| Thursday, July 3, 2025 |
| Mary Means Business: New bakery coming to Starkville | |
 | Taylor Made Cake is opening up its second location in Starkville, y'all. The wildly popular cake bakery in the New Hope area will open, fingers crossed, Frosted Fork by the end of July in the old Biscuit Lady shop on South Washington. Taylor Massey, owner of the nearly 10-year-old bakery, said she's waited for years for the stars to align and help her open a second location in her hometown of Starkville, where she graduated from Starkville High and Mississippi State. “We have been looking at Starkville for years, and nothing has been the right place or the right time until now,” she said. “… We have a lot of customers over that way, and we are excited to meet more. It’s been nothing but positive reactions across the board, and that just lets me know that the timing is definitely now.” Massey and her team are still working on the remodel for opening day. They'll sell various items, including frozen casseroles, a large selection of pre-decorated cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and cookies. ... Also in Starkville, Mississippi State is making some food changes across campus. After about four years, the university's Steak 'N Shake location is officially closed. Regina Hyatt, vice president for MSU student affairs, confirmed the upcoming school year changes, which include the closure of the hamburger and milkshake chain and the opening of Perry Food Hall and Azalea Dining. |
| Registry of 1500-plus private cameras aids SPD investigations | |
| Starkville Police Department is looking to get assistance from local businesses and residents in the department's expanding surveillance program. Started in 2021 as a way to monitor crime more efficiently, the Starkville Community Camera Registry has grown to include 804 residential cameras and 714 business cameras, the SPD website said. "It fits a modern-day lifestyle where you can move quickly on capturing information," Police Chief Mark Ballard said. "It's based on (volunteers) because this is an important point. Public safety is a shared responsibility between our police department and our community." The program aids the police by giving voluntary access to live feeds from integrated business cameras in the program and the ability to request footage from residential cameras in the registry, Ballard said. "We're not going door to door, trying to track (people), as in the old days," he said. "... (It) is a modern-day, very fast system." The program does not give the police access to any footage or feeds of registered or integrated cameras without permission from camera owners, Ballard said. |
| Whether you're driving or flying, here are travel tips for the Fourth of July weekend | |
 | This year, the Fourth of July falls on a Friday for the first time in more than a decade. And if you're hoping to make a trip out of the long weekend, you're not alone. A record 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home in the window between June 28 and July 6, according to projections from AAA. It says that's an increase of 1.7 million domestic travelers from this time last year. "Summertime is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, and July 4th is one of the most popular times to get away," Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said. AAA is forecasting record highs of people traveling by both plane and car. The vast majority -- 61.6 million people -- are expected to drive to their destination, while another 5.84 million will fly. This year's top Fourth of July domestic destinations include Orlando, Seattle, New York City, Denver, Boston, Miami and Atlanta, according to AAA booking data. It says hotels in big cities typically lower prices to fill empty rooms as check-in approaches, while there may also be last-minute hotel deals in cities that tend to empty out for the weekend. Either way, it recommends booking 12-48 hours in advance to score the best deal. |
| Mississippi Highway Patrol to expand presence during Independence Day weekend | |
 | The upcoming Independence Day weekend is expected to be a busy one, with as many as 72.2 million Americans taking their celebrations on the road. The Mississippi Highway Patrol is one of many state and local agencies gearing up for the surge in travel. MHP officials announced Wednesday that the annual travel enforcement period will kick off at midnight on Thursday, July 3, and will run through midnight on Sunday, July 6. In that four-day span, a higher-than-usual number of troopers will be deployed across the Magnolia State. MHP will conduct high-visibility patrols, establishing strategic checkpoints aimed at deterring impaired and unsafe driving behavior. "As we celebrate Independence Day and the freedoms we are so fortunate to enjoy, let's remember the men and women in law enforcement and all first responders who are working to keep us safe," Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said. "The Mississippi Highway Patrol will be out enforcing traffic laws, and agencies across the state will be on duty. Thank you to all who serve this holiday." |
| Hot Summer Ahead Expected in the Mississippi Tourism Industry | |
| Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVBs) across Mississippi are expecting a robust and diverse season ahead for meetings, conventions and tourism with many new attractions and activities planned to make it a "Star-Spangled Banner" summer. Coastal Mississippi has estimated that visitor spending in 2024 total nearly $1.5 billion. Judy Young, CEO of Coastal Mississippi, said the Coast is entering the summer of 2025 with strong momentum and growing global buzz. There are also a lot of great things in the works for Tupelo. Tupelo CVB's Deputy Director, Jennie Bradford Curlee, anticipates a dynamic summer season marked with events, conferences, festivals and an influx of both domestic and international leisure travelers. Laura Beth Strickland, Executive Director, Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau, said they have a very busy summer ahead. Bubba O'Keefe, Tourism Director of Visit Clarksdale, predicts the summer will be hot -- both in terms of temperatures and tourism activity. "I was a little concerned coming into 2025, but I am very optimistic and see good growth throughout the rest of the year," said O'Keefe. |
| Meteorologist starts new service for Mississippi weather forecasts | |
 | A new weather service is available in North Mississippi. An award-winning meteorologist has created his own apps and streaming channel to bring the community the latest forecasts and up-to-date severe weather coverage, like strong storms and tornadoes. Chief meteorologist Matt Laubhan is well-known in the Golden Triangle area. He's a 10-time Emmy winner and worked at WTVA for 14 years. His last day there was July 1. Mississippi LIVE Weather launched at midnight on July 2. By that afternoon, it was the most-downloaded free weather app in the Apple App Store in the nation. In his first broadcast at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Laubhan thanked viewers for "demanding that we do something to take care of you in active and severe weather." He said the support to save his job and those of his coworkers was "humbling." Laubhan said during the initial taping that many people still at the station are not just friends but family, and he asked people to keep supporting them. This service is not to compete or be "vindictive" but to ensure everyone in the community gets the information they need. |
| WTVA promotes Chelsea Simmons to chief meteorologist | |
 | WTVA is proud to announce the promotion of Chelsea Simmons as the chief meteorologist of the WTVA Severe Weather Authority. She and longtime WTVA meteorologist John Dolusic continue WTVA's long legacy of providing life-saving severe weather coverage for north Mississippi and northwest Alabama. The Monroe County native first joined WTVA in 2018 as an intern and worked her way up as a weekend meteorologist and then weekday morning meteorologist. She also worked as a multi-media journalist. Simmons becomes the first female chief meteorologist in WTVA history. Simmons lives in Hamilton with her husband, Wesley, and their son, Beau. She grew up in Amory and graduated from Amory High School, then Itawamba Community College and then earned a broadcast meteorology degree from Mississippi State University. |
| New law draws excitement, confusion, changes to some Mississippi seafood menus | |
 | Mississippi's new seafood labeling law went into effect Tuesday, forcing some Coast restaurants to make changes. Passed on June 10, an expansion of House Bill 602 requires all seafood and crawfish sold in the state to be labeled as either "domestic" or "imported" on all signage, menus, packaging and online listings. A task force composed of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce will ensure that wholesalers, processors, retailers and food service establishments are in compliance with the law. MSDMR Executive Director General Joe Spraggins said the law is meant to give consumers more transparency when purchasing seafood. "When people come to South Mississippi and walk into a restaurant, they're expecting to get Gulf seafood or something that's grown in America," Spraggins said. "You don't know what you're getting when you buy the import, but you know what you're getting when you buy domestic because the United States has laws and domestic seafood is processed the right way." Violations start with a three-day notice and can lead to civil fines of up to $10,000 or up to six months in jail. Anyone who violates the law due to good faith reliance on wholesaler documentation will not be penalized. |
| Marshall Steakhouse is coming to Oxford | |
| Randall Swaney claims that getting into the restaurant business eight years ago was a happy "accident" when he decided to build the popular Marshall Steakhouse in Holly Springs. However, his plan to open a second restaurant in Oxford is definitely no accident. Marshall Steakhouse, known for its prime cuts and rustic charm, is expanding to Oxford with a new location set to open near mTrade Park. Swaney is targeting a January opening. The original Marshall Steakhouse opened in Holly Springs about eight years ago. "Oxford's a great restaurant town," he said. "You've got 40,000 people living there full time, and during big events, it swells to 60,000. I've had people asking me to open a place there for a while." The Oxford location will offer something a little extra. In addition to dinner service, it will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week, with an Italian-themed menu on Wednesdays and Thursdays. "It'll be like a whole new restaurant inside the restaurant," Swaney said. |
| US labor market continues to surprise and the unemployment rate, against the odds, is falling | |
