Monday, August 12, 2019   
 
College View development now open at Mississippi State
Mississippi State University will now have a new housing development for its upperclassmen after the opening of the College View development Thursday. The university and Greystar Development Partners held a ribbon cutting for College View, a public-private partnership between them. The $67 million facility includes 656 residential beds for MSU upperclassmen, as well as 46,000 square feet of retail space. The project also included a 7,000 square foot addition to the MSU Child Development and Family Studies Center. The development is the first public-private partnership of its kind on a university campus. Ground was broken on the facility in March 2018. "All of that is very positive for both our students and the Starkville community," said MSU Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt. "We are excited particularly because this is a new type of housing we now have available for students on campus."
 
Former Mississippi State dean Harvey Lewis remembered
A well respected former leader of the Mississippi State University College of Business and the broader university community has died. On Monday, the university announced former MSU College of Business Dean Harvey S. Lewis died in St. Petersburg, Florida at the age of 80. Lewis was a 1961 alumnus of the MSU College of Business. Throughout his career, he served as associate dean for the University of Central Florida College of Business and executive vice chancellor at the University of Mississippi. At MSU, in addition to leading the College of Business from 1992- 1997, he served as vice president for administration and university development and as interim president in 1983. He also served as a member of the MSU Foundation Board of Directors in 1984-1985. "He was a beloved dean and just a very well-respected human being," said MSU College of Business Dean Sharon Oswald.
 
USDA Disaster Aid Approved for Mississippi Farmers
The USDA is designating 45 counties across the state as disaster areas. Farmers dealing with the aftermath of weather conditions ranging from freezing to flooding are eligible for emergency and low interest loans. Clay Adcock is a farmer in Yazoo County whose 4,000 acres were underwater. He said even in times of disaster, farmers still have expenses. "I have no crop this year, for the first time in 33 years, but I still have capital expenditures that I have to make," Adcock said. "I have to try and keep some labor as best as I can for next year, if I'm going to farm next year. I still have note payments on equipment." The state has yet to get any individual assistance from FEMA, although it does have public assistance from the agency. Andy Gipson is Mississippi's Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. Gipson said the loans also can be a next step in getting individual assistance for homes and businesses.
 
Analysis: Runoff candidates need to keep voters motivated
Mississippi candidates working toward Aug. 27 party primary runoffs have two important tasks: keep the base motivated and find new voters. People that day will determine the Republican nominees for two statewide offices -- governor and attorney general. The slate of Democratic statewide nominees is set, either because candidates were unopposed or because they won a primary Aug. 6. Attorney General Jim Hood easily defeated seven candidates to win the Democratic nomination for governor, capturing about 69% of the primary vote. Mississippi has one restriction about voting in runoffs: A person who voted in one party's primary may not vote in the other party's runoff. People who did not vote on Aug. 6 may vote on Aug. 27.
 
As election looms, AG Jim Hood says he's 'personally' investigating Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves
Three months before Mississippi's gubernatorial general election, Attorney General Jim Hood said he has decided to delay -- and personally rewrite -- a report examining his political rival Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves. For more than a year, Hood has investigated Reeves over a proposed $2 million frontage road project that would have connected Reeves's private subdivision to a nearby shopping center. A 2018 Clarion Ledger investigation found the road was fast-tracked because of political pressure. Hood is the Democratic nominee for governor, and Reeves nearly clinched the Republican nomination on Tuesday. While Hood insists his final report will be apolitical, his stated goal of finishing the report before the general election guarantees it will have political implications in the race for governor and raises conflict of interest questions.
 
