained it is possible for people to 'have it all' while living in a small town

HGTV’s Home Town stars Ben and Erin Napier explained it is possible for people to ‘have it all’ while living in a small town

Alongside Starkville, USA Today also picked out various other small towns. 

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This included Lewisburg, West Virginia, Inverness, Florida, West Monroe, Louisiana, Safety Harbor, Florida, Clemson, South Carolina, Thomasville, Georgia, Cocoa Beach, Florida, Williamsburg, Virginia, and Orange Beach, Alabama.

Small towns, especially ones located in Mississippi, also get the thumbs up from two very popular HGTV stars. 

Home Town stars Ben and Erin Napier explained it is possible for people to ‘have it all’ while living in a small town ahead of the premiere of a new season of the show.

The couple restores properties around their small hometown of Laurel, Mississippi on their successful show, which debuted in 2016.

The couple hopes the series it will convince viewers small towns can offer just as much as big cities.

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The last season showed them working on projects nearby in Mississippi, including building gardens and greenhouses. 



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Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for June 2, 2026

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Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for June 2, 2026


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

Here’s a look at June 2, 2026, results for each game:

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Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from June 2 drawing

05-14-16-33-35

Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 2 drawing

Midday: 3-3-8, FB: 5

Evening: 6-9-5, FB: 7

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 2 drawing

Midday: 6-0-4-9, FB: 5

Evening: 2-8-1-0, FB: 7

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 2 drawing

Midday: 08

Evening: 03

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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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Jackson mayor claims victory after water authority ruling. What he said

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Jackson mayor claims victory after water authority ruling. What he said


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  • A federal judge issued a split ruling on a new state law creating the Metro Jackson Water Authority.
  • The judge blocked the new authority from taking substantive actions while Jackson’s water system is under federal oversight.
  • Jackson Mayor John Horhn claimed the ruling as a victory, validating the city’s concerns about a state takeover.
  • The judge did not strike down the law itself, leaving the question of future control of the water system unresolved.

Jackson Mayor John Horhn claimed victory in the city’s legal fight against Mississippi’s new Metro Jackson Water Authority, arguing a federal judge’s latest ruling validates Jackson’s concerns about state lawmakers trying to influence the future of the city’s water system.

During a press conference at City Hall Tuesday, June 2, Horhn pointed to U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate’s decision to block the authority from naming a president, entering lease agreements or taking other substantive actions while Jackson’s water and sewer systems remain under federal oversight.

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“What we’re thankful of is that the judge seems to agree with us,” Horhn said. “House Bill 1677 appeared to try to subvert the authority of the federal court.”

The comments come one day after Wingate issued a split ruling on the controversial law. While the judge declined to block House Bill 1677 outright, he also barred the Metro Jackson Water Authority from taking operational action beyond seating board members while the federal court continues overseeing Jackson’s water and sewer systems.

But Wingate’s ruling did not strike down House Bill 1677. It was more of a split ruling.

The judge agreed with arguments made by the state, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and JXN Water that the law itself does not automatically transfer control of Jackson’s water and sewer systems because any future takeover remains subject to federal court approval.

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That leaves open a question: If the law remains on the books, could the Metro Jackson Water Authority simply remain in place until federal oversight ends and then assume control of the systems?

Horhn was asked that question directly Tuesday.

In response, Horhn focused on portions of the ruling that prevent the authority from naming a president who would serve as a deputy to JXN Water leader and Interim Third-Party Manager Ted Henifin. Horhn also pointed to Wingate blocking movement on any lease agreements until the court decides how the eventual transition away from federal oversight should occur.

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“Two major points of the judge’s ruling are that he enjoined the state and the authority if it does start taking action from being able to name a president who would become the second in command of JXN Water,” Horhn said. “The other thing is that he enjoined any action on a lease being entered into until such time as he has had a chance to deliberate and decide what the future path ought to be.”

Horhn’s answer suggested he believes the ruling leaves room for other options besides simply allowing House Bill 1677 to take effect once federal oversight ends.

“What the judge has said to us for a number of months is that he wants to see a transition plan,” Horhn said.