 | U.S. employers added 147,000 jobs in June as the American labor market continues to show surprising resilience despite uncertainty over President Donald Trump's economic policies. The unemployment rate ticked down to 4.1% from 4.2% in May, the Labor Department said Thursday. Hiring rose modestly from a revised 144,000 in May and beat economists expectations of fewer than 118,000 new jobs and a rise in the unemployment rate. The U.S. job market has cooled considerably from red-hot days of 2021-2023 when the economy bounced back with unexpected strength from COVID-19 lockdowns and companies were desperate for workers. So far this year, employers have added an average 130,000 jobs a month, down from 168,000 in 2024 and an average 400,000 from 2021 through 2023. But the June numbers were surprisingly strong. Healthcare jobs increased by 39,000. State governments added 47,000 workers and local governments 33,000. But the federal government lost 7,000, probably reflecting Trump's hiring freeze. Manufacturers shed 7,000 jobs. |
| June Jobs Report Likely to Extend Fed's Summer Pause | |
 | The June jobs report is likely to keep Federal Reserve officials in their wait-and-see stance for the summer as they anxiously observe how significant trade and immigration policy changes influence pricing and job-staffing decisions by American businesses. Most Fed officials haven't made much of an effort to build the case for rate cuts at their next meeting, July 29-30, even though two officials have said they are open to lowering rates. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has suggested that rate cuts are possible later this year, particularly if inflation readings this summer are milder than anticipated. At a conference in Portugal on Tuesday, he declined to provide any guidance about the July meeting. "It's going to depend on the data, and we are going meeting by meeting," he said. President Trump and his senior advisers have escalated an unusually severe pressure campaign on Powell and his colleagues to lower interest rates. Trump repeated a call for Powell to resign in a post on his social-media account on Wednesday night. Powell has maintained that a solid labor market has given the Fed more time to see the effects of a range of policy changes implemented this year. The latest report shows how a series of policy experiments in the early months of the Trump administration could be reshaping the economy and labor markets. They include a crackdown on immigration that could reduce the number of people available to work, an increase in tariffs that might damp demand, and job cuts for federal workers and other contractors and nonprofits that rely on government partnerships. |
| Governor Reeves touts Mississippi's economic momentum as revenues exceed estimates | |
| On Tuesday, Governor Tate Reeves (R) celebrated the start of the state's new fiscal year by saying in a social media post that Mississippi is in the best fiscal and financial shape in its history. Reeves highlighted the fiscal success Mississippi saw in the 2025 fiscal year, noting that total revenue collections will exceed $7.6 billion -- nearly half a billion more than the prior year's $7.035 billion budget and above the legislative revenue estimates. While the Legislative Budget Office has not yet released its end of year report, Reeves shared that revenue collections for June, the last month in the 2025 fiscal year, were almost $33 million above the monthly estimate. The May revenue report showed collections $5 million above total year estimates. "Mississippi is #2 in the country in economic growth in Q4 2024. Mississippi is #4 in the country in per capita income growth in Q4 2024," Reeves said. "Because cutting taxes and letting you keep more of your money -- when combined with fiscal restraint -- WORKS." The new 2026 fiscal year began July 1, complete with a $7.135 billion state budget after legislative wrangling caused the need for a special session to finalize this year's appropriations bills. |
| With Horhn sworn in, Reeves promises renewed partnership and calls Jackson vital to Mississippi | |
 | Republican Gov. Tate Reeves seemed to extend an olive branch Tuesday, July 1, to Jackson's new Mayor John Horhn, suggesting a reset in relations after years of city-state strife. Reeves was the third speaker at Horhn's inauguration ceremony at the Jackson Convention Complex, where he congratulated the new mayor and council and pledged the state's support. He joined other notable figures on the ceremony stage, including Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson and former Jackson Mayor Kane Ditto. "It's an honor to be here with you today as we start a new chapter in the storied history of Mississippi's capital city," Reeves said. "Make no mistake, then-Senator Horhn and I did not always agree on everything, and I think we would both say today that now soon-to-be Mayor Horhn and I are probably not always going to agree on everything," Reeves said. "But, I hope, and I sincerely believe, if there is one overarching theme on which we have full agreement: the City of Jackson is vital to the future of Mississippi." He continued by calling Jackson "more than a geographical center" but a "cultural hub, an economic driver and a symbol of who we are as a state." |
| 'Everybody loves John': Jackson mayor Horhn's big party brings in big bucks | |
