Thursday, October 4, 2018   
 
Inspired to be the best: MSU-Meridian grad students visit Ron Clark Academy
Photo: A group of graduate students from MSU-Meridian's school administration degree program attended the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. RCA is a demonstration school -- a place where visiting educators engage in a vibrant professional development experience by observing best practices in action before participating in hands-on workshops. In the past nine years, more than 38,000 superintendents, district-level administrators, and teachers from 42 states and 22 countries have participated in the RCA Experience to learn better ways to engage students, promote academic rigor, and create a climate and culture that promotes success. Pictured front row, from left, Frederick Liddell, Meridian Public School District; Cierra Ball-Williams, Lauderdale County School District; Ron Clark; Corey Boykin, Lauderdale County School District; second row, from left, Micah Mills, Jones County Schools; Yolanda Davis, Meridian Public School District; Amy Massey, Lamar County Schools; Terry Dale Cruse, head of campus for MSU-Meridian; Penny Wallin, associate professor of education leadership at MSU-Meridian; Felicia James, Jones County Schools; back row, from left, Jastassia Johnson, Forest County Schools; Lyle Wallace, Philadelphia City Schools and Lorna Blackburn, Leake County Schools.
 
John Bryan, former Sara Lee CEO and driving force to build Millennium Park, dies at 81
As the president and CEO of Sara Lee Corp. and its predecessor firm, Consolidated Foods, from 1975 until 2001, John H. Bryan Jr. grew Sara Lee into a consumer conglomerate with diverse brands in food and apparel. However, it was Bryan's passion for the arts -- coupled with his prowess at fundraising -- that produced arguably his greatest legacies. Bryan, 81, died of complications from lung cancer on Oct. 1 at Rush University Medical Center, said his son, John Bryan III. Born and raised in West Point, Miss., Bryan earned a bachelor's degree from Rhodes College in Memphis in 1958. After college, he began graduate business studies at the University of Virginia, but his father felt it was time for him to go to work. He joined the family specialty meat business, Bryan Foods, at age 23 in 1960 as its top manager, later finishing graduate school part time at nearby Mississippi State University.
 
Aldermen narrow Starkville annexation study area
Starkville aldermen have voted to narrow down the city's annexation study to one area east of the city for further consideration. After a lengthy, and at times contentious, discussion, consultant Mike Slaughter with urban planning firm Slaughter and Associates has been tasked with providing aldermen with demographic and financial information about the new study area. The new area extends east along the Highway 12 and Highway 182 corridor to Highway 82 and south along the east side of Mississippi State University to Blackjack Road. The decision came on a 4-2 vote with Ward 2 Alderman Sandra Sistrunk, Ward 3 Alderman David Little, Ward 4 Alderman Jason Walker and Ward 5 Alderman Patrick Miller in favor.
 
Speaker Philip Gunn tackles human trafficking, other issues with new commission
House Speaker Philip Gunn wants to tackle some of the toughest issues of the day -- such as human trafficking -- by bringing in national and local experts for a series of summits and rolling think tanks that will help guide lawmakers in setting public policy. The nonprofit Speaker's Commission on Public Policy held its inaugural summit, "Mississippi: A Road Block to Human Trafficking," on Wednesday at the Jackson Convention Center. More than 100 national, state and local experts and advocates including law enforcement and lawmakers gathered for a day of discussions and presentations on the scourge of human trafficking. The goal, Gunn said, is for the commission before the next legislative session begins in January to evaluate Mississippi's laws on human trafficking and make recommendations. Gunn plans to use the new commission to tackle other issues in similar fashion in a series of semi-annual public forums.
 
Jim Hood makes ambitions for governor official
From the east steps of the Chickasaw County courthouse, with the sun in his face and sweat on his forehead, Attorney General Jim Hood on Wednesday finally launched his bid to become governor of Mississippi. After months of teasing a possible run, Hood declared his candidacy with a call to restore the vitality of "two-lane highway towns," while improving the statewide economic outlook. "It's time for Mississippi to pull together," Hood said. "It's time for us to protect our values and to create a future for our kids so they can stay here and build a Mississippi that works for everyone in Mississippi." A Chickasaw County native, Hood has served as attorney general since 2004 and before that was a district attorney.
 
