Wednesday, May 9, 2018   
 
Wicker Highlights Mississippi State University's Leadership in Drone Research
U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a senior member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, on Tuesday participated in a hearing on the future of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones. Wicker used his time for questions to highlight the research being conducted at the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Center of Excellence (COE), which is led by Mississippi State University. Wicker also questioned how Mississippi State's expertise could be leveraged as policymakers and the FAA seek to integrate greater use of unmanned aircraft into national airspace. "There is a Center of Excellence, comprised of 22 of the world's leading research institutions called ASSURE, the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence. This Center of Excellence is led by Mississippi State University," said Wicker. "How will the FAA utilize the product and the research of ASSURE, and does our FAA reauthorization bill adequately address this issue?"
 
Short-Range Drones for the Maritime Environment
The Coast Guard "sees a clear opportunity to perform many of its missions faster, cheaper and more safely through the use of short-range unmanned aircraft systems," according to Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Lampe, short-range UAS platform manager in the service's Office of Aviation Forces. Coast Guard personnel launch an AeroVironment drone called Puma All Environment from a response boat-medium during recent short-range unmanned aircraft system demonstrations at Singing River Island in Mississippi. S&T partnered with the Army National Guard to use Camp Shelby, Mississippi, for land-based demonstrations. A partnership was also established with Mississippi State University to gain exclusive access to Singing River Island for maritime evaluation of drones.
 
Six local students are first graduates of MGCCC/MSU engineering partnership
It's been four years since Mississippi State University and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College announced a partnership to bring an affordable means of earning an Engineering degree through their joint "Engineering on the Coast" program. All six graduates majored in Mechanical Engineering: Tyler S. Quave and Timothy R. Wilson of Ocean Springs; Jonathan W. Massaro and Cassidy E. Voelkel of Pascagoula; Richard A. "Rikki" Pribanic of Lucedale; and Tedd R. Dixon of D'Iberville. "In summer 2014, we laid out a vision to deliver Mississippi State University engineering degrees on the Mississippi Gulf Coast," said Jason M. Keith, Dean of MSU's Bagley College of Engineering. "We are proud to have brought that vision to reality with our first cohort of graduates in mechanical engineering."
 
Stoneville hosts USDA Under Secretary Bill Northey
When Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue nominated Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey for consideration as Under Secretary of Production and Conservation, he knew Northey was the man for the job. Northey recently traveled across the United States to become more familiar with a few of the commodity organizations and the farmers he and his staff will serve. Frank Howell, director of economic development, Delta Council, organized a briefing about the role of the organization, and a field tour showcasing a few of the research projects conducted by employees of the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, Miss. "These researchers and their findings aren't hidden away and kept in some building or lab. Area farmers are connected to what's going on here," adds Northey. "The coordination that takes place here between USDA and Mississippi State (University) is beyond impressive."
 
Expert discusses venomous snakes after local man bitten
After a West Alabama man was bitten by a deadly snake, Newscenter 11 reached out to a local snake expert to find out more about coral snakes. Dr. Jarrod Fogarty is a biology professor at MSU-Meridian. He says coral snakes may be one of the least common venomous snakes in this area. Their venom is different than other snakes. Neurotoxic venom can speed up your heart rate and respiration and paralyze your diaphragm. Other venomous snakes usually have hemotoxic venom that damages tissue. The man who was bitten by the snake, Jeffrey Phillips, thought the snake he had grabbed was a king snake. Dr. Fogarty says it's best to just avoid snakes. Because these snakes are so uncommon, their bites are difficult to treat.
 
City amends alcohol ordinance for special events
The Starkville Board of Aldermen approved an amendment to the alcohol ordinance relating to open containers for special events during its last meeting. The amendment was approved by the board with a 4-3 vote. Ward 1 Alderman Ben Carver, Vice Mayor and Ward 6 Alderman Roy A. Perkins and Ward 7 Alderman Henry Vaughn voted against the ordinance amendment. For each special event, an application must be submitted to the board for approval. In the application, the special event would designate where the boundaries would be located for open containers. During the meeting, Perkins was the only person who spoke in opposition of the amendment. He said this change doesn't promote family values, is not in the best interest of children and it doesn't support Christian values. The type of events this ordinance would affect are events like the Cotton District Arts Festival, Pumpkinpalooza and Unwine Downtown.
 
