Thursday, July 15, 2021   
 
High-tide flood risk is accelerating, putting coastal economies at risk
Renee Collini, an instructor with the Coastal Marine Extension Program at Mississippi State University, writes for The Conversation: As sea level rises, it can be easy to miss the subtlety of higher water. It's much harder to overlook saltwater more frequently flooding streets, impeding daily life and making existing problems worse. The frequency of high-tide flooding along the U.S. coasts has doubled since 2000, and it's expected to increase five to 15 times more in the next 30 years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warns in a new report released July 14, 2021. I work with coastal communities in the northern Gulf of Mexico that are facing the risks of rising seas as they try to avoid preventable damages and costs, such as infrastructure failures and falling property values. Information like the NOAA report is critical to helping these communities succeed. Last year, the U.S. averaged four days of high-tide flooding, but that number doesn't tell the whole story -- regionally, several areas saw far more. There were record-breaking numbers of high-tide flooding days in 2020 along the Gulf of Mexico and southeast Atlantic coasts. The city of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, jumped from three days of high-tide flooding in 2000 to 22 days in 2020. High-tide flooding impedes the use of roads and increases wear and tear on stormwater and wastewater systems. The impact can seem minor, but as the frequency increases, these seemingly inconvenient flood days can have long-lasting impacts.
 
Gov. Reeves encourages COVID-19 vaccinations as cases spike in Mississippi
In a news conference on Wednesday, Governor Tate Reeves encouraged Mississippi to get the COVID-19 vaccine amid a surge in cases due to the Delta variant. On Wednesday, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) reported 641 new cases and five additional deaths. Health leaders said 80 percent of isolated tests from mid-June to early July in Mississippi are from the Delta variant. "I point out that over 90 percent of those hospitalized because of this recent uptick are not vaccinated. Of the new cases, 90 percent are not vaccinated. Again, I strongly encourage fellow Mississippians to get vaccinated," said Reeves. The governor added he doesn't have any intention of enforcing masks in school this fall. He also said health leaders are gathering more data in regards to the seven children in the ICU with COVID as of yesterday. During a MSDH board meeting on Wednesday, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs also encouraged Mississippians to get vaccinated. He stated there could be 1,000 daily cases soon, and almost all of the transmission could be from the Delta variant.
 
Tracking the coronavirus in Mississippi: 557 new cases, 4 deaths reported Thursday
The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 557 new cases of COVID-19 and four coronavirus-related deaths on Thursday. The health department reported that four deaths occurred between Monday and Wednesday as identified from death certificate reports. Residents between the ages of 25 and 39 represent the largest portion of the infected population in the state, with 72,667 cases reported Tuesday, the latest figure available. Among patients under 18, children between the ages of 11 and 17 have the highest infection rate, with 25,402 cases identified. The 65 and older age group has the highest total number of deaths with 5,671 reported. According to health department data, 1,124,061 people have begun the vaccination process in Mississippi, as of Wednesday morning. Since December, about 1,003,825 people are fully immunized against COVID-19. DeSoto County has the highest number of reported cases in the state with 22,610, followed closely by Hinds County with 21,843, Harrison County with 18,942, Rankin County with 14,384 and Jackson County with 13,974.
 
The Next Covid-19 Battle Will Be About Vaccinating Kids
On Monday, the Tennessee Department of Health fired its top vaccine official, Michelle Fiscus. Her transgression: In May, she had sent a memo to pharmacies and physicians in the state, relaying a Tennessee Supreme Court decision that allows teens to seek medical care, including vaccinations, without their parents' consent. At the time, the Food and Drug Administration had just authorized the Pfizer vaccine for 12- to 17-year-olds, and one for the Moderna vaccine was soon to follow. Fiscus' memo was approved by the governor's staff, and it contained no policy changes. The legal ruling it discussed was handed down in 1987. State legislators, though, accused her of "prodding" children to seek the vaccine. Fiscus' firing came two days after a crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas cheered an announcement that the Biden administration hasn't achieved its goal of getting one dose of vaccine into 70 percent of Americans by July 4th. It also came three days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed the agency's previous guidelines about wearing masks inside school buildings. Add those events together, and they're a storm siren for the next Covid battle, this time over vaccinating children -- which will arrive as the virus's Delta variant advances and the school year is about to begin.
 
Olivia Rodrigo boosts White House youth vaccine push
Olivia Rodrigo wants people to know that the COVID-19 vaccines are "good 4 u." The 18-year-old pop star and internet sensation was at the White House on Wednesday to meet with President Joe Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci as part of the administration's efforts to encourage younger Americans to roll up their sleeves and get a coronavirus shot. Rodrigo, who rose to fame as a Disney Channel star, was set to tape a joint social media message with the president and the nation's top infectious disease expert on Wednesday afternoon. She also made an appearance at the start of the daily White House press briefing "to help spread the message of the importance of youth vaccination." "It's important to have conversations with friends and family members encouraging all communities to get vaccinated," she said. She encouraged people to use https://vaccines.gov to find their nearest vaccination clinic and access information about the vaccines. Rodrigo's visit comes as the Biden administration is focusing its efforts on turning out people ages 12 to 27 to get a shot.
 
