| Thursday, May 4, 2023 |
| Sister Hazel tickets go on sale for Aug. 10 show at MSU Riley Center | |
 | Tickets go on sale Thursday for the iconic '90s alternative rock band Sister Hazel, slated to perform a show at the Mississippi State University Riley Center Aug. 10. Sister Hazel is now a regular fixture on the country and indie charts with an active touring schedule across the nation. The Aug. 10 show is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. at the MSU Riley Center, located on Fifth Street in downtown Meridian. Season ticket holders and Friends of the Lady members were able to purchase advance tickets on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tickets go on sale for the public starting at 9 a.m. Thursday via www.msurileycenter.com or by calling 601-696-2200. Sister Hazel, from Gainesville, Florida, burst onto the music scene with the platinum 1997 album "... Somewhere More Familiar" and the infectious Top 20 single "All for You." "We are always looking for opportunities to add new, fun shows that cover a range of genres," said Dr. Terry Dale Cruse, associate vice president and head of campus at MSU-Meridian. "Sister Hazel has a strong fan base of devoted followers. In keeping with the response to Gin Blossoms last year, we expect a similar crowd of enthusiastic followers and some sing-alongs." |
| State of the Region speakers discuss school-community connection | |
 | Eight speakers over two panel discussions on Tuesday all shared a common theme: to have the attendees leave with at least one idea to help foster the relationships between their schools and communities. The message was well received at this year's State of the Region meeting, put on by the Commission on the Future of Mississippi. Both the Girls Leadership Panel and the Starkville-Oktibbeha Story provided compelling information for the audience to think about. The Starkville-Oktibbeha Story is about the successful implementation of a modified school calendar following the consolidation of the Starkville and Oktibbeha school districts, and its buy-in from the community. Mike Tagert, the president and CEO of the Greater Starkville Development Partnerships said the business community has gotten behind what school district is doing. "Economic and community development is so much about quality of life, and what could be more important than the public education system?" he said. "The business community has really embraced the changes in the school district. There are so many different opportunities for business owners to participate. It's the right thing to do, and also they understand public school systems are their workforce. They're the future and it's important to have a healthy and thriving community." |
| Starkville plans to make walking, biking in town more accessible | |
 | The city of Starkville is making walking and biking more accessible throughout the city. You may have noticed cones around Highway 182. Starting at Old West Point Road and along 182, crews are replacing one of the lanes going east to add a biking and walking path. The path will connect to College View and the College View Apartments. The mayor said the move will benefit everyone in the city. "[It's] our opportunity to try to offer alternative methods of transportation to everyone. Whether it's walking, biking, cars but cars certainly have become problematic because there are just not enough parking places around on campus, you've got ball games and that sort of thing and you've got lots of activities going on. So this is another way for us to offer exercise and offer transportation," said Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill. Spruill said MDOT also issued a grant that will fund similar projects along Spring Street, Russell Street, and Highway 12. |
| Dachshund derby coming to Cotton District | |
 | "Ladies and gentlemen, start your wiener dogs," Alden Thornhill, organizer for the Starkville Derby, told The Dispatch. Dachshunds will take over the Cotton District from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday for the inaugural Starkville Derby. Roughly 150 dachshunds are registered to race along University Drive. The event also will include an art market, food trucks and live music. Thornhill, a dachshund owner and lover, has been organizing the Starkville Derby with his team since November. He said he was inspired by how funny the derby could be and his own dog, Memphis. "You don't have to go to Kentucky to see good racing this Saturday," Thornhill said, referring to the famous Kentucky Derby horse race scheduled in Louisville the same day. Thornhill said they are anticipating more than 5,000 to attend the derby, including participants and the crowd. The derby will also include appearances by Mississippi State men's basketball Coach Chris Jans as the grand marshal and MSU Athletic Director Zack Selmon. It will also include performances by Miss Mississippi Emmie Perkins and the Starkville High School Singers. |
| Starkville Police install more community cameras | |
 | Starkville Police have installed three new community cameras in an effort to combat crime. One installation happened at George Evans Park, another at the intersection of Montgomery Street and Yellow Jacket Drive and one near the First United Methodist Church. The more cameras, the more chances one of them will capture a crime in the act or capture an image of a criminal's face. |
| Goings on with Grant: All Tuesday Morning locations closing by mid-May | |
| Sometimes the doors we open must close. Sorry to say it, but it's true. Tuesday Morning is closing all 200 locations, including its store in Starkville at 402 Hwy. 12, next to Bargain Hunt. The company has also been bought for $32 million by Hilco Merchant Resources, a liquidation company. The Dallas-based business filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February, vowing to turn the store around. But on Saturday, it announced its sale to Hilco and that it will close its stores by mid-May. Store Manager Kenya Clark said the Starkville location has not yet received confirmation for when the store will close but is offering its sale at 10% off all items. The store will provide further updates soon. "It's definitely a process," Clark said. "With retail, you really just never know what's going to happen." You might need a drink after hearing yet another retail store is closing. Well, here is a team of folks looking to make that happen for you. Ken Ezelle is part of a group planning to bring The Landing, a new restaurant and bar, to Starkville in the former University Drive Laundromat building at 706 University Drive, next to Bulldog Burger in the Cotton District. Ezelle posted about the prospective business Monday and said it could feature a rooftop patio space and loads of Starkville memorabilia. |
| Mississippi governor touts tax cuts, teacher pay raise, jobs | |
 | Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves told supporters at one of his first large-scale campaign events Wednesday that he has fulfilled promises to cut taxes, increase teacher pay and promote job development. The Republican said Mississippi, with 3 million residents, is competing against larger states partly because he did not impose heavy restrictions on businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I have a message to those governors in New York and California and Illinois," Reeves said, mentioning three states led by Democrats. "Mississippi is coming to take your jobs. And we have no intention of ever giving them back." His remark drew cheers from more than 200 supporters at a construction equipment dealership in the Jackson suburb of Richland. Reeves held a smaller campaign event Tuesday on the Gulf Coast, where he had a strong showing in the 2019 election. Reeves focused criticism Wednesday on Brandon Presley, the Democrat who will be on the ballot for governor in the Nov. 7 general election. "We are not up against a local yokel, Mississippi Democrat," Reeves said. "We are up against a national liberal machine. They are extreme. They are radical and vicious." |
| Governor Reeves officially launches re-election campaign | |
 | Tuesday night, Governor Tate Reeves (R) officially launched his statewide re-election tour on the Mississippi Coast. "Thank you to the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast for a great night with friends and supporters before we officially launch our campaign tomorrow," Reeves said on Tuesday. "Let's keep up the Mississippi momentum!" On Wednesday, the incumbent governor held a campaign stop at Stribling Equipment in Richland, Mississippi. "Cutting government. Cutting taxes. Raising teacher pay. Raising test scores. Training our workers. Recruiting new jobs," Governor Reeves said. "Let's keep up the momentum. This is Mississippi's time!" Reeves said as Governor, his job is recruiting new jobs for all people of Mississippi, adding that the two most powerful words in the English language are "you're hired." He said every day, he and his administration talk to another new company that wants to come to Mississippi or expand their business in the state. Reeves told attendees on Wednesday that more people are working in Mississippi than ever before and the unemployment rate is the lowest it has ever been at 3.5%. He said the state is attracting new jobs to the state because the people of Mississippi are working. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves kicks off reelection bid | |
 | Hundreds of state and local Republican officials gathered with other supporters Wednesday to hear Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announce plans for his 2023 re-election campaign. "Today is a great day to be a Mississippian," Reeves said as he welcomed guests to the Richland facilities of Stribling Equipment, a multi-state heavy equipment dealer serving construction, forestry and related industries. Reeves said he chose Stribling because it is "a place where people come to work every day," performing "honest work, for honest pay." Bringing new jobs to the state has been at the top of his agenda as governor, Reeves said, adding, "Today more of our people are working in Mississippi than ever before. Our unemployment rate of three-and-a-half percent is the lowest ever." He attributed the state's business success to its people who still believe in traditional, conservative values including family and hard work. "People make companies succeed and the place you will find the very best people is right here in Mississippi," Reeves said. Reeves credited his own work ethic to an example set by his father, Terry Reeves, who grew up poor but later worked his way through college and established his own HVAC contracting business. That sort of success is "special, but not unusual" for hard-working Mississippians, Reeves said. |
| Tate Reeves warns Mississippians 'they' are out to get them as campaign gets rolling | |
| Incumbent Republican Gov. Tate Reeves says he's not just facing a Democratic opponent, he's up against a national cabal of East- and West-coast liberal elites and media. He repeatedly warned a campaign kickoff crowd Wednesday that "they" are out to get Mississippi. "My friends, this is a different governor's campaign than we have ever seen before in our state because we are not up against a local-yokel Mississippi Democrat, we are up against a national liberal machine," Reeves told a crowd in Richland on Wednesday, at a second campaign kickoff event. About 250 people attended his Wednesday event, including many present and past elected officials, lawmakers and lobbyists and local government and GOP leaders. The event was near his hometown of Florence and in his home county, Rankin. In the 2019 general election against Democratic former Attorney General Jim Hood he won Rankin County after losing there in the Republican primary and primary runoff that year. Former Mississippi U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, a Rankin Countian, agreed. "I'm here today as a highly unpaid political volunteer," Harper said. "... He has earned the right to be elected another four years." When asked how he believes Reeves will do in Rankin County, Harper joked, "I think it will be hard for him to get more than 90% of the vote in Rankin County." |
| Disqualified gubernatorial candidate Hickingbottom files lawsuit against Mississippi Democratic Party | |
| In late March, disqualified Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bob Hickingbottom's attorney sent a letter to Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Tyree Irving demanding that his client be certified to run for Governor or face a lawsuit. Hickingbottom and another Democratic gubernatorial candidate Greg Wash qualified to run for governor as Democrats and both were later disqualified, clearing the field for presumptive Democratic favorite, Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley. Today, with no certification coming from the state party, Hickingbottom filed a lawsuit against the Mississippi Democratic Party in the Circuit Court of Hinds County contesting his disqualification. In the action, Hickingbottom states that the party disqualified him over not filing campaign finance reports from his failed 2019 campaign as well as not timely filing a Statement of Economic Interest with the Ethics Commission. The lawsuit claims the Mississippi Democratic Party Executive Committee held a hearing on the matter and ultimately voted against Hickingbottom's certification stating that he "did not meet the statutory requirements" but did not state which requirements were not met. |
| 'Free State of Mississippi': GOP Governor candidate Dr. John Witcher speaks in Vicksburg | |
| Dr. John Witcher, a Republican candidate for Governor of Mississippi who launched his campaign on fighting vaccine mandates, visited Vicksburg on Wednesday to speak with the Vicksburg Association of Marketing Professionals (VAMP). Witcher, an electrical engineer turned physician, entered the political field after his contract with Baptist Memorial Hospital in Yazoo City was terminated during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Witcher, he was fired from the hospital for switching patients' COVID-19 medications to Ivermectin. Wednesday's speaking engagement centered on the organization he founded alongside his wife, Brooke Witcher, Mississippi Against Mandates, as well as his plans for the state should he be elected governor. "I was not too favorable of these federal mandates that were pushed out (during the COVID-19) pandemic," Witcher said. "... These shots, many people lost their jobs. We started Mississippi Against Mandates to fight that. We felt like you didn't have to take the shot if you didn't want to." Witcher also sat down with The Post following his speaking engagement and discussed topics ranging from the pro-life agenda to economic development in the Vicksburg-Warren County area, as well as his ongoing efforts to advocate against vaccine mandates in the state. |