Oktibbeha makes $1.5M offer for former health department building
Oktibbeha County will make a $1.5 million offer for the former district health department building on Lynn Lane after supervisors approved the measure in a split vote on Monday. The building, situated just south of Starkville High School at the intersection of Lynn Lane and Victory Lane, is being eyed as a potential location for administrative offices for the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. Under a proposed land swap arrangement with the school district, Oktibbeha County would buy the Lynn Lane property then trade it with SOCSD for the vacant East Elementary, East High and West High school campuses. Board of Supervisors President Orlando Trainer proposed the offer, with support from District 3 Supervisor Marvell Howard and District 5 Supervisor Joe Williams. District 1 Supervisor John Montgomery and District 4 Supervisor Bricklee Miller opposed making the offer.
 
Mississippi Guardsmen to provide security at US/Mexico border
A group of Mississippi National Guardsmen based out of Tupelo are heading to take part in security operations along the U.S. border with Mexico. According to a release from the National Guard, 25 troops from Company C of the 1st Battalion, 114th Aviation Regiment will conduct a sendoff ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday at the Tupelo Army Aviation Support Facility on Lemons Drive. The group is deploying for three weeks as a part of Operation Guardian Support, a joint security operation along the Southwest border. Three Mississippi UH-72 Lakota helicopters will provide aerial surveillance support to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Border Patrol. This is the fourth time the Mississippi unit has been sent to support the Southwest border security operations.
 
Jason Shelton drops Senate campaign
Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton abruptly announced Tuesday that he is dropping his bid for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Thad Cochran. "After much prayer and consideration I have reached the decision that I will be withdrawing my candidacy," said the second-term Tupelo mayor in a written statement. In early April, Shelton, a Democrat, announced that he would compete in a special election to replace Cochran, who retired mid-term. Shelton held a formal campaign kickoff and fundraiser about two weeks ago. A Northeast Mississippi native, Shelton acknowledged from the beginning that he'd face hurdles in establishing widespread name recognition but repeatedly pledged to run a hardworking campaign.
 
Mayor Jason Shelton drops out of U.S. Senate race
Democratic Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton has announced he is dropping out of the special U.S. Senate race in Mississippi. Shelton sent a press release announcing his decision on Tuesday afternoon. He said he is asking that his name be withdrawn from the ballot. In a statement, Shelton said: "I still feel strongly that we must get beyond the rhetoric that has been so detrimental to progress, and elect a U.S. senator who is intent on working with Mississippians who need help navigating the maze of the federal government, working with other senators to push back the rising tide of debt swallowing our nation, and working to find practical solutions to the many challenges facing people across Mississippi."
 
Mississippi Democrat drops Senate bid
A long-shot Democratic candidate is ending his bid in Mississippi's special Senate election, giving hope to a party that sees a unified front as its best chance at pulling off a miracle in November. Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton announced Tuesday that he would step aside, leaving former Rep. Mike Espy the lone Democrat in the race. Espy will now square off against two Republicans, incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and state Sen. Chris McDaniel, in the November election to finish out the rest of the term vacated by GOP Sen. Thad Cochran's retirement. Gov. Phil Bryant (R) appointed Hyde-Smith to fill the seat in the interim. Republicans are still the heavy favorites to keep the seat, even as Hyde-Smith and McDaniel begin to lock horns. Hyde-Smith is the favorite of the GOP establishment who believes she gives the party a better chance of holding the seat, and she's already gotten a boost from a six-figure ad buy from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
 
Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton drops out of Senate race
The already dramatic U.S. Senate special election again shifted Tuesday as Democratic candidate and Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton announced he is dropping out of the race. Shelton said on Tuesday that the uphill battle to win the race featuring three high-profile candidates led to his decision. "The nature of this special election, with a short qualifying period, was such that potential candidates had to make quick decisions about qualifying," Shelton said in a statement. "The historic significance, and rare opportunity, of this special election was also not lost on me." "I respect and honor Mayor Shelton's decision to exit the Senate race at this time," said Bobby Moak, chairman of the Democratic Party. "His political acumen coupled with always placing others before himself makes it abundantly clear that Mayor Shelton has a bright future in politics."
 
