| Friday, October 13, 2023 |
| Keesler Air Force Base hosts annual Cyber Summit | |
 | Thursday, Keesler Air Force Base held its annual Cyber Summit, a large collaboration between organizations from all over. The Mississippi Cyber Initiative (MCI) is a culmination of teamwork. Academia, local, state and federal agencies, KAFB, the National Guard and more pull together for the same mission. "The necessity of innovation and collaboration and the efforts of the MCI partnerships provides the opportunity to continue the advancement of strong cybersecurity posture," said Col. Laura King. Col. King is the commander of the 81st Training Group, where she says they produce about 6,000 cyber professionals a year. "This is truly right on the edge," said Biloxi Mayor FoFo Gilich. Opening remarks include an update on MCI's ongoing passion project -- soon, the heart of the alliance. "We want to build a cyber and innovation campus," announced Jim Martin with Mississippi State. Martin says we'll soon see a new $35 million, state-of-the-art facility go up adjacent to the base. "All the different partners can come together, focus on the issues that we need to address for our state and develop new capabilities and new technology for Mississippi." |
| Steep physical decline with age is not inevitable -- here's how strength training can change the trajectory | |
 | Mississippi State University's Zachary Gillen writes for The Conversation: Raise your hand if you regularly find yourself walking up a flight of stairs. What about carrying heavy bags of groceries? How about picking up your child or grandchild? Most of us would raise our hands to doing at least one of those weekly, or even daily. As people age, it can become more and more difficult to perform some physical tasks, even those that are normal activities of daily living. However, prioritizing physical fitness and health as you get older can help you go through your normal day-to-day routine without feeling physically exhausted at the end of the day. It can also help you continue to have special memories with your family and loved ones that you might not have been able to have if you weren't physically active. For example, I ran two half-marathons with my dad when he was in his 60s! I am an exercise physiologist who studies how people can use resistance training to improve human performance, whether it be in sports and other recreational settings, in everyday life, or both. I am also a certified strength and conditioning specialist. My career has given me the opportunity to design exercise programs for kids, college athletes and elderly adults. Staying physically active as you get older doesn't need to include running a half-marathon or trying to be a bodybuilder; it could be as simple as trying to get through the day without feeling winded after you go up a flight of stairs. Although our muscles naturally get weaker as we age, there are ways we can combat that to help improve quality of life as we get older. |
| Yokohama looks to make 1 million tires a year in near future | |
 | When Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Chairman Takehisa Morimoto began a project to locate a tire production plant in West Point, he aimed to produce 1 million tires annually. Just 10 years after the company broke ground on the facility, and eight years of operations, he said the plant is growing close to that goal. Since opening in 2015, it has generated 890 jobs and went from producing about 600,000 tires in year one to 750,000 in 2022. "We wanted to expand in (the United States) and become the best brand in the world," Morimoto said. "Everything we wanted to do in the quality of our tires and production here is now at the top of the bar." Morimoto, joined by CEO Jeff Barna and General Manager and Vice President of Operations Philip Calhoun, spoke to a crowd of 25 people at a 10th anniversary of its groundbreaking and celebration of the company's Clay County presence. The company began looking to build a 1 million-square-foot plant on Yokohama Boulevard in Clay County in 2012 and broke ground in 2013. Once production began in 2015, the plant had about 500 employees. Just eight years later, Calhoun said the company is on track to meet 775,000 tires in 2023 and 800,000 in 2024. To do this, his team added new equipment that will produce an additional 50,000 tires per year. |
| ERDC researchers assist with saltwater intrusion efforts in southern Louisiana | |
| As residents of Louisiana prepare for possible disruptions in their drinking water caused by saltwater intrusion, researchers from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) are assisting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New Orleans District with assessment and mitigation efforts. With much of the lower Mississippi River Valley experiencing extreme drought conditions, the lack of rainfall has led to lower levels of fresh water in the Mississippi River, allowing for a denser layer of salt water from the Gulf of Mexico to make its way upstream, threatening the drinking water supplies in several Louisiana communities, including the city of New Orleans. River conditions are low and have been for some time. The bed of the Mississippi River is much lower than the sea level in the Gulf of Mexico, and if there's not enough fresh water to apply pressure to keep the saltwater in the Gulf of Mexico, then it slowly migrates upstream in the shape of a wedge. "Salt is not something that you can conventionally deal with in drinking water filtration," said Gary Brown, a research hydraulic engineer with the ERDC's Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory. "You can't filter it out of the water, and it corrodes the pipes. It's a significant issue, not only for drinking but also for agriculture and livestock." Though ERDC is known for its expertise in research and development, the organization often assists in actionable, emergency operations support -- events that are happening right away and impacting a lot of people's lives immediately. |
| Ocean Aero showcases TRITON Underwater and Surface Vehicle at grand opening | |
| Two years have passed since the company Ocean Aero relocated to Gulfport from San Diego, California. The company celebrated the grand opening of its headquarters in the port of Gulfport. "It's an exciting day to be on the port of Gulfport. We are cutting the ribbon for our newest tenant Ocean Aero. They are establishing their headquarters and manufacturing facility right here on the port," Gulfport Port CEO Jon Nass said. The only company in the world that created the world's first and only autonomous underwater and surface vehicle is operating out of Gulfport. The vehicles, also called TRITONs, collect data both above and below the ocean surface. The information can be valuable for the U.S. military. "The autonomous vehicles today are what we call distributed power. It takes a lot of money and time to build these capital ships. Some of America's adversaries are building them faster and arguably when dealing with less quality than ours but quantity has a quality of its own when dealing with gigantic distances in these larger oceans, "Ocean Aero CEO Kevin Decker said. "These autonomous vehicles are ways that we can be in more places at once with limited resources and being able to do that with the same deterrence that we have had in these capital ships." State and local officials like Governor Tate Reeves, U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, Cindy Hyde-Smith, and Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes also attended the event. |
| Mississippi's Double B Boot company offers comfort and timeless style | |
 | A Mississippi man was looking for a business opportunity and he found one right under his feet. Well, actually, he found it on his feet and after years of work, designing and travel that opportunity became Double B Boot Company and they're being worn by the likes of Morgan Wallen and Olivia Dunne. "I was always outdoors," said Ben Bowen of Randolph, Mississippi. "I was always riding horses. "Boots were something I wore all the time. That's what I always chose to wear." Bowen grew up as the fourth generation in his family to farm at Double B Farms and while he enjoys farming, he wanted to do something different. After high school he attended Ole Miss where he studied marketing and corporate relations. "I guess I always wanted to be in the business school, but I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do," Bowen said. "I always thought marketing was a huge part of business. You can have a great product, but if nobody knows about it, it doesn't matter." After graduating, he went to work for relatives and got a taste of business outside the agricultural world. Bowen said it was an enjoyable experience and made him want his own business even more. Eventually, he realized there was an opportunity in something he wore every day -- boots. "It kind of just made sense," Bowen said. "There was a gap in the market for an affordable, comfortable boot. |
| Colom tops $100K in DA race fundraising | |
| Incumbent Democrat Scott Colom has cleared the $100,000 mark in fundraising in his bid for a third term as 16th Circuit district attorney. As of Sept. 30, he reported total contributions of $112,961, according to his most recent campaign finance report filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office. 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 for the period from July 1-Sept. 30. In the most recent filing period, Colom reported $59,277 in contributions, all but $10,284 of which were itemized. By contrast, Republican challenger Jase Dalrymple's fundraising arm, Friends of Jase, has brought in $32,471.09 year-to-date. Of that, $10,678.88 was raised during the last filing period, with $7,300 itemized. The district attorney serves Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay and Noxubee counties. For the last period, the vast majority of Colom's support came from within Mississippi, including $4,241.52 in self-funding. But his report shows $9,200 in support from out-of-state donors, spanning 11 states and Washington, D.C. All of Dalrymple's itemized contributions came from in-state donors. To date, his campaign has reported spending $4,584.29 and has $27,886.80 on hand. |
| Rep. Nick Bain holds public defender hearings as final official act | |
 | Outgoing Northeast Mississippi lawmaker Rep. Nick Bain closed his 12-year run in the state legislature with a hearing on the need to improve the state's public defender system. Thanks to a lack of funding or centralized oversight of a hodgepodge of over 450 public defense services in Mississippi's 82 counties, indigent criminal defendants can go months after arrest without lawyers before being charged, potentially violating constitutional rights, experts testified to the Judiciary B committee at the capitol Thursday. "Mississippi stands alone" in not requiring legal representation at initial court appearances, said David Carroll, Executive Director of the Sixth Amendment Center. "You do have great exposure to a class action lawsuit on these issues because you lack oversight, and those places where the system is falling down," he warned legislators. Earlier this year, the House passed a bill Bain authored to address the state's problems with public defenders, but it died in the Senate. |
| Voters over age of 65 expected to have huge turnout in Mississippi's general election | |
| Now that the deadline has passed to register to vote in next month's general election, the question of how many people will actually show up to the polls has come into scope. While the primary election in August saw one of the worst voter turnouts in recent history, Secretary of State Michael Watson is hoping the November election -- headlined by Republican incumbent Tate Reeves and Democratic challenger Brandon Presley vying for the seat of governor – will bring a larger turnout as his office continues to register more voters. "I am certainly hopeful more Mississippians will show up to vote on Election Day. Having registered 250,000 new voters since 2020, launched our educational Elections 101 campaign, and our My Election Day tool, we have worked to ensure all Mississippians legally entitled to cast a ballot are able to do so," Watson said. "Voting is easier than ever, so let's hope Mississippians honor those who fought for such a precious right and take advantage of the opportunity to have their voices heard." During the last statewide election in 2019, nearly 885,000 Mississippians voted in the gubernatorial race with around 35% of ballots coming from the elderly population, or those aged 65 and older. On average, at least 60 percent of Mississippians 65 and older turn out to vote, according to Campbell. The general election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 7. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves speaks to Gulf Coast Business Council ahead of Election Day | |
| Governor Tate Reeves and Brandon Presley are both making regular campaign stops around the state. Leading up to Election Day, an organization made up of Coast business leaders is getting directly involved in the race for governor. The Gulf Coast Business Council is designed to grow the Coast's economic interests. President of the organization, Jamie Miller, says backing candidates who support these interests is a top priority. "The business council has influenced public policy and politics to some degree since its inception," said Miller. "This year, we took another step to form a political action committee to play a more direct role in elections with the purpose of endorsing pro-business and pro-tourism candidates." On Wednesday, the GCBC announced its endorsement of incumbent Tate Reeves for Governor. Business leaders say tax policy is a key issue to focus on when choosing a governor. "The way you lower taxes in other areas is you get more people working paying taxes and get more businesses locating in the state paying taxes," said John Hairston with Hancock Whitney Bank. "We don't have to [make] anybody pay more than the share they're already paying. The rising tide of more people working and more employers paying taxes funds the decrease in taxes to the people that need it the most." Speaking to the business council, Reeves said low unemployment numbers are helping boost the economy on the Coast and around the state. |
| Reeves and Presley raise millions with month left before election | |
| With less than a month to go until the general election for Mississippi's 2023 statewide elections, candidates reported bringing in millions of dollars reported in their campaign finance reports that were due Tuesday, including a record total for Democrat Brandon Presley. Presley, who is trying to unseat Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, has raised nearly $7.9 million this year, breaking the 20-year-old record for most money raised by a Democratic gubernatorial nominee held by then-Governor Ronnie Musgrove, who raised $7.7 million in 2003. First-term Gov. Reeves raised $1.68 million in August but continues to have much more money on hand than Presley. In the Lt. Governor's race, incumbent Republican Delbert Hosemann started the year with more than $2.3 million on hand. He has raised around $3.7 million and has spent $5.5 million. That leaves him with $303,861 on hand for spending. Hosemann defeated Chris McDaniel in the Republican primary. Hosemann will face Democrat Ryan Grover, a small business owner, who ran unopposed in the primaries. In his latest campaign finance information filed with the Secretary of State as of Aug. 2, Grover had no money on hand. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves, needing to shore up right-wing turnout, attends closed-door meeting with concerned conservatives | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves rolled up in his blacked-out SUV to a DeSoto County church earlier this month to meet with conservative voters who felt uninspired about his first term in office. The closed-door meeting, held in a traditionally GOP stronghold county where Reeves earned 61% of the vote last election, provided some of those voters a chance to quiz the governor about his decisions the past few years and his ideas for the future. But importantly, it offered the governor an opportunity to mend relationships with members of a critical voting bloc he must win over to be reelected in November. Reeves, in a chaotic first term in the Governor's Mansion, has regularly drawn criticism from right-wing Republicans. First, he issued mask mandates and partial business lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, a move medical experts recommended but voters in the right wing of the party thought was unnecessary and a ploy to force the government's will on the people. Next, after years of promises to let voters decide whether to change the state flag, Reeves gave a half-hearted apology to his uber-conservative supporters before signing a bill that furled the old flag for good. And perhaps most relevant to this bloc of voters today, Reeves mostly rode the fence in the 2023 Republican primary for lieutenant governor, when longtime conservative icon Chris McDaniel was challenging Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, the Republican incumbent who many conservatives panned as a Democrat in disguise. Hosemann eventually won that bitter race, and right-wing conservatives lost their leader in McDaniel. |
| Special judge, prosecutor named in McMahan intimidation case | |
| A Tupelo family's accusations that state senator Chad McMahan tried to intimidate them during a January phone call will be handled by an Alcorn County judge and prosecutor. Senior Circuit Court Judge Paul Funderburk has assigned Alcorn County Justice Court Judge Jeremy Blaylock to hear the case against McMahan, who has not been charged with a crime. Alcorn County attorney Bob Moore will present the case for the state. Since McMahan's Senate District 6 is entirely within Lee County, there is no conflict of interest with the special judge and prosecutor. Moore said the judge will first consider the evidence, including the recorded phone call, to see if there is enough there to meet the threshold of intimidation. If there is, the judge will sign an arrest warrant for McMahan. If the case goes to trial, the special judge and prosecutor will most likely travel to Lee County for the court proceedings. Jamie Gunnells said McMahan made a thinly veiled threat after his wife, Natalie Gunnells, shared a Facebook post by Lauren Smith, who later entered the race for McMahan's legislative seat. On the Jan. 16 call, which was recorded, McMahan said Natalie was "making it difficult" for him to help them. Previously, McMahan had been helping the family secure Medicaid funds for their severely autistic 23-year-old son, Patrick. On the call, McMahan also accused Smith of belonging to a hate group, wanting to end Medicaid, not paying her rent and attending the Jan. 6, 2021 uprising in Washington, D.C. |
| House Republicans Pursue New Speaker Plans After Steve Scalise Exits Race | |
 | Frustrated House Republicans met Friday to take another swing at potentially picking a new speaker, a day after Majority Leader Steve Scalise's bid for the post was derailed and more than a week after party rebels engineered the historic ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.). The tumult in the party has effectively paralyzed the House, which can't operate without a speaker in place, and comes as Congress faces pressing deadlines. A short-term spending law funding the government expires in mid-November. The fighting in Israel and Gaza has also added more urgency to restoring House operations, and GOP lawmakers have voiced increased exasperation with the state of affairs. GOP lawmakers regrouped Friday morning, setting a deadline of noon for Republicans to announce their candidacies to serve as House speaker, after Scalise, who had won an internal ballot to be the the party's formal nominee, quit the race once he concluded that he didn't have enough votes to win a majority in a vote on the House floor. At 1 p.m., the forum will start for any declared candidates, and voting will start after that, according to lawmakers leaving the meeting. The first vote will occur on a secret ballot, but a later round of voting could be on a roll call, exposing the identities of supporters and opponents of the candidates. Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R., Ohio), a fiery conservative backed by former President Donald Trump, now appeared to be the front-runner, but there were doubts about whether he would have any better luck uniting the conference. If Jordan can't pick up 217 votes, then all bets are off and it is widely thought that other candidates would formally declare. |
| Bush: 'One side is guilty, and it's not Israel' | |
 | Former President George W. Bush warned against equivocation amid the Israel-Gaza war while declaring that "negotiating with killers is not an option." "My view is: One side is guilty, and it's not Israel," Bush said at an event in California this week in video obtained by Axios and published Friday. "You're dealing with cold-blooded killers," Bush said of Hamas in his first public remarks about the attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group. "You can make all kinds of excuses why they are, but they are." Bush, who oversaw the invasion of Afghanistan shortly after the 9/11 attacks and then the invasion of Iraq in 2003, said "going into the neighborhoods of Gaza is going to be tough" and said expected military action in the area will be "ugly for a while." The former president said he expects that "it's not going to take long" before people start saying, "It's gone on too long. Surely, there's a way to settle this through negotiations. Both sides are guilty." "Negotiating with killers is not an option," Bush stated, saying Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's job is to "protect his country." |
| Wicker: U.S. 'on guard' for violent protests amid Israel-Hamas war | |
| As tensions continue to elevate in the Middle East, a former terrorist group leader is calling on members of the Muslim world to join in the fight against Israel and to protest in the streets on Friday, October 13, prompting international fears of violent outbreaks. The call to action was levied by former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal after an Israeli airstrike killed nearly 50 people and wounded dozens in a Gaza refugee camp on Thursday. Meshaal is urging fellow Muslims, especially those in the Middle East, to take up arms against the Jewish nation. While U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., is not expecting any terrorist attacks to happen stateside, he said on Thursday's episode of The Gallo Show that law enforcement agencies nationwide are prepared for any possible instances. "I think we are now prepared. If this attack had not happened, we might have more to worry about because I don't think anyone would have expected anything to happen to the United States or the rest of the Western world," Wicker said. "I think we're pretty much on guard right now." Wicker is also calling on the White House to toughen its U.S. border security policies after a "well-guarded" Israeli border was breached on Saturday morning when Hamas terrorists fired thousands of rockets and paraglided into Israel in the surprise attack. |
| Weather Service director works midnight shift in forecasting first | |
 | National Weather Service Director Ken Graham was caught moonlighting Thursday night. Not only is he not in trouble for it, but he plans to do it again. In a bid to get closer to his agency's forecasters and keep his skills sharp, Graham became the first Weather Service director to work an operational shift, according to spokeswoman Susan Buchanan. Graham's shift Thursday night at the Baltimore-Washington forecast office in Sterling, Va., included helping to generate the weather forecast, canceling a coastal flood advisory and writing portions of a forecast discussion. Graham sees these shifts as an opportunity to engage directly with the agency's "front-line" forecasters, he said. "This is a way for me to not just work the midnight shift, but it's to talk to the forecasters on duty," Graham said in an interview. "What are the great things going on? What are some of the challenges? I want to hear it from them." Graham is no stranger to working in the forecasting trenches, having previously served 10 years as the meteorologist-in-charge at the Weather Service office serving New Orleans. He first joined the Weather Service as an intern in 1994, making him the only director to have started at the agency as an intern. Graham is the "first director with the skill set to produce an actual NWS forecast," Buchanan said. Yet for Graham, working the overnight shift is about more than just helping push out a weather forecast. He also sees it as an opportunity to understand firsthand the daily pressures on forecasters who endure grueling shifts amid increasing bouts of extreme weather. |
| MDAH accepting applications for 2024 research fellowships | |
 | The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) is accepting applications for the 2024 Eudora Welty Research Fellowship, the 2024 Medgar and Myrlie Evers Research Fellowship and the inaugural Religion in Mississippi History Fellowship. The competitive scholarships may be used for research at MDAH for a minimum of two weeks during the summer of 2024. Offered in partnership with the Eudora Welty Foundation, the annual Eudora Welty Research Fellowship awards a $5,000 stipend to one graduate student to conduct research using the Eudora Welty Collection at MDAH for at least two weeks during the summer. The Medgar and Myrlie Evers Research Fellowship is offered in partnership with the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute and awards a $5,000 stipend to one graduate student or faculty member within the first five years of their academic career to conduct research using the Medgar Wiley and Myrlie Beasley Evers Papers at MDAH for at least two weeks during the summer. The new Religion in Mississippi History Fellowship to encourage and support the use of the many archival collections concerning religious history in Mississippi held by the department. This fellowship is part of MDAH's Religion Initiative, which is made possible by funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. This competitive fellowship opportunity offers a $5,000 stipend to a student enrolled in a graduate or doctoral program at an accredited college or university with an interest in conducting primary source research in the wealth of archival materials concerning religious history in Mississippi and related materials at MDAH. The deadline for all 2024 fellowship applications is March 1, 2024. |
| Intelligence community brings 'City of Spies' to Ole Miss | |
| The University of Mississippi Center for Intelligence and Security Studies partnered with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to host a large group of intelligence community representatives Tuesday, Oct. 10, as a part of the "City of Spies Meets City of Oxford" symposium. Representatives from more than a dozen intelligence agencies participated on panels and a career fair and met with students to chat about opportunities and realities of working in the intelligence community. "These networking events are great opportunities for students to engage with IC representatives from multiple agencies," said Shaio Zerba, director of the Center for Intelligence and Security Studies. "With these interactions, students come away feeling more motivated and confident they have the education and skills to contribute to the intelligence mission." In 2012, UM was one of the first universities in the country to be designated an Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence. The UM program focuses on educating and training qualified intelligence professionals. Many people perceive the intelligence community simply as a collection of spies, but it is actually a complex network of people working across the globe to gather and interpret information, said Joel Webber of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. |
| UM offers new traditional nursing program | |
 | Students interested in pursuing nursing no longer need to leave Oxford to complete their degree. The University of Mississippi will offer a traditional four-year nursing program beginning in 2024. This new program differs from the current 2+2 Bachelor of Science in nursing program, in which students complete two years of undergraduate school in Oxford before completing the last two years at a nursing school of their choice. Students can now complete the final two years in Oxford. UM also offers a program in which students with an undergraduate degree in another subject can earn their nursing degree in a year's time. "The traditional BSN program on the Oxford campus will be the same 2+2 program that is offered on the UMMC campus in Jackson. The accelerated BSN program (4+1) will continue to be offered in Oxford. Students who are interested in the 2+2 program can now stay in Oxford to complete the last two years of the nursing degree," interim Dean of the School of Nursing Tina Martin said. The first class of the new BSN program will consist of 50 traditional students, and it is projected to grow to 70 students within its second year. |
| USM Gulf Coast Research laboratory to celebrate 75th anniversary | |
| The Gulf Coast Research Lab in Ocean Springs is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a Community Day. Community Day will take place at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs on Saturday, October 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The celebration is to acknowledge the GCRL's 75 years of research, education, and service to the State of Mississippi. Kelly Darnell, Director of GCRL, is excited for the momentous event. "This year marks 75 years of research and education at GCRL and we're looking forward to celebrating this milestone anniversary by opening our doors and inviting the community for a close-up look at what we do," said Darnell. Jill Hendon, Director of the Center for Fisheries and Research Development, is looking forward to displaying the work done at GCRL to the local communities. "The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory has been a treasure for scientists and students from around the nation and world," said Hendon. "For many this location served as a first experience with a marine ecosystem, a sanctuary that allowed them the opportunity to explore the wonders of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. For others, this was a conservation station that reliably supported the science of the region. The station has had impacts on all who have had the unique opportunity to spend time here." |
| Evelyn Gandy online encyclopedia launched at USM | |
| A public history project focusing on the life and career of University of Southern Mississippi alumna and history-making politician Evelyn Gandy has been established at her alma mater with the online-accessible E. Evelyn Gandy Encyclopedia. The Gandy Encyclopedia -- started this fall -- was designed to paint a comprehensive portrait of Gandy, the state's first female lieutenant governor. Entries in the encyclopedia are researched and written by USM students and cover topics ranging from her pioneering career to the study of the objects, awards and records from her home and the USM Archives. Students enrolled in the Public History in Theory and Practice course, taught by Assistant Professor of History John Winters, have made significant contributions to the Gandy Encyclopedia. "The Gandy Encyclopedia's contents reflect the varied interests and perspectives of USM students," Winters said. "The first articles published cover such diverse topics as Gandy's political affiliations, perspectives on race and gender, administrative history, and her profound political career and legal legacy. |
| Former GOP House of Representatives member, Trump critic, speaks at USM Forum | |
 | Tuesday night's "An Evening with Adam Kinzinger" gave Southern Miss students and people of Hattiesburg a chance to hear the former congressman discuss a variety of topics, including his work on the Jan. 6 committee. "I want to talk today about the importance of democracy. It's kind of weird to have to say that, but when I grew up, democracy was understood to be natural," said Kinzinger during his opening monologue. Kinzinger explained how he felt the political system has become strained because of former president Donald Trump and his attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election. "We have gotten to a point in this country where we now see each other as the enemy," Kinzinger said. Kinzinger was invited by Southern Miss' Honors Board to speak and to promote his upcoming book "Renegade: Defending Democracy and Liberty in Our Divided Country." Forum moderator Joe Wineberg, Ph.D., said that as a political science teacher and longtime political observer, it was refreshing to hear from someone pragmatic, not dogmatic. "After all he's seen, he's still optimistic," Wineberg said. "I hope the students and young people came away from tonight knowing that as bad as it is, he's not ready to throw up his hands." While Kinzinger was critical about the current state of U.S. politics, he was also optimistic that America will turn things around, telling the students in attendance the future of the nation falls on them. |
| Jackson Police share safety measures ahead of JSU's homecoming weekend | |
| As many prepare to enjoy the festivities for Jackson State's homecoming, Jackson Police and other agencies are coming up with a plan to keep you safe. Excited Jackson State fans say they are confident that they are in safe hands when it comes to this weekend's big homecoming showdown against Alabama State. "I feel like it's secure because JPD and Capitol Police are going around and making patrols," J.Z. Gray said. "I haven't had any problems." Captain Mark Hodges with the Jackson Police says residents feel that way because they have had systems in place since last season and recent JSU home games to ensure safety. This year, they plan to beef security measures up even more. "We'll have officers visible at this game to provide you and give you the confidence that we are providing a safe environment for you to attend the game," Hodges said. "The traffic will be flowing at the entrance points of the stadium, which is the main entrance of Woodrow Wilson [Drive]." Captain Hodges says Hinds County Sheriff's Office and the Mississippi Highway Patrol will be assisting JPD with traffic and safety precautions at the highly-anticipated game as well. |
| JSU homecoming weekend could bring in millions of dollars, Visit Jackson says | |
| Tourism leaders say Jackson State University homecoming weekend could bring in millions of dollars for the economy. Businesses have been on campus all week raking in the dough. Restaurants can also see profits and fans may be out of luck trying to book a hotel room. The Sonic Boom led a pep rally Thursday to welcome excited alumni back to JSU for festivities that will include the parade through downtown Jackson and Saturday afternoon football game. "It's just being around my HBCU family," said JSU fan Angelia Davis-Webster. "I have daughters here. Two daughters and a little puppy here. An emotional support dog. I just love Jackson, Mississippi. I love being here." Thousands of fans sporting the blue and white could translate to big bucks to the tune of $5.3 million for the weekend, according to Visit Jackson. "We're really expecting for the crowds to get great and for everybody to have a really great time here in the City of Soul," said Yolanda Clay Moore, communications director for Visit Jackson. Visit Jackson is teaming with folks at Smith Wills Stadium to provide shuttles to the stadium for the game. |
| Council says it will financially support new lighting around JSU campus | |
| A resolution recently approved by the Jackson City Council could help improve safety around Jackson State University. At a special called meeting on Wednesday afternoon, the council voted in favor of a non-binding resolution to provide financial support for the installation of LED lighting along a portion of Lynch Street. The measure was approved unanimously. Council President Aaron Banks said members would have to come back later to approve an order officially authorizing the support. "This is a commitment that I think is easily achievable that would allow us to be able to ensure safety and... attract even more businesses along the parkway," he said. The new lighting would be installed along Lynch from Dalton Street to University Boulevard. Banks said Jackson would have to pay about $760 a month in maintenance and service costs once the lighting is in place. He said the area has streetlights now, but new ones would be brighter and more energy efficient. "When you look at the parkway, when you look at... the things that [JSU is] thinking about doing, this is a no-brainer," he said. JSU Acting President Dr. Elayne Anthony sent the council a letter seeking members' support back in August. |
| Cutting-edge responses to cybersecurity threats focus of Cyber South 2023 at MC | |
| According to Cybercrime Magazine, if measured as a country, criminal activities carried out using computers or the Internet would be the world's third-largest economy. Within a couple of years, cybercrime is expected to cost the world more than $10 trillion annually. As cyberattacks on professional establishments become more pervasive and as corporate networks become more complex, a number of sophisticated cybersecurity measures are needed to help protect employees and organizations against cyber threats. An impressive lineup of specialists in artificial intelligence, cognitive security, Zero Trust, operational technology and other cybernetic fields will share their expertise during Cyber South 2023 at Mississippi College on Wednesday, Oct. 25. The annual cybersecurity conference will provide valuable tools and resources for individuals in a variety of industries, from health care, banking, and finance to education and government, according to Melissa C. Wiggins, MC professor of computer science. "We strive to have something for everyone," said Wiggins, Cyber South 2023 coordinator. "The talks will be of interest to public- and private-sector IT and executives; utilities such as electric, oil and gas; manufacturing; transportation; insurance; researchers; and individuals. The meeting is of interest to more than IT folks, though. The summit is geared to educate the community. As such, it is designed to be of interest to everyone." |
| Alabama is celebrating HBCU Awareness Month | |
 | Gov. Kay Ivey has officially declared October as HBCU Awareness Month for two years in a row. With 14 historically Black schools, Alabama has the most HBCUs nationwide. In Alabama, HBCUs have contributed more than a billion dollars to the state's economy in recent years. In 2020, they produced about a quarter, or 3,581, of the state's 14,667 Black graduates, federal data shows. Enrollment at Alabama's HBCUs has declined rapidly over the past decade. However, according to an AL.com analysis, numbers have been on the upswing between 2020 and 2021. HBCU enrollment rose significantly while enrollment statewide stayed flat. Among public, four-year HBCUs in Alabama, Alabama A&M University celebrated last spring with a record total of 9,757 accepted freshmen to date for fall 2023. The college beat its own previous record of 9,039 acceptances set in 2019, and beat its freshman enrollment record of 1,694 students (also set in 2019). Alabama State University saw its enrollment go up 3.7% over the past 12 months, according to data from the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE). Alabama A&M University increased its enrollment by 10.8% from 2022-2023. And over the past decade has seen a 32.6% jump. While some Alabama HBCUs are now regular community colleges, others maintain a proud tradition focused on Black education and achievement. |
| UGA officially opens $54.1 million poultry science facility | |
 | The University of Georgia's new $54.1 million Poultry Science Building opened Friday. The new building is 70,000 square feet and includes labs, meeting spaces and classrooms and was funded through state, university and private funds. "At UGA, we have been conducting transformational poultry research, instruction and extension outreach for decades," Nick Place, dean and director of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, was quoted as saying in a press release. "... I look forward to our work together as we continue to show the world that here in Athens, Georgia, UGA and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are leading the way in poultry science." The ribbon cutting ceremony included not only UGA president Jere W. Morehead but also Gov. Brian Kemp. In a quote, Kemp highlighted that Georgia is the state that produces the most poultry in the country. "That accomplishment is made possible by the incredible work done by the UGA poultry science department faculty, staff and students, who for years have made this program a powerful resource to our poultry producers," Kemp was quoted as saying. |
| Students for Justice in Palestine holds teach-in event at U. of Florida | |
 | University of Florida students gathered at Turlington Hall Thursday evening for a teach-in hosted by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) to speak on the ongoing war in Israel and the region's history of oppression. The educational discussion led by the human rights advocacy group, which was formed to address modern society's failure to produce a solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict and to promote public awareness of issues overseas, follows a vigil for victims in Israel and Gaza held earlier in the week that went awry and injured dozens of students, sending some to the hospital. Israel this week formally declared war on the terrorist group Hamas and they bombarded Israel and Gaza, killing at least 1,300 innocent men, women and children. Among those killed are more than a dozen Americans and hundreds of people attending a music festival. Hundreds more of Israeli citizens have been taken hostage. Thursday's event also featured dozens of attendees and other student groups, such as Islam on Campus (IOC) and Arab Students' Association (ASA) to share their thoughts on the Palestine-Israel conflict and to condemn the attacks. Campus police were also on the scene, which has already signaled they would have a heightened presence around campus as the war continues. None of the speakers identified themselves and attempted to restrict and limit media access to the public event after inviting various news organizations to cover it. The hosts, on several occasions, throughout the event confronted different media members about their efforts to document the meeting. UF President Ben Sasse penned a letter to Jewish students this week warning the community of possible anti-Israeli protests, but ensuring their safety. |
| Texas A&M leads study of industrialized hemp varieties | |
 | In a nondescript white building on Texas A&M University's campus, students from multiple different disciplines are leading the way in the research of industrial hemp. The passage of the federal 2018 Farm Bill and subsequent Texas HB 1325 in 2019, paved the way for the Texas A&M Industrial Hemp Breeding Program to begin conducting research in the spring of 2020. With the passage of these two pieces of legislation, hemp, also known as Cannabis Sativa or marijuana, can now legally be grown in Texas as long as its tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration is below 0.3% and the grower has a license to do so. Russell W. Jessup, professor of perennial grass and industrial hemp breeding, started the project and said that Texas A&M and Texas Tech were the first schools in the state approved to begin researching the plan. The variety of students interested in hemp production is vast, Jessup said, since the plant can be used for fiber, grains, medical applications and renewable bio-products, but the main issue has been a lack of funding. The building currently used by the hemp lab was originally built in the 1960s by the USDA in order to study cotton crops, and now, half a decade later, the USDA is funding Moore's research on hemp. Moore said that he is collecting cultivars, or different varieties of the same plant, in order to eventually bring a greater variety of options to the market for growers. |
| Research at smaller Texas universities would get funding boost with Proposition 5 | |
| A beefed-up state endowment will give certain Texas public universities, other than the University of Texas and Texas A&M University, a new source of funding to bolster research efforts, if voters approve a constitutional amendment next month. State legislators approved measures to remake an existing, almost $1 billion university research endowment as the Texas University Fund and give it a $3 billion boost from this year's budget surplus and a permanent source of revenue moving forward. The revamped fund, defined in House Bill 1595 and House Joint Resolution 3, requires voter approval of a constitutional amendment, and will be on the Nov. 7 ballot statewide as Proposition 5. The fund, without drawing on tax revenue, initially would support Texas Tech University, University of Houston, University of North Texas and Texas State University, but the legislation also establishes a path for other universities to qualify in coming years based on measures of research activity. "Everyone has been supportive that funds are rising because it's good for the state overall," Texas Tech University System Chancellor Tedd Mitchell said during a panel discussion at the annual Texas Tribune Festival last month in Austin. |
| U. of Missouri research explores potential delivery of drugs, nutrients into the body via nanocapsule | |
 | By pursuing an unconventional suggestion, researchers at the University of Missouri have developed a microscopic nanocapsule that may one day deliver nutrients or medicines into a person's body. It also has potential applications for lighting, said Gary Baker, assistant professor of chemistry, one of the research authors. The winners of this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry also are studying nanotechnology. The paper, "Nanocapsules of unprecedented internal volume seamed by calcium ions" was published in Chemical Science, which is a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Baker used the term "giant" when describing the still microscopic containers, because they are magnitudes larger than previously produced nanocapsules, he said. "It has a giant internal volume," Baker said of the nanocapsule. It's relative, he said. "It's giant for a molecule," Baker said. It's the calcium ions that allowed for the size of the capsule, which was the suggestion of a researcher. It was unexpected, but the team tried it. "One of the upshots of this is you should try something even if conventional wisdom argues against it," Baker said. The nanocapsule is semiporous and can release drugs, nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants into a human body, he said. |
| U. of Missouri Faculty Council expresses solidarity with those affected by gender-affirming care policy | |
 | The University of Missouri Faculty Council approved a statement of solidarity with those affected by new state laws and MU Health Care's halt on gender-affirming care for minors, two weeks after it failed to hold a vote on the issue. After two revisions, the council voted to approve the statement Thursday, with 22 votes in favor, one vote in opposition and no abstentions. Previous statements presented to the council asked MU Health Care to "reinstate care for minor transgender patients" who were receiving treatment prior to Aug. 28. The new, approved statement does not make demands and instead focuses more on consoling those affected. Missouri enacted Senate Bill 49 in September, which prohibits some transgender Missourians from receiving gender-affirming health care. "MU's Faculty Council expresses our support and concern for our colleagues who are transgender as well as families within our organization affected by recent changes in the law concerning transgender healthcare," the approved statement read. "We acknowledge the constraints that the law has placed on medical providers and recognize that physicians continue to provide other care to their patients." Although the statement acknowledged the legal ramifications of continuing gender-affirming care, it implored MU and MU Health Care to "ensure an inclusive and supportive environment for all members of the university community." |
| Overcoming Higher Ed's Tech Hiring Hurdles | |
 | Campus technology leaders are applying innovation to their own hiring practices as they struggle to compete for talent with tech companies that prioritize high salaries, work-life balance and flexible in-office days. IT hiring was a key issue in Chicago this week at the annual Educause conference. The event, which brings together CIOs from across the nation to discuss the intersection of technology and education, includes an annual report of the top 10 trends and challenges facing campus CIOs. The report ranked hiring at No. 7. "Financial constraints and traditional workplace rigidity are making it hard for technology and data managers to recruit, hire, and retain staff," according to the report, which will be released publicly Oct. 16. Similarly, in Inside Higher Ed's 2023 Survey of Campus Chief Technology/Information Officers, hiring IT professionals came in as a top concern. When it comes to hiring new employees, 36 percent of the respondents said they were "very concerned," with another 41 percent saying they were "somewhat" concerned. Only 2 percent said they were not concerned at all. While Educause had no silver-bullet solution to the problem, which has ebbed and flowed since the COVID-19 pandemic, some universities have found success by thinking differently and exploring the benefits of apprenticeships, internships and internal training programs. |
| Heightened Security and Shouting Matches Animate Pro-Palestinian 'Day of Resistance' | |
 | Dozens of George Mason University students and other community members, many wearing face masks, kaffiyehs, sunglasses, and all-black clothing, blasted rap music, pumped their fists, and chanted, "They got tanks, we got hang gliders! Glory to the resistance fighters!" The demonstration in Fairfax, Va., on Thursday afternoon, which grew to close to 100 people, was one of many "Day of Resistance" campus protests organized by the Students for Justice in Palestine in the days since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Many of the protests turned emotional and heated. Columbia University closed its campus to the public Thursday in preparation for protests following an alleged assault of a 24-year-old Israeli student, who was reportedly beaten with a stick after hanging up fliers featuring photos of Israeli hostages outside the campus library. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, about 300 protesters clashed with about a dozen counterprotesters, according to reporting from The Daily Tar Heel. And at the University of Washington, in Seattle, a video went viral of Jewish students sobbing outside a protest. Ten organizations on Thursday, including the Anti-Defamation League, Hillel International, and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, sent a warning to more than 500 college presidents, urging them to protect Jewish students by enacting extra security measures, providing mental and emotional support to students, and condemning “rhetoric by any individuals or student groups on your campus that celebrates or in any way excuses or justifies this violence.” |
| Gaza conflict prompts two-way flow of students in and out of Israel | |
| The Israel-Hamas war is causing U.S. schools to pull their students out of study abroad programs in the area, while Israeli students in the U.S. are looking to return home to be with family and, in many cases, join the fight with the military. Multiple American universities have set up flights for students to get out of Israel after the initial attack by Hamas and ensuing retaliation from Israel, which between them have left more than a thousand dead on both sides, including at least 27 U.S. citizens. The urgency to get students out of Israel comes as the State Department raised the travel advisory to Israel to level 3 -- meaning people should reconsider travel to the country -- and the Biden administration is working to schedule charter flights to get Americans out. "So, beginning tomorrow, the United States government will arrange charter flights to provide transportation from Israel to sites in Europe," John Kirby, a White House spokesperson on national security issues, said Thursday. Back in the 2019-20 academic year, the State Department recorded 1,893 U.S. students who went to Israel to study for college credit. For U.S. colleges, having to cancel programs in Israel or get students out of the country quickly is not a new phenomenon, as conflicts between the nation and various Palestinian and Arab groups have raged for decades. Back in 2014, numerous universities pulled their students out of Israel during Gaza clashes. |
| Middle East crisis pushes Education Department to curb campus protests | |
 | A Donald Trump-era push to squash antisemitism on college campuses is seeing new life as student protests erupt in the aftermath of the violence between Israel and Hamas. The latest wave of activism is putting pressure on the Education Department to release a proposal -- one twice delayed by the Biden administration -- that could force university leaders to referee pro-Palestinian advocacy and discrimination against Jewish people. It would potentially force college administrators to investigate claims of discrimination against ethnic groups or risk losing federal money, making it harder for them to stay out of debates about campus protests. The absence of the regulation will likely be felt as dozens of campuses expect to host pro-Palestinian rallies on Thursday with the backing of the National Students for Justice in Palestine. The group has been coordinating its 200 solidarity groups for a "day of resistance" since Monday -- a wave of protests that has spurred nearly 150 Jewish student organizations to demand that campus administrators "condemn" the groups for their "campaign to glorify the Hamas attacks." "This highlights the need for the Biden administration to make good on its long delayed promised regulations," said Kenneth Marcus, who led the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights under the Trump administration and now leads the Brandeis Center, which advocates for the civil rights of Jewish people. "This has been promised over and over again and delayed throughout the administration." |
| Do 'Women in STEM' Programs Violate Title IX? | |
| The Rochester Institute of Technology has a persistent and yawning gender gap -- what some have called its "infamous gender ratio." It is nearly two-thirds male, a number that has remained relatively stable for years, sometimes raising eyebrows among prospective female applicants. RIT is not an anomaly. While the gender gap in higher education has narrowed to the point of reversal, with more women than men enrolling in college, STEM fields have remained stubbornly male-dominated: only 21 percent of engineering majors and 19 percent of computing majors are women, according to data from the National Science Foundation. Institutions that focus on STEM education often have similarly low numbers of female students. That's why RIT introduced a slate of programs and scholarships aimed particularly -- and in many cases, exclusively -- at women. They include a Women in Engineering at RIT (WE@RIT) group, as well as a series of summer and after-school programs designed to encourage high school girls to apply to RIT and enter STEM fields. Such programs have also invoked the scrutiny of civil rights investigators. Critics of single-sex initiatives have filed complaints with the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, arguing that they violate Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education. Fourteen of RIT's programs were the subject of one such complaint, filed in 2018, and a subsequent four-year investigation that closed just last month. |
| How Jesmyn Ward Is Reimagining Southern Literature | |
 | Jesmyn Ward gestured with her eyes and a tilt of her face, hands on the wheel. "This crazy colored house right here? That's my grandmother's house. That's the house I grew up in. And her sister lives there" --- she pointed --- "and then that little blue house? That's my great-grandparents' house." She was driving me around DeLisle, Miss., her hometown and the inspiration for Bois Sauvage, the fictional setting of her first three novels. It is Deep South-in-August hot outside, and the air-conditioning was a relief. "My mom's side of the family was all clustered around this road." Ward is a MacArthur Fellow and a two-time winner of the National Book Award. According to the norms of literary culture, writers of her stature are not supposed to live in places like DeLisle; they tend to make their homes in publishing's metropolitan centers. But Ward's daily life does not consist of rubbing elbows with the literati in their New York haunts. The Gulf Coast is her home and her source: As with William Faulkner and Toni Morrison, great novelists with whom Ward is often compared, a commitment to evoking the particularities of place animates her work. There are many Souths. Ward's version, made up of the towns dotting the Mississippi Gulf Coast, was submerged until she dredged it for us. Even within Mississippi, this region is often opaque: It is not the storied Delta, where cotton was king. On the Gulf Coast, the red-and-ocher-skinned, sandy, curly and slick-haired Black residents speak in soft drawls, with rounded vowels and country-French pronunciations (the town of Pass Christian, for example, is pronounced "Pass-Christi-ANN"). Their accents and complexions speak to the state's embedded history of slavery and Jim Crow, but there is also the folk cosmopolitanism that comes with proximity to a port. The Gulf Coast is the United States' mouth to the Americas, at once vast and small. |
SPORTS
| Two quarterbacks, no problem: Bulldogs can look to past offensive success with combination of Rogers, Wright | |
| The legendary NFL coach John Madden is credited with saying, "if you have two quarterbacks, you actually have none." But Mississippi State has succeeded with a two-quarterback system before -- and the Bulldogs might be well-equipped to do so again. The year was 2012. MSU's starting quarterback was Tyler Russell, a junior who had split time with Chris Relf the previous season and was primed for a breakout campaign. Russell started every game that autumn on a team that started 7-0 before stumbling down the stretch and finishing 8-5. But waiting in the wings was a redshirt freshman dual-threat from Louisiana who would eventually become the most decorated player in program history. Rayne Dakota "Dak" Prescott was used situationally that year, accounting for four touchdowns through the air and four more on the ground. The following season, Prescott started seven games as Russell battled injuries, which set the stage for Prescott to break out as a Heisman Trophy candidate in 2014. The first part of that story should sound familiar to Bulldogs fans. Will Rogers is in his fourth season starting behind center, but Vanderbilt transfer Mike Wright has also taken some snaps, mostly in short-yardage and goal-line situations that call for designed runs and speed options. Last week against Western Michigan, Wright saw his first extended playing time in the maroon and white, completing seven of 10 passes and recording a rushing touchdown in his third straight game. Nobody is suggesting that Wright is the next Prescott -- he is a senior, after all -- but the way MSU used Prescott early in his collegiate career can provide a blueprint for how the Bulldogs move forward with their two quarterbacks this year. |
| Zach Arnett has 'full faith' in Mike Wright if needed | |
| This comes amid an injury concern for longtime starting quarterback Will Rogers. In the win against Western Michigan, Rogers left with an apparent injury to his non-throwing arm or shoulder. Now, his status is up in the air going forward. "Before I get to that, in the event you ask a roundabout question about [injuries] I'll give you an answer," Zach Arnett laughed. "But the reality is no matter what position you play, no matter what position you play, it's not unique to the quarterback. No matter what position you play, whether you are the starter or not, you must prepare as you are the starter." Mike Wright came to Mississippi State as a transfer from Vanderbilt. Initially, he was a three-star recruit in the 2020 cycle and the 39th-ranked quarterback overall, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, During his time with Vanderbilt, Wright played in 26 games. He's already appeared in six games this season for Mississippi State. "So, I have full faith and confidence. Mike has taken advantage of every opportunity he's had this season. He's scored several touchdowns. He's distributed the ball for several touchdowns when he's been in. He saw increased action last week. If he has to play additional snaps, we have no reason to believe he won't perform the exact same." |
| Kennedy, Cook Lead Teams In Annual Fall World Series | |
| Mississippi State softball will close its fall practice window with the annual Fall World Series at Nusz Park on Friday, Oct. 20. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. CT, and the game is free for fans to attend. A pair of fifth-year Bulldogs who have been rehabbing from injuries over the summer and fall will captain the two teams this year since they will not be able to play in the game. Madisyn Kennedy and Paige Cook will draft their teams on Friday, Oct. 13 and have the following week to prepare for the traditional end to the fall season. While the coaching staff will remain neutral, support staff, including athletic trainers, strength coaches and student managers, will be available in the draft. Kennedy and Cook will have full control over their lineup cards and any substitutions they may choose to make during the seven-inning game. Mississippi State will conclude the outside competition portion of its fall season this weekend with three games over the next two days. On Friday, State hosts Mississippi College at 6 p.m. before playing a pair of games against Middle Tennessee and Pearl River CC on Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m. |
| Sugar Bowl CEO: New Orleans risks missing out on hosting future college football playoff games | |
 | On the field of the Caesars Superdome, the leaders of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Committee on Wednesday offered a plea to a gathering of some 250 New Orleans civic leaders and business owners. Without a show of financial support from the city's business community, the Sugar Bowl could lose its spot as a regular host of college football playoff games and the national championship. "We don't know how much we will need yet," Sugar Bowl Committee CEO Jeff Hundley said to the luncheon crowd, there to celebrate the bowl game's 90th anniversary. "But we have been told that the cost to play is going up." The warning, issued as the committee kicked off its "Keep New Orleans Sweet" marketing campaign, comes as college football prepares to expand its postseason playoff from four teams to 12 for the 2024-25 season. The Sugar Bowl is currently one of six prestigious bowls that rotate hosting semifinal games in the College Football Playoff, which began in 2014. The chance to host the national championship is awarded separately, like the Super Bowl. When the playoff matchups are held in New Orleans, they bring tens of thousands of fans to the city who spend hundreds of millions of dollars on hotels, food, drinks and other segments of the hospitality industry, bowl officials said. The Sugar Bowl will host quarterfinals at the end of the 2024 and '25 seasons, but after that, Hundley said, its future is in doubt as other cities -- some with little traditional connection to college football's postseason -- look to play host to the massive sporting event. |
| Nick Saban discusses future of SEC, hints at official scheduling model | |
| Alabama head coach Nick Saban might be focusing on Texas A&M but comments he made Thursday night have the attention of the entire SEC. Everyone is anxious to know how the conference's future scheduling is going to look. We know how the 2024 season will play out, even if there are no dates attached to the matchups. As for 2025 and beyond? It's wait-and-see mode. Well, Saban may have hinted at the SEC choosing to go with the 7+1 model instead of 6+3. He was asked about Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC and expressed how he is in favor of players having the opportunity to play every team in the conference. "The way we're gonna do our seven-team rotation, one-team fixed," Saban began. "I think you're gonna play everybody every four years, so almost every guy at your school is going to play every team in the conference. Which I think is great as well." Saban is not the only coach in the state to potentially let the scheduling model slip. Auburn's Hugh Freeze said he will miss playing Georgia recently, fresh off the two playing each other. Freeze may have been the first to hint at the 7+1 and Saban is another data point. If the 7+1 model is what Commissioner Greg Sankey does end up going with, most of the protected games are going to be obvious ones. The Iron Bowl and Egg Bowl are here to stay, while Georgia and Florida will continue to play each other. |
| After four-day NLRB hearing, wait begins in consequential Dartmouth case | |
| After four days of witness testimony, an National Labor Relations Board regional director will issue a written decision in the coming weeks on whether Dartmouth men's basketball players can conduct a union election. The overarching question on the table is a consequential, existential one -- something all college athletics leaders worth their salt are paying attention to -- and one that has sparked intensifying industry debate in recent years: Are athletes university employees under the National Labor Relations Act? And, if so, what does that mean for the college sports enterprise? A growing number of legal experts believe college athletics remains on a slow march toward an employee paradigm, which would dramatically reshape the industry. It would potentially usher in collective bargaining for athletes and for the first time lead to schools or conferences sharing a piece of the broadcast rights revenue pie with those who actually play in the televised games -- the athletes. The Dartmouth decision, which will be made by Boston-based NLRB regional director Laura A. Sacks, will be issued over the next few weeks, following the four-day pre-election hearing that offered clear, illuminating -- if not somewhat predictable -- arguments from both sides. Dartmouth attorneys asserted that the college's men's basketball players are students first and athletes second. |
| NCAA chief to testify before Congress as lawmakers weigh new college athlete regs | |
| NCAA President Charlie Baker and Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti are set to testify before the Senate next week to decide the future of college sports for student athletes, ESPN reports. They will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee after Baker and several others have asked Congress to draft a federal law that would allow the NCAA to regulate how athletes make money with the selling of athletes' name, image and likeness (NIL) rights. Several college athletes who spoke with The Hill in August were largely in favor of creating legislation. While the NCAA's updated NIL policy has provided an opportunity for students to earn from their skills in recent years, many fear that if it's unregulated, it will become an increasing bidding war. A bill regulating NIL rights would first have to make it through the Senate Commerce Committee, but the Judiciary Committee, which oversees antitrust laws and intellectual property rights, would have some influence over the bill, according to ESPN. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) unveiled legislation in July that would establish a national standard for NIL rights, two years after the Supreme Court decided that restricting student athlete compensation violated the Sherman Act, an antitrust law. Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) also introduced draft legislation that establishes a third-party entity to oversee the rules. |
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