| Thursday, October 12, 2023 |
| MSU's Agricultural Autonomy Institute revolutionizes future of agriculture | |
 | One of the main focuses of the new Agricultural Autonomy Institute at Mississippi State is economic development within the state, but it goes much deeper than that. According to the institute, it is 87% harder to fill farming jobs than in previous years. The Agricultural Autonomy Institute offers a solution. Robots herding cattle and picking cotton, self-driving tractors, and drones roaming the landscape. The future of agriculture can be seen today at Mississippi State University. Director of the Agricultural Autonomy Institute Dr. Alex Thomasson said farmers finding labor is becoming more difficult due to the dangers and difficulties that come with the work. "Frankly, I would say the agricultural autonomy institute is the first of its kind nationwide," Thomasson said. "We've still got a growing population worldwide, and we need to use automated systems to keep up with food production needs." Thomasson said the overall goal is to increase production and profitability within the industry and the state, along with developing research, workforce management, and adding technology with traditional machinery. |
| Mississippi State uses $943K grant to increase behavioral health access in rural areas | |
 | Mississippi State University is increasing access to behavioral health services in rural communities courtesy of a $943,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The two-year funding, awarded to MSU's Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program, addresses the shortage of behavioral health service providers in Mississippi through stipends and support to ABA master's students and existing providers who serve in rural areas of the state. Practitioners delivering ABA services use evidence-based practice to improve the overall quality of life and independence for a variety of individuals across the lifespan, but most frequently provide services to patients diagnosed with autism or an intellectual or developmental disability. "Our state has less than one-third of the workforce needed to provide behavior-analytic services, which translates to long waitlists for families and children not getting the care they need," Principal Investigator and ABA Program Coordinator Hallie Smith, also an assistant professor in the department, said. "With this grant, we will be able to increase the number of providers and better meet the needs of children, adolescents, and young adults in rural and underserved communities in Mississippi." |
| Growing concern: The rise in age of America's farmers and the need for fresh crop of talent | |
| America's farmers are aging, and experts say we need to step up with policies and funding to support older farmers and help refill the pipeline of younger farmers. The average age for folks who run a farm is now over 57 years old, up from 50.5 about 40 years ago. Researchers from Mississippi State University say our nation's food supply could be at risk if we ignore the aging issue, but one of them said he's not "an alarmist" and that he's confident American farmers can get the job done if they get the support they need. "The bottom line is I believe in the power of our agricultural system in the United States," said David Buys, an associate professor in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion at Mississippi State University. "I believe in the power of our farmers. ... the work that they do, their commitment to the land. They're going to make it happen. They're 'get it done' kind of people." Without younger folks refilling the ranks, the average farmer's age keeps creeping up. Buys said we need policies and funding that meet the needs of older farmers, who have physically and mentally tough jobs. The researchers said Congress needs to reauthorize the farm bill that gets passed roughly every five years. |
| ¡CELEBRAMOS! MSU asst. professor teaches healthy habits while keeping traditional Latin dishes | |
 | An assistant professor from Mississippi State University is partnering with a group of women to create a cookbook that not only highlights Latin dishes but also shows how to make the recipes healthy. Dr. Karina Zelaya has been in education for 20 years. She teaches Spanish, literature and writing. She is from El Salvador, and she has lived in Mississippi since 2014. Like most immigrants, her family moved to the U.S. looking for a better life. "My parents came first and then I came as a result of a civil war in my country," Dr. Zelaya said. "It really wasn't safe, and it wasn't a question of economic resources. It was more like running for our lives." In addition to her work at MSU, she travels to Forest, Mississippi each Wednesday for a different type of teaching at El Pueblo. She meets with the ladies of Mujeres Unidas (United Women), a group within El Pueblo that gives women opportunities to create and learn. (El Pueblo offers different immigration services while promoting community, empowerment, education and outreach.) "We have started what we informally call a food club." |
| Phelps widens money gap in sheriff's race | |
 | Campaign contributions in the sheriff's race are inching closer to $40,000, according to the most recent campaign finance reports. Republican Shank Phelps easily leads the way with $29,340 so far this election season, compared to Democrat John Rice's $9,581.40. Candidates in state and local races must file periodic campaign finance reports and itemize contributions or expenditures of $200 or greater. The most recent reports were due Tuesday. The general election is set for Nov. 7. For the most recent filing period, Phelps raised $8,280, including $5,000 he contributed himself. He also received $500 from Prate Montgomery and $2,740 in non-itemized donations. Phelps has spent $16,335.56, including $3,959.52 this period, and has $13,004.44 on hand. Rice has raised $2,625 this period, including $1,000 from Don Lee, $500 each from Kyle Tatch and Shane Varnadoe, $300 from Andy Shurden, $200 from Earthmark LLC and $125 non-itemized. He has spent $9,172.97 year-to-date, including $2,547.75 last period, and reported $408.43 on hand. |
| Goings on with Grant: El Rodeo now open in Starkville | |
| I know some folks who believe there are more than enough Mexican restaurants in Starkville, but if you ask me, there's always room for one more. With that said, El Rodeo, a Mexican restaurant at 664 Hwy. 12 W. in the Triangle Crossing Shopping Center, is now open and ready to serve some classic sizzling fajitas, among other things. Manager Elizabeth Ornelas Pritchard told me the restaurant opened on Oct. 5 after waiting a few months for alcohol permits. "We had a soft opening on that Wednesday with a couple private invitations for a few people," Pritchard said. "After that was a really great success, we just kind of made the rash decision of staying open." Renovations to the restaurant began in 2022 and wrapped in July. Since then, Pritchard said the restaurant was waiting on the permits and a few pieces of bar and kitchen equipment while training staff. With the business now open, I can't wait to try the steak burrito. Business hours are Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Saturday's partial solar eclipse to peak around noon | |
