| Wednesday, March 9, 2022 |
| Temporary construction closures impact Bost Drive, intersection and sidewalks | |
 | Campus Services is announcing the temporary closures of Bost Drive, the intersection of Bost and Stone Blvd. and adjoining sidewalks. The closures will run from March 9 through July 1, 2022, to allow for new sidewalk, drainage and landscape construction along Bost Drive, near the Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Alpha, and Pi Kappa Alpha houses. Please contact the Facilities Management Service Desk at 662-325-2005 if you have any questions. |
| MSU State Singers will perform at Carnegie Hall on March 19th | |
 | These Mississippi State student performers are taking their talents to a world-renowned stage in New York City. The MSU State Singers will perform at Carnegie Hall on March 19th. The recital is a joint concert with choirs from McPherson College in Kansas and Wagner College in New York state. State Singers is MSU's premiere choral-vocal ensemble at Mississippi State. Students join through a competitive audition process and perform full-length concerts, both on and off campus. This is the choir's third time in 10 years to perform at Carnegie Hall. |
| SOCSD hosting community input session on superintendent search | |
 | The public is invited Thursday evening to give input regarding the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's search for a new superintendent. The board, along with contracted hiring firm Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, will host the input session at 6 p.m. at the Greensboro Center. The new superintendent will replace Eddie Peasant, who is retiring June 30. Wesley Gordon, the new SOCSD board president, said the firm is hosting separate focus group meetings with teachers and administrators within the district, as well as other community leaders. Surveys have also gone out to district patrons. "We've broken it down, like some (Mississippi State University) people, government people, parents, faculty and staff, they're all meeting with the consultants," Gordon said. "They are all going to get the same questions to keep it consistent, but (the purpose) is to figure out what we're doing good, what we're doing bad, what they want to see in the next leader." Gordon expects to hear broader opinions on Thursday for what the community wants as there are many different people and cultures within the district. The purpose of the meetings are to compile information and use that to select the best superintendent candidate, which SOCSD is looking to hire by mid-May. |
| Oktibbeha County to move forward with design process of county lake dam | |
| The county is moving forward with the design process of rehabilitating the Oktibbeha County Lake Dam. After lengthy debate whether to improve the dam's decades-long structural issues or to decommission the lake, the board of supervisors voted to take the next steps of improvement and develop a design for revising the dam. Supervisors contracted with Flowood-based Pickering Engineering Firm, a company included in larger engineering firm Mississippi Engineering Group, in July 2021 to investigate the status of the dam. While the board did not decide how it will fund these renovations, it chose to move to the next step of a design process for renovation with Pickering and MEG. MDEQ Chief of Dam Safety Division William McKercher outlined the dam's insufficiencies, including deficient slope sizes, inadequate spillway capacities and cracks within the spillway. Former Executive Vice President for Pickering Carl Ray Furr told the board a decommissioned dam is meant for flood control and not for recreation, which was the original purpose of the lake. He said his group has applied for a grant through the National Resources Conservation Service to potentially help fund improvements. District 4 Supervisor Bricklee Miller, board president and ultimately the lone supervisor to support decommissioning the lake, said she already discussed this grant with McKercher who said because the Oktibbeha County Lake is meant for recreational purposes and not for agriculture or soil conservation, the county would not be eligible to receive these funds, to which Furr disagreed. "Well, I've got news for you Madam President," Furr said. "It's already in Washington." |
| Oktibbeha supervisor attempts to fire road manager | |
| An Oktibbeha County supervisor attempted to single-handedly fire the county road manager, prompting other board members on Monday to rally around the embattled employee. District 2 Supervisor Orlando Trainer asked for Hal Baggett's resignation Feb. 18 over concerns Baggett was more worried about "trying not to get fired" than running the department effectively. Because an action such as firing an employee needs three out of five supervisor votes, Baggett did not resign. The board did not vote to fire him. Trainer brought up the situation following Baggett's department report at Monday's supervisors meeting, citing that Baggett has indicated several times he was afraid of being fired. Trainer said if Baggett is continuously operating with unease, he does not think Baggett can perform his job to the best of his abilities, ultimately negatively affecting the county. "I'm thinking that your perspective has made you not as effective as you could possibly be," Trainer told Baggett. Baggett, defending himself before the board on Monday, said his job is dependent upon what the board wants, with the law stating he works at the will and pleasure of the board. He said he knows he has to keep them satisfied to ensure he stays on as road manager. |
| Viking's first Mississippi River ship, Viking Mississippi, touches water in Louisiana | |
 | Viking Mississippi, which is planned to sail along the Mississippi River in June 2022, floated out into Louisiana water on Monday, marking a major construction milestone for Viking's newest vessel and the first time the ship has touched water. The first of Viking's new Mississippi River cruise ships, Viking Mississippi will sail on the Lower and Upper Mississippi River, between New Orleans and St. Paul. Ports of call on Viking's Mississippi River itinerary encompass seven U.S. states including Baton Rouge, Darrow, New Orleans and St. Francisville in Louisiana; Natchez and Vicksburg in Mississippi; Memphis, Tennessee; Hannibal and St. Louis in Missouri; Burlington, Dubuque and Davenport in Iowa; La Crosse in Wisconsin; and Red Wing and St. Paul in Minnesota. The traditional float out took place at Edison Chouest Offshore's LaShip shipyard in Houma, Louisiana. A float out denotes a ship moving into its final stage of construction. The company says Viking's arrival to the Mississippi will represent their major commitment to tourism and economic development in many communities along the river, with the new voyages expected to bring more than 7,500 guests to the region in 2022 and 17,600 plus guests during the first full sailing season in 2023. The five-deck Viking Mississippi will host up to 386 guests in 193 all outside staterooms. |
| Top Mississippi health official resigning at end of July | |
 | The Mississippi public health official who has led the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic will resign at the end of July and hopes to go back into clinical work and teaching, the state Health Department announced Tuesday. During dozens of news conferences and other public appearances, Dr. Thomas Dobbs has implored people to get vaccinated, wear masks and maintain social distancing. He persisted even as many people, including some public officials, resisted his messages. Dobbs has held faculty positions at colleges and universities in the Southeast, including at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and was state epidemiologist before moving into the top job at the Health Department in 2018. He said Tuesday that he would like to return to the academic world to teach about public health and infectious diseases. "I feel like the time is right for me to return to the clinical side of medicine, particularly the communicable disease treatment of patients," Dobbs said in a Health Department news release. The health officer is chosen by the state Board of Health and confirmed by the state Senate. The board will meet soon to discuss appointing an interim health officer, the release said. |
| Vicksburg Physician Dan Edney Named Deputy State Health Officer Following Dobbs' Resignation | |
 | The Mississippi State Department of Health on Wednesday announced State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs will resign from his position at the end of July 2022. "I feel like the time is right for me to return to the clinical side of medicine, particularly the communicable disease treatment of patients," Dobbs said in a press release from MSDH. "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at MSDH, particularly working with this dedicated health staff and advancing the field of health equity in Mississippi." Dobbs began his career at MSDH in 2008 and has held numerous roles including District Health Officer, State Epidemiologist, and Deputy State Health Officer. "I can't express enough my admiration and appreciation for his dedicated service to our state, especially through our trials with COVID," local physician and MSDH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dan Edney said. "He has done a magnificent job strengthening the Department of Health in all respects and will truly be missed by everyone at MSDH. He's a true hero in my book." Edney, who is also a member of the American Medical Association and Mississippi State Medical Association where he serves as Past President, has now been named Deputy State Health Officer. |
| Brad White confirmed to lead Mississippi Department of Transportation | |