Robert Foster to make endorsement in Reeves-Waller Mississippi governor primary runoff
First-term state lawmaker Robert Foster had a major impact on Tuesday's Republican governor primary, finishing in third place with a double-digit vote percentage against better-known, well-funded candidates. He'll continue to have an impact. On Tuesday he'll announce his endorsement of either Tate Reeves or Bill Waller Jr. in their Aug. 27 runoff for the GOP primary. He would not say which on Monday, but the Waller campaign on Monday announced three press conferences for Tuesday "to announce a major endorsement for his campaign" in Gulfport, Hattiesburg and Jackson. "I've been weighing all my options, praying, thinking about it and I've come to a decision," Foster said on Monday. He plans to make the announcement at 9 a.m. in Hernando. Foster out-performed most expectations by at least a few points, and is credited with throwing the race into a runoff. Waller under-performed, but Reeves was kept just shy of the majority needed to prevent a runoff with Waller.
 
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith announces water infrastructure upgrades
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, has announced $11.4 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture grants and loan guarantees to support water and wastewater infrastructure projects in six Mississippi counties. Systems in Clay, Coahoma, Lauderdale, Panola, Perry, and Tishomingo counties will receive USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program funds for water infrastructure upgrades, including new water wells, meters, and related improvements. "This USDA program is designed to specifically assist rural communities with fewer than 10,000 residents provide safer and more efficient water services to people," Hyde-Smith said. "I'm pleased residents throughout Mississippi will benefit from this round of awards to improve rural infrastructure." This USDA program is available to towns, water districts and other eligible entities for drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems in rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.
 
Immigration officials defend Mississippi ICE raids as part of larger investigation
Immigration officials on Sunday defended the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that resulted in 680 workers at Mississippi food processing plants being detained and said they were still investigating the employers. "We're in the middle of the criminal investigation, these cases will be pursued," acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." He said DHS has the names of employers and they will be targeted. "It's a criminal investigation of the employers exploiting...and skirting our laws," McAleenan said. "You can't ignore that people are there without proper permission to the in the United States." Acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Mark Morgan told CNN's Jake Tapper the raids are part of a "pending investigation," and the intent is to target the employers. "But it's two-fold, I think the American people need to understand these people seeking a better life [are] exploited by cartels, then further exploited by U.S. companies," Morgan said. "But that's only the first element of it."
 
'Let our voices be heard': March against immigration raids
The children of Sacred Heart Catholic Church streamed out into Mississippi's heat on a blistering Sunday afternoon, carrying what they said was a message of opposition against immigration raids their parents could not. "I will not sit in silence while my parents are taken away," read a sign carried by two Hispanic boys. They were among a group of several dozen marchers who set out on foot from the church to the town square in Canton to protest the 680 migrant arrests at seven poultry plants in Mississippi last Wednesday. Churches were the backbone of the civil rights movement. Today, as President Donald Trump and Republican allies continue to defend the raids, churches have emerged as the top sources of spiritual and material support to the mostly Mexican and Guatemalan workers targeted by the raids. Some churches are going beyond comfort and material aid, with their response flaring into political opposition. The state's Catholic, Episcopal, United Methodist and Evangelical Lutheran bishops denounced the raids in a joint statement Friday.
 
Trump Rule Targets Legal Immigrants Who Rely on Food Stamps and Other Aid
The Trump administration will penalize legal immigrants who rely on public programs, such as food stamps and government-subsidized housing, as part of a sweeping new policy to slow legal immigration into the United States and reduce the number of immigrants who are granted permanent legal status. The move will have the greatest impact on poor immigrants who are living in the country legally and are receiving public benefits from the government, forcing them to make a choice between accepting financial help and living and working in the country legally. It will probably not affect immigrants who already have green cards. The United States wants immigrants who can support themselves, according to the rule, not those who "depend on public resources to meet their needs," according to the new rule. The rule has been the top priority of Stephen Miller, the architect of President Trump's immigration agenda, who views it as the most significant change to regulations that had encouraged migrants to come to the United States.
 
MUW celebrates nearly 400 summer graduates
Mississippi University for Women added nearly 400 new members to the "Long Blue Line." The summer graduation ceremony was held Friday afternoon at MUW's Rent Auditorium. 379 students graduated in areas of study ranging from a Masters of Business Administration and Nursing to a bachelor's degree in applied science or fine arts. The executive director of the Mississippi Board of Nursing, Phyllis Polk Johnson, gave words of encouragement to the graduates. She encouraged graduates to care and be great in this next endeavor of life.
 
