Thursday, June 17, 2021   
 
Mississippi State camper creations available at Idea Shop in time for Father's Day, lemonade stands forecast weekend refreshment
Summer campers participating in Mississippi State's iCREATE Camp will sell items this Saturday [June 19] at the MSU Idea Shop in downtown Starkville from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Camp participants -- ages 14-17 and hailing from Mississippi, Louisiana and Colorado -- have spent the week learning entrepreneurial skills, including how to set up a business plan. They are challenged to design, create, market and sell products in a short timeframe, and their featured items at the Idea Shop this weekend are themed around Father's Day, offering last-minute gift options. The iCREATE Camp is a partnership between MSU's School of Human Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach in the College of Business. Also on tap for Saturday is Lemonade Day, a separate program also sponsored by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, among others. More than 50 stands will be set up at various locations around Starkville for the event that also is designed to introduce youth to entrepreneurship.
 
In Starkville, it's time to TASTE the long-awaited restaurant
TASTE, on Lincoln Green Road at the former Veranda location, officially opens today. Michael McIntosh, restaurant manager, is hoping to bring a new vibe and new concept to the area. "We believe in what we're doing," McIntosh said. "We believe that what we're doing in this building will set the standard. It's our job to be the best. ... We're coming to an area where our style of service, cuisine and cocktails aren't really a part of Starkville. But people want something different and unique. We want to be the spot where everyone wishes to be." Though the menu will change often, TASTE will offer locally sourced ingredients for fresh, made-from-scratch meals including roasted salmon, red fish, truffle mac and cheese, salads, flatbreads and more. The former red-brick building has been revitalized with white paint and black awnings. The interior also received quite an upgrade, including a cook-in bar that allows customers to drink and eat while chefs prepare. Owner Craig Fant has filled his team with specialists from the Florida area, including McIntosh, Chef Jeff Thornsberry and Corey Jernigan, the master behind all the cocktails. Brand strategist Ben Fant added though TASTE offers a new environment for Starkville, it's a versatile place that can meet anyone's needs, whether it's for a special date night or an end-of-the-day nightcap.
 
Gulf Coast bracing for up to 20 inches of weekend rain if Tropical Storm Claudette forms
An ominous weather system slowly rolling toward the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday was threatening to strengthen into Tropical Storm Claudette before slamming onto shore across four states. Coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Florida panhandle could face heavy rains and flooding Friday and into the weekend, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Rob Miller said. Parts of Louisiana could see up to 20 inches of rain over three days. "A hurricane is unlikely," Miller said. But he added that "a mere tropical depression or tropical storm can unleash a tremendous amount of rain once over land, and that remains the primary concern." AccuWeather meteorologists have pinpointed late Friday to Saturday as the most likely time frame, and the Louisiana coastline is the most likely place for landfall. However, landfall may occur anywhere from near the Texas-Louisiana border to the western part of the Florida Panhandle, Miller said. "The low should begin to move northward by this afternoon, and a tropical or subtropical depression is likely to form by late tonight or on Friday," the hurricane center warned. "Regardless of development, a high risk of rip currents is expected by Friday, with the potential for very heavy rain, a few brief tornadoes, high surf and minor coastal flooding this weekend."
 
Juneteenth celebrations planned for Columbus, Starkville
In the year since the last Juneteenth, much has happened that will give this year's events special relevance. In Columbus, it marks the return of a celebration that began 24 years ago in relative obscurity and a one-year hiatus because of COVID-19. In Starkville, it will begin with an unveiling of a sculpture at Unity Park and end with a jazz concert promoted by a former police chief convinced of the unifying power of music. "I think Juneteenth has gotten a lot more attention because of the national incidents that have gone on over the past year," said retired Starkville police chief Frank Nichols, who is sponsoring the jazz concert at Fire Station Park. "The murder of George Floyd provided a platform for people to learn more about Juneteenth. This year is also the anniversary of the Tulsa Massacre and then, last week, the United States Senate passed a bill to make (Juneteenth) a federal holiday. I think these celebrations are only going to get bigger and bigger because of that exposure." At 11 a.m. Saturday at Unity Park, Juneteenth kicks off with the dedication of a sculpture depicting the role of protest marches in advancing civil rights, the opening of the Unity Park Little Library featuring books about local, state, and national civil rights leaders, and presentation of plaques honoring two local civil rights pioneers. The sculpture by local artist Dylan Karges is entitled ONWARD and was funded by the Unity Park Advisory Committee with support from a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission.
 
Business leaders discuss how new flag impacts state economy
A prominent Mississippi business leader said Wednesday the decision to change the state's flag has removed a "significant impediment" to economic development in Mississippi. Mississippi lawmakers voted last year to retire a Confederate-themed flag state as part of the national reckoning over racial injustice. "This, I think, removes a significant impediment, and will change perceptions of Mississippi across this country and across the world," said Anthony Wilson, 2020-2021 Mississippi Economic Council chair, at the council's annual meeting in Jackson. The Mississippi Economic Council was a staunch supporter of the Legislature's decision to surrender the last state banner in the U.S. that included the Confederate battle emblem. The flag was displayed prominently at the in-person event at the Jackson Convention Complex, which drew hundreds of business leaders from across the state. Dozens of small state flags lined a red carpet in front of a stage and podium, behind which was displayed another massive state flag. Wilson, who is president and CEO of Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, said he is filled with pride when he sees people all over Mississippi choosing to fly the new flag.
 
MEC holds annual meeting to highlight Mississippi's economic growth
The Mississippi Economic Council is the voice of business in the state of Mississippi and has been since 1949. MEC has more than 11,000 members from 1,100 member firms throughout Mississippi. This year's annual meeting featured a panel discussion by Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director John Rounsaville, Southeast Region District Director of the U.S. Small Business Association, Janita Stewart and Executive Director of the Mississippi Office of Workforce Development, Ryan Miller. During the panel discussion Rounsaville commented on how they plan to keep Mississippi competitive economically even after COVID-19. "Step one is the fact that we kept our economy open," said Rounsaville. "The Governor, while managing the pandemic I think very effectively, kept the state open. That meant for us from an economic development standpoint that we did not lose ground." He added that in fact the state gained more economic ground in the last year. While he didn't know specifics on how Mississippi was holding up compared to other states, he did say the Southeastern region of the U.S. was doing very well economically. "I would anticipate that our competitor states had good years as well," said Rounsaville. He said it is important for the state to compare itself to other surrounding states to know where to grow and increase.
 
