Tuesday, May 7, 2019   
 
At 82, professor emeritus Bill Jones still helping MSU crank out engineers
A stack of papers sits on a desk beside Bill Jones' laptop in his Greensboro Street home in Starkville. The final exams for his 70 mechanical engineering students at Mississippi State University represent, by Jones' estimate, about 15 hours of meticulous grading work he knocked out between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning. "It's like reading 'War and Peace' in a weekend," Jones said. "... But it shows there's justice in life. If I didn't give it, I wouldn't have to grade it." At 82, the professor emeritus at MSU is equal to that task and more. His secret, or at least one of them, according to his wife, Carol, is doing 40 pushups first thing every morning. Bill earned his bachelor's from Mississippi State in 1958, later adding a master's from the University of Wisconsin and a doctorate from Purdue. He interned with NASA and worked stints as an engineer for Allis-Chalmers in Milwaukee and Caterpillar in Peoria, Illinois, before returning to Starkville in 1976 as a mechanical engineering professor. His real-world experience still helps convert prospective engineers to professionals.
 
MDOT: Highway 12 Phase 1 reduces crashes by 42 percent
The first phase of the Highway 12 safety improvement project in Starkville has, according to the Mississippi Department of Transportation, led to a significant reduction in crashes along the corridor. MDOT, responding to a question posed on Twitter to Mayor Lynn Spruill and the department last week, said the first phase of the Highway 12 project has aided a 42-percent decline in crashes. The first phase, completed in 2017, saw 2.8 miles of the highway repaved from New Light Road to Eckford Drive and included the installation of raised median curbs to control where traffic can turn across the highway. MDOT completed the second phase of work, from Eckford Drive to Russell Street, last fall. Both phases cost a total of $12.2 million. MDOT Public Information Officer Jace Ponder said the department only has enough data to make a preliminary comparison for crashes along the first phase of the Highway 12 project.
 
New $30 million Trade Mart on schedule to open next spring
Construction has been underway for just over a year on the new nearly $30 million dollar Trade Mart at the State Fairgrounds. The Coliseum is also getting upgrades. 1962 meets 2020 is the way the Mississippi State Fair Commission Executive Director describes the transformation. "It's just an exciting time for the fairgrounds," said MS Fair Commission Executive Director Steven Hutton. It is quite the undertaking for the agency head who started the job in June of 2018. On Monday he took us on a tour of what will be the new look of the fairgrounds with its brand new Trade Mart. Masonry work is underway right now, with crews well over a year into the construction of the new building and improvements to the 57 year old Coliseum. The old Trade Mart will be demolished, making space for 400 additional parking spaces during the fair. Completion on the new Trade Mart is scheduled for spring of next year.
 
Flowood's $50M conference center, hotel: Opening, impact on Jackson
Construction is underway in Flowood on a $50 million conference center, luxury hotel and resort while the city of Jackson continues its decades-long search for a hotel to go along with its convention center. Rankin County officials are bullish on the development, saying it'll lead to additional investment and jobs, but some Jackson council members are worried about its impact on the Jackson Convention Complex less than 10 miles away. Located about a mile from the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, the 54,000-square-foot center will have an attached 200-room luxury hotel and a wide range of amenities. Flowood Mayor Gary Rhoads said he believes the development will offer a location for businesses and associations in the metro area and beyond.
 
Mississippi recognized by Amazon as having fastest growing small businesses
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) on Monday announced the 10 states with the fastest-growing small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) selling in Amazon's stores. The report examined year-over-year sales growth of businesses selling in Amazon's stores across all 50 states and found that SMBs in Mississippi are growing the fastest, with businesses in Nebraska, Maine, Texas, and Indiana rounding out the top five. Third-party gross physical merchandise sales -- primarily comprised of SMBs selling in Amazon stores -- surpassed $160 billion in 2018 and make up more than half of the units sold in Amazon's stores. A recent study conducted with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce showed that nearly 20 percent of rural small businesses in America generate at least 80 percent of their revenue by selling their products and services online. The study also found that online tools and technology have the highest potential impact on rural small businesses with revenue under $100,000.
 