| The moon will take a bite out of the sun Saturday, and at least one local library is organizing a viewing party to celebrate. According to meteorologist Logan Poole with the National Weather Service Jackson Office, the partial eclipse will start to be noticeable as early as 10:30 a.m. in the Golden Triangle. It will reach its maximum around 12:05 p.m. Unlike the 2017 total eclipse, Poole said for viewers in eastern Mississippi about 60% of the sun will be blocked at the eclipse's maximum extent. "The area that is going to see the fullest, best eclipse is to the northwest, stretching from the Pacific Northwest to the Gulf region," Poole said. "Over here we'll see a crescent moon shape, most likely in the right-hand half (of the sun)." The moon will move out of the way for about an hour after that, he said. While the eclipse will not be as dramatic as the so-called "Great American Eclipse" back in 2017, several local libraries are trying to help people make the most of it. Starkville Public Library Assistant Director Kara Roberts told The Dispatch the library is hosting a viewing party at the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee Wildlife Refuge near the visitor center from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. |
| Drought taking toll on farmers, cattle, and soon on grocery shoppers | |
| The Mississippi State Fair is set up to promote agriculture, but that industry is taking a hard hit now because of the long-running drought. At the livestock barns on the fairgrounds, many are at the fair to showcase their cattle. But what they are all talking about is the long dry period that's showing no sign of letting up. "If (the cattle) ain't got weight on them, they are not feeling healthy. They just can't produce like they usually do," said cattle worker Remington Hillhouse. The big impact of this brutal dry run has been the lack of hay production. It has forced cattlemen to use their stored hay now to feed their animals when they normally would have saved it for winter. Andy Berry, executive director of the Mississippi Cattleman's Association, says beef prices are expected to be on the rise. "I would say 10% to 15% will not be out of the realm of possibility," Berry said. Those prices will not increase now, but six months from now because many cattle operations may have to sell their herds rather than face the rising costs of keeping them. "This is a limiting factor in getting people to buy back in on cow prices," Berry said. "I see this lasting for several years. "The long-term is that we are going to have a lot less beef producers than what we had in 1959," said Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson. |
| Residents learn about PSC's role, voice frustrations | |
 | Meridian and Lauderdale County residents were given an inside look at what Mississippi's Public Service Commission is tasked with and an opportunity to share their frustrations about utility services on Tuesday as Meridian Mayor Jimmie Smith and PSC Central District Commissioner Brent Bailey held a community forum at Union Station. The Public Service Commission, Bailey said, is tasked with regulating utilities throughout the state to make sure the costs for services are reasonable and that the services provided are adequate, Bailey said. The commission works with utility companies such as Mississippi Power, Atmos Energy and East Mississippi Electric Power Association to address customer complaints and resolve any shortcomings in the utility's service. "We want to understand that anything utilities build or acquire is in the public interest and helps in increasing reliability," he said. "We also answer complaints, do investigations and hold certain hearings, formal and informal hearings." Following the June storms, in which multiple rounds of straight line winds and tornadoes pummeled infrastructure across the state, Bailey said the PSC worked to address issues that cropped up with some providers' emergency response plans and make sure proper resources were being deployed to get services restored as quickly as possible. "June 2023 set the record for the most tornadoes ever in the month of June in the history of the National Weather Service. It set a record for the state of Mississippi," he said. "We had 80 mph straight line winds coming down from Vicksburg all the way down I-20 into Meridian, gusting up to 90 mph. Those are stronger winds than when Hurricane Katrina came through and when it moved through this part of rural, central Mississippi." |
| Democratic challenger raises more campaign cash than GOP incumbent in Mississippi governor's race | |
 | The Democratic challenger in the Mississippi governor's race has raised more campaign cash than the Republican incumbent so far this year, but the Republican has more money left to spend in the final weeks of the race, according to finance reports filed Tuesday. In a state where Republicans hold all statewide offices and a strong majority in the Legislature, first-term Gov. Tate Reeves discounted the fundraising by challenger Brandon Presley, saying Presley received $3 million from the Democratic Governors Association -- making up more than one-third of Presley's collections. "Ask yourself: why are they dropping historic money on Mississippi to flip it blue?" Reeves wrote on social media. "It's because they know Brandon Presley will govern like a liberal democrat." Presley is a utility regulator and cousin of rock 'n' roll legend Elvis Presley, and he's seeking to become Mississippi's first Democratic governor in 20 years. Ron Owens, his campaign manager, said in a statement that Presley has momentum "to bring change to the governor's office." "Brandon Presley is receiving overwhelming support from Mississippians because they are ready for a governor who will tackle corruption, keep hospitals open, and cut the car tag fees in half," Owens said. Mississippi voters will be heading to the polls Nov. 7 for the general election. Absentee voting has already begun. |
| Solar energy company threatens to sue Tate Reeves campaign for airing 'defamatory' TV ad | |
