| Friday, October 21, 2022 |
| Mississippi State announces plans for Jim and Thomas Duff Center | |
 | Mississippi State University (MSU) will soon begin construction on a new, centralized home for the university's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic (ADDC) and Department of Kinesiology. This comes after a commitment from brothers Jim and Tommy Duff of Columbia. The $15 million gift will enhance disability services and related educational studies at MSU through the establishment of The Jim and Thomas Duff Center. The 100,000-square-foot facility will provide offices, classrooms, and laboratories that enable increased hands-on training in the areas of physical and developmental disabilities, as well as kinesiology. "The new Jim and Thomas Duff Center will be a hub of innovative learning, research, and outreach that will be transformational on our campus. This visionary investment that the Duff brothers are making in our university will benefit generations of our students, as well as the many children and families we will be able to better serve with expanded facilities, services, and resources," said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. "The Duffs' generosity and leadership are making a true difference here at Mississippi State and in communities across Mississippi. We appreciate their support, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work with them to help move our state forward." |
| MSU to build Jim and Thomas Duff Center | |
 | The Duff Brothers are continuing their giving ways. A $15 million "cornerstone" gift from the Duffs will support construction of a new home for Mississippi State University's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic and Department of Kinesiology. The gift will boost disability services and related educational studies at MSU through the establishment of The Jim and Thomas Duff Center. The Mississippi Board of Trustees for Institutions of Higher Learning gave final approval to the project Thursday. The 100,000-square-foot facility will provide state-of-the-art offices, classrooms and laboratories that enable increased hands-on training in the areas of physical and developmental disabilities, as well as kinesiology. With construction set to begin in 2023, the center will be located at the campus core near the MSU Drill Field. "The new Jim and Thomas Duff Center will be a hub of innovative learning, research and outreach that will be transformational on our campus," MSU President Mark E. Keenum. "This visionary investment that the Duff brothers are making in our university will benefit generations of our students, as well as the many children and families we will be able to better serve with expanded facilities, services and resources. "We appreciate their support, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work with them to help move our state forward." |
| 3K+ acres have burned since Sept.; state urges caution | |
 | "Perfect" wildfire conditions, driven by lack of rain, low humidity and wind, have compelled state and local officials to ask citizens to avoid any unnecessary outdoor burning for the foreseeable future. On the statewide level, as well as in most local jurisdictions in the Golden Triangle, this remains a request. In Starkville, it's a citywide burn ban. The Mississippi Forestry Commission issued a Wildland Fire Alert on Monday, citing the lack of rainfall and dryness from approaching cold fronts. "The conditions are perfect for fires to spread easily," said MFC Director of Communications Carrie Balentine McCaughn. "We're asking people to be extremely careful until we get some meaningful rain and conditions change." The MFC has already responded to 227 wildfires that burned 3,032 acres across the state since Sept. 30, according to an MFC press release. While the state is urging people not to burn anything outdoors, it is not an outright burn ban, McCaughn explained. "(County) burn bans are issued by boards of supervisors, and we're leaving it up to them," she said. Starkville issues its burn ban Oct. 4, Fire Marshal Mark McCurdy said. The ban means no open burning is allowed at all. "As long as you burn in an actual container, you can do that because it's not open burning," he added. "Grills or those metal burn pits you can stick on your back porch are fine." Anything else is not fine, he said. "If you wanted to walk out and rake your leaves and burn them in your yard or something like that, you wouldn't be able to do it," he said. |
| Starkville Utilities Department customers learn energy-saving tips at workshop | |
| Starkville resident Valerie Clifton didn't realize how many factors went into her monthly electric bill. After attending an energy-saving workshop hosted Wednesday by the Starkville Utilities Department and the Tennessee Valley Authority, she said she now has more tools to start chipping away at that bill every month. SUD held the workshop at the Emerson Family School Discovery Center at 1504 Louisville St. At the workshop, TVA Energy Consultant Jim Purcell taught 21 residents how to make their homes more energy efficient and gave tips on keeping their power bills down as the winter sets in and rates rise as people crank up their heaters. "It was extremely helpful just to learn about the percentages of usage and how it equates to the cost of your total bill," Clifton said. "I didn't realize that heating and cooling was the largest portion of your bill." SUD Manager Edward Kemp told The Dispatch the workshops are a great tool to remind residents of the resources available through SUD. "We try to provide information and educate our customers on ways that they can save money," Kemp said. "We want to equip them to where they can manage their bills in a way that they want to. So, we feel like this is a good opportunity for education and outreach." |
| ERDC showcases capabilities at annual meeting of the Association of United States Army | |
 | A team of U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) representatives recently attended the annual meeting and exposition for the Association of United States Army (AUSA) at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Held from October 10 to 12, the theme for the 2022 Annual AUSA conference was "Building the Army of 2030." The meeting highlighted the capabilities of Army organizations and presented a wide range of industry products and services. The ERDC team exhibited in the Army Display booth and the Assistant Secretary of the Army – Installations, Energy and Environment assembly area (ASA-IE&E). They engaged with individuals interested in the cutting-edge research, which supports the warfighter and helps modernize the U.S. Army. The combined efforts of the ERDC subject-matter experts addressed installation, energy and water resilience. ERDC Director Dr. David Pittman spoke to audiences at Warrior's Corner and Engineer Hour about ERDC capabilities and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers research and development priorities. ERDC is leading research into the use of sustainable materials on military installations and the connections made at AUSA assists in strengthening the ERDC mission. |
| U.S. Winter Outlook: Warmer, drier South with ongoing La Nina | |
| This year La Niña returns for the third consecutive winter, driving warmer-than-average temperatures for the Southwest and along the Gulf Coast and eastern seaboard, according to NOAA's U.S. Winter Outlook released today by the Climate Prediction Center -- a division of the National Weather Service. Starting in December 2022 through February 2023, NOAA predicts drier-than-average conditions across the South with wetter-than-average conditions for areas of the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest. The greatest chance for warmer-than-average conditions are in western Alaska, and the Central Great Basin and Southwest extending through the Southern Plains. Warmer-than-average temperatures are also favored in the Southeastern U.S. and along the Atlantic coast. The greatest chances for drier-than-average conditions are forecast in portions of California, the Southwest, the southern Rockies, southern Plains, Gulf Coast and much of the Southeast. Drought development is expected to occur across the South-central and Southeastern U.S., while drought conditions are expected to improve across the Northwestern U.S. over the coming months. |
| TVA to release water into Mississippi River amid record low levels | |