MDOT warns of campaign sign placement
The old Johnny Horton country song goes, "When it's springtime in Alaska, it's 40 below." Well, it's not 40 below, but when it's springtime in Mississippi, the political signs will grow. And with the current election cycle underway, the signs are budding all over DeSoto County and elsewhere in the Magnolia State. While cities and the county may have different requirements about the size and placement of those political signs, the Mississippi Department of Transportation takes the signs' location on their highways pretty seriously. Jason Scott with MDOT in Jackson reminds candidates and their supporters that signage is not allowed inside the right-of-way of state highways. In fact, it is illegal to do so. Scott said MDOT crews essentially are forced to become the "sign police" and they do have the power to take down any signs they see that are illegally placed or erected. He added candidates can come to that facility and retrieve their signs free of charge. MDOT will keep signs at the facility for two weeks before they are disposed of.
 
Analysis: Decisions on Mississippi Power face new officials
Public Service Commissioner is the hardest job that few people are thinking about in Mississippi's crowded election year. The winners of two open public service commissioner posts will just have settled into their offices in the Woolfolk State Office Building overlooking Mississippi's capitol when they will be asked to decide the future of the Mississippi Power Co. Maybe that's a little strong, but a series of decisions that will be made in relation to the electrical utility and its rate case will go a long way in shaping the future of Mississippi Power, and could influence the future of its parent company as well.
 
PSC's Brandon Presley: Don't expect ratepayer help with Mississippi Power's federal Kemper debt
Brandon Presley, chairman of the Public Service Commission, said Mississippi Power Co. should not look to utility regulators for a rate hike to help settle debts related to the company's failed power plant in Kemper County. "They will be laughed out of the meeting," Presley said. Presley was responding to reports that the Atlanta-based Southern Co., the parent company of Mississippi Power, reported in its quarterly financial report that the Department of Justice's civil division is investigating the company in connection with grants -- totaling more than $380 million -- the company received from the Department of Energy to help build the plant. The statement said the investigation could be significant to its finances. "This is an issue for the Department of Energy and the Southern Company on what they have to pay back," said Presley, who said he had no details about the investigation.
 
As Mississippi Evades Measles, Activists Want Vaccine Exemptions
Mississippians need not worry about developing measles after an infected Tennessee traveler exposed diners at a Hattiesburg fast food restaurant last month, the Mississippi State Department of Health says. "The incubation period for developing measles from exposure to this traveler has passed. Any potential measles exposure would have developed symptoms by now," MSDH State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said in a press statement. "We are grateful that, because of our strong immunization laws, Mississippians were protected from infection. Measles still pose a threat to the state, Dobbs said. Except for homeschoolers, Mississippi law bars unvaccinated children from attending any school, public or private. The law only allows exemptions "for medical reasons" that must be issued by "a duly licensed physician" in cases where a local health officer decides "such exemption will not cause undue risk to the community." Only two states -- Mississippi and West Virginia -- do not offer religious exemptions. But a group of activists and some lawmakers want to change that.
 
Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith presses for more Mississippi made ships, helicopters
Last week, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith pressed for National Security Cutter and Light Enforcement Helicopter funding during a hearing to review the FY2020 Homeland Security Budget. Both the Cutters and the Helicopters are manufactured in Mississippi and Hyde-Smith says they are critical to the U.S. Department of Homeland Securities efforts to secure the nation's borders and fight illegal activities. NSCs are built in Pascagoula, while LEH aircraft are manufactured in Columbus. "I greatly appreciate the leadership, agility, professionalism, and resourcefulness of the Department of Homeland Security and its components, in particular, the Coast Guard and FEMA," Hyde-Smith said. "Mississippians take great pride in their contributions to the Department of Homeland Security's missions and our national security interests." Hyde-Smith advocated for funding to build a twelfth NSC. No funding was provided for NSC 12 in the FY2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act despite the fact Congress specifically identified the need to recapitalize the aging fleet of 12 High Endurance Cutters with 12 NSC ships.
 
