Tuesday, July 26, 2022   
 
Bazyari remembered at MSU-Meridian
Dr. Habib Bazyari, a steady fixture in the early days of the formation of Mississippi State University's Meridian campus in 1972, passed away July 21 at his home. Dr. Bazyari began his career with Mississippi State teaching business classes on the Starkville campus. When MSU opened the Meridian campus, he became the first business professor. He would later become the chair of MSU-Meridian's Business and Industry Division and under his watch the division awarded more than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees. He retired in 2002 after 36 years with the university. "If you ever spent any time around Dr. Bazyari, you know of his great passion for teaching," noted C.D. Smith, regional director, AT&T, Mississippi. "He also thoroughly enjoyed a good debate on most any topic, especially if it brought out his Persian temperament. He was by far my favorite college professor at the Meridian Campus. He will be missed." "Dr. Bazyari's 36-year commitment to the university undoubtedly helped shape this campus into what we are today," said Terry Dale Cruse, associate vice president and head of campus at MSU-Meridian. "We celebrate his life, and we appreciate his service." The family requests memorials in his honor to the Meridian Campus Division of Business at Mississippi State University c/o MSU Foundation, P.O. Box 6149, Mississippi State, MS 39762, or online at www.msufoundation.com.
 
Brazilian Scientists Thrive Professionally Through Partnership Between FPL and MSU
The Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), in cooperation with Mississippi State University (MSU), has developed a strong graduate education and research program over the past several years that has attracted outstanding scholars from South America. Many have completed graduate degrees and are now providing leadership in academic, research and industry programs, both here in the United States and abroad. "I'm very proud of the strong partnership between FPL and MSU," said Rubin Shmulsky, professor and head of the Department of Sustainable Bioproducts at Mississippi State University. "It's humbling for me to be a part of this team's efforts to attract and train the next generation of diverse professionals and leaders in support of sustainable forest products research and development." Two Brazilian scientists are excellent examples of how effective this relationship is. The latest graduate, Laurice Spinelli Correa, a post-doctoral research associate at MSU, is currently stationed at FPL through a program that has been funded through the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Forest Service Research and Development, State and Private Forestry, and Mississippi State University. Another collaborator in this program is Brunela Pollastrelli Rodrigues, who completed her Ph.D. in Brazil, and after a couple of years as a professor in her home country, decided to work as a postdoctoral associate at MSU­.
 
Tagged eagle reaches Maine
For the last three years, Mississippi Power, Mississippi State University and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have partnered on a banding project to help track eaglets that hatch at the Mississippi Sandhill Crane Refuge in Gautier. Back in early March, the project entered a new phase when a transmitter with GPS tracking was placed on an eagle. This allowed researchers to track the birds wherever they fly, teaching invaluable lessons on their migratory patterns. After a few weeks of getting acquainted with the refuge and the surrounding the area, the tagged eagle took flight to spend the summer in the north "He was moving about 280 kilometers a day, almost due north, and made it to the Great Lakes region in late May," said Dr. Scott Rush with Mississippi State University's Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Aquaculture. "From there, he moved across the border into Ontario and then along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec." Rush said young bald eagles are known to travel north away from their nest sites and the information gained from this initial flight will help researchers for years to come. "We don't know if the bird we tagged is traveling alone, but its movement path seems to suggest it knows where it's going," added Rush. "Perhaps this trajectory is pre-programmed in its head? Perhaps it's traveling with other birds who've made this trip before? It'll be interesting if in future years we see similar departure behavior among other hatch-year eagles from our coastal area." In Rush's last update, the eagle had been observed in eastern Maine, between Bangor and Acadia National Park, for several weeks.
 
Jones is leading the way for women in STEM at Dow
Shameria Jones of Midland graduated from Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Miss. In 2020 she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Mississippi State University. Shortly after that she started working at Dow Chemical Co. as an engineer. Now she works as an R & D Technologist at Dow. "I really like trouble-shooting and working hands-on," Jones said. Jones still takes classes online through Mississippi State University and hopes to transfer to a PhD program -- possibly at the University of Michigan. It was a lesson in a high school class that piqued her interest in chemical engineering. "I was interested in a combustion reaction in high school chemistry," she said. "I found a video on how to do this project and then I asked my teacher if he would help me and he said he would. So I entered the project into a science fair and did really well. I realized that was chemical engineering and so I continued to pursue that field." Jones wants to further her education to use science and engineering for alternate ways to make products. "I want to work on specialized catalysts, geared towards improving grain chemistry," she said.
 
New traffic gates now on the Mississippi State University campus
Workers have finished installing new traffic gates on the Mississippi State University campus. The gates are designed to limit car traffic on Hardy Road and President's Circle. It's part of the University's long-term plan to expand the pedestrian core on campus, increasing walkability around the heart of the University. Parking areas inside of the corridor will be accessible by permit only to faculty and staff. Many parking lots on campus are already gated. The new gates go into effect on August 1st.
 
City of Starkville has some new art around town
The City of Starkville does some re-decorating over the weekend. An army of paintbrush-wielding volunteers finished up some street art this weekend. They painted a large cowbell-themed mural in the center of University Drive near the Cotton District. Similar murals and crosswalk art were painted at intersections along University Drive. The project was made possible by a $25,000 Bloomberg Asphalt Art Grant secured by the Fred Carl Junior, Small Town Center at Mississippi State.
 
Tax-free weekend arrives for cost-conscious shoppers
Back-to-school shopping sales are expected to match last year's record high of $37 billion, but consumers likely will be paying more for less due to inflation. At least some of them will get a break this weekend. The annual Sales Tax Holiday in Mississippi takes place between 12:01 a.m. Friday and ends at 11:59 p.m. Saturday. Sales tax will not be collected on clothing, shoes or school supplies less than $100. In 2019, the legislature amended the tax holiday to include school supplies in the tax holiday. At the same time, Tennessee's sales tax holiday on clothing, school supplies, and computers spans the same period. Alabama had its event July 15-16. According to the National Retail Federation, more than a third of consumers (38%) said they are cutting back in other spending areas to cover the cost of items for the upcoming school year. Total back-to-college spending is expected to reach nearly $74 billion, up from last year's record of $71 billion and the highest in the survey's history. More college students and their families plan to shop this year compared to last and anticipate spending an average of $1,199 on college or university items, consistent with last year's record of $1,200. Since 2019, total expected spending on back-to-college has grown by $19 billion and consumers are spending $223 more on average than they were prior to the pandemic. Nearly half of this increase comes from spending on electronics and dorm or apartment furnishings.
 
