| Wednesday, September 26, 2018 |
| Hosemann kicks off voter registration at Mississippi State | |
 | Students at Mississippi State University got to hear the importance of voting from the man responsible for the state's elections Tuesday. Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann visited MSU to kick off the voter registration drive being conducted on campus this week. The drive is part of National Voter Registration Day, which falls annually on the fourth Tuesday in September. Hosemann spoke to students in the Colvard Student Union ballroom and took questions from the audience. He explained the importance of the drive in making sure students were correctly registered in Oktibbeha County or their home counties. "Your vote does matter," said MSU President Mark Keenum. "I hope you understand that, and it's one of the most important rights you have as a citizen of this great country." |
| Kayla Powe among Mississippi State students to join prestigious Presidential Scholars group | |
 | Northeast Lauderdale High School graduate Kayla R. Powe is one of 11 freshmen beginning their academic careers at Mississippi State with the university's Presidential Scholar designation. Considered MSU's most prestigious undergraduate scholarships, the annual awards cover the current cost of university tuition, fees, books, and room and board, as well as research and study-abroad expenses. Power, a biomedical engineering major, is a recipient of the Charles and Pat Lee Presidential Endowed Scholarship. She is the daughter of Krystal and Eric Powe. MSU Presidential Scholars Mentor Donald M. Shaffer Jr. said the program recognizes academic achievement and presents recipients with "a challenge to make a lasting impact on MSU and the world beyond it." |
| Learning engineers pose challenges and opportunities for improving digital learning | |
 | What is a learning engineer, and how is it different from other roles? Instructional designers' job responsibilities vary depending on the institution, and many believe their roles are evolving or will evolve into something closer to what learning engineers currently claim as unique to their profession. After observing this job posting for a learning engineer role at Carnegie Mellon, Trey Martindale, an instructional design expert who heads the instructional systems and work-force development department at Mississippi State University, replied, "In my view that's an instructional designer with some experience in data analytics." Martindale does admit that many instructional designers don't focus on research. He doesn't outright reject the possibility that learning engineers play a different role than instructional designers do. But he's wary of attaching the "engineer" label, which sounds to him like a superficial effort to sound more sophisticated. |
| Chancery clerk speaks at Rotary | |
| The Starkville Rotary Club heard from one of the integral and often misunderstood political offices at its meeting Monday. Oktibbeha County Chancery Clark Sharon Livingston spoke to the club, explaining her department's role and discussing the upcoming chancery judge election, with all three current chancellors retiring from the bench. Livingston was elected chancery clerk in November 2017, following a period as interim clerk after the death of longtime clerk Monica Banks in 2016. She discussed some of her accomplishments since being elected. She said she was also working toward putting real estate records online, making them more accessible to those who need them. She hopes to have the service available by New Year's Day. |
| OCH approves new board leadership | |
| The OCH Board of Trustees approved new board leadership at Tuesday's board meeting, with the changes set to go into effect Oct. 1. The board also approved the purchase of a quicker emergency response vehicle and a new ethics policy. OCH District 1 Board Member Jimmy Linley was not present during Tuesday's meeting. Tuesday's meeting was the last meeting OCH Board of Trustees Chair Linda Breazeale will lead as the board chair after serving for a year. During the meeting, the board unanimously approved the board of Trustees upcoming leadership, effective Oct. 1. OCH Board of Trustees Vice Chair Kimberley Brooks will serve as the board chair. OCH Board of Trustees Secretary Walter Williams will serve as the board vice chair. Lastly, OCH Board Member at Large Don Posey will serve as board secretary. |
| Trump reschedules, relocates Mississippi rally | |
 | President Donald Trump has rescheduled a Mississippi rally and campaign stop for Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith for Oct. 2 in Southaven after having canceled one planned in Jackson weeks ago because of Hurricane Florence. "We are pleased to announce the next stop on our national midterm campaign tour with a Make America Great Again rally on Tuesday, October 2nd in Southaven, Mississippi," Michael Glassner, chief operating officer for Donald J. Trump for President Inc., said in a press release. "President Trump will update Mississippi patriots on the great success of his America First agenda that's improving the lives of families across the Magnolia State. The President will also encourage Mississippians to get out and vote for Cindy Hyde-Smith in November." Trump has endorsed Republican Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker for the Nov. 6 elections. |
