Tippah County News Today, Sept. 17: Heat Advisory, Scooter’s Coffee, Volleyball
Thursday in Tippah County comes with a heat advisory that now stretches into the weekend, a new coffee shop opening its doors in Ripley on Friday, volleyball on tap tonight in Falkner and at Pine Grove, and the Ripley bypass still grinding toward a 2028 finish. Here’s what’s happening.
Heat Advisory Now Runs Through Saturday Evening
The dangerous heat that has hung over north Mississippi all week isn’t breaking today. The National Weather Service’s Memphis office has Tippah County under a heat advisory that now extends through 8 p.m. Saturday, with heat index values expected to reach as high as 107 degrees. That’s a longer stretch than the day-by-day advisories the county has been under the past few days, so anyone with outdoor plans this weekend — yard work, football watch parties, Friday’s ribbon cutting in Ripley — should plan around the hottest part of the afternoon, check on elderly neighbors, and keep an eye on kids and pets. Relief looks to be gradual rather than sudden, with only isolated shower chances offering any break before conditions ease early next week. If you’re outside for any length of time, drink water before you’re thirsty and take breaks in shade or air conditioning when you can.
Scooter’s Coffee Opens Friday in Ripley
Ripley gets a new coffee stop this week. Scooter’s Coffee celebrates its grand opening Friday, Sept. 18, at 917 City Ave. South, with a ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. and regular hours running 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Drive-thru customers get free medium drinks and free shirts as part of the opening celebration, according to the announcement covered in Tippah News’ report on the grand opening. It’s a good excuse to swing through downtown Ripley this weekend, heat advisory notwithstanding — just maybe stick to the drive-thru.
Volleyball Tonight: Falkner and Pine Grove Host
Two district matches are on the schedule for Thursday evening. The Falkner Eagles host Thrasher at 6 p.m., looking to build on Tuesday’s momentum, and the Pine Grove Panthers host Biggersville, also at 6 p.m. Both matches are worth a drive if the heat isn’t keeping you home; see the full rundown at Tippah County Sports’ schedule for today.
That comes on the heels of a strong night Tuesday. Falkner trailed Wheeler two sets to none before storming back to win in five, 24-26, 16-25, 25-20, 25-21, 15-11, snapping a three-match losing streak and improving to 5-12 overall and 3-2 in district play. Walnut kept rolling with a clean sweep of New Site, pushing the Wildcats to 21-4 overall and a perfect 5-0 in district. And Ripley swept Alcorn Central 25-13, 25-17, 25-23 to even its record at 11-11. Full details are in Tippah County Sports’ recap of Tuesday’s matches, and more results and standings are on the Tippah County News category page.
Blue Mountain Christian Picks Up Conference Honors
Blue Mountain Christian University had a strong week on the conference stage. Sophomore Ella Shepherd was named SSAC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week after placing sixth at the Harding Invitational, and junior Jonah Barnhardt earned the men’s version of the same award. The Toppers’ men’s golf team also turned in a strong showing, finishing runner-up at the Coastal Georgia Fall Invitational. It’s another sign of the depth BMCU is building across its athletic programs this fall, and it’s worth a mention for a campus that’s become as much a part of the county’s identity as its high schools.
Ripley Bypass Still on Track for 2028
The 10-mile, four-lane bypass around Highway 15 in Ripley remains on schedule. Mississippi Department of Transportation crews broke ground on the $194 million project in the summer of 2024 and are targeting completion in the summer of 2028. Project engineer Tyler Fields has said a dry winter allowed for significant progress on bridge work, which raises hopes the bypass could open ahead of schedule if the weather keeps cooperating. It’s a project that will eventually route through-traffic around downtown once it’s finished, and it’s worth watching as construction continues. Background on the project’s history and earlier milestones is available on the Ripley News category page.
Around the Region
A few items from just outside the county line: in Alcorn County, the Polk Street Bridge has reopened with a dedication to Conner Dabbs, and Corinth is preparing to remember Abe Whitfield ahead of a Sept. 19 memorial service, according to Alcorn News’ roundup. And Northeast Mississippi Community College, which serves students across this part of the state, highlighted two more adult-education success stories this week — Ripley-area readers with family in the program can find those at Alcorn News.
That’s the rundown for Thursday. For more on what’s happening around the county, visit the Tippah County News and Ripley News category pages.
