| Wednesday, November 11, 2026 |
| Richard Holmes, Who Integrated Mississippi State University, Has Died |
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| In the summer of 1965, Richard Holmes entered Mississippi State University as the first Black student in the school's 87-year history. Some resistance might have been expected at a school in a state with a history of strong resistance to desegregation. A year earlier, three civil rights workers were attacked and killed by members of the Ku Klux Klan in Neshoba County, Miss. And in 1962, James Meredith became the first Black student at the University of Mississippi, setting off rioting that killed two people and injured many more in Oxford, Miss. But Dr. Holmes's entrance to the campus in Starkville, Miss., went smoothly. His daughter, Rikeeda Jordan, said in an interview that her father had not been surprised by the treatment. "I think the country was more surprised than he was," she said. "He expected it to go well." Dr. Holmes, an emergency room physician, died on Oct. 16 in hospice care at a nursing and rehabilitation center in Louisville, Miss., Ms. Jordan said. He was 82. ... The university honored Dr. Holmes several times. In 1991, the school's cultural diversity center was named for him. In August, YMCA Plaza, a gathering place for students, was dedicated to him and a monument was installed. "Growing up here in Starkville, he knew about this campus, and he knew about the opportunities that had been denied him and those like him for so long," Dr. Mark E. Keenum, the president of Mississippi State, said at the dedication. "He paved the way for so many wonderful, wonderful students who have followed in his footsteps over all of these many years." | |
| Reflector takes home national media awards |
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| Over the weekend, The Reflector staff traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, for the National College Media Convention, where they received several national awards, including Mississippi State University's first Pinnacle Award. The Best of Show category is hosted by the Associated Collegiate Press and recognizes excellence among submissions from schools that attended the conference. The Individual awards are also hosted by the ACP and recognize outstanding work from schools across the country over the past year. The Pinnacle awards are hosted by the College Media Association and recognize outstanding student-produced work from colleges and universities across the nation. Kate Myers', the Reflector editor-in-chief and senior communication major, 1st-place award for her coverage of the Student Association impeachment marks the first time MSU has won a 1st-place Pinnacle Award. She said that The Reflector is one of the most special parts of MSU and is happy it is being recognized. "I think The Reflector, to me, is one of the university's greatest traditions because it is completely student-run, with student perspectives in every single way," Myers said. "It's really, really cool to have that legacy of over 142 years." | |
| Doctoral research on 160 million-year-old salamander species' health earns national award |
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| A Mississippi State doctoral student has earned national recognition for research using near-infrared spectroscopy to screen the health of Eastern hellbenders, a 160-million-year-old amphibian species of conservation concern. Sam Mathes, also a research associate in the Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion, received the inaugural Green-Wave Award for Conservation Innovation as part of the SpectraWizard's Spectroscopy Application Challenge, sponsored by StellarNet, Inc. "Researchers worldwide submit innovative uses of this technology, so this recognition is a tremendous honor," Mathes said. Mathes conducts his research in MSU's Conservation Physiology Laboratory with funding support in part from the national Institute of Museum and Library Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. | |
| App connects residents with students seeking work |
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| An app called Spare Hands Students is connecting people who need help with tasks with students looking to earn money. Mississippi State student Rush Ault said the app allows students to choose when they work. "It's a great way to make this extra money without sacrificing my grades or other things I'm already involved with," Ault said. Founder Zach Miller said he and his father saw an opportunity to connect students with people who needed help. "It's almost like Amazon where you can browse all of our services and with a couple of taps it's already posted," Miller said. The idea first took off at Texas A&M. More than 1,500 students are ready to work, and the service has completed more than 10,000 jobs and paid students more than $1 million in total. Miller said friends in Starkville had asked about bringing the service to their city. | |
| CREATE annual meeting honors philanthropists and community leaders |
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| Having grown up in Tupelo, Roger Bland has always found it to be a special place. It's why he and his wife, Martha, have been longtime supporters of the Salvation Army, the Humane Society, and other charitable organizations. The Blands were named among the recipients of the McLean Award for Philanthropy, given each year by the CREATE Foundation, during the organization's annual meeting, held Tuesday at the Huntington Bank Conference Center in Downtown Tupelo. The award honors exceptional leaders working to improve the quality of life in Northeast Mississippi and their communities. This year's fellow McLean Award recipient was The Peoples Bank of Ripley, which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. Northeast Mississippi Community College president Ricky Ford said the bank's generosity is unmatched. "They probably could have gone out and probably solicited customers from outside of Tippah County, but they made the commitment that they were going to serve the people of Tippah County," he said. | |
| 'It's time to turn the page': Clayborne to step down as CREATE president June 30 |
