Monday, September 10, 2018   
 
Mississippi State discusses plans for newly acquired property
Newly acquired property will help Mississippi State University develop autonomous driving and advance driving-assist technologies. The property is adjacent to the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park. It will be used by the university's Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems. Due to security and safety concerns, the property will no longer be used for informal biking trails, as it was under previous ownership. "We are really excited about acquiring the property -- it is real game changer for us in the area of off-road autonomous vehicles. We are looking forward to leveraging this capability and expanding our research with several different agencies, including current controlled contracts with the Department of Defense. Exploring this new research area brings challenges which require restricted access to ensure the safety and success of our researchers and students," said Clay Walden, executive director of CAVS.
 
City, Mississippi State club set up new seven-hole disc golf course in J.L. King Park
There's a new amenity available for all ages at J.L. King Senior Memorial Park, made possible by a group of college students and the city of Starkville's Parks and Recreation Department. On Sunday afternoon, a half dozen members of the Mississippi State University Disc Golf Club worked through the heat and intermittent downpours installing seven new baskets for the first disc golf course established in a city park. The sport is akin to golf in terms of scoring, with players throwing a frisbee-like disc into a metal and chain-link basket. After the rain cleared up, the group was able to finally test out the course. While the baskets are currently set in concrete, the layout and size of the course could all adjust over time. Parks Executive Director Gerry Logan said the popular sport is a low-cost addition to what he referred to as "the city's best open-space park."
 
Mississippi State costume collection offers opportunities for community theater programs
From aprons, dresses, jackets and jumpsuits to pants, shawls, shirts and shorts, items in Mississippi State's Myrna Colley-Lee Costume Collection put the fun in fashion. Along with benefiting Theatre MSU productions throughout the year, these timeless pieces are now available for Mississippi school and community theatre programs to rent from MSU Libraries. A collaborative effort between MSU Libraries and the Department of Communication's Theatre MSU program, the collection consists of Colley-Lee's vintage costumes and clothing, as well as actual pieces dating from the 1920s to the present. "We are pleased to be able to make this site and collection available to the theater community," said MSU Libraries Associate Dean Stephen Cunetto. "It is a wonderful way of sharing Myrna's treasures that she collected over the years."
 
3OTR: Famous typewriters at Mississippi State
It's the close encounters of the six degrees of separation. I know the theory of degrees of separation involves people. But you can cut to the chase and declare yourself to have only ONE degree of separation between yourself and some very famous people when you gaze on the same typewriter keyboard upon which they gazed, and often created the works for which they are famous. Sarah McCullough, the Director of the Southern Literary Trail, explains it succinctly. "These typewriters belonged to such legends as Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, Tom Hanks, Mia Angelou, just a fascinating collection," said McCullough. And you can see them for free at Mississippi State University and even try your hand at the demonstration machine set up for practice and leave behind your words for the generations.
 
New 4-H agent looks to share love of agriculture
He was always outside growing up, hunting, fishing and riding dirt bikes, but he didn't know a thing about agriculture until a class at Mississippi State University turned him on to a whole new world. "I'd never worked cattle a day in my life," said John Nanney. "But you find that one thing, and it just clicks." Nanney, 23, spoke seated behind a big desk in a paneled office -- his office. As of about three weeks ago, Nanney is the 4-H agent at the MSU Extension Office in Lee County. 4-H is an educational program for youth ages 5-18. The program offers community clubs, which tackle a variety of projects, as well as more focused clubs, which center on areas like livestock, robotics, fashion and shooting sports. "We've got something for everyone," said Brandon Alberson, an extension agent in Lee County. Until recently, Alberson shouldered the 4-H duties amid his other responsibilities. However, the Lee County Board of Supervisors recently agreed to fund an additional agent, which led to Nanney joining the office.
 
No love for this bug
Southerners, especially those in Lincoln County, have no love for Plecia nearctica. You know the pest as the lovebug, a species of fly found throughout the state, but especially in southern counties. According to the Mississippi State University Extension Service, there are two generations each year, one in late spring and another in early fall. It's the latter that's causing headaches for motorists right now. According to science, there's no good way to control their numbers. They breed over such large areas and in such numbers that it would not be feasible to prevent outbreaks, according to the Extension Service. "Because decaying insect bodies tend to break down auto paint finishes, it is a good idea to wash the critters off of automobile surfaces regularly," Blake Layton, Extension entomology specialist, wrote.
 
Starkville Fire Department looking to purchase $1.46M ladder truck
Starkville Fire Department is looking to replace a ladder truck that is reaching the end of its lifespan. For the past few weeks, Starkville Fire Chief Charles Yarbrough has lobbied aldermen to authorize the purchase of a new 100-foot ladder truck in the face of mounting mechanical issues with Ladder 1. On Tuesday, the board approved his request, authorizing the purchase of an estimated $1.46 million ladder truck to replace the aging Ladder 1. Estimated payments for the new truck would be roughly $154,000 over 12 years, starting in Fiscal Year 2019. Yarbrough told aldermen on Tuesday he believes SFD can sell Ladder 1 for about $200,000, which could be used to help cover the first year's payment. SFD purchased Ladder 1, a custom-built 100-foot ladder truck, in 2006.
 
