| Friday, March 11, 2022 |
| Humanities Camp to be held at MSU in June | |
 | Mississippi State University (MSU) will debut a new opportunity this summer for students to gain an in-depth understanding of human motivation through exposure to humanities-related courses. The June 12-17 on-campus Humanities Camp includes residence hall housing and a meal plan. Open to 24 rising high school juniors and seniors, school counselors may nominate up to two students per school. Nomination forms are due March 18. "Our 2022 theme for Humanities Camp is 'Understanding Mississippi to Write the Future,' and we hope our 24 school-nominated scholars will develop, nurture and apply their critical- and creative-thinking skills while being introduced to a variety of humanities topics presented by experts in their fields," said L. Abigail Voller, camp coordinator and an instructor in MSU's English department. For more information, visit www.cas.msstate.edu/futurestudents/humanities-camp. |
| It's time to 'spring forward' this weekend in most of the US | |
 | Even though winter doesn't slip away until next weekend, time has its marching orders. In the United States, it's time to "spring" forward. Daylight saving time announces its entrance at 2 a.m. local time Sunday for most of the country. Standard time hibernates until Nov. 6. It will stay lighter for longer into the evening but the sun will rise later in the morning than it has during the months of standard time. Remember to set clocks an hour ahead, usually before bed Saturday night. No time change is observed in Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas. A poll conducted last October shows that most Americans want to avoid switching between daylight saving and standard time, though there is no consensus behind which should be used all year. The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found only 25% of Americans said they preferred to switch back and forth between standard and daylight saving time. |
| Soaring gas prices hit record high in Mississippi | |
 | To help employees cope with high gas prices, Chairs America is subsidizing their commute. "Our company is freezing the cost of gas for employees at $2.99 per gallon," said co-owner Robert Balekian. "We will subsidize them for all travel to and from work. We hope that other factories will follow suit and all do our part to help folks during these times since the U.S. government apparently isn't worried about it." After flirting with a record-high for several days, the average price of gas in Mississippi reached that point Thursday, at $3.99 a gallon. The previous high, according to AAA, was $3.96 a gallon in 2008, during the midst of what many call the Great Recession. The previous high in Northeast Mississippi also occurred in July 2008, at $3.89 a gallon. But $3.99 is already a common sight for regular gas in the region. That's 36 cents higher than a week ago and $1.51 higher than a year ago. Drivers using premium fuel or diesel are feeling even more pain. The average price for premium in the state is $4.58, while diesel is at $4.87. Nationwide, according to AAA, the average price is $4.31 per gallon. AAA spokesman Don Redman said consumers won't be seeing much relief anytime soon. The rising gas prices come as inflation soared another 7.9% in February, smashing a 40-year-old record. Inflation threatens the U.S. economy, which could see its economy shrink in the first quarter, and if it continues, stretch into a second quarter. That would mean the economy is in recession. Gas prices in particular are the most visible barometer of inflationary pressures. |
| Why Gulf South oil producers can't protect the region from rising gas prices | |
 | Gas prices continue to spike across the U.S. after the Biden Administration banned Russian energy imports Tuesday as the invasion of Ukraine continues. The national average for what consumers pay at the pump reached an all-time high on Monday, according to market analysts at GasBuddy. As of Thursday morning, the national average sits at $4.35 per gallon. Despite the Gulf of Mexico's status as one of the country's top oil producers, the region isn't immune to those rising prices. Many counties in the Gulf South now break $4 a gallon at the pump -- on Thursday, regular unleaded gas in Mississippi costs $4.01 per gallon on average. The good news is that Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana drivers pay about 20 cents less at the pump. The discount comes from living close to the Gulf of Mexico's oil refineries. That proximity markdown, however, is already factored into pricing, so drivers in those states can still expect to see their gas prices rise just as quickly as the rest of the nation. There's also not much those oil companies can do to prevent prices from rising. Lowering gas prices seems like a simple matter of ECON 101 -- increase the supply by pumping more oil, which causes a drop in demand, and with it, prices. But Ben Meadows, an economist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said energy markets get complex quickly. David Dismuke, executive director of the Louisiana State University Center for Energy Studies, said U.S. oil producers could make a dent in those rising gas prices -- after all, there are thousands of wells in the Gulf South that were left either unused or incomplete during the COVID gas price slump. U.S. oil production is still about 1.2 million barrels behind what it was in March 2020. The pandemic led to a dip in oil demand, and the falling prices caused many wells to go offline. But Dismuke said getting those wells pumping won't get Americans back to the low gas costs they've enjoyed for the last two years. |
| Jackson airport expected to see increase in travelers for Spring Break 2022 | |
| The Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN) leaders anticipate a significant increase in passenger traffic during the 2022 Spring Break travel period, which beings this week. The number of travelers is expected to rise significantly starting Thursday, March 10 until Monday, March 14. During the travel period, the peak hours for passengers departing JAN at 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Passengers are asked to arrive two hours prior to their flight departures. For questions on TSA checkpoint rules and regulations, visit www.TSA.gov. The Jackson Municipal Airport Authority (JMAA) also announced the re-opening of the Long-Term Parking lot for this peak travel period. This is in addition to the garage and surface lot. The Long-Term lot is $10 per day, with shuttles operating from 5:00 a.m. daily. |
| Mississippi House makes opening bid on teacher pay deal | |
| Mississippi House leaders said Thursday that they have signed off on a plan to increase some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation by an average of $4,850. But they acknowledged they had reached the plan without having negotiations with senators. "It's a solid plan. It's a good plan," Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn said during a news conference. Reaching a deal takes two sides, and senators had already left the Capitol for the weekend by the time House leaders publicly discussed their proposal. It will be at least next week before senators accept the House proposal, respond with one of their own or seek face-to-face discussions. "We look forward to meeting with the House and finalizing a historic teacher pay raise," Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said in a statement Thursday. The latest House proposal includes a structure that Senate leaders have wanted -- increases of $400 most years, with increases of at least $1,000 every fifth year. The increase at the 25th year would be $2,500. Responding to questions Thursday, Gunn said the new House proposal is not a take-it-or-leave-it deal. |
| House snubs Senate in unveiling compromise teacher pay raise plan | |
