| Friday, September 25, 2026 |
| Mississippi State University Redesignated as FAO Reference Centre on Antimicrobial Resistance | |
 | The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is redesignating Mississippi State University as an FAO Reference Center on Antimicrobial Resistance and Aquaculture Biosecurity. The renewal follows FAO's positive review of MSU's progress since it was first named an FAO Reference Center in 2022, and it extends the agreement for a five-year period through October 2031. The university has a long history of leading expertise in the areas of fisheries and aquaculture, working with the FAO in the areas of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, as well as aquaculture biosecurity and aquatic animal health. The center is housed within the university's Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security, or GCAHFS. AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms evolve to resist treatments such as antibiotics. MSU President Mark E. Keenum said he looks forward to the university continuing this important work. |
| FAO renews university's designation as Reference Centre on Antimicrobial Resistance and Aquaculture Biosecurity | |
| The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is redesignating Mississippi State University as an FAO Reference Centre on Antimicrobial Resistance and Aquaculture Biosecurity. The renewal follows FAO's positive review of MSU's progress since it was first named an FAO Reference Centre in 2022. MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw and other MSU leaders met with officials at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, Sept. 22 to discuss building more resilient food systems as part of a broader agri-food systems conference. "Issues related to food security, animal health, environmental stewardship and human well-being are often deeply interconnected, even when we attempt to address them separately. Aquatic food systems provide a particularly compelling example of those connections," Shaw said. "Mississippi State University's experience in aquaculture, veterinary medicine and international food-security initiatives has reinforced that reality repeatedly and has demonstrated why collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches are essential." |
| Deer Creek Arboretum officially dedicated at MSU Delta Research and Extension Center | |
| A new outdoor learning and gathering space in Stoneville is officially on the map. Mississippi State University's Delta Research and Extension Center held a dedication ceremony Thursday for the newly certified Deer Creek Arboretum, bringing together university leaders, community members and local students to celebrate the project and its future. The arboretum is a collection of trees designed to provide opportunities for education, research and recreation. To qualify as a Mississippi arboretum, a site must have at least 30 labeled trees representing a minimum of 25 distinct species. Dr. Jeff Gore, with the MSU Delta Research and Extension Center, said the area where the arboretum now sits has changed significantly in recent years. "This yard used to be covered with mostly big pecan trees, a couple of oak trees," Gore said. "Wet winters and extremely dry summers that we've had the last few years killed some of those trees and they were at various levels of death so we decided we need to come in and cut them out." Removing the damaged and declining trees opened up the area and created an opportunity to develop it into an educational and recreational space. |
| Goats used to restore coastal grasslands in Jackson County | |
 | Seventeen goats are spending their days eating as part of a study on conservation grazing in Jackson County. Mississippi State University is working with the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and other partners on the project. Jonathan Pitchford, Grand Bay NERR stewardship coordinator and MSU extension assistant professor, said the group set up a demonstration area to see how well livestock could manage vegetation on old homesites. "We set up a demonstration area to see how well it would work to use livestock, in this case goats, to manage the vegetation on some old home sites where we had a lot of exotic and invasive species and things that were a little bit trouble for us to manage with just fire alone," Pitchford said. The goats have been on the job since June. The project is ongoing through mid-October. It was made possible through funding and support from the Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, Grand Bay NERR and Mississippi State University. |
| Living shoreline project aims to protect Biloxi coast, support wildlife habitat | |
| A new living shoreline project is underway in Biloxi, stretching from Hiller Park to Keesler Air Force Base. Living shorelines use natural features, like plants, to protect the coast, help keep nearby communities safer, and support wildlife. Tom Mohrman, Mississippi Coastal Program Director for The Nature Conservancy, said living shorelines are a technique used to protect land from erosion at water interfaces. "Here in Mississippi, we have lots of places like that that are logical to use living shorelines," Mohrman said. "It's a tool that can be used to help protect while at the same time creating habitat for wildlife and fisheries." Hiller Park sits on Biloxi's Back Bay, where several bayous flow in and out. Mississippi State University researchers have tracked shoreline loss in the area since the early 2000s, using mapping and GPS units to measure the loss, according to Mohrman. The area has lost about a foot of shoreline per year. Private property owners interested in living shoreline techniques can contact the Mississippi State University Extension Service office on Popp's Ferry Road in Biloxi, which offers living shoreline assessments for landowners, according to Mohrman. |
| MSU Kinesiology Provides School-Day Adapted Swim Lessons for SOCSD Students | |
| Through an ongoing partnership with Mississippi State University Department of Kinesiology, several of our middle school students are getting a first experience in the swimming pool. MSU students in the Kinesiology Adapted Swim course are working with SOCSD students this fall in a series of swimming lessons held at Sanderson Center during the school day. The lessons include an introduction to water safety, fun activities designed to help children become more accustomed to being in the water, and beginning instruction in the basics of swimming, including floating, front stroke and kicking their feet. The first lesson was held in September with parents and SOCSD Student Support Services staff attending. Dr. Gregg Twietmeyer, Kinesiology Professor, and Yulia Kizner, MSU Adapted Aquatics Instructor, oversaw a group of four Kinesiology majors who worked individually with students. |
| On The Move: We Work The Waterways Grows With Vivian Reese | |
| We Work the Waterways has been growing rapidly in recent months. In April 2025, it became an independent nonprofit. The national conversation about reviving American shipping shipbuilding and the maritime sector -- sparked by executive orders from the White House and bills in Congress -- meant that its mission of promoting maritime and maritime-adjacent careers to young people was now front and center in many people's consciousness. In August 2025, Vivian Reese came to work with WWW as an intern. She was recently offered a permanent full-time job with the group. Reese came to WWW fresh out of Mississippi State University, with a major in marketing and a minor in supply chain logistics. She grew up in Atlanta and had fallen in love with the Mississippi State University campus. "All my friends were double-majoring in supply chain logistics," she said. She interned with WWW during her entire senior year at Mississippi State, and she was offered a marketing fellowship |
