Category: news

Charges grow in Monroe County child porn case

Fifteen new charges are filed against a man in Monroe County arrested in a child pornography case.

Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook revealed that Bobby Christopher Brewer, 39, of Greenwood Springs, appeared in court Wednesday on the following charges:

  • 6 counts of sexual extortion
  • 3 counts of child molestation
  • 6 counts of aggravated domestic violence

Monroe County Justice Court Judge Sarah Stevens set a cash bond for Brewer at $700,000 on the new charges.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Brewer over the weekend on a charge of producing child pornography. A judge set bond on that charge at half a million dollars.

Also arrested was Jessica Leigh Chailland. Law enforcement charged her with child enticement and possession of a controlled substance. Her bond was set at $200,000.

The sheriff accuses Brewer of manipulating people who were aware of what he was doing by saying he was closely associated with law enforcement and the military.

Crook adds the new charges against Brewer came following two days’ worth of interviews with victims.

He says the investigation by his office and the state attorney general’s office is ongoing and still encourages victims of any child sexual crimes to come forward.

There’s an app for that

The Mississippi Lottery has launched an app for those who play. You can’t buy tickets on it, but there may be other things that interest you. From the lottery’s news release:

  • For the first time, players can quickly scan their tickets with their phones to see if they are winners.
  • The app streamlines participation in 2nd Chance Drawing promotions, allowing players to enter eligible non-winning tickets directly through the app.
  • Users can view current jackpots and winning numbers, find nearby retailers and access detailed game information and odds for all scratch-off and draw games.

Do you know her?

Below is an appeal made by Monroe County Coroner Alan Gurley concerning one of his cases:

The Monroe County Coroner’s Office is seeking any information regarding the relatives of Catherine Kemmerer, who died from natural causes on Friday, November 14, in Aberdeen, Mississippi.
Deceased: Catherine Kemmerer
Age: 69
Address: 211 East Madison Street in Aberdeen
Background: Ms. Kemmerer reportedly moved to Aberdeen a few years ago from Alamosa, Colorado.
The Coroner’s Office and the Aberdeen Police Department have exhausted current online resources and are now appealing to the public for help locating family members.
If you have any information that could assist in locating relatives, please contact the Monroe County Coroner’s Office at (662) 369-4557 or the Aberdeen Police Department.

Tishomingo County couple honored through highway naming

Sign on a stretch of highway in Tishomingo County honoring Dr. Kelly and Martha Segars (Mississippi Department of Transportation)

The state has renamed a section of Highway 25 south of Iuka to honor a couple who made a lasting impact on Tishomingo County.

A ceremony was held Thursday in Iuka to dedicate the Dr. Kelly S. Segars, Sr. and Martha Segars Memorial Highway.

The couple moved to Iuka in 1960 where they worked for years in health care — he as a physician, she as a dietician — but their lives eventually grew to include other endeavors. Kelly Segars helped found what became First American National Bank, serving as its president and chairman. Martha Segars served on its board and handled its marketing after retiring from the hospital in Iuka.

Their community involvement also included his efforts toward improving the local airport, which now bears his name, and her efforts on developing local tourism, such as helping to launch the Trash and Treasures along the Tenn-Tom yard sale.

The highway bearing their names starts at County Road 150 and heads north for one mile.

State update on SNAP benefits

News release from the Mississippi Department of Human Services:

The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) announced today that it will begin partial distribution of SNAP benefits following official guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Beginning November 10, 2025, MDHS will distribute up to 65% of the November SNAP benefit allotment to SNAP recipients. Benefit amounts have been set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, not MDHS.

SNAP benefits are issued on a rolling basis between the 4th and the 21st of each month. Those recipients who typically receive their benefits between the 4th and 10th of the month will be included in the upcoming issuance of benefits as early as November 10. All other recipients will receive their benefits on their regularly scheduled issuance date.

In preparation for benefit issuance, MDHS encourages all SNAP clients to register their account at ConnectEBT.com and change their PIN number.  

SNAP recipients are advised to:

  • Register for a Connect EBT account and save ConnectEBT to their cell phone home screen and change their PIN after every use to reduce their risk of being the victim of fraud and skimming. (See TUTORIAL)
  • Monitor all account transactions and report any suspicious activity to MDHS. https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/help/snap/snap-fraud/
  • Ensure all case information is current to avoid interruptions in benefits.
  • Follow MDHS social media channels for the latest updates on additional benefit funding and program announcements.

MDHS will continue to share information as updates become available. For the latest details, visit http://www.mdhs.ms.gov or follow official social channels.

Election Day 2025

House District 22Download

Here’s a map showing who in Chickasaw, Clay and Monroe counties will vote Tuesday in the special election for Mississippi House District 22 between Republican Rep. Jon Lancaster and Democratic challenger Justin Crosby.

The special election is the result of a federal court ordering the state to create more Black-majority legislative districts.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.