| Tuesday, June 11, 2019 |
| Flooding, spillway opening: Ecological damage worse than BP oil spill | |
 | The Bonnet Carre Spillway in Louisiana continues to pour fresh water from the Mississippi River into the Mississippi Sound, and the number of dead dolphins in Mississippi waters is already significantly higher than in 2010 after the BP oil spill. "It's 128 (dead) dolphins and 154 sea turtles," said Moby Solangi, president and executive director of the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, on June 7. "During the BP oil spill we had 91 dolphins the entire year," Solangi said. "So, that's a considerable increase and the year isn't over yet. Ecologically, we're seeing a lot more sustained damage than the BP oil spill." Joe Spraggins, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, said the oyster, shrimp and crabbing industries are also suffering. Spraggins explained that managing Mississippi River floods is based on protocol set in the 1930s, but weather patterns have changed and flooding is more frequent than it once was. To that end, Mississippi leaders are calling for a seat at the decision-making table. |
| Steele Bayou floodgate closed again as flooding continues | |
 | The floodgate at the Steele Bayou structure has been closed to prevent water from the Mississippi River from spilling back inland and worsening an already devastating flood in the Yazoo Backwater Area. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it closed the Steele Bayou floodgate Friday. Predictions show water inside levees could rise higher than this year's earlier crest. That produced the worst flooding in the region since 1973, submerging more than 550,000 acres. About 40 percent was farmland. Extended flooding means many area farmers won't plant a crop. |
| 'A major punch in the gut': Midwest rains projected to create near-record dead zone in Gulf | |
 | As rain deluged the Midwest this spring, commercial fisherman Ryan Bradley knew it was only a matter of time before the disaster reached him. All that water falling on all that fertilizer-enriched farmland would soon wend its way through streams and rivers into Bradley's fishing grounds in the Gulf of Mexico, off the Mississippi coast. Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Louisiana State University confirmed Bradley's worst fears in forecasts published Monday, predicting this spring's record rainfall would produce one of the largest-ever "dead zones" in the Gulf of Mexico. "It's just a major punch in the gut," said Bradley, a fifth-generation commercial fisherman from Long Beach, Miss. Bradley is executive director for Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United. Nancy Rabalais, an LSU marine ecologist who developed one of the recent forecasts, called the outlook one of the most severe she's seen. |
| Police seek suspects after one shot in McKee Park | |
 | Eyewitnesses say a male victim was shot at approximately 6 p.m. Monday evening in Starkville's McKee Park while playing basketball. The Starkville Police Department was first on the scene and later confirmed the shooting on social media. No arrests had been made by the time of this article's publication. Investigators said the suspect vehicle is believed to be a blue Nissan Altima occupied by two black males. An on-site eyewitness that did not want to be named said the shooting occurred after an argument escalated between the victim and the shooter while they were playing a basketball game. One witness said the shooter left the basketball court to go to his car then proceeded to shoot multiple rounds, hitting the victim. McKee Park was in full swing at the time of the shooting with fields playing host to T-ball games and practicing baseball players. |
| Oktibbeha County opens Longview Road project bids | |
| An ongoing Oktibbeha County project took a big step forward Friday morning, with the opening of bids for work on Longview Road. The county received seven bids for the project, which has been underway in some fashion since 2007. The project will see Longview Road paved. This step follows preparations, including the repair of bridges and the pavement of right-of-ways. The lowest bid was $2,212,426.10 from Phillips Contracting Company based in Columbus. "We've had a good team together this term, and I can't say I did everything, but I certainly played my part in countless meetings and discussions with state officials and people that had the ability to influence this project," said District 1 Supervisor John Montgomery. Montgomery also acknowledged the work of several others including District 4 Supervisor Bricklee Miller, County Engineer Clyde Pritchard and former Oktibbeha County Administrator Don Posey, who died in January. He said much of the work went on behind the scenes to reach this point. |
| State leaders enact new telemarketing law | |
