Tuesday, March 2, 2021   
 
MSU-Meridian teacher of the year to give lecture
Mississippi State University-Meridian associate professor of history Toby Bates will deliver the MSU College of Arts and Sciences Humanities Lecture, "We are all Historians -- Historical Thinking in Understanding Contemporary Affairs" at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2 at the MSU Riley Center. Bates was recently named 2021 Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year at MSU for his outstanding work in the humanities. Bates' presentation will focus on the "complex" relationship between history and memory. "My presentation deals with the often heard comments regarding history -- 'I hated history in school,' and for the current students, 'I hate studying history.' My presentation explains that a dislike for history often is better described as a dislike for how instructors teach the subject of history," Bates said in a media release. Head of the Division of Arts and Sciences at MSU-Meridian Richard V. Damms said Bates' teaching, research and community-engaged scholarship exemplifies the MHC's ideal that "the humanities are for everyone." "He has delivered dozens of public talks and workshops to teachers, community organizations, and radio and television audiences across the region served by the Meridian campus, usually on topics relating to the importance of historical thinking and understanding to contemporary affairs. For many in this community, Dr. Bates is the 'voice' of history. He is a fine representative of both the humanities in action and the MSU-Meridian campus in this region," Damms said.
 
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann raises concerns of 'unintended consequences' in House tax cut bill
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann on Monday suggested a sweeping income tax elimination bill authored by House leaders faces long odds in the Senate, though he also refused to rule out the possibility that a heavily modified version could win approval. Hosemann held up a dog-eared copy of the 317-page bill during an online forum hosted by Mississippi State University's Stennis Institute, saying he was still wading through the bill's language himself after it cleared the House on an 85-34 vote last week. He outlined several "unintended consequences" buried in the bill, which he said could impact farmers, teachers, electric utilities and nonprofits. He stressed the need for more experts to evaluate the proposal's potential impact on Mississippi's economy before it moves forward. "This allegedly is about a $2.6 billion change to the budget, when you include all the (tax) phase-outs that have been proposed by the House," Hosemann said, adding that "deep scrutiny" of the bill's language is needed, and there may not be enough time left to do so this session. The lieutenant governor said he recently asked State Economist Corey Miller to evaluate the proposal and has also consulted with an accounting firm on the bill's specifics.
 
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann: Mississippi Senate will analyze House tax plan
Mississippi Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said Monday that the state Senate will thoroughly examine a House bill that proposes several significant changes in state tax rates. Hosemann, a Republican, said during an online press forum that he has asked certified public accountants and the state economist to analyze House Bill 1439, which is more than 300 pages long. "I have concerns about raising anybody's taxes," Hosemann said. "There are significant things to discuss here." The bill would phase out the personal income tax and cut the 7% grocery tax in half over several years. It would also increase several other taxes, including the state sales tax on most items, which would go from the current 7% to 9.5%. Tax rates would increase on items including cars and trucks, cigarettes, alcohol, farm equipment and manufacturing equipment. Mississippi does not collect income tax from retired people, and Hosemann said he has heard from retirees who worry about paying a higher sales tax. He said farm groups are concerned about increasing the cost of tractors and other big equipment. Hosemann said he is concerned about altering tax credits for job creation and tax deductions for charitable donations.
 
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann cites problems with House tax bill, but won't rule out action on it this session
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann did not rule out passing a version of the massive tax restructuring bill approved last week by the Mississippi House even though he cited what he said were multiple problems with the legislation. Still, Hosemann, speaking publicly about the bill for the first time, left the impression that if the bill makes it out of the Senate before the March 16 deadline it will be dramatically different than the proposal that passed the House. And, based on Hosemann's comments, it is far from a certainty that the bill will survive the deadline. "I have not had one senator come to me and tell me he wants to pass this bill," said Hosemann, speaking Monday during a video conference to Mississippi State University's Stennis Institute of Government and the Capitol Press Corps. "...The Senate is not Nancy Pelosi. We don't adopt it and find out how it will work after we pass it." Later, responding to a question, Hosemann said he was not belittling the approach of Speaker Philip Gunn who introduced and passed his Mississippi Tax Freedom Act in less than 24 hours. When asked why there was not more communication between House and Senate leaders before the bill was taken up, he said, "You will have to ask the speaker that." But he said, "I don't think it any secret the speaker and I are personal friends. He has a tremendous heart and tremendous love for Mississippi, but that doesn't make him right all the time."
 
Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann: Not one Senator has come to me to say they want to pass the House income tax bill
Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann does not know if there is time for the income tax phase out bill as passed in the Mississippi House last week to make it through the process in this 2021 session. Hosemann was the speaker at the virtual Stennis Capitol Press Forum on Monday. He spoke on various bills remaining on the table this session, from criminal justice reform to the economic development incentive MFlex, but much of the conversation centered around the income tax phase out legislation. Generally, the Lt. Governor said he was supportive of reducing taxes and allowing Mississippians to keep more of their money. Although, as Hosemann said, "I do have concerns about raising anybody's taxes." Hosemann also has concerns over what appears to be a sudden change to the state's tax structure, a move that would impact approximately $2.6 billion in revenue. "This bill is exceptionally long and has several unintended consequences," Lt. Governor Hosemann said while holding up a dog-eared copy of the 300 page bill with notes scribbled throughout. "We need to have a measured approach to this." Given the complexity of the change, Hosemann told the press forum that he has asked the state economist to model how the House passed income tax phase out will affect the state budget.
 
'I Don't Want to Be Kansas': Mississippi Income Tax Unlikely to Survive in Senate, Leader Says
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann first addressed House Speaker Philip Gunn's comprehensive tax-cut bill with a spoonful of sugar at the Stennis Press Forum Monday, praising the speaker, a Clinton Republican, and the House for putting to paper a concrete plan for phasing out income taxes, which has been a GOP talking point since before the session's opening. After that, however, it was all medicine. "This bill is exceptionally long. It further has several unintended consequences," Hosemann said. Some of the tax benefits included in it don't apply to Mississippi residents, he claimed. He referenced Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson's rejection of the sales-tax increase included in the bill, echoing complaints that it could spike the cost of farm equipment, like tractors. Gunn's tax bill is an aggressive take on a phase-out of income taxes that would otherwise take a significant period of time to cover through revenue growth. Hosemann has previously dismissed the idea that the state could absorb the massive cut to revenue fully slashing income taxes would represent. Gunn's tax hikes, including on the sales tax, are a way to achieve the goal in a reasonable amount of time while supposedly offsetting the budget hole.
 
Mississippi income tax bill needs more work, conservative think tank cautions
An influential conservative think tank has deemed a proposed overhaul of Mississippi's tax structure as "momentous" but urges caution and careful deliberation over the bill's fiscal sustainability and economic impact. After unveiling House Bill 1439 last week and fast-tracking it through the approval process, House leadership repeatedly cited 2016 legislative hearings involving the Tax Foundation as informing their goals and perspective. But the Tax Foundation itself is now offering some reservations about the legislation backed by House Speaker Philip Gunn and his top legislative lieutenants. The House bill is a "bold plan," according to a Tax Foundation analysis released Monday, before adding that "when it comes to making major changes to the tax code, however, details matter." And some key details are simply missing, according to the conservative Tax Foundation "The absence of a fiscal note is concerning," wrote the report's authors, Katherine Loughead and Jared Walczak. This fiscal note would equip legislators with "a detailed understanding of the bill's revenue implications to inform further deliberations."
 
Is Speaker Philip Gunn on a political island with tax overhaul plan?
The conservative Tax Foundation has been House Speaker Philip Gunn's spirit animal in his ongoing push to eliminate the state's income tax and shift to "consumer taxes" such as a higher state sales tax. But on Monday, even the Tax Foundation panned Gunn's proposal to overhaul the state's tax base by phasing out the income tax and cutting taxes on groceries while increasing sales, use and "sin" taxes. This after Gunn said the Tax Foundation's teachings -- notably at a series of hearings Gunn hosted in 2016 -- that "consumer taxes" are better and fairer than income taxes were an impetus for his proposal. A week after Gunn rolled out his sea-change tax bill with little heads up even to much of his own GOP House caucus, he appears to be on an island politically. Farmers, teachers, business leaders, conservatives, progressives, the lieutenant governor and Senate, the governor -- who himself advocates eliminating the income tax -- have expressed skepticism, if not outright opposition, to Gunn's proposal. They have differing reasons, but there appears to be some consensus that the proposal should have been more thoroughly vetted, had more people's input and more transparency before it was rolled out and passed by the House in less than 24 hours.
 
