Monday, November 5, 2018   
 
Jewish in the Golden Triangle: Although few in numbers, Mississippi Jews do not feel ostracized
Wednesday evening, about 150 people gathered at the Chapel of Memories on the Mississippi State campus for a vigil of remembrance for 11 people murdered in a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania synagogue on Oct. 27 -- an act believed to be the worst attack on Jews in the nation's history. But even at Wednesday's event, Jews were what they have long been in Mississippi -- a distinct, but accepted minority. "I love Mississippi State and these moments especially," said John Cohen, who as MSU's Director of Athletics and standout baseball player and coach at State is best-known of a Jewish population that numbers only in the dozens. "To see how our campus, our president and this institution embraces folks who are different, it's really inspiring." According to a 2017 survey by the Jewish Virtual Library, there are 1,560 Jews currently living in Mississippi, which has a population of almost 3 million.
 
MSU Hillel organization talks security after attack at Jewish synagogue
Saturday will mark one week of the deadly shooting inside the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 11 people were killed. Hillel, the Jewish Student Association at Mississippi State joined a chapel full of their peers from all backgrounds, to remember those lives lost, earlier this week. President of Hillel, Tyler Daniel says at larger events security will be tighter. But they won't let that stop them from worshiping. "None of the Jewish students here are deterred from meeting, from gathering, from hosting religious events, we just want to make sure we're smart about doing it," said Daniel. Having to have security is something Daniel says he never thought he had to see in a place of worship. He says fear is something Mississippi State's campus works to keep away. "MSU is a very safe campus for every minority with which we've had interactions with, and the Jewish population is no exception. The university does everything to make sure we don't have to have that feeling of fear," said Daniel.
 
'Godmother of Soul' Patti LaBelle coming to Mississippi State for Nov. 15 concert
Grammy Award winner Patti LaBelle is bringing her legendary rhythm and blues to Lee Hall's Bettersworth Auditorium Thursday, Nov. 15 as the next guest in Mississippi State's Lyceum Series. Known as the "Godmother of Soul" and ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the "Top 100 Singers of All Time," LaBelle will perform at 7 p.m. Doors open approximately 30 minutes before the curtain rises for the show, which is part of the university's long-running performing arts program. Former lead vocalist for Patti LaBelle and The Bluebelles, the music icon's classic original songs and renditions of pop and spiritual standards have created a personal platform of versatility for which she has been known and revered throughout her 50-plus year career.
 
Starkville-MSU Symphony to present annual Family Concert Friday
The Starkville-MSU Symphony presents the annual Family Concert on Friday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Lee Hall Auditorium on the Mississippi State campus. The concert marks the third installment of this year's landmark 50th season. Admission is free and open to the public. Performed by the Symphony Orchestra, the Family Concert will culminate the Symphony Association's month-long "Programs for Children," a multidisciplinary music education program designed to introduce area school children to symphonic music. "Our Programs for Children initiative began in 1975, and this year, we are excited to showcase the program to over 3,000 area elementary students during our daytime concerts," said Joe Ray Underwood. Starkville Oktibbeha School District, Starkville Academy, Starkville Home School Music Co-op, Starkville Christian School, West Clay Elementary and Annunciation Catholic School are participating in this year's program. Students from each school will attend one of the three daytime school concerts Friday, prior to the evening public concert.
 
MSU Receives Grant for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic
The Gertrude C. Ford Foundation, a Ridgeland-based nonprofit organization that supports educational activities and youth services, recently donated $125,000 to Mississippi State University for autism and developmental disabilities research and treatment. MSU stated in a release that a portion of the donation will help the university's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic to move to its newly renovated location on Blackjack Road in Starkville, as well as expand its services to more clients. The ADDC is part of MSU's School Psychology Services Center. Daniel L. Gadke, associate professor of school psychology and interim head of the department of counseling, founded the clinic in 2013 and serves as its director.
 
The Riley Foundation celebrates 20 years service to Meridian, Lauderdale County
On Jan. 28, 1998, four friends and business associates created an organization with an express chartered mission of being a primary catalyst "to make grants to charitable and governmental organizations for charitable purposes and to provide financial resources and assistance for community-wide projects and programs in healthcare, education, and the betterment of cultural, environmental and economic conditions for the people of Meridian and Lauderdale County, Mississippi." Twenty years later, The Riley Center, the organization founded by Dr. Richard F. Riley, Dr. William G. Riley, I. Alfred Rosenbaum and Robert B. Deen, Jr., continues its mission. The Foundation made an early impact with a $15 million initial investment as it partnered with Mississippi State University to develop the MSU Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts, which marked the beginning of Meridian's ongoing downtown revitalization. The Foundation and MSU have continued that partnership by revitalizing and beautifully restoring a block-long stretch of three historic downtown buildings into the Riley Campus of MSU Meridian.
 
Next generation of Huerkamp farmers making their mark in cotton
At times they fought like brothers, but today, the family bonds shared by cousins Brandon and Tyler Huerkamp are helping to extend a farming legacy established decades ago by their fathers in a part of Mississippi where heavy clay soils and a rather deep water table challenge all who choose to pull a plow. They did not live on the farm in their younger days. They rode bicycles with their childhood friends around Macon, Miss., while their fathers toiled away making a crop each year. Tyler eventually earned a degree in agricultural economics from Mississippi State University, while Brandon pursued a degree in wildlife biology -- until he became less than enamored with the forestry side of that major. "I ended up getting an ag econ degree as well," says Brandon Huerkamp. "I graduated in 2006, came back to the farm and have been farming ever since."
 