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| Mike Clayborne, who has led the CREATE Foundation for 30 years as president, is stepping down from that role on June 30. The 74-year-old is quick to emphasize, however, that he is not retiring, nor is he leaving CREATE. "It's time to turn the page," he said. "I hope to remain at CREATE in a support role to help the new leadership take the organization to new levels of success, which I'm confident they'll do." Clayborne, who came to the organization in 1994 under contract to help form what would eventually become the Commission on the Future of Northeast Mississippi, will not be involved in finding his replacement. That will be left in the hands of a search firm and the 55 members of CREATE's board of directors. A five-person executive search committee will oversee the process. Under Clayborne's leadership, CREATE experienced unprecedented growth and outreach. Clayborne said he was thankful for playing a role in CREATE's growth under his tenure and he is appreciative of the leadership of its board, its staff and the support of the Daily Journal. CREATE is the sole shareholder of the Daily Journal. | |
| Ingalls, Navy break ground on $50M SUPSHIP complex in Pascagoula |
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| Ingalls Shipbuilding and the U.S. Navy broke ground on a $50 million, 101,000-square-foot customer support complex for the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair Gulf Coast, known as SUPSHIP GC, in Jackson County. The facility is funded through a partnership between Ingalls and the Navy. It will primarily house SUPSHIP GC personnel currently located in Pascagoula. The complex will include about 600 military and civilian personnel for engineering, quality assurance, contract management and financial oversight. SUPSHIP GC administers Navy shipbuilding contracts. The facility will be located on property leased from the Port of Pascagoula. It expands the infrastructure that supports Navy shipbuilding activities at Ingalls. Mary Martha Henson, Jackson County Economic Development Foundation CEO, said shipbuilding affects both the county and state economies. "The manufacturing GDP of Jackson County today is at $5.8 billion, the largest GDP in the state of Mississippi. That means that shipbuilding has a significant impact to not just the Jackson County economy, but to the state's economy," Henson said. | |
| Leakesville company investing $4.25M, creating 25 jobs |
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| Fabrication contractor Universal Services is expanding its operations in Greene County through a $4.25 million investment that is expected to create 25 jobs, it was announced Tuesday, Nov. 10, by the Mississippi Development Authority. According to the MDA, the Leakesville-based company will construct a new 16,000-square-foot facility at its existing location to increase manufacturing capacity and support future growth. The expansion, according to the MDA, includes the addition of new structural steel laser fabrication equipment, including a 20,000-watt tube laser and a 30,000-watt plate laser. Universal Services also will add an industrial coil line and spiral duct machine to expand its sheet metal and HVAC ductwork fabrication capabilities. Founded in 2004, Universal Services is a woman-owned contractor that provides mechanical, electrical, structural steel and sheet metal fabrication services for commercial, industrial, health care and marine customers. The company is HUBZone- and ASME-certified and has completed more than 8,500 projects, including work for NASA and the U.S. Air Force. | |
| America's farmers are harvesting a bounty. Why are they struggling? |
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| America's farmers are bringing in a plentiful harvest. What many aren't bringing in is much profit. As the 2026 harvest winds down, rising production costs and inadequate crop prices are eating into farmers' income, particularly among Midwest corn and soybean growers, even with a potential record in government subsidies. For consumers, weary of sticky, persistent inflation, the horizon is a bit brighter: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) early forecast predicts grocery prices will rise just 1% next year, the smallest annual increase since 2019. There's "an affordability squeeze on the consumer end in terms of prices going up ... but also at the farm," says David Ortega, food economist and professor at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. "You have input costs, right? This is really squeezing producers, especially crop farmers." While government assistance is buoying crop farming, the cattle industry continues to boom. Beef prices, though projected to fall, remain elevated. When the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University projected income for its farm models earlier this year, it found that 10 of 11 cattle operations were in a good position, with less than a 25% chance of losing value over the next five years. For farms growing corn, soybeans, and other feed grains, the picture was far bleaker. | |
| Fed Forced to Confront Case for Bigger and Faster Rate Rises |
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| Federal Reserve officials spent October talking markets down from bets on a quick string of rate increases. Inflation data haven't cooperated. Core consumer prices, which exclude food and energy, rose at a 3.7% annualized rate over the three months through October, a broad acceleration from the 1.6% rate for the three months through July, according to a Labor Department report released Tuesday. The figures left little doubt that the Fed will raise rates at its Dec. 8-9 meeting. The bigger questions are how quickly the central bank should move and whether it is still making the modest adjustment of two or three increases that many officials have envisioned or is instead at the start of a longer campaign to slow the economy and bring down inflation. On Tuesday, two officials who supported the decision to hold rates steady last month suggested the Fed might now need to pick up its pace. Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh, who took over this year, has said little about how he would respond to data like Tuesday's, leaving investors to guess whether he shares the Fed's tendency to smooth out its moves rather than make big jumps. | |
| Colom leads Hyde-Smith by nearly 3,000 votes in Mississippi US Senate race as final Hinds County tally looms |