 | The Mississippi Senate on Monday confirmed Brad White, a longtime political operative in Mississippi, to be the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation. John Caldwell, the transportation commissioner for the northern district, told the Daily Journal that White has worked hard this legislative session to promote policies that are beneficial to MDOT, and he deserves all the credit. "We are super excited about the direction that Brad is taking us in," Caldwell said. "As the director, he has hit the ground running. This first legislative session, he has been one of the most successful people." White moved to MDOT after serving as chief of staff for Republican Gov. Tate Reeves. He has also been chief of staff for the late U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran and for U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who congratulated White on his confirmation. "I know you will continue to serve Mississippi well!" Hyde-Smith tweeted. The state Transportation Commission appointed White to his new role last June. In Mississippi, most appointees can lead state agencies or serve on boards before they're confirmed by the state Senate. "I believe the culture of transportation is bright under his leadership," Senate Transportation Committee Chair Jenifer Branning said of White. |
| Lawmakers send several bills to conference in an attempt to find compromise | |
| There's no secret that the House and Senate aren't always on the same page. And we're to the point in the legislative session where they're forced to either agree or send bills to what's known as conference. That's where they work on finding compromise. There's still a question mark over what will happen with alcohol distribution in Mississippi. If the Senate gets its way, it will involve a new ABC warehouse. The House has other ideas. "The bill that the House has passed, two years in a row would basically remove the government from that business," said Rep. Trey Lamar, House Ways and Means Chairman. "And so therefore, we would no longer be in the business. Private companies with GM build their own warehouses, spend their own private dollars on warehousing and shipping and all of that of the product." "They're already having problems and issues with distributed liquor, keeping liquor, identifying the right liquors inside of the warehouse that they currently have," noted Rep. Chris Bell. "You have restaurants that have complained, you have liquor stores who have been complaining about the way ABC does business, and it's time to put them out of business." The House changed the Senate bill, replacing it with that privatization language. Now, they're sending it to conference in an attempt to work out a deal. Another proposal going to conference could improve access to healthcare for some rural Mississippians. "Allowing five pilot freestanding ERs to be built in counties where there's no, where there's not a currently an emergency room," said Rep. Sam Mims, Public Health and Human Services Chairman. Both of those bills are subject to more debate after the conference committees finish negotiations. Other bills headed for an attempt at negotiations include raises for state troopers that could bump starting pay to more than $48,000 and a pathway to restoring the ballot initiative process. |
| Legislature offers lifeline for telemedicine in the state | |
 | House lawmakers have passed Senate Bill 2738, which would permanently allow physicians in Mississippi to meet with their patients remotely. Prior to the pandemic, telehealth could only be conducted between two health providers. Emergency orders issued throughout the coronavirus pandemic in the state have allowed for patient-to-provider telemedicine, either on the phone or through video calls. Dr. Geri Weiland is President of the Mississippi State Medical Association. "Mississippians like it, physicians like it, it's really a way to reach people sometimes when you have no other way to reach them," says Dr. Weiland. "So what's happened is that now that the emergency proclamation is over with, if the legislature doesn't come up with an answer then there won't be this physician-to-patient available telehealth and we go back to provider-to-provider." Telehealth grew rapidly in Mississippi throughout the pandemic. State Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney says from 2019 to 2020, the number of people seeking telehealth grew by 2,400%. He says this allows doctors to reach patients in rural communities, especially in the field of mental health. Senate Bill 2738 passed the House as amended in committee with a vote of 118 to 4, and is expected to be taken up in conference for further debate. |
| Mississippi Legislature looks to control who you can buy a car from | |
 | The question of whether the state government should decide how you buy a car, whether from a local franchise or directly from the manufacturer, is before the Mississippi Senate this week. HB 833, authored by State Rep. Trey Lamar, would essentially force Mississippians to only purchase a vehicle from franchisees, providing government protection for franchisee owned dealerships against competition from manufacturer direct sales or company owned dealerships. How this made its way through the Mississippi House of Representatives has many free-market conservatives scratching their heads, as the Magnolia State under a decade of Republican leadership has, thus far, sought to expand competition and welcomed innovative models of new enterprise. Yet, this bill passed the House by a vote of 111-9 and has also been passed out of the Senate Finance Committee ahead of what is a likely floor vote in the Mississippi Senate. Douglas Carswell with the Mississippi Center for Public Policy did not mince words when asked about this bill. "HB 833 is one of the worst bills presented to the Mississippi state legislature in years," Carswell told Y'all Politics on Wednesday. "The bill serves zero purpose other than to protect the vested interests of car sellers by prohibiting Mississippians from buying their cars direct from the car manufacturers. This will push the price of cars up at a time when prices are rising and household incomes are under pressure." This bill will certainly impact Elon Musk's Tesla operation. They launched a campaign against HB 833 earlier this year, saying it is a detrimental bill that would block direct sales of EVs (electric vehicles) by manufacturers. |
| 'Home Town' stars back Mississippi city's tourism tax effort | |
| The Mississippi House honored the stars of HGTV's "Home Town" at the state Capitol on Tuesday, and married couple Ben and Erin Napier used the visit to help lobby for a possible increase in a local tourism tax for their community. The Napiers renovate homes in and around Laurel, Mississippi, on the show that's now in its sixth season. They joined others from their community at the Capitol. Mayor Johnny Magee said Laurel -- with a population of about 17,000 -- has enjoyed a big boost in tourism since "Home Town" began airing in 2016. The state House presented the Napiers with a resolution that commends them and their show for "promoting positive images of Mississippi nationwide." Laurel already has a 2-cent tax on restaurant meals and hotel stays, and Magee said the city collected about $2 million from it last year. Senate Bill 2155 would allow Laurel residents to vote on setting an additional 1-cent tax on hotels only. Magee said the city wants to use some of the additional money to develop a welcome center that would include a museum highlighting Black history and culture. Other proceeds would be used to advertise Laurel. The bill passed the Senate by a wide margin and moves to the House for more debate. It is one of several bills that would allow communities to vote on tourism taxes to support a variety of projects. |
| Congressional elections on schedule despite court challenge of new map | |
| The candidates for the four U.S. House seats are set and will be on the ballot later this year even though the boundaries for those four seats are currently being challenged in federal court. The NAACP and other groups are charging in federal court that the Legislature's redrawing of those four U.S. House seats dilutes Black voting strength. That case is pending before a three-judge panel. But the federal lawsuit has thus far not changed the timeline for the election. March 1 was the deadline for candidates to qualify to run for the congressional seats. The party primary election is set for June 7, and the general election is scheduled for Nov. 8. All of the state's congressional districts are considered safe -- the 1st, 3rd and 4th -- for the Republicans and the 2nd for the Democrats. The federal lawsuit, in part, contends that if African Americans were not placed in the 2nd in such large numbers that some of the other districts might be more competitive. The lawsuit is ongoing in part because the Legislature redrew the districts earlier this year based on population changes found by the 2020 Census. |
| Has the pandemic made the U.S. less vulnerable to oil price spikes? | |
| As of Tuesday, Russian oil is no longer welcome in the United States. President Joe Biden announced a ban on Russian energy imports and the U.K. is following suit, although it's planning a more gradual phase-out by the end of the year. Even though Russian oil accounts for only 8% of U.S. imports, Biden acknowledged the economic pain wouldn't be limited to Russian leader Vladimir Putin. U.S. consumers have already been feeling the impact of high global oil prices. AAA reported the average price of a gallon of gasoline was $4.17 Tuesday, the highest on record. In the 1970s, early 1990s and even in 2008, major runups in energy costs preceded recessions. But this time may be different. It seems like every time there's a shock to the oil market, the U.S. economy face-plants. "There's a remarkable correlation over history of recessions being preceded by increases in oil price," said Jeff Frankel, a former economic adviser to Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. According to Frankel, correlation was more causation back in the '70s. Turmoil in the Middle East led to soaring gas prices and shrinking disposable incomes. But the U.S. energy infrastructure has changed a lot since then, he said. "We used to be a net importer of oil, and now we're roughly in balance. We export oil and natural gas," he said. That means states like Texas will boom when energy prices are high, and the U.S. can ramp up domestic production to tide us over. Though it seems counterintuitive, the pandemic has made American consumers less vulnerable to a major energy shock, said Eric Freedman at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. |
