| Tuesday, September 22, 2026 |
| MSU hosting 2026 Employee Benefits and Wellness Week starting Tuesday | |
 | Join Mississippi State Human Resources Management for Employee Benefits and Wellness Week, Tuesday through Friday [Sept. 22-25], featuring informative sessions designed to help you make the most of your employee benefits while supporting your overall well-being. Whether you are new to MSU or simply need a refresher, there is something for everyone. We encourage you to attend in preparation for open enrollment, Oct. 1-31, with benefit changes taking effect Jan. 1. This year's Open Enrollment will be completed through our new benefits administration system, Employee Navigator. Several Employee Navigator training sessions will be offered during Benefits & Wellness week. Additional Open Enrollment details, including instructions for accessing Employee Navigator, will be shared closer to the enrollment period. |
| Absentee ballots available for November election | |
 | In-person and mail-in absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 general election are now available at each county's respective circuit clerk's office. In the race for U.S. Senate, the ballot includes incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith, Democrat Scott Colom and Independent Ty Pinkins. For the 1st Congressional District, which includes Lowndes County, Clay County and parts of western Oktibbeha County, voters will choose between Republican and incumbent Trent Kelly, Democrat Cliff Johnson and Libertarian Johnny Baucom. In the race for the 3rd Congressional District, which includes part of Oktibbeha County, incumbent Michael Guest is the Republican on the ballot, and he is challenged by Democrat Michael Chiaradio and Libertarian Erik Kiehle. In the Oktibbeha County Court Judge race, incumbent Lee Ann Self Turner faces Marty Haug. In the race for an open seat on the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Board of Trustees, voters will choose between incumbent Cassandra Palmer and Maggie Cooks. |
| Reeves talks energy growth, data centers at Southern States Energy Board meeting | |
 | State leaders from across the South gathered this week at the Biloxi Hard Rock for the 66th annual meeting of the Southern States Energy Board. Governor Tate Reeves, chairman of the board, spoke Monday during a panel discussion on the future of energy production for Mississippi and the region. Reeves held the panel with his successor as board chairman, Governor of Puerto Rico Jennifer Gonzalez-Colon. The panel's primary topic was a sector Reeves said is primed for growth. "Five years ago in America, and particularly in Mississippi, there was very little demand for growth," Reeves said. "Today, it is unbelievable what we're seeing in terms of the need for more megawatts, more gigawatts of power production." The panel also addressed data centers. Municipalities across Mississippi have called for a halt on data center growth, with some calling for moratoriums on the matter. Reeves said his stance on the issue is clear. "For a particular city, whomever they are, Jackson or otherwise, to say, well, we're just going to wait a year or two to consider that. I would submit to you, you cannot say I'm willing to forego that annual revenue to our city, county, and school district budget, while at the same time coming to the state and saying, hey, will you give us money for our city, county, and school district budgets? That doesn't make any sense," Reeves said. |
| Clinton development brings new jobs and potential growth | |
 | New development is bringing new opportunities to Clinton, with hundreds of jobs expected to be created and hundreds of millions of dollars in investment planned for the city. The growth includes a new Baptist medical facility, the approximately $200 million Rising Spring development and a $1 billion Amazon data center. People who live and go to school in Clinton say they are excited about what the projects could mean for the community, particularly when it comes to new jobs. "I'm personally looking for another job, so it gives me excitement that I'll have the potential to find a job here in my community," Clinton resident Sarah Griffin said. Clinton resident Grant McNally said the development could create opportunities for both residents and college students. "I think the opportunities that it provides not just in terms of businesses coming to Clinton and bringing in travelers, as well as jobs for people in Clinton. It also provides jobs for college students as well," McNally said. Clinton Mayor Will Purdie said one of the city's biggest projects is the Rising Spring development, an approximately $200 million investment. |
| Former International Paper site in Natchez being considered for data center | |
