| Thursday, May 21, 2026 |
| 'Just take the first step': Austin goes from student to library leader | |
 | Life can and will take you a lot of places, and sometimes it brings you back to somewhere you've already been. That is exactly what happened to Cathy Austin. Austin is the director of collection management and strategy at Mississippi State University Libraries, but that wasn't always her plan. After graduating from MSU in 2014, she earned a Master of Science in information systems from the University of Tennessee in 2019. After spending some time away, she returned to her alma mater later that same year. "MSU has been a big part of my life for years. It's where I grew as a student and developed professionally," Austin said. "So many important experiences in my personal and professional life have happened here. Being able to contribute to a community that once invested in me has been especially rewarding." Now, she spends her time helping students and faculty in ways most people may not think about often. "I enjoy solving problems and helping people connect with the resources they need. I get to help students, faculty and staff access information for teaching and research, and that work feels meaningful," she said. |
| Jan Lewis elected AICPA chair | |
| Jan Lewis, CPA, CGMA, is the new chair of the AICPA. At spring Council in New Orleans on Wednesday, Lewis was elected to the one-year volunteer post. Lewis, a tax partner at BMSS Advisors, also will serve as chair of the global Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. Lewis, according to the release, will work closely with AICPA members to align vision, strategy, and direction to further the success of the accounting profession. Lewis will underscore the profession's role in bringing clarity, reliability, and sound judgment to increasingly complex decisions, reinforcing the CPA as a trusted adviser grounded in ethics, quality, and public interest. Lewis earned a bachelor of science in accounting from Mississippi State University and is a member and past chair of the Adkerson School of Accountancy Advisory Council at Mississippi State. |
| Land work underway for new Starkville High School campus | |
 | Starkville High School is about to get a huge upgrade to the tune of $100 million. The land next to the existing Partnership Middle School has already been cleared for the school district's new high school. Mississippi State University, which sits next to the middle school, donated the land to the school district. Phase one, which involves site prep and dirt work, is well underway. The second phase involves actual construction. The school district will accept bids starting this summer. Once complete, the state-of-the-art high school will replace the school's aging facility. "It's something that's been talked about for a long time, and it's really exciting to see it get off of the ground," Director of Communications Haley Montgomery explained. The new school will open in the summer of 2028. |
| Hyde-Smith Tells HUD to Make Mass Timber Mainstream | |
| US Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has pushed the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make mass timber a mainstream building material as part of the federal response to America's housing affordability crisis, with the Mississippi Republican using a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing to press HUD Secretary Scott Turner for a commitment to engage the US Forest Service, state forest commissions, research universities and builders on adoption. Wood Central obtained the remarks as part of a Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, chaired by Hyde-Smith, on Tuesday to review the FY2027 HUD budget request, in which the senator argued that the housing side of the mass timber conversation had been ceded to the Forest Service. As an appropriator, Hyde-Smith has previously supported federal funding for the Mississippi State University (MSU) Forest Products Laboratory to optimise biomass commercialisation, including research on lumber standards, mass timber construction, and durability. MSU has partnered with the Mississippi Forestry Association to advance sustainable mass timber design and advanced timber construction, with the work feeding back into the state's broader forest economy. |
| VALEDICTORIAN: Bednar looks forward to learning about particle physics | |
| Elizabeth Bednar is the Valedictorian for the St. Aloysius High School class of 2026. She told the Post she has big plans for her future. "I'm planning to go to Mississippi State University to get my bachelor's in physics. Right now, I'm planning on minoring in both math and chemistry just to get a more well-rounded education," she said. "Then I plan to go to grad school to eventually get my PhD in physics. I'm not exactly sure where I want to go to grad school yet. I'll see where life takes me." She said she wants to focus on particle physics. On Tuesday she was announced as one of 23 winners in Mississippi of a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship. "I don't know if that's what I'll end up doing, but at this current season of my life, that's my dream," Bednar said. "Because it works with atoms, and atoms are just the building blocks of literally everything. And it's just so fascinating to me to really get down on the subatomic level and learn about our world at such a small level." |
| Memorial Day tributes start today in Golden Triangle | |
 | From live music and 5K races to flag ceremonies and tributes, area communities are preparing events this Memorial Day weekend to honor fallen service members. Flag placements will be held at Odd Fellows Cemetery and Memorial Garden Park in Starkville at about 8 a.m. Monday and will be led by the local American Legion and VFW posts. The Greater Starkville Development Partnership's Military Affairs Committee will hold its annual Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday outside the Oktibbeha County Chancery Courthouse, said U.S. Army veteran Jeff Donald, co-chair of the military affairs committee. Speakers for the event will include Mayor Lynn Spruill, Board of Supervisors President Marvell Howard, Mississippi State University Executive Vice Provost Peter Ryan and keynote speaker Col. Kenneth Anthony, a member of the U.S. Army National Guard. The event will also include reading the names of 92 Oktibbeha County veterans who died in service since World War I, inscribed on the monument outside the courthouse. |
| Mary Means Business: Ace Hardware closing in Starkville | |
| Ace Hardware in Starkville is officially closing down. Chad Porter of the Louisville store confirmed the Starkville location will close by the end of June or possibly earlier than that, depending on inventory sales. Ace opened in Starkville just two years ago and is currently open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8-12:30 p.m. on Saturdays. I am personally sad to see a hardware store fall off the rotation because as a DIY fix-it person, most of my weekends are spent perusing aisles of tools I need and projects to tackle. This leaves a roughly 10,000 square-foot vacancy in the former Vowell's marketplace shopping center. But according to building owner Roy Oswalt, that vacancy isn't going to last long. 44 Properties, owned by retired MLB pitcher Oswalt, started the renovation to the 60,000 square-foot shopping center in 2021, breaking the center into three suites, one that houses Miskelly Furniture, Specialty Orthopedic Group and Ace Hardware. He added that a Baptist Memorial Health Care facility will replace the outgoing hardware store. |
| Auditor: Oktibbeha tax assessor gave sweetheart deals on car tags | |
