Transportation panel meets Thursday

The public is invited to a meeting of the Starkville transportation committee Thursday at the Starkville Sportsplex on Lynn Lane.

Attorney: Video shows high school coach whipping players

Three Murrah High School basketball players have sued their coach and the school system over alleged whippings.

West Alabama’s Ellis focuses on Thursday night’s season finale

Alvin Ellis knows his University of West Alabama football team has lost close homes. In fact, every loss in the Tigers’ 6-4 season has been by no more than four points.

Cat recovering from deep-fryer burns

A 6-to-8-month-old cat may rethink a fast-food diet after surviving a fall into a deep fryer at a restaurant in Verona.

Man dies weeks after being cleared in 1979 killing

A Mississippi man who spent more than 30 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit has died less than a month after his name was cleared in the case.

Miss. 2012 revenue estimate reflects slight growth

Gov. Haley Barbour and key lawmakers have set a “cautiously prudent” revenue estimate for the next budget year, citing predictions that the state’s economy will lag behind any national recovery.

Bush: Ala. governor first used ‘heck of a job’ line

Former President George W. Bush says a phrase that haunted him after Hurricane Katrina – “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job” – was from a statement of praise he had just heard from Alabama Gov. Bob Riley.

Community Bancorp announces it’s raised $1 billion to acquire banks

Community Bancorp LLC, a Houston, Texas-based bank holding company established to acquire, stabilize and operate failed or distressed U.S. banks, announced today that it has completed its capital raise and now has committed equity capital in the amount of $1 billion.

Community breakfast to honor Nick Bell

A community breakfast will be held this week to honor former Mississippi State University football player Nick Bell, who died Nov. 2 after a brief battle with cancer.

Alabama men need 2OT to beat Alabama Huntsville

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama men’s basketball team finished its exhibition schedule Monday with a 73-68 double overtime win against the University of Alabama in Huntsville at Coleman Coliseum.

Ala. man turns himself in on Tuscaloosa murder-rape charges

A man charged with raping two women, leaving one dead at an apartment in Tuscaloosa, has turned himself in to police in Ohio after first fleeing to Florida, police said.

Dems hope to stem GOP tide from hitting Miss.

Calls to “take back America” preceded last week’s remodeling of the congressional makeup, and a similar refrain may be heard in Mississippi during the 2011 statewide and legislative races, but from a different political party.

Economy has forced changes in nation’s fishing industry

Ever since I was a young guy fishing in a flat-bottom boat in ponds and backwater areas of the river, I dreamed of fishing in the Bassmaster Classic.

Caledonia’s Comer wins state title

CLINTON — Caledonia High School’s Jessica Comer covered the Choctaw Trails 4-kilometer course in a time of 15 minutes, 55 seconds Saturday to win the Mississippi High School Activities Class 4A state cross country title.

New Hope gets win, help to secure No. 2 spot

The New Hope High School football team took care of its business Friday night with a 31-14 victory against Indianola Gentry in a Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A, Region 1 game at Trojan Field.

The win by New Hope coupled with West Point High’s 21-14 victory at Hernando helped the Trojans secure the No. 2 seed in the region.

Defense does trick for Noxubee County

MACON — The Noxubee County High School football team’s aggressive defensive play and punishing running game fueled a 37-0 win against Lexington’s J.J. McClain on Friday in a Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A first-round playoff game.

Aberdeen clicks in win against Kossuth

ABERDEEN — Entering the playoffs with a 5-6 record and a fourth-place division finish is always a challenge.

But having to play the state’s fourth-ranked Class 3A team at its place in the first round more times than not will result in a season-ending loss.

French Camp denies West Oktibbeha playoff spot

FRENCH CAMP — When his team got the ball trailing by four points with a little more than four minutes left in its game against French Camp on Friday night, West Oktibbeha High School football coach Adam Lowrey had no doubt his team would score.

But French Camp linebacker Josh Williams had other ideas, as he intercepted a Von Smith pass near midfield to halt West Oktibbeha’s comeback attempt and hand the Panthers a 30-26 win.

Louisville one of few local teams to win playoff opener

LOUISVILLE — Wyatt Roberts completed 17 of 26 passes for 262 yards to lead the Louisville High School football team past Amanda Elzy 32-8 Friday night in the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A playoffs.

Bolden, Rebels pound Cajuns

OXFORD — With its best playmaker relegated to the sidelines, the University of Mississippi football team kept the playbook simple.

And with a punishing running game led by Brandon Bolden’s 136 rushing yards and two touchdowns, Ole Miss plowed past Louisiana-Lafayette 43-21 on Saturday night.