| By Tuesday evening, the room where Jackson Mayor John Horhn took the oath of office between gospel performances by the Mississippi Mass Choir earlier in the day had transformed into a glittery gala, replete with a red carpet, lit candles and a classically raunchy gig by blues musician Bobby Rush. It was a spectacular party that helped generate half a million dollars in sponsorships for Tuesday's inauguration festivities. More than 140 sponsors across Jackson made monetary and in-kind donations to celebrate Horhn, a longtime state senator from northwest Jackson, finally attaining the office he'd sought for 16 years. "What better way to kick off and put the cap on such a monumental day, a momentous day, than to come out to the Jackson Convention Center and throw a party," Horhn said after he took the stage. While the final tally of what was spent or how many people attended isn't complete, Jeff Good, a local restaurateur who oversaw the committee's finances, said he had budgeted about $320,000 for the day and estimated 2,500 attendees. Horhn will be able to use any leftover funds to put on future events. Each sponsor had a different motivation for donating, Good said. Some were local companies who have sought city contracts, while other Jacksonians made financial contributions simply because they are fans of Horhn. "There's so many things that John has done," Good said at the gala. "Everybody loves John." |
| Girls' Day at the Capitol a success | |
| The Mississippi State Capitol was filled with pink, purpose, and promise on Thursday as young girls from Madison gathered for Girls' Day 2025, an annual event designed to inspire and empower the next generation of female leaders. Hosted by Rep. Jill Ford of Madison County, the event welcomed dozens of bright and curious young women for a day of exploration, education, and encouragement within the halls of state government. "Watching these girls ask thoughtful questions, learn how laws are made, and walk with confidence through our Capitol reminded me why investing in them is so important," said Ford. "They are the future leaders of Mississippi." The day featured a powerful lineup of speakers including Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Miss Mississippi 2024 Anna Leah Jolly, Miss Mississippi's Teen Avery McNair, Senator Nicole Boyd and Representative Celeste Hurst. "These women didn't just speak -- they connected," said Ford. "They showed these girls what's possible." |
| Trump's Megabill Set for Final House Vote as GOP Holdouts Relent | |
| The House of Representatives was headed toward a final vote Thursday to pass President Trump's sprawling tax-and-spending bill, after party leaders worked through resistance from a handful of rank-and-file members. The expected passage by the House later Thursday means Congress would get the bill to Trump's desk by his self-imposed July 4 deadline. The legislation funds Trump's priorities including the extension of his 2017 tax cuts, no tax on tips and overtime, and a large funding boost for the president's immigration and border policies. "We are at the precipice of the new golden age of America," said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R., La.). Democrats have stayed united in opposition, saying the bill's cuts to Medicaid and other programs for lower-income people are paying for tax cuts for the wealthy. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D., N.Y.) used his "magic minute" closing speech Thursday morning to read hours of stories of voters in GOP districts who he said could be harmed by the bill. "How can you prepare to celebrate legislation that will undermine the quality of life of everyday Americans?" he said. |
| Trump's Task as He Heads to Iowa: Selling His Bill to the American Public | |
 | President Trump appeared on the cusp of a major political victory Thursday morning, as House Republicans moved one step away from passing his sprawling domestic policy bill. But after spending days cajoling and coaxing lawmakers of his own party to line up behind the legislation, the president faces another test: selling the bill to the American public or risk losing support to a furious Democratic campaign focused on how it helps the wealthy at the expense of working people. That effort will begin in earnest on Thursday night when Mr. Trump travels to Des Moines, Iowa, for the kickoff of America250, a yearlong series of events to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country's founding. Mr. Trump has told Republicans he wants to sign the bill by Friday and celebrate its passage alongside July 4 festivities. The president and his aides have argued the legislation is critical to achieving his domestic agenda and fulfilling his campaign promises. But the bill would also cut roughly $1 trillion from Medicaid, reduce food assistance and add trillions of dollars to the federal deficit -- and Democrats plan to make that the centerpiece of their midterm elections campaign. |
| GOP governors stay silent amid plans to slash Medicaid spending in their states | |
| The last time a Republican-controlled Congress and President Donald Trump moved to slash Medicaid spending, in 2017, a key political force stood in their way: GOP governors. Now, as Congress steamrolls toward passing historic Medicaid cuts of about $1 trillion over 10 years through Trump's tax and spending legislation, red state governors are saying little publicly about what it does to health care -- even as they face reductions that will punch multibillion-dollar holes in their states' budgets. Medicaid, a program jointly run by states and the federal government, covers more than 70 million low-income or disabled people, including nearly half of the nation's children. Republicans say the $900 billion-a-year program was allowed to grow too large under Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden by adding nondisabled adults they say don't deserve government assistance, and they have long sought to scale it back. Some of the biggest health cuts in the legislation Trump calls the "One Big Beautiful Bill" are achieved through new policies that would reduce enrollment by imposing more paperwork demands on enrollees, including a requirement that many prove they're working. Those policies would affect only states that expanded Medicaid to more low-income people under the Affordable Care Act. Nineteen of those states are led by Republican governors. Their silence on the bill's health measures is giving political cover to GOP lawmakers from their states as they seek to cut Medicaid coverage for millions of people who gained it within the last decade. |
