Thursday, May 17, 2018   
 
College Bound: Mississippi State, Ole Miss top choices for area graduates
Mississippi State University is the preferred choice of Northside graduates this year, with 316 expected to attend the Starkville university this fall. Meanwhile, the University of Mississippi continues to be a popular choice, with 292 graduates choosing to be Rebels. Ninety Madison Central graduates are expected to be cheering for the Bulldogs this fall, while 83 will be cheering on the Rebels. Jackson Preparatory Students will have no trouble finding their former classmates at MSU or Ole Miss. Forty-nine each will be attending the schools. From Madison-Ridgeland Academy, 36 graduates are expected to attend MSU in the fall, while 21 are slated to attend Ole Miss. At St. Joseph Catholic School, seniors also overwhelmingly chose Mississippi State. Twenty-seven students are choosing to be Bulldogs, while 12 are going to Ole Miss. Graduates of St. Andrew's Episcopal School will also be well represented at Ole Miss and MSU, with 13 and 16 students respectively.
 
Mississippi State building construction students get experience with tiny house
Students in Mississippi State's Building Construction Science program found completion of a two-semester tiny house construction project a challenging experience, but the lessons learned were worth the work. Nearly 30 students spent the full academic year working on several projects leading up to the design and construction of steel and wooden house frames. MSU Assistant Clinical Professor Lee Carson and College of Architecture, Art and Design Dean Jim West guided students as they went through the process of designing, researching and exploring materials and fabrication methods, planning construction, and building every element of the structures. Students also were responsible for creating a comprehensive document explaining the entire design and construction process.
 
Mississippi State University to start accepting Common App
Mississippi State University has announced it will start accepting applications from a platform that over 1 million college applicants use each year to apply to more than 800 universities worldwide. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports MSU announced Monday that it will begin accepting the Common Application from prospective undergraduate students Sept. 1. MSU Assistant Vice President for Enrollment John Dickerson says the Common App simplifies the university's process. The platform's applicants make online accounts, and information submitted including high school grades and entrance exam scores are accepted by every school. But, each school has specific requirements as well.
 
Kiwanis hear Excel By 5, Early Learning Collaborative update
The Starkville Kiwanis Club got updates on two programs aimed at early learning in the Starkville-Oktibbeha community when Excel By 5 Program Manager Ellen Goodman spoke. Goodman discussed the development of the Excel By 5 program in the area and also touched on the Early Learning Collaborative, a similar program pushing for pre-K in the area. The programs are based out of the Emerson Family School. Statewide, there are 42 Excel By 5 communities, with interest from communities outside of Mississippi. The Starkville Excel By 5 Community was formed in 2010, certified in 2012 and recertified in 2016. Goodman also described some of Excel By 5's plans for the future, including focusing on young families, particularly the Mississippi State University community, trying to build a, stronger partnership with MSU. The organization also plans to update its charter and bylaws in accordance with changes in the region since 2010.
 
Exploring solutions to shark frustrations at Gulf State Park Pier
As the weather warms up, sharks begin to move closer to Alabama's beaches. Fishermen on the Gulf State Park Pier say they're fed up with sharks stealing their fish, and they believe the problem is getting worse. To the anglers, it's frustrating, especially when it's against state law to catch the sharks and bring them on deck. "I sympathize with all those anglers, but the story is a little more complex than that," said Dr. Marcus Drymon, a shark expert with Mississippi State University and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Drymon and his team are researching ways to help the problem between sharks and fishermen both offshore and on the pier. Instead of killing the sharks as a solution, Drymon is looking into different tackle and hooks that anglers can use, along with underwater magnets to deter them. He is currently in the process of applying for hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of federal grants for the research.
 