Farm Bureau Mississippi celebrates 100 years, looks ahead to 100 more
From agriculture to aquaculture, more than a quarter of Mississippi's economy comes from farming. One longtime state business is celebrating the industry and their involvement. Farm Bureau of Mississippi has been the primary insurer of farmers all over the state. The company celebrates it's 100th anniversary at the Southern Commodity Conference at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi. "We were started 100 years ago to be the voice of the farmer, to be the voice of agriculture here in our state. Mississippi's number one commodity is agriculture. It always has been, and it always will be," Mike McCormick, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation president. Just like other industries, farmers have been hit with inflation, labor shortages and supply chain issues. However, they say production, especially with meat and poultry, has been looking up in Mississippi. "There have been more challenges with the prices of fuel and everything else raised up. Production has been the same, even faster especially with stores going empty and people needing things," said Hayden West, who owns a farm in Greene County.
 
IN FULL SWING: Stump speeches start Wednesday at the Neshoba County Fair
The Neshoba County Fair began in full swing with a weekend of horse racing, car shows and the annual Heart O' Dixie triathlon. Events and activities are lined up throughout the week as fair goers enjoy Mississippi's giant house party. Political speeches, a fair tradition practiced by candidates from county seats to the president, are set to kick off Wednesday at 9 a.m. in Founders Square with 8th Circuit Court District Attorney Steven Kilgore and end 10:30 a.m. Thursday with Gov. Tate Reeves. Fairgoers are expected to hear from local officials such as District 45 Rep. Michael Evans, who represents part of Lauderdale County, to state leaders like Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann. For more information about the Neshoba County Fair, visit neshobacountyfair.org.
 
Mississippi tourism industry taking steps toward rebound despite inflation
Mississippi's tourism industry is taking small steps back to recovery. However, inflation landed at the same time as a typically busy season. Tourism doesn't always mean out-of-state, and Visit Mississippi has noticed a lot more staycationers. "When people say, 'You know, I'm taking, we're taking our summer vacation, we're going where we want to go before the kids go back to school. We're still planning our golf vacation, and we're still going to our resorts and our casinos,'" explained Visit Mississippi Director of Tourism Craig Ray. "But maybe we're just going to keep it here Mississippi more this year, and maybe not travel as long but spend and do what we want to do. So, you're just seeing the traveler adjust their schedule a bit and their territory where they feel comfortable traveling." The Mississippi Tourism Association notes that nationally a record number of travelers say the costs are impacting their decisions, but only 7% are going so far as canceling. "If you look back at 2019 numbers, our travel spending has been up about 5% year to date over that," said Danielle Morgan, Executive Director of Mississippi Tourism Association of April numbers. "We have seen a little dip as we talked about gas prices, and inflation are starting to put the squeeze a little bit. But fortunately, people are still planning to travel." Meanwhile, numbers for outdoor travel outdoor like golfing, hiking, fishing, and camping stayed strong even through the pandemic.
 
Chicken Companies Agree to Pay $85 Million to Settle Antitrust Allegations
Cargill Inc. and the newly formed Wayne-Sanderson Farms have agreed to pay $85 million to settle claims they violated antitrust laws by sharing information about poultry workers' wages. The civil settlement between the companies and the government follows a lengthy review of the $4.5 billion sale of Sanderson Farms Inc. -- the third-largest U.S. poultry company -- to Cargill and agriculture investment firm Continental Grain Co. The settlement, which also addresses how chicken farmers are paid, came three days after the deal closed. The deal, which was first announced in August 2021, merged Sanderson's chicken operations with those of Wayne Farms LLC, a smaller chicken company owned by Continental, to form a new privately held company based in Georgia. The Justice Department on Monday alleged that Cargill, Sanderson Farms, a data consulting firm and Wayne Farms for decades shared information about wages and benefits in a way that held down the pay for processing plant workers. The Justice Department also alleges that the chicken companies failed to give farmers enough information about the systems used to compensate them for raising birds for slaughter. Monday's settlement with the government preventing Wayne-Sanderson Farms from using the tournament system is a major shake-up in how chicken companies have done business with farmers for decades. A shift away from the tournament model by one of the largest chicken companies could give rivals a competitive advantage or prompt a broader shift away from the model in the industry, poultry industry officials and analysts have said.
 
Inflation is crushing rural America and may even drive people to the cities
Inflation is crushing rural America and driving some people to consider moving closer to cities in an effort to ease the financial stress, according to the latest analysis from one expert. Iowa State University professor Dave Peters has been studying the effect of inflation on people in rural communities as part of the school's Small Town Project. He found that this year alone, expenses for rural Americans had increased by 9.2%, but their earnings only increased by 2.6%. And Peters has pinpointed where it's hurting most. "Mainly, fuel prices, particularly among the farmer and agricultural community," he said. "They really are worried about the price of gas and diesel." Inflation soared to a 40-year high in June, and is affecting all American households. But Peters said travel was one of the main reasons it was hitting harder in rural areas. "Rural people have to drive long distances for work, for school, for health care, just to get the daily necessities of life like groceries ... there is no public transportation," he said. His analysis found it costs rural households $2,500 more a year to pay for gasoline than it did two years ago. At the same time, prices are also rising for health insurance, veterinarian care, and fuel to heat homes.
 
What happens when people want all the air fryers and then, suddenly, they don't
After two pandemic years of stocking up on stuff -- desk, chair, bookshelf, dresses, blender, knives -- Rachel Premack is now all about travel and saving what she can. Last year, she had the stimulus dollars and nowhere to go; now, she's got weddings and family visits and worries about rising prices. This, on a nationwide scale, became the recipe for a whole new problem for some U.S. stores: a glut of inventory. "It is just a really bizarre back and forth kind of situation," says Premack, who has followed all this as an editorial director at the logistics outlet FreightWaves. "Inventory managers at major big box stores don't even know how to navigate what's happening anymore, they are just exhausted." Target has specifically named TVs, kitchen appliances, outdoor furniture, electronics and fitness supplies, with the CEO saying the chain did not anticipate "the magnitude" of the spending shift from goods to services. Some clothing stores, too, such as Gap, got stuck with too many hoodies and athleisure as office workers quickly jumped back into suits and dresses. In the next few weeks, new data will show how long this inventory glut might last, said Jason Miller, who tracks retail inventories and sales at Michigan State University. Initial evidence suggests the retailers with bloated inventories are already starting to get things under control. Still, importers continue bringing in near record-high amounts of goods to the U.S., he said. That's because even though last year's shopping frenzy has slowed, Miller said, people are still buying more products than they did before the pandemic.
 
