| Tuesday, February 13, 2024 |
| Education: MSU re-designated as Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by APLU | |
 | Mississippi State University's commitment to supporting innovation and economic prosperity in the Magnolia State has once again been recognized by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU). MSU recently was re-designated for another five-year term as an "Innovation and Economic Prosperity University" by the APLU, a credential MSU has maintained since 2015. The APLU program recognizes institutions that "have demonstrated a substantive, sustainable, and institution-wide commitment and strategy for regional economic engagement, growth, and economic opportunity. MSU Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan said the designation re-affirms the university's wide-ranging vision for using academic expertise to create economic opportunity and growth. "From our presence in each of Mississippi's 82 counties to strategic support of our state's top industries, as well as efforts to grow research and innovation-based economic sectors, MSU is committed to improving the well-being of this state and region," Jordan said. "Being an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University has helped us refine these efforts amid a rapidly changing economic landscape and we look forward to continued engagement with the IEP program." |
| Our robot harvests cotton by reaching out and plucking it, like a lizard's tongue snatching flies | |
 | Mississippi State University's Hussein Gharakhani writes for The Conversation: Cotton is one of the most valuable crops grown in the U.S., with a harvest value of some US$7 billion yearly. It is cultivated across a crescent of 17 states stretching from Virginia to California and is used in virtually every type of clothing, as well as in medical supplies and home goods such as upholstery. Cotton grows inside a hard, fibrous case called a boll. About 100 days after planting, the bolls mature and split open, revealing thousands of fluffy white fibers inside. Each boll contains 20 to 40 seeds with fibers attached to them, which is why the cotton plant's fruit is called seed cotton. Picking cotton manually, as is still done in some major producing countries, is a meticulous task. Workers have to bend to reach the bolls and can hurt their hands on hard, dry parts of the plants. To harvest the seed cotton, they have to grab and twist it to separate it from the boll without leaving fiber behind. Starting in the 1930s, cotton farmers in the U.S. shifted from manual labor to large, heavy harvesters. Now the industry is entering a new stage that promises to be more efficient and precise. I am an engineer and have nearly 20 years of research experience working on agricultural machinery. My current focus is on agricultural robotics and automation. During my Ph.D. program at Mississippi State University, I worked with Alex Thomasson, who heads the agricultural and biological engineering department and the Agricultural Autonomy Institute, to develop a robotic cotton harvester that picks cotton with less damage to the product and the soil where it grows. |
| Education: MSU's Arbor Day transforms College View Connector walkway | |
| Mississippi State University faculty, staff and students today planted 140 trees Friday to transform the College View Connector walking path in celebration of Arbor Day. The event also marked 70 years of the MSU College of Forest Resources, the state's only nationally accredited education program in natural resources. "A third of our state is forested, and forestry is a $13.12 billion industry for Mississippi. Educating MSU students about the importance of tree planting and environmental stewardship is paramount for our future forests," said Wes Burger, dean of the College of Forest Resources and director of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center. "For 12 years, Mississippi State has been designated a Tree Campus Higher Education from the Arbor Day Foundation for our commitment to growing green spaces, which help beautify the community and provide many ecosystem services." Joshua Granger, assistant forestry professor and chair of the MSU Tree Campus Higher Education Advisory Committee which plans the event, said it is an opportunity to get the MSU community involved in tree planting. "For me, it's about getting people together to plant trees. For many students and others who participate, this might be the first tree they plant, and they can return to MSU year after year and see that tree grow and thrive. They've left a positive mark on Mississippi State's campus," he said. |
| The essential bond between honeybees and forage crops | |
| It's well known that pollinators, especially honeybees, play an important role in production agriculture for high-value fruits and vegetables. But what is less known is their equally important impact on many forage crops. The disruption of pollinator populations is a global concern. In rural areas, honeybees face a myriad of challenges including deadly pesticides, habitat loss and lack of diverse food sources due to monocultures. This creates a litany of stressors, including poor nutrition resulting from a lack of habitat and its diversity, lack of enough forage and problems with pesticide exposures and diseases, explains Dr. Priyadarshini Chakrabarti Basu, assistant professor at Mississippi State University and secretary and treasurer of the American Association of Professional Apiculturists. Today's honeybees particularly struggle with additional challenges including pests, parasites, pathogens and parasitic varroa mites. A lack of pollinators can decrease production and quality of several flowering forage products from season to season and year to year. Fortunately, there are ways to strengthen and encourage these fragile populations -- both domestic and native (wild) colonies -- to enhance forages for grazing and harvesting. |
| GTRA home to Mississippi's first electric airplane charger | |
| Golden Triangle Regional Airport is now home to Mississippi's first electric charging station for aircraft. The charging station was unveiled Monday morning near the airport's Avflight office. It is poised to increase the airport's versatility with hosting and supporting different kinds of aircraft. "We're really excited about it because it's another option when it comes to supporting advanced aviation and aircraft," Matt Dowell, the airport's executive director, told The Dispatch. "Electric aircraft are in development right now (and) being certified. We like to have as much infrastructure to support aviation as possible." Dowell said the market for electric aircraft is still quite small, but the airport will now have the infrastructure to support them as the market grows. The charging station includes two chargers, one inside the fence that will primarily be used for aircraft and another outside the fence primarily for electric ground vehicles. The chargers are visually similar to fuel pumps at a traditional gas station. The charger used for aircraft is a level 3 fast charger, while the charger available to the public for vehicles like cars is a level 2 charger. |
| Starkville Community Theatre looks forward to next production | |
 | The executive director of the Starkville Community Theatre, Gabe Smith, met with the Rotary Club ahead of its next production on the calendar this month. Smith discussed this year's rollout of shows, the need for volunteers, and ways to become a part of the theater. He told the Starkville Rotary Club and WCBI that the theater is growing in the right direction. "Starkville Community Theatre started in 1978. A very small group of dedicated people, who bounced around without a home, just performing when and wherever they could. Since the mid-90s we had that home but even in the past decade, we experienced such growth and participation we more and more and more we get new actors and artists through our doors. We're very, very strong right now. Also, we're very strong competitively. We go to state competitions every year. We just won again in January. We get to represent Starkville and the state of Mississippi in a regional competition in Mobile four weeks from now," said Smith. |