Aldermen pick Pafford for EMS district service in Starkville
Starkville aldermen have selected Pafford EMS to provide ambulance service for a new emergency medical service district. Aldermen approved a contract with Pafford on a 5-2 vote, with Sandra Sistrunk of Ward 2, David Little of Ward 3, Jason Walker of Ward 4, Roy A. Perkins of Ward 6 and Henry Vaughn of Ward 7 supporting. Ward 1's Ben Carver and Ward 5's Patrick Miller opposed the vote. The acceptance of the one-year contract is contingent on Pafford accepting language to defend the city against potential liability that City Attorney Chris Latimer said was originally in the contract and removed. Pafford, which is based out of Ruston, Louisiana, and OCH Regional Medical Center had pitched providing ambulance service for the EMS district at the board's May 1 meeting. However, on Tuesday, several aldermen said they believed Pafford was the best choice.
 
Burger King scheduled to open Monday on Highway 12
Starkville's new Burger King is gearing up for an anticipated Monday opening. Construction manager Jason Thetford told The Dispatch construction on the restaurant, located at 409 Highway 12 East near Hardee's, is scheduled to wrap up this week, and it's expected to open for business next week. Tom Barlow, with Cambridge Franchise Holdings, said the Burger King will open for breakfast Monday morning. "We're firing up all of the equipment and getting the final inspections," Barlow said. "We're meeting with the chamber of commerce to, hopefully, that Thursday (May 24) have a ribbon cutting." Next week will be a "soft opening" for the restaurant, Barlow said.
 
Racial discrimination lawsuit filed against secretary of state
In June 2006, Kenneth Jones said he was hired as a lobbying compliance officer by the Mississippi secretary of state. Almost a decade later of employment, in 2016, he said he applied for director of compliance with the secretary of state's office. He said didn't get the job and the reason given was that he wasn't the "right fit." Jones, who is African-American, said the job was given to a white male with less experience, less education and fewer qualifications. The decision to hire someone else has led to a federal lawsuit filed this month by Jones against Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and several of his employees. Jones is alleging violation of his rights and racial discrimination. The secretary of state's office is disputing Jones' claims.
 
Jensen Bohren runs for U.S. Senate seat
Jensen Bohren believes his lack of experience in politics is exactly what the voters need because "I think it's more transparent. I will be able to write bills or laws and people will actually be able to understand what they mean." Bohren is running as a progressive Democrat for U.S. Senator. The primary is June 5. A 2016 graduate of Delta State University with a degree in biology, Bohren said he has made running for senate his full time job over the last year. He decided to run after reading an open letter from Republican senators to Iranian leaders during the nuclear deal negotiations. "Instead of taking our vote, they sell our country right out from under us ... they're job is to represent us and they sold us out," he said. Bohren said he also believes the legalization of marijuana will help prison reform, safety of the public, and have health benefits for users.
 
Howard Sherman: Business experience a plus in crowded U.S. Senate primary
Self-described "lifetime" entrepreneur Howard Sherman has spent most of his life in Los Angeles, California but said he feels a connection in Meridian, Mississippi. Sherman, running to represent Mississippi as the state's next senator, faces a challenging Democratic primary against five other hopefuls before getting on the ballot with the Republican nominee. The candidates are hoping to beat Roger Wicker, a Republican who has held the seat since 2007. In a crowded race, Sherman bears the closest tie to Meridian, as he and his wife Sela Ward, an actress from Meridian, have been full-time Lauderdale County residents since June of 2016. Sherman told The Meridian Star in an editorial board meeting this week he "had never taken a paycheck" and built various businesses over the decades, building a niche company for consumers before selling it to another buyer.
 
Mississippi's first openly gay U.S. congressional candidate speaks out
Democrat Congressional candidate Michael Aycox wants to put it out there: Yes, he's gay. An investigator with the Newton Police Department, Aycox said he's heard whispers of folks questioning his sexuality. It's no secret, he said, but he views his sexuality with the same relevance as his hair color. However, he's also aware that he is the first openly gay candidate in a Mississippi congressional race. Aycox is one of two Democrats on the ballot in the June primary for Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District seat. Neither he nor Michael T. Evans, a current state representative, is the front-runner for gaining the seat in the Republican-dominated race but, at first glance, they're pretty similar politically. In a crowded race -- with eight candidates vying for one seat -- distinguishing one candidate from the next on policy can be difficult. The five Republicans largely agree on issues such as gun rights and abortion.
 