| Employees of a company that Republican Gov. Tate Reeves' campaign accused in a TV ad of illegally donating to his Democratic opponent, Brandon Presley, is threatening to sue the governor's campaign if it doesn't take the ad off the air. Jackson-based attorney William Manuel wrote a letter on behalf of solar energy company Silicon Ranch to Reeves campaign manager Elliott Husbands, saying the ad contains audio "falsely accusing" employees of the energy company of breaking the law. "In consideration of the foregoing, should you fail to immediately cease broadcasting, publishing, and promoting the subject of the advertisement, Silicon Ranch will pursue all available legal remedies to cease the publication of this defamatory advertisement, including seeking injunctive relief and damages for the continued improper publishing and broadcasting of the advertisement," Manuel wrote. The basis for Reeves' ad revolves around a statute that forbids public service commissioners, who regulate public utilities, from taking campaign donations from representatives of public utilities the commission is responsible for regulating. But Manuel contends in the letter that Silicon Ranch, a producer of of solar energy, is not considered a public utility under Mississippi law, which would, in theory, clear the way for Presley to accept those donations legally. |
| Reeves campaign threatened with lawsuit over 'demonstrably false' ad | |
 | A solar company with multiple North Mississippi projects sent a cease-and-desist letter to Republican Gov. Tate Reeves' reelection campaign this week over a TV ad it calls "defamatory" and "demonstrably false." Two days after Monday's letter, the ad was still up and the campaign disputed the letter's claims. With less than a month until Election Day, a lawsuit could force the Reeves campaign to deplete its campaign fund on a legal battle. The latest campaign finance reports showed Reeves had a $4.3 million advantage over his Democratic opponent Brandon Presley in cash on hand as of Sept. 30. The governor's ad, launched last week, misleadingly claimed Presley, northern district utility regulator, violated ethics laws by taking campaign contributions from Silicon Ranch, which was involved in projects that were reviewed by the Public Service Commission (PSC). But state law does not classify solar companies as public utilities, so PSC members are allowed to accept money from them just like any other donor. And Presley's donations came from Silicon Ranch employees, not the company itself as the ad implied. Silicon Ranch demanded the Reeves campaign pull its ad from TV, social media and all internet platforms, according to the Oct. 9 letter from the company's lawyer Will Manuel to Reeves campaign manager Elliott Husbands, a copy of which was obtained by the Daily Journal. Republican Brent Bailey sits on the three-person PSC alongside Presley representing the central district. He told the Daily Journal in August that PSC members are free to take money from solar companies because they are not regulated utilities and do not supply power directly to consumers. |
| Welfare scandal defendant sues Gov. Tate Reeves, claims he's protecting himself and political allies | |
| A defendant in the state's welfare scandal lawsuit sued Gov. Tate Reeves on Wednesday, claiming the governor is illegally controlling the lawsuit to protect himself and political allies including former Gov. Phil Bryant and Republican-leaning SuperTalk radio. The lawsuit calls for an injunction removing Reeves from control of the state's lawsuit regarding the welfare scandal and for the governor to repay the state millions of dollars for money spent on a private audit and private law firm. The lawsuit also includes previously unreleased text messages about Reeves from officials with a drug company, Prevacus, championed by former NFL star Brett Favre. Authorities say the company illegally received welfare money. The lawsuit says the messages show Bryant -- who "Defendant Reeves refuses to sue" -- persuaded Prevacus to support Reeves to continue the flow of welfare funds to the company. The lawsuit was filed by Austin Smith, the nephew of former convicted welfare chief John Davis and former manager of two programs targeted in state and federal investigations. The state is suing Smith for nearly $500,000. He's one of 47 defendants from whom Mississippi is trying to claw back millions in misspent or stolen welfare money. Attorney Jim Waide, who is representing Smith, has previously claimed in court filings that Reeves and former Gov. Phil Bryant should be defendants in the state's case. |
| Man being sued over Mississippi welfare spending files his own suit against the governor | |
| One of the people being sued by the Mississippi Department of Human Services over allegations of misspending welfare money has filed a separate lawsuit against Gov. Tate Reeves, saying the Republican is trying to protect political allies including a former governor. Austin Garrett Smith filed the suit Wednesday and described himself in court papers as "politically powerless." Smith's suit says Reeves should sue Republican former Gov. Phil Bryant, who was in office when prosecutors say money that was supposed to help some of the poorest people in the U.S. was instead spent on projects pushed by wealthy and well connected people. "Reeves has actively shifted the focus of the MDHS lawsuit away from Bryant, despite overwhelming evidence of Bryant's involvement," Smith's attorney, Jim Waide, wrote. Smith is a nephew of former Mississippi Department of Human Services executive director John Davis. The state's lawsuit says Smith received more than $426,000 of money from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program from 2017 to 2019 for purposes not allowed by the program. It says Smith was paid from "under the guise" of providing services for two nonprofit groups whose leaders had close ties to Davis and Bryant. Smith's lawsuit says that several defendants in the state's lawsuit, including Smith, have "little or no" property they could use to pay any judgment against them. |
| Brett Favre Refuses to Release Taxes in Mississippi Welfare Case | |
| Brett Favre has refused to turn over his tax returns or much else, and lawyers for the Mississippi Department of Human Services again requested a judge compel the Hall of Famer to comply with the subpoenas issued in the civil case. "MDHS has propounded a total of twenty-seven requests for production to Favre," MDHS lawyers wrote in the Monday filing. "Favre has raised multiple objections to every request." The subpoenas seek texts and emails Favre exchanged with others who were part of an alleged scheme -- including those indicted on state and federal charges -- that led to millions of misappropriated welfare funds. The tax filings requested by MDHS connect Favre to about $8 million allegedly sourced from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds between 2017 and 2020. Favre has denied he knew the source of the money was from TANF funds. Favre is among more than 40 civil case defendants seeking to recoup millions in the largest public corruption scandal in Mississippi history. Favre has not been charged criminally. No trial date in the case has been set, and Favre is scheduled to be deposed on Dec. 11. |