| Trump re-schedules Mississippi campaign rally; Hyde-Smith to join president in Southaven | |
 | President Donald Trump has re-scheduled his trip to Mississippi. He is scheduled to hold a rally at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Landers Center in Southaven. "I am honored that the president was able to reschedule his visit to Mississippi to show his support for our state and to campaign on my behalf," Sen. Hyde-Smith said. "It has been a privilege to back his 'America First' agenda, and I look forward to welcoming him to DeSoto County." The president is holding campaign rallies to support Republican candidates before the Nov. 6 general election. The Mississippi rally will be the first in a predominantly Republican state where incumbent Republican senators are on the ballot. Thus far, he has campaigned for Republican challengers in predominately Republican or swing states, though, he said he will campaign for incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas. |
| Trump to Campaign with Hyde-Smith in North Mississippi | |
| The Cindy Hyde-Smith for U.S. Senate campaign announced on Tuesday that President Donald Trump will join her for a rally in north Mississippi on Oct. 2. The campaigns cancelled a Sept. 14 rally as Hurricane Florence approached the Carolina coast just days before. Trump's earlier rally with the incumbent Republican senator was set to be held in Jackson; instead, the campaign plans to hold the rescheduled event in DeSoto County at the Landers Center in Southaven, Miss., at 7 p.m. The visit comes as Trump fights to save his U.S. Supreme Court pick, Brett Kavanaugh, who faces accusations of sexual misconduct from multiple women. In a statement released to the press Monday, Hyde-Smith said "sexual assault of any kind is unacceptable," but concurred with Trump's assertion that the Democrats manufactured the allegations, adding that "it is becoming very apparent that a major partisan effort is underway to undermine not just Judge Kavanaugh's nomination, but his character." |
| McDaniel won't yet pledge support to Hyde-Smith in runoff scenario | |
| In an interview with Mississippi Today, U.S. Senate candidate Chris McDaniel would not say whether he'd support Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith or Democratic candidate Mike Espy in the event of a special election runoff in late November. Political experts have speculated that Mississippi could be one of the states that decides control of the U.S. Senate, where Republicans now hold a majority. Because the race to replace retired U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran is a special election, a runoff would take place if no candidate receives a majority of votes. McDaniel, whose Senate campaign has focused on delegitimizing Hyde-Smith's conservative values by pointing out her former Democratic Party affiliation, declined to commit to supporting Hyde-Smith, a fellow Republican, if he missed the runoff. |
| Hosemann to high school seniors: Voting is an obligation | |
 | During their Tuesday morning assembly the roughly 250 members of the senior class at Columbus High School turned their attention to an important date on the calendar -- graduation day -- as they were informed about how to order everything from caps and gowns to class rings. But the students' attention was also directed to another day, Nov. 6, the date of the general election in Mississippi. Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and Rep. Kabir Karriem spoke briefly to the students as part of National Voter Registration Day. Hosemann had earlier met with students at Mississippi State during a voter registration event on the Drill Field. In the afternoon, he visited seniors at New Hope High School and election officials at the Lowndes County Courthouse. |
| A New Class of Voting Rights Activists Picks Up the Mantle in Mississippi | |
 | The first time Howard Kirschenbaum registered voters in Mississippi was during the summer of 1964, when he was arrested and thrown in jail. The second time was on Tuesday, after returning to the Southern state more than a half-century later to support a new generation of voting rights activists. In the quiet of a rainy morning, Mr. Kirschenbaum helped to register students on the campus of the University of Mississippi, and before long, he was in tears. Memories of Freedom Summer 1964, the historic campaign to register African-American voters in Mississippi, came rushing back. "In that moment, there must have been five or six students, all waiting patiently to fill out the registration form," said Mr. Kirschenbaum, 73, recalling the summer he spent in Moss Point, Miss., 54 years ago. "I am witnessing this moment. They want to vote. They are able to vote. The connection between then and now was so palpable. This is what we worked for all those years ago." |
