| Monday, February 21, 2022 |
| Monday Profile: MSU math professor works on athletics stat crew, models COVID data | |
 | Jacob Tschume was stressed. The Mississippi State University mathematics professor was in his first year on the stat crew for MSU's women's basketball team when a horrific tragedy occurred. The internet was gone. During a game pitting the fifth-ranked Bulldogs against No. 9 Oregon at Humphrey Coliseum, Tschume and his fellow statisticians were thrown for a loop when Mississippi State's internet crashed. "No one had internet, so pretty much the only people who knew what the stats were ... were me," Tschume said. Instead of inputting stats into the StatBroadcast platform for media and the NCAA software that displayed them inside the arena, Tschume was forced to resort to primitive methods. He printed out statistics from the contest and did his best to distribute them, despite increasing agitation from the TV production truck. "ESPN was calling, yelling, but nothing we could really do," Tschume said. The technological downgrade meant Tschume's stats had to be accurate. Evidently, they were. "It turned out fine," he said. Now in his 10th year working with the Mississippi State athletics department, Tschume has had plenty of moments like that. He has worked on the men's basketball crew ever since being hired as a professor in 2012. And he's learned plenty of lessons along the way. "I've had to learn over the first couple years doing it that I can't be a fan," Tschume said. "I have to actually pay attention to what's going on -- all the minor details where someone hits a big shot and you want to cheer, but you have to see what's happening 10 seconds later to make sure that you don't miss anything." |
| MSU black alumni association hosts Black Alumni Weekend | |
 | The Mississippi State University Black Alumni Association held its third Black Alumni Weekend. Festivities were back up and running after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Bulldog alumni met at the Mill for a meet and greet; there participants networked with vendors, entrepreneurs and other local businesses. "To be a black entrepreneur here at Mississippi State for Alumni week means that it's an opportunity to meet other clients, it's an opportunity to capture and really expound on the accomplishments that African Americans have made," said local entrepreneur Jack King. "It's a great opportunity to watch everybody be able to expand their business and network and it's a great opportunity for myself," said local entrepreneur Sasha James. The COVID-19 pandemic postponed the events for the last two years; however, coordinators Crystal Vincent and Zwan Landfair knew their fellow Bulldog grads would be ready for the call to come back to their collegiate home. "We saw a lot of patience a lot of diligence from our alumni. We've seen an amazing response we had people who were willing to wait two years and were hard on money to make sure that this was a success and our goal was to get through the pandemic and execute," said Landfair. Landfair and Vincent agree, hosting the weekend during Black History Month was the perfect time. The weekend was used to celebrate with a purpose. |
| Group to set up scholarship honoring late musician, professor | |
| A Mississippi State fraternity hopes to create a scholarship endowment honoring the late Bruce Lesley, a musician and professor. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Lambda Phi chapter, plans to kick off fundraising activities with a benefit concert and silent auction set for 6 p.m. April 22 at First Presbyterian Church, Starkville. Hunter Blades, chapter marketing director, said members decided to create a legacy for Lesley, "a talented musician and wonderful man" who died in August 2019. Their goal is raise the $25,000 needed to fund the endowment. "Once money has been raised, it will be self-sufficient in creating a $1,000 scholarship for a hard-working, musically oriented student," Blades said. Lesley taught at Tupelo High School for 11 years and Mississippi University of Women for 13 years before coming to Mississippi State University for eight years, Blades said. "He was a multi-talented musician, a gifted professor, a magnanimous pianist and organist and a very special, unique soul," Blades said. "He was a magical, colorful teacher and conductor. His performances, whether solo on the piano or organ or conducting high school or church choirs, were always experiences of awesome joy and satisfaction." The April 22 concert will consist of individual performances from MSU faculty members and students, as well as a group performance by the Lambda Phi Choir. |
| Take first step to financial fitness with a budget | |
 | The first step to achieving financial fitness is creating a budget, but that first step can be hard to take. "Typically, people shy away from making a budget because it is one more thing to do, and it reminds us of all the things we would like but don't have the money for," said Becky Smith, director of the Mississippi State University Extension Center for Economic Education and Financial Literacy. "But making a budget can be a useful tool which helps us get closer to getting the experiences and things we want in a way that doesn't put us in debt," Smith said. Begin by taking inventory of how much money is coming in and how much money is spent. This can be done with a piece of paper and a pencil or a budgeting template in a computer program, such as Excel. Once a budget is made, it is time to make a saving plan. Having an emergency fund is critical for those unexpected and unplanned expenses, said Pamela Redwine, an Extension family and consumer science agent in Yalobusha County. "You could have a water line break, an unexpected dentist visit, get sick and not be able to work, or lose your job," she said. "Having money in savings to cover these kinds of expenses and life events can relieve you of a lot of worry and stress when things like this happen." |
| Large developments, high paying jobs expected to come with medical marijuana | |
| The arrival of medical marijuana in Mississippi, signed into law on Feb. 2 by Gov. Tate Reeves, was hailed both as a new means of pain relief for thousands of people and an economic shot in the arm for the economy. But there may be another benefit that has gone largely unnoticed, one that Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins realized two years ago, when groups anticipating the arrival of medical marijuana began searching for sites for marijuana grow facilities. "We had people coming in looking for 50,000 square feet up to 200,000 square feet. I realized this is a good thing because the buildings they were looking at have been dormant and vacant for years," Higgins said. "They're not really the world-class buildings today's industry would want to occupy. One of the things that is happening is the ceiling heights industry want are going higher, up to 38 feet. But a lot of these old buildings are 22-foot. That's not a problem for grow houses. So, because of that, it gives us the ability to market some of these older buildings." Higgins said there have been groups looking at grow sites in all three Golden Triangle counties. While finding new use for old buildings is a plus, the real benefit, Higgins said, will be an infusion of capital in the projects. n his talks with prospective growers, Higgins said a good rule of thumb is one employee per 1,000 feet of grow space. "You can do the math," he said. "For a big operation, that's 150 to 200 employees." The pay rates are good too. "They're talking about $50,000 per year jobs," Higgins said. |
| GTR Airport director announces retirement | |
| Golden Triangle Regional Airport Executive Director Mike Hainsey announced his retirement Friday. Hainsey will retire July 1 after 19 years of service at GTR and a 45-year career in aviation. Matt Dowell, the airport's deputy director, will assume Hainsey's role after his retirement. Dowell, who has been in his role for nine years, is a certified flight instructor and an Accredited Airport Executive with the American Association of Airport Executives, an achievement fewer than 10 percent of airport managers have obtained. GTR saw a record growth of passengers, as well as services from Northwest Airlines and Delta Airlines, under Hainsey's direction, according to an airport press release issued Friday. He oversaw more than $30 million in capital improvement projects including a major runway expansion, two aircraft parking ramps, four parking lot expansions and two significant terminal expansions. Hainsey helped the growth of multiple manufacturing facilities, including Airbus, Aurora Flight Sciences and Stark Aerospace and helped the GTR LINK locate more than $7 billion in new industry and 5,000 new jobs. Hainsey will remain in the Golden Triangle after retirement, continuing his involvement in community and charitable activities, Friday's press release read. |