| Three current employees and two former employees in the Oktibbeha County Tax Assessor and Collector's Office could be on the hook for more than $31,000 after an investigation by the Mississippi State Auditor's Office found they allegedly failed to collect city taxes on vehicle tags for multiple city residents. The county denies that allegation and is instead blaming the discrepancy on mapping errors dating back as far as 2009, with Oktibbeha County Tax Assessor JoHelen Walker calling it "an inherited, historical 'human error.'" "The allegations made against me ... are completely false, politically motivated, and entirely misrepresent a deep-rooted, structural mapping issue that predates my administration," Walker wrote in a statement sent to The Dispatch on Tuesday. The auditor's office sent letters May 5 demanding $17,643 from Walker; $3,695 from bookkeeper Crystal Lawston; $3,540 from Deputy Clerk Mechelle "Deborah" Scott; $4,906 from former Deputy Clerk Emily Conn; and $1,506 from former Deputy Tax Assessor Julia Nowell, citing allegations of unlawful donations, failure to collect ad valorem taxes and violation of their official obligations. Rob Roberson, attorney for the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors and the county's initial point of contact for the demand letters, said the districting errors may date back to 2009 when county supervisors hired the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District to reassign all county addresses to comply with 911 standards. |
| State lays out AI Framework to educate in artificial intelligence | |
| Mississippi is taking a defining step in Artificial Intelligence education. The state has released the Mississippi Statewide AI Framework, which establishes statewide AI priorities and provides a structured, stage-by-stage map of the AI skills learners need from K-12 through career leadership. The governor's office said the purpose of AI is not to replace human judgment but to strengthen it. The program was developed by the AI Workforce Readiness council which is a subcommittee of the State Workforce Investment Board. The Mississippi Statewide AI Framework establishes a shared statewide foundation for how artificial intelligence is understood, taught and applied across education and the workforce. It outlines clear expectations for AI literacy and skill development at every stage, from K-12 through postsecondary education and into career advancement, ensuring alignment between classrooms, training programs and employer needs. |
| Trump Postpones AI Executive Order Due to Concerns About Overregulation | |
 | President Trump postponed the signing of an executive order that would have given the government more oversight over the artificial-intelligence industry on Thursday, saying he didn't want to take any action that would slow the U.S. down in the AI race. Hours before a scheduled signing that was set to feature industry executives, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the order would have asked AI companies to preview models with the federal government. Such a move would set the U.S. back in its competition with China, which AI analysts say Beijing is currently winning, he said. The move is the latest example of the White House being divided on AI policy. Administration officials have been trying to bolster cybersecurity following the release of powerful models including Anthropic's Mythos, but some AI advisers fear the steps could slow down the development of new AI tools. The White House told tech company representatives earlier in the day that the signing would be rescheduled. |
| Residents voice concerns over data centers at supervisors meeting | |
 | Concerns over data center projects drew public criticism at Monday's meeting of the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors, where residents questioned transparency, environmental impacts and long-term benefits of the project. Several citizens addressed the board during the meeting's public comment period, saying they were frustrated by what they described as a lack of public input on the project. Speakers raised concerns about noise levels, generator emissions, potential impacts on property values and whether adequate studies had been conducted on air quality and environmental effects. Supervisors and staff responded that economic development projects often begin under confidentiality agreements and that details are typically limited until agreements are finalized. They said anticipated tax revenue from the data centers could be used for road improvements, bridge repairs, education facilities, and other infrastructure needs across the county. |
| Ridgeland sets new data center limits to protect residents, infrastructure and city services | |
 | Ridgeland officials took steps last month to strengthen the city's ability to ensure that incoming tech facilities, such as data centers, do not negatively impact residents. Public Works Director Alan Hart said the city wanted to ensure it did "not fall behind" as other tech companies see the success of Amazon Web Services in Ridgeland and might want to build facilities within the city limits. Aldermen unanimously voted to approve amendments to the city zoning ordinance during their regular meeting on April 7. The additions give the board the power to request a range of studies from prospective data center builders and to set standards for such projects moving forward. Other language stipulates that no "principal Data Center building or Data Center Related Facility shall be located within five hundred feet of any existing residential dwelling" and gives details on proper buffers. The Amazon site in Ridgeland is located off the Highland Colony Parkway south, across from Southern Beverage. Hart said that AWS has been a good partner but noted these additions ensure the city has a "sustainable future." |
| Tate named TVA vice president, chief government relations officer | |
 | Tupelo's Amy Tate has been named as one of two new executives of the The Tennessee Valley Authority. TVA recently announced Tate as one of two appointees, which also included Josh Linville of Chattanooga. Tate was named TVA's vice president of chief government relations officer; Linville is TVA's new vice president and chief information officer. Passionate about empowering the next generation, Tate founded the Milam Elementary Girls Leadership Academy in 2015, where she continues to teach leadership classes. She serves on the Tupelo Public School District Board of Trustees, is past president of the Association for Excellence in Education, and holds board positions with the Mississippi Energy Institute, Skills Foundation of Mississippi and Mississippi Business Alliance. Tate is a graduate of Mississippi University for Women. |
| It's been a rough couple of years for utility bill increases. Here's why it's about to get worse | |
| It's been a rough couple of years for utility bill increases, and it's not about to get better. Fresh data from energy nonprofit PowerLines and Ipsos this week says utilities requested $9.4 billion in rate hikes in the first quarter of 2026. That's after they requested $31 billion in 2025, which was more than double the year before. Yes, data centers are part of that -- but that's not the only culprit. The price hikes have been huge because basically a bunch of different problems are converging at once. Tom Bullock leads the Citizens Utility Board in Ohio, one of the states with the steepest increases. "Data centers are kind of the first boulder rolling down the hill, triggering a broader rockslide," he said. Bullock also blamed delays for permits and equipment, skilled labor shortages, and policies that favor older, coal-burning facilities. Then, there's the list of unavoidable costs. "The grid was largely built in the '60s and the '70s, and these assets are just coming towards the end of their useful life," explained Michael Levy with Baringa Management Consulting. You've also got geopolitical pressures, too. |
| It's billed as renewable energy. Residents of one Mississippi town say it's making them sick | |