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| All eyes remained fixated on the Hinds County Election Commission Tuesday, hoping that outstanding ballots from the area could determine the outcome of a nail-biter U.S. Senate race between Democrat Scott Colom and Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. The Associated Press late Tuesday night reported that Colom led Hyde-Smith by 2,990 votes with around 98% of the vote counted, but it still has not called the race. Tuesday at 5 p.m. was the deadline for voters who had to cast affidavit ballots on Election Day because of issues with providing valid photo identification to return to their local circuit clerks' offices and present a valid form of ID to "cure" their ballot. It was also the deadline for local election officials to receive late-arriving, mail-in absentee ballots that were postmarked by Election Day. Counties have until Friday to transmit their official election results to Secretary of State Michael Watson's office, but officials in Hinds County, the state's largest county and a Democratic stronghold, are expected to upload the results of their outstanding affidavit ballots on Wednesday, an attorney for the county told Mississippi Today. | |
| Mississippi's Guest introduces bipartisan Veterans Day resolution |
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| Ahead of Veterans Day, U.S. Rep. Michael Guest has introduced a resolution honoring America's veterans and encouraging Americans to recognize their service and sacrifice during Wednesday's holiday. The resolution, introduced Monday by the Mississippi Republican, is cosponsored by more than 80 members of the House and calls "on the people of the United States to observe Veterans Day in recognition of the heroic actions of America's veterans to protect the United States and allow freedom to endure." "To ensure their legacy is permanently recognized, I have proudly introduced a bipartisan resolution to honor the service of all our veterans -- past, present, and those currently in harm's way," Guest said in a statement. "Today, we remember those who went before us, and we pray for our Mississippi guardsmen standing watch today." It is the fifth year in a row Guest has authored the Veterans Day resolution. This year, he was joined by Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) in introducing it. | |
| Democrats Have a New Generation of Farm-Country Lawmakers |
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| Democrats made inroads into traditionally conservative farm country during the midterm elections, a foothold that could shift the political dynamics of Congress' agriculture committees. A new generation of Democrats won Senate races and House seats across the Midwest and Deep South in a stunning rebuke of President Donald Trump's second administration. Trump had lost his edge with rural voters through a series of unpopular moves: trade wars with major agricultural partners like Canada and high diesel and fertilizer prices due to the war in Iran in particular outraged many farmers, according to William A. Galston, a senior fellow at Brookings who studies rural voting. "This is one of the only elections I can remember in my lifetime where the causal link between a president's policies and economic consequences that people don't like is as clear as it is right now," Galston said. Democrats won a flurry of House and Senate seats across rural America, including in Iowa, Kansas, Texas, South Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin, taking down Republican members of both chambers' agriculture committees. Democrats will now have the opportunity to fill those seats with representatives from agricultural states and districts. Democrats also had Senate victories in Texas, South Carolina and Ohio and maintain a very slim lead in Mississippi over Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. | |
| House Republicans snub Steve Scalise as party leader in next Congress |
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| U.S. House Republicans voted behind closed doors Tuesday to elect Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio as their leader after the party's stunning losses in the midterm elections, the House Republican Conference announced. It was a 106-73 vote, according to a House Republican staff member. "Over the next two years, House Republicans will fight for American families," Jordan told reporters after the GOP leadership elections. "When Democrats offer more government, we'll offer more freedom. " Jordan did not take questions. The incoming Republican minority leader will be charged with growing the party's seats after the House GOP lost more than 40 after last week's elections. Jordan will also be tasked with fundraising for his party, and negotiating with Democrats on must-pass legislation, such as appropriations bills. But with the smallest Republican House minority since the 1990s, the GOP will have little sway in a chamber dominated by the majority party. Jordan was up against Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise, the current Republican majority leader. Cheers could be heard outside the closed door meeting following the vote. | |
| Rift grows among Senate Democrats over who will lead in majority |
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| More Democrats emerged Tuesday wanting someone besides Senate Democratic leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., to lead their conference in the majority. But Schumer maintained confidence he would be reelected to the post despite Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., publicly calling for a different leader or a "concrete plan" that provides change. "I'm confident I will be elected majority leader, and our caucus is really united in focusing on bringing down costs, on ending the corruption, on ending the chaos, on ending the war," Schumer told reporters Tuesday. "We have great unity in our caucus, and I'll be proud to lead it." Sanders said during a news conference Tuesday the election was about "change and the need for the Democratic Party to move in a new and bold direction." "I personally have known Chuck Schumer for over 30 years, and I like Chuck. Nobody works harder than Chuck Schumer. But in my view the time is now for change, and I will not be supporting Chuck to be reelected as the Democratic leader," Sanders said, calling for an "economy that works for all, not just the people on top." "Do I think Chuck has been leading in that direction?" he asked. "No." | |
| An American Furniture Maker Tried to Bring Jobs Back Home. It Didn't Work. |
