| Friday, December 1, 2017 |
| Mississippi State celebrates Grant Library, Lincoln Collection openings | |
 | On Thursday, violins, singing and even a pair of impersonators dressed as former presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant heralded the grand opening of the Grant Presidential Library and Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana in Mississippi State University's Mitchell Memorial Library. Thursday's event marked the end of years of work and the addition of a $10 million, 21,000 square-foot facility to the library that makes MSU one of only six universities in the nation to host a presidential library. MSU President Mark Keenum, who said he was "downright giddy" about the library's opening, recalled an interview with a Chicago Tribune reporter who asked how he felt about the library of Grant, who commanded Union forces against the Confederacy during the American Civil War, coming to a state in the Deep South. Keenum noted MSU's ties to Grant go even deeper than the state's connection to the former president during the Civil War. |
| Grant Presidential Library opened with ceremony Thursday at Mississippi State | |
 | The Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library and Williams Collection of Lincolniana opened Thursday at Mississippi State University. MSU president Mark Keenum said he finds it fitting that the collections of Lincoln and Grant artifacts have found their home in Mississippi. He said he hopes the Grant Library will serve as "a shining beacon of reconciliation for our nation." "Our university offers a unique opportunity for the study of the Civil War not from a Northern perspective, not from a Southern perspective, but from a truly American perspective," Keenum said. Carla Hayden, the 14th United States Librarian of Congress, echoed Keenum's sentiment. |
| Mississippi State unveils Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library | |
 | It was a big day for leaders at Mississippi State University as it unveiled the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library. A standing room only crowd gathered Thursday afternoon on the school's campus. This is part of a $10 million expansion of the library. It features interactive digital exhibits that will help visitors get a better understanding of President Grant. There's also a collection of material on President Abraham Lincoln. "One of only six in the country in terms of presidential libraries housed on a university campus," said MSU Chief Communications Officer Sid Salter. "And we invite historians whether they're professional or armchair to come here and see this facility." |
| Grant Presidential Library Opens Its Doors at Mississippi State | |
 | The Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library at Mississippi State is now open. In the opening ceremony, Mississippi State President, Dr. Mark Keenum, talked about the original confusion in bringing Grant's library to a southern state. Keenum's response to the questions was that no state helped bolster Grant's credibility as a general more than Mississippi. His strategy in the Vicksburg campaign led to his promotion in the Army, which propelled his political career. "To have this representation here, in Mississippi, that brings together so many of the elements," said Hayden. "I think we'll keep the dialogue going, and it's an important part of what we can do in the future." |
| MSU-Meridian scholarships awarded through Scotts' planned gift | |
 | Two Mississippi State University-Meridian students have been selected as the first recipients of the Jerry and Ruth Scott Annual Scholarship. Carly Gensheimer of Union and Madison Tew of Meridian will receive the award, established by the Jerry and Ruth Scott Foundation to assist working adult students enrolled at MSU-Meridian. Benefactors Jerry and Ruth Scott made their home in Meridian for more than 30 years, where Jerry Scott served as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) with Anderson Regional Medical Center. Ruth Scott, a native of Hinesville, Georgia, attended MSU-Meridian from 1989 to 1993. Both inaugural recipients will each receive $3,500 for the 2017-18 academic year. |
| Two MSU-Meridian students receive Scott Scholarship | |
 | Two Mississippi State University-Meridian students are the first recipients of the Jerry and Ruth Scott Annual Scholarship. Carly Blake Gensheimer, of Union, is a sophomore communications major from Union, who works as a weekend news reporter and photographer for WTOK-TV. Madison Tew, of Meridian, is a junior at MSU-Meridian, majoring in elementary education. She is a teacher assistant at Northeast Elementary School. The Jerry and Ruth Scott Foundation created the scholarship to help working adult students enrolled at MSU-Meridian. Gensheimer and Tew will each receive $3,500 for the 2017-2018 academic year. |
| MSU College of Business professor receives international honor | |
 | Merrill Warkentin, a professor of information systems at Mississippi State University, is one of five scholars worldwide to be recognized with the 2017 Outstanding Service Award by the International Federation for Information Processing. Warkentin, the James J. Rouse Professor of Information Systems in MSU's College of Business, recently received the honor from IFIP, the leading multinational apolitical organization in information and communications technologies and sciences. Warkentin co-founded an IFIP working group on information systems security research. In 2015, he was awarded the Outstanding Leadership Award for "exemplary service and dedication" to the group's annual Dewald Roode Information Security Workshop. |
| FDA Says 'Stay!' ...Away From 'Bone Treats' | |
 | Stuff your dog's stocking with knickknacks. Patty whacks, even. But -- you've likely guessed it by now -- avoid giving the dog a bone, at least a "bone treat." The FDA released a report this month that warns against giving dogs what they refer to as "bone treats." These treats are different from the uncooked butcher bones that come from meats or meat products approved for human consumption, the FDA says. Rather, the treats are full or partial pieces of animal bone that are processed and packaged for sale in groceries, pet stores and online retailers. Dr. Christine Bryan is a professor of community veterinary services at Mississippi State University. She tells NPR she's seen a lot of canine patients suffering ill effects after consuming bone treats. As a veterinarian, Bryan never recommends bone treats. She says one of the issues with them is the way that some are made. |
| Starkville considering 'tactical urbanism' project near library | |