Expert: Shelton's withdrawal from US Senate race means more votes for Espy
The special election for the U.S. Senate race is already heating up. Tuesday, Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton announced that he has pulled out of the race. With his departure, that could mean more votes for the Democratic candidates. Kenneth Townsend, a political science professor at Millsaps College, feels the votes could swing in Mike Espy's favor. "Well I think Mike Espy is very pleased right now," said Townsend. "He's the Democratic candidate who has the lead in all the polling we have at this point. Jason Shelton was most likely going to pull some votes away from him. So I'm sure he's very pleased. On the other end of the spectrum, I'm guessing that Republican candidates are probably a little less excited by the news. Cindy Hyde-Smith is probably not happy that a Democrat is out of the race now." Townsend believes that this election can also give us some entertaining days.
 
U.S. Chamber poll: Cindy Hyde-Smith leads Mike Espy, Chris McDaniel
A poll commissioned by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Mississippi's special Senate election shows Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, whom the Chamber is backing, leading the race. The live poll of 500 likely voters from May 1-3 was conducted for the Chamber by GS Strategy Group of Idaho. The survey also reported Hyde-Smith with a 41 percent favorable rating, 15 percent unfavorable. Espy had 36 percent favorable, 23 percent unfavorable and McDaniel 22 percent favorable, 41 percent unfavorable. The McDaniel campaign has questioned the veracity of some polling in the race, particularly those commissioned by groups supporting either Hyde-Smith or Espy. "The only polling that counts is the polling that will be done on Nov. 6," said McDaniel spokesman Tanner Watson.
 
U.S. Senate Candidate David Baria: Legalize Medical Marijuana Nationwide
Mississippi Rep. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, wants medical marijuana legalized nationwide. The state minority whip is one of six candidates running to be the Democratic nominee for U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker's seat. "I can tell you without reservation that I am in favor of legalizing medical marijuana that can be prescribed while under a doctor's care," he said May 2 on a telephone town-hall call, answering a caller's question. "I know that medical marijuana has benefits for patients suffering from PTSD and for folks experiencing pain, like cancer patients." Baria even suggested that legal medical marijuana could reduce opioid use nationwide, which has been deemed a national crisis. On the town-hall call, Baria stopped short of supporting legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes.
 
'I told everybody this is what I was going to do': Why Trump torpedoed Obama's Iran deal
The lobbying campaign to save the Iran nuclear agreement was intense and took months. British Prime Minister Theresa May raised the deal with President Trump in more than a dozen phone calls. French President Emmanuel Macron pressed him on it during an elaborate state visit. So did German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a one-day work trip in April. And the Europeans made a Hail Mary pass Monday in the form of a White House visit by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. But for Trump, the decision to torpedo one of President Barack Obama's signature foreign policy achievements had effectively been made last October, when he declared that Iran was not in compliance with the deal and called on European allies to negotiate better terms.
 
3 Americans Are Released From North Korea, Trump Says
President Trump declared a diplomatic victory on Wednesday by announcing that North Korea had freed three American prisoners, removing a bitter and emotional obstacle ahead of a planned meeting between him and the young leader of the nuclear-armed nation. The release of the three prisoners, all American citizens of Korean descent, was in some ways the most tangible gesture of sincerity shown by North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, to improve relations with the United States after nearly seven decades of mutual antagonism. Mr. Trump said in a tweet that the three were freed following a visit to North Korea by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was in Pyongyang, the North's capital, for more discussions with North Korean officials about the expected meeting between Mr. Kim and Mr. Trump.
 
McConnell campaign trolls losing Senate candidate with Netflix cocaine series
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's campaign team took to Twitter Tuesday night to poke fun at U.S. Senate candidate Don Blankenship, who conceded Tuesday evening. Blankenship referred to McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, as "Cocaine Mitch" in advertisements and said one of his goals as senator would be to "ditch Cocaine Mitch." He also targeted McConnell's wife Elaine Chao, U.S. transportation secretary for President Donald Trump. So when Blankenship lost Tuesday night in West Virginia, the McConnell team struck back, possibly referencing the Netflix show "Narcos." The tweet shows McConnell surrounded by a white, powdery substance and the phrase "Thanks for playing, Don" beside him. The image is reminiscent of the promotional poster for "Narcos," a show centered around Pablo Escobar and cocaine trade in Colombia in the late 1980s.
 