Starkville plans to seek state help funding new park
Starkville's board of aldermen is preparing for votes on a pair of resolutions that, if passed, will seek financial help from the Mississippi Legislature as the city prepares to build a tournament-ready park off Highway 25. During Friday's work session at City Hall, Mayor Lynn Spruill said the agenda for Tuesday's regular board meeting will contain a resolution asking the Legislature for a $1 million appropriation to help build the new park at the Cornerstone industrial park. The park is located in west Starkville on Highway 25 just south of its intersection with Highway 12. A separate resolution, if approved, will ask the Legislature to approve a 1 percent bump to Starkville's food and beverages and hotel taxes for the construction, maintenance and operation of the city's parks. Spruill said the tax, if approved, would be solely for the city, unlike the city's current 2 percent tax, which is used for the city's parks but is also split with the Mississippi State University Student Association, the Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority and Starkville Convention and Visitor's Bureau.
 
1918 flu pandemic killed thousands in Mississippi, millions around the world
A century ago, the world faced down the fiercest influenza pandemic in history. Striking in the waning days of World War I, the virus sickened 500 million people around the world and killed 50 million. In the United States, estimated deaths are as high as 675,000. Mississippi wasn't immune, with thousands dying over the course of months. Even with advances in modern medicine, the world and Mississippi are still vulnerable. "We definitely would have our own set of challenges if there's a pandemic similar to 1918," said Mississippi state epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers. A pandemic flu, by definition, involves a new strain of the virus that the population has little or no immunity against and spreads around the globe. It's not a question of if a pandemic flu will come again, it's when. One of the most important lessons people can learn from 1918 is to take influenza seriously, Byers said. The flu vaccine is the best weapon medicine has against seasonal influenza.
 
Voter turnout in Mississippi could impact control of the Senate
"November, November the 6th," a Mississippi blues singer belted between lines from popular songs. "Go out and cast your vote. Make it count. Mr. Senator Mike Espy!" The roomful of Mississippians tapped their feet along to the raspy sounds of the local, live band -- before greeting Democrat Mike Espy, a candidate for U.S. Senate in the Magnolia State. Espy is vying for one of two Senate seats up for election in Mississippi. A recent poll from NBC shows the "jungle" primary will likely lead to a runoff between Espy and incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who was nominated to replace Cochran by Gov. Phil Bryant. Dallas Breen, director of the Stennis Institute of Government, told Fox News the most crucial thing in this midterm is voter turnout, which Breen said could allow Espy to create cracks in the Republican stronghold of Mississippi.
 
Nation's eyes on Senate race
The late Tip O'Neill famously said, "all politics is local." Tuesday will determine if all politics, from California to New York City, is local to Brookhaven. U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, an Ole Brook Republican, is favored to make an expected runoff after the Tuesday special election against challengers Mike Espy, a Democrat and former Clinton administration cabinet member; Chris McDaniel, a Republican state representative and Tea Party scion; and Tobey Bernard Bartee, a Navy man and intelligence analyst. Hyde-Smith was appointed by Gov. Phil Bryant on March 21 to fulfill the unexpired term of former U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran. Current polls have Hyde-Smith at 38 percent, with Espy at 29 percent, McDaniel at 15 percent and Bartee unmentioned. Hyde-Smith has the edge on paper, while Espy is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Doug Jones, who surprised the nation with a Democratic Senate victory in Alabama last year.
 
Loyalty to Trump defines the GOP rivalry in Mississippi's Senate special election
When Cindy Hyde-Smith, the first female senator from Mississippi, stood before a room brimming with supporters on a Friday in a northern pocket of the state about seven miles from Southaven -- where President Donald Trump rallied for her last month -- she delivered an impassioned, pro-Trump closing argument in her soft-spoken southern twang. "It is so great to be here," she began. "When President Donald Trump came into Desoto County and I got to ride in the motorcade with him ... Seeing the streets lined with people trying to get a glimpse of the president, what a great day that was for Desoto County, what a great day that was for Mississippi and for the country." Trump might not be on the ballot in Mississippi, but in the Senate special election to replace retired Sen. Thad Cochran, the two GOP candidates -- Hyde-Smith and conservative firebrand and state Sen. Chris McDaniel -- are each crafting a path to victory that is heavily dependent on the White House.
 
Following Mike Espy's lead, Cindy Hyde-Smith embraces history-maker mantle as election nears
Moments after Gov. Phil Bryant walked off the stage at Mississippi Economic Council's annual Hobnob Thursday morning, U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith did something she'd never done before -- publicly embraced her role as the first woman Mississippi has ever sent to Congress. She did so on Twitter, retweeting Bryant's quote from his speech. "I think having the first woman from Mississippi serving in the U.S. Senate is going to be really good," Bryant posted. Although Hyde-Smith's appointment to the U.S. Senate in April made history, for months now on the campaign trail Hyde-Smith has avoided mentioning this milestone. She has also declined to talk about the fact that if she wins the Nov. 6 special election, she will make history yet again, this time as the first woman Mississippi has elected to Congress. In a profile published last week, Mississippi Today talked to Hyde-Smith about this strategy. At the time, Hyde-Smith said: "It's really not intentional. I just don't think about gender that much."
 
Cindy Hyde-Smith open to end of birthright citizenship
As President Donald Trump highlights a hostile stance on immigration issues in the waning days of mid-term campaigning, Mississippi's Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith has signaled that she's open to ending birthright citizenship. During a campaign stop in Tupelo, Hyde-Smith echoed the president's tough stance on the border. She called for construction of a border wall and railed against women crossing the border without authorization in order to give birth in the United States. When asked by the Daily Journal whether she supported an end to birthright citizenship, she initially focused on the need for tighter border control. "I totally support preventing people from coming literally across the border to deliver a baby," Hyde-Smith said. "The 14th amendment was not intended for that. I think we've got a lot of discussions that have to be made. I certainly support the president in his efforts to get this under control."
 
GOP Mailers Misleadingly Paint Mike Espy as a Criminal
A series of campaign mailers the Mississippi Republican Party sent out around the state this week misleadingly paint Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mike Espy as a "corrupt" criminal for charges he was fully acquitted of in the 1990s. On one of them, a photoshopped image shows a photo of Espy fading into images of police lights and prison bars, with the word "INDICTED" in all caps stamped across. A separate mailer describes Espy as "Too liberal for Mississippi, too corrupt for the Clintons." "It's disappointing that the Republicans would resort to those kinds of tactics instead of talking about the issues and debating us on the issues and speaking to the voters about what's important to them," Espy campaign Communications Director Danny Blanton told the Jackson Free Press Thursday night. "It's disappointing that they feel like they have to resort to inaccuracies and outright lies in order to scare people from voting for a man who is obviously the most qualified person in the race."
 
