| Thursday, February 8, 2018 |
| Bill would allow guns in college dorms, sports venues | |
 | A bill the Mississippi House passed Wednesday to expand where enhanced concealed carry permit holders can take firearms has university leaders across the state worried. House Bill 1083, which passed by an 81-29 vote Wednesday, seeks to clarify the 2011 concealed carry law already on the books to allow those permits holders to have guns on "any public property or portion of public property" -- even places where they aren't currently allowed. That not only means courtrooms. It also would apply to all buildings on public university campuses -- such as residence halls, classrooms and sports venues. Mississippi State University president Mark Keenum, in a statement issued Wednesday after HB 1083 made it through the House, expressed concern about the bill -- particularly that it may allow firearms into classrooms and residence halls. |
| SEC, Keenum warn new gun bill endangers students, football games | |
 | A university president and the commissioner of the SEC are criticizing a House bill passed Wednesday that would give gun owners with enhanced carry permits the ability to sue if they are prevented from carrying on public property, including at public universities and courthouses. "This gives enhanced carry holders the right to challenge some of these policies, but there is no change in the law with this," Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, said. "... Certain agencies have adopted and put into place policies, rules and signs that do not follow the law we've had since 2011. This provides a process for enhanced holders to challenge." The bill's passage drew almost immediate reaction from Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum, who is also president of the Southeastern Conference, and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. |
| SEC commish stands against proposed Mississippi law allowing guns on campuses | |
 | SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Wednesday that athletic opponents "will decline opportunities" to play at Ole Miss and Mississippi State if pending gun legislation is allowed to pass in the state of Mississippi. Sankey made his comments in correspondence to the CEOs of the state's two largest universities in response to House Bill 1083. Sankey wrote that the bill's passage has the "potential to introduce concealed carry weapons into stadiums, arenas and other college sports venues." Sankey's letter was sent to Mississippi State president Mark Keenum and Ole Miss chancellor Jeffrey Vitter. Even in pro-gun states like Mississippi, universities are typically allowed some form of a "campus exemption" so weapons can't be carried onto a university's grounds or into buildings. |
| Guns vs. college football in dispute over where guns can go | |
 | It's guns versus college football in a dispute over where certain Mississippi residents can carry firearms. At issue is House Bill 1083, which would void rules limiting where some people are allowed to carry guns on public property. House Judiciary A Committee Chairman Andy Gipson, the bill's sponsor, says all it does is remove illegal rules that universities, judges and others have erected to bar guns. But universities say guns in stadiums could lead to opponents refusing to play in Mississippi and guns in dormitories could alarm parents. The bill passed the House 80-29 Wednesday. It was held for the possibility of more debate, and would also have to pass the state Senate. Gipson has brought out a stream of pro-gun bills. Some Democrats accuse him of political posturing on behalf of the National Rifle Association. |
| SEC, university officials warn of repercussions of concealed carry bill | |
| The Southeastern Conference warned Mississippi universities of the consequences should a recently debated concealed carry bill pass in the Legislature. Nonetheless, the House passed a bill Wednesday morning that strengthens permit-holding citizens ability to carry guns on college campuses. In a Feb. 7 letter to Mississippi State President Mark Keenum and University of Mississippi Chancellor Jeff Vitter, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey warned of the repercussions if the bill becomes law. In a statement, IHL Commissioner Glenn Boyce said "the safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors on our university campuses is a top priority for the Board of Trustees and university leaders. HB 1083 compromises our ability to protect and ensure the safety of those on our campuses because it nullifies and prohibits any policies and/or authority to designate sensitive areas of campus where weapons should not be allowed." |
| Ulysses S. Grant impersonator speaks at Grant presidential library at MSU | |
| To hear him tell it, Curt Fields is the best-known impersonator of the least-known, best-known person in American history. In other words, Fields plays the role of Ulysses S. Grant, commander of the Union forces during the Civil War and later the 18th President of the United States. Now in his eighth year of playing the role of what Fields insists is the least understood man of the 19th century, Fields -- aka Grant -- was the lecturer in Tuesday's inaugural Michael B. Ballard Lecture Series at the Grant Presidential Library, located on the fourth floor of Mississippi State's Mitchell Memorial Library. The lecture series honors Ballard, who spent more than 30 years as an archivist and historian at the university. Ballard died in 2016. In some respects, the role he played Tuesday -- Ulysses S. Grant: The Man Behind the Uniform -- is his most difficult he noted while beginning his speech before the overflow audience in the Grant Library auditorium. |