| Nissan will build two all-new, all-electric vehicles in Canton | |
 | Nissan will build two all-new, all-electric vehicles with a $500 million investment in its Canton facility. The announcement marks nearly $4 billion invested in Mississippi since 2003. Nissan will begin transforming its Mississippi operations with the latest in EV manufacturing technology to support production of all-new Nissan and Infiniti EV vehicles, scheduled to begin in 2025. The project includes upskilling nearly 2,000 employees at Nissan Canton and will help ensure these jobs remain in Mississippi. The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for building improvements, equipment installation and workforce training in support of the project. Madison County is providing assistance, as well. Additionally, Accelerate Mississippi is assisting Nissan with its upskilling, retraining, and community outreach efforts. "Nissan is the cornerstone of the state's automotive industry," said MDA Interim Executive Director Laura Hipp. "Nearly 20 years after opening its Canton facility, Mississippians continue to produce award-winning vehicles for this global automotive leader. Nissan's decision to produce electric vehicles in the state once again places Mississippi in the global spotlight, demonstrating the pride our workforce takes in a job well done and its commitment to lasting success. MDA is proud to have played a role in this project, and we thank our partners at the Madison County Economic Development Authority and The Madison County Board of Supervisors for working with our team to ensure this economic win for Central Mississippi." |
| DMR is getting $1.6M to help Coast seafood workers hit by COVID-19 | |
 | Mississippi's seafood processing industry will receive a $1.6 million boost from the federal government to help recover from the economic damage inflicted by the COVID pandemic. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Feb. 14 it is granting $50 million to state agencies to help seafood processors and processing vessels pay pandemic-related costs. The funding comes from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, passed by Congress in December 2020. The Mississippi agency which received funds through the USDA's Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant Program is the Department of Marine Resources. Neighboring Louisiana received $4.2 million, which will be directed to its Agricultural Finance Authority. The state which received the most assistance through the grant program is Alaska, which was awarded over $30 million. Mississippi seafood processors seeking financial assistance through the grant program should apply through the DMR. |
| Don't expect the usual furniture sale deals this Presidents Day weekend | |
| Presidents Day weekend is typically a big time for sales at furniture stores -- retailers want to clear out old inventory and boost sales during an otherwise slow month. But this year, you might have a hard time finding many deals -- you can blame the supply chain. If you've been shopping for a new sofa recently, this might sound familiar. "ETAs are absolutely horrible. Sometimes they say a week, but then it ends up being almost a year before things are back in stock," said Erin Kodjo, owner of All Nations Furniture in Omaha, Nebraska. She said demand for new furniture surged early in the pandemic and hasn't really slowed down. But with inventory so hard to come by, so are discounts for customers. "I don't do any big sales like I used to," Kodjo said. This is all thanks to the same shipping delays and labor shortages that other industries are dealing with, plus some more niche disruptions, said Terry Esper, a professor of logistics at Ohio State University. "There was a significant foam shortage that we're still working our way out of as well as a lumber shortage," he said. But despite order delays and sky high prices, "folks are still buying furniture, and they're willing to wait." |
| Income-tax phaseout up for debate in long-poor Mississippi | |
 | Mississippi is accustomed to being first in worsts: It's one of the poorest, unhealthiest states in the nation, with public schools that are chronically underfunded. Some Republican leaders say a good way to boost the state's fortunes would be to phase out its income tax. "There is no downside to putting money back into the pockets of Mississippians," said Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn, one of the main sponsors of a tax cut bill advancing in the Legislature. Opponents say erasing the income tax is a terrible idea because it would mean even less money for schools, health care, roads and other services, especially hurting poor and working-class residents. The Mississippi income tax accounts for 34% of state revenue. Wealthy people would see the biggest financial boost from eliminating the income tax, because they're the ones paying the most now. Democratic state Sen. Hob Bryan said people don't choose where to live because of tax policy but because of family ties and quality of life. He said people live in high-tax New York, for example, because the city offers opportunities. "The notion that if the people in Manhattan only found out that Mississippi did not have an income tax, they'd all ... get on a bus to Mississippi and move down here -- it's just laughable on its face," Bryan said. Republicans control the Mississippi House and Senate by wide margins, but the income tax elimination is not guaranteed. A proposal died in 2021 because of Senate leaders' concerns that it would undermine funding for schools and other services. |
| Mississippi Senate expected to introduce tax relief bill early this week | |
 | Republican lawmakers in both chambers are exploring different plans to cut taxes in Mississippi. The House has passed a bill with sweeping tax cuts, with some increases to balance revenue. Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann says the Senate plan will not have any increases. But, he says it takes a more conservative approach at reducing the state's revenue streams in the face of a potential party shift in Congress. "Particularly if the Republicans take over the House of Representatives, this part about them sending billions of dollars down here is gonna stop. When that stops we have to make sure that the production from our taxpayers is sufficient to do roads, bridges, education and the other things. So we're very leery of putting ourselves in a position that we would have a significant decrease off three, four, five years from now." Lawmakers are also looking at ways to use one-time funding from the federal government to make long-term changes in the state. Mississippi has received nearly two billion dollars in federal relief through the American Rescue Plan Act. Lt. Governor Hosemann says updating the state's infrastructure will be a critical part of spending that money. "We want to match what cities, counties, and rural water actually to make things and fix old pipes and get sewer lagoons up to speed and to really dictate the growth of their communities. That's what this is doing. And the same thing with broadband. We'll probably spend somewhere around $500 million on broadband in the next year or two." |
| Flush with cash, states eye tax cutting spree | |
