| Wednesday, July 15, 2026 |
| Downtown Jackson Partners launches new Urban Studio | |
 | Downtown Jackson Partners launched the Urban Studio, a collaborative initiative with Mississippi State University's (MSU) College of Architecture, Art and Design, Jackson State University's (JSU) Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Millsaps College Else School of Management. Officials said the working studio, located on Capitol Street, places high-performing students and recent graduates in meaningful, real-world projects tied to downtown's revitalization. "For years, the city has experienced population decline, especially among college-educated people. As Gen Z and Millennials seek urban environments with amenities, community and high-design rental options, Jackson must harness this generation's talent and imagination to develop a downtown that will be attractive to them and attract others like them to the state," said Liz Brister, president of Downtown Jackson Partners. "Urban Studio addresses that and creates a direct pipeline of talent committed to local development and growth." According to Downtown Jackson Partners, Urban Studio was made possible by a generous grant from The Phil Hardin Foundation. |
| New Urban Studio initiative aims to revive Downtown Jackson | |
 | Lloyd Gray has had a front row seat for two downtown revitalizations in Mississippi. Now he is hoping to see Downtown Jackson return to its former glory. Gray was executive editor at the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal during a time that saw the downtown of Tupelo surge into an economic engine of the city. In the last 10 years he has been the executive director of the Phil Hardin Foundation in Meridian and has seen the Queen City's history transformed with the momentum of intentional change. With Gray at the helm, the Phil Hardin Foundation is spending $300,000 over three years to push Downtown Jackson toward a revival, similar to Tupelo and Meridian. The foundation helps fund educational opportunities. That effort began in earnest on Tuesday, July 14 as the Urban Studio, a collaborative initiative between Downtown Jackson Partners, Mississippi State University's College of Architecture, Art and Design, Jackson State University's Department of Urban and Regional Planning, and Millsaps College Else School of Management, was introduced as a working studio that will place high-performing students and recent graduates in meaningful, real-world projects tied directly to the revitalization priorities of Downtown Jackson. |
| Can the hog lobby -- and falling prices -- get Americans to eat more pork? | |
 | Grocery shoppers are likely aware of the high and rising cost of beef. But another butcher counter staple has actually seen prices fall this year. The price of pork in the producer price index has declined in 2026. On the consumer side, pork prices have been relatively stable, and bacon has even been getting a little cheaper, Demand for beef is surging in a way that pork isn't. Tonsor has a theory that it's generational. Boomers and X-ers grew up on big dinner plates with meat at the center, like a pork chop. But not so much millennials and Gen Z. Glynn Tonsor, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University, grew up on a hog farm. Tonsor has a theory that it's generational. Boomers and X-ers grew up on big dinner plates with meat at the center, like a pork chop. But not so much millennials and Gen Z. "The average 20-year-old approaches meat protein as an ingredient," Tonsor said. Like ground beef taco bowls, or grilled steak salads. And the pork industry is asking, why not them? There's even a national ad campaign: "Taste what pork can do." "Lots of effort targeting folks that aren't what you might call 'pork loyalists,'" Tonsor said. Mississippi State University agricultural economics professor Josh Maples is one of those loyalists. "I love a pork tenderloin," he said. Maples said grocery pork prices are relatively steady. Because unlike cattle in the shrinking national herd, hogs are doing alright. |
| Organic farming production increasing in the state | |
 | Organic production represents a small but rapidly growing segment of Mississippi agriculture, and a growing number of farmers are doing what it takes to meet this consumer demand for quality products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that as of 2021, which is the most current year for this data, the total number of certified organic acreage in the U.S. is 1% of farmland. Despite this low number, organic sales accounted for 3% of U.S. farm receipts, as consumers are more willing to pay premium price for organic products. The Mississippi State University Extension Service is one resource that individuals use when learning how to grow and market organic crops. In April, Extension hosted an organic vegetable production workshop with more than 25 people in attendance. Jermaine Perier, workshop organizer and Extension entomologist, said only 6% of those who came had prior knowledge of organic production. Owners of one farm already were certified organic, with 80% of the remaining participants farming conventionally but considering organic, either in part or completely. "Farmers are taking note that the current generation of grocery shoppers have a higher demand for organic products to support their healthier lifestyles," Perier said. |
