| Thursday, June 23, 2022 |
| Maintenance project impacts MSU Libraries Special Collections' services | |
 | Mississippi State's Mitchell Memorial Library's third-floor Archives and Special Collections offices and Reading Room will close Monday [June 27] and remain shuttered indefinitely as workers complete an air-conditioner replacement project. During this closure, university researchers may meet with ASC faculty and staff and access materials in the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library Reading Room, located on the building's fourth floor. On-campus and community patrons must contact the department for an appointment and request materials at least two full business days in advance of their proposed visit. Materials requested from the collections in University Archives, Manuscripts, Rare Books and Mississippiana will be pulled daily between 8 and 10 a.m. Requests for materials received after 10 a.m. will be pulled the next business day. ASC will limit the intake of donations of new materials during this time. Those who have historical materials to donate that need to be considered on an urgent basis, please contact ASC with your name, contact information and a description of the collection. For more information about ASC's services during this closure, email sp_coll@library.msstate.edu. |
| Favorable weather produces good, quality watermelons | |
 | Watermelon production in Mississippi is off to a good start in the early days of harvest season. "Right now, everything looks really good," said Heath Steede, Mississippi State University Extension agent in George County. "They're pulling them pretty hot and heavy right now." So far, weather conditions have been favorable. Fields have gotten the right mix of rain and clear skies. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Crop Progress and Condition Report issued June 12, watermelon quality is 67 percent good and 31 percent fair. Harvest is 10 percent complete compared to 7 percent at this time last year. Most of Mississippi's watermelons are grown in the southeast portion of the state. However, north Mississippi does produce some watermelons. Reid Nevins, an Extension agent in Lowndes County who has one commercial producer in his county, said production is on track for the area. "What I've seen of his crop looks really good," he said. "Harvest is later here in north Mississippi than in south Mississippi, but the crop is progressing like it should." Watermelon crops in north Mississippi will not be ready until around July 4. "I don't know of any problems with watermelons. I haven't gotten any calls for that," Nevins said. "I've had a lot of calls about tomatoes, though." |
| Starkville High School principal leaving for job on coast | |
| Starkville High School executive principal Howard Savage is leaving the district to become assistant superintendent of secondary education at Pascagoula-Gautier School District. Savage has led SHS for the past two school years. Though his job will be on the Gulf Coast, his family will remain in Starkville for the 2022-23 school year. "I'm always going to love Starkville," Savage said. "Starkville will always be home to me. My daughter is about to graduate from Mississippi State, my son is going to remain up here and finish his senior year at Starkville High School, and my eighth grader, she's going to stay here for another year until I can make the full transition. My family is going to be up here, and you'll still see me around at events when I come up to visit my family." The Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District board of trustees voted to accept Savage's resignation on Tuesday morning. He began his role in the early days of COVID-19, and Superintendent Eddie Peasant complimented Savage's leadership at SHS through the height of the pandemic. |
| Dog park removed from George Evans Park plans | |
| After immense pushback from the Needmore community, there are no longer plans in the works to remove the basketball court or to build a dog park at George Evans Park. The proposed changes to George Evans Park were to be part of a comprehensive, $16 million overhaul of George Evans, Moncrief, McKee and J.L. King parks that was announced in late 2021. Originally, plans included removing the basketball court and building a 7,000 square-foot dog park, a proposal that drew backlash from Needmore residents. The board is still planning to move forward with other parts of phase 1 of park renovations, which includes significant downsizing of the Needmore community center, a plan that remains a point of concern for Needmore residents. "For those of you who are here about Needmore, let me assure you -- I think we've said it on a couple of different occasions -- that the dog park is no longer part of the plan," Mayor Lynn Spruill said during Tuesday's board of aldermen meeting at City Hall. "The basketball court is also going to stay." This change in the plans for George Evans Park happened prior to Tuesday's meeting. However, many concerned residents of the Needmore community filled the courtroom to express their concerns about the board's plans for the park, unaware of the new developments. In a deviation from protocol, Aldermen Jeffrey Rupp (Ward 3) and Hamp Beatty (Ward 5) then engaged the public directly to reassure the citizens there would be no dog park at George Evans Park. "Are y'all OK with that? Because, I know we've tried to say that but I don't think -- there's been some, perhaps, skepticism," Rupp said. "And given the political climate these days I understand the skepticism. But we want you to really feel comfortable that we mean that about the dog park. Are we OK?" |
| Starkville family has new place to call home thanks to Habitat for Humanity | |
 | A Starkville family has a new place to call home -- thanks to an army of volunteers. Latalla Harris and her son got the keys to their new home today during a dedication ceremony hosted by Habitat for Humanity. Construction on the house started last fall. Dozens of volunteers helped with the building process over the last several months, including a group of college students from Illinois. Harris says seeing so many people come to help with construction has been the most special part of this process. "I am ecstatic. I'm blessed and so happy. Words cannot describe how beautiful this home is and all the help and all the volunteers that have come to help and put love into my home. So I am grateful," said Latalla Harris, homeowner. Starkville's next Habitat for Humanity house will be a Maroon Edition build. Construction is expected to start at the beginning of the new school year. |
| Mike Hainsey celebrates 19-year career at Golden Triangle Regional Airport | |
| Colleagues, family and friends of Golden Triangle Regional Airport Director Mike Hainsey gathered Tuesday afternoon at the airport to bid farewell to him at the tail end of a 19-year career. "I use this term very sparingly in my life but to say that you've been a visionary for this airport, that's probably an understatement," Transportation Security Administration Assistant Federal Security Director for Law Enforcement Barry Whitehead said as he presented Hainsey with a certificate and a metal of excellence from the TSA. Under Hainsey's leadership, GTRA has grown to be the third largest airport in the state by passenger count as of 2019. Immediately after Hainsey took over as GTRA director, the airport was dealt a major blow when Northwest Airlines discontinued its passenger service at the airport, cutting annual revenue by a third. Hainsey negotiated with Delta, reestablishing regular commercial flight service with a major carrier. In the following years, Hainsey, with the help of his team, accomplished two major expansions, a runway extension and a close working relationship with Columbus Air Force Base, which makes up 70 percent of the airport's business. The airport has served as a magnet for related economic development, with Airbus, Aurora Flight Sciences and Stark Aerospace all locating facilities near GTRA during Hainsey's tenure. |
| J5 partners plead not guilty to federal charges | |
| Columbus business partners Jabari Edwards and Antwann Richardson both pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a string of federal charges related to a $2 million fraud scheme. The men entered their pleas during an arraignment in federal court in Oxford. Edwards, represented by Columbus attorney Donna Smith, and Richardson, represented by Tupelo-based lawyer Victor Fleitas, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Roy Percy, according to court documents. Edwards is the founder of J5, and Richardson is the president. Last week both were arrested as part of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which also raided the J5 office in downtown Columbus. They are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. Edwards is also charged with making a false statement. If convicted, they could both face up to 30 years in federal prison. A trial date of July 25 has been set before United States District Judge Sharion Aycock in Oxford. Plea agreement must be submitted by July 11, according to court documents. According to the indictment, the men allegedly received federal Paycheck Protection Plan funds and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program funding for a company that they no longer owned. The money was used to buy Court Square Towers; for personal real estate transactions; political contributions; charitable donations; loan payments for vehicles; and lump sum payments to friends, family members and employees of their other companies. |
| Dunn Utility adding 30 jobs with $23.3M New Albany expansion | |