| Residents urged to register to vote | |
 | Mississippi Democrats are ramping up their efforts to get people to the polls for the November 6th general election. MPB's Desare Frazier reports. Members of Mississippi's Democratic Party are outside the Hinds County Courthouse to urge people to register to vote. Field Director for the party, Jacqueline Amos, says they're working to register high school and college students. She's hearing about a consistent problem. "I received a call from the election commissioner's office," says Amos, "that they are receiving a number of voter registration applications that are not complete. They cannot be processed." Amos says some people will be turned away from the polls who think they're registered to vote. She says volunteers registering people and voters themselves have to make sure they fill out applications correctly. Amos says they're also trying to reduce voter apathy. Mississippians have to register by October 6th to be eligible to vote in the November election. |
| Democratic AGs warn Sessions against policing tech speech | |
 | Two Democratic state officials on Tuesday warned Attorney General Jeff Sessions against policing the way tech companies handle content on their platforms after they said Sessions repeatedly brought up concerns that the firms are politically biased. The warning followed a high-profile Justice Department meeting between Sessions and a group of more than a dozen state officials, including nine AGs. Other Democrats in attendance said the discussion focused on their concerns around tech company privacy violations and market dominance. Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh and District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine told reporters after the meeting that the discussion at times veered in a worrisome direction as Sessions brought up concerns that the firms are politically biased. Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, who filed a lawsuit against Google last year alleging the company improperly collected data on students via its education software, said states should pool their efforts. |
| U. of Mississippi begins 'expedited' process for removing Meek's name from journalism school | |
 | Ed Meek's name could be removed from the School of Journalism and New Media quicker than university officials originally expected. Ole Miss Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter said in a statement on Tuesday that the university plans to expedite the process for removing the donor's name in response to Meek's request over the weekend that his name be removed. Meek could not be reached for comment on Tuesday afternoon. Vitter said the Graduate Council and Undergraduate Council would vote on the measure by email Tuesday night. Both councils are comprised of faculty members and one student voting member. Vitter also said Meek's donation to the university may not be returned to him because of legal reasons, but the next steps will be discussed with Meek's family. Jim Zook, associate vice chancellor for strategic communication and marketing, declined to answer questions about the voting process. |
| UM ASB vies for student representation on IHL Board of Trustees | |
| Associated Student Body President Elam Miller wants to improve student relations with the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees by implementing a student agenda and gaining official student representation. "Initially, I really wanted to see a student trustee on the board, and this is just really idealistic. In a perfect world, I would love to have a student representative on IHL," Miller said. "Since becoming president, though, I have learned that there are some complexities to it." IHL is the constitutional governing body that oversees the policy and finances of Mississippi's eight public institutions. The 12 board members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Mississippi Senate to represent the state's three Supreme Court Districts. Because of this, Miller said that to add a student trustee to the board, there would have to be an amendment to the state constitution, which would have to be passed by the House and the Senate. The citizens of Mississippi would then make the final decision by voting on the amendment. |
| 'We are on the bottom:' LSU operating on 1991-style budget, F. King Alexander says | |
 | After nearly a decade of budget cuts, state aid for LSU is now about the same as it was in 1991, school president F. King Alexander said Tuesday. "I am glad we didn't hit the '80's but that was talked about during the legislative session," Alexander told the Louisiana Board of Regents. "It is not inflation adjusted or anything," he said after the meeting. "That is how you go from an 80-20 split, where the state is paying 80 percent, and now they are paying 20 percent and the students are paying 80 percent," Alexander said. The Regents are in the early stages of hearing financial needs from LSU, Southern University and others. The panel is set to meet on Wednesday, including a possible discussion of revised admission rules at LSU. |
