President Joe Biden approved federal aid in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/03/26/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-mississippi-disaster-declaration-3/">major disaster declaration</a> after a powerful storm with straight-line winds and deadly tornadoes ripped through parts of Mississippi and Alabama over the weekend, killing at least 26 people and injuring many more.
According to reports, an EF-4 tornado with wind gusts up to 170 mph leveled most of the Rolling Fork community, a town of about 2,000 near Mississippi&#8217;s western border. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, tornadoes reaching EF-4 or EF-5 levels are considered violent and extremely rare.
White House officials said the aid would go toward temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Biden administration officials approved the aid for the Mississippi counties of Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, and Sharkey to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations.
&#8220;Jill and I are praying for those who have lost loved ones in the devastating tornadoes in Mississippi and for those whose loved ones are missing,&#8221; Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/25/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-devastating-tornado-deaths-in-mississippi/">said</a>. &#8220;The images from across Mississippi are heartbreaking. While we are still assessing the full extent of the damage, we know that many of our fellow Americans are not only grieving for family and friends, they&#8217;ve lost their homes and businesses.&#8221;
Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency in the affected areas. Reeves asked for prayer in a tweet posted Saturday morning after the death toll surpassed more than 20 from the violent tornados.
&#8220;The loss will be felt in these towns forever,&#8221; Reeves said. &#8220;Please pray for God&#8217;s hand to be over all who lost family and friends.&#8221;
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At least twenty three Mississippians were killed by last night’s violent tornados. We know that many more are injured. Search and rescue teams are still active. 
The loss will be felt in these towns forever. Please pray for God’s hand to be over all who lost family and friends.
&mdash; Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) <a href="https://twitter.com/tatereeves/status/1639594749442048002?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/26/weather/us-severe-storms-sunday/index.html">CNN</a>, &#8220;the city is gone.&#8221;
Rolling Fork Vice Mayor LaDonna Sias told the outlet that she heard residents screaming as they took shelter in closets and bathrooms as the storm swept through the town and destroyed her property.
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&#8220;It seemed like forever until that noise stopped,&#8221; Sias said. &#8220;It was just totally devastating. Even though we lost everything, this stuff can be replaced. Material things can be replaced, but to lose a loved one – it was just heart-wrenching.&#8221;
First responders reported the town looked &#8220;unrecognizable&#8221; after knocked-down power lines and debris filled what was left of the city.
&#8220;Houses [were] completely demolished, businesses demolished … pretty much most of the town is unrecognizable right now,&#8221; Baeley Williams, one of the first responders in Rolling Fork, told AccuWeather.
Chilling security footage from a high school in Amory, Mississippi, that news outlets obtained shows the tornado damaging parts of a ceiling and sending debris flying across the highway as a tornado rips through Friday evening.
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NEW VIDEO: Security camera footage at the high school in Amory, MS shows the ceiling falling apart and debris getting strewn across the highway as a tornado rips through Friday evening.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MSwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MSwx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tornado?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tornado</a> <a href="https://t.co/kgngm23Pus">pic.twitter.com/kgngm23Pus</a>
&mdash; WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeatherNation/status/1639944136500580358?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Mississippi Emergency Management Agency <a href="https://twitter.com/MSEMA/status/1639746472819273730" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> of an &#8220;enhanced&#8221; risk for severe weather patterns for parts of the state to continue Sunday night, which includes winds over 70 mph, hail storms, and a few &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSPC/status/1639911213709631490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1639911213709631490%7Ctwgr%5E9d1dca5ac3a7d3b16868978ddab2d01456b27724%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fjoe-biden-emergency-declaration-torndao-mississippi-alabama%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">possibly strong</a>&#8221; tornadoes.
Parts of northern Alabama and south-central Tennessee also experienced tornadoes and severe weather events over the weekend.
The National Weather Service&#8217;s Huntsville office said at least three tornadoes touched down over the weekend.
Morgan County Emergency Management officials confirmed to <a href="https://www.al.com/news/2023/03/alabama-severe-weather-1-man-dead-in-morgan-county-after-being-trapped-under-trailer-during-storm.html">local media</a> that a 67-year-old man was killed in the area after getting trapped inside his mobile home.
An EF-2 tornado touched down just north of the Tennessee-Alabama border near Fayetteville, Tennessee, on Saturday, with peak winds of 118 mph that caused minor roof and shingle damage to single-family homes.
Atlanta weather service officials told <a href="https://www.ksbw.com/article/30m-southerners-are-at-risk-of-dangerous-weather-sunday-after-tornadoes-and-storms-killed-26-people/43421082?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot#">local media</a> a &#8220;large and extremely dangerous tornado&#8221; struck Sunday morning south of LaGrange, Georgia, leaving at least three people injured.
&#8220;It was awful &#8230; a lot of homes were destroyed,&#8221; LaGrange Mayor-elect Willie T. Edmondson told <a href="https://www.wsbtv.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">CNN affiliate WSB</a>.
The National Weather Service&#8217;s Storm Prediction Center issued a warning Sunday, saying, &#8220;a few strong tornadoes and very large hail may occur with the most intense storms, particularly from central Louisiana across central/southern portions of Mississippi and Alabama this afternoon and evening.&#8221;
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Here is a look at some of the tornado damage in Rolling Fork, Mississippi from the storm on March 24, 2023. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/gRZfySOjdd">pic.twitter.com/gRZfySOjdd</a>
&mdash; msema (@MSEMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSEMA/status/1640030616333832192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
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At least 25 killed as tornado rips through US state of Mississippi

Biden Admin Declares ‘Major Disaster’ In Mississippi After Dozens Killed By Tornadoes

Biden Administration

Mississippi

Severe Weather

Tate Reeves

Tornado

U.S.

