| Monday, October 19, 2026 |
| Dr. Richard Holmes, student who integrated Mississippi State University, dies at 82 | |
 | Mississippi State University's first Black student, Dr. Richard Holmes, has passed away at age 82. Holmes, a native of Starkville, integrated Mississippi State when he enrolled on July 15, 1965. He went on to earn an undergraduate degree in liberal arts and a master's degree in microbiology at the university. "My wife and my four children, all now MSU students, join me in mourning the death of a man who profoundly and positively influenced our university," Mississippi State President Dr. Mark Keenum said. "Dr. Richard Holmes was a man of courage, vision, and patience who enrolled at this university on July 19, 1965. Later, he earned the honor of being our first Black National Alumnus of the Year." Holmes continued his academic career at Michigan State University, where he earned his medical degree. He went on to serve as an emergency room physician in Birmingham, Ala. Holmes moved back to Mississippi and joined his alma mater's Longest Student Health Center in 2003 as a staff physician. |
| Richard E. Holmes, first Black student at Mississippi State University, dies at 82 | |
| Richard E. Holmes, the first Black student to enroll at Mississippi State University, died Friday. He was 82. Holmes enrolled at the previously segregated university in Starkville on July 19, 1965, three years after James Meredith integrated the University of Mississippi amid violent opposition. MSU president Mark Keenum, remembered Holmes as a man of courage, vision and patience who left a lasting impact on the university. "Dr. Holmes cast a long, productive and impactful shadow over this institution, a shadow that also leaned forward," Keenum said in a statement. "I will miss his company and his counsel." For generations of Black alumni, Holmes' legacy extended beyond the university honors he received. Edward Sanders, co-founder of Mississippi State University Black Alumni Weekend, recalled bringing Holmes and James Meredith together during the event's inaugural gala in 2016. Hearing the two men reflect on their experiences integrating Mississippi's universities left a lasting impression, he said. "Both were full of wisdom and advice and it was one of the few times we got to see them interact together," Sanders, a 2006 MSU graduate, said. |
| Dr. Richard E. Holmes, first MSU African American student, dies at 82 | |
 | Dr. Richard E. Holmes, Mississippi State University's first African American student, died Oct. 16 at age 82. Upon learning of Dr. Holmes's passing, MSU President Mark E. Keenum said: "My wife and my four children, all now MSU students, join me in mourning the death of a man who profoundly and positively influenced our university. Dr. Richard Holmes was a man of courage, vision, and patience who enrolled at this university on July 19, 1965. Later, he earned the honor of being our first Black National Alumnus of the Year. We were also fortunate to have him serve as a physician at our Longest Student Health Center. Dr. Holmes cast a long, productive, and impactful shadow over this institution, a shadow that also leaned forward. I will miss his company and his counsel." His MSU enrollment, acceptance and academic journey was a historic milestone and a key component in the Civil Rights Movement's push to integration. |
| Holmes, first black student to attend MSU, has died at 82 | |
| Dr. Richard E. Holmes, Mississippi State University's first African American student, died October 16 at age 82. Upon learning of Dr. Holmes's passing, MSU President Mark E. Keenum said: "My wife and my four children, all now MSU students, join me in mourning the death of a man who profoundly and positively influenced our university. Dr. Richard Holmes was a man of courage, vision, and patience who enrolled at this university on July 19, 1965. Later, he earned the honor of being our first Black National Alumnus of the Year. We were also fortunate to have him serve as a physician at our Longest Student Health Center. Dr. Holmes cast a long, productive, and impactful shadow over this institution, a shadow that also leaned forward. I will miss his company and his counsel." |
| Mississippi State's first African American student dies at 82 | |
| Dr. Richard E. Holmes, Mississippi State University's first African American student, died on Friday, October 16, according to the university. He was 82 years old. "My wife and my four children, all now MSU students, join me in mourning the death of a man who profoundly and positively influenced our university. Dr. Richard Holmes was a man of courage, vision, and patience who enrolled at this university on July 19, 1965," MSU President Mark E. Keenum said. Holmes, a Starkville native, graduated with two MSU degrees, a liberal arts degree in 1969 and a master's degree in microbiology in 1973. In 1991, Mississippi State recognized Holmes' campus achievements and medical career by naming the university's cultural diversity center in his honor. Holmes and his wife Judie later endowed a minority scholarship fund that also carries his name. |
| Beloved alumnus and legend Dr. Richard E. Holmes, first MSU African American student dies at 82 | |
| Dr. Richard E. Holmes, Mississippi State University's first African American student, died Oct. 16 at age 82. A Starkville native, Holmes graduated with two MSU degrees, a liberal arts degree in 1969 and a master's degree in microbiology in 1973. In 1977, he earned his medical degree from Michigan State University and later served as an emergency room physician in Birmingham, Alabama. He moved back to Mississippi and joined MSU's Longest Student Health Center in 2003 as a staff physician and later earned an honorary Doctor of Science degree. Holmes's storied relationship and love for MSU didn't begin in 1965. Rather, it was in 1957 when he was 13 years old. He stood on the corner of Main Street and Washington Street in Starkville and watched the MSU homecoming celebration parade through the streets of his hometown. "As I witnessed the pomp and ceremony of the parade, I heard the exuberance of the crowd and the melody and lyrics of the Mississippi State fight song," he recalled during the 2005 speech. "At that moment, destiny was set in motion. I did not know when. I did not know how, but I knew at that very moment that I someday would be a Mississippi State Bulldog." |
| MSU to lead new Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish | |
| Mississippi State University will lead its new Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish through a five-year award, with an initial obligation of $8 million for the first year, from the U.S. Department of State to advance research and innovation that strengthen global aquatic food systems and create benefits for U.S. agriculture, industry, and food security. The Fish Innovation Lab will be led by MSU's Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security, or GCAHFS, a university center reporting to MSU's Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine and the Office of Research and Economic Development. The lab will bring together researchers, universities, government agencies, industry partners, and other organizations to develop, test, and scale practical innovations addressing aquaculture production, aquatic animal health, fisheries, food safety, nutrition, and market development. |
| Students take up to 88 standardized tests before high school, but more testing doesn't improve learning | |
| Mississippi State University's Liza Bondurant writes for The Conversation: The public K-12 school system in the United States has become pervasively shaped by standardized testing. I began teaching mathematics in 2005, four years after the federal law No Child Left Behind was enacted. This law expanded state testing and tied test results to school performance. Most districts changed their curricula to focus more on the content and skills covered on state tests. Many school districts increased their instructional weekly time for English and mathematics, with average increases of 47% for English and 37% for mathematics from 2001 to 2007. To make room for additional time spent on these subjects, 44% of school districts cut time from other subjects or activities, such as the arts. A 2026 study of 67 school districts across 38 states found that, before high school, students take a median of 57 state- and district-required assessments. No Child Left Behind was replaced by another law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, in 2015. Although the Every Student Succeeds Act aimed to reduce the role of testing in classrooms, standardized tests continue to shape what teachers teach, how they use instructional time and how schools define success. |
| Delay in hiring trust manager costing Oktibbeha | |
| he board of supervisors deadline to pick a financial adviser for the Oktibbeha County Reserve and Trust Fund passed three months ago. The extended search could be costing the county hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars in interest. On Wednesday, the board reopened bidding for a financial adviser for its $55 million trust containing proceeds from the sale of the former OCH Regional Medical Center after receiving no qualifying bids from its first round of bidding. "I'm trying to maximize competition so we can get the best person that we can, in our best judgment to do this for us and the taxpayer," County Administrator Wayne Carpenter said. "If it takes us a little bit longer to do that, then I think that's the right thing to do." The board expects to have an adviser selected in January, six months after its July 1 deadline mandated by state legislation that created the trust. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves proclaims Oct. 18-24 Mississippi Forest Products Week | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves has proclaimed Oct. 18-24 as Mississippi Forest Products Week, recognizing the forestry industry's contributions to the state's economy, workforce and natural resources. According to the proclamation, Mississippi has more than 19 million acres of forestland, covering over 64% of the state's total land area. Timber is Mississippi's second most valuable agricultural crop, contributing an estimated $19.09 billion to the state's economy. The forestry industry directly employs more than 84,000 people, with an annual payroll of $4.42 billion. It also accounts for 14.9% of Mississippi's manufacturing gross domestic product, the largest share of any manufacturing sector in the state. The Mississippi Forestry Association (MFA), which is celebrating its 88th year, welcomed the proclamation and encouraged residents to recognize the landowners, foresters, loggers, mills and manufacturers who support the industry. Mississippi Forest Products Week coincides with National Forest Products Week, an annual observance established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1960. |
| New projects, new generation of leaders transforming the Mississippi Coast | |
 | South Mississippi seems to be at a crossroads as major projects like Channel South transforms downtown Gulfport and Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center makes Biloxi a technology hub, all while a new generation of leaders steps in to guide the Coast. As is happening across the country, executives who led major businesses in South Mississippi for decades are retiring as the Baby Boomer generation hands over the reins to the next generation. Harrison County Development Authority is finalizing an economic impact study, looking at progress over the last four years, "and it's pretty remarkable," said Bill Lavers, executive director. "I'd say that the success we've had lately has been existing businesses that have been here, that are generational," he said, like U.S. Marine and the former Seemann Composites in Gulfport, now operating under the Karman Space & Defense brand. Those Department of Defense companies and the suppliers for them are seeing exponential growth, he said. While outside investors don't think of South Mississippi as a technology stronghold, it is, Lavers said. The Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center is going up at the south end of Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi and is scheduled to open in the spring. More than 200 agencies and companies will share the building and work together to create a hub for cyber and technology. |
| Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner calls for relief amid high gas prices | |
 | Mississippi's average gas price is $3.88 per gallon, according to AAA. Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson is calling on state leaders to temporarily suspend the state fuel tax to help ease the burden on drivers. His request follows an executive order from President Donald Trump that halted the collection of federal taxes on red-dyed diesel through the end of the year. The fuel is meant for off-road vehicles, mainly farm and construction equipment. Gipson said the federal action offers some relief but does little to help most Mississippians. "The fact is most of our folks in Mississippi will never run across red-dyed diesel fuel," Gipson said. He is urging state leaders to extend relief to all drivers. "For everyone pumping regular gasoline and diesel fuel, the commuters, truckers, working people of Mississippi, even retired folks living on a fixed income, we still have received zero fuel tax relief at the pump," Gipson said. |