| A group of House leaders signed off on a conference report to significantly increase the salaries of Mississippi's K-12 public teachers without actually conferring with the Senate as is the typical procedure. "We believe this bill is a strong statement by the House of Representatives as to our commitment to our teachers," Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, said. "This bill is a win for our teachers, it's a win for the education community, but most importantly it's a win for students." The House proposal would, on average, increase teacher salaries by $4,850, increase teacher assistant salaries by $2,000 and provide stepped increases to teacher salaries each year. The House's decision to send a conference report proposal to the Senate without a formal meeting is the latest in a back-and-forth spat between the two legislative chambers over teacher pay raise plans that has lasted the duration of a chaotic legislative session. All official conference committee meetings are supposed to be open to the public, according to the rules adopted by the Legislature. But the meetings are rarely advertised in advance, and the committees sometimes don't even meet in person. Still, Sen. Hob Bryan, a Senate conferee, said the House's decision to simply send a conference report over to the Senate members is "certainly very odd," even by modern standards. "Instead of having a meeting of the conferees or meeting with your counterparts, you call a press conference? That's not the way you confer," Bryan, D-Amory, said. |
| House offers 'compromise' teacher pay raise, but Senate says it wasn't in on the compromising | |
 | The House has offered a "compromise" $226 million teacher pay raise to the state Senate. But Senate leaders said Thursday they weren't in on any of the compromising, haven't met with House leaders beyond casual conversation and haven't vetted the House proposal. They were perplexed why House Speaker Philip Gunn held a press conference Thursday to announce the House offering instead of having House conferees, or negotiators, meet with Senate conferees first. The new House offer would be a $226 million deal that would raise starting teacher pay to an average of $41,638, higher than both the southeastern starting average of $39,754 and the national average of $41,163. The offer by House leaders provides an average raise higher than either the House or Senate's original proposals. Many political observers suspect the House move on Thursday without working with the Senate is tied to the ongoing standoff between the House and Senate over dueling income tax cut proposals. Gunn has recently said he's prepared to hold up other legislation if the Senate doesn't agree to his proposal to eliminate the personal income tax and raise sales taxes. The standoff portends lawmakers ending their session without deals on major issues and having to come back in special session over the summer for more haggling. But on Thursday Gunn said the House is willing to pass a teacher raise regardless of a tax cut agreement. But his comments left doubt whether the House is willing to entertain any Senate input on teacher pay. |
| Interstate compact bill stalls in Legislature | |
 | A proposal to form a regional interstate compact agency to help fund additional transportation projects that would collectively benefit residents in DeSoto County and neighboring counties in west Tennessee and eastern Arkansas, stalled in the Mississippi Legislature and may be headed for defeat in Tennessee as well. Mississippi Senate Bill 2716, which was introduced by Sen. David Parker, passed the Senate unanimously but did not make the legislative calendar by the midnight deadline on Wednesday. The bill would create a three-state governmental agency called the RegionSmart Development District and the RegionSmart Development Agency of Greater Memphis to collectively cooperate on future planning, seek federal money to solve infrastructure problems, and promote economic development for the entire Mid-South region. But according to one local lawmaker, the bill would give an unelected board broad powers including eminent domain to condemn properties, the ability to issue bonds and borrow money, and would not be subject to Mississippi open record or open meetings laws. "It's the most heinous piece of legislation that I've seen in my seven years here in the Mississippi legislature," District 7 Rep. Steve Hopkins said on the Glenn Beck Radio Program. Hopkins is chairman of the Mississippi Freedom Caucus, a group of like-minded elected officials who believe in limited government and individual rights. Hopkins and the group came out strongly against the compact, arguing that it is about regionalism, a practice of different quasi-governmental entities banding together who assume powers usually reserved for government to accomplish a cooperative goal. |
| Senate clears $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill | |
 | A massive spending bill for the fiscal year that began over five months ago is headed to President Joe Biden's desk after the Senate cleared it for his signature late Thursday, putting an end to a frenzied stretch of negotiations in both chambers this week. On a 68-31 vote, the Senate passed the 2,700-page, $1.5 trillion omnibus containing all 12 fiscal 2022 spending bills, $13.6 billion in supplemental appropriations to address the crisis in Ukraine and a lengthy list of unrelated measures fortunate enough to ride on the must-pass vehicle. As Republicans sought, the omnibus allows for almost equal increases in defense and nondefense spending from last year's levels, with a $46 billion or 6.7 percent boost for nondefense programs and a $42 billion, 5.6 percent increase in defense accounts. Democrats had sought roughly double that amount for nondefense programs. Leaders in both parties spent hours Thursday negotiating with GOP senators, trying to reach an agreement on amendments they were seeking that would allow for a unanimous consent agreement to proceed to the bill quickly. After resolving final concern from Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, over how fast the process was moving -- in part by agreeing to quick passage of a fisheries bill Sullivan authored -- Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced an amendments deal around 8 p.m. |
| Exclusive: DNC weighs draft plan that could end Iowa's first-in-nation presidential caucus status | |
 | National Democratic leaders have drafted a proposal that could significantly reshape the party's presidential nominating process and put an end to Iowa's prized first-in-the-nation caucuses -- a tradition that has shaped presidential politics and boosted Iowa's place in the American spotlight for the last half-century. A draft resolution, obtained and corroborated by the Des Moines Register, would set new criteria for early-voting states that favor primaries over caucuses and diversity over tradition. If the proposal advances, it would upend the party's presidential nominating calendar by requiring states to apply to hold their nominating contests before the rest of the country and expanding the number of early voting states to as many as five. Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, which currently lead off the process, would not necessarily be given preferential consideration over other states that apply. The Democratic National Committee is holding its annual winter meetings in Washington, D.C., this week, and the panel that sets the nominating calendar, the Rules and Bylaws Committee, is scheduled to take up the issue Friday evening. It will be "a broad discussion not reaching, as far as I expect, any final conclusions," Committee Co-Chair James Roosevelt Jr. told the Register. The conversation follows disastrous 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses in which technological and logistical failures coalesced, preventing the party from declaring a timely winner. The caucuses' ugly conclusion undermined more than a year's worth of organizing and campaigning that preceded it, stoking renewed calls to move the nation toward primaries and replace Iowa as the first state to cast its presidential preferences. |
| New clues emerge about the money that might have helped fund the Jan. 6 insurrection | |
