| Friday, May 5, 2023 |
| Summer infrastructure closures planned for Bailey Howell Drive, Sanderson Center area projects | |
 | A portion of Mississippi State infrastructure on the north side of campus will close starting May 8 due to summer paving and sidewalk construction projects. Commuters and pedestrians will experience closures to sections of the Sanderson Center parking lot and Bailey Howell Drive, between Collegeview Drive and George Perry Street, through Aug. 1. Travelers are advised to use caution when traveling through the area. Contact the Facilities Management Service Desk at 662-325-2005 if you have any questions. |
| Innovate MS offers opportunities for entrepreneurs | |
 | The Innovate MS success story has continued since its beginning in 1999. The mission has not changed. Innovate MS accelerates growth of innovation and technology startups and helps grow the innovation ecosystem in Mississippi. "We've been really working hard to build regional partnerships all over the state in order to serve high-growth startups no matter where they are," says CEO and President Tony Jeff. "The pandemic got everyone used to Zoom and Teams meetings, so that has made it so much easier to keep connected despite the geographic distances across our state. While we can connect everywhere now, we strongly believe the best model is local capacity to help startups but with a backbone of connected mentors, investors, and service providers to pull from anywhere in the state." Regional partners include the four research universities and some private partners around the state. "Starting at the northern end of the state, our partners include Higher Purpose Co, The Oxford Lafayette Economic Development Foundation (with assistance from Ole Miss), the Mississippi State Entrepreneurship Center in Starkville and Vicksburg, The Bean Path (with JSU assistance) in Jackson, the USM Mississippi Polymer Institute in Hattiesburg and The Meeting Place (with assistance from the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology) on the Coast," Jeff said. |
| Starkville making itself more pedestrian friendly | |
 | Starkville is making biking and walking around the city a priority. The city has started pedestrian-related construction on Old West Point Road along Highway 182. The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) also issued a grant to do a similar construction project along Highway 12 and Spring and Russell streets. Residents are more than happy about the new biking and walking opportunities. Starkville resident Reid Roberson, "Working downtown I'm able to get downtown and I enjoy being able to do that. I'm also a bike rider so if I can ride a bike somewhere too, I enjoy that." Starkville resident and student Grayson McKay said, "I love that Starkville is making everything more walkable. I love walking everywhere and in this beautiful town." Walkable and biking-efficient cities have become more and more popular, especially with college students. |
| New plate designer learned she won from friend's text | |
 | Leah Frances Eaton didn't know she had won the contest to design the new 2024 standard license plate for the state of Mississippi until a friend sent her a picture of a press release. "I found out in the early spring, maybe early March, that I was a top five finalist," Eaton said. "... I didn't find out until the press release (Tuesday) that I had won." Eaton has been living in Starkville for the past 10 years. She owns a dance studio in the city and serves as a permanent substitute teacher at Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School. But she said she has no formal graphic design training. "Because I own a dance studio, I've designed programs for that," Eaton said. "And I've done some stuff in Photoshop and Illustrator designing .. shirts for a t-shirt company. And then I served in a children's ministry and designed things for that. So nothing official, in any capacity, but just kind of dabbled in design for the past five years." But when Eaton saw the license plate design contest on Facebook back in November, she decided to give it a shot, creating something clean and simple that includes the state flower. "It's been on previous license plates, so it was a little homage to the task," Eaton said. "Just an updated version of that that was more modern." The new license plates will start being issued in January 2024. |
| Nissan plant continues growing after 20 years | |
| The opening of the Nissan Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant 20 years ago brought auto manufacturing to Mississippi. Earlier this year, the company announced a $500 million investment to transform the plant into a center for EV manufacturing and technology. It brings the automaker's total investment to $4 billion since production began. Larkin Simpson, Madison County Economic Development Authority COO, said Nissan's arrival in 2003 "really set us on track to becoming an automotive state. Now we have Nissan, Toyota and tons of suppliers in the region and throughout central and north Mississippi. It helped us realize what we could be and what we could become." Simpson said while other states in the Southeast are more heavily dominated by automotive plants and suppliers, Mississippi's location in the central Gulf South is beneficial in the movement of products and materials. "I think it's positioned us very well to be a long time player in automotive," he said. Laura Hipp, Mississippi Development Authority deputy executive director, said Nissan has been an economic powerhouse in the state. "Prior to the opening of its Canton plant, Mississippi didn't exactly have an automotive industry, and now, thanks to Nissan, we are home to some of the biggest names in the industry," she said. |
| ERDCWERX hosts patent showcase at MCITy | |
 | The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) hosted its Innovation 2 Market patent showcase on Wednesday at ERDCWERX in the MCITy building. The showcase gave businesses and investors the opportunity to see what the partnerships ERDC has with the private sector have accomplished. "We encourage everyone to observe the tools ERDC utilizes to leverage urban innovation to potentially elevate your business," said Jenny Jabour, the Technology Transfer Officer for ERDC, who was the master of ceremonies for the event. The introduction to the meeting included a signing ceremony in which Bartley Durst, the Director of the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory at ERDC, and Andrew Edwards of Edwards Design and Fabrication signed a contract that allows the Alabama-based business to make and sell the Modular Guard Tower System (MGTS), which was designed and patented by ERDC engineers. After a different contract signing between ERDC and Kontec Industries, Durst spoke about the importance of the partnerships ERDC has made. "(The agreements) amplify as 'a force multiplier,' as we call it in the military," Durst said. "When the right partners come together and the experts are able to combine their specialties into ways unseen before, I personally have been able to experience being a part of that and making that happen. We invent a lot of solutions and solve a lot of the nation's toughest problems from right here in Vicksburg." |
| Federal officials unveil flood plan for Mississippi Delta | |
 | Federal officials presented a proposal Thursday to further control flooding in the Mississippi Delta, a move that comes after months of work from government agencies and decades of delays amid disputes over potential environmental impacts. The south Delta's Yazoo Backwater area covers thousands of square miles, starting just north of Vicksburg and going up to where Mississippi Highway 12 bisects the Delta. The area has experienced significant flooding for many years, including a damaging 2019 flood that lasted several months, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Farmers, rural shopkeepers and Mississippi politicians from both major parties have long pushed for a proposed project to mitigate flooding that involves pumping water from parts of the south Delta. Flooding often occurs after rainfall feeds high waters in the Mississippi River. Environmental groups have opposed the project for decades, arguing it would be too expensive and hurt wetlands to help agribusiness. The proposal would include the installation and operation of pumping stations, support for voluntary buy-outs for at-risk homes and help to elevate homes and build ring levees, according to a news release from the offices of Mississippi's two Republican U.S. senators, Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith. "It's a major step forward for South Delta residents who have been waiting decades for the federal government to keep its promise, and also, to protect them from flooding," Wicker said in the news release. |