| Our View: Grant Library can provide entertainment for non-scholars too | |
| The Dispatch editorializes: "With last year's completion of a $10 million renovation at Mississippi State's Mitchell Memorial Library which is now home to the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, university officials take pride in noting that anyone who chooses to write a book on the Civil War General and 18th President of the United States will require an extensive visit to the university. ... While scholars may thrive scouring the files in search of minute details of Grant's history, most of us don't intend to write a book and, to be honest, the idea of wading through the mountains of manuscripts is not particularly appealing. Even so, a visit to the Grant Presidential Library is something almost anyone should be able to appreciate, thanks to the presence of a state-of-the-art museum chronicling Grant's life and his significance in American history and a gallery dedicated to the Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana..." |
| Retired Mississippi State Vice President Rodney Foil has died | |
 | Dr. R. Rodney Foil, long-time vice president of the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, has died. Funeral services will be held a 3 p.m., Friday, Feb. 9 at First United Methodist Church at Starkville, Miss., preceded by visitation beginning at 1 p.m. Dr. Foil died Feb. 4 at age 83. He retired from Mississippi State University in 1999 after 30 years as an administrator. At MSU, Dr. Foil also served as head of the Department of Forestry and dean of the then School of Forest Resources, as well as associate director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES). He was named director of MAFES in 1978, and Experiment Station research prospered during his years of leadership. He was named a vice president in 1986. Dr. Foil garnered a long list of academic and professional honors. |
| New MDCPS backpack program helps give foster children a sense of normalcy | |
 | The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services is rolling out a new backpack program for children removed from homes. When children are removed from homes after a child abuse or neglect case, Commissioner Jess Dickinson said they often leave with a few belongings in a trash bag before being taken to a shelter or foster care. "I had a discussion with my staff and determined we could do better than that," said Dickinson. "It sent a terrible message to take a young child and put their things in a garbage bag." The National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center at Mississippi State University, who helped MDCPS develop their report child abuse app, also helped them create brochures about the new backpack program. |
| Two arrested for burglary at MSU | |
 | Two related burglary arrests have been made by the Mississippi State University Police Department. MSU students Ty Abraham and Jamal Jones were arrested Tuesday and booked in the Oktibbeha County Jail for allegedly entering dorm rooms and stealing items while occupants were either away or sleeping Both Abraham and Jones were booked on one charge of residential burglary each, and were held on bonds set at $5,000. Both have been released. Both students have been suspended from MSU pending further investigation. Their next court date is scheduled for March 6. MSU Chief of Police Vance Rice said it appeared the two were working together, and said there was a possibility more arrests would be made in the case. |
| City moving ahead with annexation study | |
| Starkville will move ahead with the second phase of an annexation study after a split vote from the board of aldermen on Tuesday. The board approved moving the study along on a 5-2 vote, with Roy A. Perkins and Henry Vaughn, of wards 6 and 7, respectively, opposing it. The first phase focused on population and potential ad valorem tax growth that would come in all portions of the proposed annexation area, which includes a stretch of land to the west along Highway 12 that would bring the Links and Sunset subdivision into Starkville; a small piece of land to the north to bring all of Collier Road into the city; and a broad swath of land to the east and south that would bring in Mississippi State University and the surrounding area. |
| Opioids: Mississippi Senate advances bill addressing the drug crisis | |
| The Senate is advancing legislation geared toward curbing opioid addiction. On Wednesday, the Senate unanimously accepted its role in curbing the crisis. Senate Bill 2759 establishes a state Opioid Crisis Commission. Senate Pro Tem Terry Burton, R-Newton, introduced the measure, which is sponsored by Public Health and Welfare Chairman Dean Kirby, R-Pearl. "The solutions to this opioid crisis will require legislation," Burton said. In November, the Clarion Ledger reported that 195 people were confirmed to have died of opioid overdoses. On Wednesday, senators also passed the "Opioid Crisis Intervention Act." |
| Senate passes plan to divert state funds to cities for infrastructure | |