Gov. Tate Reeves pledges more law enforcement in Mississippi capital
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday that new laws will lead to a larger law enforcement presence in the capital city of Jackson, and he said he hopes that will alleviate some crime problems. The Capitol Police Department became part of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety as of July 1. The police department patrols areas in and around state government buildings. It was previously part of the state Department of Finance and Administration. In March, Reeves signed House Bill 974, authorizing the change to the Department of Public Safety. Reeves also signed Senate Bill 2788, which allows the Highway Patrol to use radar in cities with a population of at least 15,000. Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said during a news conference with Reeves that Capitol police will have greater visibility in downtown, extending from Jackson State University to Interstate 55, and up into the Fondren area just north of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, according to WAPT-TV. "The goal here is to create a safer capital city," Tindell said. "The citizens of Mississippi should be able to visit their state capital, state hospital, state museums without the fear of being raped, robbed or murdered."
 
Show of force: Gov. Reeves says state officers will fight crime in Jackson
Gov. Tate Reeves and state Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said beginning Thursday state troopers, the Capitol Police and state narcotics officers will start an initiative "aimed at upholding public safety in the capital city." "We're seeing it every night on Jackson's local news, a never ending cycle of violent crime," Reeves said at a press conference on Wednesday. "... People of Jackson are not asking for much. They're asking for the ability to walk down the street and not fear for their lives. I stand with the residents of the city of Jackson." As violent crime in many large cities across the country continues to increase during the pandemic, Mississippi's capital city is no exception. Jackson saw a record number of homicides last year -- 130 -- and is on pace to surpass that with killings approaching 80 so far this year. The crime wave prompted one Jackson city councilman last week to publicly propose calling out the National Guard to patrol city streets. Capitol Police will have an expanded presence and serve more of a law enforcement role in the Capitol Complex Improvement District, which stretches roughly from Jackson State University to Interstate 55, and up to Fondren just past the University of Mississippi Medical Center. No city of Jackson or Jackson Police Department officials were invited to Wednesday's press conference, Reeves said, but he and Tindell said the new state-led effort is aimed at assisting JPD, not supplanting it.
 
Gov. Reeves announces plan to boost state law enforcement presence in Jackson
Gov. Tate Reeves announced Wednesday that state troopers, the Capitol Police and the state Bureau of Narcotics will be stepping up their presence in Jackson in response to a wave of crime in the city. The plan will involve state troopers conducting traffic enforcement on Jackson's state highways, Capitol Police stepping up patrols in the capitol district and Bureau of Narcotics agents providing more emphasis on stopping Jackson's drug trade. Reeves also said the increased state presence will allow the Jackson Police Department to redeploy scarce resources in other areas not patrolled by state officers. Reeves said there should be three priorities for $90 million in federal funds from the latest stimulus package given to the city of Jackson and Hinds County. "Water, sewer, law enforcement," Reeves said. "This money would go a long way toward helping significantly increase the numbers of the Jackson Police Department. It would also go towards telling state and federal leadership that they were serious about fixing the water and sewer system and other infrastructure challenges."
 
Gov. Tate Reeves announces additional law enforcement in Jackson
Gov. Tate Reeves is increasing the presence of state police in Jackson to help address rocketing crime in the capital city, including adding narcotics agents, saying government's most basic responsibility is to protect its citizens. "We are seeing it every night on Jackson's local news...a never ending cycle of violent crime," Reeves said at a Wednesday press conference. "They (Jackson residents) aren't asking for much. They are just asking for the ability to walk down the street." "I stand with the citizens of Jackson and that's why I'm announcing a new initiative to uphold public safety in the capital city," Reeves said. Reeves, flanked by state troopers and Capitol Police, said the city should spend federal funds on bolstering its police force. Reeves also mentioned recent changes to state law that removes a prohibition on the use of radar technology by the Highway Patrol, which he said will help troopers catch speeders on state roadways. Drag racing across the city has become a recent concern of residents after dozens of motorists blocked off traffic on Interstate 55 for about an hour and performed stunts in the middle of the roadway. Since then, the Jackson Police Department says it has increased patrols in areas where the racing typically occurs, but residents have complained it continues to be an issue.
 
