Wednesday, May 23, 2018   
 
Mississippi State named state's best value college, UM second best
For the third year in a row, Mississippi State is the best value out of all the state's colleges and universities according to financial technology company SmartAsset. The analysis also states that MSU graduates earn higher starting salaries than their peers at other schools. To determine which school provided the best value to students, SmartAsset examined cost of tuition, student living costs, student retention rate, average scholarships awarded and average starting salary. The different categories were weighted to determine each institution's College Education Value Index. MSU's index was 31.98, a point higher than the second best value in the state at the University of Mississippi. According to the study, MSU graduates receive an average starting salary of $47,900, which is $2,200 higher than Ole Miss. The average starting salary for all Mississippi higher education graduates is $43,042.
 
Peter Ryan named interim dean of Mississippi State's Graduate School
There's a new hand on the wheel in the Mississippi State University Graduate School, with the appointment of an interim dean. MSU announced Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Peter Ryan to the position Monday. Ryan has been on MSU's faculty for 18 years, and will work closely with the associate deans of various MSU colleges, departmental graduate program directors and the MSU Graduate Council for the excellence of graduate education at MSU. He will continue to serve in his original position, as well. "Graduate education is a very important component of the mission of Mississippi State University as a land-grant institution, and I look forward to working with the staff in the Office of Graduate Studies and with the colleges to provide the best service possible in meeting the needs of graduate students and graduate educators," Ryan said.
 
House farm bill goes down; MSU ag economist Keith Coble weighs in
On May 18, House lawmaker bickering over, among other things immigration and work requirements for SNAP recipients, led to a 213-198 vote defeat of a new farm bill. "The failure of the farm bill passing this week is indicative of the fine line leaders in the House are walking between Democrat members and the conservative wing of the Republican Party," says Keith Coble, head of the Agricultural Economics Department at Mississippi State University. Less than 24 hours before the House vote, during a University of Arkansas-sponsored webinar, Coble had warned of just how difficult it would be to pass the new legislation. Coble, who served as chief economist for the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee during the crafting of the 2014 farm bill, was exactly right.
 
Bug-borne diseases on the rise across the nation
The warm weather has more people heading outdoors, but many are running into pests. Their bites could be more than just annoying. And this goes beyond West Nile. In fact, in the last 10 years, the Centers for Disease Control has seen not just an increase in the number of cases but an increase in the number of actual diseases, and they're urging everyone to take the proper measures. "There is an increase in vector-borne, or tick and mosquito, flea, lice diseases. There's an increase here in Mississippi," said Dr. Jerome Goddard with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.
 
Golden Triangle Regional Airport Uses Drones for Airport Safety
Officials at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport are using future technology to make operations at the airport safer. Already a leader in the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or "drones," the airport is one of the first in the nation to use drones for various tasks on and around the airport. "Our first thought was to use the drone to chase birds off the runway and away from the airfield," says Executive Director Mike Hainsey. "It was very effective in that role, but we soon found there were many more uses for it." The airport will continue to find new and better ways to use the drones by working with the FAA's Center of Excellence for UAS at Mississippi State University as well as several national organizations promoting drone usage.
 
OCH trustees set special call meeting for potential affiliation
The OCH Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees agreed during executive session to have a special call meeting on May 24 at 4 p.m. to discuss potential affiliation with another hospital system. The entities interested in affiliation are University of Mississippi Medical Center, North Mississippi Health Services and Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation. CEO and Administrator for OCH Richard Hilton said the meeting is for a "next step discussion." "The board will review and decide what to do after we have a discussion on the responses to the presentations that were made," Hilton said.
 
Public forum for proposed Pecan Acres project set for Wednesday
The community room at the Starkville Police Department will play host to a public forum for residents of Pecan Acres to gather and speak about the proposed move. The forum will begin at 5 p.m. and go until 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23. The event is sponsored by Indivisible Golden Triangle, the Oktibbeha County chapter of the NAACP, Oktibbeha County and Starkville Democrats, Progressive Starkville Network and Concerned Citizens of Oktibbeha County and Starkville. Discussions around the proposed Pecan Acres move has generated debate and frustration in the community, with some arguing that the residents would no longer be in close proximity to a grocery store, drugstore and other businesses.
 