| Sen. Wicker responds to ban on Russian energy imports | |
| President Biden announced Tuesday that the United States will ban all Russian energy imports as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. "We're banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy. That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at U.S. ports, and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin's war machine," Biden said from the White House, adding that the move has bipartisan support. During the announcement, the president acknowledged that the decision will further steepen the rapidly climbing gas prices in America. "Defending freedom is going to cost," he said. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) shared his thoughts on Biden's additional sanctions on Russia. "This moment of moral clarity requires American leadership," Mississippi's senior U.S. senator said. "I am glad that President Biden has finally heeded repeated calls to cut off Russia's energy revenue, and I hope our European allies will soon follow." Wicker also stated that he believes Biden should commit to making America energy independent once again. According to the Institute for Energy Research, the U.S. was energy independent in 2019 for the first time in 62 years. "There is simply no reason that the U.S. cannot supply all of our own energy needs and become a net exporter of energy again," he said. |
| Senate passes $107 billion USPS overhaul, sending bill to Biden for expected approval | |
 | The Senate on Tuesday approved a $107 billion financial overhaul of the long-beleaguered U.S. Postal Service, providing monetary relief for the agency that leaders say will allow it to modernize and invest in efficient service. President Biden has signaled his intent to sign the legislation, which has already cleared the House. The Postal Service Reform Act, which passed 79 to 19, provides financial flexibility for the mail agency to take on improvements that have been debated for years. Republicans have traditionally criticized the agency as a poster child for government waste and incompetence, even as it won high marks for approval and trust from the public. During the pandemic, Democrats hailed mail workers as everyday heroes and pushed the agency as an example of the benefits of robust government services. But the Postal Service's role throughout the coronavirus pandemic forced lawmakers to reach a consensus on restructuring its balance sheet, with worries that the agency could not withstand another financial shock. Nearly half of all voters cast their ballots by mail during the 2020 election, and postal workers hauled packages from doorstep to doorstep amid surging e-commerce demand, allowing individuals to purchase essentials remotely and stay home during public health shutdowns. The legislation also codifies new timely-delivery transparency requirements for the Postal Service, which has struggled with on-time service since Postmaster General Louis DeJoy took office in June 2020, and allows the agency to contract with local, state and Indigenous governments to offer basic non-mail services, such as hunting and fishing licenses. |
| Sprawling $1.5 trillion appropriations package nears finish line | |
 | The House is set to vote Wednesday on an omnibus spending bill that would funnel more aid to Ukraine, provide another round of COVID-19 medical assistance and fund the government through September. The long-awaited package for the current fiscal year, which is nearly half over, would provide about $1.5 trillion in discretionary spending for all federal departments and agencies. It also resolves a monthslong partisan standoff over how to divvy up the budget pie between defense and nondefense programs. Defense-related spending would rise by $42 billion, or 5.6 percent, over last year's level, to $782 billion. Nondefense spending would increase by $46 billion, or 6.7 percent, to $730 billion, according to a summary from House Appropriations Committee Democrats. Those increases come close to meeting the Republican demand for "parity" between defense and nondefense spending, which had stalled negotiations for months. And the measure includes billions of dollars worth of "earmarks" for the first time in over a decade since the practice was effectively banned. House lawmakers secured over $4.2 billion in local projects benefiting their constituents. Senators secured many of their own, including some big legacy projects for retiring members like top GOP appropriator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, who won inclusion of earmarks such as $60 million for the University of South Alabama College of Medicine in Mobile, $32 million for dredging in Mobile Harbor and $100 million for improvements at Mobile Downtown Airport. |
| Biden to sign crypto executive order opening door for digital dollar, innovation and equity push | |
 | The Biden administration is tackling cryptocurrency and blockchain with a new executive order meant to promote future innovation in the industry while minimizing the financial risks to Americans and the global financial system. The order, which President Joe Biden is expected to sign Wednesday, will hasten the research and possible creation of the Federal Reserve's own digital currency, pushes for greater support for innovation in blockchain technology and works to ensure the new systems won't increase inequality or financial swings. Agencies like the Commerce, State and Treasury departments, as well as the Federal Reserve, have been working with or researching cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies for years. The latest executive order, developed in conversations with major industry players, is bringing in the entire administration to the effort. The administration's executive order is the most significant intervention the federal government has taken into cryptocurrency and blockchain technology so far. The order instructs federal agencies to collaborate on digital assets in six areas: consumer and investor protection; financial stability; illicit finance; U.S. leadership in the global financial system and economic competitiveness; financial inclusion; and responsible innovation. The administration denies that the rollout of the executive order is affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Senior officials are also confident that cryptocurrencies can't serve as an effective workaround for sanctions the U.S. and its allies have imposed on Russian elites and financial intuitions, especially the Russian Central Bank. |
| Russia underestimated Ukraine's resistance, US officials say | |
| The United States believes Russia underestimated the strength of Ukraine's resistance before launching an invasion that has likely caused thousands of Russian casualties, the Biden administration's top intelligence official told lawmakers Tuesday. The testimony, in a hearing before the House Intelligence Committee, amounted to the first public assessment of the 2-week-old war by the nation's senior intelligence officials, who offered their insights into the thinking and motives of Russian President Vladimir Putin as his forces continue their march through Ukraine. The officials made clear that Russia's assault has been slowed by unexpected resistance by Ukrainian defenders and that it was now uncertain if Putin would proceed with a "maximalist" strategy to try to capture all of Ukraine or would settle for something short of that. Either way, they said they believed he was determined to press his invasion forward despite mounting casualties, global sanctions and efforts by Western nations to isolate the Kremlin, including a U.S. ban on Russian oil imports. At one point during the hearing, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, noted that many of his constituents thought Putin was "crazy" or was at least acting that way. He asked Burns how he assessed the Russian leader's mental state. Burns replied that he considered the Russian leader to be increasingly insulated and hardened in his views. "In my opinion, that doesn't make him crazy, but it makes him extremely difficult to deal with," Burns said. |
| Republicans, Once Harsh Ukraine Critics, Pivot to Strong Support | |
