Mississippi
Mississippi River refuge near Onalaska marks 100-year history this weekend
An area nature refuge is getting ready to celebrate its 100th anniversary with a public event near Onalaska this weekend.
The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge was founded in 1924, to protect the river habitat. There will be an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the visitor center (map), along with activities at the Fred Funk boat landing (map). It will feature barge tours, as well as nature and history exhibits.
“It’s pretty neat to see all these people out fishing today, and really enjoying it,” Hallie Schulz, the refuge visitor services manager, said. “I always like to say that this is your national wildlife refuge, this is your public land, so come out and enjoy it.”
Schulz and other staffers at the refuge led area reporters on a boat tour in the Lake Onalaska area Tuesday, to promote the centennial events.
In 1923, outdoorsman Will Dilg learned of plans to drain some of the river backwaters for land use, possibly for farming. He headed an effort to create a federal refuge. Congress passed a refuge act on June 7, 1924, largely due to Dilg’s activism.
Schulz said Lake Onalaska is a very popular eating and nesting area for eagles, pelicans and other birds.
“The refuge is like their restaurant,” she said. “It’s really a special place.”
The refuge is 261 miles long, from Wabasha, Minn., south to Rock Island, Ill.
Tour guides said that at one point in the 1970s, before the use of DDT was discontinued, just one eagles nest could be found in the refuge area. Now, they count over 300 eagle nests there.
The boat tour was launched from the Fred Funk landing near Onalaska, which honors a local conservationist. Funk’s son Fritz Funk piloted the boat for the special trip.
“Dad was involved in a lot of conservation advocacy issues on the river,” Fritz Funk said. “He didn’t actually like the attention, didn’t really want something named after him, but after he passed away, people came up with the idea, and then the family thought, you know, boat landing? He’d be okay with that.”
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This week on Behind the Lens: “Paraquat and Parkinson’s.” Wayne County, Mississippi is the largest emitter of paraquat in the world, an herbicide linked to the fastest-growing neurodegenerative disease. Environmental reporter Delaney Nolan explains the safety concerns and what they could mean for affected communities.
Theme music by Podington Bear. Additional music includes “Rumor” by Podington Bear (soundofpicture.com) and “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell.
This story is a product of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, an independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri, in partnership with Report for America, with major funding from the Walton Family Foundation.
Music Credits:
Theme music by Podington Bear
Additional music “Rumor” by Podington Bear from soundofpicture.com and “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchel
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Powerball jackpots are about to be much larger. Reporter explains.
USA TODAY’s Fernando Cervantes explains the historic agreement with the UK National Lottery.
Check your Powerball tickets. One sold in Mississippi is worth at least $2 million.
Across the U.S., at least 91 lottery tickets won $1 million in the Wednesday, April 29 drawing, according to the Powerball website.
That includes two tickets that won the jackpot. They were sold in Indiana and Kansas.
The estimated jackpot was $143.4 million ($65.2 million cash prize).
The winning numbers were 3, 19, 35, 51, 67 and Powerball 15. The multiplier was 2x.
Here’s what we know about where the winning ticket was bought, how many tickets are worth at least $1 million and how to file for lottery winnings in Mississippi.
Where was the $2 million Powerball ticket sold in Mississippi?
One ticket in Mississippi matched all five white balls and had the Power Play option. The odds of matching the five white balls is 1 in 11,688,053.52, according to the Powerball website.
The Mississippi Lottery Corporation said the multi-million-dollar-winning ticket was sold at Doc’s Quick Stop Exxon in Byhalia.
27 tickets win $2 million in latest drawing
Just because you didn’t get the Powerball doesn’t mean you didn’t win big.
Twenty-seven tickets matched the five white balls and had the Power Play option to win $2 million each. They were sold in:
- Arkansas: 1
- Illinois: 1
- Indiana: 5
- Kansas: 1
- Louisiana: 5
- Mississippi: 1
- New Jersey: 4
- Oregon: 3
- Pennsylvania : 2
- Rhode Island: 1
- South Carolina: 1
- Wisconsin: 2
How many Powerball tickets are worth $1 million?
Sixty-two tickets matched the five white balls to win $1 million each. They were sold in:
- Arkansas: 1
- Arizona: 1
- California: 1
- Georgia: 1
- Illinois: 3
- Indiana: 14
- Kansas: 5
- Kentucky: 1
- Louisiana: 6
- Michigan: 1
- Minnesota: 1
- Missouri: 1
- Nebraska: 2
- New Jersey: 14
- Oregon: 1
- Pennsylvania: 5
- Wisconsin: 4
Some are calling Wednesday’s Powerball drawing the luckiest ever.
A news release announcing where jackpot-winning tickets were sold is usually posted to the Powerball website the morning after a drawing. However, a news release related to the Wednesday drawing winners had not been posted as of 1 p.m. Thursday, April 30.
Can you claim a lottery jackpot anonymously in Mississippi? How?
Yes, Mississippi lets lottery winners claim a jackpot of any size anonymously.
Mississippi Lottery won’t disclose your identity without written permission.
I won the lottery in Mississippi! How do I get my money?
The Mississippi Lottery advises people to sign the back of their winning ticket immediately.
If your prize is less than $600, you can claim that at any place that sells Mississippi Lottery tickets.
If you win $600-$99,999, you can claim by mail or by going to the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters in Flowood.
All prizes more than $100,000 must be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters.
What are the rules to claim a Powerball prize?
Powerball prizes must be claimed within one year from the date of the drawing.
Powerball jackpot winners may choose to receive their prize as an annuity, paid in 30 graduated payments over 29 years, or a lump-sum payment. Both advertised prize options are prior to federal and jurisdictional taxes, according to the Powerball website.
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