| Once the global gold standard, U.S. government health guidance is falling apart | |
 | Weeks after President Trump took office, multiple government webpages referencing gender and sexual orientation abruptly disappeared from the internet. Many returned after a February court order. But they came with an unusual addition: a disclaimer from the Department of Health and Human Services denying facts provided by its own agencies. Once a global leader in public health guidance, the U.S. government is now embarking on the unusual project of denying or deleting once-public information provided by its own researchers. Dozens of research databases maintained by the National Institutes of Health on topics such cancer and Alzheimer's disease now display a warning that they are "under review for potential modification in compliance with Administration directives." Some federal sites have added new pages that at times contradict evidence-based guidance posted on the same site. The consequence, physicians and child health advocates said this week, is having fewer tools to help healthcare providers and the public make informed decisions, further eroding the public's trust in science. "One day the information is there, and the next day it's gone. And it's being driven purely by politics and not by science. It's dystopian, frankly," said Dr. Sean O'Leary, a pediatric infectious-disease specialist who chairs the American Academy of Pediatrics' infectious-disease committee. "The CDC is a model for the world in terms of what they do for the U.S. population, and that is being harmed in a very profound way." |
| Ole Miss building thousands of factory-made dorm rooms to meet housing demand | |
| As enrollment at the University of Mississippi continues to skyrocket, so does the need for on-campus housing. But with the rising cost of construction and urgent demand for residential facilities to be built in a timely manner, officials were tasked with thinking outside the box. Ole Miss has partnered with real estate company Greystar to produce around 2,700 on-campus beds for students that are expected to be available by 2027. The Board of Trustees of the Institutions of Higher Learning approved the public-private partnership on Monday. Unlike the other dorms on campus, the new ones will be modular, or mostly factory-built. The units will be constructed in partnership with Modern Living Solutions, a Greystar-operated business that specializes in modular housing. Sections of the incoming buildings will be manufactured in Modern Living Solutions' factory in Knox, Penn., shipped to the Ole Miss campus, and then assembled on site. Though this method of dorm building is unconventional in the area, and these plans represent the largest of their kind in Mississippi, Ole Miss is not the first university in the state to utilize modular housing for students. Back in 2014, Mississippi Valley State housed students in temporary modular residences while one of its dorms was being renovated. |
| U. of Tennessee leaders view federal uncertainty as 'cyclical' with plans to grow research | |
 | Chancellor Donde Plowman is seizing an opportunity for the University of Tennessee at Knoxville by seriously investing now in research infrastructure to be poised for success when the Trump administration's grant terminations and federal funding cuts are over. UT leaders keep pushing to advance their research goals to attract top faculty members and graduate students. "I don't want to downplay those challenges, but we also see tremendous opportunities. At the University of Tennessee, we sit -- I think -- in an enviable position," Plowman told the UT System Board of Trustees at its annual meeting June 30. "Whether it's during a global pandemic or the constantly changing state of, yes, college athletics, we have shown that we can lead through crisis -- through chaos -- and in a way that elevates our outcomes and our aspirations." UT is creating new innovation districts, hiring strong researchers and building on industry partnerships, including in Oak Ridge for the modern nuclear renaissance. University leaders want to spin up projects now to help make "rockstar hires" to boost research, Plowman said. "What I really hope that we're able to do is one, identify where are those unknown pockets of excellence that we can really build on that are cross cutting across our campuses so that we, as a system, can make strategic investments to grow the infrastructure for that," Kari Babski-Reeves, associate vice president for research, told Knox News. "And then, how can we recruit faculty that are highly qualified and interested in coming here?" |
| OU launches new AI initiative supporting 20 new university-wide projects | |