PEER recommends changes to Mississippi State Parole Board
The Legislative PEER Committee released its latest report titled A Review of the Mississippi State Parole Board. The Mississippi State Parole Board has the exclusive responsibility to grant, refuse or revoke parole. The PEER compliance report reviewed the laws policies governing the Parole Board and found several instances of non-compliance. The report states that in 2019, the State Parole Board established hearing dates within thirty days of an offender's parole eligibility for only 53% of offenders who were eligible for parole. While the other 47% of hearing dates were untimely, not all of the them were late. Also during 2019, the State Parole Board conducted 274 unnecessary parole hearings for offenders who met the standards of presumptive parole as authorized by MISS. CODE ANN. ยง 47-7-18 (1972). The percentage of offenders released on parole has increased greatly since 2007, rising from 6.8% to over 63% in 2019. PEER says that the Mississippi Department of Corrections does not have an adjudicatory division equipped to handle the parole process should the Parole Board's authority be repealed or not renewed before it expires in July 2022. PEER recommends changes to the operation of the Parole Board, not simply a legislative reenactment of the law that authorizes their structure, potentially moving it under the purview of MDOC and hiring an Executive Director along with other staff.
 
Federal judge to appoint monitor to review Mississippi's mental health care system
A federal court ruled Mississippi can implement its own ideas for improving access to mental healthcare in the state, but an outside analyst must evaluate the effectiveness of those changes. In a ruling that could have wide ranging implications for patients seeking mental health treatment in the state, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves on Wednesday issued a brief order that fully adopts the recommendations of a special master appointed by the court. Special master Dr. Michael Hogan agreed with the state's proposals about how mental health services should be delivered but sided with the federal government about the need for an outside monitor to assess how much progress the state is actually making. The state in its previous court filings vehemently opposed the appointment of an outside monitor, arguing that such a move would place an undue burden on the state. Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch previously told the Daily Journal that her office would consider appealing a ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit if it was unhappy with Reeves order. However, it's unclear if Fitch's office believes the mere presence of a monitor is grounds for appeal. Colby Jordan, a spokesperson for Fitch's office, said that the agency is reviewing the order and "evaluating our next steps."
 
Former Obama appointee Shuwaski Young says he will seek Third Congressional District seat
After over a decade away from Mississippi and several stints in the Democratic Party's political machine, Shuwaski Young is running for Congress in the state's third congressional district, he told the Clarion Ledger Wednesday. Young, 38, a native of Philadelphia, Mississippi, worked for former President Barack Obama's reelection campaign in 2012and was one of Obama's appointees to the Department of Homeland Security. Young also worked to elect Hillary Clinton and most recently worked for the California Democratic Party as an organizer in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mississippi's third congressional district stretches across the state, from Natchez to Starkville, including Rankin County and a small portion of Jackson. The district is about 64% white, and just over a quarter of people living in it have a four-year college degree, according to U.S. Census Bureau Data. Republicans have controlled the district since 1997, and incumbent U.S. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Brandon, defeated his 2020 Democratic opponent by more than 100,000 votes. A Jackson State graduate and former U.S. National Guard member, Young said he returned to Mississippi from California at the beginning of June.
 
Mississippi Congressional Campaign Reporting Points to 2022 Mid-Term Challenges
Thus far, the mid-term attention in Mississippi has been on the 4th Congressional District where incumbent Congressman Steven Palazzo is likely to face a number of primary challengers as well as potential general election opponents in 2022. This is due, in large part, to the ongoing ethics inquiry that is pending in the U.S. House related to the use of campaign funds, leading some to believe the six term Republican could be vulnerable. Palazzo has currently drawn three Republican challengers along with a Libertarian and an Independent opponent. But the South Mississippi district will not be the only seat where challengers are lining up to take on the current incumbent. In the 3rd Congressional District, incumbent Republican Congressman Michael Guest won a crowded primary in 2018 to replace retiring Congressman Gregg Harper. He has gone on to win re-election, averaging 63% of the general election vote in his two races. Guest's March 2021 FEC campaign finance report shows the Congressman with $260,000 cash on hand. Democrats did not lean into to a challenge of Guest in 2020, running a candidate with little name ID and no financial resources to speak of. However, a new challenger is now making his rounds. Former Obama and Clinton campaign staffer Shuwaski Young has announced his candidacy for the 3rd District seat. No campaign finance reports are showing for Young as he filed to run in early July.
 
Congressman Bennie Thompson says child tax credit payments will lift children out of poverty
In a press release Wednesday, Congressman Bennie Thompson stated that 94.7% of children in Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District will gain from the expanded and improved Child Tax Credit (CTC). Thompson said the payments, which begin today, will affect the lives of approximately 168,400 children, lifting 20,000 children out of poverty. According to Thompson, "The average benefit for 50,000 households is $3,500, and low-income households with children will receive $5,600 on average. Because of the larger benefit for the youngest, 7,300 kids under the age of six are raised out of poverty with 4,600 children being raised out of deep poverty." The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) expanded the child tax credit for 2021 and provided that up to 50% of the credit per taxpayer be advanced in 6 monthly payments. The press release also stated, "Using Census data, there are about 380,133 families with children under 18 in Mississippi. Of those families, 369,427 will be eligible for the expanded CTC. Approximately, 55,000 children in Mississippi will be lifted above poverty from the ARPA-expanded child credit. Estimates show that child poverty will fall by about 47% in Mississippi."
 