Lawmakers call for investigation as MDHS refuses to clarify reasons for Pigott dismissal
Several Northeast Mississippi lawmakers are demanding a probe into the state welfare agency's dismissal of the attorney working to recoup millions in allegedly misspent federal funds, even as the agency kept silent Monday about key questions. "I want to get to the bottom of this," Rep. Randy Boyd, R-Mantachie, said. "Part of my committee is transparency, so I'm going to continue to demand answers about this. I think it ought to be put out to the public what exactly happened." Boyd is chairman of the House Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee, and he could theoretically assume jurisdiction over a probe into how the Mississippi Department of Human Services has handled its civil litigation over sweeping claims of corruption involving the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program. The Lee County lawmaker told the Daily Journal that he has not received sufficient answers from the agency as to why it essentially fired former federal prosecutor Brad Piggott. Despite mounting demands for transparency, MDHS on Monday refused to clarify its prior claim -- now thrown into serious doubt -- that the agency severed ties with Pigott because he failed to adequately communicate with MDHS about a subpoena for documents involving former Gov. Phil Bryant. With the agency refusing to clarify this discrepancy between Anderson's comment and Pigott's email, other Lee County lawmakers are joining Boyd and demanding efforts to obtain more information, one way or another.
 
State auditor speaks to Ellisville Rotary Club
The Mississippi State Auditor, Shad White, spoke to the Ellisville Rotary Club in Laurel on Monday, July 25. He discussed what his office has accomplished over the past four years. White said he'd been ruthlessly fighting for transparency and accountability in how taxpayer money is spent. "We've really had a good year of results if you look back," said White. "We've successfully investigated what is now the largest public fraud case in the state's history." He is referring to the welfare fraud case involving several well-known Mississippians, including the former State Department of Human Services Director. White said the state also saw another move in the right direction - holding companies accountable. In 2021, the auditor's office reached a settlement with Centene for overcharging Mississippi's Medicaid program. "Last year, we saw the largest civil settlement ever resulting for a state auditor investigation in the history of the state, $55 million collectively," said White. "When you add up the prison time that all of our defendants that we've investigated have been sentenced to, it's about 300 years of prison time." White also said he has unfortunately noticed a pattern of abusing grant money in Mississippi. "A couple months ago, we saw the guilty plea of a woman we investigated, and she was pleading guilty to defrauding the taxpayers by taking grant money that was intended to pay for meals for needy school children and embezzling that money, taking it for herself," said White. He clarified that his office could not investigate nonprofits directly, but they could audit how grant money is spent. These audits typically come from whistleblower tips, so White said his office works hard to protect the people calling out wrong-doing.
 
MSDH identifies first monkeypox case in Mississippi
The Mississippi State Department of Health on Monday reported its first case of monkeypox in a Mississippi resident. The specimen was tested at the MSDH Public Health Laboratory. An investigation to identify individuals who may have encountered the patient while they were infectious is ongoing, as development of the disease occurs one to two weeks after exposure. By last Friday, 2,891 cases had been confirmed in the United States with no reported deaths. Transmission can occur with close skin-to skin contact -- kissing, cuddling or sex -- with an infected person. Transmission can also occur by touching clothing or linens, bedding or towels of an infected person, or inhaling the respiratory droplets during prolonged close contact with an infected person. "While anyone can get monkeypox, many of the cases identified in the outbreak in the US and globally have been among men who have sex with men," State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said. MSDH has received limited doses of vaccine that will be used to treat MSDH identified individuals exposed to a case of monkeypox. Medical providers are encouraged to consider monkeypox infection and to notify MSDH when evaluating patients with a rash, especially if there are known risk factors.
 
Senate Bill to Boost Chip Production, Advanced Technology Set to Move Ahead
After weeks of uncertainty, the Senate is set to vote this week to advance a far-reaching $280 billion package of subsidies and research funding to shore up U.S. competitiveness in advanced technology. The bill had all but collapsed earlier this month amid partisan bickering, then came together in a matter of days. It had been expected to move ahead in the Senate in a procedural vote Monday, setting up a final vote in that chamber later in the week. But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) delayed the vote until Tuesday, citing East Coast storms that disrupted senators' travel plans. He said he hoped to finish work on the bill soon. The bill restores many but not all the main provisions of competitiveness legislation passed over the past year by the Senate and House. The bill "creates a comprehensive response to China's growing technology dominance, which poses a massive threat to our national security," said Sen. Roger Wicker (R., Miss.), one of the main GOP backers. ... On July 17, aides to the Commerce Committee chairwoman, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D., Wash.) and Mr. Wicker, the panel's top Republican, sat down to review a roughly 1,000-page draft of the proposed compromise page by page, to make sure its research language was agreeable to all sides, according to two people familiar with the matter. Meanwhile, Mr. Wicker -- usually a behind-the-scenes operator -- was becoming increasingly vocal, saying he wouldn't support the chips funding without the science provisions. Mr. Wicker was particularly focused on securing changes to science funding formulas that would benefit more rural states like Mississippi. His stance raised doubts over whether Mr. Schumer's narrower approach could even work.
 
The clock ticks down on immigration deal that could help rein in food inflation
Hopes that Congress will finally pass a bipartisan fix to the flawed farm labor system are dwindling, despite supporters' argument that it could bring down soaring food prices. The House passed legislation creating a pathway for foreign farm workers to obtain legal status for year-round work over a year ago with a large bipartisan majority, raising hopes that Congress might shatter more than a decade of stalemate on immigration reform. But now, time and age-old discord over immigration policy are threatening to doom a Senate version of the bill, known as the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, before it's even introduced. Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) have been toiling behind closed doors on a companion package that could draw enough votes to break the Senate's 60-vote filibuster. If they don't begin moving the bill before the August recess, they could run out of time this fall, as lawmakers turn their attention to midterm campaigning and other legislative priorities, like funding the government. And once the year ends, lawmakers would have to start over from scratch in the new Congress. There's "just not much time left," Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, told POLITICO. Without action, Congress could miss an opportunity to try to tamp down runaway food inflation, since prices are being driven in part by a shortage of farm labor.
 
House Democrats add child nutrition to legislative menu
The House Education and Labor Committee is making a late-session push to renew child nutrition programs and incorporate changes made to cope with the pandemic, but disagreements could slow the reauthorization of a nutrition law that expired in 2015. Appropriators continue to provide mandatory and discretionary funding since the expiration of the previous authorization, enacted in 2010. The committee has scheduled a markup for Wednesday at which Democrats and Republicans are expected to air differences about how large a role the federal government should play in setting policies and operating the national school lunch and breakfast program; the Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, supplemental nutrition program; and other child nutrition programs. Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. Scott, D-Va., and Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee Chair Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., said the draft bill to be taken up at the markup addresses a basic responsibility to keep children from going hungry. The draft bill also would make changes to the WIC program by expanding eligibility to children until their sixth birthday or the day they start attending full-day kindergarten, whichever occurs first. The cutoff age now is a child's fifth birthday or the date they begin full-day kindergarten. Anti-hunger advocates and lawmakers have sought the change for several years. Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and ranking member John Boozman, R-Ark., have been in talks for a child nutrition reauthorization bill but have not released legislation.
 