Oktibbeha fire departments, EMCC, OCH partner to provide EMT training
Oktibbeha County's volunteer fire departments are preparing a partnership with OCH Regional Medical Center and East Mississippi Community College to better train county firefighters to provide medical care. Austin Check, training officer for the county's fire departments, said the agreement, which was approved by the county board of supervisors and EMCC board earlier this week, will allow the departments to provide emergency medical technician training for firefighters. Currently, firefighters receive emergency medical responder training, which is a lower level of certification than EMT training. EMCC offers an EMT course. However, Check said, it can be hard, in terms of time and finances, for people to take the classes. With the partnership with EMCC, he said, the county fire departments can provide the classes at no cost to the firefighters, on a more flexible schedule and without the firefighters having to travel to the Mayhew campus.
 
Trump cancels Mississippi rally
President Donald Trump has canceled plans for a Friday rally in Mississippi in support of Republican U.S. Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker. "We received confirmation from the White House this morning that the Trump rally has been cancelled due to the projected hurricane threat to the East Coast," said Jennifer Dunagin, communications director for the Mississippi Republican Party. Hurricane Florence is projected to hit the Carolinas late this week. Dunagin said no rescheduling information is yet available. The rally, announced last week, was planned for the Mississippi Coliseum in downtown Jackson. A fairgrounds official initially told media on Monday that the rally had been canceled.
 
'It's all fake': in Trump's heartland, talk of White House chaos rings hollow
...in Jones county, Mississippi -- which includes Laurel and the college town of Ellisville and which Trump won with 71% of the vote -- the president's supporters paid little mind. The county's most famous contemporary resident -- 47-year-old Republican state senator Chris McDaniel -- lives in Ellisville. He is mounting a second bid for the US Senate and his signature issue is a promise to preserve the Mississippi state flag, which bears in its upper lefthand corner the Confederate battle flag. McDaniel took up the cause in 2015, when several high-profile Republicans called for change after a neo-Confederate shot dead nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina. In Hattiesburg, 30 miles south of Laurel, Trump supporters are not so easy to find. Between two universities the city is home to more than 20,000 students; Hillary Clinton comfortably beat Trump there in 2016. Still, one night early this week the only bar patron at Izote Mexican Cuisine was Mark Tullos, 63, a Trump supporter sipping a pint-sized margarita.
 
Why Wicker, Hyde-Smith won't commit to debates
Mississippi's two Republican U.S. senators are not saying whether they will -- or won't -- debate their opponents before the November 6 general election. Both Roger Wicker of Tupelo and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Brookhaven, who will be on the ballot in November in two separate Senate races, say their commitments in Washington, D.C., make it difficult to find time for debates. Hyde-Smith, the former state commissioner of agriculture and commerce, was appointed by Gov. Phil Bryant to replace long-time Sen. Thad Cochran who resigned in March for health reasons. She will face former U.S. Rep. Mike Espy, a Democrat, state Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, and Gautier Councilman Tobey Bartee in the November election. Both McDaniel and Espy say they have committed to debates.
 
Mississippi in line for savings account boost: Analysis
Mississippi may be making its first big deposit into its savings account in several years, but state government is still lacks enough savings to ride out a substantial downtown in revenues. The Department of Finance and Administration is still in the process of closing the books on the year ended June 30, but spokesman Chuck McIntosh said the department estimates the state will have about $55 million to put into the rainy day fund. Overall, McIntosh said estimates show state government finished the 2018 budget year $110 million in the black. That's higher than earlier estimates circulated among lawmakers. Most of the remaining surplus would go to financing improvements on state government buildings.
 
U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson Says 'One Lake' Violates Federal Laws
In a surprise move, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson and a coalition of businesses, public-interest organizations and citizens are speaking out against a draft plan to dam the Pearl River and create a lake development that backers say will help control some local flooding in the Jackson area, while creating both green spaces and lucrative waterfront property for development. The plan is creating controversy locally and downstream all the way to New Orleans, due to questions around taxation, effectiveness, environmental harms, threats to wildlife, transparency and potential negative effects on businesses downstream along the Pearl River.
 
They're Crying in the Cyber Wilderness
Seventeen summers ago, 19 men had to make their way physically into the country, train to fly planes while avoiding scrutiny, and then crash them into buildings in order to pull off a daring attack on a superpower. In the years since then, attacking the United States and its institutions has become a lot simpler: a few strokes on a keyboard can now disrupt elections or shut off a power grid. In a reprise of former CIA director George Tenet's line that the "system was blinking red" with warning signals in the months before the Sept. 11 attack, many top U.S. officials and lawmakers have taken to issuing similar warnings of potentially catastrophic cyberattacks that America's adversaries could unleash. The warning signs in the months before September 2001 not only were ignored or missed because of bureaucratic infighting, as the 9/11 Commission found, but they were never made public. In contrast, 17 years later, despite the public warnings by top officials, it is unclear whether there's better preparation against such potential attacks.
 