 | Eight months into the investigation of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, the financial story is one of the most closely held parts of the probe. But the House select committee has shared some clues through its subpoenas and court filings. The latest peek into questions around the money that might have helped fuel the attack arrived with the Republican National Committee suing to thwart a subpoena from the committee. The filing reveals that the Democratic-led panel quietly subpoenaed an RNC vendor, San Francisco-based Salesforce, last month. After the suit became public, the committee quickly defended the effort, saying it was looking into a new push led by former President Trump asking for donations after he lost his 2020 bid for re-election. "Ever since Watergate, one of the central adages in... congressional investigations of presidential wrongdoing has been follow the money," said Norm Eisen, a former House lawyer in Trump's first impeachment case. "The 1/6 committee investigation has been sweeping in all of its dimensions, and this is no exception." The committee's Feb. 23 subpoena of Salesforce emphasized its interest in the company's hosting of Trump emails asking for new donations that included false claims of election fraud. It's part of a central question the panel hopes to answer: Did Trump find new ways to keep the money coming in after his loss by shifting from a presidential campaign to a "Stop the Steal" effort? |
| Trump asking supporters to fund new plane after emergency landing | |
 | Former President Trump is asking his supporters to help fund his new "Trump Force One" private plane just days after a jet flying him to Mar-a-Lago made an emergency landing when one of its engines failed. Trump, through his Save America PAC, sent his supporters an email titled "Update Trump Force One" in which he said that "my team is building a BRAND NEW Trump Force One." He added that the construction of this plane has been under wraps and said "I can't wait to unveil it for everyone to see." The fundraising email said he had "a very important update on his plane" and asked potential donors if they remember how the former president used to travel across the U.S. in his own "Trump Force One" before he became "the greatest President of all time." The email included a GIF of a plane taking off with a poll giving donors "yes" or "no" options if they wanted to see his new plane. The former president was traveling back to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Fla., from the Four Seasons Hotel in New Orleans in a private jet when the pilot decided to turn around and return to the airport after an engine failed. The news was first reported by Politico and The Washington Post. Trump's personal Boeing 757 was a staple during his 2016 presidential campaign. Last year, it was reported that his Boeing 757 was sitting unused at an Orange County, N.Y., airport unable to be flown. The full-size passenger airliner, which bears Trump's name across the side in large block letters, has fallen into disrepair. One engine is shrink-wrapped and the other is missing parts, according to CNN. |
| 'I got along': Trump avoids criticizing Putin | |
 | Former President Donald Trump on Thursday was given several chances during a Fox News interview to reject autocrats and walk back his praise for President Vladimir Putin of Russia but didn't. Fox's Sean Hannity set Trump up multiple times during the 30-minute exchange to criticize Putin, but the former president didn't go along. He instead touted his relationships with Putin, the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Xi Jinping of China. Trump came under fire last month for describing Putin's invasion of Ukraine as "genius" and "savvy," keeping in line with his tendency to speak favorably of the Russian leader. Even House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Trump ally, broke with the former president this week, saying there was nothing "savvy or genius" about Putin. McCarthy went on to say that Putin was "evil," condemning a war that has already left hundreds of civilians dead in Ukraine. Hannity not once, but twice, brought up the blowback to Trump's comments. "I think you also recognize he's evil, do you not?" the Fox host said. Trump again didn't go that far, but Hannity gave it another try. |
| Biden to Call for Revoking Normal Trade Relations With Russia | |
 | President Biden on Friday is expected to announce that the U.S. will join major allies and the European Union in calling to revoke normal trade relations with Russia, according to a person familiar with the decision. The action, which could lead to higher tariffs on Russian goods, is in concert with the EU and Group of Seven nations to punish Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, the official said. "Each country will implement based on its own national processes," an official said, adding Mr. Biden would work with Congress on legislation to remove permanent normal trade relations with Russia. In Congress, both the House and the Senate have proposed legislation that call for the move, along with a ban on Russian energy imports, which Mr. Biden this week followed through on after showing reluctance to further exacerbate oil prices. The proposed legislation would end the U.S. policy of treating Russia as a most-favored nation, a key principle of the World Trade Organization that requires member countries to guarantee equal tariff and regulatory treatment to other members. The loss of the status means some Russian imports will be subject to higher tariff rates that are currently imposed on North Korea and Cuba. Such a step, if implemented with coordination with other major nations, would have significant impact to hurt Russia's trade. Canada last week adopted such a measure, subjecting all imports from Russia and Belarus to a tariff of 35%. The EU has also been considering a similar step. |
| How has the war in Ukraine affected global hunger? | |
| Russia and Ukraine together export a very large percentage of the world's major grains, including wheat and barley. They also account for about 19% of corn exports and about 80% of the world's sunflower oil. Experts say the ongoing conflict stands to exacerbate global hunger and food insecurity. Conflict is a major driver of global hunger. According to the United Nations World Food Programme, 811 million people go to bed hungry every night. Since 2019, the number of people facing insecurity has more than doubled to 276 million. The war in Ukraine has already hampered the organization's ability to provide food assistance -- 50% of its grain comes from the Ukraine-Russia area. "When we don't sort these things out early, we end up paying a thousand times more for that problem," said Arif Husain, chief economist and director of research, assessment and monitoring at the United Nations World Food Programme. Husain joined "Marketplace" host Kai Ryssdal to discuss the war in Ukraine, the state of global food insecurity and his organization's plan is to address the situation. |
| Russia-Ukraine war: Some pastors wonder about 'end of days' | |
| Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted some of America's most prominent evangelical leaders to raise a provocative question -- asking if the world is now in the biblically prophesied "end of days" that might culminate with the apocalypse and the second coming of Christ. There's no consensus on the answer, nor on any possible timetable. One of the most detailed alerts came from televangelist Pat Robertson, who came out of retirement on Feb. 28 to assert on "The 700 Club" that Russian President Vladimir Putin was "compelled by God" to invade Ukraine as a prelude to an eventual climactic battle in Israel. Predictions of an imminent "end of days" have surfaced with regularity over the centuries. Robertson, for example, has inaccurately predicted apocalyptic events on previous occasions. "One of the characteristics of apocalyptic thinking is that the most recent crisis is surely the worst -- this is the one that is going to trip the end times calendar," said Dartmouth College history professor Randall Balmer. Russell Moore, public theologian at the evangelical magazine Christianity Today, said it's wrong to try to connect world events to end-times prophecy, noting that Jesus himself said his second coming would be unexpected and unconnected with "wars and rumors of wars." "It's not consistent with the Bible and it's harmful to the witness of the church," said Moore, noting that the world has outlived many episodes of end-times speculation. Moore said most Christians he's talked with are more concerned about Ukraine's well-being. "I'm surprised at how little I am finding the idea that these events are direct biblical prophecy," he said. "I'm just not seeing that in the pews." |
