| Tuesday, June 27, 2023 |
| Musical comedy written by students spans three eras, one convention center | |
 | A 1920s socialite, an almost founding father's ghost and a vampire walk into a convention center. Each represents an act in the play, "Unconventional," a musical comedy that is currently being written and produced by campers in the Summer Scholars Program at Mississippi State University. The campers have three weeks to develop the show from start to finish. After that, the show goes on. "It's nerve wracking, but it's so exciting," fourth-year camper Davis Moody said. "We start with nothing, and three weeks later, we have to perform in front of friends and family and everybody. It's an adrenaline rush." "Unconventional" focuses on a single convention hall over three different eras, with the first act "When Posh Comes to Shove" focusing on wealthy socialites, the second act "Rednecks: Friendly Fangs and Southern Twangs" focusing on vampires and the third act "Constitutional Chaos" focusing on a trio of revolutionary ghosts. Free public performances at this year's Summer Scholars play are 7 p.m. July 7 and 1 p.m. July 8 in the Bettersworth Auditorium at Lee Hall on MSU's campus. Joe Underwood, camp director, helped to start the program back in 1983. He said "Unconventional" is the Summer Scholars program's 39th production. Underwood said the program now involves students between seventh and 12th grade from all over the country. This years' campers come from Michigan, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi. They audition virtually, sending in videos and recordings of monologues, dance routines, concerts and more. |
| Catfish industry outlook in honor of National Catfish Day | |
 | No matter how you cook it, farm-raised catfish is the largest single product of U.S. aquaculture. The nutritious fish is low in saturated fat and a great source of lean protein. Even better, most of the production takes place here in the Midsouth. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, the top four farm-raised catfish producing states are Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas accounting for a combined 96% of the total production. Of those states, Mississippi ranks number one, raising 65% of the nation's catfish at approximately 5,000 pounds per acre in annual production. In 2022, that was 34,100 acres with a production value of $278 million. While August is recognized as National Catfish Month, there has been a day designated to celebrate the industry since 1987, when President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation on Jun. 25 recognizing National Catfish Day. At the time, production costs for catfish only averaged 65 cents per pound. Fast forward to today and that cost has nearly doubled. Extension catfish specialist, Jimmy Avery at Mississippi State University National Warmwater Aquaculture Center has been involved in catfish research and Extension since 1982. With 41 years of experience, he has seen many advancements in the industry and a drop in the total acreage along the way. The acreage may be down, but production is more intensive. |
| In the heart of a stretch of southwest Mississippi sits Prospect Hill, a link to the past that stretches across the globe | |
| Prospect Hill, a preserved, abandoned building hidden deep in the woods of Jefferson County, Mississippi, is a connection to the history of Liberia in West Africa and to the lives of descendant communities of over 300 enslaved-ancestors from Mississippi. Former slaves of Capt. Isaac Ross established the Liberian colony known as "Mississippi-in-Africa", as called for in his will. Shawn Lambert, assistant professor of anthropology at Mississippi State University, began an excavation of the site June 18, assisted by James Andrew Whitaker, a cultural anthropologist. A foundation in the ground adjacent to the big house, barely noticeable, is the primary focus during this first broad excavation. Lambert and Whitaker believe many of the enslaved people worked and lived in what could be a dependency, or kitchen house. With help from participants from the public, they unearthed evidence on the 23.3 acres dating around the early 1800s to late 1800s supporting their hypothesis about the lives and cultural activity. |
| Area unemployment creeps up from April | |
| Area unemployment in May jumped up from record lows in April, according to data the Mississippi Department of Employment Security released this week. Noxubee and Lowndes counties rose the highest, currently sitting at 4.4% and 3.1% unemployment, respectively. Oktibbeha and Clay county rose to 3% and 2.9%. May rates for the four counties rose between 0.2% and 0.5% from the previous month, but improved between 0.9% and 1.2% in each county compared to May 2022, with Noxubee showing the most improvement from last year. The number of unemployed people in Lowndes and Oktibbeha rose to 770 and 660, respectively. In contrast, Clay and Noxubee rose to 260 and 150, bringing the total number of people unemployed in the Golden Triangle up by 166 from April. Across all four counties, there are 1,846 people unemployed, marking a 25.3% improvement from May 2022. |
| A heat wave affecting Texas to Florida is expected to expand northward | |
 | A heat wave that has taxed the Texas power grid and threatens to bring record high temperatures to the state is expected to expand north and east during the coming week, a forecaster with the National Weather Service said Monday. "Going forward, that heat is going to expand ... north to Kansas City and the entire state of Oklahoma, into the Mississippi Valley ... to the far western Florida Panhandle and parts of western Alabama," while remaining over Texas, lead forecaster Bob Oravec said. Oravec said record high temperatures around 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) are forecast in parts of western Texas on Monday and relief is not expected before the Fourth of July holiday. The heat wave, or heat dome, is the result of a dome of stationary high pressure with warm air combined with warmer than usual air in the Gulf of Mexico and heat from the sun that is nearly directly overhead, Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon said. "By the time we get into the middle of summer, it's hard to get the hot air aloft," said Nielsen-Gammon, a professor at Texas A&M's College of Atmospheric Sciences. "If it's going to happen, this is the time of year it will." |
| Extreme heat to follow weekend's severe weather | |
| Less than a week after the summer solstice, the National Weather Service is warning of "significant" risk due to heat for the remainder of this week. According to an advisory put out Monday by the Jackson NWS office, temperatures in the Golden Triangle are expected to be in the upper 90s and low 100s later this week. "We're in the 'significant' risk category," said Lowndes County Emergency Management Agency Director Cindy Lawrence. "(The NWS) is predicting 110- to 115-degree heat indexes." This level of heat is highly unusual for this time of year, Lawrence said. The heat comes on the heels of a string of storms that blew through the area Sunday night. Monday afternoon Starkville Utilities Director Edward Kemp said the utility still had about 60 customers without power. Dangerously high heat can also be perilous for utility customers' pocketbooks. Kemp recommended running appliances -- like the oven, dishwasher or laundry machines -- during off-peak hours both because power is cheaper then and also to not make it hotter in the house. "Off-peak hours are after 7 p.m. and in the early morning," Kemp said. "It's a little cooler then, and we recommend that to keep from adding additional heat during the hotter times." |
| Entergy CEO says there are lessons to be learned from recent outages | |