Florence grows into Category 4 hurricane; prepare for 'a strong hit' on South Carolina, governor urges
The state of South Carolina is preparing for some level of impact from Hurricane Florence, Gov. Henry McMaster announced Sunday. The hurricane on Monday grew into a powerful Category 4 storm. "A hurricane is coming our way," McMaster said Sunday at a news conference held at the State Emergency Operations Center. "Pretend, assume, presume that a major hurricane is going to hit right smack dab in the middle of South Carolina." McMaster, predicting a "likely strong hit on South Carolina," stressed that residents should begin planning now to evacuate if necessary. That means filling prescriptions, planning a route, notifying relatives and emergency contacts of where you're headed, making plans for pets, boarding up properties and stocking up on provisions.
 
MUW professor awarded artist fellowship from Mississippi Arts Commission
Valentin M. Bogdan, associate professor of music at Mississippi University for Women, has been awarded a $5,000 artist fellowship from the Mississippi Arts Commission. The funds are a portion of the nearly $1.4 million in grants the commission awarded for 2018-2019. It will be used to help Bogdan in his creative work as a composer and pianist, the composition and performances in the United States and Europe of a set of piano works inspired by his Mississippi experiences. "I am extremely honored to be the recipient of this artist fellowship," said Bogdan, who has been a music professor at The W since 2013. An award-winning composer and pianist, Bogdan enjoys an international career, with performances in Italy, Canada, Russia, France, Jordan, Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria and the United States.
 
Filmmaker to discuss erosion of Dauphin Island at MUW
On Thursday, Sept. 13, as part of Mississippi University for Women's fall Forum Series hosted by the Gordy Honors College, filmmaker Liza Slutskaya will screen and discuss her film "A Disrupted System: Alabama's Disappearing Barrier Island." The film explores the erosion of Dauphin Island from the perspective of long-time residents. Dredging in Mobile Harbor means that the natural flow of sand along Alabama's shoreline is no longer replenishing the island's beaches. Slutskaya received her degree in anthropology and film production from Johns Hopkins University. In 2016, she was a Southern Exposure Film Fellow and this year served as program coordinator. In her first film "Good Housekeeping," she explored the burden of utility costs for low-income communities.
 
Jackson Heart Study funding extended 6 more years
Now in its 20th year, the Jackson Heart Study will have six more years to focus on the cardiovascular health of African-Americans. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health has renewed its support of the study, expanding the program's ability to make discoveries about cardiovascular health, translate these findings for the community and train the next generation of biomedical scientists. The Jackson Heart Study, which is also funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, is the largest long-term study of cardiovascular health in a defined group of African-Americans. Since 1998, it has studied more than 5,300 people from the Jackson metropolitan area. Investigators at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson State University, Tougaloo College and the state Department of Health received official notification of the six-year extension Aug. 13.
 
JCJC rebrands two-year institution as Jones College
During a freshman convocation on Sept. 7, officials with Jones County Junior College unveiled the two-year institution's new name and logo. Jones College represents the future for students and faculty. "We are not changing our vision; we are changing our name to better fit our image," said Jesse Smith, Jones College president in a press release. "Just as the University of Mississippi is universally known as 'Ole Miss' and the Mississippi University for Women, 'The W,' Jones County Junior College will now be known more precisely as 'Jones College.' The term 'junior college' is no longer indicative of who we are or what we offer. Our education is just as rigorous, and our students are just as successful as those of 4-year universities. There is nothing 'junior' about us anymore."
 
East Mississippi Community College names athletic director as new interim president
East Mississippi Community College has named Athletic Director Randall Bradberry interim president. Bradberry, who was named the college's athletic director in 2016, replaces former interim president Rick Young. Young was named interim president on May 18 after former President Thomas Huebner's resignation. Young submitted a letter of resignation to the EMCC Board of Trustees Monday, which the board accepted during its meeting Tuesday. EMCC Board President Jimmy Moore said the board extended an offer to Bradberry earlier in the week and he accepted it late Friday. "Dr. Bradberry has been affiliated with the EMCC since '67, when he played football," Moore said. "He's qualified, dedicated and fair and he'll be a tremendous asset for the college as we move forward." EMCC is continuing its search for a permanent president.
 
Students learn about medical fields at Meridian Community College's Pre-Professional Day
Some 217 students from area high schools and Meridian Community College got the chance to learn more about careers in science, engineering, medicine and other STEM positions when the College hosted its 15th annual Pre-Professional Student Day Friday in the Tommy E. Dulaney Center. Speakers from Mississippi State University, the University of Mississippi, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Mississippi Rural Physicians/Dentists Health Scholarship Program, East Central Mississippi Health Network Family Medicine Residency Program and MCC delved into the topics of majoring in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine and engineering. MCC sophomore Alliyah Sims came to Pre-Professional Day to specifically meet with Mississippi State University Veterinary School officials Dr. Brittany Moore-Henderson and Dr. Allison Gardner.
 