| CDF celebrates its 75th anniversary at annual meeting | |
| While 2022 presented its share of challenges, the Community Development Foundation still found a silver lining as it marked its 75th anniversary during its annual meeting Thursday. For example, 12 new and expanded industries resulted in nearly 400 new jobs, and nearly $133 million in capital investment was logged. More than two dozen businesses also found nearly $15 million in cost savings with the CDF's help. And the Tupelo region was once again named a top 10 micropolitan area for new and expanded industries in Site Selection magazine. The honor was the 13th time since 2005 Tupelo had been named to the list. "It wasn't as robust of a year as we're used to in new employment, and new payroll was down to $17.3 million, where we were in the past at $18 million and more," said CDF president and CEO David Rumbarger. "But we did save some money for our existing businesses. It wasn't a lost year, but it was a trying year." It was most trying two days before Thanksgiving, when United/Lane Furniture abruptly ceased operations and laid off some 2,700 workers -- including nearly 1,100 in Northeast Mississippi. Rumbarger said the community responded quickly, as some 700 of those workers were offered jobs elsewhere from two CDF job fairs held in the weeks after the massive layoff. Another challenge that happened just over a month ago was the temporary shutdown of the Cooper Tire plant after a tornado heavily damaged portions of the facility's roof. |
| Hood Industries breaks ground at $216 million manufacturing facility in Beaumont | |
| Hood Industries, Inc. and Mississippi officials have broken ground at the construction site of a new laminated plywood panel manufacturing facility in Beaumont. The project is anticipated to be a $216 million corporate investment and will create 265 jobs in the southern portion of the state. The company previously operated a plywood manufacturing facility in Beaumont for four decades before expanding operations to six wood manufacturing facilities across Mississippi, Louisiana, and Georgia. On April 17, 2022, a tornado caused significant damage to the Beaumont plywood facility and the mill was deemed inoperable. "The mill has been one of the cornerstones of our company because of the support received from the community of Beaumont, Perry County, and surrounding areas, and the hard work of our excellent employees," Warren Hood, owner and CEO of Hood Companies, said. "We are excited to be able to rebuild the facility into one of the most modern plywood plants in North America." "After a devastating tornado shut this plant down, some would have left. But not this team, and not this company. Today's groundbreaking is the launch of an incredible comeback story," Governor Tate Reeves said during the groundbreaking ceremony. Perry County and the town of Beaumont are assisting with local upgrades and have received assistance for these needs from Reeves and the Mississippi Development Authority. |
| Higher food bills? Your veggies, nuts and berries may cost more thanks to extreme weather | |
 | Snow, torrential rains, massive floods. Extreme weather has battered the U.S. this year and shoppers will likely feel the lingering effects at the grocers heading into summer. Good weather, especially in the spring when planting season starts, is vital to growing a bountiful crop of fruits, nuts and vegetables. However, the extreme swings this year have left many growers behind schedule, especially in California, which produces nearly half of U.S. fruits, nuts and "salad bowl" vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, spinach and kale, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Although farmers are optimistic they can recover from delayed planting timelines, it may take a few months. Meantime, consumers may see smaller selections, lower supplies and higher prices in the near term, experts say. "This year is extreme," said Brad Rubin, sector manager for specialty crops within Wells Fargo's Agri-Food Institute. "The amount of wet weather and a cold spring delayed plantings in major areas of California." The extreme cold, windy and wet weather across the country has prevented bees from pollinating as usual. "Bees do not fly in hard rain or high winds," said Charlotte Anderson, South Carolina's first female Master Beekeeper, in her blog. "Hard rain could break their wings and in windy weather, the effort often outweighs the rewards." As a result, crops that depend on pollination could feel the effects of bee disruption. |
| Hinds County judge puts temporary hold on implementation of HB 1020 | |
| On Thursday, Hinds County Chancery Judge Dewayne Thomas issued a temporary restraining order on H.B. 1020. The bill was signed by Governor Tate Reeves two weeks ago, and heavily impacts the combating of crime and the court system in the Jackson area. The restraining order will last until a hearing is held on the motions in the case. That hearing is scheduled for next Wednesday, May 10th at 9:30 a.m. The decision came after two lawsuits were filed against the legislation. The first from the NAACP, and the second from the ACLU on behalf of three Jackson residents. Ultimately, both lawsuits allege that the new law would disenfranchise black residents of the capital city by implementing several new measures with heavy state oversight. The law expands the boarders of the Capitol Complex Improvement District (CCID), increases Capitol Police jurisdiction, creates a temporary inferior court within the CCID with an appointed judge, and provides for four additional temporary judges within Hinds County's court system that would expire. It also allows for the hiring of additional District Attorneys and Defenders that would be permanent. |
| Did EPA's lack of basic computer knowledge delay its investigation into MDEQ? | |
| EPA's apparent inability to access zip files has likely contributed to a delay in releasing findings in a civil rights investigation into the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. In October, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it was launching a Title VI civil rights investigation into MDEQ's lack of investment into Jackson's sewer system. Preliminary findings in the case were due on April 18. However, on that day EPA, officials notified the agency the investigation was ongoing and that it was seeking additional interviews with MDEQ officials. Part of the problem, according to correspondence from MDEQ Executive Director Chris Wells, is the EPA's inability to open files submitted to it as part of the investigation. The four-page letter outlines the EPA's failure to open zip files submitted to EPA by MDEQ and its failure to inform MDEQ in a timely manner that it was unable to open them. He says that the EPA's failure to communicate with MDEQ shouldn't delay findings in the investigation from being released. "Had EPA advised MDEQ sooner that it was having difficulty accessing the files, MDEQ could have helped offer a solution," he wrote. "It cannot be said that EPA's failure to meet its regulatory deadline is MDEQ's fault." "MDEQ does not plan to wait for years for EPA's decision and does not believe it should be subject to further requests for documentation and witness interviews," he wrote. "It is a great disservice to MDEQ -- and to the Title VI complainants -- for EPA to drag this process out." |
| Mississippi ex-governor releases texts in welfare scandal | |
| Former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant on Thursday released what he said were all of his text and email messages related to a welfare fraud investigation -- including money spent on building a university volleyball arena that was pushed by NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre. The 436 pages of messages had several that already appeared in court filings, including exchanges from 2017 to 2019 between the governor and the retired quarterback, with Favre saying he had agreed to raise money for the volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi and asking Bryant for help with that effort. From 2016 to 2019, the Mississippi Department of Human Services misspent more than $77 million in welfare money that was supposed to help some of the poorest people in the U.S., according to the state auditor. Prosecutors have said the department gave money to nonprofit organizations that spent it on projects such as the $5 million volleyball facility on the Hattiesburg campus. Bryant earned a degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1977, more than a decade before Favre played football there. Favre's daughter started playing volleyball there in 2017. |