 | Less than a year after Democrats approved a half-trillion dollars in aid to state and local governments, many are now considering cutting taxes. In red states as well as purple and blue ones, governors and state legislators are contemplating a long list of tax cuts: in personal income taxes and corporate levies, in property taxes and grocery taxes. They're debating reductions in capital gains taxes and taxes on diapers and gas. Some want to send one-time payments to residents. That's sparking criticism Democrats in Washington gave too much money to states as part of their $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, signed into law one year ago next month. Congress gave states roughly $500 billion last year, in addition to nearly $400 billion approved in 2020. Last year's installment came with strings stipulating states could not use the money to finance tax cuts. But a funny thing happened: State tax receipts are proving so strong that experts say many don't need federal dollars to fund tax reductions -- they can finance them with money coming out of their own pockets. Not surprisingly, red states are leading the charge for lower taxes. Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a $600 million tax cut this month. Utah just finalized a $200 million tax cut. West Virginia's House OK'd a cut in income taxes, while lawmakers in Mississippi are debating ending that state's income tax altogether. But it's not just happening in states led by conservatives. |
| Even as revenue soars, lawmakers propose spending less than in 2021 | |
| Despite unprecedented revenue growth, both the House and Senate have put forth state budget proposals for the coming fiscal year that spend less state funds than what was appropriated during the 2021 session. But Senate Appropriations Chair Briggs Hopson, R-Vicksburg, cautioned, "We are far from the finish line. This is just the starting line." Last year the Legislature appropriated $7 billion in state support funds for education, health care, law enforcement and for other vital needs that are funded with state general fund tax collections and other state funds. Both the House and Senate have passed budget plans of $6.6 billion. The action taken earlier this week is the opening salvo for the 2022 session in developing a budget for the budget year starting July 1. The final product will be negotiated between House and Senate leaders in late March during the final scheduled days of the 2022 legislative session. "Yes, I'm sure (spending) is going to increase in negotiations -- it always does," said House Appropriations Vice Chair Karl Oliver, R-Winona. In developing the budgets, legislators are dealing with unprecedented growth in state tax collections. In the past fiscal year, the state collected $1.1 billion more than was budgeted and is on pace to do about the same for the current fiscal year. Those surpluses are fueling discussions in both chambers of a tax cut. While the recent action might be "the starting line," the proposals still indicate the conservative approach leaders apparently are taking in developing a budget. |
| Federal gun violence program launches in northern Mississippi | |
| Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are targeting gun violence in northern Mississippi. Clay Joyner, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, announced his office is teaming up with the FBI and a host of local and state law enforcement agencies on an initiative. "As we all know, there's been an increase nationwide in violent crime over the past roughly two years," Joyner said. "We're marshaling resources to ensure that victims of crime can fully expect the perpetrators to be dealt with swiftly and effectively by these agencies and office." The initiative is called the Violent Gun Reduction and Interdiction Program, better known as V-GRIP. Under the program, violent crimes involving guns would be prosecuted at the federal level, meaning convicted criminals won't be eligible for early release or parole. Law enforcement will focus on criminals who commit violent gun crimes like armed robberies of businesses and armed carjackings, among others. The program has already been in place in central and southern Mississippi. The FBI says its expansion to northern Mississippi has a lot to do with location. "This is a key location for an area of the state that has a large population," said Jermicha Fomby, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Jackson Field Office, "Also just geographically located with the connection to Memphis where there has been a spike in violent crime." Police departments in Southaven, Olive Branch and Oxford are also participating in the program. |
| 'They have chosen to fight it': Mental health agency withholds records | |
| Last year, Disability Rights Mississippi -- a nonprofit organization that advocates for Mississippians with disabilities -- started hearing about new problems at state-run psychiatric facilities. The facilities were dealing with staffing shortages similar to hospitals around Mississippi. And no matter how many colleagues they lost, staff who remained had to provide round-the-clock care to the same number of residents with serious mental illness or intellectual or developmental disabilities. Like its counterparts in other states routinely do, the group requested records from the Mississippi Department of Mental Health to get a better understanding of what was going on inside these facilities. But the Department, arguing the organization was overreaching, blocked the effort – and now the two groups are duking it out in court. Disability Rights Mississippi is the state's "protection and advocacy (P&A) system," charged by Congress with advocating for people with disabilities and investigating reports of abuse and neglect in programs that serve them. The group sent nearly identical letters to 10 mental and behavioral health facilities around the state, asking to see recent incident reports and to get them on a regular basis in the future. The goal, executive director Polly Tribble told Mississippi Today, was to identify patterns and understand what residents were experiencing. But DMH refused to turn over the reports. State lawyers claimed the group's "boilerplate" letters didn't demonstrate "sufficient probable cause" to justify a systemic investigation of the facilities. |
| GOP Sen. Roger Wicker announces testing positive for COVID-19 a second time | |
 | Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) announced on Friday evening that he had tested positive for COVID-19 a second time despite being fully vaccinated. "Today I received a positive test result for COVID-19. I am fully vaccinated and in good health. I will work from home for the next few days. I look forward to being back in person soon," Wicker tweeted. While the Senate is out today and next week, the Mississippi senator did participate in votes, including on Thursday. The Mississippi Republican's office announced in August that the senator had tested positive for the virus after experiencing mild symptoms. Less than two weeks later, he announced he had "a clean bill of health." Earlier this month, Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) announced that while he was asymptomatic, he had also tested positive for the virus in a breakthrough case. Sen. Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) also announced earlier this month that she, too, had tested positive for COVID-19. The news of recent positive tests comes as COVID-19 cases have been trending downward within the United States. A number of states have announced intentions to lift indoor mask mandates in light of declining cases or other COVID-19 metrics they are watching. |
| Judge allows lawmaker Jan. 6 lawsuits against Trump to proceed | |
 | A federal judge ruled Friday that Democratic lawmakers and Capitol Police officers can move forward with civil lawsuits against former President Donald Trump in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on Congress, but Alabama Republican Rep. Mo Brooks should be dismissed as a defendant. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta issued a 112-page opinion on early motions from defendants to dismiss claims in three related lawsuits, which seek to hold Trump, the former president's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and others personally responsible for their roles in the events. Mississippi Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson sued Trump, Giuliani and others; California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell sued Trump and Brooks; and two Capitol Police officers sued Trump. A total of 11 House members are plaintiffs in the lawsuits under the Ku Klux Klan Act, passed in 1871 in the wake of the Civil War, which bans any conspiracy to prevent members of Congress from discharging the duties of their office. Mehta allowed some claims to go ahead against Trump and two right-wing extremist groups, but dismissed other claims against Trump. The judge also said he would dismiss the claim against Brooks, who is representing himself in the case. |