Bills could allow counties to lower taxes for energy companies
A pair of bills moving through the Legislature would allow Chickasaw County to lower its tax abatement below the current legal limit to pave the way for a potential solar farm. House Bill 1063, introduced by Rep. Jon Lancaster, D-Houston, and its sister bill, Senate Bill 2895, introduced in the Senate by Sen. Ben Suber, R-Bruce, would allow counties to designate certain projects as "transformable renewable energy projects" and lower the tax abatement on such properties to 8%. The standard taxation rate is 15%. The bills represent an effort to make Chickasaw County more appealing to a company seriously considering the county for a solar energy farm, but expressed reservations about high millage rates. According to Suber, lowering the county's tax rate will help make Chickasaw County, or any other county being eyed for such projects, more competitive. "We had to do something to make it easier for them," Suber said. Lancaster said the bills better align the rates with surrounding states, making it more appealing for these types of industries to come in.
 
Ethics watchdog: 'Substantial' evidence GOP lawmaker improperly spent funds, misused position to help brother
The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) concluded in a report made public on Monday that there is "substantial" evidence that Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) misused campaign as well as official funds and used his office to help his brother in violation of House rules. The OCE said that it found evidence indicating that Palazzo used campaign funds to maintain and improve a personal riverfront property in anticipation of a sale; asked his House office staffers to perform campaign work and personal errands; and used his position as a member of Congress to contact the assistant secretary of the Navy to help his brother reenlist. According to the OCE report, Palazzo charged his campaign committee rent for ostensibly using a riverfront home that he owned as a headquarters, equal to the amount of his monthly mortgage, insurance and tax payments "during a time of personal financial stress." In addition, the OCE found that congressional office staff spent work hours at the riverfront home overseeing maintenance or sale-related matters during the work day and performed personal errands for Palazzo, such as preparing his children for summer camp and sending them care packages while they were away from home. Former Palazzo aides also told the OCE that official staffers would pick up Palazzo's dry cleaning during work hours.
 
Far-Right Groups Are Splintering in Wake of the Capitol Riot
Just eight weeks after the Capitol riot, some of the most prominent groups that participated are fracturing amid a torrent of backbiting and finger-pointing. The fallout will determine the future of some of the most high-profile far-right organizations and raises the specter of splinter groups that could make the movement even more dangerous. "This group needs new leadership and a new direction," the St. Louis branch of the Proud Boys announced recently on the encrypted messaging service Telegram, echoing denunciations by at least six other chapters also rupturing with the national organization. "The fame we've attained hasn't been worth it." Similar rifts have emerged in the Oath Keepers, a paramilitary group that recruits veterans, and the Groyper Army, a white nationalist organization focused on college campuses and a vocal proponent of the false claim that Donald J. Trump won the 2020 presidential election. The shake-up is driven in part by the large number of arrests in the aftermath of the Capitol riot and the subsequent crackdown on some groups by law enforcement. As some members of the far right exit more established groups and strike out on their own, it may become even more difficult to track extremists who have become more emboldened to carry out violent attacks. Daryl Johnson, who has studied the Three Percenters and other paramilitary groups, said the current infighting could lead to further hardening and radicalization. "When these groups get disrupted by law enforcement, all it does is scatter the rats," he said. "It does not get rid of the rodent problem."
 
'More Dangerous And More Widespread': Conspiracy Theories Spread Faster Than Ever
Millions of people watched the moon landing live on TV in 1969. But more than 50 years later, Bonnie Garland still isn't buying it. "I personally do not believe that man has ever been out of the atmosphere," says Garland, a self-described housewife from Tucson, Ariz. "I'm a very inquisitive person. Always have been. So I question everything." Garland also is skeptical that the Sept. 11 attacks were carried out by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists -- even though they were. She doesn't believe that former President Barack Obama was born in the United States – even though he was. And she believes, falsely, that the coronavirus is just "another strain of the flu." Garland is not alone. An NPR/Ipsos poll in December found that a significant number of Americans believe disinformation about the coronavirus and about settled historical facts. The findings underscore the enduring nature of unfounded conspiracies at a time when experts say disinformation is being spread on an unprecedented scale. "It has been getting worse," says Kathryn Olmsted, a professor of history at the University of California, Davis, and the author of the book, Real Enemies: Conspiracy Theories and American Democracy, World War I to 9/11. "Conspiracy theories have become more dangerous and more widespread, just even in the last 10 years."
 
