| Wednesday, August 19, 2026 |
| Find your sorority sisters in these photos from Mississippi State Bid Day 2026 | |
 | Sorority members celebrate their new members during Bid Day at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss., on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. |
| AG Fitch delivers overdose emergency boxes to Mississippi State Greek organizations | |
 | Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch has delivered 44 emergency overdose boxes containing naloxone and other overdose-response tools to Mississippi State University fraternity and sorority organizations as part of the state's One Pill Can Kill campaign. Each participating MSU fraternity and sorority received two boxes, which can be mounted in public areas and are designed to provide quick access to naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, and other tools that could help prevent a fatal overdose. Mississippi State Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Dr. John Michael VanHorn said the boxes could provide students with potentially life-saving resources. "Student safety is our top priority," VanHorn said. "The Emergency Overdose Boxes provide our students with resources that could make a life-saving difference as we continue to stress the importance of looking out for one another and creating a safe campus community." Other participating schools include the University of Mississippi, the University of Southern Mississippi, Alcorn State University, Delta State University, William Carey University, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Northwest Mississippi Community College. |
| Meatpacking plants close as U.S. cattle herds shrink to a nearly 75-year low | |
| The cattle herd in the U.S. right now is the smallest it has been since the early 1950s. That's tough on consumers, of course, because the tight supply has been driving double-digit inflation when it comes to the price of beef. It's also proving to be a problem for meatpackers -- the companies that turn cows into steaks and roasts and burgers. Smaller herds mean fewer hooves walking into slaughterhouses. David Anderson, professor of livestock and food product marketing at Texas A&M University, said that over the last few years, fewer cattle have been walking into packing plants every year. Glynn Tonsor, professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, said that makes meatpackers' operating costs jump. "You can only do that for so long before some business adjustment is going to be made, whether that is shrinking the number of shifts, not running on Saturdays, maybe eventually closing a facility," Tonsor said. Plenty of cattle walking in, and conveyor lines full of carcasses -- which is good for meatpackers' margins. But today's efficiency could have implications in a few years. "The lack of these facilities could get us into a spot where we run out of capacity pretty quick, said Josh Maples, professor of agricultural economics at Mississippi State University. "The cattle sector is is incredibly cyclical. We go through periods of declining supplies and then increasing supplies." Inevitably, Maples said, the national cattle herd will get bigger again. |
| Ernie and Paula Barnes Win Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award at 2026 Iowa State Fair | |
| Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig presented the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award to Ernie and Paula Barnes during a ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the 2026 Iowa State Fair. The award recognized the Barnes family for their commitment to livestock care, service to Iowa agriculture and decades of leadership supporting the pork industry and the Iowa State Fair. Ernie's career in the pork industry spans more than five decades. Ernie's contributions to the pork and livestock industries have earned numerous honors. He was also recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus by Mississippi State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In 2025, he was appointed to a three-year term on Mississippi State University's Animal Science Advisory Committee. A 1974 animal science graduate of Mississippi State University, Ernie has also judged more than 100 livestock contests during his career, reflecting his longstanding commitment to agricultural education and developing young people. |
| Young entrepreneur launches Ruck On fitness app | |
| When Pete Peebles returned home for the holidays during his freshman year of college, he and his dad started spending time together rucking. The two would ruck for a mile or two, using the time to catch up. "We would go ruck every afternoon," Peebles said. "It was just a way for us to talk, hang out, and catch up since I've been gone." They began thinking about how they could create tools and resources to help other people do the same. That idea became the foundation for Ruck On, a fitness app they co-founded and own together. Peebles, a 2025 graduate of Leake Academy and a sophomore accounting major at Mississippi State University, created the app to give people a way to track their rucking while building a community around the activity. Peebles said he became interested in rucking after gaining the "freshman 15." His dad also introduced him to it as an alternative to running because of a knee injury from football. s Peebles began rucking, he realized he wanted a better way to see and track his progress. |
| Mississippi Supreme Court Now Has 3 Women Justices, the Most in State History | |
| Women now comprise one-third of Mississippi's Supreme Court justices -- the highest proportion in state history -- after Gov. Tate Reeves filled two vacancies created by judges departing to become U.S. district court judges. Amanda Jones Tollison, an attorney and former legal counselor for then-Gov. Haley Barbour, will serve on the Mississippi Supreme Court Northern District 3, Place 2. She fills the vacancy created by the departure of former Justice James D. Maxwell II, who left for an appointed federal judgeship, Reeves announced on Monday. President Donald Trump appointed Maxwell to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi in August 2025. Last month, Reeves announced that Celeste Embrey Wilson, a circuit court judge for DeSoto County, would serve on the court's Northern District 3, Place 1. She replaced Robert P. Chamberlin, whom Trump also nominated to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi in August 2025. The two new justices will join Jenifer Branning of Philadelphia, Mississippi, as the women on the state Supreme Court bench, along with the six men currently on the court. |
| Co-Lin Natchez to open AI Lab for Fall 2026 semester | |