| Sounding like a candidate for Governor, Duff talks vision and opportunities for Mississippi with Lamar County Republicans | |
| Businessman Tommy Duff raised further speculation that he would run for Governor of Mississippi this week when he spoke at the Lamar County Republican meeting on Tuesday. Duff told attendees that over the past year he has traveled across the Magnolia State to listen and learn more about the communities, saying he has become "more and more impressed with the state, our citizens and the opportunities that we have." He opened his keynote remarks by telling the Republicans gathered that it was important for them to go to the polls November 3 to re-elect U.S. Cindy Hyde-Smith and the GOP congressional delegation. "Frankly, the only reason they will not be elected is if we don't show up," he said. "If we're going to continue to advance the agenda of President Trump, we need these elected officials." Duff went on to talk about the future of Mississippi and how he views what is on the horizon. |
| Tindell to step down as public safety commissioner. Gov. Reeves appoints Capitol Police chief to succeed him | |
| Sean Tindell will step down next month after serving six years as Mississippi's public safety commissioner and will be replaced by Capitol Police Chief Bo Luckey, Gov. Tate Reeves announced on Friday. Tindell, a Republican, is running for attorney general, and he confirmed with Mississippi Today that he is resigning to focus on his campaign. In a statement, Tindell said he is proud of his tenure at the Department of Public Safety and praised Reeves' appointment of Luckey. "Chief Luckey has led Capitol Police to a level that has exceeded everyone's expectations, and I'm confident he will continue that success as the next Commissioner of Public Safety," Tindell said. "I'm proud of what we've accomplished together and look forward to the opportunity to serve the people of Mississippi in other capacities in the future." |
| Luckey appointed Dept. of Public Safety Commissioner, succeeds Tindell who is running for Attorney General | |
| Governor Tate Reeves (R) announced Friday that he has appointed Capitol Police Chief Bo Luckey as Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety effective immediately. Sean Tindell, who has led the agency for the last six years, will remain at DPS until November 30 to assist with the transition, the governor's office said. Tindell is stepping down to run for Attorney General in the 2027 election cycle. He told Magnolia Tribune when he announced his run that he planned to step aside when the time was right and when the governor had the appropriate time to consider a replacement. Luckey has served as Chief of Capitol Police since May 2022 when he appointed to that position by the governor. He previously served as a senior criminal investigator in the Mississippi Attorney General's Office, in both the Human Trafficking Unit and the Consumer Protection Division. Luckey has also worked in a variety of roles at law enforcement organizations such as the Brandon Police Department, Rankin County Sheriff's Department, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the DEA. He earned his J.D. from the Mississippi College School of Law and B.S. from Mississippi College. |
| Mississippi incumbents hold sizeable cash advantage as General Election nears | |
| Third quarter campaign finance reports were due last week ahead of the November 3 midterm General Election, which is now two weeks away. U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith continues to far outpace her challengers, and the rest of the Mississippi congressional field, in terms of campaign cash on hand. Third quarter campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) show Hyde-Smith with $2.43 million after raising $935,000 between the three committees supporting her re-election bid. Her primary campaign fund, "Cindy Hyde-Smith for U.S. Senate," pulled in $687,000 over the last three months, pushing her fundraising total to $6.2 million this cycle. Hyde-Smith's main general election opponent, Democrat Scott Colom, reported a cash on hand total of $992,000 after raising $1.32 million in the third quarter. The Lowndes County District Attorney has now raised $3.93 million this election cycle. 3rd District Congressman Michael Guest (R) reported just south of $1.1 million cash on hand while raising $132,000 in the third quarter. His Democrat challenger Michael Chiaradio has $32,000 on hand after bringing in $53,000 this period. |
| Colom out-raises Hyde-Smith, but incumbent has more cash on hand | |
| Scott Colom, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, raised almost twice as much money as his Republican opponent over the last three months, according to federal campaign finance reports. But Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith still far outpaces him in cash on hand. Federal Election Commission reports show that Colom raised $1.3 million and has $991,802 in cash on hand. Hyde-Smith raised $642,988 last reporting cycle and has $2.4 million on hand. As national Democratic figures, including Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, visit Mississippi to campaign with Colom, the Democratic nominee hopes the national attention will energize support in the Nov. 3 election and flip Mississippi's Senate seat, long thought to be a safe Republican seat. Hyde-Smith has used the influx of out-of-state Democrats to tie Colom to the national Democratic Party to label him as out-of-touch with Mississippi's conservative voters. Nathan Calvert, Hyde-Smith's communications director, said in a statement that the Hyde-Smith campaign is not surprised "DC extremists are pouring money into Scott Colom's campaign." |
| Can Scott Colom win Mississippi Senate? Warnock is making a big bet on it | |
 | Raphael Warnock is racing to get Democrat Scott Colom elected in deep-red Mississippi. It's part of his bigger bet on the South. Colom, a charismatic local prosecutor, is within striking distance in the polls of unseating Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. And in the absence of more dedicated resources, Warnock himself is trying to fill the gap by directing money and donors to the race. He has raised over $500,000 directly into Colom's campaign committee, according to a person with direct knowledge of his efforts, granted anonymity to share private details. And, over the course of four separate fundraisers, has tried to steer Senate Democrats' top donors to the race. In April, he told attendees at a Democratic donor breakfast that he thinks the party is "sleeping on" the Mississippi contest, prompting surprised laughter from the crowd, according to a recording of the event obtained by POLITICO. "I'm going to ask you to resist the Democratic tendency to ignore the South," he told the assembled donors. "And for our own sake, for the sake of us having a possibility of winning over time, I think we can win in Mississippi if the conditions are just right." |