AG Jim Hood running for governor to help 'least among us'
Four-term Democratic Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood says he's running for governor because he's "tired of seeing the least among us getting kicked to the curb." "I grew up in a small-town Baptist church where they taught us to fight for those who can't fight for themselves, to help widows, orphans and the elderly," Hood said Wednesday, shortly after formally announcing in his hometown of Houston, Mississippi, a gubernatorial run next year. Hood said his focus is on creating jobs, rebuilding Mississippi's infrastructure, pushing for universal pre-school and making health care more affordable and accessible, particularly in rural areas. In an interview with the Clarion Ledger, Hood discussed several topics.
 
Dem running for Mississippi governor: Help 'least among us'
Mississippi's Democratic attorney general on Wednesday launched his 2019 campaign for governor of one of the poorest states in the nation, citing the biblical mandate to help the needy. "Jesus taught us to fight for the poor and the elderly and the widows and the children -- the least among us," Jim Hood said in announcing his candidacy in his hometown of Houston, Mississippi. He was joined on the steps of the Chickasaw County Courthouse by his wife Debbie and a diverse group of about 20 supporters, including two black state lawmakers. Another 150 or so watched from the courthouse lawn. He said current leaders have done too little to improve education, keep rural hospitals open and spur economic growth. "We've got to build an economy where we can have our children stay here," Hood said.
 
Hood touts Medicaid expansion, takes jabs at Reeves and GOP tax breaks in gubernatorial kickoff
Attorney General Jim Hood, standing on the steps of the courthouse in his hometown on Wednesday, officially announced his campaign for governor. Flanked by several local officials and state legislators, Hood, the only statewide elected Democrat in Mississippi, focused on the importance of a new realm of leadership in Mississippi. "It's time for Mississippi to pull together," Hood said. "It's time for this partisan, petty politics to stop. It's time for us to protect our values and create a future for our kids so they can stay here and build a Mississippi that works for everyone." Hood said several times Wednesday morning both Republicans and Democrats across the state have encouraged him to run for governor. In his announcement speech, Hood said the focus of his campaign would be on helping traditionally marginalized communities.
 
Wicker, Hyde-Smith defend president's comments on Kavanaugh accuser
While President Donald Trump has incurred some bipartisan criticism for his stinging comments Tuesday night in DeSoto County about Christine Blasey Ford's testimony of an alleged sexual assault, Mississippi's two senators defended his remarks. Both U.S. senators, Roger Wicker of Tupelo and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Brookhaven, were on hand for the remarks in Southaven where Trump derided Ford for her accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. "I continue to believe Judge Kavanaugh deserves to be confirmed based on his impeccable qualifications," said Hyde-Smith, who along with Wicker traveled from Washington, D.C. to the Mississippi rally on Air Force One with the president. Various national new organizations reported that the DeSoto County crowd laughed and cheered as Trump "mocked" Ford, a California research psychologist.
 
Ex-Democratic staffer charged with posting senators' private info
The U.S. Capitol Police on Wednesday arrested a 27-year-old man for posting addresses and private information of senators, according to the police department. The department reported that it arrested Jackson A. Cosko for allegedly posting "private, identifying information (doxing) about one or more United States senators to the Internet." Cosko has been working as an intern in the office of Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas and has been fired, according to her chief of staff, Glenn Rushing. Last week, the Wikipedia pages of Sens. Mike Lee of Utah, Orrin Hatch of Utah and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina were altered to show their addresses, phone numbers and email address. The information was posted during an extraordinary hearing in which Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford testified about Ford's accusation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982. All three are GOP senators who are supportive of Kavanaugh.
 
Sanders Calls Trump's Mocking Rally Speech a Statement of Facts
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders sidestepped questions about President Trump's mockery of Christine Blasey Ford as key lawmakers reportedly expressed disgust with his campaign rally speech. "I had one beer. Well, do you think it was -- nope, it was one beer," Trump said at a campaign rally in Mississippi, questioning what Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee during testimony last week. Democrats are conducting a "full-fledged smear campaign" against the nominee, Sanders alleged during her prepared opening remarks. Trump was merely pointing out the "facts" of the ongoing saga, Sanders later said. Echoing Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Sanders accused Democrats of seeking to sink the nomination in an attempt to keep the ninth high court seat vacant in case they win control of the Senate in November's midterm elections.
 