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| Bruce Krinsky has spent a decade perfecting a sweet spot for sales in the American living room: $900 sofas for shoppers wanting an upgrade over IKEA without splurging on Crate & Barrel. That formula turned TOV Furniture, the company he founded with his wife, into a business pulling in more than $100 million a year. Today, the 44-year-old with a high-school education is living in a Mediterranean-style house in Miami Beach with a fountain and swimming pool. But for Krinsky, achieving the American dream in the Trump era has been an odyssey. He struggled to stay ahead of changing U.S. policy on trade through a decade in which the nation has wrestled with where it wants its everyday things to be made. "What exactly is an American business supposed to do?" said Krinsky, who said he voted for the president three times because he felt Trump was the most pro-business candidate. "We're trying to do what the government wants." | |
| U. of Mississippi student apologizes, withdraws after alleged racist taunts in viral doorbell video |
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| One of the female University of Mississippi students caught in camera footage outside of a Black student's apartment Friday evening allegedly making racist noises and gestures apologized for her behavior on Tuesday. "To the women I offended and to the Ole Miss community, I sincerely apologize," the student said in a statement released by a representative on her behalf. "Before the incident on November 6, I never met the women involved and was unaware of their race, however, I recognize my actions were insensitive, inappropriate, and deeply harmful." The student has also since withdrawn from the university, according to a source. "I understand the seriousness of this situation and remain committed to taking responsibility and learning from this embarrassing ordeal," the student's statement said, adding that she "intend[s] to cooperate fully with the university's investigation." | |
| Ole Miss students and parents call for accountability after viral racist incident |
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| Some University of Mississippi students and parents are calling on officials to address concerns about campus climate and culture after a video showing white students making racist gestures outside a Black student's apartment went viral. Parents have emailed Chancellor Glenn Boyce and other university leaders calling for the students to be suspended or expelled. Other social media commenters have pointed to Ole Miss' history of racism, while students have demanded a thorough investigation. They've also expressed outrage and disappointment about the latest incident. Kristina Pluta of Utah, whose son Jansen is a sophomore at UM, said she felt shocked and disgusted when she first saw a video of the incident on Instagram Saturday night. Racism and hatred are learned behaviors that can be unlearned, she said. "There has to be consequences and the university should hold the students' behavior accountable," said Pluta, who is white. The university has tried over the last several decades to distance itself, amid fits and starts, from a history of racism. | |
| First Black cardiac surgery chief at UMMC aims to close Mississippi's heart care gap |
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| Dr. V. Antoine Keller, the first Black chief of cardiac surgery at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, is working to expand access to cardiac care and address health disparities in Mississippi. Keller assumed his role in May. His journey to this milestone began far from the operating room. "I was very fortunate along the way to have the kinds of mentors that encouraged me to keep going because it was not easy," Keller said. Born in Louisiana, Keller was 5 years old when his father's work in academia and African politics took the family to Kenya and Ethiopia during Ethiopia's 1974 revolution. "Not typical for a young Black kid from New Orleans," Keller said. "It did ground me in an understanding of civil rights in this country and of what kinds of things we need in this country in order to be able to move forward." Keller's work extends beyond the operating room into rural communities where access to care is limited. "I have an obligation as a community health advocate, a population health advocate, to take care of people who live in places, geographies that don't have access to care. It is a really important part of what I do. Because of how you grew up or because you have some personal reason? No, I just think because it's the right thing to do. So, you dedicate your whole life to it? That's what I do," Keller said. | |
| Jackson State to install Denise Jones Gregory as president Dec. 1 |
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| Jackson State University will formally install President Denise Jones Gregory at a 9 a.m. investiture ceremony Tuesday, Dec. 1, concluding three days of inaugural events. Gregory, the university's 14th president, is the first woman who graduated from Jackson State to hold its presidency, the university said. The installation marks a milestone in the university's 149-year history. The inaugural celebration runs from Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 and includes events for students and the community. The investiture will be the final event in the three-day schedule, according to the university's announcement. Jackson State, founded in 1877, is a historically Black public university and Mississippi's designated urban university. Its main campus is near downtown Jackson. | |
| Town hall scheduled to discuss protecting MUW, MSMS |
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| While both institutions survived the 2026 Legislative Session generally unscathed, some citizens remain concerned about future attempts to relocate Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science and consolidate Mississippi University for Women. The Citizens Coalition for MUW and MSMS is hosting a town hall at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Parish Hall of St. Paul's Episcopal Church to share its concerns with the community. "We didn't want our citizens to be caught off guard like we have been in the past when this kind of information was just suddenly dropped during the legislative session," said Keith Gaskin, a founding member of the coalition. "We don't think there will be a lot happening in 2027, but we are concerned about 2028." Since forming earlier this year, the coalition has also endorsed Dr. Doris Taylor, an MUW alumna and pioneer in regenerative heart technology, to become the university's next president.Currently, Scott Tollison is serving as interim president while the State Institutions of Higher Learning board conducts a nationwide search. | |
