Mississippi

‘Preparation is everything’ before going into the Mississippi River, says local kayaker

Published

2 years ago

June 19, 2023

‘Preparation is everything’ before going into the Mississippi River, says local kayaker

SAUK RAPIDS — Even if the air is thick with haze, someone looking at the Mississippi River from Sauk Rapids might also see Rick Rassier doing stunts with his freestyle kayak, which he describes as “gymnastics on water.”

Aside from doing impressive tricks on his kayak, Rassier, 63, of Sauk Rapids, is passionate about river navigation safety.

In just the last few months, there have been three reported incidents in the St. Cloud area of people getting separated from their boats or kayaks on the Mississippi River. In one of those cases, a kayaker, Donald Richard Worden, 39, of St. Cloud, was found dead in the river on June 2.

Rassier spoke with St. Cloud LIVE to share his insight on safety on one of the longest rivers in the U.S.

‘If you don’t have control … it doesn’t take much to get in trouble’

Rassier recently joined the

St. Cloud Area Kayak Club Facebook group

to raise awareness of high river levels.

“It got up to 36,000 cubic feet per second,” Rassier said. “I wanted to warn people not to come down the Sauk River into the Mississippi River.” He looks for water measurements on

americanwhitewater.org

Rassier explained that the danger of paddling from the Sauk River into the Mississippi River at high water levels is due to river strainers. River strainers are naturally formed or man-made objects that allow water to pass through but “catch” larger objects. Strainers can be anything such as fallen branches, roots, tires, rocks, etc.

Strainers have the potential to damage and sink boats. If someone goes underwater from their boat, they can easily hit their head on a strainer. These chances are heightened when the water is too muddy or cloudy to see anything below the surface, according to Rassier. He also stressed that even seasoned paddlers or boat operators can be surprised by a strainer as new obstructions can be added daily within a section of a river.

The Mississippi River was shrouded in a haze in Sauk Rapids on Wednesday, June 14, 2023.

Abdulla Gaafarelkhalifa / St. Cloud LIVE

Low-hanging branches are also dangerous. Depending on the speed of the boat someone is on, they have the potential to injure or even kill a paddler.

Another factor to consider before going into a river or any body of water is the temperature. The risk of someone suffering hypothermia is higher during colder months of the year, especially in the water. Rassier said that this year, the cold water might have been a good thing considering the water levels were very high.

“If the temperatures would have been higher, there would have been more people on the water,” he said.

Rick Rassier 2 — Rick Rassier enters the Mississippi River on his freestyle kayak on Wednesday, June 14, 2023

For beginners, Rassier says kayaking on a lake would be a good start. Movement would be almost entirely based on the operator.

“If you don’t have control … it doesn’t take much to get in trouble,” Rassier said.

‘Preparation is everything’

Before kayaking, or any paddle-related activity, Rassier advised, “Know your limits, know the water levels, know the air temperature, assume you could end up in the water.”

“Preparation is everything,” he said. Before entering the Mississippi River on June 14, Rassier dressed in a dry-suit which keeps water out of his body’s core. His freestyle kayak’s top is covered with a “skirt” which keeps water from going inside the kayak. He also has a beach ball under the skirt to assist him when wanting to go right-side up when underwater.

As a freestyle kayaker, Rick Rassier wears a helmet to protect his head from potential underwater impact while performing stunts that involve flipping the kayak. Wearing a helmet adds an extra layer of protection, making paddling safer even for other paddlers too. During colder seasons, Rassier also wears a thermal cap to keep water out and reduce the risk of hypothermia.

“When there’s ice chunks floating in the water … and if you’re underwater for more than three seconds, it’s like brain freeze,” Rassier said.

Rick Rassier 3 — Rick Rassier in kayaking gear in the Riverside Terrace parking lot in Sauk Rapids on Wednesday, June 14, 2023.

For a river, he advises scouting for strainers and obstructions if possible. Rassier added that underwater strainers can be visible from the surface. It’s detectable if a particular spot on the river is showing the direction of movement.

Take it to the next level

Rassier said he often gets mistaken as someone struggling to stay in his kayak as he does very unique flips as a form of exercise. As a former physical education teacher for the Foley School District, Rassier has always been an active person and is never afraid of taking on a new challenge. His skills might make the unfamiliar eye believe he has done freestyle kayaking for his whole life, but in reality, he started when he turned 50.

A motto he goes by, and the title of his book, is

“Take it to the Next Level.”

For the last two decades, Rassier has been traveling around the country for school assemblies to do motivational speaking. During that time, he has also been playing one-man volleyball shows where he would play alone against a whole team of six as part of an anti-drug message. He said he played over 8,000 games and remains undefeated.