| The dust settles overnight in Gloster, Mississippi. Surveillance cameras catch it floating through the air, swirling across town on windy nights. By morning, it often coats residents' cars, porches, and sometimes finds its way into their homes. They say they become accustomed to wiping it away, only to find it back again, sometimes in the same week. Melvin Whigham says he can feel it in his body. "It just feels like something caught up in there," he told Scripps News during an interview in his home, his voice strained. "Every once in a while, I can spit up stuff. I don't have no cold. And my voice starts going ... then I get a shortness of breath." Doctors, he says, haven't been able to explain what's happening to him. He lives in Gloster, a town of roughly 800 people tucked into the pine forests of southwest Mississippi, where many residents believe they already know the answer. Just beyond their backyards sits a sprawling wood pellet mill operated by Amite BioEnergy, a subsidiary of the British energy company Drax Group. Since the facility began operating in 2015, residents say their small, predominantly Black and low-income community has been blanketed in wood dust, exposed to harmful air pollution from a form of energy production that's marketed overseas as sustainable. The mill is part of a growing global biomass industry, one that turns American timber into compressed wood pellets and ships them across the Atlantic to be burned across the United Kingdom and Europe for electricity and heat. |
| Ever-changing weather pushes back start of peanut planting season | |
 | Peanut growers across the Pine Belt have started planting a new crop, but most are putting seed in the ground late this year because of the ever-changing weather. Grower Joe Morgan just started planting 950 acres in South Forrest County a few days ago. He says a late start won't necessarily mean a low yield this year. "Last year, we planted some earlier than we've ever planted, and they got disease in them and wound up with a low yield, and what we planted real late was fantastic, so you just never know," Morgan said. Meanwhile, growers are also dealing with high fuel prices. Malcolm Broome, executive director of the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association, says that could really hurt their bottom line come harvest time. "Mr. Morgan here, he's running one of these big tillage tractors, you could end up having $75 an hour in diesel fuel is what that thing will burn, when normally, they'd probably be burning $45 or $50, so it's going to add up, no doubt about it," Broome said. |
| Local developer has eye on auction of Hilton Hotel in Jackson | |
 | Multiple sources have confirmed to the Clarion Ledger that serial entrepreneur Gabriel Prado has interest in purchasing the historic Hilton Hotel in Jackson. The 150,000-square-foot Hilton on County Line Road in Jackson is in receivership and will be auctioned off on June 22. The 276-room facility, which sits on 6.5 acres along I-55 north, was built in 1984 and updated in 2014. The Hilton is the largest hotel in Central Mississippi by number of rooms and square footage. It also has approximately 19,000 square feet of meeting space and comprehensive food and beverage amenities. When reached on May 20, Prado told the Clarion Ledger he could not comment on potential projects in the future. The property also includes the 400-seat Drago's restaurant, which located there in 2014 and made more than $2.5 million in renovations to a 9,700-square-foot space, which sits adjacent to the Hilton. Drago's moved to the location after other successful collaborations with Hilton properties in South Louisiana. There is no word on whether Drago's would stay following an ownership change. |
| New Civil War museum coming to Vicksburg, preview showcases artifacts | |
| A new Civil War museum is coming to Vicksburg and attendees at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History's "History is Lunch" event got a preview of what will be showcased. Historian Jeff Giambrone with MDAH showcased weapons used during the Siege of Vicksburg and excerpts from diaries and letters from soldiers in the war. One soldier account explained the overwhelming noise heard during the war. The presentation featured content and research that is going into the upcoming Vicksburg Civil War Visitor Center. "We're really looking forward to being able to educate the public about the importance of the Vicksburg Campaign," Giambrone said. Megan Bankston with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History said the museum has secured $56 million in state dollars in addition to federal and private funding. The museum is now in the intensive design phase. |
| Mortgage Rates Hit a Nine-Month High in Blow to Prime Buying Season | |
| Mortgage rates this week rose to the highest level since August, more bad news for home shoppers during what is usually the busiest time of the year for home sales. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 6.51% this week, from 6.36% last week, Freddie Mac said Thursday. Higher mortgage rates and expensive home prices are keeping many would-be buyers on the sidelines. Rising costs in many places for home insurance and property taxes have also spooked buyers. The rise in mortgage rates this year marks a reversal from the second half of 2025, when rates declined after the Federal Reserve started easing short-term interest rates. Mortgage rates dipped below 6% in February, boosting expectations for a busy spring after three straight years of lackluster activity. But that brief momentum has stalled. The war in Iran and subsequent rise in oil prices have led to worries about inflation and dampened expectations for the spring home-buying season. Existing-home sales were flat in April, well below economists' expectations. |
| Political speaking schedule announced for 2026 Neshoba County Fair | |
| The tradition lives on. Mississippians will soon be able to hear from some of their elected officials and candidates making their case for a shot at political office during the upcoming Neshoba County Fair. Highlighted by former President Ronald Reagan's famous stump speech at Founder's Square in 1980 ahead of his first stint in the White House, Mississippi's political scene is often defined at the Neshoba County Fair year in and year out. With the 2026 election cycle featuring congressional midterms, this year's Giant Houseparty could prove effective for outside candidates looking to represent the Magnolia State in Washington, D.C., especially with incumbents not scheduled to take the podium. The fair is scheduled to run June 19-26, about a month earlier than usual, after officials altered the schedule because of the evolving K-12 academic calendar. Political speaking is set for Wednesday, June 24, and Thursday, June 25, with statewide elected officials and candidates representing the Neshoba County area invited to speak. The week of the fair falls at a time when Congress will be in session, meaning U.S. Rep. Michael Guest, whose district covers Neshoba County, and U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith will not have the chance to stump for reelection. |
| Political speaking set for 2026 Neshoba County Fair | |
| Mississippi's Giant House Party has been moved up this year to accommodate earlier school start dates and other summer activities that have begun causing conflicts. The 2026 version of the Neshoba County Fair will get under way June 19 and run through June 26. The annual event features concerts, horseracing, fair rides, food, produce displays, porch sitting and of course, political speaking at Founders Square. With the midterm election cycle in full swing and candidates for Mississippi state offices in 2027 rolling out announcements, this year's fair promises to be one worth attending if you are interested in following all of the happenings across the Magnolia State political scene. The fair board recently released its political speaking schedule for Wednesday and Thursday, June 24 and 25. The slate of speakers listed is not as long as in years past, but those taking the stage will no doubt add to the hot central Mississippi air blowing over that red dirt. Notably absent from the speaking schedule are U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) and 3rd District Congressman Michael Guest (R). The congressional calendar appears to be in conflict with the fair dates. However, their general election opponents will be in attendance, with congressional candidate Michael Chiaradio (D) and Senate candidates Ty Pinkins (I) and Scott Colom (D) speaking Wednesday morning. |