Senate moderates want details of $3.5 trillion budget bill before committing
The hard slog to 50 Senate votes is just beginning, as key Democratic centrists are starting to ask questions about the fiscal package guidelines their Budget Committee colleagues agreed to on Tuesday. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin III, a crucial Democratic swing vote in the equally divided Senate, became the first senator Wednesday to say he's not ready to support the $3.5 trillion figure that party leaders settled on for a budget reconciliation package. In a statement, Manchin promised to "reserve any final judgement" until he's had an opportunity to review the proposal, while raising some key questions about what Budget Committee Democrats agreed to Tuesday night in a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and White House officials. "I'm also very interested in how this proposal is paid for and how it enables us to remain globally competitive," he said. President Joe Biden and top Democrats have proposed raising the corporate tax rate, implementing a new floor for multinational corporations' tax liability overseas and other revenue raisers that businesses have criticized. Manchin's not the only caucus member reserving judgment.
 
Justice Stephen Breyer: No decision on retiring from Supreme Court
Justice Stephen G. Breyer has not decided when he will retire from the Supreme Court and is relishing his role as the senior liberal on the bench, he said in a new interview with CNN. Breyer's comments about his future come as he is under immense pressure to step down so that President Biden can name a successor while Democrats retain a narrow majority in the Senate. Breyer, who is the court's oldest justice at 82, said two main factors will influence the timing of his retirement decision. "Primarily, of course, health," Breyer told CNN's Joan Biskupic during an interview in New Hampshire, where he spends the summer. "Second, the court." Liberals have been calling on Breyer to retire from his lifetime appointment in an unprecedented public campaign. Democrats are concerned about the Senate changing hands and cognizant of the fallout from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's decision not to step down in 2016. Soon after her death, and before President Trump lost the 2020 election, Republicans senators moved quickly to confirm conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Adding to the pressure, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said it is unlikely that a Republican-controlled Senate would take up a Biden nominee in the next presidential election year and that it might not even consider one nominated in 2023.
 
Trump rages over post-presidential books he did interviews for
He knew it was coming. But former President Donald Trump still was not pleased. He had read a new book excerpt -- one of many about his presidency in the last few weeks -- that described him telling his former chief of staff John Kelly that Hitler, for all his horrors, "did a lot of good things." The account came from Michael Bender's work, "Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost." And for weeks, the former president had anxiously anticipated it surfacing. When Bender first approached him about it in the spring, Trump, through a spokesperson, told the Wall Street Journal reporter the anecdote was "defamatory." Bender said he interpreted it as a legal threat; but like many such threats from Trump, nothing came of it. Now it was in print. Reading the line for the first time, Trump denied it before engaging in speculation about the story's origins. "But that doesn't mean John Kelly didn't tell Mike Bender that," he said, according to an adviser. "That doesn't mean other people didn't say it." The guessing game that Bender's book sparked added to the schisms and points of tensions that have erupted in Trump's orbit in recent weeks. As the deluge of Trump-related books has hit the shelves, the already tenuous alliances that bind aides and associates of the former president have been strained further. Ex-aides have publicly attacked one-time allies while others have sought distance from a presidency they once dutifully served.
 
Top generals feared Trump would attempt coup after election: book
Top U.S. generals were so concerned that former President Trump might stage a coup or take other illegal actions after his 2020 election loss that they discussed informal plans to stop him, according to excerpts from a forthcoming book obtained by CNN. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley and others were concerned that Trump or his allies would stage a coup in an attempt to have him stay in power, according to Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker's new book, "I Alone Can Fix It," which is set to be released Tuesday. According to CNN, the book reports that Milley and other Joint Chiefs were considering resigning one at a time to avoid carrying out the orders of the former president, which they worried might be dangerous or illegal. Milley was reportedly "on guard" for what might transpire following the election and had spoken with lawmakers and friends over the possibility of a coup. Leonnig and Rucker's new book gives a behind-the-scenes look at Trump's final year in office as he dealt with the coronavirus pandemic, the murder of George Floyd and the 2020 election. The book's authors interviewed Trump for more than two hours.
 
U.S. Sees Record Number Of Drug Overdoses, Driven By Opioids
More than 93,000 people died of a drug overdose in the U.S. last year --- a record number that reflects a rise of nearly 30% from 2019, according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Officials said the increase was driven by the lethal prevalence of fentanyl as well as pandemic-related stressors and problems in accessing care. "This is the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period, and the largest increase since at least 1999," Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, told NPR. She added that people between the ages of 35 and 44 accounted for the highest number of deaths. The data is provisional as states are still reporting their tallies to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. But even with some data not yet complete, the numbers tell a dire story. Ten states are predicted to have at least a 40% rise in drug overdose deaths from the previous 12-month span, according to the CDC: Vermont, Kentucky, South Carolina, West Virginia, Louisiana, California, Tennessee, Nebraska, Arkansas and Virginia. Volkow, whose agency is part of the National Institutes of Health, calls the data "chilling." It's another sign, she said, that both the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid crisis are whipsawing the country with deadly effects.
 