| SAAC to host Valentine's bake sale | |
| Valentine's Day just got a little sweeter. The Starkville Area Arts Council is going to be hosting its first bake sale, "Sweets for your Sweetie" from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. SAAC Executive Director Mary Switzer said this sale is a way for the council to support another art form, while also raising money for arts council programs. "As an arts council, we support the culinary arts just as much as the visual or musical or any of the other forms of art," Switzer said. "And we're really trying to start doing more culinary-type events, whether it be workshops or bake sales or food competitions." Program Coordinator Juliette Reid said the bake sale will include treats from 11 local bakers, including Jan Bryant, Joan Wilson, Sarah Wilson, Libby Havelin and more. SAAC board member and bake sale chair Nelle Elam said the sale will include desserts from the sweets chapter of the arts council's "Arts and Eats" cookbook. This includes items like butterscotch brownies, meringue cookies, peanut butter fudge, brownie bites and more. Switzer said the arts council's Art Partners and Andre Ray exhibitions will still be on display during the bake sale, for those who may not have been able to come see them yet. "If you're out doing your Valentine's Day shopping around Main Street, stop by and see us," Switzer said. |
| Smaller but still needed: Winter Furniture Market starts Tuesday | |
 | Larry Cofield has been showing his line of home furnishings at the Tupelo Furniture Market since 2007, and he's hoping to see many customers during the three days of the trade show that begins Tuesday. "We'd like a big crowd," he said. "Clearly it's not like it used to be, but we usually have a pretty good market." His company, Rustic East, based out of Haleyville, Alabama, has furniture for essentially every room in the house. That one-stop shop is what Cofield hopes will attract enough market perusers. "We've got bedroom groups, kitchen islands, tables, chairs, benches, just about everything. We even added an upholstered chair this year," he said. Debbie Henry, director of sales at Tupelo Furniture Market, is eager to get the three-day market started Tuesday. "This is the market where some vendors only go to, and they depend on us," Henry said. "As long as there's a need, we will continue to supply the space for then." The Tupelo Furniture Market, now 37 years old, has diminished drastically in recent years. Now consigned only to Building V, the market once filled space in all six buildings at the Coley Road campus. Roughly 50 vendors have signed onto the winter market, a fraction of the hundreds that once filled the floors and showrooms. This week's market has attracted some new vendors, as well as some returning to the market, like Delta Furniture. |
| State revenue falls below projections in January, total collections are down year-over-year | |
| Revenue collections needed to fund Mississippi state government fell below projections for the month of January. January's revenue collections, according to a report recently released by the staff of the Legislative Budget Committee, were $6 million or 1.1% below the official estimate. For the fiscal year, which began July 1, revenue collections remain $98.3 million or 2.4% above the official estimate. The official estimate is important because it represents the amount of money legislative leaders used in budgeting for the current fiscal year. If revenue falls too far below the official estimate, legislators or Gov. Tate Reeves (or a combination of the two) would have to make mid-year budget cuts or dip into surplus funds to offset the shortfalls. The official estimate is being buoyed in large part because interest earnings are $56 million or 400% above the official estimate. Officials said the state is benefiting from a significant spike in interest income because of the large amount of surplus funds that have been obligated but are yet to be spent and because of the higher interest rates currently in effect that increase the interest earnings. "It is better to have it than not to have it, but I don't want to base the budget on interest income," Senate Appropriations Chair Briggs Hopson, R-Vicksburg, recently said. |
| Briggs Hopson assesses state appropriations | |
| Briggs Hopson, State Senate appropriations chair, shared his thoughts on state appropriations at Hal & Mal's in downtown Jackson. The program was part of the Stennis Institute's Capitol Press Forum. About 40 people attended. Hopson gave a 30 minute talked and then took questions from the press. Hopson, a Republican from Vicksburg, was first elected in 2007 and has been appropriations chair since 2020. He was formerly the judiciary and energy chairman and has always been an influential member of the state Senate. Hopson made several observations: The state's "about $140 million ahead" of budget but $40 million of that is interest income on federal Covid dollars that won't last. "I don't want to base a budget on interest income." He said the PERS funding shortfall is a major state issue but agreed that small changes in the PERS forecast can have a massive effect on the amount of the long range shortfall. The lowering of the state income tax rate has reduced state collections but it is partially offset by an increase in sales tax revenue. Even so, the drop in income tax revenue is worse than projected and corporate tax income is down as well. He defended the recent subsidies for Amazon and a car battery plant saying other states are paying even more to attract businesses. |
| Local officials discuss legislative priorities | |
 | Meridian and Lauderdale County officials on Monday discussed several items they would like to see the state Legislature address as leaders from around the state meet in Jackson. At a Council of Governments meeting, Meridian City Councilman George Thomas said there were several priorities sent out by the Mississippi Municipal League, a member organization for municipalities that provides training and lobbying, including revising how internet use tax funding can be spent, fully funding homestead exemption reimbursements and addressing a planned increase in employers' contributions into the Public Employee Retirement system. The system has struggled with fewer workers paying into the system and questions raised about its longterm viability. As one part of the solution, the PERS board, which is tasked with managing the retirement fund, voted in December 2022 to increase the amount employers pay into the fund from 17.4% to 22.4% effective in October 2023. After pressure from state officials, the board agreed to postpone the increase until July 2024. Thomas said the increase locally will add an additional $2 million to the city's payroll costs each year, and further increases could cost the city as much as $5 to $10 million annually. State legislators are expected to address the PERS issue in the current session, with discussion of a potential one-time cash infusion into the state retirement system softening the blow on local governments throughout the state. |
| MDOT asking for funding from lawmakers during legislative session | |
| Funding: that's the number one thing on this year's legislative wish list for the State Department of Transportation. It's no secret that repairing the state's roads and bridges continues to be a big need. "If you drive through I-55 in Desoto County, or if you're driving in areas of I-20 through the metro area, or over around Warren County, Vicksburg area," said Brad White, Executive Director for MDOT. "If you go around on the Coast, some of our highly populated areas, traffic is a real issue and it's because the traffic has exceeded the road's capacity to adequately handle the amount of cars that are on it." White said the department is always searching for new ways to bring in revenue to fund the department and its capacity program. That system is created to tackle different construction projects throughout the state. However, due to a lack of funding, the department had to put that program on pause in order to have enough money to fix and repair the state's highways and bridges. "I don't know how we can avoid going backwards without reevaluating how to fund this. And, again, I think there's a way to do this without raising taxes," White expressed. White said MDOT leaders are in talks with state leaders and he's hopeful they will be able to come up with the funding before the session ends. |