| A 17-Year Legacy with a University Continues | |
| For nearly two decades, it has enjoyed a camera technology relationship with the company that recently changed its name to Kokusai Denki. Now, Mississippi State University is extending this partnership, as MSU's University Television Center modernizes its live studio and field production workflows. The center has purchased four SK-UHD7000-S2 cameras since 2024 and plans to add two more as funding allows, creating a six-camera complement split evenly between its studio and portable electronic field production systems. "Our production requirements can change considerably from one project to the next," said David Garraway, Director, University Television Center and Associate Director, Office of Public Affairs at Mississippi State University. "We may move from a concert or Christmas parade to a graduation, brand launch or annual meeting. The SK-UHD7000-S2 cameras give us the 1080p acquisition for streaming and video board productions, along with a software-upgradeable path to 4K as our infrastructure evolves." |
| Dr. Douglas L. Conner's first office demolished after collapse | |
 | Strong winds Sunday night led to the collapse of the building that was Dr. Douglas L. Conner's first office in Starkville. Ashley Smith was shocked Monday when the two-story building located at 119 Dr. Douglas L. Conner Drive had collapsed, damaging the funeral home next door. Her company, SSG Homes, bought the historic building three months ago with plans to preserve the external structure while gutting the interior and renovating it into an apartment building with a downstairs storefront. Smith also did not expect the cleanup to cause a gas leak that would evacuate four blocks downtown. "I was about ready to turn off my phone that day," Smith told The Dispatch on Wednesday. "... (I feel) better today. It's been a couple days. Monday would not have been a good day to ask." While the building sat vacant for years, it once was at the center of Starkville's civil rights movement. Built in 1950, it housed Conner's original office on the second floor of the building while the downstairs housed Fred Grady's Barber Shop, according to research by Cyndi Parker, assistant professor in the Department of Interior Design at Mississippi State University. |
| Mississippi welcomes a record number of visitors that spent $12.4 billion | |
| Mississippi is seeing growth in tourism, according to the Tourism Economic Contribution report from 2025 presented by Governor Tate Reeves on Thursday. Roughly $12.4 billion in tourism revenue was generated in the Magnolia State last year from a record 45.5 million visitors. Tourism activity reportedly generated a record $18.9 billion in total economic impact across the state. The state's tourism industry also generated about $1.2 billion in state and local tax revenue, Governor Reeves said. The tourism industry provides jobs to about 137,000 people in the state and generates $4.8 billion in personal income for Mississippi workers. "Mississippi's tourism industry continues to demonstrate what is possible when we invest in the experiences, places and people that make our state unlike any other," Reeves said. "These results reflect the strength of an industry that touches every region and every county, supporting local businesses, creating opportunity for working families and strengthening our economy." |
| Maritime tech firm to bring 56 jobs to Mississippi | |
 | Advanced maritime technology company SubSea Craft plans to invest nearly $6.1 million and create 56 jobs in Hancock County as it establishes its primary U.S. commercial production center at Port Bienville, according to a release from the Mississippi Development Authority. The Portsmouth, England-based company develops maritime platforms and autonomous technologies for defense, security and commercial customers. According to MDA, SubSea Craft will locate in an existing facility at Port Bienville. The Mississippi Development Authority said the Hancock County operation will manufacture advanced composite components for autonomous surface vessels, conduct testing and software validation, and provide maintenance and technical support for customers across the country. AccelerateMS Executive Director Courtney Taylor said in the MDA statement that the project will require workers with skills in maritime technology, manufacturing and software systems. |
| MAIN offers free AI resources for Mississippians | |
 | Dr. Kollin Napier, chief artificial intelligence officer for the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network, known as MAIN, said responsible use of AI is key. MAIN is a statewide program that offers no-cost resources for Mississippians to learn about AI and how it can be incorporated into everyday life. "You can see potentially increase in revenue, you can free up time of your employees to focus on higher priority tasks, and you can optimize your workflow. There are so many use cases related to AI from a general standpoint," Napier said. Napier spoke to both the Gulf Coast Chamber and Business Council. He shared ways AI can be a helpful agent for business owners and how MAIN can help them understand its capabilities. While AI can be a helpful tool, Napier stressed the importance of human input. He said the process may be efficient but software can still make mistakes. |
| The Robust U.S. Economy Powers Through Rate Hikes and Rising Bond Yields | |
 | The U.S. economy keeps powering through inflation, tariffs and higher borrowing costs, defying a run-up in Treasury yields and a Fed rate increase. That has the bond market spooked. The usual economic brakes aren't slowing growth, hiring or an AI investment boom that looks to be unstoppable. To some, AI's potential returns seem so bright that even steep interest rates won't slow down tech companies' investments. The growth outlook helps explain the current predicament in the bond market: The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which plays a critical role in determining rates on mortgages and other types of debt, this week hit highs not seen in nearly 20 years, climbing again Thursday to almost 5.2%. Bond prices have sagged over concerns about surging energy prices and elevated inflation. Treasurys are facing more competition for investors' cash from an explosion of bonds issued by companies involved in the AI build-out. Strong economic data are also pushing up yields by stirring speculation that the Fed may have to raise rates even higher than previously expected to cool a potentially overheating economy. |
| Jackson County DA to Crump: Stop playing games | |
| Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath issued a strongly worded rebuttal to Ben Crump Thursday evening after the attorney for the parents of Nolan Wells held a press conference in Orlanda to discuss the independent extraction of the teen's cell phone and the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's autopsy report. McIlrath states that Crump's assertion now that messages were deleted from Wells' cell phone is not the full context. She said the Crump legal team has told the DA that no one physically accessed the phone after the teen's last known use. She further states that user actions Crump now questions as being deleted were from other Snapchat users, not by someone accessing the phone. The District Attorney made clear once again that her office has always been willing to mutually examine the cell phone but said the Crump team has made strategic choices to control the public information "and create a misleading public narrative." As for the state's autopsy report, McIlrath said the Crump team advised her office that they had no evidence of a crime against Wells. "The Crump team is asking the public to ask questions that the Crump team has the answers to," the DA said. McIlrath went on to say, "My interactions with Mr. Crump, as well as his conduct in this case, has demonstrated that he is not worthy of our trust... If the Crump team genuinely has new information or evidence that Nolan Wells was murdered they should stop playing games and immediately provide it to me." |
