| Thursday, June 2, 2022 |
| MSU announces Robichaux-Davis as director for QEP to further improve student experiences, learning | |
 | Mississippi State has named Professor Rebecca Robichaux-Davis in the College of Education's Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education as the director for the university's next Quality Enhancement Plan. Known as a QEP for short, this is an intensive five-year plan addressing an important issue for student success created during the institution's reaffirmation of accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges -- or SACSCOC. MSU has convened many internal task forces and town halls over the past several years to engage broad-based collaboration around specific topics -- including a primary focus on student success. The importance of experiential learning repeatedly has been emphasized, and the university created a separate task force to further explore this topic. Since experiential learning is such a critical aspect of the student experience, the MSU community has decided it should be the core focus of the next QEP. "Given her significant experience in defining, supervising and assessing K-12 field experiences and internships, as well as her long-standing dedication to student success, Dr. Robichaux-Davis is well-positioned to lead our university-wide effort toward a successful Quality Enhancement Plan," said Provost and Executive Vice President David R. Shaw. |
| ‘Help Each Other Keep Up’: Black Excellence on Display for Mississippi Family Engaged In Friendly Competition to Graduate Together with Master’s Degrees | |
| A Black Mississippi family is marking a graduation to remember: with a father, son and daughter all earning master's degrees in education from Mississippi State University on May 12. "The love and passion for it, you've got to have the love and passion," said Commondre Cole, a Mississippi State University graduate. Love and a passion for education is part of the bond shared by the Gully-Cole family residing in Meridian, Mississippi. Commondre Cole, 45, his son, Jacoby Cole, 25, and daughter Iesha Gully, 27, were all awarded master's degrees at Mississippi State's 2022 commencement. "I used to work manufacturing jobs and all of that and she say you can always be off in the summertime if you were an educator," Commondre Cole said of his wife's persuasion efforts to get into the education field. Commondre Cole credits his wife, Jessica Gully-Cole, who has spent her career as an educator, as the deciding factor in his decision to go back to school to earn his master's degree. She also convinced their children to follow in their parents' footsteps. Jacoby Cole works as a P.E. teacher for an elementary school in Meridian, Mississippi. "I just wanted to coach, teach kids how to play baseball and things like that. Mom said you should just go into teaching because in order to be a coach you need to be a teacher also, so she was like 'You might as well go ahead and get your education,' " Jacoby Cole said of his mom's efforts to get him into becoming a teacher. Iesha Gully's path into the classroom had twists and turns, which include a stint studying criminal justice and becoming a waitress and a truck driver before her mom's years of convincing finally broke through and she became an educator, now teaching special needs children in second grade in Meridian. |
| Paid parking resumes in Cotton District today | |
 | Paid parking via parking solution company ParkMobile resumed today for patrons and visitors in portions of Downtown Starkville. On University Drive, from Montgomery Street east to Mississippi State University, drivers will be prompted to pay to park along the street. There is no charge for parking that does not exceed 15 minutes. Green parking spaces signify paid parking zones. "I absolutely am optimistic about it. If I hadn't been I certainly wouldn't have felt that it was the right thing for us to do," said Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill. "The businesses, I think, have been impacted by it in the sense of the ones who came to us wanting to be put in place and been happy about it. In particular the ones in the denser area of the Cotton District like Bin 612 and Boardtown Pizza, Two Brothers, have all been glad to see its implementation." Paid parking was implemented, chiefly, to encourage more rapid parking space turnover to ensure patrons of businesses in the area have somewhere to park. ParkMobile collects a $0.35 user fee in addition to other credit card fees. In early May, the Starkville Board of Aldermen voted 6-1 to amend Starkville's parking ordinance, paving the way for paid parking to be reintroduced. The new ordinance went into effect today as well. |
| Oktibbeha dam repair ineligible for state matching ARPA funds | |
| Even as they awaited a final estimate on the cost to repair the Oktibbeha County Lake dam, county supervisors were relying on state matching ARPA funds to help cover those costs. On Wednesday, however, supervisors were alerted that the project is not eligible for those matching funds, based on an amendment to the final rule released on May 17. The ruling applies to ARPA funds provided to states for the purpose of grants called the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) to municipalities and countries for eligible projects. William McKercher, chief of Dam Safety Division for the Mississippi Department of Environment Quality, informed County Attorney Rob Roberson and Board of Supervisors President Bricklee Miller of the ruling via text after the Association of State Dam Safety Officials notified its members of the amended rule. The relevant passage in the voluminous SLFRF Final rule is found on pages 286-288 in the report, where it states "Treasury's final rule provides that funds may be used for rehabilitation of dams and reservoirs if the primary purpose of the dam or reservoir is for drinking water supply and the rehabilitation project is necessary for continued provision of drinking water supply." In June of 1964, county voters approved a $150,000 bond to create a recreational lake in the county, which included building the dam to retain the lake water. The dam does not provide drinking water. |
| 'Rally for Relief' to support Ukrainian refugees | |
| The Starkville community is planning a fundraising event, Rally for Relief, in support of humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees. Taking place June 11 at Fire Station Park, the fundraiser will feature live music, a silent auction, kids activities, a candlelight vigil and more. Though Starkville is thousands of miles away from Ukraine, organizers hope they can do their part in helping those that are suffering due to the on-going crisis. Derek Willis is part of the group that is leading the event's organizing. Willis explained they were all motivated to coordinate Rally for Relief out of a desire to help those that are suffering. The event will begin at 3:30 p.m. and conclude at 9:30 p.m. with the candlelight vigil. It will benefit three charitable organizations. "We wanted to be able to support a broad group and we wanted to be able to raise as much as possible, so when we started looking into the charities -- and there's so many more than just these three -- we picked the three target areas that are close to our hearts and close to what we felt the community supports strongly," said Willis. As the Rally for Relief event approaches, organizers are seeking volunteers and donations for the silent auction, beverages, art supplies for children's activities, tables to be used at the event and monetary support. |