Impact of first Rotary Club project still resonates at U. of Alabama
With more than $900,000 now having been raised and contributed to community projects by the Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa during the past 45 years, the club paused last week to recognize its first project. That was a $60,000 investment in the Rotary International Student Center, on the University of Alabama campus. The RISC continues to offer living space and meeting rooms for students from countries around the world, as an outreach of Rotary's dedication to international service. A large framed picture of the first facility was displayed at the club's Sept. 4 meeting and will be hung on the wall of what is more recently called the Rotary International House. Rotarian Omar Smith, who chairs the club's international committee, said the international center has endured these 45 years "as testimony to the club's support and influence of worthy projects."
 
Teen arrested on murder charge in Auburn shooting
An Opelika teen was arrested Sunday on murder charges in the death of a 20-year-old Tuskegee man stemming from a shooting near Toomer's Corner earlier in the day, Auburn police said. The teen, a 17-year-old whose name was not released, was apprehended by Auburn police and members of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force from an Auburn home. The incident occurred down the block from Toomer's Corner, a popular gathering place after Auburn football games. Three of the four others injured in the shooting -- a 17-year-old male, a 19-year-old female, both of Opelika, and a 21-year-old Auburn University student from Hilton Head, S.C. -- were taken to East Alabama Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The fourth victim, a 16-year-old Opelika male, was flown to Piedmont Columbus Regional Medical Center by air ambulance with serious injuries. Police said an altercation preceded the shooting but there were no further details about the argument.
 
Fraternity banners prompt Auburn University response
Two fraternity banners boasting negative messages Saturday against Auburn University's football opponent, Alabama State University, have prompted an official reaction from campus officials. In a statement released Sunday, the university said, "Auburn University is committed to upholding a nurturing community supportive of fundamental dignities and promoting integrity, responsibility and mutual respect. We take seriously all reports of potential student conduct policy violations and investigate them fully to uphold the values and standards of the Auburn family." Displayed on a fraternity house, Sigma Pi, on Auburn's campus as the Tigers took on Alabama State during its home opener, the banners generated a range of responses from the public after photos of them were posted on Facebook, with one post boasting 212 reactions, 623 comments and 1,400 shares by 6 p.m.
 
2018 U.S. News college rankings: LSU falls to 10th in SEC; Tulane tops in Louisiana
LSU is tied for 140th among national universities, according to college rankings released Monday by U.S. News & World Report. Tulane University, which is a private school, is the highest-rated Louisiana college or university on the list at No. 44. All of the rankings are in the 2019 Best Colleges report, which includes data on more than 1,800 schools in a variety of categories. LSU is the state's lone public school in the report's top tier. In a statement, LSU President F. King Alexander downplayed the ratings. "While we are pleased to be recognized as the only public university in Louisiana ranked in the top tier, input-based rankings such as U.S. News are becoming more obsolete," Alexander said. "People are paying more attention to rankings that focus on outcomes like Washington Monthly and Forbes because that's what really matters to students and their families," he added.
 
In public and in private, LSU Board seemingly in support of new holistic admissions standards
Two members of the LSU Board of Supervisors voiced their support Friday for the administration's decision to discount ACT scores and another five board members privately backed the change in admission standards. That's almost a majority of the 16-member panel that decides policy at the state's flagship university and that could overturn the new criteria university officials quietly began using in deciding who can go to LSU. But the board is not making any official statements on the issue until Tuesday, newly installed board Chairman James M. Williams said after the daylong meeting. He said he hadn't polled board members to see where they stand on the issue that has brought a lot of attention and some criticism to university administrators. One issue being hashed out is whether an official board vote is needed to approve the recent shift.
 
U. of Arkansas falls to 78 in colleges' rankings; retention cited in U.S. News list
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville dropped 15 slots to 78th among 132 public universities listed in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of national universities released today. Chancellor Joe Steinmetz attributed the slide in part to changes in the rankings methodology to evaluate the retention of students receiving Pell grants. Such grants are reserved for students with exceptional need, according to the U.S. Department of Education. "We didn't fare well in that measure compared to the folks around us, and that probably accounts for most of the slippage that there is in the ranking," Steinmetz said. For the entering class of 2011, the six-year graduation rate for UA students receiving Pell and Stafford aid was 42.3 percent, out of a total of 705 students, according to a university report.
 
U. of Florida rises to 8th in US News & World Report rankings
The University of Florida moved up one spot -- to eighth place among public universities --- in the widely watched rankings published today by U.S. News & World Report. It is the highest spot yet for UF, where administrators have won extra funding for facilities and faculty on a mission to establish pre-eminence among its peers. UF cracked the top 10 in the news magazine's annual Best Colleges list last year, tied for ninth with two schools in the University of California system. This year, UF moves up to eighth, tied with Georgia Tech. "The fact UF was in the top 10 for one year could have been viewed as a fluke," UF provost Joe Glover said, "I think the fact that we're in there two years in a row shows that it's a pretty solid achievement." UF President Kent Fuchs and the board of trustees have set a goal of becoming one of the top five public universities during his tenure.
 