Gov. Tate Reeves says main COVID-19 regret is that he didn't let all businesses stay open
Gov. Tate Reeves told hundreds of business leaders on Wednesday that his main regret about his handling COVID-19 is that he didn't deem all businesses essential and let them remain open during the height of the pandemic. Reeves quoted William Faulkner as he bemoaned all the natural and man-made disasters he's had to "endure" since he took office in 2020, including the pandemic, flooding and ice storms, a prison death and overcrowding crisis and the largest government embezzlement case in state history. He addressed about 800 members of the Mississippi Economic Council, the state's chamber of commerce, in its annual meeting -- the first large in-person gathering MEC has hosted since the pandemic. After his speech, Reeves demurred on whether he regretted issuing any shut-down or other orders to slow the disease's spread, but said that on whole, Mississippi's per capita COVID-19 rates were on par with the rest of the nation, "even though we had little restrictions." He said, "We got more right than we got wrong." But with 10,736 COVID-19 infections per 100,000 residents, Mississippi has the 21st highest infection rate in the country. Mississippi's vaccination rate is the lowest in the country, although Reeves did not mention vaccination efforts in his speech. "I think anybody in America can look back and nitpick decisions that were made," Reeves said after his speech.
 
Speaker Philip Gunn urges Gov. Tate Reeves to end COVID emergency order
House Speaker Philip Gunn is calling on Gov. Tate Reeves to end Mississipp's COVID-19 state of emergency order. In a letter obtained by the Daily Journal, Gunn, a Republican from Clinton, asked Reeves, also a Republican, on Wednesday to end the state of emergency because a state of emergency created by the pandemic "no longer exists." "Unless there is some reason for the declaration of a state of emergency to continue, then on behalf of the people of the state of Mississippi who are ready to return their lives to normal, we call on you to declare the state of emergency over," the letter reads. The most recent COVID-19 executive order issued by Reeves occurred on April 30, which extended the state's COVID-19 state of emergency indefinitely, according to the Mississippi Secretary of State's website, which maintains a list of the governor's executive orders. The April 30 order largely removed most of the state's COVID-19 safety protocols, with the exception of requiring everyone inside a school building to wear a mask throughout the remainder of the academic school year. However, Reeves told members of the media on Tuesday in Lee County that he would not issue a statewide mask mandate for public schools for the upcoming academic year.
 
Environmental groups skeptical of Mississippi Power's plan to reduce surplus generation capacity
Mississippi Power filed its plan to comply with an order from regulators to reduce its surplus generation capacity, but an environmental group and several trade associations say the utility's plan doesn't meet the standards imposed by the order. Despite promises in its plan to retire 976 megawatts of fossil-fueled generation capacity, upgrade its infrastructure and increase its renewable portfolio, the plan isn't satisfactory to several intervenors providing comments for the Mississippi Public Service Commission. These groups include the Advanced Energy Management Alliance trade association, the Southern Renewable Energy Association, the Sierra Club and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. In April, the Gulfport-based utility filed its plan with the PSC that was part of the February 2018 settlement reached between regulators and the utility over the controversial Kemper Project power plant. This plan presents a detailed examination of Mississippi Power's generation capacity and what needs to be retired to comply with a December 17 order that mandates the utility retire 950 megawatts of generation capacity.
 
Erskine Wells named BGR Group president
BGR Group has elevated Erskine Wells, who co-leads the public affairs firm's commerce and defense practices, to president. Wells joined the firm in 2011 after spending a decade on the Hill working for now-Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and "has helped guide BGR and its clients through the pandemic with tremendous results," founding partner and former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said in a press release. Guiding the firm's smooth transition out of the pandemic will be among Wells' top priorities, he told POLITICO Influence. "I think we had to learn how to help our clients differently over this past year," he said in an interview, which included making sure "that we're creating good opportunities for our clients to engage with policymakers and trying to create more content" despite the lack of in-person face time with policymakers. "I'm hoping that we're gonna be able to continue to create those opportunities for our clients," Wells said.
 
Senators running out of patience on mask mandate for travelers
Republican senators are expressing mounting impatience with the federal mask mandate for travelers, arguing that the lifting of restrictions in most public places should extend to airplanes, rail and transit. In a markup of rail and safety legislation on Wednesday, the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee rejected along party lines an amendment introduced by Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., that would end the mandate, but not before Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, acknowledged that he, too, was feeling impatient. Schatz suggested that the Senate introduce a "sense of the Senate" resolution that would encourage the Biden administration to reconsider its rule, acknowledging that while the agencies are the experts on issues, they "are not infallible." "Sometimes they move slowly," Schatz said. "Sometimes they're a little too precautionary." Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., backed the Scott amendment. "I think we should express the sense of this committee that what is being foisted on us now in the name of science is hogwash," he said. Buttigieg said the mandate remains in place because of some unique circumstances, such as the fact that planes feature "a number of people from different places passing through the same small place," as well as the presence of children on airplanes. No vaccine has been approved for those under 12.
 