Tech faces tough choices on rural broadband
Telecom and consumer groups are preparing to make a major push for including billions of dollars for rural broadband funding in any infrastructure deal, even as lawmakers and advocates struggle with tough questions ahead. Democratic leaders signaled that broadband investment could be a major part of the $2 trillion infrastructure deal they are pursuing with President Trump. Industry groups quickly took notice at what could be the most significant government investment in broadband in years. Lawmakers from rural communities for years have sought funding for broadband initiative s, seeking to close the stark divide between rural and urban access to the internet. But some of those same GOP lawmakers have been raising serious objections to Trump's infrastructure proposal, saying they are not willing to raise taxes to pay for it. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, however, told The Hill that he supports an increased gas tax to fund any infrastructure projects, an idea other top GOP lawmakers have dismissed. "It's traditionally been the way grown-ups pay for infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges -- fuel taxes," Wicker told The Hill.
 
Economists flee Agriculture Dept. after feeling punished under Trump
Economists in the Agriculture Department's research branch say the Trump administration is retaliating against them for publishing reports that shed negative light on White House policies, spurring an exodus that included six of them quitting the department on a single day in late April. The Economic Research Service -- a source of closely read reports on farm income and other topics that can shape federal policy, planting decisions and commodity markets --- has run afoul of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue with its findings on how farmers have been financially harmed by President Donald Trump's trade feuds, the Republican tax code rewrite and other sensitive issues, according to current and former agency employees. On Friday, the USDA announced three finalists for the new headquarters of the service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which is also being moved out of Washington. The finalists are Kansas City, the North Carolina research triangle region and multiple locations in Indiana.
 
President Trump creates new cybersecurity competition with a $25,000 award
The Trump administration announced steps to address a shortage of cybersecurity workers across the federal government, including sponsorship of a national competition and allowing cyber experts to rotate from one agency to another. President Donald Trump issued an executive order Thursday that directed the Department of Homeland Security to work with the Office of Management and Budget to create a rotational program that will "serve as a mechanism for knowledge transfer" across agencies. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, part of DHS, along with OMB and other agencies will also develop an annual cybersecurity competition for federal employees called the President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition, the order said. The first such challenge will be held in 2019 and will award at least $25,000 to the winner, according to the order.
 
USM joins new $94 million ocean exploration institute
The University of Southern Mississippi is joining forces with four other nationally renowned ocean science institutions. The school announced Monday that its School of Ocean Science and Engineering will join Ocean Science and Engineering, Ocean Exploration Trust, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, University of New Hampshire, and the University of Rhode Island to form to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute. This program will work with NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research to survey an estimated 3 billion acres of submerged U.S. territory. "The partnership with these four other nationally renowned ocean science institutions speaks volumes about The University of Southern Mississippi's reputation in ocean science and engineering," said Dr. Gordon Cannon, Vice President for Research at USM.
 
Higher education looks to fix 'egregious inequities' in funding for some Alabama universities
The record $7.1 billion education budget approved in the Alabama Senate last week contains at least 5 percent increases for the state's public four-year universities, but a formula to get more money to under-funded institutions met with some concern. "I represent an institution that feels like they were not made whole in the budget," Sen. Tom Whatley, R-Auburn, said in a budget committee meeting last week. His complaint was about the Alabama Commission of Higher Education's attempt to address what it says are "the most egregious inequities in funding" at some universities. Athens State University, the University of North Alabama, Jacksonville State University, Troy University, the University of Alabama's Tuscaloosa campus, the University of Montevallo, the University of South Alabama and the University of West Alabama all saw small increases based on comparisons of funding at other schools across the nation with similar missions, student bodies and degree production. The "peer gap adjustment" formula in Gov. Kay Ivey's recommended budget represented about half a percent of higher education funding.
 