 | Municipal governments could eventually get an additional $40 million in state funds for infrastructure needs under legislation that passed the Senate Wednesday. The bill would divert additional sales tax money to the cities and counties. But how long it would take to fully phase in the diversion of funds, which are currently designated for state budget needs, to the municipal governments is not known. Sen. David Parker, R-Olive Branch, the author of the legislation, conceded at one point it could take up to 15 years to complete the phase-in of the $40 million to local governments. The municipalities currently receive from the state 18.5 percent of the sales tax collected within their borders. The sale tax on most retail items is 7 percent. |
| Piecemeal infrastructure patches roll through Legislature | |
| Nearing the halfway mark of the 2018 legislative session, lawmakers are settling on a piecemeal approach to finding additional infrastructure funding. The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would divert up to $40 million per year to cities for infrastructure improvements. That figure represents a fraction of the $400 million a year in additional funding that economic developers and transportation department leaders requested to improve state highways. Both the $40 million Senate plan passed Wednesday and a $108 million House plan passed earlier this session would take that money from the state general fund -- in other words from other state agencies -- unless state revenue collections improve beyond the estimates being used by legislators to set next year's state agency budgets for basic services such as education, Medicaid reimbursements and state retirement pensions. |
| Sales Tax Diversion Bill Called 'Fantasy' by Senator | |
 | Lawmakers in the Mississippi Senate voted 42 to 9 for SB 2455. The measure would increase the sales tax diverted to Mississippi cities from 18 1/2 percent to 20 percent over 5 years. But there's a catch. The state's revenue must increase by 1 percent in order for the bill to take effect. Republican Senator Pro Tempore Terry Burton of Newton who co-authored the measure explains. "Once 1 percent revenue growth is attained then an additional .3 percent will go to that 18 1/2. Once another year happens then there'll be another .3 percent. Over a period of 5 years it goes to 20 percent eventually and then it will stay there," said Burton. Democratic Senator David Blount of Jackson calls the bill "fiction" and "fantasy." |
| Is George Flaggs seeking lieutenant governor post? | |
| Is Mayor George Flaggs Jr. getting serious about running for lieutenant governor? Flaggs has indicated an interest in running for the seat now held by Tate Reeves, who is in his second term as lieutenant governor and prevented by term limits from seeking a third term. Another Vicksburg native has also been mentioned as a candidate for lieutenant governor, but Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann declined to comment about any potential run for another office. Speculation that Flaggs may run seemed to pickup Tuesday, after the mayor emailed a copy of a Clarion Ledger story about the lack of potential Democratic candidates for state offices to the media. But is he planning a run for lieutenant governor? "I'll announce my decision May 7 at high noon," he said. "Until then, I'm meditating on it." |
| Senate passes proposal to change election cycle for school board members | |
| Legislation that passed the Senate Wednesday afternoon would conform the method of election for Mississippi school board members. The bill, which passed by a 28-23 margin, does not impact school boards that have members who are appointed. School districts that have appointed boards are primarily municipal districts, such as Tupelo. School boards in county districts such as Lee, are generally elected. Under the legislation that passed the Senate Wednesday, all elected school board members would stand for election in either 2023, which is when other candidates are running for state office, or in 2024, which is a presidential election year. |
| House passes bill to fine driver for driving in left lane | |
| The House passed a bill Wednesday to prohibit slower driving vehicles in the left lane of roadways with two or more lanes in the same direction. "A vehicle shall not be driven continuously in the outermost left lane of a multi-lane roadway whenever it impedes the flow of other traffic," House Bill 80 says. House Transportation Chairman Charles Busby, R-Pascagoula, who authored the bill, said he had discussed it with the Department of Public Safety, which isn't opposed to the bill. Rep. Charles Young, D-Meridian, said, "We have a very serious problem with people lingering in the left lane." |
| Greg Davis says he'll pass on Horn Lake's city planner job | |
| In a Facebook post that listed his extensive catalog of hits, former Southaven Mayor Greg Davis said Wednesday he no longer wants to be considered for the job of Horn Lake city planner. "It's time to move on," Davis said. "We've been dealing with this since August of last year and that's enough. We had the votes. But if you have the votes and you don't ever cast them, its useless." On Tuesday night after a lengthy closed executive session, the Horn Lake board voted 4-3 to table the proposal to hire Davis until its March 19 meeting. Davis served in the Mississippi House of Representatives before being elected to the first of four terms as Southaven mayor. He lost in his bid for a fifth term in 2013 during a scandal over allegations of misspent city money, including a charge at a sex shop in Canada. In 2014, a DeSoto County Circuit Court jury in Hernando found Davis guilty of fraud and embezzlement. However, an appeals court threw out that verdict and in June an Oxford jury acquitted him on all charges. |
