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UW-La Crosse library working on searchable database linking the Upper Mississippi River

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UW-La Crosse library working on searchable database linking the Upper Mississippi River


A new collaboration between the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Murphy Library and those with a wide-range of information about the Upper Mississippi River has formed.

University officials announced the start of the Driftless River Initiative this summer.

The initiative aims to grow an online collection related to all thing’s river — from maps and scientific studies to wildlife and culture.

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“We have loads of material, books and maps and historical images that relate to the Upper Mississippi River and the Driftless Region because of the proximity of the university,” said David Mindel, digital collections librarian at Murphy Library.

“It made sense in my mind to get the word out by harnessing the power in numbers we have and how they relate in different ways to the river and the region,” he added.

The library already has hundreds of images of steamboats that have been on the river and journals from a prominent bird watcher.

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“It’s my hope that the material not only becomes more accessible through this initiative, but new knowledge is created in the end, connecting dots that have not been connected,” Mindel said.

Much of the material already collected dates back a century or more, including scientific agricultural work that relates to the Coon Creek watershed in nearby Vernon County. It was the country’s first soil and water conservation district more than 90 years ago.   

“One collection leads to another,” Mindel said. “If you continue to add to this group of materials, it attracts more. That’s what we are seeing happening here.”

Recent donations have come from the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge and the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee, which dropped more than 70 boxes of historical studies, scientific reports and other river materials off at the library.

Mindel said 95 percent of the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee, or UMRCC, donations have been digitized and are searchable online.

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UMRCC is made up of habitat managers from five states along the Upper Mississippi River: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.

Jeff Janvrin recently retired after nearly 35 years as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Mississippi River habitat specialist. He’s also served in a variety of positions with UMRCC.

“When I started my career, you didn’t search Google for a document. You reached out to the author and asked for a copy, and they’d send it to you in the mail,” Janvrin said.

“Nowadays, if it isn’t digital or easily accessible via the internet, it’s quickly forgotten that people even worked on that,” he added.

Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge on the Illinois/Iowa border. John W. Iwanski (CC BY-NC)

Janvrin said it’s important to capture the work done by UMRCC as some of the materials date back to the 1800s.

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“The human element plays a huge role (in management of the river), whether it’s recreational, society, water quality or in the history of how people have interacted (with the river) over the years,” Janvrin said. “Without that perspective, you don’t really accomplish much. You have to do that blending.”

Mindel said libraries are often places where people look to donate items they find when they clean out a home because they don’t want to throw something away that may be historically significant. He said the Driftless River Initiative is looking for flat items, like books, maps or pictures.

He said they are casting a wide net with the project and asking people to contact them if they think they have something significant.



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14-year-old girl arrested for shooting 8-year-old in Mississippi

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14-year-old girl arrested for shooting 8-year-old in Mississippi


WARREN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Deputies in Warren County, Mississippi, arrested a 14-year-old girl for allegedly shooting an 8-year-old.

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said the shooting happened on Abraham Drive just before 4:00 p.m. on April 13, 2026.

According to the sheriff, the female victim was transported to a Jackson hospital for treatment. He said deputies recovered a handgun at the scene.

There’s no motive for the shooting, and the investigation is ongoing.

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A potential opportunity to lower car tag costs across Mississippi

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A potential opportunity to lower car tag costs across Mississippi


A follow-up on high car tag costs in Mississippi shows major differences in what drivers pay depending on where they live, even across the street, according to new data from the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office.The data highlights large price gaps across the metro area, with some residents paying hundreds of dollars more based solely on location and county lines.The State Auditor’s Office data shows that at Ridgeland Ranch Apartments, a car tag costs $571.64. At Trails at Northpointe Apartments directly across the street, the same tag rises to $1,490.48.The highest cost in the region is $1,676.30 at Yazoo Estates, while the lowest is $343.30 in the Oakfield neighborhood.Resident Keith Bush said he has experienced the difference firsthand.“When I lived in Hinds County, my car tag started at $1,500,” Bush said. Now living at Ridgeland Ranch Apartments, Bush said his cost is significantly lower.Bush said, “I don’t want to tell you the exact price, but it is under $200.”State Rep. Ronnie Crudup Jr. of District 71 says the high costs in Hinds County are an ongoing issue tied to local financial obligations, including school infrastructure.Crudup said, “We all know that we got the highest tags. I think even in Hans County, and uh, you know, a lot of that is due to, I guess, our, our, our population in, in our school building.”He added that part of the cost comes from maintaining unused school buildings in the Jackson Public Schools system.Crudup said, “You know, some of the schools are closed. The schools are still on their books right now, because they’re still responsible for the buildings and the maintenance and all that type of thing. I think as they come off their books. I think there’s a chance then that we’ll be able to reduce the price of the car tags.”Bush said, “That would be great. I think a lot of people will have some ideas of where they want to move.”Lawmakers are considering House Bill 1395, which has already passed both chambers. The bill would speed up the sale of unused school buildings, which supporters say could reduce costs, limit delays, and open the door for redevelopment.In a statement, Jackson Public Schools said, “Jackson Public Schools is committed to the strategic repurposing of surplus properties to strengthen communities and improve the district’s financial position, guided by thoughtful planning, stakeholder engagement, and a focus on long-term impact for our scholars and families.We are also grateful to the Mississippi Legislature, and especially the Hinds County Delegation, for their advocacy and support of this legislative change, which provides school districts with greater flexibility to better serve our scholars and community.”Officials said if the bill is signed into law, it could help reduce long-term costs. For now, the data shows that where you live still plays a major role in how much you pay for a car tag.

