| Wednesday, July 8, 2026 |
| Wicked's Chenoweth, Grammy winner Hathaway slated for MSU Riley Center 2026 Fall Performing Arts Series | |
 | Sources from an MSU press release say that, from Broadway Star Kristin Chenoweth to the Grammy Award-winning "First Daughter of Soul" Lalah Hathaway, Mississippi State's Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts fall and winter lineup brings legendary musical arts and family entertainment to downtown Meridian. The five-show season offers something for every music lover, featuring Chenoweth, Hathaway, Arrival from Sweden: The Music of ABBA, five-time Grammy Award winner Keb' Mo,' and legendary rock band Little Feat on its Last Farewell Tour. "Over the past 20 years, the MSU Riley Center has established itself as a premier destination for live entertainment in Mississippi. As we begin this season, we remain committed to presenting outstanding performances, serving our community and creating experiences that inspire, entertain and connect people through the arts," said Morgan Dudley, MSU Riley Center director. Season tickets for the upcoming series are now on sale. Individual tickets go on sale to the general public July 21. |
| MSU Riley Center Announces 2026 Season | |
 | The MSU Riley Center announced it's 2026 Fall Season Monday at a press conference on the downtown campus. The new season will kick off in late August with Broadway star and Tony Award winning entertainer Kristin Chenoweth. The rest of the lineup includes singer-songwriter and five-time grammy winner Lalah Hathaway, a tribute to the 1970's band Abba, long-time blues musician Keb' Mo' and legendary rock band Little Feat, as part of their farewell tour after 56 years together. "It's always been one of the cornerstones of what we've been trying to do for two decades," said MSU Riley Center Executive Director Morgan Dudley. "We want to have diversity in the world class artists that we bring here and to have something for everyone to create experiences and opportunities for everyone to come see a show." |
| Mississippians encouraged to ramp up their physical activity | |
 | Many in the U.S. continue to fall short of reaching the aerobic Physical Activity Guidelines adopted in 2018 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Mississippi State University Extension Service is working to promote more physical activity for adults who find themselves behind a desk on a daily basis through a program called Magnolia Moves. The spring push for more physical activity ended in May. It generated friendly competition between participating counties, with Winston County coming out on top. Other counties taking part included Choctaw, Webster, Coahoma, Oktibbeha and DeSoto. In total, the campaign helped participants engage in 1.4 million minutes of physical activity during the six-week event. MSU's Extension Offices plan to relaunch the challenge again in the fall. Professionals with office jobs are not the only ones who find it hard to get healthy amounts of physical activity. Senior citizens often find fitting in enough physical activity in their daily routines difficult when there is little reason to leave the house. A 2024 report from the CDC shows that only 13.9% of adults 65 and older met the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for both aerobic and strength training. That statistic drops further as the person ages, down to 6.2% for those 85 and older. |
| MSU ranks 4th nationally for Registered Behavior Technician exam pass rates | |
| Sources from an MSU press release say that Mississippi State ranks fourth nationally for Registered Behavior Technician examination pass rates, according to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. The recently released ranking is based on 2025 examination data from 51 entities nationwide that met the BACB's criteria. MSU is the only university in the state and the Southeastern Conference to be listed among the top nine training providers. "We are incredibly pleased to see MSU recognized among the top programs in the nation for RBT exam pass rates," said Daniel Gadke, department head and College of Education associate dean of research. "This is a real testament to the hard work of our faculty, the commitment of our students, and the strength of the ABA training we are building at MSU." Available in Starkville and online, MSU's ABA bachelor's degree prepares students to serve as paraprofessionals with the Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst and RBT credentials. |
| MSU ranks 4th nationally for Registered Behavior Technician exam pass rates | |
| Mississippi State ranks fourth nationally for Registered Behavior Technician examination pass rates, according to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. The recently released ranking is based on 2025 examination data from 51 entities nationwide that met the BACB'S criteria. MSU is the only university in the state and Southeastern Conference to be listed among the top nine training providers. A practicing RBT is a paraprofessional certified in behavior analysis, primarily providing services to individuals with autism. As part of MSU'S applied behavior analysis program in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations, the university offers a course that prepares students for the RBT exam and meets the BACB'S 40-hour training requirement for the RBT credential. Since MSU launched the RBT certification course in 2021, more than 1,000 students have passed it, then making them eligible to pursue the certification. Additionally, MSU offers an ABA graduate program, which leads to credentialing as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and is supported by the Hearin Foundation and the Hosemann Family Autism Foundation. |
| Residents question proposed crypto mining center | |
 | Potentially higher utility bills and sound pollution topped the list of concerns raised by six residents who addressed the board of aldermen Tuesday about a cryptocurrency mining facility proposed for Industrial Park Road. Vice Mayor Roy Perkins, who represents Ward 6, said he has fielded similar concerns from constituents following the board's June 12 work session, during which members heard a presentation about the potential project. The proposed facility would be a specialized type of data center designed to mine cryptocurrency, a digital currency that operates independently of government-backed financial systems. It is stored in digital wallets and fluctuates in value. Mining facilities use specialized computers that draw large energy loads to secure the digital transactions that take place. The center proposed in Starkville would be much smaller than "hyperscale data centers" that store and process data for large tech companies. Mayor Lynn Spruill did not answer each question individually, instead encouraging those with questions to watch the June 12 presentation. Due to the project's early stage, she noted the board does not yet know answers to all the questions raised during Tuesday's meeting. Spruill said the proposed center is currently going through the staff vetting process. Once the process is complete, staff will make a recommendation to the board on whether to pursue the center. At that time, Spruill expects to be able to answer residents' remaining questions. |