Campaign Mitch: McConnell triumphs in West Virginia
The Republican Party establishment struck back on Tuesday, delivering a punishing defeat of ex-con Don Blankenship. The coal baron who attacked Mitch McConnell like he was on the ballot -- including with racially-tinged ads targeting the Chinese roots of Elaine Chao, the Senate leader's wife -- placed a distant third in the West Virginia Senate GOP primary. The weak finish, coming after late fears among rival campaigns that Blankenship was surging down the home stretch, amounts to an unqualified win for McConnell after a rough election cycle so far. Most tangibly, the outcome keeps a key potential pickup for Republicans in play for the GOP. But it also gave McConnell and the battered GOP establishment some much-needed bragging rights.
 
How Mississippi State Helps Make the Ole Miss Grove Gorgeous for Graduation
Right now, one department on the Ole Miss campus is working as hard or harder than any to have the university's most famous 10 acres, ready for graduation. "When you cross the University Avenue bridge, and you pull up to the stop sign and then you're seeing flowers blooming, just that dark green grass, it's an attraction," said Shea Baird, UM's landscape spray technician of the impact of the The Grove. To make sure The Grove has grass for graduation, Baird's team employs research techniques and works with an unlikely ally -- Mississippi State. The lengthy process begins in September and October when soil samples are sent to Mississippi State for analysis. "We get back a soil analysis in about a month, so we know what we're looking at, as far as what kind of nutrients we need to put out in The Grove and how much we need to put in it," said Baird.
 
Pine Belt colleges, universities offer summer school to benefit students
It's a beautiful June day, 90 degrees, the birds are singing and Coastal beaches are calling. What would you like to be doing? Jourdan Green chooses to be in summer school at the University of Southern Mississippi. "I really enjoy school. I like taking classes," the Southern MIss sophomore said. "I'm not comfortable being on the 'okay track.' Summer classes help me stay focused, stay challenged and keep me ahead of the game." Green has plenty of reasons for spending the summer in school, and in fact, the benefits of summer school are many. In addition to the University of Southern Mississippi, William Carey University, Pearl River Community College and Jones County Community College all provide classes year-round. Jones County even offers its warm weather selections at half-price.
 
East Mississippi Community College holds commencement
East Mississippi Community College held three commencement ceremonies for its class of 2018 Tuesday. In total, more than 650 students graduated from the institution across the ceremonies, including one ceremony on the Scooba campus and one each for academic and career/technical students on the Golden Triangle campus. In his address, EMCC President Thomas Huebner emphasized to students to not stop here, and never forget what's important. He also thanked graduates' families and recognized the efforts of EMCC faculty. "Moms, dads, brothers, sisters, friends, students, can you remember the day you decided you were going to go to school, that you were going to take the next step?," Huebner said. "Maybe you were sitting in your living room, maybe it was around your dining room table, but at some point in your life, not long ago, you said 'you know what, I'm going to do this. I'm going to go to school. I'm going to start school.' It was a natural transition for you, but you decided that you were going to go to East Mississippi Community College."
 
Tennessee college VP would like to build on MCC success as president
Ted Lewis, vice president of academic affairs at Pellissippi College in Knoxville, Tennessee, cited a number of reasons why he would like to become the next president of Meridian Community College during a public forum Tuesday in the McCain Fine Arts Theater. "This is a strong institution," Lewis said. "I have looked at its mission statement. There is a strong financial base. You serve your students. There's a good balance between certification courses to those leading to the next level. There are good workforce programs. You invest in expensive equipment for your students." Lewis is one of five finalists to succeed Scott Elliott, who is retiring at the end of this semester, and the second to make a presentation and take questions at a campus forum.
 
Biosciences powers Alabama's economy by $7.3 billion a year, UA study finds
A new University of Alabama study says the state's biosciences industry contributes $7.3 billion to Alabama's annual economy. That's the work of 780 companies and includes almost 48,000 direct and indirect jobs. According to the study, commissioned by the BioAlabama industry trade group, biosciences employ directly 17,871 workers, with an average annual salary of $67,664. Total expenditures of those companies exceed $3.8 billion a year. In all, that's about two percent of the state's total economic output. This is the first report of its kind on the scope of the state's biosciences sector, which includes everything from pharmaceutical manufacturers to research and medical labs. Senior Research Economist Sam Addy prepared the report with the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama's Culverhouse College of Business, with assistance from BioAlabama.
 