Farm bill's food stamp work requirements could have time limit under new amendment
In a nod to conservatives who want stricter proposed work requirements for the food stamp program, the House Agriculture Committee chairman said Wednesday that he's working to put time limits on how long food stamp recipients can participate in job training activities required for the assistance. The amendment would close a potential loophole in the House farm bill that could allow participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, to "hop between training assignments," rather than pursue employment, said Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas. The proposed amendment could be offered as early as Thursday as House Republicans aim for a vote on the legislation by the end of the week. "Ultimately, you need to go to work," said Conaway, who sponsored the legislation.
 
GOP builds massive shadow army in fight for the House
Republicans have amassed a sprawling shadow field organization to defend the House this fall, spending tens of millions of dollars in an unprecedented effort to protect dozens of battleground districts that will determine control of the chamber. The initiative by the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), now includes 34 offices running mini-campaigns for vulnerable Republicans throughout the country. It has built its own in-house research and data teams and recruited 4,000 student volunteers, who have knocked on more than 10 million doors since February 2017. The operation far eclipses the group's activity in any previous election. CLF's midterm strategy, which emphasizes long-term voter engagement, is not normal for a super PAC.
 
College board, universities remain vital as wave of leadership changes hits
Mississippi higher education is in a state of flux. Half of the university presidents, a third of the board that oversees them, and the Commissioner of Higher Education have all transitioned out of their roles during the past year. Though change in leadership is inevitable and expected, so too is the lack of stability that arises whenever that transition occurs. The connection between Mississippi's progress --- both economically and socially --- and the viability of its higher learning institutions have long been recognized by some, but unrealized by most. "Business and industry, are not growing as fast as we all would like for them to, but usually if you see a business and industry coming in, it will probably have a relationship with one of the universities," said Aubrey Lucas, who served as president of Delta State University from 1971 to 1975 and president of the University of Southern Mississippi from 1975 to 1996.
 
MUW retiring speech-language pathology professor reflects on job that was 'never boring'
Michelle Harmon has been working as a speech pathologist for 35 years and says she has never once been bored. The professor and alumna of Mississippi University for Women hadn't even heard of the field she would spend her life teaching as a transfer sophomore in the late 1960s. A former Miss New Hampshire thanks to her interpretive dance, Harmon went to the communications building on campus with the idea of studying speech and drama. There, faculty took her to the speech pathology labs and let her observe a speech pathologist working with a client. "I said, 'Oh my goodness. ... I would love to do that,'" Harmon said. "Then when I got into the study of it, it was so diverse. How could you ever be bored with such a diverse profession?" Harmon spent most of the next four decades in the speech pathology department. But this week, Harmon is retiring.
 
USM professor chosen as advocate for students: 'It's making a difference in their lives'
Douglas Masterson has been introducing underprivileged high school students to the world of chemistry for years. But now the Southern Miss chemistry professor and associate provost is being rewarded for it. He recently received a $5,000 stipend from the Society for Science and the Public to be an "Advocate." He'll help other scientists and educators prepare high schoolers to enter their student research into science competitions, and he'll also work with students themselves so they can compete in science fairs. "Students will benefit by being supported as they prepare for science competitions," Masterson said. "Having an Advocate resource for the students will allow them to better develop their presentation skills." Masterson said Project Seed and the Advocate program open a new world to the students.
 
Kids get physical at Okra Camp at Delta State
Summer is just within our reach and new activities are beginning all over Bolivar County, including OKRA Kids Camp on the Delta State University campus. The camp provides age and developmentally appropriate, engaging instruction promoting and fostering active participation. Due to the popularity of the camp, staff registered 150 for week one in less than a day. Camp director Todd Davis said, "We are exploring to option to take some off the older youth to Dahomey Wildlife Preserve to hike and bird as an option using our new outdoor recreation van. We've purchased new lacrosse equipment and have enjoyed exposing youth to this activity." While there are many different summer camps out there, Davis is confident no other camps provides the same experience as OKRA Camp.
 