New Zachry Engineering Education Complex officially unveiled at Texas A&M
Texas A&M faculty, staff and leaders celebrated Friday with donors and students as they officially cut the ribbon on the new Zachry Engineering Education Complex. Though many donors helped make the new building a reality, Katherine Banks, vice chancellor and dean of the College of Engineering, said, one of the most touching was the first received. It was not the amount -- $1 million -- or the timing that made it special, but its source: the students and the Student Engineers' Council. The donation was "by the students and for the students," current SEC President Reed Hampton said, noting when he arrived on campus in 2015, the original Zachry Building already was slated for demolition. Texas A&M University President Michael K. Young called the building a "stunning feat of engineering," noting the building measures 525,000 square feet and could fit two Boeing 747 jets north to south, end to end, inside.
 
Texas A&M's Mays School of Business marks 50 years
As multiple large screens behind him rotated through pictures of five decades of alumni, Mays School of Business Dean Eli Jones welcomed about 150 people Friday afternoon as the school kicked off its 50th anniversary celebration at the Wehner Building. "It's not often we have a chance to come home and spend good quality time together," said Jones, a member of the class of 1982, to a crowded Cox Hall full of business school alums, faculty, current and prospective students and family members. Jones said the theme of the weekend was "aMAYSing," and said the planning team had worked to provide a combination of fun, reunion and education opportunities for attendees. Jones highlighted Mays' new master's of science in business program, which is for students who completed an undergraduate degree in a non-business field, as one of several recent moves the school has made. Jones returned to his alma mater to serve as dean in 2015 after working in the same role at Louisiana State University and Arkansas.
 
Missouri Hyperloop Coalition draws on U. of Missouri students' ideas
Virgin Hyperloop One and Black & Veatch are working toward creating the "fifth form of transportation" that could essentially erase the concept of separate geographical regions -- and they want Missouri students' help to do it. This hyperloop project would cut down the four-hour drive between Kansas City and St. Louis to only 35 minutes, the equivalent of some professional's typical daily commutes within their city. Members of the coalition are still gathering information for the feasibility study that will examine the economical and physical logistics of the project, but they wanted to look to Columbia for local input before the study's end. "We want to connect the hyperloop to Columbia and we want to get your input on how best we do that," Virgin Hyperloop One senior tunnel engineer Tony Bauer told the room of 100-plus University of Missouri students Thursday night. "How do we build portals that integrate with the campus, with the community and how will it best affect your lives?"
 
U. of Missouri introduces Rave Guardian app to improve campus safety
An app the University of Missouri has recently introduced to campus could give students, faculty and staff an added level of security, especially when walking alone. The app, Rave Guardian, lets users register their friends and family as "guardians" who can "virtually walk" with them on and off campus, according to a news release from the MU Police Department. Users set a timer for their walk, and their guardian can follow along using GPS tracking. When the user makes it to their destination, they turn off the timer and the app notifies the guardian that they are safe. If they haven't made it to their destination and turned off the timer before it runs out, the app will immediately notify the user's chosen guardian. The app allows MU police to communicate directly with users on their cellphones, Sara Diedrich, public safety information specialist for MU Police Department, said.
 
Title IX: Appeals court ruling opens the door for boosted due-process rights
In an unparalleled decision and a win for those who feel due process has been shunned in. campus investigations of sexual assault, a federal appeals court has ruled that universities must allow students in these cases -- or their representatives -- to directly question their accuser in a live hearing. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit's opinion, in a lawsuit against the University of Michigan, has the potential to reshape the notion of due process for campus sexual assault cases, at least for institutions in the four Midwestern states that comprise the Sixth Circuit, experts say. Also looming is the Trump administration's imminent release of draft regulations around Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the federal gender antidiscrimination law barring sexual misconduct on college campuses.
 
'U.S. News' says it has shifted rankings to focus on social mobility, but has it?
For years, critics of the college rankings of U.S. News & World Report have said that they reward prestige and wealth. The institutions that are always on the top of the rankings -- places like Harvard, Princeton and Stanford Universities -- enroll students who are destined to succeed, the critics say. It should be no surprise (and not worthy of praise) that the students then do well. What about the institutions that enroll students not destined to do well -- those who grew up poor, who in many cases went to poorly resourced high schools and who lacked family members with the social capital to help find a good college or launch a career? It is the colleges that succeed with such students that really deserve praise, these critics say. And as a result, a number of efforts have started to look at colleges that promote "social mobility" -- in other words, that help boost those from disadvantaged families into the middle class.
 