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mississippi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mississippi</a> meteorologist appealed to God while on air to help those who were in the path of a vicious <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tornado" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tornado</a> that was ripping through the state.
WTVA meteorologist Matt Laubhan said a prayer on air as a tornado headed toward the small city of Amory, which was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/severe-weather" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crushed by the storm</a> alongside other areas of western Mississippi. 
“Here&#8217;s the thing about this, y&#8217;all trust me too much,” Laubhan said. “I tell you where it&#8217;s going to go and some of you guys are like: &#8220;That&#8217;s where it&#8217;s gonna go.’ The reality of this, this could be changing direction. So, Amory, we need to be in our safe place.”
Laubhan, who was monitoring the tornado’s trajectory, got a new scan and appeared very disturbed by its path. “Oh man, north side of Amory, this is coming in,” he said. “Oh, man. Dear Jesus, please help them. Amen.”
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WATCH: WTVA meteorologist Matt Laubhan overwhelmed as major tornado hits Amory, Mississippi <a href="https://t.co/JDd8n46X31">pic.twitter.com/JDd8n46X31</a>
&mdash; BNO News Live (@BNODesk) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNODesk/status/1639490172952936448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Laubhan put later posted footage of damage to buildings in Amory, including the National Guard armory.
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Storm damage at the National Guard armory and nearby buildings in Amory, MS. <a href="https://t.co/niRpolWwwP">pic.twitter.com/niRpolWwwP</a>
&mdash; Matt Laubhan WTVA (@MattWTVA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWTVA/status/1639508379629649920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Daylight scene of storm damage in Amory, MS. <a href="https://t.co/meOSNXPzgj">pic.twitter.com/meOSNXPzgj</a>
&mdash; Matt Laubhan WTVA (@MattWTVA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWTVA/status/1639628485626048512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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According to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, at least 23 people were killed and four people went missing due to the tornado. “Unfortunately these numbers are expected to change,” the agency <a href="https://twitter.com/MSEMA/status/1639591354966704130" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a> on Saturday. 
The tornado, which was around a mile wide and <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/7-dead-mississippi-tornado-official/story?id=98117564">traveled</a> for over 100 miles, <a href="https://www.wapt.com/article/search-and-rescue-ambulances-dispatched-to-help-mississippi-tornado-victims/43415196#">devastated</a> the small towns of Rolling Fork, Anguilla, and Silver Creek.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/at-least-23-dead-after-tornado-rips-through-mississippi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">devastating storm</a> ripped off roofs, leveled homes, and knocked out power for thousands of Mississippians. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves warned his state’s residents, gave an update on what actions the state is taking, and asked for prayer in a tweet just after 10:00 p.m. Friday.
“Many in the MS Delta need your prayer and God’s protection tonight,” Reeves said. “We have activated medical support — surging more ambulances and other emergency assets for those affected. Search and rescue is active. Watch weather reports and stay cautious through the night, Mississippi!”
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President Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/25/readout-of-president-joe-bidens-calls-with-mississippi-governor-tate-reeves-and-members-of-the-mississippi-congressional-delegation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> to the tornado by expressing his condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones and saying that FEMA would “ensure the fullest possible Federal response to those in need.&#8221;
Zach Jewell contributed to this report.

Tornado and Lightning Bolt

Video Shows Meteorologist Appealing To God As Tornado Ripped Toward Mississippi Town

Joe Biden

Nearly two dozen people are confirmed dead in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mississippi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mississippi</a> after a tornado hit the western part of the state Friday night. 
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency revealed early Saturday morning that 23 people have been confirmed dead and four are missing. The tornado, which was around a mile wide and <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/7-dead-mississippi-tornado-official/story?id=98117564" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traveled</a> for over 100 miles, <a href="https://www.wapt.com/article/search-and-rescue-ambulances-dispatched-to-help-mississippi-tornado-victims/43415196#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">devastated</a> the small towns of Rolling Fork, Anguilla, and Silver Creek.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Rolling Fork resident Brandy Showah <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/25/weather/us-severe-storms-saturday/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CNN. “This was a very great small town, and now it’s gone.”
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BREAKING: At least 19 dead in Mississippi tornado, storms: US media reports
 <a href="https://t.co/YzIAjHQmSe">pic.twitter.com/YzIAjHQmSe</a>
&mdash; Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheInsiderPaper/status/1639583046893436929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The tornado was moving at 50 mph when it hit Rolling Fork shortly after 8:00 p.m. local time Friday night, according to the National Weather Service. The devastating storm ripped off roofs, leveled homes, and knocked out power for thousands of Mississippians. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves warned his state’s residents, gave an update on what actions the state is taking, and asked for prayer in a tweet just after 10:00 p.m. Friday.
“Many in the MS Delta need your prayer and God’s protection tonight,” Reeves said. “We have activated medical support — surging more ambulances and other emergency assets for those affected. Search and rescue is active. Watch weather reports and stay cautious through the night, Mississippi!”
Immediately after the storm devastated Rolling Fork, the town’s residents jumped to help each other.
“Everybody is helping everybody,” one resident <a href="https://www.wapt.com/article/search-and-rescue-ambulances-dispatched-to-help-mississippi-tornado-victims/43415196" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> WAPT News. “Not just in this part of town, it’s everywhere.” Another Rolling Fork resident told the local news channel he will be out to help with clean up for “as long as it takes.”
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&quot;I thought I was dead.&quot;
Rolling Fork residents recall the death and devastation just hours after the tornado&#39;s touch-down, but also the support already rolling in to aid the small town. <a href="https://twitter.com/16WAPTNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@16WAPTNews</a> <a href="https://t.co/d5RKafJnS3">pic.twitter.com/d5RKafJnS3</a>
&mdash; Bradley Davis WAPT (@DdavisBradley) <a href="https://twitter.com/DdavisBradley/status/1639589541513244672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1639604082645303296" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joined</a> CNN Saturday morning, telling the outlet that rescue efforts were still taking place and revealing that he sees &#8220;devastation&#8221; everywhere he looks.
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&#8220;A lot of families here are affected. A lot of families are hurting,&#8221; Walker said. &#8220;This community is in a situation that we never expected, but right now, what&#8217;s important to me is that these folks are taken care of.&#8221;

