| Wednesday, March 6, 2024 |
| Road, lot closures planned for Bost Drive construction | |
 | Portions of Barr Avenue, College View Drive and McArthur Hall's parking lot will be closed now through August during a two-phase extension of Bost Drive. The first phase, which began Monday [March 4], features demolition of the parking lot and portions of the surrounding area. The second phase begins May 20, and the project is expected to conclude Aug. 7. Both drivers and pedestrians are advised to use caution while traveling through the area. Contact the Facilities Management Service Desk at 662-325-2005 with questions. |
| Camera ordinance fails on close vote Tuesday | |
 | A 4-3 vote by Starkville aldermen Tuesday spelled the end for the city's proposed camera ordinance. Proposed two months ago, the ordinance would require businesses and retail centers 10,000 square feet or larger and have 50 or more parking spaces to have a surveillance camera system, with camera coverage inside the building and in parking lots. Aldermen held three public hearings and discussed the matter several times at work sessions. Research by the Starkville Police Department showed the ordinance as written would affect 50 total businesses, with 44 of those having at least one confirmed camera in place. Police Chief Mark Ballard has also voiced support for the value of cameras to crime investigations. "I do think that safety and security is dependent on us solving crime, and I think those cameras are a critical piece of us solving whatever happens," Mayor Lynn Spruill said Tuesday in support of the ordinance. The majority of the board disagreed, with Ward 3 Alderman Jeffrey Rupp, Ward 4 Alderman Mike Brooks, Ward 5 Alderman Hamp Beatty and Ward 7 Alderman Henry Vaughn opposed. Ward 1's Kim Moreland, Ward 2's Sandra Sistrunk and Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins, of Ward 6, supported the measure. "I think we've got the best police department, and I think we need cameras," Rupp said. "But on principle, I think if it is truly a public safety issue, the public ought to participate in paying for those cameras." |
| Airbus signs on for new deal in Columbus | |
 | Even after dozens of major economic development victories, including the $2.5 billion announcement for Aluminum Dynamics to build an aluminum flat roll mill, Joe Max Higgins, CEO of Golden Triangle Development Link, has no intention of taking his foot off the gas pedal. The latest was recently announced that California-Airbus is to establish a final assembly line for the company's H145 twin-engine light helicopter in Mississippi. The new line will be located at Airbus' facility in Columbus and will be capable of delivering 16 helicopters a year in 2025. "Just a few months ago, we celebrated our 20th anniversary of doing business with Airbus," Higgins said. "Everybody always wants to talk about the aluminum mill or the steel mill or whatever. We can never forget that the first Airbus project is what put the Golden Triangle on the map in modern day manufacturing." "We weren't putting a widget in a squidget. We were putting together a product that flies and flies people," Higgins said. "More importantly, it has always been viewed as best in class. They are an exemplary partner. They are doing God's work for our men and women in the military as well as rescue equipment for hospitals and things like that." "As long as we do our job and make the best damn helicopter in the world, Airbus in Columbus should never stop," Higgins said. "We knew this contract was coming, but we couldn't be more proud for continuing this relationship." |
| District Attorney vows to use grand jury to get answers in Clay County mass shooting | |
 | Gunfire erupted at a crowded Clay County nightclub early Sunday morning, killing one and wounding a dozen more. The reward for information has grown to $6,000 and authorities could seek legal action to compel witnesses to come forward. Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said the incident happened just after midnight at the Oasis Lounge, located on Highway 45 just north of West Point. It is believed that the shooting was premeditated because it appears there were at least three shooters. Taleesa Chandler, 20, of Columbus, was killed by the gunfire. Another 12 people were also injured by the gunfire. Most of those were only grazed, but one was struck in the face. The club reportedly had 14 security guards on duty for the event. Security chased at least one suspect through the parking lot and across the four-lane highway before he escaped into the woods. One weapon was recovered, but no arrests have been made. While some of the estimated 300 people at the event have talked to police, they have not been forthcoming, and officials question whether what they have been told is the whole truth. That prompted 16th Circuit Court District Attorney Scott Colom to adopt a two-pronged strategy to get people to talk. "We've got the carrot and the stick. The carrot is the reward money; the stick is the grand jury," Colom said at a Monday afternoon press conference. In the meantime, the Oasis Lounge, which has been a Clay County landmark for at least four decades, is closed. |
| School funding and ballot initiatives are among issues surviving in Mississippi Legislature | |
 | Mississippi legislators are considering proposals to rewrite the funding formula for public schools. Senate Bill 2332 would revise the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, the formula that has been fully funded only twice since it became law in 1997. House Bill 1453 would set a new formula that would send more money to poorer districts. Tuesday was the deadline for House and Senate committees to consider general bills and constitutional amendments that originated in their own chamber. Bills that survived will move to the full House and Senate for more debate. Budget and revenue bills have later deadlines. Here is the status of some general bills: House Bill 1607, the "Mississippi Women's Bill of Rights," specifies that a "person's biological sex, either male or female, as observed or clinically verified at birth" is different from "gender identity or other terms intended to convey a person's subjective sense of self." The bill says that "biological differences between the sexes are enduring and, in some circumstances, may warrant the creation of separate social, educational, athletic or other spaces in order to ensure safety or allow members of each sex to succeed and thrive." Senate Bill 2753 would prohibit people from entering restrooms for the "opposite sex." The bill would block transgender people, including those who have transitioned, from using restrooms that match their gender identity. The legislation requires public buildings to have single-sex restrooms and changing areas, or unisex spaces designated for one person. A person caught entering the wrong restroom or changing room could be sued. |
| House leaders tweak school funding plan after feedback from education groups | |
 | House leaders said they have tried to address concerns of educators in their latest attempt to rewrite the longstanding formula that determines the amount of state funds provided to local school districts for their basic operation. The latest version of the legislation, which passed the House Education Committee on Tuesday, includes an inflation factor and a committee that includes eight school superintendents that would make binding recommendations to the Legislature on the amount of money local school districts should receive. The committee also would include five representatives of the Mississippi Department of Education. "This bill is as close to getting to equitable funding as we can get in this state," said Education Chair Rob Roberson, R-Starkville, who is the primary author of the proposal dubbed the Investing in the Needs of Students to Prioritize, Impact and Reform Education (INSPIRE). The legislation would replace the longstanding Mississippi Adequate Education Program, which was passed in 1997 but has been fully funded only twice since its full enactment in 2003. Proponents of the legislation say the new House proposal is more equitable than the Adequate Education Program, providing more funds for special education, for poor students and for those learning English as a second language. But some public education advocates and others have long been wary of legislative efforts to rewrite the funding formula over concerns lawmakers want to gradually spend less money on schools. |
| House advances bill that would establish close study of universal school vouchers | |