| A little help is coming for the Mississippi River in Memphis. The Tennessee Valley Authority announced this week that it will release water from Kentucky Dam on the Tennessee River and Barkley Dam on the Cumberland River in Kentucky into the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The move is designed to help stabilize commercial navigation on the waterways, the TVA said in a Facebook post. The Mississippi River at Cairo, Illinois, is nearing its lowest level since 1901. And the Mississippi River at Memphis set a new record of -10.71 feet, on Monday at the meter just southwest of the I-55 "Old Bridge," and had gone even lower, down to -10.75 feet, by 2 p.m. The previous record was set in 1988. The TVA cited "below-normal rainfall" in the Midwest as the reason for the low water levels. Snow melting, along with rain, from upstream will cause the river to rise, but as of right now, the National Weather Service Memphis is unsure what those levels will look like. Meteorologist Sheana Walsh told The Commercial Appeal on Monday that even with the recent rainfall Memphis has seen, the precipitation would not increase the water level here and would instead go downstream. |
| Fed Set to Raise Rates by 0.75 Point and Debate Size of Future Hikes | |
 | Federal Reserve officials are barreling toward another interest-rate rise of 0.75 percentage point at their meeting Nov. 1-2 and are likely to debate then whether and how to signal plans to approve a smaller increase in December. "We will have a very thoughtful discussion about the pace of tightening at our next meeting," Fed governor Christopher Waller said in a speech earlier this month. Some officials have begun signaling their desire both to slow down the pace of increases soon and to stop raising rates early next year to see how their moves this year are slowing the economy. They want to reduce the risk of causing an unnecessarily sharp slowdown. Others have said it is too soon for those discussions because high inflation is proving to be more persistent and broad. Fed policy makers face a series of decisions. First, do they raise rates by a smaller half-point increment in December? And if so, how do they explain to the public that they aren't backing down in their fight to prevent inflation from becoming entrenched? Markets rallied in July and August on expectations that the Fed might slow rate rises. That conflicted with the central bank's goals because easier financial conditions stimulate spending and economic growth. The rally prompted Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to redraft a major speech in late August to disabuse investors of any misperceptions about his inflation-fighting commitment. If officials are entertaining a half-point rate rise in December, they would want to prepare investors for that decision in the weeks after their Nov. 1-2 meeting without prompting another sustained rally. |
| Governor Tate Reeves, local non-profit kicks off new thanksgiving tradition | |
| Governor Tate Reeves is partnering with Extra Table to bring an old Thanksgiving custom to Mississippi. The Governor chose to spare one fortunate turkey from the Thanksgiving table by extending an official pardon. Extra Table, a state-wide feeding nonprofit, kicked off the new Thanksgiving tradition at the Governor's Mansion, a fundraiser that will feed many Mississippians. According to the press release, the 3rd Annual Tackle Hunger Holiday Campaign, sponsored by The First Bank, is a virtual fundraiser where donors can help feed families a holiday meal through Extra Table this holiday season. A $15 donation covers the cost of putting a turkey on a table for a family this Thanksgiving. "This is a wonderful opportunity to take a moment to pause and reflect on all that we have to be grateful for," said Governor Reeves. "I want to thank Extra Table for helping to provide Mississippi families with turkeys this Thanksgiving, and I encourage everyone to get involved and support this noble mission." The press release states that the grand gobbler was selected from Morning Dew Pastures based on its temperament, appearance, and the enthusiasm of farmers Greg and Cheryle Crosby to support Extra Table's feeding efforts. |
| EPA civil rights case targets Mississippi over Jackson water | |
 | The federal government is investigating whether Mississippi state agencies discriminated against the state's majority-Black capital city by refusing to fund improvements for its failing water system, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday. The announcement came days after leaders of two congressional committees said they were starting a joint investigation into a crisis that left most homes and businesses in Jackson without running water for several days in late August and early September. The EPA gave The Associated Press the first confirmation that it is conducting a civil, not criminal, investigation of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and the Mississippi State Department of Health. The federal agency could withhold money from the state if it finds wrongdoing -- potentially millions of dollars. If the state agencies don't cooperate with the investigation, the EPA could refer the case to the Department of Justice. Reeves said Thursday that the state took control of Jackson's water system because of "absolute and total incompetence" of the city's Democratic mayor and administration. The governor's latest remarks are an escalation of a dispute between him and Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba over whether the state or the city will decide on a private firm to operate Jackson's water system. |
| EPA opens civil rights investigation into state's role over Jackson water system | |
| The Environmental Protection Agency wrote in a letter Thursday that it is opening a civil rights investigation into the state of Mississippi's role in the breakdown of Jackson's water system. The letter is in response to a complaint the NAACP filed on Sept. 27 under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The complaint alleges Mississippi has discriminated against the city on the basis of race, and that the state has "deprived" Jackson of federal funds intended for maintaining safe drinking water systems. Mississippi, which has no Black statewide elected officials, is 38% Black and 59% white. Jackson is 83% Black and 16% white. The EPA specified in the letter that it will investigate whether the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and the Mississippi State Department of Health discriminated against Jackson in their funding of water programs. It will also investigate whether the two state agencies have safeguards and policies to protect against discrimination as required by Title VI. "The Mississippi State Department of Health is a regulatory agency that ensures compliance, offers education and guidance, and protects the public health safety of all Mississippians," Liz Sharlot, a spokeswoman for the state health department, said in a statement. "The Agency also works with all eligible public water systems needing funds to improve their plants through the State Revolving Loan Fund. Extensive information can be found on our website." The NAACP also requested that the EPA include the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration in the investigation, but the federal agency declined. |
| Reeves blasts Lumumba after attempt to override state in hiring water contractor | |
| Governor Tate Reeves addressed the City of Jackson's recent issuing of its own request for proposals (RFP) to hire a new water management vendor, calling the move an act of "total incompetence of this mayor and administration." On Wednesday, the capital city's administration sent out a new RFP that would remove the state's involvement in the contract procurement process, contradicting claims made by Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba two days before. Reeves had expressed his disapproval of the rumored RFP on Monday, stating that all state assistance in keeping Jackson's water stable will be cut off as a result if Lumumba does not participate in the selection process alongside federal and state water experts. Lumumba replied to Reeves' accusations on social media, stating that "the governor's recent statement is an unfortunate misrepresentation." Now, as the rumor of the city's RFP has been confirmed, Reeves has once again publicly commented on the matter, accusing Lumumba of trying to play politics through the contract procurement process. "As long as the state, over the last 52 days, is doing little things to make sure the water system is operated, the mayor was perfectly fine with it," Reeves stated during Thursday's Turkey Pardoning. "But when it comes time to put your thumb on the scale for a contractor, just like he did in garbage... he decided, 'Hey, not only do I want to have a seat at the table, I want to control of this,'" |
