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THIS IS JACKSON STATE NEWS NOW.

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Slug: WELCOME

HELLO EVERYONE…I’M DANIEL HOWELL WITH YOUR JACKSON STATE NEWS NOW NEWS UPDATE.

THE TIME IS CURRENTLY 11:17AM.

AND THE TEMPERATURE IS 66 DEGREES AND ANOTHER RAINY DAY IN THE CAPITAL CITY.

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  MISSISSIPPI FLOODING

RESIDENTS IN MISSISSIPPI ARE TAKING STOCK OF DAMAGE SATURDAY AFTER A MASSIVE DOWNPOUR OF RAIN SUBMERGED ROADS AND CARS, WASHED OUT BRIDGES AND FORCED RESIDENTS TO FLEE HOMES.

THE RAIN AND FLOODING IS PART OF A WEATHER SYSTEM THAT HAS AFFECTED LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, ARKANSAS, TENNESSEE AND ALABAMA AND AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN LOUISIANA ALONE.

IN MISSISSIPPI, OFFICIALS SAID AS MANY AS 1,000 RESIDENTS COULD SEE THEIR HOMES FLOODED BY THE RISING LEAF RIVER IN HATTIESBURG, PETAL AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

IN MISSISSIPPI, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY DIRECTOR LEE SMITHSON SAID MORE THAN 300 HOMES STATEWIDE HAVE BEEN FLOODED. STATE OR FEDERAL HIGHWAYS WERE FULLY OR PARTIALLY CLOSED IN 14 OF MISSISSIPPI'S 82 COUNTIES BECAUSE OF FLOODING OR FLOOD DAMAGE.

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  MAN ACCUSED PLEADS GUILTY

A YOUNG MISSISSIPPI MAN HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO A TERRORISM CHARGE, MONTHS AFTER AUTHORITIES SAY HE AND HIS FIANCÉE WERE TRYING TO GO TO SYRIA TO JOIN THE ISLAMIC STATE.

23-YEAR-OLD MUHAMMAD DAKHLALLA OF STARKVILLE PLEADED GUILTY FRIDAY TO PROVIDING MATERIAL SUPPORT TO TERRORISM AND HIS FIANCÉE, JAELYN YOUNG, WAS ALSO ACCUSED OF ATTEMPTING TO JOIN THE ISLAMIC STATE.

DAKHLALLA FACES UP TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON, $250,000 FINES AND LIFETIME PROBATION.

AUTHORITIES SAY THE COUPLE CONTACTED UNDERCOVER FEDERAL AGENTS LAST YEAR, SEEKING ONLINE HELP IN TRAVELING TO SYRIA. BOTH ARE JAILED.

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MURDER SUSPECT KILLED

    IN VICKSBURG MISSISSIPPI, AN ESCAPED MURDER SUSPECT MADE A DESPERATE MOVE BEFORE DAWN THURSDAY, BREAKING INTO A HOUSE AT KNIFEPOINT AND HOLDING A FAMILY HOSTAGE FOR HOURS IN A BATHROOM.

RAFAEL MCCLOUD, THE ESCAPED SUSPECT, WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY THE WIFE OF THE HOUSE AFTER FIGHTING WITH THE HUSBAND.

MCCLOUD - WHO COULD HAVE FACED THE DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLINGS IN 2015 - USED A HOMEMADE SHANK TO GET THE JUMP ON AN OFFICER AND ESCAPED THE COUNTY JAIL MARCH 2.

NEIGHBORS NOW SAY THEY CAN REST EASIER KNOWING THEY ARE SAFE.

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  Traffic

TRAFFIC AROUND THE JACKSON METRO AREA IS CLEAR. THERE ARE NO PILE UPS OR CLOSED ROADWAYS TO REPORT. BE SURE TO BUCKLE UP AND DRIVE SAFELY.

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Weather

THE TEMPERATURE IS NOW 66 DEGREES.

SHOWERS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH NEAR 72. WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 25 MILES PER HOUR. NEW RAINFALL AMOUNTS BETWEEN A QUARTER AND HALF OF AN INCH IS ALSO POSSIBLE

TONIGHT SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY. RAIN CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION IS 80 PERCENT.

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Goodbye

THIS IS DANIEL HOWELL WITH JACKSON STATE NEWS NOW. THE CURRENT TIME IS 1:05PM.

MORE NEWS LATER.

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