| Scott Colom's AI Video Raises Concerns About 'Slopaganda' | |
| A campaign ad posted by Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate Scott Colom appears to show his opponent, Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, running down the steps of the U.S. Capitol, covering her face with a leather folder while papers fly out of her hands. She runs from journalists clad with cameras, microphones and bright lights as they ask her questions like why she has not held a town hall. Hyde-Smith slides into a black car as the campaign ad ends. But the woman in the video is not actually Cindy Hyde-Smith. It is an AI-generated portrayal. And though Colom's ad states the video is "based on a true story," at no point does the ad disclose that it was generated using AI. This is not the first time in which the Democrat has used fictional methods to depict Hyde-Smith. Last year, he posted a fake phone call with Mississippi's junior senator on social media when kicking off his campaign. Hyde-Smith's team has also generated fictional content depicting Colom. Usage of AI-generated campaign ads and political content have soared during this election cycle, said Scott Brennen, director of NYU's Center on Technology Policy and a policy research affiliate at NYU's Center for Social Media, AI and Politics. |
| Colom's campaign says mugshot is 'fake.' Law enforcement says otherwise | |
| The Mississippi Free Press reported Friday that Scott Colom's U.S. Senate campaign says they have verified that a mugshot of the Lowndes County District Attorney from 2001 shared by the Hyde-Smith campaign "is fake," further claiming that it was "likely being generated by AI." However, Magnolia Tribune has learned that the mugshot shown here is indeed real. Sources with state law enforcement and the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office confirmed the authenticity of Colom's mugshot as well as the arrest record shown below. The re-election campaign for Cindy Hyde-Smith shared the mugshot of Colom on the website created to challenge the Democrat's positions on transgender surgeries for children and his ties to liberal financier George Soros. According to the 2001 arrest record from the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center, Colom was arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor when he was 18 years old. Magnolia Tribune attempted to contact the Colom campaign Friday afternoon for comment, seeking clarification on what led to the Democrat's arrest and if they were continuing to dispute the record from the Lowndes County ADC. No response was received as of press time. |
| Wicker calls on Trump, Zelensky to broker deal to stop strikes on Russian energy infrastructure | |
 | Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) is calling on President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to reach a deal to suspend Kyiv's strikes on Russian petroleum facilities, which Trump has blamed for high domestic gas prices. Trump earlier this month unilaterally declared a ceasefire on striking important energy targets in Russia and Ukraine but Moscow repeatedly violated Trump's declared moratorium, according to Zelensky. Ukraine retaliated over the weekend by launching a massive drone attack on Moscow and St. Petersburg, and struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg. Now Wicker says Zelensky is ready to stop hitting Russian energy infrastructure and he urged Trump to negotiate a deal with him, despite recent tensions between the two leaders. Wicker met with Zelensky recently on an overseas trip. Relations between Trump and Zelensky hit a low point in recent days, as both leaders have criticized each other. |
| Trump's Overtures to Putin Put Republican Candidates in Hot Seat | |
 | President Trump's surprise diesel deal with Russia and decision to waive sanctions on Moscow have become a headache for Republican candidates with just two weeks to go before the midterms. In interviews and town halls, Republicans are being pressed on why now is the time to go soft on Vladimir Putin. Some of them are breaking with Trump rather than defend his string of Russia-friendly decisions. Diesel prices remain elevated, adding to the challenge in an election heavily focused on affordability. The result is a new political hurdle for Republicans who are uncomfortable with the idea of easing sanctions on Putin's Russia and have yet to see the hoped-for economic gains. Republicans, who worked to pass a sanctions package targeting buyers of Russian oil and gas just over a month ago, are now questioning Trump's decision to hold off on implementing it. The move has thrust Trump's handling of the war in Ukraine, which he once vowed to end swiftly after returning to the White House, back into the political spotlight. Mike Rogers, the Republican Senate candidate locked in a tight race against Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, has said he opposes buying Russian diesel fuel. On Sunday he also made clear that he objects to the president's decision to pause the sanctions package. |
| 'A warning sign for polling': Why one GOP pollster thinks a blue wave may fall short | |
| Democrats are salivating over, and Republicans are bracing for, a potentially massive blue wave. One GOP pollster is urging everyone to calm down. Patrick Ruffini, a founding partner at Echelon Insights, has been loudly throwing cold water on Democrats' hopes of sweeping the red state Senate seats that have become battlegrounds in a worsening national environment for Republicans. "The polls are, I think, intentionally inflating the size of the battleground," Ruffini told POLITICO. Democrats are pushing to flip Senate seats in Iowa, Texas, Ohio and Alaska -- all states that President Donald Trump won by at least 11 points in 2024 -- with dreams of going even deeper into the map Kansas, South Carolina and even Mississippi. Sensing a potential disaster, Republicans have significantly curtailed their investments in North Carolina and Georgia to direct resources elsewhere. If a blue wave were to come, he said it would defy the ingrained partisanship in deep-red states that has mirrored growing political polarization around the country. "I think it would be somewhat of a historic shift if that were to happen," he said. |
