Monday in Tippah County comes down to four things: a dry, pleasant stretch of weather with the burn ban still a factor, a Tuesday night volleyball playoff doubleheader for Ripley and Walnut, a Tuesday bid deadline for the Tippah County Technical Center addition, and two October dates worth putting on the calendar: South Tippah’s strategic plan meetings and Senior Day at Tippah County Hospital. It is a fairly quiet news day, so this roundup is shorter than usual.
Dry Week, Burn Ban, and a Gulf Watch
The weather is the item most likely to change your week. Clouds and moisture are moving out, and WCBI in Columbus reported mostly dry conditions across northeast Mississippi through Tuesday, with skies clearing by Monday evening. In our Sunday roundup, we noted the National Weather Service in Memphis expects very dry air for the Ripley area, with sunny skies Monday through Wednesday and low humidity by midweek.
That dry air matters because Tippah and Benton counties were both still shown under burn bans on the Mississippi Forestry Commission’s county map as of Oct. 3. Check the Forestry Commission’s website at mfc.ms.gov before burning anything outdoors, and see our earlier report on Fire Prevention Week and the Tippah burn ban.
Farther out, Magnolia Tribune reported that forecasters are watching a disturbance in the southwestern Gulf with a strong chance of tropical development over the next seven days. Some models bring it into the northern Gulf with a possible U.S. landfall the weekend after Oct. 5. It is too early to say what, if anything, it means for us, but it is worth checking the forecast as the week goes on.
One more weather item from next door: Alcorn News reports that NWS Memphis is holding a free virtual SKYWARN storm-spotter class tonight, Oct. 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Ripley and Walnut Play Tuesday Night
Three Tippah County volleyball teams advanced in the playoffs Saturday. According to Tippah County Sports, Sydney Bates had 20 kills as Ripley beat North Pontotoc 3-1 in Class 4A, lifting the Lady Tigers to 16-15. Ruthie and Maggie McCafferty combined for 27 kills, Stella Roberts had 15 assists and Anna Hays Cook had 13 digs. Pine Grove swept West Lowndes 3-0 in Class 1A to improve to 22-11, and Walnut swept Leland 3-0 in Class 2A for its 10th straight win and a 29-4 record. Falkner’s season ended with a three-set loss at Tupelo Christian Prep, leaving the Eagles 9-17.
On Tuesday, Oct. 6, Ripley plays Itawamba Agricultural and Walnut plays East Webster, both listed with 6 p.m. Central starts. Pine Grove’s next opponent is West Union, with the date and time not yet posted. Follow our coverage of Walnut senior Vivian Brown, who was crowned the school’s last homecoming queen on Oct. 2, a title that carries extra weight with Walnut and Falkner set to merge into North Tippah High School after the 2026-27 school year.
Schools: Strategic Plan Meetings and a Bid Deadline
The South Tippah School District has scheduled strategic plan meetings on Oct. 19, 22 and 29, working with the consulting firm Studer Education. The community sessions are the ones most families will want: Ripley on Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. in the Ripley High School Auditorium, Blue Mountain on Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. in the Blue Mountain School Cafeteria, and Pine Grove on Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. in the Pine Grove Auditorium. Separate sessions are planned for faith leaders, business and government leaders, and school staff, and the district’s post listed no sign-up requirement.
Also at South Tippah, bids are due Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m. for the Tippah County Technical Center building addition. Sealed bids go to the district office at 402 Greenlee Street in Ripley, and electronic submissions are allowed through the project planroom. The listing shows no contract award yet, so nothing about price or a construction schedule is settled.
Senior Day Set for Friday, Oct. 9
Tippah County Hospital’s Senior Day health fair runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at the Fred & Elizabeth Smith Sportsplex Building in Ripley. The hospital says to expect more than 25 vendors, flu shots, live music from MissOsippi Date and door prizes. Free barbecue plates are served from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and the drawings start at 12:30 p.m., so arriving early is the way to catch everything.
Around Northeast Mississippi
In Alcorn County, Alcorn News, citing the Daily Corinthian, reports enrollment is down about 4 percent in Corinth schools and 3.8 percent in the Alcorn School District this fall, part of a statewide decline that matters for budgets once a funding formula protection expires in July 2027. Over in DeSoto County, DeSoto County News reports no burn ban there yet, though Tate and Marshall counties have one.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