| The city of Starkville is considering a project to use the right turn lane in front of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Public Library to create a more pedestrian-friendly area downtown. The project, which Mayor Lynn Spruill suggested to the board of aldermen, is a "tactical urbanism" project. Tactical urbanism is an umbrella term that encompasses a range of projects used to improve urban environments. Spruill said the Midtown Development, which has limited right turn access at the University Drive-Montgomery Street intersection without a major disruption to traffic flow, has illustrated the concept might work at the library. Should the project come to fruition, the city would block off the right turn lane in front of the library, and use it to create a temporary green space, with a traffic barrier and potted plants, or an area for people to sit in front of the library. Traffic could continue to flow and turn right from what is presently the eastbound straight lane on University Drive. |
| Cases of Flu Double the National Average | |
 | Dr. Joyce Olutade says since September 1, 699 children and adults have tested positive for the flu at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The professor of family medicine says the national average for flu cases at this time of year is 2 percent. Mississippi's rate is 5.5 percent. Olutade says children age 5 and under, senior citizens 65 or older and those with depressed immune systems can suffer serious complications. "People need to take it seriously. Unfortunately there are so many myths about the flu vaccine, however the flu vaccine is the only proven method for preventing the flu," said Olutade. Flu symptoms include a sore throat, muscle aches, fever and cough. Olutade says people don't get the flu from the shot. But some may experience flu-like symptoms. She stresses that's not the infection and over the counter medicine can reduce discomfort. Dr. Paul Byer's, the State Epidemiologist, says people who think they have the flu shouldn't go to work. |
| Questions arise about future of public retirees' 13th check | |
 | Public retirees get a cost of living adjustment added to their benefits every year. It's known as the 13th check. And there's talk on social media that it could be in jeopardy next session. It's nearly a month till lawmakers fill these hallways again but the chatter is already starting up. Representatives Tom Miles and Jay Hughes have posted concerns over a rumor that there might be a push next year to do away with the "COLA" (13th check) for retirees during the coming session. "We made a commitment to our state employees," said Miles. "We should honor that commitment. We shouldn't back up on it." Representative Jeff Smith tried to calm retirees fears via Facebook. He made note that the "COLA" check isn't a real cost of living increase, saying that after the first three years it's an automatic 3% increase. He says if there's every going to be a change, it may well be that. Instead of squashing rumors, it fired some up even more. |
| Opioid makers face first-of-its kind lawsuit from Mississippi hospital | |
 | Like it did against Big Tobacco in the 1990s, Mississippi is helping lead the fight against opioid manufacturers amid an epidemic killing nearly 100 Americans each day. On Thursday, Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb and two Alabama hospitals filed suit against several opioid manufacturers, claiming the companies deceptively marketed and sold the drug. Attorneys filed the first-of-its-kind lawsuit in federal court in Jackson. The 135-page lawsuit details how Purdue Pharma --- manufacturer of OxyContin, the pill receiving the most claims of mismarketing --- Johnson & Johnson, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Endo Pharmaceuticals and others allegedly "pushed highly addictive, dangerous opioids, falsely representing to doctors that patients would only rarely succumb to drug addiction." |
| AG collects in some prison bribery lawsuits | |
| Efforts are continuing by the office of the Mississippi Attorney General to collect funds from individuals and corporations accused of bribing former Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps with the announcement this week of a $1.3 million lawsuit settlement with California-based Sentinel Offender Services, which provides electronic monitoring services. Attorney General Jim Hood announced in February he was filing 11 lawsuits against the companies and individuals accused in the massive bribery and kickback scheme that rocked state government when it was uncovered in 2014. Thus far Hood's office has collected $5.8 million from three companies. Efforts to collect from the other individuals and companies continue. |
| Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell works to salvage tax bill | |
 | Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has his work cut out for him to save the Senate tax bill, which stalled Thursday evening after three GOP rebels threatened to effectively kill it. After weeks of careful negotiations, Senate Republicans are locked in a huge behind-the-scenes fight over what the tax bill should look like. To pass the bill, McConnell and his leadership team will have to craft substantial revisions and they have only 24 hours to do it, give or take, or otherwise postpone the effort altogether until next week. To appease Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), McConnell would have to reduce the total size of the $1.4 trillion tax package by $350 billion to $450 billion. But that approach isn't sitting well with many Republican senators. "It's way too much to give to one person," grumbled one GOP lawmaker, who asked for anonymity to give his frank opinion of the leadership's promise to Corker. |
| Don't mess with college football: Southern senator fights for tax break for donors | |
 | Sen. Lindsey Graham represents a state with the defending national champions in college football and women's college basketball. Clemson's football team is No. 1 again as it chases a second consecutive title, and the University of South Carolina -- in addition to its powerful women's basketball program -- boasts one of the most passionate football fan bases in the country. "You mess with college football, you're going to get creamed," said Graham, a South Carolina Republican. The tax bills making their way through Congress mess with college football. The Senate bill, which is expected to get a Senate vote sometime late Thursday night or early Friday morning, removes a tax deduction for college athletic department donors who pay for the right to purchase season tickets. |
| Sen. John Cornyn says Senate has the votes to pass GOP tax bill | |
