Mississippi In Brief

Posted on Nov 6 2015 - 9:57am by Lizzie McIntosh

SAVE MONEY. LIVE BETTER.

Marshall W. Leonard was arrested in Tupelo on Sunday for running a red light about half an hour after he threw a small explosive wrapped in newspaper into the local Walmart. According to Time magazine, the charge for “placing an explosive device” could call for a life sentence in prison. Tupelo police say Leonard was enraged by Walmart’s decision to stop selling the Confederate flag in its stores. Leonard appeared for his first court hearing on Tuesday. The Clarion-Ledger reported, when asked by the press his reasons for bombing Walmart, Leonard said, “They are a bunch of PC assholes. They are the enemies.” The trial will continue through the next legal steps.

MY FIRST KISS WENT A LITTLE LIKE THIS

A lot is happening in Tupelo these days. According to the Daily Journal, the North Mississippi Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Patient Assistance Fund held an unusual fundraiser for its patients. Neonatologist Dr. John Nading gave Pip, a 200-pound potbelly pig, a kiss Wednesday morning after his friends and colleagues donated more than $900 in his honor to the fund. Pip belongs to NICU nurse Amy Clouse. During the event the NICU staff sold t-shirts and lunch plates from BBQ by Jim and raised more than $4,500 as a result. The funds are going toward innovative development tools to create a “womb-like” environment for premature babies at the hospital. According to Clouse, this was Pip’s first kiss from a doctor.

HELLO FROM THE OTHER SIDE

According to WAPT Jackson, the recent rain has not been an entirely positive thing for the state. Although the drought is now over,  Mississippi is facing a new problem with a fire ant “frenzy.”  The dreaded insect has emerged from the other side, which entomologists say is a result of the recent rain. They were previously deep underground because of the drought and hot weather. One mound has the capability of holding more than 200,000 ants and it’s no surprise that mounds are popping up all over Mississippi. This battle with the pests will continue until cold weather arrives.

HANCOCK COUNTY CHAOS

Tragedy hit Hancock County this week. A man was killed in a hit-and-run accident on Interstate 10 Tuesday night, and was then pulled from the Pearl River on Wednesday morning. According to WLOX News, police have identified the man as Steven Shawn Clark, a 26-year-old from Alabama. Clark was driving an 18-wheeler when a pickup truck ran into another 18-wheeler which then ran Clark’s 18-wheeler off of the bridge. The pickup truck fled the scene and Louisiana police are still investigating the situation.