COVID-19 more prevalent in children than thought, according to UMMC study
The number of Mississippi children infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 during the pandemic may be much higher than previously thought. The findings were reported in a new study led by the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Mississippi State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "While we see that younger children more commonly have milder disease with COVID-19, it turns out that there are a lot more kids infected with SARS-CoV-2 than case numbers indicate," said lead author Dr. Charlotte Hobbs, professor of pediatrics and infectious diseases specialist at UMMC. The study, currently on MedRxiv and set for publication in the March 4 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, evaluated blood serum samples collected from 1,603 individuals under age 18 collected at UMMC for routine laboratory testing between mid-May and mid-September 2020. The researchers tested the samples for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. They then estimated the percentage of Mississippi children who had antibodies in each month of the study and compared that to the number of cases reported by MSDH.
 
USM students to resume in-person classes in fall
The University of Southern Mississippi is looking ahead to the fall term as students are set to return to in-person classes in August. "Everyone's excited, everyone's excited to be back" said USM student Gabriel Story. After months of Zoom classes and online teaching materials, many students are ready for a little normalcy. "I feel like with the technology barrier, like most of the teachers struggled to teach," USM student Eduard Hernandez said. "They have to use a Blackboard or Zoom. It's just a mess, but I feel like going back in person will be easier." Story, a junior at USM, explained what he's heard so far from university leaders and how the campus is reacting. "We got an email from the dean, and he was like we are going to transition back to normal," Story said. "I saw people sharing it across their social media, and I thought that was pretty cool." Dr. Dee Dee Anderson, vice president of Student Affairs, said students need to return to the classroom sooner than later. "When they have those interactions with faculty and staff and their peers, they are more likely to make better grades, they are more likely to be retained and they're more likely to graduate," Anderson said.
 
Officials announce tuition assistance, RN programs at Pearl River Community College
Officials recently announced two initiatives at Pearl River Community College's Hattiesburg campus aimed at attracting and advancing students at the school: the County Assistance Tuition Program and the LPN to RN Bridge Program. The topics were discussed at the March 1 meeting of the Forrest County Board of Supervisors, after board members gave $125,000 to the assistance program and Forrest Health gave $90,000 to kickstart the bridge program. Under the County Assistance Tuition Program, which is in its third year, supervisors and officials from the City of Hattiesburg allot money to give students the opportunity to attend PRCC for free for four semesters. The funds help offset the cost of tuition; for example, any tuition that is not covered by scholarships or other means will be taken care of by the program. "What the board of supervisors has done over the past three years is provide an opportunity to achieve higher education, which is really unprecedented in a lot of areas," PRCC president Adam Breerwood said. "That's a testament to their work, a testament to their dedication to their constituents, and a testament to building better communities."
 
U. of Alabama says full capacity, in-person classes returning in fall 2021
The University of Alabama System announced big changes for the upcoming fall semester. The three campuses plan to hold "traditional in-person instruction" without capacity restrictions in the fall of 2021, the system announced. The move allows for registration for classes to begin in the weeks to come. Dr. Selwyn Vickers, the chair of UA's task force related to COVID-19 and the dean of UAB's medical school explained the thinking behind the decision. "Our models give us confidence in the strong likelihood that we'll have a safe environment for traditional classrooms and on-campus activities by the fall," Vickers said. "Of course, we will continue to make every effort to abide by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Alabama Department of Public Health guidance and make data-driven decisions." Plans can be adjusted, Vickers said, if safety concerns become an issue. UA has been conducting classes in a variety of ways since the fall 2020 semester resumed with students learning both in-person and online. The decision to expand in-classroom learning for the fall was also aided by modeling by UAB epidemiologist Suzanne Judd. It is based on the number of COVID-19 cases, vaccinations and the number of people projected to have immunity but didn’t test positive, the UA System news release stated.
 
Auburn University steps up research of self-piloting cars, trucks
A new Auburn University facility is aimed at attracting public and private research money by looking at autonomous vehicles – so-called "self-driving" cars and trucks that need minimal human help. "The fact that we have our own test track where we can run autonomous vehicles and autonomous testing attached to this facility I think is an unbelievably unique asset," said David Bevly, the Bill and Lana McNair Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, referring to National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) test track near Salem on Lee Road 151. The new building will be used primarily by faculty and engineers from the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering's GPS and Vehicle Dynamics Laboratory – work frequently done outside. It features a garage with multiple bays and lifts for commercial trucks and passenger vehicles, office space for researchers, a conference room and an observation area overlooking the 1.7-mile oval. Since Bevly joined the Auburn engineering faculty in 2001, the lab has developed a broad sponsored research portfolio, with projects ranging from the Department of Defense and the Federal Highway Administration to many private industry partners.
 