| Two House committees passed a bill that would establish a committee to study the feasibility of creating an expansive program to provide public funds for students to attend private schools. House Education Committee Chairman Rob Roberson, who filed the legislation that would initially have created a universal school voucher program, said earlier this session that he just wanted to "start a conversation" on the controversial issue. Several advocacy groups are loudly championing universal voucher expansion this year, while multiple pro-public education groups are strongly opposing it. Roberson's original bill was amended in the House Education Committee to not create the program, but instead establish a study committee that would "determine the feasibility of establishing and administering universal education scholarship accounts" and report those findings to the 2025 Legislature. A House Appropriations Committee also passed the amended bill on Tuesday, advancing it to the full House chamber for consideration. Sources close to House leadership told Mississippi Today on Tuesday that the bill is expected to be recommitted to committee in coming days, which would effectively kill the legislation. That action, however, would require a majority vote of the House chamber. |
| Senate Medicaid Chairman says without a work requirement waiver, Medicaid expansion 'probably over' | |
| On committee deadline day, the Mississippi Senate Medicaid Committee passed a bill to open code sections that will allow them to address potential expansion of the Medicaid rolls to low-income families in the Magnolia State. SB 2735 in its current form is what lawmakers consider a "dummy bill." A dummy bill refers to legislation that only contains code sections, typically because a proposal is not complete but a deadline requires movement on that issue. State Senator Kevin Blackwell (R), Chairman of Medicaid, said that the proposal from the chamber on the topic of potential Medicaid expansion is expected by this time next week. The Senate bill is in response to the House Medicaid expansion bill that was passed 98 to 20 in the chamber last week. The House legislation requested a work requirement waiver for individuals up to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to be eligible for Medicaid. However, Section 2 of the House bill moves forward with the expansion, even if the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) does not approve the work waiver. According to Sen. Blackwell, the Senate's bill will hinge on the approval of a work requirement waiver by CMS. He said if CMS does not approve a work requirement waiver, then "it's probably over." Blackwell told reporters that he would be unable to move a piece of legislation that implemented traditional expansion through the Senate. |
| Medicaid expansion bill inches forward in Senate with few details | |
| Senate Republican leaders continue to keep any particulars of their Medicaid expansion plans close to the vest, with a committee passing only a shell of a bill Tuesday to meet a deadline and keep it alive. Meanwhile, a Medicaid expansion bill the House passed last week sits untouched in the Senate, and the two Republican-led chambers do not appear to be in sync on the issue. Senate leaders have said they are dead set on any expansion of Medicaid coverage including a work requirement for recipients. This would require federal approval, which many say is unlikely. The House version includes a work requirement, but says the program would still be expanded even if the feds don't approve a work requirement. "If no work requirements, no expansion," Senate Medicaid Chairman Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven, said about the bill he calls "expansion light." Senate Bill 2735, authored by Blackwell, remains only a skeleton bill bringing forth the code sections necessary to expand Medicaid, with details to be hashed out later. On Tuesday, Blackwell spent 25 seconds explaining the bill to committee members and 15 seconds counting a committee vote. Rita Potts Parks, R-Corinth, was the only No vote. No questions were asked in committee. |
| Mississippi House Moves to Protect IVF Access | |
| A bill that was originally drafted to address Medicare and Medicaid services for the state plan was altered last week to include what is being called that "Access to Family Building Act." The committee substitute, which was adopted in the House Medicaid Committee, was offered by State Representative Missy McGee (R) in response to the Alabama Supreme Court ruling last month regarding personhood of Invitro-fertilization (IVF) embryos. "With all of the attention and latest developments in the state of Alabama I think a lot of other states are rightfully concerned -- could there be efforts in Mississippi to limit access for families who are going through IVF or assisted reproductive technologies," said McGee. "I felt like we ought to address the issue to protect couples who are trying to conceive a child." Because the Legislature was already in session, Rep. McGee took the opportunity to add the Access to Family Building Act language to another bill as the deadline to introduce new bills had already passed. McGee added that she has constituents in her own district that were seeking treatment in Alabama who were forced to pause that process after the ruling. Mississippi has three board certified reproductive endocrinologists, and two who are not yet certified, that conduct fertility treatments to help families. One of those is Dr. Preston Parry with Positive Steps Fertility in Madison. He said since the ruling in Alabama and in the wake of the Dobbs decision, patients are anxious and scared when it comes to fertility treatment. "My understanding is that Mississippi values family building, it values children, and as a state where our population is declining, we want people who want to have children. The more we can do to protect them, the brighter the future for our state," said Dr. Parry. |
| Bill requiring ambulance contracts to include 'mutual aid' clauses clears House committee | |
| A bill that would require ambulance service providers to include mutual aid clauses in their contracts has cleared a House committee. H.B. 1644 recently passed out of the House Accountability, Efficiency, and Transparency Committee. The measure would mandate ambulance companies providing exclusive services to cities or counties to include mutual aid clauses in their contracts. Those clauses, in turn, would allow other companies to respond to calls for service in certain circumstances when the main contractor is short on staff or equipment. "There have been statewide issues concerning response times - including the two that you are aware of in Jackson," Rep. Shanda Yates, the bill's author said. "So, this is something we needed and I'm happy to be a small part in helping address such an important issue." The legislation comes months after a WLBT investigation revealed AMR failed to meet contracted response times in Hinds County in nearly half of all Priority One calls. Some residents say their loved ones died as a result of those wait times. In one case, an ambulance showed up two hours late, while an ambulance with another company was five minutes away. According to the measure, companies that provide exclusive services in cities and counties would be required to contact other providers when shortages could delay responses to calls for service. |
| House passes bill to allow liquor sales on Sunday | |
| Mississippians could soon purchase liquor and wine seven days a week under a plan that passed the Republican-majority House and is now headed to the Senate for consideration. The House on March 1 voted 69-31 to pass House Bill 329, which would allow package stores to operate on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. State law currently prohibits liquor sales on Sundays. "They can go get it after church but not before or during church?" Democratic Rep. Ronnie Crudup Jr. of Jackson asked during debate on Friday. "That's correct," Republican Rep. Brent Powell of Brandon responded. Current law only allows package stores to operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday through Saturday. The House proposal would automatically grant package stores in wet areas the option to sell on Sunday afternoon. But the House bill allows counties and municipalities to conduct a referendum to opt out of the Sunday sales if 20% of the voters or 1,500 voters, whichever is less, sign onto a petition to conduct an election. The House sent the bill to the Senate for consideration, but Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann's office has not yet referred the bill to a committee. The Senate committee has until April 2 to advance the bill. |
| 'Tug of war' continues over Coast casino tidelands bill after overwhelming House vote | |