| Senate candidate Scott Colom calls for temporary ban on data centers in Mississippi | |
| Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Scott Colom on Thursday called for a temporary ban on new data centers in Mississippi. "The reality is, the consequences of data centers in Mississippi are already here. We're seeing it in our power bills. We're seeing it where we live. We're seeing it where we pray," Colom said at a press conference. Colom, who is challenging incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith has a list of conditions that he would want met before proceeding with any new data center construction in the state. It includes having data centers pay their own way and more transparency about the deals. He said this would give the state a chance to study the impacts of data centers and come up with regulations. While artificial intelligence and data centers have come up in midterm elections in other states, and have already become an issue for Mississippi's statewide elections next year, they have not been a driving issues in Mississippi's congressional races to date. Data center development decisions have been made at the state and local levels, with Republican Gov. Tate Reeves being a leading advocate for them. |
| GOP senators dismayed by Trump embrace of Xi after China helped Iran target US troops | |
 | Republican senators are expressing concern and dismay over President Trump's lavish welcome of Chinese President Xi Jinping to a two-day summit in Washington after it was revealed earlier this month that Iran used Chinese satellite imagery to target U.S. troops in Jordan. Republican senators were told of deepening military cooperation between Iran and China at a closed-door national security briefing Thursday, heightening their concerns about Trump's red-carpet welcome of Xi at Joint Base Andrews. GOP lawmakers called on Trump to confront Xi over reports that China has provided military assistance to Iran and demanded that China produce real concessions on trade, especially U.S. agricultural exports, concessions that have been elusive in Trump's negotiations with China. Republican senators are also questioning Trump's invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Miami in December. Trump announced it earlier this week. |
| Xi is wrapping his visit to Washington with a peek at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights | |
 | President Donald Trump is taking Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the National Archives on Friday, showing off the sacred texts of U.S. democracy to the leader of the world's most powerful communist country to cap off a three-day state visit criticized for being heavy on pomp and light on substance. Xi is expected to depart Washington after touring the nation's vault of records, where the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are held. The two leaders have made a show of working to preserve harmony between the world's two largest economies, though there were no major breakthroughs on issues such as trade or the safety of artificial intelligence. The visit comes as the U.S. celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, and Trump, a Republican, said Thursday that he wanted to show Xi "some of the greatest treasures of that proud history." |
| Trump to campaign in deep-red states as GOP plays defense | |
 | After a break from the campaign trail to host China's president in Washington -- and to attend sporting events in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Chicago this weekend -- President Donald Trump is planning to get back to the rally stage next week. But instead of visiting some of the nation's most competitive House districts or Senate races, Trump is set to visit much friendlier territory: Oklahoma and Alabama. The red-state itinerary comes as Trump's approval rating remains at a second-term low and as a growing number of Republicans in competitive races are distancing themselves from him. The president is scheduled to attend rallies in Durant, Oklahoma, on Thursday and in Mobile, Alabama, the next day. Oklahoma is a state Trump won in 2024 with 66 percent of the vote -- and won all 77 counties. In Alabama, Trump won with 65 percent. A Republican official with knowledge of the Trump team's planning, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss strategy, said the two rallies may also be covered by media markets in surrounding states with more competitive races -- Texas, in the case of Durant, and Florida for Mobile. Calling the two rally locations "very strategic," the official said Trump is "hitting places where we want to drive turnout." |
| FDA nominee evasive on abortion pill but firm on vaccine safety | |
 | Republicans and Democrats alike on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee tried repeatedly with little success to elicit opinions from the White House's nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration, Heidi Overton, on health policy or a pledge to assert the agency's independence. Throughout the hearing Thursday, Overton told senators she would "follow statutory guidelines" and "review the evidence" when asked about crucial issues or the agency's prior decisions. But the nominee did make one thing clear: Claims that the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is deadly are unfounded. "The MMR vaccine is not lethal," she said in response to the opening question from committee Chair Bill Cassidy, R-La. "It is safe and effective." That's after Overton stood behind President Donald Trump last month when he declared that the shot is "potentially lethal." On Thursday she contradicted her boss. "Every vaccine on the U.S. market right now is safe and effective according to the FDA," Overton said. "Unfortunately, politicization and misinformation severely damage the credibility of FDA and HHS," Cassidy said. |
| American farmers are hurting -- and worried about their futures | |
 | Rick Telesz raises soybeans, corn and dairy cows on about 700 acres in western Pennsylvania. He's expecting a promising soybean crop this fall -- but Telesz will be lucky to just break even. "Am I going to make money this year?" he asks. "To be honest, I hope the harvest is good enough that I can pay for all those inputs I had this spring and summer." The inputs Telesz needs to raise his crops include fertilizer and fuel, which have both gotten a lot more expensive as a result of the U.S. war with Iran -- adding to the woes of farmers already struggling with the fallout from the trade war. Fertilizer prices are up 15% this year compared to last, and the price of diesel fuel has jumped by 80%, making it hard for farmers to turn a profit. "It's a cost that a farmer can't pass on," Telesz says. "You take your trucking industry, it's just added to the freight [charge]. But a farmer, it's just an added cost he just has to absorb. It's real. It's painful." The trade war with China has also been a headache. China is historically the third biggest market for U.S. farm exports, but the country slashed its purchases last year in retaliation for President Trump's tariffs. Farm sales to China this year have only partially recovered. "They're paying way more to grow a crop and they're not making near enough for it," says economist Faith Parum of the American Farm Bureau Federation. "We've had a tough time in the farm economy." |
