| Tuesday, October 6, 2026 |
| SEC Student Pitch Competition heads to Mississippi State | |
 | Ideas take center stage when student entrepreneurs from across the Southeastern Conference come together for the 11th annual SEC Student Pitch Competition October 19-20. Mississippi State University's Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach will host the 2026 competition, as students pitch their entrepreneurial ventures and compete before a panel of judges. It will include two preliminary rounds and one final round featuring the top three teams from the prelims. The top three teams will receive an award designed to help propel their businesses. The competition challenges students at the undergraduate and graduate level to communicate the purpose, potential and impact of their businesses in a concise and compelling pitch. Beyond the competition itself, the event provides students with valuable experience in entrepreneurship, communication and business development while connecting them with fellow student entrepreneurs from across the SEC. |
| Gateway to Ag Careers Scholarships Announced | |
| Seven students have been selected to participate in this year's Gateway to Ag Careers program, hosted by AgGateway and sponsored by the AgCIO Roundtable, with additional support from Syngenta. The selected students -- including Mississippi State University's Anslee Boyd and Ella Britt -- will attend the 2026 AgGateway Annual Meeting and Conference, November 9-11 in Nashville, to engage with attendees, sit in on educational sessions, and learn more about the many career opportunities that agriculture has to offer. "We're excited to be hosting these exceptional students at the 2026 Annual Meeting and Conference," says Brent Kemp, AgGateway President and CEO. "Interest in the program has continued to grow over the years, and participants bring a wide range of interests and disciplines to the program." AgGateway started the program because agriculture's long-term sustainability will rest on its ability to attract the best and brightest among the next generation of college graduates to build long-term careers in the industry. |
| Supes designate Oktibbeha County lake high-hazard priority | |
 | Supervisors on Monday resolved the Oktibbeha County Lake dam will be rehabilitated to a high-hazard standard, but with the federal grant for the project set to expire in November, the board is still concerned it might lose its funding. The board was not aware until August that the funding from a grant it received in 2022 could be reallocated elsewhere if it does not make significant progress forward. While Monday's resolution is a step forward, Board Attorney Rob Roberson is still concerned the board might miss its window. "The reason we did what we did is (Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality) needed to know what we were willing to do," Roberson said. "... I am hoping they can get this done sooner rather than later because the clock is ticking on this one. If we don't get all of the requirements in, it makes me a little concerned we are not going to get the money." Now that the board is ready to inform MDEQ of its plans for the project, but MDEQ still needs to hold a public hearing before the board can move forward, District 4 Supervisor Pattie Little said. For residents who live along Oktibbeha County Lake, progress could not come soon enough. |
| A Far Out stay in Starkville: The motel with a Johnny Cash past | |
| Some Mississippi hotels offer complimentary breakfast. One in Starkville comes with a Johnny Cash story, a little rock-and-roll history, and a room connected to one very memorable night in the life of the Man in Black. And now, it is pretty groovy, too. The Far Out Motel in Starkville is a colorful, retro-inspired boutique motel that feels a little like stepping back into the heyday of the great American road trip -- only with better Wi-Fi and a lot more comfort. The property originally opened in 1956 as the University Motel, a classic roadside motel located near Mississippi State University and downtown Starkville. For decades, travelers pulled in for football weekends, campus visits, and overnight stays. Then Johnny Cash came to town. On May 11, 1965, Cash performed at Mississippi State University and later returned to the University Motel, where he was staying in Room 22. If those walls could talk, Room 22 would have one heck of a story. |
| Farish Street Green opens in Jackson to cool and revitalize historic area | |
| After years of planning, the Farish Street Green, an urban forest and outdoor event space, opened Monday in Jackson. The project on Farish Street between Amite Street and J.R. Meredith Drive was created by 2C Mississippi, in collaboration with Communities of Shalom, Mississippi State University's Jackson Community Design Center, and the Jackson Redevelopment Authority, which owns the three lots. The historic area was identified as one of Jackson's hottest areas through heat mapping efforts that began with a volunteer Heat Watch in 2020. The Green features approximately 100 newly planted sycamore, bald cypress, and eastern redbud trees, which will form a cooling canopy as they grow. The planning and community co-design were supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The USDA Forest Service funded the green infrastructure, while CoBank and Nissan contributed to additional elements. Landscape architecture and construction were completed by TREE Urban Design + Landscape Architecture, Master Masons Inc., and Southern Horticulture Company, with Southern Agriculture and Forestry Group serving as the certified arborist. |
| Farish Street Green opens in Jackson | |
 | A new green space will bring shade, events and new opportunities to Jackson's historic Farish Street District. Farish Street Green opened to the public on October 5, 2026, thanks to the efforts of 2C Mississippi, Communities of Shalom, Mississippi State University's Jackson Community Design Center and the Jackson Redevelopment Authority. They transformed three vacant lots into an urban forest and community event space. The project included a stage, gathering areas and about 100 new sycamore, bald cypress and eastern redbud trees, which will eventually create a cooling canopy. Officials hope the new location will draw more businesses, events and tourists to one of Jackson's historic districts. |
| Westwin plans $502 million class 1 nickel refinery at Belwood site in Natchez | |