 | State lawmakers learned in December that two votes on the Mississippi Gaming Commission can change years of policies and rules established under multiple secretaries of state, legislatures and gaming commissioners, said David Blount, D-Hinds County, Senate Gaming Committee chairman. The fix is Senate Bill 2780 that clarifies the law, Blount said, and would require every casino developer on the Coast to get a tidelands lease directly from the Secretary of State. Changes made to the bill by the Senate Gaming Committee protect control of Coast cities over their ports and harbors while requiring them to get a tidelands lease or agreement with the state. "Those decisions about how best to manage those marina related activities are made by the locals in this bill," Blount said. The bill isn't retroactive and doesn't rescind the controversial decision by the two members of the Gaming Commission to give RW Development site approval for a casino on U.S. 90 at Veterans Avenue in Biloxi. The Gaming Commission decision in December gave RW a deadline of three years to secure financing in order to get approval to proceed. Talk to anyone in finance who deals with casino projects and they'll tell you there's no appetite to fund large projects in Mississippi, said Sen. Scott DeLano, R-Biloxi. That's because of the competitive pressures from the 12 existing casinos on the Coast and also legislation being considered to expand gambling in neighboring states of Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Florida. The bill next goes to the Senate floor for debate, said Sen. Bryce Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, a member of the Senate Gaming Commission. |
| Mayor says water takeover bill another effort to 'seize control of a Black city' | |
| Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba has come out in opposition to a bill to create a water authority to govern Jackson, saying it's another example of the state trying to seize control of a Black-run city. On Monday, Lumumba sounded off against S.B. 2628, the Mississippi Capitol Region Utility Act, which would take control of Jackson's water and sewer systems and place them under a state-appointed authority. "I think it is part and parcel of an effort to seize control of a Black city that is run by Black leadership, just as we've seen similar legislation of the HBCU bill, which is not called the HBCU bill... that would leave our historically Black colleges and institutions at a disadvantage. I think it's consistent with the effort to take over our airport. I think it's consistent with all of those things." The bill would create an authority with a nine-member governing board and director to take control of Jackson's water and sewer systems once the third-party manager leaves. Five board members would be appointed by the governor, and four would be appointed by the lieutenant governor. "We get $800 million and it seems like the ideal time to stick their neck in the conversation and say, 'I want a piece of that. I want to be a part of the discussions of who gets contracts. I want to be a part of the conversation about how the revenue is enjoyed,'" he told reporters. "There are many things that we don't talk about, right? We don't talk about that." Provisions of the legislation state that all federal funds continue to fall under the authority of Ted Henifin, Jackson's interim third-party manager, even after the authority is set up. |
| Powell Says Fed on Track to Cut Rates This Year | |
 | Brisk inflation and hiring data in January haven't altered the Federal Reserve's expectation that it will be appropriate to cut interest rates later this year, but Chair Jerome Powell said officials want more evidence that inflation is slowing sustainably. Rate cuts won't be warranted until officials have "gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably" toward the central bank's 2% goal, Powell said in remarks prepared for delivery Wednesday before the House Financial Services Committee. Fed officials are trying to balance two risks: One is that they move too slowly to ease policy and the economy crumples under the weight of higher interest rates. The other is that they ease prematurely, allowing inflation to become entrenched at a level well above their 2% goal. "Reducing policy restraint too soon or too much could result in a reversal of progress we have seen in inflation and ultimately require even tighter policy to get inflation back to 2%," Powell said in his remarks. "At the same time, reducing policy restraint too late or too little could unduly weaken economic activity and employment." On Wednesday, Powell characterized the recent slowdown in inflation as both notable and widespread, an indication the rise in January prices hadn't changed the Fed's outlook that inflation will continue to slow this year. |
| Biden's plan for Trump: Bury him with campaign cash | |
 | Joe Biden and his allies intend to bury Donald Trump in campaign cash, hoping that the president's financial advantage will be the equalizer in a race that's becoming more of an uphill climb for the president. The results from Super Tuesday all but guaranteed a Biden-Trump rematch this November. It also marked another step toward a showdown that's poised to be the most expensive and among the most vicious in modern political history. An estimated $2.7 billion is expected to be spent just on presidential campaign advertising this cycle. Pro-Biden super PACs Future Forward and American Bridge already have committed to a blizzard of ads, with $250 million and $200 million in spending respectively, as Democrats prepare an onslaught of ads to turn voters' attention away from Biden's age and remind them of Trump's chaotic first term. In a memo released Wednesday morning, the Biden campaign said that groups allied with it had committed to spending more than $700 million to help defeat Trump. And with the president's team eager to turn 2024 into a choice election for voters, plans are in place for the campaign itself to ramp up contrast ad-spending this spring. A person familiar with Biden's campaign strategy but not authorized to speak about it publicly said it will come earlier than when then-President Barack Obama's allies began turning up the heat on Republican rival Mitt Romney in 2012. |
| Nikki Haley drops out of presidential race without giving a Trump endorsement | |
 | Nikki Haley bowed out of the presidential race conceding Donald Trump is destined to become the GOP nominee but not before she declaring the burden falls on him to unite the party, including those Republicans who have rejected him. "It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him, and I hope he does that," Haley said in brief remarks this morning in front of a crowd of media. "At its best, politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away," she continued. "And our conservative cause badly needs more people. This is now his time for choosing." Haley spoke for less than five minutes, holding a podium and flag adorned stage by herself. She did not offer an endorsement, something that is not entirely out of the question as Trump moves forward as the last remaining Republican candidate. Haley spoke optimistically of her role in running for president, noting her immigrant mother was able to vote for her daughter in her White House bid in the February S.C. Republican primary. "Only in America," said Haley, the former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador who went to say in her departure address that for now she would enjoy the benefits of being a private citizen. Before exiting the stage, Haley did point out what she saw as the myriad problems facing the nation, from ballooning debt, the need for term limits and the lack of a solid commitment to help long-standing allies. |
| Mitch McConnell endorses Trump after years of acrimony between two men | |
 | Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) endorsed Donald Trump for president on Wednesday after years of acrimony between the two men, cementing Trump's continued hold on the Republican Party. "It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States," McConnell said in a statement to The Washington Post. "It should come as no surprise that as nominee, he will have my support. During his presidency, we worked together to accomplish great things for the American people including tax reform that supercharged our economy and a generational change of our federal judiciary -- most importantly, the Supreme Court. I look forward to the opportunity of switching from playing defense against the terrible policies the Biden administration has pursued to a sustained offense geared towards making a real difference in improving the lives of the American people." McConnell -- who has announced he will step down from his leadership role in November -- is one of the most influential Washington Republicans to back Trump, and the endorsement was a remarkable, if expected, move from the Kentucky Republican. He has held out in recent weeks as other Republicans have lined up to back Trump, including many who wanted a different nominee, and his endorsement means that almost every powerful cog in the Republican apparatus is directly behind the former president. |
| Mississippi University Closure Bill Dies, but Similar One Emerges | |