Auburn's campus construction projects on track for summer completion
As summer vacation begins for many of Auburn University's students, construction is heating up with major projects on campus scheduled for completion, or near-completion, before the start of the 2019-20 academic year. The new parking deck on South College Street next to the Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center is scheduled for completion this month. When the $15.9 million project is finished, the roughly 600-space deck will yield a net increase of about 400 parking spaces from what was previously in the hotel's south surface lot. The five-level deck will be used by Auburn University students, faculty and staff, as well as guests of the hotel and the future Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center.
 
UT-Knoxville chancellor talks plans for position, leadership style
Donde Plowman, the new chancellor of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, said she will start her time on Rocky Top with a "listening campaign." Plowman said she hopes to hold many one-on-one meetings once she's officially in officer in order to learn what's best for UT-Knoxville. Plowman held a press conference on Monday where she discussed her vision for her role as chancellor. Plowman, a former UT professor and department head, said her time at UT was "an important but brief part of my academic career." "I'm thrilled to return to the University of Tennessee," she said. Plowman was approved by the Board of Trustees on Friday, and her first day will be July 1. Plowman also discussed the importance of promoting diversity on university campuses. "I think diversity is absolutely essential for true excellence in our world," Plowman said. "I look forward to making that a starting point for future kinds of excellence we want to try to build here."
 
U. of Florida promises to bring college graduations indoors
A year to the day after a University of Florida graduation event stirred allegations of racism and prompted changes including moving festivities outdoors, a commencement ceremony Sunday was rained out, causing more backlash on social media from angry parents and students. That backlash led to the university releasing a statement Monday afternoon, announcing its commitment to bringing all college graduation ceremonies, other than the university-wide commencement, indoors. "We share the disappointment some of our students and their families felt on Sunday when rain and lightning led to the cancellation of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences recognition ceremony in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium," wrote UF spokesman Steve Orlando in a statement. "We know how important that individual recognition is, and although it won't make up for what happened on Sunday, we are committed to finding a way to hold all college recognition ceremonies indoors next May." Orlando said August and December graduation ceremonies also will be indoors.
 
U. of Arkansas Law Dean Encouraging Public Service
Margaret Sova McCabe, the new dean of the University of Arkansas School of Law, wants to help law students who want to help others. McCabe has started a public service fellowship program, which allows students to receive up to a $5,000 scholarship for 10 weeks of full-time work at a public service employer, such as a nonprofit or government organization. "As a public law school and part of a land-grant institution, I feel it's very important we have a robust and strong public service initiative," said McCabe, who replaced Dean Stacy Leeds. McCabe started work in July. In addition to the public service fellowship, McCabe will focus on making sure students are trained to contribute in business and corporate law. The law school is near the headquarters of some of the world's largest publicly traded companies -- Walmart, Tyson Foods Inc. and J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. -- "which really gives our students tremendous opportunities to be exposed to cutting-edge legal operations," she said.
 
UGA professor to co-lead female National Geographic expedition
A University of Georgia researcher will help lead an international, all-female expedition team to study plastic pollution in one of the world's most iconic waterways -- the Ganges River. The "Sea to Source: Ganges" river expedition, in partnership with the Wildlife Institute of India, the University of Dhaka and WildTeam, is part of National Geographic's journey to better understand and document how plastic waste travels from source to sea and to fill critical knowledge gaps around plastic flow, load and composition. The expedition will offer an unprecedented and unique opportunity to scientifically document plastic waste in a watershed and develop holistic and inclusive solutions. "I am so excited to co-lead this expedition along with an amazing international team of incredible researchers in one of the most iconic rivers on the planet," said Jenna Jambeck, a professor at UGA and a National Geographic Fellow.
 