 | The former International Paper Co. site is being considered for the development of a data center, but economic and county officials say they cannot comment on specifics of the project. Chandler Russ, executive director of Natchez Inc., Adams County's economic development agency, said he and members of the Adams County Board of Supervisors have signed a non-disclosure agreement -- a legally-binding confidentially agreement -- prohibiting them from speaking about the specific project. But in general terms, Russ said a data center is far from a done deal. "We are under an NDA, so we can't talk directly about customers or clients, but just like communities everywhere, we are looking at and evaluating opportunities in that space -- data centers," Russ said. "We are a long way from this, which is some of the reason we haven't talked about it, because we don't want to get people excited one way or the other." Data centers have proven controversial in some areas, primarily because of the sound or hum they emit when operating, as well as the substantial amount of electricity it takes to operate them and the large amount of water needed to keep the hot-running servers cool and functioning properly. Those things are precisely why some think the former IP site would make a good location for a data center. |
| Study: Amazon energy projects added $212 million to Mississippi GDP | |
| A new economic study estimates Amazon's purchases of carbon-free energy contributed $212 million to Mississippi's gross domestic product over three years. The study estimated Amazon's carbon-free energy projects supported about 280 jobs annually in Mississippi and enabled more than $22 million in tax revenue from 2023 through 2025. Oxford Economics developed the economic model in partnership with Amazon, using federal energy data to estimate the effects of construction and operation of energy projects tied to Amazon's power purchase agreements. The model includes direct economic activity by energy developers, activity throughout their supply chains and spending by workers. In Mississippi, Amazon's carbon-free energy portfolio includes Delta Wind in Tunica County, the state's first utility-scale wind farm. Developed by AES, the 184.5-megawatt project began operating in April 2024 and generates enough electricity annually to equal the consumption of nearly 80,000 Mississippi homes, according to Amazon. Amazon linked the findings to the growing demand for electricity from data centers, citing Entergy Mississippi's projections that revenue from large customers will benefit existing ratepayers. |
| Survey ordered by Gov. Reeves shows many Mississippi agencies are embracing AI use | |
| As Mississippi's state government agencies embrace artificial intelligence, or AI, in their work, officials say human oversight remains essential. Mississippi defines AI in part as "a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations or decisions influencing real or virtual environments." In January 2025, Gov. Tate Reeves issued an executive order directing the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services to survey and evaluate state agencies' use of AI and develop AI use policy recommendations. For the survey, called the Mississippi State Agency AI Inventory, each state agency had to submit either a standardized report listing current and potential AI use or a letter stating no plans to use any. Out of 98 entities that responded, a little over half were using or planning to use AI. The Mississippi Department of Transportation, for instance, is working on AI projects for querying crash data, automating quality control across documentation and more. |
| Hosemann: Redistricting focal point of next legislative session | |
 | During a stop in North Mississippi on Friday, Mississippi Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann spoke with members of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's editorial board to lay out some of his larger goals for the upcoming legislative session. Among the lieutenant governor's priorities are redrawing the state's legislative districts, improving the state's housing shortage and investing in Mississippi's future. Redistricting is at the center of the plans for next year. Among other topics Hosemann said will take precedence this year are housing and university funding. University funding, Hosemann said, also may have some changes next session, with legislators looking to make at least a portion of the funding given to colleges around the state be performance-based. "(Across the board funding) is not acceptable to a lot of my senators," he said. "They proposed 1% based on performance and 99% across the board." |
| No charges in Nolan Wells' death following grand jury review | |
 | A grand jury has found there wasn't evidence to bring charges in the death of Nolan Wells, a Black teen who was found dead after a July 4 boating trip off the Mississippi Gulf Coast -- a conclusion swiftly questioned by Wells' family. The decision announced late Monday by Angel Myers McIlrath, the district attorney overseeing Wells' case, comes after months of intense speculation about how the 18-year-old disappeared from a bustling party and why the friends who ferried Wells to the island left without him. The grand jury in Jackson County, Mississippi, found no evidence of criminal conduct and noted that examinations of his body by the Mississippi medical examiner's office and an independent forensic pathologist hired by Wells' family found the cause and manner of death to be undetermined. "If credible evidence comes to light in the future that suggests Mr. Wells' death was non-accidental, this matter should be represented to the Jackson County Grand Jury for further consideration," the panel's report said. The grand jury also debunked public assertions that Wells was the only Black person on Horn Island on July 4. "These false assertions have led to misidentification, speculation and rumors concerning the death of Mr. Wells," it said. |