| Speaker vote timing uncertain as Jordan backers hold out | |
 | House Majority Leader Steve Scalise's bid for speaker was on shaky ground Wednesday as Republicans went back behind closed doors to figure out next steps even after selecting the Louisianan as their nominee during a morning conference meeting. Several conservatives said they won't support Scalise on the floor, even as his top rival for the job, Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is supporting him and encouraging others to do so. Instead of kicking off the formal nominating speeches and votes on the floor Wednesday after coming into session at 3 p.m., Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick T. McHenry recessed the chamber. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, later told reporters there wouldn't be any votes in the House on Wednesday. Roy, a Jordan supporter, said he opposed a quick floor vote on Wednesday so soon after the conference nominating meeting, which didn't wrap up until Wednesday afternoon, and that he wouldn't back Scalise if the vote occurred the same day. The House adjourned for the night before 7 p.m. An advisory from House Democrats said votes were "possible" Thursday, and the chamber is scheduled to gavel back into session at noon. Scalise, who defeated Jordan on a secret ballot vote earlier Wednesday, did not appear to have the requisite support of 217 Republicans needed to become speaker, if all members are present and voting. Republicans have hoped to avoid the 15 rounds of voting it took for Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. -- who was ousted from the job by eight Republicans and all House Democrats last week -- to become speaker in January. |
| Tempers flare among House Dems over the Israel war | |
 | Progressive and moderate House Democrats scuffled over the war in Israel during a closed-door caucus meeting on Wednesday, with one lawmaker accusing another of saying a "s--- thing" about Muslims. The exchange started when Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) talked to her fellow members about a vigil she attended virtually in the wake of this weekend's deadly attack by Hamas, according to six people familiar with the events that transpired. As Wild told fellow House Democrats that she didn't want any religious community to feel ostracized -- noting that Muslim leaders weren't present at the event she participated in -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), a moderate Jewish Democrat and Israel hawk, loudly interjected. Accounts differ, however, on whether Gottheimer was referring to Muslims or made an ill-timed remark in an unrelated conversation, with some attendees overhearing him saying "because they're all guilty" and others saying he stated "because they should feel guilty." A spokesperson for Gottheimer strongly denied that he was talking about Muslims. Amid the spat, Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and other progressive lawmakers were spotted leaving the party meeting together. The dustup shined a bright light on the longtime fracture within the Democratic Party over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It's a divide that the party had largely skirted following the bloody surprise terrorist attack this weekend -- but one that threatens to roil Democrats further as the war in the Middle East progresses in the weeks ahead. While a handful of progressive lawmakers have publicly pushed for a cease-fire, de-escalation and even stripping government support from Israel, most Democrats in Congress have largely stayed behind the president as he sidestepped those calls. |
| Israel Aims to Dismantle Hamas as Blinken Tries to Prevent Wider War | |
 | Israeli forces have embarked on a military campaign to dismantle Hamas, pounding Gaza with airstrikes, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel Thursday for talks aimed at averting a wider regional conflict. Israel on Thursday gave the clearest indication so far of its war aims, with the military saying it plans to capture or kill all Hamas leaders, destroy the group's militant units and make it impossible for the group, which the U.S., Israel and others have designated a terrorist organization, to govern Gaza. Israeli military spokesman Richard Hecht said overnight airstrikes targeted a Hamas unit that Israel says was responsible for the attack over the weekend that killed 1,300 Israelis. One of the Hamas operatives killed in the airstrikes was responsible for creating videos of the violence that spread over social media, Hecht said. "We plan to get to every one of these people -- every single one of them," Hecht said. Israeli interrogations of captured Hamas militants had revealed the whereabouts of key members, Hecht said, as well as military sites, weapons stashes, rocket and antitank-missile launchpads, and areas that the group is trying to penetrate. The conflict risks spilling over into a broader regional crisis. Israel has massed about 300,000 reserve troops, positioning many of them near the border with Gaza, ahead of a possible ground invasion of the strip. Israeli forces have also exchanged fire with Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group, along Israel's northern border with Lebanon for four consecutive days. If Hezbollah were to fully join the war, it could spell catastrophe for both Israel and Lebanon. Hezbollah has a powerful militia of fighters who are battle-tested from the war in neighboring Syria and an arsenal of missiles capable of striking deep inside Israel. |
| Trump blames Netanyahu for Hamas attacks, calls Hezbollah leaders 'very smart' | |
 | Donald Trump lashed out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, telling a crowd of Florida supporters that the countries' intelligence failed, and its enemies were ''very smart." "I'll never forget that Bibi Netanyahu let us down," Trump told a group of supporters Wednesday in West Palm Beach, Fla. "That was a very terrible thing." Trump discussed the operation that killed Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani in early 2020. The former president said Israel now has to strengthen itself as it fights Hamas and other militant groups, including perhaps Iran. Supporters of Israel said on social media said that the Soleimani operation was aided by Israeli intelligence, while others criticized Trump for criticizing Israel's government in the midst of a crisis. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running against Trump for the Republican nomination, zeroed in on Trump's description of Hezbollah leaders as "very smart." Noting that at least 1,200 Israelis and 22 Americans have been killed in recent days, DeSantis said on the X website that "it is absurd that anyone, much less someone running for President, would choose now to attack our friend and ally, Israel, much less praise Hezbollah terrorists as 'very smart.' As President, I will stand with Israel and treat terrorists like the scum that they are." Trump's comments came during a rambling 100-minute speech in which he didn't say anything about his involvement in the snagged House Speaker's race, but instead predicted he would succeed in next year's presidential election. |