Mississippi Congressman Used $61,000 Of Campaign Money To Fight Ethics Investigation
A U.S. congressman under investigation for allegedly using campaign money to pay for personal expenses dipped into those same funds to cover his legal fees. Doing so, however, does not appear to violate federal election law. In August 2020, the House's Office of Congressional Ethics voted 6-0 to investigate Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) for allegedly using campaign funds to maintain his riverfront property, asking his staffers to perform campaign work and personal errands and using his official position to help his brother reenlist in the Navy. Fast forward to June 6: the Federal Election Commission asked the campaign of the six-term congressman to clarify its use of "Professional Fees" when explaining expenses detailed in its 2020 year-end report. Those outlays included $61,000 in payments to the Mississippi law firm Watkins & Eager in December. The campaign has not yet told the FEC why it paid the law firm, but a spokesperson explained to Forbes that the payments covered legal fees pertaining to Palazzo's ethics investigation. "Yes, those are legal fees, and that is how we will describe them," Justin Brasell of campaign consultancy Triumph Campaigns wrote in an email. When asked if they pertained to the ethics investigation, Brasell replied, "Yes." The FEC allows candidates to use campaign funds to cover legal fees related to their position. An advisory opinion issued in 1998 stated that, while the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 bars candidates from using campaign funds for personal use, "any legal expense that relates directly to allegations arising from campaign or officeholder activity would qualify for 100% payment with campaign funds."
 
Sen. Hyde-Smith no-show for dinner hosted by VP Harris due to 'previous commitment'
Only three female U.S. senators were absent for a bipartisan women senators dinner hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris, one being Mississippi senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. The dinner was held Tuesday at the Vice President's residence, which is located on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. "What a wonderful bipartisan women Senators dinner at our @VP's residence," posted Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) on Twitter. "Thank you Kamala! I am so proud of you!" Stabenow also posted pictures of the dinner showing every women U.S. senator in attendance. Republican senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who did attend the dinner, said that it was "a lovely event." The three who did not go were Senators Cynthia Marie Lummis (R-WY), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Cindy Hyde-Smith. According to a spokesperson for Hyde-Smith, she "appreciated the Vice President's invitation," but could not attend "due to a previous commitment." It was not revealed what that previous commitment was.
 
One Failed Bridge in Memphis Is Costing Business Millions
An emergency closure of the Interstate-40 bridge across the Mississippi River has jammed traffic for over a month, denting companies' bottom lines, hampering the region's economic recovery from the pandemic and further straining an already stretched national supply chain. The six-lane bridge linking Tennessee and Arkansas helps make Memphis a critical U.S. distribution hub, along with the headquarters of FedEx Corp. , a large port and five major freight railroads. It has been closed since May 11, when a contractor for the Arkansas Transportation Department spotted a large crack in a steel support beam that officials said put the span in jeopardy of failing. Typically, about 40,000 cars and trucks a day would cross the bridge, a double-arch steel structure that is almost 2 miles long. The bridge's deficiencies highlight the aging of U.S. infrastructure amid a debate in Washington over a multibillion-dollar funding package. Despite disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over the scope and funding sources for the legislative package, bipartisan support has emerged for boosting federal spending on roads and bridges.
 
House Passes Bill Making Juneteenth A Federal Holiday
The Democratic-led House of Representatives on Wednesday easily approved legislation to commemorate Juneteenth, the national remembrance of the end of chattel slavery in the United States, as a federal holiday. The 415-14 House vote follows Tuesday's unanimous approval in the Senate to federally recognize the holiday. All 14 no votes in the House came from Republicans. The bill now heads to President Biden's desk. June 19 marks the 1865 date that people who were enslaved in Texas were freed under the Emancipation Proclamation. Speaking ahead of the vote, several House Republicans voiced clear support for the holiday but raised issues with the legislative process, as the bill bypassed committees and was brought directly to the floor. Juneteenth celebrations have grown in popularity in recent years, as the national conversation has shifted to more critically examine the role of enslaved Black people in building the country's physical and economic infrastructure, as well as how racism against Blacks and other minorities has been foundational to American society. That cultural shift has attracted more than a few critics.
 
Supreme Court dismisses challenge to Obama era health law
The Supreme Court has dismissed a challenge to the Obama era health care law, preserving insurance coverage for millions of Americans. The justices, by a 7-2 vote, left the entire law intact Thursday in ruling that Texas, other Republican-led states and two individuals had no right to bring their lawsuit in federal court. The Biden administration says 31 million people have health insurance because of the law popularly known as "Obamacare." The law's major provisions include protections for people with pre-existing health conditions, a range of no-cost preventive services and the expansion of the Medicaid program that insures lower-income people, including those who work in jobs that don't pay much or provide health insurance. Also left in place is the law's now-toothless requirement that people have health insurance or pay a penalty. Congress rendered that provision irrelevant in 2017 when it reduced the penalty to zero. The elimination of the penalty had become the hook that Texas and other Republican-led states, as well as the Trump administration, used to attack the entire law. They argued that without the mandate, a pillar of the law when it was passed in 2010, the rest of the law should fall, too. And with a more conservative Supreme Court that includes three Trump appointees, opponents of Obamacare hoped a majority of the justices would finally kill off the law they have been fighting against for more than a decade. But the third major attack on the law at the Supreme Court ended the way the first two did, with a majority of the court rebuffing efforts to gut the law or get rid of it altogether.
 
Supreme Court sides with Catholic adoption agency that refuses to work with LGBT couples
The Supreme Court on Thursday delivered a unanimous defeat to LGBT couples in a high-profile case over whether Philadelphia could refuse to contract with a Roman Catholic adoption agency that says its religious beliefs prevent it from working with same-sex foster parents. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in an opinion for a majority of the court that Philadelphia violated the First Amendment by refusing to contract with Catholic Social Services once it learned that the organization would not certify same-sex couples for adoption. "The Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, applicable to the States under the Fourteenth Amendment, provides that 'Congress shall make no law ... prohibiting the free exercise' of religion," Roberts wrote. "As an initial matter, it is plain that the City's actions have burdened CSS's religious exercise by putting it to the choice of curtailing its mission or approving relationships inconsistent with its beliefs," he added. Under longstanding Supreme Court precedents, laws that are neutral to religion and generally applicable can be consistent with the Constitution, even if they burden religion. But Roberts said that the city's nondiscrimination policy was not generally applicable, citing Philadelphia's ability to grant exemptions from it. Notably, Roberts’s opinion was more narrow than conservative activists were hoping for.
 