| Activists Are Reaching Russians Behind Putin's Propaganda Wall | |
 | René has nothing to do with the invasion of Ukraine. The 34-year-old lives more than 1,000 km away in Nuremberg, Germany. He has no family there, and he's never been to the country. But when Russia invaded, he wanted to help. So on the dating app Tinder, he changed his location to Moscow and started talking to women there about the war. "I had a conversation with a girl who said [the invasion] is only a military operation and the Ukrainians are killing their own people and stuff like that, so I got into an argument with her," says René, who asks not to share his surname because he doesn't want his clients to know about his activism. "I also had some reactions like, 'Thank you for telling us.'" Since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine, Russians have existed behind a wall of propaganda that protects them from the details of what is happening on the ground. Russia's state media calls the invasion a "special military operation," never a war. Troops are pictured handing out aid, not blowing up buildings. According to official pollsters, the Kremlin's narrative is sticking. Support for sending troops into Ukraine is high, lingering at around 70 percent. Although it's unclear how reliable those numbers are, the New York Times reported anecdotal evidence that even Russians with Ukrainian relatives believe only military infrastructure is being targeted in "precision" strikes and that images showing violence against civilians are fake. But an idea is gaining traction online: If Russians learn the truth about Ukraine, they might rise up and oust the war's architect, President Vladimir Putin. "Reaching Russians within Russia is really, really hard for anyone because the Russian state maintains such tight control over their media environment," says Laura Edelson, a computer scientist studying misinformation at New York University. She says the Russian state has been very effective at creating a shared set of beliefs: that the Ukrainian government is full of Nazis who are committing war atrocities. "What you want to do is chip away at that false narrative," she says. |
| A historic Mississippi college celebrates over century of tradition | |
 | Women's History Month highlights the broken glass ceilings and barriers through the years. Here in Mississippi, a historical women's campus is celebrating founding members and tradition. Women aren't always given equal opportunities to education, but times have progressed. In fact, in 2021, nearly 60% of the student body at universities were women. And some of those strides started at the Mississippi University for Women. "There have been private women colleges before MUW, but this is the first time that the state stepped in and said women have a right to higher education and funded a college for women," said Dr. Erin Kempker. Kempker is the Chair of the History Political Science and Geography department at MUW. Kempker says charter week holds a significant meaning to students and faculty. "The Senate bill that created, at the time the II&C, which was the Mississippi University for Women under a different name, was signed this month in 1884 by the Mississippi State legislature," said Kempker. MUW became the first publicly-funded women's college in the United States and the only women's college in Mississippi. But, the board was met with a new challenge in 1982, the acceptance of male students. "It resulted in a Supreme Court case, and it was a changing time in the 1970's and the 1980's and what did it mean to be a women-serving institution at that time when society was opening up new opportunities at that time for women elsewhere. The Supreme Court decided since it was a publicly funded institution, it needed to open its doors for all," said Kempker. |
| USM to host Out of the Darkness Campus Walk | |
| The annual University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Out of the Darkness Campus Walk will be held Saturday, March 26 at 10:00 a.m. Registration will be held at the Bruce and Virginia Wilgus Fitness Trail located next to the Payne Center on the Hattiesburg campus. This event will support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's (AFSP) education and support programs and its goal to reduce the annual U.S. rate of suicide 20 percent by 2025. "I know from a scientific point of view that interventions for suicide work, and I also have seen personally the devastation and heartache when a loved one dies by suicide," said USM School of Psychology faculty member Dr. Randy Arnau. "The American Foundation for Suicide prevention leads the fight against suicide. They fund critical research that will improve suicide prevention outreach and treatment for those at risk for suicide –--last year ASFP funded over $4.5 million dollars in suicide prevention research." If you are in crisis, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text TALK to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. |
| Over 100 Mississippi school districts get free online tutors | |
| More than 100 school districts in Mississippi are set to get free online tutoring services. The Mississippi Department of Education said it plans to use $10.7 million in federal emergency relief funds to buy the services from Paper, an on-demand educational support company based in Santa Monica, California. The funds will cover the costs of the tutoring services through Sept. 30, 2024. Tutoring services in math and English Language Arts will be available to grades 3-12, WLBT-TV reported. The services will be live, online, and available 24/7 with a live person, the department said. Teachers and administrators will access real-time data through a data dashboard to assign activities, monitor student progress, and schedule one-on-one or small group tutoring sessions during the school day. Parents may also schedule tutorial services after school and on the weekend. The tutoring services will also be available for English learners and students with special needs. |
| Florida Legislature passes bill allowing more scrutiny of tenured faculty | |
| A controversial higher education bill that affects tenured faculty and changes the accreditation process for Florida universities is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk for signing, but not before Democratic lawmakers cautioned it would do more harm than good. The bill, SB 7044, would allow the state Board of Governors to implement a "comprehensive" review every five years for tenured faculty, addressing their accomplishments, academic duties, evaluations, ratings and pay. It could also include "consequences for underperformance." Tenured faculty at each state university already take part in annual reviews. The bill also would require universities to change accrediting agencies after an evaluation cycle and enable them to sue an accreditor for damages if they feel they are negatively impacted. Schools could return to a previous accreditor if they don't meet the requirements of a new accreditor. The bill is widely seen as a response to an accreditation body that last year launched separate investigations over concerns that the University of Florida and Florida State University were unduly influenced by state politics. The bill's other provisions include requiring textbook lists to be posted at least 45 days in advance, and changes in the way universities share information on tuition and fees. It also calls for maintenance of the statewide course numbering system. Rep. Ramon Alexander, D-Tallahassee, called the bill "extremely dangerous," saying it could lead to a loss of federal dollars for students and researchers. He advised lawmakers to have a "nonpolitical" conversation about the impact of the bill. |