Itawamba Community and Mississippi University for Women sign agreement to aid early childhood education students
Itawamba Community College (ICC) and Mississippi University for Women (MUW) signed an agreement Wednesday that'll allow an easy transition between the two schools for early childhood education students. This will allow ICC students who are earning associate's degrees in Early Childhood Technology the opportunity to complete their bachelor's degrees at MUW. The two schools will work together to enroll students in the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development program. "I am so pleased that Itawamba Community College and The W are partnering to provide 2+2 pathways for their students to become ours upon completion of their associate degrees," MUW President Nora Miller said. "These pathways streamline students' transition to our bachelor's programs, allowing them to plan their schedules so they won't lose credit hours when they transfer. This can save students both time and cost." ICC President Jay Allen agreed. "This agreement will allow our students to now have an opportunity to transfer their credits and work toward a bachelor's degree at MUW in a discipline in which they are truly passionate," he said.
 
Faulkner conference returns, focuses on 'Mississippi Confluence'
The University of Mississippi is preparing for the return of the annual Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha conference with the theme, "Faulkner, Welty, Wright: A Mississippi Confluence." The conference makes a return after last year's conference, "Faulkner's Modernism," was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Howry Professor of Faulkner Studies and director of the annual conference Jay Watson said circumstances have painted them into a corner, but even though the conference has become more streamlined it has increased accessibility. For the first time, Faulkner fans and enthusiasts can look forward to the five-day conference being held remotely in a series of Zoom meetings July 18- 21, 2021. "This is not a permanent change," said Watson. "What has always made this conference special is right in the name: Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha. "We bring scholars, readers and Faulkner lovers together on the ground where Faulkner lived and wrote to think about him and his achievements. We want to bring that back." Unlike previous conferences, this one will expand its focus outside of William Faulkner to two other influential 20th Century Mississippi writers: Eudora Welty and Richard Wright.
 
Scott Vitell Bids UM Farewell Following Distinguished Career
Nearing 40 years of employment at the University of Mississippi, Scott Vitell -- the longest-serving faculty member in the School of Business Administration -- is retiring. Vitell, who came to the university in 1984, has held the Phil B. Hardin Chair of Business Ethics for most of his tenure. The position is one of the earliest endowed chairs. He also was chair of the Department of Marketing for many years and has a joint appointment with the Department of Pharmacy Administration. "I accepted a position here because I specialized in marketing and business ethics, and there was an opportunity to work with someone here that had the same interest," said Vitell, who retires Aug. 16. "Ole Miss has always had a very collegial and friendly environment. I was able to find many possible co-authors over the years from not just the marketing department, but from pharmacy and management, among others." Ken Cyree, dean of the School of Business Administration, said Vitell is an inspiration to him and all faculty members who aspire to conduct quality research throughout their careers.
 
USM's Gulf Blue initiative focused on boosting blue economy in South Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi has launched a new initiative in an effort to help build partnerships, grow businesses, and enhance the blue economy of the Gulf Coast. The Gulf Blue initiative focuses on innovative technology and research that will help boost the economy in South Mississippi. This initiative is poised to bring "Big Ideas Out of the Blue" capitalizing on the region's geography and maritime resources and positioning the Mississippi Gulf Coast to lead the development of world-changing innovation, states USM. "We're talking about impacting the economy, impacting the state in ways that really allow young people to see themselves in Mississippi for the long term," said USM President Rodney Bennett. USM Research Coastal Operations Associate Vice President, Dr. Kelly Lucasto, says it will also help attract new businesses to the coast. "We're going to leverage the assets of the Mississippi Gulf Coast -- our maritime assets, our infrastructure assets, and our expertise here -- to attract you to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, to keep the companies here growing and expanding and creating jobs," said Lucasto. The initiative includes an incubation process that will help entrepreneurs to further build the blue economy.
 
Daiki Suematsu
Daiki Suematsu, who has served as the Japanese Outreach Initiative Coordinator for Jackson State University since 2019, is preparing to host the first-ever Japan Fest in partnership with the Mississippi Museum of Art on Sunday, July 18. As Japanese Outreach Initiative Coordinator, Suematsu works to promote Japanese culture within JSU and in other schools and communities across Mississippi. He has spent the last two years working with JSU on behalf of the Japan Foundation, an incorporated administrative agency of the Japanese government that hosts comprehensive international cultural exchange programs worldwide. The Japan Foundation and the Laurasian Institute manage Suematsu's program. Japan Fest will be Suematsu's last major project before his two-year fellowship with JSU comes to an end. Japan Foundation, Nissan and Unipres Corporation sponsor the event. Suematsu was born in Osaka, Japan, and received a bachelor's degree in international studies from Kobe City University of Foreign Studies in 2013. He worked for an automotive part manufacturer called Denso for six years before signing on with the Japan Foundation and coming to JSU in 2019.
 