| Report: Rep. Bennie Thompson demands national Dems get more involved in Colom Senate race | |
| U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi's only Democrat in Washington, is pushing national Democratic groups to spend more money to support Scott Colom's closely watched Senate campaign against Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, according to Punchbowl News. Thompson told the news outlet he blames Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the fundraising arm of Senate Democrats, for failing to seize an opportunity in Mississippi. "I think the DSCC is missing a golden opportunity," Thompson told the news outlet. "A lot of folks keep asking why Sen. Schumer and the DSCC won't get engaged on behalf of Scott Colom's campaign." Colom told Mississippi Today in a statement that Democrat Party leaders in Washington, D.C., are starting to understand that Mississippi isn't a lost cause, something that Mississippians "have known all along." "We can win this November if Democrats double down on rebuilding our power in the South by investing in states like Mississippi," Colom said. |
| Diesel prices shoot upward as top farm-state GOP senator begs Trump for export embargo | |
| Diesel prices hit a record average of $6.51 a gallon Monday, and some in President Donald Trump's own party are breaking their support for the ongoing war in Iran that has driven fuel prices to staggering levels in the United States and across the globe. Already House Republicans locked in tight races as the November midterms approach have distanced themselves from the president's conflict and his administration's stagnant negotiations with Iran over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for global petroleum products. Another major vote on Iran support is expected later this week in the U.S. Senate. Longtime Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley urged Trump throughout the weekend to embargo diesel fuel exports as costs impact farmers in his largely agricultural state. "W(ith) diesel $6.57 in Iowa why doesn't Pres Trump put an embargo on diesel exports like presidents in the 70s put embargoes on (agricultural) products bc food prices were inflated. High diesel prices ARE KILLING FARMERS INCOME," Grassley wrote Saturday on X, followed by two more posts on Sunday urging the president to put "AMERICA FIRST." The administration does not have plans at this time to ban or restrict diesel exports, according to a White House official Monday. |
| Farmers Are 'Pissed' Over Trump's Moves on Beef and Tariffs | |
| Ryan Marquardt, the vice president of the Iowa Farmers Union, was working at an Iowa State Fair booth when the news broke that the U.S. would import hundreds of thousands of tons of below-market-priced beef from Argentina and Brazil. "I've never seen farmers more pissed," Marquardt said. "That was the maddest I've seen farmers in a long time." The decision was one of several actions by the Trump administration that experts and insiders say have dulled enthusiasm for Republicans among rural voters, who are already facing high input costs from the war in Iran and escalating trade wars with some of the country's biggest buyers of American agriculture. Republicans also control Congress, but have struggled to pass a long-awaited farm bill that farmers say is desperately needed. Republicans have relied on rural voters to form a solid piece of their base in recent elections, and some argue that the Democratic brand is too poor to rehabilitate in many areas. However, experts still see rural voter apathy as a major issue for Republicans. Even if it doesn't chip away at a crucial voting bloc in some key statewide races this cycle, it could cost the party down the road in a post-Donald Trump future. |
| Mamdani and Trump emerge from Gracie Mansion sit-down with nothing but praise | |
 | In a continuation of one of the most unexpected bromances in American politics, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump praised each other Monday after meeting privately at the mayor's residence in New York City for a wide-ranging discussion about everything from interior design to housing to immigration. "I want what's good for New York. I want what's good for the country. So if I had a choice of having him be a bad mayor, or a horrible mayor -- I don't want that. I want him to be a great mayor, and he's certainly got potential, got great potential," Trump, standing alongside Mamdani, told reporters on the lawn of Gracie Mansion before giving the mayor a slap on the back. Mamdani --- a democratic socialist who once freely called the Republican president a fascist but has taken a softer approach since taking office -- returned the compliments by thanking Trump for committing to take conversations to "a new level" about securing federal funding for building more than 12,000 units of housing on top of an old rail yard in Queens. But the deep disagreements between the two men weren't far beneath the surface. |
| Republicans start making moves to challenge JD Vance for 2028 nomination | |