| Legislation introduced to outlaw 'squatted' vehicles in Mississippi | |
| High riders in Mississippi may have to abide by a new regulation in the near future. Legislation has been introduced by Rep. Fred Shanks, R-Brandon, that would outlaw "squatted" vehicles, or those whose front ends are raised four or more inches above the height of the rear fender. The alteration essentially positions the front headlights of a vehicle to face toward the sky while the back lights stare at the ground. Shanks, who test-drove a squatted truck to validate his concerns about the threat they pose to public safety, is looking to follow a move kickstarted by North Carolina -- where the vehicle moderations allegedly began -- which bans them from operating on roadways. "I have actually done my due diligence. I have a buddy who worked on one of those trucks and I drove it around a parking lot. You cannot see what is in front of you for a good distance," Shanks said on The Gallo Show. "It changes the geometry of the factory suspension. It's very dangerous." In the other chamber of the capitol building, Sen. Jason Barrett, R-Brookhaven, drafted a similar bill to prohibit such modifications to vehicles. Shanks is hopeful that the House and Senate can work together to come up with uniform legislation in conference if the two bills advance. |
| Other Southern states removed white supremacist statues from Washington. Will Mississippi? | |
| State lawmakers recently filed legislation to replace Mississippi's two statues of white supremacists in the U.S. Capitol in Washington -- a move that would follow the lead of several other Southern states. House Minority Leader Robert Johnson III, a Democrat from Natchez, filed a resolution to replace statutes of Jefferson Davis and J.Z. George in the U.S Capitol's National Statuary Hall Collection with statues of civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer and Hiram Revels, the first African American to serve in Congress. Senate Minority Leader Derrick Simmons, a Democrat from Greenville, filed a measure to create a commission to select replacements for the Davis and George statues. "I just don't think having statues that represent the Confederacy is a correct representation of who Mississippi is," Johnson said. "And I just think it's time for change." Many Southern states have replaced their original statues of Confederate leaders with more inclusive figures. Alabama, in 2009, replaced a statue of Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry, a Confederate officer, with one of Helen Keller, a political activist and disability rights advocate. Virginia, in 2020, removed Confederate General Robert E. Lee from the collection and plans to replace it with civil rights activist Barbara Rose Johns. To change a statue, federal law requires a majority of lawmakers in both legislative chambers to vote to approve the replacement, and the state is required to pay for the costs of replacing the two statues. |
| U.S. Senate sends $95B foreign aid package to House for consideration | |
| In a pre-dawn vote in the U.S. Capitol Tuesday morning, Senators voted 70-29 on final passage of a $95 billion foreign aid spending package that is aimed at supporting Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific. The vote comes after a group of Republican Senators joined nearly all Democrats in the chamber to move the bill forward after legislation that included U.S. border security provisions stalled in the chamber early last week. Senators worked through the weekend to clear procedural hurdles and get the foreign aid package to a final vote. Mississippi U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R), the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, was among the bipartisan group of Senators supporting the legislation. He told Magnolia Tribune on Friday that describing the measure as foreign aid was "incorrect," saying the bill involves military assistance recommended by the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. In all, 22 Senate Republicans backed the bill. The Magnolia State's other Senator, Cindy Hyde-Smith, opposed the spending package, expressing to Magnolia Tribune the desire to see funding first be considered for border security in the U.S. instead of providing for more aid elsewhere. In a floor speech on Sunday, Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader from Kentucky, told his colleagues that the U.S. cannot disregard global interests as a global power. "I know it's become quite fashionable in some circles to disregard the global interests we have as a global power, to bemoan the responsibilities of global leadership, to lament the commitment that is underpinned the longest drought of great power conflict in human history," Senator McConnell said. "This is the idle work for idle minds, and it has no place in the United States Senate." |
| Inflation at 3.1% Reflects Stubborn Pricing Pressure | |
 | Inflation cooled again in January, but the declines may have paused. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that consumer prices rose 3.1% in January from a year earlier, versus a December gain of 3.4%. That marked the lowest reading since June. Core prices, which exclude food and energy items in an effort to better track inflation's underlying trend, were up 3.9%. That was equal to December's gain, which was the lowest since mid-2021. From a month earlier, overall prices were up 0.3%, and core prices were up 0.4% -- larger gains than economists expected. Stock futures fell and bond yields rose after the release, which fueled worries that firmer-than-expected inflation would reduce the probability of the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates in the coming months. Interest-rate futures, which before Tuesday's report implied the central bank would probably begin cutting rates by its May meeting, now suggest a June start date is more likely. While inflation, which is the rate of price increases, has slowed, the level of prices is still far above where they were before the pandemic, especially for goods that most Americans buy often, like groceries. The sting of those past price increases might be part of why so many Americans remain down on the economy. An analysis conducted by Goldman Sachs economists suggests that frustration with high price levels might have contributed to low confidence readings that persisted in the early 1980s even after inflation had slipped sharply. |
| Biden forms task force to avoid mishandling of classified documents during presidential transitions | |
 | President Joe Biden on Monday launched a task force aimed at addressing the "systemic" problem of mishandling classified information during presidential transitions, days after a Justice Department special counsel's sharply critical report said he had done just that. The Presidential Records Transition Task Force will study past transitions to determine best practices for safeguarding classified information from an outgoing administration, the White House said. It will also assess the need for changes to existing policies and procedures to prevent the removal of sensitive information that by law should be kept with the National Archives and Records Administration. The report from special counsel Robert Hur listed dozens of sensitive documents found at Biden's home in Wilmington, Delaware, and at his former Washington office. The papers were marked as classified or later assessed to contain classified information. In even the best of circumstances, presidential transitions can be chaotic as records of the outgoing administration are transferred to the National Archives and thousands of political appointees leave their jobs to make way for the incoming administration. Officials of multiple administrations have said there is a systemic problem with mishandling of classified information by senior government officials, particularly around transitions, magnified by rampant over-classification across the government. |