China has targeted the Fed for more than a decade, Senate report charges
China has recruited Federal Reserve economists for more than a decade to share sensitive and confidential information about U.S. economic policymaking in a bid to gain influence over the central bank, a Senate Republican charged in a report Tuesday. The report from Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, the top GOP lawmaker on the Homeland Security committee, detailed what Senate investigators called "long-running and brazen actions by Chinese officials and certain Federal Reserve employees" to replicate the playbook China has used to infiltrate the science and technology sectors. It involves recruiting industry experts to provide proprietary information or research in exchange for monetary benefits or other incentives, it said. The Fed has failed to effectively combat the threat and doesn't have sufficient expertise in counterintelligence or adequate policies to thwart China's influence campaign, which includes efforts to obtain information about interest-rate decisions, the report concluded. It calls on Congress to enact bipartisan legislation that would enhance security around federally funded research, among other measures. The report arrives as U.S. officials are grappling with how to resist China's efforts to become the world's dominant economic and military superpower, while at the same time maintaining diplomatic ties necessary to cooperate in such areas as climate change and global public health issues.
 
GOP civil war on Ukraine builds between MAGA, Reagan Republicans
A GOP civil war is building over U.S. policy toward Russia and Ukraine, pitting Reagan Republicans against more isolationist "MAGA" Republicans who take their political cues from former President Trump. The Reagan Republicans have been winning the battle, but the continued fight could shape future U.S. policy if the GOP takes the House or Senate in this fall's midterms. It may also shape the contest to be the next GOP presidential nominee, with Trump himself a possible candidate. GOP lawmakers who want to continue U.S. support for Ukraine are sending out warning signals, calling for the U.S. to keep up its backing for Kyiv regardless of which party holds the congressional majorities. "If freedom is under assault by dictatorship and we don't back up freedom, then what message does that send?" Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), who sits on the House Intelligence and House Foreign Affairs committees and who worked in Ukraine as an FBI agent, told The Hill in an interview. Most GOP lawmakers have backed military aide to Ukraine, but Fitzpatrick said he senses support waning. GOP lawmakers who oppose support for Ukraine largely say they do not want to send money abroad when it can be used in the U.S. to fortify the southern border and invest in domestic energy production, among other issues. In May, 57 House Republicans voted against a $40 billion aid package to Ukraine. The "no" votes included some of Trump's most loyal allies, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and Matt Gaetz (Fla.).
 
First female African-American dean brings administrative expertise, new vision to role
Ethel Scurlock has always been a trailblazer, and in her new role as dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi, she hopes to exceed everyone's expectations -- even her own. After serving a year as interim dean, Scurlock is the first African American to lead the Honors College in its 25-year history. Previously, the associate professor of English and African American studies served as senior fellow of the Luckyday Residential College and chair of the Department of African American Studies. Scurlock said she is grateful to inherit an Honors College that is growing and bustling, thanks to the leadership of founding director Elizabeth Payne as well as the vision of Douglass Sullivan-González, who served as dean for almost 19 years. Building upon the achievements of her predecessors, Scurlock hopes to leave a quantifiable legacy of her own. "I hope that people will be able to say that I treated every honors student, staff member and faculty member with care and concern," Scurlock said. "I want to be able to deliver measurable increases in our enrollment, our graduation rates, our national rankings amongst honors programs and our endowment." Scurlock joined the Ole Miss faculty in 1996. Among her many accolades, she was named the College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Teacher of the Year and UM Humanities Teacher of the Year in 2003 and the Elsie M. Hood Outstanding Teacher Award in 2011.
 
Mississippi College summer camps help create revenue for Clinton
While schools and colleges are out for the summer, some college towns struggle without the students. However, that's not the case with Clinton. "Definitely having, you know, five-minute walks down the road, having modest summer camps over the course of the summer. It definitely helps our local businesses keep some extra business over those slower months for sure," said Josh Lee, general manager of The Bank by Pizza Shack. Local businesses in Olde Towne Clinton say the students from Mississippi College stimulate the downtown area economically. "We get a lot of MC students that are steadily coming in along with local Clintonians that come by just on a regular basis," co-owner of Brick Street Pops Emily Hendon said. "I would say we probably average between 100 to 150 tickets a day," said Lee. But what happens when school is out? Mississippi College's Summer Camps seem to be just the trick. "When summer camps are in, there is a good bit of traffic, Hendon said. "There's a lot of people walking the streets, which that just kind of creates an energy and a vibe just in this downtown area." "It's been also interesting over the last couple years," Lee said. "We'll start seeing some of the same out of town, people who keep coming to the same camp, you know. They'll be like, 'Oh, we were here last year and had a great time. I wanted to come back and see you all again.'"
 
Mississippi public schools can make their own gun policies
Amid a series of mass shootings in the U.S., Mississippi education officials made clear that school districts in the state can make their own rules for letting armed people with enhanced carry licenses onto school property. Following killings at Uvalde's Robb Elementary School, a July Fourth parade near Chicago and an Indiana mall, the Mississippi Board of Education voted Thursday to update a 1990 internal policy that prohibited anyone other than law enforcement from carrying guns on public school campuses. Thursday's step removed language from the 1990 policy, which the department said conflicted with Mississippi's 2011 enhanced conceal carry law. The department also argued that the old policy "predates any notable school shootings." "A school district may, in its discretion, prohibit or allow its employees who hold enhanced conceal carry licenses to possess weapons at the school," said Jean Cook, director of communication for the Mississippi Department of Education. The 2011 law allows individuals with enhanced carry licenses to carry guns on public school campuses. Enhanced licenses require training and allow gun owners to carry in several places where those with basic permits cannot. At the boarding meeting, Erin Meyer, the education department's general counsel, said state law provides "local school districts with the authority and discretion to determine" its weapons policies. School districts can decide for themselves whether or not employees who hold enhanced carry licenses can bring guns onto school property.
 
Gender transitions at school spur debate over when, or if, parents are told
Alexzander Baetsen came out at school to an English teacher. The revelation was made in a short letter on a piece of lined notebook paper, handed to the teacher as the eighth-grader left class one day. The teen explained that while they were assigned female at birth, they identified as transgender and gender fluid. Baetsen remembers the teacher's reaction: "Just come to me at the beginning of class and let me know what name and pronouns you want to go by for that day." It was better than Baetsen expected -- not only acceptance but someone who was able to "wrap their head around my situation." Still, it was six more months before the teenager told their parents. "You fear the worst," said Baetsen, now 20. Surprising many families nationally, public schools often don't inform parents when students socially transition. They see confidentiality as a priority -- operating under gender-identity guidelines that put student privacy and safety above family consent or knowledge. School leaders say there are good reasons for the approach -- mainly, to avoid outing kids who could be in harm's way at home or aren't ready to tell their parents. They worry about family rejection and students' mental health. Critics argue they have no business cutting families out of a critical part of children's lives. The practice has prompted lawsuits in Massachusetts, Florida, Wisconsin, Kansas, Virginia and Maryland. Many of the legal actions point to an especially controversial practice: requesting teachers use new trans names in class but revert to the original "dead" names when talking with parents.
 