| NAACP, SPLC, Mississippi Democrats march, rally to protest Callais, redistricting | |
| Urged on by the NAACP, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Mississippi Democratic Party, hundreds gathered in Jackson on Wednesday afternoon to protest the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais that ruled race could no longer be used as a determinative factor in drawing voting districts. The high court's ruling has set off talk of redistricting across the South, as states have been forced to draw voting districts with racial quotas in mind for 60 years under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Unlike other states, Mississippi has not yet undertaken corrective redistricting actions following the Callais ruling but it is widely believed lawmakers will consider the matter soon. On Wednesday, the predominantly black crowd marched from the Old Capitol, wandered through the streets of the capital city, passed the current State Capitol, and ended at the city's convention center. The marchers chanted and sang songs, harkening back to the 1960's civil rights era. Those gathered wore shirts and waved signs with slogans that mirrored the NAACP's national push against the Callais ruling. Other signs featured Mississippi civil rights leaders such as Fannie Lou Hamer and Medgar Evers. At the Jackson Convention Complex, it was standing room only as participants, media, and leaders with the NAACP, SPLC and the Mississippi Democratic Party settled in for about two and a half hours of speeches. The speeches included politicians, civil rights leaders, and voting rights advocates. |
| Additional funding sought for Yazoo Backwater Area Pumps, Arkabutla Dam repairs | |
| U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith received confirmation on Wednesday that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could use additional funding in FY 2027 to make more progress on two major projects in Mississippi: Yazoo Backwater Area Pumps and Arkabutla Dam repairs. Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, was part of a hearing to review the latest budget requests for the Army Corps and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The Army Corps budget recommends $30 million for the Yazoo Backwater Area and more than $20 million to complete pre-construction engineering and design requirements to repair the Arkabutla Dam. Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, and Lt. Gen. William H. "Butch" Graham, Jr., USACE Chief of Engineers and Commanding General both agreed that funding above the budget request could be used to advance mitigation and initial design work on the Yazoo Backwater project. Regarding the Arkabutla Dam repairs, Telle told the subcommittee that the Northwest Mississippi facility is a major safety concern for the Army Corps and that the budget has identified it as being capable of using additional funding in FY 2027. |
| Knives out: Internal fighting skewers Trump's beef tariff plan | |
 | President Donald Trump's efforts to lower beef prices has divided top administration officials and some of his closest allies -- prompting the White House to halt plans to temporarily reduce import tariffs, according to four people familiar with the talks. The White House initially postponed Trump's widely telegraphed plans for an executive order on beef imports last week to give officials more time to negotiate the scope before shelving it amid ongoing disagreements, according to four people who were granted anonymity to discuss private discussions. The split highlights the dilemma the president faces in trying to balance consumers' concerns about rising grocery prices with those of his supporters in the cattle industry. The average cost of ground beef on store shelves has increased by roughly 12 percent since last summer and more than 24 percent since Trump took office last year -- a critical example of affordability pressures that have dogged Republicans in the lead-up to the midterms. A senior White House official told POLITICO that the executive order is still "a work in progress." |
| Congressional committee ask telecoms to do more to prevent scams as losses surge | |
 | A powerful congressional committee is urging major telecommunications companies to do more to protect Americans against scams, part of a widening investigation into the role that U.S. companies play in the surge in cyberscams that cost Americans an estimated $200 billion in 2024. "Consumers need to be able to trust that the calls and texts they receive -- from their doctor's office or their child's school, for example -- are authentic. Scam communications, however, are increasingly difficult to distinguish from legitimate messages, and too much of the burden of detection is falling on customers," Rep. David Schweikert, R.-Ariz., the chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, and Sen. Maggie Hassan, D.-N.H., the committee's ranking member, wrote in a detailed request sent to AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile on Wednesday evening. The scrutiny comes amid growing concern in Washington about the explosion of scams targeting U.S. citizens. Wireless providers blocked 55 billion spam and scam robotexts in 2024 and flag or block 45 billion scam calls a year, according to industry group CTIA. But unwanted messages and calls continue to break through, in staggering numbers. |
| Trump is Pulling Troops from Europe. Some Republicans Are Trying to Stop Him | |
| Blindsided by President Donald Trump's drawdown of troops in Europe, Republican defense hawks say they're eyeing action to push back. Trump's successive changes have inflamed Republicans focused on defense who argue that reducing America's military footprint in Europe undermines NATO and signals weakness to Russian President Vladimir Putin. While the Republicans back Trump's push for allies to share more of the burden for Europe's security, the president's surprise moves have provoked a potential legislative backlash. Closed-door discussions are underway to draft provisions in the next defense spending and policy bills that would potentially withhold funding for any troop changes or direct the reversal of recent moves. Lawmakers told NOTUS they are weighing their options as they draft their next National Defense Authorization Act, a massive bill that is likely to pass by year's end. Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker said he was "not at all happy about" the troop moves. "Nor have I been called by anyone in the administration," he said, declining to detail what recourse he might pursue through the next policy bill. |
| House Republican: 'We're going to kill' Trump's nearly $1.8B 'anti-weaponization' fund | |
 | A $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization" fund created by the Trump administration this week for individuals who believe they have been unfairly targeted by the federal government is facing some resistance from congressional Republicans. "We're going to try to kill it," Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) told reporters Wednesday, adding that legislative options were being explored. "We're trying to unpack exactly, you know, what the legal machinations are, but can't do that." The compensation fund is part of a negotiated settlement between President Trump and the IRS, in which the president agreed to voluntarily dismiss a $10 billion lawsuit over leaked tax returns in exchange for its creation. The fund will be used to issue "formal apologies" and monetary payouts to individuals who "suffered weaponization and lawfare" at the hands of the federal government, according to the Justice Department. While senior Trump administration officials have stated there is no partisan requirement to file a claim, critics have decried the move as an attempt to funnel money toward Trump's allies. |