 | A Mississippi bill that would close three unidentified state colleges or universities essentially died in a state Senate committee Monday, but a new measure emerged that could have similar effects. The committee's chair, Senator Nicole Boyd, a Republican, told fellow committee members she does not intend to bring the original legislation -- Senate Bill 2726 -- forward at this time. If passed, the bill would have required the Institutions of Higher Learning, a statewide governing board for Mississippi's eight public universities, to choose the three institutions based on factors such as enrollment, degree attainment, federal aid, tuition rates and local economic impact. Two of the state's three historically Black universities, Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State, as well as Mississippi University for Women, a historically single-gender institution that has been trying (and failing) to rebrand itself to boost coeducational enrollment, could have been up for potential shuttering. Some lawmakers have said mention of the HBCUs as being considered for closure was an example of "misinformation" from the news media, but based on enrollment statistics it is likely they would have been considered. Boyd introduced another piece of legislation -- Senate Bill 2725 -- that wouldn't mandate any closures but would require a task force to conduct a similar review. |
| The W at Mississippi State could become a reality if Senate bill becomes law | |
| With the death of SB 2726, which proposed to close three institutions of higher learning, another bill, SB 2715, passed out of committee Tuesday that proposes to put The W, formerly known as the Mississippi University for Women, under the umbrella of Mississippi State University, effectively still reducing the number of universities if it becomes law. "As you know, The W has been having declining enrollment for the last 10 years. We're down to about 2,200 students enrolled there. The Math and Science school has had issues. They have requested an appropriation of nearly $90 million to upgrade their facilities. There's been bills filed which I believe are dead now to consolidate universities," said Senate Education Chair Dennis Debar (R). "But this, in my opinion will go ahead and strengthen the institution there in Columbus, strengthen the math and science school and strengthen education that our students will receive at these facilities." "This is something we've thought about a lot. It's something, that, I'll be honest I have not spoken to Dr. (Mark) Keenum (president of MSU) about this. So, this is something the Legislature, we have discussed this, and I think it's going to protect the facility in Columbus. It's going to protect the math and science school and I think it's going to provide an opportunity for growth of both of these institutions for the years to come," DeBar described. Senator Polk asked during Tuesday's committee meeting if there would be any cost savings from the change but DeBar said a cost assessment is not available at this time. |
| Future of MSMS and MUW: Proposed bill poses major changes | |
 | The future of Mississippi University for Women and the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science is in the hands of legislators, with a possible move to operate under Mississippi State University. Senate Bill 2715 moved through the Senate Education and Appropriations committees but with major changes. If passed and signed into law, the bill would move the operations of MUW and MSMS and its assets to Mississippi State on July 1, 2024. It will be called The W at Mississippi State University. Tuesday evening MUW President Nora Miller released a statement to alumni and supporters: "Dear Alumni, We became aware of the last-minute amendment made to Senate Bill 2715 this afternoon. The proposed action to merge and rename the university 'The W at Mississippi State University' was unexpected, but we are fully committed to ensuring our university's health and sustainability and it's 140-year legacy in the state of Mississippi. Additional information about our next steps and how you can assist will be shared in the near future through university communication channels." |
| Substitute Senate bill would merge MUW with MSU | |
| Two state Senate committees have chosen their own new name for Mississippi University for Women -- "The W at Mississippi State University." Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar, R-Leakesville, originally filed Senate Bill 2715 in February, proposing the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science be relocated to Mississippi State University in Starkville. But when his committee met Tuesday afternoon at the Capitol, he offered a substitute bill that would transfer control of MUW to MSU. The W would continue to operate in Columbus under its new moniker. DeBar's substitute bill calling for the merger breezed through his committee, as well as Appropriations, and is headed for a full Senate vote. MUW President Nora Miller said she had not seen the substitute bill and "had no notice of this action." MSU officials, according to a prepared statement President Mark Keenum released Tuesday, didn't get much more notice. He said MSU neither "proposed nor initiated" the substitute bill. "We were informed just this morning, and our leadership team has many questions and concerns that must be explored," Keenum said. "Such an action of this nature would require a tremendous amount of study and review regarding operational logistics, infrastructure, financial sustainability, academic viability, and accreditation -- just to name a few. We appreciate the institutional confidence in MSU that this proposal implies, but I emphatically reiterate that MSU did not seek and has not requested this action from legislative leaders," he continued. "We have the utmost respect for MUW's unique legacy, as well as the important role it continues to play in higher education in our state." |
| In full force: MUW employs fully-staffed campus police force | |
| For the first time in over a decade, Mississippi University for Women's Police Department boasts a full staff, and all of its officers are fully certified. "Law enforcement is struggling throughout our country," said MUW's Police Chief Randy Vibrock. "We're no different, so what we had to do is go back and readdress our recruitment strategies and also look at our salary and we now offer competitive pay." MUW's Police Chief Randy Vibrock said having a full staff, gives his department more opportunity to provide services to the students such as a RAD program. "RAD is Rape Aggression Defense," Vibrock said. "It's for women. It offers women basic self-defense techniques and tactics. It's to help prevent abduction situations and possible rape situations." Vibrock said they also offer a safewalk program. "If a student or campus community member would like an escort, all they have to do is call our department and we'll have an officer walk them anywhere on campus property," Vibrock said. "We're here to maintain safety," Vibrock said. "So having more officers present allows us to do that and deter criminal activity from occurring on our campus. Sometimes just an officer's presence is all that it takes to do that." |
| Mississippi Historical Society honors Ole Miss scholar with Lifetime Achievement Award | |
| The Mississippi Historical Society presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Charles Reagan Wilson, retired University of Mississippi professor and former director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, on Feb. 23 at the society's annual meeting. Wilson, who retired in 2014 after more than 33 years at Ole Miss, said the award is special because of his longtime involvement with the society. "I started attending the Mississippi Historical Society annual meetings almost as soon as I came to Mississippi in 1981," he said. "I have very fond memories of those meetings and the people I met. I developed some deep friendships with other historians and people from other universities across the state and the South. "For that organization to give me the award after being involved with it so many ways over the years – it means all the more to me." Wilson led the Southern studies program from 1991 to 1998 and the Center for the Study of Southern Culture from 1998 to 2007. During that time, he helped establish both the Southern Foodways Alliance and the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation, which has since changed its name to The Alluvial Collective. Katie Blount, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, was in the second class of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture back in the early 1980s. She called Wilson "one of our state's most distinguished historians." |
| South Central Regional Medical Center partners with WCU to launch hub site for medical students | |