| Gov. Tate Reeves calls Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba incompetent | |
 | A ceremonial turkey pardoning at the governor's mansion Thursday was quickly overshadowed by questions over the latest edition in a long-running series of tense moments and jabs thrown between the City of Jackson and the State of Mississippi. On multiple occasions, during his answer to a question over who would field bids for staffing the city's water plants, Gov. Tate Reeves called Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba "incompetent" and said the mayor has "irrevocably broken" the Unified Command Structure that was put in place in August when the city's water system failed. "This city was once a great city, and it has the potential to be a great city again," Reeves said, blaming the mayor and his administration for many of the woes Jackson has faced, including crime, water and a dispute over the trash contract. "He's lying about the people of this state. I don't care what he says about me," Reeves said. "I've been in politics a long time, and I'm a big boy, I can handle it. But when he goes and claims what he claims, he's not attacking me, he's attacking the people of the city of Jackson. When he goes on national news, and makes the claims that he knows are lies, he's not attacking me, he's attacking the people of the great state of Mississippi. We have a lot of good people here. We have a lot of good people that live in this city. By the way, a lot of them disagree with me on political issues, and that's OK. The right thing to do is to get beyond politics." |
| Community with Confederate monument gets Emmett Till statue | |
| A Mississippi community with an elaborate Confederate monument plans to unveil a larger-than-life statue of Emmett Till on Friday, decades after white men kidnapped and killed the Black teenager for allegedly whistling at a white woman in a country store. The 1955 lynching became a catalyst for the civil rights movement after Till's mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, insisted on an open-casket funeral in Chicago so the world could see the horrors inflicted on her 14-year-old son. Jet magazine published photos of his mutilated body, which had been pulled from the Tallahatchie River in Mississippi. The 9-foot (2.7-meter) bronze statue in Greenwood is a jaunty depiction of the living Till in slacks, a dress shirt and a tie with one hand on the brim of a hat. The Till statue at Greenwood's Rail Spike Park is a short drive from an elaborate Confederate monument outside the Leflore County Courthouse and about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the crumbling remains of the store, Bryant's Grocery & Meat Market in the hamlet of Money. Greenwood and Leflore County are both more than 70% Black and officials have worked for years to bring the Till statue to reality. Democratic state Sen. David Jordan of Greenwood secured $150,000 in state funding and the community commissioned a Utah artist, Matt Glenn, to create the statue. Jordan said he hopes it will entice tourists to visit Greenwood and learn more about the history of the area. |
| Nesbit man sentenced to prison for racist threats | |
 | A north Mississippi man, arrested as he tried to buy an assault rifle last summer, will spend the next 2 1/2 years in a federal prison for making racist threats online. Aubrey Sakai Suzuki, 21, of Nesbit, pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court in Oxford to posting on a white supremacist website in late 2020 that he wanted to take part in a revolution and be on the forefront killing Blacks, Hispanics and homosexuals. The charge of sending a threatening communication through interstate commerce carries up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000. During the sentencing hearing Thursday, Senior U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills ordered Suzuki to spend the next 30 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. "The defendant in this case made credible threats to shoot members of various minority groups, and then purchased a semi-automatic rifle," said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. "While all Americans enjoy a constitutional right to free speech, that right does not include a right to threaten or terrorize other individuals. The agents and prosecutors who worked to stop this potential mass shooting are to be commended." "Suzuki sought to intimidate members of the community through his threats," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby. "We remain committed to tirelessly thwarting the nefarious actions of those, like Mr. Suzuki, who intend to impart fear upon citizens based on biases." |
| Rick Scott: Senate Republicans have path to 55-seat majority | |
 | National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Rick Scott (Fla.) says Republicans will likely control 52 Senate seats next year and have a pathway to a 55-seat majority, given how recent polls show GOP candidates picking up momentum. Scott is voicing a more confident view of the Nov. 8 midterm elections than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has predicted the battle for the Senate will be "really close either way" and that whatever party wins is likely to control a very narrow majority. "It starts right here, we're going to get 52 Republican senators, we have to win here," Scott said at a get-out-to-vote event with Senate candidate Rep. Ted Budd (N.C.) at the Republican Black Community Center. "I think we can get 53, 54, 55." "The energy is on our side. People are fed up with the Biden agenda," he declared to applause from a roomful of Republican activists and supporters. Republicans would have to run the table of Senate races and knock off Democratic incumbents in five races while protecting their vulnerable seats in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ohio and North Carolina in order to build a five-seat Senate majority next year. |
| A bad sign for Democrats in critical Nevada Senate race | |
 | One of the tightest Senate races in the country has drawn even tighter in the final weeks of the midterm election season, with Republican Adam Laxalt now polling even with Democratic Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada -- a race that is one of the GOP's best shots at flipping a Democratic-held seat. Laxalt has inched ahead of Cortez Masto by 2 percentage points, within the poll's margin of error, a gain from a month ago when he was down 3 percentage points, according to a poll conducted this week by the conservative Club for Growth and shared exclusively with POLITICO. The bump for Laxalt represents a swing toward Republicans as concerns about the economy loom large in contrast with a Democratic summer boost in momentum over abortion rights. Independent voters appear to be breaking with the GOP as the Nov. 8 election nears. Laxalt's slight lead in public polls comes as Democrats have called in top surrogates to appear in Nevada in the next two weeks, including former President Barack Obama and Sen. Bernie Sanders. Earlier this month, former President Donald Trump held a rally to support Laxalt. The race has remained tight since Labor Day, and Republicans are targeting the state's large share of working-class and Latino voters with messaging on inflation and crime. Nevada and Georgia are currently Republicans' two best pickup opportunities in the party's fight to retake control of the narrowly divided Senate, an endeavor that involves protecting seats in swing states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Ohio while ousting at least one Democratic incumbent. |
| Social media platforms brace for midterm elections mayhem | |
| A Facebook search for the words "election fraud" first delivers an article claiming that workers at a Pennsylvania children's museum are brainwashing children so they'll accept stolen elections. Facebook's second suggestion? A link to an article from a site called MAGA Underground that says Democrats are plotting to rig next month's midterms. "You should still be mad as hell about the fraud that happened in 2020," the article insists. With less than three weeks before the polls close, misinformation about voting and elections abounds on social media despite promises by tech companies to address a problem blamed for increasing polarization and distrust. While platforms like Twitter, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube say they've expanded their work to detect and stop harmful claims that could suppress the vote or even lead to violent confrontations, a review of some of the sites shows they're still playing catch-up with 2020, when then-President Donald Trump's lies about the election he lost to Joe Biden helped fuel an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. A report released last month from New York University faulted Meta, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube for amplifying Trump's false statements about the 2020 election. The study cited inconsistent rules regarding misinformation as well as poor enforcement. Election misinformation is even more prevalent on smaller platforms popular with some conservatives and far-right groups like Gab, Gettr and TruthSocial, Trump's own platform. But those sites have tiny audiences compared with Facebook, YouTube or TikTok. |