Mississippi Tornado

At Least 23 Dead After Tornado Rips Through Mississippi

Daily Wire host and author <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matt-walsh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Walsh</a> rebuked the media Tuesday at a bill signing to outlaw so-called transgender care on minors in the state of Mississippi.
Republican Governor Tate Reeves, with Walsh in attendance, signed <a href="http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2023/html/HB/1100-1199/HB1125IN.htm">House Bill 1125</a>, banning sex-change procedures for minors and punishing doctors who push cross-sex drugs and procedures for those under 18.
When a reporter at the signing suggested gender-confused children taking puberty blockers are &#8220;more self-confident,&#8221; Walsh responded by saying such &#8220;care&#8221; is &#8220;utterly horrific and insane on its face.&#8221;
The author noted that, first, there is no large-scale data backing up the assertion, since this is the first time in history that we&#8217;ve doled out cross-sex hormones and performed these surgeries on so many minors.
&#8220;We haven&#8217;t done this to kids on this kind of scale ever before in history,&#8221; he said. &#8220;These kids are the lab rats.&#8221;
This also &#8220;defies common sense,&#8221; Walsh continued, &#8220;I find it grotesque that the way to stop a child from hurting themselves is to &#8216;affirm&#8217; that they&#8217;re in the wrong body.&#8221;
Instead, these children need to be put on a path to &#8220;self-acceptance.&#8221; “‘This is who you are&#8217; — that should be the message,&#8221; Walsh added.
Medical professionals &#8220;affirming&#8221; that children are in the wrong bodies is &#8220;utterly horrific and insane on its face,&#8221; the author asserted.
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Walsh also took on a question from the media suggesting that the bill contradicts the governor&#8217;s belief in &#8220;parental rights.&#8221;
&#8220;I believe in parental rights,&#8221; Walsh responded. &#8220;But you don&#8217;t have the right to directly harm your child; child abuse is against the law in every state, as it should be.&#8221;
Walsh emphasized that &#8220;we cannot allow this evil&#8221; of mutilating children “to continue,&#8221; adding that these kids &#8220;need guidance and love.&#8221;
For good measure, the host also took a shot at the &#8220;culpable&#8221; media for not showing an &#8220;ounce of skepticism&#8221; against the &#8220;medical establishment.&#8221;
Walsh is one of the most influential cultural commentators in the movement against efforts to mainstream transgenderism, particularly when it comes to minors.
Back in October, Walsh hosted a “<a href="https://tickets.dailywire.com/rally" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rally To End Child Mutilation</a>” in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a>, before an estimated crowd of up to 3,000 people. Speakers included former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), trans-identifying star of Walsh’s “What is a Woman?” documentary Scott Newgent, Robby and Landon Starbuck, and de-transitioner Chloe Cole — all emphasizing the need to protect children from procedures that range from puberty blockers to mastectomies, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-state-police-estimate-up-to-3000-people-attended-matt-walsh-rally-to-end-child-mutilation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
Moreover, Walsh earlier this month <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/matt-walsh-testifies-in-favor-of-tennessee-bill-banning-child-gender-mutilation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified</a> before a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> House committee and sparred with Democrat lawmakers while advocating for a bill that would similarly ban sex-change treatments on minors. The legislation was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-bill-to-ban-sex-change-procedures-on-minors-advances-to-governors-desk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> in the state House and will go to the desk of Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Lee</a>, who is expected to sign it.
“We should not allow permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children. With the partnership of the General Assembly, this practice should end in Tennessee,” Lee said in the fall after an investigation by Daily Wire host Matt Walsh revealed that the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) had performed double mastectomies on minors.
<a href="http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2023/html/HB/1100-1199/HB1125IN.htm">House Bill 1125</a>, known as the “Regulate Experimental Adolescent Procedures (REAP) Act,” overwhelmingly <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/mississippi-senate-passes-limit-on-gender-affirming-health-care">passed</a> Mississippi’s Republican-led Senate 33-15 last week after passing the state House 78-30 in January. It is now law.
Zach Jewell and Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-state-police-estimate-up-to-3000-people-attended-matt-walsh-rally-to-end-child-mutilation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee State Police Estimate Up To 3,000 People Attended Matt Walsh ‘Rally To End Child Mutilation’</a>

Matt Walsh

‘I Find It Grotesque’: Matt Walsh Bats Down Media At Mississippi Bill Signing To Ban Trans ‘Care’ For Minors

Matt Walsh Takes On Media Following Mississippi Outlawing Of Trans 'Care' For Minors