Alabama's once-insolvent PACT program on track to pay full tuition again
Alabama's Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Program is expected to pay full tuition at all state universities for participants during the upcoming fall semester for the first time since the program almost collapsed more than a decade ago. State Treasurer Young Boozer said a $177 million infusion from the Legislature this year, an early payoff of funds that were scheduled in installments through 2027, helped give PACT the sound footing needed to fully cover tuition. If things go as expected, PACT contract holders will no longer have to make up the difference between actual tuition and their PACT benefits if they attend an Alabama state college. Before this year's windfall, the PACT Board of Directors had approved a series of annual increases that were enough to cover tuition and mandatory fees at state community colleges and many of the public universities. In May, the PACT board approved a 24 percent increase, which is anticipated to be enough to cover tuition and mandatory fees at the seven public universities in Alabama where a gap remained between the PACT payment and the actual cost. Boozer said the increase is the latest milestone in a comeback for a program that he said is on track to meet all its obligations until the final student's benefits are paid and the program closes in 2032. PACT quit selling new contracts in 2008.
 
'I was not ready for that blue line:' Baby Steps helps student mothers at Auburn University
When on a trip to Colorado in 2019, Ashley felt funny. Not nauseous, like she was going to throw up, but something felt off. She thought that maybe it was traveling nerves, which she doesn't normally have. When she came back and the feeling didn't shake, she went to buy over-the-counter nausea medication. Then, she realized that she didn't remember the last time she had a period. She decided to take a pregnancy test. "I said some curse words, I'm not even going to lie," said Ashley, who is now 25. "I was like, 'Ah, that's a blue line.' And I was not ready for that blue line." For Ashley, terminating the pregnancy was not a real consideration for her. Neither was dropping out of Auburn University. "I thought I was just going to bulldoze through it, but life humbled me," she said. "Going through pregnancy humbled me. You think that you can keep up with the pace that you normally go, but it does take a lot out of you to grow another person." Kaitlyn Willing is the director of operations at Baby Steps, a non-profit organization in Auburn that provides support and community to pregnant and parenting students. She said student mothers face unique challenges that make it difficult to finish their degrees. "A lot of [student parents] drop out because they don't have the resources to stay in school, and so that's what we provide," Willing said.
 
UGA Performing Arts Center fall season: War and Treaty, Ira Glass set
The University of Georgia Performing Arts Center's most eclectic calendar yet will begin with a Sept. 8 performance by Nashville-based R&B duo The War and Treaty and continue through May 2023, featuring concerts by violinist Itzhak Perlman, Ukraine Orchestra and "This American Life" host Ira Glass among others. Season tickets are now on sale at the Performing Arts Center's box office or via their website pac.uga.edu. Single-show ticket sales begin on Aug. 8 with prices starting as low as $25 ($10 for UGA students) plus a $2 service fee. All of the performances take place at Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall (230 River Road), and parking is free. Ira Glass, best known as the host of NPR's "This American Life," will appear on Sept. 18 for "Seven Things I've Learned," a multimedia show that covers various subjects based on his four-decade career in radio. "Back in April, people came in from New York to see (Broadway singer) Audra McDonald because of the low price," said Mark Mobley, director of marketing and communications at the Performing Arts Center. "It will never be easier in your lifetime to see entertainment of this quality."
 
U. of Florida details new virtual parking decal
University of Florida students will be ticketed for parking violations via a virtual system linked to license plate readers starting next month. The system, which will replace the $80 sticker decals with virtual permits, will allow campus security to digitally scan and cross-check license plates against a database to determine if the driver holds the correct permit status for the lot it is parked in. Patrol cars mounted with license-plate-reading cameras will monitor and enforce violations, according to a UF explanation video, and parking in a way that blocks a license plate will be prohibited. Any driver who prefers to back into a parking space would have to purchase a $25 vanity license plate from the Transportation and Parking Services Office to place at the front of their vehicle. The transition from physical to virtual decals will save UF more than $50,000 a year and allow for quicker and more accurate verification, said Scott Fox, the Senior Director of UF's Transportation and Parking Services. "It will allow staff to spend less time patrolling the campus for parking enforcement purposes and more time supporting special events, managing traffic and delivering other services to the university community," Fox said. Students will be allotted one car to register per parking permit. Faculty and staff can register up to three vehicles, but only one can be parked on campus at a time, the video explained.
 
Many factors causing shortage of tampons, sriracha, other goods, U. of Missouri economist says
Walking into Love Sushi, customers may notice the restaurant is experiencing a shortage of a beloved condiment: Sriracha. Matthew Barron, who works for Doordash, loves the spicy Thai sauce. "My family has, like, an ungodly amount of Sriracha stocked up," he said. "We go through it so much, but I did hear about (the shortage) and, I don't know, it's had some of my family members shaken a little bit." Sriracha isn't the only retail product in short supply. At various times this year, Columbia-area residents have noticed store shelves emptied of baby formula, feminine hygiene products and other goods. Barron has also noticed the impact of the "great resignation," a massive labor shortage that began after millions of Americans left their jobs during the pandemic. "As a Doordasher," he said, "I definitely notice going in to pick-up orders, like, they take longer to come out." Gas prices are high, airlines just can't seem to find pilots, and baby formula is scarce even as births increase. It might be easy to blame the conflict in Ukraine or the aftermath of COVID-19, but University of Missouri economics professor Eric Parsons says the issue is too complicated to be attributed to a single cause. "I think one thing to note is that although we are seeing shortages in a variety of different products, the specifics of what's leading the shortage actually vary quite a bit by type," Parsons said.
 
Dozens walk out of U. of Michigan white coat ceremony to protest anti-abortion keynote speaker
Dozens of incoming medical students walked out of their University of Michigan white coat ceremony Sunday when the keynote speaker -- a doctor with anti-abortion views -- was introduced. A tweet showing the medical students and some other attendees of the ceremony walk out as Kristin Collier approached the podium has gone viral. As of Monday afternoon, the tweet had been liked more than 540,000 times. After it was announced that Collier would be the keynote speaker of the event, a petition for the university to choose a different speaker garnered signatures from 248 current students, 100 incoming students and 72 others, including alumni. The petition cited instances in which Collier expressed her anti-abortion views in tweets and in interviews. The petition said Collier's statements "are antithetical to the tenets of reproductive justice as restrictions on abortion affect women of color, other marginalized women, and trans people disproportionately." The University of Michigan, though, went through with its plan of having Collier, who works there as an assistant professor and director of the Program on Health, Spirituality and Religion. A spokeswoman for Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan said Collier was "chosen as the keynote speaker for the 2022 White Coat Ceremony based on nominations and voting by members of the U-M Medical School Gold Humanism Honor Society, which is comprised of medical students, house officers and faculty." "The White Coat Ceremony is not a platform for discussion of controversial issues," she added. "Dr. Collier never planned to address a divisive topic as part of her remarks. However, the University of Michigan does not revoke an invitation to a speaker based on their personal beliefs."
 