| North Mississippi Row Crop Field Day set for Aug. 20 | |
| Growers and agricultural industry professionals are invited to attend the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center Row Crop Field Day on Aug. 20 in Verona. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with researchers and Extension specialists while receiving crop-specific updates from around the state. A tour of the research farm will highlight ongoing research and provide information relevant to Mississippi row crop production. Featured topics include crop updates on corn, soybeans and cotton as well as a weed control, insect and disease overview. Featured speakers will also discuss soil fertility in corn and beans as well as iron deficiency chlorosis tolerance in soybeans affected by different cropping systems. The event is hosted by the Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. |
| Starkville man charged with murder after roommate dies following stabbing | |
| A Starkville man has been charged with murder after his roommate died following a stabbing at an apartment complex Tuesday morning. Officers responded about 7:23 a.m. to an active disturbance at The Social Block, 110 Lincoln Green. Police found 31-year-old Jamarcus Smith and the victim inside the apartment. Investigators said the two were roommates. The victim was taken outside the area for medical treatment and later died. Police have not released the victim's identity. Smith was charged with murder. The Starkville Police Department said the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Starkville police at 662-323-4131 or Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 800-530-7151. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the department's website, and Crime Stoppers may offer a cash reward. |
| Proposed cryptocurrency mining facility under review in Starkville | |
 | A proposed cryptocurrency mining facility is under review in Starkville, with city officials and residents divided over its potential benefits and drawbacks. Several citizens voiced concerns at a recent meeting, citing potential noise pollution, environmental impact and the volume of resources the facility would require to operate. Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill said the facility would benefit the community, describing it as a $10 million investment. She said the money would go to the city, the county and the school district. Michael Frayser, owner of High Ground Coffee, said he opposes the proposal. "What it's really going to do is --- it's going to gobble up electricity. And all these people are up in the air about the environment and all this stuff. I don't really want to see a cryptocurrency mining center here gobbling up even more resources, taking up space. I'm not a fan of it," Frayser said. Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins said he needs to see all of the facts and has questions for the company. |
| $200M ADI expansion delivers another 100 jobs | |
| A $200 million recycled aluminum slab center announced by Aluminum Dynamics Inc. on Tuesday is expected to bring more than 100 jobs to the Golden Triangle. The facility, set to be located in the Golden Triangle Industrial Park, will recycle aluminum beverage cans to serve as the primary raw material used for the ingots produced at ADI's flat-rolled mill on Charleigh D. Ford Drive. Combined with the $2 billion flat-rolled mill, the project represents a more than $2.2 billion investment in the Golden Triangle by ADI. As for what drives industries to invest so heavily in the region, Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Meryl Fisackerly pointed to resources and partnerships already in place long before industry chooses to locate here. Jobs at the facility will span a range of disciplines, including electrical and mechanical maintenance, operations, metallurgy, construction, manufacturing, shipping, equipment operations and administration |
| Mississippi lawmakers convening for special session over youth court laws | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves has abruptly called a special session regarding Mississippi's youth court laws. The Republican governor announced Tuesday afternoon that lawmakers will return to the state capitol in Jackson at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The special session, per Reeves, is "necessitated" by a recent expiring of statutes relating to the disclosure of youth records and multiple lawsuits regarding the same. Part of the state's youth court confidentiality law expired on July 1, and the state Supreme Court had to intervene to revive the statutes to give lawmakers time to return to the drawing board. The concern from the confidentiality law expiring is that access to youth court documents would be more difficult to obtain with agencies and courts having an ambiguous understanding of what can legally be shared. The special session is not expected to go beyond Wednesday, sources told SuperTalk Mississippi News. |
| Watson's campaign for Lt. Governor built on relationships, not shying away from tough conversations | |