 | Dunn Utility Products will almost double its workforce with a $23.3 million expansion into New Albany that will add 30 jobs. The company, based in Byram, manufactures reinforced concrete pipe and precast concrete and is expanding into the Enhance Mississippi Shell Building in New Albany. The 100,000-square-foot shell building will house two new manufacturing plants to produce concrete pipe and wet cast concrete. The expansion is needed for increased demand. In addition to the 100,000-square-foot building, Dunn Utility Products also bought a dirt pad at the site that could accommodate another 100,000 square feet. The building could ultimately be expanded to 400,000 square feet. The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for infrastructure improvements in support of the project with a $538,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). Union County and the city of New Albany also are assisting with the project. Dunn Utility Products is one of five Mississippi companies under the Dunn Family of Businesses. The other companies are MMC Materials, Bayou Concrete, Dunn Road Builders and Huey P. Stockhill LLC. Dunn Utility Products is headquartered in Byram where the company employs 45 workers. The Byram facility opened in 2018. |
| Sports Illustrated wants to build a $410M mega resort on the Coast, one of first in the US | |
 | One of the first Sports Illustrated Resorts in the U.S. could be coming to South Mississippi with hotels, a family entertainment center and a crystal lagoon. The $410 million resort would be built on what originally was to be the site of Gulf Coast Galleria shopping center. The 78-acre property is on the southwest quadrant of the I-10/110 intersection in D'Iberville, directly south of The Promenade. The site is north of Biloxi and four miles from the coastline. The D'Iberville City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted their support of Blue Water Beach -- the working name of the resort -- and agreed to issue Tax Increment Financing bonds to cover part of the cost of infrastructure improvements for the new development. The announcement that Sports Illustrated will lend its name to "premium lifestyle resorts and entertainment destinations" came on Super Bowl weekend in February. The first resort, under construction in the Dominican Republic, is scheduled to open this year and the another is proposed for Orlando in 2024. "It will celebrate our culture here," said Chris Gouras with Gouras & Associates consultants, who is handling city, county and state incentives for the project. Gouras said he already met with Mississippi Development Authority on a tourism tax incentive that will direct sales tax generated by the project back to the developers to help recover some of the costs when the project is done. |
| Corporations' decisions seem to signal the end of the pandemic | |
 | To be clear, the pandemic is not over. The federal government declared COVID-19 a public health emergency in January of 2020, and it renews that declaration about every three months. But more major players are making decisions that convey a new level of calm. Uber is bringing back ride-sharing in major cities. And Broadway, which has exercised caution, is lifting its mask mandate on July 1. There aren't official data points to signal the end of the pandemic, said Lindsey Leininger, a professor of public health at Dartmouth. "It's a feeling, really," Leininger said. That feeling is dictated by a mix of responses by official and unofficial entities: public health experts, local governments, schools and, increasingly, corporations. Which, Leininger said, can be good. "I find it puzzling that we wouldn't look to companies. They run large operations," she said. Companies have a lot of information about what's happening in the world and they're often nimble. If you think back, it was big companies that took pandemic precautions first. Sports venues canceled events before governments limited public gatherings. Airlines began requiring employee vaccinations before Washington moved to require big companies to do so. "Some companies are large enough that they can be the trendsetters," said Kosali Simon, a health economist at Indiana University. Trendsetters in terms of tightening restrictions -- and loosening them. "It is a big, big contest between making a profit and staying safe, staying healthy," said Shaker Zahra, a professor of strategy at the University of Minnesota. |
| Moderna vaccine trials continue in Hattiesburg | |
 | While coronavirus vaccines have been available to the public for more than a year, trials for these medicines are still ongoing. Doctors and patients in Mississippi are working together to continually monitor efficacy and safety. To help understand how effective and safe the coronavirus vaccinations are, volunteers in Mississippi have been participating in the Moderna vaccine trial since the summer of 2020. The Hattiesburg Clinic is one of only a few locations across the nation participating. Dr. Rambod Rouhbakhsh says the data they've collected has continued to show that these vaccines are safe and effective. "We have the people that were willing to volunteer to be members of this trial here in Mississippi to thank for helping obtain this level of information for all of us, and to help prove that these remedies are safe for all of us to use." The vaccine trials covered a broad variety of ages, including 31 children across the state. Dr. Anita Henderson is President of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and practices at the Hattiesburg Clinic. "I think having this type of research here in Hattiesburg just shows the rest of the state and the rest of the country that we have the healthcare infrastructure. We have the participants willing to enroll their children to be part of the solution." Among the patients who volunteered for the trail is 5 year old Truitt Bush of Laurel. His mother Anna Bush says some of their family have compromised immune systems, and getting their son vaccinated early in the trials helped to protect them. "You'll be hard pressed to find a 4 year old or a 5 year old that's going to tell you that they like shots or blood draws or nasal swabs or anything like that. But our experience has been very positive. He had little to no side effects after the first shot, and after the second shot kinda a low-grade temp and a headache the next day. That was it." |
| U.S. Rep. Michael Guest pushing back on what he calls 'mistruths' being put out by his opponent ahead of upcoming runoff | |
| In less than a week voters will be heading back out to the polls. This time it'll be to vote in a runoff to see who will run on the primary ticket in the race for Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District. The two candidates are incumbent Michael Guest and his challenger Michael Cassidy, who was the leading vote-getter during the June 7th primary. Less than 300 votes separated the two. The incumbent, Congressman Guest said he's now spending time on the campaign trail working to distinguish himself from his opponent and refute what he calls "mistruths" being spread by his opponent. "False allegations saying that we support Planned Parenthood, that we're not pro-life," said Guest. "He was able to confuse many voters about what we actually supported on the January 6th Commission versus the January 6th Committee, we worked very hard to try and dispel some of that." When it comes to the January 6th Commission, Guest said he voted on a bipartisan law enforcement commission, and not the current committee that we have today. Guest is seeking his third term and believes his experience, and the work he's already done in Washington is one of the advantages he has over his opponent. "I think I am the most conservative candidate in this race," said Guest. "I am someone who has spent my entire life here in Mississippi. Instead of standing on his record and his giant spending plan that he proposed, instead, he wants to attack me and wants to attack me and my family, and my conservative record, that's all he has. He is nothing more than an empty suit who is spewing accusations every day, and I hope the people of Mississippi will not fall for what he is trying to peddle." |
| Police prepare to respond after US Supreme Court rules on Mississippi abortion case | |
| The U.S. Supreme Court could issue an opinion on Mississippi's abortion case as early as Thursday. According to the U.S. Supreme Court calendar, opinions will be released Thursday and Friday. Arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which could overturn Roe v. Wade and force Mississippi's only abortion clinic to close, were heard by justices in December. The case centers around a Mississippi law that would ban most abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. Abortion providers and law enforcement across the country are preparing for an increase in violence once the Supreme Court rules, saying there has historically been a spike when the issue of abortion gets widespread public attention. Capitol Police Chief Bo Luckey said plans are in place to work with multiple agencies, including the Jackson Police Department, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Public Safety. Luckey said patrol units will be around the Capitol Complex and other areas to ensure everyone is safe. "We have to join together to do that, and this right here, is a prime example of how it's going to take more than one agency to accomplish that goal," Luckey said. "This could be a very volatile situation, where these groups of individuals with different beliefs coming together. So, our plan is going forward. We have already started securing our buildings a little bit more with that in mind." |
| Study: Mississippi among minority of states most dependent on sales tax | |