| Leisure classes at LSU like Cajun dancing, woodworking are on the way out | |
| After half a century, LSU is ending leisure courses touted as a way for young and old to learn skills like Cajun dancing, digital photography and how to speak Italian. Ernie Ballard, a spokesman for LSU, said Tuesday classes offered during the fall semester will be the last of their kind. "Unfortunately, online programs and area workshops have provided many opportunities that used to not exist outside of leisure courses, and interest has dropped," Ballard said in an email. "As costs to put on the courses increase, coupled with outside competition, it wasn't viable for us to continue," he said. LSU President F. King Alexander, after an appearance before the Louisiana Board of Regents, said he was not familiar with the decision to end the courses. The current list of offerings include book binding, soap making and woodworking. |
| U. of South Carolina students lose thousands after scammers pose as professors and recruiters | |
 | It was going to be a good job. She would be paid $620 per week to work as an assistant to a University of South Carolina professor who said he was in Australia helping students with disabilities. What's more, she was going to get paid up front. The "professor" even sent her a check, which appeared to go through at first, according to a report from USC's Police Department. But there was a catch. She had to send her future employer $800 in iTunes gift cards and a check rewrite book. The next day, her bank called her to say the check she received was invalid and she had fallen victim to a scam, according to the police report. In the past three weeks, USC PD has responded to three complaints alleging scammers have impersonated either USC professors or recruiters to earn students' trust before stealing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars from them. |
| Pitbull to be paid $130,000 for U. of Florida talk | |
 | With the money University of Florida's ACCENT Speakers Bureau is paying music artist Pitbull to come to the university and speak, he should be able to turn any doghouse into a penthouse. Armando Christian Perez, better known by his stage name Pitbull, will be paid $130,000 to speak at UF on Oct. 2 at the Phillips Center, according to a contract obtained by The Sun. Pitbull's ACCENT talk is being made in collaboration with the Hispanic Heritage Month, a UF student-run celebration that tries to engage, empower and entertain the Hispanic and Latino UF student population, according to its Facebook page. In fall 2017, 18 percent of UF's students were considered Hispanic or Latino. Hispanic Heritage Month will pay a portion of the $130,000 paid to Pitbull, said ACCENT chairman Gregory Wolf, but it's unclear how much. Pitbull's ACCENT talk, moderated by UF Journalism Department Chairman Ted Spiker, will last about an hour, followed by a 15-minute student question-and-answer session. |
| Third U. of Tennessee rape reported in campus dorm this month | |
 | Two more rapes have been reported in on-campus residence halls at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, this month, making a total of three reports of rape in campus dorms in September. The most recent report marks the fifth rape reported on or near campus since March. Eight forcible sexual offenses committed against UT Knoxville students, four of which were cleared, were chronicled by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in 2017, the most recent year for which TBI crime statistics are available. The most recent episode occurred Saturday at an unknown time in a residence hall on the west side of campus, according to the UT Police Department's crime log. |
| Vanderbilt students join national walkout showing solidarity for Brett Kavanaugh's accusers | |
 | About 60 people gathered Monday at Vanderbilt University in a show of solidarity for the women accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Lindsay Holifield, a Vanderbilt Divinity School student, helped organize the Nashville demonstration, which was a part of the national walkout around midday Monday. "As someone who believes that God's heart is with the marginalized and the oppressed, I want to care for those as well," Holifield said. "I'm very passionate about survivors and making sure our campus and our city are safe and values those voices." The group met around noon outside Vanderbilt Divinity School. They walked together in the rain to a sidewalk along the busy 21st Avenue South so more people would see and hear their message. Some held signs that read "I believe survivors" and "No to Kavanaugh." |
| Scholar of multicultural education to speak Wednesday at U. of Missouri | |