| Business leaders predict 'crisis' if courts end 'Dreamers' protections | |
 | Dozens of business leaders warned Congress of an impending "crisis" for the economy if lawmakers don't pass laws to protect young immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. In a letter to congressional leaders released Thursday, more than 80 company executives said their businesses would suffer if protections for the embattled Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program ended. Earlier this month, a federal appeals court ruled against the decade-old program that allows hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children to avoid deportation and work legally. The business leaders said gutting DACA protections would exacerbate workforce shortages that have dogged the economy for months. Signers included Amazon, Apple, General Motors, IBM, Microsoft, Target and Verizon. The group said it also ran the letter in a full-page advertisement in Thursday editions of The Wall Street Journal, Dallas Morning News and Charlotte Observer. "The worker shortage will get worse for the United States if hundreds of thousands of critical workers are stripped of their legal ability to support themselves and their families," the business leaders wrote. "That is the situation we currently face if this ruling becomes final, and it is the reason for our request today." If DACA recipients' work permits expire, the business leaders said, the U.S. could lose more than half a million jobs and up to $11.7 billion in wages from previously employed immigrants. |
| Second fatal hit and run suspect returned to Mississippi | |
| A Tennessee man wanted in connection with a fatal hit and run in Oxford waived extradition and was returned to Mississippi to face charges. Tristan Holland, 18, of Collierville, Tennessee, was formally charged Thursday with accessory after the fact to manslaughter. During his initial appearance in Lafayette County Justice Court, his bond was set at $25,000. According to records at the Lafayette County Detention Center, Holland was booked into the jail Oct. 20 at 11:11 a.m. After being photographed and fingerprinted, he posted bond and was released from the jail at 12:06 p.m. Holland and Seth Garron Rokitka, 24, are charged in connection with a fatal hit and run behind the Oxford City Hall in the early morning hours of Oct. 16 that killed one Ole Miss student and critically injured another. Police have not released any details of the incident but did dispel some of the rumors on social media. According to Lt. Hildon Sessums, Rokitka and Holland had no interactions with either victim prior to allegedly striking them with his truck. There were no fights or alterations, and their paths did not cross. In fact, the suspects and the victims were at separate establishments the entire night, police said. Rokitka and Holland did not render aid or call 911, even though they allegedly knew what they had just done, according to Sessums. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Oxford police at 662-232-2400 or Crime Stoppers at 662-234-8799. |
| $7.5 million awarded to UMMC to research violence in Jackson | |
 | A team of doctors from the University of Mississippi Medical Center has been awarded millions of dollars to research the causes and ways to reduce violence. Two grants totaling $7.5 million are being awarded to UMMC for research projects focused on gun and domestic violence. The City of Jackson has one of the highest rates of violence in the nation, and researchers say it is a key location for better understanding these issues. Dr. Lei Zhang is a professor and associate dean for research and scholarship in the School of Nursing. He says the studies will first examine the causes of violence, then explore solutions. "For example," says Dr. Zhang, "We may assess some economic distress related to housing instability related to the adverse childhood experience, and also related to their mental health." One of the studies will focus on the main determinants that cause the state's high rate of domestic violence, and psychologists say they are interested in seeing what interventions could be enacted to protect victims. The other will be a comprehensive initiative between the hospital, community engagement partners and mental health experts on researching gun violence. |
| 'Good Morning America' to film live from Jackson State on Friday | |
| As Homecoming week continues at Jackson State University, one of America's most popular morning shows is getting in on the action. Per a release from the school, Good Morning America and co-anchor Michael Strahan will be filming live from the campus of Jackson State on Friday, October 21. "We're honored to host Good Morning America at Jackson State University and provide a glimpse of what Mississippi's only urban research institution is all about," President Thomas K. Hudson said. "Homecoming is an incredible time to bring students, faculty, and alumni together to celebrate our rich traditions and culture while being rejuvenated to continue our mission to challenge minds and change lives." The broadcast, which runs from 6 to 8 a.m. CT, will feature interviews with Tigers head football coach Deion Sanders, members of the Sonic Boom of The South, the Prancing J-Settes, JSU cheerleaders, as well as a handful of student leaders. |
| Speaker shares Valley stories at luncheon | |
| Stories of legacy and community abounded at Mississippi Valley State's annual scholarship luncheon Thursday. The keynote speaker for the annual Augusta C. White Luncheon, presented by the Greenwood City Council and Leflore County Board of Supervisors, was Bettye Farmer, a retired MVSU English professor. After lunch was served, she regaled the audience with tales from her time as a student at MVSU. "I want you to come with me now on a journey -- a journey into yesterday, a projection on our tomorrow and a reality check on our today," she began. Farmer spoke about her time as a speech and communication student at Valley, dropping in anecdotes about the dances she used to attend with her friends that would make her late for class and the professors who steered her away from the wrong men. She reminded listeners that an MVSU graduate, U.S. Rep. Katie Hall, authored legislation that made Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a holiday. "That's the way we work," she said. "Today, Mississippi Valley continues to nurture students, to mold students and to order their steps. The way we were yesterday is the way we are today, and the way we will be today is the way we will be tomorrow." Other speakers included Dr. Jerryl Briggs, MVSU's president; Dr. Tamla Boyd Shaw, director of Leflore Legacy Academy in Greenwood, and Jerry Redmond Jr., president of MVSU's alumni association. |
| 'I really still haven't processed it yet': Petal teacher wins 2022 Milken Award, $25,000 | |
 | It took a while for Petal teacher Tyler Shows to grasp what was happening. Students and teachers at the upper elementary were summoned to an assembly to celebrate the district's "A" rating on state test scores. It was a welcome recognition Tuesday for the students and the teachers who work hard to achieve academic excellence. But the gathering also was to recognize and honor one teacher in particular. Shows, a fifth-grade math teacher was singled out during the assembly and surprised with the Milken Educator Award for Mississippi and a check for $25,000 to spend as he chooses. "I feel like I hijacked the whole show," Shows said. "I really still haven't processed it yet. I don't remember any of the details of what happened." Shows also works as a facilitator in the professional learning community with the University of Southern Mississippi's World Class Teaching Program and helps teachers prepare for National Board Certification. He sits on the district superintendent's advisory council. Shows, a Petal native, graduated from Petal High School in 2008 and earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Mississippi and a master's degree in gifted education from William Carey University. |