| International businessman running for 3rd District congressional seat | |
| Perry Parker said his name is not as well known as some other candidates for Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District but, "We think that's a good thing." Parker, 52, of Seminary spent 30 years working in financial markets in the U.S. and abroad for Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank and other companies, and founded The First, a national banking association headquartered in Hattiesburg. Parker is one of six Republicans seeking to replace Rep. Gregg Harper, who recently announced he would not seek re-election this year. Parker said improving education, supporting a strong military, term limits and free-market solutions to Washington's problems are among his top issues and he believes his business and financial experience make him "uniquely" qualified. |
| Perry Parker highlights experience in congressional run | |
 | Perry Parker might be a stranger to politics, but with a "businessman in the White House," Parker said he thinks he can bring the same change to Mississippi. "My background is as a businessman. The team coaches me on the political side," Parker said in a meeting with The Meridian Star Wednesday. The Sumrall native joined the race for the 3rd Congressional Seat in Mississippi, which includes Meridian, on Feb. 5. With a background in finance, Parker traded with Goldman Sachs in Chicago and worked with the Deutsche Bank as the global head of non-franchise trading. Despite this travel, Parker said he calls Mississippi "home." "There was never any question that I'd be back here," Parker said. |
| Candidate says he will push for prosperity in Mississippi | |
| A Mississippi native who worked in international finance said Wednesday that he is running for Congress because he wants to bring "a new era of wealth and prosperity" to the state. Perry Parker of Seminary is one of five Republicans running in the 3rd District, which makes a diagonal across the central part of the state from Natchez to Starkville. Republican Rep. Gregg Harper is not seeking re-election, saying 10 years in Congress is enough. Parker, 52, worked in finance in Chicago, New York and London, and kept family ties to Covington County, where he now lives again. During a news conference at the state Republican headquarters, Parker said he believes in public education and free markets. |
| Parker launches bid for Congress | |
| Sumrall native Perry Parker launched his campaign for Congress in the Third Congressional District on Monday, making Starkville one of the stops on his 19-day tour. "My name may not be as recognizable and some of the politicians who have announced or may be considering announcing for this race," Parker said. "We think that is a good thing." Parker is a cum laude graduate with a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Southern Mississippi and am M.B.A. in finance from the University of Chicago. Parker said his background is in agribusiness and finance, and he and his brother founded The First, a bank headquartered in Hattiesburg that now employs more than 500 people. Perry has also invested in real estate, cattle grazing, feeding and row crop farming in Mississippi. |
| House candidate has deep MSU ties | |
| Many may remember Whit Hughes from his days on the hardwood playing basketball for Mississippi State, but the former Bulldog sixth man is looking to be the top dog in the District 3 race for the U.S. House of Representatives. Hughes, 42, officially announced his candidacy a couple of weeks ago and will seek to fill the seat of Rep. Gregg Harper, who revealed earlier this year that he would not seek re-election in 2018. His 2018 bid for Capitol Hill will be his first attempt at office. "I'm encouraged by all the positive feedback," Hughes told the Starkville Daily News on Monday. "The primary is on June 5, so you have a really tight window to run a campaign. Fortunately, for me, I enjoy great relationships with everyone in the district and will be able to activate networks of support at a high level and looking forward to the weeks and months ahead." |
| Paul Ryan says he has the votes for budget deal | |
 | Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said on Thursday that he believes he has the votes needed to pass a massive budget deal and avoid a government shutdown, despite pushback from both the left and right over the bipartisan deal. "I think we will," Ryan told radio show host Hugh Hewitt when pressed on whether he will have the votes. "I feel good. Part of it depends on the Democrats. This is a bipartisan bill. It's going to need bipartisan support." The package to bust spending caps and raise the debt ceiling is expected to easily pass the Senate on Thursday and be sent over to the House, where it could be a tougher lift. Passing the measure would keep the government open for another six weeks and avoid a shutdown set for midnight Thursday. |