| Copiah-Lincoln Community College's Natchez Campus will open a new artificial intelligence lab during the Fall 2026 semester, giving Career and Technical Education students opportunities to develop AI skills alongside training for their chosen professions. The lab is part of a larger workforce development initiative funded through AccelerateMS's Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Talent Accelerator Program, or MAI-TAP. The AI Lab will support instruction across multiple Career and Technical Education programs and allow students to explore how artificial intelligence is being used in their respective industries. Students will learn how AI can improve productivity, solve problems, analyze data, support decision-making and encourage innovation in workplace settings. College officials said the lab is intended to complement, rather than replace, traditional technical education. Tiffany Woods, Co-Lin Natchez director of Career and Technical Education, said the expansion reflects the changing needs of employers and industries. |
| U. of Alabama begins new school year as President Peter Mohler starts Year 2 | |
| As students returned to classes this morning at the University of Alabama, UA President Dr. Peter Mohler began his second year leading the Capstone with a focus on keeping the value of a UA degree aligned with what families pay, preparing students for a changing workforce and managing the pressures that come with record growth. Mohler said a priority for the university is ensuring students not only enroll, but finish their degrees and move into successful careers. "Very focused on making sure that this continues to be a place that if you're a student from anyone of our 67 counties here in Alabama, that this is a place of opportunity for you," Mohler said. When asked about the university's responsibility to help students graduate with a realistic path to a good-paying job, Mohler pointed to expanding hands-on opportunities that connect classroom learning to careers. Mohler said the university's "future-ready framework" is aimed at preparing students for rapid change, including the growing role of artificial intelligence across fields. |
| Arkansas launches one-stop college application portal for class of 2027 | |
| A new application portal will allow Arkansas high school seniors to apply to any number of the state's participating higher education institutions with one form. Students can apply to up to five colleges for free through the Arkansas ACCESS Portal at araccessportal.adhe.edu, according to a news release from the governor's office. The ACCESS Act of 2025, a higher education bill championed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, mandated the creation of the portal starting with the 2026-27 high school senior class. Asked whether students could apply for more than five institutions through the portal, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department of Education said Tuesday that students could apply for as many schools as they want, though only the first five are free. Students' transcripts and test scores will automatically populate the system, and students may be granted provisional admission for meeting a participating institution's "baseline admissions requirements," the news release stated. |
| U. of Tennessee celebrates new Torchbearer residence hall as enrollment numbers reach record highs | |
| Amidst a sweltering heat advisory, students and administrators gathered outside Torchbearer Hall Monday afternoon to celebrate its official dedication as the newest addition to the university's residential facilities. University of Tennessee leadership, faculty, supporters and students excitedly braved the heat in business attire to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony. Located between Stokely Residence Hall and the building's namesake statue, Torchbearer Hall sits as one of the largest residential halls on campus, capable of housing 1,024 students. Chancellor Donde Plowman expressed her enthusiasm for new improvements to campus and seeing the long-awaited finished product. "This building is the latest in a series of enhancements we're making to the undergraduate student experience," Plowman said. "I've loved watching this building come to life." The building hosts majority four-person suite-style dormitories and features a post office, study rooms, lounge spaces and a large recreational green space. A new UT Creamery location is located inside of the hall, making ice cream crafted by UT students readily accessible to residents. |
| Missouri 4-H leaders get a head start on becoming Mizzou Tigers | |
| The University of Missouri and Missouri 4-H are making it easier for 4-H members to become Tigers through a partnership that guarantees admission for eligible students while strengthening the pipeline of future leaders for the state. Missouri 4-H students who meet the requirements of the new 4-H Mizzou Ready Direct Admission Pathway will receive guaranteed admission to Mizzou as first-time college students beginning with the Fall 2028 term. As an MU Extension program, Missouri 4-H has been part of the University of Missouri for more than a century, helping young people develop leadership, responsibility and life skills. The new pathway builds on that longstanding connection by creating a direct route for eligible members to continue their education at Mizzou. "Missouri 4-H has been preparing young people with the skills and experiences that help them succeed in college and beyond for generations," said Chad Higgins, vice chancellor for MU Extension and Engagement and chief engagement officer for the UM System. "Through this partnership, we are recognizing that preparation by creating a clear pathway for outstanding 4-H members to continue their education at Mizzou." |
| New Mizzou students welcomed with tradition-filled fun | |
 | "Paint the M" at Memorial Stadium is set to return as new University of Missouri students are welcomed on campus this week for the fall semester that begins Monday. Primary move-in days for Mizzou students residing on campus take place on Wednesday and Thursday. A number of streets around residence halls will be restricted to one-way traffic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Maps showing special traffic patterns are available online. Special drop-off and no parking zones will be established, and some traffic barricades will be set up. Tyler Page, Mizzou senior director of student affairs, told KBIA that police officers and about 1,000 volunteers will be on campus to help students safely move in. Mizzou officials expect about 2,700 students and families to arrive on campus Wednesday, and about 1,400 more should arrive on Thursday, according to KBIA reporting. Welcome Week will consist of five days full of tradition and engagement for new students attending Mizzou. Students will partake in welcoming activities such as First Roar, Flick at Francis, the Midnight BBQ and the traditional Tiger Walk. |