| MSMS wants its fair share of state student funding |
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| When a Mississippi public school student moves to a different district, their state funding follows. That is, unless the student is transferring to one of the state's specialty schools, like Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. For the 232 students at MSMS this year, that adds up to about $1.6 million in Mississippi Student Funding Formula money the school never sees, roughly a quarter of the school's budget. Executive Director Ginger Tedder told the Rotary Club of Columbus she hopes lawmakers will close that gap in the upcoming legislative session, allocating the formula funding to state schools on top of their typical legislative appropriations. MSMS leaders will also continue to advocate for more strategic facilities planning for the residential high school, which Tedder said has only seen between $8 million and $10 million in facilities improvements since its inception in 1987. Improving facilities on campus remains the school's biggest challenge, Tedder said. | |
| Burglary at Mississippi Christian University residence hall under investigation |
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| Mississippi Christian University is investigating a weekend burglary at one of its residence halls. In an email obtained by SuperTalk Mississippi News, the school's director of public safety, Mike Warren, notified students and staff that an unidentified individual entered multiple dorm rooms in the early morning hours of Nov. 8. At around 12:44 a.m., the suspect, identified as Black male standing at approximately 6-foot-2, allegedly entered the Ratliff Residence Hall through an open bathroom window in the building's basement. After reviewing surveillance footage, school officials determined that the suspect entered 18 dorm rooms through unlocked doors. Several of the rooms were reportedly occupied by residents who were still awake. The residents are said to have contacted the Mississippi Christian University Office of Public Safety, which responded within two minutes of receiving the initial call. By the time officers arrived at the scene, the suspect had reportedly already escaped through the same window he is believed to have entered the residence hall through. Officials said the suspect was last seen running northbound on Capitol Street around 1:43 a.m. | |
| Meridian Community College to hold Veterans Day program Wednesday |
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| Meridian Community College will hold a Veterans Day program at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in McCain Theater, as part of a week of activities recognizing military service and sacrifice. Navy Capt. Nathan K. Moore, commanding officer of Naval Air Station Meridian, will be the keynote speaker. MCC President Tom Huebner will introduce Moore. Moore is the air station's 28th commanding officer. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2001 and has held leadership positions at sea and ashore, including commanding officer of Helicopter Training Squadron 28 and navigator aboard the USS Ronald Reagan. Before arriving in Meridian, he served at NATO's Allied Maritime Command, supporting major joint exercises. Moore holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree from the Naval War College. | |
| Jones College awarded $770k grant to support clinical preceptor training |
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| A new grant is helping Jones College prepare more health care professionals to train students in clinical settings. For health care students, clinicals let them put what they've learned in the classroom and put it into practice. Now, Jones College is getting $770,000 through the state's rural health transformation program to help train the professionals who guide them. These professionals are called clinical preceptors. "They're individuals that are working in our clinical settings that have the opportunity to take our students and be beside them, teach them what they've learned in the classroom and how to connect that to actual patient care," Dr. Benji Sessums, Dean of the School of Health Sciences, said. The new program will train preceptors across several disciplines, including nursing, emergency medical services, pharmacy and radiology. It will also include hands-on training at the college's simulation center. Sessums said the college is developing the curriculum and plans to offer training from January through April. | |
| Alabama defends DEI restrictions in universities, supports Florida appeal |
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| Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall joined 12 other state attorneys general Tuesday in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a Florida law restricting how public university professors teach certain concepts involving race and sex. Marshall and Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman led the coalition supporting Florida's appeal of a July ruling by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which found the restrictions likely violated professors' First Amendment rights. The case, Florida Board of Governors v. Pernell, challenges provisions of Florida's Individual Freedom Act that prohibit professors from endorsing certain concepts, including claims that members of one race or sex are morally superior to others. The law permits professors to discuss those concepts but prohibits them from promoting or requiring students to accept them. | |
| Louisiana builder's huge donations could transform LSU's construction school |
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| LSU is poised to transform its School of Construction with a major endowment and a state-of-the art new building, thanks to massive donations from an LSU alum and Louisiana construction tycoon, the school announced Tuesday. "Construction is no longer a low-tech industry," Vicki Colvin, dean of the College of Engineering, said Tuesday. "It's going to become a high-tech industry, and it's going to do it right here in Louisiana." The university will name its School of Construction, as well the planned $107 million Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building, for Art Favre and his industrial services company, Performance Contractors. The LSU Foundation announced the new names Tuesday during a celebration event for Favre at the foundation building on Nicholson Drive. The foundation did not disclose the dollar amount of Favre's donation but said that the donor has put tens of millions toward the university's construction expansion, including a previous $15 million contribution. "An unrestricted endowment gives LSU something especially powerful: the ability to be both strategic and nimble," LSU Chancellor Jim Dalton said. | |