| At far-right roadshow, Trump is God's 'anointed one,' QAnon is king, and 'everything you believe is right' | |
 | Between rows of portable toilets, a line of strangers waited to be baptized in an aluminum horse trough. One by one, they emerged from water heated all day by the Nevada sun, united in purpose as new soldiers for Donald Trump. Nearby, Christian rock blared from a large tent where pastors standing before the main stage prayed and laid hands on attendees of the ReAwaken America Tour, a far-right religious roadshow now in its third year. Helmed by retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn -- a supporter of the former president and a key figure in efforts to overturn the 2020 election -- and Clay Clark, an Oklahoma entrepreneur and podcaster, the whirlwind event melds the MAGA movement, election denial, QAnon conspiracy theories and doomsday prophecy. The two-day church revival held in August just outside Las Vegas featured nearly 70 speakers who preached that vaccines are poisonous and will bring about the end of the world, that a cabal of global leaders is engaged in child sex trafficking and that the 2020 election was stolen. Through it all was an apocalyptic drumbeat that the country will be destroyed if Trump doesn't become president again. God wants him to win in 2024, speakers proclaimed to their audience, and as Christians they have been called upon to ensure he does. As moderate Republicans have become less excited about Trump, the importance of the far right to his reelection chances has grown, said Georgetown University government professor Clyde Wilcox. Wilcox said conspiracy theories and the extreme elements of the Christian right have been a part of the Republican Party since at least the 1990s, but no mainstream politician has embraced them as Trump has. |
| MUW Department of Health, Kinesiology hosts women's health luncheon | |
| MUW is urging women to be proactive about their health especially when it comes to cancer screening. The Department of Health and Kinesiology hosted its annual Women's Health Awareness Luncheon. The main goal of the event was to educate women on how to better recognize signs of cancer and know what steps to take next. Local OB/GYN Doctor Pam Lacy presented information about screening, detection, and treatment. "This month we're just making women more aware of what to look out for with their bodies what to expect and when they need to go see a doctor. One in eight women will get breast cancer so it's so important that the screening be done because early detection is key to survival," said Lacy. The month of October is set aside annually to raise awareness about breast cancer. |
| 19-year-old arrested for making false bomb threat on Ole Miss campus | |
| A teenager has been locked up for making a bomb threat on the campus of the University of Mississippi. University Police reports that 19-year-old Catharine Redden was booked into the Lafayette County Jail Tuesday afternoon. She is charged with making a false bomb threat. Redden is accused of claiming that she placed an explosive and weapons of mass destruction on the university's campus. "On Tuesday, University Police received a report about a threat made against campus," UPD Chief Daniel Sanford said. "After an investigation, officers determined the community was not in danger and arrested Catharine Redden for false reporting of placing explosive and weapons of mass destruction." |
| Israel-Hamas conflict shakes Mississippi communities, sparks discussion | |
 | The death toll in Israel and the Gaza Strip continues to rise after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a multi-front attack on Israel Saturday. The Israeli government has responded with airstrikes and a total blockade on Gaza. Members of Mississippi's Jewish community, many with friends and family in Israel, have struggled with feeling helpless while seeing the brutality of the war from afar. Monday night, between 50 to 60 people gathered in the Holocaust garden at the Beth Israel synagogue in Jackson for a vigil to comfort each other and pray for their community. The complex conflict, which goes back decades, is sparking questions and discussion in Mississippi and around the world. Susan Allen, an associate professor of international relations at the University of Mississippi, has been trying to help her students understand the deep-rooted context of the war this week. "This one girl was like, 'who's the bad guy' and I was like, I don't know that there is just one bad guy," Allen said. "She really wanted it to be a clear story of black hats and white hats. Everybody has legitimate grievances. Everybody has been the victim. But there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of understanding or recognition of common experience between the two groups, and that just perpetuates the fighting." Americans also struggle to understand just how small the Gaza Strip is, according to Allen. More than two million people live in a 25-mile strip that is between four and five miles across at its widest point. "If you put two-thirds of the population of Mississippi, standing on the highway between Oxford, and Batesville, you'd have the kind of population density that they have in Gaza," Allen said. |
| Ole Miss prepares for flu season | |
 | As Mississippi transitions to fall and temperatures drop, the University of Mississippi is preparing for autumn's most infamous side effect: flu season. On a large college campus where students are packed tightly into dorms and lecture halls, illnesses have the potential to sweep through campus with force. Right now, University Health Services is still seeing students come in with mostly other viral infections. "We have not seen a rise in flu cases yet. We are seeing a mix of the common cold, COVID-19, strep and a few cases of mono," Alex Langhart, director of University Health Services, said. Although Ole Miss has not yet experienced a spike in flu cases this year, Langhart expects that to change toward the end of this month. "According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, flu activity starts in October in the United States," Langhart said. "Usually, Student Health starts seeing an uptick in cases in late October and then a peak in cases in late January to early February. Of course, this can vary year to year depending on the circulating strain's virulence." |
| Photo exhibit on JSU campus captures history of university's homecoming | |