 | A key Senate GOP leader said Friday that Republicans had secured enough votes to pass a massive tax package, expressing optimism after a night of high-stakes negotiations. Coming out of a meeting of Senate leaders, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) said, "We have at least 50, and we're still working." The comments from Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, came just hours after Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said he planned to back the bill. He was one of the final holdouts, though the GOP needed a little more help to ensure they had the 50 votes they needed. Cornyn did not say who else had committed to support the package. Johnson's support followed a late night of negotiations, following a standoff on the Senate floor Thursday when Johnson and two other members aired concerns about the bill. |
| Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn Charged With Making False Statements | |
 | Former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn will appear in federal court Friday after being charged with making false statements to federal officials. A U.S. government document released by the office of special counsel Robert Mueller said Flynn has been indicted for making "materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statements" to federal officials. He is due in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, for a plea agreement hearing at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Flynn is being charged with misleading federal officials about several conversations he had with then-Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak. The retired Army three-star general, who also was fired from his Defense Intelligence Agency director post by the Obama administration, was fired by President Donald Trump after just 24 days on the job. |
| From Roy Moore To Tax Debate, A Spotlight On Christian Nationalism | |
| From the U.S. Senate race in Alabama to the tax debate in the U.S. Congress, the role of religion in American politics is once again front and center. In Alabama, Republican candidate Roy Moore is an unabashed Christian nationalist, arguing that the United States was established as a Christian nation, to be governed by Christian principles. "I do believe what the Bible says, and I believe for our country it's historically been true," Moore declared at his most recent campaign rally. "I have vowed, when I go to Washington, D.C., as a United States senator, to take a knowledge of the Constitution and the God upon whom it is founded." Many politicians base their votes and actions in large part on their religious beliefs, but Christian nationalists like Moore take that idea a step further. The extent to which there should be an explicit Christian direction in the U.S. government has vigorously been debated in evangelical circles. |
| National science panel calls for aggressive steps to control drug prices | |
 | The U.S. must take urgent steps to rein in the out-of-control cost of prescription drugs, including aggressive government intervention to negotiate lower prices for American patients, a panel of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommended Thursday in a sweeping new report on pharmaceutical pricing. The report -- titled "Making Medicines Affordable: A National Imperative" -- includes a strongly worded indictment of the nation's prescription drug market, which it warns is failing millions of sick patients. And the 201-page report takes aim at several of the pharmaceutical industry's cherished practices, including direct-to-consumer marketing and efforts by drugmakers to block and delay the introduction of lower-priced generic medicines. "Simply stated, the current system is not sustainable," concluded the panel's chairman, Norman Augustine, former chief executive of Lockheed Martin Corp., one of the world's largest defense companies. |
| Carbon monoxide detectors installed after MUW dorm leak | |
| One hundred-one Mississippi University for Women students who spent Tuesday and Wednesday nights in a local hotel will return to their campus residence hall, two days after the hall filled up with carbon monoxide, prompting an evacuation from the building and sending 28 students to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle. Students in MUW's Kincannon Hall awoke early Tuesday morning to the smell of gas, and the residence was evacuated to a nearby gym at about 5 a.m. According to university spokespeople and Columbus Fire and Rescue Public Information Officer Anthony Colom, the boiler in the basement malfunctioned, leaking carbon monoxide throughout all five floors of the building. A total of 41 students have been evaluated at area hospitals following the malfunction, according to university spokesperson Anika Perkins. All the students have been treated and released. University president Jim Borsig said in a press conference Wednesday university maintenance engineers and other staff have been working around the clock to ensure the students and buildings are safe. |
| New U. of Mississippi Medical Center research building to promote discovery to recovery | |
 | The University of Mississippi Medical Center dedicated the $50 million, 124,852 square-foot Translational Research Center recently during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new facility. The building is designed to help researchers translate scientific discoveries into therapeutic interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public, covering a continuum from discovery to recovery. Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs and UMMC's top executive, defines translational research as "translating scientific discovery into treatments and cures." Woodward thanked the project's sponsors, donors and leaders, especially Senator Thad Cochran, who supported a $19.8 million award from the National Institute of Standards and Technology to help fund the project. |
| Service restored to parts of USM campus after breaks in old water lines | |
 | University of Southern Mississippi personnel said aging infrastructure contributed to an interruption of water service to parts of campus earlier this week. Physical Plant staff believe fluctuating temperatures affected some old water lines near Forrest County Hall and the Cook Library, causing them to break on Tuesday. Water service to about half the campus was shut off while repairs were made. Water service was restored Wednesday afternoon. |
| Accountant faces prison time after stealing from Alabama's Million Dollar Band fund raisers | |
 | A Hoover man who stole more than $20,000 from a fundraising group for the University of Alabama's Million Dollar Band has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison. Randall Sho Woods, 33, was an accountant who served as treasurer for the Million Dollar Band Association, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI. FBI agents arrested him in May and charged him with multiple counts of wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identify theft from clients and the former fundraising group. U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced Woods to two years and three months in prison on two counts of wire fraud and one count of bank fraud. Woods pleaded guilty to the charges in June. According to the indictment, Woods wrote checks totaling more than $20,000 to himself from the Million Dollar Band Association, a non-profit organization external from the university that supported the band. It dissolved a couple of years ago to make way for the new "Friends of the Million Dollar Band Association." |