| Women increasingly pursue ag careers | |
| In an industry historically dominated by men, women are making their mark in agriculture. The U.S. had 1.2 million female producers, accounting for 36% of the country's 3.4 million total, according to the last agriculture census. Female producers are slightly younger, more likely to be a beginning farmer, and more likely to live on the farm they operate than male producers. As the deadline for the next ag census approaches during the first quarter of 2023, indications are more women are entering the industry than a generation ago. Rachel Lee, a county executive director for USDA FSA, didn't grow up farming but was encouraged by her family to follow the ag career path her passion took over from there. "My mom actually encouraged my start in agriculture," she said. "She thought that agriculture would be something I would be interested in. Being involved in the production side of our food and fiber system for the family farm also helps that passion. I want to see our farmers and their crops succeed each year." She pursued multiple degrees in Agriculture and Extension Education at Mississippi State University. While farming may be a male-dominated industry, Lee sees more women joining the agriculture industry than ever before. |
| Mississippi Makers Fest returns to the capital city in 2023 | |
| The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) has announced the return of Mississippi Makers Fest to the Two Mississippi Museums for a second year. After a successful first year, the festival is looking to repeat that success by bringing back the music and food on May 13, 2023. "Our goal was to create an event that celebrated makers of all kinds in Mississippi, and this year's festival did just that," MDAH Director Katie Blount said, adding that she expects a bigger turnout in 2023. Southern Beverage Company, which started in Jackson in 1939, was the sponsor of the first Mississippi Makers Fest. According to President and CEO Theo P. Costas, Southern Beverage Co., Inc. will continue its partnership with MDAH into 2023. "It means a lot to be able to sponsor an event in Jackson that is dedicated to celebrating Mississippi's creativity and innovation," Costas said. |
| After parts delayed fulfillment center for months, Amazon opening in July | |
| The Amazon fulfillment center will bring about 1,000 jobs when it opens in the Madison County Mega Site near Canton in July after delays. Securing materials for the many conveyor belts inside the mammoth facility are among the reasons for the delays after the building structure was completed nearly a year ago. Madison County Economic Development Authority Director Joey Deason confirmed July 18 as the company's target date to open the 700,000-square-foot facility. He said there is mutual enthusiasm over the opening. "They are as excited as we are," Deason said. The company will likely start an advertising "blitz" running local ads and social media posts promoting job opportunities at the fulfillment center in the coming weeks, Deason said. The Amazon jobs are expected to offer flexible work hours, including weekend jobs, regular workweek jobs and alternating schedules as well as a host of opportunities and benefits, according to Deason. Deason said the facility's original target date was the 2021 holiday season before the project was delayed. The main issue was securing materials for the many conveyor belts inside the facility. He said the structure of the building was largely completed in August of 2021. The Journal first reported in July 2020 that the shipping giant purchased 69.02 acres at the Mega Site west of I-55 on Nissan Parkway off Mississippi 22 near Canton |
| How inflation is changing Americans' retirement plans | |
| Inflation is starting to affect people's retirement plans. A quarter of Americans say they will need to delay retirement because of rising costs, according to a new survey from BMO Harris Bank and Ipsos. Many are also saving less -- in general, and for retirement, specifically. Pretty much any time there are big changes in the economy, "people start to reexamine whether they're ready for retirement or not," according to David John of AARP. "So yes, I believe a substantial number of people are going to delay retirement, both because of rising costs, and the market volatility." Rising costs are affecting all kinds of decisions for people of all ages, said Paul Dilda at BMO Harris Bank. "Eighty percent of Americans say they're planning to change their actions because of the impact of inflation," he said. Whether that's driving less, saving less or working longer. "I'm a strong advocate for working longer," said Alicia Munnell at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, who adds that delaying retirement can be a good thing, especially for people under 70. "The ability to increase your monthly Social Security benefit is so important. It's a source of income that goes on for as long as you live, it's adjusted for inflation." |
| Fewer Americans apply for unemployment benefits last week | |
 | Fewer Americans applied for jobless aid last week with the number of Americans collecting unemployment at historically low levels. Applications for unemployment benefits fell by 11,000 to 200,000 for the week ending May 28, the Labor Department reported Thursday. First-time applications generally track the number of layoffs. The four-week average for claims, which evens out some of the weekly volatility, dipped by 500 from the previous week to 206,500. The total number of Americans collecting jobless benefits for the week ending May 21 fell from the previous week, to 1,309,000, the fewest since Dec. 27, 1969. American workers are enjoying historically strong job security two years after the coronavirus pandemic plunged the economy into a short but devastating recession. Weekly applications for unemployment aid have been consistently below the pre-pandemic level of 225,000 for most of 2022, even as the overall economy contracted in the first quarter and concerns over inflation persist. Last month, the government reported America's employers added 428,000 jobs in April, leaving the unemployment rate at 3.6%, just above the lowest level in a half-century. Hiring gains have been strikingly consistent in the face of the worst inflation in four decades, with employers adding at least 400,000 jobs for 12 straight months. |