Chris Gilmer leaving ASU-Vicksburg for president of WVU-Parkersburg
Dr. Chris Gilmer, the executive director of Alcorn State University's Vicksburg Expansion Center, has been named the new president of West Virginia University-Parkersburg. "I would like to thank the Vicksburg and Warren County communities for embracing David (Creel) and me and for making us feel right at home," Gilmer said in an email. "I have sung the praises of Alcorn State University from coast to coast and will continue to do so, especially the dedication of its local alumni to their alma mater. Their unending support is inspirational to behold." "It has been a privilege to serve Alcorn, and it will be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream to serve West Virginia University at Parkersburg as its next president," Gilmer said. "The two institutions have much in common in their mission and in the students they serve, and I hope what I have learned at Alcorn has prepared me to be the best possible servant leader in my new role in West Virginia."
 
U. of Missouri cuts 12 graduate programs amid budget woes
A program review that began in the midst of a continuing budget crisis at the University of Missouri resulted in the elimination of 12 graduate programs but administrators couldn't say Tuesday whether the decisions produced any savings. Instead, Chancellor Alexander Cartwright said, it produced something more important --- new thinking that will make surviving programs more attractive and bring more graduate students to Columbia. Several programs will combine, a new College of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies will work to increase graduate enrollment and the result will be the pool of students needed to propel the expansion of research, he said. "When you look at what people have proposed here, these are programs, the reason we allowed them to move forward with their proposals is that they are potential revenue generators," Cartwright said. "They will increase the number of students who are interested in these programs and will attract more students."
 
Michigan State Will Pay $500 Million to Settle With Victims of Larry Nassar
Michigan State University will pay $500 million to settle with the victims of Larry Nassar's sexual abuse, the university announced on Wednesday in a news release. Nassar, a former Michigan State professor of osteopathic medicine and team physician for USA Gymnastics, was convicted of sexually assaulting hundreds of young women and girls, and hundreds of lawsuits, representing 332 victims, were filed against the university. Michigan State will pay $425 million now and put $75 million in a trust fund for anyone who alleges in the future that Nassar sexually abused them, according to the release. The settlement applies only to Michigan State and "MSU individuals sued in the litigation," the release states. A university spokeswoman did not immediately respond to an inquiry about where the money for the settlements would come from.
 
Critics fear European research efforts will lead to work on 'killer robots'
EuroSWARM is a European Union-funded research project that has experimented with drones, remote-controlled cars and other sensors to create an autonomously behaving "swarm" of bots that can communicate with each other. In a demonstration scenario, researchers set the swarm to check out a "suspicious-looking" vehicle, explained Hyo-sang Shin, a reader in guidance, navigation and control at Britain's Cranfield University, one of the project partners. The idea is that the swarm could be used for scouting an area before troops are deployed, he said. The project, which came to an end in November last year, did not equip any of the drones or cars with weapons. The swarm is rather about "maximizing the information you can collect," said Shin. But EuroSWARM's military uses have critics worried. It is one of the first trial projects in a new era of E.U.-funded military research; the budget for similar activities is set to explode over the next decade.
 
Why are UMMC and Blue Cross insurance at odds?
Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, writes in The Clarion-Ledger: "Hospitals across Mississippi recently celebrated National Hospitals Week and National Nurses Week. I consider hospitals to be almost sacred places, where healing occurs and, at times, miracles. I'm so proud of all the hospitals in Mississippi and what they have accomplished during many decades of service. But you know hospitals are just places. Rooms and beds and ORs. It's the people -- the doctors, the techs, the housekeeping staff, the lab professionals, the therapists, the administrators and, most certainly, the nurses -- who make them the special places they are. ...And this is why I feel it's so important that we at UMMC take a firm stand over our contract with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi."