| 'We need your impatience': Raphael Warnock visits UGA Chapel, encourages students to vote | |
 | U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock paid a visit to the University of Georgia on Oct. 20 to campaign for his re-election. The Baptist minister turned senator held a rally with other local Democrats, including Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz, Athens Commissioner Tim Denson and state Sen. Jen Jordan at the UGA Chapel. Warnock, who drew a crowd of about 200 students, discussed his plans for re-election and the importance of the youth vote. Nowhere in Georgia is this race more keenly contested than on the UGA campus. Athens remains one of Georgia's progressive strongholds, with liberal students backing Warnock for re-election. But Republican candidate and former UGA football star Herschel Walker has maintained a strong student base of conservative supporters. It was most apparent while students waited to enter the chapel. In addition to Warnock supporters, about a dozen people bearing Herschel Walker signs stood outside taking photos. UGA student Austin Myhre, who helps run the student political group Dawgs for Warnock, said it showed how contentious things could get on campus. "I know you all saw those ugly Herschel Walker stickers all around the football field," he said. "And frankly, they really frustrated me because I was looking around and saying, 'These don't represent me. And they don't represent most students on campus.' "Some of the people outside earlier and some people in here now will tell you that this is a Herschel Walker campus, but I'm here to tell you that's not true." |
| Class sizes, 'selectivity,' cited as U. of Arkansas, Fayetteville slips in U.S. News & World Report rankings | |
| As the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville continues to increase enrollment -- setting a new record this fall while crossing the 30,000 milestone for the first time -- class sizes are larger, one reason the university fell nine spots in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. Out of 234 institutions ranked as top public schools by the publication last month, including more than 50 institutions that were added to the category for the latest ranking, UA tied for 87th with four other public institutions, including SEC rival Louisiana State University. UA was tied for 78th with six other schools in last year's ranking. Contributing to this year's lower rank: The number of classes at UA with fewer than 20 students decreased by 9.2%. With growing enrollment, the university's "student selectivity" metric also took a hit. UA's land-grant mission emphasizes accessibility to education for all Arkansans, and administrators have focused in recent years on providing an avenue to the university for more in-state students. The 2,835 in-state students in this year's freshman class was up 8% from last year, and the university is intent on continuing to recruit within the state, Suzanne McCray, vice provost for enrollment and dean of admissions, said. The RazorBug, a vehicle used for marketing the university, continues to tour the state, and the university is increasing the number of days when application fees are waived for in-state students. UA also has an initiative aimed at encouraging high school counselors to contact the university about potential applicants who might otherwise be overlooked. |
| UF assessment estimates between $768 million, $1.5 billion in state agricultural losses from Hurricane Ian | |
| As Hurricane Ian swept across Florida, damaging populated regions like Southwest and Central Florida, the state's agricultural sector faced a similar devastating fate. Florida agriculture is a commodity production leader, said Christa Court, director of the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program, in a Tuesday morning press conference. The state produces more than 200 different commodities across 47,500 farm operations, she said. Around 4.7 million acres -- almost five times the size of Rhode Island -- of agricultural land were affected by the storm, representing around $8.1 billion in estimated total value of production, according to a UF/IFAS assessment released Oct.17. Of the 4.7 million acres, around 60% was grazing land for livestock. The assessment divided affected commodities into groups, including citrus, non-citrus fruits and tree nuts, vegetables and melons, field and row crops, horticultural crops, and animals and animal products. Using observations from past hurricanes and the total affected acreage, the assessment estimates between $786 million and $1.5 billion in losses due to Hurricane Ian. Court noted these are preliminary estimates that might change as more data is collected. Citrus, vegetables and melons were most affected by the storm in terms of acreage, not including grazing land. |
| How four Texas university systems are pitching themselves as the best new home for Stephen F. Austin State University | |
| For the past few months, Stephen F. Austin State University has been speed dating. The 11,300-student school in the East Texas Piney Woods has four suitors: The Texas A&M University System, The Texas State University System, The Texas Tech University System and the University of Texas System, all vying for a chance to have the university join their ranks. Since SFA leaders announced at the start of the fall semester that they were interested in potentially joining a system, a subcommittee of university board members has been wooed by these system leaders. Their first date was in Nacogdoches, where SFA is located. And this week, another round of meetings with each system was held in Dallas. SFA is one of just two public universities in Texas that are not part of a system. The other is Texas Southern University, the historically Black university in Houston. The Texas A&M University System envisioned a new state-of-the-art building for SFA's forestry program and floated SFA as a potential branch location for some of the system's agencies, like the Texas Division of Emergency Management. They emphasized a focus on health science education programs and included a reminder that A&M already manages SFA's investments. The University of Texas System waved dollar signs, too: $1 million more for annual student scholarships and $5.5 million to boost faculty salaries, as well as its system STARS program that provides start-up funding for research equipment, labs and other capital costs. It also emphasized mental health resources for students. |
| MU expanding women's health, reproductive research with MizzouForward plan | |
 | Fertility, ovarian cancer and other matters of reproductive health are emerging as research priorities at the University of Missouri. At least five reproductive scientists have been hired to work at the university in recent months as part of the MizzouForward initiative, a $1.5 billion effort to recruit top scientists and their research dollars to campus over the next few years. Reproductive researchers will share space with neuroscience researchers on the fourth floor of the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Building. The four-story glass building opened to great fanfare a year ago as a magnet for cancer, neurology and cardiovascular research. Improvements to the fourth floor at NextGen are expected to cost $16.5 million and are scheduled to be completed by fall 2024. "(The) University of Missouri is the place to be right now ... if you're looking for pioneering work that's going to move women's health forward," Jean Goodman, a maternal and fetal medicine specialist, said. The new hires were lured to MU after an existing team of reproductive scientists at MU provided recruiters with insights on the most sought-after candidates in the nation with exceptionally accomplished research backgrounds. |
| Free speech concerns prompt calls to shun Yale Law grads | |
 | Recent issues at Yale Law School are back in the spotlight after a conservative judge called on his peers to abstain from hiring Yale Law graduates as clerks because of free speech concerns. Judge James Ho, a Trump administration appointee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, urged the boycott last month when addressing a Federalist Society event in Kentucky. He argued that Yale Law students haven't faced consequences for shutting down a speaker last year, meaning "Yale not only tolerates the cancellation of views -- it practices it." Now other judges are slowly signing on to Ho's boycott, an effort that has landed at the same time Yale Law announced new student disciplinary policies and efforts to protect free speech. Though Ho's remarks came this fall, the key incident at the heart of the boycott occurred in March, when students disrupted a panel at Yale Law School featuring Kristen Waggoner, general counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative advocacy group that has often been criticized for its positions on LGBTQ+ issues. The panel ultimately proceeded, but it was marked by protests that later spilled out of the room and into nearby hallways. The students who disrupted the event were not punished. Now Ho -- who did not respond to a request for comment -- wants to leverage his power as a federal appellate judge to teach students a lesson, announcing at the Federalist Society event last month that he would no longer hire Yale Law graduates going forward and encouraging fellow judges to do the same. His plan is to force change at Yale by squeezing enrollment. |
