| Friday, April 23, 2021 |
| Catherine Pierce named Mississippi's Poet Laureate | |
 | Catherine Pierce, of Starkville, has been named Mississippi's Poet Laureate. Serving as the official state poet for a term of four years, the state's Poet Laureate creates and reads appropriate poetry at state occasions, promotes literacy and represents the rich cultural heritage of Mississippi. An English professor at Mississippi State University, Catherine Pierce co-directs MSU's creative writing program and has published four books of poems and a chapbook. MSU President Mark E. Keenum said, "I am so very proud of Dr. Catherine Pierce for earning this designation from Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves and the Mississippi Arts Commission. Dr. Pierce richly deserves this honor and her selection speaks volumes to the quality of our faculty and the opportunities our students have to interact with talented, accomplished educators in our classrooms." Originally from Delaware, Pierce made her home in Mississippi in 2007 when she joined the faculty at Mississippi State University. Her conviction that "poetry is for everyone" drives her to amplify poetic voices and develop opportunities for others to experience poetry. |
| Catherine Pierce named Mississippi's Poet Laureate | |
 | Gov. Tate Reeves appointed poet and educator Catherine Pierce, of Starkville, as Mississippi's Poet Laureate. She will serve as the official state poet for a term of four years. The state's Poet Laureate creates and reads appropriate poetry at state occasions, promotes literacy and represents the rich cultural heritage of Mississippi. An English professor at Mississippi State University, Pierce co-directs MSU's creative writing program and has published four books of poems and a chapbook. "It is with great pleasure that the First Lady and I announce Catherine Pierce of Starkville as Mississippi's Poet Laureate," said Reeves. "We are confident Dr. Pierce will continue to foster a love of poetry and literature throughout Mississippi in this role." Pierce joined the faculty at Mississippi State University in 2007. She is the author of four full-length poetry collections including Danger Days (2020), The Tornado Is the World (2016), The Girls of Peculiar (2012) and Famous Last Words (2008), all from Saturnalia Books. A chapbook, Animals of Habit (Kent State University Press), was published in 2004. |
| MSU Dedicates New Alpha Delta Pi Sorority House | |
 | The Epsilon Eta chapter of Alpha Delta Pi at Mississippi State University celebrated the dedication of the chapter's new house on campus with a ceremony on Saturday, April 17. MSU President Mark E. Keenum and First Lady Rhonda Keenum, an alumna of the chapter, attended the celebration. The new 17,500-square-foot sorority facility is located on Robert Louis Jones Circle and will house 44 residents in addition to serving meals to all chapter members. Alpha Delta Pi was founded at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Ga., in 1851 and was the first secret society established for college women. The MSU chapter first opened in 1966 and remained open for 20 years on campus before temporarily departing. MSU reestablished the chapter in 2013. |
| How to protect songbirds, humans from illness | |
| Mississippians who are concerned about the number of dead songbirds being found near feeders can follow tips from the Mississippi State University Extension Service when offering birds food and water. In March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 19 people in eight states, including one person in Mississippi, were diagnosed with the same strain of salmonella that has sickened or killed songbirds. Human illnesses began in December 2020 after contact with contaminated bird feeders, dead birds or pets that had access to areas frequented by birds. Mississippi scientists cannot say for sure if deaths of Mississippi birds were caused by salmonella infection. Adam Rohnke, a wildlife biologist with the MSU Extension Service, said the potential of salmonella transmission increases if the bacteria is present in the same area where large numbers of birds congregate. "This year, our cold and icy weather in mid-February, combined with the timing of the pine siskin migration, meant that people had lots of birds at their feeders at once because it was hard for them to find food in the wild for several days," Rohnke said. "In that situation, if you have just one sick bird, it can potentially infect many more." |
| MSU Extension office hosted Earth Day celebration in Lee County | |
 | Locals were excited to attend the Earth Day celebration at the MSU Extension office in Lee County on Thursday. The outdoor event provided educational nature pamphlets, free admission and other goodies. Workers said that the point of the event was for people to learn ways to protect the Earth. The program lasted approximately an hour. |
| Home builders pay price, fear 'day of reckoning' | |
| Builders have the answer to the shortage of existing homes on the market in Mississippi. But they are fighting their own battle -- high prices for materials and selling at the price they need to cover costs and make a decent profit. A 2-by-4 by eight foot pine board costs roughly four times what it did a couple of years ago, said Pat Nelson, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Mississippi. Builders "are just waiting it out," Nelson said, referring to the current price of materials. Wally Bennett, owner of Bennett's Do-It Center in Louisville, said that he is able to supply the largest customers, though it is a stretch sometimes. He concentrates on Starkville, which is 30 miles from his business and home of Mississippi State University. Homes are being built there "left and right," he said. Nelson said that "university towns are doing real well right now" in terms of homebuilding. |
| King's Craft Butcher closing in Starkville | |
 | King's Craft Butcher is closing its Starkville location. The restaurant at 211 S. Jackson St. first opened in 2017. After a little more than three years, the restaurant announced on social media the decision to close but promised "exciting plans for King's in the upcoming months." "We would like to start by saying Thank You to the City of Starkville and to all of our valued customers for the continuous support we have received over the last (three) years," the post read. "...We look forward to serving this great community again in the future." Though owner Eric King declined to comment further to The Dispatch, be sure to stay up to date on social media for King's upcoming news that's on the horizon. Moving on, we're seeing some progress with STAGgerIn Top Golf Swing Suites' new location. It's been a little more than a year since STAGgerIn owner Jason Roden decided to move the restaurant and bar to College View, just off Mississippi State University's campus. Due to COVID-19, the bar's relocation and expansion has been hampered by shipping delays and stress. Construction and renovations are continuing for Roden's bar, and he is hopeful for a late July or early August opening date. "I feel a lot better and less stressed out," he said. "We're getting pretty close. We got this far, so we'll get it done." |
| Town hall meeting held to discuss park safety in Starkville | |
 | Citizens heard from Starkville city leaders about new park policies following a shooting earlier this week. Ward 2 Alderwoman Sandra Sistrunk gave updates on the new policies at McKee Park at 5'clock Thursday. The action followed a shooting Tuesday night at the basketball courts at the park. Dozens of people were attending little league games at the time. City leaders decided that new policies are necessary to ensure public safety. Future policies include closing group activity facilities during baseball games, installing gates, and increasing park staff. Citizens who attended the meeting also got an opportunity to give input on other possible policies. "Park safety is important to us. Community safety is important to us. The park may be quicker to address than some of the broader community issues, but they are front and center with all of us and we're going to do what we can to make sure that Starkville is safe as it possibly can be," Sistrunk said. |
| Starkville residents voice concerns about park shooting | |
| A meeting Thursday night allowed Starkville residents to voice their thoughts on safety issues at McKee Park after a shooting happened there recently while children were present. Dozens of people met at the park and voiced their concerns. Some residents said they want to see changes including a park curfew and a greater police presence. "As a parent, it shocked me because my child could have been shot as well as many others here," said Victoria Bash. Tuesday night's shooting left residents outraged. At a town hall meeting this evening, they shared what they want to be done to prevent it from happening again. "I would hope the city would start having people reserve the courts," said former alderman Emmett Smitherman. Resident Joseph Elinburg said he'd like to see more security. "There could be several things that could help but a police presence is probably the strongest," said Elinburg. Alderwoman Sandra Sistrunk said city leaders are in the process of getting park gates and security cameras. She added that leaders are also considering changing park hours and opening courts by reservations only. |