| Inside Israel's High-Tech Campaign to Kill or Capture Every Oct. 7 Attacker | |
| Hours after militants crossed from Gaza into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, a video surfaced of an Israeli woman screaming, "Don't kill me," as she was hauled away on a motorcycle, sandwiched between two kidnappers. The young woman, who was among those assaulted at a desert music festival, reached helplessly for her boyfriend, who was restrained by Gazan men. The video was one of the first of many terrifying images from the attack by Hamas on southern Israel that ended with 1,200 dead and around 250 hostages taken, including the couple. Noa Argamani, who was seized less than a week before her 26th birthday, spent 245 days captive in Gaza. After she was freed in a rescue mission, two men seen in the video holding back Argamani's boyfriend were tracked down by Israeli intelligence officials and killed in separate airstrikes. The men were crossed off a list of thousands of names kept by an Israeli task force created for one job -- to kill or capture all who planned or joined in the Oct. 7 attack, said current and former Israeli officials. Hundreds have been struck from the list, in one of the most personal and highly technical targeting campaigns in the history of warfare. The campaign continues amid the demands of the war with Iran and a cease-fire agreement in Gaza. No participant is deemed too insignificant -- down to the man who drove a tractor through a border fence that day. Nearly two years after he breached the border, the tractor driver was identified, located and blown up in an airstrike as he walked a narrow urban street in Gaza, according to footage released by Israel's military. Militants who videotaped their Oct. 7 exploits on phones or GoPro cameras to share on social media, or those who phoned home to brag, learned too late the degree of Israel's surveillance acumen and desire for retribution. |
| Next leader of Mississippi University for Women has 'big shoes to fill' | |
| The next president of the Mississippi University for Women should prioritize listening to and understanding students, people within the institution's community say. That's something Nora Miller, who retires effective June 30, did well, said Zander Hall, the university's Student Government Association incoming president for the 2026-2027 school year. Whether at sports games, campus events or in Columbus where the university is based, Miller made an effort to recognize students and remember their names, he said. "She was very personable and engaging, and that is someone we need as students, someone who can get to know us and hear us," said Hall, a senior studying elementary education from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning's Board of Trustees has launched a search for Miller's successor. In April, the trustees named Scott Tollison, provost and executive vice president of academic affairs, as the interim president. |
| Mississippi teen graduates law school: 'I like to stay busy' | |
| Mississippi teen Jimmy Chilimigras made news this week after graduating from law school as an 18-year-old. Chilimigras joined "The Hill on NewsNation" on Wednesday to discuss the feat and how he managed to earn his degree from Loyola University in New Orleans, years before being able to drink alcohol. The Mississippi native graduated from high school at 12 years of age, the got his college degree, and a master's at 15. "I love this stuff. I think it's fascinating, and I like to stay busy," Chilimigras told NewsNation. Chilimigras admitted he is not entirely certain what he will pursue next, but said "a lot of opportunities" are available to him. Chilimigras said he would advise other young people to "stay dedicated" and remove themselves from "distractions in the world." "With all of the social media and the cellphones and the video games, there's so many ways to kind of pull you off course," he said. |
| State investing $5 million to help low-income families cover child care costs | |
| Mississippi is investing $5 million to help low-income families pay for child care. The Mississippi Department of Human Services announced Wednesday that the funding will come from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and will be administered through the agency's division of early childhood care and development. Parents will receive money through the child care payment program voucher system. Officials say that existing child care support opportunities will complement the campaign, which the state provides through various sub-grantees offering afterschool programs and workforce supports for working families. "Child care is not a luxury -- it is the infrastructure that makes work possible for Mississippi families," MDHS Executive Director Bob Anderson said. "This $5 million investment is a targeted, responsible use of TANF funds to reach working parents who need help, and it reflects our commitment to deploying public resources where they make a real difference." |
| U. of Arkansas System trustees uphold decision to fire Shirin Saeidi, professor who directed center for Middle East studies | |
| The University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees unanimously voted Wednesday to uphold a decision to terminate a tenured professor in Fayetteville who had served as director of the University of Arkansas' King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies. Shirin Saeidi was relieved of her duties as director of the King Fahd Center on Dec. 5 over social media posts she had made regarding Israel and Iran last year. The UA suspended her with pay from her tenured faculty position in mid-December. In February, a UA faculty panel unanimously recommended that Saeidi be reinstated as a tenured associate professor, finding the case did not meet the standard for termination. UA System President Jay B. Silveria sided with campus leadership and dismissed her anyway, so she appealed to the trustees. Saeidi's social media posts included original commentary and reposted material about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including statements supporting Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, then the supreme leader of Iran. Khamenei was killed in March by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. |
| U.S. Sen. Scott calls U. of Florida search flawed, questions Landry severance | |
 | U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, on May 20 criticized the University of Florida's decision not to include interim President Donald Landry as a finalist for the university's 14th president and questioned Landry's $2 million severance package. UF on May 18 announced Stuart Bell, the former president of the University of Alabama, as its sole finalist for president. "I personally do not know Dr. Landry or have enough familiarity as to whether he would be the right person to lead UF," the former Florida governor wrote in a letter to State University System of Florida Chancellor Raymond Rodrigues. He posted his letter on social media. "But what I do know is that Dr. Landry has a clause in his contract that he would be awarded a multimillion-dollar payout if he failed to become the permanent president at UF. That is crazy." Bell also is the latest in a growing line of "sole finalists" in recent years after state lawmakers passed and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into a law a measure that takes state university president searches out of public view. Scott criticized the search process for lacking transparency and for mirroring the university's previous presidential search, which named former University of Michigan president Dr. Santa Ono as its sole finalist. |
| Texas A&M philanthropy class raises $200,000 for local charities | |