 | A new partnership is underway at South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel where William Carey med students will spend their 3rd year in medical school being mentored by medical professionals. "They'll rotate, spend a month in each one of the specialties of the hospital as they progress through their third year of medical school," said Gregg Gibbes, CEO and president of South Central Regional Medical Center. The hospital will be a regional hub site for 10 students beginning in July. "They'll do internal medicine, they'll do obstetrics, they'll do pediatrics and by going through those experiences, we hope that'll have such a positive experience that they'll choose one of those specialties and hopefully in the future decide to come and practice," said Dr. Italo Subbarao, dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at William Carey University. Dozens of people came out to the press conference today as medical leaders expressed the major need for doctors in the state as well as the need in rural areas. The university is also working with the hospital to develop residency programs for those to continue their practice in Laurel. |
| Alabama Senate passes Birmingham-Southern loan bill: 'We are encouraged' | |
 | A revised loan bill that would provide a lifeline to the financially troubled Birmingham-Southern College has passed the Alabama Senate and will make its way to the House. SB31 by Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, makes changes to the Distressed Institutions of Higher Education Revolving Loan Program, which the Legislature created last year in response to the request for public assistance from Birmingham-Southern. A Senate committee approved the bill last week and offered some additional amendments. The full Senate passed the revised bill on a 22-5 vote Tuesday evening. The bill will await review from a House committee before it can go up for a final vote in the House. "If we don't get this done and get it done in a timely manner, then the school will close," said Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham. The legislation is not limited to Birmingham-Southern. Other colleges can apply for loans from the Distressed Institutions program. Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Demopolis, said he would support the bill, but he hopes lawmakers can treat financial issues facing predominantly Black institutions with the same level of urgency. He noted a recent federal report that found some of the state's HBCUs were underfunded by millions of dollars. "What we do for one, we should be willing to do for others," he said. |
| LSU honors 'Rainmakers,' for high-impact research | |
 | LSU is honoring six faculty members who have earned national or international recognition for their research. The "Rainmakers" honor is given to professors who stand out for their ability to secure research funding and publish in prominent journals. "Their high-caliber discoveries further the university's mission to improve lives in Louisiana and all around the world," Vice President of Research and Economic Development Robert Twilley said in a news release. The Rainmakers includes scholars in the early, middle and senior stages of their careers. The winners will each receive a $1,000 stipend and be honored in a reception in the Huey P. Long Fieldhouse ballroom. An associate professor of psychology, Don Zhang studies how people make decisions at work while facing risk and uncertainty. An assistant professor of biological sciences, Christine Lattin studies the biological mechanisms that help animals handle stress and changes in their environment. An associate professor of political science and mass communication, Kathleen Searles studies how information spreads online, spreading noncredible information and leading to campaigns of abuse and harassment. A professor of physics and astronomy specializing in nuclear physics, Catherine Deibel studies the atoms that drive stellar explosions. A professor of world languages, literatures and cultures, Rafael Orozco studies how languages change. A professor of mathematics, Michael Malisoff studies mathematical systems and control theory. |
| Louisiana might no longer require high schoolers to apply for college financial aid | |
| Last year, Louisiana led the nation in high schoolers applying for college financial aid, with about 70% of seniors completing the application. But now, state officials want to scrap a policy that experts say helped more Louisiana students access financial aid and attend college. On Tuesday, Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley recommended that the state board of education repeal the policy, which took effect in 2018, that requires students to apply for college financial aid before graduating from high school. The rule allows students to opt out if they decline or are unable to apply for aid. Louisiana was the first state in the country to adopt such a policy, which led to a major increase in aid applications. Since then, at least a dozen other states have also required all high school seniors to either complete the federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, or request an opt-out waiver, before receiving their high school diploma. "Louisiana singlehandedly launched a policy movement that's now a dozen states strong," said Peter Granville, a researcher who has studied Louisiana's policy. "Its FAFSA completion rate has been the envy of the nation for years." Some conservatives oppose such policies, saying they pressure families to give sensitive financial information to the federal government. |
| Polarization over Laken Riley's killing bubbles over at Athens City Hall | |
| The Athens-Clarke County Commission late Tuesday unanimously approved investments in public safety amid a polarized response to nursing student Laken Riley's slaying. Two groups of demonstrators gathered outside City Hall before the meeting. Inside, residents sparred over immigration and crime during a public comment session that lasted roughly 90 minutes. "Just walk outside and you can see the whole city is divided," said Athens resident Charles Hardy. Police arrested Jose Antonio Ibarra on Feb. 23, charging him with murder in Riley's death after the student's body was found on the University of Georgia's campus with signs of blunt force trauma. Authorities say Ibarra, a Venezuelan, entered the U.S. unlawfully in 2022. At the "Make Athens Safe Again" rally on the steps of City Hall, speakers, including Republican State Rep. Houston Gaines, criticized Mayor Kelly Girtz and District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez for allegedly being soft on crime and enforcement of immigration law. People in the group held signs that said "Deport All Illegals" and "Sanctuary Communities Kill." Gathered on the sidewalk across the street on College Avenue, the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement held a "unity vigil" that included members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. People there held signs that said "Xenophobia Does Not Make Us Safer" and "Hate Won't Heal." "There are people here who are using Laken Riley's tragic murder to push racism, to push an anti-immigrant agenda," said Trey Holloway, a UGA student. |
| Vanderbilt to pay $55M in lawsuit accusing it, others of financial aid price fixing | |
 | Vanderbilt University will pay out $55 million as part of the settlement of a class action lawsuit that accused the school, along with 16 others, of being a "price-fixing cartel" when it came to financial aid. The suit, filed in January 2022 by five former Vanderbilt students and others from various universities, reached a total settlement of $284 million that was preliminarily approved by a judge on Feb. 28. Vanderbilt paid the largest share of that among the 10 schools that agreed to settle. Attorneys for the students said the universities used a shared methodology to calculate the financial need of applicants, leading to unfair limits on how aid was distributed. The lawsuit argued the universities, including several Ivy League schools, worked together and "artificially inflated the net price of attendance for students receiving financial aid." The suit argued that runs afoul of antitrust laws, which are designed to avoid monopolies and to promote competition among businesses. Vanderbilt has denied the allegations in the suit. "Though we believe the plaintiffs' claims are without merit, we have reached a settlement in order to maintain our commitment to the privacy of our students and families and keep our focus on providing talented scholars from all social, cultural and economic backgrounds one of the world's best undergraduate educations," Vanderbilt said in a statement to The Tennessean. |
| United Faculty of Florida pens letter denouncing elimination of DEI positions at UF | |
 | The United Faculty of Florida (UFF) released a statement Tuesday in response to the University of Florida's announcement last week that it was eliminating all positions related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), effective immediately. The decision was in response to a new Florida Board of Governors rule on prohibited expenditures. The regulation labels expenses related to DEI, which is defined as "any program, campus activity, or policy that classifies individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation and promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals on the basis of such classification," as prohibited expenditures. The regulation mandates that a state university "may not expend any state or federal funds to promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities" that violate section 1000.05 of Florida Statutes, advocate for what it defines as diversity, equity, and inclusion, or promote or engage in what it defines as political or social activism. "This action by UF goes against the core principles of United Faculty of Florida at UF, which traces its very origins to resistance against UF's actions during the civil rights era," said Meera Sitharam, UFF-UF Faculty Chapter president, in a news release. |