SPORTS
 
Mississippi State takes on No. 1 Florida in SEC baseball series
Mississippi State interim head coach Gary Henderson isn't beating around the bush when it comes to explaining to his team the seriousness of the test that awaits this weekend. The top-ranked Florida Gators are coming to Starkville for a three-game series beginning Thursday night and the Bulldogs are playing for their postseason lives. In preparation, Henderson has put all the cards on the table with his guys. "You approach it very directly and honestly," Henderson said. "We need to play well. You're very much black-and-white. The kids know as much as you do in the repercussions and implications and all that. We need to get some wins." Indeed, victories are vital for Mississippi State (28-24, 12-15).
 
Postseason on line as No. 1 Gators visit Mississippi State
The math is pretty simple for Mississippi State: one win and it is in. The Bulldogs need one victory this weekend to secure their spot in the SEC Tournament next week in Hoover, Alabama. The hard part to this equation is that MSU is hosting top-ranked Florida -- the current SEC regular-season and defending national champions. The Gators have won 19 straight regular-season series dating back to last season and have five sweeps this year. "They're really good and they're really talented but they're not perfect," said MSU interim head coach Gary Henderson. "There will be opportunities there to put a good stroke on a ball and square something up and we need to do that with guys on base...Regardless of who you're playing or how many series they've won in a row, the basics are still in place and when you play someone that's really good your margin for error is a lot less."
 
What's at stake for Mississippi State this week against Florida? Well, almost everything
Gary Henderson made a habit this season as Mississippi State's interim coach of pointing out that all conference series are important. Cliche, but true. This week, though, there will be a heavy, added layer of urgency at Dudy Noble Field. What's at stake for Mississippi State baseball this week against No. 1 Florida starting Thursday (6:30 p.m., SEC Network+)? Well, pretty much everything. "You approach it very directly, very honestly," Henderson said. "You're very much black and white. The kids know just as much as you do in terms of the repercussions or implications. We need to play well ... we need to get some wins." If the Bulldogs (28-24, 12-15 SEC) win one game in the three-game series against Florida (41-12, 20-7), they will qualify as one of the conference's top 12 teams and would be assured a spot in next week's SEC Tournament.
 
Top-ranked Gators close regular season at Mississippi State
Top-ranked Florida returns to the baseball diamond at Mississippi State at 7:30 p.m. Thursday with sights set on winning the SEC regular-season title outright. Florida clinched its second consecutive Southeastern Conference regular-season title with a series win against Georgia over the weekend. The SEC title is the 15th in program history and the fifth under coach Kevin O'Sullivan. UF and MSU close out the regular season with games at 7 p.m. Friday and 4:30 p.m. Saturday, with both games on ESPNU. Thursday's game is online at SEC Network+. The SEC Baseball Tournament runs May 22-27 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
 
JP France finds a new role in final season for Bulldogs
JP France had started 31 games during his career at Tulane and expected to take on the same role when he arrived at Mississippi State as a graduate transfer. But things don't always go according to plan. France has only made one start for the Diamond Dogs all season. It came in his MSU debut against Jackson State on Feb. 21, a game in which he earned the win pitching three shutout innings allowing one hit, striking out two and walking two. France's real value this spring has come in a variety of duties out of the Bulldogs' bullpen. The 6-foot, 216-pound right-hander has logged outings that consisted of one out all the way up to five innings and even has a save to his credit.
 
Tanner Smith returns to Mississippi State as director of operation for men's basketball
After spending the past three seasons with the Charlotte 49ers, Tanner Smith has returned to Mississippi State, this time as director of operations for Ben Howland. He served in the same capacity for two years at Charlotte before being promoted to assistant coach this past season. He joined the 49ers' staff after serving the 2014-15 season at Mississippi State as a graduate assistant. "I'm extremely excited to be joining the staff here at Mississippi State," Smith said. "Coach Howland is an excellent coach and has done a tremendous job in just a short time here in Starkville. I can't wait to invest time and energy into this program, this university and especially our players."
 