| Primary election for U.S. House race set for Tuesday | |
 | Voters in Northeast Mississippi next week will have the opportunity to decide who should represent them in Washington for the next two years. In-person voting for both the Republican and Democratic primary elections for the seat on north Mississippi's 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives will open June 7. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly and Mark Strauss are competing for the Republican nomination; Hunter Avery and Dianne Black are competing in the Democratic primary. There are no U.S. Senate elections in the state on the ballot during this cycle. Polls open for party primaries will open at 7 a.m. and will remain open until 7 p.m. Photo identification is required to cast a ballot; anyone in line by 7 p.m. will have a chance to vote. Voters will be required to tell poll workers if they want to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary. In Mississippi, voters are not required to register with a political party, so they are free to vote in one party primary from one election cycle and a different party primary in the next. For example, if voters last year participated in a Republican primary, they can opt instead to participate in the Democratic primary this election cycle. The winner of the Republican and Democratic primaries will compete against each other during the general election on Nov. 8. |
| Ex-governor seeks to open medical marijuana testing facility | |
| Former Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove is teaming up with a health care executive to apply for a state license to open a medical marijuana testing facility. The Mississippi State Department of Health started taking applications Wednesday for the state's new medical marijuana program for patients, medical practitioners, growers, processors, testers, and transportation and waste disposal providers. Musgrove and Quentin Whitwell, who are both attorneys, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that they are applying for a license to open Magnolia Tech Labs in Marshall County. "To me, medical marijuana is ... a natural progression of options for health care in Mississippi and in America," Musgrove said. "I mean, to me, it's obvious that it will eventually be offered in all 50 states." Whitwell is involved with three rural hospitals in north Mississippi. He is owner and chief executive office of Panola Medical Center in Batesville, administrator and CEO of Quitman Community Hospital in Marks and chief operating officer and legal counsel for the Alliance Healthcare System hospital in Holly Springs, which is in Marshall County. Musgrove is a Democrat who was governor from 2000 to 2004 after serving one term as lieutenant governor. For nine years, he was chairman of the national Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. |
| Convention Center manager says improved parking is still a priority, despite governor's veto | |
| More than a month after Gov. Tate Reeves vetoed millions of dollars in allocations for the city of Jackson, leaders with the Jackson Convention Complex say they're still looking for ways to improve parking at the facility. "As far as the parking lot goes, we've turned our attention to backup plans and what our options are from the funding perspective," said Mark Arancibia, convention complex general manager. During the 2022 legislative session, lawmakers allocated $1 million to help improve parking for the convention center. However, the earmark was vetoed by Reeves. Arancibia said the funds would have been used to repave and repair the makeshift parking lot currently used by patrons visiting the Pascagoula Street facility. The lot, which is located across the street from the center, is made up of numerous concrete slabs owned by the city of Jackson, the Jackson Redevelopment Authority, and a private owner. The city helped piece together the properties years ago in hopes of bringing a hotel to the site. However, those plans have yet to materialize. Arancibia said repairing that lot -- leveling it, repaving it, and restriping it -- would be a short-term fix to help bring in more events, and keep organizers from pulling one event that the center has already booked through the next three years. |
| Welfare agency says it can't 'take providers by the hand' to ensure proper spending of $354M in child care funds on tight deadline | |
| Private child care providers across Mississippi are scrambling to spend around $150 million, the remainder of their federal stabilization funds, in the next four months. The centers, which were hit hard by the pandemic as many were forced to stay open while schools closed, may use the large grants broadly on payroll, mortgages and rent, goods like food, classroom equipment, diapers, masks and cleaning supplies, among other expenses. Though the federal government allows states to spend these child care stabilization funds -- $319 million of which it allocated to Mississippi -- through September of 2023, the Mississippi Department of Human Services has given child care centers a deadline of September 30, 2022, to expend the funds. Advocates say the rush might hinder providers from making the best financial decisions for their centers, many of which serve low-income parents and have been cash-strapped for years, resulting in low wages for child care workers. But centers may also use past operating expenses dating back to the beginning of the pandemic in their reimbursement requests to draw down the funds, called the Child Care Strong grant, in which case they can bank the money and do with it whatever and whenever they wish. An agency spokesperson said that the vast majority of providers are on track with their grant spending and are accurately recording their monthly purchases with the agency -- which should prevent any surprises on the back end. "We validate the fact that there are some concerns," MDHS communications director Mark Jones said. "We hear our providers, but by in large, we see that 86% or 90% of providers are not having these issues." |
| House Republicans to unveil conservative road map on climate, energy | |