| One city thought it had e-bikes all figured out. Not so fast. | |
 | Done with school for the day, a troop of teens zipped by on their electric bikes, weaving and chirping as they rode around curves, exuding the confidence of acrobats. After gathering for a "Where next" chat, they took off down another golf cart path, popping wheelies along the way. To some, that afternoon snapshot near the Peachtree City, Georgia, library looked like an idyll of childhood, only with a twist. To others, such e-powered teen groupings are more of a menace, endangering pedestrians and other bicyclists. "One part of me, the old geezer, says to call the cops," says Kevin Pfeifer, a retired government employee who rides a non-electric, single-speed Schwinn that's pushing 30 years old. "The other side of me says, at least they're not in the basement playing video games." It's not just the Peachtree City folks who are second-guessing e-bikes and how to integrate them safely with existing infrastructure. Americans of all ages are hopping on e-bikes and electric scooters, two-wheeled machines with 750-watt electric motors that can propel them beyond 30 mph. "Where before you had collisions between cars and micromobility, now you have collisions between micromobility and people who are walking," says Chris Wyczalkowski, co-founder of the Micromobility Lab at Georgia State University in Atlanta. "They're zipping through pedestrians, hitting pedestrians, and falling off here and there." |
| 'An apple a day': Inside NEMCC's Apple Distinguished School program | |
 | When Northeast Mississippi Community College began rethinking how students accessed course materials and technology, college officials were confronting an uneven playing field. Some students arrived with their own computers and course materials. Others arrived with neither. Carlena Benjamin, Northeast's instructional technology specialist, said roughly 75% to 80% of the college's students receive some form of financial aid. Before Northeast moved to a 1:1 model, students might bring a Chromebook, MacBook or Windows computer to class -- or have no device at all. Textbooks created another barrier. A book could cost around $200, and some students entered the first weeks of class waiting for financial aid, a paycheck or an out-of-stock textbook to be reordered before they had the materials they needed. Northeast had already begun expanding its use of Open Educational Resources -- collections of digital resources that are freely available under open licenses like Creative Commons or are in the public domain -- in 2015. Jeffrey Powell, the college's first instructional technology specialist, helped take that effort further. |
| Deaths of students at the U. of Mississippi cast spotlight on kratom | |
| A drug task force in Mississippi is urging people to avoid kratom after authorities found packages of the substance while investigating the deaths of two University of Mississippi students. The warning Tuesday came despite no "confirmed information" that kratom contributed to either death, Lafayette County Metro Narcotics said in a news release. The students were found Monday afternoon in different locations, one on campus and the other off campus, a university spokesperson said. The university on Thursday identified the students as Aidan Hamilton, a freshman from Englewood, Colorado, and Robert Strang, a junior from Atlanta. The school said in a statement that their families "have asked for privacy as they grieve." U.S. health officials and states have increasingly scrutinized kratom, an herbal extract that acts as a stimulant at low doses and a sedative at high doses, over the past decade. Kratom is legal at the federal level, but some state and local governments have banned the substance and federal authorities have issued warnings about its risks. Both the city of Oxford and Lafayette County, where the University of Mississippi is located, have bans in place. |
| Experts encouraging Narcan use following Ole Miss deaths, rise of new drug | |
 | Drug and recovery experts are working harder than ever to destigmatize Narcan use. "It just means keeping someone alive," said Esther Faye Stacy, director of substance use disorder programs at Pine Belt Mental Health. "So get to the other side, and if it is somebody who has a substance use disorder, you cannot get to another place in your life if you're not here to do so." This push is following the deaths of two Ole Miss students. The suspected cause of death in both cases is overdose. Kratom was found at the scenes of both deaths. Now, the Mississippi Public Health Institute is warning about cychlorphine, another drug authorities are investigating. It is a synthetic opioid. Experts say one or two doses of Narcan usually reverse an opioid overdose, but cychlorphine may require four or five to save a life. "It is not like fentanyl," said Jan Dawson, program director for MPHI. "If you use a fentanyl test strip on that particular drug, it will not be detected, so don't use a fentanyl test strip on this particular drug and then think, okay, it's okay." |
| OPD responds to woman's drugging claims | |
| The Oxford Police Department is disputing claims by a woman who said she was drugged and left alone by officers following an encounter in downtown Oxford over the weekend. The department issued a statement Thursday, Sept. 24, after the woman's post gained attention on social media and raised questions about how officers handled the incident. In the post, the woman said she believed her drink had been spiked and that she had no recollection of the night. She alleged that Oxford police officers placed her in an Uber by herself, left her alone and treated the situation "like a joke." OPD said Thursday that it takes allegations involving suspected drug-facilitated assault, drink tampering and sexual assault seriously. Police said the department has been reviewing the incident, including available body-worn camera footage and city camera footage. Police said available video footage does not support the claim that she was abandoned or left alone. According to the department, the woman was able to communicate where she needed to go before she departed, and officers worked to ensure she had transportation to a safe location. OPD said it investigates reports of suspected drink tampering when they are reported but currently does not have evidence supporting claims that women are routinely being drugged in Oxford every weekend or every day. |
| Fire displaces Jackson State students during mid-term exams | |
| A fire at a southwest Jackson apartment complex left multiple college students with no place to live in the middle of their mid-term exams. The fire happened Monday night at the Park at Marsala complex on Hospital Drive, off West McDowell Road. Investigators are still looking for the cause. JSU President Denise Jones Gregory issued the following statement: "Our hearts are with all of the students and families affected by the fire," said Jackson State University President Denise Jones Gregory. "We have identified two JSU students who were displaced and are moving quickly to ensure their immediate needs are met. This includes food, clothing, and technology so there is no disruption to their academic progress. We are grateful that the apartment complex is providing temporary housing while recovery efforts continue. In moments like these, our commitment is simple. No Tiger stands alone." |
| State college board pays $330,000 to settle discrimination lawsuit over 2023 Jackson State presidential search | |