Michael Slive, Who Led the SEC to New Heights, Is Dead at 77
Michael L. Slive, the former Southeastern Conference commissioner who was instrumental in turning it into arguably the most prominent college sports conference in the country, died Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala. He was 77. His death was announced by the SEC. The conference did not specify a cause. Slive, who became the conference commissioner in 2002, was an influential champion for the College Football Playoff, which was implemented in 2014. And he considered it an important part of his legacy that, in 2003, Mississippi State made Sylvester Croom the first black head football coach in the conference's history. "It was clear it was not only an athletic decision," Slive told The Times in 2015. "It impacted the state, the region, and it really helped vault the SEC from a regional to a national conference."
 
Former SEC Commissioner Mike Slive dies at 77
Mike Slive, the former Southeastern Conference commissioner who guided the league to unprecedented success and prosperity, died Wednesday. He was 77. The Southeastern Conference said Slive died in Birmingham, Alabama, where he lived with his wife of 49 years, Liz. The conference didn't provide the cause of death. Slive retired in 2015 after 13 years as commissioner. He was battling prostate cancer at the time he stepped down. "He was a friend before he was the boss, he was a friend while he was the boss, he was a friend after," SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, who replaced Slive, told the SEC Network. Slive was born in Utica, New York, the son of a butcher. He became an attorney and founded a law firm that assisted schools with NCAA issues for before starting a long career in college sports.
 
Mike Slive, college sports giant and former Southeastern Conference commissioner, dies
Mike Slive, the Southeastern Conference's seventh and arguably most successful commissioner, died in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, the conference announced. "Mike was a true visionary and someone I have been proud to call a dear friend for many years," LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva said. "His integrity and leadership have left a lasting legacy in the SEC and all of college athletics. We will all miss him terribly." Slive was a stickler about his member schools following NCAA protocol, and he was not afraid to put his proverbial foot down with his coaches and administrators. "Unbelievably smart," Alleva said about Slive. "He was so good for the SEC. The SEC has always been a premier league but he took it to a whole another level. He brought integrity back to the league. Not sure how many schools were under NCAA probation (when he started), but he didn't put up with that."
 
Former SEC commissioner Mike Slive dies at age 77
Former SEC commissioner Mike Slive, who ushered the league into an unprecedented era of financial growth, coast-to-coast exposure and national championship success, died Wednesday at age 77 in Birmingham, Ala. Under Slive, the SEC enjoyed unprecedented championship success. He was extremely proud of the advancement of diversity across the SEC during his tenure, highlighted by the hiring of Sylvester Croom at Mississippi State, the first African-American football coach in league history. He also directed the development of a Minority Coaches Database to encourage the hiring of minorities in the sport of football. He also led the adoption of a new and effective league-wide NCAA compliance initiative and guided the conference through expansion, welcoming new institutions Texas A&M and Missouri.
 
Every other year, Hogs to play game in Little Rock, sources say
The Arkansas Razorbacks will host football games against the Missouri Tigers at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock every other year as part of a broader "compromise" agreement that partly preserves the long-standing tradition, according to two sources familiar with the deal. The series is part of a fresh deal between the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and the state Department of Parks and Tourism, which controls the stadium, as a current contract between the two nears its end, sources said. In off years, the Razorbacks will play their annual Red-White spring intrasquad game at War Memorial, as was the case this year, one source said. UA and Department of Parks and Tourism officials will make a joint announcement at 10 a.m. today outside the stadium, the university announced Wednesday evening. Under the current contract, the Razorbacks' final obligation would be the Ole Miss game in October.
 
U. of Arkansas welcomes new Razorback mascot, Tusk V
Razorback fans will be calling a new hog in 2019, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville announced Wednesday. Tusk V, the next Razorback mascot in line, was born in April on a farm in Dardanelle, according to the UA athletics website. The new pig is the son of the current mascot, Tusk IV, and the fifth Russian boar to represent the school's sports teams. Tusk IV will retire after the 2018 football season, having served a seven-year term, the school said. Tusk V weighs in at 5 pounds and 8 ounces, measures 11 inches, and has stripes for camouflage that baby Razorbacks are born with and lose once they are old enough to take care of themselves.



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