| The University of Oklahoma has launched a new artificial intelligence initiative, pledging nearly $200,000 towards programs designed to transform the university's research and educational infrastructure. Spearheaded by the Data Institute for Societal Challenges' interim director, Dr. Mike Wimberly, and senior managing director, Yessenia Torres, the initiative brings together individuals and professors from multiple disciplines to develop a roadmap addressing both the challenges and opportunities associated with AI in academia. "The focus is to really bring AI to the forefront of what we do here at OU to ensure that we are taking advantage of everything that is happening, and that we are doing our due diligence to ensure that we're using AI in an ethical manner," Torres said. With projects in fields such as law, business, health and medicine, the initiative will bring discoveries and new processes to a variety of topical applications. Between aiding in instruction and research endeavors, both agreed that AI can be beneficial for both students and professors alike. Although there are still many questions surrounding the use of these tools in education, one of the initiative's 20 programs aims to promote students' critical AI literacy, reinforcing honest and efficient uses that still promote critical thinking. |
| Updated NOAA budget plan to eliminate OU's weather research institute, cut 220 employees if passe | |
| In Norman, scientists are working to significantly speed up tornado warnings while finding new paths to understanding deadly storms and protecting lives and property. A cooperative institute with more than 220 employees is studying ways to update weather radar facilities, investigate the dynamics of severe storms and more. But the years-long research projects are at risk of termination under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) most recent budget estimate. A document published Monday details the deep funding cuts to the nation's leading weather and climate agency, which would result in the termination of the National Severe Storms Lab (NSSL) and the University of Oklahoma's Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations (CIWRO). A request for comment from U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, went unanswered. U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin also did not respond. In a statement, a spokesperson for Sen. James Lankford said he would continue to monitor the budget request during the appropriations process. |
| Brad Pitt doesn't have a degree from Mizzou, but he says he really did attend graduation | |
 | Here's the campus lore about Brad Pitt at Mizzou: He was two weeks from graduating in 1986 when he dropped out of school, jumped in a car and headed to Hollywood. Not so, Pitt told an interviewer last week. He did leave Mizzou two credits shy of graduating, but he says he really did attend the ceremony. "My parents were already coming," he told Dax Shepard in a recent episode of "Armchair Interview." "So I walked in the line, threw the cap, did the whole thing." "I just didn't finish my last week of classes," he said. Pitt, now 61, spent a good portion of the hour-plus interview talking about Mizzou, growing up in Missouri, mowing yards at 8, driving too early and dabbling in a lot of sports without becoming competent in any of them. He also riffed on his career and his latest film, "F1: The Movie," about a racing driver who returns to Formula One after a 30-year absence to save an underdog team. It is now playing in theaters and made $146.3 million globally over its opening weekend, the biggest haul yet for Apple Originals, according to ESPN. But long before he was a Hollywood icon, Pitt was a Midwest kid riding mini-bikes, driving on dirt roads and hanging out at the Lake of the Ozarks. He described the area around his hometown as "beautiful country on the Mason-Dixon line." Pitt called it "a confluence of the Midwest and the South," where his dad ran a trucking company and his mom was a teacher. |
| Ryan to return to UVa as professor | |
| University of Virginia President Jim Ryan may have resigned, but he won't be leaving UVa for good. The university announced Wednesday that Ryan will officially step down from office on July 11 and, after a sabbatical, will return to Grounds to teach at the schools of law and education. As previously announced, UVa Chief Operating Officer J.J. Davis will taking over as acting president upon Ryan's resignation and until an interim president can be named. Ryan's agreement to return to UVa after a resignation clouded by scandal is not dissimilar from the fates of two past university presidents: Teresa Sullivan and Robert O'Neil. The university has framed both Sullivan and O'Neil's departures as "retirements," but both continued working. Sullivan and O'Neil were offered other jobs connected to the university after leaving the presidential office at Madison Hall. Sullivan, who first resigned in 2012 before she was reinstated later that year and later stepped down again in 2018, took a job teaching sociology at the university. O'Neil, who stepped down in 1990, was named director of the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, which he also founded. Both Sullivan and O'Neil, however, left office after disagreements their respective boards of visitors; Sullivan was criticized for her lack of fundraising prowess, O'Neil for his lack of Virginia bona fides. Ryan, however, is departing under pressure from the U.S. Department of Justice. |
| Congressional intern from Massachusetts killed in D.C. shooting | |