| How Regional Public Colleges Benefit Their Communities | |
 | Many regional public colleges were hit hard by the pandemic. At a few such institutions, enrollment declines and financial distress have been so serious that questions have emerged about their relevance and longevity. But these colleges serve a crucial population: low-income students. And they serve as economic engines in their regions. Those are the key findings of new research by two economists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who explored the benefits of these institutions for their local communities. The researchers found that regional public colleges improve educational attainment and economic outcomes for residents in their area. The study was an extension of previous research conducted by Russell Weinstein, an assistant professor of labor and employment relations and of economics, and two co-authors, Greg Howard, also an assistant professor of economics at Illinois, and Yuhao Yang, an economics graduate student. The latest paper was written by Weinstein and Howard. The researchers compared counties that had state-funded mental asylums with counties that had "normal schools" -- colleges established in the late-19th and early-20th centuries by the state government to educate schoolteachers. In the mid-20th century, many of these normal schools were converted into regional universities. As for the asylums, many became psychiatric hospitals or rehabilitative facilities. The researchers found that children who grew up in counties with the regional public colleges received more education and experienced better economic and social outcomes than did children in counties that had the former state-funded mental asylums. Children who came from lower-income families were most positively affected by the regional public institutions. |
| Record bond measures, higher ed policy on states' ballots | |
| Arizona voters will decide next month whether to allow undocumented students in the state to receive in-state tuition -- one of three statewide measures on the ballot this November related to higher education. The ballot measure, known as Proposition 308, is the result of years of grassroots organizing and backed by a broad coalition of business groups, politicians and immigration advocacy organizations. "For the Arizona undocumented student population, this would be a huge step forward for their access to college opportunities," said Tom Harnisch, vice president for government relations for the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association. Nationally, there are 140 statewide ballot measures in addition to hundreds of local questions that voters will weigh in on, but only a few would directly affect higher education. In addition to the Arizona proposition, New Mexico wants voters to approve $207 million in general obligation bonds that would pay for 28 projects across 15 institutions. In the third measure, the University of Rhode Island wants voters to sign off on $100 million in bonds that would upgrade its Narragansett Bay campus. Harnisch said other statewide ballot measures that aren't directly related to higher education could still affect state revenue and have "downstream consequences." That includes a potential income tax rate reduction in Colorado and a potential new income tax on Massachusetts millionaires -- the revenue from which would go to education and transportation. |
| Supreme Court won't block the student loan debt relief program, at least for now | |
 | The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to block the rollout of the Biden administration's student debt relief plan, allowing the program to move forward – at least for now. Loan forgiveness is scheduled to begin as early as Sunday. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who is assigned to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, was the one who received the emergency application. Presumably the court's other justices agreed with her decision. Within hours of the Supreme Court action, another closely watched challenge to the program, this one brought by six GOP-led states, was tossed out by a federal district court in Missouri. The emergency request to the Supreme Court was brought by the Brown County Taxpayers Association, a Wisconsin organization made up of around 100 taxpaying individuals and business owners that advocates for conservative economic policy. This case will continue in the Seventh Circuit, where it is being heard on appeal. A federal district court judge dismissed the lawsuit earlier this month, on ground that the taxpayer group lacked "standing." In short, the challengers, simply as taxpayers, could not show a personal injury as is required to bring a suit. In 2007, the Supreme Court said, "if every federal taxpayer could sue to challenge any Government expenditure, the federal courts would cease to function as courts of law and would be cast in the role of general complaint bureaus." |
| Biden's student debt relief notches early victories from GOP-appointed judges | |
| President Joe Biden's student debt relief program won a pair of early legal victories on Thursday as Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett declined to halt the policy and a federal judge in Missouri dismissed a legal challenge from six Republican-led states. The legal battles over the sweeping debt relief program, which offers up to $20,000 of loan forgiveness to tens of millions of Americans, are far from over --- and the issue could potentially end back at the Supreme Court in a matter of days or weeks. But, so far, several Republican-appointed judges have been cool to efforts by GOP state officials and conservative groups to put an immediate halt to Biden's plan. Barrett on Thursday swiftly rejected a Wisconsin conservative group's emergency request to stop the policy without comment or any indication she referred the matter to the full court. Also on Thursday, a federal judge in Missouri dismissed a lawsuit by six Republican-led states challenging the debt relief plan. U.S. District Judge Henry Edward Autrey, a George W. Bush appointee, ruled that the states did not articulate the type of harm that's needed to have their legal challenge hard in federal court. He emphasized that his decision was focused on the state's lack of standing and was not a comment on the legality of the debt relief plan. The legal challenge brought by the six Republican officials -- in Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas and South Carolina -- is likely to be appealed. It is widely seen by proponents and critics of the debt relief plan as among the most serious and credible challenges. |
SPORTS
| No. 6 Alabama, No. 24 Mississippi State meet on the rebound | |
| Alabama was coming off a road loss on an end-of-game field goal entering the last Mississippi State game, too. It didn't go well for the Bulldogs. The sixth-ranked Crimson Tide (6-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) hosts No. 24 Mississippi State (5-2, 3-2) Saturday night trying to bounce back from a 52-49 loss to Tennessee. Alabama rebounded from a loss to Texas A&M last season with a 49-9 win in Starkville. "After the game on Saturday, I heard a lot of guys say, 'We know this feeling, we know how to bounce back,'" Tide linebacker Will Anderson Jr. said. The response then was a dominating defensive performance, and Alabama is a three-touchdown favorite this time around. Alabama held the Bulldogs to 300 total yards, sacked Will Rogers seven times and intercepted three of his passes. Mississippi State had its three-game winning streak halted with a 27-17 loss at No. 19 Kentucky. After scoring more than 40 points in each game, the Bulldogs were outgained 478-225. They now shift to Alabama, where coach Mike Leach said the challenge is containing quarterback Bryce Young and running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who has 63 carries for 463 yards and five touchdowns over the past three games. "They keep you kind of thinned out because you're trying to tend to both of them," he said. "You can't just focus on one thing because you're vulnerable to both a little bit." |