LGBTQ

Social Issues

Transgender

Gov. Tate Reeves (R-MS) signed a bill Tuesday outlawing sex-change procedures for minors and punishing doctors who push cross-sex drugs and procedures on those under 18. 
<a href="http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2023/html/HB/1100-1199/HB1125IN.htm">House Bill 1125</a>, known as the “Regulate Experimental Adolescent Procedures (REAP) Act,” overwhelmingly <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/mississippi-senate-passes-limit-on-gender-affirming-health-care">passed</a> Mississippi’s Republican-led Senate 33-15 last week after passing the state House 78-30 in January. Now, after Reeves’ signature, Mississippi state law bars health care providers from performing gender reassignment surgeries, prescribing and administrating puberty-blocking drugs, and giving cross-sex hormones to trans-identifying children. 
“There is a dangerous movement spreading across America today being pushed onto our children through radical activists, social media, and online influencers,” Reeves said at the bill’s signing, adding that radical gender ideology “threatens our children’s innocence and threatens their health.”
Under the new Mississippi law, doctors and healthcare professionals who “knowingly provide gender transition procedures to any person under 18 years of age” will have their medical license revoked by the state. The law also prohibits public funds from being used for gender transitions on minors. 
Daily Wire host Matt Walsh, who has been on a crusade in his home state of Tennessee to protect children from the dangers of transgender treatments, joined Reeves in Jackson, Mississippi, for the bill’s signing. 
“These kids are put on so-called puberty blockers to chemically castrate them, and before the age of 18, many will undergo surgery,” Walsh said. “They cannot consent to it and they cannot understand the long-term effects of it.” 
“They need love and clarity, not hormone supplements and scalpels,” he added. “Our kids cannot protect themselves. We need to do it. That’s our job as adults.” 
Republican state Sen. Joey Fillingane clarified that Mississippi is only banning transgender surgeries for those who are not legal adults.
“I just want everyone to be very crystal clear: Once you’re 18 if this bill becomes law … this bill would recognize you can have any procedure on your body you want to,” Fillingane <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/mississippi-senate-passes-limit-on-gender-affirming-health-care">said</a> during Senate floor debate. “So what we’re really talking about here are these procedures for persons 17 years of age and under.”
Mississippi’s move to prevent minors from making irreversible changes to their bodies comes after Tennessee’s state legislature <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-bill-to-ban-sex-change-procedures-on-minors-advances-to-governors-desk">sent a bill</a> to Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s desk last week that would ban such procedures as mastectomies on girls who come to believe they are boys and make it illegal to give children cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers. The bill is expected to be approved by Lee, who has previously signaled that he supports the measure.
“We should not allow permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children. With the partnership of the General Assembly, this practice should end in Tennessee,” Lee said in the fall after an investigation by Walsh revealed that the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) had performed double mastectomies on minors.
Other Republican-led <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2023/02/28/iowa-republican-bill-would-prohibit-medical-transition-for-trans-kids/69951584007/">states</a> such as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, South Dakota, and Utah have also restricted or banned sex-change procedures for minors. The bill <a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-alabama-gender-identity-d01d4e362647b28800da7a378041371c">Alabama</a> passed last year made it a felony to prescribe puberty blockers and hormone treatment to trans-identifying minors, but the law was temporarily blocked by a federal judge. 
Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska are also considering bills that would prohibit doctors from performing similar procedures on minors. 
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.

Mississippi Bans Sex-Change Procedures For Minors; Matt Walsh Delivers Remarks With Governor

The already embattled city of Jackson, Mississippi issued another boil water notice to residents as a dangerous winter storm swept across the country this week.
In a public announcement on Christmas Day, city officials in Jackson urged residents to boil city water because of low water pressure in the city&#8217;s pipes. Officials attributed the pressure losses to breaks in water lines caused by frigid temperatures from a winter storm that blanketed 37 U.S. states between Wednesday and Sunday. Jackson&#8217;s water system has been the center of attention this year after mismanagement produced multiple water crises.
&#8220;Due to the loss of system pressure, the City of Jackson Water/Sewer Utilities Division has issued a precautionary boil water advisory until further notice for ALL SURFACE WATER CONNECTIONS,&#8221; the city said in a <a href="https://www.jacksonms.gov/citywide-boil-water-advisory/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> Sunday. &#8220;This advisory includes surface water connections in Byram and Hinds County. The system has lost pressure due to breaks in the distribution system that have not been identified. Some areas may be experiencing little to no water pressure. The O.B. Curtis and J.H. Fewell Water Treatment Plants will continue to work to maximize production to restore pressure to as much of the system as possible.&#8221;
“Please check your businesses and churches for leaks and broken pipes, as these add up tremendously and only worsen the problem,” the city said in a separate statement, via the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-jackson-climate-and-environment-fece87363c92bd5e14e085d0065b1dae" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>. “We understand the timing is terrible.”
Temperatures in Jackson dropped into the teens and 20s this week. According to <a href="https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/b16e2af7d0ba76bdfe3bebe958f7cf77965d79fa2e58bc0956a47be2d72a4c78" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The WeatherChannel</a>, the low temperature on Thursday night was 11 degrees. Temperatures on Friday ranged from a high of just 23 to a low of 15. On Saturday, the high reached just 33, with a low of 17. The rapid freeze was part of a &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/once-in-a-generation-winter-storm-expected-to-affect-most-of-u-s-midwest-likely-to-be-hardest-hit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once in a generation</a>&#8221; winter storm that swept most of the country, from the mountain West to the Great Lakes and the Midwest, to Appalachia, and up through New England, this week.
The city reported fluctuating water pressure all weekend. According to AP, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-jackson-climate-and-environment-ff0010d637a33679e2de5cb8bd94f9c0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">production slowed</a> at one of the water treatment plants in the city because of water line leaks and breaks. Some neighborhoods said they had little or no water pressure on Christmas Eve, the outlet reported.
The latest failure comes months after the water system in Jackson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mississippi-water-crisis-drags-into-fifth-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">failed</a> because of flooding of the Pearl River in August. Multiple water pumps at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant failed after severe storms caused the Pearl River to flood, prompting low water pressure and a risk of bacterial infection, a press release from the Mississippi Department of Health explained at the time.
Jackson’s water supply has faced multiple interruptions over the past several decades. Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a notice of noncompliance to city leadership for not “repairing and maintaining equipment necessary to reliably produce drinking water.”
Residents of Jackson filed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jackson-mississippi-residents-file-lawsuit-against-city-over-water-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">class-action suit</a> against the city in September, arguing that the August failure of the water system was the result of decades of mismanagement and neglect by city officials and engineers. The water system failure led to residents lacking water to drink or cook with, as well as do household cleaning and laundry, or even use the toilet, the suit alleged. The residents further claimed that the remaining water supply was tainted, and did not meet up to federal standards.
Ben Zeisloft contributed to this report.