 | Westwin Elements, America's only Class 1 nickel refinery, announced plans to invest $502 million over five years to establish a commercial-scale Class 1 nickel refinery at the Belwood Industrial Site in Natchez. The project is expected to create 134 full-time jobs in its first phase of commercial operations, at an average annual salary of approximately $84,000. The investment marks a significant step toward building America's domestic critical mineral refining capacity. The Natchez facility will build on Westwin's experience at its 20-tonne-per-year demonstration plant in Lawton, Oklahoma, which has completed multiple production campaigns of on-spec Class 1 nickel powder using nickel carbonyl refining technology. High-purity Class 1 nickel is used in national defense, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, specialty alloys, energy and other industrial applications. Developing domestic refining capacity is critical to reducing U.S. dependence on foreign processing and strengthening the supply chains that support those industries. |
| Lawmakers hear FY 2028 budget requests from state agencies | |
| The Joint Legislative Budget Committee met last week as lawmakers prepare for the upcoming 2027 legislative session which begins in January. Members of the committee heard from agency heads who presented their budget requests for Fiscal Year 2028. As is the norm in these annual preliminary budget meetings, most agencies requested increased spending. Some of the increases sought include: $93 million for the Institutions of Higher Learning. Increases are being sought for a variety of line items from the agencies, including state staff salaries and investment into specific services or projects. Notably, the Department of Health requested level funding, meaning no increase year-over-year in their $90 million budget. The Department of Finance and Administration also requested level funding in their $102 million budget. The joint committee will reconvene on November 4 to review the Legislative Budget Recommendation and adopt a Fiscal Year 2028 revenue estimate. |
| Mississippi revenue collections exceed estimates by $123.3 million for first three months of fiscal year | |
| Three months into the current fiscal year, Mississippi revenues are exceeding legislative estimates by $123.3 million, or 6.84% over the revenue estimate. The state's fiscal year-to-date total revenue is $76.8 million, or 4.15% above the prior year's collections. The Joint Legislative Budget Committee released the September revenue report on Tuesday also showing that Mississippi revenue collections for the month were $51.6 million, or 7.34% above the revenue estimate. The total revenue estimate for Fiscal Year 2027 was set at $7,532,400,000. Driving the revenue numbers for September were general fund collections, which were $17.1 million, or 2.32% above the same month in the prior year. Sales tax and corporate income tax collections for the month of September were also above the same month in the prior year by $12 million and $32.5 million, respectively. Individual income tax collections for the month were below the prior year by $28.8 million, which is to be expected given that Mississippi is phasing out its personal income tax and has lowered the tax to 4%. |
| Polls show how AI is changing the workplace | |
| As AI adoption spreads across the US workforce, new polling suggests that its benefits have so far been concentrated among those likely to hold upper-level positions. Twenty-eight percent of US employees say they use AI at least weekly, according to a two-year study from Jobs for the Future, The Families & Workers Fund, and Gallup, while 54% say they haven't used it at work. Use of the technology on the job is much more common among those with college degrees and those in managerial roles. Speed is the most common benefit that AI users point to, with 63% saying the technology helps them do their jobs faster. Among those in the highest paid positions -- people earning $10,000 or more a month -- seven in 10 say it's accelerating their work, while fewer Americans who earn less say the same. |
| Why did Sen. Cory Booker campaign with Scott Colom? | |
 | U.S. Senate candidate Scott Colom and his supporters have long courted support from national Democratic figures in his uphill battle against incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. Colom has touted his campaign's momentum in interviews and through allies like U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson to get Democrats publicly on his side. In a brief Oct. 2 appearance in Gulfport, one of the party's most visible politicians backed Colom. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., joined Colom on Mississippi's coast to kick off Colom's canvassing initiative, fueled by a few dozen supporters sporting shirts or pins with his campaign slogans. Attendees flocked to Booker as soon as he arrived, most expressing surprise that one of the highest ranking members of the Democratic Party would visit Mississippi. "I never thought you'd be down here," one man told Booker before handing the senator his phone for a picture together. Booker echoed many of Colom's talking points in his speech. Colom has campaigned on raising the federal minimum wage and boosting rural health care, among other things, and he has framed a lot of his policy values in contrast with what he says Hyde-Smith has pushed for in Congress. |
| MAHA Activists Feel Betrayed by the Farm Bill -- And Their GOP Allies | |
| Leaders of the Make America Healthy Again movement aren't happy with parts of this year's version of the farm bill -- or the lawmakers who had vowed to hear their concerns. The latest version of the agriculture policy bill -- supported by Republicans purporting to be MAHA sympathizers -- falls short of the movement's demands. Much of the focus is on pesticide safety reviews and potentially risks funding for a pilot program to back farming practices to improve soil health and limit pesticide use. "That's absolutely unethical and insane," Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America, told The Washington Sun. Honeycutt said she and her group have visited legislators in D.C. nearly every month for more than a year, advocating for restrictions on glyphosate, the most common pesticide used by farmers. Kelly Ryerson, a MAHA activist who goes by the moniker "glyphosate girl," hopes that if the Senate passes its version, lawmakers will hash out its differences with the House bill in a conference and scrap the pesticide measures. Ryerson said she has been deeply disappointed by Republicans who had earlier appeared to sympathize with MAHA priorities, including those who formed MAHA caucuses in the House and the Senate at the outset of this Congress. |