| Mississippi weather: Severe storms, flash flooding possible Friday night into Saturday | |
 | Rain is in the forecast for most of Mississippi Friday night into Saturday morning, with flash flooding and possible strong storms cropping up, according to the National Weather Service. "We do feel very confident that we will have showers and storms overnight," meteorologist Logan Poole with the National Weather Service's Jackson Office said Friday. "So most places are going to see significant rainfall. Some places may even see 2 to 4 inches as the heaviest stuff moves through late tonight." Poole said areas along and south of the I-20 corridor will most likely see the heaviest rainfall, increasing chances for flash flooding. According to the National Weather Service's Jackson office, there is a slight risk for severe storms in parts of central Mississippi, including around the Jackson metro area. The main risk will be damaging wind gusts, with speeds up to 60-70 mph, according to the National Weather Service. The possibility of tornadoes exists. Places along the I-55 corridor including Brookhaven, the Jackson metro area and Greenwood, may start seeing severe weather from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. Other areas, including Hattiesburg, Meridian and Columbus, could see storms from about midnight to 6 a.m. |
| Screws tighten for home buyers in March, prices surge 17.2% | |
 | Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell for the second consecutive month in March because there are so few on the market, and the fierce competition for those that do exist is pushing prices to new highs. Existing home sales fell 3.7% last month from February to a seasonally-adjusted rate of 6.01 million annualized units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. Sales jumped 12.3% from March last year. Homes typically sold in 18 days last month, a record low. It's less than the 20 days in February, and much faster than the average of 29 days last year at this time. Sales are slowing despite the speed at which buyers are pouncing on homes that do hit the market, revealing surging demand in an ultra-low inventory environment, said Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist. "It's simply a severe lack of supply that is holding back sales," Yun said. The newest housing data will be of no comfort to house hunters across the U.S. who are facing perhaps the most competitive market in decades. Any house that is put up for sale typically receives multiple, above-asking-price bids, which pushes prices overall even higher a trend that continued in March. |
| Amazon creating hundreds of jobs with 2 new Mid-South facilities | |
| Hundreds of new jobs are coming to the Mid-South by way of two new state-of-the-art Amazon facilities. Amazon announced a new fulfillment center planned for Byhalia, Mississippi and a delivery station in Memphis, Tennessee. The company says pay will start at $15 and offer a variety of benefits on the first day of employment. "We are excited to continue our investment in the Mid-South region and are committed to providing great experiences for our customers, the talented workforce, as well as our neighbors," said Courtney Johnson Norman, Amazon spokesperson. "These new operation facilities are part of Amazon's innovative technology network and will offer creative solutions to meet our growing customer demand in the area." Employees at the Byhalia fulfillment center will pick, pack and ship larger items like mattresses, kayaks, grills and exercise equipment. The Memphis delivery station on Hawkins Mill Road will power Amazon's last-mile delivery capabilities to speed up deliveries to Mid-South customers. |
| US drop in vaccine demand has some places turning down doses | |
| Louisiana has stopped asking the federal government for its full allotment of COVID-19 vaccine. About three-quarters of Kansas counties have turned down new shipments of the vaccine at least once over the past month. And in Mississippi, officials asked the federal government to ship vials in smaller packages so they don't go to waste. As the supply of coronavirus vaccine doses in the U.S. outpaces demand, some places around the country are finding there's such little interest in the shots, they need to turn down shipments. In Mississippi, small-town pharmacist Robin Jackson has been practically begging anyone in the community to show up and get shots after she received her first shipment of vaccine earlier this month and demand was weak, despite placing yard signs outside her storefront celebrating the shipment's arrival. She was wasting more vaccine than she was giving out and started coaxing family members into the pharmacy for shots. "Nobody was coming," she said. "And I mean no one." |
| Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Set to Outpace Demand | |
 | The nation's supply of Covid-19 vaccines is set to outpace demand in the next two to four weeks, according to a national health nonprofit, as state health officials pivot from managing a flood of interest in the shot to persuading people to get it. The Kaiser Family Foundation, the nonprofit, said this week that the country will likely reach a tipping point on vaccine enthusiasm by mid-May, when supply outstrips demand. The moment is an exciting one for many health officials. Protection against the deadly virus is now available, widely, to all over 16 years old, earlier than most had anticipated. It also represents a moment of caution. Will vaccination momentum keep up enough for the country to reach herd immunity and return to normalcy? Or will the effort stall as demand wanes? Estimates have differed on how much of the population would need to be vaccinated in order to stop the virus from circulating, but many health experts are using 70% to 80% as a goal. As of Thursday, 52% of adults in the U.S. had gotten at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That proportion ranged from 72% in New Hampshire to 39% in Mississippi. |
| Mississippi governor agrees to expand possibility of parole | |
| A new Mississippi law will make more inmates eligible for the possibility of parole in a state with one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves on Thursday signed Senate Bill 2795, and it will become law July 1. "Criminal Justice reform. It means a lot of different things to different people," Reeves wrote on Twitter after signing the bill. "A measured approach to 2nd chances is good -- a knee-jerk reaction can harm public safety. My #1 focus in these troubling times will always be to protect MS communities." On March 30, the Senate voted 35-13 and the House voted 91-27 to pass the final version of the bill. Both chambers are controlled by Republicans, and some conservative groups pushed the governor to sign the bill. Reeves vetoed two criminal justice bills last year, including one that would have expanded parole eligibility. He said prosecutors and law enforcement officials told him the 2020 parole bill would create a risk of release for violent inmates. |
| Gov. Reeves signs parole eligibility bill, after last year's veto | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves on Thursday signed a bill into law that will allow thousands of people in prison in Mississippi to become eligible for parole -- an effort to address the state's prison crisis of overcrowding, inhumane conditions, harsh sentences and federal scrutiny. Reeves' approval comes after he vetoed a similar measure last year, with some law enforcement, prosecutors, lawmakers and others saying it went too far. The bill would make those convicted of armed-robbery parole eligible after serving 60% of their sentence or 25 years, whichever is less. Currently armed robbers convicted after 1995 are not eligible for parole. In addition those convicted of car-jacking and drive-by shootings would have the same parole eligibility standards. "It gives those inmates some hope --- hope that one day they might get out if they live up to the conditions spelled out in the bill," said Sen. Juan Barnett, D-Heidelberg, the author of the bill. "It is not a get out of jail free bill. You have to earn your way out." Barnett said as many as 3,000 of the state's roughly 17,000 people now in prison could become eligible for parole within three to five years under the new law. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves signs parole reform bill, making some prisoners eligible for early release | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves signed into law Thursday significant parole reforms that could make around 2,000 inmates newly eligible for release, a year after rejecting a similar bipartisan bill from lawmakers. The Mississippi Earned Parole Eligibility Act will take effect in July, loosening several of the state's parole regulations, which are among the strictest in the country. The laws have led to a ballooning prison population over the years with roughly two-thirds of Mississippi's 17,000 prisoners serving sentences that make them ineligible for parole, according to the advocacy group FWD.us. In vetoing last year's bill, Reeves said it went too far and would "threaten public safety" by potentially releasing violent inmates. The legislation won bipartisan support in both the House and Senate in the final days of the legislative session last month, though several Republicans said they worried this year's version could endanger communities. Several conservative groups including Empower Mississippi, an organization advocating for limited government, also pushed for the reforms and praised Reeves' decision on Thursday. The legislation comes as the U.S. Department of Justice continues to investigate poor prison conditions at four facilities. |