Austin Check warns Oktibbeha County 'not big enough' for two ambulance services
Oktibbeha County supervisors are bracing for the impact of two ambulance services operating in the county following a grave warning Monday morning from Rural Fire Services training officer Austin Check. Check, speaking at the supervisors' recess meeting, roasted Starkville aldermen's decision to contract with Ruston, Louisiana-based Pafford EMS, a private company, for ambulance calls in the city limits. The move would relegate OCH Regional Medical Center's ambulance service to respond only to calls in rural Oktibbeha County. Not only did Check offer skepticism of Pafford, he told supervisors he fears it's not feasible for both services to survive in Oktibbeha County long-term. "I'll be completely honest, I've never been a big fan of private ambulance service," Check said. "I've had nothing but bad experiences."
 
Bridge crisis: Statewide closures could double by 2019
The bridge crisis in Mississippi could worsen as more than half the timber bridges across the state have still yet to be inspected under new federal guidelines. In 2016, the Federal Highway Administration forced an extensive round of bridge inspections in Mississippi after concluding the state's timber bridges had not been properly inspected by county officials. The federal agency then ordered the re-inspection of the bridges over the course of 2018 and 2019. "By this time next year, that closed number could very well have doubled or more," Derrick Surrette, executive director of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, told Mississippi Today in an interview earlier this month. "It's not getting any better."
 
Mississippi slated to receive some election security money
Mississippi can expect to receive nearly $4.5 million from the federal government in the next few months to improve election security, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office said Tuesday. Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann applied for a grant from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, which has about $90 million available to divide among states for election security measures. Spokeswoman Leah Rupp Smith said Tuesday that Mississippi should receive its money before the general election this November. Smith said Hosemann's office "long ago addressed the need for increased cybersecurity protection."
 
Evers home first Mississippi civil rights site declared landmark
The house where Medgar and Myrlie Evers lived with their family will receive a plaque Thursday recognizing its National Historic Landmark Designation. The Medgar and Myrlie Evers House is the first Mississippi site from the modern civil rights movement to receive the national landmark designation. "It's important for the world to understand the pain and joy that is associated with this home," said Reena Evers-Everette, the daughter of Medgar and Myrlie Evers. U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson successfully sponsored a bill in the House that would also make the home a National Monument, placing it under the National Park Service. This week, Mississippi's U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith introduced a companion bill in the Senate, which is being co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Doug Jones from Alabama.
 
David v. Goliath: Senate candidate face of Mississippi's new party?
After fighting Hurricane Katrina to preserve their homes and lives in 2005, hundreds of Mississippi Gulf Coast residents had to fight another force: their own insurance companies. Insurers had argued they did not have to pay for property damage caused by a combination of wind and water, leaving many Mississippians vulnerable. That didn't sit right with local attorney and current U.S. Senate candidate David Baria, whose own 130-year-old home was destroyed in the storm, just the front and back steps left standing. "I've always liked the idea of social justice and David prevailing over Goliath," said now state Rep. Baria of Bay St. Louis. It's with this same mission that Baria, minority leader in the House, said he's running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
 
'SPYGATE': Trump steps up attacks on FBI's probes during campaign
President Trump on Wednesday asserted that the FBI's use of a confidential source to seek information from several campaign aides could turn out to be "one of the biggest political scandals in history!" The comments were Trump's latest salvo over reports that the FBI used a confidential source in its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. There is no evidence to suggest that the source was inserted into the Trump campaign, as the president has suggested, but the source did seek out and meet Trump campaign advisers. The use of the confidential source has been at the fore of Trump and conservative lawmakers' long-running feud with the Justice Department and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's investigation into whether Trump's campaign coordinated with Russia during the campaign.
 
Trump demands housecleaning on White House communications team
President Donald Trump has demanded changes to his communications team -- long seen as one of the most internally divided offices in his White House -- in an effort to crack down on the leaks that have plagued his presidency since Day One. White House chief of staff John Kelly signed off on a plan that would flush out some of the department's midlevel and junior aides, according to three people familiar with the situation. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other key senior officials are expected to remain, these people said. Though changes to the structure of the White House communications office had been under consideration for months, sparked by concerns about a lack of organization in the office, the recent leak of a junior staffer's callous remarks about Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain's health served as a breaking point that moved the president to action.
 
Stacey Abrams Wins Georgia Democratic Primary for Governor, Making History
Georgia Democrats selected the first black woman to be a major party nominee for governor in the United States on Tuesday, choosing Stacey Abrams, a liberal former State House leader, who will test just how much the state's traditionally conservative politics are shifting. By defeating Stacey Evans, also a former state legislator, Ms. Abrams also became Georgia's first black nominee for governor, a prize that has eluded earlier generations of African-American candidates in the state. The general election is sure to draw intense national attention as Georgia voters determine whether a black woman can win in the Deep South, a region that has not had an African-American governor since Reconstruction.
 