| With $8 million grant, MU professor will expand video game's use in Missouri classrooms | |
 | In 2013, education Professor James Laffey was having a conversation with Troy Sadler, then a colleague at the University of Missouri. They each had ideas about incorporating video games into K-12 classroom learning. Laffey, who has a background in technology and worked at Apple, wanted to bring the powerful advances in technology to the most challenging educational problems. Sadler wanted to use video games with middle schoolers because it was the age in which he saw less engagement in classroom learning, Laffey said. Laffey created Mission HydroSci, a video game meant to teach students about water systems. The premise of the game is that students are on a spaceship and crash-land on an Earth-like planet. They then go through a series of missions in which they learn about the different water systems on the planet. Laffey and Sadler, now a professor of culture, curriculum and teacher education at the University of North Carolina's School of Education, secured a $2.8 million, five-year development grant from the U.S. Department of Education to make and test the game in Missouri classrooms. In December, Laffey and his team received an $8 million, five-year scale and sustainability grant from the Department of Education to take Mission HydroSci to the next level. "We need to develop the game so that it can scale to more kids, more teachers, and doesn't have to have the researchers run the show to make it work," Laffey said. |
| Possible fentanyl overdose lands 6 students on spring break in Florida hospitals | |
 | Six students on spring break overdosed on what appeared to be cocaine laced with fentanyl and were hospitalized in Fort Lauderdale Thursday, and one was in critical condition, CBS Miami reports. It happened at an Airbnb. Four went into cardiac arrest after ingesting the drug before two friends tried to help by performing CPR. That's when they were also exposed to the drug, the station says. Fort Lauderdale Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve Gollan told CBS Miami five were in stable condition. Gollan told WPLG-TV the opioid-overdose-reversing drug naloxone was administered. "These are healthy young adults, college students in the prime of their life," Gollan said. "Getting this drug into their system, it's unknown what the recovery will be on the critical individual." He told CBS Miami the incident "brings great concern that there could be other ODs over the next couple of days. Obviously if there's a bad batch, it's not isolated just to one buyer. It normally goes to everyone that purchases that same substance from whoever they got it from." One neighbor observed to CBS Miami that, "They seem like good kids, typical college kids. Rowdy in the pool, but they don't deserve this." Fentanyl is an unpredictable and powerful synthetic painkiller blamed for driving an increase in fatal drug overdoses. |
| Will adding a social and economic mobility metric to Carnegie Classifications drive colleges' behavior? | |
| When a college files a grant application with the U.S. Department of Education, the agency asks for the institution's designation in the Carnegie Classifications, the prominent system that groups together and defines similar institutions. The top marker, R1, designates very high research activity, and the doctoral universities that receive it often tout it as a mark of prestige. However, like many rankings in the higher education world, the classifications have been critiqued for too heavily driving institutional decision making, with colleges striving to reach R1 at part of their missions' expense. Critics argue the classifications disadvantage certain institutions with a research bent that can't meet the standards -- for instance, not a single historically Black college or university has achieved R1 status. So what if on the Education Department's grant applications, institutions also had to indicate how successfully they advance students' social and economic mobility? What if that metric could help unlock millions of dollars in federal funds? Those were questions posed by Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, the Carnegie Classifications' new administrator, at the association's annual meeting on Monday. ACE, with the classification system's owner, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, will incorporate social, racial and economic concerns into a new version of the classifications expected to debut next year. But some skepticism remains that the allure of performing well on a social and economic metric -- and the consequences of ranking poorly on it -- would actually alter colleges' behavior, as is the organizations' goal. And higher ed professionals are clamoring for more changes in the system than just a new category. |
| Colleges take advantage of real estate bubble | |
 | A real estate bubble is enveloping many parts of the United States -- and colleges are cashing in before it pops. Gwynedd Mercy University in Pennsylvania recently sold a 154-acre property for more than twice what it paid for the land three years ago. Last week, Southwestern University in Texas sold for tens of millions two properties that it has held since the 1930s. Gwynedd Mercy first bought the plot, located about 22 miles north of Philadelphia, from Merck & Co. pharmaceutical company in 2018 for $12.1 million. The property -- which includes a 157,000-square-foot building -- doubled the campus footprint, and at the time university officials planned to turn the existing building into an "innovative teaching and learning facility," said Deanne H. D'Emilio, president of Gwynedd Mercy. But after completing a facilities planning process and watching the real estate market boom in Gwynedd Valley, university officials changed course. "We started to look at what space we have available here on the campus and the cost for renovating the property," D'Emilio said. "And then, with the pandemic, the real estate market in this region really took off, and there was a lot of interest in the property." The university sold the property to an affiliate of Beacon Capital Partners, a Boston-based real estate firm, for $31.5 million. The profit nearly doubled the university's endowment, which was valued at $41 million before the land sale. D'Emilio said that university officials are still determining exactly how to use the profits. The pandemic has prompted many institutions to re-evaluate their footprints, said Jeff Hubbard, senior managing director of real estate sales at A&G Real Estate Partners. "Educational institutions are looking at their real estate as a place to potentially create some liquidity," Hubbard said. "It will support the implementation of whatever their long-term plans are." |
| MOOC platforms shut off access to Russian content | |
| Coursera and edX, whose MOOC platforms collectively serve some 140 million users, are each suspending content from their Russian university and industry partners on humanitarian grounds following the country's invasion of Ukraine. Both companies are also stepping up their support for Ukraine by allowing the country's higher education institutions to freely access services that let colleges incorporate the MOOC platforms' content into their classes, edX and Coursera announced last week. Udemy, another prominent MOOC platform, also said it is not pursuing any new enterprise relationships in the Russia and Belarus regions. MOOC platforms are joining the legions of companies that have scaled back or cut ties with Russia since the country invaded Ukraine late last month. Oil and gas companies have pulled out of Russian projects. Carmakers have halted shipments to the country. And credit card companies are blocking transactions from Russian banks. For the MOOC companies, it's unclear how the pullout will impact their bottom lines. Coursera, edX and Udemy spokespeople did not answer questions this week about how many courses their decisions will affect. But their announcements raise questions about whether they will take actions against other countries in the future, said Phil Hill, a partner at ed tech consultancy MindWires. He cited the example of China, which the U.S. has accused of committing genocide against Uyghurs, members of a Turkic ethnic group native to northwest China who largely identify as Muslim. |