Mike Espy touts 'independent' appeal at Tupelo stop
U.S. Senate candidate Mike Espy visited Tupelo Saturday, hosting a fish fry and campaign rally in Fairpark to energize voters ahead of Tuesday's election. The Democratic former congressman and Secretary of Agriculture said he is running as an "independent" choice for voters seeking a senate hopeful committed to working across the aisle. "At 30 years old, my first bill was an economic development bill that Ronald Reagan signed into law, and I wrote the bill. I lobbied for it in the House of Representatives, it passed and I went to the Senate, and got Thad Cochran to co-sponsor the bill," Espy told The Daily Journal. Espy spoke most vehemently at the rally about affordable health care, saying he would support lowering the cost of prescription drugs and reining in associated health care service costs. On education, Espy said he would encourage residents to stay in Mississippi after college by backing measures to alleviate student loan debt through free tuition the first two years of college.
 
Senate candidate Tobey Bartee, overshadowed by big names and big money, introduces himself to Mississippi
While cameras swarmed Senate special election candidates Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mike Espy and Chris McDaniel at the Mississippi Economic Council's Hobnob event on Thursday, the fourth candidate in the race, Tobey Bartee, sat alone at a table after his speech. Bartee, a former military intelligence officer, is running for public office for the first time, and his candidacy has been largely overlooked. Thursday's event was no exception. He spoke early in the morning, before most of the state's business leaders had poured their coffee and found their seats. The event's program misspelled his name. Several media outlets covering the event ran stories -- five days from Election Day -- misidentifying him as a city councilman in Gautier (his father, also named Tobey Bartee, is the Gautier city councilman). But Bartee, a Democrat and a policy wonk with professional experience at the Department of Defense, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, is relishing his first chance to meet voters across Mississippi and pitch his ideas.
 
Absentee voting up in DeSoto
A record number of absentee ballots have been cast in next Tuesday's general election and special election. By Friday at noon, DeSoto County Circuit Clerk officials estimate more than 2,800 individuals will have cast absentee ballots in advance of Tuesday's general election and special election. That number had reached more than 2,700 by late Friday afternoon. In fact, this round of absentee voting has quadrupled the number of absentee votes cast in the last mid-term election four years ago, according to Dale Kelly Thompson, DeSoto Circuit Clerk. "The Senate race is one of the biggest things on the ballot this year," Thompson said, referring to the special election to fill the seat of U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, who retired after serving in the U.S. Senate since 1978. "I think the national news and the fact that President Trump came here has generated a lot of interest in the election," Thompson said. "It's also the ads on TV and more publications talking about the election. Your newspaper articles have helped spur interest."
 
Michael Guest, incumbents favored in House races but challengers remain optimistic
How to ensure protections for people with pre-existing health conditions is an issue in Mississippi congressional races just as it is in the two U.S. Senate races that will be on the ballot Tuesday. In the 3rd District U.S. House race, both candidates say their intent it to ensure that pre-existing conditions are covered by health insurers. Republican candidate Michael Guest says he believes that even if a lawsuit by GOP state attorneys general – supported by President Donald Trump – is successful in overturning the law that requires coverage of pre-existing conditions, that pre-existing conditions still will be covered. The Guest campaign said, "President Trump has made it clear that he supports protecting the coverage of pre-existing conditions. Mississippians want a health care system that works for them and provides affordable and accessible care, but not a system that is completely run by the government." But Guest's Democratic opponent, Michael Ted Evans, said of the lawsuit, "I absolutely do not agree with this. Too many people went too long without insurance or with very expensive insurance because they had a condition insurance companies wouldn't cover. That's wrong, and I will not support any effort to do away with that protection."
 
Healthcare, pragmatism backbone of Dem congressional challenger
Randy Wadkins never aimed his life at a political career. A Democrat running in the 1st Congressional District in an effort to unseat Republican incumbent Trent Kelly, Wadkins is a university professor making a first run at elected office. "I have a 9 a.m. class I have to teach on Nov. 7," Wadkins said. "Worst case scenario, I get up Wednesday morning and teach my class." But that doesn't mean his candidacy against a well-funded incumbent is an empty act of protest. When Wadkins, an Iuka native, looks around north Mississippi, he sees and hears people who don't think politics-as-usual is working for them. And he wants to be their voice. Wadkins is a professor of chemistry and a cancer researcher at the University of Mississippi. He has taught there about 15 years.
 
Member of President Trump's cabinet talks business in Mississippi
A member of President Trump's cabinet visits Mississippi Friday to talk business. Linda McMahon, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration and well known as a professional wrestling executive, is on a nationwide tour. McMahon is highlighting the importance of small business to local and the national economy. At the Old Capitol Inn in Jackson, Governor Phil Bryant explained how the SBA was instrumental in securing funding for the business. McMahon says partnerships with schools and colleges are vital. "That's one of the number one issues that I'm hearing around the country," McMahon said. "How can SBA then work with community colleges, technical colleges, bring private industry in to say this is what we need, this is how we need you to address your curriculum."
 
Final polls point to narrow House majority for Democrats
Democrats' marathon campaign to seize the House sped toward the finish line Sunday, with national indicators suggesting the party is on track to end Republicans' eight-year majority in Tuesday's election. New ABC News/Washington Post and NBC News/Wall Street Journal polls show Democrats with high-single-digit leads on the generic congressional ballot. That edge will likely translate into the 23-seat gain required to win control, but not necessarily enough to capture a more significant majority, given the GOP's structural advantages in the way congressional districts have been drawn. That was confirmed by CBS News' "Battleground Tracker" -- a data-based model that, as of Sunday, showed Democrats leading Republicans, 225 seats to 210 seats, but with a majority-flipping margin of error of plus or minus 13 House seats.
 