Fall 2015 protests molded MU's Class of 2019. That history fades when its members leave.
When Kelsie Wilkins and Swee-Yang Yong stepped foot on the University of Missouri campus in August 2015, they saw white. White faces. White students. White police vehicles. White staff. White pillars. White faculty. White dome. White administrators. Wilkins and Yong were hyper-aware of the whiteness. By the time the two freshmen went home for Thanksgiving that fall, both the University of Missouri System president and the MU chancellor had resigned -- part of the fallout of the biggest student movement so far in MU's 21st century history. Protests against racism led by Concerned Student 1950 shaped the college journey, and in some cases the future careers, of the Class of 2019. When they cross the stage at commencements May 17-19, MU will lose a vital piece of its firsthand history. The CS1950 protests introduced the Class of 2019 to race relations on campus, and, for some, the movement spearheaded four years of advocacy and activism. The events also altered the roadmap for MU's approach to addressing diversity and inclusion.
 
Elizabeth Warren's plan puts spotlight on racial disparities in student debt
Elizabeth Warren's proposal to cancel most student debt stirred a debate over whether a progressive agenda should include debt cancellation -- and, if so, who should get relief. But the plan is also notable for offering the most substantive attempt yet by a presidential campaign to address deep racial disparities involving student debt. As Warren wrote in a Medium post announcing her plan, black college students are more likely to need student loans to attend college and, because of factors like employment discrimination, to owe more than their original balance 12 years after graduation. Warren is the first among 2020 presidential candidates to offer a comprehensive plan for college affordability and student debt. While past presidential campaign proposals have included funding, for example, for historically black institutions, hers emphasizes potential benefits for borrowers of color. There's considerable disagreement among higher ed experts about the details of Warren's plan. But there also appears to be a growing sense that bold action is required on student debt generally and racial disparities in particular.
 
U. of Iowa requiring suicide prevention training for all students
When the new batch of University of Iowa students comes to campus this fall, one of their first lessons will be a little unexpected: suicide prevention. All first-year and transfer students will need to complete the new module, which is part of an online course that teaches students information they need to adjust to life there. Students learn how to navigate the grounds and the surrounding city and how to find academic resources, and for the first next time next academic year, they will be trained in how to identify suicidal tendencies among their peers. Administrators said this mandate is the first of its kind for colleges and universities across the country. And it comes at a time when college counseling centers are particularly strapped for resources and more students are reporting and seeking treatment for mental health issues.
 
Don't Let Students Run the University
Tom Nichols, the author of "The Death of Expertise," writes for The Atlantic: When did college students get it into their heads that they should be running the university? The distressing trend of students somehow thinking they're the teachers began in earnest in the 1960s, a time when at least some of the grievances of campus protesters -- from racism and sexism to the possibility of being sent to die in Southeast Asia -- made sense. A more noxious version of this trend, however, is now in full swing, with students demanding a say in the hiring and firing of faculty whose views they merely happen not to like. This is a dangerous development -- a triple threat to free speech, to the education of future citizens, and to the value of a college education.


SPORTS
 
SEC baseball: Breaking down Mississippi State before Ole Miss series
Mississippi State was one swing away from sweeping Texas A&M at Blue Bell Park last week. How monumental would breaking out the brooms have been? No team had taken two of three from the Aggies in College Station this season. The Bulldogs nearly took all three. Still, No. 5 MSU (38-10, 15-9) became the first team to beat No. 18 A&M in a series on the road. The Dogs have now won three of their four SEC series away from home. They'd love to make it four of five with a trip to Oxford coming up this weekend. Here are two aspects of State's game that fans should feel good about, and two that could cause some problems against No. 14 Ole Miss.
 
Mississippi State's Ethan Small named SEC Pitcher of the Week
Mississippi State senior left-handed pitcher Ethan Small earned his first-career Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week honor and was named to the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Weekly Honor Roll after a dominant performance in the series opener at No. 15 Texas A&M. The conference honor is the first pitcher of the week accolade earned by a Diamond Dawg since the 2016 season, when Dakota Hudson earned the award on three occasions. Small also earned his fourth weekly honor roll nod from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper for his efforts in College Station, Texas. Against the nationally-ranked Aggies, Small retired the first 19 batters he faced in the series opener on his way to seven hitless, shutout innings. The left-hander struck out the first three batters he faced on his way to an eight strikeout effort, allowing just two base runners in the contest.
 