| John Thune hopes to flood a 'big map' with a GOP money wave | |
 | The word on John Thune's mind these days is "resources." In the Senate majority leader's recollection, it was a dominant topic in his recent conversations with President Donald Trump, including at a recent visit to the White House, not to mention in his frequent conversation with Trump's political team -- and in an exclusive conversation with POLITICO Monday during a Midwest campaign swing. As Trump focuses on turning out his own voters -- a message the president is taking into his own hands in a series of preelection rallies -- Thune is making sure he also has money on his mind: "I ... just conveyed to him the importance of ensuring that our candidates are well-resourced." Thune's focus underscores the emerging question defining the 2026 midterms: Is there enough Republican money, and can it be spent fast enough, to counter surging Democratic campaigns and a lackluster national environment for the GOP? The midterm results carry personal stakes for Thune, who is expected to run for leader again in internal Senate GOP elections that are expected to take place just days after the midterms, regardless of the outcome. |
| Republicans Bind Their Senate Hopes to New Hampshire's Sununu Dynasty | |
 | John E. Sununu was first elected to the Senate in the aftermath of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks and was the chamber's youngest member during his single term. Nearly two decades later, the Republican from one of New Hampshire's most durable political families is seeking a comeback that could act as a lifeline in the GOP's quest to cling to its teetering Senate majority. But to do so, Sununu will need to navigate a tightrope, creating enough distance from President Trump in a difficult political environment while still attracting Trump's MAGA supporters. Polls show his opponent, Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, with a slight edge in a state where Democrats have dominated federal offices for the past decade. During weekend campaign appearances around the state, Sununu presented himself as a "strong, independent voice" focused entirely on New Hampshire issues and bringing down economic costs -- noting that he even worked with Hillary Clinton on automobile safety. But he also sought to separate himself from Trump. Democrats are increasingly bullish about their chances of winning a majority in the Senate, needing a net gain of four seats as races tighten around the country. A loss in New Hampshire -- or in Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed is in a tight race against Mike Rogers to hold onto another blue seat -- would complicate those plans. |
| Trump's feud with Cotton snaps heads in the Senate | |
 | President Trump's doxing of Sen. Tom Cotton over a stalled bill to establish year-round daylight saving time is throwing an unexpected twist in the Arkansas Republican's reelection race and sets up a fierce fight in the Senate this fall over the biannual changing of clocks. Trump's decision to publish Cotton's cellphone number on his Truth Social account, which has more than 13 million followers, left Senate Republicans and their advisers in shock. Trump urged his followers to press Cotton, the third-ranking member of the Senate GOP leadership and the chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, to contact the senator directly to press him to drop his opposition to the Sunshine Protection Act. One Senate Republican strategist called Trump's doxing of Cotton, one of the most influential national security hawks in the Republican conference, an "enormous disruption." Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) defended Cotton's opposition to making daylight saving time permanent as driven by "real safety concerns." Wicker said Cotton is speaking for a number of Republican senators when he stands up against making daylight saving time year-round. And Wicker said he "wouldn't have advised" Trump to make Cotton's cellphone number public. |
| Trump reverses course on publicly funded TV political ads | |
 | President Donald Trump announced Monday night that taxpayers will no longer pick up the tab for political TV advertisements promoting himself and administration policies. Facing a public backlash from lawmakers of both parties, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site that he would in part use money raised by a super PAC, MAGA Inc., to fund the ads instead of relying on tax dollars. When the ads began running last month, the government had used funding provided to the Department of Homeland Security in last year's reconciliation law, something lawmakers in both parties widely criticized. "The Radical Left is upset with the fact that I am taking Ads, which I consider to be a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A., and paying for them with U.S.A. money," Trump wrote. "This is a rather standard thing to do but, rather than doing that, although nothing will make them happy, I have decided to do the Patriotic Ads, among others, and pay for them myself and with money I raised for MAGA, Inc." The advertisements were marked "Paid for by the US Government" and aired during popular television events, like college and NFL football games. |
| Trump signs order extending tax-free use of red-dyed diesel during midterm stop in Nebraska | |
 | President Donald Trump on Monday took his Republican midterm rescue mission to Nebraska, where he signed an executive order to ease limits on the tax-free use of red-dyed diesel, a decision he said would save "millions" for farmers and drive down the cost of all goods with just four weeks to go until the elections. "Pete and Jim, this should absolutely ensure your election, I guarantee you that," Trump said, addressing GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts, who is running against an independent candidate backed by national Democrats, and Gov. Jim Pillen, who is seeking a second term. Diesel fuel prices have spiked in the aftermath of the Iran war, rattling voters and putting pressure on Republicans. Diesel fuel that is intended for off-road uses such as agriculture is exempt from federal and state excise taxes, and it is dyed for law enforcement purposes, the White House explained in a fact sheet. Temporarily removing the limits would reduce cost pressures on the businesses that rely on diesel. Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy, a platform that monitors national gasoline and diesel prices, noted last week, when news of the possible action began to surface, that such an order could save money for on-road users but not farmers, who already use red-dyed diesel. "Taxes aren't the problem, supply is," De Haan wrote on X. |