| LSU Faculty Senate discusses policy updates, new resolution at meeting |
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| The LSU Faculty Senate held its monthly meeting Monday, discussing policies, Information Technology Services updates and Resolution 26-01. After the meeting began, Faculty Senate President Daniel Tirone announced there would be a public comment. Toby Gonzales, a student representing the Students for a Democratic Society, made the public comment. Gonzales began by reiterating the three demands that SDS has rallied for this semester. "Expel Damien Shanklin after the Title IX office found him responsible for forceable rape, restore the Title IX office including the staff and office head and reopen and restore the funding, staffing and independent directors of the Women's Center, African American Cultural Center, Intercultural Center, Latinx Center and LGBTQ+ Center," Gonzales said. Tirone then proceeded with the President's report, which began with policy updates. The first update addressed the ongoing concern of scooter safety on campus. Tirone said the LSU administration is currently looking at ways to approach a scooter policy on campus and that a policy is currently under review. He did not share what this new policy would entail. | |
| Ransomware Gang Says It Hacked Vanderbilt University |
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| A gang of criminal extortionists is taking credit for a hack that caused major disruptions at Vanderbilt University this week. On Monday morning, the university told faculty, students and staff in a statement that it was "responding to an active cybersecurity incident that may impact university devices, systems, and cloud-based services," asking them to "shut down university devices, disconnect from university WiFi, and remain extremely vigilant" and "take immediate action" if they noticed "any unusual or suspicious activity on your devices." That left many students with looming assignments and exams scrambling for an internet connection, according to The Tennessean, which reported that students crammed into cafés and coffee shops near campus Monday evening. Meanwhile, the hack blocked other students from registering for spring classes -- the registration window closes Friday. However, classes carried on as scheduled and Wi-Fi was restored Monday night. By Tuesday morning, the university said, it had restored additional networks and systems, including email, Zoom, Brightspace, Okta and enrollment services, but "all other Vanderbilt systems and applications remain restricted." | |
| Nationally recognized astrophysicist to head UGA physics department |
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| In January 2027, distinguished Astrophysicist Keivan Stassun will take over as head of The University of Georgia's Department of Physics and Astronomy. Stassun previously worked as a professor at Vanderbilt University and was a founding co-director of the Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-Ph.D Bridge program. The program is designed to increase the number of minorities receiving advanced degrees in STEM fields, and has been recreated by other universities across the nation. Stassun also founded the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation in 2018 through Vanderbilt. The center employs a wide range of experts to help neurodivergent people find long-term, strength-based employment. Stassun was awarded the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship in 2024 for his work in increasing opportunities in STEM fields for underrepresented communities. The nomination-only fellowship provides quarterly payments adding up to $800,000 over five years to be used for any purpose. Stassun said his decision to work at UGA was partially informed by his education at other public flagship universities, including University of California, Berkeley and University of Wisconsin–Madison. | |
| A&M Urban Planning students share research with Brazos Valley Homeless Coalition |
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| Students in Professor Justin Golbabai's Undergraduate Urban Planning class at Texas A&M had a unique hands-on experience this semester. The class was divided into six groups with each group given a different task and given a topic to study in regard to homelessness. While one group sought educational offerings in the area, another looked at essential services available. The third group looked at health options available, while the fourth group researched available housing options. Another group looked at available safety services, and the last group looked at what shelters were available in the area. On Tuesday, the groups came to Twin City Mission where the Brazos Valley Coalition for the Homeless (BVCH) was having its quarterly meeting and presented what they had learned in two months working with different nonprofit groups. The class also had the assistance of the College of Architecture's Texas Target Communities program, a community engagement and service-learning initiative that began in 1993 and connects faculty and students with communities to assist them with needs that might otherwise go unmet. | |
| Clarence Thomas to teach civil rights seminar at UT Austin |
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| Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas will teach a University of Texas class next semester, the School of Civic Leadership announced on Friday. In February, Thomas will teach a week of an undergraduate seminar focused on civil rights in the School of Civic Leadership. The course, titled "Equality and the New Birth of Freedom," will teach works from Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., the Daily Texan reported. This is believed to be the first time UT undergraduate students will be taught by a sitting U.S. Supreme Court justice, UT spokesperson Mike Rosen said. Thomas recently visited UT, addressing a crowd at the Hogg Memorial Auditorium in April at the invitation of President Jim Davis and the School of Civic Leadership. In Thomas' speech, he warned that American values were under threat and praised the university's leadership in restoring civic education. | |