| Benton County man charged with threats to kill Sen. Roger Wicker | |
| A federal judge has denied bond for a Hickory Flat man who allegedly threatened to kill U.S. Senator Roger Wicker last week. During preliminary hearing Wednesday morning in U.S. District Court in Oxford, Magistrate Roy Percy heard the case against William Carl Sappington, 58, charged with threatening to injure or kill a United States official. "Mr. Sappington has a history of violent offenses, both felony and misdemeanor, and of failing to abide by the conditions of release," Percy said. "He was on parole for the theft conviction at the time of the new offense." The judge ordered Sappington detained in federal custody until the case is presented to the grand jury. FBI special agent Jason Nixon testified that Sappington went to the Hickory Flat residence of George Wicker, the senator's cousin, on Wednesday, April 26, and said he wanted to get in touch with Sen. Roger Wicker. When asked why, "Sappington reportedly said he intended to kill Roger Wicker because of his involvement in an incident he (Sappington) had with law enforcement back in 2014," Nixon said from the witness stand. According to the criminal complaint, Sappington told George Wicker, "You tell him I am going to kill him." When asked why he was looking for Roger Wicker, Sappington reportedly said, "Because he knows." |
| Mississippi mothers are now guaranteed coverage for a year after giving birth. But they may not get the prenatal care they need. | |
| Mississippi cleared a big hurdle after lawmakers extended postpartum Medicaid coverage this session, guaranteeing low-income women a year of health care coverage after having a baby. Now experts say that Mississippi needs to turn its attention to what happens before these women give birth. Early prenatal care is vital to healthy moms, babies and pregnancies, but because of the state Division of Medicaid's policies, it's unknown if the majority of pregnant Mississippians are getting that care. The division, which funds more than two-thirds of births in Mississippi, doesn't monitor when people go to their first prenatal visit. And the absence of presumptive eligibility in Mississippi creates major delays for people seeking prenatal care. Pregnancy presumptive eligibility allows people to receive care when they're pregnant, even if they're not on Medicaid. It's presumed that they qualify, so their providers enroll them and start billing Medicaid, which reimburses providers immediately. That means fewer delays when it comes to receiving care. They're able to go to doctor's offices and get the care they need quickly, without having to pay out of pocket. The agency is hoping to eventually track when recipients go to prenatal visits, but Communications Officer Matt Westerfield could not provide a timeline for when that data might be available. And Medicaid Executive Director Drew Snyder has said he won't take steps to make it easier for expecting mothers to get on Medicaid without legislative action. |
| Federal Reserve Raises Rates, Signals Potential Pause | |
 | Federal Reserve officials signaled they might be done raising interest rates for now after approving another increase at their meeting that concluded Wednesday. "People did talk about pausing, but not so much at this meeting," Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference. "We feel like we're getting closer or maybe even there." The unanimous decision marked the Fed's 10th consecutive rate increase aimed at battling inflation and brings its benchmark federal-funds rate to a range between 5% and 5.25%, a 16-year high. Stocks retreated after the decision. The Dow industrials were down 0.8%, or about 270 points. U.S. government bonds rallied slightly. The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell to 3.401%, from 3.438% Tuesday. With the latest increase, the Fed has raised its benchmark federal-funds rate by a cumulative 5 percentage points from near zero in March 2022, the most rapid series of increases since the 1980s. The rate influences other rates throughout the economy, such as on mortgages, credit cards and business loans. "I think that policy is tight," Mr. Powell said. But he added, "we are prepared to do more if greater monetary policy restraint is warranted." |
| Black Caucus presses Senate Dems to blow up tradition on judges | |
 | Tensions are escalating between Senate Democrats and the Congressional Black Caucus over the arcane tradition that gives a single senator veto power over President Joe Biden's judicial picks. The Black Caucus quietly met with Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) last week to lobby against the decades-old Senate practice that Republicans have recently used to block one district court nominee and stall another -- slowing Biden's efforts to stock the federal bench. Both House and Senate Democrats are worried that the GOP will ramp up its roadblocks of Biden judicial picks through the tradition known as "blue slips," named for the color of the forms that senators return to approve of home-state judicial nominees. So the Black Caucus, joined by a coalition of progressive groups, is turning up the heat on Senate Democrats in what's becoming the most consequential battle over chamber rules since Democrats tried last year to weaken the filibuster. The dispute has huge implications for the future of the federal judiciary, the Senate and the White House. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) accelerated the blue slip clash after she announced she would stop Scott Colom from taking a Mississippi judgeship. It's likely that Biden may need to find a new nominee; "Sen. Hyde Smith will not budge," said one person with direct knowledge of the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity. |
| Senate Democrats announce sweeping effort to outcompete China | |
 | Senate Democrats are mobilizing virtually all of their committees to come up with a massive legislative package designed to combat the Chinese government and bolster U.S. competitiveness against the global powerhouse. The measure, which committee leaders have begun discussing with their ranking members in hopes of finding bipartisan consensus, would expand on the "chips and science" law Congress enacted last year. That package was largely focused on spurring domestic semiconductor manufacturing, scientific research and technology innovation. Some of the legislative goals Democrats outlined, like deterring Chinese aggression toward Taiwan and limiting technology and investments flowing to China, have bipartisan support. Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said her panel will focus on legislation to stop China from buying U.S. agricultural land and limit their role in the global food supply. She cited a bill she and Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, have introduced in previous years to make the Agriculture Department and Food and Drug Administration permanent members of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States as an example of legislation her panel may contribute. |
| Former SC Gov. David Beasley calls for hope in triumphant return to Statehouse after UN work | |