Fresh faces beat out political pedigree in Democratic primaries across the South
Fresh faces with compelling life stories prevailed in Democratic primaries across several southern states Tuesday, beating candidates with deeper political pedigrees and more governing experience in several key races. The results marked an ongoing embrace by Democratic voters of non-politicians, women, veterans and nonwhite candidates to lead the party's effort to take back control of the House and governors' mansions this fall. For Democrats, the results marked a reassertion of the party's fealty to the rising American electorate --- unmarried, young and racially diverse voters. The Democratic contention that it is the party of the future was muddled in 2016 by a presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, who first arrived in the White House 23 years earlier and campaigned to continue the policies of the sitting president.
 
Inn at Ole Miss seeking resort status
The Inn at Ole Miss brought its case for qualified resort status before the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors on Monday morning. Attorney Winston Collier spoke on behalf of the Inn and the Ole Miss Alumni Association, who oversees operations of the hotel. The main reason for seeking resort status, he said, was so the hotel would be able to serve alcohol during events. "My discussions with the Inn at Ole Miss, from a budgetary standpoint, they have made it known to me that their primary reason for requesting this is the ability to serve alcohol at wedding receptions, alumni receptions and when hosting events," Collier said. Kirk Purdom, executive director of alumni affairs for the Ole Miss Alumni Association, said the Inn has been hurt financially in the past, simply because serving alcohol was not an option they could offer to clients.
 
Professor dies in Mississippi Delta wreck as 2 others hurt
A Mississippi university professor has died and two other people remain hospitalized following a weekend car wreck. Delta State University says education professor Cheryl Cummins died in the Saturday wreck. The 51-year-old Cummins was the director of field experiences, helping coordinate student teaching for aspiring educators. Husband Mark Cummins was in good condition Tuesday at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. He is an aircraft repair technician and inspector in Delta State's commercial aviation program.
 
Delta State instructor honored by national accounting group
Dr. Gwen Meador, an instructor of accountancy at Delta State University, is a recipient of the 2018 KPMG Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Gender Issues and Worklife Balance Section of the American Accounting Association. KPMG is an international company providing audit, tax and advisory services. Meador's dissertation, "Ethical Decision-Making Accounting Competencies: Practitioners' Perspectives," examines ethical competencies necessary for a career in accounting. In addition to being recognized with the KPMG award, Meador will also receive a cash prize of $1,000 at the American Accounting Association's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. in August.
 
Meridian Community College president search: Scott Alsobrooks would make workforce a priority
In the search to select the next president of Meridian Community College, a fourth candidate addressed faculty and community leaders Tuesday. The community college is looking for a successor to Scott Elliott, who is retiring this summer after leading the school for 20 years. Scott Alsobrooks, the vice president of economic and community development at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, addressed the audience on his goals if he's hired and took questions from the audience. Alsobrooks, who has an engineering degree from Mississippi State University and doctorate in human capital development from the University of Southern Mississippi, started his career at Rockwell International. It was after NAFTA that Alsobrooks got an offer to work at USM.
 
GOP forum Wednesday at McCain Theatre at Meridian Community College
Voters needing a little help narrowing down their choices in the GOP primaries will have the opportunity to see all six candidates in action on Wednesday, May 23 at the McCain Theater on the Meridian Community College campus. The Third Congressional House seat, previously filled by Gregg Harper, has six Republicans and two Democrats, with a primary election on June 5. The Lauderdale County Republican Party will sponsor Wednesday's forum, presented by WTOK-TV and The Meridian Star, starting at 7 p.m. Republican candidates Sally Doty, Morgan Dunn, Michael Guest, Whit Hughes, Perry Parker and Katherine "Bitzi" Tate will each make opening and closing statements during the two-hour forum, interspersed with questions from WTOK and Star reporters, Andrea Williams and Whitney Downard, as well as political analysts Keith Heard and Kathy Baxter. Syndicated columnist Sid Salter will be the moderator.
 