 | Entergy Mississippi CEO Haley Fisackerly admits there are lessons to be learned from issues that left hundreds of thousands of Mississippians without power in recent weeks. However, he says he is pleased with the overall performance and how the electric company responded. Storms a week ago came on the heels a series of storms with hurricane strength winds that devastated Central Mississippi, damaging homes, downing trees, tree limbs and powerlines throughout the area and leaving more than 150,000 people without electricity through much of the Juneteenth three-day weekend. That was followed by storms Sunday night into Monday morning that left another 44,000 customers without power. As of 6 a.m. Monday, there were more than 11,000 without power in Hinds County alone. "We have been talking to (weather experts) who have been in this business for 20-30 years and they say they haven't seen this phenomena before where these constant storms just keep rolling in over and over," Fisackerly said. "The worst part is these same people say that we will likely be dealing with these types of storms most of the summer." Power was just restored Friday to some residents of the Jackson area who had been without electricity for a week from previous storms that caused significant tree damage, destroying utility lines. "I understand the frustrations that people are having," Fisackerly said. "Our employees are frustrated as well. They are working in these conditions, and many of them don't have power themselves. But when you consider the elements and the facts, I am very pleased with the team." |
| When will construction begin on the first Buc-ee's in Mississippi? | |
 | South Mississippi is watching and waiting for signs of construction of Buc-ee's gas station and convenience store off Interstate 10 in Pass Christian, while a new Buc-ee's that opened in Tennessee Monday is the world's largest gas station. Based in Texas, Buc-ee's travel centers are so popular wherever they are built, a new interchange is needed near Gulfport to handle the traffic anticipated from locals and drivers passing by on I-10. Mississippi Department of Transportation has approved plans for a $15 million redesign of the Menge Avenue interchange on I-10, said Anna Ehrgott, MDOT public information officer, and a pre-construction conference was held with MDOT and the involved parties within the last week. T.L. Wallace construction company, based in Columbia, Mississippi, will be the prime contractor for the new interchange company also built the Biloxi Bay Bridge. Improvements will widen the exit from two to five lanes, said Bill Lavers, executive director of the Harrison County Development Authority, taking traffic across the interstate and to the access roads. Buc-ee's first gas station in Mississippi is a $50 million project, Lavers said. |
| Mississippi to receive $1.2 billion for broadband internet access | |
| Mississippi will receive $1.2 billion in federal money to expand high-speed internet, President Joe Biden announced Monday. The state's share of the money -- part of $42 billion in spending to expand access nationwide -- is part of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure and Jobs Act, passed by Congress in 2021. The announcement of funding through the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funding came in a press conference at the White House on Monday. Biden likened the efforts to expand broadband access nationwide by 2030 to work to provide electricity to rural America in the 1930s. Sally Doty, director of the Mississippi office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi, was at the White House on Monday for the announcement. "The amount is in the range I expected," Doty said. "It was driven by the large number of high cost (of providing access) areas in the state. The BEAM office is working through all the numerous requirements to get the money out as fast as we can ... We know this funding will be transformational for so many Mississippians and their communities." U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson were the only members of Mississippi's congressional delegation to vote for the Infrastructure Act. Wicker said he was a key negotiator of the Infrastructure Act and "also worked for years as the lead Republican on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee to ensure Mississippi's lack of broadband coverage was accurately reflected in national coverage maps." He said early versions of federal map incorrectly inflated Mississippi's coverage. "I am thrilled at this announcement and, and I will continue working with our leadership to ensure that every dollar is put to work connecting all corners of the state," Wicker said. |
| Gunn touts advancements in education as highlight of speakership | |
| Coming off his final session as Mississippi's House speaker, Philip Gunn is touting the state's strides in education as the highlight of his tenure. Gunn, R-Clinton, became the state's first Republican speaker since Reconstruction when he took the oath in January 2012. Under his leadership, the Magnolia State has seen improvements in education, specifically at the third and fourth-grade levels. In 2013, state lawmakers passed the Literacy-Based Promotion Act, which would not allow a third-grade student to advance to the fourth grade if the student scored at the lowest achievement level in reading on the established state-wide assessment. During a recent appearance on The Gallo Show, Gunn noted that prior to the legislation's passage, just over half of the state's third-grade students were reading at an acceptable level for their age. Now, those numbers are nearing 100 percent. Another educational victory claimed by Gunn was the passage of Mississippi's largest-ever teacher pay raise. The bill served to distribute over $246 million to public school teachers and raised the base salary by an average of $5,140. "With the passage of the largest teacher pay raise last year, we now not only exceed the southeastern average in starting pay, but the national average in starting pay," Gunn added. "All of these things are working together to move Mississippi up the charts." |
| State's teachers union endorses Brandon Presley in governor's race | |
| The Mississippi Association of Educators endorsed Democrat Brandon Presley for governor on Monday over incumbent Republican Gov. Tate Reeves. The election between Reeves and Presley, the northern district public service commissioner, is drawing national attention, and the candidates are beginning to roll out their policy ideas to voters. An April Mississippi Today/Siena College poll showed Reeves with an 11-point lead over Presley: 49% of respondents said they would vote for Reeves compared to Presley's 38%. "As a proud product of public schools and the son of a preschool teacher, it's an honor to earn the support of thousands of educators across this state," Presley said. He continued, "Mississippi educators know that as governor, I will stand with them to fully fund public education so we can position our state towards the economy of the future." "Governor Tate Reeves promised and then secured the largest pay raise for teachers in Mississippi history," said Elliott Husbands, Reeves's campaign manager. "If being a Democrat is more important to MAE than historically raising teacher pay, that's a decision they are free to make." |
| As Dobbs anniversary passes, abortion top of mind in race for Mississippi attorney general | |
 | In the state that birthed the legal case that took down Roe v. Wade, reproductive rights have quickly become the key issue separating the Republican and Democratic candidates for attorney general. As the first anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling passed over the weekend, both incumbent Republican Lynn Fitch and Democratic challenger Greta Kemp Martin marked the occasion, albeit in very different ways. Fitch, whose office led the state's defense of a 15-week abortion restriction that ultimately led to the overturn of nationwide abortion access previously guaranteed by Roe v. Wade, celebrated. After Roe v. Wade was struck down, nearly 50 years after it was decided, Fitch also certified the state's trigger law, which bans abortion in almost all cases. "One year ago today, what would have been just an hour or so ago, we got the blessed news: We had overturned Roe v Wade with the Mississippi Dobbs case," Fitch told the National Celebrate Life Day rally crowd in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. "I was proud to stand with you in the fight to get us to this great day, and I am proud to stand with you in this new Dobbs era." At a rally on the steps of the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Kemp Martin said Fitch's focus is in the wrong place. Kemp Martin, the litigation director for Disability Rights Mississippi, says it right in her Twitter bio that she is "running to unseat the attorney who overturned Roe v. Wade." "Attorney General Fitch pushing the case that led to the Dobbs decision was wrong then, and wrong now, and we're all worse off for it," Kemp Martin said Friday. "Mississippi is in a health care crisis -- the last thing our communities need is a dangerous decision that levies more harmful restrictions or that limit our health care freedoms." |