Trump children take opposing roles on midterm campaign trail
On a Monday two weeks before the election, Donald Trump Jr. rallied a boisterous crowd to support Republican Senate and House candidates at an airport hanger in rural Indiana with tough talk about building a border wall, bashing the media and even a few chants of "Lock her up!' Three days later, his sister, Ivanka, appeared alongside Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith at an official government event at a nonprofit activity center in Gulfport, Mississippi, touting child-care options for working women in front of about 40 handpicked guests. President Donald Trump's children -- especially the oldest two, Don Jr. and Ivanka -- were celebrities long before their father entered the White House last year, making them each powerful surrogates for him, his agenda, his political allies. But they have taken decidedly different tacks as their father faces an election that could maintain a Republican-led Congress that will follow his agenda or a Democratic-led Congress that could investigate -- even possibly impeach -- him.
 
Top Trump official: Florida governor's race is 'so cotton-pickin' important'
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue described the Florida gubernatorial race between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum by using the word "cotton-pickin'" at a DeSantis rally Saturday. "Public policy matters. Leadership matters," Sonny Perdue, President Trump's top agriculture official, said at a rally held in support of DeSantis, Politico reported. "And that is why this election is so cotton-pickin' important to the state of Florida. I hope you all don't mess it up," Perdue continued. When pressed about Perdue's remarks by Politico, Stephen Lawson, a spokesman for DeSantis' campaign, told the publication the campaign was "happy" to have Perdue at the rally and said: "You would have to ask Governor Perdue about any of his remarks." Perdue's use of the term comes several months after David Bossie was suspended from his role as a contributor on Fox News after using the same term while speaking to a black guest during a show.
 
Pulitzer finalist will keynote MUW Alumni Association's second BLUE event Friday
Author, nationally syndicated cartoonist and two-time Pulitzer finalist Marshall Ramsey will keynote the second BLUE event for Mississippi University for Women alumni and students Friday, Nov. 9 in the Pope Dining Room from 5-7:30 p.m. BLUE (Building Leadership Understanding and Education) provides opportunities for alumni and students to continue their education, learn from others and share information. The program will include a keynote address, panels of accomplished alumni and opportunities to network. "We have the ever-entertaining and insightful Marshall Ramsey as our guest speaker talking to us about leadership and motivation. He will be joined by an illustrious panel of W grads from across the academic spectrum," said Audra Odom, MUW Alumni Association mentoring committee chair. The event will feature an alumni panel including Nicole Dilg Beachum, '08; Hayley Gilmore, '08; Jennifer Robinson Hargett, '07; Connie Sills Kossen, '64; and Christie Jones Lawrence, '81.
 
UM, Theta officials discuss chapter closure
Members, parents and friends came and went from the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority house on Friday during the afternoon hours of the brisk fall day, some with tear-stained faces and others with smiles and laughter. The Daily Mississippian met with Director of Fraternal Leadership and Learning Arthur Doctor, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Brandi Hephner LaBanc, UM Kappa Alpha Theta chapter adviser Erin Smith and UM Chief Executive Officer of Kappa Alpha Theta Katherine Parks for an exclusive interview in front of the house. "I think we're just trying to figure out the best way to move forward, staying connected, staying positive because I think that's the number one thing," Parks said. "It's really easy to get bogged down by the rumors, the media, seeing what people are saying. But at the end of the day, it wasn't some scandal." Parks said the announcement has been tough on everyone in Kappa Alpha Theta.
 
Southern Miss gets DoD grant to look at innovative security measures
New ways to keep spectators safe at sports and entertainment events could come out of the work done under a $4.73 million grant awarded to the University of Southern Mississippi by the U.S. Department of Defense. Southern Miss' School of Criminal Justice, Forensic Science and Security will work with the university's National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security on a one-year project to identify gaps in security at such events, look at innovations provided by the Department of Defense, test those new technologies and possibly commercialize them for use at venues around the country. "This project will allow USM and its research partners to take a leadership role in the exploration and development of innovative security and safety technology," said Lisa Nored, director of the School of Criminal Justice.
 
A Gulfport hospital is saving hundreds of patients. They happen to be turtles
Imagine swallowing a hook with a large weight attached to it. Imagine spending months with that hook inside you while you try to carry on with your life. That happens to sea turtles on a regular basis when they take a fisherman's bait. Lucky for them, there is someone here to help. Located on the industrial Canal in Gulfport, the Institute For Marine Mammal Studies has been a leading force in helping save the critically endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle. Since the 2010 BP oil spill, they have rescued over 1,000 of the turtles, returning 98 percent of them to the Gulf of Mexico. Debra Moore, a veterinarian from Mississippi State University, has worked with IMMS for the last year in a five-year project funded by money from the BP oil spill settlement. The $6.5 million grant pays for work to help both stranded dolphins and turtles. The money is awarded through a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant through the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
 
Behind the Scars profile spotlights college student
Sharing the story behind her scar has put a Lee County college student in the international spotlight. Elle featured the Behind the Scars project on its website in connection with British Princess Eugenie's choice of wedding dress that revealed her scoliosis surgery scar. Isabella Barbieri, who is currently in her first year at Delta State University, was one of seven chosen from the Behind the Scar project to be highlighted as part of the Elle story. "I've read Elle magazine for years," Barbieri said. "I never thought I would get a chance like that." "What Sophie (Mayanne) is doing with the project is awesome," said Barbieri, who is studying multimedia technology at Delta Music Institute and aspires to film sound design work. "Having scars isn't ugly; it's just life."
 
'Miseducation' in Mississippi: Racial disparities persist in discipline, access to advanced classes
Mississippi students have steadily improved on state tests in recent years, but a closer look at federal civil rights data and state-level test results reveal disparities in students' access to higher level coursework and discipline among ethnic groups. Last month, ProPublica released "Miseducation," an interactive database filled with data on school discipline, staffing, and opportunity measures for more than 96,000 public schools and 17,000 school districts in the country during the 2015-16 school year. These schools self-reported their data to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. "Miseducation" comprehensively contains that data as well as information from other sources. Mississippi Today examined ProPublica's Mississippi data. Here are some takeaways.
 