| Buc-ee's, world's largest convenience store, set to come to South Mississippi, says senator | |
 | The wildly popular convenience store Buc-ee's is set to come to South Mississippi, which would make it one of only a few locations outside of the state of Texas. Sen. Phillip Moran broke the news Wednesday on WLOX, saying that a new Buc-ee's is in development in Harrison County. It will be located on Interstate 10 at the Menge Avenue exit. Moran said the state legislature has already approved funding for the infrastructure needed to support traffic for the large convenience store and gas station. "We're very excited about that and we're going to help them because anyone who's ever been in a Buc-ee's before and has seen the tremendous amount of traffic there knows we're going to have to beef up that intersection and the overpass to get the traffic in and out," said Moran. The Robertsdale Buc-ee's is the closest one to South Mississippi, located on I-10 going towards Gulf Shores. Since it opened a few years ago, it has become a tourist destination in and of itself, with thousands of people stopping there each day. The details for the Buc-ee's are still in the early stages of development but the senator said it is a project he feels is 100 percent happening. "We feel like it is or we wouldn't have appropriated the money for it to help with the infrastructure to help with that intersection. That's the state's part that we're doing with it and working with Harrison County. Everybody is on board," said Moran. |
| Mississippi finalizes plans for $21M in fishery relief | |
| Mississippi is finalizing its plans for allocating $21 million in federal relief for fishing industries harmed by the 2019 opening of a Mississippi River spillway in Louisiana. The money is supposed to go to businesses that were hurt by the spillway opening, as well as improving oyster harvesting in Mississippi and looking for ways to offset harms from future openings of the Bonnet Carre Spillway north of New Orleans. The spillway sends large pulses of freshwater through Lake Pontchartrain and into the Mississippi Sound, disrupting the balance between freshwater and saltwater in coastal estuaries. That in turn can kill oysters, shrimp and other marine species and cause algae blooms that close beaches. Congress in 2020 approved $100 million for Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to help pay for the harms caused by the record 123 days that the spillway was open in 2019. It diverts Mississippi River waters that might otherwise threaten New Orleans. Louisiana got two-thirds of the money, with Alabama getting the smallest amount of the three states. |
| In Rare Bipartisanship Moment, Senate Approves Asian American Hate Crimes Bill | |
 | Capping nearly two weeks of talks between Democrats and Republicans, the Senate approved legislation on Thursday to ramp up law enforcement efforts to better protect the Asian American and Pacific Islander community from hate crimes. The move marks a rare moment of bipartisan unity needed to approve the Senate legislation despite a new political era marked by increasingly bitter party divisions. The bill, which needed 60 votes for passage in the evenly divided Senate, was approved by a 94-1 vote. Only GOP Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri voted no. The bill next heads to the House, where it's being led by Democratic Rep. Grace Meng of New York and is expected to gain approval. Following House passage, it will go to President Biden's desk. Biden had urged approval for hate crimes legislation in the wake of a March shooting in Georgia that left several women of Asian descent dead. Through grant programs and other efforts, the legislation incentivizes law enforcement agencies to better track instances of hate crimes and establish related hotlines. It also requires the attorney general to designate a Department of Justice official to initiate a review of such hate crime reports quickly for law enforcement departments across the country. |
| 'Normalization of hate:' White nationalist language of America First Caucus sets off new alarms on racism | |
 | Calling for respect of the county's "uniquely Anglo-Saxon traditions." Saying the nation's infrastructure should express the "progeny of European architecture." Decrying the influence of domestic and international "globalist" forces. The language used in the would-be Republican congressional America First Caucus's platform has alarmed many lawmakers and civil rights advocates who say its white nationalist message shows the growing clout of extremism in the right wing of the Republican Party. Reports of the new faction in Congress first broke last Friday. The platform defines the United States as a country with "uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions," setting off alarms. "There's nothing that's innocuous about saying this is a country based on European heritage because we know historically the contributions of people from a lot of different backgrounds have built the United States," said Carolyn Holmes, a political science professor at Mississippi State University. "The white nationalist language in this document is pervasive," she said. "It's not just in the explicit references to European heritage. It's woven through the warp and weft of the entire document." |
| Republicans Look to Slash the Size of President Biden's Infrastructure Plan | |
 | Senate Republicans on Thursday offered a $568 billion counterproposal to President Biden's $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan, laying out a marker they hoped would kick-start bipartisan negotiations to vastly scale back the president's plan and do away with the corporate tax increases he is eyeing to pay for it. But while the White House welcomed the outline as a positive step, there was little sign that Mr. Biden or Democrats in Congress would embrace anything close to a package that many of them dismissed as insufficient for the economy's needs and an unfair burden on middle-class taxpayers. "I think it's important for you all to realize that this is the largest infrastructure investment that Republicans have come forward with," said Ms. Capito, who helped draft the proposal as the top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. "This is a robust package." Ms. Capito, joined by Senators Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania, John Barrasso of Wyoming and Roger Wicker of Mississippi, said the group envisioned potentially repurposing unspent funds from pandemic relief legislation and using fees imposed on people who use infrastructure, including electric vehicle drivers, to pay for the plan. |
| Jewel Bronaugh looks set to advance as USDA's second-in-command | |
 | President Joe Biden's nominee for deputy secretary of Agriculture appears headed for committee approval despite Republican concerns about some administration proposals and policies. Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and ranking member John Boozman, R-Ark., on Thursday told Jewel H. Bronaugh, the Virginia commissioner of agriculture and consumer services, that she has the background and experience to be the second-highest-ranking official at the Agriculture Department. Bronaugh would come to the job after a career in various areas of agriculture. She is a former Virginia state executive director for the USDA's Farm Service Agency, dean of agriculture at Virginia State University, an associate administrator for extension programs and an extension specialist for 4-H, a network of youth development groups the USDA administers. She's drawn high marks for starting a task force that works with Virginia farm and health organizations to identify financial and mental stress. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., a former state agriculture commissioner, said she had heard nothing but good things about Bronaugh's work. "I think you're an outstanding nominee," Hyde-Smith said. |
| White House dances around a big contributor to climate change: agriculture | |