| Gov. Bryant promised to release 'all' his welfare scandal-related texts. But some key ones are missing. | |
| Former Gov. Phil Bryant opted Thursday to release hundreds of pages of text messages with figures in the Mississippi welfare scandal after initially fighting a subpoena against him. But several key messages between the state's chief executive and his appointed welfare director are missing from the batch, according to a separate trove of leaked text messages obtained and possessed by Mississippi Today. In a video statement he published prior to releasing the texts and emails Thursday, Bryant said he has been "as open and honest as I can be" about the massive fraud scheme that took place under his watch, resulting in the loss of $77 million in federal welfare funds from 2016 to 2019. While thousands of text messages have come out in the course of Mississippi Department of Human Services' civil litigation, the public has yet to see any messages sent during the pertinent months of the scandal between Bryant and his subordinate who ran the agency John Davis. Bryant said on Thursday he does not possess any text messages with Davis between 2016, when Davis became director, and June of 2019, when Bryant forced Davis to retire -- including the early 2019 messages Mississippi Today already retrieved and published last year. |
| Senator: Parole board creating dangerous pattern of releasing murderers | |
| Less than two weeks remain before the release of double-murderer James Williams III, who was initially sentenced to serve two life sentences without the possibility of parole. Williams, set to be released on May 16, was convicted in 2002 of brutally killing his father and stepmother before cutting up their bodies and dumping them near Shiloh Park in Brandon. He was 17 at the time of the crime. After undergoing a "moral rehabilitation" that included attaining a GED and working as a Christian minister, members of the parole board informed the victims' family -- all of which are against his release -- last month that they had decided to grant Williams parole. Senator Angela Hill, who chairs the County Affairs Committee and serves as vice chair of the Accountability, Efficiency, and Transparency Committee, said that it isn't the first time that the parole board has approved the release of a "rehabilitated" double-murderer within the past year. "This is something that is recent. Frederick Bell was one of these and now we have another one," Hill said. "It's just become a pattern of very early parole for these people who have committed these heinous crimes and heinous murders." Hill attributed the decisions to the new chairman of Mississippi's parole board, Jeffrey Belk. The Gulf Coast native was appointed to the position in January 2022 after the previous chairman, Steven Pickett, retired one month prior. |
| Senators get farm-credit rundown | |
| Members of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee continued their review of the current farm bill on Thursday with a hearing on risk management and credit access programs. The Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management and Trade invited community financial and credit leaders to testify about assistance programs under the agricultural law. Thursday's hearing marked the subcommittee's second of the week; farming and ranching leaders testified Tuesday on insurance and support programs. "Hearing directly from you is incredibly important," Minnesota Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, the subcommittee's chair, told Thursday's witnesses. "As the folks closest to the work, you know best what's working and what we can do to make it work better." Thursday's hearing on the farm bill -- a sweeping law covering agricultural, nutrition and rural development programs -- concerned its titles on credit access and crop insurance. Farmers and ranchers, under the latest farm bill, can seek government loans, and the current law provides guarantees for private lenders. The federal crop insurance program includes policies covering yield losses and declines in crop and whole farm revenue. |
| Bipartisan senators predict parents will overcome tech lobby to protect kids online | |
 | The mental-health crisis facing America's teenagers is motivating an unusual group of senators -- two progressive Democrats and a pair of conservative Republicans -- to join forces. The Democrats -- Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut -- and the Republicans -- Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama -- are all parents of young kids or teenagers. They unveiled legislation recently that limits access to social media platforms and restricts the kind of content pushed out to kids. Britt, a freshman who has two teens, said she's alarmed how viral moments on social media can have negative impacts. "As I talk to other moms who are trying to deal with this, it tells you the troubling uncertainty that social media brings into children's lives," she said, adding: "Parents wanted tools to be able to talk to their children -- and to keep their children safe." The lawmakers don't agree on much, but they said it was easy to team up on a bill that would help shield kids from harmful content on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Murphy conceded there are several proposals on Capitol Hill focused on online safety, but maintained their approach puts parents in the game to make sure their kids' data isn't accessed for dangerous content. "If the four of us can agree on this ... I think there's real hope that this approach can get to the Senate floor," he said. |
| Republicans leery of Democrats' China competition plan | |
 | Senate Republicans are open to working with Democrats on another China competition package, but some worry the majority will try to load it up with new spending and lose bipartisan appeal. Senate Democrats on Wednesday announced their committees in the coming months would assemble a massive legislative package to combat the Chinese government's economic and military expansion plans. This effort is intended to follow up on the bipartisan chips and science law enacted last year. The general goal of helping the U.S. better compete with the Chinese government on the world stage is one Republicans share. But with Democrats talking a lot already about "investments," Republicans fear that means new spending that will make the package unpalatable to their conference. Senate Republican Whip John Thune said there is "perhaps" another opportunity for a bipartisan China competition package. "If it's a big spending bill, probably not," the South Dakota Republican said. "Our members now are really not shy about [opposing] spending money and adding it to the debt. We're seeing a lot of the consequences of that already." If there are nonspending proposals to "sort of up the stakes in terms of that relationship with China, which has become very adversarial on many levels, I'm sure there's bipartisan interest in that," Thune added. |
| GOP senator harms national security by stalling military promotions, ex-defense secretaries say | |
 | A bipartisan group of former defense secretaries -- including two who served in Donald Trump's administration -- say that military readiness and U.S. national security are being harmed by one senator's delay of the quick approval of nearly 200 military promotions because of his objection to the department's abortion policy. That delay, which Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) began in March, "risks turning military officers into political pawns, holding them responsible for a policy decision made by their civilian leader," the former defense secretaries wrote in a letter to Senate leaders Thursday. The letter to Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) follows concerns raised by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who urged the Senate in March to move ahead with the promotions. Austin told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that the blockade on military promotions caused a "ripple effect in the force that makes us far less ready than we need to be." The stalled promotions are also impacting the families of those affected service members, the secretaries wrote. "Most cannot move and resettle their families," the letter states. "Their children cannot enroll at their next schools on time; and spouses cannot start new jobs at the next duty station. We can think of few things as irresponsible and uncaring as harming the families of those who serve our nation in uniform." |