 | Vice President JD Vance is leading polls of the nascent 2028 GOP presidential primary field -- but that has not deterred other Republicans from taking steps toward running months before the race kicks off. Other Republicans -- including several sitting lawmakers -- are weighing 2028 campaigns, even as the party fights to hold on to its House and Senate majorities in November's midterm elections. Sen. Rick Scott (Florida) insisted to reporters before headlining a GOP dinner in New Hampshire -- the second state on the Republican nominating calendar -- that he is not running for president. But he allowed in his remarks that he views the White House as a much more enticing job than the Senate. "The best job is to be the president," Scott told the crowd in a hotel ballroom blocks from the state capitol on Friday. "If that's not available, be the governor. If that's not available and you still have to do something, maybe be a U.S. senator." Scott isn't alone in making moves that White House hopefuls often make before formally declaring. |
| Auditor sends letter to IHL commissioner demanding information on recent cyberattacks | |
| State Auditor Shad White is investigating cyberattacks that occurred at a pair of public institutions this year. In a letter penned to Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) Commissioner Dr. Al Rankins Jr., the auditor said his team is looking into a February cyberattack at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) and one that occurred at IHL earlier this month. Specifically, the auditor's team is looking to uncover when IHL discovered the attacks, when the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services was notified, what systems were affected, whether or not a ransom was requested by the hackers, and if one was paid. As for the UMMC cyberattack, officials close to the scene told SuperTalk Mississippi News that a ransom was not paid to those responsible for the disruption to services. UMMC vice chancellor of health affairs Dr. LouAnn Woodward and state Sen. Nicole Akins Boyd, who chairs the Universities and Colleges Committee, said the hospital system was able to get up and running without taxpayer funds going to hackers. |
| Ole Miss recognized for sustainability, conservation efforts | |
| The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has recognized the University of Mississippi for its commitment to sustainability and conservation. John Brugge, director of the Office of Sustainability, accepted the recognition at the enHance Environmental Stewardship Workshop and Awards Luncheon last month in Jackson. Ole Miss joined enHance, a state initiative designed to support environmental leaders across Mississippi, as part of the 2026 cohort. All participating organizations commit to making environmental improvements beyond standard regulatory requirements. Ole Miss joined the imitative at the steward level. Since joining the administration last year, Brugge has initiated multiple new projects to promote sustainability on campus, including new recycling standards and signage, revitalizing the campus community garden, and creating new dragonfly and damselfly habitats. |
| How 865 Neyland will bolster U. of Tennessee's student recruitment | |
 | he newly named 865 Neyland entertainment district and combined condominium/hotel will play a key role in the University of Tennessee at Knoxville's focus on attracting and retaining students, Chancellor Donde Plowman told developers and top donors at an event marking the project's launch. Having the best athletics department is "an important piece of how we're distinguishing ourselves as a campus," Plowman said. Coupled with athletics, Plowman focused on how 865 Neyland will be a magnet for students thinking about coming to UT and those already enrolled. "We have stressed the following: Students who get engaged, who make friends, who find community are students who stay in school, graduate faster," Plowman said. "This is going to support all of that." It's why she added athletics as an important part of UT's "Next Level" plans and as an arm of the $3.5 billion fundraising campaign It Takes a Volunteer. "One of the reasons athletics is important is because it's the great uniter," Plowman said. |
| Flock cameras watch SC. But do they actually help solve crime? What U. of South Carolina study says | |
 | A new study from researchers at the University of South Carolina could be the first to show a link between crime reduction and the spread of Flock license-plate reading cameras. The study by USC professors Ian Adams and Scott Mourtgos shows that, at least when looking specifically at motor vehicle thefts, cities that adopt Flock Safety cameras have an 11% drop in vehicle thefts in the year following the cameras' introduction. "If it's true that this technology is having an effect on crime, then it would be biggest on motor vehicle thefts, because that's closest to what the technology is processing," Adams said in an interview with The State. "It's a crime that is widespread as compared to more serious crimes, and it is historically one of the least solved crimes. They don't often find the people responsible. Less than 18% of motor vehicle theft cases are solved, so it's a very low 'solved' rate." Adams said he expects the debate around Flock's use, and its potential tradeoffs, to continue. But he hopes the study's findings can contribute to the public's understanding of the issue. "This study cannot answer the overall policy question because you have to try to balance crime control, public safety and privacy," the USC professor said. |