| Michael Watson announced his campaign for Lieutenant Governor in April, setting out on an 11-city tour across Mississippi to spread his message. In an interview with Magnolia Tribune this week, Watson, a two-term Republican Secretary of State who previously served three terms in the Mississippi Senate, said the response so far has been "fantastic." Watson is currently the only candidate -- Republican or Democrat -- openly stumping for the office. Watson addressed a few hot topic issues being bantered about across the state, most of which he will likely be charged with engaging on if elected Lt. Governor. Watson recalls "good movement" when he was in the Senate on school district consolidation. "And let's be very clear, that's administrative, that's not shutting schools down," he emphasized. "I think there's still a lot of work that we can do there." As for community colleges and universities, Watson sees the current funding formula as rewarding some institutions "that maybe aren't producing, so I think we can take a harder look at that." |
| House passes bill to make daylight saving time permanent | |
 | The House on Tuesday passed with broad bipartisan support legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. The lower chamber voted 308-117 for the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, which would make daylight saving time the permanent standard time. Twenty-two Republicans and 95 Democrats voted against the measure. The legislation now heads to the Senate. President Trump has backed the legislation, arguing in a Truth Social post that the bill "is so important in that Hundreds of Millions of Dollars are spent every year by people, Cities, and States, being forced to change their Clocks." The House measure was introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) and has long been popular in Florida, where supporters say the extended evening daylight could boost tourism and outdoor recreation. The Senate unanimously approved a similar measure in 2022, which stalled in the House, but it could face some opposition in the upper chamber this time around. |
| Supreme Court justices emphasize need for security funding | |
 | Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett pitched increased security funding for the Supreme Court next year at a pair of rare congressional hearings for sitting justices Tuesday that covered issues ranging from emergency cases to judicial ethics. Kagan and Barrett focused most of their testimony on increased security concerns at the court amid rising threats in recent years. The pair's testimony to House and Senate Appropriations subcommittees marked the first time that justices have appeared before Congress since 2019. Barrett told the House panel that increased threats have had a personal impact on her family. When she first started receiving intense personal threats, she was sent home with a bulletproof vest, which her 12-year-old son saw. "Maybe I lack imagination, but I didn't expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had to wear one," Barrett said at the House hearing. At both hearings, the justices received bipartisan support from the dais -- members of both parties emphasized the importance of keeping the justices safe. |
| Trump ally Blanche vows to regain senators' trust at AG confirmation hearing | |
 | Acting attorney general Todd Blanche defended his tumultuous record as the temporary head of the Justice Department on Wednesday as he faced bipartisan scrutiny of his bid to become the nation's Senate-confirmed chief law enforcement officer. Blanche, President Donald Trump's former defense lawyer tapped last year to serve as the Justice Department's No. 2 official, has held the department's job on an interim basis since April, when the president fired his predecessor, Pam Bondi. In that time, he accelerated investigations of the president's political rivals; defended and then abandoned a controversial plan to create a nearly $1.8 billion fund to pay those who claim they were targeted by political prosecutions; and pushed forward with probes aimed at finding evidence to support Trump's long-held, baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Though Blanche's tenure has at times drawn bipartisan pushback and prompted even some Republican senators to question whether they will vote in support of his nomination, he told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that his ultimate goal is to make America safer. |
| Trump addressing defense summit at US Army War College | |
 | President Donald Trump is headlining a defense summit at the U.S. Army War College on Wednesday, planning to tout major investments in battlefield technology at a time when the war in Iran has reduced the U.S. supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot and THAAD interceptors. The gathering in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, is organized by Republican Sen. David McCormick. It has also featured Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll; CIA Director John Ratcliffe; and Mike Waltz, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Trump has been a frequent visitor to the critical swing state of Pennsylvania, including last month, when he went to a Mack Trucks facility in Macungie, outside Allentown -- hoping to boost Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie's reelection chances. Summit attendees include JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon, Blackstone President Jon Gray, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet, General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, SpaceX director Antonio Gracias, and Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer of analytics and artificial intelligence firm Palantir, McCormick's office said. |