| Proud Boys leader found guilty of seditious conspiracy for driving Jan. 6 attack | |
 | A jury on Thursday convicted Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys, and three allies of a seditious conspiracy to derail the transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden, a historic verdict following the most significant trial to emerge from the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Jurors also convicted the four men -- Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs and Zachary Rehl -- of conspiring to obstruct Congress' proceedings on Jan. 6 and destroying government property. The jury acquitted a fifth defendant, Dominic Pezzola, of seditious conspiracy but convicted him of obstructing Congress' Jan. 6 proceedings as well as several other felony charges. Prosecutors cast Tarrio and the Proud Boys leaders as the most significant drivers of the Jan. 6 attack, assembling a "fighting force" that arrived at the Capitol even while Trump addressed a crowd of supporters near the White House. Members of the group were present for and involved in multiple breaches of police lines. They later celebrated their role in the breach. The verdicts punctuate an extraordinary chapter in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack. Prosecutors have now secured seditious conspiracy convictions or guilty pleas for 14 Jan. 6 defendants -- five associated with the Proud Boys and nine associated with the far-right Oath Keepers -- the gravest charges arising from the assault on the Capitol. |
| US to control land sales to foreigners near 8 military bases | |
| Foreign citizens and companies would need U.S. government approval to buy property within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of eight military bases, under a proposed rule change that follows a Chinese firm's attempt to build a plant near an Air Force base in North Dakota. The Treasury Department's Office of Investment Security is set to propose the rule on Friday. It would give expanded powers to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which screens business deals between U.S. firms and foreign investors and can block sales or force the parties to change the terms of an agreement to protect national security. Controversy arose over plans by the Fufeng Group to build a $700 million wet corn milling plant about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from the Grand Forks Air Force Base, which houses both air and space operations. As opposition to the project grew, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, all Republicans, raised questions about the security risks and asked the federal government last July for an expedited review. The new rule would affect Grand Forks and seven other bases, including three that are tied to the B-21 Raider, the nation's future stealth bomber. The Pentagon has taken great pains to protect its new, most-advanced bomber from spying by China. The bomber will carry nuclear weapons and be able to fly manned and unmanned missions. |
| Interim CFO named at MUW | |
| Mississippi University for Women has named Carla Lowery interim vice president for operations and chief financial officer. Lowery took over after the departure of Mark Ellard from the position. MUW declined to comment on Ellard's departure as it is a personnel matter. Lowery stepped into the role Monday, and she has more than 30 years of experience in data analysis and information technology, a press release from MUW said. As CFO, Lowery will be responsible for overseeing the financial operations of the university and oversee university accounting, resources management, facilities management, information technology services and institutional research and assessment, the press release said. She has been at MUW since 2001 in leadership and instructional roles. She taught courses such as information systems using microcomputers, management information system projects and database applications. MUW University Relations Executive Director Anika Perkins told The Dispatch the search process for finding a permanent CFO will begin "later this summer." |
| Morgan Wallen apologizes to Oxford fans, says rescheduled date is in the works | |
| Country music star Morgan Wallen is coming back to Oxford. The "Last Night" singer, who canceled the second leg of a two-night stop in Oxford just six minutes before showtime last month, went to social media Thursday afternoon with an update. "I wouldn't say I'm 100 percent, but I'm doing a lot better," Wallen said on his Instagram story. "To everyone in Oxford, I just wanted to reiterate how sorry I am for the way that went down. I thought I was going to be good to go, and I just wasn't." The hitmaker returned to the stage in Jacksonville, Fla., on Thursday after canceling tour dates in Mississippi, Michigan, Illinois, and Nebraska due to a "doctor-ordered vocal rest." On April 25, he announced rescheduled dates for everywhere except Oxford after leaving thousands of fans at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium high and dry. Now, Wallen says his team is working on a new date to return to north Mississippi. "We're working on a rescheduled date," Wallen said. "We are close to having a rescheduled date. I just don't have the exact one yet, so as soon as I do, I'll let y'all know." Following Wallen's eleventh-hour cancellation in Oxford, he became the subject of multiple lawsuits seeking to recoup millions in expenses paid by fans to attend. |
| Two UM drag performers refuse to back down to hate | |
 | For University of Mississippi (UM) pre-med student, non-binary person and drag queen Jaquavious Lee, drag is an expression of love. "Drag is essentially love. It's all about love. Outside of drag, I am easily overlooked, because I don't have a really big personality," Lee said. "When I'm in drag, it's one of the few things I can control, so let me control it." Many are trying to wrest that control from Lee (Lady Pluto while performing) and others like them, though. In recent years, conservatives have attempted to separate the "TQ" from LGBTQ, denying trans and non-binary people their personhood and gender identity. Now, Republican led state legislatures across the country are ramping up their anti-trans rhetoric, specifically targeting drag and gender affirming care for minors. Sarah "Sy" Heying is a non-binary person and drag king who performs under the name Ponyboi and recently obtained their Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Mississippi. With new attacks against trans and queer people, they fear that the United States is backsliding into fascism. Heying, however, recognized that transphobia did not emerge recently, and that trans people need allies to rally with them. |
| Bama Rush: Documentary on U. of Alabama's sorority recruitment to debut on HBO Max | |
 | A documentary about the University of Alabama's sorority recruitment week will be available for online streaming beginning May 23 on HBO Max. "Bama Rush: Acceptance Is Everything" centers on UA students as they seek to join sororities in 2022. The film was directed by Rachel Fleit and produced by Vice Studios for HBO Max. "This film is a thoughtful and compassionate portrayal of young women in 2022 as they rush the sorority system at the University of Alabama," Fleit said in a statement via Vice, which was first provided to the New York Times for an Aug. 12, 2022, story. Known as Rush Week, the process begins each year in August before the start of the fall semester with thousands of prospective pledges visiting UA's sorority houses. Bid Day used to be known as "Squeal Day," after the squeals of delight from pledges as they learned which sorority house had accepted them. Last year, UA's sorority recruitment week wrapped up with 2,345 pledges receiving bids from 17 sororities during Bid Day. While Bid Day has been a big deal in Tuscaloosa for years, thanks to social media the influence of Alabama sororities has extended far beyond UA's home city. The #bamarush and #alabamarush hashtags on TikTok generated millions of views during the past couple of years. |