MUW alumni association selects three Northsiders to lead group for 2019/2020
The Mississippi University for Women Alumni Association has elected three Northside alumni as leaders of the association for 2019-2020. They include Kristi Hipp Mosley, Kimberly Griffin and Barbara Travis. Mosley brings more than 20 years' experience where she has served on advisory boards and women's leadership development councils and received numerous awards. Currently, she is executive sales specialist with Takeda Pharmaceuticals. She and her husband, Brett, also are owners of KM Holdings, LLC, a privately held land development company. Griffin is the associate publisher of the Jackson Free Press. Travis is the president of the Jackson Metro Chapter. She is a certified economic and community developer and has served in a number of local and state developmental positions.
 
Oxford University Transit unveils new-look buses
Oxford residents do not need to adjust their eyes while waiting at the bus stop -- in the coming weeks, Oxford University Transit will have five buses that look vastly different than the ones residents are accustomed to seeing. The buses are part of a lease OUT made with Grande West Transportation, a company out of British Columbia, Canada. They are on loan until OUT receives five buses they purchased from the company later this year. Five Grande West Vicinity 30-foot buses will begin servicing city routes once they arrive. OUT already has one of the buses in service. "We wanted a 30-foot (bus) and ones that would be a little more accessible to kind of go through some of our roads that are kind of small to get through," OUT general manager Donna Zampella said. "We are very excited about all the improvements and changes Oxford University Transit are going through." Once the buses OUT purchased arrive, which will have a blue wrap similar to the rest of its fleet, they will be used primarily for routes on the Ole Miss campus. The university paid the local match to buy the buses.
 
Tulane University in Biloxi shuts its doors for good
Thursday presents a sad moment for an institution of higher learning that has been on the Gulf Coast for 18 years, as it was the last day of classes for the Tulane University campus in Biloxi. Students took their last final exam as part of Tulane's School of Professional Advancement. The campus has been in Biloxi since 2001 and at its current location at Edgewater Village for four years. This process hasn't been easy for students or staff. Closing Tulane hurts for everyone. "Like I've been punched in the gut," said media arts instructor Ronald Warr. "It hurts to see Tulane close. I'd be lying if I said anything else." For Warr, he'll miss this campus for two good reasons. "I had a great experience," he said. "I had an awesome experience as a student and I liked it so much, I came back as an instructor." At the beginning of the 2018 fall semester, 92 students were enrolled. The largest enrollment was in 2011 with 205 students. Since the announcement last year, the staff has been doing what it could to graduate as many students as possible.
 
Auburn tweaks AU logo, plans slow phase-in
Auburn University plans to tweak its AU logo and plans to phase in the new imagery across campus slowly, the school's Office of Communication and Marketing said Friday evening. The tweaked version of Auburn's AU emblem eliminates some white space between the lettering. The office said a plan is in place to use the new emblem as materials are reordered per regular replacement schedules, claiming there'll be no need for costly replacements of signs or other major projects on campus. As replacements are made, the two versions of the logo will simply co-exist. The phase-in process is designed to not incur any additional expense, the school said. Auburn's traditional blue and orange will still be reflected in school athletics, the office said, while blue and white will be used on the academic side of campus. That phase-in process has already started with some promotional materials and will move further along with the upcoming start of the fall semester.
 