Hot suit summer: Seersucker day is back in Washington
In the land of bold, well-tailored power suits as temperatures climb, some lawmakers will stand alone -- in cool, comfortable and slightly wrinkly garments -- to uphold congressional tradition once again. National Seersucker Day, an annual fashion event organized by Sen. Bill Cassidy, is back to its pre-pandemic form. "Drop your wool suit in the summertime, and look as if you've adapted to the environment," the Louisiana Republican said in a phone interview. "But also look as if you're enjoying life -- and that's the point of the seersucker." Last year's celebration at the Capitol was subdued, with Cassidy ordering face masks from New Orleans clothier Haspel and quietly distributing them at a GOP lunch. This year calls for something more. "America wants to be something different than gloomy, wearing a mask with barbed wire around the Capitol," Cassidy said. "Just like people are now beginning to fly and vacation, now is the time to step out a little bit." That's why he plans to stride into work Thursday morning once again wearing his light blue-striped suit, enjoying its slack-tension weave. Before air conditioning, senators used to rely on lighter-colored cotton and linen garments to get them through the sweltering months. Former Mississippi GOP Sen. Trent Lott revived the tradition in the 1990s, and Cassidy took over in 2014 when he was a member of the House. So far the list of lawmakers who are expected to harness what Haspel describes as the "power of the pucker" include a bipartisan and geographically diverse group of senators. Republicans Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, as well as Democratic seersucker stalwart Dianne Feinstein of California and newcomer Raphael Warnock of Georgia, are all expected to join the group, according to Cassidy's office.
 
Biden and Putin Express Desire for Better Relations at Summit Shaped by Disputes
A highly anticipated first summit meeting between President Biden and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia ended early on Wednesday and was described by both sides as a series of polite but adamantly stated disagreements about which country is the greater force of global disruption. After about three hours of talks, the two leaders emerged, separately, and offered professional respect for each other, like two skilled boxers describing the other's prowess. Both expressed a desire for a better relationship, but announced no dramatic actions to arrest the downward spiral that has already hurtled them toward the worst U.S.-Russian tensions since the Cold War. In dueling news conferences on the edge of Lake Geneva, a traditional site for two of the world's most powerful antagonists to discuss their differences, the two leaders committed to the creation of working groups to deal with urgent issues, starting with arms control and the proliferation of cyberattacks. They agreed to send ambassadors back to each other's capitals, Mr. Putin said, and expressed interest in working in some areas of mutual interest, from the Arctic to Afghanistan. "There has been no hostility,'' Mr. Putin said, speaking about the meeting. Mr. Biden declared "I did what I came to do,'' including laying out a series of warnings and red lines for the Russian leader, which he insisted were not "threats."
 
Construction underway at USM to address accessibility concerns
From a pedestrian pathway to additional parking, The University of Southern Mississippi has launched a series of construction projects that will provide even greater accessibility and mobility to its Hattiesburg campus. Dr. Chris Crenshaw, senior vice president for facilities planning and management, points out that the projects are part of a long-term bike and pedestrian master plan developed by a USM committee in conjunction with outside engineers. "These projects -- particularly the pedestrian pathway project -- help us provide convenient access for our students, faculty and staff, especially if they want to use an alternative means for accessing the campus outside of their vehicle," said Crenshaw. A majority of the work is being done on the western edge of the campus with the primary focus on Montague Boulevard. A Mississippi Department of Transportation grant from the Federal Highway Administration has enabled the University to begin construction of a pedestrian pathway along the north side of Montague Boulevard from 38th Avenue to Ross Boulevard.
 
Two USM nursing faculty members create an app to help students with clinicals
Two nursing faculty members at the University of Southern Mississippi have created a mobile app that will assist their students on performing clinical tasks. Dr. Stephanie Parks and Dr. Marti Jordan partnered up with members of USM's iTech group to create the app. The app can be accessed through the iSouthernMS app and features links that allow students to evaluate their own simulation experience and log lab hours, according to USM. "I think of the big books I had to carry around when I was in school, and I couldn't imagine how great it would be to have access to features like the app has," Jordan said. The app includes questions to ask during thorough examinations, how to do simple tests and videos with an instructor will soon be added to the application. "The goal is to continue to add even more information, past the 20 some tests that are already available," Jordan said. "We just want to provide something that will help our students immensely."
 
Students get firsthand look at manufacturing during Tek2Go camp
Middle school students from across Northeast Mississippi are getting a firsthand look at the advanced manufacturing industry during the Tek2Go Advanced Manufacturing camp at Itawamba Community College's (ICC) Belden Center this week. Fifteen sixth through eighth graders from Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe, Pontotoc and Union counties are learning skills in computer numerical control (CNC) machining, welding, robotic welding/painting as part of the camp. Keira Ivy, an incoming freshman at Houston High School, wasn't initially interested in welding, but joined the camp on the recommendation of her guidance counselor. So far, "it's been fun," she said. "I wanted to learn more about mechanics," Ivy said. "And I just wanted a personal experience up close to welding." Students who attend the camp get to see what advanced manufacturing is all about. It might even help some choose a career path, Jason Gholston, a diesel equipment technology instructor at ICC, said as he assisted students at welding stations on Tuesday. A similar three-day Tek2Go camp will be held for local teachers from June 22 to 24. During that camp, participants will get an introduction to each of the advanced manufacturing skills.
 
West Point school officials double down on valedictorian decision after review
The West Point Consolidated School District School Board reviewed and verified that the procedure used to select two white students as valedictorian and salutatorian is the same it used each year in the prior six years, according to a statement released Tuesday by the district. The district also said it stands by its decision to award the honors to all four students. Lisa Ross, the attorney for the two Black students originally named as the sole valedictorian and salutatorian, said since the district has still not produced the documentation and data showing how the rank was determined, the next step is litigation. The district's statement was not released to Ross' clients Angela Washington and Lakira Temple, even though Ross said the board told them they would notify them of any decisions that were made following the meeting. The parents of the white co-valedictorian and co-salutatorian said they also did not receive it. "The School Board, Superintendent and School Administration sincerely regret that this mistake happened and will commit to happen that it does not happen in the future," the district's statement read. "We stand by the resolution we chose as we believe it is the right and fair decision in light of the circumstances." The five-member school board is made up of three African-American members and two white members.
 