| There are thousands of classes at Texas A&M University but only one introduces students to the world of philanthropy. Every spring semester a group of students at A&M take part in the Strategic Philanthropy Course in the Mays Business School. The course, led by professor Kyle Gammenthaler, is open to all A&M students but priority is given to those in the Mays Business School. Gammenthaler started the course in the spring of 2016 with a $50,000 grant from the Philanthropy Lab out of Fort Worth. As the semester wound down, Gammenthaler met with The Eagle to share the story of his class. "The original intention was to try and give students an opportunity to practice generosity. To do that we needed resources. We found an organization called the Philanthropy Lab that helps fund philanthropic education across the country. We have remained partners with them," Gammenthaler said. "Since then, we've accumulated other entities like the George and Barbara Bush Foundation, Aggieland Credit Union and others. Those outside donors have agreed that students practicing generosity is a good thing and here are some resources to do that." This year's class raised $200,000 for 12 local nonprofit organizations. |
| Mock funeral mourns death of academic freedom as U. of Texas System weighs rule on cutting programs | |
| A horse-drawn hearse, a Grim reaper, and mourners dressed in black moved through downtown Austin on Wednesday as critics staged a mock funeral for academic freedom, one day before University of Texas System regents are expected to vote on giving campus presidents more power to cut college programs and faculty jobs. Critics say the system's proposal would leave fewer safeguards at a time when Texas universities face political pressure over what can be taught and studied. "I come bearing terrible news," graduate student Cameron Samuels told the crowd through a megaphone outside the system's headquarters. "The University of Texas is dead. Yes, you heard that right." Samuels, co-founder of Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, said the university and "its spirit of academic freedom" had fallen to "a death by a thousand cuts." Currently, faculty at UT System schools have a formal role in reviewing academic programs and some jobs before they are cut. The proposed rule would put administrators more firmly in charge of that process and make clear that professors could not appeal a president's decision on such matters. |
| Health Sciences Dean Kristofer Hagglund retires after 25 years with Mizzou | |
 | When Kristofer Hagglund took an internship at the University of Missouri as a clinical psychology student in 1989, he never imagined he would eventually become dean of the College of Health Sciences. Hagglund is set to retire in August, with Senior Associate Dean Stephanie Reid‑Arndt appointed to take over the position. Throughout his 13 years as dean, Hagglund shaped and developed the program into what it is today. Since he took on the role in 2013, he helped launch two degree programs, oversaw the formations of new departments within the college, led major construction projects to enhance learning and orchestrated the effort to change the name of the School of Health Professions to the College of Health Sciences. Under Hagglund, the college has grown from 600 students in 2001 to more than 4,000. There are now eight departments instead of four. A number of clinics have been added for students to treat real clients and receive training under supervision. In his time as associate dean, Hagglund helped develop two signature degree programs -- the bachelor's degree in health science and the master's degree in public health. In addition, the college's research productivity has quintupled and more than quintupled the philanthropic support given back. |
| GOP-Backed Civics Schools Have Proliferated. Now This One Wants to 'Expand Its Impact.' | |
 | At least a dozen centers and schools focused on "civic thought" and Western civilization, often mandated by Republican politicians, have cropped up at public universities over the last few years. Now the centers are hiring more faculty and offering more of their own courses and majors. And one is moving out of the academic unit that initially hosted it. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced last week that its School of Civic Life and Leadership, a particularly contentious civic-thought school that opened its doors in 2023, will be independent from the College of Arts and Sciences beginning this fall. Critics have called such centers and schools partisan interjections, while supporters say an academic recommitment to discourse and classics is necessary. UNC-Chapel Hill's unit, known as SCiLL, has been the subject of much controversy amid an internal investigation of hiring decisions and other issues, the alleged retaliatory ouster of the provost, the firing of an associate dean, and a number of faculty resignations. The university's administration has continued to stand behind the school. Shiri Siddiqi, a senior researcher at Heterodox Academy who co-authored a report on civic-thought schools across the country, said the majority of civics-focused centers and schools maintain a strong level of independence from their founding. |
| Specter of AI Haunts Class of 2026 | |
 | College students may use AI-powered tools almost daily, but their anxiety and anger over the technology's swift intrusion into their lives is taking center stage this graduation season. At the University of Central Florida's commencement ceremony in Orlando earlier this month, students cheered when the featured speaker -- investment executive Gloria Caulfield -- reminded them that "Only a few years ago, AI was not a factor in our lives." But those cheers quickly devolved into boos when she declared that "the rise of artificial intelligence is the next industrial revolution." Last weekend, a similar scene unfolded at the University of Arizona in Tucson when Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, told some 10,000 new college graduates that he sympathized with their fears that "the machines are coming, the jobs are evaporating, that the climate is breaking, that politics are fractured" -- but they must adapt to an AI-powered world nevertheless. "The question is not whether AI will shape the world. It will," Schmidt said as the audience jeered. "The question is whether you will have shaped artificial intelligence." But the Class of 2026's hostile reactions to AI aren't happening in a vacuum. The AI-related outbursts at graduation ceremonies this month embody a deeper, generational resentment over coming of age in a decade marked by strained human interactions and a volatile economy, said J. Israel Balderas, a lawyer and assistant professor of journalism at Elon University whose work focuses on free speech and AI. |
| St. John's College Is Weird. Maybe Yours Should Be More Like It. | |
| On a bitterly cold January night in Annapolis, Md., students in puffer coats and hoodies made their way along the wind-whipped sidewalks of St. John's College and into McDowell Hall, an imposing brick building at the heart of campus, for their twice-weekly Great Books seminar. Thirteen sophomores and two faculty members gathered around a large wooden table in a second-floor classroom, draped their jackets across the college's famously uncomfortable chairs, and pulled out copies of Dante's Divine Comedy. Emily Langston, one of the tutors, as professors are called, began by reading a passage from Purgatorio suggesting that Dante came seeking freedom, and now he was free. Quiet settled over the room as Langston asked: In what sense is he free? And has his understanding of freedom changed? The students opened their marked-up paperbacks, flipping pages as they considered the questions. There was not a laptop or a cell phone in sight. Then they began an increasingly rare activity on college campuses today. They discussed, for more than two hours, a complicated work and the deeper questions it presents. In an age where colleges compete over who has the most diverse academic offerings, the flashiest technology, and most Instagrammable campus life, St. John's appears more anachronistic than ever. |