| Texas Tech regents may cut some classes on race, gender as options for graduation requirements |
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| Texas Tech University students would no longer have certain classes on social justice, race and culture as options for credit toward graduation requirements under a proposal regents will consider Wednesday. More than 20 classes would be removed from the list of approved core courses, including a literature class focused on social justice and the environment as well as a women's and gender studies class exploring race, class and gender across the world, according to a Texas Tribune comparison of the proposed changes with the university's 2025-26 list of approved core courses. The agenda packet does not explain why regents are considering removing these classes, whether they would still be offered or whether directives issued by Texas Tech System Chancellor Brandon Creighton influenced the proposed changes. Since he started as chancellor in November 2025, Creighton has gone beyond a law he wrote as a Republican state senator by restricting what professors can teach about race, sexual orientation and gender identity. Wednesday's proposal lists a class titled "Introduction to Women's Studies." Texas Tech's current list includes "Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies." It is unclear whether the university renamed the class, changed its content or replaced it with a different course. | |
| Next generation of military scans archives for clues to missing service members |
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| Bella Hammer, a social work student and member of the North Dakota Air National Guard, regularly supports military-affiliated students as part of her work with the University of North Dakota's Veteran & Military Services. She recently found a new way to serve veterans when she played a role in an archival project. Hammer is one of two UND students who digitized records that could help investigators search for missing U.S. service members and civilians in southeast Asia. She helped to scan 6,400 pages from the James Wold Papers, which are preserved in UND's Chester Fritz Library. "It was such a rewarding and unique opportunity," she said. "I'm so honored to have been asked." The records were requested by Tours of Duty, a nonprofit that works with veterans and families seeking answers about their missing loved ones. As part of its work, the organization collects information that could shed light on the past. More than 80,000 service personnel are missing from previous conflicts, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. About 38,000 are estimated to be recoverable. | |
| Colleges Say OPT Fee Would Cost Tens of Millions |
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| Colleges won't be able to afford the Trump administration's planned optional practical training fee, dozens of institutions wrote in public comments on the proposed rule. Many argued the fee would serve only to penalize students and institutions that are participating in OPT lawfully, rather than curb fraud -- the administration's stated goal. The rule, which drew nearly 9,000 comments during a public comment period that closed Monday, is the latest salvo in the administration's crusade against international students and pathways for those students to work in the U.S. Optional practical training has historically allowed international students to temporarily work in the U.S. after graduation; it was expanded by President George W. Bush in 2008. But conservatives have criticized the program for supposedly taking jobs from American workers. In the rule, the Department of Homeland Security also cited fraud schemes, in which international students claim to work at companies that don't exist to stay in the U.S., as part of its rationale for the new fee. But colleges and their advocates questioned why the department believes the fee will have the intended effect and how it decided upon the amount. | |
| Access to banking is a national problem so it needs a national solution |
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| Mississippi State University's Tom Miller, Jr., a professor of finance and the Jack R. Lee Chair in Financial Institutions and Consumer Finance, writes for the Magnolia Tribune: A key characteristic of federalism is the constitutional division of powers that defines which powers belong to the national government and which belong to state governments. The nature of the integrated national financial system in the U.S., however, means that states cannot solve national problems that arise when financial services cross state lines. That is particularly true of debanking, which can affect law-abiding individuals and businesses operating within a financial system that crosses state borders. Mississippians and local businesses can be debanked if they are denied banking services without warning or a clear explanation. To address this alarming national trend, the Trump administration and Congress should establish a federal standard to protect equal access to banking services. Across the country, people and businesses in lawful industries have lost access to financial services. | |
| Partisan realignment in Congress reshuffles Mississippi's influence in Washington |
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| Columnist Sid Salter writes: At this writing, the Mississippi U.S. Senate race between incumbent GOP Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democratic challenger Scott Colom remains deadlocked and legal sabers have been rattled in both camps. But one thing is certain: the mid-term elections will reshape Mississippi's influence on Capitol Hill in the next Congress. Powerful committee chairs are lost, but some will be gained. Agenda-setting powers shift from Republicans to Democrats. Budget priorities will be those of the ruling Democrats -- and as did the GOP before them, that process will be made difficult by factions under the broad Democratic Party umbrella. Most impactful will be the loss of U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker's chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee. But he will retain ranking member status on that committee, which considers the fortunes of huge employers like Huntington Ingalls in Pascagoula, Mississippi's military bases, the National Guard complex, and Mississippi defense contractors. The biggest winner in the Capitol Hill influence realm will be Second District U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who will return as House Homeland Security Committee chair if he wants it. No matter what, Thompson will hold a position of influence and authority. | |