 | David Beasley left the Statehouse in 1999 a defeated governor who had served a single rocky term. He returned May 3 to resounding applause and universal praise after a triumphant six-year stint as the head of the United Nations World Food Program during which he accepted a Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the agency for its work. In a spirited address to a joint assembly of the Legislature, the conservative Christian Republican, who served as the state's chief executive from 1995 to 1999, told lawmakers that the values learned in South Carolina drove him as he confronted mounting hunger around the world caused by climate shocks and conflict. "These are the values, the South Carolina values, that I have taken with me," he said from the House speaker's podium. "The love, the compassion, the issues that I took with me all around the world." A Bible Belt governor with little international experience, Beasley was an unorthodox choice to head the Rome-based U.N. agency when then-President Donald Trump nominated him to the post in 2017. But since then, he's become one of its most outspoken and most successful evangelists. Beasley told state lawmakers he initially demurred when offered the WFP post by the Trump administration, dubious like many conservatives of international organizations. But friends from across the political spectrum convinced him the WFP mission of feeding the hungry was in line with his devout Christianity. |
| Fungal attacks threaten global food supply, say experts | |
| Fast-rising fungal attacks on the world's most important crops threaten the planet's future food supply, scientists have said, warning that failing to tackle fungal pathogens could lead to a "global health catastrophe". Fungi are already by far the biggest destroyer of crops. They are highly resilient, travel long distances on the wind and can feast on large fields of a single crop. They are also extremely adaptable and many have developed resistance to common fungicides. The impact of fungal disease is expected to worsen, the researchers say, as the climate crisis results in temperatures rising and fungal infections moving steadily polewards. Since the 1990s, fungal pathogens have been moving to higher latitudes at a rate of about 7km a year. Wheat stem rust infections, normally found in the tropics, have already been reported in England and Ireland. Higher temperatures also drive the emergence of new variants of the fungal pathogens, while more extreme storms can spread their spores further afield, the scientists say. Prof Sarah Gurr, at the University of Exeter in the UK, a co-author of the report, said fungi had recently come to public attention through the hit TV show The Last of Us, in which fungi infect human brains. "While that storyline is science fiction, we are warning that we could see a global health catastrophe caused by the rapid global spread of fungal infections. The imminent threat here is not about zombies, but about global starvation." |
| Gulf Coast to be the center of the world's new hydrogen economy | |
| Hydrogen has a lot of advantages as a green fuel alternative. When burned, it doesn't create the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide associated with gasoline, oil, natural gas and propane emissions. It is much lighter than fossil fuels and doesn't create harmful pollution. But, until recently, hydrogen fuel has not been price competitive with fossil fuels. Now hydrogen is taking a giant step towards prime time with an agreement between Hy Stor Energy, LP, and the Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission (HCPHC) to provide hydrogen fuel to the Port Bienville Industrial Park, the Port of Gulfport and Stennis International Airport. The first phase of the project has a goal of producing 350 tons per day with 71,000 tons of hydrogen being stored in underground salt caverns. "Hancock Port and Harbor strives to grow our maritime, rail and aerospace industries in the region, and hydrogen provides options to fuel growth and innovation at a time when our existing energy capacity is strained but demand is growing," said Blaine LaFontaine, executive director, HCPHC. "Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission is committed to growing those economic opportunities in a responsible way. Our customers and new industries are demanding to meet their respective environmental and social governance (ESG) goals and create new industry jobs -- strengthening the port's position as a workforce hub of industry, energy and technology." |
| Chief Ben to deliver MC Commencement speech | |
| Cyrus Ben, Tribal Chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, will deliver the 2023 keynote speech at Mississippi College's Commencement on Thursday. The concept of combining belief and works to form a well-rounded life resonates with Cyrus Ben, the fifth democratically elected Tribal Chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and a 2001 graduate of Mississippi College. "You must put the work in to succeed, but without faith, there is nothing," Ben said. "You must have faith, but you also have to put work into it. "From a life perspective, especially a spiritual life, you have to put in the work." That's the message Ben will deliver to more than 400 members of MC's Class of 2023 when he gives the keynote address during Mississippi College's Central Commencement at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 4, on the Quad, weather permitting. The event celebrates MC graduates' accomplishments and will include live music, the giving of the alumni charge, and the seniors' traditional class photos on the steps and exiting through the gates. "These graduates have been provided the resources to succeed in life," Ben said. "They have accomplished a significant achievement and are moving to the next step. They have talent and information they can use, but they also must have faith -- not only in a higher power, but faith in themselves and their abilities. "They can impact their coworkers, families, friends -- their entire world. God has given them a talent. Use it as a tool." The significant steps Ben has taken this academic year to help strengthen the relationship between the Choctaw people and his alma mater are rooted in his belief that both institutions are valuable resources for the state of Mississippi. |
| Law enforcement offers reward for information about Biloxi Beach Boulevard shooter | |
| Local and federal law enforcement are asking for information about the man behind the mass shooting that occurred during Black Spring Break on the Mississippi Gulf Coast last month. The U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force and Biloxi Police Department have announced that they are offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest of the suspect, who has been identified as Dontavis Magee. According to police, Magee is believed to be behind the April 16 incident where five people -- including a Biloxi police officer -- were shot. The shooting took place around 5:30 p.m. on Highway 90 near Motel 6 in Biloxi. All five victims have been treated and are expected to make a full recovery. Anyone with information on Magee's current location is asked to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-877-WANTED-2. Tips may also be submitted through the USMS Tips App. |
| Active shooter drills may be traumatizing millions of students | |