| Supes leave door open to spend $13M in hospital proceeds | |
| A resolution passed by supervisors Monday clears the way for the board to use at least a portion of profits from the OCH Regional Medical Center rather than investing those dollars in the county's reserve and trust fund. During its June 22 meeting, the board resolved all funds from the hospital sale would enter the trust after the remaining legal liabilities were settled. Monday's resolution, however, amends that decision, allowing the board to instead hold up to $13 million from the sale that is currently reserved for legal liabilities back from the trust. As of the June 22 meeting, the trust holds $55 million. The board intends to select an adviser for the trust by Oct. 6. In the interim, the fund is following the county's typical investment strategy, County Administrator Wayne Carpenter told The Dispatch. District 4 Supervisor Pattie Little, the sole dissenting vote on Monday, voiced her discontent with resolution at the meeting, noting the board's earlier decision to invest all proceeds. "I personally feel like since we publicly said we were going to put all the funds from the sale of the hospital, that I could not vote for (this resolution)," Little said. |
| Building Momentum: Bland reflects on first year as mayor | |
 | Meridian Mayor Percy Bland reflected on his first year in office Thursday evening, highlighting improvements in public safety, infrastructure, neighborhood revitalization and city operations while outlining an optimistic vision for Meridian's future during his annual State of the City address. Speaking before city officials, community leaders and residents, Bland centered his remarks on what he described as a year focused on rebuilding confidence in city government and laying the groundwork for long-term growth. Throughout the address, Bland repeatedly emphasized a philosophy that has guided his administration during its first year. "If we build a city where people want to live, work, worship, earn a living, raise a family and be good neighbors, opportunity follows," he said, adding that "talent follows space and capital follows talent." Bland said public safety remained the administration's top priority, citing several improvements over the past year. Bland said the city has continued strengthening relationships with existing businesses while supporting entrepreneurs and collaborating with organizations such as Compass, Meridian Community College, Mississippi State University, workforce agencies, healthcare providers and local schools. |
| Leah Upton promoted to Chief Operating Officer at Golden Triangle Development Link | |
| The Golden Triangle Development Link is adding a new face to its staff and has some recent promotions. Internally, Leah Upton has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Upton has been with the Link since 2022 as the Director of Finance. As COO, she will oversee day-to-day operations while also managing the Link's financial responsibilities. The former Project Manager, Elizabeth Templeton, has been promoted to Director of Economic Development. According to a press release, Tempelton will lead industrial recruitment efforts while continuing to oversee requests for information, demographic and infrastructure research, and grant support for economic development projects She has been with the Link since 2022, and a new face will be added to the bunch. Brent Lochala will serve as the Director of Business Retention and Expansion. Lochala will work closely with existing industries throughout the Golden Triangle to support growth, expansion, workforce development, and business success. |
| LINK adds role to support existing business | |
| The Golden Triangle Development LINK on Tuesday announced a new hire and two internal promotions aimed at strengthening the organization's efforts in economic development as well as business retention and expansion. Brent Lochala has been hired as director of business retention and expansion, according to a LINK press release issued Tuesday. In the role, he will work closely with existing industries in the region to support business growth, expansion opportunities, workforce development initiatives and long-term business success. Lochala brings with him nearly 30 years of experience with 4-County Electric Power Association, including the last 13 spent as a key accounts executive serving commercial and industrial customers. He has helped local industries secure incentives and grants for expansion, energy efficiency upgrades, capital investments and job creation. |
| Warren County moves forward with data center project agreements | |
| Warren County supervisors approved a series of agreements Monday tied to the infrastructure needed for the coming Amazon Web Services data center project, including a $20 million loan agreement, a payment agreement with AWS and engineering work for road improvements. Vicksburg Warren Economic Development Partnership President and CEO Pablo Diaz presented items to the board including a right-of-way request; a loan agreement with the Mississippi Development Authority; a financial agreement with AWS; and an approval for Neel-Schaffer Engineering to begin work on infrastructure improvements related to the project. Diaz asked the board to authorize a right of way from Warren County to Entergy Mississippi for land near the north-northwest portion of where the new port will be built. "I should mention that this is part of the land that we acquired at a very discounted price, you remember, from Entergy," Diaz said. "So now they're asking for a 4-acre area where a new 500kV line coming out of the new power station is going to come south and connect to the existing infrastructure. None of this land is usable to us or usable for the port project. But this is important to the power situation in that entire region." |
| Jabil creating 2,200 new jobs with $119 million Marshall County project | |
| Florida-based manufacturing company Jabil is expanding its Marshall County footprint with a $119 million investment that is expected to bring 2,200 new jobs to north Mississippi. After announcing it was opening a $70 million x-ray sterilization site near Byhalia in September 2025, the company has expressed further interest in the Magnolia State. On Tuesday, Gov. Tate Reeves announced that Jabil will take over an existing 1.5 million-square-foot facility it recently purchased in Marshall County to support customers in the data center infrastructure market. The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive program. Marshall County, AccelerateMS, and the Tennessee Valley Authority are also assisting with the project. "What makes this project even more impressive is that Jabil is expanding just nine months after announcing its first Marshall County location," the governor continued. "Jabil would not be making this investment unless the company was confident that Mississippi and her people can deliver results. Manufacturing is thriving in Mississippi, and this investment is further proof of that." |