 | State officials are once again trying to crack down on telephone scammers by removing a key exemption for charitable organizations. At a joint press conference on Monday with Northern Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley, Southern Public Service Commissioner Sam Britton and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, the officials announced changes to the state's Caller ID Act that will put more pressure on telephone solicitors. Presley said the recent changes are in response to the numerous complaints his office gets each year from "cold-calls" or unsolicited calls from people posing as a charitable organization and trying to persuade citizens to donate money to the dubious organization. The law, which was first introduced in the Mississippi legislature by state Sen. Sally Doty and signed into law by Gov. Phil Bryant, will go into effect on July 1. |
| Republican Tate Reeves holds $6.3M in Mississippi governor's race | |
| Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves has five times as much cash to spend in the final five months of the governor's race as his best-financed opponent, and he's already spending at a rapid clip. Reports filed Monday show Reeves continues to lead all candidates in fundraising, with $6.3 million in the bank at the end of May. He raised $566,000 last month and spent nearly $1 million. One of Reeves' Republican primary opponents, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr., raised about $176,000 in May and has $541,000 to spend. The other Republican, state Rep. Robert Foster, raised about $35,000 and has about $17,000 to spend. Attorney General Jim Hood, the Democratic front runner, continues to far outpace six others seeking the party's nomination. He raised $210,000 in May and has $1.2 million to spend. |
| Mississippi elections: How much campaign cash did candidates raise in May? | |
| Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves continues to raise more campaign cash than his rivals in the gubernatorial race, raking in about $546,000 in May. The fundraising brings the total raised across Reeves' several campaign accounts to $6.3 million, according to reports filed with the state Monday. That's roughly $5 million more than his Democratic rival, Attorney General Jim Hood, who reports about $1.2 million to spend, though likely faces a less competitive August primary race than Reeves. Hood raised about $210,000 in May, and spent about $153,000, reports show. Another prominent Republican candidate, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr., raised more than $175,000 in May, and has $541,000 in his campaign coffers ahead of his Aug. 6 contest with Reeves and Republican state Rep. Robert Foster. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann continues to raise big money -- $259,000 in May -- in his bid for lieutenant governor. That brings him to about $2.9 million to spend, and without a well-known primary opponent, he won't need to spend much of it until later in the year. |
| Tate Reeves banks $6.3 million, far outdistancing all others in governor campaign money race | |
 | Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves is far outdistancing his opponents in this year's governor's election with $6.3 million in cash on hand less than two months before the Aug. 6 party primary. Reeves raised $545,683 during the month of May, according to the campaign finance report filed Monday with the office of Secretary of State. Former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr., who is challenging Reeves in the Republican primary, raised $175,573 during the same time period and has cash on hand of $541,126. In a statement, Reeves focused on his expected Democratic opponent -- Attorney General Jim Hood, not his Republican foes."Conservatives across Mississippi know that Tate Reeves is the only candidate who can defeat the Democrats this November," said campaign spokesman Parker Briden. "We're grateful to everyone who has invested to help protect our values in this vital race. We cannot allow Jim Hood to give his liberal party a foothold here in Mississippi." |
| Political debates and its impacts on voters | |
 | Just ahead of Mississippi's party primaries, the Republican candidates for Governor will meet for a televised debate. It will be the second time around for two of the candidates, but the first one for Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves. Reeves skipped the first go around, but former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. and state Rep. Robert Foster went head-to-head at Mississippi State in April. That debate will air across the state, including here on WCBI. For over two decades, MUW Dean of Arts and Sciences and Political Science Professor, Dr. Brian Anderson has specialized in politics. He said debates have changed a lot since the early 90's. Now, they can be riskier for candidates and social media plays a big role. Anderson said risk management is another big reason for candidates, especially front-runners, to skip the debate. |
| Republicans campaign, fundraise on protecting new license plates from 'out-of-state liberal' attacks | |