 | President Joe Biden needs the help of the powerful farm industry to reach his sky-high climate goals. But his plans for cutting agricultural emissions might not have enough teeth to take a big bite out of global warming. Biden on Thursday pledged a drastic reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. But the White House hasn't set any specific targets yet for agriculture, which accounts for 10 percent of all U.S. emissions, according to the EPA. Those discharges mostly stem from fertilizers, livestock and manure. The administration has steered clear of discussing stricter environmental regulations that could scare off the largely conservative farm sector, as well as the rural lawmakers that Biden will need to advance many of his environmental goals. Farmers have been slow to wake up to the reality of climate change, though increasingly extreme weather of late has hammered farm country and forced a reckoning. "We are making an aggressive reduction target for the country," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Thursday during a briefing with reporters. "Part of our effort will focus on enhancing climate-smart agricultural practices, the development of biofuels, carbon capture and sequestration, better forest management and reforestation." |
| President Biden taps ocean scientist Rick Spinrad as NOAA administrator | |
 | President Biden has picked Rick Spinrad, an oceanographer with decades of science and policy experience, to run National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the government's leading agency for weather, climate and ocean science. The White House announced Spinrad's selection along with several additional climate and environmental nominees, including Tracy Stone-Manning, a senior adviser for the National Wildlife Federation tapped to lead the Interior Department's Bureau for Land Management. Spinrad, a professor of oceanography at Oregon State University, served as chief scientist at NOAA under President Barack Obama and before that led the agency's research arm and ocean service. He also held ocean leadership positions in the Navy. Named to lead the agency on Earth Day, Spinrad has been a champion of funding research to advance climate change, a top priority of the Biden White House. Spinrad continues the long-standing tradition of scientists selected to run the agency, which has responsibilities stretching from the sea floor to low Earth orbit. Every past NOAA administrator but one, attorney Richard Frank who served from 1977-1981, have held science degrees. The agency, whose budget has stagnated for the past decade, has a diverse, complex, and demanding portfolio. |
| Did the U.S. Supreme Court just flip-flop on juvenile lifers with Mississippi case? | |
| For nearly two decades, the U.S. Supreme Court has chipped away at harsh punishment for juveniles convicted in homicides. In 2005, justices banned death sentences. Seven years later, they concluded in Miller v. Alabama that life without parole sentences for these juveniles should be rare, given only to those who are "permanently incorrigible." In Montgomery v. Louisiana they made that decision retroactive. But on Thursday the conservative-majority court reversed that trend, concluding in a 6-3 decision that courts could sentence juveniles to life without hope of parole, even without a finding that a juvenile was permanently incorrigible. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that this decision didn't overturn these precedents, but Justice Sonia Sotomayor disagreed, saying the ruling "guts" these decisions. "The Court simply rewrites Miller and Montgomery to say what the Court now wishes they had said, and then denies that it has done any such thing," she wrote. "The Court knows what it is doing." In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas acknowledged this problem, saying it "would be simpler to reject Montgomery in both name and substance." |
| USM Children's Center, SAE partner to paint lion statue | |
 | Kids from the Children's Center for Communication and Development at the University of Southern Mississippi joined the brothers of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity Thursday to paint the lion statue in front of the fraternity house. The Children's Center provides early intervention services to children with complex disabilities. It sits across the street from the SAE house. The partnership between the Children's Center and SAE began last year after a mother of one of the children posted on social media, saying the SAE lion statue relieved her son's anxiety when going to therapy. One of the brothers saw the post and reached out to the Children's Center to have the kids come by and paint it. The painting of the statue is a training exercise for the kids to work on their motor skills by painting and their communication skills by talking to each other and the SAE brothers. "Our therapists are always trying to find ways to work therapy into play so that they don't know that it is therapy," said Children's Center communications coordinator Courtney Tesh. "This kind of event is perfect for that kind of thing." This is the second time the children have come by the house to paint the lion statue, and both SAE and the Children's Center hope to continue this partnership. |
| College food pantries keep students focused on class, not food | |
| Some college students have more to think about these days than just taking exams and making good grades. Some have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. To ease that concern, some colleges and universities in the Pine Belt have established food pantries that offer quality food for free. Emily Ford is a freshman at Jones College and she has made use of the Bobcat Food Pantry at the campus health clinic. "I use [it] every, twice a month I want to say. I enjoy coming here and seeing what all they have," Ford said. "Whenever I can't spend money on like big food items, this is what I use as a resource." Many other students at Jones College also use the Bobcat Pantry as a resource for good food. Pantry coordinator Kristen Register says about 80 students visit the pantry each month. They can also get free personal hygiene products and school supplies there. The Bobcat Food Pantry gets help from Jones College campus organizations, as well as local churches and service clubs. Likewise, the Eagle's Nest Food Pantry at the University of Southern Mississippi relies on donations of both food and money. It gets help from student organizations and outside community resources. The Eagle's Nest opened in 2016 and it serves students and university employees on Mondays and Wednesdays. |
| More students finding Mississippi community colleges affordable, appealing | |
 | As the cost of going to college continues to climb, more and more students are opting for one of Mississippi's 15 community colleges. The costs are significantly less, and in many cases, free. With a wide range of financial aid programs, grants, work-study opportunities and a myriad of scholarships, Mississippi's community colleges are becoming more appealing to first-time college students. "A key factor in the decision someone in their college choice is affordability," said MCC president, Dr. Thomas Huebner. "There's no doubt the community colleges in Mississippi are incredibly affordable. In fact, some of the most affordable in the country are right here in Mississippi." For over 20 years now, thousands of students in Lauderdale County have benefited from Meridian Community College's tuition guarantee program. A graduate of a school in Lauderdale County can go to MCC tuition free. Other community colleges in our area provide similar options for students. East Central Community College in Decatur offers tuition guarantees to students in their five-county district, while East Mississippi Community College in Scooba offers a tuition assistance program for all first-time, full-time freshman from its district. |
| Auburn dedicates former Eagle Hall to Josetta Matthews | |
| On Tuesday, April 21, the Auburn Board of Trustees and University President Jay Gogue renamed Eagle Hall in the Village to Matthews Hall in honor of Josetta Matthews. Josetta Brittain Matthews was the first Black student to graduate from Auburn, earning both a master's degree in 1966 and a doctorate in 1975 in education. Around 1972, Matthews was also the first Black faculty member at the University joining the College of Liberal Arts as a French and history instructor. The event was attended by members of the Board of Trustees, Matthews' daughter Heidi Brittain Matthews Wright, her son, the Honorable Gammiel Poindexter, a retired judge in the 6th Judicial Circuit of Virginia, and other friends. Bobby Woodard, senior vice president of Student Affairs, began the ceremony. "Dr. Matthews' daughter Heidi is quoted saying her mother not only made history, but loved it, and history is what we have made here today in naming this building," Woodard said. "Eagle Hall is currently home to Auburn's Honors College students, and how fitting is it to name a building after someone who was so devoted to education." |