Jury deadlocked in 'China Initiative' case against former U. of Tennessee professor
The federal Justice Department's first prosecution in the nation under the Trump administration's "China Initiative" fizzled Wednesday when an East Tennessee jury deadlocked after two days of deliberation. Now the Justice Department will have to decide whether to mount a second prosecution of former University of Tennessee at Knoxville associate professor Dr. Anming Hu, who was accused by the FBI of intentionally trying to defraud NASA by hiding his part-time work at the Beijing University of Technology. The court did not make public how many of the jurors -- four women and eight men, all white -- refused to convict. Defense attorney Phil Lomonaco called it a victory for Hu and his family. Trial testimony has shown federal agents falsely accused Hu of spying for China based solely on a Google search. After he refused to work as a spy for the U.S. government, agents stalked and harassed him for more than two years, leading to the destruction of his reputation and internationally renowned career. After nearly two years of a failed espionage investigation, Hu was arrested on fraud charges under an obscure 2011 law the Trump administration used as a basis to target professors and researchers working at American universities as part of a "China Initiative" on combating economic espionage. Hu is a Canadian citizen.
 
Katherine Banks settles into new position as president of Texas A&M
M. Katherine Banks' first couple of weeks as president of Texas A&M have been spent meeting with deans, selecting university leadership and making plans for how to improve the school. "I'm visiting all the colleges and talking with the deans and the leadership team to identify opportunities as well as listen to them about their challenges and successes," Banks said in an interview with local media Wednesday. "But all I see is opportunity." There is a consulting firm on campus conducting a review of administrative operations, Banks said. The firm's goal is to determine how the university can be more effective in its processes so that costs of administration can be reduced and more money can go toward student success initiatives. Banks said she will have an action plan in October that will outline initial steps for changes in the school and its administration. Student success is a passion for Banks, who said she grew up in schools that did not prepare her well for college. She previously served as vice chancellor of engineering and national laboratories and dean of the College of Engineering, and she said she wants to see programs at A&M similar to the engineering academies she spearheaded in recent years.
 
Nevada Extension director leading charge to build national program groups
University of Nevada, Reno Extension Director Ivory Lyles is chairing a national committee zeroed in on supporting Extension programs nationally by building national working groups that focus on common issues, or program areas, such as workforce development or health. The Extension Committee on Organizational Policy, commonly known as ECOP, is the elected national committee that represents the 57 state and territorial cooperative extension systems in policy decisions, and provides nationwide program and organizational leadership. Within ECOP, there is a 15-member Program Committee, of which Lyles is the chair this year. Lyles is reshaping the mission and the purpose of the committee in an effort to increase the impact of Extension programs nationally. Lyles said that Extension leaders, faculty and staff already communicate and collaborate with one another across state lines, but having a more organized way for those working on common issues to set goals; work together; and share information, programs and research can multiply the impacts of Extension work in communities across the country. Lyles came to Nevada from Alcorn State University in Mississippi, where he was a professor in the Department of Agriculture and dean and director of Land-Grant Programs. He has also held Cooperative Extension positions at the University of Tennessee, Tennessee State University, The Ohio State University and Mississippi State University.
 
NCES report examines impacts of pandemic on undergraduate enrollment, finances and housing
About 40 percent of undergraduates experienced a financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 8.2 percent either withdrew (4.4 percent) or took a leave of absence (3.8 percent) from their institution, according to a new report from the National Center for Education Statistics on the ways the pandemic affected undergraduate student finances, housing and enrollment. Over all, 87.5 percent of students reported experiencing a disruption or change in their enrollment due to COVID-19, with 84.1 percent saying that some or all of their classes moved to online-only formats. The report, which NCES says provides "the first national estimates of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on postsecondary students," highlights the disparate experiences of students across racial, gender, economic, institutional and other lines in spring 2020. Data collection for the survey ended on June 30 of last year. "This report really helps people understand what was happening at the beginning of the pandemic," said Tracy Hunt-White, a project officer for NCES. Among the findings, students at private, for-profit colleges withdrew or took leaves of absence at higher rates than did students at public or private nonprofit institutions. Meanwhile, 6.8 percent of students attending two-year public colleges said they withdrew from their institution due to COVID-19, compared to 2.7 percent at public four-year institutions and 2.9 percent at private, nonprofit four-year institutions.
 
$90 million HBCU partnership aims to increase diversity in high finance
Three asset management and private equity firms are partnering with Atlanta's historically Black colleges on a 10-year, $90 million effort to train and mentor students for careers in high-income fields where Black professionals are underrepresented, such as private equity, real estate investment trusts and hedge funds. Atlanta Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler, executive chairman of Ares Management Corp., one of the firms in the initiative, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview Wednesday he's been interested in finding ways to increase racial diversity in the alternative investment industry for a few years. The framework of the initiative began taking shape six months ago in conversations between the schools, Apollo Global Management, Inc. and Oaktree Capital Management, L.P., Ressler said. On Tuesday, they announced the creation of "AltFinance: Investing in Black Futures." By some estimates, Black entrepreneurs receive only 1% of all private equity or venture capital backing. Ressler said he hopes the initiative will become a blueprint for other companies to partner with colleges and universities to support historically underrepresented students. "We think it is a template that maybe other industries will build off of," Ressler told the AJC.
 