| The individual income tax, which House Speaker Philip Gunn, Gov. Tate Reeves and others want to eliminate in Mississippi, is the largest source of revenue in 33 states. Mississippi is among 14 states where sales tax is the largest source of revenue, according to a recent report by the Pew Charitable Trust, which researches and offers assistance to governmental entities on various policy issues. Recent reports by Pew reveal that most states, including Mississippi, are experiencing significant increases in revenue collections and those increases are fueled by strong collections of most general taxes, including the income tax and the sales tax. "Tax revenue is one factor that helps explain recent widespread state budget surpluses," according to a report from Pew. Currently, according to data compiled by Pew, tax collections are robust both in states that rely primarily on the sales tax and those that are dependent on the income tax. Mississippi is no exception. With one month of data still to collect before the fiscal year ends on June 30, tax collections in Mississippi are nearly $1.3 billion above the official estimate. The official estimate represents the amount of money legislative leaders projected would be available during the session to build a budget for the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1. Money above the official estimate goes into reserve funds. |
| $53.3 Million. 33 Jobs. No Plan. That's How Mississippi Lawmakers Are Spending BP Oil Spill Money. | |
| Nothing about the proposal to create a "town center" in the coastal bedroom community of Gautier, Mississippi, made sense to Becky Montgomery Jenner. The mall that once functioned as the town's community hub is literally a shell of its former self, with a rusting metal structure covering a concrete slab where shoppers once browsed. In its place the city wants to create a downtown where people can live, shop and dine. No developers, banks or investors have signed on to the project. An advisory board that Jenner sits on voted 6-1 against recommending the project for economic development funding paid by the oil company BP following its massive oil spill in the nearby Gulf of Mexico. State lawmakers put up $3.5 million anyway. Jenner couldn't believe it. The money that legislators sent to Gautier is part of a $750 million settlement paid by BP to compensate the state for the economic damage caused by the 2010 oil spill. Coastal Mississippi business leaders hoped the money would be used to transform the Gulf Coast economy, attracting new industries, creating jobs and lifting wages in communities dominated by low-paying service jobs. But Mississippi's Gulf Coast Restoration Fund is failing to meet any conventional measure of success for an economic development program, a joint investigation by the Sun Herald and ProPublica found. |
| Girls' Day at the Capitol | |
| Girls' Day at the Capitol taught Macy Williamson many things and she enjoyed sitting in the big chairs, but the biggest lesson was how old the different kinds of marble are in the structure commissioned in 1901. There are at least 10 different types of marble from other states and countries, such as Italy and Belgium, found throughout the Capitol. Williamson, who is just nine years old, said visiting the Capitol with Rep. Jill Ford of Madison was very fun. "We got to sit in all the big chairs in the Representative and House Chambers," Williamson said. "All of it was very interesting and fun." The Girl's Day at the Capitol was established by Ford, a Republican, during her first year in the Legislature when she invited young girls from Madison County to tour their State Capitol and learn about legislation and what goes on in the daily life of a Representative. "I hope these girls have the same desire in their hearts to do what I do one day," Ford said. "I want my campaign signs to show them what kind of job I do, not just who I am. It means the world to me that I can do that, and as long as I'm in office, I will always have a girls' day at the Capitol to encourage these young ladies to pursue their dreams. I had a girl at church come up and hug me and say thanks for letting her see my Capitol, and I told her, 'Honey, it's your Capitol.'" For the first year, she had around 16 participants, made up of mothers and daughters, and 15 participants for the second year. However, the program last Friday blew those numbers out of the water, with the number of participants reaching nearly 70. |
| Craft Center looks to state for help with repairs | |
| Stop by the William Lowe (Bill) Waller Sr. Craft Center in Ridgeland and you'll find a gallery filled with traditional and contemporary crafts. Loaded with baskets, pottery, bowls, quilts, jewelry and more, the sales gallery at the center exhibits the creativity of members of the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi. The Mississippi Tourism Association has named the Craft Center not once but twice the Mississippi Travel Attraction of the Year. It's been 15 years since the guild moved from a location on the grounds of the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum in Jackson into what was then a new building specifically constructed for it at 950 Rice Road. Now, the building is badly in need of foundation and HVAC repairs estimated to cost as much as $750,000. The guild leases the building for $1 a year from the state. The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame has a similar lease agreement with the state. In 2021, the Legislature, at the urging of Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee, Visit Ridgeland and other supporters, appropriated $100,000 for maintenance. "Since it is a state-owned building the city of Ridgeland does not have the legal authority make repairs," McGee said. "We do, however, continue to help lobby the Legislature for funding. We believe this building that is state-owned should be kept up with state funds just like any other state-owned building." |
| Martin recalls time in D.C. as Senate Page | |
| Neshoba County Teenage Republicans Chairman Ty Martin said being on the Senate floor every day and working as a Senator Page in Washington, D.C., was an honor. On top of his time in D.C., where he met Senators such as Cory Booker and Roger Wicker, Martin also received an Outstanding Academic Achievement award in his Physics class under Dr. Ashley Johnson. "I got the award not because I had the highest grade in the class, but because I was the most improved out of everyone else," Martin said. "I didn't think I was going to get it, but Dr. Johnson said it wasn't about who finished the highest, it was who improved the most." Martin first received his appointment to participate in the Senate Page Program from Mississippi U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker in November 2021. He headed to D.C. on Jan. 31, and returned to Neshoba County on June 11. While in D.C., he took classes such as English comp, pre-calculus, and U.S. history before the Senate floor opened each morning. "It was beyond anything I had ever done," Martin said. "Being on the Senate floor every day and working with the Republican senators was great." "The most challenging part of my time up there was probably some of the kids I worked with every day," Martin said. "While I disagreed with their opinions politically, I still had to find a balance and work with them. I respected that they had a different opinion than me on issues, but it was very challenging at times. I was one of the only Southern pages because Alabama, Kentucky, and West Virginia left. Living in Webster Hall was also a bit challenging. Towards the end of the program, however, I was able to have reasonable discussions with the other pages." |
| Fed's Jerome Powell to Head to the House With Interest Rates in Focus | |
 | Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is set to return to Capitol Hill on Thursday morning for the second of two days of testimony, this time before the House Financial Services Committee. Before a Senate panel on Wednesday, Mr. Powell said the central bank's battle against inflation could lead it to raise interest rates high enough to cause a recession. "It's not our intended outcome at all, but it's certainly a possibility," Mr. Powell said before the Senate Banking Committee. "We are not trying to provoke and do not think we will need to provoke a recession, but we do think it's absolutely essential" to bring down inflation, which is running at a 40-year high. His remarks underscore the challenge facing the central bank as it raises interest rates at the most rapid clip since the 1980s to slow the economy and cool inflation. Since Mr. Powell's last appearance before the House panel on March 2, the Fed has raised rates three times from near zero to a range between 1.5% and 1.75%, including a 0.75-percentage-point rate rise last week, the largest in 28 years. Mr. Powell and several colleagues have signaled that another increase of that magnitude could be warranted at the Fed's next meeting, July 26-27. Mr. Powell said the committee decided to approve the larger rate rise because of concerns over recent data on inflation and inflation expectations. Fed officials say expectations of future inflation can be self-fulfilling. If those expectations are rising, the Fed could be required to lift rates to levels that push even harder on the monetary brakes. |
| 'Take the issue off the table': Why Mitch McConnell green-lit a GOP deal on gun violence | |
