A 65-year-old Brookhaven man was arrested Sept. 16 and charged with arson in connection with a fire at a FEMA cottage on Fulton Street. Kimberly Gayten is accused of setting fire to the FEMA cottage on Aug. 28, according to information released by the Mississippi Insurance Department. The investigation began after a man inside the trailer noticed smoke outside. The man reported seeing Gayten running from the area, according to the release. The Brookhaven Police Department arr

Wesson News Registration is now open for the 55th annual Wesson Flea Market, set for Saturday, October 17. Hosted each year by the Wesson Volunteer Fire Department, the all-day event draws vendors and shoppers from across the South. The market is held on the main street of Wesson from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Returning vendors who want the same booth as a previous flea market can request it with registration, but it is not guaranteed unless registration was completed prior to S

By: L.A. Warren, UMMC Communications Nurse practitioner Barbara Herring talks with patient Fershurn Stanford of Canton at the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute's high-risk breast cancer clinic. The University of Mississippi Medical Center has earned the No. 2 ranking on Forbes' 2026 list of America's Best Employers for Healthcare Professionals, placing Mississippi's only academic medical center among the nation's most highly regarded health care workplaces. UMM

By Raymond Barranco, MSU Professor of Sociology There are two things that most of us struggle to say (no, I’m not talking about “Irish wristwatch” and “rural juror”): “I’m sorry” and “You were right.” Those words are difficult no matter the relationship – between spouses, parents and children, coworkers, friends, or teachers and students. Why? Because saying them requires us to admit something we would rather not: that we made a mistake. Most of us don’t enjoy admitting we’re

Wesson News The Copiah County Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for its Citizen’s Academy, which offers Copiah County residents the opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the Copiah County Sheriff’s Office and the services it provides to the community. The program aims to build relationships between the public and the deputies and staff who serve and protect the community, as well as the change to learn about things like patrol operations, investigations

By Jessica Breazeale Copiah-Lincoln Community College sophomore Anna Michelle McKenzie is inviting the community to join her in supporting childhood literacy through a bake sale set for Homecoming. "Baking for a Cause" will take place at Co-Lin's Homecoming Tailgate on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, ahead of the Wolves' Homecoming Game against East Central Community College. Proceeds will benefit Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a nonprofit that has provided free books to childre

Special to Wesson News Pictured (l to r) are Debbie Hoaglin, Cherry Head, June Owens, Debbie Smith Sherri Carty, Kristi Watts, Terri Bath, Lisa Smith, Jean Ricks, Joy Phillips and Sonya Cowen. Not pictured is Jennifer Peets. Members of Wesson Garden Club met at the American Legion Prime 79 on Tuesday, August 11. Those in attendance were Teri Bath, Sherri Carty, Sonya Cowen, Cherry Head, Debbie Hoaglin, June Owens, Jennifer Peets, Joy Phillips, Debbie Smith, Lisa Smith, Dixi

Special to Wesson News The Wesson Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD) has been named as the recipient of a $10,000 2026 Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program grant from the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and State Farm. The funds from the grant will be used towards the purchase of new self-contained breathing apparatus equipment, which will help the firefighters as they serve the community. One hundred fifty volunteer fire departments were selected to each rec

(Photo from Hitachi Energy website) Hitachi Energy will invest $528 million to expand its transformer manufacturing operations in Copiah County, marking the company’s largest U.S. investment to date and bringing 654 new jobs to the region. The expansion will take place at the company’s existing transformer manufacturing operation in the Copiah County Industrial Park in Gallman. Hitachi Energy currently employs 475 people at the facility, which manufactures small power transfo

James Russell Ray May 26, 1941 - September 12, 2026 85 Years of age SERVICE: Friday, September 18, 2026 Calvary Baptist Church, Oak Grove 11:30 a.m. INTERMENT: Highland Cemetery VISITATION: Friday, September 18, 2026 Calvary Baptist Church, Oak Grove 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Services for Mr. James Russell Ray will be held at 11:30 a.m., Friday, September 18, 2026 at Calvary Baptist Church in Oak