 | House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) plans to unveil a strategy Thursday outlining how Republicans would address climate change, energy and environmental issues if their party gains control of the House in the midterm elections, according to three people familiar with the matter. The strategy calls for streamlining the permitting process for large infrastructure projects, increasing domestic fossil fuel production and boosting exports of U.S. liquefied natural gas, which proponents say is cleaner than gas produced in other countries, according to the individuals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe details that are not yet public. The individuals cautioned that the road map is far-reaching and includes a variety of environmental priorities with broad support across the Republican conference. The final details will be announced Thursday afternoon, although additional information will be shared in the coming weeks, according to one of the people. McCarthy, who would probably become speaker if the GOP picks up enough seats in the midterms, last year tasked Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.) with chairing a task force on climate, energy and conservation. The strategy is the result of months of internal deliberations within that task force, which includes 17 GOP members. McCarthy has said that House Republicans plan to release a broad policy agenda ahead of November's elections to give voters an idea of how the party would govern if it takes control of the House. |
| Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson Says Republicans Must Move Past Trump | |
 | Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is contemplating a bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said he wants his party to show more independence and break away from former President Donald Trump's hold. "The next presidential campaign will define the future of our party and we will be in a state of flux until then," Mr. Hutchinson said in a meeting with reporters and editors at The Wall Street Journal's headquarters Tuesday. "There's a significant amount of our base that is happy with an off-ramp from the Trump train." The governor said he hopes to travel later this year to Iowa, where Republicans plan to host their first nominating contest of the 2024 presidential election cycle. In late April, he spoke in New Hampshire, where the party is expected to hold its second nominating contest. His fellow Arkansan, Sen. Tom Cotton, is also contemplating a presidential bid and has already made several trips to Iowa in the past year. In suggesting Mr. Trump's power over the party is waning, Mr. Hutchinson said some of the results from GOP primaries in May, especially the landslide victory for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, sent a "powerful message" that shows "candidates can run on their own." In dealing with Mr. Trump, Mr. Hutchinson encouraged a more neutral tone than some of the party's Trump challengers have shown. |
| John Hinckley, Who Tried to Assassinate Reagan, Will Get Unconditional Release | |
 | A federal judge said on Wednesday that John W. Hinckley Jr., who tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, would be unconditionally released on June 15, according to a lawyer for Mr. Hinckley. Mr. Hinckley has been living in Virginia under various restrictions since 2016. The judge, Paul L. Friedman of Federal District Court in Washington, had set the June 15 release date in September with several conditions, including that Mr. Hinckley, 67, remain mentally stable. At a hearing on Wednesday, Judge Friedman said Mr. Hinckley had met those conditions and reflected on the "long road" that Mr. Hinckley had faced, The Associated Press reported. "He's been scrutinized," the judge said, according to The A.P. "He's passed every test. He's no longer a danger to himself or others." The District of Columbia's Department of Behavioral Health reported this year that Mr. Hinckley's psychiatric illness had been in remission for decades and that he did not present a danger to himself or others, federal prosecutors said last month, adding that the government had no reason to suggest Mr. Hinckley should not be granted unconditional release. In a statement on Wednesday, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute said it was "both saddened and concerned that John Hinckley Jr. will soon be unconditionally released and intends to pursue a music career for profit." |
| As natural gas expands in Gulf, residents fear rising damage | |
| The front lawn of Lydia Larce's home is strewn with debris: Remnants of cabinets and chunks of pink shower marble lie between dumpsters. She lives in a FEMA trailer out back, her home in shambles more than a year after Hurricane Laura tore through Lake Charles. Larce, like many in Southwest Louisiana, has what she calls "storm PTSD." Tornado warnings trigger anxiety. She fidgets and struggles to sleep. "The fear and the unknown -- it has me on an edge," Larce said. "I'm scared." A string of devastating hurricanes has torn through this region in recent years. Nationally, too, there have been more Category 4 and 5 hurricane landfalls in the past five years than in the previous 50 years combined. Larce and her neighbors know they are on the front lines of climate change. Her region is now the epicenter of a trend that she fears will make those disasters even more destructive. Developers plan to build a series of liquefied natural gas export facilities across Southwest Louisiana, already the heart of the industry. Even in a state with a heavy industrial base, these facilities are among the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in Louisiana. For a while, it looked as though an era of steadily expanding fossil fuel facilities might be ending. Last year, after taking office, President Joseph Biden announced his intention to fight climate change by eliminating fossil fuels from electricity generation by 2035 and by sharply reducing emissions from the rest of the economy. Yet since Biden became president, the U.S. has become the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas as demand for the fuel, known as LNG, has escalated. |
| Volodymyr Zelensky on War, Technology, and the Future of Ukraine | |
 | Ever since Russian forces started their all-out invasion in February, Ukraine has been hailed as an exemplar of how to defend against violent tyranny on the 21st-century battlefield. The country spun up an "IT Army" of volunteer hackers to take down Russian websites, used the Starlink satellite internet system to maintain communications as its own infrastructure was being destroyed, and launched a social media blitzkrieg to win support from around the world. By contrast, Russia's leaders, despite having a far more powerful traditional army, have been stuck in the obsolete strategic thinking of the previous century. They were seemingly unprepared for the powerful, precise, Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones that Ukraine has used to decimate Russian tanks and ships. Russian cybersecurity systems were frail too: Hackers who had signed up for the IT Army told me how they were continually launching distributed denial of service attacks against Russian websites, as well as posting pro-Ukrainian propaganda and news on sites Russia had not yet censored. These hackers weren't master cyber warriors with black ops training, but teenagers and twentysomethings in bedrooms and living rooms around the world. With Google searches and WikiHow articles, they learned the art of basic hacking in a few days. With a few weeks of practice, they said, they were able to punch through Russia's weak defenses and its vast cloak of wartime censorship. |