Jackson water crisis

Jackson, Mississippi Issues Christmas Boil Order After Water Lines Break In Freezing Temperatures

Jackson, Mississippi Issues Another Boil Order After Water Lines Break In Freezing Temperatures

Christmas

Drinking Water

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mississippi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mississippi</a> police officer shot and killed a woman who had taken an employee hostage inside a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/walmart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walmart</a> Wednesday.
Video taken by a bystander inside the store showed Corlunda McGinister, a 21-year-old Arkansas woman, holding a gun in her right hand as her left hand was on the back of a stunned Walmart employee. McGinister is heard making requests for a news anchor, saying she doesn’t want to hurt anyone as she forces the Walmart worker to walk with her away from the person recording. 
“Hey, give me a news anchor down here right now,” she <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/12/23/mississippi-cops-fatally-shoot-woman-corlunda-mcginister-for-holding-walmart-worker-hostage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. 
“I need help, I need help,” McGinister added. “Give me a news anchor down here.”
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Viral video posted to TikTok showed an apparent hostage situation unfold at a Walmart in Richland, Mississippi. A woman held a Walmart employee at gunpoint. News reports indicate the suspect was shot dead by police. No other injuries were reported. 📹: 504bigmama <a href="https://t.co/KZKYPTn0jC">pic.twitter.com/KZKYPTn0jC</a>
&mdash; Malik Earnest (@MalikEarnest) <a href="https://twitter.com/MalikEarnest/status/1605881928871133189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Witnesses <a href="https://www.wlbt.com/2022/12/23/richland-walmart-reopens-after-officer-involved-shooting-armed-hostage-situation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the woman got into a confrontation with the worker in the customer service department before taking her hostage. 
The hostage situation was reported at around 5:45 p.m., and officers with the Richland Police Department quickly moved in on the hostage taker, pleading with her to drop her weapon and let the employee go. Two hours after the incident was reported, McGinister was shot and killed by an officer. 
&#8220;RPD had an officer-involved shooting this evening at Walmart. All of our officers are safe. Walmart is secure and closed at this time. MBI will be conducting an independent investigation,&#8221; the Richland Police Department stated, <a href="https://www.wapt.com/article/rankin-county-coroner-responding-to-officer-involved-shooting-at-richland-walmart/42312226" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to WAPT. 
Richland Police Chief Nick McClendon informed the public that no one else was injured in the shooting. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s devastating for all parties involved — the officers, everybody that was involved in this situation,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You know, with the Christmas season coming, mental health is a big deal because of the stress involved in the Christmas season.&#8221;
The Mississippi Walmart reopened with police stationed inside and outside of the store to help customers feel safe.

Police

Police Officer Fatally Shoots Woman Holding Walmart Employee Hostage

Crime

Shooting

Walmart

Prominent athletes, coaches, commentators, and others posted touching tributes on Tuesday to beloved Mississippi State college football <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mississippi-state-football-coach-mike-leach-in-critical-condition-after-suffering-massive-heart-attack-report-says">coach Mike Leach</a> following news of his death. He was 61.
Leach sustained a heart attack at his home in Starkville on Sunday. He was airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, where he died.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was just one of the hundreds who reacted on social media.
&#8220;Prayers to the Leach family!&#8221; the former Super Bowl MVP tweeted with praying hand emojis. &#8221; True legend of the game!&#8221;
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Prayers to the Leach family!🙏🏽🙏🏽 True legend of the game!
&mdash; Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickMahomes/status/1602672792369074181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;There is no way I would be where I am today if not for Mike Leach and everything he taught me about the game,&#8221; Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who played under Leach at Texas Tech, shared in a statement.
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Statement from Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury on the passing of Mike Leach, who was the head coach at Texas Tech during Kingsbury’s record-setting career as a QB there: <a href="https://t.co/yleLkRHIOK">pic.twitter.com/yleLkRHIOK</a>
&mdash; Mark Dalton (@CardsMarkD) <a href="https://twitter.com/CardsMarkD/status/1602672386939273216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Truly one of the most innovative offensive minds in football, he was more than a coach,&#8221; he added. &#8220;He was a mentor, a friend and one of the most special people I&#8217;ve ever met. My heart goes out to Sharon, the Leach family and everyone who had the privilege of knowing and loving him. Our sport was better because of Mike Leach and is far less interesting without him.&#8221;
&#8220;Heartbroken. Prayers for the entire Leach family and [HailStateFB],&#8221; Tennessee Volunteers head football coach Josh Heupel tweeted, along with a statement calling Leach &#8220;one of a kind.&#8221;
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Heartbroken. Prayers for the entire Leach family and <a href="https://twitter.com/HailStateFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HailStateFB</a> <a href="https://t.co/pluR0EMCDN">pic.twitter.com/pluR0EMCDN</a>
&mdash; Josh Heupel (@coachjoshheupel) <a href="https://twitter.com/coachjoshheupel/status/1602670546193375233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;He saw something in me that no one else did,&#8221; the statement read. &#8220;Like so many across our sport, I am grateful for Coach Leach&#8217;s impact on my life both personally and professionally. His offensive philosophy and vision were ahead of his time, and they continue to shape the game today.&#8221;
&#8220;Off the field, he was one of a kind &#8211; an incredible storyteller, a man full of wisdom and someone who always cared about his former players and coaches,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I enjoyed our friendship over the years.&#8221;
&#8220;[Mike Leach was] the smartest coach I&#8217;ve ever been around. &#8230; He&#8217;s one of the truly irreplaceable figures in the history of the game,&#8221; ESPN commentator Paul Finebaum shared. &#8220;Records are one thing &#8230; but the legacy that one leaves behind is what I heard from his many friends and coaching colleagues.&#8221;
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&quot;[Mike Leach was] the smartest coach I&#39;ve ever been around. &#8230; He&#39;s one of the truly irreplaceable figures in the history of the game. Records are one thing &#8230; but the legacy that one leaves behind is what I heard from his many friends and coaching colleagues.&quot;
—<a href="https://twitter.com/finebaum?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@finebaum</a> <a href="https://t.co/JwIamgWCnW">pic.twitter.com/JwIamgWCnW</a>
&mdash; Get Up (@GetUpESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/GetUpESPN/status/1602673796166590466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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And they weren&#8217;t the only ones shocked and saddened to learn of the coach&#8217;s death.
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Got to have a few beers with Mike Leach one evening several years ago and have wanted to spend more time with him ever since. Such a cool cool dude. RIP coach.
&mdash; Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaleJr/status/1602669669013508098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Mike Leach had a law degree &amp; never played or coached college football. But, in 1987, he got a shot to coach the offensive line at San Luis Obispo for $3,000.
“I knew that I would start from behind. But I did think I had the ability to learn.”
He became one of the best coaches. <a href="https://t.co/PmoyBSos5V">pic.twitter.com/PmoyBSos5V</a>
&mdash; Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) <a href="https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/1602672508037201923?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The world and college football are a better place because of Mike Leach. We lost a legend and I’m going to miss my friend very much. I cannot believe this has happened. Devastating. I will cherish the many talks and laughs. He will be dearly missed. God Bless Mike’s family 🙏🙏🙏
&mdash; Sean Salisbury (@SeanUnfiltered) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanUnfiltered/status/1602673011089358848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Mississippi State just announced Mike Leach has died at 61 years old. Sad day for college football fans everywhere. Some stories here about what a great guy he was. Prayers for his family. <a href="https://t.co/En4NcVSSJV">pic.twitter.com/En4NcVSSJV</a>
&mdash; Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClayTravis/status/1602668335040454661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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I never played under coach Mike Leach but I respected his philosophy towards the game growing up… RIP COACH you was apart of the birth of how the game is played today 🙏🏿
&mdash; Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) <a href="https://twitter.com/DezBryant/status/1602668039350231040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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For those who love college football, it’s quirkiness, unique offenses, youthful spirit are a significant part of that. Mike leach embodied so many things that make the sport fun. Even better — he shared them w so many people. He let us in. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPCoachLeach?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPCoachLeach</a>
&mdash; Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColinCowherd/status/1602693704363511809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Literally lost for words. <a href="https://twitter.com/Coach_Leach?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Coach_Leach</a> gave me an opportunity to come back to my alma mater to coach and I’ll forever be grateful for that. Always showed me so much love and respect since the first day we met. I’ll miss you coach and thank you for everything 💔🕊️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HailState?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HailState</a> <a href="https://t.co/q60x8w8HPH">pic.twitter.com/q60x8w8HPH</a>
&mdash; Taveze Calhoun (@Calhoun__23) <a href="https://twitter.com/Calhoun__23/status/1602671097626984450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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So incredibly sad. Mike Leach was the best. Just a unique, awesome person. <a href="https://t.co/3ekgicv3SG">https://t.co/3ekgicv3SG</a>
&mdash; Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1602665054062649344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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There will never be another one quite like Mike Leach.
A true college football original. <a href="https://t.co/ZnpJwMXT2q">pic.twitter.com/ZnpJwMXT2q</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1602676510254682113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gonna-terrorize-you-sec-coach-drops-incredible-wedding-advice-for-sports-reporter">&#8216;Gonna Terrorize You&#8217;: SEC Coach Drops Incredible Wedding Advice For Sports Reporter</a>