| Trump suggests letting Iran 'take out' Los Angeles, San Diego at campaign rally | |
 | President Trump, speaking at a campaign rally Monday, suggested Iran could "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego -- a comment that was possibly in jest but brought a quick reaction from leaders in California. Trump said he wanted to "see a tremendous victory" in the November election, "'cause it verifies all the things we did. And again, remember, with the war it's just artificial, it's a little bit high." "It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe," he continued. "They can take out a city, let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay." The crowd cheered. His comment was met with criticism from California leaders -- including at least one Trump-endorsed Republican candidate from San Diego. Trump made the remarks during a rambling speech in which he said gas prices would be lower soon, touted his ouster of Venezuela's dictator and made attacks on news outlets. Trump has long had a strained relationship with Los Angeles, where he struggled to garner traction for his business ventures. |
| Intelligence on potential Iranian drone attack led U.S. to move bombers | |
 | Pentagon commanders abruptly evacuated a fleet of long-range B-1 bombers from a British air base over the weekend when fears spiked of a potential Iranian drone attack against planes and personnel at the facility, according to two people familiar with the decision and a British official. The two people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters, said about a dozen B-1 bombers were moved from Royal Air Force Fairford in response to multiple streams of intelligence warning about possible attacks. Particularly concerning was the possibility of a swarm drone attack similar to one Ukraine launched against Russia in June 2025. In that attack, known as "Operation Spiderweb," Ukraine smuggled more than 100 small armed drones into Russia concealed in cargo trucks and stationed near air bases; the operation destroyed an estimated one-third of Moscow's long-range bomber fleet. Concerns for the security of the U.S. bombers began to rise in late September. |
| Republicans and Democrats find a unifying target: Pharmacy benefit managers | |
 | Amye Joseph says America's political polarization has made it an "interesting time" in her Tennessee household. She and her husband, Charlie, have been married for 35 years. She's a Republican. He's a Democrat. But their shared disenchantment with profit-driven healthcare has provided a unifying target: pharmacy benefit managers, known as PBMs. The Josephs' frustration is focused on CVS Health. The conglomerate, which reported $400 billion in revenue last year, includes a major health insurer (Aetna), one of the country's dominant PBMs (CVS Caremark), and America's largest retail pharmacy chain (CVS Pharmacy). "We hate CVS. I'm going to be straight-up," Amye Joseph said. She laments the lack of face-to-face interaction with pharmacists, prices that seem to rise without explanation, and pressure from the couple's CVS Caremark drug plan to use CVS stores instead of their local pharmacy. "They're not even a middleman," she said. "They're a money grab for CVS." PBMs were conceived as a way to manage prescriptions and hold down costs. But these middlemen have become bipartisan punching bags, accused of sucking up profits at the expense of employers, governments, and patients. And while healthcare debates still divide Democrats and Republicans in Washington, D.C., taking on PBMs has become a unifying cause in an era of widespread frustration over rising healthcare costs. |
| Lack of transparency in what space weapons nations are pursuing and even on what's already in orbit | |
| Air Force Secretary Troy Meink made headlines recently by confirming the United States has deployed weapons in space. He did not, however, detail what the weapons were, how they work or if they were targeting other objects in space. It's not just U.S. efforts regarding space weapons that remain shrouded in mystery. Meink, speaking at a defense conference, said the U.S. has fielded "on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action," referring to U.S. forces. It remains unclear which type of weapon Meink was referencing. The Outer Space Treaty is the main international agreement that establishes the rules and norms for how countries explore and use space. Analysts argue the treaty fails to address some of the challenges of modern times. Michelle Hanlon, executive director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law, agreed, saying there is a "gap" in the treaty when it comes to barring conventional weapons. |
| Americans' opinions about the value of a college education are souring | |
| More Americans than ever are questioning the value of higher education. A new survey from Gallup finds that just 31% of adults in the U.S. think a college education is "very important." That's the lowest since Gallup first asked that question nearly 50 years ago. In the cauldron of ingredients that's led to this loss of trust in higher education, the cost of college is key. So are the loans people take out to cover that cost. "Everybody knows somebody who's drowning in debt," said Josh Wyner, who leads the Aspen Institute's College Excellence Program. "That difficulty repaying debt is shaping how people feel about the whole system." Another ingredient, Wyner said, is that many recent college grads have struggled to find work, and their stories resonate with would-be students. Plus, higher ed hasn't worked out for a lot of people, noted Catharine Hill, a senior advisor at the education nonprofit Ithaka S&R. There are more than 43 million adults in the U.S. who started college and may have taken on some debt but never got a degree. "Those people haven't experienced the benefits of going on to higher education, and in many cases, it's probably made them worse off," she said. |