| Treasurer Lynn Fitch and several fellow Republicans running for statewide office are banking on controversy over the state's new license plates to shore up conservative support in competitive primary elections. "In Mississippi, we trust God. We put it in our state seal," Fitch, who is running for attorney general this year, wrote in a May 23 fundraising letter that voters in the Jackson metro area received. "I voted to put that seal on our car tags. Because I did, atheist activists are threatening to sue Mississippi." Potential legal drama over the license plate is front-and-center in recent campaign ads and fundraising materials from Fitch as well as her GOP opponent, state Rep. Mark Baker, and governor candidate, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves. The new license plates, championed by Republican Gov. Phil Bryant and criticized broadly by Mississippians who dislike its color and off-center lettering, features the state's seal that reads "In God We Trust." |
| Republicans meet candidates at forums | |
 | DeSoto County Republicans are trotting out their political hopefuls so the party faithful have an idea where they stand on issues ahead of the Aug. 6 primary election. The DeSoto County Republican Club recently held a gathering where GOP candidates for state legislative offices and the Northern District Transportation Commissioner's post were able to make brief statements about their candidacy and their main issues. This Thursday night, June 13, a similar event will take place that will offer Republican candidates for county offices the opportunity to meet supporters and introduce themselves. Governor hopeful Bill Waller Jr. has already spoken to the Republican Club, while Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and state Rep. Robert Foster are also expected to speak ahead of the August primary. The candidates who spoke at the recent forum in Southaven included state Sens. Chris Massey, Kevin Blackwell and David Parker. |
| Voter registration deadlines loom ahead of elections | |
| Mississippi political offices great and small will be up for grabs this year and eligible but unregistered voters still have time to make sure they have a say. From the governor's mansion in Jackson all the way to justice court chambers across the state, primaries in August and a general election in November will seat an array of powerful positions. A number of statewide seats, including governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state feature no incumbent running. The gubernatorial race in particular is widely expected to be especially competitive this year. Mississippi requires that eligible voters register weeks ahead of election days, but there's still about a month to go before the first of several successive deadlines. If you want to participate in the Aug. 6 primary elections but aren't registered to vote, you must do so by Monday, July 8. In-person registrations must be completed by 5 p.m. that day, while mail-in registrations must be postmarked by July 8. |
| Andy Gipson: Officers Were 'Only Trying to Help' When They Shot His Father | |
| At age 18, Andy Gipson watched as a mule took off in the old-fashioned wagon his father was riding and hit a tree, catapulting Harry Gipson to the ground, breaking his neck in three places and fracturing his skull. That was one of several accidents resulting in head injuries that the Mississippi agriculture commissioner relayed in the eulogy at his father's funeral on Sunday, where he told mourners that his father was "trapped in a prison of a broken mind" in his final days. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigations is looking into the death of Harry Gipson, a 70-year-old evangelical preacher who died in an officer-involved shooting in Simpson County last Thursday. Andy Gipson posted the text of the eulogy on Facebook after the funeral on Sunday, which was not open to the press. In the eulogy, the commissioner said that he does not blame the officers for his father's death, and suggested it happened while his father was attempting to suicide. |
| Summer camp helps students prepare for college | |
| If you need a crash course on what to expect from college and financial aid, a summer camp underway this week could be the answer. Get2College is hosting the Camp College program at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. "It's a weeklong program that ties students into information on college access, ACT prep, college tours, fun overall activities for the college experience as they transition from the senior year of high school to college," said Camp College program director Daniela Griffin. Forty students from the Jackson area and two students from the Delta and Pisgah are taking part in the program. Students will take part in workshops and career panels, and will visit the Alcorn State and University of Southern Mississippi campuses. |
| Copiah-Lincoln Community College official: 40 people apply for Natchez campus VP | |