The mayor said city officials have already begun discussions with JXN Water about what that transition plan could look like.

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“We have begun discussions with JXN Water to have meaningful conversations with them about putting such a transition plan forward,” Horhn said. “At this point, the actions of the city are focused on working with Jackson Water to try to come up with a transition plan that might be approved by the judge.”

Under existing court orders, JXN Water is expected to develop a formal transition plan that must ultimately be approved by Wingate.

When asked whether the city could pursue its own water authority rather than the state-created Metro Jackson Water Authority, Horhn pointed to existing Mississippi law allowing municipalities to create utility districts.

“For a number of years, there has been state statutory authority for municipalities to establish municipal utility districts,” Horhn said. “We have made that presentation before the judge, and as I understand it, he’s taking it under advisory.”

Horhn did not elaborate on whether the city is actively pursuing that option, but the comments suggest Jackson may continue advocating for alternatives to House Bill 1677 as discussions about a post-receivership transition continue.

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Additionally, Horhn reiterated his long-standing position that Jackson should maintain majority control over any future governing body overseeing the city’s water and wastewater systems.

“We don’t mind participation and involvement by the state of Mississippi,” Horhn said. “But any future governance of the City of Jackson’s water and wastewater system must have the City of Jackson having the majority of control.”

Horhn said Jackson’s position has never been that the state should be excluded entirely.

“What I have said is that we don’t mind participation and involvement by the state of Mississippi,” Horhn said. “But any future governance of the City of Jackson’s water and wastewater system must have the City of Jackson having the majority of control on any future boards or authorities that would be created.”

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Horhn said Jackson opposed House Bill 1677 because it would have allowed state and suburban appointees to outnumber city representatives on the authority’s governing board.

“We don’t mind if you want to have some involvement, but not control,” Horhn said.

The mayor also argued the legislation ignored concerns repeatedly raised by Jackson officials during the legislative process.

“House Bill 1677 was a classic example of the state not listening to the local interests of the City of Jackson,” Horhn said.

Overall, Wingate’s 22-page order on Monday, June 1, was something of a split decision. Jackson persuaded Wingate to freeze many of the authority’s powers, but the state successfully defended the law itself from being blocked outright. The larger question of who will ultimately control Jackson’s water system remains unresolved. For now, Wingate remains in the driver’s seat.

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“The parties should all accept that this state statute cannot force this court’s hand, nor dictate the calendar of this litigation,” Wingate wrote.

Charlie Drape, the Jackson beat reporter, has covered the Jackson water crisis from its collapse in 2022 through the system’s ongoing recovery, including independent testing and other accountability reporting. You can contact him at cdrape@gannett.com.



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How SCOTUS Callais Ruling Erased a Mississippi Voting Rights Victory

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How SCOTUS Callais Ruling Erased a Mississippi Voting Rights Victory


In 2022, Dyamone White, then in her late 20s, filed a lawsuit in federal court arguing that Black voters like her didn’t have a fair chance to elect justices to the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Three years later, she won a significant victory. A federal judge ruled that Mississippi Supreme Court election districts violated the Voting Rights Act and that Black candidates who wanted to run for the state’s highest court were unlikely to succeed. U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock instructed lawmakers to draw a new map to give Black voters more power, with court-ordered special elections to follow, likely this fall.

“WE WON,” White wrote in a social media post that day in August 2025. “This isn’t just a personal victory — it’s a win for every Mississippian who has waited too long for fair representation. I became a plaintiff because I refused to accept that our state’s highest court could exclude the very people it serves. Today, that changes.”

But that change still hasn’t happened — and a recent seismic ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court means it may never happen.

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In late April, the conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Louisiana v. Callais that dramatically weakened the Voting Rights Act, making it much harder for racial minorities to win voting discrimination lawsuits.

The decision further intensified a mid-decade redistricting war that’s been spreading across the country ahead of the congressional elections in the fall. But the decision affects politics beyond the federal level. The now-upended court battle about Mississippi’s judicial elections will serve as an early test of whether voting rights plaintiffs can still mount a convincing case in some circumstances.