| The GOP counts on farmers' votes. As a costly harvest season raises concerns, Trump heads to Kansas | |
 | Fifth-generation Kansas farmer Glenn Brunkow describes this time of year as "go time," when farmers are combining fields, hauling crops to town and moving livestock from summer pastures to their winter homes. But this harvest season, they're doing it with diesel prices more than $2.50 per gallon higher than a year ago, adding to financial pressures from rising costs, unpredictable markets and shrinking profits. "It seems like it's coming at us from all directions," said Brunkow, president of the Kansas Farm Bureau. The economic strain is becoming a growing political concern for Republicans in states they have long dominated. President Donald Trump is heading to Kansas on Monday and Iowa later in the week, the latest in a series of stops where he's trying to energize his base in the final weeks before the midterm elections. The visits come as Republicans pour money into Senate races in Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa amid concerns about voter enthusiasm. The anxiety may be especially notable in Kansas --- a state Trump won by 16 percentage points against Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024 --- as Republican Sen. Roger Marshall faces a tough challenge from Democrat Adam Hamilton. Democrats have not won a Senate election in Kansas in 94 years. |
| Diesel dilemma squeezes Republicans in America's heartland | |
 | Vance and Louise Ehmke have been growing rye seed, wheat and triticale for over 50 years on a farm in western Kansas that their ancestors first homesteaded in 1885. They say decisions being made thousands of miles away in Washington are costing them. "Compared to last year, our fuel bill is $50,000 higher," Vance Ehmke said, while for "fertilizer, that's going to be at least another $20,000 or $40,000 increase." "That's all due to Trump and his war in Iran," he said in a phone interview. "We are madder than hell about it. I want to tell you that I am a Republican, and I'm pissed." They're not alone. Just a few weeks ahead of the midterm elections, the price of diesel is top of mind across America's heartland, fueling woes for Republican candidates in places like Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. "We adapt," said Bill Armbrust of Nebraska, whose family had been farming west of Omaha for 170 years. "But we cannot adapt when we have chaos in our past, in our present, and in our future." "Farming does not do well in chaos," he added. What the diesel dilemma will mean for the midterms remains to be seen. |
| Can Democrats win back Christian voters? A Kansas pastor charts a faith-based campaign | |
 | The Rev. Adam Hamilton stands beneath a cross flanked by tapestries evoking stained glass and sings the opening notes of a hymn. A few people at a time join until the whole audience is harmonizing. Mr. Hamilton leads one of the largest United Methodist congregations in the country, but today he's speaking in front of about 150 Kansans gathered at a private Lutheran college, pitching himself as their next United States senator. Faith has long been a feature of Republican campaigns, but it's been a dicier subject for Democrats. In recent years, the party has tended to emphasize the separation of church and state, welcoming voters of various cultural and faith traditions along with atheists and agnostics. In 2024, the official party platform cited numerous religious groups as needing protection against discrimination, including Muslims and Hindus, but made no mention of Christians or Christianity. This cycle, however, Democratic Senate candidates like Mr. Hamilton and seminarian James Talarico in Texas, along with gubernatorial hopeful Rob Sand in Iowa, have been quoting Scripture, talking about Jesus, and highlighting their religious values. All three are running surprisingly competitive races in what are normally Republican strongholds. |
| Copiah-Lincoln Community College names Chris Hinton new Workforce Education Executive Director | |
 | Copiah-Lincoln Community College has named Christopher "Chris" Hinton as Executive Director of Workforce Education. Hinton brings nearly 20 years of experience in economic development, workforce initiatives, business and industry engagement, and organizational leadership to the position. In his new role, Hinton will lead Co-Lin's workforce education efforts across the college's seven-county district, including oversight of the Brookhaven and Natchez WIN Job Centers. Hinton's career includes experience with Entergy Mississippi, the Mississippi Municipal League, Natchez, Inc., the Mississippi Economic Development Council, and the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services. During nearly a decade with Entergy Mississippi, Hinton led community, economic, and workforce initiatives throughout 45 counties. Hinton holds a master's degree in economic development from the University of Southern Mississippi and a bachelor's degree in economics with an emphasis in business administration from Tougaloo College. |
| Supreme Court to hear race-based challenge to magnet school admissions | |
 | Three years after the Supreme Court ended the use of race-conscious admissions at universities, the court will decide when parents can challenge the admission policies of prestigious middle and high schools. The dispute is over whether parents can sue if Asian Americans are still getting in more often than other students -- even if fewer are being admitted after the admissions criteria changed. The parents who filed the appeal the court on Oct. 19 agreed to hear argued that the Constitution's guarantee of equal treatment applies to individuals, not groups. "Racial balancing is racial discrimination," their attorneys wrote. Lawyers for the Montgomery County Board of Education in Maryland said charges of discrimination require showing that race is the only explanation for an outcome -- and there's no evidence of that in this case. After the court, in 2023, ended the use of race-conscious admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, middle and high schools became the next battleground. |
| Opposed conduct, rules policy resurfaces in PAAC meeting, university source says | |