| Auburn-developed vaccine could help prevent costly disease among catfish | |
 | Auburn researchers will use a nearly $321,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to field-test a novel vaccine that would effectively and economically control one of the most serious bacterial infections in the aquaculture industry today. Columnaris disease can affect nearly all freshwater fish species and causes millions of dollars in annual losses in the catfish industry alone. The sole columnaris vaccine currently available is only moderately effective, but Auburn University researchers have been working on an improved immunization using bacteria derived from a highly virulent strain of the disease. In lab tests, the experimental vaccine developed and patented by Cova Arias -- professor in Auburn's School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences -- has outperformed the vaccine now on the market. |
| U. of Tennessee students' self-driving bus kiosk designs dazzle vehicle company | |
 | About 20 University of Tennessee students in the Haslam College of Business and Tickle College of Engineering presented their designs for a driverless bus kiosks to Local Motors Tuesday night. Last year, Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero announced plans for the city to use Local Motors' self-driving bus, Olli. The company teamed up with the University of Tennessee's inaugural Integrated Business and Engineering Program cohort to give the students a taste of what a start to finish design project might look like. Each team had at least one engineering and one business student, and spent the whole semester preparing a design and a pitch to Local Motors. |
| U. of Tennessee agrees to accept mis-administered ACT tests | |
| The University of Tennessee has agreed to accept the scores of ACT tests that were mis-administered at Bearden High School and Alvin C. York Institute in Jamestown, Tenn. on Oct. 17. "A bureaucratic error should not stand in the way of these young people's future," Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, said in a news release. "Once the situation is explained, I cannot imagine any institution of learning refusing to accept these scores as legitimate." Bearden students were given the Oct. 3 version of the ACT on Oct. 17. ACT's records indicated the wrong test was sent to the school because school officials "inadvertently left their test date as the default of Oct. 3 in the ACT electronic ordering system," Tennessee Department of Education spokeswoman Sara Gast has said. ACT declined to certify the scores, prompting protests among parents and students and drawing criticisms from politicians such as McNally and Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett. |
| Massey Family Donates $2M for U. of Arkansas Scholarships | |
 | The Massey Family Charitable Foundation has donated $2 million to the Advance Arkansas scholarship initiative at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. The contribution counts toward Campaign Arkansas, the UA's ongoing capital campaign to raise $1 billion for academic and need-based scholarships, technology enhancements, new and renovated facilities, undergraduate, graduate and faculty research, study abroad opportunities and other innovative programs. "Retention and graduation are both key to advancing the number of degree-holding Arkansans in our state, and assisting our students financially helps make these goals possible," Chancellor Joe Steinmetz said in a news release. "We are very thankful for the Masseys' generous contribution and vocal support of this initiative." |
| U. of Florida speakers focus on next 100 years of citrus | |
 | Top University of Florida officials who came for Wednesday's Citrus Research and Education 100th Anniversary Celebration spoke as much about the next 100 years of Florida citrus as they did about the past century. "The citrus growers and scientists of 1917 had no idea that today we'd be experimenting with drones, genetic engineering and iPhone apps as tools to grow citrus. And we can't know what citrus science will look like in 2117," said Jack Payne, the chief executive at UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, which includes the Lake Alfred center. "I believe our descendants will hold ceremonies like this at which they'll remark on how the citrus community came together in the early 21st century to surmount one of the greatest challenges in Florida citrus history." Payne was referring to the fatal citrus bacterial disease citrus greening, which threatens the industry's viability as one of the state's biggest agricultural commodities. In his remarks, UF President Kent Fuchs referred to the 1967 book "Oranges" by John McPhee, which detailed the history of Florida citrus to that time. Fuchs suggested another nonfiction classic will be written about the industry's fight against greening. |
| Justice Department argues for Title IX suit against U. of Arkansas | |
| U.S. Justice Department attorneys are backing the decision by a federal judge to allow a Title IX lawsuit against the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville to move forward. After filing what's known as an intervenor brief Wednesday, the Justice Department is now a party in a dispute over whether a state university like UA can be sued for monetary damages under Title IX. The university is asking a federal appellate court to dismiss a 2016 lawsuit filed by a former UA student alleging that the university acted with "deliberate indifference" when in 2014 she reported being raped by another student. In the most recent legal brief, attorneys in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division rejected arguments put forward by UA and Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge that sovereign immunity shields the university from a Title IX lawsuit seeking monetary damages. |
| Missouri campus safety summit tackles emergency response training | |
 | University of Missouri System President Mun Choi and MU Vice Chancellor for Operations Gary Ward held a Safety and Security Summit Wednesday to evaluate responses to campus emergencies. The featured speakers were Police Chief Kevin Foust and Vice President Mike Mulhare from Virginia Tech University, and Police Chief Linda Stump and Deputy Police Chief Darren Baxley from the University of Florida. Foust and Mulhare explained their protocols and response to the April 2007 Virginia Tech shooting and a murder of a Virginia Tech police officer in 2011. Stump and Baxley presented protocols and response to a visit from a controversial speaker. MU currently sends text messages and tweets through MU Alert and updates its website with information. UM System spokesman Christian Basi said new plans would include more text messages with information. Basi also said there is a new systemwide training module in development. |