U. of South Carolina won't rename 'The Strom,' other buildings; will shift focus to honoring Black leaders
The University of South Carolina won't push to rename buildings and landmarks on campus named after historical figures with racially insensitive records. "State law currently prevents us from changing those names, and we will follow the law," Interim President Harris Pastides said in a letter that went out across the campus Wednesday. It is expected that the suggested name changes are not going to be forwarded to the board. Instead, USC's trustees will focus on names of any new buildings, Pastides wrote. They are expected to include a list that contains prominent African Americans suggested by a special commission studying the university's history, including the school's first Black students and top political figures. The Presidential Commission on University History is set to meet July 16 for a final vote on renaming recommendations related to 14 campus buildings and landmarks. Of those, 11 were being recommended for changes. Most notably, the student wellness center named after former South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond, who started his political career as a segregationist, was among them, according to a draft report first published by The State.
 
UF's space plants lab scientists take another step toward sustainable space travel
While new freshmen settled into their second weekend in Gainesville and upperclassmen slept in after long nights of blazing through bars, three tubes with plants cultivated by researchers at the University of Florida hurdled through the sky and into the solar system. On Sunday, Anna-Lisa Paul and Robert Ferl's research reached new heights when Virgin Galactic, a spaceflight company, launched a suborbital flight. The launch will allow UF to study gene expression changes in a particular plant species enduring microgravity, which is weaker gravity found in an orbiting spacecraft. Paul's been mesmerized by the science of plants since childhood. She said she would brave the sweltering South Florida heat in the summer and bike to her local library to learn more about the behavior of plants. "I remember I was in the third grade, and I got a book, a Time-Life book that was just called 'Plants' and started reading about how plants do photosynthesis," she said. "It struck me even as a little kid that that was a pretty amazing thing, that all plants needed was light and air and water." The "Unity 22" project is operated by Sirisha Bandla, the Virgin Galactic vice president of government affairs and research operations and is in conjunction with Paul and Ferl's research.
 
U. of Missouri Agriculture Experiment Station network to undergo restructuring, including staff cuts
A restructuring plan for the Missouri Agriculture Experiment Station, its farms and centers includes savings of more than $800,000 annually through greater efficiency. Like so many times when the term "restructuring" is used, staff cuts are involved. The report includes savings of $200,000 by reducing staff, with those who remain traveling among operations, or "floating." There are 67 staff members throughout the state, said Christopher Daubert, vice chancellor and dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Fewer than 12 of those positions will be cut, and not until October, he said. "We've been blessed to be staffed with outstanding people," Dauber said in a phone interview. Center leadership will be consolidated to four directors with increased salaries, saving $120,000 annually. Those directors will serve four research and education hubs, Daubert said. The director position doesn't exist now, and the superintendent position won't exist after restructuring. "Those positions will become farm managers or senior farm managers," Daubert said of the superintendents. "Some of those superintendents will be reassigned to MU Extension."
 
Many tuition-free college programs put up barriers for adults
Tuition-free college programs are not always accessible to adult learners, and even the programs that are open to older students can include requirements that pose barriers, according to a recent report from the American Institutes for Research. The report examines 67 programs across the country that are open to adult students and fully cover tuition for the traditional amount of time it takes to earn a certificate or degree. Only 22 states, plus Washington, D.C., had options that were open to older adults and tuition-free. A mere 15 programs were available statewide. Most of the programs, 85 percent, included at least one public two-year institution option, and 27 percent of programs included at least one public four-year college option. Alexandria Walton Radford, co-author of the report and director of the Center for Applied Research in Postsecondary Education at AIR, said she was surprised there were so few tuition-free programs available to adults out of hundreds of tuition-free college programs nationwide. "There's definitely a movement towards doing more free-college tuition programs," Radford said. "There's increased political interest in these programs as well, and we know that there's a need for Americans to have more postsecondary training in order to have more opportunities in the labor market ... If we're really going to reach our postsecondary attainment goals, you can't leave out adults. We won't get there by just getting more recent high school graduates to enroll."
 
Suspecting Plot to Oust Chancellor, Chapel Hill Faculty Gears Up for (Another) Fight
Fresh off a contentious battle to force a tenure vote for Nikole Hannah-Jones, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty members are fending off a possible effort to oust the campus's chancellor. At an emergency meeting of the Faculty Council on Wednesday, Mimi V. Chapman, chair of the faculty, laid out what she described as multi-sourced evidence of a push to remove Kevin M. Guskiewicz from the flagship's top post. Chapman said she had been contacted by an unnamed source "who was alarmed about a meeting they had been a part of in which names were being solicited for an interim chancellor." "The tenor of the meeting was not if this would be the case; it was when this would be the case," Chapman said. With the threat of a leadership change in the air, the council on Wednesday passed a resolution affirming its "confidence" in Guskiewicz and strongly opposing a "deeply destabilizing" change in chancellors. Concerned about what she was hearing, Chapman said she had contacted Guskiewicz and Robert A. Blouin, the provost, on Sunday. "By that time, they were hearing the same information from different yet similarly situated sources."
 