| Russia warns West of weapons repercussions, pounds Ukraine | |
| Britain pledged Thursday to send sophisticated medium-range rocket systems to Ukraine, joining the U.S and Germany in equipping the embattled nation with advanced weapons for shooting down aircraft and destroying artillery. Western arms have been critical to Ukraine's success in stymieing Russia's much larger and better-equipped military during a war now in its 99th day, with fierce fighting underway for control of the Donbas, the country's eastern industrial region. The Kremlin warned of "absolutely undesirable and rather unpleasant scenarios" if the latest Western-supplied weapons are fired into Russia. Russian forces continued to pound towns and cities overnight and to tighten their grip on the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk. Britain's Defense Ministry reported that Russia had captured most of the city, one of two in Luhansk province that had remained under Ukrainian control. The Donbas is made up of Luhansk and Donetsk provinces. Speaking by video link to a security conference in Slovakia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for even more weapons and sanctions targeting Russia to halt such horrors. "As of today, the occupiers control almost 20% of our territory," he said. |
| UMMC police officers named 'Top Cops' | |
| UMMC Police officers Shaun Hiley of Ridgeland and Garry Lee didn't know it at the time, but the career detours, relocations, chance encounters, and even deployments they've endured during a combined 30-plus years in law enforcement were preparing them for a calling for which they both are uniquely qualified. Tapped in February to lead the police department's piloted behavior response team, Hiley and Lee responded to rapid response emergencies at the hospital, intervening before conflicts escalated. During the 30-day pilot, in which they worked closely with thedepartments of Risk Management, Patient Experience and the Office of Well-Being, they responded to more than 100 calls. Chief of Police Mary Paradis was so impressed with their work that she named them both Top Cops. The Mississippi Center for Police and Sheriffs will present them with awards Tuesday, during Police Memorial Week. "Officers Hiley and Lee volunteered for the program and did an outstanding job deescalating events throughout the campus during the pilot program," said Paradis. "Their skills were useful at proactively interjecting into situations that could have escalated to violence, resulting in physical harm to our clinical staff and students." Hospital administration also took notice and would like to see the team return as a full-time unit, with Hiley and Lee stationed inside the hospital for easier accessibility. We hope to have the BRT operational soon," said Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Jonathan Wilson. |
| USM ESports wins first National Championship in program history | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi's Eagle ESports program has secured its first national championship after its Rainbow Six Siege Team defeated Carthage University in the final for the National Esports Collegiate Conference's Emergent League title last week. "It's honestly mind-boggling to me, especially with all of us being students and during finals week," said Josh Mackie, a junior computer science major from Horn Lake, Miss., who serves as team captain for R6. "That was already hard enough to try and schedule practice with finals going on. I am super proud that we were able to overcome all the stones that were thrown our way." In addition to the National Championship, USM had four teams finish as division champions. The Eagle ESports' Overwatch team fell to Champlain College but finished in the top four in the country. Dr. Denny Bubrig, assistant vice president for student affairs and advisor for the program, said he was not expecting the level of success the program has achieved this quickly. He believes it's a testament to the student participants' dedication and interest, program-wide, that it has secured multiple regular-season titles, a postseason conference title, a national championship and a national semi-finalist this year. "Without their level of commitment, none of this really happens," said Bubrig. "I am extremely excited about what the future holds." |
| HOPE Scholarship award to increase for Tennessee college students | |
 | A bill signed by Governor Bill Lee will increase the HOPE Scholarship award for students starting this fall. For freshman and sophomores enrolled full-time at a four-year institution, the amount will rise to $4,500 from $3,500. Juniors and seniors will receive $5,700 instead of $4,500 a year. For students enrolled full-time at two-year institutions, aid will increase from $3,000 to $3,200 a year. The HOPE Scholarship is awarded to Tennessee high school students who get a 21 on the ACT or graduate with a 3.0 GPA. To maintain the scholarship, students must maintain a certain GPA every year. The scholarship is available for five years after the initial enrollment date. Other changes implemented through the bill include lowering the ages for other parts of the HOPE Scholarship. The Tennessee Reconnect age will now be 23 instead of 24. The HOPE Scholarship provides financial aid funded by the state's lottery. This is the largest increase in the HOPE Scholarship since it was established in 2004. |
| Workers cut down final oak trees on U. of Missouri's Francis Quadrangle | |
 | The final pin oak trees fell down on the University of Missouri's Francis Quadrangle on Tuesday. In their place, five new trees have been planted on the quad. All of the 15 pin oak trees removed will be replaced by around 22 new white oak trees, likely over the next few weeks, said MU spokesperson Christian Basi. Workers started cutting down the last few trees in the morning and filled the holes with soil. The university said the majority of the wood will be given back to the contractor. Right now the quad is mostly bare, but the trees will start to grow over the next couple of years. "They grow at about a foot a year, so it will be several decades, at least one or two, before those white oaks are going to be in the full glory of what we had on the quad before," Basi said. The white oaks are expected to live for 200 years. Basi said the decision to cut down the trees was not one the university wanted to make, but one that had to be done. "It is something that we felt we had to do. It was a safety issue, and that first and foremost we have to sometimes make a tough decision on," Basi said. |
| Survey: College students still don't feel free to speak on campus | |