U.S. News revamps formula for its latest college rankings
U.S. News and World Report is changing the formula for its widely read college rankings to reward schools that enroll and graduate more students from low-income families -- a year after a POLITICO report showed that the rankings promote economic inequality on campuses. till, the top of the U.S. News rankings doesn't look that much different than in years past. The new methodology is reflected in the 2019 "best colleges" edition, out Monday. It's the first update to the rankings since POLITICO reported that they create incentives for schools to favor wealthier students over less wealthy applicants. The rankings are so closely followed in the academic world that some colleges have built them into strategic plans. Among the colleges that benefited most from the changes was the entire California university system -- "partly due to the universities' performance graduating high proportions of low-income students," said Robert Morse, chief data strategist at U.S. News & World Report.
 
Encouraging girls to 'lean in'
Angela Farmer, an assistant professor of educational leadership at Mississippi State, writes: While it has been 158 years since women's suffrage, or women's right to vote in the United States, was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920, there are still many gender gaps to close and discussions to have in order to continue to realize a path toward true equality. Although on the surface, women in the U.S. may appear able to access all things equally, the data reveals a different truth. According to a research study of S&P 500 CEOs reported by Catalyst on Oct. 12, 2017, only 21.8 percent of those positions are held by women. This statistic is especially concerning when one realizes that girls are continuing to outperform boys in the classroom, earning nearly 57 percent of the undergraduate degrees and 60 percent of the master's degrees in the U.S.
 
Special session puts Band-Aid on state road and bridge sores
Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: Was that a kinder, gentler Tate Reeves emerging from the recently concluded special session of the Mississippi Legislature? Reeves said the public should note the session's bipartisan goodwill, wrote the AP's Emily Wagster Pettus in a wrap-up story last week. Goodwill between the House and Senate much less bipartisan goodwill have not been at the forefront of Reeves' political agenda during his two terms as Lieutenant Governor. A hint of the new Reeves appeared just ahead of the special session. He backed off the highly controversial road and bridge proposal he had rushed through the Senate during the regular session -- one that required local matching funds -- to generally accept a House plan he had rejected during that regular session.
 
Any consequence for clinging to a sinking ship?
Longtime Mississippi journalist Charlie Mitchell writes: Long before there was a mutiny aboard H.M.S. Bounty, it was clear Capt. Bligh was unfit. As tensions built, the choice for his officers and crew became increasingly clear: (1) tough it out or (2) risk being hanged for deciding enough was enough. As anyone who has seen the movie knows it was 16 months into the voyage before half the sailors rose up, shoved a screeching Bligh and a few of his buddies into a dinghy and pushed it away. Roughly half of the Americans who voted in November 2016 were suspicious enough of Donald Trump to cast their votes for his opponent, who, as it happens, was one of the most widely mistrusted and disliked nominees ever to make it to a presidential ballot. In the months since, though, it has become increasingly clear that Donald Trump -- by temperament if nothing else -- is unfit.


SPORTS
 
Athletic stadiums try to boost attendance by offering up cheaper food prices
As the NFL kicks off its regular season, some sports teams are experimenting with a secret ingredient to help reverse declining attendance: cheaper food. ...sports teams in Baltimore and Mississippi have recently announced similar price moves. Baltimore Ravens fans will get popcorn or a pretzel for $3; while Mississippi State boosters can score a hot dog or nachos for as little as $2. Mississippi State is already seeing some rewards from its food and beverage announcement, according to Leah Beasley, senior associate athletic director of external affairs, who spoke to CNBC ahead of the regular season. "We don't know how much product we're going to sell," Beasley said, but the university has already seen an uptick in ticket sales, which she said "was a direct correlation to the concessions press release."
 
Mississippi State's defense shows versatility in dominating Kansas State
Erroll Thompson had a productive start Saturday. The Mississippi State sophomore linebacker had five tackles and a quarterback hurry midway through the second quarter, when he dropped into zone coverage on second-and-10. Kansas State tried to run a slant behind him, but he read it and slid to his left to get in range for a diving interception. Four plays after that interception, Thompson had a tackle for a loss. But Thompson was just one of many contributors for the defense in a 31-10 victory. After using a lot of pressure to limit Stephen F. Austin to 3.3 yards in the season opener, MSU was more versatile in holding Kansas State (1-1) to 213 yards, 3.8 per play, in its first road victory against a Power 5 opponent outside the Southeastern Conference since it defeated Baylor in 1995. "I think it's a positive step for them," MSU coach Joe Moorhead said.
 
Kylin Hill leads Mississippi State to 31-10 win over Kansas State
On an overcast, misty morning on the Great Plains, Mississippi State needed a spark. The Bulldogs thought they had one when junior linebacker Leo Lewis blindsided Kansas State's quarterback and forced a fumble deep in MSU territory. The play was reviewed and reversed, and the Wildcats knotted the score at three apiece late in the first quarter. Instead, the spark head coach Joe Moorhead's team needed came on the ensuing offensive possession, and it came from a likely player. Kylin Hill caught a 16-yard touchdown pass, and the sophomore running back's day was just getting started. He led the way in Mississippi State's rather convincing 31-10 victory in unfriendly confines.
 