 | A professor who has been studying multicultural education for about 40 years will speak at two University of Missouri events Wednesday. The professor, Christine Sleeter, used to be president of the National Association for Multicultural Education and has written more than 140 articles and two novels. Sleeter also created the Master of Arts in Education program at California State University, Monterey Bay. Multiple people and groups have pushed for increased diversity in the wake of the fall 2015 protests. In MU's five-year strategic plan, which was approved by the UM System Board of Curators last week, the university plans to increase faculty from underrepresented groups to 15 percent in 2023 from eight percent in 2017. In an interview Tuesday, Sleeter said everyone can bring something to the table and can work harder to understand diversity more than we currently do. |
| Growing number of Democrats run on free college, pushing issue into mainstream | |
| After free college played a big role in the fight for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, Donald Trump's surprising election put a moratorium on discussions of a large-scale college-affordability plan. But for the past two years, free college programs have continued to launch at the state and local level. And this election cycle, more candidates than ever are running on the idea. Ben Jealous is running for governor of Maryland on a campaign to make community college free and four-year college "debt-free." David Garcia is campaigning for governor in Arizona on a plan to make four-year public college tuition-free. And Ned Lamont in Connecticut wants to make the first two years free at any public college or university in the state. In all, nearly 10 Democratic gubernatorial candidates are running on some kind of free-college plan. And even more candidates for Congress are campaigning on free college. Free college appears to have broken through as a national political issue just as many in Washington's liberal policy circles are critical or outright opposed to the proposals. |
| How much does social media impact election outcomes? | |
 | Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: In the old days, a long drive on a state highway through stretches of rural Mississippi were a reasonably reliable barometer of the voter support or at the very least the fiscal health of a statewide campaign. All one had to do was count the billboards and yard signs. ...Today, social media dominates the American (and global) political landscape. ...So how much does social media actually move the needle in Mississippi elections? It is undeniable that social media plays a significant role in how campaign strategies are deployed and in both how candidates market themselves and how candidates in turn attack their political opponents. |
SPORTS
| Aeris Williams, Mississippi State set to host Florida at Davis Wade | |
| Aeris Williams worked his way up Mississippi State's depth chart wearing No. 27 and became a 1,000-yard rusher in his one season wearing No. 22. For his final act, his senior season, the West Point native is finally wearing his most meaningful number. With former running back Alec Murphy now a full-time linebacker, the No. 26 became available on No. 19 MSU's offense and Williams took it as an homage to his favorite Bible verse: Genesis 1:26. He will wear it 5 p.m. Saturday (ESPN) against Florida (3-1). The part of Genesis 1:26 that Williams is inspired by reads, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." "It's my favorite verse," Williams said. "I've been loving that verse, I just did it my senior year." The importance of Williams' faith was not lost on running backs coach/run game coordinator Charles Huff, who has his own experience in combining religion with college football. In his playing days at Hampton University, Huff was a fixture at Fellowship of Christian Athletes events and a part of the team's choir. |
| Rough loss to Kentucky humbles No. 23 Mississippi State | |
 | Mississippi State suddenly has a lot bigger problems than former coach Dan Mullen coming to town. The 23rd-ranked Bulldogs and their fan base have been looking forward to Saturday's game against Florida for several months, ever since Mullen left Starkville after nine seasons to become the Gators' head coach. But instead of going into the weekend undefeated Mississippi State is smarting after a 28-7 road loss to Kentucky . The setback certainly put a damper on first-year coach Joe Moorhead's honeymoon in Starkville. And he will certainly face more difficult questions if he can't beat the man he replaced on Saturday. |
| How Osirus Mitchell became one of Nick Fitzgerald's favorite targets | |
| Osirus Mitchell sat alone in the Mississippi State football facility. He wasn't sulking over the Bulldogs' recent 28-7 loss to Kentucky. This solitary reflection period happened long before last Saturday night. The redshirt sophomore receiver studied the playbook and worked out by himself plenty over the summer. Mitchell said it's the best offseason he's had since he started playing football. Senior offensive lineman Deion Calhoun witnessed Mitchell's self-improvement sessions. Calhoun has been a part of the program since 2014, so he knows when a guy is giving extra effort to be his best. "Osirus put in work the whole summer," Calhoun said. "Starting since the first game, it showed up. I'm very proud of him." |
