As cooler temperatures move into Mississippi, a lack of rainfall has prompted burn bans in 47 of the state’s 82 counties. The Mississippi Forestry Commission updated its list of affected counties Tuesday morning. Outdoor burning is prohibited in those areas, including campfires, fire pits, debris burning and field burning. Grilling is still allowed when done safely on gas or charcoal grills.

After a social media threat targeting students and staff at schools on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, multiple school districts are working with law enforcement to investigate. The alleged threat surfaced from a post in a Snapchat group, but the specifics of the threat have not been disclosed.

A Louisiana man accused of assaulting an Adams County deputy is behind bars. On Saturday around midnight, a deputy on an off-duty security detail at Bowie’s Rabbit Hole in Natchez reportedly spotted a man exiting the women’s restroom. According to the incident report, the suspect, identified as 57-year-old Victor Boudreaux, was heavily intoxicated.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Columbus on Thursday to campaign for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Scott Colom. Colom, who is seeking to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, announced that Harris will visit Mississippi for what his campaign described as a “high-energy rally bringing together community leaders, students, and supporters from across Mississippi.”

Miss Mississippi Jane Granberry will use her platform to encourage children to read more, stay active, and build healthy habits. Granberry will visit elementary schools across the state this fall as part of her “Healthy Hearts, Bright Minds” tour. Granberry’s tour is part of a partnership with local nonprofit TrueCare, a provider-sponsored state Medicaid health plan.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker is urging President Donald Trump to accept a proposed deal with Ukraine that the Mississippi Republican says could immediately lower fuel prices. Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, developed the proposal and presented it to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a recent visit to Ukraine. The proposal includes Ukraine halting strikes on Russian energy facilities in exchange for expanded access to StarShield, the U.S. military’s satellite communications and targeting system.

ICYMI: More than half of Mississippi schools and their districts performed well in the 2025-2026 school year under higher standards, a new report from the Department of Education found. According to state officials, under the new, higher standards for earning grades, 53.9% of schools and 50.7% of districts earned a grade of A or B last school year. These higher standards are meant to ensure Mississippi’s future is built on general intelligence, not just the ability to pass one test. Therefore, no grades from previous years can be compared to charge growth or decline.