| Hood Industries closing Wiggins plywood mill after storm damage | |
 | Hood Industries is closing its plywood manufacturing operation in Wiggins. Company officials said the decision came after assessing the damage caused by Tropical Storm Arthur. "We determined that the damage caused by the recent storms, combined with the age of our 56-year-old facility, would require an investment that is not economically feasible. As difficult as this decision is, repairing and restoring the mill is not a sustainable option," Hood Industries president Jay Galloway told employees. "We have made the decision to close the mill." Company officials said the closure will affect approximately 260 employees, who were told about the decision in meetings. "This was not an easy decision for us to make. We are well aware of the impact this decision will have on the Wiggins employees, their families and community," Galloway said The mill will continue operating until the remaining inventory is processed and is expected to stop manufacturing operations by the end of August. |
| Alexander outlines vision for CDP as Vowell retires | |
| Incoming Community Development Partnership President David Alexander plans to focus on supporting existing businesses, recruiting new development, and improving the overall quality of life in Philadelphia and Neshoba County. Alexander is currently serving in an interim role and working alongside longtime President David Vowell during a transition period and his retirement. Alexander will officially become president Oct. 1, according to a release from the CDP. "My vision is to keep the momentum going that Mr. David, Tim Moore, Searra Wilson, and the CDP board have established," Alexander said. "I want to continue to recruit new businesses, and I want to continue to work with existing businesses either on expansion or just to let them be successful." Alexander, a retired member of the Army National Guard, served for 31 years, including 23 years on active duty. He retired about three years ago and owns MilDawg Strength and Conditioning. Alexander identified business recruitment and retention, workforce development, and pursuing grant funding as priorities. He said the CDP will continue working with local schools and community colleges while focusing on housing, parks and recreation, and downtown businesses. |
| White House Pressures Top U.S. Grocers on Beef Prices | |
 | Just days before July 4, an Agriculture Department official called some of the country's top grocers to raise a pressing topic: Lower beef prices. Tate Bennett, the chief of staff for USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, spoke last week with grocers including Walmart, Kroger and Albertsons, according to people familiar with the matter. She asked about their prices for beef heading into the holiday weekend, when demand for burgers on the grill is at its highest. During the USDA call with Walmart, the country's largest grocer said it already had plans to reduce prices on many items for the summer, including beef, said two of the people. Walmart implemented those plans on shelves June 29, and later readied a press release touting the price cuts. The USDA relayed Walmart's plans to the White House, and President Trump claimed victory Monday, posting on social media that Walmart would drop prices "at my administration's request." Minutes later, Walmart published a press release saying it would drop prices on thousands of items to help customers. The USDA calls followed months of discussions between the Trump administration and grocers about lowering prices. The outreach effort shows how the Trump administration, facing Americans' frustration with higher prices in a midterm election year, is leaning on industries to lower costs for consumers -- an unusual step for a Republican administration. |
| Former mayor of Mississippi's capital city pleads guilty in bribery scheme | |
 | The former mayor of Mississippi's capital city and the former City Council president have pleaded guilty in a bribery scheme one week before they were set to face trial. Former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and former Jackson City Council President Aaron Banks pleaded guilty Monday to one count of conspiracy. Their pleas came after Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens pleaded guilty last week and resigned. All three are Democrats. Two other people -- Angelique Lee, the Democratic former vice president of the Jackson City Council, and Sherik Marve Smith, a businessman and relative of Owens -- had already pleaded guilty to bribery charges. A November 2024 indictment accused Owens of taking at least $115,000 from two FBI agents posing as real estate developers and facilitating more than $80,000 in bribe payments to Banks, Lumumba and Lee in exchange for their help greenlighting a development project. Lumumba, Banks and Owens could be sentenced to up to five years in prison. Their sentencing hearings are set for Oct. 15. |
| US attorney says Jackson bribery case had 'no racial issues' | |
| lack elected officials who pleaded guilty in connection to a sweeping probe into corruption in Mississippi's capital city weren't targeted because of their race, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi Baxter Kruger said in a Tuesday press conference. Kruger, who was nominated by President Donald Trump in December, was responding to allegations attorneys supporting former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba made on the courthouse steps Monday. "There are no racial issues that we're dealing with here," Kruger said, referencing a recent jury conviction of former Canton Municipal Utilities engineer Rudy Warnock for conspiracy to commit bribery. Warnock, a white man, was sentenced to 12 years in prison last year. Kruger also disagreed with claims from some in Jackson that former Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, Lumumba and former Jackson City Council member Aaron Banks received lenient sentences. "They had to admit their guilt, and that's consistent with the charges that we levied against them," Kruger told reporters at Jackson's federal courthouse. The investigation began under then-President Joseph Biden's administration. |
| Iran ceasefire is 'over,' Trump says | |