Senate Panel Gets FBI Report on Misconduct Accusations Against Kavanaugh
The Senate Judiciary Committee said on Thursday it has received the FBI report on sexual misconduct allegations against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and lawmakers will review the document later in the day, ahead of a key procedural vote on Friday. White House spokesman Raj Shah said on Twitter the administration also received the Federal Bureau of Investigation's report and was "fully confident" the Senate would approve his nomination. The White House found no corroboration of the allegations against Kavanaugh in the report, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. With the report's conclusions as yet unclear, a partisan struggle over it has been developing.
 
District 10 State Rep. Nolan Metteal not seeking re-election
Mississippi House Representative Nolan Mettetal has announced he will not seek re-election. Metteal, who has represented District 10 since his election to the House of Representatives in 2012, posted the announced on his Facebook page. District 10 includes portions of Lafayette, Panola and Tallahatchie counties. Metteal was first elected to the Mississippi Senate in 1996 where he served until his election to the House in 2012. His committee memberships include the Universities and Colleges Chairman; Appropriations, Banking and Financial Services; Medicaid; Public Health and Human Services; and Public Property. Mettetal said he is going out on his own terms and plans to spend lots more time with their grandchildren.
 
Judicial campaign violation? Special committee says no proof
Citing lack of evidence, a special judicial election committee has dismissed a complaint that a Hinds County chancery judge candidate violated election rules by advertising a fundraising event with Gov. Phil Bryant as the honored guest. The Special Committee on Judicial Election Campaign Intervention received a complaint against candidate Monique Brown-Barrett, who is running for chancery judge in Hinds County Sub-District 4. Tiffany Grove, another candidate in the race, filed the complaint, noting judicial races are supposed to be nonpartisan. Darlene Ballard, executive director of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance, has issued a special election committee's findings, which dismissed all of Grove's allegations.
 
Driven by South's Past, Black Women Seek Votes and a New Future
Lorena Barnum Sabbs thought the past really was past. Born 67 years ago in a segregated hospital, she was arrested when she was 11 for trying to integrate the local movie theater. "I was the recipient of that hate and disrespect, and I thought, I have finally outlived it," she said. "I was wrong." Nearly two years after Donald J. Trump's election, with racial divisions increasingly in public view and voting rights under regular attack, Ms. Sabbs is one of a small army of African-American women across the South using networks originally forged in segregation to muster turnout for Democratic candidates in the November elections. Interviews with more than 50 black women, encountered during a recent voter mobilization bus tour across Georgia, Florida and Mississippi, offered echoes of the South's past and glimpses of its future.
 
Welty Symposium at MUW offers myriad of writer's influence
It's been 93 years since Eudora Welty enrolled at what is now Mississippi University for Women in Columbus. Each year, the school honors the Mississippi writer with a weekend of Welty. The 30th annual Eudora Welty Writers' Symposium is set for Oct. 18-20 on the campus of The W. This year's theme is "As If the Ear of the World Listened: Celebrating Thirty Years of Southern Stories," inspired by Eudora Welty's novel "Delta Wedding." "It's a weekend where we bring 12 writers to campus and have readings basically starting Thursday night all the way through Saturday at about 12:30 p.m. There's fiction writers, there's poets, there's creative non-fiction and a couple of memoir (writers) that we're featuring this year. We've got a little bit of everything with a broad mix of all Southern writing including two international writers," said Dr. Kendall Dunkelberg, professor of English and Welty Symposium director at The W.
 
Expo introduces students to wide range of possibilities
University professors showed off snakes and scorpions. Outside, Medical professionals explained life-saving procedures and even took flight from the parking lot in their emergency-evacuation helicopter. High above the arena floor, electrical workers demonstrated the safest ways to climb and descend utility polls. First students, then teachers and finally the general public strode through BancorpSouth Arena on Wednesday for the fourth-annual "Imagine the Possibilities" Career Expo. With face-to-face interactions with professionals and hands-on opportunities to test parts of their job descriptions, attendees experienced all the industries that Northeast Mississippi has to offer. The expo is a project of the Toyota Wellspring Education Fund at the CREATE Foundation.
 
Dubard School at U. of Southern Mississippi helps students cope with dyslexia
The Dubard School for Language Disorders on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi handles many young students with learning disabilities. One of those conditions affects one in five students. The professional development coordinator for the school, Alison Webster, said that condition is dyslexia and it's detected sooner now, thanks to early testing. "According to the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia is a condition, a neurobiological condition, that occurs in people who have difficulty learning to read fluently and accurately at a young age," Webster said. Webster said there is no known reason for what causes dyslexia, but it does run in families. Signs of the condition can be found early.
 