| Higher Ed Hates the GOP Tax Proposals; Here Are 3 Reasons Why | |
 | Higher-education leaders have been clear on their near-unanimous opposition to Republican proposals to overhaul the tax code. But, with a finish line on a final law taking shape, they may soon have to adapt to a new reality. A week before Thanksgiving, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the tax legislation, largely along party lines, and in doing so, raised the hackles of institutions, students, and their advocates. Several college leaders have made known their dissatisfaction with the legislation. Among the House bill's most devastating provisions, they said, were a tax on tuition waivers provided to employees of colleges (including graduate students), the elimination of several student and family tax benefits, a reduction in the number of people who can itemize their charitable deductions, and a 1.4-percent tax on investment earnings by endowments at some private colleges. |
| Anthropologists consider challenges of teaching in a red state | |
 | Does the study of anthropology inherently run counter to conservative values? In the age of Trump, many in academe are re-evaluating how their professions and livelihoods are perceived by an electorate that rejected the establishment. Additionally, Republicans of all stripes -- establishment or otherwise -- seem to have soured on higher education, with 58 percent of them reporting that they think colleges have a negative impact on the country's direction. Anthropology -- especially its various specializations, which look at the intersection of evolution, race, sex, gender, colonialism, public land use, capitalism and climate change on different world cultures -- seems ripe for the picking if conservatives had to select a specific area of study to bash. "I've gotten on one of my [course] evaluations that I'm not a scientist," said Kimberly Kasper, an assistant professor at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. Casper was speaking on a panel addressing teaching anthropology in conservative states and environments at the American Anthropological Association's annual national meeting, held in D.C. this week. |
| U. of Memphis building $2-million 3D metal printing lab | |
| The University of Memphis is investing $2 million into a metal 3D printing lab that could help revolutionize manufacturing in industries like aerospace and medical devices. The school is outfitting a lab, which should be up and running by April, with two metal printers that can create anything from a kneecap to a part for a plane. The university already has partnerships with local companies FedEx and Medtronic to develop the science behind 3D printing in metal, as opposed to the more common plastic, and to explore its possible uses. Researchers, however, have had to send their work hundreds of miles away to be printed. Metal printing requires much higher temperatures and a larger machine than the plastic ones that have found their way into high school classrooms. That will change with the new lab on the U of M campus, and students from several departments will be able to take advantage, top mechanical engineering researchers Ali Fatemi and Ebrahim Asadi said. |
| How much Legislature can Mississippi afford? | |
| The Clarion-Ledger's Geoff Pender writes: "Normally 18 years in the state Legislature would stomp all the bright-eyed, reform-minded idealism and willingness to think outside the box out of a lawmaker. But not with Rep. Hank Zuber, R-Ocean Springs, bless his heart. To borrow a phrase from a comedian I once heard, hope springs in turtles. Zuber plans, as he has for several years, to introduce a measure that would limit general legislative sessions -- where lawmakers offer non-budget, or general, bills -- to every other year. ...This, Zuber said, would weed out superfluous legislation and allow more vetting and contemplation of new laws or changes to old ones." |
SPORTS
| Previous coaching search experience helps John Cohen land Joe Moorhead | |
| The best thing that ever happened to John Cohen was standing in the back of the room and saying nothing. This experience came in the winter of following the 2008 football season, when Mississippi State was looking for a new football coach and Cohen was just a few months into his tenure as MSU's baseball coach. MSU's athletic director at the time, Greg Byrne, wanted his help for one reason: Cohen was the only coach he had hired. Byrne wanted Cohen around to help the candidates better understand the process ahead of them. Cohen did his part while taking advantage of the opportunity. "I was just a stupid baseball coach," Cohen said. "I stood in the back of the room, didn't open my mouth and took notes." Those notes turned into the how-to guide. |
| Joe Moorhead inherits solid foundation at Mississippi State | |
| Joe Moorhead had watched Mississippi State play several times on television this year. When he was approached about the possibility of becoming the Bulldogs' next head coach, Moorhead knew he would be inheriting a talented team that returns most of its roster. "I have not watched any game film from a coach's perspective but from what I've seen on TV and watching scores, it's obvious that this is a competitive roster and football team," Moorhead said. MSU will lose 13 seniors – only eight of whom were starters – and should be ready for another successful run in 2018. That played a major factor in Moorhead deciding to leave his post as Penn State's offensive coordinator. "This isn't a rebuild, I'm walking into a team that's done a very good job with a very good coaching staff," Moorhead said. |
| Why Joe Moorhead chose Mississippi State and what his expectations are | |
| Joe Moorhead, a Pittsburgh native from a middle-class family and son of a steelworker, found himself serving cheese fries Wednesday night in downtown Starkville. Hours earlier and fresh off a plane from Pennsylvania, he was posing for a photo with a dog. By Thursday morning, Moorhead was hearing the clanging sound of cowbells after he was introduced as Mississippi State's new head football coach. Welcome to Starkville. Moorhead could've chosen somewhere else. Sports Illustrated labeled him in August as the No. 1 rising assistant coach. He had offers. He had been in demand. First, while at Fordham as its head coach and then more recently while at Penn State as its offensive coordinator. Yet there he was Thursday inside Mississippi State's football complex standing at a podium, ringing a cowbell, relaying well-timed one-liners and explaining why he accepted the position Tuesday night to lead the Bulldogs. |