| Fletcher Adams a big part of Bulldogs' talented D-line | |
| Mississippi State switched defenses during the offseason, going with more of a four-man front this year. Although the change had little affect on Fletcher Adams out on the edge, the junior defensive end believes the change has helped the Bulldogs' defensive line and team as a whole. MSU is currently tied for second nationally averaging 10.3 tackles for loss per game while rolling multiple players through at each position. "We have a lot of guys who are big and talented so there are fresh legs all over the chart," Adams said. "Once you get out there you can give it 100 percent every play." The Bulldogs currently have the top pass and total defense in the Southeastern Conference and are second in sacks with 13. Adams credits State's early season success on that side of the ball to new defensive coordinator Bob Shoop. |
| Dan Mullen fine with 'Mullen Bowl' hype | |
| The "Dan Mullen Bowl" will take place Saturday night when Florida visits Mississippi State, and Mullen is fine with that. No Southeastern Conference football game this season will be about one person more than this showdown between the 3-1 Gators and the 3-1 Bulldogs. Mullen spent the previous nine seasons guiding Mississippi State to milestone after milestone, but he's now in his first season as Florida's head coach. Whether this particular showdown has more personal significance to him or not, Mullen is welcoming the attention. "This is not hard for me," Mullen said Monday in his weekly news conference. "This takes the pressure off of everyone else. Our guys can focus on the opponent and beating an excellent team. Our guys have a lot going on and a lot to worry about, so if the outside focus is on me, it takes it off our guys and lets them prepare for the game." |
| No. 23 Mississippi State braces for return of Mullen, Florida | |
| Florida coach Dan Mullen understands he may get less than a welcoming reception when the Gators visit No. 23 Mississippi State on Saturday. When asked if he expected to hear some boos, Mullen replied: "What do you think?" Mullen will be facing the school he left behind for the first time when the Gators (3-1, 1-1 SEC) travel to Starkville, Miss., to face the Bulldogs (3-1, 0-1). Mullen led Mississippi State to a 69-46 record and eight bowl appearances in nine seasons before taking the Florida job last November. The highlight of the Mullen era came in October 2014 when Mississippi State, led by quarterback Dak Prescott, earned the No. 1 ranking in the AP poll. "When I think of the fans and I think of the former players and the people of the town of Starkville, I think for the most part they were appreciative in what we were able to accomplish in the nine years that we were there," Mullen said. |
| Rhylee DeCrane sees growth in game for ranked Mississippi State soccer team | |
| Rhylee DeCrane sees an all-around improvement when she assesses her performance through 10 games. The Mississippi State goalkeeper feels she is doing a good job stopping shots and communicating with her defense. She also believes she has improved her ability to control the goalkeeper's box and to win crosses. A few years ago, though, DeCrane never would have imagined she still would be playing soccer. In fact, after not playing nearly at all in the last three years she said she "already had written off soccer was over." "I practiced, but it wasn't like my biggest thing," DeCrane said. "I was just kind of out there to burn some calories, but when (MSU coach) Tom (Anagnost) came in, there was actual change to do something and to help my team, so every day at practice I worked." That work is paying off for DeCrane, who has played all but 7 minutes, 23 seconds of the team's matches in goal. DeCrane will be in goal at 7 p.m. Friday when MSU will play host to Florida (4-6-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) at the MSU Soccer Field. |
| Kentucky Fined $100K For Fans Rushing Field After Mississippi State Game | |
| The Southeastern Conference announced today that the University of Kentucky will be fined for a violation after fans rushed the field following the game against Mississippi State University on September 22. Kentucky will incur a fine of $100,000 for its second offense under the Conference's current policy prohibiting fan access to the competition area. Kentucky was last fined for a violation following its football game against South Carolina in 2014. Fines levied against schools for violation of the access to competition area policy are deposited into the SEC Post-Graduate Scholarship Fund. "The Conference has unanimously approved a policy requiring fines be applied when spectators enter the playing field after a game," said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. |
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