Mike Leach-2

‘True College Football Original’: Sports World Sends Tributes Following Beloved Coach Mike Leach’s Death

Sports World Sends Tributes Following Beloved Coach Mike Leach's Death

Celebrities

College Football

Death

NCAA

Sports

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mississippi-state-football-coach-mike-leach-in-critical-condition-after-suffering-massive-heart-attack-report-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Leach</a>, the beloved Mississippi State football coach as well known for his homespun wit as his gridiron genius, has died after suffering a massive heart attack.
Leach, who was 61 and in his third year as Mississippi State&#8217;s coach, suffered what the university initially described as a &#8220;personal health issue,&#8221; later reported to be a heart attack, at his home in Starkville on Sunday. He was flown to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, where he died.
&#8220;We are supported and uplifted by the outpouring of love and prayers from family, friends, Mississippi State University, the hospital staff, and football fans around the world,&#8221; Leach&#8217;s family said in a statement. &#8220;Thank you for sharing in the joy of our beloved husband and father&#8217;s life.&#8221;
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MSU Bulldog family, college football community mourns the death of Coach Mike Leach<a href="https://t.co/LzWyLyX3xM">https://t.co/LzWyLyX3xM</a>
&mdash; Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/HailStateFB/status/1602664206389706755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Leach, who helped develop the &#8220;Air Raid&#8221; offense while coaching at Texas Tech from 2000-2009, also had a successful stint at Washington State from 2012-2019 before taking on what would become his last job. Under Leach, Mississippi State posted a 19-17 record, including an 8-4 ledger this year.
The Air Raid offense all but abandoned the run, employing four wide receivers and putting immense pressure on defenses. Under Leach&#8217;s tutelage, college quarterbacks posted dizzying statistics and one, Tim Couch, became the first payer selected in the 1999 NFL draft.
Leach was known as much for his entertaining post-game press conferences as his offensive creativity. He would engage with reporters about history, politics, and popular culture in sometimes rambling, always entertaining sessions, whether his team won or lost.
&#8220;I miss streakers,&#8221; he once said after a fan ran onto the field and pulled down his pants during a 2017 Washington State win over Stanford in 2017. After Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, Leach jokingly offered to become his &#8220;Secretary of Offense.&#8221;
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Our prayers and condolences to Mike Leach’s family and <a href="https://twitter.com/HailStateFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HailStateFB</a> nation. Coach, you will be missed 🙏🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPCoachLeach?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPCoachLeach</a> <a href="https://t.co/d7bt3cXe1f">pic.twitter.com/d7bt3cXe1f</a>
&mdash; Crain &amp; Company (@CrainCompany) <a href="https://twitter.com/CrainCompany/status/1602665867225010176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Leach, who offered up his advice on football and life in a 2011 book titled &#8220;Swing Your Sword: Leading the Charge in Football and Life,&#8221; often came off like a combination of John Madden and Will Rogers, tossing out colloquial quips laden with practical wisdom.
&#8220;Well, you&#8217;re going to be dead in a hundred years anyway, so live dangerously,&#8221; he once said.
Mississippi State President Mark Keenum said Leach made himself an institution at the school in just three seasons.
&#8220;Coach Mike Leach cast a tremendous shadow not just over Mississippi State University, but over the entire college football landscape,&#8221; Keenum said in a statement. &#8220;His innovative &#8216;Air Raid&#8217; offense changed the game. Mike&#8217;s keen intellect and unvarnished candor made him one of the nation&#8217;s true coaching legends. His passing brings great sadness to our university, to the Southeastern Conference, and to all who loved college football. I will miss Mike&#8217;s profound curiosity, his honesty, and his wide-open approach to pursuing excellence in all things.&#8221;
Leach, who posted a record of 158-107 over 21 years of coaching, took an unorthodox route to college football. He grew up in Cody, Wyoming, played rugby in college at Brigham Young University, then earned a law degree from Pepperdine University in 1986. In addition to &#8220;Swing Your Sword,&#8221; Leach co-authored a book on Apache legend Geronimo&#8217;s leadership style.
Regarding his own athletic prowess, Leach once joked, &#8220;I bordered on great in dodge ball.&#8221;
But while he was at BYU, he came fascinated with then-Coach LaVell Edwards and later began his football coaching career at Cal Poly in 1987. Two years later, while serving as an offensive assistant under Hal Mumme at Iowa Wesleyan, he devised his signature, pass-happy Air Raid offense. Leach would follow Mumme to Valdosta State and then the University of Kentucky, where the offense helped turn Couch into the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft.
Leach spent the 1999 season as Oklahoma&#8217;s offensive coordinator under coach Bob Stoops, before becoming head coach at Texas Tech, where his perfected offensive scheme put the program on the map. The Red Raiders went 11-2 in 2008, but he was fired a year later after a former player, Adam James, accused him of mistreating him after he suffered a concussion.
Washington State brought him on in 2012 to turn around a moribund program, and Leach obliged, leading the Cougars to a bowl game in his second season winning eight games or more from 2015-2018.
Leach is survived by his wife, Sharon; children Janeen, Kim, Cody, and Kiersten; and three grandchildren.