Rassier also works with 300 sports teams per year for teamwork motivation training.

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Mississippi

What channel is Ole Miss basketball vs Mississippi State on today? Time, TV schedule to watch game

Published

4 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

What channel is Ole Miss basketball vs Mississippi State on today? Time, TV schedule to watch game

Ole Miss basketball’s challenging week continues with Saturday’s rivalry game at Mississippi State.

The Rebels (15-2, 4-0 SEC) earned the first top-5 road win in program history in winning 74-64 over No. 4 Alabama on Tuesday.

Mississippi State has lost consecutive games against Kentucky and Auburn in a difficult start to SEC play, and it won’t get easier against Ole Miss on Saturday.

Here’s how to watch the Ole Miss basketball vs. Mississippi State game today, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:

Watch Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State live on Fubo (free trial)

Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State will broadcast nationally on ESPN2. Brian Custer and Jon Crispin will call the game courtside from Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Date: Saturday, Jan. 18
Start time: 5 p.m.

The Ole Miss basketball vs. Mississippi State game starts at 5 p.m. Saturday from Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville.

Clarion Ledger reporter Sam Hutchens’ prediction: Ole Miss 70, Mississippi State 67

This is a big matchup, both for the rivalry component and for positioning at the top of the SEC. Mississippi State should enjoy a strong homecourt advantage. The past week shows Ole Miss has been playing better in recent days. If Ole Miss’ defense travels, as it did against Alabama, the Rebels could squeak out a close one.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel as of Friday, Jan. 17

Odds: Mississippi State -5.5
O/U: 145.5 points
Money line: Mississippi State -235, Ole Miss +190

Nov. 4: Long Island, W 90-60
Nov. 8: Grambling, W 66-64
Nov. 12: South Alabama, W 64-54
Nov. 16: vs. Colorado State in Southaven, W 84-69
Nov. 21: Oral Roberts, W 100-68
Nov. 28: vs. BYU in San Diego, W 96-85
Nov. 29: vs. Purdue in San Diego, L 80-78
Dec. 3: at Louisville, W 86-63
Dec. 7: Lindenwood, W 86-53
Dec. 14: vs. Southern Miss in Biloxi, W 77-46
Dec. 17: Southern, W 74-61
Dec. 21: Queens, W 80-62
Dec. 28: at Memphis, L 87-70
Jan. 4: Georgia, W 63-51
Jan. 8: at Arkansas, W 73-66
Jan. 11: LSU, W 77-65
Jan. 14: at Alabama, W 74-64
Jan. 18: at Mississippi State, 5 p.m. on ESPN2
Jan. 22: Texas A&M, 8 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
Jan. 25: at Missouri, 5 p.m. on SEC Network
Jan. 29: Texas, 8 p.m. on ESPN2
Feb. 1: Auburn, 3 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2
Feb. 4: Kentucky, 6 p.m. on ESPN
Feb. 8: at LSU, 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network
Feb. 12: at South Carolina, 6 p.m. on SEC Network
Feb. 15: Mississippi State, 5 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2
Feb. 22: at Vanderbilt, 2:30 p.m. on SEC Network
Feb. 26: at Auburn, 6 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
March 1: Oklahoma, 1 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2
March 5: Tennessee, 8 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
March 8: at Florida, 5 p.m. on SEC Network
March 12-16: SEC Tournament in Nashville

Record: 15-2 (4-0 SEC)

Nov. 4: West Georgia, W 95-60
Nov. 8: Georgia State, W 101-66
Nov. 12: SE Louisiana, W 80-59
Nov. 17: vs. Utah in Southaven, W 78-73
Nov. 22: at SMU, W 84-79
Nov. 28: vs. UNLV in Tempe, W 80-58
Nov. 29: vs. Butler in Tempe, L 87-77
Dec. 4: Pitt, W 90-57
Dec. 8: Prairie View A&M, W 91-84
Dec. 14: vs. McNeese State in Tupelo, W 66-63
Dec. 17: vs. Central Michigan in Jackson, W 83-59
Dec. 21: at Memphis, W 79-66
Dec. 30: Bethune-Cookman, W 87-73
Jan. 4: South Carolina, W 85-50
Jan. 7: at Vanderbilt, W 76-64
Jan. 11: Kentucky, L 95-90
Jan. 14: at Auburn, L 88-66
Jan. 18: Ole Miss, 5 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2
Jan. 21: at Tennessee, 6 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2
Jan. 25: at South Carolina, Noon on SEC Network
Jan. 29: Alabama, 8 p.m. on SEC Network
Feb. 1: Missouri, Noon on SEC Network
Feb. 8: at Georgia, 5 p.m. on SEC Network
Feb. 11: Florida, 6 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
Feb. 15: at Ole Miss, 5 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2
Feb. 18: Texas A&M, 6 p.m. on SEC Network
Feb. 22: at Oklahoma, Noon on SEC Network
Feb. 25: at Alabama, 8 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
March 1: LSU, 2:30 p.m. on SEC Network
March 4: Texas, 7 p.m. on SEC Network
March 8: at Arkansas, 11 a.m. on ESPN or SEC Network
March 12-16: SEC Tournament in Nashville