Statewide amendment will affect U. of Alabama board of trustees
A statewide amendment on the ballot Tuesday would tie the membership of University of Alabama System board of trustees to the state's current congressional districts, a move system officials say guards against the potential loss of members after the 2020 Census. "This is all about the stability of the board. Following the 2020 Census, there will be redistricting of congressional districts. The early assessment is Alabama is on the list of states that may lose a congressional seat," said UA Vice Chancellor of Governmental Affairs Clay Ryan. If voters pass Amendment 3, it would also remove the state superintendent of education as an ex-officio member of the board and strike from the state's constitution outdated language that requires trustees vacate the board after their 70th birthday. The amendment was sponsored by Sen. Greg Reed, R-Jasper.
 
LSU gets $10.1 million gift to fund School of Veterinary Medicine programs
LSU's School of Veterinary Medicine will receive a $10.1 million donation to fund student scholarships and efforts to combat animal abuse. The university announced Friday that Dr. Herman C. Soong has committed to giving $8.1 million to benefit LSU's veterinary school. Soong's wife, Connie Soong, has also agreed to donate $2 million to the university, according to a news release. The release noted the donations are estate commitments, which means they will handed over at a future date. It did not specify when the gifts will be made. Together, the gifts are the largest in the history of LSU's vet school, and the fourth largest endowed gift to the LSU Foundation, the release said.
 
U. of South Carolina students may soon need real-world experience to graduate
The University of South Carolina is considering a new program that would require all students to have real-world experience before graduating, something that could enhance education but, critics fear, could tack on hours of work and extra costs for students. The program, called "Experiential Learning," would require all students to have 45 hours of some sort of out-of-the classroom experience, which could include an internship, research, study abroad or community service, before graduating, said USC Vice Provost Sandra Kelly. "The intent is basically to improve the quality of education at USC," Kelly said. "It really impacts their ability to get a job." The Faculty Senate will decide whether to implement the program, which will only affect incoming students, Kelly said.
 
U. of Tennessee: Joe DiPietro given emeritus status, tenure policies approved at board meeting
The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees granted retiring President Joe DiPietro emeritus status and approved tenure policies for all campuses at their fall meeting on Friday. The board also ratified a special committee that will oversee the athletics department, to be headed by former trustee and UT booster Charlie Anderson. Friday's meeting was DiPietro's last as president, and he presented his final president's address. He highlighted some of his accomplishments, including increased enrollment throughout the system and four years of tuition increases under 3 percent. The Education, Research and Service Committee met on Friday morning and approved tenure policies at all UT campuses. The policies and procedures for application for tenure before the probationary period and enhanced tenure track review were not complete for the Knoxville campus and the Institute for Agriculture, "because of a miscommunication and misunderstanding," DiPietro said at the meeting.
 
Texas A&M Hillel hosts Shabbat service of solidarity
More than 100 people gathered Friday night at Texas A&M Hillel for the first Shabbat services since the Oct. 27 massacre of 11 congregants at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. In many ways, Friday's "Stronger than Hate" Solidarity Shabbat was no different than usual. Worshipers filtered into the Hillel building across from Kyle Field on George Bush Drive, ascending upstairs to the sanctuary with friendly chatter. Taking prayer books in hand, they filled the polished pews and entered a time of prayer and song. In between the Hebrew stanzas, instead of hearing from a rabbi, several students took to the podium to read from a selection of 11 poems honoring the 11 victims of the Pittsburgh massacre. These poems, hand-selected by Hillel executive director Risa Bierman, encouraged congregants to seek peace out of the horrible tragedy. They encouraged righteousness and compassion, praying not just for the healing of those traumatized by the shooting, but for healing in the heart of anyone so hurt as to want to lash out and attack others.
 
Campuses confront spread of 'It's OK to Be White' posters
"It's OK to Be White" is the message that has periodically appeared on campus posters over the past two years, typically placed by people or organizations who haven't taken credit for doing so, and who are believed to be from off-campus groups. Pro-white propaganda of various types has been appearing on campuses in increasing frequency in the last two years. But the last week has seen a surge in such postings. Last weekend leaflets with the "OK to be white" message turned up in Vermont, at the University of Vermont and Champlain College. Since then the posters have appeared at American River College, Duke University, North Carolina State University, Tufts University, the University of Delaware, the University of Denver and the University of St. Thomas, in Minnesota. The trend is not confined to the United States. One Canadian institution, the University of Manitoba, also had the posters turn up. The surge in these posters on campus has come at a challenging time for many institutions, as students respond to a divisive midterm election and recent killings of black people in Kentucky and Jewish people in Pittsburgh.
 
A Professor Liked a Photo on Facebook. Then a Political Aide Said He Was Supporting Vandalism
The latest campus flap over politics and academic freedom started with a fart joke. It ended with what one professor considered threats of political retribution. The spark that lit the fuse wasn't something that the professor had said or written; it was what he liked on Facebook. At a time when professors have found themselves increasingly under attack for their scholarship and their political commentary, a complaint about the least-considered form of social-media activity represents a new manifestation of the outrage toward academe. At the center of the case are Ari Kohen, an associate professor of political science at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and a staff member for U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, a Republican running for re-election in Nebraska.
 
Survey shows role of activism and politics in college decision process
This year some women's colleges are reporting record large entering classes, in part because of substantial gains in yield. Some are calling this a "Trump bump," as women look at the political environment, plus the Me Too movement, and find themselves concerned about enrolling at a college where women will be respected and their political concerns will be supported. Admissions officials at these colleges report increases in the number of essays about politics and more questions on campus visits about the political environment. It turns out that women's colleges may not be alone in experiencing these trends. New data from surveys by the National Association for College Admission Counseling show that both high schools and colleges are reporting increasing interest by high school students in the political atmosphere of colleges they are considering. The results are far from uniform, and it appears that plenty of students are not focused in this way. But counselors at both the high school and college level report that many students are frustrated by the direction of the country, and that this affects the way they look at potential colleges.
 
