Vicksburg, you’ve told us what you want to read and we thought you’d enjoy seeing the most-read stories of this past year. As Vicksburg’s only locally owned news source we are thrilled with the amazing support you’ve shown for locally owned news.

We hope you’ll enjoy a few minutes to remember the top stories of 2021.

#5 Man recovers his own stolen vehicle after spotting it at gas station

Craig Brown managed to recover his own stolen vehicle after spotting it while driving down U.S. Highway 61.  This story dominated the local news scene for weeks. We at Vicksburg Daily News were the only one who had the story.

Craig Brown (Photo by David Day)

Brown was driving down U.S. 61, saw his vehicle at the Quick & Easy on 61 South that had been missing and ran off the miscreants that were in it.

“I spotted my car. I turned around and came and blocked them in. I guessed they noticed, so then they took off behind the store,” said Brown.

Four suspects left the scene. The Quick & Easy allowed VDN to obtain security media to help bring the criminals to justice.

#4 Former Mississippi police officer charged with rape

A former Mississippi police officer, Skyler Prunera, 28, has been charged with rape in Jones County.

Skyler Prunera (Jones County Jail)

The alleged victim signed an affidavit stating she was raped at her home in Soso. A rape kit was performed on the victim and has been sent to the State Crime Lab Pearl for examination, along with other evidence.

Prunera is a former officer with the Laurel Police Department and has not been with the department since April 2020.

#3 787-pound alligator snagged from Yazoo River

Hunter Ty Powell and his friends had a fruitful alligator season when the group managed to land a 787-pound alligator from the Yazoo River. A great photo and a great story made this story go viral. It was shared worldwide. What a great photo!

Left to right: Eli Frierson, Adam Steen, Bubba Steen, Kent Britton and Ty Powell show the 787-pound alligator pulled from the Yazoo River. (With Permission: Ty Powell)

Powell and his friends were north of Redwood on the Yazoo River, witnessing multiple alligators on the way up the waterway, but none were what the group was after. The 787 pre-historic monster was spotted earlier by hunters Kent Britton and Adam and Bubba Steen who had the gator pinned on their phones.

Upon arriving at the area they had marked, they allowed the boat to drift through the area, eventually spotting the beast. One of the team members was able to hook the gator, which had the gator pulling the boat up and down the river before eventually breaking free. The team decided to wait for another chance to tangle with the behemoth, which eventually paid off.

After three hours of struggle, the gator eventually began to tire and the hunters were able to get him inside the boat. The gator measured 13 feet, 2 inches in length with a girth of 66 inches at the belly and 48 inches on the tail and weighed in at 787 pounds.

#2 Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral is asking for $10,000 per hour

This story, by Keith “The King” Phillips went viral, and was seen well over 1 million times. Nationwide sports groups shared the story and it was discussed on popular news shows. There’s a reason Keith Phillips is the King.

Matt Corral (Photo via twitter post from Matt Corral)

As many athletes began to sign deals and take advantage of the new NCAA ruling, Matt Corral began working with an agency called Dreamfield, where it showed his price as $10,000 per hour for an appearance fee.

Corral sought a much higher price than other athletes. The nearest player on the booking site was McKenzie Milton from Florida Sate and D’Eriq King from Miami who were seeking $2,000 an hour.

And the number one story of 2021….

#1 Tindell issues cease and desist for new film starring Morgan Freeman

Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety Sean Tindell issued a cease and desist letter to a movie production company who was filming a new movie titled “Paradise Highway“, a film that is set to star actor Morgan Freeman. Oddly enough, this story sat around for a couple of days with little notice. We repackaged the story and it exploded to become our number one story of the year. It was seen in all its various forms millions of times.

Morgan Freeman (Foto: © JCS)

Tindell stated in his letter that photographs that were shared on social media would paint the Mississippi Highway Patrol in a negative light by damaging the reputation and image of the agency. Circulating photos through social media showed actors improperly dressed in MHP uniforms.

Tindell offered to work with the company and provide actual MHP Troopers so that they may be portrayed in the proper image.

The film, which stars Morgan Freeman, was being filmed in Jackson and Clarksdale. The story follows a trucker named Sally and her friends who combat human trafficking.

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