 | Schools are desperate to protect their students from the rising threat of mass shootings, but experts say the very measures being deployed for safety are in fact traumatizing entire generations of American youth. There were 51 school shootings in 2022, according to a tracker from Education Week, directly impacting thousands of students. By comparison, 95 percent of U.S. schools have shooter lockdown practice, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, affecting millions of students each year. Sarah Burd-Sharps, senior director of research at Everytown, said, "active shooter drills are actually harmful" for students. "The cumulative impact of shooter drills, lockdowns, metal detectors, armed teachers, and other school-hardening measures is an environment that feels inherently unsafe for America's schoolchildren," Burd-Sharps said. In 2020, Everytown analyzed millions of tweets and 1,000 Reddit posts using machine-learning psychological affect classifiers, studying posts from both before and after school lockdown drills. Based on the use of words such as "afraid," "suicidal" and "irritability," they said there was a 42 percent increase in anxiety around the drills and a 39 percent increase in depression. The situation is coming to a head in New York, where schools are required to do four lockdown drills a year. Lawmakers want to drop that requirement down to one, with parents given the option to opt their child out of the drill entirely due to mental health concerns. |
| Birmingham-Southern loan bill moves forward in Alabama legislature | |
 | A new effort to save Birmingham-Southern and other colleges at risk of closure is gaining ground in the Alabama legislature. SB278, filed Tuesday, would establish the Distressed Institutions of Higher Education Revolving Loan Program Fund to provide temporary aid to struggling public and private colleges in Alabama. Lawmakers unanimously approved the bill in committee Wednesday. "This is going to be great for the state of Alabama," Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, told AL.com after the vote, noting that the legislature wasn't "in the business of bailing out institutions," but could now provide a low-cost solution for colleges like Birmingham-Southern that need immediate help. The program is intended to support Birmingham-Southern, but could theoretically help other struggling colleges in Alabama. It is not clear whether any have asked the legislature for help. Officials say Judson College, which closed in 2022, did not ask for state support. The bipartisan bill is brought by Senators Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, and Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, both Jefferson County lawmakers who have been working to support Birmingham-Southern, a private liberal arts school that has been on the verge of closing after years of financial distress. |
| U. of Alabama School of Law names William Brewbaker III dean | |
 | Longtime University of Alabama School of Law faculty member William S. Brewbaker III will become the school's next dean July 10. He now serves as William Alfred Rose Professor of Law at UA. The Montgomery native and graduate of Vanderbilt University and University of Virginia School of Law became a full-time UA School of Law faculty member in 1993, teaching classes in health care law, property law, antitrust and jurisprudence, and leading seminars in law, bioethics, economics and Christian legal thought. His research subjects include legal philosophy and health care law. "Professor Brewbaker is an exceptional legal scholar who is deeply committed to our state, our law school and our faculty, staff and students," said Jim Dalton, UA executive vice president and provost, in a written release. "His aspirational vision positions him well to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead for legal education, and to lead Alabama Law to even greater heights." He's co-edited two books in Aspen's Health Care Corporate Law series, and has written law review articles dealing with health care antitrust, price regulation, physician unionization and managed care liability. He's also written articles and book chapter on theological perspectives on law, and co-edting a law school casebook on Christian legal thought. |
| Florida's Controversial Anti-DEI Bill Heads to DeSantis's Desk | |
 | Florida's Legislature on Wednesday passed a comprehensive bill that would ban diversity statements, overhaul general-education course requirements, and prohibit colleges from spending state and federal dollars on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The bill, SB 266, now heads to the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, who will have seven days to veto or sign it. It is not known if the governor intends to sign the legislation, but it would achieve many of his policy priorities. The governor's office did not respond to an inquiry on whether he would sign the bill. Since it was first proposed, in March, the measure has drawn protests from students, intense lobbying from colleges, and condemnation from faculty unions and national advocacy groups for free speech. In the last three weeks, it's undergone three rounds of revisions. Critics say the bill is unconstitutional and would limit academic freedom. But supporters of the legislation argue it would ensure a wide range of viewpoints could be heard in the classroom. Students and faculty members across Florida have protested the anti-DEI legislation, saying it would limit academic freedom and over-legislate the college classroom. |
| DeSantis backs $75 million UF Jacksonville graduate campus | |
| Gov. Ron DeSantis backed UF's Jacksonville graduate center at a press conference Tuesday. Along with verbal support from the governor, the state increased the proposed funding for the campus by $25 million. DeSantis believes the graduate campus will generate jobs and keep university alumni in Florida. Originally, the budget for the campus was to come from a $50 million investment from the Jacksonville City Council and $50 million in private funding, according to a UF News press release. In March, Jacksonville City Council approved $20 million in funds for the campus, with the next step being getting funds from Tallahassee. The center's proposed funding amount rose to $75 million after talks for the state 2023-2024 budget between Florida lawmakers. Florida lawmakers will vote to approve the proposed budget this week. The graduate center is meant to provide new education programs aimed at supporting the region's growing workforce needs in biomedical technology. Its programs are also focused on pioneering technology related to simulation, health applications of artificial intelligence, patient quality and safety, health care administration and fintech. |
| Bill Mahomes elected chairman of Texas A&M System's Board of Regents | |
 | The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents announced the election of William "Bill" Mahomes Jr. of Dallas as chairman and Robert L. "Bob" Albritton of Fort Worth as vice chairman on Wednesday. According to a press release following the meeting, both Mahomes, Class of '69, and Albritton, Class of '71, were appointed to the Board of Regents in 2015 by Gov. Gregg Abbott, and they were reappointed in 2021. Mahomes has served as vice chairman for the past two years. "I appreciate the confidence my colleagues on the Board of Regents placed in me today as well as the trust Governor Abbott has shown me," Mahomes said in the release. "I am honored to lead this board as we strive to help advance teaching, research and service in every corner of Texas." Mahomes was the first black student to graduate after four years in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, and reached several such milestones during his legal career and service on numerous corporate and civic boards, according to the release. "I've never thought that being the first was especially important, even though I understand why others mark its significance," Mahomes said in the release. "My perspective is always to stay focused on doing my best, making a positive impact and ensuring better opportunities for the next generation." |