Climate change prompts Florida wildlife movement, UF researchers say
Piercing dark eyes gazed at bird enthusiasts and scientists at Paynes Prairie in April. The snail kite, an endangered species native to the Everglades, hadn't been seen as far north as Gainesville for 100 years -- until last year, that is. Some research suggests climate change may play a role in the species' new breeding grounds. A recently published study by University of Florida researcher Brett Scheffers and Gretta Pecl of the University of Tasmania suggests that wildlife is on the move as a result of climate change, and Florida's fauna seem to be following the observed trends. "It's not a thing of the future," Scheffers said. "It's happening now." The Nature Climate Change paper, "Persecuting, protecting or ignoring biodiversity under climate change," discusses the different ways people have responded to species that have moved because of climate change. Robert Fletcher, a UF associate professor of wildlife ecology and conservation who studies the bird said he and other researchers found four snail kite nests at Paynes Prairie last year, but this year dozens have been sighted.
 
Admissions paths changing for prospective Texas A&M freshmen
With a change in Texas A&M's admission options on the horizon, fewer students applying for fall 2021 and beyond will be able to rely solely on academics to get there. Currently, the university offers three main paths for prospective freshmen to be admitted: Automatic admission for those in the top 10% of their high school class; academic admission for those in the top quarter of their class who also meet certain test score minimums; and a holistic review process for everyone else. But starting with applicants for the fall 2021 semester, A&M is dropping the academic admission option, meaning all applicants outside that top one-tenth will go through the review process. Brandie Eneks, senior associate director of admissions, said the change comes in response to a continued increase in the number of freshman applications and a growing pool of students who quality for automatic admission through the top 10 percent and academic admission options.
 
U. of Missouri researchers already growing hemp
Researchers with the University of Missouri are getting a head start on growing hemp in in order to collect information to help farmers who plan to grow the state's newest cash crop in the spring. It was been illegal to grow hemp across the U.S. and in Missouri because it is a type of cannabis without high levels of THC --- the chemical that gives people a high. In recent years, federal and state governments have loosened those restrictions. This year, Missouri lawmakers dropped a pilot program that allowed hemp farming only on 10- to 50-acre plots. A law that pass this year contains no acreage restrictions but requires growers to be licensed by the state Agriculture Department, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. The law allowed universities to begin growing the plant immediately to collect useful data on the new crop for farmers, but otherwise takes effect on Aug. 28. The University of Missouri has research plots at seven centers across the state.
 
Articles overstate millennials' loss of interest in going to college
The headline is the sort that could send a chill down the spine of college and university administrators. "Half of Young Americans Say College Is No Longer Necessary," blared The New York Post, slightly shortening the title of a Marketwatch article that was also picked up by numerous newspapers and radio stations around the country. The article summarized a Harris survey of more than 3,000 Americans about college-going, supported by TD Ameritrade, the brokerage firm. Trouble is, that's not at all what the survey found. Don't get us wrong: the survey's true results suggest some real doubts on the part of former, current and prospective students (and parents) about the value of higher education, reflecting other signs of public doubts. But asked what advice they might give to their "18-year-old self" regarding college, 19 percent recommended working to earn money while in college, and 8 percent said to "take the bare minimum of student loans." The percentage who said their advice would be "don't go to college"? Five percent.
 
College presidents prioritizing mental health more than in previous years, new study finds
With college students reporting problems with anxiety and depression more than ever before, and suicides now a big problem on campuses, university presidents are responding accordingly. More than 80 percent of top university executives say that mental health is more of a priority on campus than it was three years ago, according to a new report released today by the American Council on Education. "Student mental health concerns have escalated over the last 10 years," the report states. "We wanted to know how presidents were responding to this increase. To assess short-term changes, we asked presidents to reflect on the last three years on their campus and whether they have observed an increase, decrease, or no change in how they prioritize mental health."
 
Colleges and universities in red states prioritize rural student enrollment
From bold, overarching college pipeline strategies to handwritten notes to families, colleges and universities are identifying ways to reach prospective students from rural America, who often live in "education deserts" and are less likely to have postsecondary degrees. In January 2017, the University of North Carolina system unveiled its strategic plan through 2022, with one of its primary goals to enroll 11 percent more students from rural and low-income counties and increase these students' degree attainment by 20 percent. UNC intends to enroll nearly 66,000 students from the state's 80 most economically challenged and underpopulated areas (populations less than 50,000) -- defined as "Tier 1" and "Tier 2" counties -- by fall 2021, which is about 6,000 more of these students enrolled than in fall 2016, when it enrolled 59,359. (There are about 240,000 students in the system over all.)
 