| Auburn University senior officials are revisiting a previously opposed policy that would expand faculty disciplinary grounds, according to a source on the Presidential Academic Advisory Council. Faculty previously came to a 47-7 decision to oppose the policy and emphasize the importance of shared governance in a March 3, 2021, meeting of the now-dissolved University Senate. The Plainsman has granted anonymity to this source due to their current employment at the University and the sensitive nature of the information. The policy also calls into question who has control over the Faculty Handbook following the dissolution of the University Senate. The Faculty Handbook Review Committee, which existed under previous governing bodies, is no longer referenced on the PAAC website. A source on the PAAC said those present at the Oct. 13 PAAC meeting were instructed to not discuss the policy with faculty. The policy will be considered by deans, presented to the PAAC, staff council, vice presidents and "other groups," and that the one group most "profoundly affected" is not to see the policy before it is implemented. |
| LSU student removed from Board of Supervisors meeting after protesting handling of sexual assault cases | |
| An LSU student was ejected from a board of supervisors meeting after attempting to speak during the public comment period about reorganization of university cultural centers and LSU's handling of an allegation of rape against football player Damien Shanklin. Ziad Eissa, listed as a member of LSU's chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, attempted to speak on these issues during the public comment period. At the time, the board was discussing Will Wade's employment agreement. Eissa opened his comments saying that students sat in meetings with Chancellor James Dalton and other LSU leaders, who "made it seem like they have no power to fulfill our demands." Among those demands were to expel Shanklin and to restore the Title IX Office of Engagement. Board chair Lee Mallett called Eissa "out of order" and said that his comments did not pertain to the meeting. "For the record, I invited him to come see me any Thursday he wanted... It's not that we don't want to listen to him, but there's a time and place, and right now is not the place," Mallett said. "This kind of stuff is not going to be tolerated, not as long as I'm chair." |
| LSU donor backs new capitalism research center, focused on its 'greatest prosperity' | |
| The LSU Board of Supervisors Friday approved the creation of the Prosperity Institute, a research center in its business college that the founding donor hopes will definitively prove the superiority of capitalism. Roger Ogden, a New Orleans real estate developer and former LSU board chairman, has been a major donor to the university, He provided the endowment to create the institute, which he said has been in the works for a decade. LSU spokeswoman Meg Sunstrom said the amount of the gift was not public. In his comments to the board, Ogden decried socialism and touted the virtues of capitalism. "What powered me 10 years ago to begin exploring this was I realized in most media forms, profit was a dirty word. Capitalism was an even dirtier word," Ogden said. Ogden said a lack of education about capitalism has led young people and the news media to support socialism and described the institute as a way to prove capitalism's virtues. Russell Crook, LSU's business school dean, said the institute will use research, teaching, study-abroad opportunities and a fellowship program to "accelerate knowledge" of various economic systems and their impact on various countries' economies. |
| UGA lands $9 million award to lead research on the peanut | |
 | The University of Georgia announced this week that it will receive a $9 million award to lead an international lab focused on the breeding and production of the peanut. The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Peanut is a U.S. Department of State program that brings together international and U.S. scientists who study the peanut, according to UGA. The university reported the goal of the lab is to develop a climate resilient and quality variety of peanut in Africa. The lab also plans to expand its workface by training more than 100 scientists through graduate education, exchanges and internships. Lab officials reported it is hoped the research will create a stronger market for peanut farmers "around the world." University of Georgia researcher Scott Jackson is the Peanut Innovation Lab director. Georgia is the top producer of peanuts in the U.S. |
| 'Farm to fork': UT Institute of Agriculture constructs new Center for Protein Innovation | |
| The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is striving to meet workforce demand in the meat industry with construction of the new Center for Protein Innovation to train students in meat processing and food safety. One of the main goals of the institute's five-year strategic plan aims to invest in facilities and scientific infrastructure, including the building of the center. Spurred by the global COVID-19 pandemic, a major shortage of processing facilities certified by the United States Department of Agriculture emerged nationwide --- forcing farmers to travel long distances and increasing meat prices for consumers. In recent years, the United States Department of Agriculture has targeted small meat plants to combat these deficits. Even with the increase in capacity, specialized training is not widely offered. For this reason, the Center for Protein Innovation aims to provide workforce development for students who plan to step into processing roles after graduation. Over 20 years later, this new facility aims to provide students with hands-on experience from harvest to fabrication into retail cuts of meat. Neal Schrick, animal science department head, dreamt up the idea for the center shortly after his appointment to leadership in 2011. He said he wished to see a revival of experiential learning methods. |
| Interim Dean Jeffrey Blume discusses U.Va. School of Data Science's role in growing field | |
| In March, Jeffrey Blume stepped into the role of interim dean of the School of Data Science in the wake of former Dean Philip Bourne's passing. Previously serving as the quantitative associate dean for academic and faculty affairs, Blume worked closely with Bourne and other leadership to establish the University of Virginia's newest school. The University's Faculty Senate voted unanimously in May 2019 to establish the school -- which opened in 2024 -- giving data science its own academic home at the University. For undergraduate students, the school offers a three-year bachelor's in Data Science -- students can apply into the program during the spring of their first year -- and a minor in Data Science. The major allows students to concentrate in analytics, systems, design or value, and has "optional collaborative concentrations from across the University," which allows students to add collaborative concentrations in fields such as neuroscience, economics and astronomy. Graduate students can enroll in the school's residential master's in Data Science which is a full-time, in-person program that can be completed in one year. The M.S. is also offered online and the school offers a Ph.D. in Data Science as well. According to Blume, having an entire school dedicated to data science is what sets the University's School of Data Science apart. While data science programs at other universities build their curriculum from existing courses in other disciplines, the University's school builds all of its own courses around the distinct study of data science. |