| Meet the 8 semifinalists for LSU's top job: Generals, Louisiana officials, former Trump adviser | |
 | An LSU search committee will be choosing among two Louisiana public officials, two military officers, three administrators from other universities and a former adviser to President Donald Trump to be the next leader of the state's flagship university and its system. Two graduated from the University of New Orleans, two from LSU. Most claim some connection to Louisiana. The LSU Presidential Search Committee plans to interview all eight candidates on Monday and Tuesday, then meet on April 30 to decide which finalists to recommend to the LSU Board of Supervisors. The 16 supervisors have final say on who will be president of the LSU system and chancellor of the flagship Baton Rouge campus. A Baton Rouge native and LSU alumnus, Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne is probably the best known of the eight candidates chosen to be interviewed next week. |
| Georgia Board of Regents to pause search for next chancellor | |
| The state's Board of Regents said Thursday it has paused its search for the next chancellor, hours after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported some members were opposed to a push to tap former Gov. Sonny Perdue as the next leader of the state's higher education system. "After thoughtful discussions, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has elected to pause the current search for Chancellor," the board said in a statement. "We value the input received from faculty, staff, students, and community leaders throughout this process and want to ensure we meet the expectations of this challenging, yet critically important time in higher education. As we pause to reflect and determine our next steps, please be assured we remain dedicated to our vision of creating a more educated Georgia." Perdue and his aides have not publicly commented on the search. They declined comment Thursday. Efforts to contact Regents chairman Sachin Shailendra and Kessel Stelling Jr., the Regent who is chairing the advisory group of board members involved in the chancellor's search, were unsuccessful Thursday. |
| UF's class 2025 grows in size while its diversity numbers stagnate | |
| While the number of UF admits keeps growing, Black, Hispanic and Native American admits saw subtle decreases this year. Like last year, more than half of the class of 2025 admits were women, and 41% were men. Asian admits increased this year by more than 100 admits while white admits made up about half of all admits, UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldán wrote in an email. "Diversity is really important to the university," said Charles Murphy, UF's director of freshman and international admissions. "Especially in the pandemic because I think whether you look at almost any aspect of the impact of the pandemic, it's hurt underrepresented groups more acutely." Hispanic admits made up about 18% of admits, Black admits made up about 5% and Native Americans made up under 1%. There were 101 less Hispanic admits and 47 less Black admits this year. About 20% of applicants chose to not identify their race. One reason why the number of Asian people admitted to UF has slightly increased is because the Asian population is growing around the country and the state, said Murphy. The Hispanic population is also increasing in Florida; however, the number of Hispanic admits to UF dropped slightly this year, Murphy said. |
| U. of South Carolina announces commencement speakers for 2021 graduation | |
 | The University of South Carolina has announced its commencement speakers for the 2020-2021 graduation. Those speakers will include U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, U.S. District Judge J. Michelle Childs, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster and S.C. Rep. Murrell Smith Jr., USC said Thursday in a news release. McMaster, Smith and Childs are USC alumni, the release said. "I'm thrilled to have such an incredible slate of speakers and to safely host these ceremonies for our graduates and their families and friends," USC President Robert Caslen said in a news release. "Commencement is the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance, and our graduates deserve an opportunity to celebrate with family and friends and reflect on their outstanding accomplishments while here." The commencement speakers, all government officials, will speak at USC's graduation, which will be held for the first time at Williams-Brice Stadium because of the coronavirus pandemic the release said. Though the ceremony is outside, USC will still be limiting attendance to five tickets per graduate, requiring masks and socially distancing attendees. |
| 'Huge deal for my family': 2020 grads come back to U. of Missouri for ceremonies | |
 | Annie Adrian is excited to walk across the stage this weekend when the University of Missouri holds ceremonies for its 2020 graduates. "I took the idea of walking for granted once the pandemic began," said Adrian, who majored in hospitality management. "It will be even more special now because my son will get to see me graduate. It was a huge motivation for coming back." MU announced in February it was planning for in-person commencement ceremonies for 2021 graduates and would invite 2020 graduates back for ceremonies in April. The university canceled ceremonies last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Graduates were able to get up to six tickets for family and friends to gather in "pods" at a social distance from each other in Mizzou Arena and the Hearnes Center. Masks will be required. Adrian will be among about 1,500 alums from 2020 returning this weekend. They're bringing family and looking forward to seeing friends and recognizing their accomplishments. |
| NACAC survey reveals colleges still accepting applications | |
 | Every year, in May, the National Association for College Admission Counseling releases a list of the colleges that are still accepting applications for the fall. It's not a pure test of the health of admissions. For any number of reasons, not all colleges participate, which means the numbers may change from year to year. NACAC usually releases the list first and then updates it through May and June and July, as colleges are either added or removed from the list. Last year, 770 colleges were on the list at one point or another. This year, NACAC released the first iteration of the list Thursday, and 195 colleges said they were still accepting applications, some for freshmen, some for transfers. That's 195 colleges that already know they will be seeking more applicants before they have reached the traditional date of May 1 for admitted applicants to reply to an offer of admission. That date is expected to be flexible at many colleges this year -- so NACAC asked the colleges how many of them had dates later than May 1. Thirty-nine colleges have already extended the date. Both lists are expected to grow significantly. Most of the colleges on the list are seeking students. |
| Anti-Vaccine Group Challenges Rutgers U.'s Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement | |
 | In what appears to be the first formal challenge to a college requiring Covid-19 vaccinations for its students, Informed Consent Action Network has sent a letter to Rutgers University asking it to rescind its mandate. Acting on behalf of the anti-vaccine advocacy group, lawyers with Siri Glimstad LLC wrote on Thursday to the Rutgers president, Jonathan Holloway, that the mandate "violates federal law, international laws, civil and individual rights, and public policy." The Informed Consent Action Network, the lawyers wrote, has received "numerous inquiries," including some from Rutgers students, about the vaccine requirement. It is illegal for Rutgers to require students to receive vaccinations that have obtained only emergency-use authorization from the federal Food and Drug Administration, and have not been fully approved, wrote the lawyers, Aaron Siri and Elizabeth A. Brehm, in the firm's New York City office. A spokeswoman for Rutgers, a public university in New Jersey, said the institution was "committed to creating a safe campus environment in fall 2021, and to support the health and safety for all members of the Rutgers community, the university is updating existing immunization requirements for students to include the COVID-19 vaccine." |
| California's massive UC and Cal State systems plan to require COVID-19 vaccinations this fall | |