 | Copiah-Lincoln Community College expects to hire a vice president for its Natchez campus by the middle of July. An update on the search to replace Teresa Busby, who stepped down after 12 years of leading the campus was presented to the Co-Lin Board of Trustees Thursday. The board met Thursday at the Thames Center on the Wesson campus to wrap up the 2018-2019 school year. According to Dwayne Middleton, vice president of the Simpson County Center 40 applications have already been received by the community college. "This is a very important position for the college and the Natchez community," Middleton said. "We should have someone by July 15." |
| 'Homework gap' shows millions of students lack home internet | |
| With no computer or internet at home, Raegan Byrd's homework assignments present a nightly challenge: How much can she get done using just her smartphone? On the tiny screen, she switches between web pages for research projects, losing track of tabs whenever friends send messages. She uses her thumbs to tap out school papers, but when glitches keep her from submitting assignments electronically, she writes them out by hand. "At least I have something, instead of nothing, to explain the situation," said Raegan, a high school senior in Hartford. She is among nearly 3 million students around the country who face struggles keeping up with their studies because they must make do without home internet. In classrooms, access to laptops and the internet is nearly universal. But at home, the cost of internet service and gaps in its availability create obstacles in urban areas and rural communities alike. |
| Carson-Newman University names Charles Fowler as new president | |
 | Charles A. Fowler will be the new president of Carson-Newman University, the school announced Monday. Fowler, a Mississippi native, has been the senior pastor of Germantown Baptist Church in West Tennessee since 2010. He will start as the president of the Christian liberal arts university July 1. Before serving at Germantown Baptist, Fowler was the senior vice president of university relations at Union University in Jackson. He also served in the enrollment management department and the development department. At Union, he was the founding executive director of the Union University Foundation, which manages the university's endowment. Carson-Newman has over 2,500 students and was founded in 1851. Fowler graduated from Union University, Mississippi State University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. |
| U. Of Alabama Releases Emails Regarding Donor's Rejected Gift | |
 | The University of Alabama has released a series of internal emails regarding mega-donor Hugh Culverhouse Jr., saying the documents back the university's contention that its rejection of Culverhouse's $21.5 million gift had nothing to do with his stance against Alabama's strict abortion law. Culverhouse had also called for prospective students to boycott the university. "Our decision was never about the issue of abortion," the university said as it released emails that are from, to and about Culverhouse. Instead, the university said, the decision was "about ending the continued outside interference by the donor." University of Alabama officials accuse Culverhouse of trying to interfere in its operations, from the hiring and firing of law professors to student admission strategies. |
| Auburn University professor concerned about potential logger shortage | |
 | An Auburn University professor is collaborating with the Alabama Forestry Association to address a shortage of logging business owners and operators by promoting opportunities in the industry. "There was a recent survey done by Timber Harvesting magazine that shows the average age of the logger, the business owner, is 54, and specifically, 49 percent of them are in the 60 and above category," said Tom Gallagher, a professor in Auburn's School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. "Then, you go to the operators, the guys running the equipment for them, and it's not that different." The implementation of advanced mechanization has increased costs and decreased the number of employees, discouraging potential loggers and operators from pursuing a career in the industry, according to Gallagher. As for the logging industry in southeastern states such as Alabama, the days of wielding a chainsaw are a concept of the past, and Gallagher said the rewards in the logging industry are worth the arduous work and financial expense. |
| Auditor: LSU may have violated state constitution in handling of contract with private company | |
 | LSU management did not follow its own practices, choosing instead to create a private nonprofit to commercialize potentially lucrative software the university had developed. The ad hoc method led to cancelled contracts, no profits and a pandora's box of problems, including conflicts of interest plus potential violations of both the Ethics Code and the state Constitution, according to a report released Monday by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor. No criminal activity was found, said Barrett Hunter, assistant director of financial audit services. But the ham-handed handling cost the flagship nearly half million dollars in legal fees and who knows how much in possible revenues, the audit indicates. The odyssey began back in 2009 when LSU-developed software called CLincial InQuiry, or CLIQ, for use at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. |