| U. of Missouri System invests in venture capital fund to inspire entrepreneurship in alumni, students | |
 | Citing the benefit for students and alumni, the University of Missouri System has invested $1 million in Scale VC, a new venture capital fund in Columbia. A UM System news release states the new partnership will leverage the Griggs Innovators Nexus in the MU Student Center in a collaboration that will establish a business accelerator supporting early-stage, growth-driven companies. Scale VC raised $5 million for its fund, including the anchor investments from the University of Missouri System and Columbia-based Shelter Insurance and other investments from 33 limited partners. The spend from the general pool required only administrative approval and didn't require action by the UM System Board of Curators, said spokesman Uriah Orland. "This is an opportunity for the university to foster economic development and create more jobs across Missouri and the Midwest," Michael Williams, chairman of the UM Board of Curators, said in a news release. "The partnership exposes our students to the expertise and connections of highly successful business partners and advisers, and it allows us to invest in their entrepreneurial careers after graduation." In the fall semester, students at the four UM System campuses can take advantage of the business accelerator, sponsored by Scale VC and EquipmentShare, to push the startup of young, innovative companies. |
| Racist social media video featuring UW-Madison student sparks outrage, calls for expulsion | |
| Thousands in the University of Wisconsin-Madison community are calling for the expulsion of a student who was recorded in a video using racist slurs and saying she wants Black people returned to slavery so she can abuse them. UW-Madison condemned the language Monday, calling it deeply harmful and offensive. The university explained on Tuesday that as a public institution, it is bound by the First Amendment, which protects a person's right to say hateful things on personal social media accounts. "UW-Madison is once again letting its students down," said the Student Inclusion Coalition, a group formed in the wake of a 2019 incident in which the UW-Madison homecoming committee created a video excluding the historically Black Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. UW-Madison was unable to provide the student's enrollment status or say whether the individual is being investigated by the university's Office of Conduct and Community Standards, citing a federal student privacy law. The video surfaced on various social media platforms in the same week that Wisconsin's top Republican, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, proposed eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion offices from UW campuses. Although racist speech is not new to college campuses, social media platforms have changed the dynamics and put more pressure on institutions to respond faster. |
| You're About to Pay $300,000 for College. What's Another $3,000 in Campus Swag? | |
| Laurie Drago spent around seven hours arranging a cornucopia of crimson-and-cream Indiana University paraphernalia for her daughter's surprise party this year. To celebrate 17-year-old Alex Drago's decision to attend the Bloomington, Ind., campus, Ms. Drago bought IU banners, IU shot glasses, IU pillows, IU balloons, IU ball cap, IU sweatshirt, red platform Converse sneakers and a red rhinestone-encrusted champagne bottle to decorate her bedroom. She also got a sprinkle cake with the IU emblem and a custom bomber jacket emblazoned with "Hoosier Daddy." "You name it, I put it in there," said Ms. Drago, of River Vale, N.J., after spending between $2,500 and $3,000 on IU paraphernalia. College-announcement parties, largely limited to teenage girls, have taken on a life of their own, she said. "It is obscene. You can go to any extreme." On top of the baby showers, gender-reveal extravaganzas, birthday parties, and kindergarten, middle-school and high-school graduations, comes another milestone celebration for children: the bed party. Students in the early days of Covid-19 started announcing their college choices by decorating an inflatable bed, usually outside, with piles of campus merchandise. As photos of the swag-covered beds have spread online, the displays have become increasingly elaborate. |
| Unlikely connection: college students in Ukraine and the U.S. form a bond | |
 | A few years ago, Daria Samotuga was living a typical college student's life, in the dorms at Alfred Nobel University in Dnipro. The war forced her to move to her hometown of Kryvyi Rih, about two hours away. Now, she rarely leaves the house, which is near the city's air raid sirens. "It's really loud every day, every night," Samotuga tells NPR's Leila Fadel on Morning Edition. "At first it was really scary. At night, you didn't sleep because you're just sitting and waiting for something, I don't know. But right now it doesn't influence my life." But Samotuga's life is also shaped by a new set of relationships -- with American college students. She and other students in her master's program in Dnipro have been meeting -- over Zoom -- with undergraduate students at Colorado School of Mines since early February. The idea: American students would learn about life in Ukraine during the war, and the Ukrainians would learn American cultural references to help them if they took up work as Ukrainian-English translators. Although the American students obviously do not share the experiences of attending college during war, design engineering student Hannah Weist, 21, says the constant threat of missiles in Ukraine reminds her of the constant threat of gun violence in schools in the U.S. "There's often been lockdowns in high school for me," she tells NPR's Leila Fadel. "I know the feeling of being in that kind of environment, and how scary it is, and how you might just have to go numb to continue what you're doing." |
| Presidents Are Changing Their Tune on Free Speech | |
| The tales are swapped in conference-hotel hallways or over quiet dinners: controversial speakers attracting rowdy protests, professors drawing fire for an offhand comment during a lecture and then posted online, legislators trying to codify what can and can't be taught in classrooms. College presidents know a free-speech controversy is going to burst forth on their campus if it hasn't already. One week it's a guest lecturer shouted down at Stanford. The next it's a Florida bill that would restrict how campuses can teach about race in general-education courses. The next it's a request for mandatory trigger warnings at Cornell. While in the past a president's response to such a controversy may have been silence or a carefully worded message, now college leaders are beginning to speak up in more forceful terms. Here and there, in notes to campus communities, speeches during formal events, and open letters, university presidents and other administrators are pushing back in defense of academic freedom and free speech. They're not standing on soapboxes shouting against would-be censors, but the words they choose, the battles they pick, and the signals they send suggest a renewed fondness for free-speech principles. Leaders at Stanford, Pennsylvania State, Cornell, and elsewhere, are talking bluntly about the value of the First Amendment. "For us, academic freedom is at the heart of what universities do," President Martha E. Pollack of Cornell University told The Chronicle. "Without it, knowledge doesn't advance." |