 | In the final years of Donald J. Trump's presidency, Republicans portrayed Ukraine as an Eastern European Wild West run by nefarious oligarchs and unlawful politicians, a bad actor that sought to tamper in American elections and channel millions of dollars to Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s son. "We're talking Ukraine," thundered Representative Jim Jordan, Republican of Ohio, in 2019, describing the country as "one of the three most corrupt countries on the planet." The setting was a hearing for Mr. Trump's first impeachment, over his efforts to pressure Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, into digging up political dirt on Mr. Biden. Now such voices are fading, as the bulk of the Republican Party tries to get on the right side of history amid a brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine. Republicans are among the most vociferous champions for the United States to amp up its military response, and are competing to issue the strongest expressions of solidarity with Ukraine's leaders. Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi has taken up Mr. Zelensky's call for a western-enforced no-fly zone. Senator Rick Scott of Florida said deploying U.S. ground troops to Ukraine should not be "off the table." Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina encouraged the assassination of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to save a nation that many in his party had previously portrayed as hardly worth saving. The Republican center of gravity has undergone what Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut and a longtime advocate for the Ukrainian community in his state, called a "sea change," a swing of the pendulum so sharp that some fear it could lead Congress to unwittingly widen the war. "I am extremely concerned that some of these policies being pushed from policymakers on both sides of aisle will put us on a path toward a conflict with a nuclear-armed Russia," said Dan Caldwell, the vice president of foreign policy for Stand Together, a group funded by the conservative billionaire Charles Koch that advocates military restraint. |
| A new iron curtain descends on Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine | |
| An economic and cultural iron curtain is descending on Russia as President Vladimir Putin proceeds with his invasion of Ukraine, reversing decades of integration with Western economies and threatening to isolate Russians to an extent unseen since the Soviet era. The dramatic severing is the result of punishing restrictions put in place by the United States and Europe, including bans on Russian aircraft flying in Western airspace and sanctions on the central bank. It has been compounded by a voluntary exodus of international companies from the Russian market. But the isolation is also a function of the repressive measures Putin has taken at home. Those moves have curbed the free flow of information online, contained public protest and sent thousands of Russians fleeing abroad, fearing the possibility of martial law, conscription or closed borders in a country careening toward a more severe form of authoritarianism. "As Putin tries to reduce Ukraine to rubble, he is also turning Russia into a prison," Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said during testimony to Congress on Tuesday. The result is the rise of a pariah state version of Russia, which has swiftly become a place many of its own citizens don't even recognize --- one where money is subject to capital controls; where the radio and television stations of the Russian intelligentsia no longer broadcast; where TikTok won't accept video uploads; and where the Russian team can't compete for the FIFA World Cup. "For the average person who is less economically integrated with the rest of the world, they are going to feel it first when it comes to prices. They are going to see things disappear from the shelves," said Kristy Ironside, a historian at McGill University who focuses on Russia. "For the younger professional class, this is going to be devastating to them. Their lives are really going to change quickly." |
| The West's Challenge: Helping Ukraine Without Firing on Russians | |
 | The U.S. and its allies are walking a fine line in Ukraine, seeking to help the Ukrainians thwart the Russian invasion while avoiding crossing Russian red lines and getting pulled into a direct conflict with a nuclear-armed adversary. So far, Washington and European capitals have responded to the steadily increasing violence of Moscow's military offensive with weapons deliveries, intelligence sharing and financial aid to Kyiv, as well as sweeping economic sanctions against Russia. Western efforts to support Ukraine as it fights the Russians go well beyond the assistance the U.S. and its allies delivered to the mujahedeen following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Such intervention is a gray area in conflict. Against a country with nuclear weapons, it is fraught with risks of miscalculation. The back and forth over whether and how to supply warplanes to Ukraine from NATO's stock of Soviet-era jets is a sign of the sensitivity involved. Delivering them to Ukraine would involve significant logistical difficulties and raise questions about who would fly them there and how Russia would react. The big question for the U.S. and its allies is whether flirting with this possible red line would be worth it given the potential limited upside for Kyiv. Concern over direct confrontation is also why the West so far has refused President Volodymyr Zelensky's pleas to impose a no-fly zone over Ukrainian territory, a step that would risk a direct confrontation between Western and Russian forces. |
| Bird flu toll leaps to 2.8 million chickens and turkeys | |
| With new outbreaks in Iowa and Missouri, nearly 2.8 million birds -- almost entirely chickens and turkeys -- have died in one month due to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the Agriculture Department said on Monday. The viral disease has been identified in 23 poultry farms and backyard flocks in a dozen states since February 8, when the first report of "high path" bird flu in a domestic flock was reported. HPAI was confirmed over the weekend on a turkey farm with 50,000 birds in Buena Vista County in northwestern Iowa and in a backyard mixed-species flock of 43 birds in Bates County in western Missouri, about 50 miles south of Kansas City. Those discoveries followed the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's confirmation of HPAI in a flock of 664,061 laying hens in Cecil County, in the northeast corner of Maryland, and in 360,000 broiler chickens in Stoddard County, in southeastern Missouri. More than 50 million chickens and turkeys died in an HPAI epidemic that ran from December 2014 through June 2015, driving up egg prices and leaving some grocery stores short of eggs. The outbreak also triggered import bans by some countries against U.S. poultry meat; 16% of U.S. poultry meat is exported. |
| GM plans to test using electric vehicles as a power backup for homes | |
 | As climate change drives conversation about energy efficiency, General Motors and Pacific Gas & Electric are planning to test the use of electric vehicles as a backup power source for homes. The pilot, which comes as car companies are funneling money into battery-powered cars, aims to test the home-powering idea by this summer. The program will take place in the electric company's service area, which includes Northern and Central California, and aims to support the state's goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The crux of the initiative is bidirectional charging, which would allow the vehicle to pull power from the grid and to supply power to something else -- in this case, a home. After lab testing, the partners plan to allow a small group of customers' homes to receive power from an electric vehicle when power stops flowing from the electrical grid. The vehicle-to-home electric vehicle echoes the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, an electric pickup that automatically powers a home if the lights go out, when the vehicle is connected to the home in a certain way. The pickup operates similar to a home generator. The battery can power a home for three days, and even up to 10 if the power is rationed properly |
| U.S. Senate passes resolution condemning bomb threats against HBCUs | |
| The United States Senate passed a bipartisan resolution that condemned the bomb threats at Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country in February and reaffirmed their support for students at those institutions. The threats were aimed at HBCU's across the U.S. in early February. Colleges alerted students and faculty to the threats and procedures in response through social media. February is also Black History Month. Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith praised the passage of SR 534 which highlights the importance of the educational opportunities for HBCU students, lists schools threatened by bomb threats between January 4, 2022 to February 25, 2022, including February 1 threats to Jackson State University, Alcorn State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Rust College, and Tougaloo College. "Students and staff deserve to feel secure on their college campuses, but a recent surge in threats against HBCUs has created an environment of fear," Wicker said. "I am glad to join my colleagues in condemning these violent threats and reaffirming our commitment to giving these critical institutions the support they need." Senator Hyde-Smith agreed. "These contemptible threats to schools in Mississippi and around the nation deserve condemnation and prosecution of those responsible. This resolution reaffirms our commitment to preserving HBCUs as safe settings for students to pursue a quality education and opportunities to succeed," Hyde-Smith said. |
| UM and OPD partner to combat date rape drugs on and off campus | |
 | In response to increased reports of drugging incidents both on and off-campus, the Associated Student Body and the Oxford Police Department will soon roll out new date rape drug-detecting drink coasters at bars on the Square and at various locations on campus. The coasters test for Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and Ketamine. They do not test for Xanax or Rohypnol, which is commonly known as a "roofie." OPD found that GHB and Ketamine were the two most common substances used and those tests were available from the supplier at the time. Users place a drop of their drink onto the designated spots on the coaster. If the drink has been tampered with by one of these drugs, the spot will turn a dark shade of blue. The coasters also include the OPD and the Victim Coordinator's phone numbers for further help. Each testing coaster lasts five years before it expires. Oxford Police Chief Jeff McCutchen said this is the first phase of an ongoing collaboration between the university and the police department in response to druggings. The coasters will be introduced the week after spring break. Shelli Poole, the Assistant Director of Violence Intervention & Prevention Services at UM, said there have been a higher number of reports surrounding druggings in the community this year. "There were large numbers of people who reported being drugged in the fall, and that carried over into the spring," Poole said. |