| UGA study links work burnout and weight gain - News - Athens Banner-Herald - Athens, GA | |
 | A new study from the University of Georgia has found that feeling overworked contributes to a variety of unhealthy behaviors that can cause weight gain. Results from the study published in the Journal of Health Psychology point to the role work stress can play in our ability to adopt the necessary strategies to maintain a healthy weight. "We have so many things coming at us every day, and we only have so much energy," said lead author Heather Padilla, faculty member and researcher in the Workplace Health Group at UGA's College of Public Health. "When our energy gets used up, we don't have the energy to make ideal decisions about what we eat." Despite the growing presence of workplace-based wellness and weight management programs, over two-thirds of working adults are overweight or obese. |
| U. of Missouri names new vice provost for student affairs - News | |
 | A college administrator who holds a master's degree in parks and recreation administration from the University of Missouri will be the new vice provost for student affairs at MU, according to a news release issued Monday. The MU graduate degree is just one of four degrees held by William Stackman, currently associate vice president for student affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Stackman will begin his new post on July 15, Provost Latha Ramchand stated in the news release. Stackman also holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky, a master's degree in education administration from West Virginia University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Boston University. At Notre Dame, Stackman oversees the McDonald Center for Student Well-Being, the University Counseling Center, Graduate Student Life and University Health Services. Additionally, he chairs the university's Care team and serves as the deputy Title IX coordinator. |
| Common freshman reading for 2019 | |
 | Nationwide, many members of the Class of 2023 are thinking about their college arrivals. Educators hope these new students will find commonality in books assigned to freshmen to read over the summer. With continued conversations of diversity and racial tensions on college campuses, many of the assigned books focus on issues facing marginalized communities. However, the topics of other books being assigned this summer include everything from the hate speech versus free speech debate to issues surrounding food insecurity. At many institutions, the summer reading is representative of a theme that will drive freshman activities and discussions, including bringing speakers to campus related to the reading and hosting events related to the assigned reading. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State meeting Auburn in Omaha to open CWS | |
| Mississippi State's first opponent at the College World Series is a team the Bulldogs are very familiar with. MSU will meet SEC West mate Auburn on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2 to open play for both schools at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. Although the Bulldogs and Tigers have clashed on the diamond 203 times since 1908, Sunday will mark the first time the two have ever played one another in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, the Diamond Dogs and Tigers have not met in postseason play since the 1997 SEC Tournament in Columbus, Georgia. SEC West Co-Champion Mississippi State (51-23) is making its 11th appearance at the College World Series and is going in back-to-back years for the first time since 1997-98. Auburn is coached by former MSU assistant and Amory native Butch Thompson. Thompson served as John Cohen's pitching coach in Starkville from 2009-12 and was promoted to the Bulldogs' associate head coach which he served as until the fall of 2015. |
| College World Series: NCAA announces game time for Mississippi State, other weekend games | |
| Mississippi State is back in the College World Series for the second-straight season and the 11th time in program history. Once they get to Omaha, the Bulldogs will have to wait a while to get their run toward what could be their first national title ever. No. 6 Mississippi State (51-13) plays Auburn (38-26) at TD Ameritrade Park on Sunday, June 16, at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2. State's game is preceded by No. 2 Vanderbilt (54-11) versus No. 7 Louisville (49-16) at 1 p.m. CT. If Mississippi State beats Auburn, it will play the winner of Vanderbilt and Louisville's game on Tuesday, June 18, at 6 p.m. If State loses its first game against Auburn, it will play the loser of Vanderbilt and Louisville's game in an elimination game on Tuesday at 1 p.m. Mississippi State beat Auburn in a best-of-three series at Dudy Noble Field back in March. |