| James Meredith risked his life doing civil rights work. At 90, he says religion can help cut crime | |
| James Meredith knew he was putting his life in danger in the 1960s by pursuing what he believes was his divine mission: conquering white supremacy in the deeply, and often violently, segregated state of Mississippi. A half-century later, the civil rights leader is still talking about his mission from God. In recent weeks, he made several appearances around his home state, urging people to obey the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule in order to reduce crime. On his 90th birthday on Sunday, Meredith said older generations should lead the way. "Old folks not only can control it -- it's their job to control it," Meredith told The Associated Press in an interview Sunday after an event honoring him at the Mississippi Capitol. Meredith is a civil rights icon who has long resisted that label because he believes it sets issues such as voting rights and equal access to education apart from other human rights. This year, Meredith had planned to walk 200 miles (322 kilometers) in Mississippi to spread his anti-crime message -- roughly the same distance as the March Against Fear. Instead, he made a series of appearances in recent weeks, often using a rolling walker, a wheelchair or a golf cart. On Sunday, Meredith rode in a golf cart for the final quarter-mile (0.40 kilometers) from Jackson City Hall to the Mississippi Capitol, led by a high school marching band and accompanied by dozens of people on foot. A racially diverse group of about 200 people sought shade under magnolia and oak trees while listening to songs, speeches and a child's poem praising Meredith. |
| Tech Startup Targets Missile Motors as Silicon Valley Moves Into Weapons | |
 | Anduril Industries, one of the first California-based tech startups to seek weapons contracts from the Pentagon, is purchasing a rocket-engine business to supply motors used in missiles. The company is acquiring Adranos, an Indiana-based company developing a new solid rocket motor for conventional and hypersonic missiles. The companies didn't disclose the terms of the deal. The move shows how Anduril, which already has drones deployed in Ukraine, is taking a bigger swing at the military market as Pentagon contractors attempt to expand production to meet demand following Russia's invasion last year. Heidi Shyu, the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, said tech companies, such as Anduril, bring needed agility to the weapons market. "They are not the traditional hardware company who's been working with defense forever," she said of Anduril. "As a software company, they're used to agility. They pivot fast." Adranos, the company Anduril is acquiring, was launched in 2015 as a spinoff from a Purdue University program. It has developed a new rocket motor for missiles and space launch using a different fuel from conventional motors that it said offers greater range. Anduril said the Adranos factory in Mississippi was scaled to expand annual rocket engine output from hundreds to several thousand for missiles such as the Javelin being used in Ukraine. |
| Wicker: 'I did not get briefed' on possible coup in Russia | |
| U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is claiming that he was not briefed about a recent international conflict that took place in Russia. Wicker, R-Miss., revealed on Monday's episode of The Gallo Show that neither he nor his committee colleagues had been briefed about the affair or notified about a possible coup attempt in Russia. "We're being told that intelligence officials in Washington knew this was about to happen Wednesday of last week, and I don't believe any member of the Armed Services Committee was briefed about that," Wicker said. "As the leading Republican of the committee, I did not get a briefing or even a hint about it. As a part of a coequal branch of government, I have a problem with that." According to the senator, the committee had been in a meeting over legislation while the Russian conflict was beginning to unravel. He took issue with intelligence officials and leaders in the Biden administration keeping the legislators in the dark on an issue that could potentially fall under the committee's scope of influence. "We were meeting during that entire time. We were together most of Wednesday and most of Thursday until late getting a bill done, and to my knowledge, not one member of the committee was briefed about that, although we're being told on the news, I don't know how accurate it is, that intelligence officials knew about this and did not brief us," Wicker added. "I have a real problem with that and we'll be visiting about that as soon as we get back to Washington." |
| Supreme Court rules state courts can play role in policing federal elections | |
| The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that North Carolina's top court did not overstep its bounds in striking down a congressional districting plan as excessively partisan under state law. The justices by a 6-3 vote rejected the broadest view of a case that could have transformed elections for Congress and president. North Carolina Republicans had asked the court to leave state legislatures virtually unchecked by their state courts when dealing with federal elections. But Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court that "state courts retain the authority to apply state constitutional restraints when legislatures act under the power conferred upon them by the Elections Clause. But federal courts must not abandon their own duty to exercise judicial review." The high court did, though, suggest there could be limits on state court efforts to police elections for Congress and president. The practical effect of the decision is minimal in that the North Carolina Supreme Court, under a new Republican majority, already has undone its redistricting ruling. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch would have dismissed the case because of the intervening North Carolina court action. Another redistricting case from Ohio is pending, if the justices want to say more about the issue before next year's elections. |
| No more sleepy Senate: Schumer seeks to jump-start agenda | |
 | The Senate is a legislative ghost town lately. Chuck Schumer is telegraphing plans to bring it back to life. After spending six months focused on confirming President Joe Biden's nominees and fighting off GOP regulatory rollbacks, the Senate majority leader is planning to pivot into bipartisan policymaking mode. During an interview with POLITICO, Schumer outlined an enterprising agenda that includes must-pass bills on defense, aviation and farm policy, as well as long-held priorities like marijuana banking and China competitiveness. That's on top of a rail safety plan that could run into a wall of GOP resistance and a challenging push to lower prescription drug prices --- plus more. And any of those bills risk falling to a filibuster by Republicans who are deciding whether they're in a mood to compromise before the 2024 election, which could give them control of the Senate. "There are a bunch of Republicans in the Senate who want to work with us," Schumer said in an interview. "We'll try to get as many [bills] done as we can. Legislating in the Senate with the rules we have is not easy, right? But if you push ahead, we're going to get some good things done." Senate Agriculture Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) predicted farm, aviation and China legislation would be "most likely" to pass and that everything else is "probably" going to be harder. |
| Vilsack touts Biden's biofuel support as he details new aid | |