With limited access to abortion comes limited access to medical training to perform abortions
When Roe v. Wade was overturned last month, access to abortion became illegal or uncertain in nearly half the country. And with that, accessing abortion care training has become incredibly difficult for medical students and residents. For many of those who plan to perform abortions as part of their medical career, they'll have to go to great lengths to learn the necessary skills. Medical Students for Choice is one of several programs across the country that helps connect those students with clinics. The work has always been difficult, since it can involve sending students hours away from where they live and coordinating transportation and lodging. But now, the job's even harder. "We had to tell 50 med students that they weren't going to be able to receive in-clinic training for this year simply because the clinics are overwhelmed, and, you know, universities are scrambling to try and save their residency programs," said Executive Director Pamela Merritt. Med schools aren't required to offer abortion training. And though residency programs are required for accreditation, the quality and intensity of training varies. One estimate shows that nearly 40% of residency programs do not offer routine access to abortion training. Limited training could result in underprepared or unprepared doctors, especially in states where abortion is restricted to rare circumstances, like when a mother's life is in danger. "I fear that, you know, in a field where repetition and volume are the main predictors of confidence and competence in any procedure, that that competence and confidence will suffer," said Dr. Kavita Vinekar, an OB-GYN professor at the University of California at Los Angeles.
 
Mask mandates return to some California universities
California colleges and universities are feeling the full impact of the latest COVID-19 outbreak. Over the past two months, a new hypertransmissible variant, BA5, has hit the Golden State hard. The state's seven-day average case rate rose from around 5,000 in late April to over 20,000 last week, according to state and local data aggregated by The New York Times. Los Angeles County has felt the brunt of the surge; the average daily case rate there increased almost tenfold from March to July, and daily deaths from COVID have almost doubled in the past month. Colleges and universities in L.A. County are responding with a range of mitigation measures, which include encouraging -- and in some cases, requiring -- mask wearing on campus. In late May, the University of California, Los Angeles, reinstated its indoor mask mandate after lifting it just over a month earlier. Other colleges in the area, including the University of Southern California, have not yet restored a mask mandate. Anita Barkin, co-chair of the American College Health Association's COVID-19 task force, said that masking indoors is a "proven effective measure" to mitigate the virus's spread. But between the decreased severity of most infections and general pandemic fatigue, she added, many people do not feel the same urgency they felt even six months ago. "It's going to be difficult for most schools to implement a masking strategy like they had early on in the pandemic," she said. "There's not a lot of will to continue that mitigation strategy, and I think leaders are reluctant to return to those more restrictive policies."
 
Americans' Confidence in Higher Ed Drops Sharply
Public confidence in higher education's ability to lead America in a positive direction has sunk steeply in recent years, falling 14 percentage points just since 2020. Two years ago, more than two-thirds of Americans said colleges were having a positive effect on the country, according to a survey conducted by New America. In the most recent version of the survey, released Tuesday, barely half agreed. As with other recent public-opinion polling, New America's findings reveal a yawning partisan gap. While nearly three-quarters of Democrats saw higher education's contributions in a positive light, just 37 percent of Republicans did. Yet the think tank's annual Varying Degrees survey found that a strong majority, more than 75 percent, thought that some education beyond high school offered a good return on investment for students. And public perception of online education improved markedly in the latest poll, with nearly half of Americans saying it was comparable in quality to in-person education, up from just a third in 2021. Notably, 17 percent of current students said they thought the quality of online instruction was better than in-person teaching. Just 6 percent of nonstudents agreed with that perspective. The greatly improved reputation enjoyed by online education could reflect the move to virtual and hybrid teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic and the ways in which both students and professors adjusted, according to a report on the survey findings. "I expected some shift, but I didn't expect this substantial increase," said Sophie Nguyen, a policy analyst with New America who is one of the report's authors . "It is significant."
 
Public support for higher education is wobbling
While Americans continue to believe in the overall value of higher education, the share who say that colleges and universities are having a positive effect "on the way things are going in this country today" has declined by 14 percentage points since 2020, according to a new survey from New America. "Varying Degrees 2022," the think tank's sixth annual survey on higher education, reflects the unease and doubt wrought by nearly three years of the global COVID-19 pandemic, not to mention geopolitical instability and a volatile economy. Only 55 percent of respondents agreed that institutions of higher education were having a positive impact on the country (42 percent said it was negative), compared to 58 percent last year and 69 percent in early 2020, just before the start of the pandemic. "We were actually very nervous to see what the numbers would be like," said Sophie Nguyen, a senior policy analyst in New America's education policy program and co-author of the report. "Especially since the pandemic, there's just been a lot of uncertainty that might affect Americans' opinions of all social issues -- not just higher education." But in many ways, she said, the trends have held fairly steady, at least on questions posed year after year regarding the value of higher education, who should fund it and who should be held accountable when it falls short.
 
Companies have sprung up to help students with mental health issues navigate college life
When Scot Marken's son started applying to college, Marken quickly realized it was going to be more complicated than just figuring out what majors schools offered or what the party scene looked like. He said his son has mental health issues and what he described as "mild autism." His son had always gone to small schools, where there was a lot of support. Now, his son wanted to go to a big school, and "so I was nervous about that," Marken said. Helping his son figure it out, Marken saw the opportunity for a new business. Now his company, EdRedefined, helps students like his son navigate the application process. And more and more companies are popping up to help students who are dealing with mental health concerns succeed at college. Marken's job starts with an assessment of a student's situation to determine things like how ready a student is to live independently. He said he asks students and their families questions like: "How much knowledge do they have about their diagnosis? Do they currently receive therapy? Do they currently take medication? How much [do] they know about that medication?" Some students with mental health needs have to take fewer classes each term, which can mean more semesters to graduate. Others need to find new therapists, and those near campus may be out-of-network. Marken also helps students think through things like testing accommodations, and how to apply for them. But sometimes students need more help than that.
 