| Socializing at College Is So Fraught It Requires Paperwork Before Partying | |
| To get into a party at Stanford University, students are often asked to recite a "consent pledge" aloud. The pledge, read off a large sign, reminds partygoers that consent can be revoked at any time, and includes a promise to hold others accountable. Some fraternities have gone further, creating short quizzes about the pledge, said Lee Rosenthal, a 2025 graduate and former frat president. "They actually wouldn't let you in unless you said it out loud," he said. These are the norms for social engagement on college campuses today -- from sober monitors and consent ambassadors, to strict requirements and paperwork to throw campus shindigs. Some are part of a growing regulatory apparatus imposed by school administrators. But in many cases, including Stanford's consent pledge, the efforts are student-initiated. Attempts to regulate socializing, which have been building for years, have drawn new attention following the "Cornell 7" case, where a former student alleged she was gang-raped during a drug-fueled episode at a fraternity party in 2024. Jane Doe also alleged that her sorority failed "to adequately train its designated sober monitors." Some say relying on students to self-police is futile. |
| Meet the researchers leaving the US because of Trump's funding cuts and politicization of science | |
| Halley Froehlich was sure she'd spend her scientific career in the United States. Her family has been in America since the 1700s. But over the past two years, delayed federal grants and fears about the future motivated her to pack her life into boxes. She moved to Finland with her husband and daughter and is continuing her research -- studying how fish, shellfish and seaweed that humans eat are responding to climate change -- at the University of Helsinki. When the Trump administration began upending U.S. scientific research last year, dismantling the federal grant-giving process and attempting to exert more political influence over what projects get funded, foreign universities saw an opportunity. They adopted programs to lure U.S. researchers abroad, promising more stable streams of funding and academic freedom. Since then, many have taken the bait. While there is no way to quantify the overall change across the nation, scientists, researchers and professional groups say the shift is clear, unprecedented and concerning. "You can almost talk to any vice president for research at a university and they will tell you of one or two top faculty that they've lost," said Tobin Smith, senior vice president of government relations and public policy for the Association of American Universities. |
| Report About FSA's Future Causes Concern | |
 | The Trump administration has reportedly updated its plans for the Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid. FSA oversees more than $120 billion in student grants and loans annually, and ED is already offloading the oversight of some of its responsibilities to the Treasury Department through an interagency agreement. But The Washington Sun reported Thursday that the Trump administration is now looking to turn the ED's largest office into a stand-alone agency by Oct. 1, 2027. The department disputed the Sun's report, calling it "fake news." But the swift outcry over the report from Democratic lawmakers and college-access advocacy groups highlights ongoing concerns over the administration's student loan policy and whether it can carry out its plans. The reported shift comes as FSA implements a sweeping overhaul to federal student loan policy. More than a year ago, Education Secretary Linda McMahon fired more than 320 FSA employees, or about 25 percent of the office's staff. Regardless of whether FSA becomes an independent agency or moves to Treasury, experts say that, if not handled carefully, the transition could be a major disruption for thousands of institutions and tens of millions of students. |
| Trump Aides Are Getting Ready to Penalize Defaulting Student Loan Borrowers | |
| Trump administration officials are preparing to impose financial penalties on millions of Americans in default on their federal student loans next year, according to five sources familiar with the matter. The Treasury Department is moving forward with plans to hire private debt collectors, three of the sources said, possibly as soon as November. The sources said those plans are unlikely to be announced before the midterm elections. The planning -- which has not been previously reported -- shows the administration gearing up to move forward with a policy it previously put on hold out of concern for the potential consequences for the nearly 10 million borrowers in default. The administration has grappled with internal divisions between federal agencies over how to manage the government's $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio. Last year, the White House Office of Management and Budget began assisting the Education Department in preparing to seize federal benefits and wages from defaulted borrowers, the sources said. Treasury Department officials blocked that effort, expressing concern about the economic costs of taking punitive measures against workers. Since then, Treasury officials have unveiled a new online portal that makes it easier for students to understand what they owe and how to pay in hopes of avoiding further penalties. The administration's preference remains to get borrowers into a plan where they will make voluntary payments. |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs Blank No. 21 Auburn, Break School Record For Scoreless Draws | |