| Trailer for 'BAMA RUSH' Documentary Released Thursday | |
| A documentary detailing the ins and outs of the sorority recruitment process at the University of Alabama got a release date and a trailer you can't miss Thursday morning. According to a description of the film on Youtube, "BAMA RUSH" will document the experience of four women as they prepared to rush at UA in fall 2022. The almost three-minute video teased insight into various aspects of the UA Greek community, including issues of racism and "The Machine," an infamous secret society comprised of greek organizations that have historically influenced campus politics and sometimes reached further than that. The announcement of the documentary was made last August after Jonathan Bing at Vice Studios confirmed the company would create a rush documentary in Tuscaloosa, directed by Rachel Fleit. The University released a statement following the announcement where they condemned unauthorized recording following reports that the media company was secretly recording students involved in recruitment. |
| Academy elects U. of Arkansas professor, architect | |
| Acclaimed architect Marlon Blackwell -- a distinguished professor at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville -- has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Blackwell, 66, is founder and co-principal of Marlon Blackwell Architects, which is based in Fayetteville. Since 1992, he has taught at the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at UA. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. Other Arkansans who have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences over the years include Hillary and Bill Clinton for their work with the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation; Morris S. Arnold, senior judge on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, author and historian; and Peter S. Ungar, an anthropologist who teaches at UA and is the director of the university's Environmental Dynamics Program. The academy is an organization that honors excellence and leadership and serves as an independent research center. The membership is made up of people across disciplines, professions and perspectives. Nearly 270 members were elected in 2023 from academia, the arts, industry, policy, research and science. The newest members are grouped in 31 sections, and organized within five classes, in which they were elected. Blackwell received the 2020 Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects and was named the 2020 Southeastern Conference Professor of the Year. |
| UF honors Gainesville native and rock icon Tom Petty with posthumous doctorate degree | |
 | Gainesville native and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Tom Petty was posthumously honored with a doctorate degree Thursday morning as part of the University of Florida's 2023 commencement ceremonies. Petty, who died Oct. 2, 2017 at the age of 66, was awarded an honorary "Doctor of Music" degree after receiving unanimous approval from the UF Faculty Senate and the board of trustees. UF Provost Joe Glover told the crowd that other than an earned doctorate, the honorary degree is the greatest recognition the university can give an individual. After a short video on Petty, UF President Ben Sasse conferred the degree. "The University of Florida is privileged to recognize Tom Petty for his achievements as a rock star, a beacon of creative freedom and an advocate for his fellow artists for those most in need, and for our Gators," Sasse said. The Petty family also donated $100,000 to the UF School of Music to establish the Tom Petty Endowment for Guitars and Innovation. |
| Sasse makes first on-campus public appearance to students at doctoral commencement | |
| UF President Ben Sasse recognized UF doctoral candidates for their achievements -- making the ceremony his first official public on-campus appearance to students since appointed. Sasse reiterated his famous phrase to begin the ceremony: "This is the most interesting university in the country," Sasse said. Sasse and UF faculty posthumously awarded Tom Petty with an honorary doctor of music degree. "The University of Florida recognizes Tom Petty for his achievements as a rockstar, beacon of creative freedom and an advocate for his fellow artists, and for those most in need, and for our Gators," Sasse said. Petty's brother Bruce was supposed to attend to accept the diploma, but he canceled shortly before the ceremony. Sasse accepted the degree in his honor. Sasse welcomed outgoing provost Joe Glover and commencement speaker, UF professor Leslie Parker, who was selected by former president Kent Fuchs months ago. She is the first college of nursing faculty member to speak at a UF doctoral commencement ceremony. When welcoming Parker to speak, Sasse delivered a speech about the importance of NICU nurses and the lifesaving work they perform. |
| University donations are kept secret in Tennessee. Here's why. | |
 | As part of a Knox News investigation into leftover money from class action lawsuits, a reporter reached out to universities across Tennessee that received donations in the name of attorney Gordon Ball. The money in question wasn't personally Ball's, but we'll set that aside. The universities, who have to follow the state's expansive open records exemption list, declined to answer specific questions about the donations. Why are donations exempt? Where did this exemption come from? Who wanted it to begin with? What follows is a brief unpacking of the 2007 law. The bipartisan bill can be traced back to Knoxville Reps. Joe Armstrong, a Democrat, and Sen. Jamie Woodson, a Republican. Knoxville Reps. Harry Tindell, a Democrat, and Doug Overbey, a Republican, signed on as co-sponsors. The bill passed unanimously in both the House and Senate, and Gov. Bill Bredesen signed it into law. The law is pretty straightforward. Gifts to "public institutions of higher education or foundations" that include the name, address, telephone number, Social Security number, driver's license information or any other personally identifiable information about the donor or their family are not open for public inspection. Anthony Haynes is now the executive director of the Tennessee Municipal League. At the time the law was signed, he served as the director for state relations for the University of Tennessee System. The push for the law came from UT, he said. The school, under the leadership of President John Peterson, was looking to revamp its fundraising. |
| For thousands of Texas professors seeking tenure, a bill banning the benefit could be a turning point in their careers | |
 | Eleven years ago, Tara Goddard left her city planning job to pursue a doctorate degree, setting a new course for her career. A self-proclaimed "research nerd," she yearned to study why some people use public transportation and others don't. Six years later, Ph.D. in hand, she landed a competitive job as an assistant professor at Texas A&M University in College Station. Over the last six years, Goddard taught courses on city planning and transportation, brought in around $350,000 in research grants and published more than a half-dozen peer-reviewed journal articles on transportation safety. Based on her research, Texas lawmakers have filed bills to improve the way the state thinks about car crashes. This spring, Goddard, 43, started the arduous, yearlong process to apply for tenure. It's the culmination of a journey that started with the expectation that, if all went well, she'd start the fall 2024 semester under a new, indefinite contract. But if some conservative lawmakers in the Texas Legislature get their way, tenure won't survive long enough in Texas for Goddard to get it. Republican lawmakers, led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, have pledged this legislative session to end in Texas the nearly century-old practice used by universities across the country to give faculty an additional safeguard to pursue long-term, independent research -- which, in turn, helps schools attract and retain sought-after talent. |
| U. of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Open House takes place Saturday | |
