The Wake Up Morning Report: Mississippi

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HATTIESBURG, Miss (THN News) - Mississippi enters Friday with rain chances increasing from south to north ahead of a wetter weekend, while the Gulf Coast is under a coastal-flood advisory early this morning.

The state's final scheduled public redistricting hearing was held Thursday night in Jackson, new Medicaid/CHIP eligibility restrictions are now in effect for some lawfully present immigrants, and Gulfport police announced two arrests in a shooting investigation.

STATEWIDE | GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Redistricting process moves into its next phase. Mississippi's Joint Legislative Committee on Reapportionment and Redistricting held the final meeting in its eight-hearing statewide public schedule Thursday at the State Capitol in Jackson. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann previously said the joint House-Senate committee would next establish guidelines as lawmakers consider whether to redraw districts. Mississippi's current legislative maps remain in effect unless changed through the legislative process.

Medicaid/CHIP eligibility changes are now in effect. Beginning October 1, federal law restricts full federally supported Medicaid and CHIP eligibility for several categories of lawfully present immigrants, including some refugees and asylum seekers without green cards. This is distinct from undocumented immigrants, who were already generally ineligible for full federally funded Medicaid coverage.

Waterfowl applications open. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks opened its application period for 2026–27 Wildlife Management Area waterfowl draw hunts Thursday. Applications are scheduled to remain open through October 15.

HATTIESBURG / PINE BELT

In Hattiesburg, community and university activity continues into the weekend. Nearly 200 students representing 15 colleges recently gathered at Main Street Baptist Church for the 23rd Southern Invitational Choral Conference organized by Southern Miss, which included rehearsals, a master class and a concert.

Mitchell Farms' Mississippi Peanut Festival is scheduled for this weekend in the Pine Belt, with organizers preparing for wet conditions as rain chances rise.

32 Year Old Daryl McKines Jr. of Laurel, MS was the first candidate to announce he's running for Senate District 34 to replace retired Senator Juan Barnett. No other candidates has officially declared their candidacy although that's expected to change next week.

JACKSON / CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI

The 167th Mississippi State Fair is underway in Jackson. This year's theme is “Let Freedom Ring,” with livestock competitions, concerts, rides, agricultural exhibits and other events scheduled during the 12-day fair.

Traffic alert for Sunday: demolition of the former Mississippi Department of Public Safety administration tower will temporarily close sections of Interstate 55 and nearby Jackson streets beginning about 7:45 a.m. Sunday, October 4. Closures are expected to last roughly 30 minutes.

MISSISSIPPI DELTA / GREENVILLE

Greenville is continuing street improvements, with crews working on the Robertshaw Street paving project.

Cultural activity is also picking up. “Bubbling Brown Sugar” is running at Delta Center Stage through October 4, while the Greenville Arts Council's “Son Ford” Thomas at 100 and Highway 61 Revisited exhibition continues. The Delta Hot Tamale Festival is scheduled for October 15–17 in downtown Greenville.

GULFPORT / GULF COAST

Two arrested in crowd-shooting investigation. Gulfport Police announced Thursday that Marc Samuel Humphrey II, 25, and Mackenzie Alexis Humphrey, 22, both of Gulfport, were arrested and charged with shooting into an assembly or group. Police allege shots were fired from a vehicle toward a crowd following an argument on Courthouse Road on September 25.

Both were taken to the Harrison County Adult Detention Center and each received a $250,000 bond. The charges are allegations; neither arrest establishes guilt.

Oyster season is underway. Mississippi's 2026–27 oyster season officially opened Thursday. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources authorized harvesting in specified approved and conditionally approved areas, with commercial and recreational limits in place.

Cruisin' the Coast begins Sunday, bringing one of the Coast's major annual tourism events back to the region.

MERIDIAN / EAST MISSISSIPPI

No major new overnight crime or government development in Meridian met the verification threshold for this edition. Hattiesburg News is not recycling older arrest reports as current news.

TUPELO / NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI

No consequential new overnight public-safety development in Tupelo could be independently confirmed before publication time. Lee County and Northeast Mississippi developments will continue to be checked throughout the day.

MISSISSIPPI COLLEGES & SPORTS

Mississippi State Bulldogs moved to No. 16 in the AP college-football rankings following its 31–24 victory over Missouri.

This weekend brings another major SEC matchup for Mississippi State, while Ole Miss Rebels looks to rebound from its 52–28 loss at Florida. Because those upcoming contests have not yet been played, no projected or speculative scores are being included.

In Oxford, authorities continue investigating the recent deaths of two University of Mississippi students. Toxicology results remained pending in the latest reporting; therefore, Hattiesburg News is not attributing a definitive cause of death.

A separate 22-year-old non-student survived a suspected overdose near Oxford Thursday. Authorities said that incident was not connected to the student deaths.

WEATHER | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2

Official National Weather Service forecasts show increasing moisture and rain chances, especially across southern Mississippi. NWS Jackson says scattered to numerous afternoon and early-evening showers and thunderstorms are expected through the weekend, with locally heavy rainfall possible.

Greenville/Delta: Partly sunny with a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly late — High 91° / Low 70° — 30% daytime precipitation chance.

Jackson: Patchy morning fog, then partly sunny with a slight chance of showers/thunderstorms — High 93° / Low 71° — 20%.

Hattiesburg: Areas of morning fog, then showers and thunderstorms becoming likely — High 91° / Low 72° — 70%.

Gulfport/Gulf Coast: Showers and thunderstorms likely, becoming widespread during the afternoon — High 85° / Low 75° — 80%. A Coastal Flood Advisory remains in effect until 9:00 a.m. Friday for the Gulfport forecast area

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This news story was covered by Hattiesburg News Staff. Thank you for visiting The Hattiesburg News.