| Haley faces tough road back into GOP after taking on Trump, lawmakers say | |
 | Republican lawmakers see a clear path back into Donald Trump's Republican Party for one of his former primary foes -- but perhaps excommunication for his lone remaining challenger. Some Republican members said it was a wise move by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to end his presidential bid after finishing second to Trump in the Iowa caucuses. His exit and immediate endorsement of the former president means a return to big-time GOP politics -- and even, eventually, Trump's orbit was possible, lawmakers said. But the Republican lawmakers predicted a much different future for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Trump's former United Nations ambassador and only primary foe still standing. She has chosen to continue her primary campaign, pivoting to a message critical of Trump's age and mental status -- and that she alone could take down President Joe Biden in November. Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney, who is not seeking reelection after being one of Trump's chief critics within the party, recently said, "I don't think that's likely, but it is possible" that Haley could again seek national office as a Republican. But, he said, it is much more likely that DeSantis could try again, perhaps as soon as the 2028 election cycle. "You may alienate some people who like your opponent. That's the nature of negative campaign ads and messaging," Romney said. "That's how it works. And you make a calculation to do what you think is going to get you the nomination. That's how it works." |
| Jon Stewart roasts Biden, Trump in return as 'The Daily Show' host | |
 | Jon Stewart returned to his old seat behind the desk of "The Daily Show" on Monday evening after a nearly nine-year hiatus, resuming his role as the late night show's host just in time for the 2024 presidential election. Stewart did not spare President Biden or former president Donald Trump from pointed jokes -- spotlighting how the front-runners in both parties are 81 and 77, respectively. And that 2024 is shaping up to look a lot like 2020. "We are not suggesting neither man is vibrant, productive or even capable. But they are both stretching the limits of being able to handle the toughest job in the world," Stewart said. "It is not crazy to think that the oldest people in the history of the country to ever run for president might have some of these challenges." Greeting a cheering studio audience, Stewart promised he would use his return as host to delve into politics, technology, and "maybe something a little lighter: Israel-Palestine." Stewart defended his swipes at Biden -- which came thick and fast -- as an exercise in his democratic duty. "The stakes of this election don't make Donald Trump's opponent less subject to scrutiny," he said. "It actually makes him more subject to scrutiny." Stewart will headline the show's popular Monday night slot throughout the 2024 election cycle, with rotating hosts throughout the rest of the week. He previously hosted the show from 1999 to 2015. During that time, the show transformed the late night comedy landscape, won 24 Emmys and frequently went viral on social media. |
| New Orleans' Carnival season marks Fat Tuesday with celebrities and pretend monarchs | |
| New Orleans' Carnival season is nearing its "Fat Tuesday" climax, with the last lavish Mardi Gras parades set to roll through historic neighborhoods while narrow streets of the old French Quarter host a raucous, continuous street party of revelers overflowing its bars and restaurants. Two of the city's favorite parades -- the processions of Rex, King of Carnival and the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club -- were set to roll Tuesday morning on major thoroughfares. Monday night featured the parade of the Krewe of Orpheus, co-founded by home-grown musician and actor Harry Connick Jr. In addition to elaborate floats and marching bands, scheduled participants included Connick himself, actor Neil Patrick Harris and Harris' husband, David Burtka. New Orleans has the nation's largest and best known Carnival celebration. It's replete with cherished traditions beloved by locals. But it's also a vital boost to the city's tourist-driven economy -- always evident in the French Quarter. The annual pre-Lenten festivities aren't limited to New Orleans. Similar celebrations are held in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast. Mobile, Alabama, where six parades were scheduled Tuesday, lays claim to the nation's oldest Mardi Gras celebration. And other lavish Carnival celebrations in Brazil and Europe are world renowned. |
| 'Boos Not Booze' event helps introduce healthy habits to Ole Miss students | |
 | Love is in the air as Valentine's Day quickly approaches. Students across UM's campus are preparing to celebrate the romantic holiday with those they love the most. In order to make this holiday, which tends to include a night of drinking and celebration, inclusive for all, the William Magee Center for AOD and Wellness Education has created a fun mocktail event so those who cannot or do not want to drink have a place to feel included. The event is called Boos Not Booze, and it will take place at the William Magee Center from 6:00-8:30 PM on Valentine's Day. Those who organized the event hope that it will be a fun time and help make people feel comfortable celebrating the holiday. "We wanted students to celebrate themselves without feeling that they should rely on alcohol or other substances," Magan Perry, a junior psychology major who coordinated this event for the William Magee Center, said. "A big push factor for this event specifically was pushing and providing an outlet for the Collegiate Recovery Community here. We understand that Ole Miss is a campus known for being a 'party school' with bars, parties, and huge tailgates. For several students on campus, coming into this environment can be very harmful to their recovery journey." |
| Students call on JSU to prioritize safety after man is seen with automatic rifle near campus | |
| An alert has been canceled after students at Jackson State University were instructed to "shelter in place" Monday morning. According to a safety alert sent to students Monday morning, a man with an assault rifle was reportedly seen near the College of Liberal Arts. Law enforcement on the state, county, city, and campus levels were seen patrolling campus with their blue lights flashing for most of the day. "This is a crazy situation. I don't think he should have been doing that at all," JSU Junior Zion Norris said. "Hopefully, they find him... and handle it the right way." "I came to the library to get some work done. I actually had a meeting for my internship, and I hear there was a shooter outside of the library," JSU Junior Mitchell Cook said. "I got on the ground and turned the lights off so the shooter [wouldn't be able to] find me." Cook says he's not only frightened but also upset because he feels campus safety has been an issue for some time now. "It seems like the administration doesn't care about the safety of their students. It's all about the sports, but when it comes to the day-to-day students living their life, it's unsafe. It's really unacceptable for this problem to be here for this long. I don't get it. I don't understand it," he said. The suspect has not yet been found. |
| Former ICC honor society advisor charged with embezzlement | |