| With Few Details But Big Ideas, Sec. Cardona Pushes Total Reimagining of Education | |
| In the last two years, while schools experienced more disruption and strain than in almost any other time in recent memory, education leaders have been broadcasting one message, loud and clear and often: Education cannot go back to normal. This moment presents a chance to move forward, not go back. The upheaval of the pandemic can be an opportunity for positive change, if we let it. As the weather warms and COVID cases plummet and classrooms return to full capacity, the moment of truth is near. And during a keynote panel at the SXSW EDU conference in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona made sure to drill home the message to the hundreds of educators seated before him. "We're closer to a reset in education than ever before. We've already been disrupted," said Cardona, who worked as an educator and administrator in Connecticut before becoming Secretary in early 2021. "So why are we building it back the way it was when it didn't work for everybody?" He added: "I want to make sure that as we see now, masks off and things are starting to look normal, that we do not lose our sense of urgency around not only the gaps that existed before, but the gaps that were made worse. So we need to really double down." The Secretary was scant on details when it came to how to make this happen, leaving some educators to point out afterward that the message is likely to fall flat without clear plans for implementation. |
| Mississippians would be paying $.40/gallon more now if gas tax had been upped | |
 | Alan Lange writes for Y'all Politics: Even with record high gas prices right now, Mississippi's gas prices would be 40 cents per gallon higher right now but for efforts to kill repeated gas tax increase proposals in the last five years. In 2017-18, there was a major push for Mississippi to raise its 18.4 cent gas tax. At the time, former Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall, a Republican, led the charge with the argument that Mississippi needed increase in highway revenues to maintain and expand state highways and bridge infrastructure. He beat the gas tax increase drum for a decade. Media outlets fawned at the opportunity, lionized those leading the charge to raise taxes and regularly opined and slanted coverage in favor of the effort. All sorts of dire predictions were made about the need specifically for a gas tax increase. ... Of course, we know how the story went. Governor Phil Bryant and then Lt. Governor Tate Reeves opposed a gas tax increase. Speaker Philip Gunn had a version of a tax swap that had ultimately an 8 cent per gallon gas tax increase predicated on the elimination of the 4% income tax bracket. That's not unlike his current proposal for a sales tax increase to offset eliminating Mississippi's income tax altogether. But generally, Tate Reeves as both Lt. Governor and Governor and former Governor Phil Bryant found a way to thwart repeated attempts from multiple angles to increase a legislative mandated naked gas tax increase . . . because it was bad for business. |
SPORTS
| Diamond Dawg Gameday: Princeton | |
| No. 23 Mississippi State returns home this weekend as the Diamond Dawgs host Princeton in a three-game series beginning at 4 p.m. CT on Friday, March 11, at Dudy Noble Field. All three games will be broadcast on SEC Network+. The series will also be carried on the Mississippi State Sports Network powered by Learfield along with a live audio stream via HailState.com/plus. Mississippi State enters the week with a 7-7 overall record over the first 14 games of the season. The Diamond Dawgs are returning home after six straight games away from Dudy Noble Field and enter the weekend with a 5-3 record at home. This weekend's series will mark the first time MSU and Princeton have met on the diamond. Mississippi State is 3-0 all-time against Ivy League schools with two wins over Columbia in 2017 and a win over Yale in 1967. Princeton is led by head coach Scott Bradley, who is in his 24th season with the Tigers. Princeton enters the week in search of its first win of the season following the first eight games. Princeton has yet to play a home game in 2022 after opening the year with four neutral site games versus Purdue followed by four straight road games. The Tigers are in the midst of an 11-game road swing before opening Ivy League play at home versus Yale on March 26. Princeton has not played a full baseball season since the 2019 campaign. The Tigers' 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the 2021 campaign was also canceled after the Ivy League decided not to hold league competition or host league championships last spring. |
| 'I want to beat you': Matt Corder brings athleticism, competitiveness to Mississippi State | |
 | Matt Corder just wants to beat you. The Mississippi State center fielder is as competitive as they come, and not just on the baseball field. Whether it's basketball, football, spades or something else, Corder wants to win. Badly. "If we're playing checkers, I want to beat you," Corder said. Would he? "Yeah, absolutely," Corder claimed. That's just who Matt Corder is: Ruthless enough to want to win -- and talented enough to do it. Both attributes have propelled the Bulldogs' utility man to where he is right now: in his first season playing for his dream school. But not even Corder's unparalleled competitiveness could make it another easy win. It took two years in junior college and a significant shoulder injury before Corder could see the field for the Bulldogs. Ever since then, though, he's made the most of it. "It's been a long journey and a lot of ups and downs getting here," Corder's father Dickie said. "That probably has prepared him to take in the moment, relish the moment and enjoy his time here." |
| As Bulldogs rely on offense they're relying on a freshman's big bat too | |
| Parrish Alford writes for the Daily Journal: If you've wondered how Hunter Hines' bat might hold up in conference play, two games on the coast provided an encouraging statement. As veterans like Brad Cumbest call for more consistency from the Mississippi State lineup it's Hines, a freshman from Madison, who is leading by example. The defending national champions are hitting a collective .260 and, as batting averages rise and fall for many, it's been Hines who most often puts quality at-bats together. He's hitting a team-leading .367. He also leads in home runs, slugging and total bases and is second in RBI. Perfect Game ranked Hines, 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, the No. 17 prospect in Mississippi last year when he hit .465 at Madison Central. Right now he looks to be punching above that ranking. "It's pretty amazing when he stays on balls," MSU coach Chris Lemonis said. "Sometimes he tries to hit it on that parking deck over there, but when he just tries to stay in the middle of the field he's special." |
| Bulldogs Roll To Win Over Gamecocks, Advance At SEC Tournament | |
| It's been about two years since Mississippi State head coach Ben Howland wore a suit and tie for a basketball game. Like many staffs around the country, for no particular reason, Howland and his group adopted more casual gameday attire during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday for MSU's first game at the Southeastern Conference Tournament against South Carolina, the suit was back. "I just thought it'd be good to be really good-looking here," Howland would later quip. Howland looked sharp. His Bulldogs did too. As a result, State will keep on playing at the Amalie Arena. The Bulldogs rode a dominant second-half effort to a 73-51 win over the Gamecocks. It was only one game of what MSU hopes is four down in Tampa, Florida, but it was certainly an outstanding way to start. It was a victory fueled by defense, particularly over the last 20 minutes, as State limited South Carolina to just 12.9 percent shooting (4-for-31) in that stretch. "I thought the second half, our defense was incredible," Howland said. "We did a better job of pressuring the ball. I thought our defense really picked up in the second half. I was really excited about the performances of our guys." So given Thursday's result, it bears asking. Will Howland go back to the same suit on Friday when State faces Tennessee in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals? "I could wear this one every day if I had to, but I have another suit," Howland said. "It'll be a different one [Friday]." |