Hattiesburg tourism starts fresh with new director, focuses on four goals
Hattiesburg Tourism Commission -- VisitHattiesburg -- has set a new course for promoting the events and landmarks that make Hattiesburg unique. It is marketing Hattiesburg in areas that might attract visitors based on their location, including Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Spanish Fort, Mobile, the Florida panhandle, Memphis, Natchez, Texarkana, north shore of New Orleans and other regional cities. "But we are also marketing behaviorally," Executive Director Marlo Dorsey said. "Hattiesburg is an outdoor enthusiast destination, it's a music destination, it's a foodie destination. We are looking for people with those similar interests who might be on their way to and from somewhere else and see if we can get them to stop here." Dorsey was hired after the commission had conducted a nationwide. She previously led the state's global marketing efforts in economic development and tourism as chief marketing officer at the Mississippi Development Authority.
 
JSU celebrates Founder's Day Oct. 18; keynote speaker comes home to Jackson State
Dr. Earlexia M. Norwood, the 19th president of the Jackson State University National Alumni Association, will keynote the 141st Founder's Day Convocation on Thursday, Oct. 18, at 10 a.m. in Rose E. McCoy Auditorium on the Jackson State campus. Dr. Norwood is a board-certified family medicine physician who has practiced with Henry Ford Health System since 1993. She is a graduate from the W.E.B. Du Bois Honors College of Jackson State and the University of Iowa Medical School. Norwood completed her family medicine residency at St. John Hospital in Detroit. "We are extremely proud to have Dr. Norwood return to campus for this special occasion," noted William B. Bynum Jr., president of Jackson State. "Her accomplishments as a physician and JSU alumnus make us all proud, and I know that she will inspire our students, faculty and staff." Founded as Natchez Seminary in 1877, Jackson State traces its roots to Henry P. Jacobs, who was born into slavery in Alabama.
 
After 'great 10-year journey,' U. of South Carolina President Harris Pastides to retire
The University of South Carolina will begin the search for a new president after Harris Pastides announced Wednesday he would be stepping down from his position next year. "Patricia and I want to thank everyone who's guided us on this great 10-year journey," Pastides said at his annual State of the University address with his wife, Patricia Moore-Pastides, by his side. "We'd like to tell you we intend to move on to a new chapter of our lives next summer. ... There's never a perfect time for an announcement like this." It's unclear who will replace Pastides, 64, whose achievements include guiding USC through the Great Recession, increasing enrollment 25 percent system-wide and launching Palmetto College, which offers bachelor's degrees through online courses. Pastides, whose last day will be July 31, 2019, said he does not plan to move to another university and might return to USC as a professor or in another capacity after taking a break.
 
Harris Pastides helped put South Carolina on the map, but it came with a cost
Massive growth, record enrollment and millions of dollars in research funding. In the past 10 years, University of South Carolina President Harris Pastides has elevated the University of South Carolina's profile and overseen its transformation into one of the fastest growing flagship universities in the nation. Pastides announced Wednesday he will step down as the university's president next year. And while he has accomplished much in the past 10 years, USC observers say he leaves much for his successor to tackle. Pastides took the helm of the university in 2008 on the start of the Great Recession, and it was his fancy financial footwork that allowed USC to survive budget cuts from the state legislature, said Eddie Floyd, a member of USC's board of trustees.
 
U. of Tennessee closes Laurel Hall for mold, to relocate nearly 600 students just before fall break
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville will close one of their on-campus residence halls, Laurel Hall, for the rest of the school year because of elevated mold levels, and will relocate hundreds of students right before fall break. Laurel Hall is an apartment-style housing complex that houses 586 students who are upperclassmen. UT will move students into other residence halls and apartment buildings, both on and off campus, within the next few weeks, according to a news release from the university. "Preliminary air sample results show elevated levels of mold in several rooms and common areas in the building," according to the release. A professional cleaning service and independent contractor were hired to address the problem. Katherine Saxon, coordinator for student communications at UT, said the university started receiving initial reports of mold in early and mid-September, and noticed an increase in the number of maintenance requests made about mold in late September.
 