 | The percentage of college students who believe the political and social climate on their campus prevents people from freely expressing themselves rose from 54.7 percent in 2019 to 63.5 percent in 2021, according to a new survey conducted by Heterodox Academy. At the same time, the percentage of students who describe themselves as reluctant to speak freely on certain topics deemed controversial was far lower---nearly 41 percent felt that way in 2020, according to the nonpartisan education research organization. The survey also found that 39.5 percent of students felt reluctant to freely discuss political topics in 2021, and 30.5 percent and 31.8 percent of students, respectively, in those years were hesitant to discuss religious topics. The survey found that students nonetheless overwhelmingly favor free and open expression among themselves and others on campus, with the percentage of those supporting it rising from 85.4 percent in 2020 to 87.4 percent in 2021. Sean Stevens, senior research fellow for polling and analytics at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a campus civil liberties watchdog group, said the Heterodox survey and similar surveys by FIRE and the Knight Foundation in recent years have reached the same conclusion. “At the end of the day, a notable portion of the students, no matter what demographic they belong to, feel that it’s hard to discuss certain topics on campus,’’ he said. |
| 'Gag order' against assault: Schools bully young accusers into waiving rights, lawyers say | |
 | A student at Villanova University who reported allegations of sexual misconduct was asked to sign a form that prevented her from sharing evidence of the case with almost anyone, even her parents. Violating the terms could have affected the outcome of the school's investigation into what happened. At the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a contract presented to students says that just talking about the process of reporting sexual misconduct could get a student expelled. At York College of Pennsylvania, one student said he was threatened with academic discipline for telling his story on a podcast, violating a non-disclosure agreement that said he couldn't discuss his allegations, even though he didn't name the student he accused of rape. These conditions, uncovered in an investigation of school policies for dealing with campus sexual violence, reveal an emerging trend: Schools are bullying students who report sexual assault into waiving certain rights before they can proceed with internal misconduct hearings. It's a practice that runs afoul of the law, according to several experts, and these three schools are not the only ones forcing students into problematic contracts. Public records requests at several schools turned up waivers that take away students' right to discuss the investigative process, to review evidence in their own cases, even to share evidence with advocates or police. The punishment for violating can be anything from being placed at a disadvantage at their hearing to expulsion. It's not supposed to be this way. Federal law says schools must investigate complaints of sexual misconduct and violence unconditionally, and they must give both sides equal access to evidence. |
| U.S. Cancels $5.8 Billion in Student Loans, the Most Ever | |
 | The U.S. Education Department announced on Wednesday that it would cancel $5.8 billion worth of student loans owed by borrowers who attended the Corinthian Colleges, a now-defunct chain of for-profit institutions. It's the largest student-loan discharge that the department has ever made at one time, according to a news release, and affects 560,000 borrowers. The announcement comes as pressure mounts on the Biden administration to take more-sweeping action on student debt. In recent weeks, the president has reportedly signaled a willingness to cancel $10,000 in student-loan debt for all borrowers who make less than $150,000 a year. The mass cancellation of Corinthian loans is perhaps the final chapter in a nearly two-decade-long saga involving the for-profit chain, which once operated more than 100 campuses across the country. The department noted in Wednesday's release that Vice President Kamala Harris investigated and sued Corinthian for misleading students in 2013, when she was California's attorney general. Harris's findings -- which highlighted Corinthian's sketchy practice of falsely telling students that some programs had a 100-percent job-placement rate -- formed the basis of a larger investigation by the Obama administration's Education Department in 2014. After that investigation, federal officials subjected the campuses to additional review before they could receive federal financial aid, setting off a cash-flow crisis for the company. The department then reached an agreement with the company to sell nearly all of its campuses. |
| Biden faces pressure to help Black borrowers with heavy student debt | |
 | President Biden is reported to be closing in on a plan to cancel $10,000 in federal student debt per borrower, but some advocates are concerned about the impact it will have on Black borrowers, who data shows are likely to owe more to cover the costs of education. Many Democrats at the helm of student loan forgiveness efforts have promoted broad-based cancellation as a way to advance racial equity, often citing data showing the disproportionate burden faced by Black borrowers, especially women. But, as more reports surface of Biden's plans narrowing in on a decision on some student debt forgiveness, advocates are dialing up the pressure. "The impact that $10,000 would have would be so minor, that it wouldn't really address the real issue for Black borrowers," said Wisdom Cole, national director of the NAACP Youth & College Division. A number of advocates and lawmakers say the White House should go as far as possible in cancellation to address the disproportionate amount of federal student debt carried by Black borrowers, pushing for total cancellation of the debt. The campaign adds pressure to Biden ahead of the pivotal midterm races in November, amid ongoing attacks from Republicans over the student loans push they say is unfair, and as some experts warn of the effects limited debt action could have on economic efforts to promote racial equity in the long run. |
| Study: Parent PLUS Borrowers and the Racial Wealth Gap | |
| The Century Foundation (TCF), a think tank, released a study this week on an often-overlooked group of student loan borrowers: parents of students. To help pay for their child's undergraduate education, parents can take out a risky type of federal student loan called Parent PLUS loans. The TCF report highlighted that low-income parents of color are increasingly shouldering this debt burden, deepening the racial wealth gap. "Parent PLUS loans present conundrums for both the government issuing the loans and the parents who take them on," said Peter Granville, the study's author and TCF's senior policy associate. "The loans provide liquidity for families who need it to send their child to college. But it is a very risky, long-term gamble. The government, colleges, and families are all doing what seems best for the child's college opportunity, yet this can trap parents in debt. And for no group is this more true than low-income communities of color." Parent PLUS loans are held by more than 3.7 million families and account for upwards of $104 billion in student debt nationwide. These loans have high interest rates and fewer options to lower monthly payments, so the risk of default is greater compared to other federal student loans. "I think this report takes a comprehensive look at what I always felt was a bellwether for the serious affordability issues in higher education, particularly for Black families," said Rachel Fishman, deputy director for higher education research at New America, a think tank. Fishman has also researched Parent PLUS loans in recent years. "We could be solidifying a racial wealth gap with something seen as supposed to mediate that racial wealth gap." |