| Mississippi St. dominates second half, beats Gamecocks 73-51 | |
| Tolu Smith scored 20 points with 12 rebounds and 10th-seeded Mississippi State dominated the second half in beating seventh-seeded South Carolina 73-51 in a second-round SEC tournament game Thursday. Smith was 8-of-14 shooting in collecting his fourth double-double this season for the Bulldogs (18-14), who will take on two-seed and ninth-ranked Tennessee in Friday's quarterfinals. Iverson Molinar added 19 points though it came on only 6-of-20 shooting. Shakeel Moore added 12 points and five assists. Andersson Garcia had 12 rebounds. MSU, which was 2 of 37 from the arc in its previous four games, stayed away from the long ball, making 3 of 11 tries, while outscoring South Carolina 42-16 in the paint. The Bulldogs also made 20 of 27 free throws to 11 of 19 for South Carolina. The Gamecocks finished at 28% shooting, going 4 of 31 in the second half. Wildens Leveque opened the second half with a bucket to tie the game but the Bulldogs scored the next nine points and led thereafter. Up by three with 13 minutes left, the Bulldogs outscored the Gamecocks 26-7 the rest of the way. |
| Tolu Smith leads Mississippi State men over South Carolina in SEC tournament | |
| Tolu Smith was happy to take advantage. The Mississippi State forward made the most out of a second chance the Bulldogs probably never should have gotten in Thursday's second-round Southeastern Conference tournament game against South Carolina. Just seconds after the Gamecocks' Keyshawn Bryant blew a breakaway dunk attempt, Smith collected an offensive rebound off a miss by guard Shakeel Moore. Smith banked a tough layup off the glass and in, putting Mississippi State up five in a key second-half stretch. "After that dunk, momentum completely went our way," Moore said. "We took advantage of it, and it was up from there." With so much on the line Thursday night, Smith and the Bulldogs weren't going to miss that kind of chance. Playing in just his 19th game this season, Smith posted a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead 10th-seeded Mississippi State (18-14) to a 73-51 rout of No. 7 seed South Carolina (18-13) on Thursday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. "I thought Tolu had a great game today," Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said. "He did a lot of nice things. His teammates did a good job feeding him." |
| How Ben Howland's lineup, wardrobe changes helped Mississippi State basketball get revenge | |
| Coming into the SEC Tournament, Mississippi State basketball coach Ben Howland knew something had to change. The Bulldogs had lost three of their last four games, starting with a loss to South Carolina. The final two were in heartbreaking fashion, falling to No. 5 Auburn in overtime and dropping a close game at Texas A&M. If Howland wanted his team to make any kind of SEC Tournament run, he had some decisions to make. The first: his wardrobe. Howland coached in a suit Thursday for the first time since before the pandemic, he said. And although he didn't make the style choice out of any sort of superstition, he was all dressed up when Mississippi State (18-14) avenged a regular-season loss to South Carolina (18-13) with a 73-51 win in the second round of the SEC Tournament in Tampa. "I just thought it would be really good to be good-looking here," Howland said of his suit. "I have to work at it." With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 2-1 against South Carolina this season and became the first team at this year's tournament to beat a higher seed. The second big decision for Howland: his lineup. The coach decided to start sophomore guard Andersson Garcia over junior D.J. Jeffries. Jeffries had started every game this season, and Garcia was getting his first start. |
| Missed dunk changes momentum as Mississippi State wins in second round of SEC tournament | |
| South Carolina's Keyshawn Bryant was alone in transition and the same-old was about the occur for Mississippi State. A valiant effort -- this one coming on Thursday of the SEC tournament -- was going to slip away and a season-ending loss was inevitable. That was until Bryant clanked the easy slam off the back off the Amalie Arena rim. The dunk would have been quite emphatic based on the rebound as the ball found its way back toward halfcourt and into the arms of MSU guard Shakeel Moore. Moore pushed an odd-man rush similar to that of the Tampa Bay Lighting teams which won the previous two Stanley Cups. He missed a jumper but Tolu Smith got the offensive board and hit a layup. Rather than a one-point lead, State's edge was back up to five. "After that dunk, momentum completely went our way," Moore said. "We took advantage of it, and it was up from there." Mississippi State never letup from there en route to a 73-51 win in the second round of perhaps the toughest conference tournament this season. Smith led the way for Mississippi State (18-14) with 20 points. Iverson Molinar followed with 19. |
| Mississippi State's Ben Howland says Tennessee's Santiago Vescovi robbed of All-SEC recognition | |
 | Ben Howland was stunned when he saw the media's All-SEC team Tuesday. The Mississippi State basketball coach was sure it would include Tennessee guard Santiago Vescovi. It didn't. "I love Vescovi. I voted for him first team. I can't believe the media got that wrong. He is their most important player," Howland said. "Those two other guards are great. I mean, I love (Kennedy) Chandler. I love (Zakai) Zeigler, but Vescovi, man, all the coaches voted for (Vescovi). I bet he was unanimous first team. He is really good." The Mississippi State coach raved about Vescovi and the Vols on Thursday night after the Bulldogs (18-advanced to face Tennessee (23-7) on Friday in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. "I had three players on their team on all-league," Howland said. "That's what I think of Tennessee." Howland indicated he voted for Josiah-Jordan James, Chandler and Vescovi for All-SEC honors. Vescovi was named first-team by the coaches, but not recognized by the media. Chandler was a second-team pick by the coaches and the media. The SEC coaches had nine first-team selections and eight on the second team. The media vote had five on each team. "James, the lefty, phenomenal," Howland said. "He is having a great year. I voted for him for all league second team." |
| MSU Softball Releases Additional 40th Anniversary Details | |
| State will celebrate the Ladies of the 80s, who took part in the first iteration of the school's softball program from 1982-86, on Saturday, March 19 against Ole Miss. That day will also mark the anniversary of the Bulldogs' first victory in program history. The 2022 season marks the 40th anniversary of MSU's first varsity fastpitch softball game on March 10, 1982. Recognizing the anniversary against Ole Miss is equally fitting, as State claimed its first SEC victory once the league sponsored the sport against the Rebels on March 6, 1997. Members of the team during the 1980s period, prior to the suspension of the program in 1986, are invited to return to Starkville and be recognized on March 19. Alumni from the 1980s will be served a pregame lunch and have the opportunity to reconnect with former teammates. There will also be a reserved seating block for the Ladies of the 80s during the game. Janice DeNomie Skinner, who threw the first pitch in MSU history in 1982, will be welcomed back to throw the first pitch on Saturday. She will be joined by Vicki Bonar Earnshaw, another significant contributor during the 1980s era. Between innings, a tribute video will be played on the board and the alumni will be recognized roll-call style for those in attendance. The full gameday experience on Saturday against the Rebels will be a throwback to the 80s. |
