Story
2nd Arrest Made in Killing of Mississippi Family
A second suspect was arrested and charged in the abduction and killing of a Mississippi couple and their 7-year-old son, authorities said Thursday.
Story
Person of the Day
Anthony McIntyre
In the view of Anthony McIntyre, a 35-year-old veterans advocate, soldiers can receive excellent benefits while serving and once their service ends from a solid network of government agencies and …
Story
Person of the Day
New Orleans Saints Training Camp
The road to Super Bowl XLVIII begins today for the New Orleans Saints, as the team begins to put the turmoil of last season behind it.
Story
U.S. Sends 2 Guantanamo Prisoners Back to Algeria
Two men who have been held without charge at the Guantanamo Bay for more than a decade have been sent back to their native Algeria as part of a renewed …
Story
Jacksonian
Hope Crenshaw
Hope Crenshaw, 35, wants to better educate youth about sexual and reproductive health in her role as the new executive director of Teen Health Mississippi, based in Jackson.
Story
UN: Stopping Zika May Require Genetically Modified Insects
It may be necessary to use controversial methods like genetically modified mosquitoes to wipe out the insects that are now spreading Zika across the Americas, the World Health Organization said …
Story
Politics
Tom Miles and Michael Evans
Mississippi is the birthplace of William Faulkner, Richard Wright and recent U.S. poet laureate Natasha Trethewey. However, some lawmakers say they want to look beyond the secular literary world and …
Story
Ukraine Gets New Bailout Deal from IMF
The International Monetary Fund has agreed to give Ukraine a new bailout deal worth 15.5 billion euro ($17.5 billion) that could climb to around $40 billion over four years with …
Story
Suspect ID'd in Delta State and Gautier Shootings, Remains At-Large
A professor was killed in his office at Delta State University in Mississippi, and investigators are searching for another school employee in connection with the killing, officials said Monday.
Entry
NFL Opens Combine to Fans
By bryanflynnIn the past, the NFL Combine has been held behind closed doors, with the best college football players trying to impress scouts without the public seeing any of the action. That changed in 2004 when the NFL began to broadcast the event on its own NFL Network.
College-football fans were finally able to see their favorite players go through drills, and NFL fans were able to see who their favorite teams might draft. However, the event still wasn’t open for the public to see up close and personal.
Last year, 1,500 fans got a chance to see the combine live at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It was the first time the league let fans into the combine to watch the events live.
While NFL ratings were down a bit this year, the league has been trying more and more to make offseason events matter. The NFL is working on becoming a year-round league with fans being able to get closer than ever to action.
When the NFL Combine takes place from March 3-5, 2017, the league will select a lucky group of 6,000 fans will get to see it all from Lucas Oil Stadium. The league will hand out those tickets for free, but they are non-transferable.
They won’t be just in the stadium watching from the stands for every event, either. Fans will be able to stand nearby as they watch the 225-pound bench press and cheer on players trying to complete as many reps as possible.
Fans will also be able to run a 40-yard dash, vertical, broad jump and other combine events from the convention center called “Combine Corner.” The league will allow fans to run an obstacle course, show of their form tacking against tackling dummies, and face “The Gauntlet,” where they can catch passes from a JUGS machine, which is a machine that shoots football for players to practice catching.
Before fans can take part in the physical events, they will have to sign a waiver that releases the league from any liability in case of injury. There are also events for those who want to visit the Combine but don’t want to take part in the physical events.
Fans will be able to interact with players at the convention center as members of the media conduct interviews, and the players will sign autographs. There will also be press conferences from head coaches that fans will be able to attend.
Visitors will have opportunities to take photos with players, NFL legends, the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the actual bench where players will do the 225-pound bench press. They can also pretend that their favorite NFL team just drafted them and get pictures wearing a jersey from that team.
Lastly, fans can enjoy virtual reality attractions, see all 50 Super Bowl rings, shop for NFL gear, win prizes and more activities. To register for a chance to win a free tickets, fans can download the NFL Fan …
Story
Adam Lynch: Letter from the Hinds County Jail
I got dragged away this morning for an incredible cause. The Muscular Dystrophy Association is linked inextricably to comedian Jerry Lewis and hours-long telethons, but this morning they're known for …
Story
Six Dead in Pa. Thrift Store Collapse
A building under demolition collapsed onto a neighboring thrift store Wednesday morning, injuring at least 14 and killing six people.
Story
France Girds for New Threats Amid Mali Operation
France's military campaign to stop advancing Islamist insurgents in Mali has been met with a volley of threats from the extremists, feeding fears that the French could be targeted within …
Story
Gov't Shutdown Enters 2nd Week, No End in Sight
The government shutdown entered its second week with no end in sight and ominous signs that the United States was closer to the first default in the nation's history as …
Story
Story
Bloodwater
Capt. Louis Skrmetta didn't know what hit him in late August 2005. That weekend, as he was running a boatload of about 600 people out to Ship Island, The Weather …
Story
Education
Most Teachers Want Mississippi to Nix State's U.S. History Exam in Schools
Some Mississippi social studies teachers see the state-mandated high school U.S. history exam as a "double-edged sword," bestowing importance on a discipline they feel does not get enough respect, but …
Story
City & County
Jackson Fights Lead Hazards in Homes With New Program
Some older Jackson homes with lead-based paint could get a little safer, especially for children, under a new program City leaders announced Monday.
Story
National
Sessions Defends Comey Firing, Dodges Questions on Trump
Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday strongly defended President Donald Trump's firing of James Comey, linking the FBI director's abrupt dismissal to his handling of the Hillary Clinton email server …
Story
Old Questions About Saudi Arabia, 9-11 Raised Anew
For years, some current and former American officials have been urging President Barack Obama to release secret files they say document links between the government of Saudi Arabia and the …