 | In signing on to legislation that aims to prevent mentally unwell people from acquiring firearms, Mitch McConnell followed a strikingly similar path that he used to support the Biden administration's infrastructure package last summer. He deputized a trusted ally to negotiate the details and he expressed optimism without full commitment during the lion's share of the process. But once he got to 'yes' along with about 30% of his caucus, he was eager to demonstrate the deadlocked Senate could still be productive, if only on incremental changes. It's a classic McConnell template: Measured, targeted and calculated. "[John] Cornyn and McConnell are both realists and I think they went into this eyes open, with no illusions about how popular this might be with the base," said Liam Donovan, a former Republican Senate campaign operative turned Washington lobbyist. "They've made a good faith effort to address the problem in common sense ways that voters broadly support." On Wednesday, McConnell called it a "product I'm proud to support," saying it will combat mass murder without touching law-abiding Americans' right to bear arms. But some Republicans balked at money that would go towards so-called "red flag" laws meant to alert law enforcement of people who demonstrate dangerous behavior. For hardline, uncompromising conservatives and gun enthusiasts alike, McConnell capitulated to political pressure. |
| Coalition behind gun bill reveals a sharp Senate Republican split | |
 | Tuesday's Senate vote to advance a narrow bipartisan deal to toughen federal gun laws was, on one level, a political miracle, with 14 Republicans joining Democrats to defy the National Rifle Association and vocal conservative critics -- in an election year, no less. Seen another way, however, the strong Republican opposition to a bill that offered only comparatively incremental tweaks to existing gun laws after an escalating series of mass shootings demonstrated the resilience of hard-line views on gun rights and put a spotlight on the dwindling corps inside the Senate GOP who are willing to cut even modest deals with Democrats. The 64-to-34 test vote Tuesday, which put the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act on a path to passage later this week, offered a road map to how governing can still happen on sensitive issues in a divided era -- very carefully, with the right players, and under the right circumstances. No player was more crucial than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who tapped trusted leadership deputy Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) in the aftermath of the May 24 massacre at a Uvalde, Tex., elementary school, and made clear that time had come -- unlike in the past -- for Republicans to cut a deal on gun violence. A broader group of Senate conservatives also expressed public dismay, including Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who told reporters that his office phones were "lighting up" with callers who are "disappointed that we had 14 Republicans voting for this ... that we had the base of Republicans put this over the top." Asked about McConnell's role, he said, "There are a lot of disappointed people ... everywhere." |
| Congress skeptical about Biden's call to suspend gas tax | |
 | President Joe Biden on Wednesday proposed a series of actions he said could reduce the price of gasoline by $1 per gallon, including a call for a gas tax holiday that was greeted with skepticism by members of Congress -- including some in his own party. Biden called for Congress to pass legislation that would suspend both the 18-cents-per-gallon tax on unleaded gasoline and 24-cents-per-gallon diesel tax for the next 90 days. While the tax is used to replenish the Highway Trust Fund, Biden said the recent reduction in the deficit would allow the federal government to suspend the tax without affecting infrastructure funding. Biden similarly called on states to suspend their gas taxes or find other ways to reduce the cost to consumers, noting actions in Connecticut, New York and Illinois that have either created gas tax holidays or delayed implementation of increases. In order to address supply to help lower pump prices further, Biden also called on companies to increase refining capacity. Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm is scheduled to discuss that with executives from BP, Chevron and other oil companies on Thursday. Republicans swiftly condemned the proposal and renewed their calls for the administration to expand U.S. oil exploration. House Energy and Commerce ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said suspension of the gas tax will be "ineffective and would undermine funding to infrastructure projects for road safety." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell referred to it as an "ineffective stunt." |
| GOP pollster Frank Luntz: Republicans are saying 'it's time to move on' from Trump | |
 | Veteran GOP pollster Frank Luntz said on Thursday that a recent New Hampshire poll showing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) narrowly edging out former President Trump indicates Republicans are saying "it's time to move on" from Trump. During an interview on CNN's "New Day," Luntz and the network's chief White House correspondent, Kaitlan Collins, spoke about the University of New Hampshire's latest Granite State Poll, which found that 39 percent of likely GOP primary voters in the state would back DeSantis as their first choice in a list of Republicans who are considered possible presidential candidates. Trump, meanwhile, received 37 percent support in that poll. The results are within the survey's margin of error of 5.5 percentage points. "DeSantis is ... the greatest threat to Trump when it comes to the Republican Party," Collins said. "It's more than a threat," Luntz noted. "The governor is proving that his approach and what he's trying to accomplish and what he has accomplished in Florida is more significant and Republicans are now saying it's time to move on." |
| Book bombs: Trump aide tell-alls fail to sell | |
 | A year after Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, his former chief of staff Mark Meadows released a tell-all book about his 10 months in the White House that promised to be a "frank, candid account" of running Trump's chaotic West Wing. The buzz around it was heavy. But in the publishing world, it was a bust. "The Chief's Chief" has sold only 21,569 books, according to NPD Bookscan, a market research firm that tracks book sales. And it's not the only book by an ex-Trump aide that has failed to fly off the shelves. The memoir of Deborah Birx, the Covid response coordinator under Trump, has sold fewer than 6,000 copies; Dr. Scott Atlas' book sold 27,013 copies; Dr. Ben Carson's book sold 21,786 copies; former White House press secretary turned Trump critic Stephanie Grisham sold 38,249 books; counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway has sold 42,273 books since it was published in late May; and former defense secretary Mark Esper sold 20,900 books. Former attorney general Bill Barr sold 64,103 books. But the one Trump post-White House book sales that did best appears to be Peter Navarro's, whose "In Trump Time" has sold 80,218 copies of his book so far. The book, unlike the others, is less a revelation about life inside the former administration than an ode to Trump's approach to governance. Perhaps for that reason, it has earned extensive publicity in MAGA circles and is currently advertised on Steve Bannon's The War Room website. |
| Biden's hunger summit echoes Nixon's, but faces new challenges | |
| The Biden administration's plan to hold a hunger summit, more than 50 years after President Richard Nixon convened a similar one, will put a spotlight not only on shortcomings in the current programs but also on issues that emerged over the decades since. The White House is three months away from staging the September conference and hasn't yet set an exact date or an agenda. Optimists see a chance to propose policies on hunger, nutrition and health that could affect millions of people. But Washington is more partisan in 2022, and the administration faces the prospect of a Republican Congress early next year, posing a challenge to match the previous conference, which by one count had more than 90 percent of its recommendations implemented within two years. The White House is asking for ideas and comments that will be organized around five pillars: improving food access and affordability; integrating nutrition and health; giving consumers healthy choices and empowering them to make them; supporting physical activity; and enhancing nutrition and food security research. "We are more partisan than we were 50 years ago. I still think there is still a strong kernel of bipartisanship in food policy in this country," said Dan Glickman, an Agriculture secretary in the Clinton administration. "I think the White House is interested in constructive, specific recommendations that can deal with the problem areas and the gaps that exist out there. The trick is discipline." |
| Ukrainian Farmers Harvest Wheat Amid Russian Rockets, Crossfire | |
| The wheat on Pavlo Sergienko's 7,400-acre farm is ready to harvest. He has rented the combine and gathered the extra help he will need. His next hurdle: collecting the crops while Russian rockets rain down on his fields nearly every day. "I don't know how we'll get everything done," Mr. Sergienko said. "And how we're going to transport the wheat from here -- that's another interesting question." Russia's invasion of Ukraine has hit some of the most productive agricultural land in one of the world's breadbaskets, disrupting supplies and pushing up food prices. Ukraine's Black Sea ports have been cut off, grain storage facilities have been targeted, and now as harvest season begins, farmers are feeling the heat of relentless fighting. Farms like Mr. Sergienko's are the lifeblood of Ukraine's wheat production, about two-thirds of which comes from small and medium-size producers. Even one lost year would bankrupt many of these farms. This could send a crucial section of Ukrainian industry into a downward spiral that could disrupt production for years to come. To help with the wartime strain, some farmers said they had united to work out logistics, including exporting their goods. Farmers are finding fewer companies willing to risk traveling to farms on the front line, and prices at home are lower because of the logistical challenges of getting the wheat abroad. |