| To win over young voters, some politicians are trying a new approach: debating them | |
 | In their push to win over younger voters, politicians have tried everything from joining TikTok and collaborating with social media influencers to appearing on podcasts and even swearing more. Now, some leaders are trying another approach: debating them. The debates have been happening on the YouTube show "Surrounded" from Jubilee Media, where an individual tries to win over a group of people who disagree with them. One of its most recent episodes featured Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore. In it, Moore sits at a table with one empty chair facing him. He's surrounded by 20 people, who are given the chance to push back on his positions. Though popular episodes have featured political firebrands -- including the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk and left-leaning commentator Mehdi Hasan -- "Surrounded" is also increasingly becoming a destination for politicians looking to score valuable facetime with Jubilee's large, young, online audience. "Some people call us the Gen Z MTV," said Jubilee founder and CEO Jason Y. Lee, arguing that young people are craving a more fulsome online discourse, where disagreement is welcome. |
| UM wants $2M for gambling research amid debate on online sports betting | |
| University of Mississippi researchers, armed with a bevy of data, have in recent weeks met with state lawmakers and outlined their case for why the Legislature should fund new programs to study and treat problematic gambling. The researchers will request a $2 million annual allocation to fund two major gambling initiatives on campus, a presentation obtained by Mississippi Today shows. The effort comes as gambling in the U.S. is on the rise due to increasing access and availability, the researchers said. It also comes as the legalization of mobile sports betting remains stalled in the Mississippi Legislature, with House and Senate leaders at loggerheads over the policy. Researchers affiliated with the initiative have since been looking for steady funding for the center. Figures included in the presentation they delivered to lawmakers point to a growing problem that will take resources to solve. A 2025 survey of schools in the Institutions of Higher Learning found that about 40% of undergraduate students gambled in the past year, most often via lottery, cards and sports betting. |
| Ole Miss, Southern Miss research highlights concussion challenges for athletes with ADHD | |
 | New research from the University of Mississippi indicates that athletes with ADHD need even more scrutiny when head injuries are involved. Athletics trainers, coaches and doctors have focused a lot of attention on detecting concussions among athletes and ensuring they have time to heal after suffering one. Athletes with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are more susceptible to concussions and have a longer recovery period, said Corbit Franks, assistant professor and clinical education coordinator for athletic training at the University of Mississippi. He collaborated on a literature study with Jeffrey Parr and Mary King, both of the University of Southern Mississippi. "Our purpose was to bring together high-quality peer reviewed research into one singular review paper for clinicians, coaches and athletes and also see how much ADHD actually does affect the risk, the assessment and the recovery of concussion," Franks said. For Franks and Parr, the research is personal. Franks was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, and Parr's stepson also has it. |
| U. of Alabama offers new generative AI policy, AI Hub website | |
| On June 17, the University of Alabama announced a new generative artificial intelligence policy that will be put into effect for the upcoming fall semester. The policy is paired with the AI Hub, a website featuring accessible guidance and examples of proper AI usage. The University said it viewed AI "as a valuable resource for instruction, research and administration" and ensured that the development team prioritized "ethical use, academic integrity, data privacy and compliance with policy and law" while creating the AI Hub. The new AI policies featured on the AI Hub are designed to act as a learning tool while providing the campus with University-approved AI platforms. The University has taken an outward-facing approach to the use of AI in the classroom, with new AI courses, Bama-GPT chat bot and an AI data center all being integrated into campus life. While most instructors have the choice to incorporate artificial intelligence into the course, all standards must be clear in the course syllabus and align with UA policy. |
| Louisiana college student IDs can soon be digitized | |