| Researchers say the Trump administration is finding new ways to punish science | |
 | Standing in his laboratory, Harvard professor Sean Eddy gazes at a row of vacant work stations. More than a year ago, this lab was filled with over a dozen researchers. On a given day they might be working independently on analyzing genomic sequencing or gathered around the group table, drinking coffee and helping each other troubleshoot questions about genomic data from different species. Now, after his funding was terminated under the Trump administration, the computer screens are gone and the room is silent. He's one of the last people left. " Seeing these labs empty -- this is not the way it's supposed to be," he says. "This was a very vibrant lab." Eddy is a computational biologist. He has devoted his career to one fundamental question. " I'm really interested in the origin of life," he says. "I want to know where it all came from." He and his colleagues spent years developing software that could be used to seek out an answer. Scientists around the world now use the tools his team created to compare DNA and protein sequences, identify genes, and predict what they do. Their work underpins countless studies, including research related to cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders. In 2025, Eddy received a letter from the National Institutes of Health, informing him that his work "had been determined to be of absolutely no value to the US taxpayer, and therefore it was being specifically terminated," he recalls. |
| Get the Federal Science Money Flowing | |
| Ron Daniels, president of Johns Hopkins University, and Doug Girod, chancellor of the University of Kansas, write in The Wall Street Journal: Congress voted in February to maintain funding for the federal agencies that fuel the scientific partnership between the federal government and American research universities. That partnership produces research that supports American jobs and America's scientific primacy. But in recent months, the federal research engine has sputtered, with far fewer new grants awarded or made available than in years past. One of us leads a private research university on the East Coast. The other leads a public university in America’s heartland. One sits in a reliably blue state, the other in a reliably red one. But our researchers all serve the public good, by translating federally funded scientific discoveries that contribute to cancer therapies, treatments for cardiovascular disease, solutions for the farmers who feed the country, and other innovations that enrich Americans and improve their lives. That research is now in jeopardy. ... The consequences reach beyond any single campus. NIH research funding supports around 400,000 jobs annually across all 50 states and generates more than $94.5 billion in new economic activity each year. |
| Why Mississippi should want data centers | |
 | Former Mississippi state representative Dana Criswell writes in The Natchez Democrat: Mississippi did not invent the data center boom. But we did help invent the modern state level subsidy model for industrial recruitment. During the Great Depression, Mississippi's Balance Agriculture with Industry program became the first plan of its kind in the country. Other states copied it, and we have spent almost ninety years trying to win an arms race we helped start. The story is worth telling, because the people writing checks in Jackson today sometimes act as if this is new. It is not. Before Hugh White became governor, he was mayor of Columbia, Mississippi. During his time in office, White tried to bring industry to his hometown and to Marion County. He did it without state taxpayer money. He declared a holiday lasting two hours, called a community meeting, and asked local people to step up. Businessmen, secretaries, clerks, schoolteachers, and farmers signed promissory notes guaranteeing the funding for a factory building. With those pledges in hand, White used his own wealth and influence to secure a loan from New Orleans bankers. The plant was built. The jobs came. The Columbia Plan became the talk of the state. That, by the way, is much closer to capitalism than what Jackson does now. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: Valincius Brothers Lead State To Run-Rule Victory At SEC Tourney | |
| Vytas Valincius made Mississippi State history and Tomas Valincius gave the Diamond Dawgs the kind of start built for tournament baseball. Vytas Valincius homered twice in the sixth inning and drove in four runs, while Tomas Valincius struck out eight over six strong innings to lead No. 16 and eighth-seeded Mississippi State past No. 16 seed Missouri 12-2 in seven innings Wednesday in the second round of the SEC Tournament at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Vytas Valincius became the first player in conference history to homer twice in the same inning at the SEC Tournament. He was also the first Bulldog to homer twice in the same inning since Hunter Hines did it May 15, 2025, at Missouri. State (40-16) broke open a two-run game with an eight-run sixth inning, sending 12 batters to the plate and turning a tight tournament matchup into a run-rule win. Vytas Valincius started the inning with a solo homer to left field, then capped the outburst later in the frame with a three-run shot to left-center. Tomas Valincius did the rest on the mound, improving to 10-2 after allowing two runs -- one earned -- on five hits with no walks. Ben Davis worked a scoreless seventh to finish it off. The Bulldogs now take on top-seeded and SEC regular season champion Georgia on Thursday at noon on SEC Network. |
| Valincius brothers power Mississippi State to dominant SEC Tournament win over Mizzou | |
| Wednesday was a good day to be a member of the Valincius family. Mississippi State sophomore ace Tomas Valincius threw six strong innings against Missouri on Wednesday while his brother, senior outfielder Vytas Valincius, hit two home runs in the Bulldogs' eight-run sixth inning. No. 8 seed Mississippi State defeated No. 16 seed Missouri 12-2 in seven innings, advancing to Thursday's quarterfinal against No. 1 seed Georgia. Mississippi State (40-16) finished with eight hits, three of the home run variety. Wednesday was Tomas Valincius' sixth start this season where he surrendered less than two earned runs. "I was really encouraged by what I saw in the back part of the game. I thought our two-strike approach in the first three or four innings wasn't what it needed to be," MSU head coach Brian O'Connor said. "It seemed like to me a few of the players were trying to do too much. They weren't on time. (Vytas) addressed that. He wasn't on time to hit in his first two at-bats. He made an adjustment. That was great to see. And other guys were the same. I talked to the team in the dugout after the win and I said, listen, I know a lot of you haven't been in championships before. Whether it's this week or next weekend or the weekends after, you have to take a deep breath and be loose." |
| Valincius brothers star in Mississippi State baseball win vs Missouri | |
| Tomas Valincius was jumping up and down in celebration in the Mississippi State baseball dugout after his older brother, Vytas, led off the sixth inning against Missouri with a home run. Tomas, the starting pitcher, said he celebrated a little too hard. Because when Vytas came back up to bat in that same inning of the second-round SEC Tournament game, Tomas' celebration was a little tamer. Vytas hit an even bigger home run in that at-bat, a three-run blast to put the Bulldogs ahead by 10 runs. The TV cameras still caught Tomas pumping his fists from the dugout. "I was fired up," Tomas said. "I didn't realize it was in the same inning. He hit the first one early and I got fired up. They told me to stop jumping because I didn't realize how low the dugout was, but I was fired up for it. The second one, I was not as fired up because I used a lot of energy for the first one. It was cool. It was an awesome moment. I've never seen that before from him." |