Why the 2020 census matters for rural Americans
As director of the University of Mississippi Center for Population Studies, I regularly talk to people about how they can use data to help their communities thrive. The decennial census is particularly important -- and the next one is less than a year away. People living in rural and small town America in particular have much at stake in the 2020 census. Unfortunately, census participation tends to be lower in rural areas. Our research network -- including the State Data Center of Mississippi, Mississippi Kids Count Program and the Southern Rural Development Center -- has been working to better understand potential barriers to census participation. ... Researchers focusing on rural America, like myself, are concerned with many issues that census data can help us to understand.
 
Will new GOP primary voters make difference in runoff?
Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: Roughly 95,000 more Mississippians voted in the Republican primary this year than four years ago, a 34% increase. This pushed Republican turnout over Democratic turnout for the first time. These new GOP primary voters could noticeably impact the August 27th runoffs. So, where did they come from? Well, not from the big 12 Republican counties that typically dominate primaries. Comparing 2015 official to 2019 unofficial results, Rankin, DeSoto, Harrison, Madison, Jackson, Hinds, Jones, Lee, Lamar, Forrest, Lauderdale, and Hancock Counties did increase their turnout, but that accounted for only 7% of the 34% total increase. They did provide 53% of the total GOP vote, but this was down from 64% in 2015. Meanwhile, many rural counties, especially in north Mississippi, increased turnout by some amazing percentages – Quitman, Chickasaw, and Tippah Counties over 700%; Bolivar and Grenada over 500%; Alcorn, Benton, Itawamba, Tishomingo, and Panola over 400%; Union, Franklin, Kemper, Tunica, Prentiss, and Sunflower over 300%; Lawrence, Clay, Wilkinson, Pontotoc, and Yalobusha over 200%. Another 24 counties had increases over 100%.
 
Reeves long-time political plan hinges on outcome of pending runoff against Waller
Bobby Harrison writes for Mississippi Today: Maybe Republican Tate Reeves was not thinking about being governor in 2003 when at age 29 he won election to be the youngest treasurer in Mississippi history. But it was clear soon after that election that the young financial analyst was ambitious. Whether he was loudly touting his fiscal conservatism or taking on powerful Democratic Speaker Billy McCoy in a public verbal sparring match during a meeting of legislative leaders with state agency heads, it became apparent that J. Tate Reeves was no shrinking violet. His political ambitions though were specific -- to be the chief executive officer of the state of Mississippi. While it has officially never been confirmed, it is widely believed that Reeves could have received the appointment from Gov. Phil Bryant to the coveted U.S. Senate seat left vacant last year by the resignation of Thad Cochran.
 
Lose weight and 7 other reasons to run for public office
Consultant and columnist Phil Hardwick writes for the Mississippi Business Journal: Political campaign season is in high gear. This year Mississippi voters will elect candidates for statewide, county and certain district offices. Although the deadline has passed to qualify to run for those positions it is an appropriate time to broach the subject of running for political office in a future election cycle. In this column, I offer eight reasons for you to think about running for political office in the future. These are based on my own experience running for a local office quite a few years ago. ... Next year, it will be election season for municipal races. At that level, elected officials make the most difference in the lives of the everyday person. So if you've toyed with the idea of running for public office, consider these reasons. Your community will thank you for considering them and offering yourself for public service.


SPORTS
 
Expectations remain the same for Mississippi State defense
Last year, Mississippi State had the best defense in college football. The Bulldogs led the nation in total defense at 263.1 yards, 12.1 yards fewer than any other team. MSU was also second in scoring defense and rushing defense and was seventh overall in pass defense. But the Bulldogs also graduated a bulk of their defensive talent and depth. Seven starters are gone, including NFL first rounders Jeffery Simmons, Montez Sweat and Johnathan Abram, but they expect to put a product on the field that fans can be proud of. "We lost a lot of talent and certainly a lot of production but at the same time we haven't lowered the expectation and the standard in which we want to perform," said MSU head coach Joe Moorhead. "At linebacker, we bring both of the guys back and two of the top guys in the country. At other positions, it's talent that requires experience."
 