Washington State v California

Beloved College Football Coach Mike Leach Dies After Massive Heart Attack

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mississippi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mississippi</a> State University Head Football Coach Mike Leach is listed in &#8220;critical condition&#8221; after reportedly suffering a massive heart attack at his home over the weekend.
The Clarion Ledger reported that Leach, 61, did not receive medical attention for 10-15 minutes after collapsing, leading to the possibility that he suffered brain damage.
Leach was transported by helicopter to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson after he was first stabilized at a local hospital. Sources told the newspaper that Leach was in &#8220;dire&#8221; condition.
The school released a new statement Monday saying that Leach was in &#8220;critical condition.&#8221;
&#8220;Mike&#8217;s family is with him and appreciates the overwhelming expressions of love and support for the coach, but also requests that their family&#8217;s privacy be respected at this time,&#8221; the school said in a statement. &#8220;That is the extent of information that MSU has available regarding Coach Leach&#8217;s condition, and the university will make no other comment at this time. MSU will issue additional information via social media when it becomes available.&#8221;
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Update on Head Football Coach Mike Leach: <a href="https://t.co/My3CijA2XJ">pic.twitter.com/My3CijA2XJ</a>
&mdash; Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/HailStateFB/status/1602342223924060160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Leach’s hospitalization comes on the heels of one of the team’s offensive linemen dying back in October.
Samuel Westmoreland, 18, was found dead at a church just days before his 19th birthday. The <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/10/21/msu-football-player-sam-westmoreland-found-dead-at-a-church/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cause</a> of his death has not been revealed.
“The Mississippi State Athletics Family is heartbroken by the sudden death of Sam Westmoreland,” Head Coach Mike Leach said in a statement at the time. “Sam was a beloved son, brother and teammate, and a tremendous young man with a limitless future.”
“He will always be remembered and deeply missed by everyone who knew and loved him,” Leach continued. “The entire MSU Family mourns as our thoughts and prayers go out to the Westmoreland family. Our highest priority is the support of the Westmoreland family and our student-athletes during this troubling time.”
The school said that it was cooperating with an ongoing investigation into the matter by Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office and the Oktibbeha County Coroner’s Office.
“One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned while leading this great university is that the tragic loss of one of our students diminishes all of our students—and all of us at Mississippi State feel the impact of Sam Westmoreland’s death,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. “My prayers are with Sam’s family and friends, with his MSU teammates and coaches, and with the Tupelo community during this most difficult time.”
MSU Director of Athletics John Cohen said: “We are heartbroken by the sudden loss of Sam Westmoreland. Mississippi State is a family, and we are all mourning during this trying time. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Westmoreland family and everyone who knew and loved Sam.”

Auburn v Mississippi State

Mississippi State Football Coach Mike Leach In ‘Critical Condition’ After Suffering Massive Heart Attack, Report Says

Mississippi State Football Coach Mike Leach In 'Critical Condition' After Suffering Massive Heart Attack, Report Says