 | Critics of the EPA's rule setting biofuel mandates for transportation use overlook the Biden administration's ongoing support for an "important industry in the Midwest," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Monday. "The reality is no administration in my 30 years of dealing with this issue, no administration, has been more supportive of the biofuel industry than the Biden-Harris administration," Vilsack said in response to a reporter's question during a call where he announced the availability of nearly $500 million to improve and expand the distribution of ethanol and biodiesel. Vilsack, a former Iowa governor and longtime biofuels supporter, cited the EPA's approval in 2022 and 2023 of summer sales of gasoline blends of 15 percent ethanol, fewer waivers from biofuel requirements for refiners than during the Trump administration, and approval of petitions by eight states to sell E15 gasoline blends year-round starting in 2024. He also noted the administration's support for biofuels as part of sustainable aviation fuels, a market Vilsack said offers the industry more opportunities. He said the volume limits set for 2023-2025 are the highest levels ever set by the EPA, which oversees biofuel mandates under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The biofuels industry said the levels represented incremental increases that don't match production capacity. |
| In audio recording, Trump heard discussing sensitive Iran document | |
 | The Washington Post has obtained the 2021 audio recording in which former president Donald Trump appears to brag about possessing a classified document related to Iran that he acknowledges he did not declassify before leaving office. The recording, made at a meeting at Trump's golf club in Bedminster, N.J., is an important piece of evidence obtained by special counsel Jack Smith. It appears to undercut Trump's claims that he had declassified documents before leaving office or didn't know about possessing restricted documents after leaving the White House. The recording, referenced in the federal indictment against Trump and first aired Monday by CNN, features Trump describing a multi-page document that he alleges is about possibly attacking Iran. "See, as president I could have declassified it, now I can't. ... Isn't that interesting? It's so cool," Trump said on the recording. The audio also runs counter to what Trump told Fox News anchor Bret Baier in an interview that aired last week. In the interview, Trump denied referring to an actual document during the conversation at Bedminster; rather, he said he was discussing "newspaper stories, magazine stories and articles." Judge Aileen M. Cannon has scheduled the first pretrial conference in the case for July 14. |
| FBI and Homeland Security ignored 'massive amount' of intelligence before Jan. 6, Senate report says | |
| The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security downplayed or ignored "a massive amount of intelligence information" ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S Capitol, according to the chairman of a Senate panel that on Tuesday is releasing a new report on the intelligence failures ahead of the insurrection. The report details how the agencies failed to recognize and warn of the potential for violence as some of then-President Donald Trump's supporters openly planned the siege in messages and forums online. Among the multitude of intelligence that was overlooked was a December 2020 tip to the FBI that members of the far-right extremist group Proud Boys planned to be in Washington, D.C., for the certification of Joe Biden's victory and their "plan is to literally kill people," the report said. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee said the agencies were also aware of many social media posts that foreshadowed violence, some calling on Trump's supporters to "come armed" and storm the Capitol, kill lawmakers or "burn the place to the ground." The report by the panel's majority staff says the intelligence community has not entirely recalibrated to focus on the threats of domestic, rather than international, terrorism. And government intelligence leaders failed to sound the alarm "in part because they could not conceive that the U.S. Capitol Building would be overrun by rioters." |
| What is the state of American democracy? As July 4th nears, poll shows voters are worried | |
 | he United States will blow out 247 birthday candles this year, but many Americans aren't in a celebratory mood. Polls show there is little excitement about the current 2024 presidential front-runners and there is a lingering alarm about U.S. institutions. In all, 7 out of 10 Americans agree with the statement that American democracy is "imperiled," according to a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll conducted ahead of Independence Day. The fallout from the Jan. 6 insurrection coupled with concerns about the rise of artificial intelligence and other barriers to the ballot box has many Americans biting their nails and asking if the state of democracy can be improved as the country hurtles into another presidential election that promises to be more divisive. What happens next will largely be decided by the results of the 2024 presidential election and other down-ballot races. The current health of U.S. democracy is something Americans agree about across the board, according to the USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll. It shows 74% of Democrats agree that "democracy is imperiled." About 75% of Republicans agree and 66% of independents. "This question does not cut off on political party," said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. "In fact, it's a validation that all political factions, whether you're in the left, right or in the middle, feel that democracy is imperiled, and that's pretty powerful." |
| U.S. pedestrian deaths reach a 40-year high | |
 | A new study paints a grim picture of American roads: every day, 20 people walk outside and end up killed by a moving vehicle. "There are more pedestrians being killed today than in decades," Russ Martin, the senior director of policy and government relations at the Governors Highway Safety Association, told NPR. The organization, which tracks pedestrian deaths in the U.S., estimates that more than 7,500 pedestrians were killed by drivers last year -- the highest number since 1981. The final tally may be even greater given that Oklahoma was unable to provide data due to a technical issue. Pedestrian deaths have been climbing since 2010 because of unsafe infrastructure and the prevalence of SUVs, which tend to be more deadly for pedestrians than smaller cars, according to Martin. When the pandemic arrived, there was an even greater surge as empty roads gave way to speeding and distracted driving. The pandemic has waned, but cases of reckless driving -- and subsequently the number of Americans killed while walking -- has not. The new data, released on Friday, shows the U.S. continues to lag in its effort to improve road safety, even as experts say some solutions are within reach. Traffic safety has been an uphill battle in the U.S. for years but there are strategies at lawmakers' disposal to address the crisis today, according to Peter Norton, a professor at the University of Virginia who has studied the history of driving in America. "The best things we can do will take years, but there are some things we can do now, they don't cost much money and they make a big difference," he said. |
| Ole Miss community engagement program sees success in Ecru, Pontotoc | |
 | A University of Mississippi community engagement program is celebrating its latest string of successes in two Pontotoc County towns. M Partner, a place-based initiative of the Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement, connects university resources with local communities to carry out projects designed to improve quality of life. Wrapping up its second phase in Ecru and Pontotoc, the program conducted work surrounding tourism marketing, health care promotion, supporting small businesses, K-12 education and historic preservation. "M Partner is the perfect example that great things are possible when we really listen to each other, and when we tailor our efforts to best address the specific needs of each community," said Chancellor Glenn Boyce. "I'm proud of the resounding successes we have seen over the last two years in Ecru and Pontotoc." Since the second phase began in late 2020, nearly 30 Ole Miss faculty and staff engaged with more than 400 students and North Mississippi VISTA Project members in 36 academic courses and projects, 11 special events and three national service placements in the towns. |
| USM, MGCCC announce partnership of additional student courses | |
 | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is now offering courses on the USM Gulf Park Campus. More education-driven opportunities for students on the Gulf Coast. Presidents of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and the University of Southern Mississippi sign a Memorandum of Agreement. The new program offers freshmen and sophomore courses at the Gulf Park campus. "Our goal is to always build the economic development on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Education is the key. When you can partner with a university like the University of Southern Mississippi, it's always a positive thing," said Dr. Mary Graham, the President of MGCCC. Dr. Graham said five freshman courses will be offered in the fall. USM Gulf Park President, Dr. Joseph Paul acknowledged the potential boost in enrollment numbers. "Our partnership with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is absolutely the center of that. One of the motivations is to enroll more students. This is really going to help us do that. We're very thankful to Dr. Graham for her leadership and all our partners with the Mississippi Gulf Coast," said Dr. Paul. |
| COVID-19 sparked new growth in homeschooling | |
| In the year preceding the COVID outbreak (2019), an estimated 2.5 million students were homeschooled. By the close of the 2022-2023 school year, that number had ballooned to 3.62 million, according to data taken from the U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey. The rise in homeschoolers in this period marked a 45% increase. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by the Fall start of the 2020-2021 school year, 11.1% of households with school-age children reported homeschooling, up from 5.4% in the Spring of 2020. The rise of homeschooling in Mississippi also increased significantly during that period, skyrocketing more than 4X according to the Census Bureau. The Mississippi Department of Education's (MDE) accounting of homeschool students was not as dramatic as the Census Bureau, but did reflect large increases. In 2020, MDE reported a drop in kindergarteners and spike in homeschoolers drove a statewide decline in enrollment. Homeschool enrollment increased from 18,758 in 2019 to 25,489 in 2020, removing an additional 6,731 students from public-school attendance rolls. The question during and since the pandemic on homeschooling was whether the growth was temporary or permanent. The current numbers are down from the peak of the pandemic, but holding considerably higher than pre-pandemic. |
| U. of Alabama Offers High Salary for New Police Officers | |
| The University of Alabama is offering unrivaled salaries and benefits for new police officers, even those without any prior experience. In a press release this week, a school spokesperson said UAPD is seeking officers and is willing to pay more than any other law enforcement agency in the region. Officers with no prior experience can start at $65,200 and anyone who is already APOST certified can start at $71,240 annually. The Department is also offering more than $11,000 in recruitment and retention incentives. "So often in contemporary society, police officers are tasked with performing one of the most important and challenging jobs a person can do, and yet, they are often overworked and underpaid," said UAPD Chief of Police John Hooks. The high salaries also come with Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, state retirement through Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama, 15 paid holidays and more leniency than other departments on appearance and grooming standards. "At UAPD, we are blessed to have a work environment that allows us to get to know and partner with our community members while maintaining a safe and secure environment on campus," said Hooks. "I want to help our officers grow and develop personally and professionally, which only makes us stronger as an institution and a police department." |
| Silence From State Officials on Florida's New Anti-DEI Law Unnerves Critics, Employees | |
 | With just days left before a sweeping new anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion law in Florida takes effect, government and college officials have been mum about how or when they plan to implement and comply with the law, causing widespread confusion and anxiety. Left to be determined includes what the state considers to be a diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative. According to Senate Bill 266, Florida's public colleges may not spend state or federal funds "to promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities that ... advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, or promote or engage in political or social activism as defined by the rules of the State Board of Education and regulations of the Board of Governors." The law is likely to affect many of the programs colleges have in place to help recruit and retain underrepresented students and faculty and what professors can teach in general-education courses. Critics of the Florida law, including Adam Steinbaugh, a lawyer for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, say the implementation is bound to be challenging and that the state will likely blow past its own deadline of July 1, when the law is set to go into effect. "The legislature left it to state regulators to fill in some of the law's vague terms, but no rules or regulations have been proposed, and they still have to give the public an opportunity to weigh in on their proposed rules and regulations," Steinbaugh said. "That's not happening before July 1." When signing the bill into law in May, Gov. Ron DeSantis said that DEI should really stand for discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination, which have no place in the state's public institutions. |
| Florida lawsuit challenges constitutionality of accreditation | |
 | For 58 years, the accreditation system of higher education has stood, enshrined in federal law and reaffirmed with each reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Now, a federal lawsuit from the state of Florida is looking to upend that entire system, which is a key part of the federal accountability system that helps to determine which colleges and universities receive access to federal financial aid. Florida governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, and other state officials argue in the lawsuit filed last week that Congress has "ceded unchecked power" to the private accrediting agencies, violating the U.S. Constitution. They want a federal judge to permanently block the Education Department from enforcing accreditation-related provisions of the Higher Education Act. Currently, federal law requires that colleges and universities be accredited by an Education Department–recognized accreditor in order to receive federal student aid such as Pell Grants. The White House has promised to fight the lawsuit, calling it part of DeSantis's culture wars. Others said the lawsuit showed a lack of understanding about accreditation and failed to provide an alternative vision of federal accountability. Cynthia Jackson Hammond, president of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, said in a statement that there's no precedent for questioning accreditation in this way. She's hoping the lawsuit will not set such a precedent. Several higher education and legal experts said the lawsuit seemed more about politics than the law and was unlikely to be successful. |
| U. of Arkansas System board backs Bobbitt in 7-3 vote | |