| Omicron BA.2 variant is spreading in U.S. and may soon pick up speed | |
 | As the omicron surge continues to decline in the U.S., infectious disease experts are keeping a close eye on an even more contagious version of the variant that could once again foil the nation's hopes of getting back to normal. The virus, known as BA.2, is a strain of the highly contagious omicron variant that appears to spread even more easily -- about 30% more easily. Because BA.2 quickly overtook the original omicron in South Africa and other countries and has even caused a second omicron surge in Denmark, researchers have been bracing for the same thing to happen in the U.S. "A lot of us were assuming that it was going to quickly take off in the United States just like it was doing in Europe and become the new dominant variant," says Nathan Grubaugh, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health. So far that hasn't happened. Instead, BA.2 has slowly, but steadily spread even as the omicron surge continued to dissipate. The fear is that spread may be on track to rapidly accelerate in the near future. Some experts think it's unlikely BA.2 will trigger a massive new surge because so many people have immunity from prior infections and vaccination at this point. "The most likely thing that's going to happen is that it might extend our tail, meaning it might slow down the decrease in cases. But it's probably not going to lead to a new wave of cases," says Grubaugh. |
| Black Farmers Fear Foreclosure as Debt Relief Remains Frozen | |
 | For Brandon Smith, a fourth-generation cattle rancher from Texas, the $1.9 trillion stimulus package that President Biden signed into law nearly a year ago was long-awaited relief. Little did he know how much longer he would have to wait. The legislation included $4 billion of debt forgiveness for Black and other "socially disadvantaged" farmers, a group that has endured decades of discrimination from banks and the federal government. Mr. Smith, a Black father of four who owes about $200,000 in outstanding loans on his ranch, quickly signed and returned documents to the Agriculture Department last year, formally accepting the debt relief. He then purchased more equipment for his ranch, believing that he had been given a financial lifeline. Instead, Mr. Smith has fallen deeper into debt. Months after signing the paperwork he received a notice informing him that the federal government intended to "accelerate" foreclosure on his 46-acre property and cattle if he did not start making payments on the loans he believed had been forgiven. Black farmers across the nation have yet to see any of Mr. Biden's promised relief. While the president has pledged to pursue policies to promote racial equity and correct decades of discrimination, legal issues have complicated that goal. Courts in Wisconsin and Florida have issued preliminary injunctions against the initiative, siding with plaintiffs who argued that the debt relief amounted to discrimination and could therefore be illegal. A class-action lawsuit against the U.S.D.A. is proceeding in Texas this year. |
| Delta State drops mask mandate | |
 | Leaders of Delta State University announced the university's mandatory mask policy for indoor activities has been lifted. Due to the mask mandate being lifted, the campus has re-opened to all visitors, including the use of the cafeteria, library, and athletic facilities (for those with an activity card) with only pre-pandemic restrictions continuing to be in place. Masks are still required for the O.W. Reily Health Center until further notice. Individuals on campus have the option to continue wearing a mask or face covering, which is highly recommend by the university to help provide extra precaution. |
| Three UM Students Named Truman Finalists | |
| Three University of Mississippi juniors who have worked to improve access to education and to raise awareness about mental health issues have been named finalists for the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship. National finalists for the honor were announced Friday (Feb. 18). Jilkiah Bryant, a junior public health and health sciences major from Macon; Andy Flores, junior public policy leadership and philosophy major from Ocean Springs; and Alex Bush, a junior psychology major from Denver, are among them. All three are members of the university's Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. Vivian Ibrahim, director of the UM Office of National Scholarship Advisement, has been working with the students on their applications. She is extremely proud of them. "The students are exceptional this year," Ibrahim said. "Mississippi has such brain drain with our young talent leaving the state. What we have here are young trailblazers who really want to give back to their communities and really want to improve things in the long-term. They are not just looking at right now." The scholarship, which memorializes the nation's 33rd president, awards merit-based scholarships to college students who plan to pursue careers in government or elsewhere in public service. Truman Scholars receive funds for graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government. |
| USM to host annual Economic Outlook Forum | |
 | Economic trends and forecasts will be the primary focus of the 2022 Economic Outlook Forum at the University of Southern Mississippi. The annual forum will be held from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, at at the Thad Cochran Center Grand Ballroom on the university's Hattiesburg campus. The USM College of Business and Economic Development is coordinating the forum that brings together experts from banking, finance, and academia to explore a variety of issues and research related to the economic outlook for 2022. "The Economic Outlook Forum is always a much-anticipated annual event, but perhaps even more so this year due to factors that have impacted the economy in recent months, such as the 'great resignation', inflation, and supply chain problems," said Bret Becton, dean of USM's College of Business and Economic Development. "I'm sure there is tremendous interest in what our presenters have to say about their impact on the economy going forward." The forum's featured speaker will be Adrienne Slack, vice president and regional executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (Atlanta Fed), New Orleans Branch. The forum will also include a presentation from Dr. Chad Miller, professor of economic development and graduate coordinator of the Master of Science in Economic Development program at USM. |
| Popular local coffee shop opens second location, gives USM students new coffee option | |
 | Equinox Coffee, a popular Hattiesburg cafe, broadened its horizons by opening a second location at the University of Southern Mississippi. The reception of a new coffee spot has been warm, co-owner Tayler Hensley said, and business has been steady. Until Equinox opened its doors, the only coffee shop on campus was Starbucks in the Cook Library. USM student Kat Johnson said Equinox is a welcome addition. "We have Starbucks, but the line can get kind of long, and now (Equinox) is less out of the way for me, so that's nice," she said. Hensley said he is not worried about competing with Starbucks, because people like to buy local and Equinox has something unique to offer. The new location opened Jan. 25 in the Wesley Foundation building, Hensley said. It is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday-Friday. The decision to open a second location came after the Wesley Foundation approached Hensley about adding a coffee shop to the campus ministry. "It was a really good opportunity, so we jumped on that and here we are," Hensley said. "We see new faces and regular faces every day, so that's the goal." The original Equinox location on Hardy Street has been open for over three years. Hensley said he is not yet sure if he will open other locations, but is something he and co-owner Rebecca Huddleston will consider if there is a good opportunity. |
| USM property receives $3.4M for site development | |