Ex-Husker charged with beefing up Auburn University's transportation research
Laurence Rilett has been tapped to lead Auburn University's newly established Transportation Research Institute (TRI). Rilett will oversee several programs at Auburn (the National Center for Asphalt Technology, the Highway Research Center and the Alabama Transportation Assistance Program) -- all of which combined last year to bring in $24 million in research to the university. He comes to Auburn from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he also served as director of the Mid-America Transportation Center and the Nebraska Transportation Center. "I am a big believer in multi-disciplinary research, and bringing all of Auburn University's transportation-related research teams under one roof will position us to solve the complex challenges facing our nation's multimodal transportation system and to educate the next generation of transportation professionals," Rilett said in a university press release. Success in research comes from working with different academic departments across campus, including aviation, supply chain, economics and others, according to Rilett. The TRI will be hosted within Auburn's Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.
 
UGA cancels 2021 summer study abroad programs
Summer study abroad programs for 2021 are officially canceled at the University of Georgia with officials saying it is in the "best interest" of those involved. Monday morning, an email was sent out to faculty officially declaring the cancelation of summer study abroad. Two weeks ago, UGA announced the cancellation of the Maymester study abroad programs. In an email from associate provost Noel Fallows, faculty members were informed that the Office of Global Engagement Risk Management Advisory Committee and faculty directors made the decision to cancel study abroad. "It is in the best interests of faculty and student health and safety to cancel all remaining UGA faculty-led Summer 2021 Study Abroad Programs," said Fallow's email. Faculty who would have been leading the summer programs instead have the option of teaching during the regular UGA Maymester or Summer sessions. Refunds for the Maymester have already begun and Fallow's office is now working on the summer refunds, estimated to take four to six weeks to finalize.
 
How the pandemic hurt Louisiana community college enrollment, even as 4-year schools grew
Echoing national trends, enrollment at Louisiana's community and technical colleges fell by as much as 28% and 11 of 12 schools showed declines, officials said Monday. The overall headcount for the fall, 2020 semester was 53,006 students compared to 59,936 for the fall of 2019 -- a 12% drop. The chief culprit for the dive is the coronavirus pandemic. "COVID absolutely had an impact on our enrollment," said Quintin Taylor, chief public affairs officer for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. Students who attend two-year community and technical colleges are typically older than traditional college students, and more at the mercy of economic upheaval and unemployment. The picture in Louisiana mirrors national trends. Enrollment at community colleges fell 10% between the fall of 2019 and the fall of 2020, according to the National Student Clearinghouse. The drop in students at community colleges is in sharp contrast to how four-year colleges and universities have fared. Despite national forecasts of big drops in enrollment, LSU and Northwestern State University had record-breaking numbers by signing their largest classes in school history.
 
UF welcomes more than 15,000 to the class of 2025
The University of Florida invited 15,220 applicants to become Gators on Friday. The number of applicants continues to grow each year, with 52,513 applications this year, compared to 49,401 applicants last year. UF also accepted more applicants this year, outpacing last year's accepted cohort of 14,561. Of those accepted in 2021, 3,248 will start in Summer B and 11,972 will start in Fall. The number of admits for the Pathway to Campus Enrollment program, or PaCE, decreased this year to 3,607 compared to 3,719 last year. Meanwhile, the Innovation Academy welcomed 624 admits, roughly the same number as last year. The average GPA for admits was 4.51 along with an average SAT score of 1392 and an average ACT score of 31. UF expects 6,400 students to enroll, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando wrote in an email. A full breakdown of the diversity of students will be available next week. Last year, incoming freshmen attended Preview -- UF's orientation event -- virtually. But the university is still unsure whether it will be held virtually this year too, UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldán said. It's also unclear whether classes will be in person this Fall.
 
Students favor U. of Missouri's push for more fully in-person classes in the fall
For freshman student Daryn Williams, online classes are all she's known while completing her first year of classes at the University of Missouri. "I have so many older friends who have their own connections from being in in-person classes, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to do that myself," she said. Williams completed her senior year of high school on Zoom and is doing the same for her freshman year. "The classes we had on Zoom in high school were so much easier compared to the classes I'm in now," said Williams, who is studying health sciences. "The adjustment was extremely difficult, and I wish that we could've been provided more guidance during our transition." Earlier this year, MU Provost Latha Ramchand told students registering for the fall semester that they should expect to see more face-to-face, regular capacity classes next fall. This is in line with what many colleges and universities across the country are telling students. A range of MU students interviewed for this article are ready, saying they miss the motivations, connections and learning of in-person classes. Sophomore Tyler Koch thinks MU's push is smart.
 