Ronald W. Bath August 29, 2026 81 Years of age Ronald W. Bath, 81, passed away Saturday, August 29, 2026, in Wesson, Mississippi. Ron was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend whose greatest joy and legacy was his family. He is survived by his wife and best friend, Teri Bath; his five children, Shilo Bishop, Angela Taylor, Ronald Johnson, Aaron Johnson, and Lisa Carruth; his brother, Steve Bath; 10 grandchildren; and one great-grandson. He was preceded in death b

By Raymond Barranco, MSU Professor of Sociology Right before I graduated college, I applied to the Louisiana State Police. Part of the process was a polygraph test. If you’ve never taken one, here’s how it works: you sit in a small room while someone asks you a series of yes-or-no questions, and a machine tracks your heart rate, breathing, and a few other things that apparently reveal whether you’re lying. One of the questions was simple enough on paper: have you ever stolen

By Sarah Grace Coleman Taylor Burke (center), pictured with the Wesson tennis team “Once a Cobra, always a Cobra” is the mantra of the Wesson Attendance Center and one that is dear to Taylor Burke. Burke has lived in Wesson ever since she was three years old. She has been married to her high school sweetheart, Konner Burke, for nine years and has three children— Emmerson,6; Anniston, 2; and Mallory, 3 months. Growing up, her dream was to be a teacher. She also enjoyed dan

By Louise Vaughn Water-system planning, mobile home requirements, the town budget and community improvements were among the matters addressed by the Wesson Board of Aldermen during its September 1 meeting. Alderman Stanley Martin was absent from the meeting. The Board reviewed a water-rate study conducted by the Mississippi Rural Water Association to evaluate the Town’s current financial position and future water-system needs. Based on the study, it was determined that rates

Special to Wesson News Bryce Coleman is presented with his MTAF scholarship. Bryce Coleman of Wesson was recently presented with a Mississippi Trucking Association Foundation Scholarship Program award, the R. Gene Holmes Endowment. Over thirty-five years ago, the Mississippi Trucking Association Foundation (MTAF) Scholarship Program was created. The primary objective of the Foundation, a 501(c) (3) charitable corporation designed to receive contributions, memorial gifts,

The wide-ranging program for the 83rd National Folk Festival’s Mississippi Folklife Area & Stage was announced today at a press conference inside the House Chamber at the Old Capitol Museum. This is the event’s second year of a three-year residency, scheduled to take place November 13-15, 2026, in Downtown Jackson. On hand for today’s announcement were Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) Executive Director David Lewis, and Director of the Two Mississippi Museums Michael Morris.

Special to Wesson News Co-Lin’s Institute for Learning in Retirement members recently gathered for their annual Fall Social, catching up with friends and kicking off another semester of learning and fellowship. The Copiah-Lincoln Community College Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) recently announced it lineup of classes, workshops, travel opportunities and social events for the Fall 2026 semester, offering senior adults a variety of opportunities to learn, connect an

By Clay Mansell The Wesson News welcomes Louise Vaughn, PhD, MBA, MPA as its new City Beat reporter. Vaughn, who has a master’s degree in Accounting, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a doctorate in educational leadership, is not only a writer, but is also heavily involved in agriculture and community development. Professionally, her experience crosses several areas, including accounting and financial consulting, tax preparation, business development, human reso

Special to Wesson News A 78-year-old truck driver was found dead outside his tractor-trailer near the Interstate 55 rest area in Wesson on Thursday, authorities said. The man was discovered just south of the northbound rest area, located near mile marker 54 in Copiah County. Copiah County Emergency Operations Center Director Darryl Hilliard said the driver was found lying on the ground near the passenger side of the 18-wheeler. A passerby spotted the man and alerted authoriti

Wesson residents now have access to faster internet options following an expansion of Sparklight’s Multi-Gig network in Southwest Mississippi. Sparklight announced Wednesday, Sept. 2, that residential customers in Wesson can access internet speeds of up to 2 Gig as part of the company’s latest regional network expansion. The expansion follows nearly $10 million in network investments in McComb and surrounding communities. According to Sparklight, the improvements have increas