| The University of Southern Mississippi's (USM) Innovation and Commercialization Park (ICP) received $3.4 million from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA). ICP is located at Classic Drive and Shelby Thames Drive in Hattiesburg. It's one of seven locations across Mississippi to receive a Site Development Grant. The funding will be used to make the 22-acre site more attractive for future industrial business development opportunities. The grant will allow for the clearing, grubbing and grading of the site. An access road will be built and water/sewer upgrades will be made. MDA's Development Grant-Select Sites program was created in 2021 to make sites across Mississippi attractive to potential companies. "We continue our trajectory toward being a premier city in the Gulf South, with an emphasis on regional job creation that can aid in the recruitment of young talent in our city and at our universities," said Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker. |
| Media training program will focus on HBCU students | |
| A company is creating a media training program focused on students at historically black colleges and universities in Mississippi. The program by Atlanta-based Gray Television Inc. will be based at one of the broadcasters it owns, WLBT-TV in Jackson. The station is an NBC affiliate. Gray Media Training Center is expected to host its first internship group when the fall semester begins in August. Gray anticipates spending more than $1 million to create the center. Students will learn best practices for broadcast and digital journalism and will receive training in production, sales, operations, IT, engineering, coding and marketing, the station reported. Training Center fellows will create a weekly public affairs show that will be produced, directed, hosted, shot and edited by students. "We want to teach and train the students of today in a real-world environment, so they can become the future leaders of our industry for decades to come," said Hilton H. Howell, Gray Media executive chairman and CEO. |
| Aurora's PAV prototype on display at East Mississippi Community College | |
| Aurora Flight Sciences' passenger air vehicle (PAV) prototype is on display in The Communiversity at East Mississippi Community College. The 30-foot-long PAV is an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) prototype with twin booms on each side of the aircraft supporting eight lift rotors and a cruise propeller located in the rear. Designed to carry two passengers but no pilot, PAV provides insights into areas such as autonomy, electric propulsion and flight operations for next-generation air vehicles. "PAV is carbon fiber construction, which means it is extremely lightweight; every individual component of this aircraft can easily be picked up by hand," said Cody Hardin, manufacturing engineer for Aurora Flight Sciences. "Composite structures are critical in advanced aircraft manufacturing and a big part of what we do at Aurora's facility in Columbus." Earlier this month, a locally-based team from Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing company, assembled PAV inside The Communiversity's Imagination Center, a space dedicated to displaying products made by local manufacturers. Emily Thornberry, an engineering intern at Aurora, led the project to assemble the PAV display. "I think autonomous vehicles are exciting and represent the future," she said. "The impact something like this can have on young minds is awesome." |
| Free telehealth services coming to Mississippi public schools this fall | |
| Mississippi public schools will have access to mental and health care services for students for free as soon as August, education officials announced Thursday. The Mississippi Department of Education approved a $17.6 million grant for telehealth and teletherapy services available within schools provided by the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The Department of Education initially planned to begin with a pilot program, but then decided to launch the program statewide instead. "The more we started finding out about (telehealth services), we really felt that if there was an organization or entity that could just launch this statewide and get more children access to it, then why not?" said Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. The program is being funded by the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) and will last from July 2022 through September 2024. The program will start serving its first schools at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. The grant will cover laptops for video conferencing and specially equipped stethoscopes and otoscopes that transmit information to the doctors or nurse practitioners on the other end of the call. Healthcare providers will supply urgent care, mental health care, remote patient monitoring, and specialty consultations to children in any district across the state that has access to a school nurse. |
| U. of Alabama VP of student life resigns after arrest for soliciting prostitution | |
 | The University of Alabama's vice president of student life has resigned after he was arrested Thursday on a charge of soliciting prostitution. Myron Pope, 50, was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail and released after posting a $1,000 bond for the misdemeanor charge, according to the Tuscaloosa Police Department. UA President Stuart R. Bell said Friday in an emailed statement that Pope has resigned. "I have difficult news to share today. Vice President of Student Life Myron Pope has resigned from the university following his recent arrest. We understand this news will be difficult for our community," Bell said. "I will appoint an interim vice president of student life and that person, along with the many professionals in the division, will remain available to all of us. Please continue to take care of yourselves and one another." Pope was arrested by members of the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force, according to Stephanie Taylor, a TPD spokeswoman. She said officers who are not employed by UA were involved in his arrest. native of Sweet Water, Pope played for coach Gene Stallings as a walk-on tight end/linebacker on the UA football team that beat Miami in the Sugar Bowl after the 1992 season. He earned a bachelor of arts in history at UA, along with a master of arts and a doctor of education in higher education administration. Pope was named UA's vice president of student life in May 2020. |
| Auburn pharmacy dean resigns role, remains professor after Title IX report | |
 | Richard Hansen, the dean of Auburn University's pharmacy school, has resigned from his role as dean, the university announced in a campus email Friday. The change came a day after The Auburn Plainsman student newspaper published a report about alleged sexual harassment by Hansen against a student. "The creation and maintenance of a safe environment for our students will always be the highest priority for Auburn," university officials said in the campus-wide email. "The university prohibits sexual harassment and addresses all reports under its policies, including allegations of off-campus conduct when appropriate." Hansen remains a tenured professor in the college, according to a university spokesman, who said that disciplinary action regarding faculty, up to and including dismissal, are handled according to the faculty handbook, but declined to comment further. The Plainsman reported Thursday that in April 2021, Hansen made inappropriate comments to a student working at an off-campus bar. After she complained to the university, she said he again came to the bar and made her uncomfortable. According to the Plainsman, the Title IX office investigated the incident, found the complaint credible, and said that Hansen had "created an intimidating and offensive University environment for [the student]." |
| Masks optional on Auburn campus beginning Feb. 23 | |
| Face coverings will be optional on Auburn University's campus starting next Wednesday, the University announced in an email Friday afternoon. The University's indoor mask requirement, which has been in effect since Dec. 21, 2021, will expire on Feb. 23, although face coverings will still be required in health care settings, on University transportation such as the Tiger Transit and "other areas marked by official university signage or otherwise clearly communicated by the university," according to the email. Faculty members may also require individuals to wear face coverings during classes, but only if the faculty member has a "face coverings requirement" in the course syllabus. The policy is in effect until further notice, according to the email. Auburn is on the tail end of a spike in COVID-19 cases reported on campus that peaked during the week of Jan. 10-16, when 445 individuals reported testing positive for COVID-19, according to the Auburn University COVID-19 Resource Center. Seventy-seven students, employees or contractors reported testing positive for COVID-19 during the week of Feb. 7-13. At the Auburn University Medical Clinic, 19.5% of all COVID-19 tests during the same week returned a positive result. |