| U. of Kentucky approves $337M for hospital expansion | |
 | The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees unanimously approved $337 million to grow its healthcare system Friday. Almost all of that -- $335 million -- will go toward renovations and expansions of UK King's Daughters hospitals in Ashland and Portsmouth, Ohio. The remaining $2 million will fund upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning at UK Good Samaritan Hospital in Lexington. UK HealthCare acquired Good Samaritan in July 2007 and plans to cease operations around 2029 to the 2030s, according to Jay Blanton, a spokesperson for the university. Its services will move to UK Chandler Hospital, which is open and undergoing a major expansion. Eric Monday, executive vice president for finance and administration of the University of Kentucky, presented the recommendations to approve the funding to the UK Board of Trustees at its meeting Friday, held at the University of Louisville. It was one of many upcoming board meetings that will be located outside of Lexington. The university will allocate $300 million to make space for more patient beds, operating rooms and automated technology at its Ashland hospital. |
| UGA Airport Shuttle Initiative returns for 2026-27 school year | Campus News | redandblack.com | |
| University of Georgia Auxiliary Services is continuing the Airport Shuttle Initiative this school year, providing out-of-state students a low cost option to travel to the airport for both Thanksgiving and winter break. Out-of-state students are offered a vendor discount and UGA subsidy for travel between campus and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The shuttle service is provided by Groome Transportation. This year's dates are Nov. 20–30, Dec. 4–12 and Jan. 6–11. Reservations must be booked at least 24 hours in advance, and are now open. Students must first confirm their out-of-state status via the Airport Shuttle Initiative page where they will be directed to a pricing and booking page. The initiative is supported by the Office of the President, the Student Government Association and Auxiliary Services. |
| Hasan Piker Is the Latest Test of College Speech | |
 | One year after Charlie Kirk was gunned down at Utah Valley University -- a killing his widow, Erika Kirk, has accused the university of doing too little to prevent -- officials at the University of Texas at Austin were weighing the risks of similar violence erupting on their campus. This time, the invited speaker came from the left. The university had given the go-ahead for the University Democrats to host Hasan Piker, a popular Twitch streamer and political commentator who has angered some Democrats, as well as Republicans, with inflammatory rhetoric they perceive as antisemitic and anti-American. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat, posted on X that "Jewish students at UT should not be made to feel targeted or unsafe on their own campus" and not be subjected to someone with "a history of hateful comments about Jewish Americans, 9/11, and Hamas terrorism." Piker responded that canceling his speech would be "a direct violation of the 1st amendment. Free speech must be protected. Dems should push back against this attack!" UT officials have not called off the event, but so far they have denied access to any space large enough to accommodate the expected crowd. For more than a decade, officials at UT and elsewhere have wrestled with these questions: How can they ensure safety while upholding a speaker's First Amendment rights, and at what point do threats become sufficiently specific, or imminent, to justify calling off the event? |
| Abbott: 3-year bachelor's degree initiative could save students' thousands | |
| Gov. Greg Abbott has named a 13-member state working group to design a three-year bachelor's degree he says could save Texas students $15,000 to $35,000 and cut degree costs by a quarter. "Texas students deserve a clear and affordable pathway to high-paying jobs," Abbott said in a statement, which is why he created a new Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) working group. The 13 members he's selected include deans, high-level administrators and faculty with PhDs working at four-year institutions and community colleges with expertise in academics, administration, accreditation and workforce education, he says. It's the latest higher education initiative Abbott has proposed to reduce costs for higher education students. Last month, he proposed creating a new statewide tuition savings program to lower the cost of summer courses that count toward an undergraduate degree. The plan, he argues, will help undergraduate students at public colleges and universities to earn their degree faster and save money on housing and other expenses. |
| Mizzou consolidates its relationship and sexual violence resources | |