Saliva test for COVID-19 created at U. of Illinois wins FDA OK
The saliva-based COVID-19 test developed by University of Illinois researchers has obtained federal emergency use authorization, a highly anticipated stamp of approval that confirms its accuracy and enables broader distribution across the state. The test, known as covidSHIELD, appeared on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's online list of approved molecular diagnostic tests on Monday. U. of I. has relied on the test to keep its three campuses open for in-person learning since the fall, garnering national attention for the innovation and running more than 1.5 million samples to date. In a statement, Gov. J.B. Pritzker hailed the test as "groundbreaking work" and said he is "wasting no time in deploying this technology throughout the state." Pritzker has already allocated $20 million in federal relief funding to expand the saliva test to the state's nine other public universities and 48 community colleges. The money will cover the purchase of 1 million tests to be divided among schools by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. The U. of I. saliva test is praised for its simplicity: Participants fill a test tube with saliva, monitored by "trained observers," but don't need to see a medical professional for a nasal swab. The saliva sample is then analyzed at a lab, with results available on a phone app in about 24 hours.
 
Criminal initiative targeting scholars who allegedly hid Chinese funding and affiliations comes under growing scrutiny
On Jan. 14, with less than a week to go in the Trump administration, federal agents arrested a prominent mechanical engineering professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Gang Chen. Chen, prosecutors alleged, failed to disclose on a federal grant application various financial ties and affiliations with Chinese entities, including his participation in Chinese government talent programs and his service as an expert scientific consultant to the Chinese government -- omissions, or in federal prosecutors' view, deliberate concealments that amounted to a scheme to defraud the federal government out of competitive grant funding that might not have been awarded to Chen had his ties to China been fully disclosed. Chen's colleagues -- and MIT, which is paying for his legal defense -- have pushed back, poking holes in the government's allegations. Chen's lawyers have filed a motion with the court seeking sanctions of Lelling, arguing he and his office made statements that "are wildly misleading to both the general public and to future jurors" (the government has opposed the motion, describing it as meritless). Chen, who declined an interview request through an attorney, is one of more than a dozen university-based researchers and scholars criminally charged for allegedly concealing ties to China on federal grant applications, tax forms or visa applications since November 2018, when the Department of Justice launched the China Initiative, a mandate to prioritize cases related to economic espionage and trade secret theft and counter malign foreign influence on the part of the Chinese state. In launching the initiative, the Trump administration elevated the issue within the DOJ and sent a strong signal to federal prosecutors across the country of the issue's importance.
 
Miguel Cardona confirmed as President Joe Biden's education secretary
The Senate confirmed Miguel Cardona to serve as education secretary Monday, vaulting the little-known Connecticut educator into the center of the national debate over how to reopen schools for face-to-face classes. The Senate vote was a bipartisan 64 to 33 for Cardona, whose nomination moved through the chamber without any significant controversy -- in contrast with the confirmation of his immediate predecessor, Betsy DeVos, who needed the tiebreaking vote of Vice President Mike Pence to win confirmation. "At this moment of crisis, Dr. Cardona is exactly the leader we need at the Department of Education," said Sen. Patty Murray (D.-Wash.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. "He has the experience, principles and perspective that we need in this critical role." Cardona, 45, was born into poverty to Puerto Rican parents before becoming a public school teacher, principal, administrator and, in 2019, Connecticut's education commissioner. As education secretary, he will be tasked with helping to reopen schools, addressing long-standing equity gaps exacerbated by the pandemic and managing the federal government's $1.5 trillion student loan portfolio.
 
NIH director apologizes for 'structural racism,' pledges actions
Responding to concerns about discrimination against Black people, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins today issued an unusual public apology for what he called "structural racism in biomedical research" and pledged to address it with a sweeping set of actions. NIH's long-running efforts to improve diversity "have not been sufficient," Collins wrote in the statement. "To those individuals in the biomedical research enterprise who have endured disadvantages due to structural racism, I am truly sorry." The agency plans "new ways to support diversity, equity, and inclusion," and will also correct policies within the agency "that may harm our workforce and our science," he added. Although some observers welcomed NIH's plans, first described Friday at a meeting of Collins's Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD), critics fault the agency for not more directly addressing funding disparities between Black and white scientists. NIH's move is, in part, a response to last year's incidents of police brutality as well as the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Black people.


