Top Stories – Page 119 – The Mississippi Link

Senate 28 race unsettled; run-off scheduled

By Daphne Higgins

Contributing Writer

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, two of the nine candidates in the race for the Senate District 28 seat will be returning to the polls on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in a run-off election to declare a winner for the position left vacant by the death of Senator Alice Harden.

Unofficial results show that Marshand Crisler edged out opponents, Sollie B. Norwood and Tamara Grace Butler, by a close margin to lead the trio in the special election poll results Feb. 5, 2013…. […]

B.B. King Museum hosts Black History Month Musical Celebration

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In keeping with their mission to preserve the rich culture and music of the Mississippi Delta, The B.B. King Museum will host free musical programs every Thursday in February in honor of Black History Month.

On Feb. 7, the program will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will feature the music of: The Eastside High School Choir; The Greenwood High School Choir and the Restoration Ministries Academy.

Museum director, Dion Brown, said this month’s program is just a preview of what The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center will offer to the public in 2013. […]

Mississippi university could get first black chief

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More than 50 years ago, the University of Southern Mississippi rejected a chance to admit a black man and end segregation in the state’s higher education system. Today, the school is likely to become the first of Mississippi’s historically white public universities to be led by a black man.

College Board officials said this month that they want Dr. Rodney Bennett, the University of Georgia’s vice president of student affairs, to become the next president of 16,000-student USM.

Bennett was chosen from among three finalists by the board that oversees all eight public universities. Assuming campus interviews go well, Bennett will likely be named to the post Thursday, Feb. 7. […]

Biloxi man gets 37 years for sex acts with 3-year-old

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A Harrison County man will spent the next 37 years behind bars after admitting he performed sex acts with a 3-year-old girl.

Johnathan Robert Necaise, 29, was sentenced for his crime of sexual battery and exploitation of a child.

According to District Attorney Joel Smith, Necaise was arrested August 19, 2011 after a 3-year-old girl gave a statement as to the lewd acts. […]

Discover the history and heritage of the true South this February

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Whether you are a visitor or a resident of the state, Mississippi invites you to immerse yourself in the history of the True South during the month of February.

“The past truly comes alive in Mississippi,” said Malcolm White, director of the Mississippi Development Authority’s Tourism Division. “From the state’s Civil War and Civil Rights legacy to our Native American culture, Mississippi features historical sites and attractions all across the state. Whether you want an authentic experience featuring a battle reenactment or prefer to rock away the hours listening to stories of days gone by on a porch swing, it’s all here as Mississippians share our rich heritage with visitors.” […]

Severe weather preparedness week coming

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In the wake of all the storm and tornado damage Mississippi has incurred in recent years, “You have to have a plan.” That’s what state and local officials are saying as they ready themselves for Severe Weather Preparedness Week.

A statewide tornado drill will be conducted at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6.

Schools, businesses and other agencies are encouraged to participate. […]

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month

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As we enter into the month of February and draw closer to Valentine’s Day, Attorney General Jim Hood would like to remind Mississippians of Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month and the resource’s available at the Attorney General’s Office.

National statistics show that one in three adolescent girls in the United States is a victim of physical, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner.

“Domestic Violence is a learned behavior,” said Attorney General Hood. “If we don’t intervene, statistics show that boys and girls who are exposed to violence in their homes are statistically much more likely than children who aren’t to become abusers or victims as adults. It is my hope that, through our awareness and prevention efforts, we can help our young people learn how to develop healthy relationships and improve these alarming statistics.” […]

Proud to be Mississippian, Evers-Williams says

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Myrlie Evers-Williams says people praised her poise after her husband, Mississippi NAACP field secretary Medgar Evers, was assassinated 50 years ago in the state. But she says she struggled with wanting revenge.

Evers-Williams, 79, said at a prayer luncheon Thursday in Jackson that her faith helped her find peace, and her daughter once reminded her that Medgar Evers had taught people not to hate.

Now, Evers-Williams said: “I am proud to be a Mississippian. And I dare anyone to challenge me on that point.” […]

‘Blind Side’ family relishes Big Easy Super Bowl

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A knowing grin spread across Sean Tuohy’s face as he considered the uncanny connections between the hit film that changed his family’s life and the fact that Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Michael Oher played in and won his first Super Bowl in the Big Easy. (The Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31)

New Orleans is where Tuohy grew up and went to high school with author Michael Lewis, who wrote “The Blind Side.”

The book led to the movie, which depicted the Tuohys’ rewarding experience as Oher’s adoptive family. Actress Sandra Bullock, who starred as Sean Tuohy’s wife, Leigh Anne, owns a home in New Orleans. […]

1 dead after vast storm rakes South, Midwest

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A large storm system packing high winds and rain caused some building damaged and knocked down trees and power lines in North Mississippi.
No injuries have been reported.

The death was reported when a large tree blew down on a shed in Nashville, Tenn., where a man was sheltering, police told Nashville broadcaster WTVF-TV.

Another person was reported injured by lightning in Arkansas during the storm’s eastward trek. Two people suffered minor injuries when a mobile home was blown off its foundation in Kentucky. The severe weather system ushered in a cold front as it raced toward the Eastern seaboard, dumping rain over the region and creating a tornado risk in the South. […]