 | Students at the University of Missouri returned to campus this fall to find relationship and sexual violence services reorganized without being notified. University spokesperson Travis Zimpfer said the reorganization does not represent a change in the services available to students. However, it does mean students who previously could go to one center for both prevention resources and support now may be directed to different offices. For students familiar with the former RSVP Center, that means navigating a new structure. The case management resources and clinical support moved to the Counseling Center, and prevention and education moved to the Wellness Resource Center. University officials said the lack of notification was because the services themselves have not significantly changed. Jaime Shutter, executive director of Student Health and Well-Being, said the university wants students experiencing interpersonal or sexual violence to know where they can find confidential support and assistance navigating their options. She said prevention and education are an important part of the university's goal to help students understand healthy relationships, consent and how to support one another. |
| More Than 500 Campus Hazing Incidents Confirmed in Last Year | |
 | Nearly two years after the first ever federal antihazing legislation went into effect, a clearer picture of just how widespread hazing is on college campuses across the United States is beginning to emerge. Between July 2025 and August 2026, there were at least 556 hazing incidents across the 1,441 colleges and universities that have bachelor's degree programs and on-campus housing, according to a recent analysis by HazingInfo. Two incidents resulted in death: Colin Martinez at Northern Arizona University and Savanna Jones at Wilberforce University in Ohio. "For the first time we're able to wrap our arms around what hazing looks like across college campuses," said Jolayne Houtz, who founded HazingInfo after her son, Samuel Martinez, died in 2019 after he was forced to consume lethal quantities of alcohol as part of fraternity initiation at Washington State University. "Hazing tends to be reported as these one-off tragic incidents that happen in a disconnected way every so often across the country. Now we're starting to see the bigger picture come into view, and it's happening on campuses of all kinds -- large, small, rural, urban, private, public." |
| Vanderbilt's Chancellor Publicly Criticizes the Sector but Talks Quietly With the White House | |
| Daniel Diermeier has become one of the most visible college leaders. The chancellor of Vanderbilt University joined a panel Thursday in Washington, D.C., to make his case for rebuilding public trust -- by taking politics out of research and the classroom, and restraining institutions from issuing statements on matters not directly related to their mission or operations. Being visible means facing criticism. Days before the panel, the chancellor had published an opinion piece in The Washington Post, calling out what he thought were unfair responses to a report commissioned by Vanderbilt and Washington University in St. Louis describing partisan bias and erosion of scholarly standards in the humanities. Those responses "ascribed sinister motives to those involved or asserted that the report had been commissioned to advance a broader political agenda," Diermeier wrote, without providing details. Diermeier's advocacy generally has not included commentary on the Trump administration's many attempts to reshape colleges, though his campaign for expelling politics and bias echoes the government's rhetoric. |
| Higher Ed Groups Push Back on Trump's New Accreditation Rule | |
| A number of accreditation agencies, student advocacy groups and university lobbyists say they see value in the underlying goals of President Trump's proposed overhaul to accreditation policy, particularly the efforts to put more weight on student outcomes and cut back on red tape. But many doubt that rewriting higher ed's quality-assurance regulations is the right vehicle to reach those goals. "While [we] support and champion many of the proposed rulemaking's goals, we believe the department should reexamine whether the accreditation process is the appropriate mechanism to achieve some of our shared priorities, especially in the context of ... ED's stated objective of Returning Education to the States," the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities wrote in its public comment on the rule. APLU was just one of thousands that weighed in on the proposal before the Sept. 21 deadline. Collectively, the commenters argue that parts of the proposal demonstrate executive overreach, set overly prescriptive standards and could actually increase operational costs -- not reduce them. Some of the most vocal sentinels warn that the proposal threatens a core principle of American higher ed: academic freedom. Proponents of the rule -- including conservative think tanks like the Defense of Freedom Institute and the America First Policy Institute -- say the Trump administration is streamlining approvals of new accreditors and encouraging greater competition, which will benefit students. |
| Lawmakers bristle at Trump effort for tighter control of NIH | |