| Louisiana's colleges and universities will soon have the option of offering a digital student identification card through LA Wallet, a cell phone app that allows Louisiana residents to carry official government documents digitally. A new law goes into effect Aug. 1 that gives the state's four higher education management systems the ability to opt-in to offering digital student IDs. The law was sponsored by Sen. Larry Selders, D-Baton Rouge, who died suddenly this month. Selders pitched the bill as a way to make it easier to access student services. "We know students are not leaving [home] without their phones," Selders said earlier this year. Launched in 2018, LA Wallet currently allows people to carry a digital version of their driver's license, Medicaid insurance card, vaccination status card, vehicle registration and various state permits, including those for fishing, hunting and concealed handguns. It is accepted not only in Louisiana but at airport security checkpoints, U.S. government buildings and federal courthouses across the country. LSU system spokeswoman Meg Sunstrom said that the system has started looking into vendors but it would likely not be implemented before the fall semester. |
| Ron Walcott named UGA's interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost | |
| Ron Walcott will serve as interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Georgia, according to a statement released Tuesday by UGA President Jere W. Morehead. Walcott has served as UGA's vice provost for graduate education and dean of the graduate school since 2020. He will temporarily fill the role of provost while the university continues to search for a permanent replacement for the previous provost Ben Ayers, who was recently named the new president of Clemson University. "A respected campus leader who has worked tirelessly to promote excellence across our institution, Vice Provost Walcott will provide exceptional leadership and continuity," Morehead said in the statement. During Walcott's time as vice provost, UGA's graduate enrollment has increased by more than 20%, along with an 82% increase in the number of scholarships and fellowships for graduate students, accounting for an increase of almost 1,000 awards. In his statement, Morehead highlighted the university's plans to launch a national search for its next permanent senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. |
| After years of talks, U. of South Carolina strikes deal that could spur South Main revitalization | |
 | For the past decade, the University of South Carolina's development arm has steadily acquired properties along a drab stretch of Main Street, just south of the state capitol complex, with the goal of transforming the tract into a veritable "town and gown" district where students, State House staff and the wider Columbia community can shop, grab a bite to eat and even lay down their heads. While progress has been slow, a recent deal between the USC Development Foundation and the last remaining holdout on one largely vacant block of South Main Street could mark a turning point in the revitalization process. The foundation, which acts as USC's private real estate arm, has agreed to transfer a property at the corner of College and Main streets to the South Carolina Baptist Convention in exchange for a midblock property critical to USC's development plans. Once finalized, the swap will give the foundation ownership of an uninterrupted swath of land along Main Street that has eluded it for years, and allow the university to begin realizing its vision for the area. |
| How Vandy Bested the Ivies | |
| When I heard Vanderbilt University was opening a campus in New York, my first thought was, Well, I hope KA moved its cannon. For decades, the Vanderbilt chapter of the Kappa Alpha fraternity had a Civil War–style cannon that it displayed sometimes on its lawn, sometimes in its basement, but usually pointed toward the North. Now that the 153-year-old Tennessee university was expanding northward, I wondered if the frat repositioned it. If not, the school would be pointing the cannon at itself. A Vanderbilt fraternity could get away with a little the-South-will-rise-again humor back when nobody was paying much attention to it. But things are different now. Over the last few years, Vandy, as it's affectionately known, has become one of the most desired and admired schools in the country. At a time when only 42 percent of Americans say they have a lot of confidence in higher education, and as other schools face a spate of crises -- an increasingly antagonistic White House, the existential threat of AI, administrative uncertainty about how to handle student protests -- the university has emerged as a bit of an apolitical fantasy land. It accepted just 2.9 percent of regular-decision applicants, and although its overall acceptance rate won't be available until late August, a university official told me it's expected to be about 4.8 percent, which would make Vanderbilt almost as hard to get into as Yale was last year. |
| Texas A&M's semiconductor research push fuels state's American-made production ambitions | |
| The Texas A&M University System and other Texas higher education institutions want to be major drivers of growth in the U.S. semiconductor industry, part of a state and federal priority to boost the economy and abate national security concerns as most microchips are currently manufactured overseas. It's an undertaking with momentum, given a boom in data center construction in Texas and a heightened national focus on artificial intelligence and space exploration. The activity extends beyond traditional semiconductor companies. In Grimes County, SpaceX is developing a chipmaking facility that the company has said will support its satellite and spacecraft operations, underscoring the growing demand for advanced chip technologies across multiple industries. The proposed facility, which SpaceX is calling Terafab, is still in its early stages. The state's support for universities' participation leverages those developments: At A&M, a $226 million investment from the Texas Legislature is helping to fund an 80,000-square-foot building that should open in early 2028 for university researchers and private partners to work together and put discoveries into practice. |