| Inside the contract dispute between Mississippi's largest hospital and insurer | |
| Tens of thousands of patients at Mississippi's largest hospital and its clinics will be on the hook for higher out-of-pocket costs if an agreement with the state's largest private insurer isn't soon reached. As a March 31 deadline for the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi to sign a new contract approaches, the two parties are meeting weekly but are nowhere near a resolution to the dispute. Though UMMC leadership maintains that reaching an agreement is their top goal, they also have another message: They're not backing down. "If they will not agree to pay us fairly, we will go out of network with Blue Cross and it will negatively impact some patients," Dr. LouAnn Woodward, UMMC vice chancellor for health affairs, said in an interview with Mississippi Today on Thursday. "That is not the desired outcome. That is not what we want. But it is important to the future of the medical center that we are paid fairly. And we are going to hold that line." But Blue Cross also appears poised to hold its line. Blue Cross officials say they also hope an agreement can be reached, but they've already begun preparing to direct their customers to get care at other in-network hospitals. "If we need to, we have the ability through a clinical team to make sure that we get them somewhere if for some reason, (UMMC) will not see them," Bryan Lagg, senior vice president of consumer marketing and sales at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, told Mississippi Today on Friday. There are two major points of contention in the contract negotiations: reimbursement rates and Blue Cross' quality care plan. |
| Women's Business Center at JSU helps fulfill the dream of entrepreneurship | |
| A story of survival has inspired Almesha Campbell, Assistant Vice President for Economic Research and Development at Jackson State University, to be successful and encourage other women to do the same. "Being a young child growing up, being very poor and seeing how my mom made something out of nothing... She sewed our clothes, and she cooked food, and food would last for days that we didn't even know." That's where the new Women's Business Center at JSU comes in, which opened in January. "It is funded by the small business administration and it's funded to basically to support women entrepreneurs in the city of Jackson and the surrounding areas and it promotes economic development within the state of Mississippi." Sydney Brown is the director of the center and agrees that this center is a vital tool in supporting and helping women launch their dream businesses. He says the center also provides business services such as one-on-one counseling, training, networking, free workshops, and technical assistance for women seeking federal contract dollars for their small businesses. "We can offer our expertise to them, and they don't have to go out and pay for the service. For example, if someone needs help with a business plan, someone in the private sector can charge them $1,000 and $2,000 to get a business plan done, but we provide our services free of charge." |
| Long awaited band hall opens on East Central campus | |
 | The newest edition on the East Central Community College in Decatur has officially opened as the Thomas W. Carson Band Hall was unveiled to the public Tuesday during a ceremony on campus. The nearly 11,000 square foot, $3.5 million band hall will house the college's Wall O' Sound marching band practice hall, music practice studios, music teaching studios, a music library, and more. "The one thing he always thought the school needed was a new band hall to expand the band program, said Brenda Carson, wife of the late Thomas Carson. "During the time that he was actually working at East Central, he was not able to accomplish that. But that happens today and we're delighted that the building is opening for the students and for all of those to come in the future." "I've always said there's something in the water here," said Chas Evans, Chair of the Fine Arts Division at ECCC. "There's something special about this place. I've talked to other people who went to East Central and they agree. There's something special here musically just in this area. This caliber of student we have here is very good." The building was named in memory of the late Carson, who spent 30 years at East Central as Director of Bands and a Music Instructor. |
| Uptick but no exodus: Despite stress, many teachers stay put | |
| Teachers have been working longer hours. They're more stressed out. And many say they've considered quitting. Yet the vast majority of teachers have stayed in the profession throughout the pandemic, according to a Chalkbeat analysis of the latest data from a number of states and large school districts. Teacher resignation rates actually dipped after COVID first hit schools. As this school year approached, the data shows, departures generally returned to pre-pandemic levels. Together, the numbers indicate that a feared teacher exodus has not yet come to pass -- although concerning signs about the health of the profession remain. "I still worry," said Gema Zamarro, a researcher at the University of Arkansas who has studied teacher turnover. "Teachers are stressed and burned out. Even if they don't leave, that could be bad." Comprehensive national data on teacher turnover is not available. The federal government does not keep annual records, and neither do some states, including California. Others, like Texas, release data on a yearlong lag. But data obtained from five states and 19 large U.S. school districts, including New York City and Houston, shows that turnover going into this school year was comparable to rates before the pandemic. Regardless of whether teachers decide to leave, their heightened stress still matters --- for them, their schools and the future of the profession. Interest in teaching among high school and college students has been declining for years, and dissatisfied current teachers could dissuade would-be educators from entering the classroom in the first place. |
| Alabama lawmakers advance another 'divisive concepts' bill that could impact colleges, grant funding | |
 | Another bill seeking to restrict teaching on race, gender and religion earned swift approval from Republican legislators in committee Tuesday afternoon. The bill, SB292, was filed by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, late last week and was voted on despite a request for a public hearing. It's a nearly identical companion to another Republican-sponsored bill, HB312, which is scheduled for a committee vote Wednesday. "We should talk about the good, the bad and the ugly," Barfoot said of classroom history lessons. "We should address the fallacies that have happened and the mistakes and bad decisions that have happened in the past. This bill does not do away with that." Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, the only Democrat and Black legislator present in the committee, was the sole opposing vote. She questioned the timing and intentions of the bill, calling it a response to misinformed concerns about so-called critical race theory in American schools. Lobbyist Clay Ryan, the senior vice chancellor for external affairs at the University of Alabama System, hinted at changes to the compromise bill last week. He said new legislation would likely "tighten up" language to avoid "broad concepts," and clear up confusion and concerns around grant funding and other instructional issues. The new bill does not include terms requested by higher education faculty that explicitly affirm academic and intellectual freedom, and no changes have been made to sections that discuss grant funding and K-12 instruction. |
| Masks no longer required in some indoor spaces at U. of Kentucky | |
 | The University of Kentucky will no longer require masks to be worn in some places on campus, following updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Masks will become optional in common areas on campus, like the Gatton Student Center, and at voluntary events, like concerts and athletics venues. Changes to the mask policy will go into effect on Wednesday, March 9. Masks will still be required in classrooms while classes are taking place, and in research facilities and laboratories, the university announced. The UK HealthCare mask policy will not change. "We are pleased to make this move at this time," President Eli Capilouto said in an email announcing the changes. "It points to the hope that we are beginning a new phase in the long battle against this virus -- moving from a pandemic to an illness that is endemic: something serious that is part of our lives but doesn't dominate seemingly every aspect of them." Capilouto said UK will continue to monitor COVID-19 data, and "we won't hesitate to change policies and processes as part of our commitment to keeping our community healthy and safe." Those who wish to continue wearing masks indoors can do so, and "that choice should be respected as should the choice to not wear a mask in a space where it is optional," Capilouto said. |
| Florida's Public Colleges May Soon Recruit Presidents in Secret | |