 | A college student from Massachusetts working as an intern on Capitol Hill was fatally shot Monday night near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center downtown, and D.C. police said he was apparently an innocent bystander caught in a spray of bullets intended for someone else. Police said Wednesday that the victim was Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, of Granby, Massachusetts. He was a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst majoring in finance with a minor in political science. He was working for Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas). "I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile," Estes said in a statement Wednesday. "We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas' 4th District and the country." His death was the 85th homicide in the District this year, slightly fewer than the 89 at this time last year. Emily Gest, the head of media relations for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, said the school was aware of the shooting and was in contact with Tarpinian-Jachym's family. |
| Moody's Warns of Credit Risk for Colleges Reliant on International Enrollment | |
 | Colleges and universities with a high percentage of international students face a credit risk as the federal government continues to target international students, according to a new report from Moody's Ratings. Those most at risk include the 11 percent of American institutions where international students make up more than 20 percent of the student body, the ratings agency said, as well as institutions that are already struggling financially. (In total, 6 percent of students at U.S. institutions come from other countries.) "The reduction in international students presents a credit risk for universities heavily reliant on this demographic because of potential declines in tuition income, as international students typically pay full tuition fees," the report states. "Additionally, with declining numbers of high school students over the next several years in the U.S. leading to fewer domestic students, universities intending to fill the gap with more international students may fall short." The report follows the Trump administration's months-long attack on immigrants and international students specifically. It's unclear as of yet how those factors will impact international enrollment in the fall. |
| GOP's proposed cap on grad student loans sparks fears of pricing out fields of study | |
 | Congress is on the verge of greenlighting new restrictions capping how much graduate students will be able to borrow from the federal government in a move that some worry will ice marginalized communities out of advanced degrees. As part of the megabill Republicans hope to pass this week to advance President Trump's agenda, senators included a ceiling on federal student loans for graduate, medical and law students as a way to combat the rising cost of college, arguing unlimited loans incentivizes colleges to raise their prices. Graduate students will only be able to borrow $20,500 a year, with a lifetime cap of $100,000. For professional students, including those studying law and medicine, they could borrow $50,000 a year with a lifetime cap of $200,000. But with some students unable to cover the full cost of an advanced degree without a government loan, advocates worry about students turning to private lenders or skipping out on an advanced degree altogether at a time when more jobs are requiring the additional education. Asked about the proposed grad student cap earlier this week, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), head of the Senate committee that crafted the proposal, told The Hill that "if you allow more money to be borrowed, schools just raise their tuition more, and that's what we're trying to stop." |
| It's a new day for Jackson proper | |
| Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: The inauguration of the new Jackson city administration was impressive. Held at the downtown convention center, it was elegant and well done. My good friend Jeff Good was the finance chairman of the inauguration so I am not the least surprised by the festive blowout. Everything Jeff touches turns out great, mainly because of his smarts, energy and hard work. Jeff got on the Horhn bandwagon early. My sense, and a sense shared by others attending the event, was that the professional class of Jackson was back in power and glad to be rid of the most recent radical chapter in our city politics. Up on stage next to Horhn and the others was Gov. Tate Reeves, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, Congressman Bennie Thompson and Sean Tindall, commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Jackson Capitol Police. It was a show of unity that has been missing from the Lumumba administrations. Former Mayor Lumumba, by the way, was nowhere to be found. ... I've been in Jackson now 35 years and I've seen it go through a lot of ups and downs, but this inauguration filled me with hope for the future of Jackson. |
SPORTS
| Caleb Reed, a Mississippi State baseball All-SEC pitcher, dies at 35 after cancer diagnosis | |
| Former Mississippi State baseball pitcher Caleb Reed has died, according to an X post from the team July 2. The Bulldogs reliever from 2009-12 was 35 years old. According to a GoFundMe page created for the Reed family, he was diagnosed with an "aggressive leukemia/lymphoma cancer" in May. "We're saddened by the passing of former All-SEC reliever Caleb Reed," MSU wrote on X. "Caleb was an integral part of our 2011 Super Regional squad and the 2012 SEC Tournament Championship team. Our condolences to his family, friends and teammates." Reed was from Cleveland where he attended Bayou Academy. He starred in baseball, football, basketball and track. The Clarion Ledger named him to the Dandy Dozen list in high school. Reed was a contributor as a freshman at Mississippi State in 2009, John Cohen's first season as the Bulldogs coach. He made 11 appearances, but had a 9.17 ERA, weighed down by his debut when he allowed six earned runs in 1⅔ innings against Northern Illinois. He improved to a 6.99 ERA in 2010, and was second on MSU in innings pitched (67) and strikeouts (51). The breakout occurred in 2011 when Reed became MSU's closer. He sported a 1.55 ERA in 29 appearances with 12 saves. |