| Men's Golf: Mississippi State Advances To NCAA Championship | |
| For the fifth time in program history, Mississippi State men's golf will play in the NCAA Championship. The Bulldogs fired an overall score of 26-under 826, the program's best-ever NCAA Tournament score, to place fifth and advance to the next round. "I'm really proud of this team for their fight this week," head coach Dusty Smith said. "It's never easy to get out of NCAA Regionals. We stayed composed all week and trusted our training when we needed it the most. I can't say enough about this team and what they have accomplished. Now, we need to reset our focus and get ready for the NCAA Championship." Garrett Endicott added to the historic week with a third-place finish, the best NCAA Regional showing by any Bulldog in program history. He carded a final round of 5-under 66 to complete a 14-under 199 for the event -- State's lowest-ever individual score in the NCAA Tournament. State will turn its attention to the NCAA Championship at the Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California. Play begins on May 29. |
| Mississippi State track and field lands 3 on all-conference teams | |
| Mississippi State Track and Field landed three athletes on All-SEC teams, the conference announced Monday. Marie Rougetet and Sacha Rifflart earned First Team All-SEC honors, while Nelly Jemeli was named to the third team, all for their performances at last weekend's SEC Outdoor Championships. Rougetet secured her first SEC title and second SEC medal with a conference-winning hammer throw of 69.25 meters Thursday. The victory made her the first hammer champion in MSU history and the program's first SEC outdoor champion since 2018. Rougetet, who shattered the program record earlier this season, has maintained a top-four national ranking all season. In his conference debut, Rifflart delivered Mississippi State's first decathlon gold medal in program history, scoring 7,507 points -- the fourth highest in MSU history. The senior was dominant, winning six of the ten decathlon events over two days and finishing with a 500-point margin over the silver medalist. Jemeli earned a bronze medal in the 3000m steeplechase, setting a new program record with a time of 9:47.10. |
| New rules approved for nonresident turkey hunters in Mississippi | |
| The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks approved new rules in its May meeting that not only reduce the bag limit for nonresident turkey hunters in Mississippi, but will also dictate when nonresidents can harvest gobblers during the spring hunting season. "The state did this to regulate nonresident hunting pressure -- to regulate pressure throughout the season," said Caleb Hinton, Wild Turkey Program coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. "We're trying to make it where everybody doesn't come to the state to hunt early in the season when we're the only state that's open other than Florida." Turkey hunters enjoy a three-bird bag limit and a little more than six weeks of hunting in spring, which is similar to some other states. What is at issue is when it opens. March 15 is the typical opening date for the regular season, making it one of the earliest in the nation. That leaves nonresident turkey hunters flocking to Mississippi to get an early start before the season opens in their states. |
| Board of Trustees hears report on revenue opportunities, spending for Arkansas athletics | |
| A consultant's review presented Wednesday to the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees outlined multiple ways the Arkansas athletics department could increase revenue, including changes to its ticketing model, additional sponsorship opportunities and a reevaluation of how resources are allocated across sports. The review, conducted by Navigate, found Arkansas lags behind many peer programs in overall athletics budget growth and trails top-tier programs in football spending. Arkansas commissioned the review as part of a broader effort to evaluate the athletics department's spending and identify new revenue sources. "The interesting observations here," trustee Ted Dickey said after the presentation, "[are] helping us figure out where we punch above our weight class, where we punch at our weight class, where we punch below our weight class, and we can make allocation decisions on resources." |
| State funding for new LSU arena? 'Not off the table,' says economic development agency. | |
 | For the past two years, LSU and local officials have been pursuing a public-private partnership to build a new sports and entertainment arena in Baton Rouge. A special taxing district was created, a company was chosen as a finalist to head the project, schematics showing what it might look like were released, and various details about who would foot the bill for the proposed around $400 million arena were made public. Yet a final financial plan remains elusive. Earlier this week, LSU System President Wade Rousse acknowledged the university is exploring new options for how to raise the money. After a shaky past year for the project -- the CEO of the Oak View Group, the sole finalist to build the arena, was charged with bid-rigging for a similar project in Texas, and a lawsuit was filed over whether economic districts tied to the arena can levy taxes without voter approval -- one potential funding source that has emerged is Louisiana Economic Development. Reached Tuesday, LED spokesperson Emma Wagner said an allocation to the arena is not currently in the agency's budget, but it is "not off the table." |
| Tommy Tuberville won gubernatorial primary, but says he has a more important job in next 6 months | |
 | Former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, now a U.S. Senator, won Tuesday's Republican primary election and will face former Democratic U.S. Senator Doug Jones in Alabama's governor's race. Meanwhile, with six months before his next election, Tuberville says he has a plan to save college football. "It's the transfer bill," Tuberville said earlier this week during an appearance at the Pearl Family Foundation golf event. "We're going to get it passed. I've got six months to get it done. I don't care how much money the kids make -- they can make $100 million. But we've got to stop these transfers. We're going to give them five (years) to play five. No redshirts, no exceptions. You get one free transfer. After that, you go back to the old rule. Now, if you graduate, then you get to transfer like we normally did." "My phone rings off the wall. I've talked to President Trump about it. The executive order is basically my bill. Now I've got to get it passed. I've got around 55 to 56 votes in the Senate. I need 60. If I can get it, we'll get a one-time transfer and five to play five." |
| With SCORE Act Vote Canceled, Colleges Need to Look in the Mirror | |
| A college sports bill in Congress has been fumbled yet again as U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday decided not to hold a vote for the much-hyped Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements Act (SCORE Act). It's the latest example of colleges unwisely placing their faith in Congress to bail them out when a better fix would be to simply follow the NCAA rules they've agreed to follow. A vote on the SCORE Act was expected this week, but the odds of it passing were low. Even if the House had voted in favor, the SCORE Act was unlikely to draw the support of 60 U.S. Senators to prevent a filibuster in the Senate. Since 2020, more than 40 bills to reform college sports have been introduced in Congress. During that stretch, both political parties have controlled Congress and the White House for significant stretches of time. Yet not one bill has advanced. ... There are two structural problems with the SCORE Act and bills like it. |
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