| Mississippi's college board paid $330,000 to Debra Mays-Jackson, a former Jackson State University administrator, to resolve a sex discrimination lawsuit that challenged the 2023 presidential search process and decisions trustees used to select former President Marcus Thompson. The college board did not admit any liability as part of the settlement, and Mays-Jackson, the former JSU vice president and chief of staff, agreed not to apply for another job at Jackson State or any other public universities governed by the college board. Mississippi Today obtained the six-page agreement through a public records request. John Sewell, a spokesperson for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, said the college board authorized the settlement with Mays-Jackson in closed session at its Aug. 20 meeting. |
| CDC's latest youth behavior report offers a narrower look at teen health | |
| For more than 35 years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has surveyed American high school students every two years about their health and behavior. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey, established in 1991, draws a nationally representative sample of students in grades 9 through 12 at public and private schools. Over the years, it has tracked a broad range of issues affecting teenagers, from substance use and sexual behavior to violence, mental health and other health risks. But the CDC's latest national report, a full-color publication with photos, graphics and high school success stories, offers a markedly different portrait of adolescent health than the one it published two years ago. The 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey report focuses on five areas -- diet, physical activity, sleep, digital behavior, and mental health and suicide risk -- while largely leaving out national findings on substance use, sexual behavior, violence and disparities among student groups that were prominent in previous reports. The underlying survey data on the CDC's website still contains many of those measures, including trends in alcohol and drug use, and sexual activity, but they are not part of the national report's key findings. |
| Two LSU fraternities under investigation for hazing allegations | |
| Two fraternities on LSU's campus are now on interim suspension of all chapter activities after investigations were opened against them for hazing and other violations of the LSU Code of Student Conduct. Two investigations involving LSU's Delta Kappa Epsilon and Phi Gamma Delta chapters, also known as FIJI, were opened on Sept. 17 following a letter sent to each chapter's president from Johnathan Sanders, director of the Student Accountability & Advocacy office. Delta Kappa Epsilon's investigation is in regards to multiple events reported over the start of the 2026 semester, while FIJI's chapter investigation is related to an event that was reported on Sept. 10, according to the suspension reports. Both fraternities are alleged to have broken coercive behavior and hazing regulations in the LSU Code of Student Conduct. Delta Kappa Epsilon is additionally under investigation for endangerment, misuse of alcohol and failure to comply. FIJI is only facing additional investigations for complicity regulations. |
| College campus overdose deaths prompt warning from South Carolina official | |
| A public safety advisory was released Thursday by the South Carolina Attorney General's Office after recent overdose deaths on college campues around the country. Authorities are investigating the deaths of two Ole Miss students. Investigators said there is no confirmed evidence indicating the deaths are connected, but packaged kratom sold from a retail store was found in both investigations. Attorney General Alan Wilson's office sent out a public safety advisory Thursday, after the Ole Miss students were found dead and packaged kratom was found in both investigations. Kratom is available for purchase in convenience stores in South Carolina to anyone 21 years old or older. Wilson issued the following statement: "As a dad of a college student, this is personal to me. Parents need to understand how serious this is and talk to their kids now, because one mistake, one exposure, can be fatal. These drugs are poison, plain and simple. As we have seen, our colleges and universities are a soft target for these drugs. I encourage students on campus to practice common sense and refrain from taking anything that is not prescribed to you or purchased directly from a retail pharmacy. We will use every tool at our disposal to stop this and protect South Carolina families." |
| U. of Kentucky violated open records law 3 times in recent cases, AG finds | |
| Attorney General Russell Coleman found the University of Kentucky to be in violation of Kentucky's open records law in three different cases since August, showing the school's continuing pattern of problems with the state law aimed at government transparency. The Lexington Herald-Leader found that in 2025, 18 of 24 appeals to records denied by public universities in Kentucky involved UK. The AG's office published its most recent slate of open records appeals on Wednesday. In two appeals, UK was found to have not violated the law. In addition, the AG's office found that Kentucky State University had partially violated the law. Amye Bensenhaver, a former assistant attorney general and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition said UK's lead counsel, William Thro, has long shown his antipathy to the state open records law. "Why is UK asserting exemptions that don't apply? Because they can and they do," she said. "In his mind the burden rests with the requester – he is responsible for a great deal of harm, and he's been called out. "I just think UK is a very poor student of open government, and learns nothing from its past mistakes, and continues to advance interpretations of the law that have been rejected, including the opinion on FERPA," she said. |
| Texas A&M to prepare Space Force leaders through 2036 | |
| Texas A&M University will help prepare officers to lead U.S. military operations in space for the next decade, giving the university a central role in developing leaders for one of the nation's most consequential national security missions. The U.S. Space Force has chosen Texas A&M to continue hosting its Captains Leadership Course through 2036. Beginning in fiscal year 2027, the four-week resident program will instruct up to seven cohorts of 60 students each, serving as many as 420 Guardians annually. Space systems support military communications, navigation, missile warning, intelligence and operations across every branch of the armed forces. As that domain becomes more contested, the Space Force is building its own professional military education program to prepare officers to lead people, make sound decisions and integrate space expertise across the joint force. "National security depends on technology, but it depends first on leaders with judgment and character," said Robert Albritton, chairman of the Board of Regents of The Texas A&M University System. "The Space Force could have taken this mission anywhere. It chose Texas A&M, and we intend to justify that confidence." |
| MU Faculty Council discusses concerns about leaked video of professor | |