| Special agents from State Auditor's Office arrested the former advisor for the Phi Theta Kappa chapter at Itawamba Community College, charging her with embezzlement. Robin Lowe, 50, was booked into the Itawamba County Jail at 10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 12, and released about 40 minutes later. According to State Auditor Shad White, is accused of converting public funds meant to benefit the National Honor Society chapter for her own personal use. Lowe served as the PTK advisor for 15 years, ending in May 2023. Lowe was served with a $36,915.30 demand letter at the time of her arrest. That figure includes the money allegedly stolen, plus interest and investigative fees. An insurance policy covers Lowe's employment at Itawamba Community College. Lowe will remain liable for the full amount of the demand in addition to criminal proceedings. In a statement to the Daily Journal, ICC Office of the President Chief of Staff Tyler Camp said the school has been working with the state auditor's office during the investigation. "Ensuring the proper use and management of state, local and student funds is of utmost importance at Itawamba Community College (ICC)," Camp said. "In 2023, ICC discovered an external checking account for Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) that was managed by then chapter advisor Ms. Robin Lowe and proceeded to conduct an internal audit. All information related to the account and the internal audit results were promptly turned over to the State Auditor's Office for further investigation." |
| WCU holds dedication for renovated President's house | |
 | After some major renovations, the William Carey Wheeler House will once again be the home of the University's President. After his inauguration in 2022, President Dr. Ben Burnett was adamant about living on campus and increasing his on-campus presence. "Campus pride, spirit, recognition of what our students do. One way that I thought that we could do that was by the President's family having an on-campus presence where we're here with them," said Burnett. This home was built in 1962 and has housed presidents throughout the years, but a president has not resided in it in nearly 30 years. Over time, it has held many different departments and offices for the university. In 2006 it was named after beloved alumni director, Donna Duck Wheeler. She and her husband Milton Wheeler were long-time supporters of William Carey. "If you ask anybody, there's not a couple ever that has ever existed that loved William Carey and the students more than Milton and Donna Wheeler. So we have retained the name, 'Wheeler House.'" He continues by explaining why it's important for him to have a relationship with the students on campus. "That's the only way I know how to lead is to be with people. And I enjoy it, I enjoy the relationship, and our campus is set up in a way such that the president can be at functions and get to know students," said Burnett. |
| Auburn University aims to raise $300K for children's hospital with annual dance marathon | |
 | Auburn University will host a 12-hour dance marathon on Saturday to raise money for the Children's Hospital at Piedmont Columbus Regional. The annual Auburn University Dance Marathon will start at 10 a.m. Saturday at AU's Student Activities Center. Participants will receive dance lessons, join fun activities and hear from former hospital patients and families who have benefited from the fundraiser. "Through my 11 years volunteering with Children's Miracle Network, I have had the opportunity to meet so many incredible individuals who have poured into me. I would not be the leader or person I am today without AUDM and Children's Miracle Network," said Ashton Hill, the president of the student-led AU organization that hosts the event. Since AU joined the Children's Miracle Network's nationwide Dance Marathon movement in 2011, students have raised over $3.3 million for the cause. This year, the college aims to raise $300,000 to go towards constructing the new standalone Bill and Olivia Amos Children's Hospital at Piedmont Columbus Regional. In the past, funds have went toward the Miracle NICU project, the purchase of a NICU transport ambulance and the naming of the pediatric ER. |
| A Campus Space for LGBTQ Students Closed. A 'Women's Community Center' Took Its Place. | |
 | When Adrienne Hunter was an undergraduate transitioning from male to female, there was one place on campus she knew she could go to for judgment-free support: the Gender and Sexuality Center. The center, which catered to the needs of LGBTQ+ students at the University of Texas at Austin, helped her change her name in university systems and pointed her to resources like the counseling and the health centers. "There are so many little things about transitioning that are excruciatingly painful to endure, and I didn't have family or financial support," recalled Hunter, who graduated in 2022. "The center was there for me." Future students may have a harder time finding such support. The Gender and Sexuality Center, which opened in 2004, closed at the beginning of this year -- the victim of a new state law, SB 17, that bans diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at Texas's public colleges. In the space that housed the Gender and Sexuality Center is a new "Women's Community Center," with a mission to "be a place for Longhorns of all genders to connect, find resources, and get support around experiences of intersectionality, community, and gender solidarity," according to a statement posted on its Instagram page. That seemingly semantic shift could have big consequences for students. Though the new center is staffed by former employees of the Gender and Sexuality Center, who students, faculty, and alumni say remain committed to serving the LGBTQ+ population, some fear the new name could confuse or even alienate some students, particularly those who don't identify as women. |
| U. of Missouri extends test-optional admission for a year | |
 | The University of Missouri System Board of Curators on Thursday extended test-optional admission for undergraduate students for one year at the University of Missouri, Missouri University of Science and Technology and University of Missouri-St. Louis. The meeting was in Memorial Union at the University of Missouri. Discussion among the curators questioned the wisdom of future extensions. "The days of this is numbered, in my opinion" said board member Todd Graves. One more year is his limit, Graves said. "It creates a gaming of the system that I'm willing to live with for another year," Graves said. The recommendation came from the University of Missouri Faculty Council in a unanimous vote. The best students want to challenge themselves, said board member Keith Holloway. "I think the best and the brightest want to take tests," Holloway said. The test-optional admission was a good solution during the COVID pandemic, when it began, said chairwoman Robin Wenneker. "Those were tough times," she said, adding it requires those in admissions to work harder. |
| Nebraska lawmakers to debate DEI, tenure bills | |
| Nebraska lawmakers are the latest to take aim at tenure and DEI programs, which conservatives claim allow underperforming faculty to keep their jobs and indoctrinate students respectively. Under one proposal, colleges would not be able to require that employees learn about structures or systems built on the basis of race, sex, gender or sexual orientation. It would also prohibit mandatory teachings on methods to undo such systems, as well as the concepts of cultural appropriation, allyship and unconscious or implicit bias. The Nebraska chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union slammed the proposal's language as problematic and likely to have far-reaching implications. "While the bill's DEI definition hinges on training, its passage would send a chilling message that could interfere with other DEI efforts to support student success, programs already facing significant budget cuts," it said in a statement. Nebraska lawmakers will also weigh a second bill that seeks to dismantle tenure on college campuses. That legislation would remove the power to grant tenure from the Nebraska Board of Regents and the Nebraska State Colleges board, as well as any community college boards. Additionally, the boards would be required to adopt a written policy outlining reasons faculty could be fired. |
| Student Housing Has a New Mantra: Bigger Is Better | |