U. of Tennessee System starts leadership institute to develop skills of faculty, staff
he inaugural class of the University of Tennessee Executive Leadership Institute, started by retiring UT System President Joe DiPietro to develop leadership skills of faculty and staff, met for the first time this week. The first cohort is made up of 18 faculty and staff members from each UT campus and institute. They met to begin a 12-month leadership training program designed to prepare participants to take on senior leadership roles. Currently, there are multiple vacancies within the UT system. Randy Boyd was approved as the interim system president last month, and will serve in that position for up to 24 months or until another president is selected. There is also an ongoing search for the chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, after Beverly Davenport was fired in May and Wayne Davis was named interim chancellor. The search for the vice president of human resources was suspended in August after a national search, and the internal search for the vice chancellor for research was suspended on Oct. 3. There is also an ongoing search for the vice chancellor for communications.
 
Texas A&M hosts sneak peek at NASA documentary
Documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy offered a crowd at Annenberg Conference Center a sneak peek Wednesday night of portions of her upcoming documentary on the history and modern workings of NASA. Kennedy, the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and niece of John F. Kennedy, was joined by former International Space Station commander and current Vice President of Texas A&M Michael E. Fossum, who moderated the discussion and offered perspective as a former astronaut on both the history and future of the organization. Kennedy has overseen the creation of more than 30 documentaries premiering on primetime television, but the 90-minute Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow holds a special place in her heart. The film revisits the first years of NASA amid the Kennedy administration, but it also showcases scientific triumphs such as the discovery and documentation of thousands of galaxies by the Hubble Space Telescope.
 
U. of Missouri researcher shares Nobel Prize in chemistry
It was 4:30 a.m. Wednesday when George Smith, sleepily preparing a cup of coffee for the day, received a static-filled call from Stockholm telling him he was one of three scientists who would share this year's Nobel Prize in chemistry. "I would say the day has been turned upside down," said Smith, who retired in 2015 from the University of Missouri. Smith is one of three researchers who "harnessed the power of evolution" to produce enzymes and antibodies that have led to a new best-selling drug and biofuels. Smith's award is the first Nobel Prize given to a faculty member of any of the UM System's four campuses. MU celebrated Smith's achievement at a gathering Wednesday afternoon that packed Stotler Lounge in the Memorial Union with an overflow crowd of at least 600 people.
 
Notice new symbols on accessible parking signs on Missouri's campus?
Parking signs on the University of Missouri's campus may soon no longer say "handicapped." The move comes as MU commemorates its annual Celebrate Ability Week run by the Mizzou Unity Coalition, which advocates for accessibility and inclusivity on campus. The group announced Wednesday that it secured additional funding to continue its sign removal efforts. The Americans with Disabilities Act National Network website refers to the term as outdated, stating that it emphasizes the presence of a disability rather than the need for accessibility. "The idea behind the project is basically that the word 'handicapped' is no longer an acceptable term in the disability community," said coalition president and MU senior Ellie Stitzer. Mizzou Unity Coalition replaced some signs around campus at the end of 2017 with an $1,800 grant it received from MU's Student Fee Capital Improvement Committee Grant. That committee awarded the coalition another $6,000 grant to continue the work back in March.
 
Education Department misses deadline for its overhaul of student loan rules
The U.S. Department of Education will blow a key deadline next month in its bid to overhaul two Obama-era student loan rules. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is seeking to issue a more restrictive version of a loan-forgiveness rule known as borrower defense and to entirely repeal an accountability rule for career education programs, known as gainful employment. Rolling back both regulations has been the Trump administration's top higher education priority. The missed deadline means the earliest date for either outcome is now July 2020 -- a year later than the department had planned. Bloomberg Government first reported the development, which throws into doubt whether the administration will be able to continue to delay enforcement of either rule for another 21 months.
 
Publishers accuse ResearchGate of mass copyright infringement
ResearchGate, a popular for-profit academic social network that makes it easy to find and download research papers, is facing increasing pressure from publishers to change the way it operates. On Tuesday, the American Chemical Society and Elsevier, two large academic publishers, launched a second legal battle against the Berlin-based social networking site -- this time not in Europe, but in the U.S. The publishers accuse ResearchGate of "massive infringement of peer-reviewed, published journal articles." They say that the networking site is illegally obtaining and distributing research papers protected by copyright law. They also suggest that the site is deliberately tricking researchers into uploading protected content. A spokesperson for ResearchGate declined to comment on the accusations. The U.S. lawsuit is the latest development in a long and increasingly complex dispute between some academic publishers and the networking site.
 