| U. of Missouri System selected for $160 million in funding | |
 | The University of Missouri System Critical Materials Crossroads Engine was selected for $160 million in funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines program. This achievement potentially marks the largest award in Missouri higher education history, as well as a significant investment in rebuilding domestic critical materials ecosystem, according to a news release. Led by the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the NSF Critical Materials Crossroads Engine was initiated in 2022 and is driven by a coalition of over 260 partners, according to the news release. "This consortium exemplifies the power of the University of Missouri System's four research universities working together to address one of our nation's most pressing strategic challenges," University of Missouri President Mun Choi said. It aims to develop the regional ecosystem necessary for increasing production of the metals and advanced materials that manufacturers use in batteries, aircraft engine parts, semiconductors, medical devices and more. |
| The South's power grid is aging. Clemson will help fix it in multimillion-dollar effort. | |
 | Clemson University has been tapped as part of a multi-partner, federally funded Carolinas power-grid enhancement effort that aims to deliver safe, reliable and cost-effective electricity -- all the more pressing as artificial intelligence, data centers, advanced manufacturing and a ballooning population increase demand in the region. Dubbed the "Carolinas Engine for Grid Modernization," it is among a dozen public-private "NSF Engines" nationwide selected July 14 by the National Science Foundation. Under an administration where research dollars are increasingly limited -- and competitive -- Clemson landing the grant alongside its partners is a significant achievement. The NSF Engines are among the most generously funded programs in innovation ever, according to Brookings. Each NSF Engine will receive $15 million of federal research money over two years, and successful projects are eligible for up to $160 million in funding over 10 years. Tanju Karanfil, a Clemson senior vice president for research, noted in a statement that meeting the rising demand for energy is a critical need across the United States. Taking lead in the grid modernization project is the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, which in addition to Clemson is working with more than 100 partners across the Carolinas. |
| Data Centers Were Once Boring Pieces of Campus Infrastructure. Now They're Political Flashpoints. | |
 | Colleges hoping to build data centers to support their AI efforts are facing unprecedented opposition. The AI gold rush has sparked a data-center-construction boom across the United States, and that includes several computing facilities affiliated with colleges. Data centers were once boring pieces of infrastructure. Hundreds of campuses already have them. In the past year, though, they have become political flashpoints: 70 percent of Americans oppose building data centers for AI in their area, according to a recent Gallup poll. These windowless buildings have become symbols for a range of issues, including opposition to the tech industry, concern about the environmental impact of facilities that guzzle power and water, and frustration over job losses to AI. The issue may get even more contentious once students come back for the fall semester. More colleges could seek to build data centers as a way to expand public-private partnerships and bring in new income, according to one recent analysis. |
| House Hearing Puts Med Schools in DEI Hot Seat | |
 | Republicans aren't letting up on their scrutiny of medical schools as part of their broader crusade against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. At a hearing titled "Training Activists, Not Physicians: The Impact of DEI on Medical Schools" on Tuesday, Republican members of the House Committee on Education and Workforce grilled administrators from the University of California, Los Angeles, and UC San Francisco, as well as the University of Illinois, about whether their medical schools use DEI-focused policies to inform admissions, hiring, curricula and patient care. "Today's hearing is about accountability," said Rep. Tim Walberg, a Michigan Republican and chair of the committee, as he laid out his questions for the medical schools: "Why are you prioritizing politics over medical education? Why are you perpetuating antisemitism and discrimination? Why are you turning doctors into activists?" In response to those and a barrage of other accusations and questions---including several about admissions and treatment of transgender patients -- from Republican committee members, all three of the medical school administrators testified that their programs do not discriminate against anyone, in compliance with state and federal laws, and their chief focus is preparing future physicians to care for a diverse patient population. |