College baseball: Mississippi State's Ethan Small named SEC Pitcher of the Week
For the first time in his career, Mississippi State red-shirt junior pitcher Ethan Small has been named the SEC Pitcher of the Week. Small picked up a series-opening victory against then-No. 17 Texas A&M last Friday. He had a perfect game through 6.1 innings and finished with a line of 7.0 innings pitched, zero hits, one walk and eight strikeouts. Then-No. 7 Mississippi State beat the Aggies 4-0 in Small's start. The outing upped Small's season strikeout total to 122. His next strikeout, which will likely come Friday night against No. 14 Ole Miss in Oxford, will set a new single-season career high. Small's WHIP of 0.78 is the third-best number in the nation. Small has serious potential to win SEC Pitcher of the Year. He's pitched at least five innings in all 12 of his outings this season even though his tendency to get strikeouts usually drives his pitch count up. Small's 15.04 strikeouts per nine innings is the second-best mark in the country.
 
Mississippi State women's golf tied for third after first round of Norman Regional
After the first round of the Norman Regional, the Mississippi State women's golf team is tied for third and only three shots from the lead. A host of birdies and a pair of eagles propelled the Bulldogs and put them in strong position to advance to the NCAA Championships "We worked hard today," said head coach Ginger Brown-Lemm. "Our belief, perseverance, and choices led us to a great opening round. Being the first NCAA Regional for each member of this team, this shows how much they have in the tank." Freshman Hannah Levi started the day on fire carding four birdies on the back nine holes. She tallied another birdie on No. 8 to finish 2-under par (70) and tied for sixth place. The Bulldogs will tee off No. 1 Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. CT. The top six teams after three rounds will advance to the NCAA Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
 
Scott Woodward pens letter on first day as new LSU AD with message of 'I believe'
Scott Woodward officially took over the LSU athletics program Monday, his first day as the university's new athletic director. Woodward celebrated his first day by writing an emotional letter to the Tigers' community, thanking them for welcoming him and laying out some of his goals for the athletics department. "Today is my first official day in service to our university, a place that transformed my life many years ago and so many others before and since," he wrote. "Serving as your Director of Athletics is truly humbling. This is home and my alma mater but I chose LSU because I believe. I believe in who we are. We share a passion for LSU that cannot be measured. Like every one of you, I treasure the accomplishments, traditions and great moments of the past, and I anxiously await to see what we accomplish together in the years ahead."
 
New UT-Knoxville chancellor Donde Plowman a 'big athletics fan'
Tennessee athletics gained a self-proclaimed "big athletics fan" on Monday afternoon. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville introduced its new chancellor, Donde Plowman, who discussed subjects ranging from her leadership style to the importance of diversity. She also touched on athletics, expressing a love of going to as many sporting events as possible. "I think athletics can be a real strength for a university," Plowman said. "I think it is for this university. It is a strength at other big universities I am familiar with, like Nebraska. I think that student-athletes are an important part of our campus, and I will always be supportive of all students, including student-athletes." In the role of chancellor, she believes in a strong connection with the athletics department and athletics director Phillip Fulmer. "I look forward to a good relationship with Coach Fulmer and his leadership team as well," Plowman said. "I think it is essential that we work together carefully and communicate and work together collaboratively."
 
President Trump Awards Presidential Medal Of Freedom To Tiger Woods
President Trump Monday awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to golfer Tiger Woods in a ceremony at the White House. Trump praised Woods' many accomplishments on the golf course and his ability to come back from debilitating physical adversity that might have permanently sidelined any other athlete. "Tiger Woods is a global symbol of American excellence, devotion and drive," Trump said as Woods stood by him. "These qualities embody the American spirit of pushing boundaries, defying limits and always striving for greatness." With his mother and two children in attendance, Woods thanked his family, personal friends and aides in brief and emotional remarks. Trump has had a contentious relationship with many black athletes but Woods has a long history with the president.



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