| 'This has to stop': Health officials push for tighter restrictions in wake of kratom deaths | |
| The recent deaths of two University of Mississippi students in Oxford, which State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney said may be connected to kratom products, have people asking: What is kratom, and why can it be bought in a gas station? Toxicology results were still pending when Edney spoke with The Vicksburg Post and a connection between kratom and the deaths had not been confirmed. Edney, a Vicksburg resident, said health officials have been working for years to further restrict the sale of kratom in Mississippi, but the Oxford cases have brought new attention to the issue. In the early 2000s kratom began gaining popularity in the U.S. when the plant moved from its traditional use in Southeast Asia to a growing commercial market. "It was brought to the United States as an unregulated product many years ago and has just taken root in gas stations and vape stores," Edney said. "The problem even with the plant is that it does act at the opioid receptor in the brain," Edney said. "At lower doses, it kind of has a stimulant effect, and if you go higher, then you get the opioid effect." "What's happened most recently is there have been those who have been synthetically producing the active ingredient in kratom, which is 7-hydroxymitragynine, and have made it very potent and concentrated," Edney said. "And that's what has become very dangerous." |
| Khayat documentary Oct. 29 at the Ford Center | |
| A documentary film on the leadership and accomplishments of Robert Khayat will premiere Oct. 29 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Mississippi. "The Chancellor -- The Robert Khayat Story" was produced and directed by David Crews, who serves on the Overby Center Board of Directors. The program will begin at 6 p.m. in the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. There is no charge, but tickets are required and can be obtained at the Ford Center box office. There is free parking available. The film will be followed by country music legend Marty Stuart's performance of "The Moss Point Kid," a song he wrote about Khayat. Before he was chancellor, Khayat was a professor and assistant dean at the Ole Miss School of Law. After finishing his undergraduate degree, Khayat was drafted by the NFL Cleveland Browns and played professional football for three seasons with the Washington Redskins. |
| Delta State Reports Financial Status Improvements | |
| Delta State University reported substantial improvements in its financial position and provided updates on enrollment, legislative matters and campus priorities during its Fall Town Hall which was held on September 9. The university ended fiscal year 2026 with 94 days of cash on hand, surpassing the 90-day goal established as part of a multiyear financial plan introduced in 2023. Delta State had 24 days of cash on hand in fiscal year 2023 before increasing to 27 days in 2024 and 58 days in 2025. The increase represents a gain of 70 days of cash on hand over three fiscal years and gives the university a stronger reserve to manage unexpected expenses and changes in revenue. "Three years ago, we established a financial plan that relied on realistic revenue projections, responsible budgeting and steady progress toward a sustainable financial position," said Delta State President, Dr. Daniel J. Ennis. "Reaching 94 days of cash on hand reflects the difficult decisions and disciplined work that have taken place across the university. Our faculty and staff have remained focused on serving our students while helping Delta State build a more secure foundation for the future." |
| Delta State named top music business school by Billboard for 5th year in row | |
| For the fifth year in a row, Billboard magazine has named Delta State University's Delta Music Institute as one of the top music business schools in the world, Delta State officials announced Monday. The unranked annual list, which has not been released in full yet, is expected to have Delta State alongside other schools such as Abbey Road Institute in London, Berklee College of Music in Boston and Spain, Belmont University in Nashville, and Middle Tennessee State University. Each year, schools are selected on industry recommendations, alumni success, faculty credentials, and information provided by the institution, combined with research of Billboard staff. "Being recognized by Billboard for five consecutive years is an extraordinary honor for the Delta Music Institute and for Delta State University," DMI Director Dr. Richard Tremmel said. "This recognition reflects the dedication of our faculty and staff, the accomplishments of our students and alumni, and our continued commitment to providing students with relevant, hands-on preparation for careers throughout the entertainment industry." |
| JSU homecoming week set for Oct. 10-17 with theme 'THEE Greatest Show' | |
| Jackson State University is one week away from homecoming, with a week of events planned under this year's theme, "THEE Greatest Show." From the parade, to the concert, to the big football game, university leaders say there will be something for everyone to enjoy. "Let us come together in the true spirit of Tiger Nation, celebrate our history, embrace our future, support our students, and proudly showcase the excellence of Jackson State University," said JSU President Dr. Denise Jones Gregory. "Homecoming is where tradition meets excellence, where pride meets purpose, and where generations come together to celebrate this intuition that we al love." Visit Jackson President and CEO Dr. Rickey Thigpen said homecoming is also a major economic driver. "We are anticipating over $5 million in economic impact for the city of Jackson because of Jackson State University's homecoming," Thigpen said. "Homecoming brings business to Jackson. Visitors stay in our hotels, they dine in our restaurants, they shop at our local merchants, and they enjoy our culture and attractions." |
| U. of Alabama System announces leadership changes | |