The American Dream Is Harder To Find In Some Neighborhoods
Does the neighborhood you grow up in determine how far you move up the economic ladder? A new online data tool being made public Monday finds a strong correlation between where people are raised and their chances of achieving the American dream. Harvard University economist Raj Chetty has been working with a team of researchers on this tool -- the first of its kind because it marries U.S. Census Bureau data with data from the Internal Revenue Service. And the findings are changing how researchers think about economic mobility. People born in the 1940s or '50s were virtually guaranteed to achieve the American dream of earning more than their parents did, Chetty says. But that's not the case anymore.
 
Special session to fix our roads just a Band-Aid
Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: Mike Pepper, executive director of the Mississippi Road Builders Association, came to our Rotary meeting prepared. Pepper projected on to a screen photo after photo of the splintered wooden underbellies of dozens of decaying bridges -- bridges that thousands of Mississippians have been driving over every day for years. The images were shocking. Very few of us ever take the time to look under the bridges we trust to hold up our vehicles. If we did, maybe we would put more political pressure on our state legislators. ...Pepper had a delicate task. He has to lobby the legislature on behalf of his road builders. He didn't want to be ungrateful for the extra money the legislature just allocated in the special session. But he made it clear it wasn't even close to being enough.
 
Fuzzy facts make for fine campaign fodder
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Caleb Bedillion writes: Call it a slip of the tongue, a professional hazard of political speechmaking or a creative relationship with the truth, but President Donald Trump seemed confused Tuesday about how Cindy Hyde-Smith got into the seat she currently holds in the U.S. Senate. Speaking at a raucous campaign rally in Southaven Tuesday night, Trump took direct credit for the appointment of the former agriculture commissioner as Thad Cochran's replacement. Tuesday's presidential stop in Mississippi was billed as an event for Hyde-Smith, who faces a sharply contested special election in November to keep her seat. Her major opponents include Republican Chris McDaniel and Democrat Mike Espy. Even so, she didn't appear on stage until the rally was well-underway. ...Once his attention turned to Mississippi's special election, Trump effusively endorsed Hyde-Smith and described the events that brought her into the Senate, with obvious references to Cochran's retirement and Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant.


SPORTS
 
First-year baseball coach Chris Lemonis outlines 'Mississippi State way'
Indiana was becoming home for the Lemonis family, if it wasn't already. Chris Lemonis didn't have his eyes peeled for other opportunities -- until Mississippi State came calling. "Indiana was great. Me and my family loved it," Lemonis told Columbus Rotary Club members Tuesday at Lion Hills Center. "We were top 10 in the country for two months last year, had a really good team coming back, really comfortable in life. But like I joked earlier, I didn't let (MSU Athletic Director) John (Cohen) get it out of his mouth. I'll take it. There was no negotiating, nothing. "... To have the opportunity to lead one of the top college baseball programs in the country is an honor," he added. Lemonis, a couple of weeks from wrapping up his first fall as Mississippi State's baseball coach, outlined his vision for the program, which advanced to the national semifinals last season under interim head coach Gary Henderson.
 
Mississippi State's Ben Howland praises team leadership and culture
The Mississippi State men's basketball team held its first official practice of the fall on Friday. However, head coach Ben Howland was already impressed by what his Bulldogs were doing the night before. The team voluntarily played 5-on-5 pickup games inside the Mize Pavilion until midnight on the eve of the first practice. "It's fun to see how guys are trying to help each other and coach each other and are doing the right things on and off the floor," Howland said. "They're a really positive group that likes to compete out there between the lines but support one another outside. We have really good leadership and a good culture." Although MSU is considered a veteran team, it only has two seniors in guard Quinndary Weatherspoon and forward Aric Holman. Five practices in, Holman has already noticed a difference in this year's team compared to some of the others he has played for in the past.
 