 | The University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine will show and tell on Saturday during its student-run open house. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the College of Veterinary Medicine, 1520 E. Rollins St. There will be food trucks at the free event which includes many activities and more than 40 groups including the Warm Spring Ranch Clydesdales, the Boone County Fire Protection District, the CVM Mule Team, dog agility demonstrations and a petting zoo. Tours of the building will start every 15 minutes. From 11:30 a.m. to noon there will be a talk on veterinary careers with the Missouri Department of Agriculture. A talk on resources for backyard poultry owners will take place from 9:30 to 10 a.m. Ann Gafke's Dogschooling will take place at 11:30 a.m. in the parking lot. The dog agility performance is at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot. |
| FAFSA formula change could impact aid received by rural students | |
 | The net worth of family farms and small businesses will be considered assets in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) starting in the 2024-25 school year. This will decrease financial aid eligible for families with small farms and businesses. Previously, family farms and small businesses were exempt from the FAFSA formula. The change comes through the FAFSA Simplification Act -- described on Federal Student Aid's website as a "significant overhaul of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid." Michelle Kleeman, a mother of a sophomore in high school, will now have to rethink how much money she can spend on her child's education, she said. Kleeman, a member of the State Advisory Committee for MU Extension, owns the Kleeman Family Farm in Lockwood, where she raises cattle. She said a common misconception is that more assets means farmers have more money. But unlike typical assets like cash and liquid investments, Kleeman said, a farm's assets includes physical investments like tractors and cattle. These physical assets cannot be quickly cashed in -- without cattle, Kleeman has nothing to grow her business. "The money you make, you put back into the business. So yes, you have assets, but if you sell those assets off, you have no business," Kleeman said. "So, it just doesn't make a lot of sense." According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, the state has nearly 100,000 farms, and nearly 90% of Missouri's farms are family-owned. |
| Ex-UC Davis student arrested in serial stabbings that terrorized city | |
 | Police on Thursday named a young man recently "separated" from UC Davis for academic reasons as the suspect in stabbings that left two men dead and one woman in critical condition in this bucolic college town just west of Sacramento. Carlos Reales Dominguez, 21, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of homicide and one count of attempted murder, Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel said at an afternoon news conference. Davis Mayor Will Arnold praised the law enforcement effort. "It's because of the fine police work that we are here today to announce that the individual believed to be responsible for these horrific, brutal attacks is no longer free to terrorize our community," Arnold said. "A murderer is off the streets, and our families will sleep easier tonight." Dominguez, who was majoring in biological sciences, had been in his third year at UC Davis until April 25, when he was separated for unspecified academic reasons, according to the university. He had no criminal record, police said. The weeklong spate of seemingly random violence terrified Davis residents, sending a chill through a laid-back college town that usually bustles with bikers and joggers, its parks filled with dog walkers and the sights and sounds of youth sports. |
| Lawsuit Says U. of Southern California Used Misleading Practices to Sell Online Social-Work Degree | |
 | Graduates of the University of Southern California's online social work master's program filed a complaint Thursday, accusing the school of false advertising when it claimed that its program was the same as its on-campus one even though much of it was outsourced to a for-profit company, 2U. The civil suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accuses the school of charging the same tuition for both master's programs -- over $110,000 until 2022-23 -- while "in reality...USC's online MSW program offers classroom instruction that is not the same as, but instead is substantially different from and categorically inferior to USC's in-person MSW classroom instruction." The complaint also accuses the school of racial targeting and aggressive recruiting for the online program, claiming civil-rights violations and unjust enrichment among its counts. "We haven't been served but will review the lawsuit in detail when we receive it," USC said in a statement. 2U didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. USC relies on the prestigious reputation of its on-campus programs to aggressively lure online students, the lawsuit claims, and deliberately hides the fact that the education technology company 2U provides recruitment, program materials, clinical placements, academic advising and career services for the online degrees. |
| Want a good job by age 30? Skipping college could doom your chances. | |
 | Decades ago, young adults didn't need much more than a high school degree to secure a job with solid, middle-class wages. Today, such opportunities have become an anomaly, with a new study finding that young Americans without college degrees are more likely to be stuck in low-earning jobs than not by the age of 30. In fact, earning a college degree is the surest path to landing a good job by age 30, according to an analysis from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. A good job, as defined by the study, is one that pays a median annual wage of $57,000 by age 30. The findings come amid growing skepticism about the value of higher education, with a majority of Americans saying they don't believe a college degree is worth the cost, according to a recent poll from the Wall Street Journal and NORC. But without a college degree, young Americans are unlikely to find economic stability by age 30, the Georgetown analysis suggests. A young person's path in their early 20s can set their economic destiny by age 30, the study found. Roughly 68% of young adults with a college degree by age 26 have a good job at age 30, compared with 25% of people with only a high school diploma, according to the analysis. |
| Academics fall for and fret about technology | |
 | When hundreds of college administrators and education technology company officials gather at a conference on the theme of the "digital campus," many a faculty member might suspect -- or fear -- that the conversations wouldn't be to their liking. Overly optimistic about all the great ways technology can improve "efficiency," say. Ignoring potential problems such as invasion of privacy or prioritizing corporate profits over learning. Digital Universities U.S., a conference co-hosted by Times Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed here this week, had its share of technology enthusiasm in hallway discussions and on the agenda, with sessions heralding the possibilities of learning in the metaverse, harnessing data for student success and promoting well-being in online environments. But the event was far from a pep rally, with many speakers expressing worries about the rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence, bemoaning the tendency to embrace the latest "bright shiny object" and cautioning against use of technology that isn't directly in service of institutions' core missions. Some of the ambivalence, if not outright skepticism, came from expected sources, like the philosophy professor who was specifically recruited to raise potential ethical questions on a panel about the use of virtual reality in the learning process. |
| This Simple 30-Minute Belonging Exercise Could Boost Student Retention | |