| The University of Alabama System has announced a leadership restructuring that includes three executive appointments intended to support the system's continued growth. Effective Oct. 1, Dana S. Keith will serve as senior vice chancellor for finance and investments, Mark Foley will serve as vice chancellor for administration and chief of staff, and Mary Caroline Wynn will serve as secretary of the Board of Trustees and system counsel, according to a Sept. 24 announcement from the UA System. As senior vice chancellor for finance and investments, Keith will advise the Board of Trustees and chancellor on financial strategy and oversee systemwide fiscal management, investment operations, debt management and long-term financial sustainability. She holds a doctorate in higher education administration from UA, bachelor's and MBA degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi, and a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University. |
| Can wildfires be predicted? LSU researchers win recognition for AI wildfire tech | |
 | Can wildfires be detected sooner, before they cause catastrophic damage? And can they be predicted well before they ignite? Baton Rouge researchers say it's possible -- and they are being recognized for technology they developed that uses AI to act as a virtual firefighting force. With the threat of severe wildfires on the rise, including in Louisiana, the researchers say the need for advanced detection is paramount. "We need this technology now," said Supratik Mukhopadhyay, a professor at LSU and lead scientist developing the technology. "If you have AI, what should you use it for? You should use it for the most urgent problems we have today." DeepFire, a collaboration between researchers from LSU and consulting firm Ailectric, among others, received a special recognition two weeks ago from the XPRIZE Wildfire competition for the technology it developed. The recognition comes with a $100,000 prize. |
| U. of Tennessee adjusts growth plan to have more students on campus | |
| The University of Tennessee at Knoxville wants about 2,000 more students on campus by 2030 than it previously planned, while keeping its overall enrollment goal of 55,000 students unchanged. The updated 2030 plan lowers the online enrollment goal from 14,000 students to 12,000 while raising the on-campus target from 41,000 students to 43,000. Provost John Zomchick shared these new figures Oct. 2 during Chancellor Donde Plowman's Advisory Board meeting in the newly opened Torchbearer Hall. The residence hall is the third dormitory built on campus through a public-private partnership model that UT plans to use again for three more residence halls before 2030 as it pursues a larger on-campus student population. UT is investing more in online education through a partnership with Arizona State University and now offers more than 90 online degree and certificate programs for undergraduate and graduate students. UT plans to report online enrollment more regularly as those students become a larger share of the university's growth. |
| South Carolina colleges can apply to offer new Pell Grants aimed at in-demand trades. So far, none have | |
| Nursing and medical assistants, mechanics and commercial truck drivers, welders and construction equipment operators. These are among the South Carolina careers newly eligible for low-income, federal education grants. But so far, colleges and trade schools in the Palmetto State have yet to seek approval for training programs under the recently expanded Pell Grant program. The U.S. Department of Education has signed off on 21 programs in six states -- Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Texas -- since July, under new Workforce Pell grants. While Pell Grants have existed for a long time, the Trump administration's hallmark tax cut legislation -- the "One, Big, Beautiful" law -- opened up the financial aid to non-degree, certification programs as short as eight weeks long. Final federal rules were not released until May 18. South Carolina's employment agency opened up its first round of applications about a month and a half later. "That gave states and colleges only a few weeks to understand the requirements and begin putting the program into place," said Kelly Steinhilper, spokeswoman for the state technical college system. So, the lack of applications at this stage is not unexpected, she added. Colleges have a lot of hoops to jump through to qualify. |
| Ashley Judd accuses U. of Kentucky of being silent over student sexual assaults | |
 | Popular actress and University of Kentucky alumna Ashley Judd has accused the school of silencing sexual assaults against sorority members, claiming the university "suppressed, hushed, denied" the assaults. Judd posted a four-minute video on Sunday saying she was aware that some members of Kappa Kappa Gamma, the Beta Chi chapter at UK, were raped while enrolled at the university. She accused members of fraternities who "frequently socialized" with Kappa Kappa Gamma members of committing the assaults while keeping specific details private to keep the victims anonymous. Judd, "a three-time rape survivor" herself, said she does not know if the victims survived the assaults, if they received medical and psychological support or if they stayed enrolled at the university after the assaults. But Judd, who was a Kappa Kappa Gamma member while a student at Kentucky, claimed UK knew about the assaults and "shielded the boys who raped you from accountability and denied you justice." Kirsten Turner, UK's vice president for student success, responded to Judd's video in a statement to the Herald-Leader. |
| Mizzou researcher pivots from the NFL to animal research | |
 | Don Cherry, a former NFL player, has found a home at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. Cherry grew up in what he affectionately refers to as the "animal house," living with three dogs, five cats, three guinea pigs, hamsters and a bird. It's because of this upbringing that he has always had a natural affinity for animals, working in shelters and as a dog walker since a very young age. His path diverged in college when he decided to study finance at Villanova University and was then given the chance to play in the NFL for both the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles. Cherry described the three-year stint as "very physically, mentally (and) emotionally draining." As a member of the practice squad, he recalled his NFL experience as tumultuous. Nevertheless, his experience at the highest level in the field gave him a mindset that would help in his future endeavors. Cherry said he chose Mizzou because of the high bar for success and history of excellence. He said that made his decision a no brainer. |