Mississippi State football: Here's how MSU plans to reload defense
Much of the talk surrounding the Mississippi State Bulldogs heading into the 2019 football season has been about head coach Joe Moorhead's offense. And his quarterbacks. And his receivers. All the chatter has been warranted. If Moorhead's offense isn't any better than the unit he trotted onto the field last year -- the one that barely mustered 200 total yards in its first two Southeastern Conference games, both of which were losses -- then MSU might be in for a long year in Moorhead's second season in Starkville. Naturally, the first question Moorhead received at Mississippi State Football Media Day on Saturday was about the quarterback competition between junior Keytaon Thompson and graduate transfer Tommy Stevens. "I think it's progressing nicely," Moorhead said. "It's about on the pace that we anticipated."
 
Mississippi State pushes for better offense under Joe Moorhead
Mississippi State hired Joe Moorhead nearly two years ago mainly because of his reputation as an offensive savant. Year one didn't go exactly as planned. The coach expects much more progress this fall. Mississippi State's chances of staying competitive in the Southeastern Conference Western Division likely hinge on its ability to get more offensive production. The Bulldogs finished 8-5 last season because of an elite defense, but couldn't win games against tough competition because the offense couldn't score. For Moorhead, the task is straightforward. "For us to be the type of offense we want to be and the team that we want to be to compete for a championship, we need to improve our efficiency and our explosiveness in the pass game," Moorhead said.
 
Bulldogs trying to get tight ends more involved
Based on Joe Moorhead's track record, tight ends were expected to play a huge role in the passing game for Mississippi State last season. However, things didn't exactly pan out that way. Bulldog tight ends only averaged 2.5 catches and 31.2 yards per game in 2018 and graduated their top target Justin Johnson, who accounted for 17 catches for 238 yards and one touchdown. But one mediocre season at the position does not mean that MSU is abandoning their plan to have tight ends heavily involved in the offense. "Coach Moorhead has had great tight ends as part of high offensive system," said tight ends coach Tony Hughes. "He's been able to utilize the talented tight ends that's he's had in the past, whether it's been at Fordham or Penn State." The Bulldogs bring back a variety of options at the position led by senior Farrod Green and junior Dontea Jones. State also has sophomore Powers Warren and a pair of redshirt freshmen in Geor'quarius Spivey and Brad Cumbest.
 
Mississippi State's Joe Moorhead embracing former head coaches on his staff in 2019
Joe Moorhead is admittedly still learning his trade. Twice this offseason he's said he was, "getting ahead of his skis," in year one at Mississippi State. "I am not saying I'm changing what our goals are," Moorhead said at Southeastern Conference Media Days. "But the approach of coming off the plane guns blazing, talking about ring sizes and Heisman trophies -- and the expectation level of the team entering the season, prior to me even getting there ... I think what I may have done is elevated the expectation level to a point where nothing that we did short of a championship was going to make people happy." Yet with a handful of new coaching hires and a plethora of head coaching experience on his staff for 2019, Moorhead is prepared to learn from those under his guidance. "Any time you've had an opportunity to bounce ideas off of people who have sat in that chair (is great)," he said. "There's really not a manual for it." Mississippi State currently boasts five assistant coaches with head coaching experience -- quarterbacks coach Andrew Breiner, special teams coordinator Joey Jones, associate head coach and tight ends coach Tony Hughes, defensive coordinator Bob Shoop and wide receivers coach Michael Johnson.
 