Earlier this month, a federal appeals court vacated Aycock’s ruling from last year after the plaintiffs and defendants agreed that the Callais decision had dramatically changed the legal landscape.

That removed the state’s obligation to draw a new court map. It also eliminated the possibility that the state would hold special elections for its Supreme Court seats this fall, ending Black voters’ hope that 2026 may yield fairer representation at the top of the state’s judiciary. The case will now head back to Aycock’s court for new arguments under the higher standard created by the Callais decision.

The plaintiffs still see a path forward to win new maps. Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Poverty Law Center argue on behalf of White and her fellow plaintiffs that they can still prevail under that new standard.

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Looking to the court battles ahead, White is also looking back. She is from the tiny town of Edwards, a rural community near the state’s capital city region, and she recites its history of Black resistance to oppression, from the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement and beyond.

“It’s an area that is resilient,” White said. “The people I grew up around, they were all fighters.”

Dyamone White with Reuben Anderson, the first Black justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court, in 2024.

The Voting Rights Act, passed in 1965, was a key tool in dismantling the Jim Crow regime of White supremacy that blocked Black residents from ballot box access in Mississippi and across the South.

Among other provisions, the law prohibited states from diluting the voting power of racial minorities and required that those voters have an opportunity to elect candidates of their choosing.

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So, with Callais decided, what’s changed?

When plaintiffs filed suit over the Mississippi Supreme Court voting districts in 2022, they had to show a violation of the law only by pointing to discriminatory effects of the voting districts in use, regardless of what the original architects of those districts may have intended.

Those effects? Black people make up about 38% of Mississippi’s population, but the state has just one Black justice currently sitting on its nine-member Supreme Court. Only four Black justices have ever been on the court, all serving since 1985 and never more than one at a time. All four first reached the court through a gubernatorial appointment to fill a vacancy.

That has meant very little Black representation on a body that interprets state laws and the state constitution, hears appeals in criminal and civil cases and has some control over the operations of lower courts.

With no need to delve into the intention of the legislators who created the current districts in the late 1980s, Aycock, a George W. Bush appointee, ruled that the Mississippi Supreme Court districts as drawn have the effect of diluting Black voting power, violating the Voting Rights Act.

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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s majority opinion in the Callais case, however, sets a higher standard. A Voting Rights Act violation may now be found “only when circumstances give rise to a strong inference that intentional discrimination occurred.”

Legal experts have said that proving intentional discrimination is challenging — made even more difficult by the Alito opinion’s endorsement of partisan gerrymandering as a legitimate purpose of redistricting. The conservative justice wrote that states can now defend themselves against race dilution claims by arguing that Black districts are being eliminated not because of racist motivations but partisan ones since Black voters have typically supported Democratic candidates.

States like Louisiana and Tennessee have moved to quickly eliminate Black-majority Congressional districts. They will likely defend their new maps as partisan gerrymanders, not racially motivated ones.

“It’s going to be just lightning-strike rare for a Voting Rights Act claim to work where partisanship is permitted,” said Justin Levitt, a former Department of Justice official and election law expert who teaches at Loyola Marymount University Law School.

However, Mississippi Supreme Court elections are nonpartisan, and that may make a meaningful difference in the current litigation, said Amir Badat, a civil rights lawyer who has argued a number of voting rights claims in the state.

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Badat said that even under Callais, lawmakers may not be able to hide behind partisan intent to shield themselves from judicial scrutiny.

“In this kind of narrow circumstance, you still have viable Section 2 claims,” said Badat, referencing the section of the Voting Rights Act that bans discriminatory election practices.

Levitt agrees that voting rights cases in nonpartisan elections may still be possible to win under Callais, though he added that the overall impact of the decision likely makes even those cases quite difficult.

While the legal standard may have changed, White, the lawsuit’s lead plaintiff, says one thing has not: The reality faced by Black voters who want to see a fair state Supreme Court map.

“We laid out the facts of representation in the state. You can’t deny that, “ White said. “We can go back to court again, and the facts remain the same. Representation is not equal.”

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This article was produced in collaboration with Bolts, a nonprofit publication that covers criminal justice and voting rights in local governments; sign up for their newsletter.



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