Work begins on University Boulevard
The University of Alabama has begun the latest phase of improvements on University Boulevard on the eastern edge of campus. The work stretches from roughly 12th Avenue East to Hellen Keller Boulevard and is scheduled to be completed by the beginning of the fall semester. University Boulevard will remain open through the work area, but traffic will be channeled to one side of the road while the oncoming lanes are under construction, according to the university. The phase of the project includes work similar to earlier phases with repaving, new curbs and gutters, replacing storm inlets and landscaping and lighting. The roadway will be four traffic lanes, with either a center turn lane or landscaped median. The board of trustees in April approved a change in the scope of the project to add additional lighting, sidewalks and the replacement of aging water and sewer lines requested by the city of Tuscaloosa and the Alabama Department of Transportation, which will each provide reimbursements for the work.
 
Faculty Senate Criticizes Tennessee System's President After Sudden Firing of Knoxville Chancellor
The Faculty Senate at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville voted on Monday to censure Joe DiPietro, the university system's president, days after he suddenly fired Beverly Davenport, the Knoxville chancellor, a local television station reported. But the faculty failed to pass a resolution expressing no confidence in DiPietro. The censure resolution criticizes DiPietro as taking "administrative actions that directly and negatively affect" the campuses he oversees "without apparent regard for campus-level concerns," according to the station. It also says he has "failed to be transparent and responsible in his communications with ... the public regarding matters such as his position on outsourcing and the post-tenure review process."
 
U. of Florida President Kent Fuchs: 'We failed'
The University of Florida marshal who physically rushed graduates at a commencement Saturday afternoon has been placed on paid administrative leave, a UF official said Tuesday. The actions of the marshal, whom UF is identifying only as a chemistry lecturer, is under review, university spokeswoman Margot Winick said Tuesday. The commencement ceremony at 2 p.m. Saturday and overall commencement policy, practices and training are also under review, Winick said. She said it's university policy to keep the names of those under review anonymous. Late Tuesday afternoon, UF officials released a video statement from UF President Kent Fuchs in which he said, "We failed; the University of Florida and I failed" in creating a commencement atmosphere in which all graduates could celebrate their achievement. A written statement that accompanied Fuchs' video noted that while he had apologized, "images show him sitting nearby as the behavior occurred."
 
Faculty Member Who Rushed U. of Florida Students Off Graduation Stage Is Put on Leave
A faculty member who served as a marshal at the University of Florida's commencement last Saturday has been placed on paid administrative leave, according to a university spokeswoman. The university will not release the faculty member's name, said the spokeswoman, Margot Winick, and declined to comment further while the matter is under review. The Gainesville Sun identified him as a chemistry lecturer. At Saturday's ceremony, some graduating students who walked across the stage to receive their degrees were hurried and escorted away after posing for their parents and dancing. Some students who weren't pushed along did the "Florida Gator Chomp" or waved for their families, but a video shows African-American and Latino/a graduates' being grabbed and pushed by the marshal. That sparked criticism from students who said they had been targeted because of their race, according to the Sun. Another video shows the marshal pushing a white female student after she appeared to pause to take a selfie.
 
UGA researchers travel Down Under to collect seeds
University of Georgia horticulturists Rachel Itle and Dario Chavez recently spent a busy two weeks in Australia collecting seeds from wild raspberries and peaches to bring back to the UGA Griffin campus. They will use this collection of seeds from Australia to breed new varieties of raspberries and peaches specifically for the Southeast. As scientists in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Itle and Chavez research Georgia-grown fruit. Itle works with blueberries and Chavez focuses on peaches. They traveled to Queensland, Australia, in South Wales on international travel grants provided by the CAES Office of Global Programs. The collection trip was a major first step in the UGA scientists' breeding efforts, but consumers won't be enjoying the literal fruits of their labor anytime soon. "The varieties we breed are for potential markets in the future, but that will take 10 to 15 years," Chavez said.
 