 | Key lawmakers are pushing back after reports revealed that the Trump administration is seeking even greater control over the National Institutes of Health grantmaking process. The effort, first reported by The Washington Post, includes potentially issuing an executive order or White House review of grants to weed out research contrary to President Donald Trump's agenda. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, on Monday criticized the plan, saying that the Office of Management and Budget shouldn't be involved in these decisions. "Any attempt to politicize grantmaking at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), or any other agency, by another means -- whether an Executive Order or guidance -- is contrary to congressional intent," Collins said in a statement Monday. "Imposing a political review on awards that have already been selected through a rigorous scientific and merit-based process undermines the long-standing principle that the government funds awards based on scientific need and merit, rather than political ideology." The White House effort is the latest by the Trump administration to exert greater control over the agency and how it doles out money, much to the objection of members of Congress, including some Republicans. |
SPORTS
| Lebby's lectures: D-line depth dwindles ahead of Missouri | |
| Mississippi State football is officially down two defensive lineman for the rest of the season. Head coach Jeff Lebby confirmed Monday morning that Diesel Moye and Trevion Williams are out for the year with injuries. Williams was carted off the field with a lower-body injury during Saturday's game against South Carolina. Moye left the Bulldogs' Week 1 game against ULM with an upper-body injury. "That one hurt for a lot of reasons," Lebby said of Williams' injury. "What the young man has done to continue to invest in himself, become a really good player... just maturing as a leader, hate it for Bam Bam (Williams)." Williams had four total tackles and a sack this season before the injury. This is his fifth season, making it his last under the NCAA's new five-for-five eligibility rule, but Robbie Faulk of State 1878 reported Monday that MSU is pursuing a sixth year for Williams under a five-for-five exception. Moye played in 11 games last season, recording 10 total tackles. Lebby said MSU will "look" at some players in practice who can fit into the fifth interior defensive lineman role behind Dealyn Evans, Kalvin Dinkins, Jaray Bledsoe and DJ Reed. |
| Mizzou's failed tune-up against Troy exposes flaws ahead of conference play | |
| Mizzou had two jobs Saturday evening against the Troy Trojans: win comfortably and look good doing it. The Tigers failed to check either box off its list, showing far too many faults in a 27-17 victory that should've been simpler. The offense never found its rhythm in the air, and Mizzou's defense gave up too many chunk plays in the first half, especially to a team against which it was supposed to handle business. MU's schedule will only get more challenging, with its slate of Southeastern Conference games starting in Week 4. It's clear now that the Tigers have a lot to improve on heading into their upcoming matchup on the road against Mississippi State, despite entering the trip with an undefeated record. "The road ahead gets a whole lot more difficult, but it's really about us improving and finding ways to get better and learning more about our team," Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz told reporters following the victory over Troy. "And tonight, some good, but a lot of things to work on." A more complete performance will be necessary to beat the Bulldogs on their home turf, and it will start with discipline to eliminate penalties and consistency on offense. |
| Kamario Taylor, Trinidad Chambliss turning the state of Mississippi into quarterback nirvana | |
| Back on Dec. 2, 2022, Kamario Taylor was a skinny 15-year-old 10th-grader who introduced himself to the high school football scene in the state of Mississippi with five touchdown passes. In reality, those who'd been around Taylor going back to his freshman season had an inkling that he might be destined for greatness. But on that December day in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Taylor left no doubt, even though his Noxubee County team lost to Suntarine Perkins' Raleigh team in an epic state championship game, 55-52, with Perkins rushing for 331 yards and four touchdowns, leading his team in tackles and sealing the win with a fourth-quarter interception. A day later, Trinidad Chambliss watched in street clothes as Ferris State beat Grand Valley State in the super regional round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. It was Chambliss' second year at Ferris State. After redshirting his first year in 2021, he didn't dress or play a snap in 2022 because chronic respiratory issues and tonsillitis kept him out. Here we are four years later, and good luck in finding two more talented and entertaining quarterbacks in college football than the two balling out right now in the state of Mississippi. |
| Trinidad Chambliss, Kamario Taylor both among Heisman Trophy favorites after Week 3 | |