| Texas college campus protest law faces First Amendment challenge | |
| A Texas law restricting protesting on public college campuses will face a constitutional test Tuesday. Legislators passed Senate Bill 2972 in response to the 2024 pro-Palestinian protests at colleges that occurred across the state. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit will consider whether the law's overnight and end-of-term restrictions violate the First Amendment after a federal judge temporarily blocked their enforcement last year. Known as the Campus Protection Act, the bill requires Texas public colleges to adopt policies barring expressive activity on campus from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. School policies also must prohibit invited speakers, amplified sound and drums or other percussion during the final two weeks of a semester or term. Lawmakers passed the measure in 2025 after pro-Palestinian protests swept college campuses nationwide. Students and student groups at UT-Austin and UT-Dallas sued, arguing the restrictions on expressive activity overnight and during the last two weeks of a semester are so broad that they could encompass activity that has nothing to do with the kind of protests that prompted the law. |
| Michael Jordan makes $10 million commitment to UNC School of Social Work in honor of his mother | |
| Six-time NBA champion and former North Carolina Tar Heels star Michael Jordan has made a $10 million commitment to the UNC School of Social Work in honor of his mother, Deloris P. Jordan. It's the largest single gift in the School of Social Work's history and will expand the reach and impact of the Global Social Development Innovations Center, according to a release Monday. The center will be renamed the Deloris P. Jordan Global Social Development Innovations Center and the Jordan Institute for Families. It will provide financial scholarships for Master of Social Work students. Jordan played for the Tar Heels from 1981-84, making the game winning shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game as a freshman. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1986. "I'm proud to support the social workers who are on the ground each and every day helping people navigate challenges, find opportunities and build stronger communities," Jordan said. |
| Cornell Students Want Better Sexual-Assault Prevention. Such Training Often Falls Short, Experts Say. | |
 | On Monday, frustrated Cornell University students protested in the wake of a lawsuit alleging a gang rape at a fraternity that's shaken the nation. The students demanded, among other things, more robust mandatory sexual-assault prevention training. That training already exists at Cornell, as it does at colleges across the country. But such programs, as they are currently designed, are often ineffective, experts say. And Cornell has acknowledged its existing education needs improvement. A March report from a Cornell task force -- formed in the aftermath of the alleged rape in 2024, before the case received broader attention -- recommended required in-person sessions on sexual-assault prevention at new student orientation and throughout a student's first semester. "The devil is in the details, and a lot of the [training programs] are terrible," said Jennifer Freyd, a professor emerit of psychology at the University of Oregon who researches sexual violence at colleges and institutional responses. That doesn't mean all educational programs miss the mark, Freyd said, "just that a one-off isn't going to do a whole lot." |
| Cornell Will Take 'Serious Look' at Role of Greek Life, President Says | |
 | Cornell University will re-examine its sexual assault prevention and response efforts and take a "serious look at the role of fraternities and sororities in campus life," President Michael Kotlikoff said in a video statement Saturday. The eight-minute video message is Kotlikoff's first direct public statement in response to an anonymous former student's allegation that she was raped in 2024 by seven men at the Chi Phi fraternity house. Kotlikoff called what happened to the student, known as Jane Doe, "deeply disturbing." "My heart aches when I think of what she experienced. It raises heartbreaking and troubling issues about sexual assault, dehumanization and aspects of party culture, alcohol and drug use. It also raises questions around the investigations conducted after the allegations were reported," he said. "I want to acknowledge something that can be difficult for an institution to say: We don't have all the answers, but we are committed to investigating and finding the answers our community deserves." Campus tensions ran high Monday. |
| Cornell Faculty Members Signal Deep Anger With University Leaders | |
 | The leaders of Cornell University, already embattled over the school's handling of sexual assault allegations on campus, received another blow late Monday when the school's faculty senate gave notice of plans to vote on a rare resolution of no confidence in the school's administrators. Although largely symbolic, the measure and its apparent support among faculty members promised to increase pressure on the university's president, Michael Kotlikoff, and other leaders as they face condemnation over Cornell's handling of a reported sexual assault on campus in 2024. "The faculty senate has no confidence in the ability of the central administration to effectively address the ongoing crisis of sexual assault at Cornell University," a draft of the resolution read as of Monday night. Richard Bensel, a professor of government and member of the faculty senate, acknowledged that such a resolution, if passed, would not cause any administrator to be removed from office. But he added that it was potent, still, for the sting of disapproval it would deliver to those in charge of the university. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State has a tradition so loud the SEC once banned it: A story of cowbells | |