 | When the Standard, an off-campus student housing complex, opened in the fall in Bloomington, Ind., welcoming its first batch of residents, it had a decidedly resort vibe. Along with the requisite pool and fitness centers, it enticed students with two pickleball courts, a dog park and a motion sports simulator. The complex even used a roommate-matching app. The arms race over amenities in student housing is nothing new, but what is striking about the Standard is its size: 1,000 beds, about twice the size of a typical dorm. In fact, the Standard could house 3 percent of Indiana University's 34,000-plus undergraduates. Off-campus student housing complexes across the country are getting larger, some home to more than 1,500 students, and they are being built on prime parcels as close to campus as possible, as developers seek to better manage their bottom line. "Having larger projects enables us to have more amenities as we can spread the costs out over a larger number of beds," said J. Wesley Rogers, chief executive of Landmark Properties, the developer of Standard complexes in 23 states, including the one in Indiana. But developers face challenges, including higher costs of land near campus and the possibility that college enrollment could decline. To fill larger facilities, developers face a daunting "capture rate," or the percentage that their developments look to fill out of the number of undergrad students available for off-campus housing. |
| How AI Has Begun Changing University Roles, Responsibilities | |
 | Artificial intelligence is beginning to impact jobs and policies within universities as adoption of the technology grows, a new study finds. More than half (56 percent) of those surveyed said they have new responsibilities related to AI strategy, according to Educause, a nonprofit focused on education and technology. Most of those experiencing the change are executives (69 percent), followed by managers and directors (66 percent), staff (46 percent), and faculty members (39 percent). "Above and beyond the other risks [with AI], the risk to our workforce is they're already overworked and now we're asking them to do extra things," said Jenay Robert, a senior Educause researcher. She cautioned against adding more responsibilities without changes in job titles or descriptions. "It's an important finding in terms of supporting the workforce," she said. "Codify the role in people's jobs so they know what to expect." Educause's first "AI Landscape Study" focuses on the impact of the increasingly pervasive technology. The study polled 910 people who work at universities, surveying them in November and December. Its findings delved into new topics: namely, how -- or if -- AI is shaking up faculty members' jobs, both in the work they are doing and how they use the technology. "When October, November was rolling around, there was a shift where AI wasn't a brand-new hot topic, but people were settling in, having job roles dedicated to it," Robert said. |
| Teacher training programs don't always use research-backed reading methods | |
 | A dozen college students are saying the word "pat" and jotting down notes about the sounds being made. "Puh - AH - tt" Pay attention to the shapes your mouths make as you pronounce the word, instructs Robin Fuxa, their education professor at Oklahoma State University. She asks her students if they can feel the way the words sound as they speak. "Say it again and see if you feel it in your vocal cords," Fuxa prompts her reading instruction class, held last October. Fuxa is trying to get her students to pay attention to phonics, the reading method that links a sound to a letter. Extensive research has shown phonics is an effective way to teach kids to read. But teacher training programs like this one don't always prepare educators to use researched-backed reading methods, like phonics. In a 2023 study, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) surveyed nearly 700 teacher training programs across the country. Their findings: "Only about a quarter of the teachers who leave teacher preparation programs across our nation enter classrooms prepared to teach kids to read [in a way that's] aligned to the science and research on reading," says Heather Peske, president of NCTQ. The rest, she says, are investing money and time into learning methods like "three- cueing" and "balanced literacy," which aren't backed by research. Thomas Dee, an education professor and researcher at Stanford University, says this disconnect between research and practice has been a long standing issue in education. This comes at a time when reading proficiency among some school-aged children has been declining. |
| Amid FAFSA Delays, Education Dept. Will Reduce Verification Requirements for Aid Applicants | |
| The U.S. Department of Education on Monday announced several steps it would take to help colleges process the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, more efficiently amid continuing delays in the federal-aid system that are causing anxiety nationwide. First, the department said it would significantly reduce verification requirements for federal-aid applicants during the 2024-25 aid cycle. During that onerous process, students selected for verification must submit documentation, such as income-tax returns, W-2 statements, and 1099 forms, to prove that they provided accurate information on the FAFSA. The process has long been recognized as a key barrier for low-income students, and it's a time-consuming chore for financial-aid offices. The department also announced that it will suspend some routine program reviews through June 2024, except in cases of "serious issues," such as suspected fraud or a significant breach of fiduciary duty. By easing up on program reviews, which determine whether a college is meeting departmental-eligibility requirements, the Education Department intends to enable colleges to devote more time to focus on getting financial-aid offers to students. Finally, the department announced that it would give colleges greater flexibility when it comes to recertifying their eligibility for student-aid programs. Normally, colleges must do so at least 90 days before their Program Participation Agreement expires. But the department said it would waive that requirement for colleges with agreements expiring in March, June, or September. Those institutions will now have until the expiration date. |
| Citing FAFSA Delays, U.S. to Ease Requirements for Colleges | |
| The U.S. Education Department is relaxing a number of requirements so that colleges and universities dealing with delayed student financial aid information can better focus on processing aid applications and delivering aid packages to students. The department announced today that it will reduce the proportion of financial aid forms it reviews for potential inaccuracy, suspend all new reviews of colleges' compliance with financial aid rules and offer institutions flexibility in their applications to renew their eligibility to access federal financial aid programs. Those changes build on the department's strategy, announced last week, to support colleges with the update to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which has been plagued by delays and technical glitches. "Here's the bottom line: fewer requirements for colleges and universities this spring means more time and resources freed up to deliver financial aid for students to make the most of the better FAFSA," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said Monday evening on a call with reporters. Cardona said the latest steps were in response to input from financial aid administrators and college leaders about the challenges they are facing with the new form, which also includes a new methodology for determining students' aid eligibility. |
| Foxx will not seek another term as House education committee chair | |
| Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, will not seek another term as chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Foxx said during remarks at the Community College National Legislative Summit last week. Foxx chaired the committee between 2017 and 2019 and returned to the role in 2023 when Republicans reclaimed control of the House. Foxx is stepping down as chair due to the expiration of a waiver that allowed her to circumvent GOP conference rules limiting the consecutive terms a chair can serve to three. Her current term ends January 2025, and although she will not seek another term as committee chair, she is running for re-election to the House in 2024. She has served on the committee since joining Congress in 2005. Foxx spent most of her career in teaching and administration in North Carolina's higher education system. She began her career in public service on the school board in Watauga County, North Carolina, between 1976 and 1988 and later served a decade in the North Carolina Senate, from 1994 to 2004. Foxx's announcement that she will not seek another term as head of the committee comes just days after she called for Education Secretary Miguel Cardona's resignation after he failed to denounce as antisemitic the pro-Palestinian chant "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs Welcome Louisiana For Ranked Midweek Matchup | |
| After posting a perfect Opening Weekend, highlighted by two no-hitters, Mississippi State softball will face its first significant test of the season on Tuesday, hosting No. 21/21 Louisiana. The Bulldogs will play four teams that were ranked in the preseason polls in February, beginning with the Ragin' Cajuns. Three of those games are set for this week, as State meets No. 13/16 Utah and No. 5/7 Clemson in Mexico over the weekend. MSU is among the top 10 teams in the nation in batting average (5th), on-base percentage (6th), slugging percentage (7th) and ERA (9th). The Bulldogs were one of just two teams in the nation not to walk a batter on Opening Weekend, and they recorded 30 of their 66 outs via the strikeout. Tickets are now required for all events at Nusz Park. Tickets for Tuesday will grant admission to both games and can be purchased at HailState.com/Tickets. Fans in attendance will be able to enter into two midweek raffles to win a prize at the game. |
| Jeffries, Fort still questionable for Mississippi State men's basketball | |
| Mississippi State continues to tinker with different lineups as one key starter and a valuable reserve remain sidelined by injuries. Starting forward and defensive leader D.J. Jeffries has missed the Bulldogs' last two games with a knee injury that he sustained during a loss at Alabama on Feb. 3, while guard Trey Fort has been out for the last four games with an injured thumb on his shooting hand. Head coach Chris Jans told reporters Monday that neither of them has been participating in practice and both are considered questionable for Saturday's home game against Arkansas. "Trey's out there, but he doesn't do anything with his injured hand," Jans said. "He has no physical contact, so he's in a practice uniform but he's not really available for practice. Neither one of them have been available yet, so they still have steps in their progression. I would say it's a maybe on both of them for Saturday. As we get closer, we'll know if they're going to be available or not." After two relatively easy wins against SEC bottom-feeders, the Bulldogs will be in must-win territory again after a midweek bye when the Razorbacks (12-11, 3-7) visit Humphrey Coliseum. Arkansas defeated powerhouse Purdue in a charity exhibition game and has a signature non-conference home win over Duke, but SEC play has not been kind to Eric Musselman's team. Six of the Razorbacks' seven conference losses have come by 10 points or more, and they host No. 8 Tennessee on Wednesday night before coming to Starkville. |
| Baseball Announces Opening Weekend Game Times | |
| The 2024 Mississippi State baseball season is right around the corner and the opening weekend game times are set. The Diamond Dawgs will open the season at 4 p.m. CT on Friday, Feb.16, at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville. The Diamond Dawgs host the Air Force Academy in a three-game series to open the 2024 season, with the season-opener set for Friday, Feb. 16, at 4 p.m. The Bulldogs and Falcons return to action on Saturday (Feb. 17) for a first pitch at 4 p.m. The series finale is set for Sunday (Feb. 18) at 1 p.m. at The Dude. Game times are subject to change depending on weather forecasts. For Saturday's contest, the men's basketball reserved parking has priority. The entirety of opening weekend will be dedicated to honoring our nation's brave service members in a special Military Appreciation Weekend at The Dude. All three games will feature pregame military flyovers. Moody Air Force Base will perform Friday's flyover, while Columbus Air Force Base will perform Saturday and Sunday. Each game will also have military members standing with MSU and Air Force during the national anthem, along with military members announcing starting lineups. |
| Mississippi State Soccer Announces Spring 2024 Schedule | |
| Mississippi State Soccer is thrilled to unveil its action-packed spring 2024 schedule, promising a series of thrilling matchups that will showcase the team's talent and determination. With a blend of home games, international travel, and challenging opponents, the Dawgs are ready for an exhilarating spring season. The season kicks off on Saturday, February 24th with a doubleheader at the MSU Soccer Field. Mississippi State will face off against West Alabama at noon, followed by a showdown against William Carey at 4 PM. West Alabama will take on William Carey at 2 PM, completing the round-robin schedule. On Saturday, March 2nd, the Bulldogs will host a highly anticipated evening match against Alabama at 6 PM, promising an electrifying atmosphere under the lights. In the previous two matchups with Alabama, the Bulldogs have prevailed. In the 2023 regular season, State became the first team to knock off Alabama in Tuscaloosa since 2021. The rematch came in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament where State advanced past Alabama for the second time by defeating the Tide in penalty kicks, earning a spot in the SEC Tournament semifinals for the first time in program history. |
| Can the Jackson area support two travel sports facilities? | |
 | In 2025, there may be two travel sports complexes in the Jackson-Metro area, each with the potential to significantly boost their respective local economies. One, City Plaza in South Jackson, is close to construction. The other, the Megadome in Gluckstadt, is in early development. Travel sports is a rapidly growing, multi-billion dollar industry in the United States, but is the Jackson-Metro area big enough for two? Travel sports company 828 Sports Ventures announced the 43 acre, 400,000 square foot Gluckstadt Megadome Jan. 23 and said they had entered into a land deal with Madison-based real estate company Turn Key. "Gluckstadt Megadome" is a working title, awaiting a key sponsor. In a special Gluckstadt Board of Aldermen meeting on Jan. 25, Larry Fortune, chief investment officer for 828 Sports, told the alderman and a packed room of local residents that a third party predicted the $100 million complex would generate $50 million annual economic impact for Gluckstadt -- no small feat for a community that attained its city status fewer than three years ago. During the special meeting, Karla McCullough expressed concerns during the public comment section. McCullough is partnering with former NBA and Mississippi State player Erick Dampier to build City Plaza, a 33-acre, $58-million travel sports complex on Terry Road in Jackson, the former site of the Jackson Square Promenade. City Plaza sits just over 20 miles away from the potential Megadome site. McCullough said she is worried two travel sports complexes within such a distance would create an oversaturation of the market, threatening both facilities' future revenue. |
| ACC, SEC Powered Congressional Lobbying Arm's Race in 2023 | |