 | Incoming college students who completed a 30-minute online exercise intended to bolster their sense of belonging were more likely to complete their first year of college while enrolled full time, according to a groundbreaking paper published in Science Thursday. The study involved 26,911 students at 22 diverse four-year institutions across the country, and it has the potential to help students at a variety of colleges, at little cost. Students in identity groups -- based on race or ethnicity and first-generation college status -- that have historically struggled more to complete the first year of college at any given institution benefited the most from the exercise. The social-belonging intervention improved first-year retention among students in identity groups who reported feeling medium to high levels of belonging. For example, among students whose identity groups historically struggled to complete the first year of college and who also reported medium to high levels of belonging -- the group that benefited most from the activity -- the exercise increased the proportion that completed their first year of college while enrolled full time from 57.2 percent to 59.3 percent. But for the 15 percent of students whose identity groups experienced low levels of belonging at their institutions, the exercise did not improve retention rates, indicating that colleges will have to work harder to help those students. Researchers have long known that college students' sense of belonging is critically linked to outcomes such as persistence, engagement, and mental health. But it can be difficult to measure the specific impact of efforts to improve belonging in a college setting. More recent research has focused on what colleges can do to improve sense of belonging on campus. |
SPORTS
| Diamond Dawg Gameday: host Arkansas | |
| The Mississippi State Bulldogs return to Dudy Noble Field as the Arkansas Razorbacks make the trip south for a three-game series. First pitch for Friday is set for 6 p.m., continuing Saturday at 6 p.m., and concluding Sunday at 1 p.m. Friday and Sunday's game will be broadcast on SECN+, while Saturday's game will be on ESPN2. The series will also be carried on the Mississippi State Sports Network powered by Learfield along with a live audio stream via HailState.com/Listen. Dave Van Horn is in his 21st season as the head coach of the Razorbacks, holds a 829-435 record at Arkansas and a mark of 1,200-603 mark for his 30 year career. Arkansas enters the weekend as the #6 team in the country with an overall record of 33-12, while going 14-7 in conference play. The Razorback pitching staff enters the weekend with a 5.09 ERA. The Razorbacks are hitting .283 as a squad. The Dawgs and the Razorbacks meet for the 112th time on Friday when they begin the series. State leads the all-time series 57-54. The first matchup between these two programs was in 1958. |
| Hogs prepare for another weekend of reshuffling | |
| University of Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn announced Thursday the Razorbacks would be without standout second baseman Peyton Stovall and lead pitcher Hunter Hollan for tonight's series opener at struggling Mississippi State. The No. 6 Razorbacks (33-12, 14-7 SEC) will alter their pitching rotation for the sixth consecutive weekend and start staff ace Hagen Smith (6-1, 2.64 ERA) at 6 p.m. Central today at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Miss. The Bulldogs (24-20, 6-15) are expected to counter with junior right-hander Cade Smith (1-1, 5.54 ERA). The latest Arkansas move was due to shin splints for left-hander Hunter Hollan (6-2, 3.79), who had started the weekend opener for seven consecutive conference series. "We're going to let Hollan have a couple more days to rest," Van Horn said. "We'll either throw him Game 2 or Game 3, hopefully, and let that leg continue to rest. "So we're going to just flip it. We'll start Hagen Smith and then we'll just TBA it for Saturday and Sunday." Van Horn said the Razorbacks expect a tough series. "How did another coach in the league word it to me, a couple of them?" Van Horn said. "They both used the word 'dangerous,' because they can score. "They're a lot better than their record. You just don't know what you're going to run into and the crowds are still coming out down there." |
| No. 16 Bulldogs Open Starkville Regional On Friday | |
| For the third time since 2018, No. 16 Mississippi State is set to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Championships on its home courts. The top-seeded Bulldogs are set to take on No. 4 seed Alabama State in the second match of the Starkville Regional on Friday at approximately 2 p.m. No. 2 seed Middle Tennessee State (21-7) will open the tournament against No. 3 seed Tulane (15-12) on Friday at 11 a.m. "The NCAA Championship is obviously the most important tournament of the year," said MSU head coach Matt Roberts. "It features the best teams in the country and ultimately determines the national champion. We are extremely proud to be hosting this event. It will give our awesome fans a chance to see two days of outstanding college tennis on our campus." Mississippi State is making its 12th consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships and 31st overall. Roberts has led the Bulldogs to the NCAAs every year of his head coaching tenure, including four trips to the Round of 16 and one to the quarterfinals. Tickets are now available for the first and second round at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. All-session passes are available for $8 for adults and $5 for children and senior citizens. A per-session pass is also available for $5 for adults and $3 for children and seniors. Children 2 and under are free. |
| SEC Announces Postseason Women's Golf Awards; Lopez Ramirez Named Player of the Year | |
| Three members of the Mississippi State women's golf team collected postseason awards in a vote by the league's head coaches, the SEC announced on Thursday, May 4. Julia Lopez Ramirez secured the league's highest honor by being named the SEC Player of the Year. In addition to her SEC Player of the Year honor, Lopez Ramirez earned First Team All-SEC honors. Lopez Ramirez wasn't alone in earning SEC recognition on Thursday as freshmen Izzy Pellot and Surapa Janthamunee were selected to the All-SEC Freshman Team. Pellot was also selected to the SEC Community Service Team for all her hard work outside of the golf course. Lopez Ramirez, who becomes the first Bulldog golfer to be named the SEC Player of the Year, finished the regular season with a scoring average of 70.31, the lowest in Mississippi State history and the second lowest in all of collegiate golf this season. Freshmen Izzy Pellot and Surapa Janthamunee have shined during their first year as Bulldogs, becoming the fifth and sixth members selected to the SEC's All-Freshman Team in program history. The Bulldogs now shift their focus to regional action. The Bulldogs will be the No. 1 seed in the Westfield Regional in Westfield, Ind. and they will play at The Club at Chatham Hills. The NCAA regionals will be played May 8-10. |
| State Closes Regular Season At No. 17 Auburn | |
| The final weekend of the regular season is upon us, and Mississippi State softball is headed to Auburn, Alabama for a crucial series to close the SEC slate. The Bulldogs (27-22, 6-14 SEC) will meet the No. 17 Tigers (37-15, 13-8 SEC) with critical seeding in next week's SEC Tournament on the line for both squads. State can avoid the Tuesday night play-in game as long as the Bulldogs win more games than Ole Miss. There's a chance for MSU to climb as high as the No. 9 seed with a sweep and favorable results around the league. Meanwhile, Auburn could finish anywhere from No. 2 to No. 7 and currently sits in the hunt for a first-round bye in third place. MSU swept No. 20 Kentucky over the weekend, averaging eight runs per game and hitting 10 total homers in the series. It was the latest in a trend of Bulldog rallies to close the regular season. In 2021, State won its final seven SEC games to earn the No. 9 seed in the SEC Tournament before winning its first matchup in the event as well. Under Samantha Ricketts, the Bulldogs are 12-5 in the final two weeks of the regular season. The SEC Tournament begins on Tuesday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. CT with the play-in game between the Nos. 12 and 13 seeds. All games of the tournament will be broadcast on SEC Network. |
| MSU signs women's basketball coach Sam Purcell to contract extension | |
| The future of Mississippi State basketball is now secured. A day after men's basketball coach Chris Jans received a contract extension, MSU gave women's basketball coach Sam Purcell one, too, first reported by 247sports and confirmed by the school. Purcell's new contract runs through 2026-27. The extension comes with a pay raise, earning Purcell $662,500 next season, a raise from the $550,000 he made in his first year, as well as performance-based incentives, according to reports. "My family and I have fallen in love with Starkville, and I am so honored to be your Head Women's Basketball Coach," Purcell said via released statement. "...I took this job because women's basketball matters in Starkville, and I take the pride you have in our program seriously. We are building something special here at Mississippi State, and my family and I are so proud to call Mississippi State home." Purcell's extension comes on the heels of MSU returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, doing so in Purcell's first season at the helm. MSU advanced to the second round of this year's NCAA Tournament, becoming the first program to win a game after advancing out of the First Four, when it upset No. 6 seed Creighton as an 11-seed in South Bend. The Bulldogs fell to No. 3 seed Notre Dame in the next round. |