Bilingual classrooms can benefit all students
Angela Farmer, an assistant professor of educational leadership at Mississippi State, writes: When one imagines a lesson taught by a public school educator in the United States, most would expect the information to be communicated in English. However, with the National Center for Education Statistics' latest statistics (April, 2018) indicating that "the percentage of public school students in the United States who were English language learners (ELLs) has risen to 9.5 percent or 4.8 million students," a different image is conveyed. Particularly when 2015 data showed states like California with up to 21 percent of their students reporting as ELL. While this may seem at first glance to be a contemporary or even a political issue, the reality is that bilingualism in the U.S. has existed since colonial times.
 
Usury proscriptions forgotten in Mississippi
Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: Living in a very Christian state, most Mississippians should remember the biblical proscriptions on usury. Here's one: "Thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbors by extortion, and has forgotten me, saith the Lord God." (Ezekiel 22:12) Many Mississippi leaders have forgotten. Once Mississippi's maximum annual finance charge was 8 percent. Anything over was usury. Indeed, such usury rules were the law of the land through most of the 20th century. Starting in the 1980s, states including Mississippi began to relax these rules. Lately, Mississippi has caved in to special interests. The 8 percent maximum charge remains in law today, but the legislature has added exception after exception. Today, every special interest has its own rule allowing higher rates.
 
Gov. Phil Bryant: Cindy Hyde-Smith, the right choice for Mississippi
Gov. Phil Bryant writes: This Tuesday is one of the most important and unique elections in Mississippi in my lifetime. The majority of the United States Senate could very well be decided by the outcome of one of the Senate races in our state. When I appointed Cindy Hyde-Smith to the U.S. Senate earlier this year, I knew based on her business background, real-life experience and conservative record in public service that she would do a great job representing us in the Senate. That's exactly what Cindy is doing -- working hard for our state and standing strong for our Republican principles as evidenced by her voting record in the Senate.


SPORTS
 
Mississippi State quickly shifts focus to Alabama after blowing out Louisiana Tech
Joe Moorhead strolled to the podium for his post-game press conference after No. 21 Mississippi State's 45-3 win over Louisiana Tech. At the same time, No. 1 Alabama put the finishing touches on a 29-0 rout of No. 4 LSU in Baton Rouge. The Bulldogs took a trip to Death Valley two weeks ago and played their worst game of the year in a 19-3 loss to the Tigers. The disparity in those two scores isn't a good sign for the Dogs as they head to play the Crimson Tide this Saturday. Alabama is clearly the best team in the country with sophomore Tua Tagovailoa at the helm. He threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns on an LSU defense that MSU senior quarterback Nick Fitzgerald could only muster 59 yards and no scores against. Fitzgerald has found his form in the two games since, though. He's thrown for more than 200 yards in back-to-back weeks for the first time since his freshman year.
 
Challenging week for state's SEC teams
A Mississippi State team that has regained its swagger in the last two games faces its biggest challenge yet this week: at No. 1 Alabama. The Bulldogs, coming off a 45-3 homecoming win over Louisiana Tech, will kick off against the Crimson Tide at Bryant- Denny Stadium at 2:30 on CBS. Ole Miss will try to put a gut-wrenching loss in the rear view mirror as it travels to face Texas A&M for an 11 a.m. kickoff. It will be a matchup of strength against strength in Tuscaloosa. Defense has been the calling card for the Bulldogs (6-3, 2-3 SEC) who went into Saturday's play leading the SEC in total defense at 283.8 yards a game and second in scoring defense at 13.5 points a game. Nine touchdowns allowed by MSU are the fewest in the SEC.
 
Nick Fitzgerald powers passing attack in rout
Nick Fitzgerald's fourth-quarter victory lap was one with solid statistical basis. He exited the game late in the third quarter with 243 passing yards, 108 rushing, four touchdown tosses and a 35-point lead he watched get expanded to 42. Yet, this was not Fitzgerald's day. The numbers suggest this was Fitzgerald's most impressive passing performance of his senior season, and it probably was. More impressive was the corps of pass catchers he had at his disposal. Fitzgerald's improvement as a passer in two week's time has put the explosive potential of the No. 21 Mississippi State passing attack on the shoulders of wide receivers and running backs, and they delivered their best performance of the season Saturday. Yards after the catch came early and often in MSU's 45-3 win over Louisiana Tech (6-3).
 
Nick Fitzgerald forms hot-streak as Mississippi State rolls Louisiana Tech
Nick Fitzgerald walked into Davis Wade Stadium and kneeled to give Jak, or Bully XXI, some pre-game pets. The senior quarterback looked calm and confident as he strode the length of the field to Mississippi State's locker room. He came into Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech coming off a stellar showing in last week's win over Texas A&M. Fitzgerald said he wanted to stack the success from that victory onto his performance this week, and he did. Fitzgerald threw four touchdown passes in the first half, the first time he's ever done so in his career. Three of them came in the first quarter as the home Bulldogs jumped all over the visiting version of the Bulldogs on their way to a 45-3 win. "I think he's playing with a lot more confidence," head coach Joe Moorhead said.
 
Nick Fitzgerald throws 4 TDs, Mississippi State beats La Tech 45-3
Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald's third touchdown pass of the first quarter was a perfect throw, expertly dropped over three Louisiana Tech defenders and into the hands of a sprinting Kylin Hill. It was just three weeks ago that the Bulldogs' offense was in complete disarray. That's certainly not the case anymore. Fitzgerald threw for 243 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 21 Mississippi State over Louisiana Tech 45-3 on Saturday night. The Bulldogs are playing some of their best football of the season heading into next week's game against No. 1 Alabama, which is coming off a 29-0 win over LSU.
 