| Tennessee Republican leaders renew critical race theory crusade, target universities | |
| Tennessee's Republican leadership is renewing its battle over critical race theory, and this time targeting public universities. A bill sponsored by leadership in the House and Senate would give college students and staff the ability to sue their universities for discriminating against them for not accepting "divisive concepts." The bill, which mirrors critical race theory legislation around the country, passed the House Education Subcommittee last week. The bill would prevent universities from penalizing students who refuse to support concepts linked to what Republicans say is critical race theory teachings. Critical race theory teaches that racism is ingrained in U.S. institutions and that white people benefit from it. The concept and whether schools, churches and other corporations should subscribe to it has been a source of controversy within institutions for several years. House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and most of the House Republicans in leadership are leading the charge on the bill. Sexton said the goal of the bill is to "protect students." In the Senate, Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, is sponsoring the legislation on behalf of Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge. McNally said the goal is to ensure "students are taught the subjects they sign up." The legislation, HB 2670, would require colleges to conduct a survey every other year to "assess the campus climate with regard to diversity of thought and the respondents' comfort level in speaking freely on campus, regardless of political affiliation or ideology." |
| U. of South Carolina to honor 3 students who desegregated the school | |
| The University of South Carolina will honor the three Black students who desegregated the school in 1963. The university plans to erect statues on the Columbia campus commemorating the historic day when they enrolled and became the first Black university students since the Reconstruction era. That act paved the way for several generations of future scholars. The university's Board of Trustees voted on Feb. 18 to put up the statues celebrating Robert G. Anderson, Henrie Monteith Treadwell and James L. Solomon Jr. The statues will portray the three students as they took their historic walk from the administration building to the Naval Armory (now Hamilton College) where they first registered for classes on the morning of Sept. 11, 1963. "The University of South Carolina has a long and complex history," said Board Chair C. Dorn Smith, III M.D. "The action today celebrates the achievements -- and the tremendous courage -- of those who fought to make the university a place where all South Carolinians are welcomed." Anderson, Treadwell and Solomon's enrollment came three years after the U.S. Supreme Court's historic Brown v. Board of Education ruling. It also followed violent unrest at other southern campuses that had already desegregated. According to USC, the university planned for months to ensure the three students' enrollment at South Carolina would be peaceful. Their registration process was captured by national media and lasted only about 20 minutes, but the significance of the 1963 event reverberates to this day, said Board of Trustee member Alex English. |
| 'A Naked Attack': Texas Lieutenant Governor Pledges to End Tenure for All New Hires | |
 | Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of Texas said on Friday that he wanted to end tenure for all newly hired faculty members at the state's public universities and to revoke the tenure of those who teach critical race theory. Legislation to do so will be a "top priority" in the state Senate's next session, Patrick said. "We are not going to allow a handful of professors who do not represent the entire group to teach and indoctrinate students with critical race theory, that we are inherently racist as a nation," Patrick, who is running for re-election in the Republican primary, on March 1, said at a news conference. "Tenure, it's time that that comes to an end in Texas." Patrick said the plan was backed by Sen. Brandon Creighton, a Republican and chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, adding that he'd spoken to university regents and leaders across the state who think that "tenure has outlived its time," even if those officials haven't expressed that opinion publicly. Emailed requests for comment from The Chronicle to Patrick's chief of staff and to Creighton were not immediately returned. Tenured faculty members would also face annual reviews under Patrick's plan, he said. Current state law specifies that those with tenure are to be evaluated "no less often than once every six years." Patrick did not specify if his proposal would apply to the state's public colleges or just its public universities, but The Texas Tribune reported that the plan would affect "all new hires at Texas public universities and colleges." |
| Texas lt. gov.'s pledge to end tenure over CRT is a 'new low' | |
 | Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick of Texas said Friday that he would see to the end of tenure at the state's public colleges and universities. His reason? The University of Texas at Austin's Faculty Council had recently gone "too far" in asserting professors' right to teach critical race theory. "What we will propose to do is end tenure, all tenure for all new hires," Patrick, a Republican, said during a press conference. For currently tenured professors, he continued, "the law will change to say teaching critical race theory is prima facie evidence of good cause for tenure revocation." It's unclear how far Patrick's proposal will go. Texas lieutenant governors have real power when it comes to setting the legislative agenda, and Patrick said he already has the support of Brandon Creighton, Republican chair of the state Senate Committee on Higher Education. Unnamed university leaders and members of the University of Texas system's Board of Regents also "think tenure has outlived its time because they don't have control of their own universities," Patrick said. Even so, any serious attempt by Texas to end tenure will be a titanic battle between legislators and faculty advocates: PEN America has already called the proposal "a mortal threat to academic freedom," while the American Association of University Professors fact-checked Patrick's "disingenuous" speech and warned that changing the law to make teaching CRT a fireable offense is "an extremely dangerous authoritarian precedent." |
| Texas A&M professors study positive effects of online gaming | |
 | Online games can create a social support network with positive effects for the players' mental health, a study led by two Texas A&M University professors has found. Tyler Prochnow and Megan Patterson, social network analysis experts in the university's Department of Health and Kinesiology, along with Logan Hartnell, a researcher from The Ohio State University, used an online football game simulation to study users' interactions and relationships while playing the game. The study's 40 participants provided feedback on the types of conversations they had while playing the game. The researchers found evidence that the gamers' were using their fellow players as an online support network, leading to a reduction in depression, Prochnow and Patterson said, "We had seen a lot of literature about the negative aspects of gaming, and how many health professionals were concerned for isolation and depressive symptoms," Prochnow said. "We wanted to see what these games do to allow individuals to connect, either with others online that they don't know, or some of their friends that they may not be able to see in person." The researchers were looking to see what types of conversations were being had and with whom. Prochnow said that the participants had some knowledge of others in the game, leading to more meaningful conversations. |