 | The University of California and California State University announced Thursday that they will require COVID-19 vaccinations for all students, faculty and staff on campus properties this fall once the Food and Drug Administration gives formal approval to the vaccines and supplies are sufficiently available. The directive is the largest of its kind in U.S. higher education, affecting more than 1 million members of the two public university systems. More than five dozen colleges nationwide have already announced they will require vaccination for enrollment this fall, including Yale, Princeton, Columbia and, in Claremont, Pomona and Claremont McKenna. But the UC and Cal State systems have not yet taken that step because of questions over the legality of requiring vaccines before they have been formally approved by the FDA. Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are being distributed under emergency use authorization, although health experts expect full approval of at least one of them by the fall. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is on pause after reports of rare blood clots. As with other mandatory shots for measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox, the COVID-19 directive would allow for students or employees to seek an exemption based on medical or religious grounds. |
| U. System of Maryland to mandate COVID vaccines for students, faculty, staff during fall semester | |
| The University System of Maryland will require students, faculty and staff on campuses at its 12 universities this fall to be vaccinated against COVID-19. System Chancellor Jay A. Perman announced the mandate Friday, stating the universities will comply with federal and state laws in granting exemptions for medical or religious reasons. "This mandate was not undertaken lightly," Perman said in a statement. Perman issued the mandate following a recommendation from the system's workgroup including university experts in public health, infectious disease and emergency management. The system's 12 university presidents and their cabinets also weighed in on the decision. Perman said the system's universities have about 15,000 students living on campuses this semester and expect more than double that number in the fall. Thousands more often live in neighborhoods around campuses. Prior to the announcement, Johns Hopkins University was the only other Maryland university to require students provide proof of a vaccine before returning to campus for classes in the fall, according to tracking by the Chronicle of Higher Education. |
| Ohio State students protest local police killing, demand university cut ties | |
| Hundreds of students at Ohio State University occupied the student union and participated in a protest in downtown Columbus Wednesday, demanding that the university cut ties with the city's police department after an officer shot and killed Ma'Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl. Bryant was killed Tuesday just minutes before it was announced that a jury in Minneapolis found Derek Chauvin, the police officer who killed George Floyd, guilty on murder and manslaughter charges, The Columbus Dispatch reported. The following day, students took to the campus and the streets, marching from the student union to the Ohio Statehouse to protest Bryant's killing and renew demands made last year in the wake of Floyd's death for the university to sever contracts and agreements with the Columbus Division of Police. Pranav Jani, a professor of English at Ohio State and director of the Asian American studies program, who said he supports the student organizers and attended the protest march, said whatever sliver of hope some Black students felt after the Chauvin guilty verdict was quickly stripped away as news of Bryant's killing spread throughout campus. Jani said that the proximity of the two events fueled students' anger and prompted a large, racially diverse and peaceful crowd of demonstrators to join the demonstration led by Black students. |
| Study: student drinking decreased during pandemic | |
| A new study of college student drinking patterns published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research found that on average college students drank less -- not more – after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and the University of Washington at Seattle found that a change in student residence was linked to a reduction in drinking. Students who moved residences in spring 2020 due to the pandemic reduced their drinking by 49 percent, compared to a 21 percent reduction among students who did not move. "Though data were not available on location of students' residences, 80 percent of students who had been living on‐campus at the current university moved elsewhere and were encouraged to return to their permanent residence," the study states. "Thus, findings appear to highlight the role of the college campus environment in perpetuating risk for heavy drinking and suggest moving off‐campus or having greater parental monitoring may reduce heavy drinking in college students." The study is based on a survey data from 1,365 college students aged 19 or over. |
| Many left behind in this recovery have something in common: No college degree | |
| Catelyn Morris fills out job applications daily for positions as a receptionist, office manager or sales associate near her Macon, Ga., home, but so far she's only had one callback. She believes there's a major drawback to her application: She doesn't have a college degree. "Everybody has to have bachelor's degree or an associate's degree. If you don't they just look over you at this point," said Morris, a single mom of two who has fallen behind on her utility and car payments. What Morris is experiencing in her job search is playing out across the country. Hiring has rebounded quickly for Americans with college degrees. In recent months, there has been a noticeable surge in people with two-year associate's degrees getting back into the workforce, but Americans with only a high school diploma or less remain deep in crisis mode, even as employers claim they are having trouble finding workers. Nearly 4 million adult workers without college degrees have not found work again after losing their jobs in the pandemic. Only 199,000 adult workers with a bachelor's degree or higher are in the same situation. (About 2.4 million adults over 25 with associate's degrees had a job in February 2020 and have not returned to work a year later.) |
| U.S. lawmakers back $100 billion science push to compete with China | |
| A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday introduced legislation calling for $100 billion in government spending over five years on basic and advanced technology research and science in the face of rising competitive pressure from China. The measure, sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Republican Senator Todd Young and others, would also authorize another $10 billion to designate at least 10 regional technology hubs and create a supply chain crisis response program. The bill, called the "Endless Frontier Act," represents a significant effort by the government to shore up private sector and university research efforts in advanced technologies with federal funding. The Senate Commerce Committee is expected to mark up the bill next week as Schumer looks to fast-track approval. Schumer said separately he will push for "emergency spending" to implement the semiconductor manufacturing provisions in last year's defense bill. |
| APLU Hails the Introduction of the Endless Frontiers Act | |
| Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) President Peter McPherson issued the following statement on the introduction of the Endless Frontiers Act. "We applaud Senators Schumer and Young and Representatives Khanna and Gallagher for their introduction of the Endless Frontiers Act. This landmark bill would achieve extraordinary strides for the U.S. scientific enterprise and help ensure the U.S. remains the unparalleled leader of innovation for decades to come. We thank the senators and representatives -- and their colleagues who signed on as original cosponsors -- for allowing APLU, the public university community, and partner organizations to provide input on this monumental legislation. ... The stakes of continued U.S. scientific leadership could scarcely be higher. Investment in both traditional NSF programs and the proposed new technology directorate would spark groundbreaking discoveries and innovations in critical areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum computing. Leading in these sectors isn't just key to economic vibrancy; it's essential for ensuring core U.S. values are embedded in society-shaping technologies." |
SPORTS
| Diamond Dawg Gameday: at Vanderbilt | |
| For the seventh time this season a top 10 opponent is on deck for the No. 2 Mississippi State baseball program. This time it is a three-game series at No. 3 Vanderbilt beginning on Friday (April 23) at Hawkins Field. Mississippi State (28-8, 10-5 SEC) enters the series with 11 wins over its last 12 games and three straight SEC series victories to move into second place in the SEC West. Vanderbilt (29-6, 11-4 SEC) sits atop the SEC East and has won four of five SEC weekends. Junior Tanner Allen and Rowdey Jordan are each hitting over .400 over the last 10 games and are each slugging over .750 in that span. Jordan is hitting .421 over the last 10 games with 16 runs scored and eight RBIs, while Allen is hitting .406 with 11 runs scored and 13 RBIs in that stretch. Overall, Jordan enters the weekend with a 21-game reached base streak. After dropping its first weekend series of the season to Georgia on April 9, Vanderbilt has won four of its last five games, including a series win over Tennessee in Knoxville last weekend. While the offense leads the SEC in batting average at .306, the strength of the squad stands on the mound with a team ERA of 2.79 and an opponent's batting average against of .176. |