| President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. ceasefire and peace process with Iran is likely dead after the Pentagon launched major retaliatory strikes overnight. When asked if the ceasefire was done and the initial peace agreement was dead, Trump said that "to me, I think it's over." The president's comments, speaking alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the alliance summit in Ankara, came just hours after U.S. forces struck Iranian military sites overnight in retaliation for Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The shaky ceasefire had seen multiple flareups of fighting, so far relatively limited in scope as both sides said they wanted to keep the larger ceasefire in place. Trump said Wednesday he would allow his negotiators, led by Vice President J.D. Vance, to keep talking with Iranian representatives. But he hinted that dealing with Iran was simply a "waste of time." The U.S. president expressed anger that the administration had allowed the funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to proceed peacefully while the Iranian military was simultaneously attacking commercial vessels. Standing alongside Trump, Rutte backed up the American action in Iran. "I think what you did last night was absolutely necessary. It was a very strong response," Rutte said. |
| Justices to face Congress after contentious court rulings | |
 | Supreme Court justices are scheduled to appear before both Senate and House appropriators next week, marking the first time since 2019 that justices will face lawmakers. Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan are slated to testify before the Senate and House Financial Services Appropriations subcommittees on July 14 to discuss the high court's fiscal 2027 budget request. The court is requesting $225.1 million, an approximately 10 percent increase over fiscal 2026 enacted funding. Of that total, $207 million would be for salaries and expenses and $18.1 million would be for care of the Supreme Court building and grounds. The federal judiciary overall requested $9.7 billion in the coming fiscal year, a roughly $500 million increase from current funding. Much of those increases would go to cover increased staff and staff salaries across the federal appellate and district courts. While next week's hearings are designed to be focused on the budget, the justices will likely face questions about the cases before them in recent years, as well as on the court as an institution. The hearings will come two weeks after the justices closed out their term for the year, issuing decisions that rebuffed President Donald Trump's worldwide tariff regime and his attempt to redefine citizenship through executive order, along with decisions that supercharged the ongoing redistricting wars and gave presidents more power to fire federal officials. |
| As health rumors swirl, GOP leaders say they've spoken with McConnell | |
 | Several of Sen. Mitch McConnell's Republican colleagues and allies said on Tuesday that they've spoken with him by phone, offering the fullest picture yet of the hospitalized Kentucky Republican's condition after more than three weeks in which he has not been seen publicly and his office has said little. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) spoke with McConnell on Monday, and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) talked with him Tuesday, their offices said. Both men spent years on McConnell's leadership team before rising to the top of the party -- Thune served as his whip and Barrasso as the No. 3 Republican -- and the two now hold the Senate's top GOP posts. McConnell ally Scott Jennings said on social media that he, too, had talked with the senator, who remains in the hospital. But none of the accounts included McConnell speaking publicly himself, and his office has not disclosed what sent the 84-year-old to the hospital on June 14. Amid the official silence from his office, others have rushed to fill the vacuum with rumors and theories. In some cases, the attempts from GOP allies to reassure have only driven conservative influencers to post even wilder theories about the situation. |
| Graham Platner Succession Crisis Lays Bare Democrats' Deep Divisions Ahead of Midterms | |
| Democrats are scrambling to stave off disaster in the pivotal Maine Senate race as the fallout from new allegations against Graham Platner threatens to intensify simmering rifts within the party. The progressive and establishment factions of the party are already jockeying to select Platner's replacement in Maine after prominent politicians on both sides called on the oyster farmer to drop out following allegations on Monday that he sexually assaulted a woman with whom he was romantically involved. Platner has denied the allegations and said Monday that he was "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward." The jockeying comes amid an increasingly fraught nationwide battle for the party's identity ahead of November's midterm elections. Progressives have been building up momentum in primary elections, touting the victories of several left-wing congressional candidates, including three Democratic socialists in New York and Colorado. Centrists say such candidates can't win in competitive general elections and could damage the party's chances to retake Congress. That sets the stage for a potential fight over Platner's replacement to become the latest flashpoint between the two factions. Progressives believe Platner's primary victory over centrist Gov. Janet Mills is proof that Maine voters want a candidate who shares Platner's populist, antiestablishment message. Party leaders believe the string of controversies that imperiled Platner's campaign show that Democrats need a more traditional, well-vetted candidate who isn't selected by the party's left wing. |
| Ole Miss names Halaby assistant vice chancellor for innovation | |
| The University of Mississippi has named Dominique Halaby as assistant vice chancellor for innovation and economic engagement. Beginning August 1, Halaby will lead efforts to connect university research and creativity with commercialization, entrepreneurship and economic development across the state. The school says Halaby will oversee efforts to expand technology transfer, intellectual property management and startup creation. He also will support the development and management of a new venture fund designed to accelerate the growth of university-affiliated startups. |
| New scholarship helps Itawamba CC students transfer to Delta State | |
| A special scholarship has been set up to give Itawamba Community College students an incentive to transfer to Delta State University. Delta State alumni Dr. John Arnold and his wife, Janice, created the Itawamba Community College Transfer Student Scholarship to expand higher learning opportunities for students at the two-year school. The new scholarship will provide financial assistance to eligible students transferring from Itawamba to Delta State. Dr. Arnold's, who graduated from Itawamba before moving to Cleveland to continue his time as a student at Delta State, said creating the scholarship was personal to him due to the impact both schools had on him. The new scholarship comes fresh off an announcement that Itawamba and Delta State had reached a memorandum of understanding. The agreement streamlines transfer pathway for Itawamba students seeking to earn a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Delta State. |