| MOU between USM and Mississippi colleges aims to ease pathways to nursing degree | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi has established partnerships with Alcorn State University, Pearl River Community College, and Jones College that will create easier pathways for students to earn a nursing degree, the university states. This newfound partnership is an effort to combat a national nursing shortage. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the schools was signed during a special ceremony held Monday, June 20 on USM's Hattiesburg campus. Another development from the new partnership is the Rural Health Scholars Program between USM and Alcorn State. This program's purpose is to increase the number of doctoral-prepared nursing faculty from diverse backgrounds; prepare nursing scientists to improve rural health outcomes and improve the health of the communities surrounding Alcorn State, including Adams, Claiborne, Franklin, Jefferson and Wilkinson counties. "We are excited about the opportunity to partner with USM, PRCC, and JC to assist in providing a solution to the nursing shortage crisis across our state," said Dr. Felecia M. Nave, Alcorn State President. "In addition, Alcorn is proud to work with USM to launch the Rural Health Scholars Program, which will offer a critical healthcare resource to underserved communities. Since its inception, the Cora S. Balmat School of Nursing at Alcorn has been devoted to servicing the healthcare needs of Southwest Mississippi and beyond." |
| Delta State University President Is Abruptly Removed | |
 | Delta State University president William LaForge is being removed from his position at the end of this month, according to a press release from the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, which oversees Mississippi's public higher education institutions. The announcement did not give a reason for LaForge's abrupt departure after nine years as president. But in a statement, the president of the Delta State Board of Trustees acknowledged "challenging times for higher education" and expressed confidence that the newly appointed interim president, Butch Caston, would be able to "address many of the issues facing Delta State at this time, including declining enrollment, fiscal challenges, and infrastructure." Though the trustees made the decision at a board meeting last week, LaForge did not find out his fate until right before the board issued its statement Monday night, Mississippi Today reported. "I am very disappointed in the decision, but I accept the outcome and am fully prepared to move on," LaForge wrote in a campuswide email. |
| JSU to kick off program helping high schoolers transition to college | |
| Transitioning from high school to college can be overwhelming, but Jackson State University is trying to make it as smooth as possible through its Summer Bridge Program. The Louis Stokes Mississippi Alliance for Minority Participation (LSMAMP) Summer Bridge Program kicks off on July 6. The four-week program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, which aims to increase the number of minority students completing baccalaureate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The program is composed of two major components: classroom instruction on various STEM topics and transition skills through mentorships and seminars. To be accepted, students must be graduating seniors and incoming freshmen. Lunch will be provided during the commuter program, which runs through July 29. |
| 'She touched a lot of hearts,' Former Alcorn State police chief dies in pedestrian-car accident | |
| Bernadette Wilson, 64, who was formerly the chief of police at Alcorn State University in Lorman, was struck by a car while walking and killed this morning on Cannonsburg Road in Jefferson County. Jefferson County Sheriff James Bailey said the accident happened before daybreak. The driver that struck her called to report the accident at 5:39 a.m., Bailey said, adding those involved stayed at the scene until authorities arrived. "There were two vehicles coming. The first young lady stated she didn't see her at first. When she did she slammed on brakes. There was another vehicle behind her and he also slammed on brakes and swerved to avoid hitting the back of the first vehicle and when he swerved, he hit (Wilson) on the highway." Bailey said she was walking about 200 yards away from her house where the accident happened. No one has been charged with a crime, he said. He added he worked with Wilson at Alcorn for about eight years. At the time, she was the police chief and he was a sergeant. "She was a great person," he said. "She believed in what she believed in and she believed in law enforcement. She treated everyone fairly and was a great leader in her profession. She is going to be missed by a lot of people. She touched a lot of hearts -- a lot of hearts." |
| 'It was an easy choice for me': 17% of teachers left their district in the 2020-21 school year | |
| Jasmine Cleark-Gibson left teaching last month after seven and a half years in the classroom. It was time for a change. The lack of autonomy in her job made her feel like "she couldn't fix things anymore," and the myriad of responsibilities placed on her as an educator also left her with no bandwidth to care for her own children. "I found myself with nothing left to give to the people who are supposed to matter the most to me," Cleark-Gibson said. "I was looking for a work-life balance that all people are trying to grasp, but nobody is respecting teachers enough to give them." Mississippi has suffered from a critical teacher shortage for years, one that has only recently been measured. The Department of Education announced in December 2021 that there were over 3,000 certified teacher vacancies, a staggering figure considering that there are about 32,000 teachers across the state. Teachers and policymakers have long emphasized the need for competitive salaries to attract more teachers to Mississippi, a goal that saw progress this year when the Legislature passed the largest teacher pay raise in Mississippi history, putting Mississippi teachers above the Southeastern average. Despite these improvements, teachers in Mississippi are still leaving the classroom to teach in other states or take jobs in other fields. |
| School's Out for Summer and Many Teachers Are Calling It Quits | |
| Many teachers have packed up classrooms for the last time as schools break for summer, leaving a profession where stresses have multiplied as a national teacher shortage threatens to grow. Some 300,000 public-school teachers and other staff left the field between February 2020 and May 2022, a nearly 3% drop in that workforce, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Worn down by the challenges of teaching through the past few years, more educators say they are considering doing the same: A National Education Association poll conducted this year found 55% of teachers said they would leave education sooner than planned, up from 37% last August. Grappling with remote learning and shifting Covid-19 safety protocols was hard enough, teachers say. But as schools have filled back up with students, more stressors have emerged: staffing shortfalls, contentious masking-policy debates, political battles over what teachers can and can't discuss or teach in the classroom. Such pressures are straining teachers already stretched thin by staff shortfalls, especially in science, math, special education and early childhood education, according to the U.S. Education Department. Among public schools, 44% reported full- or part-time teaching vacancies at the start of the year, according to data released by the National Center for Education Statistics. More than half of the schools said those vacancies were due to resignations and had required them to rely more on nonteaching staff outside their regular duties. |
| U.of South Carolina could lose its island to UGA. Donor's family says the school isn't upholding the deal | |
 | Decades ago, Philip Rhodes gave the University of South Carolina an extraordinary gift: A Beaufort County barrier island. While few strings were attached, they were significant. Rhodes wanted Pritchards Island -- with a south-facing birds-eye view of Hilton Head -- to remain in a wilderness state, and to be used for scientific, educational, charitable and general public purposes. But now, Rhodes' family says USC isn't fulfilling its obligations to the island. If they're right, the deeds say USC could lose control of the island to the University of Georgia or The Nature Conservancy. In a statement issued last week, the family said it has been "disappointed" by the university's lack of engagement as it relates to the deed signed nearly four decades ago. One USCB official says the school is eager to conduct research on the island and believes it now has the biologists to do it. The challenge is identifying revenue sources to fund the work. If USC can't live up to its promise to uphold its end of the bargain? It can ship out and the island would go to the University of Georgia, Rhodes' alma mater, if UGA officials want it. The prospect was dangled by the Rhodes family in a 2010 email to several Pritchards Island staff, noting his "primary concern [was] the protection and good stewardship of Pritchards." "If USC is to be that steward, well and good," a Rhodes family member wrote. "If not, let's move on." |
| Ohio State gets approval to trademark 'The' for merchandise | |