Why Mississippi State must put full support in Nick Fitzgerald
Mississippi State's offense is borderline broken. Two straight games of barely managing to eclipse 200 yards from scrimmage suggests so. Senior quarterback Nick Fitzgerald has much to do with those outputs, but he shouldn't be the fall guy. The entire offense is flailing, and Fitzgerald can only do so much to prevent it from falling into further futility. That's why the Bulldogs have to roll with Fitzgerald, their senior leader and a guy who spent hours on end studying the playbook to prepare for this season. It might not look like he did based on the last two weeks, but that's not all his fault. "That's 11 guys on the field," offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. "That's not Nick." By most measures, Fitzgerald is having his worst season as a passer and a runner. He holds the worst completion percentage and the worst yards per carry he's ever had. Was that expected? No. But is it really that surprising? It shouldn't be. Learning a new offense isn't easy.
 
Mississippi State's Stewart Reese relishes time with family
Last Saturday was sort of a mini family reunion for the Reese family. Mississippi State offensive tackle Stewart Reese was playing against his younger brother David's Florida Gators. Although David, a true freshman defensive back, didn't appear in the game, it was still an exciting experience for the family. Not only were their parents -- Stewart Sr. and Patricia -- in the stands but so were their uncle and two sisters. "It was fun," the younger Stewart said. "Despite the fact that we lost, it was good to see my brother and know that we're both doing well for ourselves. Even though he's at Florida and I'm here, we're both working towards the same goals. Being able to come together after the game and still be family and not let everything else affect our relationship." Their mother seemed to have enjoyed the experience the most and even had a custom T-shirt made to mark the occasion. The shirt featured each of her sons split down the middle with Stewart on the left and David on the right.
 
'It can bring a team together': Auburn embracing challenge of first true road test
Darius Slayton knew it was time to take the show on the road. "It's always super fun to play at home," Auburn's junior receiver started saying, speaking under Jordan-Hare Stadium last Saturday. Auburn had just beaten Southern Miss as he spoke postgame, in the Tigers' fourth straight home game. "I love playing at home. "But," he said, "sometimes you need to go on the road, and get a big win on the road. "Sometimes, that can spark you as a team." Auburn will search for a spark like that this Saturday in Starkville, Miss. No. 8 Auburn plays at Mississippi State this weekend, after starting the season with a neutral-site season-opener in Atlanta against Washington and four September showdowns in Jordan-Hare. As it happens, Auburn's first true away game of the season is in the SEC's most unique noise environment, at Davis Wade Stadium -- with its cowbells and all.
 
Where do Matt Luke, Joe Moorhead, Jay Hopson coach salaries rank?
USA TODAY released its yearly ranking of the 130 NCAA Division I college football head coaches' annual salaries on Wednesday. The final rankings were based on each coach's base pay for the 2018 season. The list detailed other information that did not influence the rankings, including maximum bonus pay possible, bonuses paid in 2017-18 and the amount a school would be require to pay in order to buy out a coach's contract as of Dec. 1 of this year. No salary data was available for seven of the 130 Division I teams, including Conference USA member Rice. Of the head coaches for Mississippi's three Division I programs, Ole Miss' Matt Luke ranked the highest in the country (44th) at $3 million annually. Mississippi State's Joe Moorhead fell a few spots below Luke (49th) with his $2.6 million a year. Southern Mississippi's Jay Hopson ranked 111th in the nation at $500,000 a year.
 
Head of Ole Miss compliance to be 'reassigned within athletics department'
While there is still no news of the NCAA appeal verdict, there was some movement within the Ole Miss athletics department. Ole Miss vice chancellor for intercollegiate athletics Ross Bjork sent out a department-wide email on Wednesday evening, naming Julie Owen as the new senior associate athletics director for compliance. Owen is moving up from associate athletics director. The Ole Miss Spirit first obtained a copy of the internal email. Owen is replacing Matt Ball at the post, who as the email detailed, is being "reassigned within the athletics department." This move is coming 10 months after Ole Miss' head counsel, Lee Tyner resigned from his post. Owen came over form Oklahoma with Ball in 2011 after spending three years as the director of compliance. Along with Owen's move up the ladder there is also a new post being developed, senior associate general counsel.
 
Jackson State offensive coordinator Hal Mumme resigns
Jackson State Head Football Coach Tony Hughes announced Wednesday that JSU Offensive Coordinator Hal Mumme has resigned to pursue other professional opportunities. Derrick McCall will assume offensive coordinator responsibilities on an interim basis. "I would like to thank Hal Mumme for his contributions to the Jackson State football program," Hughes said. "We wish Hal nothing but success going forward." McCall served as JSU offensive coordinator in 2012 and 2013, when his spread offense averaged more than 400 yards a game. The former JSU quarterback also served as co-offensive coordinator at the end of the 2017 season and has been on the staff for eight years.
 