| Pitching battle highlights series between No. 4 Mississippi State baseball, No. 2 Vanderbilt | |
| Mississippi State is used to facing the best pitchers college baseball has to offer. All year, coach Chris Lemonis has seen opponents deploy their aces against the Bulldogs: Ty Madden from Texas on opening day. Jaden Hill at LSU in the Southeastern Conference opener. Gunnar Hoglund and Doug Nikhazy of Ole Miss in last weekend's massive rivalry series in Starkville. "We've just had to face so many good arms," Lemonis told reporters Thursday. And as long as they remain in the midst of a grueling SEC schedule, the Bulldogs won't be getting a break anytime soon. This weekend, in fact, they'll face their toughest pitching test of the season as No. 4 Mississippi State (28-8, 10-5 SEC) hits the road to face No. 2 Vanderbilt (29-6, 11-4) from Friday to Sunday in Nashville. "They're pretty good," Lemonis said sardonically of the Commodores. Pitchers Kumar Rocker (8-1, 1.64 ERA) and Jack Leiter (7-0, 0.98) compose a duo Lemonis called one of the best tandems in the history of college baseball on the mound. They'll match up with the Bulldogs' Christian MacLeod (3-2, 2.83) and Will Bednar (2-1, 3.55) on Friday and Saturday, respectively. "These two are obviously very good and are pitching very well," Lemonis said of the pair of Commodores. |
| Vanderbilt's Kumar Rocker, Jack Leiter await No. 4 Bulldogs | |
| Mississippi State has faced an abundance of talented pitchers this year, but none quite as talented as the Vanderbilt duo waiting for the Bulldogs this weekend in Nashville. Mississippi State, ranked No. 4 by D1Daseball this week, makes the trek to Hawkins Field to face No. 2 Vanderbilt for a three-game SEC series. It begins at 7 p.m. tonight on the SEC Network, then will continue at 7 p.m. Saturday on ESPNU and 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Commodores (29-6, 11-4 SEC) are tied for first place in the SEC and feature two of the best pitchers in the country in Friday starter Kumar Rocker and Saturday starter Jack Leiter. Rocker is 8-1 this season with a 1.64 ERA and Leiter is 7-0 with a 0.98 ERA. They are both projected to be two of the top three draft picks in the upcoming MLB Draft. Mississippi State (28-8, 10-5 SEC), however, has faced its fair share of great pitching this year. The Bulldogs started the year against Texas pitcher Ty Madden, and most recently faced both Ole Miss' Gunnar Hoglund and Doug Nikhazy. Those are just three of the six starting pitchers that have garnered some All-American honors that Mississippi State has faced this year. The Bulldogs have also faced LSU's Jaden Hill, Auburn's Cody Greenhill and Tulane's Braden Olthoff. Mississippi State is 4-2 in those games this year with the only losses coming to Nikhazy and Olthoff. |
| NCAA recommends 50% capacity for attendance at baseball, softball regionals | |
| The NCAA has recommended Regional and Super Regional baseball hosts allow no more than 50% capacity at stadiums in June because of COVID-19 protocols, The Tennessean has learned. An email obtained by The Tennessean and sent from the NCAA to member schools Wednesday recommended the guidelines. The guidelines also apply to all other outdoor championship events on the spring calendar, including softball and fall sports being played this spring. "The COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group recommended predetermined championship sites follow the guidelines established by the respective state and local authorities," the NCAA email said. "The group recommended venue capacity for outdoor championship events could rise to no more than 50 percent capacity if permitted by those governmental authorities." It's unclear whether the NCAA's recommendation will be a mandate. The NCAA declined comment. That recommendation means different things to potential host schools. No. 2 Vanderbilt, the 2019 national champion, is permitting 40% capacity for home games. Increasing to 50% before June won't be a big change. No. 4 Mississippi State and No. 10 Ole Miss, however, are at or near 100% capacity. If they follow the NCAA recommendations, both schools would have to cut attendance in half for the postseason. |
| Softball Welcomes Texas A&M To Nusz Park | |
| Fresh off a resounding doubleheader sweep on Tuesday, Mississippi State's softball team looks to carry the momentum into its weekend series with Texas A&M. The Bulldogs (24-19, 0-12 SEC) will host the Aggies (29-13, 6-9 SEC) on April 23-25 for three games. First pitch on Friday night is set for 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. The series takes the national spotlight on SEC Network at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The final game will air on SEC Network+ with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. MSU defeated Jackson State by scores of 8-0 and 10-3 on Tuesday night while hitting seven total home runs and striking out 12 batters in each contest. The Aggies are coming off of a 9-1, run-rule victory over Houston, a team that State and ace Annie Willis shut out earlier this year. Carter Spexarth (3), Madisyn Kennedy (2) and Mia Davidson (2) all hit multiple home runs on Tuesday and have been rounding into form lately. Spexarth and Kennedy lead the team in batting average and are both slugging 1.000 or better in the last five games. Meanwhile, 10 of Davidson's last 12 hits have been homers. |
| Aggie softball team looking for winning road trip to boost NCAA tourney resume | |
 | The Texas A&M softball team should never want to leave home, not when it plays at $28.6 million Davis Diamond, arguably the best venue in college softball. But going on the road this weekend might not be a bad thing, even if the destination is Starkville, Mississippi. Actually, it might be the best possible destination for the Aggies. A&M lost hard-fought Southeastern Conference series to Auburn and Ole Miss the past two weekends. Those teams left Davis Diamond feeling like a million bucks. Auburn (25-14, 5-10) started league play 1-8 but followed its effort against A&M by also taking two of three from 14th-ranked Kentucky to position itself to make the NCAA tournament. Ole Miss (29-15, 10-8) topped that. The Rebels were picked by the coaches to finish last in the 13-team SEC, but after getting the best of A&M to win its fourth series, Ole Miss is in fifth place. A&M (29-13, 6-9) failed to take advantage of being at home and now needs to win some games to feel good about making the NCAA tournament. Last-place Mississippi State (24-19, 0-12) might just be the elixir the Aggies need, but head coach Jo Evans said the Aggies are going to have to do more than just show up to win three games. The Bulldogs are ranked 41st in RPI -- only three spots behind the Aggies -- and their strength of schedule is one of the toughest in the country. They also are 16-4 at home. |
| Visit Jackson expects economic boost from SWAC Championship | |
| Veteran's Memorial Stadium is the home of the Jackson State football team, but on May 1, it will be the home for the two teams competing in the SWAC Championship. Alabama A&M and Arkansas Pine Bluff will compete for the title. Leaders with Visit Jackson said players and fans are expected to be in the city that weekend. "If there's ever a time we've needed a big event like this, it's right now," said Kim Lewis, communications and destination manager for Visit Jackson. She said the energy and support that the game will bring to Jackson is going to be hard to top in the future. The game is also expected to bring an economic boost with money flowing into local hotels, restaurants and other attractions. Per city orders, the stadium will be at half capacity, which is about 22,000 people. With a chance to be on the national stage, Visit Jackson hopes the championship may set a new trend for the capital city. "We've been working very hard to bring in a sporting event of this caliber for quite some time. So hopefully, there will be more announcements soon about other events coming," said Lewis. |
| Inside the Hidden Industry of Name, Image and Likeness and the Changing World for College Athletes | |