| Mississippi State did not allow a single shot on goal as the Bulldogs blanked No. 21 Auburn in a scoreless tie on Sunday night. The Bulldogs (8-2-5, 2-1-5 SEC) have now tied the program record for ties in a season and broken the school record for scoreless ties with their fourth of the year. Entering the season, there had been only 20 scoreless draws in the prior 30 seasons in program history. Three of the team's draws have come against ranked teams (then-No. 9 Tennessee, then-No. 11 South Carolina), marking the first year with multiple ranked ties since State recorded a pair in 2009. "It was really impressive," head coach Kevin O'Brien said. "Six shots total and none on goal against a really talented team is a great output defensively, and it takes everybody. You know, it's our forwards defending, our midfielders tracking runners and doing their jobs well and then the back four just being steady Eddie as they've been. It was a great defensive performance." The Bulldogs will now travel to LSU next week for a Sunday kickoff at 2 p.m. CT on SEC Network. |
| How Oklahoma's offensive line continues to be problematic | |
| Oklahoma didn't ride the Red River wave long. The Sooners (3-3) came down to ground level in a 21-13 loss to Kentucky (6-1) on Saturday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. They made critical mistakes against the Wildcats despite taking down the previously No. 1-ranked Texas (4-2) the week before. At least five offensive lineman were injured Saturday, increasing pressure on quarterback John Mateer and weakening the run game. Frequent starters, sophomore Michael Fasusi, senior Heath Ozaeta and junior Eddy Pierre-Louis, were all out with injuries going into the game. Sophomore Ryan Fodje suffered an injury in the third quarter and played through it. Sophomore offensive lineman Peyton Joseph also went down on the field with an injury in the fourth quarter. Venables, however, denied that the offensive line fell apart in the fourth quarter. "I don't know," Venables said. "I don't know, ... I'd have to go back and watch the tape to see. Falling apart, I don't think I'd use that word at all." |
| Pepper balls used after fights broke out following the LSU homecoming game | |
| East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office deputies deployed pepper balls to disperse crowds and break up several fights on LSU's campus following Saturday's homecoming football game, according to WBRZ. LSUPD requested the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies, including EBRSO, to help monitor LSU's campus following the crowded homecoming game. Around 4:30 p.m., multiple altercations broke out near the Pentagon and Greek Theatre, including a fight involving several women. EBRSO said spectators crowded around the fight, allegedly encouraging the violence. WBRZ reported the surrounding crowds prevented officers from responding and breaking up the fights. EBRSO SWAT officers at the scene deployed pepper balls, causing the crowds to disperse and allowed officers to safely intervene. No injuries were reported following the pepper ball deployment due to the open-air environment. Law enforcement agencies continued to monitor the scene until crowds dispersed fully. |
| Greg Sankey: SEC 'prepared to engage' in self-governance discussions if Protect College Sports Act fails | |
| In mid-November, as the College Football Playoff race begins to take shape, much of the industry will also be watching what happens in Washington, D.C. with the Protect College Sports Act. The House of Representatives is due to return Nov. 9, six days after the midterm elections. The bipartisan bill faces pressure after advancing out of the Senate late last month. If it does not pass, though, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said the conference is ready to discuss the next steps for the college sports landscape. Speaking with CBS Sports at SEC basketball media day, Sankey reiterated the conference's support of the bill as it's currently written. While the conference has discussed self-governance in the past, he acknowledged it could come up again if the Protect College Sports Act does not pass. "I think we have a responsibility to try to support [the bill] because we do need national standards," Sankey told CBS Sports' Matt Norlander. "And conference-by-conference governance could be a reality. Where we've had to clarify our existing policies, we've done that. And where we have to think about our own policies – which we've had in the past. This isn't some novel approach that just emerged. I can actually go through, like, NFL and NBA players ... who didn't meet our standards 15 years ago and didn't play here." |
| Jared Benko named director of athletics | |
| President David Cook has selected Jared Benko as the next director of athletics at Iowa State University. Benko, who has spent the past two years as the executive deputy athletic director at Auburn University, will start on Oct. 30, pending approval by the Iowa Board of Regents. "Athletics is vital to the strength of our university," Cook said. "Jared Benko brings the leadership experience and strategic vision to build on our success, support our student-athletes as students first and ensure Iowa State is well positioned for the future of college athletics." Benko brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in athletics, including serving as athletic director at Georgia Southern, deputy director of athletics and chief financial officer at Mississippi State University, and leading day-to-day operations of a $228 million department at Auburn. Benko, from Watkinsville, Georgia, earned a bachelor of science in sports studies from Georgia in 2005 and then a master of public administration in Athens in 2007. He and his wife, Sarah, have two sons, Hudson and Cooper. |
| Pete Hegseth attends Tennessee rivalry game | |
| U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited the University of Tennessee for the team's highly anticipated rivalry game against Alabama. Hegseth's visit to Knoxville marked a stop in his Send Me Tour, a military outreach and recruitment initiative launched in September. Hegseth spoke to UT ROTC Cadets and administered the oath of enlistment to new recruits, according to a statement from the Pentagon. Standing in front of a room filled with ROTC cadets and military recruits, the secretary spoke about patriotism, military development and commended the trainees for making the choice to join the armed forces. "Here at the University of Tennessee, there are locker rooms full of football players, really powerful, strong football players, but the most powerful room on this university right now is right here. No doubt," Hegseth said. "Nobody does it better than the United States military." UT hosts the largest ROTC, known as the Rocky Top Battalion, outside senior military colleges and academies, with more than 400 cadets involved in the program, a record for the program. |
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