Area News

Dr. Maria Weber, Associate Professor of Physics and Director of Delta State University’s Wiley Planetarium, recently completed Space Academy for Educators at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, gaining new activities, resources and perspectives she plans to incorporate into her teaching and outreach programs. The six-day professional development program allows educators to…

As part of its 50th class reunion celebration, the Leland High School Class of 1976, known as the “Bicentennial Class,” commemorated the milestone by investing in the future of local students through a philanthropic scholarship initiative. During May 2026 graduation, two graduating seniors, Jordyn Betts and Makynzie Thornton, were selected from a competitive pool of…

The City of Leland is approaching three full months without any official leadership in the Police Department. On May 14 of this year, the Leland Police Chief was terminated without the Board of Aldermen providing any replacement, but, just because there is no interim does not mean they are not hard at work. On several…

La’Monica Hackler, Deputy Municipal Clerk in Leland, graduated from the Certified Municipal Clerk program June 29 in Biloxi during the annual Mississippi Municipal League conference. Developed and conducted by the Mississippi State University Extension Service, the program provides municipal clerks, tax collectors, and their deputies with additional education and expertise. The three-year program covers 30…

Just before darkness settled over the Mississippi Delta, the lights of heavy wreckers and emergency equipment illuminated a rural intersection outside of Leland, where crews from Venuti Towing and Recovery, a long-running local wrecker service, recently spent ten hours responding to a difficult 18-wheeler rollover recovery. The accident involved a fully-loaded 18-wheeler tractor and trailer…

Delta Ducky, an organization in the Mississippi Delta, is known for its rubber ducks. Delta Ducky started off as a small game for people around town to play, but it quickly grew in size. Members of the organization hide rubber ducks around different areas of town and post photos of them on Facebook, and people…

At 61 years old, Linda proudly earned her High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma after an incredible 12-year journey with Mississippi Delta Community College Adult Ed. Throughout those years, she faced many of life’s challenges, including family responsibilities, personal setbacks, and changes in instructors. Despite every obstacle, Linda never gave up on her goal. Time and…

Delta State University congratulates alumna Celeste Embrey Wilson on her appointment to the Mississippi Supreme Court by Gov. Tate Reeves. Wilson, a Southaven resident, will represent Northern District 3, Place 1. Her appointment fills the vacancy created by the confirmation of Justice Robert P. Chamberlin to the United States District Court for the Northern District…

The scene is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Heat drifted through the streets and settled against the brick walls of the city as horse hooves clattered over uneven roads and merchants called out to customers passing by. Yet, inside the State House, later known as Independence Hall, the atmosphere was far heavier than the weather outside. Men…