 | Ohio State University has won its fight to trademark the word "The." The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office approved the university's request Tuesday. The school says it allows Ohio State to control use of "The" on branded products associated with and sold through athletics and collegiate channels, such as T-shirts, baseball caps and hats. "THE has been a rallying cry in the Ohio State community for many years, and Buckeye fans who purchase official Ohio State gear support student scholarships, libraries and other university initiatives," said Ben Johnson, the university's senior director of media and public relations. He noted the university's licensing and trademark program generates over $12.5 million a year in revenue, which helps fund student scholarships and university programs. Ohio State started pursuing a trademark in August 2019 after fashion retailer Marc Jacobs had filed an application for the word a few months earlier. The company and the university reached a deal in August 2021 that allows both parties to use the branding. The patent office rejected Ohio State's initial application, finding the trademark appeared to be used for "merely decorative manner" and as an "ornamental feature" that didn't appear to function as a trademark that would differentiate the items from others. |
| The Death of a Student in a Fraternity House Sparked an Anti-Hazing Bill in Virginia. It Failed. | |
 | After students have died in apparent hazing incidents, some states have responded to public pressure by enacting more severe penalties for hazing, including making the practice a felony. But not Virginia. State lawmakers this month failed to pass an anti-hazing bill that would have allowed more such cases to be prosecuted as felonies. The lack of action has drawn criticism from the family of a Virginia Commonwealth University student who died last year at a fraternity event. Adam Oakes, a freshman at VCU, died of alcohol poisoning in February 2021 after attending a fraternity party. Eleven former members of the Delta Chi fraternity chapter were charged with misdemeanor offenses including hazing, and four have pleaded guilty -- but so far none have received jail time. VCU officials permanently expelled Delta Chi from campus in May 2021 and ordered an outside investigation of the university's Greek-life system. The director of Greek life at VCU also expressed support for Adam's Law, SB439, which was named for Oakes. The legislation, which Virginia's governor signed into law in April, requires institutions to hold mandatory hazing-prevention training for student organizations and publicly report all hazing incidents. Virginia's struggle to increase the hazing penalty comes as similar cases are being resolved in other states with felony charges on the table. |
| How Students Are Scrubbing Their Social Media Profiles | |
| Many current college students have had social media accounts since they were young teens, regularly posting on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook without fear of repercussions. But posts riddled with profanity or raucous party photos can come back to haunt them once they start looking for a job. According to a 2020 survey from the Harris Poll, a global market research and consulting firm, 71 percent of those who make hiring decisions in the U.S. agreed that looking at social media profiles is an effective way to screen job applicants. Among employers that use social media to vet candidates, 55 percent said they have found content that caused them to turn down an applicant. Now a new company called Filtari is partnering with institutions to help students clean up their social media profiles before they start the job-search process. Filtari works by using artificial intelligence to scan and identify written posts and photos on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook that an employer might deem inappropriate or harmful. Spencer Cheng, co-founder and CEO of Filtari, said the company's AI scans students' social media to identify posts that fall under any of the five categories that recruiters might use to weed out potential employees: drug use and paraphernalia, sexually explicit material, alcohol consumption, guns or other weapons, and inappropriate or toxic speech -- including profanity as well as offensive or inflammatory language. Following the AI scan, students are provided with a report flagging each problematic post. Then they can decide whether to delete them or not. Cheng said the company is working on adding TikTok to the scanning service soon. |
| Faculty-Pay Survey Records the Largest One-Year Drop Ever | |
| Average full-time faculty salaries decreased by 5 percent in the 2021-22 academic year when adjusted for inflation, the largest single-year drop in the 50 years that the American Association of University Professors has tracked academic wages. The AAUP's latest faculty-compensation survey, which was released on Wednesday as part of its annual report on the state of the profession, says that full-time faculty salaries in 2021-22 were 2 percent higher -- essentially flat -- than in 2020-21. But that actually was a big pay cut in real terms. Adjusted for inflation, faculty salaries fell at 95 percent of institutions that were surveyed in both 2020-21 and 2021-22. Faculty-pay levels and other trends "paint a bleak economic picture of the profession," the report says. The report's release comes amid the continuing pandemic, a historic increase in interest rates in an effort to combat rising inflation, and the economic impact of both Covid-19 and the Ukraine war. Last year's AAUP report marked the first time that real wages for full-time professors had decreased since the Great Recession, in 2007-8. The AAUP's survey includes 900 colleges, 370,000 full-time faculty members, and 90,000 part-time faculty members, as well as administrator pay at 522 institutions. The report also includes analyses of federal data on tenure and other areas. |
| Biden administration moves to expand Title IX protections | |
| The Biden administration proposed a dramatic overhaul of campus sexual assault rules on Thursday, acting to expand protections for LGBTQ students, bolster the rights of victims and widen colleges' responsibilities in addressing sexual misconduct. The proposal, announced on the 50th anniversary of the Title IX women's rights law, is intended to replace a set of controversial rules issued during the Trump administration by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. President Joe Biden's education secretary, Miguel Cardona, said Title IX has been "instrumental" in fighting sexual assault and violence in education. "As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of this landmark law, our proposed changes will allow us to continue that progress and ensure all our nation's students -- no matter where they live, who they are, or whom they love -- can learn, grow, and thrive in school," he said. The proposal is almost certain to be challenged by conservatives, and it is expected to lead to new legal battles over the rights of transgender students in schools, especially in sports. It now faces a public feedback period before the Biden administration can finalize any changes, meaning the earliest that the policy is likely to take effect is next year. |
| Biden Pushes Gainful Employment to Spring | |
| The Biden administration is putting off a final proposal on gainful employment and several other regulatory matters until next spring. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs released an update on several negotiated rule-making agenda items that will not be completed this year and are now scheduled for release in April 2023 at the earliest. This includes a new gainful-employment rule, measures of financial responsibility for colleges, standards of administrative capability, certification procedures and ability to benefit. Additional regulations on for-profit education have been at the center of the negotiated rule-making process that has been ongoing since January. The gainful-employment rule, which many consumer advocates have been calling on the Biden administration to replace, would create a metric that compares the debt a student takes on compared to the income they earn after graduating from a program to determine a program's eligibility for federal funding. The for-profit industry has been concerned that the gainful-employment proposal was rushed and that the accountability metrics would only apply to programs at for-profits and nondegree programs at public and nonprofit universities, generally at community colleges. In reaction to the delay, consumer protection advocates are concerned about the lack of enforcement mechanisms on for-profit institutions in the interim. |
| Biden administration agrees to cancel student debt of 200K borrowers who say they were defrauded | |
| The Biden administration has agreed to fully discharge the federal student loan debts of approximately 200,000 borrowers who claimed they were defrauded by their college but whose applications for relief have languished at the Education Department for years. The agreement, which could wipe out more than $6 billion of student loan debt, was reached as part of a proposed class-action settlement filed in federal court Wednesday evening. The proposed settlement is a possible ending chapter to a long-running lawsuit challenging the Education Department's handling of the "borrower defense" law, which entitles federal loan borrowers to debt relief when their college misleads them or otherwise defrauds them. The class-action lawsuit accused the Trump administration -- and then the Biden administration -- of illegally delaying for years any action on the applications that borrowers had filed with the Education Department seeking debt relief. Under the proposed agreement, which still needs to be approved by a judge, the Biden administration would forgive the student loan debts of hundreds of thousands of borrowers who have already filed a claim against one of 50 colleges, most of them for-profit institutions. Those borrowers would also receive a refund of payments they already made under the agreement. It's not clear if the Education Department will seek to recoup any of the cost of forgiving the loans from those institutions or whether department officials have made any findings of misconduct against the schools or their owners. |