| No definite, factual origin story exists. The most popular one at Mississippi State is that a cow wandered onto the field during a game -- maybe in the 1930s, maybe against rival Ole Miss -- and it led to a comeback. After first trying to bring back the cow as a good-luck charm, students settled on cowbells, and a tradition was born. The most annoying tradition in the SEC, per many opponents, including the Auburn coach who led a 36-year ban on the cowbells. And the most beautiful tradition, per the Mississippi State fans who have passed the cowbells through generations, flouting that 36-year ban, and now ringing legally for 16 years ... per specific instructions, including from a classic Saturday Night Live skit. To be clear, there are no longer cows roaming around the Mississippi State campus, which looks like any other SEC campus, and Starkville, by major college standards, has a suburban neighborhood feel. But the cowbells will always remain as an ode to the past, and part of the school and football team's DNA. "It's such a communal symbol," Mississippi State athletic director Zac Selmon said. "And it is pretty loud." |
| Defense shining for MSU soccer through SEC play | |
| Mississippi State soccer hasn't scored in three straight games. The Bulldogs are still undefeated in conference play. MSU is five games into SEC play, and sits with a 1-0-4 record. State is seventh in the conference standings, amassing seven points, and have earned their spot with four straight ties, three of which ended scoreless. "If we can be clinical in the box and take our chances at a way higher rate than we are, then we'll win more games," head coach Kevin O'Brien said last week. "We're just not composed in the moments we need to be composed, or the techniques just a fraction off, and we're missing it high or wide, so it's those finer details that we've got to get right in order to convert those ties into wins in the future." The draws have come against some of the SEC's top competition. MSU tied 0-0 with then ranked No. 9 Tennessee. The Bulldogs drew 0-0 with No. 11 South Carolina on Oct. 2 MSU's two other ties came at Kentucky, and at home against the Bulldogs' former head coach Nick Zimmerman and the Florida Gators. MSU's four straight ties are a program record, according to a press release from MSU Athletics. |
| Weather Alters MSU Baseball Exhibition Schedule | |
| Impending tropical weather has forced Mississippi State to alter its baseball exhibition schedule this weekend. The Diamond Dawgs were set to take on Auburn on Friday and Southern Miss on Saturday in the Hancock Whitney Coast Classic. Mother Nature had other ideas and will now move MSU's exhibition with Auburn to Thursday at 6 p.m. at Keesler Federal Park and the contest against the Golden Eagles has been canceled. All tickets for Friday's game will be honored on Thursday night. Tickets for Saturday's game can be exchanged for Thursday's game at the Keesler Federal Park box office. For those who are unable to attend either game, fans can contact the Biloxi Shuckers ticket office. Gates for Thursday's game will open at 5 p.m. State also has two other exhibition games on the schedule this fall. The Bulldogs play Western Kentucky on Oct. 18 in Jackson, Tennessee before closing out their fall slate at home hosting Little Rock on Oct. 30. |
| What's next in SEC's lawsuit vs LSU? | |
 | The ball remains in the SEC's court as the conference's legal battle against LSU continues. Per court filings on Monday, Sept. 28, an order has been filed by presiding Judge Annemarie Carney Axon requesting the SEC respond by or on Tuesday, Oct. 13 to LSU's motion to have the lawsuit dismissed. Judge Axon's order also requested a reply, "if any," from LSU by Tuesday, Oct. 20. The bottom line? If the SEC is going to keep its lawsuit against LSU alive, a decision may be made by Oct. 13. Then, LSU will have the option to respond depending on what the SEC replies. A federal hearing was scheduled to take place at Hugo L. Black United States Courthouse in Birmingham on Sept. 9, but was cancelled and set to be rescheduled in a separate order. At the hearing, Axon was originally expected to rule on the SEC's request for a temporary restraining order against LSU. Following the postponed hearing, tensions briefly cooled when the SEC released a statement indicating the two sides were working toward a resolution. That changed after the conference learned of LSU's motion for dismissal on Sept. 25. "We are deeply disappointed that this filing came amid efforts to reach a resolution with LSU that would address our other member universities' concerns about LSU's commitment to the conference's rules and shared governance responsibilities," the SEC said in a statement. "Those concerns remain unresolved." |
| Ole Miss Set To Drop Nike For Lucrative 7-Year Deal With Adidas | |
| Ole Miss is slated to unveil a new seven-year deal with Adidas that will begin on July 1, 2027, and run through 2034, sources familiar with the negotiations told me. The school, which had been a Nike school since 1999, is finalizing exact valuations on the agreement, though it is expected to rival or exceed the $20-plus million annual deal Miami received from Nike in recent weeks, sources said. Ole Miss' agreement with Adidas is also expected to include a slew of significant commitments around NIL for Rebels athletes, while sources told me the valuation of those commitments is expected to be "10 times larger" than what had previously been committed by Nike. Adidas has been as aggressive as any apparel provider in the college space in recent years, including taking major swings in the NIL space. While the company did lose Miami in recent weeks, Adidas added Tennessee and Penn State over the last 12 months, complementing a stable of Power Four schools that also includes Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Texas Tech and Texas A&M, among others. |
| Portnoy on Fox 'Big Noon' Exit: Ryan Day Thinks I 'Doxxed' Him | |
| Friday night, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy revealed that The Athletic's Andrew Marchand was about to report that he was removed from Fox's Big Noon Kickoff, and laid the blame with Ohio State and head coach Ryan Day. Portnoy spoke to Front Office Sports about how he found out, what his understanding was of Fox trying to smooth things over with Ohio State and the Big Ten, why he believes Day was so upset about his role on the show, the status of Wake Up Barstool on FS1, and if he has buyer's remorse after playing a financial role in the recruitment of Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood. Shortly before publication, FOS reached out to Ohio State, the Big Ten, and Fox Sports for comment and will update this story with any response. |
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