| Joe Moorhead takes reins at Mississippi State | |
 | Mississippi State's been a pretty good football program for most of the past decade, rising from a doormat in the Southeastern Conference to earn a streak of eight straight bowl appearances. New Bulldogs coach Joe Moorhead doesn't believe that's enough. "Our goal here is not to just maintain this program," Moorhead said at his introductory news conference on Thursday. "It's not to insult these guys or this school or this state with low expectations. We're going to do everything we can to bring an SEC championship home and be a program that competes for a national championship on a yearly basis." That statement drew hearty cheers from the several hundred fans who gathered on campus for Moorhead's introduction. |
| Joe Moorhead: 'I'll be forever indebted to Coach Franklin' | |
| Joe Moorhead, wearing a gray suit and Mississippi State tie, walked up to a maroon podium and rang a cowbell with a smile. Seconds later, the former Penn State offensive coordinator was formally introduced as the Bulldogs' head coach on Thursday morning. Moorhead -- who takes over for Dan Mullen, who departed on Sunday for Florida -- signed a four-year deal worth an average of $2.7 million per year. Moorhead took the podium and started with an opening statement. But before getting into his coaching philosophy and plans for Mississippi State football, he thanked all the head coaches he ever worked for, especially Penn State's James Franklin. "One word that kept coming up time and time again which was most impressive was that Joe Moorhead is a man of integrity. And that means a great deal," said Mississippi State president Dr. Mark E. Keenum. |
| Notebook: Bulldogs get savings on Joe Moorhead's contract | |
| Among Southeastern Conference head football coaches, a salary of $2.6 million would've ranked next to last in the 2017, beating only Missouri's Barry Odom (while excluding that of the conference's lone interim, Matt Luke). It would've ranked less than far less successful programs including Illinois, Purdue and Virginia. That's exactly what Mississippi State's new head coach Joe Moorhead will make in 2018 -- and that doesn't bother him. The money he is paid gives him more than enough to take care of his wife and three children; the money MSU saves on that salary gives him some to take care of his assistant coaches, as well. MSU Director of Athletics John Cohen identified that as one of Moorhead's biggest factors as he introduced Moorhead as MSU's 33rd head football coach Thursday morning. "As we went through the process of Joe's contract with him, it was probably the least amount of time we've spent on any subject," Cohen said. "He said, 'What you're offering me is great. Here's what's important to me: I want to take care of our staff and make sure we have the best football staff in America, that's what's important to me.'" |
| MSU Notebook: Joe Moorhead's modest contract means more money for staff | |
| Mississippi State may have gotten a bargain in new head coach Joe Moorhead. The Bulldogs signed Moorhead to a four-year, $11 million contract, which is modest by today's SEC standards. Previous MSU coach Dan Mullen made $4.5 million this past season while Moorhead will make $2.6 million in his first year. "I feel very fortunate to coach a kid's game and be provided with the salary that I am," Moorhead said. Part of Moorhead's reasoning for agreeing to a smaller salary is to have a bigger budget to build his coaching staff around him. Moorhead already has three staff openings from coaches leaving with Mullen to Florida. However, Moorhead isn't going to rush into making any hasty decisions when it comes to hiring his assistants. |
| Joe Moorhead introduced to much fanfare | |
| Even before more than 300 fans had gathered Thursday morning to watch Joe Moorhead's introductory press conference at the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex, Mississippi State's new head coach had already made a strong impression. From the moment Moorhead's plane touched down in Starkville Wednesday afternoon, Moorhead had been saying hello, delaying his exit from the airport to shake hands, sign autographs and mingle happily with an estimated 1,000 fans who turned out for his arrival. He then served cheese fries to MSU students at Bin 612 in the Cotton District well into Wednesday night. After meeting with the Bulldog team Thursday morning, the 33rd head coach in MSU football history followed university president Mark Keenum and athletics director John Cohen to the podium to address a standing-room-only crowd. |
| New Bulldogs boss Joe Moorhead impresses with rapid-fire responses | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: "Some thoughts from Joe Moorhead's introductory press conference at Mississippi State on Thursday, including the fact that State's new football coach talks faster than the Bulldogs put up billboards. And that, folks, is fast... Much to be impressed with including Moorhead's tribute to his father, a Pittsburgh steelworker who often worked two jobs in order to put Joe and two siblings through college and make them the first college graduates in the family. 'I understand what the blue collar work ethic means,' Moorhead said. State fans, many of whom identify that way, had to love that. ...You never know in coaching, but it appears that State made a solid, possibly terrific choice." |
| Tyson Carter scores 35 as Mississippi State men move to 6-0 with win over North Dakota State | |
| While North Dakota State was missing eight straight field goal attempts to start the game, the Mississippi State men's basketball team was hitting a rough patch, too. It had cushion thanks to a Tyson Carter 3-pointer on the first possession, but after that, MSU went on to miss eight of its next nine shots. The end of the rally that got MSU going again was a transition dunk by sophomore guard and Starkville native Tyson Carter. From there, Carter attempted 13 shots -- and made 10 of them. Carter's 35 points on 12-of-17 shooting, 6-of-10 from 3-point range, is the most a Bulldog has scored since Darryl Wilson did it against Alabama in 1995. His career night -- to go with six rebounds, an assist and two steals -- was the unquestioned catalyst of MSU's offense in a 83-59 win over North Dakota State (3-4). The win makes MSU 6-0 for the first time since the 13-0 start to the 2003-04 season. |
| Tyson Carter's career-high keeps Mississippi State perfect | |