U. of Missouri spring commencement ceremonies begin Friday
The state's first woman Supreme Court chief justice and a noted business ethicist will be awarded honorary degrees, and approximately 5,510 University of Missouri students will send their caps into the sky this weekend at commencement ceremonies. Degrees will be handed out during the 15 commencement ceremonies, which begin Friday, including 4,564 bachelor's degrees, 911 master's degrees and 315 doctorates. In addition, 540 online students from 39 states and seven countries will be graduating. Commencement will coincide with the Southeastern Conference softball tournament this year and will bring an influx of visitors to campus. Speakers at the ceremonies include Anne Deaton, former MU first lady and co-founder of the Brady and Anne Deaton Institute for University Leadership in International Development.
 
No clear solution to nationwide shortage of computer science professors
At Haverford College last month, computer science students playfully but pointedly hung April Fool's Day-inspired signs around campus, asking where their computer science professors were. The faculty members weren't missing, per se, since they were never there: Haverford, like the vast majority of other institutions, suffers from a computer science faculty shortage. Haverford's "dire shortage of faculty has created what can only be described as a crisis for students interested in computer science, lotterying us out of required introductory and upper-level classes," a group of undergraduates wrote in a related letter to the campus's Education Policy Committee published in the independent student newspaper, The Clerk. The factors at play in the computer science faculty shortage are similar to those in other fields with lucrative job options outside academe -- a supply and demand story, but on steroids.
 
Whether by design or circumstances, 2018 elections are proving confusing to state voters
Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "Confused about the 2018 elections in Mississippi? You likely aren't alone. Mississippi voters will elect two U.S. senators in the 2018 elections. There is a regular election Class I Senate seat up for grabs for a full six-year term to run from 2019 to 2025. The party primaries for this race will be held June 5. The general election will be held Nov. 6. Ten candidates have qualified for this race. Then there's a special election Class II Senate seat being contested for a partial term that will end in 2021. The nonpartisan special election will be held Nov. 6. Five candidates have qualified for this race. ...Between state and federal elections, Mississippi voters in any election cycle have to pay attention to the process to ensure that their voice is heard in choosing local, state and federal leaders."


SPORTS
 
Mississippi State takes on Troy in Hoover tonight
Mississippi State will hit the road for its final midweek non-conference game today against Troy. The Diamond Dogs will do so in a venue where they hope to begin postseason play in two weeks at the SEC Tournament. MSU will be the designated home team tonight at 6 against the Trojans at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Senior right-hander Jacob Billingsley (3-3, 4.59 ERA) will start on the mound tonight. Mississippi State is 4-0 all-time against Troy, including a 10-8 victory in Starkville last season.
 
Mississippi State's Mia Davidson selected SEC Freshman of the Year
It's all a part of the process. Mississippi State's Mia Davidson may have had one of the best freshman seasons in school history, but she said it would not be possible if it not for hitting coach Samantha Ricketts and the blueprint the coaches have for the program. "Ricketts trusts us to do what we can for the team," Davidson said. "She just tells us to have a plan and do what you have to do and everything else will come." Quite a bit of honors came the way of Davidson on Tuesday as she was selected the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-SEC and first team All-SEC. Davidson has put up huge numbers for the No. 25 Bulldogs in her first year in Starkville.
 
Mississippi State's Mia Davidson chosen Freshman of the Year for SEC
Behind a phenomenal debut season, Mississippi State softball's Mia Davidson reeled in the postseason honors as she was selected as the league's Freshman of the Year as well as earning First Team All-SEC and Freshman All-SEC honors, the conference announced Tuesday. Davidson has dominated the conference slate and closed the regular-season as the conference leader in home runs (18), total bases (137) slugging percentage (.797). Davidson is just the third Bulldog to ever be named the league's top freshman and the first since two-time All-American Courtney Bures in 2005. The lone MSU freshman to start all 55 games this season, Davidson has led Mississippi State to a national ranking as MSU finished the regular season with a 35-20 record after playing the nation's 12th-toughest schedule.
 
Bulldogs look to put up fight at SEC Softball Tournament
No one knows more than Vann Stuedeman just how difficult life in the Southeastern Conference can become. The longtime SEC assistant and now seventh-year Mississippi State coach has been on top fighting off those charging for the championship and she's been in the middle of the fray chasing it. In many ways, the SEC Tournament that begins tougher than even pursuing the ultimate prize. "It is harder to win the SEC Tournament than it is to win the national championship," Stuedeman said. "You have to earn a hit to get a hit. You have to make great pitches and have good at-bats. The coaches in our league are incredible and the film study they do is like the major leagues. Each team will be prepared for what the other throws at them."
 