Colleges, universities with Covid vaccination mandates facing pushback
Hundreds of colleges and universities across the nation are requiring students to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before returning to campuses in the fall, but the mandates may be difficult to enforce fully. Some schools such as Princeton University are requiring students to be fully vaccinated by Aug. 1, but it's still unclear how others will manage vaccination and mask mandates --- or what alternatives to on-campus learning may be offered to students who aren't inoculated against Covid-19. A number of colleges contacted by NBC News declined to comment, pointing to their websites for requirements. "There is a lot of vaccine hesitancy, and colleges are places that have a high risk for transmission since people congregate in classrooms and school buildings such as dorms," said Kristin Bratton Nelson, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health. Most universities won't require students to submit a copy of an official vaccination card as proof, which could make the policies difficult to enforce, said public health expert Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.
 
Is a Graduate Degree Worth the Debt? Check It Here.
Lured by the aura of degrees from top-flight institutions, many master's degree students have taken on debt beyond what their pay after graduation would support. This finding was detailed recently in an article published by The Wall Street Journal. Unanswered was the question of how all the nation's universities compare. To answer it, the Journal assembled data that allows you to look up students' earnings after graduation, compared to their debt load, for most universities. You can use the tool to compare undergraduate degrees, as well as master's, doctorates and professional degrees. Here's an example of how it works. The University of Southern California and California State University, Long Beach, both located in Los Angeles County, each offer a master's in public health -- a degree that became increasingly popular during the pandemic. Recent graduates of the California State University, Long Beach and the University of Southern California made similar incomes. But USC graduates left school with 2.5 times as much debt as Cal State Long Beach graduates. In other words, USC's debt-to-income ratio is far greater than Cal State Long Beach's. The higher the ratio, the higher the debt is compared to the income students earn after graduation.


SPORTS
 
State's Communications Staff Recognized For Innovation
Mississippi State's athletics communications staff has been recognized by CoSIDA for innovative work in the 2020-21 academic year. MSU was one of three recipients of the inaugural CoSIDA ChangeMaker Innovation Award and the only Division I winner. The new CoSIDA award was created to recognize individual members or staffs who have created and managed innovative content during the current academic year. The purpose is to recognize forward-thinkers who bring new ideas to life -- and strengthen the position of SIDs and their work -- with special content, a branding and messaging campaign, new storyteller packages, social media initiatives, a digital series, etc. The contest was open to any current CoSIDA individual member or team of college athletics communications professionals. If they collaborated on an initiative with department or campus/conference colleagues, the initiative had to include at least one current CoSIDA member who was integral to the project. "CoSIDA represents a profession that epitomizes creativity, innovation and collaboration. We take great pride in the opportunity to acknowledge and honor those CoSIDA members who have opened the door to ingenuity, resourcefulness and originality in their work," noted Doug Vance, CoSIDA Executive Director. "We congratulate our first ChangeMaker Innovation Award recipients from Endicott College, Middlebury College and Mississippi State. The examples they set serve to inspire future change makers." Mississippi State's Press Box Pages initiative was recognized. The new webpages built for members of the media housed all Zoom press conference links, live stats access, game notes, box scores, audio files, pool photography, media guides, record books and more.
 
Soccer Slate Set
The Mississippi State soccer program and head coach James Armstrong announced the schedule for the 2021 season on Tuesday. "We are very excited about the challenge that this schedule will provide our team," said Armstrong. "It has a mixture of conference champions and teams who made the NCAA Tournament." All home matches at the MSU Soccer Complex are free admission to the public. The Bulldogs will start the season off with two exhibition matches, the first at home against UAB on August 10, and the second on the road at South Alabama on August 14. The non-conference slate contains eight opponents, with five of those matches taking place at the MSU Soccer Complex. In order, State will face Lipscomb, Louisiana, Arizona State, Southeast Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa, Southern Miss, and Belmont. The match against Southeast Missouri will end the month of August for the Bulldogs, taking place on August 29. State will hit the road for the Lipscomb, Minnesota, and Iowa matches. State will kick off against Southeastern Conference opponents on the road in 2021, facing LSU first in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There will be a total of five conference games held in Starkville for the Bulldogs, while five are played on the road.
 
