Thursday in Tippah County is about four things: a hurricane in the Gulf whose remnants are due here Saturday, a burn ban that runs out Oct. 18 unless supervisors extend it, a county road resealing bid with a deadline next week, and a busy night of playoff volleyball. Here is what matters, starting with what could change your weekend.
Isaias’ Remnants Due Saturday: Plan for 2 to 3 Inches of Rain
Isaias is now a Category 1 hurricane, and forecasters expect it to come ashore on the northern Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday. According to our Hurricane Isaias outlook for Tippah County, the National Weather Service in Memphis expects its remnants to cross Tippah and Benton counties on Saturday, with 2 to 3 inches of rain and gusts up to 40 mph around Ripley. The heaviest weather should come from Saturday morning into Saturday night.
Until then it stays dry and warm, with highs near 88 or 89 on Thursday and Friday. The Ripley forecast calls for rain with a 90 percent chance Saturday, a high near 71, and another three-quarters of an inch to an inch Saturday night. Sunday should bring a few early showers and then partly sunny skies, with a high near 75.
Our neighbors in Alcorn County are watching the same system. Alcorn County News reports that NWS Memphis puts the storm’s leftover low over far northeast Mississippi Saturday afternoon, with 1 to 3 inches of rain across the region and up to 4 inches possible near the Tennessee River. Forecasters have not issued a Flood Watch, but they say the drought-dry ground will not fully remove the risk if rain falls hard and fast. If you have outdoor plans, a ditch to clear or loose items in the yard, Friday is the day to handle them.
Burn Ban Runs Through Oct. 18; Supervisors Decide Oct. 15
Tippah County’s emergency burn ban stays in effect through Sunday, Oct. 18. At their Oct. 5 meeting, supervisors chose to wait until their next meeting on Thursday, Oct. 15, to decide whether to extend it, as we reported in our coverage of the Board of Supervisors meeting. Until then, outdoor burning is still prohibited. How much rain Isaias leaves behind may shape that decision. Questions about burning can go to your volunteer fire department or the Tippah County Sheriff’s Department.
The same meeting included a discussion about how the county might partner with Lazy H, a dog shelter and ranch in Ripley. Supervisors talked through possible terms, including how many animals the shelter could take and how long they could stay, but took no vote. Supervisor John Griffin also spoke with the head of the Corinth Alcorn Animal Shelter about how a county and shelter partnership has worked in Alcorn County.
County Seeks Bids to Reseal 21 Miles of Road
Tippah County is accepting bids to reseal 21.084 miles of roads under State Aid Project SAP-70(20)S. As we reported Wednesday, sealed proposals are due Thursday, Oct. 15, at 10 a.m. at the Tippah County Chancery Building, 101 East Spring Street in Ripley, and bids will be opened publicly soon after. The notice sets a contract time of 80 working days but gives no start date, and it is not a contract award. Which roads are included is listed in the full bid documents.
Playoff Volleyball Tonight: Ripley, Walnut and Pine Grove
All three Tippah County volleyball teams won Tuesday and play again tonight, Oct. 8. TippahSports.com reports that Walnut swept East Webster 3-0 to improve to 30-4 and reach the third round of the Class 2A playoffs. Seniors Vivian Brown and Molly Kate Rolison were recognized before the match for reaching 1,500 assists and 1,000 kills. Ripley beat Itawamba Agricultural 3-1 in Class 4A and is 17-15 with four straight wins, and Pine Grove swept West Union 3-0 in Class 1A to move to 23-11.
Tonight, Ripley hosts New Albany at 6 p.m., Walnut faces Myrtle at 6 p.m., and Pine Grove plays Ingomar at 6 p.m. In football, Falkner travels to Riverside for a 7 p.m. kickoff, according to TippahSports.com’s game-day schedule. Our Tippah County sports roundup has more from Tuesday, including Blue Mountain Christian’s 11th-place finish in women’s golf.
Around Northeast Mississippi
Federal prosecutors announced Wednesday in Oxford that 14 people face drug and firearms charges after a Homeland Security Task Force investigation, and several of those arrested are from Tupelo. The full list of charges is in our report, and officials say the investigation is expanding across north Mississippi.
Wildfire danger is also real next door. Alcorn County News reports that firefighters fought several fires along Highway 30 between Paden and the Prentiss County line Wednesday night, with no homes threatened at the time of the report. Smoke can drop visibility fast, so slow down if you travel that corridor.
Coming Up
Ripley Main Street says the Spirit of Ripley pet costume contest is Friday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. at The Cut-Off, 204 S. Commerce Street. Entry is $5, pets must be leashed, and prizes go to the winners. Details are in our story. If you live south of the line, the DeSoto County News weather report shows the same Isaias rain heading to Northwest Mississippi.
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