SPORTS
| Women's Basketball: Bulldogs Return Home For Wednesday Matchup With Troy |
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| Mississippi State women's basketball returns home for a midweek matchup against the Troy Trojans. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT. Mississippi State moved to 2-0 on the year with a dominating offensive performance, taking down UT Martin, 114-68. This marked the most points scored by a Bulldog team on the road in program history and was the fifth-best scoring performance in program history. In the season opener against North Alabama, defense reigned supreme, as the Bulldogs held the Lions to 27 total points, the second-best mark during Purcell's tenure and the fewest in both a season and home opener in program history. Troy is 2-0 so far this season. Mississippi State has leads the all-time series against Troy, 14-3. In the last 10 games, State leads 8-2. | |
| Why Anthony Evans III's Mississippi State record chase is on despite Kamario Taylor injury |
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| One day before his sophomore season in high school, Anthony Evans III went up to his dad and informed him he wanted to switch positions from quarterback to wide receiver. At first, Evans' dad, Anthony II, was against the idea. "We put a lot of money into these quarterback trainings for three years," he said, with a laugh. But after discussing further with Evans' high school coach, they decided it was the best route. His high school, Judson in Converse, Texas, already had a quarterback, so wide receiver was the avenue for playing time. And they believed he had the skillset for it. The offers began pouring in after his sophomore year and Evans became a four-star recruit. It's a decision that's paid off for Evans, now in his second season at Mississippi State (4-5, 2-5 SEC) after two seasons at Georgia. If he finishes the season with a few more big games, starting against Auburn (5-4, 3-4) on Nov. 14 (11 a.m., ESPN2), he could be the second straight MSU player to break the program's record for single-season receiving yards. | |
| Finance bros, football fans and a ferry ride to West Point |
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| On a raw October Saturday morning in The Battery, empty beer cans, paper napkins and even the best-coiffed heads of hair are no match for the wind gusts aboard the top deck of the Seastreak Highlands. Army's afternoon kickoff with Florida Atlantic is still several hours away. But, as the 140-foot catamaran begins its voyage up the Hudson River a little before 9 a.m., the best college football tailgate you've probably never heard of is already in full swing. There are finance bros downing drinks with war veterans and middle-aged dads, Manhattan attorneys and Catholic school presidents renewing yearslong traditions and travelers checking off bucket-list items. Below, on the first deck, a healthy line is forming at the full-service bar. Soon, we'll have views of the luxurious fall foliage lining the banks of the Hudson, too. After that, an FBS football game on the longest continuously occupied military post in the nation. Welcome to the West Point game-day ferry. "It's not your typical SEC game day or anything like that," said Cannon Kearney, a Brooklyn-based lawyer and an Army veteran. "But where else across the country do you see people from Bum-Nowhereville, Arkansas, and posh Madison Avenue tailgating in one place?" | |
| Flying by pricey military jet, Rubio rarely misses a Florida football game |
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| College football here comes with its rituals: Orange and blue pour through the streets. Fans stream toward the University of Florida's stadium, nicknamed The Swamp, hours before kickoff. And on most home-game weekends, a sleek white military jet descends on the small regional airport near campus. On a recent early November Saturday afternoon, it was a C-37 that touched down, carrying the team's most recognizable parent, a blue polo replacing his usual suit and tie. Security officers roamed the north end of Gainesville Regional Airport as a line of five unmarked SUVs crept up, swept up their passenger and rolled off toward campus. Half an hour later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was down on the field, chatting with Florida Coach Jon Sumrall. Rubio's son Anthony is a walk-on running back for the Gators, and Rubio has regularly flown in to catch his games, including at least five this fall. Rubio says his trips are about something familiar to any parent: showing up. But they also come at a cost to taxpayers. Since taking office last year, Rubio, a Florida graduate, has flown to at least 10 Gators football games, the State Department confirmed in response to a Washington Post analysis of flight records. He has traveled to Gainesville aboard government aircraft at least 23 times, including 15 trips the department characterized as solely personal. Government ethics experts said that while Rubio's travel complies with federal rules, it raises a question about stewardship of public money. | |
| A blue wave could not stop trans athlete bans |
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| Advocates for transgender Americans are trying to pick up the pieces and move forward after suffering significant defeats at the ballot box even amid last week's historic blue wave. Arizona, Nebraska, Washington and Colorado all passed measures seeking to bar transgender women and girls from female sports teams, showing troubles for trans rights even in Democratic strongholds. Supporters of transgender athletes are planning education campaigns and say there is much work to be done to lay the groundwork for upcoming battles. "I certainly don't think the fight is over for trans kids in sports, but I do think this election made it pretty clear that people have a long way to go before they understand what it means to support transgender rights, and that includes ability to play in sports," said Shelby Chestnut, executive director of the Transgender Law Center. Advocates for transgender athletes argue it is a battle they can win with more time. Less than 1 percent of American athletes are estimated to be transgender, and supporters say the issue should be dealt with locally. | |
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