 | MU Faculty Council members discussed the leaked video of a University of Missouri professor, published by conservative watchdog organization Accuracy in Media, at its meeting Thursday. In the video, Mizzou professor Wayne Brekhus talked about diversity, equity and inclusion research at the university. Since Accuracy in Media released the video, the university put out a statement saying it has launched an investigation into Brekhus' conduct. "Appropriate actions will be taken. Mizzou voluntarily eliminated all DEI programs and DEI requirements in the curriculum," the statement read. Carolyn Orbann, the chair of the Faculty Council, opened the discussion with how the recording of Brekhus was handled by the university. She said the situation could affect trust built in teacher-student relationships. "One of the topics that's been ongoing in my discussion with the president and the provost has been (that) this does have a negative effect on our relationship with students," Orbann said. "The faculty and the people we represent in this body would like to feel supported so that we can continue having the open relationship we have with students." "This does lead us to a certain amount of paranoia, which is not productive for the kinds of interactions we want to have with students," she added. |
| After Missing Its Enrollment Goal, Syracuse U. Is Questioning Everything | |
 | Is a Syracuse University degree worth it? Chancellor J. Michael Haynie doesn't think the answer is as clear as it should be. Shortly after taking office this summer, Haynie announced the formation of a special committee to suggest "disruptive and potentially unpopular" ways that Syracuse -- a private research university with an undergraduate cost of attendance over $95,000 -- could ensure it was worth the money. The committee announcement included a striking detail: The upstate-New York institution had missed its undergraduate-enrollment target, resulting in a $30-million deficit. That the shortfall occurred at a selective institution with a $2-billion endowment attracted immediate attention. It wasn't the first sign of trouble, either. Then, this August, a Wall Street Journal article suggesting Syracuse couldn't "attract the students it needs to pay the bills" fueled national speculation that the university was in decline. Suddenly, it appeared that even top-tier private campuses might be in for the reckoning facing other sectors of higher ed. Haynie insists that narrative is wrong. |
| Colleges Are Losing Young Men. What Brings Them Back? | |
 | Women have outnumbered men on college campuses for decades, but the divide extends beyond who enrolls. Young men are also less likely than young women to earn a degree of any kind, raising questions about why some men are opting out of higher education and what colleges can do to better engage and support them. The gap comes as colleges are confronting broader questions about the value of a degree, the rising cost of attendance and whether traditional higher education is meeting the needs of today's students. For institutions seeking to enroll and retain more men, the challenge is not only understanding what is keeping them from college but identifying what changes could make higher education a more attractive and successful path. Former U.S. education secretary Betsy DeVos was among those who addressed such challenges Thursday at the Symposium on Young American Men in Washington, D.C., which brought together lawmakers, researchers, journalists and organizational leaders to discuss policies shaping outcomes for young men in education, work, family life and mental health. Pointing to the decline in men pursuing higher education, DeVos said "there's no simple answer" for the trend. |
| Colleges Once Saw High Tuition as a Sign of Quality. Now They're Slashing Prices. | |
| A growing number of private colleges are reassessing how much they charge families to attend. With the cost of college under scrutiny, some universities are deploying a fresh wave of financial moves to lure students -- like slashing tuition by nearly half, offering "in state" rates to compete with public institutions, and promising loan-free aid to certain families. "It does feel like a sea change right now," said Jennifer Glowienka, the president of Carroll College in Montana, which announced a 40% tuition reduction starting in fall 2027. Experts say these strategies generate buzz, but some don't translate to a sustainable enrollment boost. In some cases, critics say, cutting tuition is a marketing move that doesn't change much if few students were paying full price in the first place. Schools are thinking not only about competitors, "but just to get families to sit up and pay attention," said Brett Schraeder, vice president of financial aid optimization at consultant EAB. For years, families have associated price with quality. Now, higher-ed analysts say that posture might be shifting. More colleges are asking: Is it better to tell families their school is cheaper, instead of being more expensive but handing out big merit scholarships? |
| Major public universities report hits to international enrollment | |
| Major public colleges across the U.S. have reported big drops in their international student populations this fall. As more institutions release their newest enrollment data, the higher ed sector is getting a clearer picture of the impacts of the federal government's crackdown on foreign students and moves to tighten the visa system. Although some of the Trump administration's largest changes have been paused by the courts, college officials and student advocates expect the instability of the visa system to constrict the international student pipeline. Some colleges have still managed to increase enrollment overall, sometimes to record-breaking levels, despite enrolling fewer foreign students. But that doesn't necessarily mean their budgets aren't feeling the pinch, as international students typically pay the full sticker price. |
| Nowhere to turn: Many grad students in health care fields can't get loans for their degrees | |
| With her senior year of college now underway, Mitzie Westgate has begun planning what she'll do after graduation next spring. An exercise science major, she hopes to go straight to graduate school and pursue a doctorate in occupational therapy so she can open a nonprofit to help children with disabilities like her cousin, who has cerebral palsy. But thanks to unprecedented confusion around federal student loans, she can't firm up plans or even decide where to apply until she sees how the chaos shakes out. "It's kind of up in the air whether I'll be able to pay for college" after this year, said Westgate, a 21-year-old senior at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. Tuition and other costs at her top choices -- Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, the University of New Hampshire and the Medical University of South Carolina -- could far outpace federal loan limits, she said. That could leave her able to afford only a single smaller university, Johnson & Wales University in her home state of Rhode Island, where she could save money by living with her parents but would graduate with fewer professional connections. Congress last year removed dozens of graduate-level programs from the U.S. Department of Education's list of "professional" degrees, a reclassification that set tight limits on federal loans students can borrow to pay for graduate school. Westgate's dream program -- occupational therapy -- is among those that could cost students far more than they can now borrow from the federal government, leaving many wondering whether to rely on more expensive private loans to cover the remainder. |
SPORTS
| More cowbell! Mississippi State football eyes new world record vs Missouri | |