 | A Florida bill that would allow public colleges to conceal the names of presidential candidates until finalists are chosen is likely to become law. The legislation passed the Florida Legislature with the required two-thirds majority last week, and Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, is expected to sign it. The bill calls for making all personal identifying information of candidates for college presidencies unavailable to the public until 21 days before finalists are chosen. The law would take effect immediately, as four of the state's largest public colleges -- the Universities of Florida, North Florida, and South Florida, and Florida International University -- begin their searches for new leaders. Supporters of the bill believe closed searches will attract more and better applicants to Florida colleges. Critics of the bill fear it would contribute to undue political influence within the state-university system. Andrew Gothard, president of the United Faculty of Florida, said he was disappointed in the Legislature's decision to pass this bill. "When you take away the sunshine, you take away the best and most effective way for Florida citizens, its constituents, and its faculty to oversee the use of public dollars," he said. "And you allow the simplest avenue for potential cronyism, corruption, and other forms of political manipulation of our higher-education system." |
| U. of Nebraska asks governor hopefuls to stop using images | |
| The University of Nebraska is asking three Republican candidates for governor to stop using its logos and other imagery in campaign ads. The university sent letters to Charles Herbster, state Sen. Brett Lindstrom and University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen, according to the Omaha World-Herald. University spokeswoman Melissa Lee said the letter was sent partly to avoid the perception that the university is endorsing a candidate. "We understand all Nebraskans have an affinity for the red N, but university logos, slogans and other materials are trademarks belonging to the University of Nebraska, and we have a legal responsibility to protect them," Lee said in a statement. "It is not uncommon for us to respectfully request that our trademarks not be used, including in political campaigns in which we are neutral." As a tax-exempt government entity, the university is barred from participating in political campaigns or endorsing candidates. Pillen and Lindstrom both are former Husker football players. Each has highlighted that experience in ads that feature easily recognizable university logos. Herbster, the owner of multiple businesses, used university imagery in a recent ad that targets Pillen with allegations about his record on critical race theory. Lee, the university spokeswoman, said in an email Monday that the university had not determined next steps if candidates don't take the requested actions. |
| U. of North Carolina's Head of Research Cited for Research Misconduct | |
| The vice chancellor for research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill engaged in research misconduct when he plagiarized in his application for a federal grant for cancer research, according to a recent report from the federal Office of Research Integrity. In its findings published Tuesday, the office said Terry Magnuson, also a professor of genetics, "knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly" plagiarized from three online articles and one published paper in his grant application to the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health last March. The Office of Research Integrity, which is housed within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a federal watchdog agency tasked with detecting and punishing the misconduct of scientists who conduct research funded by several federal departments, such as the NIH. The office defines research misconduct as "fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results." Magnuson, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, is the founding chair of the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Genetics. He was appointed the university's vice chancellor for research in 2016 and then reappointed in April 2021 following administrative review. He oversees the campus's $1-billion research program, including supporting research faculty, staff, trainees, and students, and maintaining regulatory compliance. |
| Amid congressional focus on HBCUs, Senate Democrats to huddle at Howard University | |
| Senate Democrats have chosen a significant venue for their annual issues conference: Howard University, with headline remarks -- that are closed to the press -- from President Joe Biden expected Wednesday evening. The Democrats will visit the landmark historically Black university in Washington at a time when HBCUs nationwide have faced a series of extremist bomb threats. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a co-chair of the bipartisan HBCU caucus, praised the venue choice in a statement to CQ Roll Call. "HBCUs across the country are critical engines of our nation's economy and social fabric, and Howard University is a cornerstone institution in our nation's Capital, with alumni who span business leaders, the Vice President of the United States, and members of my own team," Coons said. "The university will be an excellent reminder throughout Wednesday's retreat of the need to reinvest in institutions that open doors for those who have been historically excluded, as well to take steps to address the repeated threats of violence HBCUs have faced in recent months." Howard's alumni include Vice President Kamala Harris, as Coons noted, as well as the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, former Democratic Rep. Andrew Young of Georgia, the late Nobel-Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, singer Roberta Flack and Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch. |
| Biden officials signal they might extend student loan payment freeze | |
 | The Biden administration dropped a new hint this week that it may further extend the freeze on federal student loan payments for tens of millions of borrowers as the White House weighs a final decision. Education Department officials instructed the companies that manage federal student loans to hold off on sending required notices to borrowers about their payments starting, according to three people familiar with the matter. The guidance to loan servicers did not announce a further extension of the payment pause, those people said. But the directive is the clearest indication yet that the Biden administration is leaning toward another extension of the pandemic relief. White House chief of staff Ron Klain said last week that such an extension was under consideration by the Biden administration as it grapples with a broader question of whether to cancel large swaths of student debt. The administration has not said publicly how long an extension it may consider. Conservatives, meanwhile, are growing frustrated with the Biden administration's continued extension of the pandemic relief program. Top GOP members of Congress have urged the administration to resume student loan payments, citing the growing cost to taxpayers of suspending interest and monthly payments. The Education Department estimates that the pandemic relief saves borrowers about $5 billion in interest each month and has increased the cost of the federal student loan program by more than $100 billion over the past two years. |
| 'Where Is Everybody?' Some Public Colleges Cut Ties With Russia Over Ukraine War | |
| Public universities in Arizona this week joined a handful of others nationwide that said they would sell their Russian assets after an Arizona Board of Regents vote on Monday. The move is largely symbolic, but board members see it as an important demonstration of their disapproval of President Vladimir V. Putin's war in Ukraine. Arizona's regents told the presidents of Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University to divest their foundations, pension funds, and retirement plans from Russia. Fred DuVal, chair-elect of the board, acknowledged in an interview that the amount the universities would sell off was relatively small -- $4 million, or a fraction of a percent of their portfolios -- and was unlikely to be felt in Russia. But he hoped other universities would follow. "Collectively, universities across the country, if they all did it, it would have a meaningful impact," DuVal said. He added that the universities would also be ending partnerships with Russian universities, though those were also minor and mostly amounted to several agreements that allowed students to take classes at one another's universities for credit. Some other public universities are taking similar steps. Last week the governors of Virginia and Colorado urged the public colleges in their states to divest from Russia. The governor of Indiana asked public colleges to disclose Russian funding and research ties. |
| Colleges cut financial ties to Russia | |