| On Mississippi State's first possession Thursday night, Quinndary Weatherspoon passed to Tyson Carter for a 3-pointer. The shot fell and Carter was ignited from that point on. The sophomore from Starkville scored a career-high 35 points in the Bulldogs' 83-59 victory over North Dakota State. "Lately (my shots) haven't been going in early on," Carter said. "When that first shot went in, I knew I was probably in for a big night." Carter finished 12 of 17 from the field and was 6 of 10 behind the arc. He was the first MSU player to score 35 or more points since Darryl Wilson did against Alabama in 1995. "Obviously Tyson Carter really loosened it up for us shooting the ball just incredibly," said MSU coach Ben Howland. "I was so proud of his teammates. They knew he had it going and they kept looking for him. We really got Tyson going and we kept riding him." |
| Tyson Carter scores 35 points in Mississippi State's win over North Dakota State | |
| Tyson Carter was fouled while attempting a jumper from near the top of the key. He took a hard and obvious hit on the hand. His release was slightly altered and he even needed to take a step backward after the contact. No matter. He made the shot anyway. "When I made my first shot of the game," Carter said, "I knew I was in for a good night." It was that kind of game Thursday night for the Mississippi State sophomore guard. Carter scored 35 points and was 12 of 17 from the field in the Bulldogs' 83-59 win against North Dakota State at Humphrey Coliseum. The last MSU player to score 35 points or more in a game was Darryl Wilson in 1995. "Tyson was shooting the ball incredibly," Howland said. "Once he got it going, we kept going to the well." |
| Catalina Perez named Mississippi State soccer's first All-American | |
| For the first time in the 23-year history of the Mississippi State soccer program, a Bulldog has received All-American honors. Just a day after receiving First Team All-Southeast Region by United Soccer Coaches, Catalina Perez was named a Third Team All-American by the organization previously known as National Soccer Coaches Association of America on Thursday. The Boca Raton, Fla., standout adds this honor to an already-stellar 2017 résumé that includes the distinction of the top goalkeeper in the Southeastern Conference after she was named First Team All-SEC in late October. Perez was also named SEC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 10 (Oct. 23) after allowing just one goal over two contests in which she totaled 10 saves and a shutout. Perez's stellar play in net for State in 2017 helped Tom Anagnost's first Bulldog squad to the program's best finish in 16 seasons. |
| Airbnb hosts earned $800K during Ole Miss, Mississippi State games | |
| College football can be lucrative for the athletic programs and the universities themselves, but more homeowners are becoming beneficiaries as well. Hundreds of Airbnb hosts who shared extra spaces in their homes in Oxford and Starkville during football season this year earned more than $800,000, according to an analysis by the company. Thousands of visitors flock to Oxford and Starkville, filling hotels and restaurants during home games. The analysis is based on Airbnb internal data for Ole Miss and Mississippi State University home games during the 2017 football season. |
| NCAA issues punishment on Ole Miss | |
| Ole Miss will receive an additional bowl ban for 2018, three years of probation, as well as additional scholarship losses. The university received official word of its sanctions Friday morning. The NCAA released the report to the public at 10:30 a.m. CT. According to the NCAA's official report, the three-year probation period is from Dec. 1, 2018, to Nov. 30, 2020. The postseason bowl ban includes 2017, which the university self-imposed this year, and the 2018 season. Ole Miss faced 15 Level 1 violations, including lack of institutional control. |
| Why are Ole Miss players retaining the services of attorney Thomas Mars? | |
| Ole Miss' long-awaited NCAA verdict arrives Friday morning. Depending on what happens, players may be able to transfer without penalty. If there's no additional bowl ban, that won't be the case. Either way, some players and families aren't taking chances. Safety Deontay Anderson retained the services of Houston Nutt's attorney, Thomas Mars, and claimed he was misled about Ole Miss' NCAA infractions. Anderson, who redshirted this season, requested his release and was granted a full one by Ole Miss. Mars confirmed that Anderson wasn't the Ole Miss player/family who has retained his services on Monday and said: "As of this evening, it's more than one, but less than 11." A common question that has popped up is: Why do these players need a lawyer to ask for a transfer? Especially when Ole Miss didn't seem to stand in the way of Anderson's request. Well, the answer, according to Mars, starts with Nutt's legal battle with Ole Miss, which was centered on an alleged smear campaign school officials led against Nutt when the university received its initial Notice of Allegations in January 2016. |
| John Currie out as Tennessee athletic director | |
| John Currie is out as the Tennessee athletic director after eight months on the job and one chaotic week of a football coaching search, according to USA TODAY. Ryan Robinson, spokesman for UT Chancellor Beverly Davenport, told the Knoxville News Sentinel in a text message that he "can't comment on anything." According to Brett McMurphy, a college football insider formerly of ESPN, the move to fire Currie comes on the heels of a week filled with in-fighting among the powers that be at the University of Tennessee. He pointed to former UT coach Phillip Fulmer as having sabotaged the "search process in hopes to becomes Tennessee's AD." He continued to say Tennessee officials "have been ambushing (John) Currie's (coaching search). They shoot themselves in the foot, cock the gun & shoot themselves in the other foot. It's been going on for a week." All that led to Friday morning, as Currie was fired less than a year after he returned to Tennessee as the athletic director on April 1. |
| Mike Leach takes turn in spotlight of UT Vols search | |
| Tennessee's coaching search is like a dating show. Each day brings a new candidate who must accept or reject the Vols' proposal. Friday is Mike Leach's turn in the spotlight. Reports surfaced late Thursday and early Friday that the Vols' had made Leach the latest focus in their search to replace Butch Jones, who was fired nearly three weeks ago. Leach met with Tennessee athletic director John Currie on Thursday in Los Angeles to discuss the Vols' job, the AP reported, citing a source with knowledge of the situation. Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports and SI.com reported that the meeting "went very well." Feldman and Leach wrote a book together, "Swing Your Sword," which published in 2011. Reporters asked Leach on Friday morning, after he deplaned at the Pullman, Wash., airport, whether he had discussions about the Tennessee job on Thursday. "If I had, I wouldn't tell you, and if I hadn't, I wouldn't tell you," Leach told reporters. |
| Source: A&M regents to give president go-ahead to hire Jimbo Fisher on Monday | |