| ESPN plans to do show from the Fair | |
| ESPN will be coming to cover this year's Neshoba County Fair, the network recently announced. The coverage will be a part of the "SportsCenter: 50 States in 50 Days" series and will be visiting the Fair as Mississippi's delegate on the list. "Chosen as Mississippi's spotlight location, the Neshoba County Fair will showcase the rich traditions, local pride, and unique energy that makes The Neshoba County Fair a one-of-a-kind experience," The Neshoba County Fair said in a statement. "From Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia, MS, ESPN is celebrating how sports unite communities -- and we're excited to be a part of the spotlight!" ESPN will be coming to the Fair on Tuesday, July 29th, and will be live on SportsCenter at 1 PM Central Time. SportsCenter host Shae Cornette will be on the broadcast live from the Fair, which will feature footage and highlights from the Fair, along with interviews from the grounds. The show is a reboot of a 2005 segment SportsCenter did called "SportsCenter Across America." Now, after 20 years, the network is rebooting the series and chose the Neshoba County Fair to represent all of Mississippi. The Neshoba County Fair is set to begin on July 25. |
| UGA athletics has target date for Sanford Stadium concert | |
 | University of Georgia athletics plans to bring another major concert to Sanford Stadium for the first time in more than a decade, and now it has its date targeted. The department is eyeing April 25, 2026 as the date of choice, and it's partnered with Does Entertainment, a talent acquisition firm, to narrow down potential acts. The concert will be called 'Live Between the Hedges,' and it will be held about two weeks after Georgia's annual G-Day game, assuming it is played as normal in 2026. This comes 12 years after the venue's last concert, when country acts Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan headlined. "The idea of bringing concerts back to Sanford Stadium has been in the works for a long time, and I am excited to see it become a reality," UGA athletic director Josh Brooks said. "Our partnership with Does Entertainment allows us to attract top talent to Athens for a one-of-a-kind show. While nothing compares to a football Saturday at Sanford Stadium, a big-name concert inside one of the most iconic venues in sports creates a tradition that Bulldog Nation and the surrounding area will enjoy." |
| Trump's Campaign Against Trans Students Is Punishing Colleges for Following the Rules | |
 | In March, the Trump administration froze more than $175 million in federal funds to the University of Pennsylvania. The reason Penn was targeted was obvious: Three years ago, the institution had allowed a transgender swimmer to compete against cisgender women. The team was, at the time, following National Collegiate Athletic Association rules and the prevailing interpretation of federal law. The swimmer, Lia Thomas, has long since graduated, and so have most of her teammates and competitors. These factors didn't matter to President Donald Trump, who'd run on a platform of excluding transgender people from activities and spaces matching their gender identities. This case is emblematic of how the Trump administration is pursuing its agenda for transgender students: using Title IX to argue that accommodations for trans students deny equal opportunity to cisgender women, while reviving dormant controversies and leveraging threats to take away funding. Critics have questioned the strategy's long-term viability because it runs up against a hard legal fact: In many cases, the colleges Trump cited for violations were following the federal Title IX guidance at the time or were bound by judges' decisions. Such were the stories at Penn, the University of Wyoming, Western Carolina University, and San Jose State University -- all recent targets of the Trump administration. |
| Supreme Court to take up blockbuster case on transgender athletes joining girls' teams | |
 | The Supreme Court is diving back into the culture war issue of transgender rights, adding a potentially blockbuster case on transgender athletes to its next term. The court's July 3 announcement that it will review Idaho's and West Virginia's bans on transgender athletes joining female sports teams came just weeks after the court's conservative majority upheld Tennessee's ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors. The justices are likely to hear arguments in the fall and hand down a decision next year. More than half the states have passed laws preventing transgender athletes from competing on female school sports teams, saying they are trying to prevent competitive advantages. The laws don't take into account someone's athletic ability or how far they are in transitioning to another gender. President Donald Trump, who campaigned on the issue, has moved to cut off federal funding from schools that allow transgender athletes to compete against other athletes who match their gender identity. Two-thirds of adults surveyed in February by Pew Research Center favor requiring trans athletes to compete on teams that match their sex assigned at birth. |
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