| George W. Bush: There's clear evidence Russia meddled in U.S. election | |
 | Former president George W. Bush said he believes Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, departing from President Trump, who has been skeptical of intelligence agencies' findings that the Kremlin had interfered to help him win. "There's pretty clear evidence that the Russians meddled. Whether they affected the outcome is another question," the 43rd president said at a summit in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. He added: "It's problematic that a foreign nation is involved in our election system. Our democracy is only as good as people trust the results." Bush has been critical of Russia, slamming it for working to "exploit our country's divisions." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Bush's remarks. |
| Supreme Court's conservatives appear set to strike down union fees on free-speech grounds | |
 | Paying union dues and baking a wedding cake may not seem like classic examples of free speech -- except perhaps at the Supreme Court. This year, the high court is poised to announce its most significant expansion of the 1st Amendment since the Citizens United decision in 2010, which struck down laws that limited campaign spending by corporations, unions and the very wealthy. Now the "money is speech" doctrine is back and at the heart of a case to be heard this month that threatens the financial foundation of public employee unions in 22 "blue" states. Like Citizens United, the union case is being closely watched for its potential to shift political power in states and across the nation. |
| State, campus leaders respond to House of Representatives passing concealed carry bill | |
 | Mississippi just got one step closer to allowing concealed carry on college campuses. The Mississippi House of Representatives passed House Bill 1083 Wednesday morning. The bill, if passed by the Senate, would allow weapons on college campuses in places like classrooms or athletic events. This would override the IHL policy prohibiting guns in non-public campus areas. Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter released a statement Wednesday afternoon urging the state leaders and legislators involved to consider the negative implications this bill would have on the Ole Miss campus. Last month, some Associated Student Body senators mentioned plans to propose a bill allowing concealed carry of weapons on campus. Ole Miss ASB Vice President Elam Miller said there are no concrete plans for this bill yet. |
| Colonel Reb headstone stolen by students as a gift | |
| Four Northwest Community College students were arrested Tuesday after allegedly stealing a Colonel Reb headstone from a local business in Oxford. According to Oxford Police Department, officers were called to Mr. Feathers Honky Tonk last week in regard to a stolen headstone worth around $1,500. The headstone was a tribute to Colonel Rebel and had a history of how he became the Ole Miss mascot on it, police said. Investigators were able to identify Kelli Ann Camp, 20, of Oxford; Jose Meraz, 19, of Coldwater; Nathan Moss, 19, of Grenada; and Brandon Byrd, 20, of Southaven as their suspects. Police said they believe one of the students wanted to give the headstone to a family member as a gift. |
| Today's lesson: 1st impressions at Jackson State University | |
 | Deborah Bynum believes in the power of first impressions. That's why the wife of Jackson State University President William Bynum is a strong supporter of the JSU Tiger Career Closet, an initiative intended to help currently enrolled JSU students in need of professional attire. She plans for the career closet to help Jackson State students positively represent themselves and their institution from now and years to come. "The career closet is free for students because I hope that one day they will pay it forward just like someone paid it forward for them," Bynum said. At the ribbon-cutting last fall, students laced head to toe in 9-to-5 office garb ripped the runway during a fashion preview. The ribbon-cutting event was brought to life as members of the university's Insatiable Modeling Squad and Blue Ambassadors organization showcased outfits available in the career closet. From dresses and suits to shoes and accessories, the closet appears to have it all. |
| East Mississippi Community College's Gina Cotton, Marcus Wood assume new posts | |
| Two familiar faces at East Mississippi Community College have been tapped to double-team the college's alumni relations efforts. Gina Cotton is now the director of Alumni Affairs and Foundation Operations while Marcus Wood has been named the executive director of College Advancement. Cotton, who has worked at EMCC for nine years, was formerly the coordinator of Alumni Relations for Nick Clark, the college's vice president for Institutional Advancement until he retired July 30. Wood, who is in his 10th year at EMCC, was an assistant football coach for the Lions until last year when he assumed an administrative post. Wood will lead the college's fundraising efforts. The two will work closely with EMCC Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management Leia Hill. |
| William Carey University, Comcast launch Xfinity On Campus | |