Volleyball Unveils 2021 Schedule
With 45 days until first serve, Mississippi State volleyball announced its 2021 schedule Tuesday (July 13). MSU's schedule features five opponents who competed in the 2020 NCAA Volleyball Championship; non-conference opponents Georgia Tech and Jackson State and SEC foes Florida, Missouri and defending national champion Kentucky. "We are very excited about the schedule we have put together for this fall," MSU head volleyball coach Julie Darty Dennis said. "From our exhibition match against Southern Miss to each opponent we have scheduled before we start conference play, we have set up a really tough schedule to challenge our team and get us ready for the always tough SEC. After the COVID-19 pandemic forced SEC programs to play a conference-only schedule stretching from fall 2020 to spring 2021, the volleyball slate has returned to its normal fall format. The Bulldogs will play four non-conference tournaments before transitioning into conference play with a series against Florida beginning September 23. State will host two of those tournaments in the Newell-Grissom Building, bookending its non-conference schedule. To open the campaign, MSU welcomes Southeastern Louisiana and Gonzaga in the StarkVegas Classic, August 27-28. From September 16-18, the Bulldogs will take on Syracuse, South Alabama and Jackson State at The Griss in the Hail State Invitational.
 
Pros, local athlete weigh in Name, Image, and Likeness rules
Over the weekend, a bunch of NFL players came to Starkville to participate in the Jeffery Simmons football camp. Simmons played his high school football at Noxubee County, college at Mississippi State and he currently plays for the Tennessee Titans. I asked him about what advice he would give to players that are starting to exploring name, image, and likeness opportunities. "I hope it's good for the college athlete," Simmons said. Simmons is in the middle of his rookie contract where he's earning over 12 million dollars over four years. While college athletes won't be making that much, when it comes to any endorsements, Simmons implored athletes to not go it alone. "Make sure you have a good team around you to know the ins and outs of whatever endorsements," Simmons said. "If it's an agent or whatever it may be, make sure you have the right circle around you." Another former local star at the Simmons camp was Starkville native Willie Gay. After playing for State, Gay was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs. Like Simmons, Gay is familiar with the grind of a college athlete, but in addition to echoing Simmons, he added: "Don't make it your main priority, your main focus, worry about football, school then football, and your life," Gay said. "Because if you just get the money and block out everything else you're not achieving nothing."
 
'Be proud of it': USM shows off new uniforms for 2021 football season
With just 54 days until the Southern Miss football team kicks off its 2021 campaign, the hype for the upcoming season is building. On Wednesday, USM players and the Golden Eagle community got a look at the new uniforms players will wear on gamedays this season. They can be described with one word. Fresh. In a hype video posted on Twitter, players modeling the uniforms show off the new threads to their teammates. The voice of head football coach Will Hall plays over the video: "We wake up every day, and we work for what we get. We have a big-time brand. We will represent that brand the right way," Hall says. "That brand is black, gold and white. Be proud of it. Take care of it." The Golden Eagles will open the 2021 season with an away game against South Alabama on Sept. 4. The first home game will be played the following weekend against Grambling.
 
No fans permitted indoors at SEC Media Days; player attendees announced
The general public will not be allowed to enter the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel during 2021 SEC Media Days, which takes place next week in Hoover. Due to COVID-19 protocols, a designated area outside the hotel will be set aside for fans to watch SEC players and coaches enter the building. However, spectators must remain socially distanced and will not be able to seek autographs and/or have players and coaches pose for photos. SEC Media Days returns to Hoover this year for the first time since 2018, running Monday-Thursday at the Wynfrey. The 2019 event took place at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, while the 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SEC also announced the full player attendee list, which includes two student-athletes from each school in addition to the 14 head coaches, including Mississippi State (Wednesday): Head coach Mike Leach; Aaron Brule, LB, Junior; and Austin Williams, WR, Senior.
 
SEC announces players lineup for Media Days
SEC Media Days, after a year off, are set to begin Monday in Hoover, Alabama. Wednesday the conference announced the players that will be attending, just two from each school as opposed to three, a COVID-19 measure the league has put in place. Mississippi State linebacker Aaron Brule and wide receiver Austin Williams will join Bulldogs coach Mike Leach. For Ole Miss, quarterback Matt Corral and defensive back Jaylon Jones will join Rebels coach Lane Kiffin. It will be the first appearance at Media Days for Leach and Kiffin as coaches at MSU and Ole Miss.
 
Missouri's Tiger Scholarship Fund raises record $55.5 million in 2020-21 school year
Missouri athletics raised a record $55.5 million via the Tiger Scholarship Fund over the past school year. The previous record was $50.4 million, set during the 2016-17 school year. "We are incredibly grateful to the thousands of loyal Tiger Scholarship Fund members who have come alongside Mizzou athletics in support of our student-athletes, coaches and staff through their continued generosity," athletic director Jim Sterk said. "Every dollar raised by the Tiger Scholarship Fund is used to provide an outstanding academic, athletic and social experience for our student-athletes, and we deeply appreciate this outpouring of financial support by our donors. Intercollegiate athletics is in the midst of great change and it will be critical that we continue to grow our donor base in future years in order to provide resources necessary for our teams to compete for conference and national championships." Three of the five largest fundraising years in the department's 130-year history have occurred since Sterk's arrival in 2016.



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