SPORTS
 
Mississippi State-Southern Miss baseball game postponed to Wednesday due to weather
Mississippi State will wait one more day before returning to the diamond. MSU announced Monday morning that its game against Southern Mississippi, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has been bumped back to Wednesday due to impending weather. The game will still be held at Trustmark Park in Pearl. MSU concluded its first weekend of home competition Sunday with a walk-off win over Tulane. The Bulldogs took Games 2 and 3 of the series via game winning hits in the ninth inning after dropping Friday night's contest 7-3. Coach Chris Lemonis' squad moved up to No. 3 in D1 Baseball's Top 25 rankings following the pair of victories. The Bulldogs were also ranked No. 2 in Baseball America's weekly rankings. Southern Miss took two games off of UConn this past weekend and currently sit at 4-3 on the year. The Golden Eagles also won two of three games against Northwestern State between Feb. 21 and 22 and lost a midweek contest at South Alabama on Feb. 23.
 
Former Noxubee County, Mississippi State star Jeffery Simmons gives back in Macon
Jaron Andrews isn't used to ice. So when winter storms hit the Golden Triangle the week of Feb. 15, the 4-Country Electric worker and his fellow linemen had to deal with hazards they don't typically see: glazed tree limbs on power lines and other problems that caused outages for area customers. Andrews said 4-County was able to restore power to area customers in a timely manner, but it wasn't easy. "It was messy," said Andrews, a New Hope resident who was one of 15 to 20 4-County linemen working in the Noxubee County area during the storm. "Ice creates a whole 'nother condition that we're not accustomed to here in the South." On Friday at the Noxubee Civic Center, a local legend gave back to Andrews and his fellow workers for their assistance during the storms. Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, who starred for Noxubee County and went on to Mississippi State, provided meals for 4-County members, Macon Electric workers and local law enforcement who had helped the area recover from the storm. "It's good to see him give back to the community -- not forget where he comes from," Andrews said of Simmons. Simmons said he was glad to come back to his hometown and help out. "I'm just grateful to be in a position to be able to show my appreciation to these guys," Simmons said.
 
Greg Sankey: SEC preparing to play 2021 football season as scheduled
The SEC is preparing to play the 2021 football season as planned, conference commissioner Greg Sankey said Thursday. But that isn't to say the season will look like it did pre-COVID-19 pandemic. "We are preparing to play the season as scheduled on Labor Day weekend," Sankey said on a Zoom call hosted by the Nashville Sports Council. "I think we will be back toward normal. That is different than back to normal." Sankey shared his thoughts on a range of subjects in advance of the SEC men's basketball tournament, which begins in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena on March 10. But while basketball was the primary focus, the commissioner looked ahead six months to the beginning of 2021 football season. Thirteen of the 14 SEC teams have a season-opening game scheduled for Sept. 4. Mississippi is slated to play Louisville on Sept. 6 in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game in Atlanta. Sankey indicated it is possible the coming season could be affected in similar ways to the 2020 season. The SEC shifted to an all-conference schedule and did not start until Sept. 26 last season. Some games were postponed due to COVID-19 cases and contact tracing within programs. Four teams only played nine of 10 scheduled games. "Some of the adaptations we had to put in place last year may have to remain," he said. "Maybe not as dramatic as having to play conference-only football, but the potential for disruptions and readjustments of schedules may be there. The potential for having to continue to swab our nose."
 
How many fans at SEC games in 2021? These 7 teams, including LSU, hopeful for full capacity
Will SEC football be played in front of hundreds of thousands of fans during the 2021 season? Optimism abounds, but it's unclear how that will become reality as the coronavirus pandemic continues around the nation. Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne was the latest to state that the Crimson Tide are preparing as if a packed house of 102,321 will be inside Bryant-Denny Stadium when they host Mercer on Sept. 11. "We are moving forward with plans to have a full stadium in the fall," Byrne posted to social media on Tuesday, "and will monitor medical guidelines as we have all along." In all, seven of the 14 Southeastern Conference programs have stated publicly they're moving ahead in anticipation of full stadiums. Those have come through statements by school officials or documentation on the program websites. The other seven haven't indicated their plans, but none have committed to reduced capacities. LSU hosted a maximum of 25,000 fans at Tiger Stadium for its 2020 home games, but Athletic Director Scott Woodward was among those expressing confidence for 102,000-plus and full tailgating on hand when football returns to Baton Rouge again.
 