Nick Fitzgerald's 4 TDs lead Mississippi State
He might not be ready to open a passing academy just yet, but for the second week in a row, Nick Fitzgerald showed how much damage he can do with his arm. The Mississippi State quarterback threw a season-high four touchdown passes in a 45-3 dismantling of Louisiana Tech at Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday. The win made MSU (6-3) bowl eligible in coach Joe Moorhead's first season. Entering the game, Tech (6-3) had allowed only seven passing touchdowns. Fitzgerald threw his fourth with 30 seconds left in the first half, hitting Jesse Jackson from 10 yards to take a 31-3 lead into the break. Fitzgerald completed 17 of 28 passes for 243 yards -- tying a season high -- in three quarters of work. He also rushed for 107 yards on 18 carries. A week prior, Fitzgerald broke out of a passing slump with a big game against Texas A&M. He started hot against Tech, with 211 of his passing yards coming before halftime.
 
Mississippi State powers past Louisiana Tech with total team effort
Kylin Hill caught an over-the-shoulder, tap-your-toes touchdown late in the first quarter at Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday night. It was a catch most running backs in the country simply don't make. The touchdown fueled the fiery crowd, but two of the three plays right before Hill scored were more emblematic of the way Mississippi State played in its 45-3 non-conference victory over Louisiana Tech. Senior receiver Jesse Jackson made both. On the first, he caught the ball behind the first down marker and circled back further from it to survey his surroundings. Then he peeled to his right and plunged forward for five more yards and a first down. On the next, Jackson caught a pass on a curl route just beyond the marker and powered ahead for another 10 more yards, totaling 24 on the play. Hill scored on his highlight-reel 23-yard catch two plays later. "That was one of the things that we talked about last night and right before the game, is that we needed to start fast and knock the belief out of these guys," head coach Joe Moorhead said.
 
Mississippi State finds hidden yards against Louisiana Tech
The so-called hidden yards -- special teams yards, kicks and returns -- have been a problem for No. 21 Mississippi State. The primary culprit was punting, not that it was taking hidden yardage away but that it was keeping MSU from winning more of it. In a game where MSU punted thrice, there wasn't much opportunity to miss hidden yards. In a game where Louisiana Tech punted seven times and kicked off twice, there were plenty of opportunities to gain hidden yardage, and MSU rarely missed. MSU (6-3, No. 18 College Football Playoff) got four opportunities to return, two kickoffs and two punts; only one of them went for fewer than 20 yards. The Bulldogs racked up 41 kickoff return yards and 41 punt return yards in a 45-3 win over Louisiana Tech (6-3). "That was (special teams coordinator Joey) Jones' No. 1 point of emphasis," head coach Joe Moorhead said.
 
Fifteen true freshmen see the field for Mississippi State
Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead mentioned several weeks ago that he and his staff had the Louisiana Tech game earmarked to try and get some true freshmen on the field. Thanks to a lopsided 45-3 homecoming score, Moorhead's plan came to fruition in the final quarter. "That was great," Moorhead said. "If you looked out there on that last drive, that was just about all of our freshmen on defense and then got 'Dolla Bill' (Kwatrivous Johnson) in there on the O-line. I think we got just about every freshman in there. There may have been one or two that we missed." A total of 15 true freshmen received playing time according to the participation report, three of which are walk-ons.
 
AD John Cohen discusses Mississippi State's plans for Humphrey Coliseum
John Cohen took over an athletic department that had already expanded its football stadium and in the process of a complete overhaul of its baseball stadium. That left one revenue sport, basketball, awaiting a facility upgrade, and Cohen heard plenty of questions about what was to come. At some point he came to a conclusion: instead of answering the question hundreds of times, he might as well show the public what the athletic department has in mind. Mississippi State did just that, unveiling some renderings in a video played at last week's football game against Texas A&M. Cohen, MSU's Director of Athletics, spoke to The Dispatch about the future of the venue. MSU has not announced a timetable or a dollar amount for the project, and both of those omissions are intentional. "Our timeline really has a lot to do with the fundraising part of it," Cohen said.
 
Mississippi State freshmen vital in exhibition victory
Mississippi State men's basketball coach Ben Howland is ecstatic about the freshman class he and his staff signed. Sunday afternoon, Howland was finally able to showcase to fans exactly why he is so excited. Reggie Perry, Robert Woodard II and D.J. Stewart combined for 26 points, 17 rebounds, three steals and three assists in the 18th-ranked Bulldogs 88-57 exhibition win over Georgia Southwestern State. "I love that trio of freshmen," Howland said. Perry produced a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench while Woodard added 10 points in his debut in an MSU uniform. Both are sons of former Bulldog basketball standouts. "I haven't seen may freshmen that look like that," Howland said. "They don't look like your normal freshmen, they have men's bodies right now. They've been blessed and have good Bulldog genes."
 
Robert Woodard, Reggie Perry look solid in Mississippi State's exhibition victory
Ben Howland said there are two major focal points, among others, for Mississippi State men's basketball this season: shooting and contribution from freshmen. Both were on display in the No. 19 Bulldogs 88-57 exhibition game victory over Georgia Southwestern State on Sunday afternoon. Mississippi State lit it up from beyond the arc at Humphrey Coliseum, and two freshmen contributed in many facets of the game. Freshmen forwards Reggie Perry and Robert Woodard were all over it early on. The two combined to score 13 consecutive points -- nine of which came on three's -- to put State on top 30-5 late in the first half. "Those guys are going to be important mainstays," Howland said. The Bulldogs start the regular season at home against Austin Peay at 6:30 p.m. this Friday.
 
Bulldogs prevail in sole exhibition
Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer got exactly what he was hoping for when he scheduled the defending Division II national champions Central Missouri for his team's lone exhibition game. The Jennies led at the end of the first quarter and were up for a majority of the first half before the sixth-ranked Bulldogs stormed back with 62 points in the second half to claim a 97-56 victory. "That first half was really a good challenge for us," Schaefer said. "It made me coach, made me demand and made me not be happy and satisfied. It made these kids understand that there's a level of expectation that we have here defensively. We got so lost so many times and I've got so much I can teach off of off that film than maybe if I'd have played somebody else I wouldn't have that problem."
 