SPORTS
| Super regional expenses prove Mississippi State's investment, belief in softball | |
| Mississippi State fans got a look at something new last weekend: a nationally relevant softball program. MSU, after upsetting No. 2 Florida State in regional play, returned to Starkville to host its first super regional. Despite losing in two games against Arizona, MSU saw what it takes to build an elite program. Record-breaking crowds came to Nusz Park to watch the likes of catcher Mia Davidson and coach Samantha Ricketts after years of building Mississippi State to this stage, and they received a plethora of praise regardless of the outcome. But a program's rise also comes with financial commitment. Tickets first made available to Bulldog Club members sold out within minutes, forcing MSU to invent new ways to increase capacity. Outfield decks were built within a week, along with portable bathrooms and video boards for fans with an obstructed view. It helped draw the largest crowds (2,209 and 2,299) for a college softball game in Mississippi. But Mississippi State still lost about $50-60,000 by hosting -- an approximation provided by chief financial officer Eric George. George estimates that, had MSU not added various amenities, it could have broke even. "We wanted to make sure that we created an atmosphere that would give our team the best chance to win and get the fans there and allow them to have a good time," George said. "We took on some dramatic costs there to make sure it was a first-class experience." |
| MSU Softball: Coaches name Davidson nation's top catcher | |
| Mississippi State's Mia Davidson was a unanimous first-team All-America selection and the recipient of the Diamond Sports/NFCA DI Catcher of the Year award when the National Fastpitch Coaches Association released its annual awards on Wednesday at the Women's College World Series. "We are, as always, incredibly proud of Mia. I can't think of anyone more deserving of these honors," Bulldogs coach Samantha Ricketts said. "Being a unanimous first-team All-American is a testament to the fact that she proved herself to be the best catcher in the country this year. I'm just so proud of her and so happy to see her close her career with this type of recognition. "She is a perfect example of what it means to be a Bulldog day-in and day-out. We can't wait to see where she goes next on the professional stage." Earlier in the day, Davidson was also named a first-team All-American by D1Softball.com. The awards make her the fifth Bulldog to earn All-America honors in multiple seasons. Previously, Davidson was a first-team selection by Softball America and a third-team selection by the NFCA in 2019. She will continue her playing career with Athletes Unlimited this summer. She was the No. 13 pick in the league's college draft in May. |
| Mississippi State football schedule 2022 is among nation's toughest. We ranked all 12 opponents | |
| A juggernaut of a schedule awaits Mississippi State football in a season where returning production creates increased expectations for coach Mike Leach. The Bulldogs are No. 12 in ESPN's SP+ rankings, which consider recent history and recruiting along with returning production. But ESPN's college football power index gives Mississippi State the second-toughest schedule. MSU's 2022 slate is the toughest according to 247Sports. State will face its usual SEC West foes, including title favorite Alabama. In the conference crossover game, MSU is stuck with defending champion Georgia and a trip to Kentucky. From easiest to hardest, here's a look at Mississippi State's 2022 opponents. |
| NCAA baseball tournament tickets sell out at Southern Miss Hattiesburg Regional | |
 | Southern Miss baseball has sold out Pete Taylor Park for the NCAA Tournament Hattiesburg regional. The university also announced a tweak to the schedule, with Saturday's Game 3 sliding to noon CT, and Monday's deciding contest moving to 3 p.m., should it be necessary. Southern Miss lists Pete Taylor Park's capacity at 4,300, but that mark has been surpassed this year. A crowd of 6,346 watched the Golden Eagles take on Ole Miss earlier this season -- the largest in the stadium's history. With LSU, Kennesaw State and Army making up the regional field, those hoping to take in the regional will now look to the secondary market for tickets. As of Wednesday morning, there were no listings on StubHub for the two opening sessions on Friday. Tickets for Saturday's Session 3 start at $119, with Session 4 tickets available from $149. The Golden Eagles open play against fourth-seeded Army at 1 p.m. Friday. The game will air on ESPN+. |
| It just means more: SEC weighs expanding conference schedule | |
| The Southeastern Conference's slogan, "It just means more," could soon refer to the number of football games the league schedules. SEC coaches and athletic directors have been meeting this week at a resort on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Atop the agenda is whether the conference schedule should expand from eight to nine games when the league itself grows from 14 to 16 teams with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma. Whether a decision comes by the time the spring meetings wrap up Friday is still to be determined -- and seeming more unlikely at the end of Wednesday's sessions. "We've got some questions still to answer," Commissioner Greg Sankey said. "We've got more work to do." The SEC presidents, who have final say on schedule change, meet Thursday with the ADs. Sankey said the executive committee would be updated on the discussions and the conference was in no rush to make a decision, but would not commit to whether the group would vote. "Wait till Friday," he said. Even those in the conference who have generally been supportive of playing more league games acknowledge it's a move that comes with potential complications. Even though the SEC might not implement a new format until 2025, a decision needs to come fairly soon so its schools can adjust or get out of game contracts for nonconference games that have been signed years in advance. |
| Greg Sankey discusses need for national legislation on NIL | |