Auburn University Named to 2018-2019 Military Friendly School list
As a staff sergeant in the Air Force, Houston native Melissa Villanueva was stationed throughout the world, from Kuwait to Indonesia, serving in communications and later as a medic. These days, Villanueva has shifted her medical focus to helping animals and her location of choice is Auburn University, which recently received national recognition as a Military Friendly School. "I have taken classes at different campuses throughout my military career, and I can say Auburn has been the best place so far," Villanueva said. "Auburn's ranking is high when it comes to military friendliness." Villanueva said it was no surprise to her that Auburn was recently named to the 2018-2019 Military Friendly School list that will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine.
 
U. of Florida appoints new government and community relations executive
The University of Florida has filled the first of two senior communications roles, it announced Monday, bringing on board a former political strategist. Mark Kaplan, chief of staff to former Gov. Jeb Bush and former senior vice president for public affairs for the Mosaic Co., was named vice president for government and community relations. He will start June 7. Kaplan replaces Jane Adams, former UF vice president for university relations. Her job was split into two parts: a vice president for strategic communications and marketing and a vice president for government and community relations. Adams, who retired in April, was earning $309,689. Kaplan, 50, will oversee government and community relations, and will earn $350,000 a year. A vice president for strategic communications and marketing has not been hired yet, UF spokeswoman Margot Winick said.
 
Voting Reitz: UF, FSU students sue to vote early on campus
Florida's top elections official is being sued over his decision to ban the use of college buildings as early voting sites. The League of Women Voters of Florida and several students from the University of Florida and Florida State University sued Secretary of State Ken Detzner Tuesday in federal court. Back in 2014 Detzner told officials in Gainesville that they could not use the UF Reitz Union as an early voting location. Detzner said that the law did not allow any college or university buildings to be used. The lawsuit contends that Detzner is misinterpreting the early voting law since it does not contain an actual prohibition on educational buildings. John Tupps, a spokesman for Gov. Rick Scott, called the lawsuit "frivolous" and noted that campuses are allowed to have polling sites on Election Day.
 
U. of Missouri PD prepares campus for worst with active shooter training
University of Missouri police offered training to the community on Tuesday on how to respond to an active shooter situation, an effort the department hopes will help the campus stay prepared in a worst-case scenario. More than 100 people attended the Citizens' Response to Active Threats training in Jesse Auditorium. MUPD Chief Doug Schwandt said the department offers the training to individual departments and programs, but also wanted it to be available to the community. "Obviously it's a timely topic, has been for many years," Schwandt said. "We just try to help prepare our campus in case an emergency happens here. We would like to hope our campus would be prepared for that and handle it in the safest way possible." The training was based on Department of Homeland Security's Run, Hide, Fight program, which the agency says takes a comprehensive approach to dealing with active shooter or violent intruder incidents.
 
Trump administration says it will re-examine rules for higher ed oversight bodies
In drafting a regulatory agenda for the oversight bodies for higher education institutions, the U.S. Department of Education is paying special attention to previously published recommendations that suggest reorienting accreditation toward its original focus of academic quality, a key adviser to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Tuesday. Diane Auer Jones, a special adviser to the secretary, offered the remarks in a briefing before the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, which oversees the country's higher ed accreditors, on how the department is looking to reduce the regulatory burden on those organizations. The activity of accreditors is often less well publicized than enforcement by federal agencies. But their decisions to authorize or withdraw recognition from a college determine its ability to receive Title IV federal student aid.
 
Southern Baptist leader Paige Patterson removed as president of seminary following comments on women, abuse
Prominent Southern Baptist leader Paige Patterson was removed early Wednesday as the president of a Texas seminary following growing criticism of comments he made about women and domestic abuse. The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's board of trustees voted to make Patterson president emeritus, according to a statement from the board of trustees. The motion passed with majority support from the board and is effective immediately. The pushback against Patterson and his past remarks only grew louder on Tuesday afternoon when The Washington Post reported that a woman is accusing Patterson of telling her not to report her rape to police and to forgive her alleged assailant. The Post does not name victims of sexual assault. The incident occurred in 2003 while the woman was pursuing a degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., The Post reported. Patterson was president of the school at the time.
 
College graduates whose first job doesn't require bachelor's degree often stay 'underemployed'
The image of the recent college graduate working as a Starbucks barista or a rental car clerk has become a cliché in the national debate over student loan debt. Studies of the underlying validity of the stereotype over time have offered mixed results, with various methodologies counting anywhere from single digit percentages to 45 percent of recent graduates as "underemployed." But most have found that some people will always be what economists call "underemployed," and that the proportion of Americans in that position stays relatively constant over time. For students and parents, having a graduate take a job that might appear beneath his or her qualifications might beat the alternative in an especially tight job market. But a study released today by the labor market analytics firm Burning Glass Technologies suggests that graduates who take such jobs pay a lasting price.
 