A follow-up on high car tag costs in Mississippi shows major differences in what drivers pay depending on where they live, even across the street, according to new data from the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office.

The data highlights large price gaps across the metro area, with some residents paying hundreds of dollars more based solely on location and county lines.

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The State Auditor’s Office data shows that at Ridgeland Ranch Apartments, a car tag costs $571.64. At Trails at Northpointe Apartments directly across the street, the same tag rises to $1,490.48.

The highest cost in the region is $1,676.30 at Yazoo Estates, while the lowest is $343.30 in the Oakfield neighborhood.

Resident Keith Bush said he has experienced the difference firsthand.

“When I lived in Hinds County, my car tag started at $1,500,” Bush said.

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Now living at Ridgeland Ranch Apartments, Bush said his cost is significantly lower.

Bush said, “I don’t want to tell you the exact price, but it is under $200.”

State Rep. Ronnie Crudup Jr. of District 71 says the high costs in Hinds County are an ongoing issue tied to local financial obligations, including school infrastructure.

Crudup said, “We all know that we got the highest tags. I think even in Hans County, and uh, you know, a lot of that is due to, I guess, our, our, our population in, in our school building.”

He added that part of the cost comes from maintaining unused school buildings in the Jackson Public Schools system.

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Crudup said, “You know, some of the schools are closed. The schools are still on their books right now, because they’re still responsible for the buildings and the maintenance and all that type of thing. I think as they come off their books. I think there’s a chance then that we’ll be able to reduce the price of the car tags.”

Bush said, “That would be great. I think a lot of people will have some ideas of where they want to move.”

Lawmakers are considering House Bill 1395, which has already passed both chambers. The bill would speed up the sale of unused school buildings, which supporters say could reduce costs, limit delays, and open the door for redevelopment.

In a statement, Jackson Public Schools said, “Jackson Public Schools is committed to the strategic repurposing of surplus properties to strengthen communities and improve the district’s financial position, guided by thoughtful planning, stakeholder engagement, and a focus on long-term impact for our scholars and families.

We are also grateful to the Mississippi Legislature, and especially the Hinds County Delegation, for their advocacy and support of this legislative change, which provides school districts with greater flexibility to better serve our scholars and community.”

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Officials said if the bill is signed into law, it could help reduce long-term costs. For now, the data shows that where you live still plays a major role in how much you pay for a car tag.



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IRS owes Mississippi residents $9.9 million. Are you missing free money?

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IRS owes Mississippi residents .9 million. Are you missing free money?


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Are you missing out on free money? The IRS estimates that 1.3 million Americans are missing out on their 2022 income tax refunds because they haven’t filed their taxes. That totals about $1.2 billion in unclaimed money.

Many taxpayers are missing out on income tax returns because they haven’t filed. Some are years late.

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The final deadline to be eligible is April 15. If people miss it, the money becomes property of the U.S. Treasury.

How many people in Mississippi could get a check?

According to the IRS, Mississippi taxpayers are owed about $9.9 million.

Approximately 11,800 people who haven’t filed their 2022 taxes could get a refund. The median amount is $635, so half of refunds could be more than that.

What if I didn’t file my 2022 taxes? When is the deadline?

You have until April 15, 2026, to file back-year returns.

The IRS said you might still be eligible for the check, but only people who have filed their taxes will get one.

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If you owe money or haven’t filed for 2023 or 2024 tax years, your check could be held. The money could also be garnished for unpaid child support or federal student loans.

People also have to file their 2025 taxes to get any refunds that might be owed.

Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY NETWORK. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.



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