Tippah County News Today, Sept. 16: Heat Advisory, BMCU Honors, Volleyball
Wednesday in Tippah County is about staying cool through the afternoon, catching up on a strong week for Blue Mountain Christian University’s runners and golfers, watching the high school volleyball chase continue, and keeping an eye on the Ripley bypass project that’s reshaping Highway 15. Here’s what’s happening.
Heat Advisory Stays in Effect Until 7 P.M.
Tippah County is under a heat advisory again today, with the National Weather Service office in Memphis warning that heat index values could reach 107 degrees before the advisory expires at 7 p.m. CDT. The alert, issued late Tuesday night, covers Tippah, Union, Alcorn and Prentiss counties along with a wide swath of east Arkansas, north Mississippi, southeast Missouri and west Tennessee.
Forecasters are urging residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned spaces when possible, avoid direct sun and check on elderly neighbors and relatives. It’s the latest in a string of advisories that has run through most of September, including the one that lifted Tuesday evening, as detailed in Tuesday’s Tippah County roundup. Anyone with outdoor plans this afternoon should plan around the hottest hours.
Blue Mountain Christian Runners and Golfers Turn Heads
It’s been a big week for Blue Mountain Christian University athletics. Sophomore Ella Shepherd was named SSAC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week after finishing sixth in the 5K at the Harding Invitational in 19 minutes, 45.80 seconds, according to Tippah Sports. Head coach Phillip Laney said Shepherd has “put together a really strong start to the season” after leading the Toppers in each of their first two races.
Junior Jonah Barnhardt earned the men’s SSAC honor for the same week, finishing seventh in the four-mile race at Harding in 21:17.60. Laney credited Barnhardt’s growth, saying he “competes every time he steps on the course,” building on the All-SSAC honors he earned as a sophomore, Tippah Sports reported.
On the golf course, the No. 16-ranked Blue Mountain men’s team opened its fall season with a runner-up finish at the Coastal Georgia Fall Invitational at Sea Palms Golf Resort in St. Simons Island, Georgia, falling to Reinhardt University 825-830. Alex Nordstrom won the individual title outright, firing rounds of 70-65-64 for a 12-under 199 and a six-stroke margin, while Cobey Riddle finished third at 9-under. Head coach Kevin Barefield said the Toppers “did a tremendous job competing from start to finish,” per Tippah Sports.
Volleyball Chase Continues
Walnut’s volleyball team is rolling. The Wildcats swept Baldwyn at home Monday to reach 20 wins on the season and stay unbeaten in district play at 4-0, a bounce-back after a three-set loss to Tupelo over the weekend. Pine Grove, meanwhile, fell to unbeaten East Union 25-9, 25-17, 25-21, with East Union’s Ann Flemming LeFlore piling up 20 kills and 16 digs. Pine Grove moved to 13-10 on the season, Tippah Sports reported.
All four county teams were back in action Tuesday night, with Walnut hosting New Site, Pine Grove hosting Jumpertown, Ripley welcoming Alcorn Central and Falkner facing Wheeler. Results weren’t posted as of this morning; check the Tippah County Sports category page for updates as they come in. Looking ahead, football turns to Friday, when Ripley hosts East Webster and Walnut travels to Alcorn Central.
Ripley Bypass Project Stays on Schedule
The four-lane Ripley bypass around Highway 15 remains on track, according to a recent Construction News report on the $194 million Mississippi Department of Transportation project. Crews broke ground in the summer of 2024 and are targeting completion in the summer of 2028, and project engineer Tyler Fields said a dry winter allowed significant progress on bridge work, raising hopes the 10-mile bypass could open ahead of schedule if weather holds. The route is designed to pull through-traffic off the stretch of Highway 15 that currently carries 9,000 to 13,000 vehicles a day through town, funded entirely through state legislative appropriations rather than local dollars.
For drivers navigating Ripley in the meantime, expect ongoing construction activity along the corridor as crews continue bridge and grading work through the fall.
Coming Up Around the County
Two events land before the weekend is out. Top Notch Pro Wrestling brings its “Summer Fallout” card to the Empowered By Grace Community Center in Blue Mountain on Friday, Sept. 18, with doors at 7 p.m. and admission $10 (kids 4 and under free). A day later, Blue Mountain hosts a community yard sale from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Stop and Go on CR 700.
Mark the calendar, too, for Sept. 25, when the Ripley Fire Department holds a barbecue fundraiser for fireman Jodie Crawford, with plates at $12 and whole Boston butts at $40, available during morning and afternoon pickup windows. See Monday’s fall calendar roundup for the full list of October dates, including the Hines Farm trail ride and Ripley’s Oktoberfest.
For more from around the county, visit Tippah News’ Tippah County News and Ripley News category pages.