| Thousands of cattle killed in historic 2024 Texas Panhandle wildfires | |
 | Thousands of livestock have been killed in the wildfires that've ripped across the Texas Panhandle over the last week, inflicting unprecedented damage upon the largest cattle region in the nation. Officials surveying the damage said more than 3,600 cattle have died since the fires -- some of which are still ongoing -- spread through multiple counties and into Oklahoma, destroying hundreds of homes and killing at least two people. The number of dead cattle is expected to double or triple in the coming days as inspectors continue inspecting the land and animals are euthanized because of burn injuries and trauma, Sid Miller, commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture, told USA TODAY. "It's a ghastly sight," Miller said, recounting hundreds of cows lying dead on smoldering fields. "We've never seen anything like this." Texas is home to 11 million livestock animals and 85% are in the panhandle, making it the country's most prominent region for beef production, Miller said. The mass deaths likely won't impact the price of beef around the nation, but it has already devastated local ranchers, many who've maintained businesses that have been in their family for generations, he said. Dozens of nearby residents joined the massive recovery effort, donating money, food and equipment to their neighbors. Trailers packed with hay, feed and other supplies have answered the urgent need for vital sustenance as the wildfires consumed the cattle's primary food source. "This is ranchers helping ranchers," said Jason Smith, a beef cattle specialist and associated professor for Texas A&M University. He noted that some farms were untouched or suffered little damage, while others were completely destroyed. |
| North Carolina Is About to Rake in Millions in Betting Revenue. 13 Colleges Will Get a Slice. | |
 | With the legalization of mobile sports betting in their state this month, North Carolina college leaders can be sure their students will be participating in big numbers. Many of them already are. Starting Monday, North Carolinians will place legal, online sports bets for the first time. Last year the state joined more than 30 others that have passed laws permitting and regulating sports betting. Its version has an interesting provision for higher education: Some of the tax revenue it generates will go to the athletic departments at 13 public colleges, all of which are HBCUs or public regionals. (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, both of which generate over $100 million a year in revenue, are not included in the provision.) The state allocated $300,000 for each of the 13 colleges. After some other sums are doled out, including to a state agency to run addiction-treatment programs, 20 percent of the remaining tax revenue will be divided equally among the colleges. "I'm excited, no matter how much it is," said Janet Cone, athletics director at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, one of the institutions that will receive the funds. |
| Liberty University fined $14 million for federal crime reporting violations | |
 | The U.S. Department of Education is fining Liberty University $14 million, the largest penalty on record, for failing to comply with a federal campus crime-reporting law. Department officials announced the settlement Tuesday. It came after a lengthy investigation that found numerous violations of the Clery Act, a federal law that requires colleges to record, and warn their communities about, campus crimes and dangerous situations. The department's findings are detailed in a more than 100-page report, which describes how, from 2016 to 2023, the Christian university in Lynchburg, Va., demonstrated "serious, persistent, and systemic violations." The report says the college discouraged students from reporting crimes, did not adequately respond to incidents of sexual violence, failed to tell the campus about criminal activities or dangerous situations (such as gas leaks), and did not maintain an accurate or complete list of crimes. Federal investigators reached out to about 100 individuals for this report, including former and current university employees, students and parents. In addition to the $14 million dollar fine, the settlement also stipulates that Liberty spend $2 million on improvements to campus safety over the course of a two-year federal monitoring period, which ends in April 2026. The $14 million fine is the largest Clery Act settlement yet. |
| Faculty, Staff Members Serve as Key Mental Health Resources for Students | |
| Faculty and staff members are increasingly being called upon to help students with their mental health, addressing stress, anxiety and depression, among other challenges. In a January survey of faculty members, 76 percent said they believe supporting students' mental health is a job expectation. Similarly, research from the University of Iowa, published in August, found overwhelmingly that staff and faculty from Iowa community colleges feel a responsibility to support their students' mental health and wellness through modeling behaviors and referring them to campus resources. However, fewer employees were confident in their ability to do so. Colleges and universities should provide their staff and faculty with resources and training to direct learners to the appropriate places to address concerns, as well as invest in messaging and services that benefit their own health and wellness, according to the report. The Scanlan Center's survey was the first to gauge faculty and staff flourishing behaviors in a wide-scale way and found 88 percent of faculty and staff feel competent and capable, and 87 percent believe they are good people who live good lives. Similarly, respondents feel they actively contribute to the happiness and well-being of others (78 percent), and their social relationships are supportive and rewarding (75 percent). |
| Harvard's Response to Subpoenas Is Called 'Useless' by House Committee | |
 | Representative Virginia Foxx, who is leading a House investigation of campus antisemitism, blasted Harvard University on Tuesday for handing over "useless" documents in response to subpoenas. "I don't know if it's arrogance, ineptness, or indifference that's guiding Harvard," Representative Foxx, a North Carolina Republican, said in a statement. "Regardless, its actions to date are shameful." Many of the 2,500 pages were duplicates of already submitted documents, she said, and heavy redactions made some documents worthless. Harvard said it has been acting in good faith and since January has turned over nearly 4,900 pages of material to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, not including any duplicate material. The university also released a four-page document detailing how it has fought antisemitism on campus, including more policing of social media and stricter enforcement of rules on demonstrations. This overview was the only part of its submission that Harvard made public; the committee did not release any of the material. With Harvard and the House at loggerheads, it is unclear what the repercussions could be. "The committee is weighing an appropriate response to Harvard's malfeasance," Representative Foxx said. The standoff is perhaps just the most visible example of the divisions that have taken hold on campus since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel, with many Jewish students, alumni and donors saying that Harvard was not doing enough to protect students from antisemitic slogans, social messaging and campus protests. |
| Conservatives struggle to find legal avenues against Biden's revamped student debt relief | |
 | GOP legal efforts against President Biden's student loan forgiveness plans have dwindled since their major Supreme Court victory last summer, highlighting the difficulty in challenging these policies on a smaller scale. The win last year blocked Biden from implementing a more than $400 billion plan to forgive up to $20,000 for almost all borrowers. Since then, however, the president has issued multiple smaller batches of student debt forgiveness, recently offering $1.2 billion of relief. One red-leaning state is taking the lead on confronting these moves, but so far, legal challenges have yet to find much traction. The Biden administration has forgiven an "unprecedented" amount of student loans, according to the Department of Education, totaling more than $134 billion. The relief has largely been aimed at borrowers with disabilities, those who were defrauded by their schools and fixes to income-driven repayment (IDR) options. The newest program that has conservatives up in arms is the Saving on Valuable Education (SAVE) IDR plan, which they estimate will cost more than $550 billion over 10 years. Michael Poon, an attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation, says the administration "structured the program in such a way" that it is harder to get challenges in front of judges. "But, if it were in front of the court, I think the courts" would hold that "it's unlawful," he added. |