 | Students who live on campus at William Carey University have a new way to watch TV on-the-go. The Hattiesburg university and Comcast have just launched Xfinity On Campus. It allows students to use their mobile devices to watch live TV. The service is included with room and board for those in on-campus housing. "It includes over 90 channels that they'll have access to, so they can watch live television anywhere on campus," said Alex Horwitz, vice president of public relations for Comcast. "(It includes) 20 hours of pre-recorded content that they can take with them so as long as they live on campus, and they've got an iPhone or an iPad or a laptop or whatever they want to use, they can go anywhere and watch it at their convenience." |
| TOPS task force dodges on how to remake Louisiana tuition program | |
| Even a task force created to recommend ways to remake Louisiana's TOPS college tuition program can't decide how the popular, 20-year-old program should be tweaked. Rather than assess nearly a dozen proposals and decide which ones to recommend to the House and Senate, the legislative study group instead Wednesday advanced all of them. Some of the ideas were divisive. Several conflict with each other. And it was unclear if any of the major suggestions could get a majority support from the task force as its members diverge on whether the program should reward high-performing or needy students. |
| Missouri bill would allow faculty to carry weapons as 'campus protection officers' | |
 | Improving college campus safety in an age of increasingly frequent mass shootings is a continual challenge. Allowing trained faculty members to carry concealed weapons on campuses could be a potential solution, some lawmakers argued Wednesday. Rep. Dean Dohrman, R-La Monte, introduced a bill Wednesday that would allow universities to designate full-time faculty as "campus protection officers," who can carry concealed weapons. The faculty member would be required to have a concealed carry permit and would undergo training conducted by the Department of Public Safety, and the list of staff members would be given to the department. The bill received support from two nonprofit organizations that advocate for higher education and support their members' missions and goals. Brian Millner, president and CEO of Missouri Community Colleges Association, and Paul Wagner, executive director of the Council on Public Higher Education, both spoke in favor of the bill Wednesday. |
| Senate budget agreement boosts student aid and research, but does not restore DACA | |
 | Senate leaders on Wednesday looked poised to reach an agreement on a two-year budget deal that would lift spending caps put in place in place at federal agencies by Congress in 2011. The lifting of those caps has long been sought by higher ed institutions who say they threaten sustainable funding of research. The agreement would add $4 billion in new money for student aid, according to a brief summary document circulated on Capitol Hill Wednesday, and boost spending on the National Institutes of Health by $2 billion. Not included in the deal is a fix for the group of young immigrants known as Dreamers, who have faced uncertainty over their status since President Trump announced in September that he would wind down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. DACA provides temporary protection against deportation and work authorization to hundreds of thousands of young immigrants -- including many college students -- who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. |
| Security Costs Loom Larger in Campus Free-Speech Fights, and A Lawsuit Shows Why | |
 | The University of Washington's College Republicans sued the university late Tuesday over its decision to charge the group $17,000 in security fees for a planned rally this weekend featuring a controversial conservative speaker. The group called the fees "draconian and unreasonable" and argued that requiring sponsors to cover such costs is an illegal restriction on protected speech. The university says that the fees are based on a number of objective factors, including threats of violence, and that even $17,000 probably won't cover the cost of securing the event. The speaker at the center of the dispute is Joey Gibson, founder of Patriot Prayer, a right-wing group based in Vancouver, Wash., whose rallies have sometimes sparked confrontations between right- and left-wing demonstrators. The standoff comes as colleges nationwide grapple with the soaring cost of securing events where provocative speakers and angry protesters can be expected to clash. |
| Study: Students' postsecondary education arcs affected by parents' college backgrounds | |
| The American dream -- the idea that everyone is given an equal chance to succeed -- is embedded in U.S. politics and culture. But the reality is that Americans start off in different places in ways that are sometimes difficult to overcome. A study of first-generation college students published today by the U.S. Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics shows that children of college-educated parents are much more likely to pursue and complete an undergraduate degree than are young people whose parents did not attend college. However, the gap closed significantly upon completion of a bachelor's degree, and the two groups' employment status, salary amounts and rates of enrollment in a master's degree were nearly the same. The study followed three groups of students from three federal databases -- high school sophomores in 2002, college freshmen in 2003 and graduates in 2007 -- as they moved through their education (or didn't). |