| College football Week 8: UCLA-Oregon, Mississippi State-Alabama highlight the biggest games | |
| A top-10 matchup in Eugene as well as ranked games in the ACC, Big 12 and SEC are the talk of college football in Week 8. Expect the penalty flags to fly Saturday in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama's 66 accepted penalties are the most of any team in the FBS this season, while Mississippi State is tied for 26th most with 48. And while we're on the subject of driving coaches wild, look for plenty of drops, too. Alabama is tied for the most dropped passes in the FBS with 21, while Mississippi State is 30th with 14. So whoever shoots themselves in the foot least wins, right? It's obviously more complicated than that. The outcome could be decided in large part by which defense is most effective getting to the quarterback. Because Mississippi State's Will Rogers and Alabama's Bryce Young are two of the best QBs in the country this season. Rogers has thrown for the third-most passing yards in the FBS (2,324). Young, meanwhile, ranks eighth nationally in QBR (86.1). Both defenses have shown they have the ability to get into the backfield. With star edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner, Alabama has the highest rate of sacks per pass attempt in the SEC at 8.2%. Mississippi State, on the other hand, is in the top five of the SEC in pressure percentage, affecting 28.1% of dropbacks. "Their defense is very aggressive, creates a lot of turnovers, do a lot of pressuring the quarterback," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. |
| Mississippi State football's Mike Leach made practice optional after Sam Westmoreland's death | |
| Following the news of Sam Westmoreland's death Wednesday morning, Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach made practice optional, according to athletic director John Cohen. "I was there when he addressed the team before they practiced," Cohen said on MSU's weekly radio show Thursday. "He left it up to the kids and said, 'If you're not feeling this, if you need time, you got it.'" Cohen noted that Leach urged players to utilize resources, including speaking to mental health care professionals. "Don't be too proud to ask for help because occasionally everybody does need help," Cohen said. Many of the athletes felt continuing to compete was the right way to move forward, per Cohen. "They couldn't find a better way to honor the memory of a really special person," Cohen added. Cohen replaced Leach who is usually the guest on the show. Leach has not been made available to media since Westmoreland's death. On Thursday night, Mississippi State hosted its first athletic event since Westmoreland's death. MSU women's soccer hosted No. 1 Alabama. Players wore white tape on their wrists with Moreland's No. 78 written in black. |
| Tupelo High School football coach shares fond memories of Sam Westmoreland | |
 | As those who knew Sam Westmoreland cope with the sudden death of the MSU offensive lineman, the man who coached him at Tupelo High School is speaking out. We talked to Coach Ty Hardin who shared his memories of coaching number 76. Tupelo head football coach Ty Hardin last saw Sam Westmoreland on the sidelines of Renasant Field last Friday night. "I remember him walking up and I was looking at the scoreboard, I saw him walking up, shrugging his shoulders, big smile on his face, can't forget it, he was under the tent with the O line, patting them on the back, loving them up, being him," said Hardin. Hardin came to THS during Westmoreland's junior year. Westmoreland wasn't a starter then, but Coach Hardin says he worked hard, becoming a starter on the offensive line his senior year. Hardin says Westmoreland was an encourager, who always had a smile and lifted everyone's spirits. "He was the definition of a perfect teammate, probably the most positive guy on the team, if a player needed a ride he was going to get them, if they needed something to eat he would get them something to eat, if he needed to invite somebody over he would," said Hardin. "He was the guy who initiated lots of things with our team. Like, 'hey O line, let's go to eat, let's go see a movie.' He was the definition of a perfect teammate and great human being." |
| What kept Nick Saban up at night this week | |
 | There's been a lot of two things this week surrounding the Alabama football team. One is talk about mindset after Will Anderson said there might have been some anxiety creeping into the locker room ahead of the 52-49 loss to Tennessee. The other is toxic negativity raining down from outside the football complex and Nick Saban said there could be a correlation between the two. It was a topic of discussion Thursday night on Saban's radio show when media guest James Spann asked the coach about how they deal with "the haters" who largely roam the dark corners of social media. "I've been doing a lot of thinking about this," Saban began. He said he had a hard time understanding why a full week of preparation and focus seemed to melt away upon arrival at Neyland Stadium. "We get there and we're full of anxiety and I think some of that comes from external factors because, it's like you say, people are on the internet and they get affected by what people think and say," Saban said. "That's how they get their feedback." He continued by saying he loves the players who are motivated internally and don't lean on outside voices for affirmation. "But I'm sorry to say not everybody is that way," Saban said, "and I think some of this feedback that we're talking about creates a little bit of a negative attitude, which creates a little bit of anxiety. Anxiety is not good for positive performance. It's just not." |
| Everything you need to know before U. of Alabama's homecoming game | |
 | Football fans can expect almost picture-perfect weather for homecoming activities this weekend at the University of Alabama. According to Jason Holmes of the National Weather Service in Birmingham, conditions will be cool but comfortable for the Friday night pep rally and bonfire, as well as Saturday night's football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. He said temperatures should remain in the 60s for the duration of both events. For the homecoming parade and pre-game tailgating, fans can look forward to clear skies, a light breeze, plenty of sunshine, and temperatures in the mid-70s, he said. "It should be a good day in Tuscaloosa," Holmes said. "We don't have to worry about rain and we are past the cold snap we had earlier this week." The homecoming parade will begin at noon Saturday on Greensboro Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa and then move onto University Boulevard heading toward campus. The pre-game festivities will also include a flyover by the 58th Fighter Squadron from Eglin Air Force Base. During the game Tuscaloosa native Sylvester Croom, who played football at UA for legendary coach Paul W. "Bear" Bryant and went on to coach Mississippi State, will be honored for his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. |
| Chris Jans, Mississippi State strive for first-year success | |
| Chris Jans is just seven months removed from coaching in the NCAA Tournament, a memorable experience he wants Mississippi State to feel. Fulfilling that goal depends on how well the Bulldogs adapt and execute their new coach's philosophy. Jans takes over a MSU program seeking to move up from the three NIT appearances it had recently become accustomed to the past five years, including last spring. He believes the Bulldogs (18-16, 8-10 Southeastern Conference) can be competitive but is also mindful that transition is a process. "In this day and age with the (transfer) portal, and certainly when you get a new job and they make a change in leadership, that's just how it is," said Jans, who was hired in March after leading New Mexico State to the second round of March Madness. "Each and every year, each and every program is going to have to piecemeal it together, at least in that first year. I do like the fact that the majority of our guys are older. ... I think it will be beneficial when the games come around the corner." MSU opens on Nov. 7 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, an NCAA Tournament team, before facing Marquette (Nov. 21) in the Fort Myers Tipoff that includes Georgia Tech and Utah. The Bulldogs open SEC play at home against Alabama (Dec. 28) and will take on TCU in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge a month later. |