Texas A&M softball team to open SEC tournament against Bulldogs
Something good could come out of the Texas A&M softball team getting swept at Alabama last weekend. With just one victory over Alabama, the 14th-ranked Aggies would have clinched the fourth seed for this week's Southeastern Conference tournament in Columbia, Missouri, earning a first-round bye. Instead, A&M (40-15, 13-11) finished in sixth place and will play 11th-seeded Mississippi State (35-20, 7-17) at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the tournament's opening game. "For us, it's really important that we focus on the here and now, and you really can't dwell on [Alabama]," A&M coach Jo Evans. Third-place South Carolina will play the A&M-MSU winner at 11 a.m. Thursday.
 
Road Dawgs Tour makes stop in MSU backyard | Starkville Daily News
Every spring, Mississippi State coaches and administrators take off for the annual Road Dawgs Tour making stops around the Southeast. One of those stops this year is right in MSU's own backyard. This coming Monday morning, first-year Mississippi State head football coach Joe Moorhead, as well as Director of Athletics John Cohen and other university guests, will be present for a tour stop in Starkville. It'll be hosted at MSU's Leo Seal, Jr. Football Complex beginning with a 7:30 a.m. social and catered breakfast. The program itself will start at 8 a.m. Amanda Edwards of the Oktibbeha County MSU Alumni Chapter says the event will give Bulldog supporters an inside look at the upcoming football campaign and more.
 
Mississippi State's Joe Moorhead to speak in Vicksburg on Thursday
Vicksburg is getting more cowbell. Moorhead, too. New Mississippi State football head coach Joe Moorhead will be the featured speaker when the Road Dawgs Tour 2018 visits Vicksburg on Thursday. The event will begin at the Vicksburg Convention Center at 11:30 a.m. with a buffet lunch and social. "When you have the head coach, you're going to have a good turnout," said Josh McBride, the president of the Warren County Chapter of the Mississippi State Alumni Association. "We have a limited number of seats, so we're trying to presell tickets. We will have some tickets at the door. I'm hoping it's a sellout." The Vicksburg stop is the first of 10 on the weeklong Road Dawgs Tour.
 
UF football assistant coach pay: Todd Grantham is Gators' first million+ dollar man
Florida has its first million-dollar assistant football coach in terms of base annual salary -- defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, whose base salary is $1,390,000 in 2018. UF released Grantham's contract Tuesday along with the contracts of Dan Mullen's other nine assistants as part of a public records request. Grantham signed a three-year contract in November that calls for his annual base salary to increase by $100,000 each year. He will be making $1,490,000 in 2019 and $1,590,000 in 2020. The veteran defensive coordinator is UF's first assistant coach to crack the $1-million mark in annual base salary. In all, the school will be paying $4,740,000 for the 10 assistants in 2018. Mullen's annual salary is $6 million.
 
LSU Golden Girls, Colorguard are only Tiger Band members with weight restrictions
The young women who make it onto the teams for LSU's Golden Girls and Colorguard become part of the university's Tiger Band, an organization that is "a source of pride to thousands of LSU students, alumni, fans, faculty, and administration," according to its 2017 handbook and syllabus. The difference, however, between those women and the rest of the band is they can only gain or lose 5 pounds of weight from the day they make the teams through the rest of the year they remain part of it. The weight restriction, which Colorguard and Golden Girls members must acknowledge for the 2018-19 academic year by signing a participation agreement, is enforced through "pre-performance weigh ins conducted by" instructors, the agreements read. Blair Guillaume, who coaches the Golden Girls, said she's a registered dietician and monitors the weight of both the Golden Girls and the Colorguard members weekly.
 
Memphis City Council eyes more Liberty Bowl renovations for Tigers
The Memphis City Council approved a new lineup of renovations at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on Tuesday in a play for more high-quality football recruits. The council unanimously approved $2.5 million to renovate the home locker room and, if there's any money left over, paint support areas and improve the sound system. Council member Reid Hedgepeth, a University of Memphis football player in the late 1990s and the sponsor of the resolution, said crews should finish the renovations by Sept. 1, before the 2018-19 season opens. The improvements had the support of Mayor Jim Strickland's administration, Hedgepeth said. This wouldn't be the first time the council has invested in the city-owned stadium, which historically operates at an annual deficit of about $500,000.



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