MSU Notebook: Quarterback competition holding steady, defensive line coming along
Tommy Stevens is riding high. Speaking with gathered reporters at Mississippi State football media day Saturday, Stevens expressed his thoughts on how his game has progressed through the first seven days of fall camp as he continues to battle junior Keytaon Thompson for the No. 1 job. "I think that if you were to go by the numbers this is my best camp so far if you go by completion percentage and things that I've done throwing the football," he said. "Obviously there's been mistakes made and there's been things I've been able to learn from watching tape so there's room to improve. But overall I think I've done a really good job." Stevens' words aside, MSU coach Joe Moorhead remained coy on when he will name a starter-- though he did double down on his loose timeline of wanting to name the No. 1 guy 10 days before the season opener against Louisiana Aug. 31 in New Orleans. "I really like the vibe the team is carrying right now," Stevens said. "Just got to keep getting better every day."
 
How a Mississippi State women's golfer helped Gabriela Ruffels win U.S. Women's Amateur
When Gabriela Ruffels rolled in her swinging right-to-left birdie putt on the 18th green at Old Waverly Golf Club on Sunday, she dropped her shoulders in relief as the gallery cheered and applauded. Ruffels defeated Albane Valenzuela, the No. 5 ranked amateur in the world, and became the first Australian born player to win the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship. It was a historic moment -- one Mississippi State junior golfer Blair Stockett will remember forever. Stockett walked among other spectators during most of the grueling 36-hole match, but she served as Ruffels' caddie during the final four holes. Ruffels gave Stockett – who was still wearing the caddie bib with Ruffels name on it -- a special shoutout during her victory speech outside Old Waverly's clubhouse. She thanked her for stepping in and helping her win the biggest tournament of her life. "She's such a sweet, nice person," Ruffels, a junior at Southern California, said. "I just needed someone to calm me down. Someone to talk to because I didn't want to be by myself out there. She was great. I couldn't have asked for anyone better."
 
Clutch caddying: How MSU's Blair Stockett aided in a U.S. Women's Amateur title
Mississippi State junior golfer Blair Stockett basked in the air conditioning. Escaping the staunch summer heat, Stockett sat on the couch at her cousin's house near the grounds of Old Waverly Golf Club. She savored the cool gusts as the air outside reached more than 90 degrees Sunday. On the television before her, the championship match of the 119th U.S. Women's Amateur unfolded. As the University of Southern California's Gabriela Ruffels and Stanford's Albane Valenzuela neared the turn toward their final nine holes, Stockett was put on notice. She was needed at the course. "I just needed someone to calm me down, someone to talk to," Ruffels said. "Because I didn't want to be by myself out there." The plan was made earlier in the day. USC coach Justin Silverstein was told Monday a family member passed away. He was needed in Santa Barbara, California for the funeral and had to leave the course by 3 p.m. Ruffels' mother, Anna-Maria Fernandez, enlisted Stockett's time to play standby caddie in case Silverstein needed to depart.
 
Chelsea Bramlett named Northwest head softball coach
Northwest Mississippi Community College has appointed former Mississippi State softball standout and Lewisburg High School head coach Chelsea Bramlett as the new head coach of the Ranger softball program, officials announced Friday afternoon. "I am so excited and blessed to have this opportunity to coach at Northwest," Bramlett said. "I cannot thank the administration enough for what they have done and I am excited for the future of Northwest softball." Bramlett is a familiar name across softball circles in Mississippi and on a national scale. Bramlett became a national name in college softball during her playing career at Mississippi State from 2007-10. She remains one of only two players in Southeastern Conference history to be named All-American in all four years of her career while also garnering three-time national catcher of the year honors
 
Ole Miss adding eight student party decks for football
Ole Miss is bringing the party to their student section at football games this season. To provide more in-game social opportunities for the student body, Ole Miss is testing party decks at the top of the student section in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the 2019 season. The eight temporary party decks -- four on each side of the videoboard -- will feature awnings for shade, televisions, charging stations, fans and pub tables along with plenty of space for students to socialize and watch the game. Each platform has a capacity of 100 students. Only those with an Ole Miss student ticket are eligible for the party deck credentials. Two decks will be general admission for the first 200 fans in line on gameday at the two marketing tables (one for each deck) outside the north end zone. The remaining available decks will be distributed to verified campus student groups through a weekly lottery.
 