| CFP Leaders Frustrated As NFL Encroaches on Scheduling Battleground | |
| Earlier this week, the NFL announced that it would be playing a regular-season game on a new day each year: Black Friday. For years, Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, has been a post-holiday smorgasbord of college football. In a way, Black Friday belongs to the sport, a fabric of its existence, just like Saturdays in the fall, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. These are traditional college football days. Well, not anymore. The NFL continues to encroach on the territory that has for years belonged to its free farm system. Black Friday is only the latest. The NFL starts playing regular-season games on Saturdays in mid-December, has expanded its own playoff to create an additional wild-card game and has started to dominate Thursday nights with the league's streaming package on Amazon. All of this has college football executives rightfully stewing as they attempt to schedule eight additional games in an expanded playoff -- all the while trying to avoid going head-to-head with America's No. 1 sport. The CFP Management Committee, the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, met for seven hours on Thursday in Dallas in yet another attempt to finalize details of the new 12-team playoff. And while the NFL's takeover of Black Friday has no impact on expansion playoff games, it's another dagger from the big league fired at its little brother. There was, however, some good news Thursday. Commissioners emerged from their exhaustive meeting with optimism that they can expand by 2024 or '25, the earliest years possible. That said, the window is closing quickly, and there are still plenty of issues beyond the NFL, explored here by SI. A decision must be made soon on 2024. "Time is not on our side," CFP executive director Bill Hancock repeated a few times during an interview with reporters. |
| CFP committee still undecided on expansion date, hopeful for 2024 | |
| The College Football Playoff management committee concluded yet another lengthy, closed-door meeting on Thursday still undecided about when the playoff will expand to 12 teams, but encouraged it can still happen as soon as 2024, CFP executive director Bill Hancock said. After about six hours, Hancock emerged from an all-too-familiar stuffy, windowless conference room in the DFW airport with few answers about if the format can change before the start of the 2026 season. The current 12-year contract expires after the 2025 season, and while there are no solid deadlines, the window to change the format in time for the 2024 season continues to shrink quickly. "It's true time is not on our side, but we haven't given ourselves a deadline," Hancock said. "It's more important to get it right than to get it fast." There was a sense of optimism entering Thursday's meeting -- multiple sources had said they hadn't heard any good reasons why the playoff couldn't expand earlier -- but there was also a realization that determining the dates for the games is a significant challenge that persists, especially with campuses hosting the first-round games. The commissioners continue to struggle with conflicts surrounding the academic calendar, including December commencement and final exams, plus finding TV windows that don't compete with the NFL. |
| Ole Miss volleyball coach Kayla Banwarth on leave amid 'review of the program' | |
| Ole Miss women's volleyball coach Kayla Banwarth is on leave currently as the athletics department "conduct(s) a review of the program," Ole Miss announced in a statement Thursday evening. No specifics regarding the investigation were given in the news release. "Ole Miss head volleyball coach Kayla Banwarth is not with the team as we conduct a review of the program. During her leave, assistant coach Bre Henry will serve as acting head coach," the statement reads. Banwarth is in her third season leading the program. In 2021, she led the Rebels to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2010 as the team finished with a 21-9 record. The team is 7-10 so far in 2022 and hosts Missouri Friday and Saturday. |
| Inside LSU's nutrition program, a key part of Brian Kelly's plan for player development | |
 | Inside his office, Matt Frakes turned toward his computer screens. One of them had a spreadsheet filled with bodyweight reports highlighted in green and red. The numbers, gathered by members of the strength and conditioning staff, told him if LSU's players were within their predetermined weight ranges. Another screen showed hydration information, providing a guide for how many electrolytes players needed to consume based on their weigh-ins. Frakes checks the data every day. If a player falls under 5% of their target weight range, he gets an alert on his phone. He can then determine a plan. "Everyone's weight has fluctuated in some shape or form," Frakes said. "We have to guide them back to ensure they stay consistent for weeks at a time." The system helps Frakes, LSU's assistant athletic director of sports nutrition, keep track of the entire football team. He has to make sure everyone eats and drinks the right things to perform at their best, especially as LSU heads further into the second half of the season Saturday afternoon against No. 7 Ole Miss. While some teams fade later in the year, the Tigers want to surge. A lot will go into finishing strong. LSU needs to make defensive adjustments and become more consistent. But the players won't be able to if their bodies can't execute, a year-round responsibility that falls on themselves, the strength and conditioning department, athletic trainers and nutrition. "We get caught up with now," senior linebacker Micah Baskerville said, "but it's about holding up throughout the season." |
| Auburn announces names for Woltosz Football Performance Center, Creel Family Development Lab | |
| In a Thursday press release, Auburn announced names for the upcoming football performance center and development lab. Tigers' head coach Bryan Harsin will lead practice at the new football facility, the Woltosz Football Performance Center, and the weight room will be named the Creel Family Player Development Lab. The named spaces honor Walt and Ginger Woltosz and Keith and Ginger Creel. "Once again, the Woltosz and Creel families have demonstrated their leadership and commitment to Auburn by their transformational giving," Interim Director of Athletics Rich McGlynn said. "These named spaces will serve as permanent reminders to football student-athletes, coaches, and the Auburn family of their steadfast dedication and inspiring generosity." In 2019, the Woltoszes gave what was then the largest gift in Auburn Athletics history for the football performance center that now bears their name. Bill and Connie Neville surpassed the record toward the recently named Neville Arena. Dedicated in August 2021 and scheduled to be the home of Auburn's football operations at the conclusion of the 2022 season, the Woltosz Football Performance Center features 233,428 square feet and includes indoor and outdoor practice fields. The $92 million facility is the largest athletics project in Auburn history. The Creel Family Player Development Lab boosts 25,000 square feet of strength and conditioning equipment and training space. |
| NCAA on trial in concussion case of dead USC football player | |
| The widow of a former University of Southern California football player suing the NCAA for failing to protect her husband from repetitive head trauma is taking what could be a landmark case to a Los Angeles jury Friday. Matthew Gee died in 2018 from permanent brain damage caused by countless blows to the head he took while playing linebacker for the 1990 Rose Bowl winning team, according to the wrongful death suit filed by Alana Gee. Of the hundreds of wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits brought by college football players against the NCAA in the past decade, Gee's is only the second to go to trial alleging that hits to the head led to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease. It could be the first to reach a jury. The NCAA, the governing body of college athletics in the U.S., said it wasn't responsible for Gee's death, which it blamed on heavy drinking, drugs and other health problems. The issue of concussions in sports, and football in particular, has been front and center in recent years as research has discovered more about long-term effects of repeated head trauma in problems ranging from headaches to depression and, sometimes, early onset Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease. |
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