| Wednesday, September 30, 2026 |
| Weeds, Weeds, and More Weeds! | |
 | What is a weed? What is an herbicide? And how do farmers address the weedy issues that crop up along the way when growing rice? On the latest episode of The Rice Stuff podcast, host Dr. Steve Linscombe tackles all this and more, joined by four renowned weed scientists: Dr. Jason Bond, Extension/Research Professor at Mississippi State University, Dr. Jason Norsworthy, Distinguished Professor at the University of Arkansas, Dr. Connor Webster, Assistant Professor at the LSU AgCenter, and Dr. Sam Rustom, Assistant Professor and Extension Agronomist at Texas A&M University. The crew dives into the nuances of weed control in rice production, as well as ongoing concerns, such as herbicide resistance and AI weed identification. |
| Gipson calls for economic emergency declaration over rising fuel costs | |
| Mississippi Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson is calling on state leaders to declare an economic emergency and take temporary action to reduce fuel costs for Mississippi workers, farmers and the timber industry. In a statement Tuesday, Gipson asked Gov. Tate Reeves and other state leaders to consider measures including temporarily suspending the state fuel tax on gasoline and diesel. Gipson also proposed allowing farmers and loggers to use off-road diesel as a way to expand the available fuel supply. Gipson said any relief could include calling the Legislature into a special session if necessary to address construction projects affected by a temporary suspension of the fuel tax. "These fuel prices are breaking the backbone of Mississippi's economy," Gipson said. "We have been dealing with this for several months. Our farmers, loggers and working people cannot endure much more of this." |
| Southern Miss wins North American Coursera award for engagement | |
| The University of Southern Mississippi has been named the North American regional winner of the 2026 Coursera Outstanding Achievement Award in the Engagement Excellence category. The award recognizes organizations that sustain learner participation and connect learning with academic, professional and community goals. It is the second consecutive year Southern Miss has received a Coursera Outstanding Achievement Award. Southern Miss began offering Coursera Career Academy in fall 2024, giving students, faculty and staff free access to professional certificates, courses and guided projects. The university also extended licenses to members of the Southern Miss Alumni Association. |
| Jackson State has 12 alumni serving as college presidents, chancellors | |
| Twelve current college and university presidents and chancellors across seven states hold degrees from Jackson State University, according to a release from JSU. The group includes leaders of historically Black colleges and universities, community colleges, technical colleges and public and private institutions, the university said. Among them is Jackson State President Denise J. Gregory, who earned a bachelor's degree from JSU in 1994. Gregory was named the university's president earlier this year, becoming the first alumna to serve as JSU's permanent president, according to the release. "Twelve Jackson State alumni leading colleges and universities across seven states is both a point of pride and evidence of the university's national impact," Gregory said in the release. "My journey from a student on this campus to president reflects how JSU prepares graduates to step into consequential leadership roles, expand opportunity for students and strengthen the institutions and communities they serve." |
| Mark Peters Named LNG Center of Excellence Director of Operations | |
| Mark Peters has been named the director of operations for the LNG Center of Excellence at McNeese State University, according to Dr. Michael Buckles, provost and vice president for academic affairs. The LNG Center of Excellence at McNeese serves as a neutral place where education, industry, government and the community collaborate and engage in discussions, debates, educational activities, research and the dissemination of LNG-related topics. Peters has a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Mississippi State University and began his career with Dow Chemical as a production engineer. Peters is looking forward to working in a higher education setting after years in large-scale industry operations. He said he is excited by the opportunity to serve as a vital bridge between McNeese and the industry working to translate the real-world operational needs of local LNG partners into high-impact academic programs, workforce training and research. |
| Hegseth freezes hiring of civilian tenured faculty at US military academies | |
 | Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed departments on Tuesday to halt appointments of civilian staff to tenured positions at U.S. military service academies and develop hiring plans that prioritize "institutional flexibility and faculty contribution to the warfighting mission." "The primary purpose of our Military Service Academies (MSA) is to prepare the next generation of officers to lead the men and women of the greatest military on Earth. To ensure our educational institutions remain firmly focused on this warfighting mission, we must address the structural mechanisms that have allowed civilian academic norms to dilute our focus on lethality," Hegseth said in a one-page memo titled "Refocusing the Military Service Academies on Warfighter Education." The Pentagon chief said in the memo that granting tenure to civilian faculty "often leads to academic stagnation, faculty complacency and institutional inability to adapt to emerging needs." |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor wins national QB of the week award | |
| Another Mississippi quarterback has been named Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week. After Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1 SEC) quarterback Trinidad Chambliss earned the honor for his week-three performance in the Rebels' 32-24 win over LSU, Mississippi State's (4-0, 2-0 SEC) Kamario Taylor earned the nod after week four. In the Bulldogs' 31-24 win over No. 19 Missouri (3-1, 1-1 SEC) at Davis Wade Stadium, he went 27 of 38 for a career-high 360 passing yards and three touchdowns. Taylor's 24-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Sanfrisco Magee sealed the game for the Bulldogs with 3:57 left in the fourth quarter. It marked the fourth straight game in which Taylor has completed at least three touchdown passes. |
| Judge tosses lawsuit against NCAA over transgender athlete policy | |
 | A federal judge tossed a lawsuit led by former college swimmer Riley Gaines against the National Collegiate Athletic Association alleging the collegiate sports governing body violated her rights when it allowed transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. Gaines and more than a dozen other current and former college athletes sued the NCAA in 2024 under Title IX, the federal education law barring sex-based discrimination. At the center of the lawsuit was the association's now defunct policy that allowed transgender women to compete on sports teams and use facilities that align with their gender identity. The NCAA rescinded the policy a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that bars transgender athletes from competing on women's and girls sports teams. U.S. District Judge Tiffany Johnson on Monday ruled the NCAA is not covered by Title IX because "there is no evidence that the NCAA received federal financial assistance" from the federal government. Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer, said in a statement Tuesday she will be appealing the decision. |
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