| Mississippi State women's basketball coach Sam Purcell gets one-year contract extension | |
 | Mississippi State and women's basketball coach Sam Purcell have agreed to a contract extension, MSU announced Thursday. The new deal adds one year to Purcell's original four-year contract -- the maximum contract length allowed for state employees in Mississippi. It now runs through the 2026-27 season. "Purcell is the winningest first-year coach in school history for a program that has a strong and storied tradition of success," athletics director Zac Selmon said in a release. "He is one of the top rising-star coaches in the country and has made an immediate impact through his expectations of excellence and his commitment to serving our student-athletes in their competitive, academic and personal pursuits. I am thrilled to continue working with Sam as we build upon the success of Mississippi State women's basketball." On Wednesday, Mississippi State announced it had agreed on a contract extension for men's basketball coach Chris Jans. The deal added one year to Jans' original four-year contract. |
| Texas president says building relationships priority in SEC | |
| University of Texas President Jay Hartzell said Thursday he'll attend the Southeastern Conference's annual meeting later this month with a goal of building relationships, not immediately trying to flex Longhorns muscle in their new league. Texas and Oklahoma leave the Big 12 after the 2023-24 season and join the SEC next summer. Hartzell said he'll be watching how the conference addresses its football scheduling dilemma -- eight or nine conference games -- and its potential impact on future media rights contracts. The SEC meets May 30 in Destin, Florida. "It's going to be weird. I'll be there with no voting rights. We're not officially in yet," Hartzell said Thursday. "My impression is scheduling is tough for them, probably will be the topic of the day, and then figuring out what is the latest in terms of media discussions and how those two interact," Hartzell said. "I'll be there mainly to start building relationships." Hartzell said he wasn't ready to take a position on the scheduling issue, and said he won't go to the meeting with a Texas agenda. "I don't want to come in here and guns blazing," Hartzell said. "Texas on occasion has a reputation as, you know, being an alpha. I'm happy to come in and start just being part of the team ... It's a great league, and we're excited about it and we want to fit in and be a good partner with the league with all the other presidents and chancellors. We've got a role to play, but also want to be a team player." |
| Alabama fires baseball coach after report of suspicious bets | |
| Alabama fired baseball coach Brad Bohannon on Thursday after a report of suspicious bets involving his team, with the school saying he violated "the standards, duties and responsibilities expected of university employees." No details were disclosed on why Bohannon was let go after five years on the job, but the firing came three days after a report warning of suspicious wagers prompted Ohio's top gambling regulator to bar licensed sportsbooks in the state from accepting bets on Alabama baseball games. Pennsylvania and New Jersey have since followed suit. ESPN reported later Thursday that surveillance video from the sportsbook located at the Cincinnati Reds' Great American Ballpark indicated the person who placed the bets was communicating with Bohannon at the time. ESPN cited multiple anonymous sources with direct information about the investigation. Alabama said athletic director Greg Byrne had initiated the process of firing Bohannon and that pitching coach Jason Jackson will serve as interim head coach, beginning with Thursday night's home game against Vanderbilt. "There is no reason to believe at this time that any student-athletes are involved," a person familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of an ongoing investigation by the school. |
| SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey comments on Alabama baseball wagering investigation | |
 | As investigations continue into Alabama baseball and the suspicious wagering flagged by an independent monitoring service last weekend, the Southeastern Conference noted the "swift action" taken by UA when it fired coach Brad Bohannon on Thursday morning. SEC Greg Sankey gave an update on the matter in a statement released to the media: "The University of Alabama has taken swift action after information about baseball sports wagering activity was questioned by industry regulators. Ensuring the integrity of athletic competition is our highest priority, and for that purpose the SEC monitors gambling activity through its relationship with US Integrity and has done so since 2018. "There must be zero tolerance for activity that puts into question the integrity of competition. We will remain in communication with the University throughout its ongoing review and will have no further comment at this time." US Integrity alerted its clients after a "large" money line bet was placed on then-No. 1 LSU ahead of its Friday night game against the Tide. An hour before the first pitch was thrown, Alabama's planned starting pitcher Luke Holman was scratched with an injury and reliever Hagan Banks started in his place. |
| Colorado AD Defends Deion Sanders, Says Roster Shuffling 'Not Unique' to Buffs Alone | |
| Deion Sanders's method of cutting dozens of football players is not unusual in college athletics and is part of improving the Buffaloes programs, Colorado athletic director Rick George says. In an interview with Sports Illustrated while at Pac-12 conference meetings in Arizona, George defended his first-year coach in the wake of mounting criticism over what has transpired this spring in Boulder. In a roster turnover unlike any seen in college athletics, 30 Colorado players have entered the portal since the April 22 spring game. Forty-three players entered the portal during the spring window. While some voluntarily made the move, many of the transfers say Sanders essentially cut them. George says Sanders is using what's called a "head coach exemption" made available under NCAA rules to give first-year coaches the ability to cut scholarship players. "We are not the first to do this," says George, entering his 10th season at the school. "Eighteen months ago, there was a lot of criticism in our program because guys were leaving. Around 24 to 25 left in December [2021] right after the season. Similar things have happened at other schools. We are not unique in this." |
| NCAA president 'fired up' as sweeping third-party review of association gets underway | |
| The NCAA has begun a state-of-business review taking a top-to-bottom analysis of the entire association, NCAA president Charlie Baker told CBS Sports. The association has hired Boston-based Bain & Company, a top-10 global management consulting firm, to handle the review. This evaluation comes at a time when the NCAA's future role in college athletics is itself under review. The NCAA has failed to get its arms around NIL and continues to fight lawsuits on several fronts. What will the NCAA even be if courts determine athletes are employees? Big East commissioner Val Ackerman believes the NCAA as a whole is sometimes inefficient and undervalued. Failure to capitalize on that value has led to some of the association's current problems. "There isn't a clearly defined commercial unit within the national office. In my opinion, it's failing," Ackerman said during an extended conversation with CBS Sports. "The NCAA is a billion-dollar concern because of the money they bring in from March Madness. I think we would all benefit from a clearly defined structure, business unit that would be run by a chief marketing officer and a chief commercial officer who would be entrusted with oversight over television with a dedicated broadcast person underneath them." |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