| Mississippi Christian, Millsaps partner on accelerated law degree program | |
| Mississippi Christian University is easing the pathway for Millsaps College students to earn a law degree one year quicker than normal through a new partnership. The two private schools reached a memorandum of understanding on Monday, creating a pathway to law school initiative to streamline the academic journey of students looking to pursue a legal career. As part of the plan, a student who has completed 75% of the coursework required for a bachelor's degree from Millsaps will be eligible for admission to the MC School of Law. "Through this partnership with Millsaps College, we are expanding opportunities for students, strengthening legal education across our state and helping ensure that future lawyers can pursue their calling and build their careers right here in Mississippi," MC President Blake Thompson said. Millsaps is the sixth higher learning institute to sign an accelerated law program agreement with the MC School of Law. Other partners include Mississippi State University, the Mississippi University for Women, Troy University, the University of Southern Mississippi, and William Carey University. |
| All Mississippi special education teachers can receive $2,000 bonus, lawmakers say | |
| After months of confusion, state leaders say the bonus they granted earlier this year is intended for all special education teachers in Mississippi. Raising teacher pay was a top priority for lawmakers during this past legislative session. Following months of debate, they agreed on a $2,000 pay raise for all teachers and granted special education teachers an additional $2,000 one-time supplement. The law says "any licensed special education teacher employed by a school district on a full-time basis and specifically providing special education instruction" is eligible for the bonus. But Mississippi Department of Education officials sent a letter to lawmakers in May, asking them to clarify who the money was for, leaving the bonuses up in the air as many teachers finalized their contracts for the coming school year. Lawmakers responded to the agency on June 24 with a letter of legislative intent signed by House Speaker Jason White, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and chairmen of both chambers' Education and Appropriations committees. The letter specifies that all full-time, licensed special education teachers can receive the bonus. Education agency spokesperson Jean Cook said full-time inclusion teachers are eligible if they're appropriately licensed and exclusively teach students with special needs. |
| Anxiety is driving some of our early back-to-school shopping | |
| It's back-to-school season, at least if you ask big box retailers. Target, Walmart, Amazon, and others are rolling out sales earlier than usual this year. Families expect to spend $922 on school supplies in 2026, according to PwC. It's possible that financial anxiety could be shifting companies' promotions -- and consumers' buying patterns. During a Sunday Target run, Kristin Diehl kind of couldn't believe what she saw on display: colored pencils, binders, and backpacks. "I was surprised to see already the back-to-school when we, you know, I think most of us are just happy that we're just out of school," she said. Diehl is a marketing professor at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business. She said sales patterns have shifted over the last handful of years. Everything is starting earlier. "Christmas promotions before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving before Halloween and those things," she said. It wasn't always this way. |
| Alabama professor fired over Charlie Kirk comments rejects settlement banning her from UA System jobs | |
 | A former University of Alabama professor who was fired after making social media posts following the assassination of Charlie Kirk has not agreed to settle her case against the university despite earlier news reports. In her federal lawsuit, Candice Hale claimed she was fired from the University of Alabama after the school's president objected to her Facebook post about Charlie Kirk shortly after the conservative activist was gunned down in Utah in Sept. 2025. Previous press reports indicated that "according to court records, Candice Hale, a former English professor at UA, reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount of money with the University of Alabama last month." However, Hale's new attorney, Richard Rice said his client has not agreed to a settlement. "She's still optimistic she can reach a settlement with the University of Alabama, which is her alma mater," Rice told AL.com. "At this point she doesn't see there's been a meeting of minds and that she has reached terms with the University of Alabama or with Auburn University." |
| Appeals Court Rules Florida's Stop WOKE Act Violates First Amendment | |
 | 2022 Florida law that limits how professors can discuss race and gender in the classroom violates the First Amendment, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. In a 2-to-1 decision, the Court of the Appeals for the 11th Circuit upheld a lower court's decision blocking the law. Free speech advocates had warned that the lawsuit against the law, known as the Stop WOKE Act, could demolish the tradition of academic freedom in American higher education if the judges sided with the state. Florida's lawyers argued, essentially, that professors' speech in the classroom is government speech, so the state can restrict what they say. Other states have made similar arguments as they enacted bans on diversity, equity and inclusion. Judge Britt C. Grant, appointed by Trump in his first term, wrote that Florida's argument, that it has total control of classroom speech because it pays the professor's salary, was a "a breathtaking assertion of power to ban unpopular ideas from public discourse in the very places the State's own statutes recognize as centers of inquiry." Free speech advocates and Florida faculty celebrated the ruling as a clear victory that strengthens academic freedom protections. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression noted in a news release that six other appellate circuits have also held that the First Amendment protects faculty when they are teaching and researching. |
| The Unraveling of 'a Very American Institution' | |