'It weighs on you as a head coach:' SWAC deals with schedule adjustments amid COVID, weather
The Southwestern Athletic Conference has had to shift some of its early spring football contests. Jackson State, led by first-year coach Deion Sanders, had last Saturday's game against Mississippi Valley State postponed to March 14 due to COVID-19 concerns with the Delta Devils. JSU's next opponent, Grambling State, also postponed its game this past weekend against Prairie View A&M. Jackson State fans should have nothing to worry about, however, as Grambling State's game was postponed to March 13 because of inclement weather, not COVID-19 cases, in Texas. Texas Southern at Arkansas Pine-Bluff was also postponed because of the winter storm and water pressure challenges. "We're not just dealing with playing football, we're dealing with every day events of life," Southern coach Dawson Odums said. "Some of these young men have had family members who have been affected. Close family members, aunts, uncles, parents -- it's been a lot to deal with and a lot to budget. Just dealing with the unknown." "From injuries, from positive tests, from people just being sick, this is a challenge and it weighs on you as a head coach, but what I do know is that a family that prays together, stays together."
 
Maritza Correia McClendon, UGA's first female Black swimmer, a 'force'
Maritza Correia McClendon's first swim teacher taught from a backyard pool. Hand-placed ropes formed lane lines to resemble a competitive pool. At the end of one summer of lessons, the teacher held race relays with a group of kids. When McClendon finished her lap, her team was in first. But the girl set to swim behind her wouldn't jump in. McClendon grabbed the girl and pushed her in the pool. "I was so excited that we were winning, and granted a mom was not happy that I pushed another 6-year-old in the water at the time," McClendon said. "But at the same time she's like 'okay she is competitive, she likes swimming, let's do a little bit more research and get her involved in a bigger way.'" The young swimmer joined a club swimming team in south Florida. Her talent, and love to race was immediately evident to club coach Peter Banks. McClendon experienced success throughout her youth swimming career, competing successfully in events such as the Junior Olympics and Junior Nationals. When the time came she chose the college route, landing at the University of Georgia as the school's first Black female swimmer in 1999. As a Bulldog McClendon won 11 NCAA titles and was a 27-time All American. After her decorated career at UGA, she became the first Black female swimmer to make a U.S. Olympic team in 2004. Beyond being a fast and distinguished swimmer, McClendon is a barrier-breaker in her sport, one with a classist and racist past that barred Black Americans from access to swimming pools during segregation.
 
Rece Davis signs multi-year deal to remain host of ESPN's College GameDay
Rece Davis has agreed to a multi-year contract extension to remain at ESPN, the network announced Monday. Davis, 55, will continue to host ESPN's iconic College GameDay football pre-game show, as he has done the last six years. He will also remain the network's anchor for the College GameDay basketball pre-game show, as well as coverage of the College Football Playoff National Championship, the NFL Draft on ABC and the Final Four, among other duties. "Rece continues to raise the bar for College GameDay and everything he's involved with at ESPN," said Lee Fitting, ESPN senior vice president of production. "The professionalism, energy and knowledge he brings to every show and every assignment is first-class as one of the best in the industry." Davis, who grew up in Muscle Shoals and graduated from the University of Alabama, began his television career in the late 1980s at WCFT in Tuscaloosa. After sports reporting stints in Columbus, Ga., and Flint, Mich., he joined ESPN in 1995. Davis at first covered sports such as auto racing, soccer, horse racing and professional basketball, while also working as a SportsCenter anchor. He later hosted ESPN’s college football pre-game, halftime and post-game coverage before taking over for long-time College GameDay host Chris Fowler in 2015.
 
'UT needs rich donors': Emails show wealthy alumni supporting 'Eyes of Texas' threatened to pull donations
The Texas Longhorns had just lost to rival Oklahoma for the third time in a row -- this time after a quadruple overtime. The bruising loss was quickly overshadowed when then-Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger stood alone on the field for the playing of the university's alma mater song "The Eyes of Texas," a postgame tradition. The rest of the team, who typically stay to sing the song with fans at the end of games, had retreated from the field. For many University of Texas at Austin students who had spent months protesting and petitioning the school to get rid of "The Eyes of Texas," it was gutting to see the student leader seemingly taking a stand. (Ehlinger later said he was only lingering alone on the field to talk with coaches.) The song -- played to the tune of "I've been working on the railroad" -- was historically performed at campus minstrel shows, and the title is linked to a saying from Confederate Army Commander Robert E. Lee. But hundreds of alumni and donors were more concerned about why Ehlinger was alone. They blasted off emails to UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell, calling the image of the abandoned quarterback "disgusting," "embarrassing" and "disturbing." They demanded that the school stand up to "cancel culture" and firmly get behind the song -- or else donors were going to walk away.



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