Record: 14-3 (2-2 SEC)

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Mississippi

Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Ole Miss Rebels live stream, TV channel, start time, odds | January 18, 2025

Published

12 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

The No. 21 Ole Miss Rebels (15-2, 4-0 SEC) aim to continue a four-game winning stretch when visiting the No. 18 Mississippi State Bulldogs (14-3, 2-2 SEC) at 6:00 PM ET on Saturday, January 18, 2025 at Humphrey Coliseum. The game airs on ESPN2.

Mississippi State fell on the road to Auburn 88-66 last time out, and was led by Josh Hubbard (17 PTS, 16.67 FG%, 2-10 from 3PT) and RJ Melendez (15 PTS, 10 REB, 41.67 FG%).

In its previous game, Ole Miss defeated Alabama 74-64 on the road, with Malik Dia (23 PTS, 19 REB, 2 BLK, 52.38 FG%) and Jaemyn Brakefield (13 PTS, 42.86 FG%) leading the way.

Here’s everything you need to get ready for Saturday’s college hoops action.

Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Watch college basketball on Fubo!

Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Ole Miss Rebels

Game day: Saturday, January 18, 2025
Game time: 6:00 PM ET
TV: ESPN2
Live stream: Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)

NCAA Basketball Odds and Betting Lines

Spread: Mississippi State -6
Total: 146.5

College basketball odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Saturday at 1:59 AM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.

Watch college basketball on Fubo!

Follow the latest college sports coverage at College Sports Wire.

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.

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Amid national talk of US flags, Jackson flags at City Hall, Thalia Mara are tattered, battered

Published

19 hours ago

January 17, 2025

Press Room

Amid national talk of US flags, Jackson flags at City Hall, Thalia Mara are tattered, battered

Replacements on way, City official says

Flags have been a hot-topic issue around the country and in Mississippi over the last the week, but the real question is this: have you noticed the flags waving — or attempting to — at Jackson City Hall?

The American and Jackson flags at the top of City Hall’s flagpole have surely seen better days. The tattered American flag is partially ripped, looking as if it was raised after a long battle.

Below the American flag, the City of Jackson’s flag, or what’s left of it, is shredded so much you wouldn’t be able to tell what kind of flag it is. The city’s flag — which is supposed to show a gold star, a blue center, a white cross and a green field — looks as if someone stuffed it through a paper shredder.

Then take a walk just down Pascagoula Street to Thalia Mara Hall. While the American flag appears to be in good condition, the state of Mississippi flag is ripped in half, showing only the red end. The state flag’s white magnolia on a navy background is nowhere to be found. The Jackson flag located at Thalia Mara is slightly frayed.

On Friday, after the Clarion Ledger asked if the city was aware of the conditions of the flags, Jackson Spokesperson Melissa Payne said replacements should take place this year. She attributed the flags’ current beat-up conditions to the weather and couldn’t recall the last time they were replaced.

“We are in the process of replacing those flags,” Payne said, adding that Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba personally brought up the issue “at the end of last year.”

According to Annin Flagmakers, which bills itself as “the largest and oldest flag manufacturer in the United States,” a nylon American flag can cost between $23 to $10,270, depending on the size. The smallest American flag available is 3-feet in length and 5-feet in width; the biggest American flag available are 50-feet in length and 80-feet in width. A polyester American flag is a bit more expensive, costing between $42 and $13,160.

The old Mississippi flag, which showed a confederate emblem in the left-hand corner, was replaced in 2020, after years of public debate. Gov. Tate Reeves, who refused to take a position on the flag for years, signed a law that mandates the removal of the old state flag and bans future use of the Confederate emblem.

Flags are flying at half-staff this month in honor of former President Jimmy Carter, who at 100 was the nation’s oldest president. The state flag had been flying at half-staff in recent days to honor the two from Mississippi who died in the New Orleans terror attack. Reeves ordered the flags to fly at full height on Monday to honor the second inauguration of President Donald Trump.

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