 | The Arizona Board of Regents announced Monday it would exit all investments in Russian assets, adding the three-university system to a small but growing list of institutions that have severed economic ties with Russia as the country continues its invasion of Ukraine. Colleges and universities have used their investments to advance political goals in the past. In the late 1970s and 1980s, many higher education institutions responded to student and faculty calls to divest from South Africa in protest against the country's system of apartheid. In recent years, a growing number of colleges and universities have divested their endowments from the fossil fuel industry. Few institutions are heavily invested in Russian assets, making divestment more symbolic than practical. The University of California, which boasts $164 billion in total assets, has "nearly zero" exposure to Russian assets, said Ryan King, a spokesperson for the system. Still, the system "wholeheartedly supports the Governor's call to restrict the flow of California's capital to Russia in light of its invasion of Ukraine," King said. "We join the millions of others throughout the world in condemning this brutal action, which has unfortunately cost lives, roiled global markets and devalued Russian assets." Governors in other states have also urged their higher education institutions to part ways with Russia. In Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin asked colleges and universities to "divest in a prudent and orderly fashion any and all holdings of the Russian ruble and any and all securities of Russian companies." Indiana governor Eric Holcomb has asked public universities to disclose research and funding ties to the country. |
| Will Legislature choose the 'better solution?' | |
| Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford writes: The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) wants to stand up a new venture capital non-profit to handle $52 million in COVID-19 funds coming to Mississippi. A bill is pending in the Legislature to do just that. Hmmm. In 1994 the Legislature undertook a nearly identical venture. It put $20 million into Magnolia Venture Capital Corporation, a private non-profit under the control of the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development (MDA's predecessor). The venture failed, did not start-up any new ventures and was investigated for extravagant expenditures and corrupt activities. "We ended up with a scandal before," said state Sen. David Blount when the bill came through the Senate. "If you look at history, any time government gets involved in private business affairs like this, you end up with misspending, strong arming, cronyism and corruption," said state Sen. Chris McDaniel. As suggested by Mississippi Today, when Jackson Democrat Blount and Laurel Republican McDaniel align, you know something unusual is in the woodpile. ... Perhaps the members of the House Ways and Means Committee weren't paying attention. Mississippi has been down this road before. No. Mississippi has run off this road, through the ditch and into the gully before. "Venture capital is by definition making risky investments," noted Blount. "That's not our job." |
| Surviving ballot initiative measure welcome, but short of rights voters previously had | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: State Sen. John Polk, R-Hattiesburg, chairman of the Senate Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee, kept observers wondering for the first two months of the 2022 legislative session what would be the fate of efforts to revive the state's ballot initiative process. To his credit, the pragmatic Polk last week revealed a plan to salvage a modicum of the rights that Mississippi voters had enjoyed since the early 1990s when he guided House Resolution 39 to passage in his committee. There was a real possibility that the voters could have gone through the 2022 session with nothing on the ballot initiative front. As noted in previous columns on this topic, there has existed a sort of iron triangle between the voters, the Mississippi Legislature and the state Supreme Court for more than a century on the issue of ballot initiatives. The voters have struggled to hold on to their ability to bypass the Legislature in changing public policy in the state. Why? Because the Legislature designed the former initiative process in Mississippi to be difficult for those who wish to circumvent lawmakers and get into the business of directly writing or changing laws for themselves. |
SPORTS
| Backed by big inning, Parker Stinnett leads No. 23 Mississippi State over No. 17 Texas Tech | |
| Asked if Tuesday's performance against Texas Tech proved he could start for Mississippi State going forward, Parker Stinnett smiled. "I hope so," he said. The right-hander seemed determined to show it in his first start of the season against the Red Raiders on Tuesday at MGM Park in Biloxi. Stinnett struck out a career-high 12 Red Raiders over five innings without allowing an earned run, and a nine-run fourth inning led No. 23 Mississippi State (7-6) over No. 17 Texas Tech (10-3) by an 11-5 score. "I guess I just was ready to start a game," Stinnett said. "I don't really know." He helped the Bulldogs notch a key win after losing three of their past four games, including two out of three in last weekend's series at Tulane. Mississippi State blew an eight-run lead in Saturday's game and fell to 6-6 on the season with a 5-4 loss Sunday. But the nearly 5,800 fans who watched the Bulldogs rout the Red Raiders in the first of a two-game series on the Gulf Coast would be hard pressed to pick up on MSU's struggles. "I think when you wear our uniform, you feel like you're supposed to win every game, and we've had a tough little stretch," Mississippi State coach Chris Lemonis said. "We're trying to find ourselves as a team. Those kids, they wanted to come out and play well tonight." Mississippi State pounded 10 hits -- including six of them in its massive fourth inning -- en route to winning the midweek matchup. The Bulldogs scored in double digits for the third time in four games. |
| Mississippi State routs No. 17 Texas Tech in first matchup of two-game midweek series | |
| You don't often see "must win" college baseball games in early March, but that's what the defending national champions had Tuesday night at MGM Park. At least, that's what sophomore right-hander Parker Stinnett said it felt like for Mississippi State. Stinnett pitched like he was in the third game of a super regional, and the No. 23-ranked Bulldogs defeated No. 17 Texas Tech 11-5. Coming off a series loss at Tulane and in danger of falling below .500, the Bulldogs had lost three of their last four. "We came into this game knowing it was a game we had to win," said Stinnett, who allowed one hit, one run and struck out 12 in five innings of work. MSU coach Chris Lemonis wasn't quite as emphatic on the must-win part even though this two-game series presents the Bulldogs (7-6) with resume-boosting opportunities against a team that has reached the College World Series four times in the last seven postseasons. "When you wear our uniform you feel like you're supposed to win every game," he said. "We've had a tough little stretch, and we're trying to find ourselves as a team." Texas Tech (10-3) saw its nine-game win streak snapped. "Our kids wanted to come out and play well tonight," Lemonis said. "Part of our problem is we're trying too hard right now. I'm trying to get them to relax and play the game to their abilities." |
| Wednesday's Mississippi State, Texas Tech game moved up due to rain | |
 | First pitch for Game Two of the Hancock Whitney Classic between Mississippi State and Texas Tech has been moved up from 5 pm to 3 pm Wednesday at MGM Park. Both teams have mutually agreed to move up the start time of the game due to a higher chance of rain later in the evening. Moving up the scheduled start time gives both teams the best chance to play the game to its conclusion. The gates will now open at 2 pm. Mississippi State won Game One of the Hancock Whitney Classic, 11-5, on Tuesday night against Texas Tech. College baseball and cowbells came to the Coast as fans packed MGM Park in Biloxi, driving for hours to see the Diamond Dawgs. "I love to watch the games," said Carolyn Dearman. "They are so important and we watch them all. My daughter and I live together down in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. We watch all the ball games. It's the most important part of the day." The Bulldogs were crowned college baseball national champions last season, for the first time in program history. Now that supporters have seen the mountaintop, expectations are raised. "I've been a Bulldog fan for a long time," said Billy Burkes. "I look forward to it. We will come back. This will be a good year for us." Two hours before the first pitch on Tuesday, ticket office officials said they were sold out of tickets for seats. Only 20 tickets remained for folks choosing to stand. |
| Nation's Top Offenses Meet In Starkville Wednesday | |
| Two of the nation's top offenses will meet in Starkville on Wednesday, March 9, at 6 p.m. CT. Mississippi State, one of the NCAA's top power and scoring teams, will play host to a North Alabama team that is collecting hits at an impressive rate. North Alabama (18-3) moved to Division I in 2018 following its 2016 D-II National Championship and is not yet eligible for statistical rankings. However, the Lions' 214 hits have already matched their 2021 season total and would rank second in the nation. UNA is off to its most successful start since moving to Division I, and a win would tie its entire 2021 season total. State (14-8) ranks fifth in the nation in home runs (33) and ninth in home runs per game (1.50). In fact, at their current rate, the Bulldogs are on pace to break the MSU single-season homer record by more than 10 long balls in the regular season alone. MSU is averaging 6.1 runs per game, but that number rises to 8.8 in games it's won. With nine run-rule victories already under their belt, the Bulldogs are chasing the school record of 13 set in 2008. Wednesday night is Boyband Night at Nusz Park, and MSU will play hit music between each inning. Two Bluetooth karaoke microphones will be raffled off during the game. Admission to MSU softball games is always free. |
| 'It's do or die now' for Mississippi State, Howland as failed season looms before SEC tournament | |