 | Mississippi State is attempting to set a world record when it hosts No. 21 Missouri on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Bulldogs, looking to start SEC play with a 2-0 record for the first time since 2014 with Dak Prescott, are aiming to break the record for most cowbells ringing simultaneously in world history during the game. "Embrace your ears," quarterback Kamario Taylor said in a recent Mississippi State promotional video posted to social media. Mississippi State still holds the official record of 5,748 consecutive cowbells ringing from Guinness World Records during a football pep rally in 2015. However, in 2025, the Milwaukee Admirals, a minor-league hockey team, set the unofficial new record with 6,768 consecutive cowbells ringing, although the total wasn't counted by Guinness World Records. When the Bulldogs face the Tigers in Week 4, volunteers will wear bright green shirts to count cowbells as fans enter the stadium, the school announced. The school is collaborating with Elite World Records, a Guinness World Records competitor, as it attempts to break the new record. "Organizers ask that fans be diligent to ensure all cowbells are counted upon entry," the school wrote. |
| How Mississippi State plans to reclaim world cowbell record at football game vs Missouri | |
| Mississippi State football is attempting to break a world record that will create a lot of noise. The Bulldogs will go for the world record for cowbells rung simultaneously when they host No. 21 Missouri (3-0, 0-0) at Davis Wade Stadium on Sept. 26 (6:45 p.m., SEC Network) for the first SEC home game of the season. Student body president Keegan Figueroa and Miles Jordan, who works in programming for the MSU Student Association, have spearheaded the planning in conjunction with the Mississippi State athletic department. "We're super excited," said Figueroa, a senior from Mooreville. "Everything has gone pretty smoothly so far. It seems like the fans are really excited, which is the best part of it. If we break that world record, which our fans always come through so I don't think it'll be an issue in the slightest, it's just another point of pride for Mississippi State." Figueroa said the idea was first brought to him at a lunch in the spring with distinguished alumnus Stephen A. Brandon. Figueroa and Jordan said there will be volunteers from the Student Association at all the Davis Wade Stadium entrances on game day. The volunteers will be wearing bright green shirts and have clickers to keep track of all the cowbells. |
| Social superstar: K1 goes viral after South Carolina comeback | |
| Eighty-seven million. That's the number of people who saw a post on social media related to Kamario Taylor this past weekend, according to the College Sports Social Pulse. The Sports Social Post, which is a part of the Social Media Insights Lab at the University of South Carolina, found Taylor was the second-most talked about and interacted with college football player on social media after MSU's comeback win at South Carolina. "He caught fire this weekend, especially on social media," Clay Owen, a U of SC journalism professor leading the project, said. A piece of software at the social media lab combs through the internet and finds more than 3,000 college football search terms, Owen said, with the lab using the results to put out rankings each week. It surveys X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Reddit forums, along with other, smaller platforms. Taylor had not shown up in the rankings through the first two weeks, but shot all the way to number two after his 251-yard, four-touchdown performance. |
| Chris Jones pledges to donate to Mississippi State NIL to help retain QB Kamario Taylor | |
| Mississippi State sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor is the talk of the college football world amid the Bulldogs' strong 3-0 start to the 2026 season. He's even caught the attention of several notable alumni. That includes Kansas City Chiefs star defensive tackle Chris Jones, who is pledging to do whatever it takes to keep Taylor in Starkville amid speculation the dual-threat talent will be a hot commodity in the transfer portal next January. That includes making a significant donation to his alma mater's NIL budget. "I'm going to donate some (NIL), though, we've got to keep this quarterback --- we've got to keep him around," Jones told reporters Thursday in Kansas City. "With all these NIL teams spending $45-50 million a year, the salary cap doesn't exist in college, so definitely trying to keep our quarterback with us." The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Taylor has taken the SEC and college football by storm in his first season as the Bulldogs' starter. "I think we have one of the best the FBS right now, he's doing really, really well for us, and he's young," Jones added. "We just have to keep him on our roster, because the NIL has changed everything. ... Definitely believe in our guys, got a lot of belief in Mississippi State right now and KT." |
| Mississippi State's Eddie Kelly Jr. cleared to play against former team | |
| Mississippi State's defense got a little help on Thursday after it was announced that defensive lineman Eddie Kelly Jr. would be eligible to play for the Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0 SEC) for the first time this season against his former team, Missouri (3-0). Playing for his fifth team in as many years, Kelly transferred from West Virginia to Mississippi State in July while seeking an extra year of eligibility. Although he officially joined the Mississippi State roster last month, he was not allowed to play. As of Sept. 24, he can now take the field as a Bulldog for the first time on Saturday. His addition to the Bulldogs' defensive line is critical to fill the void left by an injury that took Colin Coates out for the season. To make matters worse, Mississippi State lost two other defensive linemen for the year in the first three games of the season – Diesel Moye and Trevion Williams. Mississippi State's game against Missouri will kickoff at 6:45 p.m. in Starkville for the Bulldogs annual "white-out" game. |
| Three keys to a Mississippi State win over Missouri | |
| No. 24 Mississippi State plays the first of five straight games versus ranked teams in the SEC this Saturday when it hosts No. 19 Missouri. Missouri loves to pound the rock no matter who their starting running back is. This year they've run the ball 58.47% of the time, which is the 39th highest mark in the country and the fourth highest in the SEC. They do it with an outside zone that spreads out the opposing defense and creates multiple lanes for the ball carrier to choose from. Last year, it allowed the Tigers to run for 326 yards en route to a 49-27 over MSU win on their home turf. During the SEC's coaches media teleconference on Wednesday, coach Jeff Lebby stressed the need to make the Tigers one-dimensional, win the edges and fly to the football. |
| Mizzou football aims to 'silence' Taylor, Mississippi State offense in Week 4 showdown | |
| Mizzou football opens Southeastern Conference play with a road trip to Starkville to play Mississippi State on Saturday. The Tigers have won their last three conference openers and have started each of those seasons 4-0 or better. That streak is in danger of coming to an end at the hands of an improved Bulldogs team. Mississippi State is off to a 3-0 start in its third season under coach Jeff Lebby, including road wins over Minnesota and South Carolina. The Bulldogs went from 2-10 in Lebby's first year to 5-8 in his second, which included an upset at home over then-ranked Arizona State. Now, they face a ranked Mizzou team in one of the biggest tests of Lebby's tenure. "Coach Lebby's doing an outstanding job," Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz told reporters Tuesday. "You can tell the foundations of his culture and the foundation of his schemes are in place. I mean, they are truly an excellent football team." This season could be Lebby's best, and it starts with quarterback Kamario Taylor. |