Board of Regents selects Michelle Johnston to serve as CCGA president
The University System of Georgia Board of Regents announced Tuesday that Michelle Johnston will serve as the next president of College of Coastal Georgia. Johnston was named May 16 as the sole finalist in the search for CCGA's president. Johnston's career includes 10 years of service as a faculty member and more than 20 years in administration, with positions at University of Montevallo, University of Louisiana-Monroe, Mississippi State University and Wood College. Johnston holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama, a master's degree from Louisiana State University, a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Mississippi State.
 
Sen. Rand Paul's 'Penny Plan' was more political theatrics than honest fiscal policy proposal
Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "Federal Social Security and Medicare entitlements as they exist today are in deep trouble and can't sustain themselves under current law while at the same time 78 million Baby Boomers like me hurtle toward retirement. The two largest segments of mandatory federal spending are in fact Social Security and Medicare, estimated to be a cool $2.74 trillion for Fiscal Year 2019. That's 62 percent of all federal spending. No one can talk seriously about dealing with federal budget debt and deficits without talking about entitlement reform -- and that means hard choices that carry political consequences. ...So entitlements are 62 percent of all federal spending. Impacting that huge portion of federal spending in any way will require a 60-vote majority in a U.S. Senate that said an emphatic 76-21 'no' to yet another round of blue smoke and mirrors budget theatrics from Kentucky Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul."


SPORTS
 
Bulldogs bounced from SEC Tournament
Mississippi State's trip to the Southeastern Conference Tournament was short-lived. The ninth-seeded Bulldogs could not sustain a pair of two-run leads and were eliminated by No. 8 seed LSU 8-5 on Tuesday night at the Hoover Met. MSU out-hit the Tigers 14-12 in opening round action but stranded 13 base-runners in the process. "We had a lot of opportunities no question," said interim head coach Gary Henderson. "We needed a couple more big hits there that could've scored some more runs. They caught a couple of infield line drives and doubled us off on one. We hit some hard, deep balls in this park that they caught. Obviously if a couple of those fall in with some guys on base then it's a different game."
 
Mississippi State baseball bounced from SEC Tournament after loss to LSU
Mississippi State will learn its NCAA Tournament destination on Monday, and, for the Bulldogs, that's the biggest takeaway from a one-and-done appearance here in the SEC Tournament. After sweeping No. 1 Florida last week, losing 8-5 to LSU Tuesday night shouldn't affect Mississippi State's chances of a regional; the Bulldogs will still likely be a No. 3 seed, judging from national outlets' projections. "Five runs, 14 hits, it should be enough to win," Mississippi State interim coach Gary Henderson said. "We were just a little excited tonight," Henderson said. "It cost us, obviously."
 
Mistakes cost Mississippi State in loss to LSU at SEC tournament
The Mississippi State baseball team committed only one error, but multiple mistakes contributed to its early departure from Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. MSU built a three-run lead in the first four innings only to see LSU capitalize on fielding miscues for an 8-5 victory Tuesday in an elimination game in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament. Despite the loss, MSU (31-25) appears to be a safe bet to earn a bid Monday to the NCAA tournament. "Five runs and 14 hits should be enough to win," MSU interim coach Gary Henderson said. "I thought we hit a lot of balls on the nose and performed well against a good pitching staff." The NCAA will release the 16 teams that will play host to a four-team regionals Sunday night. The rest of the bracket will be revealed at 11 a.m. Monday (ESPNU).
 
Bulldogs fall to Tigers in SEC Tournament
Deuces were wild for the LSU Tigers on Tuesday night. The Tigers did all of their damage in pairs at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium and defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs 8-5 at the Southeastern Conference Tournament. LSU's offense scored two runs each in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings and that was enough damage against MSU. The Bulldogs could not capitalize on a solid start by Konnor Pilkington as the bullpen faltered in the latter part of the game. In the final four innings, the Tigers scored all eight of their runs on 11 hits. "I'm really proud of Konnor's start," MSU interim coach Gary Henderson said. "I thought he did a really good job for us. We have for the last couple of months pitched with a lot of poise. Not perfect, but for the most part with some composure. I think basically we were just a little excited (Tuesday night) and were not near as clean or as efficient as we have been or as we like to be. It was a little uncharacteristic. It cost us."
 