U.S. House Ag leader seeks permanent scholarship funding for 1890 land-grant colleges
Leaders from 1890 land-grant colleges laid out to the House Agriculture Committee Wednesday how a fresh infusion of scholarship funding provided by Congress has helped those historically Black institutions educate and train the next generation of agriculture workers. Committee Chairman David Scott, (D-Ga.), said that their testimony would help members of the committee work to make the $80 million scholarship program permanent, rather than reauthorizing it through the farm bill every five years. "We are moving to make this scholarship program permanent and in order to do that we want to make sure we have the evidence to present that," said Scott, a graduate of one of the 1890 institutions, Florida A&M University. "I want to be able to get on the record, all of what this scholarship program means to each of you." Scott, along with several other lawmakers, worked to provide the scholarship funding in the 2018 farm bill. The funds were divided among the 19 land-grant Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which span 18 states and were designated land-grant colleges under the Morrill Act of 1890. The top Republican on the committee, Rep. Glenn "GT" Thompson, (R-Pa.), raised concerns about broadband availability at these institutions and the rural communities they serve. He also asked witnesses what other improvements Congress could make for the land-grant schools as members work on the upcoming farm bill.
 
'Cynical and Illegitimate': Higher-Ed Groups Assail Legislative Efforts to Restrict Teaching of Racism
A raft of higher-education organizations voiced their "firm opposition" on Wednesday to legislation that they say aims to bar or impede instructors from educating students about racism in American history. The bills, versions of which have been introduced in at least 20 states, risk infringing "on the right of faculty to teach and of students to learn," says the joint statement, written by the American Association of University Professors, the American Historical Association, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and PEN America, and signed by them and more than 85 other groups. "In higher education, under principles of academic freedom that have been widely endorsed, professors are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject," the statement says. "Educators, not politicians, should make decisions about teaching and learning." The bills' details differ between states, including if they apply solely to elementary and secondary schools or to higher ed as well. In general, many of them target the teaching or advocacy of certain "concepts" that are deemed "divisive," including that the United States is fundamentally racist, or that any individual should be made to feel "guilt," "anguish," or other forms of distress due to that person's race or sex. Those concepts -- which the statement calls a "litany of vague and indefinite buzzwords" -- stem from an executive order issued by Donald J. Trump, then president, last September.
 
Rep. Jim Jordan starts 'Campus Free Speech Caucus' to push back on 'woke' cancel culture
Champaign County GOP Rep. Jim Jordan is teaming up with a conservative youth organization and a congressional colleague from Florida to start a new congressional caucus dedicated to promoting free speech on college campuses. Jordan announced Monday that he's starting the Campus Free Speech Caucus with freshman Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida and the Young America's Foundation, whose top officials include former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Vice President Mike Pence. In a statement released by the youth organization, Jordan said the new caucus "will work with Congress to push back on 'woke' cancel culture and defend freedom for Americans everywhere." In an interview on Fox News, Cammack said college campuses today "aren't higher education institutions, these are indoctrination camps." She recalled a Latin American politics professor she had in college telling her that "all white Republican men are the source of world conflict. "We are going to be holding these institutions accountable and giving these conservative students an outlet where they can bring their stories to us and we can educate our colleagues on the dangerous indoctrination that is happening on our college campuses," Cammack continued.
 
Title IX Protects LGBTQ Students, Education Department Says
In an expected move, the U.S. Education Department announced on Wednesday that LGBTQ students are protected by Title IX --- making clear how the federal government plans to enforce the gender-equity law during the Biden administration. President Biden had set the stage for the announcement on his first day in office, in January, when he signed an executive order asserting that Title IX's protections based on sex cover sexual orientation and gender identity. As the basis for its interpretation, the department cites a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that determined that Title VII, the civil-rights law covering employment, protects LGBTQ workers from discrimination in the workplace. The department's decision could have the greatest impact in elementary and secondary education, where Republican state legislatures have passed or considered bills in recent months that would ban transgender students from participating in school athletics. (It's not clear how the federal interpretation of Title IX will affect those state laws, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.) Most secular colleges already prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
 
APLU Statement on Congressional Proposal to Double Pell Grants
APLU President Peter McPherson today released the following statement regarding the introduction of a bill in the House and Senate that would double the maximum Pell Grant award and expand the program's eligibility to Dreamers. "We applaud the House and Senate reintroduction of the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act (PGPEA). This bill sets an important legislative pathway to double the maximum federal Pell Grant award to $13,000, which would make the dream of an affordable higher education a reality for millions of disadvantaged current and prospective students. A higher education has long been the most effective way to ensure upward economic mobility. The Pell Grant program has been central in our nation's efforts to ensure students from low-income households have the opportunity to go to college, earn a degree, and experience unlimited, lifelong opportunities for success. ... APLU looks forward to working with Congress to strengthen the bill's provisions during the legislative process, helping to achieve the goals of promoting student success and completion while ensuring that institutions have appropriate flexibility to set institutional aid policies to meet the needs of their students.


SPORTS
 
Former MSU pitcher Eric DuBose reflects on playing in College World Series
During his junior season at Mississippi State, Eric DuBose was tabbed as the starter in the Bulldogs opening game against Alabama in the 1997 College World Series. "I think we got beat 3-2...the only thing that would have made the experience better was winning the national championship," DuBose said. "But still, just a great closure to my college career at Mississippi State." In March, the former Patrician Academy ball player was inducted into the Ron Polk Ring of Honor, cementing him as one of the greatest to ever play for the Diamond Dawgs. During his freshman season, DuBose was named a Freshman All-American. In 1996, he set a then-school record for most strikeouts in a season with 174. The following year, he pitched in the Regional Championship against Washington to get the Bulldogs back to Omaha for the first time since 1990. Following his time in Starkville, DuBose was selected by the Baltimore Orioles 21st overall in the MLB draft and played five years in the league. He may not play the game anymore but is still around it. DuBose serves as director for East Coast Sox, a youth baseball organization. He's helped current MSU players like Christian Macleod, Luke Hancock and others that came up through the organization grow into the players they are today.
 
