It is a full Friday across Tippah County and north Mississippi: a heat advisory that runs into the weekend, two Tippah football teams in action, a coaching milestone within reach at Walnut, and a new coffee shop opening in Ripley. Here is what RCTV19 is following on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026.
Heat advisory in effect through Saturday evening
The National Weather Service office in Memphis has a heat advisory in effect for Tippah and Benton counties through 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, with heat index values expected to reach as high as 106 degrees. The bulletin names both Ripley and Ashland.
Forecasters are asking residents to keep water on hand, take breaks in air conditioning, and check on elderly neighbors and anyone without reliable cooling. Never leave children or pets in a parked vehicle.
Details on the advisory and the rest of the county's news are in the Tippah and Benton County roundup for Sept. 18 from Tippah News.
Friday night football: Ripley hosts an unbeaten team, Walnut chases No. 91
Ripley (1-2) vs. East Webster (3-0), 7 p.m. at Ripley. The Tigers host a team that has not lost yet this season as they look to even their record. RCTV19 previewed the matchup earlier this week in Ripley to host unbeaten East Webster.
Walnut (2-1) at Alcorn Central (1-2), 7 p.m. in Glen. This is the one to watch. Head coach John Meeks sits on 90 career victories — every one of them at Walnut since 2012, making him the winningest football coach in Tippah County history. Win No. 91 would come against a Golden Bears team the Wildcats lead 23-5 all-time.
Walnut arrives off a 22-14 road win over previously unbeaten Holly Springs, and freshman receiver Jaylen Cox has already shown he can change a game — he returned a kickoff 75 yards earlier this year. Alcorn Central is 1-0 at home and 0-2 on the road, where it has been outscored 69-10. Its lone win was a 41-0 result over Tippah County's Falkner. More in Walnut Wildcats seek win No. 91.
Friday schedules are posted at Tippah County Sports, and RCTV19's season coverage is collected on the Tippah County sports page.
Volleyball: Walker's seven aces power a Falkner sweep
Brenlee Walker served seven aces Thursday night as Falkner swept Thrasher 25-8, 25-15, 25-7 at home, the Eagles' second straight varsity win. Falkner finished with 16 aces as a team and moved to 6-12 overall and 4-2 in district play. Tippah County Sports has the full report in Walker serves seven aces as Falkner sweeps Thrasher.
Falkner's turnaround has been building — the Eagles erased a two-set deficit to beat Wheeler earlier this week.
In Alcorn County, Kossuth's Lady Aggies held 54 seconds of silence before Thursday's district match — one second for each number on the jersey of Mason Mills, the 17-year-old Kossuth lineman who died in a single-vehicle crash on June 6. Players, coaches and family gathered at midcourt in green "KOSSUTH 54" shirts. Kossuth then swept Alcorn Central 25-12, 25-12, 25-23 behind 37 assists from freshman Ava Hopkins and 11 kills from Dinah Lancaster, the program's 14th straight win. Alcorn County News has the full story.
In DeSoto County, Lewisburg beat DeSoto Central in four sets while Center Hill and Hernando swept, according to DeSoto County News.
Blue Mountain Christian women's soccer wins again
Blue Mountain Christian University beat Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College 3-0 on Thursday at The Summit, with goals from Daniela Nieto, Nayelli Aguayo and Alba Hernandez. The Toppers are 2-5 overall and 2-1 in the Southern States Athletic Conference.
They are back home at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, against Wesleyan College in a match the conference has tagged as its Women's Soccer Match of the Week. RCTV19's report is here: Blue Mountain women's soccer beats ABAC 3-0. More coverage of the university is on the Blue Mountain Christian page, and the town itself is profiled at Blue Mountain, Mississippi.
Around Ripley: Scooter's opens, and Main Street wants a food truck
Scooter's Coffee holds its grand opening in Ripley today, with a ribbon cutting set for 11 a.m. and extended opening-day hours. RCTV19 has the details in Scooter's Coffee grand opening celebration in Ripley.
Ripley Main Street is looking for a food truck partner for regular service at The Cut Off downtown following Chula's departure, with movie nights, markets and live music planned at the venue. Operators can email [email protected] or call 662-512-0226. See The Cut Off seeking food truck partner, and follow downtown coverage on the Downtown Ripley page.
Food pantry, Sept. 25 in Walnut. North Mississippi Primary Health Care and the Mid-South Food Bank will distribute food at the Walnut Fire Department, 27880 Highway 15, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25, while supplies last. Pickups are limited to three families per vehicle, and organizers ask drivers to keep driveways clear.
In Ashland, North Mississippi Primary Health Care poured the slab on its administration addition this week. No completion date has been announced.
Looking further ahead on the community events calendar: Oktoberfest comes to the downtown square on Oct. 3, the Spirit of Ripley Halloween event returns Oct. 30, and Christmas parade registration is already open.
Around north Mississippi
Hitachi Energy is investing $528 million in Mississippi and creating 650 jobs, Prentiss County News reports — one of the larger industrial announcements in the region this year.
Tallahatchie Riverfest is Saturday in downtown New Albany, with live music, shopping and family activities, plus a Friends of the Library book sale. Union County News has the details.
Booneville High School held its homecoming parade Thursday evening, with homecoming activities running through the weekend, according to Prentiss County News.
Mississippi is observing a day of mourning for Claiborne County deputy Terrian Bailey, who died in the line of duty.
Junior college football delivered a busy Thursday night: No. 5 East Mississippi survived East Central, Holmes rallied past Coahoma 36-33, Jones beat Pearl River 20-13 and Hinds opened South Division play with a 17-10 win over Southwest Mississippi. Northwest volleyball also set a program record with its 14th straight win. Scores and recaps are at Sports Mississippi.
And on Saturday, Morgan Freeman will serve as the College GameDay guest picker in Oxford ahead of Ole Miss-LSU.
Also on RCTV19
- Obituaries — funeral and memorial notices for Ripley and Tippah County families.
- Watch RCTV19 live — the live stream runs around the clock.
- All news — everything RCTV19 has published, newest first.
- Tippah County guide — the numbers, offices, schools and facts worth keeping handy.
- Our communities — Ripley, Walnut, Blue Mountain, Falkner, Dumas, Chalybeate, Tiplersville and more.
Have a news tip, a score or a community event? Contact RCTV19.