| Penn State frat pledges forced to cut and bag cocaine for college drug ring, authorities say | |
 | Penn State fraternity pledges were made to cut and package cocaine for a drug ring that was run out of two off-campus frat houses, authorities said. The illicit initiation was revealed Monday as Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday charged 14 people -- including 13 current or former Penn State students -- in connection with the alleged drug ring. The man accused of leading the operation, 24-year-old Agostino Abbatiello, surrendered on Tuesday after failing to appear for a scheduled arraignment on Monday on charges including possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy. He was ordered jailed without bail. They cut and bagged the drugs mainly at the Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon fraternity houses, using frat brothers and pledges as labor, then distributed it through Penn State students, court documents said. One of the men said a co-defendant was the "largest distributor of cocaine" at Penn State and would "boast about how much money he was making from selling cocaine." At least four of the defendants are current students, Sunday's office said. Penn State said it placed Delta Upsilon on interim suspension, noting Sigma Chi is not recognized by the university and is not subject to its oversight. |
| Setting students up to succeed? Why Michigan is ditching first-semester grades. | |
 | Jibreel Rehman took a chance on a new subject in college when he first got to the University of Michigan as a freshman two years ago: discrete mathematics, a computer science course that he didn't have to take as a new student. "I've never taken a class like it before," says the junior, a biochemistry major with his eyes set on medical school. "I think now, understanding how a college course works, if I took it now it wouldn't have been as difficult for me." But at that time, it was. So much so that he would return home from class and frantically text his parents that he wasn't doing well. He ended up getting a C, which will go on his transcript when applying to medical school. Michigan, one of the top public universities in the country, recently announced it will start a pilot program in fall 2027 using a pass/no-credit system for all first-year students in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) for the first semester of school. Students will privately receive letter grades and feedback from instructors for all courses, but on their transcripts, those grades will be "covered" and will only show as a P for pass or NC for no credit. Some education experts see the move as another step in diminishing the rigor that gives higher education its value. But the school and its supporters say the point is to help new students transition successfully into the more rigorous environment of college. |
| U. of Michigan chooses Vanderbilt provost as next leader | |
| Vanderbilt University Provost C. Cybele Raver is set to be the next president of the University of Michigan, according to two sources familiar with the selection, making her the second woman in history to lead the school and marking the second time this year the university has chosen a leader at a private university to lead one of the top public schools in the nation. Raver would become the second female president in Michigan's history after Mary Sue Coleman, who led the university from 2002 to 2014 and as an interim president in 2022 after the Board of Regents fired President Mark Schlissel for having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. She is a nationally recognized leader in higher education, developmental social science and university strategy, according to her biography on Vanderbilt's website. Raver is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology and Human Development at Peabody College, Vanderbilt said. Her research on children's development, education policy and poverty has garnered more than $24 million from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and Spencer Foundation. |
| Defense Department Orders 30 Universities to Audit China Ties | |
| The Trump Administration ordered 30 universities to audit their foreign research partnerships or risk losing funding. The order, issued Monday by the Defense Department, instructs universities to review their ties to 130 foreign institutions, mainly Chinese, that "engage in activities that increase the likelihood of U.S. government-funded research and development efforts being misappropriated." Schools that fail to terminate any "problematic" partnerships within two weeks may lose their eligibility for future federal research funding. The order is intended to protect taxpayer-funded research from "unauthorized technology transfer, intellectual property theft and adversarial exploitation," the Pentagon said in the announcement. "The Department of War has zero tolerance for academic partnerships that compromise our national security," Emil Michael, undersecretary of war for research and engineering, said. The announcement did not identify which schools had received the order or how they were selected, but a U.S. official told the Associated Press on Tuesday that they include Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University. |
SPORTS
| UAB, athletics director Mark Ingram agree to 'part ways' | |
 | UAB and athletics director Mark Ingram have "agreed to part ways," the school announced Tuesday. Ingram had been on the job since June 2015. Basketball coach Andy Kennedy will serve as interim AD while a search is conducted for Ingram's replacement. "Mark has played an important role in the growth and evolution of UAB Athletics," UAB President Ray L. Watts said. Ingram's tenure had been a controversial one, with the catastrophic hire of former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer as football coach prior to the 2023 season among his missteps. Dilfer had never coached above the high school level prior to UAB, and was fired midway through his third season with a 9-23 record. In addition, the UAB softball program endured scandal this past spring. Coach Taylor Smartt was forced out after being accused by players of widespread wrongdoing and personal improprieties. One of UAB's more successful programs in recent years, however, has been Kennedy's men's basketball team. The Blazers have won at least 20 games in each of Kennedy's six seasons, with NCAA tournament trips in 2022 and 2024. |
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