| Inflation Complicates Biden's Deliberations on Student Loan Forgiveness | |
 | The soaring cost of food, gasoline and other staples is further complicating a fraught debate among President Biden and his closest advisers over whether to follow through on his campaign pledge to cancel thousands of dollars of student loan debt for tens of millions of people. While Mr. Biden has signaled to Democratic lawmakers that he will probably move forward with some form of student loan relief, he is still pressing his team for details about the economic ramifications of wiping out $10,000 of debt for some -- or all -- of the nation's 43 million federal student loan recipients. In meetings this spring, Mr. Biden repeatedly asked for more data on whether the move would primarily benefit well-off borrowers from private universities who might not need the help, according to people involved in the process. The country's 8.6 percent inflation rate, a four-decade high, has added another layer of complexity to the decision: What would it mean for the economy if the government forgives some $321 billion in loans? Mr. Biden's deliberations are emblematic of his attempts to straddle deep ideological divides in the country, often within his party. According to people familiar with his thinking, Mr. Biden is struggling to balance his promise to deliver sweeping proposals to address racial and economic disparities with concerns that loan cancellation would exacerbate inflation and be seen as a giveaway, undermining his image as a champion for labor and the working class. |
| Democrats lobby for high-tech immigration reforms in innovation bill before Congress | |
| Democrats want to use the big innovation bill now moving through Congress to make it easier for foreign-born scientists and engineers to study and work in the United States. The long-standing maxim in Washington, D.C., that any immigration bill must provide a comprehensive solution to all aspects of the thorny issue has doomed piecemeal proposals in the past. But House lawmakers hope a bipartisan desire to better compete with China will break the logjam and see their limited provisions retained in the final bill. Immigrants to the United States have played an outsize role in fundamental science and in starting U.S. high-tech companies. So, making it easier to attract and retain them should be a no-brainer, argues Representative Zoe Lofgren (D–CA), who introduced a separate bill last year to create an entrepreneurship visa. Her idea was folded into the House version of the innovation bill approved earlier this year. The new visa category would apply to persons who hold a significant stake in a high-tech startup in selected fields and key employees at those companies, taking them out of the general pool of nonimmigrant visa applicants. Their spouses and children would also be eligible for visas. In another provision, technically skilled workers could apply for the new type of visa without having a domestic sponsor, now required under current rules. A third change to the current immigration laws would make foreign students earning a Ph.D. in a science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) field at a U.S. or foreign university immediately eligible for a green card, which affords them the status of a permanent resident. That change would let them bypass the current numerical ceilings for those waiting to obtain that precious piece of paper. |
| Congress Must Pass the Bipartisan Innovation Act | |
 | Lex Taylor of Louisville-based Taylor Machine Works writes for Y'all Politics: These days it seems like people are talking about three things: gas prices, baby formula shortages, and inflation. America's domestic supply chain is contributing to all three. In Mississippi, the supply chain issues originating from the pandemic continue to worsen. While many lawmakers are content to put the blame on COVID, Putin, or China, Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker is working to resolve shortages and strengthen America's supply chain. Members of Congress have begun negotiating an important piece of legislation known as the Bipartisan Innovation Act (BIA). The BIA builds upon legislation already passed by the House and the Senate to revitalize domestic manufacturing, rebuild domestic supply chains, and advance our nation's economic security. Addressing our current supply chain challenges is incredibly important to preserving our quality of life. Right now, more than 70 percent of equipment manufacturers continue to experience supply chain issues and expect them to get worse in the future. If passed, the Bipartisan Innovation Act will establish an Office of Supply Chain Resiliency to assist industry in identifying supply chain risks, and work with the private sector to address vulnerabilities and leverage private investment in domestic manufacturing of critical goods. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State football bringing Dudy Noble outfield experience to Davis Wade Stadium | |
| Davis Wade Stadium will have a new look come football season. Updated scoreboards and new ribbon boards were already in the works, but a new $2.5 million project could change the way athletic departments approach ticket sales. Mississippi State is eliminating about 1,900 seats from its west side upper bowl corners and replacing them with "The Balconies at Davis Wade Stadium." The project takes the concept of Dudy Noble Field's outfield lounges and brings them atop Mississippi State's football stadium. Eleven pods will be placed on each end. These shaded areas will be ticketed and are standing room only, but fans can bring approved chairs and tables. Refrigerators, personal coolers and air fans will be allowed, and each pod will be given a storage box. Fridays before games will be used as days for items not typically approved through gameday security to be brought in. Other schools have similar concepts, but those are often found behind end zones, which Mississippi State has in place above its student section. MSU chief financial officer Eric George and Bulldog Club executive director Mike Richey said they don't anticipate season ticket holders from other areas of the stadium moving up. If they do, executive senior associate athletic director Rhett Hobart says the lower bowl seats left behind will be easier to sell than the upper level ones being removed. |
| Mississippi State women's basketball: Denae Carter ready to play key role upon return from injury | |
| Mississippi State's 2021-22 women's basketball campaign was marred by a number of setbacks. Nikki McCray-Penson's resignation as head coach because of health reasons led to a number of players leaving via the transfer portal before the season. With a limited roster, it still looked as if they would at least be able to compete in the Southeastern Conference. Then, leading scorer Rickea Jackson entered the transfer portal, a move that wasn't necessarily surprising, but it came at a bad time as the team continued its conference schedule. They even responded in a big way with a home win over Texas A&M, but that came with a price: Freshman Denae Carter went down with a torn ACL late in the game. Carter had become a vital player in the wake of transfers and injuries, giving the team a much-needed presence in the post and the ability to compete with the biggest and best in the SEC. The Bulldogs were 13-7, 4-4 in the SEC, when she went down. They finished 15-14, 6-10. "We went from a lot to a little, but I think we worked really hard last season," Carter said, reflecting on the difficult campaign. Five months into her recovery she is in good spirits, and like her teammates she is thrilled to be working towards next season with a reloaded roster and a new, complete coaching staff. |
| Why Anastasia Hayes returned to Mississippi State women's basketball | |
| Anastasia Hayes got a call she didn't expect -- it came around 9 p.m. that Saturday. When she answered it, Sam Purcell was on the other end. It was March 12 -- the day Purcell was announced as Mississippi State's women's basketball coach. "Where are you?" Purcell asked. "Can you come see me right now?" "Um, OK," Hayes responded. Moments later, she met Purcell, his wife and their three daughters. Purcell made his pitch to Hayes to return to MSU for her final season of eligibility. Hayes had professional basketball interest, but she wanted to hear Purcell's pitch. He told her what most Mississippi State recruits have heard in his three months at the helm: this isn't a rebuild, it's a retool toward returning to national contention. "It just made me realize one more year would be best for me to stay and play under his wing," Hayes said, "and get opportunity to take Mississippi State back to SEC championships and go to Final Four." A chance with a new staff to leave the drama in the past is part of why Hayes returned. "You want everybody to feel comfortable," Hayes said. "Building those relationships with each and every single one of my teammates is going to make it way easier to win games and want to win games." |
| K.J. Wright to host charity basketball game in Olive Branch | |