| Helping Mississippi's Working Poor Get Healthcare is Economic Development in Action | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: In recent decades, Mississippi has defied the odds in economic development. Landing first Nissan and then Toyota automobile manufacturing plants, Steel Dynamics and Aluminum Dynamics flat-roll operations, and recently Amazon Web Services in Madison County and EVE Energy battery plant in Marshall County, Mississippi is, as Gov. Tate Reeves often repeats, "open for business." Those job victories are in addition to the $8.8 billion in agricultural production value led by Mississippi's poultry and timber industries. To keep Mississippi "open for business" it is incumbent on our state's leadership to make sure current and future employers can invest in our state with a reasonable assurance of quality public schools, a well-maintained system of transportation infrastructure, green spaces and amenities that offer a reliably good quality of life, and an accessible, affordable and effective healthcare system. Mississippi is finally taking steps toward reclaiming a portion of the federal tax dollars Mississippians have been paying to provide public healthcare for the working poor in 40 other states but not in our state where healthcare disparities are achingly real and politically inarguable. The Mississippi House of Representatives has by a margin of 98 to 20 passed legislation that would expand Medicaid benefits to individuals aged 19 to 64 who earn no more than 138% of the federal poverty level. The bill contains a work requirement -- which the feds are likely to disapprove -- but even so, the bill would expand Medicaid coverage in Mississippi for four years before a legislative repealer kicks in. |
SPORTS
| Diamond Dawgs Win Sixth-Straight | |
| The Mississippi State Diamond Dawgs defeated the Southern Miss Golden Eagles 5-4 in Pearl, Miss. on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs fought all the way until the end, scoring five unanswered runs after they gave up the Golden Eagles' only four runs all in the first inning. After the first inning, the Bulldogs only gave up three hits and zero earned runs while striking out eight in the process. The duo of Evan Siary and Nolan Stevens set the tone, striking out four of the 11 batters faced while giving up zero walks. Tyson Hardin, Tyler Davis and Brooks Auger closed the game after the slight rain delay, giving up a combined one hit and one walk while striking out four Golden Eagles in five innings of work. Hardin earned the win and Auger earned the save. The win for Hardin was his second of the season, while Auger picked up his first save. Dakota Jordan shined at the plate tonight, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a home run. Jordan's three RBIs were a team-best, and he was the only Bulldog with multiple RBIs tonight. Davis Mershon went 1-for-3 with one RBI and one walk. Bryce Chance and Logan Kohler went 2-for-4 and 1-for-3 respectively with recording a double each. Mississippi State is back in action Friday night at Dudy Noble Field against Evansville at 6 p.m. The weekend series will be broadcast on ESPN+. |
| Dakota Jordan's solo shot lifts Mississippi State baseball to win against Southern Miss | |
| Dakota Jordan bolted out of the batter's box at first. However, as he neared first base at Trustmark Park, he slowed down his stride. And just before stepping on the bag, he tossed his bat. In a matter of seconds, the Mississippi State baseball outfielder realized he got all of a pitch from Southern Miss' Kros Silvey for his fifth home run of the season. This one, though, gave the Bulldogs a 5-4 lead they wouldn't let slip in a victory against their in-state foe. After a shaky start, Mississippi State (9-4) got eight shutout inning from a combination of five relief pitchers to win its sixth straight game. The victory came despite MSU leaving six runners on base and having a runner thrown out at home plate. Mississippi State has now won five of its last six meetings against Southern Miss (8-5). Mississippi State returns to Dudy Noble Field for a three-game set against Evansville. The series opens on Friday (6 p.m., SEC Network+). Southern Miss will be on the road for its weekend series. USM opens a three-game set at Louisiana Tech on Friday (6 p.m., ESPN+). |
| Baseball: Jordan's homer completes Mississippi State's comeback win over Southern Miss | |
| It is not easy to hit a ball out at Trustmark Park, especially to the opposite field. But Dakota Jordan, who is as familiar with the venue as anyone on Mississippi State's roster, was fairly certain that the ball he hit in the seventh inning had enough to leave the yard. Jordan's blast did indeed clear the right-field fence by plenty, giving the Bulldogs, who had trailed by four to Southern Miss after an inning, a one-run lead. MSU's bullpen delivered eight shutout innings to allow the offense time to battle back in a 5-4 victory over the Golden Eagles, the Bulldogs' sixth win in a row. "I was kind of checking out the wind, but I saw the right fielder just keep going, and I gave a little bat flip toward the end," Jordan said. "It was a pretty cool moment." MSU's star sophomore outfielder grew up in Canton and attended Jackson Academy, both within the general vicinity of the Mississippi Braves' home ballpark, and he had plenty of family and friends in attendance Tuesday night. Jordan was in the middle of all three of the Bulldogs' rallies -- he drove in a run with a groundout in the third, hit an RBI single in the fifth and then delivered the decisive blow, his fifth home run of the season, in the seventh. "It feels good, especially doing it in the hometown where your friends and family can come watch," Jordan said. "That one right there felt great. Usually, the ball never flies here, but it felt real good to hit one out." |
| Justin Parker has rejuvenated Mississippi State baseball's pitching: 'He reeks of confidence' | |
| Mississippi State baseball had been in that spot not long ago. It came at Dudy Noble Field on Feb. 24 when Georgia Southern jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. The Bulldogs struggled to respond. They could only string together a multi-run inning once. The pitching couldn't keep things close, allowing another seven runs in the middle innings. Mississippi State (9-4) was back in that spot Tuesday at Trustmark Park. This time, it was against a better opponent. Southern Miss (8-5) is fresh off hosting a super regional. However, the result was different. The Bulldogs did enough offensively to climb back -- with outfielder Dakota Jordan delivering a solo home run in the seventh inning to finally flip a 4-0 deficit into a 5-4 lead. The bullpen shined, delivering eight scoreless innings to secure that 5-4 victory. "Really just keeping everything positive," Jordan said of the team's mentality when trailing. "Keeping a positive mindset. We went down a couple games earlier in the year, and we just know that we can get in there and do whatever we've got to do to win." This season, behind newly hired pitching coach Justin Parker, Mississippi State has had time to wait for its offense. The hitters aren't peaking yet, but the pitching appears to have arrived -- even with starter Karson Ligon allowing four runs in the first against USM. "Everybody just came out and threw strikes," Lemonis said. |
| Five Things To Know: State-Texas A&M | |
| Mississippi State men's basketball team heads into the final week of the regular season as the Bulldogs face off against Texas A&M for a Wednesday evening matchup at Reed Arena. The Bulldogs (19-10, 8-8 SEC) have won five of their last seven outings which includes five straight versus unranked opponents. State has won six of the last nine meetings in the series dating back to 2016-17 to draw even with the Aggies at 9-9. Texas A&M has posted a 5-2 mark at home, State's last win in Bryan-College Station was a 63-57 victory on 03/03/2021. Last season, the Bulldogs took down then No. 25 Texas A&M 69-62 during the lone meeting between the two schools in Starkville. Tolu Smith III (17 points), Shakeel Moore (14 points) and Cameron Matthews (11 points) each registered double figures for State. The Aggies put their five-game losing streak in the rearview mirror with a 70-56 road victory at Georgia over the weekend. Texas A&M has dialed up Associated Press Top 10 home wins over No. 6 Kentucky (97-92 on 01/13) and No. 6 Tennessee (85-69 on 02/10). Texas A&M is one of the nation's best rebounding squads at a 42.8 per game rate. The Aggies have grabbed 17.5 offensive rebounds per contest. Andersson Garcia (6.0 PPPG, 9.5 RPG, 1.4 SPG) and Henry Coleman III (9.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG) pace a group of five players who average at least five rebounds per game. Garcia has worked his way to 10+ boards in six of the team's last eight games. |