| Soccer: Stingy Defense Sees State Shut Out No. 9 Tennessee | |
| A total team effort gave Mississippi State a critical draw on the road at No. 9 Tennessee on Thursday night as the Bulldogs shut out the Lady Vols for the first time since 2015. MSU has now won or tied five of its last six matches against top-10 teams, and the Bulldogs (7-1-2, 1-0-2 SEC) have claimed five points in their first three matches of conference play to make Kevin O'Brien just the second MSU head coach to go unbeaten through his first three SEC games. State dominated the first half, outshooting Tennessee, 11-0. It marked just the third time in the last 26 years that the Lady Vols had been held without a shot in a half. "I think the girls executed the tactical game plan we had for them to a T, and they limited a phenomenal soccer team to sparing opportunities," O'Brien said. "You know, first half to have a team like that not get a shot off against you was amazing, and then after 90, apart from a couple crosses where she was challenged, Jenny [Harrison] did not have to make a significant save in the game, which, again, is a testament to how well the team defended as a group, how organized we were, compact, how well we worked together. As a coaching staff, we are all just incredibly proud of the girls and excited, you know, because every result like this breeds more confidence." |
| Corinth football coach Justin Dye overcomes brain tumor, countless surgeries | |
| If a doctor told most people they had two weeks to live if they did not get brain surgery, to them the choice would be a simple, "Yes, do the procedure as soon as possible." Of course, that's the answer Justin Dye gave to his doctors at Semmes Murphy Clinic in Memphis, Tennessee. But he had one caveat. "Can I coach on Friday?," Dye told USA TODAY Sports what he asked of his doctors in Memphis about the removal of a tumor the size of a golf ball invading his brainstem. Dye is in his sixth season as the head football coach of Corinth High School in Corinth, Mississippi. In 2021, when his tumor was first flagged, he was entering his first year as head coach. For the 36-year-old Dye, injuries and hardships have been a large part of his journey since he took over as a varsity head coach in 2021. However, that has never slowed him down in wanting to help his students and players, even when he struggles to help himself. Dye got his master's degree in Biomedical Science from Mississippi State and was going to be an orthopedic surgeon until he fell in love with coaching high school football. "Justin loves coaching football," Corinth athletics director Kevin Williams told USA TODAY Sports. "Justin's a guy who cannot sleep at night knowing any kid on his roster isn't taken care of. I feel like he feels a huge sense of responsibility to those guys." |
| Protect College Sports Act scheduled for historic final vote in U.S. Senate on Monday | |
 | A federal bill addressing many of the top issues in college sports was approved for a final vote in the U.S. Senate to take place on Monday, Sept. 28, when it is expected to pass. It marks the furthest college sports legislation has advanced in Congress. Titled the Protect College Sports Act, it needs at least 51 votes to officially advance through the Senate on Monday. That approval would signal a massive win for the NCAA and its conferences, which have spent years and millions of dollars lobbying for a federal law to help create and enforce rules. But in order to be signed into law by President Donald Trump, the PCSA must also pass the House of Representatives, where a vote could still be weeks away and may face additional challenges. The bipartisan bill, co-authored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), would give the NCAA a limited antitrust exemption to establish new rules on athlete eligibility, transfers and player compensation, as well as put notable restraints on conference realignment and a future super league. It would also increase the revenue-sharing cap from roughly $20 million annually per school to nearly $50 million, with newly established buckets of money for player retention and non-revenue sports. |
| Sarkisian says Texas ready for comms issues with Trump in attendance | |
| Texas coach Steve Sarkisian knows what to expect when President Donald Trump attends Saturday's game at Tennessee. Apart from the extra security measures, Sarkisian is anticipating problems communicating with his team. "The one thing that you have to be aware of when the president goes to any game is that anytime he enters the stadium, leaves the stadium or changes locations within the stadium, they cut all communication," Sarkisian said during a videoconference Thursday. "So they cut your headsets. They cut the headsets to coaches. They cut headsets for coach-to-player communication. So you have to have a plan for that, if and when it happens, and you get no warning. It just gets cut out." The SEC showdown between the top-ranked Longhorns and the No. 14 Vols will be Texas quarterback Arch Manning's first game at Neyland Stadium, where his uncle Peyton starred for Tennessee. Trump's attendance will add another layer of intrigue, something Sarkisian has previous experience with. He was Alabama's offensive coordinator when Trump attended a game against LSU during the president's first term in 2019. |
| LSU struggles with multimillion-dollar athletics deficit: 'We've got to stop that bleeding' | |
| After years of minimal profits, LSU athletics is now tens of millions of dollars in the red. LSU President Wade Rousse told the state Board of Regents on Tuesday the school's sports program is projected to carry a $26 million deficit this year. The program's shortfall for fiscal year 2025-26 was $44 million, according to LSU spokeswoman Meg Sunstrom. It was the first year in which NCAA Division I programs were allowed to directly compensate student-athletes for their name, image and likeness. Like most Power Four conference schools, LSU spent the maximum amount allowed -- $21. 5 million -- accounting for the biggest portion of the deficit. LSU athletics has overspent its budget over the past six years by a total of $177.5 million, Rousse told the Regents at their annual budget hearing for all schools under their purview. The $44 million shortfall was covered by the Tiger Athletic Foundation, Sunstrom said. |
| How Pumping 14,443 Pounds of Iron Turned the Florida Gators Into Wrecking Balls | |
| Florida's $44 million football coach had barely set foot inside his team's practice facility when he noticed a glaring issue. As he surveyed the men he was being paid to lead, Jon Sumrall, a former linebacker who long ago hung up his shoulderpads, realized that these supposed behemoths couldn't lift all that much weight. In fact, many couldn't even lift as much as Sumrall, who is now 44 years old. "Jon could outlift virtually all of our defensive backs, and a lot of our wide receivers," said Florida strength coach Rusty Whitt, who doubles as Sumrall's workout partner. So before he designed a single play, Sumrall spent the offseason hellbent on a much more fundamental mission. In order to guide the Gators back to the top of college football, he first needed to make the Gators stronger -- by more than 7 tons. Florida's roster didn't just get stronger. With a focus on four cornerstone exercises, it improved its previous "max" lifts by a combined 14,443 pounds -- enough muscle to pick up an African elephant. And three weeks into the season, the beefed-up Gators have become one of college football's largest surprises. Florida has rolled to three straight wins by a combined 99 points, and enters Saturday's showdown with No. 4 Ole Miss as the betting favorite. |
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