| The Atlantic Coast Conference spent just over $1 million lobbying Congress in 2023, almost triple what it paid out the previous year and significantly more than any other college athletic conference. At $790,000, the Southeastern Conference more than doubled its 2022 lobbying expenditures, according to a Sportico analysis of disclosure forms filed with the House Clerk and Secretary of the Senate. The rest of the Power 5 leagues realized smaller spending increases or mostly held steady: The Big 12 paid $170,000, up from $100,000 in 2022, while the Big Ten's $220,000 was slightly less than the year before. The Pac-12, meanwhile, was on pace to match its 2022 spending before terminating its relationship with lobbying firm Cassidy & Associates in the fall, following an exodus of conference members to the Big Ten and Big 12. The Pac-12 -- and its subsidiary, Pac-12 Enterprises -- finished last year having expended $210,000 on lobbying. Cumulatively the P5 spent more than $2.39 million to peddle influence on Capitol Hill. By comparison, the NCAA reported spending $540,000 -- $360,000 on its outside lobbyist, Brownstein Hyatt, and the rest attributed to its in-house government relations director, Dawn Booth. This tally was $20,000 more than what the association spent in 2022. Once a de minimis line item on college conference budgets, Congressional lobbying dramatically ramped up in 2021, following the adoption of state-based NIL laws and the Supreme Court's ruling for the athlete plaintiffs in NCAA v. Alston. |
| Setting up Tennessee's big lawsuit hearing, including whether to go and UT alums on NCAA side | |
 | The state of Tennessee will try to freeze the NCAA's name, image and likeness rules at a preliminary injunction hearing in Greeneville on Tuesday. It's part of an antitrust lawsuit filed by the attorneys general for Tennessee and Virginia. There are implications for all NCAA member schools, especially the University of Tennessee. It is amid an NCAA investigation into allegations that it broke NIL rules. For college football fans who lack a law degree, this can get confusing. So here are the basics you need to know about the hearing. It will begin at 9 a.m. at the James H. Quillen Courthouse, the site of the Eastern District of Tennessee federal court. The hearing could last 30 minutes or three hours or anything in between. It depends on how willing the judge is to listen to oral arguments. But a judgment won't necessarily come Tuesday. The judge could announce it from the bench, or he could write his opinion and release it a few days later. If the injunction is granted, NIL rules freeze until the case concludes. That means recruits would be allowed to negotiate and sign NIL contracts before enrolling at a school without fear of breaking NCAA rules. If the injunction is denied, NIL rules remain in place, at least until the case concludes. The judge has already indicated that the NCAA likely would lose the suit, specifically against charges that its NIL rules violate antitrust laws. The final judgment could be months away. But this injunction, if granted, would impact NIL rules now rather than kicking the can down the road. |
| Tom Mars Takes On 'Vulnerable' NCAA | |
 | Rogers attorney Tom Mars has been a thorn in the side of the NCAA for several years now, and that doesn't seem likely to change anytime soon. Mars represents Sprye Sports Group of Nashville, Tennessee, an NIL collective that is at the center of a new NCAA investigation, this time over alleged name, image and likeness rule violations involving University of Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The allegation is that Sprye offered oodles of money to Iamaleava to attend Tennessee rather than paying him money after he enrolled. The NCAA has little control over the NIL market after repeated defeats in court, but it has said that it is a violation for a collective to pay a player as an inducement to attend a school. "The NCAA has probably made itself the most vulnerable court defendant in American history," Mars said. "The NCAA as an institution has managed to make itself the most hated organization on the planet, maybe short of Al Qaeda. It's no wonder people don't like the NCAA." Mars joked that the confusing and conflicting NCAA rulebook should have a disclaimer in its table of contents saying, "Don't start here." The problem, Mars said, is that the NCAA rules were made up by "pretend lawyers," quoting the late college coach Mike Leach. |
| NLRB grants appeal extension to Dartmouth ahead of union vote | |
| National Labor Relations Board counsel Diane Bridge extended the Dartmouth trustee's time to file an appeal on Monday to a regional office's ruling that the institution's men's basketball team are employees. The deadline to file an appeal to NLRB regional director Laura Sacks' decision has been extended from Feb. 20 to March 5, the same day the Dartmouth team has scheduled an in-person election to form a union. The ballot count is set to begin at 1 p.m. ET in Hanover, New Hampshire. Players will be voting to be represented by SEIU Local 560. The extension gives Dartmouth more time to piece together its appeal of the decision. The NLRB decision last week was not a stunning surprise, as the NLRB general counsel Jennifer A. Abruzzo has openly talked about her beliefs that college athletes are employees. The National Labor Relations Board enforces U.S. labor law. Dartmouth player representatives Cade Haskins and Romeo Myrthil called the ruling "a significant step forward for college athletes" last week. They also announced they plan to form the Ivy League Players Association for basketball players across the league. Speaking after Dartmouth's loss to Harvard last Saturday, Myrthil said he wasn't expecting anything different when the players vote on unionization next month. All 15 members of the team signed the initial petition asking to be represented by the SEIU. |
| Phoenix Open leadership eyes changes in wake of incidents | |
| Changes are coming to next year's WM Phoenix Open in the wake of a series of incidents involving fans and golfers, overcrowding on the course and the suspension of both admissions and alcohol sales on Saturday. Chance Cozby, the executive director of the Thunderbirds, the civic organization that hosts the Phoenix Open, told the Golf Channel on Monday that the tournament is already looking at ways to fix the issues that plagued the largest tournament on the PGA Tour this year. "I think that you will see a complete operational change of how we manage, really, our Friday and Saturday, but the entire week," Cozby said. "We're very proud of what we've built. I think, we've been tournament of the year on the PGA Tour five of the last seven years. But we don't like what happened on Saturday. The players don't like what happened on Saturday. Our fans don't like what happened on Saturday, and, so, nothing is off the table." During his appearance, Cozby did not address whether fan behavior was the cause of alcohol sales being suspended Saturday. On Sunday, Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson and Billy Horschel were each captured on video having heated interactions with fans. Johnson told the Arizona Republic after the tournament on Sunday that he felt the Thunderbirds "probably need to do something about it. I'm assuming they're ashamed." |
| Tiger Woods Unveils New Apparel Line Called 'Sun Day Red' | |
| When Tiger Woods split with Nike last month, it meant that the golfing legend was set to wear a new brand for the first time in his professional career. It turns out Woods will be wearing a brand of his own. In partnership with TaylorMade, Woods on Monday unveiled a new lifestyle brand called "Sun Day Red," a name that alludes to his iconic look of wearing a red shirt during the final rounds of tournaments. Woods will debut the line when he tees off at this week's Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. "I have learned so much over the years and have a lifetime of experience adjusting my apparel and footwear to help me play better based on the way it was constructed," the 48-year-old Woods said in a statement. "There are things that I could tell you that no one knew I was doing over the years. I'm ready to share those secrets with the world." For TaylorMade, an American golf equipment manufacturer that is primarily known for making clubs, balls and other gear, the move signals the company's increased push into clothing. While the sight of Woods stepping into the tee box at Augusta National wearing something other than a swoosh on his shirt will be a jarring sight for golf fans, his relationship with TaylorMade isn't entirely new. Woods has used the company's clubs since 2017, a switch he made after Nike got out of the golf equipment business. |
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