 | John R. Thelin's A History of American Higher Education has for two decades served as essential reading for those who want to understand the sector's evolution, twists, and turns. A fourth edition that extends into the 2020s is due out next month from the Johns Hopkins University Press. The U.S. semiquincentennial offered the ideal opportunity to talk about the country and its higher-ed history with Thelin, who is a university research-professor emeritus at the University of Kentucky. Our conversation below has been edited for length and clarity. "We inherit, in recent years, the interlocking fabric of the sectors -- federal, state, institutions both private and public -- intertwined in what has been a mutually beneficial way. That is why I think the unraveling is all the more painful and surprising." |
| U. of Kentucky 'mandated' to discuss insurance in Cayman Islands and England, official says ] | |
 | A University of Kentucky lawyer told trustees last week that UK officials make trips to the Cayman Islands and London, England, because it's a requirement for the university's insurance company, Insure Blue. UK spent thousands of dollars on trips to the Cayman Islands and London, England, in recent years for meetings about its captive insurance company, Insure Blue, according to the university's legal counsel and public records. William "Bill" Thro, general counsel for the university, said last week that the fine print of the purchase of UK King's Daughters Medical Center and subsidiary corporations in 2022 requires some discussions about its limited liability company would happen there. Thro reminded the UK Board of Trustees Tuesday that they approved this. "If you look at the footnotes of that resolution, we noted that, 'Hey, this is domiciled in the Cayman Islands, and everything is subject to approval of the Cayman Islands government authorities,'" Thro said at a UK Board of Trustees Healthcare Committee meeting Monday. Insure Blue is used to protect UK HealthCare's physicians and nurses from claims of medical malpractice and professional liability, according to Thro. |
| Laika Steiger named senior associate dean for UGA's nursing school | |
| Laika Steiger has been chosen as the senior associate dean for the University of Georgia's Victoria Kay Ivester School of Nursing. The Ivester School of Nursing was established in 2025, and the inaugural class is set to start in the fall of 2027. Prior to joining the University of Georgia's faculty in March, Steiger served as the associate dean of clinical practice operations and executive director at the Emory Nursing Learning Center within Emory's Nell Hodgson Woodroof School of Nursing. According to a press release, prior to her work at Emory, Steiger led workforce development for an integrated health system overseeing the professional development of 20,000 workers. Now at UGA, Steiger works closely with the Ivester School of Nursing's Founding Dean Carolyn K. Clevenger to provide administrative and operational leadership for the new school. In this position Steiger oversees finance, human resources, information technology, clinical education infrastructure, accreditation readiness and technology operations for the Ivester School. |
| Texas A&M president's five-year contract includes $1.25 million in base pay | |
| Texas A&M University's new president could earn more than $1.7 million a year under a five-year contract as the state's largest public university tries to steady itself after years of political scrutiny and leadership turmoil. Susan Ballabina's agreement gives her a $1.25 million base salary, eligibility for an annual merit-based retention bonus of up to 25% of that salary and $150,000 in deferred compensation beginning next year, according to records obtained by The Texas Tribune. The agreement offers a glimpse into what Texas A&M leaders are willing to pay for stability after the flagship campus cycled through presidents and became a flashpoint in the state's broader political fight over higher education. The board of regents confirmed Ballabina, who most recently served as executive vice chancellor of the system, as president in May. In a June message to campus, Ballabina said one of her priorities is to "restore trust" in the university. She is also searching for a new provost after Alan Sams, who has held the role since 2023, told her he would not seek another term. Ballabina said the university aims to have his successor in place by January. |
| Texas A&M researchers shift strategy to opioid prevention | |
| Texas A&M University researchers are shifting opioid prevention efforts away from traditional fear-based tactics, focusing instead on teaching students practical skills to recognize risks, resist peer pressure and avoid substance misuse. The Texas Opioid Prevention for Students (TOPS) project is an initiative that brings together lessons, activities and mental health support to improve youth risk prevention efforts across the state. TOPS also works with Texas schools to provide THRIVE, a six-lesson program for students in grades 6-12 to prevent opioid misuse and suicide. The curriculum offers resources to local schools. The project is led by principal investigators Marcia Ory, a Regents and Distinguished Professor at Texas A&M, and Joy Alonzo, an associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at A&M and co-chair of the Texas A&M Opioid Task Force. Alonzo said TOPS focuses on behavioral change management rather than simply warning students about the dangers of drugs, noting that programs like D.A.R.E. and the "One Pill Kills" campaign do not work. |
| Prepared not scared. Dedicated volunteers in Nashville relay calm, straight-talk info during storms | |
| Anyone who has watched an episode of "9-1-1: Nashville" could be forgiven for thinking the city is constantly beset by tornadoes that turn outdoor concerts into scenes of carnage and blow scooter-riding tourists onto the tops of water towers. That may be a TV exaggeration, but tornadoes and other dangerous storms do hit the city regularly. When they do, many people here turn to Nashville Severe Weather. This group of dedicated volunteers can be found on social media, calmly explaining the storm movement, advising when to take cover and giving the "all clear." The coverage by Will Minkoff, Andrew Leeper and Tom Johnstone draws tens of thousands of viewers who interact with them in real time. It's a service that evokes the early promise of the internet, before the rise of the influencer. This is happening at a time when many people no longer watch local news and weather reports. Yet Kevin Trowbridge, who teaches strategic communication at Belmont University in Nashville, says an informal survey of his students found many are tuning in to Nashville Severe Weather. "The millennials and Gen Z -- and teaching college students, I know this all too well -- their source of information is that handheld device," he says. "It's not turning on a TV. And it's not even looking at a traditional media outlet's online presence. It's finding sources that provide them quick information when they need it." |