| Ben Howland said it prematurely after Mississippi State's loss at South Carolina two weeks ago: his team would have to win the SEC tournament to get into the NCAA tournament. He backtracked in the coming days, saying perhaps with wins against No. 4 Auburn, at Texas A&M and a couple foes in the conference tournament, an at-large bid was still in the books. After dropping two of its three games following the trip to Columbia, South Carolina, Howland's premature sentiment is reality. An at-large bid is likely off the table for a Mississippi State team with those aspirations at the start of the season. Losing seven games in February will do that. "It's do or die now," Howland said. That'll be the case each night until Mississippi State is eliminated in this week's conference tournament in Tampa, Florida, starting Thursday with a third matchup against South Carolina. "Our guys want to have a chance to advance in this tournament and do something special," Howland said. This team's fate will be equally important to the future ahead for Howland at Mississippi State. Howland is in his seventh season at Mississippi State and on the verge of his sixth without an NCAA tournament appearance. |
| Mississippi State's Molinar named to All-SEC first team by coaches | |
| Iverson Molinar was named to the All-SEC first team by the conference coaches, Mississippi State announced Tuesday morning. Molinar -- a junior guard out of Panama City, Panama -- finished third in the SEC with 17.8 points per game on 46.2 percent shooting from the field. He ranked No. 11 in the conference with 3.6 assists per game. The selection confirms the media's preseason selection of Molinar to the first team. Molinar started all 31 games for Mississippi State and scored in double figures in each contest. Dating back to last season, he has scored in double figures in 39 of 40 games. Molinar, Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis and Illinois' Kofi Cockburn are the lone Power Five players to have scored 500-plus points in each of the last two seasons. Molinar stepped up in key moments for Mississippi State throughout the season, highlighted by a season-high 30 points in a Jan. 25 overtime loss at No. 5 Kentucky. In a Jan. 22 win against Ole Miss, Molinar scored a game-high 20 points and surpassed the 1,000 point career mark -- the 41st Bulldog to do so. |
| Walter Payton selected for National High School Hall of Fame | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Walter Payton, the greatest football player these eyes have ever seen, has been selected for the National High School Hall of Fame. That completes the circle for Payton, the Columbia native and former Jackson State great. Already, he had been voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. Both of those inductions occurred before Payton died of a rare liver disease and bile duct cancer in November of 1999 at the age of 44. Late is better than never where the high school hall of fame and Payton are concerned. Last November, the good folks at the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA), knowing I had reported on Payton during his high school days, asked if I would write a nomination letter for him to the High School Hall of Fame's screening committee.. It was the easiest letter I have ever had the pleasure of writing. ... Payton will be inducted during the National Federation of High School Activities summer meeting July 1 in San Antonio. Payton, it should be remembered, was much more than a football star at Columbia. Besides playing in the band and being a student leader, he averaged 18 points per game in basketball, also played baseball and won the long jump in the MHSAA's state track championships. There wasn't much Walter Payton couldn't do and do well. |
| Deion Sanders had two toes amputated during hospital stay last fall | |
 | Deion Sanders had two toes amputated during his nearly month-long hospital stay in October , and the latest episode of his Barstool Sports documentary "Coach Prime" will show exactly what happened to the Jackson State football coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer. "Just because I had a gift at one point and time to do my thing on the football and baseball field, that does not extract me from the tragedies of life," Sanders told Andscape, the ESPN website formerly known as The Undefeated. "I go through hell just like everyone else goes through hell, and I'm going to show me literally going through hell." According to Andscape, JSU trainer Lauren Askvold urged Sanders to see a doctor about halfway through the season when she saw that two of Sanders' toes were jet-black when she was changing his bandages. Sanders was admitted to the hospital and stayed there for 23 days, missing three games. Blood clots in his left leg were cutting off blood flow to his foot. Eventually, his left big toe and the one next to it were amputated. "The hardest thing of it all was to look down there and see that," Sanders said in a trailer for the documentary. "And understand that once upon a time you were this type of athlete and you don't even know if you're going to walk because all you feel is pain and you just want to get out of this hospital." Sanders said on his podcast "21st and Prime" that he lost over 30 pounds during his hospital stay. |
| SEC Tournament loaded with quality teams | |
| Auburn spent a good portion of this season ranked No. 1. Kentucky is an eight-time national champion with expectations of contending for another title, and Tennessee and Arkansas may be capable of making deep runs in the NCAA Tournament, too. With those teams perched among the best in the nation, plus three or four others needing a victory or two in the Southeastern Conference Tournament bolster their resumes, the SEC arguably has never been stronger from top to bottom. No. 4 Auburn (27-4), No. 5 Kentucky (25-6) and No. 9 Tennessee (23-7) are ranked in the top 10 after beating up on each other during the regular season. No. 15 Arkansas (24-7) has been as hot as anyone lately, winning 14 of its past 16 entering this week's tournament that tips off Wednesday at Amalie Arena. "Our league is at an all-time high. It's just incredible the level of competitiveness, the home-court advantages, the facilities, the exposure," said Florida coach Mike White, whose Gators own a last-season upset of Auburn and need a good showing here to strengthen their case for a spot in the NCAA field. Auburn coach Bruce Pearl believes more than half the 14-teams in the SEC will get strong consideration for an NCAA tourney bid. "I think a lot is going to depend on how the tournament plays out, and then of course how many upsets there are around college basketball," Pearl said. "I think there are six locks and there are potential for seven or eight teams to be able to get in." |
| LSU receives notice of allegations involving men's basketball program, sources confirm | |
 | LSU has received a notice of allegations from the NCAA regarding the men's basketball program under coach Will Wade, The Advocate confirmed Tuesday. Details of the allegations have not been revealed, but issuing them marked a significant step in a lengthy investigation. Sports Illustrated first reported the news. If the notice of allegations includes major violations, Wade could be fired with cause as part of a 2019 amendment to his contract. Wade declined to comment. LSU did not respond to a request. The notice of allegations came from the Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP), which has handled LSU's infractions case since September 2020. Entering the IARP process automatically combined investigations into LSU men's basketball and football. LSU repeatedly has tried to separate them, but the NCAA denied the requests. LSU now has several weeks to respond to the notice. Once the IARP responds again, it will schedule a hearing, a process that could take months. The IARP's final ruling cannot be appealed, a key reason why LSU tried to split the football and men's basketball cases. Wade accompanied the team when it flew Tuesday afternoon to Tampa, Florida, for the Southeastern Conference tournament. The Tigers (21-10), who likely will reach the NCAA tournament next week, play their first game in the conference tournament Thursday. |
| 'We're not going to stand by idly,' Cardona says amid growing transgender athlete bans | |
| Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds last week signed a law that will ban transgender girls and women from playing on school and college athletic teams aligning with their gender identity. "Only female students, based on their sex, may participate in any team, sport, or athletic event designated as being for females, women, or girls," the new law states. Supporters of the legislation, which joins a string of others passed in red states, say transgender girls jeopardize the rest of a team's chances of winning and gaining resulting opportunities like scholarships and recognition. Opponents say there is no data to support that claim and that transgender students should be made to feel they belong. Effective immediately, the law gives non-transgender girls the ability to sue for damages and injunctions "if a student suffers direct or indirect harm as a result of a violation." Iowa joins a growing number of states banning the participation of transgender students on athletic teams that align with their gender identity. States including Idaho, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas have all passed similar legislation. Additional states have proposed the idea. The state's move comes after President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona made clear their support for LGBTQ+ students. "We're going to continue to fight and defend and support and stand behind our LGBTQ and our transgender students, because for far too long they've been marginalized, and sadly -- during the pandemic -- even elected officials have marginalized them," Cardona said Monday. "And we're not going to stand by idly watching that happen," Cardona said. |
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