Football

Health

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mississippi">Mississippi</a> State University Head Football Coach Mike Leach, 61, was rushed to the hospital Sunday after an unknown medical emergency.
The university said in a statement that Leach &#8220;had a personal health issue at his home&#8221; and that the issue &#8220;led to a decision to transfer Coach Leach to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson by ambulance.&#8221;
&#8220;That is the extent of information that MSU has available regarding Coach Leach&#8217;s condition, and the university will make no other comment at this time other than to say that the thoughts and prayers of the university are with Mike and Sharon and their family,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;MSU President Mark E. Keenum and Interim MSU Athletics Director Bracky Brett have conferred, and the decision has been made to place MSU Defensive Coordinator Zach Arnett in charge of the MSU football team until Coach Leach returns.&#8221;
Leach&#8217;s hospitalization comes on the heels of one of the team&#8217;s offensive lineman dying back in October.
Samuel Westmoreland, 18, was found dead at a church just days before his 19th birthday. The <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/10/21/msu-football-player-sam-westmoreland-found-dead-at-a-church/">cause</a> of his death has not been revealed.
“The Mississippi State Athletics Family is heartbroken by the sudden death of Sam Westmoreland,” Head Coach Mike Leach said in a statement. “Sam was a beloved son, brother and teammate, and a tremendous young man with a limitless future.”
“He will always be remembered and deeply missed by everyone who knew and loved him,” Leach continued. “The entire MSU Family mourns as our thoughts and prayers go out to the Westmoreland family. Our highest priority is the support of the Westmoreland family and our student-athletes during this troubling time.”
The school said that it was cooperating with an ongoing investigation into the matter by Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office and the Oktibbeha County Coroner’s Office.
“One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned while leading this great university is that the tragic loss of one of our students diminishes all of our students—and all of us at Mississippi State feel the impact of Sam Westmoreland’s death,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. “My prayers are with Sam’s family and friends, with his MSU teammates and coaches, and with the Tupelo community during this most difficult time.”
MSU Director of Athletics John Cohen said: “We are heartbroken by the sudden loss of Sam Westmoreland. Mississippi State is a family, and we are all mourning during this trying time. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Westmoreland family and everyone who knew and loved Sam.”

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Mississippi State Football Coach Mike Leach Rushed To The Hospital

College sports

Multiple tornadoes were confirmed across southern states Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, with at least two people dead.
Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Christina Thornton confirmed two deaths in Alabama early Wednesday morning.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t have an exact number, and I do not want to give out incorrect information,&#8221; she said in a <a href="https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/montgomery-county-alabama-tornado-deaths" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> to Fox Weather. &#8220;But there are minor, moderate (injuries) and the two fatalities that we have suffered in our community at this time.&#8221;
Search and rescue teams operated overnight to help those impacted by severe storms and tornadoes.
&#8220;It&#8217;s absolutely looking like a small community has been wiped off the map,&#8221; Thornton said. &#8220;It&#8217;s really devastating to think about when you look across the field, and you know that there were homes there the day before on your way to work, and when you&#8217;re leaving work this morning, they&#8217;re not going to be there.&#8221;
The Montgomery Advertiser later <a href="https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2022/11/30/two-dead-in-tornado-north-of-montgomery-alabama-lower-wetumpka-road/69688019007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> that the victims included a 39-year-old woman and an 8-year-old boy who were mother and son. They lived just north of Montgomery, where a tornado touched down around 3 a.m. local time. Some schools in the area have been closed.
The severe weather caused heavy damage in Eutaw, Alabama, including the partial destruction of an apartment complex.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tornado?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tornado</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Damage?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Damage</a> at apartment complex in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Eutaw?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Eutaw</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Alabama?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Alabama</a>. <a href="https://t.co/PVTG4LLh9h">pic.twitter.com/PVTG4LLh9h</a>
&mdash; WxChasing- Brandon Clement (@bclemms) <a href="https://twitter.com/bclemms/status/1597945157705682945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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More than 55,000 customers were without power in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama, according to PowerUsage.us as of early Wednesday. Over 34,000 of the homes and businesses without power were located in Alabama.
AccuWeather <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/live-news/live-updates-severe-weather-tornado-threat-southern-us/1377321?utm_campaign=accuweather&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> nearly two dozen tornadoes had been spotted across Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi overnight.
WCBI also tweeted images of tornado damage in Mississippi, including the destruction of a fire station in Lowndes County, where a twister trapped several people in Malone&#8217;s Grocery Store. The building was damaged, but everyone later left without injuries, <a href="https://www.wtva.com/news/tornado-confirmed-in-choctaw-lowndes-counties/article_b66348b8-703f-11ed-a024-f750da093297.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> WTVA.
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Tornado damage reported near District One Volunteer Fire/Rescue in Lowndes County, MS tonight. <a href="https://t.co/SXz7HdY15v">pic.twitter.com/SXz7HdY15v</a>
&mdash; WCBI Weather (@WCBIWEATHER) <a href="https://twitter.com/WCBIWEATHER/status/1597782157174243328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The outlet&#8217;s Scott Martin reported that one bridge washed away during the storm.
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Bridge on Wolfe Road near Reeves Circle is washed out. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is asking people to avoid the area. <a href="https://twitter.com/WCBIWEATHER?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WCBIWEATHER</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/WCBINEWS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WCBINEWS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Wx_Isaac?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Wx_Isaac</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/abryantwx?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@abryantwx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DylanHudlerWX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DylanHudlerWX</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/jchastainwx?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jchastainwx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BryleeFaithWX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BryleeFaithWX</a> 📸 MCSO <a href="https://t.co/emnWUhsRID">pic.twitter.com/emnWUhsRID</a>
&mdash; Scott Martin (@Scott_MartinTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scott_MartinTV/status/1597819801493471233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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At least one church was also damaged in the storm, with WTVA reporting a toppled steeple at Mt. Zion Church in Caledonia.
Some parts of Mississippi, such as Vaiden, reportedly experienced hail up to two inches in diameter. The community is located in the northwestern part of the state.
Dickson, Tennessee, approximately 30 miles west of Nashville, also reported large hail, <a href="https://twitter.com/NC5/status/1597759350667354112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> NewsChannel 5.
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The storm that came through dropped some amount of hail in Dickson. This picture from Jamie McDaniel shows what she saw. 
Stay with us on our Storm 5 Alert: <a href="https://t.co/Qar7NT4HKn">https://t.co/Qar7NT4HKn</a> <a href="https://t.co/4BrICy4gN5">pic.twitter.com/4BrICy4gN5</a>
&mdash; NewsChannel 5 (@NC5) <a href="https://twitter.com/NC5/status/1597759350667354112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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tornado damage

Tornadoes Strike Across South, Leaving At Least 2 Dead

Alabama

Tennessee

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