 | K.J. Wright might be known for winning a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks and for flattening opposing team's quarterbacks. But "the Elevator" as he was known to his highs school basketball teammates also had some winning moves on the hardwood back during his days as a three sport standout at Olive Branch High School. Wright will be coming back to his hometown on June 24 to host an inaugural Alumni Charity basketball game to raise money for Olive Branch High School athletics. "I'm just super excited to come home," Wright said. "It's just going to be an awesome event. All of the money we raise will go for the sports program." Wright said the event will feature a live basketball game featuring alumni, a men's and women's 3-point shooting contest, along with appearances by alumni cheerleaders, alumni dance team, and food trucks. "For me to be able to get everyone together for a reunion game is really special to me," Wright said. The 6-fooot-4, 245 pound Wright played football, basketball and participated in track for the Conquistadors and then earned a football scholarship to Mississippi State where he played for the Bulldogs from 2007-2010. Wright was ranked the eight best outside linebacker prospect in the draft by NFLDraftScout.com and was drafted in the fourth round (99th overall) by the Seattle Seahawks in 2011. |
| How Southern Miss coaches are preparing for the transition to the Sun Belt | |
 | Southern Miss women's basketball coach Joye Lee-McNelis typically employs a skill-development approach during the spring and summer months. It's a tactic she feels has served her well during her 18 years at the helm of the program, but she's adjusting this offseason. The Golden Eagles are incorporating more five-on-five, full-court scenarios to enhance their conditioning as they prepare for the jump from Conference USA to the Sun Belt. "They play a lot faster than a lot of our teams in Conference USA," Lee-McNelis said. "They don't have quite as many post players as we have. They're more guard-oriented and more guard-dominated. It's going to be a much faster league, so that's the challenge for us. We have to be able to adjust to that starting now with our conditioning of our post players, getting them ready to get up and down the floor." A member of Conference USA since 1995, Southern Miss' move to the Sun Belt takes effect on July 1. Those leading 16 of the Golden Eagles' 17 varsity programs will undergo the same transition as the one Lee-McNelis is preparing for. According to a school spokesperson, the future home of USM beach volleyball is still to be determined -- the Sun Belt does not sponsor that sport. Each head coach is adapting differently, with some choosing not to divert their focus from their own programs to gather information about what lies ahead. Count head football coach Will Hall among that group. "We're not looking that much ahead because we've got four big nonconference games and a bye week before we get into it, so we're kind of concentrating on those," Hall said. |
| Georgia Southern athletics department experiencing 'transformative' period in 2022 | |
| Georgia Southern University's two major construction projects for athletics are years in the making. The Anthony P. Tippins Family Indoor Practice Facility, to be built at a cost of $12.3 million, is scheduled for completion early next year. The Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center, to be the new home for the Eagles women's and men's basketball programs as well as for academic purposes, is estimated at a total project cost of $64.4 million, including just over $50 million for construction. The facility is targeted for a spring 2024 opening. On the other hand, another milestone in GS athletics had a much shorter turnaround -- seven days -- from start to finish. Earlier this month, Georgia Southern hosted an NCAA regional tournament for the first time in its long baseball history. The athletics department learned Statesboro was a host site at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 29, while officials were driving back from the Sun Belt Conference tournament in Montgomery, Alabama. "For us, we get one shot at this," Georgia Southern Director of Athletics Jared Benko said on the Statesboro Regional's opening day. "It's the first time we've had it in the history of our university. We tried to pull out all of the stops. At the end of the day, we all have a healthy chip on our shoulder to try to show Georgia Southern in a profile as a school on the rise --- not just athletics but as a university. We try to do the best we can to show people we're deserving of this bid and, ultimately, we're going to put our best foot forward." Benko, who was photographed using a paint roller as the stadium got a fresh coat and landscaping improvements in prepping for the big event, said it truly took a village. "Everybody understands how big this is," Benko said. |
| Front row LSU fan Ed Sexton stands out at LSU-less College World Series | |
 | In a year when the Tigers make it to the College World Series, an LSU fan in his purple LSU shirt sitting behind home plate in Omaha would have plenty of company -- and not raise an ounce of interest. But LSU isn't there. The Tigers packed up their bats and gloves along with their dreams of college baseball's ultimate stage after falling to Southern Mississippi in the NCAA Hattiesburg regional. LSU has been to the CWS plenty of times and will be there again. Baton Rouge's Ed Sexton, himself a former Tiger infielder in the early 1970s, had never gone. His older step-brother George has attended the CWS the past 15 years or so, but Ed never made it. "Last fall I told my brother Don, 'We've never been to the College World Series. We're going,'" Sexton said. "'George is 85 now and we're going.' It's been a great experience." For George, a former high school and American Legion coach in North Carolina as well as a one-time assistant at East Carolina, the NCAA tournament and CWS is a chance to catch up with old friends. He and former Texas A&M coach Mark Johnson have lunch in Omaha every year. And when Notre Dame stunned No. 1-ranked Tennessee in the super regional, Notre Dame coach and former ECU assistant Link Jarrett gave George Sexton the ball from the final out, autographed. "That was really moving," Ed Sexton said. For Ed, his first trip to Omaha has been noted by his notoriety -- thanks in large part to that purple LSU shirt (brother Don sat with him at all the games in a gold LSU shirt). "I bought all these nice LSU fishing shirts and wore the purple one night and now I've had to wear it every game," Sexton said. |
| As Title IX turns 50, new bill aims to improve gender equity in sports | |
 | As the country commemorates the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark law banning sex discrimination in education, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, will introduce a bill in the coming weeks to improve gender equity in sports, his office told USA TODAY. Murphy, who will cosponsor the Fair Play for Women Act of 2022 with Rep. Alma Adams, D-North Carolina, plans to tease the bill at a Title IX anniversary event his office is holding today with Voice in Sport, a New York-based advocacy start-up that connects young women athletes with mentors across professional sports. In February, Nya Harrison, a soccer player at Stanford, presented on Capitol Hill with a group of Voice in Sport advocates, speaking candidly with lawmakers about the blatant inequities women athletes face throughout the sports world. Shortly after that presentation, Voice in Sports connected with Murphy's office, and the genesis of the bill was born, she said. "Most of the time, our voices as women athletes aren't highlighted," Harrison said. "In every single sport, women are mistreated in one way or another and no matter how much we try to share these experiences, they often get belittled. That's why I thought it was important to go speak with officials at the federal level, so they can understand how important it is to make change. Title IX has helped, but there's still a lot to be done, and a lot that should have been fixed by now." According to Murphy's office, the bill is likely to be formally introduced after July 4, when the Senate reconvenes from its first summer recess. |
| NCAA Board of Governors announces new roster of members | |
| The NCAA announced today the members of its new Board of Governors as outlined by the new NCAA constitution (PDF) adopted in January by member schools and conferences. The new board includes nine voting members: four from Division I (at least one school president and one conference commissioner), one from the Division II Presidents Council, one from the Division III Presidents Council, two independent members and one graduated student-athlete. Nonvoting ex officio members are selected by virtue of their position and include the NCAA president, the chairs of the Division I Council and Divisions II and III Management Councils, the president of one historically Black college or university and one former NCAA student-athlete from each of the two divisions not represented by the voting student-athlete. The new voting Board of Governors members are: Mary-Beth Cooper, president, Springfield College; Beth DeBauche, commissioner, Ohio Valley Conference; John J. DeGioia, president, Georgetown University; Grant Hill, independent member, co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks; Linda Livingstone, president, Baylor University; Jere Morehead, president, University of Georgia; Steven Shirley, president, Minot State University; Nadja West, independent member, 44th Surgeon General of the U.S. Army; and TBD, student-athlete. The new board will assume its duties Aug. 1. Over the next several weeks, the current and new boards will meet to facilitate the transition. |
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