| MSU Opens SEC Play Against No. 11 Texas A&M | |
| Mississippi State's women's tennis welcomes Texas A&M on Friday at 3:00 p.m. CT to open their home SEC slate. The 64th-ranked Bulldogs (8-5, 0-2 SEC) enters this weekend having lost their first pair of SEC matches on the road at then No. 23 Tennessee and at 36th-ranked Georgia. No. 11 Texas A&M (16-1, 2-0 SEC) is coming off of a strong start to SEC play where they defeated South Carolina and No. 13 Florida in College Station. They have three singles players ranked within the top 80 as well as two doubles tandems ranked within the top 30. MSU has been stout at home with an impressive 7-0 record and have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 38-4. Doubles play has been the key to success for State this season. When MSU wins the doubles point, they are 7-1. Also, the Bulldogs have won the doubles point in six of their seven home matches. |
| Bulldogs Hit The Road In SEC Play | |
| Mississippi State's men's tennis team might be considered road warriors by the time they return to Starkville for their next match on March 25. The 32nd-ranked Bulldogs have four consecutive Southeastern Conference away matches spanning much of the Southeast over the next two weeks. MSU begins that road trip at No. 50 LSU on Friday at 5 p.m. before trekking to 28th-ranked Texas A&M on Sunday at 1 p.m. Next week, the Bulldogs are bound for South Carolina and Florida. Mississippi State heads into this weekend's affair at 10-5 overall and coming off 5-2 losses to now top-ranked Tennessee and eighth-ranked Georgia at home to start SEC play. The Bulldogs closed out last weekend with a 6-0 shutout of Mississippi Valley State. Texas A&M enters the weekend with a 9-6 record and a 1-0 mark in league play after defeating then No. 57 Arkansas 4-3 at home last Friday. The Aggies are coming off a 4-3 home loss to No. 15 Texas on Wednesday and will play a doubleheader against No. 41 Vanderbilt and Lamar on Friday prior to their match with the Bulldogs on Sunday. |
| Greg Sankey discusses rise of SEC men's basketball, if it's exceeded his expectations | |
| Greg Sankey has watched first hand how SEC men's basketball has ascended into the conversation of the best conferences in college basketball. The SEC Commissioner visited the set of "SEC Now" near the court in Tampa, Florida where the SEC Tournament is held this week to reflect on all the improvements in the league. Daymeon Fishback of the SEC Network pointed out that 4 SEC teams this season have a shot at the Final Four. Fishback then asked Sankey is the strength of the league has exceeded Sankey's own expectations. Previously, Sankey said, the SEC underperformed its own expectations, but he quickly pointed out that the investments in coaching, facilities and recruiting were outside of his reach. "What do we have to do to have the right foundation, so we can achieve the level of excellence we expect," Sankey said. "You saw progress pretty quickly, and now it's been sustained. We were at 3, then we go up and then we go back down. We've been at 5, 6, 8, people are projecting 6. But we have to have a conversation about what it's like to play in this league night in, night out and the quality of basketball. So you've got a team like, take A&M, every time somebody plays A&M it's close. It's a grind." Sankey then recalled that in 2016, there were 3 teams in, and this year there may be 3 teams on the top 2 seed lines. |
| Georgia fires coach Tom Crean after four seasons and 6-26 record in dreadful final year | |
 | Georgia fired men's basketball coach Tom Crean on Thursday after four seasons in which the program floundered in the SEC and never came close to cracking the NCAA tournament field. The Bulldogs finished a program-worst 6-26 this season and in last place in the SEC with a 1-17 record. They lost 20 of their last 21 games, leaving little doubt that the school would make a change as the team stumbled to the most losses ever by an SEC team. Crean and the team returned before noon on Thursday after a blowout loss at the SEC tournament in Tampa ended Georgia's season Wednesday night. UGA president Jere Morehead and athletic director Josh Brooks returned late in the afternoon. Georgia players were informed a team meeting was being held at 6 p.m. Thursday via Zoom after Crean was informed of the school's "intent to change program leadership." Crean, the former Indiana coach who reached a Final Four at Marquette, was hired to bring the program to the next level after Mark Fox reached March Madness just twice in his nine seasons. Crean had two years remaining on a six-year contract and is due to be paid a $3.2 million buyout. He sought an extension after last season but that was not granted. Louisville and Maryland -- the two most prominent job openings -- made coaching changes during the season and Kansas State also now has a vacancy. Now Georgia joins them in a search. |
| Frank Martin hasn't lost excitement for coaching Gamecocks, this year or beyond | |
 | Frank Martin doesn't want to stop coaching this South Carolina men's basketball team. Not now. Not yet. With his voice hoarse from two hours of court-side screaming Thursday at the SEC tournament, Martin expressed both pride and disappointment in a Gamecocks team that fell 73-51 to Mississippi State in a one-and-done showing in Tampa. Martin echoed sentiments that he's made throughout the season about how this year's group of players revitalized him after the rigors of last year's 6-15 season during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. But he also lamented the team's missed opportunities to bolster its postseason resume over the last few weeks. Losses at Alabama, at Auburn and against the Bulldogs on Thursday -- had those games gone in the other direction -- could've all been massive jolts for USC's NCAA tournament hopes. But now an NCAA tournament bid is out of the picture for a Gamecocks team (18-13, 9-10 SEC) that came into the day ranking 90th in the NET. The Gamecocks haven't made the NCAA tournament since Martin's 2017 Final Four run, the first in school history. "Unfortunately, I think we came up a little short there," Martin said. "But I'd love to coach again. That's the thing that hurts the most right now is that these kids, they gave me life when I was dead. And I don't want to stop, I want to keep coaching them (in the NIT)." Whether USC makes the NIT or not, questions are bound to follow about Martin's status with the program. |
| Clemson coach Dabo Swinney to open Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux restaurant near campus | |
| With two national championships to his credit, Clemson's Dabo Swinney is a proven commodity as a football coach. But how will he fare as a restaurateur? Clemson fans may begin to find out this fall. Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux -- a sports restaurant with a Louisiana-inspired menu -- announced Friday that Swinney will become its newest franchisee as part of a multi-restaurant development agreement in the Carolinas. A restaurant in Clemson is planned, with a groundbreaking ceremony "coming soon," according to Brandon Landry, founder and CEO of Walk-On's. "We would love to be open before the fall, before things really get going around campus," Landry said. Such as football season and Clemson's home opener on Sept. 10. Landry, who met Swinney through a mutual friend a little more than a year ago, said he's looking forward to making his first trip to Clemson at Swinney's urging. "We're here in Baton Rouge and our offices look on Death Valley. He told me I've got to get up there and see the real Death Valley," Landry said. "I guess we're going to figure out which one's the real one sooner or later, right?" |
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