 | One of the highlights of Jackson State University's annual homecoming week events that are underway this week is sure to be a historic photographic exhibition open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. week days in the Johnson Hall Art Gallery on the main campus. Jackson State University and Getty Images teamed up to present the exhibit titled "A JSU Homecoming Legacy: Connecting the Past to the Future" that they say aims to capture the essence of homecoming week from the university's earliest years to present. Elayne Hayes-Anthony, Jackson State University acting president, said the exhibit offers a rare glimpse into the history and memories of the university, showcasing the evolution of the institution and its legacy. "The Jackson State University legacy is aspirational and very bright," Hayes-Anthony said to the room of more than 30 attendees during the exhibition's opening reception Tuesday evening. "Our stories weave together the phenomenal history of our institution and the state of Mississippi whether we are amplifying our humble beginnings, celebrating noted alumni, boasting academic excellence and student success of our facility reunion called homecoming." The exhibition is part of the Getty Images Photo Archives Grant for HBCUs made possible by the Getty Family and the Stand Together organization. Twenty applicants applied for the grant, and Jackson State was one of four recipients of the grant. |
| U. of Arkansas, Fayetteville on track for admissions goal | |
| The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville -- which has record enrollment this year -- already has received more than 15,000 applications for next year and admitted nearly 10,000 students, so the university is on pace to meet its goal for next fall's freshman class, the dean of admissions said Wednesday. The university is hoping for a fall 2024 class of 6,800 freshmen, or a little more, said Suzanne McCray, who is vice provost for enrollment in addition to being dean of admissions. To accomplish that, the university needs to admit at least 20,000 students -- which it has done two consecutive years -- since not all students accepted to UA-Fayetteville will choose to enroll. Total enrollment is more than 32,000 this fall, with 27,471 undergraduates, and total enrollment has increased 16% over the past five years, which is "really significant," McCray said during the State of the University presentation Wednesday on campus. As the university receives more applications, it can be more selective, particularly with out-of-state students, which has led in part to this fall's freshman class's boasting a record-high GPA of 3.794, a figure that's been steadily increasing for the past decade. It was 3.6 in the fall of 2012. That includes balancing the number of students in each major, she said, as well as prioritizing in-state students -- this freshman class has more Arkansans than any other before, and a record number of Arkansans (more than 16,000) are enrolled overall. Arkansans are never wait-listed. With more students applying, "we get to choose," and it's easier to "shape" the class, she said. |
| U. of Florida president releases strong pro-Israel statement, blasts 'elite academia' | |
 | The University of Florida president issued a strong statement of support for Israel, saying that there is "no defense for terrorism," and blasting "elite academia" for issuing anti-Israel statements. "I will not tiptoe around this simple fact: What Hamas did is evil and there is no defense for terrorism. This shouldn't be hard," UF President Ben Sasse wrote in a statement. "Sadly, too many people in elite academia have been so weakened by their moral confusion that, when they see videos of raped women, hear of a beheaded baby, or learn of a grandmother murdered in her home, the first reaction of some is to "provide context" and try to blame the raped women, beheaded baby, or the murdered grandmother." "In other grotesque cases, they express simple support for the terrorists," Sasse added. The former Nebraska U.S. senator did not mince words, blasting Hamas for their terrorist attacks on Israelis, which killed over 1,000, including children, and wounded over 2,000. "Our educational mission here begins with the recognition and explicit acknowledgment of human dignity -- the same human dignity that Hamas' terrorists openly scorn," Sasse said. "Every single human life matters." "If anti-Israel protests come, we will absolutely be ready to act if anyone dares to escalate beyond peaceful protest. Speech is protected -- violence and vandalism are not," Sasse said. |
| Pro-Palestinian Student Groups' Use of This Image Is Drawing Outrage. Here's Where It Came From. | |
 | On Tuesday afternoon a bright-red graphic popped up on a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student group's Instagram page. The post, by the campus's chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, advertised a "Day of Resistance" protest on Thursday. Behind bold, capital lettering, a group of cartoon protesters held up peace signs and posters. A silhouette of a paraglider flew above. Within hours, the image went viral. "The @UNC branch of Students for Justice in Palestine is deploying THE IMAGE OF THE #PARAGLIDERS #HAMAS USED TO ATTACK & MURDER INNOCENT #ISRAELI #CONCERTGOERS in its advertisement for a Thursday campus demonstration," Eric Muller, a law professor at the university, posted on X. "Let that sink in." Similar images appeared on several other organizations' pages throughout the day next to statements reflecting the same sentiment -- that deadly attacks by the Hamas militant group in Israel over the weekend had been justified and a direct result of the Israeli government's oppression of people in occupied Palestinian territory. Those statements have been met with fierce criticism on social media calling on colleges to denounce the groups. The language appears to have come directly from Students for Justice in Palestine as it organizes a "Day of Resistance" on Thursday. |
| VP Kamala Harris tells students to 'lead the way' during College of Charleston event | |
 | Vice President Kamala Harris encouraged students to vote in powerful numbers as she promoted their importance in the upcoming 2024 election during her appearance at the College of Charleston. "You all have only known a climate crisis, you all have only known active-shooter drills, you all became aware of injustices when you witnessed what happened to George Floyd," Harris said at the Oct. 11 event. "I know you all ain't having that." Harris' address at the Sottile Theater came a bit behind schedule as she was more than 90 minutes late in leaving Washington on Air Force Two. By the time she got on stage after motorcading from the Charleston Air Force Base, she hit a variety of topics following a standing ovation. The auditorium, which seats about 785, remained filled with students despite her tardy showing. The college appearance marked Harris' seventh stop in her monthlong "Fight for Our Freedoms College Tour" aimed toward young voters. The forum was moderated by Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and model/activist Amelie Zilber. The state GOP issued a statement taking a dig at her appearance, questioning the Biden administration's commitment to border security "especially given the chance that terrorists could use our open borders to commit atrocities here in America like they have done in Israel," said party Chairman Drew McKissick. |
| AI Buzz Dominates Annual Ed-Tech Conference | |
 | As Susan Grajek wrapped up presenting Educause's top 10 strategic trends for 2024 -- a list topped by cybersecurity, data quality and the enrollment crisis -- she paused. "Isn't something missing?" she asked the packed ballroom with a knowing laugh. "Something big that popped around 11 months ago that's taking a lot of everyone's attention. Generative AI?" While artificial intelligence landed at No. 13 on the "top tech trends" list, Grajek, Educause's vice president of partnerships, communities and research, acknowledged that the technology is so pervasive that Educause made AI an "honorary topic" for the top 10 list. AI was anything but honorary in Chicago this week at Educause, the annual education conference aimed at technology leaders. AI has dominated many technology conversations since the public debut of OpenAI's ChatGPT in November 2022. "I don't know if I've seen a topic dominate the way AI has this year," said Ryan Lufkin, VP of global strategy at Instructure. He's attended the Educause conference for more than two decades. About one out of eight noncorporate, regular sessions were focused on AI over the four-day conference -- or 16 out of 128, according to a rough count by Inside Higher Ed. Many of the sessions ran concurrently across the sprawling McCormick Place convention center. |
SPORTS
| 'That's what a bye week is used for:' Arnett, coaches using time off from game prep to re-evaluate, re-energize | |
| With Mississippi State on a bye this week, Bulldogs head coach Zach Arnett compared the vibe at practice to that of a yoga studio. "Very holistic this week," Arnett said Wednesday. "It gives us a chance to spend more time with younger guys, more developmental guys who haven't played a whole lot. We'll get back to fundamentals and techniques." The university is on fall break Thursday and Friday with no classes scheduled, so MSU (3-3, 0-3 Southeastern Conference) will have Thursday through Saturday off from team activities before beginning formal preparation for its next game at Arkansas on Oct. 21. The coaching staff will be on the road recruiting -- Arnett said the Bulldogs will be represented at every junior college game in the state on Thursday night as well as select high school games on Friday. Meanwhile, MSU is using the time off to get as healthy as possible. Arnett did not provide definitive injury updates on quarterback Will Rogers (shoulder) or running back Jo'Quavious "Woody" Marks (leg), who both left last Saturday's game against Western Michigan early. |
| Mississippi State football's Zach Arnett provides injury updates on Will Rogers, Jo'Quavious Marks | |
 | Mississippi State football coach Zach Arnett didn't have much to say during Wednesday's SEC coaches teleconference when discussing injuries to key players such as quarterback Will Rogers, running back Jo'Quavious Marks, wide receiver Justin Robinson, defensive lineman De'Monte Russell and running back Jeffery Pittman. "Guys are doing good," Arnett said. "Same thing for our entire roster. We've played six straight games. We're utilizing this bye week. We've got a lot of guys who ... are going to get nicks, bumps and bruises. We're maximizing this for those guys who have played a whole bunch of snaps, getting them rested and recuperated. We continue to evaluate them on a daily basis. Obviously, that'll go into next week before we determine anyone's final availability (against Arkansas)." Marks was injured in the second quarter. He returned to the sideline in the second half with a walking boot. He ranks fourth in the SEC with 458 rushing yards. Rogers was injured late in MSU's 41-28 win against Western Michigan last week. Mississippi State (3-3, 0-3 SEC) is in the midst of an open week before playing at Arkansas (2-4, 0-3) on Oct. 21 (11 a.m., ESPN). |
| Mississippi State women's basketball has national title hopes again. It can thank Sam Purcell | |
| Sam Purcell was stopped at a red light in Starkville last month when the driver in the car beside him honked their horn and rolled their window down. Immediately, Purcell started to worry. "Oh gosh," Purcell thought. "I ran in front of somebody, and they're mad at me." When Purcell rolled down his window, he got a much different reaction. In the other car was a Mississippi State women's basketball fan. "Coach, we love you," the fan said. "Why not us?" Purcell responded with a smirk and a nod, reiterating the phrase his team bought into while making a run to the second round of NCAA Tournament in his first season as coach of the Bulldogs. "Why not us," Purcell said. As much as X's and O's determine success in the sport, getting players to believe is just as important for coaches. Purcell learned that from his mentors -- most notably Louisville coach Jeff Walz who Purcell coached under for nine years before coming to Starkville. Purcell believes in order to see success, one has to envision it. He wants his players to speak it into existence and not shy away from expectations. To say it is to believe it. And Purcell believes it. |
| Mississippi State and Southern Miss men's basketball teams to play exhibition for tornado victims | |
| The Mississippi State and Southern Miss men's basketball teams will play an exhibition game later this month to raise money for tornado victims throughout the Mississippi Delta. All proceeds from the game, which is set to tip off at 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, Oct. 29, will go to victims of an EF-4 tornado that ravished portions of the Delta such as Rolling Fork and Silver City on March 24. Distributing the funds will be disaster relief organization CitiIMPACT. "CitiIMPACT is honored to be the recipient of this charity basketball game between two such remarkable universities," the organization's CEO, JD Smith, said. Discussions surrounding a charity game for tornado victims began in the offseason between Southern Miss head coach Jay Ladner and Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans, but when a regular season game couldn't be worked out, the two landed on the idea of an exhibition game going into the new season. "We're excited to partner with Southern Miss to play a charity exhibition basketball game in the state of Mississippi," Jans said. "Our basketball program is in a position to help the residents of the Mississippi Delta and especially the people affected by the tornadoes. We're looking forward to competing down in Hattiesburg for this worthy cause." |
| Why Caitlin Clark And Iowa Are Playing Basketball in a Football Stadium | |
| College basketball exhibitions have long been sleepy affairs, producing lopsided games in which top teams trounce lower-division squads before small crowds. Iowa and its basketball superstar, Caitlin Clark, have a much bigger idea about a game that's set to tip off here on Sunday. Iowa's 69,000-seat Kinnick Stadium, where football is normally played, is the site for this weekend's exhibition game between two Division I women's teams, Iowa and DePaul. The Crossover at Kinnick, as it's being called, is expected to be the biggest event of its kind, made possible by an NCAA rule change that enables such a matchup as a charity event. Iowa's attempt to fill a football stadium for a women's college basketball game is fueled by many factors. The state has long been one of the sport's hotbeds, and interest surged even higher when Iowa made a run to last season's NCAA women's championship game against LSU. But the game is mostly testament to the star power of Iowa's sharpshooting guard, Caitlin Clark, the national player of the year whose lights-out play has caused a frenzy here and around the country. A decade ago, NCAA Division I basketball exhibition games could only happen in public if they were against a team from a lower division, or they had to happen behind closed doors. After the devastating 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, though, college basketball teams began asking to stage games to raise money for relief efforts, and the NCAA began distributing waivers. The requests evolved to include fundraisers for Covid-19 relief efforts, social-justice initiatives and medical causes. |
| Memphis gets its $350 million in state funding for FedExForum, Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium | |
| The Memphis City Council took the first step toward accepting $350 million in state grants that will go to improve sports facilities in Memphis, including Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium and FedExForum. The council accepted and approved the funding in committee Tuesday morning, with full approval by the council Tuesday afternoon. The votes are a formality, and the city already has the money. The money will go into an interest-bearing account. "Such improvements are intended to create a world-class sports tourism destination and to add further value to the Memphis economy and the quality of life in our community," reads the resolution accepting the state grants. The resolution considered by the council does not allocate the funding to any particular project. In September, The Commercial Appeal first reported on a framework proposed by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland that would provide nearly $500 million to renovate FedExForum and $220 million for renovations on Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Tuesday, Strickland told members of the media that they're not yet proposing how to spend the $350 million. "My goal, either my term or the next mayor's term, is we must 100% be committed to keeping the Grizzlies for another generation, but we also want to help the university improve their facilities to get the Power Five," Strickland said. |
| Kentucky's Mark Stoops clarifies 'pony up' remark regarding donations for NIL. He loves the fan base | |
| Kentucky coach Mark Stoops emphasized support for the fan base in the wake of a comment during his weekly radio show in which he appeared to challenge disgruntled Wildcats fans to "pony up" more financially to attract players to his program. The 11th-year coach sparked scrutiny Monday night in response to a caller's complaint about No. 24 Kentucky's struggle to compete with Southeastern Conference powers Georgia and Alabama. The question came in light of Saturday night's 51-13 blowout loss at top-ranked Georgia and raised the issue of name, image and likeness (NIL) financial opportunities for players. Several collectives operate to create NIL opportunities for Kentucky athletes. Stoops said fans have a right to complain and added, "I just encourage them to donate more, because that's what those dudes are doing. I can promise you Georgia, they bought some pretty good players. You're allowed to these days. During Wednesday's SEC coaches teleconference, Stoops said one part of his comment was taken out of context and that he loves Wildcats fans no matter whether they donate "one cent, one dollar or a lot of money." "Really, just simply trying to rally people and in a way to move the needle," he added. "Listen, I didn't ask for this. (Georgia coach) Kirby (Smart) didn't ask for this. It's the way of the world. And you want to move the needle. That's one way to do it." Smart said he had no reaction to Stoops' remark after Tuesday's practice and called the matter "much to do about nothing, really." |
| The Collective Association adds NIL entities at Alabama, Duke, Iowa, Oregon | |
| The Collective Association has now grown to 24 NIL collectives. The trade association launched this summer with seven founding members, with plans for immediate growth. Since then, the organization has rolled out a revenue-sharing model in meetings with the NCAA and SEC. Walker Jones, a leader inside the organization and the executive director of the Ole Miss-driven The Grove Collective, will testify at a legislative hearing on NIL next Tuesday with NCAA president Charlie Baker and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti. Through the first 26 months of NIL, more than 200 collectives have populated the college athletics landscape. They have become necessary to compete in college football and basketball, with wide swaths of donors coming together to pool funds. Collectives have been forced to evolve as donor fatigue continues to be a rising concern. Many have looked elsewhere to generate funds, coming up with e-commerce businesses and unique events for boosters. Overall, 80% of all NIL dollars come from collectives. Now with a trade association, many have flocked to join the association to have a voice in the ever-evolving landscape. While Charlie Baker and Tony Petitti will surely share views that line up with the NCAA's stance on name, image and likeness, Walker Jones will bring a different perspective. After last month's legislative hearing, a group of TCA collectives held a sit-down meeting with Sen. Lindsey Graham. Described as a "productive meeting," the Senator was happy to take in the point-of-view of collectives. It's the main reason why Jones will be at next week's legislative hearing. |
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