| As the College World Series in Omaha gets closer, hotels rates increase | |
| Omaha, Nebraska is about to be a popular sports tourism destination. The College World Series is coming, and one team that's sure to win is the hotel owners. While the team may have their accommodations booked, some of the Bulldog faithful are looking for deals in a hurry. "The hotel room block that we currently have is $299 a night," said Alumni Association Executive Director Jeff Davis. Davis said the Marriott Hotel is the most affordable price fans can find, and the Alumni Association can help them get it. "It's a discounted rate, better than what they can get on their own if they try to book at the same hotel," said Davis. He said the hotel will also host pre-game festivities in Omaha. "It's a central meeting spot and they can come and celebrate with the Bulldog family," said Davis. |
| Auburn wins it: Tigers beat North Carolina 14-7 to win Super Regional showdown | |
| Conor Davis pushed through the pats on the shoulder, and the fist bumps with his teammates at home plate, and looked up to the stands behind the Auburn dugout. He lifted his arm in the air, right up there with those cheering fans in orange and blue, all reaching for the sky in joy while the Tigers team roared in celebration on the field below. Their dream was coming true together. Auburn was on its way to Omaha. Auburn blasted North Carolina 14-7 in its winner-take-all showdown Monday in Chapel Hill, rolling up 13 runs in an indescribable first inning, then turning Carolina country into an Auburn celebration as the Tigers punched their ticket to the College World Series in Omaha for the first time since 1997. And it doesn't get much better than Omaha. Fourth-year Auburn baseball head coach Butch Thompson helped drive Auburn there. Auburn missed the postseason his first year on the Plains, made it to the Regional round the next, made it to the Super Regional round last year and now has progressed on to the College World Series. |
| Mississippi State trio earns All-America honors from Baseball America | |
 | The second set of All-America honors have been announced and the Mississippi State baseball trio of sophomore Justin Foscue, senior Jake Mangum and redshirt-junior Ethan Small each earned a spot on the Baseball America All-America Team. It is the second All-America honor for each of the three MSU student-athletes and the most single-season All-America accolades from Baseball America in program history. Small garnered his second selection to an All-America first team, while Mangum was a second-team All-America pick and Foscue grabbed third-team honors from the publication. Already this season, Small (first team), Foscue (second team) and Mangum (third team) each earned All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Sophomore Tanner Allen was a third-team All-American from CBN, as well. |
| Omaha was expected for State this year | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Logan Lowery writes: As I wrote last year, sometimes Omaha happens when you least expect it. Then of course, there are seasons where reaching the College World Series is fully expected -- and that certainly was the case for Mississippi State in 2019. Even with first-year head coach Chris Lemonis taking the helm, the Diamond Dogs returned enough offensive firepower and experience on the mound to be confident that they had what it takes to return to Omaha. Right fielder Elijah MacNamee stated as much in the locker room in the bowels of TD Ameritrade Park last season after MSU lost to eventual national champion Oregon State in the semifinals. "We will be back next year," he said. "We will win the national championship next year, mark my words." While the latter half of MacNamee's statement remains to be seen, the first part of his prophecy came to fruition with Sunday night's 8-1 victory over Stanford. |
| Mike Kinnison steps down as baseball coach to focus on AD job at Delta State | |
| After 23 years, Mike Kinnison decided to step down as head baseball coach at Delta State University to focus solely on being the school's athletic director. Kinnison announced the decision Monday. Kinnison took over as Delta State University's athletic director on Jan. 1 after previous AD Ronnie Mayers retired. In his last season as head baseball coach, Kinnison guided the Statesmen to a 42-14 record with a Gulf South Conference Title, a South II Region Title and a trip to the South Super Regional. Kinnison said the decision to step down as baseball coach was not an easy one. "My heart has not allowed this to be an easy decision," Kinnison said. "I feel it is time to devote my full attention to serving all programs and coaches here at the school I love. It is also a great honor to lead our athletic staff and the athletic department." Kinnison said no official announcement has been made on when a new coach will be hired. "We'll just move through it as quickly as we can," Kinnison said. |
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