| How Sam Purcell, Bulldogs stayed the course during five-game losing streak | |
| After Mississippi State allowed last-place Missouri to make nine of its first 10 shots and score 20 points in the first five minutes Sunday, Bulldogs head coach Sam Purcell tore into his team in the huddle during the first media timeout. "It was a lot of cussing," grad transfer point guard Lauren Park-Lane said following MSU's 90-75 victory. "We know we have to just play better. We had to play harder and play for each other and everything was going to work itself out. That was basically the gist of what he said." Park-Lane's comment drew laughter from teammates Jerkaila Jordan and Darrione Rogers, suggesting that perhaps Purcell said some other things that could not be repeated in public. But the Bulldogs (21-10, 8-8 Southeastern Conference) did settle down, play good perimeter defense and explode offensively in the second half to snap a five-game losing streak heading into the SEC Tournament. That skid, which immediately followed a five-game winning streak, saw MSU blow late fourth-quarter leads against Ole Miss and Kentucky and suffer a 20-point home loss to an inferior Florida team. It took the Bulldogs from a near lock for the NCAA Tournament to dangerous bubble territory -- ESPN's Charlie Creme has MSU as one of the last four teams in the field as of Tuesday morning. Purcell pointed out Tuesday that an SEC team with at least 20 wins and a .500 record in conference play has never been left out of the Big Dance. "When you leave (the decision) in the hands of other people, I'm never excited," Purcell said. "There's no guarantees. I love Charlie Creme, but his bracketology is not the ultimate say. It's a room of people. I hope they're really watching us, the talent that I have." |
| Dances and dimes: Lauren Park-Lane's Mississippi State career about more than assists record | |
 | When the guards for Mississippi State women's basketball form a circle at half-court for a dribbling drill before a game at Humphrey Coliseum, the in-house DJ -- DJ Kujho -- knows to blare Nicki Minaj's, "Everybody" through the speakers. Lauren Park-Lane takes the show from there. There's usually a spin or hand movements -- or whatever it takes to replicate a dance popular on social media. The point, though, isn't for those in their seats before tip-off to notice her. Instead, her energy resonates throughout the group of guards and gets them loose before a 40-minute grind. "She makes you laugh," coach Sam Purcell said. "She makes you relax." Park-Lane can hoop, there's no denying that. In four seasons at Seton Hall, she was a three-time All-Big East first team player who scored at least 30 points in 12 games. In her lone season at Mississippi State, she is nine assists away from breaking the program's single-season record (202) as postseason play begins Thursday (11 a.m., SEC Network) against Texas A&M in the second round of the conference tournament in Greenville, South Carolina. However, she has added just as much off the court as she does on it – whether it be through her dancing or the message she sends as a 5-foot-3 product of Wilmington, Delaware. |
| Nick Saban joining ESPN's 'College GameDay' road show | |
| Nick Saban is joining ESPN's "College GameDay," the long-running Saturday pregame road show he appeared on as a guest so frequently during his 17 seasons as Alabama coach. The network announced Wednesday that Saban will be an on-set analyst for "GameDay," joining host Rece Davis and regulars Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee. Saban, 72, retired last month, ending a 28-year career in college coaching that included seven national championships. He won six titles with Alabama and one with LSU. "ESPN and College GameDay have played such an important role in the growth of college football, and I'm honored to have the opportunity to join their team," Saban said in a statement. "I'll do my best to offer additional insights and perspectives to contribute to College GameDay, the ultimate Saturday tradition for college football fans." The network said Saban will also be part of ESPN's NFL draft coverage and make appearances at SEC Media Days in July. His first assignment will be announced at a later date, according to the network. Next season also marks the first with ESPN as the exclusive media rights partner with the Southeastern Conference. Saban won 12 SEC titles during his time leading Alabama and LSU. |
| How NIL played into Nick Saban's retirement: 'Maybe this doesn't work anymore' | |
| Nick Saban heard two main questions when he met with players after the 2023 season ended. Playing time and money. "I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?" Saban told ESPN. "Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field." Alabama football ended the season in the Rose Bowl and then returned to Tuscaloosa where Saban held meetings with his players as they looked to make decisions for the future. "So I'm saying to myself, 'Maybe this doesn't work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it's all about how much money can I make as a college player?' I'm not saying that's bad," Saban said. "I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years." The way things transpired with players after the Rose Bowl ended, immediately on the field and meetings, were "some of the events that certainly contributed" to Saban deciding to retire on Jan. 10, but those events weren't the only or main reason. |
| The search is on: Mizzou announces committee, firm to guide AD hire | |
 | Just over two weeks after news first broke that Missouri Athletic Director Desireé Reed-Francois had left the program for the same job at Arizona, University of Missouri has appointed a committee to take charge of the search for her successor, the school announced in a news release Tuesday. The 11-person committee will be looking for a candidate who can "build on recent success and continue the progress of building Mizzou's championship culture," according to the release. A source knowledgeable about the committee confirmed to the Missourian that it has not yet met, but its first meeting is "coming up." Bob Blitz, curator, is chair of the search committee and chair of the Mizzou Intercollegiate Athletics Special Committee. In the same release, MU announced that it has hired TurnkeyZRG as the search firm to assist the committee. TurnkeyZRG has been working with Texas A&M to hire its own athletic director after former AD Ross Bjork -- a former assistant AD at MU -- left the university for Ohio State. MU basketball coach Dennis Gates' wife, Jocelyn Gates, is the vice president of college and coaching practice at TurnkeyZRG. She "supports searches for head coaches, athletic directors, and administrators," according to the firm's website. She joined the firm in 2022 shortly after Dennis Gates was hired at MU. MU has confirmed with TurnkeyZRG that Jocelyn Gates will not be involved with the search in any way, MU spokesperson Christian Basi said. |
| Dartmouth Basketball Players Vote to Unionize in New Challenge to NCAA's Amateurism Model | |
| The Dartmouth men's basketball team voted in favor of forming a union on Tuesday, in a seismic move for college sports and its century-old insistence that athletes are playing, not working when they compete for their schools. The National Labor Relations Board announced that 13 of the team's 15 players had voted in favor of joining the Service Employees International Union, and two had cast ballots against it. "It's time for the age of amateurism to end," said Cade Haskins, a junior forward who serves as the team's union representative. The quick count came after most of the players had arrived together at Dartmouth's Office of Human Resources, posing for photographs and holding up a union placard before going in. The players didn't stick around for the official tally -- they had to report to the gym for shoot around ahead of their final game of the season against Harvard. The election came after a series of legal interpretations from the NLRB that players are employees, and the players signed union representation forms with the SEIU Local 560. "We always negotiate in good faith and have deep respect for our 1,500 union colleagues, including the members of SEIU Local 560. In this isolated circumstance, however, the students on the men's basketball team are not in any way employed by Dartmouth," said a spokeswoman for Dartmouth in a statement. "Classifying these students as employees simply because they play basketball is as unprecedented as it is inaccurate." |
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