| Michigan State's Departing President Made the Shocking Decision to Stay. We Asked Him Why. | |
| In late June, Kevin M. Guskiewicz, clad in an orange tie, spent a day posing for pictures with faculty and students at Clemson University, his soon-to-be home. Everyone was all smiles, preparing to welcome Guskiewicz to the presidency as he ran out the clock in the same position as Michigan State University. A couple of weeks later, on Monday, Guskiewicz shocked the higher-education world with an announcement: He was rescinding his resignation from Michigan State and voiding a signed term sheet that would have had him become Clemson's 16th president. The president said he and his wife arrived at the decision after much deliberation: "As Amy and I reflected on the possibility of leaving, we kept returning to one simple truth: we love this university. This place has become home to our family. The people, the mission and the opportunity to make a lasting difference here mean more to us than we can adequately express." He apologized for creating instability but did not back off his denunciation of members of the board. He spoke with The Chronicle for a few minutes Tuesday morning. |
| Brown Professor Suspects Majority of His Class Used AI to Cheat | |
| For the first time since he started teaching Welfare Economics and Social Choice Theory nearly two decades ago, Brown University economics professor Roberto Serrano gave his students a take-home midterm this spring. Quite a few students had expressed anxiety about being in a classroom after a gunman killed two students and injured nine in a December mass shooting at Brown, and so "it was appropriate," he said, to allow students to take their exams at home. But by the end of the semester, Serrano regretted the decision. Dozens of students in the class likely used artificial intelligence to cheat and earn perfect or near-perfect scores on their midterm, he said. Serrano in turn made the final exam in-person, which led more than a dozen students to drop the course and even more to fail it. Administrators' response to the widespread cheating event has been "meek," he said, and the incident has raised questions about how universities can -- and should -- respond to AI-enabled cheating at scale. As the cheating scandal unfolded in Serrano's classroom, a Brown committee on generative AI in teaching and learning was examining how the technology was being used at the university and formalizing recommendations for how Brown can adapt and respond to AI developments. Its inaugural report was published Tuesday. |
| Colleges Fear Federal Grad-Loan Caps Will Hurt Enrollment. These State Groups Are Trying to Help. | |
| When news spread last summer that, starting this month, the federal government would phase out a decades-old loan program that effectively provided unlimited financing to graduate students, colleges flocked to the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority. "We started receiving direct calls not just from financial-aid officers, but high-level administrators" at around two dozen colleges, said Thomas Graf, the executive director of MEFA. They wanted to know: Had his organization heard about this? And, perhaps more essentially, what was it going to do to help? Elsewhere around the country, other state-based nonprofits were receiving similar questions and calls-to-action from institutions -- many of which have voiced concerns that the sunsetting of the federal Grad PLUS loan program could restrict access to graduate education, especially in health-care fields. These nonprofits, largely established by their states but operating as separate, self-funded financing authorities, see affordable lending as integral to their mission. Since they aren't beholden to shareholders and can't turn more than a small profit, they can often offer loans to students at lower interest rates than can their for-profit competitors. |
| As fireworks fizzle from America's 250th celebrations, unity as a nation remains elusive | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: In the June 1956 edition of Harper's Magazine, literary giant William Faulkner of Oxford wrote in an essay about the social condition of the South: "We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it." As America moves beyond the national celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence -- replete with fireworks, music, exhibits, and multiple high-production-value television extravaganzas -- the question looms large: what's next for our country? I recall the Bicentennial celebrations 50 years ago, when I was a rising senior in high school. The national reaction was the same, with demonstrations across the country. But just as the country was divided in 1976, we sadly remain divided a half-century later. ... The disappearance of even the quaint notion of "the loyal opposition" in American politics leaves us all wondering whether our country can return to the recognition that we are indeed, or at least should be, all Americans with shared values and a common destiny. Civility in the halls of Congress, mutual respect in the nation's judicial system, and recognition of the absolute value of a diversity of ideas seem, now, perhaps a bridge too far. How far apart are we? |
SPORTS
| 84 Bulldogs Listed On 2025-26 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll | |
| Mississippi State Athletics was represented by a total of 84 student-athletes on the 2025-26 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll, the league office announced Tuesday. The honor roll recognizes student-athletes who began their academic and athletic careers during the 2025-26 school year and earned a 3.00 grade point average or higher while meeting SEC eligibility and academic credit hour standards. Mississippi State's honorees represent 12 of its varsity programs and a wide range of academic disciplines. Baseball led all Bulldog teams with 20 selections, followed by softball with 10, women's track and field with nine, and football with eight. In addition to their accomplishments in competition, MSU student-athletes earned recognition while pursuing degrees in fields such as mathematics and criminology, aerospace engineering, economics, agribusiness, finance, chemical engineering, psychology, human development and family science, and other programs that carry strong academic demands. |
| MSU Basketball selected for Greenbrier Tip-Off | |