| Justice Dept. Is Set to Modify Trump-Era Program Aimed at Fighting Chinese Threats | |
| The Justice Department will soon announce changes to the China Initiative, a Trump-era effort to combat Chinese national security threats, after civil rights proponents, business groups and universities told the Biden administration that the program had fostered suspicion of Asian professors working in the United States, chilled scientific research and contributed to a rising tide of anti-Asian sentiment, according to people briefed on the matter. The likely changes, including retiring the China Initiative name, are the result of a three-month evaluation undertaken by Matthew G. Olsen, the head of the Justice Department's national security division. The modifications to a program that brought espionage, trade-secrets theft and cybercrime cases under a single banner comes as Beijing continues to use spies, cyberhacking, theft and propaganda to challenge America's standing as the world's pre-eminent economic and military power -- activity that has only grown more acute. The F.B.I. has more than 2,000 open investigations into Chinese efforts to steal American information and technology, and it is opening new cases related to Chinese intelligence operations about every 12 hours, Christopher A. Wray, the bureau's director, said last month. "There is just no country that presents a broader threat to our ideas, our innovation and our economic security than China," he said. In announcing changes to the China Initiative, Mr. Olsen is expected to say that the Justice Department will treat some grant fraud cases as civil matters going forward, reserving criminal prosecution for the most egregious instances of deception, according to the people briefed on the matter. |
| Are politicians 'whistling past the graveyard' with tax cut proposals while still phasing in past cuts? | |
| Bobby Harrison writes for Mississippi Today: As Mississippi's political leadership bickers about whether to pass the House tax cut plan or the more modest Senate plan or the more outlandish plan of Gov. Tate Reeves, it might be worth remembering that the state is not even halfway into enacting the state's largest tax reduction plan in history. In 2016, the state passed a plan to cut taxes by $415 million in 2016 dollars by fiscal year 2028. By the end of the current 2022 fiscal year, about $206 million of that tax cut will have been enacted, according to projections put out in 2016 when the Legislature, led to a large extent by then-Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, approved the Taxpayer Pay Raise Act. "I keep telling people that if we do nothing we will have a big tax cut this year," said Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson. That 2016 proposal cut the tax on personal income by about $150 million. The rest of the tax cut is going to businesses, with a substantial portion (about 75% according to a 2017 Mississippi Today analysis) going to large out-of-state corporations. In addition, in the four-year legislative term before the pivotal 2016 session, about 50 tax cuts, primarily for businesses, were enacted at a combined cost of at least $140 million annually, according to data compiled earlier by the Department of Revenue. Meanwhile, as those tax cuts go into effect and other much larger tax cuts are contemplated, some say Mississippi's political leaders continue to whistle past the graveyard. |
| Republican moderates and media fly false flag in income tax elimination debate | |
 | Alan Lange writes for Y'all Politics: Democrats, the media establishment and even some moderate Republicans are pulling out all the stops regarding the state income tax elimination proposal to stop it any way they can. Flush with hundreds of millions of dollars of cash, minimal debt and a rebounding economic picture, conservatives see this as a once in a lifetime opportunity to make this initiative that the GOP regularly campaigns on a reality. While candidates try to win primaries in Mississippi on being "tax cutting conservatives", this vote is where the rubber meets the road before facing voters again in 2023. And legislative Democrats and some moderate Republicans seem happy enough to kick the can down the road on making a sweeping policy change forgetting or obfuscating that you make changes when you have the votes and the money to do it. Deferring the big thing is often the same thing as denying it. (Exhibit A to that maxim was not reforming the MAEP formula in 2018). The central figures in the fight over what the future looks like is state economist Dr. Corey Miller and Legislative Budget office revenue analysts. Mississippi policymakers need to face a hard and incontrovertible truth. Lately our state has sucked at revenue projections. I mean, we have been truly incompetent. In FY2019, they missed by $300 million. FY2020 was actually the closest year to projections with Mississippi falling $43 million short of projections, but that was only due to a pandemic that literally shut our economy down for months on end. But for that, it would FY20 would have looked like the giant subsequent revenue misses in FY2021 (+$1.05 billion) and FY2022, which is well on its way to another billion dollar plus miss. The media will get to hear from Miller directly when he speaks at the Stennis press lunch on February 28th. Whether they remain as uncritical as they have remains to be seen. |
SPORTS
| MSU fans react to being back in Dudy Noble Field | |
 | It may not be spring just yet but it is most definitely time for college baseball to begin. In Starkville, the reigning national champs took the field on Friday to start the 2022 season. The Bulldogs hosted Long Beach State. It's a new team and season, but the buzz of a national title is still in the air. "I feel real good," longtime fan Don Miners said. "But when you read what the other teams have done, they're all going to be a lot better too. So, our team knows they're going to have to fight real hard to win; and that's what they should do and we look forward to watching it." However, Miners was not the only one eager to get back to the home of the reigning national champions. On Friday afternoon, Mississippi State set an opening day record for the school with 10,223 fans in attendance. According to a few students at MSU, crowds like that creates an atmosphere that some argue is unmatched in the Southeastern Conference. "The baseball atmosphere is nuts. It's ridiculous. It's like almost bigger than football here at an SEC school," said Jack Kristofek. "I'm from Texas and I've never seen anything like it." "We're just hoping for the same atmosphere and the same fun time with friends making memories in college, so it's really exciting," said Emmie Perkins. |
| Mississippi State baseball vs Long Beach State series: What we learned | |
| At the end of three days full of more stops than starts for Mississippi State baseball's lineup, the fifth inning Sunday was a sweet reprieve, passing the baton from batter to batter as an influx of runs crossed the plate. The Bulldogs piled onto Long Beach State, coming alive after dropping the first two games of the opening weekend of the season to avoid a sweep. It all started with a hit batter, then continued with five singles, a walk and a sacrifice fly before the Dirtbags (2-1) got off the field, the contest suddenly out of hand. Mississippi State (1-2) needed an inning like that, powering a 12-4 win to close the weekend on an upturn. There had been plenty of downturns in the Bulldogs' return to the diamond after last year's College World Series, such as Friday's 3-0 loss and a 13-3 defeat Saturday. But there were plenty of positives Sunday to carry forward into Tuesday's matchup with Arkansas-Pine Bluff and beyond. "Everybody's relaxed now," right-hander Cade Smith said. "We can play back and realize who we are as a team." The program has sold more than 13,000 season tickets, and the attendance of 34,325 were the most ever for an opening weekend. "These guys just need to get out there and play in it and get used to it," Lemonis said. "All our kids, even our older returning kids, jumping out there in that is just a little different than practice. We're lucky to have it, but I think our kids going out there and playing how they did today will help them out in the long run." |