Tanner Allen, Mitchell Daly headline 7 Alabamians in College World Series
There are no teams from Alabama in this year's College World Series, but the state will be well-represented in Omaha, Neb., in the coming days. Seven Alabamians are on the rosters of the eight teams in the 2021 CWS, which begins Saturday at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. Mississippi State has four players from the state, while Tennessee, Texas and Vanderbilt have one each. In many cases, the Alabamians in this year's College World Series are among the top players on their respective teams. That's certainly the case with Mississippi State, where three Alabama natives play key roles for the Bulldogs. MSU right fielder Tanner Allen grew up in Theodore and played his high school ball at UMS-Wright. A freshman All-American in 2018 and a third-team All-American in 2019, Allen blossomed into one of the best players in the country this season. Center fielder Rowdey Jordan, an Auburn High graduate, has taken over as Mississippi State's leadoff hitter this season. In 61 games, Jordan is batting .326/.428/.572, ranks second in the SEC in runs scored (70) and doubles (20) while hitting 10 home runs and driving in 43. Pitcher Christian MacLeod, a left-hander out of Huntsville High, leads the Mississippi State staff with 17 starts this season. He is 6-5 with a 4.24 ERA and ranks among the top 10 in the SEC in innings (80.2) and strikeouts (113). Pitcher Drew Talley, also a Huntsville High product, has pitched sparingly for the Bulldogs this season. In three innings across four appearances, the Wallace State-Hanceville transfer has a 9.00 ERA and seven strikeouts.
 
College World Series is back -- with changes
The countdown has begun. TD Ameritrade Park Omaha will be full of fans Saturday, when the first pitch for this year's College World Series is thrown. The series could be the largest in-person event since the COVID-19 slowdown, and fans will see some changes in the usual events. The playing of the national anthem will be virtual, tickets will be digital, and a mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinic will be open. But some fan favorites -- team autograph sessions, and opening and closing ceremonies -- won't be held at all. "While not everything's exactly the same as we hope it to be," said Jack Diesing, president of CWS Omaha, "let's just say we're happy to be at the forefront to getting back some sense of normalcy." Fans will be able to tailgate, but they won't be able to buy general admission tickets. A lot of individual game tickets are still available, though. "I would say that people coming from out-of-town probably should have a pretty good chance of getting a ticket," Diesing said. Officials say there will be efforts to sanitize during and between games to help fight the spread of COVID-19. No cash will be accepted to buy concessions. Reverse ATMs will be available to change visitors' cash into ATM cards.
 
Volunteers play important role at College World Series
The College World Series has been a part of Omaha for over 70 years. Volunteers have played a big role during that time. Josh Point has been a College World Series Ambassador since 2003. The Bellevue West and UNO grad grew up going to games at Rosenblatt. Now he gives back as a volunteer. "We provide an experience here in Omaha that's not replicated elsewhere," says Point. "Sometimes we take it for granted. I love doing it year after year. It's like a class reunion. You get to see people you don't see for a year." Point's day varies. It could be taking pictures of fans outside stadium and helping CWS teams on autograph day. Whatever is needed to help the games run smoothly. "We do the Ambassador program," says Point. "You wear the backpack with the flag, easy to spot. Provide great experiences even for people visiting Omaha for the first time. Point them in the right direction, tell them about restaurants." Point also recognizes his bosses at Kiewit are great stewards of letting employees volunteer and have a work-life balance. Point also offers a tip. Use gate four at TD Ameritrade Park for quick access to the stadium.
 
Bus, bike, automobile: Your guide to getting around the CWS
You probably remember the College World Series for its fun and excitement. But do you recall all the mechanics of getting to and from TD Ameritrade Park? Here's a breakdown of all the options for getting around and some rules along your way. If you don't have a special parking pass already, you will not find up-front parking immediately outside of TD Ameritrade Park. So don't expect to hunt for parking right outside the stadium. Special parking passes are required for Lot B and Lot D -- the large surface lots run by the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority. Lot B is just south of the stadium between 10th and 12th Streets. Lot D is east of the ballpark and north of the CHI Health Center. Metro's College World Series service will be through its ORBT line, which is new since the last series. The transit agency will not offer a specific stadium shuttle service this year. ORBT, with its orange and black, accordion-centered buses, is Omaha's new rapid bus transit line running on a loop between downtown and Westroads Mall around 100th Street and West Dodge Road. It's free, and a bus is generally available at the special ORBT stations every 10 minutes. But take note: Not every Metro bus stop is an ORBT stop. A free bike corral and valet is available at 13th and Fahey Streets. It's provided by Mode Shift Omaha, Heartland B-cycle and Bike Walk Nebraska. Bike riders can bring a personal bike to the corral, and a volunteer will tag it and store it during the game. The service will be available 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after each game. A Heartland B-cycle bike sharing station will be located in the corral and will feature e-bikes for rental. In downtown Omaha, 10th Street and 13th Street are the main north-south streets to get between the ballpark area and dining and bars around the Capitol District and Old Market. Most everything around downtown, North Downtown and the Old Market is within easy walking distance of the ballpark. But if it feels a little far, check out the above options.
 
Men's Golf Starts Summer Strong
Summer competition is underway for members of Mississippi State's men's golf program. Seven Bulldogs are in action this week across the country. The Chattanooga Choo Choo Invitational concluded play on Wednesday, with Hunter Logan finishing eighth among the field of 105. Logan shot 2-under in the tournament's final round to finish with a three-day total of 5-under 211. William Wann also finished under par in Chattanooga, tying for 11th place with a 2-under 214. Austin Vukovits, Harrison Davis and recent signee Ruan Pretorius also competed in Chattanooga. Another Bulldog signee has started the summer off strong. Jay Nimmo made the cut at the Kentucky State Amateur and sits at even par through two rounds. He will play his final round on Thursday. Meanwhile PING All-Region selection and First Team All-SEC member Ford Clegg opened play at the Sunnehanna Amateur on Wednesday. Clegg fired an even 70 to sit in a tie for 20th after 18 holes.
 