| Sheffield Nelson's allegation that University of Arkansas System President Donald Bobbitt had misled the UA board of trustees regarding a planned affiliation with the University of Phoenix was "inaccurate and false," according to a resolution passed by the board on Monday. The board voted 7-3 to pass the resolution, with Nelson, Steve Cox and Tommy Boyer voting no, according to Nate Hinkel, a spokesman for the UA System. The board had voted 5-4 on April 24 to reject the Phoenix deal. Nelson, who is vice chairman, wrote in an email to the board on Wednesday that Bobbitt had Board Policy 340.1 changed in May 2022 so board approval wouldn't be required for the acquisition of the University of Phoenix by a nonprofit organization affiliated with the UA System -- Transformative Education Services, or TES. That change shifted power from the board to the president and "opened the main avenue for him to pursue the Phoenix deal on his own," wrote Nelson. Nelson urged the board not to renew Bobbitt's contract, which expires at the end of the year, writing, "It is my hope that you will consider the subterfuge, deception and the general conduct of Bobbitt before casting your vote." But the board sided with Bobbitt, who argued in an email to them on Thursday that Board Policy 340.1, which pertains to "related entities," didn't apply because the UA System wouldn't have owned or controlled TES. Instead, the TES deal would have been a contract, and the UA System president has the authority to enter into contracts under Board Policy 300.1, which pertains to "contracting authority," according to Bobbitt and the board. "I don't agree with that, but it doesn't make any difference," said Nelson. "If they're happy with it, I'm happy with it." |
| University System of Georgia contract and emails reveal more information about data breach | |
 | The University System of Georgia released some additional documents related to the data breach of MOVEit secure file transfer software, including that the system had signed a $15,000 contract for a year of technical support with the software earlier this spring. On June 15, USG sent a statement acknowledging that the parent company of MOVEit had "recently identified a zero-day defect in its MOVEit software, a vulnerability that likely allowed cybercriminals unauthorized access to information stored in the MOVEit secure repositories operating at numerous customer sites, including USG and the University of Georgia." The USA Today network requested all communications between USG employees and employees of MOVEit in the month of June, as well as the contracts involved in the software purchase. It also requested comment and clarification on the records release, but USG did not comment on Monday. The software appears to have been purchased through a contract with CDW Government LLC. On March 28, USG signed a contract for technical support for MOVEit for the next year for about $15,000. (Two versions of the renewal were provided as part of an open record request, both with the same date and time stamps, but with slightly different prices listed.) |
| Texas A&M System starts ethics and compliance review of DEI efforts ahead of ban | |
 | The Texas A&M University System is starting to take stock of all university activities, programs or groups that try to foster a diverse and inclusive campus environment as it prepares for a new law to go into effect next year. That law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 14 bans diversity, equity and inclusion offices, trainings and programs at all of the state's public colleges and universities. According to a June 13 memo obtained by The Texas Tribune, A&M System leaders have launched a "Systemwide Ethics and Compliance Program Review" to ensure its universities are following state and federal equal employment opportunity laws and the new bill that bans DEI offices, Senate Bill 17. They directed presidents at the system's 11 public universities to provide copies of all campus work related to diversity, equity and inclusion. The memo provides one of the first glances into how university leaders are responding to the legislation, which faced broad opposition at the Capitol from state Democrats, faculty and students. Texas became the second state in the country behind Florida to ban such offices and programs. The legislation would not affect course instruction, faculty research, student organizations, guest speakers, data collection or admissions. |
| Cybersecurity clinics blend hands-on training and community services | |
| Community clinics have been a staple of professional education for decades: think of law students, with guidance from their professors, shepherding survivors of domestic abuse through the byzantine family law system or helping small businesses understand and navigate local zoning laws. Or dental students, under the watchful eye of their instructors, filling a child's cavity or fitting a crown over the broken tooth of an unemployed adult. The clinics help students develop practical knowledge and the skills they'll need after earning their formal academic credentials, while providing vital services to people and organizations that need them -- along the way helping their institutions serve their communities. Welcome to a 21st-century incarnation of those offerings: cybersecurity clinics, in which students getting academic training in cybersecurity develop hands-on experience helping local businesses, nonprofit groups and government agencies prevent, defend against and respond to the growing threats of cybercrime and data breaches. Like many such collectives in higher education, the cybersecurity clinic movement developed initially through individual initiatives on campuses. |
| Fauci, former face of U.S. covid response, to join Georgetown faculty | |
| Anthony S. Fauci, who retired from the National Institutes of Health in December after helping two presidents navigate the coronavirus pandemic, plans to join the faculty at Georgetown University on July 1, according to the university. Fauci, 82, will teach medicine and public policy as a "distinguished university professor," a title that recognizes "extraordinary achievement in scholarship, teaching and service," Georgetown said in a statement released Monday. Fauci, a world authority on infectious disease who advised seven presidents on crises from AIDS to Ebola to the coronavirus, will teach in both the School of Medicine and the McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown officials said. Fauci stepped down after 38 years as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease in December. "I ask myself, now at this stage in my life, what do I have to offer to society? And I think, sure, I could do more experiments in the lab and have my lab going. But given what I've been through, I think what I have to offer is experience and inspiration to the younger generation of students," Fauci said in an interview with Georgetown posted Monday on the school's website. Fauci has deep ties to the 234-year-old Jesuit institution. He and his wife, Christine Grady, a Georgetown graduate and head of the NIH Clinical Center's Department of Bioethics, were married in the campus's Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart. Their three daughters were born at Georgetown University Hospital. Fauci attended New York City's Regis High School and the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., both Jesuit institutions. |
| Student loan debt: Borrowers brace for Supreme Court decision | |
 | President Biden's student debt forgiveness plan will finally see an end to its months-long limbo in the courts this week. With repayments set to start again in October after a years-long pandemic-related pause, the Supreme Court's forthcoming ruling on the legality of Biden's proposal is the last piece of the student loan puzzle, offering a clearer landscape moving forward. Many borrowers are fearful as the conservative-majority Supreme Court, which could make its decision known as soon as Tuesday morning, seemed skeptical of Biden's plan during oral arguments in February. "Generally, I hope that no matter what happens with this Supreme Court decision, that our decision-makers keep talking about options when it comes to providing student debt relief," Sabrina Golling, a 27-year-old student loan borrower, told The Hill on Monday. If the plan is struck down, borrowers can expect no relief, while interest on their loans restarts Sep. 1 and payments resume Oct. 1. Republicans have been pushing for this outcome, arguing for months the $400 billion plan is unfair to those who never went to college or who paid off their student loans without assistance. "Moreover, this administration is bypassing Congress, which is elected by the American people to protect their interests," Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), the chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, previously said. "Congress is the only body with the authority to enact sweeping and fundamental changes of this nature, and it is ludicrous for President Biden to assume he can simply bypass the will of the American people." |
| Nursing shortage part of state's enduring healthcare tragedy | |
| Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford writes: As many hospitals close wings, downsize, and/or reduce services, Mississippi still faces a serious nursing shortage. "According to data from the Mississippi Hospital Association (MHA), registered nurse vacancies and turnover rates skyrocketed in the past year to their highest numbers in at least a decade," reported Mississippi Today. The MHA explained that more and more nurses have been leaving their jobs due to burnout as well as to the lure of higher pay in other states. While nurse pay in Mississippi averaged $67,930 annually in 2022 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only Arkansas and South Dakota had lower average wages. The wage issue is further compounded by Mississippi hospitals' inability to pay up due to financial struggles and relatively low insurance reimbursement rates. ... The Mississippi Legislature sought to address the problem during the recent session by providing additional funds for community colleges to expand programs. But several issues make that solution problematic. Nursing schools already face faculty shortages. Further, nursing programs require access to hospitals and nurse mentors for student clinical experiences. Closed hospital wings and senior nursing staff shortages make fewer clinic slots and hours available. Many seasoned nurses have abandoned hospital jobs. |
SPORTS
| Men's Hoops Learns 2023-24 SEC Matchups | |
| Mississippi State men's basketball had its 18 SEC matchups revealed for the 2023-24 season announced by Monday by the league office. The Bulldogs have drawn fellow 2023 NCAA Tournament participants Auburn and Kentucky for home-and-home games along with permanent opponents of Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina for the ninth straight season. The SEC will release game dates, game times and television information at a later date. The last time State faced off with Auburn and Kentucky twice during the regular season was in 2018-19 which marked a NCAA Tournament campaign for the Maroon and White. The Bulldogs also play host to Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. Overall, State's SEC home slate features three teams who made the NCAA Sweet 16 and six matchups with 2023 postseason squads. The Bulldogs will travel to Florida, LSU, Missouri and Texas A&M. Mississippi State is now accepting new season ticket deposits for the 2023-24 season and the process for fans and 2022-23 season ticket holders to order their seats will begin on Wednesday, June 28 at 9 a.m. Seat locations will be picked during a full reseat this September based on Bulldog Club ranking. |
| Mississippi State men's basketball learns 2023-24 SEC opponents | |
| Mississippi State's men's basketball schedule continues to take shape. The Bulldogs, coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019, learned who their home and away Southeastern Conference opponents would be for the 2023-24 season Monday afternoon. MSU, in Chris Jans' second year as head coach, will play home-and-homes against Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, Kentucky and Ole Miss. Additionally, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Georgia will make trips to Humphrey Coliseum this winter, while the Bulldogs will play road games against Texas A&M, Missouri, LSU and Florida. MSU, who returns all five of its starters from last year's team that lost to Pittsburgh in the First Four, also has a slate of non-conference games scheduled, including: Arizona State in Chicago to open the season on Nov. 8, a home game against North Alabama on Nov. 14, a game in Atlanta on Dec. 9 against an opponent yet to be announced and two games in the Hall of Fame Classic at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, with the first game against Washington State on Nov. 18 and another game against either Rhode Island or Northwestern on Nov. 19. |
| Mississippi State, Ole Miss basketball announce 2023-2024 SEC foes | |
| With the SEC announcing its 2023-24 conference opponents on Monday, Mississippi State and Ole Miss basketball got a glimpse into what the season will bring. The highlight for both is a home-and-away series staying put in the rivalry. For Mississippi State, other home-and-away opponents include Auburn, Alabama, South Carolina and Kentucky. Road-only opponents for the Bulldogs are Texas A&M, LSU, Florida and Missouri. The home-only foes are Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Georgia. Ole Miss' home-and-away slate includes Auburn, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas A&M. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida and Vanderbilt will be coming to SJB Pavilion. Georgia, Kentucky, LSU and Tennessee are Ole Miss' road-only foes. Mississippi State is entering its second season under coach Chris Jans. Ole Miss is entering its first season under coach Chris Beard. |
| Mississippi State soccer releases 18-match regular season schedule | |
| On the heels of its first-ever NCAA tournament win, Mississippi State's 2023 schedule features seven teams that made NCAA tournament appearances in 2022. The schedule, released Friday, includes an 18-match regular season this fall, with 10 matches being played at the MSU Soccer Field. Head coach James Armstrong said he wanted a tough non-conference schedule. "The quality of opponents and variety of styles will serve as a great challenge and bring lots of exciting matchups," Armstrong said in a press release. "It will also serve as great preparation for what is always a highly competitive conference schedule. The Bulldogs will open their season in Arizona with a road match at Grand Canyon on Aug. 17, followed by a contest at Arizona State on Aug. 20. Mississippi State's first home match of the 2023 season will be on Aug. 24 against Northwestern State at the MSU Soccer Field. SEC play will begin Sept. 15 when Mississippi State hosts Auburn. |
| Lapa Promoted To Associate Head Coach | |
| After helping guide Mississippi State men's golf to its first NCAA Regional title, Kolton Lapa has been promoted to associate head coach, Dusty Smith announced on Monday. Lapa joined the Bulldogs in June 2022 and made an immediate impact. Under Smith and Lapa's leadership, the Bulldogs set school records for rounds in the 60s (43) and par or better rounds (119), surpassing the previous totals by wide margins. Lapa and Smith led State to three tournament titles in 2022-23 and took MSU back to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2008. Additionally, the Bulldogs shot three of the 10 lowest team rounds in program history and shot two of the top four 54-hole team totals. They broke the school record for both along the way. State's nine top-five finishes as a team were one shy of the school record set in 2012-13. "I'm so thankful for Kolton and everything he has done and continues to do for our program," Smith said. "He cares deeply for our players and wants to do whatever possible to make them better people, students and golfers. I have been very impressed with his attention to detail and his desire to work daily to be the best coach he can be." |
| Former Bulldog Jordan Westburg called up to Baltimore Orioles | |
| Another former Mississippi State baseball player is set to make his Major League debut. Jordan Westburg, an MSU infielder from 2018-20, joined the Baltimore Orioles Monday after hitting .295 with 18 homers and 54 RBIs for their Triple-A affiliate, Norfolk Tide. Westburg, Baltimore's No. 3 prospect, became the 68th former Bulldog to reach the major leagues, and second this season following JP France, a pitcher who was called up by the Houston Astros on May 6. In three seasons in Starkville, Westburg batted .285 over 124 games, making 113 starts, collecting 127 hits, 10 homers and 102 RBIs. Westburg, from New Braunfels, Texas, was selected 30th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft by the Orioles. |
| Mississippi State football: Cameron Young surprises mom with new house | |
| There are plenty of ways for an NFL rookie to put his paychecks to use -- from new cars to expensive jewelry. However, for former Mississippi State football defensive lineman Cameron Young, he elected to use his new fortunes to give back. Young, who was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, bought his mom a house. In a video he shared on social media, Young shows his mom looking around a home and sharing her admiration of it. As she was looking through the kitchen, Young broke the news. "I'm glad you like it," he said, "because it's yours." Young went in for a hug as his mom stood wide-eyed -- struggling to believe what just happened. |