Survive and advance: LSU lives to play another day after big win vs. Mississippi State
It was all on display in one crucial at bat in the eighth inning, this youthful LSU baseball team being in a single a moment both coachable and frustratingly stubborn. Maybe it was because his team's heart is still beating in the Southeastern Conference tournament after a dramatic 8-5 win against Mississippi State, but LSU coach Paul Mainieri was in a sharing mood in his postgame press conference. At first, he divulged little about his eighth inning meeting with newly installed closer Todd Peterson -- the one that came with two outs and Bulldogs cleanup hitter Hunter Stovall at bat and the tying and go-ahead runs on base. Then, he relented and told the truth: He wanted to speak to Peterson about last June, when Zack Hess locked up Game 1 of the Baton Rouge super regional by blowing a high fastball past Stovall's bat for strike three.
 
New LED Displays Headed to Mississippi State University from Daktronics
Daktronics (NASDAQ-DAKT) of Brookings, South Dakota, has continued a long-standing relationship with Mississippi State University to provide two new LED video displays on campus in 2018. Bulldog soccer and volleyball fans will see the visual improvements at home games this fall as Mississippi State Soccer Field and Newell-Grissom Building are receiving new technology. "The installation of new videoboards at soccer and volleyball will provide an enhanced game-day experience for our fans and student-athletes," MSU Director of Athletics John Cohen said. "We're thrilled to partner with Daktronics as we continue to elevate the Mississippi State brand at our venues."
 
UGA Athletic Association putting its airplane up for sale
The University of Georgia Athletic Association is planning to sell off its airplane and will instead use charter services for travel for coaches and administrators. "We made that decision several months ago to head in that direction," athletic director Greg McGarity told the UGA athletic board's finance committee last week. "We anticipate the sale of that aircraft during the next fiscal year. It's sort of a moving target as far as the amount of money." The Athletic Association has owned the airplane since 2006 when it purchased it used for $1.6 million, but it was determined it made sense to sell it now. McGarity told the committee that the plane was used mostly for recruiting trips by coaches, but also used for official university business including traveling to league meetings. Other uses included getting to donor events, interviewing coaching candidates and road games for the golf and tennis teams, which have smaller rosters than other sports.
 
Bruce Pearl 'confident' Auburn wants him, staff 'to be here for a long time'
Bruce Pearl is coming off the most successful season the Auburn men's basketball program has had in at least 15 years. He's "confident" there will be many more to come. The fifth-year head coach said Monday that he has had "really good discussions" with athletics director Allen Greene about the direction of the program and that new contracts for him and his assistants could be "coming down the road shortly." "Both (Auburn University president Steven Leath) and Allen in public have come out in support and wanting us to come back and wanting us to be here a long time, and this is obviously what we want, too," Pearl continued. His Tigers are coming off a season during which they totaled their second-most wins in a single season (26), claimed a share of the SEC regular-season championship for the first time since 1999 and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003, but they did so amidst controversy.
 
Missouri to open national search for next softball coach, not using search firm
Missouri will open up a national search for its next softball coach and will not use a search firm in the hiring process, according to a statement released by athletic director Jim Sterk on Tuesday afternoon. "A national search is underway to recruit the very best individual to lead Mizzou Softball into the future," Sterk said in the release. "Our program enjoys a rich tradition, plays in a state-of-the-art facility and competes in the nation's toughest conference, and it is our desire to build upon past successes moving forward. We will not utilize a search consultant in this process, and in order to protect the integrity of the search, I will have no further public comments regarding the process or the status of any candidates until the announcement of Mizzou's next head softball coach is made." The Tigers' season ended Sunday in the Norman Regional of the NCAA Tournament with a 7-0 loss to Oklahoma. Missouri went 30-29 under interim coach Gina Fogue, who was named coach after Sterk fired Ehren Earleywine 13 days before the start of the season.
 
NFL considers how to deal with anthem protests; 15-yard penalty reportedly among options
The NFL approved a new owner for the Carolina Panthers, passed a rule to eject players who hit with their helmets, and took steps to spice up the kickoff. Still to be resolved: a much more contentious issue. What to do, if anything, about players who kneel during the national anthem? "We recognize with our visibility and the interest itself that it's taken a life of its own," Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "We ask the world, 'Don't turn your head. Look at us. Wait a minute. Look at the NFL. Look at everything we're doing.' And then when we have some issues we've got to work through, we realize we've asked you to look. Let's do as good as we can do."



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