| MSU basketball has another non-conference game on the books. The Bulldogs will take on the Xavier Musketeers at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The game is scheduled for Nov. 13. The Greenbrier is a 248-year old resort that has hosted the Greenbrier Tip-Off since 2024. The Bulldogs and Musketeers will battle inside the 1,200 seat Colonial Hall located at the Greenbrier. "We look forward to competing at the iconic Greenbrier Resort against Xavier this season," said Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans in a release from the Greenbrier. "Having faced Coach Richard Pitino before, we know his program will be well-prepared and competing at a high level. This will be a great early-season test for our team. We also appreciate Intersport for their commitment to making this event possible and look forward to a tremendous experience for everyone involved." |
| Two Bulldogs To Pitch For USA Baseball In Taiwan | |
| Two Mississippi State hurlers will represent the Stars and Stripes as members of the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. Ryan McPherson and Tomas Valincius were selected to compete in the inaugural World Collegiate Baseball Championship in Taichung City, Taiwan from July 11-15 against collegiate players representing Korea, Japan and Taiwan. McPherson made two starts during training camp for USA Baseball logging 4 2/3 shutout innings surrendering just one hit and fanning four. Valincius was equally as dominant during his two starts, tossing 4 1/3 scoreless frames with six strikeouts and no walks. The rising junior Diamond Dawgs depart for Taiwan on Monday and will play their first game against Korea on Friday at 11:30 p.m. CT. Team USA takes on Chinese Taipei on July 12 at 5:30 a.m. and Japan at 11:30 p.m. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for July 14-15. Mississippi State had the most players participating in training camp for the Collegiate National Team this year. |
| Big 12 commissioner declines to address Sorsby gambling saga and describes league as `16 strong' | |
| Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark wanted to talk Tuesday about the league's upcoming season, not the Brendan Sorsby gambling saga at Texas Tech that led to a lot of legal wrangling and a since-dismissed court order that had sent shockwaves through college sports. Even though that was the first thing Yormark was asked about after his opening remarks at Big 12 football media days. "I appreciate the question. I appreciate other questions that are probably going to come forth today. Today is not the time to address that issue," Yormark said. "Today is about celebrating the upcoming football season and celebrating our 16 schools." Yormark later spoke about the conference "moving ahead as 16 strong." That would include Texas Tech, which the league and its other 15 members were discussing potentially punishing if Sorsby had indeed played this fall for the Red Raiders after the quarterback transferred from Cincinnati, another Big 12 school where he played the past two seasons. |
| With Brendan Sorsby debacle still hanging over Big 12, conference tries to turn page to more pressing matters | |
| Within the Fort Worth entertainment district called The Stockyards, there stands an iconic, near 80-year-old restaurant where much more than bread is broken. At Cattlemen's Steakhouse, deals are struck. Along linoleum flooring and among wood-paneled walls, ranchers and cattlemen for nearly eight decades have dined on sizzling Texas-sized steaks -- with a side of business. Ranch selling. Cattle trading. Rodeo organizing. But one week ago, last Tuesday, college sports emerged as the main entree. Big 12 conference officials and Texas Tech administrative executives gathered at Cattlemen's to air grievances, seriously discuss the future of the league and, most importantly, bury the proverbial hatchet in the wake of the Brendan Sorsby saga -- a three-month sports wagering ordeal that enveloped the college sports industry. Those at the meeting describe it as a positive step in the long-term future of the two entities co-existing. For Texas Tech, and the Big 12 and its 15 other schools, lingering issues remain. In fact, on Tuesday here from Big 12 football media days, Tech head coach Joey McGuire signaled that more time is needed before all wounds are healed. "I think it's tough," McGuire said in an interview with Yahoo Sports. "I think there's going to be a process. There's a lot of finger pointing. It's going to be something we'll have to work through." As Texas Tech and the Big 12 continue their reconciliation, the Sorsby saga is far from over. |
| After Supreme Court ruling, what's next in fight over trans athletes? | |
 | Handing down the Supreme Court's big decision in the most significant culture war case of the term, Justice Brett Kavanaugh took umbrage at his liberal colleagues' "assumed monopoly" on understanding how the nation's debate over transgender athletes affects those students. "We are acutely aware of the difficulties sometimes faced by boys who identify as girls (and by girls who identify as boys) in middle school, high school, and beyond," Kavanaugh wrote in the court's June 30 ruling that says states are free to ban transgender girls from competing on female teams. But the court must also, he said, consider how their participation raises safety and fairness concerns for members of a team. It likely won't be long before the justices will again have to weigh such factors. The Supreme Court left open the question of whether states are required -- rather than merely allowed -- to keep transgender women and girls off female teams. That legal issue is separately working its way up to the high court. The justices also avoided a broad ruling that would have had ramifications far beyond the athletic field for transgender rights. |
| SCOTUS Trans Athlete Ruling Raises Broader Title IX Intrigue | |
| The U.S. Supreme Court's recent holding that neither Title IX nor the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment forbids states from conditioning eligibility to participate in sports on sex identified at birth has spurred intrigue into whether the Court might be open to revisiting other applications of Title IX -- namely the three-part test for compliance -- though a close reading of the ruling casts doubt on that possibility. The three-part test is used by the federal government and courts to assess if a school has provided equitable athletic participation opportunities for male and female students. A school can comply by meeting one of three criteria. Although the three-part test is widely accepted by courts and has become integral to higher ed and college athletics compliance, it is not expressed in the Title IX federal statute as enacted through the Education Amendments of 1972. Nor was it addressed in the executive branch's 1975 regulations that followed. Instead, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in 1979 promulgated the three-part test as guidance through agency rule-making and regulatory authority. That origin story for the three-part test is important, considering the current high court's skepticism about judicial reference to agency interpretation. |
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