| A House For Mom: Bulldog and current Seattle Seahawk Cameron Young surprises mother with new home | |
| Tremel Bates-Young, the mother of former Mississippi State defensive lineman Cameron Young, was standing in the kitchen of a beautiful new house in a video posted by Cameron to Twitter on Sunday. It was obvious by what happened next that Tremel was unaware of what was about to occur. "I'm glad you like it, because it's yours," Cameron told his mom in a moment the Young family will all remember forever. Cameron had visions of providing for his family long before he ever had realistic dreams of playing in the NFL. Now, after realizing his pro football ambitions when the Seahawks picked him in the fourth round of the NFL Draft back in April, Cameron has accomplished both his missions with his recent purchase. He's gone from State to Sundays. He's given his mom a gorgeous new place to live. Tremel, meanwhile, simply remains at a loss for words because of her boy's loving actions. "I'm still in shock," Tremel said. "I can't believe he did it." |
| How foundation for Sam Westmoreland carries on the legacy of Mississippi State football player | |
| Soon after Sam Westmoreland's untimely death in October, Amanda Lavender was considering ways to ensure her son's legacy lived on. She wanted his passion for football, his kindness and his love for everybody to be on display while providing opportunities for children in the community. That's when the idea of a summer football camp honoring Westmoreland -- a former Mississippi State football offensive lineman who died by suicide just before his 19th birthday -- at Tupelo High School came up. With more than 40 youngsters gathering on the blue THS turf along with Westmoreland's former teammates, coaches and friends, a step in ensuring his impact continues took center stage. "This makes my heart happy," Lavender said Saturday. "Sam Alton is here with us today. I know that he's smiling down. He made me jump through some hoops to get here, but that's his character too. He was a tricky monkey." The event was hosted by the Tupelo staff, but proceeds went toward the SW78 foundation. Another idea that spurred soon after Westmoreland's death, the foundation aims to provide help for those in similar situations. Sam Westmoreland's meaning to those around Tupelo football was on display at the camp with a plethora of former teammates leading the way. Among those was Jett Johnson, a Mississippi State linebacker who led the SEC in tackles last year. His attendance was a testament to how Tupelo has rallied around the Westmoreland family. From helmet stickers to posters inside the stadium, his presence was felt throughout the 2022 season and will continue. |
| After seeing it all on this Omaha trip, LSU emerges with its seventh national title | |
 | Over the course of its 10 days in Omaha, LSU had seen it all. A loss to No. 1 Wake Forest put its back against the wall in the losers bracket. The ultimate duel between two of the nation's best aces, LSU's Paul Skenes and Wake Forest's Rhett Lowder, took place in one of LSU's four elimination games. Back-to-back 11-inning games won on home runs by Tommy White and Cade Beloso. Stiff winds that took distance off of its long fly balls, oftentimes sapping some of the intimidation from one of the nation's best power-hitting lineups. On Monday, during the Tigers' eighth game in 10 days, the Tigers saw something new in this CWS -- a dominant version of themselves. LSU demolished Florida 18-4 at Charles Schwab Field to win the program's first national title since 2009 and its seventh overall. The ending, while somewhat expected by a team that began the season at No. 1 and held steady for 12 straight weeks, reads more like that of a triumphant Goliath who toppled David. "I don't think there was any underdog thought with this team," LSU coach Jay Johnson said. "This national championship means more because of who we beat to win the national championship." |
| How does IRS memo on NIL collectives affect the 12th Man+ Fund and other A&M collectives? | |
| When it comes to the business of college football, one statement always rings true to former Texas A&M student Shanubh Desai, Class of 1988: To win in college football, it's players, coaches and concrete. So when the 12th Man Foundation announced it's new name, image and likeness compensation arm, the 12th Man+ Fund, he was an early investor looking to bolster the first aspect of that trinity of success. "Let's not be naive about what's going on around us with college athletics in that the NIL fund is very, very important for obtaining and retaining talent," Desai said Monday. "What this program has done is it has allowed the average fan to contribute and feel like they're making a legit contribution to supporting A&M athletes." However, a memo released by the Internal Revenue Service's Office of Chief Council on June 9 could change the way the 12th Man Foundation operates in the NIL space. Simply paraphrased, the memo gives the IRS' legal stance on if paid NIL opportunities for college athletes by nonprofit collectives constitutes an exempt purpose under tax law. The 12-page document lays out a case that NIL compensation serves private interests more than just an incidental byproduct to a tax exempt purpose, therefore should not be exempt. While the memo is clear for NIL collectives with a sole purpose of compensating college athletes, it presents a gray area for organizations like the 12th Man Foundation, which has a half-century record of promoting an exempt purpose, Morse attorney and NIL legal expert Ryan Whelpley said. |
| U. of Arkansas System trustees OK firms for revamp of Walton Arena | |
| The University of Arkansas System board of trustees approved architects and contractors Monday to study renovation options for Bud Walton Arena, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and is home to the Arkansas Razorbacks men's and women's basketball teams. UA-Fayetteville Chancellor Charles Robinson recommended -- based on feedback from the selection committee -- the AECOM firm, which has its global headquarters in Dallas, with Cromwell Architects Engineers, headquartered in Springdale and, as contractors, Mortensen, based in Minneapolis, with Nabholz Construction, based in Conway. UA System President Donald Bobbitt concurred with the recommendations. Late this year or early next year, trustees will be presented with a detailed scope, budget, and phasing study -- paid for by athletic reserves -- for the renovation, construction for which the university hopes to begin in March 2025. UA-Fayetteville Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek discussed with trustees in March the need to renovate the arena, which has become "somewhat tired," noting then it would be judicious to select an architect and contractor jointly so they could work together, and "we'd get an idea of pricing," as opposed to "the architect designing a building you love but can't afford." |
| Greg Sankey calls for college football changes: SEC commissioner speaks out on NIL, transfer portal | |
| Instrumental to the success of the Southeastern Conference and to the oversight of college athletics as a whole is SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, who began his tenure in 2015 and quickly guided the highly-accomplished league to substantial growth. Sankey welcomes Texas and Oklahoma to the conference next summer, further establishing its championship-caliber footprint, and inked a major media rights deal to secure generous payouts across the league's membership. The commissioner also serves as a key voice on hot-button issues such as the transfer portal, NIL and College Football Playoff expansion. He went in-depth on these subjects and more in an interview on The Joel Klatt Show. "It is never going to be the way that it was," Sankey said. "The transfer realities are not going to go the same way. The money is going to continue to grow. The expectations, the intensity, the visibility, the opportunity. Most of those words are great things, by the way -- not negative." |
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