Anriel Howard excels in Mississippi State's 97-56 win over Central Missouri
Anriel Howard smacked on her chewing gum and lined up to watch a Central Missouri player take two free throws Friday night. In between shots, head coach Vic Schaefer yelled down at his graduate transfer as she caught the opposing player's first missed shot. "What are you watching? Go rebound!" Schaefer screamed. Howard looked at her teammates with puzzlement. She had 10 rebounds at the time, and No. 6 Mississippi State was leading comfortably on its way to a 97-56 victory in an exhibition game at Humphrey Coliseum. Schaefer said throughout the offseason that Howard hasn't looked completely comfortable since joining the Bulldogs in late July. She looked more than comfortable in dropping 23 points on 11-of-15 shooting in addition to her 11 rebounds. Howard gets her next chance to showcase her versatility in Mississippi State's first game of the regular season on Nov. 6. MSU hosts Southeast Missouri State at The Hump at 7 p.m.
 
Trio of traditional centers hidden jewels in women's game
A broad smile creeps across Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer's face when he talks about having one more season with his "Aircraft Carrier." It's one of his affectionate nicknames for 6-foot-7 senior Teaira McCowan. She is part of a trifecta of players who represent a rarity in basketball, whether in the NBA or the men's and women's college games: A traditional center that can dominate a game playing with their back to the basket. Baylor's Kalani Brown and Iowa's Megan Gustafson round out the trio. McCowan's imposing height and wingspan helped carry the Bulldogs to back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament national championship game the past two seasons. She was an All-American last year after averaging 18.2 points, 13.9 rebounds and more than two blocks a contest.
 
Mississippi State women's soccer team's waiting game will end Monday
Tom Anagnost hopes 2018 is the year the West solidifies its standing in the Southeastern Conference. If that's the case, the Mississippi State women's soccer team will make history Monday when the NCAA tournament selection committee announces the 64-team field for the annual showcase. MSU (9-6-2, 2-6-2 SEC) will hold a watch party for the NCAA tournament selection show in its clubhouse. The Bulldogs hope to celebrate the program's first NCAA tournament bid after waiting more than a week following its last match. That result, a 2-1 loss to LSU in Starkville on Oct. 25, denied MSU a chance to qualify for the 10-team SEC tournament for the first time since 2004. Usually, not making the SEC tournament would have meant the end to the Bulldogs' season. This year, though, MSU still has a chance to make history thanks to its impressive resume and the fact that Florida and Missouri, which both advanced to the league tournament in Orange Beach, Alabama, are under .500 and aren't eligible for postseason play.
 
ESPN apologizes for James Carville's anti-SEC rant, sweatshirt on College GameDay
Political pundit James Carville has gotten a lot of mileage out of SEC-related conspiracy theories in the two weeks since LSU star linebacker Devin White was ejected for targeting against Mississippi State. Like many LSU fans, Carville has been angry and outspoken about the fact that White will miss the first half of tonight's LSU home game with top-ranked Alabama. Many, including Carville, have gone as far as to insinuate that the SEC office and commissioner Greg Sankey are biased toward the Crimson Tide. The 74-year-old Carville -- a Louisiana native and LSU graduate -- was invited onto the set of ESPN's College GameDay on Saturday morning, and continued his ranting. After noting some other key defensive players -- including Tennessee's Daniel Bituli, Missouri's Terez Hall and Texas A&M's Donovan Wilson --- who have missed parts of games against Alabama due to targeting fouls, Carville continued to rage over the controversial call against White.
 
James Carville's epic GameDay rant prompts ESPN apology; a 'gutless' move, he says
ESPN issued an apology Saturday to Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey after an appearance by well-known political pundit and LSU fan James Carville on the "College GameDay" show. Carville called the ESPN apology "gutless." Carville appeared on the set during the show which was televised from LSU's campus, taking issue with the ejection of LSU linebacker Devin White from the Mississippi State game that will have him sitting out the first half of Saturday night's showdown with Alabama. He also cited the cases of defensive players from Texas A&M, Missouri and Tennessee being ejected before or during games against the Crimson Tide this season. Carville said ESPN invited him to be on the show and knew what he was going to say about the White situation and the suspensions involving the other players he mentioned.
 
SEC East title worth more than $600,000 in bonuses for UGA coaching staff
Reaching the SEC championship game kicks in some hefty bonuses for Georgia football coaches. Head coach Kirby Smart, whose team clinched a division title Saturday with a 34-17 win at Kentucky, is set to receive $100,000 for winning the SEC East and the Bulldogs playing in the SEC championship, according to terms of his new contract released earlier this year. He would receive an additional $125,000 for winning the league title. Georgia's 10 assistant football coaches will make a combined $510,750 for the Bulldogs playing in the game based on 15 percent of their annual base salary that is laid out in the athletic association's performance-based bonus structure. The assistant coaches would collect an additional $170,250 combined for winning the SEC title game which will be held Dec. 1 in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
 
Video Games Are a Waste of Time? Not for Those With E-sports Scholarships
Behind a glass partition at the Microsoft store at the Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island, 10 teenage boys settled into seats in a rectangular formation. Each sat behind a laptop computer, ears warmed by a bulky headset. Parents and grandparents circled the room, peering over shoulders at screens. One mother used her iPhone to live-stream to social media. The room had the feel of a sporting event, and it was -- a group of competitive video gamers on the Bay Shore High School e-sports team were competing in a scrimmage and playing their way toward college scholarships. Multiplayer video games played competitively, often with spectators, are known as e-sports, and they have became a gateway to college scholarship money. Over the past two years, the National Association of Collegiate Esports, which is engaged with 98 varsity programs across the United States and Canada, has helped to facilitate $16 million in scholarships, according to the executive director, Michael Brooks. In higher education, e-sports live in various departments. Sometimes they are part of student affairs; some schools place them within an engineering or design program; and, more rarely, they have their place in athletics.



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