 | The Texas A&M System Board of Regents are expected to meet Monday to give A&M President Michael K. Young the green light to offer the head football coach job to Florida State University's Jimbo Fisher, according to a source familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Fisher is scheduled to be flown into College Station on Sunday afternoon after Florida State's final matchup of the regular season against the University of Louisiana at Monroe on Saturday. A press conference officially announcing Fisher's hire to replace Kevin Sumlin -- who was fired Nov. 26 after the Aggies' 45-21 loss to LSU --- is expected to take place Monday morning following authorization by the regents. On Thursday, the Regents and Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp had a special meeting to discuss "legal personnel matters relating to the football program, including issues relating to the appointment of a new head coach of Texas A&M University," Board of Regents Chairman Charles W. Schwartz said before adjourning the meeting. |
| U. of Arkansas spokesman: AD search 'moving briskly' but no conclusion reached | |
| A University of Arkansas, Fayetteville spokesman said Thursday the search for the school's permanent athletic director was moving briskly but has not reached its conclusion. "We're still vetting candidates," said Mark Rushing, assistant vice chancellor for university relations. "No decision has been made." Rushing's remarks followed widespread reports citing anonymous sources that said the university had hired Tulsa Athletic Director Derrick Gragg as the permanent replacement for Jeff Long. UA Chancellor Joe Steinmetz, who fired Long on Nov. 15, is consulting with a seven-member advisory committee in the athletic director's search. The school announced this week that it has hired the executive search firm Korn Ferry to vet candidates for a one-time fee of $75,000 plus out-of-pocket expenses. |
| Auburn 'committed' to Gus Malzahn amidst Arkansas rumors | |
| Arkansas has made clear its intentions to go after Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn after Saturday's SEC Championship game. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Thursday that Malzahn is the top target for the Razorbacks, who fired Bret Bielema following the team's season finale on Nov. 24. Yahoo Sports reported that the powers that be are "holding up their entire search just for the opportunity" to get Malzahn and are "ready to back up the Brinks truck" in order to get him. One local columnist also wrote an impassioned plea for Malzahn to return to the state where he spent his playing career, became a star in the high school coaching ranks and got his first college job as the offensive coordinator at Arkansas in 2006. Still, it sounds as if Auburn will make an effort to keep the head coach who just led the Tigers to a 10-2 season that included wins over rivals Georgia and Alabama. FootballScoop.com reported Thursday that Malzahn's camp met with Auburn University president Steven Leath and presented a "substantial" package that would keep him at Auburn. |
| Sex assaults reported in Williams-Brice at South Carolina-Clemson game | |
 | Two women told USC police they were sexually assaulted in separate incidents at Williams-Brice Stadium during Saturday night's Carolina-Clemson game. University police responded to a call involving two 20-year-old victims inside the stadium, according to a police report. The incidents were reported at 7:30 p.m., around the time the game kicked off. "It is appalling that someone would commit such a reprehensible act," University of South Carolina spokesman Jeff Stensland said in a statement. "Clearly, this behavior violates our community standards and will not be tolerated on our campus. We will not hesitate to pursue criminal and student disciplinary action whenever possible." |
| UGA's Carla Williams moving on to Virginia, but 'always a Dawg' | |
 | On the fourth floor of the Butts-Mehre building Thursday, Carla Williams sat in a nearly-cleaned out office and listed the things Georgia made possible. The scholarship that put her on the Lady Bulldogs basketball team from 1985-1989. Her first full-time job, which she took instead of an internship with the SEC offices. A graduate assistantship so she could get her masters degree. The class where she met her husband. The campus that's home to her two oldest daughters now. The six degrees she and her husband, Brian, hold between them. "Georgia has given me everything," Williams said. "And I think I have given Georgia all I have to give." Williams will end her tenure as Georgia's deputy director of athletics today, more than a month after the University of Virginia announced her as the school's new athletic director. |
| Avalanche of football-related concussion suits against NCAA, conferences could lead to changes | |
| Last year, the Associated Press reported that the NCAA faced 43 lawsuits filed by Edelson PC, the firm representing Langton's case. Subsequently more than 100 plaintiffs have joined the lawsuits against the association and sometimes against conferences or individual institutions. The legal challenge is part of a broader effort to pursue a class-action suit against the NCAA and to force it to pay for medical expenses for treating brain injuries. Four sample cases have been selected. The case still needs to be classified as a class-action suit and remains in its early stages. The litigation coincides with a handful of recent number of moves at colleges and universities to halt football programs when there are concerns over health concerns. Occidental College, for example, canceled the remainder of its football season due to player injuries. Academics and experts have pondered whether the pressure will eventually lead the NCAA to endorse major reforms. |
| Rick Pitino sues Louisville for breach of contract: How much does he want? | |
 | Rick Pitino filed a breach of contract lawsuit Thursday against the University of Louisville Athletics Association seeking damages of $4,307,000 per year through 2026. Pitino, who was fired by Louisville last month in the wake of a federal investigation into alleged corruption in college basketball, argues Louisville did not allow him due process in placing him on administrative leave and locking him out of his office and had no grounds on which to terminate his contract "for cause," according to that contract. In a press release announcing the lawsuit, Pitino maintains he had no knowledge of the alleged scheme to pay a recruit last summer with funds from an Adidas executive and said he implemented the actions required of him by Louisville in regard to the stripper scandal that led to sanctions against the Cardinals by the NCAA. Both controversies were cited in Pitino's termination letter. |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