| Trump pledges to fire 'radical Left' college accreditors if elected | |
 | If former president Donald Trump returns to the White House, he plans to replace college accreditors and impose new standards on the nation's colleges and universities that include removing diversity, equity and inclusion staff members; protecting free speech; and "defending the American tradition and Western civilization." Trump said in a campaign video this week that his plan would reclaim colleges and universities from the "radical Left." The new standards also include entrance and exit exams to gauge student learning and requiring the colleges offer "options for accelerated and low-cost degrees." "Our secret weapon will be the college accreditation system," he said. "It's called accreditation for a reason. The accreditors are supposed to ensure that schools are not ripping off students and taxpayers, but they have failed totally." Accreditors and other experts said that Trump's plan would interfere with bedrock principles in higher education, threaten the federal accountability system for higher education and stands little chance of being carried out, given that it would likely require Congress to reauthorize the Higher Education Act of 1965, which hasn't been updated since 2008. Trump's plan spotlights a key cog in the federal higher education accountability machine that's not typically a topic in presidential campaigns. Colleges and universities have to be accredited by an Education Department–recognized accreditor in order to receive federal student aid, according to U.S. law, so the accrediting agencies serve as gatekeepers to the money. In recent years, some of the institutional accreditors have spoken against state lawmakers' efforts to reshape higher education. |
| Presley's 'historic' fundraising leaves the Democrat significantly behind incumbent Republican Governor Reeves | |
| The Magnolia Tribune's Frank Corder writes: Brandon Presley's gubernatorial campaign is boasting that the Democrat has raised more than any other Democratic candidate for Governor in Mississippi history in the first reporting period for the 2023 election cycle. Yet, while Presley's team celebrates their "historic" efforts, his campaign remains at a significant financial disadvantage when compared to the incumbent Republican Governor. In a release sent by Presley's campaign on Wednesday, the first-time statewide Democratic candidate says he has raised $1.35 million between January and April and has $1.6 million cash on hand. According to Presley's end of year filing, the current Northern District Public Service Commissioner reported closing 2022 with $723,801 cash on hand. By comparison, incumbent Governor Tate Reeves, a Republican, ended 2022 with nearly $7.9 million between his two accounts -- Tate for Governor and Tate Reeves. Reeves, who is currently on a campaign kickoff tour across the state, raised over $3.5 million from January to December in 2022. |
SPORTS
| All you need to know ahead of MSU baseball's home series against No. 6 Arkansas | |
| With three weeks left in the regular season the Mississippi State baseball is running out of time: to secure a place in Hoover for the Southeastern Conference tournament; to win enough conference series and meaningful games to return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since winning the national championship two years ago. That sense of urgency was magnified this week when MSU head coach Chris Lemonis made the move to fire pitching coach Scott Foxhall after a disastrous weekend at Tennessee. This weekend, the Bulldogs return home for the first time since their Super Bulldog Weekend series win over Ole Miss, with No. 6 Arkansas coming to town. It's another strong opportunity for MSU to try to work its way off the postseason bubble. Here is what to watch for in this weekend's SEC series in Starkville. |
| Mississippi State's Jans signs extension through 2026-27 | |
| Mississippi State coach Chris Jans has signed a contract extension through the 2026-27 season. The school on Wednesday announced the move, which came after Jans led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament in his first season. That marked only the program's second appearance since 2009, the other coming in 2019. Mississippi State (21-13) spent four weeks in The Associated Press men's college basketball poll, peaking at No. 15 shortly before Christmas. The Bulldogs finished with their best win total since winning 23 games in 2019 before falling to Pittsburgh in the NCAA First Four. |
| MSU Slated To Play In Morgan Hill Regional For Fifth Consecutive NCAA Appearance | |
| Mississippi State's men's golf program earned its 14th NCAA Championships berth as the field of 81 teams was announced Wednesday. It is the Bulldogs' fifth straight NCAA selection. State will compete in the Morgan Hill Regional hosted by San Jose State as the No. 3 seed on May 15-17. The Bulldogs will play at The Institute Golf Club located in Morgan Hill, California. "I am proud of this team and what they have accomplished this year," head coach Dusty Smith said. "They played some very consistent golf all year and have done a great job taking the right and necessary steps to get to this part in our journey. We have a lot of work ahead of us in our preparation for this regional, and we know we need to be at our best to be successful. In 2022-23, the Bulldogs advanced to match play at the SEC Tournament for the second-straight year. State won two team tournaments and finished in the top five in eight of its 10 events. Austin Vukovits and Ruan Pretorius both collected individual wins as well. Excluding the 2020 tournament which was not played due to COVID-19, Smith has led the Bulldogs to an NCAA appearance every year since joining the Maroon and White staff in the fall of 2017. |
| Auburn's eagle flight set for Plainsman Park for first time ever | |
 | For the first time ever, Auburn will do a pre-game eagle flight at Plainsman Park prior to Saturday's baseball game against No. 1 LSU. Auburn announced the history-making flight Wednesday. It'll be the first flight at a baseball game at Auburn's Plainsman Park. The first free flight in Jordan-Hare Stadium before a football game was in 2000, and the tradition has been celebrated ever since. First pitch for Auburn baseball's showdown with LSU is set for 8 p.m. Saturday. Independence has been named the eagle who will be taking flight. She came to Auburn from a Florida rehabilitation center in 2018. Her first flight around Jordan-Hare Stadium was in 2019 before the AHSAA State Championship football games. She made her debut at Auburn games in 2021. According to Amanda Sweeney, a raptor trainer at Auburn's Raptor Center, this will be Independence's first flight that's not taking place in either Jordan-Hare or at the raptor facility. Where Indy's route through Jordan-Hare sees her circle the field, Sweeney described the route for Saturday as a "more straight-down flight," with Indy's route taking her from the outfield and seeing her land on the pitcher's mound. "It opens it up for future flights elsewhere," Sweeney said, "so that's really exciting." |