College alumni groups spread nationally to counter 'cancel culture'
Alumni groups pressing free-speech issues are popping up at colleges in many states, as debates over academic freedom, "cancel culture" and changes on campus intensify. More than a dozen groups have joined the Alumni Free Speech Alliance, a group announced last fall that now includes graduates from schools including Harvard, Bucknell, Yale and Cornell universities, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Wofford and Davidson colleges. Organizers say hundreds of people from schools all across the country have contacted them, all graduates who have questions they say their traditional alumni associations are not asking. To join, the groups must hold freedom of speech, academic freedom and viewpoint diversity as primary missions, said Edward Yingling, president of the alliance and a founder of Princetonians for Free Speech. "There is a feeling that a lot of universities are losing their way," Yingling said. "There is very little diversity of thought." It is too early to know how effective those efforts will be. But while many alumni groups have just been taking the initial steps to form nonprofits in recent months, some are now plunging into efforts such as hiring employees, paying for surveys, sending regular newsletters to increase scrutiny of university decisions, and calling on institutions to adopt the Chicago Principles, guidelines written by leaders at the University of Chicago to emphasize the school's commitment to unlimited debate, since adopted by scores of other universities.
 
Briefs filed with Supreme Court defending affirmative action
Though the Supreme Court last week separated the affirmative action cases involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, both universities filed briefs in their cases today. Each brief offered the cases for affirmative action in admissions and was accompanied by the president of Harvard and the chancellor of Chapel Hill speaking out directly about the cases. Harvard's brief cited the backdrop and history of the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing "equal protection of the laws." And it stressed that the Supreme Court has 40 years of precedent upholding the ability of colleges and universities to consider race as one factor among many in admissions decisions. Further, the brief said the Supreme Court has said repeatedly that diversity has educational benefits. "That conclusion reflects commonsense reality, not stereotype," said the brief. "This court's repeated holdings that the educational benefits of student-body diversity are a compelling governmental interest justifying the narrowly tailored consideration of race in college admissions are correct, empirically sound, and consistent with precedent." Many more briefs are expected next week. Aug. 1 is the deadline for briefs backing Harvard and UNC. The cases are scheduled to be argued in the fall.
 
Student Loan Servicers Told to Hold Off on Sending Billing Statements
The federal government's student loan servicing contractors have been instructed to hold off on sending billing statements ahead of an Aug. 31 deadline for ending the pandemic freeze on loan payments, giving companies little time to start loan collection processes if payments resume. The future of the federal student loan portfolio is in limbo as President Biden considers whether to cancel a limited amount of debt for borrowers whose incomes fall under a certain threshold. The president and his advisers have been debating the issue for more than a year, frustrating activists and progressive Democrats, and putting borrowers, loan servicers and other stakeholders on edge about what happens next. Scott Buchanan, the head of a loan servicer industry group, said the Education Department has told loan servicers that they shouldn't be communicating with borrowers about resuming payments. That message was reiterated in a call in recent weeks between department officials and a servicing company, Mr. Buchanan said, prompting speculation in the industry that the administration will further extend the pause on payments. "The situation is that we're almost 30 days away from the planned resumption and the department has been telling servicers to hold off on resumption communications for the last few months," said Mr. Buchanan, the executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance. "Maybe the department expects that the White House will yet again kick the can down the road."
 
Speculation underway about 2023 statewide races
Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford writes: The upcoming Nov. 8 general election features contested elections in all four congressional districts. In the first district, Republican incumbent Rep. Trent Kelly will face Democratic nominee Dianne Black. In the second district, Democratic incumbent Rep. Bennie Thompson will face Republican nominee Brian Flowers. In the third district, Republican incumbent Rep. Michael Guest will face Democratic nominee Shuwaski Young. In the fourth district, Republican nominee Mike Ezell will face Democratic nominee Johnny DuPree and Libertarian nominee Alden Johnson. The three incumbents are expected to win handily. Ezell is favored in the fourth district. While these races will garner most voters' attention over the next 15 weeks, many politicians and political kingmakers already have their eyes focused on 2023 statewide elections. Lots of speculation centers on the governor's race.


SPORTS
 
Mississippi State athletic director wants state to allow schools direct NIL involvement
Mississippi State athletic director John Cohen echoes many of his colleagues when it comes to the status of name, image and likeness. He's in favor of athletes having the opportunity to capitalize off NIL, but he wishes things were in a "different place." "(Athletes') position, in my opinion, should be enhanced," Cohen told the Clarion Ledger in a July 12 interview. "And unfortunately, we're not allowed to do that directly under the current status of our rules and our state laws." Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill in April that allows athletic departments to have direct contact with third parties (collectives) regrading NIL deals for athletes. However, limitations remain on the school's direct involvement with an athlete. MSU was the first school last year to implement Compass NIL which is an app created to educate athletes on how to utilize NIL. Once the Mississippi bill was signed, collectives such as the Bulldog Initiative joined the mix. Top MSU athletes such as quarterback Will Rogers, linebacker Jett Johnson, women's basketball guard Anastasia Hayes and men's basketball forward Tolu Smith have joined the Bulldog Initiative. But that highlights the fear some had with NIL. "The challenge for me is it's only good for a certain percentage of our student athletes," Cohen said. "And if we had the opportunity to be more directly involved -- by rule, by law -- I think we could do more for more college student-athletes. I think we're going to get there at some point."
 
Schemes, culture and Archie Manning: A day in the office with Southern Miss coach Will Hall
Will Hall is over two hours into his work day when he trots down the steps toward the ground floor of the Duff Athletic Center and finds his post near the entrance of the Southern Miss weight room at 8:30 a.m. As his players arrive, Hall is enthusiastically dishing out high-fives and friendly slaps on the back. One Golden Eagle struggling to get his shirt on receives a pat on the stomach and a few playful chirps. Hall's mission as he greets the first of three workout groups on the day is simple but, in his view, vital: Touch everyone. "Family, love and culture are the three most overused words in America," Hall says. "Everybody just throws those out. "If we're gonna be family, if we're gonna really love each other, we have to touch each other." It's a concept that percolated from Miami Heat executive Pat Riley to Tulane head coach Willie Fritz down to Hall, derived from the results of a study commissioned by Riley when his star-studded Heat team lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. The Mavericks, the results showed, had a habit of making physical contact during timeout huddles. The Heat had kept their hands to themselves, something Riley ensured was changed the next season, when Miami won the first of two consecutive titles. For Hall, it's a key part of the relationship-building process, which he prioritizes this time of year. He recently reminded his assistants in a staff meeting to spend extra time showing love to their players before the beginning of fall camp in early August.
 
Deion Sanders calls on Gov. Reeves to address 'consistently late' refund checks at JSU
Several HBCU football coaches have expressed concerns about students receiving refund checks late, according to Jackson State coach Deion Sanders. In a YouTube video uploaded by Thee Pregame Show, Sanders called on Gov. Tate Reeves to help address the problem at JSU. "I spoke to this issue several months ago and still to no avail and it's bothering me," Sanders said. "Gov Reeves, can you help me with this issue? How is it fathomable that our refund checks for our kids are consistently late, but the checks for the administrators are consistently on time?" Sanders said the issue is causing financial strain for parents and hurting recruiting. "Here's the problem. I sit with a parent and say I'm going to take care of your child and make sure your child is secure," Sanders said. "Yet and still, refund checks are consistently late. Now the child calls the parent needing money. Now the parent has to overextend themselves or the child has to go to the bank and take out a loan to pay their rent on money they should already have." Sanders said he adores Reeves and considers him as a friend. He's asking the governor to identify where the root of the problem is so it can be fixed.
 