Bulldogs pound the ground with Kylin Hill
Kylin Hill's first carry against Kansas State went for a 47-yard gain. However, it was only a prelude to the career game the Mississippi State sophomore running back enjoyed on Saturday. Hill ran for 211 yards on 17 carries and scored two touchdowns on the ground, all personal bests. "It was a dream come true, especially for me to get playing time like that," Hill said. "I didn't even know how many yards I had. The team just kept telling me to keep running. My O-line did a terrific job opening up the gaps for me to run in. They played unbelievable." Hill also added a 16-yard touchdown catch and established a new career-long run of 52 yards on the opening drive of the third quarter. He averaged 12.4 yards per carry against the Wildcats. "Certainly, Kylin runs with a tremendous physicality," said MSU coach Joe Moorhead. "He runs behind his pads and also has that second gear to go the distance."
 
Kylin Hill leads ground game as No. 18 Mississippi State routs Kansas State for 2-0 start
When Saturday ends, it's likely Mississippi State running back Kylin Hill will be among the top five rushers in the Southeastern Conference through two games. His 10 yards per carry over that same span could rank in the same heights among those with at least 20 carries, if not higher. Yet, the only deceiving number about Hill is his weight. The Columbus native played his freshman season listed at 212 pounds and has started his sophomore season at 215. The slight difference hides the transformation that has made Hill into a back that can be one of the SEC's best -- a potential he proved on Saturday. In running for 211 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries -- 12.4 yards per carry -- Hill took himself from one in the crowd to the unquestioned leader of the pack as No. 18 MSU (2-0) beat Kansas State 31-10. He did it in a way that was the exact manifestation of what he had in mind as he made life changes over the summer to transform his body.
 
Nick Fitzgerald displays similar tendencies in Mississippi State's win
The return of senior quarterback Nick Fitzgerald's as Mississippi State's starter brought the anticipation and suspense of something new. But when Fitzgerald took the field against Kansas State on Saturday, everything felt the same. All offseason, the buzz around Starkville was that head coach Joe Moorhead would make a new quarterback of Fitzgerald. The sample size is only one game, but Fitzgerald looked to be the same guy Mississippi State fans have watched throughout the past two seasons. Fitzgerald is nationally renowned as a runner -- not many quarterbacks do it better. But as a passer, the same woes that plagued Fitzgerald during his first two seasons as MSU's starter resurfaced in the inaugural game of his final season.
 
Bulldogs maul Kansas State
There was so much attention being paid to Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald's return to the field Saturday that nobody paid much to running back Kylin Hill. Certainly not the Kansas State defense. Not even himself, really. After Hill ran for 211 yards and accounted for three scores, and after the No. 18 Bulldogs' swarming defense shut down the Wildcats in a 31-10 rout, the sophomore running back acknowledged he wasn't even sure how many yards he'd piled up during the game. "I honestly don't know," Hill insisted.
 
Notebook: Nick Fitzgerald relishes victory in return to Mississippi State lineup
Nick Fitzgerald's impact on his first game back as Mississippi State's starting quarterback was profound -- even if it wasn't in the way quarterbacks are designed to do it. Fitzgerald's 19 carries for 159 yards offset what he admitted was not a great day throwing the ball. He still threw for 154 yards and two touchdowns, despite completing 40.7 percent of his passes, in No. 18 MSU's 31-10 win over Kansas State (1-1). Fitzgerald's first play was a success, a five-yard completion to tight end Justin Johnson; all momentum was gone after his next five attempts fell incomplete. Gashing the Wildcat defense up the middle with his feet proved to be the medicine he needed. "I found the flow of it, running the ball-wise. I didn't have a great day passing it, I'm going to continue to work on that, work with (quarterbacks coach Andrew) Breiner and (head coach Joe) Moorhead and get the accuracy going," Fitzgerald said.
 
MSU Notebook: Nick Fitzgerald sets record upon return
Nick Fitzgerald was behind Dak Prescott during his first two years at Mississippi State. On Saturday, Fitzgerald moved ahead of the current Dallas Cowboys star for most career rushing yards by a quarterback in school history with 2,645. With 159 yards against Kansas State, the senior signal caller from Richmond Hill, Georgia, also surpassed Matt Jones of Arkansas and is now only 302 yards shy of tying the SEC career record held by Florida's Tim Tebow. Saturday was Fitzgerald's first game since last Thanksgiving, when he had his ankle broken against Ole Miss.
 
Mississippi State women's soccer team improves to 7-0
For the third time in program history -- and first since 2012 -- the Mississippi State women's soccer team has defeated all of its non-conference opponents. On Sunday, MSU completed the sweep with a 3-0 victory against Louisiana Tech at the MSU Soccer Field. MSU (7-0) earned the victory after lightning in the area delayed the start of the match 75 minutes. MSU had plenty of chances in the first half and held a 9-1 edge in shots midway through the match, but the game remained scoreless through 45 minutes. The Bulldogs struck in the second half with three goals in less than 10 minutes. Senior Brooke McKee started the scoring in the 61st minute after a corner kick was deflected and fell at her feet. With the goalkeeper unable to recover, she fired the ball home to give MSU the first goal of the match for the 11th-consecutive game.
 