| Big 12 Explores In-Game Interviews, Behind-the-Scenes Access During Broadcasts | |
| The Big 12 is exploring a plan with its media partners to modernize the broadcast of its football games, including having live in-game interviews, more access to locker rooms before and after games, and recording live audio of its coaches before the game and beyond. During meetings here this week, Big 12 administrators and football coaches discussed the plan at length, according to multiple officials who were part of the discussions. No other details were available, and a league spokesperson declined comment. Modernizing game broadcasts is a small piece of a larger plan that first-year commissioner Brett Yormark is leading. Coming to college sports from an entertainment agency, Yormark enters with an innovative agenda that he hopes will propel the conference. In his first few months on the job, the league plans to play conference games in Mexico, has somewhat rebranded the league and plans a concert tour of music acts. The broadcasts of professional sports games have continuously evolved as leaders look to keep the attention of younger audiences in this social media world. More networks have started to expand access to interviews and locker rooms, but college sports have, for the most part, remained the same. |
| College Football Playoff at Neyland Stadium and new Titans stadium in Nashville? Josh Heupel approves | |
 | A College Football Playoff game for Tennessee football at Neyland Stadium or in Nashville's soon-to-be built Tennessee Titans stadium sounds almost too good to be true. But it's not farfetched, and Vols coach Josh Heupel likes both possibilities. Beginning in the 2024 season, the CFP will expand to 12 teams with first-round games at campus sites. The schedules for the 2024 and 2025 playoffs were released this week. Tennessee would've hosted Kansas State in a first-round game at Neyland Stadium last season if the CFP had already been expanded. Alabama would've hosted Southern Cal. The CFP is coming to SEC stadiums soon, and Heupel is all for it. "As the playoff expands, I think it's a unique and great opportunity to have a host site that's on campus for the first round," Heupel said at a Big Orange Caravan stop on Wednesday. "In some ways, it rewards teams that have earned that home-field advantage." And Heupel loves the idea that Nashville is trying to land a future CFP game to the Tennessee Titans' $2.1 billion stadium, which is expected to open by 2027. "Nashville is a premier city," Heupel said. "It would be a great host site for the CFP." |
| Why Wisconsin is planning to add a heated field at Camp Randall Stadium | |
| Camp Randall Stadium is scheduled for two major updates, one of which is tied to expansion of the College Football Playoff. The University of Wisconsin football stadium will get a heated field and new video boards before the 2024 season. The installation of a radiant heating system underneath the Camp Randall turf has been discussed in recent years but there's an added motivation coming, UW senior associate athletic director Jason King said. "What pushed this over the edge for us was the potential of hosting playoff games in Camp Randall in December," he said. The College Football Playoff field is growing in 2024 to 12 teams and four rounds, the first of which will take place at the home stadiums of the teams that finish fifth through eighth in the rankings. The first-round games are scheduled for Dec. 20-21, 2024, and Dec. 19-20, 2025. The addition of heating will make the Camp Randall turf more playable in freezing temperatures and lessen the need for snow removal efforts, King said. But it's a benefit that comes with costs. King estimated a $5.5 million price tag for the installation, which also will replace the FieldTurf surface that was just installed in 2022 as part of the reconstruction of the stadium's south end zone seating sections. UW's addition of field heating with eyes toward hosting a College Football Playoff game is an indication of high hopes for the Badgers under new coach Luke Fickell. |
| Alabama Senate OKs ban on trans athletes at a college level | |
| Alabama could soon join other states that ban transgender women from playing on female sports teams in college, under legislation nearing final approval in the state. State senators voted 26-4 on Wednesday for the House-passed legislation that extends a 2021 ban on transgender athletes on K-12 sports teams to also include college teams. The bill now returns to the Alabama House of Representatives, where lawmakers must decide whether to accept a minor change to the bill. The bill is part of a wave of restrictions on transgender people being pushed in conservative states. At least 20 other states have now imposed restrictions on transgender athletes at the K-12 or collegiate level, or both. Supporters said transgender women have an unfair advantage in competition. "They are bigger than women. They are stronger. They're faster. They have larger hearts, denser bones, stronger muscles," Republican Sen. April Weaver, of Brierfield, said. "I don't think that is something any hormone therapy can undo." The bill has faced nominal opposition in the Alabama Legislature. The bill cleared the House of Representatives on an 83-5 vote with more than a dozen members abstaining on the vote. |
| Former Vanderbilt women's basketball assistant coach accused of sexual assault in lawsuit | |
 | A former player and assistant on Vanderbilt University's women's basketball team has accused a former assistant coach of repeatedly sexually assaulting her in a lawsuit against the coach and university. The unnamed plaintiff says she was a player and graduate student assistant for Vanderbilt's women's basketball team in the late 2000s. She is accusing former assistant women's basketball coach Victoria Picott of grooming and later sexually harassing and assaulting her on and off Vanderbilt's campus, continuing after she left the school. The plaintiff claims Vanderbilt didn't implement policies sufficient to protect students from sexual assault from those in positions of power. The plaintiff brings a total of 10 different counts in federal court against the two defendants, including Title IX sex discrimination, assault and negligence. Vanderbilt, in a statement, said it is going to respond to the plaintiff's allegations "at the appropriate time" through the legal process. Picott no longer coaches at Vanderbilt and does not yet have an attorney listed in online court records. The Tennessean was unable to reach Picott for comment. In a statement, a Vanderbilt University spokesperson pointed to student resources for sexual assault prevention and victim support, including the Project Safe Center for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Support, the school's Title IX Office and Student Affairs. The spokesperson also said that the university trains faculty and staff on reporting incidents and supporting students in distress. |
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