USM administration vows to improve softball program's culture after nine former players allege unhealthy conditions
On January 19, the Southern Miss softball team endured a heavy workout in the middle of the program's "Hell Week." After completing deadlifts and a heavy cardio exercise, multiple players reported to the team trainer that they were having quadriceps problems. At the end of the workout, Southern Miss softball coach Brian Levin paused and said, "Excuse my French" and referred to his players as a sexist and derogatory word that references the female anatomy. The instance is one of several examples that provide context as to why 12 Southern Miss softball players left the program by the end of the 2021 season. The Golden Eagles finished the year 22-31 with a 4-16 conference mark and missed the C-USA tournament. Before Levin's hiring in 2020, Southern Miss posted a 76-84 record in the previous three seasons missed the C-USA tournament in two of those three years. "I feel that it's just not appropriate, especially an older male authority figure," said one player. "It's just demeaning, especially when you are talking to women." Multiple players said they later confronted Levin about the incident, which players said he denied ever saying. Southern Miss investigated the incident and multiple others, and while state its commitment to improving the program, found nothing that merits disciplinary action. Pine Belt Sports requested interviews Levin and Southern Miss Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain but instead received a statement.
 
SEC charging toward uninterrupted college football season with 3-pronged approach
Louisiana coach Billy Napier reviewed his football team's injury report during a June staff meeting. He reminded his coaching staff of recruiting priorities and discussed the team's physical fitness. Then he provided a scouting report of Dr. Catherine O'Neal, an infectious disease specialist. O'Neal, the chief medical officer at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was scheduled to conduct a townhall question-and-answer session that day with UL's players and coaches who had not been vaccinated against COVID-19. O'Neal has conducted vaccine education sessions for Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and Texas A&M inside the SEC, as well as schools outside of the conference, like Louisiana. The Crimson Tide's vaccination rate soared after O'Neal conducted a session for Alabama, according to what one Alabama staff member told Napier. O'Neal's townhalls epitomize the SEC's approach toward COVID-19 vaccination. The SEC's medical task force recommends that athletes and coaches get vaccinated, and conference members have deployed vaccine education. "I think everybody needs to feel informed," said O'Neal, a member of the SEC's medical task force and an assistant professor of clinical medicine at LSU's medical school in New Orleans. O'Neal said athletes' most common vaccine questions mirror what she hears from the general public, including questions about side effects and whether the vaccine affects fertility.
 
Key Republican Senators to Skip Athletes' Rights Hearing as NIL Talks Hit Another Snag
The faint hope that Congress would pass a bill by July 1 to govern athlete compensation died long ago. Now, the hope that such legislation will get passed by the end of the calendar year is dwindling, too. Notable Republican senators are not expected to participate in the latest Senate hearing Thursday over athlete compensation, a strong signal of the growing divide between the two sides over an issue that has sparked a sweeping, nationwide movement of state laws threatening the equitability of NCAA sports. The Senate Commerce Committee, the group with jurisdiction over the topic, is scheduled to hold a hearing on athletes' rights eight days after the last hearing ended without marked progress toward federal legislation. Thursday's hearing is different, for two reasons, from the other six held on Capitol Hill over the last 16 months: College athletes will serve as witnesses and the top Republicans will not be in attendance. The hearing, led by the Senate's majority party, the Democrats, is expected to be absent of many of the Commerce Committee's minority members, legislative aides tell Sports Illustrated. Those include, most notably, senators Roger Wicker (R., Miss.) and Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.), the two Conservative members of a five-person, bipartisan working group exploring a compromise on a federal bill to govern how college athletes earn money from their name, image and likeness (NIL).
 
Who is Tiger Athletic Foundation president/CEO Matt Borman? Meet the record-setting fundraiser from Georgia
The energized voices of LSU's top athletic brass filled the expansive room inside Tiger Stadium's South Stadium Club, welcoming Matt Borman, the new fundraising leader who is tasked with financially supporting a large percentage of the athletic department's budget. The presence of some of LSU's highest profile coaches was enough of a reminder of the immense cost of college athletics. There was Kim Mulkey, the Hall of Fame women's basketball coach who was lured back home from Baylor with an eight-year contract worth over $22.5 million. There was Paul Mainieri, the $1.2 million-per-year baseball coach who is now entering retirement after 15 seasons at LSU. There was Scott Woodward, the third-year athletic director tasked with hiring Mainieri's replacement. All of them stood near the wall-to-wall windows of the South Stadium Club, which overlooked a south end zone section that, in 2014, renovated to make room for 6,000 seats in stadium clubs, skybox suites and upper deck seating. The price tag for the project was $78 million, all funded by LSU's fundraising arm, the Tiger Athletic Foundation. Rick Perry, TAF's former president and CEO, worked with the organization since its 1987 inception, and when he retired in February, TAF had funded and overseen construction and renovation projects at LSU that totaled nearly $500 million. A search committee was formed to find Perry's successor, and, in April, TAF announced that it had hired Borman, who spent the last four years as one of Georgia's top senior athletic administrators. "That's why these types of organizations I'm in are so important right now," Borman said.
 
Charles Barkley quitting 'Inside the NBA' at 60, blames cancel culture: 'Can't have fun nowadays'
Charles Barkley said he is working until the age of 60, then he's done. The reason, he told WJFK 106.7 The Fan in Washington, is cancel culture, even taking a shot at his bosses at TNT. Barkley, 58, said Turner has told him to stop with his long-running joke where he makes fun of the women of San Antonio. "If you crack a joke the wrong way, they're like, 'Oh, no, no, no, you crossed the line,'" Barkley said. "I mean, they won't even let me talk about San Antonio anymore when I'm always talking about their big ole women down in San Antonio. They're like, 'Charles, we got one lady (who) wrote an article.' I'm like, 'First of all, I didn't call anybody personally fat in San Antonio; I was just joking around.' We've been having fun with this for probably 10–15 years. We go to San Antonio; the people are having a blast with it. The people in San Antonio had T-shirts made up." Barkley clearly is frustrated. "You can't even have fun nowadays without these characters trying to get you canceled and things like that," he said. "That's all we ever talk about behind the scenes like, 'Yo, man, be careful going in this direction.' I'm like, 'Yo, man, we can't even have fun anymore.' We've had fun all these years and now all of a sudden in the last year and a half, everybody is trying to get everybody fired and it really sucks."



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