Alcohol approved: Mizzou will sell beer and wine at Faurot Field
Missouri athletics has approved beer and wine sales at Faurot Field concession stands for all 2019 home football games. School officials announced the decision Friday afternoon, calling it a partnership with its concessionaire, Levy Restaurants, in accordance with the Southeastern Conference's newly adopted alcohol-related policies. "Since the SEC staff established its working group to study this issue in 2018, our staff has been working with campus leadership, including MU Chief of Police Doug Schwandt and our Wellness Center team, to develop a detailed and thoughtful alcoholic beverage sales plan for Mizzou in the event that the SEC position on this issue were to change," MU athletic director Jim Sterk said in a news release. "Based on the experiences of other institutions, we expect Mizzou football fans will appreciate this new option. We also expect alcoholic beverage sales at Memorial Stadium will help reduce the incidents associated with binge drinking that can occur on game day. We consider that a win-win for our fans."
 
UGA rolls out red and black carpet for Magill Society donors
Jere Morehead usually goes with the fish. Greg McGarity chose steak on consecutive nights in Atlanta and Washington D.C. in June. In his role as University of Georgia president, Morehead spends his fair share of time on the road to raise funds not just for the school, but for athletic facilities. That means breaking bread with high-end donors in the state at dinners in Augusta or Savannah or out of state where he's joined by McGarity, the school's athletic director, and football coach Kirby Smart. A $30.2 million indoor practice facility, a $63 million upgrade to the west end zone of Sanford Stadium and the still to come new football center that will house the two-time SEC East champions with a price tag that could be in the $80 million range, were built in part on handshakes and backslaps with those with deep pockets. They are members of the Magill Society, whose entry costs $25,000 to be paid over a five-year period.
 
Auburn tweaks logo, could be switching to 'Sabon' font, which, of course, has our attention
It appears there is a chance Alabama's football coach could have his name all over his biggest rival. It's being reported Auburn is moving away from a Copperplate font to a font called, wait for it ... "Sabon." That's right. There are hundreds of thousands of fonts in the world, and the Tigers could be going with the one with a name which most resembles its biggest rival's coach, ultra-successful Nick Saban. Of course, it's all in how you spin it. Is it "Sah-bon?" Or is it "Saban?" We'll leave it up to all of you budding linguists out there. The font was merely a footnote, reported by AuburnUniforms.com, in the context of the change to the Auburn logo. Auburn Undercover first reported a tweak to the "shield" logo for academics and athletics. According to the report, the new logo "closes the white space between the 'A' and 'U' to provide more focus on the 'A' for Auburn."
 
U. of Memphis hires Laird Veatch as athletic director
Memphis has found its next athletic director as University President M. David Rudd announced Friday that the school hired Laird Veatch to succeed Tom Bowen. Veatch spent the past two years at Florida as the executive associate athletics director for internal affairs. He has 25 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics having served at Texas, Missouri, Iowa State and Kansas State. A native of Manhattan, Kansas, who played football and worked as an administrator within Kansas State's athletic department, Veatch said he wasn't sure whether he would be a fit in Memphis. "One of my first questions was, 'Can a small-town, Midwest college kid fit in in the big city of Memphis?'" he said during a radio interview with The Commercial Appeal columnist Mark Giannotto on 92.9-FM Friday. "The things I kept hearing were that's exactly the kind of folks you have there. A big small-town kinda feel. Very relational and engaging. A lot of civic pride and pride in the Tigers. That's what I love about it."



The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
Mississippi State University  •  Mississippi State, MS 39762  •  Main Telephone: (662) 325-2323  •   Contact: The Editor  |  The Webmaster  •   Updated: August 12, 2019Facebook Twitter