As Deion, Alcorn and others help SWAC soar, league commissioner doesn't rule out expansion
There has been unprecedented exposure the past 20 months for Southwestern Athletic Conference football, and it's easy to point to Jackson State coach Deion Sanders, stalwart Alcorn coach Fred McNair, high-profile new Grambling hire Hue Jackson and former NFL standout Bubba McDowell taking over at Prairie View A&M as among the biggest reasons. Just don't overlook fourth-year SWAC commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland, who recently was named Chair of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee for 2023-24 and has positioned his conference for continued growth in terms of both exposure and revenue disbursement. So with college athletics' landscape dramatically shifting each of the past two summers -- see the Southeastern Conference raiding the Big 12; ditto for the Big Ten to the Pac-12 -- McClelland knows his league is well-positioned for future viability. "I think we've proven we're in the forefront with FAMU and Bethune-Cookman [coming to the SWAC]," McClelland said at the league's annual media days event July 21. "We've said time and time again we do not want to be reactionary". "By 2030 we're anticipating for our revenue actually to surpass at least two FBS conferences. The strength of our league and growth of our league has really put us in a unique and unprecedented position where we are now distributing money back to our schools and getting unprecedented exposure. That puts you right in that sweet spot of where you want to be on conference expansion."
 
Fanatics, U. of Alabama strike comprehensive ecommerce, apparel deal
Fanatics and Univ. of Alabama athletics have agreed to an ecommerce and apparel partnership that they're calling the most comprehensive college deal in the country. The long-term arrangement also encompasses trading cards, collectibles and, for the first time, a team store inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. The team store will also provide a staging ground for Alabama athletes to activate their NIL opportunities that will include co-branded merchandise with Fanatics, Nike and Topps. Fanatics has held a longstanding partnership with the Crimson Tide, but this is the most rights they've included in an agreement, pulling in Fanatics Commerce, Collectibles, Topps and Candy Digital, the digital collectibles company. Alabama was assisted in the deal by Crimson Tide Sports Marketing and CLC, both divisions of Learfield. Fanatics will operate the first team store ever inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, called "The Authentic," which is expected to open at some point in the upcoming college football season. A prominent feature throughout the store will be co-branded athlete and school merchandise like customized jerseys with names and numbers, headwear, game-worn memorabilia and trading cards. In addition, "The Authentic" will be the site for NIL activations for autograph signings, fan meet-and-greets and social-media marketing. Fanatics is working with OneTeam Partners to secure group licensing rights.
 
What Tennessee football and former coach Jeremy Pruitt could get in NCAA penalties
Jeremy Pruitt's college coaching career may be over, and Tennessee football could face scholarship cuts and vacated wins for its 18 Level I NCAA violations. Those are some of the major penalties that could be considered in the Vols' case, which turns to the penalty phase after a notice of allegations was sent to the university Friday. UT and the people named in the NCAA report have 90 days to respond to the allegations. Then the NCAA enforcement staff has 60 days to reply to those responses. A negotiated resolution could settle the case before a hearing. But that may require UT, Pruitt and others implicated in the report to agree on the findings. Either way, the process likely will take months to resolve. A show-cause order appears likely for Pruitt and members of his staff implicated, judging from the frequency of that suggested penalty in the report. The NCAA enforcement staff "believes a hearing panel could enter a show-cause order," the report says 29 times about eight individuals. Bethany Gunn, former director of recruiting, received the harshest judgment with recommendations of a show-cause order on eight separate violations. Pruitt had the second-most with five. The rest included assistant coaches Brian Niedermeyer (4), Shelton Felton (3) and Derrick Ansley (1); recruiting staff members Drew Hughes (3) and Chantryce Boone (3); and an unnamed student recruiting assistant (2).
 
Oregon athletes find a creative way to make money: Housing rentals.
As the track and field world championships made their first appearance in the U.S. at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., this month, some University of Oregon athletes decided to creatively capitalize on their fame and the lack of abundant housing in this quaint college town. Six Oregon track and field athletes -- Micah Williams, Ty Hampton, Elliott Cook, Jasmine Montgomery, Jadyn Mays and Jaida Ross -- partnered with Division Street, a sports venture company co-founded by the Nike co-founder Phil Knight, to earn money off a house transformed into a track and field-themed paradise. The house, and partnership, is one of the many examples of how the college sports landscape has shifted since the N.C.A.A. ruled last year that college athletes could profit from their fame. The property, nicknamed the "Oregon House," began as a hub for fans of Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell last October. The interior featured many of Sewell's jerseys and Oregon football memorabilia, and the house was marketed as "the 'No. 1' place to stay in Eugene." (Yes, Sewell's jersey is No. 1, you get it.) Then the house was redesigned with an Oregon women's basketball theme, with profits going to multiple players on the team. In May, ahead of the N.C.A.A. track and field championships and the U.S. championships, both held at Hayward Field, the house was redecorated again to feature framed Oregon and U.S. running uniforms. It's a good deal for student-athletes. "We don't even have to do anything," Williams, a rising junior sprinter, said. The athletes were paid to promote the house on their social media accounts, and will split 100 percent of the profits.
 
Trump Says LIV Golf Has Been Worth 'Billions of Dollars' in Publicity for Saudi Arabia
The Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit, which has upended the sport by luring players away from the PGA Tour with lavish paydays, has been "worth billions of dollars" in publicity for Saudi Arabia, former President Donald Trump said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Monday. Mr. Trump's comments came the week that his course, Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., will host the third event for LIV Golf, the new venture financed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign-wealth fund. Families of 9/11 victims are planning to protest the event. Mr. Trump said that while he can understand their feelings, he doesn't know much about their stance. Mr. Trump also said he thinks that controversy around the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi -- often cited in reference to Saudi Arabia's record on human rights -- has "totally died down." LIV Golf and its rich backers have attracted a bevy of the biggest names in golf such as Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson with lucrative appearance fees to play in its small, no-cut fields with historically rich purses. The participating players have been suspended by the PGA Tour while many have resigned their memberships, producing a schism in golf between the upstart circuit and the traditional touring bodies. Mr. Trump said in the interview that Saudi Arabia's bet on golf is a good one. "I think LIV has been a great thing for Saudi Arabia, for the image of Saudi Arabia," Mr. Trump said. "I think it's going to be an incredible investment from that standpoint, and that's more valuable than lots of other things because you can't buy that -- even with billions of dollars."



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