| Greg Sankey had some strong opinions on the need for national legislation on NIL during SEC meetings in Destin, Florida. During a meeting with the media, the SEC commissioner spoke about the issue, stating that an over-arching law would be better than the patchwork fixes that are currently in-place. "I'm like in Year 35 working in this area, and I don't recall having had state laws adopted that said you will conduct your athletics program in this way. That's happened in different ways," began Sankey. "One of our conversations is if you go back to 2019, 2020 -- we said we don't want a patchwork of state laws to onboard this activity. Do we still feel this way? And so far the answer has been yes, we don't want that." "But that's out reality. Whether or not members on congress choose to act in establishing a national standard which would overcome that patchwork, that remains to be seen. I'm in an educational mode, and willing to have dialogue to learn about concerns which I can read. .. So, I think we're trying to figure out right now what is it that we actually view as necessary, and then we'll go through the legal analysis of what's appropriate, and then engage with our lawmakers to see if there's an outcome. .. But all of that is in-question." |
| Alabama AD on Jimbo Fisher's comments: 'We feel very good about our compliance' | |
 | Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne was careful with his words when asked to weigh in on Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher's fiery comments about Nick Saban two weeks ago. Fisher called Saban a "narcissist" and "despicable" after Saban said Texas A&M bought every player in its top-ranked 2022 recruiting class. Fisher, who worked with Saban at LSU in the early 2000s, encouraged people to "dig into how God did his deal, you might find out about a guy who did a lot of things you don't want to know." When Byrne was directly asked about Fisher's comments at the SEC spring meetings in Destin on Wednesday, he steered clear of pouring more gasoline on a fire that has mostly burnt out. "I think Coach Fisher was fired up," Byrne said. "I think he has worked with Coach Saban and obviously has benefitted from working with Coach Saban, like a lot of coaches have. I know we feel very good about our compliance and what we do at Alabama that's been in the past and that's going to continue in the future." A day earlier, Saban said, "I have no problems with Jimbo at all" and called for more transparency with Name, Image and Likeness which prompted his initial comments at an event for the 2022 World Games in Birmingham. |
| Fisher moves on from spat with Saban | |
| The spat between Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher and Alabama's Nick Saban appears to be over -- at least publicly. A jovial Fisher said repeatedly Wednesday that he was "moving on" from the war of words with his former boss that added some soap-opera drama to the Southeastern Conference's spring meetings this week. Fisher said he and Saban had "normal conversations" during two days of meetings with the other 12 SEC football coaches. The coaches covered topics such as future scheduling models for the conference, transfer rules and how college sports can get a handle on the way athletes are compensated for use of their names, images and likenesses. "It's over with. We're done talking about it. We're moving on to the future of what goes on and try to fix the problems that we have in college football," Fisher said. "There's a lot more pressing needs than our arguments." "We're done. We're moving on. I have no problem," he added. The next time Saban and Fisher are guaranteed to get together is Oct. 8 when the Crimson Tide hosts the Aggies. Texas A&M upset then-No. 1 Alabama last season at Kyle Field. The SEC spring meetings -- taking place in person for the first time since 2019 because of the pandemic -- were the first opportunity for the two coaches to meet face-to-face since the dustup. "Things were said. We're moving on to the next thing," Fisher said. |
| Judge to rule on Athens Banner-Herald's effort to access UGA NIL records | |
 | The hot topic in collegiate sports known as NIL -- for name, image and likeness -- was debated Friday in the Oconee County Courthouse. Superior Court Judge Eric Norris listened as David Hudson, representing the Athens Banner-Herald, and Edward Tolley, the attorney for the University of Georgia Athletic Association, argued about whether the Athletic Association should release documents through the open records act on UGA athletes with NIL contracts. Norris has not yet ruled on the newspaper's complaint, but from the outset he noted what a "novel issue" NIL has become for those working in college sports. Tolley has maintained that the Athletic Association, a private entity that does not accept public money, is not the proper agency to face the complaint -- rather, it should be the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. According to Tolley, the university provides NIL information on student athletes to the Athletic Association, which then provides that information to the NCAA. When the judge queried why the newspaper wanted access to the NIL information on athletes, Hudson explained it was for the "public benefit." Tolley argued student-athletes have a right to privacy and these NIL contracts are made with an independent third party and not the university. The Athens lawyer likened it to the lottery, where a winner can choose to allow his identity to be known or kept secret. |
| 'This one really hurts': Alabama basketball manager Charlie Wilson dies at 20 | |
 | Alabama basketball manager Charlie Wilson has died, the program announced Wednesday. He was 20. On Monday afternoon, he died from a fall during a seizure, something he has dealt with throughout his life, his father, Charles Wilson said. "Unfortunately he was by himself and we couldn't get to him in time," his father said. "It was his time to go be a manager for the Lord." Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats, in Miramar Beach, Florida, for the SEC spring meetings, praised Wilson, who became a manager for UA this past season. "He brought a ton of energy to the program," Oats said. "He worked really hard. He was in it to serve the players and make the program better." Wilson was a Pickens Academy graduate from Aliceville. He was pursuing a degree in communications at Alabama and wanted to be a sports journalist or broadcaster. The players showed their love for Wilson on social media. Past and current players such as Jaden Shackelford, Nimari Burnett, Charles Bediako and many others posted in honor of Wilson. Wilson came to an Alabama camp as a child, Oats said, building a relationship with assistant coach Antoine Pettway at a young age. "Alabama basketball meant a lot to him," Oats said. "He meant a lot to us. Really sad for us to hear of his passing. " |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