| For two years now, Icon Source has provided a marketplace for talent, such as pro athletes and social media influencers, to connect with brand companies for endorsement and commercial opportunities. Like a match-making service that pairs like-minded couples in romantic relationships, Icon Source links talent with brands in business arrangements. Last Thursday, the marketplace added a new player. College athletes became eligible to create profiles on Icon Source in what is, for the company, the first step in helping NCAA athletes monetize their name, image and likeness (NIL). Eventually, an athlete on Icon Source will be able to identify companies to partner with for a profitable exchange. Maybe it's a star quarterback hooking up with an eatery in Athens, Ga., or a champion gymnast signing with a clothing shop in Oxford, Miss. Either way, the world of NIL match-making is here -- well, almost. It officially arrives in about 70 days, when several state laws governing NIL take effect. "Athletes are preparing themselves for July 1," says Drew Butler, a former NCAA and NFL punter who is vice president of Icon Source's collegiate division. "We are ready to turn on the green light for them." So are dozens of others. |
| Heroics from Dylan Crews, Devin Fontenot lead LSU to close win over Ole Miss | |
| When Dylan Crews titled his bat toward an outside pitch Thursday night and launched a ball over the relievers celebrating in the bullpen below its path, LSU trailed No. 9 Ole Miss by a run in the seventh inning. The Tigers had squandered an early lead as one of the best offenses in the country reached junior Landon Marceaux like few other teams have done this season, but Crews' two-run homer pushed LSU ahead 5-4 in the first game of a weekend series. Still, LSU needed three shutdown innings, something that had rarely happened this season. This time, senior closer Devin Fontenot, one of those beleaguered pitchers in the bullpen, delivered one of the best outings of his career. As Fontenot protected the slim lead throughout his longest appearance this season, LSU captured a much-needed win inside Swayze Field. The Tigers won when trailing after six innings for the first time this season. "This is LSU," Fontenot told himself after the last out. "We're playing for something bigger than ourselves. To get this win, to show everybody we're not going to lay over and let teams do what they've done to us in the past -- we're going to fight this thing to the end." |
| Tuscaloosa may limit bar hours, alcohol sales after Alabama football weekend arrests | |
 | Following four days of violence, large crowds and multiple arrests, Tuscaloosa's elected leaders said changes are needed to limit crimes in the future. And while the Alabama Legislature retains the power to alter alcohol license codes or harshen the punishment of convicted criminals, cities do have some leeway when it comes to bars, business owners and the products they sell. Now, said Mayor Walt Maddox, it's time to use that power. "Everything now has to be on the table, and I think we as a council cannot back away from this moment," the mayor said to his fellow elected leaders earlier this week. But those who make a living from bar and alcoholic beverage-based industries are hopeful that a more level-headed approach to these situations will, ultimately, prevail. While police were dealing with such matters as an officer-involved shooting off Skyland Boulevard East and a hatchet attack on McFarland Boulevard, much of the attention was focused on the Strip, officials said. Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley said that, at one point in the hours after the University of Alabama's spring football game, multiple patrol vehicles were brought in to disperse crowds that had grown to overwhelming, and potentially dangerous, sizes. "It was an extremely busy weekend for TPD," Blankley said. Meanwhile, officers were seizing loaded guns from a group of men who were found gathered in the parking lot of Jimmy John's, which had closed, after a witness informed an off-duty officer working security at the Waffle House that they were there. |
| Dr. Ruth Alexander, founder of women's sports at UF, passes away | |
| Dr. Ruth Alexander, the founder of the women's intercollegiate athletic program at the University of Florida in 1972, died Tuesday in Gainesville at the age of 83. Alexander was one of the national leaders of the Title IX movement in women's sports and received the prestigious appointment of Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science during her 36-year career at UF. As Florida's first women's athletics director from 1972-81, she spearheaded a campaign to allow equal opportunities for female athletes to compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, advancing intramural and club sports level to varsity status. "She never made it a 'men's sports vs. women's sports' issue," UF sports historian Norm Carlson said of Alexander, "but she also never backed down when it came time to help women students have an opportunity to compete in intercollegiate athletics." Alexander joined the UF faculty in 1969 as the chairwoman for the Department of Physical Education for Women. Three years later -- and three months before Title IX was passed -- Alexander approached then UF President Stephen C. O'Connell about the need for female athletes to have intercollegiate sports, saying that female leaders on campus wanted funding and greater support from the university. |
| U. of Texas' Longhorn Band will be required to play 'The Eyes of Texas' | |
| After weeks of uncertainty over whether members of the University of Texas' Longhorn Band would be required to play the school's controversial alma mater, "The Eyes of Texas," student musicians have an answer. Despite previous messaging that no student would be forced to sing or play the song, the school announced Wednesday that Longhorn Band members will be required to play it. Additionally, the school said that for students who do not want to play "The Eyes of Texas," a new band will be formed in 2022. This separate band will not include the alma mater as required repertoire. The song has been a key point of contention between students, alumni and administrators. At the beginning of March, a 24-person committee commissioned by UT President Jay Hartzell found the song to have racist origins but no racist intent. After the report's release, Hartzell stood by his message before the report that no student would be forced to sing or play the song. But "The Eyes of Texas" was here to stay -- ultimately creating a paradox for Longhorn Band members and students in UT's Butler School of Music who have traditionally played the song at sporting events and graduation ceremonies. |
| Clemson to reinstate men's track and field, cross country programs | |
 | Clemson will reinstate its men's track and field and cross country teams after reaching a settlement with lawyers representing both men and women's athletes at the university, the school announced April 22. Clemson will also add one or more women's varsity sports in the future. Clemson announced in November its decision to discontinue the teams following the conclusion of the 2020-21 academic year, citing cost savings associated with COVID-19 and long-term Title IX compliance. The course reversal comes after the threat of twin class-action lawsuits. An attorney retained by members of the men's track and field and cross country team threatened to sue Clemson for "depriving male athletes and potential athletes of equal participation opportunities of Title IX" and called for the teams' reinstatement. An attorney retained by female students from the women's rowing, cross country and track and field teams threatened to file suit against Clemson for "depriving them of equal athletic financial aid and treatment and benefits in violation of Title IX." Russell Dinkins, a New Jersey-based activist who helped preserve men's track/cross country programs at William & Mary, Brown and Minnesota, assisted the movement at Clemson. He said this is the first time a Title IX claim has successfully resulted in the reinstatement of a men's team. Additionally, it's the first time women have engaged in a Title IX suit on behalf of men. |
| Simone Biles Leaves Nike for Partnership With Athleta | |
| Superstar gymnast Simone Biles is leaving Nike Inc. , departing the sneaker juggernaut's roster for a new apparel partnership with Athleta that she says more closely reflects her values. The relationship, which will be announced Friday, is a major coup for the smaller, women's activewear brand, which was founded in 1998 and is owned by Gap Inc. It comes after Athleta signed a partnership in 2019 with sprinting champion Allyson Felix, a former Nike athlete who had criticized the company for failing to support pregnant athletes. It also comes days after Nike's partnership expired with the estate of basketball player Kobe Bryant. Biles did not directly criticize Nike in an interview, but emphasized what had attracted her to Athleta. "I felt like it wasn't just about my achievements, it's what I stood for and how they were going to help me use my voice and also be a voice for females and kids," she said. Athleta and Biles said that the company would give her a platform to be an activist participating in "honest conversations" with women and girls. Nike has also been dealing with reports about its workplace culture for several years. In early 2018, a group of women circulated a survey to protest inappropriate behavior by men at the company as well as pay disparity and gender imbalance in the top ranks. |
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