 | Undefeated starts to the season for Ole Miss and Mississippi State football both have resulted in their quarterbacks being considered highly for the Heisman Trophy. Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss and MSU's Kamario Taylor both rank in the top six for Heisman Trophy betting odds on Sept. 21, according to BetMGM. Chambliss, in his second season as the Rebels' starter, is tied for first at +325 with Miami quarterback Darian Mensah. Taylor, in his first season as MSU's starter, is tied for third at +1000 with three other players: Texas QB Arch Manning, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney. The state of Mississippi has never had a Heisman Trophy winner. The Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0 SEC) are coming off back-to-back road wins at Minnesota and South Carolina. They host No. 21 Missouri (3-0, 0-0) at Davis Wade Stadium on Sept. 26 (6:45 p.m., SEC Network) where they are a 6-point favorite to win their first SEC home game since the 2022 season. |
| What Mississippi State ace Tomas Valincius is working to improve in fall practice | |
| Expectations are high for Tomas Valincius in 2027. The Mississippi State baseball starting pitcher had a breakout 2026 season when he established himself as one of the top aces in the SEC. The left-hander is projected as an early first-round pick in the 2027 MLB Draft. D1Baseball recently ranked him as the No. 2 draft prospect among college players. So, what's he working on to get even better at during the Bulldogs' offseason? "I'd say just staying consistent," Valincius said. "Working through with (pitching) Coach (Justin) Parker on everything, seeing what needs to get better from last year and how I can make myself better." Valinicius had a 3.50 ERA in 17 starts, which ranked sixth in the SEC, with an 11-2 record. He was named second-team All-American by multiple outlets, made the All-SEC first team and won the Ferriss Trophy as the top player in Mississippi. |
| Ole Miss adds Noah Stansbury -- son of former MSU coach -- to staff | |
| Noah Stansbury -- the son of longtime Mississippi State head men's basketball coach Rick Stansbury -- was announced as the director of player personnel for the Ole Miss men's basketball team Monday. Stansbury was most recently an assistant at Louisiana-Monroe. He played collegiately under his father at Western Kentucky and at Memphis. Rick Stansbury, who is now an assistant at LSU, was the head coach at Mississippi State from 1998-2012 and went 293-166 with six NCAA Tournament appearances, and he is still the winningest coach in program history. He was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2003-04, a season the Bulldogs went 26-4 and finished eighth in the AP Poll. Stansbury was the head coach at Western Kentucky from 2016-23. Stansbury was part of the MSU coaching staff, as an assistant, that led the team to the Final Four in 1996. |
| Ole Miss athletic director talks future of college athletics | |
 | The Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics hosted an athletics panel in co-sponsorship with Mississippi Today titled "College Athletics: It's a Whole New Ballgame" on Thursday, Sept. 17. Mississippi sportswriting legend Rick Cleveland moderated the panel, which featured Ole Miss Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter and Yahoo Sports senior writer Ross Dellenger. Cleveland opened the event by raising questions about the sustainability of the current chaotic world of college athletics, which led into a larger discussion regarding payment of players, revenue and national legislation. "If we get to another football portal window and the marker increases another 50%, 60%, 70%, like we've been seeing every year, you're going to be looking at (rosters costing between $80 million and $90 million) for football," Carter said. "Only one team can win the National Championship. How much do you want to pay to have a shot of doing that every year?" Carter stated that he is in full support of players making their share in revenue. However, he also reiterated that the college sports world could use some order. |
| College sports bill faces uphill battle in post-midterms House | |
 | Bipartisan legislation to regulate the growing business behind college sports appears primed to clear the Senate this week, but it faces a much tougher road in the House when lawmakers return in the fall. The Protect College Sports Act, championed by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), cleared its first major congressional tests last week, winning the backing of more than 70 senators on two procedural votes, including a group of key Democrats and conservatives who had held out support for weeks. Cruz had insisted a big bipartisan vote was key to gaining enough momentum to win over skeptical House members, and in private conversations, he urged Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to keep members in town last week to take up his bill. But Johnson decided to send House members home early, meaning the legislation will not reach President Trump's desk until November at the earliest. "We remain pretty optimistic the House is going to make this a priority when they come back. The only reason you wouldn't do that is because of sour grapes," said one lobbyist who has worked extensively on the Senate bill. "They owe it to the American people, and especially for Republicans, to the expectations of the president on top of that." |
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