| Sen. Graham's sudden death will impact seniority, congressional majority prospects | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: The unexpected and untimely death of Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, along with the significant physical ailments of 84-year-old former GOP Senate Majority Leader U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, makes an already uncertain midterm election cycle even more so and could make key elements of Republican Trump's agenda more difficult to pass in the Senate. ... The son of a pool hall operator, Graham came to Congress in the 1994 U.S. House elections as a champion of Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America." Another member of the Class of 1994 is current Mississippi Republican senior U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, who won his first congressional election that year. The House freshman class connection between Wicker and Graham remained as both rose through the Capitol Hill ranks and later joined the Senate. Both exerted considerable influence on military and foreign policy matters. Wicker chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee while Graham chaired the Senate Budget Committee. Ironically, if the GOP maintains control of the Senate, Graham's death will likely elevate Wicker's stature in the country's national security realm. |
SPORTS
| Taylor, Jones and Evans to represent MSU at SEC Media Days | |
| Quarterback Kamario Taylor, wide receiver Anthony Evans III and cornerback Kelley Jones will represent MSU football at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Florida on July 23. The trio will take over Tampa alongside their head coach Jeff Lebby. Taylor, a sophomore, is poised to take over the starting quarterback role this season, after starting two games as a true freshman. Jones, a redshirt-junior, was a leader on the Bulldog defense last season. He had 34 total tackles, 13 passes defended and two interceptions last season. Evans was third in the conference in receptions (67) last season, and had four touchdowns and 831 yards. Lebby, Taylor, Evans and Jones are set to participate in SEC Media Days on July 23. Lebby is part of a Thursday lineup with Arkansas' Ryan Silverfield, LSU's Lane Kiffin and Texas' Steve Sarkisian. |
| New Hope hires former Columbus, MSU star Kylin Hill as running backs coach | |
| Kylin Hill, a Columbus native known for his days as an electric running back at Columbus High and Mississippi State with a short stint in the NFL, is back in his hometown joining the local coaching ranks. New Hope announced on Friday that it has hired the 2019 Conerly Trophy winner as its running backs coach. Head coach Allen Glenn said that he had known of Hill and his prowess on the field as a ball carrier for a long time, but learned that Hill was wanting to get into the coaching game just a few months ago from some members of the Trojans' staff who went to school with him. Seeing that New Hope had an opening for a running backs coach, it was a no-brainer to give Hill a call and see if the two could make something happen. Now the running backs at New Hope have the opportunity to learn from the 2019 All-SEC selection who rumbled for 2,535 yards and 16 touchdowns as a Bulldog. Along with Hill, Glenn brought in former longtime Starkville Academy head coach Chase Nicholson as its wide receivers coach earlier this year. |
| Jans looking to learn from last season's disappointment | |
| The first question asked to Mississippi State men's basketball head coach Chris Jans at Tuesday's press conference was what he's learned from last year's disappointment. The Bulldogs finished the year 13-19 with five SEC wins. It was the first time in his head coaching career where he ended a year with a losing record. Tuesday likely marked the first time Jans had to hear that question entering a season. "Yea what a question right," Jans said after he let out a small sigh while the question was being asked. "Fair enough." State finished last year second-to-last in scoring offense and dead last in scoring defense in SEC play. The Bulldogs had the worst turnover margin in the SEC, a -3.21 mark, averaging 11.58 turnovers a game. Going into this season, Jans hopes his team has "learned a lot." "It definitely was a humbling experience... (I) hadn't been through it as a head coach," Jans said. "It wasn't what anyone wanted or expected. It starts with me." |
| Why Josh Hubbard said staying loyal to Mississippi State was an easy decision | |
| The transfer portal has made it less common for star players to stick with the same team for four seasons. But Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State basketball's star guard, is the exception. He announced his return to the Bulldogs April 17 despite a 13-19 season where they missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022. Hubbard said it wasn't a hard decision to come back to MSU. "I knew where I wanted to be," Hubbard said July 14. "I know Coach (Chris) Jans and the staff love me, and I love them. They've had big plans for me ever since my freshman year, and I just wanted to continue that." Hubbard has led Mississippi State in scoring for three straight seasons, including a career-high 22.1 points per game in 2025-26. He's a three-time All-SEC selection and is 195 points from breaking the program scoring record set by Jeff Malone in 1983. Jans said he was confident Hubbard wouldn't leave, whether it was in the transfer portal or NBA draft. "A lot of people were hitting me, 'Hey man, congrats' but of course I knew for quite some time that was the case, or that it was planning on being the case," Jans said. "But at the same time for all of us, it was like, OK, we know what we can build around that." |