| State leadership looking to again reduce money for vital services | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Bobby Harrison writes: "State revenue is finally growing some -- albeit at a slow rate -- after multiple years where there was no or minimal growth. But it is almost as if the state's political leadership is seeing that growth and saying -- 'wait, we can't have that.' This legislative session, both the House and Senate are taking up legislation to further reduce money going into the state general fund. In past years, they slowed the flow of funds into the general fund by cutting taxes... This year the raid on the general fund is being carried out in the name of transportation -- to provide more funds for both the state's and local government's transportation needs. A little explanation might be needed here." |
| Slimantics: Guns vs. College Football promises to be an interesting match-up | |
| The Dispatch's Slim Smith writes: "Technically, the 2018 Mississippi Legislative Session began on Jan. 2. In reality, though, the session doesn't really begin until Andy Gibson (R, NRA) pushes through some bizarre, unnecessary and potentially dangerous piece of gun legislation through the House of Representatives. That day arrived Wednesday when a Gibson-authored bill (House Bill 1083) allowing concealed carry of firearms into the state's college arena, stadiums and sporting venues was passed by the House. ...But this time, Gipson may have gone too far, as hard as that might be to imagine. ... Aside from the obvious point that this law benefits no one in any way, Gipson may have at long last met his match. In a state where a Guns vs. Anything Else showdown almost always end with Guns winning, a Guns vs. College Football matchup is a whole different matter." |
SPORTS
| No. 2 Bulldogs turn focus toward Florida | |
| Following a historic win over defending national champion South Carolina on Monday, No. 2 Mississippi State is focused on the future and remaining undefeated. The Bulldogs begin their final six games of the regular season at Florida tonight at 6 p.m. MSU (24-0, 10-0 SEC) defeated the Gators 90-53 in Starkville on Jan. 25 behind 23 points from Teaira McCowan. The Bulldogs have won the last four meetings but trail in the overall series 25-22. McCowan (19.3) and Victoria Vivians (19.6) lead State in scoring. |
| SEC play tests No. 2 Mississippi State's offense | |
| If you've watched Southeastern Conference sporting events, you're probably familiar with the ad campaign "It Just Means More." The initiative is designed to highlight there is so much more to the SEC than the success of its sports teams. If focused on women's basketball, that ad campaign could signify league teams often are going to face taller defenders, longer opponents, and faster guards as well as experienced coaches with a knack for shutting down the strengths of their rivals. Through it all, No. 2 Mississippi State has continued to do something that isn't "normal" at this point of the season. MSU (24-0, 10-0 Southeastern Conference) will look to continue its program-record start to the season at 6:02 tonight when it takes on Florida (10-13, 2-8) at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida. |
| Morgan William Is Still Chasing That Perfect Shot | |
 | Morgan William has gotten used to life as a minor celebrity. It's her jump shot she's worried about these days. So hours before Mississippi State's shootaround on Monday, a day that ended with the Bulldogs defeating South Carolina, 67-53, in a rematch of last season's women's basketball national championship game, William walked into her team's practice facility and took shot after shot, until she had made 10 attempts from seven spots on the floor. By the time the shootaround actually began for her teammates, William was drenched with sweat and downing a chocolate milk to get her through the next grind. The biggest leap forward this season, though, has come from center Teaira McCowan, a 6-foot-7 rebounding machine (13.3 per game). Her ability to jump into various roles is part of what makes Mississippi State so dangerous. At the moment, Mississippi State is in a position to earn a No. 1 seed in the tournament, and with that a chance to play the first two rounds at the Hump, a formidable home court when it is packed with more than 10,000 fans, as it was on Monday. |
| The W nears first pitch for first baseball team | |
| The butterflies are back. For Matt Wolfenbarger, that means the start of another season. This year, though, the anticipation of the start of a new campaign likely carries an added significance because Wolfenbarger and his students-athletes will make history when they kick off the Mississippi University for Women's baseball team's inaugural season. The W will kick off its first intercollegiate baseball season at 3 p.m. Friday against the University of Dallas. The teams will play two seven-inning games at noon Saturday and a nine-inning game at 11 a.m. Sunday. "Everything is progressing just like I hoped it would," Wolfenbarger said. "The pitchers are getting a good bit more in shape. Arms are getting in shape. Velocity is coming up. Hitting has improved a whole lot." The W currently is on a path to gaining status as a NCAA Division III member. |
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