Mississippi State soccer completes perfect non-conference slate with 3-0 win over Louisiana Tech
For the third time in program history and the first time since 2012, Mississippi State's soccer team has defeated all of its non-conference opponents. The Bulldogs (7-0-0) claimed a 3-0 win over Louisiana Tech (7-2-0) on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The start of the game was delayed by an hour and 15 minutes due to lightning in the area, but the teams were able to complete the match without any further breaks in the action. MSU will now travel to undefeated Auburn (7-0-0) to open conference play. The matchup pits two of the conference's four remaining unbeaten teams against each other on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. CT.
 
Mississippi State soccer squad improves to 7-0
For the third time in program history and the first time since 2012, Mississippi State's soccer team is undefeated heading into SEC play. The Bulldogs (7-0) claimed a 3-0 win over Louisiana Tech (7-2) on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The start of the game was delayed by an hour and 15 minutes due to lightning. State held a 9-1 edge in shots midway through the match, but the game remained scoreless through 45 minutes. The Bulldogs struck in the second half with three quick goals in under 10 minutes. Senior Brooke McKee got the scoring started in the 61st minute after a corner kick was deflected and fell at her feet. Senior Courtney Robicheaux scored in the 67h minute and freshman Niah Johnson scored 59 seconds later.
 
Mississippi deer hunting food plots
The predicted rain from Tropical Storm Gordon had many hunters excited about the potential to get an early start on planting winter food plots for deer, but according to Mississippi State University Deer Lab's Bronson Strickland, planting too early can be a mistake. "In most of Mississippi, your best bet is mid to late September up until the middle of October," Strickland said. Planting any sooner is taking a big gamble. "You're always rolling the dice," Strickland said. "You're rolling the dice of are you going to have adequate rainfall and are you going to have armyworms. They will completely devour it. Literally, eat it down to the coarse stem. Basically, anything that is herbaceous that a deer will eat, armyworms will eat. It's bam! They're there and sweeping across a field like an army."
 
U. of Alabama lowers food prices at Bryant-Denny Stadium
Fans can look forward to lower prices at Bryant-Denny Stadium concession stands, according to the University of Alabama's athletics department. Beginning with Saturday's home opener against Arkansas State, bottled water will cost $3 and pretzels, hot dogs and soft drinks will each cost $4. Last season, those prices were $1 to $2 higher. The move, announced Friday on UA athletics' social media sites, follows a trend that began last season in the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons cut food and beverage prices for its first season in Mercedes-Benz Stadium and saw sales rise. A quick Google search shows that the University of Texas, Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi have also announced plans to reduce prices at concession stands this season. The price cut announcement was the last item in UA's "18 in 18" campaign, designed to raise awareness about improvements made to the fan experience at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Beginning Aug. 21, the UA athletics department announced one enhancement per day on its Twitter and Facebook pages.
 
Bo's Burgers make Jordan-Hare debut
Bo Jackson is returning to Auburn football. The 1985 Heisman winner has partnered with food service provider Aramark to bring his own taste to Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Bo Burger, a seasoned pure beef hamburger, made its debut at the "Bo Jackson Grill" concession stand Saturday, during Auburn's home opener against Alabama State. The Bo Jackson Grill is located in section 32 of the stadium, and Jordan-Hare is the first collegiate sports venue to serve Bo's Burgers, according to an Aramark press release. "Auburn will always hold a special place in my heart, and that makes this partnership even more meaningful," Jackson said in the release. "I have many fond memories of Auburn, so when Aramark approached me about adding Bo's Burgers to the menu, it was an opportunity I couldn't resist. "Tiger fans are among the most passionate in college sports, and I hope they enjoy this burger as much as their football."
 
Peyton Manning could win any office in Tennessee, Knoxville Rep. John Duncan says
Talk of politics has found Peyton Manning again. According to a report by TMZ, Knoxville Rep. John J. Duncan Jr. said the University of Tennessee football legend could run and win any race he wanted in Tennessee. "If Peyton Manning ran for any office in Tennessee, he could win by a landslide. "I think he's made so much money off his football career and his advertising and so forth that it'd be a step down for him to be elected to some office," he continued. In a video posted with the TMZ article, Duncan tells a story about Manning writing him a personal letter, one that he framed in his Knoxville home. When asked if running for politics would hurt Manning's brand, Duncan said it would. Duncan joins other politicos who think the future NFL Hall of Famer would do well in office. Last year Sen. Bob Corker said Manning would be "great in public office." In June 2017, the duo golfed with President Donald Trump.



The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
Mississippi State University  •  Mississippi State, MS 39762  •  Main Telephone: (662) 325-2323  •   Contact: The Editor  |  The Webmaster  •   Updated: September 10, 2018Facebook Twitter