| Ole Miss considers suing 2 LSU transfers over unpaid buyouts in latest twist to offseason of drama | |
 | The messy divorce between Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss appears headed for yet more drama, this time a possible court case over two players who left the school to join Kiffin at LSU. Ole Miss is considering filing suit to recover buyout money that it said defensive end Princewill Umanmielen and offensive tackle Devin Harper owe the school. Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter signaled the possibility in an interview last week with the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger, and a source familiar with the school's thinking, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, said the move is likely. "That would be an option, going and asking a court to get that money for you," Carter told the Clarion-Ledger. "Contracts are with the players. LSU could pay that on behalf of the players. So we're kind of exploring all of that right now." It's not unprecedented for schools to sue players who transfer to other universities. What sets this apart is the enmity between Ole Miss and LSU since Kiffin's departure. |
| Auburn, Aflac Kickoff Game announce multi-million dollar NIL deal ahead of Baylor matchup | |
| Ahead of the season opener against Baylor in Atlanta, Auburn has entered into a lucrative NIL deal with the Aflac Kickoff Game, the Peach Bowl announced Tuesday. The agreement is worth "multi-million dollars," according to the release. This year's matchup between Baylor and Auburn was to take place at Jordan-Hare Stadium to conclude a home-and-home series. In October 2025, On3's Brett McMurphy first reported the game would instead move to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Aflac Kickoff Game and Auburn athletes would be able to earn up to $5 million in NIL opportunities. The Peach Bowl did not disclose the exact figure. Up to 24 Tigers athletes will enter into third-party deals that include marketing assets and promotional appearances, starting in July through the Sept. 5 game, the Peach Bowl said. They will participate in social media posts, public appearances, advertisements, in-game promotions and media interviews while also appearing on signage and branding opportunities. After the news came out about Auburn's decision to move the Baylor matchup to a neutral site, Tigers AD John Cohen said third-party NIL deals are essential to future success in the modern era. |
| Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi Criticizes Protect College Sports Act In Letter To Sen. John Fetterman | |
| Neeli Bendapudi has staked her claim in the Protect College Sports Act situation. Penn State's president sent a letter last month to U.S. Sen. John Fetterman "to express [her] concern with the Protect College Sports Act," according to On3. "Although we were hopeful the revised version of the bill released Monday evening would address many of the issues raised by the Big Ten Conference, only a single suggested revision was fully addressed," Bendapudi wrote. Bendapudi's letter was in relation to four Big Ten schools reportedly meeting with Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Maria Cantwell (Washington) to express their opposition to the Protect College Sports Act on Tuesday. Bendapudi's letter raises four main points: NIL, the end of ongoing legal loopholes in college sports litigation, sports broadcasting and media rights, and preemption of state law. Penn State's president also said the "legal liability protection provided by the bill remains so narrow" that schools, conferences, and the NCAA will continue to face legal battles over matters that should have been set in stone. |
| Michigan Missed Warning Signs Around Football Coach's Affair, Investigation Finds | |
 | When Michigan fired Sherrone Moore as head football coach in December 2025, the university portrayed it as a swift response to the coach's inappropriate relationship with a staff member. But new findings show that the school's athletic director and other officials had received repeated reports about Moore's behavior. The incident spurred Michigan to ask law firm Jenner & Block to investigate the culture inside an athletic department that had been embroiled in a string of scandals. The firm concluded that the school's response was insufficient and that it wasn't clear who was handling allegations of wrongdoing. The university hasn't made the firm's findings public. A university spokesman said on Tuesday that the school promptly fired Moore upon learning of the relationship, but declined to comment further because it was the subject of ongoing litigation. One major warning sign appeared before Moore even took the sideline for his first game as head coach. Two days before the 2024 season kickoff, athletic director Warde Manuel raised concerns with Moore about the coach's close relationship with his executive assistant, Paige Shiver, according to the law firm's findings. |
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