| Mississippi St. tops Missouri 58-56, now tied for 5th in SEC | |
| Iverson Molinar scored 16 points, Shakeel Moore made a layup with 10.5 seconds left and Mississippi State beat Missouri 58-56 Sunday night. Garrison Brooks added 11 points and seven rebounds for Mississippi State (16-11, 7-7 SEC). Moore finished with nine points, seven rebounds and two steals. Molinar made a layup to make it 56 all with 37 seconds left and, after a missed 3-point shot by the Tigers, Moore grabbed a rebound and raced to the other end where he was fouled as he made a layup to make it 58-56. He missed the and-1 free throw and Pickett missed a potential winning 3 with 4 seconds to go. Brown hit a 3-pointer, Davis followed with a jumper and Brown made a layup to give Missouri the lead at 40-39 about 5 minutes into the second half and spark a 10-0 spurt that made it 44-39 when Javon Pickett made a layup with 12:28 to play. Six different Bulldogs players scored in a 12-4 run the next 6 minutes to give them a two-point lead. Jarron Coleman answered with a layup and then hit a 3-pointer to give the Tigers a 54-51 advantage with 3:41 remaining but they went 0 for 5 from the field the rest of the way. The Bulldogs moved into a five-way tie for fifth in conference standings with less than two weeks remaining in the regular season. |
| Shakeel Moore leads Mississippi State men over Missouri with late layup | |
| Shakeel Moore wasn't going to wait. As soon as the rebound fell into his hands, the Mississippi State guard took off down the floor with it. With the score tied 56-56 on Sunday at Missouri and less than 15 seconds remaining, he knew the Bulldogs needed a basket. "I chose to be aggressive and take it at them," Moore said. Seeing just one defender ahead, Moore cut toward the center of the court at the opposite foul line then turned back to the left, drawing a foul from Missouri's Javon Pickett and hoisting up a tough shot as he neared the baseline. The whistle blew. Moore watched from the left side of the basket as the ball rolled around the right side of the rim before finally dropping in with 10.5 seconds to go. "It was a relief," Moore said. "Just to see it go through, it was a big confidence booster." Moore's down season had its bright spot. Mississippi State's season remained alive. The Bulldogs (16-11, 7-7 Southeastern Conference) won a true road game for the first time this season, beating Missouri (10-17, 4-10 SEC) by a score of 58-56. "I just love that our guys stayed mentally tough and found a way to win a very important road game for us and get us to 7-7," Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said. With just four games remaining in the regular season, Sunday's victory keeps Mississippi State alive in the NCAA tournament picture, if only just. Missouri is one of the SEC's worst teams, but the Bulldogs still beat the Tigers twice in three days and snapped their seven-game road losing streak in the process. |
| Mississippi State basketball secures first true road win vs. Missouri | |
| All the misses in recent weeks could have replayed in Shakeel Moore's head as he ran full steam down the court, the clock ticking down. Moore hadn't scored more than five points in his previous seven games, missing 73% of his shots in that span. And yet, as Moore raced into a Missouri defender on the fast break Sunday, he didn't think twice. He took the shot. It rolled around and fell through, a critical make -- not just for Moore but for a Mississippi State team that is too accustomed to losing on the road this season. Before Sunday's 58-56 win against the Tigers at Mizzou Arena, the Bulldogs had lost all seven of their true road games. They had experimented and almost perfected the technique, finding ways to self-destruct down the stretch. The same seemed to be happening Sunday, with Mississippi State (16-11, 7-7 SEC) missing six straight shots to go behind by three points with under two minutes to play. But when Moore corralled the rebound and looked up, he saw only one defender, and that player had his back turned. So he didn't wait for support. "I knew I could get him to go one way and fake him and go the other," Moore said. "So that's what I did. When I saw only one guy in transition, I took advantage of it." |
| 'A great accomplishment': Mississippi State's Mia Davidson breaks SEC softball career home run record | |
| Mia Davidson looked down at the table, running teary eyes over the softball covered in red dirt. The Mississippi State catcher clutched her prize from a historic day at Nusz Park: the ball she'd sent over the fence in the second inning Friday against Central Arkansas. Former Bulldog Caroline Seitz tracked it down for Davidson in the dark and the cold amid the trees and bushes behind the wall. Davidson stared at the ball that marked her latest milestone: the Southeastern Conference softball career home run record. She struggled to put its meaning into words. "It's a great accomplishment," she said. "I'm going to cry." It wasn't the first time Davidson got emotional after hitting her 71st and 72nd home runs as Mississippi State (4-4) split games with Southern Illinois and UCA on Friday. The Bulldogs lost to the Salukis 4-3 before run-ruling the Bears 11-3 in six innings. But Davidson was the story. She hit a home run in each game, tying Florida's Lauren Haeger for the SEC mark with the first long ball and leaving Haeger's record in the dust with the second. "It felt amazing," Davidson said of her record-breaking two-run homer. "I was jumping around the bases the whole time." |
| Belhaven University to join Collegiate Conference of the South | |
| Belhaven University is one of nine member institutions of the USA South Athletic Conference (USAS) that will be breaking away to form a new NCAA Division III athletic conference. The Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) will include Agnes Scott College, Belhaven, Berea College, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Piedmont University, and Wesleyan College. "The creation of the Collegiate Conference of the South provides an ideal grouping of schools who all share our similar characteristics---private institutions, commitment to prioritizing academics, and balanced quality athletic programs," Belhaven University President Dr. Roger Parrott said. "I've especially been impressed with the outlook of this wonderful group of member presidents who have a deep commitment to assuring a high quality athletic and academic experience for our student athletes." The move comes after years of internal discussions within the USAS about the creation of a two-conference separation strategy. The USAS is currently the nation's largest Division III conference with nineteen members. The championship sports for men are baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, and track and field, and for women are basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. The sports of football, women's golf, and men's and women's lacrosse will continue to compete in the USA South as associate members. |
| 10 days of tumult and tension: A look inside Auburn's investigation of Bryan Harsin | |
| Bryan Harsin's time as Auburn's head coach took a bizarre turn culminating in a tumultuous 10 days that saw him go from ostracized to exalted. Most notably, Harsin remains as Auburn's head football coach because, according to sources within the program, his no-nonsense attitude is the change a program known for meddling needs. "We call ourselves the Auburn family, but we're more like the Game of Thrones," a source close to the program said. "Harsin reminds me a lot of Pat Dye. Coach Dye changed the culture at Auburn by demanding more from the players. Harsin has a lot of that spirit in him." After talking to multiple sources with knowledge of the proceedings in and around the Auburn football program, here is an inside look at one of the most tumultuous weeks in Auburn football history and an idea of what's next for the Tigers. Harsin and his wife, Kes, woke up on Feb. 3 to several texts and phone calls asking about allegations against the head coach. Accusations were floating on social media while the Harsins were getting ready to head to the airport to leave Auburn for a vacation to Mexico. The conversations about Harsin's job status were snowballing while the couple was in the air and reached a fever pitch once they landed abroad. |
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