B.B. King set to open MSU Lyceum Series

Delta-born blues music icon B.B. King kicks off the 2011-12 Mississippi State University Lyceum Series season with an Oct. 11 concert.

Area represented in tonight’s Miss Mississippi finals

When the curtain opens tonight on the final phase of competition in the Miss Mississippi pageant, the Golden Triangle will be well-represented. Lee Armstrong, Presly Forrester and Caitlyn Smith, all of Columbus, and Jessica Terrill of Starkville are among 45 young women vying for the title and scholarships to be awarded at the Vicksburg Convention Center.

MSU rewards Cohen with extension, raise

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball coach John Cohen, who led the Bulldogs to within one game of the College World Series and a No. 15 national ranking, has received a contract extension through the 2015 season, Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin announced Thursday.

Magnolia Motor Speedway will play host to event Sunday

Magnolia Motor Speedway will host a Fourth of July program Sunday that will feature the P.R.O. Dirt Car Series Super Late Models in a 40-lap, $2,000-to-Win/$150-to-Start in the third and final round of the annual Firecracker Three Crown Nationals.

Building Permits 6-30-11

Building permits for June 21-27

Marriages and divorces 6-30-11

Marriages and divorces June 10-28

Bowling pleads guilty to fondling, other charges

ABERDEEN — A longtime high school football coach has pleaded guilty in Mississippi to 14 counts of luring teenage boys into having sex.

Fourth of July closings

Fourth of July closings

Dispatch launches Saturday edition this weekend

This Saturday, The Dispatch will launch its first edition of The Saturday Dispatch, which will include up-to-date local sports, community events and — back by popular demand — a TV guide.

The Dispatch currently publishes Monday-Friday, and on Sunday. Starting in July, the paper will discontinue its Monday print edition.

Shepherd signs with Colorado Rockies

STARKVILLE — Add senior outfielder Jaron Shepherd to the list of Mississippi State baseball standouts to move on this offseason to professional baseball.

Shepherd, a 33rd-round selection earlier this month in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft, became the sixth player from the Bulldogs’ 2011 NCAA Super Regionals squad to sign a professional baseball contract when he agreed to terms with the Colorado Rockies.

MSU mascot Bully XIX euthanized Tuesday

STARKVILLE — TaTonka Gold, Mississippi State’s beloved mascot from 2001-09, was euthanized Tuesday morning at the School of Veterinary Medicine on the MSU campus after his health had steadily declined the past few years.

Slice of Life: Workin’ at the car wash

Jim Croce once wrote that he had the “workin’ at the car wash blues.” But the only blues spotted at Bennie’s Car Wash and Detail Center on Highway 12 in Starkville are the rags and buckets used to wash the cars.

Story shows need to wear life jackets, kill switch lanyard

I just read another “horror story” of a close call involving anglers and life jackets.

Last month at The Bassmaster Elite event at Lake Murray, professional angler James Niggemeyer came across an unmanned boat in the middle of the lake that was idling toward a man and small boy in the water. The little boy had a life jacket on but the father didn’t.

MSU football sells out season tickets

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State has sold every available season ticket for the 2011 football season, Mike Richey, senior associate athletic director for Bulldog Club and Ticket Operations announced Friday. It represents the earliest announced sellout for football season tickets in school history.

MSU pitcher Jones signs with Orioles

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State junior right-hander Devin Jones became the fifth member of the 2011 NCAA Super Regional baseball team to sign a professional baseball contract Friday when he signed with the Baltimore Orioles.

SOAR announces press conference for grants, awards

Starkville Oktibbeha Achieving Results (SOAR) will hold a press conference and convening for civic and service clubs Wednesday, June 29, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Starkville.

Building Permits 6-23-11

Building permits for June 7 – June 20

Theaker promoted to Total Healthcare Center CEO

Total Healthcare Center has appointed Stephanie Jones Theaker as its new chief executive officer. The center is federally qualified and in 2010 served 8,416 patients.

Marriages and divorces 6-23-11

Marriages and divorces May 31-June 21

Dizzy Dean Baseball Tournament Schedule

Here is the schedule for the Dizzy Dean Senior Baseball Tournament that will begin Friday and run through Sunday at Caledonia, Columbus, New Hope, and West Point high schools: