| Friday, October 20, 2023 |
| IHL approves program additions, bond requests while receiving Mississippi university enrollment update | |
 | This week, members of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees discussed several requests from universities and heard an update on student enrollment and success rates. The Board also approved a request from Mississippi State University for a bond resolution up to $265 million. Of that total, $140 million will be used to refund series 2013 and 2014 bonds, said John Pearce Jr., Senior Associate Commissioner for Finance. Another $125 million will be used to construct a new residence hall and perform renovations to Davis Wade Stadium. Construction of the residence hall is expected to be $96 million, and the remaining $35 million will be used to conduct the stadium renovations. "Refunding of $140 million will only proceed if market conditions allow for minimum of 3 percent net present value saving," Pearce said. At the end of the presentation, IHL Board Vice President Bruce Martin said "at 4.29 percent, the odds of being able to refund and do all this is really not going to happen right now. But we have to be prepared in case there's an interest rate change. The rest of the items will be bonded." In another matter, the Board heard from Commissioner of Higher Education Alfred Rankins Jr. about the progress being made. In 2022, a total of 19,861 degrees were earned, equating to an 8.8 percent increase over the past five years. Of that total, 4,715 degrees had a focus in a field in the areas of science, technology, engineering or math. That means there was a 17.5 percent increase in undergraduate STEM degrees within Mississippi's public university system, he said. "Trustees, I want to take this opportunity to commend our IEOs [institutional executive officers] in our universities for their progress that they've made in our state attaining our education goals," Rankin said. |
| MSU researchers secure significant DOE grant to 'unfold the mystery of enhanced brightness' in LEDs | |
 | Mississippi State University researchers are honing in on next-generation LED technology with a $708,506 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to study tailoring the brightness of lead halide perovskites -- solid-state inorganic materials -- which show promise in LEDs, solar cells and photodetectors. Mahesh K. Gangishetty, an MSU assistant professor with appointments in both the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Physics and Astronomy, leads the three-year grant in collaboration with co-principal investigator Neeraj Rai, an MSU professor of chemical engineering. The funding source is the DOE Office of Science's Basic Energy Sciences program. "Lead halide perovskites are emerging hybrid materials for solid-state lighting -- LEDs in display and lighting -- applications," Gangishetty said. "The presence of small impurity metal ions makes them brighter. This work allows us to seek insight into where these impurities are located and how they are connected inside the lattice to unfold the mystery of the origin of enhanced brightness." Rai said the global market for micro-LED display technology -- found in cellphones and TV screens -- is currently valued at several hundred million dollars and projected to grow to over $30 billion by 2030. |
| How To Spend A Weekend In Starkville, Mississippi: See why Starkville is known as Mississippi's College Town. | |
| Starkville, Mississippi, is a lively, eclectic town just 40 minutes from the eastern border of Alabama. Home of the iconic Mississippi State University, Starkville is known as "Mississippi's College Town" because of its thriving student life both on and off campus. With a strong community and a variety of local shops, restaurants, and activities to explore, Starkville has a small-town feel that thousands of students fall in love with every year. Whether you're visiting the university or just passing through, Starkville is a perfect weekend getaway during any season. Check out our recommendations for spending time in the city. Starkville is home to a multitude of local restaurants and a budding culinary scene that delights visitors from all over. With more restaurants per capita than any other city in the state, Starkville was ranked by Restaurant Business Magazine as one of the fifth "Best Places to Open a Restaurant" in the country. The small-town charm mixed with the eclectic cuisine makes for plenty of great options for grub. The minute you arrive in the city of Starkville, you're welcomed by the presence of Mississippi State University. This SEC school is known nationally for its strong agriculture program, engineering research efforts, and competitive athletic teams. The university boasts over 23,000 students, and the campus is as large as it is beautiful. |
| Columbus, Starkville begin FY 2024 sales tax revenues with 4.2% growth | |
 | Columbus and Starkville kicked off their Fiscal Year 2024's sales tax revenues with 4.2% growth from October 2022, and West Point showed growth for the fourth month in a row. Columbus received $976,083 in September sales tax diversions from the Mississippi Department of Revenue. That is up $40,728 from the same period last year. Sales tax diversions run on a three-month window, where they are collected one month, sent to the MDR the next, and then distributed to cities. Therefore, October collections generally reflect sales from August. The city of Starkville received $788,868 this month from MDOR, compared to $756,127 in October 2022, marking a $32,741 improvement. According to figures released with its sales tax numbers, the city saw a rise in its 3% restaurant sales tax diversions and in its 1% hotel sales tax as compared to the same month last year. The city received $407,398 in October restaurant tax collections -- which assist in funding for economic development and tourism as well as recreation -- a 9.7% increase from October 2022. The city's 1% hotel sales tax, which funds the Convention and Visitors Bureau as well as parks, brought in $22,772, compared to $19,527 in October 2022, marking a 15.3% increase. |
| New retailer coming to downtown Starkville in historic building | |
 | In downtown Starkville, on the corner of South Lafayette and East Lampkin St, sits a currently boarded up building that recently housed the Starkville Korean Church. The church moved out of the historic downtown building to a less expensive location, but when the property was purchased by Mark Castelberry and his company, Castle Properties, the Starkville-based businessman had a plan. The building was, in its early days, a car dealership, Castleberry said. It came complete with several roll up doors that, before East Lampkin was sloped so heavily, would have been street level enough to fit a car into either the basement or the first floor, which was used as a showroom. At the end of its construction, the building will hold a semi-large and successful regional retailer, according to Castleberry. He couldn't share specific details, but ensured that the incoming business will be one that Starkville residents are familiar with already. That retailer will take up the entire first floor of the building. Castleberry added that there are challenges to doing a historic renovation like this one, but that the group is already navigating those hurdles. "We're doing it as a historic renovation," Castleberry said, "which means we're going to use the historic tax credit program, so we have to get approvals from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and also the National Park Service." The group is currently waiting on the aforementioned groups' approval to get their building permit, and have completed all work up to this point under a demolition permit. |
| Secretary of State won't debate until near Election Day | |
| Mississippi's Republican Secretary of State Michael Watson told his opponent in the upcoming Nov. 7 election he won't debate until late October or early November. Watson said he had limited availability because of a family vacation and other travel. "What serious politician in the state of Mississippi right now is on vacation, two weeks before the general election?" Democratic nominee Ty Pinkins told the Daily Journal. Watson's campaign has said he is "always" open to debate but has not agreed to a date as of press time Thursday. The situation recalls the marquee governor's race. Incumbent Republican Gov. Tate Reeves told the press he was working on scheduling "debates" with Democratic nominee Brandon Presley but ignored October proposed dates and ultimately agreed to just one debate, scheduled days before the election. In response to Watson's unavailability, last week the Pinkins campaign proposed several October and November dates and arranged Millsaps College as a debate host. "We agreed to having a conversation this week about debates. And last time I checked, the week isn't over," Watson spokesman Josh Gregory told the Daily Journal on Thursday afternoon. Pinkins argues Watson is delaying. |
| Mississippi to deploy $2.5M in Delta Regional Authority funds | |
| The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) has awarded over $2.5 million in investments to seven projects located across Mississippi through the States' Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP). The seven new investment projects will improve basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, and support business development and job training in communities across Mississippi. These projects are projected to create or retain nearly 100 jobs, provide training to individuals, and affect nearly 1,300 families. "We've been making historic investments into infrastructure across Mississippi, and these awards will help our efforts," Governor Tate Reeves said. "This funding will go a long way toward improving quality of life and helping to drive more economic growth in our state. I look forward to seeing their impact." As one of DRA's main investment tools, SEDAP provides direct investments for basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, business development with an emphasis on entrepreneurship, and workforce development. |
| Getting a new speaker may not clear hurdles to agriculture bills | |
 | The House's two major agriculture and nutrition bills look vulnerable to Republican divisions for the rest of the legislative session even if the majority can elect a new speaker to replace the ousted Kevin McCarthy and resume work on legislation. The fiscal 2024 Agriculture appropriations bill could fall victim to GOP disagreement after more than two dozen Republicans last month rejected stiff spending cuts demanded by members of their own party. And the farm bill being drafted to replace the 2018 law faces the risk of another Republican effort to cut food aid that could go too far for other lawmakers, but that measure's major hurdle may be the calendar. The bills face some common obstacles: the absence of a speaker since Oct. 3 and the Republican majority's disagreement over a replacement for McCarthy, R-Calif.; the need to again take up government funding legislation when a continuing resolution expires Nov. 17; the possibility that legislation to provide U.S. aid to Israel and Ukraine for wars against Hamas and Russia will reignite House Republican division; and the shortening legislative calendar. Whoever becomes speaker will first have to thread an appropriations needle to avoid a shutdown when the continuing resolution expires Nov. 17. But the path ahead for the spending bill to fund the Agriculture Department, Food and Drug Administration and Commodity Futures Trading Commission is also murky. The House and Senate Agriculture committees missed their initial deadline of Sept. 30, the day the 2018 farm bill expired. But committee leaders say they can still deliver a final negotiated bill by Dec. 31. Missing that deadline would send some programs back to operational practices of the 1940s unless Congress approves an extension of the expired farm bill. |
| House Republicans rejecting Jim Jordan for a third time as he tries for speaker's gavel | |
 | Rep. Jim Jordan was failing again Friday on a third ballot for the House speaker's gavel, rejected by a steady roll call of more mainstream Republicans who warned the hard-edged ally of Donald Trump that no threats or promises could win their support. Republicans have no realistic or workable plan to unite the fractured GOP majority, elect a new speaker and return to the work of Congress that has been languishing since hard-liners ousted Kevin McCarthy at the start of the month. Ahead of the vote, Jordan showed no signs of stepping aside, insisting at a Capitol press conference: "The American people are hungry for change." Drawing on his Ohio roots, Jordan, who is popular with the GOP's right-flank activist base of voters, positioned his long-shot campaign alongside the history of American innovators including the Wright brothers, urging his colleagues to elect him to the speakership. The hard-charging Judiciary chairman was losing rather than gaining votes as the roll call cycled on, no signs of improvement from the 20 and then 22 Republicans he lost in early rounds this week. "He doesn't have the votes to be speaker," Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., said after a late Thursday meeting when Jordan sought to hear detractors out and shore up support. The holdouts want "nothing" from Jordan, Gimenez said, adding that some of the lawmakers in the meeting simply called on Jordan to drop out of the race. Next steps were highly uncertain as angry, frustrated Republicans predict the House could essentially stay closed for the foreseeable future. |
| Republicans are facing death threats as the election for speaker gets mired in personal feuds | |
| It was the thing that was supposed to make Rep. Jim Jordan the 56th speaker of the House. An onslaught of pressure from the Republican Party base, allies predicted, would compel the GOP's moderate and establishment members to support Jordan, a hero of the far-right, and help him secure the votes for the gavel. But as the pressure campaign devolved this week into death threats against lawmakers and their families, something unexpected happened: Positions hardened, and a ragtag coalition of roughly 20 House Republicans rose up to deny Jordan the speakership. In doing so, they defied a belief of many in Washington -- that moderates have no backbone. "Bullying don't work," said Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican centrist who has led the opposition to Jordan's nomination. Still, Bacon said the harassing text messages and phone calls have taken a toll. His wife slept with a loaded gun near her bedside one night. Other Republicans said their families have been threatened. And every lawmaker who voted against Jordan has received a barrage of angry phone calls and messages. Still, they vowed Thursday to not back down as Jordan tried for a third day to win the 217 Republican votes he needs to become speaker. It's just the latest twist in the contentious intra-party feud that has consumed House Republicans since the unprecedented removal of Kevin McCarthy more than two weeks ago. Hopelessly divided, Republicans have been arguing for weeks over how to mend their fractured majority. The death threats have only worsened the tension, with lawmakers feeling their colleagues are partially to blame for the outpouring of bile. |
| Who is Patrick McHenry? Things to now about America's first speaker pro tem | |
| Rep. Patrick McHenry has served nearly two decades in Congress but he's getting more attention now than ever before. The Lincoln County Republican, who turns 48 on Sunday, has served as the temporary speaker since Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the job early this month. As Congressional Republicans struggle to elect a speaker, there has been talk of enabling McHenry to exercise greater authority. McHenry served in the N.C. House of Representatives prior to running for Congress. He was elected to the state house in 2002 at the age of 27. McHenry was elected to the U.S. House in 2004. At the time he took office, 29-year-old McHenry was the youngest member of Congress. As a representative of a deeply Republican district, McHenry has often touted his conservative credentials, including support for tax cuts and gun rights and opposition to abortion. He has also voiced support for former President Donald Trump and was an ally of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. McHenry voted to certify the results of the 2020 election. He also said he did not believe there was systemic fraud in the 2020 election. "I don't believe that there is a significant enough amount of fraud to tip the election in these key states, especially when you look at Pennsylvania or Michigan or Wisconsin in particular as three major states," McHenry said at that time. Though he has become well-known for his repertoire of bow ties, photos from McHenry's first campaign and early years in Congress show him wearing more traditional long ties. |
| Biden's Allies Say the Quiet Part Out Loud: This War Could Be His 2024 Reset | |
 | For Sen. Chris Coons, one of President Joe Biden's closest allies in Washington, the president's wartime mission to the Middle East and Republican dysfunction in Washington -- all of it happening at the same time -- offered the starkest of split-screens. In an interview with POLITICO Magazine, Coons was emphatic that Biden's lightning-fast trip to Israel was not about the 2024 election. But in the same breath, Coons laid out in lavish detail just how telling it was that while Biden was in Tel Aviv assuring the Israelis that America had their backs, the GOP was literally falling apart on Capitol Hill. "The contrast with Republicans could not be sharper," Coons (D-Del.), a co-chair of Biden's re-election campaign, said Wednesday. He then rattled off a well-honed critique of GOP disarray. The president's political advisers are not oblivious to those dynamics. They are leery of appearing to politicize the Middle East crisis with the lives of American and Israeli hostages at stake, but in multiple conversations with key figures in Biden world, both on and off the record, it becomes clear they see the opportunity presented by an unexpected crisis to feature Biden's strengths. Biden appeared to drive that point home with an address Thursday from the Oval Office -- only the second of his presidency -- when he made the case that aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan are central to U.S. national security, asking for a $100 billion emergency aid package. And in case anyone missed the point that the executive branch was taking dramatic action while the legislative one was not, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates issued a statement Thursday morning saying that while Biden "is leading and standing up for our national security interests on the world stage," Republicans "continue their downward spiral into chaos and away from governing." In some ways Wednesday's historic visit and Thursday's Oval Office address could be viewed as a kind of reopening of Biden's already troubled re-election campaign. |
| Looking for Love in D.C.? Call Sen. Chuck Grassley | |
 | The staid and solemn halls of power -- all dark wood and ugly carpets -- aren't an obvious setting for romance to flourish. But one small corner of Capitol Hill has emerged as D.C.'s own Love Island. Sen. Chuck Grassley, one of the longest-serving senators in history, is somewhat of a matchmaker. Twenty couples -- so far -- met while working for the Republican lawmaker and eventually got married, according to his office. Current and former staffers who have tied the knot say the longtime Iowa senator revels in the number of staffers who found love with one another. Jennifer Heins Davis, Grassley's chief of staff, and Nick Davis, a former Grassley legislative aide who now works for Iowa's attorney general, are the latest couple to get married. They met in Grassley's office in 2013, became friends and started dating years later after Nick Davis left the office. They walked down the aisle last weekend in Cedar Rapids, Iowa -- with Grassley and his wife, Barbara Grassley, in attendance. "It's something he takes pride in and has for a long time," Jennifer Heins Davis said of Grassley's feelings about the couples his office has produced. "As the number grows, his heart grows towards it." In a statement to The Wall Street Journal, Grassley said his own marriage is a symbol of his commitment to long-lasting love. He and his wife have been married for 69 years. They celebrated their most recent anniversary in August over pork chops at a steakhouse in Conrad, Iowa. "We know the importance of a strong marriage," Grassley said in the statement. "It's an honor to know that my office is where so many soulmates found each other." |
| Powell's plea deal changes the stakes for Trump and codefendants | |
| When news broke Thursday that Sidney Powell had taken a plea deal in the Fulton County election interference case, former federal prosecutor Amy Lee Copeland was walking her dog, but it didn't take long before she was inundated with messages about it. "My phone was like a volcano erupting," she said. The deal could be volcanic for prosecutors as well. In exchange for allowing her to plead to six misdemeanor charges and no jail time, Powell agreed to testify against her former codefendants. She had initially been charged with seven felonies. Copeland, who is now in private practice in Savannah, said prosecutors must really want Powell's testimony to give her such a sweet deal. "Hats off to her defense attorney," she said. "This certainly was a surprising deal for Ms. Powell," she said. "I realize that the D.A. knows so much more about her case than I do, and she has the benefit of knowing what Ms. Powell is willing to testify to." John Malcolm of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, said the plea deal offered to Powell seemed "weird" to him. "It's a strange plea agreement. She was charged with a bevy of very serious felonies that could have resulted in a substantial prison term," he said. Instead, Powell pleaded to misdemeanors, and under Georgia's first offender statute, she will have a clean record if she completes her probation without incident. "That's pretty favorable," he said. Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice, a progressive policy institute at the New York University School of Law, said Powell's plea could be a game changer, giving prosecutors a new star witness while ramping up the pressure on remaining defendants to take a deal to plead guilty. |
| Historic marker unveiled honoring MUW's integration | |
| Important figures in history aren't always who or what you expect. For every big name there are scores of people who slip through the cracks. Thanks to Chuck Yarborough and some of his Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science history students, at least some of those unsung historical figures are now getting their due. Mississippi University for Women unveiled a new historic marker Thursday afternoon dedicated to the small group of African-American women who integrated its campus in 1966: undergraduate students Diane Hardy, Barbara Turner and Laverne Greene-Leech, and graduate students Jacqueline Edwards, Mary Flowers and Eula Houser. Edwards would go on to become the first African-American graduate in 1968. Today the university is remarkably diverse, said President Nora Miller. "We are representative of the state, with about 38% of our student body being African American, which mirrors what the state is," Miller said. "Diversity is very important in a university because it's best to learn that people have had different experiences and have different perspectives." |
| MUW unveils historical marker honoring The Fabulous Six | |
 | In 1966, six young ladies took a chance. They applied to enroll at the then-all-white Mississippi State College for Women: Barbara Turner Bankhead, Jacqueline Edwards, Mary Flowers, Diane Hardy, Laverne Green Leech, and Eula Houser Thompson. "Every tear, every harsh word, everything was worth it," Green Leech said. "Diane said I'm going to write to the W, and you know we laughed at her because we were going to Valley, Jackson State, Tennessee, and wherever else, and she said I am going to apply to the W well, Barbara and I said, if you do, we'll do, and so we did." Laverne Green-Leech shared that her first day on campus was an overwhelming experience. "The first time I came on this campus was in August of 1966," Green Leech said. "I came through the gate over there and went into that Whitfield auditorium. It was the biggest auditorium I had ever seen, coming from a little school where your auditorium was in the school gym. Coming to this place was mind-boggling." Through the gates of the campus, Green-Leech and her fellow students faced many difficult times. She said she never imagined that the place where she experienced so much resistance would one day honor her and her peers for their bravery. "It all started with three little girls wanting to get an education," Green-Leech said. "We had no idea that 57 years later, they would be putting up a marker in our honor." The marker is placed in Pioneers Plaza, beside Carrier Chapel, and was the result of a collaborative effort between the W and the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. |
| How Ole Miss Football bolsters Oxford's economy | |
 | Each game day weekend, Ole Miss fans from near and far pour into Oxford, The Grove and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium to support the Rebels. While some may complain about the long lines at bars and restaurants and the horrendous traffic, this influx of fans puts significantly more money into the pockets of local Oxford businesses. "College football impacts Oxford in several ways. If we think about home football weekends in Oxford, a full stadium seats more than 60,000 people," Chair of the Department of Economics Joshua Robert Hendrickson said. "Yet, the city of Oxford only has a population of around 26,000 or 27,000 people. Even including the student population that isn't considered as part of the year-round population, this means that the number of people in Oxford more than doubles on these weekends." For many, the doubled population on game days makes navigating Oxford's streets and finding parking an extreme sport. Kenny Ferris, executive director of Visit Oxford, echoed Hendrickson's thoughts. "The city and university population is just under 50,000 each day, but we estimate that number grows by an additional 200,000 on game weekends," Ferris said. "Our overall Oxford hotel occupancy was 91% for the weekend of the LSU game, and our food/beverage operators saw an increase in reservations and guests." Lyn Roberts, general manager of Square Books, agreed that game day weekends increase the number of customers. "We definitely see a bigger crowd of people come into the store on big event weekends, especially football games," Roberts said. "They love to come by, grab a coffee, chat a bit and usually walk out with a book or two." |
| USM to host 2023 Fall Wellness Festival | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will host its Fall Wellness Festival next week. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 24 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Spirit Park. Students Counseling Services, Moffitt Health Center and Campus Recreation are co-hosting the event for the second straight year. The festivities will include food, games, music, face painting, Cash Money therapy dog, door prizes and more. "USM departments, student organizations, and community partners are invited to share their information and resources with the student body for any area of wellness, including mental/emotional, physical, social, and financial," said Brittany Quito, Mental Wellness Coordinator for Student Counseling Services. In the event of rain, the Grand Ballroom of the Thad Cochran Center will be the designated rain site for the festival. |
| Jackson State University president search: No announcement from IHL | |
 | No announcements came from the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees on Thursday after it met, and no announcements or meetings are scheduled in the near future on the vacant Jackson State University president's position. The Clarion-Ledger reported last week that acting JSU President Elayne Hayes-Anthony had not been a finalist or had been interviewed for the position. On Tuesday, she continued to say she is a candidate for the job. "I don't have any additional thoughts because I don't know anything more," Hayes-Anthony said following the meeting. "I am still committed to Jackson State University. I am committed to the mission. I am an alum. I love this university, and I would like to continue to serve." She has consistently said she wants the acting label removed to become the permanent school president. Hayes-Anthony is in this role after former JSU President Thomas Hudson was placed on administrative leave and subsequently resigned. The JSU faculty senate, which held a vote of no confidence for Hudson, has gone on record to throw its support behind Hayes-Anthony. Hayes-Anthony says she has a list of items she would like to address if she were named president. "I think the first item on my agenda would be to continue my efforts at safety on the campus," she said in wake of 21-year-old Jaylen Burns being shot and killed at the University Pointe Apartment Complex on campus Sunday, Oct. 15. |
| A 19-year-old was charged in the death of a fellow Mississippi college student | |
| A 19-year-old has been arrested and charged with killing a fellow college student in Mississippi on Sunday. Joshua Brown of Columbia, Mississippi, was arrested Wednesday in the death of 21-year-old Jaylen Burns. Brown was charged with murder and illegal possession of a firearm on school property, arrest affidavits show. The shooting was reported late Sunday at an apartment complex on the campus in Mississippi's capital city. Jackson State University said Burns was an industrial technology major from Chicago. Brown is a student at Jones College in Ellisville, about 85 miles (136 kilometers) away from Jackson. He was initially arrested by Jones College Campus police and was then turned over to authorities in Jackson, according to a news release. Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones told WLBT-TV that Brown is being held at the Raymond Detention Center in Hinds County. Reached by phone Thursday, the Hinds County Public Defender's Office said an attorney had not been assigned to represent Brown. It was not clear whether he had obtained a private attorney. A call to the Hinds County Sheriff's Office seeking information about his representation was not immediately returned. |
| Jones College student in custody in JSU student slaying | |
 | Jones College student, Joshua Brown,19, was taken into custody without incident Thursday after an arrest warrant was issued for him, in connection to the Sunday night shooting death of Jackson State University student, Jaylen Burns, according to online records. Burns, a 21-year-old JSU senior, was shot and killed at University Pointe Apartment Complex Sunday night. According to his father Jason Burns, Jaylen was shot when he attempted to break up a fight. Jones College released a statement Thursday stating that on Wednesday, Oct. 18, a bench warrant from Hinds County was executed by Jones College Campus Police. The statement further states the suspect was "apprehended without incident and turned over to the Jackson State University Police Department." "Jones College remains committed to the safety and security of our campus community," the document states. "We are working closely with law enforcement to ensure that our campus is a safe place for everyone." |
| 'It's definitely what we need': 19-year-old charged in shooting death of JSU senior | |
| A teenager is now behind bars, accused of killing a 21-year-old Jackson State University student. Joshua Brown, 19, is the man charged with killing Jaylen Harris. "The first step towards getting justice for our family, it's definitely what we need," said Shavon Burns, Jaylen's stepmother. "We pray that this will bring a sense of relief to the family when we know the pain of our sorrow and of losing a loved one will take time," said Dr. Elayne Hayes Anthony, the Acting President at JSU. Jackson State Police say at this time, they are not releasing any information on a motive or what led up to the shooting. Investigators also are not revealing why Brown was on campus in the first place, Chief Herman Horton said all of that is still under investigation. "Right now in order for us to maintain the integrity of this investigation we are not at liberty to reveal anything more than what people have already put out, however mom as far as others involved we are diligently pursuing those individuals who are possibly involved, meaning that anyone else involved in this investigation that contribute to the death of Mr. Burns, we will actively pursue the same type of warrants for those individuals," said Chief Horton. Mental health professionals will be on campus to support and assist students who are having a hard time dealing with this tragedy. |
| Stevens selected as MC Alumnus of the Year | |
| When Lloyd Roberts recommended Wayne Arthur "Art" Stevens for a position at Trustmark more than three decades ago, the former vice president for business affairs at MC told the young Mississippi College graduate that he would one day become a president at the banking institution. Roberts' remark would prove prophetic. Now president of retail banking at Trustmark, Stevens has made quite a name for himself in the financial services industry. With more than 35 years of experience, he has enjoyed the customer-service side of banking in a variety of capacities and locations. His unique perspective on the fundamental role banks play in developing the local community has made him an appealing speaker on topics ranging from leadership to careers to the latest outlook for the economy. The National Alumni Association at Mississippi College has taken note of Stevens' expertise in the industry and has selected him as Mississippi College's 2023 Alumnus of the Year. "I am extremely humbled to receive the award," said Stevens, who obtained his B.S. and M.B.A. from Mississippi College before completing the programs of Leadership Mississippi, the Mississippi School of Banking and the Graduate School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University. "I truly believe that anything I may or may not have done is due to God's grace and to the investment of many others -- many of those from MC. Mississippi College has meant so much to me as a firm foundation for everything I've done since." |
| Architect of Birmingham-Southern bailout 'disgusted' by state's denial of funding | |
 | The lawmaker who created a loan program to save Birmingham-Southern College says she's "disgusted" at recent efforts to deny funding to the school. Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, worked with a local delegation to create $30 million in state funding for the small liberal arts college. The school said Wednesday that its application for $27 million of that funding has been denied by state treasurer Young Boozer -- and that it's suing him. In an interview with AL.com Wednesday, Givan said Boozer "acted in bad faith throughout the entire process." She said she received a call last week about the denial, and at the time, lawmakers were hopeful that negotiations wouldn't fall by the wayside. "I'm very disgusted today. I'm very disgusted," she said. "I think it's absolute foolery, what has gone on here." Birmingham-Southern officials revealed the extent of the school's financial woes last winter, and spent months working with lawmakers to come up with a solution. The loan program was signed into law in June, and contained just enough money -- $30 million -- to fulfill the college's bailout request. Officials originally applied for a lump sum of $27 million to avoid depleting the fund, then proposed a plan to gradually draw $30 million over the course of three years -- neither of which were granted. A lawsuit filed in Montgomery Circuit Court Wednesday claims Boozer urged legislators to vote against the bill before it went to the House floor last spring. |
| 'Cyber warriors': LSU opens new center to protect universities from hackers, train for jobs | |
 | LSU added another gadget to its cybersecurity tool belt Thursday with the opening of a new center dedicated to protecting higher education statewide and providing a pathway to careers in cybersecurity for LSU students. LSU chief information officer Craig Woolley said the security operations center, or SOC, was born out of a desire to "raise up the cybersecurity posture" at the university. The announcement comes as universities across Louisiana and the rest of the country have faced numerous cyberattacks over the past few years. The effects of those attacks have ranged from temporary disruptions to one that crippled Southeastern Louisiana University's internet and computer infrastructure for weeks. State officials have warned -- particularly after a major hack that exposed the personal information of millions of people with Louisiana drivers' licenses -- that cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated, but it is hard to find workers with the skills to defend against them. "A primary cybersecurity challenge our nation confronts today is the shortage of a skilled workforce," said LSU President William F. Tate at an event unveiling the new center Thursday. "We require more well-trained cyber warriors. Through the SOC, we are enhancing the development of cyber talent while fulfilling our flagship mission to protect and serve our state." |
| Protesters clash outside Ben Shapiro event at U. of Florida | |
 | After Ben Shapiro's talks at campuses across the country, he invites those who disagree with him to cut to the front of the ever-growing Q&A line in the name of civil discourse − or, as he often calls it, "owning the libs." The controversial far-right podcast host of "The Ben Shapiro Show" spoke before a sold-out crowd at the University of Florida Wednesday at the request of the Republican student group Young Americans for Freedom, taking much of his time focusing on the war in Israel. Shapiro, who is Jewish and lives in Florida, delivered a speech entitled "Hamas is evil, and its supporters are Jew-haters," affirming a pro-Israel stance and espousing his usual conservative talking points. Shapiro's appearance and primary topic of choice come at a time when many can find themselves agreeing with him for once, even for a left-leaning city like Gainesville. Both pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian groups have hosted events this month locally to condemn the Hamas-led attacks and show solidarity with people losing their lives. When attendees trickled out of the venue at the end of the event, they clashed with the protesters for about 15 minutes while the UF Police Department officers stood by. Shoving Israeli flags and rainbow ones in each others' faces, each shouted different chants. Wednesday wasn't his first time speaking at UF. In 2017, he was paid $20,000 to serve as a speaker for the Accent Bureau, which regularly hosts free lectures on campus. Shapiro's visit was met with protesters outside the venue then, too. |
| Free speech fight: How the Israel-Hamas war is roiling colleges in Tennessee and beyond | |
 | Not long after the war between Israel and Hamas erupted this month, tensions heightened on college campuses across the United States -- and Tennessee -- as students and faculty grapple with how to respond and how to honor students' First Amendment rights to speak out. Hours after Hamas militants stormed into Israeli towns from the blockaded Gaza Strip on Oct. 7 and killed hundreds of civilians, Vanderbilt University Chancellor Daniel Diermeier released a message on the school's website and social media accounts. "In the wake of today's developments in Israel and Gaza, we are heartbroken at the reports of violence in the region," he said, adding that "the deeply layered and nuanced complexity of today's incidents reminds us that we must denounce violence, hate and prejudice in all forms and remain steadfast in our commitment to open discourse and a compassionate, supportive environment." Shortly after the message was posted, Diermeier came under a barrage of criticism on social media. Critics hammered the chancellor for not being more forceful in his words, with most responses calling for him to more explicitly denounce Hamas. Alumni even began a petition demanding an apology, as well as a statement affirming Vanderbilt's support of the Jewish community. The message was "tone-deaf and offensive," the petition read, and Vanderbilt should "recognize Israel's right to exist as a free and democratic country." The university's message was removed days later -- though it can still be found on the university's official X account as of Thursday -- and replaced with a second, longer statement released on Oct. 11 that explicitly condemned Hamas and expressed compassion toward the campus' Jewish community. The initial message -- and the almost-immediate pushback -- highlights the plight of university officials amid boiling emotions over a conflict that students say is anything but new. |
| Mexican Student Association to honor deceased Texas A&M student | |
 | Texas A&M freshman Britney Romero will be honored at 9:30 tonight at Aggie Park after her tragic death last Sunday. The Mexican Student Association (MSA) asked students to wear pink in her honor and to show support to all her family and friends. "From the very first MSA event that Britney came out to, she made an impact on not only members but officers as well," the Instagram post stated. "We will be hosting an event to remember Britney this Thursday following our meeting." The MSA will host a general meeting at 8:30 p.m. before hosting their Britney Balloon Memorial where they will share words to commemorate the 18-year-old Baytown native's life. Romero fell to her death from a third-floor balcony at Dunn Hall in College Station. Autopsy results have not been released as an investigation into her death continues. |
| $19 million federal grant allows U. of Missouri to research developing cancer-fighting bacteria | |
 | Programming synthetic bacteria to recruit immune cells to target cancer seems far-fetched, but it's something University of Missouri researcher are aiming for using a $19 million federal grant. The grant if from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health and is part of President Joe Biden's Unity Agenda in support of Cancer Moonshot objectives. Over the next 12 months, Paul de Figueiredo, a Roy Blunt NextGEN Precision Health-endowed professor of microbiology and immunology, and his team will work to create a safe bacteria that can sense and respond to its environment. It's not as far-fetched as it may seem, de Figueiredo said. The treatment for tuberculosis is from bacteria. "It's done marvels," he said. Bacteria is being used to fight cancer in the clinic now, he said. "The first use of bacteria to treat cancer was about 100 years ago, but there's some history there," de Figueiredo said. In this research, the bacteria won't attack the cancer directly, but instead be programmed to recruit and reawaken immune cells. "Our body has an army that is ready to attack cancer," de Figueiredo said. "That army is incapacitated by the cancer. Why not reactivate the army." Nothing is certain, he said. "This is research," de Figueiredo said. "We don't know if our proposed strategy will work. It's a moon shot and hitting the moon is not a sure thing." |
| How Much Should You Borrow for a College Education? A peek into the thinking of everyday Americans | |
 | Starting in March 2020, when former President Donald Trump announced that the Covid-19 pandemic was a national emergency, Americans with federal student loans did not have to make any payments. But, after more than three years and numerous extensions -- by both the Trump and Biden administrations -- required payments began earlier this month. That's generated fresh talk about the nearly $1.8 trillion in student debt that Americans carry. But how much should a person go into debt for college? In a nationally representative poll commissioned by The Chronicle, people had specific numerical answers. To the question of what the maximum loan debt for a bachelor's degree should be, the median response was $20,000. That's a bit less than what, on average, American bachelor's-degree holders actually borrow to cover their time in college. Students who graduated from public and private nonprofit colleges in 2020-21 took out an average of $29,100 in federal and private loans, according to the College Board. (Students who go to for-profit colleges tend to borrow more, previous College Board research has found.) Despite the dramatic stories that make the news, usually people have little trouble paying back their student loans, said Sandy Baum, an economist who helped write the College Board's reports on student aid and college pricing for nearly two decades. But the cost of college clearly weighs on many Americans' minds. In an open-answer question on The Chronicle's survey, people were preoccupied with debt. |
| Growing Public Awareness of 'Period Poverty' Prompts Legislative Action | |
 | "Period poverty," a lack of access to or inability to afford menstrual products, was something Elizabeth Blumberg had not heard people discuss until she attended a student government meeting at MassBay Community College in 2019. "I go to their meetings throughout the year. One of the questions that I ask is 'What's working, what's not working?'" said Blumberg, vice president of student development at the college. "When we talked about what's not working, period poverty was brought up. It was the first time I'd heard people talk about it." It was an issue that no one previously wanted to discuss, but it was a common and growing problem on the Massachusetts college's three campuses. According to a recent survey of over 1,300 students across five university campuses, 19.6 percent of female college students said they are not familiar with the term "period poverty." But almost as many -- 18.7 percent -- have experienced it, reporting that they've had to decide between buying menstrual products and covering other expenses. Jhumka Gupta, an associate professor of public health at George Mason University and co-author of a 2021 study on period poverty among college students, said historically underserved college students were more likely to experience period poverty than their peers. Many colleges and universities, similar to MassBay, have launched their own initiatives to address period poverty. The University of Minnesota, for example, began providing free menstrual products in restrooms in 2007. The University of Nebraska at Lincoln began doing so in 2015. The University of Mississippi began offering the products earlier this year. |
| What's Different About Student Activism Over the Israel-Hamas War | |
| A wave of student activism has spread across the country this month following the onset of the Israel-Hamas war. And more activity is likely in the coming days, with the national Students for Justice in Palestine group issuing a second call to action for its campus chapters this week. The demonstrations and the reactions to them stand out in the long history of campus protests, experts say. Students are more skeptical, more influential, and simultaneously more vulnerable than ever. Dozens of student organizations have staged rallies, held vigils, and organized other events in response to the attacks by the Hamas militant group in Israel as well as retaliation by the Israeli government in Gaza. The ongoing violence in the Middle East has left thousands dead. Many of the pro-Palestinian rallies have been met with counterdemonstrations from students supporting Israel, as well as intense backlash for Students for Justice in Palestine's messaging. Donors to some colleges have threatened to cut ties if administrators didn't condemn the protests, while faculty members have faced scrutiny over their support of the Palestinian movement. Some administrators have received calls to resign. Campus activism in response to conflicts between Israel and Palestine has occurred for years. But environmental factors have raised the stakes for student organizers, three experts on student activism told The Chronicle. |
| US universities lose millions as donors pull funding over Hamas stance | |
| Donors are withdrawing millions of dollars in planned funding to punish US universities for their responses to Hamas's attack on Israel, in a stand-off over free speech, higher education funding and academic leaders' public responsibilities. Billionaire benefactors including Apollo Global Management's Marc Rowan and Limited Brands founder Leslie Wexner have called for stronger condemnation of Hamas and antisemitism by universities, and tougher action against students protesting against Israel. Law and investment firms have threatened to rescind job offers they had made to students, or not hire protesters when they graduate. Others -- including free speech advocates and the University of North Carolina Wilmington -- have defended principles developed in the 1967 Kalven report for the University of Chicago and since used more widely that colleges should commit to academic freedom and insist on "institutional neutrality on political and social issues". Lynn Pasquerella, head of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, said: "There's a demand for people to pick sides. I've talked to many [college] presidents saying we knew we would anger some, but the vitriol is extreme. Doxxing students to never hire them, and threatening to withdraw money because of a viewpoint is antithetical to American higher education which is grounded in the unfettered pursuit of truth and the free exchange of ideas." |
| 'No credibility': Critics cry foul as colleges press for free speech amid Israel-Hamas conflict | |
 | Universities are facing allegations of hypocrisy over their calls for a free exchange of ideas on campus amid the Israel-Gaza conflict, with some saying that how colleges have dealt with free speech controversies before puts them in a tough position to turn down the current tension. Colleges have come under fire during the bloodshed, receiving condemnation for either statements from university leadership seen as too weak on Hamas or for defending professors' right to free speech after they made statements against Israel. And calls for open dialogue from leaders at multiple colleges are ringing hollow for critics who point to how past free speech controversies have been handled. Schools weighing in on hot-bottom issues such as former President Trump, gay rights and Ukraine, but being unable to put together stronger statements on the Israel-Hamas war makes their calls for free speech look "opportunistic," according to Alex Morey, director of Campus Rights Advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). "Now you know, thousands of Jews are being murdered and now suddenly, you don't want to weigh in, or now there's war crimes in Gaza. Now, you don't want to weigh in. Oh, isn't that convenient? You know, certainly, there are going to be accusations," Morey said. The sentiment that they were initially too soft or too slow in their statements against Hamas has led to some Ivy League schools such as Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania losing billionaire donors and facing accusations of antisemitism. |
| Coming Together Over the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | |
| As a Muslim woman working in a Jewish center at a Catholic institution, Mehnaz Afridi, director of the Holocaust, Genocide & Interfaith Education Center at Manhattan College, sees campus conflict over the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas through a different lens than most. While the violence has reignited long-standing tensions between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups on campus, Afridi hopes to create spaces where students "can actually talk about their feelings, and I can help them navigate [without] demonizing people because of their religion," she said. "I believe that conflict is about land, it's about politics. Of course, it has a historical religious lens for Jews as well as Palestinians." "Even in the most volatile situations of war and conflict, one must not forget the human reality of other people and other faiths," she added. But in the nearly two weeks since the war began, it has become clear that many colleges are struggling to navigate campus tensions, let alone turn competing protests into any sort of constructive dialogue. Students, faculty and administrators on all sides of the conflict have faced serious backlash for sharing their stances, or for reacting too forcefully -- or not forcefully enough. "This is a deeply divisive topic," said Mylien Duong, senior director of research at the Constructive Dialogue Institute, a nonprofit that helps facilitate conversations about difficult and polarizing subjects. "It's hard to just jump into this if you're not already used to doing this kind of dialogue." Elsewhere, institutions are deploying an academic rather than spiritual approach to grappling with the war. Centre College, a small liberal arts institution in Kentucky, held an "introductory" conversation on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on Thursday evening. Sami Sweis, an assistant professor of Arabic and history and one of the panelists, saw the event not as an interfaith response, but a human one. |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs Look To Build Momentum In Arkansas | |
| It's been said that it only takes a spark to get a fire going. Well, when Mississippi State kicks off the second half of its season this weekend in Arkansas, the Bulldogs are hoping to start getting hot. The Dawgs and Hogs meet at 11 a.m. CT Saturday inside Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas enters having lost five in a row. State has a chance to get back over .500, win a second consecutive contest and earn a galvanizing victory. Suffice it to say, it's a game both teams want. "[Arkansas] wants to compete and win just as much as us," State head coach Zach Arnett said. "They are hungry to get out there and compete and win. We have to make sure we're just as hungry to compete and win." Fortunately for State, the team's desire to compete is one thing Arnett isn't worried about. Sure, it's been an up-and-down first six games of the season for MSU. However, through it all, there's been one promising constant. Arnett's Dawgs get after it day after day after day. That encourages State's first-year leader headed into action in Fayetteville. "We're all competitors -- both in the locker room and the coaching staff," Arnett said. "If you're a competitor, you're going to control what you can control. You're going to put in the work and the preparation to be successful...We have a building full of people who do just that." |
| Mississippi State coach won't tell status of injured backfield | |
| Mississippi State Coach Zach Arnett is intentionally keeping the injury status of quarterback Will Rogers and tailback Jo'Quavious Marks under wraps as the Bulldogs prepare to face the University of Arkansas at 11 a.m. Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. As the clock wound down on the Mississippi State's 41-28 win over Western Michigan on Oct. 7, Rogers had his shoulder pads off on the sideline with an apparent shoulder injury and Marks wore an orthopedic boot. The Bulldogs (3-3, 0-3 SEC) had an open date last week as the Razorbacks (2-5, 0-4) were losing their fifth consecutive game, a 24-21 decision at No. 11 Alabama. Arnett said on Wednesday's SEC teleconference that he fully expected to have some of the Bulldogs' injured players back for the game, he just didn't specify which ones. So the Razorbacks have had to prepare for the 11,000-yard passer Rogers, who holds numerous Mississippi State passing records, as well as 6-4, 195-pound Mike Wright, a transfer from Vanderbilt who averages a hefty 6.9 yards per carry and is completing 72.7% of his passes. "I really feel like he likes to pull the ball a lot more," Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson said of Wright. "He'll pull the ball a lot and get downhill quick." Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman was asked by host Chuck Barrett during his radio show on Wednesday night if the uncertainty at quarterback made preparing for Mississippi State tougher. "Yes, especially with Will being more of a conventional drop-back passing type guy," Pittman said. "Wright is a guy that can fly." |
| Dawgs Achieve Program-Record Unbeaten SEC Streak in Last Home Match | |
| Mississippi State (9-3-4, 4-2-2 SEC) faced off against Vanderbilt (8-4-4, 3-4-1 SEC) in their final SEC home match on Thursday. The Bulldogs and Commodores engaged in a hard-fought defensive battle under the Starkville lights as the Dawgs extended their unbeaten SEC streak to five with a 0-0 draw. Mississippi State dominated on the defensive end and smothered the Commodores throughout the night. State held the Dores to just six shots with three of them being on target for Maddy Anderson to save. Vanderbilt was only granted one corner kick as well which was late in the second half. Tonight marked the fourth consecutive shutout for this Bulldog defense and the ninth clean sheet in total. The 0-0 draw marks the first in the history of the matchup with the previous 22 matchups seeing a victor. Anderson stood in goal for State once again on Thursday night and secured her 24th career shutout. With tonight's crowd of 1,023, the season attendance record was broken. 9,034 Bulldogs made their way to the MSU Soccer Field this season, beating the previous 2017 record of 9,016. Your 9-3-4 Bulldogs will be on the road Sunday with a matchup with the Crimson Tide of Alabama. The match is slated for a 6 PM CT kick and will be streamed on SEC Network + for those who are unable to travel up Highway 82 for the cross-state matchup. |
| Notebook: Mississippi State men's basketball talks Tolu Smith injury, transfer additions at SEC Media Days | |
| Mississippi State may be without its best player for at least half of the upcoming season, but the core of the Bulldogs' identity remains the same. Head coach Chris Jans led MSU to the NCAA Tournament in his first season in Starkville last winter, and he did so with the Bulldogs at times relying solely on their defense. While MSU believes it has more offensive firepower than it did a year ago, Jans estimated that leading scorer Tolu Smith will remain out with a foot injury until mid-January, so the Bulldogs may again be reliant on that defense to stay afloat before he returns. "I could have thought of some better things to happen to us a few weeks ago," Jans said Wednesday at Southeastern Conference media days. "It's a part of basketball and we're trying to deal with it as best we can. Certainly, he's the heart and soul of our team and we were excited that he made the decision to come back and finish his career as a Bulldog. It meant the world to our staff and our fanbase and certainly his teammates as well." Smith spent his freshman season at Western Kentucky before becoming an instant star in Starkville, starting 82 games over the last three years and averaging 16.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest a season ago. His injury is undeniably a massive blow for a team looking to build on a First Four loss last March and contend for an SEC title, but MSU has the resources to make up for his production, as well as a manageable non-conference schedule. |
| Sources: Michigan football staffer center of scouting scheme | |
| A low-level staffer with a military background has emerged as one of the linchpins in the NCAA investigation into Michigan's alleged sign-stealing operation, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Connor Stalions, a football analyst with the Wolverines and a retired captain in the United States Marine Corps, is a person of interest in the investigation into whether No. 2-ranked Michigan violated an NCAA rule by scouting future opponents in person at games, sources said. The NCAA prohibited such scouting in 1994. Sources said the NCAA enforcement staff's level of interest in Stalions is so significant it sought access to his computer as part of its investigation. Sources indicated that the process is underway, although it's uncertain what investigators will find. Attempts by ESPN to reach Stalions were not returned. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel did not return a request seeking comment. A source told ESPN that the Wolverines have used an "elaborate" scouting system to steal signals from future opponents since at least 2021. With the ongoing NCAA investigation into Michigan recruiting and coach Jim Harbaugh potentially facing additional penalties there, this separate investigation could significantly increase his exposure to additional suspension. In a statement Thursday, Harbaugh denied any knowledge of or involvement in the alleged scheme to steal opponents' signals through scouting trips to out-of-town games. |
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