LSU's new tailgating restrictions win favor among some... others, not so much
One day after it was announced, LSU's latest crackdown on tailgating was winning support Wednesday from some rank-and-file students. Jeremy Thompson, a freshman from Prairieville, noted that Greeks will be banned from tailgating at their houses after the firm that provides required security guards ended its contract. "These fraternities go crazy on weekends," Thompson said. "Security guards don't want to do it," he added. "I wouldn't want to do it if I was a security guard." Ben Bordelon, a freshman from Port Allen, said he backs any policy that will help prevent incidents like last year's death of LSU student Max Gruver in a hazing incident. "Whatever needs to be done to prevent something like what happened before," Bordelon said of the latest policy. LSU officials announced Tuesday that tailgating will be banned at Greek houses for the rest of the football season, which includes four more home games.
 
City council approves alcohol contracts for Auburn athletics facilities
The Auburn City Council on Tuesday approved several Auburn University athletics facilities' special contracts to serve alcohol. Among the facilities approved included Auburn Arena, AU Athletics Complex, Plainsman Park, AU Softball Complex and Hospitality Village. Beverages will only be served in premium seating areas in seated facilities. Alcohol will be served in the AU Athletics Complex's Rane Room during events. Opelika-based B&B Bartending is the supplier for all facilities. This is the first year the company will hold all of the contracts. "From an accountability standpoint and liability reasons, it just makes it easier from a risk-management standpoint to have one source of serving beverages on campus," B&B Bartending President Bobby Greenawalt said. No comments were available from the university as of Wednesday night.
 
Angry with small crowd, Nick Saban says Alabama students not 'entitled to anything'
There were noticeable gaps in the student section in Saturday's game with Louisiana-Lafayette and Nick Saban noticed. Speaking at his regular Wednesday news conference in response to fans' reaction to Tua Tagovailoa, Saban took an opportunity to address the empty seats in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Saban said he was disappointed in what he saw and they were looking into ways to address that. "I don't think they're entitled to anything either," Saban said. "Me personally, I think it ought to be first come, first served. And if they don't want to come to the game, they don't have to come but I'm sure there's enough people out here who would like to come to the games and we'd like for them to come too because they support the players. So, I've never said anything about that before." The Louisiana-Lafayette game kicked off at 11 a.m. CT Saturday on Parents Weekend for students.
 
Adam Sasser dismissed from Georgia baseball team after alleged use of racial slur
University of Georgia first baseman Adam Sasser was dismissed from the baseball team Wednesday afternoon, the school announced in a release. Sasser was accused of using racial slurs directed at Georgia quarterback Justin Fields during the Bulldogs' game against Tennessee on Saturday. The university never released why Sasser was dismissed, but he took to Twitter Wednesday night to apologize. In his tweet, Sasser said, in part, "First and foremost, I want to apologize for my actions at the football game on Saturday. I totally understand why my actions were offensive and I am deeply sorry for any pain or distress this has caused anyone." Sasser noted in a separate tweet that he talked to Fields Tuesday night and that the pair are on good terms. The accusation of a baseball player using a racial slur while sitting in the stands of Sanford Stadium during the Georgia-Tennessee game on Saturday was posted to the Facebook page Overheard at UGA, but the posting did not name a specific player.
 
Investigation launches into low-flying helicopter that disrupted Penn State game
Saturday's Penn State versus Ohio State University football game blew. Literally. Tailgaters at Pennsylvania State University's home game were allegedly getting rowdy, Pennsylvania State police reported. "Unruly individuals" had ignored commands, according to a campus police statement -- one man was arrested and charged with striking a police horse and for disorderly conduct, among other offenses. A state trooper broke his wrist. So state police sent in a helicopter to break up the party. Video posted online shows the copter swooping in above the cars, flying above the throng of tailgating fans in white jerseys. Bystanders revel at the helicopter until it dips, and footage reveals winds so powerful that grills, tents, wooden cornhole game sets and other items were lifted and sent flying, as in The Wizard of Oz. Police statements have not said how low the helicopter went.



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: October 4, 2018Facebook Twitter